I was recently asked to give a presentation on “How to make money in the cow business.” Whether you are running 40 or 400 cows, money can routinely be made in the cow business, but it takes good planning, recordkeeping and decision-making.

Has the hay you plan to feed this winter been tested? If so, you have the tools necessary to help maintain appropriate body condition for your herd and better plan for those potential winter storms. If you haven’t tested your hay, that $30 will be money very well spent.

A cow herd offers diversity and flexibility to the farming enterprise; however, start-up or expansion of the cow herd can be a high-capital investment.

Weaning is quite possibly the most stressful time in a calf’s life. During this process, calves are subjected to a variety of stressors including removal from their mothers, new diets, processing (vaccination, dehorning, castration, etc.) and possibly even new pen or pasture environments.

With November here, it is time to make sure cattle are ready for the winter. November or December is the time when most operations treat cattle for lice. Lice are easily transmitted from animal to animal, so it is critical to treat all animals in the herd and also to treat any new animals before introducing them.

The commercial cow is the unsung hero of the beef industry. In a wide range of environments, she has the task of breeding, calving, nursing and rebreeding in a timely manner.

Historically, corn and corn dried distillers grains (DDGs) are priced at seasonal lows during the fall months. Due to their unique nutrient profile, DDGs are a good source of both protein and energy.

Genetic technologies available for the beef industry are being developed and improving at a dramatic pace. Parentage testing is one of these genetic tests that has been around for a while and traditionally been used to determine which bull sired which calves.

Winter supplementation of protein and energy (e.g., TDN equals total digestible nutrients) is a topic that poses a lot of questions, and there are several answers or supplement choices that can work well depending on the situation.