Bull-buying season is just around the corner, and it is time to start making plans on how many and what type of bulls you may need. Before you head out to buy bulls, it is a good idea to determine what selection criteria are important to you, prioritize those criteria and establish a budget.

As fall arrives, it is time to start making or finalizing plans for winter feeding. A first step should be to take inventory of stored forages: hay, stockpiled native range or stockpiled introduced forages like bermudagrass and bahiagrass.

Fall is approaching, and the majority of beef cattle producers will be weaning calves in the next few months. The goal of weaning programs is to minimize stress on calves and prepare them to perform as stockers, feeders and replacement heifers.

Location, rainfall, forage species, age of animals and stocking rates are all important factors in developing a strategic deworming plan. The key to a strategic deworming plan is to treat cattle when environmental/pasture conditions are less favorable for worm infection and survival.

The breeding season is just starting for late-winter-calving operations and will soon start for traditional spring-calving operations. Good planning and proper management prior to and during the breeding season can help ensure success. Breeding seasons should be limited to no more than about 90 days to reduce the potential of heifers getting bred by herd bulls prior to weaning.

As the end of 2016 approaches, many are thinking about their income and how to reduce taxes. However, spending money with just the goal of reducing taxes may not be what is best for the long-term financial success of the operation.

For many in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, fall pasture conditions are better than they have been in several years due to some timely late-summer rains. These rains have allowed many to produce another cutting of hay and others to stockpile some fall forage.

“Sometimes you have to spend a little money to make money” applies perfectly to testing stored forages like hay and silage. Sometimes “making money” actually means saving money when appropriate or spending money to ensure optimum production.