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Weaning on shipping day?
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<blockquote data-quote="WAguy" data-source="post: 431884" data-attributes="member: 4335"><p>I'm not a serious producer like you all, but I've associated with a feedlot operator friend. Has a nice dead pile going most of the time. Has caused me to read and reflect on some of this.</p><p></p><p>I don't think most people can relate to the stresses on a calf. We understand what is going on when we ship and process, but the calf sure as heck doesn't. As far as they're concerned every moment could be their last – scared to death for days.</p><p></p><p>Years ago I was reading the Merck Veterinary Manual and the author was listing the stresses – separate from mama, run through chutes, put on a strange truck, haul long distances, get shots/tags, troughs and feed they don't understand. All the time being mixed and mingled with the social stresses of working out pecking orders. The stress causes cortisol release which is an immune suppressant. Along with not eating, very hard to resist disease. Bad time to vaccinate when the immune system isn't working.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, I remember the author's statement that we shouldn't wonder why some get sick and die, but we should ask how it is possible that any of them live.</p><p></p><p>I guess the idea of preconditioning is to spread out the stresses so they don't overwhelm the immune system.</p><p></p><p>I'm actually surprised that animal rights groups haven't forced better treatment of calves. Maybe the beef industry should force everyone to do it so all are on a level playing field.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WAguy, post: 431884, member: 4335"] I’m not a serious producer like you all, but I’ve associated with a feedlot operator friend. Has a nice dead pile going most of the time. Has caused me to read and reflect on some of this. I don’t think most people can relate to the stresses on a calf. We understand what is going on when we ship and process, but the calf sure as heck doesn’t. As far as they’re concerned every moment could be their last – scared to death for days. Years ago I was reading the Merck Veterinary Manual and the author was listing the stresses – separate from mama, run through chutes, put on a strange truck, haul long distances, get shots/tags, troughs and feed they don’t understand. All the time being mixed and mingled with the social stresses of working out pecking orders. The stress causes cortisol release which is an immune suppressant. Along with not eating, very hard to resist disease. Bad time to vaccinate when the immune system isn’t working. Anyway, I remember the author’s statement that we shouldn’t wonder why some get sick and die, but we should ask how it is possible that any of them live. I guess the idea of preconditioning is to spread out the stresses so they don’t overwhelm the immune system. I’m actually surprised that animal rights groups haven’t forced better treatment of calves. Maybe the beef industry should force everyone to do it so all are on a level playing field. [/QUOTE]
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