Month: February 2017

Winter Application of Manure

– Glen Arnold, OSU Extension Field Specialist, Manure Nutrient Management Systems and Kevin Elder, Chief of the Division of Livestock Environmental Permitting, ODA

Given the warmer than normal winter and large amounts of rainfall received in areas, some livestock producers will be looking to apply manure in February when farm fields are frozen enough to support application equipment. Permitted farms are not allowed to apply manure in the winter unless it is an extreme emergency, and then movement to other suitable storage is usually the selected alternative. This article is for medium and Continue reading →

Quality Variables When Wrapping Large Round Alfalfa/Grass Bales with Varying Layers of Film

– K. Coblentz, R. K. Ogden, M. S. Akins, and E. A. Chow, originally published in its entirety in The Professional Animal Scientist 32 (2016):777–783 and condensed here by Steve Boyles, OSU Beef Extension Specialist

Production of baled silage is an alternative for livestock producers in part because it reduces risks of rain damage to wilting forage crops. However, silage fermentation within wrapped round bales differs from conventional chopped silages because the forage is considerably drier (45to 55% dry matter) than conventional chopped alfalfa silages (≥30% dry matter).  This restricts production of fermentation acids and limits the associated pH depression within the silage.  Furthermore, the long-stem nature of baled forages restricts the Continue reading →

Posted by at Posted in Forages

OSU Beef Cattle Artificial Insemination School

– Clif Little, OSU Extension Guernsey County

Ohio State University Extension and the OSU Eastern Agriculture Research Station (EARS) in Belle Valley will be offering beef cattle artificial insemination (A.I.) school April 25, 26, & 27, 2017.  Classes will run from 9 a.m. to approximately 2 p.m. each day at EARS. Producers will learn the basics of utilizing Expected Progeny Difference (EPD’s), techniques for artificial Continue reading →

January Cattle on Feed Report Shows Placements Sharply Higher

– Brian R. Williams, Assistant Extension Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University

The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA, NASS) released their monthly Cattle on Feed report Friday afternoon (January 27, 2017). Placements totaled 1.795 million head, an increase of 17.6% from December 2016. Market analyst expected placements to be up 8.8%, so the reported value came in well above expectations. All weight classes saw an increase in Continue reading →

Mark Your Calendars for the 2nd Session of the 2017 Ohio Beef Cattle School

– John F. Grimes, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator

The second session of the 2017 Ohio Beef Cattle School is rapidly approaching.  It is slated for Tuesday, February 7 and will begin at 7:00 p.m.  The second program in the series will build on the discussion from the first program which focused on the cow-calf segment of the beef industry.

Dr. Francis Fluharty, Research Professor, The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences, will be the featured presenter on Continue reading →

Posted by at Posted in Events

The 3 Stages of Parturition

– Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist

As the spring calving season approaches, an increased understanding of the parturition process is helpful. The more we understand about the physiology of the process, the more likely we are to make sound decisions about providing assistance. Parturition or “calving” is generally considered to occur in three stages.

Stage 1: The first stage of parturition is dilation of the cervix. The normal cervix is tightly closed right up until the cervical plug is completely dissolved. In stage 1, cervical dilation begins Continue reading →

Frost Seeding Clover with a Drill

– Wayne Shriver, Eastern Agricultural Research Station Manager, Ohio State University

Here at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station at Caldwell we manage our pastures in an effort to keep them sustainable by including legumes. Sometimes, producers can get too wrapped up in choosing the right legume, when the real issue is just getting something that will thrive. Here, we have some ladino clover, red clover, bird’s-foot trefoil, and a little alfalfa. I like all of them and want between Continue reading →

Effects of Soy Hulls in Finishing Diets with DDGs on Performance and Carcass

– J. Bittner, B. L. Nuttelman, C. J. Schneider, D. B. Burken, L. J. Johnson, L. Mader, T. J. Klopfenstein, and G. E. Erickson, published in The Professional Animal Scientist 32 (2016):777–783 and condensed by Steve Boyles, OSU Beef Extension Specialist

The soybean hull represents 8% of the total weight of a soybean’s dry matter.  As an alternative energy source to cereal grains in forage diets, soybean hulls have been shown to have an energy value similar to corn. Animal performance between soybean hulls and cracked corn can be similar when Continue reading →

Technical Improvement and Western Moisture Conditions

– Stephen R Koontz, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University

I’ve waited many months to be able to write this technical analysis summary. The charts finally show some signals that the market route – which began at the very end of 2014 – is ending.  The charts I am considering are the nearby continuous contract for feeder and also live cattle. Cattle contracts are reasonably liquid for one year prior to expiration at most and routinely less for feeder cattle.  Thus, multiyear patterns require the use of continuous contracts. Live cattle and feeder cattle markets have been in Continue reading →