Ethanol byproducts still pay their way in feedlot rations
Drovers
Paying the feed bill has cleaned out bank accounts faster than Jesse James in recent years, as high corn prices left cattlemen everywhere looking for the cheapest, most efficient alternatives.
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Calf weaning time – Preparing for the celebration
Kevin Gould
Michigan State University
It’s that time of year when most spring calving herds are planning their weaning schedules. Cow-calf producers contemplate weaning strategies like fence-line or dry-lot weaning, etc.
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Drought Forces New Mexico Ranchers to Better Manage the Land
Ted Robbins
NPR
Severe drought has forever changed the landscape in New Mexico. Grasslands have been replaced by desert, and ranchers to reduce the number of cattle grazing open fields. Recent rains have brought some relief, but it’s not enough to reverse desertification.
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Research Points to Issue of Steroids in Aquatic Systems
Beef Producer
A new study from the University of Nevada, Reno shows that anabolic steroids used in livestock production may have a ‘new life’ in the water.
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Argentina Provides A Lesson In How to Ruin a Beef Industry
Paul Queck
BEEF
We complain a lot about our government and how it complicates our farm and ranch businesses. It could be a lot worse. Take Argentina, for example. That country was one of our fiercest competitors just seven years ago.
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NDSU to hold calf backgrounding program
Tri State Livestock News
“Backgrounding Cattle 2013” will provide updates on cattle feeding for the fall of 2013.
“With the drop in feed prices, backgrounding may make economic sense,” says Karl Hoppe, area Extension livestock specialist at the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center. “However, good calf prices never seem to stay constant and price protection should be considered. Also, keeping newly weaned calves healthy is a challenge and recognizing sick calves early isn’t easy. This program should sharpen your skill for managing these calves.”
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Stocker Industry has Fortified Position in Southeast
Clifford Mitchell
Cattle Today
What some may call a “new era” in the beef industry has led to some significant changes in the way cattlemen conduct business. High corn prices have changed trade models and Mother Nature has shifted production to different regions, while at the same time, depleting cow numbers due to harsh weather conditions.
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Preventing Respiratory Acidosis in Newborn Calves
Glen Selk
Angus Beef Bulletin Extra
We have previously discussed the research that indicates that the average length of time that a mature cow is in Stage 2 of calving is less than half an hour. The average length of time that a first-calf 2-year-old heifer is in Stage 2 of labor is about an hour.
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Jay O’Brien Is 2013 BEEF Stocker Award Winner
Wes Ishmael
“You own stocker cattle long enough and the market generally gives you a chance to come out on them,” says Jay O’Brien of Amarillo, who owns a ranch northeast of Clarendon, TX, with his children and grandkids. He also manages ranches in Texas and Colorado.
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Ranchers Play a High-Steaks Game for All the Marbling
Wall Street Journal
Started last year, the competition is part of growing interest among meat eaters and small cattle-producers in raising the profile of beef to more than just "what’s for dinner," as the old slogan goes. They view steak in the manner of a fine French wine or robust Colombian coffee, searching for flavors perceived as mushroom and ocean, while avoiding anything reminiscent of mackerel, cardboard and liver.
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The Beef Blog 