MANAGEMENT...

Buy By the Pound and Other Tips

Remember wise hay-buying tips, extension specialist warns.

The dry weather continues to prompt interest in buying hay, notes Eldon Cole, University of Missouri (MU) Extension livestock specialist. When buying hay, Cole recommends buying by weight, not by the bale.

"At least check the weight on a few large bale packages. The 1,000-pound (lb.) big round bale of grass hay may only weigh 750 pounds. That difference in weight would change the per ton price on a $35 bale by about $23 per ton," says Cole. Read more.

Income Tax Considerations for Drought-related Sales of Livestock

Ranchers across Texas have been forced to sell cattle at a historic rate, and income tax implications are a concern, according to Texas AgriLife Extension Service economists.

"The historic drought has forced many more cows than normal to be sold throughout Texas," said David Anderson, AgriLife Extension livestock economist. "Of the $5.2 billion in agricultural losses to date, $2.06 billion has come from our livestock industry, as ranchers have sold off cattle due to lack of forage and escalating supplemental feed expenses. This has created several financial management issues for cattle producers to consider."

Producers are advised to consult their financial professional for advice that best fits their operation and business plan, said Jose Pena, AgriLife Extension economist. Read more.

Ron Torell with his wife, Jackie

Cow Camp Chatter

Replacement rate

A philosophy subscribed to by many ranches around the country is that great cow herds are culled, not bred. If a cow's calf is killed on the railroad, the cow is culled, for it was her fault for having the calf there to begin with.

This is a hard-line approach to building a great cow herd. It comes at the cost of a higher replacement rate and requires a refined management and genetic program, a balanced feed resource, and an economically viable operation with dedicated and well-educated managers. This higher culling rate allows the beef herd to make genetic progress at a faster pace in the areas of convenience and economically important traits. Read more.

Windrow Grazing

Feeding system offers an efficient way to provide winter feed.

Windrow grazing can save money on feeding costs and enable cows to more efficiently graze into winter. Glenn Shewmaker, extension forage specialist at the University of Idaho, says this gives a more efficient harvest — by the cows — than letting them graze a field that hasn't been cut. They waste more if it's allowed to grow tall and then grazed, he says.

"Even if you didn't ration the windrows by moving electric fence across the field, there would still be significant savings due to less trampling and fouling of the forage," he explains. Read more.

Minimize Hay Waste

Save money by keeping hay-feeding losses to a minimum.

A considerable loss of hay can occur when livestock producers feed large round hay bales. In fact, research shows that hay losses from improper feeding of bales can be as high as 43%. The good news is that there are several methods producers can use to minimize those losses, said Tim Schnakenberg, an agronomy specialist with University of Missouri (MU) Extension.

One of the best ways to reduce losses is to feed hay in small amounts. Read more.

Kris Ringwall

Beef Talk

Resilience vs. resistance

The beef industry has resilience and resistance. Some weeks, the resilience shines, while other weeks, it's the resistance that stands out.

Resilience is that innate ability to bounce back and survive. In many ways, it's a desire to return to what was. The cattle industry will pride itself on its resilience and capacity to take a hit, but survive through hard work.

Generally, the operational model is renewed, and the managerial motto that "if it worked before, it will work again" can be heard humming in the background. By this time, one should be asking if I am talking about resilience or if I have shifted to resistance. Read more.

New Products

Industry affiliates provide a wide array of products and services to assist you on the farm and ranch. Here's an assortment of new products to hit the market recently.

Angus Advisor

Click here for September herd management tips from cattle experts across the nation. Advice separated by region.

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