Backgrounding

Eight Components of a Strong Preconditioning Program

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 14:34:20 GMT

Many spring-calving producers are thinking about weaning and marketing this year’s calf crop.

“In preparation for weaning and marketing, many producers do some level of preconditioning to add value and prepare calves for the next stages of life,” says Chris Clark, Iowa State University Extension and outreach beef specialist.

In a recent press release Clark describes preconditioning strategies and explains why it is valuable.

He says there is not a solid, consistent definition for preconditioning and the meaning of the term can differ person to person, regionally and among various programs.

Clark says this definition summarizes his perspective on the meaning and importance of preconditioning: “Preconditioning is a set of practices and procedures applied to prepare cattle for the next phase of production. Weaning and marketing involve many potential stressors that can negatively affect beef calves: separation from dam, new environment, diet change and new social dynamics, just to name a few. The idea of preconditioning is to prepare cattle, minimize those stressors, support health and performance, and ultimately, help cattle reach their genetic potential.”

He adds specific precondition practices often include castration, dehorning, vaccination, adaptation to new feeds and bunk breaking.

Although most preconditioning practices are associated with weaning, some of these things can actually be done well ahead of time, even in the neonatal period of a calf’s life.

“Well-preconditioned cattle are the culmination of a holistic management program that starts when calves are born and arguably even while they are in utero,” he says.

Clark shares these eight components of a strong preconditioning program:

Castration and dehorning procedures should be done as early as possible with appropriate anesthesia and analgesia to minimize pain and distress.
“Castration and dehorning surgeries should generally be performed within the first two to three months of life,” he says. “Dehorning should be done through genetic selection or through disbudding calves before the horns become well established.”
If these procedures have not yet been done, talk to your veterinarian about the best timing and technique. Open wounds can be a problem in the summer because of fly pressure, so it is worth some thought and discussion about how to best proceed at this time of year.
Vaccination to establish immunity prior to the stress of weaning and marketing.
Stress associated with weaning and marketing can cause immunosuppression, making animals more susceptible to respiratory disease and other infections. Preweaning vaccines help ensure protective antibodies are on board at weaning, which can help prevent and reduce the severity of disease.
“Work closely with your veterinarian to determine the products and vaccine schedules that make the most sense for your operation,” he says.
Deworming to reduce internal and external parasite load can help promote animal health and performance.
Cattle commonly consume infective nematode larvae while grazing, so strategic deworming as they are coming off of pasture into drylot or feedyard settings can make a lot of sense.
Implanting with growth-promoting hormone implants is very much an optional part of a preconditioning program.
Implants improve performance and feed efficiency and can improve profitability when cattle are retained long enough to take advantage of these improvements.
“In a strong cattle market where each pound of gain has great value, implanting may be worth considering,” he says. “Keep in mind the new FDA guidance and emphasis on not reimplanting within a phase of production unless the implant product is specifically labeled for reimplantation.”
He explains with this recent development, some buyers might prefer cattle that have not been implanted, so it may be worth thinking through the value of enhanced performance versus buyer preferences and demand at market.
Adapt cattle to feed like what will be fed after weaning.
“Creep feeding consistently increases weaning weight but may or may not be profitable depending on the cost versus value of gain,” Clark explains. “In the current market with significant value for every pound of gain, creep feeding may be worth considering.”
Even when not obviously profitable, creep feeding or some kind of supplementation can help calves adapt to new feeds and feeding systems. This should support a smoother transition throughout weaning.
Postweaning feeding programs should be well-balanced to support health and growth but modest enough to prevent foot and rumen issues and over-conditioning of animals.
“Buyers generally like cattle to be relatively ‘green,’ meaning they prefer to buy cattle that are not overly fat,” he adds.
Weaning is considered by some to be an integral part of the preconditioning process.
In fact, in some sponsored preconditioning programs, cattle are not truly preconditioned if not weaned for 45 to 60 days. Weaning allows producers to start cattle on feed, adapt them to the next phase of production, and treat any illnesses that might occur.
Consider low-stress weaning strategies such as two-step weaning, fence-line weaning, pasture weaning, etc., and think ahead about what might work for you. Weaned cattle should be past some of the most stressful and high-risk times and ready to enter the next phase of production.
Strive for excellence in the basics of animal husbandry.
Shelter, shade, bedding, water, feed and low-stress handling are all components of good animal care, and the most well-preconditioned animals are those that have been well taken care of from conception to marketing.
Daily care and record keeping are key components of preconditioning.
Create a plan for performing and keeping records of daily care, and develop a record-keeping system for treatment and feed records.
“Plan to check cattle daily throughout the weaning phase to look for signs of illness, develop a working relationship with a veterinarian and establish a treatment plan in case of illness,” Clark says.
Review recommended biosecurity protocols and implement as appropriate to protect the health of your calf crop. Prepare records that can be shared with buyers so they understand how cattle have been cared for, what products have been administered and what procedures have been done.

Clark summarizes preconditioning does several things. First, it enhances animal health, well-being and performance, and increases the odds that cattle will perform to their genetic potential. Additionally, preconditioning minimizes risk.

“In the current record-breaking cattle market, cattle are more valuable than ever, and with great value comes great risk,” he says. “Every illness, every mortality, every bout of weight loss and shrink hurts that much more than it would in a weaker market.”

Preconditioning can help manage that risk and improve the likelihood of success for producers in all phases of production. Consider preconditioning to optimize cattle health and performance and promote the success of buyers of your cattle.

Check out other calf weaning stories.

Key Nutrition Strategies for a Successful Weaning

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 16:36:47 GMT

Keys to a successful weaning are reducing stress, supporting the calves’ immune systems and maintaining good nutrition.

Megan Van Emon, Montana State University Extension beef cattle specialist, shares these four nutritional strategies that are key to success at weaning:

Help calves learn to eat from bunks and drink from troughs before weaning if possible.
Provide high-quality feed immediately after weaning.
Ensure fresh, clean water is available.
Use palatable feeds to encourage calves to eat.

Jason Warner, Kansas State University Extension cow-calf specialist, says if producers are weaning calves and placing them in pens and are planning to deliver them a mixed ration, they need to remember that feed intake will be low initially but will gradually increase as calves transition and the initial stress due to the separation event subsides.

“When calves are first weaned, providing them with plenty of access to palatable, fresh, long-stem grass hay is always a good approach and gradually introducing them to a weaning ration over a period of several days,” Warner explains. “Feedstuffs low in starch and high in digestible fiber such as distillers grains or gluten feed are good choices to include in weaning and receiving diets.”

John Hall, University of Idaho Extension beef specialist, suggests a weaning diet of: 60% to 65% forage, 14% to 16% crude protein and around 65% total digestible nutrients (TDN)

“I prefer byproducts such as distillers grains, corn gluten feed, soy hulls — those kind of highly digestible fiber products — which don’t cause us big problems with acidosis and problems with rumen function that feeding straight corn or milo or something like that would cause,” Hall explains.

He emphasizes using high-quality forages and by-products to support rumen function and avoid digestive issues in newly weaned calves.

