As with most of the country we had a fairly wet winter here in Texas. The grass has begun to grow better than it has for a few years. It may be tempting to turn the cows out on what looks like a lush green field. Though that may not be the smart thing to do. With a rapidly growing forage the chance of grass tetany is also very high.
There are some things that you will need to take into consideration before you let the cows out to graze to prevent any health problems from occurring:
Calving season can be a very stressful time, for both you and the cow. Addressing the nutritional needs of your cow is very important after she has had her calf. There are many nutrient demands that she must take care of before she will be able to be rebred.
Well spring has arrived here in Texas, the temperature has gotten warmer and the grass has begun to turn green as well as grow. Along with this one typical problem has also started growing with them: WEEDS.
Weeds can reduce both the quantity and the quality of the forages that you have. They also reduce the nutrients available that your cows can eat. With this in mind now is the time to begin planning on controlling them.
A study done by Dr. Steve Livingston an Agronomist with the Texas AgriLife extension service for every pound of weeds/acre that is eliminated there is 2 to 7 pounds of grass that is produced. Here are some tips on how to get the most use out of your herbicide.
If you were to ask any producer about which nutrients they are concerned with chances are they would tell you protein, energy, and minerals. Now while these are important there is another that is just as important: water. Ensuring that cattle have an adequate amount of clean water is necessary for them to function.
Water is an essential part of life. A certain amount of water is needed for growth, fetal development, lactation, and overall production.
A beef cattle ranch can be a viable option for people that own a small amount of land. With their rumen cows are able to make use of areas that are only suitable for forage production. However it does come with it’s own challenges as well.
One of those is how someone can get started with raising cattle. With the price of land ever increasing and the volatility of the market it can be extremely difficult to make any money doing it. Notice I said very difficult but not impossible.
Pastures represent a very valuable resource for producers. In order to become an efficient cattle producer you must maximize your pasture’s forage output. But are you getting every bit out of it that you can?
Education is one of the most valuable resources and the investment that pays the highest dividend. Being able to produce top quality beef in today’s world requires a rancher to be a life long learner.
With the wide selection of information available out there in books and on the internet it can be a little confusing trying to find the correct information out there. Here I compiled a list of the 5 best books that could help you in improving your operation.
Imagine an ideal scenario: just one type of mineral would solve all of your problems. You could just put it out, forget it and your cows would be at the peak of health.
Despite how good that would make you feel I hate to be the bearer of bad news put that type of scenario just doesn’t exist here in the real world. Here there is no such thing as a “perfect” mineral program.
Spring can be a very busy time for producers. Calving season is in full swing as well as putting fertilizer out. With breeding season being months away in some cases it is easy to neglect preparing for it. But that would not be the best move to make. Now is the time to start getting prepared for it. Doing so will give you time to correct any issues that may come up.
Courtesy of bovinevetonline.com
As I mentioned in the previous post here, an effective strategy to control flies is necessary for a grazing plan. Horn flies are a very damaging pest for beef cattle here in Texas. Research has shown that a calf infested with more than 200 flies will weigh 15 to 20lbs less at weaning. In order to suppress them in the best way you should understand their life cycle and possible control strategies.
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