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Beef Management Tips
Livestock Update, April 1999
John Hall, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech
April Beef Management Calendar
Spring Calving Herds
- Finish calving
- Check cows 3 to 4 times per day, heifers more often - assist early if needed
- Keep calving area clean and well drained, move healthy pairs out to large pastures 3 days after calving
- Ear tag and dehorn all calves at birth; castrate and implant male calves in commercial herds
- Give selenium and vitamin A & D injections to newborn calves
- Feed cows extra energy after calving; some protein may be needed also
- Implant calves at turnout if not implanted at birth
- Keep high quality, high magnesium high selenium minerals available
- Get breeding soundness exams done on bulls
- Fertilize pastures and hay fields according to test
- Begin managed intensive grazing
- Attend Virginia Beef Expo in Lexington
Fall calving herds
- Creep graze calves while on cows
- Give vaccinations for Virginia Quality Assured program (VQA)
- Wean calves based on marketing plan for calves - must be weaned 45 days for VQA
- Implant calves at turnout
- Pregnancy check cows 60 days after bulls were removed
- Continue feeding high magnesium minerals to prevent grass tetany
- Fertilize pastures and hay fields according to test
- Begin managed intensive grazing
- Attend Virginia Beef Expo in Lexington
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