West Texas Livestock Growers

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Feed Tag vs What Your Cows Actually Use

April 2, 2026 /
Feed Tag vs What Your Cows Actually UseEvery producer has looked at a feed tag and thought, “That should cover what my cows need.” Crude protein looks good, energy numbers seem solid, and the mineral package checks the boxes. On paper, everything adds up.
But then reality hits. Cows don’t breed back like expected. Body condition slips. Calves don’t grow as they should. And suddenly you’re wondering what’s missing—even though the numbers looked right.
The core problem: cows rarely use all the nutrients they consume.
A lot can happen between the feed bunk and the bloodstream. Nutrients might be lost, tied up, or just pass through the animal without being fully used. In West Texas, where forage quality, water, and mineral issues are common, this gap can be even bigger.
Understanding the difference between feed tag values and actual nutrient utilization in cattle is one of the most overlooked ways to improve herd performance without necessarily increasing feed costs.
Let’s look at what’s really happening and how to make sure your cows get value from every pound you feed. To do this, we need to look at the main problem behind the numbers.

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Why Mineral Intake Drops in Spring Pasture

March 29, 2026 /
Why Mineral Intake Drops in Spring PastureEach spring in West Texas, ranchers breathe a sigh of relief as pastures turn green again. After months of feeding hay and waiting for the grass to grow, it’s a welcome sight to see cattle grazing on fresh forage. The cows are back on pasture, hay costs go down, and the grass takes over feeding duties.
At first glance, everything looks right. The cattle are grazing, the pasture looks healthy, and the herd seems well-fed. However, spring pasture can bring a management issue that many producers miss: changes in how much salt and minerals cattle eat.
When cows switch from dry winter feed to lush spring grass, many ranchers expect their mineral program to work just like it did all winter. But spring forage can really change how much salt and minerals cattle eat. Fresh grass is not the same as hay or dormant pasture, and those differences can affect how cattle manage their mineral intake.
Some herds eat less mineral than expected, while others start eating more salt. Sometimes, cattle avoid mineral feeders, especially if the feeders aren’t placed where cows usually spend their time.
These changes matter more than most producers realize. Proper cattle mineral nutrition is key to reproduction, immunity, calf growth, and herd performance. If mineral intake falls before breeding season, effects may not appear until later, with lower conception rates or weaker calves.
In short, knowing how spring pasture affects mineral intake helps ranchers spot small problems early and keep cattle healthy all season.

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The April Nutrition Gap: Why Cows Lose Condition

March 25, 2026 /
The April Nutrition Gap: Why Cows Lose ConditionEvery spring in West Texas, ranchers wait for pastures to green so they can stop feeding hay and let cattle graze.
You open the gate, turn cows out, and think, “They can finally graze again.”
At first, the pasture looks healthy, cattle eat eagerly, and hay costs drop. It feels like nature is doing the work again.
However, this is often when many cattle producers face an unexpected problem.
Early spring pasture can create what many nutritionists call a hidden nutritional gap in cattle. The grass may look lush and healthy, but it does not always give cows the balanced nutrition they need, especially if they are lactating, recovering from calving, or preparing for breeding season.
Cows often lose body condition in April and May, even when grazing deep green forage. The grass is present, but nutrients may not meet cows’ needs.
If this mismatch, known as the April nutrition gap, goes unnoticed, it can lower conception rates, weaken calves, and make it take longer for cows to breed again.
The good news is that understanding early forage makes this issue much easier to manage.
Let’s look at why early spring grass can be misleading and how you can keep your cows performing well in the spring.

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Fertilizer Timing Myths That Cost You Forage

March 21, 2026 /
Fertilizer Timing Myths That Cost You ForageIf you ask ten ranchers when they typically fertilize their pasture, you’ll probably hear the same answer more than once:
“Usually sometime in March.” Or maybe: “Right before spring green-up.”
This is a common rule of thumb in pasture management. It makes sense at first: apply fertilizer just before the grass starts growing so nutrients are there when plants need them. For many producers, this timing has become routine, just another spring job like fixing fences or checking water troughs.
But things get tricky in places like West Texas and other semi-arid grazing areas. Relying only on the calendar for fertilizer timing is one of the most common ways producers waste money and miss out on better forage growth.
The reason is simple: grass doesn’t grow based on the calendar.
Pasture plants respond to environmental conditions, not dates. Their growth depends on factors like:
  • Soil moisture
  • Soil temperature
  • Day length
  • Plant growth stage
If fertilizer is applied before these conditions line up, several problems can occur:
  • Nutrients may sit unused in dry soil for weeks.
  • Nitrogen can be lost before plants absorb it.
  • Forage response may be weaker than expected.
  • Fertilizer costs rise without increasing yield.
In dryland systems, timing matters even more. One poorly timed fertilizer application can mean the difference between strong forage growth and disappointing results.
That’s why it’s important to take a closer look at fertilizer timing. Knowing when grass can actually use nutrients helps producers get more value from every pound of fertilizer.
Now that we see the limits of calendar-based fertilization, let’s look at why this method often fails in semi-arid grazing systems, what really affects fertilizer response, and how to better time applications for the best pasture results.

