Cow-Calf
Fertility is an extremely important economic trait and genetic prediction of bull fertility is non-existent in most genetic evaluations, says a University of Wisconsin assistant professor of quantitative genetics.
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.
October is historically the month with the most pressure on calf prices and last week saw auction markets with mixed prices, from $2 higher to $5 lower.
The latest USDA Crop Progress report showed that winter wheat planting was at 28 percent the last week of September, equal to the 2016-2020 average for the date.
As feed resources start moving across the state, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension specialists warn of the potential to spread noxious and troublesome weed seeds.
Establishing a world-class seedstock business didn’t happen overnight for the Yon family. They’re dedicated to quality in every aspect of the operation, from cattle to grass.
Years of progress in efficiency and genetics may not be enough to satisfy the demands put on cattle producers moving forward. That was the message from speakers at the 2021 Feeding Quality Forum.
Regular cow herd performance analysis over time helps producers build a base of knowledge for better management decisions and improved profitability.
A consortium of researchers, extension specialists and educators are looking to help ranching operations and landowners prevent and reverse rangeland losses by replicating natural fire and grazing.
Weaning is time to focus time and management on ways to eliminate stress, maintain health and maximize the value of weaned calves, but also a critical time to manage the cow herd.
Cattle ranchers and industry professionals are invited to hear the latest cutting-edge information and updates for their businesses at the upcoming Range Beef Cow Symposium, Nov. 16-17.
It is not clear exactly how much and how fast the industry will liquidate going forward but cattle cycles continue to be an important fundamental feature affecting cattle markets in the U.S.
NDSU Extension veterinarian Gerald Stokka warns that a sudden change in the composition of forage of mature grazing cattle may result in a condition known as “fog fever,” or bovine pulmonary emphysema.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it will conduct a 12-month status review to determine whether or not to issue a designation for the gray wolf in western North America under the Endangered Species Act.
Saline River Farms, LLC, has announced plans to build an 83,000-square-foot beef and pork processing facility in southern Illinois, part of USDA’s efforts to increase capacity and diversify processing facilities.
Relatively few ranching operations are profitable if all costs are tallied, says John Locke. He says raising cattle is different than running a business that raises cattle.
The percentage of heifers in USDA’s August feeder cattle sale reports is higher this year in all three marketing channels – auctions, direct sales and video auctions – an indication of the drought’s influence.
Officials in North Dakota are investigating the suspicious deaths of 58 pregnant cows grazing U.S. Forest Service rangeland. The loss to the rancher is estimated at $100,000.
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.
The average culling rate the past two years, since the cyclical peak in 2019, has been 10.25%. Over the past 35 years, across cycles of expansion and liquidation, the average herd culling rate has been 9.65% annually.
Even as beef cow numbers declined, Canada’s total cattle inventory increased slightly for the first time in four years on July 1. Like their American counterparts, western Canadian ranchers are struggling with drought.
Equipping cattle producers with the knowledge and tools to improve their bottom line is the goal of Texas A&M’s Beef Cattle Short Course. This year’s hybrid event reached nearly 1,900 across U.S., nine other countries.
Producers should create breeding goals that will be profitable while being realistic, consistent, and driven by animal data, says Troy Rowan, University of Tennessee.
When temperatures are above 85°F, cows typically seek relief by heading to shade and/or by bellying deep in ponds. These actions are signs for producers that they should closely observe their cattle for heat stress.
Producers in certain counties can now request haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres while still receiving their full rental payment. FSA updates the list of eligible counties weekly.
Cattle markets seem poised to break out from the constraints of the first half of the year as we move into the last part of the third quarter. Calf and stocker prices have moved counter-seasonally higher in July-August.
On a recent Kansas State University Cattle Chat podcast, three veterinarians discussed two rare diseases that can impact cattle – rabies and blackleg.
Regardless of when and how many calves you will wean, methods of reducing stress on fresh weaned calves is of great interest to cattlemen and of benefit to cow-calf operations.
NCBA announced the winners of its 2021 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards, which annually recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers, and educators.
Imagine if we could determine adaptive qualities of our cows before investing the development cost of replacement heifers, building an adaptive herd over time.