Is Preconditioning Doomed to Fail?

A Kentucky Order Buyer's Viewpoint

Abstract

I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you this afternoon. All of us have a common goal-healthy cattle. Cattle health is a number one prerogative at King Livestock Company. Our survival in the cattle order buying business is dependent on shipping healthy cattle and for them to remain healthy during their feeding period. Our customers are looking for fresh country cattle that can be shipped direct to the feedlots. It is almost impossible to purchase load lots of uniform calves in a state that has an average cow herd of 17 head. Therefore, preconditioned sales present to us the next best alternative-commingled calves that are uniform in· quality, size and medical history. While this isn't as ideal as "one owner" load cattle, it is similar. In the past, when we shipped "put together cattle" out of sales, I lived in fear of our customers having health problems with their cattle, and they almost always did. We finally learned a better way to serve them. To ship any distance, we either buy fresh country cattle, preconditioned cattle or one owner cattle or we don't buy any! We have tried to establish a good reputation in shipping healthy cattle during the past 18 years. Preconditioning has been a valuable tool in helping us keep our calves healthy. We believe the program benefits calves much more than yearling cattle, but has some positive effect on yearlings as well.