BeefWatch Articles from December 2021

BeefWatch Articles from December 2021

Barn
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Returning to the Farm or Ranch

Returning to the Farm, Dec. 10 and 11 in Columbus, is for families who are in the transition process of bringing more family members back to the farm. This event will give families the tools and resources to have a successful transition with more family joining the operation.

Bringing a young person into a farm/ranch operation presents challenges. However, the business operation can accomplish numerous goals by:

Heifers
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

What to Consider When Selecting Replacement Heifers

Replacement heifers are one of the most important groups we can manage in the cowherd; therefore, managing our heifers from weaning to breeding will be a very important time for developing females that remain in the herd for years to come. Weaning can be a time to identify replacement heifer candidates that may potentially join the herd.

Ranchers
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Principles for Attracting and Retaining Quality Ag Employees Webinar – A Panel Discussion

Help-wanted signs are everywhere. Hiring is so difficult that many are calling this the “Great Resignation.” Agricultural businesses in Nebraska are not exempt from this challenge; competition for available workers comes from area industries, and the labor market is tight.

Corn stalk bales
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Valuing Corn Stalk Bales

With dry conditions still plaguing much of the state, baling corn residue following harvest might be an optional roughage source if hay supply is getting tight. Crop input prices are also increasing with producers and landowners wondering what value should be put on baling corn residue?

Cow calf pair grazing
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

2021 Virtual Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle Conference presentations are now available for viewing

The Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle Conference is considered to be the premier national event in beef cattle reproductive management.  This meeting has a long history of providing the latest information on the application of reproductive technologies and includes a range of topics under an annual set of themes related to cow herd reproduction.  The presentations from the 2021 conference held September 15th, 16th and 17th are now available for viewing at the Applied Reproductive S

Cows on rangeland
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

It Costs How Much!?

What does it cost to run a cow on your operation? How do you calculate the costs? How do you value raised feed, labor, equipment, as well as replacement females grown on the ranch? These questions are frequently asked when the conversation of annual cow costs comes up.

Boots and spurs
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Women in Agriculture's Love of the Land Conference to be Presented Virtually

Nebraska Extension's Women in Agriculture Program will host the Love of the Land Conference for female farmland owners and tenants looking to improve their business management skills, Dec. 9, via Zoom. 

Industry experts will present workshops covering lease agreements, rental rates, crop and livestock insurance and more.  

Allan Vyhnalek, a farm and ranch succession educator with Nebraska Extension, will welcome attendees with his keynote address, “For the Love of the Land, and Your Effective Relationships, It is About Communication.” 

Backgrounded calves
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Cost and Value of Gain for Retained Feeder Cattle in Nebraska

The fall run of feeder cattle is underway across the United States. Producers are now left with the decision to retain or sell weaned calves. A financially sound business decision is one where what it costs me to put on weight is less than what the market is willing to pay me to put it on. While that decision is straightforward, some limiting factors can impact these calculations.

Feedlot steer
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

The Third Quarterly Report on Levels of Negotiated Trade by Region Under the Industry’s 75% Rule

Last year, several pieces of legislation were introduced in the U.S. Congress, with the principal aim of increasing the level of negotiated cash trade.[1] The cattle industry responded to proposed legislation by creating a voluntary framework, known as the 75% rule, that includes cattle feeder and packing plant triggers based on levels of negotiated trade and marketplace participation. The overarching objective is similar to the introduced legislation – to increase the frequency and price transparency in all major cattle feeding and packing regions.