Cowmen

Stopping Flies in 2026: 4 Steps to Battling These Economic Pests

Wed, 06 May 2026 14:27:47 GMT

With fly season approaching, now is the time to evaluate and refine your fly management plan for 2026.

“Every year, stable and horn flies cause significant economic losses, but a good fly control program can minimize this impact,” says Cassandra Olds, Kansas State University Extension entomologist. “Although often grouped together, these are very different flies that need different control approaches.”

Dr. Ashby Green, Neogen senior technical services veterinarian, says, “If you are seeing flies, ticks, lice or insect damage to your cattle herd, we know there is an economic impact; however, that impact can become far greater than production or weight gain loss alone. Insect pressure affects grazing patterns of cattle; it affects their comfort and it can lead to health issues. Some of those health issues can be definite, such as anaplasmosis.”

The vectors responsible for spreading anaplasmosis include horse flies, stable flies and ticks. This condition has been reported in most states across the U.S., while the disease has been recognized as endemic throughout the South and several Midwestern and Western states.

Jonathan Cammack, Oklahoma State University assistant professor and state extension specialist, says, “With horn flies, we’re looking at mastitis risk, so that’s going to impact both dairy cattle and also our cow-calf operations. A lot of times, horn flies will feed on the udders of the animals, and they transfer the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria because they land on the manure, then they go back to the animal to feed and bring those bacteria with them.”

Several other conditions are propagated by flies, including pinkeye, which can be spread by face flies and causes inflammation and ulceration of the eyes. Pinkeye-affected calves are, on average, 35 lb. to 40 lb. lighter at weaning compared to healthy calves, according to a University of Kentucky report.

Cammack predicts flies are costing the U.S. cattle industry $6 billion annually in losses.

“That encompasses everything from actual loss in production due to decreased weight gain or decreased milk production, veterinary needs associated with treatment of cattle with exposure to pathogens from some of these insects, and then also the control measures associated with managing those individual fly species,” he explains.

David Boxler, Nebraska Extension livestock entomologist, says if previous control efforts underperformed, consider adjusting your approach.
“The best control method will depend on several factors including efficacy, cost, convenience and your current herd management practices,” he summarizes.

He also reminds producers that horn flies can migrate from neighboring untreated herds, masking the effectiveness of your efforts and increasing fly pressure. For this reason, Boxler recommends a comprehensive, integrated fly control.

Olds shares these tips for stopping flies, or at least reducing their impact:

Step 1: Know What You Have

“The first step in developing a good fly control program is knowing who you have,” Olds explains.

(Kansas State University)

Horn flies feed 20 to 30 times a day and stay associated with their chosen animal 24/7, with females only leaving briefly to lay eggs. Stable flies in contrast only feed once or twice a day, remaining on the host for a short period of time (3 to 5 minutes).

When not feeding, flies are resting in shaded areas such as building sides and vegetation. This short feeding time means producers often underestimate their stable fly burdens. While both flies affect pastured cattle, horn flies are not a problem in confined settings such as dairies and feedlots. This is because horn flies need fresh, undisturbed manure as a breeding site while stable flies can develop in any decaying plant matter such as hay bales, feed bunk spill over and decaying grass.

“Their populations can build rapidly and often exceed the economic injury level defined as 200 flies per animal,” Boxler adds about horn flies. “Once fly numbers surpass this threshold, cattle experience reduced weight gain and milk production due to fly-induced stress and altered grazing behavior.”

Step 2: Reduce Populations

Olds explains with either fly species, using non-insecticidal control methods is essential for slowing insecticide resistance. For horn flies, pasture burning in spring kills any flies overwintering, which can significantly reduce fly populations emerging as weather warms. A healthy dung beetle population will also significantly reduce your fly numbers for free.

“Dung beetles are very susceptible to macrocyclic lactones so avoid using injectable and pour-on avermectins (abamectin, eprinomectin, ivermectin etc.),” Olds says.
Because horn flies die within hours of being removed from cattle, non-chemical walk-through traps can be effective if animals pass through it regularly.

Step 3: Eliminate Breeding Grounds

Round hay bales result in significant wastage, which when mixed into the manure-contaminated mud around bales provides a prime breeding site for stable flies.
Olds explains each round bale can produce 200,000 stable flies.

“Reducing hay waste and spreading/drying areas around finished bales is key to reducing stable fly numbers,” she says. “In feedlots, minimizing feed spillage and waste is critical to remove breeding sites for stable and house flies.”

Parasitoid wasps are available from multiple sellers and should be released around fly breeding sites. These are very effective if released before fly populations emerge and released repeatedly through the fly season.

Be careful using insecticides if using parasitoid wasps as they are very small and sensitive to these chemicals. Keeping vegetation surrounding pen areas short and exposed will remove sheltered resting areas, making life more difficult for the flies.

Step 4: Consider Chemical Control Options

Olds stresses chemical control options should be used as a supplement not the basis of a fly control program.

(Kansas State University)

“For horn flies, insecticidal ear tags are an effective method of control if correct rotation is used,” she adds. “Rotate the chemical class of your tag annually, in year one using pyrethroid-based products, year two use organophosphate-based products and year three use macrocyclic lactone tags. Repeating this three-year cycle will reduce the selection pressure on the fly populations, slowing down the spread of resistance.”

Olds also shares these tips for effective tagging: “Tag both ears and place the tag directly into the ear. For the tag to be effective, it must come into direct contact with the animal’s skin, which is greatly reduced when daisy chained.”

Little of the tag touches the body when attached to another tag.

(Cassandra Olds, Kansas State University)

She also instructs producers not to tag young calves and adds mature bulls with thick necks might not benefit from tagging unless the tag can touch the skin.

“Although the box may label products as effective for four to five months, field trials have shown that tags only remain effective for 90 to 100 days,” Olds says. “If possible, wait until fly populations are noticeable before tagging animals to get control over peak fly activity period. After 90 days, remove the tag to reduce the risk of insecticide resistance developing.”

(Neogen)

To increase coverage, pour-ons of the same chemical class as the ear tag can be used to increase coverage.

“Be aware that a macrocyclic lactone pour-on will impact dung beetle populations,” Olds says. “Make sure animals are dosed accurately according to weight and ensure head to tail coverage. Due to their low contact time with the host and preference for the legs, topical insecticidal treatments are generally not useful against stable flies.”

Spraying the legs can provide some relief, although it should be used sparingly as most sprays are pyrethroid-based, not allowing for effective annual rotation. Baits and premise sprays can be useful in controlling both house and stable flies, look for areas where flies are found resting such as building walls, fence posts and inside sheds and shelters.

Another option is feed through insect growth regulators (IGRs) to control horn fly. Olds says it is important cattle consume the correct amount, which can be difficult under free-choice conditions.

“Under-dosing will result in resistance developing over time, reducing product efficacy,” she says. “Although labeled for stable fly control also, when manure containing the IGR is diluted in the mud and hay, it is no longer effective.”

Often marketed as dung beetle safe, Olds says evaluations of these claims in most species have not been carried out, and their true impact remains unknown.

“Insecticide resistance to IGRs can and does happen; to slow this, rotate annually between Methoprene-based (Group 7A) and diflubenzuron-based products (Group 15),” she adds.

The Veterinary Entomology website , veterinaryentomology.org/vetpestx, provides a searchable database that can help producers select the right products. Producers can select from type of animal, insect and application method.

“For on-animal use, select the best product to allow an annual rotation between pyrethroid (Group 3A), organophosphate (Group 1B) and macrocyclic lactone (Group 6) groups,” Olds says.

Green also recommends using a multi-pronged approach to insect control. He says fly tags, IGR products, pour-ons, back rubbers and dust bags can help diminish the population.

“Both back rubbers and dust bags can be highly effective if managed correctly,” Green advises. “Keep in mind, when these are put out to withstand the elements, including moisture and rain, it’s key to keep the dust fresh or the oil recharged in your back rubbers. Otherwise, they will diminish in their ability to control flies quickly.”

Cammack stresses the importance of accurate dosing by the individual animal’s weight and following label guidelines.

To best control flies and insects on cattle operations, “the easy and effective way is the best way,” Green summarizes. “It’s up to you and with the help of your veterinarian to help create that combination.”

Low-Stress Handling Isn’t Just for Livestock

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:59:40 GMT

We spend years learning how to move cattle properly.

We study flight zones. We talk about pressure and release. We redesign facilities so animals can flow instead of fight. We debate crowd tubs like they’re moral issues.

Then we walk into the clinic and bark at a technician before coffee.

Ashley Nicholls, founder of Reach Agriculture Strategies, has a way of making a room laugh before he makes it uncomfortable. When speaking on low-stress handling, he starts in familiar territory: prey behavior, blind spots, comfort zones. But he doesn’t stay there.

“We understand [cattle] are prey animals,” Nicholls says. “They have blind spots. They have a flight zone. They hide pain. And their priority is survival.”

Then he pivots.

“Employees. Team members. Colleagues. They have blind spots. They have a flight zone. They hide pain. And at the end of the day, their priority is survival — it’s just workplace survival,” he says.

The room got a little bit quieter after that.

Flight Zones Aren’t Just Physical

In livestock handling, we read the pen before we apply pressure. We look for heads up, animals bunching, tension in the group. We understand what looks calm may only be a snapshot.

Nicholls reminds us this is the same with people: we may only ever get a snapshot. We don’t see what’s happening off screen — exhaustion, financial stress, family strain, imposter syndrome. Yet we respond as if the visible moment is the whole story.

Even simple gestures can make a big difference.

“Something as simple as starting with ‘good morning’ just opens a channel of communication,” he says.

In barns, we know better than to storm in loudly. The same applies for spaces with coworkers.

Communication: It’s Not the Words

Nicholls references the 55-38-7 rule of communication: 55% body language, 38% tone and pitch and 7% actual words.

“In other words, 93% of what we’re doing is completely non-verbal,” he explains.

This is an important consideration. You can ask a perfectly reasonable question and still raise the stress in a room if your arms are crossed, your voice is clipped, you’re standing too close or you’re not making eye contact. The words may be neutral, but it’s all in the delivery.

Nicholls points out cattle feel pressure long before they process anything else. Humans do, too. We scan posture, pace and tone for signals of safety.

“If I climb over the fence and I land in the pen and I’m big and loud,” he says, “All of a sudden the cattle are holding up on the backside of the pen — I probably did that.”

If the room feels tense, it’s worth assessing the energy you brought in with you.

Pressure and Release

Low-stress handling depends on timing. Apply pressure, get movement. Release pressure, allow the animal to settle. Teams are no different.

Nichols demonstrates this with a deceptively simple exercise: A group is asked to lower a lightweight pole to the ground while each person keeps two fingers supporting it. What should be easy becomes surprisingly difficult. The harder individuals try to correct it on their own touch, the higher the pole floats.

When communication is inconsistent or unclear, people push against each other instead of working together. Pressure escalates, frustration builds and the task stalls.

In livestock handling, we’d change our angle or soften the cue. In workplaces, we tend to repeat ourselves louder.

Are You Crowding the Tub?

Nicholls calls the crowd tub “the most poorly named piece of equipment in beef.”

The mistake? We crowd it.

Cattle need room to circle back toward the exit. If you pack the tub tight, they can’t move their feet. They can’t think. They lock up.

“If we take away their ability to make decisions, they also don’t have the ability to improve,” Nicholls explains.

