Research and breeding experience show that estrus expression is not exactly a yes-or-no trait. Rather, estrus exists on a spectrum, and where a female falls within that range can have a significant impact on reproductive success.

The U.S., like many countries around the world, is facing a continuous decline in its agricultural workforce. The word transition accurately reflects the concern experienced by many cattle producers, who recognize their production depends heavily on the availability of labor.

Feeding cattle used to be a pen-and-paper business. Feed sheets, herd health records and inventory notes were written in notebooks, on scraps of paper or in binders tucked in barns and pickup trucks. Now more producers are relying on cloud-based software to streamline operations, but hesitation remains, especially if internet access is limited.

Bull sale season is one of the most anticipated times of the year in a cattle operation, offering an opportunity to shape the future of the herd. Unfortunately, it may also bring confusion. Over time, the amount of data available to guide sire selection decisions has grown significantly. While more information can lead to better outcomes, it can also create undue stress and decision fatigue.

While cool-season grasses grow well in the Upper Midwest, producing forage in the spring and again when temperatures cool off in the fall, they suffer from “summer slump” when conditions get too hot or dry, and their growth slows.

The bull purchase is unlike any other decision that gets made by a cow-calf operation. It carries enormous importance to the success of a herd. The average bull will have a far larger genetic footprint than even the most productive cows, siring well over 100 calves over the course of his time in a herd.

Leading insecticide manufacturer MGK is excited to announce the launch of Troika farm and livestock aerosol, a synergized dual-active, broad-spectrum insecticide that delivers the quick kill needed for immediate relief and provides residual control.

Sharps play a critical role in agriculture, ranging from standard tools such as syringes and implant needles to ear taggers, tattoo instruments and even pocketknives. While these play a critical role in livestock care by delivering vaccines, administering growth hormones or performing routine procedures, they also pose serious risks.

In Montana’s mountain country, where rivers slice through open range and fences rarely last a season, Cory and Jennilee Bird are rewriting what it means to manage cattle in tough terrain.