Shows / UNL BeefWatch
UNL BeefWatch
The BeefWatch Podcast provides timely information to help beef cattle producers improve the sustainability and profitability of their operations. BeefWatch is provided by the Nebraska Extension Beef Systems team and is the audio companion to the UNL BeefWatch Newsletter.
Episodes
- UNL BeefWatch
Defend the Core, Grow the Core: Tackling Eastern Redcedar Encroachment in Nebraskas Grasslands
A new approach to protecting native grasslands from woody plant invasion is discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Mapping is a Key Part of Spring Leafy Spurge Control
Knowing where Leafy Spurge is and a timely practices to control it are important. Strategies and tools to map and manage Leafy Spurge are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Mineral Supplementation During Gestation to First-Calf Heifers, Impacts on Dams and Daughters
Discussion of research at NDSU examining the impacts of mineral status on measures of production in first-calf heifers and the daughters born to them calving…
- UNL BeefWatch
Sizing and Siting a Shade Structure
Shade can provide heat stress relief, especially to cattle in feedyards. Placing these structures in the right location and making sure they are designed…
- UNL BeefWatch
Practice Tick Safety to Avoid Getting an Allergy to Red Meat
The bite of the long horn tick can cause people to develop an allergy to red meat. The cause of the allergy and practices to minimize risk are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Zoonotic Disease Risks during Calving Season
Several diseases can spread from cattle to humans. Good hygiene practices and understanding risks help to minimize the likelihood of contracting the diseases.
- UNL BeefWatch
Why Grazing Before Pastures are Ready can Have Lasting Impacts and How to Limit the Damage
If pastures are grazed to early, it can have detrimental impacts on grass health and productivity. When pastures are safe to graze and strategies to limit…
- UNL BeefWatch
Taming Toxic Plants
Dr. Derek Scasta with Wyoming Extension discusses plants on rangeland and pastures in the High Plains that can be poisonous to livestock and management…
- UNL BeefWatch
Garlic for Horn Fly Control
Dave Boxler discusses research that has examined feeding garlic to cattle to reduce the incidience of horn flies feeding on them.
- UNL BeefWatch
Wheat May Have More Value as Forage than Taking it to Grain
A shortage of feed, both hay and pasture, is making the option of using wheat for forage, either through grazing or harvesting as hay or silage, competitive…
- UNL BeefWatch
Packing Small Grain Silage When It Is Too Wet Can Be a Costly Mistake
Recent research with producers documented the importance of getting the right moisture content when packing silage to ensure proper fermentation, maintain…
- UNL BeefWatch
Calculating the Value of Nutrients in Manure
Manure can be an excellent nutrient source for crops and pasture. The process for measuring fertilizer value in manure and matching that to crop nutrient needs…
- UNL BeefWatch
Genetic Selection, Environmental Adaptation and Stress Resilience - What are we learning?
Dr. Jared Decker from the University of Misssouri discusses research examining how genetic traits that impact cattle resilience in a specific environment can…
- UNL BeefWatch
Understanding Trichomoniasis and its Impact as a Reproductive Disease
Trich is a venereal disease that can result in a high percentage of early stage loss of pregnacy and non-pregnant cows. How the organism is transmitted and…
- UNL BeefWatch
Options for Estrus Synchronization this Breeding Season
Estrus synchronization can be utilized in both artificial insemination and natural service breeding. Resources to select and implement different protocols are…
- UNL BeefWatch
Winter Bull Management and What to Do if Your Bulls Get Frostbite on the Testes?
Harsh winter weather can impact bull fertility. A breeding soundness exam can help producers know if a bull is still a potential breeder.
