Listen in to this month’s Progressive Cattle Podcast as Josh Davis and Todd Moore from Farm Credit Mid-America weigh in on beef prices, the cattle cycle and signs of herd rebuilding; and Kent Andersen of Zoetis talks with Tyrell about genetic traits of key value in today’s cycle.

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.

At the 2025 Range Beef Cow Symposium, held in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Jay Parsons with the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) facilitated a panel discussion focused on rebuilding the cow herd.

Tyler Cozzens, agricultural economist with the Livestock Marketing Information Center, shared an update on the global beef market, and Troy Applehans, a senior market analyst with CattleFax, also discussed the current state of the cattle markets and gave an outlook for 2026 at the 2025 Range Beef Cow Symposium held in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

For those considering growing their beef cattle herd, quick wins and day-to-day details may be extremely tempting to pursue. But like most things in life, it’s important to look well beyond the immediate. Expansion may have different meanings for different operations.

The livestock industry is thriving with high calf prices. Sound accounting principles are crucial for strategic investments and sustainable growth. Managerial accounting offers a broader perspective on expenses and profitability.

Strong beef demand will likely continue in 2025, helped along by potentially tighter supplies as beef producers rebuild their herds and increased engagement in the cattle markets.

Heifers remain a significant part of fed cattle population, indicating producers are not yet rebuilding herds.

Recent record prices paid for fed cattle, feeder cattle, and cull cows and bulls have a lot of industry folks talking and thinking we are at the bottom of the “10-year cattle cycle” and that we could see expansion in the future.

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.