Genetics, nutrition can help cows stay in herd

Benjamin Herrold
Feb 4, 2022
Feb 4, 2022 Updated Feb 7, 2022

Cattle herd — Livestock specialists say good genetics and proper nutrition can help cows stay productive for a long time.
Photo by Benjamin Herrold

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Livestock specialists say genetics combined with good nutrition and management can help keep cows in the herd longer.

kAmy:> wF>A9C6J[ 2 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:DD@FC: tIE6?D:@? =:G6DE@4< DA64:2=:DE 32D65 :? pE49:D@? r@F?EJ :? ?@CE9H6DE |:DD@FC:[ D2JD 8@@5 86?6D 2C6 2 DE2CE:?8 A@:?E H96? :E 4@>6D E@ 4@H =@?86G:EJ] r@HD ?665 2 8@@5 7@F?52E:@?]k^Am

kAm“v6?6E:4D 4@>6D :?E@ A=2J[” 96 D2JD] “… %96C6’D 366? 2 =@E @7 6>A92D:D AFE @? 766E 2?5 =68D]”k^Am

kAmwF>A9C6J D2JD AC@5F46CD 42? =@@< @G6C 42EE=6 2?5 D66 H9:49 @?6D 92G6 8@@5 DECF4EFC6 2?5 A@E6?E:2= E@ 36 AC@5F4E:G6 7@C 2 =@?8 E:>6]k^Am

kAms2? {@J[ 5:C64E@C @7 x@H2 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ’D x@H2 q667 r6?E6C[ D2JD DECF4EFC2= D@F?5?6DD 2?5 8@@5 86?6E:4D AC@G:56 E96 7@F?52E:@?]k^Am

kAm“x E9:?< E92E’D H96C6 J@F 92G6 E@ DE2CE[” 96 D2JD] “%96J 92G6 E@ 92G6 E96 42A23:=:EJ E@ 92G6 E92E =@?86G:EJ 2?5 DE2J :? E96 96C5] %96J 92G6 E@ 92G6 E92E DECF4EFC6]”k^Am

kAmwF>A9C6J D2JD :7 4@HD 42? 86E E9C@F89 E96:C 7:CDE 76H 42=G6D H:E9@FE >2;@C :DDF6D[ E96J 42? 92G6 =@?8[ AC@5F4E:G6 =:G6D @? E96 72C>]k^Am

kAm“~?46 H6 86E E96> A2DE E92E D64@?5 42=7[ :7 H6’C6 5@:?8 >@DE E9:?8D C:89E[ H6 42? <66A 96C :? E96 96C5 2 =@?8 E:>6[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm{@J D2JD @?46 E96 4@H 92D 32D:4 962=E9 2?5 DECF4EFC6[ ?FEC:E:@? 2==@HD E96> E@ >66E E96:C A@E6?E:2=]k^Am

kAm“(:E9 ?FEC:E:@?[ H6 ;FDE 5@?’E H2?E E@ >6DD 2?JE9:?8 FA[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm!C@5F46CD 42? >2<6 DFC6 E96J 2C6 >66E:?8 4@H’D ?FEC:E:@?2= ?665D 3J >2<:?8 DFC6 E96J 2C6 <66A:?8 E96> :? 8@@5 3@5J 4@?5:E:@? D4@C6[ A2CE:4F=2C=J :? E96:C 62C=J J62CD @7 42=G:?8]k^Am

kAm“(6 DFC6 H2?E E9@D6 J@F?8 76>2=6D E@ 92G6 A=6?EJ @7 3@5J 4@?5:E:@? 2C@F?5 42=G:?8 E:>6[” wF>A9C6J D2JD]k^Am

kAmw6 255D AC@5F46CD 5@?’E H2?E 42EE=6 E@ 92G6 2 3@5J 4@?5:E:@? D4@C6 E92E’D E@@ 9:89[ 2D 42CCJ:?8 E@@ >F49 72E 2C@F?5 E96 F556C 42? =:>:E >:=< AC@5F4E:@? 7@C =:76]k^Am

People are also reading…

Screwworm spreads into 4 more counties
Cereal rye smothers weeds
Revamped program offers one-year contract for cover crops
Beet stands come through cold, windy spring
Montana Department of Livestock and MSU Extension issue guidance after New World screwworm detected in Texas
Simple changes make the difference in cooling off cattle
Iowa dairy farm engages visitors while expanding operations
What can I do about drought, minerals, and fly control for cattle?
Longtime dairy farmer leads state dairy organizations
Better days for beets
Downpour floods fields in south-central North Dakota as farmers finish planting
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Manage small acreage pastures before, after drought
From the Fields: Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini
Interseeding outcompetes weeds, has host of other benefits

