Breed Back Spring is in the air, and there is no better sight than baby calves running across the hillside with their shiny coats. What we don’t see is what is happening inside that mother cow, a magnificent reproductive machine. She’s doing her best to raise a growthy, vigorous calf. All while preparing her body […]
Tag: Breeding Mineral
Get Your Cows Ready for Breeding
Chris Cassady, Ph.D., Beef Technical Sales Manager Spring is a time of renewal. Trees are budding, grass is greening up, and tractors are hitting the fields planting that next crop. If you are in the cattle business, you’re likely planning a future calf crop, too. It’s almost breeding time for those spring calvers, so you’re […]
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 […]
Progressives Producer Relies on Amaferm for Breeding Success
Getting cows bred and keeping them bred can be challenging. Using advanced reproductive technologies adds another layer of challenges to your operation. And doing all of these things in the rolling hills of Southern Kentucky, where your main forage source is endophyte-infected fescue can be a real test. However, long-time cattle producer Eddie Burks, owner of Burks Cattle at Smiths […]
Progressive Cattlemen: Longevity is Benefit of Commitment
Longevity. It seems like a term that doesn’t get used much anymore. Many things in the marketplace are “single-use” items, and products just aren’t made like they used to be. However, for one couple in the cattle business in southeast Louisiana, longevity is a trait that they have become accustomed to. Arnold and Missy Hess, Morganza, […]
Turning Profit Starts with Live Calves
There are a lot of variables to turning a profit in the cattle business. But, one thing is certain; if you don’t have a healthy calf born during calving for each cow exposed at breeding time the odds are already stacked against you. North Dakota rancher Wade Wilson was facing these very challenges and more […]
Progressive Cattlemen Focus on Improved Efficiencies over Generations
To be successful in any business, takes dedication, skills and the desire to improve efficiencies with new technologies while embracing tradition that still is applicable. Alpers Farms at Hudson, Kan., is one such business that has stood the test of time and has adapted to new technologies to improve proficiencies and increase profitability with each generation that […]
Tips to Building a Successful Breeding Program
Cow-calf producers have a checklist of endless options in order to be successful. They can choose the breed or breeds they want to incorporate into their herds. They can choose a time of year to calve based on their marketing strategy and demand. They can choose from a multitude of health and nutrition protocols. And […]
Progressive Cattleman Breeds Cattle with Commercial Producers’ Bottom Line in Mind
Among the hills of Northern California exists a three-generation seedstock operation that is striving to produce the kind of cattle that will add profit to their commercial bull buyers’ herds. Dan and Chris Byrd started Byrd Cattle Co. at Red Bluff, Calif., more than 40 years ago. Ty and Brooke, their two children enjoyed showing […]
How to Get Cows Bred Back the First Time
Bringing a new life into the world is perhaps one of the most exciting moments ever. However, it can be one of the most stressful too, because no matter how many books you read or classes you take, there is nothing to prepare you. That statement is true for humans, but even truer for the […]