Are You Ready for Fall Calf Sales?

The discovery of a single case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Alberta dramatically affected the Canadian cattle industry with the subsequent loss of export markets. Some of the impacts from this has not yet been felt by cow-calf producers. Those impacts will come during the run of fall feeder calf sales.

The BSE crisis will affect feeder calf sales this fall and it will be advantageous for producers to have detailed records when trying to market calves. Records that include processing, health and treatment information, feed and cattle inventory can vastly improve your marketing opportunities.
Processing records for both the animals sold and the cowherd at home, may include information on castration, dehorning, implants and vaccination as shown in example 1.

Example 1

Processing Records

Hemo - Hemophilus
Clost - Clostridial
Past - Pasturella
* L - Live    K - Killed

Castration Method Knife
Dehorning Method Buddex
Implant Used Ralgro

Parasite Control Product Dectomax
4-Way Product Triangle 4/HS

Note: Consult your veterinarian to determine what products and procedures are best suited for your operation.

Health and treatment, feed and herd inventory records provide historical data as well as verification to buyers of feeder calves in the fall.

Health and treatment records document all events requiring treatment (see example 2). These records will keep track of the date the animal received treatment as well as what and how they received it.

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Example 2

* IM - In the muscle    IV - In the vein      SQ - Under the Skin      M - In the udder
** LN - Left side of the neck     RN - Right side of the neck  Injections should only be given in the neck.

Note: Feed records may be as simple as keeping feed tags/labels from purchased feed or copies of invoices that list what products were purchased and where feed was fed (see example 3). Producers may be required to sign a document stating that they have abided by the Ruminant Feed Ban Regulations.

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Example 3

Incoming Feed Inventory

Permanent herd inventory records will include information about your animals, such as: when they came into the herd, where they came from, when they left the herd and where they went (see example 4). All animals permanently leaving the farm are required to have a Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) tag; producers should keep a record of this number and the animal it is assigned to.

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Example 4

Providing a summary such as example 5 to potential buyers and auction barns prior to the fall calf sales may give producers an advantage when marketing calves this fall.

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Example 5

Calf Sale Summary

This herd abides by the Ruminant Feed Ban Regulations and livestock have not been exposed to any prohibited feeds.

Note: Consult your veterinarian to determine what products and procedures are best suited for your operation.

Producers need to review their record keeping system and determine what records are required to verify their management procedures. Complete record keeping systems will give producers an added advantage when marketing calves this fall and in the future.

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