Developing Heifers to Fit Their Production Environment

Determining the most cost-effective system to develop heifers in a given production environment is critical to keeping those females in the herd long-term. Photo credit Troy Walz. This article was originally featured in Progressive Cattle. As producers begin selecting replacement heifers, a commonly asked question is, “What is the best method for developing heifers?” Considering the expenses involved in developing replacements, determining the most cost-effective system for a specific production environment is important…

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Safely Grazing Frosted Sorghums

Connor Biehler, Nebraska Extension Educator Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Educator During a freeze, the plant’s cell membranes are broken open by ice crystals. Photo credit Troy Walz. The first light frosts are still a few weeks away in Nebraska. However, planning for these events should be considered by beef producers grazing plants in the sorghum family. In addition to sorghum, plants such as sudangrass, and milo or grain sorghum fall under this same…

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Take a proactive approach to wildfire season

By Gail Ellis  STILLWATER, Okla. – The 2021 wildfire season is here, and while fires rage out west, Oklahomans also need to stay alert. Oklahoma’s official wildfire season runs from November through March when plant life and vegetation lay dormant across the prairie. March is historically the state’s windiest month of the year, but with most counties currently in a drought, drier air and lower humidity levels could fuel a fire across Oklahoma’s parched landscape at any…

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Armyworms taking aim at farmer’s fields

K-State crop entomologist discusses worms in agricultural fields By Shelby Varner, K-State Research and Extension news writer MANHATTAN, Kan. – The destructive – though rarely seen – armyworm has taken its voracious appetite to many Kansas farm fields this fall. Kansas State University crop entomologist Jeff Whitworth said many Kansas farmers are reporting sightings of the small worm, which feeds on turf grasses, vegetables and other plants when other food sources become scarce.…

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Cattle Chat: Bull care between breeding seasons

K-State experts discuss health considerations for herds calving in spring and fall MANHATTAN, Kan. — While many beef producers only calve once per year, there are some who maintain both a fall and spring calving system with the same set of bulls. And with this herd management plan, special care needs to be given to the bulls, said veterinarians with the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University. “In large operations that follow…

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OSU and K-State agricultural roots run deep together

By Donald Stotts  STILLWATER, Okla. – The Sept. 25 football game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys and Kansas State University Wildcats is a competition that has a long and historic tradition, but a cooperative partnership between the two universities has been providing benefits throughout the region for just as many years.  The agriculture and natural resource sectors of Oklahoma and Kansas have many similarities, so it’s not surprising that a close working relationship…

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OSU mum sale begins with tips for front porch decor

By Gail Ellis  STILLWATER, Okla. – Chrysanthemums get their 15 minutes in the spotlight every fall, but most won’t make it past the month of November. The annual mum sale at The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University is underway, and organizers have some tips when purchasing the perennial flower. Tip No. 1: Don’t buy mums in hot weather. Big box stores begin selling mums in September when Oklahoma temperatures can still reach 100 degrees. Lou Anella, director of The Botanic…

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When All Else Fails, Read the Feeding Instructions

Jeff Lehmkuhler, PhD, PAS, Extension Professor, University of Kentucky This is the time of year when calves are starting to come to market. Backgrounders and fall stocker programs are buying lightweight feeders for their operations. Some operations in consultation with their veterinarians may obtained a veterinary feed directive (VFD) for medicated feed to help in the prevention or treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Medicated feeds are a tool in the toolbox and…

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Marketing as Part of the Plan

Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle Field Specialist, OSU Extension (originally published in The Ohio Cattleman Early Fall, 2021 edition) Plan now to make the most of your spring calf crop While summer is winding down there is no shortage of things to keep a beef producer busy this time of year. Depending on the calving season of choice, we are either approaching fall calving or wrapping up the breeding season for some spring calving herds. There…

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