It was a phone call that I didn’t want to receive. On a pleasant evening in June, a neighbor rancher – someone I’ve known for many years – phoned to ask my advice about some baleage.

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.

Summer can present a variety of challenges and stressors to beef cattle that can lead to bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Mitigating risk is a critical component of a larger BRD battle plan.

With parts of the country battling their way back from drought and U.S. cattle numbers reaching historic lows over the last few years, it’s reasonable to ask when producers are going to start rebuilding their herds.

Winter cereals provide green, actively growing plants during the fall and early winter periods and are the first to green up in the spring.

The term “high risk” is mainly applied to calves bought and sold through local livestock auctions or sale barns, although not all these calves are necessarily considered high risk.

It’s time to work cattle. You’ve gotten the vaccines and all you have to do is load syringes and you’re good to go, right? 

Immediate income opportunities incentivize producers to sell their weaned calves, meaning a greater number of heifers are destined for the cattle feeding sector. Collectively, the cow herd hasn’t expanded as quickly as projected, ushering in amazing value for the replacement female.

Since the purchase price of calves is currently high, there can be a wide price spread between the purchase price of cattle that came from a good vaccination and health program versus cattle that have not.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Farmers are the poorest millionaires you’ll ever know”? Millionaire status is not based on the amount of money someone has sitting in the bank but rather their overall net worth.