Brenda Boetel, Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Wisconsin-River Falls The semi-annual Cattle report was released on January 31, 2020. The report showed what many analysts had already been saying; the total number of cattle and calves in the USA was at 94.4 million head, slightly down from January 2019’s number of 94.8 million head. This number indicates that the industry has entered into the liquidation phase of the cattle cycle. But…
Garth Ruff OSU Extension Henry County Bull buying season is almost upon us, and for the smaller cow-calf operators in the region, I think it time to ask the question: Do you need to buy a heifer bull? Year over year as I sit and watch bull buying decisions being made, I have observed producers faced with the dilemma of buying a calving ease “heifer bull” or a higher performance sire with a…
Jeff Lehmkuhler, PhD, PAS, Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky Last winter we had a dramatic increase in the number of cattle deaths compared to previous winters. Excessive rain contributed to these losses and led to wet haircoats and mud conditions in the fields. In the midst of last year’s muddy conditions, we did a series of meetings discussing the effects of rain and mud. I discussed the impacts of wet haircoats on…
Chris Penrose, Extension Educator, Ag and Natural Resources, Morgan County (originally published in the Ohio Farmer online) Stockpiled fescue can be an excellent place to accomplish early turnout, and begin calving. One goal I have had with livestock grazing over the years is to start as soon as I can. I put spring calving cows on stockpiled grass in early March to calve with the hope of not having to feed any more…
Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County, OSU Extension Lactating animals are at greater risk of mastitis infections when it is muddy! We finally got some snow and freezing temperatures! At our house, we didn’t get snow a single day that our Christmas decorations were up, but snow on Valentine’s Day was appreciated. Fresh snow provides a refreshing look to the landscape when it covers up all the muck and brown…
In response to northern New Mexico cattle growers need for access to veterinarians and cattle working facilities to perform Trichomoniasis tests, a bull management workshop will be held in three counties. Learn more about Trichomoniasis, a bovine sexually transmitted disease, at a bull management workshop Saturday and Sunday, March 21-22, in Abiquiu. Producers may bring their bulls to be tested for the disease and fertility. The workshop is hosted by New Mexico State…
By Ryon Walker, Ph.D.Livestock Consultant Significant emphasis has been placed on the importance of fertility in the female, whether in the cow or a developing heifer. When we address fertility in one female, we are affecting one offspring. When we address fertility in one male, we could be affecting up to approximately 35 offspring, in a single year. Is this oversight on bull fertility because bulls are overlooked until it is time to…
By Caitlin HebbertLivestock Consultant Trace mineral supplementation is easily one of the most confusing, misunderstood and controversial practices across the beef industry. We know that minerals are not only important, but necessary for daily function and optimal performance. This is generally accepted and understood through both research and anecdote. The benefits of minerals are particularly apparent in situations where diets are intentionally formulated for confinement, such as in feedlots and dairies. In those…
Matching cattle to the land available to graze and the nutrition it offers is critical in optimizing production in an operation. New calves and mother cows gather around the watering hole. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Kay Ledbetter) Jason Smith, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service beef cattle specialist, Amarillo, who is frequently contacted to help with problems cattle operators are having, was a speaker at the recent Southwest Beef Symposium in Amarillo. “More…
Dr. Michelle Arnold, UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Figure 1: Meconium staining (yellow color) is an indicator of calf stress during delivery. Placing the calf on the sternum (as pictured) maximizes ventilation of the lungs. “Dystocia” is defined as a difficult or prolonged calving, whether or not human assistance was necessary for delivery of the calf. Factors known to cause dystocia include a mismatch between small pelvic size of the dam and large calf…