Andrea Flemming is a fifth-generation Minnesota cow-calf producer and farmer who uses her online following to advocate for agriculture. by
Lilly Platts
12 A Ranching Road Trip, Part II
Sean McGrath shares about working with the environment, and documenting important metrics related to sustainability. by Sean McGrath, Round Rock Ranching
16 ASA and IGS Represented at Annual BIF Symposium
The American Simmental Association and SimGenetics were well represented at BIF 2025, with highlights including the Seedstock Producer of the Year and the Pioneer Award. by Lilly
Platts
20 Behavioral Insights into Beef Cattle Feed and Water Intake
Cattle behavior at the feed and water bunk provides insight into efficiency. by Lilly Platts
DEPARTMENTS
The entire website has a new look highlighting cattle sales, industry events, ASA’s programs, marketing opportunities, and breeders’ resources.
Victor Guerra (2027) PO Box 92 Linn, TX 78563 956.607.5515 vgg03@aol.com
Greg Walthall (2027) 1051 NE 500 Rd Windsor, MO 65360 660.525.9921 gregwalthall@gmail.com
Joseph Hensgens (2028) 136 Deer Park Ln Rayne, LA 70578 985.992.9119 joehensgens@yahoo.com
FROMTHE EDITOR
by Lilly Platts, managing editor
Social media is the number one way many people take in and share information, both important and trivial. This has been especially true for the beef industry and agriculture. We have all heard that we need to “tell our story,” and while I do believe in that message, I see some fundamental holes in our industry’s understanding of how social media works. This leads to a lot of misunderstanding, and undermines our ability to tell that story. This issue of SimTalk includes pieces on industry advocacy, and I would like to kick things off by sharing some tips for navigating social media, either as a viewer or as an active participant.
I behave online as a representative of the beef industry, even when I’m not engaging in conversations about beef. I have many online connections who know very little about beef production, and I keep that in mind.
I’m going to dive right in with an agriculture-adjacent story of what not to do. A few months back, a video came across my Facebook feed of a man beating a horse on the ground. It was awful, and whoever took the video did the right thing by gathering some hard evidence. Here’s where things went south: the video was put up on social media with the intention of “bringing justice” to the situation. I don’t know if the man got in trouble, but I do know that the video was shared hundreds of times by concerned people. Captions expressed unhappiness for what he was doing, and called for action. That might sound like community in action, but because social media is fueled by likes, shares, and comments, each person helped spread a negative image across the world. I believe things like this have a negative impact on the beef industry. We have to remember that only 2% of our country’s population is involved in agricultural production, and the other 98% associates cowboy hats with ranching. That video could have easily just been shared with law enforcement, the man’s employer, or whoever else could actually do something. This same thing happens when animal activists share videos, or an article full of misinformation is published.
It doesn’t matter if your personal caption condemns the content of a post — sharing simply gives it attention and spreads the message further. Just because you have a reaction to something doesn’t mean you should share it, or engage with it.
How we show up in the comment section also matters. When we come across a comment that concerns us (misinformation, general negativity, fighting, etc.) our first instinct might be to jump to the rescue, or join in on the negativity if we agree. Please take a beat before you do this. If someone asks a genuine question about a beef industry topic you might share an answer using your firsthand experience and facts. This cannot start with calling them “ignorant,” or anything mean. If you get the impression that a commenter isn’t open to talking, your time is probably better spent just scrolling along. If you feel an urge to join in on negativity — ragging on someone or something, criticizing something without facts or context, or just being nasty — ask yourself if you would say the same thing in real life. The answer is probably no, which means you need to move along.
I behave online as a representative of the beef industry, even when I’m not engaging in conversations about beef. I have many online connections who know very little about beef production, and I keep that in mind. If you spread hate and negativity, or share misinformation about anything, it harms your credibility and can do damage to the industry we all care so much about.
I interviewed Andrea Flemming for this issue, a commercial SimGenetics breeder from Minnesota who is an expert in navigating this online world. I first came across Andrea’s social media content years ago, and am struck by her ability to navigate beef industry conversations and have a positive impact. This issue also includes a recap of ASA’s strong representation at the Beef Improvement Federation Symposium, as well as Part II of Sean McGrath’s Ranching Roadtrip series. Please look for the upcoming Late Fall SimTalk, and take care!
Beef Industry Advocacy
by Lilly Platts
Andrea Flemming’s videos and content on Instagram and Facebook have gained her over 66,000 and 12,000 followers respectively, and she is frequently called on to speak about agricultural advocacy at industry events. The fifth-generation Minnesota cow-calf producer and farmer didn’t set out to become an online influencer, but originally started her account to post workout videos and hold herself accountable. She soon found an audience online, sharing about her daily life in agriculture, and tips and inspiration for physical health. Flemming and her family run a diversified commercial cow-calf operation, utilizing SimGenetics, DNA testing, and technology.
From the Farm to the Screen
Like many young people in rural America, Andrea Flemming grew up dreaming of being a veterinarian. She pursued an animal science degree at South Dakota State University, and applied for veterinary school the spring before graduation. A letter sharing that Flemming hadn’t been accepted into vet school turned her future plans upside down. She hadn’t considered returning home to the family farm, but started spending more time there during that final spring semester. This time of uncertainty is when she also started sharing about agriculture online. “I convinced my dad to co-sign a loan to buy some bred heifers, so I would go home on the weekends during that spring semester and share on Instagram,” Flemming recalled. “I have always been obsessed with cattle so it was an easy thing to talk about.”
Fitness had also been a big part of Flemming’s life, and she decided to start sharing about that as well. “I
was really into fitness in college, but after I received the denial from vet school I lost that routine. On January 1, 2018, I drew a line in the sand, and I said that if I posted on social media then I wouldn’t give up on myself.”
Flemming started sharing workout content to keep herself accountable, and also noticed an uptick in interest in her farm-related content. The name “thatfitagvocate” was born from this combination. She kept posting, and noticed that her content was reaching people. “Instagram stories were brand new, and I was getting questions from people who had found my account through the explore page. It became very apparent that the disconnect between ag and the general public was bigger than I knew,” Flemming shared.
A job in agricultural sales filled some of her time after college, and she kept posting about her life online. “I realized I could share more of my ag story and advocate for the industry. I did not intend for it to go anywhere, and just figured that if I could share with a few people that would be good,” she said.
In September of 2019, Flemming responded to a segment on the Ellen Degeneres Show advocating for not eating meat, posting a letter addressed to the talk show host online. In the post Flemming said, “I’m challenging Ellen to talk to a real livestock producer, in fact she should visit a few. I’m also challenging you to write a letter, post a video or response, send her an e-mail, tweet at her, whatever you have to do to show her the world we love and live for. Share this or other posts and never stop educating. Do what we gotta do to support the industry we love and live for.”
This post went viral, reaching thousands of people across the internet. Flemming has since turned her online presence into a business that perfectly complements her work on the family farm. By documenting daily life, from big moments like pulling a calf to funny stories about cows getting out, she has gained the trust and confidence of followers from around the world.
While agricultural facts are important to know, Flemming found that people are the most responsive to honest storytelling. “I didn’t want to share just stats, and I wanted to give people a behind-the-scenes look at what things look like,” she explained. “Stories are how you make connections and how you get people to step back and have an honest conversation.”
Flemming has also found value in sharing about other aspects of her life. “It’s important to know your audience can be multifaceted. I have a group of followers who are producers themselves, and we have a lot of conversations. We learn and we grow from each other. There are new producers who aren’t as involved in agriculture as heavily, but they have a positive impact,” she said. “Then there is a big group to the side who followed me from one cute reel I shared, or storytelling. For anyone who wants to start doing this it’s important to not zone in and put yourself in a box. A lot of the time, I bring people in from other content. Those things that are out of the box are what bring in people who are not involved in agriculture.”
The internet can be unforgiving, and agriculture is a common target. Flemming has learned that sometimes not saying anything is the most impactful strategy. “I always focus on the moveable middle,” she said. “It’s so easy to get heated about it, and there is no point in digging back at someone who comes at you in a nasty way,” she explained.
Flemming brings people into her daily life as a farmer and beef producer, and isn’t afraid to share the messy, less glamorous side of the business. Long, muddy days
working cows, cold days in the calving barn, and the disappointment of losing an animal are a reality that she teaches her audience about. She also emphasizes her family’s focus on caring for their livestock. “The number one concern of consumers is animal care,” she said. “In the end, if you don’t care for your livestock they don’t produce for you. Any way we can get that message across is a win. It’s really important that each of us in the industry help people understand what we do.”
