Bovine Leukemia Virus is a hidden but damaging infection. In fact, it could be in your herd right now, and you would likely not even know it is there. It already has a significant impact on the cattle industry at large.
This virus has already caused significant losses in the cattle industry, though currently more in the dairy industry than in the beef one. Your more direct cost will be due to loss of production, veterinary expenses, as well as replacement costs from the death of affected animals. Some of your indirect costs will be from loss of revenue due to the restrictions placed on your operation. A large Northeast slaughter plant that processes 350,000 cattle each year will condemn about 2,000 carcasses due to this disease.
Once it appears in your place, the ability to get rid of this disease will differ from herd to herd. The primary determining factor will be the producer’s ability to prevent it from horizontally transmitting. Having a good herd health plan in place will go a long way in preventing this from being catastrophic.
Feed costs remain the single most significant expense for any cattle producer. Depending on different factors, this expense can easily be half of the total annual expenses for a rancher.
Mineral supplementation is an essential component of any successful cattle operation. Minerals are the building blocks for growth, reproduction, and basic maintenance. It is important that your cattle get all of the minerals that their bodies need.
Providing a feed supplement to cattle that are grazing in certain areas is expected, and for good reason. Cattle often cannot get enough from just rangelands to meet their nutritional requirements. Producers have many choices when it comes to feeding supplements. However, it is best to be careful when deciding what supplements to use.
Trying to control flies on your cattle can be a very frustrating endeavor, to say the least. It can often feel like an uphill climb with no rest in sight. No matter what you seem to do, they keep coming back year after year.
Breeding season is a crucial time on the ranch. We begin with the hope of making a new calf crop to keep the ranch going. In order to have a good calf crop, you will need to ensure that all, or at least 90%, of your cows will be bred.
Dehydration among calves is a severe problem that is often overlooked among producers. It can be caused for many reasons, typically from the summer heat and scours. The time from recognizing the symptoms to providing treatment is crucial.
Salt, along with other minerals, is necessary to sustain life in cattle. Much like with humans, they are essential building blocks for living beings to perform at their best. It is needed for the body to perform even the most basic of functions.
Spring is almost around the corner. The temperatures will soon rise, and the grass will begin to grow again. For most people, pasture management comes to mind when temperatures rise, but that is not necessarily the case. It is vital to get a start on it now.
Roughages are an essential but often overlooked part of a cow’s diet. Most of the time, people only focus on things like crude protein, energy, and possibly even mineral content. While those are vital for the overall production of cattle, roughages play just as important a role. Consuming a certain amount of roughage is essential to keep the rumen functioning, thus allowing the digestion of things like protein, energy, and minerals.
