Being prepared and having a calving kit can make dealing with dystocia, a calf not wanting to nurse, a cow not producing colostrum or some other situation much easier.

Proper heifer development is important to get heifers bred but also to set them up to be productive cows that remain in the herd for many years to come.

Deciding which supplement to use will vary depending on forage quality, animal requirements, body condition score, the ability to feed daily or not, product availability and cost per unit of needed nutrient.

Hay quality cannot be judged based on looks or if it was fertilized or not. Often, some of the best-looking hay will test out to be some of the lowest quality.

Weaning is part of cow-calf production, and it can occur at different times for numerous reasons. There is varying terminology associated with weaning depending on age of the calf, the weaning location (ranch of origin or trailer) and dictionary versus industry definitions.

How much hay do you need for this winter? The answer to this question depends on several factors. How long do you expect to feed hay? How big are the cows? Are the cows lactating or not? How much hay will be lost because of storage and feeding losses?