Weather patterns have been difficult to nail down with any degree of accuracy this year. When the summer heat hits, your herd’s reproductive health and efficiency could take a nosedive if not monitored and managed attentively.

Open your weather app. Is it 80ºF, or do you see 80ºF in the forecast? Are nighttime temperatures staying above 70ºF? If so, your cattle are at risk for heat stress. Even if you didn’t answer “yes” to either, chances are high that your cattle will be exposed to heat stress conditions at some point this summer.

Land is our largest investment, asset and expense. So how exactly can we add to its production? One key goal to start with: Convert unproductive land to productive. Cattle perform miracles in converting poor land into production.

Summer can present a variety of challenges and stressors to beef cattle that can lead to bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Mitigating risk is a critical component of a larger BRD battle plan.

Summertime brings in the warmer weather and, with it, a different set of stressors for cattle. A number of factors can lead to stress in cattle, including fluctuations in temperature or adverse weather conditions.

Spring-calving cows are expected to get pregnant during some of the hottest times of the year. Heat stress can decrease the fertility of both the cow and the bull.