The threat of drought in any year is a real problem for most of the country. Many of us have seen severely less than average rainfall, which has strained our businesses. The most frustrating thing about it is that drought is one of the few things we, humans, have no control over.
And if things could not have seemed worse, we also see higher than average prices for the inputs we need, such as fuel, fertilizer, and grain. A combination of drought and high feed prices will result in higher cow/calf costs across the country. What makes this a real problem is that agriculture is one of the few industries with a very thin profit margin.
With these current problems, many producers are asking themselves how they will be to make. They are wondering if they will even be in operation next year. Though you can’t always control what is happening, there are ways that you can make it more tolerable for you. Here are four things that you can do to help you make it through this:
Water is an essential part of life. A certain amount is certainly needed for growth, fetal development, lactation, and overall production. But unfortunately, despite its importance, it is something that can be overlooked very easily by producers.
Salt, along with other minerals, is necessary to sustain life in cattle. Much like 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.
Producers tend to have a love/hate relationship when it comes to supplements. On the one hand, they love how it improves the performance of their cattle but on the other, they hate that it adds to their expenses. It is for this reason that producers tend to not feed supplements unless they absolutely have to.
Well, winter is finally here, though here in Texas it doesn’t really feel like it too much. But with this time of year, that means that producers will be putting hay out to feed their animals. Depending on how you get it hay is typically one of the cheaper options when it comes to supplements.
Cattle producers, like any other business, are always looking for ways to reduce costs. As any producer will tell you there is no greater expense than that feed costs. A management tool used quite often to regulate feed intake is using salt. Though it can have some impact regulating feed intake with salt is not precise and will require some tinkering in order to get it right.
A breeder is a very important part of the future of the cattle industry. The products they make, i.e. calves, can determine the genetic potential of a beef herd. This is why it is vital to do business with a reputable one.
The bull in your herd needs just as much care and attention during this time of year as your cows. You must take steps during this time to make sure that they are ready for the next breeding season. It is always a good idea to get started now so you will have plenty of time to make adjustments.
Dietary minerals are necessary for optimal growth and reproduction. The amount needed depends on forage mineral content. the age of the animal, and the stage of production. Just knowing what the cow requires is only 1 component in evaluating its mineral status. Even the soil type, fertilizer used, and rainfall can affect what mineral is available at a certain time.
Hay is a very important part of any winter feeding program. It is used to supplement cattle’s nutritional needs when forages become dormant. However, when it comes to feeding harvested forages you need to know what you have in order to know what to feed.
