My experience with preconditioning

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randiliana":ka6hsie0 said:
First off, you have to figure it takes 4-6 WEEKS for that calf to come back to about the same weight that it was WHEN it was weaned.
Of the last 22 calves we weaned 2 lost weight in the first 3 weeks. One was castrated at weaning and the otyher was an orphan that had been nursing every cow in the pature. The others ranged from 1.15 pounds per day gain to on pig that 3.34. Most were in the 2.5-2.8 range
 
dun":2nxb30vs said:
randiliana":2nxb30vs said:
First off, you have to figure it takes 4-6 WEEKS for that calf to come back to about the same weight that it was WHEN it was weaned.
Of the last 22 calves we weaned 2 lost weight in the first 3 weeks. One was castrated at weaning and the otyher was an orphan that had been nursing every cow in the pature. The others ranged from 1.15 pounds per day gain to on pig that 3.34. Most were in the 2.5-2.8 range

I'm impressed, that sure doesn't happen around here. We've kept calves (with the plan of them being replacements) and then had to sell them to make payments. In 6 weeks from when they were weaned, til when they were sold, there is little to no gain. And they were fed as good quality hay as we had and about 5# of grain. On that sort of a ration we expect 1.5 - 2 lbs/day over the winter. And, these calves would have been fenceline weaned also.

If you can get gains like that in the first month, it sure would make preconditioning work....
 
S&WSigma40VEShooter":20gyo8r8 said:
This topic has been beat to death and beat to death on another thread to.
Isnt this the kind of conversation we come here for? If we never talk about anything that has been discussed here before,...this board would be empty. :tiphat:
 
In nearly 20 years of pasture weaning with over 200 hd of calves each year on one farm, we averaged about 1.5 to 1.6 lb/day in what was usually a 21-day weaning period. In a bad year they might only do .9 to 1 lb/day. In very good years we have hit 2lb/day. That is with no supplemental feed, just stockpiled pasture in October to early November. The calves were then ready to move into whatever backgrounding program we wanted to do or go ahead and sell them.

Over that time period with about 3800 calves going through the program, we had two sick calves. On a smaller farm with just 50 to 60 calves, we never had a sick calf at weaning. On that farm we did fenceline weaning.

Since most sales now require 45 days, thay can be run longer than the 21 days on the same program.

To meet the bunk-broke criteria, we have fed pellets on the ground under electric fence wires. The calves line up at the fence just like it were a feed bunk and they learn to eat feed. That only needs to be done for 10 to 14 days to have them trained, not the entire 45 days.

Calves that were to be sold were given two rounds of shots.

Bottom line for me is if you do the right things, preconditioning pays. Marketing the calves rather than just selling them is another one of the doing the right things. I recognize with smaller operations in areas with limited sale opportunities this might be more challenging.
 
I am new and have never done this before, so this may be a dumb question - but it relates to the topic of preconditioning. If you wean in a pen, hay and supplemental cubes, vaccinate at the time of release from the pen - what is your advantage other than immediate cash, to selling a steer calf at 550-600lbs, as opposed to keeping it on until its say 900-1000lbs?

If you have excess grass, is there a disadvantage to this? Will a steer calf at 900-1200lbs bring less in the ring because its been on grass as opposed to a feedlot? I have argued this with local people in my area who say I am crazy to keep steer calves past weaning...but I don't have the extra cash to buy more at the moment, I have too much grass, and I figure I can keep the added profit from the weight gain over the winter.

The 2 scenarios I see are this, and please correct me if I am wrong.

1) Sell the calves at 500-600lbs - get somewhere between $500 and $600 - use that money to buy bred heifers - for me say 19 calves at $550 = $10,450. Bred heifers I am looking about $800-$1000 for good quality heifers from private sellers (Im not ready for the barns yet) That would put me at 20 heavy bred cows (existing), 10 bred heifers (new) 2 bulls. Summer time Herd total 32 give or take another 9 months or so till my next calf crop is ready to be sold.

2) Keep the calves - sell at 1000-1200 lbs for about $900-$1100. That s a sale price of $19,000. Added cost to me - 3 bales a week at $30/bale for 3 weeks. 2 bags of cubes per week at $5.50/50lbs = total added cost $270 hay and $33 cubes - shots/worm, etc $15 head - $285 = total cost $588. Im looking at 19,000-588 = $18412 or a difference of $7962.
Take the $18412 and buy cow/calf pairs - pairs are about $1000-$1200....so I get 18 pairs....new summer time herd total 20 heavy bred cows(existing), 18 pairs (36), 2 bulls for a herd total of 58- and no risk of birthing losses. That's 16 head more and only $588 added expense....

This scenario involves added risk of loss yes, and you need the extra grass, but if you have all of that, and its free because it is otherwise going to waste in the field....what is wrong with scenario 2?
 
grubbie":3rz0m6h2 said:
The place where we market our calves will always ask if they have been preconditioned. We have never preconditioned our calves, we usually wean them on the trailer. Preconditioned calves have always brought a little more in the ring, but not enough to make it worth my while. This year, the difference in PC calves versus non PC calves is even greater, so I looked into it again. I still can't make the numbers work out in my favor. The money I spend on feed and shots is more than what I will make back in the ring. (We grow our own hay, but I still figure that feed is a cost.) Plus, if I also figure my labor in there, which I also feel is a cost, I am taking it in the shorts by preconditioning my calves. The only ones who really profit in my eyes, are the feedlots, as they get a healthier calf with minimal weight loss because they have been weaned already. And, they get a PC calf using my labor for free. Preconditioning works for some folks I guess, and Im certainly not saying anyone is wrong for doing it. But here, it is spending money so someone else can have a higher profit.

How long are you holding them?
 
randiliana":2ous5lnh said:
First off, you have to figure it takes 4-6 WEEKS for that calf to come back to about the same weight that it was WHEN it was weaned. Been there, done that. Even fence line weaned calves lose a lot of weight at weaning time.

I disagree with this statement. It is a fact of life that some calves are going to lose a little weight during the process of weaning, and some years the entire bunch are going to be hard weaners and lose some weight - that is just the nature of the business. I can't ever remember a time that it took 4-6 weeks for them to regain the weight lost during the weaning period.
 
Well, in this country that is how it works, whether they actually LOSE weight or just sort of stand still it takes a month to 6 weeks before you actually see much weight gain. I've weighed them before weaning and sold them a month later, and they weigh the same then as they did before, so that tells me something.
 
randiliana":32ijrslv said:
Well, in this country that is how it works, whether they actually LOSE weight or just sort of stand still it takes a month to 6 weeks before you actually see much weight gain. I've weighed them before weaning and sold them a month later, and they weigh the same then as they did before, so that tells me something.

Agree with Randi. In our area, it takes atleast 4-6 weeks for the animal to get back up to the weight it was pre weaning. Then add another few weeks to allow for gain in hopes to recoup the costs of weaning. I do not know if it is cause of our climate and fall weather but that is the nature or our beast. A calf in this country can loose in around the 50lb mark give or take, depending on the added stresses like inclement weather. Then add in the time it takes them to get on to hay without momma, drinking from a fount rather than a dug out.
If we were to take before, during, and after photos of the 6 week process, I think those of you in different climates might better understand... There is a marked difference in calf. You would be able to see it in the hind quarters, shoulders, and in the coat. There is a noticable difference. If we keep a few back and if i have time maybe it is a project I will work on.
We always feed hay for a couple of weeks before weaning so the mommas can teach them it's ok to eat. Our hope is that it lessens the stress of going from pasture to hay.
For us, it is cheaper to wean on the truck than it is in the pens, especially if you do not have a full pot load.
 

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