Breeding season is done, but you still need to pay attention to your bulls instead of forgetting about them until next year.The months after breeding are a good chance to catch problems early. Bulls may end the season lighter, sore, injured, or tired from working cows and moving around. If you notice a small issue now, you can usually handle it. But if you find the same problem right before turnout, you could end up scrambling to find another bull.
This is why making good use of the off-season matters.
During the off-season, focus on checking each bull’s condition, helping him recover without letting him get overweight, and deciding if he should stay in your herd for another breeding season.
The formal breeding soundness exam comes later, closer to turnout. For now, check your bulls and fix any problems while there’s still time.
When winter pasture begins to green up, it can be hard to wait before letting the cows in.
A load of cotton feed might seem like a good deal in November when you see it at the gin. Before you schedule a delivery, make sure you know what it will actually provide for your cattle and what the real cost will be.
A harvested field might seem like the solution to your winter feed costs. The combine is done, stalks are left behind, and your cows need a place to graze. Before letting them in, step out and check what they can really eat.
Lice problems in October usually start quietly. You might notice a few calves rubbing on a fence or see some hair stuck to a post. Maybe one thin cow looks rougher than the others. If you see bare patches, lice have probably already gotten ahead.
A hay ring that sits on solid ground in October can become a muddy mess by January. The tractor makes the same tracks, cattle end up standing in manure as they eat, and the path to the feeder stays wet. What seemed easy in the fall can turn into a costly winter problem.
The first white frost in West Texas can make a pasture seem safe. Leaves hang down, the season looks over, and opening another field might seem like a simple way to cut winter hay costs.
Processing days in October often feel long, especially when you are pressed for time.
Seeing a green wheat field in October can really test your patience. Native grass is fading, hay prices are rising, and that fresh wheat looks like the perfect feed just beyond the gate.
In October, a West Texas hay stack can seem better than it actually is. The barn looks full, round bales are lined up, and there’s still grass in the pasture. From the truck, it might seem like winter feed is already taken care of.
