Commercial Agriculture Blogs

With winter weather and cold temperatures setting in, it is time to talk about when cows feel the cold. The big factors that determine the lower critical temperature for cattle are temperature, wind speed, and heaviness of winter hair coat.Colder temperatures, higher wind speeds, and lighter hair...

Fall calving herds are approaching breeding season. While general breeding practices are similar to spring calving herds, breeding fall calving cows can pose some unique challenges.Tips for a successful breeding seasonMaintain cows in a body condition score of 5 or 6.Avoid negative planes of...

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 research both tell us cattle are most profitable when they are harvesting their own feed. Allowing cattle to graze into late fall and early winter is...

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 are highlighted below, but I am sure there are others that you can think of and consider as well.Select and propagate genetics that fit your...

A recent case in Van Buren County, located in southeast Iowa, has brought new awareness to an emerging threat in the cattle industry. Sadly, 20 heifers were lost due to a disease many of our herds are still naive to – Theileria orientalis Ikeda. This disease is transmitted by the Asian...

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...