Beef Feedlot and Backgrounding
All Beef Feedlot and Backgrounding Content
Feed Bunk Management
A successful slick bunk feeding program matches dry matter intake (DMI) to the cattle’s appetite as closely as possible and keeps DMI consistent from day-to-day.
Feeding Value of Light Test Weight Corn
Whether due to planting delays, a cooler growing season, or an unexpectedly early frost, stress factors sometimes result in crops that do not meet standard test weight requirements. So how does reduced test weight affect the feeding value of corn and cattle performance?
Summer Maintenance in Outside Yards
Spring mud and poor drainage are two of the biggest production drags associated with feeding cattle outside. Summer months represent an opportunity to address and correct any problems that might be present in open lots.
Getting Implant Application Correct
How would you like to make a few thousand dollars per hour? When cattle backgrounders and feeders use growth promoting implants correctly, those returns are not a pipe dream. The key is administering the implant correctly.
Water: The Unappreciated Nutrient
Water intake is strongly linked to feed intake, so any factors that cause cattle to drink less will lead to reduced feed intake and consequently reduced performance.
Using Feedlot Manure to Reduce Crop Production Costs
Livestock waste can be a valuable source of crop nutrients when correctly managed. Taking a strategic approach to feedlot manure application can increase the value of manure as part of your overall system.
Managing Earlier Weaned Calves
Weaning calves at an earlier-than-normal age is a proven strategy to reduce grass demands by 25% or more during drought conditions. Learn some key management considerations for getting started.
Live Weight vs. Carcass Weight: Effect on Cost of Gain and Margin
More cattle each year are marketed using carcass weight to determine value, sometimes combined with grid premiums and discounts. Can we use the same assumptions for growth and cost of gain when marketing methods differ?
Incorporating Corn Into Beef Cow Rations Can Save Forage and Feed Expenses
For operations with the right facilities and management ability, replacing forage with corn can stretch forage supplies and potentially reduce feed costs.
Comparing Soybean Meal to Distillers Grains for Finishing Cattle
Do different protein sources lead to significant performance differences in finishing cattle? The results of a recent experiment at the SDSU Southeast Research Farm offer cattle feeders some encouraging findings.