K-State Research and Extension

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

COWHERD MANAGEMENT

• For spring-calving cow herds:
  • Monitor BCS through late summer, particularly on young females.
    • Use the BCS Record Book from KSRE to record scores!
  • 2–4-year-old females and thin females will respond most to early-weaning.
  • If you plan to early-wean:
    • Develop your plan for feeding and marketing calves.
    • Prepare weaning/receiving pens and waterers in advance.
    • If feeding early-weaned calves, test your forages and have your ration plan and ingredients in place 2-3 weeks prior to weaning.
  • Schedule early pregnancy checking activities if not already done.
  • For managing cull cows, evaluate the cost of gain relative to the value of gain for marketing decisions.
• For late-summer and early-fall calving cowherds:
  • Evaluate cows for BCS and adjust your plan to ensure mature cows are ≥ 5.0 and 2–4-year-old female are ≥ 6.0 at calving.
  • The final 60 days prior to calving represents the last opportunity to add BCS economically.
  • Review your calving health protocols as needed.
  • Have calving equipment cleaned and available to use as needed.
• Closely manage free-choice salt and mineral programs through late summer.
  • Record date and amount of salt and mineral offered and calculate herd consumption on a pasture or group basis.
  • Adjust how you are offering product to cattle if needed to achieve target intake.
  • If consumption is 2X the target intake, then cost will be too!
• Continue to monitor bulls and their activity throughout the breeding season.
  • Monitor BCS, particularly on young bulls.
  • If bulls are BCS ≤ 5.0 after breeding, consider supplementing to regain BCS going into fall.
  • Schedule breeding soundness exams for bulls used for fall service.

CALF MANAGEMENT

• If creep feeding calves, closely monitor intake and calf condition/fleshiness.
• Monitor calves for summer respiratory illness.
• Schedule any pre-weaning vaccination or processing activities.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT

• Evaluate grass growth and adjust your grazing plan as needed.
• Employ multiple strategies, chemistries for late-season fly/insect control.
• Begin taking inventory of harvested forages for fall feed needs.
  • Use the forage inventory calculator (https://www.agmanager.info/hay-inventory-calculator).
• If planning to harvest corn silage, prepare your pile/bunker site and equipment.
  • If using a custom harvester, communicate with them well in advance.
  • Closely monitor whole plant moisture levels.
  • Have silage tarps in place and ready to cover once harvest is complete.
• Use the Management Minder tool on KSUBeef.org to plan key management activities for your cowherd for the rest of the year.
• With high feeder calf prices, consider price risk management tools.
• Visit with your local FSA and extension office if you plan to utilize CRP acres for emergency forage use or for information on other assistance programs.