Backgrounding

Thriving Amid Uncertainty: Essential Tips for Stocker Operators

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 18:33:41 GMT

Teamwork and communication up and down the supply chain is important in today’s beef industry.

“Especially in the beef industry where the prices are getting as extreme as they are and the risks are getting high, we find ourselves working together a lot more than we find ourselves competing,” says Lance Zimmerman, senior beef industry analyst with RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness.

Zimmerman emphasized this idea during the K-State Beef Stocker Field Day on Sept. 25 in Manhattan, Kan. He was on an industry panel with Glynn Tonsor, K-State ag economist, and moderated by Wes Ishmael, Hereford World executive editor. The trio discussed short-and long-term trends of the beef industry, where the industry is headed and what producers need to be aware of.

Production Forecasts

For producers, understanding trends is essential. Tonsor says projections for 2026 predict there will be a 5% reduction in commercial harvest. Beef production is projected to fall 3% to 3.5% in 2025 and another 4% in 2026. He says the downward pressure on supply boils down to two factors: hoof count and dress weights.

He stresses with prices like the market has experienced, it is difficult to make decisions on when to expand the herd or when to sell calves. Because of this, there is a continued decrease in the number of cows, therefore, fewer calves produced for beef products.

To aid in making decisions, Tonsor recommends using BeefBasis.com , a resource used for projecting value of gain with feeder cattle. Using this and other projected data, Tonsor predicts net values on return for finishing steers in Kansas feedyards. In his example, with all factors the same, for a finished steer in September 2025, the net return is estimated at $700, but in March of 2026 it is an estimated loss of $256.

According to Tonsor the main difference in these numbers is the initial price paid for the calf. He adds while rising supply prices challenge producers, the beef industry must also appreciate how many people are supporting the industry and driving the demand.

Record High Price Anxiety and Threats

Zimmerman says: “No matter where you are — whether you’re the cow-calf guy contemplating a rebuild, whether you’re a stocker operator considering that next term, whether you’re the feedlot operator looking at cash returns, or you’re the beef buyer trying to figure out how to make this product work as a distributor — you’re struggling with how to wrestle with these replacement costs.”

The economists say the key to understanding high prices lies in analyzing demand. Zimmerman says the retail prices are projected to average $8.85, showing another strong demand year is ahead. If the year stays on track, the demand level is as high as it has been since 1983. 

A key driver of demand is the shared belief by producers and consumers that beef quality is defined by marbling. In the U.S. today, Prime and Choice beef consumption is up to 32 lb. per person annually. As an industry, less Select and lower graded beef products are being produced, and that is an advancement to be proud of, Zimmerman says.

During 2024 and 2025, for every 1 lb. of Select beef produced, 6 lb. of Prime and Choice beef has been produced.

As demand is analyzed, there are also real threats that come with it. Consumer income is being threatened by housing rates, student loans, credit card debt and a “buy-now-pay-later mentality.” Therefore, people are looking for ways to lower their expenses. This trend has been prevalent in restaurants, especially post-pandemic when interest in paying for a quality product at a food service establishment wasn’t worth the consumer dollar. It is the industry’s role to continue promotion of high-quality beef to restaurants, helping them retain customers and re-grow sales.

Beef Supply Stays Strong

Zimmerman shares data confirming that supply has remained steady, contrary to producer expectations. The beef-on-dairy cross industry has taken off with 450,000 head moved from veal to beef slaughter within the past two years.

Another factor filling supply is the increase in hot carcass weights, showing a 0.5% weight increase over the past 20 years, which totals about 4.2 lb. per year. Imports have also continued to increase within the past three years, and 2025 is set to reach more than 5 billion pounds of imported product.

Because of the discussed supply and demand trend factors, about 70% of cattle on feed today are using some form of risk management. However, it is not just price risk to be concerned about, but production, financial, market, institutional and environmental elements.

Tonsor and Zimmerman shared these key takeaways: Always “push the pencil” and run the numbers before making decisions, stay informed on broader trends and forecasts, and recognize elevated risks, especially in times like these.

Ultimately, it comes down to focusing on the factors you can control within your operation. The beef industry is not new to risk-taking, but it is up to producers to decide how they will handle such conditions and what risks they are willing to take with their operations. 

Managing the Details: Getting the Little Things Right

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 17:47:45 GMT

Back in the 1980s one of the stockyards in Baton Rouge where we sold our hogs had a statement on their check stubs that read “A man with a paid off cow herd is never really broke.” That simple statement always intrigued me.

Given the current market, it seems like a huge understatement, but I think the wisdom of that simple statement can be applied no matter what stage of the cattle cycle we are in. These historical prices provide an incredible opportunity to pay down debt, improve infrastructure or maybe even expand.

Regardless of how we choose to use this added revenue we need to be cautious about becoming complacent in our day-to-day management. Good managers pay attention to detail, and an excellent example can be found in data gathered from the Advanced Post Weaning Value-Added Program (PVAP).

(PVAP)

The Advanced PVAP program targets producers who have routinely weaned and preconditioned their calves prior to marketing with the objective of not only evaluating the economics of preconditioning but also identifying the best management practices of these experienced producers. The chart above is a summary of 52 closeouts from 42 producers who have participated in the Advanced PVAP program to date.

As you can see the 1,645 calves in this summary were fed an average of 79 days postweaning, gained an additional 182 lb., sold for $7.91 per cwt. over the state average, and netted $221.10 per head over selling at weaning. This type of on farm data is invaluable not only for producers but also aids extension educators for more effective program planning and recommendations.

To gain even more insight into actual management practices, a survey of the PVAP participants was conducted. Of the 42 producers represented in this database, 41 responded to the survey. Some of the interesting highlights of this survey are as follows:

61% used fence line weaning
73% introduced concentrate feed prior to weaning either by creep feeding or limited hand feeding
78% castrated calves prior to 3 months of age
71% implanted their steers
78% sold their calves in some type of special preconditioned sale
53% fed an ionophore such as Rumensin or Bovatec in either the mineral or feed
49% plan to review their management practices based on closeout results

A deeper dive into the database yielded more information on two of the practices highlighted. The first of these showed that how producers marketed their calves affected price received relative to the state average price. Calves selling in special preconditioned sales averaged $9.46 per cwt. over the state average. Calves selling in non-preconditioned sales and/or private treaty averaged $3.25 per cwt. over the state average. A difference of $6.21 per cwt.

Another interesting find was the effect that time of castration had on steer average daily gain during the postweaning period. Steers castrated at or near weaning had average daily gains of only .08 lb. more than their heifer mates (2.23 vs. 2.15), whereas steers castrated prior to 3 months of age gained .39 lb. more than their heifer mates (2.49 vs. 2.10). Although not a controlled study, I think we can safely say that the early castrated calves had a weight gain advantage due to less stress at weaning. A conservative assumption of an added .30 lb. per day in this example could possibly result in an extra 20-25 lb. per head, which in today’s market could be an additional $70-90 per head.

An additional indicator of the level of management by the 41 producers in the survey was the morbidity and mortality rate among the 1,645 calves. Sickness was reported in only 32 calves (1.95% morbidity). Of these 32 calves, 28 were on the same farm that must comingle calves into one central weaning facility from several different herds. Death loss for the 1,645 calves totaled 4 head for a mortality rate of 0.24%.

It should be noted that two of these calves were from operations that castrate at weaning. The extremely low rate of mortality and morbidity among these 52 different groups of calves further reinforces the argument that the best place for a calf to be castrated and weaned is on the farm where it was born.

