Cow-Calf

Cow-calf producers are constantly bombarded with decisions and challenges as it relates to herd health, nutrition, retaining versus purchasing heifers, sire selection, timing of marketing and the list could continue.

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.

This time of year, cattle producers begin looking for a new bull according to Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension regional livestock field specialist.

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.

Flooding in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa continues to impact cattlemen, right in the middle of calving season. Additional moisture this week, will aggravate the situation even more, meteorologists say.

Corral work is a stressful time. It can also be a place where cattle learn being in a herd is a bad place to be, which has negative effects for gathering, driving and settling cattle as a herd.  

As producers work through this (or any) calving season it is very important to record any multiple births that may have occurred. 

Worms, flies, ticks and lice are all costly to beef producers.

Basic stockmanship plays a critical role in BQA. Check out the advice on herding from the 2019 NCBA Cattle Convention.

Late winter and early spring is the most challenging time of the year for the nutrition of the spring-calving beef cows.

Using maternal genetics, calf weaning weight can have as low as a 5% influence on ranch profitability, due to increasing cowherd production costs.

The USDA Cattle report was released last week and it showed an estimated 0.5 percent growth in all cattle and calves for a total of 94.8 million head in the U.S. on January 1, 2019.

The January 1, 2019 inventory of all cattle and calves in the U.S. grew to 94.76 million, head, up 0.5 percent from one year ago.

In cold and windy situations, protection for livestock will reduce cold stress and aid in calving success and energy requirements.

The survey of cattle producers indicates all cattle and calves as of January 1 totaled 94.76 million head which is a 0.5 percent increase from one year ago.

March could be the hardest month of the year on beef cattle according to Eldon Cole, field specialist in livestock with University of Missouri Extension.

While the vast majority of respondents in Drover’s latest poll are wearing Muck Boots on their farm, several reader opinions were submitted in the comment section offering critique and highlighting new options.

USDA continues to catch up on reports stalled by the shutdown and as part of catching up released the January Cattle on Feed report on February 22, and the Cattle Inventory report will be released February 28. 

Even with nighttime feeding, a few calves still will be born in the coldest nighttime hours. These wet newborns may become hypothermic or cold stressed.

Tony Schwarck of Riceville, Iowa, diversified his family's crop operation with a feedlot.