Grazing management in the fall can have an impact on your future forage production. The intensity of your grazing animals determines what state they will be in. Also, grazing during the winter may be limited depending on what forages you have available.
Having to feed during the winter is one of the largest expenses for a livestock producer. Supplements have always been a little pricey even more with the low crop production. With the intense drought that we have experienced across most of the country, hay has also become expensive, if you can even find any.
But there is hope. Grazing during this time is possible but it will require good planning. Things like stockpiling forages for winter use are an alternative to limit your costs. But what about in the spring? You can take steps during this time to help that you will have grasses come the next growing season.
Nutrition is one of those things that is important year-round. From just putting on weight for the market to reentering the reproduction cycle everything hinges on the cow’s nutritional needs being met. However, meeting these demands can be a little complicated.
What is the proper strategy to develop replacement heifers for my cowherd? This is a question many producers have asked themselves. Developing a replacement heifer is one of the most expensive management decisions a producer will make. Making this decision can have long-term impacts on your herd’s profitability.
Performing a soil test is one of the most underutilized range management tools. Knowing your soil’s fertility and what nutrients are provided is crucial. Often times producers just put out the same fertilizer they always have and hope for the best.
Hard to believe that we are almost to September. which means that summer is almost over. The temperatures are going to be getting cooler (somewhat) and the days are getting shorter. This is certainly a time of year when a lot of transitioning will be going on. Now is also the time to be thinking about what supplements to provide for your cattle.
Growing your own feed despite the cost of time and equipment can have many benefits. Having an inventory on hand can reduce some risks of short supplies. It can also help protect you from any seasonal price volatility. Both energy and protein production can better match your herd’s requirements for simple feed use.
Breeding season puts a lot of demands on cows. During this time she is expected to provide adequate nutrition for her calf while her body recovers from giving birth. Then she is expected to get back into estrus just before she is bred again. All of this is expected to occur within 90 days after calving to maintain a yearly calving interval.
Having to feed supplements is necessary sometimes in cattle operations. That being said it is not something that most ranchers like to do. Feed costs remain the single largest expense for any cattle producer. The amount really depends on different things but it can easily be half of the total annual expenses.
A summer pasture can be a producer’s greatest resources for his cattle. When managed correctly it provides all of the nutrients your cattle need going into fall breeding season.
Doing a soil test can be a very effective tool in a producer’s toolbox. It can tell you the kind of nutrients available as well as the amounts that are present.
