The Jersey cow was the topic of a particularly inane conversation I was having at a casual work dinner. Then, it turned a little more interesting. I should say, it turned on me, and that’s what made it more interesting.

Cattle producers invest a massive amount of time, effort and money in raising the best calves possible. Whether selling at the local auction barn, a value-added sale, from the farm site, to a nearby feedlot or via another method, the results of their long-term investments depend on many factors.

To treat or not to treat? That’s the question producers often face when it comes to re-treating sick calves. It's hard to treat a calf for respiratory disease and not see immediate results. But sticking to an antibiotic’s designated post-treatment interval (PTI) is essential for both calf health and producer success.

In recent years, producers across the Midwest have increasingly turned to sorghum as a flexible forage option. However, careful management is required to avoid maladies such as prussic acid poisoning.

If there’s a phrase that rings true in the ears of any business owner or manager, it’s that “a business is only as good as its people.” And in a world where automation is rapidly transforming many industries, the cattle business remains one of the few that still relies heavily on people.

With feeder calf prices at record highs and USDA predictions for prices to remain at or above $3 per hundredweight (cwt) into 2027, it’s an exciting time to be in the cow-calf business.

Join Progressive Cattle Podcast co-host Tyrell Marchant as he visits with West Texas A&M's Trent Schwartz to discuss how the meat packing, retail and food service sectors are adjusting to handling and marketing larger carcasses than ever before.