Sound Animal Husbandry Helps Calves Gain More Weight, Stay Healthy
and Provide Greater Income Returns
Cattle producers looking for better ways to care for their herds have practical resources at the newly redesigned SUREHEALTHSM website or SUREHEALTH's Facebook page.
These resources provide valuable information on calf preconditioning protocols, one of which is the SUREHEALTH Calf Preconditioning Program, from Merial the only nationwide calf preconditioning program that requires veterinarian certification, giving producers comfort in its credibility.
The site will have up-to-date articles about the seven factors impacting profitability of cow-calf operations, which are:
1. treating internal and external parasites
2. vaccinating against respiratory viral infections
3.vaccinating against respiratory bacterial infections
4.vaccinating against clostridial infections and optional vaccination against Haemophilus somnus
5. castrating and dehorning, or tipping
6. weaning
7. adjusting to water tank
Preconditioning on the ranch can help calves' ability to cope with change and resist disease challenges, leading to fewer problems after they leave. And that can translate into healthier calves providing greater income returns.
When compared with calves with unknown health histories, research shows calves that came from a documented preconditioning program:
- gained 36 more pounds in their initial 85 days on feed. 1
- were four times less likely to get sick and had fewer costs associated with treatment. 1
- returned $33.71 more net income per calf. 1
To learn more, ask your veterinarian or health provider for a Merial SUREHEALTH Preconditioning Certification enrollment form, and visit www.surehealth.com or follow SUREHEALTH on Facebook at facebook.com/merialsurehealth.
About Merial
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health and well-being of a wide range of animals. Merial employs 6,100 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide with over 2 billion of sales in 2014.
Merial is a Sanofi company.
For more information, please see www.merial.com.
®Merial is a registered trademark and SMSUREHEALTH LOGO is a service mark of Merial. ©2015 Merial, Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. RUMILSH1501 (02/15)
1 Seeger JT, Groteleuschen DM, Stokka GL, et al. Comparison of the feedlot health, nutritional performance, carcass characteristics, and economic value of unweaned beef calves with an unknown health history and of weaned beef calves receiving various herd-of-original health protocols. Bov Pract. 2008;42(1):1-13.
3/12/2015