Month: February 2020

What’s included in your calving book?

– Erika Lundy and Patrick Wall, Iowa State Extension Beef Specialists

Just one example of a pocket sized record book

As we gear up for calving season, now is a good time to consider what information we should be recording in our calving books. The key is not what we weigh, measure, collect, spray, or write down. It’s what we do with the information months later that really counts.

In addition to some key information such as calving date, calf sex, and birth weight, here may be some new columns to include in your calving book. Ultimately, accumulating this information should aid in making more informed decisions about the future of your cow herd.

Cow disposition score – Typically, this is recorded as a score of 1 to 6 with a 1 being maintaining a very docile demeanor whereas a 6 indicates a very aggressive temperament towards her calf, other animals, or people. While a cow’s score may vary the other 364 days a year, her disposition score on the day she calves when you need . . .

Continue reading What’s included in your calving book?

Beef Cattle Market Update

– Dr. Kenny Burdine, Livestock Marketing Specialist, University of Kentucky

After a very frustrating fall, the calf market is showing some signs of life. To start the new year, 550 lb steers calves traded $12 per cwt higher in January than they did in November (see figure 1). This is by no means a great market, but enough to create some optimism for spring. Excessive rains continue to create challenges across the board and the market seems to consistently discount green calves that are likely perceived as high risk placements in this type of weather. Heavy feeder cattle prices have pulled back some from fall, but that is a typical seasonal pattern and I expect their prices to improve through the year.

Figure 1. 550 lb Medium / Large Farm #1-2 Steers
KY Auction Prices ($ per cwt)

Source: USDA-AMS, Livestock Marketing Information Center, Author Calculations

Late January brought USDA’s annual cattle inventory estimates, which confirmed that the size of the beef cow herd was smaller to start 2020. The size of the decrease actually exceeded trade expectations, with beef cow numbers down a little over 1%. I think the primary driver of the decrease was high beef cow slaughter in 2019, which was up 5% for the year and over 14%f or the 4th quarter. Also not surprisingly, Continue reading Beef Cattle Market Update →

Check Cattle for Lice in Late Winter/Early Spring

– Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator Wayne County

Chewing and sucking lice (Pest and Diseases Library Bugwood.org)

Check beef and dairy cattle for lice infestations during the late winter and early spring months.  Although lice can be present throughout the entire year, high numbers of lice are most likely during winter months when cattle have longer, thicker hair coats, which make self-grooming less effective in reducing lice numbers.  Hot summer temperatures, and for pasture-based production systems, direct exposure to sun, plus rain showers, all play a role in reducing lice numbers and offer further explanation of why heavy lice infestations are most often seen during winter months.

There are two type of lice that may infect cattle: sucking lice and biting lice.  It is possible to have both types of lice on any one animal.  Sucking lice are blood feeders while biting lice feed by scraping cells from the surface of the skin and the base of hairs.  Eggs, commonly called nits, are laid and glued as single eggs to hairs.  Although there is some variance between lice species, in general, eggs hatch in approximately two weeks into an immature life stage called a nymph.  Nymphs resemble adults except that they are smaller.  They go through three molts, shedding their skin each time until they reach full adult size in about three weeks. Within a few days of adulthood, females begin egg laying and generally lay one egg per day.  Adults typically live Continue reading Check Cattle for Lice in Late Winter/Early Spring →

Posted by at Posted in Health

Closed Coyote Trapping Season is Proposed, Nuisance Removal is Unchanged

– Tommy Springer, Wildlife Specialist, Fairfield County Soil and Water Conservation District

Under this proposal, farmers may still trap or kill coyotes year around if they are considered sick, injured or a nuisance to livestock.

When the Ohio Division of Wildlife released its proposed changes to the 2020-2021 hunting and trapping regulations, probably no proposal received more attention than the one to clarify the classification of coyotes as a furbearer and include them in the regulated trapping season along with other furbearers such as raccoon and fox (OAC 1501:31-15-09). Under current regulations, coyotes can be hunted and trapped year-round. This new proposal would only affect the trapping portion. Hunting will remain open all year with no bag limit.

As this proposal clears up the legal language that coyotes are considered furbearers, in addition to having an annual hunting license, this proposal requires hunters and trappers to also purchase the fur taker permit that is required to hunt or trap furbearers. Currently, hunters and trappers targeting coyotes are exempt from purchasing a fur taker permit. Remaining as in the past, landowners hunting or trapping coyotes on their own property are exempt from purchasing a hunting license or Continue reading Closed Coyote Trapping Season is Proposed, Nuisance Removal is Unchanged →

Emergency Calf Management after Dystocia (Difficult Birth)

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Figure 1: Meconium staining (yellow color) is an indicator of calf stress during delivery. Placing the calf on the sternum (as pictured) maximizes ventilation of the lungs.

“Dystocia” is defined as a difficult or prolonged calving, whether or not human assistance was necessary for delivery of the calf. Factors known to cause dystocia include a mismatch between small pelvic size of the dam and large calf size, abnormal calf presentation (for example, backwards or head turned back), and maternal factors such as weak labor, insufficient dilation of the cervix, or a uterine twist or torsion. Thin cows often experience prolonged labor and calves are born weak and slow to stand and nurse. Inappropriate timing of intervention or excessive force applied during delivery may cause additional stress and injury to an already weakened calf. Following dystocia, a calf is 6 times more likely to get sick than a calf born normally, with most deaths occurring within 96 hours of birth.

