Deciding which supplement to use will vary depending on forage quality, animal requirements, body condition score, the ability to feed daily or not, product availability and cost per unit of needed nutrient.

You may be familiar with the phrase, “If you don’t test, it’s just a guess,” a phrase that applies directly to hay quality. The only way to know the exact nutrient concentration of hay is to take a representative sample and have it analyzed by a lab.

With the fall-calving season just around the corner, it is time to start thinking about increased cow nutrition needs at calving and during lactation.

Having some open cows is normal in a 60- to 90-day breeding season. However, if the number of open cows is excessive (greater than 6% to 10%), evaluation of management, nutrition and herd health needs to take place.

As the summer heat gives way to crisp fall days, we move into the time to ship calves to their next destination. Before they go, weaning them from their mothers needs to take place. Weaning can be achieved using multiple methods, all with different pros and cons, and can be tweaked to fit your operation and its goals.

Hay quality cannot be judged based on looks or if it was fertilized or not. Often, some of the best-looking hay will test out to be some of the lowest quality.

Weaning is part of cow-calf production, and it can occur at different times for numerous reasons. There is varying terminology associated with weaning depending on age of the calf, the weaning location (ranch of origin or trailer) and dictionary versus industry definitions.

Testing hay can help reduce chances of nitrate poisoning and can improve your feed program.

It is well known that the single-greatest expense in a cattle enterprise is feed and forage production. One way to reduce cost is to decrease hay feeding days.

Often, farmers are seeking a yes or no answer to mowing pastures … and hopefully validation of their current practice. Unfortunately, the answer is somewhat dependent on previous pasture management and the chosen grazing system.