Shrinkage is a very real concern when it comes time to sell your calves. This is because it is a reduction in the sales weight, which means a reduction in the price that you will get. Of course, some adjustments in price are common in order to compensate for varying shrinkage and gut fill.
The thing is that some shrinkage is to be expected but too high of levels can indicate a problem. Abnormal levels of shrink can often be used as a health indicator for calves. Places like receiving facilities at stocker operations, grow yards, and feedlots use this to determine which calves may need more care.
Experienced buyers and sellers in the cattle market are well aware of this trend. They use this knowledge to make adjustments so cattle are priced accordingly. In order to get fair prices for your cattle, it is a good idea to know the factors that go into shrinkage.
What is shrinkage?
What we know of as shrinkage can be divided into 2 categories: fill shrink and tissue shrink. They both occur during the transport and marketing of cattle. While they have some similarities they also have some differences. Knowing which type you are dealing with will determine how you deal with it.
The most common type that you will deal with is the fill shrink. This is caused by the loss of rumen fill, manure, and urine in your cattle. Being held off of feed and water overnight will cause this to occur. This type of shrinkage is recovered in a short period of time after feed and water intake return to normal.
Tissue shrink is a decrease in the weight of the carcass and other body tissues. This type is primarily the result of extra=cellular and intra-cellular fluid losses. It is generally associated with long periods without feed and water. Think very long hauls, like out of state. This type of shrinkage will take longer to recover than the normal fill shrink. Tissue shrinkage can take up to 30 days to recover.
These two types do not usually do not occur independently. Most of the time fill shrink will occur first but as time goes on time then tissue shrink can happen. During the latter part of transport tissue shrinkage is the relatively more important thing to focus on.
Surveys of cattle markets have shown price differences due to shrinkage. Cattle that are gaunt or shrunk prior to marketing have a $2-$4/hundredweight premium over cattle with average fill. Now, this may seem like a good thing but in reality, it is not. These premiums are unlikely to cover the lost revenue from the excessive weight loss.
What causes it?
The diet of your cattle will play an important role in the amount of shrinkage. Cattle on grass, wet beet pulp, or silage will typically shrink by 4%. Fat cattle on concentrates will shrink from 2.5% to 3% if no feed or water is available. If they are available as a free choice then morning weight will be about 2% less than evening weight.
How much stress your calves deal with during weaning also plays a part. Weaning is one of the most stressful periods in the life of your calf. This event typically happens at the same time as marketing which can add to the stress. This can add to the stress due to handling, shipping, fasting, and commingling. According to Oklahoma State calves that were weaned 22 days prior to sale greatly minimize shrinkage.
The length of the transport also is a factor in how much shrinkage will occur. The greatest weight loss occurs during the first few miles and hours of transport. The length of transit seems to have a greater influence on gross shrink. One can expect around 2% more shrink when cattle are transported versus to a drylot stand. Usually, shrink occurs rapidly during the early part of transport, levels off, and then gradually increases.
If they have eaten prior to being transported can also have an impact on the amount of shrink that occurs. Steers that were moved directly from the pasture had higher shrinkage than ones fed hay before transport. The reduced shrink is likely due to the slower passage rate of feed through the digestive tract and less water loss.
Why reducing shrinkage is important?
Aside from the potential health issues shrinkage can also affect your return. Cattle are sold on a per pound basis so the lower the weight the less that you will get. As I mentioned earlier though lighter calves may get a little more of a premium it is rarely enough to cover the total loss in weight.
The outward appearance of the calves in the market can affect the sale price. Cattle that are extremely thin and gaunt will not get as good of a price. The other side of that coin is that overly fat or “full” calves will not get as much because they will be expected to lose most of that weight from feed passing through the system. You will want to balance from being too thin to being too fat.
Often the buyer may offer a price with a declared shrink, percentage included. Instead of buying the cattle on a delivered basis, the buyer may offer a price with this included. What this means is that it is a predetermined percentage applied to all the animals regardless of the actual percentage shrink.
If you are not wanting to go that way you could always just haul them to the local sale barn. Here they should consider their asking price, the amount of actual shrink that occurs, and the resulting price they get. An example of this can be a cattle owner who may want $225/cwt but the cattle experience an 8% shrink while in transport and at the sale barn. To meet their demand the calves will actually need to sell for $243/cwt to compensate for shrinkage.
How to prevent it?
How you handle your calves before transporting them can play a big part in how much shrinkage you will get. Preconditioning your calves before marketing reduces shrinkage because you are reducing the amount of stress the calf will be under. Unweaned calves transported directly to the auction barn can have shrinkage of 7-10%. Calves that are preconditioned only experience shrinkage of 2-5%.
If you are interested in learning more about good weaning techniques then check out my previous post “5 tips for calf weaning success”.
Reducing the other types of stress that your calves go through will also help to reduce this. Avoiding overcrowding calves in a trailer is one way. Not moving them in either extreme heat or cold can also reduce the total amount of stress that is likely to occur. Basically handling your cattle with care and along BQA guidelines is always a good idea.
