Dealing with mud this calving season? The excess moisture we've seen in many areas will increase the risk of calf scours. We can't change the weather, but there are several things we can do to help minimize the risk of scours.
Rumen forage fiber digestion: The ruminant advantage
Many parts of the country have experienced a rather abrupt shift toward winter-like weather. Overnight low temperatures have been below freezing in Kentucky and are even reaching regions as far south as Georgia.
Block basics: Product selection and usage estimates
In most areas, we are nearing the end of the grazing season and starting to plan for the fall and winter feeding seasons. To adequately prepare, the first question to ask yourself is, “Which products do I need?” This is followed by another important question: “How much product will be used?”
Setting the stage for success: A mid-summer checklist for the beef cow herd
We are well into the summer grazing season and I have started to see ads for back-to-school sales, which made me realize that fall is just around the corner. Summer is a time when we can slow down a little and enjoy family activities, such as trips to the lake or showing livestock at the county fairs.
Innovation in cattle mineral delivery
One of our core business values is a commitment to innovation. This sets CRYSTALYX® and Alltech apart from other providers of self-fed supplements. Innovators will challenge the status quo by offering new concepts and new solutions to both old and emerging challenges faced by livestock producers. Some naysayers may consider change to be unnecessary and expensive, while others will rush to offer “me too” products.
Why all the fuss about beef cattle feed intake?
During several recent dealer meetings, intake has been a common topic of discussion. Talk has ranged from modifying total feed intake to the need for predictable intake of certain nutrients and additives to the control of self-fed supplements.
Calving season activities
Most spring calving herds are well into the calving season with busy days of tagging calves and weeks of less sleep due to those late night trips checking the calving pens. An important activity that needs to be part of the calving season is body condition scoring (BCS) the cows.
Getting a return on investment - what self-fed supplements provide
We have entered into the new year and preparing for tax season is one item we will be doing. The questions we often ask is, “Will I get a return?” That same question is often in the back of our mind when we purchase supplements for the cow herd.
Reducing oxidative stress for optimal performance
Recent studies cite that 83.9% of the cattle at harvest showed signs of chronic oxidative stress. What role do chelated trace minerals have in improving oxidative balance and how can we help cattle reach their full genetic potential?
Evaluating Feed and Feeding Cost
In many areas, the cow calf producer is about to enter the more expensive time of the production cycle for feeding the cow herd; Hay feeding season! Pasture cost is the biggest expense for most operations, but the cow does the harvesting and the pasture payment often is not an out-of-pocket item that hits the check book all at once. If you are in a pessimistic mindset you may be thinking, “No, buying protein blocks is the most expensive thing I do”.
