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Articles by Glenn Selk
Just how do Santa’s reindeer get the job done?
It is the “most wonderful time of the year” and this week Dr. Glenn Selk joins us to address the age-old questions of what permit Reindeer to pull Santa’s sleigh all over the globe on Christmas eve. Have you ever wondered how Santa’s reindeer can make that monumental journey on Christmas Eve? Let’s look into some key facts about reindeer that may help us understand how they transport Ole St. Nick on his appointed rounds over the world.
Just how do Santa’s reindeer get the job done?
It is the “most wonderful time of the year” and this week Dr. Glenn Selk joins us to address the age-old questions of what permit Reindeer to pull Santa’s sleigh all over the globe on Christmas eve. Have you ever wondered how Santa’s reindeer can make that monumental journey on Christmas Eve? Let’s look into some key facts about reindeer that may help us understand how they transport Ole St… To access content, pleaselogin or purchase a subscription.
Just How Do Santa's Reindeer Get the Job Done?
It is the “most wonderful time of the year” and this week Dr. Glenn Selk joins us to address the age-old questions of what permit Reindeer to pull Santa’s sleigh all over the globe on Christmas eve. Have you ever wondered how Santa's reindeer can make that monumental journey on Christmas Eve? Let's look into some key facts about reindeer that may help us understand how they transport Ole St. Nick on his appointed rounds over the world.
Proper refrigeration essential for efficient vaccine program
Proper refrigeration essential for efficient vaccine program Very cold temperatures cause extra problems for producers as they strive to take the best possible care of cows and calves during extreme winter weather. In addition to the cold stress on the cattle, producers need to be aware of the need for proper storage of important biological products that will be required for the health of the herd.
Passive Immunity Can Impact Feedlot Health
You have heard the warning: “What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas!!!” Perhaps you have not heard: “What happens in the first 24 hours, impacts the rest of a calf’s life!” Veterinary scientists, while with the USDA experiment station at Clay Center, Nebraska, monitored health events and growth performance in a population of range beef calves in order to identify associations of production factors with baby calf passive immune status.
Use Emotional Intelligence to Tackle The Tough Stuff
As a leader, you are looked to for your reaction in many tough situations. And your reaction sets the tone for how the rest of the team will proceed through the situation themselves. During the 2021 Top Producer Summit Dr. JP Pawliw-Fry, co-founder of Institute for Health and Human Potential and NY Times best-selling author, gives tips on how to reframe hard situations so they aren’t happening to you but rather happening for you.
Grazing in Harmony
Craig and Conni French always considered themselves good land stewards, but six years ago things really began to change. They came to realize their cattle ranch’s fate was tied to healthy soils and grasses. “We are a part of this ecosystem,” Conni says. “How do we live in harmony and work together within this system?” They found the answer in holistic ranch management techniques, which called into question long-held, traditional ways of thinking.
Grandin, Mitloehner, Serve Up Facts About Animal Ag and Greenhouse Gasses
Climate change and sustainability are no longer topics that can be ignored as consumers and policymakers push for action. In a keynote crossover session for the Online Top Producer Summit and Trust in Food Symposium: Regenerative Reset, Colin Woodall, Dr. Temple Grandin and Dr. Frank Mitloehner shared the steps animal agriculture is taking to tackle sustainability. Learn more here. Animal agriculture gets a bad rap when it comes to sustainability.
Program Helps Give Calves A Healthy Edge
Purina Animal Nutrition introduces Purina® Plus, an innovative feeder calf program, which aims to help cattle producers supply high-value, low-risk feeder calves to the marketplace. Purina® Plus calves receive quality nutrition, vaccinations and dewormers – indicators of a well-raised, healthy calf with strong potential to perform through to the feedlot.
Adding Up Pennies
. (CAB) You get paid by the pound for your cattle, but the total figures ismuch more than weight. Join the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand on March 11 to find out why a premium carcass is worth more, and how those signals get back to you. The “Discovering True Carcass Value Webinar” will explore cutout values and how CAB carcasses add value beyond Choice.
