Filling Spring and Early Summer Forage Gaps Webinar March 16
Many cow/calf producers are short on hay and hoping for an early spring. This webinar will discuss some options for getting lactating cows fed until pasture is ready.
Spanish:Scheduling Early Breeding Soundness Exams for Bulls due to Extreme Winter Conditions
Nebraska and much of the Great Plains have experienced above normal snowfall coupled with extremely cold temperatures and high winds resulting in -20 to -60° F wind chills this winter. Extreme cold can result in frostbite to extremities in cattle including the testicles, which in turn can have a negative impact on spermatogenesis.
Spanish:Nebraska BQA Nearly Sweeps National BQA Awards
This year, the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program was the highlight of the Closing General Session “A BQA Celebration” at the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention.
Since 2009, the National BQA program has utilized the National BQA awards to recognized cattle producers across the nation for their BQA achievements. The program recognizes producers and operations from the following sectors: cow-calf, feedyard, marketer, and dairy. Additionally, the educator award recognizes an individual who has been dedicated to the BQA program throughout their career.
Spanish:To Pave or Not to Pave? A Slippery-Slope…
Cattle operations in many areas have had to manage their animals through significant snowfall that led to muddy conditions in holding areas, walk lanes, feedyard pens, and other high-traffic locations. Poor performance, health challenges, and generally undesirable conditions for man and beast often followed.
Spanish:What does the Drought of 2022 mean for Lactating Pairs in the Spring of 2023?
As of February, Nebraska remains in drought conditions despite much of the state receiving significant snowfall in December and January (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/). The soil moisture profile is in a deficit due to months of below normal precipitation the last couple of years, which will have an impact on grass growth this spring.
Spanish:Nebraska Extension Seeking Producer Input on Mineral Supplementation Practices and Research and Education Needs
Nebraska Extension is looking to gather more information on cow-calf producers’ mineral supplementation practices. To better establish research and educational resource needs for beef cattle producers, Nebraska Extension has released a producer needs assessment survey targeting cow-calf producers.
Spanish:Getting More Out of Fall Forage Cover Crops: Is Strip Grazing Worth It?
Nebraska Extension will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, March 23rd at 7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. MT to share the results of on-farm research at 5 locations across Nebraska over two years evaluating the value of strip grazing cover crops. The webinar will include producer perspectives on balancing labor needed and increasing harvest efficiency. Register for the webinar at go.unl.edu/stripgrazing.
This project was made possible by funding from Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE).
Spanish:Manejo, Salud y Consideraciones Nutricionales para el Destete de Terneros
Preparación para la Temporada de Partos
Manejo de Hipotermia en Terneros Recién Nacidos
Extension to Host Risk Management Workshop for Cattle Producers in Ord
Nebraska Extension will host a price risk management workshop for cattle producers in Ord from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 23, at the Valley County Extension Office, 801 "S" Street, Suite 1, on the fairgrounds. Cattle producers will learn strategies designed to reduce risk exposure to achieve a profitable outcome in uncertain times.
Current issues facing the cattle industry will be discussed to help producers to make more informed decisions facing the industry.
Spanish:Prepararse para el Transporte de Ganado Ahorra Tiempo, Dinero y Estrés
Cow Nutrition Considerations at Calving and Early Lactation
This article was originally featured in Progressive Cattle.
Spanish:How Much Pasture do I Need and What are AUMs?
Determining how much pasture is needed for summer grazing can be difficult. There are many factors that affect pasture productivity including current year precipitation amounts and timing and previous year growing season’s conditions. The drought conditions that much of the U.S. experienced last year limited the amount of energy plants were able to store, especially if they were heavily grazed. It is important to consider this when developing a grazing plan for this year. This will aide in understanding how to set stocking rates and prevent further damage.
Spanish:Winter Tick
Winter has been much colder than last year. The colder temperatures enhance “Winter Tick” survival. Yes, we do have a tick species in Nebraska that is very active during winter, and it can impact livestock. Over the last 10 years I have received numerous tick specimens in January, February, and March. All specimens were removed from horses. Now is the time to carefully examine horses for the winter tick.
Spanish:Sire Selection FAQs
Given bull sale season is underway, addressing a few Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) might prove helpful as you begin to consider what bull(s) to buy this spring and the tools you use to select them.
1. I keep my own replacement heifers but also retain ownership on cattle through the feedyard. How can I keep cow weight down but ensure that hot carcass weights do not go down?
Spanish:Limit Feeding Cows Corn as an Alternative to Hay
The lack of forage due to drought and current hay prices have producers considering alternative options for feeding cows this winter. One competitive option to consider is replacing some hay in the diet with corn. Since corn has a higher energy content than hay, the cost of feeding hay is often higher than corn on a price per pound of energy basis. For example, corn priced at $6.76/bushel ($241/ton) with a total digestible nutrients (TDN) value of 88% equates to approximately $0.16 per pound of TDN while hay priced at $205/ton with a TDN value of 52% is nearly $0.22 per pound of TDN.
Spanish:Additional Calculating Annual Cow Costs Webinar Series to be Offered: February 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4
Due to demand, a second webinar series on calculating annual cow costs will be offered starting in late February and running through early April. Being able to calculate and know total cow costs is foundational for evaluating and making management decisions that can improve profitability for a cow-calf enterprise. Significant increases in input costs are challenging producers to examine cost of production and identify where there may be opportunities to adjust the production system.
Spanish:Preparing for the Calving Season
1. Pay attention to nutrition needs of bred heifers or cows prior to calving.
Adequate body condition at the time of calving for young females and mature cows is important as it impacts stamina during delivery of the calf, colostrum quality, calf vigor, and also impacts subsequent rebreeding.
Spanish:Managing Hypothermia in Newborn Calves
Plans for calving season should include how to identify and manage cold stress in newborns. In the 2007 National Animal Health Monitoring System report, 25.6% of operations reported weather as the main cause for death in calves less than 3 weeks old. Preventing hypothermia is vital to survival in the newborn.
Spanish: