Adele Harty SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist As cattle producers begin thinking about calving season and management practices to ease the work load a bit, night feeding is something to be considered. Producers have questioned whether or not time of feeding affects time of calving, and the answer is “Yes.” What Research Shows Research indicates that feeding cows later in the day and evening will increase the number of calves born during daylight…
Jeff Lehmkuhler, PhD, PAS, Associate Extension Professor, University of Kentucky This time of year, we receive several questions regarding supplementing cows and calves. Often, I must ask what feeds are available and prices as this is rarely included in the original request. I see a wide range in feed prices when this information comes back. However, one thing is certain, feed prices are higher in 2021. What impact will this have on the…
By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – Every livestock producer’s to-do list for February should include an in-depth review of his or her operation’s antimicrobial stewardship program, according to Oklahoma State University Extension recommendations. Since the introduction of antimicrobials in the 1940s, illness and deaths in both people and animals from infectious diseases have been greatly reduced. However, given that these drugs have been used so widely for so long has resulted in bacterial…
Steve Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist (this originally appeared in the Ohio Farmer on-line) Genetics and cow type must match the available feed resources and herd management style Type differences exist due to size, milk production, suitability to the environment and desirability of different types for profit. All these factors affect the amount of nutrients required by the individual. The nutrient requirements of the various types can determine different management schemes. There are several…
Katie VanValin, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Kentucky One of the things that we know for certain is what goes up must come down, and in the agriculture industry the opposite is also true. For a whole host of reasons, we see fluctuations in all our commodity prices. In the beef industry, we can sometimes use this to our advantage to cheaply feed cattle, while other times we are forced to get out…
Jeff Lehmkuhler, PhD, PAS, Associate Extension Professor, University of Kentucky Looking back on 2020, the year had its share of pull your hair out and scream moments. Just as we were nearing the end, another slap in the face came as grain commodities began to run up on the trade market. This is a good thing for our crop growers who struggled in 2020. My brothers-in-law reminded me of this at Christmas how…
Dr. Les Anderson, Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky A successful breeding season begins with management decisions made prior to calving. As we move into the winter-feeding period for spring-calving cows, cattlemen need to review their management plan to ensure optimal rebreeding and success. Rebreeding efficiency can be optimized by focusing on body condition score (BCS), early assistance during calving difficulty, scheduling a breeding soundness exam for the herd sires, planning their herd…
The seminar series will focus on management, nutrition and vaccine management for beef producers and allow producers to ask questions of their local, district and state extension specialists. MANHATTAN, Kan. – Vaccine management and storage will be one of the topics for the 2021 Kansas State University Winter Ranch Management Seminar Series. Hosted by three areas across the state of Kansas, the meetings will feature presentations and comments by extension educators to enhance…
Dr. Michelle Arnold, UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Every year, the UKVDL receives calves that died suddenly in the first week of life, usually with few or no symptoms. Often the owner will describe the situation this way: “calves will nurse, be 2-3 days old and found dead” or “calf was 3-5 days old, lying around more than normal and nursing very little, found dead the next day”. At necropsy (an animal “autopsy”), the…
Self-paced course for ag producers can fulfill FSA borrower requirements MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University has launched a new self-paced online course, Finances and the Farm, now available to Kansans and others. “It is important, especially during these challenging times, to be proactive with your farm financial management,” said LaVell Winsor, agricultural economist with the K-State Research and Extension Farm Analyst Program. “Making this training online and self-paced means individual producers or…