Evaluate your calving distribution this spring
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Record calf birthdates this calving season to track calving distribution.“Evaluating a calving distribution takes very little time but can provide valuable insight into reproductive performance and productivity of the herd,” says University of Missouri Extension veterinarian Craig Payne.Calving distribution is often expressed as the percentage of calves born at 21-day intervals, since 21 days is the average length of…
When price is right, wheat middlings are good cattle feed
COLUMBIA, Mo. – At the right price, wheat middlings are a good source of protein, fiber and phosphorus for livestock, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Kendra Graham.
2020: The year of the cull cow
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Now is a good time for beef producers to take advantage of stronger than normal prices for culled cattle, says University of Missouri Extension agricultural business specialist Wesley Tucker. Fat trimmings become a value-added product for hamburger. Demand for hamburger increased during COVID-19 as more people ate at home instead of restaurants or schools.
Corn residue: cheap grazing for cattle
Grazing corn residue provides cattle with low-cost, nutritious forage while extending the grazing season and reducing feed costs.
Begin stockpiling fescue mid-August
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Start stockpiling fescue mid-August for healthier and more profitable cattle, says University of Missouri Extension forage specialist Craig Roberts.Stockpiling fescue saves time and money by reducing the need to feed hay.
MU Extension pilots beef record-keeping project
A new initiative in northwest Missouri assists beef producers in enhancing whole-herd record-keeping practices.
Pasture flies thriving in hot, humid weather
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension dairy veterinarian Scott Poock says three types of flies cause economic damage and discomfort in cattle.Typically appearing in spring, horn flies, face flies and stable flies carried over to summer this year due to hot, humid weather.“The warmer it is, the faster the fly goes through its life cycle,” Poock says. “In a given summer, several generations can turn over as they multiply.”
MU beef researchers find improved pregnancy rates with new synch protocol
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new estrus synchronization protocol evaluated at the University of Missouri greatly improves heat response and pregnancy rates to fixed-time AI in beef cows.
Show-Me-Select heifer sale in Joplin shows solid results
Show-Me-Select heifer sale in Joplin drew strong turnout, active bidding, and top prices reaching $2,200 per head.
A consistent presence
Eldon Cole has served Missourians through MU Extension for 50-plus years. A lot has changed in the 56 years that Eldon Cole has served as a University of Missouri Extension specialist, but one thing has remained incredibly consistent – Cole’s desire to build relationships with the Missourians he continually serves.
Proper cattle identification systems
“Proper identification is key to management of cattle for optimum production and profitability,” says Patrick Davis MU Extension Regional Livestock Field Specialist. Identification is important in tracking cattle performance.
COVID-19 fears plague cattle market
With cattle markets falling, livestock specialist Zac Erwin with MU Extension in Adair County discusses some feed options to hold cattle longer in this video on the Missouri Livestock Symposium Facebook page.
Show-Me-Select heifers average $1,787 in second sale of spring at Fruitland, Mo.
Show-Me-Select heifers averaged $1,787 at Fruitland's second spring sale, with top-quality Tier II heifers fetching up to $2,400.
MU Thompson Farm advisers see results of 20 years of beef breeding
Twenty years of beef breeding research at Thompson Farm show more uniform, high-quality calves and improved herd genetics.
Show-Me-Select heifers average $1,555 in first spring sale at Farmington
Show-Me-Select heifers averaged $1,555 in Farmington’s first spring sale, offering calving-ease and quality genetics to buyers.
Taste feeds growing demand for beef, says MU economist
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Livestock owners increasing their herds must grow demand for meat. Current herd size expands meat supplies and domestic meat consumption to record levels.With more supply, expect lower prices, University of Missouri economist Scott Brown told the Womack Agricultural Outlook Conference in Columbia.But that didn’t happen as forecast in 2017.
Turner keeps it simple in large heifer replacement operation
HARTVILLE, Mo. – Denis Turner keeps his southwestern Missouri heifer replacement operation simple. For the most part, it is one man for 500-1,000 heifers at Turner’s Heifer Haven, a pasture-based operation where Turner raises heifers for others. “Make sure every task can be carried out by one person,” Turner says. “Two-man jobs are accomplished on time only about half of the time.”