Early summer generally provides the highest-quality forage of the production cycle. Producers frequently assume most nutrient requirements are met, yet many nutritional and metabolic details are overlooked.

It’s no secret: Feed has always accounted for, by far, the biggest production expense of beef cattle production.

Early gestation is a critical period in the cattle reproductive cycle, laying the foundation for the health, productivity and profitability of both the cow and the developing fetus. 

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.

Known as the “six essentials,” selection for these traits can improve profitability of any herd, of any breed, in any location: disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, hardiness and milk production.

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.