K-State Research and Extension

search

Beef Tips

Management Considerations for April 2025

Posted on by Angie Denton

By Jason M. Warner, Ph.D., Extension Cow-Calf Specialist

Cow Herd Management

Evaluate BCS and adjust nutrition for spring-calving females going into breeding.

  • Ensure thin (BCS ≤ 4.0) females are on an increasing plane of nutrition.
  • BCS 5.0+ females should be maintaining weight and condition.
  • Record cow BCS and use it as a guide for future management.
  • Start lactation rations/supplementation by end of first calving cycle.

Pregnancy check fall calving cows and make culling decisions.

  • How were pregnancy rates relative to last year?
  • Do we need to re-think our fall/winter nutrition program?

Plan your mineral supplementation for this coming spring and summer.

  • Make effort to measure intake regularly and adjust it as needed.
  • If using fly control products, start them at recommended area times.
  • Properly store bagged mineral and avoid damaging bags and pallets.

Risk of grass tetany is greatest for lactating cows and older cows. Consider magnesium levels in mineral supplements, particularly for cows grazing the following:

  • wheat, rye, triticale, oats, bromegrass, and other cool-season forages

Use the estrus synchronization planner to help plan synchronization protocols.
https://www.iowabeefcenter.org/estrussynch.html

Schedule breeding soundness examinations on bulls well prior to turnout.

  • Allow plenty of time to re-test or find a replacement bull if needed

Calf Management
Review health protocols for spring-born calves and schedule processing activities.

If not already completed, wean and market fall-born calves.

Consider the economic return by implanting nursing calves and grass cattle.

If not already done, schedule your breeding protocols for replacement heifers in advance of the breeding season.

  • If synchronizing with MGA, make sure intake is consistent at 0.5 mg of melengestrol acetate per hd per day for14 days, and remove for 19 days prior to administering prostaglandin.

 

General Management

Use the Management Minder tool on KSUBeef.org to plan key management activities for your cow herd for the rest of the year.
https://cowweb.exnet.iastate.edu/CowWeb/faces/Index.jsp

Adjust turn-out dates as needed for drought stressed pastures.

Consider your storage method for any leftover hay and feed and look for opportunities to minimize shrink during extended storage.

Good sanitation around winter feeding and bedding areas helps reduce stable fly populations.

Take a balanced, multi-tool approach to fly/insect control.

Wrap up any last minute pasture management projects before spring turn-out:

  • Finish repairing fences.
  • Conduct burns, work to control trees and brush
  • Ensure sufficient water is available when cattle are turned out.

MUD

Posted on by Angie Denton

There are very few issues, outside of health, that can wreck cattle performance and decrease cattle comfort more than muddy pen conditions. Some regions of Kansas have seen record snowfall amounts this winter and although we are getting closer to spring, we still have a lot of winter left. The impact of mud on cattle performance is profound, 4-8 inches of mud reduces gain by approximately 14% and 12-24 inches of mud reduces gain by approximately 25%. Thus, for every four days cattle have to slog through hock-deep mud, add another day and 20 lbs of dry matter feed to reach finish and add 1 additional day for every seven days of slogging through mud over their pasterns.

It is also not uncommon for cattle to make fewer trips to the bunk when pens are exceptionally muddy, leading to reduces feed intake. Reduced feed intake coupled with increased maintenance energy requirements due to cold
and the additional energy expenditure associated with getting to the bunk and the water tank further reduces cattle performance.

We cannot prevent winter storms, but we can prepare for them. Use the good days to improve pen conditions.

Make sure all pens have good drainage to prevent water from standing and creating permanently muddy pens. Also, have a plan for snow removal. A wet snow has about 1 inch of moisture in each 8-10 inches of snow. If snow is
removed from the pen immediately after the storm and before it can melt, that can prevent additional moisture from further degrading the pen surface.
Finally, if muddy conditions do occur, have a plan in place to remove at least a portion of the mud. After several days of severely muddy pens, you can watch cattle follow the box scraper and lay down in the firm, dry area the scraper leaves behind.

