UNL BeefWatch

Dr. Warren Rusche from South Dakota State University discusses research showing an advantage in carcass weight for cattle fed extruded and expelled soybean meal as a protein source in finishing diets.

There are advantadges of using an energy dense diet to grow calves instead of one's containing high levels of forage under current market conditions.

Dr. Jim MacDonald discusses the performance of growing cattle fed raw soybeans, roasted soybeans or distillers grains in a silage based diet.

Dr. Drewnoski discusses why Vitamin A is important for health and reproduction and when additional supplement is needed.

Doug Sieck of Selby, South Dakota discusses his experience grazing standing corn and feeding shell corn with hay when forage is short.

Dr. Shike discusses research on feeding cows concentrates when roughage is in short supply.

Drought has stressed calves this summer. Ways to mitigate stress and enhance calf health are discussed.

Late season rains can bring green to rangeland and pastures, but caution should be used in grazing this limited growth.

Hot, dry conditions can add additional stress to calves as the are recieved into the yard. Key things to pay attention to are discussed.

Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler at the University of Kentucky discusses research on grazing standing corn and their experience in working with producers.

LRP has changed tremendously since it started. Dr. Parsons discusses the opportunities it offers on calves and feeder cattle to manage price risk.

Recent research has confirmed management practices that enhance the potential for a replacement heifer to stay in the herd.

Early weaning can help reduce forage demand on rangeland and pastures. Strategies for utilizing this option are discussed.

Dr. Brandon Smith discusses research that examined feeding 10-12 lbs. of soy hulls per day with limited access to CRP hay to dry, pregnant cows.

Dr.Lindsay Waechter-Mead highlights the value of ultrasound as pregnancy diagnosis tool, the information it can provide and keys to timing of use.

Dr. Rick Funston discusses his experience in working with a commercial cow-calf operation to utilize sexed semen with heifers.

Evaluating options under current market conditions to keep a core of females from which to rebuild the cow herd going forward is discussed.

John Maddux from near Imperial discusses how the operation has used early weaning as a tool to mitigate drought impacts.

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.