#205 – When to Cull Cows
This time of year cowmen are making decisions on which cows to cull from their herd. Some of those decisions should be obvious. Don't make excuses for problem cows. Click to read the full transcript This is the time of year when many cowmen are preg checking, aging and evaluating their cow herd....
#205 – When to Cull Cows
This time of year cowmen are making decisions on which cows to cull from their herd. Some of those decisions should be obvious. Don't make excuses for problem cows. Click to read the full transcript This is the time of year when many cowmen are preg checking, aging and evaluating their cow herd....
#169 – Winter Cover
Cows love to find cover for bedding down in the winter. A windbreak or grove of trees is helpful, but the best cover you can provide them is a fluffy hair coat and a thick layer of fat (standard on PCC® models)....
#168 – Holiday Reset
Although Christmas has been hi-jacked by Santa Claus, there's still a positive benefit to our way of life. The Christmas holiday is like a reset button that prompts us to connect with loved ones and get ready for another new year....
#167 – Sentimental Gifts
I grew up with a toy tractor in one hand and the fender grip of a John Deere 4020 in the other. I have since restored one, lost it, and was looking to replace it. My wife is understanding of my sentimentalism, so she said, "Happy Birthday . . . and Merry Christmas."...
#166 – Working for a Living
This is the time of year when your genetic choices are put to the test. Winter can be the most expensive time to be in the cow business. Are your cows working for you, or are you working for your cows?...
#165 – Road Trip
This past week, we spent the Thanksgiving holiday with our son in Nebraska. He and his wife custom graze cows and train ranch horses on a ranch near Kimball. Even though this was a working vacation, it made me thankful for the heritage of hard work, freedom, and faith...
#164 – Choosing Replacements
This is the time of year when many of us look through our heifer calves to choose replacements for our cow herd. When it comes to producing profit, fertility trumps all other traits. How can you determine which ones are the most fertile? Let nature decide....
The Latest from our Herd Quitter® Blog
BCHF vs. PAP
Last week, we discussed Bovine Congestive Heart Failure (BCHF) and how it is responsible for around a 7% death rate in the feedlots of the Midwest. Symptoms are similar to high-elevation disease (brisket disease) with a swollen brisket, right heart failure and eventually death. Pulmonary Arterial Pressure (PAP) testing has been used to determine if cattle are susceptible to brisket disease. The test, however, is only useful if cattle are tested above 5000 feet...