Beef Industry News

The High Cost of Haste: Why Early Pasture Turnout Could Cost You $6 a Pound

Fri, 08 May 2026 15:13:36 GMT

It’s May. The cows are restless at the sight of green grass just on the other side of the fence. Your lawn is a bright green, and pastures are becoming green. Before you decide that the pasture looks good enough to turn cattle out on, think again. This year, that decision carries more weight than ever.

Iowa State forage specialist Shelby Gruss recently joined “ Beef Collective ” host Patrick Wall on the podcast to talk through what producers should be thinking about as they prepare for spring turnout. At the top of the list: don’t turn out too early, and don’t underestimate what that decision costs you in the long run.

“The No. 1 thing it takes to grow grass is grass,” Wall notes.

Why Early Turnout Backfires

In the spring, grass looks more mature than it really is. Visually, that vibrant green signals that the grass is ready to be grazed on. Turning cattle out too early puts underdeveloped plants under pressure they cannot handle yet.

“We also think that way because spring is when our grass grows the best, typically,” Gruss says. “Typically, we think, ‘Oh, we’ll get ahead of it by doing this.’ But we’re actually just starting off on a bad foot in general.”

That above-ground growth sets up pastures for success. Turning out too early, combined with continuous grazing of the same plants, does not give grass a chance to fully develop.

“If we turn out too early, especially this year, with producers saving more heifers and trying to expand, we’re going to put ourselves behind the eight ball before we ever hit peak growing season,” Wall says.

What “Ready” Actually Looks Like

Gruss recommends a minimum 10-inch height benchmark for grass in continuous grazing systems. That height gives the plant enough leaf area to continue photosynthesizing even while cattle are actively grazing. In operations that use rotational grazing, cattle can be turned out on shorter grass but must be moved more quickly to avoid eating the grass down in one pasture.

“The plant uses photosynthesis; you have to have above-ground growth to support the whole plant,” Gruss explains.

Sunlight captured in the blades of the grass is transformed into nutrients and energy to support healthy grass. When cattle graze a plant too low, they strip away the leaf area the plant needs to capture sunlight. Without that above-ground growth working to support it, the plant essentially has to start over. That recovery draws from the root reserves, weakening the plant over time and reducing overall pasture production.

“If we’re constantly hitting it, we are not giving that plant an opportunity to grow and keep producing,” Gruss says.

Hay as a Management Tool

In this season, carryover hay is widely available and affordable. Feeding hay to keep cattle off grass can be used as a bridge strategy.

“A cow is smart enough — and dumb enough — that if you put dry hay and green grass in front of her, she’s going to nub down whatever’s growing before she touches the bale,” Gruss adds.

Before turning cattle out on grass, ensure they are full and not ready to eat everything in front of them. This will slow down their excitement to graze on grass while supporting the grass growth, recommends Gruss.

For producers tempted to split the difference, Gruss suggests a stair-step approach. Turn cattle out for a limited time, bring them back in and shut them off the pasture, then feed hay until the grass is ready to handle the pressure of the herd grazing.

The Financial Stakes

“Every pound that calf gains on the side of that cow this year has been historically worth about $5 to $6 right now per pound. You can’t make any hay that’s ever worth $5 to $6
a pound,” Wall says.

Producers who mismanage spring turnout risk shortening their grazing season, reducing the number of grazing days available in the most valuable time in the cattle market in a generation. Using a stair-step approach supports the grass for grazing throughout the whole season.

Have a Plan

No season goes perfectly. Between weather and the market, many factors are out of our control. Choosing when to turn out cattle to graze this spring, however, is within our control. Producers who have thought ahead of the season and prepared a backup plan will have the most gain while protecting their pasture.

“Grazing is the cheapest option that we can have,” Gruss summarizes. “If we manage them like we manage our corn or soybeans, we’re going to get the most productivity that we can.”

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Party in the Pasture: Tickets On Sale Now for the Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska

Fri, 08 May 2026 13:07:15 GMT

If Cozad, Neb., cattlewoman Linda Benjamin has her way, her grandchildren or great-grandchildren won’t ever have to worry about a cancer diagnosis.

“If everybody gets together and we work really hard on this, we’re going to beat this,” says Benjamin. She, her husband, Howard, and their family, along with neighbors Levi and Bobbie Jo Messersmith, will host the 2026 Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska, which unites people across the agriculture industry to raise money for cancer research.

The annual event, slated for June 5 and 6, will be hosted at the Benjamin’s pasture 10 miles north of Cozad. Tickets are on sale until May 15 for the ball, which promises a good time and good beef, all in a picturesque location.

“It’s just the most beautiful site. You can see the entire valley from there,” Benjamin says.

The pasture was selected for its accessibility, off a paved road and with plenty of space for all the weekend’s activities.

Independent country music star Aaron Watson will headline the Saturday evening concert, performing his top hit singles like “Freight Train” and “Outta Style.”

The jam-packed schedule also includes a style show, golf outing, 5K run, gourmet beef meals, auctions, additional entertainment bringing together Nebraskans from across the state for fellowship, fundraising and fun.

“I hope everybody walks away with some type of ‘wow’ moment, whether it’s educational through the health care tent or beef. I just want people to come back and say, ‘I can’t believe you guys did this,’” Benjamin says.

The Cattlemen’s Ball raises vital support for the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, with 90% of proceeds directed to cancer research and 10% benefiting local health and wellness initiatives in the host community.

The Messersmiths have set a big goal fundraising but are also eager to show others what makes Cozad and the surrounding area so special.

“It’ll have that hometown feel,” Bobbie Jo says. “I want to promote the area and just our good, solid family values.”

Since its founding in 1998, the event has generated more than $20 million to advance cancer detection, treatment and care across Nebraska.

“We’re going to have a party in the pasture and we’re going to raise money for a really good cause and you don’t have to be a cattleman,” Benjamin says. “All you have to do is buy a ticket… buy a ticket and you’re going to be surprised.”

Tickets and event details are available at CattlemensBall.com .

Re-imagining the Ranch: How Virtual Fencing is Turning "Moonscapes" into Profitable Pastures

Fri, 08 May 2026 12:53:26 GMT

U.S. beef producers are using virtual fencing to create pastures this summer where none existed last year. They also are using the tool to create business opportunities for themselves.

Canda Mueller is a third-generation cow-calf producer in western Oklahoma. Growing up in the business, Mueller has the experience and the space to raise cattle. Whether she could do so profitably was another question. Years of weather extremes have taken a toll on the land and the quality of forage available. Some areas on her 640 acres looked more like a moonscape than a pasture, Mueller explains.

“We’ve seen so many things happen in the extreme weather of western Oklahoma,” she says. “Using virtual fencing, we’re reimagining how we fence cattle and how we move them from place to place. We’re able to correct or improve how we did things in the past when we didn’t have the tools or the knowledge we have now.”

Five years ago, Mueller started being more intentional about where she placed bales on the quarter of the property she lives on. She placed bales on areas with poor soil quality to draw cattle to the sites despite the lack of forage. As the cattle eat the bales, bits of uneaten hay become mulch for the soil, and their manure provides nutrients. Even their saliva feeds the soil microbiome to improve it for future forage growth.

“Anything they leave behind is good cover and protection for the soil,” Mueller says. “I’m creating a plan so I don’t have to apply fertilizer. The cows put as much back into the ground as I’m taking out.”

Mueller could see improvement in the areas she was bale grazing, so she kept at it. Two years ago, she started intentionally rotational grazing across her property to rest the pasture she had been working on.

“I realized virtual fencing made more sense than moving hot wires or investing in traditional barbed fencing,” Mueller says. “Hot wire, in particular, wasn’t working because the ground was too dry for the cattle to pay attention to it.”

Instead of fencing, Mueller draws paddock boundaries using an app on her phone or a platform on her laptop. Her cows wear GPS-enabled collars that deliver audio cues to encourage them to return to the herd if they approach the boundaries. If a cow continues to the boundary, the collar delivers a mild electrical pulse to reinforce the audio cue. After a seven- to 10-day controlled training period, the majority of cattle respond to the audio cues and never need the pulse.

Virtual fencing also made another forage improvement tactic possible: multispecies grazing. Mueller has been impressed with the results. Grazing goats alongside her cattle has made it faster and easier to improve forage quality. The goats eat small elm trees and other problematic brush that cows won’t eat, and they help in the ongoing battle against cedar trees, which consume a lot of water, Mueller says. The goats’ smaller hooves create divots that help pull water into the dry ground in the case of rain.

“They have made a big difference on the ground and improving the soil to improve grazing for the cattle,” Mueller says.

Melanie Jacobs, owner of Heritage Hooves, raises Pinewoods cattle on 200 acres north of Birmingham, Ala., and markets beef to consumers. She uses Nofence virtual fencing to grow her grazing program without adding physical fences and to rotate cattle through paddocks or bring them to a corral for handling.

(Nofence)

New Business With an “Old” Breed

Across the country, Melanie Jacobs is also reimagining what raising beef cattle can look like. Jacobs and her husband, Johnny, raise Pineywoods cattle on 200 acres about 60 miles north of Birmingham, Ala., and market beef directly to consumers. They did not plan to get into the beef business when they bought the property.

“We always said we would not have cattle,” Jacobs says. “Dad’s cows were always getting out, and there were so many challenges. I had no interest in doing that kind of work.”

However, the Jacobses agreed to take two Pineywoods cows and a donkey when they took over the property. Despite themselves, they fell in love with the livestock.

Virtual fencing helped turn that love into a business. Pineywoods cattle are hardy and low maintenance, which is a good fit for the rocky, hilly property. They are a heritage breed tied to the history of the Southern U.S., and Jacobs has joined a network of Pineywoods breeders who share what they learn with each other.

Jacobs was preparing to graze cattle rotationally in a large pasture and wanted to graze them for a short time in a wooded area to help manage brush. A neighbor’s harvested cornfield kept catching her attention, and she wanted to find a way to include it in her grazing plan.

“The physical fences around the field were in poor condition, and it felt like wasted opportunity,” Jacobs says. “Using virtual fencing, we added that cornfield into our rotation without having to build a new fence. We improved how we graze without adding inputs.”

Flexibility Empowers Success

Mueller and Jacobs appreciate how the virtual fencing system sends alerts to changes in cattle behavior. They can see when a cow separates herself from the herd and stops grazing, indicating she might be starting to calve. Jacobs also uses the virtual fencing system to bring cattle to the corral when needed.

“We just cinch their virtual pasture down and bring them in close so we can get them into the corral,” she says.

Mueller can’t say enough about the value of being able to move cattle without having to dedicate time or needing to be physically present.

“I’m a consultant and travel a lot for my other job. It is so helpful to get alerts when I need to check on a cow,” Mueller summarizes. “I can move the (virtual) fence while I’m traveling. I was in Mexico last week for work, changing the boundaries and texting my significant other to check on a cow. It’s such an incredible change in how I can work, and it gives me peace of mind that my cattle are OK.”

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The New Rules of Parasite Control

Thu, 07 May 2026 19:35:29 GMT

For decades, parasite control in cattle has followed a familiar script: Treat the whole herd in the spring, treat again in the fall and trust that the job is done. It’s simple, efficient and deeply ingrained in how many operations function.

But that approach is starting to shift.

On the most recent episode of “ The Bovine Vet Podcast ,” Megan Bollin, a technical services veterinarian with Norbrook, and Nancy Jackson, a field veterinarian for the Mississippi Board of Animal Health, describe an industry moving away from routine, whole-herd deworming and toward a more strategic, data-driven approach.

At the center of that shift is a fundamental change in thinking. As Bollin explains, the goal is no longer the complete elimination of parasites but rather smarter management of them.

“Historically, we’ve had the mindset of just getting rid of all the parasites, right? One-hundred percent — we want them all gone. But we’ve got to consider that 90% of the life cycle is in the pasture. So we’ve got to learn to live with these parasites,” Bollin says.

Why Routine Deworming Falls Short

Routine deworming became standard for a reason. It aligned with when cattle were already being handled, minimized labor and offered a straightforward protocol producers could repeat year after year. The problem is that convenience doesn’t always align with biology. Treating cattle when they are easiest to handle may not coincide with the most effective point in the parasite life cycle, which ultimately limits the return on treatment.

“It may be a convenient time when we have them caught, and I know it takes a lot of labor and planning and resources to get those animals through the chute and treat them, but it may not be the most economically beneficial time to treat them if we’re not applying that product at the correct time in the life cycle,” Bollin says.

Because most of the parasite life cycle occurs on pasture rather than in the animal, poorly timed treatments can miss the window where they would have the greatest impact. The result is a system that feels consistent but may not be working as efficiently as intended.

Replacing Guesswork With Diagnostics

As parasite control becomes more strategic, diagnostics are moving from optional to essential. Instead of relying on assumptions or visible signs, producers are increasingly being encouraged to measure parasite burden directly.

Fecal egg count testing provides a snapshot of parasite burden by quantifying the number of parasite eggs present in a manure sample, giving a measurable baseline rather than relying on assumption. Building on that, the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) evaluates how well a dewormer is working by comparing egg counts before and after treatment — typically 10 to 14 days later — to determine the percentage reduction. A reduction of around 95% is generally considered indicative of effective treatment, while lower reductions may signal reduced efficacy or emerging resistance.

Together, these tools allow parasite control decisions to be based on data, helping tailor treatment strategies to the specific conditions of each herd rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

“If you’re doing just a straight fecal egg count, it needs to be quantitative. A qualitative test — just saying whether parasites are there or not — is not helpful, because you’re always going to have parasites,” Bollin advises.

Those baseline measurements allow for informed decisions about whether treatment is needed and how well products are performing. Follow-up testing is just as important, helping confirm whether a dewormer is still effective.

Rather than relying on routine schedules, this approach acknowledges that treatment decisions vary from one operation to the next.

“There’s no magic number that says you need to treat at this high of an egg count,” Bollin says. “It’s going to depend on your geography, your herd and your operation.”

That variability is something producers already manage in other aspects of their operation. As Jackson notes, parasite control should be approached with the same level of flexibility.

“Every farm is unique — when they calve, when they wean — so it’s hard to make a cookie-cutter template,” Jackson says.

In many cases, the need for measurement comes down to what isn’t immediately visible. Subclinical parasite burdens can quietly reduce performance without obvious warning signs, making data even more valuable.

Refugia: A Counterintuitive but Critical Strategy

Rather than treating every animal, every time, the concept of refugia encourages leaving a portion of the parasite population unexposed to dewormers. Bollin explains that this approach helps preserve drug effectiveness by maintaining a population of parasites that remain susceptible, rather than selecting only for those that survive treatment.

“Refugia is leaving a percentage of the parasites unexposed to a dewormer. The idea is that resistance is a heritable trait, so we’re trying to dilute those resistance genes and maintain a population of parasites that are still susceptible to the products we have available,” Bollin says.

While it may seem counterintuitive, this strategy reflects a broader shift away from trying to eliminate parasites entirely and toward managing them in a way that sustains long-term control.

Implementing refugia doesn’t mean abandoning treatment. Instead, it means focusing on the animals that benefit most.

