A late April blast could bring sub-freezing temperatures as far south as northern Texas, sparking growing concerns about the potential damage to winter wheat.
Cattle feeders have experienced their best month in years with prices reaching record levels. Hog producers, however, are struggling to keep margins out of the red.
Implanting preweaning is one of the most cost-effective ways to increase production for the cow-calf producer, and research shows implanted steer calves outgain bull calves.
Spring calving brings the promise of working calves and branding season. Each operation is set up differently with varying resources to work calves. How do you minimize cattle stress during this event?
Building a battle plan to protect calves from bovine respiratory disease (BRD) long before antibiotics are necessary should be incorporated into every cow-calf operation.
The Red River Basin is at severe risk of flooding along rivers and overland flooding. Ranchers can take steps to ensure that livestock have safe housing and access to feed resources and clean water.
Packers continue to haul cheaper inventory to regions grinding higher and peel back harvest to stall the market. This is all friendly, one does not cut kills with peak demand on the forefront.
Passing on bids at record levels was common early last week and negotiated sales printed new record highs for the third week in a row. Analysts and cowboys are eyeing additional gains next week.
AI gives producers access to high-powered genetics for their operation’s goals. Let’s look at the supplies you’ll need and best practices for the most success.
Milk fever, winter/grass tetany and pregnancy toxemia are the three most common diseases associated with poor or improper diets. Good stewardship includes providing nutrients to keep cows healthy.
OSU Department of Animal and Food Sciences and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association will host a Beef Finishing Field Day on April 27th in conjunction with OCA's Steer Carcass Challenge.
With cattle feeders in the driver's seat, packers will seek leverage to price cattle for future delivery. They aren't looking to do feeders a favor with the strategy.
In a steady market, fed prices would typically peak seasonally about now and move lower through the third quarter before increasing to year end, but there is good reason to expect the uptrend will continue in 2023.
Packers chased finished cattle into the evening on Wednesday last week and the result was another rally in cash prices to new record highs, eclipsing the mark set in November 2014.
There are few options once muddy conditions are in place, so preventive practices are key. Here's some tips for protecting livestock health and managing muddy conditions.
Young calves continue to dot fields across the country. To help offer young calves a healthy start, Tony Hawkins, DVM, and Ray Shultz, DVM, shared some tips.
Calving is underway across the country, which means calf processing and branding (if applicable in your area) is just around the corner. Here's some things to remember heading into the season.
More than 500 bidders from 35 states, Canada and Mexico competed for 772 lots at Gardiner Angus Ranch's 44th Spring Sale held on Saturday at the ranch near Ashland, Kansas.
As spring nears and grass begins to turn green, producers are anxious to get cows out to grass. However, cool season predominate areas tend to have lush spring growth which can lead to grass tetany in cows.
The U.S. bovine semen industry reports a decline of 5% in total unit sales, reaching 69 million total units reported for all categories combined. However, Beef-on-dairy semen sales continue to increase.
Callahan Grund, a cow-calf producer in Kansas and executive director of CattleTrace discusses traceability and biosecurity, why they matter and some potential solutions being explored.
As cash cattle prices have been on an upward trajectory in 2023, packer margins have correspondingly moved lower. Sterling Marketing's weekly estimates are printing packer margins red for the first time in six years.
Hay inventories at the start of winter-feeding were largely depleted and there appears to be little carryover for next year. Limited regrowth for most native hay meadows last fall will limit production.
The Livestock Indemnity Program may provide payments to agricultural producers for livestock deaths caused by adverse weather in excess of normal mortality.
Understanding why scours occurs is the first step in preventing the problem. Calf scours outbreaks are the result of a contaminated calving and nursing environment.
Given growing expectations that drought conditions will moderate through the coming months, bred cow and heifer values are likely to increase sharply by this fall.
Cash cattle prices turned sharply higher last week as supplies continue to tighten. Moderate to active trade pushed cash prices to new highs for the year with some eyeing another surge next week.
Veterinarians with experience dealing with this bovine medical emergency offer insights and recommendations to help other practitioners and producers know what to do in this situation.
Although mastitis, an infection of the udder, is often considered a dairy cow problem, the disease may also impact beef producers. Here's what you need to know and look for and how to help protect your herd.
An analysis of calf sales through the Superior Livestock Auction by Kansas State University and Merck Animal Health looked at traits of load lots of calves that had impacted sales price.
It’s no secret that rotational grazing is an important practice used by producers to improve the natural resources they have available, but where can you go to get started and what does that first step look like?
With current fed cattle carcass weights 16 lb. lighter than a year ago marbling achievement, on average, is likely to underperform in contrast to the past two years.
Proper range management is critical over the next few months. Resist the temptation caused by green grass, hold off on grazing pressure and manage your grazing eco-system for optimum, long-term benefit.
Cattle feeding margins remain favorable despite higher costs. Tighter supplies of market-ready cattle become a growing challenge for packers as their margins are squeezed.
Managing cows in a drylot can be a way to maintain the herd when forage production is reduced. However, it's important to make sure cows are getting the vitamins and minerals they need.
Ranchers should make plans for moving feed and livestock to higher ground before flooding this spring, according to North Dakota State University Extension specialists.
Over the past four weeks beef production has averaged 6.4% lower than last year. Production is expected to drop more sharply the remainder of the year.
AGA's Carcass Data Collection Project will provide vital genetic information to re-charge the carcass database and enhance the predictability of current selection tools.
Northern feeders have experienced considerably more adverse weather and muddy pen conditions than southern yards, contributing to the tightening supply of well-finished cattle.