Hall also stresses a good mineral program is crucial for supporting immune function during the stressful weaning period. He encourages producers to focus on trace minerals — copper, selenium, zinc, manganese — and to use chelated or hydroxy mineral forms.

Hall shares these suggestions for producers to consider:

Work with a nutrition expert or consultant when formulating rations.
Use highly digestible fiber products.
Avoid straight corn to prevent rumen issues.
Supplement calves on pasture if possible.
Introduce new feed sources gradually.

If early weaning, Hall says: “For these early weaned calves, diets that are fairly high in forages are very important in terms of rumen function and calf health, and then enough energy.”

Ron Lemenager, Purdue University beef specialist, says a key principle is maintaining consistency in the ration. He suggests using the same creep feed during preweaning as the initial weaning ration to reduce stress and digestive disruption. This approach helps calves transition smoothly from milk to solid feed.

“I like to include an ionophore in my creep and weaning rations to help stabilize rumen fermentation,” he says. “When using byproducts like distillers grains or corn gluten feed, make sure to check the calcium to phosphorus ratio of the feed to prevent urinary calculi.”

Lemenager explains that the time around weaning is a critical “marbling window” between weaning and 9 to 10 months of age when strategic starch feeding can enhance meat quality. For replacement heifers, he recommends maintaining a high-fiber diet, while steers and market heifers should transition to more corn-based rations to develop intramuscular fat.

He stresses a weaning nutrition program isn’t one size fits all. Producers should consider individual herd characteristics, calf age and intended market endpoint when designing weaning nutrition strategies.

“The overarching goal is to support calf health, minimize stress, maintain growth performance and potentially improve future meat quality through strategic nutritional management during the critical weaning period,” Lemenager summarizes.

Your Next Read: Step-by-Step Weaning: How to Choose the Best Method

Step-by-Step Weaning: How to Choose the Best Method

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 17:01:12 GMT

Weaning is a stressful time — stressful on calves, cows and producers.

Weaning can have a major impact on a calf’s short and long-term health, growth performance and economic returns. Minimizing weaning stress should improve calf health and weight gain.

“Weaning can be approached many different ways depending on what facilities are available,” says Jason Warner, Kansas State University extension cow-calf specialist.

Four beef cattle extension specialists chime in on weaning methods, including the pros and cons of each option.

“Everybody’s got an opinion,” says Ron Lemenager, Purdue University beef specialist. “I don’t think it’s a one option fits all.”

He also encourages producers to minimize any additional stressful events at weaning time, such as castration, dehorning, vaccinating, physical separation or transportation.

“While we can’t eliminate all stresses, castration, dehorning and the first round of vaccinations can be done preweaning in many situations to reduce weaning stress,” he says.

The three weaning methods discussed by the specialists include:

Fence-line weaning.
Calves and cows are separated by a fence but can still see each other. Fence-line weaning is considered a low-stress method because calves can still see, hear and smell their mothers, which helps reduce the psychological stress of separation. This method helps calves settle down faster.

“Fence-line weaning is ideal if the facilities are available,” says Megan Van Emon, Montana State University extension beef cattle specialist.

John Hall, University of Idaho extension beef specialist, agrees.

“When you’re set up for it and used to it, my preference is fence-line weaning. We’ve gotten along very well with it over the years at the research station here. Those calves do settle down more easily,” Hall says.

Warner says fence-line weaning requires good fences and the ability to gather and separate cows and calves that rejoin each other.

“Many producers often remove calves from their dams, leave the cows on pasture and then place the calves in pens or feeding traps,” Warner says. “If producers do the opposite — take cows to the pens and leave the calves on pasture — then it is generally best to keep a few older, trainer cows with the calves during the initial weaning period to help reduce stress. Nutrition is key during this time period regardless of the approach used.”

There are pros and cons of putting the cows or the calves in the lot. If the lot is dusty, it might be a better option for the cows, due to health concerns. Ideally, it would be a grass lot, not dirt.

“Putting the calves in a lot gives an opportunity to really keep a close eye on those calves,” Lemenager says. “I can get them into the handling facility if I need to — a lot easier than if I’ve got to move them off of pasture.”
Nursing prevention tools.
Devices, such as nose flaps or clips, can be placed in a calf’s nose to prevent nursing while allowing them to remain with their mothers. This is also considered a low-stress weaning option.

Lemenager explains his apprehension with the nose flaps are the lesions they create.

Both Hall and Van Emon say nose flaps help reduce anxiety at separation but require additional labor to put in and remove.

“There’s been some research done on nose flaps that seems to have positive benefits if you’re trying to early wean,” Hall explains. “But it is a whole different level of stress for the rancher and cattle to get those animals up, put the nose flaps in, and then take them out at weaning time.”
Abrupt weaning.
This method is the complete separation of calves from cows. This can be separating and taking straight to the sale barn or it can be to a completely different location owned by the rancher.

“Here in the West, we tend to wean straight onto a truck and into the sale barn,” Van Emon says.

This method can be the most stressful on the calf if they go straight from a pasture setting with mom to a new location they do not know and are subjected to a new concentrate diet and water source.

Lemenager’s preference is abrupt weaning with his personal cow herd. He moves the calves nine miles away from their moms to be weaned and backgrounded. He says with this method, the cows and calves cannot hear each other and the bawling is done in three days.

He gets the calves used to eating with a pre-weaning creep feed and drinking out of a water tank. At weaning, the creep feeder moves with the calves in a grassy lot with shade and easy access to both a water tank and an automatic waterer along the perimeter fence.

Hall says asking calves to transition from pasture to a dry lot setting with a feed bunk and from creek water to a water tank can be stressful and hard to understand. If possible, allow the calves access and train them to feed bunks and water tanks before weaning.

He encourages producers to choose the weaning method they are most comfortable with, that works for their specific ranch and fits their facilities, labor and management style.

“Don’t try a new method during a challenging weaning year,” he summarizes. “The goal is to reduce stress as much as possible for both cows and calves.”

Your Next Read: When Is the Best Time to Wean?

Kansas Beef Producers Beware: A Case of Theileria Found

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 18:51:08 GMT

Theileria orientalis ikeda, a protozoan parasite that infects red and white blood cells and can lead to anemia and, in some cases, death, has been found in Kansas.

The primary insect vector is the Asian longhorned tick (ALT) . According to the Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL) ALT has not been found in Kansas but has been found in Missouri, Arkansas and in Oklahoma most recently in the county adjacent to Labette County, Kan.

The disease can be spread through multiuse needles and insect vectors.

KSVDL reports the infected calves in the case were purchased on the East coast and imported into Kansas for feeding.

If you are witnessing any of these clinical signs in cattle of all ages — anorexia, lethargy, dyspnea, icterus or death — please consider this new pathogen.

KSVDL also stresses producers need to be wary of importing cattle without testing for this disease. KSVDL has a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (MDL7130) that identifies both Anaplasma and Theileria. As with all PCR’s, whole blood (purple top tube) is the appropriate antemortem sample. Fresh spleen is the appropriate postmortem sample.

KSDVL has a map of where the disease has been confirmed by KSDVL testing.
For more details on the disease, you can view a webinar produced by KSDVL.

