Entering 2025, the Texas dairy industry is healing from last year’s drought conditions and bird flu outbreak. However, Darren Turley, executive director at the Texas Association of Dairymen, says dairy producers are expecting better conditions and pricing moving forward.

A vaccine plan is part of a sound preventive herd health plan. The vaccines that should be included will vary some depending on type of operation (cow-calf, stocker, etc.), geographic location, risk level and herd health history. However, a clostridial vaccine is one vaccine that is probably critical for all cow-calf operations.

When working calves, following BQA best management practices is not only the right thing to do, it can also help the operation be more successful.

Understanding differences in milk production due to age or genetics, the milk production curve and how milk production affects requirements for energy is important for hay feeding and supplementation strategies.

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.