BeefTalk: In Search of Late-season Protein
Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service
Cattle need energy to survive the big picture, but that survival does not mean much if their daily nutrition is not balanced. Growth requires the appropriate combination of many nutrients, including protein, minerals, vitamins and even water.
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Beef Industry Wrestles With Issue Of Attracting New Blood
Burt Rutherford
BEEF
Take a look around the café at the sale barn and here’s what you’ll notice; most of the patrons have hit the metallic age—silver in their hair, gold in their teeth and lead everywhere else.
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USDA shutdown hobbles livestock markets . . .
Reuters
"It’s a bigger deal for the livestock traders as they rely on daily numbers – slaughter, wholesale pork and beef prices. On the grains, you’re missing more of the big picture," said Don Roose, president of Des Moines-Iowa brokerage U.S. Commodities, which serves both crop and livestock customers.
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Bob & Tom comedian wrangles steers, city council members and citizens
Roger McBain
Evansville Courier Express
Drew Hastings takes his day jobs very seriously, but raising cattle and serving as mayor of Hillsboro, Ohio, provide plenty of fodder for the nationally recognized comedian’s weekend stand-up appearances.
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CAFO: "The Auschwitz of Livestock?"
Holly Spangler
Indiana Prairie Farmer
It wasn’t exactly what we expected to hear at a farm tour sponsored by the Illinois Farm Families program.
What we expected when George Kalogridis, an Indiana-based organic certification manager, stepped in front of the crowd of Chicago Field Moms and downstate (cattle raising) farm moms a couple weekends ago during our tour of the Larson/Martz grain and cattle operation, was a few details on what’s allowed and not allowed on certified organic farms.
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Reducing Replacement Heifer Development Costs Utilizing a Systems Approach
Rick Funston
University of Nebraska
Replacement heifer development and cow depreciation is the largest expense to most cow-calf operations after feed for mature cows. Thus, producers should strive for systems that optimize replacement heifer development costs, timely pregnancies, and cow herd longevity.
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Beta-agonists: What Are They and Should I Be Concerned?
Lindsay Chichester, Heather DePra, and Galen Erickson
University of Nebraska
Beta-agonists are approved feed additives and are deemed safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where they act to enhance lean muscle gain, increase growth rate, and increase feed efficiency. There are differences between specific beta-agonists, but those approved by the FDA include ractopamine (brand names include Optaflexx and Paylean) and zilpaterol (brand name Zilmax).
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Early Weaning and its Impact on Cows, Calves, and Producers
Ranchers Exchange
With what looks like another dry fall in many parts of the country, producers are looking for alternative management practices to help their cows, calves and pastures succeed in these tough conditions.
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Why Spaying Beef Heifers Makes Sense
Heather Smith Thomas
Beef
Spaying heifers is a management tool that’s nearly a century old. It involves surgical removal of the ovaries — the primary source of estrogen and progesterone in females — thus eliminating estrous cycles and pregnancies.
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Why Most Grass-Fed Beef Sold In U.S. Comes From Down Under
KOSU
Beef from cattle that have only grazed on pasture is in high demand — much to the surprise of many meat retailers, who didn’t traditionally think of grass-fed beef as top-quality.
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The Beef Blog 