“We know that calves are going to be more susceptible, so ideally we want to treat those animals. But those mature cows — if they’re in good condition and have good nutrition — their immune system should be able to suppress those parasites,” Bollin says.

This kind of targeted approach allows producers to use dewormers more effectively while also supporting broader parasite management goals.

Combining Classes to Improve Efficacy

While refugia focuses on preserving a population of susceptible parasites, another strategy aims to improve how effectively treated parasites are eliminated. Combination deworming, or the concurrent administration of anthelmintics from different drug classes, is increasingly being used to improve efficacy in the face of variable parasite susceptibility.

Because these classes act through distinct mechanisms — such as macrocyclic lactones targeting parasite neuromuscular function and benzimidazoles disrupting microtubule formation — using them together can increase overall parasite kill and reduce the proportion of resistant survivors. The benefit becomes clear when considering how efficacy compounds across treatments.

“If you have 100 worms and you go in with a product that has 80% efficacy, you’re left with 20. Then you come in with a second dewormer, also at 80% efficacy, and it kills 80% of those 20. So you go from 80% efficacy up to 96% by using two products with different mechanisms of action,” Bollin explains.

This additive effect can help achieve the reduction typically associated with effective control, particularly on operations where single products no longer meet that threshold. Used alongside approaches like refugia and diagnostic-guided treatment, combination therapy becomes part of a broader strategy aimed at maintaining both short-term efficacy and long-term sustainability.

A More Strategic Future

Taken together, these changes represent a shift away from routine and toward precision parasite management. Instead of relying on fixed schedules, producers are being encouraged to align treatments with parasite biology, use diagnostics to guide decisions and adjust protocols over time.

That shift requires a willingness to rethink long-standing habits. As Jackson points out, progress often starts with being open to change: “We’ve always done it a certain way, but there’s always room to learn and adjust how we’re managing these parasites.”

It also depends on continued collaboration and learning across the industry. Parasite control is not a one-time decision but rather an ongoing process that evolves with new information.

“It’s continual education for both the producer and the veterinarian to understand the life cycle and apply that information to the herd,” Jackson says.

Ultimately, the goal is to move beyond routine and toward more intentional decision-making.

“I think very simply, it’s about not doing it on guesswork like we have been for decades; it’s about using the science and the tools that we have available and being more strategic about how and when we treat,” Bollin says.

Parasites are not going away, but the way they are managed is evolving. Producers who adapt to these new rules will be better positioned to protect both animal performance and the tools they rely on to sustain it.

To hear more from Bollin and Jackson on how deworming strategies are evolving, including where current protocols are falling short, listen to the full conversation on the latest episode of “The Bovine Vet Podcast.”

New World Record: G A R Market Maker Valued at $2.1 Million After Historic Sale

Thu, 07 May 2026 19:07:23 GMT

G A R Market Maker set a new world record on May 4, selling to Riverbend Ranch, Idaho Falls, Idaho. The son of B&B Preeminent out of GAR Kansas N762, sold in the Gardiner Angus Ranch Meating Demand Sale.

According to the American Angus Association, with a value of $2.1 million, G A R Money Market outvalues the past record holder — SAV America — that sold in 2019 for $1.51 million for 80% semen interest, or total value of $1.887 million.

“We want to extend both gratitude and congratulations to Frank VanderSloot and the entire Riverbend Ranch team for making one of the boldest moves in the Angus seedstock business by investing $1.05 million in 49% of GAR Market Maker,” Mark Gardiner says. “Market Maker is a young sire destined to change populations of beef cattle. This, to date, is the culmination of what we can achieve with a commitment to multi-trait discipline over decades.”

Gardiner adds Riverbend Ranch has a powerful footprint in Angus seedstock production, but its Riverbend Meats has created a supply chain of home-raised, high-quality Angus beef as well as sourcing cattle from the family ranching operations in the Western U.S. using Riverbend genetics.

“Riverbend owns the supply through processing and marketing to consumers and understands the consumer signals sent every day that quality and taste are the No. 1 criteria for selecting our product for their families,” he says.

Semen will be available from Market Makers Beef Genetics.

Visit Angus.org for the full sale report.

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The Only Thing That Lasts: How Ted Turner’s 2 Million Acres Redefined Land Ownership

Thu, 07 May 2026 17:58:50 GMT

Ted Turner’s rise to the top of the Land Report 100 marked a transformative era of American land ownership. Once the largest private landowner in the U.S., Ted Turner had many titles, business accomplishments and accolades as well.

With his death on May 6, 2026, the discussion of his legacy began. And undoubtedly his impressive 2 million acres is the driving force with a “save everything” philosophy toward land stewardship.

“If you visit any of Ted Turner’s properties, there’s a bumper sticker available that reads, “Save Everything,” says Eric O’Keefe editor of The Land Report. “That was his approach, as far as being a landowner. He was a conservationist, first and foremost.”

Turner built a revolutionary business empire—taking father’s billboard company to building a global media powerhouse, pioneering 24-hour news with CNN and acquiring the MGM film library. His business success fueled his land purchases as he reinvested those profits into large tracts of land across the country, and notably in the western states.

“He was one of the original, in this generation, of corporate magnates who plowed their profits into land, O’Keefe says. He adds Turner was friends with the current No. 1 largest landowner John Malone, who he “gave the land bug to.” And it was Turner’s investments that inspired others including Bill Gates.

Turner’s acquisitions gained momentum in the 1990s, making his the first No. 1 largest landowner when The Land Report started its first ranked list in 2007. In the 2025 Land Report list, Turner was the fourth largest with 2 million acres located in Montana, South Dakota, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Georgia and more.

“He looked around corners in ways that few of us can really comprehend. He was buying the greatest ranches in the American West, and these phenomenal quail plantations decades before anyone else,” he says.

O’Keefe says a hallmark of Turner’s land buying was not only in its accumulation but how he enhanced it with conservation efforts.

“I love that Gone with the Wind quote, and of course, Ted acquired the MGM Library and, owned Gone with the Wind. And the quote is, ‘land, it’s the only thing that lasts.’ And at the end of the day, that was, to him, in my opinion the most powerful element of his legacy.”

Why Cattle Vaccination is a Lifetime Investment in Reproductive Success

Thu, 07 May 2026 15:24:31 GMT

Cattle vaccination is more than a seasonal chore; it is a lifetime investment in reproductive efficiency. According to Dr. Becky Funk, a veterinarian at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, producers must move beyond “automatic” vaccination and adopt an intentional, long-term strategy.

Funk was a featured speaker during the Beef Reproduction Task Force’s 2025 Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle Symposium. She says producers should view vaccination as a long-term strategy, not just a short-term fix for the breeding season.

What is the Metabolic Cost of Vaccinating Cattle?

Vaccines are not free, either in cost or impact on cattle. There is a metabolic cost that impacts their immune response, affecting overall performance.

“Research has shown that even a single immune response requires significant energy,” Funk says. “In young calves, that energy demand can represent a meaningful portion of their daily maintenance needs.”

Why is Colostrum the Foundation of Lifetime Immunity?

Every vaccine given should be intentional, not automatic. At birth, colostrum is the foundation of immunity. Building a strong immune system for calves is critical for their productive life.

“Calves that don’t receive adequate colostrum are more likely to get sick or die early, and those that experience illness early in life are often less productive in the long term,” Funk says.

Shifting to Reproductive Protection

A lifetime of immunity is hard to reach without a strong start. By the time a heifer is ready to be bred, her immune system has already been shaped by early decisions.

“As heifers enter the breeding herd, vaccination programs typically shift to reproductive-focused vaccines,” Funk adds.

What is the Difference Between Killed and Modified-Live Vaccines?

Depending on the animal, the right vaccine matters. According to Funk, heifers and cows require different approaches.

Killed Vaccines: These are often safer for pregnant animals because they do not contain live pathogens, but they do not stimulate as strong of an immune response. As a result of dead pathogens, the immune system is more stimulated, causing a larger impact on their metabolic response. They often require a booster.

Modified-live vaccines (MLV): These contain weakened live pathogens that replicate in the animal. While they offer stronger, more complete protection, they carry a risk of causing abortions if used improperly in pregnant cattle. While MLVs can offer stronger protection, they carry more risk if misused.

Defining Your Vaccination Goals

Funk recommends selecting vaccines based on what you are specifically trying to protect:

Conception: Ensuring the cow is ready to breed.
Pregnancy: Preventing early embryonic loss.
The Fetus: Protecting the unborn calf from pathogens like BVD.
The Newborn: Ensuring the cow produces high-quality colostrum to protect the calf after birth.

Different goals result in different vaccines used. All equally important but depend on the operation.

Built Over a Lifetime

Health is a long-term investment in a cow’s productivity. Choosing the right vaccines and using them at the right time, plays a critical role in their life. That process begins before birth and continues throughout the animal’s life.

“The goal is to build a herd that’s resilient over time, not just protecting them for one breeding season,” Funk summarizes. “We’re not just vaccinating for today; we are setting these cows up for the rest of their productive life.”

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Cybersecurity: The Biggest Overlooked Threat to American Agriculture

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:23:52 GMT

On the surface, cybersecurity may simply look like spam texts and emails that have no impact on the day-to-day operations or even future of family farms and ranches. However, it’s this mindset that makes it even more of a threat to American agriculture.

Why Cybersecurity Matters to Family Operations

Understanding what cybercriminals are after is the first step of understanding this topic.

“If you go all the way back to any warfare or any sort of conflict, and the first thing that people go after in times of war is the enemy’s food supply,” says Chris Sherman. “In a peacetime, ag is a major target because of the money that’s going through it and information we are using.”

Sherman is the founder of TechSupport.Farm, an IT company built for agriculture businesses which specializes in protecting clients from cybersecurity breaches. Family operations, while often considered small, still have a large amount of liquidity compared to nonagricultrual small businesses.

“Normal mom and pop small businesses might have $50,000 in the bank and $100,000 tied up in equipment or assets,” explains Sherman. “But in the farm, we’re averaging about $500,000 in just the average checking account. Plus, we have well over a million dollars tied up in infrastructure, equipment and tools.”

The average age of producers also increases the risk of threats.

“You’ll see the senior generation having a role on the farm and they still control the spending. Unfortunately, the older demographic is far more susceptible to financial fraud than any other demographic,” Sherman says.

Money movements of significant quantities and age demographics are only two of three reasons agriculture is a target of cyber-criminals — technology infrastructure is the third.

Sherman says, “Essentially, we’re running multimillion-dollar operations on residential-grade hardware.”

Consumer-grade routers and cheap laptops don’t have the same quality cybersecurity practices as those designed for businesses handling large quantities of money and data.

Real Cybersecurity Breach Examples

Cybersecurity breaches in agriculture don’t often make national news, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t happening on both small and large scales.

“We’ve seen where a father and sons are working on a land deal and right before they leave for a weekend trip, they get spoofed eSign documents,” says Sherman. “They all signed them, left and came back to find out they lost all the money and the land deal.”

A larger-scale example shared by Sherman happened near Mankato, Minn., and did catch the federal government’s attention.

“Essentially, an entire cooperative was held with ransomware during the beginning of harvest,” explains Sherman. “Hundreds of trucks couldn’t unload, scales weren’t working and employees couldn’t clock in or out.”

These attacks are well-timed and well-orchestrated to cause massive disruption to businesses.

Action Steps all Family Operations Can Take

The good news in all of this is there are simple steps individuals can take to protect themselves and their operations.

A simple first step is to buy a website domain and use it to set up a paid email account that uses encryption.

Sherman says, “People need to think about free emails like mailboxes. Someone can open the mail, read it, put it back in the envelope and move on without anyone knowing.”

Next, setting up good passwords on all devices and using multifactor authentication are necessities.

“Our recommendation is to have passwords that are a minimum of 12 characters long. Have a couple uppercase and lowercase letters in there and make sure you have some numbers in there and some special characters,” says Sherman.

Following these requirements has a large impact on how easily the password can be hacked.

He explains, “Your password will go from being hacked instantaneously to seven minutes or into the years if you add numbers, special characters and uppercase and lowercase letters.”

Segmenting Wi-Fi also prevents breaches.

“Have Wi-Fi specifically for your farm operation and have Wi-Fi for your kids and employees,” explains Sherman. “Just like kids coming home from school covered in germs all over their hands, kids are the same way digitally.”

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to cybersecurity, but these steps are a great start.

Learn more about what cybersecurity measures you need to take by listening to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.

Stopping Flies in 2026: 4 Steps to Battling These Economic Pests

Wed, 06 May 2026 14:24:43 GMT

With fly season approaching, now is the time to evaluate and refine your fly management plan for 2026.

“Every year, stable and horn flies cause significant economic losses, but a good fly control program can minimize this impact,” says Cassandra Olds, Kansas State University Extension entomologist. “Although often grouped together, these are very different flies that need different control approaches.”

Dr. Ashby Green, Neogen senior technical services veterinarian, says, “If you are seeing flies, ticks, lice or insect damage to your cattle herd, we know there is an economic impact; however, that impact can become far greater than production or weight gain loss alone. Insect pressure affects grazing patterns of cattle; it affects their comfort and it can lead to health issues. Some of those health issues can be definite, such as anaplasmosis.”

The vectors responsible for spreading anaplasmosis include horse flies, stable flies and ticks. This condition has been reported in most states across the U.S., while the disease has been recognized as endemic throughout the South and several Midwestern and Western states.

Jonathan Cammack, Oklahoma State University assistant professor and state extension specialist, says, “With horn flies, we’re looking at mastitis risk, so that’s going to impact both dairy cattle and also our cow-calf operations. A lot of times, horn flies will feed on the udders of the animals, and they transfer the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria because they land on the manure, then they go back to the animal to feed and bring those bacteria with them.”

Several other conditions are propagated by flies, including pinkeye, which can be spread by face flies and causes inflammation and ulceration of the eyes. Pinkeye-affected calves are, on average, 35 lb. to 40 lb. lighter at weaning compared to healthy calves, according to a University of Kentucky report.

Cammack predicts flies are costing the U.S. cattle industry $6 billion annually in losses.

“That encompasses everything from actual loss in production due to decreased weight gain or decreased milk production, veterinary needs associated with treatment of cattle with exposure to pathogens from some of these insects, and then also the control measures associated with managing those individual fly species,” he explains.

David Boxler, Nebraska Extension livestock entomologist, says if previous control efforts underperformed, consider adjusting your approach.
“The best control method will depend on several factors including efficacy, cost, convenience and your current herd management practices,” he summarizes.

He also reminds producers that horn flies can migrate from neighboring untreated herds, masking the effectiveness of your efforts and increasing fly pressure. For this reason, Boxler recommends a comprehensive, integrated fly control.

Olds shares these tips for stopping flies, or at least reducing their impact:

Step 1: Know What You Have

“The first step in developing a good fly control program is knowing who you have,” Olds explains.

(Kansas State University)

Horn flies feed 20 to 30 times a day and stay associated with their chosen animal 24/7, with females only leaving briefly to lay eggs. Stable flies in contrast only feed once or twice a day, remaining on the host for a short period of time (3 to 5 minutes).