Micromanagement works the same way.

Hover long enough and people stop taking initiative. Correct every move and they stop experimenting. Remove decision-making and growth stalls.

In livestock systems, we intentionally design spaces that allow movement. In workplaces, we sometimes build invisible walls.

Space to Mess Up

Nicholls is blunt about this part. Teams need space to mess up — and space to fix it.

Agriculture often sends mixed signals. We say we want initiative. We say we want ownership. Then we add, “Check with me first.”

He jokes about “seagull leaders” — the ones who hover overhead, swoop in to criticize or “steal your chips,” then disappear.

That approach creates anxiety, not development.

In ranching, you set the gate before you ride out. You create the conditions for success before you ask for performance. The same principle applies to onboarding staff, explaining expectations and clarifying the why.

Clarity reduces stress, autonomy builds confidence and release allows learning.

Low Stress Shouldn’t Stop at the Gate

Low-stress livestock handling changed how we think about welfare and productivity. It works because it respects biology and behavior. It acknowledges that fear blocks learning and pressure without relief creates chaos.

Humans operate under the same principles.

The uncomfortable question Nichols leaves behind is simple: if we’re willing to treat livestock with patience, intentional movement and respect for their stress thresholds, why wouldn’t we treat our teams the same way?

Low-stress handling shouldn’t stop at the gate.

How Data, Genomics and Collaboration Are Transforming Cattle Genetics and Herd Profitability

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:50:11 GMT

Avoiding the pitfalls of the past, Marty Ropp and his team at Allied Genetic Resources (AGR) integrate science, service and transparency to advance genetic potential across the beef supply chain.

Ropp was the featured guest in “ The Future of Beef Show ” podcast, episode 14 .

Ropp and the podcast hosts explore the evolution and future directions of genetic improvement in the beef industry. He shares his unique journey from swine to beef genetics, emphasizing the critical role that data, technology and customer collaboration play in driving progress and profitability for ranchers and the broader supply chain.

Raised in the pig genetics industry, his formative years included education at Bethel College, Kansas State University and the University of Missouri, where he earned a master’s in pig genetics. In 1998, a pivotal year for the pork industry when market collapse forced many out of business, Ropp transitioned into beef genetics, thanks in large part to Jerry Lipsey, former American Simmental Association (ASA) CEO. Ropp says his 12 years at ASA set the stage for his founding AGR in 2010.

Lessons Learned

The 1998 crisis in pork is a foundational lesson for Ropp. He describes how the industry’s failure to adopt technology, gather and apply data, and engage with customers led to widespread business failures. Many pig genetics providers focused on tradition and appearance, neglecting scientific data and market signals — ultimately opening the door for larger, technology-driven players who could deliver what the market needed.

He says this experience shaped his determination to avoid repeating those mistakes.

“This is not sustainable, and it won’t last, and then it didn’t,” Ropp explains. “And so, I’ve been trying to apply that thought process to what I do in the beef industry ever since.”

What is AGR?

AGR is a member-owned company designed to be a full-service genetic provider for the beef industry, offering services and products that help ranchers and cattle producers improve genetics, collect and apply data, and ultimately increase the profitability and value of their herds. The company combines seedstock, feeder calf marketing, genomics and data services under one umbrella, with an emphasis on actionable genetics, customer support and continuous innovation.

He explains he started AGR because he saw critical gaps in the genetics industry.

“The idea that genetics providers needed to do more than just what they were doing, which was making what they wanted to make, and marketing them as the best genetics in the world — they needed to build closer relationships with their customers, and ultimately become part of the food business, part of the supply chain,” Ropp says.

AGR’s core mission is to increase the total value across the beef industry through better genetics, rather than simply re-distributing existing value among producers and stakeholders.

“Our program is designed to add to that pie, take cost out and add income,” Ropp summarizes. “Anything like being more involved with systems farther down chain, try to get more value from the genetics that we’ve produced and our customers make — anything like that has to be in our future plan.”

Here are some key takeaways from the discussion:

1. Data and technology drive progress. The future of cattle breeding relies on rigorous genetic evaluations, genomic testing and using data to improve both profitability and sustainability for ranchers and producers.

“We 100% believe in the genetic and genetic evaluation of data and genomic evaluation — 100% use that data to prove sires move forward as fast as they can on the back end. Then the feedback has to come,” Ropp says. “That data-driven genetic improvement for the future is what we need, and that’s how we stay engaged.”

2. Customer relationships and service. AGR emphasizes close, long-term relationships with customers, helping them through customized genetic evaluation, actionable recommendations and support services extending beyond seedstock sales.

3. Value creation through data. Collecting and utilizing high-quality commercial and seedstock data is critical. However, data’s value depends on creating actionable insights that directly improve breeding decisions and market outcomes, rather than simply accumulating or selling raw data.

“The data is necessary and valuable,” Ropp says. “But again, if you can’t feed that into a system that pays for improvement down chain, then that data is only valuable from a cost reduction ... and not really from an industry participation standpoint.”

4. Genomics for all sectors. While genomics is standard among seedstock producers, new efforts like the Right Bull program are bringing actionable, simplified genomics solutions to commercial producers, even in group-managed operations.

“Investment in genomics by itself does not drive any profitability; those genomics have to be used in tools and actionable tools that you can take advantage of immediately,” he says.

For more about the Right Bull program: Avoid Costly Bull Mistakes: Genomic Solutions for Smarter Ranching

5. Feedback loops and incentives. Effective genetic improvement requires a feedback loop where improvements lead to measurable value for the commercial producer: higher calf prices better conception rates, incentivizing continued participation.

6. Industry collaboration and partnerships. AGR and its divisions actively work with both members and non-owners, as well as with technology companies, breed associations and other stakeholders to advance genetic progress across the beef industry.

Ropp sees a need for more comprehensive commercial data, better feedback loops and systems that translate genetic progress into tangible rewards for producers. He advocates continuous innovation — using new technologies, transparent service models and collaborative partnerships to ensure that genetic improvements benefit the entire industry, not just a select few.

Check out the podcast to learn more about Ropp’s strategy of fusing technology, data and expert service to deliver actionable solutions helping ranchers achieve sustainable profitability and industry resilience.

When Is the Best Time for Lice Control Application?

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:04:48 GMT

Lice are a common problem that can cause economic losses, reduce weight gain and lead to a general unhealthy appearance.

“When I hear the word ‘lice,’ two pictures always come to mind; one is me as a kid, lined up with my friends on a cold Idaho morning, waiting for the school nurse to tell us we couldn’t share hats anymore,” says Kirk Ramsey, DVM and Neogen professional services veterinarian. “The other is my cows in winter, rubbing themselves raw against the feed wagon while I beg them to move so I can finish chores in the snow.”

Different scenes, same reminder: As long as mammals have existed, so have lice.

“The reality is that when it comes to lice, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’” Ramsey says.

Application Timing and Best Practices

Timing lice control is what makes prevention difficult. One of the most common wintertime complaints cattle veterinarians receive is asking why cattle still have lice even though they were treated the last time they were worked.

“Most spring calving herds do all their herd work in the fall. This means cattle are vaccinated, checked for pregnancy, wormed, and often lice prevention is applied in October or November,” Ramsey explains. “The problem with that logic is that, in many parts of the country, very few lice will be present at that time, and it may be a month or two until the weather deteriorates enough for lice to really be a problem. To reduce risk and create control measures, understanding the life cycle of lice and targeting application times are paramount.”

To achieve seasonlong control, Ramsey says you have to break the life cycle. If treatment is completed too early in the fall, it’s possible only adult lice will be eliminated, not the eggs they laid.

“Producers will not have that seasonlong effect because the life cycle was not broken,” Ramsey says. “Where you will really find success is using a product labeled for lice that has an insect growth regulator (IGR) to help break the life cycle of the louse.”

Selecting a formula that includes an IGR, such as diflubenzuron — which disrupts nymph maturity — minimizes handling time and labor costs.

He adds, “It’s key to note here that most products include an adulticide, which treats adults, but the adulticide will not affect nymphs or eggs.”

When selecting an insecticide, be sure to consider its active ingredients and mode of action.

“It is important to also consider that insecticide resistance may be present in ectoparasite populations in various geographic locations, so a chemical control strategy that rotates between classes of insecticides is recommended,” Ramsey says.

Breaking the Life Cycle of Lice

The key to breaking the life cycle is to first understand how lice develop. First, you have eggs — also referred to as nits — which develop into nymphs within 10 to 20 days, which then transform into adults.

Adults live from two to six weeks, with the female laying 30 to 60 eggs in their lifetime. It may not seem like that massive of a number, but it is a decent number when you’re considering that this is just from one female, and you are never just going to have only one in an infestation.

Signs of Lice

Clinical signs of lice in cattle can include intense itching, patchy and flaky skin, hair loss, lethargy, decreased gain and weight loss.

“Cattle can also get to the point of anemia, when they become very ill looking, and their hair coat will look very poor,” Ramsey explains. “One study from the University of Nebraska, as well as other studies, indicates heavy lice populations may reduce weight gain by as much as 0.21 lb. per day.”

Types of Lice

Ramsey explains there are two types of lice: the sucking louse and the chewing louse.

“In its simplest form, chewing lice feed off skin debris and hair, to some extent, which causes itching,” he explains. “Sucking lice feed on blood, causing anemia and pathogen transmission. The sucking louse can be a biological vector for diseases like Anaplasmosis or Theileria.”

Lice can be present on the skin surface at the base of the hair; they also have a predilection for the face, neck, shoulders, back and tailhead of the animal.

To learn more about lice prevention and control, visit your local veterinarian or visit Neogen.com .

How Three Ranches are Using Horses Today

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 18:28:37 GMT

The use of horses on the ranch is a tool that continues to be essential on many ranches today. Though it is a time-honored tradition for many, it is also how large ranches with diverse terrain manage daily cattle operations.

Horses are used in a variety of ways depending on the location and size of the ranch. At K4 Ranch, located 35 miles north of Prescott, Ariz., horses are used daily on their nearly 1 million acres where they manage cattle. In business since 1941, horses have been a staple to their functionality resulting in the addition of raising quarter horses.

“We raise a large number of horses to be used primarily for ranch work and secondly our production sale, The Legacy Ranch Horse Sale,” says Sarah Kieckhefer of K4 Ranches. “It is very important to us to raise performance horses that we use first and foremost as ranch horses for a solid foundation before we go into the arena or for breeding.”

Using horses to check and gather cattle is typically their only option with the rugged terrain.

“We use horses for everything involving cattle,” Kieckhefer says. “Our country in Arizona and California is rough terrain with mountains and ravines so motorized vehicles just don’t work.”

Their Diamond A Ranch, a division of K4 Ranch is the largest ranch in Arizona, running their largest number of cows and employs a large crew with seasonal cowboys and eight camps with full-time cowboys. They also have ranches in California and Oklahoma that they run cows and stocker cattle on.

“On our large ranches with rough or brushy terrain, a good horse can go where a pickup, ATV or side-by-side can’t,” Kieckhefer explains. “Horses can cover long distances, cross canyons and handle steep or rocky country, and a horse allows you to move quietly, ease cattle along and reduce stress, which leads to fewer wrecks and better weight retention.”

