Farm Help

More and more, ranchers are setting aside pasture for late-year feeding – but, of course, all of that could change next year.

Integrated livestock industries like swine and poultry already maintain strict biosecurity measures on the farm; similar practices are also making their way onto cattle ranches.

Planning must begin now for next year's crop selections and pasture plans. Corn silage might be a good consideration as a feed for your livestock.

As the weather gets cooler it’s time to think about managing forage and your grazing options for the fall and winter. An option that should not be overlooked is grazing row crop residue. If managed correctly, this forage alternative can produce benefits for your herd, your pasture and your pocketbook.

Beef producers don't need anything else against them when it comes to the health and profitability of their herd. That's why learning about potential problems, like cancer eye, is an important prevention method. Cancer eye accounts for 12 percent of condemned beef carcasses in America, with losses totaling $20 million annually.

"Once we knew what he really needed, he was able to save several thousand dollars.” That’s the bottom line of a story relayed by Mark Green, District Conservationist for the Greene County Field Office of the USDA, about the benefits of testing the soil in pastures. This farmer had faithfully applied triple 17 fertilizer to his pastures for years without sampling his soil. When he got the results of his soil tests he found out that his pasture didn’t need any nitrogen or phosphorus, applying more would have been a waste of money.

Integrated livestock industries like swine and poultry already maintain strict biosecurity measures on the farm; similar practices are also making their way onto cattle ranches.

In today's markets, beef producers don't need anything else against them when it comes to the health and profitability of their herd. That's why learning about potential problems, like cancer eye, is an important prevention method. Cancer eye accounts for 12 percent of condemned beef carcasses in America, with losses totaling $20 million annually.

During 25 years of work on livestock handling and design of restraining devices for animals, I have observed that many people attempt to restrain animals with sheer force instead of using behavioural principles. Improvements in the design of restraining devices enhances animal welfare and will reduce stress and injuries.

Knowing more about marbling helps cattlemen produce the best beef. All four National Beef Quality Audits (NBQA) said consumers want more of it, yet many producers manage so as to inhibit rather than enhance marbling.