Producers, experts share strategies for breeding season
Benjamin Herrold
Iowa Farmer Today
On an overcast early spring day, the fresh green grass was growing on Chuck Massengill’s Moniteau County farm. Rowdy the farm dog lay on the floor, and “The Wreck of the Old 97” played on the radio. Massengill looked out over the panoramic view behind his house and thought about the coming weeks and months.
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5 things you should know about U.S. beef trade
Brian Williams
Progressive Cattlemen
Trade has been a hot topic in the news for the last several months, with discussions surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), border tariffs and most recently the Brazilian beef scandal.
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Grass-fed marketing: Texas couple was pioneers in the business
Kindra Gordon
The Cattle Business Weekly
In the 1990’s grass-fed beef was not yet a buzzword. But Jon Taggart, his wife Wendy and their young family saw a future in wholesome, flavorful food, and in 1999, established a meat business at Grandview, Texas, offering 100% grass-fed beef – along with grass-fed lamb, pasture pork, free range chicken, eggs and raw-milk cheese.
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Iowa cattlemen award scholarships
Wallace’s Farmer
Three high school students are receiving scholarships from the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation for college this coming fall. Winners Madelynn Green of State Center, Megan Pansegrau from Gilman, and Macy Evans of Creston, will each receive $1,000 from the Youth Beef Team program for their knowledge of beef and cattle production, as well as their communication skills.
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Using Artificial Insemination in Very Warm Weather
AG News Feed
As the breeding season for spring calving herds is getting closer, understanding heat stress in cattle takes on increased importance. Producers that choose to synchronize and then artificially inseminate replacement heifers or adult cows will begin the process very soon. If the hot weather arrives during the AI breeding season, some management and breeding alterations may be helpful.
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Important Production Calculations in a Cow-Calf Enterprise
Aaron Berger
Drovers
When evaluating a cow-calf enterprise, one of the foundational productivity measures to understand and calculate is the realized reproductive rate. The realized reproductive rate is the percentage of calves weaned from cows that were exposed to breeding. It is often identified as the percent calf crop weaned per cow exposed.
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How the VFD is positively impacting the beef industry
Beef Magazine
The beginning of 2017 marked the implementation of the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), and many livestock producers have already become accustomed to the new process of obtaining a VFD before purchasing feed antibiotics.
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Heritability Of Hernias In Calves
Dr. Ken McMillan
DTN
Umbilical hernias in calves are likely hereditary, so if problems occur consider using a different bull for future matings.
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No thanks
Kari Lynn Dell
Progressive Forage
Take my left knee, which sports a fist-sized bruise courtesy of one of our yearling bulls – who stood watching me cut the net wrap off the round bale Greg had lowered into their feeder with the tractor, then calmly turned around and kicked me. Luckily it was a glancing blow or I would be writing to you from the orthopedic ward.
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Longevity in the Cow Herd
Dr. Roy Burris
Ohio Beef Cattle Letter
Longevity can be defined many different ways by beef producers. However, I’ll just use the definition – how long a beef cow or bull stays in your herd. They may leave your herd for a variety of reasons but every time it happens it represents a significant expense to your operation.
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