Major Minerals for Beef Cows

Major Minerals for Beef Cows

Ropin’ the Web

Minerals are essential for the proper functioning of the animal. A problem arises when the feed does not supply enough to meet the animal’s requirements. This may occur because the feed is low in mineral, the availability of the mineral is low or another mineral or nutrient is interfering with the ability of the animal to absorb or utilize the mineral.

Macro-elements

Macro-elements are those that are required in relatively large amounts. This group consists of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulphur, potassium and salt (sodium chloride). Table 1 shows the average levels of several of these minerals in some common feed produced in Alberta. Look at the averages, but most importantly, note the wide variability as indicated by the ranges.

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BeefTalk: Roving Thoughts on a Hot Summer Day

BeefTalk: Roving Thoughts on a Hot Summer Day

For many of us, the status quo is not acceptable.

By Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

Some days really are made simply to do nothing, which is all right. Some would say that is a good indication that one needs to get a life, but that is not true because we all have a life.

We do need to have a life in and outside of business, but business is not life. Many would argue, but today let some roving thoughts pass.

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Seedstock Now and Then

Seedstock Now and Then

by: Wes Ismael

If you believe the penultimate measure of genetic merit in the beef cattle industry is profitability in the commercial sector, then these past seven years or so have been the bee’s knees.

After all, profitability in the cow-calf business has been higher and more sustained than at any time in recent history. Last winter Cattle-Fax reported the top third of its members averaged $166.37 per cow for 2000-2005. Even the bottom third averaged $47.62 per cow.

More recently, Kris Ringwall, beef extension specialist at North Dakota State University, pointed out that producers participating in that state’s Farm and Ranch Business Management program have averaged $128.51 net return for seven years.

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Farmer acquitted of animal cruelty

Farmer acquitted of animal cruelty

Webbers Falls man shot, killed two dogs on his property

By D. E. Smoot

Muskogee Phoenix Staff Writer

Jurors deliberated about an hour before acquitting a Webbers Falls farmer charged with animal cruelty after he shot and killed two hunting dogs he said were chasing cattle on his property.

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Vote on farm bill expected today

Vote on farm bill expected today

By Chris Casteel

NewsOK.com

WASHINGTON — House Democrats pushed the controversial farm bill forward Thursday, beating stiff resistance from GOP lawmakers who turned against the legislation this week because of a last-minute tax provision.

The bill is expected to come up for a final vote today.

Though much of the partisan debate late Thursday dealt with a tax provision for foreign-based companies, Republicans and Democrats from farm states united to defeat an amendment that would have slashed farm subsidies in the $286 billion bill, particularly to wealthy farmers and large operations.

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Cattlemen respond to BLM impound notice

Cattlemen respond to BLM impound notice

By Sven Berg

The Times-News

BURLEY - After being served with a Bureau of Land Management notice of intent to impound their livestock last Friday, Bruce Bedke and his son Jared Bedke filed a complaint Tuesday in Cassia County Magistrate Court to stop the impoundment.

Included in the Bedkes’ suit is a request to withdraw from a 1963 agreement between BLM and ranchers on the Goose Creek range. The agreement separated the range into individual and group allotments and establishing a fund for improvements to the range. The Bedkes’ grazing permit expired Feb. 28.

BLM issued the notice of intent after repeated attempts to convince the Bedkes to sign a new grazing permit failed. According to a BLM press release, the Bedkes’ cattle would be impounded if unauthorized use continued beyond July 26.

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Joining The Green Team

Joining The Green Team

With A Government Assist, County Farmer Looks Out For The Land

By Hannah Northey

Scott Funkhouser, who owns a poultry and cattle operation 2 miles east of Broadway, looked over the 41-acre farm he’s nurtured for 11 years. Standing next to him, his 11-year-old son, Tyler, looked up at him with pride.

Tyler said he wants to take over the farm when he’s older — and Funkhouser is ensuring the land is worth inheriting.

With federal and state assistance, Funkhouser volunteered to reduce the amount of nutrients, sediments and bacteria flowing from his farmland into Long Meadow Creek, which flows through his farm, into the North Fork of the Shenandoah River and the Chesapeake Bay.

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A farm bill should produce healthy food

A farm bill should produce healthy food

By Dr. Robert S. Lawrence and Dr. David Wallinga

Topeka Capital Journal

Editor’s note: Stories of this ilk are included in the blog to inform those in our industry how agriculture is being presented to and perceived by the public.

What does farm policy have to do with obesity? Quite a bit, as it turns out. And now health professionals are stepping into new territory — the writing of the 2007 Farm Bill — to show how this massive piece of legislation is crucial to more than just farmers.

Last month, more than 300 physicians, obesity researchers, public health professionals and others sent a letter to Congress calling for this year’s Farm Bill to be a “Healthy Food Bill.” Specifically, they are pointing to farm policies and an unbalanced food system as important contributors to the wave of obesity and diet-related disease (as well as other environmentally related chronic disease) in the United States.

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Bill expands livestock aid

Bill expands livestock aid

Senate approves change in disaster aid to help more ranchers

By Faith Bremner

Sioux Falls Argus Leader

WASHINGTON - South Dakota Sen. John Thune is trying to keep a provision in last May’s $3 billion agriculture disaster aid bill from excluding thousands of livestock producers from getting disaster payments this year.

The Senate late Wednesday unanimously approved legislation introduced by Thune, a Republican, that would strike from the disaster aid bill a provision that requires livestock producers to have participated in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program to be eligible to get payments for losing forage and cattle during 2005, 2006 or 2007. Reps. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D.; Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; and Frank Lucas, R-Okla., are pursuing similar pieces of legislation in the House.

