Beef Production
Total beef exports for the January – June period in 2021 are up 21.5% over the first six months of 2020. This includes a 46.2% year-over-year increase for the month of June over the low point last year.
Cattle prices pushed higher with trade volumes also increasing. The market has been aided by the decline in committed cattle, helping independent feeders clean up their showlists.
North Dakota is one of those areas that has been dealing with drought for months, and now another concern, after anthrax was found in a cattle herd in Kidder County last week.
Calls for cattle market reforms could hinder alternative marketing agreements (AMA), a value-based marketing tool that has improved beef quality over a generation.
Late week sales in the North topped the market but fed cattle were firm to higher across all regions. Wholesale beef prices surged more than $18 per cwt. higher for the week.
Selection decisions impact how much genetic improvement we can make. With this in mind, using available DNA testing technology can cost effectively accelerate reaching our breeding goals.
Rotational grazing provides plants within pastures rest from repeated defoliation by grazers by separating the entire pasture unit into several paddocks.
Silage harvested in drought years brings nitrate concerns. Good silage can still be produced, however, as long as the crop is harvested correctly, ensiled well and carefully stored.
Zoetis Draxxin KP is designed to control bovine respiratory disease and, specifically, fever.
K-State geneticist suggests modifications to breeding systems to achieve end product goals.
Join Drovers editor Greg Henderson and experts from all segments of the beef value chain to better understand the current and future dynamics of this crisis at 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 5, for this free discussion.
Imagine if we could determine adaptive qualities of our cows before investing the development cost of replacement heifers, building an adaptive herd over time.
Heat and drought aren’t the only issue farmers in drought-stricken areas are dealing with. Grasshoppers are also destroying pastures and crops. Producers say it’s finishing off what’s left of an already dire crop.
Cattle feeders in the South saw a glimmer of hope in last week’s cattle trade. Most fed cattle in the South brought $120 and region saw decent movement, but still not totally in the clear of the backlog.
Labor challenges for packers are particularly acute on Mondays, which have the lowest daily average slaughter in 2021. Carcass weights will rise seasonally the rest of the year but will remain lower year over year.
The drought in North Dakota is impacting the yield of small-grain crops such as barley, oats, rye, triticale and wheat, leading some producers to harvest the small grains as hay.
Fifth-generation Nebraska rancher Jaclyn Wilson, and her family, launched an innovative project using advanced technologies to track cattle as verified digital assets.
This summer many of us have had our eyes on carcass weights, grading trends and days on feed as related to the fed cattle sector. These factors have been on abnormal paths since the onset of the pandemic and backlog.
After a decade of research in New Zealand, scientists appear on the cusp of developing a vaccine to limit the methane production from beef and dairy cows.
Chr. Hansen puts a new product into the US market, BovacillusTM, consisting of two strains of different species of Bacilli.
USDA’s semi-annual Cattle Inventory report on Friday confirms the U.S. inventories of beef cows, replacement heifers, feeder cattle and calf supplies are declining. The ongoing drought will accelerate the trend.
This summer’s hot, dry weather is increasing the risk of fire in the hay fields. Producers are reminded to provide proper maintenance and regularly inspect the equipment.
The latest cattle on feed report confirms that the feedlot situation continues to improve relative to the slaughter capacity constraints that plagued fed cattle markets in early 2021.
Cash cattle traded steady, with cattle feeders in the South still needing a couple more weeks for good trade volume before they have any shot at being able to push the live market higher.
Cargill announces a collaboration with producers to advance the practices of beef-on-dairy, with programs to advance research and support beef and dairy producers in finding the opportunities of beef-on-dairy.
Silver Fern Farms, the New Zealand grass-fed red meat company, said it will introduce its first range of Toitu Net Carbon Zero Certified Beef in the United States late this year.
Alta Seeds announces the first-ever herbicide-tolerant forage sorghum featuring igrowth® technology for pre- or post-emergence week control.
For cattlemen who’ve always considered feeding their own cattle but have never taken the risk, the first step in picking a partner can be the hardest. Here’s a a 12-point checklist for selecting a feeding partner.
New additions to your herd create the potential for disease. Developing a plan for new herd additions with a veterinarian can reduce the risks and help guard your investments.
Cattle market analysts point to declining carcass weights and declines in the percentage of Prime and Choice grading carcasses in recent weeks as a clear signal the peak in fed cattle numbers has been established.