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AMS Listening Session for Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program
AMS Listening Session for Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will host a cattle industry listening session to inform the development of a Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program on Thursday, April 21.

Merck Animal Health Introduces Herd Health Tool and Feedlot Diseases App
Merck Animal Health Introduces Herd Health Tool and Feedlot Diseases App

Merck Animal Health has introduced two new tools to bring important cattle health information to cattle producers’ fingertips.

The Butcher Shop, Colombia’s Essential Meat Market Asset
The Butcher Shop, Colombia’s Essential Meat Market Asset

Colombia is a robust market for U.S. pork and beef imports. USMEF’s Don Mason describes how butcher shops have been instrumental in providing high quality meat to consumers.

Could Industrialized Hemp Have ‘High’ Potential in Low-Stress Cattle Production?
Could Industrialized Hemp Have ‘High’ Potential in Low-Stress Cattle Production?

Feeding cattle industrial hemp may reduce stress levels and increase the time cattle lie down, Kansas State University researchers found in a recent study.

Ranchers Now Faced With Difficult Decisions As Drought and Wildfires Wage War on the Plains
Ranchers Now Faced With Difficult Decisions As Drought and Wildfires Wage War on the Plains

High winds and eerily dry conditions across Kansas and the Southern Plains have created what’s been a battleground for continuous wildfires this year, as the fires are robbing some ranchers of vital grass.

Taking the 'Crazy' Out of Ranching
Taking the 'Crazy' Out of Ranching

Rancher Larry Chamberlain describes how he manages his herd of 250 mother cows on Wyoming’s weather-worn plains.

Peel: Global Beef Update - Imports
Peel: Global Beef Update - Imports

China/Hong Kong continues to grow as the largest beef importer in the world.  Beef imports into China/HK are forecast to increase in 2022 and account for over 35 percent of global beef imports. 

Hulett: Cash Turns Slightly Higher
Hulett: Cash Turns Slightly Higher

The tightest market-ready fed cattle supplies of the season in the North are helping to push prices higher for most feedyards.

John Phipps: This Is Your Brain On Inflation
John Phipps: This Is Your Brain On Inflation

Decision making changes during periods of inflation. If the historic inflation continues, knowing how inflation impacts decision making will help you make better choices, and your plans will be more likely to succeed.

New Zealand Company Offers Net Carbon Zero Angus Beef
New Zealand Company Offers Net Carbon Zero Angus Beef

Capitalizing on growing demand for products that are more environmentally “friendly,” a New Zealand company began offering USDA-approved Net Carbon Zero Angus beef in the U.S. in March.

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Estrus Synchronization and Artificial Insemination in Beef Cows

For an estrus synchronization program to be effectively implemented it needs to be well planned.  Several best management practices should be kept in mind if you are considering heat synchronization. 

Managing Shrink of Calves Coming Off Wheat Pasture
Managing Shrink of Calves Coming Off Wheat Pasture

Cattlemen are constantly searching for more information on shrinkage of cattle through the marketing channels. Generally, the amount of shrink varies with the type of feed cattle are on before penning and transport.

The Steak That Changed It All, One Rancher’s Belief in the Wagyu Breed
The Steak That Changed It All, One Rancher’s Belief in the Wagyu Breed

“I’d never tasted anything that good in my life,” says Don Brown, president of Triangle B Ranch Inc. near Stigler, Okla. His idea of beef all changed when he enjoyed his first Wagyu steak.

JBS USA Gives $700,000 to Nebraska Feedlot Innovation Center
JBS USA Gives $700,000 to Nebraska Feedlot Innovation Center

JBS USA has made a gift of $700,000 to the University of Nebraska Foundation to support the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and its plans for a new Feedlot Innovation Center near Mead.

A Lasting Legacy - Ken Holloway 1944 - 2022
A Lasting Legacy - Ken Holloway 1944 - 2022

Ken Holloway, Coyote Hills Ranch, Chattanooga, OK, passed away April 3, 2022. He was a dedicated Limousin breeder and founder of American Cattle Services a cattle marketing and promotion service for breeders.

American Breeds Provide Selection Indexes for Beef Producers
American Breeds Provide Selection Indexes for Beef Producers

Dr. Kari White, Neogen genetic evaluation specialist, explains the importance of understanding the benefits and consequences of selection indexes.

