Improve Feedlot Success with Preconditioning and Backgrounding Cattle Programs

In today’s beef cattle industry, calves are often weaned and marketed without adequate pre- or post-weaning conditioning, leading to high stress during transport which can increase the  risk of health issues, poor growth and even mortality in the feedyard. As a producer, building a strong health foundation is the best investment you can make to ensure optimal performance of your calves. 

Implementing performance trace mineral nutrition throughout the cattle lifecycle is a proven way to build health. Working with ranchers, stockers and feedyard operators Zinpro® has helped cattle achieve:

In addition to meeting nutritional needs, having calves go through a preconditioning or a backgrounding program before they enter the feedlot can help mitigate many obstacles and position them for optimal productivity.

Backgrounding is an interim program for calves between weaning and the entering the feedlot.. These programs typically last 45 to 90 days, allowing the animals to grow at a moderate rate, usually about two pounds per day. The primary purposes of a backgrounding facility are to allow for additional frame and muscle growth while taking advantage of low-cost feedstuffs and to help calves build a healthy immune system so they can be more resilient before entering the feedlot.

Preconditioning cattle programs typically last at least 45 days, during which time calves are kept on the farm of origin to recover from weaning and adapt to feedbunks, water systems and new feedstuffs before entering the feedlot. During this time, calves also receive their booster vaccinations to help further build and fortify their immune system.

Provide Performance Trace Minerals

To establish a strong health foundation and equip calves to succeed in preconditioning and backgrounding programs, trace mineral status is paramount. Zinpro® Performance Minerals® are more bioavailable than inorganic minerals and are better absorbed by the calves during periods of stress. During stress events, calves often experience a depletion of nutrient stores causing dips in immunity. Restoring trace mineral status as quickly as possible is also an important step to acclimating calves. ®

When calves are at full trace mineral status, they are positioned to perform better in other ways, including:

Monitor Water Intake: Have a clean, palatable and readily accessible water source to help with rehydration, rumen function and feed intake.

Avoid Overcrowding: Ensure that cattle have enough space at the creep feeder or feed bunk and have their own space apart from unfamiliar animals. Provide dry bedding during wet conditions.

Vaccinate Before and After Weaning: The earlier calves can begin to build immunity against primary pathogens, the more resilient they will be when they encounter those pathogens. First doses of vaccines should be administered two weeks prior to weaning with boosters given after weaning upon arrival at the backgrounding facility. Consult your veterinarian to ensure vaccinations are given at the most optimal times.

Strengthening the calves’ immune system is key to jumpstarting their success as they head for the feedlot. A good preconditioning or cattle backgrounding program alongside a thorough vaccination schedule and performance trace mineral nutrition, can help calves overcome weaning stress and defeat immune challenges early.

Preconditioning Supports a Strong Health Foundation

A common, negative outcome we see from weaning stress is a decrease in feed intake, resulting in the calves taking in less nutrients, such as trace minerals, protein and energy. Elevated stress results in an increase in cortisol, a stress hormone which causes a reduction in feed intake, a suppression of immunity and an increase in tissue breakdown. This reduction in feed intake and immune function may lead to calves being more susceptible to infectious diseases like coccidiosis, respiratory diseases such as Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and mycoplasma, as well as viruses like infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV), parainfluenza virus 3 (PI3), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and bovine coronavirus.

Preconditioning can minimize the stressors calves typically experience during weaning, provide extra time to receive booster vaccinations and adjust to the change of weaning before entering a new environment at the feedlot.

Backgrounding High-risk Calves

Backgrounding gives the opportunity for better nutritional intake and time to overcome weaning and transportation stress. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and coccidiosis are two of the primary diseases which calves, particularly those with a higher-risk profile, are susceptible to upon being received into a new facility. Depending on the number of higher-risk calves arriving at a feedyard and the environmental conditions encountered, the incidence of these and other health issues greatly increase, exceeding the personnel and facilities required to adequately deal with these conditions. This also places lower-risk cattle in the position to become high-risk. For this reason, placing calves in a backgrounding program is a viable option to improve animal resiliency before entering the feedlot.

Backgrounding programs can have a significant beneficial impact on calves that are already high-risk as a backgrounder often provides a lower-stress environment with the opportunity for more personal attention to identify and treat potential health problems.

Calves endure a tremendous amount of stress at the time of weaning, and it can hinder their feedlot performance if this process is improperly managed. With a successful preconditioning or backgrounding program, you can ensure that calves enter the feedlot with a minimal amount of stress and a strong health foundation so they can sustain healthy growth and production through finishing.

To learn how to incorporate performance trace minerals into your preconditioning or backgrounding nutrition program, contact a Zinpro beef team member.

What is the difference between backgrounder and stocker cattle?

“Backgrounder” and “stocker” are often used interchangeably. Both types of programs aim to acclimate calves and put on weight before entering a feedyard. Backgrounder calves are most often in a dry lot setting with controlled feeding whereas stocker calves are grazed and sometimes fed on pasture.

Zinpro Performance Minerals support backgrounder and stocker programs so calves can perform better upon arriving at the feedlot.

How many days to background cattle? 

Backgrounding programs usually last 45 to 90 days.

What is the average daily gain for backgrounding cattle? 

The primary goal of a backgrounding program is allowing the animals to grow at a moderate rate, to increase the amount of frame and muscle but minimal amount of fat deposited, with a target rate of gain of 1.5 to 2.5 pounds per day. The average daily gain of each calf may vary depending on genetics, available feed, environment and animal health.

Providing Zinpro Performance Minerals to backgrounding calves is a proven way to support animal health and immunity so they can grow to their full genetic potential.

Administering Zinpro ProFusion restores trace mineral status within 48 hours and supports immunity as calves acclimate.

What is the purpose of preconditioning?  

Preconditioning programs allow calves to overcome the stress of weaning and establish a stronger health foundation before they are transitioned into the feedlot.

Providing Zinpro Availa 4 to preconditioning calves through a molasses or byproduct-based tub is a proven way to support their transition and support health. Providing Zinpro ProFusion replenishes essential trace minerals and nutrients depleted during weaning stress. Providing these together at weaning is proven to increase average daily gain and reduce pulls by 20%.

How long does preconditioning take?  

Preconditioning programs typically last from 28 to 40 days.

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