Although all the practices highlighted by the survey cannot be necessarily quantified in dollars and cents given the lack of controlled comparisons in this dataset, most of these areas of management have sound economic justification. Most participants in the Advanced PVAP program are embracing these practices to ensure that the calves are ready to transition and thrive at weaning thereby minimizing production risks.

But what about market risk? Maybe the next detail our PVAP producers should consider is purchasing Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), especially as we go forward in this extremely high and volatile market.

This is just one example of how managing the details can pay dividends when preconditioning and marketing our calves. I think we would all agree that paying attention to detail and getting the little things right can apply to all areas of management and position our operations for the future.

Maybe we can edit that old stockyard check stub to read “A person who manages the details and has a paid off cow herd will be ready to ride the next turn of the cattle cycle.”

Will Buyers Pay Preconditioning Premiums for Already Expensive Calves?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 13:06:52 GMT

Recently at the coffee shop a producer was overheard saying, “Calf prices are so high right now that I don’t see why I would bother vaccinating or weaning before I take them to town. It’s extra work and buyers aren’t going to pay premiums with prices this high anyway.”

Will preconditioning pay in the face of historic cattle prices that continue to rise? Econ 101 says that a profitable decision requires that the revenue added by preconditioning must outweigh the cost added by preconditioning. (That equation also holds true for any subset of management practices.) Looking at recent history provides insight into the revenue side of that equation.

Figure 1 overlays the average preconditioning premiums ($/cwt) for steers received by Oklahoma Quality Beef Network (OQBN) cattle from 2012 through 2024 with the average fourth Quarter price (Oct-Dec) for 500-600 lb. steers in those same years. Average price is represented by the bars with the price scale on the left. The corresponding premiums are represented by the orange line and the price scale on the right. The pattern is clear – premium levels tend to move with price levels.

OQBN Preconditioning Premiums Relative to 4^th Quarter Average Price for 500-600 lb. Steers, Southern Plains. Source: Livestock Marketing Information Center and Oklahoma Quality Beef Network Historical Data.

(Raper and Peel)

Recall that the Southern Plains suffered through a severe drought from 2012-2015, forcing herd liquidation by many cattlemen. As price levels rose drastically in 2014, many asked then whether the market would still reward preconditioned calves with premiums. Figure 1 indicates that the answer was a resounding “yes.”

Why would cattle buyers not only pay premiums, but pay relatively HIGHER premiums for those already very expensive cattle? The answer is RISK.

The whole point of preconditioning calf health programs is to prepare calves for better performance as they move through the system. That improved performance is measured in lower death loss, fewer health issues and better gain — that is, lower risk.

For example, a survey of Texas Cattle Feeders Association feedlot managers indicated death loss rates of 4.3% for nonpreconditioned cattle and death loss of only 1.5% for preconditioned cattle. As prices move upward, the cost of death loss as well as the opportunity cost of lost performance also increases.

Buyers who pay premiums for preconditioned cattle are paying to lessen that risk. And as prices move higher, the premiums that they are willing to pay for that decrease in risk will generally rise in response to the rising economic risk.

So, what’s the answer to our question “Will preconditioning pay in the face of historic cattle prices that continue to rise?” History says “Yes.” While marketing calves off the cow may yield positive returns, particularly in the current environment of rapidly rising prices, the case for preconditioning prior to marketing is still strong.

Eight Components of a Strong Preconditioning Program

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:13:31 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 10:27:30 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

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 16:28:34 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 14:44:44 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

Calf Management and Marketing: What’s Your Next Move?

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:52:28 GMT

Every cow-calf producer strives to produce the best cattle that their unique resource base allows. Right now, you are likely making — or have already made — decisions for your current calf crop based on: 1) the resource constraints that you face; and 2) the market opportunities available to you.

A quality calf crop starts with a quality herd as its foundation and includes good management to achieve the goal of producing calves that you are proud of and that maximize the returns to your efforts. The process also involves a lot of planning. But the plan isn’t complete without both a calf health management program and a marketing plan for those calves.

When you market your calves, buyers can visually observe some indicators of quality and management for themselves — characteristics like frame, muscling, hide color, fill, fleshiness, castration, horn management and lot uniformity. Some of these characteristics are determined by herd genetics and while they are changeable, that change is a longer-term decision with no impact on the calf crop already on the ground. The rest of those characteristics are the result of current management decisions, as are unobservable calf characteristics such as vaccination status, weaning status, weaning period length and certification. All are important components in the overall price of feeder cattle.

Perhaps the most famous quote of Peter Drucker, the father of modern management in the business world, is “What gets measured gets managed” – sometimes restated as “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

Are you measuring the impact of your current calf management decisions? And assessing the potential added value of implementing management practices that you currently don’t employ? Measure both the expected cost and expected benefit and consider whether you can implement a “new to you” management practice. And if you do make the change, measure the realized cost and benefit and use that as input into next year’s decision.

With this year’s calf crop, consider the decisions that you can make now that can make a difference in the value of those calves in a few months at marketing time. For example, if you are not weaning calves at least 30 days prior to marketing, what constrains you from doing so? Is it facilities?

Data from the Oklahoma Beef Management and Marketing (OBMM) survey indicate that access to preconditioning pens is highly correlated with implementation of 45-day weaning minimums, respiratory vaccinations and feed bunk training. If you have no place to hold calves separate from cows, consider whether you can build pens — even for part of your calf crop — and consider whether you could expand it next year. Can you remedy that before weaning time? If not, gather cost and benefit information and consider it for next year’s calf crop.

How many weaned or preconditioned calves would it take to pay for the initial cost of those pens?
If you are already weaning calves for 30 days, you presumably already have a place to separate them from their dams. Can you hold them for two more weeks to hit a 45-day weaning period? Sixty-three percent of producers who responded to the OBMM survey are weaning calves at least 45 days prior to marketing, but our research indicates that markets are also rewarding significantly longer weaning periods with higher premiums — up to 100 days.

Assess what constraint keeps you from holding calves for longer weaning periods before marketing. Is it a need to use that space for something else? Is it forage/feed availability? Is it time? Is it tradition? Does the expected benefit outweigh the expected cost?

And then walk through this process for other potentially value adding management practices.

Every producer’s resource base is different. Presumably, your management and marketing strategies reflect the availability of those resources and their value to your operation. An annual or even semi-annual assessment of your strategy is a healthy exercise. At every level, record keeping about inputs, management practices, marketing successes and failures provides crucial input for future decision-making.

Ask yourself some important questions. Who am I marketing my cattle to? Do my management practices fit the buyer audience that I want to target? Is there a recommended practice that I currently do not utilize, and could it be beneficial to do so? What is the best way to access the buyers who are looking for cattle managed like mine?

For this year’s calf crop, find the market where buyers are willing to compensate you for the management that you have put into your calves. And in preparing to breed for next year’s calf crop, be sure to get a strategy in place for their management and marketing too.

“When you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’re going to keep getting what you’ve been getting"… Henry Ford.

What’s YOUR next move?

Your Next Read: Rollins Rolls Out 5-Point Plan to Contain New World Screwworm

Fast Delivery, Competitive Prices and Simplicity Drives FBN Customer Satisfaction

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 19:13:33 GMT

A one-stop shop for farm and ranch input needs, Farmers Business Network (FBN) serves more than 13,000 livestock producers from across the U.S. FBN is expanding its livestock offering to include Ridley Feeds, Farmers First Mineral, fencing supplies, equine products as well as pet care.

