NDSU offers Beef Cattle Winter Management workshops

NDSU offers Beef Cattle Winter Management workshops

Farm and Ranch Guide

Beef cattle producers will have an opportunity in November to learn more about winter management options for their livestock.  The registration fee is $15 per person if paid by Nov. 1 or $25 per person after that date. The cost for beef quality assurance certification or recertification is an additional $15 per operation. Four American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) continuing education credits are available.

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Breaking down using distillers grains on the ranch

Breaking down using distillers grains on the ranch

Stacy Campbell

The Hays Daily News

In recent months, distillers grain price has declined while beef cattle prices have reached historic highs. In many situations distillers grains might be a good option to increase weight of calves and yearlings or for use as a winter protein supplement for cows.

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Iowa Premium Beef readies Tama plant for opening

Iowa Premium Beef readies Tama plant for opening

John Speer

Tama News Herald

"It’s the right area at the right time," Iowa Premium Beef CEO Jeffrey Johnson declared of the move to reopen the former Tama Pack in Tama. He said the opening continues to be planned for the end of October.

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Vilsack Addresses Checkoff Controversy

Vilsack Addresses Checkoff Controversy

Chris Clayton

DTN

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday that USDA could soon start the process to create a new beef checkoff which could be in place by 2016. However, he’s willing to pull the plug on those plans if the beef industry could reach some consensus on changes to the current checkoff.

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This May Be The Year To Over-Winter Cull Cows

This May Be The Year To Over-Winter Cull Cows

Burt Rutherford

BEEF

A big factor in the decision is whether the pasture or hay is available to carry cows through the winter cost-effectively. If cull cow slaughter increases seasonally for the remainder of 2014, how will the wholesale market react? That’s the key question when deciding to sell or hold you cull cows.

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Preparing the feedlot and crew for cattle arrival

Preparing the feedlot and crew for cattle arrival

Nicole Kenney Rambo

Minnesota Farm Guide

Fall is a hectic time of year for farmer-feeders and with harvest in full swing it can be easy to overlook the cattle feeding side of the operation. Unfortunately, this issue is compounded with the fall cattle run as pens are refilled with yearlings coming off grass and newly weaned calves.

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Fewer cattle, fewer meat-packing plants

Fewer cattle, fewer meat-packing plants

Steve Kay

Canadian Cattlemen

Meat-packing plants are the lifeblood of many rural communities in North America. So the impact of a plant closure is often felt more by local businesses than by livestock producers who supplied the plant.

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Point Creek Herefords aims to breed better cattle

Point Creek Herefords aims to breed better cattle

Ann Grote-Pirrung

Point Crescent

Manitowoc County farmer Rob Ash is a Hereford cattle convert. The rural Newton man grew up on a Door County dairy farm but has been raising beef cattle since he was 9 years old.

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Grazing corn stalks

Grazing corn stalks

Dave Russell

Brownfield Network

“By putting them on corn stalks we’re taking advantage of that forage and allowing our regular pastures to get some must needed rest during this fall period,” Lewandowski said.

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Beef cow-calf nutrition consultation

Beef cow-calf nutrition consultation

W. Mark Hilton, DVM

Bovine Veterinarian

With the variable prices of feedstuffs used in beef rations, along with the increasing availability of byproduct feeds, now is the time for veterinarians to become more involved in nutrition consultation with their beef clients.

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