When not feeding, flies are resting in shaded areas such as building sides and vegetation. This short feeding time means producers often underestimate their stable fly burdens. While both flies affect pastured cattle, horn flies are not a problem in confined settings such as dairies and feedlots. This is because horn flies need fresh, undisturbed manure as a breeding site while stable flies can develop in any decaying plant matter such as hay bales, feed bunk spill over and decaying grass.

“Their populations can build rapidly and often exceed the economic injury level defined as 200 flies per animal,” Boxler adds about horn flies. “Once fly numbers surpass this threshold, cattle experience reduced weight gain and milk production due to fly-induced stress and altered grazing behavior.”

Step 2: Reduce Populations

Olds explains with either fly species, using non-insecticidal control methods is essential for slowing insecticide resistance. For horn flies, pasture burning in spring kills any flies overwintering, which can significantly reduce fly populations emerging as weather warms. A healthy dung beetle population will also significantly reduce your fly numbers for free.

“Dung beetles are very susceptible to macrocyclic lactones so avoid using injectable and pour-on avermectins (abamectin, eprinomectin, ivermectin etc.),” Olds says.
Because horn flies die within hours of being removed from cattle, non-chemical walk-through traps can be effective if animals pass through it regularly.

Step 3: Eliminate Breeding Grounds

Round hay bales result in significant wastage, which when mixed into the manure-contaminated mud around bales provides a prime breeding site for stable flies.
Olds explains each round bale can produce 200,000 stable flies.

“Reducing hay waste and spreading/drying areas around finished bales is key to reducing stable fly numbers,” she says. “In feedlots, minimizing feed spillage and waste is critical to remove breeding sites for stable and house flies.”

Parasitoid wasps are available from multiple sellers and should be released around fly breeding sites. These are very effective if released before fly populations emerge and released repeatedly through the fly season.

Be careful using insecticides if using parasitoid wasps as they are very small and sensitive to these chemicals. Keeping vegetation surrounding pen areas short and exposed will remove sheltered resting areas, making life more difficult for the flies.

Step 4: Consider Chemical Control Options

Olds stresses chemical control options should be used as a supplement not the basis of a fly control program.

(Kansas State University)

“For horn flies, insecticidal ear tags are an effective method of control if correct rotation is used,” she adds. “Rotate the chemical class of your tag annually, in year one using pyrethroid-based products, year two use organophosphate-based products and year three use macrocyclic lactone tags. Repeating this three-year cycle will reduce the selection pressure on the fly populations, slowing down the spread of resistance.”

Olds also shares these tips for effective tagging: “Tag both ears and place the tag directly into the ear. For the tag to be effective, it must come into direct contact with the animal’s skin, which is greatly reduced when daisy chained.”

Little of the tag touches the body when attached to another tag.

(Cassandra Olds, Kansas State University)

She also instructs producers not to tag young calves and adds mature bulls with thick necks might not benefit from tagging unless the tag can touch the skin.

“Although the box may label products as effective for four to five months, field trials have shown that tags only remain effective for 90 to 100 days,” Olds says. “If possible, wait until fly populations are noticeable before tagging animals to get control over peak fly activity period. After 90 days, remove the tag to reduce the risk of insecticide resistance developing.”

(Neogen)

To increase coverage, pour-ons of the same chemical class as the ear tag can be used to increase coverage.

“Be aware that a macrocyclic lactone pour-on will impact dung beetle populations,” Olds says. “Make sure animals are dosed accurately according to weight and ensure head to tail coverage. Due to their low contact time with the host and preference for the legs, topical insecticidal treatments are generally not useful against stable flies.”

Spraying the legs can provide some relief, although it should be used sparingly as most sprays are pyrethroid-based, not allowing for effective annual rotation. Baits and premise sprays can be useful in controlling both house and stable flies, look for areas where flies are found resting such as building walls, fence posts and inside sheds and shelters.

Another option is feed through insect growth regulators (IGRs) to control horn fly. Olds says it is important cattle consume the correct amount, which can be difficult under free-choice conditions.

“Under-dosing will result in resistance developing over time, reducing product efficacy,” she says. “Although labeled for stable fly control also, when manure containing the IGR is diluted in the mud and hay, it is no longer effective.”

Often marketed as dung beetle safe, Olds says evaluations of these claims in most species have not been carried out, and their true impact remains unknown.

“Insecticide resistance to IGRs can and does happen; to slow this, rotate annually between Methoprene-based (Group 7A) and diflubenzuron-based products (Group 15),” she adds.

The Veterinary Entomology website , veterinaryentomology.org/vetpestx, provides a searchable database that can help producers select the right products. Producers can select from type of animal, insect and application method.

“For on-animal use, select the best product to allow an annual rotation between pyrethroid (Group 3A), organophosphate (Group 1B) and macrocyclic lactone (Group 6) groups,” Olds says.

Green also recommends using a multi-pronged approach to insect control. He says fly tags, IGR products, pour-ons, back rubbers and dust bags can help diminish the population.

“Both back rubbers and dust bags can be highly effective if managed correctly,” Green advises. “Keep in mind, when these are put out to withstand the elements, including moisture and rain, it’s key to keep the dust fresh or the oil recharged in your back rubbers. Otherwise, they will diminish in their ability to control flies quickly.”

Cammack stresses the importance of accurate dosing by the individual animal’s weight and following label guidelines.

To best control flies and insects on cattle operations, “the easy and effective way is the best way,” Green summarizes. “It’s up to you and with the help of your veterinarian to help create that combination.”

Experts Warn Livestock Feed Additive Can Cause Fatal Heart Risks to Dogs

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:27:36 GMT

Ractopamine, a livestock feed additive commonly used to promote growth in cattle, swine and poultry, may pose a serious risk to dogs, say researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS).

Researchers report two cases of dogs treated at the Texas A&M Small Animal Teaching Hospital that consumed ractopamine. This had not previously been described in the veterinary literature as a natural exposure in dogs.

While both dogs experienced similar clinical signs, their outcomes differed significantly, highlighting the importance of early recognition and treatment.

In one case, the dog’s owners realized their dog had consumed the feed additive and quickly induced vomiting shortly after ingestion. The dog later required hospitalization for cardiac monitoring and supportive care but ultimately recovered and returned to a normal life, the researchers say.

However, the second dog was found in critical condition after an unknown period of exposure on a rural property. Without early treatment, the dog developed severe cardiac complications and died despite intensive treatment.

“Because this resulted from exposure to a common feed additive, one of the most important things, for us, is getting this information into the literature so it becomes something veterinarians can recognize and act on,” says Sophie Tippit, a VMBS DVM candidate.

The findings highlight the importance of keeping livestock additives out of reach of dogs to limit the possibility of accidental ingestion.

“Many owners don’t realize that these types of feed additives can be harmful to their companion animals,” Tippit adds.

Ractopamine Exposure

When the dogs were brought in, both were experiencing significant cardiovascular effects, including abnormal heart rhythms and elevated cardiac troponin levels, a blood marker that indicates damage to the heart muscle.

“These cases show us that this particular drug overstimulates the body’s fight-or-flight system, essentially putting the heart into overdrive,” says Dr. Sonya Wesselowski, associate professor of cardiology in VMBS’ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. “When that happens excessively, it can cause direct damage to the heart muscle cells and trigger dangerous arrhythmias.”

The cases also exposed an important clinical consideration that standard treatments for certain heart rhythm disturbances were not effective in these patients.

“Typically, when we see ventricular arrhythmias, we reach for drugs like lidocaine first,” Tippit says. “But because of how ractopamine works, it wasn’t effective. Once we understood the mechanism, using beta blockers made much more sense and was more successful.”

Protect Your Farm and Ranch Dogs

Because these exposures can happen unintentionally, prevention is especially important for pet owners, the report notes.

“Wherever these products are stored, they need to be kept inaccessible to dogs,” Wesselowski says. “If there’s any concern about exposure, seeking veterinary care quickly can make a critical difference.”

Natural exposure to ractopamine in dogs had not previously been documented. If your dog experiences a possible toxin exposure on a farm or a ranch, this is something to consider, says Wesselowski.

“Veterinarians should consider ractopamine exposure in cases involving unexplained arrhythmias and initiate treatment quickly, including decontamination and cardiac monitoring,” Wesselowski points out.

Diesel Prices Are Breaking Records Across Multiple States, And Relief May Not Come in 2026

Wed, 06 May 2026 12:53:36 GMT

On Tuesday, President Trump stated that high gasoline prices are a “very small price to pay” for the ongoing war with Iran, arguing they are necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He predicted prices will “come crashing down” once the war ends. But for farmers and ranchers, diesel prices have risen more than gas, putting a further strain on already high input costs for 2026.

Trump on Oil Prices:

I looked today, it's like at 102 and that's a very small price to pay pic.twitter.com/2V8LC93wFj
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 5, 2026

To start the week, diesel prices went on another run with the national average diesel price is just 20 cents away from reaching a new all-time high. And across the country, a growing number of states aren’t waiting to get there. About six states are already seeing the national average price of diesel reach record highs.

From the Great Lakes to the West Coast, roughly a half dozen states have already smashed previous records, as a late-April dip in prices quickly faded and a fresh surge took hold.

“Diesel now averaging about $5.65 a gallon nationally. That is only about 20 cents away from a new all-time record high,” says Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy . “So even though we had that short-lived break, we’re right back knocking on the door of records again.”

That “break” didn’t last long. De Haan says even though diesel prices saw a bit of a respite for April, with even prices starting to trend down in mid-April, those prices re-accelerated in the last week.

New records for diesel in:
Michigan, $6.01
Illinois, $6.01
Wisconsin $5.67
(Indiana 0.2c/gal away), $6.03
(Ohio ~19c/gal away), $5.93 https://t.co/DV0387vvMR
— Patrick De Haan (@GasBuddyGuy) May 5, 2026

Now, the rally is showing up in state-by-state records, especially in the Midwest.

“Looking at it state by state, Great Lakes states have seen some tremendous refining issues that have really caused prices to rise dramatically,” he says. “Michigan has now set a new all-time record high for diesel over $6. Indiana is just a few tenths of a penny away from setting a new all-time record. Illinois has set a new all-time record. Wisconsin has set a new all-time record.”

And it’s not just a regional story. States in the West were some of the first to not just see the highest prices, but now also hit record levels.

“Out on the West Coast, Arizona set a record a couple of weeks ago, and Washington state is at an all-time record,” he adds. “So there are probably about a half dozen or so states that have set new all-time records, and again, the national average itself is just 20 cents away.”

Perhaps the most telling shift, though, is there’s no longer a low-price refuge.

“No states any longer have diesel averaging below $5 a gallon,” De Haan says. “Texas was the last holdout, and it now is above $5 per gallon. So across the board, $5 diesel is now essentially the floor, and in some areas, that’s actually the cheaper end of the spectrum.”

At the high end, prices are reaching extremes with California’s average diesel price now surpassing $8 per gallon.

Global Tensions Cloud Relief Outlook

With prices continuing to climb, farmers are looking for relief. What would it take to reverse course? That answer remains tied to global uncertainty.

“Relief may be a little bit elusive,” De Haan admits. “It really just depends on the daily developments in the situation between the U.S. and Iran—whether the Strait is open or not, or whether we’re in phases of escalation.”

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global energy supply, moving roughly 20 million barrels of oil per day.

“Nothing else matters to the oil market more than this waterway,” he emphasizes. “We’ve seen attacks that have pushed oil prices higher, which in turn pushes diesel wholesale prices up. You may get a little bit of day-to-day relief, but there really is no ‘coast is clear’ until there’s some sort of definitive resolution.”

And even then, he says a turnaround won’t happen overnight.

“If there is a definitive signal to the market, if the Strait reopens and both sides are aligned, prices could start falling within 48 hours,” De Haan explained. “But the rate of decline is likely to slow after that initial drop.”

Prices Likely to Remain Elevated Through 2026

Not only is the rate of decline projected to be slow, but De Haan says diesel prices aren’t likely to drop back to pre-war levels by the end of the year.

“Roughly half of the increase we’ve seen over the last couple of months could come down within the first few months of positive news,” he said. “But the other half could take many more months. We may not get back to pre-conflict diesel prices until late this year—or even into 2027.”

For agriculture, that prolonged stretch of elevated prices carries real consequences.

“When you look at what comes out of a barrel of oil, diesel only makes up about 25%,” De Haan explained. “Gasoline is a larger portion, so it’s been less impacted. Jet fuel, which is an even smaller share, has been hit the hardest. So it’s almost inverse to how much is produced.”

Why Diesel Is Climbing Faster Than Gasoline

If it feels like diesel prices are rising faster and hitting harder than gasoline, there’s a reason rooted in how a barrel of oil gets used.

“Diesel has seen more of the sticker shock compared to gasoline,” says De Haan. “And a lot of that comes down to what comes out of a barrel of oil.”

Not all fuels are created equally in supply. Gasoline makes up the largest share of a refined barrel, while diesel represents a smaller slice, making it more vulnerable when supply is disrupted.

“Gasoline is the top product flowing out of a barrel of oil, so it’s been the least impacted,” De Haan explains. “Diesel, on the other hand, only accounts for about 25% of a barrel, so it’s been more impacted when there are supply issues.”

That imbalance becomes even clearer when looking across the full spectrum of refined fuels.

“The most significant impact has actually been to jet fuel, which is only about 9% of a barrel,” he adds. “So if you look at it inversely—the smaller the share of the barrel, the bigger the impact we’re seeing right now.”

For agriculture, that dynamic matters more than most sectors.

Diesel isn’t optional on the farm. It’s essential. From planting to harvest, it powers tractors, trucks and the supply chain that moves commodities across the country.

“Diesel is the fuel that drives agriculture,” De Haan say. “And that’s why these price increases are so impactful, not just at the pump, but all the way through the economy.”

And while prices are already elevated, the full effect is still working its way downstream.

“Consumers really haven’t even seen the full onset of some of these higher prices yet,” he adds. “That’s going to continue to trickle through in the weeks ahead.”

Demand Holding...for Now

Even with these high prices, so far, demand hasn’t shown many signs of slowing.

“We have not seen much meaningful decrease in demand yet,” De Haan says. “We’ve seen very little, if any, diesel demand destruction so far, which tells you the economy is essentially preparing to pay these prices because it still needs the fuel.”

But there are warning signs ahead.

“If diesel nationally hits $6 a gallon, that’s likely when we start to see consumption slow,” he says. “For gasoline, that number is about $5 a gallon. We’re getting very close to those thresholds.”

Until then, the pressure continues to mount. And for farmers heading deeper into the growing season, that pressure is becoming harder to ignore.

Spot check: Small Actions Can Unlock Pasture Profitability

Wed, 06 May 2026 12:08:44 GMT

If you feel like you didn’t have enough time to prepare pastures this spring, you’re not alone. Many producers feel that once the grass starts growing, they don’t get to stop for a breath until June.

The good news is, producers still have time to make positive changes this year. Forage management is a year-round practice, and producers can do plenty of things now in early summer to improve forage performance and, in turn, cattle performance.

