Agricultural News
Good Management Sets Tone For Cattle Health and Profitibility
Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:25:39 CDT
Health often makes the difference on profit or loss on a pen of calves. Darrell Busby of the Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity in Iowa says weaning programs can set the tone for health.
"What we've found is the calves that had not been weaned the full 30 days got just as sick as the unweaned calves. So, I think that's one of the management traits we've picked up. If you're not going to wean the calves 30 days, then don't wean them at all when you send them to the feedlot."
Vaccination products and protocols also play a role.
"With modified live vaccines we can reduce the health culls in the feedlot by half compared to killed vaccines."
Busby says that Futurity data also shows that some breeds are hardier than others.
"We've had less health problems with Angus and the more Angus they have in them, the less health problems we've had.
Even more important than the cattle and where they originated, Busby says, the most important element in health and profitability is the people who managed those cattle and administered the right health program and the right nutrition from the beginning. Those are the cattle that will do the best, Busby says.
"If those are the things that are important, then zip code doesn't mean that much."
He says that regardless of what part of the country a producer is in, he can still produce high quality cattle by applying sound management.
Click in the video box below to see the full video.
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