Rotational Grazing Improves Stocking Capacity and Ranch Profitability

Tong Wang, SDSU Extension Advanced Production Specialist Livestock stocking rate is considered as one of the most important decisions that ranchers can make, as heavy stocking rate causes grassland degradation and adversely impact the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services. However, only maintaining proper stocking rate is not enough, as inappropriate grazing management strategies will also cause rangeland degradation. Continuous Grazing vs. Rotational Grazing Currently, continuous grazing is the dominant practice in the U.S.…

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FAA Proposal Would Ground Drones for Many Farmers, Ranchers

  Credit: Mauricio Lima / CC BY 2.0    Share This Article The Federal Aviation Administration should revamp its drone proposal to provide flexibility to allow farmers and ranchers who cannot access the internet to continue using drones, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. America’s farmers and ranchers embrace technology that allows them to be more efficient, economical and environmentally aware. Drones are an important precision agriculture tool they use to manage their…

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Using Increased Longevity to Reduce Annual Cow Cost

Julie Walker , Professor & SDSU Extension Beef Specialist When evaluating annual cow cost, feed rises to the top of the list. Feed cost is an important area to consider; however, have you evaluated the cost of incorporating replacement heifers into the cowherd? Cost of developing a pregnant replacement heifer will vary by operation. However, most producers would agree that this cost could be over $1,000. When figuring the specific development costs, here…

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K-State veterinarian: No evidence that livestock can transmit COVID-19 to humans

Foods from farm animals also are considered safe from the virus MANHATTAN, Kan. – The director of a Kansas State University veterinary laboratory that responds to animal health issues across the state says that while coronavirus is a disease familiar to livestock producers, it is not the same strain of the virus that is grabbing headlines across the globe. The novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, is transmitted through humans. There is no evidence…

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Training Session Prepares Farmers Union Members to Respond to Farm Stress

SAVANNAH – As part of the organization’s broader initiative to address a growing farm stress crisis, National Farmers Union (NFU) last week hosted a two-day, in-person session to train community mental health advocates across the country. More than 30 Farmers Union members from 19 states completed the training, which was held in conjunction with NFU’s 118th Anniversary Convention in Savannah, Georgia. The program’s curriculum ­– established in collaboration with American Farm Bureau Federation,…

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Trump Administration Takes Major Step to Improve Implementation of the Endangered Species Act

WASHINGTON (March 12, 2020) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new method for conducting biological evaluations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to assure that pesticide registration review actions under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) do not jeopardize endangered species. The updated method ensures that—when available—the agency will use high-quality historical data that reflects where and how certain pesticides are used. “Responsible pesticide use is an essential tool…

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Minimizing antibiotic resistance in beef cattle

Using the appropriate antibiotics is best for both livestock and people, say veterinarians at Kansas State University. K-State experts discuss proper use of antibiotics in a treatment protocol MANHATTAN, Kan. – Remember going to the doctor when you were a kid and you left after receiving a shot to cure your ailments? Contrast that to today when patients often are told that it is just a virus and they leave the office with…

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Semen/Nitrogen Tank Care

Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator Handle with care. The inner container is only attached to the outer container at the neck and a crack in this connection will cause the tank to quickly fail! It is almost time to start breeding for the 2021 calf crop. Last week I talked about proper semen handling so this week I thought it was worth providing some information on care and handling…

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Are Genetics the Key to Dealing with Fescue Toxicosis?

Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County, OSU Extension (originally published in The Ohio Cattleman, Expo 2020 issue) One of the sessions that I attended during the American Forage and Grassland Council at the beginning of 2020 explored the possibility of identifying genetic markers in cattle for tolerance of the endophytic fungus that lives within the KY-31 tall fescue forage, which is the most prominent pasture grass in our region. This…

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Managing Mud Season

Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension, Perry County (originally published in Farm and Dairy) This is not a new topic or an issue that we haven’t seen before.  But this past year has really been a challenge for ruminants.  In a normal year mud season was early fall, then freeze in the winter and then reappear in March.  This year it started after last September’s dry weather, and since then it’s been mud season.  This…

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