Fewer fires to fight

In my book of comfort food, it’s really hard to beat a good pot roast, so when cooler temps dipping into the 50s hit eastern Kansas this week, I jumped at the opportunity to pull out my Dutch oven. As I slid my Certified Angus Beef® roast into the pot for a good braising last night, I almost instantly found myself standing on a chair in the middle of my kitchen feverishly trying to disengage the smoke alarm. That’s the fourth time this week I’ve had the same episode. Shaking my head I wondered, who in their right mind puts a smoke detector that close to a stove top where any kind of searing, sautéing or general cast iron magic is sure to send the kitchen into audible chaos?!

Earlier this summer we had the opportunity to move into a new place to call home. We chose our very modest farmstead because we knew it had a lot of potential, but the truth is, from smoke detector placement to landscape to fencing – we’ve more than once thought, “I sure wouldn’t have done it that way.”

As I was cleaning up the kitchen last night and simultaneously discussing veterinarian preg-checking appointments and planning upcoming weaning logistics with my husband, I couldn’t help but think about feedlots and wonder how often they’ve felt the way I did standing on that chair in my kitchen thinking, “I sure wouldn’t have done it that way.”

It’s no secret that high-risk cattle aren’t attractive for any feedyard buyer, mainly because no one needs an extra fire to put out. Generally, cattle that have been on some kind of a program, especially one with good documentation are worth more. Most cow-calf herds have a health and nutrition plan in place when it comes to weaning. When was the last time you reevaluated yours? Going through the same motions each fall is fine, if it works, but it’s always a great idea to evaluate your strategy annually and see where you can make improvements.

While it’s always best to consult your veterinarian on health management, I’d also recommend reviewing our Best Practices Manual for ways to fine-tune your weaning strategies. When your weaning and backgrounding management are on the same wavelength as your feedlot, you have more room for market negotiation and your feeder is less likely to have a need for putting out fires. The foundation for good cattle marketing is set in good management. Make sure the one you’re laying is one that the feeder can build on for a profitable, high-quality end product.

~Kara

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