Latest News From BEEF

Fertilization requires the ability to use increased forage growth in a timely manner. That's more important for stockers than cow-calf operations as excessive early pasture growth is more efficiently used by mature cows.

Research indicates multiple animal performance benefits linked to earlier castration (birth to 3 months), including shorter initial weight loss periods, lower disease susceptibility, and higher post-weaning ADGs.

South Dakota Dairy Producers encourages all dairy producers to closely monitor their herd and contact their herd veterinarian immediately if cattle appear symptomatic.

Cherry County Neb. remains the U.S. County with the most beef cows, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture. South Dakota has seven counties ranked in the Top 33 while Texas has five.

Now, along with undergraduate students, current high school seniors who have experience raising and caring for small or large livestock, equine and/or poultry, are eligible to apply.

USDA reports are not an exact science of data collection and should not be treated as such. We have to take the information from all reports, reported and/or surveyed, and use it accordingly in our analysis.

In an effort to prevent domestic cattle from being exposed to Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV), 17 states have restricted cattle imports from states where the virus has infected dairy cows.

Caitlin Word shares the difference between principles and practices in this week’s podcast episode as it relates to regenerative agriculture.

Steve Troxle, state commissioner of agriculture, said he is waiting for more diagnostic information from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory and will work collaboratively with North Carolina dairy farmers.

NASS said the decision to discontinue select surveys was necessary given appropriated budget levels. NCBA noted its objections to the plan.

The margin spread between packer losses and feedyard profits expands as wholesale beef prices continue their retreat. Pork producer profits continue increasing.

Five-hundred-sixty-three bidders registered for the annual sale with 264 buyers from 31 states and Mexico competed for 670 lots.

There's a lot of rhetoric surrounding beef trade that we shouldn't accept at face value. A closer look at the data shows America’s ranchers are the direct beneficiaries of international trade.

King Ranch has acquired a 50% stake in Cobalt Cattle, the nation’s fourth-largest cattle feeding operation with six feedyards in Colorado, Kansas and Texas.

Government officials claim power over entrance, searches, and surveillance on private land with no restrictions.

Liver abscesses remain a singular, dark cloud over the otherwise sunny segment of dairy-beef-cross cattle. Several entities are performing research to try to solve this frustrating industry obstacle.

NCBA and the PLC oppose three finalized Endangered Species Act rulemakings that significantly expand federal overreach and roll back reforms that previously provided some relief to farmers and ranchers.

Strong global demand for U.S. pork has been been a bright spot for the industry. Fueled by growth in the Western Hemisphere, South Korea and Australia, U.S. pork exports posted another excellent performance in February.

Beef exports continue to face headwinds as beef production decreases and beef prices increase in the U.S. market. Beef imports are dominated by imports of lean processing beef to supplement supplies of nonfed beef.

Under pressure from negative margins, packers will continue to play their games but their activity last week led to the biggest harvest rate in seven weeks.

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners is making the name change, as it more accurately reflects the issue.

Finished cattle, feeders, calves and the futures markets were all in retreat as the HPAI event becomes the latest beef industry black swan.

Kay Russo, DVM, Novonesis technical services manager for dairy and poultry, emphasized the situation is rapidly evolving and more clarity will come with time as researchers learn more.

Pesky horn flies can become prolific during the grazing season. However, there are control tactics that can help keep horn fly populations under wraps.

Producers who are looking to minimize time spent checking water may consider investing in one of many modern water monitoring solutions.

Sid Miller, commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, says the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza impacting beef cattle in the state's panhandle – where dairy cows have been infected – is minimal.

Mexico will increase surveillance and reinforce inspections of U.S. livestock imports after bird flu was found in dairy cattle.

Some say he’s single-handedly changed the Brazilian beef industry. Others say he’s changed their life. No matter how you look at it, Professor Zequinha is a game-changer.

Colorado officials have confirmed the first wolf depredation of a calf since gray wolves were reintroduced in the state in December 2023.

Keeping replacement females from first calf heifers can work if producers plan and select sires that are adequate for calving ease and also offer maternal traits that are beneficial.

As cattle are fed to heavier end points, the incidence of BCHF is increasing. The beef industry is stepping up to help producers and veterinarians make production and selection decisions to reduce the occurrence of BCHF.

The latest data on steer weights shows 23 pounds heavier than a year ago at 922-pounds, record-high for the first two weeks in March. That's a sharply higher trend line in a time when weights historically trend lighter.

The inaugural course date for Noble Business Essentials is set for June 13-14, 2024, on Noble’s campus in Ardmore, Oklahoma.

Livestock producers and veterinarians are urged to practice good biosecurity practices to prevent transmission of the disease. Five states have also issued restrictions on dairy cattle movement.

Pork and beef exports of $18.1 billion in 2023 had a significant impact on the corn and soybean industries, according to an independent study conducted by The Juday Group and released by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Ranchers and landowners from disaster-declared counties impacted by recent wildfires are eligible to apply to the TSCRA Disaster Relief Fund.

Packer and feeder margins continue trending in opposite directions as declining wholesale beef prices erase any improvement packers may have seen from lower cash cattle prices. Pork producer profits steady.

Crabgrass is an annual, warm-season grass that is fast growing, easy to establish, and capable of natural and prolific reseeding, all of which allows it to excel as a “weed.”

Packers were quick to act on last week’s falling futures, but cattle feeders held firm in a week that could have moved much lower.

Cattle futures traded on both sides of unchanged before heavy selling emerged in the afternoon sending prices sharply lower into the close.

A recent Arkansas study showed deworming calves about two months before weaning improved weight gain and added value for producers.

Market cow prices have increased significantly as demand has grown for product in the nonfed beef market, and the supply is tightening faster than that of fed beef.

Animal rights groups like the Humane Society of the United States and The Accountability Board are taking their plight to public-facing companies. Brands need to prepare for attacks, says Animal Agriculture Alliance.

News of HPAI in dairies in the southern plains gave futures bears reason to react early last week, and the negative psychology spilled over into the cash trade as all regions traded lower.

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture announced that HPAI, known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, has been found in dairy cattle in Idaho.

Successful ranchers understand the importance of matching their cow herd to the resources available on their ranch and in their environment.

Cherry County, Nebraska, and Connecticut are about the same size in square miles, but which one has the most beef cow operations? The answer may surprise you.

Does more negotiated cash cattle trading benefit feeders or packers? An evaluation of packer gross margin provides some perspective.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to reinstate rules protecting endangered plants and animals, action that would reverse changes made during the Trump Administration that weakened the Endangered Species Act.

EPDs from multiple breeds can be compared by adding/subtracting the appropriate adjustment factors to the EPDs resulting from the most recent genetic evaluations for each of 18 breeds.