Starting feedlot cattle correctly is one of the most important parts of the entire feeding program. A feedlot animal is being asked to make a major transition: from pasture, backgrounding or a previous management system into a high-energy, tightly managed environment where rapid weight gain is the goal.

Salt is necessary for our livestock’s health – and they love the stuff. But it’s easy to go too far. Look out for these common pitfalls when developing your herd’s nutrition plan.

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.

Exploring sainfoin and other forage options, researchers are weighing nutrition, adaptability and bloat risk.

Is your robot feed bin a place that you avoid until the cows stop eating? Here are some tips to help monitor and manage feed in the bin, before the cows run out of pellets or stop visiting.

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson famously said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” While he was referring to strategy in the boxing ring, the same holds true for starting lightweight (sometimes called peewee) calves.

Vetch is not vetch is not vetch. Poison ivy is not an ivy, and poison oak is not an oak. Yes, names for common plants can be delightfully whimsical and inconsistent, but there’s nothing delightful about the toxins in these plants.

It’s imperative that weaning goes perfectly because a calf in today’s economic cycle is worth at least $1,500. However, one very important thing can easily be forgotten: the calf’s nutritional plan from now until weaning. Will the cattle be ready when weaning day arrives?

The influence of mineral on your cattle’s performance – and the potential impact of that performance on your profitability – can’t be overstated.