Month: September 2025

Ohio Bovine Emergency Response Planning (BERP) Program

– Haley Shoemaker, OSU Extension AGNR Educator, Columbiana and Mahoning Counties (originally published in Ohio Farmer on-line)

BERP Participants learn about trailer safety, mechanics, and how to properly extract injured animals.

For those who’ve responded to roadway accidents before, it’s no secret that the scene is not the place to realize your team is unprepared. Transportation incidents involving livestock present a multitude of unique challenges to first response teams, haulers, and law enforcement personnel – many of which are covered through a nation-wide training program called “BERP”, or Bovine Emergency Response Planning.

With an estimated several hundred thousand head of cattle on roadways each day in the U.S., BERP offers practical curriculum and training opportunities for local responders to more appropriately prepare for and Continue reading Ohio Bovine Emergency Response Planning (BERP) Program →

Linder joins Department of Animal Sciences as Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition

Dr. Haley Linder, Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition

Dr. Haley Linder has joined the Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition. Her appointment is split between teaching, extension, and research. Haley is originally from Hampshire, IL. She earned her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of Illinois, where her dissertation research focused on the metabolic effects of acidosis in both the rumen and hindgut of beef cattle. She also holds an M.S. from the University of Nebraska and a B.S. from the University of Missouri.

Her research focuses on feedlot cattle nutrition, with particular interest in integrating nutritional strategies and emerging technologies to improve feed efficiency and support animal health. Haley is passionate about extension and looks forward to collaborating with producers and industry stakeholders to deliver practical, research-based solutions to the field.

Linder’s contact information:
Email: linder.129@osu.edu
Office Phone: 614-247-1092

FAQs about Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in Farm Ponds used to Water Livestock

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, DVM, MPH UK Ruminant Extension Veterinarian

Figure 1: Pond in Scott County-Photo courtesy of Dr. Michelle Arnold, University of Kentucky

Water is the most essential nutrient in the diet of cattle and during hot and dry weather, it is especially important to monitor water quality if using farm ponds for livestock.

What is a “harmful algae bloom” or “HAB”? During periods of hot and dry weather, rapid growth of algae to extreme numbers may result in a “bloom”, which is a build-up of algae that creates a green, blue-green, white, orange, or brown coloring on the surface of the water, like a floating layer of paint (see Figure 1). Blooms are designated “harmful” because some algal species release toxins (poisons) when stressed or when they die. The majority of HABs are caused by blue-green algae, a type of bacteria called “cyanobacteria” that exist naturally in water and wet environments. These microorganisms prefer warm, stagnant, nutrient-rich water and are found most often in ponds, lakes, and slow moving creeks. Farm ponds contaminated with fertilizer run-off, septic tank overflow or direct manure and urine contamination are Continue reading FAQs about Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in Farm Ponds used to Water Livestock →

Beef & Sheep Small Farms Field Day, October 4 at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station

Register today!

Make plans now to attend the Beef & Sheep Small Farms Field Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 4 at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station (16870 Bond Ridge Rd. Caldwell, OH 43724). If you have a small herd of beef cattle, goats, or a flock of sheep and/or are a new or beginning ruminant livestock producer then this program is for you!

Join OSU Extension Educators and State Specialists for an all-day workshop covering topics every ruminant livestock producer needs to know from grazing and nutrition, livestock marketing, facilities and housing. Training sessions will be species-specific that include hands-on training in animal care and handling, basic animal health, livestock evaluation, and much more.

The cost to attend is $30 per person with lunch included. Space limited to Continue reading Beef & Sheep Small Farms Field Day, October 4 at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station →

Feedlot Placements and Marketings Down Sharply from 2024

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

The USDA’s latest Cattle on Feed report showed continued tightening of feedlot supplies. Total cattle on feed was down only 1.1 percent from a year ago, but both placements into feedlots and marketings out of feedlots were sharply below year-ago levels.

As of September 1, feedlots with 1,000 head or more reported 11.1 million cattle on feed. Placements during August were 1.78 million head, a 9.9 percent decline from August 2024. Placements were lower across all weight classes. This was the lowest August placement total since 2015.

At 1.57 million head, fed cattle marketed in August dropped 13.6 percent from a year ago. This was the lowest Continue reading Feedlot Placements and Marketings Down Sharply from 2024 →

Betting on herd expansion

– Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle and Livestock Marketing Field Specialist, OSU Extension

Herd expansion, is now the time?

