Beef cattle feeding : article
STOCKTON, Mo. – So-called “sacrifice pastures” might be needed to help promote forage production the rest of this cattle grazing season, according to Patrick Davis, a University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist based in Stockton.
Boost beef farm resilience with expert tips on grazing, hay storage, herd health, and financial strategies to thrive through cycles and drought.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – One of the most important tools for livestock producers is a sharp No. 2 pencil.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Ways to replace toxic tall fescue pastures keep improving as renovations move across the Fescue Belt from Missouri to Georgia.Five grazing schools in five states in March will clarify a complex system, says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension nutrient management specialist John Lory recommends applying fall nitrogen in mid-August to cool-season pastures.
Despite drought conditions in much of the state, Lory says, “we need to get nitrogen applied now so we can take full advantage of the…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The best time to apply nitrogen fertilizer to promote fall forage growth has passed, says University of Missouri Extension state nutrient management specialist John Lory. Applying now does not promote growth and may increase the risk of forages accumulating nitrate.
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – When temperatures fall, beef producers should watch for signs of fescue foot in their beef herds.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Livestock producers can learn how to reduce toxins that damage performance and profits during the March 23 Alliance for Grassland Renewal workshop in Mount Vernon, Missouri.
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.
SEDALIA, Mo.—Many Missouri producers are asking if it is safe to use soybeans for livestock forage. The topic was brought up repeatedly by attendees at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri livestock and forage specialists are reporting ergot infestations that can cause major losses in livestock, said MU Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Get a head start on pastures for the year with good management of spring flush, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann.Early decisions determine pasture health for the rest of the season, Naumann says.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Beef producers should approach 2023 with cautious optimism – matched with resolutions of good management and investment in infrastructure, says University of Missouri Extension agriculture business specialist Wesley Tucker.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Add legumes to fescue and other cool-season pastures at the right time to add pounds and profits to cattle.
The right time is when pastures are frozen and snow-covered, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The buttercup’s beauty belies its blistering poison.
All parts of the perennial pasture crop are poisonous, says University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy Sarah Kenyon.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Moisture and fall forage growth have been disappointing in 2024. The bumper crop of corn this year has prompted many cattle farmers to consider feeding their cows corn silage.
Estimate winter feed costs for beef cows based on hay quality and calving season to optimize expenses and ensure proper nutrition.
SALEM, Mo. – With cattle prices at record high levels and many forecasts projecting relatively high prices for the next couple of years, some producers feel they can do no wrong. In times like these, even less-productive cows and mismanaged calves are likely to make a profit.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It’s pretty simple math: Too little grass + too many cows = too little cash.
ST. JAMES, Mo. – Cattle producers are invited to attend a field day at the Mingo Farm in St. James to learn how to use natural shade to improve their beef operation.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension specialists urge producers to closely watch cattle grazing pastures with Johnson grass and other sorghum species.
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.
MONETT, Mo. – Fourth-generation farmer Mike Meier knows change will help his family’s Century Farm survive.The rotational grazing and breeding system he uses for his dairy herd works. Now he wants to apply those principles to beef cattle. “At 56, I wanted to go in a different direction,” he says.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Squatty, squishy bales are making their way out of the ditch and into the cow pasture as post-drought supplies dwindle and winter lingers.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A winter cold snap arrives. Cow’s blood flow slows. Cows start limping. It’s time to check herds for fescue foot.The first report of the disabling disease has come to Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension fescue specialist.
GALENA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension specialists warn livestock producers to be on the lookout for ergot this year.A cool, cloudy and wet spring with a prolonged flowering period was followed by high temperatures and humidity, setting the stage for infection, says Tim Schnakenberg, field…
GALENA, Mo. – Ernest Newton Fergus, a University of Kentucky forage specialist in the 1930s and 1940s, did the livestock industry a great favor when he propagated Kentucky 31 fescue, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Cool-season grasses such as fescue that dominate pasture grass in Missouri need warm weather to grow.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Grazing drought-dried corn and cornstalks offers cattle inexpensive, nutritious forage, say two University of Missouri Extension specialists.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – An emergency feeding situation is shaping up for Missouri’s beef producers because of the drought.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Grazing cornstalks or drought-stricken corn can fill feed gaps during drought, says University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist Eric Bailey.