Forage Quality and Quantity

What looks like a beautiful, lush early summer pasture might really be too lush to provide quality nutrition. New growth forage lacks fiber. It’s high in protein, which is great for putting weight on calves, but the lack of fiber reduces the animal’s ability to absorb nutrients.

Greg Brann, a livestock producer and grazing consultant from Adolphus, Ky., encourages producers to leave a few paddocks with six inches or more of grass over winter.

(Nofence)

“In a perfect world, you would have a few paddocks that you didn’t graze hard in the fall where you left 6 inches or more of grass over winter,” says Greg Brann, a livestock producer and grazing consultant from Adolphus, Ky. “In that case, you’d have some older grass with higher fiber that can slow down the rate of passage of the fresh, new grass through the animal and allow them to absorb more nutrients.”

If last fall you weren’t able to plan to create a mix of mature and fresh grass, now is the time to make plans to do so for next year. It’s also a good time to observe the overall quantity and quality of forage in your pastures.

Observe cattle grazing patterns to monitor forage quantity. Selective grazing indicates enough forage is available that cattle can pick and choose their favorites. If cattle continue to graze during the heat of the day rather than in the morning or evening, it’s an indication that they are not getting enough forage to meet their needs.

Watch their manure to observe the forage quality, which is defined by the mix of protein and fiber. Runny manure is not desirable, nor is manure that stacks, Brann says. Manure the consistency of pumpkin pie filling indicates adequate fiber for cattle nutrition.

Looking Ahead to June

It’s early yet, but as the season progresses, Brann typically gets a lot of questions about mowing. Mowing is a useful practice to manage weeds and improve pasture quality, but it costs money, especially when fuel prices are high.

An alternative to mowing is high-density grazing by holding 40,000 lb. or more of livestock in one paddock. This tactic knocks down grass to shade out weeds, similarly to how mowing would. And it has the added benefit of fertilizing the soil with manure.

“A common practice is to control vegetation when weeds make up 20% or more of the forage mix in a pasture,” Brann says. “When I mow, I prefer to do so after grazing and not mow more than 20% of the total pasture acreage at one time.”

Brann can make quick adjustments to stocking density to meet the nutritional needs of the cattle and the growing speed of the forage because he uses virtual fencing, a tool that allows producers to manage where cattle graze without the use of physical fences.

Brann creates paddock boundaries using an app on his phone or a platform on his computer. His livestock wear GPS-enabled collars that deliver audio cues to encourage them to return to the herd if they approach the boundaries.

If an animal continues to the boundary, the collar delivers a mild electrical pulse to reinforce the audio cue. After a seven- to 10-day controlled training period, the majority of cattle respond to the audio cues and never need the pulse.

Beyond Containment

Virtual fencing does more than contain cattle. It gives producers time back in their day because they don’t have to move or repair physical fences. It also gives them data they can use to refine their pasture management plans.

For example, reviewing cattle grazing patterns in the virtual fence app or platform can help identify areas of a pasture that are being over- or under-grazed so producers can determine the cause and how to address it.

Virtual fencing gives producers something that’s hard to come by in a busy season: the option to use their time differently. Producers can choose to stop and take a breath, refine their grazing strategies or work on another aspect of their business.

Your Next Reads:

Not Done Yet: Despite Packer Investigation Price Shock, Cattle Prices Could Keep Climbing Through 2030

Tue, 05 May 2026 16:12:15 GMT

Fresh policy headlines injected new uncertainty into cattle markets this week, but they haven’t changed the bigger picture driving beef prices higher.

On Monday, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced an intensified antitrust investigation into the so-called “Big Four” packers — JBS, Cargill, Tyson Foods and National Beef — which together process the vast majority of U.S. cattle. The probe, which the Trump administration says includes millions of documents and a push for whistleblower testimony, underscores growing concern in Washington over market concentration, pricing behavior and the impact on both producers and consumers.

That news sent cattle prices sharply lower.

While policy developments like Monday’s news can dominate the markets on any given day, they don’t necessarily alter the deeper supply-and-demand forces shaping the cattle market. And right now, those forces remain firmly intact: Record-high beef demand and historically low cattle supplies mean these strong cattle prices aren’t just here, but they may be here to stay through the end of the decade.

Cattle Prices Not Done Climbing Yet

Oklahoma State Extension livestock economist Derrell Peel says he’s never been this bullish for this long. And the reason is such strong fundamentals at play. The market’s direction is still being driven far more by biology and consumer behavior than by policy headlines. And while the investigation may shape the industry over time, it does not immediately create more cattle or reduce beef demand, which are two factors that remain at the core of today’s price strength.

The result is a market where short-term volatility — whether sparked by policy, disease concerns or geopolitical events — continues to play out against a longer-term bullish trend. And as long as supplies stay tight and consumers keep buying beef, the broader trajectory points toward the same conclusion: Cattle prices may not be done climbing yet.

What makes the current environment so unusual is not just the volatility in cattle prices, but how long demand has held together despite those increases. Consumers have continued to buy beef even as retail prices climb and supplies tighten, resisting the typical shift toward lower-cost proteins like pork or chicken. That resilience has been a cornerstone of the market’s strength, helping sustain the rally even as production constraints persist.

The Supply Side of the Story

Even with that looming concern, the supply side of the equation continues to dominate the broader market narrative. In fact, one of the most striking aspects of the current cycle is how little progress has been made toward rebuilding the U.S. cattle herd, despite strong price incentives that would typically encourage expansion.

“This is the longest in my entire career that I’ve basically had the same outlook,” Peel says. “This thing really started in the fall of 2022, as far as the current price run that we’re on. It continues. And the story hasn’t changed, and we really haven’t changed anything yet that sets up the idea that it’s going to change anytime soon.”

That consistency reflects a deeper theme within the industry. While high prices might suggest an imminent increase in production, the biological and economic realities of cattle production make rapid expansion difficult, especially when producers remain cautious.

“Very, very limited at this point — so essentially no,” Peel says when asked if there are signs the U.S. cattle herd is starting to rebuild. “I mean, we just have very limited indications of a little bit of interest in heifer retention, but not a lot happening yet. We’re watching the weather at springtime. There’s a lot of concern about drought conditions that could derail anything we might want to do anyway.”

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Without meaningful heifer retention, Peel explains the process of herd rebuilding cannot truly begin. And until that process starts, he thinks the market remains locked in a pattern of tight supplies and upward price pressure.

“The bottom line is we really haven’t started the clock yet on the things that would eventually lead to a top in this market,” Peel says.

That delay has pushed expectations further into the future, extending the timeline for when increased production might finally ease the market. Each passing season without expansion reinforces the same dynamic: limited supply supporting prices.

“Oh, yeah, we keep pushing it out,” Peel says. “You know, I’ve already extended it probably two years. We’re still waiting again for that clock to start at this point. So until we see some definitive signs of substantial amount of heifer retention, you know, the path continues as it is.”

Even if producers were to begin retaining heifers immediately, the lag time between that decision and its impact on beef production would stretch for years. That built-in delay is a defining feature of the cattle cycle and one reason why price trends tend to persist once they are established.

“And it’ll be some months after that,” Peel says. “Typically, a year to a year and a half after we start heifer retention would be when we would expect these markets to peak out. So we’re on a timeline now where, if we start saving heifers right now, it’s going to be the end of the decade before we really change overall beef production significantly.”

The Bullish Run in Cattle: How Long Can It Last?

That long runway helps explain why Peel remains firmly bullish — even at today’s record price levels. In his view, the market simply hasn’t reached the point where supply can begin to catch up with demand.

“Still predicting higher highs, as scary as that is for me to say,” Peel says. “We’re at record-high prices, and I expect that we’re going to go higher. I don’t think the peak in prices happens in 2026. I think it’s somewhere after that.”

Those supply constraints and demand dynamics point toward a market that could remain elevated well into the latter part of the decade.

“It’s really hard to say right now until we sort of know how it’s playing out,” Peel says, referring to how the eventual peak might unfold. “It’s all really kind of ahead of us as far as that goes. I don’t see it happening. We’re on such a slow build that I think it’s going to be more of a measured approach rather than a sharp peak.”

Still Some Uncertainty Ahead

Still, while the long-term outlook remains bullish, the short-term environment is anything but stable. Day-to-day market action continues to be shaped by uncertainty, with external shocks triggering rapid price swings that can complicate marketing decisions for producers.

“In the meantime, we’re dealing with a lot of risk and uncertainty in this market,” Peel says. “So we’re in this unusual situation where we have a bullish outlook and yet a really strong need for producers to be doing risk management just because the market is so volatile on a short-term basis.”

One Risk: High Gas Prices

One of those risks is the fact outside economic pressures are beginning to build. Gas prices recently jumped 33¢ in a single week, reaching their highest level since July 2022. While that may seem disconnected from cattle markets at first glance, fuel costs play a direct role in shaping consumer purchasing power, especially when increases persist over time.

“Economists define demand as willingness and ability to purchase products,” Peel says. “The willingness is there. But the ability, high gas prices is probably the biggest threat out there.”

That distinction between willingness and ability is critical to understanding where the beef market could be headed next. So far, consumers have shown little hesitation in purchasing beef, even at elevated price levels. However, sustained increases in everyday expenses like fuel can gradually erode disposable income, forcing households to make tougher decisions at the meat counter.

“If the current geopolitical situation persists and keeps gas prices high for another few months, at some point in time it may impact consumer incomes enough that it forces them to make more adjustments,” Peel adds. “And that would be the biggest threat to beef demand at this point.”

That potential shift has not yet materialized, but it represents one of the few risks to an otherwise bullish outlook. For now, demand remains strong, helping support prices even as supplies remain historically tight. But the longer external cost pressures linger, the more likely it becomes that consumer behavior could begin to change.

New World Screwworm Risk

Animal health concerns have been one of the more visible drivers of that volatility, particularly when it comes to New World screwworm . Even unconfirmed reports or isolated cases have proven capable of moving markets, highlighting just how sensitive current conditions are to uncertainty.

“These animal health issues are certainly one of them,” Peel says. “We’ve got a lot of things going on right now that are kind of like that. We get news, and markets don’t like uncertainty. And so that’s what we’re dealing with here.”

Peel says in some cases, the uncertainty is worse than the reality, which means the market is even more sensitive to any type of news.

“But the market is also very resilient. So when we do see these impacts, whether it’s from New World screwworm or concerns about infrastructure or geopolitical events, whatever it is, the market tends to react, but then it bounces back pretty quickly,” he points out.

But for producers, Peel says volatility is a major risk.

“And the challenge for producers is to not get caught where you have to be marketing something in the middle of one of these short-term shocks in the market,” he says. “And so that’s the challenge for them to try to manage around that volatility.”

Is the U.S. Prepared?

From a policy and preparedness standpoint, Amy Hagerman, Extension specialist for agriculture and food policy at Oklahoma State University, emphasizes risks like New World screwworm extend beyond cattle imports alone. The pathways for introduction are broader, requiring a more comprehensive approach to monitoring and response.

“This is a pest that likes anything that’s warm-blooded,” Hagerman says. “And so it’s going to catch a ride with anybody that it can catch a ride with.”

Yet, there’s a general assumption that even though the Southern border remains closed to live cattle imports, that if NWS enters the U.S., it won’t be because of cattle. Instead, it could enter the U.S. via wildlife or something else.

“I think a higher level of awareness, education and vigilance is really important, whether we’re talking about pets for somebody who has vacationed in Mexico, or even individuals, or whether we’re talking about wildlife,” Hagerman says. “We’ve seen a real effort, publicly and privately, to kind of enhance that awareness.”

The latest NWS case, according to Hagerman, is less than 70 miles from the U.S. border and points to the urgency of ongoing monitoring efforts in the region.

“As somebody who does a lot of emergency preparedness, I can tell you that all plans never survive interaction with reality,” she says. “But I do think we’ve put a lot of effort, a lot of time into preparing for this — setting up the infrastructure and educating producers because this is going to be a producer-management issue by and large.”

Possible Permanent Changes of Flow of Cattle From Mexico to the U.S.

Peel adds that while such issues may be costly and complex at the individual level, their broader market impact may be limited compared to supply fundamentals.

“I think the risk here for the impact of New World screwworm is not so much a broader market one, because it’s going to be a very costly issue for producers individually to manage, for regional efforts to control it,” Peel says. “It’s probably not going to impact the overall market all that much.”

Beyond animal health, trade policy remains another uncertain variable. The continued closure of the southern border to live cattle imports has already reshaped supply flows, and prolonged disruption could lead to more permanent structural changes.

“I think we could,” Peel says when asked whether trade patterns might shift for good. “I mean, arguably the biggest impacts of all of this in terms of the economic impact of the border being closed, we’ve already felt up to this point.”

“You know, we probably didn’t get 700,000 or 800,000 head of Mexican cattle last year that we would have gotten,” Peel adds. “And so, you know, we’re past that now, but the thing is, those cattle have been dealt with. They’re using them in Mexico. They have infrastructure to utilize those cattle in their domestic market.”

Peel says the longer this goes on, the more supply chains and production systems need to adjust to the fact the normal or historic trade flows have changed.

“The risk is that maybe we lose it permanently. It changes things on a permanent basis,” Peel says.

No matter the day-to-day noise, the market remains defined by a rare combination of strong demand, constrained supply and mounting external pressures. While higher fuel costs could eventually test consumers’ ability to keep paying record prices, the lack of herd expansion continues to underpin a bullish outlook, one that may keep cattle prices elevated through the end of the decade.

Is the Grass Ready? Rethinking Pasture Turnout Beyond the Calendar

Tue, 05 May 2026 11:07:21 GMT

As soon as pastures green up, beef producers start thinking about turnout. They don’t want to keep feeding harvested feeds any longer than needed.

Pasture turnout is an important time in a cow herd management calendar. It is critical to make sure both the forage and cattle are ready before opening the pasture gate.

Extension specialists explain it is important not to turn out just because the calendar date says it is time. Turning out too soon can result in reducing the forage production potential for the entire grazing season.

What Should Producers Consider Before Turnout?

Aaron Berger, University of Nebraska beef systems educator, says there are three things to consider ensuring a successful and safe pasture turnout:

1. Forage readiness
“The first and most crucial step is assessing grass conditions,” Berger says. “Producers should ensure there are at least three leaves present.”

This is important during drought conditions, when grass availability may be limited. Berger says turning out cattle too early can exacerbate feed shortages and potentially damage pasture vegetation.

Ron Lemenager, Purdue beef specialist, says forage height is important. He explains cool-season grasses should be at least 6” tall.

“Leaf material is critical for photosynthesis and plant recovery after grazing,” he says. “The early-season forages are typically high in water, potassium and soluble nitrogen content but low in energy. We used to refer to this as ‘washy grass.’”

The challenge here is that cattle cannot eat enough dry matter to meet their energy requirement. This is especially true for replacement heifers coming off a gaining diet to reach approximately 60% of their mature weight by the beginning of the breeding season. When turned out to lush early-season pasture, they can crash on energy and go into negative energy balance.

