Preconditioning — weaning calves, vaccinating against respiratory and clostridial diseases, deworming, and bunk-breaking them for 30 to 60 days before sale — is one of the most effective ways cow-calf producers can add value before calves leave the farm. Buyers pay a premium because these calves arrive healthier and better adapted to feed. This typically reduces the number of sick calves by 50-60% and death loss by 30-35%, often due to the stress of weaning, transport, and comingling with other groups of calves with an unknown backgrounding history.
A 2024 Oklahoma State University Extension analysis, “Calf Preconditioning: A Comprehensive Overview,” compared preconditioned and non-preconditioned calf budgets and found preconditioned calves produced an average net return of $94.38 per calf. That return makes preconditioning a strong option for producers weighing extra weeks of ownership against the payoff at sale.
This content was provided by the Harmony Veterinary Clinic Team located in Harmony, MN. For more information, contact 507-886-6321.
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