ANGUS BEEF BULLETIN EXTRA

January 21, 2019 | Vol. 12 : No. 1

Management


grazing plan

Create a 2019 Grazing Plan

Take these steps for better livestock grazing in 2019.

Droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and floods — these are just a few of the challenges livestock producers across the country faced in 2018. Looking ahead, it’s not easy to predict what will happen in the coming new year. Even the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which regularly issues long-range forecasts, admits the probabilities their models suggest are not guaranteed.

How to Make the Most of Winter Pastures

Mature, dormant winter pastures must be managed carefully to ensure optimal performance.

Imagine cattle herds grazing tall, nutrient-rich grasses year-round, with no worry of snow cover or dormancy. Although this utopic scenario sounds pretty great, it’s just too good to be true here in cow country, U.S.A.

A majority of the land producers have to graze during winter months is mature, dormant forage that is low in protein. It must be managed carefully as it doesn’t regenerate itself until springtime, and it requires proper supplementation so the cattle can best utilize the nutrients it does contain.

Annual Crops Can Extend Grazing

If forages are few, try annual crops to extend grazing season.

Some years, native pastures and hay aftermath don’t produce as much forage as we’d hoped, especially if there’s not much rain in a region where producers don’t irrigate.

In dry climates ranchers often run short on late summer and fall pasture, since productivity of cool-season perennial grasses diminishes during summer heat. One strategy to increase forage production is to grow annuals like cereals and brassicas.

When to Check a Cow

Timing is crucial for intervention during calving.

Most cows progress normally through the three stages of labor — early labor, active labor with abdominal straining and expulsion of placenta. However, if the calf does not start into the birth canal, the cow does not begin hard straining. You may think she is still in the first stage of labor. If you don’t check her and intervene, you’ve lost the calf. Knowing when to check a cow is crucial — and you have to be watching her to know how long she’s been in early labor.

Calve in Daylight

Trick your cows into calving in the daylight hours.

Producers who want more cows and heifers calving in daylight hours should try to delay putting out hay and cubes until late in the day.

“It may sound like an old wives’ tale, but it works and has unbiased research behind it,” said Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

Healthy Start Equals Improved Feedyard Performance

Starting cattle the right way is better for the cattle and the consumer.

Whether it is bawling calves or heavier grass cattle, how they are started on feed sets the tone for how the cattle gain in a feedyard. For Midwest producers, Brian Bangert with Funk Farms Trust in Illinois and Ed Greiman with Greiman Brothers in Iowa, a focus on starting cattle with less stress and good nutrition has paid dividends.

Angus Advisor

Our team of Angus advisors offer regional tips for herd management for the winter season.