Tag: nutrition (Page 4 of 7)

How to keep hay bales fresher longer

how to keep hay bales fresher longerHay bale season is in full swing now. It is during this time of year that everyone is out cutting and baling hay for winter. In truth pretty much everyone is more than likely on their second cutting. While everyone is focused on the making the bale part not many are planning for how they will store them.

Making the perfect hay bale will not do you much good if you do not store them properly. Storing it properly will maintain their high quality later in the year. How you store your hay bale can make or break what you will be able to get out of it come winter time.

Properly storing your hay bales is not as complicated as it may seem. It really just boils down to storing them in a way that will keep them dry and out of the elements as best as possible. Here are 5 rules that you can follow to make sure that you store them the best that you can.

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3 Tips for cattle summer mineral

3 tips for summer cattle mineralWhen it comes to minerals people tend to focus only on either spring or fall. It is during these times of the year that cattle go through their highest demands. But just because that is the case it doesn’t mean that you should neglect your cows mineral needs during the rest of the year.

With summer being breeding season for most peopleĀ  making sure that your cattle are meeting their mineral requirements is important here too. Studies have shown that cattle that are deficient in minerals are less likely to breed back on time, or at all. So don’t you think it is important that their needs are met?

Summer is what you may call a “transitioning” period. Grasses during this time are starting to mature and move into their seeding stage. As they mature though their nutritional value also decreases. As I mentioned it also being breeding season your cow’s nutritional needs are increasing during this time.

So how can you make the most impact with your mineral supplementation? Here are 4 tips that you can follow:

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Benefits of salt for cattle

benefits of salt for cattleSalt, 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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Is creep feeding worth it?

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

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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4 steps to the perfect hay bale

4 steps to the perfect hay baleLooking out onto a field of perfectly rolled hay bales is a beautiful sight to see. It is even more impactful if you are the one that baled them. Can feel yourself filling with pride on a job well done.

When it comes to making the perfect hay bale there are many steps to take care of. Things like being at the right moisture content, the maturity of the forages, and the settings on the machines that you will be using all play a part in how your hay bales will turn out.

But how can you get all of the factors to mesh together to produce your desired result? Well today I will go over the 4 main steps that you can use to make the perfect bale of hay.

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4 steps to summer pasture management

4 steps for summer pasture managementHaving a good summer pasture management plan in place can save you a lot of headaches later on. It will give you a chance to put out any potential fires, not literally, before they can occur.

As the days begin getting longer now is the time to get that plan figured out and put into place. Because of different variations that can occur you do not want to wait till the last minute on this one,

During this time your pastures will be the base for all of your cattle’s nutritional needs. The thing is that while it may be able to meet all of their demands now that may not be the case in a couple of months. As anyone that has been involved in ranching will tell you, the weather can change on you on a dime. What was once lush and green can turn to brown and nonperforming in a matter of a couple of weeks.

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The Insider’s Guide to Cattle Summer Mineral

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?

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?

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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