When cattle start rubbing and losing hair in late winter or early spring, lice are often the first suspect. Follow-up checks by producers and veterinarians, however, show the cause is not always that simple.

The foundation of a strong mineral program for your cow herd can pay major dividends, not only for the coming year’s calf crop but for years down the line.

A well-balanced mineral and vitamin program is the foundation for healthy, productive and profitable cattle. However, when specific challenges arise, the strategic use of mineral additives can provide targeted solutions.

With feeder calf prices at record highs and USDA predictions for prices to remain at or above $3 per hundredweight (cwt) into 2027, it’s an exciting time to be in the cow-calf business.

A cow’s plane of health and nutrition can have a lasting and profound impact on her offspring throughout their lives, too.

Setting up an effective supplement program is more than simply finding the right mineral at the right price.

Cattle have a requirement and desire for salt, but many producers have been misled to believe that salt blocks, especially trace mineral salt blocks, provide adequate trace mineral.

Have you ever looked at a feed analysis and thought the information was confusing? A forage analysis is an important tool to improve profitability when developing nutritional programs for all classes of beef cattle. Understanding the feed test information is a solid step in harnessing the power of nutritional management.

Selecting a proper mineral supplementation strategy can be quite complicated with all the different product offerings and brands available. In selecting the right program for your herd, it is helpful to not only have an understanding of your forage quality but to also think about what goals you want to achieve.

Forage is the foundation for grazing beef cattle diets. Unfortunately, the perfect forage simply doesn’t exist, even with ideal growing conditions.