Beef Cattle Science
Over half of the 64,000 farms in Kansas raise cattle, with over 5.7 million head marketed annually. In 2003, cash receipts for all Kansas commodities was slightly over 9 billion dollars. Of this, approximately 62% of the total cash receipts in Kansas came from cattle and calves.
Nationally, Kansas ranks first in the number of cattle processed (approximately 8.2 million or about 23% of the U.S. total), second in fed cattle marketing (approximately 5.4 million or about 22% of the U.S. total), and seventh in beef cows (approximately 1.5 million or about 5% of the U.S. total).
Additionally, Kansas producers graze or background about 2.5 to 3.0 million stockers annually. Without question, beef production is the economic workhorse of Kansas agriculture.
In the News
Grazing system that has benefitted steers can boost cow-calf operations too
May 6, 2019
Researchers at the Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center in Hays have found that a grazing system shown to be beneficial for the performance of steers also has great potential for cow-calf producers.
Current Research Projects
Title: Kansas Land Values and Rental Rates (PDF)
Event: 2018 Roundup
Presenter: Mykel Taylor, KSU Agricultural Economics
Title: Using Intensive Early Stocking in Cow/Calf Production Systems (PDF)
Event: 2018 Roundup
Presenter: Keith Harmoney, KSU-ARCH Range Scientist
Title: Split-time Artificial Insemination Programs for Beef Cows (PDF)
Event: 2018 Roundup
Presenter: John Jaeger, KSU-ARCH Beef Cattle Scientist
Title: Beef Cattle Market Outlook Update (PDF)
Event: 2016 Roundup
Presenter: Glynn Tonsor, KSU Agricultural Economics
Title: Controlling honey locust trees on pasture (PDF)
Event: 2015 Roundup
Presenter: Keith Harmoney, WKARC Range Scientist
Title: Performance of replacement heifers supplemented with dried distillers grains or a mixture of soybean meal and ground sorghum grain (PDF)
Event: 2015 Roundup
Presenter: Carson McMullen, WKARC Graduate Student
Title: Effects of weaning method on finishing performance and carcass characteristics of early-weaned calves (PDF)
Event: 2015 Roundup
Presenter: Garrett Preedy, KSU ASI & WKARC Graduate Student
Title: Using estrus-detection patches to optimally time artificial insemination (AI) and improve pregnancy rates in suckled beef cows (PDF)
Event: 2015 Roundup
Presenter: Scott Hill, KSU ASI Graduate Student
Title: Effects of altering supplementation frequency during the prepartum period of beef cows grazing dormant native range (PDF)
Event: 2015 Roundup
Presenter: Carson McMullen, WKARC Graduate Student
Title: Using confined and limit feeding to expand the cowherd (PDF)
Event: 2015 Roundup
Presenter: John Jaeger, WKARC Beef Cattle Scientist
Title: Effect of early or conventional weaning and pasture or confined feeding on performance of calves and cows (PDF)
Event: 2015 Roundup
Presenter: Garrett Preedy, KSU ASI & WKARC Graduate Student
Title: Using wet distillers grains as a late season protein supplement for grazing steers (PDF)
Event: 2015 Roundup
Presenter: Keith Harmoney, WKARC Range Scientist