(Courtesy of Poss Angus)

Gathering and Sorting

Poss Angus, a registered Angus operation in Scotia, Neb., uses horses to gather, sort and pull heats during the breeding season. In the summer months they doctor and gather cattle on grass.

“Most of our pastures are rough clay hills with ponds and trees, so having a horse to get to where the cows are is definitely necessary,” says Nathan Poss, head cowboy. “Ninety percent of the time, if there is cattle work being done of any kind, there is a horse or two being saddled.”

Poss Angus manages roughly 800 head with a bull sale every February and occasionally a female sale in the fall.

“I don’t typically use a horse in the picture pen but always to video bulls,” Poss adds. “By using a horse in the video pen, it is easier to move the bulls back and forth across the pen. Videoing can also turn into a long couple days, so it’s nice to have a young horse putting in the steps instead of me.”

Poss’ main responsibilities are the health and care of the cattle, including feeding, doctoring, calving and processing.

“I enjoy taking the ranch work and utilizing it to make young horses better through the work. Another great benefit in my mind is when working cattle horseback, the cattle gain respect for you and your horse, over time I feel like those cattle work and handle much easier,” Poss explains. “In my opinion, if it comes down to catching a single animal, a horse must be used. By using a horse instead of a four-wheeler, it keeps the environment quiet, and you can always go the same pace as the animal to help steer them in the direction you need to go. Four wheelers and rangers are also used very heavily on our ranch. Quickly moving a group to another pasture, tagging, putting out salt and mineral, those are all equivalent times to use a four-wheeler or ranger.”

(Courtesy of The Pitchfork Ranch)

Branding and Moving

The Pitchfork Ranch in Meeteetse, Wyo., uses horses heavily during branding seasons and moving cattle on and off mountain pasture. Primarily a commercial cow-calf operation focused on pounds of beef produced per acre, they also retain some cattle every year for their beef program that sells directly to consumers.

Their cattle have to thrive at elevation and harsh winters, then range calve in the spring. The Pitchfork Ranch also hosts an annual ranch horse sale in the spring.

“We use horses in all of our cattle work. In the spring we calve in an 8,000-acre pasture where we then pair cattle out into our branding groups,” says Lindsey Anson, who manages The Pitchfork Ranch. “We head and heel calves at branding and then start working our way up country where cattle summer at 10,000' elevation in the Absaroka range. In the fall as cattle come off the mountain, they are then paired out again horseback into contemporary sex groups until we ship in the first half of November.”

Similar to K4 Ranch and Poss Angus, using horses is often because of the terrain.

“Our terrain also doesn’t allow for the use of motorized vehicles very often so the work has to be done on a horse. Part of our summer range is also in a wilderness area where we still have to pack in salt and mineral horseback,” Anson explains. “Our cattle seem to handle better horseback. In the subtleties of reading cattle, you can make minor adjustments on horseback that you aren’t able to do with something motorized.”

Bulls, Gates and Risks: A Veterinarian's Guide to Farm Safety

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:58:13 GMT

Farm safety isn’t about one-time actions, but a comprehensive strategy involving equipment, technique, awareness and continuous learning. While farm safety articles or presentations are not “sexy” or exciting, they are important to minimize risk and create safer working environments.

John Currin, Virginia Tech Extension veterinarian, says: “No matter how long we’ve done this, we can always learn to do things better. Be open and don’t think you know everything.”

Currin points out bulls, gates and loading are key risks producers should understand.
Bulls — no matter how gentle they are — should be handled with care.

“Always be careful around bulls and thoughtful around them,” Currin says. “As you move multiple bulls from a big field to a smaller field or a pen, they’re eventually going to get to a point where they’re going to start fighting.”

He emphasizes most bulls don’t intentionally try to harm humans. They move quickly, tend to be larger in size and can accidentally injure people.

Currin also advises careful and deliberate gate handling in a trailer or working facility.

“I hate seeing people throw gates at cattle, because oftentimes they will kick the gate and send it back much harder and faster than it was beforehand,” he explains.

One of the most dangerous scenarios he highlights is cattle loading.

“I have seen more injuries and even heard about a few deaths from loading cattle,” he says.

Specific risks include:

Cattle pushing back through gates
Gates being kicked back at handlers
Rapid, unpredictable animal movements

Currin shares these six tips for cattle producers to consider:

1. Invest in Proper Facilities
- Have appropriate infrastructure for your herd size.
- Essential equipment, like head gates, are non-negotiable.
He says: “If you own two cows and no head gate, you should sell one cow and buy a head gate.”
- Upgrade facilities to reduce handling stress and improve safety.
“If you should or need to do something to cattle, and you’re not doing it because your facilities make you concerned or worried, your facilities need upgrades,” he explains.
- Good facilities can improve cattle behavior and safety.
“I think bad facilities can make good cattle wild, and good facilities can make wild cattle better,” he says.

2. Practice Low-Stress Cattle Handling
- Move cattle calmly and deliberately.
- Understand animal behavior.
- Avoid sudden movements or aggressive actions.
- Train handlers to work smoothly with animals.

3. Be Extremely Cautious With Bulls and Loading
- Bulls can be unpredictable during movement.
- Loading cattle is a high-risk activity.
- Never throw gates or make sudden movements.
- Always anticipate potential aggressive behaviors.
- Move slowly and deliberately.

4. Properly Handle and Dispose of Medical Supplies
- Use puncture-proof containers for needles and consider safety of downstream waste handlers.
“The people that may be down the chain handling those needles don’t know whether they had been in a cow or whether they’ve been in a person,” he explains.
- Follow label instructions.
- Be especially careful with organophosphate products.
- Wear appropriate protective gear.

K-State Extension veterinarian AJ Tarpoff agrees with Currin regarding the importance of properly disposing of needles and surgical blades used for cattle.

“Loose needles thrown in the trash present health and safety risks for those in your operation and beyond,” Tarpoff says. “Having a designated sharps container on the ranch is an essential tool. A heavy-duty plastic sharps container can be purchased, or an empty laundry detergent bottle, or similar heavy-plastic, puncture-resistant container can have a second life as a sharps container.”

He says beverage containers, aluminum cans, coffee cans with snap on lids, glass jars, plastic bags or plastic milk jugs should not be used as sharps containers.

“If using a repurposed container, make sure to save the lid so that it can be replaced when not being actively used, or for final disposal,” he adds. “Label the repurposed container so it is not mistakenly placed in recycling.”

5. Continuously Learn and Anticipate Problems
- Never assume you know everything.
- Attend training and extension meetings.
- Learn from experienced professionals.
- Anticipate potential problem scenarios.

6. Communicate and Stay Aware
- Always have someone aware of your location when working alone. Inform others about your cattle handling plans.
- Share knowledge about problematic animals with all handlers.
- Maintain situational awareness during cattle work.
- Create a communication protocol for farm safety.

Tarpoff also stresses the importance of proper handling and administration of cattle-health products . He suggests reading all labels and package inserts and be sure to refrigerate if necessary.

“Use Beef Quality Assurance techniques and guidelines suggested by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association,” Tarpoff reminds producers.

Currin’s overarching safety philosophy is anticipation.

“Anticipate where problems might occur. Try to work around that [to] help keep you out of a bad situation,” he advises.

Your Next Read: Healthy Minds, Healthy Farms: Putting People First During National Farm Safety and Health Week

A Deworming Plan that Delivers

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 18:38:02 GMT

For Oklahoma producer Buck Rich and his veterinarian, Dr. Tyler Thomas, parasite control isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing it better.

Together, they’ve fine-tuned a simple, practical approach to parasite control that helps Rich’s herd stay healthy and productive all year long. Their success comes down to four practices that any producer can adopt: diagnostics, combination treatment, refugia and management.

Oklahoma producer Buck Rich (left) and veterinarian Dr. Tyler Thomas, owner of Prague Veterinary Clinic.

(Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.)

Diagnostics: Start With the Facts

When Rich notices cattle underperforming, his first move isn’t to reach for more product — it’s to collect a fecal sample.

“You don’t know where to go until you know where you’re at,” explains Thomas, a mixed animal practitioner and owner of Prague Veterinary Clinic in Prague, Okla. “Diagnostics tell us if treatment is even necessary, and whether what we’ve done is working.”

Rich’s operation, Leaning Oak Ranch in Okemah, Okla., includes 2,000 pairs. Like many cow-calf operations, it’s heavily forage-based and parasite control plays a key role in performance.

“We had a group of cows that didn’t look right, and I assumed it was a worm issue,” Rich says. “But fecals came back clean. Diagnostics saved us from reworking the cows unnecessarily.”

That kind of clarity is why conducting fecal egg counts, before and after deworming, is a regular part of their plan.

“Without diagnostics, it’s easy to point the finger at the product,” adds Dr. Jody Wade, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim. “But if you’re not testing, you might be treating the wrong issue or not seeing the whole picture.”

Combination Treatment: Target Parasites in Different Ways

Combination treatment is the practice of deworming cattle by using two or more dewormers from different drug classes. Dewormers can be divided into three different classes, based on their chemical structure and mechanism of action: macrocyclic lactones (endectocides), benzimidazoles (white dewormers) and imidazothiazoles. Each class controls a distinct spectrum of parasites, and for a different amount of time (see Figure 1).

For Rich and Thomas, implementing combination treatment was a game changer.

“We used to rotate products,” Rich recalls. “Now we use a white dewormer and a macrocyclic lactone at the same time. The cattle slick off faster and just look better.”

Figure 1: The three classes of dewormers.

(Boehringer Indelheim)

“Most operations already use a macrocyclic lactone,” Thomas explains. “Adding a white dewormer targets parasites differently. You get more coverage and it’s economical.”

Dr. Matt Washburn, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim, says combination treatment is one of the most effective ways to slow resistance, while improving outcomes.

“Each class kills different parasites in different ways,” he points out. “When you use a combination of products, you clean up more effectively and reduce the risk of survivors.”

Refugia: Treat the Right Animals

It may go against tradition, but Rich and Thomas agree: Sometimes, the best choice is to skip the deworming treatment. This practice, known as refugia, leaves a portion of the herd untreated to maintain a population of susceptible parasites, helping dilute resistance across the herd.

“We’re wired to treat everything,” Rich says. “But when we’ve held back a few, like Dr. Thomas recommends, it’s worked, and we’re not wasting product.”

Wade notes that skipping treatment isn’t about doing less; it’s about doing what’s right.

“The days of treating everything, every time, are behind us,” he emphasizes. “Refugia takes discipline, but it gives us longevity. It protects the products we have.”

Buck Rich (left) and Dr. Tyler Thomas processing cattle.

(Boehringer Ingelheim)

Management: Strong Grazing Supports Stronger Control

Rich is quick to explain that success doesn’t just come from products; it’s also about how grazing is managed.

“We’re not extreme rotators, but we do move cattle regularly,” he says. “We try to leave about half the grass behind each time. It helps the pasture bounce back faster, and keeps parasite pressure lower.”

Thomas adds that forage height matters.

“Most infective larvae live in the bottom two inches of pasture,” he says. “If cattle graze above that, they’re exposed to fewer parasites. And it’s better for regrowth and soil health, too.”

Washburn agrees and adds, “Overgrazing doesn’t just hurt your grass. It increases parasite exposure and slows pasture recovery. Management is a pillar of deworming, just as much as the product in your chute.”

Planning that Pays

For Rich and Thomas, deworming isn’t a stand-alone decision; It’s part of a year-round plan. And that plan flexes with the season, the weather and the cattle in front of them.

