Interesting

I found this article about preconditioned calves interesting. They give a very good explanation about modern methods of preconditioning. I found it interesting because I don't do it.

I do it the old fashioned way, pull them off the cow and load them on the truck straight to the buyer. No preconditioning, no shots. I do it this way and can still get a premium price for my calves because they produce and don't get sick very often. The guy that has bought them the last two years admitted he has yet to doctor one of my calves in his feedlot. They get the routine vaccinations that all the cattle get in his yards but not one has had to be doctored.

That's why I get a good price for my calves, good genetics. I did enjoy the article though because it taught me a lot about proper preconditioning. In that teaching it also showed me why I don't want to do it. They quote a price of $12.50 per calf like that is a small price to pay. What they don't figure in that calculation is the time and labor necessary to do all of this work. The cost including that is quite substantial. I only have one neighbor that I am aware of that preconditions. It takes him about ten 12 hour days to do all the work necessary for the preconditioning. That is a very high cost, not minimal like the article indicates.

To silence criticism is to silence freedom. Sidney Hook