Every environment has unique opportunities to succeed and overcome production issues. These include feed costs, environmental stressors, health challenges unique to geographical areas and local or regional economic climate. Operational resiliency relies on our ability to address challenges.

Like the fall leaves, your pastures are undergoing similar changes in plant maturity as the plant prepares itself for the harsh, cold winter months.

“Genetic improvement” is a term with far-reaching implications, uniquely and individually defined by those in the beef industry.

As we roll into the new year, one thing is on almost every rancher’s mind: calving season. For those who calve in January and February, the rapid changes in temperature may play a role in calf sickness and growth.

As the majority of the cow herds enter the late-gestation stage of production with rapidly increasing nutritional requirements, the lasting impacts of drought conditions become a priority and major influence on supplementation strategies.

Sire overconditioning is a prevalent issue in the beef industry. While “fat sells” when it comes to selling bulls, research has shown that excessive conditioning can negatively affect semen quality.

For cow-calf producers who limit the length of the breeding season, the period of rest after removal from females is key for management of herd bulls. During this time, it is not uncommon for bulls to be observed less frequently. Attention to them often falls, albeit unintended, to the bottom of the priority list.

A two-year study was initiated in southeastern Idaho to evaluate non-lactating cow performance with only the benefit of dormant forage and no protein supplementation.