As an extension agent here in Virginia, I have the privilege of working with some of the best cattle producers around. Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges that come with raising cattle – from health and genetics to markets and handling.

Cull cows can be a major factor in the bottom line of a ranch, representing 10% to 20% of the ranch’s total cow-calf revenue. However, selling and marketing cull cows is not a primary focus of the ranch, and more effort tends to be placed on calf revenue.

The way calves are managed during the backgrounding phase can greatly influence cattle performance down the road.

While most of us are either dodging rain or praying for it in the hayfield, fall will be here soon, and weaning time will sneak up on us again. Whether you ship your calves straight off the cow or choose to wean them, those days around weaning are key times for management decisions to be made and data to be collected. But not just for the calves, also for the cows.

Collecting and recording cattle health and production data is a worthwhile endeavor, but even more important than where to store it is ensuring it’s of high quality. To meet this standard, it should be confirmed, useful and actionable for producers and experts alike to deliver the right information at the right time.