Calf prices are encouraging cow-calf producers to increase cow inventories to have more calves to sell. Consider the following points when evaluating growing the cowherd.

University of Nebraska — Lincoln researchers have recently identified two new genetic mutations, delayed blindness in Herefords, and bovine familial convulsions and ataxia (BFCA) in Angus cattle.

Understanding and identifying genetic mutations allows beef producers to make breeding decisions that avoid producing cattle affected by those mutations. Working toward that goal, UNL researchers have spent years studying genomics, identifying mutations and developing tests to help producers make those decisions.

Spring calving brings the promise of working calves, and in some areas of the state, branding season. Following is the challenge of gathering enough help at the right times to ensure proper vaccination, castration, and the other complements to our herd health programs. Priorities during this event typically include people safety and minimization of cattle stress.

Ranchers and cattle producers interested in learning about the latest research in range livestock production from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln are encouraged to register for the 2024 Nebraska Ranch Practicum offered by Nebraska Extension.

Technology is being incorporated into the tradition of ranching more and more often. But producers need to consider the cost and whether it adds value.

Nebraska Extension in Kimball-Banner Counties is presenting a roundtable discussion with area producers and researchers to discuss the technology available and how it can be effectively applied to ranching.

For many farm and ranch families, bringing children or grandchildren into the operation is the ultimate goal. Successfully bringing additional family members into the operation may require some creativity, as all parties need to maintain a viable standard of living. This series of articles will highlight ideas and tactics for bringing another family member into the operation.

From genetics to feed and management, everything the beef industry works toward comes together in the feedyard. 

Students in the University of Nebraska—Lincoln’s Timmerman Feedyard Management Internship see how all those things interact and ultimately produce the beef that feeds millions.

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

As pasture grazing leases are getting finalized for the 2024 season, it is important to make sure that some of the key details are clear and in writing. 

Traditionally, pasture leases are for 5 or 6 months from April or May through October.  Specific starting and ending dates can be used, but there could be exceptions based on spring weather conditions or if there were drought conditions the previous year that might warrant delaying turn-out to allow some recovery of grasses. 

The start of 2024 has had some major challenges for many across the state from Arctic polar temperatures, blizzards, and snow squalls. Now there are discussions of ice jams, rain and potential flooding that may occur over the next few weeks. The entire slogan of “Nebraska isn’t for everyone” is really holding true.

This article is a research summary of the 2024 Nebraska Beef Report, Impact of Heifer Percent Mature Body Weight at Breeding on Heifer Performance, Calf Production, and Subsequent Pregnancy Rates.

To remain in the herd, it is crucial for a replacement heifer to conceive and maintain pregnancy. However, since females within a herd offset input costs with a live calf born each year, focus should not only be placed on pregnancy rates as a yearling, but subsequent pregnancy rates as a cow.

Livestock producers know winter can be a challenge for their cowherds, and Karla Wilke, Nebraska Extension cow-calf/stocker specialist, reminds them not to forget about their bulls in their winter management plans. 

“Bulls are one of our bigger investments in the cow herd, and 90 percent of the cows are still impregnated through natural service with a bull rather than artificial insemination,” Wilke said. “So, they also require year-round maintenance.”  

This checklist is not comprehensive, but is a place to start for preparing for winter weather in a cattle yard. 

Click here for a printable .pdf checklist. 

Facilities

Livestock production has long been a cornerstone of American agriculture. That is certainly true in Nebraska, which is known as the beef state. During the Global Climate Summit earlier this month, world leaders recommended reducing worldwide meat consumption in order to help mitigate agriculture’s environmental impacts. But the research paints a more complicated story. Greg Ibach, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joins RFD-TV to discuss. 

A Husker research team has received $5 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to research more sustainable dairy and beef production.

The year was dry, forage is limited, last winter’s feed shortage is frozen into your memory, and you have cows to feed. With these thoughts in mind, maybe you harvested hay from the roadside—“ditch hay”— and will be feeding that hay soon. There are several things for you to think about and keep in mind as you feed the hay.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability will present a series of workshops in central and eastern Nebraska for those planning and involved in farmland succession who want to learn more about the best strategies for managing and owning this asset and how it may impact the transition plan.

