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Numbered ear tags appear in the ears of a high percentage of cows and calves in southwest Missouri. They are obviously put there for a reason but some producers may not be using the full potential of those tags for herd management according to Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
“I don’t know of many farmers who take the tags as far as they could to effectively evaluate the individual performance of the cattle in their herd,” said Cole.
As anyone involved in the stocker business can attest, they are operating within a new market reality. With grass and calf prices historically high – along with every other input cost – summer grazing programs are going to tie up a lot of capital ... and carry the resulting high level of risk.
It’s easy to forget about the bulls when you are a cow-calf producer. Usually, they are only actively working a few months each year, so it's tempting to put their health needs on the back burner. However, a successful breeding season depends on healthy bulls.
The recent finding of a cow in California that had bovine spongiform encephalopathy showed that the U.S. beef industry has gotten better at communicating with consumers and managing such crises, according to a recent Los Angeles Times article.
From the article:
"The beef industry and its associations are finally catching up with the times, trying to do their best to reach out to consumers by using new tools," said Mike Smith, special projects manager at Harris Ranch Beef Co., a company in Selma, California. "The outreach is there, it's growing, and we're hoping that it'll be more and more effective as we move forward."
The World Beef Expo (WBE) turned a profit in 2011 for the first time in its 19-year history, leading organizers to believe the event’s future is bright.
Cull cow prices were record high in 2011 and are on pace to set another record high in 2012.
Prices for 85-90 percent lean slaughter cows in the Southern Plains started 2012 at $70 per hundredweight (cwt.) and increased seasonally throughout January and February.
Since late February, prices have traded in a fairly narrow trading range of $85 to $87/cwt., and have averaged about $10 higher than last year.
High prices in 2011 were in spite of relatively large cow slaughter, particularly in the last half of the year.
Two new checkoff-funded “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” online advertising video commercials will be making their world debut this week.
The first spot called “Island” is full of sizzle and beauty shot that brings our hero – beef – to life. The intended message – that lean beef has the power to elevate the everyday – comes through in a clear and engaging way.
This spring, the Beef Checkoff launched a new video blog contest designed to engage youth in telling the beef story using the power of YouTube.
Videos entries had to be two minutes or less and focus on one of eight beef related topics, including common beef misconceptions, cattle care and beef’s nutritional value.
The 58th annual Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course, conducted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, is scheduled for August 6-8 at Texas A&M University in College Station.
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