Category: Research

Fetus to feedyard

Date: Aug 12 2019

This isn’t a research topic you’d find at the middle-school science fair. It’s so new, research is just beginning to explore this 16-letter term for immune cells sharing nutrients with major organs: immunometabolism. So far, there are still more questions than answers.

Summer quality spreads impress

Date: Jul 31 2019

Hear the market update, recent docility research and unseasonal quality spreads from the brand’s Paul Dykstra.

Plan, monitor and cool it

Date: Jul 31 2019

It’s a hot topic every summer.
“Heat stress is the largest impediment to efficient animal agriculture,” said Rob Rhoads, Virginia Tech. He presented with University of California-Davis colleague Frank Mitloehner for a symposium on the topic at the American Society of Animal Scientists annual meeting in July.

Efficient, high-marbling beef

Date: Jul 15 2019

Research by UGA animal scientist shows efficiency and marbling traits are not correlated. This is good news for cattlemen.

Promising efficiency and marbling results

Date: Jul 12 2019

Paul Dykstra gives inside market updates for the shifting cattle prices. Research shows efficiency and marbling traits in cattle are not related and is good for cattlemen.

In the long run

Date: Apr 29 2019

’Tis the season to think about parasites robbing your beef cow herd. The weather is finally warmer, the bugs and other little things are crawling all over. But what about those you can’t see? Recent estimates put annual losses from internal parasites at $200 per cow-calf pair, so it’s no surprise many research studies say controlling them offers one of the best returns on investment in the business.

The cost and value of quality

Date: Mar 12 2019

Always eating for two

Date: Mar 05 2019

How many months out of a year is a mother cow just eating for herself? Hopefully none.

Matching cow herd needs to overall goals

Date: Jan 23 2019

Control what you can and deal with the rest. Cattlemen can’t stop drought or hurricanes, but they can set their herd up to be successful during “everyday” challenges. “We can manage their feed. We can manage their health protocol. We can’t manage their stress,” said Kelly Sanders, Westway Feed Products. “From my feed standpoint, how do I mitigate that problem the best I can?”

Calving seasons of the mind

Date: Jan 08 2019

Winter came early for much of cow-calf country, and now calving season is at the gate. Even those who call it “spring calving” often start in January, but if you’re not out checking a heifer, this is a good time of year to catch up on reading. Calving dates and “housing” options for the herd were explored in a 2019 Nebraska Beef Report article by Terry Klopfenstein and others, who evaluated March, June, or August calving dates on the range, or two July calving systems in year-round confinement or in semi-confinement with grazed corn stalks from fall to April weaning.