As we patiently wait for the turn of the season, producers will continue to keep a watchful eye on young calf health, especially regarding scours.

Though it’s only February and many are dialed in on calving season, producers remain looking forward to the next management task and next calf crop. 

While spring calving season is still several weeks out for a number of operations, now could be a good time to start preparing. 

Cattle markets continue to be strong, with all classes of cattle trading above year-ago and five-year average historical prices. High farm gate prices can lead to exciting marketing opportunities across the value chain, but they can also lead to complacency.

Continuing with the theme of nutrition at calving, we’ll now shift focus to how it relates to colostrum production along with management for the calf. Born essentially without immunity, calves don’t yet have the necessary antibodies to shield them from disease, which is why they have to rely on their mother for the immunoglobulin-rich nourishment of colostrum through passive immunity.

We’ve turned over the calendar year, and many beef producers in the Northwest are well into winter feeding as well as preparing for calving season.