The Survey Says: Angus Genetics Provide Value Through Supply Chain

Angus Media, CattleFax gather insights on current management, future intentions of cow-calf and feedlot sectors.

What do commercial cattlemen pay for bulls, and how does that correlate to calf value? Are commercial herds planning to rebuild? What incentivizes feedlots to buy — and to pay a premium — on a set of calves?

Ag Producers Should Do Year-end Income Tax Planning

Agricultural producers should do tax planning before the end of the year.

“It is the time of year to think about year-end tax planning,” says Ron Haugen, North Dakota State University Extension farm management specialist.

End-of-Season Monitoring

Changing season of use or adding water sources/fencing could increase utilization of forage resources.

It’s often said, “you cannot manage something that has not been measured.” The late Peter Drucker, founder of modern business management theory, often stressed this principle. The same can be applied to range management.

Rebuilding Water Infrastructure During Drought

Low water levels offer opportunities to make improvements.

While limited water presents significant challenges for livestock producers during drought, low water levels do offer an opportunity to make improvements in infrastructure to capitalize on future precipitation. Implementing effective water management strategies ensures productivity and health of the cow herd.

Adding Another Family Member to the Farm Payroll

Before a child comes back to the operation, make sure these boxes are checked.

Some farm families have children who want nothing to do with the operation after they graduate from high school or college. Other family operations struggle to find a place for all the children who desire to come back to the farm. What does it really take to financially employ another family member on the operation?

Beef Cattle Budgets

Knowing operating costs helps with risk protection products and marketing opportunities.

by Heather Gessner, South Dakota State University Extension

What does it cost to maintain a cow for the year? This is a common question asked by producers across the nation. Many outlets will give you a number; however, that number doesn’t mean a thing. That is an average, given a variety of inputs, using a variety of other average numbers. Each operation needs to determine its own cow budget.