Forage

All Forage Content

Cattle using a fabricated windbreak in north western South Dakota.

Don’t Discount the Need for Vitamin A and E in Beef Cows During Winter

Supplying sufficient Vitamin A and Vitamin E to cows in late gestation is important every year. Vitamins A and E are plentiful in green forages, but tend to be much lower in hay and winter range and continue to decline as the fall and winter progress.

A pair of cows with their calves at pasture.

Considerations for Rumen Development in Weaned Calves

Proper nutritional management of weaned calves is critical in ensuring optimal health and performance.

A herd of cattle feeding at a feed bunker with light snow on the ground.

Cow Mineral Nutrition During Late Gestation

A recent study conducted at Oregon State University researched trace mineral nutrition of cows during the last 95 days of pregnancy and the resulting impact on their calves.

A herd of cattle grazing in a snowy pasture.

Are Your Cows Ready for the Last Trimester of Pregnancy?

We are beginning to enter the last three months of gestation for the majority of spring-calving cows in South Dakota, and there are a few questions that cattle owners should ask themselves in preparation.

Pieces of net wrap and forage wadded up together, with a nob approximately 6 inches across at the top and 4 inches long, with a 1 inch rope like structure that is 13 inches long leading to another nob that is approximately 2 inches across and 8 inches long.

Summary of Forage Binding Survey and Current Net Wrap Research

Recently, cattle producers and veterinarians have become more concerned with the possible ingestion of net wrap or twine from hay bales and the negative impacts it could have on cattle health and performance.

A herd of cattle grazing near a pond on an open range.

Nitrates and Livestock Water Quality

Nitrate poisoning is something we think about with forages such as millet, oats, corn, sorghum, sudan, kochia and others that have been fertilized or if there is a drought, but water can also be a contributing factor.

Two cattle eating forage in a snowy field.

Winter Mineral Nutrition for Beef Cows

Winter supplementation often focuses heavily on meeting protein and energy requirements of cows and tends to leave mineral nutrition as almost an afterthought. In reality, meeting all nutrient requirements, including energy, protein, minerals, vitamins, and water are equally important.