Nebraska

Using the D.A.R.T. Method to Identify Smoke-Stressed Calves

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:27:31 GMT

Wildfires occurring in western and central Nebraska mirror a broader trend of increasing wildfire frequency and magnitude across the western U.S. While the immediate impacts of wildfire are devastating to beef production and rural communities, the effects of wildfire smoke may also pose risks to both human and animal health.

“In the weeks and months following a wildfire event, producers should remain vigilant and monitor calves for signs of respiratory disease or illness,” explains Brock Ortner, Nebraska extension livestock system educator .

Combustion of biomass during wildfires produces carbon dioxide and water vapor but also generates ash, a mixture of inorganic compounds. Of particular concern is ultrafine particulate matter (less than 2.5 microns), which can travel deep into the lung alveoli and enter the bloodstream. In humans, these particles have been associated with inflammation and oxidative stress.

Limited research has examined wildfire smoke exposure in cattle. However, work conducted by Ranches and others (2021) in a small group of Simmental × Jersey calves reported increased concentrations of cortisol, an indicator of stress, following exposure to smoke from a wildfire approximately 10 miles away from the study site. In the same study, concentrations of ceruloplasmin, a marker of systemic inflammation, were elevated following the wildfire event. Antibodies including IgM and IgA were also increased, suggesting activation of the immune system.

Physiological stress and inflammation can negatively affect cattle performance and immune function. When immune defenses are compromised, calves may become more susceptible to respiratory pathogens. In the development of bovine respiratory disease (BRD), opportunistic bacterial pathogens — including Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis — are normally present at low levels in healthy calves. However, when viral infection or physiological stress suppresses immune function, these bacteria can proliferate in the respiratory tract, leading to morbidity, reduced performance and potentially death.

Because stressors, such as wildfire smoke, may increase disease susceptibility, monitoring calves closely for early signs of illness is important. One practical approach is the D.A.R.T. method, which helps producers identify calves that may require further evaluation.

D — Depression:
Observe calf posture and behavior. Droopy ears or head carriage, lethargy, increased time spent lying down and separation from pasture mates may indicate illness. Because cattle are prey animals and tend to hide sickness, subtle behavioral differences may only become apparent after calves become accustomed to your presence.

A — Appetite:
Reduced appetite — whether at the feed bunk or during nursing—can indicate a health challenge. On pasture, reduced gut fill relative to herdmates may also signal decreased intake.

R — Respiration:
Healthy cattle typically take 10 to 30 breaths per minute. Increased respiratory rate, shallow breathing, or abnormal sounds such as coughing or raspy breathing may indicate respiratory disease. Nasal discharge or excessive eye secretions may also accompany illness.

T — Temperature:
Rectal temperatures of approximately 103.5 to 104.0 degrees Fahrenheit or greater are indicative of fever and warrant further attention.

Early detection and treatment of sick calves improve the likelihood of recovery and helps reduce performance losses associated with respiratory disease. Extra vigilance and responsiveness may mitigate negative health outcomes in the weeks and months following wildfire smoke exposure.

Your Next Read:
Tips for Care Following Wildfire

How Nebraska is Tackling the Critical Rural Veterinarian Shortage in a New, Unique Way

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 14:32:20 GMT

A critical shortage of food-animal veterinarians is unfolding across rural America. A 2023 Farm Journal Foundation study found more than 500 counties across the U.S. lack enough veterinarians to care for livestock. The pipeline of new graduates simply isn’t keeping up; only 3% to 4% of today’s veterinary students choose to practice food-animal medicine, compared to about 40% four decades ago.

Experts warn the shortage poses risks beyond farm gates. Veterinarians are a front-line defense for animal health, and without them, food production and U.S. food security could be at risk.

And even though USDA announced plans to address the shortage by announcing their own Rural Veterinary Action Plan in August , Nebraska was ahead of the curve, launching their own program last year.

Nebraska’s Homegrown Solution

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), in partnership with Gov. Jim Pillen and state leaders, is working to reverse that trend through the Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinary Program .

