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Value of Preconditioned Certified Health Programs to Feedlots

Tucker Schumacher, Ted Schroeder and, Glynn Tonsor (August, 2011)

Summary

Preconditioning calves has become common practice among cow-calf producers. Preconditioning is the production management process cow-calf producers employ before they sell their calves that prepares the calves for entering the feedlot. The expected additional value of preconditioned calves relative to added costs associated with the preconditioning protocol is an important consideration for cow-calf producers. To address this question, a survey was conducted of commercial feedlots to determine how much feedlot operators value calves raised with preconditioning programs and associated certifications of preconditioning.