Across the Great Plains, farmers and ranchers are entering another summer under dry conditions, balancing feed costs, stocking rates and long-term pasture health while hoping for rain that may or may not come in time. For many, drought planning is no longer an occasional challenge, but rather a part of the business model.

While environmental conditions are always fluctuating, cow-calf producers often plan to experience drought. As the saying goes: It’s better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it. Drought preparation follows the same advice.

Over the past several decades, beef cows have quietly gotten bigger. In 1975, the average beef cow weighed just over 1,000 pounds; by 2009, that number had jumped to 1,350 pounds, and today, many herds include cows tipping the scales at 1,400 pounds or more.

In the last 75 to 100 years, we have seen cow size go from belt-buckle cattle to hat-brim cattle. Between 1975 and 2005, the average cow weight in the U.S. at slaughter increased from 1,050 to 1,350 pounds. Since 2005, cow size in the U.S. has probably pushed into the 1,400- to 1,500-pound range. 

Tyrell visits with Mark Thallman from the USDA's Meat Animal Research Center about the merits and drawbacks of implementing terminal crossbreeding systems. Then, the Noble Research Institute's Josh Gaskamp joins Carrie to chat about how educational opportunities for producers to better their land for long-term profitability. Finally, join the gang as they discuss the joys of county fair season, weigh in on what tattoo Paul should get (and where), and debate the viewing value of various Olympic sports.

Drought has affected large swaths of the U.S. in recent years. Do we need to consider drought moving forward when making decisions about carrying capacity on farms and ranches?