BEEF producers across Argyll and Bute are being encouraged to focus on pre-calving nutrition as global markets continue to show strength.
With store and finished cattle prices forecast to remain buoyant, spring-calving suckler herd farmers are being advised to adopt a best-practice approach in the crucial weeks leading up to calving.
Dr Alison Bond, Technical Services Manager with Rumenco, said the six to eight weeks before calving are among the most important in producing strong, healthy cattle.
This period is critical in ensuring a smooth transition from pregnancy to lactation, she explained. Getting nutrition right can help avoid issues such as difficult calvings or milk fever, while also supporting the production of high-quality colostrum for the newborn calf.
Colostrum plays a vital role in protecting calves during their most vulnerable early days, helping to strengthen immunity against challenges such as scour and respiratory disease.
Dr Bond said providing a balanced source of vitamins, minerals and trace elements during this period should be seen as a cost-effective investment, particularly when market returns are expected to remain firm.
Whether cows are housed or out at grass, feed blocks and buckets offer a low-labour way to ensure all animals receive the supplementation they need, she said.
The advice comes after a winter which has presented challenges for many suckler producers, particularly around the quantity and quality of forage. This, Dr Bond warned, could increase the risk of mineral and trace element deficiencies.
With the UK beef herd contracting by more than four per cent in the past year, according to Defra figures, and a global shortage of protein, demand is expected to remain strong, she added. That should give producers confidence to invest in best practice, particularly in key areas such as pre-calving nutrition.
Farmers in Argyll and Bute are now preparing for the busy spring calving season, with industry experts stressing that attention to nutrition in the final weeks before calving could have lasting benefits for both cow and calf performance.
