🔨 Building Better Cow Herds

Bridging the Beef Gap, Custom Grazing Options, Control Pasture Weeds, & Feeding Cattle Through Drought from Ranching.com by CattleMax.

April 30, 2025

Ranching.com is your weekly dose of trending news, seasonal tips, and community content put together by our team of ranchers.

NEWS

Copper-T Ranch - Beef Cattle Research Council

🔨 Building Better Cow Herds - With replacement heifer costs nearing $3,000 per head, careful selection and management are crucial for herd profitability. Two Canadian operations share how prioritizing structure, temperament, record-keeping, and proper nutrition helps boost longevity and maximize return on investment.

💉 Honoring Veterinarians - In recognition of World Veterinary Day, April 26th., livestock producers are highlighting the critical role veterinarians play in herd health, productivity, and long-term success. Across beef, dairy, and swine operations, vets are trusted advisors—helping with everything from preventative care to strategic management.

🥩 Bridging The Beef Gap - A new platform, Farmshare, is helping cattle producers connect directly with wholesale buyers, overcoming challenges of scale, carcass balancing, and logistics. By teaming up with independent processors and using AI-driven tools, Farmshare aims to boost returns for ranchers and streamline the supply chain.

🌱 Custom Grazing Options - With tight margins and high cattle prices in 2025, custom grazing offers pasture owners a way to generate income without owning cattle. OSU Extension outlines how to set fair rates based on pasture quality, expected weight gain, and management costs, encouraging clear agreements between grazers and cattle owners.

🌪️ USDA Disaster Relief - The USDA announced $340.6 million in disaster aid to help farmers, ranchers, and rural communities recover from recent storms, wildfires, and hurricanes. The funding will support infrastructure, water systems, and local economies, with a focus on delivering faster, more flexible assistance under new streamlined rules.

VIDEOS FROM AROUND THE WEB

Control your pasture weeds while protecting your white clover

A new pasture herbicide for cattle producers provides broad-spectrum weed control while preserving white clover and annual lespedeza.

RANCHING KNOW-HOW

Sam Schmitt - Drovers

With drought looming in 2025, producers must plan ahead for feeding pairs when pasture falls short. Experts stress that lactating cows have higher nutritional needs and calves add extra intake pressure, making total rations and mineral supplementation critical. Creative feeding strategies, stocking rates, and smart forage management can help ranchers weather tough seasons without sacrificing herd performance.

Iowa Beef Center - Beef Magazine

With warmer weather comes the return of ticks—and potential health risks for your herd. Diseases like anaplasmosis can quietly spread through cattle, hurting performance and even causing death loss. Experts urge producers to stay ahead of the problem with pour-on treatments, pasture management, and chemical rotation to control tick populations and protect herd health.

CATTLE COMMUNITY
@buckingjphotography

Long live cowgirls 🤠 #buckinjphotography #fyp #repost #messagetobook #photograher #longlivecowgirls

Kencove Farm Fence Supplies | Facebook

Alternating hot and ground helps when the ground (earth, dirt) is dry #electricfence #fenceinstallation #farmlife #farming #ranching.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
❝

“Either you go after the life you want or you settle for the life you get.”

— Torie Egger

READER POLL

When selecting replacement heifers for your herd, what factor do you prioritize most?

💬 Tell us, what's one trait you absolutely won't compromise on when picking replacements? Let us know why it is your non-negotiable in the comments!

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LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

What best describes your breeding season strategy?

72.53%: Defined 45-70 days

14.29%: Bulls out year round

8.79%: Transitions to defined season

4.40%: Still figuring it out

THOUGHTS FROM VOTERS
Defined 45-70 days

  • “We sync and AI all heifers and cows that calved more than 45 days prior to our AI date. Bulls are turned out approximately 14 days after we AI and we pull them between 60 & 70 days.”

  • “Heifers AI bred May 7-10, Cows AI bred May 21-23, non AI cows synced May 23. All turned out with bulls post AI and/or post synch. Bulls pulled off Aug 1.”

Bulls out year round

  • “Mostly because we aren’t set up to have a separate place for the bulls.”