The Cattle Business Weekly

Does the traditional 10-year cattle cycle still matter? “Absolutely,” according to Derrell Peel, Ph.D., Extension livestock marketing economist at Oklahoma State University. “It matters a whole lot, given that we are in a cyclically low environment right now that’s driving record high prices. The cattle cycle is still very much a consideration for everybody.” Dave Weaber agrees. Not only is the cattle cycle still relevant, “but we’re surprisingly right on schedule,” according to the cattle market analyst with Terrain Ag, an analysis and forecasting arm of three leading Farm Credit Associations. However, there’s really no such thing as a consistent...

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Feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity placed 1.8 million head in September, which was 244,000 head fewer (-12.1%) year over year and 3.8% less than average analyst estimates ahead of the report. Placements were the lowest for the month since the data series began in 1996. In terms of placement weights, 35% went on feed weighing 600-699 lbs., 700-899 lbs. weighing 700-899 lbs. and 20% weighing 900 lbs. or more. Marketings in September of 1.5 million head were 108,000 head fewer (-6.6%) than the same time last year, which was also the fewest since the data series began, but...

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Simplot Livestock’s integrated breeding program shows how commercial producers can use focused goals, crossbreeding and performance feedback to improve profitability.   Genetic tools deliver the greatest value when producers know what they want their cattle to accomplish and consistently measure whether those cattle are meeting the goal. That was the message from Randall Raymond, DVM, director of research and veterinary services for Simplot Livestock, during the 2026 Beef Improvement Federation Symposium in Boise, Idaho. In his presentation, “Leveraging Genetic Decisions Across the Value Chain: The Simplot Story,” Raymond outlined how Simplot has used targeted crossbreeding, genomic information and data collected...

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GEM, a cattle herd-management and data system that has successfully served producers for nearly 25 years, has been acquired by Jake and Ruby Alford, owners of TARC, in partnership with the Steiger Family Office. TARC (Technology for Agriculture, Ranching, and Commodities) is a company that builds workflow-driven software for ranches, livestock shows, and auction businesses. The transition is designed to provide lasting service and continuity for GEM customers while positioning the company for future growth, including new technology, features and advanced capabilities that add value for its large customer base and for incoming users. GEM founders and beef genetics pioneers...

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  It was with a small amount of trepidation that Britni Ross of Philip, South Dakota, accepted the nomination as a finalist for the Dakotafest Woman Farmer/Rancher of the Year honor. A title she would go on to win this past August. She says she didn’t feel worthy of receiving the award, and it created a small level of imposter syndrome in her. Now, a couple of months later, she is feeling better about the honor and embracing what it means. “I’ve come to understand that by accepting the award, I can represent the work that women do every day....

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Bob and Robby Jewell of Decorah have been selected as the 2026 Iowa Leopold Conservation Award® recipients. The ,000 award honors farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land. The Jewells’ 1,600-acre farm, Jewell Enterprizes, in located in Winneshiek County. They grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa, cereal grains, and raise organic turkeys, pastured pork, and beef cattle. They were presented with the award at an on-farm event. Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28...

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    Motivation gets a feed truck moving before sunrise, keeps operations steady through adversity and drives pursuit of the next goal. It’s done more than fuel daily routines for Terry Beller, Lindsay, Nebraska. It’s helped build Beller Feedlot into a multi-generational operation known for its customer service and high-quality beef. Founded in the 1950s by his parents, Jim and Mary Catherine, Beller Feedlot grew steadily through the generations. Today, Terry oversees a 6,200-head-capacity business guided by the same quality focus that shaped its creation. The family’s dedication was recognized for its decades-long role in supplying the brand this September....

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It is no secret that record-high beef prices over the last year are a result of tight cattle supplies and strong consumer demand. The average monthly retail price for all fresh beef products in July was .63/lb. This is down from the high of /lb. in April but is still 5% higher than the same month last year and 31% higher than the 5-year historical average for August. Demand shifts among beef products are normal for this time of year as we transition from the grilling months of summer to the pot roast days of fall. As we get closer...

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You can set a corner post eight feet deep in packed clay, tamp it in six-inch layers, and tie it to the best oak on the place. Then put that line under real load: a wet spring, a north wind that won’t quit, a hundred head leaning because the grass looks better on the other side, and that post will lean. Not because it was weak. Because it was alone. That’s what the H-brace is for. Two posts and a diagonal, set so the brace takes the pressure and passes it into the ground. The corner doesn’t get stronger. The...

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Second Port Opens to Mexican Cattle Approximately 400 head of cattle, averaging 600 to 700 pounds, crossed into Santa Teresa, New Mexico on Thursday, Sept. 24, as the second port of entry opened to Mexican cattle imports. The Santa Teresa port, located across from San Jerónimo, Chihuahua, is part of the USDA's gradual restoration of livestock trade along the southern border following closures related to New World screwworm. The first port opened a month ago on Aug. 24 at Douglas, Arizona. At that time, USDA reported 692 head of Mexican feeder cattle made the crossing after 716 head were inspected...

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