Beef Cattle

Supplementing cows during drought is common practice. Harvested forages, such as hay, can be used to replace available forage for grazing. However, when attempting to replace grazing with feeding hay on pasture, cows prefer the palatability of fresh forage. This means that not until the available...

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 Sciences Complex and Fred Bradshaw Learning Center at the John Wood Community College Ag Center located west of Perry, IL. Speakers from the University...

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...

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 for better organization in a herd and makes daily checks, vet visits, and sorting run smoother. By exploring the methods used on different operations...

Pregnancy checking cattle is beneficial to any operation. Culling open animals allows for saved feed costs and potential profit. Keeping a tight calving window increases the importance of pregnancy checking. When checking, if cattle are bred and don’t fit your desired calving season, they can...

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, whether that be on the pasture or in the feed yard. We want our cattle to have a positive start as they enter the feeder phase, and that all starts...

Having access to water is a crucial component of any grazing system. Pastures look different depending on the type of grazing system utilized. If you are designing a new pasture or changing a current one, placing and planning for water access should be near the top of your list. Water quality is...

To shade, or to not shade, that is the question. Providing shade can be a bit of a hot topic among cattlemen. No matter what side of the argument you’re on, there are gains and losses in both situations. If you’re considering whether or not to provide shade, looking at the advantages and...