In Hard Times, Synchronization Should Not be Considered for Budget Reduction
Dr. Justin Rhinehart – Assistant Extension Professor; Beef Cattle Specialist, Mississippi State University
Dr. John Anderson – Extension Professor; Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University
The economic impact of estrus synchronization and artificial insemination as management tools for beef cattle production has been evaluated many times, in both practical application and theory. There should be no doubt that artificial insemination is the best way to make rapid genetic improvements. However, the value of synchronization is often implied but rarely appraised separately. Using a familiar economic tool, the partial budget, allows cattlemen to determine whether the benefits of synchronization alone return true monetary value in their specific situation.
Converting to a Controlled Breeding Season
Tim Wilson, Extension Animal Scientist – Beef, Curt Lacy, Extension Livestock Economist, University of Georgia
Beef producers are always searching for ways to increase profits. This can be achieved by decreasing costs, increasing prices or increasing production while keeping all other factors the same. One practice that can do all of these is controlled breeding.
Controlled breeding is defined as developing specific predetermined strategies on when to begin and end a breeding season. The length of a controlled breeding season can vary depending on factors such as the marketing objective, size of the operation and, in many cases, personal preference.
Big Differences in Hay Feeder Wastage
Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal Science, Animal Science, University of Nebraska
A study that involved a comparison of four types of round bale hay select feeders was conducted by Michigan State Univ. researchers. The types of feeders were cone, ring, trailer, and cradle. A total of 160 non-lactating pregnant beef cows were assigned to the four feeder types. Each of the four types provided approximately 17 inches of linear feeder space per cow.
Winter weather stress on calves can linger for weeks
Severe winter weather places stress on livestock herds that can dampen their immune response and lead to potential losses. South Dakota Cooperative Extension Veterinarian Russ Daly says the prolonged stress of weather events like the recent sub-zero temperatures and blizzards across the Midwest can cause problems that show up even after the weather improves.
Nichols Farms Receives World Simmental Federation Honors
Nichols Farms, Bridgewater, Iowa, has been recognized with the prestigious 2009 World Simmental Fleckvieh Federation (WSFF) Golden Book Award.
Founded in 1953, by Merrill Nichols and his two sons, David, and the late Lee Nichols, Nichols Farms has grown and prospered for more than a half century. Today, it is the largest seed stock operation in the Midwest and the fifth largest in the nation.
Texas Tech wins first prize in meat judging contest
The Dallas Morning News
In a land where steak graces most every menu, Texas Tech continues to remind the country that the state knows its meat.
The university won Saturday’s intensely competitive Southwestern Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest for senior colleges. The Dallas contest, hosted by the American Meat Science Association in conjunction with the Fort Worth stock show, is the second win for the 15-member team.
Battling an old enemy – fever tick
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first customer on a Friday afternoon is a golden-brown Beefmaster bull. As he stands for inspection in the pen behind R.Y. Livestock Sales in Rio Grande City, two USDA specialists run practiced hands over his sides, looking for a disease-bearing tick that can grow to the size of a ripe blueberry.