The figure shows 2017 red meat, poultry and dairy exports as a percentage of production – calculated from the USDA’s 2017 forecasts for red meat, poultry and dairy production and exports compared with 2016 forecasts.

Fifty years from now, agricultural history books will likely devote a chapter to the recent run-up in commodity prices and farm income boom. While much attention has focused on corn and soybean production, cow-calf operators also experienced the historical conditions.

Starting out in any field can be a daunting task for any entrepreneur. Finding the capital to get started in a farm or ranch operation can be a tricky and emotional journey. Credit history is minimal, and the up-front costs can be substantial.

Last month, Chief Justice Roberts wrote a unanimous opinion in United States Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co. Inc., holding that landowners have the right to challenge jurisdictional determinations by the EPA or Corps of Engineers (COE) that water on their lands is governed by the Clean Water Act.

Like fingerprints, no two cattlemen are alike. Whether it is the size of their ranch, the breed of cattle they raise or how they run their program, they’re all different.

What it means for cattle producers Veterinary Feed Directives (VFDs), a rule for the FDA, became final June 3, 2015. All companies manufacturing feed-grade antibiotics for livestock have been given until Jan. 1, 2017, to change all product labeling to comply with the VFD final rule.

Starting a new cattle business is a large undertaking with considerable financial risk. Feed is one of the largest variable expenses in every phase of beef cattle production, accounting for 70 percent of all variable expenses.

Breaking into the cattle business isn’t easy. It requires land to graze and grow feed, equipment and genetics, making young producers a rare breed.

Recently, a paper was presented at the Beef Improvement Federation symposium and convention about the increasing likelihood our industry will have a DNA test to screen for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) susceptibility and resistance.

As producers and veterinarians, we often talk about ensuring good herd health, but its definition can be vague and vary among individuals. Our ultimate goal is to create and maintain an overall healthy, productive and profitable herd of cattle.