10/17/2026
Gathering cows and calves on the Bar X Ranch in Colorado, getting the calves ready for weaning and the winter ahead. We were preconditioning the calves and preg-checking the cows. Cooler fall weather and some moisture have moved in too, and it’s much needed after the long, dry, hot summer.
If you are curious about why we precondition calves, I found a great resource for reference. Cattlytics describes preconditioning as a program that prepares nursing calves for weaning, shipping, and the feedlot, with “a single dose primes the immune system, but the booster is what builds the protective response” as a key point on vaccines.
It’s also tied to results: a 2024 analysis of more than 851,000 calves found VAC-45 calves added $8.46 per cwt at auction.
Source: Cattlytics, “Preconditioning of Calves Explained” by Brandon Rimmey.
https://www.cattlytics.com/blog/preconditioning-of-calves/