When lecturing to the beef production capstone course in the division of animal sciences at the University of Missouri, I like to ask uncomfortable questions.

The agriculture industry is directly derived from what consumers want. And in today’s world, consumers want traceability.

So you’ve gotten a few years of producing cattle under your belt and are feeling pretty good about the future.

In a webinar hosted by NCBA, Elliott Dennis, assistant professor of livestock marketing and risk management at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, discussed how to top the cattle market by effectively marketing and managing price risk. 

Part of every cattle operation’s annual income is from cull cows; older cows or poor-producing cows are sold to make room in the herd for younger and/or better replacements.

It’s no secret black-hided cattle have topped the market in price for many years. While there are no exact answers, it is an interesting topic to discuss.