By midsummer last year, many streams were just a series of stagnant pools. When livestock crowded the streambanks for water, state and local officials issued stern warnings again and again. They were concerned about the sludge-colored blooms of algae in the stagnant water. And that’s something we should talk about.

Herd rebuilding or expansion must start with enabling grazing land to support the additional animals over the long term.

Ranching brings rewards, but it’s not all “sunshine and rainbows.” With drought and high input costs in the balance, it takes sharp management decisions to keep black ink on the bottom line.

Water resources have become a legitimate concern for U.S. agriculture.

Our decision on when to wean calves is an incredibly powerful lever we have as managers. How should we make the decision on when to wean?

2022 was a challenging year regarding precipitation throughout much of the Central and Western portions of the U.S. Many major cow-calf production regions, particularly in the central and southern Plains, are continuing to experience drought.

A cattle operation's feeding and nutrition program is the single-largest ongoing production expense and the one that may require the greatest amount of time, focus and planning to manage. It may also be the most variable, depending on the region and operations themselves.