Tag: Herd Health

Prepare Your Cattle Now for a Trouble-Free Winter

Prepare Your Cattle Now for a Trouble-Free WinterWinter can be a challenging season for cattle, but with the proper preparation, you can keep your herd healthy and thriving. As the cold months approach, it’s crucial to plan for everything from proper nutrition to shelter. By taking proactive steps today, you can avoid costly problems and ensure your cattle make it through winter in top condition. Now, let’s delve into what you must do to set your herd up for success.

Given this issue, producers will need to be resourceful and efficient with their supplements. It’s not just about putting out some feed and hoping for the best. Hay or standing forage intake must be estimated to calculate winter feed needs, and this efficient management is vital to successful winter cattle care.

It can be very tempting to choose the cheapest option, expecting it to be the best option. The goal is to be the most efficient rather than the least costly. Going with the cheaper option can often lead to more costs down the road. Here are four things that you can look to make it through this winter in a relatively good position.

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Prepare for your calving season: start testing now

Prepare for your calving season: start pregnancy testing nowEarly pregnancy detection is a powerful tool for increasing profits in your herd. As a producer, knowing early if your replacement heifers or cows are bred can save you a significant amount of money by preventing the wastage of supplements for non-producing cows.

While it may not seem like it, the cold nights of calving season will be here before you know it. Now is the time to start preparing for the arrival of the 2025 calf crop. September is a good month for pregnancy testing your cow herd. Finding out which cows are pregnant and which are not will keep you from feeding a cow all winter, only to find out she will not provide a calf.

Understanding the two categories of pregnancy detection tests, direct and indirect, empowers you to make the best choice for your needs. Whether it’s feeling or seeing the pregnancy directly or using chemical markers like blood tests, the decision is in your hands.

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