Breeding season may still feel a little ways off, but the work that determines next year’s calf crop is already underway. For beef producers, supporting cows through the stretch between calving and cycling is one of the most important management windows of the year. Purina’s Ted Perry says simple, consistent nutrition strategies can help reduce embryonic loss, keep cows on a yearly schedule, and ultimately maximize calf weight at weaning.
Perry says it starts with something every producer can evaluate in the pasture: body condition.
Body condition score 6 remains the gold standard going into breeding season. It gives cows enough reserve to raise the calf on the ground while still having the energy to begin cycling again. Perry notes that mineral status is a crucial part of maintaining that body condition. Those rumen microbes need trace minerals just as much as the cow does, and if they are not getting them, they cannot fully break down forage or supply the energy the cow needs to stay on track.
There is also a clear financial incentive to keeping cows in the right condition. With calf prices where they are today, every missed cycle carries a measurable cost.
Producers have worked hard over the years to tighten calving windows, with many now targeting sixty days or even forty-five. That creates older, heavier, more uniform calves and gives producers the ability to design feeding programs that match the needs of the whole herd instead of a wide range of ages. But to achieve that, cows must receive consistent nutrition and mineral support from calving all the way through rebreeding.
That is where regional expertise comes in. Perry says Purina works across the entire country, and every area has its own set of challenges, forage types, and seasonal stresses.
Whether it is adjusting a mineral program, improving forage utilization, or diagnosing rumen problems through manure scoring, Perry says producers can start by working with their local Purina dealer. They can also visit purinamills.com for a deeper look at nutrition programs designed specifically for the conditions in their region.
As breeding season approaches, Perry says the goal remains simple: give cows what they need, when they need it, and let Mother Nature take the chore. Strong nutrition now pays off all the way through next year’s weaning pens.
