Understanding and managing forage quality is important for cow-calf and stocker operations that rely on forage as the main component of the diet.

This article will focus on the factors that affect forage quality to help producers improve animal performance and produce better-quality hay, which can reduce or eliminate winter supplementation needs.

Cow nutrition remains one of the most important management concerns for producers heading into calving.

Understanding how to support the “microbial workforce” in the rumen is key to improving feed efficiency, herd health and overall profitability.

To best utilize hay, it is important to consider hay quality, nutrient requirements of the cows it is being fed to and how the hay will be fed.

With winter weather and lower temperatures setting in, it is time to talk about when cows feel the cold. The big factors that determine the lower critical temperature for cattle are temperature, wind speed and heaviness of winter hair coat.