May 4, 2021 | Vol. 14 : No. 4
The 2021 Beef Improvement Federation Research Symposium and Convention program is now confirmed. This year’s event will be hosted in person June 22-25 in Des Moines, Iowa. It will feature two and a half days of educational programming and a full day of tours.
Farming and ranching in West Texas walks a very thin line in an effort to achieve sustainability. A combination of the semi-arid climate and scarcity of water presents a great challenge to agricultural producers throughout the region, and a slight deviation one way or the other often determines how profitable a growing season or herd can be.
In this month’s edition we highlight FDA approval of six Blue Bird combinations for a feed additive and multiple animal-health products, a weighing system, a fence-post driver, and new options against bacterial and viral BRD.
“Lupine calves” occur when plant toxins are ingested by a pregnant cow at a certain stage of pregnancy, causing deformities in the developing fetus.
Native Western pastures often contain several types of lupine. This hardy plant blooms in early spring with blue flowers, but varieties include yellow, white, blue and white, or pink. Some species are harmless, but others contain alkaloids that can cause deformities during fetal development.
As temperatures start to rise, so do winter forages. Cool-season grasses are a nutrient-rich feed that, when grazed properly, can be a valuable asset to a production system. In some areas, limited rainfall over the fall and winter months has added some challenges for wheat pasture growth.
David Rutan, owner and manager of Morgan Ranches in South Mountain, Idaho, describes how cows help, but too many junipers hurt resource conservation in the high desert. This video news is provided by Certified Angus Beef LLC and the American Angus Association.
Grain prices are projected to remain high this year. While this boon to crop producers is putting pressure on livestock feeders, the upswing presents an opportunity for savvy cattle grazers.
