Life Sciences Commons^™

2007 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report Summaries, Dennis R. Brink

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide briefly summarizes recent beef research reported on in the 2007 Beef Cattle Report.

2006 Beef Report Summaries, James Gosey

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Reports on recent beef research are briefly summarized in this publication. Summaries of the research featured in the 2006 Beef Report appear here. Topics include cow-calf, growing, finishing and beef products.

Ec05-185 Grazing Winter Wheat In Nebraska, Tom Holman, Drew J. Lyon, David D. Baltensperger, Ivan G. Rush, Ray Weed

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Grazing cattle on winter wheat, often prior to grain harvest, is common throughout the southern Great Plains. Grazing generates about $50 million in income for Texas wheat producers and reduces the risk of growing wheat by providing a substantial income source other than grain. Benefits can be realized by grazing prior to the primary environmental risk period for drought, heat stress, and hail, all of which frequently reduce grain yield while having limited impact on forage production. Cattle also are grazed on winter wheat fields in western Nebraska and the surrounding region. Typically in Nebraska, fall forage would be used …

G03-1527 Annual Forages For The Nebraska Panhandle, Burt A. Weichenthal, David D. Baltensperger, K. P. Vogel, S. D. Masterson, J.M. Blumenthal, J.M. Krall

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Annual forages have value as pasture, green chop, silage, and hay. With adequate soil moisture, these forages grow very rapidly during their appropriate growing seasons. Advantages and disadvantages of various annual forages, results of dryland and irrigated forage trials, tips for achieving quality forage, and issues related to animal health and feeding forages are discussed in this NebGuide.

Ec02-830 Costs Of Cattle Fencing For Grazing Areas, Roger K. Wilson, Richard T. Clark

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This publication is an update to an earlier version: Livestock Fencing Cost and Information. Costs for fencing have increased since that time even though the fencing technology is similar.

This publication addresses only the cost of building fences. There are other considerations that may impact the final cost of a fencing project such as site preparation, removal of old fence, building new fences, new fence boundary surveys, and installation.

Drought-Stressed Corn, Thomas Dorn, Bruce Anderson, Richard J. Rasby

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebFact details how to identify drought stress in corn, its effect on potential yield and how to maximize economic return from drought-damaged corn.

Ec01-158 Integrating Management Objectives And Grazing Strategies On Semi-Arid Rangeland, Patrick E. Reece, Jerry D. Volesky, Walter H. Schacht

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Rangelands account for about half of Nebraska's total land area or about 24 million acres. Much of these expansive natural resource areas are in the semi-arid climatic region of Nebraska where grazing management decisions have a profound effect on ranch survival.

The educational object of this circular is to explain management practices that optimize the sustainability of rangeland-based enterprises. Additionally a decision-support tool is provided for selecting grazing systems best suited to livestock production and natural resource management objectives.

Ec01-150 Range Judging Handbook And Contest Guide For Nebraska, James T. Nichols, Peter N. Jensen

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Range judging contests can be a challenging and effective learning tool for everyone - youth, adults, beginners, professionals - whether from rural or urban areas. This circular provides information about Nebraska's rangelands and grasslands. It is designed to help individuals and teams prepare for range judging contests and to learn more about rangeland and its management. Each of the nine sections that follow corresponds to a section on the range judging scorecard used in contests.

Ec01-872 Nebraska Crop Budgets 2001, Roger Selley, Tina N. Barrett, Richard T. Clark, Robert N. Klein, Steve Melvin

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

The 2001 Crop Budgets contains a list of representative field operations and materials that provides a reminder of items typically invovled in producing the crop. The budgets are presented in a worksheet format with a "Your Estimate" column for recording modifications in costs.

This publication covers the following crops: Forages -- alfalfa, annual hay, corn silage, grass, grass hay, and pasture. Grain -- corn, dry beans, grain sorghum, proso millet, oats, soybeans, sugar beets, sunflower, wheat.

