I'm concerned about misapplication of certain feed by-products. We have a lot of options available. Many have tremendous feeding value, but most also come with special considerations…By their nature, feed co-products are variable. You can run into a wreck in a hurry if you don't do a nutrient analysis. |
It's easy to make a lightweight calf gain 3.5 lbs./day. If you've averaged 1.8 lbs. historically and were always trying to get 2.0 lbs., it's hard to change your mindset to restricting gain rather than maximizing it. |
Labor is such a key issue that self-feeding is an attractive option. Occasionally, however, we'll get into a situation where we fill the feeders and discover the feed doesn't work physically; it's gotten bridged inside the feeder and cattle have gone without it for four or five days. |
Limit or program feeding allows you to extend the marketing window while protecting condition in the cattle, but many producers I deal with have decided it's not economically feasible for them. |
Some people are looking at breakevens that are lower than feeder contract prices. The summer contracts are beginning to soften, but there have been opportunities to hedge them for a reasonable margin. |