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Keep the sparkle, skip the ER: Fireworks safety for July 4
They light up the sky, but fireworks can also send people to the emergency room. Before you celebrate, take a few simple steps to keep your family safe.
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Livestock tour highlights farms, research facilities in Oklahoma, Texas
STOCKTON, Mo. – “The MU Extension Livestock Bus Tour will visit livestock operations in Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas beginning Sept. 22,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist.
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Learn how to grow and market mouthwatering watermelon
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension specialists will hold an evening workshop on how to grow and market watermelon July 15 at the MU Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center at Mount Vernon.
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Three-day school provides tools to make your grazing operation successful
MU Extension, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Missouri State University will host a Management Intensive Grazing School, Sept. 8-10. The school will cover livestock and forage management for all grazing species, with special focus on cattle and sheep.
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Time to pull samples for Ozark Empire Fair Hay Contest
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Now that hay season has begun, it’s a good time to make plans to pull samples from your best hay for the Ozark Empire Fair Hay Contest, says University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Tim Schnakenberg. Entry deadline is July 17. To enter, contact your county University of Missouri Extension Center. Specialists are available to help pull the core samples from the 10-bale entry.
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Flood-related resources from MU Extension
Access practical tips and guides to stay safe, protect property, and recover after floods.
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Cattle fly and tick control more important than ever
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Fly and tick control is important to reduce the spread of diseases that negatively impact cattle operation’s productivity,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Health problems in cattle such as pinkeye, Theileria orientalis (Ikeda) and anaplasmosis are spread through flies and ticks. Davis discusses management strategies to reduce these problems in your cattle operation.
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Managing cattle and pastures for a successful summer grazing season
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Cool-season pastures are becoming overmature and need to be reset,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Keeping pastures in their optimum quality range supports cattle performance and contributes to a successful operation. In this article, Davis discusses cattle and forage management strategies for a productive summer grazing season.
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Strong bidding breaks records at Show-Me-Select SW Mo. sale
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Strong bidding at the recent Show-Me-Select sale in southwestern Missouri set new records for both high and average prices,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Twelve consignors sold 165 heifers for a record average of $4,947 per heifer. That is more than $900 higher than the spring 2025 average on 124 heifers and more than $700 above the fall 2025 average on 246 heifers.
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Happy Beef Month from your MU Extension dairy specialist
Happy Beef Month. Yes, that message is coming from your University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist. Across Missouri, where cattle operations of all kinds form the backbone of rural communities, the lines between beef and dairy are not separate conversations. They are part of the same cattle industry and, increasingly, the same supply chain.
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Preweaning calf management that leads to postweaning success
STOCKTON, Mo. – “For cattle producers who retain their calves after weaning, calf performance is crucial for a successful operation,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist.
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Strong, steady March bull sale in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist, described the 107th Southwest Missouri All Breeds Performance Tested Bull Sale in Springfield as “a strong, steady sale.”
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Severe-weather resources from MU Extension
Access free resources, guides, and videos to stay safe and prepared during severe weather and flooding emergencies.
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Highway 13 Butterfly Trail: Bethany to Branson
The Highway 13 Butterfly Trail is an integrated ecological restoration and community revitalization initiative designed to enhance pollinator habitat, support rural economic development and strengthen connections between communities and their surrounding natural systems.
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Bull management for breeding success
What's a bull worth? What is that future calf crop worth? Davis advises cattle producers to implement effective management practices for bulls as they transition out of the breeding pasture and prepare for future breeding seasons to safeguard their investment.
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Connecting a city through neighboring
In Excelsior Springs, a simple idea — neighbors getting to know one another — is reshaping a city. With support from University of Missouri Extension’s Engaged Neighbor Program, residents launched block parties, volunteer efforts and business collaborations that are building trust, boosting civic pride and strengthening community ties.
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MU Extension specialist available for commentary on documentary series ‘Neighbors’
With HBO’s new six-part documentary series “Neighbors” debuting Feb. 13, a nationally recognized University of Missouri Extension specialist and neighboring enthusiast is available to provide interviews and commentary for reporters and broadcasters as part of a larger discussion about what it means to be a good neighbor in the United States.
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A bull breeding soundness exam pays
Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist, suggests a bull breeding soundness exam (BSE) prior to each breeding season to make sure a bull is physically and reproductively sound to breed females. He suggests that with cattle prices as they are, not doing a BSE is an expensive mistake.
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Numbers low but prices high at SW Missouri All Breeds Performance Tested Bull Sale
“The numbers were low, but the prices were high at the Southwest Missouri All Breeds Performance Tested Bull Sale on Oct. 27 in Springfield,” says Patrick Davis, MU Extension livestock field specialist. Twenty-one bulls sold for an average of $7,128 per bull.
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Full crowd for strong Show-Me-Select replacement heifer sale
STOCKTON, Mo. – “A full house saw a strong Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program sale on Nov. 21 at Joplin Regional Stockyards,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. The sale saw 246 heifers sold from 13 consignors for an average price of $4,177 per heifer.
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Cattle AI school equips producers with breeding skills
Producers sharpen cattle-breeding skills in a hands-on artificial insemination school, learning anatomy, semen handling, synchronization and herd-building strategies.
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2026 Redbook available at your local MU Extension center
Start your 2026 cattle operation recordkeeping on the right foot by purchasing your Redbook, produced by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The pocket-size record books are available for sale through county MU Extension centers.
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20 Missourians named 2025 Most Engaged Neighbors
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Twenty Missouri residents have been honored as the state’s Most Engaged Neighbors for 2025. These awards highlight everyday Missourians whose commitment to their neighborhoods strengthens community bonds and creates belonging.
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Big profits in 2024-25 Missouri Steer Feedout
STOCKTON, Mo. – “The Missouri Steer Feedout Finale showed that producers were very profitable in feeding steers over the last year,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Held in conjunction with the Barton County Cattlemen’s Association meeting on Sept. 9 in Lamar, the event discussed the results of the steers fed at the Show Me Youth Ag Academy Feedlot near Newport.
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Have you scheduled your bull breeding soundness exam?
STOCKTON, Mo. – Have you scheduled your bull breeding soundness exam? Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist, suggests your bulls have a BSE prior to each breeding season.