UF/IFAS Beef Cattle & Forage Specialists, and County Extension Agents serving the Florida Panhandle developed a basic management calendar for cattle producers in the region. 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.
Pasture planting with a cultipacker planter. Photo credit Doug Mayo
MARCH
Cattle Herd Management
- Check calving cows 2-3 times daily
- Move cows and newborn calves out of calving pasture
- Record calf birth date, weight, tag calves, (optional: castrate bull calves)
- Evaluate body condition of nursing cows and increase energy supplement as needed
- Feed best hay available to nursing cows & heifers
- Monitor body condition of breeding herd
- Turn bulls in with mature cow herd
- Order vaccines, dewormer, and external parasite control for April working
- Make repairs and adjustments to cow pens for April working
- Check mineral, use high magnesium mineral if grazing winter annuals
Pasture Management
- Prepare land for planting summer annual grasses and legumes on tilled land
- Plant bahiagrass pastures after danger of frost and with adequate soil moisture
- Fertilize permanent pastures & hay field in late March to early April, based on soil test
Pest Management
- Apply herbicide to control thistles
- Control weeds in newly established pastures
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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, Ray Bodrey, and Kalyn Waters.
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Jackson County Extension Director, Livestock & Forage Agent, Lead Editor for Panhandle Ag e-News
demayo@ufl.edu - 850-482-9620
Follow me on Twitter
@UFCowman
demayo@ufl.edu - 850-482-9620
Follow me on Twitter
@UFCowman
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