MANAGEMENT...
No Time for Trouble
Ever since Jw Nuckolls' father traded 100 horses for a Wyoming ranch northwest of Devils Tower in 1915, the family has intertwined Western tradition with uncommon practicality. These days, time management is the key for Nuckolls, who, with wife Thea and son Will, coordinates a large band of ewes, an Angus-based cow herd and a seasonal hunting operation. Using no outside labor, the family shifts its focus as seasonal demands require and works with a nearby feedlot to ease the labor crunch and add quality potential. Read more.
Calving Barns — Keep Them Clean
Calving barns should be designed for easy cleaning. Doorways, alleys and gates should be large enough to get a tractor through. Straw, sawdust, wood chips or shavings can be used as bedding.
“The best way to use chips or shavings is with straw on top,”says Ron Skinner, a veterinarian and Angus breeder from Hall, Mont. Moisture goes down through the straw and into the chips, and this keeps the top layer dry.
“The straw stays cleaner, and you can use it 8 to 10 times before you have to take it all out again. In our barn we put in 5 inches of chips, then add about 6 inches of straw. Even with a cow in there, the next morning it will be dry on top. You can take cow pies off the top with a barn fork and use it again,”he says.
“We throw cow pies into the alleyway and go through there every few days with the tractor and push or drag it out. It doesn't take long to clean the barn,”Skinner says.
Sometimes bedding stays dry because moisture and manure freeze. But when weather warms up, stalls get wet again.
“Usually, with an underlayer of chips, it's only the center of the stall that gets wet. Sometimes I only change those chips a couple times during calving season. Usually the moisture is in the center and I can clean that part and leave bedding all around the edges; those chips are still dry,”he says.
Cow-Calf Buffet
As it applies to cattle performance and stocking rates on summer irrigated grazing ground, Utah State University researchers have discovered that three forages are better than one. Read more.
Kris RingwallBeef Talk
No profit in calves that cost $2.80 per pound
Although hard to document, when a set of calving heifers is slow to recoup after calving and the calves are cumbersome at best, you should know you are pushing the envelope. We pushed the limits and created a manageable, but difficult situation.
When using a high-growth bull, is the return for the added performance of the calves worthwhile? Read more.
Don't Become Complacent Around Livestock
Farmers and ranchers who work with livestock need to stay vigilant around those animals. It's a dangerous mistake to become too comfortable around animals.
Worker safety around cattle and horses requires respect for the animals and concentrating on the task at hand, says a North Dakota State University (NDSU) veterinarian. Read more.
Alternatives for Reducing Forage Acres
Several alternatives may allow producers to manage the same amount of livestock on fewer acres of forage or carry more cows on the acres of forage they have available. Read more.
Ron TorellBack to Basics
Grass hay meadow fertilization: Yes or no?
Sharpen your shovels and your pencils. Many producers question whether they should purchase expensive hay this fall or expensive fertilizer this spring. This month, we discuss how irrigation and fertilizer management determine which plants are most common in a hay field and their effect on the quality, quantity and long-term production of forage from grass-hay meadows. Read more.
Calf Shelters
During bad weather, shelter can keep calves from being chilled and stressed and help prevent illness. Shelters should be portable for easy movement to new locations.
Ron Skinner, veterinarian and Angus breeder from Hall, Mont., made the skids and crosspieces for his hutches from 6-inch well casing obtained from a salvage business.
“We can push or drag these anywhere and they won't break,”he says. “The well casing is stiff enough to drag or push over frozen cow manure, and the top of the building won't flex. We used vertical metal pieces and framed it with angle iron, bolted boards to that, and put a metal roof on.”
It's an improvement, he says, over the hutches his dad had back in the 1960s. “We kept breaking the boards by dragging them around,”he recalls.
Ron's calf hutches don't have floors, so there is no buildup of contamination inside. If it starts to get dirty, he pushes the building to a new location when feeding cows.
“My tractor has two forks on the loader for handling round bales, and I just slide those under the end of the hutch, pick it up a little and slide it any direction. You can roll a little straw off a round bale right into it for new bedding,”Skinner says.
“If you move sheds often, you leave the mess behind. In some health situations, you may need to close up hutches so calves can't get in them. They can become funeral homes instead of shelters,”he says.
“The first 48 hours of life is crucial,”Skinner says. “Calves need a dry place to lie down. Once they're dry and have nursed, they can handle a lot of cold weather if you can keep them out of the wind.”
Financial Advice in a Struggling Economy
At a time when finances and the economy are on the minds of most, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is offering a free financial management curriculum to the public.
“Focus on Financial Management”is an eight-part curriculum that includes financial planning advice and worksheets that help people organize financial goals, understand the ways they spend money, prepare and use net worth statements, manage risk, understand savings and investment options, use credit cards more wisely, deal with financial challenges, and plan for retirement.
The free “Focus on Financial Management”curriculum is available here under “Family Resource Management.”
Angus Advisor
Click here for March herd management tips from cattle experts across the nation. Advice separated by region.