Latest News From Beef Production

With the turn of the calendar year, bull sale season hits the ground running across cattle country. Be sure to consider all the options when it comes to attaining a bull.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has denied an exemption for Hours-of-Service rules for truckers transporting livestock, insects and aquatic animals.

By analyzing expenses of your operation and where you spend your time each day, there may be areas to improve to create a more financially sustainable operation.

The pendulum continues swinging toward cattle feeders as cash prices jumped $3 last week and left packers with their largest negative margins in nearly six years.

Britt Farms of Clifton Hill, Missouri, located in Randolph County, has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Missouri Leopold Conservation Award®.

Genetic improvement can be complicated. Here’s a look at the basics.

It seems likely that many producers have adjusted herd inventories, given hay and feed supplies, to be able get through the winter.

Packers were forced to raise bids to acquire inventory during the holiday-shortened week, extending the autumn price rally.

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory provides tips, assessments for overwintering livestock.

In the age of instant gratification, Wesley Crumpler is a throwback—a self-made farmer and rancher intent on paying the price for opportunity.

Improving hay feeding efficiency represents “low-hanging fruit” in many seedstock and commercial operations. Feeding strategies for large round bales can be separated into use of a hay feeder and rolling bales out.

Winter is coming and with it, snow and wind. Cattle and farmsteads both can benefit from proper windbreaks. There are two main types of windbreak function on a farm: livestock wind chill protection and snow windbreaks.

Market leverage continues to shift in the favor of cattle and hog finishers, a trend that has continuously chipped away at the historic packer margins of a year ago.

Capturing Value panelists discuss opportunities to differentiate, niche down and stand out at Angus Convention.

With some of the highest feed costs in over a decade, producers must consider those costs and the price of calves when determining whether backgrounding might be beneficial this year.

The combination of effects from the pandemic in 2020 and drought since 2020 has pushed the peak in feedlot numbers and cattle slaughter into 2022, well past the cyclical peak in the calf crop in 2018. 

Bullish trends in CME futures last week gave cattle feeders leverage to seek higher bids as last week progressed. Packers continue to lose leverage as the fall rally progresses.

November's USDA Cattle on Feed report estimated placements at 20-year lows and well below pre-report estimates, confirming this fall's bullish market has settled in for an extended stay.

Pasture and hay supplies are short in many areas. Here's a list of options and tips for livestock producers to consider for feeding their livestock this winter.

BQA Transportation is a comprehensive management program that incorporates responsible practices in all phases of transporting cattle.

The highest quality vaccine that producers purchase may be of little value if not handled and stored properly. Product storage and handling is important to ensure that the efficacy of products is not compromised.

Drought continues to impact ranchers on the Northern Plains. Fall and early winter grazing can impact the subsequent year’s production if grazing use is close to severe.

Global demand for U.S. beef has been robust in 2022, providing increased value for both cattle producers and processors that export beef.

Today’s weekly slaughter is much more robust than in 2015 and cattle supplies are at least adequate for the short term. Yet fed cattle numbers will certainly tighten as we move into 2023 due to the shrinking cow herd.

As grazing or forage-based livestock, cattle present a few challenges when it comes to mineral intake. However, here’s several considerations to help you provide the best nutrition to your herd.

Whether calves will be retained and backgrounded or sold shortly after weaning, it is important to consider the impacts of weaning strategies on calf health and performance.

Profit margins for both cattle and hog finishing operations saw modest gains last week but also carry significantly higher feed costs than a year ago.

For ranchers on a fall weaning schedule, considering factors that impact calf health and wellbeing can help prevent calf loss.

Packers push harvest pace higher and continue to seek higher grading cattle as they look to keep the holiday rib pipeline full.

Packers were successful in filling their needs at steady money this week as wholesale beef prices moved lower. Feedyards were content to reduce showlists but remaining cattle are priced higher.

Distillers grains offer many nutritional and digestive benefits over corn, including lower starch content, higher total digestible nutrients and higher crude protein content. So, how do the feed sources costs compare?

Mineral supplementation to the cow herd is always a good idea, this year it is of even greater potential benefit. Diets with mineral imbalances may cause poor animal performance, resulting in reduced profitability.

Understanding the interaction between starch, fiber, and protein in the cows’ rumen allows producers to determine the most appropriate winter supplement. 

We often consider replacements as sunk costs since they are unrealized revenue rather than out-of-pocket expenses. However, there is real opportunity cost of not putting the heifer on the truck with her steer mates.

While dairy producers are rapidly embracing the concept of using beef semen to freshen their cows, the resulting crossbred calves are proving both a valuable opportunity and a challenge for the U.S. beef industry.

Autumn’s fed cattle price rally has pushed average cattle feeding margins through the $200 per head barrier for the first time since well before the pandemic.

With a shortage of standing forage for cattle and the low availability of hay, it is more important than ever this winter to reduce waste when feeding hay.

There’s no question the pork and beef markets indicate consumers want more pork and beef. Scott Brown of the University of Missouri weighs in on what this could mean for 2023.

Wagyu enthusiasts attending the 2022 conference of the American Wagyu Association got an in-depth look at consumers and what motivates them from Maggie O’Quinn, new business development manager with Midan Marketing.

Packer desires to purchase higher quality cattle gave northern feeders the advantage last week with the North-South spread at $2 to $3.

U.S. pork exports topped year-ago totals for the second consecutive month in September, while beef exports dipped below the $1-billion mark but remain on a record pace.

Robust beef demand continues with retailers expecting the strongest sales this holiday season since before the pandemic. Strength on the demand side continues to pull cash cattle prices higher.

Think you can’t spread in the wind? Think again. New Leader sets the record straight in this Do’s and Don’ts about a common spreader misconception.

Producers will often ask about the magnitude of the price premium for steers over bulls. In short, the answer is... just not that simple.

The highest cash fed cattle prices in seven years provided good profits for cattle sold last week but rising costs are pushing breakevens higher.

Through a consistent premium beef experience, the CAB brand provides economic incentives to cattlemen up and down the supply chain. The brand has adjusted the hot carcass weight (HCW) maximum to 1,100 pounds.

The nation’s fifth-largest beef packer will receive a grant from USDA that will help add 700 head to its daily harvest capacity.

Nearly one-third of Florida’s ranches suffered significant damage from Hurricane Ian with the state estimating losses of $215 to $262 million.

In developing a protein supplementation strategy, it is important to consider what is the goal of feeding the protein supplement and that not all protein sources are equal.

The American Hereford Association's 2023 Hereford Feedout program is accepting enrollments.