Across the yard she chased me
broom raised high, an instrument
for punishment because she
didn’t understand. So, I
ran on winged feet like Hermes;
legs strong, like pistons pumping;
lungs like bellows pushing air;
breathing evenly, in----out.
To read the complete poem, click on the headline above.
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The number of farms in the United States has grown 4% and the
operators of those farms have become more diverse in the past five
years, according to results of the 2007 Census of Agriculture released
in early February by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
USDA’s definition of a farm for the census is any place from which
$1,000 or more agricultural products were produced or sold, or normally
would have been sold, during the census year.
Overall, the census found an increase in the number of farms, and
compared to all farms nationwide, these new farms tend to be more
diverse, with fewer acres, lower sales and younger operators who also
work off the farm, according to Carol House, National Agricultural
Statistics Service deputy administrator. To read the complete
article, click on the headline above.
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Among my favorite sayings is this: Chances aren’t given; they’re
taken. I interpret that to mean you can’t stand around waiting for
things to happen – to be handed to you. Instead, you’ve got to
create your future – take chances and make opportunities come your
way. To read the complete article, click on the headline above.
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The stock market is not the only investment that fell in value
during 2008 - the agricultural commodities markets have, too. Many
agricultural producers across the United States are feeling the pinch
from falling commodity prices. Because of the current downturn in these
markets, it has become more important than ever for agricultural
producers to manage their price risks. Commodity prices have paralleled
the stock market downturn. Prices have been influenced less by the usual
interplay between commodities (e.g., the price of corn often has an
effect on the price of beef) and more by the overall state of the
economy. To read the complete article, click on the headline
above.
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Up until last fall, most cow/calf producers had been profitable for
the previous 11-year period.
Unfortunately, in the past 1-2 years, costs for hay, supplement, fuel,
fertilizer, and about a dozen other inputs have risen faster than calf
prices did during that 8-year period. Many inputs have actually doubled
in the past two years. And, calf prices declined $6/cwt, or $33/calf,
compared to the year previous during both 2007 and 2008.
This bad combination of increasing costs and decreasing income led to
the first year of widespread unprofitability by cow/calf operations in
2008.
The projection for calf prices in 2009 isn’t good news either. The
drop in 550 lb steer calf price from 2008 to 2009 may not be quite as
steep as in previous years, but it will still probably drop another
$3.50-5.50/cwt ($20-30/head; according to Cattle-Fax).
So, being a low-cost producer will once again be a requirement of
cow/calf operators. Historically, cow/calf producers achieved
profitability (or at least limited their losses) by cutting costs in
several key areas, particularly when the industry was truly a commodity,
or breakeven, business. However, in recent years, as the U.S. beef
industry has moved toward value-based marketing, many producers have
been able to acquire premiums for cattle that were better than
“commodity” cattle. It appears that the industry may be nearing the
point where taking advantage of value-adding opportunities in the
marketplace could be almost as important as being low-cost in order to
attain profitability.
To read the complete article, click on the headline above.
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USDA’s Risk Management Agency has launched an online resource to
help farmers and ranchers protect against downside risks, and take
advantage of upside market opportunities. The new site is: Farm-Risk-Plans.usda.gov.
To read the complete article, click on the headline above.
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| advertisement |
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 Fresh water on demand, 24 hours a
day. From a single horse Stall Fount to fountains that water up to 500
head of cattle, Ritchie fountains are top quality. The Omni and
CattleMaster families feature a new, domed valve cover designed to
reduce dirt and grime accumulation in the water seal groove. All
products feature stainless steel, heavy-duty polyethylene or a
combination of both and a 10-year limited warranty.
For more information or a distributor near you, contact Ritchie
Industries at 800-747-0222 or visit www.ritchiefount.com
|
Feeding moldy hay to livestock is a tough decision. Although all hay
contains some mold, when mold becomes noticeable the decisions become
important. Usually, mold makes hay less palatable, which can result in
lower intake or in animals refusing to eat the hay. To read the
complete article, click on the headline above.
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The ranching industry has been subjected to many outside forces and
some forced changes over the last thirty six years I have been ranching
here in Southern Missouri. But then again some parts of ranching are
the same as it’s always been.
We raise black Angus cattle and hair sheep on the Rockin H Ranch. Both
species being ruminant animals, their diet requirements can be met
exclusively from a forage base provided a sustainable operation in
place. The act of sustainability on this ranch is our daily challenge
and the key to our success. To read the complete article, click on
the headline above.
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Want to put a smile on your little ranch hand’s face? Then check
out the toy corral panel and gate sets from North Dakota-based company
My L’ttle Ranchhand. The die-cast toy corral panels and gates are
about 3.5 inches tall and 5.5 inches long.To read the complete
article, click on the headline above.
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As calving season progresses, calving pastures start to get beat up
and calves start getting scours. This can start leading to problems with
calf scours, says University of Nebraska forage extension specialist
Bruce Anderson. But, he reminds producers that the incidence of scours
can be reduced by subdividing calving pasture and properly moving cows
through them. To read the complete article, click on the headline
above.
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Though their importance is often overlooked, contemporary groups are
truly the cornerstone of any genetic evaluation. Unfortunately,
establishment of an ultrasound contemporary group is sometimes done
improperly.
There are a number of rules that must be followed in order to receive
the maximum benefit from reporting ultrasound data, particularly in
establishing and increasing the accuracy of Carcass Expected Progeny
Differences (EPD). Whether you have 5 yearlings to scan or 5,000, the
process of contemporary grouping is basically the same. Here are a few
guidelines:
To read the complete article, click on the headline above.
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With skyrocketing crop prices over the past year, some landowners
are eyeing their grasslands or expired CRP acres and thinking they may
be able to cash in by converting that land to cropland for growing corn
or other grains.
In the face of soaring crop prices, increasing land rental rates and
growing demand for corn, some ag economists have predicted that as many
as 20 million acres of pastureland could be removed from CRP and
converted to cropland over the next decade. But, conservationists
caution that there can be some grave consequences with converting
marginal pasturelands to cropland.To read the complete article, click
on the headline above.
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