The greatest demand for nutrients (above and beyond maintenance requirements for normal body function) is during lactation.

In fall and winter, most native forages and tame pastures are low in protein (unless fall rains stimulated new growth).

Foot injuries or diseases need to be addressed early and resolved before lameness results in weight loss due to reluctance to travel to feed/water.

Building fence can be challenging in rocky, frozen or swampy ground when it’s impossible to dig post holes or set posts with a traditional tractor-mounted post pounder.

A growing number of farmers and ranchers are raising grass-finished beef using high-quality forages that facilitate good gain and finish without grain, creating a healthier meat product.

Grass and grazing animals evolved together. In North America, bison, pronghorn antelope and elk grazed the plains. In mountainous Western areas, elk, deer, bighorns, mountain goats and mountain buffalo grazed the more rugged regions.

The 2-year-old year is the toughest time of a cow’s life. It’s nursing its first calf, still growing and needs enough nutrition and body condition to cycle on schedule after calving.

Often called pneumonia or shipping fever, bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is costly for the livestock industry, especially in feedlot cattle, but also a concern in cow-calf herds.

Broken bones are sometimes seen in cattle, especially young calves, such as accidents when a cow steps on its calf and breaks a leg or a limb fractured due to excessive and improper pressure applied pulling a calf.