In today’s beef buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Oklahoma State University Extension livestock market economist Dr. Darrell Peel to dig further into the latest cattle inventory numbers and what they really say about where the industry stands. Peel summed up the new report simply, saying it’s the “same story, next chapter,” noting that while producers keep searching for a turning point, “we really haven’t changed the fundamentals” of the cattle cycle yet.

Peel emphasized that the industry still can’t confirm a bottom in the herd cycle. “Honestly, we still can’t say for sure that we’ve got a low in this inventory cycle,” he explained, adding that it could take another year before that becomes clear. While the report did show a slight increase in beef replacement heifers, Peel cautioned that it’s “not enough to indicate significant growth,” suggesting the industry may simply be in a flat spot before eventually changing direction—a process that could still leave meaningful expansion “two or three years away.”

Looking at state-by-state numbers, Peel noted limited signs of growth in key cattle regions. “If you look at the top 10 beef cow states… only three of them showed a positive year-over-year change,” he said. Oklahoma was one of those, with inventories up just four-tenths of a percent, while major states like Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri all declined. According to Peel, ongoing drought concerns are a major factor, saying “drought conditions or lingering drought threats is a significant factor affecting producers’ willingness to get very aggressive.”

Despite strong markets, Peel said caution continues to dominate decision-making. “Everybody is enjoying these markets, but they’re still not necessarily running out there changing their approach,” he observed. He described the current mindset with one word: “caution.” Comparing today’s situation to the rapid rebuild 10–12 years ago, Peel said this cycle looks very different, adding, “This one looks like it’s going to be one of the slowest herd rebuilds.”

As he takes this message back to Southern Plains producers, Peel encouraged them to capitalize on today’s incentives. “The market is really focused on cow-calf… it’s providing incentives in terms of these record calf prices,” he said. Whether producers choose to hold back heifers, buy bred heifers, or even proven bred cows, Peel believes there’s flexibility. “I think we’re going to be in pretty good market conditions for probably much of the rest of the decade,” he added, reminding producers that with calves worth what they are today, “it’s worth some extra effort to keep those babies alive.”

Coverage of CattleCon26 is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

The post Dr. Darrell Peel: “Same Story, Next Chapter” for Herd Rebuilding Efforts first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Colin Woodall, Chief Executive Officer of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Woodall addressed ongoing criticism from a segment of producers surrounding NCBA’s role in the dollar-per-head Beef Checkoff, calling much of that criticism “misinformation” and laying out how the system actually works.

Woodall emphasized that NCBA does not control the Beef Checkoff, noting, “First and foremost, everybody needs to understand NCBA is not the checkoff. We are a contractor to the National Beef Checkoff.” He explained that all projects must be pitched annually to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee — a group made up of cattle producers — and approved by both the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and USDA before moving forward. “We don’t just go out and start doing projects,” Woodall said. “Everything has to be approved before it ever sees the light of day.”

Pointing to long-term results, Woodall highlighted the success of 40 years of checkoff-funded nutrition research, saying it helped reshape federal dietary guidance. “This was driven by science,” he said. “For the first time in my 22 years at NCBA, we had an actual scientific process at play… and they made it very clear that beef fit the bill for real food.” That research, he added, helped put beef “at the center of the plate.”

Addressing claims that NCBA profits from the Checkoff or uses those dollars for lobbying, Woodall pushed back firmly. “It works on a cost recovery basis,” he explained. “We can get reimbursed for costs, but we cannot make any profit — that’s in the act and the order.” He added that by law, Checkoff funds cannot be used for lobbying, noting, “All of our policy work in Washington, D.C. is funded by dues dollars, not checkoff dollars.”

Looking ahead, Woodall said NCBA must do a better job telling its story and correcting false narratives. “We need to make sure we are doing a better job of talking about the facts,” he said, while also focusing on new services, efficiency tools, and supporting young and beginning producers. “We have example after example of people who work hard and get in,” Woodall said. “NCBA plays a role in that — and we just have to continue to maintain that high demand for beef.”

Coverage of CattleCon26 is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

The post Colin Woodall Discusses NCBA and the Beef Checkoff first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Kevin Good of CattleFax, following the CattleFax Industry Outlook seminar at CattleCon 2026, where supply, demand, and global politics were front and center. One of the biggest issues discussed was the continued disruption of Mexican feeder cattle imports tied to New World screwworm concerns. Good emphasized the magnitude of that loss, saying, “In 25 we shorted the market of basically a million head of feeder cattle that would have come in from Mexico… about four and a half to 5% of domestic production.” He noted the industry was already tight on supply when those cattle were removed from the system.

