It is important to keep in mind the proper nutrition and care of herd sires after the breeding season. This is especially true for bulls under 2 years of age.

Winter backgrounding systems can vary greatly from backgrounding in a drylot to grazing cornstalks or native range.

While producers and industry professionals alike recognize why forage sampling is important and generally agree with the oft-cited mantra of, “You cannot manage what you do not measure,” taking sufficient and accurate samples often falls to the bottom of the priority list.

Following these four steps for safer winter cattle handling can help take the sting out of winter weather.

One of the most underutilized tools in the cow-calf sector is testing your harvested forages. Having these forage samples is a critical component of putting together a cost-effective winter feeding strategy. While taking forage samples is something everyone talks about doing, many times the practice seems to fall between the cracks. 

Sometimes what looks cheaper may not be when all costs are considered. 

The price of feedstuffs continues to be stubbornly high. Let’s review the fundamentals of supplementation and identify any unneeded supplementation, which will help cut costs during the upcoming winter feeding season.  

Backgrounding spring-born calves on winter range or cornstalk residue after weaning is a way to increase weight and add value to weaned calves. However, calves grazing low-quality dormant forages or residues need protein supplementation to support gain.