As I visit with cattle producers this summer, the conversation that continues to be in the back of everyone’s mind is the topic of herd expansion. Should we plan on keeping additional heifers this fall? There will be some jockeying for position as to who decides to add cow numbers. As it relates to heifer marketing this fall, Kenny Rogers’ song the gambler comes to mind, “You got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them.”

This isn’t a yes or no answer as there are several factors in play, economics, feed availability and quality, and individual herd dynamics.

Economics: Thus far looking at USDA reports there is no sign of herd expansion at this point. High fed cattle prices have incentivized the selling of Continue reading Betting on herd expansion →

Three Considerations When Comparing the Cost of Buying Bred Heifers to the Cost of Developing Them

– Dr. Kenny Burdine, Extension Professor, Livestock Marketing, University of Kentucky

Do you keep heifers and develop them, or purchase breds?

As we roll through fall, spring-born calves will be weaned and many of those heifer calves will be held for replacement purposes. At the same time, a large number of bred heifers will hit the market and be available for the same purpose. It is not uncommon for someone to comment on how expensive bred heifers are and assume that they can develop their own heifers for much less. While this is true in some cases, I also think it is easy to underestimate some of those costs. The purpose of this article is to briefly highlight three things that are crucial to consider when a cow-calf operator tries to make this comparison. And I would argue these are even more significant given the strength of the current cattle market.

The opportunity cost is the biggest cost
I hope this one is obvious, but the largest cost of developing a heifer is the opportunity cost of that heifer at weaning. High quality weaned heifers, in the 500-600 lb range, are bringing Continue reading Three Considerations When Comparing the Cost of Buying Bred Heifers to the Cost of Developing Them →

Market Opportunities During this Dry Spell

– Kevin Laurent, Extension Specialist, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of KY

What the value of adding pay weight?

Seems like every time I log on to social media there is another post about a record selling lot of cattle. We are definitely experiencing a most interesting time in the cattle market that I don’t think anyone could have honestly predicted. These high prices coupled with dry conditions throughout most of the state have got some producers rethinking their weaning and marketing strategies this fall. As a result, I’m starting to get several phone calls from producers asking if it’s worth weaning and preconditioning these calves prior to marketing.

First things first, if your pastures are deteriorating and you are starting to feed hay it may be best to consider weaning the calves. Dry cows eat less, require less nutrient dense feed and quite frankly can maintain or even gain weight on average quality hay. Generally, hay testing higher than 7% protein and 50% TDN will maintain a dry cow, whereas a lactating cow will require Continue reading Market Opportunities During this Dry Spell →

Add Value by Adding Pounds

– Dr.Jeff Lehmkuhler, Extension Professor and Beef Cattle Specialist, University of Kentucky

Kentucky appears similar to Ohio on the Drought Monitor.

This year has been a year of extremes for precipitation. I pulled up the KYMesonet data from the Franklin County location. The total recorded precipitation was 10.9” for April, 8.8” in May, 7.3” in June, only 3.6” in July and a meager 0.5” in August. If we go a few miles east to the Lexington Mesonet recording station April was similar at 10.1”, 7.6” in May, June was 3.3” while July and August recorded only 2.0” of monthly precipitation. The high levels of precipitation in the spring made hay harvesting a challenge. This concerns me as most of the first cutting hay was cut late at a mature stage. Late-cut hay will have lower than normal nutritional value. I encourage you to work with your county extension agent or nutritionist to get your hay tested for nutrient content. The low levels of precipitation in July and August has led to much of the state experiencing abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions which can be shown by the US Drought Monitor map below. A bit of relief has come to some areas this week, but hopefully more rain will come to get some grass growth yet this fall.

The current forage conditions combined with the high feeder cattle prices and low grain/commodity feed prices have aligned in a manner that signals Continue reading Add Value by Adding Pounds →

Strategies for Managing Beef Cattle in Drought

– Dr.Katie VanValin, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Kentucky

Is Ohio weather similar to Kentucky?

Over the last 25 years, Kentucky has seen an increase in annual rainfall and at the same time an increase in prolonged dry periods or drought. While seemingly counterintuitive, an increase in rainfall intensity is to blame for an increase in precipitation and drought at the same time. The last three years have seen a drought set in during late summer and early fall. As of late August, a portion of 109 out of Kentucky’s 120 counties are at least “abnormally dry”, with 22 counties at least partially considered to be in a D1 Drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Meaning perhaps now more than ever, we should be thinking about ways to make our farms drought ready. Here are a few tips to consider when managing through a drought.

1) Inventory current pasture and stored forages: It’s important to Continue reading Strategies for Managing Beef Cattle in Drought →