Ozarks Farm & Neighbor Newspaper – written for, by & about farmers

Over time, thousands of breeds have evolved or been created within each livestock species.  For example, there are several hundred known breeds of cattle.  Each breed has a unique combination of genes which have been exploited across a wide array of environmental conditions worldwide to ultimately provide human consumers with meat, milk, fiber and a variety of by-products necessary for our survival.  The opportunity to select individuals from a diverse spectrum of genetic material is the basis for the productive breeds of livestock that are utilized in the commercial sector of agriculture today.  Moreover, hybrid vigor or heterosis, which is the increase in performance of a crossbred animal over that of its purebred parents, is only possible if genetic diversity exists. The application of hybrid vigor is considered by many as one of the most important contributions of genetics to scientific agriculture.

We’ve come a long way from the days when cows were milked two or three at a time in a bucket. From the step-up barn through the herringbone, parallel, and parabone to the circular 60 stall barn. All of these barns have some common equipment concerns. According to State Dairy Specialist, Dr. Barry Steevens, Professor of Animal Science at the University of Missouri, all equipment should be checked on a regular basis. The bulk tank should have the milk cooled to 45 degrees at the end of each milking, and continue to cool to 38 degrees. Pulsators should be checked to see that they’re working properly and there are no loose wires. The rubber wear inspection should be coupled with a regular replacement schedule. The washing system also depends on a vacuum, and the washer cups should be inspected to insure there are no leaks during the washing and sanitizing of the equipment. Dr. Jodie Pennington, Dairy Specialist at the University of Arkansas, said mastitis is often caused by improper vacuum or pulsation rate. “The pulsation ratio can also get out of whack,” said Pennington. Acute mastitis can be treated with approved antibiotics. Subclinical mastitis, which causes the high Somatic Cell Count, must be monitored and individual cows tested, treated or culled.

When the pocketbook gets thin sometimes the first thing to get scrimped is the livestock’s diet. We glean a little bit more from the hay, a little bit more from the field and supplementing becomes less of a priority. Whether it’s time or money that’s running low, how long can the cattle really go, lacking some of those essential nutrients, and still produce?

In this article, we will look at certain aspects of Missouri’s fence law set forth in Mo.Rev.Stat. 272.010 et seq.

The wet weather we have been dealing with for most of this year has brought with it several challenges for livestock producers throughout southwest Missouri. Wet and cold weather led to increased calf losses early this year, and wet fields have not allowed farmers to harvest hay crops that appear plentiful to the average person driving down the road. But I have observed another problem this year affecting horses and cattle. While I don’t have scientific proof or hard statistics to prove my theory, it is my opinion that I have had a number of cases where the problem seemed to stem from access to tall fescue, and I am concerned that fescue toxicosis could be a significant problem this year.

Name: Jordan Yoder
Hometown: Ozark, MO
Parents: Merlin and Lyn Yoder
4-H Leader: Merlin Yoder
FFA Advisor: Heath Wright