We often hear about the pros and cons of retaining ownership of your calves post-weaning. I googled it and got 1.5 million hits, so it is definitely a popular subject. Much of the debate revolves around spreading out your marketing risk or creating more marketing options, getting paid more for the better genetics that you purchase and getting carcass data back to help you make better genetic pairings and selections.
Agriculture-focused youth programs
The disrupted state of our world during 2020 cannot be doubted and will definitely have a major impact on many young people who had hoped to show animals at their local fairs this summer.
CRYSTALYX Blueprint nutrition now available for sheep
At CRYSTALYX, most of our attention centers around beef cattle production — and for good reason. The majority of CRYSTALYX being supplemented, from a volume standpoint, is for beef cattle. We do, however, have excellent programs and products designed for dairy cattle, sheep, goats and equine, as well.
3 reasons you may consider early weaning
The time in which calves are weaned is typically based on their age or weight or because “that is when it has always been done.” While the majority of cattle producers in the U.S. and Canada wean calves at around 205 days of age, or 7 months, situations may arise in which weaning calves early may be beneficial for the condition of the cowherd, the pasture or forage availability and marketing opportunities.
Stable-lyx equine supplements: Fly control and smaller container options
The majority of CRYSTALYX self-fed supplements are designed for beef cattle on pasture, with several specialty products for calving, weaning and growing cattle. Early in the development of the CRYSTALYX product line, ranchers recognized the benefits of nutrient delivery, ease of use and the time savings associated with using CRYSTALYX when supplementing their cattle. They also noticed that the horses liked the molasses-based product but had concerns about whether a beef product was adequate for their horses.
A summer mineral program for stockers using CRYSTALYX Iono-lyx
I believe everyone is ready to put the winter and spring of 2020 behind us. We now see green grass everywhere and we are waiting for the economy to reboot. Hopefully, beef demand, consumption, exports and slaughter capacity will get back to whatever we once thought was “normal.”
Answering the call to the fescue toxicity dilemma
It is well-documented that the reduced productivity of cattle and other livestock in the more-than 35 million acres of tall fescue known as the “Fescue Belt” is challenging when temperatures start to rise every year.
CRYSTALYX Blueprint nutrition for breeding and beyond
Since the fall of 2017, we’ve been talking a lot about our CRYSTALYX Blueprint nutrition programs. These programs are available in many CRYSTALYX formulas as well as loose minerals and other block forms. The success stories keep coming in, and so far, the results have been very impressive.
Shortening the calving interval
For many spring-calving herds, we are in the midst of the calving season. Some may be wrapping up, while others may just be beginning these potentially sleepless nights. While this is an important time to monitor cows and make sure calves get the ample colostrum they need to remain healthy, now is also the time to be thinking about future calving seasons.
Feed-through fly control options and the NEW Mineral-lyx® GAR
Warm weather will arrive soon and with increasing temperatures also come those annoying flies. They are more than simply bothersome; they are expensive! Flies contribute to decreased animal performance, increased risk of disease such as pink eye, and general animal suffering.
