The energy requirements for an Angus beef cow throughout her annual production cycle

Kirsten Nickles, Graduate Research Associate and Anthony J. Parker, Associate Chair and Associate Professor. Department of Animal Sciences, Ohio State University. The nutritional requirements for beef cows change daily throughout their annual production cycle. The frequent change in requirements is caused by varying stages of production and environmental factors that affect the cow’s behavior and energy use. To give an example, a spring calving beef cow gestating throughout winter will have energy requirements…

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Matching Nutrient Intake to the Production Cycle of Beef Cows

Allen Gahler, Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources, OSU Extension-Sandusky County (originally published in The Ohio Cattleman) Could we reduce our total feed needs by more correctly matching the breeding season to our feed resources? Whether you are jumping into or preparing for breeding season, or you calve in the fall and have recently turned out mid gestation cows, you certainly have had a lower feed bill on your mind as the winter…

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Feed Your Cows and Your Forage

Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle Field Specialist, OSU Extension (originally published in The Ohio Cattleman) The highest energy demand of the cow arrives approximately 60 days post calving. Spring has arrived, a successful Ohio Beef Expo is in the rear view, and for many Ohio beef producers, there are calves on the ground. This is a critical time in the beef and forage production cycle for many producers, especially those with spring calving herds. As…

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Beef Bull Monitoring Research Project

Reproduction is a primary determinant of cow calf production efficiency. Breeding soundness exams (BSE) are helpful in identifying bulls with poor fertility prior to the breeding season. However, BSEs are not reliable in identifying the potential for breeding impediments that develop during the breeding season such as injury or foot rot which can have devastating effects on pregnancy rates. In addition, BSEs do not adequately evaluate libido and mating ability of bulls which…

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Pasture (Frothy) Bloat; Beware when grazing legumes!

Stephen Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist Bloat has been described in agricultural writings since A.D. 60. Names for bloat have changed over the years: hoove, hoven, tympany, and blown have appeared in English journals of the 18th and 19th centuries. Bloat occurs when rumen gas production exceeds the rate of gas elimination. The gas accumulates and causes distention of the rumen (left side of cattle). If the situation continues, the inflated rumen interferes…

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Minerals for Beef Cattle

Proper mineral and vitamin nutrition contributes to strong immune systems, reproductive performance, and calf weight gain. However, when it comes to selecting mineral supplementation to use for your beef herd it can often be a confusing decision as not all mineral mixtures are the same. To help better understand what minerals are needed for beef cattle, OSU Extension in Coshocton County offered a webinar titled “Minerals for Beef Cattle” on Tuesday, March 16,…

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Taking the Bull from the Sale Ring or Winter Storage, Making Him the Athlete He Needs to Be

Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension Bulls need to be transitioned from their winter diet to grass carefully before turn out. Recently we visited in this publication about the value in having a bull that’s passed a breeding soundness exam (BSE) and is ready to go to work when called upon. One thing we’ve perhaps yet to discuss is what needs to happen after the bull has passed his BSE, or is purchased, and…

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Extension Meat Specialist Offers Workshops to Tackle Meat Industry Labor Challenges

A hands-on opportunity to learn about food animal processing. When COVID-19 hit the US meat industry in early 2020, many disruptions quickly surfaced impacting our livestock and meat industries. As large-scale meat plants were in the process of slowing their operations, and in some cases even stopping, local meat processors were looked at to relieve the pressures brought forth by COVID-19. As local meat processors stepped up to fill these needs, significant stresses…

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Resource Kit Available for Those Exploring a Meat Processing Business

This “Tool Kit” is designed to be intuitive as entrepreneurs move through the business planning process. A team of Ohio State business and meat science specialists have compiled a Meat Processing Business Tool Kit for people who are exploring the meat processing business. Designed as a decision making aid for people exploring investing in or expanding a meat processing facility, this online tool kit can help entrepreneurs evaluate the business and navigate business planning. The…

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