Ask the Expert Beef

Total digestible nutrients (TDN) are the common energy reference for both feed content and animal requirement, so how are the two connected and what can we know to better examine TDN of feedstuffs and use energy economically?

While it is true that carcass traits and beef product attributes are largely influenced by the genetic decisions of seedstock and commercial cow-calf producers and the feeding decisions of feedlot managers and nutritionists, the animal health decisions made by producers and veter...

Although it's usually energy and protein intake thats emphasized when planning winter cow nutrition, ensuring adequate vitamin A intake is also important. Vitamin A is the vitamin most likely to be deficient in cattle diets and is the only vitamin with a well-defined requirem...

There are many factors to consider when choosing a supplement, such as quality of forage, body condition score (BCS), weather and level of production.  

Whether you are planning to early wean or stick to a traditional weaning period, making sure you are prepared can make a stressful time a little easier! Here are a few tips to prepare for weaning:  

Given the drought conditions in some locations this year, many producers may be asking themselves how to handle the annual forages they have standing in the field that may not have grown as much as would be expected under normal conditions. These drought stressed forages can be h...

Capitalize on your forage management to optimize cattle nutrition.

Young animals not nursing their mothers are dependent on milk replacer to provide the nutrition they need to survive and thrive. One of the most common milk replacer mistakes I see is improper preparation, which can lead to many problems

Proper storage of milk replacer can make a difference in the quality of product provided to young animals. Don't let a storage mishap decrease the nutritional value of your milk replacer!

Dropping temperatures is also a welcome sign of the changing seasons for many reasons, falling fly populations being one of them! Continuing fly control practices in the fall may not seem like a wise investment, but it can be beneficial for a two main reasons.