Preconditioning beef calves is an economic "no-brainer"

Abstract

The concept of preconditioning of beef calves has been around for a long time. However, the uptake of this management method has been slow. Reported benefits of preconditioning are improved health, improved feedlot performance, and improved economic returns to both cow-calf and feedlot operators. A critical review of the literature on the benefits of preconditioning reveals mixed results. The decision to precondition calves requires careful economic modeling and may not be economically feasible for all cow-calf operations.