Newsletter
July 2010
Summer is in full swing now and our water levels have dropped
exponentially since the winter/spring rains and snows we were having. I hope
everyone is making the best they can out of the situation and keeping themselves
cool and hydrated with temperatures reaching over 100 some days. I have been out
to meet quite a few of you and have enjoyed my time in Randolph so far. If I haven’t
met you yet, I would like to. If I have, I’d like to see you again. If you ever have a
question or just want to meet me, feel free to call me at the office – 336-318-6000 or
email – adam_ross@ncsu.edu.
Adam G. Ross
Summer Cattle Tips:
July
General - Check water often. Plenty of clear water is critical in summer. At 90° F, a
mature cow nursing a calf drinks about 17 gallons of water a day.
Spring Calving Herds:
● Consider creep feeding, depending on pasture conditions and marketing plans.
● Pregnancy check cows and heifers 45 to 60 days after the end of the breeding
season.
● Sell open heifers now or consider finishing them for freezer beef.
● Tattoo or otherwise establish permanent IDs for bred heifers.
● Prepare weaning pen for calf weaning. Calves should be weaned at 6 to 8 months
of age.
Fall Calving Herds:
● Select replacement heifers. Weigh heifers to project needed gain between now and
breeding in December.
● Deworm calves at weaning.
● Cull open and poor producing cows after weaning.
● Heifers need to weigh about two-thirds of their mature weight at breeding time in
December. They usually need to gain 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per day after weaning.
● Watch the body condition of bred heifers. Separate them from the cows and
provide supplemental feed if necessary.
● Identify thin cows and separate them from cows in adequate body condition.
Supplement thin cows at a rate where they will reach moderate body condition at
calving.
August
General:
● Continue fly control. As fly tags get old, you may need to begin spraying or using
back rubs.
● Get large, round bales into the barn, or move them to dry, well-drained areas.
August continued
● Control flies.
● Check for pinkeye and foot rot. Treat as soon as symptoms are seen.
Spring Calving Herds:
● Check cows for bad eyes, udders, legs, and production records to identify cows
that need to be culled.
● Plan calf weaning management. Prepare pens, and plan feeding program.
● Wean and vaccinate calves for respiratory diseases 45 days prior to shipment.
Check with your veterinarian now so that you can order recommended vaccines.
Fall Calving Herds:
● Replacement heifers are 8 to 10 months old. Keep an eye on heifer gains and
supply supplemental feed as needed.
● Check cow condition. Cows should be in moderately good condition (BCS 5 to 6)
prior to calving. If cows are thin (BCS 4 or lower) improve forage offered or give
supplemental feed.
● Check calving supplies and order needed supplies so that you will be ready in
September.
● Check heifers frequently. They should begin calving in September.
● Vaccinate any early calves with 7-way clostridium.
● Feed weaned calves for desired gain based on management and marketing plan.
September
General:
● Inventory your hay supply to determine if additional cuttings or purchases need
to be made. Send samples to the NCDA and CS Forage Testing Lab, or to a
commercial forage lab for analysis.
● Keep a close check on supplemental feed prices. Corn and by-product feeds, such
as cottonseed, are generally least expensive in the fall.
Spring Calving Herds:
● Wean calves depending on pasture conditions and your marketing plans.
● Select replacement heifers based on weaning weights, frame score, temperament,
etc. Use weights to project needed gain between now and breeding.
● Consider options for selling weaned calves, back-grounding, or maintaining
ownership through the feedlot.
● Deworm calves at weaning.
● For late calves (weaning in late October or November), consider creep feeding and
vaccination for respiratory diseases 45 days prior to weaning.
● Pregnancy check heifers; sell open heifers.
● Market cull cows that are in good condition. Thin cull cows should be fed to
improve condition and sold after January 1.
September continued
● Turn weaned calves to good pasture, and feed concentrate at 0.5 to 1.0 percent of
body weight, or feed early weaning ration in dry lot.
Fall Calving Herds:
● Keep yearling heifers gaining weight. They need to weigh about two-thirds of
mature weight at breeding.
● Bulls will be turned in with heifers 3 weeks earlier than with the cows. Turnout
will be sometime between January 1 and March 15 depending on desired calving
dates. Evaluate bulls, trim feet, and line up breeding soundness exams. Decide if you
need to buy new bulls.
● Order calf and cow vaccines.
● Prepare calving quarters--generally a clean sodded area.
● Feed requirements increase 10 to 15 percent during the last 30 to 45 days prior to
calving (i.e., about 1 pound of extra TDN per day). On fall pastures, cows usually will
not need supplemental feed.
● Feed bulls same ration as cows but allow them to feed to appetite. If a bull is too
thin, add some grain.
● Heifers start calving – watch them closely.
Here is a list of upcoming activities and events for the next couple of months:
July 20
NC A&T is having their annual Small Farms Field Day at their research farm in
Greensboro. There will be different demonstrations on topics such as pastured
pork, beef cattle reproduction, growing biofuel crops, controlling pest without
pesticides and many more. No registration is required. The event will run from
8:30-12:30 with lunch. The address for directions is 3136 McConell Road in
Greensboro. Off of I-40 take the McConnell Road exit and go north, the farm is
approximately 2 miles on the left.
July 24
Chatham County Livestock Field Day is being held at the Carolina Stockyards in Siler
City. The event will run from 1-5 that afternoon and will have a few different
informational sessions along with vendors displaying their products. Some of the
information sessions are a BQA demonstration, Artificial Insemination/Palpation for
beef producers, fire ant prevention and more.
July 26
Ag Across the County is a series by the Randolph County Cooperative Extension
where we go out each month to visit a farm and invite the public along with other
producers to share information and maybe get a different perspective or ideas to
try. This month is at the Goat Lady Dairy and will start at 6 pm. Contact the
extension office for more details. Future farms will be added within the next month.