Latest News From Beef Cattle

Livestock Water Challenges Expected to Continue in 2022
Livestock Water Challenges Expected to Continue in 2022

Access to adequate, good quality water will continue to be a challenge for ranchers in North Dakota who depend on surface water sources, such as dugouts and stock dams to provide water to livestock.

Drought’s Impact On Cow Inventories in the Central Plains
Drought’s Impact On Cow Inventories in the Central Plains

Maps show the severity of drought in eight Central Plains states and where they began 2022 in beef cow numbers. These eight states represent 52% of America's beef cows, and accounted for 67% of last year's herd culling.

BT Rotator Unloading Stocker Cattle 4
Tips To Lessen Disease Risks

Veterinarians say there are steps producers can take to lessen disease risks before bringing new animals into your operation.

New: Arovyn Approved for BRD, Pinkeye and Foot Rot
New: Arovyn Approved for BRD, Pinkeye and Foot Rot

This is a broad-spectrum, prescription antibiotic that treats the major organisms associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD), foot rot and pinkeye.

New Antibiotic Restrictions Soon to Become Reality
New Antibiotic Restrictions Soon to Become Reality

Implementation of the Veterinary Feed Directive left a significant loophole for products that were available over-the-counter (OTC) by other dosage forms. OTC availability of these products will end by June 11, 2023.

Vytelle Expands Network Of In Vitro Fertilization Laboratories
Vytelle Expands Network Of In Vitro Fertilization Laboratories

Vytelle is progressing on a five-year plan to provide accessible hormone-free bovine in vitro fertilization (IVF) to producers. Three new laboratories will soon be operational and accessible to cattle producers.

NCBA Pleased to See Next Steps in Processing Capacity Funding
NCBA Pleased to See Next Steps in Processing Capacity Funding

USDA announced the availability of up to $215 million in grants and resources as part of a continued effort to strengthen the meat and poultry processing sector and create a more resilient food supply chain.

Medical Breakthrough Could Help Produce More Beef
Medical Breakthrough Could Help Produce More Beef

Bos indicus cattle lag in their reproductive efficiency, something researchers at Texas A&M are trying to help fix with a recent medical breakthrough.

Sexten: Same Goal, New Tools
Sexten: Same Goal, New Tools

When we break sustainability down to the operational goal of optimizing resources, we realize increased productivity per cow and optimum stocking rate per acre are the actual problems we need to address. 

Asian Longhorned Tick Arrives in 17 States, Calves are Especially Vulnerable
Asian Longhorned Tick Arrives in 17 States, Calves are Especially Vulnerable

The tick transmits Theileria orientalis to many animal species, including cattle, pigs, horses, sheep and goats. Death occurs in up to 5% of affected animals, according to Washington State University scientists.

Midwestern Beef Production Works Just as Well Off Pasture
Midwestern Beef Production Works Just as Well Off Pasture

Beef producers know grazing land is in short supply. With more acres being developed or converted to cropland, cow-calf operations may consider alternatives to traditional pasture management.

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Cold Weather Nutrition for Beef Cows

Feed requirements of cows during winter weather varies, depending on body condition, temperature, moisture, and hair coat. The Mesonet Cattle Comfort Advisor helps calculate how much feed is necessary.

Cows, Calves, and Cold Weather Concerns: Prepare for Winter Conditions
Cows, Calves, and Cold Weather Concerns: Prepare for Winter Conditions

When harsh winter conditions are in the forecast, avoid being caught off-guard and consider these ways to manage your cows, calves, and bulls to help them weather the storm.

Mineral
Save Money With Alternative Sources of Phosphorus

Cattle producers may have a few options available to offset the rising costs of adding phosphorus to their herd’s diet, a Kansas State University beef systems specialist said.

Pasture to Plate: A Culture-Driven Beef Business
Pasture to Plate: A Culture-Driven Beef Business

The Ducheneaux family reconnects consumers with their food source 

The Future of Precision Livestock
The Future of Precision Livestock

Through genetic potential, sensors from the environment, and actual practices, producers can predict when an animal is going to be finished or when the animal is going to be optimum in its marketing.

