Cowmen

Party in the Pasture: Tickets On Sale Now for the Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska

Fri, 08 May 2026 13:07:15 GMT

If Cozad, Neb., cattlewoman Linda Benjamin has her way, her grandchildren or great-grandchildren won’t ever have to worry about a cancer diagnosis.

“If everybody gets together and we work really hard on this, we’re going to beat this,” says Benjamin. She, her husband, Howard, and their family, along with neighbors Levi and Bobbie Jo Messersmith, will host the 2026 Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska, which unites people across the agriculture industry to raise money for cancer research.

The annual event, slated for June 5 and 6, will be hosted at the Benjamin’s pasture 10 miles north of Cozad. Tickets are on sale until May 15 for the ball, which promises a good time and good beef, all in a picturesque location.

“It’s just the most beautiful site. You can see the entire valley from there,” Benjamin says.

The pasture was selected for its accessibility, off a paved road and with plenty of space for all the weekend’s activities.

Independent country music star Aaron Watson will headline the Saturday evening concert, performing his top hit singles like “Freight Train” and “Outta Style.”

The jam-packed schedule also includes a style show, golf outing, 5K run, gourmet beef meals, auctions, additional entertainment bringing together Nebraskans from across the state for fellowship, fundraising and fun.

“I hope everybody walks away with some type of ‘wow’ moment, whether it’s educational through the health care tent or beef. I just want people to come back and say, ‘I can’t believe you guys did this,’” Benjamin says.

The Cattlemen’s Ball raises vital support for the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, with 90% of proceeds directed to cancer research and 10% benefiting local health and wellness initiatives in the host community.

The Messersmiths have set a big goal fundraising but are also eager to show others what makes Cozad and the surrounding area so special.

“It’ll have that hometown feel,” Bobbie Jo says. “I want to promote the area and just our good, solid family values.”

Since its founding in 1998, the event has generated more than $20 million to advance cancer detection, treatment and care across Nebraska.

“We’re going to have a party in the pasture and we’re going to raise money for a really good cause and you don’t have to be a cattleman,” Benjamin says. “All you have to do is buy a ticket… buy a ticket and you’re going to be surprised.”

Tickets and event details are available at CattlemensBall.com .

Stopping Flies in 2026: 4 Steps to Battling These Economic Pests

Wed, 06 May 2026 14:24:43 GMT

With fly season approaching, now is the time to evaluate and refine your fly management plan for 2026.

“Every year, stable and horn flies cause significant economic losses, but a good fly control program can minimize this impact,” says Cassandra Olds, Kansas State University Extension entomologist. “Although often grouped together, these are very different flies that need different control approaches.”

Dr. Ashby Green, Neogen senior technical services veterinarian, says, “If you are seeing flies, ticks, lice or insect damage to your cattle herd, we know there is an economic impact; however, that impact can become far greater than production or weight gain loss alone. Insect pressure affects grazing patterns of cattle; it affects their comfort and it can lead to health issues. Some of those health issues can be definite, such as anaplasmosis.”

The vectors responsible for spreading anaplasmosis include horse flies, stable flies and ticks. This condition has been reported in most states across the U.S., while the disease has been recognized as endemic throughout the South and several Midwestern and Western states.

Jonathan Cammack, Oklahoma State University assistant professor and state extension specialist, says, “With horn flies, we’re looking at mastitis risk, so that’s going to impact both dairy cattle and also our cow-calf operations. A lot of times, horn flies will feed on the udders of the animals, and they transfer the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria because they land on the manure, then they go back to the animal to feed and bring those bacteria with them.”

Several other conditions are propagated by flies, including pinkeye, which can be spread by face flies and causes inflammation and ulceration of the eyes. Pinkeye-affected calves are, on average, 35 lb. to 40 lb. lighter at weaning compared to healthy calves, according to a University of Kentucky report.

Cammack predicts flies are costing the U.S. cattle industry $6 billion annually in losses.

“That encompasses everything from actual loss in production due to decreased weight gain or decreased milk production, veterinary needs associated with treatment of cattle with exposure to pathogens from some of these insects, and then also the control measures associated with managing those individual fly species,” he explains.

David Boxler, Nebraska Extension livestock entomologist, says if previous control efforts underperformed, consider adjusting your approach.
“The best control method will depend on several factors including efficacy, cost, convenience and your current herd management practices,” he summarizes.

He also reminds producers that horn flies can migrate from neighboring untreated herds, masking the effectiveness of your efforts and increasing fly pressure. For this reason, Boxler recommends a comprehensive, integrated fly control.

Olds shares these tips for stopping flies, or at least reducing their impact:

Step 1: Know What You Have

“The first step in developing a good fly control program is knowing who you have,” Olds explains.

(Kansas State University)

Horn flies feed 20 to 30 times a day and stay associated with their chosen animal 24/7, with females only leaving briefly to lay eggs. Stable flies in contrast only feed once or twice a day, remaining on the host for a short period of time (3 to 5 minutes).

When not feeding, flies are resting in shaded areas such as building sides and vegetation. This short feeding time means producers often underestimate their stable fly burdens. While both flies affect pastured cattle, horn flies are not a problem in confined settings such as dairies and feedlots. This is because horn flies need fresh, undisturbed manure as a breeding site while stable flies can develop in any decaying plant matter such as hay bales, feed bunk spill over and decaying grass.

“Their populations can build rapidly and often exceed the economic injury level defined as 200 flies per animal,” Boxler adds about horn flies. “Once fly numbers surpass this threshold, cattle experience reduced weight gain and milk production due to fly-induced stress and altered grazing behavior.”

Step 2: Reduce Populations

Olds explains with either fly species, using non-insecticidal control methods is essential for slowing insecticide resistance. For horn flies, pasture burning in spring kills any flies overwintering, which can significantly reduce fly populations emerging as weather warms. A healthy dung beetle population will also significantly reduce your fly numbers for free.

“Dung beetles are very susceptible to macrocyclic lactones so avoid using injectable and pour-on avermectins (abamectin, eprinomectin, ivermectin etc.),” Olds says.
Because horn flies die within hours of being removed from cattle, non-chemical walk-through traps can be effective if animals pass through it regularly.

Step 3: Eliminate Breeding Grounds

Round hay bales result in significant wastage, which when mixed into the manure-contaminated mud around bales provides a prime breeding site for stable flies.
Olds explains each round bale can produce 200,000 stable flies.

“Reducing hay waste and spreading/drying areas around finished bales is key to reducing stable fly numbers,” she says. “In feedlots, minimizing feed spillage and waste is critical to remove breeding sites for stable and house flies.”

Parasitoid wasps are available from multiple sellers and should be released around fly breeding sites. These are very effective if released before fly populations emerge and released repeatedly through the fly season.

Be careful using insecticides if using parasitoid wasps as they are very small and sensitive to these chemicals. Keeping vegetation surrounding pen areas short and exposed will remove sheltered resting areas, making life more difficult for the flies.

Step 4: Consider Chemical Control Options

Olds stresses chemical control options should be used as a supplement not the basis of a fly control program.

(Kansas State University)

“For horn flies, insecticidal ear tags are an effective method of control if correct rotation is used,” she adds. “Rotate the chemical class of your tag annually, in year one using pyrethroid-based products, year two use organophosphate-based products and year three use macrocyclic lactone tags. Repeating this three-year cycle will reduce the selection pressure on the fly populations, slowing down the spread of resistance.”

Olds also shares these tips for effective tagging: “Tag both ears and place the tag directly into the ear. For the tag to be effective, it must come into direct contact with the animal’s skin, which is greatly reduced when daisy chained.”

Little of the tag touches the body when attached to another tag.

(Cassandra Olds, Kansas State University)

She also instructs producers not to tag young calves and adds mature bulls with thick necks might not benefit from tagging unless the tag can touch the skin.

“Although the box may label products as effective for four to five months, field trials have shown that tags only remain effective for 90 to 100 days,” Olds says. “If possible, wait until fly populations are noticeable before tagging animals to get control over peak fly activity period. After 90 days, remove the tag to reduce the risk of insecticide resistance developing.”

(Neogen)

To increase coverage, pour-ons of the same chemical class as the ear tag can be used to increase coverage.

“Be aware that a macrocyclic lactone pour-on will impact dung beetle populations,” Olds says. “Make sure animals are dosed accurately according to weight and ensure head to tail coverage. Due to their low contact time with the host and preference for the legs, topical insecticidal treatments are generally not useful against stable flies.”

Spraying the legs can provide some relief, although it should be used sparingly as most sprays are pyrethroid-based, not allowing for effective annual rotation. Baits and premise sprays can be useful in controlling both house and stable flies, look for areas where flies are found resting such as building walls, fence posts and inside sheds and shelters.

Another option is feed through insect growth regulators (IGRs) to control horn fly. Olds says it is important cattle consume the correct amount, which can be difficult under free-choice conditions.

“Under-dosing will result in resistance developing over time, reducing product efficacy,” she says. “Although labeled for stable fly control also, when manure containing the IGR is diluted in the mud and hay, it is no longer effective.”

Often marketed as dung beetle safe, Olds says evaluations of these claims in most species have not been carried out, and their true impact remains unknown.

“Insecticide resistance to IGRs can and does happen; to slow this, rotate annually between Methoprene-based (Group 7A) and diflubenzuron-based products (Group 15),” she adds.

The Veterinary Entomology website , veterinaryentomology.org/vetpestx, provides a searchable database that can help producers select the right products. Producers can select from type of animal, insect and application method.

“For on-animal use, select the best product to allow an annual rotation between pyrethroid (Group 3A), organophosphate (Group 1B) and macrocyclic lactone (Group 6) groups,” Olds says.

Green also recommends using a multi-pronged approach to insect control. He says fly tags, IGR products, pour-ons, back rubbers and dust bags can help diminish the population.

“Both back rubbers and dust bags can be highly effective if managed correctly,” Green advises. “Keep in mind, when these are put out to withstand the elements, including moisture and rain, it’s key to keep the dust fresh or the oil recharged in your back rubbers. Otherwise, they will diminish in their ability to control flies quickly.”

Cammack stresses the importance of accurate dosing by the individual animal’s weight and following label guidelines.

To best control flies and insects on cattle operations, “the easy and effective way is the best way,” Green summarizes. “It’s up to you and with the help of your veterinarian to help create that combination.”

9 Tips to Ensure Calving Season Success

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:40:40 GMT

Early preparation prevents last-minute stress during calving season. From equipment checklists to mastering observation, veterinary collaboration and proactive intervention, calving season success starts before the first calf hits the ground.

AJ Tarpoff, Kansas State extension veterinarian, encourages producers to prepare for potential calving challenges through inventory assessment, tool and supply readiness, facility checks and mindful observation.

From years of hands-on experience, cattle producer and extension educator Shad Marston from Canton, Kan., says the key to a successful calving season is: “Just being prepared so you don’t have those unexpected problems.”

Marston highlights the importance of preparing earlier than expected.

“We have to prepare, not just the time that the breeding book predicts they’re going to calve, but maybe a week or two ahead of that,” he says.

Review breeding notes and pregnancy forms in advance to identify which cows are due first. He says shorter gestations (especially with calving-ease bulls) can result in females calving a week or two early. To prepare, he separates heifers into a dedicated pen for better monitoring and exercise as calving approaches.

Marston adds another step in preparation is having contact information handy for your veterinarian and neighbors to call during emergencies.

To help mitigate the potential of calving problems, Tarpoff suggests producers make educated genetic matings.

“Use proper selection tools such as calving-ease sires on heifers,” he stresses. “We have better tools than ever — use them.”

Tarpoff and Marston share these nine tips to ensure calving season is a success:

1. Build a Reliable Calving Kit for Every Scenario.

Ensure all tools, equipment and supplies like chains, straps, gloves, lubricant and colostrum replacer are cleaned, organized and ready before calving begins. Store crucial items in a portable, easy-to-access tote.

Check out Tarpoff’s Calving Checklist:

Your Calving Prep Starts Here: The Essential Checklist

2. Prioritize Facility and Equipment Maintenance.

Inspect calving facilities and restraint tools ahead of time to make sure everything is in good repair — fix or replace anything left undone from last season before calving starts.

Tarpoff reminds producers to determine how they will restrain animals in the pasture setting.

“Whether it’s a rope, whether it’s a portable corral or whatever that might look like, is everything in good working order?”

Marston encourages producers to walk their facilities: “Are your lights working? Do your gates latch? Bedding down?”

He says cameras are also excellent if your barn connectivity allows.

“Whatever the cost, saving just one calf … would pay for a camera system,” he says.

Learn more about calving camera systems:

Is a Calving Camera System Your Next Essential Ranch Investment?

3. Cleanliness and Biosecurity Matter.

Maintain clean, segregated feeding equipment like esophageal feeders to prevent disease transmission among calves.

Tarpoff encourages producers to have two esophageal feeders — one for colostrum and one for sick calves.

4. Collaborate with Your Vet.

Have proactive conversations with your local veterinarian about regional risks, health products and intervention protocols well before calving season begins.

5. Observe Females Closely.

Watch for subtle physical and behavioral cues such as herd separation, changes in appetite, vulva swelling or locomotion changes that signal impending calving. Tarpoff suggests producers train their eyes to watch for subtle changes.

(Illustrations: Oklahoma State University)

6. Understand Intervention Timing and Have a Plan for Emergencies.

Knowing the stages of parturition is crucial for timely intervention. It is also important to have a plan so you can safely restrain and assist cows. Don’t hesitate to seek veterinary help when needed for complicated or high-risk situations.

Offering assistance is a matter of judgment and good judgment is the result of experience.

Know the “rule of an hour”: Intervene if a mature cow hasn’t made progress within one hour of the water bag breaking. For heifers, the process can take a bit longer.

“It can normally take a heifer two hours to go through the normal birthing process,” Tarpoff adds.

If you don’t know when Stage 2 began and process seems to be slow, it might warrant a vaginal exam.

He says it is important to understand when to call for extra help or veterinary support. Visual red flags to intervene immediately include: head-only presentation, head with only one leg, backward calf with hocks visible but not progressing.

When intervention becomes necessary, safety and assessment come first.

“Proper restraint is very, very important,” he says. “When it’s time to intervene, take your time and get a diagnosis of what’s missing.”

Tarpoff instructs producers to diagnose quickly and protect mom.

