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Cow health entering breeding season vital to peak operation efficiency

A beef specialist with the University of Illinois Extension says soaring cattle prices mean forage management is a priority.

Travis Meteer tells Brownfield, “To give ourselves the best opportunity at profit, we still have to manage our feed costs.”  He says, “One of the best ways to do that is to implement a rotational grazing system and make sure that those cows have a good bite of forage in front of them every single day.”

He says supplemental nutrition may be needed to maximize cow health after a long winter, but research shows the investment is worth it.

“Cows that are in body condition score 4 in a 90-day season have a pregnancy rate of about 79 to 80%.”  He says, “Cows that are in body condition score 6 are upwards of 90 to 95%.”

Meteer says it’s important cows aren’t losing weight during the breeding season as producers strive for peak efficiency while prices remain profitable.

AUDIO: Travis Meteer – U of I Extension