Glenn Selk: Riding Off Into The Sunset
Rana Creek Ranch (Hall & Hall) After writing and sending out nearly 800 Cow Calf Corner Newsletters over the last 17+ years, this article is the toughest to write. This will be my last Cow Calf Corner Newsletter. It is time for younger faces with younger minds and newer ideas to fill this role in the future. I have no doubt that our readers will gain more knowledge about this very complex industry called “the cattle business”.
Cow-Calf Corner: Cattle on feed and feeder supplies; End of an era as Dr. Selk signs off
Cow-Calf Corner is a weekly newsletter by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Agency Feb. 22, 2021; Cattle on feed and feeder supplies By Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist The February Cattle on Feed report from USDA showed a Feb. 1 feedlot inventory of 12.1 million head, 101.5% of one year ago. January placements were 2.017 million head, up 3.2% year over year.
Selk: Re-warming Methods for Cold-stressed Calves
. (Wyatt Bechtel) The extreme cold and snowy weather has arrived at a very unfortunate time for spring calving cow herds. Cows and heifers are beginning the calving season and some newborn calves are certain to be cold stressed after arrival. Getting those cold stressed calves back to normal body temperatures as soon as possible will save the lives of some calves and increase the vigor of others.
Cow-Calf Corner: Re-warming methods for severely cold-stressed newborn calves; Extended winter storm impacts cattle, cowboys and markets
Re-warming methods for severely cold-stressed newborn calves By Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension animal scientist The extreme cold and snowy weather has arrived at a very unfortunate time for spring calving cow herds. Cows and heifers are beginning the calving season and some newborn calves are certain to be cold stressed after arrival.
Calves on the Ground Put Money in the Pocket
The next crop of calves is what keeps the cattle industry in business. Knowing this, a Texas A&M University study aims to reduce reproduction failure, which can cause a significant loss to the U.S. beef industry. Rebecca Poole, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research associate in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Animal Science, has received a two-year grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Proper Vaccine Storage is Important in Cold Winter Weather
Very cold temperatures cause extra problems for cow calf producers as they strive to take the best care possible of the cows and the calves during extreme winter weather. In addition to the cold stress on the cattle, producers need to be aware of the need for proper storage of important biological products that will be required for the health of the herd. Normally, the concern about vaccine storage in refrigerators is during summer and the need to keep them cool.
Selk: Proper Vaccine Storage in Cold Winter Weather
. (RAA) Very cold temperatures cause extra problems for cow calf producers as they strive to take the best care possible of the cows and the calves during extreme winter weather. In addition to the cold stress on the cattle, producers need to be aware of the need for proper storage of important biological products that will be required for the health of the herd. Normally the concern about vaccine storage in refrigerators is during summer and the need to keep them cool.
Cow-Calf Corner: Feeder supply facts; Proper vaccine storage in cold weather
Feb. 8, 2021 Feeder supply facts By Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist The Cattle inventory report provides lots of information but does not answer one important question: What is the inventory of feeder cattle available to be placed in feedlots for finishing?
Prepare ‘calving kit’ before calving season
Prepare ‘calving kit’ before calving season 1 of 2 Now is a good time to put together the supplies and equipment that will be needed to assist heifers and cows that need help at calving time. Glenn Selk Oklahoma State University Before the hustle and bustle of the spring calving season, now is a good time to put together the supplies and equipment that will be needed to assist heifers and cows that need help at calving time.
Selk: The Third Stage of Calving: Shedding of Fetal Membranes
The process of “calving” or parturition in beef cattle is defined by three stages. Stage I occurs about 4 to 24 hours prior to calving. The major event during stage I is the dilation of the cervix. Stage II occurs in about 30 minutes in adult cows and about 1 hour in first calf heifers (when all goes well) and is the time when the calf passes through the birth canal and is delivered into the world. The third stage of calving is the shedding of the placenta or fetal membranes.
