Baxter Black, DVM: Cleaning Up Messes

Baxter Black, DVM:  Cleaning Up Messes

Ask yourself, “Do you make messes, or clean them up?”

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Brood Cow Size

Brood Cow Size

By Dr. Ken McMillan

DTN Progressive Farmer

I was always taught a cow should wean about 50% of its body weight. Calves with adjusted weaning weights of 550 to 650 pounds work well in our stocker and feedlot system and on the rail. So if we do the math that puts the ideal cow at 1,100 to 1,300 pounds. If it were only that simple.

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Staying Ahead of the Curve in Value-Added Management

Staying Ahead of the Curve in Value-Added Management

Oklahoma Farm Report

In today’s market, if you are not using the best management practices in your cattle operation, then you are falling behind. Oklahoma State University Beef Cattle Specialist Gant Mourer told Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays that in response to the decline in cattle prices, the majority of producers have implemented some form of value-added program to their ranching business in order to capture the highest possible premiums for their cattle. He says this strategy has actually become the new norm.

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Plan for drought while it’s still raining.

Plan for drought while it’s still raining.

Troy Smith

Angus Journal

According to conventional wisdom, managers of grazing lands should err on the side of conservatism. Many also find comfort in applying some kind of formula for determining stocking rate. Range Scientist Justin Derner thinks that’s why so many managers stock their ranges and pastures according to what he calls a “traditional” method.

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200 cows take over downtown San Diego streets in historic cattle drive

200 cows take over downtown San Diego streets in historic cattle drive

Pam Kragen

San Diego Union Tribune

Just after 7:30 a.m., a herd of 200 American Longhorn and Mexican Corriente cattle began making its way down Harbor Drive under the guidance of 48 cowpokes on horseback and a small but fast-moving fleet of herding dogs. The cattle drive, said to be first in 100 years in downtown San Diego, was organized by the San Diego County Fair, which opened its annual run Friday with a “Where the West is Fun” theme.

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Guiding Cattle Movement

Guiding Cattle Movement

Whit Hibbard

Drovers

In the past three columns, we looked at how to properly approach, start and drive a herd of cattle to create and maintain “good movement,” which is when the animals willingly go where we want and at a pace that is comfortable for them. In the previous column we looked at speeding a herd up and slowing it down and some things to avoid—ones that interfere with good movement.

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Illinois Beef Checkoff funds research projects

Illinois Beef Checkoff funds research projects

Agri News

A total of $43,480 of Illinois Beef Checkoff funds was awarded by the IBA Research Committee, up from $35,000 in 2016. In keeping with parameters set by the IBA Checkoff Division, the projects all seek to address issues faced by cattlemen in Illinois and stand to impact the long-term profitability of beef producers.

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Over the Fence with Brian Bertelsen, Vice President of Field Operations at U.S. Premium Beef

Over the Fence with Brian Bertelsen, Vice President of Field Operations at U.S. Premium Beef

Angela Vesco

Gelbvieh World

U.S. Premium BeefLLC (USPB) is a producer –owned marketing company that owns a part of National Beef Packing Company. Since its establishment in 1996, U.S. Premium Beef has provided beef producers the ability to retain ownership of the beef they produce from the ranch to retail. Through National Beef, which is the fourth largest packer in the U.S., USPB focuses on processing high quality cattle into high quality beef that is marketed throughout the U.S. and all around the world.

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Herd Health Roundup

Herd Health Roundup

Kindra Gordon

Hereford World

To producers who are thinking about cutting costs, Doug Ensley emphasizes that administering vaccines is not the place to cut corners. Ensley, a veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, points out, “Not vaccinating cattle is not a good idea for cattle health – especially as antibiotic use for treatment of sick cattle is becoming more limiting."

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What Do You About Fetal Programming?

What Do You About Fetal Programming?

Janna Kincheloe

Brangus Journal

The relationship between nutrition and reproduction has been well establi5hed with measures such as calving interval, calf health and survival, and overall pregnancy rates affected by body condition score at calving. To date, most research has focused on optimizing reproductive response in the dam through management and nutrition during gestation, with little focus on how these strategies may influence the developing offspring throughout their productive lives.

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