Factors that determine high pregnancy rates

Factors that determine high pregnancy rates

DALE HILDEBRANT

Farm and Ranch Guide

According to Lisa Pederson, Extension livestock specialist at the Central Grasslands Research Extension Center in Streeter, N.D., a key factor in determining whether or not a cow/calf operation is profitable is the weaning rate of the cow herd. Pederson, along with Dr. Gerry Stokka, NDSU Extension veterinarian, teamed up for a webinar on Nov. 24 to explore ways to improve weaning rate.

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Why strain matters in feed additives

Why strain matters in feed additives

Steve Lerner

Progressive Cattle

While many nutritionists and producers are aware of probiotics and the potential benefits of feeding them in commercial animal operations, it is not clear to all how to distinguish proven and effective probiotic products from costly, ineffective microbial feed additives.

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DIRECT Act Could Help Sell State Inspected Meat Through E-Commerce

DIRECT Act Could Help Sell State Inspected Meat Through E-Commerce

Andy Schwab

Northern AG Network

Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) introduced the Direct Interstate Retail Exemption for Certain Transactions (DIRECT) Act. This legislation will allow state inspected meat to be sold across state lines through e-commerce, allowing small producers and processors more options to directly market to consumers.

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New Year ’s Veterinary Resolutions

New Year ’s Veterinary Resolutions

Dr. Bob Larson

Angus Journal

The start of a new year is a great time to plan and set goals for a beef herd. As a veterinarian, here are my top 10 goals I would recommend for cow-calf producers in 2021

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Angus associations share data on foot scores

Angus associations share data on foot scores

Mike Miller

Canadian Cattlemen

The Canadian Angus Association is teaming up with Angus Australia and the American Angus Association to combine foot score phenotypes from all three databases. Following promising results from research conducted by Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI), the first updated foot score EPDs — including phenotypes from all three databases — was published November 27.

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Summit offers producers tips for direct sales

Summit offers producers tips for direct sales

University of Kentucky

The program will feature university specialists and business consultants who will discuss social media, marketing resources, creating value-added products and customer retention. A farmer panel of Kentucky and Tennessee producers will share their experiences and best practices when selling directly to consumers.

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Beef cattle biosecurity plan for disease prevention

Beef cattle biosecurity plan for disease prevention

Steve Boyles

Beef Magazine

In support of cattle producers across the country dedicated to preventing disease, improving animal welfare and reducing production losses, the Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program developed a Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention template. The template, which helps cattle producers implement daily biosecurity measures on their operations, is available digitally as a PDF or can be printed for handwritten plans.

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Meat lockers booked as pandemic derails food chain

Meat lockers booked as pandemic derails food chain

Kristin Guess

The Courier

It’s all hands on deck behind the retail counter at Orly’s Meat Locker in Clarksville, where owner Troy Rinnels’ joins three staff members butchering a beef carcass on a recent Wednesday. Two other staff members are quickly packaging, weighing and labeling the cuts. The meat will be sold in no time. “We’ve been fortunate to be busy. Since the pandemic we are extremely busy,” Rinnels said.

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Texas tries to answer meat vs. beef query

Texas tries to answer meat vs. beef query

Bob Sechler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Texas, the top cattle producer in the nation, might seem an unlikely backdrop for confusion over the meaning of words such as “meat” or “beef.” But that isn’t stopping an effort in the state Legislature to officially define them — by codifying “meat,” for instance, as derived solely from carcasses of cows, chickens or other livestock, with no “lab-grown, cell cultured, insect or plant-based food products” included.

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Talking to animals with body language

Talking to animals with body language

CAROLE SOULE

Concord Monitor

Why do we use voice commands like “sit” and “stay” to teach dogs? Because we are humans, and we like to communicate with words. So, we think our pets and livestock should learn our language. Some do, but they are never fluent. Theirs is the language of “energy.” Cows, dogs, donkeys, and goats know what we think by reading our energy. By that, I mean our state of mind.

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