Strategic Feedlot Bedding in the Winter

Warren Rusche SDSU Extension Beef Feedlot Management Associate Key Takeaways Bedding cattle during extreme cold conditions dramatically reduces maintenance energy costs and improves gain and feed efficiency with potential carryover effects to the end of the feeding period.Bedding during more moderate weather conditions also improved cattle performance, but to a lesser degree.Proving bedding is a viable management strategy to mitigate the impacts of winter on cattle performance, especially under severe conditions. Feeding cattle…

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SELECT BEEF: WHO WANTS IT?

by Miranda Reiman What was exceptional yesterday is average today. That’s true in the cattle business and especially apparent in high-quality beef production. “Without paying attention to shifts in the market, it can be easy to assume what worked when you started still works now,” says Paul Dykstra, of the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand. “It’s hard to argue there’s ever been true demand for Select, rather than simply a price point for those indifferent…

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Feed at Night, Calve During the Day

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…

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Weather patterns increase risk of Kansas wildfires, officials say

The Kansas Forest Service is among the agencies that assist in responding to wildfires in the state and around the country. The photo above shows KFS Engine 44 helping during the Pine Gulch Fire in Colorado last year. Kansas Forest Service prepping for busy spring MANHATTAN, Kan. – A swing to drier weather patterns and higher winds this spring is likely to increase the risk of wildfires in parts of Kansas, according to…

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2020 Cow Slaughter and 2021 Inventory Expectations

Dr. Kenny Burdine, Livestock Marketing Specialist, University of Kentucky Cattle slaughter got a lot of attention in 2020 as the sector raced to deal with labor challenges in the spring that greatly impacted processing volumes. At its lowest point, federally inspected cattle slaughter was down by more than one-third from 2019. But the processing industry showed a lot of resiliency through summer as slaughter levels picked back up, despite the challenges the pandemic…

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What Does the Increased Grain Prices Mean for Backgrounders?

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…

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Antimicrobial stewardship a vital element of livestock operations

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…

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Trends in nutrition for 2021 and beyond

Pandemic, increased knowledge lead to changes in perceptions of food, nutrition The pandemic and other factors in 2020 have not only changed the way consumers relate to food but also how they evaluate their food choices and perceive nutrition in general.   Preparing meals at home allows for greater flexibility and personalization in food choices. With unprecedented access to research-based information as well as new technological tools, consumers are better understanding the connection…

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Cattle Chat: Managing mother’s milk

K-State beef cattle experts say the first 24 hours after birth is an important time for calves to absorb colostrum. | Download this photo. K-State veterinarians discuss the importance of a calf nursing in the first 24 hours of its life MANHATTAN, Kan. — The old phrase “Milk Does A Body Good” is an advertising slogan from the 1980s but still rings true today not only for people but for cattle as well. And…

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Kansas Cattleman and Veteran Jerry Bohn Becomes New NCBA President

DENVER (Feb. 4, 2021) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) today concluded its virtual Winter Business Meeting with the election of Jerry Bohn, a cattle producer from Wichita, Kan., as NCBA president. Bohn, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, has been a part of the cattle industry his entire life. Bohn has had an expansive career in the cattle industry since his early days of custom grazing cattle with…

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