Baxter Black, DVM: Political Correctness

Baxter Black, DVM:   Political Correctness

It’s coming! Political Correctness in the Animal Kingdom!

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Gene by environment cattle research

Gene by environment cattle research

Julie Harker

Brownfield AG Network

Research is underway to match cow genetics to their environment, to increase cattle producers’ profits. The University of Missouri is leading the USDA-funded study. MU assistant professor Jared Decker tells Brownfield Ag News, “Previously all of our genetic evaluations have been on a national basis. So, we create one number for a bull that’s for the entire U.S. Well, the production environment here in Missouri can be quite challenging when we think about the heat, the humidity, the fescue toxicity that we run into.”

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Reducing Shipping Fever in Beef Calves

Reducing Shipping Fever in Beef Calves

Dr. Roy Burris

Ohio Beef Cattle Letter

Kentucky is a major feeder calf producing state but our calves are generally shipped to other parts of the country where they are “finished”. Feedlots are generally about a 1,000 miles from our farms and calves are sometimes “weaned” on trucks and might even be commingled from several sources. These procedures may represent stress, exposure to disease pathogens and, consequently, economic losses to the beef industry and our cattle producers.

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Ranch group accuses USDA of falsifying the outcome of animal ID meetings

Ranch group accuses USDA of falsifying the outcome of animal ID meetings

The Cattle Business Weekly

On Sept. 27, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) unveiled its new strategy to expand its mandatory animal identification program at the private sectors’ Strategy Forum on Livestock Traceability held in Denver, Colorado. On the same day, R-CALF USA filed a comprehensive administrative complaint accusing APHIS of falsifying the outcomes of the animal identification meetings and related public comment period the agency held earlier this year.

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Is gain the most important part of preconditioning

Is gain the most important part of preconditioning

Alan Newport

Beef Producer

I saw a presentation last week defining the decision to precondition calves as almost entirely an economic one. Indeed that is true, and veterinarian Mark Hilton wrote a really good column for BEEF magazine on this very topic a couple years ago. In that article, you can find the link for a free, downloadable spreadsheet to help with these decisions.

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New Tax Reform Plan Would Eliminate Death Tax

New Tax Reform Plan Would Eliminate Death Tax

Northern AG

Groups such as the American Farm Bureau Federation were "encouraged" by the initial framework for tax reform put on the table Wednesday by Republican leaders in Congress. Zippy Duvall, president of the Farm Bureau, said tax reform is essential to helping farmers and ranchers facing financial challenges right now.

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7 common cattle fencing mistakes (and how to avoid them)

7 common cattle fencing mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Alaina Burt

Beef Magazine

Whether you’re an experienced hand or just learning the basics of wood, wire and tape, there’s always something more to learn when it comes to livestock fencing. Jim Gerrish, of American GrazingLands Services LLC, in May, Idaho, and Kevin Derynck, Gallagher territory manager based in Keystone, S.D., shared their thoughts on the seven most common cattle fencing mistakes.

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Workshops aim to give ranchers the tools to know their costs

Workshops aim to give ranchers the tools to know their costs

The Fence Post

Having information to make effective business decisions is important for ranch success. Enterprise analysis and unit cost of production (UCOP) are tools that can help ranchers identify where value is being created on the ranch, where costs are occurring, and what changes could be made to improve profit.

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Tax plan lowers rates but ag impact unclear

Tax plan lowers rates but ag impact unclear

Philip Brasher

Agri Pulse

– Congressional Republicans joined President Trump in rolling out a broad plan to lower taxes on corporations and small businesses, but its real impact on agriculture won’t be clear until lawmakers fill in key details.

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Using Wheat Pasture as a Winter Supplement for Cows

Using Wheat Pasture as a Winter Supplement for Cows

Glen Selk

Drovers

Assuming more fall rainfall comes to the Southern Plains, wheat pasture will again be a key source of protein and some energy for many cow herds in this part of the U.S. If that rainfall occurs, grazing of wheat usually will start in late November or early December.

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