cattle feeding Archives - Page 5 of 5

Maintaining good nutrition with products such as protein blocks helps cattle as they head into winter.

Keep cows fed heading into winter

Each thin cow will need an extra bale over winter just for maintenance, never mind rebuilding

By Heather Smith Thomas October 21, 2015

Cows need higher-quality feed, and more of it, as pregnancy progresses. Nutrient requirements in early gestation are not much different from maintenance requirements, but as the fetus grows larger the cow’s nutrient needs increase. After calving, when a cow is lactating, she needs a much higher level of protein and energy than when she is […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Money to be made in creep feeding calves

At least pencil it out for your farm — you could be leaving $85 per head on the table

By Peter Vitti September 15, 2015

As a beef nutritionist, I have advocated creep feeding spring calves for years. That’s because as feeder cattle prices have steadily risen, there was a real profit due to creep feeding as well as some decent side-benefits. I haven’t changed my position for 2015 and advise each cow-calf operator to calculate their own situation and […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cow-Calf

Drought management strategies for cow-calf operators

By Beef Cattle Research Council July 20, 2015

Whether in the form of pasture, stored forage, or supplements, feed is the largest variable input cost in cow-calf operations. A big challenge is to feed the cow in a way that meets her current and future nutritional requirements for maintenance, lactation, maintaining a successful pregnancy, giving birth and getting rebred within 80-85 days of […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, The Dairy Corner

Mud is a hotbed of disease and poor eating habits for dairy cattle

As little as four inches of mud can slow performance and it can  be an excellent environment for disease affecting cattle health 

By Peter Vitti May 20, 2015

Once I was checking the spring ration for a dairy producer who raised a group of replacement dairy heifers in a drylot. The mud was about a half metre deep and with each step toward the feeder, it was slow going. About half-way along, my boot got stuck and by struggling, I buried it. Abandoning […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner

Late spring calving can pack a profit

There are management issues, but also several pluses by waiting ’til mid-May calving

By Peter Vitti April 27, 2015

I remember not too long ago, cow-calf operators in Western Canada calved most cows by mid-March. This century-old tradition allowed cows to nurse their calves and put heavy weaning-weight over the course of the summer and then calves were sold to feedlots by the end of October. This doesn’t seem to be the sole case […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Time for a midwinter feed inventory

Better Bunks and Pastures: Follow these tips for a better chance at strong, healthy calves

By Peter Vitti January 19, 2015

Don’t let any recent balmy temperatures fool you. By the third week of the New Year, we should all have forgotten about climate change. Late-gestating beef cattle, a few months away from calving, are going to need more dietary energy to maintain good body condition until calving and also to keep warm. Although, most people […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle fall sharply as Trump says he’s working to lower beef costs

Alberta Crop Report: Harvest reaches completion

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans rise on yield uncertainty, firming cash markets

Tag Archives cattle feeding

Keep cows fed heading into winter

Money to be made in creep feeding calves

Drought management strategies for cow-calf operators

Mud is a hotbed of disease and poor eating habits for dairy cattle

Late spring calving can pack a profit

Time for a midwinter feed inventory

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