Regional Roundup

The length of the breeding season and the number of breeding seasons per year are questions that must be addressed by all cow-calf producers. While we talk about a breeding season, what we are really focused on is the resulting calving season.

Once again it is that time of year when our email inboxes and our mailboxes are full of bull sale catalogs. It is an exciting time of year as we are getting ready for or already calving, and we are starting to evaluate the genetics we are going to incorporate into our herds this coming year.

Calving season is in full swing for much of the region; hay supplies are tight; and we’re impatiently waiting for green grass to turn pairs out on. With a wet spring predicted, turnout may be delayed later than hoped for and may require extended stored feed delivery.

Reproductive failure in cattle can be very frustrating. Understanding some basic anatomy and principles of reproduction can help producers better communicate with their veterinarian and possibly prevent pregnancy loss.

Treatment of horn flies is important from both an economic and animal welfare standpoint. On average, horn flies have been shown to reduce average daily gain (ADG) in stocker cattle and replacement heifers by 13.6 percent or about 0.2 pound per day.

The beginning of spring represents a busy time for most ranchers. Setting aside time for strategic management or working on the business is seldom considered. This makes it difficult to decide where to focus management efforts.