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The Flies Actually Costing Your Herd Money

March 17, 2026 /
The Flies Actually Costing Your Herd MoneyThe relentless challenge of controlling flies on cattle can frustrate even seasoned ranchers. Just as you think they’re under control, they return—buzzing around eyes, biting legs, and stressing your herd. You’re not alone in dealing with this. The real key to fly control isn’t total elimination, but staying ahead of their life cycle.
When spring temperatures go up, flies that spent the winter in manure, hay waste, and feeding areas start to appear. A small number can quickly turn into a big problem if you don’t act early. Heavy fly pressure does more than just bother your cattle; it also costs you money. Horn flies can lower weaning weights, stable flies can reduce average daily gain, and face flies raise the risk of pinkeye. Flies also cause stress, reducing grazing time and overall performance.
To manage flies on cattle effectively, focus on timing and develop a clear prevention plan. Begin before fly numbers rise by keeping feeding areas clean, using control products early based on fly life cycles, and checking your cattle often for early signs. Prevention and the use of multiple control methods are important.
No single method works perfectly on its own. However, if you combine different approaches and use them at the right time, you can greatly reduce fly problems before they affect your cattle’s performance.
You might never completely get rid of flies, but by acting now and using several control methods, you can protect your cattle, maintain your weaning weights, and keep your profits. To ensure your herd’s health and your business’s success, commit to getting ahead of fly season. This begins by identifying the most important times for prevention and knowing when and how to apply these strategies.

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Why Protein Isn’t the Problem—Energy Is

March 13, 2026 /
Why Protein Isn’t the Problem—Energy IsIf you hang around a feed store or sale barn in late winter and early spring, you’ll hear the same advice repeated like clockwork: “They probably need more protein.” It’s almost automatic in cattle nutrition conversations. Cows looking a little thin? Add protein. Calves not gaining as you expected? Add protein. Grass just starting to green up? Add protein.
But the reality for many cow-calf operations is that protein usually isn’t the main issue. Most of the time, it’s actually energy that’s lacking.
And when energy intake is short, nothing else works the way it should. Body condition slips. Reproductive performance stalls. Milk production levels off. Even immune function can take a hit. You can add more crude protein, but if cows don’t have enough digestible energy to fuel rumen microbes and maintain metabolic demands, that extra protein won’t solve the root issue.
This doesn’t mean protein isn’t important for beef cattle. Protein plays a key role in rumen function, growth, and herd performance. However, in late winter and early spring, when forage quality drops, hay is harder to digest, and early grass is wet but low in dry matter, energy is often the real limiting factor.
Before spending more on protein tubs or high-protein supplements, pause and ask the key question: Are my cows short on energy rather than protein? This is crucial for improving performance.
Let’s look at why energy is so important for cattle in late winter and early spring, why it’s often the nutrient that runs short, and how you can tell if your herd’s problem is really a lack of energy rather than protein.

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5 Steps to Get Bulls Ready for Breeding Season

March 9, 2026 /
5 Steps to Get Bulls Ready for Breeding SeasonBreeding season is what powers every successful cow-calf operation. It’s the time when you determine next year’s calf crop and your future paycheck. If you want a tight calving season, strong weaning weights, and consistent results, aim to have at least 90% of your cows bred early and efficiently. Achieving this level of success takes preparation.
Most producers spend a lot of time getting cows ready for calving and rebreeding, and rightly so. But here’s the part that often gets overlooked: your bull controls half of the genetic outcome and nearly all of the breeding pressure. One bull influences dozens of calves. If he’s not sound, fertile, and in proper condition, your entire breeding season can fall apart quickly. Even a subfertile bull can quietly cost you open cows, late-born calves, and lost revenue.
Getting bulls ready for breeding season is a key part of managing a cow-calf herd. A bull that’s well-prepared can improve conception rates, shorten the calving window, and pass on genetics that help your herd grow and perform better. But if a bull isn’t ready, it can undo years of hard work with your cows and their nutrition.
So, how can you be sure your bull is ready? Fertility, body condition, vaccinations, and breeding soundness all matter. The good news is that with the right prep and timing, you can set yourself up for success. Here are five key steps to get your bull ready and start your breeding season off right.

