Fescue foot reported in Missouri cattle
Fescue foot threatens Missouri cattle during cold spells. Learn warning signs, prevention steps, and pasture solutions to protect herds.
Start the year on the right foot with your cattle record-keeping system
STOCKTON, Mo. – As the year ends, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis urges cattle producers to evaluate their record-keeping system to determine if it was successful.“Record-keeping starts with proper cattle identification,” Davis said. Two nationally known identification systems are the four-digit system and the letter and three-digit system.
How you feed hay this winter is more important than ever
GALENA, Mo. – With a shortage of standing forage for cattle and the low availability of hay, it is more important than ever this winter to reduce waste when feeding hay.Hay waste is normal, but it can be controlled and minimized, said University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Tim Schnakenberg.
Calculating winter feed costs for beef cows
Estimate winter feed costs for beef cows based on hay quality and calving season to optimize expenses and ensure proper nutrition.
Make sure bulls are ready for fall breeding season
STOCKTON, Mo. – Make sure bulls are physically and reproductively sound before the fall breeding season, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis.
Plan to meet weaning challenges
SEDALIA, Mo. – Weaning spring calves may be more of a challenge this year because of short pasture supplies and the questionable nutritional value of this year’s hay crop.“Pay very close attention to body condition score in September and be prepared to wean, if necessary,” said Gene Schmitz, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist in Sedalia.Schmitz recently worked through a feeding scenario for a producer that highlights…
SW Missouri no stranger to drought in forages
Recurring drought in southwest Missouri strains pastures and forage growth; strategies for resilience and recovery.
Short forage supplies require producers to make tough decisions
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Dry weather and short pastures have reduced forage supplies, prompting livestock producers to ponder “could have, would have, should have” scenarios, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Eric Meusch.Producers should try to match their herd needs to anticipated forage supplies, Meusch says. This requires planning before a drought. Many factors will be out of your control if you wait until drought…
Nitrate, prussic acid poisoning follow drought
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nitrates and prussic acid build up in forages to levels dangerous to livestock during drought.Livestock face severe illness and even death after eating affected forages, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Jamie Gundel.Nitrates tend to concentrate in the bottom third of the plant. It shows in the plant’s stem and stalks more than leaves, Gundel says.
Tough culling decisions come with drought, forage shortages
COLUMBIA, Mo. – With dry weather and short pastures, Missouri cow-herd owners face tough culling decisions. One way to match cows’ needs to available grass is to sell cows.Give careful thought to which grass eaters go first, says Eric Bailey, University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist. Under drought stress, identifying those cows becomes urgent.
Corn silage as a forage
COLUMBIA, Mo. – An emergency feeding situation is shaping up for Missouri’s beef producers because of the drought. University of Missouri Extension recently hosted University of Wisconsin agronomist Joe Lauer on the MU Extension Forage and Livestock Hour to discuss his research on corn silage as a forage.
Water, shade help prevent heat stress in cattle
COLUMBIA, Mo. – This is the time of year when cattle producers need to pay extra attention to heat stress in their operations, says University of Missouri Extension beef specialist Eric Bailey.
Reducing grass tetany in cattle
“With lush grass growth coming in the spring, it is time to manage cattle and implement mineral supplementation strategies to reduce the incidence of grass tetany in your cattle operation,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Cattle grass tetany symptoms result from low blood magnesium levels.
Performance bull sale averages $3,678
Forty-four performance-tested bulls averaged $3,678 at the Southwest Missouri sale, with top bulls reaching $6,200.
New MU beef reproduction manual is basis of fall workshop series
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new manual, Whole System Management of Beef Cattle Reproduction, is available through University of Missouri Extension, said Jordan Thomas, extension state beef reproduction specialist. Spiral-bound copies are available for purchase, but PDFs of each chapter are also available for free download, said Thomas.
Gradual weaning of calves reduces stress, increases profits
Gradual weaning reduces calf stress, lowers disease risk, and boosts profits. Methods like nose clips and fence-line weaning improve post-weaning success.
Show-Me-Select lowers enrollment fees
COLUMBIA, Mo. – U.S. Marine Corps recruiters used to say they were “looking for a few good men.” University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Eldon Cole says he is “looking for a few good heifers” to help beef producers through the Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program.
Grow now, graze later to reduce winter feed costs
Stockpile fescue pastures now to cut winter feed costs and improve cattle nutrition.
Cattle losing adaptations to environmental stressors, MU researchers find
As a fourth-generation cattle farmer, Jared Decker knows that cattle suffer from health and productivity issues when they are taken from one environment--which the herd has spent generations adapting to--to a place with a different climate, a different elevation or even different grass.
Stocker cattle could add value to your operation without breaking the bank
Explore how stocker cattle systems can boost farm revenue using pasture-based strategies with minimal input.
Rising feed prices call for cutting the fat in cow-calf operations
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist Eric Bailey says beef producers can offset rising feed prices with changes in their operations. “It’s time to literally cut the fat from cow-calf operations,” says Bailey. Rising corn and soybean commodity prices are making their way downstream to feed prices, putting a pinch on profits.
Buyers show confidence at Show-Me-Select heifer sales
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Spring Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer sales saw heavy interest and strong prices, says Erin Larimore, sales coordinator for University of Missouri Extension’s Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program.
Full house packs Show-Me-Select sale at Vienna
VIENNA, Mo. - The May 21 Show-Me-Select Bred Heifer Sale at South Central Regional Stockyards in Vienna, Mo., saw a full house with lively bidding.Eighteen consignors from Osage, Maries, Callaway, Gasconade, Crawford and Miller counties sold 159 heifers for $311,800, said University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Anita Ellis.Lenny Keilholz sold the top-selling lot for $2,400 per head. Two lots were purchased online via DV…
Profitable cow-calf operations begin with early calvers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Cows need to conceive and calve early to earn their keep. University of Missouri Extension beef cow-calf specialist Jordan Thomas says managing for a short or even an “ultra-short” calving season should determine which cows get to stay on the farm. Late-conceiving cows should go to market.
MU Southwest Center studies 'double' stocker calf operations on fescue
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Researchers at University of Missouri’s Southwest Research Center in Mount Vernon are starting their third year of studying if beef producers can improve profits through a “double” calf stocking and grazing plan.The study looks at how to graze the same number of calves in half the time for better weight gains, says University of Missouri Extension beef nutrition specialist Eric Bailey.