Preconditioning is a management practice that aims to successfully transition beef calves into the feedlot. Weaned calves are retained on farm for at least 30-45 days prior to sale or transport to a backgrounding or finishing operation. This practice separates stressors such as vaccination, weaning and unfamiliar feed from the stresses of transportation, sale and a new environment rather than compounding this stress over only a few days.
Preconditioning practices vary, but generally include one or more of:
- Castration and dehorning should be performed early in life
- Adaptation to stored feed, feed bunks and water bowls
Between 2021-2023, 39.8% of Canadian producers retained ownership of most of their calves. Of those producers, 59% retained calves for more than 120 days and less than 8% retained calves for 45 days or less.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Preconditioning
| Benefits | Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| Stressful practices such as vaccination, weaning and sale/transport are performed at different times | Feed availability |
| Calves enter the feedlot accustomed to eating from feed bunks and drinking from water bowls | Requires labour, facilities and equipment use during busy season (fall) |
| Preconditioned calves have lower treatment rates and fewer deaths associated with BRD | Calf prices and gain will impact profitability |
| Calves can be sold at heavier weights | Additional risk is associated with retaining calves until sale |
| Key Points |
|---|
| Preconditioning includes management practices such as vaccinations, weaning, adaptation to feed bunk feeding and a delay between weaning and transport to the feedlot. |
| Preconditioning separates the stresses of weaning, vaccination and transport. |
| Preconditioned calves are treated fewer times after transport to feedlots. |
| Calf prices are the largest variable affecting the profitability of preconditioning. |
Benefits of Preconditioning Beef Calves
Calves shipped to the auction mart or feedlot immediately after weaning are stressed by separation from their mothers, transportation, co-mingling with unfamiliar calves, disease challenges, variable fall weather and adjustment to unfamiliar feed, water and facilities. Each of these stresses can suppress the immune system and make freshly weaned calves more susceptible to bovine respiratory disease. Preconditioning spreads these stresses out and preconditioned calves show fewer indicators of stress and increased welfare outcomes1.
Preconditioned calves have lower treatment rates for bovine respiratory disease and fewer deaths2. Similarly, these calves have fewer treatments even when commingled with calves that are not preconditioned 3. Fewer sick calves and, therefore, fewer treatments support responsible antibiotic use in the beef industry.
Canadian producers retain calves to sell them at a different time and higher weight, secure higher prices, improve calf health outcomes, meet buyer requirements or to reach different markets. Producers may also retain calves for operational purposes such as increasing the herd size, more effectively utilizing existing pasture, capturing manure from calves or collecting information to closely monitor genetic changes made to the cow herd.
In contrast, Canadian producers choose not to precondition due to cashflow reasons, satisfaction with current practices, lack of feed and concerns about profitability.
Economics of Preconditioning
Cow-calf producers marketing preconditioned calves can benefit from marketing flexibility and heavier sale weights. Over time, preconditioned calves that consistently perform well in the feedlot may also attract price premiums, particularly with larger herds involved in direct marketing programs. These benefits must be weighed against the facilities, feed, management and health costs and expertise needed to manage weaned calves at the same time as other farm operations (e.g. grain harvest). Calf prices often decline throughout the fall preconditioning period, and heavier preconditioned calves could be more affected by price slides. The size of a calf crop may also impact the ability to market calves as preconditioned.
Feedlots buying preconditioned calves can benefit from lower treatment rates (37-53%) and death loss4.
The largest variable affecting profitability of preconditioning is calf prices3. Cost of weight gain for calves and projected feeder prices must be considered. Price Risk is related to changing price levels as weight increases and is often affected by feed grain prices. Lower feed grain prices increase profitability for feedlots buying lighter calves.
Younger, lighter calves also have increased feed efficiency and rate of gain compared to older, heavier calves, which means it can often be more cost effective to add pounds to newly weaned calves. If cost of gain is below the projected return of marketing animals at a heavier weight, preconditioning makes economic sense, assuming the operation has labour and facilities to do so and is willing to assume a bit of risk.
Video: Managing Beef Calves for Improved Productivity and Reduced Antimicrobial Use
Calculator: Preconditioning and Backgrounding
The preconditioning and backgrounding decision-making tool is designed to identify economic opportunities and risks from preconditioning and backgrounding calves by providing a summary of estimated net returns and projected breakeven prices in four different scenarios.
Producers input costs from their operations and current feed and calf prices to determine the profitability of preconditioning and backgrounding their calves. This calculator can be used in advance of weaning to aid in decision-making.
Considerations for Preconditioning Beef Calves
Management practices implemented during preconditioning should align with marketing and production goals for both the calves and the operation. Potential objectives include adding weight to calves, marketing calves at specific times or to specific markets, improved health outcomes, using home-grown feed and optimizing use of labour and equipment.
Managing health, nutrition, facilities and labour will impact performance risk. Calf performance includes weight gain, feed efficiency and death loss. Adopting management practices to minimize these risks can help improve profitability.
According to the 2023 Cow-Calf Survey, the top management practices of Canadian producers who retain ownership of their calves are:
- Introduction of feedstuffs;
- Incorporate low stress weaning practices;
- vaccinate calves;
- introduce calves to eating at feed bunks and drinking from water bowls; and
- ensure stressful procedures such as dehorning and castration are complete before weaning.
Ability and time to perform calf health procedures, low stress weaning and accustom calves to eating from feed bunks will vary from operation to operation. Vaccinations should be given at least two weeks prior to weaning. Consult with your veterinarian on herd vaccination protocols.
Adequate nutrition to newly weaned and growing calves is essential. Calves should be fed at a consistent time each day to develop a routine. Feed should be highly palatable and contain high concentrations of nutrients. Ensure energy, protein and mineral requirements of calves are met by testing your feed and work with a nutritionist or use a ration-balancing software to achieve targeted growth requirement. Calves may also benefit from feed additives such as mineral and vitamin supplementation, a coccidiostat or monensin.
Video: Basics of Backgrounding Beef Cattle
- References
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1. Melendez, D.M., Marti, S., Haley, D.B., Schwinghamer, T.D., Schwartzkopf-Genswein, K.S. (2021). Effects of conditioning, source, and rest on indicators of stress in beef cattle transported by road. PLoS ONE 16(1): e0244854. Available here.
2. Roeber, D.L., Speer, N.C., Gentry JG, Tatum JD, Smith, CD, Whittier JC, Jones GF, Belk KE, Smith GC. (2001). Feeder cattle health management: Effects on morbidity rates, feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and beef palatability. The Professional Animal Scientist, 17(1), 39-44. Available here.
3. Mijar, S., van der Meer, F., Pajor, E., Hodder, A., Louden, J.M., Thompson, S., and Orsel, K. (2023). Impacts of commingling preconditioned and auction-derived beef calves on bovine respiratory disease related morbidity, mortality, and weight gain. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 10:1137078. Available here.
4. Sydora M. (2023). Economics of Preconditioning Beef Cattle. Available here.
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Acknowledgements
Thanks to Karin Schmid, Beef Production Specialist at Alberta Beef Producers , and Michael Sydora, Research Analyst at Canfax, for contributing their time and expertise during the development of this page.
This content was last reviewed June 2025.