Marstons adds, if possible, have the cow up on her feet, restrained in a well-lit area that is safe for both you and the cow. It is much easier when both you and the cow are standing.

Start by cleaning the cow’s vulva, rectum and surrounding area, as well as your hands and arms with soap and water. Cleanliness is important.

Wear protective sleeves. Gentleness and lubrication are important.

“Hair causes an enormous amount of friction,” Tarpoff explains. “I regularly use large amounts of lubricant to reduce inflammation and swelling.”

Feel for the cervix. If not dilated it will feel as if your hand passes through or along a firm, tubular or circular structure. Once fully dilated, you should no longer feel the cervical ridge.

Can you feel the calf? A normal anterior presentation will permit you to feel the calf’s feet and nose with the spine of the calf resting just under the cow’s spine. If the presentation is normal and the water bag is still intact around the calf, you can allow up to an hour to permit the cow to calve unassisted. If the water bag has broken and the cervix is fully dilated, the calf needs to be delivered sooner.

If you detect an abnormal presentation, encounter something that doesn’t feel right or a situation you can’t manage, you will need to contact a veterinarian for assistance.

Tarpoff tells producers if they are not making progress correcting the scenario in a half hour, it is time to call for help.

“The earlier, the better outcome for the cow, the better outcome for the calf,” he says.

Tarpoff reminds producers if a calf is not breathing not to hang it by the legs; instead, place it upright, clear mucus from nose/mouth and stimulate.

“It’s the physical stimulation that tells the brain it’s time to start breathing,” he says.

Tarpoff also suggests using the Madigan squeeze for non-thrifty or “dummy” calves. He says the procedure is an option within 48 hours of birth that can “pop” some calves into normal vigor.

7. Minimize Environmental Stress.

Be proactive about shelter, windbreaks and bedding to protect calves from wind, moisture and cold. Remember that wet, windy conditions can be just as dangerous as extreme cold.

“During the winter, our No. 1 thing that robs heat is wind and moisture,” Tarpoff says, “so if we have a nice wind protection or a windbreak, calves can stay comfortable.”

Body temperature matters more than outdoor temperatures.

“Once you get below 100°F internal body temperature, that begins the stages of hypothermia,” he explains. “Once we get into the mid 90s, we see blood shunting from the extremities, leading to frost bit ears or tails.”

He says outside temperature can be a poor indicator.

“Forty to 50°F and rain can cause hypothermia quicker than 17°F and dry,” he says.

Warming options range from calf warmers/hot boxes to safe heat-lamp setups (non-sparking units) to improvised pickup-floor “heat box” arrangements. Warm-water immersion can work but must be done carefully.

Tarpoff instructs to start with lukewarm water then gradually increase toward 101°F to 102°F. It is important to disinfect bathrooms thoroughly after use to protect families from pathogens.

8. Prioritize Nutrition.

Ensure cows are in proper body condition, not too thin or obese, to promote easier calving and healthy, vigorous calves.

Marston says feeding strategy can help shift calving to daylight. Feeding late at night can concentrate births in early morning.

“I feed in the evenings … open the gate later … they want to eat,” he says. “Then, once they get full, they lay down and have a calf … a lot of the time, it’s six, seven o’clock in the morning.”

Read more about the importance of nutrition prior to and post calving:

3 Nutritional Questions to Consider Prior to Calving

Does Supplementing Bred Heifers Increase Calving Difficulty?

Feeding at Dusk: How Does This Affect Calving Times?

From Calving to Conception: Nutrition Strategies to Keep Cows on Track

9. Don’t Forget the Colostrum.

Following calving is key to get colostrum in the calf within the first two to four hours. By nine hours after birth the calf will have less than 50% of absorption.

Tarpoff encourages producers to keep quality commercial replacer on hand. If a producer freezes on-farm colostrum, this should be used the same season and thawed under warm running water, not microwaved.

If a calf is cold and has not nursed, Tarpoff says it is important to “warm first, then colostrum.”

Gut absorption improves after warming.

Read more about colostrum:
How Important is Colostrum?

Tarpoff suggests producers assess calf vigor especially after a pull or C-section: “Use the suckle reflex — good suction and jaw tone suggests the calf will get up and nurse.”

Marston adds: “If I have that cow down or standing in the chute, I’ll milk her out right then and tube the calf. Then I know it’s got colostrum in its belly.”

He stresses this is especially important if you must leave and can’t monitor nursing.

Marston shares this simple mantra as calving season approaches: Get mentally prepared, be ready and be observant.

“Be prepared because it’s not going to happen when you’re home all day, it’s going to happen when you’re busy,” he says.

Your Next Reads:

How to Conduct a Ranch Audit: 3 Steps to Improve Your Operation's Profitability

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:18:15 GMT

We’re a little over two months into 2026. Be honest with yourself — how are those goals and New Year’s resolutions holding up?

If you’re like most ranchers I talk to, you started the year with good intentions. Improve pregnancy rates. Tighten up expenses. Market calves more strategically. Maybe finally get a real handle on your breakeven.

And then calving season hit. Or weather shifted. Or markets moved. And those goals slowly drifted to the back burner.

That’s exactly why I want to talk about something simple but powerful: a ranch audit.

Why a ranch audit? Because I know profit matters on your family operation. It has to. But I also think we as ranchers make a common mistake when we work toward improving profitability.

We set goals blindly. The mistake isn’t a lack of ambition. It’s a lack of benchmarking.

Setting goals blindly and not benchmarking your ranch are closely related, but they aren’t the same thing. Not having a benchmark — not knowing exactly where you stand — leads to blind goal setting.

For example, let’s say you set a goal to improve pregnancy rates in your herd. That sounds great. But what was your average pregnancy rate last year? Was it 92%? 95%? 88%?

If you don’t know that number, two problems surface immediately. First, you won’t know whether your management changes moved you closer to your goal or further away from it.

Second, you may be pouring time, money and mental energy into an area that doesn’t actually need as much attention as something else on the ranch.
The same is true across every part of your business — finances, herd health, nutrition, genetics. Without a starting point, improvement becomes guesswork.

That’s where the audit process comes in.

Step No. 1: Define Success For Your Ranch

This sounds simple, but it’s where most people rush. Is success maximizing pounds weaned per exposed female? Is it lowering financial risk? Is it building a cow herd your kids want to come back to? You can’t measure progress if you haven’t clearly defined what winning looks like for your operation.

Step No. 2: Rank Your Confidence in Different Areas of Your Ranch

Be honest here. On a scale of one to 10, how confident are you in your bookkeeping system? Your reproductive program? Your herd health protocols? Your marketing plan? Your genetic direction?

This confidence ranking helps reveal where you feel strong and where you feel uncertainty — and uncertainty often points to opportunity.

Step No. 3: Put a Unit of Measurement to Those Areas

This is where benchmarking becomes real.

In finances and bookkeeping, that might mean knowing your breakeven cost of production, cost per cow or debt-to-asset ratio.

In reproduction, it’s pregnancy rate or calving interval.

In herd health, it could be death loss percentage or annual treatment cost per head.

For nutrition, you might look at weaning weights in combination with feed cost per cow and pregnancy rates.

For genetic selection, consider the cost of your bull investment compared to measurable returns in offspring performance or retained replacement value.

The reason we need a unit of measure is simple: feelings don’t drive profit — numbers do.

Once you assign both a confidence rating and a measurable number to each key area, you’ve completed your ranch audit. You now know where you stand today. From there, you can identify which areas matter most to your definition of success and which ones need the most improvement.

Instead of chasing random improvements, you’re making strategic decisions.

What I’ve outlined here is the simple version of this process. If you want a more in-depth framework — one that walks you through setting ranch goals you’ll actually stick to and building accountability without the January rush — that’s exactly why I created my online course, Profit Foundations for Ranchers.

It guides you step by step through this audit process and helps you turn clarity into action using a downloadable workbook and short training videos.
But whether you take that next step or not, I hope you’ll at least complete the audit. Even a basic one. Because clarity creates confidence, and confidence fuels better decisions.

And better decisions drive profitability.

If this conversation resonated with you, you can also find this discussion and more business-focused ranch content on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast and on YouTube .

Your ranch deserves more than resolutions. It deserves a plan.

Happy ranching, folks!

Low-Stress Handling Isn’t Just for Livestock

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 20:11:26 GMT

We spend years learning how to move cattle properly.

We study flight zones. We talk about pressure and release. We redesign facilities so animals can flow instead of fight. We debate crowd tubs like they’re moral issues.

Then we walk into the clinic and bark at a technician before coffee.

Ashley Nicholls, founder of Reach Agriculture Strategies, has a way of making a room laugh before he makes it uncomfortable. When speaking on low-stress handling, he starts in familiar territory: prey behavior, blind spots, comfort zones. But he doesn’t stay there.

“We understand [cattle] are prey animals,” Nicholls says. “They have blind spots. They have a flight zone. They hide pain. And their priority is survival.”

Then he pivots.

“Employees. Team members. Colleagues. They have blind spots. They have a flight zone. They hide pain. And at the end of the day, their priority is survival — it’s just workplace survival,” he says.

The room got a little bit quieter after that.

Flight Zones Aren’t Just Physical

In livestock handling, we read the pen before we apply pressure. We look for heads up, animals bunching, tension in the group. We understand what looks calm may only be a snapshot.

Nicholls reminds us this is the same with people: we may only ever get a snapshot. We don’t see what’s happening off screen — exhaustion, financial stress, family strain, imposter syndrome. Yet we respond as if the visible moment is the whole story.

Even simple gestures can make a big difference.

“Something as simple as starting with ‘good morning’ just opens a channel of communication,” he says.

In barns, we know better than to storm in loudly. The same applies for spaces with coworkers.

Communication: It’s Not the Words

Nicholls references the 55-38-7 rule of communication: 55% body language, 38% tone and pitch and 7% actual words.

“In other words, 93% of what we’re doing is completely non-verbal,” he explains.

This is an important consideration. You can ask a perfectly reasonable question and still raise the stress in a room if your arms are crossed, your voice is clipped, you’re standing too close or you’re not making eye contact. The words may be neutral, but it’s all in the delivery.

Nicholls points out cattle feel pressure long before they process anything else. Humans do, too. We scan posture, pace and tone for signals of safety.

“If I climb over the fence and I land in the pen and I’m big and loud,” he says, “All of a sudden the cattle are holding up on the backside of the pen — I probably did that.”

If the room feels tense, it’s worth assessing the energy you brought in with you.

Pressure and Release

Low-stress handling depends on timing. Apply pressure, get movement. Release pressure, allow the animal to settle. Teams are no different.

Nichols demonstrates this with a deceptively simple exercise: A group is asked to lower a lightweight pole to the ground while each person keeps two fingers supporting it. What should be easy becomes surprisingly difficult. The harder individuals try to correct it on their own touch, the higher the pole floats.

When communication is inconsistent or unclear, people push against each other instead of working together. Pressure escalates, frustration builds and the task stalls.

In livestock handling, we’d change our angle or soften the cue. In workplaces, we tend to repeat ourselves louder.

Are You Crowding the Tub?

Nicholls calls the crowd tub “the most poorly named piece of equipment in beef.”

The mistake? We crowd it.

Cattle need room to circle back toward the exit. If you pack the tub tight, they can’t move their feet. They can’t think. They lock up.

“If we take away their ability to make decisions, they also don’t have the ability to improve,” Nicholls explains.

Micromanagement works the same way.

Hover long enough and people stop taking initiative. Correct every move and they stop experimenting. Remove decision-making and growth stalls.

In livestock systems, we intentionally design spaces that allow movement. In workplaces, we sometimes build invisible walls.

Space to Mess Up

Nicholls is blunt about this part. Teams need space to mess up — and space to fix it.

Agriculture often sends mixed signals. We say we want initiative. We say we want ownership. Then we add, “Check with me first.”

He jokes about “seagull leaders” — the ones who hover overhead, swoop in to criticize or “steal your chips,” then disappear.

That approach creates anxiety, not development.

In ranching, you set the gate before you ride out. You create the conditions for success before you ask for performance. The same principle applies to onboarding staff, explaining expectations and clarifying the why.

Clarity reduces stress, autonomy builds confidence and release allows learning.

Low Stress Shouldn’t Stop at the Gate

Low-stress livestock handling changed how we think about welfare and productivity. It works because it respects biology and behavior. It acknowledges that fear blocks learning and pressure without relief creates chaos.

Humans operate under the same principles.

The uncomfortable question Nichols leaves behind is simple: if we’re willing to treat livestock with patience, intentional movement and respect for their stress thresholds, why wouldn’t we treat our teams the same way?

Low-stress handling shouldn’t stop at the gate.

Your Input Needed: CattleFax 2025 Cow-Calf Survey

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:45:54 GMT

CattleFax is asking beef producers to fill out its 2025 Cow-Calf Survey . Submissions will help the team at CattleFax collect and analyze cow-calf profitability, regional data as well as industry trends and benchmarks.

Here is a summary of the 2024 CattleFax Cow-Calf Survey:

Four Key Takeaways from the CattleFax Cow-Calf Survey

What Can I win by Completing the CattleFax survey?

The survey is sponsored by Crystalyx Brand Supplements and Sweetlix Livestock Supplement System. By completing the survey and submitting a valid email address, participants will be entered in a drawing to win one of three $700 CattleFax vouchers.

All participants will receive a results summary packet, which includes useful benchmarking information that will allow managers and owners to evaluate their own operations. Items such as cow-calf profitability, tendencies of high- and low-return producers, regional data, and other valuable material will be included.

The $700 credit can be used for any CattleFax memberships, registration fees for educational seminars (Corporate College and Risk Management Seminar) or registration fees for the annual Outlook and Strategies session. Participants must complete the entire survey and submit a valid email address to be considered in the drawing. Winners will be selected by a random number generator and will be contacted via email after the survey closes.

What is the Deadline for the CattleFax 2025 Cow-Calf Survey?

The deadline to complete the survey is March 31. Note: All individual results will be confidential and remain anonymous.

Complete the CattleFax 2025 Cow-Calf Survey here .

For questions or concerns about the survey, please contact: Matthew McQuagge , CattleFax analyst.

