NEWS

Getting cows bred and a live calf on the ground are critical factors in the success of cow-calf operations. Calving ease is important in both situations and is affected by several things including size and age of the cow, birthweight of the calf and other factors.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the midyear Cattle report on July 23, which provided a snapshot of the U.S. cattle inventory, as well as a glimpse into cow-calf producers’ intentions for retaining heifers.

Brandi Buzzard Frobose is the director of communications and editor of the Red Angus Magazine for the Red Angus Association of America and co-owner of High Bar Cattle Company in Greeley, Kansas.

1. Ag Butler

Ag Butler is a job search app specifically tailored for the ag industry.

Ag Butler is a job search app specifically tailored for the ag industry. Ag Butler helps users overcome the challenges of agricultural workforce shortages by facilitating a connection for potential employees and employers. Similar to “ride-sharing” technology, this system allows farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses to connect with available laborers filtered by location, ratings, work experience and availability. Job postings are arranged in categories of Livestock, Sales and Shows, Crops, Specialty Crops, Construction and Transportation. Users are also able to rate their employee/employer after their job is complete. The app is available in the Apple Store or Google Play.

Learn more at agbutlerapp.org

The GSatRancher is a tracking device powered by a solar panel built into the surface of each unit. The entire unit (pictured here with a Lifesaver mint for size comparison) weighs 30 grams, or roughly one ounce, and is easy to attach in the ear of the animals you plan to track. The tag tracks movement and behaviors and sends alerts if there is any irregular behavior, i.e., a separated cow-calf pair, a stationary bull or lack of movement, indicating possible sickness or injury. Each device is designed to last three years and uses satellite tracking technology and does not rely on cell reception or Wi-Fi, which makes it ideal for off-grid locations.

Learn more at gsatsolar.com

Trying to sort or move cattle with limited manpower? Sort’n Buddy, a 1,000-foot range, remote-control sorting gate operator, can cut out the need for an extra person or gate-getter, in either a sorting scenario or entering and exiting pastures.

The control box can be installed with an existing gate. The accompanying “breakaway mechanism” is designed to take the impact if an animal slams into the gate during an attempted escape without damaging the motor. When hit, the breakaway will engage and release the torque rod from the gate. Then in one simple step, you can reattach and continue working. The remote system has the capability when combined with another gate in your alley to operate two gates with one remote.

Learn more at sortnbuddy.com

The HerdBoss feed mixer enables the feeding of products like wet cake or distillers grains from the back of a pickup truck. It is made to be bolted to a flatbed truck and is equipped with a scale, powered through the pickup battery, to ensure correct proportions of feed. It is 8 feet wide to accommodate an 8-foot bucket loader and built with space to accommodate forklift tines or a similar attachment if it needs to be removed from the pickup bed.

Learn more at postequip.com

Livestock Lens has developed a data management system to help producers record, track and share data on their animals from birth to harvest. The producer raising a calf will be able to see how it finished, and other managers along the way will see where it came from. Livestock Lens also produces custom-printed eartags and lightweight, easy-to-use ultra-high-frequency eartags that pair with their data management app. Animals’ vaccination records, medical history, calving history, A.I. data and more can be shared from the producer to the packer.

Learn more at livestocklens.com