Minerals play a crucial role in keeping your cattle healthy, supporting everything from growth to reproduction. However, figuring out the right amount of dietary minerals for your herd is more complex than you might think. It’s not just about what your cow needs but also about the forage quality, the animal’s age, and even the production stage. Add to that factors like soil type, fertilizer, and rainfall, and you’ll see that ensuring your cattle get the right minerals is a balancing act.
While forages and water can provide some minerals, it’s rare for any region to always have all the minerals in the right amounts. Even if your forage seems sufficient, the balance between certain minerals can affect absorption. This underscores the importance of understanding mineral deficiencies and taking proactive steps to ensure your herd’s health. Simply offering mineral supplements is not enough; understanding what’s missing is key to empowering your herd to thrive.
There’s a common belief that cattle can instinctively seek the minerals they need, but that’s entirely true. Cattle, like people, tend to eat what they enjoy, and some necessary minerals have a bitter taste. This can lead to the consumption of vital minerals. However, with a solid settlement plan in place, you can reassure yourself that your cattle are getting what’s required for that matter, even when it’s not their favor.
Hay is one of the most essential parts of keeping your cattle healthy through the winter. When the grass goes dormant, hay steps in to provide the nutrition they need. But before you can even think about feeding, you’ve got to understand what’s in the hay you’re offering.
Deciding which cows to cull is a challenging task for most producers. Sometimes, their personal feelings about that particular animal get in the way. Sometimes, they don’t even know which ones are under-performing and which ones need to be kept.
Heifer development, while challenging, is a rewarding task that shapes the future of your herd. The transformation of young heifers into productive mothers is a process that, with careful planning and management, can lead to long-term success. Every decision, from nutrition to breeding, has a lasting impact on the productivity of your herd, instilling a sense of optimism and motivation for the future.
Winter grazing management can 
It may not seem like it now, but winter is coming. The change in seasons also brings new problems to deal with to keep your cattle performing at their best. Keeping your cattle healthy during the stress of colder winter temperatures can be a pain in the neck. It is also doable.
Protein supplements are often needed during the fall and winter months. This need is because, during this time, most of your tame pasture forages go into dormancy. When this happens, things like their protein content will go down.
As the days grow 
Nutrition significantly affects your herd’s health during the cold winter months. Producers should plan ahead for their fall and winter forages to meet this need. There are many factors to consider when figuring out how much hay will be needed.
Nutrition is essential year-round. Everything hinges on the cow’s nutritional needs being met, from putting on weight for the market to reentering the reproduction cycle. However, meeting these demands can be complicated.
