1. One of our cows just had two calves born seven to eight days apart. Is this rare, and how does it happen? We are concerned about the cow having enough milk. Is there something we can give her to help out? Published: February 26, 2008
2. We want to turn cows out into cornstalks that has alfalfa, 12 acres adjacent, that is about 8 inches tall that the cows will also have access to. We have not had a hard freeze yet. Is there a concern for bloat? Published: February 26, 2008
3. What is meant by "solid mouth" or "broken mouth" cows? Published: February 26, 2008
4. What is your opinion about feeding natural diatomaceous earth to cattle? Would DE dusted on cattle kill flies? Published: February 26, 2008
5. How can the cattle grade be determined by sight, and what should one look for in determining the price? Published: February 26, 2008
6. For accounting purposes with regard to trusts, are open replacement heifers sold for slaughter considered a capital asset or income? Please include references. Published: February 26, 2008
7. We had a corn tub with about 2400 lb of corn spill out in a cow herd of about 60. They ate it all. Previous to this, they had been getting 5 lb per head per day of corn for about two weeks in addition to alfalfa, straw, and distillers solubles. The veterinarian told us to put baking soda in the tank and watch them for 12 hours. None seem to be acting oddly during that 12-hour period. Are they going to be adversely affected for the long run? Published: February 26, 2008
8. If you slaughter a seven-year-old bull, would the meat have a stronger taste because it was an old bull? I have experienced stronger taste in the meat of boars before and did not want to experience that with beef. Published: February 26, 2008
9. Does feeding Tylan during the whole feeding period hurt the rumen microflora? Also, does feeding chloratetracycline at a high rate for a few days to prevent pneumonia hurt the rumen microflora? Published: February 26, 2008
10. I am renting a pasture and need the formula on how to calculate AUM (animal unit month); for example, non-lactating cow versus lactating cow with a three-month-old calf. Published: February 26, 2008
11. We have recently had many questions concerning the "hormones" issue from our customers, and I really do not know what to say about the extent of use, what the purpose of hormone use is, and whether there is a risk for humans who eat hormone-containing beef? Published: February 26, 2008
12. Will a cow wean a calf on her own and, if so, what effect will this have on her? Published: February 26, 2008
13. I have a question about transportation. I want to purchase 50 to 75 head of breed heifers in North Dakota. I am concerned about transporting these heifers about 1,100 miles. They are due to calve mid-February to late March. Published: February 26, 2008
14. When is it safe to turn cow/calf pairs out in alfalfa in the fall? We had a freeze and some of the tops of the alfalfa have turned brown, but most of it is still green. Is there a mineral/supplement that will prevent bloat? Published: February 26, 2008
15. Do you know of plans to build a calf-warmer/box? Are you better off just buying a commercial unit? They seem to run around $400. Published: February 26, 2008
16. Is there any research on the number of hours of labor involved in backgrounding cattle or in cow-calf herd per head? Published: February 26, 2008
17. How is stocking rate affected by early weaning? I am assuming that you can run more cows, but are there any data that can tell me approximately what that increase in stocking rate may be? We would like to wean calves at 60 to 120 days. Published: February 26, 2008
18. We recently weaned a bunch of calves off first-calf heifers and were disappointed with the weaning weights. Will these calves eventually catch up with the calves weaned off mature cows? They have similar genetic makeup and therefore I assume similar potential, but at present they are not living up to that potential. I plan on maintaining ownership on these calves all the way to the rail. Published: February 26, 2008
19. How much colostrum?and how soon after calving?should a calf get, especially after being part of a difficult birth? Published: February 26, 2008
20. What are the benefits of eating beef liver? Published: February 26, 2008
21. How feasible is it to graze weaned 600-lb calves on cornstalks? Published: February 26, 2008
22. What is forage quality? Published: February 26, 2008
23. Can wheat middlings be used as a creep feed for beef calves? Published: February 26, 2008
24. How much water will a lactating beef cow drink on a daily basis? Published: February 26, 2008
25. Can drought-stressed sunflowers be used as a feedstuff for beef cattle? Published: February 26, 2008
26. Can I use oats as a feed for beef cattle? Published: February 26, 2008
27. How much colostrum does a newborn calf need? Published: February 26, 2008
28. Can I graze sunflower residue following harvest? Published: February 26, 2008
29. Can field peas be used as a feedstuff for beef cattle? Published: February 26, 2008
30. Can I feed sugar beet pulp to beef cattle? Published: February 26, 2008

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