Old Man Winter hasn’t been shy about making his presence known in southern Idaho this year. It’s kind of my goal every winter to make it to Christmas before we have to do any serious feeding. We didn’t even make it through the first week of December this year.

The soundtrack of my life has been the chant of an auctioneer. In the past 43 years, I have attended thousands of auctions and have seen auctions from every angle as a consignor, buyer, ring man, clerk, auctioneer, gate man and announcer of a video auction company for 20 years that sold nearly half-a-million head per year.

Gerald Two Bears was the foreman of the tribal branding crew. Lots of Indians who were cowboys came to do what they could do.

Winter pasture (wheat, rye, barley, etc.) can be a valuable asset for many cattle operations. It is often the most cost-effective way to put weight on stocker cattle or condition on developing heifers.

Moisture, high winds and cold temperatures increase the cow’s energy requirements. Cows in an optimal body condition score (BCS 5 to 6) are better able to withstand adverse environmental conditions.

The foundation for reproduction is a sound year-round nutrition program that includes animals being in a positive energy balance (more energy coming in than being expended) before the breeding season and during early embryonic development.

Congenital defects are abnormalities present at birth. They are abnormalities of structure or function that can result in calf losses before or after birth. These defects can be caused by genetics, environment or a combination of these two factors. In some cases, the cause of defects is unknown.

A.I. offers the opportunity to use semen from high-accuracy, genetically superior sires at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a herd bull of similar genetics. In addition, using estrus synchronization and A.I. can increase the number of calves born earlier in the calving season and increase weaning weights of calves.

Silage makes an excellent feed for ruminant animals. However, feeding silage is much different than feeding hay. Silage, because it is much wetter than hay, is much more susceptible to deterioration.

Along with many other problems livestock producers have to deal with as a result of the ever-changing climate, ergotism can routinely be a concern. Ergot is a fungus that grows on the seedhead of cereal grains and grasses.