Tag: summer

Simplistic ways to improve your pasture you need to know

May 16, 2024 /

Simplistic ways to improve your pasture you need to knowMaintaining your pasture during the summer is a crucial task that requires your diligent attention. In a matter of minutes, it can transition from adequate moisture to extremely dry. As a manager, your role is pivotal in preventing your pasture from suffering too much.

Though I don’t know how it is where you are in West Texas, keeping pastures productive can be challenging during this time. Mother Nature seems to have not wanted to cooperate with you for most years and has held back the needed moisture.

While you can not control the weather, you can take steps to give your forages a fighting chance. Practices like rotational grazing and maintaining the correct stocking rate can significantly improve your pasture’s health. Here are some strategies to consider when facing another dry summer and hoping for a more productive season.

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Get your pasture summer ready in 4 surprisingly easy steps

May 12, 2024 /

Get your pasture summer ready in 4 surprisingly easy stepsHaving a good summer pasture management plan can save you many headaches later on. It will allow you to put out potential fires, not literally, before they occur.

As the days begin getting longer, now is the time to get that plan figured out and put into place. Early planning not only helps you stay ahead of potential issues but also gives you a sense of control over the unpredictable variations that can occur. Don’t wait till the last minute on this one; start now and feel prepared.

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

But with some foresight, you can be ahead of the curve when it comes to anything the weather throws at you. I have compiled four steps that you can take to plan out your summer pasture management needs.

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How to actually handle 4 common summer cattle diseases

May 4, 2024 /

How to actually handle 4 common summer cattle diseasesIt is never good when your cattle suffer from diseases. They can reduce your performance and increase your expenses.

Many health problems can be effectively managed if detected early. This not only helps prevent or minimize losses but also empowers you, the cattle owner, to take proactive steps to prevent their recurrence or spread. Remember, your vigilance and prompt action are crucial. Always consult your veterinarian if you suspect a health issue in your cattle.

Though sickness can occur at any time of the year, here are four that tend to happen during summer. I’ve included some signs to look for and steps you can take to minimize its effects.

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What you need to know about summer pneumonia

June 16, 2023 /

What you need to know about summer pneumoniaSummer pneumonia, sometimes referred to as pasture pneumonia, is a disease that is usually observed in calves on pasture late in summer. It can affect calves that have yet to be weaned from just one-month-old to even five months of age. The issue with this disease is that not much is known about it, and it can pop up from nowhere.
Why do your seemingly healthy-looking calves suddenly come down with pneumonia? Why this happens is a question that has plagued many producers over the years. Respiratory diseases in pre-weaned calves are always producers’ concerns, with unpredictable outbreaks.
The frustrating thing is that your calves may not even be considered “high risk” for pneumonia. They are still with their mother and are not having to deal with any stressors, such as changes in environment or diet. Understanding the why and how of this disease is crucial for any cow/calf producer.

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Simplistic ways to improve your pasture you need to know

May 15, 2023 /

Simplistic ways to improve your pasture you need to knowMaintaining your pasture during the summer can take much work. It can go from adequate moisture to extremely dry in no time. Managers must be on their game to keep their pasture from suffering too much.

Though I don’t know how it is where you are here in West Texas, it can be a challenging job keeping pastures productive during this time. It seems most years that mother nature does not want to cooperate with you and hold back needed moisture.

While you can not control the weather, there are steps that you can take to give your forages a chance. Things like rotational grazing and the correct stocking rate can go a long way. Here are some things to consider when you are facing another dry summer.

Continue reading

Get your pasture summer ready in 4 surprisingly easy steps

May 11, 2023 /

Get your pasture summer ready in 4 surprisingly easy stepsHaving a good summer pasture management plan in place can save you many headaches later on. It will allow you 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 the 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. While it may be able to meet all of its 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 you on a dime. What was once lush and green can turn brown and nonperforming in a matter of a couple of weeks.

But with some foresight, you can be ahead of the curve when it comes to anything the weather throws at you. I have compiled four steps that you can take to plan out your summer pasture management needs.

Continue reading

Introducing 4 Common Summer Cattle Diseases to Look Out For

May 3, 2023 /

Introducing 4 Common Summer Cattle Diseases to Look Out ForIt is never good whenever your cattle are suffering from diseases. It can rob you of performance while at the same time increasing your expenses.

Many health problems that occur can be handled if they are detected early. If caught in time, they can be prevented or even minimized losses. You can then take steps to keep it from spreading or coming back. One main thing to remember is always to consult your veterinarian if you believe a health problem has occurred.

Though sickness can occur any time of the year, here are 4 of them that tend to happen during summer. I’ve included some signs to look for as well as steps you can take to minimize its effects.

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3 tips to get the most out of your mineral this summer

May 20, 2022 /

3 tips to get the most out of your mineral this summer

When it comes to a mineral supplement people tend to focus only on either spring or fall. During these times of the year, cattle go through their highest demands. But just because that is the case doesn’t mean that you should neglect your cows’ mineral needs during the rest of the year.

With summer being the breeding season for most people 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 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 3 tips that you can follow:

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4 steps for effective summer pasture management

May 12, 2022 /

4 steps for effective 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 brown and nonperforming in a matter of a couple of weeks.

Continue reading

4 steps to summer pasture management

May 20, 2020 /

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.

Continue reading

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