Early winter is the best time for many beef producers to switch their cow herds to a specialized “winter” vitamin-mineral premix. Gestating cows need more dietary vitamin A as they move throughout the winter and onto the last few months before calving. In this way, nobody gets caught short on providing such an essential nutrient […] Read more
Serious consequences for cows with a vitamin A deficiency
Treat with an injection, or top up the vitamin/mineral mix
Cornstalk bales can have a fit in beef diets
It’s not amazing feed, but with proper testing it can work in winter rations
A few years ago I was visiting a small cow-calf operation and as I approached the house I noticed that there were rows of snow-covered round bales that literarily looked like baled alligators. The producer told me he baled left-over cornstalks within days of harvesting grain corn, and said that it took a couple of […] Read more
Prevent abomasal bloat in young dairy calves
Several factors related to feeding may cause the disorder
Once the dairy calf hits the straw of the maternal pen, it is removed from its mother and shuttled away to an individual pen or hutch where abomasal bloat is often waiting. Although not fully understood by dairy veterinarians and specialists, the relatively high incidence of abomasal bloat in young dairy calves can be significantly […] Read more
Backgrounding calves is an option
Important to look at the economics to make sure
Recently, I asked a local beef producer of a 200-head cow herd what she planned to do with her spring calves after they were weaned. She said that in late October, her son brings all cows and calves home from pasture, weans them, retains two dozen replacement heifers and trucks the rest to a feedlot […] Read more
Do you know what’s swimming in your livestock water?
Good clean water is the most important nutrient
A university professor once told our beef science class that many things that aren’t fish are swimming in most beef cows’ drinking water. As an undergraduate, I envisioned snails and frogs being sucked up by thirsty cows, but soon realized that he was talking about the many undesirable things not visible to the naked eye. […] Read more
Signs of acidosis aren’t always clear
Dairy Corner: Correcting fibre in the diet can get milk production back on track
In my experience, only a handful of producers fail to notice the few cases of mild sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) which pop up on occasion. In most barn walks that I have conducted, producers accept SARA as routine, yet know it can adversely affect cows’ health, reproduction and milk/milkfat yield. In some of these cases, […] Read more
Don’t buy into myths about mineral/vitamin requirements
Fall and early winter are not the time to cut back on supplements
Autumn is a good time for producers to determine the best type of cattle mineral and how they will provide it to their early-gestation beef cows. In doing so, they should avoid five common myths when they consider outside advice. Producers can effectively meet important mineral and vitamin requirements of their cow herd now and […] Read more
Dog days of summer can still produce heat stress in dairy cattle
It’s important to keep the dairy herd cool and eating
On a recent early August morning, I let our dog Luna outside to do her business which amounts to chasing red squirrels and barking to wake up the neighbours. By 10:00 a.m., the temperature was already 30 C in Winnipeg. I noticed that Luna became lethargic, lying on the deck and panting profusely. Within a […] Read more
Bulls need to rebuild after breeding season
A proper feed and mineral program prepares them for next year
By midsummer, most producers pull their bulls from the spring cow herd, mainly to maintain a desirable 60-day breeding season and to avoid any temporary sterility caused by heat stress. As a beef nutritionist, I advocate that bulls be treated with lots of attention during the post-breeding season. They should be put on a good […] Read more
‘Push-ups’ in the dairy barn are good exercise
Make sure there is enough feed in the bunk at all times
As a dairy nutritionist, I believe that good dry matter intake of a well-balanced dairy diet means everything for good milk production. More nutritious feed consumed by healthy lactating cows means they produce more milk. It also has been proven that higher dry matter intake, as well as less feed refusal, can be simply achieved […] Read more
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