“Through the governor and a lot of our state leaders who recognize the need for production animal health DVMs out in rural Nebraska … they partnered with us to identify and develop a scholarship program for these students,” says Deb VanOverbeke, head of UNL’s department of animal science.

The program specifically targets Nebraska students who aspire to practice large-animal veterinary medicine in rural communities.

Scholarships That Start Freshman Year

Unlike most programs that support students late in their training, Elite 11 identifies and supports them as soon as they step on campus.

“These cohorts start as freshmen in college … They’ve identified that they want to go down the path of practicing veterinary medicine in rural Nebraska with production animals,” VanOverbeke explains.

Each year, up to 20 incoming animal science or veterinary science students are accepted into the program. During their first two years, they receive scholarships covering 50% of tuition. After that, 11 students and two alternates are selected for full tuition scholarships during their junior and senior years.

Those selected also earn automatic admission into UNL’s preprofessional veterinary medicine program, run in partnership with Iowa State University.

A Long-Term Commitment

Financial barriers are one of the biggest deterrents for veterinary students. By providing tuition support early and guaranteeing a pathway forward, UNL hopes to ease that pressure.

“It’s going to take us eight years to get these students to be practicing veterinarians in rural Nebraska,” VanOverbeke says. “But so much of the student burden is financial. This scholarship gives them a way to see a path forward.”

The program also includes a major incentive after graduation. Students who practice in a rural Nebraska community for at least eight years in food-animal medicine become eligible for 100% loan forgiveness.

Students Already Seeing the Impact

For students like Sydney Hutchinson of West Point, Neb., the scholarship program has already changed her trajectory.

“I always knew I was interested in doing something with an agricultural background,” Hutchinson says. “I’ve showed livestock, helped with routine stuff on the farm, like vaccinations, pulled a few calves. Those things got me interested in veterinary medicine.”

Originally, Hutchinson planned to attend Kansas State University, but when she learned about UNL’s program, she changed course.

“Nebraska is home to me. That’s where I’ve always seen myself coming back to,” she says. “Having this program show up at just the right time worked out great.”

Now in her second year at UNL, Hutchinson says she knows her calling isn’t in small animal clinics, but in rural, large-animal work.

“Finding large-animal veterinarians is a struggle in the state, especially those that want to come back and work in rural areas,” she says. “Addressing that problem first and foremost is great. It’s going to have a great long-term impact on Nebraska and its ag industry.”

Building a Future for Rural Veterinary Medicine

By investing early in students, providing financial support and creating a clear career pipeline, Nebraska hopes to strengthen its veterinary workforce for years to come.

For Hutchinson, the investment feels personal.

“To have them investing in the next generation — it’s huge,” she says.

If successful, the program could provide a model for other states facing the same critical shortage of rural food-animal veterinarians.

New Beef-on-Dairy Feedlot Set to be One of the Largest in Country

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 16:30:16 GMT

Despite the smallest U.S. cowherd in 73 years and corresponding tight feeder cattle supplies, the largest cattle feedyard north of the Rio Grande is under construction in Nebraska. When complete, Blackshirt Feeders near Haigler in the far southwest corner of the state, will have a capacity of 150,000 head, all standing on a concrete pad covering a full square mile, replete with an accompanying biodigester.

None of that previous paragraph defies logic, provided you know the track record of the principals involved and understand the growing beef-on-dairy (BxD) phenomenon that has captured the attention of stakeholders throughout the chain — feedyards, dairies, backgrounders, seedstock providers, feed companies and packers. In short, the BxD segment has provided a new profit opportunity for cattle feeders and seedstock suppliers, a lifeline for some dairies, and promises to revolutionize the way the beef industry accepts, captures and uses animal ID and the data it provides.

CLOSED LOOP

The BxD production model offers a unique opportunity for innovators to utilize every available tool and management practice to foster improvement. Specifically, this new model links the semen provider to the dairy to the feedyard in what is called a closed-loop system.

