I can honestly say inserting myself into a conversation is difficult from time to time. As a fifth-generation cattle rancher from Oklahoma, I don’t take credit for things I don’t earn. I don’t raise havoc when things get tough.

One of my dad’s favorite sayings was, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” When it comes to types of calf weaning methods, this phrase could easily be used.

Many cows across the Midwest entered the breeding season in less-than-ideal body condition. Research has shown body condition score (BCS) is directly related to postpartum interval, or the number of days from calving to the subsequent calf conception.

The grazing season on Western rangelands is in full swing, and the presence of flies (i.e., horn, face and stable) on cattle can have negative impacts on health and performance. Summer represents peak fly populations, and for much of the West, moisture has been good, which intensifies this management challenge.

I often hear people say they want a higher phosphorus (P) level in their mineral to help with reproduction. Before feeding a higher phosphorus mineral, it is important to take a look back at research on phosphorus supplementation and what exactly was observed in those studies.

Parasites, external or internal, are a hindrance to cattle welfare and greatly impact productivity. Last month we focused on horn flies. The ones we don’t see as easily, the internal kind, are just as challenging, if not more so.

For spring-calving herds, many stressors often coincide with the breeding season, which can impact pregnancy establishment and embryo survival.

Breeding season is upon us, and hopefully we have made some sound bull decisions that will positively influence our herds going forward. However, it is even more important we ensure the bulls we have purchased or retained are capable of incorporating genetics into our herds.

A mineral supplement in a cow-calf operation is designed to provide minerals and vitamins that may be lacking in the forage. A complete free-choice mineral supplement for grazing cattle will have four main components: