As we start afresh into another new year, many of us have no qualms bidding goodbye to the last 12 months. After a tumultuous 2020, I think we were all looking forward to what 2021 would bring. But with supply chain issues, weather challenges and higher commodity prices, it was not necessarily the golden goose we had hoped for. However, although we still face many challenges, we must still put our hope on the new horizon. Resilience is key.
CRYSTALYX and Sustainability: Working Together for a Planet of Plenty
Sustainability—that’s perhaps an overused term these days in both the ag media and the media world in general. Sustainability suggests a lot of definitions and narratives of production such as best practices, social responsibility, good stewardship and economic viability. You get my drift. Sustainability means different things to different people.
Navigating fall calving and forage supplementation programs
It’s November, and we have reached the time of year when temperatures are cooling off for many of us and having fewer hours of daylight is starting to cramp our busy schedules. Fall is here, and that means that a lot of calves are getting weaned and shipped to their new homes — but for many herds, autumn is a season of new beginnings, thanks to fall calving.
A road map to beef cattle winter supplementation
In my opinion, one of the most underutilized tools in the cow-calf sector is taking forage samples. Having these samples is one of the most useful assets when putting together a strategy for winter-feeding, which can account for up to 30% of a cattle operation’s yearly costs.
Stress relief for cattle and cattle producers
Stress from work; stress from the weather; stress from meeting new people and all those youngsters being rowdy around you. This might sound like the scenario some teachers face as they go back to school in the fall, but I’m actually referring to what our young calves face around weaning.
Prepare now for the next calving season
As we approach the end of summer, with noticeably shorter days, cooler overnight temperatures and planning for the upcoming crop harvest, it can be difficult to think about what next spring will be like.
3 boxes your sheep or goat supplement must check
While there are a variety of supplements available in the marketplace, when you are selecting the best supplement to match the needs of your herd, make sure it meets the following criteria.
Phosphate ingredients in CRYSTALYX from a cost and nutritive standpoint
When you think of a CRYSTALYX supplement, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For many, what comes to mind is a supplement that provides protein to help their animals better utilize forage — especially low-quality forage.
How can CRYSTALYX help cow-calf producers in a drought?
Most of the Western U.S. and parts of Western Canada are deep into a drought this summer. When the map below of the U.S. Drought Monitor for the week of July 27, 2021, was released, an addendum noted that the data showed that, as of that week, “the highest percentage of the U.S. is in an extreme/exceptional drought since the data series began in 2000”.
Early weaning stress: Helping calves cope
As I write this blog, it’s a typical, stuffy summer morning in southern Ohio. The air is still, the fog is thick and the forecast is calling for humidity in the 80s and temperatures in the 90s. This is not exactly a perfect recipe for cows to comfortably maximize their grazing abilities in our fescue pastures, but there is plenty of quality forage available for them to consume.
