“Safety of man and animal” – these are words I often used in the classroom or during an extension meeting to describe one of the overall purposes of cattle-handling equipment and facilities.

The year 2014 has been good to cattle producers. Record-high prices for fed and feeder cattle have provided great opportunities for profit.

There are only 29 million beef cows in the U.S. – the lowest inventory since 1962. And the combination of increasing world population and an increasing standard of living in most developing countries will result in increased demand for meat over the next several decades. Providing an increased supply of beef at a reasonable price will be difficult, particularly if sustainable production methods are to be used.

“Times are a-changing.” I’ve been associated with the cattle industry all my life; that’s 59 years this summer. I’ve also been closely associated with the science and application of technologies and management practices for the beef industry throughout my higher-education and professional career, about 30 years now.

This article is designed to provide a perspective from a young person with a desire to remain involved in animal agriculture as a profession.

Most cattle producers are well aware of the value and importance of assuring that newborn calves receive colostrum soon after they are born.

When to calve is a decision that has many factors, and much has been written and discussed about this question.

I once heard a cow described as an animal with built-in locomotion, a harvesting mechanism, a fermentation vat, a calf incubator and fertilizer dispenser.

There are several things a calf and its mother must accomplish in the first 24 hours to assure survival.

I start with this quote from Winston Churchill, a man I admire greatly and who undoubtedly had ample cause for discouragement during the dark days of World War II.