Baxter Black, DVM: It’s Never Easy To:

Baxter Black, DVM:  It’s Never Easy To:

IT’S NEVER EASY TO:

1. Trim the hind feet of a short horse
2. Change a split rim tire

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What to expect from 2018 silage and how to feed it

What to expect from 2018 silage and how to feed it

Renato Schmidt, Anthony Hall and Bob Charley

Progressive Dairyman

As we start to prepare to feed out the silages from this growing season, we need to understand the types of stress our crops were under and how we can ensure our cattle are fed the best way possible to minimize potential issues and achieve, or get as close as possible to, our performance goals.

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How windbreaks can pay come calving

How windbreaks can pay come calving

Heather Smith Thomas

Beef Magazine

During cold weather, take steps to minimize cold stress and windchill. “Here on the Northern Plains, it’s windy all the time, so windchill can be a huge factor,” says Megan Van Emon, Extension beef cattle specialist at Montana State University.

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Here’s the ugly truth about fake meat

Here’s the ugly truth about fake meat

Alan Newport

Beef Producer

These miraculous “lab-grown meat products” that will someday conquer the meats markets and save all the abused livestock actually are grown from the blood of cattle fetuses.

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Norwegian farmers keep tabs on cattle with GPS

Norwegian farmers keep tabs on cattle with GPS

Nordic Science

Researcher Morten Tofastrud heads into the outlying area of Stange municipality in Hedmark county. He is met by a herd of heavily built cows and calves thundering through the forest. These animals have nothing to do with dairy products. Instead, they will eventually end up in the meat counters of people’s local grocers.

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Cold Weather Livestock Stewardship

Cold Weather Livestock Stewardship

Rick Machen, PhD.

Texas AgriLife Research and Extension

Stockmen in Texas are not accustomed to sub-zero wind chills and neither are their livestock. A fifty degree temperature change in less than 24 hours is difficult to prepare for.

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It was business as usual on first business day of partial government shutdown

It was business as usual on first business day of partial government shutdown

Dan Flynn

Food Safety News

Everyone returning to work early Wednesday at Colorado’s big JBS beef plant had to contend with some pretty cold weather, but they did not have any concerns about whether USDA inspectors would be on hand. Without those inspectors, the largest employer in Greeley, CO, with a payroll of about 5,000, would have to shutdown.

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Tips to Control Body Temps in Adverse Weather

Tips to Control Body Temps in Adverse Weather

Sure Champ

From an outsider looking in, the life of a show animal might seem pretty pampered. Two healthy meals per day, unlimited fresh water, a nice bed to lay on that is generally cleaned up on a regular basis, typically in a temperature-controlled environment. Combine those comforts with regular skin and hair treatments by way of rinsing, washing, brushing and conditioning, and show animals do live a good life. But, for an animal with a thick “fur” coat that divides its time between the chilly outdoors and inside a barn, battling heat stress in winter months can have a greater impact because of the dramatic fluctuation in temperatures.

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ELD requirements for livestock haulers will remain suspended during shutdown

ELD requirements for livestock haulers will remain suspended during shutdown

Mark Dorenkamp

Brownfield Network

Electronic Logging Device requirements for livestock haulers will remain suspended during the government shutdown. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says drivers hauling livestock and insects can continue to run on paper logs and without an ELD until further notice.

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New Year’s resolutions for ranching families

New Year’s resolutions for ranching families

Amanda Radke

Agweek

Data from a recent poll conducted by Statista reveals the most popular resolutions, which include: save money (53 percent), lose weight/get in shape (45 percent), have more sex (25 percent), travel more (24 percent), read more books (23 percent), learn a new skill or hobby (22 percent), buy a house (21percent), quit smoking (16 percent) and find love (15 percent).

