November Cattle & Forage Management Reminders

UF/IFAS Beef Cattle & Forage Specialists, and County Extension Agents serving the Florida Panhandle worked to develop a basic management calendar for cattle producers. The purpose of this calendar is to provide reminders for management techniques with similar timing to those used at the North Florida Research and Education Center’s Beef Unit, near Marianna, Florida. Links to useful publications with more information are also provided.

Hay is the most expensive feed for livestock because of the shear volume needed when pastures are dormant. Photo credit: Doug Mayo — The current drought has reduced fall forage growth and the long-term forecast of a warmer and direr than normal winter could reduce cool-season annual forage production. Producers may need to feed hay earlier and in greater quantity this winter. Photo credit: Doug Mayo

November Management Reminders

Cattle Herd Management

Check calving heifers 2-3 times daily
- Move heifers and newborn calves out of calving pasture
  - Record calf birth date, weight, tag calves (optional: castrate bull calves)
- Evaluate body condition of nursing heifers and increase energy supplement as needed
- Feed best hay available to nursing heifers
- Begin hay supplementation as needed
  - Strategies for Cost-Effective Supplementation of Beef Cattle

Develop winter supplementation plan based on forage quality test results
Begin feeding high magnesium mineral 30 days prior to grazing winter annual pastures
- Grass Tetany in Cattle

Pre-breeding bull evaluation
- breeding soundness exam (BSE)
- vaccinate for vibrio/lepto, IBR, BVD, BRSV, PI₃
- Parasite control
Move mature cows to clean, dry, calving pasture & record body condition
- Implications of Cow Body Condition Score on Productivity

Check fences in fields to be used for winter pastures and make needed repairs

Pasture Management

Plant overseeded winter grazing on hayfields or pastures (ryegrass, clovers, vetch, and other miscellaneous winter forages)
Fertilize winter pastures at 30-40 lbs N per acre and other nutrients as recommended by soil test report after canopy reaches 2-3 inches
Check fences in winter pastures and make any needed repairs

Pest Management

Scout pastures for poisonous weeds, spray, mow, or remove if found
- Poisonous Plans of the Southern US

Annual Events

Celebrate Farm-City Week November 13-19 in your community

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Use the following link to download the entire Cattle & Forage Management Annual Calendar:

Panhandle Ag Extension Team Cattle & Forage Management Calendar

Developed by the Panhandle Agriculture Extension Livestock and Forage Team:

Doug Mayo, Cliff Lamb, Mark Mauldin, Ann Blount, Cheryl Mackowiak, Jose Dubeux, Jay Ferrell, Jennifer Bearden, Nicolas DiLorenzo, Shep Eubanks, Jed Dillard, Mike Goodchild, Roy Carter, Henry Grant, John Atkins, and Kalyn Waters