A look at the future and latest research highlight this year’s agenda
MANHATTAN, Kan. – What has worked and what to see in the future, beef cattle outlook, starting newly arrived calves on feed, and the comparison of multiple castration methods in stocker cattle are among topics planned for the 2021 Kansas State University Beef Stocker Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 30. Continue reading “22nd K-State Beef Stocker Field Day scheduled for Sept. 30”
The National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium (NBCEC) Education Committee along with the eBEEF.org team have revised and published the 3rd edition of the NBCEC Sire Selection Manual (https://ebeef.ucdavis.edu/2021-nbcec-beef-cattle-sire-selection-manual). Continue reading “Updated Sire Selection Manual Available”
by Dale Blasi, Stocker, Forages, Nutrition and Management specialist and Jaymelynn Farney, Beef Systems Specialist, Parsons
Harvesting forages for future use during the winter feeding period or during periods of drought represents a significant cost outlay for cattle operations. Previous research conducted at KSU suggests that large round bales composed of Wheat or Sudan hay can incur feed waste of up to 25% of a bale’s weight when unrolled. Much of this loss can be attributed to factors associated with delayed harvest (reduced forage quality) and/or improper storage techniques prior to feeding. Continue reading “Maximizing the value of your harvested forages: Considerations on proper storage of round bales”
by A.J. Tarpoff, DVM, MS, Beef Extension Veterinarian
Pinkeye (Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis) can be a costly disease for cattle producers during the summer and early fall in Kansas. Understanding the cause, signs, treatment, and prevention of this disease can go a long way in reducing pain and discomfort for the cattle as well as help the productivity of the cattle operation.
Cause: Pinkeye is a multifactorial disease that is often initiated by direct irritation to the cornea followed by bacteria invading the lesion. Moraxella bovis has long been considered the key pathogen in pinkeye cases, however, other bacteria such as Moraxella bovoculi, Mycoplasma bovis, and Mycoplasma bovoculi have been implicated as well. Factors that can contribute to the disease are as follows: Continue reading “Managing Pinkeye During Summer Months”
by Justin Waggoner, Beef Systems Specialist, Garden City
The increased commodity prices we are currently experiencing have many cattle producers considering the costs associated with their feeding and management programs for weaning calves this fall. Here are a few tips that might aid cost conscientious producers. Continue reading “Managing Feed Costs this Fall”
By Sandy Johnson, Extension Beef Specialist, Colby
Weaning time is still a way off for many producers but it is never too early to think about your marketing strategy for those calves. A variety of factors influence the value of a given lot of calves and while many of those factors are known, the magnitude of differences is harder to pinpoint. For several years, KSU Animal Science and Industry faculty and graduate students have been part of a team studying a large data set from Superior Video Auctions. You may have viewed some of those individual reports in previous issues of BeefTips. To easily search the findings of this research, this article has compiled each report by topic. Continue reading “Value Captured from Improved Production Practices: What does the sale data say?”
by Dale Blasi, stocker, forages, nutrition and management specialist
Pasture and supplemental feed inputs represent the lion’s share of a beef producer’s annual expenses and are an ideal starting place for initiating hard-nosed cost control measures. When environmental variation is combined with ever-changing animal nutrient requirements and pasture quality indices, lower feed costs represent a moving target that can only be bulls-eyed with appropriate planning and constant evaluation. An excellent starting place for many operations intent on maximizing return on investment is an evaluation of the existing pasture mineral supplement program. Continue reading “Mineral intake and variability: Run the numbers”
by Walt Fick, Extension Rangeland Specialist
Drought in the Great Plains is a normal occurrence and inevitable. Drought occurs when an area receives less than 75% normal precipitation. Kansas is likely to have a drought 3 out of 10 years. When 2021 began, over 81% of the state was experiencing some level of drought. In the last report from the U.S. Drought Monitor (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu), only western Kansas, or about 36% of the state, was experiencing abnormally dry to severe drought conditions (Figure 1). Continue reading “Ranch management and drought monitoring”
By Joel DeRouchey, Environmental Management Specialist
To provide protection for cows and calves during the winter and early spring months, temporary feeding sites are often used. While these sites can be used effectively, manure accumulation occurs in the areas around where they are fed over those months. There are several reasons for cleaning the manure from these sites but the most important is to lower the impact of nutrient and fecal bacteria runoff to surface water and reducing stable fly production. Continue reading “Clean winter feeding sites to reduce stable fly pressure”
By Sandy Johnson, Extension Beef Specialist, Colby
The timing and length of the breeding season are typically set and not reviewed on an annual basis. However, things can change over time and the range of weather conditions we have experienced in the past several months give us other reasons to re-visit those plans. Continue reading “Tally Time – Thoughts on the upcoming spring breeding season”
