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Month
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General Practices
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Feeding Management
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Herd Health
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January
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*Plan to attend a cow/calf management, feeding and marketing program.
*Prepare for calving in a clean pasture or barn.
*Body condition score entire herd: We like for calving to cows to have a BCS of 5 and fisrt calf heifer to have a BCS of 6.
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*Provide a KNS free choice mineral at all times. Hi-Mag mineral is not necessary until the end of February. (We recommend KNS Product #600 or #605)
*Start cows on ration for the last three months of gestation.
*Provide ample, clean water. Check for ice.
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*Make sure to have all supplies, vaccines and equipment on inventory and functional for calving season.
*Consult with your Veterinarian concerning vaccines and applications.
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February
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*Purchase additional bulls.
*Move bred heifer to calving are 10 days before calving expected. Designate a small area for your first calf heifer that are the closest to calving.
*Observe heifers every 3-4 hours sfter calving starts and assist in delivery if hard labor for more than one hour.
* Eartag calves and keep adequate and appropriate records.
* Move pairs to clean pastures as soon as possible after calving.
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*Provide a KNS free choice mineral at all times. Hi-Mag mineral is not necessary until the end of February. (We recommend KNS Product #600 or #605)
*Keep a high quality ration and/or forages in front of your cows.
* Make sure calves are getting plenty to eat from their momma as well.
*Provide ample, clean water. Check for ice.
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*Scour guard any heifers and cows not yet calved.
*Dip navels of newborn calves in iodine solution.
* Treat calves with scours and watch for calves that might be dehydrated because of scours.
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March
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*Move close cows to calving area about 10 before expectedcalving.
* Observe close cows every 3-4 hours.
*Mark cow having calving difficulty or other problems for early culling.
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*Provide a KNS free choice mineral at all times. Hi-Mag mineral should be in use now and start thinking about the addition of a horn fly control product. (We recommend KNS Product #610, #611 or #612)
*Plan pasture management and fertilization programs for maximum pasture utilization throughout the spring, summer and fall.
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*Observe scours and respiratory problems in calves.
*Watch for cows not cleaning or retained placentas and prolapes.
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April
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*Continued calving management procedures.
*Start watching for heat cycles on early calving cows, prepare to breed.
*Make final selection of replacement heifers and begin breeding season for heifers.
*Plan to market cull replacement heifers.
*Evaluate profit potential for creep feeding and use of hormone implants.
*Watch closely for grass tetany.
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*Provide a KNS Hi-Mag mineral free choice mineral at all times. If you are going to add a horn fly control product now is the time to start including it in your mineral . (We recommend KNS Product #610, #611 or #612)
*Hold off pastures until adequate growth for adequate nutrition.
*Provide grain ration to first calf heifers, thin and older cows as you prepare for the breeding season.
*Provide ample, clean water.
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*Check bulls for breeding soundness and fertility.
* Vaccinate replacement heifer for vibriosis, leptosis, IBR and BVD.
*Consult with your Veterinarian concerning vaccines and applications.
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May
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*Finalize spring calving season.
*Continue to watch heats and breeding heifers and cows.
*Plan fly control program.
Continueto watch for grass tetany.
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*Provide a KNS Hi-Mag mineral free choice mineral at all times. If you are going to add a horn fly control product now is the time to start including it in your mineral . (We recommend KNS Product #610, #611 or #612)
*For this time of year when the grass is lush locate mineral feeders away from water source and loafing areas to help control consumption.
*Still provide older and thin cows a grain concentrate through the breeding season.
*Provide ample, clean water.
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*Continue spring herd work. Deworming, vibrio-lepto, IBR, BVD, etc.
*Turn out bulls after two cycles of artificial insemenated (A.I.) heifers and cows. IF you do not A.I. turn out herd bulls towards the middle to the end of the month.
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June
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*Remove bulls from heifers after 60-75 days exposure.
*Continue to breed cows and younger or smaller replacement heifers.
*Continue fly control program.
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*Provide a KNS free choice pasture or summer mineral that is around 4% Mg. But watch the Vitamin A levels for this time of year. Make sure the Vitamin A is 250,000 IU/lb to 400,000 IU/lb. (We recommend KNS Product #600 or #605)
*Rotate young bulls and provide them with some extra grain while they are not with the cows.
*Provide ample, clean water.
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*Watch for pinkeye and treat it early. |
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July
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*Continue fly control program.
* Remove remainder of herd bulls by the end of the month.
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*Provide a KNS free choice pasture or summer mineral that is around 4% Mg. But watch the Vitamin A levels for this time of year. Make sure the Vitamin A is 250,000 IU/lb to 400,000 IU/lb. (We recommend KNS Products #600 or #605)
*Move mineral feeders back to loafing areas and/or close to the water supply. Make sure to use a mineral feeders that calves can have access to as well.
*Provide ample, clean water. |
*Continue to monitor pink eye.
*If seriuos cases of pink eye exists you might consider a medicated mixing mineral premix with CTC. (We reccomend KNS Products #607 and #5898) *Vaccinate calves for blackleg.
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| August |
*Plan calf weaning program and marketing stategy.
*All bulls should be removed from cows and heifers by now.
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*Provide a KNS free choice pasture or summer mineral that is around 4% Mg. But watch the Vitamin A levels for this time of year. Make sure the Vitamin A is 250,000 IU/lb to 400,000 IU/lb. (We recommend KNS Products #600 or #605) |
*Continue to monitor pink eye. |
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September
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*Pregnancy check heifers and early bred cows.
*Wean early calves and weigh for accurate weaning weights.
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*Turn early weaned calves to good pasture or feed weaning ration in dry lot.
*Make sure to feed a good free choice mineral or a medicated mixing mineral with Deccox, CTC or Rumensin for 30 days. (We recommend KNS #720, #600, #5898 or #602.
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*Vaccinate calves for IBR, lepto and brucellosis.
*Consult with your Veterinarian concerning vaccines and applications.
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October
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*Wean and weigh the remaining spring calves.
*Identify your low producing cows
*Market or develop feeding/marketing plan for open and low producing cows. Keep in mind it costs just as much to feed a good cow as it does a bad cow.
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*Feed weaned calves for desired gain bsed off of management decisions and marketing plan.
*As cows are drying off do not feed any extra supplement until udders are completely dried up.
*Provide a good free choice mineral to cows and weaned calves. (We recommend KNS Products #600 or #605)
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*Treat for grubs and lice if necessary.
*Vaccinate newly weaned calves.
*Should be wrapping up fall herd work.
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November
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*Body condition score all cattle going into winter and if possible seperate into groups according to BCS for better feeding efficiency. |
*Provide a good free choice mineral to cows and weaned calves. (We recommend KNS Products #600 or #605)
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*Continue to monitor the health of all weaned calves. |
