We have a lot of research-based evidence that calves that remain healthy and treatment-free early in life turn into more productive and profitable dairy cows.
There is less research devoted to the connection between early life calf health and eventual feedlot performance and profitability. One of the most frequently cited studies of that nature is more than a dozen years old, but speaks directly to the question: “Do healthier calves become more profitable market animals?”
The Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity is a program that started in three counties in southwest Iowa in 1982 and remains operational today. The Futurity is intended to provide beef cow-calf producers with performance feedback to help them optimize their breeding, management, and marketing programs. Over the years, it has evaluated factors ranging from vaccine protocol comparisons to animal disposition.
By MAUREEN HANSON
November 20, 2023
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