Latest News From cow-calf

When the weather forecast calls for extremely low temperatures, what preparations are a must on your operation? Here's a look at some of the most important "To Do" items before the winter chill sets in.

Last year's drought has ranchers scrambling to manage reduced feed resources to keep their cows adequately fed throughout the winter.

In every drought cycle some producers have an earlier end to the drought than others while others are more severely affected by drought. This cows are often available to purchase, but they aren't always a bargain.

Reports of fescue foot in Missouri has extension specialists urging producers to check herds for warning signs of the disease in January when it most often occurs.

What happens when a large, wealthy sovereign nation possessing vast expanses of both crop and pastureland declares a moratorium on imports?

Ahh, the year of 2022!  It was full of challenges for those of us in the cattle business.  Drought, high input cost, excessive heat ... and more drought! There are lessons to learn from 2022 that can make us better.

Have you ever noticed that cows who calve during the fall and winter months tend to produce less colostrum than their herd mates who calved during the spring and summer? Here's why.

While there are many seasonal preparations to consider before calving season begins, calf scours prevention is not always one that comes to mind. However, the best time to mitigate the risks of the disease is now.

Longtime Iowa livestock extension economist Dr. John Lawrence was inducted into the Iowa Cattlemen's Association Hall of Fame.

The number one input cost for many cattle operations is feed. While weather conditions often play a huge role in the availability of growing and stored feed sources, producers might have a new alternative.

Begin the new year with a cow-calf record keeping system that helps identify the most productive and efficient animals in your herd.

Cold stress increases a cow’s energy requirement and can pull down her body condition. As winter storms have already swept through cattle country, here's some tips to help your herd now through spring.

Both the inventory of beef cows and total cattle numbers in 2023 will be the lowest since 2014. After seven years of low returns, ranchers now look forward to 2023 with prospects for significant profits.

The Angus Foundation will celebrate 150 years since the first Angus bulls arrived in America with an event during Cattlemen's Congress in Oklahoma City, January 6.

Cattle producers know that cold temperatures mean extra supplement and hay may be needed. But how much extra feed are we talking about?

Ranchbot has developed reliable, remote water monitoring solutions that can be viewed anytime, anywhere from the palm of your hand.

When cows get below their lower critical temperature and get into cold stress, they can adapt by increasing feed consumption to increase their basal metabolic rate and increase heat of fermentation.

Though retail beef prices are lower than a year ago, prices remain historically higher as inflationary challenges affect the overall U.S. economy and projected fewer cows heading into 2023.

In general, feeder cattle markets are finishing 2022 strong with momentum going into the new year, even as the drought caused significant changes in the timing of feeder cattle marketing.

On a day-to-day basis, major changes to the landscape can be difficult to recognize and nearly impossible to quantify as some occur slowly and tend to go unobserved when viewing the range each day.

Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease that affects several different animal species. In cattle, it may produce clinical symptoms in animals from 1 month to 1 year of age, but it can infect all age groups.

In addition to playing an important role in reproductive efficiency, vitamin A is essential for vision, bone growth, and maintaining epithelial tissue such as skin and hooves.

Determining how much forage cows will eat on a per day and per month basis for the duration of winter always requires a little “cowboy math”.

Drugs such as penicillin and some others routinely used to treat cattle, hogs and other food animals will be available only with a prescription from your veterinarian, starting June 12, 2023.

A year of historic droughts causing record-high cow slaughter will be remembered for many years to come. Here’s a look at the cattle industry by number and what we may expect in 2023.

Whether in the feedlot or out in the pasture, cattle management and handling practices are important considerations for both the animals and employees.

It seems likely that many producers have adjusted herd inventories, given hay and feed supplies, to be able get through the winter.

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory provides tips, assessments for overwintering livestock.

Winter is coming and with it, snow and wind. Cattle and farmsteads both can benefit from proper windbreaks. There are two main types of windbreak function on a farm: livestock wind chill protection and snow windbreaks.

November's USDA Cattle on Feed report estimated placements at 20-year lows and well below pre-report estimates, confirming this fall's bullish market has settled in for an extended stay.

The highest quality vaccine that producers purchase may be of little value if not handled and stored properly. Product storage and handling is important to ensure that the efficacy of products is not compromised.

Drought continues to impact ranchers on the Northern Plains. Fall and early winter grazing can impact the subsequent year’s production if grazing use is close to severe.

Global demand for U.S. beef has been robust in 2022, providing increased value for both cattle producers and processors that export beef.

Whether calves will be retained and backgrounded or sold shortly after weaning, it is important to consider the impacts of weaning strategies on calf health and performance.

Perspectives from all beef sectors were discussed in a producer panel at the 2022 Angus Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

No one can tell ag’s positive story better than ag producers .

For ranchers on a fall weaning schedule, considering factors that impact calf health and wellbeing can help prevent calf loss.

Mineral supplementation to the cow herd is always a good idea, this year it is of even greater potential benefit. Diets with mineral imbalances may cause poor animal performance, resulting in reduced profitability.

Understanding the interaction between starch, fiber, and protein in the cows’ rumen allows producers to determine the most appropriate winter supplement. 

We often consider replacements as sunk costs since they are unrealized revenue rather than out-of-pocket expenses. However, there is real opportunity cost of not putting the heifer on the truck with her steer mates.

With a shortage of standing forage for cattle and the low availability of hay, it is more important than ever this winter to reduce waste when feeding hay.

Now is the time for administering boosters to the cowherd and “branding time” for fall calves. Vaccination programs started at branding time can reduce disease and death losses.

The volume of feeder cattle sold in Oklahoma increased nearly 20% from mid-July to mid-October as a result of the drought. Since then, volumes have been down and likely smaller through November.

Dave Nichols, K-State University Animal Science & Industry professor emeritus, has been awarded the 2022 Mark and Eva Gardiner Innovation and Excellence Faculty award.

Estimating forage usage by cows is an important part of the task of calculating winter feed needs. Hay or standing forage intake must be estimated in order to make the calculations.

Assess the ages of your herd bulls and current feed costs.  Culling older herd bulls now and re-populating with young bulls next spring can add long-term genetic advantages beyond just the savings in winter feed bills.

Mature, non-lactating, spring-calving cows with a body condition score of five or greater will not need supplemental protein when grazing corn residue in favorable weather at an appropriate stocking rate.

An analysis of costs of BRD shows days on feed increase while slaughter weight, carcass weight and carcass quality decreased when steers required treatment once, twice, or three or more times during receiving.

Approaching the time when most spring born calves are sold, it's a time for producers to make culling decisions for their cow-calf operations. Along with the 3 O's, consider these cow culling suggestions.

Scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service and University of Nebraska-Lincoln have identified to different variants of the bacterium known to cause pinkeye in cattle.