Many producers are accustomed to negotiating leases in pasture and never putting anything in writing. Often these arrangements work fine, and no written documentation is ever needed. But when a problem arises – and there are litany of situations under which problems can arise – the lack of written lease agreement for either grazing land or a bull can cause major problems for both parties involved. The best practice for all producers is to take the time and invest the money to ensure that all leases are in writing and are reviewed by an attorney.

Price, food safety and product quality are the top motivators for consumers when purchasing ground hamburger, chuck roast or a set of T-bone steaks at the grocery store. These recent findings from the 2013 U.S. Beef Checkoff Program’s Beef Demand Determinant Study identify the primary consumer demands and indicate the areas in which checkoff programs and the beef industry should focus in order to move the beef market forward.

Those who qualify as senior citizens have seen a lot of changes in ranching operations during our lifetimes.

Recently, requests for lab results using methods directed toward starch digestion are on the increase, Bill Ramsey, DuPont Pioneer livestock information manager notes. These lab methods include corn silage kernel processing scoring, grain particle size, fecal starch analysis, seven-hour testing of in vitro starch digestibility and fermentrics gas fermentation system reports.

Feed is expensive, but you may be surprised by which feeds provide the best value for a given nutrient. Producers should always put the pencil to a ration, but it is critical in times when feed prices are high and feed supply is short. This article describes a process that should be used to determine the value of a feed when you particularly need energy or protein to balance a ration.

You’re out in the middle of the hayfield cutting hay, and your swather breaks down. Or the baler shears a bolt when you are trying to finish baling ahead of a rainstorm.

Know the long-term investment expenses when buying your equipment Every operation is in a constant battle to manage input costs. Often, focus is centered only on inputs that are a cash outlay.

Tailor management to help utilize resources Rising production costs, particularly feed costs, have ranchers looking for inventive ways to get cattle through the winter on a budget that is tolerable.

As the days get shorter and daytime high temperatures fall, many cattle operations are focused on weaning calves, making final preparations for the coming winter and the arrival of next year’s crop of calves. The operation is also set to enter the most expensive part of the production cycle – feeding a cow through the winter. This period in the production cycle can represent 60 to 70 percent of all production costs of an operation.

What in the world was a truck hauling plastic shower stalls doing driving up the dirt road to a rich and eccentric neighbor of mine? Was my slovenly neighbor all of a sudden interested in good hygiene? I was curious – so I followed the beautiful rig up the dirt road, where I was promptly asked if I’d help unload a piece of art that my neighbor just purchased. Of course I would. I mean, how heavy could a frame or a bronze be? Very heavy, as it turned out. You see, my crazy neighbor didn’t buy a Russell or a Van Gogh, although he’s certainly rich enough to do so, but rather an art “installation” that looked like what might be the result if a yellow Edsel clobbered a purple Yugo head-on, and then a flock of sea birds with loose bowels bombed it from above.