Crop and cattle producer Kyle Burk, Burk Land & Cattle in Marionville, Mo., has been a customer of FBN for two years. Initially using FBN for its competitive chemical pricing, Burk now purchases approximately 90% of his mineral products for his livestock through the company.

“We background a lot of cattle for Joplin Regional Stockyards,” Burk says. “I feel the cattle have gained tremendously better with the FBN mineral program, whether it be fly control or other attribute.”

Burk manages a 2,000-acre farm primarily focused on feed production for his family’s stock cows, dairy and grow yard. He says FBN has become an integral part of his agricultural strategy — providing not just products, but comprehensive support across purchasing, financing and consulting.

“The website is extremely easy to use,” Burk explains.

The platform’s intuitive design allows him to quickly locate and order the exact items he needs for his diverse operation.

Customer service is another key to Burk’s FBN experience. He appreciates how the company proactively contacts customers within 24 hours of an unusual order to confirm it’s correct.

Beyond product ordering, Burk has also utilized FBN’s financial services. After an accident last year, he turned to FBN classifieds to purchase a replacement silage truck and secured financing through FBN within a day. The rate, he says, was more competitive than his local bank.

Burk says he recommends and appreciates the FBN professionals who have helped him with purchasing decisions. When drought led him to switch to conventional corn, he worked FBN’s chemical specialist for product support.

“It’s probably the cleanest corn we’ve ever had,” Burk says.

Expanding Livestock Catalog

Livestock is FBN’s fastest-growing segment, powered by producer trust in speed, value and reliable delivery. According to Emily Zollinger, FBN director of livestock, the platform’s latest offerings include:

Ridley Feeds (a division of Alltech) : Sweetlix mineral and tubs now available with live, daily pricing
Farmers First Mineral : A new, simplified line of cattle mineral dynamic pricing and clear online descriptions
Fencing Supplies : Including barbed wire, woven wire, pipe, cable and other fencing tools
Equine Care : Products for grooming, nutrition, deworming, hoof care and vaccinations
Pet Health: Vaccines, parasite control, nutrition, and prescriptions filled with vet approval

“We’re building a marketplace where ranchers and livestock producers get not only great prices, but convenience and service they can count on,” Zollinger says.

(FBN)

Why Producers Choose FBN

Initially founded in 2014, FBN expanded into livestock in 2020. Today, the platform is designed to make purchasing fast, transparent and farm-friendly.

Key features include:

Free membership
Build your own online order
Fast shipping (typically two business days)
Nationwide logistics network across the U.S. and Canada
Flexible support ranging from self-service to dedicated account reps
Educational tools including blogs and resource hubs
Financing options with competitive rates
Prescription support working directly with your vet to verify orders

Zollinger says FBN’s mission is to deliver prosperity to family farmers and ranchers through every season, every segment and every challenge.

“We’re not just selling inputs,” she summarizes. “We’re giving farmers and ranchers a platform — with tools, pricing transparency and support they can build a business on.”

Your Next Read: 5 Steps to Successful Transition Planning

Management Tips for Receiving New Calves Into Feedlot

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:34:00 GMT

One of the most critical times for cattle coming into the feedyard is within the first two weeks. Feedlot owners and cow-calf producers can use best practices for helping those cattle get off to a good start when entering the yard.

“The biggest thing we’re trying to do is reduce stress the whole time,” says John Hepton, a cattle nutritionist and feedlot owner in Idaho. “We want them to come in and be handled quietly and correctly. We want them to come to a clean pen with plenty of space and dry conditions.”

Hepton says typically they let cattle sit one day and process them the next day, which is something he’s learned from experience.

“For example, let’s say they were long-haul calves; we might let them go two days before we process them. Basically we’re wanting them to rest and be comfortable. And we’re always looking for early signs of pneumonia or BRD.”

Hepton says they typically we’ll feed them hay a day or two before introducing a ration.

“We’ll then introduce a palatable starter ration and avoid feeding too much starch early,” he adds.

Jessica L. Sperber, Nebraska Extension Feedlot Specialist says it’s important to offer familiar feedstuffs in the first seven days to “bunk break” cattle. She offers these suggestions:

Offer long-stem grass hay
High quality forages are essential to get adequate energy into the animal while their intakes are depressed.
Feed a natural protein source that is adequate in rumen undegradable protein (RUP) content to support calf protein requirements.

“The most likely source (and presumably cheapest) is distillers’ grains, which are approximately 30% protein, with 65% of that protein as RUP,” Sperber says. “RUP is required most in rapidly gaining, young animals.”

Additional feed consumption considerations:

Provide bunk space of 16-18” per head as a target
Low intakes on newly received calves are common and generally improve in the weeks following receiving.
In week one, cattle will generally consume 1.0 to 1.5% of body weight (BW) on a DM basis
Stressed calves may consume lower than 1.0% of BW, exhibiting signs of anorexia.
Target intake to reach 1.5% of BW (DM basis) by day 14 to reduce morbidity/mortality.
By week three, calves should be consuming 2 to 2.5% of BW (DM basis).
A 21- to 28-day transition or “step-up” period is often required to get cattle to consume greater than 1.5% BW (DM basis) and to transition calves from a high-forage to a high-grain diet.
A low energy density diet (high-forage diet) improves rumen health early in the feeding period.

Water intake

Access to plenty of water is important, Hepton says.

“It’s nice to have overflow tanks to where they can hear water running if you can,” he adds.

Sperber points out water intake drives feed dry matter intake.

“Newly received cattle will walk the perimeter of their pen, so a common thought is that cattle will find the water tank if placed around perimeter,” she says.

She also says to ensure water tanks remain free from algal growth and feed residue.

Initial processing

Processing depends on if the cattle have been preconditioned yet.

“If we don’t know the background, then we assume they haven’t had anything,” Hepton says. “I think there is value in working with ranchers to know what their vaccination program has been, if calves were vaccinated and with what products.”

Hepton says pre-weaning protocols do matter.

“Everybody wants a pre vaccinated, weaned calf,” he explains. “That’s the very easiest thing to bring to the feed lot. Even a good vaccination program, but right off the cow, certainly works. If we know the producers and we know the program, then we may not have to re-vac, or we may do things a little bit different.”

Sperger says processing may include vaccination, parasite control, identification (feedyard tag), implantation, weighing (to determine initial BW), and initial sort.

“Vaccination protocols are critical and should be discussed with your veterinarian, who will consider what is appropriate to each operation and will determine whether and when to administer 5-way viral, 7-way clostridial, and a de-wormer.

Furthermore, Sperber advises that while sorting cattle may improve uniformity in the pen, keeping cattle from similar origins together for the first few weeks on feed may reduce disruption of hierarchy in the pen and reduce health challenges from commingling.

For the yards Hepton consults for and puts cattle in he wants to have very high grading cattle.

“Our target is 90% or better to be choice or prime, which involves both genetics and nutrition,” he says. “It’s also health and management as well, which means less sick events.”

When it comes to receiving those cattle, Hepton reminds buyers and ranchers to use good transportation sources.

“Whether you’re buying them through the sale yard or picking them up off the ranch, it’s important to get them on a truck right away and getting them to the yard,” he says. “We want to have good drivers that are not tossing the cattle around and don’t stop for unnecessary causes. We want to get the cattle to where they need to be so we can get them off the truck and into a comfortable environment.”

