Stress - Articles - Page 7

Cultivating hobbies for mental, physical and personal growth

Activities outside of regular farm or ranch work provide mental and physical relaxation. It can be as simple as developing a mini-vacation spot on the property or showing livestock and honing unique skills.

July 28, 2023

Don Tyler

Activities outside of work provide benefits that go far beyond taking it easy for a few hours.

Mitigating shipping stress in calves

Animal stress is inevitable, especially come shipping time. But there are steps producers can take to manage stress, reduce shrink and improve profitability and animal welfare.

July 18, 2023

Erika Lundy-Woolfolk and Beth Reynolds

One of the beef industry’s greatest strengths is its diversity. However, this segmentation often results in a calf being transported as many as four to six times prior to harvest, with each transit event inducing stress.

Exploring the specific stressors faced by cattle producers

Extension educators can make a difference in helping farmers and ranchers hold up under the many stressors that can lead to stress, anxiety, depression and substance misuse.

May 23, 2023

Rebekka M. Dudensing, Josh Maples, and Charley Martinez

Including mental health information in a variety of programs and formats may help familiarize livestock producers with mental health resources and remove barriers to talking about stress and depression.

Your best shot at immunity: How trace minerals support vaccination protocols

Vaccination is vital to most operations’ profitability, and proper nutrition – particularly adequate consumption of trace minerals – enhances a vaccination program’s efficacy.

May 17, 2023

Kevin Cain

Stress is inevitable in any cattle operation and greatly impacts calf health and performance. Handling, weaning, transporting and other prolonged periods of stress are often unavoidable and can all have a negative impact on immune function.

Nutrition as the foundation for your performance

Proper nutrition can help manage stress and is often overlooked.

May 12, 2023

Michele Payn

Farmers and ranchers spend a lot of money – especially these days – getting the right ration and feed into their animals. But what about your own food intake?

A better you for a better farm

Deep breathing, meditation or reflection, positive self-talk, physical activity, hobbies, connecting with people in your social network, and speaking with a mental health professional can help farmers take care of their mental, emotional and physical health.

May 2, 2023

Emily Krekelberg

Taking care of ourselves isn’t selfish. The well-being of the farm depends on the well-being of the farmer.

When the love of farming isn't enough: Chronic stress triggering mental health conditions

Hear from three farmers about their struggles with mental health and how they faced these challenges.

May 1, 2023

Laura Hardie

Being a farmer isn't just a job; it's an identity and a lifelong love. The possibility of doing anything else seems unimaginable, but loving the job isn't enough anymore, and many farmers are reaching their mental breaking point.

Managing beef cattle hoof health

Taking a proactive, nutrition-based approach can greatly enhance your herd’s ability to combat the pathogens that cause foot rot and digital dermatitis.

March 30, 2023

Dwight Kickhafer

Hoof health impacts every aspect of your beef herd’s profitability. Managing for hoof health through environmental challenges and seasonal change is critical for your cattle to achieve lifetime performance.

Keeping calves gaining after weaning

To keep calves on a positive growth trajectory during the high-stress days post-weaning, producers need to closely monitor factors – such as water and feed intake and mineral availability.

March 21, 2023

Chris Zellmer

As we approach the season for weaning calves and introducing new cattle to feedlots, it's crucial to address the issue of stress, which can greatly affect their performance.