2020 Ogallala Aquifer Summit will take place March 31-April 1 in Amarillo, Texas

The 2020 Ogallala Aquifer Summit will take place in Amarillo, Texas, from March 31 to April 1, bringing together water management leaders from all eight Ogallala region states: Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, South Dakota and Wyoming. The dynamic, interactive event will focus on encouraging exchange among participants about innovative programs and effective approaches to addressing the region’s significant water-related challenges. “Tackling Tough Question” is the theme of the event. Workshops…

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Oklahoma Irrigation Conference slated March 3 in Altus

By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – Agriculture producers looking for information about increasing water-use efficiency should make plans to attend the Oklahoma Irrigation Conference slated March 3 in Altus, Oklahoma. Saleh Taghvaeian, Oklahoma State University Extension water resource specialist, said attendees will receive the latest research-based information on many topics related to irrigation. “It’s important for producers to make informed decisions when it comes to water. Water is an important and much-needed resource,”…

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NCBA Statement on Beef From Brazil

Group Has "Serious Concerns" About Re-Entry of Brazilian Beef to U.S. Market WASHINGTON (Feb. 21, 2020) - National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Director, International Trade and Market Access, Kent Bacus today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture restoring access to the U.S. for Brazilian beef: “NCBA strongly supports science-based trade and the Trump Administration’s efforts to enforce science-based trade with all trade partners. But to be…

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USDA and USTR Announce Progress on Implementation of U.S.-China Phase One Agreement

WASHINGTON, February 25, 2020 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced today that China has taken numerous actions to begin implementing its agriculture-related commitments under the landmark U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement on schedule. The agreement entered into force on February 14, 2020.   These actions include:   Signing a protocol that allows the importation of U.S. fresh chipping potatoes (U.S. Chipping Potatoes…

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Check Cattle for Lice in Late Winter/Early Spring

Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator Wayne County Chewing and sucking lice (Pest and Diseases Library Bugwood.org) Check beef and dairy cattle for lice infestations during the late winter and early spring months.  Although lice can be present throughout the entire year, high numbers of lice are most likely during winter months when cattle have longer, thicker hair coats, which make self-grooming less effective in reducing lice numbers.  Hot summer temperatures, and for pasture-based production…

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Emergency Calf Management after Dystocia (Difficult Birth)

Dr. Michelle Arnold, UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Figure 1: Meconium staining (yellow color) is an indicator of calf stress during delivery. Placing the calf on the sternum (as pictured) maximizes ventilation of the lungs. “Dystocia” is defined as a difficult or prolonged calving, whether or not human assistance was necessary for delivery of the calf. Factors known to cause dystocia include a mismatch between small pelvic size of the dam and large calf…

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Diving into the Data Webinar Announced

“Genomics: How Much Influence are They Having?” Are genomics having too much influence on EPDs? What is the difference between genomic testing and progeny-based results? We are excited to present the first webinar brought to you by Angus University, “Genomics: How Much Influence are They Having?” Dr. Stephen Miller, Director of Genetic Research for Angus Genetics Inc. will explain the differences in tools and the data they return to participants in the event.…

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Consumers get rewarded for eating beef

by Nicole Lane Erceg “Hi, are you a rewards member? If not, would you like to join to save 15% today?” It’s a common interaction between customer and checker. As more companies work to deepen the understanding of their shoppers and keep them coming back, reward programs have popped up in grocery stores and coffee shops, from online companies to bricks-and-mortar retail. Americans love them: 80% of adults in the U.S. belong to…

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NCBA Releases Consumer Research Showing Widespread Confusion About Contents of Plant-Based Fake Meat

SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 7, 2020) - The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) today released survey results that show widespread consumer confusion regarding the ingredient composition and purported benefits of plant-based fake meat products. In an online survey of more than 1,800 consumers, less than half of the respondents understood the labeling term “plant-based beef” was intended to describe an entirely vegetarian or vegan food product. One major source of confusion uncovered by NCBA’s…

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Wet Bales Can Tip the Scales

Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Educator Knowing the moisture content of our feedstuffs and how to adjust our feeding plans accordingly is important. Photo credit Troy Walz. The past few months, we’ve been focusing quite a bit on the issues that can arise when hay gets a bit too wet: combustion, mold, and Maillard reactions.  One often overlooked issue that can arise from wet hay is just the moisture itself.  Whenever we provide part…

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