Your Next Read: The Ultimate Guide for Training Ranch Employees

With Chronic Diseases Like BRD, Producers and Veterinarians are Asking ‘Why?’ to Find Better Solutions

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 16:05:13 GMT

For nearly 30 years, Dr. John Groves has worked with beef producers across the Midwest to address bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

“This is very much a personal issue to me, as I practice in the town I grew up in, and my clients are my friends and my neighbors,” says Groves, owner of Livestock Veterinary Services, based in Eldon, Mo.

Groves says farmers and ranchers develop a natural affinity for what he refers to as “systems thinking” to address disease.

Producers understand that agricultural production is a complex system, involving interactions between plants, animals, sunlight, soil, water, microbes and many other factors influencing outcomes, Groves explains. Systems thinking, as a means of problem solving, involves big-picture consideration of all those factors, instead of linear cause-and-effect thinking.

“I believe systems thinking is a good way to address complex problems, to think deeply about them,” says Groves, a founding member of Veterinary Advancement of Systems Thinking, a group of veterinarians interested in how the systems approach can be applied to animal health and production strategies.

Going Beyond Intuition

In a systems approach, the veterinarian works with producers to treat BRD or other sickness for a short-term solution, but also looks further to identify trends, patterns and the forces involved in the disease event.

Groves offers an example of how a systems approach can work: a stocker operator experiences a high morbidity rate in calves, which the veterinarian attributes to poor preconditioning and weaning practices on the operations supplying the calves. Linear thinking might suggest paying lower prices for those calves in the future, but that approach does not truly solve the problem. Systems thinking would involve going back to the cow-calf herds, identifying weaknesses and instituting changes to improve calf health and immunity.

In essence, systems thinking is not a linear way of thinking, from point A to point B. It’s a fundamentally circular way of studying an issue, explains Dr. Daniel Cummings, Heritage Vet Partners, Madisonville, Tenn.

“We’re examining below the tip of the iceberg to better understand root causes of a problem in our cattle populations,” Cummings says “I’m trying to dive deeper into the whys and consider all variables or risk factors that might be associated with a certain challenge.”

Cummings likes to reference the Sandhills Calving System, used to mitigate the risk of calf scours, as a practice many beef producers are familiar with and that was developed thanks to systems thinking. The concept was developed by veterinarians at the University of Nebraska, led by Drs. Dale Grotelueschen and David Smith.

Consider Decision Outcomes

As Cummings identifies a meaningful practice or treatment he believes will help a set of cattle, he works through the potential outcomes before making recommendations to producers.

“Perhaps I’m going to recommend a change in the diet, because I think it’ll benefit the health of the cattle,” Cummings says. “So, I’ll consider what could be the potential unintended consequences of that decision, both the positives and negatives. How does this decision impact other stakeholders? Such as the nutritionist or feed deliverer? What are the costs and ROI? Does feeding the diet require other management changes?”

Groves often looks for leverage points in his clients’ operations to identify where a solution or tool can be applied. It is a low leverage point if a small amount of change causes a small change in system behavior. It’s a high leverage point if a small amount of change causes a large change in system behavior.

Reverse quarantining cattle upon arrival is a leverage point Groves often uses to minimize the opportunity for BRD infections. The idea is to protect incoming cattle from the existing population.

“In high-risk yards, instead of protecting the population from the incoming cattle, you protect the incoming cattle from the population already there,” Groves explains.

“Commingling is a major contributor to BRD outbreaks in high-risk stocker calves,” adds Cummings, who calls it “the daycare effect.”

Develop A Penning Plan

Groves encourages veterinarians and producers to work cooperatively to create a penning plan to accomplish reverse quarantining. The plan should outline where new cattle will go, pen sizes and how long it will take to populate each pen.

Groves’ data, which he shared during an Elanco Animal Health webinar last fall, shows that keeping new cattle away from cattle pens that have been on-site the longest can result in fewer respiratory outbreaks. Additionally, smaller pen sizes reduce the probability of exposure, in turn, reducing the risk of disease transmission, making this a high-leverage tactic for cattle health management.

“I think this explains why stocker operations often will empty out and restart,” Groves says. “We have worked with some stocker operations to actually build in an empty pen to rotate through the planning strategy so we can take advantage of this benefit.”

To illustrate this to cattle feeders, Groves developed and runs a disease model that simulates how disease can occur. The simulation shows disease dynamics and the likelihood and rate of disease transmission among newly introduced cattle.

He shared the model with ag media during the Elanco webinar last fall. In addition, he demonstrated the model during a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension webinar, which can be viewed here:
Systems Approach to Maintaining Health in High-Risk Calves

Shifting The Burden

“Today, I have a better understanding of the importance of addressing fundamental issues like pen size and management,” Groves says. “When there is a fundamental issue, there is not a quick fix. It takes a lot of time, effort and resources to understand the issue and identify interventions.”

He says veterinarians can benefit from “shifting the burden,” employing longer-term strategies to fix or improve fundamental issues.

To illustrate this, Groves refers to a sinking boat.

“We often find ourselves in a situation where our boat is leaking, and all we can do is bail water; we don’t have the time or resources to patch the hole,” Groves explains. “But, long term, to properly use the boat again, the leaky hole will need to be patched.”

The same principle goes for mitigating respiratory disease in cattle, he adds.

“When I approach an issue like respiratory disease in cattle and the tools I use, I’ll think to myself: Does this need me to bail water? Or does it need a patching-the-hole in my boat strategy?” he says.

Staying A Step Ahead

Dr. Brett Terhaar, DVM, beef technical consultant for Elanco, says the battle against BRD requires a multifaceted approach.

“When it comes to BRD risk, one crucial factor is understanding the unique challenges posed by cattle’s physiology,” says Terhaar in a company news release. “Calves have relatively small lung capacities compared to their oxygen requirements. Due to their small lung capacities, when pathogens colonize, disease progression can be rapid. These calves can get what we call ‘knockout lung lesions’ in as little as 36 hours.”

Knowing this, Terhaar emphasizes the importance of identifying sick calves at the earliest stage of disease.

“It can be extremely beneficial to walk the pens of freshly weaned calves twice a day to make sure calves are coming up to the bunk, getting feed and acting normal,” he says. “Key symptoms to watch for include runny nose, watery eyes, coughing, drooping ears and anorexia, causing a lack of rumen fill.” He adds that early detection and intervention offer a higher recovery rate.

To effectively manage respiratory risks, a well-designed and executed plan is essential. Terhaar recommends addressing the following five elements:

Animal husbandry and management: Use low-stress handling techniques and provide comfortable living conditions with adequate bedding and stocking density.
Solid nutrition: Ensure cattle receive the necessary nutrients, protein in particular, to support their immune system throughout the weaning and transition process.
Strong vaccination protocols: Implement a well-planned vaccination program to mitigate the effects of BRD and other illnesses.
Strategic treatment: Keep two antibiotics of different classes on hand and treat cattle at the earliest signs of disease.
Accelerated gain: Utilize efficient growth strategies, like the use of implants, to maximize returns on investment.

Terhaar recommends categorizing calves into risk groups, particularly for purchased calves.

“High-risk calves are likely not vaccinated, haven’t been preconditioned and are commingled, whereas low-risk calves have been preconditioned and vaccinated. This differentiation is crucial, given the dynamics of disease spread and recovery,” he says.

More news from Drovers:
K-State is Now On a Mission to Estimate the Potential Economic Losses From Possible Foreign Animal Diseases
Is It Time To Wean?
Video Royale Annual Sale
Adapting to Virtual Fencing

Feed Grain Supply Boost Driven by Corn Yield, USDA Predicts

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 14:35:01 GMT

The U.S. feed grain supply is expected to grow by 3.4 million metric tons (mmt) to 439.3 million, propelled by a projected 1.9-bushel-per-acre increase in corn yields for the 2023/24 corn production forecast, reports the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) in the recent November feed outlook report .

