Reproductive efficiency is a key driver of profitability in a cow-calf operation, since females that don’t conceive still consume resources without producing a return. Several factors influence pregnancy outcomes, including animal health, nutrition, stress and adherence to estrus synchronization protocols.

Selecting cattle that match the forage resources and environment of an operation is essential for long-term success. But how can producers identify and select animals that will maintain body condition throughout the grazing season?

Weak calf syndrome is exactly as it sounds; newborn calves are born weak, fail to thrive and often never get up to nurse. This is not a new phenomenon, and the industry has been combating it for decades.

Over the years, research has shown that to be productive, each cow needs to be maintained at a certain body condition or within a certain range.

Skeletal muscle plays a crucial role in dairy cows’ health and productivity, but it’s also a very dynamic tissue. It can be mobilized to support milk production during periods of negative energy balance, but recovery of lost muscle is much slower.

My husband is a faithful, hard-working man. He always has been. I know he loves me. Even so, I know I’m not the only love in his life.

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