
Cattle Chat
Listen to veterinary professionals from the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University talk about a variety of topics within the beef industry.
Latest episodes

Apr 25, 2025 • 24min
Input Costs, Pasture Turnout, Supplements
Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! In this week’s episode of Cattle Chat, the team is joined by special guest Dr. Jason Waggoner, KSU Beef Extension Specialist, to dig into the big question: When input costs rise, where can you cut without hurting your herd or your bottom line? The experts will also tackle feeding mineral after turnout for the summer. Dr. Waggoner will wrap up the episode by sharing a little about his research regarding navigating the nutritional limitations of cool season grasses.
3:43 Input Costs
11:42 Pasture Turnout
15:37 Supplementation During Cool Season Grasses:
Effects of Supplementing Corn Silage to Fall-Calving Heifers and Cows Grazing Bermudagrass and Calf Performance and Physiology,
Effects of Supplementing Corn Silage to Fall-Calving Heifers and Cows Grazing Tall Fescue on Cow Performance,
https://grasscast.unl.edu/,
https://enewsletters.k-state.edu/beeftips/2022/04/30/considerations-for-pasture-turn-out/
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Apr 18, 2025 • 24min
Spring Cleaning
Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! In this episode we are switching things up by answering a myriad of listener questions to get producers ready for the coming season. The experts will discuss prolapses, mastitis, grass tetany, bulls and more. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the episode!
2:18 Prolapses
7:20 Mastitis
11:53 Magnesium
17:32 Bull Management
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Apr 11, 2025 • 24min
Facilities, Crossbreeding, Mineral
Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! In this episode we are joined by Dr. A.J. Tarphoff, extension specialist at Kansas State University. The experts discuss investing in facilities and keeping them updated. Next, they answer a listener question about crossbreeding versus owning a purebred herd. Finally, Dr. Brad White asks the panel for their thoughts on giving mineral to your herd. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the episode!
2:14 Facilities
5:50 Crossbreeding
17:10 Mineral Supplementation
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Apr 4, 2025 • 24min
Value in Open Cows, AIP, Crops
Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! On this episode the experts dive into options producers have when faced with open cows. Next, they discuss acute interstitial pneumonia, Dr. Lubbers brings some new findings in research and the experts decide what could be coming in the future. Finally, Dr. Pendell answers a listener question which asks the amount of producers who have switched to growing row crops.
2:21 Open Cows: Loss or Treasure
10:58 Acute Interstitial Pneumonia
15:56 Listener Question: Crops
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Mar 28, 2025 • 24min
Research Update, Calving Window, AI and ET
Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! On this episode the Jacob Schumacher is here to talk about his research on castration and pain. Next, Dr. Bob Larson answers a listener question regarding narrowing the calving window. Finally, the experts answer another listener question from a producer who wants to convert to a registered herd. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the episode!
3:13 Jacob Schumacher Research Update
9:34 Listener Question: Calving Window
17:40 Listener Question: ET vs. AI
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Mar 21, 2025 • 22min
Hairy Heel Warts, Bull Composition, Sustainability
Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! Dr. Brian Lubbers begins the episode by discussing Hairy Heel Warts in feedlots. He explains what could cause them and how it can be treated. Next, the experts discuss bulls composition and BCS for cows versus bulls. Finally, Merri Beth Day is back to discuss her research on sustainability in the cattle industry. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the episode!
2:25 Listener Question, Hairy Heel Warts
11:18 Bull Composition
15:58 Sustainability with Merri Beth Day
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Mar 14, 2025 • 23min
Listener Questions: Castration, Feeding Heifers, Average Daily Gain
Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! On this episode the experts answer your listener questions. They start by discussing what age you should castrate calves and what vaccinations could be given. Next, Dr. Brian Lubbers and Dr. Phillip Lancaster discuss feeding heifers and some of the challenges that come along with that. Finally, they discuss average daily gain as well as feed to gain ratio. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the episode!
3:00 Castrating Calves
11:10 Feeding Heifers
15:54 Average Daily Gain
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Mar 7, 2025 • 23min
Virtual Fencing, Cattle Inventory, Smoke
On this episode of Cattle Chat we have another amazing guest, Dr. Juliana Ranches, who is an Assistant Professor at Oregon State University. She talks to us about virtual fencing and how it works. Then, Dr. Pendell asks the hosts some questions about the Cattle Inventory report. Finally Dr. Ranches discusses her research on the effects of exposure to smoke in cattle. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the episode!
3:15 Virtual Fencing
12:10 Cattle Inventory Report
16:32 Smoke and Cattle Health
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Feb 28, 2025 • 24min
Common Synchronization Issues, Sire Health, First Trimester
Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! We are joined this week by Associate Professor Dr. Pedro Fontes sponsored by ESTROTECT. He and Dr. Bob Larson start the episode by discussing common synchronization problems. Dr. Brad White then asks Dr. Fontes about some of his research on sire nutrition and fertility. The experts finish the episode by discussing what causes pregnancy loss in the first trimester. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the episode!
3:41 Common Synchronization Problems
11:38 Sire Nutrition and Fertility
17:43 Pregnancy Losses in the First Trimester
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Feb 21, 2025 • 23min
Heifer Listener Question, Bull Selection, Research Update
Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! On this episode Dr. Bob Weaber is back to talk about genetics and selection. We also get a research update from Merri Beth Day where she discusses the economic implications of disease in feeder cattle. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the episode!
2:25 Heifer Listener Question
11:44 Bull Selection at a Sale
16:35 Research Update
For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!
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