Cattle Lameness Due to Foot Problems

Cattle Lameness Due to Foot Problems

Bob Larson

Angus Journal

Lameness in cows, bulls and replacement heifers is a common problem confronting cattlemen. One of the most common causes of lameness is an infection of the skin and soft tissue above the hoof known as foot rot. The bacteria responsible are present in soil, but in order for the bacteria to invade the foot, a break in the skin must occur first.

Full Story

An unusual snack for cows, a powerful fix for climate

An unusual snack for cows, a powerful fix for climate

Tatiana Schlossberg

Washington Post

One of the most powerful weapons in the fight against climate change is washing up on shorelines around the world, unnoticed by most beachgoers. It’s seaweed. Specifically, Asparagopsis taxiformis and Asparagopsis armata — two species of a crimson submarine grass that drifts on waves and tides all around the world’s oceans.

Full Story

Producers should keep three things in mind when controlling M. Bovis in feedlot cattle

Producers should keep three things in mind when controlling M. Bovis in feedlot cattle

Wyoming Livestock Roundup

According to South Dakota State University Extension and State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Russ Daly, in order to effectively control infectious diseases in cattle, producers need to address one or more of the three components in the disease process – the germ, the animal and the environment.  For many reasons, Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is a challenging component of respiratory disease in feedlot calves,” Daly explains. “Understanding the factors that help it become established in calves is a good first step in formulating a plan to help diminish its effects on health and productivity.”

Full Story

Chickpeas for cattle nutrition: hummus not just for humans

Chickpeas for cattle nutrition: hummus not just for humans

Rebecca Kwakman

All About Feed

From hummus to stews, chickpeas are the star of many recipes. Recently, a study by Dr Peiqiang Yu et al showed the legume’s potential as cattle feed. By using the Mid-IR beamline, researchers could map the chemical distribution of lipids, protein, and carbohydrates in the chickpea, revealing the chemical information of the chickpea’s internal microstructure in pixel-sized increments.

Full Story

West Fargo’s historic stockyards to be shuttered, sold for possible development

West Fargo’s historic stockyards to be shuttered, sold for possible development

Wendy Reuer

Grand Forks Herald

Late Tuesday afternoon, Kelly Klein was shuffling down alleys, shutting gates and clearing pens to ready the West Fargo stockyards for the hundreds of sheep and cattle arriving for the Wednesday, Nov. 18, auction that would open at 8:30 a.m., just as sales began there each week for the past 85 years.

Full Story

Risk management tools needed for beef industry to grow to its potential, says white paper

Risk management tools needed for beef industry to grow to its potential, says white paper

Jon Condon

Beef Central

A recently released industry white paper commissioned by Meat & Livestock Australia explores the Australian cattle industry’s awareness, willingness to change and appetite for improved price risk management, with a focus on relevant benchmarks and the viability of a derivatives market to allow for risk transfer.

Full Story

Cull Cows: The Zero Tolerance Policy

Cull Cows:  The Zero Tolerance Policy

Farm and Hammer

Cattle producers face decisions as drought intensifies

Cattle producers face decisions as drought intensifies

Adam Russell

High Plains Journal

Drought conditions and a drier-than-normal winter have put cattle producers in a common dilemma—try to preserve herd size with supplemental feed or cull to stretch limited forage resources for quality cows and calves, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Full Story

Crop residue grazing a good feeding option

Crop residue grazing a good feeding option

Alicia Boor

Great Bend Tribune

Most cattle producers will agree that hauling feed and delivering hay to the cattle in the winter can be labor intensive and expensive. Experts at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute point to grazing crop residues as one option to reduce feed expenses and minimize daily labor with proper planning and regular monitoring.

Full Story

NMSU science centers provide agricultural industry with research-based solutions

NMSU science centers provide agricultural industry with research-based solutions

Jane Moorman

Las Cruses Sun

At these facilities, scientists are able to study practices and effects at basic and applied scientific levels in a real-world setting due to the crop fields, laboratories, and livestock facilities at the centers.

