Herd Health Programs for Retained Ownership

Livestock Update, July 2000

John F. Currin, D.V.M.
Extension Veterinarian, Production Management Medicine
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
Virginia Tech

Retained ownership programs are an option many producers are considering to increase the value of their calves. Before considering these programs producers need to consider many factors. These factors include the genetics of their cattle, finding the right feedyard, and an understanding of the feedlot and packing industries. Proper health programs are important in the profitability of any retained ownership program. Studies have estimated that the difference in profitability between sick and healthy calves during the feedlot period is $80-$111. This difference in profitability is related to more than strictly medicine cost. Sick calves were 7 times more likely to die. There were also significant reductions in ADG, feed efficiency, and quality grade. Treatment rates for calves shipped to feedyards typically ranges from 5%-25%. In order to reduce losses associated with sickness it is important to properly prepare calves for shipment to the feedyard. Most of the illness that occurs in feedyards is due to Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex. In one study over 75% of feedlot sickness was due to respiratory disease.

Preconditioning programs have been around for 30 years. These programs have had widely variable success rates. There are a number of reasons for their inability to gain widespread acceptance. One important factor is the lack of a clear definition of preconditioning. There have also been problems concerning documentation of procedures. Programs like the Virginia Quality Assured (VQA) have addressed the issue of standardization and certification. The largest determent to acceptance has been the reluctance for the buyer to pay a premium for preconditioned calves. This reluctance has stemmed from the inability to guarantee the success of these programs. The multi-factorial nature of Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC) makes it difficult to prevent. In order to decrease the likelihood of sickness in shipped cattle many factors must be taken into consideration.

The factors associated with BRDC include weaning, nutrition, vaccination status, shrink, and the weather. Many of these factors can be controlled while others such as weather cannot. Since you as owner of the calves will see the direct financial benefit from preconditioning the calves a good preconditioning program is essential to the success of a retained ownership program.

Calves need to be vaccinated at appropriate times for immunization to take place. Ideally calves should be vaccinated pre-weaning to against the primary causes of BRDC. These include IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV, and Pasteurella. If calves are vaccinated at weaning then they should receive booster between weaning and shipping because the stress of weaning will cause some calves to not respond well to the vaccinations. There are several protocols that can be incorporated into different management schemes (see tables 1-3).

Vaccination programs are only a small part in preparing these calves for their trip to the feedlot. Weaning calves and backgrounding them before shipment is an important step to reduce sickness in the feedlot. Research in Virginia has shown that a variety of backgrounding systems can be used and are economically feasible. These systems range from dry-lot to pasture systems. By uncoupling the stress of weaning from the stress of shipping a significant reduction in BRDC can be expected.

Nutrition is also a key component of overall calf health. Calves fed commonly available sources of forage and grain will likely have deficiencies particularly in some microminerals that are essential to good health (selenium, copper, zinc). These calves need to be on a good quality complete mineral during backgrounding. Teaching calves to eat out of a bunk and if possible to drink from a water trough will ease the adaptation of those calves to the feedlot environment.

Shipping is an important and often overlooked aspect by people considering retained ownership programs. A trucker with a good reputation and who is bonded is important to overall calf health. These truckers can be identified by talking with neighbors, feedlot operators, or extension personnel.

Retained ownership is an option that is currently being used by some producer and considered by many others as a means to "capture" more profit from each cow-calf pair. By properly preparing calves for their trip to the feedyard some of variables and bad experiences associated with retained ownership can be eliminated.

Spring Born Calves
Pre-weaning Option
Table 1

Midsummer	Pre-weaning (2-3weeks)	Weaning
IBR-BVD-PI3-BRSV (Killed or Temperature Sensitive IBR and Killed BVD)	IBR-BVD-PI3-BRSV (Killed or Temperature Sensitive IBR and Killed BVD)
7-way clostridial	7-way clostridial
	Pasteurella Toxoid
Deworm		Deworm
Implant

Fall Born Calves
Pre-weaning Option
Table 2

January	Spring Turnout	Weaning
IBR-BVD-PI3-BRSV (Killed or Temperature Sensitive IBR and Killed BVD)	IBR-BVD-PI3-BRSV (Killed or Temperature Sensitive IBR and Killed BVD)
7-way clostridial	7-way clostridial
	Pasteurella Toxoid
	Deworm	Deworm
Implant

Spring and Fall Born Calves
Weaning Option
Table 3

Weaning	Post-weaning (2-3 weeks)
IBR-BVD-PI3-BRSV (Modified-live virus)	IBR-BVD-PI3-BRSV (Modified-live virus)
7-way clostridial	7-way clostridial
Pasteurella Toxoid
Deworm
Implant ??

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