Food at Home Prices Shot Up 10% — and American Shoppers are Willing to Fork Over the Extra Cash
Food at Home Prices Shot Up 10% — and American Shoppers are Willing to Fork Over the Extra Cash

Food prices continue to climb across the board. According to the latest Consumer Price Index, increasing grocery prices account for the largest share of the hike. However, shoppers don't view prices as high.

Invasive Jumping Worm Thrashes Into 14 Midwest States
Invasive Jumping Worm Thrashes Into 14 Midwest States

The invasive, jumping worm makes its way through 14 states in the Midwest, disturbing native soil and plant species and causing an infestation with only one worm.

CAB Insider: Will the Prime Market Heat Up?
CAB Insider: Will the Prime Market Heat Up?

The coming weeks should fuel interest in high-quality beef cuts for grilling. As the share of harvest-ready calf-feds grows in the fed cattle supply, we anticipate seasonally lower quality grade trends.

Pankey Ranch Receives Colorado Leopold Conservation Award
Pankey Ranch Receives Colorado Leopold Conservation Award

Pankey Ranch, Moffat and Routt counties, has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award®.

CEOs of Four Large U.S. Meatpackers to Testify in Congressional Hearing
CEOs of Four Large U.S. Meatpackers to Testify in Congressional Hearing

The chief executives of U.S. meatpackers Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS and National Beef Packing have agreed to testify at a Congressional hearing discussing cattle markets and price increases for consumers.

Counting Cows: Drought, Costs Will Drive Further Reductions
Counting Cows: Drought, Costs Will Drive Further Reductions

With spring upon us and drought persists, liquidation puts the industry on track to reduce the nation’s cowherd back near 2014 levels, which was the smallest beef cowherd since 1952.

Partnership Will Help Conserve Grasslands and Wildlife Species
Partnership Will Help Conserve Grasslands and Wildlife Species

Up to $5 million in funding will be provided to bring financial and technical resources to ranchers in the Southern Great Plains to improve grassland management and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

More Than A Neighbor - Heather Donley
More Than A Neighbor - Heather Donley

Heather Donley’s relationships with some of the largest beef customers in the nation and extensive beef cattle knowledge made her uniquely qualified to serve on the KBC Executive Committee.

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JBS Faces Lawsuit for Contract Breach of Arkansas Pig Farm

Frequently appearing in antitrust allegations of price fixation, JBS faces lawsuit by Arkansas pig farmer for breaching pig production contract and failing to pay for animals.

Profit Tracker: Cattle, Hog Margins Near Steady
Profit Tracker: Cattle, Hog Margins Near Steady

Both cattle and hog finishing estimated margins were positive last week despite rising feed costs across both enterprises. Cattle slaughter totals increased while hog processing numbers were near steady.

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NEOGEN Launches Prozap® Protectus Pour-On Insecticide – IGR

Unique combination of active ingredients in Prozap Protectus provides beef producers a triple-action option for insect control.

4 Tips to Include Bovine In Vitro Fertilization into Breeding Season
4 Tips to Include Bovine In Vitro Fertilization into Breeding Season

The speed of genetic progress by quickly multiplying offspring from elite performing animals and shortening generation intervals through reproductive efficiency can be improved exponentially using four basic IVF tips.

John Phipps: The Truth Behind the Numbers in Calculating Agriculture's Trade Balance
John Phipps: The Truth Behind the Numbers in Calculating Agriculture's Trade Balance

John Phipps says positive or negative, any trade balance has dubious value, and only limited prediction power. Other than bragging rights, they mean little with no economic advantage for having a positive trade balance.

NCBA Renews Call for Suspension of Brazilian Beef Imports
NCBA Renews Call for Suspension of Brazilian Beef Imports

Renewing its call for the immediate suspension of fresh beef imports from Brazil, NCBA also asks for a thorough audit of Brazil’s animal health and food safety system, to ensure the safety of the U.S. cattle herd.

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Imported Meat Faces Lockdown Hurdles in China’s Largest City

What happens to meat imports when the largest city in China is under lockdown? USMEF’s Joel Haggard explains.

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North Dakota Rancher Braces For Crippling Blizzard That Could Be Catastrophic During Calving Season

Central North Dakota seems to be the bullseye for the blizzard, with forecasts showing that area could see more than two feet of snow, along with winds that could cause white-out conditions.

