Guardian dogs are bred to protect sheep, goats or cattle from predators. Learn which dog breeds excel as guardians, what their jobs entail and why jennies and some llamas are effective as guardian animals.

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

Destructive rooting and wallowing are the obvious signs of a feral hog population moving into a farm, ranch or suburban neighborhood. Using their long, distinctive snouts, they dig up and turn over soil as they search for grubs, worms and vegetative material in pastures, corn crops and golf courses.

Some beef producers are fascinated by an old Spanish breed that may revolutionize high-end restaurants with tender, delicious steaks. Learn more about the Rubia Gallega breed, the Old Cow or Vaca Vieja, and the newest breed association, the American Rubia Gallega Association.

After several years of mild winters, agricultural weather forecasters are warning ranchers of possible blizzards this winter. Producers should care for their herds before, during and after snowstorms. However, before they repair water lines, collect medical supplies or hay bales for windbreaks, the first step is to develop a blizzard plan well in advance of a storm’s arrival.

When the King Ranch owners recognized professional ranch management is critical for successful cattle operations, they established the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management (KRIRM) with Texas A&M University – Kingsville in 2003. They realized the ranching business has changed and continues to evolve, and keeping up with or even anticipating changes is a critical business management component of a profitable ranch.

Bob Kinnan, historian for the King Ranch, says, “Captain Richard King was a licensed riverboat pilot. Always called Captain King, he’s something of an enigma.” Born in 1825 in New York City to Irish immigrants, he became a Manhattan jeweler’s apprentice at age 9.

Charles Goodnight came to Texas as a young boy and immediately started working with livestock. As a young man, he established the Goodnight-Loving Trail with his friend Oliver Loving. Together, they moved cattle from Texas to Pueblo, Colorado.

Successful beef producers work cattle with tried-and-true strategies during hot, muggy summers. Innovative methods, such as working early in the morning or at night, can prevent excessive heat loads in cattle.

The cowhands at Wildorado Cattle Company (WCC) have raised a number of registered Angus bulls, cows and heifers for successful production sales since 2019. This outfit differs from the average cattle operation because it is managed and operated by high school students.