“We’ve long dreamed about this type of system,” says Lee Leachman, CEO of Leachman Cattle, now part of the URUS group of companies. “We supply the semen, and Alta or Genex distributes it to a dairy, then the dairy signs a contract with GK Jim Farms to sell those calves either as day-olds or after a growing period, then they are shipped to the feedlot for finishing.”

Th e contracts stipulate that every calf is tracked from birth with sire, health and performance data. That information is used to determine future matings to improve performance and reduce undesirable characteristics.

“This is a game changer,” Leachman emphasizes. “This enables progress like what we’ve seen in poultry and swine. If you don’t have the loop with the data you can’t make the progress.”

The closed-loop system is already operational at several U.S. feedlots, including five operated by GK Jim Farms in Colorado and Texas.

Blackshirt Feeders - Construction Timeline

(Lindsey Pound)

Veterinarian Kee Jim, principal at GK Jim Farms, says as his company began expanding their beef-on-dairy model they sought to acquire feedlots, but none were available at the scale they desired.

“Three years ago we began investigating what we believe would be the best site to build a new feedlot,” Jim says. “We looked at availability of grain, the climate, proximity to available feeder cattle and proximity to packers.”

That led to the selection of the construction site near Haigler, Neb., in the southwest corner of the state that joins both Kansas and Colorado.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Designed to be much more than just a large-scale feedlot, Blackshirt Feeders has several unique features that will make it the “most environmentally friendly feedlot on the planet.” That is how it’s described by veterinarian Eric Behlke who is both a founding partner of Blackshirt Feeders and project leader for its construction.

First among the new yard’s unique characteristics is the compressed rolled concrete that will cover every feeding pen. The concrete offers several advantages but is essential to capturing the manure for the biodigester that will be built adjacent to the site.

“The concrete allows for the collection of the manure without contaminating it with dirt, which is essential for a digester,” Behlke says. “But the concrete is impermeable, which provides superior protection for both the groundwater and the surface water. All of the ponds will be lined with high-density HDPE liner, a synthetic liner which is also impermeable, to prevent leaching of nutrients.”

Behlke says Blackshirt Feeders is committed to leveraging the latest technologies and feedlot construction to make the new yard as environmentally sound as possible.

“These efforts will help change the narrative about beef production and make it a much greener process,” Behlke says.

All of which sounds good, but like most agribusinesses today, finding labor is likely an issue, especially in a remote area. The company is already working to ease that problem, Jim says.

“We have plans to construct housing in Wray, Colo., about 20 miles away,” Jim says. “The first 24 units are under construction now.”

DATA AND SCALE

It can be easy for observers to focus on the massive size of Blackshirt Feeders, but it’s much more than an effort by a large player to further capitalize on efficiencies of scale, though that is important.

“What makes our system unique is that our large and ongoing investments in data collection and analysis are what have allowed us to scale our business,” says Holt Tripp, DVM, MBA, director of cattle operations for GK Jim Group of Companies.

Tripp says the company has used rigorous, large-scale, field trials to better understand the biology of the animals they are feeding.

“In turn, we have been able to make consistent incremental progress that allows us to make calculated bets on how, when and where to deploy risk capital in our system,” he says. “We are not using data to describe a system that has already come to scale — we are using data to get to scale. In our minds, anything else would be putting the cart before the horse.”

It’s ironic that an offshoot of the dairy industry might be the catalyst that could drive the beef industry toward expanded use of animal ID and data capture.

“I think eventually these (beef-on-dairy) calves may be better than the average beef-on-beef animals,” Leachman says. “AI’ing millions of dairy cows is a big advantage. We get so much selection pressure. If we don’t have a data feedback loop on beef-on-beef calves, then it will be harder to keep up. If we don’t have data feedback, we won’t be able to make progress as rapidly on the most important traits. Having ID and feedback on economically relevant traits is critical.”