Montana Veterinarian Encourages a Fresh Look at Deworming Protocols

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 22:17:26 GMT

“We’ve always done it this way” is known to be the most dangerous phrase in business, and the cattle business is no exception, says Perrie Neal, DVM, from Hardin, Mont. With more than a decade of experience working with cow-calf producers, she says it never hurts to take a fresh look at your herd’s deworming program to identify potential areas of improvement.

Neal manages her own herd of registered and commercial Angus alongside her husband and father-in-law. When possible, she likes to test out products and practices on their own cattle before she makes recommendations to her customers.

“It’s great to have that firsthand experience,” she says.

Over the last few years, Neal has worked to optimize the timing of her deworming program — and now she tries to deworm calves as early as possible each season for maximum benefit.

“Weaning weights are really important, especially in our registered cows,” she says. “By administering a dewormer early in the season, you can help ensure calves won’t have to carry a heavy parasite load and are more likely to meet their genetic potential.”

Neal also has looked closely at the dewormer route of administration and product efficacy — and encourages her customers to do the same.

“Convenience is a big factor when it comes to deworming programs, so a lot of my customers have historically used pour-ons for that reason,” she explains. “But a lot of times, the injectable dewormers can improve labor efficiencies and help ensure more accurate dosing.”

That’s one of the reasons Neal says she has come to appreciate Valcor^® (doramectin and levamisole injection), a dual-action, single-dose, injectable dewormer.

“We weighed calves as they came in the chute, and my husband would yell out the number as they got on the scale,” she says. “I was able to quickly adjust the dosage depending on the weight of the calf. I love that about the product.”

The Importance of Calf Preconditioning

“Preconditioning calves is another thing that I’ve been highly recommending to producers in the last few years,” Neal says.

Preconditioning programs promote calf growth, enhance immune function and minimize stress as calves move from their ranch of origin to the stocker or backgrounder operation and then to the feedlot.

“Preconditioning can help set calves up for their next production phase, but it also benefits any calves that producers want to retain as replacements,” Neal explains. “We used to just precondition the bulls and the replacement heifers, but over the last few years we’ve switched to preconditioning everything, and we’ve seen a lot less sickness across the board.”

Neal encourages producers who are thinking about taking a fresh look at herd health or deworming protocols, to consult their herd veterinarian. These local experts can help you identify products and practices that make sense for your operation.

Your Next Read: 5 Strategies to Help Cattle Cope with Heat

Zinc Supplementation Prior to Transport Can Benefit Cattle Welfare and Performance

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:42:19 GMT

Beef cattle are likely to be transported at least once during their lives and are often moved several times at different stages of production. During each transition, they may travel for hours, standing in moving, vibrating trailers. Upon arrival, their new situations and pen mates are unfamiliar. Not surprisingly, during the hours and days post-transit, fatigued, stressed animals tend to eat and drink less and are more susceptible to disease.

Research underway at Iowa State University is investigating the potential of boosting zinc levels before transport as a low-cost, easy way to ease animals’ muscle fatigue during transit, improve their health and increase their long-term growth.

The new study, led by Stephanie Hansen, professor of animal science, builds on her earlier work reported in the Journal of Animal Science, which found that increasing zinc supplementation after transport can improve the performance of growing feedlot steers.

Facility where researchers collect blood samples and weigh cattle before and after they are transported. Steers have painted numbers on their backs so their activity can be followed on camera. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Hansen.

Zinc is a natural mineral with low toxicity known to assist muscle growth and recovery after exercise. Cattle fed on forage and hay naturally consume zinc at higher levels, but it is generally lower in the corn-based diets given to feedlot animals.

After learning that higher levels of zinc in cattle diets post-transport could improve cattle health and productivity, Hansen wondered if increasing zinc levels before transport would have similar benefits.

Facility where researchers collect blood samples and weigh cattle before and after they are transported. Steers have painted numbers on their backs so their activity can be followed on camera.

(Stephanie Hansen)

She has completed the first year of a three-year project to find out. The study looks at cattle trucked for either eight or 18 hours. Prior to being moved, their diets were supplemented with two levels of zinc. A control set of animals did not receive any additional zinc. After the cattle reached their destination, each one was followed to identify post-transit performance (such as standing behavior and feeding activity), feed intake and growth. Biochemical characteristics related to blood and muscle metabolism were also analyzed.

Preliminary results show animals fed extra zinc before transit had significant improvements in performance and indicators of health. After a 42-day “preconditioning” period prior to trucking, cattle fed 100 ppm of Zn from zinc sulfate were 13 pounds heavier. That would mean more pounds of animal to sell.

In their prior study, Hansen found zinc decreased lactate, a marker of muscle fatigue. While zinc has not been found to impact lactate in the present study, the zinc-fed cattle did recover their feed intake more quickly than non-zinc-fed animals after arriving at their new location, replicating earlier findings that zinc status seems to drive feed intake. This is essential for cattle to replenish energy stores lost during trucking.

“The results of the study so far are compelling. They strongly support the value of boosting zinc supplementation pre-transit as an inexpensive and practical way to improve animal health, performance and welfare,” Hansen said.

If the project continues to show these benefits, she is interested in working with ranchers on a preconditioning nutritional program for beef cattle that could qualify animals for a price premium.

Animal science graduate students in Hansen’s lab assisting with the project include Allison Baumhover and Brock Ortner. They will give presentations on their work at the American Society of Animal Science Meeting in Calgary, Alberta, in late July.

This grant, supported by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, builds on Hansen’s prior study, funded by industry.

“Our earlier project was important to develop data that I could use to apply for this USDA grant, which has more of a mechanism-of-action focus, with stronger implications for animal welfare,” Hansen said. “I really appreciate it when we can provide service to the industry while collecting information that also advances science.”

Money On The Table: Top 9 Factors That Influence Cattle Price on Sale Day

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:37:59 GMT

For cow-calf producers, fall is often a time for preconditioning, weaning and marketing calves. While this year’s prices will likely be towards the top end compared to previous years, could you be leaving money on the table?

South Dakota State University Extension researchers have been monitoring sale barn prices and categorizing lots of cattle in the Northern Plains to see how variables effect the overall check at the end of the day, says a recent SDSU article .

Here’s a list of the nine most influential variables when it comes to receiving the best price for your cattle.

The Sale Barn

Using backgrounded calf data from 2022, it was determined that the sale barn itself can have an impact on prices received at the market. This is likely due to the volume of cattle.

SDSU noted that “high-volume” sale barns received higher prices, while barns considered “low-volume” sold animals at discounts ranging from $5.43 to $19.31 per cwt.

While price discounts may be cause for pause, there are other factors to also consider before making the decision to market cattle at a different barn. Consider other expenses, such as milage differences, marketing expenses and other fees to determine if a change in location would ultimately lead to a change in profit.

Steers Vs. Heifers Vs. Bulls

Consistent with other studies, yearling steers brought a premium compared to similar heifers and intact bulls, which were discounted $13.34 per cwt. and $7.26 per cwt. respectively.

From a management perspective, it may be worth evaluating the use of sexed semen, especially in an operation already implementing artificial insemination breeding practices. Additionally, producers may want to evaluate the cost and effort of different castration methods to reduce the number of bulls, SDSU explains.

