Latest News From BEEF

John Deere Expands W200 Windrower Series Lineup
John Deere Expands W200 Windrower Series Lineup

Joh Deere's new high-horsepower windrower model helps improve productivity and efficiency.

How Much Water do Cows Really Need During Cold Weather?
How Much Water do Cows Really Need During Cold Weather?

Dehydration is an added stress for cows in cold weather. Help cows deal with winter stress and maintain their body condition by ensuring they have adequate water.

Breedr App Launches in the U.S.
Breedr App Launches in the U.S.

Combining individual animal data with AI insights generated from millions of cattle, the company provides tailored feedback to help each partner in the chain optimize their own production.

CAB Insider: Quality Grades Diverge
CAB Insider: Quality Grades Diverge

Extreme January weather conditions impacting a large portion of cattle feeding regions have been widely impactful to cattle feeders and the beef supply chain.

Profit Tracker: Packer Margins Erode as Feeders Tread Water
Profit Tracker: Packer Margins Erode as Feeders Tread Water

Improving prices for live cattle helped boost cattle feeding margins to near breakeven, but higher bids pushed beef packer margins deeper into the red. Pork producers also found improved margins but remain in the red.

Nevil Speer
Speer: The LRP Horse Is Definitely NOT Dead

Do cattle producers have the narrative correct regarding the impact of LRP? Some assumptions may be completely disconnected. Let’s revisit this still-kicking horse.

Feedlot Cattle Health Summits Scheduled for Scott City, KS, and Kearney, NE
Feedlot Cattle Health Summits Scheduled for Scott City, KS, and Kearney, NE

Production Animal Consultation (PAC) will host two beef industry summits in April, allowing people from the beef industry to gather and exchange ideas.

Antler Madness: Deer Shed Thieves Poach Farmland, Private Property
Antler Madness: Deer Shed Thieves Poach Farmland, Private Property

Lust or greed, trespassers are drawn to farmland by deer sheds. Private property is no barrier to a shed thief.

BT_Calving
When to Assist with Calving

Deciding when to offer assistance for a calving cow is a judgment call and good judgement is the result of experience. Here are tips to help make the determination.

Humane Euthanasia of Cattle
Humane Euthanasia of Cattle

Euthanasia of an animal that is suffering from irreversible disease or injury is a primary responsibility for cattle producers and veterinarians.

Peel: Planned and Impulse Heifer Breeding
Peel: Planned and Impulse Heifer Breeding

Statistically, impulse heifer breeding is about 80 percent more variable than planned heifer breeding. Therefore, impulse heifer breeding plays an important role in the dynamics of cattle cycles.

Mackey: A Good Win for Cattle Feeders
Mackey: A Good Win for Cattle Feeders

Calling the packers’ bluff, cattle feeders held out for higher bids and were rewarded with the highest prices in over three months.

New Methane Digester Complete at Tri-Cross Dairy, Begins Supplying RNG
New Methane Digester Complete at Tri-Cross Dairy, Begins Supplying RNG

Tri-Cross Dairy has recently completed a new renewable natural gas (RNG) production facility with Clean Energy and is expected to supply 1 million gallons of negative carbon-intensity RNG annually.

Getting Implant Application Correct
Getting Implant Application Correct

When used correctly, growth-promoting implants can increase ADG by 20% in growing cattle. With a 100-day feeding period, 48 lbs. more of liveweight could mean $40 to $50 per head more, depending on the price slide

BT_Feedlot_Steers
Markets: Fed Cattle Rally as Cowboys Hold ‘Em

Fed cattle broke through $180 barrier this week, establishing the highest prices since the week ending November 3 and cattle feeders continue to gaining leverage.

John Nalivka
Nalivka: Cattle Numbers Lowest in 73 years - the Glaring Headlines

The beef market has become increasingly dependent on consumer demand – consumers who are both willing and able to continue purchasing beef at higher prices.

BVDV-Resistant Calf Created Through Gene Editing
BVDV-Resistant Calf Created Through Gene Editing

Gene editing has been used experimentally to produce polled calves and calves with lighter-colored haircoats. Now, USDA researchers, have produced a calf with reduced susceptibility to bovine viral diarrhea virus.

