Third Party Audits for Cattlemen are Regaining Interest from Consumers

(March 2014) Third party audits are not new to cattlemen but this topic has regained interest because consumers want to know how and where their beef is raised. In a presentation titled "Audits and Assessments" made at the 2014 Feedlot Roundtable, UNL Extension Educator Rob Eirich identifies what information is being requested and how this will help to improve product integrity and consumer confidence. Learn more.

FDA Eliminates Antibiotic Use for Growth Promotion and Efficiency: What does this mean for producers?

(March 2014) The FDA's December 2013 feed antibiotic control announcement to cattle producers is the final step in a series of events that started almost 20 years ago. The FDA received input from the Center for Disease Control on concerns about antibiotic resistance in animal agriculture and the potential relationship with resistance to antibiotics for human treatment. In a webinar titled "Understanding What the FDA's Feed Antibiotic Control Announcement Means to Cattle Producers" presented at the 2014 Feedlot Roundtable, Dr. Dee Griffin walks through the changes that will be implemented and the challenges and opportunities cattlemen will have with these new regulations. Learn more.

Can a Ranch Meet Cow Nutrient Requirements Through Forages Alone?

(March 2014) Is it possible to balance a ranch's protein and energy requirements for the cow herd with forages alone? The answer is yes! Annual cool and warm season forages as well as perennial cool season grasses when harvested at the right growth stage can produce dry roughages that contain greater than 10% crude protein and produce TDN values of over 60%. Forages that contain such levels of crude protein and TDN will meet a cow's nutrient requirements for protein and energy without supplementation. Dennis Bauer, UNL Extension Educator recently recorded a webinar titled "Balancing the Ranch for Protein and Energy with Forages" that highlights how to harvest high quality forages and meet cow nutrient requirements. Learn more.

UNL BeefWatch newsletter - March Issue

In this issue of the newsletter you will find information on these timely topics and more.
 • Meat labeling terms – What do they mean?
 • Antibiotic resistance: Should I be concerned?
 • Balancing the Ranch for Protein & Energy with Forages
 • Nebraska Manure Demonstration Day to be held July 29, 2014
 • How Can YOU Educate Consumers About Agriculture?
For more information on these and other topics or to view archived newsletters, visit UNL BeefWatch.

Increasing Production Efficiency through Reproductive Management

(February 2014) Having calves born early in the calving season has multiple benefits to long term profitability of the cow-calf enterprise. In a recent webinar title "Increasing Production Efficiency through Reproductive Management" Dr. Funston discusses the importance of having a high percentage of beef calves born early in "your" calving season, whenever that is. This event coupled with overall reproductive rate is a major economic driver in cow/calf operations and has a profound impact on the profitability of any beef cattle operation. Dr. Funston shares how calving distribution can impact output from any ranch operation and factors that influence when cows and heifers conceive during the breeding season. Learn more.

Impacts of Cold Weather on Calf Weights

(February 2014) UNL beef researchers studied the effect of colder than normal temperatures on calf birth weights in a six-year study in the 1990's and found a impact on the birth weights. With this winter's colder than normal temperatures what should you be watching for? Learn more.

The Importance of Colostrum and Use of Colostrum Replacements in Newborn Calves

(February 2014) It is crucial that newborn calves get off to a good start and one of the most important things that needs to happen at birth is the adequate consumption of high-quality colostrum by the newborn calf. There are situations that could impact the quality and quantity of colostrum available to newborn calves. In these situations, colostrum replacement products may need to be considered. Learn more.

2013 XXIII Range Beef Cow Symposium Proceedings Papers now On-line

(February 2014) The proceedings papers from the 2013 XXIII Range Beef Cow Symposium held in Rapid City, SD are now available online. A wide variety of topics are covered including market outlook, nutrition and management, reproduction, range management, end products for the consumer, and more. Learn more.

Pinkeye in Cattle

(February 2014) Pinkeye is a highly contagious infectious disease that affects cattle worldwide. Although pinkeye rarely causes the death of affected cattle; it can cause substantial losses to the cattle industry through decreased weight gain, lowered milk production and treatment costs. Learn more.

Genetic Considerations for the Cowherd

(January 2014) Science, or rather advancements in science, allow for new or revised tools to aid in selection and management of beef cattle. Cow sense is the ability to use science to improve the profitability of the respective beef centric enterprise. If we focus on genetic tools and strategies, there are a few main ones that come to mind: Crossbreeding, EPDs, selection indexes, and DNA technology. Learn more.

Recent Beef Webinar

Care of the Newborn Calf: Colostrum Management
February 18, 2014
Dr. Richard Randle
UNL Extension Beef Veterinarian
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Recent Producer Question

(Feb 20, 2014) When should colostrum replacement products be used for newborn calves?  Learn more.