Category: nutrition (Page 10 of 12)

Is creep feeding worth it?

February 21, 2021 /

is creep feeding worth it?Creep feeding can be a very useful tool for producers with young calves. This will improve both your bottom line and your overall profitability.

It can help add a few more pounds on your calves which can translate into more dollars for you come sale time. Also it has been shown to make weaning a little bit less stressful for them.

But like with everything there are pros and cons to using it. It is up to each producer individually to decide if it is something that will work for them or not. Here are some things for you to consider:

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5 steps to selecting a protein tub

January 10, 2021 /

5 steps to selecting a protein tubA protein tub is a very good way to provide extra nutrition when needed. One benefit is that once you have placed it in the pasture you don’t need to check it every day. This is helpful for those that may have a job back in town.

A benefit it can provide for both the full-time and “part-time” rancher is that a protein tub can be used to improve the overall grazing in a pasture. You can move them in to more underutilized areas to encourage cattle to move to those areas.

With making any type of investment it is prudent that you do your homework before you make any decision. So before you go running off to the local feed store I have 5 things that you can look at before you buy your first protein tub.

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The Insider’s Guide to Cattle Summer Mineral

May 12, 2020 /

the insider's guide to cattle summer mineralWill your cattle meet their mineral requirements this summer? That is a question that producers everywhere should be asking themselves. Most usually just go with a basic all around mineral while that may work some of the time it may not meet all of their needs as they graze summer pastures.

As I have mentioned many times before different parts of the country will have different mineral contents that they provide. There have also been cases where even 2 operations in the same county will have different mineral types present in the soil. One thing to remember is that if it isn’t in the soil then it won’t be in the forages.

Insufficient mineral intake can result in performance losses with your cattle meaning less money for you. Along with this cattle not getting enough of the right kinds of minerals can also result in various clinical deficiencies. These can include things like reduced pregnancy rates, poor libido, and poor calf performance.

But just how can you tell if the mineral that you are putting out for your cattle will meet those needs. Well here are 3 things for you to consider when making that decision.

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Does creep feeding pay?

April 22, 2020 /

does creep feeding pay?Creep feeding can be an excellent tool for improving the overall weaning weights of your calves. It can be a good management and economic option for improving your bottom line.

There are many factors to consider when looking at creep feeding such as calf prices, price of the feed itself, and the labor you are able to commit to it. Since this is not a one-and-done type of thing it is something that you will have to look at every year. This is because the factors involved, such as market prices, will change from one year to the next.

It is important to look at the factors that will matter to you because like many other things that are involved with raising beef cattle it is not a blanket option. What works for one operation will not always work for another.

So what are the options that you should look at when deciding to start creep feeding? Well here are some things that you can look at to decide if it is right for you.

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What mineral supplement is best for cattle?

April 18, 2020 /

what mineral supplement is best for cattle?Using a mineral supplement is one of the most important yet overlooked parts of cattle management. Sure, we all are concerned with the amount of protein or energy they are getting but what about meeting their mineral needs?

Though the amount that cattle need is very small it can play a very important role in their overall production and their well being. Selecting a correct mineral supplement is needed for optimal growth and reproduction health.

When mineral requirements are not being met cattle do not perform as efficiently as they could. One problem here is that the signs of a deficiency may not be visible till it becomes a serious problem.

When a deficiency is present you will see things like decreased weaning weights, decreased milk production, and lack of cows being bred to name a few.

But what type of mineral supplement should I be providing you may ask. Well I may not be able to tell you exactly which one will work because I do not know your operation. I can however give you some tips to look for when trying to decide which one will work best for you.

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Are protein tubs good for cattle?

March 17, 2020 /

are protein tubs good for cattle?Protein tubs have been gaining in popularity here lately with both small and large producers. Smaller producers like the fact it is self-feeding so they do not have to constantly be there. Larger producers like the fact that it requires less labor than say feeding range cubes/

People like the convenience of having a supplement that is designed to be self-fed in the pasture. They can deliver supplemented nutrients that does not require extra labor.

But like with every supplement there are pros and cons to consider when using a protein tub. As a producer you should weigh each option to decide if it will work best for you.

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What does a sulfur block do for cattle?

March 13, 2020 /

what does a sulfur block do for cattle?Sulfur salt blocks have generated a love/hate relationship among cattlemen. There are ones who love them and swear by them, then there are others who feel they are a waste of money.

The ones that love them say that it helps with external parasite control. While putting sulfur powder has been shown to help in that area there is no, as far as I’m aware, no evidence that the block does that.

As with everything there are pros and cons to using them. While there is some benefit to feeding sulfur one must also be careful. You need to weigh the options yourself and decide if it could be something that will work for you.

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Why do cows need salt?

March 5, 2020 /

why do cows need salt?Salt, along with other minerals, are necessary to sustain life in cows. Much like humans they are the essential building blocks for a living being to perform at best.

The interesting thing about salt is that cattle have a natural “urge” for it. This means that unlike the other minerals they will actually seek it out. If they can not find it then they will try to ingest it from other sources, such as tree bark, dirt, and even urine.

As I mentioned earlier salt is very important for the overall function of a cow. Along with aiding with milk production it will assist with other functions. These functions are things like reproduction, blood flow and even sweating, which I think that one should be obvious.

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Creep Feeding: Is it worth it?

February 22, 2020 /

creep feeding: is it worth it?Creep feeding can be a very useful tool for producers with young calves. This will improve both your bottom line and your overall profitability.

It can help add a few more pounds on your calves which can translate into more dollars for you come sale time. Also it has been shown to make weaning a little bit less stressful for them.

But like with everything there are pros and cons to using it. It is up to each producer individually to decide if it is something that will work for them or not. Here are some things for you to consider:

Continue reading

The Calving Nutrition Article of Your Dreams

February 14, 2020 /

the calving nutrition article of your dreamsNutrition management of your cow herd is very important during late pregnancy and early lactation. What happens during this time can not only affect your current calf crop but your future one as well. Having the cow’s nutrition needs met can reduce dystocia for the cow and improve the overall performance of the calf.

During this time you can have problems from 2 different directions. First off her nutritional requirements spike as compared to other times of the year. Second, the overall quality of your forage is lower because we have not got to the “spring green up” yet.

It is very critical that you get the nutrition right during this time because if she is lacking it will affect not only the health of the calf but the probability of her getting bred come breeding season.

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