Thousands of people have been reached by Flemming’s content, but she still values real interactions the most, emphasizing that having a small number of followers online doesn’t decrease a producer’s impact. “It’s the little things that can create the most connection with producers,” she shared. “Be willing to be open, and be willing to answer questions.”
Real Life on the Farm
The stories, facts, tips, and information Flemming shares online come directly from her daily life as a farmer and beef producer. Alongside her parents, Sterling and Denise Severtson, her brother, Kris, and husband, Nathan, Flemming runs a fully diversified beef business, raising cattle from birth through finish. Their farming operation produces the feed required to feed out these animals, which are sold as finished fat cattle. The family utilizes summer grass, as well as a confinement facility, which helps with the extreme mud that can plague the area.
The farming and animal care responsibilities are split up among each family member. Flemming explained, “My mom and I are more engaged in calving and animal care. My dad is more mechanically inclined, so he does a lot of feeding. We’ve leaned into our strengths, and lean on each other as things come up.”
Flemming shares about the triumphs and hardships of calving through her social media channels.
Severtson Farms takes cattle through the entire production process, from birth through feeding.
Farming, Fitness, Beef Industry Advocacy
(continued
Flemming has taken the lead on data collection and submission. Severtson Farms utilizes commercial genomic testing, as well as the Performance Beef software, and tracks data throughout the business. “I really like data,” Flemming shared. “When you track all of your data you can see where you can improve. In those harder years it’s really important to know what your cost of gain is. If you don’t have the data you have no clue.”
Simmental genetics have become an important tool at Severtson Farms. The family has been utilizing crossbreeding for many years, and switched to SimGenetics bulls around the time that Flemming returned home to the farm. “It’s helped on the maternal side of things, and also on the other side we’ve seen an improvement in frame, growth, and finishing,” she shared.
Flemming shares about crossbreeding, the challenges of raising commercial cattle, and the outcome of their breeding decisions on social media. Flemming is honest about the things that work, and changes they plan to make in the future. “As a commercial producer, heterosis is free money,” she said.
To follow Flemming’s journey in agriculture, and learn more about sharing your story online, search @thatfitagvocate on Instagram, visit www.facebook.com/ thatfitagvocate, or follow her blog at thatfitagvocate.com.
Flemming enjoys animal husbandry, as well as collecting and analyzing data.
Ranching Road Trip
by Sean McGrath
This is part two of a three-part series. It aims to outline an approach to ranching that may provide a framework for your own operation. There will be common themes throughout, and it may wrap around on itself, as we broach the interconnectedness of various aspects of ranching.
On the Road Again — An Environmental and Livestock Tour
The environmental part of ranching is a personal passion, and one of my favorite pieces of the puzzle. It is a tremendous blessing to work in a place where you can step out of your door in the morning and have your breath taken away by a sunrise, a bird song, or a -45º windchill.
Ranching is an amazingly simple business. Sunlight, and hopefully rain, falls on plants, plants grow, cows eat the plants, cows grow, repeat. This simplified roadmap provides us with a good set of stops along our journey.
One of the most important realizations that I have come to is that we need Mother Nature, but she does not particularly need us. That is a humbling statement, and I believe that from this place of humility, great things can be achieved. Farming and ranching are about fostering life and that is also the key goal of Mother Nature.
Ranching is really about capturing as much sunlight and water as possible, and we need as many leaves of different shapes and sizes as possible to do that. Although the appearance may be different, this principle applies to a Southwestern desert as much as a Florida Panhandle or upstate New York. This puts an emphasis on biodiversity (more types of leaves at more levels) and healthy plant populations that have time to recover from grazing. More leaves on desirable plants also equates to more grazing, which means more carrying capacity, and more cash flow.
A simplified example of an adaptive grazing system is shown in Figure 1 below. The pastures are the same size with the same number of cows but a greatly increased rest period for the plants.
continuous use
three weeks of rest
three weeks of rest three weeks of rest
Figure 1. A pasture with two cows in it for four weeks (2x28 = 56 Grazing Days). By subdividing the pasture and moving the cows every week, we still get 56 Grazing Days, but we allow every plant in the pasture three weeks of recovery time, resulting in a healthier and more vigorous stand, increasing carrying capacity over time.
This is a tourist drive-by view of grazing management. If we were to stop and stay at this destination for a month, we would just start to dig into the deeper connection between plant, soil, and animal, and how they are interconnected; but for brevity’s sake, healthy plants build healthy soil and healthy animals.
Ranchers and farmers are often divided into two camps: forage-centric and cow-centric. In road tripping terms, it is a bit like the Ford vs. Chevy argument. Foragecentric producers spend a lot of focus on the grazing paradigm, often with great success, but may not worry as much about the genetics they are applying to the grazing situation. Cow-centrists often focus on tremendous genetics or cattle management and have pastures that look like golf greens with mole hills. The optimal path for most of us is likely much closer to the middle. The goal of a manager should be to allow Mother Nature to help in putting the cow in a position where she can be successful. Conversely, this means selecting for a cow that will help Mother Nature along that path.
Every ranch will have their own solutions that will vary across environments, land prices, and management styles, but there are some common threads. One is that every time we augment or try to change the environment, we will add cost to the farm or ranch. A second is that sometimes, when we augment or try to change the environment, we will add revenue and potential profit to the farm or ranch. Perhaps the most important part
of this concept and the resulting mindset is that we need goals and accountability.
One of the key points on the environmental part of this road trip is stopping to take souvenir photos so that we can remember where we have been. On our ranch, we use photopoints as a key and easy part of our rangeland monitoring. These photopoints are pictures that are taken annually at the same location and roughly the same time of year. They provide documentation of the condition of our pastures and ecosystems. The importance of this is that it automatically creates the ability to look at changes over time, but it also forces accountability as a manager for both good and bad choices.
The other monitoring piece that we use is a calendar. At our house it is in the form of a complex app and software, but it is still a calendar. We record things like dates and number of cows going into a pasture and when they leave. From this we can calculate yield (cow days per acre), rest periods (how long between grazing for plants to recover), and other items of note. For example, I might write down that I put 100 cows on the North Field May 1, and I moved them out May 31. Onehundred cows for 30 days is 3,000 cow days. If the North Field is 45 Acres, I have grazed 67 cow days per acre (3000/45 = 66.6).
We have talked a bit about keeping a travel diary and managerial accountability, but at our ranch we also firmly believe in “aCOWntability.” We are likely a bit extreme on our operation, but we use a tool called the Orange Tag of Death (OTOD). For our management style and our environment, we use the criteria that if we touch a cow for any reason other than vaccination or artificial insemination, we install an orange tag and the cow is removed from the herd. Over the years there is a strong association between cows that I have bred beyond the capacity of our environment and the OTOD. Every operation needs to decide how much they are willing to augment their environment to optimize expression of the genetics in their cow herd. If we have a high-rainfall, high-forage-availability racetrack environment, we might drive a Formula 1 cow with the full awareness that she will get there fast but take a lot of premium gas. If we have a dirt trail that is 300 miles to the closest filling station, we might want a cow that is a little slower and more fuel efficient. One of the simplest tools for figuring out what model of cow we want is to think about sires that have worked well and look up their EPD. Then buy more cattle that are similar. It also helps to think about sires that have not worked on our personal road trip, look them up, and treat them as extremes or ranges of EPD to avoid.
We also can’t overlook training in this equation. Cattle are extremely adaptive animals, but we can’t expect cattle with no experience in a specific environment to compete out of the gate with cattle that are attuned to a management system.
The beauty of the environmental part of our sustainability road trip is that it can be more than sustaining. In
my personal experience, there can be a self-reinforcing loop that results in more forage, higher yields, improved ecological processes, and increased cow numbers and productivity. As we make progress, we can continue to tweak genetics and forage management and create a better system that makes the trip a little easier, less work, and a lot more fun. Most farmers and ranchers are “doer environmentalists” and this piece of the sustainability road trip allows us to do and create with no right answers and the opportunity for continual improvement and discovery. Real, long-term wealth resides with Mother Nature as our traveling partner.
The final stage of our trip is the people part. It is one of — if not the most — important part of the sustainability voyage, and often the most complex.
Key Points
● Producers often fall into two categories: Foragecentric (primary focus on forage, grazing, and rangeland health), or cow-centric (primary focus on genetics and cattle management). The optimal focus likely falls in the middle.
● Every time we augment or try to change the environment, we will add cost to the farm or ranch. Sometimes, when we augment or try to change the environment, we will add revenue and potential profit to the farm or ranch.
● Documenting the condition of pastures and ecosystems with annual photos forces accountability for good and bad choices.
