Author: Smith

Fly Control in Livestock for Summer

– Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension, Perry County (originally published in Farm and Dairy)

Horn flies feed on blood from the backs of cattle 20–40 times per day.

As summer temperatures rise, so does the pressure from biting and nuisance flies on livestock operations. According to university research, fly infestations cost U.S. producers an estimated $700 million to $1 billion annually in lost performance. With today’s strong livestock markets, minimizing these losses through effective fly control is more important than ever.

Understanding the Impact of Flies on Livestock
Flies reduce productivity by interfering with feeding, causing stress, and transmitting disease. The primary culprits include Continue reading Fly Control in Livestock for Summer →

When You’re Hot, You’re Hot!

– Dr. Les Anderson, Beef Extension Professor, University of Kentucky

Consumption of red clover can aid cattle during heat stress.

Last summer was a challenge for livestock. Kentucky recorded over 35 days with temperatures that exceeded 90⁰F and our temperature-humidity index was in the dangerous category for livestock for most of June and July. The impact of heat stress on livestock has been extensively studied over the last several decades. Heat stress reduces growth rate, can shorten gestation, increase lameness, disease, and death rates. Perhaps the most dramatic impact of heat stress is the marked reduction in reproductive efficiency.

Now is the perfect time to start planning to overcome heat stress. When I first got to UK, our Angus cows were involved in a variety of trials examining the impact of consuming endophyte-infected fescue on reproductive rate. For several years, these cows were synchronized for AI around June 10 and then exposed to a bull for 70 days. Cows consuming only endophyte-infected fescue had 55-62% pregnancy rates at the end of the breeding season. Similarly, Dr. Burris at Princeton demonstrated that the conception rate of cows decreased from 70% in early spring (April 1 – June 1) to 35% in the summer (June 20 – August 1) resulting in a pregnancy rate decrease from 90% to 58%. Heat stress reduces pregnancy rate by Continue reading When You’re Hot, You’re Hot! →

The Impact of Heat Stress and Fescue Toxicosis on Beef Cattle Reproduction

– Tyler Purvis, Les Anderson, Darrh Bullock, Kevin Laurent, Jeff Lehmkuhler, and Katie VanValin, University of Kentucky Animal and Food Sciences

Heifer experiencing heat stress resulting from fescue toxicosis.

Heat stress is a common problem facing beef-cattle producers throughout the United States, and in 2003 was estimated to cost the U.S. beef industry $369 million dollars annually. Heat stress occurs when an animal is creating and absorbing more heat than they can dissipate, which increases core temperature and physiological stress. Common symptoms of heat stress include increased respiration rates, panting, or standing in water such as ponds or puddles. Heat stress results in negative impacts on growth, health, and reproduction. Cattle can have reduced conception rates, growth rates, and milk production during the summer. During severe heat stress, conception rates can fall to 10%-20% or lower compared to 40%-60% conception rates observed in cooler months.

The severity of heat stress is impacted by both temperature and humidity. The temperature humidity index (THI), which combines temperature and humidity into one value, is used to evaluate the risk of heat stress. THI levels are classified as: normal (<75), alert (75-78), danger (79-83), and emergency (>84), according to the University of Nebraska Lincoln Beef Cattle Temperature Humidity Chart (Figure 1). This means that . . .

Continue reading The Impact of Heat Stress and Fescue Toxicosis on Beef Cattle Reproduction

Rethinking Basis Behavior in a High-Price Cattle Market

– James Mitchell, Livestock Marketing Specialist, University of Arkansas

When we reach either extreme of the cattle cycle, it changes how we interpret and forecast price relationships. One challenge is understanding relative prices for cattle in different weight classes and basis, particularly when traditional models rely on historical averages. This article focuses on the role of the cattle cycle, the changing relationship between calf and feeder cattle prices, and the implications for basis.


Figure 1 shows the annual average ratio of Arkansas calf to feeder cattle prices with national January 1 cattle inventories. Tight calf supplies following Continue reading Rethinking Basis Behavior in a High-Price Cattle Market →

Weekly Livestock Comments for June 13, 2025

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

The Choice boxed beef price is nearly $60 per hundredweight higher than the same time one year ago.

