Dr. Whit Stewart Assistant Professor and Extension Sheep Specialist from the University of Wyoming joins the UW-Madison Division of Extension’s 2022 Small Ruminant Webinar Series. Dr. Stewart outlines and supports with research, the mineral needs of sheep during the different stages of production and the various regions of the US. Stewart provides insight into how soils affect mineral levels in forages and how testing forages allows producers to balance rations to meet nutritional needs.
UW-Madison Arlington Research Station Sheep Unit Program Manager Todd Taylor discusses the most complex sheep on the farm, the ewe. As the ewe moves through the production cycle, her needs change. Learn about how to care for the ewe before breeding, during gestation, after lambing, and at weaning to ensure she is productive for years to come.
As the seasons come and go, the production cycle of the beef herd also changes. Cows calve, calves grow, and replacement heifers are selected. Selecting replacement heifers using production records, herd goals, and available resources can ensure the correct females are staying in the production system.
Evaluating different rations and scenarios as prices and situations change to optimize profits using the resources the farm has available is time well spent. When doing so, it is critical to look at all costs impacted by any ration changes, not just ration cost per ton or feed cost per day, to assess costs and returns accurately.
In 2025, Bernie O’Rourke, Extension Youth Livestock Specialist will host three webinars that will be offered February through April from 6:30-7:30 p.m. This is available for all youth grades 3-13. The session will be recorded and available on the Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program’s YouTube channel. This is offered in connection with the University of Wisconsin […]
Producing beef x dairy cross calves has the potential to increase market value of these calves compared to straight bred dairy bull calves. However, as the supply of beef x dairy cross calves increases, it’s reasonable to assume buyers will become more discerning. Dairy producers can stack the odds in their favor with thoughtful beef […]
Interest has grown in utilizing beef sires on dairy females. Beef x dairy cross calves may provide an opportunity to increase revenue from calf sales, and improve feedlot performance, and carcass characteristics. Conversely, crossbred calves may introduce more variability in performance and carcass characteristics compared to their purebred dairy counterparts. In the fall/winter of 2018 […]
It is common practice this time of year to evaluate our cows to make culling decisions, but this is also a good time to evaluate our bulls to determine which sires we are going to feed through the winter and which have come to the end of their genetic contribution to the operation. Bulls, much […]
