U.S. Beef Cow Herd at Lowest Level Since 1962

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 2, 2023

USDA-NASS released their January 1, 2023, cattle inventory estimates on the afternoon of January 31st. There was really no question that the beef cattle herd had gotten smaller; it was really just a question of how much smaller it had gotten.

Prospects for Winter Backgrounding 2022-2023

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Oct. 31, 2022

Feeder calf prices in Kentucky showed a great deal of strength for much of 2022. In August, a 550 lb steer was selling in the low-mid $180’s per cwt on a state average basis. However, worsening drought conditions have combined with seasonal tendencies and that same weight steer calf is now selling for $15 to $20 less per cwt.

USDA-FSA’s Livestock Indemnity Program

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Aug. 9, 2022

USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) is administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and is intended to help compensate producers for greater than normal levels of livestock deaths from adverse weather, disease outbreaks, and predator attacks. The program can also partially compensate producers for lost value resulting from injury.

Mid-Year Cattle Report Continues to Show Decreasing Cattle Inventory

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Aug. 3, 2022

In late July, USDA-NASS released their mid-year estimates of U.S. cattle inventory. As expected, the report showed lower inventory across most all cattle types. All cattle and calves were estimated to be down by just under 2%, while beef cow inventory was estimated down by 2.4%.

Summer Stocker Outlook for 2022

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Mar. 31, 2022

Driving through the Commonwealth it is clear that spring has arrived and we are seeing signs of pastures growing.  Stocker operators are starting to place calves on pasture, which typically pushes calf prices to their seasonal highs.  As of late March, calf prices have increased by more than $20 per cwt from their lows last fall.

Cow-Calf Profitability Estimates for 2021 and 2022 (Spring Calving Herd)

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor, Jonathan Shepherd | Extension Specialist, and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 28, 2022

The purpose of this article is to examine cow-calf profitability for a spring calving herd that sold weaned calves in the fall of 2021 and provide an estimate of profitability for the upcoming year.  Table 1 summarizes estimated costs for a well-managed spring-calving cowherd for 2021.  Every operation is different, so producers should evaluate

Beef Cattle Numbers Continue to Decline

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 22, 2022

USDA-NASS released their January 1, 2022 cattle inventory estimates on January 31st. Beef cow slaughter was significantly higher in 2021, so expectations were for continued contraction of cattle inventory. The USDA report confirmed that and provided some perspective on the magnitude of these decreases.

Price Risk Management Tools for Cattle Producers

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Jan. 28, 2022

The last few years are unlikely to be remembered fondly by many cattle producers. Large cattle supplies, a global pandemic, weather challenges, and a sharp increase in feed prices have all impacted feeder cattle values. However, 2022 has brought optimism for a significantly better cattle market.

Tools to Manage Risk for Dairy Producers

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Sep. 30, 2021

Much discussion in the dairy sector last year was focused on the impacts of COVID-19 and the pricing issues that came with it. Mailbox prices in the Appalachian region, which includes Kentucky, typically exceed US All Milk price due to class I differentials and high class I utilization.

The Steer-Bull Price Differential: A Historical Perspective

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Aug. 31, 2021

In extension settings, I am often asked whether I think it pays for a cow-calf operator to castrate bulls and sell steers. Castration is not without cost as it requires time and facilities and does stress calves for a period of time.