“This results in a reduction in the number of heifers cycling and early embryo death,” Lemenager says. “If the breeding season coincides with this energy crash, fewer heifers will become pregnant until they adapt.”

Kansas State University Extension veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff says it is important to scout pastures before opening the gate: “Be sure to check forage availability and make any stocking rate adjustments, if necessary.”

2. Water source evaluation
Water availability and quality are paramount. Berger reminds producers to carefully inspect water sources, especially during drought years.

Stock ponds, dams and dugouts may not be recharged as usual, potentially leading to poor water quality. Water with high solid content can be unsuitable for livestock consumption, making thorough assessment critical.

3. Noxious plant identification
Berger says scouting the pasture for potentially harmful plants is essential. Drought conditions can make cattle more likely to consume plants they would normally avoid. Identifying and addressing these potential hazards can prevent livestock health issues.

Get Ahead of Weeds

As winter gives way to spring and pastures begin to green up, it is critical to have a plan in place to control weeds before they become a problem. Abe Smith, Corteva Agriscience range and pasture specialist, encourages producers to get ahead of weeds this spring to set their operation up for success.

“We see long-term impacts throughout a season that if you don’t get to weeds early, we see residual effects of that later into the season,” Smith says. “This has impacts in terms of seed production or getting additional weed seeds produced if they don’t remove those weeds early in the season.”

Smith says the true benefit of managing weeds in range and pasture is really maximizing the amount of forage that producers have available, and the economic benefits play out pretty simply if producers look at pastures as pounds of grass.

“Pounds of grass correlate to pounds of beef at the end of the day,” he says. “I have generally used the math that if we remove a pound of weeds through control measures from the pasture, we can put a pound or more of grass back into the pasture.”

Lemenager says soil condition is another factor to consider.

“If it is cool and soils are water-logged, the root system is compromised,” he explains. “Additionally, hoof action on wet soils will result in pugging (deep depressions). The challenge here is that weed seeds that have accumulated and laid dormant over the years but [are] buried below the germination zone. When soils are pugged, these weed seeds are now closer to the surface and germinate.”

(Lexy Tenpenny)

Be Sure the Cow Herd Is Ready

Along with the forage, it is important to make sure the cows are ready for turnout. Tarpoff shares four tips producers should consider before sending cattle to pasture:

Perform spring herd health program
Tarpoff reminds producers of the importance of doing bull breeding soundness exams before putting the bull to work. He also encourages producers to do pre-breeding vaccinations, consider synchronization options and plan for common pasture ailments such as foot rot and pinkeye .

Make a plan for internal and external parasites
Now is the time to decide how you are going to tackle flies, ticks and internal nematodes. Berger reminds producers there are several options available to help control flies and to consider the option that works best for your management plan.

Establish summer mineral program
Tarpoff encourages producers to prepare mineral feeders and calculate needs and delivery intervals.

Check cattle identification
Be sure cattle are identified before turnout. This can include brands if required in your area or tags. Along with identification, Tarpoff shares these strategies for protecting cattle from theft: Lock gates, and don’t leave cattle penned up overnight in an easily accessible location. He also encourages producers to communicate with neighbors who share a fence line when turning out about what types of cattle are going and how the cattle are identified.

Minimize Grass Tetany Risk, and Look Out For Bloat

Lemenager encourages producers to watch for two potential health issues that can occur at grass turnout: grass tetany and bloat .

Early season lush pasture grasses are high in water content, potassium and soluble nitrogen but low in magnesium and energy content. It should be noted that pastures containing legumes provide a grazing diet that is somewhat higher in magnesium.

“ Grass tetany can be a problem, especially in older lactating cows that are less efficient in mobilizing magnesium from body stores,” Lemenager explains. “Feeding a high-magnesium mineral for several weeks prior to turnout is a standard recommendation to minimize the incidence of grass tetany.”

He reminds producers that magnesium, usually in the form of magnesium oxide, is not palatable. Therefore, it is important that mineral intake be monitored.

Lemenager says legumes are beneficial to diet quality, providing nitrogen for companion grasses and increased forage production, but lush legumes can cause bloat . As legumes advance in maturity, the risk for bloat does decrease.

(Farm Journal)

Good Fences Matter

Tarpoff says it is important to walk fence lines and scout pastures.

“Be sure to check forage availability and make any stocking rate adjustments, if necessary,” he says.

Berger adds it is important to look for fence damage, especially from winter weather and to ensure fenced-out areas remain inaccessible. He also says it is beneficial to consider potential fence-line interactions with neighboring herds.

Tarpoff encourages producers to have an open line of communications with neighbors. It’s a good idea to share, when turning out, what types of cattle are going out (yearlings, pairs, bulls) and how the cattle are identified — tags or brands.

“This open communication helps identify strays earlier,” he adds.

Through following these strategies with accurate planning and preparation, pasture turnout can be stress-free for both the producer and the cow herd.

Your Next Reads:

The Rancher-Designed Solution for Efficient Cattle Processing

Tue, 05 May 2026 16:35:28 GMT

Necessity is indeed the mother of invention, as Seth Davis discovered while working cattle on his commercial cow-calf ranch. He encountered a problem that has frustrated ranchers for years. His vaccine gun syringe was always just out of reach when he needed it, or it was in his hand when he needed his hands free for other jobs.

That moment sparked an idea. What if there was a way to free your hands while keeping the vaccine gun right where your hand expects it to be? That idea, now ready for spring processing, became the VacHolster , a rugged, hands-free vaccine syringe holster built to allow ranchers to keep their syringe clean, secure and always in reach.

“I built it because I needed it,” says Davis, founder of VacHolster. “And it turns out a lot of other ranchers need it too, as they showed us last fall. This is about making the work faster, safer and less stressful on both the livestock and humans.”

Made with heavy-duty, ranch-proof materials, the VacHolster adjusts to fit the user, protects vaccine potency, reduces needlestick risks, helps get more done with less stress on the herd and allows cattle to be worked up to 20% faster. By keeping syringes ready at hand, ranchers spend less time fumbling and more time focusing on what matters.

(VacHolster)

Ranch-Tested Benefits:

Get Your Hands Back: Free your hands for all the other jobs with confidence that your syringe will be there when you reach for it, whether you rope and drag or work ‘em through a chute.
Work Faster: No more setting syringes down or hunting for where they landed.
Reduce Stress on Livestock: Shorter livestock handling time equals less stress on you and your livestock.
Protect Vaccine Potency: Reduces exposure to sunlight, dust and damage to ensure that your vaccine provides maximum protection for your herd.
Work Safer: Reduce needlestick risk with the wraparound needle guard.
Fits You: Wear on the right side or left side and adjust to fit any size user.
Fits the Job: Strong enough to handle heat, cold, mud and daily use.

Since its launch, VacHolster has been used on more than 10,000 head of cattle and 6,000 calves. It has been worn for hundreds of miles on horseback, four-wheelers and in pickup trucks. Ranchers praise its durability, comfort and time-saving functionality.

“Very handy to be able to have hands free but still have syringes within my grasp at all times,” says Iowa rancher Nolan Hagen.

See it in action on YouTube .

Your Next Reads:

DOJ Plans to Settle Agri Stats Case, White House Official Says

Mon, 04 May 2026 20:20:47 GMT

The U.S. Department of Justice plans to settle its case against data company Agri Stats with an agreement officials hope will help drive down food costs, White House adviser Peter Navarro said on Monday.

The DOJ alleges Agri Stats’ weekly reports on meat pricing and sales enabled anti-competitive practices in the chicken, pork and turkey industries. The case is scheduled to go to trial this month.

Agri Stats has called the claims baseless and said its services result in lower prices. A company representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has been increasingly focused on affordability as Americans sour on how President Donald Trump has handled the rising cost of living.

MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY PROBE

Speaking at the same press conference, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the DOJ will use every law enforcement tool available to address rising food prices.

Prosecutors have reviewed more than 3 million documents and conducted interviews in their ongoing probe of the meat-packing industry, Blanche said. He urged whistleblowers to come forward and potentially claim financial awards for information.

“Multiple plant closures across the country, the current market structure, and high concentration in the industry indicate anti-competitive activity,” Blanche said without naming the companies involved.

Tyson Foods, Cargill, JBS USA and National Beef Packing Company slaughter about 85% of U.S. grain-fattened cattle that become steaks, beef roasts and other cuts of meat in supermarkets.

The companies have been accused in private lawsuits of conspiring to inflate U.S. beef prices by restricting supply. They have denied wrongdoing. Tyson, Cargill and JBS have agreed to pay tens of millions of dollars to settle some claims.

Spokespeople for the companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Nick Zieminski, Joe Bavier and Nia Williams)

Spring Success: How Strategic Pasture Planning Boosts Annual Productivity

Mon, 04 May 2026 15:31:03 GMT

Springtime on-ranch can be a make-or-break time for the entire growing season, especially when pastures come out of dormancy and animals emerge from their low winter energy levels. This is especially true for regenerative ranches.

Putting your herd out on dormant pastures or pastures with depleted resources can negatively impact both herd health — leading to decreased body condition and overall health — and pasture health. Both of these eventualities can cause stress that lingers throughout the entire growing season.

We tapped the expertise of Travis Jones, regenerative ranching adviser for Noble Research Institute , for the top tactics his team recommends to start your high-impact grazing season off in a way that helps you finish with strong productivity, animal health and profitability.

Master the Art of Spring Monitoring

For Jones, this is the time for graziers to open their eyes.

“Spring is usually the time when grazing land producers start to monitor perennial forage growth and forage vitality coming out of dormancy,” he says.

That means it is the perfect time to evaluate past management decisions and determine what has benefited a ranch’s overall goals and objectives and what has caused challenges.

A good monitoring plan is a safe place to start, Jones says. Each spring, he encourages ranchers to get out in pastures to get eyes on the following:

Grazing enclosures
Watering systems
Photo points
Soil health systems
Grazing patterns and rotational grazing systems

In the spring, graziers should spend time diligently monitoring and tracking their grazing infrastructure and forage. Accurate data can help ranchers make better operational decisions in the following year.

(Noble Research Institute)

But monitoring shouldn’t be limited to infrastructure; observing and tracking forage is also critical.

Jones recommends keeping diligent data around the following forage observations:

Plant health and vigor
Winter precipitation
Plant species
Plant growth phase

“These are all factors that help producers stay adaptive in their management,” he says. “Current data is a must for making good grazing decisions.”

From Data Points to Pasture Profits

If the data collected during spring monitoring doesn’t give you hope for the growing season, Jones says that forage additions can be a way to course-correct for the future.

“Overall, ranch productivity can increase with a bump in forage production and quality,” he says. “Often, producers can sustain livestock production with forage additions rather than feeding hay.”

While every ranch’s unique ecosystem drives which forage additions are needed, Jones says that vibrant native systems should have multiple species of plants representing all forage groups, including:

Woody
Legume
Warm-season annual grasses
Cool-season perennial grasses

Depending on a ranch’s goals and context, interseeding a primary warm-season perennial pasture with a legume or cool-season grass can not only boost forage quality for an introduced system but also extend grazing from fall into early spring, giving a marketable advantage over others.

“For animal health, having high-quality forage after the winter months when animal energy consumption may be higher can help increase body condition and overall health,” Jones says. “Often, this early spring growth is good for building condition in bred livestock expected to give birth during the spring months.

“The more options you have regarding forage quality and availability, the more you can take advantage of opportunities in market and seasonal weather dynamics,” he adds.

High plant biodiversity contributes to overall soil health, which can enhance the resilience of pastures, giving them the power to withstand drought conditions.

Step-by-Step Tactics for Forage Enhancement

For forage additions to work in the spring, Jones says that fall planning is critical. Following these steps can help you choose the correct spring forage addition for your ecosystem, environment and ranch goals.

Test the soil — Using a traditional soil test can ensure that you have the correct soil chemistry to make your forage additions work. “Seed germination can be highly dependent on soil pH; if your pH isn’t right, you might not get the forage intended,” Jones says.
Choose a trusted seed mix — Knowing the makeup of your soil can help you choose a seed mix that works for your soil type and management style.
Start small — Investing in forage additions on your most at-risk pastures is a good way to start a forage enhancement program in a way that is cost-effective and will have maximum impact on your overall grazing plan. Additionally, at-risk pastures can often benefit from investments in soil health that forage enhancements provide.

Whatever spring changes you make to your pastures must be part of your holistic management strategy, Jones says.

“New ideas and plans should be documented and discussed for how they will impact overall ranch goals and mission,” he explains. “The beauty in capturing this data is that it establishes a baseline for future decisions.

“In our education courses, we advise ranchers to prioritize capturing data that will help make future management decisions,” he adds.

Noble Research Institute provides education resources and courses that can help regenerative ranchers capture productivity, profitability and stewardship on ranches throughout the U.S.

Your Next Read: 4 Ways to Boost Profitability Through Soil Health

BQA at the Chute: 10 Tips for Spring Calf Processing

Mon, 04 May 2026 12:58:30 GMT

Spring calf processing is a critical window for establishing herd immunity, but its success depends entirely on the details. By following Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) principles, producers can maximize vaccine efficacy and protect carcass value through precise needle selection, proper injection site placement and strict adherence to the “one-hour rule” for modified-live vaccines.

“It will soon be time to process spring-born calves, which brings up the topic of best management practices and following BQA principles for all treatments,” says Chris Clark, Iowa State University Extension and outreach beef specialist, in a recent Growing Beef Newsletter. “The overall concepts are pretty simple, but it takes attention to detail to get the most out of each treatment and to ensure our product is as safe, wholesome and palatable as possible.”

Clark shares these 10 simple reminders for spring processing:

Follow label directions for all treatments, including injections, implants, pour-ons, insecticide ear tags, etc.
Administer all subcutaneous and intramuscular injections in front of the shoulder in the injection site triangle of the neck.
Select the appropriate needle diameter and length based on the weight of the animals being treated, viscosity of products being injected and routes of administration. Needles should be small enough to minimize tissue damage but large enough to prevent bending and breaking. The diameter should be appropriate for the viscosity of the product, and the length should be appropriate for the route of administration. For young calves weighing less than 300 pounds, 18-gauge needles are reasonable for most vaccines. For subcutaneous injections, ½ inch to ¾ inch needle length should work well, and for intramuscular injections, ¾ inch to 1 inch needle length should be appropriate. Keep in mind the greater the needle gauge, the smaller the diameter and vice versa.