“Herd health protocols aren’t static,” Thomas says. “If Buck’s going to keep calves for 10 months, we make a different plan than if they’re leaving in 60 days. It’s about making the product fit the goal, not the other way around.”

Rich’s partnership with Thomas helps him stay ahead of parasite pressure, while reducing unnecessary costs.

“I know I can call Dr. Thomas any time,” Rich stresses. “He understands our operation and helps me make decisions that actually fit what we’re doing. Working with my vet makes all the difference.”

That tailored approach is one reason Leaning Oak Ranch continues to see results year after year.

“It’s about using the tools we have wisely,” Washburn says. “When you put diagnostics, combination treatment, refugia and management together, you’re building something more sustainable — and profitable.”

For Rich, the proof is in the cattle and the next generation.

“This is a family operation. My kids are growing up on this ranch,” he concludes. “I want our cattle to look good now, but I also want this to work 10, 20 years from now. That’s why we do it this way.”

To explore strategies like the ones Rich and Thomas use visit DewormingLegends.com .

Strategies to Improve Pregnancy Rates in Cow Herds

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 14:32:25 GMT

For many producers and veterinarians, it’s time to line up PG and ultrasound appointments to establish a pregnancy rate and sort off open cows. It can be a nerve-wracking day until it’s over — and even then ranchers may not be entirely satisfied with the outcome.

So, what can ranchers do if they aren’t satisfied with their herd’s pregnancy rates?

It’s beneficial to look at both an industry average and a herd average in these instances.

“If you have a 60 to 80 day breeding season and are over 90% for pregnancy rate, you are doing pretty well, according to previous North Dakota surveys,” says Lacey Quail, North Dakota State University extension livestock management specialist. “If you have a shorter breeding season, you can expect that percentage to be a little lower.”

Next, take a look at your herd records from previous years.

“If you get your PG or ultrasound results and aren’t happy, it implies you have previous records to compare it to,” Quail says. “We need to keep herd records so we can dig out something that might go under the radar and potentially cause profit loss.”

Fertility is multifactorial, which can sometimes make it challenging to pinpoint one specific cause.

She recommends producers start by asking themselves a series of questions to start narrowing down what may have caused lower pregnancy rates and where the problem occurred.

Several management questions producers can ask themselves to start to tease out the potential cause of lower pregnancy rates are:

Did you see cows cycling?
Did you see bulls mounting and breeding?
Did you see breeding activity at the beginning or end of the season?
Were the majority of open cows in one pasture or management group?
Are some of the open cows thinner than the rest of the group?
Were the majority of open cows of a certain age?
Did you experience a heat spell or other potential stressor?

Quail says, “Fertility is like a domino train. You are waiting for the last domino to fall, but the train may have fallen off track a long time ago in a different room.”

Once you answer the above questions, be mindful of the following missed opportunities.

“On the bull side, make sure you are having full breeding soundness exams completed by a veterinarian and take into account social hierarchy when putting together breeding groups,” Quail says.

After that, it’s important to remember breeding activity.

“A big missed opportunity is not taking the time to observe breeding behavior in your herd,” Quail says. “We want to evaluate if cows are cycling, and if bulls have the libido to seek, mount and breed. Noticing issues early can save a great deal of loss.”

Don’t just stop at noting activity in general. When did the activity happen?

“Take a closer look at when cows are getting pregnant, and not just if they are getting pregnant,” Quail says. “This can have a big impact on overall productivity and profitability.”

Nutrition also can’t be overlooked.

She says, “In many cases, cows calving early might reach peak lactation and breeding season before growing forages can support all their nutrient requirements. Keeping females in adequate body condition going into and out of the breeding season is going to go a long way toward overall pregnancy rate.”

Environmental stressors can’t entirely be avoided, but they can be mitigated.

“Another missed opportunity is fine tuning environments to reduce stress,” Quail says. “We can’t control the heat, but we can control to some degree how far cows and bulls have to walk to access water.”

Ranchers shouldn’t feel like they have to go through this process alone. They can reach out to specialists, veterinarians and their nutritionists for help.

“Consulting with a veterinarian regardless of your pregnancy rate is a good thing to do,” Quail says. “Some records to be aware of and share with your vet are differences in pregnancy rate and calving rate as well as any co-mingling with neighboring cattle.”

May your pregnancy rates be favorable this fall. But if not, remember to start with herd records and basic questions to help get to the cause.

You can listen to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast .

From Selection to Breeding: A Veterinarian’s Guide to Productive Heifers

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 17:15:09 GMT

Heifers are one of the largest and most expensive inputs for a herd.

“Where do you want to be in five years? Where do you want to be in 10 years with your cow herd?” These are questions Dr. Jennifer Koziol, Texas Tech University associate professor of food animal medicine and surgery, encourages cattle producers to consider when selecting replacement females.

Koziol emphasizes the importance of strategic selection, advising producers to think long-term when selecting the next generation for their cow herd.

She recommends selecting heifers based on multiple factors beyond just appearance, including:

Birth Timing
- Select heifers born earlier in the breeding season. Early birth indicates better reproductive potential and means these heifers come from more fertile dams.

“We want to pick heifers that were born earlier in the year... from dams that were the most fertile,” Koziol explains.
Genetics
- Choose heifers from cows with long herd longevity
- Consider future herd goals such as carcass quality or maternal traits
- Look beyond just physical appearance
Environmental Compatibility
- Select heifers that match your specific environment by considering frame scores appropriate to your region. A cow’s size should match available feed resources.
Long-Term Perspective
- Think about herd goals five to 10 years in the future and select heifers that will contribute to those objectives
- Consider traits like fertility, growth and adaptability
Physical Traits
- Assess frame scores
- Examine feet and leg structure
- Look for overall structural soundness

Bottom line: She encourages producers to select replacements with a purpose, rather than just choosing the most attractive heifers.

“Focus on strategic, goal-oriented selection that supports long-term herd improvement,” she says.

Koziol was featured in a recent “ Doc Talk ” hosted by Dr. Dan Thomson. During the podcast, she shared strategies for producers to consider whether retaining or purchasing replacements.

She offers practical, research-backed guidance to support herd health and long-term profitability.

“I’m really passionate about thinking about how we do a better job on the preventative side, so we don’t get the backside and have problems,” she says.

Vaccination and Health Management

Heifer health is key to long-term success in the herd. Koziol shares the following guidance on heifer immunization:

Use modified live vaccines at weaning to get the heifers’ immune response up and going
Administer a booster four to six weeks after initial vaccination
Repeat vaccination four to six weeks before breeding

She refers to research from Auburn University supporting this vaccination strategy, noting it provides the best immune response for first-calf heifers.

Nutrition and Growth Patterns

She says nutrition strategy isn’t one size fits all.

“We can really let those growth patterns of the heifers be driven by our feed resources,” Koziol says. “We know that we want to target those heifers to be about 55% to 60% of their mature cow weight at breeding.”

She explains producers can adjust average daily gains based on feed abundance. Adding heifers can “coast” when feed resources are limited.

Reproductive Assessment

“Reproductive tract scoring and pelvic measuring are two great things to make sure we’re breeding heifers that are going to do a good job for us,” Koziol suggests. “Work with your veterinarian to find problems and get rid of the problems before we either waste money breeding them, or we have to call our vet out in the middle of the night for a c-section.”

Reproductive tract scoring (RTS) helps identify which heifers are prepared for breeding. This process includes evaluating the uterus to make sure it and the ovaries are functioning and make sure the heifer is cycling. The original RTS system was a five-point system.

She suggests using an updated three-category system developed by Kansas State University:

Ready category: Heifers actively cycling and prepared for breeding
Intermediate category: Smaller reproductive tracts, not yet cycling
Problem category: Incomplete reproductive tracts or potential fertility issues

She suggests combining RTS with pelvic measuring. The goal with pelvic measuring is to find heifers that are too small or abnormally shaped. The target pelvic area is approximately 130 centimeters squared.

“We’re looking for those heifers that are either too small or abnormally shaped, because those are going to be ones that have increased chances of dystocia,” she explains. “We don’t really have to select for bigger. We just have to find the ones that are too small.”

She suggests conducting the assessments four to six weeks before breeding. The assessments can help determine which heifers should be bred or if they should be culled.

Biosecurity Considerations

If you decide to buy replacement heifers or bred heifers, Koziol recommends producers consider these three measures to prevent disease transmission and to ensure smooth herd integration:

Quarantine new animals for four to six weeks before commingling
Verify vaccination records and disease status of incoming heifers
Introduce new animals well before breeding season

Economics and Sustainability

She summarizes as expenses continue to increase, being economically minded is key to being sustainable and profitable.

Koziol reminds producers to view heifer development as a long-term investment — focus on preventative measures to reduce future veterinary costs.

Considering her suggestions, producers can identify and cull problematic heifers to use as an alternative income stream instead of an economic burden to building a productive and efficient herd.

Why Bull Rest Matters: Time to Prepare for the Next Breeding Season

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:03:32 GMT

While spring breeding season is wrapping up, and bulls are pulled from pastures it’s not time to ignore the key to your breeding program.

Kansas State University veterinarians Brad White and Todd Gunderson, and beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster say rest and proper nutrition are essential for helping bulls recover and prepare for the next breeding season.

During a recent “ BCI Cattle Chat ” podcast, the experts discussed the importance of a comprehensive approach to bull management.

“A bull may lose anywhere from 100 lb. to 200 lb. of bodyweight during a breeding season,” Gunderson says. “He’s going to need at least a couple of months to recover body condition and complete spermatogenesis (a process of sperm cell development).”

The experts recommended an approach to bull management that considers:

Reproductive health assessment
Gunderson says simply moving a bull from one breeding pasture to another without proper preparation could compromise his performance.
A key recommendation was conducting a breeding soundness exam before the next breeding season. While a previous exam might have shown positive results, the bull’s reproductive health can change significantly during a breeding season. Sperm structure and motility can develop defects that might impact fertility. Therefore, Gunderson suggested reevaluating the bull’s reproductive health to ensure optimal breeding potential.
Nutritional supplementation
The nutritional strategy varies depending on the forage environment. White highlights the importance of proactive management. Producers must anticipate nutritional needs and supplement accordingly considering the specific forage resources available.
Body condition monitoring
Simply monitoring body condition score is insufficient, as it represents a lagging indicator.
“We typically want bulls in a body condition score of 6 when turning them out for breeding,” Lancaster adds. “If he’s losing 100 lb. to 200 lb., he’ll likely drop to a body condition score of 5, (so) producers need to plan supplement strategies based on their forage resources.”
Forage resource evaluation
The experts emphasize bulls require strategic nutritional support, whether on warm- or cool-season grasses, to ensure optimal fertility and performance in subsequent breeding seasons.
They add each operation looks different based on forage resources and other regional conditions, but it’s important to care for bulls even when they are not covering cows.

The discussion underscored several critical management principles:
- Biological recovery time is essential for bull fertility
- Reproductive health should be professionally assessed periodically
- Nutritional strategies must be tailored to specific environmental conditions
- Proactive management prevents potential breeding performance issues

To learn more about bull management practices, preweaning calf management and preparing for fall processing, listen to the full episode of “Cattle Chat” online.

Your Next Read: Is It Time to Pull Bulls?

