It is estimated that the water requirements of beef cattle remain consistent up to about 40 °F and go up to the point of needing twice the amount of water at 85° F. If all is working well at the water source, there are usually no problems with meeting requirements during the winter. However, the […]

Foot health and lameness in feedlot cattle can have a significant impact on profitability and cattle performance.  While much research has been done on lameness in the dairy industry, there has been less emphasis on the impact of foot health and lameness in feedlot cattle.  Prevention, early diagnosis of the condition, and following the correct […]

Self-feeders have long been used in the beef industry as an effective means to feed cattle in a variety of cattle feeding operation types, from a backyard 4-H herd, to a large-scale feedlot. Self-feeders work effectively in cow-calf operations to creep feed beef calves as well as for confinement feedlot cattle. Self-feeders require less labor […]

Written by Don Cleaver and Daniel Kohls, Form-A-Feed, Inc. Not unlike TMR-fed cattle, warm-season stressors affect cattle finished on self-feeders as well.  In fact, summertime is when we see the greatest amount of management issues arise in cattle fed with this method, especially in heavyweight cattle.  Issues such as bloat, off-feed and founder seem to […]

Summer has officially arrived but “Spring Showers” continue to inundate the mid to southwest regions of the United States. Saturated pastures coupled with humid conditions bring on the threat of lameness and producers need to be on the look-out.  Lameness is the first sign of foot rot, a highly infectious and sub-acute disease affecting cattle […]

Fly control is sometimes the last thing on producer’s minds in the summertime. There is a lot going on and a lot to do, but fly control should be a high priority. Flies affect your cattle more than you think. Horn flies are the main cause of distress in cattle. They take about 20-40 blood […]

Creep feeding calves is an excellent way to put extra pounds on calves.  Research has shown that creep feeding significantly increases weaning weight.  The University of Nebraska-Lincoln recently published a study that showed that creep fed calves on average gained 44 pounds more than non-creep fed calves at the time of weaning.  (Is Creep Feeding […]

It’s only the beginning of the month and we have already seen a swing in cattle prices. It seems once again where we thought the market was going and where it’s at now are two different spots. Continual reports of more cattle on feed than anticipated and lower live and hot carcass weights (HCW) (Figure […]

If you were able to fight through the snow and join us at the Form-A-Feed Professional Beef Conference this past Wednesday and Thursday in Sioux Falls, SD, you were treated to some very candid conversation and presentations on how best to Face Forward with all the dynamics in our current beef industry. Opening our beef […]

Beef producers often consider opportunities to improve the profitability of their operations and look for long-term success.  One of these opportunities is marketing their steers as retail beef directly to the consumer.  Have you been thinking of setting up a retail market for your beef cattle?  Read these profiles of enterprising Tend-R-Leen producers who turned to […]

In the fall, some farmers have the privilege to get in fields and harvest their crops while others must wait patiently until just the right time. As many people do when harvest season comes around, we get busy.  We put blinders on to anything that is not harvest related. We get focused on one thing, […]

Which implant should I use? How many days does it last? What happens if I don’t implant at the proper time? What hormone levels should I be using? These are all viable questions if you want to understand how to get the biggest return on investment (ROI) out of your implant program. In the beginning […]