BeefTalk: Crossbreeding, or Should We Say Effective Breeding Systems

BeefTalk: Crossbreeding, or Should We Say Effective Breeding Systems

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

Herd size and fence are determining factors when bull selection is used, at least when the concepts of crossbreeding and breeding systems are discussed. If the goal is to excel in calf growth and maintain a cost-effective cow herd, crossbreeding the available breeds of cattle certainly becomes a discussable point.

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Late Weaning Helps Avoid Effects of Harsh Winter

Late Weaning Helps Avoid Effects of Harsh Winter

Heather Smith Thomas

Cattle Today

A growing number of stockmen are calving later in the year (April, May or June) rather than early, to be more in tune with nature. They have green grass at calving time and less need for harvested forage when the cow’s nutritional needs are peaking during lactation.

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Iowa family carves niche, lifestyle with Black Herefords

Iowa family carves niche, lifestyle with Black Herefords

Bill Tiedje

Iowa Farmer Today

“A 4-H project gone wild” grew into a successful family cattle breeding business over the past decade — sending cattle across 18 states and giving the Smith kids a foot in the door with the cattle industry. In 2006, Marc Smith, who now serves as the American Black Hereford Association (ABHA) vice president, remembered an ad he’d seen in the paper for Black Hereford cattle.

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A Fix for Decreased Forage Production

A Fix for Decreased Forage Production

Loretta Sorensen

Progressive Farmer

A decrease in forage production was the first clue ‌something was wrong on Roy Stewart’s family Hereford ranch. The ranch dates back to 1898 and is located near the headwaters of the Elkhorn River, outside of Newport, Nebraska. Consisting of 13,000 acres, the operation includes subirrigated meadows and Sandhill summer pastures. Artesian wells provide plentiful water at year-round temperatures of 54 degrees Fahrenheit.

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2nd Ind. cattle herd found with bovine TB

2nd Ind. cattle herd found with bovine TB

Morning AG Clips

State animal health officials say a second beef cattle herd has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis in southeastern Indiana. The Indiana State Board of Animal Health announced Tuesday that the beef cattle herd with the animal disease is in Franklin County. Those animals have been placed under quarantine.

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Replace dogma with logic for better productivity

Replace dogma with logic for better productivity

Walt Davis

Beef Magazine

Those of you who have read my ramblings over the years know that I am not a fan of industrial agriculture. There are several reasons for this position but the main one is that industrial agriculture simply does not work. It is not sustainable, much less regenerative. It produces a lot of product but at a cost that is unacceptably high.

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Bedding During Winter Months Pays Off

Bedding During Winter Months Pays Off

Warren Rusche

Drovers

“To bed or not to bed?” With apologies to William Shakespeare, that is the question on many feedlot managers’ minds as we head into the winter months. Will providing bedding result in enough extra performance to outweigh the additional expenses in both material and labor?

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Educating Youth and Influencers About Beef

Educating Youth and Influencers About Beef

The Beef Board

In the last couple of years, the national checkoff program has invested in more youth education about beef. “It’s critical that our checkoff program reaches young people at an impressionable age, when they are bombarded with so much information that’s not factual,” says Kristina McKee, partner in Mid-South Livestock Center in Unionville, Tenn.

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President Claims another 1.5 Million Acres through Antiquities Act

President Claims another 1.5 Million Acres through Antiquities Act

KTIC

The Obama administration on Tuesday declared two new monument designations – 1.35 million acres at Bears Ears in Utah and 350,000 acres at Gold Butte in Nevada. Both designations were made unilaterally and despite overwhelming local opposition. Public Lands Council President and Utah rancher Dave Eliason criticized the outgoing administration for both their disregard for local input and the manner in which these latest designations were executed.

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Become More Supplement Savvy

Become More Supplement Savvy

Kindra Gordon

Angus Journal

When green grass goes dormant — either due to drought or winter weather, supplementing the cow herd with additional feedstuffs while they are on pasture may become a necessity. A few basic rules of thumb can help producers ensure they get the “best bang for the buck” on the extra dollars they are spending on feed, according to South Dakota State University (SDSU) animal science professor and extension beef specialist Ken Olson.

