GLASGOW — Some things for beef cattle producers to consider while managing their herds:

First off, about our spring calving cow herds.

- Continue to watch cows and calves closely. Identify calves while they are young and easy to handle. Commercial male calves should be castrated and implanted. Hopefully, registered producers have weighed their baby calves at birth. At least, write down the calf’s tag number, birth date, birth weight (if available), calf’s dam number, calf sire and calf sex.

- Good records, whether for registered or commercial cattle, are useful to overall management decisions. From the start (birth) weight measurements help determine many selection decisions for your future herd improvement targets. Individual weights are much more important than averaging weights of a group at weaning, yearling, etc. Find the cows that do the job and the calf’s sire that contributes more to the pounds produced within a calf crop.

- Continue to feed cows that have calved an adequate nutritional plan to help with rebreeding. Don’t let them lose body condition. Delayed estrus can be very costly.

- Prevent grass tetany! Continue providing magnesium in the mineral mix until daytime temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees, according to Dr. Roy Burris, UK Extension beef cattle specialist. Mineral supplement should be available at all times and contain a minimum of about 14 percent magnesium. Make sure the mineral mix also contains adequate selenium, copper and zinc or you can ask your feed dealer for the UK Beef IRM High Magnesium Mineral

- Don’t “rush to grass” although it is really tempting this year. Be sure that grass has accumulated enough growth to support the cow’s nutritional needs before depending solely upon it. Cows may walk the pastures looking for green grass instead of eating a dry feed. This lush, watery grass is not adequate to support them. Keep them consuming dry feed until sufficient grass is available to sustain them, Grass production is also set back when grazing too early. Don’t push the grazing too early. We are seeing many operations abusing this grazing effort and it will set back forage production.

- Purchase replacement bulls at least 30 days prior to the start of the breeding season. Have herd bulls evaluated for breeding soundness. (10-20 percent of bulls are questionable or unsatisfactory breeders.) Get all bulls in proper condition for breeding.

- Make final selection of heifer replacements. Be sure that yearling heifers have attained their “target” weight (2/3 of mature weight) before breeding. A good practice to use for replacement heifers is to obtain measurements for pelvic area in these heifers and cull those which have small pelvic areas. Consider de-worming and vaccinating these open heifers with a good pre-breeding vaccination program, as recommended by your veterinarian.

- If you are going to use artificial insemination and/or synchronization, make plans now and order needed supplies and semen. We can recommend some excellent synchronization protocols for such an effort.

- Prebreeding or “turn-out” working is usually scheduled for late April or May – between the end of calving season and before the start of the breeding season (while cows are open). Consult your veterinarian about vaccines and health products your herd needs. Make arrangements now for products needed and have handling facilities in good working order. Dehorn commercial calves before going to pasture.

- Start breeding heifers one heat cycle before cows so that they have extra time to recover from calving next year.



Fall calving cow herd

- You may let calves creep-graze wheat or rye, if it is available. Calves will benefit from extra feed until spring grass appears.

- Pregnancy check cows now and cull open ones at weaning or move to the spring-calving herd.

- Re-implant feeder calves as the product that you use is labeled.

- Consult with your veterinarian about a pre-weaning working of the herd.

- Plan marketing strategy for feeder calves.



Stocker cattle

- “Condition” purchased calves prior to grazing. They should be processed and fed a conditioning diet prior to being placed on pasture. You can also use this time to introduce them to electric fences which are used in rotational grazing.

- As mentioned earlier, don’t go to pastures too soon, give plants some growing time. Then stock at two or three times the July stocking rate and rotate rapidly.

- Provide a good mineral supplement which contains a rumen modifier (Rumensin, Bovatec, etc.) along with adequate levels of copper and selenium. The UK Beef IRM Stocker mineral with Monensin will work well in this case.



In general

- Prepare for the grazing season. Check fences and make necessary repairs.

- Get everything ready to make high-quality hay in May. Have equipment serviced and spare parts on hand. Order baler twine now. Re-supply the extra hay that you fed out of storage.

I cannot stress enough that you need to concentrate on producing high-quality hay and not high quantity hay. Don’t allow you hay fields to over-mature before you decide to cut it. With the prices for grain we face, better forages will help reduce the demand for grain from your cattle. The forage growth is off to a great start; don’t mess up later by baling over-mature, low-quality forages when you can cut it a couple of weeks earlier and package a much better quality hay. Remember our goal is for harvesting cool-season grasses, harvest at early boot, not when it has seeded out, and for clovers, look for no more than 10 percent bloom in order to maximize production, yield and quality of the plant at harvest.

- Plan now for fly control; decide what fly control program that you will use but don’t put insecticide eartags on cattle until fly population appears.

- Make plans to improve hay feeding areas to avoid muddy conditions like we have faced this winter. Consider geotextile fabric with gravel.

If you need more information on any of these management tips, contact us at the Barren County Extension Office.