● A calendar — simple or advanced — is critical for tracking pasture yield, rest days, and other metrics.
● Meticulously recording cow performance and culling based on your operation’s unique environment is critical for improving sustainability.
Sean McGrath is a rancher and consultant from Vermilion, Alberta. Sean’s consulting practice focuses on genetic improvement of beef cattle and includes work with several breed associations and their breed improvement programs. Other key focuses are range management, forage crops, and general ranch management. In 2023, McGrath received a Continuing Service Award from the Beef Improvement Federation.
ASA IGS and at
by Lilly Platts
More than 400 beef producers, academics, and industry representatives attended the organization’s 57th Annual Research Symposium and Convention in Amarillo, Texas. BIF’s mission is to help improve the industry by promoting greater acceptance of beef cattle performance evaluation. The American Simmental Association and SimGenetics were well represented at the 2025 event, with highlights including the Seedstock Producer of the Year and the Pioneer Award.
Editor’s note: Honoree bios courtesy of BIF.
River Creek Farms Named BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year
The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) recognized River Creek Farms, Manhattan, Kansas, as the 2025 BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year on June 12 during the group’s annual research symposium in Amarillo, Texas. This national award recognizes a producer’s dedication to improving the beef industry at the seedstock level.
River Creek Farms Inc. is a family-owned seedstock cattle operation in the heart of the Kansas Flint Hills. Established in 1890, the farm has deep agricultural roots spanning multiple generations and a reputation for producing high-quality SimAngus genetics built to work in real-world conditions. The registered cow herd was founded in 1970 by Joe Mertz and utilizes some of the first Simmental genetics imported into the US. Soon after, River Creek Farms became an early member of the American Simmental Association (ASA). Today, the operation is managed by Joe and his son, Abram.
The current cow herd consists of 800 cow-calf pairs, including 500 registered Simmental and SimAngus cows and 300 commercial recipients dedicated to the embryo transfer (ET) program. Crossbreeding is a key focus to enhance hybrid vigor while complementing the predominantly Angus-based cow herds of their customers. Advanced reproductive technologies, including artificial insemination (AI) and ET, play a crucial role in accelerating genetic progress, with hundreds of embryos transferred annually. Each year, River Creek Farms markets 200 Simmental and SimAngus bulls, with most selling at the annual spring bull sale the second Wednesday in February.
“A strong desire for progress drives the Mertzes to raise the bar on quality year after year,” says Matt Teagarden, Kansas Livestock Association chief executive officer. “Following their annual bull sale, the family closely analyzes every data point from each lot to determine which traits their customers place the highest value on. As customer priorities shift over time, River Creek Farms adapts its program to meet demand. Their tremendous record-keeping and organizational skills have been paramount to maintain the volume of data they’ve compiled over the years.”
Beyond the cow herd, the Mertz family farms 3,000 acres of corn, soybeans, and select cover crops to support the seedstock operation’s sustainability. Precision ag technology is leveraged to maximize efficiency across both farming and cattle operations. Additionally, Abram and Dani Mertz own and operate LivestockDirect, a seedstock marketing business that helps more than 400 seedstock producers market their bull sales annually.
Angie Denton (left) of Drovers (sponsor) presents the BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year award. Accepting the award are (L–R) Dani, Abram, Joe, and Kim Mertz. At right is Dr. Gordon Jones, BIF President.
Dr. Wade Shafer Receives BIF Pioneer Award
The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) presented Wade Shafer, PhD, of Bozeman, Montana, the BIF Pioneer Award June 12 during the group’s annual research symposium in Amarillo, Texas. The Pioneer Award recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to the improvement of beef cattle and honors those who have had a major role in acceptance of performance reporting and documentation as the primary means to make genetic change in beef cattle.
Shafer joined the American Simmental Association in 2003 and brought with him a PhD from Colorado State University and practical experience building economic selection indexes for his own herd. He led the development of two whole-life-cycle indexes, launched a whole-herd reporting system, and transitioned ASA’s genetic evaluation into the genomic era. In 2010, Shafer co-founded International Genetic Solutions, which now includes more than 23 million animals from 23 breed organizations — the largest genetic evaluation system in the world.
Throughout his career, Shafer’s focus has always been on improving genetics across the entire beef industry. He served as Executive Vice President of ASA beginning in 2013 and guided significant growth while prioritizing service to commercial cattle producers. He defended independent genetic evaluation during a
patent challenge, and maintained the integrity of expected progeny differences (EPD) and indexes. Shafer’s leadership and vision have been widely praised by industry peers, who describe him as humble, principled, and driven by service to the beef industry.
BIF President, Outgoing President, and Industry Collaborators
Dr. Gordon Jones completed his term as BIF President. His family’s Red Hill Farms raises Simmental, SimAngus, Red Angus, Charolais, and Angus cattle, in addition to purebred sows and row crops. The Jones family was recognized as the 2024 BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year. Longtime Simmental breeder and promoter Gordon Hodges became BIF President. Hodges has served on the American Simmental Association Board of Trustees, and spent many years working in the SimGenetics seedstock business.
The Association is also well-represented on the BIF Board of Directors. Dr. Ryan Boldt, International Genetic Solutions lead geneticist; Dr. Ken Odde, Director of ASA’s SimSpecialist and Feeder Profit Calculator Programs Director; and Jon Irvine, Irvine Ranch, will be representing the Simmental breed over the next year. Bruce Holmquiest, General Manager of the Canadian Simmental Association will also serve on the BIF Board.
Dr. Wade Shafer receiving the 2025 BIF Pioneer Award. Pictured with Dr. Shafer is Dr. Gordon Jones, BIF President.
Behavioral Insights
by Lilly Platts
The Beef Improvement Federation held its annual symposium in June of 2025. Beef producers, professionals, researchers, and breed association representatives gathered from across the country to discuss the latest in beef cattle production. The educational presentations covered a variety of topics, many of which were applicable to the commercial industry. The following is a summary of the first presentation in the technical breakout, “Advancements in Efficiency and Adaptability.”
Dr. Elizabeth Dressler shared about her graduate research project: “The heritability and variance component estimation for feed and water intake behaviors of feedlot cattle.” Feed is the largest cost across livestock operations, accounting for up to 70% of the cost of beef production. The production and processing of this feed is also the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the beef industry.
Improving feed efficiency and better understanding water intake are frequently discussed, but like many things in the beef industry, the wide variety of scenarios in which cattle are raised and fed makes it challenging to identify a simple or broad solution for reducing feed and water intake.
Dressler shared that while feed intake data is commonly measured, the behavioral patterns of cattle eating and drinking is less understood. New technology is making it easier to measure the feed and water intake of individual animals, as well as their behavior when eating and drinking.
Dressler explained that her research involved identifying the behaviors that are important to measure and understand, and then estimating the heritability and variance of these traits. A genome-wide association study was performed to identify areas of the genome associated with intake behaviors. The variations in bunk management and season were also evaluated.
Water is a less discussed but equally important factor in beef production. Many areas of the Western United States have been plagued by drought in recent years. Dressler shared, “Approximately 21% of cattle in the United States currently are in an area that is being affected by drought.”
This number varies based on a number of factors, and in October of 2024, 92% of cattle were in an area in some stage of drought. “Water can become especially critical during those periods of time,” Dressler said.
Feed and water intake data was collected at the Willard Sparks Beef Research Center at Oklahoma State University, with 830 crossbred steers on test, split into seven groups from 2014–2018. These cattle were split into pens, with each including six feed bunks and one water bunk located in the shade. An Insentec system was utilized at each feed bunk to measure intake. Each animal was processed the same, and given 21 days to acclimate to the feed bunks. Following this acclimation period, feed and water intake data was collected on each animal.
At the end of the study, Dressler analyzed the actual feed and water intake, as well as five behaviors: total number of visits to the bunk per day; amount ate or drank in one session; amount of time spent at a bunk in one session; amount ate or drank divided by the time spent at the bunk in one session; and the interval, or amount of time, between two sessions.
Dressler found that on average, the cattle visited the water bunk two more times per period in the summer, and drank nine kilograms more when compared to the winter. In the winter, cattle drank more quickly and waited longer to return to the bunk between sessions. In cold weather, the cattle also drank at a faster rate. In the summer, cattle ate slightly more feed per session in the summer, and spent longer between visits to the feed bunk. In the winter, cattle made three more visits to the feed bunk per period than in the summer.
Behavior was also analyzed based on bunk management. Cattle were evaluated with an “ad libitum” bunk, meaning they were fed as much and as often as desired. A “slick” bunk protocol, or only feeding when the bunk was completely empty was also analyzed. With constant access to feed, the cattle visited the bunk more times, spent more time there, and visited the water bunk more frequently as well. With the slick bunk, the cattle ate and drank more quickly, and spent longer at the bunk in one session, suggesting a “scarcity mindset,” and desire to optimize the available feed.
