Capturing the most value in a record beef market
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EmailWhile the beef industry is experiencing the highest cattle prices ever, healthy calves is the top priority for buyers.
Beef feeder cattle prices have been at record highs this summer and are expected to stay high into the fall sales. One of the key reasons for these high prices is the low supply of feeder calves. The low supply of calves has been the sale of beef cows over the past several years, mostly due to drought conditions in various locations across the United States. If cow-calf producers begin retaining heifers to expand their cow operations, available feeder calves will be further minimized and could result in even higher prices.
With cattle prices at these levels, buying cattle that come in and stay healthy is the top priority. Cattle buyers are willing to pay more for cattle that are fully preconditioned. Most preconditioning programs specify that cattle are vaccinated for specified pathogens and weaned. Vaccinations usually include a viral vaccine against Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR), Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD), Types I and II, Parainfluenza (PI3), and Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV), a seven-way Clostridial vaccine and Mannheimia haemolytica. Higher value programs require that calves receive booster vaccines and weaned at least 45 days or stockers that have been held for sale for at least 60 days. Many preconditioning programs also recommend or require a dewormer.
Producers should maintain a good level of nutrition adequate protein, energy, vitamins and minerals. Protein and energy are frequently provided with abundant pasture. However, fall weaned calves frequently are fed stored feeds after weaning. These feeds need to be fed as part of a balanced ration to provide proper ratios of protein and energy. Feeding stored feed to weaned calves is an excellent method of training calves to eat out of a bunk like they will likely be required to after the sale. Vitamins and minerals as set forth with Upper Midwest Beef Cow Mineral-Vitamin Nutrition should be provided to ensure the immune system can be full activated.
Finally, specialists and educators at Michigan State University Extension recommend that producers utilize some method of price risk protection. The Livestock Risk Protection Program is a RMA-USDA price insurance program to help protect producers from falling cattle prices.