Cattlemen should prepare for leaner times

Cattlemen should prepare for leaner times

Kay Ledbetter

Southwest Farm Press

Cow-calf producers have made money in recent years, but now they need to be “steeling” themselves for what’s to come. Dr. Ted McCollum, Texas AgriLife Extension beef specialist in Amarillo, speaking at the recent Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show,  said steeling as a verb means “to prepare oneself for something difficult or unpleasant.”

Full Story

Test forages for quality.

Test forages for quality.

Rick Rasby

Angus Beef Bulleting Extra

All the rain received this spring in some areas was really appreciated and made for a good grazing season. In some cases it was a challenge to get hay in the bale without a lot of rain on it while in the windrow, and this reduces quality. Some producers waited for a “window of opportunity” to windrow and bale the hay. As forages mature, digestibility decreases because of the increase in fiber.

Full Story

Did Christmas come early for the cattle market?

Did Christmas come early for the cattle market?

Wes Ishmael

BEEF

Whether or not this week ends up marking the turning point to the seemingly endless price decline since summer, there’s no questioning recent signs of life. Cattle futures were mostly limit up last Friday and then again on Monday with expanded limits.

Full Story

Preventing calf scours

Preventing calf scours

Leann Martin

News Democrat Leader

“Neonatal” calf diarrhea is defined as scours when it occurs within the first three weeks of a calf’s life. Bacteria, viruses and parasites can attack the lining of the calf’s intestine and cause diarrhea. The decrease in absorption of essential nutrients from milk leads to weight loss and dehydration. If the disease level is severe, calves often die, but even calves that survive will perform poorly for the remainder of their lives when compared to healthy calves.

Full Story

Feeding Whole Cottonseed

Feeding Whole Cottonseed

Dr. Ken McMillan

DTN/The Progressive Farmer

The main problem with whole cottonseed is that it contains gossypol, which is toxic to animals. The level of gossypol varies by cotton variety, as well as by growing season. Non-ruminants, such as swine, chickens and horses, are more susceptible to gossypol poisoning because they don’t have a rumen to detoxify it.

Full Story

Lower-cost option for sex-sorted semen

Lower-cost option for sex-sorted semen

John Maday

Bovine Veterinarian

Researchers at Texas Tech University’s Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) report they have developed a novel technology for sorting semen to produce offspring of the desired sex through artificial insemination, according to an article from everythinglubbock.com.

Full Story

Bedwell Named Hereford COO and Director of Breed Improvement

Bedwell Named Hereford COO and Director of Breed Improvement

SouthernLivestock.com

Shane Bedwell has been named Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Director of Breed Improvement of the American Hereford Association (AHA).  In this role, Shane will lead the AHA performance department and oversee the National Reference Sire Program (NRSP) and Whole Herd Total Performance Records (TPR) program.

Full Story

A beef producer’s tool for distiller’s grains

A beef producer’s tool for distiller’s grains

Dean Peterson

Beef Producer

Five billion bushels of U.S. corn going for ethanol every year makes a lot of distiller’s grain. But there are challenges when using it in beef feedlots. Sulfuric acid is added to manage starch fermentation during ethanol production and the acid makes the rumens of beef cattle more acidic.

Full Story

Winter beef cow diets with low quality forages

Winter beef cow diets with low quality forages

Kevin Gould

Michigan State University

Michigan producers were blessed last summer with excellent moisture conditions across the state for the majority of the forage growing areas. In some areas, putting up dry first and second cutting was challenging and we have a significant amount of over mature hay and some that was rinsed off by frequent rains.

Full Story

Obama signs Omnibus spending bill into law; repeals COOL

Obama signs Omnibus spending bill into law; repeals COOL

Codi Vallery-Mills

The Cattle Business Weekly

Last week Congressional leaders released its $1.1 trillion fiscal 2016 omnibus appropriations bill and a major tax bill. Both bills held provisions and rulings that influence the agricultural industry.

Full Story