Matching Milk Production and Cow Size to Resources
Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska beef specialist
American Cowman
Producers tend to pay attention to cow weight, but new research suggests that milk production by the cow is also worthy of attention.
Cow weight is probably easier to wrap your mind around than milk production, but research has shown that cows with the genetic propensity to milk heavily require more nutrients year round, not just when they are milking.
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Prepare Before Calving Season Begins
Glenn Selk, OSU Extension Cattle Reproduction Specialist and Dave Sparks, DVM, Area Food Animal Quality and Health Specialist
Before the spring calving season gets started, now is a good time to make the necessary preparations that will come in handy when the first heifer needs help in the middle of the night. Here are some tasks that should be easier to do now when the there is ample time to get the job done.
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Using Live Animal Carcass Ultrasound in Beef Cattle
Carole H. Brannen
Extension Animal Scientist – Beef Cattle, University of Georgia
The beef industry has begun using a value-based marketing system, where cattlemen are rewarded for producing a high quality, consistent end-product that meets the demands of consumers. One tool that aids producers in the efficient and profitable production of beef cattle is live animal carcass ultrasound. The use of carcass ultrasound is an economical way cattlemen can make genetic improvements in carcass traits, which will, in turn, put profits in their pockets.
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Lice Control In Cattle
Lee Townsend, extension entomologist
Southern Livestock
Lice are small, flat-bodied insects with legs modified for grasping hairs. They cannot survive off of the animal for more than a few days. Sucking lice, with their narrow, pointed heads, are blood feeders. Biting lice feed by scraping material from the skin and base of the hairs. The eggs, or nits, of both types are glued singly to hairs and hatch in about two weeks. The nymphs, or immature stages, resemble the adults but are smaller. They mature in about three weeks. Adults live two to three weeks and females lay about one egg per day.
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The Heart of America Grazing Conference
PATTY DYER
Zanesville Times Recorder
Local livestock producers may be interested in the upcoming Heart of America Grazing Conference, Jan. 21-22, at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Columbus, Ind. This five state conference, which includes Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri, and is hosted by Purdue Extension.
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Winter Tetany – Frequently Asked Questions
Ropin’ the Web
What is Winter Tetany?
Winter tetany is a metabolic condition caused by lower than average blood magnesium (Mg) levels. This condition occurs when cattle consume poor quality hay or straw, that contain low levels of magnesium, or good quality cereal greenfeed or silage with high levels of potassium (K).
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Q&A: How does a person figure how much corn to buy to finish out a 600 lb steer? ADG will be 3.5 lbs. Is there a ratio or rule of thumb to follow when figuring out how corn to buy?
Dr. Galen Erickson, Associate Professor of Animal Science, Animal Science, University of Nebraska
A: The old “rule of thumb” was 50 bushels per head for yearling cattle. As it turns out, that is not far off, but can be refined.
The main determinant will be feed conversion (which is fairly predictable within a range anyway) and what other components are fed.
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Definition & Explanation Of EPD’s
cattlenetwork.com
An EPD is an estimate of what a bull or cow will transmit to their offspring. EPD’s are calculated by breed associations for any animal that has sufficient performance data. Pedigree information, the animal’s own performance, and eventually progeny data are used in EPD calculation. Currently 16 breeds calculate EPD’s and publish a sire summary (includes only bulls) or a cattle evaluation manual (may include data on some females).
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Purchase Protein Supplements After Comparing Options On a Cost Per Pound of Protein Basis
Aaron Stalker, Beef Specialist, University of Nebraska West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte, NE
Protein supplements are designed to compensate for deficiencies in crude protein contend of the base diet. The objective of a good supplementation program should be to supply the required amount of protein rather than a specific amount of supplement. Therefore when choosing among various supplements a good strategy is to calculate the cost of each supplement on a cost per pound of crude protein then purchase in the most economical way.
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Timing of Respiratory Vaccines for Calves
Dr. Glenn Selk, Extension Cattle Specialist, Oklahoma State University
The July issue of the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association contained some good news for cow calf producers. Oklahoma State University veterinary scientists cooperating with the Noble Foundation of Ardmore studied the timing of modified-live virus vaccinations in beef calves
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Feeding Cows During Cold Weather
cattlenetwork.com
Many cow/calf producers are not aware that cold weather brings added nutritional needs for cattle. Or, if they recognize that their cattle are stressed, they aren’t sure how – or what – they should do to offset it. Cold stress occurs when animals are exposed to weather conditions which put them below their lower critical temperature. For cattle with a dry winter coat, the lower critical temperature is 32 F. If the coat is extra heavy, that number drops to 18 F. If the normal coat is wet, however, the lower critical temperature may become 60 F.
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Opposition to planned JBS-National Beef merger grows
BEEF Magazine
Coming off a record third quarter, JBS S.A. remains determined to fight a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and 17 state attorneys general to block its intended merger with Kansas-based National Beef. If approved by a U.S. District Court judge in Illinois, the merger would make Sao Paulo, Brazil-based JBS – already the world’s largest beef processor – the biggest beef processor in the United States as well. “
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Korea Halts Imports from Swift Plant
Western Livestock Journal
South Korea halted beef imports from a U.S. packinghouse Friday after finding it has repeatedly shipped spoiled meat, the quarantine agency said, according to Korean news sources. Est 969, a slaughterhouse of Swift Beef Co. in Greeley, Colorado, faced the sanction after spoiled beef was found in three of its shipments sent since November, said the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service.
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Grass-fed beef market here to stay
Jeanne Williams
Temple Daily Telegram
Four Texas Department of Agriculture-certified organic meat producers are hoofing it into a fattening demand for grass-fed beef – promoted as the healthiest red meat available because it is lower in fat and calories and higher in Omega 3 fatty acids.
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Thune says cattle exemption bill in the works
Madison Daily Leader
An aide to Sen. John Thune says Thune’s bill to exempt livestock from the Clean Air Act has been filed with the clerk of the U.S. Senate.
Thune, a Republican, said such legislation would, in effect, eliminate the chance that cattle and other livestock will be taxed as a way to cut down on their alleged contribution to air pollution.
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