It is that time of year when most need to start thinking about horn and stable fly control strategies. There are no magic bullets for controlling either of these flies, but there are strategies that can be used to reduce their impact.

There is a reason green is the “lucky color” during the month of March for most cattle producers. Cool-season forages are about to reach their peak production for the year, and many producers are enjoying the benefits of high-quality forage for their herds.

Rising input costs are posing a major threat to profitability in nearly all sectors. For most cattle producers, the largest input is feed. While I think everyone should be looking at ways to reduce feed costs, I believe timely supplementation is a good investment.

With spring work starting and calving season coming to an end for most of us, the last thing on our minds is looking at the old bull pen. However, now is the time to do it.

Unfortunately, drought and abnormally dry conditions are ongoing and have spread across much of the region. Additionally, current forecasts call for these conditions to continue and spread into additional areas.

Forage intake potential plays a key role in supporting cow-calf animal performance. Three factors that affect forage intake are forage quality, animal weight and stage of production of the animal.

Ensuring adequate colostrum intake is one of the most important factors in producing healthy, profitable cattle. Because antibodies do not pass across the placenta, calves must rely on consuming colostrum for early protection against pathogens.

Does it ever seem that your cows can’t find enough things to scratch on during these long winter months? Constantly rubbing on and breaking gates, posts, boards – if they can use it to scratch themselves on, it’s probably going to break and need replaced soon.

Determining the right bull-to-cow ratio is something all cow-calf producers must do. An appropriate bull-to-cow ratio will vary depending on stocking rate, pasture size, bull age, previous breeding experience, libido, single- versus multiple-bull pastures, bull fertility and other factors.

Winter “feeding season” is upon us, and with that comes a list of questions related to the appropriate type of feed to select, amount to provide and frequency of feeding.