Pre-breeding exams for replacement heifer selection
WEST PLAINS, Mo. – For cow-calf producers, it is ideal to have one healthy calf on the ground per cow per year. Producers should also strive to have cows that are productive in the herd for many years. On average, a cow must stay in the herd for six years for the producer to break even on that cow’s initial investment along with yearly maintenance costs.
Use sacrifice pastures now to spare best pastures for later
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Cattle producers welcome the rain, but it leads to muddy pastures and proper management is needed for optimum grazing the rest of the year,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Davis feels sacrifice pastures may be needed to help in promoting forage production for the rest of the grazing season.
Add magnesium to prevent grass tetany in cattle
STOCKTON, Mo. – “As spring and lush grass growth arrives cattle producers need to plan for prevention of grass tetany,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Grass tetany arises from a cattle mineral imbalance, so Davis suggests cattle producers use management strategies discussed below to reduce the incidence in their cattle operations.
SW Mo. All Breeds Performance Tested Bull Sale is March 31 in Springfield
STOCKTON, Mo. – “The 105th Southwest Missouri All Breeds Performance Tested Bull Sale is scheduled for March 31,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. The offering consists of 37 bulls, and the breed breakdown includes 34 Angus bulls, two Gelbvieh bulls and one Balancer bull. This long-running sale put on by the Southwest Missouri Beef Cattle Improvement Association will be held 7 p.m.
Women in livestock webinar series starts March 25
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension’s Pearls of Production committee is hosting five online sessions for women livestock producers across the state over the next few months. Although the content is created for women producers, all producers are welcome to attend.
Understanding grass tetany in beef cows
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you’ve ever seen a cow suddenly collapse in early spring, seemingly out of nowhere, you might have witnessed a case of grass tetany, says University of Missouri Extension state beef nutritionist Eric Bailey.
Timing, flexibility key to grazing tall fescue spring flush
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Proper management of the spring flush of tall fescue gives pastures and cattle a head start for the rest of the grazing season, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann.
MU Extension publishes vaccination overview for cow-calf operations
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension has a new publication about vaccination programs for cow-calf operations. The publication covers viruses and bacteria of concern, describes the difference between killed and modified live viral vaccines and provides a vaccine schedule example.
Avoid financial heartbreak after drought
POTOSI, Mo. – Missouri is coming off consecutive years of severe droughts and depleted cool-season pastures. As drought lingers, so do old practices that worsen its impact, says Rachel Hopkins, University of Missouri Extension agricultural business specialist. She likens it to an oft-quoted definition of insanity – “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results” – to the mindset of some long-term fescue growers.
March is bull breeding soundness exam month
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Bull management is important in preparation for the upcoming breeding season,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. March is the time to begin preparing those bulls for the upcoming breeding season. Davis will discuss management strategies to make sure bulls are ready for the upcoming breeding season.
Mitigating pregnancy loss in cow herds
MOUNTAIN GROVE, Mo. – With spring calving season underway, producers want as many healthy calves on the ground as possible. “A lot of folks see pregnancy loss within their herd and think of it in two ways: either a cow aborting a calf during gestation, or losing the calf after it is already made it on the ground,” said Chloe Collins, University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist. But multiple factors go into pregnancy loss, both…
The skinny on what your hay bales really weigh
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Ask five farmers how much their hay bales weigh, and you’ll probably get five different answers — none of which are backed up by a scale ticket. “That’s because most folks think they know their bale weights, but more often than not, they’re guessing,” says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist and associate dean Rob Kallenbach. “And when you’re buying hay by the bale instead of by the ton, those…
MU Extension offers beef feeding financial tool
POTOSI, Mo. – A risk management strategy for buying or retaining cattle is the goal of a new tool from University of Missouri Extension. The Beef Feeding Profitability Tracker, developed by MU Extension agricultural business specialist Rachel Hopkins, is a free Excel spreadsheet tool that lets producers track input costs of groups of cattle.
