Unl Beefwatch

Principles and practices to help ensure success are discussed.

Limit feeding corn to cows prior to and after calving as an option to stretch hay supplies is discussed.

Management strategies to monitor and treat the calf experiencing hypothermia are discussed.

Oats, triticale, barley and forage peas planted in late March and April can provide forage for grazing, hay and silage in late May and June.

Cow nutrient requirements increase quickly in the last trimester of pregnancy and peak 60 days after calving. Strategies to meet this need are discussed.

Hybrid rye is showing advantadges to open pollinated varieties in yield and also in being less susceptible to ergot fungal infections. This opens up new opportunities to utilize this grain in cattle diets.

Ranch ownership goals, available resoures, quality of life along with long term sustainability and profit are all pieces of the framework that should be considered when developing production systems.

Understanding how and why hardware disease occurs can be helpful in both recognizing and preventing it.

The percentage of heifers on feed as well as the percentage of feeder cattle sold all point to a declining cow herd in the US.

Annual cow costs, replacement rate, interest expense and expected market prices all impact what a producer can afford to purchase a bred replacement heifer and be profitable.

Benefits of windbreaks as well as ideas for design and application are discussed.

Production agriculture has one of the higher rates of suicides among occupations. Resources and options for connecting people to help are discussed.

Several years of research at Kansas State has shown the advantages of limit fed, energy dense diets for growing cattle.

Appropriate stocking rate, when protien and energy supplement is needed, as well as simple ways to evaluate the quality of grazing available are discussed.

Cold, windy and wet conditions increase the energy that cattle need to maintain their body temperature. Management strategies to mitigate the impacts of cold stress are discussed.

When evaluating leases or estate plans, understanding the mindset of other people involved can bring context to the process and help preserve relationships.

Looking at the relationship between value of gain and cost of gain can provide valuable insights on opportunities and risk management for those growing cattle through the winter.

Drought conditions may impact not only cow body condition, but vitamin and mineral status going into calving, influencing calf vigor and health.

Knowing the quality of the hay as well as potential problems that could come in with hay is important. Key things to pay attention to are discussed.

Silage harvested to wet is at greater risk for clostridial fermentation that significantly reduces quality. Silage harvested to dry is at greater risk for mold and yeast growth which can produce toxins that can impact cattle health. Test at risk silages to identify potential problems and determine management options.