2018 has been an interesting year for cattlemen, as we experienced a wide array of drought and flooding conditions and even both in some areas. There is no doubt that the weather conditions Mother Nature threw at us had an impact on forage quality.

“There are no new customers,” Rick Cozzitorto, president of Angus Media, warned National Angus Convention attendees in November. “The only way you get them is to steal them.”

Adequate nutrition is critical, for not only the health and rebreeding success of the mother, but also for the health and vigor of the calf. Interestingly, feed costs represent the greatest cost for cow-calf producers, representing as much as 50 to 60 percent of total production costs.

Case Beken, a 14-year-old boy from Weimer, Texas, grew up blind after battling a brain tumor as a toddler but never let his lack of sight hold him back, learning how to hunt and fish and enjoy life to the fullest.

The number of U.S. farms restructuring debt by filing Chapter 12 bankruptcy in the past year was lower than a year earlier. However, filings were higher in regions most heavily dependent on dairy and row crops for income.

When dairy producers have valuable genetic and management information but fail to take advantage of it, it might be termed unfortunate. However, think of all the potential information that could be provided but isn’t (yet); these absences are preventing real progress and can be called “missed opportunities.” Obviously, similar situations are pervasive everywhere in life, but fortunately U.S. dairy producers can avoid a few of these missed opportunities, which we’ll detail in this article.

A new case of brucellosis has been found in a northwestern Wyoming beef cattle herd. Serology test results from the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory and the National Veterinary Services Laboratory showed reactor levels in five cattle from one herd. Further testing from both labs, including bacterial culture, will be conducted to confirm serology results.

Through the art of lace-making, Dagmar Beckel Machyckova is encouraging an unfamiliar audience to find the common thread between modern calf housing and urban human housing with her hand-spun masterpiece.

It’s open hunting season, and you’re hunting for a buyer. You have some used farm equipment to sell (join the club). Is it as easy as throwing up a message on Facebook or Twitter, or posting on Craigslist? Ha. If only. …

The Reynolds family has decorated the property of their Reynolds Farm Equipment John Deere dealership in Fishers, Indiana, since 1992 with an array of farm and traditional nativity scenes, all lit up in Christmas lights for visitors to drive through during the Christmas season.