Taking Stock For Disasters: Developing A Large Animal Preparedness Plan

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:41:05 GMT

When a disaster is on the horizon, timely evacuation can become that much more challenging for owners whose horses and livestock can’t simply squeeze into the back seat. These animals often depend entirely on their owners to shield them from the elements within their pasture, so having a proper plan in place is vital for their safety.

Kyle Johnson, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, offers insight into disaster risks and preparedness methods for large animal owners.

The Threat Of Wind, Water And Wildfires

Natural disasters that can impact horses and livestock include seasonal concerns like extreme summer heat and winter ice as well as sudden events like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and wildfires.

Any storm with strong winds brings the threat of flying debris.

“When airborne, this debris can cause traumatic injuries — such as lacerations and puncture wounds — to horses and livestock,” Johnson says. “These high winds can also cause barns, shelters, and other structures to collapse.”

Flooding brought on by a storm’s heavy rain is another major threat for large animals exposed to the elements.

“If an animal is forced to stand in floodwaters because it is confined to a stall or a flooded pasture, it can suffer from a variety of injuries, including severe dermatitis, pneumonia and gastrointestinal or neurological disease — collectively known as submersion injury,” Johnson says. “Floodwater can also be heavily contaminated with a variety of substances, such as petroleum products, agricultural and industrial chemicals, pesticides and bacterial organisms like E. coli.”

Completing nature’s triple threat against horses and livestock is the potential harm brought by wildfires.

“When these animals inhale the smoke from wildfires, it can cause irritation of their eyes and lungs,” Johnson says. “Animals may cough, have increased respiratory rates and nasal discharge. Fires can also destroy or contaminate any available forage for grazing animals. In these cases, animals will either need to be moved or high-quality forage will need to be delivered to them.

“At times like these, proper animal identification is critical, as it makes returning these animals to their owners and pastures much easier after flood waters have receded and fires have been extinguished.”

Methods of large animal identification include:

Microchipping
Ear tags
Plastic neck bands
Branding
Tattoos

Thinking Ahead

Simply deciding to evacuate your horses or livestock isn’t enough. Having a safe place to go is also a vital part of your plan. Furthermore, knowing how to get there and having alternate routes can also be critical to an effective evacuation.

“A vital first step in any evacuation is the ability to quickly and safely load your horses into a horse trailer,” Johnson says. “Practice makes perfect so practicing loading your horse can be helpful so when you must leave. It’s also important to ensure that the trailer is regularly maintained.”

A plan is merely an idea unless it is written down. Copies should be made and stored both on-farm and in alternate, but known and accessible, locations. It should also be rehearsed, even if only briefly, and everyone should have a thorough understanding of the plan and know their role.

Emergency Kit Preparation

Companion animal owners are encouraged to plan ahead in the event that an evacuation might be needed by creating an emergency “go kit” of necessities for their pets; having the same kind of kit in the event that you need to evacuate large animals will make that process easier as well.

An emergency kit for large animals should contain enough supplies to last at least 72 hours, and possibly up to two weeks.

“Water is arguably the most important part of an emergency kit,” Johnson says. “An adult horse needs roughly six to 10 gallons of fresh water per day. As such, a kit should include at least three days’ worth of water per horse, with enough feed to last one to two weeks.”

Additional emergency kit materials include:

Registry paperwork
Copies of medical records
First-aid supplies
Identifying photographs
Feed and water buckets
Extra halters and lead ropes
Cleaning supplies
Medications

Pre- And Post-Disaster Resources

Before a disaster strikes, an owner’s best preparation resource is their regular veterinarian, who can provide copies of important documents and ensure that horses are properly vaccinated and in good health.

“It is important for horse owners to know their neighbors or, if the horse is kept in a boarding barn, the barn manager and other boarders at the facility,” Johnson says. “These relationships can promote mutual aid when disaster strikes.”

There are also a variety of resources available for members of the public to obtain accurate and up-to-date information about disasters that may impact their area, including automated emergency alert systems in the form of texts, emails or apps.

Knowing how weather may affect your property and having a plan in place are the best ways to protect your horses and your herds and to stay ahead of the chaos.

“As Dr. Deb Zoran, director of the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team, says, ‘hope is not a plan.’ Owners should plan for disaster, discuss their plan with others, prepare their emergency kits, and be ready to act,” Johnson says. “With disasters becoming more frequent and catastrophic, it’s not a matter of if, but when.”

Montana Veterinarian Encourages a Fresh Look at Deworming Protocols

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 22:17:26 GMT

“We’ve always done it this way” is known to be the most dangerous phrase in business, and the cattle business is no exception, says Perrie Neal, DVM, from Hardin, Mont. With more than a decade of experience working with cow-calf producers, she says it never hurts to take a fresh look at your herd’s deworming program to identify potential areas of improvement.

Neal manages her own herd of registered and commercial Angus alongside her husband and father-in-law. When possible, she likes to test out products and practices on their own cattle before she makes recommendations to her customers.

“It’s great to have that firsthand experience,” she says.

Over the last few years, Neal has worked to optimize the timing of her deworming program — and now she tries to deworm calves as early as possible each season for maximum benefit.

“Weaning weights are really important, especially in our registered cows,” she says. “By administering a dewormer early in the season, you can help ensure calves won’t have to carry a heavy parasite load and are more likely to meet their genetic potential.”

Neal also has looked closely at the dewormer route of administration and product efficacy — and encourages her customers to do the same.

“Convenience is a big factor when it comes to deworming programs, so a lot of my customers have historically used pour-ons for that reason,” she explains. “But a lot of times, the injectable dewormers can improve labor efficiencies and help ensure more accurate dosing.”

That’s one of the reasons Neal says she has come to appreciate Valcor^® (doramectin and levamisole injection), a dual-action, single-dose, injectable dewormer.

“We weighed calves as they came in the chute, and my husband would yell out the number as they got on the scale,” she says. “I was able to quickly adjust the dosage depending on the weight of the calf. I love that about the product.”

The Importance of Calf Preconditioning

“Preconditioning calves is another thing that I’ve been highly recommending to producers in the last few years,” Neal says.

Preconditioning programs promote calf growth, enhance immune function and minimize stress as calves move from their ranch of origin to the stocker or backgrounder operation and then to the feedlot.

“Preconditioning can help set calves up for their next production phase, but it also benefits any calves that producers want to retain as replacements,” Neal explains. “We used to just precondition the bulls and the replacement heifers, but over the last few years we’ve switched to preconditioning everything, and we’ve seen a lot less sickness across the board.”

Neal encourages producers who are thinking about taking a fresh look at herd health or deworming protocols, to consult their herd veterinarian. These local experts can help you identify products and practices that make sense for your operation.

Your Next Read: 5 Strategies to Help Cattle Cope with Heat

Experts Encourage Beef Quality Assurance Certification

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 22:20:08 GMT

What started as a grassroots effort to reduce injection-site lesions in beef has evolved into one of the most comprehensive training programs in the cattle industry.

On their weekly Cattle Chat podcast, the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University explained how the Beef Quality Assurance program is still relevant and important today.

“Beef quality assurance was a producer-initiated program to decrease injection-site lesions in premium beef cuts,” K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers says. “Since then, beef quality assurance has kind of morphed and grown; it now covers many aspects of the cattle industry”

Over the years, BQA has expanded to include training on antimicrobial stewardship, animal handling, farm biosecurity, and proper injection protocols. The certification, available both online and through in-person sessions nationwide, promotes industry-wide consistency in animal care and food safety.

The benefits of BQA certification include consistency in safe meat and safer working conditions, as well as consistency between producers and employees working with beef cattle. Lubbers described the value gained for workers and producers from the certification.

“There are a lot of things that if I were just to stand next to somebody in a chute for 15 or 20 minutes, I’m going to forget a couple of things that they should know, but would have learned in the module,” Lubbers says. “I can be assured that the people on my operation that may be working with cattle in any way have already had that training whether I have explained it to them or not.”

Another crucial benefit to getting BQA certified lies in maintaining consumer trust and building industry reputation. “I would love to say 99.95% of our producers are Beef Quality Assurance verified, because then it demonstrates a commitment from the entire industry to do things right,” Lubbers says.

The BQA program is developed by producers, for producers. Its’ voluntary nature reflects the cattle industry’s dedication to continuous improvement and responsible practices. Whether a seasoned rancher or a new employee, BQA equips individuals with practical, science-based knowledge to improve cattle management and protect the reputation of U.S. beef worldwide.

To get BQA certified, visit www.bqa.org

To hear the full discussion, listen to Cattle Chat on your preferred streaming platform.

Your Next Read: How to Win Beef Consumers’ Trust: Authenticity and Responding to Concerns

Beef Producers Be Aware: Dangerous Asian Longhorned Tick Continues Migrating West

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 13:24:33 GMT

The Asian Longhorned Tick (ALHT) poses a serious threat to cattle health. ALHTs carry Theileria, which is a protozoan parasite that infects red and white blood cells. It can lead to anemia and, in some cases, death.

ALHTs are native to eastern Asia, eastern China, Japan, the Russian Far East and Korea but were introduced to Australia, New Zealand and western Pacific Islands. In other countries, it can also be called a bush tick, cattle tick or scrub tick.

In the U.S., ALHT was first detected in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, it has spread to more than 20 states with recent confirmations in Illinois , Michigan and Iowa .

According to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ALHTs are known to carry pathogens, which can cause disease and may also cause distress to the host from their feeding in large numbers. For example, a dairy cow may have a 25% decrease in milk production after becoming a host.

A female can reproduce without a mate and lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time. This can cause great stress on a heavily infested animal and result in reduced growth and production. A severe infestation can kill the animal from excessive blood loss.

Asian longhorned tick life stages and relative actual size.

(Photos of unfed ticks by Centers for Disease Control. Photos of engorged ticks by Jim Occi, Rutgers, Center for Vector Biology.)

What does it look like?

Unfed ALHTs range from a light reddish-tan to a dark red with brown, dark markings. While the adult female grows to the size of a pea when full of blood, other stages of the tick are very small — about the size of a sesame seed.

Adult females are a grey-green with yellowish markings. Male ticks are rare.

APHIS reports it only takes a single tick to create a population in a new location.

The above photos are of a AHLT engorged (on the left) and an adult AHLT not engorged.

(New Jersey Department of Agriculture)

ALHTs need warm-blooded hosts to feed and survive. They have been found on various species of domestic animals — such as sheep, goats, dogs, cats, horses, cattle and chickens — and wildlife. The tick has also been found on people.

What are the health risks?

APHIS says ALHTs are not known to carry Lyme disease, but they can cause tickborne diseases affecting humans and animals such as:

Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Heartland virus
Powassan virus

APHIS says those diseases have not been confirmed outside of a laboratory setting in the U.S. In addition, U.S. ALHT populations can transmit U.S. Theileria orientalis Ikeda strain (Cattle theileriosis) in the laboratory.

In an Iowa State University release , Grant Dewell, Extension beef veterinarian and associate professor, says cattle affected by Theileriosis will show signs of lethargy, anemia and difficulty breathing. They may develop ventral edema, exercise intolerance, jaundice and abortions.

“Although signs of Theileriosis are similar to anaplasmosis, younger animals and calves often display more severe signs compared to mature cows and bulls,” he says. “Due to anemia from both tick infestation and Theileria, the risk of death can be elevated. If cattle producers suspect either Theileria or ALHT, have a veterinarian collect appropriate samples and submit them to a veterinary diagnostic lab.”