Only partially offset by a 6-bushel-per-acroe reduction in the U.S. sorghum crop, the increase in corn still averages to overall higher projected global and U.S. coarse grain exports this month.

A rise in world corn exports is pushing the record-high trade (for the international October to September trade year) further up, notes the report. An increase in supplies (higher beginning stocks and greater output) exceeds the rise in coarse grain use, boosting stocks.

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) increased its national corn production forecast in the November Crop Production report. The projected U.S. corn production for 2023/24 is now 15.2 billion bushels, a 170-million-bushel rise from the previous month. This is attributed to an increase in yields to 174.9 bushels per acre, up from October’s forecast of 173 bushels per acre. The harvested area forecast remains at 87.1 million acres.

While yield forecasts were adjusted for some states, major producers like Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and South Dakota saw increases contributing to the overall national yield rise. Illinois accounts for over 19 percent of the total increase.

Corn imports during the first month of the 2023/24 marketing year were robust, reaching just over 3 million bushels, nearly matching volumes from September 2022 and 2021 combined. However, with the expected growth in domestic corn production, demand for foreign corn is anticipated to weaken, leaving the 2023/24 corn import forecast unchanged at 25 million bushels. The projected increase in corn production brings the 2023/24 U.S. corn supply forecast to 16.62 billion bushels, 1.5 billion higher than 2022/23, notes the report.

U.S. corn use is expected to grow in line with the projected supply increase. Feed and residual corn use is raised by 50 million bushels to 5.65 billion, supporting the growing number of feedlot placements at the beginning of the marketing year. The corn-for-ethanol fuel use forecast is also raised by 25 million bushels to 5.33 billion, driven by strong ethanol demand. The report notes a slightly lower 2022/23 fourth quarter corn-for-fuel ethanol use estimate, now at 5.176 billion bushels.

U.S. corn exports for the 2023/24 marketing year have started well, with September volumes at 125 million bushels, 25 million higher than September 2022. Export commitments through November 2, 2023, are 31 percent higher than the same period last year at nearly 760 million bushels, notes the report. Combining these factors with a growing domestic supply, the 2023/24 corn export forecast is increased by 50 million bushels to 2.08 billion.

Despite the anticipated increases in U.S. corn use, they do not exceed the projected supply gains, the report explains. Consequently, 2023/24 corn stocks are 45 million bushels higher at 2.16 billion bushels. The average price received by U.S. corn farmers is expected to decrease from last month’s forecast of $4.95 per bushel to $4.85 per bushel.

Read More:

Profit Tracker: Feeding Margins Tumble 60%

Your Cattle Forage Analysis Results Are In: Now What?

Peel: Cattle Markets Now and Later

High Fed Cattle Prices but Narrow Margins: Strategies To Consider

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 04:46:43 GMT

Looking back at late November of 2014, when the negotiated fed steer price reached an all-time high, $172.06/cwt, makes one wonder why—today, at fed steer prices at least $10/cwt higher, margins are still narrow. A 1,550-lb fed steer is worth $155 more today than one finished in late November 2014.

While cattle placed against current live cattle marketing might have a wider margin for profit, cattle placed in October of 2023 will have a narrower margin of profit. Why?

Although US cattle inventories declined, and one factor effecting this decline, widespread drought, is also a factor this time, cattle feeding margins are not as wide as in the previous period of low cattle inventories.

Much has changed since 2014!
Although labor rates are subject to many nuances, using a standardized report such as the ISU Custom Rate Survey should reflect relative conditions prevailing in the field. Hourly wages reported for farm work in the 2015 ISU Custom Rate Survey averaged $14.20 while the survey indicated that average hourly wages were $21.75 in 2023. This is an increase of $1 per hour in wages for every year since 2016. If it takes one individual to feed and manage 1,000 head of cattle (installed capacity), and that individual works 2,000 hours per year, labor cost for each 1,000 head of cattle (installed capacity) increased $15,100 ($15/head or $0.04 per head daily) during that time.

Interest rates have been hiked by the Federal Reserve since early 2022 to slow down the economy to reduce inflation thus preventing a recession. The effects of higher interest rates on operating costs are significant. As feeder calf prices increase, in response to smaller supplies, the amount of money needed to purchase a feeder calf has increased further compounding the effects of higher interest rates. A $1,000 loan amortized over six months at 4.5% carries $26 of interest while a $1,500 loan amortized over the same period at 8.5% carries $75 of interest: a difference of nearly $50.

Other changes in petroleum production and distribution, adopted to change our reliance on fossil fuels, are affecting cattle feeding margins. A gallon of diesel fuel cost $3.80 in September of 2014 while it cost $4.50 in September of 2023. If one assumes that one hour of operation by most diesel engines in tractors or other equipment consumes four gallons of diesel, then the cost of each operating hour in the feedlot increased $2.80. Making a broad assumption that each labor hour in the feedlot is represented by one fuel-burning hour, yearly fuel costs increased $5,600 or $5.60 per head of installed capacity ($0.015 per head daily).

Lastly, but not least, corn grain prices surged from $3.77/bu in 2014 to $6.90/bu in 2022 and are now closer to $5.00/bu. If we assume that it takes about 50 bushels to finish a steer, then the cost of feeding a steer increased $60 since the last time fed cattle prices were high.

If we assume a 210-day feeding period, and apply the estimates above to current labor, interest rates and feed costs, we account for $122 of the $155 difference (78%) in value between a steer marketed in 2023 and one marketed in 2014.

What does this mean to the cattle feeder or rancher?
In the short term, protecting assets from risk has become a primary focus of managing feedlots.

What are the needs of cattle as we get into winter?
Do we have all the bedding we need? This is particularly true of ranches who are hoping to capitalize on the value of a feeder calf selling as a yearling after 3 to 6 months of backgrounding. Extreme cold or wet and cold days place a demand on maintaining body heat by cattle.

Creating a bed pack, particularly in an area sheltered from the wind, is a great way to keep cattle comfortable and making gains expected given the diet offered. Feeders or ranchers should plan on using up to 4 lb of bedding daily (prorated for the season) during inclement weather. If no concrete surface is available, bed packs are best made on a south-facing slope and planning from 12 to 36 square feet per head.

The initial bedding delivery will likely require more than the prorated 4 lb daily but less bedding will be needed in subsequent deliveries. If the bed pack is not wet by precipitation, ensuring that additional bedding is added when the surface is still dry but begins to get sticky or seep will help maintain a bed pack mound. As soon as rain or snow falls on the pack, it must be removed, and dry bedding added to start a new pack. On pasture or large yards, this is a good time to relocate the bed pack to a different but wind-protected location.

Under extreme wet conditions, simply placing bales (straw, stalks or even hay) out for lightweight, stressed calves is a strategy that has saved cattle.

What can be done to prevent death in cattle during the first 60 days on feed or the last 90 days on feed?
As indicated above, with so much at stake, astute operators do not hesitate to make emergency responses to inclement weather. It is less expensive to remove a used bed pack than to recover losses from treating or losing cattle to disease.

Similarly, next year, when these cattle are nearing the finished end point, what strategies or feed additives are available to ensure late-term death does not occur, particularly after the first heat event of the year? Developing a list of high-risk finishing cattle that takes into consideration thriftiness and background to be sold prematurely, if necessary, may be one way to prevent late-term death. It would be based on identifying cattle that recovered from respiratory or digestive disease (including an identified bout with acidosis) while in the grow or finish yard and/or health and performance history of contemporaries from the same source.

