BeefWatch Archive

Beefwatch Archive

To read articles prior to September 2017, please visit the article archive on UNL Announce.

Truck applying manure to a field
Sunday, April 1, 2018

Manure's Impact on Yield, Nitrogen, and Carbon

Manure is often viewed by many as an environmental liability. However, if manure is applied at rates equal to or less than the nitrogen (N) requirement of a crop, can manure produce environmental benefits over commercial fertilizer?
Sunday, April 1, 2018

Grass Tetany Considerations with a Late Spring

The cool spring followed by a quick warm up could make for the perfect storm. Grass tetany usually occurs in the spring when cool weather is followed by a warm period. It is typically seen in early lactation cows grazing cool-season grasses during cool, cloudy, and rainy weather. 

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Capturing Value in Cropping Systems Using Cattle

The University of Nebraska is conducting research around the idea of integrating cattle and cropping systems to best use the resources in Eastern Nebraska. Recently, a field day was held at ENREC (formerly ARDC) near Mead to showcase this work.  The proceedings for the field day are available at https://go.unl.edu/2018capturingvalueresources.

Heavy windrows
Sunday, April 1, 2018

Using Annual Forages as Part of the Feed Resource for the Ranch – A Producer's Perspective

In this month's BeefWatch Producer Perspective Podcast, Brian Sprenger who is part of a family owned and operated ranch near Sidney shares how his family utilizes annual forages as grazing resource. Some of the topics that Brian discusses in the interview include:

Calf suckling
Thursday, March 1, 2018

Colostrum Helps Newborn Calves

Colostrum, or first milk produced by the mother after birth, is high in nutrients and antibodies. A newborn calf lacks disease protection because antibodies do not pass across the cow’s placenta to the fetus’ circulatory system. Antibodies in colostrum provide calves with their initial protection.
a field that has been harvested
Thursday, March 1, 2018

Utilizing Annual Forages as part of a Diversified Production System – A Producer's Perspective

In this month's BeefWatch Producer Perspective Podcast, the Peterson family who own and operate Plum Thicket Farms near Gordon share how they utilize annual forages as part of their diversified crop and cattle operation. Some of the topics that the Peterson family discusses in the interview include:

Profile of a beef cow
Thursday, February 1, 2018

Across-breed EPD Adjustment Factor Updates

Since 1993, the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) has produced a table of factors to adjust Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) so that the genetic merit of individual animals can be compared across breeds. These adjustment factors are needed because EPDs published by one breed are inherently not comparable to those published by another breed.
A group of cattle
Thursday, February 1, 2018

Ammonia Loss and Emission Reporting: Considerations for Cattle Operations

A resource reality of cattle production is that only 10-30% of the nitrogen (N) that is consumed (i.e. fed protein) is utilized by animals for growth, reproduction, milk production, and maintenance needs. Unused N is excreted, primarily in urine. Nitrogen is an essential, valuable plant nutrient, so recycling of N is highly desirable and occurs when urine and feces are applied directly onto soil in a pasture, range or other grazing scenario, or collected manure is applied to cropland.
Sheep in a field
Thursday, February 1, 2018

Adding a Sheep Enterprise to a Cow-Calf Operation – A Producer's Perspective

In this month's BeefWatch Producer Perspective Podcast, Brock Terrell from Hay Springs shares how his family added a sheep enterprise to their operation. Some of the topics that Brock discusses in the interview include:

Applying beef manure to a field
Monday, January 1, 2018

What is the Economic Value of Beef Manure?

Manure has value. That value may result from improvements in soil quality, increases in yield, and replacement of commercial nutrient required for crop production.