Research shared on carcass quality from different types of finishing.
Rural landowners are often interested in raising livestock to slaughter for personal consumption, local marketing or for normal commodity markets. There are several options producers can use to finish cattle, ranging from finishing completely on forages to conventional drylot programs using high-concentrate diets. Hybrid systems have been studied as an alternative to high-concentrate total mixed rations fed in confinement. These systems use the roughage supplied by pasture along with additional energy from supplemental concentrates. They may not meet the requirements for “grass-fed beef” claims by the USDA, but they do provide free-choice access to pasture.
Brazil Weather Raising Corn Prices
Weather factors are contributing to rise in price of corn.
The price of corn in the United States has been increasing this year and is now approaching record highs. In early May, according to The Wall Street Journal, corn prices are up 50%, with the cost of a bushel at $7.73, and prices are closing in on highs not seen since 2012 when drought decimated crops across the Midwest and sent prices soaring to $8.31 a bushel, the Journal reported.
Gizmos & Gadgets
Products for use on farms and ranches.
In this month’s edition we highlight industry-first long-range ear tags for livestock, Texas Beef Council’s newly launched website, Gallagher S6 & S12 Lithium energizers, a weighing system, a new foliar nutrition product, a new farm-oriented app, Northern Tool + Equipment pressure washer and MLS tubs.
Handy Quick Fix for Hay Tarps
Create a strong, windproof covering with these tips.
Tarps of black plastic work well for covering and protecting haystacks when you don’t have a hay shed. When a person goes to the trouble to grow and put up good-quality hay, it pays to protect it from weather and prevent damage and mold. We cover our haystacks with tarps or big strips of durable black plastic, which lasts several years and can be reused for the next hay crop.
Strategies for Springtime Pasture Management
Weed scientist suggests steps to keep weeds from cropping up.
The sights and sounds of spring are all around — warm temperatures, chirping birds, sprigs of green grass popping up and, for some, the unwelcome view of weeds.
A Focus on the Cow and the Carcass Can Coexist
Matt Perrier, Dalebanks Angus Ranch, Eureka, Kan., talks about his focus on maternal traits that fits marbling into the equation.
Video by Certified Angus Beef LLC and the American Angus Association.
Forage Planning for the Next Year
The drought situation right now will set the stage for the next year.
The latest Drought Monitor shows that drought is significantly worse now than at the same time last year, with 63% of the country now in D0-D4 categories. These drought categories can be combined into a single numerical measure of drought known as the Drought Severity and Coverage Index (DSCI), published in the Drought Monitor. The DSCI can range from 0 (zero, abnormally dry or drought conditions) to 500 (100% D4, exceptional drought).
The current DSCI for the continental United States is 169, compared to 45 one year ago. Summer weather raises the odds of further increases in drought. Since the Drought Monitor began in 2000, the U.S. DSCI has only reached a level of 200 for a total of 22 weeks (all in 2012 and early January 2013), with a maximum value of 215. Drought conditions since last fall are the worst since 2013.
Angus Advisor
Our team of Angus advisors offer regional tips for herd management for the spring season.
