Usually before or after game days, sports teams will watch film of themselves playing to understand mistakes, evaluate their techniques and notice things they had not seen while in the heat of the action.
Coaches typically lead these film sessions, pointing out certain things to the entire team to encourage them to critically think about how to make themselves better and defeat opponents.
MFA takes a similar approach when designing custom nutrition plans and solutions for the specific needs of each farming operation. Just as athletes examine film and collaborate with coaches to improve future performance, MFA livestock experts work one-on-one with producers to review what went right, what went wrong and build a game plan for next season.
“At the end of the day, we all want to be profitable,” said cattle producer Herb Schnitker of Middletown, Mo. “MFA helps us put a plan together and figure out how to maximize performance, both when things are going well and when things are tough and challenging.”
Farmers are notoriously self-sufficient, and Schnitker is no exception. He collaborated with one of his daughters to design a carefully thought-out cattle-working facility that includes wide alleyways, privacy pens, a calving corral and an office. There are even multiple cameras that rotate to monitor when a cow begins the calving process. From his home or phone, Schnitker can. . . .
If you reside in Southern Missouri, the words “black vultures” are probably not new to you or the folks at the local coffee shop. They’ve been in this neck of the woods for several years, but residents further north have recently noticed their expansion and increasing population. In particular, livestock producers are concerned because black vultures have earned a reputation for attacking live calves.
These birds are different than the red-headed turkey vulture that we are all accustomed to seeing throughout Missouri. The black vulture has a black body with a naked black head and is a bit smaller than its turkey vulture cousin. Both feed on dead and decaying animals. The difference between the two is that black vultures will attack live animals that are injured or unable to escape. Although this problem is not very common, it does happen. When it happens to your herd . . . .
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About Today's Farmer magazine
Today's Farmer is published 9 times annually. Printed issues arrive monthly except combined issues for June/July, August/September and December/January. Subscriptions are available only in the United States.
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