Hide Color

The researchers found that similar fall calves and backgrounded calves of any single color brought premiums over mixed lots of cattle—encouraging producers to market cattle in consolidated lots of a single color to avoid discount.

Specifically, lots of black-hided, black-faced cattle received top dollar. The other observations are listed as discounts (on average) relative to the price of these all-black lots.

Red-hided, red-faced cattle were discounted $8.37 per cwt., while white cattle received a $13.95 cwt. discount.

Compared to the all-black counterparts, mixing hide colors led to discounts of $8.83 to $20.74 per cwt. Specifically, cattle with spots, roan, white feet or tails, tiger-stripes and other non-solid color patterns were heavily discounted, as much as $36.85 per cwt.

Animal hide color is often a point where a producer’s breed preference collides with the perceived market-endpoint preference, SDSU notes. While the object of the study is not to influence breed selection, there may be value in evaluating breeding decisions that will provide the most profitable outcome for the operation.

Lot Size

Answering the question—do larger lots really bring a premium? Not necessarily.

In the study, lots were divided into 4 groups: 1 to 20, 21-50, 51 to 100 and 101-plus--assuming the sale barn staff had already separated cattle for uniformity, such as frame size, muscling and body condition.

Overall, cattle in lots of less than 20 were discounted $7.82 per cwt. compared to lots of 21 to 50 head. However, this was the only significant difference, notes SDSU, with larger lots of cattle receiving no additional premiums.

Lot Uniformity

SDSU found that lot uniformity, such as muscle, flesh and height, was very consistent across all barns as outliers in the herd had been pre-sorted before entering the sale ring. The sort provides buyers with the ability to fill orders and needs. Unfortunately, though, it may lead to a group of less than 20 head for the producer, which will likely receive a discount in the ring.

Horns

Discounted $24.63 per cwt., horned cattle take a large hit compared to their hornless counterparts. SDSU researches note this indicates buyers are unwilling to take on the inherent risk to other animals, carcass damage or lost of gain when purchasing horned animals.

Creep Feeding

The study found purchasers were willing to spend an additional $12.93 per cwt. on cattle not offered creep. Producers should evaluate the value of creep feed compared to the total gain and reduced price per cwt. received to determine if feeding creep is cost effective.

Implants

Non-implanted calves brought $7.38 per cwt more than their implanted counterparts. Similar to creep feeding, the cost of implants and increased weaning weights should be considered against the price difference received for non-implanted cattle, SDSU notes.

Vaccination Status

Herd health protocols also play a role in prices received, SDSU found, after evaluating the use of 5-way and 7-way vaccines.

Cattle that received a 5-way vaccine brought $14.59 per cwt. more than unvaccinated cattle, while those receiving a 7-way vaccine were paid $12.19 per cwt more. Additionally, cattle with unknown vaccination status were discounted $22.52 per cwt., and cattle with an unknown 7-way status were penalized $12.42 per cwt.

This data indicates that producers who follow a vaccination protocol and provide a list of dates and vaccinations on sale day are compensated for their efforts, SDSU says.

Read More: Cattle Auction Preparations: A Sale Day Checklist for Ranchers

Meanwhile, producers marketing cattle in a specific program that limits vaccines should ensure appropriate buyers are present and informed to minimize potential discounts.

At the end of the day, understanding production costs and market trends is increasingly important.

Additionally, SDSU notes that understanding these variables discussed will increase competitiveness and flexibility for producers marketing cattle in 2023 and beyond.

Preconditioning Calves: Is It the Right Choice?

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 16:17:55 GMT

Fall weather is here, and it brings the start of weaning for many producers. Weaning is a stressful time, not only for the producers, but also for calves. Many changes occur in these young animals’ lives. They are separated from mom and the supply of milk they have grown accustomed to, and they are often moved to an unfamiliar location. There are ways to make weaning a less-stressful time for all involved. There are low-stress weaning methods, such as fence line and two-step weaning. View our Low-Stress Weaning Methods article to learn more about these methods.

Preconditioning involves weaning calves at least 45 days in preparation to enter the stocker phase or directly into the feedlot. During this time, calves are started on dry feed or “bunk broke.” Additionally, this time allows a producer to build the health status of calves through vaccinations, deworming and getting them over the stressful time of weaning without adding additional stressors, such as co-mingling or transport. Preconditioning is an option for producers looking to retain ownership or to sell their calves.

Nutrition During Preconditioning
A target average daily gain of 2 to 2.5 pounds per day should be the focus to prepare these calves for the feed yard. To achieve this goal, a variety of feeds can be fed to calves at the beginning of the preconditioning phase.

The combination will vary greatly depending on the ranch feeding these calves. It is important to provide good-quality feed that is palatable and nutrient dense. Calves will have reduced intakes following weaning; thus, the diet needs to provide enough energy and protein, even when consumed at lower amounts. High palatability will encourage calves to eat. Intake will begin to increase as calves adjust to the new environment.

A balance between roughage, such as grass hay, and easily fermented feeds, like corn, needs to be achieved to prevent incidences of acidosis and other digestive issues that can impact calf performance. Ionophores can be utilized within these diets. Have a conversation with a local livestock nutritionist or your area’s extension agent about developing the proper diets for preconditioning calves that best fit your operation’s needs.

Benefits
Preconditioning has benefits for those looking to sell their calves and to those retaining ownership. On average, preconditioning can cost the producer $35 to $60 dollars per head.¹ This number is subject to change due to a variety of factors; however, this is a general cost to expect. The increase in input cost can result in a premium received at the sale barn. These premiums are variable. Previous research indicates a range of $3 to $5 per hundredweight (abbreviated as cwt), but premiums of as high as $8 per cwt have been reported.²

Promotion of calf growth and improved health status are benefits both to the producer retaining ownership and to a buyer purchasing cattle for placement in a feedlot. Researchers in Texas³ evaluated feedlot closeouts and found that calves that had been preconditioned for 45 days or longer had:

- 7.2 % improved feed efficiency
- $29.47 per head lower medicine cost
- 3.1 % lower death loss

Oklahoma researchers⁴ found that preconditioned calves had a 22.4 and 2.9 percent lower morbidity and death loss respectively when compared to calves with little to no health management history.

Considerations
Preconditioning is not a “one size fits all” for operations. The benefits need to be considered along with practicality. Questions producers need to ask themselves include:

- Do I have the pasture or pen space to keep calves an extra 45 days or more?
- What does my feed availability look like?
- Can my facilities handle bunk breaking calves? Do I have the equipment available?
- Can I handle the increase in labor and the extra time commitment?
- Can I handle the extra costs that come with preconditioning?

Depending on the answers to these questions, preconditioning may be an economical option for a producer. A review done by F. A. Thrift⁵ found that return on preconditioned calves sold ranged from -$89.92 to $53.71 per calf. The decision should not be taken lightly and should be discussed thoroughly to evaluate the pros and cons that may be experienced. The seasonal patterns of the cattle market and price slides on heavier calves also need to be included in the conversation in deciding if preconditioning is something to include in your program.

