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Category Archives: Nutrition
Mineral imbalances need to be considered in cattle deaths
Texas A&M AgriLife offers expertise, assistance in livestock mineral toxicity, testing By Susan Himes susan.himes@ag.tamu.edu Ranchers need to keep in mind that the wrong quantities of minerals can be dangerous or even deadly to cattle, said experts from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. When it comes to cattle and minerals, what works for a rancher 700 miles away may actually work better for you than what works for a neighbor 7 miles down the road; it all depends on what is in your soil, supplements, feed, forage and… Read More →
Peak performance important to cow-calf operations amid pandemic-induced price fluctuations
AgriLife Extension program offers financial, production analysis and benchmarking to identify opportunities, weaknesses With the COVID-19 pandemic, cattle prices have been on a roller coaster. Now is a good time to analyze performance to make sure your operation is as efficient as possible, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist. Pancho Abello, AgriLife Extension economist, Vernon, said the agency’s long-running Beef Cattle Standard Performance Analysis, SPA, program is a good way for cattle producers to look at their bottom line and make adjustments to their operations. “Opportunities for change… Read More →
Brahman-type cattle may require less nitrogen; feeding them accordingly could reduce nitrogen emissions
Texas A&M AgriLife study to identify differences in nitrogen metabolism between primary cattle subspecies By Kay Ledbetter 806-677-5608 | skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu A recently funded Texas A&M AgriLife study will determine differences in nitrogen requirements between Brahman type cattle and other cattle. Measuring these differences may allow cattle producers to reduce the protein in cattle diets by allowing for precise diet formulations. “Implementation of precision diet formulation in cattle diets can be the answer to producing a more affordable beef with a smaller environmental impact,” said Tryon Wickersham, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research,… Read More →
Angus VNR: Above and Beyond Nutrition
All living things need specific amino acids, but people can’t synthesize all of them. No worries—cattle provide them by upcycling proteins from rough forage into nutrious beef. “If you try and consume all of your amino acids or meet your amino acid requirements from a grain source like corn or sorghum, you’re going to have to over consume calories. And so that’ll contribute to obesity and those types of problems,” says Tryon Wickersham, Ruminant Nutritionist at Texas A&M University. Enjoying those amino acids within the nutrient density of… Read More →
Baling decisions, storage can reduce waste
Management decisions, equipment maintenance and proper storage can have a big impact on waste and efficiency when baling hay. Andy McCorkill, a University of Missouri livestock specialist, says producers should tailor bale size to their facilities and animals, but overall bigger bales are more efficient. “The larger diameter bales, you’ll have less loss,” he says. “Smaller bales, you have basically two times the surface area exposed for the same amount of hay.” Jason Banta, an Extension beef specialist with Texas A&M University, says it is important to get… Read More →
Meat Perspectives: Here today, gone tomorrow
By Jeff Savell and Kerri Gehring COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — For those in the beef industry, the fact that beef is larger and heavier than it was in the past is not breaking news. Cattle are heavier, making carcasses weigh more. Subprimals are larger and heavier, making retail cuts larger. This trend began about 40 years ago, and we do not know where it will end. However, we do know that developing effective merchandising strategies to help retail and foodservice channels deal with how best to market beef is… Read More →
Extra good: Which mineral supplement is needed?
By Robert Fears Mineral nutrition is very important for successful beef production because it impacts animal growth, reproduction, milk production and health. Cattle obtain part of their mineral requirements from forage, water and protein supplements, but the remainder of their requirements must be met through mineral supplements. The big question is: “Which mineral supplement is needed for my cattle?” Selection of the right mineral is dependent on the geographical region, forage system, cattle production stage and other factors. Jason Banta of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provided some considerations… Read More →
Beef’s greatest talent is protein upcycling
By Lacey Newlin, 580-748-1892, lnewlin@hpj.com “There are some really highly educated people out there who are actively against the beef industry,” said Tryon Wickersham, associate professor of animal nutrition at Texas A&M University. “I don’t think there is going to be anything we can do to change that. I think they will be against everything we do, no matter how we do it, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t mount a defense or stop educating the consumers about the value we bring to their plates.” Wickersham spoke recently… Read More →
Hemp is not (yet) an approved feed ingredient
By Dr. Jason Smith It goes without saying that hemp production is currently a hot topic in agriculture. As is the case with almost all other agricultural or food industries where harvest, refinement or processing results in a residue or byproduct, there is also considerable interest in potential uses for hemp and its byproducts as animal feed ingredients – particularly for cattle. While the information contained in the 2018 Farm Bill paved the way for a dramatic increase in hemp production, it did not grant permission to use… Read More →
Winter feeding program for beef cattle producers in Overton Aug. 16
OVERTON – A program on the reduction of winter feeding by stockpiling warm-season forage and/or planting cool-season pastures is scheduled for Aug. 16 in Overton. The event is from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 1710 N. Farm-to-Market Road 3053. The cost is $60 per person if registered by Aug. 6 and $75 per person if registered by Aug. 14. Fees include lunch and all program materials. Two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units, one integrated pest management and one… Read More →