K-State Research and Extension

search

Beef Tips

Customer Service Matters

Posted on by Angie Denton

by Justin Waggoner, KSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Garden City, KS

Good customer service is essential to any business or organization. It does not matter if it is a restaurant or a tow truck service, having staff members that leave customers or anyone that encounters your business with that “wow that was great” feeling directly influences the bottom line. Customer service has become more important than ever as consumers are now gathering information and making purchasing decisions based on the experiences of others reviews. Continue reading “Customer Service Matters” →

Late summer and fall insect pest control in cattle and horses

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

Cassandra Olds, extension entomologist

As we move into the latter part of the growing season, it is time to consider late summer and fall pests as well as your plans for next year. Both stable and horn fly populations tend to decline over the dry, hot part of summer but can resurge in late summer into fall if sufficient rainfall occurs. Continue reading “Late summer and fall insect pest control in cattle and horses” →

Forage Risk Management and PRF Insurance

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

Jenny Ifft, Agricultural Policy Extension Specialist

Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance is a tool for managing rainfall or drought risk. While individual producer experience varies, PRF has made substantial payouts during drought years. In 2023, producers paid an average premium of $5.11 per acre and received an average payout of $10.06 per acre. The deadline to sign up for PRF insurance for the 2025 calendar year with a crop insurance agent is December 1, 2024. Some producers may be concerned about the degree to which PRF will cover actual forage losses on their operation. This article summarizes these concerns and two approaches to considering them.   Continue reading “Forage Risk Management and PRF Insurance” →

Feedlot Heart Failure: Where are we, and what have we learned?

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

AJ Tarpoff, DVM, Extension Veterinarian

Feedlot congestive heart failure (CHF) has been recognized as a growing threat to our feedlot industry. It is important to differentiate this condition from other known causes of heart failure in cattle. Congestive heart failure is a non-infectious condition that occurs at low to moderate elevation (separating it from traditional high-altitude disease) and has observable signs such as edema (fluid) build up in the brisket area, jugular vein distension, abdominal swelling, difficulty breathing, sway back, and abducted elbows. This condition is considered 100% fatal. Continue reading “Feedlot Heart Failure: Where are we, and what have we learned?” →

How Does Moisture and Composition Affect Feedstuff Costs?

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

Jason Warner, extension cow-calf specialist

In the previous edition of KSU Beef Tips (July 2024; How Much Does Water Cost? – Beef Tips (k-state.edu)), the importance of the fundamental concept of dry matter (DM) was discussed along with how to price feedstuffs on a cost per unit of DM basis.  While understanding the impact of feedstuff DM is critical for making informed management decisions, we also must consider how differences in nutrient composition, in addition to DM, influence feedstuff cost scenarios.  Continue reading “How Does Moisture and Composition Affect Feedstuff Costs?” →

Introducing the new Kansas State Climatologist website

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

The Office of the Kansas State Climatologist, hosted by Kansas State University’s Agronomy Department, has launched an enhanced version of its website. This platform is an integrated, comprehensive resource for Kansas citizens, particularly oriented toward state agencies, farmers, and stakeholders. It provides reliable climate information to support agricultural and environmental decision-making. Continue reading “Introducing the new Kansas State Climatologist website” →

Marketing Calves

Posted on by Angie Denton

by Justin Waggoner, KSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Garden City, KS

It’s time to start thinking about our management and marketing strategies for this year’s spring calf crop. Margins in the cattle industry and agriculture are often unfortunately narrow (even with projections of record-setting high calf prices). Therefore, I would offer that maximizing calf revenue is important for cow/calf producers every year. Calf revenue from my academic perspective is driven by 3 factors, 1.) the number of calves sold, 2.) sale weight of calves and 3.) price received. Continue reading “Marketing Calves” →

Management Minute: Change

Posted on by Angie Denton

by Justin Waggoner, KSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Garden City, KS

“Change is inevitable” and often creates a sense of unease for many individuals and within an organization. As a society, we have changed how we work, how we purchase goods and services and many other things over time. Some of these changes have been small and some have been large. Why do we fear change? Change is not always bad, but experts agree that most employees within an organization express some degree of fear and resistance to change. The reality is that the fear of change within an organization is created because employees simply do not understand why the change is happening. An article in the
Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2018/10/dont-just-tell-employees-organizational-changes-are-coming-explain-why offers suggestions on communicating change in the workplace.

  • Keep employees informed with regular communications. Communication is essential to successfully navigating change. Communication should be clear and consistent and focus on the purpose of the change (the why).
  • Empower leaders and managers to lead and model the change. Leaders and managers often face more pressure/resistance from employees than administration. Providing managers with additional training or resources equips them to drive and model the change.
  • Involve employees in the change. Employees must take ownership of the change for it to be successful. Creating ways for employees to provide feedback and engage them in the process makes employees more likely to support the change.

How Much Does Water Cost?

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

Jason Warner, extension cow-calf specialist

Mark Twain has often been credited with the infamous statement “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.”.  While applicability of this quote varies based on the context with which it is used, it highlights the fact that water is a precious and valuable resource.  Just as we pay for bottled water at the convenience store, we pay for water when we purchase and/or harvest feedstuffs for beef cattle.  This is an important concept to keep in mind as nearly every feedstuff commonly used in nutrition programs for beef cattle, with the exception of pure forms of some minerals and vitamins, can and will gain or lose moisture depending on harvesting, processing, and storage conditions. Continue reading “How Much Does Water Cost?” →

Farmers and Ranchers at an Increased Risk of Skin Cancer

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

When outdoors for work or play, it’s important to protect yourself and loved ones from harmful rays which can increase your risk of skin cancer and premature aging.

Ashley Svaty, Family and Consumer Sciences specialist with K-State Western Kansas Research and Extension Center in Hays and one of the authors of “Protect Your Skin from the Sun”, notes that “One in five Americans will develop skin cancer, which is the world’s most common cancer, and farmers, ranchers, and outdoor workers are exposed to 2-3 times more radiation than indoor workers.” Nearly 20 Americans die every day from melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Continue reading “Farmers and Ranchers at an Increased Risk of Skin Cancer” →