Beef Heifer Development series posted on-line

Heifers retained this year will impact the economic performance of the herd for at least the next decade! A six part presentation series discussing management strategies surrounding Beef Heifer Development has been posted on-line in the OSU Extension Beef Team Resource Library page. Most beef producers replace 10-20% of their mature cows each year with heifers. The unique challenge that each cow/calf producer is faced with is that they are anticipating the future…

Continue ReadingBeef Heifer Development series posted on-line

Three Good Reasons for Early Castration of Bull Calves

Kevin Laurent – Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky These are challenging times market wise and it is easy to dwell on the negative and become complacent in our management. But in times like these we really need to explore every avenue to add value to our calves. If you watch the weekly market reports, you notice that we still have a significant number of intact bull calves being sold. Some producers choose…

Continue ReadingThree Good Reasons for Early Castration of Bull Calves

Meat vs COVID-19; The good, the bad and the ugly of supply and demand

Stan Smith, OSU Extension, Fairfield County While supply chain issues have caused short term disruptions in some retail meat cases, livestock inventory is more than adequate to meet demand. To suggest that supply in local meat cases has been disrupted since schools closed and ‘stay-at-home’ orders were issued last month might be an understatement. The good is simply this. We have more than adequate supplies of market ready livestock on the farm to…

Continue ReadingMeat vs COVID-19; The good, the bad and the ugly of supply and demand

Estrus Synchronization and the Breeding Season – Resources to Review for 2020

Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator Now is a good time to review estrus synchronization protocols and develop a plan for this year. Photo credit Troy Walz. For most producers the spring breeding season is still a ways off, but now is a good time to review estrus synchronization protocols and develop a plan for this year.  There are several Extension resources that can be helpful in preparing for the upcoming breeding season.…

Continue ReadingEstrus Synchronization and the Breeding Season – Resources to Review for 2020

Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Bermudagrass

By Malay Saha, Ph.D.Professor Warm-season perennial grasses are essential components of pasture systems in the southern U.S., where beef and forage production are the largest contributors to agricultural income. Bermudagrass is the most prevalent warm-season perennial grass species in the region. It is also a predominant turf grass. Bermudagrass produces lush green forage and/or ground cover during summer months and remains dormant during fall-winter. However, standing or stockpiled bermudagrass can be grazed in…

Continue ReadingImproving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Bermudagrass

What to Do During a Distillers Grains Shortage

Karla H. Wilke, UNL Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management For many years now, cattle producers in Nebraska have fed distillers grains to pregnant beef cows because it has been an economical source of protein. Photo credit Troy Walz. The Domino Effect The current economic situation has resulted in lower crude oil prices, followed by increased difficulty for ethanol plants to produce competitive fuel sources. In turn, many ethanol plants are planning to shut…

Continue ReadingWhat to Do During a Distillers Grains Shortage

What Should My Pastures Look Like? Interpreting Rangeland Monitoring Data

Kayla Mollet, UNL SRMC Research Project CoordinatorMitch Stephenson, UNL Range Management Specialist Monitoring rangeland at the UNL Gudmundsen Sandhills Lab near Whitman, NE. Photo credit Mitch Stephenson. Conducting rangeland monitoring is an important task to help managers understand how rangeland management practices affect plant communities and soil health. A network of knowledge exchange between cattle producers and scientists can help this data become more meaningful and useful in an adaptive rangeland management framework.…

Continue ReadingWhat Should My Pastures Look Like? Interpreting Rangeland Monitoring Data

General Management Considerations to Increase the Proportion of Early Calving Heifers and Cows

G.A. Perry, South Dakota State UniversityM.F. Smith, University of MissouriRick Funston, Nebraska Extension Beef Cattle Reproductive Physiologist Maximizing the proportion of cows that conceive early in the breeding season cannot be overemphasized in a beef herd. Photo courtesy of Troy Walz. Artificial insemination (AI) is the most powerful tool cow-calf producers have to improve beef cattle genetics. Still, they have been slow to adopt this technology due to the time and labor of…

Continue ReadingGeneral Management Considerations to Increase the Proportion of Early Calving Heifers and Cows