Through mid-October 2025, excitement built across the live sectors of the beef industry, with high-price records sometimes being reset daily for many classes of cattle. Though drought conditions persisted through the Great Plains and much of the West, the fundamentals supported rising prices.

Early indicators and predictions show that the beef industry is slowly considering rebuilding the herd. Fewer heifers are being placed on feed and many producers’ current stocking rates are so low that they have nowhere to go but up in numbers.

Join the whole Progressive Cattle crew – David, Paul, Tyrell, Carrie and Abby – as they enjoy the Cassia County Fair in southern Idaho. They speak with Ryan Udy about the experiences of being a junior exhibitor at the county fair and all the fun that comes with it. Abby also interviews Elliott Dennis, from University of Nebraska – Lincoln, as they compare the cattle market in 2024 versus 2014 and discuss how producers can make the decision to cull, maintain or expand this fall.

Cow-calf producers are expected to make $709 per cow over cash costs, including pasture, in 2024. These levels are nearly identical to the inflation-adjusted highs experienced by producers in 2014 ($534 in 2014 dollars, $708 in 2024 dollars).

Investing in replacement heifers without financially stressing the ranch is every beef producer’s goal. They must consider risks facing the operation, manage their financial health and discover additional income streams the ranch provides.

Excitement continues to build within the beef industry, spurred by higher prices for every class of cattle.

Aren’t we often waiting for something to happen, dreaming of some future set of circumstances that we hope will make our operation profitable?

The verdict is in – an open cow is among the top three financial liabilities for cow-calf operators. Calf sales are the largest contributor to annual income; cows that fail to wean a calf are a financial burden borne by the productive cows.

It’s time to talk more about controlling replacement costs from the perspective of the cow-calf enterprise.

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.