Preconditioning calves includes giving dewormers and vaccinations, castrating bulls and teaching them to eat at the bunk. Although this management style costs money upfront, producers can make their investment back and then some.

Sire overconditioning is a prevalent issue in the beef industry. While “fat sells” when it comes to selling bulls, research has shown that excessive conditioning can negatively affect semen quality.

One of the beef industry’s greatest strengths is its diversity. However, this segmentation often results in a calf being transported as many as four to six times prior to harvest, with each transit event inducing stress.

“Shrink, the unpaid loss of weight, is essentially an important cost of marketing,” says Chris Bastian, a professor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Wyoming.

A new tool for ranchers could be a game-changer when preconditioning calves.

All along the marketing chain of beef cattle, shrinkage of beef calves is a concern. Both sellers and buyers are constantly seeking information on shrink and weighing conditions of calves, feeder cattle and fats.