Video Feature: Should a steer and a heifer be fed differently?

Video Feature: Should a steer and a heifer be fed differently?

Purina Mills

BeefTalk: Making Sense of the Bull Pen

BeefTalk: Making Sense of the Bull Pen

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

When the bulls are penned is a good time for a close evaluation.

Last week, the report card on bull S48 was to keep him for the 2009 breeding season. This periodic review is used on all bulls at the time of purchase and periodically throughout a bull’s life.

The first evaluation of older bulls is for soundness because putting resources into a bull that has limited breeding capacity is impractical. When the bulls are penned is a good time for a close evaluation.

Small problems tend to become big problems. Minor structural problems often will develop into movement problems during the breeding season.

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How to tell a cow’s age by her teeth

How to tell a cow’s age by her teeth

Beef Today

“One of the ingredients used in selecting which cows to cull is the age of the animal,” said Dave Sparks, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service veterinarian and food-animal quality and health specialist. Evaluating her teeth can help you age the animal.

Determining the age of cows up to 5 years of age is simple and accurate: the animal has two permanent incisors at 2 years of age, four at 3 years of age, six at 4 years of age and a full mouth of eight permanent incisors at 5 years of age.

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Why Should Cattle Be Dehorned?

Why Should Cattle Be Dehorned?

cattlenetwork.com

Dehorning cattle is a requirement of the Live Export Accreditation Program (LEAP). The program states, “After 1 January 2000, slaughter and feeder cattle shall not be exported unless they are polled or dehorned and each horn stump is less than 12 cm in length and fully healed.” Any specialty cattle (e.g. stud cattle) exported after 1 January 2000 with horns or horn stumps greater than 12 cm long will have stocking density restrictions applied, increasing shipping costs.

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Beef grading explained

Beef grading explained

The Cattle Business Weekly

When USDA graders stamp carcasses they estimate the eating experience for consumers and provide report cards for producers. They also measure cutability, or red meat yield.

Most carcasses are graded, but very few qualify for the top of the USDA pyramid. Understanding beef grades is not only important to consumers’ purchase decisions, but also to the profit goals of producers.

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Farmers Urged to ‘Become Activists’ for Agriculture

Farmers Urged to ‘Become Activists’ for Agriculture

The Voice of Agriculture

Farmers and ranchers at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th annual meeting were encouraged to speak out and become activists for agriculture.

“We can’t think of the word ‘activists’ as a dirty word anymore,” said Will Gilmer, a third-generation dairyman from Lamar County, Ala. “We have to be proactive, aware and informed about our industry and what others are saying about us. It’s going to take all of us to be active.”

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Cattle Genomics: Sire Types For Commercial Herds

Cattle Genomics: Sire Types For Commercial Herds

cattlenetwork.com

Choosing types of sires is one of the most important genetic decisions facing beef producers.

That choice depends on:

_ Climatic and management conditions and number of production phases involved

_ Breeding systems used

_ Breeds or types and individual performance levels

_ Types of cows currently in the herd.

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Science shows vegetables absorb livestock antibiotics

Science shows vegetables absorb livestock antibiotics

The Cattle Business Weekly

Research conducted by the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin suggests that vegetables grown using fertilizer may be a source of trace antibiotics used in animals. The key word is “trace” with very minute numbers being transferred to consumers, however, research has not been able to accurately pin-point if those small amounts indeed lead to negative health conditions.

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Montana’s Big Brucellosis Plan

Montana’s Big Brucellosis Plan

Thebeefsite.com

The state of Montana released a brucellosis action plan to a roomful of ranchers Tuesday, detailing steps cattle operators and the state will take to help Montana reclaim its brucellosis-free status.

“This is a template for us to increase surveillance,” said state veterinarian Marty Zaluski.

According to Jessica Mayrer Zaluski of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Mr Zaluski said he hopes to reclaim the state’s brucellosis-free status by November of this year. Two Montana herds, one in Carbon County and another in Park County, have tested positive for the disease since May of 2007.

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ICA cautions producers on feed waste

ICA cautions producers on feed waste

Jeff DeYoung

Iowa Farmer Today

  Corn is not the only portion of a cattle ration that has become more expensive over the past year.

Joe Sellers, Iowa State University Extension beef specialist in Chariton, says producers must keep hay costs in mind as well.

He says that’s particularly important for cow/calf producers.

“Land values are up, and pasture rental rates are up, so you need to keep feed wastage to a minimum,” he says.

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NCBA Analyzing Final COOL Rule Implications

NCBA Analyzing Final COOL Rule Implications

KNEB

WASHINGTON (Jan. 13, 2008) – NCBA is pleased that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced details of the final regulation for country of origin labeling (COOL) yesterday. The final rule will be published in the Federal Register on January 15 and will go into effect 60 days from publication on March 16, 2009.

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AFBF delegates endorse increase in beef check-off

AFBF delegates endorse increase in beef check-off

Southwest Farm Press

The American Farm Bureau Federation favored additional funding for beef research and promotion in a delegate vote at the organization’s annual convention Tuesday afternoon.

Responding to a policy resolution submitted by the Texas Farm Bureau, AFBF voting delegates approved wording putting the nation’s farm and ranch organization behind an increase in the $1 per head national beef check-off. The check-off has funded promotional activities such as the “Beef, it’s What’s for Dinner” campaign.

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Take a bat to your poly tank

Take a bat to your poly tank

Mark Evans, Agriculture & Natural Resources Educator, Clay & Owen counties, CED Owen County

The Brazil Times

If you need to relieve some frustration from last year’s season, take a baseball bat to your poly tank before taking it to the field this coming spring.

No, the cold weather has not got to my head. Seriously, many of the poly tanks used for transporting pesticides and fertilizer are getting to be a decade old or older in many cases. In some cases, these tanks are being used for uses for which they have not been designed.

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Wall Joins The American Shorthorn Association Staff

Wall Joins The American Shorthorn Association Staff

Patrick Wall Announced as the Director of Genetic Improvement/Eastern Regional Director

The American Shorthorn Association (ASA) is proud to announce the hiring of Patrick B. Wall as the Director of Genetic Improvement and the Eastern Regional Director. This position with the ASA will provide marketing and educational assistance as well as support for events and programs to help create a sustainable and profitable future for breeders of Shorthorn cattle and achieve the mission of the ASA.

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U.S. hits EU with revised sanctions in beef dispute

U.S. hits EU with revised sanctions in beef dispute

Doug Palmer

Reuters

The outgoing Bush administration on Thursday cranked up pressure on the European Union to drop its ban on beef from U.S. cattle treated with growth hormones by changing the list of $116.8 million worth of European food products hit with sanctions in the dispute.

The EU reacted angrily to the move, vowing to challenge it at the World Trade Organization.

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