Cows return to lush, green pastures as we ponder the mating decisions of the upcoming breeding season. The present time is critical for quality nutrition because we are asking for the most from our cows during the annual production cycle.

It’s commonly known in the cattle industry that BRD is the most costly illness affecting cattle in North America. Despite extensive research and treatment efforts over the years, it continues to lead to high rates of sickness and death among cattle.

There’s no bigger reward in this industry than capitalizing on the decisions of last year, but like the tax collector, don’t pay attention to your herd in arrears. Now is the time to begin thinking of next year’s calf crop.

The transition period in dairy cows is a pivotal time for maintaining health and productivity. During this phase, significant physiological, metabolic and dietary changes occur, which present unique challenges for the cow. 

Mineral mixes and supplements can be formulated with several trace mineral sources, each with advantages and disadvantages. There are some commonly held perceptions around trace minerals and their “benefits” that need attention in order to optimize performance, health and feed costs.

A new era of calf prices begs the question: What’s one more worth? An extra weaned calf can be a result of improved reproductive success in conjunction with reducing morbidity and death loss.

It has been nearly 15 years since we wrote our first press article on the use of “herbs and spices” in cattle. Where have we been and what have we learned? What does the future hold for this technology? And most importantly, how do you decide what the value is for your cattle?

Elite athletes are resilient, and your cows need to be that way too. For them to perform at a high level, they need all barriers to productivity removed so they can devote as much energy as possible to fully expressing their genetic potential.

Successfully weaning and starting calves on feed can be a rewarding time of year for producers and sets the calf up for future performance. However, the most common time for a calf to contract BRD is within the first four weeks postweaning.

As the field of cattle science progresses, we delve deeper into a previously unexplored domain: the ruminant gut microbiome. Each animal hosts a distinct set of organisms, many of which remain unknown in terms of their specific functions and interactions.