Drovers Beef Biz: Check Out These New Products Promoted During CattleCon

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:18:40 GMT

Akralos Animal Nutrition , a new North American animal feed and nutrition company, officially launched Feb. 1. Formed through a joint venture, Akralos combines Alltech’s U.S.-based Hubbard Feeds and Canada-based Masterfeeds businesses with ADM’s U.S. feed operations. Operating a network of more than 40 feed mills across North America and supported by more than 1,400 team members, Akralos delivers feeds, minerals and supplements through its brands.

Bimeda announces the launch of Eprimectin , a new generic eprinomectin pour-on. Eprimectin delivers the same broad-spectrum parasite control as the pioneer brand Eprinex (eprinomectin) from Boehringer Ingelheim. Eprimectin is the ideal solution for both beef and dairy operations, including lactating dairy cattle, thanks to its zero milk and meat withdrawal time. Producers can expect the same convenient, weatherproof formulation and proven efficacy they’ve come to trust from this molecule.

Breedr announced new features to make managing breeding stock and tracking calves easier. These features include: separate breeding stock from commercial cattle, create virtual animals before calves are born and view genetic and EPD information at the chute. It also introduced three new chute-side processing improvements: quick induction, genetic results in chute mode and reliable offline performance.

Solvet announces CattleZen, a new cattle stress management tool designed to help producers maintain calmer, healthier beef and dairy cattle. CattleZen is a proprietary blend of maternal bovine-appeasing substance and a calming pheromone that, when applied just above the muzzle, stimulates a calming effect.

Using a direct-to-satellite device, CERES GEN6 brings together livestock health, behavior, location and pasture feed intake intelligence with new reproduction algorithms. Producers can now identify cycling cows, monitor bull activity and receive calving alerts to improve reproductive efficiency, season after season.

Envu is making it easier for ranchers to make smarter decisions about their grazing management rotation through their innovative ranch management tool, RangeView . Now, ranchers can seamlessly integrate CERES TAG into their RangeView dashboard to track cattle across range and pasture, herd optimization and ROI.

Ever.Ag announces the launch of Feedlot IQ , an intelligent, connected feedlot management platform built for cattle feedlot operations. Designed to help feedyards improve consistency, support animal health and make earlier, more informed decisions, Feedlot IQ uses advanced artificial intelligence and connected data for a clearer understanding of what’s changing across the yard.

Golden Agri-Resources, ED&F Man and Westway Feed Products are partnering to expand sustainable palm-based animal feed through the GoNutri product line. This collaboration will strengthen the supply chain for sustainable animal feed, providing customers in North America direct access to high-quality, sustainable, palm-based animal feed supplements.

Built by a lifelong rancher and software founder, Herd Advisor combines practical experience with data to give producers a clearer view of the market ahead. Just say “Hey Siri, cattle record” then speak naturally. Records go to review — confirm, edit or delete. Nothing slips through the cracks.

FDA has issued an emergency use authorization for IVOMEC(ivermectin) 1% Injection to prevent infestations caused by New World screwworm in cattle. The over-the-counter product must be administered within 24 hours of birth, at the time of castration or at the appearance of a wound.

John Deere’s V452M round baler headlines the updated lineup of VR and CR round baler models, introducing a new naming convention and advanced features for heavy crop and silage conditions. The current 1 Series round balers remain and continue to serve customers with their baling needs.

Jones-Hamilton Co. announces the launch of SurpHace , a rebrand that brings together the company’s pH and ammonia control products for beef and dairy operations under a single product name. SurpHace replaces BeefUp and ParlorPal, delivering the same environmental control but positioned to serve the broader livestock market.

KEEN Utility announces the release of a new pull-on waterproof work boot — Flatland . Keen is known for out-of-the-box comfort, snug heels, wide toe boxes and asymmetrical carbon toes that are lightweight and unobtrusive.

Merck Animal Health’s EXZOLT CATTLE-CA1 (fluralaner topical solution) received FDA’s conditional approval for the prevention and treatment of New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) larvae (myiasis) and the treatment and control of cattle fever tick (Rhipicephalus microplus). Recently, FDA removed the “single use only” language from the product label.

MGK Insect Solutions launched Troika Farm and Livestock Aerosol , a synergized dual-active, broad-spectrum insecticide that delivers the quick kill needed for immediate relief and provides residual control. The aerosol kills more than 25 insects on contact with residual control up to four weeks.

New Holland expands its T7 tractor series with three redesigned models . A new front axle design cuts the turning radius by 20% versus previous models, and in-cab visibility has been improved in every direction.
Norbrook’s Defendazole (fenbendazole) is the first FDA-approved generic white drench dewormer. The product treats and controls many of the common profit-limiting internal parasites that reduce feed efficiency and threaten the health of your herd. With Defendazole, producers can expect the same safety, efficacy and performance advantages as Safe-Guard (fenbendazole) oral suspension.

Ritchie introduces an all-climate solution for cattle operations that need a flexible watering solution for use in various pen configurations. The new OmniMaster 4 puts the proven performance and producer-favorite features of the OmniMaster 8 in a smaller footprint to water up to 180 beef cattle.

Suther Feeds announces the launch of Sulutions CaliGuard Paste , a biologically active nutraceutical designed to support gut health, hydration and digestive stability in livestock. This ready-to-use paste is a tool for calves and young animals during periods of stress, transition or digestive challenge. CaliGuard Paste is formulated with a targeted blend of tannins, essential oils and probiotics.

Vermeer Corporation and alliance partner G.T. Bunning & Sons Ltd. announce a new milestone in their collaboration efforts: The first MS400 manure spreaders produced at Vermeer’s Griswold, Iowa, facility are now shipping to dealers and customers in North America. While Bunning remains the design and engineering lead, Vermeer is leveraging its manufacturing capabilities to better meet demand and expand future product availability.

Westway’s Synergy line delivers nutrition where it matters most — out on pasture. Available in a molasses base, Synergy products provide cattle a highly palatable source of vitamins and minerals through a consistent, self-regulated delivery system to eliminate waste and increase labor efficiency. This new product is a fit for cattle producers who feed cubes, a TMR, commodities or liquid feed.

Zoetis Inc. has announced the launch of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) genetic predictions in INHERIT Select for commercial cow-calf operations and as an upgrade to its INHERIT Connect test for seedstock. This marks the first time cattle producers can select replacement females and evaluate sires based on genetic predictions for BRD health and survival.

Be sure to check out BoVet Editorial Director Andrea Bedford’s The Bovine Vet Podcast . She walked the trade show floor at CattleCon 2026 and visited with companies about new products. You can read more at: Beyond the Trade Show Floor: Translating CattleCon’s Top Tech Into Daily Practice

Providing You a Front-Row Seat to CattleCon

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 11:51:09 GMT

For beef industry stakeholders, CattleCon is one of the most anticipated annual events, bringing together thousands of producers, feedlot managers, suppliers, researchers and industry professionals.

As the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Convention & Trade Show, CattleCon combines business, education, innovation, entertainment and networking opportunities.

Of course, one of my favorite sessions each year is the CattleFax Outlook session, which will be Thursday morning. The CattleFax team will also provide a glimpse into what 2026 and beyond have in store for the industry.

I also look forward to the NCBA Trade Show, where the latest in equipment, technology, pharmaceuticals and feed supplements can be found under one roof.

There are some new events planned for this year as well:

The new marquee stage on the trade show floor will host several dynamic education sessions and industry conversations spotlighting innovation, leadership and community.
The Prime Cut Awards event on Tuesday evening will feature the presentation of the National Environmental Stewardship Award and Beef Quality Assurance Awards.
There will be a sustainability forum on Thursday, which focuses on legacy in action. Serving on the panel will be producers and experts who have navigated — and are navigating — the challenges of succession planning and generational transfer, a big topic for many in the beef industry today.
Also on Thursday will be the NCBA town hall, an open state of the industry forum where producers and NCBA leaders tackle the issues shaping the beef business.

Throughout CattleCon, keynote general session speakers, including Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jon Acuff and Jimmy Yeary, are sure to inspire and spark innovation. I think there will be a lot of exciting discussion in the sessions and on the trade show floor.

Overall, I believe there are five key reasons to attend CattleCon:

Education and Innovation: Access the latest in cattle care, handling and industry trends through Cattlemen’s College, Learning Lounges and Cattle Chats. Some topics covered include reproductive success, herd health and risk management.
Networking: Connect with producers, industry leaders and suppliers from across the country to form new business relationships and share best practices. At the core of CattleCon is the unparalleled networking opportunity. Whether you’re a seasoned rancher or new to the field, the convention connects you with industry leaders, innovative peers and potential partners. It’s a melting pot of expertise, experiences and passion for cattle.
Trade Show: Explore the massive trade show floor to see cutting-edge technology, equipment and services designed to improve operational productivity and profitability.
Advocacy and Policy: Participate in shaping the future of the cattle industry by influencing Checkoff and policy priorities.
Career Development: For students and new producers, the event offers specialized opportunities to connect with industry leaders and explore job opportunities.

It will be an eventful week. I’m looking forward to our Farm Journal team being in Nashville to bring our readers, listeners and viewers highlights of the meetings, educational sessions and more. You won’t want to miss Chip Flory live for “ AgriTalk ” broadcasts on Wednesday and Thursday from our Drovers booth No. 310. Tyne Morgan will tape a live U.S. Farm Report at noon on Wednesday from the marquee stage, and Michelle Rook will be doing reports for AgDay and her “Market News Now” podcasts from Nashville on Tuesday and Wednesday. Andrea Bedford, our Bovine Veterinarian editor, and myself will be producing a special CattleCon enewsletter that will be distributed to Drovers Daily subscribers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

There’s no doubt I’m excited about the opportunity to learn and network with beef producers from across the country. I can’t wait to share with you, our Drovers readers, what I discover. I’ll be looking for strategies to share that will help make you more profitable.

U.S. Cattle Inventory Hits 75-Year Low at 86.2 Million Head

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 21:08:06 GMT

As of Jan. 1, 2026, the U.S. beef cattle herd stands at 86.2 million head, continuing a downward trend. Despite a year of strong prices, USDA’s annual Cattle Inventory Report released Friday shows the U.S. cattle inventory shrank another 0.35% and now sits at its smallest size in 75 years.

“I would say the story continues,” summarizes Derrell Peel, extension livestock marketing specialist from Oklahoma State University. “I mean, it really doesn’t change the pattern that we’ve been in for the last three years now.”

Quick Report Stats:

Total Cattle and Calves Inventory: 86.2 million head (Down 0.35%)
Beef Cow Herd: 27.6 million head (Down 1%)
2025 Calf Crop: 32.9 million head (Smallest since 1941)
Beef Replacement Heifers: 4.71 million head (Up 1%)

Patrick Linnell, CattleFax director of market research, calls the report bullish.

“I think the big picture message of this report is expansion, while there was some signs of it within this report, by and large expansion remains elusive at this point,” he says.

What Are the Big Takeaways from the USDA Report?

According to Peel, the data highlights two critical areas:

1. Shrinking Cow Herd: The beef cow inventory fell 1% to 27.6 million head.
“The industry technically got a little smaller in 2025,” Peel says.

Linnell adds, “As you looked at just how tight beef cow slaughter was this past year, us and other groups had expected we would actually see an increase in the beef cow herd. Small, but an increase nonetheless. However, that’s not what this report showed.”

2. Heifer Retention Signs: Beef replacement heifers rose 1% to 4.71 million.
“There was a slight uptick in beef replacement heifers, not enough to amount to any growth in 2026, or probably even in 2027, but maybe it’s the beginnings [of a rebuild].”

John Nalivka, Sterling Marketing Inc. president, says the report indicates while replacement heifers was up 1% and those expected to calve were also up 1% from 2024 or 17% of the beef cow herd.

“From 2015 to 2018 when producers began aggressively building herds, the average number of heifers that were identified as replacements on the Jan. 1 inventory was 6.2 million or an average heifer retention rate of 21%,” he explains.

Nalivka says heifer slaughter during 2025, at 9.5 million, was down 7% from the prior year but still represented 52% of the heifers weighing more than 500 lb. on Jan. 1, 2025. In 2024, the industry slaughtered 56% of the January 1 heifers weighing more than 500 lb.

“When the industry was retaining heifers to build herds, the percentage of heifers weighing over 500 lb. that were slaughtered ranged from 39% to 49%,” he adds.

Why is the 2025 Calf Crop Significant?

The calf crop estimate was reduced to 32.9 million head — a 2% drop from 2024. This marks the smallest U.S. calf crop since 1941. This scarcity will be the primary driver for market dynamics in the coming years.

The calf crop in 1941 was approximately 31.8 million head. While the industry saw a significant liquidation in 2014, the calf crop that year only dropped to roughly 33.5 million. This means the current contraction has pushed production levels back more than 80 years.

Outlook: What Will Cattle and Beef Prices Do in 2026?

Peel predicts the small calf crop and tightening feeder supplies will push prices even higher.

“We’ve got record-high prices, and we’re going to see them push even higher for cattle and beef,” Peel says.

He reminds producers it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not just about supply.

“Demand has also continued to be remarkably good for beef as prices have gone up,” he says. “Beef prices have increased relative to pork and poultry. There are alternative proteins that consumers could be turning to, and they’re not. So that’s a very positive sign from a beef industry standpoint.”

The “Historically Slow” Rebuild

Unlike the rapid expansion seen 10 years ago, Peel expects this cycle to be much slower. Producers are cautious, remembering how quickly record prices vanished in the past.

“I do think we’re probably beginning, but it’s certainly not a concerted effort,” Peel says. “There’s not a strong, broad-based initiative in the industry. It will probably grow, but I think it’s going to continue to grow pretty slowly.”

He explains the industry has outlasted the previous cycle highs by two-plus years.

“I think producers are coming around to the idea that this is a more sustained story,” Peel says.

What is the Take-Home Message for Producers?

The market is signaling a desperate need for a rebuild.

“The incentive is there, the value of forage is there,” he says. “If you’ve got forage you can use to raise calves, the market wants you to do that. And if you aren’t fully stocked, then it’s encouraging you to think about doing that. I think the main message for producers is to take advantage of this market.”

He also encourages producers to maintain the productivity of their herds.

“We have cut cow culling so far in the last two to three years that some of these cows are going to have to be culled going forward,” he explains. “So, we got to have a few more replacement heifers just to maintain the productivity of the herd. Take care of that first and then if you need to restock. I understand the tradeoff between selling them now for what is a record price versus investing in the future, but you know, sooner or later, we have to make that investment and look a little bit farther down the road.”