Nf584 Strategies For Range Beef Cattle Producers In Arid Environments Following Drought, Tom Holman, Patrick E. Reece, Ivan G. Rush, David D. Baltensperger

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebFact addresses how to deal with an inadequate supply of forage for range beef cattle because of drought. Precipitation can be below average for much of the Nebraska Panhandle and adjoining areas for prolonged periods. Prolonged drought results in an inadequate supply of forage for hundreds of thousands of beef cattle on millions of acres of rangeland. While some variation occurs among ranches and among pastures within a given ranch, all rangeland vegetation in arid environments like western Nebraska can be moderately to severely damaged by drought stress and/or excessive grazing. Consequently, even if soil moisture is not limited …

G00-1393 Grazing Alfalfa (Revised September 2004), Jerry D. Volesky, Bruce E. Anderson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Alfalfa is the most productive and versatile forage legume grown in Nebraska. Cutting for hay or silage has been the traditional method of harvest, but many options also exist for grazing. With current technology and proper management beef gain can exceed 1,000 pounds per acre with acceptable stand persistence.

Grazing alfalfa may be a cost efficient means of harvest for some producers. This NebGuide explores alfalfa and alfalfa/grass options, varieties and stand establishment, and grazing and bloat management.

G99-1393 Grazing Alfalfa, Jerry D. Volesky, Bruce Anderson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Grazing alfalfa may be a cost efficient means of harvest for some producers. This NebGuide explores alfalfa and alfalfa/grass options, varieties and stand establishment, and grazing and bloat management.

Alfalfa is the most productive and versatile forage legume grown in Nebraska. Cutting for hay or silage has been the traditional method of harvest, but many opportunities and options exist for grazing. With current technology and proper management, beef gain can exceed 1,000 pounds per acre with acceptable stand persistence.

Ec98-278 Grazing Crop Residues, Richard J. Rasby, Roger Selley, Terry Klopfenstein

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Nebraska has an abundance of crop residue available for late fall and winter grazing. However, several factors prevent the grazing of many fields, including the location of fields in relation to the cattle, the lack of shelter or appropriate fencing and water availability. Despite these limitations, residue grazing is an important resource to many cattle operations, primarily as either a winter feed resource for maintaining the breeding herd or putting weight on cull cows. Calves weaned in the fall can also be wintered on cornstalks if appropriate supplementation is used.

G97-1319 Management Of Smooth Sumac On Grasslands, John Ortmann, Katherine L. Miles, James L. Stubbendieck, Walter H. Schacht

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

The herbicide 2,4-D LV4 ester provides excellent low-cost smooth sumac control. Prescribed burning before herbicide application does not substantially improve sumac control, but may ease herbicide application and provide other benefits.

Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra L.) is a native deciduous shrub that forms dense thickets from widely spreading roots. It is found in the Sandhills, mixed-grass, and tallgrass areas throughout Nebraska. Introduced cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), invade the thickets, and production of desirable forage species is reduced below the dense canopies. Trees and other shrubs readily establish in aging sumac thickets, accelerating the …

G97-1313 Designing Preventive Health Management Programs For Cattle Producers, Dicky D. Griffin, Louis Perino, Gary Rupp, Eddie Hamilton

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

The NebGuide details recommendations for a beef cattle herd immunization program.

This NebGuide presents two flow sheets which detail the recommendations for a beef cattle herd immunization program: the Calf through Weaning Preventive Health Management Flow Sheet and the Heifers, Cows and Bulls Preventive Health Management Flow Sheet. While this NebGuide emphasizes the procedures conducted on cattle at each cattle handling opportunity, it is very important to note the role a high quality nutritional program plays in building a total herd health program. You are encouraged to work with a qualified beef cattle nutritionist and your veterinarian when developing your …

G96-1308 Management Of Eastern Redcedar On Grasslands, John Ortmann, James L. Stubbendieck, George Pfeiffer, Robert A. Masters, Walter H. Schacht

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Developing an integrated control program including prescribed burning, herbicides, and cutting may be the best way to control eastern redcedar in Nebraska, according to recent research. Eastern redcedar is a serious threat to grassland productivity. Some control methods may be too expensive to use on grasslands, but in many cases, an integrated approach combining fire with more intensive follow-up methods will provide reasonable control at an acceptable cost.

Nf96-310 Costs Of Harvesting And Hauling Corn Stalks In Large Round Bales, H. Douglas Jose, Lance L. Brown

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebFact calculates the costs of harvesting corn stalks for either livestock fodder or industrial uses.

