Last week’s cattle on feed report indicates a tightening supply of cattle with a 3% decline compared to January 2025.  Moreover, placements in December were down 5%, and marketing rose 2%.   News of a lower supply of cattle pushed the cash cattle market up, along with the futures markets for the rest of 2026 and into 2027. This year is beginning to look like 2025, when the demand exceeded supply, and we set new price records week after week in the first half of the year. I would like to see the fed cattle market continue to gain momentum...

Article Link

The year 2025 is fading in our rearview mirrors, so it is time to write my annual cuss-and-discuss column before I forget what happened this past year. As always, this is a friendly conversation about things we are using here on the ranch. I would appreciate learning about what you have been using on your operations too, so email me at [email protected]. During hay season, I am generally delegated to the hay rake or the hay hauler. The hauler is a Ranch Hand 8 Bale Single Row Retriever from Kramer Manufacturing in Nebraska. Brian and I purchased it a few...

Article Link

Data centers are exploding across America, gobbling up prime farmland, water, and power. In Texas, farmers and ranchers see the threat clearly—and they're right to sound the alarm. Our best agricultural land feeds and clothes the world. Once paved over, it's lost forever. But the squeeze isn't just from data centers. Solar farms, wind projects, transmission lines, industrial sprawl, and urban expansion all compete for the same finite resources. Generations of productive farmland vanish in the rush for "progress," while our infrastructure lags behind. America can't afford to fall behind in technology. AI, advanced computing, and robust data infrastructure are...

Article Link

  USDA’s Cattle on Feed Report, released on Friday, January 23rd, didn’t contain any real surprises. The most interesting number in the report was the number of heifers on feed and its implications for herd rebuilding. Heifers on feed totaled 4.435 million head, down 140,000 head from last January 1. The 140,000 head decline amounted to a 3.1 percent decline from a year ago. The number of steers on feed also declined by 3.2 percent. That left the number of heifers on feed as a percent of total on feed at 38.73 percent, hardly different from last year’s 38.70 percent. It was the fewest January...

Article Link

  Sutton Rodeo is proudly celebrating 100 years in the rodeo industry in 2026. That’s one full century of tradition, innovation, and excellence. From its early beginnings on the prairie to becoming one of the most respected names in professional rodeo, Sutton Rodeo has shaped the sport with integrity, world-class stock, and unforgettable productions. For generations, the Sutton family of South Dakota has dedicated themselves to elevating the western way of life—producing top-tier rodeos, raising award-winning bucking horses and bulls, and creating experiences that leave a lasting mark on fans and competitors alike. Sutton Rodeo  History The history of Sutton...

Article Link

Tony Hawkins DVM, Valley Vet Supply Technical Service Veterinarian A calf can only be delivered once it is coming the correct way. If you missed it, reference this article which discusses common malpresentations of the calf to allow for safe delivery. When you are ready to deliver the calf, the first thing you need to do is attach the OB calving chains. If you only put one loop around each leg, there is a high risk of breaking a calf’s leg. To minimize this risk, put the first loop above the fetlock and then put a second loop (a half...

Article Link

    As follow up to “What’s a Good Bull Worth in 2026?” from last week, I address a recent question from a producer regarding the cost of leasing bulls. One potential way for a commercial cow-calf operation to reduce expenses is to lease, rather than own, a bull. Producers should compare the costs and benefits of leasing versus owning. Leasing eliminates the capital expenditure of purchasing a bull. The cost of purchasing a bull (or bulls) was addressed last week. Whether leasing or purchasing bulls, the expense will be highly dependent on the cattle market and quality of the...

Article Link

  It’s 2 a.m. and you are in the calving barn with a newly minted mother cow. She was your favorite heifer replacement pick two years ago and now as she fails to clean off her calf and eyes you intensely you wonder if you chose wrong. Many a cattle producer have been in this situation, and while there are no fool proof selection criteria for picking the next generation of your cowherd, there are priorities to consider.  Back in November, B.W. Ochsner of Torrington, Wyo. gave attendees of the Range Beef Cow Symposium his selection considerations for replacement females....

Article Link

The 2026 Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo kicks off on January 30th and runs through February 7th in Rapid City.  The Stock Show is the second largest draw to the Black Hills behind the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  Nearly 350,000 people from across the United States take in the livestock shows and sales, youth livestock shows, rodeos, concerts, and much, much more.  Over 400 vendors offer a wide variety of “Everything Western” for young and old alike. The horse sale is held at the Kjerstad Event Center on the Central States Fair Grounds on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 30-31. This...

Article Link

Dirt and sawdust are arriving at The Monument in Rapid City, S.D. by the truckload. The facility is preparing for the upcoming Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo, taking place from January 30 to February 7. Livestock exhibitors, trade show vendors, and rodeo cowboys and cowgirls will soon descend on the Black Hills town. Paige Vander Werff, Livestock and Ag Education Manager for the Central States Fair, Inc., which puts on the Black Hills Stock Shows, says things are coming together for the 2026 event. For the cattle show and sales, Vander Werff reports there are a total of 302...

Article Link