“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Although Benjamin Franklin was referring to fire prevention when he wrote that phrase, the same phrase can have literal implications when it comes to saving pounds through scours prevention in calves.

Physical hazards – from swallowed wires to toxic plants – can be devastating, not only to the cow but in certain instances can cause late-term abortions or permanent birth defects in the calf crop.

Here are the key features producers should look for when evaluating machines to support leaner teams.

No matter if you’re hauling a few miles down the road or a long haul across state lines, paying attention to key transportation principles is essential for getting cattle there safely and in good condition.

What looked like a health mystery turned out to be a lesson in how environment shapes livestock longevity.

In the last column, we talked about how valuable and important it is to have vision in our businesses. I want you to know that, in my opinion, vision is even more important outside of business.

I’ve always admired barn cats for their savvy. At any one time, we’d have between 10 and 20 cats making a home of sorts in our old tiestall barn. We’d pour milk from a treated cow into a dish once a day, but otherwise, it was up to them to navigate the world. They had to keep themselves from cattle hooves, tractor tires and the attention of coyotes.

The glass on the table is half full of water, is still half full no matter how you look at it. Looking at the glass half full or half empty is a state of mind.

My grandfather, Paul K. Heck, farmed almost his whole life. He was one who enjoyed working with livestock and crops.