Sustainability seems to be the word of the decade lately, especially in the agriculture industry.

As we enter the final stretch of 2024, there has been a notable increase by animal rights activists against agriculture, especially focusing on farms, food production systems and consumer perceptions. For dairy farmers and those working within the dairy community, understanding the strategies being employed by activists is essential to staying ahead of potential threats and challenges.

Gathering cows to diagnose pregnancy is one of many fixtures on a cow-calf production calendar. The day’s primary objective is making a “pregnant” or “open” call, but another priority should be assessing each cow’s long-term future. Can she comfortably make it another year in the herd?

Doing things differently has been the Miller family’s way since the farm’s beginning over a century ago. Started in 1919 with 140 acres, the family now farms over 1,100 acres of owned and leased land as Miller Family Farm, a registered Tennessee Century Farm.

Drench guns are indispensable tools on livestock operations when administering oral dewormers or liquid medications. As with other tools on a cattle operation, it is important to know how to use these appropriately and maintain them.

For nearly 40 years, the alliance has been connecting those involved in getting food from the farm to our forks and arming them with the resources necessary to respond to emerging issues facing the animal agriculture community.

How are these inedible, black spots getting into the beef supply? That’s everyone’s first question after learning about birdshot as the leading contributor to foreign objects in packing plants and further processing facilities.

In this episode of the Progressive Cattle Podcast, Editor Tyrell Marchant interviews Frank Mitloehner, from UC Davis, as they talk about sustainability and the industry’s relationship with the public when it comes to these issues. Additionally, Editor Carrie Veselka discusses all things mental health and resources available for farmers and ranchers with Jessica Cabrera of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Euthanasia of cattle is never a pleasant task. Literally translated, “euthanasia” means “good death.” Please keep in mind that, if we have an animal that has given their life for food production and that animal is suffering, the least we can do is give them a good death.