While beta agonists (ractopamine) aren’t approved for use in cattle sold to all packing facilities, and they aren’t right for all situations (heat stress, too heavy of cattle to start with), they certainly do add additional weight and reduce feed conversion the last 28-40 days on feed. Given excellent returns such as this, with the […]

Anyone feeding cattle right now is feeling the tight margins due to input costs rising and market prices not following. Whether we should place cattle in the near term is a tough call. What is not a tough call is that if we are tending to cattle today, we need to increase our management skills […]

An early burst of unexpected winter weather may have left many of us unprepared for colder temperatures.  With a couple of weeks of favorable weather in the forecast, there is still time to prepare your cattle facilities for winter. Taking some of these precautions ahead of time can save many headaches when real winter weather […]

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 […]

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 […]

Summer heat is here and with that comes all the extra work to maintain cattle performance. Aside from using Hydro-Lac® in your feedlot ration, what else do we need to worry about and be checking on during the heat to make sure ration consistency stays palatable? Yards that have less feed drops due to heat […]

As Midwest cattle producers, we are faced with all types of weather conditions. With many producers raising cattle in confinement settings, the weather brings a challenge not only for managing cattle but bed packs as well. Whether it is a hoop or mono-slope facility, different seasons bring different challenges to managing bed packs. The decision […]

We are currently in the thick of our annual climb in U.S. beef production and fed cattle marketings which seasonally begins in April and runs through June. While most producers devote a considerable amount of time and effort into starting cattle on feed (and rightfully so), little attention is often paid to cattle once they […]

While the calendar may be telling us there are still a few more days of winter, it’s hard to deny it feels very much like spring across much of the Midwest. While spring may bring green grass and warmer temperatures, it also brings back one of the nastiest enemies known to the cattle industry. Flies. […]

Alternative feeding strategy questions are being asked more and more with the upcoming veterinary feed directive (VFD). Finding ways to proactively manage both health and performance alongside proper feed yard management will become even more important. While many producers have already stepped up their yard maintenance to help improve the management effect on cattle health […]

It’s been a beautiful fall and we can all finally breathe a little bit easier as the crops are off the fields, cows are hitting the stalks and feed yards are ringing with the serenading song of bawling calves. Fall brings an extremely busy time of year for all cattle producers as you rush to […]