Month: September 2023

Fastballs, Curveballs and Lessons Learned

– Stan Smith, OSU Extension PA, Fairfield County

Corn residue interseeded with a cereal grain can provide lots of feed for dry cows.

Having grown up in the 50’s and 60’s, the social distancing and self-quarantine we experienced in recent years weren’t really too much of a struggle for me. Afterall, if you grew up on a farm in rural Ohio in those days, the only time you saw anyone but your closest neighbor was at the feed mill, church, or baseball practice. Speaking of baseball, another lesson from those days that’s served me well is when in a close game, you don’t want to be sitting on a fastball if the pitcher you’re facing can consistently throw a curve for a strike. Suffice to say, Mother Nature continues to prove she can throw any pitch she wants, at any time, and throw it for a strike.

Considering the extremes in weather we’ve experienced in recent years, to suggest we need to remain flexible with our forage and feed management plans would be an understatement. However, as we consider past experience when setting course for the future, let’s reflect on our recent past and a few of those lessons learned.

Too wet, and then too dry, and too wet again does not average out to just right

After experiencing several Ohio winter and early springs of near record precipitation, followed by dry summers, this year most of us enjoyed a dry – perhaps too dry – late spring and early summer. Regardless, for many it allowed us to make Continue reading Fastballs, Curveballs and Lessons Learned →

There’s Potential for Poisoning During Fall Grazing

– Jordan Penrose, Ohio State University Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Gallia County (previously published in Farm & Dairy)

Buckeyes possess the toxin aesculin and possibly alkaloids.

With fall fast approaching, it may be time to assess potential problems that could arise when livestock are grazing, such as trees and grasses. A good practice of walking or driving through your pastures will help you know what is growing in or around them.

Buckeye Poisoning

A potential problem that may be overlooked in the fall is Buckeye Poisoning. Buckeye poisoning occurs from the nuts that fall from the buckeye trees. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Recourses (ODNR), Buckeye trees prefer moist, well-drained soils. Back in 2017, we dealt with buckeye poisoning on the family farm with cattle. The cows and calves that were poisoned had no balance like they were drunk and seemed weak on the legs, especially the back ones. When lying down, they went on their side with their head on the ground pulled back and legs straight out with some muscle twitching. According to A Guide to Plant Poisoning of Animals in North America (2001), the principal toxins are the glycosides aesculin and fraxin, and possibly a narcotic alkaloid. Animals develop signs of poisoning 16 hours after consuming toxic quantities. As little as 0.5% body weight of the animal can produce severe poisoning. Laxatives may be given to remove the ingested plant parts as fast as possible, and if the animal is down for an extended period, keeping the cow hydrated is important.

Cyanide Poisoning

Another problem to watch out for this fall is Continue reading There’s Potential for Poisoning During Fall Grazing →

Meanwhile, back at the Running H . . . She’s going the wrong way

– Darren Henry, Assistant Professor Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences – Tifton Campus, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia

Join us in Caldwell this fall and learn from the likes of Curt Pate, Ron Gill, or Dean Fish.

The last couple of weeks have really tested my ability to work with a level head. Normally, when I am not out working with young stock, I try to stay cool as a cucumber. If you ask my wife, who has worked thousands of head with me over the years, she’ll tell you my fuse seems to get cut short before it is ever lit sometimes.

Some of us are built that way, we can accept the fact that our elected officials have lost their minds somewhere between their large intestine and lower sphincter, then turn around and beat our heads on the ground because the 4-year-old female standing in the middle of the grass keeps going the wrong direction. To some of us less evolved humans, we can’t understand why she doesn’t move the way we want her to move – even with our whistling and screaming.

Lucky for us, there are educational programs out there that can have an impact on all parts of our lives. Beef Quality Assurance, or BQA for those in the know, is just one of those programs. One of BQA’s motto is “The right way is the only way.” If I may paraphrase, their main goal is to provide training and information to beef producers in the US, and the consumers of that product, of how commonsense ranching and . . .

Continue reading Meanwhile, back at the Running H . . . She’s going the wrong way

EDITOR’s NOTE: Learn more about cattle handling at the Stewardship and Stockman’s Tour in Caldwell on September 29 and 30.

Drought Expansion in the Southeast

– Josh Maples, Assistant Professor & Extension Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University

Drought conditions expanded rapidly across the gulf coast region over the past two months. Pasture and hay conditions deteriorated significantly in parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and have forced many producers to move or sell cattle or find alternative feedstuffs. The maps below show drought conditions last week compared to drought conditions on July 4th.

The latest U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook (below) was released last week and projects persisting drought in most of these areas. The drought outlook for the next 3 months is for drought conditions to continue along the gulf coast region and develop in the middle of the U.S. The Climate Prediction Center within the Continue reading Drought Expansion in the Southeast →

Post-Labor Day Markets

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

Labor Day is behind us, and the fall run of calves is in front.  What portends for the rest of September and October?  Historically, October is a tough month for fed cattle markets with the summer demand season winding down and fed cattle weight winding to some of their seasonal highest.  Likewise, calves have a tendency to be plentiful.  This year is likely to not follow the trend.  Boxed beef values are well above $300/cwt and the Choice-Select spread is $25/cwt.  These are strong values compared to the current and past year and are also seasonally strong.  But again, October is in front of us.  Slaughter weights are climbing and will continue to do so until November.  We will have to see if the seasonal climb persists with the heat of this summer.  Weekly slaughter numbers were reasonably good – with the exception of Saturdays – with some clear periodic reduction in numbers.  Packer margins were much tighter some of the year and expected response can only be lower kill volumes.  These were seen.  But the USDA Cattle on Feed report last month was more than a bit of a surprise with respect to Continue reading Post-Labor Day Markets →

National Beef Quality Audit – The Report Card on US Beef Quality

– Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle Field Specialist, Ohio State University Extension (originally published in Ohio Farmer on-line)

The recent Beef Quality Audit suggests eating quality is a market expectation and is directly attributed to high quality genetics.