- UNL BeefWatch
Getting the Most Out of Grazing Cereal Rye and other Winter-hardy Small Cereals
Timing of when grazing starts as well as the utilization of mutilple pastures to manage regrowth of annuals can help producers make the most of this grazing…
- UNL BeefWatch
Preventing Grass Tetany in the Lactating Beef Cow this Spring
The causes of tetany as well as supplementation strategies that can be utilized to minimize risk are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Understanding Scours
There are a number of things that can cause calf diarrhea. Identifying common causes and practices to minimze the risk to calves is discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Identifying Your Competitive Advantage
Burke Teichert, shares key things ranch managers should pay attention to in identifying opportunities to improve long term profitability.
- UNL BeefWatch
A Cow Calf Producers Perspective on Utilizing Livestock Risk Protection Insurance
Mark Halstead shares how their diversified crop and cattle operation utilizes LRP as a risk management tool to set a floor price for weaned calves.
- UNL BeefWatch
Getting More Out of Fall Forage Cover Crops: Is Strip Grazing Worth It?
This roundtable producer discussion highlights observations from a collaborative study at five producer operations from across Nebraska examining grazing…
- UNL BeefWatch
Understanding how Vaccinations can Impact Herd Fertility
Dr. George Perry from Texas A and M discusses research that demonstrates how the timing of vaccinations and the type of vaccine used impacts heifer and cow…
- UNL BeefWatch
Weak Calf Syndrome
The multiple causes of Weak Calf Symdrome are discussed as well as approaches to analyze a production system to identify changes that can reduce the incidence…
- UNL BeefWatch
Swath Grazing Forage Sorghum and Pearl Millet as a Winter Feed option for cows in Iowa
Researchers at Iowa State have demonstrated that swath grazing summer annuals can significantly reduce harvested feed costs for cows in the winter.
- UNL BeefWatch
TDN Translation Understanding Energy of Forages
What does TDN mean on a feed analysis? What is a good TDN value for forage? How does one use the information in analyzing a cattle diet?
- UNL BeefWatch
Understanding the Causes of and Caring for Prolapses in Cattle
Dr. Lindsay Waechter-Mead discuss the two types of prolapses that commonly occur in cattle around the time of calving.
- UNL BeefWatch
Field Trial Assesses the Use of Sexed Semen in a Commercial Commercial Cow Herd
Dr. Karol Fike, discusses results of a Kansas State University research study looking at the impacts of the use of sex selected semen in a commercial cow herd.
- UNL BeefWatch
Cow-calf Business Benchmarks
Colorado State University recently released a report showing cow-calf performance measures from 30 ranches. Beef Specialist Ryan Rhoades discusses the process…
- UNL BeefWatch
Winter Tick
Tick activity is not something producers expect to see in northern climates in the winter, but one species can impact horses and cattle.
- UNL BeefWatch
Limit Feeding Cows Corn as an Alternative to Hay
Limit feeding corn to cows prior to and after calving as an option to stretch hay supplies is discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Managing Hypothermia in Newborn Calves
Management strategies to monitor and treat the calf experiencing hypothermia are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Spring Annual Forages
Oats, triticale, barley and forage peas planted in late March and April can provide forage for grazing, hay and silage in late May and June.
- UNL BeefWatch
Matching Production Systems and Marketing to a Ranchs Resources - A Producers Perspective with James Sewell of the TA Ranch
Ranch ownership goals, available resoures, quality of life along with long term sustainability and profit are all pieces of the framework that should be…
- UNL BeefWatch
Understanding Hardware Disease in Cattle
Understanding how and why hardware disease occurs can be helpful in both recognizing and preventing it.
- UNL BeefWatch
Windbreaks for Protection and Snow Diversion
Benefits of windbreaks as well as ideas for design and application are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Advantages of Limit Fed, High Energy Stocker Diets
Several years of research at Kansas State has shown the advantages of limit fed, energy dense diets for growing cattle.
