❄️ Calving, Weather and Resilience

Unseen Threat, Winter Woes and Ranching Resilience from Ranching.com by CattleMax

January 08, 2025

Ranching.com is your weekly dose of trending news, seasonal tips, and community content put together by our team of ranchers.

NEWS

❄️ Calving, Weather and Resilience

Taryn Reed

⚠️ Calving Season Precautions - Calving season brings both excitement and challenges, with most cows delivering calves without issues. However, recognizing signs of dystocia—difficult calving—and knowing when to call a veterinarian can safeguard the health of both cow and calf. Understanding normal delivery stages helps ensure a successful calving season.

❄️ Weather Woes - A storm system moved from the Northwest to the Central and Southern Plains this weekend, bringing wintry weather. Very cold air will follow, leading to sub-0°F temperatures in parts of the Central Plains and Midwest.

📋 Cow-Calf Resolutions - Low cow inventories, limited heifer retention, and record-high cattle prices signal a positive outlook for commercial cow-calf operations in 2025. Key resolutions include enhancing marketing, improving record-keeping, optimizing cow weight, monitoring nutrition, and boosting ecosystem health.

🦠 Unseen Threat - Johne's disease, caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, primarily affects cattle and is spread through contaminated manure and milk, often without immediate symptoms. Increasing awareness among beef producers highlights the importance of effective management and testing to control the disease.

🥩 Understanding Cutability - Yield grades assess post-harvest beef carcass cutability, indicating the amount of lean meat available. While 95% of carcasses receive quality grades, only 25% are yield graded, reflecting industry uniformity. USDA calculates grades using fat thickness, ribeye area, and internal fat percentages.

󠁵󠁳󠁮󠁤󠁿🤠 Ranching Resilience - The U.S. beef industry thrives due to proactive ranchers like Amanda Radke, who emphasize the importance of property rights amidst challenges like government mandates. Despite these hurdles, Radke remains optimistic about innovation and collaboration among the next generation of ranchers.

RANCHING KNOW-HOW

Tips To Help Ensure Heifers Breed Back

First-calf heifers have high nutritional needs due to growth and lactation, according to veterinarian Kirk Ramsey. He emphasizes early breeding and monitoring body condition scores to enhance breeding success, ensure healthier herds, and improve profitability.

Managing Beef Cows During Cold Stress

Cow-calf producers face increased nutrient needs during severe winter weather, as cold stress raises energy requirements. Understanding critical temperatures, adjusting feeding programs, and ensuring adequate water access are vital for maintaining cow health and productivity in harsh conditions.

CATTLE COMMUNITY
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
❝

“Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.”

Vesta M. Kelly

READER POLL
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

In regards to the cattle business, which word most closely describes your 2024? (Please explain below.)

34.8%: Challenging

38%: Successful

23.9%: Stable

3.3%: Volatile

THOUGHTS FROM VOTERS
Challenging

  • “Three years of drought, dry tanks and high inputs make it tough.”

  • “Our biggest problem is dealing with the lack of consistent rainfall. We may get a two-inch rain, then not get another drop for five months.”

Successful

  • “It was challenging as far as growth, but it was successful as far as cashflow!”

Stable

  • “We have been putting improved grass pastures in all sections of our ranches in what was just natural brush country. Using buffelgrass and 30-60-90 day rotations, as needed, we hope the dry grass improvements carry us through the dry periods.”

  • “It was pretty dry this year, but we downsized the herd and have plenty of hay for the winter.”