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.

This is quickly shaping up to be a year that all cattle producers, both big and small, won’t forget any time soon. As sale barns across the country begin to crush previous record highs in calf prices, the decision to keep or sell the 2023 calf crop will be weighing heavy on every producer’s mind.

Have you ever looked at a feed analysis and thought the information was confusing? A forage analysis is an important tool to improve profitability when developing nutritional programs for all classes of beef cattle. Understanding the feed test information is a solid step in harnessing the power of nutritional management.

Success in the beef industry is never a “one-size-fits-all” endeavor. Producers manage diverse genetics in different environments with the goal of their cattle returning profit.

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.

As the much-anticipated lull in calf numbers settles down upon us, flashbacks to middle school lessons on supply and demand jog our memory as cattle prices continue to soar to new highs each month.