Most people hope to have a better future, but few set goals describing the future they want and then manage to attain those goals. To be a better manager, you need to identify your goals and then develop a goal-directed management plan. Years of research efforts have been devoted to determine beef cow nutritional requirements. The challenge for the manager is to match this information to the available resources. This lesson will cover some basic considerations for cow nutrition and management.
Proper nutrition plays a major role in the development of replacement heifers.
Inadequate nutrition will inhibit growth rate or average daily gain, and consequently a low number of heifers will be cycling prior to beginning of the breeding season. Overfeeding will add greatly to the cost of replacement heifer development and thus reduce profitability. Rations should be formulated or balanced to meet the nutrient requirements of beef cattle in their particular stages of production. Producers should also consider the cost of the ration, livestock acceptability of ingredients, and any serious digestive disturbances or toxic effects that could result. The quality of forage, as defined by the nutrient content, and its usefulness as a food source are a critical part of a livestock program.