My weekly chat with my mom reminded me that it’s county fair time in the northern parts of the US. While we’re lucky to not have the oppressive heat and humidity that some of the southern states have, it can and does get hot and humid. I recall a few show days from my 4-H years that were extra hot and a break in the shade with a wet towel was in order. This week, I thought I would share some thoughts on keeping everyone safe while at the fair.
Resource utilization and how beef cattle production benefits the environment
The discussion about food and the environment impact of animal agriculture has generated debate for many years. A disturbing trend is how the ultimate goal of eliminating animal agriculture is hidden in the recommendations of some organizations which attempt to tell the consumer what is best for them and the world in general.
Summer reminders for the cow herd
Here is a quick list of reminders for management areas that can easily be overlooked or delayed to a point where you might experience reductions in calf gain, delayed breeding, or potentially open cows, all resulting in lost income opportunities.
The veterinary feed directive rules: Are you ready?
Yes, this is yet another article about the upcoming Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) Rules. By now some of you are probably tired of hearing about them, while others are hearing this for the first time.
Supplement for performance and health: It pays even in a down market
“Gotta cut back! This cattle market is in decline!” This seems to be a platitude we hear when economics become tight and margins in agriculture get thin.
Nutritional needs in early gestation
For many spring calving herds, we are now in the middle of the breeding season. Hopefully you have all been using a good summer mineral, quite possibly with fly control in it. But this is no time to relax – what should we be thinking about next?
Is your fly control program working?
Fly season is in full swing. Horn flies cost the beef industry upwards of $1 billion annually, in losses from poor cow and bull performance, lowered weaning weights, and disease. Producers spend upwards of $600 million dollars to combat files. When you consider what’s at stake, how do you know if your fly control program working for you and your cattle?
June is dairy month
The dairy industry is celebrated throughout the month of June with Dairy Breakfast and Farm City Days. These are excellent events where dairy producers are able to offer the food consumer a glimpse into the daily activities and workings of a dairy farm. Farms that are hosting these events deserve a big THANK YOU from not only the visiting consumers but from the rest of the agriculture community. Collectively, the animal agriculture industry needs more of these type of events to foster a higher level of consumer confidence in the safety of the food supply and a better understanding of the effort and dedication it takes to care for our animals. Heat stress abatement strategies and feeding management is one of the areas we can highlight for the consumer. Officially, summer begins on June 21st, however heat stress is beginning to impact dairy cattle in many parts of the country.
Take extra care with sheep hooves in wet weather
Horse folks are often fond of the saying – No hoof- no horse. Well, horses aren’t the only animals in which we need to worry about hoof soundness. Hoof soundness in sheep is absolutely critical. Grazing sheep that are lame won’t venture out and forage well and thus may gain less weight or even lose weight. Breeding rams that are lame will not travel to seek out ewes in heat and may lose libido all together. Prolonged wet conditions make foot rot complaints common.
Treat your cows like 5-star recruits
I’m a huge football fan. As I sit here writing, it’s the first day of spring practice for my son’s football team. And on this day, it’s easy to observe which boys worked hard during the off-season and which didn’t. Who’s vying for a starter’s position and who’s in danger of being cut. In football the ground work for a successful program is laid in the many months leading up to the first practice, let alone the first game. One can draw similar comparisons when speaking about calving season with beef producers.
