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The Cattle Connection 2022

two pregnant red angus cows in a field

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 after a difficult birth can include aspiration pneumonia, joint damage, nerve damage, and hypoxia. Another big problem can be failure of passive...
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Cows eating hay on snow covered ground

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 liquidation has occurred and many economists are forecasting better cattle prices ahead. Thus, cow/calf operators likely have profit opportunity in the...
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Cow and calf in fall season

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 operations profitability. Investing time and resources into ensuring breeding season success will prove to be profitable. Fall calving operations share...
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cow in snow covered field

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 condition score is a key strategy in enhancing an operation's profitability. Especially over winter months, feed costs can pile up. Consider the...
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farmer looking at 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 Illinois producers cull cows in the fall after weaning, the prices in fall are typically lower than other times of the year. Price is also affected by body...
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cows grazing cornstalks

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 cornstalks. Q: How long can I graze cornstalks? A: This depends on stocking rate and available dry matter. At 150 bushels an acre,...
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field of cover crop

Forage production with cover crops

Illinois is blessed with very fertile farmland. Higher land prices, soil health benefits, and the ability to grow more feed are incentives to add cover crops to a diversified farming operation. Using cover crops following cash crop production for added forage is one of the best opportunities for IL...
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