Using this data, Dressler analyzed the heritability of the behavioral traits and intake based on genomic data. Dressler shared, “Water intake is moderately heritable.”
New technology is making it easier to measure the feed and water intake of individual animals, as well as their behavior when eating and drinking.
Dressler also shared the phenotypic and genomic correlations for the measured data and behaviors. “If the scenario was to select for lower dry matter intake, that would also lead to fewer visits to the feed bunk, a slower intake rate, and a longer interval between visits,” Dressler said.
What does this data say about potential selection for feed intake, or management in the feedlot? “Phenotypically, we found that season and bunk management does have an impact on feed intake and intake behaviors. The heritability of those feeding and drinking behaviors was moderate to high,” Dressler said.
Feed intake and efficiency are typically viewed through the lens of how well cattle convert feed to pounds, and Dressler’s research offers another view. “Selection to decrease dry matter intake or daily water intake can be done, but those reductions will have to come from a reduced desire to consume, especially in grazing or situations where you can’t restrict access,” she said.
This research and data may not be directly applicable to producers, but is an important piece in the larger research surrounding feed intake. “Selection for a behavioral trait in this industry isn’t likely or feasible, but it provides information, and an additional route for viewing these things,” Dressler concluded.
Opposite: Cattle display different feeding behavior and intake under different feed bunk protocols. Below: Water intake is becoming an increasingly important intake to measure in beef cattle as drought persists across the US. Photos by Hannah Wine.
INDUSTRY UPDATE
Heat Stress in Cattle Costs Real Money
University of Missouri Extension
Cattle rid their bodies of heat in three ways — radiation, convection, and evaporation. “If your cattle can’t use all three methods, they’ll overheat fast,” says Eric Bailey, University of Missouri Extension state beef nutrition specialist.
Summer heat knocks weight off calves and pounds off milk, Bailey says. Losses come in the form of less gain, weaker fertility, and other health issues. “Heat stress costs real money,” he says.
Producers can reduce heat stress by providing adequate shade, proper fly control, access to water, and the right choice of pasture grass.
Cattle grazing on tall fescue grass when temperatures rise is a recipe for disaster.
Toxic endophytes in fescue can turn up the cattle’s body heat. Their efforts to keep cool can melt profits. But there are practical fixes that keep weight and profits steady, Bailey says.
Most fescue pastures in the Fescue Belt carry endophytes that make toxic ergot alkaloids, which mess with your cattle’s ability to stay cool, he says. These toxins tighten blood vessels, cut blood flow to the skin, and prevent heat from escaping. They make it hard for cattle to sweat and pant, essential tasks to rid their bodies of heat. Ergot alkaloids also delay shedding by lowering prolactin. This leaves cattle with shaggy coats that trap summer heat.
Summer temperatures, especially heat waves, make cattle on fescue vulnerable to problems. Normally, cattle can tolerate temperatures of 31 C or 88 F. Cows likely consume enough ergovaline by Memorial Day to make heat stress worse during the summer.
Even ingesting small amounts of ergot alkaloids can result in reduced weight gain and smaller calves, less milk, lower fertility, and lighter wallets, says Bailey. He offers these suggestions on avoiding losses from heat stress:
• Rotate toxic tall fescues with other grasses such as clover, or interseed pastures with nontoxic novelendophyte fescue to dilute.
• Consider investing in full pasture renovation on the worst fields.
• Provide supplemental feed in the range of 0.5% to 1.0% of bodyweight per day to dilute ergovaline in the diet.
If you have cows on tall fescue, pay special attention to fly control. “If your cattle are on toxic tall fescue and
they are crowding together to dodge flies, the deck is stacked against them,” Bailey says.
Cattle tend to bunch up to avoid flies, especially stable flies that attack their legs. They congregate in the middle of the pasture and avoid the field edges where flies gather most. Bunching traps heat, cuts radiation and convection in half, and raises humidity significantly. “In severe cases, cows quit radiating heat and actually begin to heat up even in the shade,” Bailey says.
Here’s the fix:
• Drag pastures to break up manure, which is a breeding ground for flies.
• Use fly tags, traps, or parasitic wasps to cut fly numbers.
• Finally, rotate pastures to break fly life cycles.
Bailey gives guidelines to discourage bunching and encourage cattle to space out in pastures:
• Provide 20–30 square feet of shade per cow.
• Provide portable shade structures that allow airflow.
• Place water troughs 50–100 feet apart to encourage animals to spread out.
Finally, radiation and convection need cool surroundings and airflow to work, says Bailey.
“They fail when it’s hot and crowded. Evaporation is the last line of defense in a heat wave, but humidity and fescue toxins can cripple it,” he says.
Less Beef Meets Summer Beef Demand
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension
The summer doldrums between Independence Day and Labor Day usually means slack beef demand. Indeed, the Choice boxed beef cutout dropped from the end of June to a current (July) weekly average of $386.75/cwt., down from the recent high of $394.19/cwt. However, boxed beef prices remain 19.1% above this time last year and have averaged 12.6% above one year ago each week in the first half of the year (Figure 1).
Higher average boxed beef prices reflect generally strong beef demand coupled with declining beef production, especially in the second quarter of the year. Total beef production is down 1.7% year-over-year through the first half of the year, but is down 4.8% in the second quarter. Fed (steer + heifer) slaughter was down 6.3% in the second quarter, leading to a 4.1% year-over-year decrease in fed beef production. Total cow slaughter continued lower, down 11% in Q2 leading to an 8.5% drop in nonfed beef production for the period.
Despite typical midsummer seasonal weakness, all beef primals are priced above year-ago levels with the rib primal up 7%, loin primal up 19.3%, chuck primal up 20.2%,
and the round primal up 16.4% year-over-year. Brisket, short plate, and flank primals are also sharply higher yearover-year. Prices for both lean and fatty trimmings continue to push higher with declining beef production.
Cattle prices dropped in late June but bounced this past week on stronger Feeder and Live cattle futures. Oklahoma auction feeder prices were higher for all weights with calves up $10–$15/cwt. and feeder cattle up $5–$15/cwt. The five-market fed cattle price averaged over $235/cwt., pushing up close to the mid-June highs. Boning cows (average dressing) averaged $165.84/cwt.
Is Herd Rebuilding Happening… and Where?
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension
The January 1, 2025, beef cow inventory was 27.86 million head, down 0.5% from the previous year. Was 2025 the smallest cow herd inventory for the current cattle cycle? It is looking more likely that it might be the low. Herd growth this year depends on the amount of cow culling relative to the supply of bred heifers that will enter the herd during the year. Although the inventory of bred heifers was record low, beef cow slaughter is down 16.2% for the first 21 weeks of the year, indicating a low level of cow culling that might allow for a fractional increase in the beef cow herd this year.
Where would beef cow herd growth be most likely if it is beginning? January data showed that seven of the top ten beef cow states had beef cow inventories that were unchanged or were up slightly. Missouri had two percent more beef cows while Texas, Oklahoma, Montana, and North Dakota were up one percent year-over-year. Kansas and Florida had the same number of beef cows as the year prior. Moreover, while the total beef replacement heifer inventory was down one percent year-over-year, several states had heifer inventories that were up, including Kansas, up three percent, and Oklahoma and South Dakota, up two percent from the previous year. Montana, Missouri, North Dakota,
Wyoming, and Florida had beef replacement heifer inventories unchanged from the prior year. It would appear that a number of major beef cow states are interested in herd rebuilding.
However, forage conditions continue to be a limiting factor in some regions. The latest Drought Monitor (June) shows that the central and northern Plains and much of the Rocky Mountain regions are still struggling with drought.
Current reported range conditions show that 51% of Montana and 42% of Nebraska pastures and ranges are in poor to very poor condition. Additionally, 38% of Wyoming and 24% of South Dakota ranges are in poor to very poor condition. Texas reports 30% poor to very poor pastures, confined to the southwest part of the state. At the other extreme, Missouri reports just one percent of pastures in poor to very poor condition, along with Oklahoma at six percent. Among the top ten beef cow states, Kentucky also reports just five percent of pastures in poor to very poor condition. Drought is not a factor across much of the Gulf Coast, Appalachian, and Southeast regions (with the exception of Florida).
Though there is no data confirmation yet, it seems likely that heifer retention may be underway in several areas including the Southern Plains and areas in the East. However, it is doubtful that much aggressive restocking or herd rebuilding is in progress in several major beef cow states from Nebraska north and west. In total it is likely to still be a slow pace of herd rebuilding.
