Farm Help

About eight percent of all calves born in beef cow operations die at or soon after birth. Half of these deaths are due to calving difficulty. The following are management practices to help reduce this huge economic loss to the cattle industry:

Along-held industry opinion is that cattle from the South are worth less than their Midwestern counterparts. Not true, said Darrell Busby, Iowa Extension beef specialist.

An overview of five of the top areas to consider when realizing good herd health.

A problem cow can be trouble in a herd. Whether it's due to a bad disposition, undesirable physical traits or breeding difficulties, she can cost a rancher time and money. But when to get rid of her, and how?

These are tough times for cattle feeders, and particularly so for Ron Shortridge.

"Carryover hay is like watermelons after Labor Day and pumpkins after Oct. 31," Robert Seay, Benton County, Ark., Extension staff chair noted.

It’s a given that there isn’t one particular grazing management system that is the best fit for every single producer. Likewise, every grazing system has its own strengths and weaknesses. Overall, the most important aspect of any successful grazing management system is for a producer to match their farm resources, goals, and management availability with a particular grazing system in order to maximize profits.

Along-held industry opinion is that cattle from the South are worth less than their Midwestern counterparts. Not true, said Darrell Busby, Iowa Extension beef specialist.

When applying for an agricultural loan, there is much for bankers to analyze. Bryan Jefferson, a loan officer with First Service Bank in Yellville, Ark., noted that your credit score and income, how much you can pay a month, how much you are wanting to borrow and the value of the collateral on whatever you’re purchasing, are things to be considering when preparing to apply for a loan.

Building a strong horse starts from the moment the foal is born. The first few hours in a foal’s life are crucial because they have to get the colostrum they need to remain healthy. During the first few months of their life they are getting a majority of nutrients from the mare in the form of milk as well as nibbling on some forage and grain that might be fed to the mare.  At or after two months of age you should put the foal on a creep feed diet which, along with the mares milk should keep the foals rate of gain steady, preventing them from experiencing a big growth spurt when placed on the weanling diet. This growth spurt increases their risk of developing an orthopedic disease, such as Physitis, an inflammation of the growth plate, mainly affecting the hock and stifle joints. But what about after you wean them?  Feeding the weanling can be a tricky issue as you have to make sure that they are getting enough forage, grain and water in their diet. Unfortunately, many weanlings are deficient in crucial nutritional requirements and one of the major nutrients they may be deficient in is minerals.