Month: December 2018

Select Beef Will Be Phased Out

By: Greg Henderson, for Drovers online

Select grade beef will soon become a small niche product. That’s the conclusion of a new White Paper “Phasing Out Select Grade Beef,” published by the Red Angus Association of America with sponsorship from Anipro/Xtraformance Feeds.

The authors noted that as recently as 2006-2007, Select grade beef accounted for 40% of carcasses, but was reduced to 17% to 18% by 2018. Extending the current downward trend into the future, the authors suggest Select beef tonnage would be reduced to 10% by 2022, and to 5% by 2025. Continue reading →

From Across the Field – Holiday Safety Tips

Hopefully everyone had a nice Thanksgiving weekend. I certainly enjoyed spending time with family on the farm, and watching the Buckeyes put a spanking on TTUN. Back home everyone is fighting the mud when it comes to finishing harvest and feeding livestock. We currently have about 55 head of cattle on pasture, thankfully we can feed them all out of the mud on a concrete lot near a barn. At my brother’s house we are having some of our “early” season lambs. There is not near as much mud around the sheep, however the soft ground sure does make it tough to haul manure. Continue reading →

Net Farm Income Expected to Drop 12% This Year, USDA Says

By: Tony Dreibus, Successful Farming

Net farm income, a gauge of profits, is expected to drop 12% year-over-year in 2018 amid low crop prices and rising expenses, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a report on Friday.

Profits are pegged at $66.3 billion this year, down from $75.4 billion in 2017, according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). Adjusted for inflation, the decline will be 14%. Continue reading →

2018 Ohio NoTIll Conference December 11

The annual Ohio NoTill Conference will be held on December 11, 2018 at the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City, Ohio.  The program starts at 9 am – 4 pm.  Cost is $40.  To register and prepay go to https://ohionotillcouncil.com/

Topics include: Nutrient Application in NoTill;  Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus Cycle; Deep Placement of Fertilizer with Strip-till; Cover Crops- It’s All About Timing; Conservation Benefits for Landowners; Digital Ag Apps; and more.

Basic Ventilation System Design for Producers

By Joe Darrington, South Dakota State University Extension

Within swine production barns, the management and mastery of ventilation systems can be viewed as both a science and an art. As the days change throughout the year, the ventilation requirements at barns also shift. The challenge lies in balancing the indoor environmental conditions with the varying needs of the pigs. Continue reading →