We all know that better beef = more profit when cattle arrive at the packing plant. Beef is one of the most expensive meats that a consumer can purchase, and there’s an expectation for consistent quality. How can you raise quality beef that consumers desire? There are three factors that

The high-points: * Lactic acid bacteria improve both rumen fermentation and silage quality in the cattle industry. * Tested delivery of bacteria to the large intestine by using a technology called nanofiber microcapsules that surround the bacteria. * The nanofiber coating protected the product from being released into ruminal fluid but did not

The high-points: * Brazil houses roughly 23% of the cattle on earth but produces 17% of the beef, suggesting inefficiencies in the beef production systems. * Researchers in Brazil tested the impacts of genetic selection on the revenue for Brazilian cow-calf ranchers raising Nellore cattle. * Selecting for increased average daily gain, ribeye

The high-points: * High concentrations of sulfur can be toxic to cattle, decreasing performance as well as causing polioencephalomalacia. * Cattle receiving additional sulfur were producing significantly more hydrogen sulfide. * There was no correlation between sulfur treatment and hydrogen sulfide production. What you need to know: High concentrations of sulfur can occur

The high-points: * The flavor of grass-fed beef is a constraint of consumer preference due to the beef often having lower "beef flavor" and greater "off-flavor". * The average daily gain for each of the small-grain fed steers was greater than that of the alfalfa-fed steers. * Alfalfa had

The high-points: * Common sustainability practices at use in feedlots, decrease greenhouse gas emissions. * Some of these practices use technology like hormonal feed additives, implants, and β-agonists. * Still today, growth-enhancing technologies have a vital role in the efficiency of beef production. What you need to know: As discussed in a previous

The high-points: * Many consumers, non-profits, and government organizations are keen to know the environmental impacts of what consumers are buying, including meat. * Paper provides producers with actionable indicators to report sustainability metrics, specifically those within the cow/calf system. * In the programs they reviewed, many sustainability goals shared common interests

The high-points: * The microbes in the rumen have a large impact on the health and productivity of the ruminant. * Increased levels of both lactic acid-producing and utilizing bacteria can decrease the risk of acidosis and improve the animal growth rate. * Other research has shown that supplemental microbes can decrease the

The high-points: * The effects of lameness on the wellbeing of the hurt animal and the bottom line of the feedlot are both concerns worth investigating. * Observed an increase in the proportion of animals with lameness between current and old studies. * Common risk factors were: increased body weight, older animals, increased