Backgrounding
Industry leaders discuss how supply and demand trends are impacting stocker operations during the 2025 K-State Stocker Field Day.
While today’s cattle prices provide producers an incredible profit, it’s important for producers not to become complacent in day-to-day management and forget the weaning strategies that keep cow herds profitable.
Preconditioning calf health programs prepare calves for better performance as they move through the system. That improved performance is measured in lower death loss, fewer health issues and better gain.
Weaning and marketing involve many potential stressors that can negatively affect beef calves. Consider these preconditioning strategies to optimize health and performance.
Four beef cattle specialists share tips to help producers provide good nutrition at weaning.
Here are three options producers can consider when weaning calves.
Asian longhorned tick has not been found in Kansas, but calves purchased from the East and being fed in Kansas have been diagnosed with the parasite.
Work with your local veterinarian to evaluate your herd’s deworming program to identify potential areas of improvement.
Are you measuring the impact of your current calf management decisions? And assessing the potential added value of implementing management practices that you currently don’t employ?
Expanding its livestock product line, FBN adds Ridley Feeds, fencing supplies, equine products and more.
Feedlot owners and cow-calf producers can use best practices for helping those cattle get off to a good start when entering the yard.
Looking below the tip of the iceberg is helping the beef industry better understand and address root causes of health problems in populations of cattle.
The U.S. feed grain supply is expected to grow by 3.4 million metric tons, propelled by a projected increase in corn yields for the 2023/24 corn production forecast, reports the USDA Economic Research Service.
Although U.S. cattle inventories declined, following widespread drought, cattle feeding margins are not as wide as in the previous period of low cattle inventories. Here’s some management strategies to consider.
For cow-calf producers, fall is often a time for preconditioning, weaning and marketing calves. While prices will likely be towards the top end this year, could you still be leaving money on the table?
Preconditioning has benefits for those looking to sell their calves and to those retaining ownership. Though it is not a “one size fits all” for operations. The benefits need to be considered along with practicality.
Cattle prices have responded to lower cattle inventory. Yet, with increasing costs of maintaining a cow, producers may wonder: to increase revenue in 2023, is it worth retaining or backgrounding calves?
For cattle producers that are set up to feed calves in a bunk, limit-feeding a high energy diet may be a cost-effective option for growing calves this fall and winter.
While vaccination is widely considered a critical component of cattle health management, could the timing of vaccination impact the efficiency of the product?
As we move into late summer and early fall, we begin think about weaning time. Getting those calves on feed is critical, requiring a good diet and proper feed management.
Calves enrolled in the OQBN Vac-45 Program attained an average market premium of $18.67/cwt in 2022 and an average of $13.06/cwt over the past 12 years, compared to similar nonpreconditioned calves.
Has the ‘golden ticket’ to cattle feeding efficiency and carcass yield with reduction in methane gas emissions and wet waste been found? FBN, along with its partner, Boveta Nutrition, LLC, believe so.
“The goal is to all be here, have the kids here and to keep the ranch going,” says Sarah (Switzer) Sortum. Despite challenges, this family ranch has found ways to diversify and enable a future for generations to come.
When calves on grass drop like flies, have minimal gains and many carcasses are condemned on the rail, Kansas State University experts uncover the unfortunate cause.
When a significant number of cattle died in less than two hours, a number of questions are raised. Kansas State University experts discuss this toxicology case and the answers that were found.
While “high-risk” cattle are often given high levels of hay or forage to aid in the transition to a milled diet, a study at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researches ways to increase performance.
Feeding, management and marketing needs to be evaluated prior to weaning so the best options and management practices are selected.