This spring, the cattle market has hit a record high. I am sure most of you never thought your herd would be worth what it is today. With feeder calves bringing $900-$1200 per head and cull cows hitting a dollar a pound, it may be time to re-examine your calving time management.
None of our clients like to lose calves. However, most of us are calving more cows with less labor than we were 20 years ago. In return, we choose to accept a small amount of death loss. Yet this year we should recognize that every calf in the dead pile is $1000 in opportunity lost. If you think I am exaggerating, wait to see the price of pairs this spring. Never before have we been able to get as much return on investment when we maximize calf survivability. Many years we invest in health products to minimize death loss to known problems on a given farm. This year we should look at these products as insurance:
- Pre-calving scour vaccination in cows
- First Defense boluses for calves for E. coli protection
- Calf Guard oral vaccine for rota and corona virus protection
- Inforce internasal vaccine
- Alpha 7 clostridial vaccine m Supplement
- Colostrum Replacer
- Corn Stalk Round Bale
My point is not that every herd needs to add this entire list to their management practices. Rather, each farm should look at risks to calf survivability in this economic environment. Never before have I seen the opportunity of profit as it exists today in the cow-calf world. Simple, inexpensive management such as making sure every calf nurses at least one teat in the first four hours of life, and maintaining a clean, well bedded calving environment are more important than ever. Solid mineral supplementation and good nutrition pre-calving are a must. Producers who can maximize calf survivability will be our most profitable clients in 2014. For individual recommendations on your farm, let us know and we will be happy to sit down with you and plan for this calving season.