Looking ahead, Good said the beef cow herd is not truly expanding, despite signals that might suggest otherwise. “Heifer retention—no, we’re not [expanding]. So it’s more of a flatter herd,” he explained, adding that dairy cows may help slightly on production down the road. With that in mind, Good said supplies will remain tight through next year, noting, “From a supply standpoint, 26 should be the tightest supplies. We should walk into bigger supplies in 27 with the premise that Mexico opens this year.” However, he was quick to add that reopening the border is “extremely” political rather than purely scientific.

Exports were another major focus, especially China. Good pointed out that while overall exports were down in 2025, it was largely due to China delisting U.S. beef plants. “South Korea and Japan are still our number one and number two destinations,” he said, adding that if China were to relist U.S. facilities, “you get a three, 400 million pound push, and that’s worth quite a bit.” That kind of volume, he said, would be a meaningful boost to the beef complex.

When asked whether renewed Mexican feeder cattle imports could soften fat cattle prices, Good agreed that the market would likely respond—even before cattle physically arrive. “Right away, is there more cattle coming through the feedyards? No, there isn’t. But the psychology changes,” he said. “The market then thinks and realizes there’s bigger supplies in front of you, and that typically means the market’s going to have a tougher time pushing.”

Despite those supply questions, Good said beef demand remains a major bright spot rising since the low of 1998. “Beef demand has gone on for the last 25 years… and it’s accelerated since COVID,” he said, noting that beef prices have risen more than 2% faster than inflation annually over that period. He added, “We’ve got a consumer that is rewarding us for a higher-quality, more consistent product.” With tailwinds from high-protein diets, keto trends, and changing nutrition perceptions, Good said the industry’s focus should stay the course: “We do what brought us to the party—higher quality, better eating experiences, and telling our message.”

Good states the obvious- “yeah, we are expensive compared to pork and poultry- but if you look at minutes worked to buy a pound of beef- we are at 13 minutes. And, that’s basically where we were at the last cycle high- and we’ve got better demand and better prices than we had then.”

Coverage of CattleCon26 is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

The post Kevin Good Warns 2026 Could Bring the Tightest Beef Supplies of the Cycle first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s beef buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Gene Copenhaver, newly installed president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, who officially assumed the role Thursday evening at CattleCon26. Copenhaver began by sharing his roots in southwest Virginia, where his family’s operation has evolved over generations. “We’re in the southwest corner of Virginia, not far from the Tennessee line, and we’re a total stocker operation,” he explains, noting that the farm was once diversified with cow-calf pairs, hogs, sheep, and burley tobacco before narrowing its focus.

Copenhaver says family and service to the industry are central to his story, especially with his son now playing a major role in the operation. “My son, middle child, is full time on the operation… and I’m very blessed to have him there,” he says, adding that his son also serves as chairman of the Virginia Beef Council. That commitment to leadership, Copenhaver says, reflects a shared belief that “we need to be servants for the industry.”

Looking at the broader cattle landscape, Copenhaver calls the past year “fabulous for the cattle industry,” pointing to key victories in Washington. Still, he cautions that strong markets won’t last forever. “The markets have been great, but we know the market will adjust at some time,” he says, stressing the need to focus on the input side, reduce regulations, and strengthen risk management. “Profitability is sustainability for the industry,” Copenhaver emphasizes.

One of the biggest opportunities ahead, according to Copenhaver, is the rollout of the new Product of USA voluntary labeling program in 2026, backed by significant USDA funding. “The Secretary’s put out $100 million to promote this. This is much needed,” he says. Copenhaver notes he helped lead early efforts to fix flaws in the old label, calling the new program the result of “a five-year process” aimed at ensuring “true labeling no matter what our products are.”

Copenhaver is also enthusiastic about recent wins in dietary guidelines and ongoing demand for beef. “I think the last two or three weeks might have been the biggest win we had,” he says, pointing to the emphasis on high-quality, dense protein. Even with higher prices, he notes consumers are staying loyal. “I think consumers are listening to us,” Copenhaver says, adding that strong science, taste, and texture continue to drive demand. As NCBA president, his goal is simple: “I just want to sustain what we’re doing… be at the table and not let up any, but keep on doing the same things we’ve been doing for several years.”

Coverage of CattleCon26 is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

The post New NCBA President Gene Copenhaver Looks to Build on Policy Wins and Beef Demand first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Matt Makins at CattleCon26, who says winter is far from finished across the Southern Plains. Makins notes that recent storms signal a delayed but active cold season, warning producers to stay alert. “It’s a harbinger of things to come,” Makins said, pointing to signs that “another burst of cold may move down out of Canada” by mid-February, bringing sharper winter conditions back into the region.