G94-1198 Switchgrass And Big Bluestem For Grazing And Hay, Robert B. Mitchell, Lowell E. Moser, Bruce Anderson, Steven S. Waller

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

The grazing management and cultural practices discussed in this NebGuide can make switchgrass and big bluestem high quality summer forage. Switchgrass and big bluestem are native warm-season grasses that can provide abundant, high-quality forage during summer. Switchgrass and big bluestem produce 70 to 80 percent of their growth after June 1 in Nebraska, while more than 75 percent of cool-season grass growth, such as bromegrass and bluegrass, occurs before June 1. Therefore, switchgrass and big bluestem can provide forage to graze after cool-season pastures have been utilized. However, switchgrass and big bluestem must be managed differently than cool-season grasses. Poor …

Ec91-123 Drought Management On Range And Pastureland: A Handbook For Nebraska And South Dakota, Patrick E. Reece, Jack D. Alexander, James R. Johnson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Drought is generally defined as a prolonged period during which annual precipitation is less than 75 percent of average. Based upon this definition, drought has occurred in 21 percent of the years in the northern Great Plains since 1940. Poor distribution of precipitation in a single year or less than average precipitation in successive years can also cause drought conditions.

This extension circulation discusses the following: how plants respond to drought, management preparation for drought, herd management, animal response to drought, predicting forage production and stocking rates, drought management plans, rangeland resource inventory, grazing management, and plant recovery after drought.

G89-933 Supplemental Pastures For Sheep, Ted Doane, Bruce Anderson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Efficient and effective ways to pasture sheep are covered here.

Feed costs account for approximately 80 percent of all costs in many dry lot feeding programs for sheep. These costs can be reduced to 50 percent in the total cost with effective pasture programs.

Sheep can be efficient at converting forage into meat and wool. The following pasture alternatives and combinations allow the development of a pasture program where sheep can be on pasture for approximately 10 months of the year, if weather permits.

G86-775 Prussic Acid Poisoning, Norman Shcneider, Bruce Anderson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Prussic acid poisoning and its treatment are discussed in this NebGuide, along with methods to reduce its occurrence.

Sudangrass, forage sorghum, and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids are often used for summer pasture, green chop, hay, or silage. Under certain conditions, livestock consuming these feedstuffs may be poisoned by prussic acid (HCN).

Exposure to excessive prussic acid--also called hydrocyanic acid, hydrogen cyanide, or cyanide--can be fatal. However, producers can manage and feed their livestock to avoid problems with prussic acid.

G81-543 Establishing Dryland Forage Grasses, Bruce Anderson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Preparation, seed selection, seedbed preparation, fertilization, methods of seeding, time and rate of seeding, weed control and more are covered in this NebGuide.

Grass pastures provide more total nutrients to the cattle and sheep industry in Nebraska than any other feedstuff. However, many areas often face a shortage of pasture during certain seasons of the year.

In eastern Nebraska abundant cool-season pasture usually is available during spring and fail, but during July and August there is little or no grass growth. Conversely, warm-season native range provides much forage during summer in central and western Nebraska, but not in spring and …

G81-581 Cross Fences For Pastures Under Center Pivot Irrigation, James T. Nichols

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide discusses different types of fences for center pivot irrigated pastures.

Irrigated pastures produce more forage and maintain stands longer under a "graze-rest" system of use. When grazing is practiced season-long, cross fences are necessary to control 1) when and for how long grazing is permitted on a particular pasture, and 2) the degree of desired use. These controls are not possible without cross fences, and sound grazing management becomes difficult.

G78-406 Fertilizing Grass Pastures And Haylands, Bruce Anderson, Charles A. Shapiro

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This article discusses managing nitrogen and using phosphorus and other nutrients for grass pastures and hay-lands. Pastures are important to many livestock producers in Nebraska, but production from many pastures is low. Research shows that fertilizing, weed control and rotational grazing increases grass production from pastures, resulting in greater livestock production. Fertilizing and controlling weeds on haylands also increases production. Since more plant material is removed when land is managed as hayland, more attention needs to be paid to fertilization. In addition to increasing grass production, fertilizing can improve forage quality. On-the-farm demonstrations show that fertilizing increases the amount of …