A recent study by a team at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service uses innovative technology to shed light on the practicality and profitability of each grazing system.

Kerry Estes did not grow up on a dairy farm, but in the early 2000s, that is exactly where life led him and his family. They bought a farm in Fountaintown, Indiana, milked their first cows in March 2005 and have continued to build the farm into what it is today over the past two decades. 

Using new fitness traits like heat tolerance and grazing behavior, Milt Thomas, a department of animal science professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is determined to help improve beef cattle systems in South Texas.

Renting, leasing or purchasing grassland is often a complicated and expensive proposition. While many options are available, not all are practical or realistic.

Herd rebuilding or expansion must start with enabling grazing land to support the additional animals over the long term.

With drought conditions common in many parts of the country in recent years, cattle producers often find themselves scrambling for forage. One underutilized forage, tree hay, is gaining traction as an emergency feed for ranchers trying to feed cattle economically.