Cow-Calf
New selection traits are being developed to reduce maintenance energy requirements, increase feed efficiency and decrease methane emissions.
To optimize performance and production, ranchers must understand the factors that impact post-partum interval length (PPI), the time from calving until the cow resumes a fertile estrous cycle.
Some individual cows or groups of cows experience significant decline in body weight and condition over the winter known as “winter cow syndrome.” The best strategy of prevention is twofold.
“Although pregnancy losses in beef cattle are a fact of life, late-term losses are likely the most discouraging,” says Gerald Stokka, NDSU Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist.
Road ditch hay can provide needed forage. With a few precautions and a forage analysis, it can help you meet your cow’s nutrient requirements this winter.
Help cattle weather the elements and combat cold stress when the temperature drops.
Corn silage is an excellent source of energy for cattle and replacing a portion of corn in cattle diets with silage should be a economical solution.
Beef cows fed at dusk or later results in more daytime births. Research indicates that to achieve that benefit, feeding at night should be started at least one month prior to calving season.
What has more value to the profit potential of a commercial cow-calf operation that sells calves at weaning, percent calf crop weaned or weaning weight?
Genomic tests are a tool that can be used to create strategic marketing plans by taking a small ear tissue sample to compare genome traits of a calf to others in their breed.
When cows get below their lower critical temperature and get into cold stress, they can adapt by increasing feed consumption to increase their basal metabolic rate and increase heat of fermentation.
A Texas A&M AgriLife project will feed omega-6 and omega 3 fatty acids to beef cattle to determine what role they may play in managing early embryonic loss.
Low stress weaning techniques can pay dividends to producers adding value through a preconditioning program.
Reducing dependence on feeds and susceptibility to poor weather or market conditions, there is growing interest in developing replacement heifers at a lower cost without compromising reproductive performance.
Now available in a research EPD format, functional longevity (FL) evaluates how long Angus cows stay in the herd and how many calves they produce.
Profitability of the cow-calf enterprise is controlled by a web of production and economic factors but is rarely associated with maximized weaning weight.
Evaluating money saved when purchasing feed on cost per unit of protein and energy basis.
Prices for day-old beef-X-dairy (BXD) calves are often surprisingly high. But what used to be a highly discounted after-thought (straight dairy calves) is rapidly transforming into a meaningful source of production.
For cow-calf producers, fall is often a time for preconditioning, weaning and marketing calves. While prices will likely be towards the top end this year, could you still be leaving money on the table?
In any nutritional program it is imperative to determine the objective of why we are feeding or supplementing. After defining our goal, we can minimize input costs and maximize our profit potential.
Three primary methods of pregnancy checking cows are available for beef producers. Those who choose not to evaluate pregnancy status are leaving money of the table.
There can be little doubt that the biggest issue in the cattle industry right now is the question of when herd rebuilding will begin. The challenge of herd rebuilding can be summed up with three questions.
Vaccinating pregnant heifers and cows can provide protection for calves at birth – when they are most vulnerable.
Bull purchases are among the riskiest decisions commercial cow-calf operators make, says University of Tennessee professor Dr. Troy Rowan.
Given the value of the current fed market, widening quality grade spreads and longer feeding periods across the industry, the importance of preventing BRD has never been more important.
Making culling decisions sooner rather than later and will help producers hold feed costs down.
Drought conditions in portions of North Dakota has forced ranchers to consider supplemental feed to offset nutrient deficiencies in pasture forages.
Sound management decisions to improve genetics, management practices and profit potential of cow-calf operations should be based on data. Weaning time is the best time of year to measure, and document herd performance.
Protecting the health of cattle herds is an important part of a successful plan to have a profitable and sustainable ranching operation.
Aside from traditional calf weaning methods, the concept of “fenceline weaning” is worth considering for cow-calf producers looking to decrease stress and maintain health in their calves.