In October and November, dry conditions persisted in the Southern Plains, stressing pasture and forage supplies and likely directing calves that might have otherwise been placed on pasture into feedlots.

As a group, farmers and ranchers are the hardest-working, highest-quality, most honest people around. They’re also among the poorest financial thinkers.

Many cattle producers rely on direct access to surface waters, despite wanting to fence out riparian areas and protect water quality. There are many reasons for this, but the big one is the cost of creating an alternative water source.

Calving season is upon us, and most of our time is being spent in the barn cleaning pens and checking cows, possibly leaving time to run coveralls through the washing machine once a week.

While rural locations can provide many benefits to those who live there, they can also impose restrictions on personal safety.

Given today’s high machinery costs, custom hay harvesting may be a more profitable option than harvesting with your own machinery, particularly for smaller operations. Calculating your costs of production will help you determine how much you could pay a custom operative and save money relative to doing it yourself.

Today, many commercial and seedstock producers are discovering the advantages of performing estrus synchronizing, A.I. and embryo transplanting of their cattle under the protection of a permanent barn/shed structure or in a portable breeding barn.

Tritrichomonas foetus is a sexually transmitted disease of cattle. T. foetus, more commonly called trich, was first discovered in 1888 in France. Unfortunately, 130 years later, this disease remains a significant challenge for cattle producers.

You may be a full-time beef producer or have a herd of cattle as a sideline or hobby in addition to your regular job. Caring for cattle in a cow-calf operation can be time-consuming and demanding. I hear all the time from producers they are tied down by caring for cattle.

The 2-year-old year is the toughest time of a cow’s life. It’s nursing its first calf, still growing and needs enough nutrition and body condition to cycle on schedule after calving.