Taking Plant Cuttings
New
Grow new plants with cuttings from existing ones. Learn how to take a cutting and create an environment in which it can develop roots in this 2-page guide.
Native Forage: A Guide to Getting the Most From Your Grazing Operation
New
Adding warm-season grass areas to a grazing system that already features cool-season grass creates a forage system that allows livestock owners to keep their herds feeding on high-quality forage for more of the year.
Agriculture and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Revised
Learn how many tons of greenhouse gas emissions U.S. crop and livestock farms emit. These estimates impact climate change and carbon sequestration policy.
Soybean Gall Midge
New
Soybean gall midge is a newly described insect species that attacks and severely damages soybean. Learn how to scout for and identify this pest — currently established in parts of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri — in this guide.
Weather-Related Sales of Livestock
Revised
Find out whether federal tax law allows farms to defer income earned after selling animals because of drought, flood or related weather conditions.
Agricultural Owners, Family Labor and the Worker Protection Standard
Revised
Find out what the EPA’s Worker Protection Standard requires of family-owned agricultural establishments to keep your family safe from pesticide exposure.
Sampling Safely at Farmers Markets — Fact Sheet
Reviewed
Read this to understand sampling regulations at farmers markets. Learn how to establish and estimate costs for handwash stations and washing and sanitizing stations.
Calving Season Considerations for Commercial Beef Cattle Operations
New
Managing when cows calve can have significant implications for the profitability of a cow-calf operation. Learn how to manage for a short, defined calving period and thus reduce costs and optimize productivity of the cow herd in this MU Extension guide.
Inbreeding: Its Meaning, Uses and Effects on Farm Animals
Reviewed
Mating schemes of animals are classified as either inbreeding or outbreeding. Mating closely related animals is inbreeding. Outbreeding is mating less closely related animals, but people disagree about where to draw the line. Learn more in this guide.
Preparation and Handling of Catheters for Artificial Insemination of Cattle
New
Learn proper semen handling to achieve maximum conception rates with artificial insemination in beef cattle. Reduced conception rates occur if semen is handled improperly before, during or after thawing. See this illustrated MU Extension guide for more.
Determination of Pregnancy Status in Beef Herds
New
Pregnancy examination provides valuable information that enables cow-calf operations to make management decisions that increase profitability and improve long-term reproductive efficiency. Learn about several methods in this MU Extension guide.
Reproductive Management of Bos indicus-Influenced Beef Cattle
New
Bos indicus cattle present challenges with estrus synchronization. Learn about the timing of estrus onset for them, their susceptibility to stress, and considerations and expectations when breeding them in this University of Missouri Extension guide.
Reproductive Anatomy and Physiology of the Cow
Revised
The ability of a cow or heifer to successfully mate, conceive, give birth, and raise a healthy calf each year is essential for profitable and sustainable beef production. A good understanding of anatomy and physiology of both the male and female is helpful in successfully managing reproduction.
Economic Impact of Opioid Use Disorder in Missouri
New
The opiod crisis raises many concerns for the labor force. Learn about the direct employment impacts of opioid-related losses in labor force participation in several key industry sectors in Missouri and how they affect the broader economy in this report.
Artificial Insemination of Cattle Step by Step
New
Using correct techniques when performing artificial insemination on beef cattle can help ensure success and minimizing risk of injury. Learn how to deposit the semen in the proper location in the female reproductive tract while using sanitary techniques.
Decreasing Generation Interval to Increase Genetic Progress
Reviewed
To see the greatest return on investing in genomic-enhanced EPDs, cattle breeders must decrease the average age of sires and dams. Learn how to shorten the generational invterval to speed up genetic progress in this University of Missouri Extension guide.
Herd Health Programs and Reproductive Efficiency of Beef Cattle
New
An excellent herd health program is an important component of overall management for reproductive efficiency in a beef cattle operation. Learn ways to mitigate health risks through consistent monitoring and proactive management in this MU Extension guide.
Managing the Effects of Stress and Temperament on Beef Cattle Reproduction
New
Commercial beef producers can improve herd temperament by selecting for docility and culling flighty, aggressive animals. Learn management practices that might improve reproductive outcomes in this guide.
Selection of Replacement Heifers for Commercial Beef Cattle Operations
New
To maintain herd numbers, commercial cow-calf operations must buy or develop females to replace culled cows. Learn about different stratgegies so you can make the most economical decision for your farm or ranch with long-term profitability in mind.
Guide to Estrus Synchronization Products
Revised
Several protocols and other resources allow beef producers to effectively synchronize estrus and ovulation in the herd. Read this guide for an overview of the function, handling considerations, and proper administration of estrus synchronization products.
Crossbreeding Systems for Small Herds of Beef Cattle
Revised
Crossbreeding in commercial beef cattle production improves efficiency through heterosis and breed complementation.
Split-Time AI: Using Estrus Detection Aids to Optimize Timed Artificial Insemination
Revised
Timed artificial insemination pregnancy rates in heifers can be optimized with a split-time AI approach. Estrotect estrus detection aids allow producer to determine the estrous status of females. Learn about the protocols in this MU Extension guide.
Facilities for Artificial Insemination of Beef Cattle
New
Access to functional artificial insemination (AI) facilities is a challenge for beef cattle producers. Learn what to look for in an AI facility and view a list of portable breeding barns available through University of Missouri Extension.