Calves are weaning heavier, often at weights where they go from the ranch to the feedyard without a growing phase in between. The conundrum? For as long as 90 days following placement, these cattle can show health issues later in the feeding period rather than when they first go on feed.
From a health standpoint, we continue to go backward,” says Miles Theurer, DVM. “The real question is, what’s the reason for that?”
Source: BEEF, January 30, 2019. Link.
It makes sense that a calf-fed doesn’t have the same immune system that an animal twice its age would have. That makes management on the ranch and in a preconditioning period ever more critical.
INSIGHTS: This is an excellent resource to include when discussing preconditioning programs with cow-calf producers. Consider sharing it on social media and in e-newsletters as well.