Makins also outlined a major shift underway in large-scale climate patterns, explaining that the current La Niña is weakening and setting the stage for a transition toward El Niño later in the year. “We’re at the end of this La Niña. It’s weak to non-existent, depending on the day you look at the data,” he said. As that transition unfolds, Makins explained it will “flip our script,” moving away from today’s extreme temperature swings toward a different moisture and temperature pattern later in 2026.

When it comes to spring precipitation, Makins said location will matter. Areas east of Interstate 35 are favored to see better moisture chances through February, March, and April. “East of 35 does better,” Makins said, adding that areas farther west may need colder systems to unlock meaningful moisture. He cautioned producers, however, that “be careful what you wish for,” since cold air intrusions often come with the storms needed to deliver rainfall west of I-35.

For cattle producers focused on forage prospects, Makins stressed that timing will be critical. While soils dried rapidly last fall, he said many areas are still in better shape than a year ago thanks to prior moisture. “Their soils are in better shape than they were a year ago,” Makins said of parts of Texas and Oklahoma, giving producers “a little better launching point” heading into the growing season. Still, he emphasized that any El Niño-driven moisture is more likely to show up in summer and fall rather than early spring.

Makins also warned that lingering dryness combined with leftover vegetation from last summer raises wildfire risks, even as producers cautiously consider herd rebuilding. “There’s a lot of fuel, especially western areas,” he said, calling wildfire risk “a huge problem” if drought persists. Despite those concerns, Makins said there is cautious optimism. “This year there’s optimism, because a lot more beef producers will get water than have recently,” he told Hays, though volatility in temperatures and precipitation is expected to continue through the spring.

Coverage of CattleCon 2026 is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

The post Matt Makins: Winter Cold Not Finished Across the Southern Plains first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Don Close of Terrain at CattleCon26 about the latest cattle inventory report and what it signals for the cattle cycle ahead. Close says the biggest takeaway is that the industry is nearing a turning point, noting, “We have signs that the market is in a transitionary phase, and we’re finally starting to look at that expansion. It just hasn’t gotten underway yet.”

Close explains that hesitation to expand has largely been financial. High replacement female prices and the need to repair balance sheets slowed decision-making, especially after years of limited investment. As he puts it, “2024 was spent in the cow-calf space simply trying to restore their balance sheet,” while 2025 saw producers catching up on capital expenditures. With those hurdles mostly behind them, Close believes “2026 is finally the okay… now we can think about expanding.”

A key factor supporting that outlook is beef demand, which Close describes as exceptionally strong. “Demand has been nothing short of amazing,” he says, adding that consumers continue to show a willingness to pay for beef, with “nothing showing up yet that says they’re softening.” He credits long-term industry efforts to improve consistency and eating quality as a major reason beef remains competitive despite higher prices.

Close also points to emerging demand drivers, particularly increased protein consumption tied to GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. He notes, “As many as 15% of the U.S. adult population has been on those drugs,” and explains that users often increase protein intake to preserve muscle mass. Importantly, “they’re not making two separate diets for that household,” which means higher protein consumption tends to lift demand across entire families — a development Close calls “a very pleasant unexpected consequence.”

Looking ahead to herd rebuilding, Close believes expansion is likely but uneven. Weather uncertainty remains a concern in drought-prone regions, and he also expects some added pressure from older cows being retained longer. “We could actually see a slight increase in slaughter cow slaughter in 2026,” he says, which would increase the need for heifer retention. Still, Close is optimistic about the long-term outlook, emphasizing that continued gains in cow and bull genetics should support “a better eating experience” and higher-quality beef as the next expansion cycle takes shape.

Coverage of CattleCon 2026 is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

The post Don Close Sees Cattle Market Nearing Expansion Phase first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Ethan Lane, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, during CattleCon26 in Nashville, where Lane offered members an update on key Washington, D.C. issues facing cattle producers.

Lane addressed growing concerns about misinformation targeting animal agriculture, much of it amplified through social media. He noted that online platforms have allowed fringe voices to gain outsized influence, explaining that “the internet really allowed the crazy people in every community to find each other and really, sort of form bigger groups of crazy people.” Lane warned that false narratives, often backed by animal rights organizations, have intensified over the past year and created confusion among policymakers and the public alike.

He emphasized the importance of distinguishing real producer voices from online noise, stressing that NCBA’s policy positions are rooted in decades of grassroots work. “There’s 10,000 people in this building coming from every state in the country with detailed notes and board action from county cattlemen’s associations and state cattlemen’s associations,” Lane said. He added that this process results in “160 pages of very clear policy on what this industry would like from Washington and, more importantly, what we don’t want their help with.”

