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Beef Tips

Category: May 2019

Avoid a winter hangover this breeding season

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

by Sandy Johnson, extension beef specialist, Colby

Winter has been long and difficult.  Cold and wet weather increased energy demands. Cows could be thinner than normal after calving and winter conditions could have negatively influenced bull fertility as well.  Hopefully, weather will support good forage growth this spring but that remains an unknown for now.  Monitoring breeding activity and use of timely pregnancy detection are risk management tools that should be used routinely but are especially important given the recent weather challenges. Continue reading “Avoid a winter hangover this breeding season” →

Improve cow condition with earlier than normal weaning

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

by Justin Waggoner, extension beef systems specialist, Garden City

Although it may seem a little too early to think about weaning. Early weaning may be one of the management tools that beef cattle producers may need to consider using this fall. The recent winter weather conditions have resulted in cows and replacement females that may be lacking body condition coming into the grazing and breeding season. Continue reading “Improve cow condition with earlier than normal weaning” →

Spring cleaning of winter feeding sites important

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

by Joel DeRouchey, environmental management

The winter of 2018-2019 is one that producers will want to soon forget.  In many parts of Kansas, extended cold periods with excess moisture in the form of snow and rain caused significant surface and drainage “damage” to confined pen surfaces. Additionally, many producers utilized higher than normal amounts of bedding for calving areas and in pens for confined cattle to have a dry area to rest and reduce their environmental stress. However, this additional bedding material also now must be removed when cleaning pens or calving areas. Continue reading “Spring cleaning of winter feeding sites important” →

Symposium on Bovine Anaplasmosis to be hosted by K-State College of Veterinary Medicine

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine will host its second Symposium on Anaplasmosis May 20, 2019 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan, Kansas.

The producer-oriented workshop will highlight the current state of anaplasmosis in the U.S. with an emphasis on Kansas beef cattle. The workshop will feature presentations by national experts on the economic impact of anaplasmosis, prevalence of anaplasmosis, anaplasmosis diagnostic considerations, anaplasmosis treatment and prevention, and the Veterinary Feed Directive. Continue reading “Symposium on Bovine Anaplasmosis to be hosted by K-State College of Veterinary Medicine” →