Division of Extension
Information about raising all types of beef in Wisconsin: production and business management, beef quality assurance, housing, well-being, nutrition, and reproduction.
This article was originally published in Wisconsin Agriculturist Most beef farmers are familiar with the onslaught of lice during the winter. It is a common fact that lice populations on cattle peak during the winter months. But what are lice? Lice are small, flat-bodied insects with legs modified for grasping hairs. These creatures are dependent […]
Just like humans need a few extra layers in the winter months, our heifers and cows may need to rug up or add layers now in order to maintain performance through the winter months.
This article was originally published in Wisconsin Agriculturist Magazine Bulls have the greatest impact on a herd’s genetic progress. Deciding to keep a bull for another breeding season warrants protection of this investment to ensure he is in optimal condition when returned to the cowherd. In order to protect your bull investment, implement a plan […]
The Extension Stocker Cattle Closeout Spreadsheet helps beef producers with stocker enterprises complete a closeout and is designed to make it easier for producers to complete a closeout for groups of stockers.
There are times when cattle producers need to come to the aid of a downed animal. The longer cattle are down, the more likely their weight and inactivity will damage circulation and nerve function to their underside muscles, which leads to a poor prognosis for recovery.
English | Spanish The umbilical cord is the lifeline between the cow and her fetal calf. Fetal oxygen, nutrients and wastes are exchanged through the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord is connected to the cow’s placenta and passes through the calf’s abdomen at the navel. The cord includes a pair of umbilical arteries and a […]
Feeding high-quality colostrum to the calf as soon as possible after birth is the most important thing you can do for calf health. The timely ingestion of adequate amounts of high-quality colostrum allow the calf to acquire passive immunity from the dam.
Feed cost is usually ranked as the highest expense in animal production. Proper management of feed storage can prevent feed shrink – or the loss of feed. Reducing feed shrink in storage can help decrease the cost of production.
Culling decisions are a routine part of beef cow-calf herd management. Producers should make culling decisions based on what is best for their farm’s profitability, and what is best for animal well-being. This article covers some of the decisions every beef herd needs to make.
Preconditioning is a management practice that many producers implement to increase buyer interest and add value to their feeder calves by building the health status of calves and training them to feed bunks and waterers post weaning.
