Feedlots face a myriad of input challenges in their day-to-day operations, including recording data they anticipate will carry enough influence to sway their profit-bearing and decision-making processes.

Demand for high-quality beef has been increasing at a rapid pace for the last decade, with no decline in sight. Prior to that, the percentage of cattle grading USDA Prime averaged about 2% to 4% nationally. Today, USDA Prime is often seen in 10% to 15% or more of cattle.

Herd management programs and data collection solutions are being advanced by various sectors of the beef industry today. And, while more of a good thing might be better than less, it can also lead to confusion and uncertainty when attempting to navigate its extreme boundaries.

Our decision on when to wean calves is an incredibly powerful lever we have as managers. How should we make the decision on when to wean?

It’s time for general health checks, vaccinations, branding, castration, weaning, checking cattle equipment like your cattle chute and a variety of other routine chores.

“Shrink, the unpaid loss of weight, is essentially an important cost of marketing,” says Chris Bastian, a professor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Wyoming.

Dogs have been helping humans take care of livestock for thousands of years. Although dogs often perform the essential task of protecting livestock from predators, they have also developed the specialized skills necessary for herding – putting the cattle where they need to be. Several breeds have developed strong instincts related to herding.

Expanding working facilities. Switching to a feeding software. Building another sorting pen. Adding calving pens. We all have something we wish we did sooner. Once we finally got around to it, we wonder, “Why the heck did I wait so long?”

Drought has affected large swaths of the U.S. in recent years. Do we need to consider drought moving forward when making decisions about carrying capacity on farms and ranches? 

Here are seven tips for ensuring your cows, calves and handlers have the easiest and safest time possible when it comes to calving.