Trying To Put The GIPSA Debate In Context

Trying To Put The GIPSA Debate In Context

Troy Marshall

BEEF Magazine

Last week, I received a lot of emails from producers trying to understand the GIPSA debate. A few were disgruntled that I hadn’t presented both sides in an unbiased manner. Most of what I have written is editorial, however; it is my opinion.

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Why grain isn’t enough to supplement pasture cattle

Why grain isn’t enough to supplement pasture cattle

Drovers

With winter just around the corner, cattlemen are taking stock of available roughages (hay, corn stalks or stockpiled pasture) and considering supplement options.  Many utilize grain as a supplement. And why not? Cattle eat it readily and it can be affordable. While cereal grains are an excellent energy source, they are a poor source of protein and will not offer balanced nutrition to your cattle herd.

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New NDSU videos can help producers learn about backgrounding.

New NDSU videos can help producers learn about backgrounding.

North Dakota State University

Cattle producers do have an economically feasible alternative to selling their calves at weaning: It’s called backgrounding.

That’s a feeding period after weaning that lasts from at least two weeks to 15 weeks or more, according to Karl Hoppe, North Dakota State University Extension Service area livestock specialist at the Carrington Research Extension Center.

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Body Condition Score Beef Cows at Weaning

Body Condition Score Beef Cows at Weaning

University of Missouri

It’s important to have an idea what degree of body condition (fat) beef cows have according to Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

"A key time to make these body condition scoring (BCS) decisions is at weaning time. Reproduction is highly influenced by fat deposition and cows can be both too thin as well as too fat," said Cole.

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Producers Urged to Check Out Johne’s Disease Program

Producers Urged to Check Out Johne’s Disease Program

Cattle Today

Dairy and beef producers and bovine veterinarians are encouraged to check out the revised Uniform Program Standards for the Voluntary Bovine Johne’s Disease Control Program developed by USDA in conjunction with the U.S. Animal Health Association that went into effect Sept 1.

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Chris Hurt: Bright long-term outlook for cattle industry

Chris Hurt: Bright long-term outlook for cattle industry

TriState Livestock News

“Although this is positive news for finished cattle prices, calves and feeder cattle still face the price-depressing burden of high feed costs. In the longer run, current high feed prices will keep the industry in a liquidation phase, and smaller beef supplies in coming years will be positive for returns for years to come,” he said.

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Despite advances in cattle industry, death loss still a problem in feedlots

Despite advances in cattle industry, death loss still a problem in feedlots

Gayle Smith

The Fence Post

The improvements in handling facilities and vaccinations for cattle have allowed producers to work with the animals more effectively and efficiently with less people.

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Tracking the Traceability Effort

Tracking the Traceability Effort

Angus Journal

Strong and ongoing collaboration among

producers, commercial interests and regulatory agencies at both the state and federal level is the key component to successful animal disease traceability in the United States.

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Tight cattle supply will keep prices high in next few years

Tight cattle supply will keep prices high in next few years

BETSY BLANEY

Fox 5 San Diego

Americans love their beef, but with prices expected to remain high for the next few years and other options plentiful, their loyalities might be challenged.

Average retail prices of beef have climbed from $4.18 per pound in July 2009 to $4.44 per pound last July, a change largely due to a tight supply of cattle.

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Anaplasmosis: a growing threat?

Anaplasmosis: a growing threat?

By Geni Wren

Bovine Veterinarian

Most bovine veterinarians consider anaplasmosis to be a disease of little consequence in the Southeast. But anaplasmosis, caused byA. marginale and commonly transmitted by ticks and contaminated equipment is proving to rob profits and crop up in places where it hasn’t been seen before, such as the Northeast.

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NCBA President Fires Back at R-CALF, Others

NCBA President Fires Back at R-CALF, Others

KNEB

At least two agriculture organizations are at odds over the USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s proposed rule on livestock marketing. Last week R-CALF USA chastised the position of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, calling it – deceitful and irresponsible.

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Baxter Black, DVM: GIVING

Baxter Black, DVM:  GIVING

Last spring many criticized Florida strawberry growers for plowing under their crop when it was obvious that spending more money to pick and distribute it, would only add to their financial loss.

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Hold Down Winter Feed Costs With These Alternatives

Hold Down Winter Feed Costs With These Alternatives

Victoria G. Myers

Progressive Farmer

For Troy Ellis, winter feeding is all about holding the line on body condition and making sure cows and heifers are in good shape for a round of AI work by mid-November. But this year it’s looking to be a more expensive proposition.

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It’s Fall Vaccination Time!

It’s Fall Vaccination Time!

Randy Kuhn

Beef Today

Weaning time in cow-calf country means FALL VACCINATION TIME!

This can be a stressful time for the cow, the calf and the farmer/rancher.   The main objective of your fall vaccination program is to prevent Year-Round IBR & BVD.  Not try and treat it when it rears its ugly head at the most in-opportune time!

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Determining whether calves are sick

Determining whether calves are sick

Stephen P. Hammack

High Plains Journal

One of the first things junior calf feeders need to learn is how to tell if calves are sick or may be getting sick. Before you can tell if calves might be starting to get sick, you need to know how they act when well.

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R-CALF USA Critical of AMI Report

R-CALF USA Critical of AMI Report

KRVN

R-CALF USA is critical of the study released by the American Meat Institute that claims the proposed competition rule issued by USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration would cost the nation abut 14-billion dollars in economic activity.

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Grandin to speak at KSU, to be streamed

Grandin to speak at KSU, to be streamed

Topeka Capital-Journal

Temple Grandin, a world-renowned animal behaviorist and a high-functioning autistic, will speak at Kansas State University at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 in Forum Hall at the K-State Student Union.

The lecture, which will cover Grandin’s personal and professional life, is free and open to the public. It also will be streamed live online at ome.ksu.edu.

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Cattle industry in the black

Cattle industry in the black

Standard-Examiner

A year ago, times were at their toughest for Utah’s cattle industry. A stagnant economy and rising business costs hurt many ranchers financially.

This year, times are still tough economically, but things are looking up. The beef industry is one of the few agricultural industries that is in the black, and sales to overseas markets continue to improve.

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Supplementation may be necessary

Supplementation may be necessary

Dave Barz, DVM

Tri State Livestock News

Over the past few years, the cost of running a cow has really increased. It used to be a “rule of thumb” that we could run a cow for about a dollar a day, or $350-$400 a year. As pasture rent and hay prices rose, many producers are seeing costs of over $600 per cow, per year.

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Minerals to Cows

Minerals to Cows

Dr. Ken McMillan

Progressive Farmer

When I give minerals to my cows, the bags all have the same ingredients but in different percentages. How do I know what percentage of what mineral the cows need?

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