UNL BeefWatch

Cattle fundamentals continue to be strong supported by exceptional product quality and ongoing consumer demand.

Principles for reducing the risk of fire when working in rangelands and pastures is discussed.

The American consumer is increasingly eating more beef at a higher price than they were a decade ago.

Virtual fence technology is advancing rapidly. This two day tour will demonstrate its use on both producer operations and in research settings.

Dr. Jerry Volesky completes a 31 year career with the University of Nebraska in June. He shares what he has learned and what he sees as key management thought processes and management practices related to range, pasture and annual forages.

Dr. Rick Rasby completes a 40 year career with the University of Nebraska in June. He shares what he has learned and what he sees as important for the success of cow-calf producers going forward.

Recent research is demonstrating that bull body condition during semen production influences not only sperm viability but also embryo development.

Recent research is challenging the widely held belief that prussic acid breaks down in hay. Dr. Gruss from Iowa State discusses the data and gives principles to address this risk.

Measuring methane produced from cattle is a challenging process. The methods and tools utilized are discussed.

Disasters bring tax consequences which require thorough documentation. Options for managing income from livestock are dicussed as well.

Margins at the feedlot and packer level are showing negative values for the foreseable future. Dr. Koontz from CSU discusses the signal this sends for cow-calf and stocker yearling operations and why now is a good time to put into practice price risk management.

The University of Nebraska is examining factors that impact methane production from cattle. This research includes the microbial population in the rumen, inoculation of the rumen environment early in an animal’s life, diet and cattle genetics.

Current crop commodity prices, fertilizer input costs, and a shortage of grazeable forage in Nebraska is creating a senario where planting summer annual forages for grazing or harvested feed may be a more profitable option than growing row crops in 2026.

Taking time to annual review your insurance policy to understand what is and is not covered in the event of a wilfire is an important practice for farm and ranch owners.

Jessie Jarvis, a rancher from near Eagle, Idaho shares her family's experience with using virtual fence to graze cows on portions of allotments that didn't burn without building physcial fence. The lessons earned and the opportunities she sees going forward with this technology are discussed also.

Dr. Matt Hille, Veterinary Pathologist and Extension Specialist, discusses the westward movement of the Asian Longhorned Tick and the impact it can have as a vector for Bovine Theileriosis which is caused by a protoza which results in anemia for infected animals.

The conditions hay is stored under is the major driver of how quality is retained. Factors that impact hay deterioration are discussed.

Nebraska Extension Educator Jessica Groskopf discusses things land owners should know regarding Nebraska fence law and Federal cost-share programs, before removing and replacing fences.

Drs. Jerry Volesky and Mitch Stephenson discusses factors that influence when pastures impacted by wildfires will be ready to be grazed.

Dr. Karla Wilke discusses management practices that producers should pay attention to if the breeding season will need to occur in a dry lot setting this year.

Dr. David Smith and Dr. Dale Grotelueschen discuss the circumstances and system that they developed with producers, which became known as the Sandhills Calving System. This management practice has been shown to drastically reduce the incidence of scours in young calves.

Dr. Travis McCarty and Dr. Randall Spare, two veterinarians from Kansas, share their experiences of going through multiple wildfires personally and with their clients on principles for caring for livestock and supporting the impacted people. Nebraska Extension veterinarians Dr. Funk and Dr. Vander Ley also discuss key things that can help producers wortk through these circumstances.

Snap2Graze is a web based tool based on Univeristy of Nebraska research, that utilizes a photo to estimate forage avaible for grazing.

The content that will be covered is discussed, as well as how people can learn more or register.

Neonatal calf diarrhea is a common concern among cow-calf producers. Understanding why scours occurs, can help prevent the problem.

Breed genetic trends for greater growth, milk production and mature weight are impacting cowherd nutrient needs and thus profitability.

Opportunities to use technologies to improve reproductive performance in cows and heifers is discussed.

Past research and new integrated projects across multiple disciplines in cattle are discussed.

Dr. Peel shares his perspective on the factors that are supporting cattle prices and what to expect for the rest of 2026.

How do cattle contribute to green house gas emissions? University of Nebraska researchers describe what is currently known and future research that will further enhance this knowledge.

Much of the winter cold weather may be past, but extended periods of wet and cold events can still impact cattle. Understanding the factors that contribute to and ways to mitigate cold stress are discussed

The University of Nebraska has received a signficant grant to conduct fundamental research on energy use in cattle, examining diet, genetics and rumen microorganisms and how those interact with each other to impact methane emissions in cattle.

Recent research shows there have been changes to the feeding value of distillers grain byproducts and how cattle perform when they are part of a diet.

Research compared three protein sources at different levels in corn silage-based diets for growing cattle. The results and implications are discussed.

The Rangeland Analysis Platfrom is providing data to identify trends over time related to the increase of winter annual invasive grasses.

A feedlot study compared FerAppease applied to yearling beef steers at initial processing and reimplant to a placebo on cattle health, feeding performance and carcass characteristics.

Owen Williams from near Elk Mountain Wyoming shares how they are using virtual fence technology on the Double 8 Ranch for grazing riparian areas, irrigated meadows, public lands and cornstalks in the winter.

Cows in late gestation have nutrient requirements that are ramping up quickly while the quality compenents of corn residue have frequently declined in availability. Understanding these circumstance can help producers strategically provide what is needed to met nutrition needs.

Research by Dr. Lalman at Oklahoma State University is showing that there is significant difference in forage intake and performance of heifers fed long stem grass hay. Dr. Laman discusses how producers might use this information in developing and selecting heifers that fit available resources.

The nutrient requirements for heifers and cows ramp up rapidly in the last trimester and right after calving. Understanding a cows nutrition needs is the first step to cost effectively meeting them.

Research at Dickinson, North Dakota shows integrating cattle grazing as part of a crop rotation can reduce input costs and improve profitability when compared to continous wheat production. This research will be shared at three programs in the Nebraska Panhandle on January 19, 20 and 21.

The major factors that contribute to cows not becoming pregnant are discussed.

What can I afford to pay for a bred heifer? Cow costs, replacement rate, calf prices, and weaning rate are major factors that impact this value.

Matt Grimes from near Minden Nebraska discusses why he chose hair sheep as an enterprise and how they complement his family's grain farming and custom grazing of cows on corn residue.

This popular course returns in 2026 with both online and hands-on workshops. Information about the content of the course as well as registration information is discussed.

Practices to reduce stress from cold, wet conditions such as bedding and windbreaks, that can improve cattle performance and health are discussed.

Dave Boxler discusses conditions that enhance lice activity, thresholds at which treatment is warranted and different products that are avaiable for lice control.

Myra Hipke Richardson from near Stuart, Nebraska discusses how they have integrated windrow grazing of summer annual forages for fall and winter feeding of the cow herd. She also talks about the logistics of fence and water that are needed to make this system work.

Harold Gaugler from Grant County, North Dakota discusses how they have utilized bale grazing to reduce equipment and labor for winter feeding. He also shares how they have improved forage production from bale grazing on locations where the soil and plant community will benefit from nutrients and organic matter.

Bale grazing provides the opportunity to strategically place bales for use throughout the fall and winter on locations where the soil and plant community will benefit from nutrients and organic matter. This method of feeding can more efficiently capture nutrients in hay than when fed in a lot and reduce labor and equipment expense.