Selk: Calving Assistance During And After Stage II
An issue facing ranchers at calving is the amount of time heifers or cows are allowed to be in labor before assistance is given. Formerly, traditional text books, fact sheets and magazine articles stated that “Stage 2” of labor lasted from 2 to 4 hours. “Stage 2” is defined as that portion of the birthing process from the first appearance of the water bag until the baby calf is delivered.
Results of Adjusting Feed Levels for Cows During Cold Weather
Beef cow nutritionists have known that cow energy requirements increase in cold weather. There is not much we can do about the weather, however adjustments in the diet of the range beef cows can mitigate the effects of the winter weather. Many years ago, a northern Oklahoma rancher told about his method of maintaining body condition on fall-calving cows during the course of the winter.
The 3 Stages of Parturition (Calving)
Each year in January, it is time to review and prepare for the most important season in a spring-calving cow operation. As the calving season approaches, an increased understanding of the parturition process is helpful. The more we understand about the physiology of the process, the more likely we are to make sound decisions about providing assistance. Parturition or “calving” is generally considered to occur in three stages. Stage 1: The first stage of parturition is dilation of the cervix.
Cow-Calf Corner: Regional hay issues due to drought; Helping the cow and calf during calving
Cow-Calf Corner is a weekly newsletter by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Agency Jan. 25, 2021 Regional hay issues due to western drought By Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist Recent USDA reports provide a picture of the hay situation across the U.S. December 1 hay stocks were down a scant 0.6% year over year for the entire U.S. Table 1 shows the top ten states for hay stocks as well as 2020 all hay, alfalfa hay and other production.
Cow-Calf Corner: High grain prices and the cattle industry; The three stages of calving
Cow-Calf Corner is a weekly newsletter by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Agency Jan. 18, 2021 High grain price impacts on the cattle industry By Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist Grain and oilseed prices have risen dramatically in the last three to four months. For example, the weekly cash price of corn reported for Dodge City, Kansas averaged $3.41/bu. from January-September 2020. The price rose above $4.00/bu.
A Long, Difficult Delivery of a Calf Can Have Hidden Costs
Throughout the beef industry, there exist hidden costs that are difficult to expose and equally difficult to eliminate. One of those hidden costs can be caused by an extended “postpartum interval” (the number of days from calving until the cow returns to heat cycles.). Several biological influencers can lengthen the days between calving and return to estrus cycles. Most of the causes that delay the return to cycling activity are centered around nutrition.
Selk: A Long, Difficult Calf Delivery Can Have Hidden Costs
First snow (Railey Kay Brown) Throughout the beef industry, there exist hidden costs that are difficult to expose and equally difficult to eliminate. One of those hidden costs can be caused by an extended “postpartum interval” (the number of days from calving until the cow returns to heat cycles.). Several biological influencers can lengthen the days between calving and return to estrus cycles. Most of the causes that delay the return to cycling activity are centered around nutrition.
Cow-Calf Corner: Beef trade bounces back; Difficult delivery and rebreeding difficulties
Cow-Calf Corner is a weekly newsletter by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Agency Jan. 11, 2020 Beef trade bounces back By Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist U.S. beef trade is stabilizing as the ripple effects of the initial COVID-19 disruptions continue to fade. The latest beef trade data for November shows that monthly exports were up 13.2 percent year over year.
Selk: Passive Immunity And Long-term Health Of Calves
Colostrum provides passive immunity (FJ) You have heard the warning: “What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas!!!” Perhaps you have not heard: “What happens in the first 24 hours, impacts the rest of a calf’s life”! Veterinary scientists, while with the USDA experiment station at Clay Center, Nebraska monitored health events and growth performance in a population of range beef calves in order to identify associations of production factors with baby calf passive immune status.
Cow-Calf Corner: 2021 cattle market; Passive immunity and long-term health
Cow-Calf Corner is a weekly newsletter by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Agency Jan. 4, 2021 The 2021 cattle market beginning slate By Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist The cattle industry, like everyone else, is more than ready to move past 2020 and into a new year. While the industry will start the year with a new slate, there are numerous factors in place that will shape markets for, at least, the first few months of 2021.
