KSUBeef.org: Your resource for beef information
K-State's Winter Ranch Management Series Set for Late January and February
The seminar series will focus on management, nutrition and vaccine management for beef producers and allow producers to ask questions of their local, district and state extension specialists.
Vaccine management and storage will be one of the topics for the 2021 Kansas State University Winter Ranch Management Seminar Series. Hosted by three areas across the state of Kansas, the meetings will feature presentations and comments by extension educators to enhance management strategies employed by cow-calf producers.
The meetings will also feature a popular “town hall” style question-and-answer session between Kansas cattle producers and extension specialists. “The series has a history of being a successful stretch of meetings, which are hosted throughout the state of Kansas,” says Dale Blasi, K-State extension specialist.
Topics vary per location, with options including bull management considerations, explanation of the Management Minder tool, and cow and replacement heifer nutrition programs for a successful breeding season. All three sessions will conclude with the town hall session.
State, district and local extension staff, will take part in the series to help answer producers’ questions. “The Winter Ranch Management series provides another great opportunity for state and local specialists to take our expertise out in the country for a series of impactful meetings,” Blasi adds.
“Our extension team has a breadth of experience in beef cattle management, reproduction, genetics, animal health and nutrition. We’re here to help solve and prevent production problems with reliable information.”
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Calving Schools Planned
Four events to focus on knowledge, skills to boost successful births
In anticipation of calving season, beef cattle experts from the Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry and K-State Research and Extension are planning a series of calving schools beginning in early January.
A.J. Tarpoff, an extension beef veterinarian, said calving schools aim to increase producers' knowledge, practical skills and the number of live calves born. Each day-long program outlines overall calving management, including stages of the normal calving process and tips to handle difficult calving situations.
"Our goal is for producers to leave better prepared for calving season," Tarpoff said. "We will discuss timelines on when to examine cows for calving problems, and when to call your vet for help if things are not going well. It's an excellent program regardless of experience level."
Speakers will share tips on when and how to intervene to assist the cow and how those times may be different when dealing with young heifers. Presenters also will demonstrate proper use of calving equipment on a life-size cow and calf model.
Tarpoff said the meetings will cover such topics as body condition scoring, colostrum management and animal health product storage and handling.
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Consider The Value Of Genomics: Buying Bulls Better
By Bob Weaber, Cow-calf Extension Specialist
Bull buying is an activity on the horizon for many cow-calf producers. With the spring sale season just around the corner it is a great time consider your bull buying strategy. In addition to revisiting your breeding system (make sure you capture the value of maternal heterosis) and alignment of selection criteria to production/marketing constraints, producers should evaluate the opportunity to purchase bulls that have been genotyped. Many seedstock producers are genotyping their sale offering to support the purchase decisions of their commercial customers. Sometimes the genotyped bulls cost a little more, but the added value far exceeds the cost. >> Continue Reading
Tally Time: Management Minder outlines your production year
Technology has been developed that makes many things in our lives much easier. Some of you may remember when you were the “remote control” when your Dad was watching TV. Now, new homes have heating, alarm and lighting systems throughout that can be controlled remotely with a smart phone. Cattle producers use electronic IDs to automate many data collection activities. Computer applications seem to only be limited by our imagination.
Our beef extension educational efforts have often pointed out timely management topics. For example, now is the time to sample harvested forages and get an analysis of the quality. Some of those items would relate to time of year, while others would depend on the individual operation’s calving and breeding dates. So, while those suggestions are timely for most (we hope), they certainly do not fit everyone.
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Focus Areas
Feed & Water- Health
- Reproduction & Genetics
- Cost of Production & Marketing
- Employee Management
- Legal/Regulatory
The K-State beef extension team strives to address all phases of beef production from "farm to fork".
