Stress on cattle is inevitable, but producers know the goal is to manage and mitigate the stresses animals experience, including transportation, weaning, parturition, dietary and nutritional changes, predation, commingling, vaccination, diseases and infections. 

The journey from pasture to plate is fraught with challenges, particularly during the initial receiving period when cattle are most vulnerable. The receiving phase, typically encompassing the first 45 days after cattle arrive at a feedlot, is critical for ensuring their health, well-being and subsequent productivity.

Ensuring the health and productivity of starter cattle is a complex challenge. One of the critical aspects of managing this is understanding and supporting their immune systems, especially during the stressful transition from pasture to backgrounder or feedlot.

Today’s beef industry is moving through uncharted territory. Record prices are being recorded for finished animals, weaned calf dollar amounts have never been higher, and more younger calves are entering feedlots than ever before.

As we near the feedlot fall run and cow-calf producers market their calves at the highest prices received to date, every additional pound of gain has greater profit potential.

The benchmark reports are interesting and folks tend to value them in different ways, but they are a little more than just a means to compare yourself with your neighbors or fuel a competitive spirit.

Calf prices look to be strong for the next few years as the national cow herd continues to bounce back from liquidations related to drought. These market conditions pose a great opportunity to increase profit potential through value-added programs.

The USDA’s June 2024 Cattle on Feed report showed 11.6 million cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the country on feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head, slightly below the June 2023 report.