This week’s podcast is all about setting boundaries for your cattle with fences. Most cattle producers have a good idea of what fence boundary needs to be rebuilt next, but do you have a good grasp on what boundary in your personal life needs to be built or re-established?

As we enter the busyness of spring, don’t forget to take care of yourself by prioritizing what matters most and setting boundaries.

Fixing fences in the spring can be quite a task. This is especially true for cattle producers who have been hit repeatedly with heavy snow and ice over the winter months. Neil Mentzer shares his favorite fencing tips and tools with cattle producers to help make their spring fencing tasks easier and ensure cattle stay where they belong this spring and summer. 

Getting the basics right is essential when it comes to building electric fences that work. Cattle producers need to not only do a basic fence run to make sure all wires are up, untangled and don’t have any tree limbs on them; but also make sure they have a proper ground system, good insulators and a working energizer. 

When it comes to grounding and your whole pasture. It's the most important and serves as the heart of the system. So we can say that's kind of like our, you know, those are our arteries pumping the blood back to our heart. Well, it's pumping all that energy for that charger. So, it's a very important aspect of the charger. - Neil Mentzer

If it is a pasture you use each year, you most likely aren’t going to be putting in a new ground rod. But you still need to check and make sure your ground rod is far enough in the ground and connected to the energizer with a 12.5-gauge wire. If you are using solar-powered energizers, be sure to let them charge for 4-5 days before turning the fence on and turning out cattle. 

Cross-fences and offsets are an important part of fencing and grazing systems. Mentzer shares that he is excited about a few tools to help make putting in cross-fences easier. One of these tools is a reel to help roll and unroll electric wire. You can use this to build your cross-fences as it easily allows you to string the wire and clips onto the post at the end of the fence when you are done. Mentzer also shares that the Smart Fence and Tumble Wheels are other options for cross-fencing. The Smart Fence a pre-made 4-strand fence that folds and unfolds for you to transport it and move it to new locations in your pastures. The Tumble Wheels allow you to roll your fence where you want it to go. 

For producers putting in offsets, remember to have your electric wire about 34 inches off the ground if you are running mixed species or a little higher if you are running only cattle in the pastures. Make sure your wire is also 4-6 inches away from the perimeter fence and always use high tensile wire to reduce tangling too. 

May your spring fencing go smoothly this year and your cattle stay in!

Regardless of when your calving season occurs, manipulating the reproductive process of your cow herd can result in shorter breeding and calving seasons and allow producers to add value to calves.

A resolution introduced Tuesday would support the “preservation” of the rule and “oppose efforts to impose new taxes on family farms or small businesses.”

Cattle feeding margins declined last week after modest declines in cash cattle prices. Pork producer margins remain underwater.

The management of Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA said on Wednesday it "will be selective" in relation to launching share buyback programs and also regarding acquisitions given instability in international markets.

Weeds impact the performance of the rest of your forages and can even be detrimental to the health of your livestock if they are poisonous. Here's some strategies cattle producers can use to prevent and control them.

Sound management, health protocols and facilities maintenance can help achieve the ultimate goal of keeping cattle healthy and productive.

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