BeefWatch Archive

Beefwatch Archive

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

Silage
Sunday, July 1, 2018

Drought-stressed Corn: A Feed Opportunity

The game of “what-if” can be tricky. What if the corn crop becomes drought damaged this year? Am I prepared to utilize this forage? Drought-stressed corn will start to wilt and roll its leaves. If drought occurs for four days during the silking and pollination period, the early reproductive stages of the corn plant, as much as 40-50% drop in yield can occur. Cattle producers looking to make use of the drought-stressed corn may harvest it for forage but it should be done with a few considerations.

Cattle at bunk
Sunday, July 1, 2018

Pricing Field Peas as a Protein Supplement for Beef Cattle

Field peas are a popular crop included in wheat rotations in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming and Colorado because they contribute nitrogen to the soil and naturally break up weed and pest cycles. Field peas are normally sold for human consumption and utilized in the pet food industry. However, when they are rejected for human consumption and the pet food market is saturated, the field pea grower needs to find an alternative market for the crop.

BQA Cowboy
Sunday, July 1, 2018

Nebraska BQA: The Right Way Is The Only Way!

Nebraska is the epicenter of the beef cattle community. Nebraska beef cattle producers are the Nation’s leaders and produce top quality beef for today’s consumers. When it comes to running a strong cattle operation, they do things the right way. Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) is here to help with the training and certification to build more value into your operation.

Rancher in pickup
Sunday, July 1, 2018

Learning on the “Go” with Podcasts!

Progressive ranchers and farmers committed to lifelong learning often find podcasts as a way to expand their knowledge base while using time effectively. For a majority of people involved in production agriculture, a significant amount of time is spent behind the wheel of a vehicle or piece of equipment. This “drive time” can be an opportunity to listen to podcasts through using smartphone technology.

Calves at bunk
Sunday, July 1, 2018

Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Preconditioning

Cow-calf producers have the option of preconditioning calves at weaning to improve health status and ultimately add value to their calf crop. Preconditioning programs can vary greatly from one operation to another but share the common goal of preparing calves for the next phase of production. The preconditioning period is typically a minimum of 45 days and includes a nutritional program, health protocol, and series of management strategies designed to minimize stress and boost the immune system of the newly weaned calf.

Cows and calves
Sunday, July 1, 2018

Dry Lotting Cow-calf Pairs as an Alternative to Summer Grass – A Producer's Perspective

In this month's BeefWatch Producer Perspective Podcast, Alex Wiese, who is part of a family owned and operated farm near Newman Grove, shares how he has started a cow-calf enterprise as part of his family's operation. In the podcast Alex shares management practices and techniques he is using to dry lot cow-calf pairs through the summer.
Absinth Wormwood Plant
Friday, June 1, 2018

A “New” Invasive Weed - Absinth Wormwood

The Sandhills have a “new” invasive weed — absinth wormwood. This weed is on Colorado, North Dakota, and South Dakota’s noxious weed list. However, absinth wormwood was absent in Nebraska until a few years ago. Now absinth wormwood has been identified in over 15 counties in Nebraska, including several counties in the Sandhills.
Cows in a field
Friday, June 1, 2018

Implant Strategies for Calf-Fed Steers: Is Bigger Always Better?

This is a review of two research studies conducted at the University of Nebraska that evaluated the impact of initial implant program on performance and carcass characteristics of calf-fed steers.
Research continues to demonstrate the impact of maternal nutrition on the developing fetus in beef cattle. Photo courtesy of Troy Walz.
Friday, June 1, 2018

Nutrition at Conception and Early Gestation Influences Gene Expression

Research continues to demonstrate the impact of maternal nutrition on the developing fetus in beef cattle. A recent study at North Dakota State University with yearling beef heifers in early pregnancy examined and compared two groups of heifers that were managed the same prior to breeding, but after breeding were assigned to different levels of nutrition.
Forage in a field
Friday, June 1, 2018

Precipitation Risk Management for Annual Forages

The Annual Forage Insurance Plan offers an opportunity to manage precipitation risk.