Recommended needle size based on animal weight, viscosity of product and route of administration.
(BQA Field Guide)
Practice injection technique and pay attention to the angle of injection and the feel of the needle within the tissue. Subcutaneous injections should be applied at approximately 45 degrees to the body and intramuscular injections should be applied at approximately 90 degrees to the body. With experience, you can learn to feel whether you are in that subcutaneous space or whether you have entered the underlying muscle.
Change needles frequently. At a minimum, needles should be changed every 10 to 15 head. Additionally, a new needle should always be applied before refilling a syringe and any bent or burred needles should be immediately replaced.
For reusable syringes, clean well after each use by thoroughly rinsing with hot water. Refrain from using soaps and disinfectants because residues of these substances can damage vaccines and reduce vaccine efficacy.
Handle vaccines with care. When using modified live vaccines, mix only what you can use in an hour. Keep vaccines at steady, reasonable temperatures and take care to avoid freezing, excessive heat and exposure to UV light. Reconstitute modified live vaccines with sterile transfer needles and roll or invert gently to mix rather than shaking vigorously.
When possible, choose subcutaneous routes of administration over intramuscular routes. Some products are labeled to be given either way and when you have the choice, choose subcutaneous. Any insertion of a needle or injection of a substance into muscle tissue will cause tissue damage, potentially impacting the quality of that product.
Document complete processing/treatment records, including animal or group identification, treatment date, products administered, withdrawal times, earliest date animals would clear withdrawal times, dose administered, route of administration, name of person administering drugs and any prescription information.
Do not mix different vaccines or drugs in the same syringe or use a syringe to administer different products without washing in between. Try to place injections at least 4 inches apart from other injections to avoid product mixing/interaction within animal tissue.

Stored Joules vs. Output Joules: What Really Powers an Electric Fence?

Mon, 04 May 2026 15:37:41 GMT

It is usually the headline spec, and bigger numbers can make a unit seem more powerful at first glance. But that number does not always tell the full story.

Stored joules represent potential energy, or the amount of energy the energizer can hold internally. Output joules represent delivered energy, or the amount of energy that actually leaves the energizer and travels through the fence under real working conditions.

That difference matters, because your fence does not operate inside the energizer. It operates across acres of land in changing, less-than-perfect conditions.

The confusion often starts with how energizers are marketed. Stored joules are easy to highlight and easy to compare on paper. But energy held inside the unit is not what controls livestock. What matters is the energy that makes it to the wire.

Why Output Joules Matter

Output joules measure the usable power your fence is truly delivering.

This is the energy that travels the length of the fence, pushes through vegetation load and helps maintain performance as soil conditions and weather change. It is what delivers the pulse animals feel when they encounter the fence.

That consistency is what builds and maintains respect for the electric fence itself. Without it, even an energizer with impressive numbers on a spec sheet can fall short in the pasture.

Why Real-World Conditions Change Everything

Electric fencing rarely operates under ideal conditions. Fence lines cover distance. Vegetation creates load. Soil moisture affects grounding. Weather changes resistance. Add in splices, connections and overall fence pressure, and the system is challenged every step of the way.

So, while stored joules may look strong on paper, the real question is whether that energy can perform under adverse conditions and still carry power all the way down the line.

What Happens When Power Does Not Deliver

When output drops, fence performance drops with it.

A fence that tests strong near the energizer but weak at the far end creates inconsistency, and livestock learn that quickly. When pulses feel uneven or weak, animals are more likely to test the fence. Over time, that can lead to more breakouts, more time spent checking fence and more labor pulled away from other important work.

At that point, it is no longer just a fencing problem. It has become an operational problem, because a fence only works if animals respect it everywhere.

(Datamars)

What to Look for When Comparing Energizers

When evaluating energizers, it is important to look beyond stored joules alone and consider how the unit performs under load.

The real measure of performance is how well it maintains power across distance, how it handles vegetation pressure and how reliably it performs when conditions are less than ideal.

Those are the factors that determine whether a fence holds strong day after day.

The Bottom Line

Stored joules tell you what an energizer can hold.
Output joules tell you what your fence receives.

And when it comes to controlling livestock, the number that matters most is the one that makes it all the way down the fence line, because the only power that matters is the power at the wire.

Stop the Guesswork: Build a Targeted Parasite Plan

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:20:18 GMT

As grass greens up and cattle head back to pasture, many producers are “throwing darts in an open field” when it comes to parasite control, says Tennessee Hereford breeder Ryan Proffitt.

The real-world frustration of deworming programs is knowing if they are working, Proffitt says.

Norbrook Technical Services Veterinarian Megan Bollin explains fecal egg count testing, targeted treatment, concurrent deworming, maintaining refugia and smarter pasture management can turn parasite control guesswork into a targeted plan that protects herd health, preserves dewormer efficacy and ultimately adds pounds to the calf crop.

Both Bollin and Proffitt agree a pragmatic roadmap for modern parasite control is anchored in diagnostics, targeted treatment and strong relationships with veterinarians.

Bollin shares five practical strategies to get the most out of today’s dewormers and preserve them for tomorrow:

1. Sit Down with Your Vet.

She encourages producers to map out a herd‑specific internal and external parasite plan with diagnostics built in.

“Your local vet should be your key partner in designing a program that fits your parasites, climate and management style,” Bollin says.

2. Use the Right Product at the Right Time.

Use the correct class, correct dose and consider concurrent deworming when resistance is a known issue. Your local veterinarian can guide you on proper treatment timing to avoid wasting money.

3. Manage Pastures with Parasites in Mind.

Bollin says pasture management is as important as treatment. Pasture type, quality, topography and drainage should all be considered in your plan, knowing we can’t always do much to change them.

“Only about 10% of the parasite life cycle is in the animal; 90% is on pasture,” she says.

Larvae generally stay below 4” on the grass blade. She says it is important to avoid overgrazing pastures below this height and manage stocking density accordingly.

“When you get a big rain after a drought, the larvae that had been waiting in the manure pats can quickly become infective and significantly increase the risk of infection, especially in young calves,” she says.

4. Prioritize High-Risk Animals.

Calves, stockers, bulls and replacements should be prioritized with the strictest parasite control and monitoring programs.

“Calves, replacement heifers and bulls are typically heavier shedders and more susceptible to the effects of parasites than mature cows,” Bollin explains.

Proffitt notes that many producers historically concentrate on keeping mature cows dewormed while underestimating calves’ role as carriers.

“We don’t need to, and shouldn’t be, treating every animal like we always have,” Bollin adds. “That has gotten us in a pickle with resistance.”

5. Measure and Adjust Treatment.

Bollin says it is important to know where you started. Get a baseline fecal egg count, understand your resistance patterns and monitor the efficacy of your treatment program. So many variables change from year to year: climate, weather conditions, new animals and other stressors. It’s critical to routinely evaluate your deworming program and avoid blindly doing the same thing year after year.

(Proffitt Family)

Diagnostics Are Essential, Not Optional

Fecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs) are the most practical method we have to determine if dewormers are still working and at what level.

Bollin explains the process includes:

Collecting rectal fecal samples and recording identification.
Treating animals with product or products of choice.
Resampling the same animals by taking rectal fecal samples, 10 to 17 days later, depending on the drug or drugs used.

The lab will count how many eggs per gram are in that fecal sample. There will be a pretreatment and a posttreatment sample. Bollin says the goal should be greater than 95% reduction.

Proffitt argues FECRTs are worth the hassle.

“If we don’t have a game plan on what we’re doing and we’re just rushing,” he says. “What did we win at the end of the day if we don’t know what we’re doing?”

Proffitt says testing tells him which cows he can skip treating, which saves him money.

Bollin explains in many cases mature cows 3 years and older, shedding low levels of eggs, on a good plane of nutrition, with no other stressors or health concerns (including liver flukes), should not need to be dewormed.

“This supports ‘refugia’ — intentionally leaving low-risk animals untreated to slow resistance,” she explains. “Because they’re mature, they’ve got a competent immune system that can actually fight off these parasites by themselves without a dewormer.”

To reduce costs further, Bollin says producers can pool fecal samples from multiple cows into a single submission.

(Deb Gustafson)

Beating Parasite Resistance Starts at the Chute

Bollin says dewormer resistance, long documented in sheep and goats, is being seen more frequently in U.S. cattle herds.

She says overuse, underdosing and treating every animal regardless of need are major drivers in resistance.

“All of these deworming products, when they were originally approved, had very high levels of efficacy. We’re talking 99% and above,” Bollin explains. “As we’ve continually used these products, efficacy has been challenged because resistance has increased.”

If you’re using products that are no longer effective in your herd, you’re spending money on drugs that don’t work, and you’re not getting the production benefits. One way to restore efficacy when resistance is present is to use concurrent deworming.

Why Concurrent Deworming Matters

Bollin says concurrent deworming is using two dewormers from different classes at the same time. She stresses producers need to work with a veterinarian to avoid unknowingly pairing two products from the same class, which doesn’t provide the intended benefit.

She explains the benefits of concurrent deworming are:

· Higher overall efficacy when two partially effective products are combined. “Say you’ve got two products, for example, each with 70% efficacy. By using them together, you can raise your overall efficacy to levels exceeding 90%,” she says.

· Broader spectrum of parasite coverage.

· Models would suggest a slowing of resistance.

· Only sustainable long-term when used in conjunction with a refugia program. This means we don’t treat every animal. We want to keep a few “good” worms around that are still susceptible to the drug.

Bollin gives the example of pairing a benzimidazole, or a “white dewormer,” such as fenbendazole, albendazole or oxfendazole, with a macrocyclic lactone such as ivermectin, moxidectin or eprinomectin.

She emphasizes the industry unfortunately doesn’t have a lot of studies looking at this, but a study published in 2025 highlighted the benefits of concurrent treatment with fenbendazole in situations where resistance to macrocyclic lactones is likely.

Dung Beetles Are Valuable Allies

Dung beetles break up manure pats, exposing eggs and larvae to sunshine and dry conditions. Some dewormers are more compatible with dung beetle health.

“Two of the dewormers that are not harmful are moxidectin and fenbendazole,” Bollin says. “Those are two molecules that are generally safe for dung beetles, and those could be a good option to pair together.”

Facility where researchers collect blood samples and weigh cattle before and after they are transported. Steers have painted numbers on their backs so their activity can be followed on camera.

(Stephanie Hansen)

Application Technique and Dosing Accuracy Matter

Bollin says accurate body weights, not visual estimates, are critical, explaining underdosing is a key driver of resistance.

“One of the biggest contributors to resistance is that we are just not giving them enough active ingredient,” she says. “If you don’t have scales, it is best to treat to the heaviest body weight in the group, so that you make sure that they’re all getting enough.”

She also stresses the importance of storing deworming products correctly.

“Leaving them by the chute in temperature swings can reduce efficacy,” she says.

Proffitt also reminds producers to read labels and understand rain windows with pour-ons and to avoid mud or manure on hides. Bollin notes that injectables can provide more certainty that the animal is getting the full dose, whereas oral drenches can be spit out and pour-ons can run off or be groomed off by penmates.

Both Bollin and Proffitt frame parasite control not as one more chore on an overloaded to-do list but rather as a strategic, data-driven opportunity to protect animal health, slow resistance and convert good management into pounds sold.

Your Next Read:

Determine Parasite Load and Follow With Treatment

Rejuvra® herbicide: Reduce wildfire risk. Restore healthier rangeland.

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:49:33 GMT

Across the western United States, invasive annual grasses like cheatgrass, medusahead, and ventenata reduce forage availability and increase wildfire risk. That is why cheatgrass management is about more than initial weed control. It’s about investing in the long-term longevity and productivity of the land.

Short-term suppression can feel like the practical choice, especially when budgets are tight. But short-term results don’t always deliver long-term value. What looks less expensive at the onset can lead to repeat applications, ongoing labor, and continued pressure on forage and land health. For ranchers and land managers focused on the future of their operation, the better question is not simply what a treatment costs today, but instead, what that treatment helps protect over time.

Rejuvra^® herbicide gives ranchers and land managers a longer window to protect forage, reduce repeat applications and invest in land health over time. It can offer up to four years of control of cheatgrass and other invasive annual grass species in one treatment by preventing germination and helping deplete the soil seed bank over multiple seasons. That longer control window gives native vegetation more time to recover, helps reduce invasive annual grass pressure and can limit re-establishment when desirable perennials fill the space.

This matters because cheatgrass does more than just compete for space. It can reduce forage availability, pressure native plant communities and contribute to the fine fuels that increase wildfire risk. Instead of spending year after year trying to hold the line, ranchers and land managers have an opportunity to make meaningful progress toward rangeland recovery.

The return is not only control of invasive grasses. Rejuvra helps restore desirable forage, increase forage availability and lessen grazing pressure on the land. In field trials, treated acres produced up to 3.5 times more perennial grass than non-treated acres, helping support a stronger forage base over time, although forage response is variable.

That kind of forage response can support a stronger grazing system and a better opportunity for the land to function as productive rangeland again. More desirable forage can help support grazing capacity, improve the overall condition of the range and contribute to a healthier habitat for the species that depend on it.

Another major threat to the long-term resilience of western rangeland is wildfire risk. Invasive annual grasses increase the fine fuels that can help fires spread quickly across the landscape. Additionally, certain invasive annual grasses come back stronger after a wildfire, while native vegetation takes longer to recover, increasing the length and viciousness of wildfire cycles. Long-term control of those grasses can help reduce wildfire risk while supporting healthier, more resilient habitats. In a region where wildfire can change the trajectory of working lands in a single season, protecting rangeland before that occurs is an important part of responsible stewardship.

The return on investment of Rejuvra is best measured over years, not season to season. One treatment can help protect forage and support healthier rangeland for years to come. Rather than relying on the typical one-year inputs, land managers should try Rejuvra and invest in restoration, resilience and long-term return.

For those looking to dig deeper, Envu^® is hosting a webinar in May titled Breaking Vicious Wildfire Cycles: How Proactively Controlling Invasive Annual Grasses Can Lessen the Intensity and Speed of Wildfires in the West. In the session, Envu experts will discuss how proactive invasive annual grass control can help reduce wildfire risk and support long-term rangeland health.

Register to learn more: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/d8cce317-2eea-4a48-a862-475ab422776f@c4dedb74-d916-4ef4-b6b5-af80c59e9742

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL INSTRUCTIONS. Follow label and stewardship guidelines to limit impact to non-target native species. Environmental Science U.S. LLC, 5000 CentreGreen Way, Suite 400, Cary, NC 27513. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-800-331-2867. Not all products are registered in all states. Envu^®, the Envu logo and Rejuvra^® are trademarks owned by Environmental Science U.S. LLC or one of its affiliates.

Cow-Calf Checklist: Are Your Cows Ready For Breeding Season?

Fri, 01 May 2026 13:40:41 GMT

Each month, cow-calf producers are faced with management tasks related to seasonal and production goals. Kansas State University Extension cow-calf specialist Jason Warner summarizes the top 10 management practices producers should check off their to-do lists in May.

1. For cows that are borderline BCS (4.0 to 5.0) going into breeding, consider:

Supplementing two to three weeks prior to and through first cycle.
Early weaning if BCS doesn’t pick up during the season.

2. For those synchronizing females for breeding, schedule your protocols well in advance and mark key dates on your calendar.

The estrus synchronization planner is a great tool!
Inventory your Artificial Insemination (AI) supplies and order products in advance.

3. If you have a fall herd, schedule pregnancy checks and make culling decisions.

How were pregnancy rates relative to last year?
Do we need to re-think our fall and winter nutrition program for fall calvers?

4. Plan your mineral supplementation for this coming spring and summer.

Make an effort to measure intake regularly and adjust it as needed.
If using fly control products , start them at recommended times for your area.

