It has been said that the cheapest ranch you can buy is to improve the capacity of the one you already own. I would also suggest that the cheapest cow you can buy is to efficiently breed the one that already carries your brand.

The foundation of a strong mineral program for your cow herd can pay major dividends, not only for the coming year’s calf crop but for years down the line.

There is more we can do nutritionally to prevent lameness in horses. Ensuring a well-balanced diet along with monitoring body condition can go a long way in preventing lameness and delaying the onset of some metabolic issues.

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.

The term “high risk” is mainly applied to calves bought and sold through local livestock auctions or sale barns, although not all these calves are necessarily considered high risk.

Over time with many common farming practices, we start to lose some of those minerals to insolubility, erosion or crop exportation. As with sentences, a soil's integrity can deteriorate as these minerals are depleted, leading to reduced plant health, more pest pressure and overall harvest productivity decline.

Understanding the impact of mineral and vitamin intake in relation to requirements and associated responses in health and performance is a very challenging aspect of beef cattle nutrition.

Setting up an effective supplement program is more than simply finding the right mineral at the right price.

Feed costs for beef production are the largest expense on a ranch. There is no better time than now to start an annual plan of monitoring feed inputs, so you can know you are getting the most out of them and what is best for the animal.