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The Hidden Cost of March Grazing Decisions

March 5, 2026 /
The Hidden Cost of March Grazing DecisionsWhen March arrives, it’s natural to feel hopeful about spring grazing. A few warm afternoons appear, the pasture starts to show a faint green tint, and cows begin pacing the fence line as if they sense turnout is near. After months of winter feeding and looking at dormant grass, those first green shoots seem like freedom and a sign of lower feed costs ahead.
But here’s the reality about March grazing: just because it’s green doesn’t mean it’s ready.
It means the grass is still vulnerable, despite its green color.
Early spring pasture growth is delicate. The first shoots rely on stored root energy, not on fully developed leaves or rebuilt carbohydrate reserves. If cattle are let out too soon and graze these tender plants heavily, it can slow regrowth, reduce root depth, and limit total forage for the whole season. The damage isn’t always clear right away. Sometimes, you won’t see the effects until June, when pastures should be thick and healthy but instead look thin, stressed, and patchy.
That’s why March is often the riskiest month for overgrazing. Our optimism can get ahead of how quickly plants recover. What seems like a head start can actually turn into a setback.
In the next sections, you’ll find out why early grazing is risky, what’s happening below the soil, and practical ways to manage spring turnout for the best forage and grazing all year. As you read, keep these key ideas in mind: timing, root health, and long-term yield.

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The Hidden Mineral Drain of Late Winter

March 1, 2026 /
The Hidden Mineral Drain of Late WinterIn March, most cattle producers are thinking about spring grass, dealing with muddy gates, and cutting back on winter feeding. Mineral programs often get overlooked. But this is when late-winter mineral deficiencies tend to show up in beef cattle.
The signs are usually subtle, not dramatic. You won’t find a disaster in the pasture. Instead, you might notice a cow not cycling on time, a calf lacking its usual shine, or a group that just seems a bit off. Nothing clearly points to a mineral problem, but something isn’t right.
And most of the time, the issue didn’t begin in March.
The problem often begins in December or January, when cows start depending more on stored forage. As winter goes on, they use up their internal reserves, especially for nutrients like copper, phosphorus, and vitamin A. By March, these reserves are low, and performance can drop.
Late-winter mineral gaps show up now because the cows’ reserves are nearly gone. Reproduction, immune function, and calf growth are usually affected first. This is why managing minerals in March is more important than many producers think.
Here’s what you should know as we move into spring: (1) why late-winter mineral issues happen, (2) the early warning signs to watch for, and (3) immediate steps you can take to protect herd intake, reproduction, and performance.

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Don’t Quit Feeding Hay Too Soon in March

February 25, 2026 /
Don’t Quit Feeding Hay Too Soon in MarchWhen March arrives, most cattle producers are eager to stop feeding hay.
Winter feels endless. A few warm days appear, pastures show a faint green, and the cows aren’t crowding the gate as much as in January. After months of rolling out bales, it’s easy to wonder, “Why are we still feeding hay?”
That’s when the thought comes up: Why not stop feeding hay and let the cows graze?
But giving in to this idea often leads to a common March mistake: stopping hay feeding too soon.
The issue isn’t stopping hay feeding, but stopping it too quickly.
March is a time of transition, not the finish line. Early grass looks promising, but it usually doesn’t give cows enough to eat. If you stop hay suddenly, cows may graze more but actually eat less, which can cause intake drops, loss of body condition, and performance problems that show up weeks later.
That’s why this isn’t the time to stop hay feeding all at once. Instead, it’s time to reduce it gradually and with a plan.
In the next sections, we’ll cover why removing hay too quickly hurts intake, what happens in the rumen during this change, and how to cut back on hay in a simple, low-stress way. The main point is that a gradual step-down keeps cows eating, protects rumen health, and helps your herd have a productive spring. The most important thing to remember is to keep nutrition steady in March.

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