Stocker operators and backgrounders want their calves to get the best nutritional start possible. They often receive loads of calves. Sometimes those calves are from multiple locations, often transported hundreds of miles. Maybe they come from a livestock auction market, fresh weaned from their mamas. Early stress, such as weaning or hauling, can take a […]
Category: Stocker/Backgrounding
Listen to What your Cattle Tell you they Need
Sixth & Final in a Series based on 1980s Ads Featuring BioZyme® Founder Wouldn’t it be nice if livestock could tell you what they need and when they need it? For instance, when the grass is greening up and cows are being turned out to pasture, if cow number 782 could say, “Mr. Producer, I am […]
Progress is Constantly Evolving in Cow-Calf Business
Fifth in a Series based on 1980s Ads Featuring BioZyme® Founder Have you ever wondered why the windshield is significantly larger than a rearview mirror? The road in front of you has greater importance than where you came from. That is progress. You need to know where you are going, but you also need to be […]
Eating Right is Important for Cattle, Too
Fourth in a Series based on 1980s Ads Featuring BioZyme® Founder Who doesn’t enjoy a properly prepared, balanced meal? For some, an ideal dinner might include a juicy, grilled steak packed with zinc, iron, protein, amino acids and multiple B vitamins, a green leafy salad filled with fiber, Vitamins A & C, a baked potato, that […]
Manure: How your Inputs could Save you on Your Outputs
Third in a Series based on 1980s Ads Featuring BioZyme® Founder Manure happens. It’s the final phase of the digestive process, and according to the third in a series of 1980 VitaFerm® advertisements, “It’s not much fun to step in. But it can tell you plenty.” As cattle producers and feeders, you probably think long and […]
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 […]
Don’t Take Chances with Your Nutrition Program
“Leave nothing to chance.” That is perhaps one of the most important lessons that Spencer Nero learned during his time at college. He didn’t learn it from some educated professor in a giant lecture hall. Instead, he learned it from the late Nathan Payne, owner and operator at Bud’s Barbershop along The Strip in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Nero […]
A Guide to Selling Stockers
For cow-calf producers who spring calve, now seems like a logical time to market weaned calves. You’ve invested time and resources into breeding the cows, raising the calves and getting them weaned. Those cows should be bred back, and the cycle continues. But, is this really the best time to sell? Like any good business […]
Tips for Marketing Feeder Calves
As Summer slowly gives way to Fall, the daylight hours get shorter each day. It also means time is nearing for those who graze and background calves to finalize their marketing strategy for the year. Several marketing options exist for those who have backgrounded their calves. They can sell them privately, take them to the […]
How to Keep Stockers Gaining Through Summer Heat
After a long cold winter and an overly wet spring, summer might seem like a welcome change. However, the season doesn’t come without its fair share of challenges, especially if you’re grazing stockers. As a stocker operator, you’re going to be confronted with the heat, the possibility of grazing on fescue, flies and the potential […]
