Ranch families that have a son or daughter home from school for an extended period due to COVID-19 isolation should take advantage of the younger generation’s skills to update the ranch record keeping system.
Spring calving cow herd operations should schedule pre-breeding soundness exams for bulls. Evaluations should be conducted 30 to 60 days before the start of breeding.
Time is of the essence when a calving cow or heifer has a situation where the calf is coming backwards. If the umbilical cord is totally pinched by the pelvic rim, the calf can only survive about four minutes.
After calving, a normally healthy cow needs 52% more protein and a substantial increase in energy as she begins the lactation phase. Meeting those nutrition requirements will positively impact rebreeding.
Despite our best efforts at bull selection and heifer development, cows or heifers occasionally need assistance at calving time. Every baby calf has a certain degree of respiratory acidosis.
Christmas Eve day on our Platte Valley farm was cloudy and cool. Evening chores were to be completed earlier than usual so that the family could attend Christmas Eve services at the small Presbyterian church in town.
Southern plains ranchers often use wheat pasture as much of the winter feed supply, but some may wonder about unsatisfactory breeding performance of heifers when grazing wheat pasture.
