By Paul Vining, Paul Beck, Kellie Curry Raper, David Lalman, Blake Wilson, Rosslyn Biggs and Darrell Peel. Learn about health and economic benefits of beef calf preconditioning practices. "Preconditioning" in the beef industry involves management practices designed to bolster calf immunity and nutritional health while minimizing stress-related challenges during marketing and transport. Preconditioning prepares calves to manage subsequent stages of the beef supply chain, resulting in higher calf value due to reduced illness rates. These practices not only lower medical and labor costs associated with treating sick calves but also enhance overall economic viability within the beef industry.

By Eric A. DeVuyst, Hannah Shear and Derrell Peel. Evaluate the financial stress associated with replacement heifer purchases financed with debt with a stress analysis spreadsheet.

In a recent study (DeVuyst et al. 2022), we investigated the economic differences in Angus-derived beef cows. Angus, Red Angus and Aberdeen Angus (also called “Low-line Angus)derive from the same original breed but now have significant differences in phenotype and genetics due to selection pressures.

Feed additives are added to beef cattle diets in small amounts with expected benefits based on biological impacts (such as improved performance, health or efficiency) not related to direct supply of nutrients.

The fact sheet provides details on the Cowculator Beef Cattle Diet Evaluation Program applications.

Producers will learn realistic expectations and strategies for finishing beef cattle by considering the animal’s health, nutrition and available technologies.

What is now known as Integrated Resource Management (IRM) began as Integrated Reproductive Management in the early- to mid-1980s. It was later broadened to reco...

Key components of and the performance statistics generated by cow-calf SPA Software and their application in making decisions within the IRM framework.