Every five years a group of university animal and meat scientists, Extension specialists, in conjunction with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Beef Checkoff complete the National Beef Quality Audit. The audit consists of two main parts, interviews with supply chain partners (packers, retailers, food service, and further processors) and live animal/carcass evaluation in the major packing plants across the United States. Audits are completed for both fed steers and heifers as well as cows and bulls.

Findings from the 2022 audit were recently released. I would like to share the highlights of those findings as well as some take home messages and room for improvement in live cattle production.

A variety of questions were asked on the topics of beef quality factors including; How and Where the Cattle were Raised, Lean Fat and Bone, Weight and Size, Visual Characteristics, Food Safety. Eating Satisfaction, Cattle Genetics, sustainability, impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, and strengths and weakness of the fed cattle industry.

Some conclusions from the fed steer and heifer interview portion of the audit include Continue reading National Beef Quality Audit – The Report Card on US Beef Quality →

Use the proper syringe and needle when vaccinating cattle

– Sandy Stuttgen, University of Wisconsin

Do you have the right tools for vaccinating cattle?

Using the right tool for the job generally promotes a better outcome; for example, butter knives are not the best tools for cutting wood. Using the right equipment when vaccinating your cattle also requires the right tools. The correct syringes and needles must be used in addition to a well-designed and functioning headgate to restrain cattle so injections may be safely administered in the neck area.

Administer accurate dosing through proper techniques

Use sterile disposable, or clean, heat sanitized multi-dose syringes that are sized to accurately deliver the correct dose. Filling a 12-cc disposable syringe once to deliver 2-cc doses to six animals will not accurately deliver the correct dose to each animal. Inaccuracy is magnified when . . .

Continue reading Use the proper syringe and needle when vaccinating cattle

EDITOR’s NOTE: Learn more about proper needle and syringe use at the Stewardship and Stockman’s Tour in Caldwell on September 29 and 30.

Grazing Cattle; To offer shade, or not?

– Victor Shelton, Retired NRCS Agronomist/Grazing Specialist

Reference: Livestock Weather Hazard Guide; Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.

I’m writing this during the last part of August and during an absolute dog day of summer. Dog days of summer signifies very hot, sultry days. I’m really not sure that it has anything to do with dogs except they do tend to be less active and seek the coolest place they can find on such a day – I probably should have done more of the same.

On such dog days, shade does become a lot more valuable. If the shady area is big enough, it is almost always at least ten degrees cooler with shade than without.

Humidity is what really makes it miserable. Now, don’t get me wrong, hot is hot, but humid hot, well, it’s just downright miserable and sometimes barely Continue reading Grazing Cattle; To offer shade, or not? →

Plan Now for Tenth Annual OCA Replacement Female Sale

Consignments are due by October 1.

The 2023 date for the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) eleventh annual Replacement Female Sale will be Friday evening, November 24. The sale will be held at the Muskingum Livestock Auction Co. in Zanesville, Ohio and will begin at 6:00 p.m.

The 2023 edition of OCA Replacement Female Sale will provide an opportunity for both buyers and sellers to meet the need for quality replacements in the state. Consignments may include cow-calf pairs, bred cows and bred heifers. Females must be under the age of five as of January 1, 2024, and may be of registered or commercial background. Bred females must be bred to a bull with known EPD’s and calves at side of cows must be sired by a bull with known EPD’s. Pregnancy status must be verified by an accredited veterinarian through traditional palpation, ultrasound or by blood testing through a professional laboratory. Analysis must be Continue reading Plan Now for Tenth Annual OCA Replacement Female Sale →

Posted by at Posted in Events

Beef Cow and Heifer Slaughter Still High by Historical Standards

– James Mitchell, Livestock Marketing Specialist, University of Arkansas

Beef cow slaughter this year has improved considerably compared to a year ago. Through 33 weeks, beef cow slaughter totals 2.164 million head, or 14 percent lower year over year. Keep in mind that 2022 was the highest beef cow slaughter total in absolute terms since 1996. Compared to 2021, beef cow slaughter is still down, but only by 2 percent. Improved pasture and range conditions in the Western U.S. and some areas in the Southern Plains have helped moderate beef cow slaughter.

Regionally, some areas are still being impacted by drought conditions, which is reflected in the regional slaughter data. Through 33 weeks, beef cow slaughter in Region 7 totals 525 thousand, down 1 percent compared to 2022 but 33 percent higher compared to 2021. Beef cow slaughter in Region 6 is 20 percent lower than in Continue reading Beef Cow and Heifer Slaughter Still High by Historical Standards →