Zinc improves cattle-feed efficiency
Pat Melgares
AgriView
Kansas State University researchers have found feeding concentrations of zinc that are higher than recommended dietary concentrations can help improve the growth of finishing cattle, a finding that could lead to more profits for the industry.
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Glenn Tonsor Says Growing Choice-Select Spread Is a Strong Demand Signal
Oklahoma Farm Report
The demand for beef is growing, as evidenced by the widest spread in Choice and Select beef since 2003, says Kansas State University Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Glynn Tonsor.
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GeneSeek Meeting: Genotyping Embryos
Matt Barten
A Steak in Genomics
We can now biopsy an embryo to extract a small number of cells. We can then extract DNA from that cell. In order to test that DNA with a SNP chip, it has to be copied (amplified) 2,100 times. This is like taking a bushel of corn and amplifying it to a trailer load of corn.
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Salute to the farm dog
Gary Joiner
Texas Farm Bureau
The last known living 9/11 search dog passed away this week near Houston. Bretagne (BRIHT’-nee), a golden retriever, was 16. Bretagne and her handler, Denise Corliss, spent 10 days in Lower Manhattan after the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, searching the rubble for human remains.
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Postpartum interval and fertility
Rachel Endecott
Drovers
After calving, cows go through a period of temporary infertility known as postpartum anestrus. Cows will not experience estrous cycles during this time. Another common term associated with this phe‐ nomenon is postpartum interval, which is the time from calving to the subsequent conception. Post‐ partum interval plays an important role in determining a cow’s calving interval, or the number of days from calving date in one year to calving date the next year.
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Heat Stress Can Reduce Pregnancy Rates
Glen Selk
The Stock Exchange
The effects of heat stress on reproductive performance of beef cows has been discussed by many animal scientists in a variety of ways. After reviewing the scientific literature available up to 1979, one scientist wrote that the most serious seasonal variation in reproductive performance was associated with high ambient temperatures and humidity.
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Sale barns, burgers and one giant community
Tayler Teichert
Progressive Cattleman
As a young girl, I remember looking forward to this day for months. I could hardly sleep because I was afraid I wouldn’t hear him downstairs and miss him. Santa was not who I was anticipating; I am talking about my dad and those special days when we would take cows to the sale barn.
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Pasture baling has consequences
Sydney Sleep
Hay & Forage Grower
“While I think everyone should have some hay on hand for emergency feeding, baling pastures may not be the best option,” states Travis Meteer, University of Illinois extension educator. There are downsides to baling pastures that are important to consider.
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Temple Grandin urges better communication with consumers about cattle handling
Jennifer Graham
Metro
Animal-behaviour expert Temple Grandin says cattle handling has improved and that message needs to be better shared with consumers. Grandin told the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association’s annual meeting that it makes her angry when people don’t know anything "about a lot of the good stuff we’re doing."
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Life on the ranch with future cattle farmer Victor Martinez
Katie Strang
ESPN
The bulky yellow book looked out of place. Peeking out of the bottom cubby of Victor Martinez’s locker in the Chicago White Sox visiting clubhouse last October, it was like one of those back-of-the-magazine riddles: Which one is not like the other? As other players packed up their belongings following the season-ending loss, the veteran designated hitter added the neon tome to his suitcase. It was a gift from his agent, some offseason reading — "Raising Beef Cattle for Dummies."
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The Beef Blog 