It is not uncommon to hear family members or employees complain about being micromanaged. Though the intentions of management are to ensure quality, timely and efficient production, their techniques for accomplishing this may leave employees feeling unappreciated, dissatisfied and inadequate.

For many cattle operations, "winging it" has worked remarkably well for decades. The founder knew what needed to be done, family members lived nearby, and decisions happened naturally throughout the day. Information was shared in the pickup, at the feedbunk or around the kitchen table.

No doubt you’ve heard that New World screwworm (NWS) is now in the U.S. As of this writing, it is as far north as Tom Green County, Texas. This is not an article to tell you what NWS is, how to treat it or whom to call should you come in contact with it. There are plenty of other great articles and resources for those pieces of information.

For the cow-calf producer, the last couple of years have been maybe the most financially rewarding in the history of the beef business in the U.S. Many people talk about the strong financial performance and how that could lead to beef herd expansion in the next couple years, and the “10-year cattle cycle” would agree, but for how long?

Disagreements occur in our everyday lives, and many usually unexpected. The agriculture industry is not immune to disputes, and many times has the most difficult time finding help resolving disputes. Ranchers and farmers routinely enter into business deals, buy and sell land, lease property, secure loans and participate in government programs through the USDA or other federal and state agencies.

Making the move from paper or notebook records to computer-based cattle software can seem daunting, but it doesn’t need to be. There are so many benefits to software that can make a tremendously positive impact for your ranch.

The difference between a fair easement and a long-term problem often comes down to easement terms that get overlooked. Estate planning, financial planning and other long-term strategies often get the most attention in discussions about keeping a ranch intact for the next generation – and for good reasons; those tools are critical to ensuring an operation can transition smoothly.

It is no secret that technological improvements are critical to the continued success of agricultural producers. Row crop farmers operating machines with varying levels of sensors have enjoyed watching their progress through the field for decades now, while poultry, swine and dairy producers have access to the capability of numerous robotic systems designed in some cases to automate barn management decisions and lower onsite labor requirements.

Finding a formula to determine exactly what your cow herd is producing compared to your inputs is essential to maximizing your operation’s profits.