As temperatures drop and winter sets in, beef cattle face increased stress due to cold weather, fluctuating feed intake and higher energy demands for thermoregulation. These stressors can suppress the immune system, making cattle more susceptible to respiratory diseases, digestive issues and other illnesses.

Exploring sainfoin and other forage options, researchers are weighing nutrition, adaptability and bloat risk.

Playing markets and feeding calves without the foundation of a program is like taking the family on a road trip without planning your destination, fuel stops, alternate routes or snacks for the kids.

Some calves are the proud accomplishment of strategic breeding, while others can be traced back to your grandparents’ herd. Regardless of how they joined the herd, you are in control of calf performance.

Genetic advances in the cattle industry have resulted in animals with rapid growth rates and increased production efficiencies, requiring critical minerals and vitamins. As cow-calf producers strive to become more efficient through extended grazing programs such as fall/winter swath and bale grazing, the industry standard of providing free-choice mineral and vitamin supplements to herds often results in sporadic consumption by individual animals.

With markets demanding ever more proof of beef’s environmental sustainability, taking relatively simple steps such as improving your herd’s genetics or mineral supplementation can pay big dividends. 

Swath grazing is an economic management strategy that helps ranchers extend their grazing practices into the spring and winter months. It has been shown that swath grazing can reduce the cost of beef production by over 40%.

Supplementing the cow herd with organic trace minerals improves ovarian activity, increases conception rates and helps cattle breed back sooner. Calves from supplemented cows are also in better health and immune status.

A cow’s plane of health and nutrition can have a lasting and profound impact on her offspring throughout their lives, too.

Shipwheel Cattle Feeders, under the stewardship of Andrea Stroeve-Sawa, exemplifies a modern approach to cattle farming that successfully integrates custom cattle feeding with flexible grazing strategies and continuously improves.