For more information, contact Justin Waggoner at jwaggon@ksu.edu

Communication in the Workplace

Posted on by Angie Denton

Justin Waggoner, KSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Garden City, KS

Effective communication is essential in the workplace. Communication is an important aspect of workplace satisfaction, organizational productivity and customer service. In today’s world there are many different methods of
communication, which adds to the complexity and challenge of communicating in the workplace. There are countless examples of poor communication that led to unfortunate, unintended outcomes. So, what is effective communication and how can we become better communicators? Effective communication in the workplace
accurately conveys information in a clear and concise manner while maintaining or enhancing personal relationships. Communication is a two-way process and requires an intentional effort from both the sender and the receiver. A recent article from Penn State Extension (https://extension.psu.edu/effective-communication-in-the-workplace) suggests that senders should clearly define the idea of the message and identify the purpose of the message (gain information, behavior change etc.) before sending. Senders also have to be increasingly aware of the physical and emotional environment the message is communicated in. Receivers are encouraged to focus on the message, and not let emotions determine the meaning of the words. It also best to assume positive intent and ask clarify questions if necessary. Effective organizational communication is essential and should strengthen the workplace by building trust and commitment within the organization.

Cold Stress Increases Energy Requirements

Posted on by Angie Denton

Justin Waggoner, KSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Garden City, KS

Cattle are most comfortable within the thermonuetral zone when temperatures are neither too warm nor cold. During the winter months cattle experience cold stress anytime the effective ambient temperature, which takes into account wind chill, humidity, etc., drops below the lower critical temperature. The lower critical temperature is influenced by both environmental and animal factors including hair coat and tissue insulation (body condition). The table below lists the estimated lower critical temperatures of cattle in good body condition with
different hair coats. In wet conditions, cattle can begin experiencing cold stress at 59°F, which would be a relatively mild winter day. However, if cattle have time to develop a sufficient winter coat, the estimated lower critical temperature under dry conditions is 18°F. Cold stress increases maintenance energy approximately 1% for each degree below the lower critical temperature, but does not impact protein, mineral, or vitamin requirements. Thus, maintenance energy requirements of cattle may increase by 15-20% on those exceptionally
cold and windy days that commonly occur in January and February. Increased maintenance energy requirements essentially means that less energy is available for production (gain), which translates to lower ADG, increased Feed:Gain, and greater Days on Feed.

 

 

 

For more information, contact Justin Waggoner at jwaggon@ksu.edu

“Trust is Everything”

Posted on by Angie Denton

Justin Waggoner, KSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Garden City, KS

Trust is easily one of the most essential traits of successful leaders and teams in the workplace. Good leaders build trust and successful teams create and foster trust. Trust is simply defined as the belief in the reliability, ability, or
strength of someone or something. However, trust is challenging to quantify and often leaders or teams are built upon performance or skills and not necessarily trust. Leadership consultant and author, Simon Sinek offers some perspective on trust versus performance in a team or organization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTo9e3ILmms and building trust https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAfGb-AYx6I.

I would highly encourage you to watch these short videos. Essentially, what Sinek discusses in these videos is why trust is the foundation of leadership and successful teams. Trust is important but challenging to quantify and foster. The “Harvard Business Review” suggests that leaders foster trust by following through on commitments “Do what you said you were going to do”, demonstrating integrity, fairness, and becoming more self-aware of what they are good at, what they are not good at and how others perceive them. Trust is not built overnight, it is built over time and reinforced by how leaders and teams respond to different situations. It is not the sum of one key indicator but multiple
indicators over time.

