BeefTalk: Cows Need Grass and Grass Needs Cows

BeefTalk: Cows Need Grass and Grass Needs Cows

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

What’s up? A typical response to that question in the northern Plains ranching country would be: Busy moving cattle, we will talk later.

Cattle turnout to native grass is the first week of June, so the cattle need to be sorted and hauled. The hustling is a little more vigorous this time of year because the cows have calves at their side and keeping pairs together is critical. Also, there is no need to add additional stress by letting mixed-up pairs comingle in unfamiliar surroundings.

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“Preg” Check and Cull Replacement Heifers Early

“Preg” Check and Cull Replacement Heifers Early

Glen Selk

The Stock Exchange

Many Oklahoma ranchers choose to breed the replacement heifers about a month ahead of the mature cows in the herd.  In addition, they like to use a shortened 45 to 60-day breeding season for the replacement heifers.

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Modified-Live IBR vaccines implicated in abortion cases

Modified-Live IBR vaccines implicated in abortion cases

Tri Livestock News

When cattle producers select a vaccine to protect against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), they expect their cows and heifers will produce a healthy calf. Understandably, the health and well-being of breeding stock is paramount in cow-calf and dairy operations.

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Appetite for Meat in China Means Agriculture Imports, FAO Says

Appetite for Meat in China Means Agriculture Imports, FAO Says

Bloomberg News

China’s imports of animal feed ingredients will lead the country’s increasing dependence on global agricultural markets in the next decade as rising incomes spur meat-rich diets, the OECD and the UN’s Food & Agriculture Organization forecast.

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Ranchers need to watch for ‘hardware disease’ in livestock

Ranchers need to watch for ‘hardware disease’ in livestock

University of Arkansas

As Arkansans clean up after another round of destructive winds and flooding, the state’s livestock producers should not only scout fields for objects that can be a danger to grazing animals, but also check their herds for symptoms of “hardware disease.”

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For The Sake Of Energy, Watch Cattle Graze Seedheads First

For The Sake Of Energy, Watch Cattle Graze Seedheads First

Alan Newport

Beef Producer

It’s been 10 years or more since Jim Howell first showed me and explained to me that forage doesn’t have to be consumed in Stage II growth, sometimes called “vegetative” growth.

It was an open door to a revelation.

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Cattle producers turn to MSU reproduction class

Cattle producers turn to MSU reproduction class

Linda Breazeale

Delta Farm Press

“If producers want to make rapid progress in herd genetics, the economic benefits of artificial insemination are there,” said Jane Parish, beef specialist with the MSU Extension Service.

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Why Texas Cattle Ranching Continues to Decline

Why Texas Cattle Ranching Continues to Decline

TERRENCE HENRY

Stateimpact.org

Ranchers and farmers were undeniably the worst-hit when it came to the Texas drought of 2011. After over $7 billion in losses in the agricultural sector that year (with most of those losses in cattle and cotton), some never recovered.

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Cattle producers should control fly populations

Cattle producers should control fly populations

Purdue Agriculture News

One of the best ways to keep cattle healthy and gaining pounds in hot weather is to control flies, a Purdue Extension beef specialist says.

Heavy populations of flies can cause stress in cattle herds and spread disease. Both stress and disease can reduce milk production and calf gain.

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Despite higher beef prices, cattle ranchers don’t see better sales

Despite higher beef prices, cattle ranchers don’t see better sales

Kai Ryssdal

Marketplace.org

The price of beef may be up at the grocery store, but that’s not leading to big profits for Rolla, Mo. rancher Ken Lenox. He sold a good number of his herd yesterday at a sale he attends yearly. “The market was down some, especially to what it was last year, but it was still good enough to say it wasn’t a bad year.”

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