Other January cattle report highlights include:

Of the 86.2 million head inventory of all cattle and calves, cows and heifers that have calved totaled 37.2 million.
The number of milk cows in the U.S. increased 2% to 9.57 million.
The number of cattle on feed was down 3% to 13.8 million.

Nalivka adds, “Only time will tell as the year progresses to determine if USDA’s Cattle Inventory is on track. One cross-check will be cattle slaughter which is an actual number reported to USDA by the packers. The inventory is generated from an annual survey number. I understand that USDA aligns annual surveys with the five-year Agricultural Census. To say the least, I have greater confidence in numbers reported to USDA that can cross-check the validity of the survey.”

He does not expect the Cattle Inventory Report to have an impact on cattle numbers or the market going forward through 2026 and into 2027, particularly with a 2% smaller 2025 calf crop.

“Numbers will continue to tighten and when coupled with continued strong demand for beef will support the market at levels at and likely above the market peak seen during third quarter 2025,” he summarizes.

Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University ag economist, posted on LinkedIn his analysis of the report. He shares state-level beef cow inventory estimates (of seven states with more than 1 million head) Kansas’ 7% decline stands out while Missouri, Montana, Nebraska and Texas are estimated to be down 1-3% and Oklahoma and South Dakota are flat. Only Texas has a sizeable increase in estimated replacement heifers.

He shares two broader points:

While it certainly is valuable to count the number of beef cows, understand status of herd expansion, and other factors that is far from a complete story on industry supply dynamics. In short, the industry has implemented a number of efficiency gains resulting in the net effect of more edible beef production per cow in the industry.
It has become way too common to focus on supply and overlook demand dynamics. In fact, recent work with Brian Coffey documents how recent beef price patterns have been impacted more by strong consumer beef demand than any supply-side adjustments .

Analyzing the inventory numbers Peel summarizes, “It’s just amazing to me that we continue down this path. We’ve kept extending the timeline. You know, technically, with the beef cow herd and the way we look at cattle cycles, I thought 2025 would turn out to be officially the low. Well, now we’re even smaller in 2026, so we will have to wait until next year’s number to see whether this is the low. We just keep pushing this timeline out that provides even more opportunities for producers to take advantage of this market.”

Bi-annual Cattle report would be called lightly positive. 1) There was no sign of any type of January 2015 expansion (retained beef heifers +9.5%). 2) Overall, numbers came in just below the four analyst expectation. pic.twitter.com/lvNaDBusz3
— Rich Nelson (@RichNelsonMkts) January 30, 2026

To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the U.S. cattle industry, NASS surveyed approximately 35,000 operators across the nation during the first half of January. Surveyed producers were asked to report their cattle inventories as of Jan. 1, 2026, and calf crop for the entire year of 2025 by internet, mail, telephone or in-person interview.

Your Next Reads:
Tightest Cattle Supply Predicted in The Next 60 to 90 Days
CattleFax Predicts Profitability Despite Increased Uncertainty

The Mental Pressure of Being an Off-The-Farm Spouse

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:09:38 GMT

Being an off-the-farm spouse can sometimes feel like you’re living life in the in-between. You’re not fully involved on the operation, but you’re not removed from it, either.

Most of the time, you’re hearing about the good days and the bad ones secondhand, whether it’s a conversation at the dinner table or a late-night recap of the day as you crawl into bed. Through blurry details, you piece together what happened, how the day went and how your spouse is really feeling. You celebrate the wins, worry through the challenges and carry the stress right along with them, even though you weren’t there to see it firsthand.

That in-between space can be hard to explain to anyone outside the farm, but it’s a feeling many off-the-farm spouses can relate to.

Balance the Comfort and the Pressure of Stability

It’s no secret that an off-the-farm job can come with real advantages.

A steady paycheck
Health insurance
A retirement plan

Knowing when that next check will hit the bank account and having reliable health coverage feels like a safety net when life on the farm is anything but predictable. And for a lot of farm and ranch families, this reliability helps make everything else work. But with stability can also come added pressure. A pressure to provide, to stay employed and to keep everything moving forward.

More often than not, the off-the-farm paycheck carries the heavier load of the responsibility, especially when margins are tight. Per USDA data, in 2023, 96% of farm households earned money from off-farm sources, making up 77% of household income. And USDA states most households, regardless of farm size, work off the farm because it pays better than farm work, and access to health care benefits is often part of that decision.

For off-the-farm spouses working to help keep the farm afloat, this heavy load can take a mental toll.

They’re juggling budgets, weighing the “what-ifs,” and sometimes lying awake at night running the numbers in their heads — thinking through what could go wrong and how to keep the farm and family going. It’s a constant, behind-the-scenes effort to make sure everything keeps running smoothly.

Open the Lines of Communication

When that stress starts to build, one of the most helpful tools families have is simply talking about it. According to the University of Wisconsin’s Farm Management Program, farm couples and families who manage stress well tend to communicate openly, working together to plan ahead and tackle problems as a team. Having honest conversations and sharing information can help bring back a sense of control when finances feel uncertain.

That can be easier said than done. When financial pressure builds, many people try to carry it quietly — thinking they are protecting their family by keeping worries to themselves. But holding it all in can actually create more tension at home. Opening up does not mean sharing every detail or worst case scenario. It can be as simple as letting trusted family members or friends know what you are carrying and being honest about changes that may need to happen at home.

Share the Load

While there’s no perfect way to handle the stress that comes with being an off‑the‑farm spouse, you learn how to carry it in a way that works for your family. Sometimes it means adjusting plans, sometimes it means talking things out and sometimes it just means taking a deep breath and reminding yourself you’re doing the best you can.

Finding small ways to share the load can really help, whether that means talking things out, relying on people you trust or giving yourself a moment to breathe when you need it.

Is Your Herd Winter Storm Ready? 4 Ice and Blizzard Prep Strategies

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:34:56 GMT

AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting a high-impact winter storm will spread snow and ice across more than two dozen states from Texas through the Carolinas and Massachusetts from Friday through the weekend. Other areas of the country are also dealing with Mother Nature and cold temperatures.

To prepare for the storm, here are four strategies to help producers and their cattle get through an arctic blast.

(Purina)

1. Provide Ample, Clean Water

Access to fresh, clean, unfrozen water is crucial. Water is essential to feed digestion, and limiting water decreases passage rate of feeds, which will in turn compromise feed intake, making it very hard for cows to maintain weight. Ranchers should consider various options to contend with frigid temperatures and freezing water issues.

Check to make sure water heaters are in working order before bad weather hits, and be prepared to break ice or haul water if needed.

One factor that affects water needs is the stage of production. The need for water increases with the demands of production. For example, lactating cows require more water than dry pregnant cows. Dehydration is an added stress on cattle.

The good news is there are plenty of tried-and-true options for both temporary and permanent livestock watering systems that work in harsh winter conditions.

How to Keep Livestock Waters Open All Winter Long

Cattle on bedding behind a windbreak.

(Gabriel Ribeiro)

2. Offer Shelter and Bedding

Providing a windbreak can lower an animal’s cold stress. According to Oklahoma State’s Paul Beck , cows need to get adjusted to cold temperatures over time and grow a thick winter hair coat to be acclimated before winter storms arrive, or they will suffer from cold stress and require extra care.

“Body condition of cows and their hair coat can play a large part in their tolerance to colder conditions,” he says.

University of Nebraska’s Jessica Sperber says windbreaks, such as trees, walls, human-made structures or strategically placed hay bales, reduce wind exposure and prevent snow from drifting into the pen.

“Windbreaks must be tall enough to block the wind, aim for 7' to 8' in height while still allowing for some air flow between breaks,” she explains in an UNL Beef Watch article . “Common products used for construction of windbreaks include windboards and guardrail with 2"-to-2.5" openings between the rails. Guardrails require little to no maintenance, making them an excellent option for windbreak structures.”

Sperber says bedding is a source of insulation for cattle when temperatures drop.

“Bedding made from straw, corn stalks or other materials keep cattle off the cold ground, reduce heat loss and provide comfort,” she says. “In a study from North Dakota State University, offering modest bedding during feedlot winter weather events (defined as “straw available for steers to lay on”) increased daily gain by 0.86 lb. per day and improved feed efficiency by 31% with no change in feed intake.”

Don’t forget your bulls. Providing bedding for bulls is important for protecting testicles from frostbite, which can impair the testes’ ability to thermoregulate and affect semen quality.

Cattle need more shelter and nutritional needs during winter.

(Maggie Malson)

3. Adapt Feed and Nutrition

As temperatures drop, cattle’s energy requirements increase as they attempt to maintain body temperature. OSU recommends cattle have access to as much hay as they want to eat. Ruminal fermentation helps keep the animals warm.

Sperber says cattle typically require around 1% to 2% more feed for every degree Fahrenheit the temperature falls below their comfort zone, which is around 15°F (-10°C) for cattle with a dry coat during the winter months.

Beck adds cows in good body condition, those with body condition scores of 5 to 6, with good thick winter hair coats have a lower critical temperature around 32°F. Thin cows with thin hair coat are at more risk to cold stress with lower critical temperatures of around 40°F, while cows with wet hair coat have lower critical temperature of 59°F.

“With wind chills down to expected to get below zero, maintenance energy requirements will increase by up to 30% to 40%,” Beck explains.

How Much More Feed?

Beck explains a 1,200-lb. cow in good body condition needs 2 lb. of supplemental 20% range cubes to meet her requirements in normal conditions, as an example. When temperatures get down to 20°F her requirements increase by 12%; to meet the shortfall in energy, she will require 3 lb. of additional cubes per day for a total of 5 lb. of cubes per day.

“If we consider a thin cow with a thin hair coat, it gets to be more critical,” he stresses.

A thin cow needs to gain body condition to increase her chances of rebreeding for the next calf crop, so a producer should already be feeding around 4 lb. of cubes a day. Her lower critical temperature is 40°F so, when temperatures fall to 20°F her requirements increase by 20%.

“We will need to provide seven additional pounds of supplement for a total of 11 lb. of supplemental feed daily,” he says. “Feeding this much supplement is expensive and hard to manage.”

(Wyatt Bechtel)

4. Check Equipment and Supplies in Anticipation

The Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association developed a winter storm preparation checklist . Some of their suggestions include:

Fill up diesel with anti-gel to prevent freezing
Check antifreeze levels
Park equipment out of wind trajectory to avoid accumulation of ice
Leave all water sources at a drip; have troughs filled just below float
Insulate exposed water pipes, wrap or bundle with straw
Harsh weather can stress cows into calving early , so be prepared with the proper veterinary supplies
Consider post-storm needs: starter fluid, propane heater, tools to bust water, diesel treatment, fence repair equipment, replacement parts for pipes/valves if busted, stocked hay ready to feed
Prepare yourself for any amount of time outside with gloves, ear warmers, neck gaiters and bibs
Plan for loss of power: easy-to-make meals, back-up for water heaters, double check generators
Check with elderly neighbors and friends to make sure they have a plan, too

Your Next Read:
Winter Storms are Brewing: Is Your Barn Ready?

How Clear Objectives Lead to Smarter Bull Selection

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:47:29 GMT

Various factors play a role in decision-making as producers flip through a sale catalog looking for a new bull. It is important to find a strategy that works for your program and create selection criteria that will help you find a bull to progress your operation toward your goals.

Each producer has their own set of priorities in which they rank their options, various budgets for buying bulls, and different genetic preferences.

“Define your objective of what you’re trying to accomplish,” says Jeff Mafi, American Angus Association regional manager. “How are you going to use the bulls? Are they going on heifers or cows? How are you going to sell those calves by those bulls? Are you retaining ownership or keeping replacement females? What selection tools do you need to use to help accomplish what you are trying to do?”

Mafi says defining these things will make it a lot easier to go through a sale book and find the individuals that will help move you forward. For a first-time buyer, he recommends having a good understanding of that breed’s expected progeny differences (EPDs) and indexes and how to use them.

“Don’t hesitate to reach out to a breeder and ask questions,” he adds. “They know their cattle and their genetics the best.”

With plenty of information available from data and genomics to photos and videos, Mafi says many producers still walk through the cattle in person to get a feel for the disposition even if they may bid online later. While crowds at live sales have not diminished, online bidding presence has increased, allowing customers to buy bulls from all over the country.

Travis Meteer, beef Extension specialist at the University of Illinois, says bull selection should start with the bull’s functional ability to breed cows.

“This includes feet, legs, structural soundness, a good libido, a passed breeding soundness exam and body condition appropriate for a breeding bull. Not too fat and not too thin. I would also include a good disposition in this,” Meteer says.

From there, Meteer agrees that selection criteria need to be catered to the herd goals and emphasizes the use of data and multi-trait selection.

“A bull needs to inject genetics that fit the goals of the herd from a management and marketing perspective,” Meteer explains. “DNA-enhanced EPDs and multi-trait selection indexes can aid in helping make decisions that are based on reliable data and not one single trait. While past criteria were heavily weighted on output traits, inputs and cost of production are being better weighted today than in the past.”

When buying bulls for a commercial operation, Meteer says leaving hybrid vigor on the table is a big loss.

“Lowly heritable traits like reproduction, health and cow longevity are best improved by crossbreeding,” he adds. “Crossbred cows and maternal heterosis are a key to profitability on commercial cow-calf operations. Studies have shown that net profit per cow is increased by $75/cow per year as a result of maternal heterosis.”

Producer Perspective

Will Andras of Andras Stock Farm, a Red Angus seedstock operation in west-central Illinois, says he looks at three main things when selecting a bull: soundness, phenotype and genetic potency. When flipping through a sale catalog, Andras says photos are important. Overly photoshopped pictures with clear structural alterations are a deal-breaker.

Beyond photos, Andras combs through EPDs, ratios within a contemporary group and pedigrees.

“We aspire to produce superior, outcross seedstock on the bleeding edge of the Red Angus breed,” he adds. “We focus on the necessary and practical convenience traits while also attempting to stack those premium pieces that fit tomorrow’s demand. Genetics are paramount, and outcross genetics are a plus. Genomically-enhanced EPDs are a must. Soundness, phenotype and disposition have never gone out of style and never will.”

