Estrus Synchronization and the Breeding Season – Resources to Review for 2020

Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator Now is a good time to review estrus synchronization protocols and develop a plan for this year. Photo credit Troy Walz. For most producers the spring breeding season is still a ways off, but now is a good time to review estrus synchronization protocols and develop a plan for this year.  There are several Extension resources that can be helpful in preparing for the upcoming breeding season.…

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Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Bermudagrass

By Malay Saha, Ph.D.Professor Warm-season perennial grasses are essential components of pasture systems in the southern U.S., where beef and forage production are the largest contributors to agricultural income. Bermudagrass is the most prevalent warm-season perennial grass species in the region. It is also a predominant turf grass. Bermudagrass produces lush green forage and/or ground cover during summer months and remains dormant during fall-winter. However, standing or stockpiled bermudagrass can be grazed in…

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What to Do During a Distillers Grains Shortage

Karla H. Wilke, UNL Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management For many years now, cattle producers in Nebraska have fed distillers grains to pregnant beef cows because it has been an economical source of protein. Photo credit Troy Walz. The Domino Effect The current economic situation has resulted in lower crude oil prices, followed by increased difficulty for ethanol plants to produce competitive fuel sources. In turn, many ethanol plants are planning to shut…

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What Should My Pastures Look Like? Interpreting Rangeland Monitoring Data

Kayla Mollet, UNL SRMC Research Project CoordinatorMitch Stephenson, UNL Range Management Specialist Monitoring rangeland at the UNL Gudmundsen Sandhills Lab near Whitman, NE. Photo credit Mitch Stephenson. Conducting rangeland monitoring is an important task to help managers understand how rangeland management practices affect plant communities and soil health. A network of knowledge exchange between cattle producers and scientists can help this data become more meaningful and useful in an adaptive rangeland management framework.…

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General Management Considerations to Increase the Proportion of Early Calving Heifers and Cows

G.A. Perry, South Dakota State UniversityM.F. Smith, University of MissouriRick Funston, Nebraska Extension Beef Cattle Reproductive Physiologist Maximizing the proportion of cows that conceive early in the breeding season cannot be overemphasized in a beef herd. Photo courtesy of Troy Walz. Artificial insemination (AI) is the most powerful tool cow-calf producers have to improve beef cattle genetics. Still, they have been slow to adopt this technology due to the time and labor of…

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Considerations for Successful Estrus Synchronization Programs

Sydney O'Daniel, Nebraska Exension Beef Educator One of the biggest impacts on rebreeding success is body condition score at the time of calving. Photo credit Troy Walz. With spring calving in full swing, it is a good time to start thinking about if your cows are prepared for breeding season. Making sure your cows are in a good body condition score prior to calving is one of the most important steps to ensuring…

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Ranch Equipment – Needed or Nice to Have?

Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator The cost associated with owning equipment is significant and should prompt ranch managers to ask themselves if that equipment is truly needed. Photo credit Troy Walz. For a cow-calf enterprise, the second largest expense after grazed and harvested feed is often overhead expenses related to labor and equipment.  In ranching, an overhead expense is one that doesn’t change very much based on the number of cows that…

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NPPC Cancels 2020 World Pork Expo

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) March 30 announced that its board of directors has decided to cancel the 2020 World Pork Expo in June due to COVID-19 human health concerns. World Pork Expo 2021 is scheduled for June 9-11 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. “While deeply disappointed to cancel this year’s Expo, NPPC’s board of directors unanimously agreed it was prudent to make this decision now,” said NPPC President Howard “A.V.” Roth,…

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Beef Improvement Federation Continues to Expand Reach Transitioning to Online Symposium in 2020

This year’s BIF Research Symposium and Convention moves to virtual event scheduled for the week of June 8. MANHATTAN, Kansas – The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) board of directors along with the Florida 2020 BIF Research Symposium and Convention committee has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation, with particular consideration to its effect on this year’s convention. “Due to increasing concerns around this evolving situation and standing by our commitment to keeping the…

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OSU News: Weaning option for fall-calving herds

Cow-calf producers may find two-stage weaning process useful By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – Cattle producers with fall-calving herds who are contemplating upcoming weaning choices have several options to reduce animal stress. “Many people eat a lot when they are stressed, but calves tend to do the opposite,” said Earl H. Ward, Oklahoma State University Extension area livestock specialist for northeastern Oklahoma. “This can lead to health concerns such as depressed immune systems…

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