What You Should Be Monitoring on Native Rangelands in May

By Brian Hays, Pasture and Range Consultantand Jeff Goodwin, Conservation Stewardship Leader and Senior Pasture and Range Consultant May is a very important month for native pastures in the southern Great Plains. By the end of this month, approximately 50% of this year’s forage production will be produced. Monitoring your native pastures that are being grazed is critical to making sure they are not being overutilized. As you evaluate your native pastures, you…

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Backgrounding rates of gain effect carcass characteristics

Steve Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist People are currently investigating methods to control rate of gain. Anna R. Taylor  and Robbi H. Pritchard, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD; and Kelly W. Bruns , University of Nebraska-Linclon, West Central Research & Extension Center, North Platte, NE, looked at backgrounding rate of gain on carcass characteristics.  Steer calves weighing an average of 690 pounds were backgrounded until they weighed an average of 880 pounds.…

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