The haves and the have nots

The haves and the have nots

Dan Loy

Iowa Beef Center

The 2017 growing season has been one of extremes. As I write this column, the region of drought stress is growing across the state. Other parts of Iowa and the Midwest have seen excess rains and flooding, and hail damage has taken a few wide swaths across some counties. The result is that some cattle producers may be short on feed because they used some of the feed supply normally fed in the winter for cows on pasture to get them through this summer. Many producers were able to harvest a very good first cutting of hay.

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How to tag livestock properly

How to tag livestock properly

Farm and Dairy

Tagging livestock is an important part of animal identification but must be done properly to keep the animal from losing its tag or getting an infection. Before starting, make sure you have the proper ear tags and tag applicator.

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Snakebites Always a Farm Danger

Snakebites Always a Farm Danger

Chris Bennett

Farm Journal

The strike seemed impossibly fast to Bill Ryan Tabb, as if a thick branch had snapped across his leg. Tabb took two steps after the strike, checked up, and felt an odd sensation wash over him – a searing pain that had no precedent. Turning about, he watched a snake wrap into 3’ of coil, head cocked up and mouth agape, holding its ground on the edge of a turnrow in burned down, withered grass.

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Sorting cows for more efficient winter supplemental feeding

Sorting cows for more efficient winter supplemental feeding

David Cantrell

Oklahoma State University

First  calf  heifers  have  historically  been  the  toughest  females on  the  ranch  to  get  rebred.  They are  being  asked  to  continue  to grow,  produce  milk,  repair  the reproductive    tract,    and    have enough  stored  body  energy  (fat) to return to heat cycles in a short time  frame. 

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US hurricane could usher in feed challenges for beef producers

US hurricane could usher in feed challenges for beef producers

Feed Navigator

There are several steps that producers can take to prepare for impending severe weather, said Joe Paschal, livestock specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

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2017 bull sale season kicks off

2017 bull sale season kicks off

Dr. Bob Hough

Western Livestock Journal

Labor Day kicks off the traditional fall bull selling season. It is an exciting time! The fall bull sale represents two years of work by the seedstock breeder from the time they made the breeding decisions that resulted in the bulls they are marketing. It is also the seedstock breeders’ biggest paycheck for the year.

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The Future of the Breed Associations

The Future of the Breed Associations

Ag Front

Elisa Marques

Breed Associations are no longer a registration organization. Promote your services and products like any other profitable company. Genomics has leveled the playing field and lowered the entry barriers to traditionally hard to enter industries. Use that opportunity to get in the game.

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Producers consider options to stockpile forage

Producers consider options to stockpile forage

Jeff DeYoung

Iowa Farmer Today

A dry summer could have many producers making changes to their late summer grazing program, including stockpiling forage for after harvest and into winter. Parts of southern Iowa and northern Missouri experienced moderate to severe drought this summer, and even with recent rains, grass availability is tight.

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Yes, profitable ranching is possible. Here’s how

Yes, profitable ranching is possible. Here’s how

Burke Teichert

Beef Magazine

You might ask, “Is profitable ranching possible?” Even though good economists and Extension educators have told me that few or none of the ranches in America with 100 cows or less are profitable, I want to tell you that ANY ranch, regardless of how many cows you have, can be. Let’s examine some of the fundamentals of profitable ranching.

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Are your animals ready for changing seasons?

Are your animals ready for changing seasons?

Ashley Langreck

AgriNews

As summer moves out and fall sets in, livestock producers need to make sure their herds are prepared for the change in seasons. Mary Rodenhuis, Purdue Extension agriculture and natural resources educator in Franklin County, shared tips for producers to keep in mind as they transition their herds for the cooler months ahead.

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