In case you missed it, the recording of the 2024 Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems Lecture by Peer Ederer, Founder and Director of the Global Observatory for Accurate Livestock Sciences is now available. His talk was entitled Scientific Evidence Behind the Role of Livestock and Meat Production in a Global Society
Continue reading “Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems Lecture”
Jason Warner, extension cow-calf specialist
Fall is a wonderful season for agriculture and a time to, hopefully, reap the bounty of the year’s production. With grain harvest, weaning calves, and pregnancy checking all in full swing, combine that with a little Wildcat football and volleyball and there’s no shortage of things to do. If producers have access to crop residue fields following grain harvest, then preparing to turn cattle out to graze such acres is one task that deserves to be near the top of the priority list. Grain sorghum or milo residue represents an excellent opportunity to extend the grazing season into the winter thereby reducing the need to feed harvested forages. However, there are several important management considerations that need to be kept in mind with grazing sorghum residue. Continue reading “Making the Most of Grazing Grain Sorghum Residue”
By Gregg Hanzlicek, DVM, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
In a 2017 USDA NAHMS survey, cow-calf producers were asked about their knowledge of Johne’s disease. Over 70% reported “never hearing of it” or “recognized the name, but not much else”. Veterinarians have been discussing Johne’s disease with dairy producers for many years. This is not true concerning cow-calf producers.
Johne’s disease (pronounced Yo-knees) was first discovered in the U.S. in 1908. It is caused by a bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, known as MAP. In cattle and small ruminants, this organism causes chronic, non-treatable bowel disease. Continue reading “Johne’s Disease: No Longer Just a Dairy Disease!”
Cassandra Olds, extension entomologist
As we move into the latter part of the growing season, it is time to consider late summer and fall pests as well as your plans for next year. Both stable and horn fly populations tend to decline over the dry, hot part of summer but can resurge in late summer into fall if sufficient rainfall occurs. Continue reading “Late summer and fall insect pest control in cattle and horses”
Jenny Ifft, Agricultural Policy Extension Specialist
Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance is a tool for managing rainfall or drought risk. While individual producer experience varies, PRF has made substantial payouts during drought years. In 2023, producers paid an average premium of $5.11 per acre and received an average payout of $10.06 per acre. The deadline to sign up for PRF insurance for the 2025 calendar year with a crop insurance agent is December 1, 2024. Some producers may be concerned about the degree to which PRF will cover actual forage losses on their operation. This article summarizes these concerns and two approaches to considering them. Continue reading “Forage Risk Management and PRF Insurance”
AJ Tarpoff, DVM, Extension Veterinarian
Feedlot congestive heart failure (CHF) has been recognized as a growing threat to our feedlot industry. It is important to differentiate this condition from other known causes of heart failure in cattle. Congestive heart failure is a non-infectious condition that occurs at low to moderate elevation (separating it from traditional high-altitude disease) and has observable signs such as edema (fluid) build up in the brisket area, jugular vein distension, abdominal swelling, difficulty breathing, sway back, and abducted elbows. This condition is considered 100% fatal. Continue reading “Feedlot Heart Failure: Where are we, and what have we learned?”
Jason Warner, extension cow-calf specialist
In the previous edition of KSU Beef Tips (July 2024; How Much Does Water Cost? – Beef Tips (k-state.edu)), the importance of the fundamental concept of dry matter (DM) was discussed along with how to price feedstuffs on a cost per unit of DM basis. While understanding the impact of feedstuff DM is critical for making informed management decisions, we also must consider how differences in nutrient composition, in addition to DM, influence feedstuff cost scenarios. Continue reading “How Does Moisture and Composition Affect Feedstuff Costs?”
The Office of the Kansas State Climatologist, hosted by Kansas State University’s Agronomy Department, has launched an enhanced version of its website. This platform is an integrated, comprehensive resource for Kansas citizens, particularly oriented toward state agencies, farmers, and stakeholders. It provides reliable climate information to support agricultural and environmental decision-making. Continue reading “Introducing the new Kansas State Climatologist website”
Jason Warner, extension cow-calf specialist
Mark Twain has often been credited with the infamous statement “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.”. While applicability of this quote varies based on the context with which it is used, it highlights the fact that water is a precious and valuable resource. Just as we pay for bottled water at the convenience store, we pay for water when we purchase and/or harvest feedstuffs for beef cattle. This is an important concept to keep in mind as nearly every feedstuff commonly used in nutrition programs for beef cattle, with the exception of pure forms of some minerals and vitamins, can and will gain or lose moisture depending on harvesting, processing, and storage conditions. Continue reading “How Much Does Water Cost?”
When outdoors for work or play, it’s important to protect yourself and loved ones from harmful rays which can increase your risk of skin cancer and premature aging.
Ashley Svaty, Family and Consumer Sciences specialist with K-State Western Kansas Research and Extension Center in Hays and one of the authors of “Protect Your Skin from the Sun”, notes that “One in five Americans will develop skin cancer, which is the world’s most common cancer, and farmers, ranchers, and outdoor workers are exposed to 2-3 times more radiation than indoor workers.” Nearly 20 Americans die every day from melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Continue reading “Farmers and Ranchers at an Increased Risk of Skin Cancer”