The Bottom Line
Preconditioning is not a one size fits all program. Producers need to find the preconditioning program that best fits their operation. This includes examining labor needs, vaccination costs, feed availability, and space. There are many preconditioning programs that are certified at the sale barn. Sale barns and video auction platforms have different ways of reporting vaccination and preconditioning status. Talk with your local sale barn or video auction provider to determine the process they follow or if they offer a special preconditioned calf sale.

Additionally, building rapport with buyers by providing high-quality calves may result in return buyers more willing to pay higher prices knowing the level of care that goes into the animals. As always, consult with your local veterinarian to determine the best vaccines to utilize for your herd and geographical area.

_{Literature Cited
1. Lalman, D. and Mourer, G. (2017). Effects of Preconditioning on Health, Performance and Prices of Weaned Calves. Oklahoma State University Extension. ANSI-3529.
2. Donnell, J., Ward, W., Swigert, S. (2007). Costs and Benefits Associated with Preconditioning Calves. Oklahoma State University Extension. AGEC-247.
3. Cravey, M. (1996). Preconditioning effect on feedlot performance. Proc. Southwest Nutrition and Management Conference, Phoenix, AZ, 33–37.
4. Lalman, D., Hutson, S., Shearhart, W., Ward, C., & McKinley, S. (2005). Preconditioning reduces sickness and death loss in weaned calves. Journal of Animal Science, 83 (Suppl. 2), 21.
5. Thrift FA, Thrift TA (2011). Update on preconditioning beef calves prior to sale by cow-calf producers. Prof Anim Sci 2011; 27:73-82.}

Could BRD Cases Decline In High-Risk Cattle With Delayed Vaccination?

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:29:46 GMT

While vaccination is widely considered a critical component of cattle health management, could the timing of vaccination impact the efficiency of the product?

A study by the West Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Sciences and the USDA Agriculture Research Service Livestock Issues Unit in Lubbock, Texas shows there may be more effective vaccination protocols for stressed, high-risk calves arriving to a backgrounding or feedlot operation.

While bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains the costliest disease in the U.S. cattle industry , modified-live virus (MLV) vaccination against respiratory pathogens in cattle on feedlot arrival has been unanimously recommended by consulting veterinarians. However, there is surprisingly limited, but emerging literature, describing the efficiency and safety of vaccination in different cattle production environments, including delayed administration of MLV vaccines in stressed, high-risk cattle, says the study report published online in the National Library of Medicine.

According to the USDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), the USDA approval process does not require examining the safety of vaccination in highly-stressed, immunosuppressed cattle. Additionally, products are labeled to “be effective for the vaccination of healthy cattle” and not necessarily proven to “work” on cattle under physiologic stress.

Cattle during different times of their life experience stress: birth, branding, weaning, marketing and relocation. However, it’s important to understand how acute or short-term stress differs from chronic or long-term stress.

At the cow-calf phase, calves experience acute stress at birth, branding and weaning, which may actually result in priming of the immune system and contribute to an enhanced vaccine response—allowing sufficient time for vaccinates to develop immunologic protection before natural challenges with BRD-causative agents occur, the report explains.

Similarly, the pre-conditioning phase, when calves are vaccinated and retained on the operation after weaning, the report explains how these calves exhibit less morbidity and health costs at the feedlot while typically generating greater net return to the cow-calf producers as calf value increases. However, only 39% of all beef operations vaccinate calves against respiratory disease before sale, the report states.

When calves reach the stocker phase, many beef calves are immunologically naïve and stressed. Producers should consider vaccine safety and the potential for inadvertent antigenic enhancement of MLV vaccines when administered to newly received stocker calves.

“Because subsequent disease challenge in the feedlot phase is probable, stocker calves should be administered vaccines with adequate time for immunization to occur before feedlot shipment. However, stocker producers should consider delaying MLV vaccination for 14 to 30 days after arrival, as improved health and performance outcomes have been reported in high-risk stocker calves using this strategy,” the report explains.

While the adoption rate of respiratory vaccination in the feedlot phase is nearly 100%, the report suggests further research is needed to understand the efficiency of vaccination and if a delayed MLV vaccination may improve health outcomes in auction-derived feedlot cattle.

In a study with 528 high-risk stocker calves, a delayed (Day 14) MLV administration procedure was evaluated against the traditional on-arrival (Day 0). Results showed calves receiving delayed vaccination had improved performance and numerically less BRD-associated morbidity, relapse and mortality.

Another study of 5,179 auction-derived heifers observed a decrease in the number of heifers treated twice for BRD and numerically less morbidity, mortality and case fatality rate for those receiving their initial MLV at 30 days after the feedlot arrival compared with on-arrival, the results explain.

While delayed vaccination shows promising results in initial studies, the report explains the challenge remains in accessing current literature explaining the benefits, or lack thereof, of vaccinating cattle immediately on feedlot arrival.

As cattle vary in immune status, age, breed, and marketing channels used, as well as addressing the complex nature of BRD, the “best” vaccination protocols likely remain a challenge to define.

While it’s widely accepted that vaccines provide immunologic protection against economically important cattle diseases, the report cautions that vaccine efficiency may not be realized if the timing of vaccination is inappropriate, cattle are immunosuppressed at the time of vaccination, and/or if the infectious challenge is greater than the immunologic protection by the vaccination. Emerging research studies and literature may help provide more insight for producers in the coming years.

It's Time to Plan for Backgrounding Weaned Calves

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 20:18:02 GMT

As we move into late summer and early fall, we begin think about weaning time. Weaning can be a stressful event and there are some techniques such as fence line weaning to reduce that stress, but the focus of our discussion today is feeding those weaned calves.

Stressed calves and calves that are not used to a feed bunk do not readily consume feed. Getting those calves on feed is critical, requiring a good diet and proper feed management.

Early weaned calves have additional requirements to consider.

A starter diet should include feeds that calves are familiar with such as hay and highly palatable feeds such as dried distiller’s grains.

Feeds such as corn silage are great for growing cattle but can turn calves off from eating because it has a different smell and taste. Silage can be incorporated slowly after calves are eating well.

Feed needs to be delivered in a manner that encourages feed intake. A good way to do this is to provide feed in an open bunk perpendicular to the fence line. An open bunk does not require calves to put their head into or through a stanchion that might hinder feed consumption. Placing the bunk perpendicular to the fence line requires bawling calves to walk into the bunk when pacing the fence.

One important consideration for backgrounding calves is to assess feed resources. Home grown forages and grains are typically used, but purchased feeds can also be used.

An assessment of the quantity and quality of feeds needs to be completed to know whether enough feeds are available for the entire length of the backgrounding period and to formulate diet to meet the production goals.

Feeding calves to achieve the correct weight at the correct time is critical for marketing and profitability.

There are a couple of methods to formulating diets for backgrounding calves.

One method is to formulate a diet with greater than 50% forage which is fed to appetite. This method requires less management and equipment. This method can be implemented with a predetermined amount of grain feed in bunk and free-choice hay, but may have better results as a totally mixed ration fed in a bunk.

The second method is to formulate a diet with less than 50% forage which is fed in limited amounts. The advantage of this method is that high energy feeds, which are typically less expensive on a per unit of energy basis, are used reducing the cost of gain. However, this method requires more intensive management in that diet formulation needs to be more precise and correct feeding management in the form of bunk space and accurate feed delivery.