At 30 to 50 days prior to harvest of the lot, visual inspection of the lot accompanied by review of individual data should be used to market cattle deemed “in need of marketing” for various reasons (previous issues with respiratory, digestive or foot and leg problems). Consideration should also be given to incorporating feed additives that demonstrate promise in maintaining gut integrity, particularly when cattle are exposed to heat stress.

Margins can also be improved by increasing the value of the product. Extra value may be found in cattle of high quality that might return greater gross revenue if marketed through the grid.

For individuals marketing cattle at the end of a feeding period, grid marketing represents an excellent method of capturing greater value at sale time. It is important to study the nuances of every grid offered by packers. Because the drivers are marbling and muscling, heavy cattle that yield carcasses that marble in the upper two thirds of USDA Choice or Prime receive hot carcass premiums from $5/cwt to $15/cwt. This represents from $45 to $135/head more. In the current marketing environment, these premiums hold even when discounts for heavy or USDA YG 4 carcasses would work against them.

In the long term, interest rates may fall again. We hope this happens soon! However, labor cost and scarcity of labor are not going away. Similarly, because policies to discourage fossil fuel use may be here to stay, fuel prices may never return to levels previously seen.

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.}

Thinking of Backgrounding Calves this Fall?

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 12:00:04 GMT

Cattle prices have responded to lower cattle inventory. If you are keeping up with cattle production news media, nearly every week, someone declares how much feeder calf prices have increased since last year. Sales of 500- to 600-cwt feeder calves are getting close to $300/cwt. Expecting a gross revenue of $1,600 or more for feeder steer calves this fall is not out of the question. Yet, with increasing costs of maintaining a cow, some cow-calf producers may wonder: to increase revenue in 2023, is it worth it to retain calves for feeding during a backgrounding or stocker period?

At an annual cow cost of $1,250 per cow, weaning rate of 90% and scale weight of a steer calf at sale time of 550 lb, the actual breakeven cost would be $252.25/cwt. The margin for this example operation would be $47.50/cwt of steer calf sold. Considering the same scenario for feeder heifer calves, and assuming a sale price on heifers of 500 lb changes the margin from $47.50 to $22.22/cwt. Certainly, steer calves have a greater potential for profit at weaning than their female counterparts.

Considerations for backgrounding the 2023 spring-born calf crop should be based on potential for profit but must also include each operator’s individual production conditions and financial position. If a note is due before the end of 2023, cash may be short and the option to retain calves into 2024 dissipates quickly. If the operator’s financial position affords retaining calves into 2024, then one might consider retaining some or all calves weaned in 2023 to background and sell in 2024.

In addition to the financial position, each operator must make a mental review of their capacity to keep and feed calves during the winter. Although there is a potential to generate additional revenue from keeping calves through winter for sale in the spring, feeding and managing young cattle creates an additional burden on time and resources.

Although feed is the first requirement most of us think of, additional time required to feed and manage young calves, and whether calves have access to water and dry comfortable housing facilities must also figure in this decision.

Retaining calves worth $1,600 to background during winter is a serious investment with real risks. Exposing young, weaned calves to challenges brought on by insufficient water access, poorly ventilated or uncomfortable loafing conditions, and feed mismanagement will lead to illness and death, and reduce any possibility of additional revenue.

Before making any additional considerations regarding backgrounding calves, attention must be paid by each operator to the financial cost of retaining calves beyond weaning. Interest rates climbed to levels not observed for a long time. Similarly, costs to operate a truck or tractor reached higher levels as fuel prices remain high.

Retaining a $1,600-calf to background should be treated as if one had the opportunity to invest this money in a financial operation whether operating capital is one’s own or borrowed. At 8.5% interest rates, carrying $1,600 on a loan for 6 months results in interest costs of $0.22/day. Similarly, running a tractor for 1 hour will likely result in consumption of 4 gallons of diesel or $16/hour with diesel at $4/gallon. Adding labor, as a form of payment for the operator’s effort, adds another $22/hour. As a result, the expense to feed and care for weaned calves, we all lump in as yardage, costs at minimum $38/hour.

Nearly any activity we undertake while farming or ranching takes one hour or more to complete. Assuming there are 100 calves in a backgrounding group, one can expect to charge this operation $0.38/calf daily. When adding interest cost to this calculation, yardage increases to $0.60/calf daily. One might add another $0.05 to $0.20/calf daily to this calculation to include facilities taxes, depreciation, and repair depending on the condition of the facility. These calculations result in yardage fees ranging between $0.65 and $0.80/calf daily.

Feed costs in 2023 and 2024 moderated some from the highs observed in late 2022 but are not what anyone would consider low. Therefore, we may expect to pay from $1.60 to $1.90 for feed per calf daily bringing the grand total daily expense between $2.25 and $2.70 to carry a calf during backgrounding in 2023 and 2024.

Using CME futures and basis projections to determine prices for 550-lb steer and 500-lb heifer calves in November of 2023 and 850-lb steers and 750-lb heifers in March of 2024 resulted in gross revenue margins of approximately $400 per calf regardless of sex or weight. This means that an operator wishing to retain feeder calves in 2023 for sale as yearlings in 2024 is working against breakeven costs of gain (maximum amount of money an operator can spend to break even with costs of raising a calf) of $130/cwt and $160/cwt, respectively, for steers and heifers. Heifers have a greater gross margin because they are undervalued as lightweight feeders.

Thus, operators considering backgrounding calves this fall may take a serious look at marketing their steer calf crop and retaining feeder heifers for sale in 2024 as yearlings. Yet, as indicated above, perhaps the first consideration before these decisions are made is to take a hard look at the financial costs and the operator’s capacity to devote sufficient time and attention to background calves during winter.

Feed Prices Favor Limit-Feeding Stockers a High Energy Diet

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:20:06 GMT

For cattle producers that are set up to feed calves in a bunk, limit-feeding a high energy diet may be a cost-effective option for growing calves this fall and winter.

While limit-feeding is not a new concept, current forage prices relative to grain/co-products may make it an attractive alternative to feeding high roughage growing diets. For instance, hay priced at $200/ton with a total digestible nutrients (TDN) value of 52% equates to approximately $0.22 per pound of TDN. However, $4.80/bu corn (88% TDN) and wet distillers grains priced at $75/ton (108% TDN) each come out to about $0.11 per pound of TDN.

Research at Kansas State University has looked at limit-feeding calves a high energy diet at 2.2% of body weight compared to a full-fed high roughage diet (2.8% of body weight) for a 90 day backgrounding period. Both diets included 40% wet corn gluten feed (dry matter basis) and varying amounts of corn, alfalfa, prairie hay and a supplement.

Stockers limit fed the high energy diet were more efficient and gained 2.5 lb/d whereas stockers full-fed the high-roughage diet gained 2.9 lb/d. Backgrounding system had little to no effect on finishing performance or carcass characteristics.

Advantages of Limit Fed, High Energy Diets

There are several advantages to a limit feeding approach for growing calves:

- Reduced mixing time and loads of feed due to less forage in the diet.

- Less feed falling out of bunks and being wasted, reducing rodent issues.

- More efficient use of bunk space. If time, labor, and pen design allow, consider leveraging the amount of bunk space in a pen by feeding one group of calves in the morning and then rotating in a second group in the evening.

- Improved health management of calves. Healthy calves will be eager to approach the bunk at feeding time, making lethargic, sick calves easier to spot.

