The Economic Cost of Feedlot BRD
Geni Wren
Bovine Veterinarian
Bovine respiratory disease is the most common disease among feedlot cattle in the United States. It accounts for approximately 75% of feedlot morbidity and 50% to 70% of all feedlot deaths (Edwards, 1996; Galyean, Perino, and Duff, 1999; Loneragan et al., 2001).
Posted in Uncategorized
American Simmental Association announces cow herd DNA roundup
Tri State LivestockNews
Bozeman, MT – The American Simmental Association (ASA) has launched a new research project in partnership with GeneSeek, Inc.®, aimed at collecting female genotypes from whole herds. The Cow Herd DNA Roundup (CHR) offers ASA members the opportunity to genotype entire cow herds at a fraction of the regular cost, with the goal of incorporating vast amounts of genomic data into the ASA genetic evaluation.
Posted in Uncategorized
The 4 R’s of Feeding the Cow Herd
Al Gahler
Ohio Beef Cattle Letter
The end of the growing season is near, and for cattle producers in Ohio, that means the beginning of the season that challenges the profitability of a cow/calf operation more than any other aspect. That’s right, feeding a cow through the winter is the number one cost of production, and the days of $2.50 and higher feeder calves that made it pretty easy to pay the winter feed bill are a fond but distant memory.
Posted in Uncategorized
Yes, It is Possible to Raise Cattle on Small Acreages
David Burton
Drovers
Five acres of land, a small pond and a desire for schedule flexibility does not sound like the typical path to success for cattle producers. However, land in southwest Missouri can provide a reasonably priced home for a cow compared to other parts of the nation, which is why Missouri ranks number two in beef cows behind Texas according to Andy McCorkill, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
Posted in Uncategorized
Use fall spraying to control weeds
AARON NYGREN
FarmTalk
If you struggled with control of marestail this growing season, spraying this fall is an excellent option to avoid problems next spring. In fact, fall spraying is a great solution for homeowners, as well, if you have problems with dandelions, violets or ground ivy.
Posted in Uncategorized
Will your state be the next beef checkoff target?
Burt Rutherford
Beef Magazine
It’s likely that many beef producers outside Oklahoma won’t remember last year’s election, where Question 777, an effort to establish a right-to-farm law in the Sooner State, was defeated. Ag groups went head to head with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and were outspent and outshouted in the campaign to protect the rights of agricultural producers in the state.
Posted in Uncategorized
Preg-checking scorecard for cow-calf producers
Dr. Ron Clarke
Canadian Cattleman
Pregnancy checking remains one of the most underutilized management tools in the cow-calf business. Overlooking the chance to gather herd information as cows come off pasture in the fall is a missed opportunity for the cow-calf producer. A trip through the chute in fall should be much more than determining which cows to keep and which ones to cull based on their pregnancy status.
Posted in Uncategorized
New Test to Improve Liver Fluke Control in Cattle
The Cattle Site
Cattle become infected with liver fluke by eating grass contaminated with cysts containing fluke eggs, shed from mud snails found in damp, marshy areas of pasture. Infection is very common and even low levels can lead to serious losses in production. It can extend time to slaughter and reduce milk yield by up to 15 per cent. The wet weather during late summer is likely to increase the risk of liver fluke infection for cattle on many farms this year.
Posted in Uncategorized
Hoofs on a plane: Texas ranches air freight cattle to Vietnam
Andrea Rumbaugh
Houston Chronicle
Ten Brahman bulls sat patiently in 10-by-8-foot crates as the doors were drilled shut. They peeped through slats when lifted some two stories into the air and onto a Boeing 747 cargo plane at Bush Intercontinental Airport. They would go much higher and farther during the 30-hour-plus journey to Vietnam.
Posted in Uncategorized
Eli Lilly explores sell-off of Elanco
Meghan Grebner
Brownfield Ag Network
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly announced Tuesday it is exploring the possibility of spinning off or selling its animal health business, Elanco. According to the Wall Street Journal, Lilly CEO Dave Ricks says the company is reviewing its options for Elanco now because acquisitions (the 2015 purchase of Novartis AG) have been mostly integrated, which helped to boost sales globally.
Posted in Uncategorized
