Observe bulls closely as the breeding season beg

Observe bulls closely as the breeding season begins

Glenn Selk

Feedlot Magazine

The 2012 fall breeding season is nearly here.  With the high input costs of keeping each cow, it is vital that a high pregnancy rate occurs during the upcoming breeding season.  Obviously, bulls represent one-half of the factory that will produce a calf crop to sell next year.

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Feedlot prospects worrisome for U.S.

Feedlot prospects worrisome for U.S.

Donald Stotts

FarmTalk

Conversations about Mayan prophecies of doom have been all the rage this year, but for the U.S. cattle industry, dim feedlot prospects for the future have been a much more worrisome topic.

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North Dakota defeats Measure 5

North Dakota defeats Measure 5

Geni Wren

Bovine Veterinarian Magazine

North Dakota farmers and ranchers won a battle against anti-animal agriculture groups when ballot initiative Measure 5 was defeated in Tuesday’s elections.

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2012 sets record for low pasture conditions

2012 sets record for low pasture conditions

Julie Harker

Brownfield Network

This year (2012) set a new record on low pasture and rangeland conditions in the U.S. The USDA’s final condition report was issued the last week of October showing 54% of pastures and rangeland in poor to very poor condition. Year to year, that is a record. It was 1995 when statistics were first recorded.

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Turnips: Squeezed Stockpiles Put Focus on Weird Winter Annual

Turnips:  Squeezed Stockpiles Put Focus on Weird Winter Annual

Becky Mills

Progressive Farmer

When it comes to feeding the herd in the fall and winter, Terry Chandler is sold on forage turnips, a member of the brassica family.

The Danielsville, Ga., cattleman calls brassicas "a phenomenal fall forage." He no-tills the turnip seed, along with ryegrass, into millet residue that’s been grazed or clipped short.

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Quality Motives

Quality Motives

Miranda Reiman

Angus Journal

Call the CIA. There’s a case to crack. More than 5,000 head of cattle from a western Nebraska feedlot surpassed 40% Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand and Prime acceptance from June 2011 through the end of May 2012.

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Cow clinic addresses bumper crop of weeds in Texas pastures

Cow clinic addresses bumper crop of weeds in Texas pastures

Blair Fannin

Southwest Farm Press

This year’s edition of the South Central Texas Cow Calf Clinic in Brenham featured a lot of optimism and interest in the outlook for beef cattle production in the months ahead — a stark contrast to 2011 when ranchers in Washington County and surrounding areas were devastated by drought conditions.

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DNA Analyses May Predict How Beef Will Taste Once It Reaches Our Palate

DNA Analyses May Predict How Beef Will Taste Once It Reaches Our Palate

Science Daily

Using state-of-the art genomics to predict whether a piece of beef will be tender enough may sound excessive. Until now, the meat industry has been using low-tech methods to assess beef quality, based on carcass weight, hanging method and pattern of muscle fat stripes, also known as marbling.

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2012 Election Themes, Issues

2012 Election Themes, Issues

Carl Zulauf

Beef Today

While votes remain to be counted and races to be determined, the U.S. has chosen to stay with its current split-party alignment of a Democratic President, a Democratic Senate, and a Republican House of Representatives.

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Beef cow winter feed planning

Beef cow winter feed planning

Kevin Gould

Michigan State University Extension

 DNA Analyses May Predict How Beef Will Taste Once It Reaches Our PalateDrought conditions in 2012 have many producers scrambling to source winter feed this fall. This article contains five key steps to accomplish in November as recommended by Michigan State University Extension.

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