Weaning: A few more days may bring more dollars for your calves

Weaning: A few more days may bring more dollars for your calves

Jason Banta

Progressive Cattle

The overall goal of a weaning program should be to prepare calves to perform better as stockers, feeders or replacement heifers. When done well, weaning results in reduced health problems, increased average daily gain, improved feed efficiency and, ultimately, increased animal value.

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Fall Parasite Control Benefits Beef and Dairy Cattle

Fall Parasite Control Benefits Beef and Dairy Cattle

Drovers

When looking at dewormers, producers should choose a product that can control internal and external parasites, is approved for lactating cows and has a satisfaction guarantee.

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This Is Not A Typical Year For Corn Silage

This Is Not A Typical Year For Corn Silage

Jim Peck

Ag Web

Climate change or weather cycles drive nutrition at the farm level.  This year’s spring was wetter than usual causing crop planting dates to be from on the early side to very late depending on where you farm.  Often the weather extremes have been in the same area, or even on the same farm.

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West Texas A&M announced as USDA Cattle and Carcass Grading Correlation

West Texas A&M announced as USDA Cattle and Carcass Grading Correlation Center

Matthew Watkins

ABC7Amarillo

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Friday announced West Texas A&M University as one of three regional USDA Cattle and Carcass Grading Correlation Centers. These centers will educate and train stakeholders across the country in the grading of feeder cattle, fed cattle and beef carcasses.

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Estrous synchronization offers more pros than cons for beef producers.

Estrous synchronization offers more pros than cons for beef producers.

Angus Beef Bulletin Extra

Currently, only 8% of U.S. beef operations synchronize estrus. For producers, this probably comes as no surprise. It’s simply not practical to round up cattle from pastures and run them through the chute multiple times. However, estrous synchronization doesn’t have to be complicated; there are simple, inexpensive approaches that can reap real benefits for beef producers.

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New undergrad degree pairs computer, animal sciences

New undergrad degree pairs computer, animal sciences

Feedstuffs

The Illinois Board of Higher Education in September approved a new undergraduate degree that combines computer sciences and animal sciences at the University of Illinois, according to an announcement from the university, which noted that incoming freshmen can enroll in the program, known as CS + Animal Sciences, starting in the fall of 2021.

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Cuts gut agency that’s vital to American farmers

Cuts gut agency that’s vital to American farmers

Ag Week

The unit is a casualty of last year’s decision by Donald Trump’s administration to move part of the USDA, including the ERS, from Washington to the Kansas City region. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said it would save money and bring the organization closer geographically to the industry it supports. Perdue has said he wanted all employees to transfer, though he knew some wouldn’t for family reasons.

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So many bulls, so little time

So many bulls, so little time

Wes Ishmael

Beef Magazine

Web-based decision support could ultimately help commercial cattle producers, and the seedstock providers who serve them, select the most optimum bulls relative to each producer’s unique resources and breeding objective.

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Fescue Toxicosis & Cattle Reproduction

Fescue Toxicosis & Cattle Reproduction

Lindsay King

Applied Reproductive Strategies

For those who have learned to manage fescue, the forage can be highly profitable. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s still difficult to deal with and is cause for concern.

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Dry pastures forcing farmers to feed hay early to help cattle survive

Dry pastures forcing farmers to feed hay early to help cattle survive

Anne Brock

WVLT

Cattle are already eating hay from the large feeder in Matt England’s field. They typically don’t start consuming hay until at least late October. “Pasture’s gone!” said England. “They have absolutely destroyed the pastures because it has dried up and what they’re eating is not coming back.” England uses his tractor to haul giant, round bales of hay into their feeder each day.

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Tips for building a good fence

Tips for building a good fence

DALE HILDEBRANT

Farm & Ranch Guide

For most farmers and ranchers, building fence is not the most desirable job they do – so when they build a fence they want it to last. Fencing expert Steven Sarson offers a few tips to make a well-built and long lasting fence.

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Storing corn coproducts for winter cow diets

Storing corn coproducts for winter cow diets

Erika Lundy

Progressive Cattle

Historically, corn and corn dried distillers grains (DDGs) are priced at seasonal lows during the fall months. Due to their unique nutrient profile, DDGs are a good source of both protein and energy.

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Prebiotics and Probiotics

Prebiotics and Probiotics

Dr. Ken McMillan
DTN

Probiotics are essentially “good bugs,” including bacteria and yeasts, fed to improve digestion and overall health. Prebiotics are non-digestible, soluble fibers that feed and help these bugs grow and multiply.

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New screening tool may speed bovine TB detection

New screening tool may speed bovine TB detection

Feedstuffs

A new screening tool developed by researchers at Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture can dramatically reduce the time to detect strains of Mycobacterium bovis, the bacteria that causes bovine tuberculosis (TB), a serious livestock disease that affects the health of millions of animals and people worldwide.

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Cattle handling and bruises

Cattle handling and bruises

Steve Boyles

Southern Livestock

Utilization of proper cattle handling is key. It can eliminate carcass bruising and the presence of dark cutters. Although the industry has observed a decrease in the presence of carcass bruising according to the 2016 National Beef Quality Audit results, the “2016 Lost Opportunities in Beef Production” publication indicated that carcass bruising cost the industry approximately $62.15 million. Additionally, the presence of dark cutters cost the beef industry $132 million.

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Culling requires a strategy

Culling requires a strategy

Barb Glen

The Western Producer

A shortage of quality feed in parts of Western Canada this year may force some cattle producers to make hard decisions. Culling unproductive cows and weaning calves early are two ways they can manage the situation.

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Markets become the target in a frustrating ranching climate

Markets become the target in a frustrating ranching climate

Burt Rutherford

Beef Magazine

“Ranchers deserve transparency and fair markets.” That’s the hue and cry in the beef business lately. I suspect its roots are in the growing frustration from an uncertain, frustrating year. And I understand that. But do ranchers really deserve transparency and fair markets?

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Young Cattle Producers’ Conference builds next generation of beef leaders

Young Cattle Producers’ Conference builds next generation of beef leaders

Jim Church

Idaho County Free Press

The third annual Idaho Young Cattle Producer’s Conference (YCC) was recently held in Lewiston and the surrounding area. Nineteen emerging beef leaders, younger than 40, successfully completed the intensive three-day program, which was presented by University of Idaho Extension and the Idaho Cattle Association.

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FDA Releases Draft GFI to End OTC Sales of Most Animal Antibiotics

FDA Releases Draft GFI to End OTC Sales of Most Animal Antibiotics

John Maday

Drovers

On Monday, September 23, the FDA released draft guidance for industry (GFI) #263, outlining a process for voluntarily bringing remaining approved animal drugs containing antimicrobials of human medical importance under the oversight of licensed veterinarians by changing the approved marketing status from over-the-counter (OTC) to prescription (Rx).

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Men Charged In Scheme to Relabel ‘Choice’ Beef As ‘Prime’

Men Charged In Scheme to Relabel ‘Choice’ Beef As ‘Prime’

Greg Henderson

Ag Web

Two Brooklyn meat wholesalers were charged this week for allegedly using counterfeit USDA stamps to misbrand “Choice” grade beef as higher-quality “Prime” and inflate the price. Howard Mora, 67, and Alan Buxbaum, 65, the former owners of A. Stein Meat Products Inc., a wholesale meat processing and distribution company, allegedly ordered their employees to cut the “Choice” label off product and re-label it as “Prime” between 2011 and 2014.

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