“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em; know when to fold ’em.” If the lyrics of this age-old Kenny Rogers song, “The Gambler” sound familiar to you, you might be in the cattle business. But, with proper planning, adequate resources and some helpful advice, you can reduce the gamble, and turn existing pasture land […]
Category: Management Practices
Seedstock Operation Relies on Minerals, Protein to get Cows Rebred
The mother cow is the foundation of a profitable cow-calf enterprise. Making sure she gets bred, delivers and weans a calf each year is critical for her to maintain her position in the herd. But she can’t do it alone. Progressive cattle producers like Kevin Jensen, Courtland, Kan., know the importance of taking care of […]
Developing a Year-Round Mineral Program
Many producers can take for granted the importance of a well thought out mineral program. The purpose of developing a yearly mineral supplementation program is to help balance the macro and micro mineral requirements of cattle to keep them healthy and maintain optimal performance. However, what is best for one producer’s operation isn’t necessarily what […]
How to Prepare a Health Management Plan for your Stockers
Just like any group of livestock you are handling, you need a solid health management plan for your stocker cattle. After being freshly weaned from their mamas or hauled in by a semi, these young, stressed cattle can be more susceptible to sickness than older calves. Knowing what kind of cattle you’ll be getting and […]
Nutrition is Vital to Successfully Breeding Back First-Calf Cows
Multi-tasking is never easy. Imagine the life of a 2-year-old heifer just turned mama cow. She’s still growing and maturing herself. Now, she’s given birth to a 70-pound calf that depends on her as its sole nutrition source, and in 45-60 days needs to be ready for rebreeding for her second pregnancy. To make sure […]
How to Overcome the Challenges of Feeding on Wet Ground
It seems like ol’ Mother Nature hasn’t held back this fall when it comes to rainfall. Some parts of the U.S. are 20-30 inches above their normal precipitation for the year, with still a good six weeks left on the calendar. Harvest has been a challenge in many parts of the country, as has been […]
What You Need to Know About a Mycotoxin Risk in Your Feed
Due to a wet fall and delayed harvest in the Midwest, conditions have been ideal for mold growth. Therefore, mycotoxins will likely be an issue in many feeds and ingredients this year. Mycotoxins are a toxic, secondary metabolite produced by fungi/molds that result in undesirable performance when animals (or even humans for that matter) are […]
How Nutrition Adds Value for Sellers and Buyers
As the leaves turn from green to crisp golds and yellows, it’s a reminder that fall weaning is right around corner. Many weaned calves will be making their way to feed lots across the Midwest. As the time comes to market calves, producers are always looking for ways to capture extra profit, and the buyers […]
How to Host a Successful Bull Sale
You’ve been selling a few bulls off your seedstock operation for several years now. You have increased your herd size and think next year might be the year to make the switch from selling your bulls privately to conducting your first bull sale. Are you prepared? Do you know the amount of time you will […]
Management is Key to Successful Sale Preparation
In the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills is a multi-breed, multi-generation cattle operation that will market nearly 1,000 head of cattle this calendar year. When asked how they manage their resources and market cattle that have found success in herds across the country, the answer was fairly simple. “We just stick to the basics,” said […]
