Livestock

BEEF Cattle Letter: November 5

Four new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1472 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

Just because its November and we’ve received some precipitation doesn’t mean pasture management ceases. That’s the focus this week.

Articles this week include:

  • Beefing Up Pastures After Drought
  • Don’t graze too short!
  • Cattle Auction Prices React to Futures Market Volatility
  • Reflecting on the Bigger Picture

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County

BEEF Cattle Letter: October 29

Five new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1471 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

Perhaps it’s the lingering effect of last year’s drought, regardless, it seems weedy pasture fields have become a significant concern in 2025. This week we focus attention on just that . . . pasture weed control.

Articles this week include:

  • Precondition or Not, That is the Question
  • When it comes to weeds, what is the best course of action?
  • On the Prowl for Foxtail Solutions
  • Cattle Markets React to Policy Uncertainty on Beef and Cattle Imports
  • Policy changes won’t result in a short-run change to beef and cattle prices

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County

BEEF Cattle Letter: October 22

Five new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1470 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

This week, once again, it’s about feed management following a difficult growing and harvest season.

Articles this week include:

  • Fall Beef Management in Ohio: Forage Challenges and Herd Prep
  • Stretching Hay Supplies: Feeding Co-Products to Beef Cows This Winter
  • Forage Management After Drought and a Tough Growing Season
  • Relative Prices of Steers, Heifers, and Bulls
  • Public Data & Information – Sometimes We Never Realize Value Until Something Is Gone

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County

BEEF Cattle Letter: October 15

Six new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1469 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

This week, once again, we can’t emphasize enough . . . don’t guess, forage test!

Articles this week include:

  • Winter Feed Planning Starts with a Probe
  • Managing Sorghum Species During Fall Frosts
  • Monitoring Fecal Scores in Feedlot Cattle to Track Rumen Health
  • Antibiotic Selection in Bovine Respiratory Disease
  • Additional Cattle Contract Months and Weekly Options
  • A Small Percent of a Large Number is a Large Number

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County

Forages for Horses and Extension Equine Zoom series

Forages for Horses Online Course Launches October 2025

Horse owners, managers, and equine enthusiasts will soon have access to an updated and comprehensive online learning opportunity focused on pasture and forage management. The Forages for Horses online course, developed by The Ohio State University Extension Equine Program, launches in October 2025 and will include live monthly webinars, a revised Forages and Pasture Management Manual, and additional digital learning materials.

The course will feature three live, 60-minute webinars held once a month in October, November, and December 2025. Each webinar will offer participants the chance to ask questions of featured speakers. Recordings will be available afterward for those unable to attend live.

Participants who register will gain access to the full online course through OSU’s Scarlet Canvas platform, where all recordings, resources, and the updated manual will be available for self-paced learning through September 2026.

The registration fee is $75, which includes a digital copy of the Forages for Horses Manual. A printed manual may also be purchased at checkout. Current and new members of the Ohio Forages and Grasslands Council are eligible for a $15 registration discount. Participants who attend all three live webinars will have the opportunity to earn a certificate of completion.

Registration for Forages for Horses is available through the PCE website.

In addition, the Equine Extension Team will host a free Equine Winter Webinar Series once a month in January, February, and March 2026. Registration for these sessions is also available at www.go.osu.edu/equinezoomseries25

This new course provides a flexible, research-based resource for anyone interested in improving horse care and pasture management—from casual horse owners to industry professionals. All Zooms will be recorded. For questions, please reach out to Janessa at hill.1357@osu.edu

BEEF Cattle Letter: October 1

Five new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1468 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

This week we focus on the importance of assessing feed quality and realizing we are dealing with some challenges in that regard. Next week I’ll be out at the 175th edition of the Fairfield County Fair and quite likely may not post anything new until the following week. In the meantime, enjoy!

Articles this week include:

  • Forage quality . . . what’s better than snowballs?
  • Feeds and Feeding 2025: All over the place!
  • What is Your Corn Fodder Worth?
  • Farm Income Forecast Shows Big Disparity Between Crop and Livestock Receipts
  • Cattlemen, and the tax implications of increased profit

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County

Buckeye Dairy News: Volume 27: Issue 5

In this edition of the Buckeye Dairy News:

  • Dairy Dollars: Feed Prices, Nutrient Costs, and Milk Income – Andie Majewski, Graduate Research Associate, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University
  • Rumen Buffers, DCAD, and Enhancing Milkfat Production – Dr. Kirby Krogstad, Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University Background
  • Winter Annual Cereal Grain Forage Success Starts Now – Jason Hartschuh, Assistant Professor, OSU Extension Field Specialist, Dairy Management and Precision Livestock, Ohio State University
  • Rumination Time – The Impacts of Dietary and Environmental Factors – Bradley Gotto, Undergraduate Student and Dr. Kirby Krogstad, Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University
  • Ultrasonography: A Practical, Non-invasive Tool for Monitoring Mammary Gland Development – Evy Tobolski and Elizabeth Plunkett, Graduate Research Associates, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University
  • Current Status of New World Screwworm (NWS) Infestations in the U.S. – Dr. Gustavo M. Schuenemann, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University
  • Value Added Dairy Beef – John Yost, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Wayne County, The Ohio State University
  • Milk Price Outlook for the Remainder of 2025 – Dr. Jason Hartschuh

 

BEEF Cattle Letter: September 24

Five new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1467 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

Transportation incidents involving livestock present a multitude of unique challenges to first response teams, haulers, and law enforcement personnel. This week Haley Shoemaker explains what Ohio State University Extension is doing to give those involved an opportunity to be prepared to effectively respond.

Articles this week include:

  • Ohio Bovine Emergency Response Planning (BERP) Program
  • Linder joins Department of Animal Sciences as Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition
  • 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
  • Feedlot Placements and Marketings Down Sharply from 2024

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County

BEEF Cattle Letter: Septemeber 17

Six new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1466 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

This week we’re looking at herd expansion and exploring opportunities in the midst of drought.

Articles this week include:

  • Betting on herd expansion
  • Three Considerations When Comparing the Cost of Buying Bred Heifers to the Cost of Developing Them
  • Market Opportunities During this Dry Spell
  • Add Value by Adding Pounds
  • Strategies for Managing Beef Cattle in Drought
  • Outlook for Beef Demand

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County

BEEF Cattle Letter: September 10

Five new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1464 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

The results of 180 forage samples recently evaluated from around Ohio suggest, if we’re feeding ruminants, we should be very concerned about forage quality. Get the rest of the story in the first posting in this week’s newsletter.

Articles this week include:

  • Navigating Forage Quality in a Year of Extremes . . . Again!
  • Someone Call 911: Resuscitating Drought Stressed Pastures!!!
  • Timing of Last Alfalfa Cutting is Particularly Important in Dry Years
  • Feeder Cattle Receipt Data and Heifer Retention
  • Long-Term Considerations When Investing in Replacements

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County