Implementation of the limit-feeding method necessitates the use of a totally mixed ration and feed mixing equipment.

Backgrounding fall-weaned calves instead of selling calves at weaning can have a couple of drawbacks that can be overcome with time.

Calves will likely lose weight during the first few days after weaning due to stress and reduced feed intake. Getting calves to regain the lost weight will have a high cost of gain requiring a backgrounding period long enough to reduce the overall cost of gain.

Additionally, as the fall run of calves gets into full swing, the price of calves will decrease requiring calves to gain enough weight to more than offset the reduced price.

Thus, deciding on the proper market time and weight are necessary to profit from backgrounding, which will influence the diet and feeding program necessary to meet those goals.

Too Much of a Good Thing: Ionophore Toxicity Discovered the Hard Way

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 22:19:21 GMT

In mid-May, 3,000 yearlings were placed on grass. Only one month later, cattle started dying, reaching a total death loss of 70 head by mid-July. Additionally, at the end of the grazing season, the herd had only gained an average of one-half pound, and when processed, many of the carcasses were condemned.

What could have possibly caused this cattle phenomenon?

Scott Fritz, a board-certified veterinary toxicologist and assistant professor at Kansas State University (KSU) College of Veterinary Medicine, and Brad White, DVM, director of the KSU Beef Cattle Institute (BCI), discuss this toxicology case in a recent Bovine Science with BCI “Tox Talk” podcast and share what led to the death loss, low gain and condemned carcass results.

Dropping Like Flies

Based on the initial information for the case, White says, bovine respiratory disease or pneumonia come to mind first. Especially when dealing with a group of 3,000 calves and assuming they were co-mingled when put on grass, the likelihood of a respiratory outbreak is possible.

However, since the pattern of death was not directly aligned with what is normally seen in a respiratory-type case, Fritz adds, from a toxicology standpoint, water access and some “off the wall questions” may need addressed.

“At the peak of the death loss, when losing 10 to 12 head per day, and the cattle are separated across multiple, big pastures, we have to wonder if there is something else going on,” Fritz notes. “When they are starting to see that many head turn up, that’s just too many on a yearling calf operation. We just don’t see that with many infectious diseases.”

When this event occurred, the producer quickly reached out to local veterinarians for guidance. The veterinarians performed necropsies—finding enlarged livers and hearts, along with fluid built up in the thoracic and abdominal cavities. While these results fit the bill for high altitude disease in cattle, these cattle were not located in a high altitude area.

Cattle Feeding Situation

Considering the known facts up to this point, Fritz begins looking at the cattle feeding situation. On grass, the cattle were not receiving any kind of supplemental feed or mixed ration, as the grass availability in early summer was sufficient. The only added nutrition was free-choice access to a mineral supplement.

Fritz explains, taking a look at the mineral supplement was the first step—asking what is in the mineral, if there had been any changes to the mineral, was there a recent delivery, etc. The investigation continued through further lab examination of the necropsy tissues submitted, as well as mineral sample testing.

Diagnosing the Cattle

After review of the mineral and fixed heart tissue histopathology—the study of diseased cells and tissues using a microscope—the cattle deaths were found to be caused by an ionophore. Specifically, microscopic lesions in the heart were the tell-tale sign of ionophore toxicity.

After further analyzing the mineral feeding situation, the issue became very clear. The mineral was labeled to be fed at a rate of three ounces per head per day, yet it was being fed on a free-choice basis. Fritz explains it’s likely that a number of cattle overate the mineral, which resulted in death.

Producers Beware

Feeding mineral supplements according to label directions proves to be extremely important. White explains, free-choice mineral supplements or feed, such as a creep feed ration, usually contain a limiter. Limiters, such as salt or ionophores, keep the cattle from eating too much. In this case, the mineral was likely meant to be limit-fed or possibly added in a total mixed ration (TMR) to ensure animals were given the correct amount.

When it comes to ionophores in cattle, there is a relatively narrow margin of safety, Fritz says. However, feeding ionophores provides benefits that far outweigh any negatives. Considering the number of beef cattle on feed that are fed an ionophore, these cases are very few and far between, he adds, and when fed properly, ionophores are safe and effective.

In this situation, the producer did the two best things possible—contacted local veterinarians and removed the remaining mineral. While a number of the cattle had already been exposed to lethal amounts of the mineral, pulling the supplement likely saved many in the remaining herd.

In the event of unexplained cattle deaths or anomalies on an operation, producers should contact their veterinarian for post-mortem examination and help submitting the correct samples to the diagnostic lab for investigation. Fritz adds, ocular fluid from the eye can be a great tool in helping identify or rule out other causes of acute death in cattle.

The full “Tox Talk” conversation between Dr. Fritz and Dr. White can be found on KSU’s Beef Cattle Institute website .

More on Ionophores:
Using Ionophores with Grazing Beef Cattle
Be Aware When Feeding Cattle Ionophores: An Overdose May Prove Deadly

Thirty Calves Found Dead in Two Hours; Producer Seeks Answers

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 16:51:07 GMT

When a group of 35 calves turns into 30 deads just two hours after being fed, the cattle producer needed to find answers.

In a recent Bovine Science with BCI Tox Talk podcast, Dr. Scott Fritz, a board-certified toxicologist at Kansas State University (KSU), and Brad White, DVM, director of KSU’s Beef Cattle Institute discuss this toxicology case and the answers that were found.

The producer, located in eastern Kansas, annually received cattle from Georgia. These cattle were often pieced together from various sale barns and would be considered a high-risk group. However, the producer hadn’t had any trouble in years past. He kept a large group of them together and sorted off 35 of the lighter calves to be fed a couple miles down the road.

During the first week with the calves, the producer had no issues or signs of cattle disease or stress. However, on day seven, everything changed.

On this fatal day, the producer received a new shipment of commercial, creep-type feed product, including some cracked corn, distillers grains, commercial pellets, Monensin, and some nonprotein nitrogen sources, probably urea, says Fritz.

Calves were then fed the new feed around 5:30 p.m. When a neighbor drove by just two hours later, a substantial number of the calves had already died.

As these calves were considered high risk and had traveled halfway across the country just one week before, bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is always a possibility, says White. However, the large reaction in a short time likely means there was another factor.

Fritz adds, “There’s a lot of things that could be going on here. Thirty to 35 calves died within a couple of hours. There’s not a lot of infectious diseases that will do that. So, that kind of clues us in that there’s some point-source exposure going on there.”

The remaining calves showed signs of respiratory distress and salivation, while other calves were bloated—signs lead towards a toxin in the feed.

After a necropsy (post-mortem exam) and examining submitted formalin fixed samples, including heart, skeletal muscle, lung and kidney organs, as well as feed sample testing, the cattle were found to have severe pulmonary edema and an older, inactive bronchopneumonia. However, there were no lesions in the heart and skeletal muscle, which is what we would expect in this case, Fritz notes. Additionally, the feed sample test initially came back normal with no levels or concentrations of concern.

