It’s been talked about for 60 years. It’s better for animals, preferred by most cattle feeders and could provide a 169% return on investment.
“2014 was the biggest ‘no brainer’ year in history to precondition your calves,” says Purdue University veterinarian W. Mark Hilton. “2015 could be even better.”
Crunching the numbers, Hilton first turns to an 11-year analysis of Indiana beef herds that showed weight alone added $50.84 average profit on preconditioned calves.
In 2014, Superior Livestock Auction reported a $12.06 per cwt “health price advantage” for weaned and vaccinated calves.
“Even if that calf only gained 1 pound a day, you earned $62.20 per head with that health price advantage,” Hilton says. “In life, I worry about stuff I can control...the health advantage, I don’t have any control over. It’s nice and I’ll take it when I can get it.”
To read more about how preconditioning can add to your profits, click here.
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