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Wheat Straw Can Help Keep Cows Full

Wheat Straw Can Help Keep Cows Full

John Dhuyvetter,

Farms.com

Cattle producers should consider feeding wheat straw to keep cows full and prepared for winter, according to a North Dakota State University Extension livestock expert. “Cows, as large ruminants, need a lot of feed to fill them up and keep them full,” says John Dhuyvetter, Extension livestock systems specialist at the North Central Research Extension Center near Minot, N.D.

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10 Penny-Pinching Tips for Feeding Cows

10 Penny-Pinching Tips for Feeding Cows

Gene Johnston

Successful Farming

How much feed does a beef cow need to get through the winter? Probably less than you think, says Mary Drewnoski, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension beef specialist.

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Improving Beef Cattle Genetic Evaluations

Improving Beef Cattle Genetic Evaluations

Multi-State Research Fund Imacts

The U.S. is the largest producer of beef in the world, but environmental, economic, social, and technological changes present challenges and opportunities for the industry. Selective breeding can enhance traits that improve economic viability, international competitiveness, and sustainability and ensure affordable, high-quality beef for consumers.

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Researchers Collaborate to Empower a New Breed of Cattle Producer

Researchers Collaborate to Empower a New Breed of Cattle Producer

Media Planet

Canada is home to more than 60,000 cattle ranches and farms, as well as a modern cattle-feeding industry. Collectively, these farmers, ranchers and feedlot operators produce beef that is recognized globally for its wholesomeness and quality. Canada is the sixth largest beef exporting country in the world.

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Could Calves Earn More?

Could Calves Earn More?

Bovine Veterinarian

Recent video auction market sales data (from 2014-2017) busts the myth on premiums available for non-implanted cattle. The report demonstrates no difference in sale price on a per-pound basis between implanted and nonimplanted cattle. In fact, implanted lots of cattle sold for slightly more than nonimplanted lots (184.12 versus 183.03 $/cwt).

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Cargill says to cut antibiotic use in cattle by 20 percent

Cargill says to cut antibiotic use in cattle by 20 percent

Reuters

The company on Feb. 26 started eliminating 20 percent of antibiotics deemed important for human medicine and farm animals from its four feed yards in Texas, Kansas and Colorado, according to the company. It is making the same reductions at four feed yards operated by Friona Industries, which supplies Cargill with cattle.

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If we’re going to eat cattle, let them eat grass

If we’re going to eat cattle, let them eat grass

Jared Stone

LA Times

Stories about impending environmental apocalypse circulate almost daily, especially in drought-ravaged California. Many of these stories tend to blame agriculture — and specifically, beef — for gobbling up our resources. Though numbers vary widely and are hotly contested, some researchers estimate that it takes 1,800 gallons of water to produce each pound of beef.

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Cattle Temperament Alters the Metabolic Response to a Feed Restriction Challenge in Beef Steers

Cattle Temperament Alters the Metabolic Response to a Feed Restriction Challenge in Beef Steers

Broadway, Burdick, Sanchez, Carroll, Hughes, Richeson, Roberts, Schmidt

Jacobs Publishing

Recent studies have demonstrated metabolic differences between calm and temperamental cattle. Specifically, temperamental cattle exhibit greater concentrations of NEFAs, decreased blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and decreased insulin sensitivity compared to Calm cattle. It is hypothesized that these differences may influence the manner in which Temperamental cattle respond to feed restriction (FR).

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Trade War adds to sticker shock for U.S. beef in China

Trade War adds to sticker shock for U.S. beef in China

Mark Dorenkamp

Brownfield Ag News

An official with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) says tariffs have added to the sticker shock of U.S. beef in China. Greg Hanes tells Brownfield he believes the trade war has limited growth since China reopened its market to American products a year ago.

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Fiske Joins American Gelbvieh Association Staff

Fiske Joins American Gelbvieh Association Staff

The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) is pleased to announce and welcome Will Fiske as the breed growth specialist. In this role, Fiske will be involved with data analysis projects, assist the AGA marketing team’s efforts to further grow demand for Gelbvieh and Balancer®-influenced cattle, and facilitate and increase the use of AGA’s commercial cowherd database, Smart Select Service.

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