UNL BeefWatch January 2017

Cattle Lice

Cattle with hair loss, an unthrifty appearance, and leaving hair on fences and other objects from rubbing may be a sign of lice infestation.  Photo courtesy of Troy Walz.As the above average fall temperatures give way to winter conditions cattle lice numbers will increase. Cattle lice are a cold season insect that thrives in very cold conditions. Populations are most noticeable during December, January, February, and decline during March when temperatures warm. Lice Continue reading…

 

Is Nitrogen Fixation Oversold with Legume Cover Crops?

Little information is available on the amount of N that is fixed when legumes are grown as cover crops.  Photo courtesy of Daren Redfearn.One expected benefit of using legumes as a cover crop is to provide a source of nitrogen (N) to the cropping system. However, when legumes are included in mixtures with grasses and broadleaves for a relatively short growing period, the amount of actual fixed N may be relatively low. Even when plante Continue reading…

 

Points of Leverage for Cattle Operations

Meeting protein requirements of cattle eating low quality forage through supplementation is one point of leverage in a cattle operation.  Photo courtesy of Troy Walz.Give me a lever long enough … and single-handed I can move the world.
-- Archimedes
High points of leverage in a cattle production system are places where strategic inputs of time and resources potentially have impacts that are beneficial and significantly greater than the cost. The challenge in m Continue reading…

 

When is Protein Supplement Overfed?

A key factor to keep in mind is that as calving draws near, the cow’s nutrient demands rise, and energy needs double once lactation starts.  Photo courtesy of Troy Walz.The cattle markets are not what they were the last couple of years and many producers are re-evaluating their production costs to determine where expenses might be trimmed. It is a well- established fact that feed costs make up the majority of cowherd expenses in most operations. Therefore, it stand Continue reading…

 
Originally published January 1, 2017 - Submit an Item