kAm{@J D2JD 2 qr$ @7 d @C e 2E 42=G:?8 E:>6 :D 2 8@@5 E2C86E]k^Am

kAm“p d @C e 2E 42=G:?8 E:>6[ E96? E96J 92G6 2 36EE6C 492?46 @7 3C665:?8 324<[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm%96 =2DE 76H H66<D @7 86DE2E:@? 2?5 E96 E:>6 :>>65:2E6=J 27E6C 42=G:?8 2C6 E:>6D @7 :?4C62D65 ?FEC:E:@?2= ?665]k^Am

kAm“%96 =2DE 76H H66<D @7 86DE2E:@?[ D96 C62==J DE2CED E@ C6BF:C6 >@C6 8C@46C:6D[” {@J D2JD]k^Am

kAmwF>A9C6J D2JD :? 2C62D H:E9 D2?5:6C D@:=D[ D@>6 4@H’D E66E9 42? H62C 5@H?[ 3FE >@DE C68:@?D @7 |:DD@FC: 2?5 E96 |:5H6DE 5@?’E 92G6 E92E :DDF6]k^Am

kAmp?@E96C <6J E@ <66A:?8 4@HD AC@5F4E:G6 7@C 2 =@E @7 J62CD :D H@C<:?8 H:E9 2 G6E6C:?2C:2? 2?5 <66A:?8 FA H:E9 A2C2D:E:4 4@?EC@=D 2?5 G244:?2E:@?D[ wF>A9C6J D2JD]k^Am

kAm{@J D2JD AC@5F46CD 42? H@C< H:E9 2? tIE6?D:@? DA64:2=:DE @C ?FEC:E:@?2= DA64:2=:DE E@ E2=< 23@FE E96:C ?FEC:E:@?2= A=2?D] tG6? :7 E96J 92G6 2 =@E @7 6IA6C:6?46 7665:?8 42EE=6[ :E 42? 36 8@@5 E@ 92G6 E9@D6 5:D4FDD:@?D E@ <66A FA H:E9 492?86D 2?5 J62C\E@\J62C G2C:2E:@?D :? BF2=:EJ]k^Am

kAm“tG6CJ J62C’D 2 =:EE=6 3:E 5:776C6?E[” {@J D2JD] “xE’D :>A@CE2?E E@ >@?:E@C BF2=:EJ[ E6DE J@FC 7@C286]”k^Am

kAmz66A:?8 42EE=6 :? 8@@5 962=E9 2?5 >66E:?8 ?FEC:E:@?2= ?665D 96=AD >2<6 DFC6 E96J <66A AC@5F4:?8 962=E9J 42=G6D[ H9:49 D6ED E96> FA 7@C =@?86G:EJ]k^Am

kAm“&=E:>2E6=J E96 H2J 2 =@E @7 E96D6 2?:>2=D 72== @FE :D 3642FD6 E96J’C6 @A6?[” wF>A9C6J D2JD]k^Am

kAm{@J D2JD 3C665 2DD@4:2E:@?D 2C6 56G6=@A:?8 t!sD 7@C “DE2J23:=:EJ[” 2?5 =@?86G:EJ :D D@>6E9:?8 42EE=6 AC@5F46CD 2C6 =@@<:?8 7@C] w6 D2JD :E 4@DED 2 =@E 2?5 E2<6D E:>6 E@ 56G6=@A 2 96:76C[ D@ 86EE:?8 >2?J AC@5F4E:G6 J62CD @FE @7 2 4@H :D 56D:C23=6]k^Am

kAmpD =@?8 2D 2 4@H :D AC@5F4E:G6 2?5 C63C665D 6G6CJ J62C[ {@J D2JD AC@5F46CD =:<6 E@ <66A E96> 2C@F?5]k^Am

kAmwF>A9C6J D2JD 6249 A6CD@? 92D E96:C @H? DEC2E68J @? H96? E@ 4F== 4@HD @C 9@H =@?8 E@ <66A E96>[ 3FE 96 D2JD F=E:>2E6=J 2 4@H AC@5F4:?8 8@@5 @77DAC:?8 42? C6>2:? A2CE @7 E96 96C5 7@C 2 =@?8 E:>6[ 255:?8 E92E 8@@5 C64@C5 <66A:?8 96=AD EC24< 4@H A6C7@C>2?46]k^Am

kAm“x 5@?’E 86E C62= 9F?8 FA @? 286[” 96 D2JD] “x H2D E2=<:?8 H:E9 @?6 AC@5F46C[ E96J 925 D@>6 4@HD E92E H6C6 `d J62CD @=5[ 2?5 E96J H6C6 DE:== AC@5F4:?8 42=G6D] x 5@?’E 86E 9F?8 FA @? 286 :7 J@F’C6 E2<:?8 42C6 @7 E96D6 4@HD]”k^Am