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Beef Tips

Category: July 2021

Maximizing the value of your harvested forages: Considerations on proper storage of round bales

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

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” →

Managing Pinkeye During Summer Months

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

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” →

Managing Feed Costs this Fall

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

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” →

Value Captured from Improved Production Practices: What does the sale data say?

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

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?” →