Colostrum in first hours essential to calves' passive immunity
Colostrum in first hours essential to calves' passive immunity Resistance to disease is greatly dependent on antibodies or immunoglobulins and can be either active or passive in origin. In active immunity, the body produces antibodies in response to infection or vaccination. Passive immunity gives temporary protection by transfer of certain immune substances from resistant individuals.
What’s Growing on Your Forage Crops
There are many types of microbes that naturally occur on forage crops in the field. Their populations vary with the weather during the growing season, crop management practices and the plant’s stage of maturity. These bacteria, yeasts and molds are simply waiting for the right conditions to grow and multiply. Influencing the situation to get the right microbes to dominate at the right time is the difference between quality silage and compost.
Ask the Silage Dr: Do I Need to Get Yeast and Mold Analysis?
Q. When I send my silage sample to the lab, should I request yeast and mold analysis too? A. We only recommend yeast and mold analysis if producers suspect silage heating or if there are herd health concerns that may be caused from molds. However, spoilage yeasts can lower intake, reduce ruminal fiber digestibility and reduce milk fat. When interpreting your results, anything above 100,000 colony-forming units (CFUs) per gram of silage is a problem.
Cost Effectiveness of Silage Depends on Pricing It Correctly
Calculating the economics of silage for beef producers seems like it would be cut and dried but not so. A lot has been learned recently about how to price corn silage. Beef producers are primarily focused on two approaches for growing and finishing cattle. First, how does silage fit as the predominant feed (50% to 80%) in a growing diet?
Matching Inventory to Available Resources
Mature weight and milk production of MANY commercial beef cows are both greater than they were 30 to 40 years ago. Many ranchers have not recently weighed the adult cows in their herd to know what average mature weight to expect. Therefore most commercial ranchers would underestimate the mature size of their cows. To expect large, heavy-milking cows to be in moderate body condition at calving and maintain condition through breeding, they must receive more feed than smaller lighter-milking cows.
First few hours key for baby calves
Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist Resistance to disease is greatly dependent on antibodies or immunoglobulins and can be either active or passive in origin. In active immunity, the body produces antibodies in response to infection or vaccination. Passive immunity gives temporary protection by transfer of certain immune substances from resistant individuals.
Nalivka: Focusing On The Demand Side of the Equation
Rana Creek Ranch (Hall & Hall) The following opinions are those of John Nalivka, president, Sterling Marketing Inc., Vale Oregon. Ask anyone about the biggest impact of COVID on the red meat industry and there is a pretty good chance that the response will be packing plant closures. Of course, I would not disagree with that answer. I have written about and discussed the topic of capacity this year probably more than I care to think and it has been critical to the financial health of the industry.
Worker Absenteeism in Packing Plants is No Surprise
When rumors circled a few weeks ago of pork packing plants refusing loads because of diminished capacity from worker absenteeism due to COVID-19, how could anyone really be surprised? With COVID-19 on the rise and mixing in influenza, the list just continues to grow with reasons why workers may not be able to report to work. But society blaming it all on COVID-19 and trying to say packing plants aren’t trying to protect their workforce simply isn’t fair.
UFCW, Meat Institute Ask Governors to Prioritize Vaccinations
Packing plant workers (USDA) The North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute) has joined with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) to urge all 50 U.S. governors to prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for frontline meat and poultry workers.
Iowa Beef Recognizes BQA Award Recipients
David Bruene (IBIC) The Iowa Beef Industry Council annually recognizes outstanding beef producers across multiple segments of production and outstanding livestock markets. Winners not only demonstrate high-quality animal care and handling principles as part of their day-to-day operations, but express a strong desire to improve their operations through BQA. As good stewards of the cattle industry, a common trait among nominees is encouraging others to implement the producer education program.
