Opinion
In previous cycles, record prices signaled immediate expansion. Today, crushing opportunity costs, operating debt and market uncertainty tell a very different story.
For beef-on-dairy calves, weaning is more than the removal of milk. It is the first commercial test of the feeding program, and the results should be measured beyond weaning day.
Great leadership isn’t about issuing commands; it’s about understanding how your team processes information, creating space for ownership, and establishing freedom within clear guardrails.
With damage mimicking drought stress and nutrient deficiency, Texas producers must combine aggressive scouting, biomass reduction and newly approved treatments to salvage pastureland.
Unhedged feedlot closeouts are posting their steepest losses in years, but tight supplies and resilient consumer beef demand paint a very different picture from the 2015–16 crash.
A beef-on-dairy calf is not simply a dairy calf that happens to enter the beef chain. Its early nutrition should prepare it for the production system that comes next.
First published in 2001, John Nalivka’s analysis shows why mandatory origin labeling threatens consumer demand, ignores grinding beef economics, and invites unintended regulatory burdens.
Why cattle producers should care about what happens between the ranch and the consumer.
We can’t control when it rains on Colorado’s Eastern Plains, but pairing a disciplined drought plan with virtual fencing has allowed us to double our pasture rest and protect our grass.
High beef prices stem from basic supply and demand—not market failure. Government intervention will only stall the recovery.
Tight cow numbers, softening demand and stubborn labor shortages define this year’s beef landscape. The next decade will reward producers who pair better data with better genetics — and never lose sight of the consumer.
Beef-on-dairy calves arrive carrying the consequences of the dairy’s sire-selection policy. I sort them for what they are, not what the invoice says.
Traditional benchmarks fall short for Angus × Holstein crosses. To unlock their true feedlot potential, nutritionists must treat these animals as an entirely unique biological type.
For generations, Texas cattle raisers have balanced livestock production with wildlife conservation, but many warn that federal overreach is creating a “disincentive” for good stewardship.
While other options are on the table to adjust beef prices, consumer demand should continue to be the driver.
As cattle prices hit record highs, the U.S. beef industry faces a dual threat: the return of the New World screwworm and a radical Oregon ballot initiative that could criminalize standard animal husbandry.
Despite record-low herd levels and climbing prices, the 2026 grilling season kicks off with beef outpacing chicken and pork in the meat case.
Fire up the grill this Memorial Day weekend to celebrate the unofficial kickoff to summer and the culmination of National Beef Month.
As beef prices surge 14% higher than last year’s records, market analysts and cattlemen weigh the impact of shifting demographics and the looming threat of government intervention.
Iowa Cattlemen’s Association President Craig Moss argues that current CRP policies stifle land access for livestock, calling for managed grazing to help rebuild the national cattle inventory.
While plant-based alternatives once dominated headlines, new research shows a decline in vegetarianism and a surge in consumer willingness to pay for nutrient-dense beef.
The state-of-the-art facility marks a new era for Idaho’s 100% job-placement meat science program, bridging the gap between academic research and industry needs.
With tight supplies and strong consume demand for beef today, artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape how producers manage each animal.
FFA helps young people open doors, build lifelong networks and prepare them for future success.
The beef industry has evolved and consequently, so are the drivers to the industry’s economics.
2026 will be a year of beef demand shifting not disappearing.
In 2026, imports decide how painful the grind gets, exports decide whether the carcass pencils, and policy decides how fast everything can change.
2026 is not the year the cattle cycle “fixes itself.” It is the year the industry learns how to ration a smaller supply base without blowing itself up.
As the beef industry descends on Music City this week, the Farm Journal team is on location to separate the noise from the news and bring you the insights that can impact your bottom line.
New state-of-the-art facilities welcome 2026 NWSS exhibitors and spectators.