Farm Help

When working on a construction project, farmers and ranchers should consider the time and money needed Every producer has a construction project of some kind...

According to the National Cattlemen’s magazine, CattleFax® analyst Mike Miller has projected that in the next year the price per pound for a 550 pound calf will move towards that of the 750 pound yearling due to high corn prices.  The response to this is cow/calf producers are considering keeping calves longer and putting additional pounds on them using pasture based forage systems.  But, will the extra time the animals spend on the operation present producers with unique challenges from an animal health standpoint?

Producers are encouraged to investigate options before a disaster hits In today’s changing climate, natural disasters, and the severity and frequency with which they occur,...

“Adding legumes to grass pasture is their primary use in the Ozarks area,” said Robert Kallenbach, professor and state extension specialist for the Division of Plant Sciences at the University of Missouri. “You can usually get calves to gain one quarter of a pound more a day when legumes are added to pastures.”

We live in an age where commercial farms are becoming commonplace. Small, diversified family farms are more often seen on postcards than they are in the countryside of America. However, in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in those smaller family farms – and in knowing where food comes from, what’s in it – really, and appreciating the nostalgia that comes along with a small farming family producing food from their barns and gardens just like they have for centuries.

When it’s time to wean the spring calves, the most important thing we can do to keep them healthy is to minimize stress. Tom Troxel, Professor and Associate Department Head for Animal Science, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, is a believer in fence-line weaning. He said the calves will actually gain through the weaning process. Ideally the calves will stay in familiar pasture and still have the comfort of knowing Mama is just across the fence. He said they will wean themselves in three to four days.

Is 2 years old too young to calve heifers? On many operations in the Ozarks, producers aim to have their heifers produce their first calf...

Strategies to keep ponds and streams clean and safe When producers think about tackling all that needs to be fixed, managed, maintained and monitored on...

Milk and dairy product merchandisers are prodding producers to switch to polled breeds at the encouragement of animal welfare groups who believe dehorning to be inhumane.

As a livestock producer, whether it be cattle, sheep, goats or another species, the health of your herd is nearly always your primary concern.