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 […]
Category: Management Practices
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 […]
How to Make Early Weaning Work in your Operation
By Jack Oattes, M.S., BioZyme Inc. The concept of early weaning in beef cattle has long been considered a management strategy that can potentially benefit cattle producers and their cow herds, although there are several considerations to make when deciding whether or not to implement this strategy. The goal of this article is to discuss some of the relevant historical […]
Prepare for Fall Calving
Fall calving cows are known to calve earlier than expected. With this year’s soaring temps, those calves might even have arrived earlier than usual. Hopefully you were prepared for your fall-calving cows; if not, here are a few tips and reminders. The Benefits of Fall Calving There are definite benefits to fall calving. A key advantage is that cows will spend […]
Making Weaning More Profitable
In a time of unpredictability in the cattle market, one thing remains predictable. The fewer days you have a calf on feed, the lower your input costs will be. With a great percentage of cow-country covered by drought, higher feed costs and a volatile market, finding profit in the cattle business is on top of mind […]
How to Make Fly Control More Efficient, Convenient with More Coverage
Fly control is an investment in your herd. Horn flies cost beef producers more than $1 billion annually, and face flies can contribute up to $150 million in losses per year. House flies can be responsible for the transmission of BVD and scours and influence BRD, while stable flies are a huge bite hinderance to […]
