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.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.
Creep feeding allows calves to access feed that mature cows cannot. This practice can promote superior calf growth and raise weaning weights, meaning the calf’s weight when separated from its mother. Elevated weaning weights typically result in higher sale prices at year’s end. Providing calves with a digestible supplement supports growth even if forage quality or milk yield declines. Still, creep feeding is not a universal fix. Like any cow-calf management decision, it is most effective when applied strategically for clear objectives.
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 “
Calf scours is one of those problems that instantly puts cow/calf producers on high alert—and for good reason. It’s the number one cause of financial loss in young calves, costing operations time, money, and sometimes entire calf crops if it gets out of hand. What makes calf scours in cattle especially frustrating is how quickly it can appear and spread. One day calves look fine, and the next you’re dealing with diarrhea, weak calves, and long nights in the barn. It can feel like a wildfire moving through a pasture, leaving producers scrambling to get ahead of it.
