January 6, 2020 | Vol. 12 : No. 12
What happens to a commercial Angus herd after 23 years of selection led by marbling? No worries, really, just premium opportunities.
That’s the nutshell from veteran Iowa State University animal scientist Dan Loy, whose team recently authored a white paper based on data from their quality-selected Angus herd.
When asking cow-calf producers what it costs to raise cattle, often feed, equipment and labor are top of mind. However, one expense not typically accounted for is the decreasing value of the cow over time.
Ranchers and rangeland managers often use fire to help control or retard invasive species or brushy plants like juniper or cedar, or to create more forage for livestock or reduce fuel loads and help prevent catastrophic wildfires.
Charles Kneuper, Texas state rangeland management specialist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, works with many ranchers on grazing plans, which often include prescribed burns. Fire is one of many tools that can be used for range management and improvement, he says.
Touching down in more than 120 countries, Terry Jones shared his worldly views Nov. 2 with a captive audience of Angus breeders at the 2019 Angus Convention in Reno, Nev. What caught the cattlemen’s attention? Jones’ buzzword: disruption.
For many in attendance, thoughts immediately went to social media and the intrusive cell phone. Jones was quick to explain the concept of disruption and why producers should embrace it.
No matter when you calve your spring-calving herd, it is a good reminder to change the feeding schedule for part, if not all, of the spring-calving cow herd.
It is generally accepted that adequate supervision at calving has a significant effect on reducing calf mortality. Saving every calf is always important to the bottom line, but takes on additional urgency when profit margins are narrow. On most ranching operations, supervision of the first-calf heifers will be best accomplished in daylight hours, and the poorest observation takes place in the middle of the night.
Building good cattle starts from the ground up. Sound feet and legs are essential. Cattlemen know that, but what can they do about it? They can learn about tools that help in selecting cattle with sound feet and legs.