Full Story

Pre-Calving Vaccination For Cows

Pre-Calving Vaccination For Cows

Heather Smith Thomas

American Cattlemen

Calves staying healthier during their first weeks of life if they get good-quality colostrum soon after birth, containing antibodies against pathogens they may encounter.  If the dam has high levels of antibodies before calving, she can pass temporary immunity to her calf. Vaccinating the cow ahead of calving can help her build those antibodies.

Full Story

Body Condition Scoring, Beef Cow Nutrition and Reproduction

Body Condition Scoring, Beef Cow Nutrition and Reproduction

Steve Boyles

Ohio Beef Cattle Letter

Net calf crop or number of calves weaned per cow exposed is an important calculation for commercial cow-calf producers.  A 9-point system is commonly used to condition score beef cows. The importance of body condition at calving on subsequent reproductive performance has been documented extensively.

Full Story

Weather and election results impact ag market outlook

Weather and election results impact ag market outlook

Wyoming Livestock Roundup

Duane Lowry, senior risk manager and market research director at Silver Creek Commodities explains the effect current events might have on the grain market in a recent Ag Market Outlook podcast. Weather and the results of the presidential election are the two major uncertainties driving action in the marketplace, Lowry explains.

Full Story

Winter wheat grazing revisited

Winter wheat grazing revisited

Derrell S. Peel

FarmTalk

With a possibly shortened winter grazing period, a heavier beginning weight currently offers a higher value of gain and may make sense. The next few weeks may result in additional demand for stockers but will likely also see larger supplies of feeder cattle in Oklahoma auctions. Combined Oklahoma auction volume the past six weeks has been down nearly 33 percent, in part due to the impacts of the winter storm.

Full Story

Coronavirus playing a part in booming ranch sales in western US

Coronavirus playing a part in booming ranch sales in western US

KTVB

Real estate industry professionals say the coronavirus is one of the likely factors fueling a boom in large ranch sales in the U.S. West. The Billings Gazette reports real estate brokers are experiencing high demand for ranches in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Washington.

Full Story

President-elect Biden’s EPA could bring major ag changes

President-elect Biden’s EPA could bring major ag changes

Jacqui Fatka

Feedstuffs

It’s important to watch direction of new EPA administrator on water rule, ethanol and pesticide registrations.  President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team at the Environmental Protection Agency should cause the agriculture industry concern. As Biden begins to fill his Cabinet, the crucial EPA administrator will helm actions that directly affect those in agriculture.

Full Story

Five Steps to a productive breeding season

Five Steps to a productive breeding season

James Gober

The Cattleman

Thousands of dollars are spent yearly on the purchase of elite livestock by operations large and small. Whether it be a seedstock producer or a commercial cow-calf operator, both know the investment a herd bull is. His ability to produce high-value calves is mandatory for long-term business success.

Full Story

Producers can use semen collection to preserve genetics

Producers can use semen collection to preserve genetics

Madi Baughman

Angus Journal

When purchasing a bull, producers put thought, dedication and time into deciding the genetics and price point at which they want to add to their herd. Considering the investment a good Angus bull often is, producers usually view them as an asset to their operation for several years down the road.

Full Story

Meet the South Poll cow: the healthier, naturally raised cattle of the future?

Meet the South Poll cow: the healthier, naturally raised cattle of the future?

Georgie Smith

The Guardian

Missouri rancher Greg Judy spots a six-month-old South Poll heifer calf in his herd that is a prime example of what he calls a “good doing cow”. A cow that will “do good” on grass alone. She’s got a “big butt”, Judy says, meaning wide hips that will help her easily bear calves when grown

Full Story

Anticipating change to drive beef industry success

Anticipating change to drive beef industry success

B. Lynn Gordon

Beef Magazine

“Our decisions drive our destinies.” That was just one bit of wisdom that Kevin Ochsner, rancher from Kersey, Colo., strategic consultant and NCBA Cattlemen to Cattlemen TV host, told Angus producers in attendance at the recent 137^th National Angus Convention, Kansas City, Mo.

Full Story