Progressive Cattle

Timing BRD vaccination for better outcomes

BRD is caused by pathogens, including infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, bovine respiratory syncytial virus and PI3 bovine parainfluenza. Research supports giving vaccinations at strategic times during the dam’s pregnancy and the calf’s life to promote good health and gains in the feedyard.

March 31, 2026

Gilda V. Bryant

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is essentially pneumonia. Caused by specific bacteria and viruses, it is the most expensive disease in the beef industry.

Production slightly down on slow pace of slaughter

March 30, 2026

Hannah Brooks and Russell Knight

This month’s outlook for 2026 beef production is down 110 million pounds from last month to 25.81 billion pounds. This is the result of a slower than previously anticipated pace of cattle slaughter in February and early March that is partially offset by heavier than previously expected carcass weights. The projection remains about 1% below 2025 levels and 9% below the record high set in 2022.

Why can’t we avoid the 21-day shot show?

Cattle often get ill around day 21 after arrival because cortisol-driven stress masks illness, suppresses immunity, diverts glucose and hurts gains. Controlling stress signaling may improve health, weight gain, treatment efficiency and profitability overall.

March 30, 2026

Blaine N. Ellison

We all know the drill. Inbound calves arrive and we might treat a random animal that arrived ill. Then things are pretty calm … until about day 21. Then it all breaks loose. Animals that had escaped scrutiny suddenly appear quite ill, or worse, at death’s door.

Better bahiagrass is possible with effective establishment

Ongoing trials are testing the nutritive and economic values of different bahiagrass varieties as a grazing forage.

March 27, 2026

Jonathan Kubesch, Kyla Neal, and Daniel Rivera

Besides spray recommendations, pasture plantings contribute to the volume of calls that extension agents and specialists get in the spring. What should I plant? Where can I find the seed? How should I get seed in the ground?

March 25, 2026 Progressive Cattle digital magazine

March 25, 2026

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Irons in the Fire: Sharp knives and Band-Aids

March 25, 2026

Paul Marchant

Calving season. It’s the very best of what the agrarian lifestyle has to offer, interspersed with moments of extreme disappointment that always seem to accompany the absurd futility of the livestock business.

West: Preparing a cattle operation for a drought year

March 24, 2026

Carmen Willmore

With low snowpack levels across much of the western U.S., cattle producers should begin preparing now for the possibility of drought conditions in 2026.

Midwest/North: Growing summer annual forages

March 24, 2026

Travis Meteer

With poor profitability projections on most row-crop budgets, planting summer annual forages and using forage mixes for grazing should be considered on marginal acres.

South Central: Improving animal performance with better forage

March 24, 2026

Jason Banta

This article will focus on the factors that affect forage quality to help producers improve animal performance and produce better-quality hay, which can reduce or eliminate winter supplementation needs.

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