To background or not to background, that seems to be the age-old question. It can be hard to look at the high cattle prices and justify backgrounding your calves instead of sending them to the sale barn after weaning. But everything is relative.

What are the hidden effects of heat stress on animals, what threats does it pose to the sustainability of the U.S. meat industry and what can be done to mitigate these effects?

By the time today’s cattle leave the feedyard, they are heavier and have been there longer than ever before. This shift has created new opportunities for efficiency and carcass value. Today, the success of feeding cattle can be largely determined long before the animal ever sees a bunk.

Late calving in a heifer’s first season is more than a timing issue – the consequences often extend beyond year one.

We all know the drill. Inbound calves arrive and we might treat a random animal that arrived ill. Then things are pretty calm … until about day 21. Then it all breaks loose. Animals that had escaped scrutiny suddenly appear quite ill, or worse, at death’s door.

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.

Newborn calves occasionally encounter challenges that undermine them in the early hours or days of life. Difficulties such as birthing stress, weakness or an inability to nurse effectively may leave them unable to consume the vital colostrum and nutrients they require.