Right about now many people will be weaning spring calves. Autumn also seems to be a good time for producers to walk through their herds and start thinking about which cows to keep and which ones to cull. The important decision to replace cows can mean more than just getting rid of open females. Rather, […] Read more
Cull Cows Can Be Profitable
Good Feed Value In Crop Residue
Winter seems so far away, but before you know it, most people will have weaned their calves and brought their cows home and provided forages and grain rations harvested during the summer. This cost of winter-feeding gestating beef cows represents between 65 to 70 per cent of the total cost of running a cow-calf operation. […] Read more
Calculating Creep Feeding Value
Creep feeding is a specialized feeding program for nursing beef calves that provides supplemental nutrition on pasture that restricts feed access of the cows. Most producers make their decision to creep feed based upon a number of economic and personal reasons. Producers who creep feed spring calves often realize: higher weaning weights in the fall, […] Read more
Heat Stress Melts $ Off Production
In the last 10 years, there has been a trend among producers to have cows calve later in the spring rather than the colder months of February or March. Good riddance to frozen ears and frostbitten calves, when cows calve on green pastures in April, May and even June. However, one of the biggest drawbacks […] Read more
Mud Can Compromise Cattle Health
Six months of snow and windchill can make the hardiest lover of winter dream of spring on the Prairies. As our days become longer and temperatures rise, snow drifts eventually disappear into puddles and mud in cattle pens and pastures. To say that mud is cattle-unfriendly is one of the biggest understatements of spring. It’s […] Read more
Reduce SCC To Boost Profits
When faced with a modest mastitis problem on the mi l k l ine , mo s t dairy specialists suggest that dairy producers look beyond the few visible or clinical cases of mastitis. They often stress to keep a watchful eye on the bulk tank and individual cow somatic cell counts (SCC). These records […] Read more
Mineral Bioavailability Is Key
Simply feeding diets containing a high level of essential trace minerals to dairy cattle does not necessarily guarantee their mineral requirements are met in today’s high-performance environment. Rather, trace minerals with greater bioavailability might be fed on the milkline, drylot or even replacement heifer pens, so the benefits of their greater nutrient value are received […] Read more
Good Mineral Status Key For Breeding
There is a lot of reproductive pressure upon a beef cow after calving. She has only about 80 to 85 days to overcome general and uterine postpartum infections, make repairs to her reproductive tract and finally return to a normal estrus cycle. Failure to rise above any one of these challenges may lead to a […] Read more
Canola Can Be A Feeding Option
With Prairie farmers looking at $10 to $12 per bushel canola this year, few would consider it an economic crop for feeding cattle. But, if someday, you do end up with a stand that doesn’t have value as an oilseed, it can always be used for grazing or silage. According to Agriculture Canada, producers could […] Read more
Reduce SARA In Your Dairy Herd
Subclinical ruminal acidosis (SARA) is caused by a buildup of undesirable acids in the dairy cows’ rumen that exceeds its natural buffering capacity. This condition often leads to an erratic or persistent acidic condition in the rumen, and if left uncorrected, eventually compromises otherwise good milk performance and general health of a milking herd. We […] Read more