- Improved pen conditions and maintenance due to less manure. Research from Kansas State University has shown a 40-45% reduction in manure output when limit feeding stockers. That is huge!

Tips for Limit-Feeding Stockers

When getting calves started on feed, place long stemmed hay in bunks prior to calves arriving. For the first day’s feed delivery of the limit-fed diet, start calves at an intake of approximately 0.75% of body weight (dry matter basis) and work up to 2.2% of body weight within about 14 days.

As calves grow, be sure to adjust the amount of feed delivered so that target gains can be maintained. Feeding at a consistent time each day and providing adequate bunk space (at least 15 inches per head) can help prevent digestive upsets and set calves up for success.

Read More:

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

Capture Data at Weaning

Effective Fenceline Weaning for Calves: Stress Reduction and Benefits

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.

Preconditioning Improves Calf Health, Performance and Carcass Quality

Mon, 15 May 2023 16:22:51 GMT

Calves enrolled in the OQBN Vac-45 Program attained an average market premium of $18.67/cwt in 2022 and an average of $13.06/cwt over the past 12 years, compared to similar nonpreconditioned calves in the same sales. Common beef calf preconditioning practices include weaning calves for 45 days or more, providing vaccinations for clostridial bacteria (blackleg) and bovine respiratory disease (BRD), castrating, dehorning, and bunk training. Implementing these practices bolsters the immune system, allowing calves to remain healthy during the rigors of the stocker and feedlot phases.

It has been shown that healthy calves usually outgain sick calves during the beginning of the feedlot period (4 to 6 weeks). A study by Richeson et al., (2012) indicated that upon entering the feedlot, preconditioned beef steers exhibited an increased average daily gain (ADG) of 0.77 lbs. and a 90% reduction in BRD morbidity (sickness) compared to nonpreconditioned beef steers. Calves that receive medical treatment for BRD may recover and often exhibit compensatory gain, allowing them to achieve similar final body weights compared to their untreated, healthy counterparts. However, medical treatment and additional days on feed increase production costs and decrease profitability. Calves that must be treated for BRD exhibit a decrease in carcass quality compared to healthy, untreated cattle. An Oklahoma State University study by Wilson et al. (2017), indicated that healthy beef calves (not requiring treatment for BRD) graded choice or prime 70% of the time, while calves treated for BRD once, twice, and three or more times, graded choice or prime 56%, 60%, and 36% of the time respectively (Figure 1).

Figure 1. The impact of BRD Treatment on USDA Quality Grade, in a 2017 Oklahoma State study. Source: Wilson et al., 2017

Reduced carcass quality results in a decrease in carcass value. Wilson et al. (2017) indicated the average carcass values of calves treated for BRD once, twice, and three or more times were reduced by $31, $54, and $103 respectively, compared to the carcass value of untreated, healthy calves (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Actual cattle gross income of feedlot cattle treated for BRD, in a 2017 Oklahoma State study. Source: Wilson et al., 2017

Beef calf preconditioning practices increase calf immunity and health. Calves that remain healthy usually demonstrate greater ADG than those that suffer from BRD-related illness. Healthy calves yield higher-quality carcasses compared to calves requiring BRD treatment. Higher-quality carcasses attain a greater dollar value compared to poorer-quality carcasses. Therefore, it may be assumed that beef calf preconditioning practices not only increase profitability for the cow-calf producer, but also result in an increase in calf feedlot performance, carcass quality, and carcass value.

References:

Richeson, J.T., E.B. Kegley, J.G. Powell, P.A. Beck, B.L. Vander Ley, and J.F. Ridpath. 2012. Weaning management of newly received beef calves with or without continuous exposure to a persistently infected bovine viral diarrhea virus pen mate: Effects on health, performance, bovine diarrhea titers, and peripheral blood leukocytes. J. of Anim. Sci. 90:1972-1985.

Wilson, B.K., D.L. Step, C.L. Maxwell, C.A. Gifford, C.J. Richards, and C.R. Krehbiel. Effect of bovine respiratory disease during receiving period on steer finishing performance, efficiency, carcass characteristics, and lung scores. 2017. The Prof. Anim. Sci. 33:24-36.

The 'Golden Ticket' To Cattle Feeding Efficiency? It’s Been Found, FBN and Boveta Suggest

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 15:30:37 GMT

Has the ‘golden ticket’ to cattle feeding efficiency and carcass yield with reduction in methane gas emissions and wet waste been found? Farmers Business Network (FBN), along with its partner, Boveta Nutrition, LLC, believe so.

Recently, the companies announced results from an FBN-managed independent study at an operation outside of Lincoln, Nebr., trialing the partnership’s amino acid balancing program.

The farm manager, Ben Row at Talcott Land and Cattle, says their backgrounding operation went from $1.20 cost of gain, to now being around $0.71. Row also believes the health of the cattle and overall performance has improved on the program.

Additional findings from Boveta research with cattle on the company’s balanced diet plan conclude:
• Backgrounding cattle on forage diet showed $0.20 per lb. cost of gain advantage
• Finishing cattle consumed 15% less feed, maintained daily gain and delivered an average savings of $0.07 per pound gained
• A large commercial feedlot study produced a $30 per head advantage for steers
• In dairy cattle, milk yield increased by 3.9 lb/day or 4%

While these recent findings show a promising future in cattle production, it’s worth nothing that amino acid balancing is not a new concept.

“Amino acid balancing has been a standard nutritional practice in the swine and poultry industries to drive margin and animal growth, but we haven’t been able to solve the riddle with beef cattle until now,” says Dr. Monty Kerley, FBN’s senior ruminant nutritionist, in the release. “After decades, we finally believe we’re able to deliver this solution to beef producers and its unique potential to decrease feed costs while maintaining optimal growth.”

Specifically, growth performance, average daily gain and feed efficiency rise to the top as the driving forces behind amino acid balancing, Kerley adds.

The program is set to begin with FBN customers with cattle operations in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota—with plans to expand nationally and internationally in the future.

As the first step towards implementing the program, FBN offers a feed consultation and will take inventory of the producer’s available feed resources to formulate the best, most cost-efficient ration for the specific cattle in the current operation. Then, in balancing the amino acids, a unique ration and supplement will be formulated to complete the operation’s feeding plan.

Once the final nutrition recommendation is created and priced, the producer will then have the option to purchase the supplement and officially enter the program.

Kerley says obtaining the supplement should be no different for producers, as FBN and Boveta plan to work with local feed mills and cooperatives to fulfill the operation’s needs.

When encouraging producers to consider the program, Kerley explains, “Focus on cost of gain and not cost per ton. A lot of times, we change the proteins around. We may be looking at a $5, $10 or $15 per ton feed cost increase, but the reason we do that is because there’s going to be a cost of gain advantage to the producers. They’ll realize the net benefit.”

In addition to production performance and growth, the companies explain the environmental impacts of cattle production can also be improved through the program.

“Reducing intake by use of Boveta’s patent-pending diet formulation model improves income over feed costs by 8 to 12% while similarly reducing methane and wet waste. Combining that improved efficiency with reduced roughage intake provides a healthy, practical way to further improve profits and reduce methane emissions up to 30% or more,” says a Boveta research report.

The program is still in a very hands-on stage, and Gregory Mills, president and CEO of Boveta Nutrition, LLC, says the availability of a mobile app or computer software is not there yet.

More Boveta Nutrition, LLC research results from implementation of amino acid balancing and diet formulation in beef and dairy cattle can be found on the company’s website .

