Blog | Orr Agricultural R&D Center | Illinois Extension

Is it time to bale graze?

November 24, 2025

Adding nutrients, organic matter, and ground cover to poorly productive lands have some raving about bale grazing. Added fertility and better water...

Re-investing profits on the ranch

November 17, 2025

Are you looking for avenues to re-invest in the ranch this year? First, know that not every year is as profitable as this year and sometimes...

Breeding season tips for fall calving herds

October 29, 2025

Fall calving herds are approaching breeding season. While general breeding practices are similar to spring calving herds, breeding fall calving cows...

Supplementing cows on drought-stressed pastures

October 7, 2025

Supplementing cows during drought is common practice. Harvested forages, such as hay, can be used to replace available forage for grazing. However,...

A group of black cows walking forward on a dry, grassy pasture

Deciding what to do with open cows

September 25, 2025

Prices for all classes of cattle remain high. Feed availability is adequate in most parts of the country, and commodity feed prices remain moderately...

Orr Beef Research Center Field Day

September 2, 2025

The annual Orr Beef Research Center Field Day will take place at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. The meeting will be held at the new Ag...

More grazing days equals more profit

August 28, 2025

Record high prices, while certainly a good thing, can leave many cattlemen in a state of awe and somewhat lax on cost control.Common sense and...

Focus on the fundamentals

August 21, 2025

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...

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