Cattle Farming Blog

Plunderers of the Earth

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 03:05:02 -0400

My newest book: Plunderers of the Earth: the erosion of civilization, the mad crusade to control the climate, and the untold story of CO2.

The Daily Pasture Rotation

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 22:10:55 -0400

This article explains how often to move cattle in a pasture rotation and what grazing rules to use to maximize the advantages of rotational grazing.

Grass Finished Beef: The Seven Rules for Producing Great Beef

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 23:56:04 -0500

All the little details to look out for when producing grass finished beef, so you can consistently produce tender and flavorful beef.

14 unique gift ideas for cattle farmers

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 20:13:50 -0500

Here are 14 fun and unusual gift ideas for the cattle farmer on your Christmas list!

Cattle Books - Recommended Reading

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 16:42:15 -0500

These are my favorite cattle farming books, from practical how-to ranching advice, to cow psychology, and holistic management.

How to calculate target slaughter weights for your beef cattle finishing program

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 16:44:04 -0400

Whether you finish beef cattle on grass or grain, use this simple technique to calculate their ideal target slaughter weight so they are fat enough when they go to market!

Cattle Supplements and Minerals

Thu, 7 Jun 2018 23:45:13 -0400

A step-by-step guide to creating a mineral and cattle supplement program for your pasture rotation.

Rational Grazing Interview

Thu, 7 Apr 2016 16:13:06 -0400

Voisin-style Rational Grazing - Interview with Daniel Suárez, rancher and grazing educator.

Cattle Body Condition Scoring: how (and why) to monitor cattle body fat

Wed, 9 Mar 2016 00:27:27 -0500

Body condition scoring is a simple technique to estimate cattle body fat. Use this tool to improve cattle health, increase weight gains, increase conception rates, and identify slaughter-ready cattle.

Cómo la grasa corporal en la época de parto determina la fertilidad del ganado

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 20:10:39 -0500

Pequeños aumentos en la grasa corporal de las vacas en el momento del parto causan enormes aumentos en la tasa de concepción en la época de apareamiento.

How to use body fat to increase cattle fertility

Wed, 23 Dec 2015 12:31:25 -0500

Small changes in body fat at calving time cause big changes in conception rates at breeding time. Use this powerful correlation to boost cattle fertility and reduce costs in your cow-calf herd!

Rotational Grazing - Creating A Herd Migration In Your Pastures

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 07:29:00 -0500

It's time to change how you think about electric fences! They are the steering wheel, brake, and accelerator of your most powerful farm tool - your grazing herd!

Top 9 ways to reduce beef cattle farming expenses

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 01:37:15 -0500

Here are the 9 biggest issues undermining profitability on both conventional and grass fed cattle farms, along with suggestions for what to do about it!

The Devastating Beef Changes Triggered by Cattle Stress

Thu, 10 Dec 2015 20:19:45 -0500

Cattle stress unleashes massive changes to body chemistry that seriously undermine beef tenderness and flavor. Understanding this chain-of-events is the key to a better cattle finishing program.

Las siete reglas fundamentales para una gestión exitosa del pastoreo

Tue, 1 Dec 2015 19:31:10 -0500

Check out the Spanish translation of my popular article about The Seven Core Rules for Successful Grazing Management, provided by Spanish translator, Mónica Fernández. Please feel free to comment or ask questions in either Spanish or English.

Low-Cost Cow Calf Cattle Farming Strategies (1/4)

Sun, 22 Nov 2015 23:15:18 -0500

Are you a low-cost cow calf producer? Use these cattle farming strategies to reduce costs while improving yields, weight gains, and cattle health, regardless of what the markets and weather are doing!

Cattle Ranching: Transition to Grass Fed Production

Thu, 19 Nov 2015 23:02:06 -0500

Learn what it takes to switch your current cattle ranching business to grass fed beef production.

Why Livestock Water Is Key For Maximizing Cattle Weight Gains

Fri, 13 Nov 2015 22:41:03 -0500

Beef is 75% water. That's why if you want to maximize your cattle's weight gains, your livestock water system deserves just as much of your attention as your forages and grazing strategy.

How to spot reputable cattle breeders...

Thu, 22 Oct 2015 06:06:15 -0400

Before buying cattle you need to find a good breeder. Here's what to look for when choosing between beef cattle breeders.

Picking your beef cattle breed is a lot like choosing a dog.

Thu, 15 Oct 2015 21:35:54 -0400

Creating a harmonious match-up between your cattle breed and your farm requires studying cattle history and looking for the subtlest of differences between breeds. It's a lot like choosing a dog!

Purebred vs Crossbreeding vs Mixed Breed Cattle - Which Is Right For You? (1/2)

Thu, 15 Oct 2015 21:32:24 -0400

Discover how purebred cattle, crossbreeding, and mixed breed herds each have distinct advantages and disadvantages depending on your climate and on how you market your cattle.

Top 10 Drought Management Tips for your Cattle Pastures (Part 1/2)

Tue, 1 Sep 2015 23:52:00 -0400

These drought management strategies will help you navigate the challenges of a drought year by boosting pasture yields, protecting your plants, and reducing soil moisture losses.

Top 10 Drought Management Tips for your Cattle Pastures (Part 2/2)

Tue, 1 Sep 2015 23:47:27 -0400

These preparations will make your pastures more drought-resistant and will give your cattle business more options to respond the next time your farm is severely challenged by drought.