Rural America is Facing a Mounting Labor Crisis
by Taylor Leach, Bovine Veterinarian
The American labor market is reaching a critical turning point that could tighten labor availability in rural industries and slow growth across the US economy. A new quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange warns that demographic shifts and recent policy changes may start impacting businesses as soon as late 2025.
From livestock and crop operations to food processors and rural cooperatives, this labor shortage is becoming especially noticeable in the heart of America’s farmland. Many producers are already struggling to fill roles, and the challenge is expected to intensify in the coming months.
“Barring an unforeseen change in labor force participation rates or immigration policies, the pool of available workers is set to shrink sharply in the next few years,” says Rob Fox, director of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “The problem will be even more serious in states with slower population growth in the Upper Midwest, Corn Belt, and Central Plains.”
Fox says the warning signs have been building for
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years. Labor force participation has steadily declined, birth rates have dropped, and immigration policy has become more restrictive. Between 2022 and 2024, nearly nine million immigrants arrived in the US, driven by global humanitarian crises and relaxed federal rules. While that influx temporarily eased labor constraints, Fox says it only masked deeper, long-term trends.
US fertility rates have fallen from 2.12 children per woman in 2007 to 1.62 in 2023, meaning fewer young people are entering the workforce just as the last of the Baby Boomers retire. In addition, labor force participation has slipped from a peak of 67% in 2000 to 62% today. Nearly 2.5 million working-age Americans have left the labor force in the past eight months alone.
“There is no single reason people are stepping away,” Fox explains. “It’s a combination of rising caregiving responsibilities, job skill mismatches, mental health challenges, and higher disability rates. These are complex issues that won’t be resolved overnight.”
The effects are already being felt across rural America. Farms, food processors, equipment dealers, and cooperatives are struggling to find and keep the workers they need to maintain daily operations. Seasonal labor has become harder to find, and full-time positions, especially
those requiring specialized skills or long hours, are increasingly difficult to fill.
In regions with slower population growth, such as the Upper Midwest and Central Plains, the challenge is even more acute. These areas often lack the population inflows that help offset workforce losses elsewhere in the country.
While labor has been tight for several years, Fox warns that conditions are poised to deteriorate further. “What we are facing is not just a cyclical labor issue; it’s a structural one,” he says.
Border encounters have dropped sharply since August 2024, signaling a steep decline in immigration. Combined with rising political pressure to increase deportations, the agricultural labor pool could shrink even more in the months ahead.
“Immigration has long been a key pillar supporting the rural workforce,” Fox notes. “Without a steady flow of new workers, farms and agribusinesses will have to get creative, either by increasing wages, automating tasks, or changing how they manage production.”
In response, more agricultural businesses are turning to technology to help offset the labor gap.
“The key to addressing labor scarcity always lies in innovation,” Fox says. “AI and robotics are no longer limited to the factory floor. They are increasingly being used in fields, dairies, and food plants.”
A recent Gallup poll found that nearly one in five workers already uses artificial intelligence in some form each week. At the same time, the cost of robotics has dropped by nearly half in the past decade, making automation more accessible for a broader range of farms and agribusinesses.
CoBank’s report notes that many farm supply customers are using new tools to increase efficiency, improve decision-making, and free up time for employees to focus on higher-value responsibilities.
As producers look toward 2026, a combination of labor constraints, volatile input costs, and shifting policy landscapes will continue to shape decision-making. Fox thinks adaptability will be essential.
“Technology will be critical to agriculture’s future,” he says. “AI and robotics can help farmers do more with fewer workers, boosting efficiency and margins. But investment decisions must be made carefully, especially in this uncertain economic environment.”
Until clearer policies emerge on trade, labor, and energy, rural America will need to prepare for continued pressure. “This is a pivotal moment,” Fox concludes. “Farms that plan ahead, embrace innovation, and stay flexible will be best positioned to succeed.”
What started as a grassroots effort to reduce injectionsite lesions in beef has evolved into one of the most comprehensive training programs in the cattle industry.
On their weekly Cattle Chat podcast, the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University explained how the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program is still relevant and important today. “Beef quality assurance was a producer-initiated program to decrease injection-site lesions in premium beef cuts,” K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers says. “Since then, Beef Quality assurance has kind of morphed and grown; it now covers many aspects of the cattle industry.”
Over the years, BQA has expanded to include training on antimicrobial stewardship, animal handling, farm biosecurity, and proper injection protocols. The certification, available both online and through in-person sessions nationwide, promotes industry-wide consistency in animal care and food safety.
The benefits of BQA certification include consistency in safe meat and safer working conditions, as well as
consistency between producers and employees working with beef cattle. Lubbers described the value gained for workers and producers from the certification. “There are a lot of things that if I were just to stand next to somebody in a chute for 15 or 20 minutes, I’m going to forget a couple of things that they should know, but would have learned in the module,” Lubbers says. “I can be assured that the people on my operation that may be working with cattle in any way have already had that training whether I have explained it to them or not.”
Another crucial benefit to getting BQA certified lies in maintaining consumer trust and building industry reputation. “I would love to say 99.95% of our producers are Beef Quality Assurance verified, because then it demonstrates a commitment from the entire industry to do things right,” Lubbers says.
The BQA program is developed by producers, for producers. Its voluntary nature reflects the cattle industry’s dedication to continuous improvement and responsible practices. Whether a seasoned rancher or a new employee, BQA equips individuals with practical, science-based knowledge to improve cattle management and protect the reputation of US beef worldwide.
Three Factors Fueling Americans’ Obsession with Protein
by Tyne Morgan, Bovine Veterinarian
Meat is having a moment, and the craze for more protein is benefiting protein across the board. The fact that cattle prices continue to crush records is proof, as well as the robust demand for pork.
“I am still bullish on dairy. I’m bullish on beef. I’m bullish on pork and poultry,” says Dan Basse, AgResource Company. “I think as you think forward, I see the next two or three years as being the years of protein. It’s that side of the fence in agriculture that’s going to do very well.”
Basse’s optimistic outlook on protein hinges on one major factor: consumers’ ability to pay for it.
“I’m still bullish on protein, until we see the labor force start to shrink in the United States, and I start to see disposable income coming down. Again, there’s not a period looking backward in history that I can find where disposable income on a personal basis has risen this quickly from 2020 to 2025,” he says.
“Meat protein, not just pork or not just beef, but meat is having a moment. I’m an economist, so I have concerns on the macroeconomic front, but it is exciting to be in an era where the public’s desire for meat protein is growing,” says Glynn Tonsor, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University.
Cargill’s 2025 Protein Profile found people are eating more protein than ever before. The report found 61% of
consumers report increasing their protein intake in 2024, which is up from 48% from 2019.
According to Cargill, the shift in shoppers’ preferences toward whole, minimally processed foods, is giving protein a chance to shine. “It’s really important to remember the US public wants meat protein,” Tonsor says. “There are a lot of signs. We are in a pro-protein environment. I don’t think there are issues. I actually think there is a celebration about the taste and the eating experience and so forth for all the major proteins.”
Tonsor also authors what’s called the Monthly Meat Demand Monitor (MDM), which tracks US consumer preferences, views, and demand for meat. The first half of the year, the MDM continued to show consumers’ growing demand for protein, but in the report in May, it did show a slight shift.
“The biggest takeaway from the MDM would be we have two conflicting patterns,” says Tonsor. “One is that the public really wants meat protein, but the macroeconomic environment is giving us some pause. So, we continue to see strong signals that people want protein. Taste is leading that decision, so that’s good and very supportive, but we also see lots of uncertainty on the macro-economic front. So, trade discussions, elevated unemployment, inflation concerns, and so forth. Those are not supportive of meat demand, so those are the two trends that are fighting the way out.”
Tonsor points out the May MDM showed a pullback in consumers eating away from home, like in restaurants, but showed a boost in retail demand, which would be grocery stores. “Part of that is a substitution away from restaurants,” he says. “And that’s across the board. It’s not just pork or beef or chicken. It’s all of them that we track, so I do think it is a headwind that is growing here in 2025.”
Tonsor says if confidence in the economy rebounds, and tariff discussions ease, the restaurant piece of meat demand could quickly recover, especially considering we’re entering the summer months, where meat demand is typically higher.
And even with the pause in restaurant demand in May, Tonsor says the push for consumers to eat even more protein doesn’t seem to be going away, and it’s being driven by three major factors. “More people are having meat as an ingredient rather than the center of the plate. So, it’s coming across as more convenient. It’s an input,” Tonsor says. “Also younger folks in particular are quite physically active, and their demand for protein and that broader lifestyle is elevated.”
