Category: Stockmanship

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.

Education, change: Beneficial discomforts

Date: Mar 26 2019

A cowman’s response to the ebb and flow of the industry is entirely up to the individual – but a choice is imminent. That’s why Dusty Abney, cow-calf and stocker nutritionist for Cargill Animal Nutrition, called out a few of the areas where producers have had to adapt through the years: volatile markets and regulations for starters.

Decide sooner

Date: Feb 06 2019

While many of you are in sire buying mode this time of year, more are deciding whether this year’s bull calves retain the ability to become sires. Castration at birth is ideal, but catching them on day one can be a challenge in extensive operations. Castration at branding or turnout offers a balance between handling ease and minimizing calf stress.

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.

Blockchain for the beef chain

Date: Nov 13 2018

The IBM brand isn’t often associated with the cattle business. But that may change, thanks to the tech giant’s IBM Food Trust and its use of blockchain. That’s just what it sounds like: blocks of information that form a chain, linked via Internet to allow information sharing that is seamless, efficient and secure.

News Release: Mother Nature, mother cows and marbling

Date: Nov 17 2017

No farmer or rancher is immune from the challenges of nature, but some cow herds are better at adapting than others.

Precision for modern cattle

Date: Aug 30 2017

Every number has a story: 32 million

Date: Nov 14 2015

But the thing about a bad drought year(s) is that it’s met with quite the celebratory rain dance when moisture decides to make its mark.

Following the calves: A success story in the making

Date: Oct 31 2015

It’s become a running joke in the Evert family that ranches near Brady, Neb.: The first year Virginia was at the clipboard during preg-checking time, mysteriously all the wild cows came up “open.”