Cool-season grass production in August is often reduced by about 50 percent of the forage yield in May due to increased temperatures and reduced moisture.

Periods of extreme heat are often associated with the months of July and August and cause severe stress on cattle and cattlemen. Since we can’t control Mother Nature, being proactive is the best management practice to mitigate heat stress while still maintaining performance.

The goal of every receiving protocol in the feedlots is to get cattle up on feed quickly and keep calves healthy to optimize weight gain and feed efficiency during the finishing period. While feedlots have several tools to aid in accomplishing this goal, management on the cow-calf farm is really the driving force behind the success – or lack of success – of a group of steers entering the feedlot.