Beef cattle feed goes through a microbial fermentation process in the rumen before being digested by the animal.Since the majority of the cow’s diet is forage, efficient fermentation of this fiber is critical. Diet supplements provide additional nutrients to improve utilization of the fiber.

Southwest and south central Louisiana beef cattle producers have endured a devastating hit from Hurricane Rita. The Louisiana Ag Summary suggests that more than 175,000 cows reside in the parishes that were hardest hit. Saltwater intrusion coupled with fence damage has greatly limited the options for wintering beef cattle in these areas. This article provides various winter options for beef cattle in Louisiana.

LSU AgCenter provides a monthly newsletter with production tips, monthly planning calendars, articles and highlights to help our state beef producers stay up with events and news!

The Lousiana Hay and Feed Supplier Directory has been developed as a tool for farmers and ranchers to do two things: 1.) promote the availability of hay and feed sources to surrounding areas and people in need; 2.) find available sources should you need hay or feed in case of drought or other reason that would limit resouces.

The Louisiana Calf to Carcass Project is entering into its 2007-2008 feed-out year. With over 300 calves consigned to the 2006-2007 program, the information provided to producers through this program has proven to be very useful in making management decisions on breeding, genetics, nutrition, and herd health. We are now accepting nominations for steers. Please review the packet for more information.

Report of beef cattle and forage research and extension projects completed over the past two years. For more information on a particular report, contact the author directly from the list in Appendix C.

Dry cow management is an integral part of total herd management. There are five keys to maintaining an excellent dry cow program.

Cattle producers are nervous about the upcoming year because the possibility of corn prices exceeding $5 a bushel could mean higher prices for livestock feed. An LSU AgCenter economist recently advised, however, that those fears could be based on some assumptions that may not develop into realities.

The Master Cattle Producer Program is designed as a follow-up to the Master Farmer Program. It is a commodity-specific program to enhance the profitability of beef producers by equipping them with important information on all aspects of beef production.

This report presents estimates of projected production costs for beef cattle, dairy and forage-crop production in Louisiana for 2007.