Most Progressive Cattleman readers have a culling rate below 10 percent.

We've all seen it: A cow sticking her head through the fence to get a bite of that luscious green on the other side, or a horse tilting his head sideways through the rails to munch slightly beyond his reach. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. It's true in the pasture; it's true in us.

When it comes to working cattle, things can get stressful. Before you begin your day in and around your working equipment, John Kornmann, DVM, Dewitt Veterinary Clinic, and Cameron Schulte, Arrowquip Cattle Equipment salesman, gave us 10 things you need to double-check to keep your day running smoothly and efficiently.

With 500 acres of dallisgrass, bermudagrass, fescue and johnsongrass, David and Lisa Long will take one to four cuttings a year and put up 650 to 700 round bales in Waldron, Arkansas. If he had a market to sell the hay to, it still wouldn’t provide enough to make a living, but additional land isn’t as available as it once was. Long knew something at Peaceful Valley Farms had to change.

Cattle producers are faced with challenges and worries that come almost on a daily basis. Before a calf is born, one hopes the cow is in good health and doesn’t abort the calf. When a calf is due, additional worries arise: Will the cow be able to have the calf on her own? Will the calf be alive and in good health?

When critics of livestock agriculture take aim at the beef industry and its impact on the environment, cattlemen can’t afford to run, hide or sit idle. Dr. Frank Mitloehner, professor and air quality specialist in cooperative extension at the University of California – Davis, knows firsthand how scientific data has been manipulated to demonize livestock agriculture. The strategy to fight those misperceptions? Learn the facts about your cattle production methods and then get to work defending them.

Responding to growing consumer preferences for natural and wholesome food production, Cargill today announced it has signed a binding agreement to acquire Diamond V, a global provider of innovative natural solutions and technologies that improve animal health, animal performance and food safety.

Stockpiled forages and winter annuals can reduce the need for and cost of hay and other supplemental feed for beef cattle producers in regions with adequate annual rainfall, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

It’s annoying when you can’t get your way. It’s also frustrating when you have to change the way you’ve always done things.

Nitrates in forages can sometimes be a problem for cattle, says Rachel Endecott, extension beef cattle specialist, Montana State University. All plants contain nitrates, but they utilize it during normal metabolism and growth.