Baxter Black, DVM: Public Signs

Baxter Black, DVM:  Public Signs

Public signs and announcements are often unclear. Hidden meanings lurk beneath even the simplest directive.

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Preconditioning Options Abound

Preconditioning Options Abound

John Maday

Drovers

Recognizing that verifiable health programs add value to feeder cattle, numerous animal-health companies, cattlemen’s associations, auction barns, seedstock producers and others offer marketing programs for qualified preconditioned cattle.  These programs help link producers who invest in proven health protocols with buyers who recognize the positive impact those protocols have on feedyard performance and carcass value.

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Prepare to avoid heat stress on cattle

Prepare to avoid heat stress on cattle

Tom Steever

Brownfield Network

As temperatures begin to warm, livestock producers need to be prepared to help animals avoid heat stress.  South Dakota State University cow-calf specialist Warren Rusche tells Brownfield Ag News that the risk of animals being harmed by the heat depends on the kind of cattle that are in the lot.

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Gut Health First

Gut Health First

Heather Smith Thomas

Angus Beef Bulletin Extra

The veterinary feed directive (VFD) will become effective in December 2016. At that point, any cattle producers who plan to add antibiotics to feed or water will need to have a veterinarian’s authorization to do so, and these antibiotics can only be used for the purpose of disease treatment or prevention rather than for growth promotion.

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Conference to highlight silage use in beef operations

Conference to highlight silage use in beef operations

Iowa Farmer Today

An abundance of new information on an age-old feed has led Extension specialists from Iowa State University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln to offer a one-day conference for cattle producers, nutrition consultants and Extension personnel.Galen Erickson, beef feedlot Extension specialist with UNL, said the June 17 Silage for Beef Cattle Conference will capitalize on the resurgence of silage in beef diets.

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Feeding Whole Cottonseed

Feeding Whole Cottonseed

Dr. Ken McMillan

DTN/The Progressive Farmer

I love whole cottonseed (WCS), but there are definitely some issues with it that need consideration.  To answer your question, I started by checking with several equine experts. What do they think about feeding WCS to horses? Some felt the small amounts you are talking about would probably be safe for mature horses, but no one actually advised feeding it to them.

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A current update on baleage technology

A current update on baleage technology

Gonzalo Ferreira

Progressive Forage Grower

Last March, Dr. Wayne Coblentz, a forage scientist from the USDA Dairy Forage Research Center, updated us about baleage technology during the Virginia Tech 2016 Area Dairy Conference.

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Cattle EPD Basics and Definitions

Cattle EPD Basics and Definitions

Matthew Spangler

eXtension

EPDs represent the genetic component of an animal’s phenotype that is expected to be passed on to the next generation. Studies have shown that using EPDs are seven to nine times more effective than selecting based on actual phenotypes. While most producers think of increasing the economic efficiency of their operation by changing management systems (i.e., grazing schemes, calving dates, etc.) or utilizing different nutritional programs, the importance of correct genetic selection is all too often overlooked.

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Manure and soil organic matter

Manure and soil organic matter

Christina Curell

Michigan State University

The use of livestock manure to build up soil health, specifically soil organic matter, is a practice that has been embraced by the agricultural community as well as soil scientists. But a few questions remain to be answered: Is all manure equal? If there are differences, what are they? And, can we use other practices to even out the dissimilarities?

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Medication Administration and Remote Delivery

Medication Administration and Remote Delivery

Rob Eirich

Southern Livestock

Proper administration of animal health products is a key element of Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines and antibiotic stewardship. Producers must continue to follow BQA principles when determining the proper administration method, technique and tools. With the recent increase in interest and usage of remote delivery systems (darts containing medication) in the beef cattle industry, National Cattlemen Beef Association (NCBA) BQA Advisory Group has developed and issued an advisory statement on the use of pneumatic darts and other remote delivery methods for medications. This BQA Supplemental Advisory Statement can be found at bqa.org under the resource manuals section.

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