According to an Oklahoma State University press release , under laboratory conditions ALHT is a competent vector of numerous pathogens that can cause disease in humans, including Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever), Heartland Virus and Powassan Virus.

In “ Clinical Infectious Diseases, ” Bobbi Pritt, MD, MSC, with the division of clinical microbiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., reported a human bite that occurred in New York in 2019. She says though the report of a human bite isn’t surprising, it proves the invasive longhorned tick continues to bite hosts in its newest location.

“This is extremely worrisome for several reasons,” she writes. “One reason is Asian longhorned ticks can carry several important human pathogens, including the potentially fatal severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus and Rickettsia japonica, which cases Japanese spotted fever. While these pathogens have yet to be found in the United States, there is a risk of their future introduction.”

Also, Pritt says several other human pathogens have been detected in the ticks, but it’s not clear if the ALHT species are able to transmit them to humans. They include Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Borrelia species. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.

She warns the organisms are present in states where ALHTs have been found and that it’s possible the tick — known to be an aggressive biter— might be able to transmit Heartland virus given its close relationship to SFTS virus.

How to Tackle Ticks

According to APHIS, various strategies effectively mitigate tick populations on hosts and in the environment.

Regular tick treatments should be effective against ALHTs. Consult your veterinarian or agriculture extension agent about which products to use.
Check your livestock for ticks regularly.
Safely remove ticks from people and pets as quickly as possible. If you think you’ve found an ALHT, seal it in a zip-top bag and give it to your veterinarian for identification.
Habitat modifications can help prevent ticks on feedlots and pastures. This may include mowing grass, removing trees, reducing shade by thinning trees, understory removal and placing mulch barriers.
Apply acaricide using label instructions to tick habitats, such as woodland edges and grassy patches, during times when ticks are most actively seeking hosts. Although it varies by year, ALHTs are generally active from March to November. Consult your state and local regulations for approved acaricides.

“Cattle producers should aggressively control external parasites this summer,” Dewell summarizes. “Insecticide ear tags alone are not enough to control ticks. Consider incorporating a back rubber or regularly applying a pour-on during the summer. Pyrethroid-based products are also available that include a tick control label. If an increase in tick infestations is observed, an avermectin pour-on may be the best intervention.”

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Streamline Spring Cattle Processing with These 3 Stress-Reducing Steps

Thu, 01 May 2025 15:46:11 GMT

Reducing stress during livestock handling can increase productivity, maintain or improve meat quality, reduce sickness and enhance animal welfare. Implementing low-stress handling techniques when working with cattle is important to reducing stress.

As producers prepare for spring processing, Beth McIlquham, University of Wisconsin-Madison regional livestock educator, encourages producers to consider these low-stress handling strategies.

“While temperament in cattle is moderately heritable, environment does play a role and even cattle that are less docile will benefit from low-stress handling methods,” Mcllquham says. “A good handler can help reduce fear in an animal, which is the primary driver of negative consequences associated with handling stress.”

Even if the animal is not experiencing any pain, fear can still cause physical responses in the body, such as high cortisol levels. These responses can ultimately lead to increased susceptibility to illness, lower meat quality and overall lower performance.

Mcllquham says one negative handling experiences can affect future handling situations.

Identifying stress through body language
Cattle in a state of fear or under stress can be identified through their body language. Obvious signs of fear in cattle are running, kicking, vocalizing and aggressive behaviors toward handlers. Subtle signs of fear are heavy breathing and showing the whites of their eyes. Stressed cattle can cause serious injury to themselves and humans. Relaxed cattle are quiet and walk or trot calmly. When low-stress handling techniques are used, the risk of injury is lowered.

“Besides increasing performance and lowering sickness and injury rates, consumers have indicated that they care that their food is humanely raised,” McIlquham explains. “Implementing low-stress handling is a great place to start and comes with many other benefits. Although it may sound like a daunting task, utilizing low-stress handling techniques can be done in smaller steps.”

Step 1: Put away the electric prod
“Our first step is to put away the electric prod,” she says. “To decrease use, place electric prods away from where you’re handling cattle but still be accessible in an emergency. This way, instead of instinctively reaching for it, the inconvenience of going to grab it can decrease electric prod use.”

Step 2: Understand cattle’s natural instincts
“We should utilize these instincts to work for us instead of against us,” she says. “The fact that cattle are prey animals drives a lot of their behaviors.”

Cattle are herd animals and like to be in groups. When moving them, keeping cattle in small groups (two to five head) can help keep them calmer and easier to handle. Additionally, cattle want to see you. Humans are naturally predators, and because cattle are prey animals, their instinct is to be able to keep handlers in sight.

Cattle want to go toward lighted areas and will resist going into darker areas. It is easier to see any potential threats in areas that are light. Keep in mind shadows can reduce cattle flow through an area.

Step 3: Study and use cattle’s natural flight zone
Good handlers study and use cattle’s flight zone and point of balance, McIlquham explains.

Two concepts are illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Flight Zone and Point of Balance

(Beef Quality Assurance Cattle Care & Handling Guides)

Walking into the flight zone makes the animal move away from the handler. Stepping out of the flight zone will take pressure off and remove the animal’s desire to continue to move away. Note that the size of flight zones varies between animals. The point of balance allows handlers to move the animal forward or backward. Stepping into the flight zone in front of the point of balance will make the animal move backward. Stepping into the flight zone behind the point of balance will drive the animal forward.

Keep in mind cattle have a blind spot directly behind them. If you approach the animal in the blind spot, they could get spooked. Walking in a zigzag pattern behind cattle helps let them know you are there.

Extra tip: Taking breaks
Calm cattle are easier to move than stressed cattle. Fearful cattle are more reactive, more easily injured, and more likely to engage in aggressive behaviors. If a handling situation does get intense, take a little break and release pressure on the cattle.

“Even taking a brief break can help both the animal and handler calm down and come back to the situation in a more positive light,” Mcllquham summarizes.

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What is a Good Bull Worth in 2025?

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 17:13:51 GMT

The spring bull buying season is here, so it’s time to revisit the age old question. The question has been asked forever, or at least as long as we have been breeding cattle with a notion of trying to make the next generation better. It is a classic and timeless question. It is an important question. At this time of year, when many bulls are being marketed and we are planning ahead for spring breeding season, it is a question that is asked a lot!

The Answer

I remember first hearing the answer nearly 40 years ago as a student at OSU.

“A good bull is worth the value of five calves he sires.”

I’ve heard that answer again many times over the years. It is a good answer and a good rule of thumb to follow, the problem is it doesn’t exactly narrow down the range. If we do a little “cowboy math,” this answer may in fact lead to more questions.

What is considered a “Good Bull”?

For this discussion, qualifications to meet “Good Bull” status are:

A bull that sells with a registration paper, which includes pedigree information and a complete set of genetic values (including EPDs and Bio-economic indices) to be considered in the selection process.
A bull that has passed a Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE) and selling with a breeding soundness warranty (terms will vary).

When are we marketing our calves? What is their value?

According to the most recent (Jan. 21, 2025) Oklahoma Market Report:

524 lb. weaned steer calves (Large, 1) are worth about $3.50/lb. for a value of approximately $1,834 per head. Therefore, if my future marketing plan is to sell weaned steers, $1,834 x 5 = $9,170 is the answer.
912 lb. yearling steers (Large, 1) are worth about $2.53/lb. for a value of over $2,300 per head. Therefore, if my future marketing plan is to sell yearling steers, $2,300 x 5 = $11,500 is the answer.
1,500 lb. finished beef steers are worth $2.00/lb. live for a value of $3,000 each. Therefore, if my future marketing plan is to retain ownership through finishing and sell fed cattle on a live weight basis, $3,000 x 5 = $15,000 is the answer.

So, in the current market, a good bull is worth somewhere between $9,000 - $15,000 to a commercial cow-calf operation. Where exactly in that range depends on your marketing plan and the market conditions at that time. Not an exact number because there are many variables in play.

One key point illustrated here is that the longer you own the offspring before marketing, the greater the value of the bull to your operation. Retained ownership gives you more time and opportunity to capture the value of your investment in genetics. It is noteworthy that we haven’t considered the value added to replacement females a bull will sire. Bulls used to sire the next generation of cows have an even greater long-term economic impact on the profit potential of your operation and should be valued accordingly.

I encourage cow-calf operations to consider their production system and marketing plan. Doing so should dictate where to apply selection pressure. Genetic values pay when you purchase bulls capable of improving genetic potential for the specific traits that will translate to added value at your intended marketing endpoint.

Keep the following chart in mind as another way to evaluate ownership cost of bulls on a per calf sired basis.

(Johnson/OSU)

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K-State's Cattlemen's Day Scheduled for March 7

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 17:17:31 GMT

Kansas State University’s Animal Sciences and Industry Department will host Cattlemen’s Day 2025 on Friday, March 7, at National Guard Armory in Manhattan. Highlights of this year’s event will be presentations by Allison Van Enennaam, Glynn Tonsor and Dale Woerner.

The program begins at 9 a.m. Van Enennaam, UC Davis extension specialist: animal biotechnology and genomics will discuss “Genetic Modifications in Livestock.” Tonsor, K-State agriculture economics professor, will give a beef industry economic outlook.

“We’re excited to announce our 112th KSU Cattlemen’s Day program,” says A.J. Tarpoff, K-State associate professor and Cattlemen’s Day co-chairman. “With the demolition of Weber Arena we are moving the event off campus for one year with plans to host the 2026 event in the Bilbrey Family Event Center. Our goal with Cattlemen’s Day is to share the latest information and research with attendees to better prepare them for management decisions in the upcoming year.”

The day starts at 8 a.m. with registration, refreshments, sponsored by Lallemand Animal Nutrition, educational exhibits and a commercial trade show.

Tarpoff adds, “This year we have numerous participants signed up for our allied industry trade show. Although the trade show will look a little different not hosted in Weber Arena, it will continue to provide a forum for the attendees to observe what’s new in the beef industry and network with key industry leaders.”

Lunch will be smoked brisket sponsored by U.S. Premium Beef and trade show exhibitors. Cajun-spiced catfish will also be available. Call Hall Ice Cream will also be served sponsored by Huvepharma.

The afternoon program will include Woerner, Texas Tech University Cargill endowed professor, who will discuss what is new in yield grade technology. K-State ASI graduate students will wrap up the program sharing a research round-up.

The cost to attend Cattlemen’s Day 2025 is $25 if paid by Feb. 21 or $35 at the door. There is no charge for students who pre-register. For more information and online registration, visit KSUBeef.org .

The 48th Annual Legacy Bull & Female Sale will begin at 4 p.m. at the Stanley Stout Center (2200 Denison Ave). Visit asi.ksu.edu/legacysale to learn more about this year’s offering and to request a sale catalog.

On March 6, the evening before Cattlemen’s Day, Richard Porter will be honored as the Stockman of the Year at the Annual Stockmen’s Dinner at 6 p.m. at the Stanley Stout Center. A separate registration is required for the dinner. Information can be found online at asi.ksu.edu/stockmensdinner .

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Three States Undertake Joint Project to Prepare for Foreign Animal Diseases that Could Impact U.S.

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:32:47 GMT

This article was written by Francesca Lear.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a severe and fast-spreading viral disease that can affect all cloven-hoofed animals.

