GENERAL
Fill out a producer
registration form for your farm or ranch from the Mississippi Board
of Animal Health if you have not already done so. This form is an important
step to participating in the Mississippi Animal Disease and Disaster Preparedness
Program. Consider consigning bulls to the Fall 2008 Mississippi BCIA Bull Sale. The nomination deadline is September 1, 2008. Stay on top of summer weed and brush control. Rotationally graze summer pastures, clipping overgrown pastures or harvesting excess for hay. Watch dallisgrass pastures for ergot contamination, and clip seedheads if necessary. Avoid grazing heavily nitrogen fertilized sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrid, or pearl millet pastures during drought or cool, cloudy weather. If cattle are grazed on these pastures, they should be observed carefully for signs of nitrate poisoning. Continue harvesting bermudagrass hay at 4-5 week intervals for optimum forage maturity and quality. Fertilize hay fields between cuttings or on a regular interval to replace soil nutrients removed by hay production and improve hay yield and quality. Continue recording hay yields and forage testing each cutting. Store hay to minimize storage losses and allow matching of forage test results with individual lots of hay for use in hay feeding and supplementation decisions. Keep proper free-choice minerals, adequate shade, and fresh water available for cattle at all times. At 90oF a mature cow needs about 20 gallons of water per day. Continue fly control program keeping a close eye on fly numbers. Remove fly tags as they become ineffective, and implement additional fly control methods. Check cattle for cancer eye, pinkeye, and foot rot. Maintain a complete herd health program in consultation with a veterinarian including internal and external parasite control and vaccinations. Continue good production and financial record keeping.
SPRING
CALVING
January, February, March
Remove bulls from breeding pastures if not done already. Keep bulls in a small pasture traps on an adequate nutritional program, and market bulls that will not be used in future breeding seasons. Maintain lactating cows on the best pastures. Consider creep feeding calves depending on marketing plans and pasture conditions. Plan to pregnancy check herd females about 60 days after the end of the breeding season. Establish permanent identification (tattoos or brands) for bred heifers that will remain in the herd, and make plans to market open heifers.
FALL
CALVING
September, October, November
Wean calves based on market and pasture conditions using weaning strategies that minimize calf stress. Monitor herd performance and nutritional status by recording weights and cow body condition scores at weaning. Assess weaning percentage (calves weaned/cows exposed to breeding) and cow efficiency (calf weight/cow weight). After weaning, cull cows based on pregnancy status, soundness (eyes, udders, feet, legs, teeth), and performance records. Market cull cows based on market conditions and cow body condition. Select replacement heifers based on performance. Put a heifer development program in action to reach target breeding weights by the start of the next breeding season. Implement calf preconditioning, marketing, or retained ownership plans as appropriate.
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