There continues to be a high percentage of total cattle on feed that are heifers, indicating that the breeding herd will be smaller in 2023 and 2024. The steer and heifer price difference could work to slow some of these placements. Heifer calves are generally discounted relative to steers due to their tendency to finish […]

Feed costs are a constant consideration for cattle feeders. Improving feed efficiency, even by a small margin, can pay big dividends in the long run. “If cattle eat less and gain the same, it’s a nice advantage because you save on the amount you’re feeding. The cattle industry has continually focused on improving feed efficiency […]

A cattle rancher in Washington has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for defrauding Tyson Foods and another company out of more than $244 million by charging the victim companies for the purported costs of purchasing and feeding hundreds of thousands of cattle that did not exist. According to court documents, Cody Allen Easterday […]

Much discussion surrounding cattle markets in 2022 has focused on factors impacting current and future supplies. Drought-induced feedlot placements, higher cow and heifer slaughter, and lower auction receipts are all topics discussed in this newsletter over the past few months that have implications for cattle supplies moving forward. Today, I want to take a step back and look at […]

Over two years after the pandemic, USDA announced nearly $671 million in grants will be available for frontline workers including farmworkers, meatpacking workers and grocery store workers as part of the Food Workers Relief Grant Program. USDA selected 15 grant recipients to distribute the one-time $600 payment to agriculture workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. […]

Max Armstrong shares insight he’s learned about security. Key tactics include raising your awareness of what’s going on around you. But a key area of focus is cyber security on the farm. Terry Griffin, Kansas State University, cropping systems economist. He notes the rising digitization of agriculture creates new risks for the farm. Griffin points […]