Due to dry conditions, livestock producers should expect to see a reduction in grazeable forage. Drought management plans will be vital if the drought continues into the growing season.
Since the turn of the calendar, feeder cattle futures have been mainly trading sideways except for Thursday when the market moved the limit lower.
The Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University and the Kansas Beef Council are partnering to host three additional advanced beef cattle care and health training sessions throughout Kansas during February.
As calving season looms in the not so distant future, the first things that come to my mind is considering plans for pre-calving vaccination of pregnant cows, and thinking about controlling calf scours.
With feeder-calf prices still falling, beef producers can protect current prices on their calves. But they won't make as much money as they could have if they had sold futures contracts back in the summer.
In a time of cheap corn prices and volatile cattle markets, focusing on effective management techniques – like feed bunk management – can improve efficiency and help producers make the most of already tight margins.
Many farmers are now becoming more interested in cover crops due to their soil conservation and water quality benefits, and livestock producers may find them attractive as food for grazing animals. But farmers need to exercise caution when it comes to herbicide selection if they intend to graze or harvest the cover crop.
The one positive note for feedlots and finished cattle was the repeal of mandatory country of origin labeling which is likely the reason live cattle futures were up the limit on Friday.
The average price of choice beef at retail during November was $6.213 per pound. This was down 1.8 cents from the month before and down 9.0 cents from a year ago.
Cow-calf producers have made some money and now need to be “steeling” for what is to come, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist said.
The 2015-16 Missouri Steer Feedout began the first week of November when 158, early 2015-born steers were processed in Paris and Carthage and sent to the Gary Nilan feedlot near Carson, Iowa.
As producers with spring calving herds are completing weaning and moving cows to winter range, fall calving herds are gearing up for the next breeding season.
Beef cow-calf producers can balance rations to precisely meet the nutrient requirements of cows. However, they need to the nutritive value of rations feedstuffs first.
University of Missouri Extension and Missouri State University will host a seminar on "Livestock Forage Use and Poisonous Plants" beginning at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at the MSU Fruit Experiment Station, 9740 Red Spring Road, Mt Grove, Mo.
Making culling decisions for the cow-calf herd sometimes seems to require a crystal ball to see into the future, but one way cattle producers can hedge their bets is to be aware of “average trends.”
Genetic maternal traits, birthdate, mature size and a fit with the environment are all factors cattle producers need to consider when retaining replacement heifers.
The Cattle Trails Cow-Calf Conference, jointly hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension, will be Dec. 3 in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Old Man Winter made an appearance over the Thanksgiving weekend in many parts of cattle country, challenging producers with rain, freezing rain and even snow depending on where they live.