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The hustle and bustle of spring calving is quickly approaching, and now is the time for cow-calf producers to begin planning their calving management strategies. Proper planning prior to the start of calving can improve overall animal welfare, as well as saving a producer’s time and energy.

A successful calving season happens when the cows do almost all the work. To get cows set up for success, start with good, balanced nutrition. Consider these three tips to help prepare cows for calving season.

Supplementation plays a vital role in your cow herd both economically and in animal welfare. It can improve body condition scores (BCS) of your cows, improve calving and enhance the utilization of forage resources. The most important factor to the utilization of supplements is forage testing.

Five thousand dollars – that’s what the average commercial producer spends on a bull. While most commercial producers don’t spend that kind of money on their females, it’s safe to say bulls are a big investment, one producers shouldn’t overlook come winter.

Why do some calves survive the rigors of being born in cold, wet weather while others in the same situation die of hypothermia? Good mothers make a difference, but research shows that calves’ survival depends on brown fat.

Good, bad or otherwise, the impact of colostrum intake – or lack thereof – can follow newborn calves throughout their lifetime.