Livestock producers have more risk management possibilities

Livestock producers have more risk management possibilities

Jenny Ifft

Kansas State University

The use of crop insurance by farmers is pretty common across the United States. Livestock insurance, not so much. A Kansas State University agricultural economist believes, however, that recent improvements in risk management products for livestock producers by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency may make them worth a second look.

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How rotational grazing helps in a drought

How rotational grazing helps in a drought

Mitch Kezar

Successful Farming

Jonathon Rohrbach (right) implemented a change-up in his rotational grazing plans on his Edmonds County, South Dakota, ranch and made a few happy discoveries in the process.

When he split up three basic pastures that comprised the 2,000-acre spread into 18 grazing paddocks, he was able to increase his herd size from 175 pairs of cows and calves to 240.

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Adda Howie: The Woman Who Sang to Cows

Adda Howie: The Woman Who Sang to Cows

The History Guy

In 1914, the Arizona Prescott Journal-Miner stated that Adda Howie was “one of the most famous women in the United States.” Yet few people remember her name today. “The woman who sang to cows” helped to develop the Wisconsin Dairy Industry, and became world famous as a result.

Nebraska 4-H Fed Steer Challenge cultivating next generation of leaders in cattle industry for second year

Nebraska 4-H Fed Steer Challenge cultivating next generation of leaders in cattle industry for second year

University of Nebraska

Nebraska 4-H, in collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Animal Science, offered the second year of the Nebraska 4-H Fed Steer Challenge in 2020.  The Fed Steer Challenge cultivates the next generation of leaders in the Nebraska cattle industry by providing youth opportunities. This challenge enhances the educational value of traditional   4-H beef projects and provides affordable options to reward production merit and market animal carcass value; accurate and complete record keeping practices; industry and research knowledge; and producer engagement with the 4-H member.

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Three-State Beef Conference offered virtually in 2021

Three-State Beef Conference offered virtually in 2021

Iowa State University

For 35 years, the Three-State Beef Conference has provided beef cattle producers in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska an annual update on current and critical cow-calf and stocker topics. Although the 2021 event will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program will continue to provide quality speakers and valuable information, according to Chris Clark, beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “For the safety of everyone involved and to ensure compliance with all public health guidance, we decided it was best to offer a virtual program this year,” he said.

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Oklahoma Steer Feedout provides 37 years of cattle research

Oklahoma Steer Feedout provides 37 years of cattle research

Raney Rapp

Enid News and Eagle

Five steers. Five data sets. Five chances to evaluate whole-herd improvement. For 37 years, Oklahoma Steer Feedout has provided producers with the opportunity to assess feed efficiency and genetic performance in an accessible Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service-led format. “Randy Burris, Kent Barnes and I along with strong support from Dr. Totusek, started the OK Steer Feedout program in 1983 to help cattle producers to find out how their cattle would perform in the feedlot,” said retired Northeast Oklahoma Extension agent Wayne Shearhart. “Our program worked with a five head minimum, or in multiples of five.”

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Crops, Cattle & Charley: Expectations for the January 1 cattle inventory report

 

Crops, Cattle & Charley: Expectations for the January 1 cattle inventory report

University of Tennessee

Crops, Cattle & Charley with Aaron Smith, Extension Crops Economist; Andrew Griffith, Extension Livestock Economist; and Charley Martinez, Farm and Financial Management Economist

Grōv and AWS collaborate on vertical farming to grow animal feed

Grōv and AWS collaborate on vertical farming to grow animal feed

Kyt Dotson

SiliconANGLE

Using AWS and machine learning, Olympus Tower’s operating system, known as Sowyer, will ensure the provision of quality real-time data from sensors across the farming network from sensors involving high-density animal feed, which has been tested and shown to improve dairy and beef cattle production.

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The Stockman’s Scorecard: quantitative evaluation of beef cattle stockmanship

The Stockman’s Scorecard: quantitative evaluation of beef cattle stockmanship

John K Yost, Jarred W Yates, Matt P Davis, Matthew E Wilson

Translational Animal Science

An animal’s action, or inaction, is the direct result of a stockman’s action or inaction. The Stockman’s Scorecard is a novel observation instrument that has been proven to be a valid and reliable tool to measure the quality of beef cattle stockmanship. Specific handler actions have been weighted based on their perceived negative relationship to cattle stress from handling.

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Beef cattle in the United States: A story of entrepreneurship and genetic advancement

Beef cattle in the United States: A story of entrepreneurship and genetic advancement

Lilly Platts

AgDaily

The fast-paced nature of the modern U.S. beef industry can make it easy to forget just how far it has come over the course of our nation’s history. Today, for the most part, the system runs like a well-oiled machine. Science, genetics, and technology have allowed producers to home in on productivity and create a consistent end product. Some breeds have risen in popularity, and each has a national association guiding its organization and development.

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