Connection Summer 2013 | Page 28

SUPPLY CATTLE TALK aggressively if the market window appears to be closer to weaning. Unlike the 45-day program, a longer preconditioning period is not all done in confinement and forage or hay is a necessity for the cattle. Cattle handling at weaning mirrors the 45day program. On day one of weaning, calves are removed from their mothers, vaccinated and placed in confinement on Purina’s Preconditioning & Receiving Chow with Aureomycin and hay. The hay is only available to the cattle for the first day post-weaning, after which it is removed or allowed to run out, and the sole nutrition for the cattle becomes Purina Preconditioning & Receiving Chow. On this program, cattle are kept confined on free-choice feed for a period of 14 to 21 days to allow for revaccination to occur and a smooth transition of the diet. During this time, Purina Preconditioning & Receiving Chow will provide ample nutrients to promote gain, rumen health and a good transition into the next phase of development on grass. After the 14 to 21 day period, calves are turned out onto pasture and supplemented with Accuration Cattle Limiters at the desired level to achieve the targeted gain. 28 Typically, cattle on pasture are supplemented at a rate of one percent of body weight on the Accuration Cattle Limiter products to achieve an optimal balance of performance and cost of gain. This program requires that ample forage be available to the cattle at all times, as the forage is the main source of the nutrition for the cattle. Accuration Cattle Limiters are highly concentrated supplements that contain very little roughage, thus the need for the pasture or hay in the diet. However, these products are developed with Purina’s Intake Modifying Technology, creating a snack-eating behavior that encourages grazing and better utilization of the forage available. From a performance standpoint, typical gains on a 90-day program with Accuration Cattle Limiters are programmed at a level between 1.75 and 2.50 lbs./head/day. This average daily gain can be increased or decreased during the period based on the amount of Accuration Cattle Limiters that the cattle are allowed to consume. Historically, the cost of gains on Accuration Cattle Limiters during preconditioning fall in the $1.00 to $1.15 range depending on the forage quality and performance expectations set in the program. Producers can add value in today’s calf markets by preconditioning calves post-weaning. This can net more dollars to the producer through added gain and premiums captured by reducing the buyer’s risk. Take full advantage of your genetics and the strong market conditions by contacting our beef cattle specialists to assist in custom designing a preconditioning program that will fit your operation’s needs. United Ag Beef Cattle Specialists Bunge Halla [phone] [email protected] Michelle Popek [phone] [email protected] Michael Grahmann [phone] [email protected]