“You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” A very common adage we have all heard, I’m sure, but how many of us are guilty of not following this wise advice? We live in a busy, fast-paced world where time is a precious commodity. In our frantic efforts to get things done and move on to the next task or obligation, we sometimes cut corners and don’t take the time to measure, record, or document what we are actually doing.
One example of a simple measurement cow-calf producers can take is weaning weights. The concept of weighing calves at weaning is obviously not new or novel. Weaning weights have been used, or some would say misused, for promotion and selection of breeding stock and bragging rights for years. And for most commercial producers, weaning weights are obtained from the sale barn check stub when calves are sold right off the cow.
The Power of an Accurate Weight
Please understand this article has nothing to do with the pros and cons of genetic selection for heavier weaning weight. The goal is to explain how weighing calves on the farm at or near weaning has everything to do with managing and marketing calves.
Working with the Post Weaning Value-Added Program (PVAP) since 2019, we’ve had the opportunity to analyze weaning and preconditioning data on over 120 closeouts from 85 producers representing nearly 3,700 calves. Surprisingly, one of the biggest hurdles in starting the PVAP process was getting producers to weigh their calves at weaning to determine initial calf value. If we know what our calves weigh, we can estimate current market value and better plan our marketing program. We can also design a post-weaning feeding program that more effectively meets our marketing date and end weight goals.
If we weigh our calves prior to marketing, we can hopefully avoid that sick feeling that occurs when we look at our sale check stub and realize our calves were not nearly as heavy as we thought and by then it’s too late. Producers can weigh their calves, even if they do not have access to on-farm scales.
Weighing Calves Without On-Farm Scales
Taking the time to sort a representative trailer load of calves to weigh on nearby truck scales can possibly pay dividends and avoid a sale day surprise. Some counties may even have portable scales that can be borrowed or rented. By knowing what your calves weigh, calf value can be estimated based on current market reports and an informed decision can be made on whether to hold the calves longer on the cow or wean and precondition them.
Another strategy, if cow body condition and pasture conditions are adequate, is to leave the calves on the cow another 30 days and then wean and precondition an additional 60 to 70 days.
Calculating Value of Gain
After weighing your calves, the next step is to gather current market prices for your area to estimate calf value, and with a little simple math, determine the potential value of additional gain.
The following table lists market prices as reported on the Kentucky Weekly Livestock Auction Summary (KDA Market News, Sept. 14) for medium and large 1-2 steers ranging from 375 to 675 lb. Price per hundredweight, dollars per head, and the value of gain for each additional 100 lb. of gain (375-475, 475-575, 575-675) and each additional 200 lb. of gain (375-575, 475-675) are listed.
Note that the difference in value of a 375-lb. steer and a 475-lb. steer is $273 ($1,932 – $1,659). That means you would have to put that additional 100 lb. on for less than $2.73 per lb. or $273 per 100 lb. to make a profit on the additional gain.
For some perspective on cost of gain, we can look at results from the Advanced PVAP Program. Since 2023, total precondition cost of gains, which includes feed, health/vaccines and interest from 80 closeouts on 2,754 calves averaged $0.97 per lb. or $97 per 100 lb. of gain. In the far-right column of the table you can see the difference in value between a 375-lb. steer and a 575-lb. steer is $448 and the difference in value between a 475-lb. steer and a 675-lb. steer is $385. Breakeven cost of gain in these two cases calculates $2.24 and $1.93, respectively, and again well above $0.97.
Although these numbers look favorable to add weight to calves before you sell, realize that market conditions and corresponding value of gain can change.
Table 1. Value of gain non-value-added (Medium and Large 1-2 steers, Sept. 7–12, 2026)
| Weight (lbs.) | Price ($/cwt.) | Price ($/head) | Value of 100 lbs. of gain ($/head) | Value of 200 lbs. of gain ($/head) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 375 | 442.29 | 1,659 | — | — |
| 475 | 406.76 | 1,932 | $273 | — |
| 575 | 366.36 | 2,107 | $175 | $448 (375–575) |
| 675 | 343.28 | 2,317 | $210 | $385 (475–675) |
This fall, consider weighing your calves before you sell and using market data to estimate their value at that time. Better yet, weigh them at weaning and enroll them in a program like PVAP.
The aim of the PVAP program is to compare the value of the calf at weaning with the value of the calf after a minimum 60-day preconditioning program. Participants keep track of all expenses during this period and turn in a worksheet, along with a copy of their sale check stub. Upon completion of the program, participants receive a one-page closeout that summarizes the profitability of the preconditioning enterprise. As an incentive for participation, producers also receive a payment of $25 per head, up to a maximum of $750.
