Fescue toxicosis can lead to summer slump

Fescue toxicosis can lead to summer slump

Aimee Nielson

University of Kentucky

Tall fescue is a popular grass for Kentucky pastures for many reasons—it is hardy and tolerates drought, has a root system that aids in controlling erosion and can stand up to heavy grazing. Farmers can even stockpile it for winter grazing.

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Cloned calves carcass results unwrapped

Cloned calves carcass results unwrapped

Steve Cornett

Bovine Veterinarian

West Texas A&M University unwrapped the carcass results on some of the progeny of their cloned calves Wednesday—and they had some impressive news to report. Impressive like 100% Yield Grade 2 or better and 86% Choice and 14% prime. Pretty nice average, that. At the moment Tyson’s grid would have awarded each cwt of those animals $24 for the prime, $8 for the Certified Angus Beef certification, $6.50 for the YG1 and $2.50 for the YG2.

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Forage Monitoring Stick Helps Producers Keep Pastures Healthy

Forage Monitoring Stick Helps Producers Keep Pastures Healthy

Cheryl Anderson

DTN

A simple measuring stick can serve as an important tool in helping livestock producers with successful grazing management by tracking plant utilization. North Dakota State University has developed a grazing monitoring stick that can be a quick, user-friendly tool for measuring and monitoring pastureland and rangelands, according to Fara Brummer, area extension specialist in livestock systems with NDSU Extension.

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Texas A&M’s Ron Gill Talks Tips for Loading and Unloading Cattle

Texas A&M’s Ron Gill Talks Tips for Loading and Unloading Cattle

Oklahoma Farm Report

When it comes to loading and unloading cattle in a stock trailer, Dr. Ron Gill, professor and extension livestock specialist at Texas A&M, says there are several things producers can do to ensure the safety of both the cattle and handlers.

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Focus on cowherd care: Looking ahead to the year 2036

Focus on cowherd care: Looking ahead to the year 2036

Troy Smith

The Cattle Business Weekly

Who would have thought, five years ago, that cow-calf producers would see calf prices at $275 per hundredweight (cwt.) at the same time that oil was priced at $30 per barrel? It’s evidence that no one can predict the future.

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Sustainable beef? U.S. has most environmentally friendly livestock industry in the world

Sustainable beef? U.S. has most environmentally friendly livestock industry in the world

Wes Ishmael

Beef Magazine

Frank Mitloehner, an animal science and air quality specialist at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) will show you two pictures from either side of a California fence. There are 40 acres on one side occupied by a third-generation dairy with 1,000 cows. On the other are 40 acres occupied by a 5-year-old residential development with 1,000 homes.

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Purdue ag economists assess possible impact of ‘Brexit’ on U.S., Indiana trade

Purdue ag economists assess possible impact of ‘Brexit’ on U.S., Indiana trade

Keith Robinson

Ag Answers

Britain’s departure from the European Union would have little direct effect on U.S. agricultural trade but could slow Indiana’s economic growth tied to manufacturing, Purdue University agricultural economists say.

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Cattle producers should be aware of summer health issues

Cattle producers should be aware of summer health issues

Jennifer Carrico

High Plains Journal

Warmer summer temperatures does not mean cattle can’t get viruses or diseases that can cause major health problems. Cattle producers should continue to check herds even after the bulls are turned out.

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Chris Stephens Joins Angus Foundation

Chris Stephens Joins Angus Foundation

Oklahoma State alum will serve as assistant director of development. Wesson, Miss., native Chris Stephens will join the Angus Foundation as its new assistant director of development on July 1. In his new position, Stephens will assist the Angus Foundation in fundraising to help achieve the organization’s mission of advancing education, youth and research for the Angus breed and American Angus Association® members.

