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Beef Management Tips
Livestock Update, April 2009
Scott P. Greiner, Ph.D., Extension Animal Scientist, VA Tech
April Beef Management Calendar
Spring Calving Herds
- Finish calving
- Check cows 3 to 4 times per day, heifers more often to assist early if needed
- Keep calving area clean and well drained, move healthy pairs out to large pastures 3 days after calving
- Ear tag all calves at birth; castrate and implant male calves in commercial herds
- Give selenium and vitamin A & D injections to newborn calves
- Feed cows supplemental energy after calving; some protein may be needed also
- Keep high quality, high magnesium, high selenium minerals available
- All bulls need a breeding soundness exam at least 30 days before start of breeding season
- Fertilize pastures and hay fields according to soil tests
Fall Calving Herds
- Creep graze calves while on cows
- Give pre-weaning respiratory vaccinations IBR, PI3, BVD, BRSV, pasteurella
- Collect weaning weights on calves; weigh and body condition score cows
- Wean commercial calves based on marketing plan for calves
- Re-implant commercial calves (do not implant replacement heifers)
- Pregnancy check cows 60 days after bulls were removed
- Continue feeding high magnesium minerals to prevent grass tetany
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