Brute 23 wrote:milkmaid wrote:
The question is not what feedlots should do differently to reduce morbidity and mortality - the die was cast before the cattle ever arrived at the yard. We work with what we're given, but we can't fix immunocompromised, mineral deficient, parasite ridden, unvaccinated, weaned-on-the-truck calves for the owner. The question is: what does the cow-calf producer need to do differently to move their calves from high risk to low risk?
I strongly disagree with this way of thinking.
As a producer I retain quite a few of my own heifers and put them back in to production. From time to time as the market permits we keep bull calves and turn them out on grass to be sold as heavier calves. Some are kept for butcher to divide amongst family, friends, owners, ect.
In all cases we cut out the calves, haul them to some good pipe pens worm them, and make sure they have tags. They typically stay in the pens with hay, #5 or less of grain each, salt and mineral for 20-30 days or until I feel they have calmed down. Then we turn them out in small pastures that adjoin the pens and let the get grass in addition to the other feed.
Now, in all this time I have NEVER doctored one calf doing it like that. Why is it my responsibility to add a bunch of expense to my pocket to make up for the way feed lots operate? That's their problem. I know I'm raising quality animals that are good enough to go back in to production and make beef (been eating it all my life), what they do after that is their problem... and at their own risk.
The majority of us probably do not see the benefits of spending that extra money. I've done it both ways and at the end of the day that buyer is going to pay the bottom dollar he can get if for and put the extra in their pocket. They are going to assume the worse, pay the least, and dock you for any thing they can. I don't blame them because I get why, but at the same time, as long as that continues I'm not going out of my way to prep cattle for them.