There are some nutritional concerns, and producers must commit to moving cattle to new pastures to successfully use cornstalks as…
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- In the prolonged summer drought, farmers noticed that grass stayed green longer in their hayfields than in their pastures.While hayfields kept growing, pastures turned brown. Cows ran out of grass to graze.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – In dry weather with short pastures, Missouri cow-herd owners face tough culling decisions. One way to match cows’ needs to available grass is to sell cows.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought continues to plague southwestern and west-central Missouri as pastures dry and cattle producers start to feed hay well ahead of schedule.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought increases the chance of nitrate poisoning and prussic acid poisoning. High concentrations in plants and water can harm or even kill animals.
GALENA, Mo. – Poor forage stands carried over from last year’s drought, lower hay yields, less fertilizer used and a drought again for 2023 have created major uncertainty in the Missouri beef industry.
GALENA, Mo. – “If there was ever a year to focus on stockpiled tall fescue, this is it,” says Tim Schnakenberg, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist in Galena.
WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Low supplies of hay make feeding cattle a challenge.
Elizabeth Picking, a University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist in southwestern Missouri, sees the effects of severe drought in her area – dwindling hay supplies, poor-quality hay, high prices and ponds going dry.
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Early wean calves to reduce cow herd nutrient needs to match drought-limited feed resources,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. In addition, early weaning can improve calf performance because calves are put on a more nutritious diet…
Learn how to assess the economic pros and cons of renovating endophyte-infected tall fescue pastures for better livestock health and forage yield.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Rain makes grass grow. That’s good for grazing livestock, but makes haying difficult.Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist, sees unusual potential for cattle producers.
COLUMBIA. Mo. – Shortage of cattle forage forces some Ozark herd owners to chop trees to feed leaves. That method was used in big droughts of the 1930s and 1950s.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Newly made spring hay finally being baled in June may be toxic for cattle. Hold off on feeding new hay, says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist.The longer the hay can be stored after baling, the less toxic it becomes.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – To reduce fescue foot, a long-used plan to feed winter hay after grazing down fall pastures should be changed. A University of Missouri Extension forage specialist says it’s backwards. Feed hay first; then graze stockpiled winter pastures.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers and ranchers have a new tool to find or list hay and co-product feedstuffs for sale: Feedstuff Finder, developed by University of Missouri Extension for individuals looking to buy or sell products.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fifth-generation rancher Eric Bailey joins University of Missouri Extension as state beef nutrition specialist.
LINNEUS, Mo. – Gaps in summer forages for livestock producers can be challenging.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Interested in an impossible task? Try making dry hay in Missouri in early spring. But baleage can turn spring forage harvest in Missouri into “Mission: Possible.”
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Early February is the time to frost seed legumes into most Missouri pastures, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.
Frost seeding, a method of broadcasting seeds onto frozen pastures, improves poor pastures at a low cost, Roberts says.
NEW BOSTON, Mo. – Tad and Kim Carnahan knew where one of their first stops would be after their move from Colorado to Missouri.
The lifelong learners turned to University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Zac Erwin and agronomy specialist Valerie Tate for help in setting up their new…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Reports of “fescue foot” causing loss of cows are coming in, says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Forage yield and quality improve when legumes are frost-seeded at the right time, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.
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…
STOCKTON, Mo. – Add legumes to grazing pastures to improve cow performance, soil health and forage production, says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist in Cedar County.
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…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – High nitrogen prices make it especially important to consider frost seeding legumes this winter, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.
Gradual weaning reduces calf stress, lowers disease risk, and boosts profits. Methods like nose clips and fence-line weaning improve post-weaning success.
STOCKTON, Mo. – St. Clair County Soil and Water Conservation District, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Missouri Extension, and Missouri Forage and Grassland Council will hold a school on management-intensive grazing May 9-10 in Osceola.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Recent rains have given producers hope that they will be able to plant wheat this fall. Producers may be looking to plant wheat not only for a grain crop but also to provide some fall and early spring grazing, says a University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Rain-delayed haymaking leads to poor-quality feed for livestock next winter. Supplemental feed will be needed to make balanced rations, says University of Missouri Extension forage specialist Rob Kallenbach.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Temperatures drop, sunshine dims and pastures stop growing. That’s when cow nutrition becomes critical, says Justin Sexten, University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist.More hay was baled in 2013 than in the drought of 2012. But quantity doesn’t equal quality. Much of the hay…
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – Weigh, test and sample hay before buying or selling, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Eldon Cole.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Many beef and dairy calves will be born in the next three months. As spring calving season approaches, University of Missouri Extension experts stress the importance of properly caring for newborn calves.