Those two factors are strong drivers of meat demand, especially in the younger crowd. But another supportive piece of the growing demand for protein is related to weight loss drugs. “We have a GLP-1 effect, so Ozempic, Mounjaro, and so forth, in the MDM. We put out a report earlier this year, showing around 15% of the US public is using a GLP-1,” Tonsor says. “That’s a higher end, but that’s what we estimate. And if you are on those products, you’re actually consuming beef, pork, and chicken more frequently.”
He says all of those things add up to support the growth in meat demand. “It’s the income and the future status of consumer finances is mainly the only headwind at the moment, and that’s why I keep reiterating that concern,” Tonsor says.
It’s not just the hog industry that’s benefiting from the strong demand, both domestically and with exports. Cattle prices continue to crush records. But according to one veteran cattle analyst, it’s not historically tight cattle numbers pushing prices higher — it’s the strong demand. “This price increase that we’re experiencing in the industry is demand-driven,” says Randy Blach, CEO of CattleFax. “Our per capita supplies were flat last year. They’re going to be flat again this year. And yet we’ve had a market that’s gone up. That’s all been demand-driven with what we’ve seen throughout the industry.”
The incredible demand is pushing beef demand to its highest level in nearly 40 years. “Beef demand is at a 37year high,” he says. “And I think when people think about demand, obviously quality has been the key to that. We’ve seen the quality of the animals being produced has increased substantially.”
As record-high cattle prices also push the cost of beef higher, that would push consumers to eat more pork and chicken in the past. But it’s a trend Tonsor is not largely seeing this time around. “We see some of that, but not nearly as much as you might think. So, there’s less of that adjustment than historically we would have seen,” Tonsor says. “This is 100% Glynn’s opinion, but I think habits are a little stickier. The persistence of an item in your meal is a little stickier than in the past. Meat is an ingredient, not just the center of the plate. Higher beef prices have not elevated chicken demand as people have expected, and I think it’s because of the consumer substitution effects, they exist, but they’re not as strong as they were 20 years ago.”
As consumers crave more protein, it’s a bright spot for all livestock with many hopeful this isn’t just a trend but a permanent fixture on consumers’ plates.
Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm
by Jennifer Shike, Bovine Veterinarian
Lizeth Olivarez doesn’t know if people will have the stomach to deal with New World Screwworm (NWS). She’s a sixth-generation rancher who runs cattle in the US and in Mexico at Las Bendiciones Ranch in Realitos, Texas, and Rancho El Cuellareno in Guerrero, Tamaulipas.
Although she hasn’t experienced it herself, she has grown up hearing story after story about NWS from both her grandfather and father who dealt with NWS when the deadly fly struck in the 1960s. With reports of NWS in seven states in Mexico, the US continues to bolster its defenses to keep the pest out.
“The first time around NWS was eradicated by using sterile flies dropped from planes in a box that looked like a Big Mac burger box with a target sign on it,” Olivarez says. “The only way to eradicate the NWS is with sterile flies.”
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a five-pronged plan to combat NWS on June 18, partnering with Mexican counterparts and using this sterile insect technology to stop the spread.
“It’s important to clarify we currently don’t have [NWS] here in the US,” says Russ Daly, Extension veterinarian for South Dakota State University.
He admits it’s a strange name for a fly — New World Screwworm — because it makes you think it’s a worm. “It’s not actually a worm — it’s the larvae of the NWS fly that deposits its eggs in animals,” he explains. “They can get big in size, up to two-thirds of an inch. The first person who described them might have thought they look like little worms. They have ridges that are spiral, and that allows these larvae to burrow down into the animal. That’s how they get their name.”
The NWS fly lays eggs and larvae in open wounds of warm-blooded animals. Daly says NWS’s function is similar (but different) to a maggot. Domestic blow flies lay their eggs on dead tissue. The resulting maggots feed on the dead tissue. The difference with NWS is it lays its eggs on living tissue and will feed on living tissue.
“NWS is not easy to recognize,” Daly adds. “You really need an entomologist to recognize the fly and the larvae. For recognizing a problem in the animal, it might come down to recognizing a larval infestation that is showing up in unusual circumstances.”
Megan Niederwerder, executive director of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), says it’s important to remember this is not just a cattle disease — it impacts other livestock species and humans as well.
“The fly can deposit its larvae in any open wounds as well as surgical sites such as castrations and umbilical
sites after a newborn animal is born. It can also deposit its larvae in any mucous membranes,” Niederwerder says. “Keep an eye on non-healing wounds or wounds that have a foul odor or bloody discharge.”
She says the animals often feel discomfort and pain due to this non-healing wound so they may isolate themselves and be off feed. “It’s really important to stay vigilant as we think about increasing awareness and understanding of what the fly looks like,” Niederwerder says. “We also need to understand what the clinical signs may look like as the introduction and incursions in Mexico have increased the risk for the US, too.”
Although the cases in Mexico have been primarily cattle, she notes there have also been cases in pigs, horses, sheep, goats, dogs, and even in humans in Mexico. “We really don’t like to think about that human part of it,” Daly says. “I don’t want to downplay it, but in people, we would certainly know when we have an irritation or when a fly is on us. But we need to think about the people who potentially are debilitated and wouldn’t know they have a fly on them for a long period of time or that something’s wrong.”
Olivarez urges producers to call their veterinarian immediately if they suspect NWS. During the 1960s outbreak in the US, she says most ranchers first noticed it around the umbilical cords of newborn calves. “It affected ranches the most, especially those that had cattle out on the range where you need manpower to monitor for open wounds, cuts, or sores of any kind as well as cows with newborns since the fly will attack the umbilical cord,” Olivarez explains.
She says it’s not only important to monitor cattle but also pay attention to wildlife and pets that live on your property since they could indirectly bring NWS. Daly challenges livestock producers to pay attention to unusual situations. If you have an animal that suddenly has a lot of necrotic tissue that fly larvae (maggots) are trying to clean up, Daly says that’s a sign producers need to take seriously.
“If there isn’t a wound or a very good reason why there would be an infestation of those larvae, that should tip off animal owners, caretakers, and veterinarians,” Daly says. “There needs to be some sort of break in the skin to attract the NWS fly, but that something can be so minuscule you wouldn’t even notice it.”
He says it could be as small as a bug bite and is often so tiny producers don’t know how the initial entry even happened. “NWS does its damage by burrowing into living tissue,” Daly explains. “But they can be drawn to the animal through secretions from that minor break in the skin, and then start to invade the living tissue as well. In addition, once the NWS sets up the wound and causes the infestation, normal blow flies then can come in and get in there, too.”
The females lay their eggs very quickly, he adds. It doesn’t take long for the larvae to develop from there. He says the flies like to deposit their eggs on their “victims” in the afternoon. “They choose this timing because when it cools off at night, it helps the development of the eggs into the larvae,” Daly says. “This all happens within ten to 12 hours. If you have a fly that gets into a nick on a pig in the afternoon, for example, by next morning, there’s larvae starting to burrow in already.”
The fly has a lifespan of 28 days, Olivarez shared with followers of Texas Farm Bureau on TikTok. “During this time, NWS can lay eggs four times and lay 300 eggs each time,” Olivarez says. “If it goes untreated, after three weeks the larvae will fall and convert to a fly that then goes looking for another animal to attack.”
If an animal becomes infested with NWS, treatment is not easy or pleasant. The larvae have to be removed, Daly explains. “NWS does respond to some insecticides that we would use for show pigs or horses during the summer to keep the flies off,” Daly adds. “But in order to get that animal healed up, the larvae have to be flushed out and removed by a veterinarian. These infestations can lead to secondary infections to worry about. And, if the infestation has gone deep enough, there could be severe muscle damage or damage to other organs that are beyond help.”
Treatment products need to be considered, adds Lisa Becton, assistant director of SHIC. Because of this, wound care is key during NWS infestation. “If you have animals that have sores, it’s very important to treat that wound,” Becton says. “You may or may not be able to use a sealant, whether that’s iodine or antibacterial. Wound care is very important to help get a wound healing fast, even if you also have to use antimicrobials for an animal to help prevent other infections.”
It is treatable, but NWS is a painful event for animals and humans alike, Becton says. Rapid identification and action are critical.
Livestock trade and wildlife migrating due to different issues with climate and weather have helped move the infestation farther north. “The flies actually don’t fly that far,” he explains. “They typically fly less than ten to 12 miles in their life span. So, they aren’t flying over on the wind and getting into these new places. It has more to do with animal movement.”
