Livestock Systems

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

Rangeland and pasture update for spring and summer 2024

By Ryan Benjamin, Nebraska Extension Educator-Beef Systems

As we come into early April, it is important to take time to think about rangeland and pasture conditions and make sure grazing plans are ready for the growing season in 2024. Much of the state has seen close to normal precipitation since October 1 (current water year). However, parts of the state, especially counties in the south and east of the state, that experienced drought last summer are still experiencing drier than normal conditions.

Chasing the Elusive Second Calf

By Karla Wilke, Nebraska Extension cow-calf and Stocker management specialist, and Kacie McCarthy, cow-calf specialist

Getting first-time mother cows bred for the second time is probably one of the strongest challenges for most beef producers. It can be extremely frustrating at the time of pregnancy diagnosis to find a high percentage of those young cows, the future of the cowherd, to be open. More importantly, it is expensive.

Calculating Annual Cow Costs webinar series scheduled for January and February

Nebraska Extension will host a webinar on Monday and Thursday evenings in late January and February 2024 on the fundamentals of knowing and calculating annual cow costs.

Winter weather challenges for bulls can affect breeding season

By Chabella Guzman, communications specialist

Livestock producers know winter can be a challenge for their cowherds, and Karla Wilke, Nebraska Extension cow-calf/stocker specialist, reminds them not to forget about their bulls in their winter management plans.

“Bulls are one of our bigger investments in the cow herd, and 90 percent of the cows are still impregnated through natural service with a bull rather than artificial insemination,” Wilke said. “So, they also require year-round maintenance.”

PANHANDLE PERSPECTIVES: Managing early weaned calves

Karla Wilke, Cow-Calf Range Management Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center

This article and other research-based beef news are available on beef.unl.edu, Nebraska Extension’s beef cattle production website. Interviews with the authors of BeefWatch newsletter articles become available throughout the month of publication and are accessible at https://go.unl.edu/podcast.

PANHANDLE PERSPECTIVES: Calving 101 – for those not directly involved in agriculture

Whether or not we work in agriculture, in rural Nebraska and other farming and ranching areas, agriculture provides us with some of the first signs of spring. We have all smiled at newborn baby calves bucking, head butting each other, and running with their tails sticking straight out. But those who aren’t farmers or ranchers, or otherwise involved in agriculture, might wonder what “calving season” is and why it is such a big deal to the men and women of agriculture. Driving by those playing calves, they might not realize all that goes into making sure those babies get a good, healthy start.