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Tag: management

Grazing Crop Residues with Excess Downed Grain

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

Jason Warner, cow-calf specialist

Each year, utilization of corn or grain sorghum residues following harvest by beef cattle represents an excellent opportunity to extend the grazing season into the winter thereby reducing the need to feed harvested forages.  This year, for various reasons, there have been reports across the state of downed grain in residue fields at levels greater than typically seen.  While it does require us to change our management approach, residue fields with high levels of grain on the surface of the field can still be grazed safely and economically. Continue reading “Grazing Crop Residues with Excess Downed Grain” →

Body Condition Scoring — A Herd Management Tool

Posted on by Angie Denton

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” →

Access workshop materials from Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle meeting

Posted on by Sandy Johnson

Beef Reproduction Task Force LogoOver 200 cattlemen, industry representatives and academia interested in increasing the reproductive efficiency of beef cattle gathered at the Ruidoso Convention Center, Ruidoso, N.M., for the 2018 Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle symposium Aug. 29-30.

The newsroom at the meeting website (appliedreprostrategies.com) provides summaries of the presentations, proceedings, audio and slides from the various speakers.  Each presentation was shared via Facebook live on the Beef Reproduction Task Force Facebook page and the Angus Journal’s Facebook page.  Take advantage of these great resources to sharpen your skills on your own time schedule.

The start of the third trimester, the most underappreciated day of the year

Posted on by Angie Denton

By Sandy Johnson, extension beef specialist

Each of us have special dates we celebrate on an annual basis — birthdays, anniversaries and other special holidays. For the cow herd, notable dates might include the start of calving or breeding season and weaning. An undervalued date in cow-calf production is the start of the third trimester.

Off the top of your head and without calculating back from calving, do you know when the third trimester starts for your replacement heifers or cows? I’m guessing it’s not on many people’s radar. If you have a March 1 calving herd  the third trimester starts for the earliest calving cows in early December.

Continue reading “The start of the third trimester, the most underappreciated day of the year” →

Tally Time: Management Minder outlines your production year

Posted on by Angie Denton

By Sandy Johnson, extension beef specialist

Technology has been developed that makes many things in our lives much easier. Some of you may remember when you were the “remote control” when your Dad was watching TV. Now, new homes have heating, alarm and lighting systems throughout that can be controlled remotely with a smart phone. Cattle producers use electronic IDs to automate many data collection activities. Computer applications seem to only be limited by our imagination.

Our beef extension educational efforts have often pointed out timely management topics. For example, now is the time to sample harvested forages and get an analysis of the quality. Some of those items would relate to time of year, while others would depend on the individual operation’s calving and breeding dates. So, while those suggestions are timely for most (we hope), they certainly do not fit everyone.

Continue reading “Tally Time: Management Minder outlines your production year” →

K-State Beef Stocker Field Day scheduled for September 21

Posted on by Angie Denton

The beef cattle outlook, early stocking strategies for optimized marketing and a panel discussion on how cover crops have helped producers improve their operations are among topics planned for the 2017 Kansas State University Beef Stocker Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 21.

The day is designed to provide the latest practical information for producers to aid decision making in the current dynamic beef industry environment.  “There will be applied information presented that attendees can apply to their operation,” says Dale Blasi, K-State Animal Sciences and Industry professor and extension specialist.

Continue reading “K-State Beef Stocker Field Day scheduled for September 21” →

Late Season Fly Control

Posted on by Angie Denton

By A.J. Tarpoff, DVM, MS, extension veterinarian

Horn flies are blood feeding flies that impact production on cattle operations. Populations of these flies tend to peak in June. The hot dry days of summer tend to decrease the overall population. However, in late August to September as the temperatures begins to decrease and humidity increases, the horn fly population tends to peak again. Continue reading “Late Season Fly Control” →

Manure Utilization – Capture the value

Posted on by Angie Denton

by Joel DeRouchey, Extension Livestock Specialist

With fall season approaching, many livestock producers will be applying solid manure to fields post-harvest.  Manure from livestock producers, both large and small, is recognized as a valuable fertilizer source.  However, it certainly involves needed equipment and labor often above that needed to apply commercial sources when considering the scraping, hauling, spreading and potential tillage incorporation into the soil. All sharp penciled livestock producers understand with the dramatic shift in fertilizer prices for nitrogen and phosphorus, the value of manure has never been higher and more economical to use as fertilizer.  With overall input costs soaring, livestock producers must utilize their manure effectively in their cropping operations and or in merchandising the manure as a potential revenue stream.

Continue reading “Manure Utilization – Capture the value” →

Cull Cows; a disappointing failure or marketing opportunity

Posted on by Angie Denton

by Justin W. Waggoner, beef systems specialist

Most cattle operators view open cows, with some degree of disappointment. However, you might be surprised at the amount of revenue that can be realized from cull cow sales. Continue reading “Cull Cows; a disappointing failure or marketing opportunity” →