Anyone who is at least somewhat familiar with the cattle industry knows there is a long list of products and product types that can be used for providing supplemental nutrients to cattle.

Cattle producers in many areas of the country face a critical decision: whether to produce their own hay or to buy hay from external sources. Both approaches have distinct advantages, challenges and economic implications.

Proper planning and sound implementation are critical to making beef-on-dairy programs work, and the results can improve overall farm income and can complement the dairy operation as a whole.

Whether the market is as strong as it has been recently or in a slump, the health and growth of calves are critical to long-term success. Producers need to adapt their strategies to ensure they maintain profitability as best possible.

Most folks may recall that in September 2024, the southeastern U.S. was hit by Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm that made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area with 140-mph winds. It crossed Florida and came up through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, causing numerous fatalities and billions of dollars in damage. We are still hearing about the recovery efforts across much of the region, particularly areas of North Carolina devastated by flooding.

Carbohydrates are integral to the diet of lactating dairy cows, providing the energy necessary for milk production and overall health. Balancing NFC and fiber carbohydrates, along with proper ration formulation and monitoring, can maximize the benefits of carbohydrates in the diet.

Every cattle operation deals with environmental stress in some form or another multiple times throughout the year. Heat, cold, mud, snow and ice – even extremes such as hurricanes, tornadoes or wildfires – can have profound and ongoing effects on a cattle operation.

Some producers may be leery of adopting practices such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer and in vitro fertilization due to perceived high costs and risk factors. Here’s a look at some of the numbers.

While there are no proven vaccines or products for the control of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), sound immunity is a core component of the cow’s physiology and ability to produce efficiently and economically. A sound nutrition program supports immunity in both the long and short term and certainly will have positive effects on reducing HPAI incidence. 

Over the years, research has shown that to be productive, each cow needs to be maintained at a certain body condition or within a certain range.