When you think of a quality cow herd, the first things that come to mind are conception rate, docility or average weaning weight. Although these traits are important, they shouldn’t be the only measure of a great cow herd.

Spring is the time of peak forage production for most operations in the South Central region. Growing conditions range considerably across this region, but good grazing and forage management practices are key to successful cow-calf operations.

A cow’s milk supply provides adequate energy and protein to meet the requirements of her calf for the first few months of life. However, after about 90 days, milk production alone is often insufficient to meet the rapid growth requirement of the calf.