Changing just one management decision can increase gain, and gain increases profitability. Just ask Ray Fussell. The Tennessee Ridge, Tenn., stockman has been buying stocker calves and backgrounding them for 20-plus years. And after he shipped his 2017 calves, his cattle buyer suggested he look into changing his mineral program. So he did just that. […]
Tag: Heat Stress
How Stocker Operators Can Alleviate Heat Stress
Summer heat takes its toll on your entire herd, with a decrease in performance, the potential for increased sickness and economic losses. But for stocker calves, in their prime growth period, the added stress from heat can magnify those challenges even more so. The degree of heat stress is typically measured by a temperature-humidity index […]
VitaFerm Gain Smart Stocker HEAT Helps Hinder Health Challenges on South Dakota Ranch
In the spring of 2017, Melynda Gress of Y-Cross Inc., was looking for a supplement alternative for her backgrounding operation. Located in the northwest corner of South Dakota where she and her family run 800 to 1,000 yearlings each spring and summer, she knew she needed a more natural mineral option for her calves. Two […]
VitaFerm HEAT Now Available in 3 Formulas
Heat stress impacts the performance of cattle with millions of dollars of annual economic losses. Animal responses to heat stress include reduced dry matter intake, decreased average daily gain, decreased milk yield, and decreased fertility and poor reproduction. Many producers also don’t realize that heat stress can begin a temperatures as low as 70 degrees. […]
