It’s The Ranch It Up Radio Show! Join Jeff Tigger Erhardt, Rebecca Wanner AKA BEC and their crew as they hear the top new year's resolutions for those of us that live at the end of dirt roads.  Plus record setting land and cattle prices from 2025, new additions to the program and where the price of retail beef ended the year all wrapped into this episode of The Ranch It Up Radio Show. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcasting app or on the Ranch It Up Radio Show YouTube Channel.

We all need to have resolutions for the new year!  But what about the ranchers?  Here is our list for 2026:

Thou shall finally return the borrowed farm equipment

Thou shall keep better records, because apparently, a general sense of where the cows are doesn’t count as inventory management.

Thou shall reduce shouting by 50% while working cattle with the misses

Thou shall check the air in the trailer tires before using it.  

Thou shall confirm hand signals before backing up to any implement or trailer with the misses

Thou shall make sure all ear tags will be legible and if I can’t make them legible, I will assign the task to someone that can write legible.  

Thou shall fill all fuel tanks on vehicles when they are down to ¼ tank.

Thou shall not assume that everyone that helps sort cows knows exactly what I mean when I shout the black one when 253 of them are black.  

Thou shall take the batteries out of the hot shot before working cattle of any kind.  

Thou shall remember that everytime working with dogs, horses and animals of any kind at any time is a training opportunity and bad behavior is always rewarded with bad behavior.

Thou shall realize that the neighbor is not out to “one up me on everything”.  If they want to get that new truck, let them and be happy for them.  

2025 was quite a year, depending on which side of the fence you were on per say.  Records being set in the beef arena of course.  Get this out.  Did you hear of the record $32,000 per acre land sale that took place in early December in Iowa?  Yeah, in Sioux County, near Orange City Iowa, 35.51 acres.  Brownfield’s Brent Barnett interviewed Jim Rothermich, the vice president of Iowa Appraisal on the sale and the details.  

Reference: https://www.brownfieldagnews.com/news/northwest-iowa-farmland-sells-for-32k-per-acre/

The highest prices ever paid for 800–899 lb steers are concentrated entirely in the months of September and October, reflecting a historically strong fall market. Valentine Livestock Auction accounts for five of the top ten sales, underscoring its outsized role in setting record values in this weight class. Nebraska dominates the list overall, hosting eight of the ten highest-priced sales. Four sales reached or exceeded the $400.00 per hundredweight threshold, marking an unprecedented level for 8-weight steers. Pratt Livestock Auction stands as the only market from Kansas to appear among these records, while Hub City Livestock Auction is the sole representative from South Dakota, further highlighting the regional concentration of these historic prices.

Highest Prices Paid for 800–899 lb Steers in U.S. History

(1)  Valentine Livestock Auction  (Valentine, NE) — 68 head, 803 lb average — $408.50/cwt — September 4, 2025

(2)  Crawford Livestock Market (Crawford, Nebraska) — 72 head, 814 lb average — $401.00/cwt — October 3, 2025

(3)  Pratt Livestock Auction (Pratt, Kansas) — 109 head, 802 lb average — $400.50/cwt — October 16, 2025

(4)  Valentine Livestock Auction (Valentine, NE) — 129 head, 832 lb average — $400.00/cwt — October 13, 2025

(5)  Valentine Livestock Auction (Valentine, NE) — 66 head, 847 lb average — $399.00/cwt — September 4, 2025

(6)  Valentine Livestock Auction (Valentine, NE) — 63 head, 810 lb average — $399.00/cwt — September 4, 2025

(7)  Valentine Livestock Auction (Valentine, NE) — 118 head, 821 lb average — $395.50/cwt — October 13, 2025

(8) Hub City Livestock Auction (Aberdeen, South Dakota) — 72 head, 860 lb average — $395.25/cwt — October 22, 2025

(9)  Bassett Livestock Auction (Bassett, Nebraska) — 31 head, 812 lb average — $395.00/cwt — October 15, 2025

(10)  Ogallala Livestock Auction (Ogallala, Nebraska) — 15 head, 813 lb average — $395.00/cwt — October 16, 2025

Kirk Donsbach – Financial Analyst at StoneX

Shaye Wanner – Host of Casual Cattle Conversation

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Ranching, farming, and the Western lifestyle are at the heart of everything we do. Tigger & BEC bring you exclusive insights from the world of working ranches, cattle farming, and sustainable beef production.

Learn more about Jeff 'Tigger' Erhardt & Rebecca Wanner (BEC) and their mission to promote the Western way of life at Tigger and BEC.

https://tiggerandbec.com/

For additional information on industry trends, products, and services, check out these trusted resources:

Allied Genetic Resources: https://alliedgeneticresources.com/

American Gelbvieh Association: https://gelbvieh.org/

Axiota Animal Health: https://axiota.com/multimin-campaign-landing-page/

Imogene Ingredients: https://www.imogeneingredients.com/

Jorgensen Land & Cattle: https://jorgensenfarms.com/#/?ranchchannel=view

Medora Boot: https://medoraboot.com/

RFD-TV: https://www.rfdtv.com/

Rural Radio Network: https://www.ruralradio147.com/

Superior Livestock Auctions: https://superiorlivestock.com/

Transova Genetics: https://transova.com/

Westway Feed Products: https://westwayfeed.com/

Wrangler: https://www.wrangler.com/

Wulf Cattle: https://www.wulfcattle.com/