Andras Stock Farm has its own registered Red Angus bull sale in the spring, and while it depends on weather, most customers walk through the cattle on sale day and bid in person. However, Andras says they also see a large presence in online bidding.

Haddie Simmentals of Walkerton, Ontario, raises full-blood and purebred Simmentals and was recently honored as the Ontario Simmental Commercial Producer of the Year. They start their herd bull search with structural soundness because of their location and terrain.

“Having good feet and overall correct structure is crucial for performance and walking our pastures,” says Ashley Fairminer of Haddie Simmentals. “Easy calving, too. While birth weight doesn’t play a huge roll in our selection, we look for a bull with lots of length to him for easier births on our cows and reducing loss of calves.”

When evaluating genetics, Fairminer says they look for data to prove they produce good maternal cows with good milk and consistent fertility. Whether they have a bull or heifer, both could stay in the herd for a long time, so consistent quality in genetics is important to their operation. When they receive a sale catalog, they look for those traits as they flip through the lots.

“We always pick a handful and call the farmer and ask about the bull, temperament, feet, dam, etc.,” Fairminer says. “We find a conversation with the farmer is the best way we can learn if a bull would be a good fit for our family and program.”

With a primary focus on replacement heifers, Haddie Simmentals focuses on selecting a bull with good maternal traits and dispositions.

“We strive to raise heifers our customers can be proud to have in their fields and ones their families can work without hesitation, and we know quality bulls play a crucial role in achieving that goal,” Fairminer adds.

Ultimately, starting the search for a new bull begins with defining program objectives and selection criteria that are important to your programs success. Many cattlemen start with the end product in mind, using a plethora of tools to find their next bull.

Your Next Read:

Will Cull Cow Prices Increase This Year?

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:58:47 GMT

Cull cow prices normally decline in the fall as supplies rise and the weather turns past grilling season. This past fall, even though total cow slaughter increased from summertime lows, cow prices showed little seasonal decline. The market is starting 2026 much like it finished 2025 — with high prices. But will prices be able to increase into mid-year like usual?

(USDA-AMS Livestock Marketing Information Center)

Southern Plains auction prices for 85% to 90% lean cows finished the year at $163/cwt., about where they had been since June. Nationally, cutter quality cows did experience a little seasonal decline, dropping as low as $124 after peaking over $135, but much of that decline was regained during December. Live cow prices bucked the meat market trend, however. The cow beef cutout and 90% lean beef both declined a little over 9% from September through the end of the year.

(USDA-AMS Livestock Marketing Information Center)

Both beef cow and dairy cow slaughter increased from summer lows, but the most dramatic increase came from the dairy side. The number of dairy cows in the U.S. increased to more than 9.5 million head — the most since the early 1990s — leading to slightly increased dairy cow culling in the second half of 2025. In the first half of the year, dairy cow culling was down 7.3% from the same period in 2024. It was 1.2% higher during the second half of the year compared to the previous year.

That small increase is reflective of a growing herd with more animals available to be culled. Herd growth has been fueled by earlier profitable milk prices and by the high price of calves, especially those beef-on-dairy crossbred calves.

(USDA-AMS Livestock Marketing Information Center)

Beef cow culling remained very low, down over 17% for the year, even though it increased seasonally late in 2025. Beef cow slaughter is likely to remain low in the coming months because of the overall smaller herd and efforts to increase cow numbers.

How Much of a Seasonal Rally From January Into June Might We Expect?

It’s likely we’ll have a seasonal rally because beef demand remains good and supplies of lean beef for grinding remain tight. Any significant increase in cow culling will come from the dairy side as very low milk prices hit bottom lines.

Beef imports, the majority of which are lean beef trimmings, should remain historically large this year. Although it’s worth noting imports were slightly lower than the previous year during the August to October period.

On balance, cull cow prices should remain in record-high territory.

(USDA-AMS Livestock Marketing Information Center)

Your Next Read:
Cull Cows Defy Seasonality

Organized Herd Records: A New Year’s Resolutions Ranchers Should Consider

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:26:24 GMT

New Year’s resolutions might feel cliché, but that doesn’t mean ranchers should overlook them.

“The new year is a really fun time. It’s a good time to reflect on what happened in the previous year, celebrate wins, look at what didn’t go as intended and ask, ‘Knowing what I know today, how would I have done that differently?’” says Terrell Miller, founder and CEO of CattleMax.

Why take the time to reflect and reset? Ultimately, it comes down to profitability and establishing direction because ranching is a complex business.

Miller says: “Profitability is critical — because managing ranch profitably is what ensures future generations can continue the operation. Ranching isn’t a hobby or just a job; it’s a way of life that transcends generations.”

Establishing these resolutions is unique to the individual, however, ranchers should remember to be specific about their desires and what will truly impact profitability.

“People often set goals without specifics — ‘I want to do X’ — but they don’t know what it looks like or the milestones along the way. Visualization helps create that clarity,” Miller explains.

Outside of the bigger picture, it’s important to set smaller goals or milestones along the way, too.

He says: “If your big goal is a certain income level or herd size, ask: ‘Where do I need to be by mid-summer? What’s my next 30-day plan?’ Otherwise you get to December 31^st and realize you’re short.”

While this basic goal-setting ideal is useful, it can’t truly be carried out unless producers have a benchmark for where they stand today. This benchmark can’t be recognized without organized herd and financial records.

“Organization is such a key. If you’re not organized and don’t have all your information together, it’s really hard to set goals or measure progress,” Miller says. “Successfully managing a ranch or any business starts with good organization and good information. Otherwise, you’re really in the dark.”

For ranchers who feel disorganized or even overwhelmed by the thought of organizing their herd records, the starting point is simpler than they may realize.

Miller explains: “Start with your active inventory: what animals are on your place today. Then add historical data as you have time. A common mistake is trying to enter complete histories cow by cow and never getting usable records started.”

Additionally, he encourages producers to know what their unique operation needs are for record keeping.

“Record keeping is not one size fits all. A thousand-head commercial operation out west has different needs than a 20-head registered herd along the Gulf Coast. Producers have to find the ‘just right’ amount of information to track,” Miller says. “Keeping too little information means you can’t make informed decisions. Keeping too much means you bog yourself down. Record keeping has a Goldilocks zone.”

Keeping records is only half the story. Turning records into reports that make data useful is the other half.

He shares: “One of my favorite sayings is: without reporting and analysis, you’re simply creating an electronic file cabinet. It’s not just about getting data in — it’s about getting useful information out.”

CattleMax has several features that help with this, but the end-of-year organizer is a customer favorite.

“The end-of-year organizer gathers all your information — purchased animals, sold animals, death loss, raised versus purchased — and puts it into a packet that’s easy to share with your accountant and ranch team,” Miller explains.

Whether ranchers have a goal of improving specific performance metrics or organizing records so they have the benchmark they need, remember the time it takes to establish goals is worth it for present and future generations.

“Ranching is labor-intensive, financially intensive and there are no days off — but it’s an incredible way of life. Managing the business side well ensures long-term sustainability and our domestic food supply.”

You can listen to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.

Your Calving Prep Starts Here: The Essential Checklist

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:03:46 GMT

Preparation sets the tone for a stress-free calving season . K-State Extension veterinarian AJ Tarpoff says preparation starts before the first calf hits the ground.

Ensure all tools, equipment and supplies like chains, straps, gloves, lubricant and colostrum replacer are cleaned, organized and ready before calving begins. Store crucial items in a portable, easy-to-access tote.

Tarpoff uses a cooler for his calving tool kit.

“It is easy to grab and keeps supplies nice and warm on cold calving nights,” Tarpoff says.

Keep items like chains or straps in clean bags and have extra supplies on hand.

“Preparation starts with inventory,” Tarpoff explains. “Calving season always sneaks up and nothing’s more stressful than reaching for a piece of equipment and either being out or can’t find it.”

He reminds producers not to neglect the “usables,” which often run out at the worst times. This includes OB gloves, lubricant and colostrum replacer.

Don’t forget the thermometer and make sure it is in working order.

“A digital rectal thermometer belongs in every calving kit,” Tarpoff stresses. “It’s your best tool to assess hypothermia and determine if a calf needs warming help right away.”

(Photo: AJ Tarpoff)

Tarpoff shares this checklist for producers as they prepare for calving:

Cooler or tote
2 sets of OB chains/straps
Two OB handles
OB sleeves
Spare nitrile gloves
Towels
OB lubricant
Disinfectant (betadine)
Halter
Rope
Head light
Esophageal feeding tube
Calf feeding bottle
Colostrum replacer
Bucket
Water
Ear tagging equipment
Castration bander
Rectal thermometer

What Keeps Beef Producers Up at Night?

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:08:01 GMT

Worry — it is an anxious way of thinking. It usually involves thoughts about what bad things might happen in the future and if you can cope with them.

In the beef industry, the list of things producers and stakeholders worry or stress about can be long and exhaustive.

Here’s a list of some of those key stressors keeping producers up at night:

1. Fear of Animal Diseases

Troy Rowan, University of Tennessee assistant professor, summarizes: “As with most folks, I’m concerned about emerging animal diseases like New World screwworm (NWS) and foot-and-mouth disease, and the cascading impacts they could have on the industry.”

Texas beef producer Donnell Brown agrees a top concern on his mind is NWS.

“As temperatures rise this spring and fly season begins again, I am deeply concerned that we could see an outbreak with devastating consequences for livestock and wildlife,” Brown says. “We still lack practical ways to treat or protect wildlife. After the screwworms were eradicated in the 1970s, it was 15 years before I remember seeing deer on our ranch. Today, deer are abundant and hunting has become a major economic driver for ranchers and rural communities. If screwworms cause significant wildlife losses, the ripple effects would be severe.”

Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), says the top five thing that keep him up at night are: “Foot-and-mouth disease, foot-and-mouth disease, foot-and-mouth disease, foot-and-mouth disease and foot-and-mouth disease.”

He explains: “We have a lot of good things that are going on, and yes, we spend a lot of time talking about New World screwworm, but we have the tools able to address New World screwworm. Foot-and-mouth disease is still kind of that unknown, and we understand that in working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, they know they have proof that terror groups around the country have access to the foot-and-mouth disease virus, and that a pin full is all they need to be able to come in and absolutely send our market into chaos — our industry into chaos, our food supply into chaos and the economics around all of those into chaos.”

He says that fact is why NCBA spends so much time working with USDA, state associations like KLA and state animal health officials to make sure the industry is prepared in the event we have reintroduction of foot-and-mouth disease.

“We haven’t had it since 1929 but it’s going to come again, and NCBA is spending it just about every waiting moment we can to make sure we’re prepared,” Woodall says.

Ron Lemenager, Purdue University beef specialist, adds, “I worry about when, not if, a disease like foot-and-mouth will be introduced that will cripple our markets and supply chain.”

Lemenager agrees NWS is a concern, but in his part of the country a bigger concern is the Asian Longhorned Tick and Theileria.

Check out these related articles:
Foot And Mouth Disease: Producers Should Be Prepared
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm
Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm
5 Livestock Diseases That Could Impact U.S. Food Security and Economic Stability
Theileria and the Asian Longhorned Tick: What Beef Producers Need to Know

2. Weather Challenges

Kansas beef producer Debbie Lyons-Blythe says there are a number of challenges that worry her family.

“No. 1 is Mother Nature,” she says. “Everything we do day-to-day and long-term is tied to weather. Even the markets are tied to what Mother Nature is doing across the nation.”

Cyndi Van Newkirk of Van Newkirk Herefords agrees weather is a big stressor for her family who are seedstock producers in the Nebraska Sandhills.

Lemenager says with multiple years of short rainfall in a number of different areas he is concerned with drought and that impact on corn, bean and hay prices as well as hay availability.

“The variability in the weather and the marketplace are always concerns to worry about,” he adds.

Cattle producer and extension educator Shad Marston from Canton, Kan., says the possibility of extreme severe weather is what keeps him up at night.

“Two years ago in January, we had a really cold week, right at our beginning of the calving season. We only had three calves on the ground,” he remembers. “The temperatures were well below our normal cold temperatures, and the snow created it hard to even get out of the house. We never lost any cattle or calves, but that week was a challenge. Everything on our ranch froze up — waters, tractor and skid steer. We only had one truck running and it just had a flatbed on it with no bale bed.”

Marston says they had to haul small square bales to the cows from the barn for two days until a neighbor came and loaded round bales on the flatbed to take to the cows.

“We parked on top of the hill and let the bales roll off and down the small hill for the cows to eat and bed down on. A couple of times, we had to tie the bales to a tree to get them off the flat bed. We could not risk getting the truck stuck, because that’s all we had to feed them with, and very few neighbors were able to help if anyone had problems,” he describes. “I remember lying in bed at night wondering if we were going to make it the next day. We could of easily lost some of the cattle. So being prepared is my worst fear and I’ve tried to always have a plan for the worst. Extra feed on hand, fuel additive in equipment and enough supplies on hand to make it if we can’t get to town for a week are lessons we have learned the hard way.”

Check out these related articles:
Ranching Parched Land: Strategies for Drought Resilience
Avoiding The Calfcicle: Calving in Winter Weather
Ranchers Make Tough Decisions to Weather Intense Southwest Drought
Weather Swings Bring Mud and Concerns About Calf Health
Normal La Niña Pattern to Return By Thanksgiving

3. The Cattle Market

For South Dakota cattle producer Ken Odde, he says what keeps him up at night is anything that might “crash the market.”

“I am thinking about both fed cattle and feeder cattle markets,” Odde explains. “Foot-and-mouth disease is high on the list for me, and it doesn’t seem to get much attention recently.”

Van Newkirk agrees the markets and overthinking market swings are a concern.

Check out these related articles:
What Does the Bullish Cattle on Feed Report Mean for the Beef Industry in 2026?
Uncertainty: The Word of 2025 for the Cattle Market
$4 Feeder Cattle: Dream or Reality?
Cattle Market Roller Coaster Continues: Mexican Ag Minister Announces U.S. Visit to Discuss Border Opening
Navigate Market Volatility with Risk Management Strategies

4. Beef Supply and Consumer Demand

“We had the smallest calf crop since 1941,” says Ron Lemenager, Purdue University beef specialist. “Put that with the closure of the Mexico border due to New World screwworm and we have a limited supply. As a producer I like the higher prices, but from a consumer standpoint, at what point are they going to walk away from beef and go to chicken or some other protein source.”

