Animal Care and Herd Health Management

Good Care Is Good Business

A well-managed herd with documented health records commands higher prices and costs less in veterinary emergencies. Our beginner’s guide covers the fundamentals for new owners. For preventive health, our vaccination guide and deworming guide cover protocols, drug classes, and resistance management. Round out your program with our mineral supplementation guide for the 17 essential minerals and our winter care guide for cold stress, feeding strategies, and body condition monitoring.

Log health records in your animals’ Creatures profiles to maintain the documentation that buyers trust.

Cattle Deworming and Parasite Control: A Practical Schedule

Parasites Cost More Than You Think Internal parasites cost the U.S. cattle industry an estimated $2 billion annually in lost production, treatment costs, and death loss. The economic impact on individual animals ranges from subclinical production losses (reduced weight gain, lower milk production, poor feed conversion) to clinical disease and death in heavily parasitized young […]

Winter Cattle Care: Feeding, Shelter, and Cold Weather Management

Winter Changes Everything Cold weather transforms cattle management. Nutrient requirements increase, water sources freeze, body condition becomes harder to assess under thick winter coats, and the decisions you make between November and March determine whether your herd emerges in the spring ready to breed back on schedule or thin, weak, and behind. If this is […]

Cattle Mineral and Nutrition Supplements: What Your Herd Actually Needs

The Mineral Program Most Herds Are Missing Mineral supplementation is one of the most impactful and least understood management practices in the beef cattle business. Evaluations of thousands of liver biopsy samples show that over 60 percent of beef cattle are deficient in copper alone. Zinc, selenium, and manganese deficiencies are similarly widespread, depending on […]

Beginner’s Guide to Raising Livestock on a Small Farm

Before You Buy a Single Animal The dream of raising livestock on a small farm is compelling: green pastures, healthy animals, and the satisfaction of producing something real with your hands. The reality is also compelling, but it comes with a learning curve that catches many beginners off guard. The most successful small-scale livestock owners […]

Cattle Vaccines: What Every Owner Needs to Know

Why Vaccination Matters for Every Cattle Owner Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective management practices in cattle production. A well-designed vaccination program prevents diseases that can cause death, reduce weight gain, impair fertility, and devastate your herd’s productivity. For a few dollars per head, you protect animals worth thousands. If you are new to […]

Ethical Breeding: Principles Every Breeder Should Follow

Why Ethical Breeding Matters Breeding animals carries real responsibility. Every breeding decision affects the health, temperament, and longevity of the offspring, the welfare of the parents, and the long-term viability of the breed itself. Ethical breeders understand this weight and make decisions accordingly. The difference between ethical breeding and irresponsible breeding isn’t subtle. It shows […]