Management Considerations for February 2025

Posted on by Angie Denton

By Jason M. Warner, Ph.D., Extension Cow-Calf Specialist

Cow Herd Management

Target BCS at calving for spring-calving cows:

  • 5 for mature cows
  • 6 for young females

Be ready to start your post-calving nutrition program for spring-calving cows.
Evaluate fall-calving cows for BCS:

  • Adjust nutrition program as needed relative to weaning date

If conditions allow, keep grazing crop residues and dormant pastures but be prepared to move cattle or provide supplemental feed.
Increase energy content 1% for every degree F below the lower critical temperature (LCT) when dry, 2% if they have a wet hair coat.
Put down bedding, remove snow, ensure cattle have access to wind protection.
Supply adequate water volume and space in freezing conditions.
Don’t forget about your herd bulls!

  • Bulls need to be in a BCS ≥ 5.0 prior to the next season of use
  • Keep young and mature bulls separate if possible and provide plenty of space to prevent injury
  • Spread sufficient fresh bedding to help avoid testicular frostbite

Calf Management
Do you have a plan for weaning and marketing fall-born calves?

  • Evaluate your feed resources and cost of gain relative to the value of gain
  • Talk to prospective buyers in advance of selling

Evaluate calf health protocols, both spring- and fall-born calves.
Monitor growth and pubertal development of replacement heifers.

General Management
For spring-calving herds this calving season:

  • How are you going to record your calving data?
  • What information are you going to record?

Take inventory of supplies and clean equipment prior to spring calving.
If making bull selection decisions:

  • Review your herd performance relative to your marketing and genetic goals.
  • Study EPDs impacting your marketing and genetic goals and do your homework well before sale day

K-State Research and Extension holding Cow-Calf Production Clinics across state in January, February

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

Kansas State University beef extension specialists and agents will be hosting several cow-calf production focused meetings throughout the state in January and February.  The programs are a joint effort between state specialists and local extension units and aim to address various topics pertinent to local needs and conditions experienced by producers.  Specific program details will be made available at KSUBeef.org and county/district websites as events draw nearer, but dates and locations include: Continue reading “K-State Research and Extension holding Cow-Calf Production Clinics across state in January, February” →

Can Common Management Strategies Work for Sustainability Markets?

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

Logan Thompson, sustainable grazing systems & Carlee Salisbury, graduate student

Sustainability is a topic that has been commonly discussed, sometimes at a frustrating frequency, as something the beef industry needs to make progress on, on several fronts. Today, the aspect of sustainability that is brought up by consumers, policymakers and industry members is greenhouse gas emissions. Really, what the conversation is about is carbon. Either carbon in the soil as a result of sequestrated carbon dioxide (CO2) or methane (CH4) produced as a byproduct of rumen fermentation. This is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) with a global warming potential of 28 times that of CO2 over a 100-year time horizon and is responsible for 30% of the methane budget in the U.S. Continue reading “Can Common Management Strategies Work for Sustainability Markets?” →

Have a Plan for Lice Control this Winter

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

AJ Tarpoff, DVM, extension veterinarian

Lice negatively impact the health, performance, and wellbeing of our cows, stockers, and feedlot cattle during the winter months. The months of greatest lice infestations generally range from December through March. Not only can lice be the cause of direct animal performance losses, but also increases wear and tear on our facilities and fences. The direct losses to cattle come in forms of decreased average daily gains (documented 0.25 lbs/day reduction in growing calves), skin infections, and potentially blood loss and anemia. Continue reading “Have a Plan for Lice Control this Winter” →

Managing Beef Cows During Cold Stress

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

Jason Warner, cow-calf specialist & Justin Waggoner, beef cattle specialist, Garden City

Cow-calf producers generally recognize that severe winter weather is a stressor which increases cow nutrient requirements.  The practical questions that must be asked when managing cowherds through cold stress events are “What is cold to cow?”, “What nutrients increase and by how much?”, and “How should the feeding program be adjusted to offset the increase?”. Continue reading “Managing Beef Cows During Cold Stress” →