We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
There are problems lurking in every cattle-handling system that can create a headache on your operation – or totally ruin your system. Luckily, there are some simple fixes that can solve any problems you might find in your cattle-handling system. Whether you are investing in a new system or trying to improve your current one, spend a little time making sure it works for you by avoiding or fixing these common pitfalls.
When it comes to raising cattle, management practices vary vastly between producers as they work to accomplish the goals of their operations and meet market demands.
“I want you as an operator to get outside your box. Think outside your operation,” Greg Goudeau, owner and manager of Navasota Livestock Auction in Navasota, Texas, told a packed house at the 2019 Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course.
Cattle producers obviously want to make money, but they must deal with bad markets that can be right around the corner, and they continue to be a drought or flood away from a financial crisis. So what is it that keeps them going? It must be in their blood. Why would they be in the business if they did not take pride in their cattle by wanting their cows to maintain body condition, their calves to grow, and all of the cattle having a healthy appearance?
Beef producers that focus on creating a culture of continuous improvement for their business likely know their strengths and weaknesses and are prepared to adapt to challenges that face the cattle industry.
A 2011 survey of U.S. beef cattle producers done in conjunction with the National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) found 87 percent of respondents who operated their ranches consistent with Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) standards did so because “it’s the right thing to do.”
In a difficult time for agriculture, when producers are already facing low commodity prices and trade uncertainty, many livestock producers may also have to be concerned about something else in the coming years: California voters.
Animal welfare in the milking parlor is one piece of the bigger picture of how improving cow comfort and removing barriers to production can increase milk production efficiency and profitability on your farm.
