The Role of Water Intake in Rumen Development of the Nursing Calf

Water intake is important in the nursing calf because it prevents dehydration and promotes rumen development. Photo credit Karla Wilke. 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. Calving season is wrapping up for some producers, in full swing for others, and just getting started for others. While the focus is definitely on making…

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Management Strategies for Minimizing Early Pregnancy Loss

Rick Funston, Nebraska Extension Beef Cattle Reproductive Physiologist Managing cows and heifers to be on a positive plane of nutrition at the time of breeding is essential for the establishment of pregnancy. Photo credit Troy Walz. As we approach the breeding season, cows and heifers are faced with a variety of stressors from the metabolic pressure of providing for a calf to changes in environment. Stress during early pregnancy is well documented to…

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K-State Crowned National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation Team

K-State has six place in top 10. MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State University Meat Animal Evaluation Team won National Champion honors at the 2021 Collegiate Meat Animal Evaluation Contest hosted in Manhattan, Kansas. The team was recognized Tuesday, April 27 following the three-day competition. The event, previously known as the AKSARBEN contest, now rotates between host institutions across the country. The competition includes live market animal carcass predictions and pricing, breeding animal…

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Wildlife biologists gain valuable information from smartphone app

By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – A smartphone app is helping wildlife biologists learn new information about the annual reproduction of gamebirds in Oklahoma. Wildlife specialists at Oklahoma State University joined forces with experts from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation just two years ago to develop the Gamebird Brood Observation application. Information entered by app users was intended to help specialists gain a better understanding of gamebird reproduction in Oklahoma, said Dwayne Elmore, OSU Extension wildlife specialist and…

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Practice patience as bagworms begin to appear on Kansas trees

Bagworms use debris from a tree to build a bag that provides protection while they feed. Experts say treatment could last 4-5 weeks MANHATTAN, Kan. – State forestry and horticulture experts are urging patience and persistence when trying to control bagworms, noting that multiple hatches of the caterpillars may emerge through late spring and early summer, depending on weather conditions. Ryan Armbrust, forest health coordinator with the Kansas Forest Service, and Raymond Cloyd,…

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OSU Extension helps launch community grocery store

By Brian Brus STILLWATER, Okla. – A new community grocery store is bringing healthy produce to a food desert in northeast Oklahoma City, in a private-public partnership supported by Oklahoma State University Extension agricultural expertise. The Market at Eastpoint, 1708 NE 23rd Street, opened recently with the target of improving food security. In the process, it’s also developing new jobs, transportation infrastructure, urban agriculture education and long-term goals for the community, said Caylee Dodson, executive director at RestoreOKC. RestoreOKC,…

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ICYMI: Five former IRS commissioners: Biden’s proposal would create a fairer tax system

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2021 — Yesterday, five former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) commissioners released an opinion piece in the Washington Post affirming that President Biden's tax plan will improve the tax administrative system and could produce "enormous, lasting benefits." USDA recently shared details on how the inclusion of critical tax reform within the American Families Plan honors family farms and ensures that the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes in order to finance essential investments in…

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The Real Deal

Consumers favor ground beef over plant-based alternatives. by Pat Melgares, K-State Research and Extension Consumers overwhelmingly chose ground beef over plant-based beef alternatives in a multifaceted study, report Kansas State University (K-State) researchers. Ground beef — offered with 10%, 20% and 30% fat — was strongly preferred for taste and flavor over plant-based alternatives, and less than one-third of the respondents say they would buy the plant-based alternatives in the store or retail…

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SPEAKERS DISCUSS COMMUNICATION, ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY DURING 2021 VIRTUAL SUMMIT PRECONFERENCE SERIES

Preconference webinars held April 28 – May 4 May 5, 2021 – The Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2021 Virtual Stakeholders Summit preconference webinars, sponsored by Protect the Harvest, wrapped up May 4 and included sessions highlighting ways to connect with companies sharing misinformation, updates on the political climate, and tips for virtual influencer and stakeholder engagement. The 2021 Virtual Summit, themed “Obstacles to Opportunities,” officially kicks off today and continues through tomorrow afternoon. If you missed registering…

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Know your quality grades to get the most out of steak season

By Donald Stotts  STILLWATER, Okla. – Grocery meat counters are filled with beef steaks labeled Choice, and while many consumers rightfully associate the label as a good choice for grilling or the stovetop, they might not be familiar with industry quality standards behind the designation.  A beef steak’s tenderness, juiciness and flavor all affect its palatability, or the degree to which food and fluids are deemed desirable and satisfying to a person’s palate,…

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