Drovers
In an exclusive Drovers commentary, the president and CEO of the North American Meat Institute says despite popular arguments, America’s cattle and beef industries are better without government intervention.
Maps show the severity of drought in eight Central Plains states and where they began 2022 in beef cow numbers. These eight states represent 52% of America’s beef cows, and accounted for 67% of last year’s herd culling.
USMEF Chairman-elect Dean Meyer, who raises cattle, corn and soybeans in northwest Iowa, shared why it’s so important for USMEF to be at an event like Commodity Classic.
Veterinarians say there are steps producers can take to lessen disease risks before bringing new animals into your operation.
Access to adequate, good quality water will continue to be a challenge for ranchers in North Dakota who depend on surface water sources, such as dugouts and stock dams to provide water to livestock.
Warmer temperatures, low humidity, dry conditions and wind mean that wildfire risks are very high now. The drought conditions impacting the region will become much more apparent in the coming weeks.
The month of March will continue to bring more cooler cleanings on the packer’s part. This will continue to keep the number of cattle needed by the packer to minimum.
The pilot program marks a win for the U.S. cattle industry as it equips producers with the market data they need to make informed business decisions and work to capture more value for producing the highest quality beef.
In a rebuttal to accusations of being an “ally” to big packers over federal mandates for minimum cash trades for live cattle, Steve Cornett pleads not guilty and offers additional arguments for consideration.
Inflation has hit consumers hard and drawn the attention of the national media. With increasing media attention on climate change, do activists see inflation as a way to encourage Americans to reduce beef consumption?
More than 61% of the contiguous US is in some classification of drought. That’s the largest percentage of drought classification since 2012, the year the continental US saw an all-time record of 65% during September.
Self-interests of large packers has led to exploitation of independent cattlemen on one side of the supply chain and consumers on the other, says Bill Bullard. He believes Senate Bill 949 is the “packers’ kryptonite.”
The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City will honor two of the region’s leading agricultural figures on May 18 with the Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence.
With its witty humor and larger than life storyline, the “Yellowstone” TV series is undoubtedly entertaining. But could this western-themed story make or break the rancher’s way of life?
Calves need to have a sound, balanced nutritional program and be free from internal parasites in order to have an immune system fit to withstand the marketing and transportation channels of our beef production system.
Speculators in the futures markets have a negative portrayal. But opposite sides of the market work in lock-step with one another - producers can’t hedge price risk without speculators on the other side.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture employee was paid to allow tick infested and diseased cattle to enter the country, according to an indictment filed in a Laredo federal court last week.
Angus Genetics Program Director explains how ultrasound and genomic data will increase accuracy of expected progeny differences.
The 2022 Power of Meat report found nearly all households purchase meat, even as more meat consumers shopped online. Nearly half of those shoppers (46%) purchase meat online regularly.
Tyson “Demo Day” will be held virtually on July 11, 2022, with participants invited to demonstrate how their solutions could help create a more sustainable food system.
The tools for selecting your next herd bull have expanded significantly over the past several years. The following defines how genetic values are determined with examples of each and how to use them.
Higher grain prices raise the question of how cattle should be finished. A recent grass vs. grain discussion included the performance and economic perspectives but added an environmental evaluation.
The U.S. land grant system boasts some of the best meat science programs in the world, and more than half of the students in those programs are women. A new organization is looking at the hurdles to retain this talent.
While we were busy exploring whether the government should make laws mandating how cattle are marketed, The New York Times has been writing beef’s eulogy. Indeed, “beef is the Kiev of foods, besieged on all fronts.”
The ongoing drought in south Texas has lowered the water level at the Rio Grande River making it easier for wildlife carrying cattle fever ticks to enter the U.S.
Beef demand has been strong up to this point but clearly there are more concerns about demand and input prices going forward. There is little choice but to stay tuned and try to remain as flexible as possible.
Cash fed cattle prices came under pressure last week as packer needs were lighter than in recent weeks. Wholesale beef prices have declined resulting in lower margins for processors.
Implementation of the Veterinary Feed Directive left a significant loophole for products that were available over-the-counter (OTC) by other dosage forms. OTC availability of these products will end by June 11, 2023.
Crude oil hit a 13-year high and wheat topped $13. With front-month soybeans soaring past $17, and corn nearing the $8 mark, the crisis in Ukraine means food and fuel inflation fears are also heating up.
Just as wheat prices hit a new all-time high, the March contract was spooked, as profit taking caused the front-month contract to drop more than 80 cents in minutes. Despite that, the fundamental story hasn’t changed.