Cattle Handling Stress: How Much Is It Costing You?

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 20:17:12 -0400

Handling stress adds a huge hidden cost to your business through cattle shrink, production cost increases, and price discounts for selling nervous cattle. The numbers in this article will shock you!

Spring Calving - An Ounce of Prevention

Thu, 29 Jan 2015 15:16:25 -0500

22 preventative strategies for preparing your cow-calf herd for spring calving season (an essential survival guide for farmers who have not yet made the switch to summer calving).

Recommended Cattle Farming Books

Mon, 26 Jan 2015 15:08:26 -0500

Find the best cattle farming books in my carefully curated book list. From practical how-to ranching advice, to cow psychology, and holistic management, you'll find it all here!

Soil Carbon Cowboys

Thu, 15 Jan 2015 15:01:52 -0500

Meet some of the ranchers using rotational grazing to build soil carbon, improve soil moisture, reduce erosion, and dramatically improve pasture productivity.

How Tender Is Grass Fed Beef?

Sun, 4 Jan 2015 19:12:45 -0500

Grass fed beef is just as tender as grain fed beef. Tenderness (or toughness) depends on the farmers' cattle finishing skills, NOT on the feed source.

The Grass Fed Beef Taste Test

Sun, 4 Jan 2015 19:08:41 -0500

How do the flavors of grass fed beef compare to the taste of conventionally grain finished beef?

Yellow Beef Fat - The Grass Fed Advantage!

Sun, 4 Jan 2015 19:06:41 -0500

Beef fat from cattle finished on grass instead of a grain-fed feedlot have more yellowish fat. And that's a great thing for your health!

Beef Producer's Guide

Sun, 4 Jan 2015 19:05:03 -0500

A whirlwind tour of beef production: grass finishing, cattle marketing, cooking strategies, and buying tips.

Rotational Grazing Strategies

Thu, 18 Dec 2014 01:16:36 -0500

Discover the most effective rotational grazing strategies to produce grass fed beef.

Cattle Management Maps - the step by step visual farm plan

Thu, 27 Nov 2014 19:46:53 -0500

Divide your cattle management farm plan into separate map layers to plan your electric fences, cattle water, pasture rotation, winter grazing, calving, and grass-finishing.

Grass Fed Beef Cattle Marketing (3/3)

Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:15:00 -0500

Direct beef cattle marketing isn't for everyone. But pasture-based cattle farming strategies are perfect for reducing expenses for marketing through the commodity cattle markets...!

Improving Beef Cattle Fertility through Adolescent Nutrition and Calving Date

Fri, 19 Sep 2014 00:31:21 -0400

Beef cattle fertility and milk production protential in your cattle herd are strongly influenced by body fat during adolescence and by your calving date.

Grazing Alfalfa - Are You Brave Enough?

Thu, 14 Aug 2014 17:12:27 -0400

A few simple grazing rules can turn bloat-prone alfalfa fields into 'high-octane' grass finishing pastures.

Cattle Links

Thu, 7 Aug 2014 18:47:13 -0400

Check out our new directory of cattle farming and grass fed beef links from around the globe! It's a continually growing list that relies on your recommendations and feedback, so make sure you add your favorite cattle farming links to this list!

Grass Fed Beef Cattle Marketing (1/3)

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 21:53:06 -0400

Learn about a variety of beef cattle marketing options for your grass fed beef, including direct-marketing strategies and commodity cattle market outlets.

Sustainable Farming Tips for the Cattle Industry

Mon, 30 Jun 2014 08:17:20 -0400

From a cattle farmer's perspective, ecologically-sustainable farming also must be financially sustainable. That means putting low-cost pasture-based farming strategies at the core of the farm plan.

Grass Fed Cattle Farming Q&A at www.permies.com

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 05:17:14 -0400

I've been invited to answer questions about 'Grass Fed Cattle Farming' on the forums at Permies.com from Tuesday, June 17th, to Thursday, June 19th, 2014. So, bring your questions, create your user profile at Permies.com, and join in the conversation! And you could win one of four available copies of my book, Grass Fed Cattle, just for asking your own questions during the Q&A event - the more quality you post, the more chances you have to win. Hope to chat with you during the event!

Grass Fed Beef - the marketing label vs. the farming strategies

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 20:34:49 -0400

Learn about the many different farming strategies that can be used to produce grass fed beef.

Food Safety of Common Agricultural Products

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 20:32:37 -0400

Assessing the risks and benefits of various agricultural products on food safety in grass fed beef production.

Is Grass Fed Beef Production More Expensive Than Producing Grain Fed Beef?

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 20:19:54 -0400

Asking if grain fed or grass fed beef production is cheaper is like asking whether it's cheaper to build a car or a truck... it depends on what components YOU choose to put together under the hood.

Grass Fed Cattle Farming FAQs

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 20:09:35 -0400

Frequently asked questions about the business of grass fed cattle farming, from our readers.

The Seven Core Rules of Grazing Management

Thu, 22 May 2014 21:06:00 -0400

With the grazing season in full swing across the Northern Hemisphere, this is a good time to review the core grazing management rules at the heart of successful grass fed beef production. Learn the rules-of-thumb that will help you maximize your pasture production during the growing season. And discover the grazing strategies used to grow high-quality winter pastures so your cattle can continue their grazing rotation long after the growing season ends this autumn.