Fall calving is around the corner. You’ve got your calving kit ready. The cows are in good condition and look ready. You are anxiously waiting to see how your mating decisions from last winter will turn out. Once those calves hit the ground and start nursing, they will be all set. But, wait. Have you […]
Category: Management Practices
How to Shorten Calving Intervals
Optimum productivity should be the goal of each cow-calf producer and that productivity begins with cows producing at least one calf every 365 days. With proper management, including a good health and nutrition program, that goal is easily attainable. Shortened calving intervals – or the time between birth of one calf and the subsequent birth […]
How Loose Mineral Can Save Producers Money
Cattle producers have several options when it comes to mineral supplementation. Various brands exist. There are blocks, tubs and loose mineral. But what is the best option for a producer who wants to make sure he or she is getting the most benefit for the money invested? BioZyme® Inc., makers of VitaFerm® makes both tubs […]
What You Should Know: Three Things Buyers Consider
Information is power. In today’s world, more information is available than ever before on about any topic you have an interest in. For cattle buyers looking to fill their feedlots and backgrounding yards, three pieces of information are essential when it comes time to buy calves: vaccination history, genetic makeup and the nutrition program history. […]
Tips for Forage Testing to Ensure Proper Supplementation
Some livestock producers will tell you they are forage producers and they simply raise cattle to have animals to consume the forage they produce. But it doesn’t matter if you raise hay for your cattle or cattle to eat hay, the most important thing to know is the nutrient content of the harvested forage you […]
Natural Insect Control
The smallest of creatures tend to be the biggest pests around livestock. The warmer days and hot weather brings out the worst of the flies and other insects each year, and livestock producers continually look for alternative forms of insect control. Cattle producers should know that in addition to the traditional chemical methods to keep […]
Tips to Make High Quality Hay
Some livestock producers will attest that they are not raising livestock, but rather a high-quality forage; the livestock is simply a by-product of the land. However, some land and environmental factors prohibit grazing fresh forages. And, when forages are at a surplus in the summer time, it makes sense to harvest those forages in the […]
Solutions for Making the Most of the Grazing Season
There is nothing more satisfying as a beef producer than turning cows and calves out on lush summer pastures. After a long winter, spring and early summer can offer some relief in more ways than one. During this time, cows are in peak milk production, calves are rapidly growing and forages are at their best. […]
What is the Cost of Keeping an Open Cow?
Financial survival as a cow-calf producer is like a game of Risk. Producers have a lot of factors to consider each year, and without a doubt, one of those decisions will be what the cost is to keep an open cow in the herd. First, the particular segment a producer is in needs to be […]
Animal Health is Imperative to Ranch Steeped in Tradition
It’s 2018. Most people work 8-5 jobs or “telecommute” where they never leave home and work right from their computer. Meals are “home-cooked” in 30 minutes from fresh ingredients delivered to doorsteps in boxes when take-out doesn’t sound appealing. And everyone is connected to someone with technology – in the next room or across the […]
