Weather stress from cold temperatures along with wind, rain, and snow can be reduced with proper management. Cattle that are in a body condition score of 6 or greater handle cold weather better because the extra condition (i.e. fat) helps insulate them. Making sure cattle have access to either a … Read More

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation Dec. 18 extending the State Disaster Declaration for Texas counties affected by Hurricane Harvey. This proclamation will ensure that all Texas counties declared disaster areas will continue to be eligible for assistance as they recover and rebuild after Hurricane Harvey. There are currently 60 … Read More

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will process many pending eligible offers for land enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and will temporarily suspend accepting most new offers until later in the 2018 fiscal year. All current, eligible CRP continuous enrollment offers made through Sept. 30, 2017, except those made … Read More

Dec. 19, 2017
Beef consumption and beef demand
by Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist
U.S. domestic beef consumption is projected to be 56.6 pounds per capita for 2017, up from 55.4 pounds in 2016 (retail weight).  That is a 2.2 percent year over year increase. Beef consumption is … Read More

For the week ending Dec. 16, 2017, Texas feeder cattle auctions were uneven, reporting prices mostly steady to higher, with instances of steady to $2 lower and steady to $5 higher per hundredweight (cwt). Texas Weekly Direct reported trade activity and demand as slow-to-moderate with prices from steady to … Read More

Federal officials identified the likely route a planned Dallas-Houston bullet train will take through rural counties as it connects the state’s two largest urban areas. Much of the planned route had already been largely solidified. But documents released Friday by the Federal Railroad Administration filled in the rest of the gaps, favoring … Read More

After several delays in the past year in setting an effective date for the final rule in organic livestock and poultry practices, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has announced his agency will withdraw the proposed rule. The Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP) rule would have added provisions for livestock handling … Read More

As prescribed fire gains popularity as a range management tool, so does the need for up-to-the-minute information. To meet the growing need, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service developed a prescribed burning handbook funded by the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute. The website information offers a central platform for all … Read More

Hamburger chain Wendy’s Co laid out plans on Friday to trim the use of antibiotics that are important to human medicine from its beef supply, the latest step by a food company to fight concerns about resistance to the drugs in people. Reuters says starting in 2018, the company will … Read More

This week, TSCRA signed onto a letter by Congressman Mike Conaway, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture. The letter urges House and Senate appropriations leaders to ensure farm and ranch families are a full part of Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts and the nation’s food supply is protected from future … Read More