Regional Roundup

Bull buying season is just around the corner, and it is important to have a plan in place prior to attending a sale or visiting a ranch for a private treaty purchase. Identifying the goals and marketing strategy for your operation is the first step in the decision-making process.

The new year symbolizes a great opportunity to reflect about ways to reduce costs and improve upon 2018 profitability. Ranch profitability is essentially determined by enterprise cost structure.

For the last several years, calving in a confinement setting has been on the rise because of the advantages offered, including better opportunity to monitor and assist during parturition if needed, ability to control feed intake and waste, and avoid dealing with mud.

Let’s run through the January checklist: grass tetany prevention for grazing winter annuals, spring-calving herds need to make sure bulls are in a body condition score (BCS) of 5 or 6 and have a breeding soundness exam, and ensure appropriate nutrition for cows in peak lactation.

Winter-annual pastures (ryegrass, wheat, oats, etc.) are off to a great start due to good rains across much of the south-central region. To get the most out of these pastures, specific grazing and mineral supplementation strategies are needed.

Evaluating bull and cow body condition scores (BCS) prior to the winter months is essential to ensure productivity and longevity in our herds. There are two main activities that should be addressed prior to the winter season.