Genomics – A Worthwhile Industry - Wide Investment

Genomics – A Worthwhile Industry - Wide Investment. By Jaclyn Krymowski. One of the most beloved yet polarizing recent advancements within animal agriculture is genomics. The testing, analysis, and interpretation of genetic information has become one of the most widely adopted tools by producers,...

Keep Safety in Mind When Working Cattle

Keep Safety in Mind When Working Cattle. By Heather Smith Thomas. Most cattle are gathered and worked for branding, vaccinating, pregnancy testing, weaning and other necessary management tasks.  Many cow herds are put through the chute twice or more annually.  It is important to make sure these...

Dealing with Drought

Dealing with Drought. By Heather Smith Thomas. In dry years it can be a challenge to have enough forage for the cow herd.  There are several strategies that ranchers might utilize, to make it through a serious drought.Destocking/CullingIf pasture and hay are in short supply and expensive, some producers...

Tackling Whole Cottonseed Transportation Barriers

Tackling Whole Cottonseed Transportation BarriersBy Naomi MortensenAbout half of the whole cottonseed produced each year is sold to feed livestock. Cattle nutritionists recommend incorporating whole cottonseed into rations because of its combination of protein, fat and fiber1 that supports muscle development,...

Deworming Cattle on Pasture

Deworming Cattle on Pasture. By Heather Smith Thomas. Internal parasites (stomach and intestinal worms) rob cattle of nutrients, reducing growth rate and weight gains in young animals and hindering optimum production in all classes of cattle.  Heavy infestations create health problems. Worms are an...

Poisonous Plants that Affect Cattle

Poisonous Plants that Affect Cattle. By Heather Smith Thomas. Some plants are toxic to cattle if eaten.  Different regions have different problem plants; the plains states and western states have some poisonous plants that don’t grow in humid eastern parts of the country, and vice versa. ...

Factors that Affect Fertility in Cows

Factors that Affect Fertility in Cows.By Heather Smith ThomasThere are many factors that influence fertility.  Whether a heifer will breed quickly (reaching puberty at a young age) or a cow breeds back quickly after calving depends on a combination of genetics, nutrition, general health, reproductive disease, etc...

Cattle and Greenhouse Gases: Fact, Fiction and the Industry

Cattle and Greenhouse Gases: Fact, Fiction and the Industry. By Jaclyn Krymowski. A recurring subject in animal agriculture that is all too familiar is greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially methane and carbon dioxide (CO2). As irritating as the misinformation and ongoing conversations can be, this...