CattleTrace Symposium Addresses Machine Learning Opportunities to Meet Consumer Demands Through Traceability
CattleTrace Symposium Addresses Machine Learning Opportunities to Meet Consumer Demands Through Traceability

Attendees at the annual CattleTrace symposium saw a glimpse of how technology can improve animal health, management and welfare while offering ways to increase revenue.

Animal Disease Traceability Allows Rapid Tracing
Animal Disease Traceability Allows Rapid Tracing

Animal disease traceability (ADT), as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is knowing where diseased and at-risk animals are, where they’ve been, and when.

Preparing Cows for Winter and Spring Calving
Preparing Cows for Winter and Spring Calving

Reproductive efficiency is highly correlated to nutrition. The target Body Condition Score going into calving season is 5.5 for the mature cow and 6 for first calf heifers.

Sexten: Cow Culling Technologies
Sexten: Cow Culling Technologies

Weaning heavy, fast growing calves starts with conception. Cows conceiving every year and weaning even the most marginal calf can and still compete with a genetic giant with a zero in her average.

Fall Calving in Hot Weather
Fall Calving in Hot Weather

Early fall calving herds face a challenge from the high temperatures of late summer. The primary challenge is the impact those temperatures can have on newborn and young calves.

U.S. Cattle Producers Announce Initiatives to Answer Consumer Demands
U.S. Cattle Producers Announce Initiatives to Answer Consumer Demands

Cattle producers can set the table for the discussion on sustainability in beef.

Bull Management After the Breeding Season
Bull Management After the Breeding Season

In most spring calving herds, the breeding season begins in the spring or early summer. Maintaining a 60- to 90-day breeding season can be one of the most important management tools for cow-calf producers.

Producers Warned to Monitor Cattle After Anthrax Was Found in a North Dakota Herd
Producers Warned to Monitor Cattle After Anthrax Was Found in a North Dakota Herd

North Dakota is one of those areas that has been dealing with drought for months, and now another concern, after anthrax was found in a cattle herd in Kidder County last week.

Sexten: Weaning Barometer
Sexten: Weaning Barometer

Imagine if we could determine adaptive qualities of our cows before investing the development cost of replacement heifers, building an adaptive herd over time.

Help Cattle Beat the Heat with These Tips
Help Cattle Beat the Heat with These Tips

Kansas State beef veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff explains some of the ways producers can help cattle be less stressed in high heat conditions.

Angus VNR: Shade and Cattle Performance
Angus VNR: Shade and Cattle Performance

To thrive in the environments beef producers have created for them, cattle must have access to basic cattle health and welfare. Among them, the ability to perform natural behaviors.

Fly and Tick Season is Upon Us
Fly and Tick Season is Upon Us

When considering how to plan for a fly and tick control program for your cattle operation it is important to know the difference in application methods and their specific longevity in relation to adequate control.

Cattle Ranchers Cull Cows as 60% of U.S. Cow Herd Faced with Drought
Cattle Ranchers Cull Cows as 60% of U.S. Cow Herd Faced with Drought

The latest U.S. Drought monitor indicates drought is gripping pastures, with 60% of the nation's cow herd is now in some level of drought or dryness, and it's causing cow slaughter numbers to climb.

Summer Pneumonia in Calves a Concern
Summer Pneumonia in Calves a Concern

Summer pneumonia is respiratory disease/pneumonia that occurs in beef calves nursing their dams. The age range of calves affected can be as early as 3 to 4 weeks and from 3 to 5 months of age.

Where’s the Beef: Con Artist Turns Texas Cattle Industry Into $100M Playground
Where’s the Beef: Con Artist Turns Texas Cattle Industry Into $100M Playground

In just a few buck-wild months in 2015, a Texas grifter pulled off a swindle nearing $100M, and turned the cattle industry into his playground, stirring more cash than some of the largest beef companies in the U.S.

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Feedyard Consultants to Host Team Growth & Education Workshops

Production Animal Consultation and Midwest PMS will host a series of workshop training events in Kansas and Nebraska during the month of June for feedyard managers and employees.

