Do you see noticeable trim loss or more dark cutters from cattle that had a mild respiratory bout 30 days prior versus a clean, 1,200 lb steer with 0.4–0.5 in backfat? I’m scheduling kill dates and trying to balance feed days against condemn risk and yield — what health red flags make you turn one away at intake?
But > with 0.4–0.5 in backfat? I’m scheduling kill dates and trying to balance feed days Agree on the timing — if they had mild BRD about 30 days back, I hold until 14 days symptom-free and push to 0.5–0.6 so trim loss stings less, … I’ll turn one away at intake for temp >103, wet cough on walk, snotty nose, or hollow left flank; otherwise we haven’t seen more dark cutters if stress is kept low 48 hrs pre-haul. Are you catching any raspiness or nasal discharge on these before booking?
Same here as @swagner88 on timing — my rule is 14 days symptom-free and eating hot, then I trot them 30–40 ft; if I hear a cough or see push-breathing I bump the date, otherwise trim loss has been negligible and dark cutters track the last 24–48 hours of stress, so keep them quiet and topped off. You tracking DMI back to baseline?
, the ones that bite me aren’t the mild BRD 30 days back — if they’re eating and that 1,200 lb steer is wearing about 0.5 in cover, I don’t see more darks; it’s the chronics with adhesions that nick yield. At intake I throw a scope on and do a quick pen swirl; if I catch rattles or over 12 breaths in 15 seconds, I push the date — BQA’s fit-to-ship checklist is handy: https://www.bqa.org/resources/transportation. Did that one need a retreat or spike 105+ fever?
If that 1,200 lb steer is truly at 0.5 in cover and still posting steady gains, I don’t see extra trim or more darks from a respiratory blip a month ago. My intake screen is simple: rectal temp ≤102.5°F, resting breaths <40/min after a quiet 5‑minute stand, and no off‑feed or weight dip in the last 7 days; miss any of those and I slide the date. Biggest “condemn risk” I manage is pre-slaughter stress — short haul, 12–24 h rest with water, and low-noise handling has moved my darks more than another week on feed.