UNL BeefWatch August 2015

2015 Nebraska Cow-Calf and Stocker Rental Rates

Grazing rates for cow-calf pairs fluctuate across Nebraska depending upon the district. The recently published Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights 2014-2015 report indicates pasture rental rates for cow-calf pairs and stockers have set record highs for the second year in Nebraska. Panel members indicated the driving force behind these rates stem from record setting cattle price Continue reading…

 

Summer Heat and Forage Growth

Warm-season grasses thrive when the temperature is around 90 degrees.  Photo courtesy of Troy Walz Summer heat hit us hard the past couple weeks. How do these high temperatures affect different types of forage plants?

When it suddenly turns ‘hooey boy’ hot – you know, 90 plus degrees and humidity so thick you can almost see it – cool-season plants suffer along with Continue reading…

 

Feeding Scabby Wheat in Feedlot Diets

Fusarium-damaged wheat kernels (left) and healthy kernels (right).  Photo from Nebraska Extension publication Fusarium Head Blight of Wheat.Wet conditions this growing season have caused some wheat fields to produce scabby wheat that may not be suitable for milling or manufacturing. Scabby wheat is a result of Fusarium mold growth and this species of mold may produce deoxynivalenol (DON), a toxin commonly called vomitoxin. If high con Continue reading…

 

Nebraska BQA: Antibiotic Stewardship

An element of antibiotic stewardship that is sometimes overlooked is the proper storage of products.  Photo courtesy of Rob Eirich.The beef community has been hearing the discussion about “Antibiotic Stewardship” throughout the past couple years. Is it really a new concept that we need to implement? As we review the principles of antibiotic stewardship, you see it is the basic guidelines set forth by Beef Quality Assurance (B Continue reading…

 

Gudmundsen Sandhills Lab Open House

You are invited to attend the 16th Annual UNL Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory Open House.The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory will host its 16th Annual Open House on Wednesday, August 26. Presentations will be given throughout the day on various aspects of cattle and natural resources management.

Throughout the morning, speakers will discuss cattle mark Continue reading…

 

Body Condition Score Your Pastures

Photo-monitoring uses photographs to capture data about pastures.  Photo courtesy of Bethany Johnston.How easy is it to body condition score your cows? You look at the fat deposits covering the cow’s body. A “fleshy” cow is considered good, while a thin cow may need special attention.

How do you tell if your pasture is “fleshy”? What do you look at to assess plant health?

Determining the health Continue reading…

 

LRP Insurance Performance 2005-2014

Price and market uncertainties pose a significant risk to cattle producers.  Photo courtesy of Jay Parsons.Livestock producers have many of the same risk management insurance needs as crop producers. Price and market uncertainties pose a significant risk to cattle producers with a substantial amount of money invested in breeding livestock, land, and other infrastructure. Price protection through the Chic Continue reading…

 
Originally published August 1, 2015 - Submit an Item