Preconditioning Cattle: A Fall Essential

Preconditioning is a vital practice in cattle management, particularly during the fall months. It involves preparing young cattle for transportation, wintering, and breeding by implementing specific health and management strategies. By preconditioning cattle, producers can significantly enhance their overall health, productivity, and market value.

Why Precondition Cattle in the Fall?

Disease Prevention: Fall and winter are peak seasons for certain diseases. Preconditioning helps prevent the spread of these ailments through vaccination and deworming.
Improved Health and Performance: Preconditioned cattle are generally healthier and more resilient, leading to better growth rates and overall performance. This translates to higher market weights and increased profitability.
Enhanced Market Value: Due to their improved health and condition, preconditioned cattle are more desirable to buyers. This can result in higher prices at market or auction.
Reduced Stress: Preconditioning can help mitigate stress during transportation and wintering, positively impacting cattle health and performance.

Best Practices for Fall Preconditioning

Health Assessment: Conduct a thorough health evaluation of your calf crop to identify any potential health issues. This may include checking for signs of disease, parasites, or nutritional deficiencies.
Vaccination: Vaccinate calves against common diseases such as:
- Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC): A respiratory disease caused by a combination of viruses and bacteria.
- Clostridium perfringens: A bacterial infection that can cause various diseases, including enterotoxemia.
- Blackleg: A bacterial disease that can cause sudden death in cattle.
- Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD): A viral disease that can cause reproductive problems and other health issues.
Deworming: Deworm calves to prevent parasite infestations, which can negatively impact their health and growth. Consult with your veterinarian to determine the most appropriate deworming program for your region.
Nutrition: Provide adequate nutrition to support healthy growth and development. Ensure calves have access to high-quality forage and supplemental feed, especially during the fall and winter months when grass quality may decline.
Stress Management: Minimize stress on calves during the preconditioning process. Avoid overcrowding, sudden changes in environment, and excessive handling.
Weight Gain: Aim for consistent weight gain during the preconditioning period. This will help calves develop a strong immune system and better withstand the challenges of winter.
Transportation Preparation: If calves will be transported to a different location for wintering or feeding, prepare them for the journey. This may include providing adequate water and feed before transportation, as well as ensuring proper ventilation and loading techniques.
Winter Preparation: If calves will be wintered on your farm, ensure that they have access to adequate shelter, bedding, and feed. Consider providing supplemental heat or wind protection during extreme weather conditions.

Suggested Supplies

Antibiotics

Dewormers

Supplements

Vaccines

New Tools Make it Easier

In an article by Dr. Tim Parks he explains there are new tools that can help make preconditioning programs easier.

Herd Health Manager is a new online tool that guides producers and their veterinarians to build a customized herd health plan, and then it encourages them to print out a herd health record to share at marketing.

It provides a convenient way to identify products and protocols to be used at key prevention points and to keep detailed health records. Veterinarians and producers can easily document vaccination, parasite and reproductive protocols, and then it creates a veterinary-certified health history for producers to use at sale time.

A password-protected account can be created in less than a minute at HerdHealthManager.com

Additional Considerations

Age: The age at which calves are preconditioned can vary depending on factors such as breed, climate, and management practices. However, it is generally recommended to start preconditioning calves between 4 and 6 months of age.
Pasture Management: Ensure that pastures are in good condition and provide adequate nutrition for calves. Consider rotating pastures to prevent overgrazing and reduce the risk of parasite infestations.
Record Keeping: Maintain accurate records of vaccinations, deworming, health assessments, and weight gain. This information can be valuable for future management decisions and to track the progress of your calf crop.

By following these best practices, producers can effectively precondition their cattle in the fall and ensure their long-term health, productivity, and market value.

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