As dry conditions persist across much of the West, beef producers should be cautious about a silent threat in their hay: nitrate toxicity.

Calf-raising systems are not necessarily one-size-fits-all. Not all raisers face the same challenges. Each operation has different approaches – from feeding methods (bottles, buckets or auto feeders), to housing strategies (group settings or individual pens), to the choice between whole milk or milk replacer – the differences are many. Despite contrasts in styles, calf raisers seek many of the same answers in their pursuit of excellence.

High cattle prices and good feed availability, coupled with low cow inventories, set up a common conversation around feeding and breeding cull cows.

I didn’t invent the “Swiss cheese model,” but it’s one of my favorite ways to explain best management practices in beef cattle production.

Some distillers grains are excellent feed supplements, while others are often not worth the hassle. To understand the differences, it is important to know where and how the distillers grains were produced and the terminology the industry typically uses to describe each source.

“We didn’t have electricity until I was in high school,” Grandpa explained to all the grandchildren. The youngsters stared sullen-faced with no context for this information. They looked like a horse or a cow when you explain any concept, unable to process the words … lacking the part of the brain necessary.

Across the Colorado River Basin, producers face pressure of an ever-dwindling aquifer and deep-rooted decisions as the 2026 river rules are due to expire.