Planning Grazing and Feeding Options for the Cowherd in 2025

Dec 03, 2024

By Aaron Berger

Drought conditions, high cattle prices—what are a cattle producer’s options for profitably feeding their cows in the upcoming year?

Nebraska Extension, in conjunction with local Nebraska Cattlemen’s affiliates, will be hosting programs on Monday, Dec.16 in Rushville and Tuesday, Dec. 17 in Scottsbluff that will provide area producers with information they can use to plan for feeding the cowherd in 2025.

Topics to be covered include:

Rangeland Analysis Tools to Estimate Rangeland Forage Production
- Dr. Mitch Stephenson will demonstrate tools that can help rangeland managers assess and plan for grazing for the upcoming season.
- Strategic Summer Supplementation Strategies for Yearlings and Cows
  - Dr. Karla Wilke will discuss recent research examining timing and amount of protein and energy supplementation and the cost-benefit relationship of these practices.
  - What are Optimum Genetics for your Operation?
    - Aaron Berger will discuss genetic trends and the implications of selection decisions for cow-calf producers.

Rushville

Monday, Dec. 16 - Registration at 4:45 p.m. Program starts at 5 p.m. Supper will be served – Call the Nebraska Extension Office in Rushville at 308-327-2312 by Friday, Dec. 13 to pre-register for a meal count. Program will be held at the Extension Office meeting room.

Scottsbluff

Tuesday, Dec. 17 - Registration at 4:45 p.m. Program starts at 5 p.m. Supper will be served – Call the Nebraska Extension Office in Scottsbluff at 308-632-1480 by Monday, Dec. 17 to pre-register for a meal count. The program will be held at the Bluestem Room in the Panhandle Research and Extension Center.

There is no cost to attend these meetings. Questions about the programs? Contact Aaron Berger at 308-235-3122

Source : unl.edu

Video: WARNING! Rough Start To Breeding Season!!

WARNING! Sheep Breeding Season Begins With A Bang! Breeding season is officially underway at Ewetopia Farms, but it didn’t exactly start the way we planned!

This vlog begins with us sorting through our rams to find the perfect match for a customer’s breeding program. What should have been routine quickly turned dangerous when one of our more nervous rams panicked. In seconds, Arnie’s knee was injured, and then I was slammed hard onto the concrete floor — both of us taken down by one ram!

Thankfully, it was just bruises, but it’s a reminder of how unpredictable and powerful mature rams can be. Once we recovered, it was time to get back to the real work — the start of breeding season.

We sorted the ewes into four breeding groups (two Suffolk and two Dorset), checking parentage as they ran through the chute, deworming those that needed it, and setting aside thinner ewes for session two of breeding season in a month’s time.This staggered approach keeps lambing organized and prevents overcrowding in the barns.

From rogue rams to the excitement of new breeding groups, this episode is full of action. Stay tuned for the next vlog, where we’ll share how we chose the rams for each group!