Timely rains a gamechanger for cattle producer

Josh Worthington, a cattle producer in southwest Missouri, says the above normal, timely rains are a gamechanger this year. “We’re usually always two weeks away from a drought and I heard someone say for the first time in my life last week they think we might be three weeks away from a drought,” he says.…Continue Reading

How you feed beef on dairy calves matters

Many dairy producers have found a new revenue stream breeding some cows to beef bulls, and either raising the beef animal or selling it.  Researchers have been looking into how these calves are fed, and how that impacts rumen abscess development and overall rumen health.  One study was done at Iowa State University and Extension,…Continue Reading

Rain improves Missouri crop conditions

The recent rains across Missouri continue to help crop conditions. USDA says 75 percent of the state’s corn and soybeans are rated good to excellent. Corn planting is nearing completion and 83 percent of the soybeans are planted. Cotton conditions are rated 57 percent good to excellent with five precent of the crop squaring. Rice…Continue Reading

Cattle, hog futures mostly higher to start the week

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle were mostly higher, and feeders were higher ahead of the week’s direct business and support from the sharply higher boxed beef.  August live cattle closed $.37 higher at $219.25 and October live cattle closed $.35 higher at $215.87.  It was a typically quiet day for direct cash cattle…Continue Reading

Moisture helps SD crop conditions and weed control

In southeast South Dakota, farmer Kevin Scott says the corn and soybeans look good thanks, in part, to timely rains. “Continued rains would be great, but we have decent moisture.” USDA says South Dakota’s corn is rated 64 percent good to excellent. Soybeans are rated 59 percent good to excellent. Scott says the rain has…Continue Reading

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