Objective:The objective of our experiment was to determine if bunk allotments of 6, 10, 14, or 18 in per head in pens containing 18 to 28 head impacts growth performance of growing calves limit-fed a high-energy diet based on corn and corn co-products. Continue reading “Restricting Bunk Space Allotments to 6 or 10 Inches has Minimal Impact on Growth Performance in Limit-Fed Receiving Cattle”
Effects of Dietary Energy Concentration and Feed Intake on Growth Performance of Newly Received Growing Cattle Fed Diets Based on Corn and Corn Co-Products
Objective:This study’s focus was to evaluate if feeding equal amounts of energy from a high-energy limit-fed diet has an effect on growth performance of growing beef cattle when compared to traditional high-roughage ad libitum diets. Continue reading “Effects of Dietary Energy Concentration and Feed Intake on Growth Performance of Newly Received Growing Cattle Fed Diets Based on Corn and Corn Co-Products”
Focus on Feedlots: Cattle Performance in 2023
The K-State Focus on Feedlots is a monthly publication that summarizes feedlot performance and closeout data from cooperating commercial cattle feeding operations in Kansas. Each year, I summarize the data from the monthly reports, in an effort to document annual fed cattle performance and cost of gain. The tables below summarizes the average performance and closeout data reported for steers and heifers in 2023.
The monthly reports from the K-State Focus on Feedlots may be
accessed at https://www.asi.k-state.edu/about/newsletters/focus-on-feedlots/ or if you wish to subscribe to the monthly email distribution list please email jwaggon@ksu.edu.
For more information, contact Justin Waggoner at jwaggon@ksu.edu
Cultivating Better Conversations
In today’s fast-paced culture everyone is busy and all those distractions can make it difficult to connect with co-workers, clients and even family members. We have all had those conversations where we weren’t really listening to the person speaking or where you got the distinct impression that you were not really being heard.
So, what can you do to become a better listener and cultivate better conversations? One of the suggestions I recently came across regarding “active listening” and building connections is the use of open-ended, emotion-
based questions. For example, when meeting new people, we often ask simple fact-based questions such as “When did you come to work for company X?” However, what if you posed the question “Why did come to work for company X?” The latter question likely leads to much deeper answer than the first and then follow-up with “What do you like most about your current position?” We have numerous opportunities to practice asking deeper questions throughout our day. It’s common to ask our children “How was school today?” which typically
results in a simple answer of “fine” or “good.” However, if the question becomes “What was the best thing about school today?” the standard one-word answer no longer applies and the conversation now has more depth.
Cultivating better conversations isn’t difficult but it does require increased awareness of the questions we ask and practice.
Management Considerations for July 2024
Cow Herd Management
For spring-calving cow herds:
- Score cows for BCS concurrent with grass growth.
- 2-4 year old females and thin females will respond most to early-weaning.
- If you plan to early-wean:
Develop your plan for feeding and marketing calves.
Prepare weaning/receiving pens and waterers in advance.
If feeding early-weaned calves, test your forages and have your ration plan and ingredients in place 2-3 weeks prior to weaning. - Schedule early pregnancy checking activities if not already done.
For late-summer and early-fall calving cow herds:
- Evaluate cows for BCS and adjust your plan to ensure mature cows are ≥ 5.0 and 2-4 year old females are ≥ 6.0 at calving.
- The final 60 days prior to calving represents the last opportunity to add BCS economically.
- Review your calving health protocols as needed.
Closely manage free-choice salt and mineral programs.
- Record date and amount of salt and mineral offered and calculate herd consumption on a pasture or group basis.
- Adjust how you are offering product to cattle if needed to achieve target intake.
- If consumption is 2X the target intake, then cost will be too!
- Properly store bags and pallets to avoid damage and product loss.
Continue to monitor bulls and their activity throughout the breeding season.
- Monitor BCS, particularly on young bulls.
- If pulling bulls from cows to manage the length of the breeding season, schedule those dates and have them on the calendar in advance.
- If bulls are BCS ≤ 5.0 after breeding, consider supplementing to regain BCS going into fall.
Calf Management
- If creep feeding calves, closely monitor intake and calf condition/fleshiness.
- Monitor calves for summer respiratory illness.
- Schedule any pre-weaning vaccination or processing activities.
General Management
- Visit KSUBeef.org for info and events!
- Evaluate grass growth and adjust your grazing plan as needed.
- Continue efforts to control invasive species in pastures.
- Employ multiple strategies, chemistries for late-season fly/insect control.
- Begin taking inventory of harvested forages for fall feed needs.
- If planning to harvest corn silage, prepare your pile/bunker site and equipment.
- Use the Management Minder tool on KSUBeef.org to plan key management activities for your cow herd for the rest of the year
https://cowweb.exnet.iastate.edu/CowWeb/faces/Index.jsp. - With high feeder calf prices, consider price risk management tools.
- Visit with your local FSA and extension office if you plan to utilize CRP acres for emergency forage use or other assistance programs.
K-State Releases Guidelines for On-Farm Alternative Water Sources
MANHATTAN, Kan. – A team of Kansas State University watershed specialists have revised a publication with tips on how to safeguard the state’s water resources while providing grazing animals with the water they need. Continue reading “K-State Releases Guidelines for On-Farm Alternative Water Sources”
Top 10 Things to Keep in Mind with Free Choice Minerals
Jason Warner, extension cow-calf specialist
Minerals and vitamins are a very challenging aspect of beef cattle nutrition. This is mostly because plant mineral and vitamin precursor levels are influenced by many factors including soils, water, and forage growing conditions. As such, mineral plans can and do vary significantly from one operation to the next. Regardless of the specifics of your program, the following are my top 10 most important things to keep in mind with free choice minerals. Continue reading “Top 10 Things to Keep in Mind with Free Choice Minerals”
How Does Estrus Synchronization Work?
Sandy Johnson, extension beef specialist, Colby
As we go through each breeding season, questions arise about changes, intentional or otherwise, regarding various synchronization protocols. What if I gave X rather than Y, or did something on day W rather than day Z; will it matter? In order to understand how estrus synchronization works and the importance of what happens in each step, a basic understanding of the tools used and how they influence the components of the estrous cycle is needed. Continue reading “How Does Estrus Synchronization Work?”
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detections in Livestock
AJ Tarpoff, DVM, Extension Veterinarian
News reports and updates have been published over the past several weeks about the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) impacting dairy herds in several states. Investigations are ongoing and information continues to surface about this evolving situation. To stay up to date on the current scenario, USDA has created a landing page that can be found here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock Continue reading “Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detections in Livestock”
Managing Drought Risk with Annual Forage Insurance
Jenny Ifft, Agricultural Policy Extension Specialist
Nearly all of Kansas is currently experiencing abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions. For producers who grow annual crops for the purpose of feeding cattle or other livestock, Annual Forage Insurance (AFI) is a tool to manage drought risk. Continue reading “Managing Drought Risk with Annual Forage Insurance”
