Rancher
Packers are working to remain profitable, using basis for extended delivery, freighting cheaper inventory to areas of regional cash strength and running harvest at a snail’s pace.
Nearly all market indicators suggest the time to rebuild the cow herd is here, all we need is a cooperative environment. For those turning out bulls this spring the foundation of herd rebuilding has already begun.
Negotiated cash cattle prices declined for the third consecutive week in a moderate to active trade. Wholesale beef prices also declined yet remain above seasonal averages.
If you haven’t recently contemplated how your breeding and calving seasons contribute to the value of your cattle operation, take some time to consider whether there are incentives to change it.
Bull breeding soundness exams offer the opportunity to identify and remove bulls from the breeding herd that have a low probability of siring calves.
Resist the temptation to turn cattle out before grass is ready and use caution if there is no other option. Management practices now can have lasting impacts.
As beef producers, who is our real customer? While there is value in focusing on the person writing the check, it’s also important to keep the whole supply chain in mind, Koester says.
Currently, 94 participants from 22 states are feeding more than 1,400 head of Hereford and Hereford-influenced feeder cattle at HRC Feed Yards, Scott City, Kansas.
Do beef producers share in the profits gained through international trade? Let’s examine the data through the eyes of one of the industry’s largest players.
This is the time of year when it is easy to get excited about the cattle business. It is also time to be planning for the future and keep your business poised for economic sustainability.
Strip-grazing milo (grain sorghum) is a money-saving alternative winter feed plan for cattle, according to Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Rusty Lee.
An Alabama reader responds to a recent columns by Nevil Speer regarding the OFF Act and country-of-origin labeling.
Wholesale beef prices hit a recent low the end of March at $280.51 per cwt., but the steady march higher since then put Friday’s close as the highest Choice cutout value for that week on data available back to 2004.
Global macroeconomic concerns continue to keep beef markets nervous. Slowdowns in some markets have had some impact and, yet global beef markets continue to be resilient and demonstrate continued growth.
Cash cattle traded lower in all regions while feeder cattle and calves were mostly higher. Many analysts remain optimistic that the spring highs are yet to be seen.
A recent opinion published on Drovers about the OFF Act (Opportunities for Fairness in Farming) has drawn a response from R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard.
With a lower cattle inventory, per capita consumption will be the lowest since 2015.But while 2023 beef production will be down 6% from last year, it will still be 3 billion pounds greater than 2015.
The OFF Act (Opportunities for Fairness in Farming) is promoted as a cure for “swampy secrets” about commodity checkoffs. But the accusations evaporate under a review revealing vast misrepresentations and demagoguery.
Misinformation and conspiracy theories regarding the use of mRNA vaccines in livestock continue, despite efforts of the scientific community, who emphasize, “mRNA from a vaccine will NOT be passed along in meat.”
A 15,000-head sustainable beef feeding operation is planned for development by a 6th generation family farming and feeding operation in the Red River Valley near Bathgate, North Dakota.
Last week, a group from Oklahoma visited Florida to learn about cattle and agricultural production in an environment unlike anywhere else in the country.
A softer market for the first time in a month, but its a breather we have all been expecting. Keep an eye on the basis between cash and futures as packers will use it to gain leverage.
Negotiated cattle prices fell short of steady on the week, though fundamentals point to further gains in the short-term. Cattle on feed found 4.4% fewer cattle at the bunk, but placements were mildly surprising.
During the Ranchers Lunchtime webinar series produced by Oklahoma State University, James Henderson encouraged beef producers to “hold cows accountable.”
Trumler Ranch of Rockville has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award®.
Implanting preweaning is one of the most cost-effective ways to increase production for the cow-calf producer, and research shows implanted steer calves outgain bull calves.
Spring calving brings the promise of working calves and branding season. Each operation is set up differently with varying resources to work calves. How do you minimize cattle stress during this event?
Scientists confirm meat’s critical role in diet and society and warn that livestock systems are “too precious” to become the victim of simplification and reductionism.
When the guard dogs showed up in Colorado rancher Greg Sykes’ yard he knew there was a problem. Early that morning in mid-March wolves killed Cisco, his daily companion and working cow dog.
A 2023 economic impact study, which updated a study from 2017, found that livestock auction markets continue to be important for the growth and vitality of rural communities.