No matter if you’ve been in the business one year or 20 years, you always seem to find improvements you can make to your working facilities. Well-constructed facilities should reduce stressful situations for both cattle and handlers.

As the year comes to an end, it is a good time to look back and evaluate how the operation did and what things can be improved on moving forward to increase profit potential and reduce risk.

What better time to talk about technology than during this pandemic? We have all been stretched to our limits with the use of technology over these months of virtual content. Schools, churches, livestock producer meetings, national conventions and numerous other programs and events have been impacted.

Marketing of retired breeding stock accounts for roughly 20% of an operation’s annual income. In times of herd consolidations, making the decision of which females to sell might be tough. While it’s easy to part with open cows, late-bred females may be more challenging.

Body condition scoring (BCS) your cows may seem like a fruitless effort. You take the time to record all the data and maybe even sort the thin ones and fat ones out and feed them separately, but does it really pay for that extra work? Well, the answer to that question is: Yes.