K-State experts offer advice on beef cattle breeding

Success in cattle breeding starts with cycling females in good body condition MANHATTAN, Kan. – Creating a great cake starts with quality ingredients mixed together by a talented baker. The same can be said of cattle breeding, only in this case the ingredients include cycling females, quality bull semen and a knowledgeable producer who can plan for a timed breeding through artificial insemination or natural exposure. In a recent podcast from Kansas State…

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Prune during the dormant season to protect oak trees

Prevent the spread of oak wilt, a fatal disease to oak trees, by pruning now MANHATTAN, Kan. – Oak wilt, a fatal disease spread by a fungus, has been found in a few sites in the eastern third of Kansas over the last decade. While the spread is often slow and sporadic, Kansans should be mindful of the fungus to prevent the spread of the fatal disease. If infected, rapid death can come…

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Don’t Let Your Cows Eat the Profit

By Robert Wells, Ph.D.Livestock Consultant Intentional beef producers will develop a winter feeding strategy and calving season that reduces the cost of winter feed. The bulk of the cost of cow ownership typically occurs during the winter when additional supplementation is required. University and industry data indicate that annual cow costs range from $500 to $600. Nutritional supplementation makes up 40-60% of this total annual cost; thus, ranging from $200 to $360 per…

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Foreign Animal Disease: Implications for Traceability

Elliott Dennis, Livestock Marketing and Risk Management Economist Photo credit Troy Walz. Two statements commonly spoken by market analysts and producers are: 1) beef is a differentiated product and 2) global beef supply impacts domestic prices. These are so frequently quoted that we might forget how these two statements imply modifications in local risk management and production practices. So, how do these statements apply to a hypothetical Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) situation…

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Value Added Fed and Feeder Cattle Practices: Are they Paying?

Elliott Dennis, Livestock Marketing and Risk Management Economist A commonly asked question is whether premiums observed between the feedlot and packing plant are passed down to cow-calf producers during auctions. Photo credit Troy Walz. A lot of time is spent on analyzing trends and movements in the quality and yield grade of slaughtered cattle and for good reason. These premiums indicate whether the market is willing to pay for producing a higher quality…

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Is the Price Right?

Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Educator With many producers utilizing annual forage/cover crops and prevent plant acres, the amount of “non-traditional” forage options on the market have increased this past year.  As long as we keep an eye out for potential nitrate issues, sorghum/sudangrass, milo, or small grains like oats, rye, and wheat can all make great forage options as hay or silage.  Whether you are looking to buy or sell these products, answering…

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Five Ways to Reduce Unit Cost of Production in a Cow-calf Enterprise

Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator For producers weighing opportunities to reduce unit cost of production, evaluate the potential ripple effects of the proposed change to the whole cow-calf production system. Photo credit Troy Walz. Unit cost of production is a ratio where costs in the numerator are divided by the units produced in the denominator. There are five ways to reduce unit costs of production in a cow-calf enterprise. Decrease costs while…

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Evaluating and Preparing Bulls in Advance of the Breeding Season

Karla H. Wilke, UNL Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management Much like cows, bull body condition needs to be evaluated as fat cover over the front ribs, brisket, and tail head making sure that gut fill does not impact the score given. Photo credit Troy Walz. Although the breeding season for many herds is still a few months away, it is time to be evaluating bull body condition. Body condition is just as important…

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Secretary Perdue Statement on Canada Passing USMCA

(Washington, D.C., March 13, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after the Canadian Parliament approved the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):   “USMCA is a great victory for America’s agriculture industry, and I am pleased to see Canada’s Parliament approved the deal today. USMCA locks in and expands access to our neighbors to the North and South. I thank President Trump for negotiating this deal and for always…

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USDA Invests $19 Million in Broadband for Rural Texas Communities

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a $19 million investment in three, high-speed broadband infrastructure projects that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for almost 7,000 rural households, 46 farms, 32 pre-subscribed businesses, 19 critical community facilities and 15 educational facilities in rural Texas. This is one of many funding announcements in the first round of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ReConnect Pilot Program investments. “Our core mission at USDA is to…

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