Month: November 2015

Silage Pile Management And Safety

– Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator, Wayne County

It is easy to see the importance silage plays in ruminant livestock rations by observing the number of bunker silos and silage piles that are on area farms. Feeding out that stored silage requires management. Silage management can be discussed from two perspectives, one being how to manage the removal of silage from the silo to maintain silage quality and promote animal intake and the other on how to keep farm workers, family, and visitors safe around the bunker.

The key point to remember is Continue reading Silage Pile Management And Safety →

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The Role of Gender-Sorted Semen in Rebuilding the Beef Herd

– Justin Rhinehart, University of Tennessee Extension

At the time of writing this article, many areas of the U.S. are experiencing a rebuilding phase in the cow-calf sector. There is a great deal of discussion about many aspects of this rebuilding phase, including how long or how rapidly it will continue, where the increase in cow numbers will concentrate geographically and whether the additional numbers will come from an expansion of conventional cow-calf production from established ranches or if it will come from the addition of new producers using what are considered to be unconventional methods.

In any of those rebuilding scenarios, or Continue reading The Role of Gender-Sorted Semen in Rebuilding the Beef Herd →

2016 Great Lakes Professional Cattle Feeding and Marketing Short-course

This short course is a joint effort of Ohio State University Extension, Michigan State University, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture to enhance the cattle industry in the Eastern Corn Belt.

The first session will deal with rubber coverings for slatted floors, corn harvest systems, feed additives, and Continue reading 2016 Great Lakes Professional Cattle Feeding and Marketing Short-course →

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Bred Beef Female Sale, a Final Reminder

– John F. Grimes, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator

This is your final reminder to attend the third annual Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Replacement Female Sale. The sale will be held this Friday, November 27 at the Muskingum Livestock facility located at 944 Malinda Street in Zanesville and will begin at 6:00 p.m. This sale represents an excellent opportunity for Continue reading Bred Beef Female Sale, a Final Reminder →

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Cattle On Feed

– Kate Brooks, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska – Lincoln

USDA-NASS released the monthly Cattle on Feed report on November 20. Numbers came in very similar to the average pre-report estimates. Total cattle on feed number (U.S. feedlots over 1,000 head capacity) on November 1 was up 2.1% over 2014 at 10.8 million head. This is the largest November cattle on feed number since 2012. In 2015 cattle on feed inventories have been Continue reading Cattle On Feed →

2015 Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Replacement Female Sale Approaching

– John F. Grimes, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator

On Friday evening, November 27, the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) will be hosting their third annual Replacement Female Sale. The sale will be held at the Muskingum Livestock facility in Zanesville and will start at 6:00 p.m. A strong set of high quality replacement females will sell. The following is a listing of the consignments that will be featured Continue reading 2015 Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Replacement Female Sale Approaching →

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Grazing Bites, November 2015

– Victor Shelton, NRCS State Agronomist/Grazing Specialist

The fall grass is a little greener after some small rain showers in late October. It is always surprising how fast grass responds to a little bit of water. I didn’t take the time to actually take any clippings, but after two small rains, which together totaled more than I’d had since July, the regrowth was very obvious and I would guestimate an increase of 400-500 pounds of dry matter per acre where, of course, good stop grazing heights were maintained. There was less growth in areas that happened to be grazed closer than I like, especially around watering sites that are used for more than one paddock. I could still use rain and would gladly take it. As long as Continue reading Grazing Bites, November 2015 →

How much hay will a cow consume?

– Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University

Estimating forage usage by cows is an important part of the task of calculating winter feed needs. Hay or standing forage intake must be estimated in order to make the calculations. Forage quality will be a determining factor in the amount of forage consumed. Higher quality forages contain larger concentrations of important nutrients so animals consuming these forages should be more likely to meet their nutrient needs from the forages. Also cows can consume a larger quantity of higher quality forages.

Higher quality forages are Continue reading How much hay will a cow consume? →

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Weights Moderate a Little

– David P. Anderson, Professor and Extension Economist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Record large, some might say excessive, fed cattle weights continue to weigh on the cattle market. Weights and backed up marketings have been a significant factor in lower cattle, feeder, and calf prices this Fall. Normally, cattle dressed weights peak this time of the year before falling seasonally. Lower weights could portend working through the supplies of heavy cattle leading to reduced beef production and some Continue reading Weights Moderate a Little →

Feeding Winter Hay on Pasture Fields

– Jeff McCutcheon, Extension Educator, Ag & NR, Morrow County

As we approach winter I have a question for you. Where do you feed your livestock?

When the grass runs out do you bring them to a barn or facility to feed them? Do you leave them out on pasture and bring the feed to them? The reason for my question is that experienced graziers spend the fall planning their winter feeding programs. Planning to the point of not only what they will feed but also where they will feed the animals.

I do not know the exact percentage, but it should be safe to say that many forage based livestock producers use round bales of hay as their primary stored winter feed. Hay is Continue reading Feeding Winter Hay on Pasture Fields →