Plan ahead to reduce risk of grass tetany

Plan ahead to reduce risk of grass tetany

Glenn Selk

FarmTalk

Because of drought and short forage supplies in 2011-2012, more than ever Oklahoma producers are looking to wheat pasture for winter feed for mature beef cows.

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What can I afford to pay for feeder cattle during 2011-2012?

What can I afford to pay for feeder cattle during 2011-2012?

Steven Rust and Roy Black

Michigan State University

The uncertain corn market and short feeder cattle supply contribute to challenging decisions on feeder cattle purchases this coming year. A series of breakeven analyses are presented below to assist in making the decision on prices to pay for various classes of livestock.

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BeefTalk: Did You Learn Anything?

BeefTalk: Did You Learn Anything?

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

A hot topic in agriculture is generational transfer. It starts the day the heir is born. So why live in denial? As with all seasons, time goes by fast and the season ends. Life is the massive compilation of seasons that shrink as time goes on.

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Preg check to avoid waste

Preg check to avoid waste

Agri View

Successful cattle producers have long recognized that fall is the time to pregnancy check cows before they get into the high maintenance costs of winter. It just doesn’t make sense to put hundreds of dollars worth of feed, pasture, interest, health care and labor into a cow that is not going to bring home a paycheck next year. This is even more critical this year, with short pastures, scarce and expensive hay and high feed prices.

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In Nebraska, grass is the economy

In Nebraska, grass is the economy

Pamela Scott

Las Vegas Sun

In his recent letter about the Keystone XL pipeline, “Pipeline tied to our security, success,” Favil West says he does not think we should listen to “people who consider blades of grass equal to our economy.”

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Crowbar Economics For Cow-Calf Producers

Crowbar Economics For Cow-Calf Producers

Burt Rutherford

BEEF

“Never in the history of our industry have we had so many external influences,” says Tom Brink with Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, the world’s largest cattle-feeding enterprise. And, while that does throw some challenges into the management mix that cattlemen traditionally haven’t had to contend with, all in all, now is a very good time to own cows, Brink says.

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House passes Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act

House passes Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act

Joe Newby

Spokane Examiner

On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a measure preventing the EPA from regulating farm dust.

The measure passed with a bipartisan 268-150 vote.

Thirty-three Democrats joined all but six Republicans in passing the measure.  All of the "No" votes came from Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). 

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What’s left out of the GIPSA rule

What’s left out of the GIPSA rule

John Maday

Drovers

USDA today issued its long-awaited, final GIPSA rule, lacking many of the provisions favored by some beef cattle groups and opposed by others.

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Farewell To Argentina’s Famed Beef

Farewell To Argentina’s Famed Beef

Nancy Shute

NPR

When I think of Argentina, I think of beef from cows that graze on the endless pampas, tended by watchful gauchos. That grass-fed beef has been the centerpiece of Argentina’s most famous dish, a slow-cooked asado on the parilla.

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Footrot costly, prevention far better than trying to cure

Footrot costly, prevention far better than trying to cure

JANE FYKSEN

Agri-view

Footrot-an acute infectious disease-is all-too-common in beef cattle. Characterized by swelling and lameness, it can become chronic if treatment isn’t swift. Lame cattle don’t gain weight; they cost the producer money.

According to Virginia Tech veterinarians John Currin, Dee Whittier and Nancy Currin, footrot accounts for 75 percent of all lameness diagnosed in cattle.

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