Calf Management
Wean calves:
- Reduce stress. Provide a clean, dust‐free, comfortable environment.
- Provide balanced nutritional program to promote weight gain and health.
- Observe feed and water intake. Healthy, problem free calves have large appetites.
- Observe calves frequently. Early detection of sickness reduces medical costs and lost performance.
- Vaccinate calves and control internal/external parasites through veterinary consultation (ideally done prior to weaning).
- Vaccinate all replacement heifer candidates for brucellosis if within four to 10 months of age.
- Use implants and feed additives to improve efficient animal performance.
Weigh all calves individually. Allows for correct sorting, herd culling, growing programs, replacement heifer selection, and marketing plans.
Participate in Whole Herd Rewards, Performance Plus, and(or) other ranch record/performance systems.
Finalize plans to merchandise calves or to background through yearling or finishing programs.
- Consider feedstuff availability.
- Limit feeding high concentrate diets may be a profitable feeding program.
Select replacement heifers which are:
- Born early in the calving season. This should increase the number of yearling heifers bred during the early days of the subsequent breeding season.
- Daughters of above average producing cows. Performance traits are moderately heritable traits.
- Of the proper frame size to compliment desired mature size and weight.
Structurally correct. Avoid breeding udder, feet, and leg problems into the herd.
Vaccinate replacement heifers with first round of viral vaccines.
Plan replacement heifer nutrition program so that heifers will be at their “target weight” (65% of their mature weight)
by the start of the breeding season.
Forage/Pasture Management
Observe pasture weed problems to aid in planning control methods needed next spring.
Monitor grazing conditions and rotate pastures if possible and(or) practical.
Plan winter nutritional program through pasture and forage management.
For stocker cattle and replacement heifers, supplement maturing grasses with an acceptable degradable intake protein/ionophore (feed additive) type supplement.
General Management
Avoid unnecessary stress. Handle cows and calves to reduce shrink, sustain good health, and minimize sickness.
Analyze forage for nitrate and nutrient content. Use these to develop winter feeding programs.
Repair, replace, and improve facilities.
Plan your marketing program, including private treaty, consignment sales, test stations, production sales, etc.