Study Finds Beef Industry Can Cut Emissions
Study Finds Beef Industry Can Cut Emissions

A comprehensive assessment of 12 strategies for reducing beef production emissions found that industry can reduce GHG emissions by as much as 50% in certain regions, with most potential in the United States and Brazil.

Selection for Maternal Performance
Selection for Maternal Performance

This week we discuss the EPDs to consider when selecting bulls that will be used as rotational sires. A rotational sire is a bull from which daughters will be retained to develop as replacements in our cowherd.

6 Tips to Prepare Your Herd for Breeding Season
6 Tips to Prepare Your Herd for Breeding Season

Breeding season is fast approaching, set your herd up for success by focusing on these key areas.

Elanco Introduces NUPLURA PH+ for Cattle
Elanco Introduces NUPLURA PH+ for Cattle

The product offers proven performance against Mannheimia haemolytica, while adding protection against common viral causes of BRD, including BVD Types 1 and 2 and IBR.

Newborn calf
Selk: Calving Assistance During And After Stage II

Despite our best efforts at bull selection and heifer development, cows or heifers occasionally need assistance at calving time. Here are recommendations on when to provide calving assistance for cows and heifers.

Nebraska Rancher Uses Herd to Honor Frontline Workers

David Schuler’s Christmastime tradition turned into a tribute to those working on as first responders through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Membership model announced
U.S. CattleTrace Releases Membership Model

U.S. CattleTrace, a not-for-profit that securely maintains and manages data collected as part of disease traceability, announced the release of its model for membership.

Value-Added Premiums $50 Per Head, Data Show
Value-Added Premiums $50 Per Head, Data Show

An analysis of Superior Livestock Auction’s summer 2020 video sales finds consistent premiums for weaning and vaccination programs.

What Makes Foot-and-Mouth So Infectious?
What Makes Foot-and-Mouth So Infectious?

Scientists have conducted a ‘molecular dissection’ of a part of the virus that causes foot-and-mouth disease, to try and understand why the pathogen is so infectious.

Black baldy on pasture in Oklahoma.
BVD Is Alive And Well

The most important aspect of virus transmission in cattle is dam to calf during pregnancy. The effect on the pregnancy and the calf depends on when it is exposed during gestation.

Red Angus
Red Angus Releases New Index to Identify Profitability

The Red Angus Association of America released an updated suite of bio-economic selection indexes, including the Profitability and Sustainability index, abbreviated ProS, that covers economically relevant traits.

Andrew Curtis (right), doctoral research assistant works in the laboratory with Hans Coetzee (left), professor and head of the anatomy and physiology department.
A Good Time To Check For Anaplasmosis

Late fall is a good time to start evaluating the disease status in cattle.

Volatile Cattle Markets Call For More Diligent Disease Management
Volatile Cattle Markets Call For More Diligent Disease Management

Volatile cattle prices and decreased margins make managing bovine respiratory disease imperative to protecting the profitability of stocker operations.

Benefits of Cereals for Pastures
Benefits of Cereals for Pastures

Winter cereal crops such as wheat, rye and triticale produce high-quality forage during the time period that Bermudagrass is dormant. Fall-established cereals can be used to lengthen the grazing season of the pasture.

Fine-Tuned Engines
Fine-Tuned Engines

Beneath the hide, minerals act behind the scenes to maintain general function–from reproduction to marbling and everything in between.

The 'Positive Associative Effect' of High Protein Supplements
The 'Positive Associative Effect' of High Protein Supplements

The protein requirements for growth, milk production, and body weight maintenance of beef cattle do not decrease as the “dog days of summer” arrive.

BQA Earns Compliance With International Animal Welfare Standards
BQA Earns Compliance With International Animal Welfare Standards

The Checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program, managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), is now recognized as an industry-leading animal welfare program.

Farm Journal Live
Farm Journal Live: Something Smells About Burger King's Latest Ad

Today on Farm Journal Live: Environmental expert Dr. Frank Mitloehner takes issue with Burger King's latest commercial and Tom Downs of WeatherBell will have a look at the return of hot weather.