K-State beef cattle experts offer advice for reducing the impact of mud on cattle performance MANHATTAN, Kan. — Snow thawing and warm days may lift the spirits of many, but for cattle producers it often leads to extra work managing around mud. Not only is mud an inconvenience, but the veterinarians at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute said if not managed properly, it can negatively impact cattle performance. Addressing this topic…
By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – The extreme winter weather that hit the southern Plains States in mid-February may have reduced bull fertility in herd sires – potentially bad news for the economic well-being of cow-calf operations. Cattle breeders should have a veterinarian check their bulls for frostbite to the animal’s scrotum and testicles as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made to protect the herd’s reproductive efficiency, said Dr. Rosslyn…
By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – Although recent subzero temperatures put the big chill on the human population, the insect population fared better. “While some insects leave the area in the winter and return in the spring, there are others that make their own antifreeze,” said Tom Royer, Oklahoma State University Extension entomology specialist. “The greenbug, for example, can withstand temperatures of up to minus 9 degrees Fahrenheit, so they often survive the kind of…
Morel mushroom grow in the wild and can be hard to find. Know your morel: Online classes will help enthusiasts ID wild mushrooms K-State, KDA team up to offer guidance MANHATTAN, Kan. -- K-State Research and Extension, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, is offering online classes at two different times to help people earn the necessary approval to sell wild morel mushrooms. The classes will be offered online through Zoom…
Dr. Katie VanValin- Assistant Extension Professor- University of Kentucky. Perhaps it was the full season worth of winter weather we got in one-week last month, or the above average temperatures that followed, but either way we are rounding the bend and spring will be here before we know it. One of the things I love most about spring is that along with the warmer temperatures and longer days, inevitably comes greener pastures. However,…
Dean Kreager, Ohio State University Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Licking County Should a person wait until the hay is mowed before looking at the rake and baler to fix any problems that carried over from last year? Would they head out on a cross country drive without at least checking the oil and tires? If most people answered no to these questions, then why do so many people just turn their…
James Mitchell (University of Arkansas), Kenny Burdine (University of Kentucky), and Josh Maples (Mississippi State University) It is hard to imagine that we have been living with COVID for more than a year now. It seems like yesterday, and forever ago, all at the same time. Last week marked one year since the World Health Organization declared COVID a global pandemic. A year ago this Friday, the first stay-at-home order was placed in…
Dr. Michelle Arnold, Ruminant Extension Veterinarian, University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Lab; A special thanks to Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler for his contributions to this article. What is “Grass Tetany” and when are cattle most likely to have it? Grass tetany, also known as spring tetany, grass staggers, wheat pasture poisoning, winter tetany or lactation tetany, is a condition resulting from a low level of magnesium (Mg) in the blood. Maintenance of blood magnesium depends…
Kacie McCarthy, UNL Cow-Calf Specialist Beef cows must recover from the nutrient and physical demands of calving and lactation and will have 80 to 85 days to return to estrus after calving to potentially maintain a yearly calving interval. Photo credit Troy Walz. Listen to a discussion of the content in this article on this episode of the BeefWatch podcast. You can subscribe to new episodes in iTunes or paste http://feeds.feedburner.com/unlbeefwatch into your podcast app. As calving season…
WASHINGTON (March 2, 2021) – Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) today introduced the Cattle Market Transparency Act in the U.S. Senate. If enacted, this legislation would direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Office of the Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish regional mandatory minimums for negotiated trade of fed cattle. It would also direct USDA to establish a library of cattle formula contracts, amend the definition of “cattle…