This report has several short research reports from researchers conducting research on beef cattle and sheep and associated topics. The target audience is people associated with the beef and sheep industries in North Dakota and elsewhere.
The North Dakota Beef and Sheep Report is an annual publication of research reports from across the NDSU system on beef or sheep related research. This year we also will highlight a few Extension programs in short reports as well.
The purpose of this publication is to provide annual forage options that can be used in cover crop mixtures for livestock grazing and/or hay production. The use of cover crops in a cropping rotation has been resurrected in recent years due to greater awareness of their environmental and ecological impacts on our natural resources.
Anthrax occurs worldwide and is associated with sudden death of cattle and sheep. Anthrax can infect all warm-blooded animals, including humans.
Successful beef production begins with good records. CHAPS™ (Cow Herd Appraisal Performance Software) is a web-based recordkeeping and analysis application for cow-calf operations. CHAPS™ can help producers track inventories, evaluate cow profitability, and monitor herd reproduction and calf performance.
Determining the nutrient concentration and cost of each nutrient in feedstuffs allows producers to evaluate ration quality and cost. In addition, cost determination can be very helpful when deciding which feed to purchase in cases of differing asking prices and nutrient quality.
Containment ponds are constructed at the base of a feedlot’s slope and designed to collect and contain nutrient-loaded runoff. This publication talks about how to manage containment ponds by understanding soil and water relationships, applying effluent for crops needs, and knowing when to apply containment pond effluent.
Drinking water from stagnant ponds and dugouts during hot, dry weather can cause sudden death in animals. This water can contain certain species of cyanobacteria (glue-green algae) are toxic. Cyanobacteria produce neuro and liver toxins that are poisonous to nearly all livestock, wildlife and humans.
A guide to ecological sites common to North Dakota
Selection of the appropriate species and variety is one important step in making a grass seeding successful. Grass species and varieties differ in growth habit, productivity, forage quality, drought resistance, and tolerance to grazing, winter hardiness, seedling vigor, salinity tolerance and many other characteristics.
Water is an important, but often overlooked, nutrient. Livestock water requirements are affected by many factors, including size, productivity, diet and environmental conditions. Good water quality and cleanliness can increase water intake and improve livestock production.
Livestock manures contain many beneficial and valuable plant nutrients. However, if the manure application equipment is not properly calibrated, these valuable nutrients may be wasted by overapplication or crop yield goals may not be met due to underapplication. This publication explains 2 simple manure spreader calibration techniques.
Nitrate poisoning can occur commonly in cattle raised in North Dakota and other areas of the western Great Plains. Poisoning is usually associated with animals ingesting forage or feed witha high nitrate content. Sheep and cattle are more susceptible to poisoning than nonruminant species because microbes in their digestive tract favor the conversion of nitrate to nitrite.
Accurate sampling and laboratory testing provides actual manure nutrient information. This information allows crop producers to strategize for maximum crop yields and minimal manure nutrient impact to the environment.
This document is a guide to the North Dakota Grazing Monitoring Stick. A Grazing Monitoring Stick can be a fast, user-friendly tool for measuring and monitoring utilization of pasture and rangeland. Utilization measures the percent of the plant that has been removed by grazing animals. Monitoring utilization of grass can determine livestock removal date and prevent overgrazing.
