Garrard Coffey

Not too soon to think about calving season Calving season will be here before we know it. Providing sound management during that time can mean more live calves, which translates to more profit for you. It is important to have a short calving period to allow frequent observation and assistance if needed. Some specific things a producer can do to limit calf loss include: Separate first-calf heifers from mature cows. Calving difficulty can run as high as 30 to 40 percent for 2-year-old heifers compared to just 3 percent for mature cows. Place them in a small, accessible pasture near a corral where assistance can be given if needed. Provide a clean area...

After a few weeks of above-average temperatures, Kentuckians will feel the chill with an early-January cold snap. University of Kentucky agricultural meteorologist Matt Dixon explained that the combination of cold air and winds create dangerous and emergency-category periods of livestock cold stress. Livestock producers should make sure animals have adequate shelter, water, dry bedding and feed to make it through cold spells. Pet owners should bring pets indoors. UK livestock specialists said animals have a higher requirement for energy in the colder months, so producers should have high-quality grains and forages on hand to meet their needs. “The average horse, with a lower activity level, should eat between 1.5 and 2 percent...

Spring Calving Herd Divide the herd into groups for winter feeding • weaned heifer calves • first-calf heifers, second-calvers and thin mature cows • the remainder of the dry cows which are in good body condition • herd sires Be sure that weaned heifer calves are on a feeding program which will enable them to be at 65 percent of their mature weight before the start of the breeding season. Rations should be balanced to achieve gains sufficient to get heifers from their current weight to that “target” weight. Begin feeding the lowest quality forage to dry cows which are in good condition during early winter and save the best hay for calving time or for...

There was a time when almost everyone had animals – lots of animals! Folks grew up living with and understanding animals. They had to understand them. They rode horses, plowed with draft animals, hunted with dogs, milked a cow or two and generally co-existed with farm animals. People learned how to understand what an animal was thinking. If a horse has his ears laid back instead of pointing forward, he’s trying to tell you something. It’s important to be able to tell when a cow is agitated, too. Folks also chose horses that had “cow sense”. Their dogs had “cow sense”. Cattlemen had “cow sense”. What in the world...

The impacts of the fall drought conditions can be seen in some of our cow herds across the state.  Cows are lower in body condition as a result of the grass shortage.  Fall vegetative fescue grass will often be in the low 60’s on TDN and mid-teens for crude protein, much higher in quality than our average hay.  The lack of this fall forage growth will necessitate some early intervention. Many of the hay samples that I’ve seen this year are lower in energy than normal due to the wet spring leading to over mature forage at harvest.  Surprisingly, the protein levels have been decent in many of the hay...

Spring-calving cow herd · Dry cows in good condition can utilize crop residues and lower quality hay now (but don’t let them lose any more body condition).  Save higher quality feed until calving time.  Keep a good mineral supplement with vitamin A available. · This has been a good year for fall pasture growth.  Extend grazing for as long as possible to decrease the amount of stored feed needed. · Evaluate body condition of cows.  Sort thin (less than CS5) cows away from the cow herd and feed to improve their condition.  Two and three-year olds may need extra attention now.  These cattle can use the extra grass that has accumulated in...

Once autumn leaves have fallen, mistletoe becomes highly visible on large trees throughout Kentucky. Phoradendron, the scientific name for Kentucky’s most common variety of this parasitic plant, means tree thief. These small leafy plants are commonly found on twigs and branches of many hardwood species in the southern United States. Mistletoe extracts—steals— water, mineral elements and food from tree hosts; hence the name. Mistletoe use in holiday traditions has roots in pagan times. The appearance of a live parasitic plant while the host tree appears dead led some to believe mistletoe mysteriously held the life of the tree during winter. Druids harvested mistletoe in a special rite, never allowing the...

It is that time of year when talk turns to turkeys. Technically, there is only one breed of turkey with several varieties, although many people incorrectly refer to these varieties as breeds. Turkeys are raised only for meat. They are not raised for egg production, as with chickens, ducks and quail. As a result, turkeys do not produce very many eggs. The most common type of commercial turkey raised in the United States is the Broad-Breasted White. It has a larger breast than the other varieties of turkeys. The term heritage turkeys refers to naturally mating turkey breeds native to the Americas. These varieties date back to early Colonial times. They are...

Beetles, bugs and flies are some of the creatures actively seeking protected overwintering sites as days get shorter and cooler. Many produce stains or unpleasant odors if crushed. Scavengers, such as carpet beetles, can be attracted to accumulations of insects that die in attics and wall voids. Lastly, over-reaction to pests may lead to excessive insecticide use indoors that can have serious consequences. Management Strategies The best strategy is to keep as many as possible from getting indoors. These pest- proofing tips will get you off to a good start  ‒ The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension publication, “How to Pest-Proof Your Home” (ENTFACT-641). Sealing as many potential entryways as practical...

Spring-Calving Herds • If you have already done a pre-weaning working, revaccinate (booster) calves as needed. Treat calves for internal and external parasites. If you vaccinate calves yourself, be sure to store, handle and administer vaccines properly. • Schedule a pregnancy examination of cows if not done previously. Winter feeding costs can be minimized by eliminating open cows prior to winterfeeding. • Wean calves before cows lose body condition. • Obtain weaning weights of your calves and remember weaning is the time to do your first round of culling and selecting breeding stock. You can eliminate obviously inferior calves, especially those with wild or nervous dispositions. Consider the number of heifers that you will...