Fortunately, Daly says NWS is like any other fly in that they need somewhere to overwinter, so they won’t survive freezing temperatures. However, if they moved into this region in June or July, they would have a foothold until the frost. “When we let our guard down and don’t look for it as much, or don’t use the sterile flies as often, that’s when things fire up again,” Daly says.
He says it’s not time to panic, but it’s important to be observant. The basics of good animal husbandry remain the most important thing for producers to focus on now. “Sometimes it’s much easier said than done, especially in outdoor raising situations,” Daly says. “From fly control to monitoring animals, the best way to snuff something out like this quickly is good observation and animal care.”
Rotating Ionophores to Increase Gain
by Maggie Malson, Bovine Veterinarian
Ionophores like monensin, lasalocid, and laidlomycin have been readily used within the US, and a recent research study by Haley Larson, assistant professor of animal health at K-State Olathe, found rotating through different molecules could provide added gain benefits.
“They have a multitude of functions,” says Larson of ionophores, which are molecules that inhibit growth of certain bacteria. “They help control or prevent coccidiosis, and they also have some improvements on feed to gain.”
While technically an antibiotic, ionophores do not fall under the veterinary feed directive as they are not used in human medicine, and thus can be used for the promotion of gain and feed efficiency of livestock. Within the US, ionophores are labeled for continuous feeding, which the FDA defines as at least 14 days. Larson says in order to have a study that could be easy for producers to replicate, they chose a 28-day feeding period per ionophore. This timeframe also gave the rumen time to adapt. “We need to make sure that they [cattle] have that full adaptation to one ionophore before you introduce the next one to shift that population in a different direction,” Larson says.
Ionophores work by inhibiting or killing certain types of bacteria in the rumen, which changes the rumen microbial population. “We get a shift in the fermentation profile and the end products of fermentation that are produced that then, in turn, makes the animal more efficient,” explains Phillip Lancaster, K-State professor of cattle nutrition.
The idea behind rotating them would be to shift the microbial population and determine if there was a synergistic effect of using two different products or molecules on that efficiency of rumen fermentation, Lancaster adds.
The study was conducted in a commercial yard in southwest Kansas on heifers that were limit-fed for a targeted three-pound average daily gain on a growing ration. Monensin and laidlomycin were rotated through twice each on a 112-day growing period. “We found that
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those heifers that were on the rotation had an 8.6% improvement in gain over their monensin-only counterparts,” Larson says.
She is continuing to analyze the data, also looking at methane production from rotating molecules as well.
Got Foot Rot?
Rosslyn
Biggs, DVM, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Beef Cattle Specialist
Foot rot is a common disease affecting cattle. The primary agent responsible for foot rot is Fusobacterium necrophorum, a common bacterium of healthy skin. However, it requires an opportunity to invade deeper tissues such as injury or wet skin. This bacterium often acts in conjunction with other bacteria.
Environmental factors play a significant role in the transmission. Moisture, nutrient deficiencies, and injuries from walking on abrasive surfaces can compromise skin integrity, facilitating bacterial invasion. Standing in pens or lots heavily contaminated with mud, feces, and urine softens the skin, and increases risk. High temperatures and humidity can also cause the skin to become more fragile, making it more susceptible to infection.
Foot rot can affect cattle of all ages, with increased incidences during or following wet, humid conditions. The first signs include sudden onset of lameness, swelling and redness of the tissue between the claws, and ulcerative type lesions in the interdigital space. The tissue is often necrotic with a characteristic foul odor. Swelling is typically evenly distributed around both digits and the hairline of the hoof, leading to separation of the claws. Affected animals are extremely painful in the affected foot and may also exhibit a loss of appetite.
Diagnosis starts with a thorough examination of the foot. It is important to differentiate foot rot from other conditions causing lameness. Swelling attributable to foot rot involves both claws, whereas other conditions often involve only one. Joint infections, sole abscesses, and sole ulcers may be mistaken for foot rot.
Treatment begins with cleaning and examining the foot. Antibiotics are the primary treatment. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory products should be utilized for pain relief. Veterinary consultation is necessary in situations where the animal does not respond quickly to the initial treatment, as foot rot is likely not the cause of the animal’s lameness. In cases where deeper foot structures are damaged, more aggressive therapy may be necessary.
Foot rot prevention focuses on maintaining interdigital skin health. This includes providing a well-balanced mineral program and minimizing environmental conditions that may cause skin or hoof injury. Preventing
cattle from standing in wet, manure-infested areas is crucial. Footbaths may be helpful for animals in confinement. A foot rot vaccine is available that may aid in prevention, but producers should consult their local veterinarian to determine the best options.
Practical Considerations for Bovine Castration
Rosslyn Biggs, DVM, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Beef Cattle Specialist
Approaches to castration should be made with operational objectives and animal welfare in mind. Producers should consult with their herd veterinarian for a castration protocol that includes consideration for animal age, facilities available, castration method, and pain control.
Calves castrated at younger ages — ideally under three months — generally experience less stress, recover quicker, and have fewer complications. Unless a bull calf is being kept for potential breeding purposes, delaying castration is unnecessary. If castration must be done on older animals, it is critical to use appropriate pain control and consider surgical methods carefully.
Good restraint for bovine castration is essential. Welldesigned working facilities with secure head catch and squeeze are good choices in most instances. For smaller calves, restraint can be done in a calf cradle or on the ground with proper equipment. Beef Quality Assurance guidelines should always be followed.
The primary methods used to castrate are surgical removal or elastrator band. The decision on technique should be made in coordination with the herd veterinarian and consider animal well-being and the recovery environment. If banding is chosen, animals should be vaccinated for tetanus prior to the procedure.
Local anesthetic utilized at the time of castration can decrease the initial pain of castration and help provide additional pain control for up to five hours after the procedure. Sedatives may also be combined with local anesthetics for broader pain control during castration. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may also be added to the plan to provide immediate pain control along with longer activity. Certain NSAIDS with a single dose can provide up to 48 hours of pain control. NSAID formulations include oral, injectable, and topical applications. For those that band calves, there are now bands impregnated with the local anesthetic lidocaine, and provide pain control for more than two weeks after banding.
Research in providing pain control has been shown to promote weight gain and feed intake following castrations, and in calves older than seven days decrease the occurrence of respiratory disease. Pain medications require veterinary prescription.
INDUSTRY UPDATE
Finalized Ten-Year Sage Grouse Study Confirms Benefits of Grazing
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
In June, the University of Idaho released the finalized results of their ten-year study looking into the impacts of grazing on greater sage grouse populations. The study concluded that cattle grazing does not negatively impact greater sage grouse and can only benefit the species through building robust habitat, increasing forage, and reducing invasive grasses that lead to catastrophic wildfires.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the Idaho Cattle Association (ICA), the Public Lands Council (PLC), and the Idaho Public Lands Council (IPLC) have all highlighted the benefits of grazing and pushed back against anti-grazing myths for decades, making this landmark study an important point of reference moving forward for anyone questioning the benefits of grazing on wildlife.
“America’s public lands ranchers knew that livestock production has supported sage grouse populations since our ancestors started ranching in the 1800s but we never had the comprehensive, long-term data to back up what we all took as common knowledge. This study finally proves what ranchers have been saying all along — livestock grazing benefits wildlife, native grasses, and the overall landscape. This study also shows that the work and expertise of local stakeholders, including university researchers and federal grazing permittees, is crucial for conserving wildlife populations. Ranchers appreciate the decade of research conducted by the University of Idaho to reiterate the benefits of public lands ranching,” said PLC President Tim Canterbury.
“For years, those with ulterior motives have perpetuated the myth that cattle production negatively impacted sage grouse populations. Nothing could be further from the truth and anyone that has worked on a cattle operation with or without grouse nesting knows that grazing improves rangeland health, and with it the wildlife that live on working lands. This study is another example of how cattle producers are the original conservationists and grazing cattle is a key component to maintaining the health of America’s treasured natural resources. Thank you to the University of Idaho for spending so much time debunking the unscientific myth that cattle grazing harms native wildlife.” said NCBA President Buck Wehrbein.
“When the University of Idaho approached us about the idea of this project, we were supportive. As ranchers in grouse country, we have been seeing firsthand the healthy relationship between grouse and cattle for years, and were intrigued by the idea of having scientific data to validate what we have witnessed. Knowing the importance of the study, the Idaho Public Land Council approached the National Public Lands Council (PLC)
with a grant application to support the project. With PLC and Idaho Cattle Association (ICA) support, as well as many other partners, the ten-year study was completed. We are not surprised by the results, and believe the results in this important research will be a critical component in future grouse management moving forward. We commend the University of Idaho and US Geological service for pushing this across the finish line!” said Idaho Public Lands (IPLC) Board member and research partner Darcy Helmick.
