Nutrient requirements in early gestation aren’t much greater than maintenance requirements (unless the cow is lactating), but as the fetus grows, the cow’s nutrient needs increase.

In his final weather outlook session after serving as the CattleFax meteorology analyst for 45 years, Art Douglas told attendees at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Cattle Industry Convention and Tradeshow in Nashville, Tennessee, that things aren’t looking good for an already parched western U.S.

With drought plaguing much of the West, producers may have to adjust their management and use creative thinking to maintain production in spring- and fall-calving herds.