How to make grain marketing decisions in a volatile market
05/25/2021
3 factors to think about before making grain sales. Hint: they have nothing to do with current prices By: Darren Frye Many farm leaders say that marketing their crop is one of the most challenging things they do – and it’s true that grain marketing can be a tough part of the job. In all …
Grazing more help than harm for plants, animals
05/25/2021
The practice can control non-native plants and maintain habitat and ecosystems to support a variety of species. By: Sheila J. Barry Research recently published in the journal Sustainability documents a role for livestock grazing to support the conservation of imperiled plant and animal species in California. Livestock grazing occurs in every county except San Francisco and is the …
Does your cow worry about flies? Yes
05/17/2021
Here is a refresher on identifying and treating horn and face flies in beef herds. By: Mindy Ward If your cattle are stomping, grouping up, twitching tails or licking their backs trying to rid themselves of flies, it is a sign of anxiety. The behavior is actually a syndrome pegged by veterinarians as “fly worry.” …
Western states taking lead in back-to-work push
05/17/2021
Arizona joins Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, others in halting the extra $300 in unemployment benefits, which has been blamed for a labor shortage. Arizona has become the latest state to announce it will stop taking the federal government’s pandemic unemployment benefits, which some argue have caused a labor shortage by creating a disincentive to work. The …
It’s all about your market philosophy
05/17/2021
If producers make money with cattle despite all that is going on in the blame game right now, it implies the blame game is fake. By: Doug Ferguson Every week there is a story that develops in the market and at individual auctions. I pay attention to this and that is where I come up …
Cattle producers: Be aware of foot rot
03/26/2021
Foot rot symptoms are often swelling between toes, redness or necrotic tissue and skin separation at the hoof wall. By: Donald Stotts Excessive rain is a signal for cattle producers to keep an eye out for lameness in their animals, the first sign of foot rot. Foot rot is a painful condition that can become …
Making the most of manure in pastures
03/26/2021
Producers should be careful not to “burn out” pastures with additional fertilization. By: Ryan McGeeney “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” or so the saying goes. Dirk Philipp, associate professor of animal science for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, has some advice for cattle producers and pasture managers who are often …
New planter technology could boost yields in wet conditions
03/26/2021
An innovation in planting technology can boost crop yields in wet conditions. By: Forrest Laws Not much has changed in the way farmers plant their crops in the last six or seven decades. Precision seed dropping is making variable seeding rates possible and allowing growers to plant at faster speeds. But the point where the …
Every cattle buyer has a superpower
03/26/2021
Using all your senses can be valuable whether in the sale barn, feedyard or in the pasture. By: Doug Ferguson Roughly six years ago, when my daughter was four, we were feeding cattle and when we got to the end of the bunk, I turned the tractor around and just sat there for a while. …
How to navigate rising long-term interest rates
03/26/2021
4 tips to manage debt and make refinancing decisions. By: Ashley Arrington If you have looked to refinance recently, you may have noticed that long term rates have been on a steady incline. We are still in a good territory for refinances, but rates are not what they were at year end 2020. How high …