Cow Herd Report Card I: Measures of Performance

Cow Herd Report Card III: Calving distribution & pounds of calf weaned per acre

University of Nebraska Extension is seeking a Livestock Systems Educator for Northwest Nebraska.  The position will serve Sheridan (5th Cow/Calf County in Nebraska), Dawes, Sioux, and Box Butte counties.  The region covers 1.5 million acres of agriculture land which includes 1.2 million acres of rangeland.

Now that fall is here, and most spring-born calves are being weaned, 4-Hers and FFA students across Nebraska are looking over the calf crops and picking out market steer prospects for the 2024 county fair.  Calves are carefully evaluated against a list of criteria, selected, and brought home.  Now what?

As the 2023 calendar year winds down, this is a good time for spring calving herds to look at what it cost them to produce a calf in the past year. What did it cost to run a cow on your operation this year? 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.

Nebraska beef producers and corn growers can enhance their operations by attending the 2023 Cover Crop Grazing Conference. Scheduled for November 7, the conference will take place at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead.

The conference kicks off with registration, refreshments and a trade show at the August N. Christenson Building at 8:30 a.m.  Educational programs are from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and include a producer panel session and live field demonstrations.  

Cow Herd Report Card II: Post-partum interval & calving rates

Cow Herd Report Card III: Calving distribution & pounds of calf weaned per acre

This article was first published in Beef Magazine.

Nebraska’s farm income is projected near $7.8 billion in 2023, according to a new report from the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) at the University of Missouri, produced in conjunction with the Center for Agricultural Profitability at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

The report, “Fall 2023 Nebraska Farm Income Outlook,” indicates that Nebraska’s stronger 2023 farm income projection is driven largely by higher livestock prices and recovery in ending year inventories and values.

The first frost may be welcome for its fly-killing ability, but for cattle producers running cattle on annual forages, a few management steps this time of year can make sure that first frost doesn't have the same effect on cattle grazing milo, sudangrass and sorghum varieties. 

Treating cattle for lice when it’s convenient—usually during preconditioning and preg-checking—isn’t necessarily the most effective approach.

While late summer and early fall endectocide (drugs that kill both internal and external parasitic insects) treatment may work on most internal parasites and horn flies, lice may escape.

Grain production regions allow cattle producers to harvest grain crops as grain (dry or high moisture) or green chop to be preserved as silage for cattle feeding (feed crop).  Corn grain production is particularly well suited for this purpose.  Harvesting the ears and shank (earlage) or husk, grain, cob, and shank (snaplage) represent options intermediate to harvesting grain or chopping the whole plant. 

Cattle prices have responded to lower cattle inventory.  If you are keeping up with cattle production news media, nearly every week, someone declares how much feeder calf prices have increased since last year.  Sales of 500- to 600-cwt feeder calves are getting close to $300/cwt.  Expecting a gross revenue of $1,600 or more for feeder steer calves this fall is not out of the question.  Yet, with increasing costs of maintaining a cow, some cow-calf producers may wonder:  to increase revenue in 2023, is it worth it to retain calves for feeding during a backgrounding o

Would you like to grow your grass knowledge and better understand range and pasture resources? Nebraska Extension will host a six-session webinar series on Monday and Thursday evenings beginning October 23 through November 9 from 7:30 - 8:45 p.m. CT that will explain the basics of knowing, growing and grazing grass. 

Topics will include:

•           Identifying key grass species you want more of in your pastures.

Manure stockpiles must be built following some regulations, but where those regulations end, manners should remain. I suspect that just about everyone reading this article has been told on more than one occasion, “Mind your manners!” Or, perhaps as a parent, it’s this very simple instruction that you now give to your kids as they head out the door to spend time with someone outside the household. Continue reading on the UNL Water website.

After about 5 years of fall cover crop grazing, one thing became apparent: the amount of grazing achieved when we gave cattle access to the whole field from the start did not appear to be determined by the amount of forage that was in the field. This was because the weather seemed to determine how much trampling loss occurred. In wet years, we harvested less than 15% of the forage, and on average, we captured about 30%.