Q: Should I adjust stocking rates for my burned pasture/rangeland?

A: Rainfall in May and June will be most critical and should be the guiding factor affecting stocking rate decisions. With adequate rainfall, adjustments to stocking rate are not necessary. Research from the Great Plains shows that dormant-season fires do not reduce above-ground herbaceous production. In fact, plant regrowth following fire is considerably higher in quality which could lead to increased animal performance.

Spring wildfires that occur on range and pasturelands will happen when there is the right combination of high winds and low humidity.  That has been the case here in 2024 and that threat will continue until we have new, green grass growth later this spring.  Although the immediate aftermath of a fast-moving fire can look quite devastating, our perennial pasture grasses are resilient and will recover, especially since they are still dormant.  Spring is also a time when many prescribed burns are conducted for the purpose of Eastern red cedar control.  Of course, adequate m

There are as many ways to feed and develop young beef bulls as there are seedstock producers. There are various reasons that bulls are managed and fed the way they are. Whether bulls are developed on the ranch, in a commercial facility, or at a central bull test, they are usually fed to gain 2.8 to 4.0 pounds daily from weaning to one year of age.

The spring bull sale season is underway. Producers are studying catalogs, comparing EPDs and individual animal performance numbers, and choosing which bulls will be the next herd sires. This article includes a link to a spreadsheet producers can use to figure actual bull costs, and addresses some of the things producers should consider before heading to the sale. Hint: It's more than just the lunch menu.

Mud conditions in calving areas can lead to health concerns in both the cow and calf.  Mud and moisture prevent the hair coat from insulating and maintaining body temperature, leaving newborn calves vulnerable to hypothermia.  Mud also increases the energy requirements for the cow and may lead to decreases in body condition score (Nickles, et al. 2022).

Feed costs are often the biggest expense for cow-calf producers in Nebraska. Understanding how the cow’s nutrient requirements change throughout the year and how to cost-effectively meet those requirements with the feed resources available can have a big effect on the bottom line.  

In unexpected warm, wet winter conditions cattle face challenges accessing feed, water, or a place to lie down.  Muddy conditions affect requirements for maintenance, according to this UNL study.  Even if feed intake is not affected by muddy conditions (cattle can reach the bunk and water trough and consume a full ration daily), mud depths of less than 9 inches increase maintenance requirements up to 80%.  This means that cattle consuming a finishing diet containing 1 Mcal NEm/lb will require nearly d