There is a natural tendency for humans to bond with animals. Loving another person can be a rocky relationship, but loving a pet is commonly a lighter task. Their hearts aren’t cold, just their noses. Results from the U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook showed that in 2011, 63.3 percent of pet owners considered their pets to be a family member. Think about that statement for a moment. Is your pet, horse or livestock considered a member of the family? Sure, you might let the dog sleep at the foot of your bed.

For cattle operations of any size, the “documentaries” churned out by undercover animal rights activists can be intimidating – marked often as they are by deceptive editing, scary music, jarring visual effects and anguished voiceovers rife with half-truths and outright lies.

There is no doubt in my mind that the vast majority of beef producers care about and care for their animals. There is also no doubt, however, that society’s perception of appropriate animal care practices has changed and continues to evolve.

While global beef production in 2013 is expected to reach 57.5 million tons (carcass weight equivalent), essentially the same figure forecast in October 2012, the sources of this beef have been revised, according to the USDA’s report on livestock and poultry – world markets and trade. The change in the distribution of beef production is expected to have an impact on trade, with a decline of 355,000 metric tons (MT) forecast for exports to 8.6 million MT (or 15 percent of global beef production). The largest change was in India, which has had a large downward revision in production from 4.2 million MT to 3.8 million MT, and thus in exports from 2.2 million MT to 1.7 million MT.

Traditional ranchers may scoff at the idea of using an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or four-wheeler on a ranch, especially when it comes to working cattle. However, ATV use is an increasing trend, and one that many ranchers are finding to be very beneficial.

A plethora of both informational literature and seminar-style workshops have emerged in recent years on the topic of technological advances as they relate to a reduction in workforce.

Water is one of those things we all need, including livestock. So, when animals are isolated from a water source, what can a farmer do to get them water while implementing best management practices?