Month: March 2025

Cattle Prices Hit New Highs

– Josh Maples, Assistant Professor & Extension Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University

Five-weight steer average prices in Mississippi topped $321 per cwt last week. Reported averages in Kentucky were over $332 per cwt, and Oklahoma City topped $354. These are all record-high prices and sharply above year-ago levels. Cull cow and bull prices are also at record highs.


The 2025 CME feeder cattle futures contracts have shown significant strength recently while Continue reading Cattle Prices Hit New Highs →

2025 Off to the Races

– Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle Field Specialist, OSU Extension

There’s are opportunities during this ‘bull’ market.

“They’re coming around the stretch and heeeere they go!” Over the past couple of summers, I have found myself chauffeuring my parents to several county fairs watching the harness racing programs. While I am not a horseman by any means (that’s my father to some degree), I do enjoy watching them race. Most of the time it’s a fast paced competition, and usually a thrilling finish, unless the horse I wagered $2 ends up off stride and out of the money.

So far this cattle market in 2025 has been that kind of exciting, with every week as of late setting a track record. Who would have every thought we would see Continue reading 2025 Off to the Races →

The Top Ten New Years’ Resolutions for Cow/Calf Producers

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, DVM – Ruminant Extension Veterinarian (UKVDL)

Figure 1: The UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool can be found at http://forage-supplement-tool.ca.uky.edu/

The Top Ten New Years’ Resolutions, first published in January 2022, serves as a good reminder of the management practices that almost always need fine-tuning in cow/calf operations. As winter gives way to spring, try to incorporate one or more of the following resolutions, updated for 2025.

In 2025, I resolve to . . .

1. Improve the water the cattle drink: Water is exceptionally important, relatively inexpensive, and readily available but it is often the most ignored nutrient. Water consumption varies depending on age, breed, stage of pregnancy or lactation, and outdoor temperature and humidity, but it can reach as high as 25-30 gallons per day during hot weather. Water-related health problems are seldom due to what is in the water but rather the decrease in water intake because of the poor quality, bad taste and offensive odor. Decreased consumption is just as harmful as not having enough water available. When cattle do not drink enough, feed intake and milk production drop, heat stress worsens, and overall immunity suffers. If cattle are allowed to stand in their water sources such as in ponds, fecal and urine contamination will decrease water quality and certain diseases (for example Continue reading The Top Ten New Years’ Resolutions for Cow/Calf Producers →

Considerations for perennial grass species selection when reseeding pasture

One result of the drought of 2024 may be the need to reseed pasture or perhaps perennial grass hay fields. During the second session of the Ohio Virtual Beef School on February 26, 2025, Noble County OSU Extension Educator Christine Gelley reviewed selection criteria when considering which grass forage species to include in new seedings. Here’s that portion of Gelley’s presentation.

Find the 2025 Virtual Beef School, session 2; Post Drought Pasture Management and Recovery in it’s entirety here: https://youtu.be/FhFaqRHsFJs?si=l4EP-xKhDtFwpy9S

Don’t Underestimate the Cost of Late Calving Cows

– Dr. Kenny Burdine, Extension Professor, Livestock Marketing, University of Kentucky

Reproductive efficiency has a major impact on the profitability of a cow-calf operation. Discussions around this topic often focus on getting cows bred, which is definitely a crucial first step. Most economic research suggests either culling open cows or only retaining them in specific / unique situations. However, getting cows bred in a timely manner also has a significant impact on revenues. With spring calving underway, I thought it might be a good time to discuss the costs associated with those cows that don’t calve as early as we would like them to.


The cost that immediately comes to mind for late calving cows is that they Continue reading Don’t Underestimate the Cost of Late Calving Cows →

Adding cull cows to drought contingency plans

– Rob Ziegler, Extension Specialist, College of Agriculture Life Science and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming

This time of year offers the first opportunity to add cows to the cull list based on conformation or temperament.

At this time of year, calving season is likely top of mind for many cow-calf producers across the High Plains. This period also offers the first opportunity to add cows to the cull list based on conformation or temperament. Although cull cow marketing may be lower on the priority list right now, capturing seasonal highs in the market can potentially boost revenues.

