Farm Help

Every producer would like to find ways to reduce their input costs or improve production and quality of their product – if not both. Fluctuating feed and fuel costs, and uncertain market conditions make it necessary for farmers to adapt.

Someone has wisely stated, “the cheapest land you’ll ever buy is increasing the utilization of your own.” But how does one do this? This article explores strategies cattle producers can employ to increase productivity of existing pastures.

Age and source verification is an easy way to increase the return on your calves. But most producers don't use it.
Verification started to achieve popularity three years ago, when Japan reopened its market to U.S. beef for the first time since the December 2003 case of BSE in Washington State. Japan requires all U.S. beef to be from cattle under 21 months of age. South Korea, which reopened its market last year after several false starts, does not have an official age requirement, but Korean importers and U.S. packers have agreed to limit sales to beef from cattle under 30 months to ease consumers' BSE fears, and Taiwan also has a 30-month barrier. So, age and source verification is a valuable tool to packers in the export business, and they'll pay a premium of several dollars a hundred for verified cattle.

Although round baleage is becoming a popular method of harvesting and storing forages for dairy and beef producers, dry round bales is still a common method of handling and storing dry forages. Improperly stored round bales can result in substantial losses for the producer.

"If you're not paying attention to every bite of food your cattle take in," according to Lance Kirkpatrick, "it's costing you money."

Age and source verification is an easy way to increase the return on your calves. But most producers don't use it.
Verification started to achieve popularity three years ago, when Japan reopened its market to U.S. beef for the first time since the December 2003 case of BSE in Washington State. Japan requires all U.S. beef to be from cattle under 21 months of age. South Korea, which reopened its market last year after several false starts, does not have an official age requirement, but Korean importers and U.S. packers have agreed to limit sales to beef from cattle under 30 months to ease consumers' BSE fears, and Taiwan also has a 30-month barrier. So, age and source verification is a valuable tool to packers in the export business, and they'll pay a premium of several dollars a hundred for verified cattle.

Although round baleage is becoming a popular method of harvesting and storing forages for dairy and beef producers, dry round bales is still a common method of handling and storing dry forages. Improperly stored round bales can result in substantial losses for the producer. Outside, uncovered storage of round bales is very common. Many times, bales are stored along a fence row. While this method avoids the cost of a storage structure or site preparation, forage losses can be very high. The amount of forage lost during outside storage depends upon several factors, including the duration of storage, precipitation, site drainage, bale density and bale dimensions. Dry matter loss can range from five percent to more than 40 percent. In the Midwest, with storage periods often exceeding several months, forage loss is seldom below 15 percent.

Every producer would like to find ways to reduce their input costs or improve production and quality of their product – if not both. Fluctuating feed and fuel costs, and uncertain market conditions make it necessary for farmers to adapt.

The word “ethanol” has created quite a buzz in years past, but the rise of the ethanol industry has affected more than just our choices at the pump. The results have also opened up some opportunities to cattle producers. When considering feeding ethanol by-products, how distillers grains are purchased, stored and fed by the farmer is the nuts and bolts of making this process work.  

"If you're not paying attention to every bite of food your cattle take in," according to Lance Kirkpatrick, "it's costing you money."