Beef producers face countless obstacles in raising high-quality, nutritious products. Deficiencies, avoidances and half-hearted energies directed toward any management area will result in mediocre performance, reduced profitability at a minimum and financial disaster in the worst cases.

If the local farming community’s coffee row were surveyed about the beef industry’s major players, the rancher, feedlot operator and packing plants would likely dominate responses.

John Ferry of JY Ferry & Son Inc. in Corinne, Utah, has a different idea than most when it comes to protecting the environment and the role cattle can play in the process.

In Olds, Alberta, not far outside Calgary, Harvie Ranching stands as a testament to the lasting tradition of family farming. For over four decades, members of the Harvie family have dedicated themselves to the production of top-quality cattle.

We’ve asked before if producers would be interested in using A.I. (artificial insemination) on their cow herd, and the majority answer has been a big yes, if it was more accessible.

Many livestock economists have demonstrated over the years that there is a premium in the marketplace for uniform lots of calves. For further proof, just watch what happens at the local auction market when it comes to selling feeder cattle and then tune in to one of the online video auctions and compare prices.

While results may differ across the entire U.S. cow-calf industry, the majority of our poll respondents said they use A.I. for at least part of their herd.

Fink Beef Genetics owns about 200 head of mother cows. Each of those, presumably, raises about one calf per year. Yet, somehow, in 2023, the Finks managed to sell more than 600 bulls carrying their herd’s genetics to customers across the country.

Passionate about cattle and the people who raise them, Ignacio Albornoz, CEO and co-founder of Cattler, and his team have developed a mobile and desktop software platform that handles information covering rations, health, animal movement, and profit and losses.

Have you ever noticed in ranching that there’s “flow” and “no flow”? The days things click into place are great. Items on the to-do list get crossed off, and people and animals are happy.