BeefTalk: Good Cattle-working Facilities Should be a High Priority

BeefTalk: Good Cattle-working Facilities Should be a High Priority

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

Much debate surrounds this question: “How many times should a cow be in a chute?” The answer rests with the objectives of each management structure. Yet, setting aside the concept of survival of the fittest, producers do need to gain access to individual cows at some point. Some producers have corrals but no defined working facilities and no chutes; thus, the cows never enter a chute. Other producers gather cows once, when separating the current year’s calf crop, and the cows may not see the chute.

Full Story

Producers prep for antibiotic change

Producers prep for antibiotic change

Jeff DeYoung

Iowa Farmer Today

More than a year remains before livestock producers will be dealing with changes in how they use antibiotics. How producers are going to adjust is something that should be on their minds, says Grant Dewell, Extension beef veterinarian with Iowa State University. “Since they have until the end of next year to make those changes, I don’t think many producers are thinking about it,” he says. “But this spring, I would guess many will be looking at their programs and starting to make some changes.”

Full Story

Importance of Youth Livestock Shows

Importance of Youth Livestock Shows

Steve Niemeyer

University of Nebraska

With the summer season wrapping up in the Nebraska Extension offices a person can reflect on the accomplishments our 4-H and FFA youth have made this year. One activity that takes a lot of time is raising and exhibiting livestock for the local county fair, State Fair, and Aksarben in Nebraska. There are many positive outcomes for youth and helping youth with these activities.

Full Story

2016 SDSU BEEF 20/20

2016 SDSU BEEF 20/20

Amanda Blair

iGrow

The South Dakota State University Animal Science faculty and staff are gearing up to host the 2016 BEEF 20/20 program January 6-8. BEEF 20/20 is designed to provide an intensive, hands-on, educational opportunity to enhance the understanding of the production and marketing of high quality, high value beef.

Full Story

Mark Parker: The Top 10 farmer rumor mill topics

Mark Parker:  The Top 10 farmer rumor mill topics

FarmTalk

10. So-and-so is flat broke and will be selling out soon.

Full Story

Genomics 101: How to implement genomics in your cowherd

Genomics 101: How to implement genomics in your cowherd

Wes Ishmael

BEEF

Where veterinarians can really be helpful is educating their clientele about how to use genomics in their selection decisions and in their genetic risk mitigation strategies,” says Matt Spangler, a beef genetics specialist at the University of Nebraska.

Full Story

Individual attention

Individual attention

Our Responsible Beef

At Cattleman’s Choice Feedyard, low-stress handling and extensive sorting are crucial factors in maximizing every animal’s potential. When Dale Moore first saw the little 1,000-head grow yard in Gage, Okla., even though it was in total disarray, he saw its potential and fell in love. “I went home and got my two little girls and my wife and brought them back,” he says. Over the next 15 years, he and his wife, Mary, built the place into Cattleman’s Choice Feedyard, Inc., a custom feeding facility that’s been CAB’s Feedyard of the Year.

Full Story

Kerfuffle continues in Clay Center

Kerfuffle continues in Clay Center

John Maday

Bovine Veterinarian

Spy drones, animal-rights activists and feedyard vandalism have complicated USDA’s efforts to provide transparency in research programs at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) in Clay Center, Nebraska.

Full Story

The Power of the Genome: Weighing Opportunities, Dangers and Responsibility

The Power of the Genome: Weighing Opportunities, Dangers and Responsibility

Richard Resnick

A Steak in Genomics

Resnick put a nice spin on the typical sequencing cost figure. He overlays Illumina’s ($ILMN) stock price on top of the figure. He went on to explain that the only real differences between humans, cattle, corn, and other species is the proteins they make. The amino acids, the building block of proteins, are actually the same between species.

Full Story

Winter seeding legumes boosts old grass pastures

Winter seeding legumes boosts old grass pastures

Duane Dailey

Beef Producer

Overseeding legumes into grass pastures improves livestock diets and boosts gains. November is time to plan winter reseeding for low-cost, low-tech improved grazing on all grasses, but especially fescue. Craig Roberts, MU Extension specialists, considers overseeding red and white clovers, plus lespedeza a paying proposition. Reseeding is easy, but an annual chore.

Full Story