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Mark Parker: The Top Ten future headlines:

Mark Parker:  The Top Ten future headlines:

FarmTalk

10. Judge rules culling 12-year old cow constitutes age discrimination; Rancher fined

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Cold Stress and Beef Cattle

Cold Stress and Beef Cattle

David Hartman

Bovine Veterinarian

Winter weather if finally arriving and when it gets here for good we need to be prepared to handle and transport cattle appropriately. The heat of summer can be a challenge but the cold, wet and wind of winter and early spring can cause headaches that can’t be matched.

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Prevention is a Producer’s Best Tool for Managing Their Herd Health Program

Prevention is a Producer’s Best Tool for Managing Their Herd Health Program

Oklahoma Farm Report

When it comes to managing any cattle operation, herd health is one of, if not the top priority for producers. Especially with recent pressure coming from the consumer base, scrutinizing the use of antibiotics in modern production practices, says Dr. Tim Parks, manager of beef cattle technical services for MERCK Animal Health.

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True sustainability means you are making a profit

True sustainability means you are making a profit

Wallace’s Farmer

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association has named AJ and Kellie Blair, Dayton, as winners of the 2016 Iowa Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). The Blairs show a dedication to the environment on their modern, diversified livestock farm and have added cattle to the farm because of the conservation benefits cattle have to offer.

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Embryo transfers gain ground

Embryo transfers gain ground

Andrea Johnson

Tri State Neighbor

The use of embryo transfer to produce highly-desired cattle is growing. New technology allows certified practitioners to synchronize recipients and manage the super-ovulation protocols of donors, said Dr. Scott Josephson, DVM and owner of Tri-County Veterinary Clinic in Taunton, Minn. In 2015, there were about 30,000 beef cow donors used for embryo transfer work. Another 12,000 dairy cows also donated to the process, according to the American Embryo Transfer Association.

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What is “Cow Sense”?

What is “Cow Sense”?

Dr. Roy Burris

Ohio Beef Cattle Letter

There was a time when almost everyone had animals – lots of animals! Folks grew up living with and understanding animals. They had to understand them. They rode horses, plowed with draft animals, hunted with dogs, milked a cow or two and generally co-existed with farm animals. People learned how to understand what an animal was thinking.

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Cow-calf Producers Should Start Obtaining Colostrum Now

Cow-calf Producers Should Start Obtaining Colostrum Now

AG News Feed

Cow-calf operators should start locating, obtaining and storing several doses of colostrum or colostrum replacer sure to come in handy before the first heifers start to go into labor this spring. “It may be winter but spring calving should still be high in terms of awareness,” said Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension emeritus cattle specialist and editor of the OSU Cow-Calf Corner newsletter. Calves born after a difficult birth are at a high risk of failing to receive adequate colostrum by natural suckling because of greatly decreased colostrum intake.

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Israeli cattle ranchers seek out Ohio genetics

Israeli cattle ranchers seek out Ohio genetics

Catie Noyes

Farm and Dairy

A high percentage of the cattle in Israel are a Simmental breed from Europe and can be traced back to just four genetic lines. There are currently only 50,000 head of beef cattle in the whole country of Israel, which created a need for more genetic lines to produce more cattle for the country. During a recent mission trip to Israel, embryos from two Ohio farmers were implanted in the indigenous herds.

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Feed-Lot magazine co-founder passes away – Feedlot Magazine

Feed-Lot magazine co-founder passes away – Feedlot Magazine

Greg Strong

Feedlot Magazine

On December 14th at 2:00 AM Robert A. “Bob” Strong, one of the two founding partners of Feed-Lot Magazine passed away in his sleep.   I was extremely lucky to work with my father for 21 years.  When we started the magazine, neither of us had ever worked for a magazine and literally learned “on the job.”  We worked hard and over the years built Feed-Lot Magazine into what it is today.

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Cow herd expansion will keep market prices lower

Cow herd expansion will keep market prices lower

Blair Fannin

Texas AgriLife Today

Cattle inventory across the U.S. will continue to expand and that will likely keep prices in moderation through 2017, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist. Dr. Jason Johnson, AgriLife Extension economist in Stephenville, discussed cattle market trends during the recent Blackland Income Growth Conference in Waco.

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