Controlling Horn Flies on Pastured Cattle

Dave Boxler, Nebraska Extension Educator Understanding the horn fly’s habits, life cycle, impact control methods and products will help design an effective control program. Photo credit Dave Boxler. With temperatures starting to warm, fly season is not far away, and now is the time to evaluate your 2021 horn fly management plan. Was your fly management program successful last year? If the answer is no, what were possible factors that might have directed…

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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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Mineral and Vitamin Considerations When Drylotting Cows

Mary Drewnoski, Nebraska Extension Beef Systems Specialist Karla H. Wilke, UNL Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management A good mineral program does not have to be expensive, nor is cost correlated with effectiveness. Photo credit Karla Wilke. Managing cows in a drylot can be a way to maintain the herd when forage production is reduced due to drought or as a part of a system when pasture is unavailable for other reasons. When cattle…

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Selecting an Optimum Breeding Season Length

Joslyn Beard, Livestock Specialist, University of Arizona Kacie McCarthy, UNL Cow-Calf Specialist Travis Mulliniks, UNL Beef Cattle Nutritionist, Range Production Systems Each decision or change in management in a livestock production system results in multiple changes or outcomes downstream of the resulting change. Photo credit Troy Walz. Decisions in livestock production are never simple, but rather complex. Each decision or change in management results in multiple changes or outcomes downstream of the resulting…

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Breeding Season Planning Resources

Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator The development of estrus synchronization protocols for beef cattle that can be used for either natural service or artificial insemination has provided greater opportunities for cattle producers to benefit from these technologies. Photo credit Troy Walz The breeding season will soon be underway for spring calving herds.  Understanding the factors that contribute to a successful breeding season in heifers and cows can help cow-calf producers effectively manage…

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Why Should You Become BQA Certified?

Jesse Fulton, Extension Educator, Director of Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance In order to meet and exceed consumer expectations, we must have two things: product integrity and a high-quality product that meets the eating satisfaction of the consumer. Photo credit Troy Walz. In a previous article, I left you with a quick overview of the history of the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program and the importance of the program today. In this article, I want…

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Managing Postpartum Anestrus in Beef Cows for a Successful Breeding Season

Kacie McCarthy, UNL Cow-Calf Specialist Beef cows must recover from the nutrient and physical demands of calving and lactation and will have 80 to 85 days to return to estrus after calving to potentially maintain a yearly calving interval. Photo credit Troy Walz. 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. As calving season…

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Calving Management and Reducing Calf Losses in Beef Herds

Steve Niemeyer, Nebraska Extension Educator Becky Funk, DVM, Animal Health Teaching and NE Extension Specialist Factors contributing to calving problems fall into three main categories – calf effects, cow effects and fetal position at birth. Photo credit Chandra Giles. Factors Causing Calving Difficulty Every year a significant number of calves are lost at birth due to complications of parturition (calving).  The most common factor in loss due to dystocia is time delay of…

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