Beef Cattle

Summer is heating up and so are the cattle! Heat stress is a reoccurring issue in the summertime. Black hided, sick, or heavy-weight cattle are most susceptible to heat stress. When it comes to heat stress, it’s important to know the warning signs and what can be done to prevent it.Signs...

A recent case in Van Buren County, located in southeast Iowa, has brought new awareness to an emerging threat in the cattle industry. Sadly, 20 heifers were lost due to a disease many of our herds are still naive to – Theileria orientalis Ikeda. This disease is transmitted by the Asian...

Summertime means the start of fly season, which in turn can lead to higher numbers of pinkeye cases. As face flies buzz from cow to cow, they land on the mucus membrane and tear duct of the eye which directly transmits bacteria. When using preventative measures like proper fly control, reducing eye...

Rotational grazing is a popular choice when it comes to putting cattle out on pasture. When using this grazing plan, cattle spend time grazing one paddock before moving to the next. This gives all open paddocks time to “rest” between grazing cycles. When using a rotational grazing system, how often...

Whether you are buying hay or making it yourself, it can be expensive. Reducing the need for stored feeds is a key profitability indicator for beef cow/calf operations. However, having access to dry, quality forages can serve as an important supplement and forage replacement in times of drought or...

With breeding season approaching, let’s look at some areas of focus to that could be robbing from conception rates. Some factors that I think disserve discussion are cow condition, cow requirements, lush pastures, timing of vaccinations, lack of heterosis, stress, and bull fertility. First and...

Recently I saw an old advertisement for hybrid seed corn. The two inbred parent ears of corn were small and low yielding, but the hybrid ear in the middle was robust and high yielding. Sure, this is not new news to you as a reader, but often simple messages, even old ones are worthwhile.Obviously,...

Although there are year-round management strategies that can impact calving season success, here are some short-term, in-the-moment calving tips for success this year.Prepare a calving kit. The last thing you want to be is unprepared during calving season. Having all calving equipment clean, ready...

Dystocia, meaning “difficult birth,” often results in loss of a calf or complications after birth of a live calf. Some examples of complications after a difficult birth can include aspiration pneumonia, joint damage, nerve damage, and hypoxia. Another big problem can be failure of passive transfer...

Failure to develop heifers that can stay productive in the herd is a costly mistake. To help achieve successful heifer development, it is important to adopt an optimal mindset, not a maximal one.If every heifer was to breed, undoubtedly fallout would occur as young cows. Short productive life as a...