NASDA Urges Federal Support for State Meat Inspection Programs
NASDA Urges Federal Support for State Meat Inspection Programs

NASDA members urge Congress to require USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service to provide at least 50% funding match to state departments of agriculture to ensure the viability of state meat and poultry inspection.

NASDA Supports Access to Approved Vaccine Technologies
NASDA Supports Access to Approved Vaccine Technologies

NASDA supports farmers and ranchers’ ability to safeguard animal health through the responsible use of vaccines.

Nevil Speer
Speer: Let's Beat the LRP Horse Again

Yes, another column about the LRP… because it’s an important risk management tool, it’s misunderstood, and…this horse ain’t dead yet.

Profit Tracker: Packers Join Feeders in the Red
Profit Tracker: Packers Join Feeders in the Red

Improving prices for live cattle helped boost cattle feeding margins but the higher bids and lower wholesale beef prices turned packer margins negative. Pork producers also found improved margins but remain in the red.

Pork Export Value Sets Record; Strong Finish for Beef Exports
Pork Export Value Sets Record; Strong Finish for Beef Exports

December pork exports climbed nearly 10% from a year ago while December beef exports were the largest since August and December export value increased 10% year-over-year.

2024 Top Producer Of The Year Christine Hamilton: Driven For Excellence
2024 Top Producer Of The Year Christine Hamilton: Driven For Excellence

At Christiansen Land and Cattle, they’re committed to excellence and continuous improvement, a mindset that started when Christine Hamilton’s family homesteaded in South Dakota in 1891.

Society for Range Management Draws Over 1,600 to Annual Meeting
Society for Range Management Draws Over 1,600 to Annual Meeting

“Change on the Range” was the theme for the Society for Range Management’s (SRM) 77th Annual Meeting in Sparks, Nevada last week.

Monitor Cow Condition During Weather Stress
Monitor Cow Condition During Weather Stress

Melting snow has created special challenges for beef cattle producers and monitoring the body condition of gestating cows during times of cold stress becomes critical for calving and rebreeding.

Finding Direction: Advice for Developing a Marketing Program for Crossbred Calves
Finding Direction: Advice for Developing a Marketing Program for Crossbred Calves

This week’s podcast episode highlights the importance of having direction and the impact it has on profitability and the ability of an operation to be passed down from generation to generation.

Identifying The Right Bull for Your Operation
Identifying The Right Bull for Your Operation

Whether you are buying out of a live auction or private treaty it is critical to access your own unique operation in order to determine the attributes your next bull needs to add value to the calf crop he will sire.

Merck Introduces Allflex CleanVax Nozzles and Shields for Intranasal Vaccination
Merck Introduces Allflex CleanVax Nozzles and Shields for Intranasal Vaccination

The CleanVax intranasal vaccination system includes shorter nozzles that are less invasive than conventional cannulas, as well as clear plastic disposable shields that can be replaced between animals.

Nevil Speer
Speer: Data, Facts, And Logic

Inspiration for Speer’s latest column came from a rancher who stopped in the middle of feeding cattle to share his thoughts from inside his tractor.

Tips for Dealing with Wet, Muddy Feedlot Conditions
Tips for Dealing with Wet, Muddy Feedlot Conditions

Following last month's blizzard, warmer temperatures and recent rains have created muddy feedlot conditions that present challenges for cattle and cowboys. Nebraska extension offers these strategies to cope.

What Are the Financial Implications of Debt-financed Heifer Purchases??
What Are the Financial Implications of Debt-financed Heifer Purchases??

With improved soil moisture and ponds refilled, cow-calf producers are looking to restock drought-diminished herds. However, there are reasons for caution before jumping into the heifer replacement market.

US Justice Department Probing ADM Accounting Practices
US Justice Department Probing ADM Accounting Practices

According to two sources, in recent days the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York has interviewed former ADM employees, ramping up pressure on the global commodities giant.

Wyoming Rancher Mark Eisele Becomes New NCBA President
Wyoming Rancher Mark Eisele Becomes New NCBA President

Mark Eisele's focus during his time as president is to advocate for opportunities to strengthen the industry for future generations and for producers' freedom to operate.

U.S. Cattle Inventory Reaches 73 Year Low
U.S. Cattle Inventory Reaches 73 Year Low

The January 1, 2024, beef cow herd inventory was 28.22 million head, down 2.5 percent year over year and a decrease of 3.47 million head or 10.9 percent lower, from the cyclical peak in 2019.

