Latest News From University News Release

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Made in the Shade: Research Focuses on Combining Forestry and Forage

Silvopasture – the practice of combining forestry with forage and livestock production – is rare in North America, but the practice could bring both economic and environmental benefits on marginal lands where traditional row cropping hasn’t worked.

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Cattle Outlook: Cow Herd Expansion Continues

Cow herd expansion appears to be on the rise.

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Cattle Outlook: Placements Up, Not as Much as Marketings

Feedlot marketings were up 16.6% in November, while placements rose 15%.

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Cattle Outlook: Retail Prices Down from Last Year

Retail beef prices have come up in the past month, but they are down from last year.

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Cattle Outlook: Slight Projection Changes from USDA

Only minor changes are projected by the latest WASDE report for beef production and cattle prices.

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Cattle Outlook: Prices Continue to Rise

Cattle prices have climbed to their highest point since August.

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Cattle Outlook: Beef Production Keeps Increasing

USDA has increased its forecast of U.S. beef production. 

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Market Highlights: Undervalued Cattle

Given market fundamentals of supply and demand, it would appear cattle are being undervalued in today’s market. 

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In The Cattle Markets: September Cattle on Feed Report Recap

This month’s numbers continue the trend of increasing heavy placements, with cattle larger than 800 pounds seeing a 21.2% year-over-year increase while cattle less than 600 pounds saw an 8.9% year-over-year decrease in placements.

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Weaning Calves Before Auction Reduces Stress and Could Increase Profits

Weaning calves before auction reduces stress and sets up cattle to perform better throughout the rest of their lives. 

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Market Highlights: Cattle Prices Climb for Fall Turn Around

The live cattle market should begin creeping up the next several weeks as it searches for its fall high which precedes the holiday season. 

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Cattle Outlook: Cattle Slaughter Up, Retail Prices Down

The average retail price of choice beef was $5.915 cents per pound during August. That is down 17.5 cents from the month before, down 41.3 cents from a year ago, and the lowest monthly average since May 2014.

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Tips for Weaning Beef Calves

Weaning is arguably the most stressful event in a calf's life.

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Role of International Trade Looms Larger for Cattle and Beef Markets

Increased U.S. beef production and lower cattle prices are reversing the trend of recent years, where beef exports decreased as record high prices rationed demand in both domestic and international markets.

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Market Highlights: Abnormal Cattle Price Trend

It is abnormal for live cattle prices to continue finding new summer lows this late in the summer. 

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Cattle Outlook: Increase of Beef Moving Out of the Country

U.S. beef exports totaled 216 million pounds in July, up 8% from a year ago.

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Beef Markets Adjust to Increasing Supplies

U.S. beef production is expected to increase 4 to 4.5 percent in 2016.  This follows annual decreases of 5.7 percent in 2014 and 2.3 percent in 2015.  

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Market Highlights: Football Tailgates Might Help Move Beef

There could be a little help from the start of football season as consumers grill for tailgating activities, but beef generally hits a time of reduced interest during the fall months. 

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Cattle Outlook: Losses Mount for Feedlots

Calculations by the Livestock Marketing Information Center put cattle feeding losses at $152 per head for closeouts during July. That made July losses the biggest for any month since February.

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In the Cattle Markets: Corn and Feeder Cattle Price Relationship

Historically feeder cattle prices have been determined by several factors, with corn price and fed-cattle price having the greatest impact. 

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Louisiana Ranchers Rescue Cattle from Floods

Cattle owners had to rely on horses, boats and even a helicopter to round up their herds as floodwaters covered pastures in many areas of south Louisiana.

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Market Highlights: Red Ink Continues for Cattle Feeders

Lower finished cattle prices continue to produce red ink for most cattle feeders which continues to drain equity.

Cattle Outlook: Beef Cold Storage Numbers Up
Cattle Outlook: Beef Cold Storage Numbers Up

USDA says there were 469 million pounds of beef in cold storage at the end of July. 

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In the Cattle Markets: Mainly Bearish News in the August Cattle on Feed Report

The cattle markets continue their slide through the late summer and last week’s news suggests this will persist into the fall.  Volatility remains the watch-word – but the overall trend remains down.