The closed-loop system will eventually find its way to the native beef-on-beef segment.

“Cattle feeders will likely increasingly want to adopt that sort of model,” says Nevil Speer, industry consultant based in Bowling Green, Ky. “Knowing more about the feeder cattle they purchase and subsequently also providing feedback (and payment incentives) based on cattle performance (both in the feedyard and on the rail).”

Data, of course, is the key driver. “There’s more opportunities all the time for beef producers who are willing to embrace participating in a specified supply chain,” Speer explains. “It means giving up some independence, and it requires more accountability, but ultimately willingness to do so will likely also establish new opportunity to maximize the value of genetic and management inputs made at the ranch.”

New Regulation: Dairy Cattle Entry into Nebraska Now Requires Permit Amid HPAI Bird Flu Concerns

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 19:05:58 GMT

In an effort to increase its biosecurity measures, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has issued a restriction on the importation of dairy cattle because of the recent outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu.

According to a statement issued by Governor, Jim Pillen, the new order requires all breeding female dairy cattle coming into the state to have a permit issued by the NDA first. To obtain a permit, dairy producers will need to contact the NDA and consult with their local veterinarian. The new importation order will be in place for 30 days (until April 30, 2024) and will be re-evaluated at that time.

Currently, HPAI has been detected in lactating dairy cattle in states such as Texas, New Mexico, Michigan, and Idaho, as well as Nebraska’s bordering state, Kansas.

“Animal health and disease control are essential to the livestock industry and health of Nebraska’s economy,” says Sherry Vinton, NDA director. “NDA is closely monitoring this HPAI illness in livestock. We will do what’s right to advocate for Nebraska producers, to protect the health of Nebraska livestock, and to minimize the impact HPAI will have on dairy producers in the state.”

In addition to applying for a permit to import cattle into the state, the NDA recommends dairy producers adhere to strict biosecurity practices and quarantining new animals into herds for 30 days, if possible. If dairy producers notice symptoms such as a sudden drop in milk production, changes in milk color/consistency, decreased feed intake, and other clinical signs, they should contact their herd veterinarian and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture immediately.

“The health and safety of livestock in Nebraska is top priority,” says State Veterinarian Roger Dudley, DMV. “At this time, it appears the HPAI illness found in dairy operations in some states only affects lactating dairy cows and is not being seen in other segments of the cattle industry. Now, more than ever, is the time to enhance biosecurity measures on farms and ranches to help protect livestock from illness.”

For more on HPAI, read:

New $7.2 Million Feedlot Innovation Center Breaks Ground at the University of Nebraska

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:15:28 GMT

The $7.2 million facility located at the University of Nebraska’s (UNL) Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead, Neb. has officially broken ground.

The commercial-scale, state-of-the-art feedlot will facilitate world-class research projects, teaching and extension opportunities and serve as a testbed for industry partners to see the new and emerging technologies at work.

“The Feedlot Innovation Center presents an incredible opportunity to bring together industry partners, cattle producers and UNL researchers and students to advance sustainable beef production,” says Mike Boehm, Harlan Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) and the University of Nebraska vice president for agriculture and natural resources.

(Farm Journal)

The center will include a 240-head, commercial-scale open air and covered pen feeding facility, testing new precision feeding technology, expanding research on cattle performance and welfare, while comparing different environments and housing systems, finding solutions to environmental challenges and using innovation in manure collection and management. Additionally, the new cattle handling facility and enclosed classroom will give students hands-on experience and allow for training opportunities for the future workforce of Nebraska’s beef industry.

Approved by the University of Nebraska’s Board of Regents in June of this year, the project will be funded through a combination of private donors, grants and the IANR program funds.

A pledged $700,000 was recently announced, given by the Greater Omaha Packing Co., which also recently received USDA funding to expand their Omaha facilities .