Companies Partner to Launch Single-Application Horn Fly Control Bolus
Companies Partner to Launch Single-Application Horn Fly Control Bolus

To give cattle producers more flexibility and convenience in their fly control program, Cargill has partnered with Central Life Sciences to develop a feed-through fly control bolus containing Altosid IGR.

Two Legacy Companies Form Novonesis
Two Legacy Companies Form Novonesis

Novozymes and Chr. Hansen have successfully merged. As Novonesis, the new company will provide biosolutions.

Markets: Cash Prices Bounce Higher as Bulls Return to Futures
Markets: Cash Prices Bounce Higher as Bulls Return to Futures

Bullish traders showed their hand at the CME pushing April LC to a three-month high and helping spur a solid rally in cash cattle markets. Inventory report confirms tight supplies will remain for the near future.

Register Today: Managing mud in feedlots - Online Discussion Monday, Feb. 5 at Noon (CST)
Register Today: Managing mud in feedlots - Online Discussion Monday, Feb. 5 at Noon (CST)

UNL Feedlot Extension has organized an online discussion for noon (CST) Monday, Feb. 5 to talk with cattle producers about the challenges they're facing in dealing with the muddy conditions.

Pork and Beef Industries Advocate for Clear Labels for ‘Fake Meat’
Pork and Beef Industries Advocate for Clear Labels for ‘Fake Meat’

A new act aims to boost transparency and clarify labeling requirements for plant-protein and cell-cultured protein products so consumers know what they are buying. Here's what you need to know.

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet: Why Economists Say Cattle Prices Will Soar Even Higher This Year
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet: Why Economists Say Cattle Prices Will Soar Even Higher This Year

Oklahoma State's Derrell Peel points out with the U.S. beef cow herd the smallest since 1961 and the all cattle inventory the lowest since 1951, it’s setting the cattle market up for higher highs.

Trace Mineral Verification Program Supports Optimal Cattle Performance
Trace Mineral Verification Program Supports Optimal Cattle Performance

One of the industry’s leading collaborations between Purina Animal Nutrition and Zinpro helps optimize cattle performance.

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Elects New Officers
Cattlemen’s Beef Board Elects New Officers

Cattle producers Andy Bishop of Kentucky, Ryan Moorhouse of Texas and Dr. Cheryl DeVuyst of Oklahoma are the new leaders of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB).

Family Farm Compensation: Strategies for Financial Harmony
Family Farm Compensation: Strategies for Financial Harmony

Farm family coach Elaine Froese and HR expert Lyndsay Seafoot unpack why fair pay matters, how to structure wages, who to pay and how to shift limiting money mindsets.

Nevil Speer
Speer: Conquering Resistance

Often the most important key to being successful is ignoring the negativity of others who want you to become stuck in the status quo.

BQA
Winners Announced of 2024 Beef Quality Assurance Awards

The National BQA Awards, funded in part by the Beef Checkoff, annually recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers and educators.

U.S. Cattle Inventory Down 2%, Beef Cows Down 2%
U.S. Cattle Inventory Down 2%, Beef Cows Down 2%

The U.S. cattle report shows all cattle and calves reported at 87.2 million head, 2% below the 88.8 million last year.

NCBA Releases 2024 Policy Priorities
NCBA Releases 2024 Policy Priorities

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) Executive Committee approved the organization’s policy priorities at the 2024 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show.

CattleCon24 Kicks Off in Sunshine State
CattleCon24 Kicks Off in Sunshine State

Thousands of cattle producers, industry partners and stakeholders have arrived in Orlando, Florida, for CattleCon24.

Merck Introduces the ALLFLEX® A-Tag™ Feedlot V2 Tag and Applicator
Merck Introduces the ALLFLEX® A-Tag™ Feedlot V2 Tag and Applicator

The redesigned tag and applicator save time and reduce stress on cattle and crews at arrival processing.

John Deere Introduces 326 P-Tier Compact Wheel Loader
John Deere Introduces 326 P-Tier Compact Wheel Loader

John Deere announces the release of its new 326 P-Tier telescopic compact wheel loader. The new telescopic loader offers 16-plus feet of reach while still being compact enough to work in barns or other tight spaces.