Kansas State University beef extension specialists hosted a series of producer-oriented webinars this spring to address cattle production challenges amid ongoing drought throughout Kansas. If you missed the live events, recordings are now available on KSUBeef.org.
Keith Harmoney, rangeland scientist at the Agricultural Research Center in Continue reading “Spring 2023 Webinars Available on Your Schedule”
What is Annual Forage Insurance?
Annual Forage (AF) insurance is a rainfall index product for annual crops produced for forage.[1] AF insures against reduced forage yield due to less precipitation than normal. When rainfall falls below a set amount, a payout or indemnity is made. Precipitation (rainfall) is measured locally, in an approximately 14×16 mile area called a “grid”. A producer selects the months (intervals), weight (importance) of months, and % precipitation (coverage level) they want to insure for. Continue reading “Annual Forage Insurance: New Policy Options and 2022 Performance”
Kansas State University and the Kansas Livestock Association have planned two field days to help cow-calf producers enhance their management strategies.
KLA/K-State Ranch Management Field Days are set for Aug. 10, 2023, hosted by Mushrush Red Angus of Strong City, KS, and Aug. 17 hosted by Carpenter Cattle Company of Brewster, KS. Continue reading “KLA/KSU Ranch Management Field Days Planned for August”
by Helen Giefer, ASI graduate student with KC Olson, ruminant nutritionist
While Caucasian and yellow bluestem – collectively referred to as old-world bluestems – continue to spread across the state of Kansas, promising new research may provide landowners with new hope for controlling the invasive species. Upon the discovery that late-summer prescribed fire (August 1 to September 21) successfully set back yellow bluestem, a similar study is now underway for Cacausian bluestem. Continue reading “Summer Burning Reduces Caucasian Bluestem Frequency”
Justin Waggoner, Ph.D., Beef Systems Specialist, Garden City
Weaning is our opportunity as cattle producers to prepare calves for the next phase of the beef production cycle. Regardless of if it is an early-weaned calf (less than 180 days of age), or an older calf. The goal of weaning is to produce a healthy calf that is comfortable without its dam, readily consumes feed and has successfully acclimated to a new environment. The primary barriers to this goal are the stressors experienced during weaning which are: 1) maternal separation 2) a new environment 3) unfamiliar feedstuffs and 4) reduced immune function resulting from the aforementioned stressors. There are several different management practices that may be implemented on an operation, depending on the resources available to more effectively prepare calves for weaning. A few of these practices are listed below. Continue reading “Feeding and Managing (Early) Weaned Calves”
Cassandra Olds, extension entomologist
The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is common tick found in Kansas which takes two years to complete development from egg to reproductive adult. Much of this time is spent off the animal host, sheltered in leaf litter particularly in shrubby areas. These areas provide a humid microcosm fundamental for tick survival. Prescribed or controlled burns are carried out to improve a number of rangeland conditions such as weed suppression and improve forage quality. Continue reading “Impact of Seasonal Rangeland Burning for Early Season Tick Control”