Brown explains supply and demand ultimately govern this market.

“If we lose feedyards and packing capacity, we weaken the demand side of the equation,” he says. “Over time, that reduced demand would place downward pressure on feeder cattle prices, undermining the very producers who are benefiting from today’s high prices.”

Jason Warner, Kansas State University cow-calf extension specialist, says: “In the short term, I am concerned about what could happen to the beef industry if there is a major drop in consumer demand for beef, and the potential ramifications to the cow-calf producer if calf prices substantially drop considering how high cow/heifer prices are right now. I think knowing cow production costs will be important going forward.”

Woodall summarizes consumer sentiment remains the bedrock of the industry’s success.

“As long as the consumer is with us, as long as they are choosing to buy beef, then we have a bright future,” he says.

Woodall credits generations of producers for bolstering herd quality and producing a product people want, not just need, to buy.

Check out these related articles:
Consumer Craze for Protein Drives Beef Demand
Beef Industry Chaos: Tight Supplies, Strong Consumer Demand and Political Interference
What Does Talk of $10 Ground Beef Mean to Producers?
How Many Minutes Does a Consumer Have to Work to Buy A Pound of Ground Beef?

5. Government Interference

Lyons-Blythe says another concern is government interference in market disruptions and environmental regulations.

Woodall adds we need to keep the government out of the cattle market.

“We want to be able to grow this industry,” Woodall says. “As producers, one of the best things you can do is call your member of Congress, call your two senators, and tell them to be advocates for us. We don’t need new programs. We don’t need a return of things like mandatory country of origin labeling. We simply need the government to stay out of the marketplace.”

Check out these related articles:
Did the Administration’s Plan to Lower Beef Prices Wreck the Bull Run in the Cattle Market?
Beef Producers React to USDA’s Plan to Fortify Industry and Trump’s Social Media Comments
USDA Has No Plans for Financial Incentives to Rebuild Cattle Herd

Other Industry Challenges

“One other thing that concerns me is the closing of some of our packing plants,” Lemenager says. “While I understand they need a steady supply of cattle to cover their overhead costs, but will they ramp back up when cattle numbers return?”

Lyons-Blythe says a local concern is the invasion of the cedar tree into the Flint Hills.

“I think in the last 30 years, we have seen such a tremendous encroachment and a lot of the prairie lost due to the cedar tree,” she explains.

Rowan, a beef cattle geneticist adds: “From a genetics perspective, I’m constantly thinking about how we will deal with the antagonisms between growth and carcass weight and grazing cow efficiency.”

Van Newkirk explains family dynamics is another challenge multi-generational beef producers face.

Check out these related articles:
Shrinking Slaughter Capacity: What’s Next in 2026?
Prescribed Burns: Keeping the Prairie Alive; Preventing Wildfires
CattleFax Predicts Profitability Despite Increased Uncertainty
Impacts of Heavier Carcass Weights
Back to the Basics: Terminal Crossbreeding Bridges Cow-Calf Efficiency and Carcass Value
5 Steps to Successful Transition Planning
How to Find Peace During Generational Transitions

Lyons-Blythe says when asking her sons what keeps them up at night their response is the upcoming calving season.

“It not only keeps them up, but it gets them up as they check heifers all night and day,” she says.

Don’t worry, we’ll tackle that challenge next week with our calving preparation blitz week on Drovers.com.

Why Do We DNA Test Commercial Heifers?

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 19:21:37 GMT

Genomic testing heifers is a standard practice for many seedstock suppliers and is becoming more of a common practice for commercial cattlemen across the country. But what about this practice is drawing in more cattlemen and women?

For my husband, in-laws and I, it boiled down to having more confidence in the decisions we made when selecting replacement heifers and bulls. From there, more benefits began to present themselves.

We are approaching our third year of genomic testing our replacement heifers. The first year we tried it was a few months after Phillip and I got married and moved out to the farm. As I started falling into my role as herd manager, I realized I had no idea what we had for cows other than being predominantly Angus and Red Angus genetics.

Sure, I could look up our past weaning weights, pregnancy rates and other herd records, but selecting replacement females and bulls felt like shot in the dark, especially for someone who grew up raising seedstock cattle and always had ample information at her fingertips.

We couldn’t even set true goals for the cattle enterprise of our operation, because we had no true benchmark for where we were at. Having a benchmark is an integral component of making progress in any business. Without it, progress is either slow or non-existent.

So, after we sold steers that fall and looked at our books, I brought it up to the rest of our team, and we unanimously decided to try it out.

I was already familiar with the sampling process, having done it on my parents’ operation, but if you aren’t familiar, it’s incredibly fast and simple to collect a tissue sample from the ear and complete the spreadsheet before mailing samples to the lab.

When we got the results back, there were some surprises and some findings that seemed obvious knowing the history of some cows. We worked through both phenotypes and the data to ultimately select the top third of heifers to retain as breeding stock.

While there was some overlap in our sole-phenotype selections compared to using the data and phenotype, there were a few eye openers too. We found some heifers to be much more terminal than we expected.

Having this benchmark of data helped all of us feel more confident in the group of replacements heifers that would be bred in the spring. And guess what? All but one of them bred up, and looking back at the data, we probably shouldn’t have kept her. This increase in stayability for our herd is the main outcome we use to measure ROI.

Once we had this information about our replacement females and the herd in general, it opened our eyes to the bulls we had been selecting. Of course, terminal traits always matter to cow-calf producers who sell through the barn, but we discovered the need to focus on a few more maternal traits.

So, come March, we were able to more confidently select bulls that better complemented the heifers and cow herd.This confidence and increased knowledge ensured we weren’t spending money on the wrong bulls. We knew we were investing in the right genetics.

Outside of genetic selection, we also have an idea of the types of steers we are marketing each fall. No, we don’t test our steer calves. However, the herd data from the heifers offers an idea of where our steers stand too. This information is valuable in the marketing process depending on how you sell calves.

The benefits of genomic testing have more than paid off on our operation. Yet, they pay off because we use the information to make decisions. That’s the key component of seeing an ROI with any new technology. You have to be open to trusting and using the information in order to see the honest impact.

Listen to the full story on the “Casual Cattle Conversations” podcast .

Building Back Better: The Next Generation of Your Cow Herd

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 14:40:54 GMT

The opportunity to make our next generation of cows a better fit to our production system and genetically capable of creating more profit potential is historically unprecedented. More tools are available to assist cattle breeders in this quest than ever before.

The goal for the “Building Back Better” series of articles during the past two months was to target the cow-calf producers who are motivated by sustainable profit.

Regardless of the size of your operation, a deep dive into the unique characteristics of your own production system is important to inform selection and mating decisions. Identifying breeding goals as well as prudent selection and mating decisions can result in a cow herd that yields more beef per acre of pasture, reduces your maintenance cost and serves as the production factory of market topping calves.

Consider the current performance metrics of your cow herd. Quantifiable measurements should be used to assess the efficiency of your business. And, measuring current levels of cowherd productivity helps identify where genetic improvement is needed.

Collect, calculate and evaluate the following:

What is the average weight of your 4 to 7 year old cows?
What is the average weight of your weaned calves?
Are calf birth dates clustered in the early part of the calving season or more widely spread out?
What is your Percent Crop Weaned?
On a whole herd basis, what percentage of their mature weight are your cows weaning off?
What is the length of your calving season?

Guidance for calculating these performance metrics is available in Chapter 4 of the Eight Edition of the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Beef Cattle Manual .

While this has been addressed from a standpoint of genetics and animal breeding, it is also important to consider other components of your production system over which you have management control. For example:

If you have put selection pressure on post-weaning growth and carcass traits over the long-term and sell your calves at weaning, are you documenting the calves genetic potential to grow, grade and yield for the next owner? Is it economically feasible for you to retain ownership of your calves? Are you capturing the full value of your investment in the genetic potential you have created?
If you have a sound vaccination protocol and typically background weaned calves for at least 45 days prior to selling, have you documented these management practices to the fullest extent possible to capture the full value of your good management?

Your Next Reads:
Building Back Better Using Selection Decisions and Breeding Values
Building Back Better: Tips for Replacement Heifer Development
Building Back Better Using Breeding Objectives and Selection Pressure
Building Back Better by Analyzing Your System
Building Back Better: Better Genotype Through Selection and Mating
Building Back Better With Mating Decisions and Gene Combination Value
Building Back Better Focused on Heritability and Heterosis

The Top 10 Drovers Stories of 2025

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 15:27:17 GMT

Which stories caught the most attention in 2025? From New World screwworm (NWS) to cattle inventory levels and hay alternatives to weaning strategies, here’s a look back at the top 10 stories on Drovers.com in 2025.

10. U.S. Beef Cattle Inventory Falls to the Lowest Level in 64 Years

USDA’s annual Cattle Inventory Report released on January 31, 2025, shows the U.S. total cattle inventory shrunk another 1% over the past year, with the number of beef cows also down 1%.

Shrinking cattle supplies continues to be the story in the cattle market and part of the reason cattle prices continue to climb. USDA’s annual Cattle Inventory Report shows the U.S. cattle inventory shrunk another 1% over the past year, now at 86.7 million head. And when you look at just the number of beef cows, that inventory fell 1%, now sitting at 27.9 million head. Read the full story .

9. Instead of Making Hay: 4 Profitable Alternatives For Cattle Producers to Consider

Carson Roberts, Missouri Extension state forage specialist, says the consensus in the beef industry is making your own hay is the cheapest way to feed cattle through the winter. Roberts disagrees saying hay is expensive to make and expensive to feed.

If you didn’t make hay, what could you do instead? He recommends four alternatives that often pay more per acre than producing hay. Read the full story .

8. The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested With New World Screwworm

“The stench … it’s like roadkill stewed in infection,” explains Jose Santiago Gallardo Espinosa, a cattle producer from Chiriqui, Panama, describing an animal that has been infected with NWS. “You’ll smell it before you see it.”

He goes on to describe the appearance: “That little dehorning scrape you didn’t worry about? Now, it’s a fist-sized hole pulsating with maggots. Not on top, under the skin. Hundreds of cream-colored worms with screw-like spines, eating your cow alive.”

The image, the smell, the emotions: five cattle producers and veterinarians from around the world share their firsthand experience with NWS. Read the full story.

7. When Is the Best Time to Wean?

Weaning strategies are not one plan fits all, and what your neighbor does might not be the best decision for your herd. The average suggested weaning age is 205 days.

Four beef cattle specialists share strategies to help producers decide when to wean calves. Read the full story.

6. Instead of Feeding Hay: 5 Profitable Winter Feed Alternatives for Your Cattle Herd

Traditional hay production is often economically inefficient. Cheap winter-feeding strategies can dramatically reduce costs compared to making and feeding hay.

Roberts says he often hears people say, “Reducing hay sounds great, but you can’t starve weight onto a cow.”

He doesn’t disagree but asks: “Why would you insist on feeding hay when stockpiled milo or tall fescue is often as good or better in forage quality than the average bale of fescue? Furthermore, these stockpiled forages can be produced for a fraction of the price.”

He suggests five strategies that can potentially reduce winter feeding costs by more than half. Read the full story .

5. Did the Administration’s Plan to Lower Beef Prices Wreck the Bull Run in the Cattle Market?

2025 was a historic year in the cattle market. The tightest cattle numbers in 70 years laid the groundwork for cash and futures prices to push to record and all-time highs.

The peak in the cattle futures market was hit on Oct. 16. However, by Nov. 6, live cattle saw a $30 correction from the highs, and feeder cattle futures set back nearly $70. The cattle market chaos wasn’t tied to fundamentals but liquidation by speculative traders on fear of policy changes by the administration as President Donald Trump announced a plan to lower beef prices for consumers.

Cattle market fundamentals remain unchanged while psychology shifted the market due to the president’s comments and industry interference. Read the full story .

4. What is a Good Bull Worth in 2025?

The age-old question asked by producers during sale season is: What is a good bull worth? The question has been asked forever, or at least as long as we have been breeding cattle with a notion of trying to make the next generation better.

It is an important question with an answer that depends on your marketing plan and the market conditions at that time. Not an exact number because there are many variables in play. Read the full story .

3. Buckle Up: Here’s Why Cattle Prices Are Setting up for Another Wild Ride in 2025

USDA’s January 2025 Cattle Inventory report shows U.S. beef cattle numbers fell to the lowest level in 64 years to start the year. Tight supplies and strong demand could push cattle prices to even higher highs in 2025, but uncertainty is infusing more risk and volatility into the markets.

Those numbers, along with questions around just how much higher these markets can go, were major topics surrounding the 2025 CattleCon in San Antonio, Texas. Three ag economists share their predictions for 2025. Read the full story.

2. 10 Reasons You Should Quit Making Hay

This was the first of the hay stories that started the excitement on Drovers.com. In this article, Roberts says hay is expensive to make and encourages producers to find other options for winter feed.

He offers 10 key reasons why you should quit making hay. Read the full story.

1. Mexican Border Closed Again as New World Screwworm Comes Within 370 Miles of the U.S.

On July 8, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality reported a new case of NWS in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz, Mexico, which is approximately 160 miles northward of the current sterile fly dispersal grid on the eastern side of the country and 370 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border.

This detection came approximately two months after northern detections were reported in Oaxaca and Veracruz, less than 700 miles away from the U.S. border, which triggered the closure of our ports to Mexican cattle, bison and horses on May 11, 2025 .
While USDA announced a risk-based phased port re-opening strategy for cattle, bison and equine from Mexico beginning as early as July 7, 2025 , this newly reported NWS case raised significant concerns. Therefore, to protect American livestock and the U.S. food supply, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately.

The ports remain closed as 2025 comes to an end. Read the full story.

Fixing Ranch Labor Challenges: Kane Wellnitz’s Advice on Hiring and Retention

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:03:21 GMT

If you ask ranchers what their biggest challenges are, finding and retaining employees often lands at the top of the list. But that doesn’t mean finding the right people for a ranch or any ag business is impossible — it just requires looking at what works for others and understanding what makes ag people tick a little differently.

Kane Wellnitz is a Nebraska rancher and owner of Land Bridge Consulting. His family has taught him how to retain key employees on the ranch, and his consulting business has taught him even more about how to communicate with them.