5. Consider magnesium levels in mineral supplements, particularly for cows grazing lush, rapidly growing forages.

Wheat, rye, triticale, oats, bromegrass and other cool-season forages.
Risk of grass tetany is greatest for lactating cows and older cows.

6. Schedule bull breeding soundness exams well in advance of breeding.

Ensure younger and older bulls are introduced and their hierarchy is established prior to the start of breeding.
Closely monitor bulls the first few weeks of breeding for signs of injury.

7. Review your calf health protocols before spring turnout.

Consider implanting nursing calves and grass cattle.
Calculate the cost of gain versus value of gain for creep feeding .

8. Consider supplementing yearling replacement heifers around the time of breeding under the following conditions:

They have little post-weaning grazing experience.
Forage supply is limited at grazing turnout.

9. If pastures are drought-stressed to start the grazing season:

Consider delaying turnout or adjusting stocking rates.
Make plans now so you are prepared to early wea n if necessary.

10. Make and evaluate important production calculations:

Calving distribution (% firstcycle, second cycle, third cycle).
Calving intervals.

10 Toxic Pasture Weeds: How To Identify and Manage

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:11:28 GMT

Not all toxic plants are equally dangerous, and many factors, such as stage of growth, part of the plant consumed and quantity, play a role in whether animals are affected.

With the ongoing weather variability the past few years, pasture conditions have been highly inconsistent. Some are thriving, while others are struggling due to overgrazing, flooding or drought.

“When pastures thin out, they leave space for opportunistic weeds to move in,” Shelby Gruss, Iowa State University Extension forage specialist, says. “While all weeds can compete for light, nutrients and moisture, some pose a greater threat due to toxicity risks for livestock.”

Below is a list of some of the most common toxic pasture weeds in Iowa and the Midwest, with tips on identification:

Poison Hemlock

(Kevin Bradley)

Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
Toxic Part: Entire plant, especially leaves and stems
Risk: Highly toxic to all livestock (and humans); small amounts can be fatal
ID Tips: Finely divided, fern-like leaves; purple-spotted stems; umbrella-shaped white flower clusters
Notes: Often found in ditches and low-lying areas; do not mow when flowering — can release toxins and spread seeds
Common look-a-like: Queen’s Anne Lace/wild carrot

Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L)

(John Cardina, The Ohio State University, IPM Images)

Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
Toxic Part: Sap causes skin irritation when exposed to sunlight (phytophotodermatitis)
Risk: Mainly a risk to humans (and pets) through skin contact; generally avoided by livestock, but ingestion can cause photosensitivity and severe sunburn
ID Tips: Yellow umbrella-shaped flowers; hairy and grooved stems; leaves look like celery or parsley
Notes: Wear gloves and long sleeves when handling; mowing before seed set helps control
Common look-a-like: Queen’s Anne Lace/wild carrot

Common St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum L.)

(L.L. Berry, IPM Images)

St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum)
Toxic Part: Entire plant
Risk: Contains hypericin, which causes photosensitivity (sunburn-like skin damage) in light-skinned livestock such as sheep, cattle, goats and horses; severe cases can lead to skin sloughing, blindness or death
ID Tips: Upright perennial with small flowers; the flowers have five bright yellow petals that often have black dots on the petal margins; leaves are opposite, oval and have translucent spots when held up to light; woody base; grows 1' to 3' tall in clumps
Notes: Becomes more problematic in overgrazed or low-fertility areas. Most toxic when flowering. Often avoided unless forage is limited

Common Milkweed

(Kevin Bradley)

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Toxic Part: Leaves and stems
Risk: Contains cardiac glycosides; toxic in large amounts, especially to cattle and sheep
ID Tips: Thick oblong, opposite arranged leaves; milky sap; large round pink flower clusters; stems covered with dense pubescence
Notes: Generally unpalatable unless forage is scarce; monitor pasture for adequate forage growth

Johnsongrass

(Kevin Bradley)

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) / Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense)
Toxic Part: Wilted leaves (Black Cherry); young regrowth and frost-damaged tissue (Johnsongrass)
Risk: Both produce cyanide (prussic acid), which can be fatal within minutes
ID Tips (Cherry): Tree with shiny leaves, dark bark, and white flowers
ID Tips (Johnsongrass): Tall grass with prominent midrib, purple panicle seeds, spreads rhizomes
Notes: Do not allow livestock access to wilted branches or frosted regrowth; delay grazing after frost or drought
Common look-a-like (Johnsongrass): Sorghum species

White Snakeroot (Ageratina Altissima)

(Ansel Oommen, IPM Images)

White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)
Toxic Part: Entire plant
Risk: Causes “milk sickness” in humans through milk from affected cattle; toxic to cattle, goats, horses
ID Tips: Opposite triangular leaves with serrated edges (sharply toothed) with three main veins; white flowers in flat-topped clusters
Notes: Common in wooded pastures or shaded edges; control early; avoid grazing densely infested areas
Common Look-a-like species: bonesets, other snakeroots

Horsenettle (Solanum Carolinense)

(Kevin Bradley)

Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense)
Toxic Part: Berries and leaves
Risk: Contains solanine; can affect the nervous system and digestive tract
ID Tips: Spiny stems and leaves; small, star-shaped purple flowers; yellow berries when ripe
Notes: Toxic when consumed in large amounts; spot spray or dig out to reduce spread; berries are particularly toxic

Cocklebur

(Kevin Bradley)

Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)
Toxic Part: Seeds and seedlings
Risk: Toxic to pigs, sheep and cattle; seedlings are especially dangerous
ID Tips: Rough stems with darks pots; sandpaper-like, triangular leaves with serrated leaf edges; hooked burs that cling to fur and clothing
Notes: Can cause liver damage; avoid overgrazing, as seedlings are more likely to be eaten when forage is limited

Pigweed (Genus Amaranthus L)

(Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, IPM Images)

Nitrate Accumulators
Some plants can accumulate toxic levels of nitrates, especially after drought or heavy fertilization:
Common culprits: Pigweed, lambs quarters, Johnsongrass, and thistles
Risk: Nitrate poisoning reduces oxygen transport in blood — can be fatal
Management Tip: Have suspect forages tested before grazing or feeding; elevated risks following fertilization, and following drought breaking rains

Field Horsetail (Equisetum Arvense L)

(John Cardina, The Ohio State University, IPM Images)

Horsetail (Equisetum spp.)
Toxic Part: Entire plant
Risk: Contains thiaminase; can cause neurological symptoms, especially in horses
ID Tips: Hollow, jointed stems; no true leaves; resembles a bottle brush
Notes: Grows in poorly drained soils and along ditches; improve drainage and limit access

“The first step to weed management is identifying the species you have in your field,” Gruss says.

If you’re unsure about a plant in your pasture, contact your local field specialist.

“When in doubt, better safe than sorry — keep animals away until you’ve confirmed safety,” she summarizes. “Typically, animals will avoid toxic species when there is something else to graze, but eliminating the toxic weed species is ideal. If using herbicides, please read and follow all herbicide directions and grazing restrictions.”

More information on common pasture weeds can be found here: Recognizing and managing common pasture weeds .

More information can be found here: 2025 Herbicide Guide: Iowa Corn and Soybean Production for herbicides labeled for grass pasture, hayfield (table 6) and alfalfa and legumes (table 7).

House Passes 2026 Farm Bill: The Impact on U.S. Farmers

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:51:21 GMT

With a bipartisan vote of 224-200, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7567 , the bipartisan Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, on April 30. In addition to extensive updates to food and agriculture programs in a budget-neutral package, this vote marks the farthest a farm bill has made it in Congress since the most recent reauthorization was signed into law in 2018.

After a series of floor debates and last-minute amendments, the bill now moves to the Senate with some notable changes, including:

Year-round E15 sales removed from bill to be voted on in two weeks
Late amendment includes language to strengthen the domestic supply of fertilizer
Pesticide liability protections were stripped from the bill

My amendment passed! Pesticide liability protections have been stripped from the farm bill. 🔥⚔️🔥
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) April 30, 2026

“Working in Congress on behalf of our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities is an honor — even when the work requires debating the farm bill through the night,” says House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15). “I can think of no more important work than championing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, and I am extremely pleased to see this bill pass out of the House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote.”

With a vote of 14 Democrats in favor, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 obtained the highest number of votes from the minority party on a House farm bill since 2008. Similarly, with over 96% of the GOP Conference voting in favor, this is the highest level of Republican support for a House farm bill in history, affirming the commitment of House Republicans to rural America.

“I especially want to thank all parties who were involved in the negotiations that allowed the farm bill to proceed to the floor and secure a future vote on year-round E15,” Thompson says. “Members of the Biofuels Caucus are tireless champions for rural America, and I look forward to joining them May 13 in advancing that important legislation.”

Swift Senate Action Needed

As the bill heads to the Senate for debate, Thompson reinforces that “farm country needs updated policy” that reflects current challenges in U.S. agriculture.

“The 2026 farm bill fills that gap,” Thompson says. “I look forward to seeing Chairman Boozman and the Senate make progress on this important legislation so we can get the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 sent to President Trump’s desk as soon as possible.”

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, along with all of the Democrats on the committee, says the committee looks forward to working with Senate Republicans on a bipartisan Farm Bill that can be successful on the Senate floor.

“We have been clear that the Farm Bill must address the needs of American farmers and families,” Klobuchar says. “With a five-year high in small farm bankruptcies, the Farm Bill must address rising input costs, provide new opportunities for domestic markets, and fight for a trade agenda that works for everyone. Senate Democrats are committed to ensuring all states are treated equally by delaying the new SNAP cost shifts and addressing the needs of farm country.”

Pesticide Amendment Passes

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s (R-Fla.) highly debated bill passed the House, stripping the farm bill of pesticide liability provisions. Before the amendment, the bill’s original language reaffirmed EPA as the sole agency capable of determining the information listed on a pesticide label. Critics, including Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) advocates, worried the language would shield pesticide manufacturers from liability claims.

D.C. consultant Callie Eideberg, with the Vogel Group, saysthe provision’s controversy means the bill will likely have an uncertain future moving forward.

“This means that pesticide companies, the chemical companies, are now still going to be dealing with the status quo, dealing with different requirements from different states,” Eideberg says.

In a post on X, Rep. Luna reaffirmed her disapproval of glyphosate and other pesticides.

“I do not support giving blanket immunity to corporations at the expense of American families. Pesticides are linked to a 30% increase in childhood cancer and over 170 studies corroborate the evidence,” Luna says.

In a press release following the bill’s approval in the lower chamber, the Modern Ag Alliance, a group backed by chemical company Bayer and over 100 agriculture companies wrote, “Today, the House turned its back on the farmers who feed, fuel and clothe this country. By gutting common-sense crop protection provisions from the farm bill, lawmakers caved to anti-science MAHA activists instead of standing with those who grow our food.”

Iowa farmer Mark Jackson says it is “unfortunate” Congress could not give farmers support for chemical weed control products. Jackson said farmers should be allowed the “freedom to farm” and said glyphosate’s scientific approval process, and the product’s 50-year registration history make it a credible product for farmers to use.

“I think we need to rally around science, follow the science,” he adds.

Eideberg says as the bill moves to the Senate, the MAHA movement could continue to influence debates. She believes the smaller body of the Senate will bring a different dynamic to the issue.

“I think we’re going to see those MAHA influencers feeling very emboldened by this win today and pushing even harder in the Senate to get more of what they’re looking for,” she says.

Farmers Praise Passage of Farm Bill
Ohio farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower says USDA programs are important to the success of corn farmers and rural communities, particularly as growers face their fourth year of net losses and struggle with high input costs.

“We look forward to working with our allies in Congress over the next two weeks to secure passage of the E15 legislation,” Bower says. “Thanks to continued efforts on this issue from our biofuel champions, Speaker Johnson promised a vote on E15, and we refuse to allow a handful of multi-million and multi-billion-dollar energy companies to derail our efforts. Allowing the year-round sale of E15 would help our growers by expanding ethanol sales while also saving consumers money at the pump at a time when fuel prices are on the rise.”

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is looking forward to the Senate taking up the farm bill without delay as farmers face unprecedented challenges.

“The House-passed 2026 Farm Bill supports the farm safety net, preserves existing conservation programs that include opportunities for dairy and livestock producers, bolsters trade promotion programs while protecting common food names, recognizes the important role of dairy in nutrition, and supports animal health programs,” said NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud. “All of these are important priorities to dairy farmers and the broader industry, and we appreciate the leadership shown by House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and other dairy champions to get this legislation through the House.”

U.S. pork producers are praising a very significant section that provides “much-needed relief from the misguided California Proposition 12 ” in addition to expanding the Animal Health Protection Act to include improving animal disease traceability and requiring thorough documentation on USDA’s ability to protect producers from significant economic losses due to a foreign animal disease outbreak.

Prop. 12 is creating uncertainty for pork producers and raising costs across the supply chain. Congress has a role to restore regulatory clarity.

It’s time for a fix. #FixProp12

🎥 Video credit: @HouseAgGOP pic.twitter.com/lkAmG1bmAw
— NPPC (@NPPC) April 30, 2026

“Today’s House farm bill passage is a testament to the power of rural America when we stand up for our farms and future generations with a unified voice,” said Rob Brenneman, National Pork Producers Council president and pork producer from Washington County, Iowa. “We wholeheartedly thank our champions—House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson, Rep. Ashley Hinson, and others—for not backing down from the fight for what is right for rural America. He and congressional supporters on both sides of the aisle heard our plea to help America’s pork producers.”

Eideburg points out that opposition to the farm bill pork provisions in the House are coming from several fronts.

“First, it’s coming from animal welfare groups that want to see those requirements in place,” she says. “We want to see minimum standard requirements for gestation rates. This other opposition is coming from companies and farmers who have already complied with Prop 12 and they don’t want that requirement removed because then they are going to be a) at a competitive disadvantage and b) out a ton of capital investment that they made on their to comply.”

The bill reflects many of wheat farmers’ top priorities from modernizing farm credit and safeguarding international food aid programs to enhancing export competitiveness, says National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Jamie Kres.

“These provisions will help ensure America’s wheat farmers can remain resilient and globally competitive,” Kres says.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane appreciates how Thompson and House leadership took the time to listen to real farmers and ranchers.

“Instead of caving to attacks on the livestock industry from shell activist groups that impersonate real producers, a bipartisan group of lawmakers advanced a bill that will provide certainty and important policy fixes for cattle country,” Lane says. “We look forward to engaging with the Senate to advance this farm bill to the president’s desk.”

Industry Says This Farm Bill is Needed Now

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) CEO Ted McKinney says this legislation supports farmers, ranchers and consumers while providing economic growth opportunities for rural communities. H.R. 7567 prioritizes provisions that strengthen local food purchasing programs, enhance international market opportunities, reauthorize the three-legged stool for foreign animal disease prevention and preserve the viability of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

The American Veterinary Medical Association says the inclusion of the Healthy Dog Importation Act is just one of the many key veterinary provisions they applaud in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. This would improve importation standards to ensure a dog is healthy when imported into the U.S., which is especially important considering New World screwworm in Mexico continues to move closer to the U.S. border.