Read More:
Proprietary Feeding System Improves Feed Efficiency and Carcass Yield

From Adversity to Diversity: A Ranch's Tough Decisions Led To Opportunity

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 01:50:07 GMT

“We have a deep respect for what my grandfather did, and my great grandfather did, but it’s a different world. I’m sure they would be changing too if they were here. It’s respecting the past and the heritage, but using what we have now,” Sarah (Switzer) Sortum says.

What began in 1904 under the Kinkaid Act, the Switzer Ranch took roots in Loup County, Neb., surrounded by Sandhills, overlooking the Calamus River.

Bruce and Sue Ann Switzer returned to the ranch after being married and ran a typical cow-calf operation until 2001. At this time, they decided to sell the herd, due to a variety of reasons, including a tornado that took out many of their young cows.

Though a tough decision at the time, it encouraged them to diversify. With trial and error, three distinct revenue streams arose.

Today, the ranch runs custom grazing and backgrounding operations and a short-term cow program. The family also provides nature-based tourism on the ranch. Since 2001, Bruce’s son, Adam Switzer, and daughter, Sarah (Switzer) Sortum, and their families have returned to the ranch.

“We have coffee together every morning, my dad, brother and me. It’s a great place to talk about whatever decisions need to be made and keep communication going,” Sortum explains. Though they each have areas of expertise, everyone helps pitch in across the ranch’s operations.

Throughout the year, a variety of cattle call the Switzer Ranch home.

The custom grazing operation uses the family’s pastureland during the summer months, while custom backgrounding picks up in the fall through the spring.

Freshly weaned calves come to the ranch, are processed and fed speci¬fic rations based on the owner’s goals, Sortum explains in their backgrounding operation. The pens are spread out and well protected, which helps keep cattle separate and improves overall health.

Additionally, the pens never sit idle, Sortum says. A cane sorghum crop is planted each summer to be harvested as hay and provide stubble for calves in the fall.

Building upon the backgrounding operation, the short-term cow program uses similar feed and equipment resources.

“It’s kind of a fun program because there’s so many different ways you can do it. There’s so much flexibility in it,” Sortum explains. Older, bred, cull-type, spring or fall calving cows are bought when it makes sense in the market and are calved out. Responding to the cattle market and feed and labor resources, the ranch then sells the cow and calf whenever its best fit.

Sortum notes, “We don’t carry over those cows, so you take a lot of the risk and input out.”

Generating more revenue from the same acres, the Switzer Ranch started “Calamus Outfitters.” Capitalizing on their geographic area and family talents and interest, the venture began as a hunting operation with lodging, including two lodges that sleep 20 people each and four small cabins.

The ranch also offers “tanking” trips on the Calamus River, as well as interpretive Jeep tours where visitors take a ride to learn more about ranching, conservation and grazing animals on the landscape. Sortum explains visitors are delighted to see cows on the ranch and it’s a great conversation starter with visitors removed from the ranching way of life.

Considering the future of the operation, Sortum sees opportunity on the ranch, especially for the next generation, if they so choose. It might be tough, and it might take some creativity, Sortum says, Bruce Switzer, Adam Switzer & Sarah Sortum but a willingness to work will help make it happen.

“I know my brother and I are thankful for the courage that my parents had to make some really hard decisions in the past that kind of spurred us on to doing some things differently,” Sortum explains. “We’re really blessed to be able to raise our kids here. The goal is to all be here, have the kids here and to keep the ranch going.”

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.

Managing Early Weaned Calves

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

Early weaning is typically defined as weaning before calves are 150 days of age. In extreme cases beef calves may be weaned at 45 days of age , but more commonly early weaned calves are over 90 days of age. Early weaning may be advantageous in times of drought, when cows are in a confinement system, or as a body condition management tool for very young or old cows. Once weaning has occurred, the cow, now without the demands of lactation, can be maintained on poor quality forage and little to no supplement. Higher quality feed, which may be in limited supply, can be reserved for the rapidly growing calf.

Calf Nutrition

Milk is a great source of nutrition for the young calf. With the removal of milk in the diet through weaning, another source of high quality nutrition needs to be provided if the same level of daily gain is desired. Although young beef calves begin eating solid food by 30 days of age, the rumen is still small in the young calf. Therefore, a nutrient dense, highly digestible diet with a fast passage rate will allow the calf to consume, digest, and absorb the nutrients needed. Diets containing residues or low quality hay which are often poorly digested, slow the rate of passage through the digestive tract and therefore, limit intake, which in turn can limit gain. A mature cow has a large rumen and has the potential to consume enough low quality feed to meet her needs in most cases. A young calf needs to be able to eat small frequent meals, as the rumen is so much smaller.

Because milk bypasses the rumen and goes straight to the abomasum via closure of the esophageal groove, it is a very digestible source of protein and energy, available to the animal for bone and muscle growth, as opposed to being available as a nitrogen source for the microbial population in the rumen. Supplementing a protein source that is not easily digested by the microbes and is then available at the tissue level can help support gain without the calves depositing fat instead of lean growth. Distillers grains, a by-product of the ethanol industry is an example of a protein supplement that is a good source of rumen undegradable protein for the young growing calf.

An example diet for a 300-pound calf that would support 2.0 pounds/day gain would be 3 pounds of dried distillers and 7 pounds of a 50:50 blend of oat hay and alfalfa. Zinc and copper are very important minerals for boosting immunity so providing a good vitamin and trace mineral package free choice or in a total mixed ration is important to the young calf as well. Water is also important for the health and wellbeing of the calf and should be clean and accessible at all times.

Management

Providing at least 12 inches of bunk or feeding space per calf allows all the calves access to feed without overcrowding. The early weaned calf is likely smaller than traditionally weaned calves, so making sure the calf can reach the feed in the bunk is critical. This is also true of the water tank. Making sure the tank is banked well, and the tank fills to the edge quickly so calves always have reachable water is critically important. After weaning, the goal is to increase feed intake as quickly as possible. However, without adequate water access, this process is delayed, as is nutrient intake, which can lead to depressed immunity and growth.

Determining that the pen and bunk line will effectively contain bawling, pacing lightweight calves before weaning will alleviate some headaches later. A pen that traditionally holds 500-700 pound calves may not contain a 300-pound calf as well. Fenceline weaning, where cows are on one side, and calves on the other, may also be a bit more challenging with the smaller calf who may be able to crawl through the fence.

Space to spread out in a clean pen can also help prevent post-weaning illness. Producers should also visit with their local veterinarian about vaccination schedules and protocols that would be most effective for the early weaned calf as well as developing a protocol for treating illness if it occurs, well before weaning takes place.

Marketing

Even with a price slide for lighter weight calves, the early weaned calf will usually not bring as much as a calf at a traditional weaning weight. Fortunately, these young calves are very efficient and with proper nutrition can gain as well or better than calves left to nurse the cow. Evaluating the cost of feed and the predicted value of the calf are critical, especially if early weaning is due to drought, as harvested feed resources are typically expensive in those situations.

Once weaned, these calves may fit well in an annual forage grazing backgrounding program. Additionally, after a short growing period (approximately 90 days) these calves may be put on a finishing diet. They traditionally are very efficient during the finishing phase and have a high percentage of upper 2/3 choice carcasses. However, as stated earlier, feed and labor costs should be evaluated against the predicted value of the calves at each marketing point.

Early weaning is a strategy that can be advantageous in several scenarios. Feeding, management, and marketing needs to be evaluated prior to weaning so the best options as well as best management practices are selected.