Dr. Emma Briggs is the new Beef Production Systems Scientist (70% research and 30% extension) and assistant professor at the Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center in Hays, Kansas. In this role, she collaborates with range scientists and agronomists, leveraging a cow herd and feedlot to conduct applied research that directly supports Kansas cattle producers. Continue reading “Briggs joins the Western Kansas Agricultural Research and Extension Centers as Beef Production Systems Scientist”
Category: November 2024
Considerations for Replacement Heifer Management
Sandy Johnson, extension beef specialist, Colby
Heifer development is an expensive enterprise for which the return on investment does not begin until the first calf is weaned. The management decisions made during that development period can have a major impact on her productive lifespan and correspondingly cow herd profitability. Costs of production continue to increase and are one of several items of consideration when producers are making plans for raising or purchasing replacement females. Continue reading “Considerations for Replacement Heifer Management”
Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems Lecture
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”
Making the Most of Grazing Grain Sorghum Residue
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”
Johne’s Disease: No Longer Just a Dairy Disease!
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!”
Body Condition Scoring — A Herd Management Tool
by Justin Waggoner, KSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Garden City, KS
Body Condition Scoring is one of the most valuable management tools at the disposal of the cattle manager. The number associated with a condition score gives us a direct indication of a cow’s previous plane of nutrition and future
reproductive capability. Although the individual body condition scores are important. We don’t manage individual cows, we manage groups of cows. Thus, it is important for us to look beyond the individual scores and look at the distribution of body condition scores within the herd. Continue reading “Body Condition Scoring — A Herd Management Tool”
