Alleyways are used not only for livestock movement, but for cattle "storage." But cattle don’t like to be crowded, and remaining in alleyways until processing makes the corral experience bad, and makes cattle harder to work next time.
Every year at "preg" checking time, ranchers evaluate cows and make decisions as which to remove from the herd. One criteria that should be examined to cull cows is udder quality.
Cold and wet weather have added to the calving challenges of Iowa cow-calf producers. Iowa State University Extension beef specialist Beth Doran said both are ideal conditions for contributing to calf scours.
The process of “calving” or parturition in beef cattle is defined by three stages. Stage I occurs about 4 to 24 hours prior to calving. The major event during stage I is the dilation of the cervix.