The disease was discovered in the U.S. in 1870 but was eradicated in 1929, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The disease is present in nearly 70% of cloven-hoofed animals worldwide., but it hasn’t made a return to the U.S. — yet.

Three States Involved

The goal of a new project led by Oregon State University Extension Service is to create a fast-acting information network among Cooperative Extension livestock specialists and veterinarians in the departments of agriculture in three western states — Oregon, California and Idaho — to prepare for foreign diseases such as foot-and-mouth.

Sergio Arispe, OSU Extension livestock and rangeland field faculty in Malheur County and associate professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences, has been awarded nearly $75,000 to work on the project.

The grant, provided through the Western Extension Risk Management Education Center through USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture, comes at a good time, Arispe states, considering the recent development of highly pathogenic avian influenza crossing over into the nation’s dairy cattle population.

The project aims to mitigate profit, production and financial risk to cattle producers in the case of a foreign transmitted animal disease, such as foot-and-mouth, by collaborating with state veterinarians and Beef Quality Assurance coordinators and trainers to increase trainings and certifications.

The goal is to reach at least 500 cattle producers across the three states, Arispe says.

‘Train The Trainer’

The Beef Quality Assurance program, developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, is meant to promote safe and wholesome beef. Major beef packing plants require best practices, taught through the Beef Quality Assurance curriculum, to inherently mitigate risks and maximize profits for cattle producers.

The project is using a “train the trainer” model for Cooperative Extension employees who can further broadcast the information through their networks to cattle producers before a potential outbreak.

The trainings will include presentations and updates to the current Beef Quality Assurance curriculum. The trained Cooperative Extension agents from these workshops will go on to present at state cattlemen’s association meetings and work locally with producers.

“The Extension personnel in these three states then go out and amplify that message, through Extension publications, workshops and presentations to cattle producers,” Arispe says. “The local agents have more trust in the community, and they have more contacts.”

He says increasing the dissemination of information will help cattle producers be prepared for a foreign animal disease outbreak.

Mitigate Risks

“Foot-and-mouth disease is the most transmissible disease to all cloven-hoofed animals worldwide,” Arispe says. “Our efforts would be the same for trying to mitigate production risk, market risk and financial risk for foot-and-mouth disease, but it could be for any foreign animal disease that may come. The same approach and the same measures would be appropriate.”

He adds, “So the question at hand is: If there was a foreign animal disease that came to the U.S. like foot-and-mouth disease what would that process look like for cattle producers, and what would happen to transport?”

A key aspect to this project is educating producers on the local, state and national protocols if there is a foreign disease, he says.

“At any given time there are about 3 million animals on our highways, or in our planes or boats,” Arispe says. “There will be at least a 72-hour national standstill declared by the USDA for all cloven-hoofed animals if foot-and-mouth disease is ever found in the U.S. A lot of producers don’t know that, and that’s only the beginning.”

Biosecurity Plans

The team will also be available to work with producers to create an enhanced biosecurity plan, which can clear them for transportation in the event they are in a high-risk area of a foreign disease.

This would prevent some of the financial issues a producer would incur if they were unable to transport their livestock offsite.

“Our efforts aim to have enhanced biosecurity plans complete for least 20% of the confined cattle population within each state,” Arispe says.

“This project aims to provide a basic overview and proactive activities and measures that people can take to mitigate production market and financial risks, and the process by which cattle producers can resume business,” he adds.

Those who are interested in learning more about the Cooperative Extension Secure Beef Supply programming in their state can contact: Arispe , Dr. Gabriele Maier and Dr. Lais Costa in California and Meranda Small or Mireille Chahine.

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Dingus Honored by Friend of the Beef Reproduction Task Force Award at Recent Symposium

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 14:22:59 GMT

The Beef Reproduction Task Force (BRTF) presented Boyd Dingus with the Friend of BRFT Award on Sept. 4th during the Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle Symposium (ARSBC) in Athens, Georgia. This was the first year the Friend of the BRTF Award was presented in recognition of Boyd’s long-term dedication and contributions to the Task Force.

Dingus of Weatherford, Texas, is General Manager of Estrotect and participated in the first meeting that established an educational partnership between industry and academia 20 years ago.

The Beef Reproduction Task Force (academia), together with the national Beef Reproduction Leadership Team (industry and academia), work to promote wider adoption of reproductive technologies among cow-calf producers; educate cow-calf producers in management considerations that will increase the likelihood of successful AI breeding; and educate producers in marketing options to capture benefits that result from the use of improved reproductive technologies.

“The BRTF relies on the financial support of many in the industry to defray costs of our meetings and other activities,” says Sandy Johnson, BRTF member at Kansas State University, “but Boyd’s support has been far beyond that, providing advice, advocacy and encouragement to the group.”

More than 200 producers, veterinarians, and representatives from the artificial insemination (AI) and pharmaceutical industries were in attendance at this year’s ARSBC. The group’s mission is to optimize the productivity and improve the profitability of cow-calf operations by facilitating the adoption of cost-effective, applied reproductive technologies. The goal is to educate beef cattle producers on sustainable reproductive management systems to maintain U.S. leadership and competitiveness in the world beef market.

For more information about this year’s symposium, visit www.BeefRepro.org .

CattleFax Cow-Calf Survey Released

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:56:30 GMT

CattleFax has introduced its annual Cow-Calf Survey. Information requested in the survey provides participants and the rest of the industry with valuable data regarding industry benchmarks and trends.

Survey participants will receive a results summary packet, with useful benchmarking information that will allow managers and owners to evaluate their own operations. Items such as cow-calf profitability, tendencies of high and low return producers, regional data, and other valuable material are included. To receive the summary packet, a valid email address must be submitted. All individual results will be confidential and remain anonymous.

By completing the survey and submitting a valid email address, participants will also be entered in a drawing to win a $700 CattleFax voucher. The credit can be used for any CattleFax memberships, registration fees for education seminars (Corporate College and Risk Management Seminar), and/or registration fees for the annual Outlook and Strategies Session.

The survey can be accessed through the following link or by going to CattleFax.com, selecting the About tab at the top of the page, and then clicking on 2023 Cow-Calf Survey on the sidebar. The deadline to complete the survey is March 1^st, 2024.

2023 Cow-Calf Survey

For questions or concerns please contact Matthew McQuagge, Analyst, at 303-850-3407, or mmcquagge@cattlefax.com

Oregon Ranchers Are Continuing to Battle Grueling Wildfires as Financial Losses Mount

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 18:10:08 GMT

As of Friday, more than 1.1 million acres has burned in Oregon. Lightning continues to spark new fires and with the flames still not under control, it will go down as one of the most devastating wildfire fires in the state’s history.

Clint Sexson ranches in eastern Oregon. He says between cattle lost and grazing areas burned, it’s been a grueling summer. The exact livestock losses are unknown at this time.

“I don’t even want to speculate,” Sexson says. “I mean, the one that’s pretty public is that the 300 head in the Durkee Fire that were lost,” Sexson says. “I know one producer who has lost probably hundreds.”

That particular fire, the Durkee Fire, has been a monster. At 86% contained, it’s already scorched 295,000 acres.

Plenty of Fuel for Fires

Just this week, lightning sparked more fires. Sexson says the reason the fires have been so bad is the amount of grass available to fuel the fires.

“There’s more fuel on the ground,” Sexson says. “Some of these areas have burned before. There hasn’t necessarily been a clean up after a burn, so there’s just a lot of fuel.”

A Devastating Loss of Grass to Graze

The livestock losses are heartbreaking and severe, but the amount of grass burned is causing concern in the state. As the fires rage, the losses of valuable grazing ground are mounting, which impacts livestock producers across the state.

“This part of the world is different,” Sexson says. “A lot of people don’t feed cows, but maybe 30, 60 days a year. The rest of the year, we are grazing cattle. It’s a budgetary thing and a management thing that they will have to work through. Emotionally, it’s tough on those people, especially those generational ranches.”

Sexson was fortunate. On July 20, as the fires raged and closed in on his land, he was able to get cattle out thanks to fellow ranchers who showed up with trucks and trailers.

“I work for Select Sires and every one of those trucks that showed up, they were all customers,” he says, as his voice cracks and tears fill his eyes. “We got the cattle out and right back to a customer’s feedlot. They were ready for them, and we were pretty fortunate.”

An Emotional Sale of Support

That emotion was felt late last week as Superior Livestock Auction sold special benefit lots as part of their video sale in Winnemucca, Nev. This was an example of ranchers helping ranchers. That money went to the Oregon Fire Relief Fund, which will help those producers in need.

“These are primarily purebred breeders who have made donations in sale credit or semen credit,” Sexson says. “They’re not directly focused on their customers alone. They’re just focused on the general beef industry in Oregon and the devastation some of these people are dealing with. I know two or three people who had their entire ranches burned by the fires. They may not have lost a cow, but it burnt all their private grazing ground.”

The special sale was a touching gesture, as the ranching community comes together at a time of need and the fires continue to burn. Emotions are high, losses are mounting and cattle producers impacted are feeling the financial pain.

America’s Top 33 Beef Cow Counties

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 22:21:07 GMT

(Farm Journal)

Cherry County, Neb., is America’s top beef cow county with 184,716 cows, more than twice the number as the county with the second most, Holt County, also in Nebraska. A third Nebraska county, Lincoln, lands in the sixth spot of the Top 33 beef cow counties with 75,582 cows. Statewide, Nebraska ranks as the nation’s fourth in terms of total beef cows. Our list of the Top 33 beef cow counties has a total of 20,054 producers with 2,163,017 cows, for an average herd size of 108 head. Together these 33 counties account for 7% of the nation’s 29.4 million beef cows and 3% of beef operations. The state with the most beef cows, Texas, lands five counties in the Top 33 beef cow counties, but only one in the top 10, Lavaca. The second largest beef cow state, Oklahoma, has three counties in the Top 33, but only one in the top 10, Osage.

Why 33 Counties?

This list of counties could have stopped at 25, but that would have ignored several counties with large cow numbers that fall just outside the 25th spot. Indeed, a total of 19 counties have between 50,000 and 60,000 beef cows, so the cutoff to make this list became 50,000 cows. South Dakota, the state with the fifth most beef cows, landed seven counties on the list of 33, with Meade the largest with 81,773 beef cows.

In addition to Nebraska and Oklahoma, three other states have three counties in our Top 33 – Florida, Montana and Missouri.

Three states that rank in the top 10 nationally for beef cow numbers according to the Jan. 1, 2024, Inventory report, do not have a single county in the Top 33 – Kansas, North Dakota and Kentucky.

Note: Tulare County, California, ranked in the top 10 counties in the 2017 Census, but dropped out of the top 25 counties with a 52% herd decline from 72,778 beef cows in 2017 to 34,580 beef cows in 2022. The number of operations declined from 389 to 359 (-8%).

Calf Scours and Calving Pasture Rotation

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 15:19:55 GMT

Calf scours results in sickness, poor performance, medical expenses and death. Scours is a complex disease with many inter-related causes. Agent, host and environmental factors collectively explain scours and these factors interact dynamically over the course of time. Infected calves, typically become ill or die from diarrhea by one or two weeks of age.