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New Specialty Steak Cut, the Bonanza Cut, Unveiled by Meat Science Professor

Research shows value to meat industry, restaurants and premier eating experience for consumers.

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Fall Feeder Cattle Market Prospects

Changes in feeder cattle prices recently have potential impacts for cow-calf and stocker producers this fall. 

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Market Highlights: Feeder Cattle Relapse

After a few weeks of positive price movements in the feeder cattle business, there was a small relapse this week.

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Cattle Outlook: Number of Cattle on Feed Up 1.6%

USDA's August Cattle on Feed report said July marketings were down 0.7%, July placements up 1.6%, and the number of cattle on feed up 1.6% at the start of August. 

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In The Cattle Markets: Bears Fed by WASDE, Bulls Could be in the Fall

August WASDE feeds the bears on crop markets, could it also feed the bulls (and steers) this fall?

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BeefTalk: May Calves Put 1,610 Pounds of Beef on the Market

The goal is to produce beef at a cost that will provide a profit.    

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Market Highlights: International Beef Trade Matters

It is not only the domestic market that is important, but the international market is a big player.

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Cattle Outlook: Predicted Corn and Soybean Harvest Good News for Feeder Prices

The August WASDE predicts this fall will bring our first 15 billion bushel corn harvest and the first 4 billion bushel soybean harvest. This is good news for feeder cattle prices.

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Bull Management 101 for Breeding Season Success

In today’s beef industry the margins for productivity and profitability are thin.  Herd reproduction and fertility are important for profitability to occur. 

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Market Highlights: Questions About Cattle Prices

The questions abound if prices are going to continue to strengthen or if they will falter heading into the fall of the year. The answer is different depending on the weight class and management provided to those animals. 

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Bos Indicus Genetics Impact on Offspring Growth

Researchers at the North Florida Research and Education Center have initiated a five-year experiment that focuses on the relationship between cattle breed and nutritional restriction on subsequent fetal and calf development, feed efficiency, and reproductive traits. 

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Understanding the Difference between Corn and Corn Distillers Grains as Energy Supplements for Pasture Cattle

One of the big differences between corn and corn distillers grains is the starch content.

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Cattle Outlook: Fed Cattle Prices Higher in Heavy Sales Volume

Through Thursday, the 5-area average price for slaughter steers sold on a live weight basis was $118.94/cwt, up 94 cents from last week's average, but down $29.54 from a year ago. 

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Benefits Of Diversity In Perennial Pastures For Soil Health And Forage Production

A long-term grazing study shows the advantage of a diversified mix of pasture plant species.

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International Interest Rises in Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course

International interest in the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course continues to grow with beef producers from eight countries represented at the recent 62nd annual event.

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Cattle Producers Learn How to Deal with Smaller Profit Margins

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course attracts record attendance.

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Market Highlights: Risky Cattle Markets and an Alligator Pit

Until the market gains some consistency with what is happening in the country then the futures market is about as risky as playing croquet in the alligator pit.

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Fetal Programming and Calf Health

Fetal programming is generally considered the impact of nutritional and health status of the mother during pregnancy and its impact on the health and productivity of the offspring.  

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Cattle Outlook: June Beef Cold Storage Down from a Year Ago

There were 451 million pounds of beef in cold storage at the end of June. That was up 1.2% from the month before, but down 4.9% from a year ago. 

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Managing Beef Cow Margins: Grazing Cost

Cow-calf revenues have decreased dramatically in the past few months and are expected to remain lower for the next couple of years.

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Cattle Markets Can Recover

Lower cattle prices have been the story this spring and summer. 

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Cattle on Feed, Cold Storage but no Cattle Inventory Report

Missing from the slate of late July USDA cattle reports was the July Cattle report which would have provided an indication of continued herd rebuilding, heifer retention and the size of the 2016 calf crop.  

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In The Cattle Markets: Big Surprise for Feedlot Placements

While marketings were largely in line with the pre-report estimates, June placements were the big surprise, only up 3 percent compared to last year. 

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Market Highlights: Cattle Feeding Circus

Cattle feeders are walking a tight rope as fed cattle prices continue to decline. 

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Getting Started with Cow-calf Production - Part 3: Marketing

Several marketing options for cow-calf producers to consider.