“We all have a stake in the long-term success of the beef industry,” says Henry Davis, CEO of Greater Omaha Packing Co. in a release. “In partnership with the University of Nebraska and other contributors, Greater Omaha Packing is confident that our support of the Feedlot Innovation Center will lead to groundbreaking research, technology and insights that will help advance the industry, strengthen and expand the entire supply chain and ultimately drive value back to family farms.”

Other contributors to the project include John and Beth Klosterman; JBS USA ; Farm Credit Services of America; Dennis and Glenda Boesiger; and the Klopfenstein Fund, which includes gifts from a number of alumni, colleagues and industry partners who knew and worked with Terry Klopfenstein. Daniels Manufacturing, FBI Buildings Rock Solid Concrete and others have made significant in-kind contributions, says a release.

JBS USA Gives $700,000 to Nebraska Feedlot Innovation Center

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 18:27:22 GMT

JBS USA has made a gift of $700,000 to the University of Nebraska Foundation to support the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and its plans for a new Feedlot Innovation Center near Mead.

Located at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center, the Feedlot Innovation Center will provide new capacity to develop and evaluate emerging technology used in managing animals in feedlot settings. With a state-of-the-art, commercial-scale feedlot and animal handling facility, it will be used in teaching, research and extension efforts by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The Feedlot Innovation Center has an estimated construction cost of $5 million. IANR has committed $2 million in funding, with the NU Foundation leading a $3 million private fundraising initiative. To date, nearly $2 million has been committed in private support.

“This facility will advance the university’s commitment to science-driven innovation in the development of resilient systems for food animal production,” said Michael Boehm, Harlan Vice Chancellor for IANR and NU vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “We’re grateful for the support of JBS USA and other partners who understand the far-reaching value of this new facility for advancing beef production and preparing future leaders to serve this incredibly important industry.”

Steve Cohron, president of the Fed Beef Division at JBS USA, said this project aligns with the company’s long-term commitment to the beef industry and its farmer and rancher partners in Nebraska and surrounding states. It also has the potential to unlock breakthrough technologies that will benefit American producers, the climate and the company’s net-zero pledge.

“JBS USA is excited to support the new Feedlot Innovation Center, and we believe the type of research and learning this facility will provide is imperative to ensuring a more sustainable food supply,” Cohron said. “This initiative aligns with our goal as a company to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, and we hope our investment, in partnership with the University of Nebraska and other contributors, will spur new innovations that strengthen the entire beef value chain.”

Other lead contributors who have supported the Feedlot Innovation Center project include John and Beth Klosterman of David City, who gave $500,000. The Klostermans have supported the University of Nebraska for more than 45 years. Farm Credit Services of America has given $300,000 to the project.

The Feedlot Innovation Center will include a complex with cattle comfort and research buildings, a feed technology facility, innovative open lots and an animal handling facility. It will create real-world facilities to test new precision technology, solve environmental challenges facing the feeding industry, and improve cattle performance and welfare while comparing different environments and housing systems. The project will also allow for innovation in manure collection and management that will innovate both new and possible modifications for existing operations.

The Feedlot Innovation Center will also allow students to gain hands-on experiences while being exposed to the newest research and technology.

The center is part of a larger university initiative that is aligned with the mission of IANR to produce food, fuel, feed and fiber for a growing world in a way that promotes resilience of natural resources and a high quality of life for people engaged in agriculture.

North Platte Expected To Invest In Sustainable Beef

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 19:30:47 GMT

The proposed Sustainable Beef processing plant announced for North Platte, Neb., will likely receive $1 million from the North Platte Quality Growth Fund. The funds will be in the form of a forgivable loan and will be used to help pay for the estimated $10 million cost of architectural, engineering, planning and other professional services for the facility.

According to the North Platte Bulletin, the city council will make the final decision be generally acts on the advisory board’s recommendations. The $1 million loan would be completely forgiven when the company reaches a $20 million payroll.

In March a group of Nebraska cattlemen and businessmen announced plans to build the new facility under the name Sustainable Beef LLC. The facility was described as a $300 million, 300,000-square-foot plant about a mile from Interstate 80’s Exit 179 in west-central Nebraska.

