Click to view Archived News Articles by Ben Beckman.
Ben Beckman is a beef systems Extension Educator serving the counties of Antelope, Cedar, Knox, Madison and Pierce. He is based out of the Cedar County Extension office in Hartington. You can reach him by phone: (402) 254-6821 or email: ben.beckman@unl.edu.
Nebraska is nationally known as the Beef State. Our team provides research-based information and resources to beef producers to help them provide an economical, safe, quality product to consumers while protecting and preserving Nebraska's vast natural resources.
Active in all 93 counties and at beef.unl.edu
Livestock Systems
Winter cereals planted last fall can be a great forage resource for producers this spring. As plants begin to snap out of their winter dormancy, the key to getting the most out of grazing small cereal forages is managing the maturity by having the “right” amount of grazing pressure.
A good bull is the cornerstone of any cow calf operation. A bull has the opportunity to impact 20-50 calves depending on the breeding season. Making sure your bulls are able to locate and breed cows this breeding season is vital to success and a good way to test that is with a Breeding Soundness Exam, or BSE.
Fresh spring growth is a welcome site for producers looking for animal forage. However, lush spring growth may be the perfect condition for a case of grass tetany. Plan now to adjust grazing management or mineral supplementation for a tetany-free spring.
Were you expecting more from last year’s alfalfa yields? Did your plants get enough time to winterize in the fall or are you concerned about winter kill? Evaluating your alfalfa stand in the spring is key to planning management and setting expectations for this year.
While not as ubiquitous in Nebraska as it is for our neighbors to the south and east, tall fescue is still a prevalent perennial grass in many eastern Nebraska pastures. Fescue can be a great forage resource in pastures, but the risk of endophyte infection makes proper management key.