“Idaho beef producers are deeply committed stewards of the land and wildlife, managing rangelands with care, knowledge, and generational experience. Their responsible grazing practices not only support thriving ecosystems and native species but also enhance soil health, promote biodiversity, and reduce wildfire risk — making beef cattle an essential part of a balanced, resilient Western landscape. We are pleased that this research reinforces that lifelong work and that producers now have this data to substantiate the practice of grazing,” said ICA President Spencer Black.
Last year, preliminary results of this ten-year study, led by University of Idaho Professor Courtney Conway, were released confirming that grazing benefits sage grouse populations and has no negative effects on nesting success. The finalized study reiterates the preliminary data that supports the benefits of grazing including:
• Increasing the biomass and diversity of insect species for food.
• Reducing the risk of wildfire that can kill sage grouse and destroy habitat.
• Reducing the volume of cheatgrass and other invasive grasses that degrade the sagebrush biome.
Neil Duxbury 605-354-3458 • Clay Duxbury 605-461-1494 jackpotcattle@yahoo.com 21060 375th Avenue • Wessington, SD Bull Sale – February 11, 2026 – Miller, SD
Tennessee
Clay
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CALENDAROF EVENTS
SEPTEMBER
6 NC Fall Harvest Sale — Union Grove, NC
10 Trennepohl Farms’ Early Opportunity Sale — Middletown, IN
13 Fall Fest International Simmental and Simbrah Sale — Henderson, TX
18 Werning Cattle Company’s Pasture Sale — Emery, SD
21 Rincker Simmentals’ Illini Elite Simmental Sale — Shelbyville, IL (pg. 7)
25 Circle Ranch’s Beef Solutions Sale — Ione, CA (pg. 11)
27 The Seedstock Connection Sale — Lyles, TN (pg. 69)
27–28 Simbrah Synergy Sale — Giddings, TX
OCTOBER
4 Horstman Cattle Company’s Factory Direct Sale — West Lafayette, IN
4 Lucas Cattle Company’s Fall Bull Sale — Cross Timbers, MO (pg. 55)
11 Madluke Cattle Company’s Crossroads Sale — Arcadia, IN
11 New Day Genetics’s Fall Bull Sale — Salem, MO (pg. 41)
11 Trinity Farms’ Fall Female Sale — Ellensburg, WA
13 Burlap and Barbed Wire Female Sale — Clay Center, KS (pg. 15)
18 Fred Smith Company Ranch’s Extra Effort Sale — Clayton, NC (pgs. 57, 62)
18 New Direction Sale — Seward, NE (pg. 62) 24–25 Yon Family Farms’ Maternal Roots Fall Female and Bull Sale — Ridge Spring, SC
25 7P Ranch’s 50th Annual Production Sale — Winona, TX (pg. 5)
25 The Clear Choice Female Sale — Milan, IN (pg. 60)
25 PSA’s Fall Classic Sale — Waynesburg, PA
25 Red Hill Farms’ Bull and Females of Fall Sale XI — Lafayette, TN (pgs. 63, 67)
31 31st Annual Hokie Harvest Sale — Blacksburg, VA
NOVEMBER
1 Cason Pride & Joy Elite Female Sale — Russell, IA
1 Irvine Ranch’s Annual Production Sale — Manhattan, KS (pg. 72)
2 Triangle J Ranch’s Female Sale — Miller, NE (pgs. 39, 62)
5 Prickly Pear Simmental Ranch’s Big Female Sale — Helena, MT (pg. 47)
5 River Creek Farms’ Fall Bull and Female Sale — Manhattan, KS (pg. 59)
7 Table Rock Simmentals’ 2nd Annual Production Sale — Ririe, ID (pg. 65)
8 Gibbs Farms’ 20th Annual Bull & Replacement Female Sale — Ranburne, AL (pg. 71)
8 MSA Fall Harvest Sale — Springfield, MO
13 Bickel Brothers’ Simmentals’ Feeder Calf Sale — Mobridge, SD
15 Lazy C Diamond Ranch’s Annual Sale — Kintyre, ND
15 Next Step Cattle Co.’s Annual Sale — Livingston, AL
15 Strickland Cattle’s 14th Annual Bull and Female Sale — Glennville, GA
17 Bichler Simmentals’ 21st Annual Production Sale — Linton, ND (pg. 49)
22 C&C Farms’ Clear Vision Fall Sale — Jefferson, GA
22 Great Lakes Beef Connection Bred Female Sale — Clare, MI (pg. 43)
22 Stanley Martins’ Farms Dispersal Sale — Decorah, IA (pg. 4)
28 Heishman Cattle Company’s Black Friday Bull Sale — Mt. Jackson, VA (pg. 32)
29 Trennepohl Farms’ Right by Design Sale — Middletown, IN
DECEMBER
5 Yardley Cattle Co’s Focus on the Female Sale — Beaver, UT
6 Jewels of the Northland Sale — Clara City, MN
6 Western Choice Simmental Sale — Billings, MT
6 T-Heart Ranch and L-Cross Ranch High Altitude Female Sale — La Garita, CO
11 University of Tennessee Performance Tested Bull Sale — Lewisburg, TN
12 The Midwest Made Elite Female Sale — Prairie City, IA
12 NDSA’s Classic Sale — Mandan, ND
13 North Alabama Bull Evaluation Sale — Cullman, AL
13 South Dakota Simmental Association’s State Sale — Mitchell, SD
14 Trauernicht Simmental’s Nebraska Platinum Standard Sale — Beatrice, NE
19 Buck Creek Ranch’s Grand Event Vol. VI — Yale, OK
20 Griswold Cattle Company’s Classic Female Sale — Stillwater, OK
JANUARY 2026
9 Diamond Bar S Bull Sale — Great Falls, MT
10 Keller Broken Heart Ranch’s Fall Female Sale — Mandan, ND (pg. 48)
11 Bricktown National Simmental Sale — Oklahoma City, OK
Unrivaled in thickness, muscle density and body capacity, 231A adds pounds and performance without adding frame and mature size. Plus, he has adapted to heat and fescue in all phases of development and production. His progeny are dense made and thick with loads of capacity and his daughters are clean uddered, easy fleshing and ideal brood cows.
• ASA Indexes: API: 171.4 • TI: 97.0
• $Profit 31,211 (0.2%)
• $Ranch 135 (4.2%)
• $Feeder 251 (0.1%)
CALENDAROF EVENTS
FEBRUARY 2026 (continued)
11 Jackpot Cattle Co.’s Annual Private Treaty Bull and Heifer Sale — Miller, SD (pg. 63)
11 River Creek Farms 36th Annual Production Sale — Manhattan, KS (pgs. 59, 61)
11 Traxinger Simmental’s Annual Bull Sale — Houghton, SD
12 Lassle Ranch Simmentals’ 33rd Annual Production Sale — Glendive, MT
13 11th Annual Modoc Bull Sale — Alturas, CA
13 Bred for Balance Sale — Starbuck, MN (pgs. 45, 61)
13 TNT Simmentals’ 41st Annual “Carrying On” the Explosive Difference Sale — Lehr, ND (pg. 62)
14 Kenner Simmentals’ 30th Annual Production Sale — Leeds, ND
14 Rydeen Farms’ Annual “Vision” Sale — Clearbook, MN
15 Trauernicht Simmentals’ Bull Sale — Wymore, NE
16 Bulls of the Big Sky — Billings, MT (pg. 61)
17 Quandt Brothers’ 14th Annual Production Sale — Oakes, ND
18 Hart Simmentals’ 51st Annual Production Sale — Frederick, SD
19 Illinois Performance Tested (IPT) Bull Sale — Springfield, IL
20 Dakota Xpress Annual Bull and Female Sale — Mandan, ND
20 Illinois Beef Expo Multi-Breed Sale — Springfield, IL (pg. 62)
AD INDEX
Alabama
H&O Cattle.
20 R&R Cattle Company’s Annual Production Sale — Chamberlain, SD
20 Sandy Acres Simmentals’ Bull Sale — Creighton, NE (pg. 62)
21 Flittie Simmental/Schnabel Ranch Simmentals/Lazy J Bar Ranch’s Joint Production Sale — Aberdeen, SD
21 Rhodes Angus Open House Bull Sale — Carlinville, IL
25 C Diamond Simmentals’ Annual Production Sale — Dawson, ND
28–3/7 Hofmann Simmental Farms’ “Buy Your Way” Bull Sale — Clay Center, KS
