A hundred head of recently weaned calves wandered the downtown streets of Boise, Idaho, on the first cold morning of October. Steam rolled off their backs, a mass of tipped-over trash cans behind them. A tightly packed alley of wandering souls staring blankly into a haze of flashlights and headlights. A cacophony of chaos filled with the rumble of lowing calves rising into the crisp morning air.

Choosing the correct bull(s) for your operation is extremely important. The cows in your operation influence one calf per year, but a bull has the potential to influence up to 25 or more calves per year.

In 2020, Gov. Brad Little signed Executive Order 2020-01, known as Zero-Based Regulation. The order requires every Idaho administrative rule to be repealed and either allowed to expire or reissued after a complete and thorough evaluation.

Thomas Cattle Company, a fourth-generation cow-calf operation based in Oreana, Idaho, is making strategic moves to stay cutting-edge in today’s rapidly evolving agricultural landscape. While preserving the foundational elements of their ranch, Seth and Elizabeth Thomas, and Logan and Kristin Thomas, are focused on innovating their business model to ensure long-term success for future generations.

Three beef industry experts share their views on the reality of beef market dynamics and how they are navigating the lowest cattle numbers, the highest cattle prices and beef’s new level of demand.

“I wish other producers who have gotten their cattle stolen would speak out about it more, because I would have put more protection measures such as cameras in place,” says a Gooding County cattle producer whose calves were stolen under cover of darkness earlier this summer.

The greater sage grouse has become a poster child for a keystone species in decline across the West: a symbol of the sagebrush steppe being converted, degraded and fragmented. “When I was a kid, I remember seeing a lot more of them,” says rancher Richard Ward of Malta.

Like many Idaho beef ranching operations, Shaw Cattle Co. stands as a testament to the power of tradition, innovation and family values. A fourth-generation seedstock operation located in Caldwell, the ranch specializes in registered purebred Angus and Hereford cattle. Tucker Shaw and his family work together to uphold its legacy while embracing modern practices to shape the future of the beef industry.

In 2023, the Idaho Wolf Depredation Control Board announced a new initiative to control wolves on private property and approved spending up to $50,000 per year for producers to undertake wolf removal projects – with board approval.