Drought conditions and a drier-than-normal winter puts Texas cattle producers in a common dilemma – try to preserve herd size with supplemental feed or cull to stretch limited forage resources for cows and calves.

Cattle feeders were thankful for last week’s $1 advance in cash prices while beef packers continue operating with Texas-size margins.

Drought and other weather events have ultimately caused a tight forage supply going into the winter-feeding period for multiple operations. Here are some tips to make the most of the forage resource.

Feedlot placement weight is related to fed cattle finished weight. For cattle in the typical range of placement weights, a one-pound increase in placement weight results in 0.5 pounds of additional finished weight.

The first shipments of the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand arrived in China in November, ushering in the potential for a new, powerful buyer for high-quality U.S. beef.

Cash fed cattle began trading early last week, $1 higher than the week before. Packer margins continue to widen with each passing week, and feedyard showlists called manageable.