Backgrounding Calves Before Sale

Tips offered to prepare calves for a successful, productive life.

Calves receive a premium as weaned, preconditioned calves, so it is important to transition them carefully to minimize health problems.

“Two-stage weaning with nose flaps is the least stressful way to wean,” says Ron Gill, professor of animal science and extension livestock specialist at Texas A&M University. “Next best is fenceline weaning at pasture.”

He advises people not to process cattle the day they separate cows and calves. Preweaning vaccinations should be given prior to that.

Quiet Structural Change

Grow yards are becoming a growing aspect of the cattle industry.

Grow yards — drylot feeding areas for young calves before transitioning to feedyards — are becoming more of a player in the beef industry. While once only used as residual housing for feedyards when wheat pasture wasn’t available or feedyards were backed up, Don Close, senior analyst of animal protein at Rabo AgriFinance, believes they mark a subtle change in the cattle supply chain that will affect all sectors.

Fall Calving Considerations

Feed, climate and labor to consider when deciding calving season.

There are advantages and disadvantages to every calving season. Producers must figure out what works best for their own climate and management system.

George Barrington, Washington State University, says there’s a lot of information and also many opinions regarding calving seasons. The advantages and disadvantages are partly geographic. If you have severe winters, those environmental factors make fall calving more challenging.

Successful Weaning: Tried-and-true Transition Strategies

Management practices can minimize stress on calves at weaning to optimize performance in the feedlot.

Fall feedlot success starts long before calves arrive at the feedyard. Preshipment management on the ranch is truly the only way to adequately prepare calves for the changes awaiting them after weaning. In addition to optimizing feedlot health and performance, the best-prepared calves will result in the biggest return to the ranch. Because calf buyers want the healthiest calves, providing them with a certified history of health management procedures, especially one verified by your veterinarian, can result in a $15- to $35-per-head premium paid by buyers.

Commercial Strategies for Success

Successful commercial producers with different markets and goals share similar strategies.

Beef operations can be as different as night and day, and that was no exception with the four panelists of the Elite Commercial Cattlemen session at the 2019 Beef Improvement Federation Annual Convention. These cattlemen gathered in Brookings, S.D., and shared surprisingly similar strategies to gain success in their differing operations.

Some major themes included fitting cattle to their environment, having marketing strategies and backup strategies, focusing on fertility, and using technology for improvement.

New Research on New Pest

New research helps hay producers manage Bermuda grass stem maggot.

A relatively new pest — the Bermuda grass stem maggot — is plaguing Texas hay producers this season, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

However, new research from Texas A&M AgriLife is helping growers better manage this pest.

Angus Advisor

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