Grazing Alfalfa in Fall or Winter
- Alfalfa needs 6 weeks of growth, uninterrupted by grazing or haying
- Fall grazing should maintain 8 inches of stubble height; Winter grazing should maintain 4 inches of stubble height
- Bloat risk can be reduced by making sure livestock are full prior to grazing
- Feed additives such as poloxalene and ionophores can limit bloat risk, but require regular consumption to be effective
What Are Total Export Commitments Telling Us About Beef’s Potential in 2020: Positive Signs?
This article was originally published in the Aug. 30, 2020 edition of In The Cattle Markets.
Spanish:What Are the Barriers and Benefits of Manure Use in Cropping Systems? (part 2 of 2)
Animal manures can be a valuable asset or a “pain in the assets”. During winter of 2020, 957 farmers and their advisors shared their perspective on the benefits and barriers to manure use. A previous article (part 1) focused on perceptions of manure’s benefits.
Spanish:Grazing Corn Stalks or Corn Residue?
- There are 8 lbs of grazable dry matter per bushel of corn.
- Leaf and husk make up 39.6% of the dry matter in corn residue.
- Intake on corn residue fields will be close to 2% of bodyweight.
- Check questionable fields for excessive corn before grazing.
Cautions for Cattle Grazing Frosted Forages
When some forages are frosted, the potential for bloat, toxicity, and nitrates may increase for grazing cattle.
Spanish:Hunting Leases as an Added Enterprise
A review of articles on hunting leases.
Landowners seeking additional income options for their operation might consider leasing out their land for wildlife activities. The potential income can be considerable. Leases could be for hunting, fishing or birding.
Spanish:Fall Fly Control for Pastured Cattle in Nebraska
What control options are available for late season flies on pastured cattle?
Spanish:Fencing & Water for Beef Cattle
The goal of any grazing operation is to introduce the cow or calf to forage in adequate quality and quantity for their needs. A majority of cattle operations in Nebraska use pasture or native range for grazing during the growing season and crop residues or harvested purchased feed for the remainder of the year. Alternatives may include grazing cover crops in the production of traditional commodity crops, irrigation of grazed forages, and introduction of grasses into existing crop rotation and crop residues.
Spanish:Limitations of Remote Drug Delivery Devices for Cattle Health Management
Calf Health Management on Arrival – Producer Perspective
Role of Nutrition in Health Maintenance of Calves
Arrival Health Programs for High-Risk Calves
Systems Approach to Maintaining Health in High-Risk Calves
Drought Decisions: Profit Maximizing Decisions During and After Drought Conditions
Drought and Pasture Lease Considerations
Few words cause as much concern for those with pasture or rangeland as drought. In 2012 when the latest widespread drought covered most of the state, some of the most difficult conversations were occurring between landowners with pasture and their tenants.
Spanish:Nebraska Extension to Host BeefWatch Webinar Series
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension will host the 2020 BeefWatch Webinar Series. The webinars will take place weekly beginning on Tuesday, October 6.
The BeefWatch Webinar series is designed to highlight management strategies in grazing, nutrition, reproduction, and economics to increase cow/calf and stocker production efficiency and profitability. Each session will feature industry experts and plenty of opportunity to interact to get your questions answered.
Spanish:Cover Crops in Corn Systems: Opportunities for Dual Use Webinar Scheduled for September 15th
Can planting cover crops in corn systems provide the dual benefits of improving soil health and be an economical source of forage? This webinar will cover lessons learned on incorporating cover crops after corn silage, high moisture corn, and dry corn harvest in Nebraska. The session will consist of short presentations with ample time for questions and discussion.
The webinar will be held via Zoom on September 15th at 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (central time).
Spanish:Overgrazing Pastures
Fully utilizing a pasture doesn’t mean it should look like a golf course. If good grass is seen in the pasture when moving to another pasture, that is usually a good thing; that’s proper management. Even during drought or drier years, management can be done well. Trying to push pasture during drought years is especially hard on pasture and can have detrimental long-term effects. Many of our pastures are very resilient and have been through very tough times. Repeat or severe abuse will take over that resiliency.
Spanish:What Are the Barriers and Benefits of Manure Use in Cropping Systems? (part 1 of 2)
Animal manures can be a “valuable asset” or a “pain in the assets”. The right amounts in the right location can be very beneficial to Nebraska’s crop, soil, and water resources. Too much manure or manure in the wrong place is an environmental concern. Our ability to place manure where its benefits are maximized and to manage manure so that its challenges are minimal is important to agriculture’s sustainability.
Spanish: