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.One day, you’re focused on hay supply, cow condition, and stretching winter feeds. Suddenly, calves arrive—and your priorities shift. The weather turns unpredictable, nights are cold, and small problems quickly become big if you’re unprepared.
This month bridges winter survival and strong calf starts. Preparation now determines if calving runs smoothly or chaotically.
Most calving problems aren’t from one big failure, but small gaps: a missing tool, bedding runs out, unnoticed mineral slumps, frozen water, or no plan for nighttime emergencies.
The good news? These are all fixable in advance.
Instead of scrambling later, now is the time to get organized. The following checklist covers essentials, double-checks, and common shortfalls.
Let’s see how preparation saves time, cuts stress, and helps cows and calves start well.
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 way of feeling slow—at least on the surface. The holidays are behind us, calving is still a few weeks out for many operations, and the grass isn’t growing a lick. From the outside, it can seem like there’s not much going on. But on the ranch, January is actually one of the most important months of the year.
If you’ve been running cows for long, you already know this truth: nothing beats a good stand of winter pasture when it comes to stretching your hay supply, trimming feed costs, and keeping cattle in solid condition. Whether you’re in West Texas or anywhere across the Southern Plains, having oats, wheat, or rye ready for grazing can make all the difference once those native warm-season grasses lose their quality. A green field in December isn’t just pretty—it’s money saved and pounds gained.
If you’ve been around cattle long enough, you already know the truth—horn flies don’t pay attention to the calendar. Just because September rolls in doesn’t mean the pressure lets up. In fact, for many ranchers, fall can bring some of the heaviest horn fly infestations of the entire year. And if you’re not watching closely, your herd could start losing body condition at a time when you want them holding steady or even gaining before winter.
Every rancher knows one hard truth—
If there’s one thing every rancher in West Texas can agree on, it’s this: winter feeding has a way of sneaking up fast. One minute you’re swatting flies and watching calves kick up their heels in the late-summer heat, and the next you’re staring down the first cold fronts, wondering if you’ve got enough hay stacked to make it through. When the weather flips, there’s no time to play catch-up—your cattle depend on you having a plan in place.
Bovine Respiratory Disease—better known as BRD—isn’t just one illness. It’s a catch-all term for respiratory diseases in cattle, most often showing up as 
Discover a low-effort solution to enhance your herd’s nutrition with protein tubs. These convenient supplements, once set out, require minimal daily maintenance. This is a significant advantage for those balancing ranch work with other responsibilities or seeking to optimize time management on the farm.
Let’s face it—every cow/calf producer wants calves to hit weaning weight with as much gain and as little extra cost as possible. One tool that’s catching more attention lately is 
