Feed & Nutrition

Weaning season is a critical time of the year as cattle producers prepare calves for the next stage of production. Through proper weaning practices, large- and small-scale producers can maximize the performance and value of their calves, whether as stockers, feeders or replacement heifers.

Cow-calf operations today are much like the Wild West of the cattle industry – operating with little direction and few rules. Sure, there are some broad guidelines for things that must be done, but in general, the rules are pretty limited. Each producer manages his or her herd and raises cattle as he or she sees fit.

The road to a successful fall breeding season seems simple enough: Get the most cows bred in the shortest possible window, then maintain those pregnancies until calving time.

Weaning is a stressful – if not the most stressful – period in a calf’s life. Stressors affecting calves during weaning include physical, environmental, immunological and (some would argue) psychological factors.

Nutrigenomics is scientific study of the interaction of nutrition and genes or, alternatively, the effect of nutrition on the expression of genes.

With shrinking margins caused by the influx of dairy cull cows into the beef market and recent increases in the protein markets, feeders are forced once again to find low-cost alternatives to their feeding program.