Today’s consumers are more aware than ever before. They want to know where their food comes from, how it is raised, and that is safe and wholesome for the entire family. Consumers are attracted to words like natural, hormone-free and antibiotic-free, and the beef industry has responded with branded programs to meet consumers’ demands. Although […]
How Nutrition Adds Value for Sellers and Buyers
As the leaves turn from green to crisp golds and yellows, it’s a reminder that fall weaning is right around corner. Many weaned calves will be making their way to feed lots across the Midwest. As the time comes to market calves, producers are always looking for ways to capture extra profit, and the buyers […]
How Amaferm® Aids in the Transition to the Feedlot
It’s no secret, efficient gain in the feedlot means more pounds with less feed; and more efficient pounds equal more profit. However, when big, grass-fed yearlings come in to the feedlot and have to transition to a high-concentrate diet in a short period of time, it is well known that a great start will lead […]
How to Host a Successful Bull Sale
You’ve been selling a few bulls off your seedstock operation for several years now. You have increased your herd size and think next year might be the year to make the switch from selling your bulls privately to conducting your first bull sale. Are you prepared? Do you know the amount of time you will […]
Tips to Reduce Shipping Stress
Change is never easy. That is true if you’re a young person moving away to attend college, someone changing jobs or a freshly weaned calf with a long truck ride in its future. However, in each of these scenarios there are ways to lessen the stress and make the transition a little easier. Weaning […]
How one Farm Uses a Mineral Program to Raise the Next Generation
At Next Generation Genetics, Tod and Sondra Brancel understand the importance of raising the next generation – both livestock and humans. The couple married in 2005 and formed Next Generation Genetics from a mutual love of livestock – specifically registered cattle. Sondra is a fifth generation Hereford breeder; Tod’s family raised dairy cattle and milked […]
Management is Key to Successful Sale Preparation
In the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills is a multi-breed, multi-generation cattle operation that will market nearly 1,000 head of cattle this calendar year. When asked how they manage their resources and market cattle that have found success in herds across the country, the answer was fairly simple. “We just stick to the basics,” said […]
How Protein Keeps One Herd Healthy, Gives Calves Extra Bloom
In the vast plains of North Central Texas, where cows graze in pastures designed for hundreds at one time, making sure the land is fully utilized is a top priority. It is also critical for those cows to have a high-quality nutrition program in place as they spread out and graze the native grasses. The […]
How to Get the Most Nutrients from Low Quality Forages
As summer’s days get shorter and the crisp morning air starts to greet us, it is a reminder that the seasons are about to transition into fall. With that transition comes many changes for the cattle producer, including considerations of managing forages and how to feed those available forages in the coming months. Availability of […]
Significance of Salt
Both sodium and chloride, elements of salt, are essential nutrients for virtually all forms of life. Sodium and chloride are necessary for proper nervous and muscular function, body pH regulation and water retention. Sodium is involved in muscle and nerve function. Chlorine is essential for hydrochloric acid production in the abomasum and for carbon dioxide […]
