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Rainfall has been abundant in most areas of the U.S. The June 30, 2015, U.S. Drought Monitor indicated very little or no drought remaining in the U.S., except in the areas west of the Rocky Mountains. In some areas, rainfall and storms have hampered wheat and hay harvests and adversely impacted other agricultural activities and commodity quality.
Think about how we handle non-personnel problems – a sick animal, a wilted crop, a dissatisfied customer. Even though we are all well-trained to address these issues, we still often treat symptoms rather than taking the time to analyze the problem to determine the real or root cause.
What are “waters of the United States?” This seemingly simple question has caused more than a year of significant controversy between industry groups, led by agriculture and the EPA.
If you’re like most commercial beef producers, you probably left this year’s bull sale feeling a little sick to your stomach. Not only were bull prices outrageously high, but now you have to turn the animal out and pray he doesn’t break a leg or turn up positive for trichomoniasis later on.
Horses tied and waiting, we watched 386 commingled spayed heifers move across a large mountain meadow as a cohesive herd. We were camped in a meadow surrounded by aspen trees, just below the Continental Divide in western Montana.
Most pastures are continuously grazed year-round, which results in the lowest possible forage yields. Continuous grazing doesn’t provide time for forage to reproduce foliage removed by cattle.
It is in small details that Charlie Yegen sees fall calving as an advantage over traditional spring births in the northern latitudes of the U.S.: “No scours; no frozen ears.”
High feed prices often force cow-calf producers to search for lower-cost feed alternatives in order to stretch existing hay and forage supplies. Grazing crop residues, such as grain fields that have been irrigated after harvest or cornstalk residue, is common.
As the fall season approaches, the daylight hours get shorter, the nights are cooler and, depending on the management system, cattlemen are gearing up for fall breeding or calving. Vaccination for respiratory and reproductive disease can help enhance breeding success and weaning of calves.
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