Beef cattle feeding : article
STOCKTON, Mo. – “As hay season continues, I see a lot of large round hay bales being stored outside,” says University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist Patrick Davis. If hay is not stored properly outside, farmers can see significant dry matter and quality losses. Factors that…
PURDY, Mo. – The sea of native warm-season grass on Gene Cowherd’s Barry County farm is a reminder of a time when buffalo grazed tall prairie grasses.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – More than 65 cattle producers from Missouri, Iowa and Illinois attended the University of Missouri Extension Feedlot School in Kirksville in late August.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Livestock producers have options for reducing hay waste and feeding costs while improving animal behavior and performance, says University of Missouri Extension specialist Charlie Ellis.
Farmers can choose from several methods to reduce waste based on their preferences, labor…
“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…
After two years of droughts in Missouri, hay supplies are low, with many producers feeding hay during the summer months and lacking the pasture growth to get the tonnage comparable to previous year’s hay crops. Many producers in southern Missouri reported 50%-75% reductions in first-cutting hay…
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – Drought in southwestern Missouri calls for long- and short-term feed plans for beef and dairy herds.
University of Missouri Extension state dairy specialist Stacey Hamilton urges producers not to panic as local feed supplies dwindle. There are options to carry herds through…
LINN, Mo. – Livestock producers and horse owners can learn how to make “Hay That Pays” at the University of Missouri Extension regional hay school Oct. 14 in Linn.The event runs 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at Community Christian Church, 1598 U.S. Highway 50, Linn.
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – Registration remains open for the March 23 Alliance for Grassland Renewal workshop at the University of Missouri Southwest Research Center in Mount Vernon.
WEST PLAINS, Mo. – “Missouri livestock producers have some options to manage tall fescue seed head development and the toxic endophyte issues we have in Missouri,” says Tim Schnakenberg, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy.
Seed heads emerge in tall fescue grass pastures…
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.
GREEN RIDGE, Mo. – Missouri cattle producer John Chamberlin didn’t want to sell his cows when drought lingered and hay supplies and forages dwindled last year.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Producers looking for ways to grow forages during drought might consider planting an “annual pasture within a perennial pasture,” says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann.
STOCKTON, Mo. – Drought and overgrazing have left cattle pasture stands thin and possibly in need of renovation, said University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis. He urges cattle producers to use summer annuals as a tool to thicken stands or begin the renovation of cool-…
STOCKTON, Mo. – Now is the time to seed oats and clovers to improve spring cattle grazing resources and reduce costs, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – When drought boosted corn and soybean prices, beef-herd owners faced new challenges. They can’t rely on traditional feeds as low-cost supplements for winter forages.“Producers must look at every alternative this winter,” says a University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist.
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.
SEDALIA, Mo. – While it is still too soon to sound the alarm on “drought,” parts of the state are becoming severely dry, said University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Gene Schmitz.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Stocker cattle make up just 12 percent of the 4.25 million head currently part of the beef industry in Missouri.
MONTGOMERY CITY, Mo. – Start stockpiling tall fescue in mid-August for healthier, more profitable cattle, says University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy Rusty Lee.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – New forage research gives reason to not graze toxic fescue grass too short. The bottom 2 inches of infected grass holds highest levels of the alkaloid causing problems for grazing livestock.The findings guide ways to manage fescue’s toxic impact, says Craig Roberts, University of…
Frequent droughts in Missouri have livestock producers discussing more adaptable summer pasture options.
“With tall fescue as the dominant Missouri forage, there are few options to enhance those fescue fields to graze through a long, hot, dry spell,” said Tim Schnakenberg, University of Missouri…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – With high costs of feed for wintering cows, herd owners should consider adding monensin to grain supplements for winter forages. The additive, trade name Rumensin, controls coccidiosis, a disease caused by intestinal parasites.
The 39th annual Southwest Missouri Spring Forage Conference is set for Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center, 2546 N. Glenstone Ave., Springfield.
WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Southwest Missouri farmers and livestock producers are no strangers to drought. In 2022, livestock owners face short-term and long-term challenges growing pastures for grazing and winter feeding.
ASH GROVE, Mo. – “Cows and horses think alfalfa looks like candy, smells like candy and tastes like candy,” says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Andrew McCorkill.
“Cattle producers are dealing with varying degrees of drought and forage resources,” says Patrick Davis MU Extension livestock field specialist. Some cattle producers have received adequate rain and are recovering from the 2022 drought through rebuilding forage and cattle resources.
SALEM, Mo. – Now is a good time to review winter feeding plans, according to University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Eric Meusch.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts says now is the time to check for ergot in the seed heads of grasses.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “Don’t delay making hay,” says Rob Kallenbach, University of Missouri Extension.It might not seem like haymaking time, or haymaking weather, but early harvest results in more quality forage through the season, says the state forage specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As winter feeding season continues with a forecast of Arctic weather in February, cow herd owners face dwindling hay supplies.Eric Bailey, University of Missouri beef nutritionist, gives the short answer: “Feed less, need less.”In practice, that takes management decisions and…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Most of Missouri is experiencing drought conditions, which have extended almost a full year, putting enormous pressure on cattle producers. University of Missouri Extension specialists have five top action items for producers to do now:
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.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Montgomery County farmer Harry Cope will talk about how he “moves the feedlot from the barn to the field” at the Missouri Livestock Symposium, Dec. 7-8 at Kirksville Middle School. University of Missouri Extension sponsors the free event.
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.
This is part of an MU Extension series to help row crop and livestock producers manage drought. For more articles, go to https://mizzou.us/DroughtResources.
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Summer annuals are a good way to add diversity and build pasture stands for the upcoming grazing season,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist.
In this video news story, University of Missouri researchers use GPS technology to understand the complexities of a cow's appetite. This knowledge may help livestock producers graze cattle more efficiently.
CASSVILLE, Mo. – Richard Asbill wants cattle and wildlife to benefit from warm-season grasses on his southwestern Missouri farm.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The recent cold snap increased hay needs for beef cows and is putting the squeeze on tight hay inventory. And without a wet winter to overcome soil moisture deficits, it is possible that grass growth rate will be delayed/slowed this spring.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Many Missouri beef producers found themselves trying to pull a rabbit out of the hat as they rang in 2024 with low hay supplies, says University of Missouri Extension beef nutrition specialist Eric Bailey.
Bailey says post-drought feeding woes leave producers challenged with “what…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new tool helps farmers decide the breakeven price for wheatlage compared to harvesting their wheat as grain.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – So far, it’s a bad hay year. Cool weather, lack of sun and dry soil slowed grass growth.Dry matter per acre is about one-third of what we expect this time of year, says Rob Kallenbach, University of Missouri Extension forage agronomist.He spoke to regional extension specialists in a…
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.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Winter is the time for livestock producers to prepare pastures for drought, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Increases in fertilizer prices add to the cost of growing forage for grazing. This leads farmers to ask if they should buy hay or fertilizer, says University of Missouri Extension nutrient management specialist John Lory.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mature hay is hay. It may be brome hay, prairie hay or any other type of hay. But in the end, it’s just hay until it’s been tested.Forage tests tell the tale of whether hay is of good quality and nutrient-rich, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Gene Schmitz.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Forage and beef producers can learn from world-renowned forage experts the how and why of renovating toxic tall fescue pastures at a March 23 workshop in Mount Vernon, Missouri.