Rancher
Cash cattle markets carried a firmer tone most of the week but hopes for solid price gains were dashed by two days of declining futures prices. USDA’s Cattle on Feed report was consistent with trade estimates.
The meat war continues. On Friday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds proclaimed April as “Meat on the Table Month.” She encourages Iowans to support the livestock industry through meat consumption and purchases.
Beyond critical factors such as health, head count, evenness and flesh that always matter, it has become important to review Process Verified Programs and their role in cultivating more value add.
Most industry analysts expect cow-calf operations will see positive margins in 2021 and over the next two or three years. That optimistic view is based on expectations for smaller cattle supplies going forward.
U.S. beef exports to Japan have exceeded the safeguard trigger negotiated under the USJTA which allows for temporary tariff increases. Demand for U.S. beef has surged as supplies from Australia has declined.
Make sure your bulls are in good body condition, possessing structural soundness and are able to produce high quality semen ahead of breeding turnout with the females.
Canada is seeking to change its BSE status from a controlled-risk country to one of negligible risk. The change in status would allow Canadian cattle and beef greater access to foreign markets.
Recent updates were announced to the Red Angus Feeder Calf Certification Program to make it more user friendly for producers who are using the program to increase profits.
Federally inspected weekly slaughter totaled 18,000 head fewer than the prior week. That was mainly because one packing plant was dark on Friday and possibly Saturday for cooler cleaning.
A study at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) estimates the woody vegetation on New Zealand sheep and beef farms is offsetting between 63 percent and 118 percent of their on-farm agricultural emissions.
Keynote speakers will include iconic thought leaders, such as Dr. Jonathan Foley of Project Drawdown; Dr. Temple Grandin of Colorado State University; Dr. Frank Mitloehner of the University of California-Davis and more.
USDA published a Federal Register Notice requesting public input on a climate-smart agriculture and forestry strategy, directing the Ag Secretary to solicit input from stakeholders to develop a climate-smart approach.
Farmers are invited to submit nominations for the 2022 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest. This is the fourth year of the contest, which celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers.
The subject of herd improvement is more nuanced than, “Buy better bulls.” Yet, that’s a pretty foundational place start.
Heifers that calve unassisted do a better job of raising that calf, have shorter rebreeding intervals and calf earlier the following year. When calving ease as a priority, several selection tools are available.
The first hint of green grass was evident throughout much of the Midwest last week, and moisture across the High Plains was welcome with warmer weather on the way. Demand for grass cattle was high.
Cattlemen experienced a wide variety of weather across the Central Plains and mountain states last week, bringing much-needed moisture along with some unwelcome cold temperatures.
Veterinarians remind ranchers to keep calving best practices in place for the healthiest herd possible, including good vaccination programs, clean calving environments and good nutrition.
Cash fed cattle traded at steady money for a sixth consecutive week. A late-winter storm brought some much-needed moisture to the High Plains.
The calendar still read January the last time cattle prices saw an advance. Cattle feeders believed they were gaining market leverage and demand might soon spike. Instead, cattle finished a sixth week trading steady.
The benefits of protein as part of a healthy adult diet was drawn from checkoff-funded research conducted by North Dakota State University and presented to dieticians and nutritionists at a recent symposium.
The Hamilton Ranch in Kansas’ Flint Hills has been listed by Hall & Hall. The 5,152-acre ranch is comprised mostly of native prairie grasses and is located in Greenwood County.
The combination of above-normal temperatures and dry conditions, as well as an extended period of forecasted elevated-to-critical fire weather, will create an environment conducive to Texas wildfire activity.
Through colostrum intake, the calf receives passive immunity from its mother to help protect it from diseases early in life. It is essential that calves receive quality colostrum as soon as possible following birth.
Multiple partners from national and international nonprofits, government agencies, and private landowners come together to change the course of the frog’s plight.
Whether your lawn or cow pastures, cutting off the old allows fresh growth.
For the second consecutive week, feeder cattle auction receipts increased substantially following February’s storms. Prices, however, declined again for the second week as demand was called moderate to good.
There appeared to be more cattle trade than what we have seen for several weeks, but with only one or two packers needing cattle it was difficult for feeders to push the market higher.
Proposed legislation that is perceived to make markets work better and solve a problem often has the opposite effect, argues Sterling Marketing president John Nalivka.
The Cattle Transparency Act of 2021 was introduced in the Senate to mandate weekly minimum cash cattle trades. NCBA policy supports a voluntary approach to increase negotiated trades to regionally sufficient levels.