Angus at Work

The relationship between commercial cattlemen and their seedstock providers is a really important one, helping producers reach operational goals. Today's host Miranda Reiman sat down with Paul Bennett, Knoll Crest Farm, to discuss the importance of that relationship and developing an understanding of genetic selection tools.  They discuss: Operation goals Customer comfort with genetics How to...

Unlike a six-year-old, your calves will not come up to you tell they don’t feel good. You often find out much later when performance is already lost.  Today’s host Shauna Hermel sat down with Jason Nickell with Merck Animal Health at the Cattle Industry Convention earlier this year to talk about SenseHub. Yes, they talk about the product information, but what’s really fascinating is the technology...

Why are genomes important for commercial cattlemen? That’s why you have a relationship with your seedstock producer, right?  Well, as Troy Rowan discusses with today’s host Miranda Reiman, having that base knowledge and some practical applications as a commercial cattleman helps avoid genetic train wrecks.  Today’s episode is brought to you by Westway Feed Produts, and we appreciate their support...

You put a lot of thought and effort into your calves' genetics and management. Why not get paid more for them?  IMI Global's Doug Stanton and American Angus Association's Troy Marshall chat with Shauna about opportunities for earning more premiums for Angus calves.  They answer:  What kind of programs are available? How do you get started? What kind of premiums are they seeing, even...

Have you ever counted how many times you blink? Normally, no, but if you have a corneal scratch (i.e. pinkeye), you certainly would. The pain is the same for cattle, so Dr. Brad White with K-State University's Beef Cattle Institute gives tips on identifying, treating and preventing pinkeye. Today's host is Angus Beef Bulletin intern Taylor Edwards, a senior agricultural communications st...

You've likely asked the question, "Which is better? Modified-live virus or killed vaccines?" Both have their place in your herd, and if used strategically, they can work together to create lifetime immunity.  Shauna Hermel sat down with Elanco's Thach Winslow to discuss: When each type of vaccine is optimally used Can they work together? What kind of timing should you keep in m...

Learn about beef industry similarities and differences with Rebecca George, an exchange student and beef producer from Australia. Shauna Hermel sat down with Rebecca and Kansas State University's Dan Moser about a great opportunity for college-aged beef producers.  Have questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you! Find more information to make Angus work for you in the Angus Beef Bu...

Heifers are a big investment, so you want to set them up for success. With such a low cow herd number, heifer development is going to be a big player for your herd profitability. Miranda Reiman chatted with Joe Gillespie about sound heifer development to keep the best genetics in your herd for a long time. In this episode, learn about: The three buckets of heifer development The best timing of vac...

The best way to improve profitability and marketing potential is in calf uniformity. Tightening your calving window with bull-bred females can certainly do that, and Jaqcues Fuselier offers practical ways to do that.  He and Shauna Hermel discuss: Tips for tightening the calving window Improving conception rates and calving rates Nutrition changes that help Causes of late-term abortions and more!...

Liver flukes have been around for a long time, but researchers and veterinarians are still learning new things about them. They've also spread from the coastal areas to most of the United States, so management and prevention are good topics for all cattlemen. Editor Shauna Hermel sat down with Jody Wade, senior veterinary consultant at Boehringer Ingelheim, to discuss: The odd life cycle of l...

Beef Quality Assurance isn't a new program, but a new partnership with Certified Angus Beef is working to give cattle producers the credit they deserve with consumers. Miranda Reiman chats with CAB's Bruce Cobb about the ways this could help cattlemen. They discuss:  The heritage of cattle care and how consumers want to know about it. Consumer expectations. They ways CAB helps bridge the...

High-performance genetics need high-performance nutrition. Cows are the engine that drive the industry, and high-performing cows need highly tuned fuel. If you're still feeding cows the way you did 20 years ago, you're shortchanging those modern genetics, says Ted Perry with Purina Animal Nutrition.  He and host Miranda Reiman chat about what cows need, fetal programming effects, and ple...

