It is easy to focus on your cows and calves this time of year. As your bulls provide 50% of the genetics in your calf crop, it is also important to evaluate your herd’s performance from the bull’s point of view.

We’ve made it through another breeding season, and the constant hot temperatures are in full swing. The “dog days of summer” not only take a toll on your mood, but also become a consistent stressor to the cow herd.

With herd size looking toward growth, heifer development will continue to be increasingly important. Management, parasite control and herd immunity are key components of raising healthy heifers.

Nutritional management plays a central role in promoting the health, productivity and reproductive success of beef cattle.

What is the first word that comes to mind when you see a bull sale catalog in your mailbox? Usually, I hear responses like “profitable,” “cost-effective,” “traditional” or "necessary."

After a busy season of breeding, pulling bulls, pregnancy diagnosis and weaning, we’d like to hope cows can turn on autopilot for a few months during the winter. However, that’s not the case; cows are always working for us, whether that means lactating, raising a calf, preparing to become pregnant or gestating next year’s calf. It’s our responsibility to make sure they are in the proper body condition to do so.

Efficient. Sustainable. Profitable. Productive. Economical. They feel like buzzwords, yet they’ve maintained their lofty position in the cattle industry zeitgeist for long enough now that it’s impossible to shy away from the inevitability – and even merit – of defining and reaching for such ideals.