- UNL BeefWatch
Helping Cows Cope with Cold Stress
Cold, windy and wet conditions increase the energy that cattle need to maintain their body temperature. Management strategies to mitigate the impacts of cold…
- UNL BeefWatch
Value of Gain on Winter Backgrounded Cattle
Looking at the relationship between value of gain and cost of gain can provide valuable insights on opportunities and risk management for those growing cattle…
- UNL BeefWatch
Purchased Hay: The Extra Costs
Knowing the quality of the hay as well as potential problems that could come in with hay is important. Key things to pay attention to are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Considerations for Corn Silage that was Harvested to Wet or to Dry.
Silage harvested to wet is at greater risk for clostridial fermentation that significantly reduces quality. Silage harvested to dry is at greater risk for mold…
- UNL BeefWatch
Cattle Lice - Factors that Impact Effective Treatment.
Lice can impact cattle health and performance. Practices to evaluate when and how treatment should occur are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Checking Cattle Water Using Cell Phone and Remote Camera Technology - A Producers Perspective
The ability to know what is happening with livestock water remotely provides numerous advantages for this rancher.
- UNL BeefWatch
Single Trait EPDs vs EPD Indexes vs Production Ratios
Understanding the differences between these selection tools and the appropriate application of their use is discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Feeding Corn Residue in A Round Bale Feeder: Can It Meet Cow Needs?
Research shows that cows will need to be supplemented with additional energy and protien to meet nutrition needs in mid to late gestation when being fed corn…
- UNL BeefWatch
Soybean Residue Value
The feed value of soybean residue is much lower than other crop residues such as corn, sorghum, or wheat.
- UNL BeefWatch
Protein supplementation - What should I know before purchasing?
Knowing the type and source of protein, as well as the class of cattle that will be fed, are important factors to consider when selecting a supplement.
- UNL BeefWatch
Feeding Ionophores in Mineral Supplements
Consistent consumption at recommended levels is foundational for the safe and effective use of ionophores in mineral supplements.
- UNL BeefWatch
Minimizing Storage Losses of Round Bale Hay
Management practices to reduce hay deterioration and spoilage are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Do Your Herd and Your Bank Account a Favor - Test Your Hay!
Analyzing hay quality provides information to cost effectively meet cattle nutrition needs.
- UNL BeefWatch
Science Guide Outlines New Approach for Reducing Eastern Redcedar
Research is providing new insights into long term management practices to reduce the encroachment of eastern red cedar into native rangeland and pasture.
- UNL BeefWatch
Exploring Entreprenurial Opportunities on the Ranch
Dr. Tom Field discusses characteristics of people who find and develop new enterprises and a process for doing that.
- UNL BeefWatch
Drought Decision Making A Producer's Perspective with Jay Wolf
Jay Wolf from Wagonhammer Ranches discusses their approach to management of their seedstock, commercial cows and feedlot under current conditions.
- UNL BeefWatch
Five Key Principles of a Good Risk Management Culture
Understanding and mitigating risk is an important part of managing an ag business. Principles for encouraging this in an ag operation are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Can Early Pregnancy Detection Help You Make Culling and Replacement Decisions This Fall?
Pregnancy testing can provide valuable information for making management decisions. Timing, methods and strategies are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Utilizing Wheat in Feedlot Diets
Wheat at times is an economical feed grain to use in feedlot diets. Best methods for processing and level of inclusion are discussed.
- UNL BeefWatch
Managing Early Weaned Calves
Understanding the nutrition needs of the young calf are critically important to successful early weaning.
- UNL BeefWatch
Late Season Pasture Fly Control
Extended warm conditions into the fall can result in increased fly loads on cattle. Strategies to reduce these populations are discussed
- UNL BeefWatch
Supplementing Yearlings in the Summer Grazing Season: Is it Worth it?
Strategic supplementation of yearlings grazing summer pasture with distillers grains may be a way to economically improve performance, especially on pastures…
- UNL BeefWatch
What to Expect from Alternatives to Corn Silage
Winter annuals and summer annuals can be harvested as silage. Timing of harvest, storage method and feed out all impact the quality delivered to the livestock.