Month: October 2020

Knowing What You Are Feeding: HAY SAMPLING 101

– Chris Teutsch, Associate Extension Professor, Forage Specialist, University of Kentucky

Knowing the nutritional quality of forage and hay is an integral part of a profitable and efficient livestock operation. Accurate estimation of forage quality starts with obtaining a representative sample of the forage to be fed. Proper sampling technique is critical.

Hay is preserved in a number of different packages ranging from the small square bale weighing 40-50 lb to the large square bale weighing more than 1500 lb. In Kentucky, most hay is packaged in large round bales weighing between 500 and 1500 lb. Wrapped bale silage is also gaining popularity and should be sampled in a similar manner to large round hay bales with the exceptions listed below.

Figure 1. Always sample hay in lots. A lot is hay that comes from the same cutting and same field.

Obtaining a Representative Sample
Hay should ALWAYS be sampled in lots (Figure 1). A lot consists of hay made from the same field and cutting. A lot should not represent more than 200 tons of dry matter. In the event that a lot exceeds 200 tons of dry matter, multiple samples should be taken and forage quality results should be averaged to represent the overall lot.

Delay sampling until three to four weeks after baling for hay stored out of the weather. During this period bales undergo the heating or sweating process and forage quality can decline. For hay stored outside, it is best to delay sampling until Continue reading →

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Tips to Improve the Success of Weaning Beef Calves

– Jeff Lehmkuhler, Associate Extension Professor, University of Kentucky

Fall is officially here and with it will bring the country sound of calves bawling as weaning occurs on beef cattle farms. This time of year can be busy with field crops, getting the last cutting of hay and other farm activities. Take some time to prepare for weaning of the beef calves to add value to the calf crop prior to marketing. Weaning preparation can reduce stress for you and the calves.

A Few Tips to Successful Weaning

1) Minimize Transitional Stress – have castration, dehorning, first round vaccines and other procedures done prior to weaning; minimize diet changes and wean on pasture if possible and/or provide the same grain mix if calves were creep fed; consider fenceline weaning if facilities allow; watch the weather forecast and avoid weaning when Continue reading →

Kentucky Beef Cattle Market Update for October 1

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

The volatile fed cattle market appears to be on another upswing as the 5 market average slaughter steer price came in around $105 for the last full week of September. Fed cattle prices started the year in the mid- $120’s and dropped to the mid-$90’s in spring, and again in summer. Seasonally, fed cattle prices tend to improve during the fall and CME© feeder cattle futures are fully supporting this. At the time this was written, April live cattle futures were trading at a $9 per cwt premium to October.

Cattle slaughter is still running within a couple percent of last year and signs continue to suggest that feedlots have worked through a lot of their backlogged inventory. After rapidly increasing this spring, the September cattle on feed report suggested cattle on feed over 90 and 120 days is now around last years’ levels. Feedlot placements have been running higher the last couple months and a large share of placements are of cattle weighing more than 700 lbs, which would suggest more placements of cattle that were backlogged outside of feedyards. Getting a lot of heavy feeders out of growing programs, and on feed, is very important for Continue reading →

Cattle on Feed Breakdown

– Matthew Diersen, Risk & Business Management Specialist, Ness School of Management & Economics, South Dakota State University

Ahead of major reports, we like to suggest our students study pre-release or trade estimates to get an idea of what to expect. Then, they can observe any change in prices as the markets react to new information from the reports. Before last week’s Cattle on Feed report, I studied the trade estimates to see they were rational, that is, did they make sense? The average of estimates for cattle on feed on September 1 was 103.4. When the report came out, the number was 11.4 million head, suggesting a slight disconnect. However, the estimates are usually a percent of the prior year’s figures. NASS rounds their stated percentage changes to whole numbers too, so one needs to use more detail to assess any disparity.

Thus, the 103.4 estimate was implying that this year’s figure would be 103.4 percent of the 2019 level of 10,982 (1,000 head). The range of estimates was 102.2 to 103.9, which when translated back to levels meant 11,224 to 11,410 (1,000 head). Now, it seems unlikely anyone would provide such an odd or Continue reading →