The key event in the transition from life inside the uterus to an independent existence is Continue reading Emergency Calf Management after Dystocia (Difficult Birth) →

Weekly Livestock Comments for February 7, 2020

– Dr. Andrew Griffith, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Tennessee

FED CATTLE: Fed cattle traded $1 lower compared to last week. Prices on a live basis were mainly $121 to $122 while dressed prices were mostly $193.

The 5-area weighted average prices thru Thursday were $120.83 live, down $1.24 compared to last week and $192.91 dressed, down $1.56 from a week ago. A year ago, prices were $124.02 live and $198.52 dressed.

Fed cattle trade was slow to develop this week as cattle feeders continue to be pressured by packers to accept lower prices. This is not unprecedented given the current supply of cattle on feed and the seasonal slowdown in beef movement. February is a tough month to push beef given the weather conditions and consumers eating habits. Thus, strong slaughter levels and soft demand have packers unwilling to bid up to secure cattle. This market pattern may persist a few more weeks. Despite a softer live cattle futures market than just a few weeks ago, the expectation remains for finished cattle to reach as high as Continue reading Weekly Livestock Comments for February 7, 2020 →

When to start grazing: Don’t rush it!

– Chris Penrose, Extension Educator, Ag and Natural Resources, Morgan County (originally published in the Ohio Farmer online)

Stockpiled fescue can be an excellent place to accomplish early turnout, and begin calving.

One goal I have had with livestock grazing over the years is to start as soon as I can. I put spring calving cows on stockpiled grass in early March to calve with the hope of not having to feed any more hay. Many years this works and some years it does not. The best I have been able to do over the years is to do a rapid grazing of paddocks that are starting to grow that were not grazed close last fall or during the winter. I would then hope that by the time I went through the paddocks, the spring flush of growth was well underway.

If the winter continues into spring like the way it began, I suggest we don’t rush things as we have a couple issues that could be going on. First, growth may be slow this spring, and second, many pastures have sustained abnormal damage this winter from the wet conditions.

As mentioned, if you have fields that were not grazed in the late fall or over the winter and are in good shape, you may be able to do a fast rotation through them when growth allows it. However, if fields are not in good shape and growth is just starting, waiting is a better option. Grass starts growing from the roots and needs enough leaf surface to Continue reading When to start grazing: Don’t rush it! →

Posted by at Posted in Pasture

Are your grazing animals in balance with your forages?

– Victor Shelton, NRCS State Agronomist/Grazing Specialist

Are the grazing livestock in balance with the forages present?

This time of year, especially after you have shifted from grazing to fed feed such as hay or balage, you might start wondering why you have the number of livestock that you have. Life is short, some animals just need to grow some wheels. I said it recently, but I’ll quote the late Gearld Fry again, “If you cull the ten percent you should be culling, the herd that’s left is just that much better.”

It’s probably a good thing to question the number of grazing livestock you have, especially when you are feeding them stored and/or bought feed. I was at a meeting recently and was asked a familiar question about how many acres you need to have per cow. That is a question that can’t be answered quickly, at least not accurately.

What does the question on “acres per cow” have to do with winter feeding? It’s important if you care about cow cost and inputs. Winter feed costs usually make up the majority of annual maintenance expenses of keeping a cow. If you have enough forage available, you have potential to Continue reading Are your grazing animals in balance with your forages? →

Posted by at Posted in Pasture

Mid-Ohio Small Farm Conference – Sowing Seeds for Success scheduled for March 14

Includes 4 sessions focused on forages, fencing, grazing and livestock!

Do own a few acres that you want to be productive but you’re not sure what to do with it?

Do you have a passion for farming and turning your piece of this wonderful earth into a food producing oasis?

Do you own land or forest that you’re not quite sure how to manage?

Do you want livestock but have questions about fencing and forage?

Do you raise or produce products that you would like to market and sell off your farm but you’re not sure how to make it successful?

If you’re asking yourself these questions you should think about attending the 2020 Small Farm Conference – Sowing Seed for Success. Four of the sessions will focus on forages, fencing, grazing and livestock.

The conference is being held on March 14th from 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Mansfield OSU Campus in Ovalwood Hall. The campus is just minutes from I-71 and US Rt 30.

Please see this brochure or visit go.osu.edu/osufarmconference2020 for class and registration details, or call Carrie Jagger at OSU Extension Morrow County (419-947-1070).

Retail Beef Premiums for Livestock Production Practices: Implications for Technology Adoption

– Dr. Elliott Dennis, Assistant Professor, Livestock Marketing Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska – Lincoln

Domestic demand for beef has remained relatively flat over the past 10 years. In other words, while beef demand is seasonal in nature there has been minimal significant and sustained upward trend in domestic beef demand. While this is true, there is still some evidence that consumers are willing to pay premiums for specific quality grades and the type and location of production.

“Local” and “Organic” are two forms of type and location of production. However, the label of “Local” and “Organic” are noticeably vague causing confusion among consumers. The USDA has no specific definition of the “Local” label but they work to promote locally grown products with slogans such as “Georgia Grown” or “Utah’s Own.” The “Organic” label is more specific and “regulations require that animals are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.”

So how large is the premium consumers are willing to pay for organic and local beef over conventional beef? Actual consumer retail level purchase behavior is Continue reading Retail Beef Premiums for Livestock Production Practices: Implications for Technology Adoption →