Efficient nutrition of cows during the dry period is the foundation for a successful breeding season and for the goal of having the calf early, born at the end of the dry season or at the beginning of the rains. In another episode of the segment “In the dry season the pasture can dry up, but the cattle cannot,” Doctor of Animal Science Iorrano Cidrini explains that the beef cow, during this period, faces a triple challenge: food restriction (the pasture loses protein), rumen compression due to the fetus/placenta, and the need to maintain body condition to reconceive quickly. According to him, to mitigate these challenges, it is crucial for the producer to use supplementation to ensure that the cow makes the best use of the little pasture she can consume. By supplementing with protein, the breeder provides circulating amino acids that are directed to the fetus and, mainly, to the rumen bacteria, which become more efficient in degrading low-quality fiber. Check it out: The key to a ...