Nalivka: Tracking Beef Cow Slaughter
Nalivka: Tracking Beef Cow Slaughter

Through the week ending March 26th, beef cow slaughter year-to-date is 16% higher than a year earlier and the highest since 1986, and we're on pace to slaughter 12.3% of the cowherd.

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Global Beef Update: Exporters

Global beef production is projected to expand in 2022 with increased production in Brazil, China, India, Australia and Mexico offsetting decreased production in the U.S., Canada, the European Union (E.U.) and Argentina.

Probiotics May Pose Risks to Animal and Human Health
Probiotics May Pose Risks to Animal and Human Health

Probiotics may not be as beneficial for animal and human health as people think, according to recently published research at Kansas State University. Here's why.

House Ag Panel Invites Top Five Meat Processor CEOs to Late April Hearing
House Ag Panel Invites Top Five Meat Processor CEOs to Late April Hearing

The House Ag Committee has requested CEOs from the top five meat packers to testify on April 27. The panel will take “other measures” if the CEOs say they will not attend.

Hulett: The Struggle Continues
Hulett: The Struggle Continues

Cattle feeders in the South sold cattle throughout the week at steady money while feeders in the North pushed their market a little higher by week's end.

Walmart Will Now Pay Starting Truck Drivers $110,000, Could It Backfire and Make the Nationwide Trucker Shortage Even Worse?
Walmart Will Now Pay Starting Truck Drivers $110,000, Could It Backfire and Make the Nationwide Trucker Shortage Even Worse?

Increased regulation and the search for better work-life balance are two factors leading to a shortage of truck drivers in the U.S. Walmart is now increasing the starting salary for drivers to try to attract new people.

Study Aims to Facilitate Traceability During Foodborne Outbreak Investigations
Study Aims to Facilitate Traceability During Foodborne Outbreak Investigations

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) aims to enhance tracing of E. coli O157:H7 back to its source during a foodborne outbreak by studying how the DNA of this bacterium gradually evolves within its natural environment. 

FSIS Asked to Recall Beef Over Failed Antibiotic Tests
FSIS Asked to Recall Beef Over Failed Antibiotic Tests

Groups are calling on USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service to recall any antibioitic-positive beef that was destined for USDA-approved "raised without antibiotics" labeling programs.

Beef Fails Antibiotic-Free Test in New Study
Beef Fails Antibiotic-Free Test in New Study

A substantial portion of beef advertised as “raised without antibiotics” may, in fact, contain antibiotics, according to research by George Washington University published in Science Magazine.

NCBA Endorses Bipartisan A-PLUS Act
NCBA Endorses Bipartisan A-PLUS Act

If enacted, the bill would clarify regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act to allow livestock market owners to maintain an ownership interest in small meatpacking entities.

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Grassley Expects Hearing on Cattle Market Reform Bill

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he is “confident” the Senate Agriculture Committee will conduct a hearing on the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2022 introduced last week.

Phosphorus Supplements May Not be Needed for Heifers
Phosphorus Supplements May Not be Needed for Heifers

Cattle grazing pastures with high soil-test phosphorus may be getting enough of the nutrient from the grass to eliminate the need for a phosphorus feed additive.

A Focus on Soil Health Boosts Bottom Line
A Focus on Soil Health Boosts Bottom Line

Land is the common ground on which all other resources thrive. That’s why monitoring, managing and maintaining soil health is key to productivity and, ultimately, profitability on the ranch.

Managing Replacement Heifers - Reproductive Tract Scoring
Managing Replacement Heifers - Reproductive Tract Scoring

Reproductive Tract Scoring (RTS) is a management tool cow-calf producers can use to help predict reproductive performance of yearling heifers.

Beef Export Demand Soars, Pork Exports Decline
Beef Export Demand Soars, Pork Exports Decline

Global demand for high-quality U.S. beef, pork and lamb has proven resilient, and USMEF sees opportunities for further growth in both established and emerging markets.

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European Union Considers Applying EU Standards On All Agricultural Imports

The European Union considers applying their health and environmental standards to all imported agricultural and food products. USMEF’s Cheyenne McEndaffer expresses her opposition of the idea.

Profit Tracker: Cattle Feeding Margins Improve
Profit Tracker: Cattle Feeding Margins Improve

Average cattle feeding margins improved the final week of March, while average farrow-to-finish hog margins declined modestly.

Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle
Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle

Feed is a major cost input for all segments of beef production. Feed efficiency is always a primary determinant of profitability, but when feed costs are high, it becomes even more important.