Monthly Archives: May 2012

Smith Demands Answers from EPA Over Aerial Surveillance of Nebraska Livestock Operations

Smith Demands Answers from EPA Over Aerial Surveillance of Nebraska Livestock Operations

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) today joined Reps. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Lee Terry (R-NE) and Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Mike Johanns (R-NE) in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson inquiring about the EPA’s use of aerial surveillance of livestock operations in Nebraska.

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Bred Heifer Mythology

Bred Heifer Mythology

Shan Ingram

HeiferPro

Most cow-calf producers believe three myths associated with the development of heifers into cows. I will discuss them briefly in this article.

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Cattle producers may need to plan for a drought again

Cattle producers may need to plan for a drought again

FarmTalk

Parsons, Kansas — Arkansas cattlemen may need to prepare for another year of drought, said Tom Troxel, associate head-animal science for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

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Biosolids Pump Up Pasture Fertility at a Fraction of the Cost

Biosolids Pump Up Pasture Fertility at a Fraction of the Cost

Boyd Kidwell

Progressive Farmer

These are interesting days in the beef business. Cattle prices are at record levels, but expenses are sky-high and rising. What if there was a way to cut those costs, especially fertilizer?

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To cull or not to cull?

To cull or not to cull?

Dan Murphy

Drovers

Few animals worldwide are as iconic as the kangaroo. As a first-time visitor Australia years ago, I can testify that one of the most sought-after encounters I wanted to experience was a chance to see these unique marsupials in the wild.

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Recipe For Low-Input Heifers

Recipe For Low-Input Heifers

Gayle Smith

With beef cattle numbers down, input costs rising, and calf prices at record highs, specialists are seeking ways to replace those valuable cows at an economical cost.

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Finding Efficiency With Forages

Finding Efficiency With Forages

Kindra Gordon

Angus Journal

Today’s U.S. beef industry is certainly in unchartered territory. Cattle prices are at historical highs, but so are production costs. Because of this, Jeff Geider, director of the Institute of Ranch Management at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, says, “Higher prices for livestock will not guarantee profitability. It all depends on what it cost to produce them.”

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Angus Genetics Inc. Names New Genetic Systems Director

Angus Genetics Inc. Names New Genetic Systems Director

AgriMarketing

Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) has announced its newest employee, Genetic Systems Director Brian Brigham. Brigham will be working on a wide array of AGI projects, including new-trait development, genomic research and data collection systems.

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AgriLife Research study focuses on feeding beef steers with algae co-products

AgriLife Research study focuses on feeding beef steers with algae co-products

Southwest Farm Press

Algae typically isn’t associated with cattle feed, but a Texas AgriLife Research scientist and graduate student have found some interesting results that may change this mindset during their  three-phased study.

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Nebraska State Fair to salute beef industry   

Nebraska State Fair to salute beef industry                                 

The Imperial Republican

The Nebraska State Fair Open Beef Cattle Breed Shows, which are a highlight of the fair, will be judged Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 29 and 30, in the livestock arena on the Nebraska State Fairgrounds.

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Baxter Black, DVM:  SUSPICIOUS OF THE GOOD COW MARKET

Baxter Black, DVM:  SUSPICIOUS OF THE GOOD COW MARKET

I was visiting with Bill in Alabama.  He’s a cattleman, a bit of a philosopher and a constant worrier.

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Health as a marketing issue

Health as a marketing issue

Bob Larson

Angus Journal

Marketing replacement bulls and heifers involves providing cattle that will thrive in a customer’s environment while providing the genetic inputs for high-value offspring. While health may not be the primary thought when selecting replacement cattle, it should be an important consideration.

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Herd Rebuilding Putting More at Risk for Anaplasmosis

Herd Rebuilding Putting More at Risk for Anaplasmosis

Boyd Kidwell

Progressive Farmer

Ear taggers, dehorners and needles can all spread anaplasmosis from seemingly healthy carrier animals to others in the herd.

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Industry dynamics in a new era

Industry dynamics in a new era

Greg Lardy

Tri State Livestock News

The beef cattle industry has been in contraction mode for several years. Cow numbers have declined steadily since about 2004 and are currently at numbers not seen since the 1950s.

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New Study Shows Livestock Industry Beefs Up Illinois’s Economy

New Study Shows Livestock Industry Beefs Up Illinois’s Economy

AgriMarketing

A recent report conducted by the University of Illinois provides an economic snapshot of the current state of the livestock industry, giving the Illinois livestock industry data to back up their importance to the state

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Plan for drought before it happens

Plan for drought before it happens

Drovers

With just a couple of days left in May, it appears that the January-May period will be the warmest on record in Oklahoma.  Abundant moisture through the winter has slowed dramatically with precipitation across the state averaging just 50 percent of normal in the past month.

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Some Tips For Diagnosing Feedlot Mortalities

Some Tips For Diagnosing Feedlot Mortalities

Scott Laudert

BEEF

The study found 100% agreement between the feedyard worker pre-necropsy diagnosis and the post-necropsy diagnosis for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) cases.

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Who owns the beef cows in the U.S.?         

Who owns the beef cows in the U.S.?                                 

Jack C. Whittier            

Progressive Cattleman

In March 2011, a report from the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) was published titled “The Diverse Structure and Organization of U.S. Beef Cow-Calf Farms.” It’s probably not a surprise to anyone associated with the beef industry that the title itself provides an accurate description of this segment of our industry.

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Hay Thefts Increase In Southwest

Hay Thefts Increase In Southwest

Rick Mooney

Hay & Forage Grower

The growing number of hay thefts in the Southwest may slow as prices look to soften in the year ahead. At least that’s the hope of forage-industry folks in that region.

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Ohio cattleman has variety of uses for Texas Longhorn cattle

Ohio cattleman has variety of uses for Texas Longhorn cattle

L.B. Whyde

Chillicothe Gazette

Although he didn’t live on a farm until he was 14, Ed Callan definitely is a farmer/cattleman.

He has learned life lessons farming and especially while watching his Texas Longhorn cattle.

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