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My experience with preconditioning
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<blockquote data-quote="1982vett" data-source="post: 708780" data-attributes="member: 7795"><p>SRBeef, Some other points to consider. 45-60 days of less than average weight gain (if any at all) You already mentioned little risk of sickness or death in the time period, but it still remains. Making up that loss depends on the size of your operation which I believe also contributes to profitable preconditioning. The statement that not much extra labor nor feed is involved from what you are going to do anyway... 45 days x just 25 cents a day extra in feed is $11.35 that needs to be recouped (don't think you can get just grass for that and still no labor involved). Just trying to keep this example around your estimated $30 preconditioning expense. We will even leave out the reduced carrying capacity of your operation in order to make room for the animals to precondition.</p><p></p><p>Result I see is you need almost a 2 pound a day weight gain @ your 5 cent premium to essentially break even. The way I see it, Risk - Reward is still wean them on the trailer on the way to the sale. I wouldn't object to preconditioning if the reward was obvious. Since the drought, lower calf prices, recent rains and such, I have put some thought into this. Testing the water with a group of heifers right now. But the reward for preconditioning needs to be considerably more than a few cents a pound. I have watched some of the preconditioned sales and it is not immediately apparent that a premium is being paid and it will take a lot of time and a lot of calves to make up for just one that dies, gets injured or sick when it is still in<em> your </em>pen.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>If you can get the weight gain to make preconditioning pay for itself and a nice profit, that is the way to go. For the most part, I don't think it is economical for everyone to try to do it. I, for one, can't make the numbers work to my advantage.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="1982vett, post: 708780, member: 7795"] SRBeef, Some other points to consider. 45-60 days of less than average weight gain (if any at all) You already mentioned little risk of sickness or death in the time period, but it still remains. Making up that loss depends on the size of your operation which I believe also contributes to profitable preconditioning. The statement that not much extra labor nor feed is involved from what you are going to do anyway... 45 days x just 25 cents a day extra in feed is $11.35 that needs to be recouped (don't think you can get just grass for that and still no labor involved). Just trying to keep this example around your estimated $30 preconditioning expense. We will even leave out the reduced carrying capacity of your operation in order to make room for the animals to precondition. Result I see is you need almost a 2 pound a day weight gain @ your 5 cent premium to essentially break even. The way I see it, Risk - Reward is still wean them on the trailer on the way to the sale. I wouldn't object to preconditioning if the reward was obvious. Since the drought, lower calf prices, recent rains and such, I have put some thought into this. Testing the water with a group of heifers right now. But the reward for preconditioning needs to be considerably more than a few cents a pound. I have watched some of the preconditioned sales and it is not immediately apparent that a premium is being paid and it will take a lot of time and a lot of calves to make up for just one that dies, gets injured or sick when it is still in[i] your [/i]pen. If you can get the weight gain to make preconditioning pay for itself and a nice profit, that is the way to go. For the most part, I don't think it is economical for everyone to try to do it. I, for one, can't make the numbers work to my advantage. [/QUOTE]
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