Soon after winning college football’s national championship in January, the Clemson Tigers were welcomed to the White House like Roman conquerors with a feast consisting of Big Macs, Whoppers and Wendy’s singles.

Producers in the Midwest are still tallying the damages from the mid-March “bomb cyclone” storm that left a trail of destruction across the Midwest. Rain and snow combined with winds of 65 mph shut down operations in parts of the Dakotas and created catastrophic flooding throughout much of Nebraska and Iowa, inflicting untallied damage throughout the four states.

The approach to ward off flies is multipronged and challenging. However, doing nothing can severely hinder productivity, profits and herd welfare. I’ve asked Dr. Nancy Hinkle, extension veterinary entomologist at the University of Georgia, to give her tips on horn fly control for the Southeast.

While it is well understood that growth-promoting implants are an asset to the feedlot industry in terms of increased gains and feed efficiency, the use of implants in the cow-calf segment is often overlooked and blamed for negatively impacting quality grades.

As the weather gets warmer and green grass has emerged, many ranchers face some tough decisions. Should cows be turned out to graze or continue to be fed harvested forage? Perhaps harvested forage supplies are depleted, and the thought of purchasing additional feed resources sounds expensive.

I often receive calls from producers wanting feeding recommendations because their “calves are not big enough to sale.” Focusing only on a traditional sale weight for a commercial cow-calf operation can often end up reducing net profits.

The Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program has developed best management practices to ensure cattle are healthy and productive while providing safe, wholesome products for consumers. BQA standards encompass most segments of the beef industry, including cow-calf, feedyard and marketing.