Latest News From Elizabeth Cronin

While HPAI has been detected in predatory mammals that prey on infected birds, this is the first identified case of HPAI in domestic livestock in the U.S.

Unusual winter weather conditions have created benefits for some ranchers, but that could change and ranchers should consider whether winter feed supplies are enough to stretch into spring in case of delayed turnout.

The single most important factor in keeping a cow at zero non-productive days is body condition, which has a direct impact on calving interval, conception rate and percentage of open cows.

Producers interested in expanding their herd or considering alternative production practices due to limited perennial pastures and rangeland are the target audience for the Dakota Alternative Beef Cow Systems Symposium.

Experiencing colder temperatures can have a significant impact on livestock in areas that experienced relatively mild fall conditions.

“Although pregnancy losses in beef cattle are a fact of life, late-term losses are likely the most discouraging,” says Gerald Stokka, NDSU Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist.

Corn silage is an excellent source of energy for cattle and replacing a portion of corn in cattle diets with silage should be a economical solution.

North Dakota State University Extension has found that heavy grazing use in the fall can reduce forage production the following growing season by over 50%.

Fall temperature fluctuations can cause stress on sorghum plants, which can lead to toxicity issues for livestock. Ranchers are encouraged to be aware of conditions that can cause prussic acid or nitrate poisoning.

Composting livestock manure will increase the volume reduction compared to stockpiling, as well as reduce internal and external parasites, pathogens and weed seeds.

Sweet clover has many desirable characteristics and forms a deep soil-penetrating taproot that aids in water infiltration and aeration. Sweet clover also tolerates alkaline soils and benefits wildlife.

Blister beetles produce a toxin that can cause severe inflammation and even death in horses. Cattle and sheep are much more tolerant of the toxin.

The Food and Drug Administration is changing guidance for using implants in beef cattle after June 2023.

Bull breeding soundness exams offer the opportunity to identify and remove bulls from the breeding herd that have a low probability of siring calves.

There are few options once muddy conditions are in place, so preventive practices are key. Here's some tips for protecting livestock health and managing muddy conditions.

The Livestock Indemnity Program may provide payments to agricultural producers for livestock deaths caused by adverse weather in excess of normal mortality.

Ranchers should make plans for moving feed and livestock to higher ground before flooding this spring, according to North Dakota State University Extension specialists.

Providing additional heat in the form of heat lamps for newborn lambs, kids and calves inside a “hot box” can aid in newborn survivability.

Testing forage and feed for nutrient quality helps ranchers ensure they are meeting nutrient requirements for optimum beef cattle performance.

For many ranchers, large amounts of snow on ground not entirely frozen has led to some wet and muddy situations. Here's some tips to help make it through the calving season with focus on animal health.

The hydraulic hoses on tractors and implements must be in prime condition to withstand the extreme temperature changes of the winter months.

Ice, snow and cold temperatures can amplify problems and hazards for tractor operators.

Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease that affects several different animal species. In cattle, it may produce clinical symptoms in animals from 1 month to 1 year of age, but it can infect all age groups.

With some of the highest feed costs in over a decade, producers must consider those costs and the price of calves when determining whether backgrounding might be beneficial this year.

Drought continues to impact ranchers on the Northern Plains. Fall and early winter grazing can impact the subsequent year’s production if grazing use is close to severe.

For ranchers on a fall weaning schedule, considering factors that impact calf health and wellbeing can help prevent calf loss.

Mature, non-lactating, spring-calving cows with a body condition score of five or greater will not need supplemental protein when grazing corn residue in favorable weather at an appropriate stocking rate.

Grazing management in the fall can have significant impacts on forage production during the subsequent growing season.

Timely baler maintenance is key to preventing dangerous round baler fires.

Haying ditches has unique safety concerns any year due to the highly variable sloped surfaces of ditches. Unsafe conditions can create wear and tear on equipment, damage equipment or cause injuries or even death.

At some point, a forage yield/quality compromise is reached when plant growth has reached a point of an acceptable yield and forage quality is still high enough to meet nutritional needs of livestock.

Erosion that occurs with flooding increases the chance that animals will ingest the spores of anthrax, a disease in cattle, humans and other species caused by a bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis.

Cover crops for grazing can provide significant cost savings to producers by minimizing the need for baled forages or provide an alternative grazable forage to allow recovery to overgrazed pastures.

A solid annual forage strategy can produce cost-effective, high-quality feed, and for some varieties, aftermath grazing.

As winter storms hit the region and families seek to manage their farming efforts in the coming days and weeks, many farmers, farm laborers, agricultural professionals and family members are facing increased stress.

As the spring thaw in eastern North Dakota continues at a rapid rate, inspecting the dirty-water containment ponds and manure stacking areas daily is an important practice for livestock owners.

Ensuring that bulls are in good body condition and physically fit for the upcoming breeding season is key to reproductive success.

A number of causes and contributing factors can result in hair loss and itching, and last year's drought has played a role as harvested forages may be low in vitamin A.

Three categories of pregnancy losses in beef cattle include early embryonic death, abortion and stillbirth. Many potential causes for stillbirths and abortions make it important to investigate each calf loss.

Access to adequate, good quality water will continue to be a challenge for ranchers in North Dakota who depend on surface water sources, such as dugouts and stock dams to provide water to livestock.

Thanks to above average rainfall across much of North Dakota last fall there is potential for cattle producers to see average forage production in 2022.

The 2022 North Dakota Reclamation Conference, “Investing in Effective Reclamation,” will focus on reclamation practices and technology to improve reclamation success.

NDSU Extension has developed an online tool to aid farmers in making their Agricultural Risk Coverage-County (ARC-CO) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) enrollment decisions.

Drought brings many nutritional and animal health-related challenges for ranchers. Cow performance issues during the grazing season may result from reduced forage quality and quantity.

Budgets for growing calves at higher rates of gain always have a lower cost per pound gain, and this year budgets for growing heifers have the most profitable projection.

As feed resources start moving across the state, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension specialists warn of the potential to spread noxious and troublesome weed seeds.

NDSU Extension veterinarian Gerald Stokka warns that a sudden change in the composition of forage of mature grazing cattle may result in a condition known as “fog fever,” or bovine pulmonary emphysema.