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…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Small pockets of Missouri pastures may have gone unscathed by 2023 drought. Those lucky enough to have grass should consider stockpiling tall fescue, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — The greening of pastures and the rising of temperatures have led ruminant-livestock owners to start thinking about the upcoming haying season.
NEVADA, Mo. – Rain is always a wild card when deciding the right time to mow hay.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri forage producers should begin removing seed heads from tall fescue grass pastures soon to reduce toxic endophytes that thwart herd health and profits, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is a good, productive grass to include in forage mixtures in the Ozarks region, but having too much of this grass can limit production. Monitoring the amount of Kentucky bluegrass in the forage stand can be helpful to producers.
STOCKTON, Mo.- Add legumes to grazing pastures to improve cattle performance and forage production, says University of Missouri Extension regional livestock specialist Patrick Davis.
Frost-seed clovers and lespedeza now, Davis says. They grow well with cool-season grasses in Missouri and improve…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Adding poultry litter or nitrogen to toxic fescue pastures grows more grass, but also boosts toxins in the grass.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – George Washington knew the value of a good seed: “Bad seed is a robbery of the worst kind,” the founding father wrote, “for your pocket-book not only suffers by it, but your preparations are lost and a season passes away unimproved.”
COLUMBIA, Mo. – For yield and quality, May is the best time to harvest cool-season grasses, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann.
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – Beef herd owners serious about improving fescue pastures—and their beef herds—can learn how in a March 6 meeting at the University of Missouri Southwest Research Center, Mount Vernon.
CLEVER, Mo. – While fall is the best time to consider pasture renovation, spring is the second-best time, so there is still time to help pastures get back in shape for the next season, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg.
Missouri cattle producers: Attend the Feedlot School in Kirksville, March 22-23, to learn about cattle nutrition, health management, and economics.
MONTICELLO, Mo. – The federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), in place for nearly 10 years, requires elevator firms to develop and maintain documentation on their current good manufacturing practices for processing and selling animal feed.
HERMITAGE, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension offers cattlemen a bus tour of cattle operations in Kansas and Oklahoma Aug. 6-9.MU Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis said the tour offers an opportunity to learn to manage herds better to make them healthier and more profitable.…
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Good-quality hay bales are like precious gems. They’re valuable and worthy of your safest storage, says Charles Ellis, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agricultural engineering.
ALBANY, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension began a three-year project in March to help beef producers improve whole-herd record-keeping.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension is recruiting farmers for a project aimed at improving the productivity of forage-based operations in areas dominated by tall fescue grass.
WELLSVILLE, Mo. – Matthew Spiers wants to convert cropland to pastureland for grazing.Through a joint effort by University of Missouri Extension and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Spiers plans to build a rotational grazing system so he won’t have to rent more pastureland to…
State forage agronomy specialist Carson Roberts recently released the “Productive Pastures Podcast,” featuring livestock and forage producers, researchers and others interested in management-intensive grazing, livestock production and forage production.
Efficient forage management and utilization are crucial to the profitability of a livestock operation.
MU Extension, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Missouri Forage and Grasslands Council, and the Dade County Missouri Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will host a…
Sunn hemp boosts rotational grazing by providing high-protein forage, improving soil health, and enhancing cattle gain while reducing summer slump.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought continues to plague growers and livestock producers in parts of Missouri, especially in the southwest corner of the state, raising concerns about feed availability.
Find hay for sale in Missouri with this searchable online directory from the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
The drought in Missouri has taken a toll on cool-season grasses, diminishing forage for cattle and other livestock.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It is difficult to make blanket recommendations on fall nitrogen fertilizer rates to pastures because of the variability in how forages are managed in the Fescue Belt, says University of Missouri Extension state nutrient management specialist John Lory. But fescue pastures need a…
This is part of an MU Extension series to help row crop and livestock producers manage drought.
BOONVILLE, Mo. – Forage producers searching for options amid sustained drought should consider emergency forages, says Todd Lorenz, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist.
TUSCUMBIA, Mo. – Now is the time for forage growers to plan for drought, says Rudra Baral, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — It wasn’t the best of springs for baling hay.
“Stockpiling fall forage can stretch your hay supply by delaying how early you start feeding hay, plus reduce your harvesting costs,” says Pat Miller, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist.
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.
STOCKTON, Mo. – Patience pays off for cattle producers who wait for fescue to grow some before turning cattle out for spring grazing, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis.