APHIS issued its final rule on animal ID that has been in place since 2013, switching from solely visual tags to tags that are both electronically and visually readable for certain classes of cattle moving interstate.
Three primary methods of pregnancy checking cows are available for beef producers. Those who choose not to evaluate pregnancy status are leaving money of the table.
North Dakota State University Extension has found that heavy grazing use in the fall can reduce forage production the following growing season by over 50%.
One of the biggest days of the year for most ranchers—sale day—is much anticipated, yet stressful. Here’s some helpful tips and considerations in the days and hours leading up to sale time.
Fall temperature fluctuations can cause stress on sorghum plants, which can lead to toxicity issues for livestock. Ranchers are encouraged to be aware of conditions that can cause prussic acid or nitrate poisoning.
The demise of cattle feedlots is a talking point often used to stir emotion among those in the industry. How might such claims be argued in court where alternative facts are usually exposed under cross examination?
There can be little doubt that the biggest issue in the cattle industry right now is the question of when herd rebuilding will begin. The challenge of herd rebuilding can be summed up with three questions.
The USDA recently announced its Weaned Calf Risk Protection, a policy that offers Actual Production History (APH) coverage for beef cow-calf producers to insure revenue from their spring calving operations.
Getting ready to graze cattle on cornstalks? Here's a look at common mistakes made when building a fence along with the proper way to avoid them during this podcast episode.
Six young Hereford breeders were selected to attend the Association’s first Seedstock Academy, an intensive week-long opportunity to learn more about current beef industry dynamics, to network and share ideas.
In cow-calf production systems, the source of the initial product in the beef production chain, few traits (if any) outweigh the economic importance of Percent Calf Crop Weaned.
There’s mounting evidence of a protracted cattle cycle because whatever happens from here, Speer says, next year’s starting cow herd number will be down sharply.
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?
Fall calf runs typically mean auction volumes increase and prices decrease to seasonal lows. This year is quite different with feeder cattle and calf prices sharply higher than one year ago while volumes are much lower.
Given the value of the current fed market, widening quality grade spreads and longer feeding periods across the industry, the importance of preventing BRD has never been more important.
Two years of herd liquidation confirm that cattle numbers are extremely tight with record prices the result. Now is the time to plan and manage for your future.
The Agricultural Security Risk Review Act would add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment, an interagency committee that reviews the national security impact of foreign investments.
Targeting many biennial and perennial species in the fall is an effective, efficient and convenient way producers can protect their grazing resource and get a jump on spring.
Higher slaughter cow prices are the result of strong lean beef markets and the related growth in breeding demand for cows. The current price of 90 percent lean beef is 17.3 percent higher year over year.
Kansas State University shares its new mobile, record-keeping system, CalfDex, providing producers with a user-friendly, convenient and modern tool for managing whole-herd and individual animal data.
Sound management decisions to improve genetics, management practices and profit potential of cow-calf operations should be based on data. Weaning time is the best time of year to measure, and document herd performance.
A Sept. 8 Farmer-Led Field Day in Nebraska will explore drought management strategies for moisture retention, tips for integrating cattle into row crop operations, and polycropping systems with area producers.
Aside from traditional calf weaning methods, the concept of "fenceline weaning" is worth considering for cow-calf producers looking to decrease stress and maintain health in their calves.
Selling home-raised bred cows that may be approaching their cyclical peak in market price with that income taxed at a capital gains rate rather than as ordinary income could be a significant wealth building advantage!
Peter Amer says beef improvement is a road trip that deserves reflection. Looking back at the ground that has been covered in the past, seeing where we are now and facing forward for potential forks in the road ahead.
Anaplasmosis is transmitted through the bite of ticks and flies, as well as blood contaminated instruments like needles, tattoo tools, castration equipment and dehorning instruments.
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.
While fall calving is often easier than calving in the winter and early spring, when temperatures are high, it can create unhealthy conditions for calves.
Weaning stressors include removal from the dam, nutritional changes, a new environment, and altered social structure. Understanding this time allows a better understanding of the importance of a 45-day weaning period.
Dynamic cattle and grain market conditions mean that producers will need to carefully and frequently evaluate stocker budget prospects this fall prior to stocker purchase.
Weaning can be a stressful period for livestock and humans but making the extra effort to reduce stress on calves can lead to increased performance in the form of less illness and increased weight gain.
During drought, beef producers might find a best friend in their local veterinarian, says University of Missouri Extension veterinary toxicologist Tim Evans.
One of the most important tools for livestock producers is a sharp No. 2 pencil. The pencil and some basic arithmetic can help take the emotion out of desperate measures to find feed.
Satire regarding instructions packers provide their buyers was published by a popular online newsletter, triggering cowboy conspiracy theorists to bloviate before they investigated. Our ex-reporter has the current facts.
Despite sharply higher cattle prices, there is no data to suggest heifer retention or enough decrease in beef cow slaughter to initiate herd expansion, although the most recent weekly slaughter data are encouraging.
Cow-calf producers are looking at the potential for significant profits for 2023 due to high calf prices. This income may give cow-calf producers the rare opportunity to invest capital back into the ranch.
The American Hereford Association launches Baldy Advantage, a quarterly publication highlighting the experiences and insights of commercial cow-calf producers using Hereford-sired baldy cattle to their benefit.
