One of the most rewarding days of the year for cow-calf producers is sale day. However, watching a calf crop grow from calving to weaning brings many challenges. Braving the blowing snow to save a calf from the ice and cold to ensure survival to make it to the sale barn is a challenge. Waiting […]
Category: Management Practices
Keep the “Cow” Factory Running with Good Nutrition Powered by Amaferm®
“This is one of the most efficient factories on earth. And we can help you keep it that way.” That quote isn’t about an auto manufacturing plant. Or even a widget factory. It is about something we are all more familiar with – the cow. Even back in the middle part of the 20th century, […]
Amaferm® – A wise investment, not an extra cost
Chris Cassady, Ph.D., BioZyme® Inc., Beef Technical Sales Manager Profitability in beef production is dependent upon output revenue exceeding input costs. Elevated calf prices have pushed gross returns yet profit margins have shrunk due to the rising cost of production. A general rule of thumb is that at least 60% of your operational expenses are […]
Importance of a Year-Round Supplementation Program
Chris Cassady, PhD, Beef Technical Sales Manager, BioZyme® Inc., St. Joseph, MO Cow nutritional requirements fluctuate throughout the annual production cycle. For spring calving herds, most calves have been weaned and cows are in midgestation. Collectively, this current timepoint represents the lowest nutritional requirement for that cow. Available forage quality decreases at the same rate […]
How the Amaferm Advantage can help Stretch your Forage Resources
Between the widespread drought, increased need for hay resources and lack of pastures, cattle producers across the country are looking for ways to cut their input costs. During a time when they should be turning cows out to pasture, those pastures aren’t as nutrient dense as normal, and hay is at a premium, making the […]
Feeding for Success: VitaFerm® Provides Options to Help Cattle Producers Reach Goals
The start of a new year means setting new year’s resolutions. But if you are in the beef business, you are probably already used to setting goals throughout the year, based on the production cycle, not solely based on the flip of a calendar page. One thing that should be more consistent than most people’s new year’s resolutions is a […]
Bull Buying Season: Be Excited, but Realistic
By Chris Cassady, Ph.D., Technical Sales Field Manager BioZyme® Inc. Bull sales are in full swing for spring calving producers, and what an exciting time to find that next source of genetic progress for your herd! Finding the right herd sire is crucial because his genetic influence will represent half of the genetic background in next year’s calf crop. Purchasing a […]
Tips for Being Successful in the Cattle Business
For outsiders looking into the cattle business, they might think it’s like the Dutton Ranch on the popular series “Yellowstone.” However, in real-world operations not every set up has brand-new, never dented or scraped panels with abundant labor – six or seven hired men – wondering what to do next. The Dutton family could learn a thing or two from hard-working progressive […]
A Guide to Grazing Corn Stalks
If you’ve driven throughout the rural Midwest in the last week or two, you’ve likely noticed a significant difference in the landscape. Where tall corn fields once stood, you can now see for miles, as harvest is in full swing and only the stalks remain. “In the upper Midwest and in the Plains, there is an […]
How to Identify the Fall Mineral that is Right for You
Fall could undeniably be one of the most complex seasons of the year. There are crops to harvest, calves to wean, some operations are calving and yet others are preparing for their next spring calf crop. All those production cycles have various nutrient requirements on the herd, all while forages are in varying stages. Add in the mood swing Mother Nature throws out with temperature […]
