Record high calf prices provide incentive for cattle producers to deploy management strategies to increase pounds at weaning. A couple common strategies to add pounds would be implants, creep feeding, early weaning, and backgrounding. Implanting calves is a good option for producers that are...
Winter was one for the record books. Spring has started cool and damp and we have seen little growth of grass so far. For these reasons, it is important that cattlemen let grass get a good start this spring before grazing. Managing pastures early is arguably more important than later in the year....
There is no question Artificial Insemination (A.I.) has been a game changer into today's industry but timing could be key to your herd success. Natural service still makes up the majority of breeding in the U.S. cattle industry, however rising bull purchase prices may push more producers to use A.I...
Cattle markets are setting new records, feed costs are falling, and cattlemen are anxious to stabilize and rebuild numbers. Forecasted profits for the cow/calf producer are the highest they have been in decades. While I would like to end this column right here and tell you all to go buy a new...
There is no doubt that the drought of 2012 and the weather extremes of 2013 have stressed pastures. Maintaining a productive stand in your pasture is crucial for animal performance, holding feed costs down, and making the most of the productive soil you have invested in. Frost seeding clover...
The Illinois Performance Tested (IPT) Bull Sale was the lead-off event of the 2014 Illinois Beef Expo held on Feb. 20 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill. The sale had the highest overall average in the 46 year history at $3,840 on 51 lots. "This sale has developed into one of...
There has long been a sentiment among producers that in cold years, calf birth weights are increased. There are many inherent challenges in proving whether this is actually true. Differences in bull as well as nutrition are the biggest hurdles. Research that evaluates this question is...
Pedigree, scrotal measurement, EPDs, accuracies, actual weights, $ values, DNA tests.... and you haven't even looked at the bull yet. There is no doubt that sire selection can be a daunting task, but economic indexes may be the tool to help simplify your selection process. Economic indexes are a...
Calving season is either here or fast approaching for many Illinois cattlemen. I would just like to share a few tips that I have gathered through some of our winter meetings. Perhaps the most important tip is to have a good relationship with your local veterinarian. Sometimes the difficult...
With calving season getting closer, or already here for some, cattlemen may want to deploy strategies to ensure mineral nutrition does not rob them of potential profits. The value of a live calf is more than ever in the face of a shrunken and rebuilding cowherd. As cows came through the chute this...
