Don’t Let Your Cows Eat the Profit

By Robert Wells, Ph.D.Livestock Consultant Intentional beef producers will develop a winter feeding strategy and calving season that reduces the cost of winter feed. The bulk of the cost of cow ownership typically occurs during the winter when additional supplementation is required. University and industry data indicate that annual cow costs range from $500 to $600. Nutritional supplementation makes up 40-60% of this total annual cost; thus, ranging from $200 to $360 per…

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Foreign Animal Disease: Implications for Traceability

Elliott Dennis, Livestock Marketing and Risk Management Economist Photo credit Troy Walz. Two statements commonly spoken by market analysts and producers are: 1) beef is a differentiated product and 2) global beef supply impacts domestic prices. These are so frequently quoted that we might forget how these two statements imply modifications in local risk management and production practices. So, how do these statements apply to a hypothetical Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) situation…

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