Training Cattle for Easy Handling

Training Cattle for Easy Handling

Heather Smith Thomas

Angus Beef Bulletin Extra

Cattle are smart and adaptable; they learn from their mothers and the environment around them. Early interactions with humans set the stage for future responses. They respond to good handling, becoming easy to manage. If mishandled, they react with suspicion or fear.

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Knowing What You Are Feeding: HAY SAMPLING 101

Knowing What You Are Feeding: HAY SAMPLING 101

Chris Teutsch

Ohio Beef Cattle Letter

Knowing the nutritional quality of forage and hay is an integral part of a profitable and efficient livestock operation. Accurate estimation of forage quality starts with obtaining a representative sample of the forage to be fed. Proper sampling technique is critical.

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Beef Industry Has Dramatically Improved Due To Enhanced Genomics

Beef Industry Has Dramatically Improved Due To Enhanced Genomics

Oklahoma Farm Report

The beef industry has come a long way from the days when Jarold Callahan would look at his colleagues in the OSU agronomy department with envy about their advanced breeding program. Today the former OSU animal scientist is president of Express Ranches, a position he has held for the past 25 years. Callahan said one of the biggest technological advances for the cattle industry has been the introduction of genomic EPD’s.

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Grazing Corn Stalks with Beef Cattle

Grazing Corn Stalks with Beef Cattle

Penn State University

Feeding stored feeds in winter months is a major cost of beef cow-calf and backgrounding operations. Extending the grazing season by grazing corn crop residue may be an economically viable option for beef producers in Pennsylvania.

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COVID-19 rejuvenates reform push in cattle industry

COVID-19 rejuvenates reform push in cattle industry

Spencer Chase

Agri-Pulse

The coronavirus has changed countless aspects of American culture. The way we eat, shop, work, and socialize have all seen radical shifts since the pandemic hit American shores in January. But now, COVID-19 is turning its attention to another issue some say is ripe for radical reshaping: the beef cattle industry.

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Managing calf stress helps improve weaning outcomes

Managing calf stress helps improve weaning outcomes

Aimee Nielson

Wisconsin State Farmer

The most stressful period in a calf’s life is probably at weaning. Until that time, a calf relies on its mother for just about all its needs—nutrition, protection, comfort. Although producers can’t completely eliminate stress during weaning, helping cattle deal with it can go a long way.

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Grain overloads a possible consequence of cornstalk grazing

Grain overloads a possible consequence of cornstalk grazing

Russ Daly

Aberdeen News

Using cornstalk residues are an economical way to provide relatively high-quality feed to beef cattle during the fall and winter months. Cattle receive nutrients from grain left in the fields as well as the leaves and husks from harvested corn. Later, as those materials are consumed in the course of the grazing period, cattle will finally turn to cobs and stalks.

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Online tool helps determine backgrounding profitability

Online tool helps determine backgrounding profitability

Barb Glen

Western Producer

Decisions on whether to background calves depend on many factors including feed costs, grass conditions and calf prices, but the real test is whether keeping calves longer will bring higher profits per head.

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Kansas Beef Council Releases Virtual Chuteside Cattle Demo

Kansas Beef Council Releases Virtual Chuteside Cattle Demo

Drovers

The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) has partnered with Kansas State University to host a virtual chuteside cattle demonstration featuring Dr. A.J. Tarpoff, KSU beef extension veterinarian. This video, using both GoPro and drone technology, showcases the key principles of Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) and applies them in a relatable real-world setting. Dr. Tarpoff discusses proper vaccine storage and handling, needle size, low-stress cattle handling, and facility design while processing cattle next to the squeeze chute, a release from KBC says.

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Here’s how cow-calf producers can beat the odds

Here’s how cow-calf producers can beat the odds

Wes Ishmael

Beef Magazine

Remarkably, recent projections for calf prices this fall are within $5 per cwt of what they were before the pandemic back in February, says Glynn Tonsor, agricultural economist at Kansas State University (KSU).

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