“Ag people are great, but we’re really good at suffering,” Wellnitz says. “We’ll work all day and not complain — and that can be an issue as an employer. You have to tell people up front: if something’s wrong, call me and let me know before it becomes a bigger problem.”

Wellnitz says proper communication saves a business time and money in the long run.

“It’s really expensive to hire people,” he says. “I’d much rather keep good people than have to find new ones.”

Communicating may seem like an obvious answer, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.

“You never really get communication right — you just have to keep working at it,” Wellnitz says. “The biggest thing we’ve learned is to constantly let everyone know what’s going on. I’m not a micromanager. I like my people to manage themselves, but I’ve also learned that good employees still want communication and input.”

Outside of communication, Wellnitz has found creating a sense of ownership to be one of the most effective retention strategies.

“Ownership has been our best retention strategy,” he says. “Andrea, our ranch manager, runs cows with our cows. She’s built her own herd alongside ours — and that makes her truly invested in what we’re doing. When employees have ownership, it’s less like talking to an employee and more like talking to a partner.”

Ownership also includes listening to employees’ ideas.

“Listen to your people’s ideas,” he says. “The folks doing the work often see inefficiencies you can’t. Giving them ownership in the process helps them grow and helps the business improve.”

Offering flexibility is another key strategy.

“Flexibility is key. People have lives, families and goals outside of work,” Wellnitz says. “If I can help them make a living and still have time for life, that’s a win. On the ranch, flexibility looks like small breaks — maybe an afternoon to do something you actually enjoy, like moving cows. Little resets go a long way.”

Housing, providing beef or covering utilities are also benefits ranchers can consider offering. But those extras can’t always make up for direct compensation.

“You’ve got to pay good help,” Wellnitz says. “A lot of the ag industry is still stuck paying what they did 20 years ago. You can’t afford not to pay people well anymore.”

Proper compensation with the right employees will pay off in the long run, he adds.

“If you don’t pay competitively, you’ll pay in other ways — with turnover, stress or lost cattle,” he says. “Those costs can equal the cost of keeping a good employee.”

When it comes to finding good employees, Wellnitz encourages ranchers to think beyond the typical candidate pool.

“Don’t overlook people from outside your exact niche,” he says. “A good hand from the farm side or even the oil field might be exactly who you need on your ranch.”

Keep in mind the strengths and weaknesses your team already has, and consider which skills can be taught. Someone who isn’t as handy horseback might make up for it with strong mechanical skills.

The biggest thing to remember: as a rancher, you are an employer and a leader. Think outside the box, listen to others, and be willing to provide opportunities and compensation that help your employees pursue their own goals.

You can listen to the full conversation with Kane Wellnitz on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.

Building Back Better Focused on Heritability and Heterosis

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:29:31 GMT

In the genetic model: Phenotype = Genotype + Environment. Genotype represents the genetic potential of an animal to reach a level of performance and can be split into two components — 1) The component of Breeding Value (additive genetic merit) and 2) Gene Combination Value (GCV), which can also be thought of as the non-additive part.

We use selection decisions to build Breeding Value (BV). Mating decisions influence GCV. Based on your breeding objectives and what traits you consider to be of primary importance to unlocking profit potential in your commercial cow-calf operation, selection and mating are tools in your tool box to build better genotypes.

Heritability can be thought of as the amount of phenotypic variation which is explained by additive genetic variation. As such, heritability serves as an indicator of how easily traits can be changed through selection.

When traits are highly heritable (40% or more), less of phenotypic variation is explained by GCV or environmental influences. On the other hand, low heritability traits are influenced to a greater degree by the GCV part of genotype and the environment.

For example: if the trait of Heifer Pregnancy is estimated to have a heritability of 7%, it follows that 93% of the variation we see in phenotypes for Heifer Pregnancy are influenced by GCV and environment.

The biological phenomenon of heterosis (or hybrid vigor) is the result of GCV from the mating decision to crossbreed. The following table shows the inverse relationship between heritability and heterosis relative to categories of traits.

(OSU)

The table shows that low heritability traits show a higher level of heterosis. High heritability traits are influenced more by additive genetic merit and to a lesser extent due to GCV.

Highly heritable (carcass) traits are most effectively improved through selection programs to improve additive genetic potential. We can impact low heritability traits more quickly through crossbreeding to capitalize on heterosis.

In regard to building back a better cow herd through sound, intentional selection and mating decisions, the single strongest argument for crossbreeding is the advantage in reproductive fitness and longevity of crossbred cows.

If crossbreeding, remember that heterosis does not substitute for additive genetic merit, it builds off of it. Selection of breeds (and breeding stock within those breeds) should be based on EPDs, indicating the BV for traits most economically important in your production system.

Analysis of all the components of your production system including your intended use and marketing endpoint for each calf crop should dictate the selection and mating decisions you make.

Your Next Reads:
Building Back Better Using Selection Decisions and Breeding Values
Building Back Better: Tips for Replacement Heifer Development
Building Back Better Using Breeding Objectives and Selection Pressure
Building Back Better by Analyzing Your System
Building Back Better: Better Genotype Through Selection and Mating
Building Back Better With Mating Decisions and Gene Combination Value

What Ranchers Need to Know About Vitamin A

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:14:50 GMT

Cattle aren’t cheap, which makes it more important than ever to make sure ranchers are managing in ways that tap into the full genetic potential of their cattle. Proper nutrition and ensuring nutrient deficiencies aren’t present is one way to do this, especially keeping Vitamin A in mind.

“Vitamin A is a very critical nutrient, as are all vitamins, and first of all vitamins are what we call mainly trace elements,” says Blane Lowe, DVM. “It’s involved with the gene expressions, so vitamin A can help make sure cattle reach optimal performance.”

Signs of vitamin A deficiency can vary but all impact cattle well-being and performance.

“Blindness and specifically night blindness is a large component of that we see things with dull and rougher hair coats,” Lowe says. “With younger animals, you can certainly see stunted growth or slower growth rate, lower weight gains and reproductive efficiency.”

Part of the lower and slower growth rates are caused by reduced Vitamin A in colostrum.

“If there’s not some winter supplementation, it’s not uncommon to see the cows have low vitamin A levels,” Lowe says. “The consequences to those cows are really kind of minimal compared to those of the calves they are carrying … Those get their first 90 days of vitamin A through colostrum.”

Lowe also notes that retained placentas, pink eye and footrot are connected too.

“We see pink eyes, foot rots, they’re all associated with them,” he says.

Nature does a good job providing adequate vitamin A during specific times throughout the year.

“Mother Nature’s provided us with vitamin A in green, lush forages,” Lowe says. “Cattle also store anywhere from a 2-to-4-month’s supply of vitamin A in the liver.”

However, it’s the winter months or even drought years that create need for vitamin A supplementation.

Drought is probably one of the biggest factors there,” Lowe says. “Certainly higher nitrates in the feedstuffs can contribute to a poorer absorption and conversion of vitamin A in the body.”

Ranchers can take steps to ensure adequate vitamin A levels in their herds through proper nutrition, mineral programs and even supplementation if levels are already undesirable.

One solution for herds who need supplementation is Optade which is a water-soluble vitamin A.

It’s called Optade because in addition to the vitamin A, it also has 300,000 international units of vitamin D and 1,260 of vitamin E,” Lowe says.

This solution is administered through the primary water supply of cattle.

“We will recommend that people, if they’re able to, put it in their water supply; put that in at roughly a pound per hundred gallons of water,” Lowe says.

Something to note about vitamin A is its low stability.

“Vitamin A is not really stable, so it degrades fairly rapidly,” Lowe says. “If you bought your mineral several months ago with a specific amount of vitamin A in it, it’s likely that level is no longer the same.”

However you choose to ensure proper nutrient levels in your cattle, keep in mind the big picture of profit and cattle health and performance.

“We’ve done an excellent job as an industry of looking at genomically enhanced EPDs; we’ve selected a very good set of genetics in our herds for the most part,” Lowe says. “Ensuring proper vitamin A levels allows ranchers to take advantage of what they’ve purchased through our breeding selections and give genes the opportunity to be expressed.”

Listen to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast .

Building Back Better With Mating Decisions and Gene Combination Value

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 03:27:15 GMT

Mating decisions made in commercial cow-calf operations determine if (and how much) gene combination value (GCV) we create in the next generation.

In the genetic model: Phenotype = Genotype + Environment, genotype represents the genetic potential of an animal to reach a level of performance and can be split into two components.

The component of Breeding Value (additive genetic merit) was covered last week. The focus of this article is GCV, which can also be thought of as the non-additive part.

GCV is based on the effect of gene pairs at loci across the genome. It is part of the animal’s genotypic value and impacts the animal’s performance potential; however, because it is based on gene pairs, it can’t be transmitted from parent to offspring.

In commercial cow-calf operations we can create GCV through mating decisions. The decision to crossbreed is a mating decision.

Crossbreeding provides commercial cattle producers the opportunity to combine desirable characteristics of two or more breeds (breed complementarity) and increase performance due to hybrid vigor (heterosis). Hybrid vigor is the result of GCV.

For example, if we make the mating decision to use a Charolais bull on our Angus cows, we are creating F1 black-nosed smoke calves with 100% level of individual heterosis. Why? Because the F1 generation will have a Charolais gene paired with an Angus gene across all loci.

Hybrid vigor is the superiority in the level of crossbred offspring’s performance over the average level of the purebred parents involved in the cross.

In scientific literature, levels of heterosis are typically expressed as a percentage as shown in the following example: A Charolais bull with the additive genetic potential for 660 lb. of weaning weight is crossed with a herd of Angus cows with the additive genetic potential for 640 lb. of weaning weight. The resulting F1 crossbred calves weigh 683 lb. at weaning.

Average of the purebred parents is 650
The 683 lb. weaning weight of calves is 33 lb. more than average of the parents
- (33/650) x 100 = 5% level of heterosis from this cross.

The 5% level of heterosis is not additive, it is the result of the biological phenomenon of hybrid vigor created by crossbreeding resulting in a GCV that is non-additive.

It is noteworthy that if the F1 heifers and bulls resulting from this cross were mated, or if we began a two breed rotation involving an Angus bull mated to the F1 females from this cross, we would lose hybrid vigor (GCV) in the resulting F2 calf crop.

Why? Because not all loci would have a Charolais gene paired with an Angus gene. Hence, GCV (based on gene pairs) is not transmittable from parents to offspring. It must be created through mating decisions. Thereby, purebred animals are an essential component for effective crossbreeding programs.

Final Thoughts for Building GCV

Each selection and mating decision should be intentional, deliberate and made for a purpose. Selection decisions impact BV. Mating decisions impact GCV. Choose breeds (and breeding stock within those breeds) with high breeding value for traits of economic importance to your operation.

Crossbreeding (to increase GCV/hybrid vigor) does not replace additive genetic merit, it builds off of it. Finally, more breeds introduced into a crossbreeding program will result in more heterosis but also increase variation.

Performance levels of some traits are influenced more by additive genetic merit, other traits benefit more GCV. More on that topic next week.

Your Next Reads:
Building Back Better Using Selection Decisions and Breeding Values
Building Back Better: Tips for Replacement Heifer Development
Building Back Better Using Breeding Objectives and Selection Pressure
Building Back Better by Analyzing Your System
Building Back Better: Better Genotype Through Selection and Mating

Why Do I Have So Many Open Cows?

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 15:37:15 GMT

With calves weaned, veterinarians criss-cross the country conducting pregnancy checks, or preg checking, cow herds. The vet calls out and marks an “O” on the hips of “open” or non-pregnant cows.

Producers figure the herd percentage bred by dividing the number of pregnant cows by the total cows exposed. Armed with these numbers, the question can arise: “Why is my open rate so much higher this year?”

While several factors can play into a herd’s reproductive success, management is usually the key. Nutrition, bull management, vaccination protocols and handling of early pregnant animals can greatly influence the herd pregnancy rate.

A change in management can have a ripple effect. For example, one management decision on calving could impact pregnancy rates. If you push back your calving date from March to May, the breeding season is pushed back to August. And this can result in more open cows.

Causes of Reproductive Failure

1. Nutrition

As I interviewed specialists, veterinarians and nutritionists, they all agreed that nutrition is normally the biggest cause of reproductive failure.

“If you think of building a wall, nutrition is the bricks. If the bricks are missing, the wall is going to fail,” saya Mary Drewnoski, UNL beef and dorage Specialist. “Protein or energy are usually the big rocks that are missing, especially in young animals that may still be growing.”

Heifers and cows should be on an increasing plane of nutrition during the breeding season, as established through years of research.

Breeding in Late Summer or Fall
In our previous example, a March calving herd in the Sandhills would breed while grazing grass in June, which is increasing in protein and energy. However, if I changed that herd’s calving date to May, that herd is now breeding in August on grass that has matured and dropping in the available protein and energy. In the Sandhills, this herd would be breeding on rangeland that is decreasing in forage value.

To solve this nutrient deficiency, the heifer calves and first calf heifers in the May calving herd at the university research ranch (Gudmundsen Sandhills Lab) receive 0.3 lb. of protein per head per day (or 1 lb. of a 30% distillers based cake supplement/day) two weeks prior to breeding and for 30 days into the breeding season.

A bull is turned out with these young females for 30 days. Another rancher who has a May calving herd starts supplementing two weeks prior to breeding and feeds three weeks into his breeding season. By supplementing, the plane of nutrition is increasing, even though the grass forage value is dropping, which should boost the pregnancy rate.

Rick Funston, UNL beef reproductive specialist, says the kind of protein you are feeding matters. Distillers grains products are higher in by-pass protein, which the animal can use, and the young animals in the May herd receive 0.3 lb. of protein per head per day. However, if feeding alfalfa hay, which is lower in by-pass protein, Funston suggests feeding 0.5 lb. of protein per head per day.

Wet Years with Lots of Mature Grass
In wet years with higher than normal precipitation, producers are often surprised when they have more open cows than usual. Remember that mature grass is lower in protein and energy, because the rigid stem and seedhead are less digestible.

“But those cows were belly deep in grass!?” is a common response. That “washy” grass was providing a declining plane of nutrition during the breeding season, which could lower pregnancy rates.

