Baxter Black, DVM: The Tranquilizer Gun

Baxter Black, DVM:  The Tranquilizer Gun

Unless you’re a tiger trimmer in Tanganyika, the tranquilizer gun has not lived up to its potential. 

Full Story

Selenium in Beef Cattle Nutrition

Selenium in Beef Cattle Nutrition

Dr. Roy Burris

Ohio Beef Cattle Letter

Selenium (Se) was discovered in 1818 but its role in animal nutrition wasn’t understood until the 1950’s when Se was identified as an essential nutrient. Selenium is thought of as a trace or micro mineral in beef cattle diets.

Full Story

Castration and Beef Profits

Castration and Beef Profits

Dr. Ken McMillan

DTN/The Progressive Farmer

I do believe early castration offers many benefits. Some cattlemen castrate at birth, while others wait until one to three months of age. Early castration is less stressful and less risky for calves — as well as the humans doing the procedure.

Full Story

The Right Planning Yields Success With E.T.

The Right Planning Yields Success With E.T.

Chel Terrell

Cattle Today

Embryo transfer (ET) can be an incredible asset to your operation, whether you’re a “seasoned” breeder or relatively new to the cattle business. The technology has proven beneficial for upgrading quality in a shorter amount of time – allowing a producer to achieve the desired forward progress in their herd by adding elite genetics without having to invest resources in multiple high-dollar animals.

Full Story

Low-Stress Livestock Handling’s 12 Steps to Success

Low-Stress Livestock Handling’s 12 Steps to Success

Whit Hibbard

On Pasture

To work animals in a low-stress manner it is essential that they be in a normal frame of mind, and that is entirely a function of how the stockman handles them.

Full Story

Mineral Boost Optimizes Reproductive Performance

Mineral Boost Optimizes Reproductive Performance

Jennifer Beidle

Angus Beef Bulletin Extra

Providing highly fortified vitamin, mineral supplement to beef cows two months prior to calving and through breeding improves conception rates, reproductive health.

Full Story

Calving Cows on Cornstalks – Nutritional Considerations

Calving Cows on Cornstalks – Nutritional Considerations

Karla H. Jenkins

University of Nebraska

Calving season is getting underway and many producers choose to calve out on cornstalk fields. Residue fields can be a good place to maintain cowherds until cool season grasses are available but often times, calving occurs during February and March to avoid the busy farming responsibilities later in the spring.

Full Story

Zoetis offers rebate opportunity to CIDR customers

Zoetis offers rebate opportunity to CIDR customers

Drovers

Beef producers who use Eazi-Breed™ CIDR® (intravaginal progesterone cattle inserts) to synchronize their cows can now receive a $27.70 per bag rebate toward purchase of GeneMax® Advantage™ to select heifer replacements. Combining genetics and reproduction programs helps producers effectively manage breeding programs for tighter calving windows and a higher value, more uniform calf crop.

Full Story

South Dakota Farmers Union recognizes Wienk family

South Dakota Farmers Union recognizes Wienk family

Lura Roti

AgWeek

Thumbing through a recent Wienk Charolais sale catalogue, Arnold Wienk, 78, recalls what it was like in the early years, "When I first sold bulls, the only number we gave buyers was the birthdate." The glossy flyer is filled with photos of breeding stock and several columns of numbers representing EPD data – genetic information which today’s cattle producers count on to make breeding decisions.

Full Story

The Weak Calves Become Strong

The Weak Calves Become Strong

Gene Johnston

Agriculture.com

Weak calf syndrome may not be a disease you’ve ever heard of before, but you’ve definitely seen it. Calves are typically born with no noticeable problems, but they cannot get up and may not suckle, says Gregg Hanzlicek, director of production animal field investigations for the Kansas State University veterinary diagnostic laboratory. All too often, they don’t make it.

Full Story