Beef RoundTable: Natural disasters happen. Here’s how you can deal with them

Natural disasters are an unfortunate part of making your living from the land. But when the weather turns violent, it can leave emotional scars every bit as deep as the damage it does to livestock, barns, houses and working facilities. In the third of a three-part series, the Beef Roundtable looks at how ranchers can help each other and themselves deal with the emotional after-effects of nature’s violent side.

Capture Value Through Weaning

Capture Value Through Weaning

Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler

Ohio Beef Cattle Letter

Seems like I am a broken record lately. I keep hearing myself say only worry about what you can control and don’t fret over those things you cannot. As fall comes, it occurs to me that these words seem to apply to our beef farms. Everyone wanders when the peak in the market will be. Several ask when is the market going to drop?

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Options to Consider When Marketing This Year’s Calves

Options to Consider When Marketing This Year’s Calves

Myriah Johnson, Ph.D.

Noble Research Institute

Calves born in fall 2016 are now hitting the yearling mark and probably weigh close to 800 pounds. The basic question many producers have is, "Do I sell now or later?" At this writing, we estimate an 800-pound steer to bring $147.15 per hundredweight in September 2017. Looking on down the road, we estimate that a 900-pound steer in Oklahoma City in November 2017 would bring $146.27 per hundredweight based on the current futures price and historical basis.

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Opportunities for Open Cows

Opportunities for Open Cows

Taylor Grussing

Northern AG

It’s that time of year when driving along the countryside or sitting in the sale barn cows start to show up with an “O” drawn on her side as the Veterinarian called her open on pregnancy check day. While no one likes to see these cows go, if a calf is not going to be born and weaned the next year, she must be marketed in order to pay the feed bills. The earlier open cows are identified, the more savings are seen on winter feed costs in the main herd.

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DNA technology in beef cattle conference Oct. 16 near Clay Center

DNA technology in beef cattle conference Oct. 16 near Clay Center

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Nebraska Extension will hold a DNA technology in beef conference Oct. 16 at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, NE-18D Spur, Clay Center, Neb. The conference topic is “DNA Technology: Where We Have Been, Where We Are, and Where We Are Headed.”

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Precision backgrounding for modern cattle

Precision backgrounding for modern cattle

Miranda Reiman

The Fence Post

Backgrounding today’s cattle on yesterday’s "prescription" can mean missed profit opportunities. "We can map to hit whatever target anybody wants us to hit," said Robbi Pritchard, South Dakota State University animal scientist. "All we need to do is manage our stage of growth, oversee the implant, get the correct intake — and we start at ranch time."

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Does Acclimation Upon Arrival Pay Off?

Does Acclimation Upon Arrival Pay Off?

By John Maday

Bovine Veterinarian

So you already use low-stress handling practices for cattle arriving for backgrounding or finishing, including allowing calves to rest for a day or two before processing. Can you do more to help them acclimate, and if you do, will your efforts pay off in better health?

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Indiana’s Ted McKinney pledges to be `happy warrior’ for agriculture at USDA

Indiana’s Ted McKinney pledges to be `happy warrior’ for agriculture at USDA

Maureen Groppe

Indianapolis Star

Ted McKinney expects to find himself on an airplane for much of the next four years. Indiana’s secretary of agriculture, who has been tapped to oversee trade and foreign agriculture issues at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told senators Tuesday he will spend significant time in foreign countries to open doors for America’s farmers and processors.

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Identify and Treat Cooperia in Calves to Improve Performance

Identify and Treat Cooperia in Calves to Improve Performance

Beef Magazine

“Cooperia has increasingly become an economic issue during the past five years,” said Dr. Jody Wade, professional services veterinarian, Boehringer Ingelheim. “Only recently have these internal parasites drawn more attention. As cattle are dewormed more frequently, we are finding more Cooperia in cultures.” With Cooperia parasites on the rise, so are the cases of Cooperia resistance to dewormer – primarily avermectin dewormers, common in pour-ons and injectables.

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USMEF plans beef marketing events in China

USMEF plans beef marketing events in China

Ken Anderson

Brownfield Network

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is gearing up for its first major marketing events for U.S. beef in China. In late September, USMEF will conduct the “U.S. Beef Roadshow”—beef-focused trade shows—in each of China’s three largest cities to bring Chinese buyers and U.S. exporters together.

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