K-State experts offer tips on meeting the nutritional needs of young bulls to aid in fertility MANHATTAN, Kan. — Anyone who has raised a teenage boy knows that meeting his nutritional needs can be challenging because of the rapid growth his body is experiencing. Just like teenage boys, young bulls also have special nutritional needs to optimize their growth and development, said the experts with the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University…
Cow body condition important in planning the herd's post-weaning management MANHATTAN, Kan. — A well-balanced diet is important in human’s overall health plan. Similarly, just as our caloric needs adjust throughout the life cycle, nutritional fluctuations happen in the beef cow, said the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute on a recent Cattle Chat podcast. “Right after weaning, the beef cow’s energy requirements are low,” said veterinarian and BCI director Brad White. Fellow…
Kevin Laurent, Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky There are many events or moments throughout the year that we as beef producers look forward to with great anticipation, excitement and frankly some degree of worry. It could be the daily checks during calving season or finding out your pay weight and price for a load of yearlings you delivered to the sale barn. I think most of us would agree that the annual preg…
Kiernan Brandt Background Regardless of how efficiently reproductive success is managed on the ranch, beef producers are tasked annually with incorporating new females into the herd in the form of replacement heifers. Whether purchasing females off the farm or retaining heifers from this year’s cohort of marketable calves, both represent significant input costs to replace the 10–15% of cows leaving the herd annually, plus any additional heifers to expand the size of the…
Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle Field Specialist, OSU Extension Figuring out why we have a late calving female is important when deciding to keep or cull. Being that most of the spring calving cow herds in Ohio and beyond have calved, and breeding season is upon us, there is a cow conundrum that we need to discuss. In the 9 or months that I have been in this position, my favorite questions to answer…
Rick Funston, Nebraska Extension Beef Cattle Reproductive Physiologist Managing cows and heifers to be on a positive plane of nutrition at the time of breeding is essential for the establishment of pregnancy. Photo credit Troy Walz. As we approach the breeding season, cows and heifers are faced with a variety of stressors from the metabolic pressure of providing for a calf to changes in environment. Stress during early pregnancy is well documented to…
Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle Field Specialist, OSU Extension (originally published in The Ohio Cattleman) The highest energy demand of the cow arrives approximately 60 days post calving. Spring has arrived, a successful Ohio Beef Expo is in the rear view, and for many Ohio beef producers, there are calves on the ground. This is a critical time in the beef and forage production cycle for many producers, especially those with spring calving herds. As…
Reproduction is a primary determinant of cow calf production efficiency. Breeding soundness exams (BSE) are helpful in identifying bulls with poor fertility prior to the breeding season. However, BSEs are not reliable in identifying the potential for breeding impediments that develop during the breeding season such as injury or foot rot which can have devastating effects on pregnancy rates. In addition, BSEs do not adequately evaluate libido and mating ability of bulls which…
Joslyn Beard, Livestock Specialist, University of Arizona Kacie McCarthy, UNL Cow-Calf Specialist Travis Mulliniks, UNL Beef Cattle Nutritionist, Range Production Systems Each decision or change in management in a livestock production system results in multiple changes or outcomes downstream of the resulting change. Photo credit Troy Walz. Decisions in livestock production are never simple, but rather complex. Each decision or change in management results in multiple changes or outcomes downstream of the resulting…
Good body condition and calving early in the season are keys to success with an AI synchronization protocol for cows. | Download this photo. Cattle Chat: Breeding cows with artificial insemination Kansas State beef cattle experts offer considerations for using AI in the herd MANHATTAN, Kan. — Many beef producers ascribe to the belief that the main job of a cow on the ranch is to annually raise a healthy calf. To do that she…