Beef Quality Assurance Transportation Certification needed to deliver cattle

BROOKINGS, S.D. - Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Transportation is the latest certification needed for beef cattle haulers and producers who deliver cattle to major packing plants. The BQA Transportation program focuses on transporter safety, delivering cattle in a timely manner, cattle fitness of transport, cattle handling, and emergency preparedness just to name a few topics. “This certification program will be a required part of business for any cattle hauler or producer who directly…

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Cattlemen Gather in Reno for 2019 Angus Convention

Thousands of producers traveled west to celebrate the Business Breed. More than 1,700 attendees made the 2019 Angus Convention an overwhelming success Nov. 2-4 in Reno, Nevada. The American Angus Association® met its goal of providing top-notch education, networking and entertainment to those who made the trip west. During the opening general session on Saturday, Nov. 2, Association CEO Mark McCully reflected on the past success of the Business Breed and provided a…

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USDA Invests $4.2 Million in Rural Broadband for Oklahoma Families

(Muse, Oklahoma, Nov. 5, 2019) – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey today announced USDA has invested over $4.2 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for rural households and farms in Oklahoma. This is one of many funding announcements in the first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program investments. “Broadband is pivotal for access to services and information, whether…

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NCBA Announces Finalists for National Anthem Contest

Four finalists have been announced for the NCBA seventh annual National Anthem Singing Contest. The winner will receive a trip to the 2020 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show Feb. 5-7 to perform the Star Spangled Banner at the event’s Opening General Session Feb. 5, as well as the Friday Night NCBA PBR Invitational Event Feb. 7. The contest is sponsored by Norbrook. The four finalists are: Courtney Stefan, Hallettsville, Texas;Anna Kelsey,…

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Calving Schools Planned

K-State to host seven events around Kansas. MANHATTAN, Kan. –In anticipation of calving season, Kansas State University Animal Sciences and Industry and K-State Research and Extension are planning a series of calving schools beginning in November and finishing up in January. The program will outline overall calving management that includes stages of the normal calving process as well as tips to handle difficult calving situations. A.J. Tarpoff, K-State extension beef veterinarian, explains the…

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Applications Being Accepted for NCBA 2020 Environmental Stewardship Award

Applications are being accepted for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) 2020 Environmental Stewardship Award. Deadline for applications is March 6, 2020. Established in 1991 by NCBA to recognize the nation’s best cattle and livestock operations and their stewardship and conservation efforts, the Environmental Stewardship Awards Program (ESAP) is generously sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, McDonald’s, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation. Winner of…

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Helping Cows Cope with Cold Stress

Mary Drewnoski, Nebraska Extension Beef Systems SpecialistKarla H. Wilke, UNL Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management Taking steps to improve body condition score before cold weather hits can help reduce the impacts of cold weather on the cows. Photo credit Karla Wilkie. Listen to a discussion of the content in this article on this episode of the BeefWatch podcast. You can subscribe to new episodes in iTunes or paste http://feeds.feedburner.com/unlbeefwatch into your podcast app.…

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“Who do you want to work for you?”

Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator Employee and family business working relationships are often one of the greatest challenges for those working in agricultural operations. Frequently those in leadership or management positions have had little or no training related to guiding and communicating with those they work with.  This lack of education can also impact recruiting and hiring of people to fit into available positions. Finding and hiring the right person for a…

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Tips to Improve Cow Performance While Consuming Low-quality Forages

Rob Ziegler, UNL MS Animal Science StudentTravis Mulliniks, UNL Beef Cattle Nutritionist, Range Production Systems Because of the challenges faced last spring and this year’s projected lower quality hay crop, supplementing cattle this year with protein will be an effective way to increase intake and digestibility of low-quality forages. Photo credit Troy Wal Low-quality range pasture and cold wet winter left cows in thinner than normal condition coming into spring this year. The…

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Frequently Asked Questions about Grazing Corn Residue Fields with Excessive Downed Corn

Mary Drewnoski, Nebraska Extension Beef Systems Specialist Prior to grazing cornstalks with cattle, an estimate should be made of the amount of corn that is present in the field. Photo credit Troy Walz. Putting cows out on corn fields with a lot of corn is a recipe for acidosis (grain overload), abortion, and possibly death, if their rumen bacteria are not properly prepared. Cattle that become acidotic for even a short time can…

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