When lecturing to the beef production capstone course in the division of animal sciences at the University of Missouri, I like to ask uncomfortable questions.

The agriculture industry is directly derived from what consumers want. And in today’s world, consumers want traceability. New technologies are constantly advancing the food system, one of these being blockchain technology.

In a webinar hosted by NCBA, Elliott Dennis, assistant professor of livestock marketing and risk management at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, discussed how to top the cattle market by effectively marketing and managing price risk. 

Part of every cattle operation’s annual income is from cull cows; older cows or poor-producing cows are sold to make room in the herd for younger and/or better replacements.

It’s no secret black-hided cattle have topped the market in price for many years. While there are no exact answers, it is an interesting topic to discuss.