The remaining live calves had more chronic lung issues and as they died, the diagnostics lab claimed it was due to BRD. However, Fritz knew this could not be the initial cause of death. There had to be a more prominent factor.

As more samples and tests were run on the calves with no “ah-ha” moment, Fritz decided to dig further into the feed. After visiting the cattle site and attaining more of the feed sample, Fritz decided to quantify the urea.
The urea concentration was found to be 10 times over the recommended amount. “It was a substantial overdose,” Fritz explains, causing urea toxicosis.

So, what steps should a producer take in this type of situation?

First and foremost, remove the remaining cattle from feed, says White. Additionally, retain at least two feed samples, one to send to a lab and the other to keep on-site in a safe, secure place. Keep a log detailing the feed information, where and when it was received, etc.

Secondly, tissue samples are invaluable to a diagnostic lab. While formalin fixed tissue is great, fresh is better. In this specific case, ocular fluid, or at least one eyeball, would have led to a faster diagnosis, Fritz adds. Additionally, the liver and kidney organs, as well as the brain often provide answers in these situations.

How could the producer have avoided this issue?

While hindsight is always 20/20, in this case, testing a feed sample prior to feeding would have proved most valuable. In this case, an error at the feed mill caused the high urea concentration and ultimately caused the urea toxicosis.

The full Bovine Science with BCI Tox Talk podcast can be found here .

Limit-Fed ‘High-Risk’ Cattle: Greater Performance, No Negative Health Effects Found

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 19:40:11 GMT

“High-risk” cattle placed on a limit-fed diet may result in greater performance with no adverse health effects, a study at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station finds.

While providing sufficient energy to achieve a targeted rate of weight gain, yet restricting the amount of feed an animal receives, limit feeding has been shown to reduce waste and improve feed efficiency, says Daniel Rivera, associate professor of animal science with the experiment station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the director of the Division of Agriculture’s Southwest Research and Extension Center in Hope, Ark.

“One of the concerns people have with limit-feeding growing animals before they go to a feedlot finishing program is the fear it will lead to digestive upsets because they were restricted and then go into a sort of all-you-can-eat buffet,” says Rivera. “But that was not the case in our study.”

“High-risk” cattle include those with no history or record of vaccination, as well as those transported for an extended period of time and blended with other lots at a sale barn, an Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station article explains.

Rivera notes the typical management of “high-risk” cattle are often given high levels of hay or forage—often what these cattle are accustomed to—which makes the transition to a milled diet easier. However, data regarding this topic conflicts, Rivera adds, with some researchers noting that higher energy and less roughage results in better performance but greater health problems.

One theory for the increased health problems is that the energy found in a milled diet is typically in the form of starch, which can result in sub-clinical acidosis. Therefore, the study examined limited feeding complete feed pellets made up of high levels of byproducts and lower starch content.

The Study

Including 168 newly received bull and steer calves pieced together from several sale barns in Arkansas and Texas, weighing an average of 470 lbs., cattle were put through a two-month preconditioning phase. This included vaccination against respiratory and clostridial pathogens, deworming and treatment with long-acting antibiotics. The animals were also administered a growth-promoting implant.

The cattle were then fed three diet options, all fed twice daily, including:
1) Fed 1.75% of their body weight in grain byproduct pelleted feed
2) Fed 2.25% of their body weight in grain byproduct pelleted feed
3) Fed 2% of their body weight in grain byproduct pellets and given free access to Bermuda grass hay (control group)

The animals were checked daily for signs of respiratory disease, and symptomatic animals were treated with antimicrobial therapy. Rivera said the cattle that did not initially respond to the treatment were separated and then able to regain health with easier access to feed.

While Rivera notes more work is needed to confirm the study’s findings, following the 63-day study, results showed slightly better feed-conversion rates for the most restricted diet with only marginally lower average daily weight gain. Specifically, the average daily weight gain for cattle on a restricted diet of 2.25% body weight in grain pellets and no hay was the same as those given access to hay and fed 2% of their body weight in grain pellets. Cattle fed 1.75% of their body weigh in grain pellets with no hay put on slightly less than 2 pounds per day, the article explains.

Supplementing Yearlings in the Summer Grazing Season: Is it Worth it?

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 20:47:00 GMT

Forage quality and yearling rate of gain decline throughout the summer, particularly in cool season grasses. Strategically supplementing yearlings with dry distillers grains in the second half of the summer as the grass quality declines will increase average daily gain (ADG), but will it increase returns?

A study was conducted at the High Plains Ag Lab in Sidney, Nebraska to explore this strategy. Yearlings grazed for an average of 112 days from late May to early September on crested wheatgrass pastures. They were supplemented either throughout the entire grazing season (full), only during the latter half of the grazing season (strategic), or not at all (non-supplemented). Supplemented yearlings (full and strategic) received 3.5 lbs of dry distillers grains 6 times per week. Thus, strategic supplementation resulted in yearlings receiving about half the total amount of supplement as the full.

Over the whole summer non-supplemented yearlings had an ADG of 1.51 lb/d whereas the full and strategic treatments both gained 0.5 lb/d more. On average, all groups started at 700 lb body weight in May. By early September, the non-supplemented yearlings averaged 873 lbs, whereas the full and strategic yearlings both averaged 920 lbs. There were no statistical differences in performance between the full and strategic yearlings as both resulted in an ADG of 2 lbs/d and an additional 47 lbs of gain. Therefore, these data suggest we get a much greater response to supplementation when it is fed in the latter half of the grazing season.

To evaluate the economics, we gathered Nebraska live cattle and distillers prices from the previous decade (2012-2021). In all years the returns of strategic supplementation were numerically greater than the non-supplemented control group. On average, providing strategic supplementation only during the latter part of the grazing season returned $32.21/hd more than the non-supplemented group.

On average over the last 10-years, the breakeven distillers price was $530/ton for strategic supplementation. However, cost of labor to provide supplement should also be considered. If it costs $0.10/hd/d to provide supplement, the break-even cost for DDG would decrease to $469/ton for strategic supplementation.

Strategic supplementation would have paid across the previous decade, but how would this strategy work with this year’s markets? Dry distillers prices for May and June 2022 have averaged $266/ton so far. In Nebraska, seven weight feeder steers averaged $168/cwt for May 2022 and would’ve been worth about $1,260/steer. Currently, feeder cattle futures contracts for September are trading at $173/cwt. Over the past five years, the Nebraska average auction price for 900-950 pound steers has been at or near the same price as the September feeder cattle futures contract trading price. Assuming 900 lb steers will be worth $173/cwt this September and using weights from this study, strategically supplemented calves would be worth an additional $77/steer over the non-supplemented steers.

Using current DDG prices, it would cost $27/hd to use this supplementation strategy in the latter part of the grazing season. Thus, even with the high distillers prices this year there is still an expected increase in return of $50/steer for strategically supplementing. Therefore, it might be worth considering.

There are a few things that can have big impacts on the economic outcome. There is a typically a large price slide in the feeder calf market from 900 to 1,000 lbs. Thus, it is typically more profitable to sell prior to reaching 1,000 lbs body weight. Thus, if the initial weight of the yearlings is heavy (800+ lbs) or if there is very good pasture growth and high rates of gain in the first half of the grazing season, it may be less advantageous to supplement if it will push the body weight of calves over 1000 lbs before they are sold.

