Using Increased Longevity to Reduce Annual Cow Cost

Julie Walker , Professor & SDSU Extension Beef Specialist When evaluating annual cow cost, feed rises to the top of the list. Feed cost is an important area to consider; however, have you evaluated the cost of incorporating replacement heifers into the cowherd? Cost of developing a pregnant replacement heifer will vary by operation. However, most producers would agree that this cost could be over $1,000. When figuring the specific development costs, here…

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Semen/Nitrogen Tank Care

Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator Handle with care. The inner container is only attached to the outer container at the neck and a crack in this connection will cause the tank to quickly fail! It is almost time to start breeding for the 2021 calf crop. Last week I talked about proper semen handling so this week I thought it was worth providing some information on care and handling…

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Value Added Fed and Feeder Cattle Practices: Are they Paying?

Elliott Dennis, Livestock Marketing and Risk Management Economist A commonly asked question is whether premiums observed between the feedlot and packing plant are passed down to cow-calf producers during auctions. Photo credit Troy Walz. A lot of time is spent on analyzing trends and movements in the quality and yield grade of slaughtered cattle and for good reason. These premiums indicate whether the market is willing to pay for producing a higher quality…

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Is the Price Right?

Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Educator With many producers utilizing annual forage/cover crops and prevent plant acres, the amount of “non-traditional” forage options on the market have increased this past year.  As long as we keep an eye out for potential nitrate issues, sorghum/sudangrass, milo, or small grains like oats, rye, and wheat can all make great forage options as hay or silage.  Whether you are looking to buy or sell these products, answering…

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Five Ways to Reduce Unit Cost of Production in a Cow-calf Enterprise

Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator For producers weighing opportunities to reduce unit cost of production, evaluate the potential ripple effects of the proposed change to the whole cow-calf production system. Photo credit Troy Walz. Unit cost of production is a ratio where costs in the numerator are divided by the units produced in the denominator. There are five ways to reduce unit costs of production in a cow-calf enterprise. Decrease costs while…

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Cattle Cycle

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…

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Beef cattle genetics, management critical in fine tuning herds to fit environment

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…

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AngusLink and EarthClaims LLC Announce Service Partnership

Agreement combines American Angus Association offerings with G.A.P. certification. Producers seeking to document their added value on Angus feeder calves just got a more cost-effective option. EarthClaims, LLC, and the American Angus Association® have reached an agreement to provide bundled verification services. The bundled service includes certification under the Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step Animal Welfare Program (G.A.P.) certification from EarthClaims with options for age and source, Angus-sired genetics, non-hormone treated cattle (NHTC) and…

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Marshall, Peel to Headline Cattlemen’s Day Program

K-State's 107th Annual Cattlemen's Day set for March 6. MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University's Animal Sciences and Industry Department will host Cattlemen's Day 2020 on Friday, March 6 at Weber Hall in Manhattan. Lorna Marshall, Select Sires vice president of beef programs, will kick off the event by highlighting genetic and reproductive trends in the global beef industry. "We're excited to host the 107th KSU Cattlemen's Day," says Ken Odde, K-State professor…

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Match EPDs to Your Ideal Grazing Management Style

Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator (originally published in Farm & Dairy) As we move into January the grazing season is over for most and ended long ago for many, such as me, thanks to a dry fall.  Now is the time to start putting some thought into breeding decisions.  Is this the year to purchase a new bull?  What semen do I need to order so it will be…

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