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Dairy cows larger portion of beef supply

Dairy cows larger portion of beef supply

Nicole Heslip

Brownfield AG Network

A livestock marketing specialist says dairy cows have made up a larger portion of the cattle supply the last two years because of lower beef inventories. Darrell Peel with Oklahoma State University tells Brownfield dairy cattle entered the beef market at much larger rate in 2014 and 2015.  “The beef side has been smaller, animal numbers have been down, and so the relative role of dairy has been bigger.”

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Mark Parker: The Top 10 sources of farm truck dents and dings

Mark Parker:  The Top 10 sources of farm truck dents and dings

FarmTalk

10. Mangled grill from helping the neighbor’s bull find his way home.

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Illinois: Rantoul Woman, Veterinarians Responded to Accident

Illinois: Rantoul Woman, Veterinarians Responded to Accident

Marcus Jackson

The News and Observer

"Just like any other emergency, if it had been a bus, you look around, check to see if the driver is OK, and any passengers," Allen said. "When I got out there, I could see the driver (Scott Lundeen), talked to him for just a moment to make sure he was OK and didn’t need to sit down because he had a concussion or something like that."

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Planning for fall calf marketing

Planning for fall calf marketing

Ken Olson

Southern Livestock

Even though fall calf sales seem a long way down the road, now is the time to plan for marketing. Being prepared with a marketing plan will allow you to take fullest advantage of prices and maximize the value received for your calves.

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Salty water causing issues for South Dakota cattle herds

Salty water causing issues for South Dakota cattle herds

Tri State Neighbor

Poor quality water is leading to blindness in some northwestern South Dakota livestock herds, and producers are encouraged to test their water sources for high salt levels. Sulfates have caused polio in some herds this year, and blindness has been reported, too, according to Robin Salverson, SDSU Extension cow-calf specialist.

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Education is crucial for agriculture careers

Education is crucial for agriculture careers

Morning AG Clips

Many young Americans are already hard at work on the farm, even as the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” still echo in their ears. Other recent high school graduates may be planning to support the agriculture industry in other ways, perhaps as a scientist, salesperson or agronomist. Regardless of their destination, young people looking for a successful career in agriculture should continue a path of learning, experts advise.

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Breed cows to match your forage resources

Breed cows to match your forage resources

Sydney Sleep

Hay and Forage Grower

“The beef industry is on an unsustainable path because aggressively selecting for enhanced mature size, muscle, and milk potential isn’t necessarily good for the commercial operation given typical forage resources,” said David Lalman, Oklahoma State University extension beef cattle specialist.

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Prime and Choice beef dominating production

Prime and Choice beef dominating production

Nevil Speer

Beef Magazine

Last week, we highlighted the importance of the recent spike in the Choice / Select spread. The focus included implications of a concurrent price surge for middle meats (rib and loin) versus the end meats (chuck and round). That is, the rib and loin now account for over 52% of the overall cutout value – a jump of nearly 10% since the start of the year. In combination, it appears that consumers are opting for the top end of the market – in terms of both selected cuts and quality grade.

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Cattle Market: 2016 is a different story

Cattle Market: 2016 is a different story

David P. Anderson

Reporter News

This time a year ago, cattle prices were still near their record highs. Fed cattle prices had just started to decline to their summer lows that became a major price decline through the end of the year. While a lot has changed cattle prices still exhibit some seasonal patterns that normally occur.

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Angus Celebrates 60 Years in Saint Joe

Angus Celebrates 60 Years in Saint Joe

American Angus

The American Angus Association opened its doors June 29, 1956, in Saint Joseph, Mo. Driving down Frederick Avenue in Saint Joseph, Mo., you’ll notice a historic brick building that’s home to one of the beef industry’s largest membership organizations.

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Brexit could have negative consequences for U.S. ag

Brexit could have negative consequences for U.S. ag

Ken Anderson

Brownfield Ag News

An economist with American Farm Bureau says Britain’s exit from the European Union could have negative consequences for U.S. agriculture. Veronica Nigh says the T-TIP trade agreement could be one of the casualties of the Brexit vote. “It was a tough negotiation to begin with—and this certainly complicates it even further,” Nigh says.

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