There’s no bigger reward in this industry than capitalizing on the decisions of last year, but like the tax collector, don’t pay attention to your herd in arrears. The windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason. Now is the time to begin thinking of next year’s calf crop.

A new era of calf prices begs the question: What’s one more worth? An extra weaned calf can be a result of improved reproductive success in conjunction with reducing morbidity and death loss.

The journey from pasture to plate is fraught with challenges, particularly during the initial receiving period when cattle are most vulnerable. The receiving phase, typically encompassing the first 45 days after cattle arrive at a feedlot, is critical for ensuring their health, well-being and subsequent productivity.

Most trace mineral programs can be dramatically fine-tuned by carefully evaluating the trace mineral source and level being fed. These two factors in trace mineral supplementation can make an enormous difference in cattle performance and profitability.

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson famously said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” While he was referring to strategy in the boxing ring, the same holds true for starting lightweight (sometimes called peewee) calves.

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. 

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.

For the first time, we welcome Progressive Forage’s Joy Hendrix to the podcast studio as she visits with Katie Raver from Rock River Laboratory for a regional analysis of forage quality and what to keep in mind for the 2024 growing season. Then Tyrell and Elanco’s Frank White discuss the results of a recent study analyzing the benefits of monensin products in a cow-calf setting. Finally, don’t miss out on an absolutely riveting conversation on the perils of importing exotic wildlife testicles from overseas.