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Stocker cattle conference set

Stocker cattle conference set

Baxter Bulletin

The North Central Arkansas Stocker Cattle Conference is scheduled for Thursday at North Arkansas College South Campus in Harrison. A registration fee of $20 will be collected at the door. Conference registration begins at 2 p.m., and the program starts at 3 p.m. The program is scheduled to conclude about 7:30 p.m.

The North Central Arkansas Stocker Cattle Conference is a joint educational effort by University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service and FarmCredit Services of Western Arkansas. It’s designed to provide stocker cattle producers with the latest information on stocker cattle management.

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Editorial: Ethanol can’t meet all our alternative fuel needs

Editorial: Ethanol can’t meet all our alternative fuel needs

Post Bulletin.com

Seven years ago, there were 54 ethanol plants in America, with a production capacity of 1.7 billion gallons per year. Today, there are 119 plants nationwide, with another 86 under construction or being expanded. Annual production capacity could top 10 billion gallons next year.

No matter how you crunch the numbers, that’s extraordinary growth for an industry that’s become the rising star in our national quest to “go green” with biofuels. Minnesota is right in the thick of things, with 20 corn-based plants in operation and more in the planning stage.

But there’s a reckoning ahead.

For decades, as better machinery, plant genetics and herbicides increased corn yields, farmers didn’t exactly cash in. Increasing supply while demand remained largely stagnant kept corn prices in the neighborhood of $2 per bushel as recently as December 2005.

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Stocker Cattle Forum: Dale Blasi - Why Buy Preconditioned Calves?

Stocker Cattle Forum: Dale Blasi - Why Buy Preconditioned Calves?

Cattlenetwork.com

Recent, ongoing developments in the U.S. beef industry have increased interest in preconditioning.  Clearly, increasing opportunities for enrolling calves into Natural/Organic and European Union Non Hormone-Treated value-based programs where the absence of sickness is a critical factor is a growing trend. Additional issues surrounding food safety concerns, source verification, individual animal identification and consolidation (at the cow/calf level) are all generally compatible with the continued growth of management practices such as preconditioning.

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Rainfall uneven across Arkansas cattle operations

Rainfall uneven across Arkansas cattle operations

Delta Farm Press

West Arkansas cattle operations — from Texarkana to Fayetteville — have received rain and pastures are “in pretty good shape,” says Tom Troxel, Arkansas Extension beef cattle specialist.

In the east half of the state, however, some areas are in a moderate drought. There’s a severe drought in extreme southeast Arkansas — 3 inches below normal rainfall.

“Prior to the Easter freeze, the state had experienced warm nights and good growing conditions. The warm-season grasses had taken advantage of that.”

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Winners Chosen at Ohio Angus Preview Show

Winners Chosen at Ohio Angus Preview Show

Angus enthusiasts led 117 entries at the 2007 Ohio Angus Preview Show, June 16 in Lebanon, Ohio.  Kyle Gillooly, Wadley, Ga., evaluated the 23 bulls, 88 females, and six cow-calf pairs before selecting the champions.

Maplecrest Rock Star won grand champion bull.  Lindsey Grimes, Hillsboro, Ohio, owns the September 2006 son of TC Total 410.  He first won calf champion.

Advance Git Er Dunn was named reserve grand champion bull.  Advance Cattle Company, Nashport, Ohio, owns the January 2005 son of BR Midland.  He first won senior champion.

Champion Hill Peg 5252 earned grand champion female honors after winning junior champion.  Champion Hill, Bidwell, Ohio, and Greenacres Farm, Cincinnati, Ohio, own the January 2006 daughter of S A V 8180 Traveler 004.

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Peterson: Bush veto would fail America

Peterson: Bush veto would fail America

Delta Farm Press

Republican support for bipartisan bill waivers when tax increase added.

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The Bush administration threatened to veto the House Agriculture Committee’s 2007 farm bill before the full House was scheduled to begin debate and vote on the legislation today (July 26.)

The veto threat came on a day when there were signs the bipartisan agreement put together by ag committee Chairman Collin Peterson was beginning to unravel over a proposed tax increase and other issues.

Peterson, the Minnesota Democrat who has traveled the country for the last six months listening to farmers and other organizations, lashed back at the White House after a spokesman said the president would not sign the bill because it exceeds his budget recommendations.

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IGENITY: DNA Technology — The Next Generation Of Management Tools

IGENITY: DNA Technology — The Next Generation Of Management Tools

Cattlenetwork.com

Learning more, earlier, gives all cattle producers an edge EPDs, ultrasound measurements and having a good eye for cattle have long been valuable selection tools. Now, DNA technology is taking selection to the next level, helping cattle producers make genetic progress faster, and more confidently, than ever before, says Dr. Kevin DeHaan, Technical Services Director, IGENITY®.

 “DNA profiling provides information on many economically important traits not covered by EPDs, filling some significant gaps in the selection process,” Dr. DeHaan explains. “A DNA profile also gives producers and managers a more complete picture of potential performance earlier in an animal’s life.”

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“Balanced Scorecard” to Improve Ranch Management

 “Balanced Scorecard” to Improve Ranch Management

by: Eric Grant

Cattle Today

Before you read this article, grab a pencil and a notepad, and find a comfortable place to sit down.

This is an exercise in business planning – or the creation of a balanced scorecard – and it could very well start your business down a new path greater sustainability and increased happiness for yourself, your family and your employees.

But before we really begin the process, here’s a little background information about balanced scorecards, which is the document you will be completing.

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