Glenn Selk: Prepare A Calving Kit Before Calving Season
Calving kit (OSU) Before the hustle and bustle of the spring calving season, now is a good time to put together the supplies and equipment that will be needed to assist heifers and cows that need help at calving time. Hopefully someone in the operation has already done a “walk-through” of pens, chutes, and calving stalls. Make sure that all are clean dry, strong, safe, and functioning correctly. This is a lot easier to do on a sunny afternoon than a dark night when you need them.
Forage Analysis Valuable to Develop Winter Feeding Programs
Laboratory analysis to determine the quality of feedstuffs was developed more than 150 years ago. “Since that time, the ability to accurately analyze forages has greatly improved, as has the ability to use results to improve livestock feed efficiency and performance,” says Janna Block, Extension livestock systems specialist at NDSU’s Hettinger Research Extension Center. “However, this valuable management tool is still underutilized by many livestock producers,” she adds.
COVID Relief Package Information for Cattlemen
Texas Cattle Feeders Association Director of Government Relations, Josh Winegarner, issued the following details on the proposed (5,593-page) COVID stimulus bill that is expected to pass Congress this week. The House released details of a $1.4 trillion FY21 omnibus and $900 billion COVID-relief package. It is TCFA's understanding that both chambers intend to clear the stimulus bill, which will be paired with the year-end spending measure, by midnight when the latest CR is set to expire.
Angus VNR: Demand Drivers Bring Opportunity
Current dynamics–with a worldwide pandemic and market disruptions--are an exclamation point on the need for new sources of optimism in the beef market. “We in agriculture need to wake up every morning, looking for those demand drivers so that we can see if there's a new demand trend that's coming forward. Maybe it's China in terms of buying more US corn or importing more US soybeans or beef or pork.
USDA Oversight of Gene-Edited Livestock: A Seismic Shift for Agriculture
USDA announced its intention on Monday to have primary oversight over gene-edited livestock. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said this would be a significant step in modernizing regulations of agricultural animals modified or produced by genetic engineering. “This would be a seismic shift for agriculture,” Greg Ibach, USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, told AgriTalk’s host Chip Flory on Monday.
Derrell Peel: Cattle Numbers Will Be Supportive in 2021
Steers grazing (UN Reno) The December Cattle on Feed report showed that we are back where we started one year ago with December 1 feedlot inventories just equal to last year. November placements were down 8.9 percent from one year ago. November marketings were 98 percent of last year. The report was well-anticipated with no surprises, though the low placements in this report will likely be viewed as mildly bullish.
Glenn Selk: Just How Do Santa's Reindeer Get the Job Done?
Reindeer (File) Have you ever wondered how Santa's reindeer can make that monumental journey on Christmas Eve? Let's look into some key facts about reindeer that may help us understand how they get Ole St. Nick on his appointed rounds over the world. First of all, historians report that reindeer have been domesticated by humans for over 5000 years. Since Santa himself is no spring chicken, we can assume that they have worked together for quite awhile.
Cow-Calf Corner: Cattle numbers in 2021; Calving kits; How to Santa’s reindeer get the job done?
Cow-Calf Corner is a weekly newsletter by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Agency Dec. 21, 2020 Cattle numbers will be supportive in 2021 By Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist The December Cattle on Feed report showed that we are back where we started one year ago with Dec. 1 feedlot inventories just equal to last year. November placements were down 8.9% from one year ago. November marketings were 98% of last year.
Most Passive Immunity Occurs in the First Six Hours
Newborn calf (OSU) Resistance to disease is greatly dependent on antibodies or immunoglobulins and can be either active or passive in origin. In active immunity, the body produces antibodies in response to infection or vaccination. Passive immunity gives temporary protection by transfer of certain immune substances from resistant individuals. An example of passive immunity is passing of antibodies from dam to calf via the colostrum (first milk after calving).
Most Passive Immunity Occurs in the First 6 Hours
Resistance to disease is greatly dependent on antibodies or immunoglobulins and can be either active or passive in origin. In active immunity, the body produces antibodies in response to infection or vaccination. Passive immunity gives temporary protection by transfer of certain immune substances from resistant individuals. An example of passive immunity is passing of antibodies from dam to calf via the colostrum (first milk after calving).
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