Frost-seeding legumes pays big dividends
HERMITAGE, Mo. – Frost-seeding legumes now can pay big dividends later, says University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy Terry Halleran. Frost-seeding is a low-cost method of broadcasting legumes over frozen ground into an existing pasture. Legumes offer many benefits but require proper management, says Halleran.
Time to rethink deworming the beef herd
SALEM, Mo. – The use of commercial livestock dewormers has paid off in terms of animal health and productivity, but it has also resulted in resistance among parasite populations. “As dewormers lose effectiveness, producers need to develop a broader strategy for managing internal parasites in their livestock,” said Eric Meusch, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist. Resistance to deworming products
Benefits of beef cow leasing
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Leasing instead of purchasing cows can be an effective financial strategy for cow-calf producers. A new publication by University of Missouri Extension specialists, “Introduction to Beef Cow Leases,” details how beef cow leases work. It is available for free download at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g434.
Frost seeding legumes improves pastures several ways
LINNEUS, Mo. – Adding diversity to a pasture can make it more productive than growing tall fescue alone. Diversity can also aid in reducing or diluting the effects of fescue toxicity, improve nutritive value of forage, increase weight gain and enhance soil health, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Carson Roberts.
Cattle recordkeeping system for success
STOCKTON, Mo. – “As a new year begins, cattle producers may find value in looking back at the previous year to evaluate the operation’s productivity and profitability,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. In this previous year’s evaluation, cattle producers should evaluate their recordkeeping system and determine if it was successful or if changes are needed.
Prepare for a successful calving season
STOCKTON, Mo. – “When planning for a successful calving season, plan for everything that might happen with the goal of the cow giving birth with little difficulty to a healthy calf,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Furthermore, manage cows to provide adequate quality and quantity of nourishment to the calf and rebred during the next breeding season.
Genetics for a better cow herd
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Improving fertility in cows involves leveraging genetic selection and advanced genomic tools to enhance reproductive performance. But genetic potential is only half the battle. Environment is the other half, said University of Missouri Extension state beef genetics specialist Jamie Courter at the recent Missouri Livestock Symposium in Kirksville.
Cattle care during prolonged extreme cold
MARSHFIELD, Mo. – Cold weather has moved into Missouri quickly with no plans of leaving soon, according to forecasts.
Prepare cattle for frigid temperatures
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Extremely cold weather, ice and snow are putting Missouri cattle at risk. Temperatures below zero degrees Fahrenheit are predicted, with the wind chill factor much lower in many parts of Missouri this week. As temperatures drop, producers need to ensure their cattle are kept safe in the harsh weather, said University of Missouri Extension state beef nutritionist Eric Bailey.
Final fall 2024 Show-Me-Select sale sets record
PALMYRA, Mo. – The sixth and final fall sale of Show-Me-Select heifers, Saturday, Dec. 14, in Palmyra, set a local record for total cost of heifers sold. The 53 buyers set a northeastern Missouri record $1,162,600 worth of bred heifers exchanging hands in one-and-a-half hours. Thirty-five repeat buyers purchased 192 head, or 59% of the total consignment, said Daniel Mallory, University of Missouri Extension regional livestock…
Strong bull sale in Springfield
STOCKTON, Mo. – “There was a strong showing at the 104th Southwest Missouri All Breeds Performance Test Bull Sale on Oct. 28 at the Springfield Livestock Marketing Center in Springfield,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Thirty-two bulls sold for an average price of $4,263 per bull. By breed, the 30 Angus bulls sold for an average of $4,303 per bull, one Hereford bull sold for $3,700 and…
Results from fall SW Mo. Bull Breeding Soundness Exam Days
STOCKTON, Mo. – “It is important for reproductive performance and profitability of the cattle operation to identify bulls that are not sound breeders and replace them prior to the breeding season,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. This is the goal of the Southwest Missouri Fall Bull Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE) Days, which also educate cattle producers on bull management for a successful…