Lane also discussed NCBA’s ongoing engagement with the White House and federal agencies, noting that the association maintains active dialogue with policymakers across administrations. He acknowledged that populist administrations often invite a wide range of voices to the table, but said NCBA works to ensure decision-makers understand that when the association speaks, it represents “hundreds of thousands of producers that have put their thoughts and work into these processes.”

Turning to legislative and regulatory priorities, Lane highlighted the significance of recent tax reforms included in what he called the “one big, beautiful bill,” describing the changes as “game changers” for producers by making key provisions permanent and indexed for inflation. On the regulatory front, he pointed to progress on clarifying the Waters of the United States definition, saying the goal is to ensure it “truly meets the court’s expectation… to not be overly burdensome to producers,” adding that he hopes this marks the final chapter in the long-running WOTUS debate.

Coverage of CattleCon 2026 is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

The post Ethan Lane Updates Cattle Producers on Key Washington Issues first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

The USDA Cattle Inventory report released on Friday, January 30, 2026, revealed that the total U.S. herd remains historically tight, with a total of 86.2 million head of cattle and calves. This is a slight decrease from the 86.5 million head reported on January 1, 2025. 

Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel sees no major surprises from the report released on Friday. He tells Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays “But the overview is generally pretty close to what I expected. I mean, we were not looking for a big change one way or the other. If you had to summarize it, I guess you could say that we actually continued to get a little bit smaller in 2025. The beef cow herd came in a little bit smaller than the year ago for January 1 of 2026. And that was a little bit of a surprise to me. I thought it might be more closer to unchanged or even up slightly. But again, I’m not too surprised at what we’ve got here. And the all cattle inventory is down slightly as well. So, you know, taken together, we’re generally still trying to find a bottom in this thing.”

More on Beef Cow Numbers

One of the most important numbers that beef cattle producers watch from year to year is the Beef Cow Herd numbers. The total US Beef Cow herd dropped by 185,000 head from January 2025 to January 2026- down one percent to 27.607 million head. In the southern plains, Oklahoma saw a slight bump up on beef cow numbers- up 17,000 from a year ago- virtually flat at 1.966 million head. Oklahoma remains the second largest beef cow state in the US. Texas, number one easily, dropped one percent in beef cow numbers to 4.045 million head- off 30,000 beef cows from one year ago. Missouri, struggling with drought, dropped 60,000 beef cows in this report- remaining the third largest beef cow state at 1.806 million head.

Beef Heifer Replacement Numbers Slightly Higher

A number that offers some optimism for the growth of the herd going forward is the beef heifer replacement number- nationally up one percent from a year ago to 4.71 million head. Both Texas and Oklahoma had bigger replacement numbers than a year ago- Texas up 50,000 to 650,000 beef heifers being held for replacement and Oklahoma up 5,000 head to 345,000 head in the January 2026 report. Peel says “And you know, that’s not uncommon. If you go back even a decade to the last time we went through something like this. You know, Oklahoma turned the corner faster than the rest of the country in terms of starting that herd rebuilding process. So, you know, that’s, that’s probably not a surprise in some sense. Again, it’s pretty minimal at this point, but it is a positive sign as you look ahead to maybe where we go from here.”

Peel believes that the report tells us confirms that we will not have a rapid herd rebuild like we had a decade ago. He says “this has been a remarkably slow process. What this really does is just continue to extend the timeline on this process of trying to find a bottom and then start some herd rebuilding. Again, there’s some positive signs in here, but the fact of the matter is that we continued to get smaller last year by a little bit. So we really haven’t set that in motion to a very big extent yet. And we continue this story that this is a historically slow herd or cattle cycle from that standpoint.

The Story Remains the Same- Tight Cattle Supplies, Strong Cattle Prices and No Relief for Beef Prices

“You know, we’re still officially trying to find a bottom. We’re probably stabilizing here, but it’s a very slow process and we’re not going to rebuild very fast based on what we see here. And we’re stabilizing at a relatively small number. And that means what? Cattle prices remain strong and beef prices back to consumers. No relief in sight. Yeah, that’s exactly what it means. You know, we’re going to continue to see cattle prices supported with small numbers. Again, we haven’t, you know, this, this in replacement heifers is not enough to really put together much of a herd rebuild or really any at all.”

And Dr. Peel sums up this 2026 Inventory report with this- “I don’t see any major change in the story. I don’t think we have to change our expectations going forward. Again, we just kind of advanced the markers here one more set. to carry on this story. So I don’t see anything major in this report based on what I’ve had time to look at at this point.”