Market seasonality is evident in most agriculture markets due to production calendars, biology, or increased consumer demand during certain times of the year. The cull cow market is arguably one of the most seasonal markets.

The five-year average price for breaking 75-80% cows in Wyoming shows a steady increase in prices starting in January, peaking in August, and declining through Continue reading Adding cull cows to drought contingency plans →

Cattle Slaughter and Beef Production Check-In

– Will Secor, Ph.D., Assistant Professor & Extension Livestock Economist, Masters of Agribusiness (MAB) Coordinator, Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, University of Georgia

Cattle slaughter through the end of February 2025 has been lower than last year. This is not a surprise given the tighter inventories that were expected. However, two interesting developments have emerged. First, the distribution of the cattle being processed is shifting. And second, beef production is a bit higher than last year despite this smaller slaughter figure.

Through March 8, the USDA estimated that 5.75 million head of cattle were slaughtered. This is about 3 percent below the same timeframe last year. Steers have increased the share of slaughter to around 49.5 percent of total slaughter (an increase of about 2 percentage points compared to 2024). Steer slaughter is about the same as Continue reading Cattle Slaughter and Beef Production Check-In →

Return on Investment; Is it the same today?

– Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension

This old project book caused thoughts about ROI.

Each year as I work through the pile on my farm desk at tax time, I come across the first Supervised Occupational Experience project book I completed when I began Freshman ag. Considering what we’ve sold cattle for this past year, this time it really caught my eye.

That old Livestock Production Enterprise record book showed that I purchased two Hereford crossed steers in November of 1965 for less than a quarter a pound, totaling just over $100 each. I sold them 8 months later for about $260 each. As I think about some fed cattle in Ohio auction barns recently selling for $3000 or more, and quality feeder calves commonly bringing $1500 plus, I wonder if perhaps it’s time to take a fresh look at return on investment in the beef cattle industry and the value it represents during this time in the cattle price cycle.

Return on investment, or what we might commonly know as ROI, has always been Continue reading Return on Investment; Is it the same today? →

Lucky Clovers

– Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County (originally published in Progressive Cattle)

Clover can be incorporated in various ways.

For centuries the clover has been symbolic in cultures and religions in areas where clovers thrive. Whether found with leaves of three, four, or more- a field of clover is beneficial in many ways beyond folklore.

Clover Symbolism
March is the humble clover’s time to shine. Symbolic of luck, the celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day, the welcoming of spring, 4-H enrollment time, clovers are featured prominently in our culture this time of year and they become prominent in pastures too.

Much of the agricultural community will recognize a four-leaf clover as the iconic national symbol of 4-H, a youth development program delivered by Cooperative Extension services from coast to coast that impacts nearly 6-million youth participants in all communities and walks of life. The 4-H pledge recognizes the four leaves of the clover as representation of head, heart, hands, and health.

Christian communities often utilize three- and four-leaf clovers as representation of spirituality. Four-leaf clovers can be used as symbols of faith, hope, love, and luck (God’s grace). Saint Patrick is recognized as the first to utilize clovers are a representation of the Holy Trinity- embodying the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one God.

Even prior to the times of Christian influence, Celtic cultures collected four-leaf clovers as good luck charms to encourage visits from fairies and to ward off illness and evil spirits. The more leaves on the clover, the luckier it would be.

For the pasture manager, having Continue reading Lucky Clovers →

Pasture; the lingering impact of a dry summer, and tough winter

– Victor Shelton, Retired NRCS Agronomist/Grazing Specialist

Bare soil that is easily seen is an opportunity for weeds and improvement.

Last fall was dry. While drought conditions didn’t reach severe levels in many areas, it had a significant impact on fall forage growth. When moisture returned, it was tempting for many producers to immediately start grazing the new growth to avoid feeding hay early.

I’ve mentioned before how crucial it is to give forages as much rest as possible in the fall so they can build reserves for winter. If the fall is preceded by drought conditions, it becomes even more critical to wait until forages are dormant before grazing again. I know this is easier said than done in many cases. Unfortunately, those same dry conditions make it harder to Continue reading Pasture; the lingering impact of a dry summer, and tough winter →

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