Management
BeefTalk: Why Push a Chain Up a Hill?
By Kris Ringwall, NDSU Extension Service
The recent January thaw
has helped cows into their
generally relaxed routine
in which they’re essentially
finding shelter, eating, drinking
and returning to shelter.
The slow days of late gestation
are eminent. In another
month, many cows will be
calving. Producers have
time now to look ahead.
In fact, the cow actually is
looking ahead as well, trying
to determine what the perfect
spot will be to give birth to her
new calf. If we are not careful,
48 | MARCH 2018
we miss some of those subtle
herd discussions as we drive by. sustainable thinking means
less inputs and more output.
That being said, I was driving
by some pasture the other day
and an eerie feeling came over
me. The snow had thawed and
what snow was left was blown
aside, exposing the grassless soil
surface among occasional nodes
of grass. The sinking, scary
feeling of drought returned. Drought-driven, sustainable
managerial changes force
producers to limit feed intake
during the months that feed
is short, keeping a delicate
balance between hungry and
content. Feed waste is not an
option. And producers have
an innate desire for the time
when what feed is going
to grow actively grows.
Last summer took a serious toll,
leaving even fewer options this
spring if rain fails. But rather
than focus on the negative,
let’s be positive and draw on
what we know. Long-term,
In preparation for this winter,
many producers decreased the
body weight mass of the cow
herd fed through the winter.