The 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.
Breeding 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.
When March arrives, most cattle producers are eager to stop feeding hay.
At first glance, February calving doesn’t seem too bad. The harshest winter days are usually over; daylight is increasing, and some warmer afternoons are appearing. It’s easy to believe the hardest part of winter calving is behind you.
February can catch even the most prepared cattle producers off guard, especially in cow-calf operations juggling winter feeding and the start of calving season.
Replacement heifers are the backbone of a successful and profitable cow-calf operation. They aren’t just “
Knowing when to step in and help during calving is one of the hardest calls a cow/calf producer has to make. It really is a balancing act—step in too early, and you risk creating problems that weren’t there to begin with; wait too long, and a tough calving can turn into a life-or-death situation fast. During calving season, timing matters just as much as technique. Understanding when to assist a cow calving can mean the difference between a healthy calf on the ground and a costly, heartbreaking loss.
January is a funny month on the ranch.
For a newborn calf, colostrum isn’t just important—it’s non-negotiable. That first milk from the cow is packed with antibodies that jump-start the calf’s immune system and protect it from disease during the most vulnerable days of its life. Without adequate colostrum, a calf starts behind the eight ball, facing a much higher risk of scours, pneumonia, poor growth, and even long-term health problems that can follow it for life.
January has a different feel on the ranch. Things slow down a bit. The calendar isn’t yelling yet, the grass isn’t growing, and for once it feels like you can catch your breath. From the outside, it might look like a quiet month—but January is when some of the most important work of the year actually gets done, just not out in the pasture. It gets done on paper.
