Education
Rumen pH is highly influential on how milkfat production can be maximized.
Persistent drought in major beef cattle production regions continues to have a significant impact on the cattle industry despite improvements in drought conditions in other parts of the country.
As I approached the site of my first animal activist rally, I kept my distance. I watched two people beside a small megaphone and a bag, checking their phones constantly. I leaned in anticipating what would happen next.
Now is the time to check for ergot, a toxic fungus which infects the surface of grasses and cereal crops and can cause severe illness in livestock such as cattle and horses.
With the current economic situation, both in agriculture and even personally, it is easy to feel stress and overwhelmed. Here are some suggestions on how to manage stress and work through a difficult time.
There’s a new equipment option for raising preweaned dairy calves, and it’s a far cry from the pocket-knife-slice approach of the past.
It was one of those nighttime calls no one wants to get: a client’s cow was down in a scrape alley with a huge prolapse. To my rescue came a farm employee who spoke only Spanish, a skid steer and a hip lift.
Raising heifers is expensive, to be sure. But in the long run, raising them right is far more important than raising them cheap.
What dietary supplements are best for preweaned calf rations? Out of the literally hundreds from which to choose, do any of them really work?
Minimizing handling stress provides several benefits for ranchers, including improvements in animal immune response, appetite and performance.
Bull breeding soundness exams offer the opportunity to identify and remove bulls from the breeding herd that have a low probability of siring calves.
Resist the temptation to turn cattle out before grass is ready and use caution if there is no other option. Management practices now can have lasting impacts.
Dairy farms can often be a slippery place for both farmers and cows to work.
While dairy cattle can’t verbally tell us when they’re not feeling their best, they can give us physical cues.
“Pushing feed is perhaps the simplest and least expensive management strategy dairy operators can implement.”
With temperatures rising from coast to coast, now is the time to wash and put away all of the calf jackets used over winter.
With persistent drought conditions across many states, indications show the current cattle cycle may not be nearing an end anytime soon. Here’s a look a historical trends and what we might expect in the coming months.
While drought does not lead to ideal parasite growing conditions, it does not necessarily mean the threat of parasites no longer exists. Here are some management considerations heading into the 2023 grazing season.
The push for renewable energy, with a new wave of focus on biodiesel, has a full head of steam and will likely result in changes in how we feed cattle.
Implanting preweaning is one of the most cost-effective ways to increase production for the cow-calf producer, and research shows implanted steer calves outgain bull calves.
Spring calving brings the promise of working calves and branding season. Each operation is set up differently with varying resources to work calves. How do you minimize cattle stress during this event?
While over-the-counter livestock antibiotics are set to require a prescription as of June 11, there will also be updates to FDA guidelines and product labels regarding reimplantation of growth-promoting implants.
The mineral is important for all energy needs, metabolism, bone growth and fertility. In some areas, pasture can provide sufficient amounts and reduce the need for supplementation, according to recent research.
BRD reigns as the costliest disease in the U.S. cattle industry. Consider the recommendations from Veterinarians, Drs. Grant Dewell and Mike Apley, respectively, and Extension nutritionist Paul Beck on how to address it.
Though not ideal, a spring-born calf can leave its dam as early as 45-days of age. OSU research shows such calves can be successful on a good growing ration. The cow then has time to regain condition before being rebred.
As spring nears and grass begins to turn green, producers are anxious to get cows out to grass. However, cool season predominate areas tend to have lush spring growth which can lead to grass tetany in cows.
Precision dairy technology isn’t just for cows. Autofeeders, activity monitors, and other emerging tools are making it possible to raise calves with the type of individual attention received by the calves of yesterday.
Surplus dairy calves – those not intended for breeding – are their own, unique subset of the dairy industry.
Young calves continue to dot fields across the country. To help offer young calves a healthy start, Tony Hawkins, DVM, and Ray Shultz, DVM, shared some tips.
There are few options once muddy conditions are in place, so preventive practices are key. Here’s some tips for protecting livestock health and managing muddy conditions.