Cowboys, sale barns, and bull buying reviewed

Cowboys, sale barns, and bull buying reviewed

Doug Ferguson

Farm Progress

Being effective in the cattle business means covering a lot of factors, and this week it’s time to look at your bull buying plan.  Super Bowl Sunday evening, I got a text from my best friend that read “If the Packers played the Cowboys in the Super Bowl, the Packers would win 9 out of 10 times.” It doesn’t take long to get past the humor in that statement and get to the seriousness of it.

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Starting 2021 on the right foot financially

Starting 2021 on the right foot financially

J.E. Tranel, John Hewlett and Jay Parsons

Progressive Cattle

This can be a busy time of year for many farmers and ranchers. Calving season may be in full swing, feeding and other chores are carried out in cold weather, and tax returns are completed and filed. In addition, there are a plethora of meetings, conferences and other educational opportunities.

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Bad Day for a Bull

Bad Day for a Bull

Dr. Ken McMillan,

DTN

A fibrous ligament runs along the top of the penis and keeps the penis straight during an erection. This ligament can slip off to the side, creating a spiral deviation. If the ligament is weak or stretched, it can create ventral deviation. If the ligament is too short, it can pull the penis into an S shape. Any of these problems can prevent a bull from breeding cows.

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Slaughter cows: What impacts prices?

Slaughter cows: What impacts prices?

Ed Czerwien

Cattle Business Weekly

Slaughter cow prices have crept higher at auctions since mid-January which is always normal after the big Fall runs are over.  However, the last week jumped a lot higher mostly because of many big storms that really lowered the volume and was up to 8 higher in some places that still had good volume.

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USCA Sends Letter to Biden Administration on Buy American Mandate

USCA Sends Letter to Biden Administration on Buy American Mandate

USCA

On Thursday, the United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) sent a letter to the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council regarding the enforcement of President Joe Biden’s Buy American mandate, signed on January 25, 2021.

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Turn outliers into a profit opportunity, not a loss equation

Turn outliers into a profit opportunity, not a loss equation

J.P. Pollreisz

 Zoetis

No one wants sick cattle. From well-being concerns to unexpected costs, it can be a lose-lose situation. But when cattle do get sick, intentionally managing bovine respiratory disease (BRD) chronics and other outliers can help you improve animal well-being and stop economic losses you might not even know exist. While outliers — those animals that are chronically ill or need surgical care — are an expected occurrence, especially on a feedlot, they might be undermining the profit opportunity of the whole pen or group of cattle if they aren’t managed intentionally.

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Gates can create world’s biggest agrifoodtech testbed, but needs to win over farmers first

Gates can create world’s biggest agrifoodtech testbed, but needs to win over farmers first

Jack Ellis

AFN

Last month, US land investment magazine The Land Report published research indicating that Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda own the largest stock of farmland in the US. About 242,000 acres of it in fact, and part of a broader 269,000-acre land portfolio with holdings across 19 states, with the biggest chunks to be found in Louisiana (69,071 acres), Arkansas (47,927 acres), and Arizona (25,750 acres).

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Are the Cows Cold??

Are the Cows Cold??

Our Wyoming Life
Temperatures on the ranch have not been above zero for over a week. Today we look at how the animals deal with the cold and how we help them.

 

WA legislation would reduce direct-to-consumer obstacles

WA legislation would reduce direct-to-consumer obstacles

Charles Wallace

Western Livestock Journal

Currently, in Washington, meat sold to consumers must be butchered and processed in a USDA facility. Senate Bill 5045 would create a state-run meat and poultry inspection program with requirements equal to those imposed through USDA.

 

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Oklahoma winter weather: Ranchers’ efforts unsung, but just as important

Oklahoma winter weather: Ranchers’ efforts unsung, but just as important

Jack Money

The Oklahoman

Police, firefighters, emergency medical workers and wrecker drivers attract a lot of attention for sacrifices they make when serving the public during severe weather. But don’t forget about Oklahoma’s farmers and ranchers.

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