Beef Management Tips, August 2002

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Beef Management Tips

Livestock Update, August 2002

John Hall, Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, VA Tech

August Beef Management Calendar

Spring Calving Herds

End breeding season early in month if not already stopped; pull bulls
Feed 1st calf heifers separately; give them best forage and supplement if needed
Plan marketing of calves
Line up pre-weaning vaccinations for calves to be sold in VQA program
Continue fly control program
Continue feeding high Selenium trace mineral salt
Continue creep grazing and grazing warm season grasses
Fertilize pastures that will be stockpiled for fall-winter grazing
Move cattle to some hay fields to give pastures a rest

Fall Calving Herds

Body Condition Score cows
Separate thin cows from rest of the herd, and feed them extra grain until calving
Prepare for calving season; make sure you have all equipment and supplies
Continue fly control program
Continue high Selenium trace mineral salt
Move cattle to some hay fields to give pastures a rest
Fertilize pastures that will be stockpiled for fall-winter grazing
Market calves early in month if not already done

Fertilize Pastures for Stockpiling in August
Pastures that will be used for stockpiling need to be grazed down to about 2 inches. This should be done in early August west of the Blue Ridge and Mid to Late August east of the Blue Ridge. Pastures should then be fertilized with 50 to 80 lbs. of N in mid-August (Western VA) or late August (Eastern VA). Ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate are the best forms of N fertilizer to use for stockpiling because they are less volatile than urea or some other forms of N fertilizer. Ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate will "wait for rain" and are less likely to burn pastures or lose their N value. Poultry litter is another good option for stockpiling, but some of the organic N might be slower to be released. Cattle should be removed from stockpiled pastures during fertilization until after the first killing frost or late November (in areas of VA that get light frosts).

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