How antibiotic overuse in human medicine impacts beef producers
AG News Feed
“If we don’t address the problem of antibiotic resistance, we may lose quick and reliable treatment of infections that have been a manageable problem in the United States since the 1940s. Drug choices for the treatment of common infections will become increasingly limited, and in some cases, nonexistent.”
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Cattle Futures: Simply or Not so Simply Explained
Dr. Andrew Griffith
University of Tennessee
The term "Futures Market" is sometimes daunting because not everyone is familiar with what it represents, how it works, and how it can be used. The purpose of this short article is to address the major questions and to help readers understand the basics of the futures market as it relates to cattle.
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Feeder calf marketing – Using data and genetics brand adds value
PETER SCHARPE
Minnesota Farm Guide
When the time comes to sell feeder calves, for many cow/calf producers it can be difficult to ensure they are getting the best price. Breeders who work toward producing high quality calves and have the genetics that will perform well in the feedlots can have a hard time proving their calves’ worth to the buyers. A seed stock grower in Kimball recognized this challenge among marketing feeder calves. In 1996, Tim Schiefelbein, of Schiefelbein Farms, started a calf buyback program.
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Five tips to help your calves beat summer’s heat
Feedlot Magazine
As summer heats up, you may find yourself spending more time in the pool, enjoying ice-cold drinks and sitting in air conditioning to keep cool. Calves also behave differently in the summer to avoid heat stress. By providing your calves with a proper environment and good management, you can help reduce heat stress from harming your calves.
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Coccidiosis affecting young calves
High Plans Journal
Cattle producers in North Dakota have been losing young calves to coccidiosis this spring, according to Gerald Stokka, the North Dakota State University Extension Service’s veterinarian. Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease that affects several animal species. In cattle, it may produce clinical symptoms in animals from 1 month to 1 year of age, but it can infect all age groups. Coccidia is a protozoan parasite that has the ability to multiply rapidly and cause clinical disease.
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What’s the most profitable heifer replacement strategy?
Harlan Hughes
Beef Magazine
During a complete price cycle, the least profitable heifer replacement strategy may well be keeping a fixed number of replacement heifers each year — a very common practice.
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Dakota Cattle Selloff Continues Amid Drought
AG Web
It’s so hot and dry in northern parts of the U.S. that cattle ranchers are frantically selling off animals to trim their herds as hay crops and pasturelands wither. There were so many cows, calves and pairs of the animals available for sale at a recent livestock auction in Aberdeen, South Dakota that bidding lasted 15 hours, said Steve Hellwig, the co-owner of Hub City Livestock Auction who chanted the rhythmic repetition of prices until 1:30 a.m. Sales for the day reached a record 2,480 lots, or more than three times the normal weekly total.
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Scientists work to develop heat-resistant ‘cow of the future’
Science Daily
Raluca Mateescu, an associate professor in the UF/IFAS department of animal sciences, is part of a team of UF/IFAS researchers that has received a three-year, $733,000 federal grant for this research. "The grant allows us to track down DNA segments from the two breeds and figure out which regions of the cow’s DNA are important to regulate body temperature," Mateescu said.
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Cattle genetics advance rapidly
Candace Krebs
Ag Journal
Cattle producers in Colorado and the surrounding area have two big opportunities to learn more about the latest trends in beef cattle genetics during the coming year.
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Comfortable Cattle Provide Better Quality Beef, More Profit
Drovers
Attendees at a recent cattle stewardship conference in northwest Iowa heard a common, simple message from speakers that when taken to heart can improve a farm’s economic bottom line: comfortable cattle perform better and consequently, are more profitable.
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The Beef Blog 