Newborn calves are at specific risk for neo-natal bovine diarrhea complex, otherwise known as scours.

A lot of livestock producers we meet tell us they are ready to build. Some say they have been for a long time. They have talked with family. They have set goals. They have reviewed personal assets. They have considered succession. They see a future in growing their operation.

Sometimes, producers get so focused on caring for their animals, they neglect their health, safety, or well-being. Even with the best intentions and layers of coveralls, jackets, gloves, etc., working with livestock is often unpredictable.

Cold stress can have dire consequences when calves three weeks old or younger experience temperatures below 59℉. Too much or too little ventilation and inadequate supply and temperature of nutrition provided are factors that exacerbate cold stress, especially in young calves.

Resolutions...many people use the turn of the calendar and launch of the new year as a moment to pause and plan new goals for the year ahead. For protein producers, examples of goals may look like this:

Farmers want to take the best care of their animals that they can. That goes for pig producers as well. Jon Hoek, Director of Swine Precision Production Development at Summit Precision Production (SPP), notes that pigmanship is a philosophy, an approach to improved pork production.

Late season wet weather in some areas has caused less than ideal harvest conditions for soybeans. That has resulted in a deterioration in soybean seed quality and discolored beans. Soybeans that do not meet the elevator’s requirements are rejected or heavily discounted.

Turkey meat production in the United States during January-September 2018 was 4.36 billion pounds, down about 2 percent from a year earlier. The 2018 turkey production forecast is lowered by 24 million pounds to 5.875 billion pounds, 2 percent below 2017.