Nominate bulls for 2023 IPT Bull Sale
URBANA, Ill. – Breeders must nominate bulls by Dec. 1 for consideration to the 2023 Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale. The sale will be Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and includes old and young bulls. Young bulls must have calved between Jan. 1, 2021...
Record number of youth compete for superior young livestock producer honor
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A record number of 4-H members from across Illinois competed for scholarships in the 2022 4-H Illinois Superior Young Livestock Producers Contest held on Aug.10 in conjunction with the Illinois State Fair. Fifty-two competitors vied for this year's top honors.
This...
Make informed decisions for your beef herd
BAYLIS, Ill., – Producers weigh management options to build profitable cattle herds. Researchers at this year's Orr Beef Research Center Field Day will review several management practices to consider.
The field at begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1 at the Ag Sciences Complex and Fred...
Dixon Springs Beef Field Day focuses on costs, water, herd health
DIXON SPRINGS, Ill. – Cattle producers can learn the latest practices for controlling costs, managing water, and improving herd health at the Beef Field Day at University of Illinois' Dixon Springs Agricultural Center.
The field day begins at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug 2 at the...
New biosecurity resource helps producers protect pigs
URBANA, Ill. –The estimated economic impact over 10 years is $50 billion if African swine fever finds its way into the United States, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
And...
Midwestern farmer feedback requested to guide $10M resilient agriculture project
URBANA, Ill. – The Diverse Corn Belt project is seeking farmer input through focus groups and in-field research. This is a multidisciplinary project exploring alternative crops, longer rotations, integrating livestock and perennials that could help increase resilience in Midwest agriculture....
$3.9M USDA NIFA grant funds ‘Farm of the Future’
Urbana, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it is funding a new collaboration between two institutes and a research center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that will create an integrated farm of the future in the U.S. Midwest.
Titled “I-...
Researchers: Farmers know tick risks; now is time to take preventative actions
URBANA, Ill. – Ticks, once limited to the northeast region of the United States, are making a westward migration across the U.S. and with them, tickborne diseases that cost the healthcare system up to $1.3 billion a year to treat. Exposure to ticks can happen anywhere - from backyards to parks...
Young farmers seek solutions to entry barriers
URBANA, Ill. – Young and beginning farmers face many challenges, including access to land, financial capital, technical knowledge and support, social networks, adequate labor, marketing experience, health insurance, and childcare.
University of Illinois Extension is wading through the...
Performance Tested Bull Sale averages $4,372 on 46 lots
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – For 54 years, the Performance Tested Bull Sale has provided elite seedstock for cattle breeders. The 2022 sale held Feb. 24 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield averaged $4,372 on the 46 lots sold. The sale is a multi-breed sale and offers both older age...
Small bug, big risk: Protect yourself from ticks this summer
URBANA, Ill. — When venturing in the woods this summer, don’t forget to protect yourself from a small, but dangerous creature likely lurking in trees, grass, and bushes.
Ticks are easy to pick up when visiting grassy areas, woods, prairies, wetlands, deer trails, and brushy...
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...
Data-Driven dairy
“Can we make dairy extension more scientifically sound?” That’s the question that led Phil Cardoso in 2012 to develop the Dairy Focus Team...
Prices for all classes of cattle remain high. Feed availability is adequate in most parts of the country and commodity feed prices remain moderately...
While better cattle prices are a relief to many, it is important to not lose site of the basics. A few fundamentals often seen on successful ranches...
How do you know who is who? When you have a multitude of animals, it’s important to have an identification system in place. Using an ID system allows...
Weaning is one of the most stressful times in a calf’s life. The stress that occurs at weaning can negatively affect early performance post-weaning,...