Due to the observed decline in forage quality throughout the summer, strategically supplementing distillers grains to yearlings during the latter part of the grazing season can increase yearling gains and return even with relatively high distillers prices. This yearling management strategy may be worth considering.

Management Practices for Cows at Weaning (Part 1)

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 16:47:13 GMT

For spring calving herds weaning season is upon us. At this time it’s not only important to focus time and management on ways to eliminate stress, maintain health and maximize the value of weaned calves, but also a critical time to manage the cow herd.

Cows are basically the “production factory” in cow-calf production. They take raw material (grass and supplemental feed) and turn it into a weaned calf to be sold as a return on the cost of production. There is a cost of maintaining a cow each day we own her. Cows should sustain themselves primarily on the resource of forage, get bred and wean off a healthy calf each calendar year.

A defined breeding season (optimally 45 – 90 days) is an important part of managing a herd for profitability and makes the “best management practices” discussed this week possible. For example, if bulls are turned out on April 1st and pulled June 15th, the calving season that follows should start about January 8th and end by March 22nd. When we wean those calves at 6 – 8 months of age, it is a good time to run cows through the chute and take a look at the following:

Pregnancy Status. Are cows open or bred, and how heavy bred are the cows? This not only helps to make potential culling decisions on the opens, but also indicates if cows are staying on schedule. Cows that calve later year after year indicate we may need to take corrective action in our breeding, feeding or herd health program.
Mature Weights. At this time of year mature cow size is informative in planning for winter hay/supplemental feed needs. All herds have variation in mature cow size. That being so, if you have 80 dry cows to take through the winter, it helps with planning to know if the average mature cow size is 1200 lbs. or 1450 lbs.
Body Condition Scores (BCS). One of the major constraints in improving reproductive efficiency is the duration of the post-calving anestrous period. If cows are to maintain a calving interval of one year, they must conceive within 80 – 85 days after calving. Body condition score at the time of calving determines subsequent rebreeding performance to a great extent. A BCS of 5.5 or better at calving is recommended for cows. It is normal to expect cows to be milked down and at their thinnest BCS at weaning time. If body condition needs to be regained prior to calving, the most efficient time to put flesh back on cows is while they are dry.
Herd Health (vaccinations and deworming). In modern animal agriculture, the focus is on optimizing herd health, efficient production and maximizing net return to the business unit. Working with a veterinarian will allow you to develop a health program meeting your specific needs.
Evaluate cows on an individual basis for soundness of: udder, eyes, mouths, feet, legs, joints and disposition.
Individual Identification, calving records and records of birth dates are helpful. This is a good time to replace ear tags as needed. Cow age is an important factor to take into account along with other information collected to make the best management decisions.

Management decisions based on sound information increase the profit potential of cow-calf operations. Information collected on your cow herd can be used in several ways to improve breeding programs, forage budgeting, marketing and other judgement calls you need to make to improve your operation’s bottomline. Over the next few weeks we will continue to take a closer look at what some basic information collected on cows at weaning can tell us.

References

Beef Cattle Manual. Eight Edition. E-913. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension. Chapters 20 and 36.

New Tool Predicts Animals That Can Benefit From Treatment For BRD

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 17:56:44 GMT

Whisper On Arrival is a new precision tool from Merck Animal Health that predicts which animals will benefit from treatment to control Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD).

The technology was developed exclusively for feedlot and backgrounded cattle for use on arrival.

The tool offers feedlot managers and veterinarians an innovative approach to feedlot management of BRD, according to Jason Nickell, manager, Professional Services, Allflex Livestock Intelligence, in a news release.

“The transformative technology provides the most complete BRD control case definition available by analyzing an individual animal’s lung sound, heart sound, rectal temperature and weight, delivering actionable data for objective BRD control decisions at the individual animal level,” Nickell says in the release.

Based on individual animal examination, an algorithm calculates each animal’s risk of developing BRD and provides a simple “treat” or “no treat” outcome. The technology identifies which cattle are likely to respond to antimicrobial therapy for BRD control while conversely leaving the remaining population untreated.

More information about the technology is available at WhisperOnArrival.com.

Backgrounding Can Add Value, Flexibility

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:55:51 GMT

Getting maximum value when marketing cattle is a constantly evolving process that takes careful planning.

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 2017 data reports 70% or more of beef calves are born in the spring. Come fall, this leaves the glut of 550 pound calves at a prices disadvantage compared to their contemporaries that are held and sold after the first of the year.

Backgrounding calves can open gates to new revenue paths, though not without risk. When more cattle are sent to the grazing fields or grow yards, there’s a shift in the seasonal pattern of the market and more opportunity to take advantage of better prices.

Weight adds dollars

Even for just a couple months, backgrounding can add weight and gross income without using limited grazing resources year-round to stock more cows.

Adding weight may boost income, but requires strategy, says Dan Loy, director of the Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University. He suggests backgrounding the lighter half of steers to reach heavier average sale weights.

“If you market the heavier ones direct from weaning, and have done that for years, you’ll have a more uniform group,” he says. “That in itself may help the price on those heavier calves.”

If it seems overwhelming to add a backgrounding enterprise, don’t be afraid to hire expertise, says Chad Cargill, of Cargill Ranch LLC, Medicine Lodge, Kan. He provides services for larger cattle feeders at his custom yard, with help from a nutritionist, veterinarian and environmental consultant, plus pharmaceutical representatives.

Every producer has different needs, but the staples are the same. Bunk space with some kind of concrete apron or a grass trap on which feed can be delivered with a mixer wagon, are necessities, as are a chute and working facilities to vaccinate or treat sick calves.

“These resources are a substantial investment but necessary for successful backgrounding,” advises Dale Blasi, extension beef specialist at Kansas State University.

Time boosts health

Calf health is often the highest concern for feedyards, so this also gives calves’ immunity time to get through the most stressful event in their lives.

“To me, backgrounding should include preconditioning,” Loy says. “That verifies health and lets the vaccines kick in, plus getting calves eating out of a bunk and drinking from new waterers.”

The dollar-advantage of weaning is well clear. According to the 2020 Iowa Precondition Sales data, Loy says preconditioned calves vaccinated for respiratory and clostridial disease, treated for parasites and weaned for 45 days brought at least $50 per head more than unweaned contemporaries.

“One issue is easy to handle, but those things together add up to bigger issues,” Cargill says.

As calves mature, their immunity improves. That’s important as natural beef labels and other process verified programs become popular. The biggest challenge for those kinds of programs is ensuring calves’ health so they aren’t disqualified due to antibiotics.

Yesterday’s most valuable feeder calf may only be average moving forward. That’s because buyers still look for groups with uniform weight and hide color, but verification is gaining importance. The market may soon require certified pre-weaned and vaccinated, age-source-and-genetics verified, records for performance and carcass history, along with animal welfare claims.

When it’s time to head down a new road of marketing, learn from others who have made the trip before you, Blasi suggests.

Those are the lessons from peers and mentors, he adds. Participate in a marketing network, or join local and state beef association meetings to learn from each other.