FED CATTLE
Fed cattle traded $4 to $5 higher in the South and steady in the North compared to last week. Prices in the South were mainly $233 to $235 while dressed prices were mainly $379 to $381.

The 5-area weighted average prices thru Thursday were $237.50 live, up $3.34 compared to a week ago and $380.14 dressed, up $0.37 from last week. A year ago, prices were $191.65 live and $305.40 dressed.

Southern prices made up a little ground this week when compared to Northern cattle prices. It is common for prices in the North to exceed those in the South, especially during grilling season. However, the price difference the past several months has been a little wider than typically expected. Regardless of marketing location, feedlot managers rarely complain when prices are increasing and at record levels. The continued strength in finished cattle prices has resulted in Continue reading Weekly Livestock Comments for June 13, 2025 →

Cover Crop ‘Forage’ an Option for Prevented Planting Acres

– Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension

Cover crops aren’t only good for soil health but may also be feed.

1973, 1981, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2022 . . . we each recall one or more years in our past when an extraordinarily wet Ohio spring prevented us from planting corn and soybeans in a timely fashion, if at all. Many around Ohio are now adding 2025 to the list.

According to USDA’s June 9 Crop Progress Report only 89% of Ohio’s corn had been planted. At the same time soybean planting progress stood at 84% complete. Today, as we sit here on June 11, we know a few things for certain Continue reading Cover Crop ‘Forage’ an Option for Prevented Planting Acres →

OSU Extension Offering Hay Testing Program

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

You can’t manage what you don’t measure, including forage quality!

“Make hay while the sun shines.” How many times have you heard that said throughout the years? We’ve had some sunshine this spring/summer, but making first cutting “dry” hay has really been challenging for most farmers this year. Getting two or more days in a row without rain has been rare in the spring of 2025.

In response to these challenges OSU Extension is offering a forage testing program with the goal of providing timely education regarding forage quality and winter supplementation and if enough samples are submitted, creating an eBarn’s county hay quality summary. Reach out to your local Extension office to Continue reading OSU Extension Offering Hay Testing Program →

Pregnancy evaluation = good return on the investment

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

Is pregnancy evaluation the single most valuable thing we can do?

What is the single most valuable thing a cow-calf producer can do to increase profitability in their herd?

This question is like asking which organs in a body are the most important and are necessary to live. The Good Lord put every organ in a person’s body for a reason so it is probably best if they all stay where they were placed. Similarly, there is no single management decision that is the “most important” as most of them have a symbiotic relationship in that one decision influences other decisions.

There are a couple of protocols or production management decisions that have tremendous value. One of those is Continue reading Pregnancy evaluation = good return on the investment →

Record High Cattle Prices

– Stephen R. Koontz, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, Colorado State University

The cattle markets start the summer moving into record-high price territory.

The cattle markets start the summer moving into record-high price territory. The 5-market weighted average cash fed cattle price pushed past $225/cwt while prices in the southern plains were around $220. Live cattle futures contract prices are at a discount to cash and have struggled to break $215.

By region, depending on whether the cash market in question is in a deficit or surplus of supply, cash feeder cattle prices for 7-8 weight cattle are above $300/cwt, 6-7 weight cattle are above $350, and 5-6 weight animals are pressing $400. Record highs. Feeder cattle futures contract prices have only briefly pressed above $300/cwt.

I am running across discussions and getting questions as to whether or not cattle prices have cyclically peaked. I doubt it. Supplies of beef will Continue reading Record High Cattle Prices →

Imports and Exports in April

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

The latest beef trade numbers from USDA show a continuation of larger imports and softer exports than during 2024. This is the first monthly report to reflect impacts of the ongoing tariff discussions. On the live animal side, the data show smaller imports of cattle from Mexico prior to the recent border closure.

Beef exports totaled 237 million pounds in April—down 7 percent from March and down 9 percent from April 2024. Year-to-date exports are Continue reading Imports and Exports in April →