Regardless of what causes the disease, the first seven to 14 days of age defines the age of susceptibility as well as the age calves are most likely to become infected and shed the agents in their manure. This is important because in many (if not most) calving systems the number of potentially infected calves may outnumber the number of susceptible calves resulting in high potential to transfer a disease causing dose of pathogens.

Although the cow herd serves as the source of calf scour pathogens from year to year, the average dose load of pathogen exposure to calves is likely to increase over time within a calving season because calves infected earlier serve as pathogen multipliers and become the primary source of exposure to younger susceptible calves.

The management plan defined as the “Sandhills Calving System” works by segregating calves by age to prevent transmission of pathogens from older to younger calves through the scheduled movement of pregnant cows to clean calving pastures which have been unoccupied by cattle for several months.

1) Initially, pregnant cows are turned out in the first calving pasture where calving season runs its course for two weeks.
2) After two weeks, cows that have not yet calved are moved to a second pasture while the pairs stay in the first calving pasture.
3) After a week of calving in pasture two, the remaining bred cows are moved to a third pasture while the calves born in pasture two remain as pairs in pasture two.
4) Each subsequent week, the remaining bred cows are moved to a new pasture and the pairs remain in their pasture of birth.

Read More: Calf Scours Prevention Starts Now

This results in pairs in multiple pastures each containing calves born within a week of each other. Cow-calf pairs from different pastures can be commingled after the youngest calf is four weeks of age at which time all calves are considered low-risk for neonatal diarrhea.

This system may take some ranch specific planning in advance, but when implemented the system continually re-creates the optimum conditions that exist at the beginning of calving season. The system uses clean calving pastures to prevent direct contact between older calves and younger calves. Accordingly, it prevents later born calves from being exposed to an accumulation of pathogens in the environment and results in less sickness, use of medications and death due to calf scours.

^{Reference: Basic Principles used in the “Sandhills Calving System” and How They Apply to other Production Environments. David R. Smith. Proceedings, The Range Beef Cow Symposium XX. 2007}

Preparing Cows for Winter and Spring Calving

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 13:59:35 GMT

As discussed last week, reproductive efficiency is highly correlated to nutrition. The target Body Condition Score (BCS) going into calving season is 5.5 for the mature cow herd and 6 for the first calf heifers. Early management to meet these goals is important because drastic changes in BCS during late pregnancy and early lactation are challenging and costly to achieve.

Measures of cow herd performance like Pregnancy Rate, Calf Crop Born and Calf Crop Weaned when evaluated as a percentages of Females Exposed are valuable pieces of information which can be used by producers to make sound management decisions. Balance of nutrition to mature cow size and milk production is essential to optimize reproductive efficiency and maternal performance.

This balance is achieved through: 1) grazing the proper amount of cows per acre; 2) knowing when and what nutritional supplementation is needed; and, 3) good husbandry, herd health and vaccination programs. If our cows were thin at weaning and/or we were disappointed by the cow herd performance measures, now is the time to begin taking action.

Feed cost represents the largest variable cost in cow-calf operations and most of this expense is incurred during the winter and early spring. Un-needed supplementation increases feed cost without real benefit. Evaluation of BCS on your cows this fall at weaning provides producers with information to make cost saving management decisions with regard to supplementation and feeding through the winter. If your bred heifers and mature cow herd are at the target BCS they can be maintained from now until calving. If breeding females need to gain body condition, now is the time to take action (while they are still in the middle trimester of pregnancy).

Feeding in Separate Groups

Separating the thinner females at this time of year to gain the body condition needed to ensure reproductive efficiency next spring is worth the extra time and management. Feeding cows in separate groups only needs to take place long enough to get the thinner cows to their target BCS. At that point, all cows can be put back together and fed/managed alike going into calving season. Feeding thinner cows separately will save money and improve profit potential.

Computer software, such as OSU Cowculator, is useful to pinpoint the nutritional requirements of cows and the supplementation or feeding necessary to reach optimum BCS. Cowculator and other useful tools can be found at beefextension.com .

Using Sexed Semen to Navigate the Genetic Fork in the Road

by Garrett Ulmer, University of Tennessee beef cattle genomics graduate student

Some cattle are excelling at rapidly producing a high-quality end product; however, they are usually not the low maintenance females that producers want to have in their cow herd. Similarly, the ideal bull for producing replacement females may not produce high-value feeder or carcass cattle. Rather than focusing breeding goals on being heavily terminal or primarily maternal, sexed semen allows commercial herds of all sizes to “take both roads.”

Intentionally making quality replacement females while maximizing terminal value from non-replacement animals. Kenny Wells from ABS Global detailed innovations in this space during the Advancements in Producer Education breakout session. The session part of the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Symposium June 11, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn.

Wells emphasized that competing industries have already capitalized on creating breeding programs which allow them to achieve maximum profitability. Pork producers leverage optimized genetic lines along with maternal and terminal heterosis to increase in product value of offspring. Dairy farmers have refined their maternal unit for milk production with female sexed semen while also making use their former byproduct, dairy steers, by utilizing terminal beef genetics.

Sexed semen is not just a tool for dairy producers. Beef operations can use it to meet maternal and terminal goals within the same calf crop. During his presentation, Wells discussed ways that ABS has deployed sexed semen in beef settings. One example is the 60/40 Sync Program, which builds on the idea of segmenting your cow herd so that your most fertile cows are bred to produce your replacement heifers, while the rest will produce a more terminal animal.

The 60/40 Sync Program works by synchronizing and fitting all females with an estrus detection aid, just as recommended for fixed-time AI protocols. Females that display estrus with fully activated patches, usually around 60%, are then time AI bred with female sexed semen from maternally designed bulls. The remaining females that have not displayed estrus, around 40%, are time AI bred with conventional semen from terminally focused bulls and all cows are exposed to a terminally oriented sire for clean-up. This program aims for the resulting calf crop to be made up of 35% maternally designed heifer calves to retain in the herd and 65% terminally focused animals, the majority of which are steers, to market.

Wells discussed how the strategic use of sexed semen could allow even very small producers to implement a structured crossbreeding program by using different breeds of bull as maternal and terminal sires. Programs like the 60/40 also have long-term reproduction benefits within herds. It allows the most fertile cows to have heifer calves born early in a calving season. This “head start” results in older replacement females that conceive earlier and have heavier calves throughout their productive lives. Wells was clear that even though this program may not maximize pregnancy rate to AI, it does create the opportunity to generate the “right” calf from every mating.

Wells’ presentation discussed a multi-year demonstration of the 60/40 program between ABS and the Bair Ranch in central Montana. The study assigned 250 cows to either a control group, which followed a fixed-time AI protocol using conventional semen, or a test group, which implemented the 60/40 Program. Over four years of data collection, the Bair Ranch averaged 25-30% of the calf crop being maternally designed heifers resulting from sexed semen — exceeding the ranch’s target of 23-24% to keep as replacements every year. Key takeaways included that female sexed semen resulted in an average of 91% heifer calves and that female sexed and overall pregnancy rates in the 60/40 test group were lower than those of conventional semen. Their work also indicated that the 60/40 program reduced the relative proportion of calves being born in the first interval when compared to the control. However, more 60/40 calves were born in the second calving interval, suggesting that 60/40 sync likely doesn’t significantly impact the length of the calving season.

Wells was clear: For the 60/40 program to work, producers must choose the right genetic inputs for their respective programs. With sexed semen, producers can adjust areas of their herd that previously they could not: more selection pressure can be applied to terminal traits without throwing maternal quality out of balance, and maternal traits can be selected for without reducing terminal profitability. The implementation of crossbreeding also allows for significant increases in efficiency through heterosis, particularly for lowly heritable maternal traits such as fertility and health.

Taken together, 60/40 Sync Program provides a framework for a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient breeding system. The concept laid out by Wells represents a flexible and adaptable strategy for producers to focus on making fertile, feed efficient, and moderate replacement females while enhancing growth and carcass quality on their terminal calves.

To watch the Well’s presentation, visit

For more information about this year’s Symposium and the Beef Improvement Federation, including additional presentations and award winners, visit BIFSymposium.com .

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Press On - What Are You Doing Today to Make Things Better?

It’s a vivid mental picture for me. When I worked at the university, my colleague (and valued friend) who ran the beef unit had the following question written on his whiteboard: “What are you doing today to make things better?”

I don’t remember anything else that was ever on that whiteboard. But I still see his handwriting in the upper right-hand corner boldly asking the question with a bright, yellow marker.

It was intended as a daily reminder and challenge for himself. However, everyone else who ever came into his office benefitted from the enduring presence of that question on his whiteboard.

That’s because it’s pertinent for all of us—no matter where we are or what we do. It forces us to confront our own internal reality—namely, our attitude. Are we grumbling or committing ourselves to improvement?

I’m reminded of William Clement Stone’s list of “plus” characteristics: integrity, faith, hope, optimism, courage, initiative, generosity, tolerance, tact, kindness, good common sense. Regardless of who you are, or what situation you find yourself in, those characteristics illicit “adding to”.

Conversely, the opposite characteristics (deceit, suspicion, gloominess, pessimism, cowardice, slothfulness, stinginess, narrowness, rudeness, folly) are all detractors – they subtract from any situation

Sure, you could add other comparisons to the list. But the concept remains the same. Making things better is a responsibility for each of us. And note the word “today” in the middle of the question. It needs to happen now—there’s some urgency about it—there’s no waiting for the right conditions. Make it happen.

So, are you complaining about the problem—or committed to being part of the solution? It’s obvious which side we all need to be on—summed up in one simple question: “What are you doing today to make things better?”

Nevil Speer is an independent consultant based in Bowling Green, KY. The views and opinions expressed herein do not reflect, nor are associated with in any manner, any client or business relationship. He can be reached at nevil.speer@turkeytrack.biz .

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Press On: Making the Most of The Time

Press On: Where’s Your Focus?

Carl Richards is a Certified Financial Planner who’s best known for his insightful (and simple) sketches depicting the precepts of human behavior. His work was a long-running feature “Sketch Guy” in the New York Times. You can also view his work at his own website, Behavior Gap . Additionally, he has a podcast entitled, Behavior Gap Radio.

Richards’ specialty revolves around the psychology of money – more specifically, how/ why people get lost when it comes to thinking about money (i.e. Behavior Gap). But…it goes far beyond just money. For instance, he describes his podcast this way: “I focus on closing the gap between what is important and how we use our time, money, energy, and attention. That starts with discovering what’s actually important to each of us.”

To that end, my favorite sketch is a simple Venn diagram. The left circle is labeled, “Things that matter”; the right one titled, “Things you can control.” The intersection is deliberately small; in that space we find instruction from Richards: “What you should focus on.”

Getting the right focus means challenging ourselves about both circles:

1. Does it matter?: it’s essential to be highly disciplined, ensuring you understand your priorities (and not someone else’s) – that is, those things that really make a difference in your life.

2. Is it within your control?: it’s easy to get caught up in all sorts of things outside of our control. That’s particularly true in an age of social media where someone’s always providing something to worry that’s far beyond your realm of control.

In the end, Richards provides a great reminder for all of us - both personally and professionally. Any sort of energy spent outside of the intersection is wasted effort – energy that could have been spent on something meaningful and useful and productive. So, where’s your focus?

Nevil Speer is an independent consultant based in Bowling Green, KY. The views and opinions expressed herein do not reflect, nor are associated with in any manner, any client or business relationship. He can be reached at nevil.speer@turkeytrack.biz .