On the flip side, producers are often surprised at good pregnancy rates during lower precipitation years. While grass production is lower, the grass may lack the rainfall to produce a seedhead, resulting in a higher forage value.

Thin Cows
Research shows that cows that are thin, or body condition score 4 or less, are less likely to breed back. Thin cows are also milking during the breeding season and will need more protein and energy to gain weight.

The environment is telling the cow she can’t support herself, so why could she support the extra nutritional needs of a fetus? After calving and heading into the breeding season, cows should be in a good body condition score, or thinner cows (BCS 4) should be gaining body condition.

Young Animals are Still Growing
Young heifers and cows are growing and may need a higher diet of protein and energy. Often producers will sort off these young animals and manage them differently than the older cows. The young herd is often fed more protein or energy to compensate for growth.

If second or third calf heifers have lower pregnancy rates, consider the genetics you have been selecting for and the environment the herd is in. If you are selecting for higher weaning or yearling weights, cow size and milk production may also be increasing.

More open young animals could indicate your environment and genetics no longer match. Energy and protein may not be meeting the needs of these young, growing, and milking females.

Other Nutrients
Vitamin A and dietary phosphorus are important to reproduction success. Vitamin A does not store well in the animal, and levels differ drastically in feeds, so vitamin A should be a consideration. Dietary phosphorus drops in grasses as plants mature, so it may need supplemented in mineral if cattle are grazing dormant winter range. However, distillers grains are high in phosphorus, so if supplemented, phosphorus may not be needed in the mineral.

2. Bulls

Bull Power
Females are just one part of the equation — don’t forget about bull management. If running multiple bulls in a herd, ensure there are enough bulls.

Recommendations for the cow-to-bull ratio depends on the age of the bulls, terrain and size of the pasture, and other variables. For older bulls, 25 cows per 1 bull is suggested. For a yearling bull, the number of females is equal to the bull’s age in months (for example, a 15 month old bull could run with 15 females).

Breeding Soundness Exam or Semen Testing Bulls
Bulls should be tested four to six weeks prior to turn out. Bulls may be subfertile or infertile.

Dr. Lindsay Waechter-Mead, veterinarian and Beef Quality Assurance Coordinator, states that sperm production is a 61-day process, so injuries that occur earlier in the spring may not show up during a breeding soundness exam, if the exam is done too early.

Check Bulls Often During the Breeding Season
The exam is just a “snapshot” in time, so check bulls often during the breeding season to ensure bulls are “sound” all season.

Bulls can injure feet, legs, or hips. Check for swelling around the sheath and scrotal areas. Remove injured bulls and replace with a healthy “spare” bull.

3. Early Embryonic Death Loss

When heifers or cows are first pregnant, the embryo is small, as well as fragile. If you are synchronizing and utilizing artificial insemination (AI), either move animals immediately after breeding (within five days of breeding) or wait until 45 days to transport. By waiting to transport, this will reduce the embryonic loss, which will increase pregnancy rates.

“Preg checking should also wait until after 50 days of breeding to reduce the amount of embryonic loss in pregnant animals,” suggests Rick Funston, who worked with large sets of ranch data that studied the relationship of the timing of pregnancy checking herds.

4) Infections

Keeping infections or diseases out of herds may be the first thing you think of when you have a lot of non-pregnant cows, but in Waechter-Mead’s experience, “diseases are rarely found and it’s usually a management issue.”

If management or nutrition deficiencies have been ruled out, work with your local veterinarian for diseases that could affect reproduction.

Based on risks and benefits, each herd will have their own vaccinations or health protocols, again working with your veterinarian. However, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners recommends core vaccines of IBR, BRSV, BVD, PI3 and Clostridial species. The rest should be based on risk/benefits specific to each vaccine.

During the semen testing of bulls, samples for trichomoniasis tests can be taken during the bulls’ breeding soundness exams. Virgin bulls should not need a trichomoniasis, or trich, test.

Conclusion

According to established herds that Funston has worked with, these herds achieve 90% or greater pregnancy rates on cows and 80% or greater pregnancy rates on heifers.

If your pregnancy rates are significantly lower, reach out to your local veterinarian, as each is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. By asking the right questions, a solution can be found faster and at less expense.

These may be a few questions asked:

Did anything drastically change during the breeding season?
Was there drought or overgrazing of pastures?
How long is the breeding season?
When do the cows calve? If the cows are breeding on a declining plane of nutrition, that would suppress pregnancy rate.
Did you test your feed/hay? Or change who you bought your feed from?
How much and when did you supplement extra protein or energy to the heifers/cows?

— by Bethany Johnston, Nebraska Extension educator, and Rick Funston, Nebraska Extension beef cattle reproductive physiologist

Is There an Optimum Cow Size?

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 19:48:02 GMT

An age-old debate in the cattle industry has always been what is the “perfect” cow size. According to Kenny Burdine, University of Kentucky livestock agriculture economist, there is no one-size-fits-all cow. The optimum-sized cow is one that works in your production and marketing environment and weans off enough pounds each year to be profitable.

“I have never been one to believe that an ‘optimal’ cow size exists,” Burdine says in a recent Cattle Market Notes Weekly . “Every farm is unique and operates in a different production and market environment. Whenever this question comes up, I simply reply that I don’t really care what cows weigh, as long as they are weaning enough pounds of calf each year to be profitable.”

Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University beef cattle breeding specialist, says the U.S. cow herd has been steadily increasing in mature weight for several decades. This is largely the result of selection pressure applied to increasing weaning and yearling weights.

“Because of the positive genetic correlations between weights taken at all stages of life, mature weight has increased even though that has not been the objective,” he explains.

Have calf weaning weights increased in proportion with cow weights?

“There’s a growing amount of empirical evidence that tells us there’s about a 10 to one relationship, meaning that if we increase mature cow size by about 100 lb., we only see 10 lb. of increase in a calf weaning weight,” Johnson explains in a recent OSU Cow-Calf Corner article .

Research demonstrates as cows get bigger they wean off a lower percentage of their mature weight.

(Michigan State University)

“It’s easier for a 1,000-lb. cow to wean off close to 45% to 50% of her mature weight, whereas when cows get 1,400 lb. to 1,600 lb., it’s more of a struggle, and they’re probably going to be at 30 some percent, maybe get as high as 40% on average of their mature weight,” he says.

What is the producer’s perspective on cow weights?

“As cow-calf producers we have to balance mature cow size with the grass,” explains Sam Hands, of Triangle H Inc. Hands and his daughter, Marisa Kleysteuber, own and operate Triangle H, which includes a cow-calf operation, and a feedlot located south of Garden City, Kan.

During his 65 years in the cattle business, Hands says he has witnessed changes in production efficiency and pounds of beef produced per cow per acre. He shares an example comparing a cow from when he returned home from college to today’s average cow.

(Historical Perspective)

In the early ’70s cows were averaging 1,000 lb. and weaning off 425-lb. calves. Today, due improved genetics, the cows average 1,400 lb. and wean off 600-lb. calves. But water and grass resources can only handle and produce so many pounds. So today, to produce the same pounds of beef, the land can carry 71 cows compared to previously 100 cows.

“We can push Mother Nature and grass so far, but when we push too far, then we have cows out of condition, we have open cows, we have lighter calves,” he explains.

Hands admits due to genetic improvement in his cow herd by using expected progeny differences (EPDs) and other selection tools he has been able to keep the balance. With calves growing faster, they can calve later and wean earlier and still get the additional pounds on grass in about 45 days less time.

Which cows should a producer cull?

Burdine says producers make culling decisions each year based on the best information they have at the time. He admits record keeping has never been high on the list of things cow-calf producers enjoy, but it is extremely important and should be used to drive culling decisions.

“Well managed cow-calf operations track weaning weights on individual calves and tie each calf back to its dam,” Burdine says. “By doing that, productivity can be measured for each individual cow. On the other hand, it is nearly impossible to track production costs on an individual cow basis. Producers with good financial records likely have a solid understanding of what it costs them to maintain the average cow in their herds.”

This distinction is important when one considers how to use production records to make culling decisions. Larger cows tend to wean larger calves, but they are also more expensive to own.

“While it is not easy to observe, they will consume more hay, feed, pasture and mineral as they maintain their larger bodies, and one can make a case that vet/medicine, yardage, transportation and other expenses will be higher for larger cows too,” he says. “The simple point being that if one is making culling decisions based on calf weaning weights alone, they are likely to be disproportionately culling more of their smaller cows. By doing this over time, the average size of their cows increases, and their costs trend upward.”

Burdine says he put together an Extension presentation aimed encouraging producers to consider cow size in their culling decisions.

“I used a simple budget approach and adjusted costs as best as I could for various sized cows,” he explains. “I even included a higher cull value on those larger cows, which is relevant to the discussion. Using this approach, it appeared that an operation needed to wean about 50 more pounds of calf for every additional 100 lb. of mature cow they were maintaining.”

He admits this approach is not perfect, but it illustrates the concept he was trying to prove that basing cow culling decisions solely on the calf’s weaning weight can be misleading.

“While I don’t think there is an ‘optimal’ sized cow, I know those larger cows must be weaning larger calves to earn their keep,” Burdine summarizes. “And the only way to do that is to consider calf weaning weights in relation to the weight of the cows.”

Can mature size be managed while increasing weaning weights?

Johnson says increasing growth is important.

“Obviously, in the cow-calf sector, we sell calves based on pay weight,” he explains. “That’s our primary profit center, and we should put selection pressure on growth, be it weaning or yearling, if we’re retaining ownership past that, maybe it’s those final finished weights or carcass weights. But that needs to be selection pressure applied relative to mature cow size.”

There are positive genetic relationships between birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, postweaning gain, mature weight, mature height, finish weights and carcass weights.

Johnson reminds producers that by using expected progeny differences (EPDs), producers have been able to keep birth weights down and maintain calving ease, the past 30-plus years while spiking weaning weight and yearling weight.

“What have we not done? Probably put enough selection pressure on the backside of that growth curve and made sure that mature cow size didn’t get too out of hand,” he summarizes. “The point is, all these traits are moderate to high in heritability, a proper and intended breeding program that addresses mature size relative to growth can be accomplished.”

Little Indication of Heifer Retention in 2025

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:46:36 GMT

As 2025 wraps up there is still little indication of significant heifer retention for herd rebuilding though some retention may be beginning slowly.

The July Cattle report showed the smallest beef replacement heifer inventory in the history of the report back to 1973, although no comparison to last year was possible (the report was not available last year). The October Cattle on Feed showed the percentage of heifers in feedlots was unchanged from July and still above average as it has been since late 2018.

It is true that heifer slaughter is down 6.6% so far this year and is falling faster than steer slaughter, which is down 4.4% for the year to date.

(OSU)

Figure 1 shows average monthly heifer slaughter since January 1978. Average heifer slaughter peaked most recently in January 2023 and has declined 9% as of October 2025.

Heifer slaughter is quite variable and does decrease during periods of herd expansion. However, at this point the decrease in heifer slaughter is not enough to indicate significant heifer retention.

(OSU)

Figure 2 shows the ratio of steer to heifer slaughter over the same 49-year period. The obvious spikes in the ratio (dotted circles) correspond to herd expansions in the years 1979-1982; 1990-1996; 2004-2006; and 2014-2019.

The ratio increases when heifer slaughter drops relative to steer slaughter during herd rebuilding. The current steer:heifer ratio has begun to increase but appears to indicate only the slightest beginning of heifer retention. Additional heifer retention may build in 2026 but the pace appears to be slow.

Your Next Reads:
CattleFax Predicts Profitability Despite Increased Uncertainty
Rebuilding the U.S. Cow Herd: A Calculated Climb
Are We Seeing Signs of Herd Rebuilding?

North Dakota Family Shares Profitable Strategies for Marketing Heifers

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:35:49 GMT

For many cow-calf producers, marketing heifers is a second thought to marketing steers. But placing equal emphasis on reputation and strategies for females can be highly beneficial to operations around the country.

Jon and Patty Tebelius of Bowdon, N.D., are an example of how to trial different sale avenues, build reputation and more importantly create a herd that works for your customers.

“Our replacement heifers are equal to the heifers we sell through our seedstock supplier — and probably some of them are better. You have to pick and choose, and that’s how we do it,” Patty says.

The Tebeliuses currently sell open heifers during their seedstock supplier’s bull sale each March. However, they’ve tried other avenues such as the sale barn, online auctions and private treaty.

“The biggest challenge starting out was having a mixed herd. Seeing our hard year’s work get split into five groups at the sale barn was disappointing,” Patty explains. “But, we didn’t feel we had a group of quality replacement heifers to offer until we worked on getting them even and more uniform color-wise and size-wise.”

To work toward that uniform herd, Jon and Patty started by focusing on their genetic selections for both their replacement heifers and herd bulls.

Jon says: “I want buyers to know these aren’t just sale barn heifers that look cute — these ones have been looked at on the inside as well.”

Genomic testing helps the Tebeliuses have a more accurate understanding of how their herd has improved year over year and where they still need to make changes.

“The most value we can create is testing our females, tracking gains, and seeing what direction we’re moving. That’s what helps us build a better herd,” Jon says. “If you’ve never done DNA sampling, maybe now’s the time. It gives you a benchmark on your heifers and helps you understand why a buyer might not have come back.”

One lesson they learned on their journey is that sometimes buying females instead of using your own replacements is a faster way to make progress.

Patty says: “Getting an even group of cattle to market took time — DNA testing, culling hard and buying cows from registered breeders that fit our herd better helped us improve the most.”

Bull selection is also a factor they pay close attention too.

Patty says: “When you buy a bull, it’s not a purchase — it’s an investment in your future.”

Second to selecting replacement heifers, bull selection is the next decision that moves the needle forward on a cow-calf operation.

“We don’t have any terminal sires. Staying moderate and evening out your cow herd seems to work the best — it does the most for you, the fastest,” Jon says.

As ranchers work toward improving their cow factory, equal importance should also be placed on relationships.

“Every day, strive to build trust with people. It takes time,” Jon says. “When you can connect with buyers and get feedback from them, it’s uplifting. That’s what I enjoy about marketing our heifers the most.”

Like anything, keeping an open mind to new opportunities and change is key.

Patty says: “Believe in the new ways. Don’t be afraid to change. Some of it’s good, some of it’s bad, but most of the time that little bit of change works out.”

You can listen to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast .