Feeding For the Last Trimester

The last trimester of pregnancy is a very critical period in the yearly cycle of the beef cow. The way in which we feed and managed our cow herd during the last trimester will determine the health of the new born calf and how quickly the cow will go on to rebreed.

Feeding More Grain This Winter

With the recent drought this past summer, many producers are investigating the use of more grain in the cow and feeder calf rations for this winter.  As the cost of forage increases and the selling price of feed grains decreases, the economics of feeding additional grain becomes inviting.

Retained Ownership

As we prepare for the marketing of our calves this fall, the thoughts of retained ownership always surface. As we look to the fall market, we see the heifers are off $10 to $20.00/cwt compared to the steers.

Claresholm Livestock Demo Day – October 22, 2009

All UFA VIP beef producers are invited to attend our Livestock Demo Day at the Claresholm UFA Farm and Ranch Supply store on Thursday October 22nd.

High River Livestock Demo Day – October 14, 2009

All UFA VIP beef producers are invited to attend our Livestock Demo Day at the High River UFA Farm and Ranch Supply store on Wednesday October 14th.

Early Weaning Beef Calves

Many producers are busy making plans to extend the grazing period on their forage stands due to the impact of the drought this summer. Most of the province did receive some moisture over the last month which has resulted in some relief for the forage stands. There are a number of alternatives to consider when dealing with drought reduced forage stands.

Forage Harvest Tips

The majority of the province received some moisture over the last couple of weeks which  spelled relief for many producers in the drought areas.  Most of the producers in the province have delayed their forage harvest for a couple of weeks to account for the cool spring and early June frosts.  Producers are now just planning their forage harvest either as green feed or silage as we move into the last week of July.

Supplementing Cattle during Periods of Drought

Drought-affected pastures and native range generally do not produce adequate forage to maintain “normal” stocking rates, so producers have a few options to consider.  Depending on the situation, a producer can elect to reduce the stocking rates where possible or choose to supplement the existing forage cover with energy, protein or a combination of both.  The option then is to determine what delivery method is most cost effective. 

Solar Watering Systems

Many producers have recognized the importance of a quality water source for their grazing livestock. Equally important to managing the upland grazing areas are the management of the riparian areas. Producers are now installing alternate watering systems to preserve the quality and stretch the quantity of water available to the grazing herd.

Advantages of a Short Calving Season

The majority of cow calf producers have moved to a shortened calving season as they evaluate their economic and production records. Most cow/calf producers would agree that a calving season of 45 to 60 days is a desired goal today. If your calving season extends beyond the above period, shortening the breeding season will yield some advantages.