David Briggs, CEO of Sustainable Beef, said the plant will process 400,000 head per year, 100,000 of which will be cows. The Big Four packers do not process cows. He said the plant would fill a need in the beef market.

He said the plant would process 400,000 head per year, 100,000 of which will be cows. The Big Four packers do not process cows. He said the plant would fill a need in the beef market.

“Lots of people are watching to see if it is going to work,” Briggs said. “(We believe that) people will fight for this product.” The estimated costs was $236 million when the project was first conceived, but the estimate has increased to $325 million due to sharply higher costs for building materials.

He said the plant would employ 875 workers and is expected to generate another 1,000 jobs in supporting businesses. Briggs called the location ideal, within one mile of I-80 and along Newberry Road, a highway link that is expected to be expanded to four lanes in coming years.

Online Learning Opportunities from Nebraska Beef Extension

Nebraska Beef Extension has planned several online learning opportunities that cover a variety of topics. For more more information and registration visit www.beef.unl.edu .

Increasing Feed Value of Grazed Corn Residue
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. (CDT)

How to determine and adjust stocking rates
The agronomic impacts grazing has on row crop production
Developing rental agreements
Meeting nutritional needs while grazing corn residue

2025 Beef Heifer Replacement Price Forecast
Thursday, Sept. 26, Noon (CDT)

Figure what cow replacement costs might be given market volatility, futures expectations, costs, etc.
Create a reference point for producers’ operations and expectations of potential future events.
Arrive at what a reasonable value might be for a heifer/cow purchased or retained for replacement given their situation.

UNL Heifer Development Center First Year Wrap-up
Wednesday, Oct. 2, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Online or in-person at Haskell Agricultural Laboratory.
Nutritional development of beef heifers
Genetics and INHERIT Select
Great Plains Heifer Development Center Tour
ABS
Cattler Software
2024 Heifer Development project recap

Cornstalk Grazing Fundamentals, Leases and Agronomic Impacts
Tuesday, Oct. 8: Corn Residue Grazing Fundamentals
Thursday, Oct. 10: Grazing Leases, Prices and Finding and Renting Residue
Tuesday, Oct. 15: Agronomic Impacts for Grazing Corn Residue
Thursday, Oct. 17: Producer Panel – Challenges and Opportunities

Knowing, Growing and Grazing Grass
Oct. 14, 17, 21, 24, 28 & 31, 7:30 – 8:45 p.m. (CDT)

Plant identification and key grass species
Maximizing forage production and calculating stocking rates
Using the USDA Web Soil Survey to estimate the range of production, and how to adjust a grazing plan during low precipitation years.
A grazing plan, key dates for grazing management, and understanding drought risk insurance (Pasture Range and Forage- PRF)

Pasture, Rangeland, Forage Insurance for Livestock Producers
Tuesday, Oct. 24, Noon (CDT)

PRF coverage strategies, associated implications, and historical performance of PRF using examples for Nebraska grids
An overview of the PRF insurance product and performance

Leveraging Genetics to Improve Profitability
Tuesday, Nov. 4 & Thursday, Nov. 6, 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. (CDT)

Developing a breeding objective.
How to interpret and use EPD and economic selection indexes.
Hands-on bull selection exercises.
Developing a customized selection index.
Use cases for genomic tools.

Cattle Cost of Production, part of the Ag Smart Money Week series
Tuesday, Nov. 4

Calculating economic unit cost of production for the cow-calf enterprise.
Knowing what the big three categories of cost are.
Understanding the five ways to reduce unit cost of production.

Fundamentals of Feeding the Cow
Nov. 11, 14, 18 & 21, 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm

What impacts a cow’s nutrient requirements and how do they change throughout the year?
How do you read and understand a feed test analysis and feed tag? What do the numbers mean?
When comparing feed options, which is the best buy when all things are considered?
What are things to consider when developing a year-round feeding plan?