Even before the drought, livestock producers daily faced the difficult decision of figuring out which feed source was the best buy when it comes to providing protein and energy sources to their livestock.   This dilemma is even greater as feedstuff prices continue to increase due to the current drought, says Warren Rusche, SDSU Extension Beef Cow/Calf Field Specialist.   To aid livestock producers in this chore, Rusche and Tracey Renelt, SDSU Extension Dairy Field Specialist together developed a Feedstuff Cost Comparison Spreadsheet....More

With the announced Aug. 2 opening of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) ground in all Iowa counties for emergency haying and grazing for certain practices, producers may be wondering whether to use their land for those purposes. The Iowa Beef Center (IBC) at Iowa State University (ISU) is offering a new spreadsheet that estimates hay cost per bale or ton and grazing cost per day for CRP forage.  ...More

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) made clear its position on any attempt by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lower the coarse particulate matter (PM) standard as part of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) during one of two public hearings hosted by EPA....More

Drought-damaged corn silage may be worth 75% to 95% of the feeding value of normal corn silage. Allow the corn to stay in the field as long as possible because, if rains come, they may bring more stalk and leaf growth, and more tonnage at harvest time....More

The worst U.S. drought since Ronald Reagan was president is withering the world’s largest corn crop, and the speed of the damage may spur the government to make a record cut in its July estimate for domestic inventories....More

Maxwell Ranch near Fort Collins, CO, utilizes early weaning as a way to reduce costs. Joel Vaad, who manages the ranch, says he’s been weaning calves at 4-5 months of age; pulling them right off the cows to sell. “I wean my replacement heifers at the same age and they do fine,” he says....More

Hay production is in full swing in Nebraska, and the issue facing operators from across the state is the same – drought. Lack of moisture and an early, warm spring has left many producers with decreased yields, and an outlook that portends a continued decrease in production....More

Panhandle Safe Hayven Equine Rescue is turning to the community for help after a fire destroyed 75 bales of hay and a horse trailer....More

We read with alarm the article entitled “The Grass Tetany Puzzle: Research by a veterinary pathologist indicates salt is a big factor in preventing and treating grass tetany” by Heather Smith Thomas in the April 2012 edition of BEEF (page 22)....More

Summer heat waves pose a serious danger to cattle. It’s not only the death loss, but also the loss in performance and the potential for poorer reproductive performance of bulls and breeding females caused by heat stress that cause economic harm to beef producers. Taking some steps now to plan ahead will put producers in a better position to deal with heat waves when and if they occur....More