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…

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…

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…