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Hay field and bales
Thursday, December 1, 2022

Purchased Hay: The Extra Costs

Winter is finally here and for some, dry weather has resulted in a lower than desired hay inventory.  While we can reduce demand by adjusting rations or selling animals, purchasing hay may be the best option to fill in a feed gap. 

Most of the time, purchased hay is hauled in and fed without issue.  It’s a regular occurrence for many operations and should always be an option for consideration.  While the sticker cost is typically the first factor considered why buying hay, there are additional costs that purchased hay can bring to an operation. 

Thursday, December 1, 2022

A Year in Review for Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance, 2022

Another year has come and gone for the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance program, and while it was a year of successes for the program as a whole, there is still plenty of work to be done. As I sit here writing this thinking back on all the accomplishments we have achieved this year, I am happy to brag about where the program currently is and where it is going in the future.

Cow
Thursday, December 1, 2022

Potential Impacts of a Long Hard Drought on the Subsequent Calving Season

Drought across the Great Plains has greatly reduced the supply of grass available this grazing season. While many cows went to market to save grass for a core herd, those cows that remain may have had access to limited, dry pastures. Grass in many areas appeared dormant as early as July. Therefore, not only was quantity limiting, but quality may have been limiting as well.
Thursday, December 1, 2022

2023 – Year of the Stockman

It has been said, “Develop your communication skills because when you open your mouth, you tell the world who you are.”  This is just another way of saying that we’re known by what we produce (words, actions, etc.).  Our reputation, in other words.  Said another way: “Develop your husbandry skills, because when you handle and care for animals, you tell the world who you are.”  Stockmen have long considered their work an art form, and take pride in honing their skills with a level of devotion seldom rivaled in other professions.  In a time where the agricultural work