Tag: ranch plan (Page 4 of 12)

Grass Tetany: Prevention and Treatment

grass tetany: prevention and treatmentSpring weather has finally arrived to many parts of the country. The snow (if you got any) has started to melt away and things are starting to grow again.

With the warmer weather and the winter moisture forage grasses have started their “spring Greenup”. It is during this time that forages come out of their dormant stage and begin growing rapidly again.

Though this may seem like the greatest time of the year, what with all of the green across the pasture, it is not without it’s own challenges. It is during this time of year a particular problem know as grass tetany can cause issues with your cowherd.

For those who are not in the know you may be asking “what is grass tetany?”, “what kind of problems can it cause in my operation?” and “How do I treat or even prevent it from happening?”. Well in regards to those questions here are some things that you should consider.

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5 tips for Calving Season

5 tips for calving seasonIt is that time of year again: Spring Calving season. Calving season can be one of the busiest times of year for cattle producers. Along with being busy it is also one of the most important times of the year.

What happens during this time can have an impact on the overall health and performance of your calves. The steps that you take here can be the difference between an increased profit or just another year of barely getting by. So it is important that you do calving season right.

With everything that you will have going on there are many things that can go wrong. So I’ve compiled a list of 5 things that you can do to help ease some of the stress that comes with this season.

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Replacement Heifers: Buy or Raise?

Replacement heifers: buy or raiseHaving the right replacement heifers is important for long term profitability of any ranch. It is necessary to be able to rotate the breeding stock out to improve the overall genetic pool. Also cows will get to a point that they will get to be too old to breed any more. When this happens you will need to have new stock to take their place.

When it comes to having replacement heifers there are 2 ways that you can use: buy or raise them. Most producers tend to raise their own but buying them can also be an option. When it comes to decide which to go with, like with any other options. it is important to weigh the pros and cons to determine which is best for your situation.

Selecting the most economical source for your replacement heifers is of vital importance for you. There is no point in going with an option that will only cost you more money in the long run. Here are some things that you can look at when you are deciding on either to buy or raise:

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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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Reduce feed costs in 5 steps

reduce feed costs in 5 stepsFeed costs remain the single largest expense for any cattle producer. This expense can easily be half of the total annual expenses for a rancher.

Now that amount can vary depending on the time of year and depending on the forage conditions. In a drought situation feed costs can total 70% of the total yearly costs of raising cattle.

It may seem difficult to reduce feed costs without sacrificing production. There are some that would have no problem with that but the profitable producer knows that productivity is the key to a successful operation. But all is not lost, there are 5 steps that you can reduce feed costs without sacrificing productivity.

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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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How to treat cattle pinkeye

how to treat cattle pinkeyePinkeye is a very common as well as a highly contagious disease in cattle. Once it shows up if you do not take proper steps it can quickly affect all of your cattle.

It is possible that it can hit year round but for the most part it is a pretty seasonal affliction. This disease usually increases in spring, peaks during summer, and then it will decrease during the fall. Like most bacteria it prefers warmer weather to cold.

It can be very labor intensive to treat and as I mentioned a couple of lines ago it can spread quickly if not taken care of in time. No matter the severity it is best that you quarantine all of the cattle that have it so you can prevent it from getting to the others.

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How do you get control of cedar?

how do you get control of cedar?Cedar, more accurately known as juniper, can be a very difficult plant to control. It is a very aggressive woody plant that grows here in Texas. It is often viewed as invasive because if left unchecked it can quickly take over a pasture chocking out any grass growth.

Along with quickly taking over a pasture it has been shown to be a very thirsty plant. I knew a rancher near here that when he started removing cedars on his place he had a spring start producing water again.

While getting control of cedar is possible it is not a one-and-done type of thing. It will take many applications to get this little pest under control.

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