MERIAL® SUREHEALTH™ Program and Preconditioning Certification for Beef Cattle:
A Veterinarian-Certified Program for Feedlot Productivity
It’s an unmistakable trend, confirmed in 1999 by the USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) - an increasing percentage of feedyard managers believe certain pre-arrival management practices reduce sickness and death losses significantly in cattle placed under 700 pounds.1
A new, exclusive series of MERIAL® SUREHEALTH™ Protocols provides a set of proven, easy-to-use protocols that cow/calf operators and their veterinarians can use to ensure the health of their animals at every stage. Feeder cattle that complete the MERIAL SUREHEALTH Program receive Preconditioning Certification, so you can look forward to increasingly healthy arrivals.
Feedyards Value Preconditioning
| Preconditioning Practices |
Percentage of Feedyards that believe preconditioning pays |
| 1994 |
1999 |
5-Year Increase |
| For weaned calves and open replacement heifers and cows: |
| Introduction to feedbunk |
43.4% |
64.8% |
21.4% |
| Respiratory vaccine at least 2 weeks before weaning |
49.6% |
65.8% |
16.2% |
| Respiratory vaccine given at weaning |
35.8% |
51.2% |
15.4% |
| Weaned at least 4 weeks prior to shipping |
46.3% |
67.2% |
20.9% |
| Castrated and dehorned prior to shipping |
52.2% |
65.2% |
13.0% |
| Treated for internal/external parasites prior to shipping |
23.5% |
36.6% |
13.1% |
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| Why MERIAL SUREHEALTH? The Statistics Tell the Story |
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| Results from eight years (1992 – 2000) of the Texas A&M Ranch to Rail program indicate that feedlots can lower arrival-processing costs when incoming calves have received immunizations and other preventive care.2 |
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- In this comprehensive study, healthy cattle had an average $87.60 more favorable return than cattle that got sick. Furthermore, preconditioned calves showed improved feed efficiency compared to nonpreconditioned calves – in other words, calves that have been preconditioned properly can increase feedlot profitability.
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| Influence of health on performance and profitability |
| |
Healthy |
Sick |
| No. of cattle |
12,306 |
4,047 |
| Medicine treatment cost/hd. |
0 |
27.03 |
| ADG (lb.) |
2.99 |
2.67 |
| Net return/head |
$67.32 |
-$20.28 |
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- The following study compared the ultimate difference in net value between 380 preconditioned heifer calves, taken from a single ranch, and 1,600 “weaned and shipped” heifer calves.3 Preconditioned calves received vaccinations and a dewormer at weaning, followed by modified-live vaccines 10 to 14 days later. All calves were shipped 45 days following weaning.
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| Preconditioning results in greater net value. |
| |
Non-preconditioned $/head |
preconditioned $/head |
| Preconditioning costs |
- |
$40.00 |
| Feedlot COG |
$386.85 |
$295.65 |
| Fed heifer value |
$795.33 |
$804.88 |
| Value minus total costs |
$408.48 |
$469.23 |
| Difference in net value |
- |
$60.72 |
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The following study compared the ultimate difference in net value between 380 preconditioned heifer calves, taken from a single ranch, and 1,600 “weaned and shipped” heifer calves.3
Preconditioned calves received vaccinations and a dewormer at weaning, followed by modified-live vaccines 10 to 14 days later. All calves were shipped 45 days following weaning. |
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- Additional Ranch to Rail program studies demonstrate that healthy cattle receive more carcass grades of USDA Choice or higher than cattle that have been sick.4 Healthy cattle also have a lower percentage of USDA Standard carcass grades than sick cattle, resulting in fewer discounts. Data on the carcass quality of more than 16,000 head of cattle were collected between 1992 and 2000 for this study.
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| Healthy cattle produce more higher-quality carcasses. |
| Quality Grade |
Healthy |
Sick |
| USDA Choice or higher, %** |
39.6% |
27.5% |
| USDA Standard, %* |
10.0% |
15.25% |
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*Healthy vs. Sick differs (p-.02). **Healthy vs Sick differs (P-.01).
Over 16,000 head of cattle in the Texas A&M Ranch to ROI program were used to collect the data for the study (1992-2000). |
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| It’s no wonder feedyard managers are becoming increasingly convinced that proper preconditioning reduces sickness and related costs. In the Gelbvieh Alliance, feedyards saw a profit advantage of more than $100 per head on their healthiest, best performing pens.5 |
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| MERIAL SUREHEALTH Program and Preconditioning Certification Delivers Results |
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| These protocols were developed by veterinarians and Merial to increase productivity and prepare calves properly for the feedlot. |
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1Cattleinfo Net Editorial Staff. Pre-Conditioning Benefits Recognized by a Growing Number of Feedyards. 2000.
2 McNeill JW, McCollum III FT. Texas A&M University Ranch to Rail Annual Summaries (1992-2000).
3 Cravey, MK. Preconditioning Effect on Feedlot Performance. Southwest Nutrition and Management Conference 1996; 33.
4 McNeill J and F. McCollum III. Texasa A&M University Ranch to Rail Annual Summaries. (1992-2000).
5 Schiefelbein D. Losing $100 to get $10, Gelbvieh World, November 1989; 50 |
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