Latest News From Beef Production

Cattle producers may have a few options available to offset the rising costs of adding phosphorus to their herd’s diet, a Kansas State University beef systems specialist said.

The Ducheneaux family reconnects consumers with their food source 

The December Cattle on Feed report, released on Friday, was the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year decreases in feedlot inventories, though November and December totals were only down slightly.

Cattle feeders anticipated cash cattle prices would be softer since packers were working with holiday-shortened hours last week. Packers will need cattle this week to fill full-week schedules.

Drought brings many nutritional and animal health-related challenges for ranchers. Cow performance issues during the grazing season may result from reduced forage quality and quantity.

Western Kansas ranchers faced the extreme in December. With winds clocking in north of 100 mph, warnings of wildfires came fast. And as ranchers face a long recovery, neighboring ranchers are rushing in to help.

Cattle markets have improved significantly in the final weeks of 2021, with market analysts projecting those positive trends to continue in 2022.

With 2022 nearly upon us, and bringing the prospect of a solid cattle market and profits to cow-calf producers not realized since 2015, now is a good time for ranchers to rethink their business in terms of time frame. 

As California farmers' try to battle back from extreme drought, hope is coming in the form of snow. The state's average snow water equivalent percentage of snowpack jumped from 19% on December 10 to 98% today.

Optimism that has built in feeder cattle markets in the second half of the year has been enhanced and consolidated with the fed cattle market breaking out and moving sharply higher in the last two months of the year.

Colorado State University will receive grants totaling nearly $1 million to study ways to reduce the risk of feedlot heart disease (FHD), a disease which has increased in recent years.

Cash bids were scarce last week with packers facing shortened slaughter schedules the next two weeks. Cash prices were $2 lower in all regions.

Alfalfa is the third-highest crop for economic returns in the U.S. and is a feed source for that can reduce the need for costly nutritional supplements when cattle are primarily feed other types of diets.

APHIS is providing more than $200,000 dollars in Farm Bill funding to support developing movement decision criteria for sheep and cattle grazing public land allotments during a potential foreign animal disease outbreak.

Through genetic potential, sensors from the environment, and actual practices, producers can predict when an animal is going to be finished or when the animal is going to be optimum in its marketing.

To improve efficiency of cow-calf operations, it is imperative to identify cattle and maintain accurate production records. Freeze branding is relatively stress-free and causes little or no damage to the hide.

Incorporating Brahman genetics into cattle herds amid changing environmental temperatures in the southwest has one Texas A&M AgriLife team researching the physiological differences to enhance beef quality.

Cattle feeders found softer demand from packers last week, resulting in a $2 per cwt. decline in cash prices. Holiday slaughter schedules the next couple of weeks will likely prevent any price gains until the new year.

December has started off on a high note in the fed cattle sector and all of us on the cattle side of the supply chain should be made well aware of what’s ahead in 2022.

Marie and Glen Nader’s Witcher Creek Ranch in Modoc County has been selected as the recipient of the 2021 California Leopold Conservation Award®.

​Low Carbon Beef, LLC, a cattle certification program that enables cattlemen to earn premiums by reducing carbon emissions, announced it has secured approval as a USDA Process Verified Program Service Provider.

The effect of winter weather in terms of frost damage to cattle and calves was less of a problem than expected, according to a survey of producers, veterinarians and feedlots conducted by Oklahoma State University.

Researchers at Purdue University successfully developed an on-site BRD test that provides results within an hour. The team has steadily advanced the point-of-care technology to address the disease.

The Franken-burger is coming, and we must act now to protect consumer confidence and ensure a level playing field, says TSCRA president Hughes Abell, Austin, Texas.

At the end of November, 69 percent of the U.S. was abnormally dry or worse with over 53 percent in some degree of drought. This could result in another severe round of cow liquidation in the first half of next year. 

Higher prices for cash fed cattle has helped cattle feeders gain currentness and improve their market leverage over the past four weeks.

Many livestock operations harvested drought-affected crops, annual small-grains or other alternative forages this year. Those drought-stressed forages can be high in nitrates and cause toxicity issues in cattle.

Understanding and valuing genetic data can present a daunting task to seedstock and commercial producers. Panelists were asked to describe how they use genetic data to navigate breeding decisions and market cattle.

Mature Weight (MW) is moderate in heritability (35%) meaning response to selection pressure to downsize cows can be accomplished more effectively. Most beef cattle registries calculate MW EPDs. 

Packers have margin to spread back upstream to the feedlot sector at their discretion, and it appears that their need to fulfill orders for high-quality product for upcoming holidays is likely a motivating factor.

Cattle feeders saw average profit margins exceed $200 per head last week while pork producers found losses of $44 per head, according to the Sterling Profit Trackers.

Making efficient use of harvested hay continues to represent “low-hanging fruit” in both seedstock and commercial cattle operations.

The highest quality vaccine that producers purchase may be of little value if not handled and stored properly.  Don't overlook key principles when preparing and administering vaccines and other animal health products.

Budgets for growing calves at higher rates of gain always have a lower cost per pound gain, and this year budgets for growing heifers have the most profitable projection.

The recent breakout of fed cattle prices after struggling under the weight of beef packer capacity constraints clears the way for cattle markets to move forward with the optimism that has been building in recent months.

When nearly 300,000 Oklahoma acres burned in April of 2018, Terry Burleson found himself caught in the wind-driven flames. His escape is nothing short of a miracle.

After John Moody was ran over by his tractor in March, USPS mail carrier Allen Dix made a life-saving delivery that went above and beyond his job. Dix received the USPS Hero Award for his remarkable rural route rescue.

The week before a holiday is not usually ideal for pushing the market higher, but last week proved to be just the right combination to support a rally.

Cattle prices are higher now compared to last year and are expected to continue improving in 2022.  Live and Feeder futures have priced in considerable optimism for 2022.

Market leverage continues to move toward the cattle feeder as prices rose for the third consecutive week. Cattle on feed numbers were slightly lower while placements and marketings were near industry estimates.

Setting stocking rates on wheat pasture in the fall and winter has large impacts on performance of growing calves and can have large influences on productivity of pastures during the spring.

Warren County, Missouri, has been selected by American Foods Group (AFG) as the planned location for a new state-of-the-art beef processing facility, pending final approval.

Genetics solutions exist to achieve superior feed efficiency and superior carcass quality. Both are relevant to profitability in cattle production.

The fall feeder run is in full swing with calf prices moving counter-seasonally higher. It is typical for the middle two weeks of November to have the largest weekly auction totals for the year.

The cash fed cattle market found its way higher again last week, with four or more packers in the market all fighting for cattle every week for the first time in two years. 

The rally in cash fed cattle prices continued this week with packers searching for inventory and bidding higher money. Cattle feeders have some leverage for the first time in a long time.

Adding seaweed to animal feed to reduce methane gas released into the atmosphere by ruminants' is a relatively new idea. Early laboratory research at IGFS has shown promising results using native Irish and UK seaweeds.

All parties upstream of the packing sector are elated, and likely relieved, to see the price break free from the furrow between $120 and $125/cwt that the fed cattle trade had been digging for 19 weeks.

Reproductive efficiency is highly correlated to nutrition. The target Body Condition Score going into calving season is 5.5 for the mature cow and 6 for first calf heifers.

The Meat Institute says the revised Fischer/Grassley bill proposed in the Senate ignores the analysis of beef and cattle markets by the country’s leading agricultural economists.