Going to the dogs: ‘Beef Production and the Working Cow Dog’ meeting

Focus is on working stock dogs at Oct. 8 meeting in Williamsburg LYNDON, Kan. – K-State Research and Extension Coffey County and the Frontier Extension District together will host a meeting, “Beef Production and the Working Cow Dog” Oct. 8 in Williamsburg, Kansas. The meeting starts at 10:00 a.m. at the Williamsburg Community Building. A complimentary meal will be served, thanks to sponsors, but participants are asked to register by Oct. 3 to…

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Beef Quality Training from MU Extension set for Sept. 16 in Park Hills

By attending one evening of in-person training, farmers become certified in Beef Quality Assurance (BQA). BQA, a voluntary national program, is now offered in east-central Missouri. The Sept. 16 training starts at 6:30 p.m. with University of Missouri (MU) Extension veterinarian Craig Payne teaching food safety and quality cattle practices. “Beef quality assurance should be a staple in beef farm management,” says Kendra Graham, MU livestock specialist in Farmington. While BQA isn’t legally…

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Young Cattle Producers Can Get More Out of 2020 Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio

CENTENNIAL, CO (Sept. 3, 2019) – A fun, rewarding and engaging opportunity is available for college students wanting to attend the 2020 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 2-7, 2020. A team of interns – who are vital to the success of the largest annual meeting in the U.S. beef cattle industry – will gain first-hand experience and be able to interact with leaders of every segment…

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Greenhouse Learning Center now open on OSU campus

By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – Students, faculty and staff got their first look at the Greenhouse Learning Center on the Oklahoma State University campus last week as the new $6 million state-of-the-art facility opened its doors at the start of the fall 2019 semester. More than 200 people attended the recent official grand opening of the facility and were able to see first-hand the new space that will be so beneficial to…

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New weather station marks latest improvement in statewide system

Kansas Mesonet aids emergency planners, farmers and more ROSSVILLE, Kan. – Tucked away behind a business near Rossville, Kansas, an unassuming bit of equipment quietly goes about its business, detecting wind speed, precipitation, air temperature and more. The information automatically goes to the Weather Data Library at Kansas State University where it’s archived and available free to the public. The Rossville station is one of 62 weather stations across the state that make…

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Mid-Missouri Grazing School set for Sept. 9-10 in Boone County

FAYETTE, Mo. – The annual Mid-Missouri Grazing School will be held Sept. 9-10 in Boone County. The school teaches producers both the art and science of management-intensive grazing, says Heather Conrow, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist in Howard County. The two-day school covers pasture management from economics to fencing and watering livestock, Conrow says. Attending a school is needed before securing cost-share funds for grazing system. Controlled grazing boosts pounds of livestock…

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Frequently Asked Questions about Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in Farm Ponds used to Water Livestock

Michelle Arnold, DVM-Ruminant Extension Veterinarian (UKVDL) Water is the most essential nutrient in the diet of cattle and during hot and dry weather, it is especially important to monitor water quality if using farm ponds for livestock. What is a “harmful algae bloom” or “HAB”? During periods of hot and dry weather, rapid growth of algae to extreme numbers may result in a “bloom”, which is a build-up of algae that creates a…

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Secretary Perdue Statement on Beef Processing Facility in Holcomb, Kansas

(Washington, D.C. August 28, 2019) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the beef processing facility in Holcomb, Kan.: “As part of our continued efforts to monitor the impact of the fire at the beef processing facility in Holcomb, Kan., I have directed USDA’s Packers and Stockyards Division to launch an investigation into recent beef pricing margins to determine if there is any evidence of price manipulation, collusion,…

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Why Consider Backgrounding a Calf?

Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension The recent packing house fire in Kansas has the potential to cause a backlog in feedyards that pressures feeder calf prices this fall. Backgrounding calves for later sale is an alternative. Typically, when feed prices go down, we see feeder calf prices begin to climb as a corresponding move. That is, unless fed cattle prices are unstable or declining. A fire in a Kansas cattle packing…

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