Watching Congress and the White House fumble economic policy, Americans probably think they have the moral high ground to say, “we deserve better.” Fact is, no, you don’t. What’s happening in Washington is something we all helped create. Until we change ourselves, we deserve every bit of it. We invited this pox upon our house through years of overspending, by waging wars without revenue to support them, by growing addicted to convenient debt, by electing craven ambitious leaders who don’t care to lead and by ignoring industries that define our core.

We all know that livestock are most productive when the conditions around them are optimal – needed nutrients, favorable weather, free from disease and injury.

A year ago, Greg Peterson had no idea he’d be recognized while out Christmas shopping with his family. The ag communication major routinely made videos with his brothers depicting life on the family farm – but one video, posted over the summer, changed their lives.

During the winter months, spring-calving beef cows are in mid-gestation. This is the stage of production when cows have their lowest nutrient requirements. However, even though the cows’ requirements are relatively low during this time of year, there are still a few factors that demand special attention during winter.

The 2011 drought and continued lack of rain during 2012 in many regions of the country have caused cow-calf producers to scramble for sources of harvested forage. In areas where there is nothing in pastures to graze, feeding is required the entire year to maintain animal condition.

Use these tips to decide if a colostrum replacer is right for you Protecting this year’s calf crop from the start has never been more important.

Know practical steps to handle calving emergencies You hope every cow or heifer calves without problems, but occasionally emergencies occur that demand attention.

There are several things a calf and its mother must accomplish in the first 24 hours to assure survival.