Fall is a wonderful season for agriculture and a time to, hopefully, reap the bounty of the year’s production.

While understanding the impact of feedstuff dry matter is critical for making informed management decisions, we also must consider how differences in nutrient composition, in addition to dry matter, influence feedstuff cost scenarios.

“Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting.” While the applicability of this quote varies based on the context in which it is used, it highlights the fact that water is a precious and valuable resource.

Understanding the impact of mineral and vitamin intake in relation to requirements and associated responses in health and performance is a very challenging aspect of beef cattle nutrition.

As managers of cow-calf production systems, we have available to us many different tools that may be used to accomplish tasks within our operations. Every tool, no matter what type, is designed for a specific purpose.

How often has the calving book been lost or accidentally destroyed by the calf being warmed in the feeding pickup? Or when has information failed to be recorded toward the end of the calving season because our attention turns to other matters that time of year?

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.

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.

2022 was a challenging year regarding precipitation throughout much of the Central and Western portions of the U.S. Many major cow-calf production regions, particularly in the central and southern Plains, are continuing to experience drought.