“The AVMA applauds the House for advancing a Farm Bill that will strengthen dog importation standards, fund and assess federal programs vital to veterinary medicine, and protect the country’s animal and public health,” says Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, AVMA president. “Enacting the Farm Bill is essential to advancing research into effective recruitment and retention strategies for veterinarians serving in rural and underserved communities. With the legislation now moving to the Senate for consideration, we look forward to working further with Congress and will continue to underscore the importance of including veterinary priorities in the final version of the Farm Bill.”

Now, Not Tomorrow

After voting in support of the bill, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) says, “Rural America needs a new Farm Bill now, not tomorrow. With today’s passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, House Republicans have once again reaffirmed our commitment to American agriculture and delivered for hardworking growers and producers.”

Eideburg says funding for SNAP program will likely be a major fight in the Senate. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” shifted some costs within the program to state governments. She says the funding restructure and the combined potential vote to ban soda from SNAP could cause tension in the upper chamber.

She also says year-round E15 provisions, which were taken from the farm bill and punted for a vote in the House next week, could see as much opposition in the Senate.

“This really is a big hurdle to get E15, year-round E15 over the line.”

New Data: Is U.S. Agriculture Facing a Typical Cycle or a ‘Geopolitical Reset’?

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:56:53 GMT

The latest Farm Journal Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows a bit more pessimism from respondents on the current state of the ag economy as well as how the present compares to one year ago.

Farm Journal regularly reaches out to a vetted list of 80 ag economists from across the industry. Providing directional insights, 10 of the 16 economists who responded to the April survey believe the ag economy is in a worse state than it was a year ago. Slightly fewer than half expect conditions to be “somewhat better” in 12 months, while one-third still anticipate further decline.

“I just haven’t really changed my level of pessimism regarding this year. This is going to be a tough year. There’s no doubt about it,” says Michael Langemeier with Purdue University.

The conflict in Iran weighs heavy on economists’ minds; high fertilizer prices and high energy costs dominate concerns. This overshadows the previous looming concerns of the trade fragility and export deficit. The previously announced government payments are in the rearview mirror.

Wes Davis from Meridian Agribusiness Advisors agrees that profit margins squeezed by high input costs are the top concern.

“When we talk about the more pessimistic view of the ag economy, fertilizer prices driven by the outbreak of war in Iran is certainly top of mind,” he says.

But Davis says there have been some positive tailwinds for commodity prices over the past few months, and there’s ‘no slowdown’ in demand for animal proteins.

“Those tailwinds continue to be present,” he says.

A Fundamental “Structural Shift”

Three-quarters of the economists believe U.S. agriculture is undergoing a permanent structural shift rather than a typical cyclical phase. They cite increased competition from Brazil, changing trade policies and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence as factors reshaping the industry for the long term.

(Farm Journal Survey, April 2026)

“I’m thinking of this one as the geopolitical and input reset,” Davis says. “What I mean by that is, where things go and how we interact with the global ag economy when this cycle or when this shift is over will be different. The way that farmers get their agrichemicals, their fertilizers, their vitamins/trace minerals for feed, their tractors will all be different.”

Davis brings up the farm bill as another example. He questions whether the structural shift in policy is moving away from supporting “commercial farm preservation” and more toward “rural economic development.” This distinction could change the long-term framing of ag policy.

While Davis’ perspective is in the majority, Langemeier offers a counterpoint. He says this today reminds him a lot of the 2014 to 2019 period when there were about six years in a row of relatively low crop margins.

“I know there are a lot of changes going on, and certainly we’re worried about the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture compared to Brazil, particularly for soybeans,” he says. “As one example, I think the AI developments actually could be positive, and so I don’t necessarily see why that would necessarily mean a structural shift that would be negative.”

Geopolitical Impacts on Input Costs

The conflict in Iran and broader Persian Gulf instability are identified as primary drivers of agriculture’s economic health. Economists are specifically concerned about how these tensions are “pinching margins” by driving up the costs of energy and fertilizer while commodity prices remain relatively low.

“The negative impact of the Iran conflict has been increased fertilizer and energy prices. I did some crop budget calculations: If you hadn’t bought your fertilizer and most of your fuel is yet to be purchased prior to the Iran conflict that’s a pretty large effect on corn break-even price. I calculate it to be 25 cents a bushel. And when your break-even price is already at $5, which is way above what the futures price adjusted for basis is this fall, that’s certainly not helping matters,” he says.

It’s not just fertilizer and fuel. It’s other input categories in row crop agriculture and livestock production as well.

Noting input prices are 15% to 20% higher than pre-COVID levels, Davis points out that prices for active ingredients have gone up 20% to 30% since the conflict in Iran started.

“This continues to exacerbate that question around how long are we going to continue to see input prices increasing?” Davis says. “The other things that are less talked about but are starting to show up in pricing data are things like low inclusion additives for livestock feeds, so things like vitamins and trace minerals are starting to show up in pricing increases as well as they are being disrupted in trade flow and a slowdown of exports from China.”

Langemeier adds to the question around input pricing increases, saying it’s unknown if the uncertainty and elevated costs will go into 2027.

Strategic Deferment of Capital Expenses

To manage tight margins, farmers are expected to prioritize paying down debt over investing in land, equipment/technology, capital improvements and labor. Machinery and equipment purchases are the top items likely to be reduced or deferred in 2026, with half of economists also warning that cuts to fertilizer and crop protection could start impacting yields.

(Farm Journal Survey, April 2026)

“The number one thing as always is farmers want to be paying down debt,” Davis says. “Equipment is going to continue to be in a trough, and my expectation is that tractor sales year over year are still going to be 10 to 15% lower this year versus last year.”

He also foresees a continued transition to generic crop chemicals for the next two years.

Davis makes a distinction regarding which farms could survive this pinch on profitability. He describes a “tale of two economies” where disciplined farms with high liquidity can still find financing to grow, while those who grew aggressively at the peak of the cycle are facing a “pullback” from lenders. This adds a layer of nuance to the “commercial viability” discussion.

Langemeier provides a sobering warning about how farmers are managing the third year of low margins. He notes a trend of farmers starting to borrow against their land (non-current debt) to cover operating expenses — a pattern seen during the 2014 to 2019 downturn. He emphasizes the urgent need for “contingency planning” and a “Plan B” for debt repayment this fall.

“Usually, farms will try to cover their owner withdrawals and repay debt before they even think about making down payments on machinery. Capital expenditures always get squeezed when cash flow is tight. That’s just the way it works. We’re in one of those situations where capital expenditures are just going to be lower, primarily machinery and buildings,” Langemeier says.

Protecting Your AI Investment: 10 Rules for Proper Semen Handling

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:35:56 GMT

Proper semen tank management is critical to the success of any artificial insemination (AI) program. A standard 20-liter liquid nitrogen (LN) tank can hold up to 720 straws, representing a significant financial and genetic investment.

Sandy Johnson, Kansas State University Extension beef specialist, says in a recent Beef Tips article , “Collecting and packaging semen is a routine job performed by highly trained professionals. Once it leaves the collection site, its quality is maintained only through proper handling as it makes its way to the cow.”

A LN tank can be thought of as a large thermos with a vacuum between the inner and outer walls. The vacuum must remain intact to maintain the proper storage temperature. If frost is seen on the outside of the tank, action must be taken immediately as the seal has been lost.

Johnson shares these 10 rules for proper semen handling:

Keep the Tank Off Concrete: Store your LN tank on a wooden pallet or stand. Direct contact with concrete can cause corrosion and lead to a vacuum seal failure.
Inspect for Frost Daily: Regularly check the outside of the tank for frost. If frost appears, the vacuum seal is lost, and the semen must be moved to a functional tank immediately.
Monitor Nitrogen Levels Weekly: Establish a routine for checking LN levels. Never let the tank run dry, as sperm cells are permanently damaged when temperatures rise above -130°C.
Transport Tanks in Open Spaces: Never transport a tank in the passenger compartment of a vehicle. Oxygen displacement happens rapidly; always use the bed of a pickup or a well-ventilated trailer. An ABS Global study found that nitrogen gas can reach unsafe levels in a truck cab in just three minutes.
Maintain a Strict Inventory: Use an inventory system to know exactly where each sire is located. This reduces the time the tank is open and prevents unnecessary exposure to the neck’s temperature gradient.
Use Tweezers, Not Fingers: Always use tweezers to retrieve straws. Fingers can transfer heat to adjacent straws and often require the canister to be raised higher than necessary in the neck.
Follow the “8-Second Rule": Keep all handling below the frost line in the neck of the tank. If you cannot retrieve a straw within 8 seconds, lower the canister back into the liquid nitrogen for at least 10 seconds.
Calibrate Thaw Bath Temperatures: Ensure your thaw bath is between 95°F and 98°F before use. Temperatures outside this range can cause thermal shock to the sperm cells.
Observe the 15-Minute Window: Only thaw as many straws as can be inseminated within 15 minutes. Post-thaw semen quality declines quickly as it reaches room temperature.
Prevent Straw Contact During Thawing: When thawing multiple straws, ensure they do not touch each other in the water. Contact can cause uneven thawing and reduce the total number of viable sperm.

Best Practices for Thawing Semen

Johnson encourages producers to consider these four strategies when thawing semen:

Monitor Temperature: Use a digital thermometer to ensure the thaw bath is between 95-98°F.
Timing: Thaw straws for 30 to 60 seconds.
Efficiency: Only thaw the number of straws that can be inseminated within 15 minutes.
Protection: Load straws into a pre-warmed AI gun and protect them from cold shock or direct sunlight during transport to the cow.

“We often focus on factors that might impact cow fertility when evaluating an AI program,” Johnson summarizes. “Just as important is the male contribution. Review your process to ensure that semen quality does not limit the outcome.”

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The Steward of the Sandhills: Barb Cooksley’s Legacy of Resilience and Leadership

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:32:36 GMT

As the world continues celebrating 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF), the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) is proud to shine a light on the women whose leadership strengthens the U.S. beef industry each day. This month, we are honored to highlight Barb Cooksley, a Nebraska Sandhills rancher whose story reflects six generations of stewardship and an unwavering commitment to the grasslands she calls home.

Barb Cooksley’s story begins in southwest Nebraska, where she grew up on a cow-calf operation with her parents and two older sisters.

“We were the ranch crew,” she says, laughing. “We did everything — rode horses, worked cattle, hunted, fished — even ran machinery.”

Cooksley knew early on no matter what she ended up doing, she would stay outdoors. After high school, she attended the University of Nebraska, earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agronomy and range science. She soon began a career with the Soil Conservation Service, which is now the Natural Resources Conservation Service, working across Nebraska on rangeland conservation.

Marriage and family brought a new season, and Cooksley stepped away from full-time agency work to become a ranch wife and mom. When her daughter started school, she became a congressional agricultural staffer, spending nine years supporting two U.S. Representatives while staying active in Nebraska Cattlemen, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and more.

Today, Cooksley draws on her diverse experience and her deep roots on the land to guide every decision she makes on the Cooksley Ranch.

(Photo provided by Barb Cooksley)

Life on the Ranch

When asked what a typical day looks like, Cooksley laughs out loud.

“Typical? “No two days are the same,” she says. “You always have a plan, but the plan changes.”

At any moment, a phone call may change everything. A downed fence, cattle out, an equipment breakdown or wildfire could instantly redirect the day’s priorities.

Cooksley says she often ends up as the gopher, driving 15 to 100 miles for parts, supplies or whatever else is needed at the time. She also handles pasture checks, livestock management and weed control along with daily logistics.

“Whatever has to be done, gets done,” she says. “And whatever should be done, we’ll get to it.”

Family, Community and the Journey to Little Miss Clearcut

Cooksley and her husband, George, are now the fourth generation on the ranch. The fifth and sixth generations are already involved, which is a major point of pride for her.

She says this cycle of life on the ranch is what brings her the deepest joy.

“There’s a moment every year when that first calf drops, and it gets up. The mama licks it off, and the next day it’s bouncing around. That’s the wow moment. That’s why we’re here,” she explains.

In addition to her love for life on the ranch, Cooksley places a deep value on the people who surround it.

“Your community is your extended family,” she says.

Whether at church, the hardware store or the grocery store, neighbors visit and help each other.

“We’re each other’s news reporters,” she smiles. “If you’re not involved, you don’t know what’s going on.”

That close-knit community doesn’t just share stories. It also shares in responsibility for the land.

Nearly 40 years on the ranch has sharpened Cooksley’s eye for change. One of the most significant decisions she made was confronting Eastern red cedar encroachment – trees that can quickly overtake native grasslands, reducing forage and water supply and increasing wildfire risk.

“These are treeless, grass-covered sand dunes,” she says, referencing the Sandhills. “You start seeing cedars pop up, you cut them.”

Cooksley took it upon herself to become the ranch’s leading cedar-removal specialist, partnering with neighbors and university educators to protect the region. Her dedication earned her a nickname she’s proud of: Little Miss Clearcut.

She also serves as the certified pesticide applicator for the ranch, ensuring they respond quickly and responsibly to thistles or other invasive species.

A Lesson in Patience

When asked about her biggest challenge as a producer, Cooksley’s answer is both honest and heartfelt.

“Aging,” she says simply. “Years of ranch work take a toll. You keep doing things, but you do them differently.”

She speaks openly about being patient with herself and teaching younger crew members how to work smarter, not harder.

Still, her joy for ranch work remains. Through long days, Cooksley leans on three things: faith, family and friendships.

“Once you realize you don’t have control over it, it’s your faith,” she says. “God gives you strength. He gives you the people around you.”

Her motivation grows from a genuine desire to care for the operation and the people who share in the work.

Cooksley’s 3 Tips for Future Women Farmers

For those dreaming of a life in agriculture, her advice is simple:

Be passionate. Love what you do.
Find your strengths and build on them.
Know your weaknesses and surround yourself with people who complement them.

Lessons Without Words

For Cooksley, taking the time to pause has always been important.

“Sometimes you just stop,” she says, alluding to the sights around the Sandhills. “You don’t capture it on your phone. You just take it in.”
When she gives ranch tours, she often turns off the vehicle and waits quietly to see if visitors notice the beauty and serene environment like she does. Most do, and the moment becomes theirs too.

“You’re here to work, but you’re also here to enjoy it,” she says.

At the heart of the Cooksley operation is love — for the land, the livestock and the people who make it all possible: family.

“You want to love the people you work with,” she says. “Because you’re going to disagree, sometimes loudly. But in the end, you know they’d sacrifice themselves for you, and you’d do the same for them.”

That sense of unity defines the ranch and ensures the legacy continues.

Continuing the Story

Through her leadership and her generosity of spirit, Cooksley’s story reflects the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills and the values that sustain it: resilience, faith, family and a deep respect for the land.

As the International Year of the Woman Farmer continues, USRSB is proud to honor women like Cooksley who ensure the story of agriculture remains one purpose.

Learn more about sustainable beef and producer leadership by visiting the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef website .

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