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

Key Inventory Findings (as of Jan 1, 2026)

The post Dr. Derrell Peel: 2026 Cattle Inventory Report Offers No Major Changes in the Beef Story first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays continues his conversation with Kelli Retallick Riley, president of Angus Genetics, about how genomics and emerging measurements could shape the future of beef production. Riley reflects on ongoing industry discussions around modernizing the USDA grading system and how red meat yield may eventually be better measured and incorporated into genetic decision-making.

Riley says efforts to better understand and measure red meat yield are still in the early stages, but they represent an important opportunity for the beef industry. “The industry is really trying to come together,” she says, noting that multiple breeds are working collaboratively to address the challenge. From the Angus perspective, the focus is on identifying practical, measurable traits. “What measurements can we capture on the live animal that then can be applied downstream?” Riley asks, explaining that improving live-animal data collection would allow seedstock producers—who “control the genetic nucleus”—to drive meaningful genetic improvement throughout the supply chain.

Riley is confident Angus cattle will remain competitive as new yield measurements emerge. “Angus has always been a quality driver, right? And we’ve always been there. We’re going to continue to be there, because we know that’s what the consumer wants,” she says. Riley adds that Angus producers tend to view change as opportunity: “If we can provide them the information, they’ll make the necessary adjustments… to make it more sustainable or more profitable throughout the entire chain.”

Producer priorities remain centered on maternal efficiency and cattle health, according to Riley. “It’s fertility, it’s how that cow gets bred back, what’s her breed-back rate,” she says. In the feedlot sector, she notes growing concern around bovine congestive heart failure. “We’re just trying to figure out, is there an underlying genetic propensity, and if there is, can we build a tool to help people find some answers,” Riley explains, emphasizing Angus Genetics’ commitment to reducing risk and losses in feedyards.

Riley also highlights the growing role of AngusLink and its genetic merit scorecard. “We predict out a feedlot score, a grid score and a beef score, and it really helps people just differentiate the value,” she says. With packers like National Beef now paying premiums for cattle with scorecards, Riley notes, “It’s no longer just a seedstock tool or a commercial cow-calf tool, but really, how do we leverage it throughout the whole supply chain?”

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

The post Angus Genetics Looks Ahead to the Next Phase of Genomic Progress first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s beef buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Kelli Retallick Riley, president of Angus Genetics, about how genomics continue to reshape the Angus breed and deliver value from seedstock producers all the way to commercial cattlemen. Visiting with Riley at the recent Cattlemen’s Congress, the conversation focused on research progress, data-driven decision making, and new tools aimed at improving profitability and functionality in cow-calf operations.

Riley pointed to record-setting engagement with genomic testing as a major milestone for the American Angus Association. She noted that while registrations again topped 300,000 head, the bigger story was that “75% of them had a genomic profile done on them.” According to Riley, that level of participation is strengthening the breed database by verifying parentage and improving pedigree accuracy. “We’re making our pedigrees better, and in return, adding information to our EPDs, which really allows commercial cattlemen to select their herd sire, which is going to be their largest genetic investment,” she explained.

She added that despite all the genomic advances, cattle producers remain deeply focused on basic functionality, especially in the cow herd. “The fundamentals have to be right. The feet and legs have to be right. They’ve got to be able to travel. We’ve got to have these cattle that are built right and are functional,” Riley said, emphasizing the importance of productive, long-lasting mama cows in today’s production systems.

Riley highlighted strong growth in the GeneMax Advantage program as a key bridge between seedstock and commercial operations. “We’re so excited about what we’ve seen with GeneMax over the past year,” she said, noting the addition of new traits like teat size, udder suspension, and functional longevity. Those updates allow commercial producers to access the same dollar value indexes used in bull selection. “Those dollar values are called that for a reason, because they’re profit indexes,” Riley said, helping producers align genetics with their specific breeding and marketing goals.

The American Angus Association had to deal with some unhappy members  after its foundation accepted a $4.85 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund and Global Methane Hub for a five-year study on cattle methane emissions and efficiency. Riley told Hays that the research being funded by that grant into grazing efficiency and methane-related traits, including a global collaboration to collect new phenotypic data, is in its early stages. “This is new territory for us,” she said, explaining that the goal is to better understand why some cows consistently breed back early, maintain condition, and wean heavier calves. By combining data from multiple countries, Riley said the effort could provide “one more piece to this big whole systems approach,” delivering insights that benefit Angus producers in the U.S. and around the world.

The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.

The post Angus Genomics Drive Accuracy, Profitability for Commercial Producers first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.