Bull Management – It’s a Year-round Commitment
Breeding Bull Management: It’s a Year-Round Commitment (G2332) (unl.edu)
Taking the Bull from the Sale Ring or Winter Storage, Making Him the Athlete He Needs to Be
Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension Bulls need to be transitioned from their winter diet to grass carefully before turn out. Recently we visited in this publication about the value in having a bull that’s passed a breeding soundness exam (BSE) and is ready to go to work when called upon. One thing we’ve perhaps yet to discuss is what needs to happen after the bull has passed his BSE, or is purchased, and…
Economic Considerations for Early Weaning
Warren Rusche SDSU Extension Beef Feedlot Management Associate Beef specialists and nutritionists often advise ranchers to wean calves at younger ages as a response to drought conditions. However, what about when moisture conditions are normal? Can weaning calves at 100 to 180 days of age be profitable? For any management practice to be economically feasible, income must increase more than expenses, or expenses must decrease more than income declines. Almost by definition, early…
Cattle Chat: Evaluating bulls for breeding soundness
Veterinarians routinely perform breeding soundness exams to assure bulls are ready for the season ahead MANHATTAN, Kan. — In high level sports, coaches not only train their athletes to perform on the field, they also make sure players are in top condition by offering them strength training and managing their diet to make sure they are ready for peak performance at the time of the competition. In much the same way, veterinarians and…
Cattle breeders should check bull fertility after recent snowstorms
By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – The extreme winter weather that hit the southern Plains States in mid-February may have reduced bull fertility in herd sires – potentially bad news for the economic well-being of cow-calf operations. Cattle breeders should have a veterinarian check their bulls for frostbite to the animal’s scrotum and testicles as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made to protect the herd’s reproductive efficiency, said Dr. Rosslyn…
Is your bull ready for work?
Dean Kreager, Ohio State University Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Licking County Should a person wait until the hay is mowed before looking at the rake and baler to fix any problems that carried over from last year? Would they head out on a cross country drive without at least checking the oil and tires? If most people answered no to these questions, then why do so many people just turn their…
Late-Term Reproductive Losses in Beef Cattle: Diagnosing the Cause
Russ Daly Professor, SDSU Extension Veterinarian, State Public Health Veterinarian Written collaboratively by Russ Daly and Taylor Grussing, former SDSU Extension Cow-Calf Field Specialist. Reproductive losses account for $1 billion in lost revenue to the beef industry each year. All the way from conception to birth, we depend on a lot of things to go right, whether we are talking about natural or artificial breeding programs. Nevertheless, reproductive failure whether presented as early…
Calving Season – Not the Time to Skimp on Nutrition
Karla H. Wilke, UNL Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management Because feed resources have likely been tight this winter, now is a good time to assess BCS of the cows and send feed samples to a commercial laboratory for nutrient analysis. Photo credit Troy Walz. The 2020 drought across the Great Plains has made hay scarce for many producers. Additionally, the pandemic has affected oil prices which in turn has impacted ethanol production and…
Cattle Chat: Readying replacement heifers
With good nutritional care, replacement heifers reach puberty around 12 months of age. | Download this photo. K-State experts offer advice on getting heifers prepared for their first breeding season MANHATTAN, Kan. — Anyone who has lived with teenagers can attest that their food consumption can be high as they are rapidly growing to their adult size. In much the same way, growing beef herd replacement heifers also need to have their nutritional needs…
Preparing Your Cows for A Successful Breeding Season
Dr. Les Anderson, Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky A successful breeding season begins with management decisions made prior to calving. As we move into the winter-feeding period for spring-calving cows, cattlemen need to review their management plan to ensure optimal rebreeding and success. Rebreeding efficiency can be optimized by focusing on body condition score (BCS), early assistance during calving difficulty, scheduling a breeding soundness exam for the herd sires, planning their herd…