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Hereford cow grazing near calf laying in a pasture.
Read article: Tips for pasture management
Tips for pasture management
Feed costs represent the greatest percentage of total costs for cow/calf producers. Thus, focusing on opportunities to reduce feed costs will lend to...
two pregnant red angus cows in a field
Read article: Planning and managing to avoid dystocia
Planning and managing to avoid dystocia
Dystocia, meaning “difficult birth,” often results in the loss of a calf or complications after birth of a live calf. Some examples of complications...
Read article: Factors influencing cow nutrient requirements
Factors influencing cow nutrient requirements
Drought, elevated feed prices, and overall inflation of costs continue to put financial pressure on cow/calf producers. For these same reasons, cow...
Read article: Breeding tips for fall-calving cows
Breeding tips for fall-calving cows
For fall calving herds, breeding season is upon us. Successful reproduction is the forefront of a cow/calf operation and heavily impacts an...
cow in snow covered field
Read article: Managing winter feed costs
Managing winter feed costs
Approximately 60% of a beef cattle producers’ expenses are due to feed costs. Keep feed costs in check while keeping cows in an appropriate body...
Read article: Getting the most out of cull cows
Getting the most out of cull cows
As with all markets, there is fluctuation in the price of cull cows. In general, market lows occur during times of highest supply. Since most...
Read article: Common questions about cornstalk grazing
Common questions about cornstalk grazing
Grazing cornstalks is arguably the best cost-saving strategy Midwestern cattlemen can deploy. Here are some common questions pertaining to utilizing...
Read article: Fall is the time for cattle producers to sample and interpret hay forage tests
Fall is the time for cattle producers to sample and interpret hay forage tests
Cooler temperatures and fall leaf foliage are reminders that winter is just around the corner. For cattle producers, this reminder also brings fewer...

News Releases

cattle
Looking for anaplasmosis in beef cattle
By Todd Gleason Researchers at the University of Illinois are working with beef cattle producers in the southern third of the state to determine the prevalence of a disease that causes cows...
Angus bull
IPT bulls average $4,400, exceed previous sales
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – This year's Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale average exceeded all previous sales, averaging $4,440 on the 49 lots offered Feb. 23 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.  "This sale continues to be one of the best sources for total performance genetics...
Black and white cattle eating out of a trough in an open air facility
Early adopters find unique approaches to alternative cow housing systems
URBANA, Ill. – Rising property prices, bad weather, and shrinking pasture acreage challenge Illinois ranchers and limit herd sizes. But what happens when cow and calf producers move cattle into open-air buildings for long periods? That is what University of Illinois staff and Extension...
calf
Beef up your 2023 beef herd management
URBANA, Ill – Producers can improve herd management by learning latest research on cover crop performance, grazing farms, soil health, and drainage practices during the 2023 Dudley Smith Farm Winter Meeting. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 7 at the...

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