How much weight loss in trailer?

[Dave]

The NRCS ag waste field handbook has a listing for feeder catle at just under 60 pounds of waste (manure and urine) per day per 1,000 pounds. So normal loss is about 6% if it is not replaced with feed and water. Throw in stress of sorting, hauling, and standing around in unfmiliar pens at the sale yard and the shrink goes up.
The method I do help reduce this is as follows. I wean the calves about 3-4 weeks before I plan to sell. The calves are use to eating out of a bunk when shipped. It is a 4 hour trip to the sale I sell at. I ship early the day before the sale. They are penned over night in good size pens with feed and water. Feed and water at the sale cost me $2.50 and they feed real good hay. I have looked at the calves the next day before the sale. My calves are laying about chewing their cud, head in the bunk eating, and drinking water. The fresh weaned calves are standing arond bawling.
This year I weighed the second group of calves at weaning. I didn't weigh them again before I shipped. But they averaged 3 pounds more when they sold than they did fresh off the cow 3 weeks earlier. So in effect I eleminated the shrink loss by weaning. Figuring an 8% shrink (maybe more with that 4 hour truck ride) on 550 pound steer is 44 pound. The steers sold for $1.55, it saved me $68 a head. It sure didn't cost me $68 to wean them. And they wouldn't have sold for $1.55 if they were fresh off the cow.

 

[Bigfoot]

As much as we bang on salt blocks here I hate to say this----------a white salt block put in your weaning pen the day before will make them drink more/hold more water. Some will say its unethical. I think your doing the buyers a favor. I usually use loose white salt. Tom I live in Roaring Springs.

 

[dieselbeef]

mine have salt free choice

 

[salebarn junkie]

As much as we bang on salt blocks here I hate to say this----------a white salt block put in your weaning pen the day before will make them drink more/hold more water. Some will say its unethical. I think your doing the buyers a favor. I usually use loose white salt. Tom I live in Roaring Springs.

Ive got 10 open cows to sell, killers sell at the end, so no way to know how long they will be standing around. Ill definitely try the loose salt trick.

 

[Bigfoot]

mine have salt free choice

But do they have white salt? They don't eat mineral, or even trace salt like they do white salt. It's irresistible to them the first time it's offered.-----------Makes them thirsty----------Drink more water---------Hold more in tissues because of the sodium. Equals less shrink.

 

[Dave]

As much as we bang on salt blocks here I hate to say this----------a white salt block put in your weaning pen the day before will make them drink more/hold more water. Some will say its unethical. I think your doing the buyers a favor. I usually use loose white salt. Tom I live in Roaring Springs.

Ive got 10 open cows to sell, killers sell at the end, so no way to know how long they will be standing around. Ill definitely try the loose salt trick.

Nothing says you have to haul those kill cows in early. My local sale starts at 1:00. They sell feeders until abotu 3:00 or 4:00. Then they sell 100-200 kill cows. I have been loading out at 4:00 and had a dairy farmer pull in with a load of kill cows to check back in beside me. You just have to be there before they get done selling.

 

[dieselbeef]

yeah its white salt..in either blocks or loose. the minerals in blk or loose also and yer right..they tear up them white licks

 

[Bigfoot]

If you can just get them to drink an extra gallon of water before you load them, it would add pounds to your weight. On 25 head, it would add up. At $1.42 it would be worth $284.00. I have heard of people drenching them with a garden hose. That's unethical, this is not unethical. A calf getting bounced around, and shipped around needs all the water it can get. I would add the two yards I use weigh at arrival. It may not make a difference if they weigh at sale.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

mine have salt free choice

But do they have white salt? They don't eat mineral, or even trace salt like they do white salt. It's irresistible to them the first time it's offered.-----------Makes them thirsty----------Drink more water---------Hold more in tissues because of the sodium. Equals less shrink.

I like that idea. Thanks for the tip Bigfoot.