BeefWatch Articles from July 2019

BeefWatch Articles from July 2019

Potential Heat Stress the week of July 17-20, 2019

The seven-day forecast is calling for above average temperatures creating heat indexes that will reach critical heat stress emergency.  Thursday and Friday (July 18 and 19) will be critical days across the state as little cloud cover is expected and wind speeds will be at or below 10 mph across the region.

Baleage vs. Haylage: What’s really the difference?

Often times the terms baleage and haylage are used interchangeable in conversation due to the state or country of the farm/ranch or simply by the type of operation. So how are baleage and haylage different and why are they used?

Nebraska Grazing Conference is August 12-14 in Kearney

Beginning and experienced grazers, land managers, policy makers, and those concerned with the utilization and conservation of our grazing lands are encouraged to register for the 19th annual Nebraska Grazing Conference Aug. 12-14 at the Ramada by Wyndham, 301 2nd Ave., Kearney. The conference is hosted by the Center for Grassland Studies at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Summer Pneumonia in Spring-born Beef Calves

Beef producers know from experience that calving season is fraught with perils for baby calves.  Calving difficulties, failure of cow and calf to bond, failure of passive transfer of immunity (colostrum intake by the calf), weather, mud, scours, and injuries are all threats during calving season.  Often, once cows and calves are on summer grass, most of the calf-related risk and workload are in the rear-view mirror.  It is still time for vigilance, however, because things like nursing calf pneumonia and pinkeye can take a lot of the fun out of baseball games and county fairs.

“What is the Market telling Stocker/Yearling Operators?” Meeting and Ranch Tour to be held July 12

Understanding what market conditions are telling you together with risk management and marketing strategy are a key component to business success for stocker/yearling operators. This will be the main theme of a meeting and ranch tour scheduled for Friday, July 12 near Burwell. Registration is due by July 8.

The morning program will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Central Time at the Calamus Outfitters meeting facility northwest of Burwell.  Dinner will be served at noon.  In the afternoon, a tour of the Gracie Creek ranch is planned.

Planning for a Potentially Short Hay Inventory on the Ranch

The abundant spring and early summer moisture we have received in Nebraska has been record setting in many areas and has resulted in hay meadows and fields being inundated with water.  Even if the rain stops, for many producers, these flooded hay meadows and fields will produce significantly less this year, due to the damage caused to forage stands by the standing water.  This sets up a scenario where many producers may find themselves short on hay for the upcoming winter of 2019-2020.

Keeping Track of Your Assets

Settling insurance claims can be a daunting task.  The first few items that come to mind are easy to remember and price out.  The barn lost a roof, the pickup was totaled.  Those are both examples of large singular assets that have substantial value.  In the case of events such as floods, tornados, and other disasters the assets lost start to go much deeper.  Do you remember all the clothing, tools, kitchenware, electronics, and other small asset items?  While these are usually small dollar assets their total value can be quite substantial.  Creating and m

Beef Systems Initiative - Year 1 Milestones

The first year of data collection for the Beef Systems Initiative (BSI) is complete. This initiative, funded by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska, is a faculty-driven, interdisciplinary project that began in January 2015. It included faculty from several disciplinary groups in Agronomy and Horticulture, Animal Science, and Agricultural Economics with interests in integrated production systems. From these early discussions, a long-term systems project was developed and administered by the Center for Grassland Studies.