For the first time, we welcome Progressive Forage’s Joy Hendrix to the podcast studio as she visits with Katie Raver from Rock River Laboratory for a regional analysis of forage quality and what to keep in mind for the 2024 growing season. Then Tyrell and Elanco’s Frank White discuss the results of a recent study analyzing the benefits of monensin products in a cow-calf setting. Finally, don’t miss out on an absolutely riveting conversation on the perils of importing exotic wildlife testicles from overseas.

Nutrition, health and performance could be considered the most widely talked about aspects of cattle production. Currently, greenhouse gases and their related emissions are giving them a run for their money.

The long-term trend in the feedlot industry is that cattle are on feed more and more days every year. Feedlot data shows that the 12-month moving average of days on feed has increased approximately 30% just in the last two decades.

Historically, the relative value of traits to the commercial cow-calf sector has been stated as the “10-to-2-to-1 rule of thumb,” where fertility traits are 10 times more important than carcass traits and five times more important than growth traits.

Genetics play a larger role in calf performance than whether calves are raised in a traditional beef system or within a dairy system.

Focusing on fine-tuning for feed efficiency and partnering with an expert who can help analyze your herd’s needs will be an important strategy as cost pressures continue to rise. With some simple adjustments, you can protect your operation’s bottom line.

The ionophore, monensin, is a class of antibiotics that can improve animal health, maintain body condition and increase feed efficiency, yet limit feed intake. This supplement may be beneficial during dry spells when ranchers scramble for additional feedstuffs.

While genetics and management components can also factor into improving feed efficiency, there are numerous nutrition and diet strategies that can be readily incorporated into your feed program to make dramatic changes in feed efficiency.