Any savvy cattleman or woman knows their ultimate customer is the consumer. If we don’t provide a high-quality eating experience, we are not guaranteed a customer. But you know what else goes into that consumers’ mind when they are deciding what to eat? Trust. How do we ensure a receptive audience for telling our story? We’re talking about creating connections and building trust with Kiah Twisselm...

Where’s the beef industry going? That’s a question we’d all like to answer. The closest we can get to reading the future is analyzing trends, and pairing that with historical data. Lance Zimmerman, senior beef and cattle analyst with Rabo AgriFinance, shares insights with today’s host, Miranda Reiman, from a recently published paper titled “Not So Fast. That herd rebuild will take time. “  They di...

We all know bulls have a very important job on our operations. We are starting to see some light at the end of the winter tunnel, but many states had some extreme cold this winter.  What does that mean for bull fertility? What do you need to do to make sure your bulls are ready when breeding season starts?  Kasey sat down with Dr. Jeff Erquiaga to discuss considerations you should keep in mind dur...

A new policy is coming into play this summer that will affect every cattle producer in America. Shauna Hermel sat down with veterinarian Eric Moore to discuss how Guidelines for Industry 263 will affect cattlemen.  In this episode they discuss: Over-the-counter medication access What will be added to require veterinary feed directives How thinking ahead will be necessary for animal welfare Questio...

It would be nice to know you're making the right decisions, but there's always risk. Usually, only hindsight tells us whether it was the right decision or not. However, in making genetic selection decisions, there are tools from the American Angus Association that are designed to help.  The Association's Performance Programs Department helps take large data sets and turn them into u...

Calving season is a beautiful thing, but there's no doubt it's tiring and stressful. That can negatively affect other aspects of your operation if you're exhausted.  Dr. Brad White, Angus Beef Bulletin Health & Husbandry column author, chats with Kasey about how to make calving season easier on everyone involved. Listen in for considerations on: New items to keep in your calving...

"When you buy Angus, you’re buying a lot of accuracy and a lot consistency because of our seedstock members and how committed they’ve been to data reporting."  — Kelli Retallick-Riley, Angus Genetics Inc. president.  A lot of commercial cattlemen have told us they chose Angus because of the breed's marketability. There's more benefit to Angus than just premium prices, though —...

If you've ever found yourself saying, “Stop blaming cows,” then this episode is for you!  With all the climate discussion in the news and legislation, Kasey wanted to learn more about something touted as a way for farmers and ranchers to be an active part of the solution. So, she sat down with Ashley Bruner with Agoro Carbon Alliance to ask some questions about the carbon market.  Have questi...

We are heading into bull sale season, so today’s episode is geared to give you some bull selection criteria — but with the perspective of the end product. Miranda Reiman caught up with Brian Bertelsen, vice president of field operations at U.S. Premium Beef, at the Feeding Quality Forum. He gave some great insight into ways to make the most money off your feeder cattle, and how your bull selection...

Every cattleman and woman we've ever met wants to take care of their land and their cattle to the best of their ability. Effective land management saves money, retains water, produces more grass, and thus can increase stocking density. So to learn more about tips to consider for improving land management, ABB intern Lindsey Sawin and host Kasey Brown sat down with Hugh Aljoe, with the Noble R...

How can you get better prices for your feeder calves? Hear directly from cattle buyer Don Graham with Crossroads Cattle Co., what he looks for, what his customers need and ways you can set your calves up for success. The American Angus Association's Troy Marshall gives insight on how verification programs help give more valuable information to cattle buyers, and ways to set up your marketing...

There are SO many job opportunities in agriculture that it's a little mind blowing. If you've ever been a high school senior, you've been asked what you're going to do with the rest of your life. As this episode shows, you don't have to know the answer! A lot of successful folks in agriculture took interesting ways to get to their current positions. Share this episode with...

Flexibility offers a lot of options, and today Karla Wilke, associate professor of range management and cow-calf specialist, offers options in income generation and enterprises. She also shares some really cool research about smart supplementation, and how the timing of it affects growth while saving you some money. Find more information to make Angus work for you in the Angus Beef Bulletin and AB...