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Beef Cattle Production

A group of cattle

Looking for drought related information? Check out the Drought Management Planning page.

Calf in pasture
Monday, May 1, 2023

Zoonotic Disease Risks during Calving Season

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), zoonotic diseases are pathogens that can be spread from animals to humans, leading to illness.  The CDC reported 59 zoonotic outbreaks in 2017, causing over 1500 illnesses and three reported deaths.  There are several different germs that have the potential to be zoonotic, with some more prevalent than others.  The disease lists can be categorized in different ways, such as route of transmission, type of pathogen, or production season.  While it is important to familiarize yourself with all potential areas

Shade in feedlot
Monday, May 1, 2023

Sizing and Siting a Shade Structure

With winter reluctantly fading in the rear-view mirror, those hot days of late spring and summer are not very far off for cattle operations here in the Central Plains.  It’s certainly not too soon to take another look at the role that shade can play in limiting heat stress in cattle.  Consider the recently published findings of two studies overseen by Dr. Terry Mader (now retired UNL feedlot environment extension specialist).

https://unlbeefwatch.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/2023/May_2023_Strs_Chk.mp3
Monday, May 1, 2023

Keeping Stress in Check – Strategies and Tools that May Help

The weather impacts producers right and left. A storm can come up suddenly and be short-term, whereas a drought can build and persist long-term. Stress can be similar in nature. We can have acute, stressful moments when we get into town too late to pick up that important part to fix equipment before chores the next day.  Stress can become chronic when one bad thing happens after the other. Many have experienced the effects of drought, first with not enough rain for pasture and forage production leaving us short and having to spend extra money to find additional hay or forage.

Cow and calf on range
Monday, May 1, 2023

Pasture Fly Resistance

Regardless of your choice of livestock fly control product and application method, plan for resistance. For example, many horn fly populations in Nebraska exhibit a level of resistance to synthetic pyrethroid insecticides.