Research by Purdue University scientist Jon Schoonmaker and his colleagues has shown that small amounts of calcium oxide can neutralize the acid in distillers grains, a commonly used alternative to corn in many livestock feed mixes. The findings are good […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Feed costs are a large part of livestock producer’s expenditures. Hay is one of many feeding options producers in South Dakota use. The alternative of either growing or buying quality hay is important to producers as well. Adequate hay […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Sweet clover contains a high level of a chemical that can be converted to an anticoagulant. Improperly curing hay made from certain sweet clover varieties such as white and yellow sweet clover can cause severe and often fatal hemorrhages in […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Prussic acid poisoning is caused by hydrocyanic acid. As a cyanide compound the substance can quickly kill animals. Death can occur within minutes of ingestion in some cases. Cyanide interferes with the oxygen-carrying function in the blood resulting in asphyxiation. […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
With the main calf marketing period closely approaching, it is easy to forget the bigger picture. High cattle revenues are good, but costs should continue to be monitored and controlled when feasible. A major cost is forage, whether […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Accurately pricing corn silage can be a challenge for the many Midwestern producers who buy and sell the feed ingredient. “There are few, if any, published market prices,” said Warren Rusche, SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist. “Plus, once harvested, corn […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
The United States recorded its highest ever monthly exports of distiller’s dried grain with solubles (DDGS) in July, bringing the total U.S. DDGS exported this marketing year to 7.2 million metric tons, a 48 percent increase over the same time […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
The center, as with all producers, embarks on a management regime that adds and subtracts cattle, and moves cattle to take timely advantage of a plant’s response to moisture. The use of the word “sustainability” often is an indication that […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Grass is not simply a plant that is potted and admired. The other day, the Dickinson Research Extension Center became home to an unstoppable force that is going to drill a well. In this case, an oil well. The spot […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Riparian” is derived from the Latin term riparius, which means “at the water’s edge” and refers to the narrow green zones of land adjacent to streams, rivers and other surface waters. Approximately 18% of Wisconsin land is classified as riparian, with […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
COLUMBIA Mo. – The first two weeks of July are prime time for ergot to appear in common pasture grasses, said University of Missouri Extension forage specialist Craig Roberts. Wet, cool weather, followed by heat and humidity, creates favorable conditions […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
U.S. farmers remain on track to produce a record corn crop for the second consecutive year in 2014, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture projections released today. Very favorable early season crop and weather conditions offset planting delays in May, […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
GALENA, Mo. – Every year, hay producers are faced with a dilemma that puts the practice of harvesting quality forage in jeopardy. The frequency of rain-fall events in the Midwest during the season’s optimum hay harvest time-frame can turn disastrous […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – So far, it’s a bad hay year. Cool weather, lack of sun and dry soil slowed grass growth. Dry matter per acre is about one-third of what we expect this time of year, says Rob Kallenbach, University […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
The highs and lows of pasture growth over the past three years have shown one thing is for certain. Producers following a good pasture management strategy have a more consistent supply of forage than those that rely only on Mother […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Last year, the Dickinson Research Extension Center had all the right conditions for the onset of grass tetany and, sure enough, it was found. Lush grass in the spring is something everyone dreams about. However, there is a dark side: […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
MT. VERNON, Mo. – For many years, beef cattle producers have been under the impression that alfalfa was too expensive to feed to their cattle, especially their cows. “More recently cows have become pretty valuable and alfalfa, the queen of […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Are you interested in another market for your hay this year? Maybe you should have it certified as “weed free” Normally when you think of selling hay you think of dairy cows, beef cows, feedlots, or horses. But hay […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
In the production world, producing beef from grass depends on the development of grazing plans that allow plants to fully utilize their genetics that have evolved for centuries. Evidence of the calving season in the northern Great Plains is clear. […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Cattle producers facing fewer grazing acres for herd expansion can boost beef production with better grass. One answer is more cows on fewer acres, says Justin Sexten, University of Missouri beef nutritionist. Sexten is part of an […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…