Beef Web

Two more cattle herds in Michigan’s Iosco County have tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, with the cases identified through two different parts of the state’s disease surveillance system. One affected herd was discovered through a trace investigation connected to a previously identified TB-positive herd. The second was found during routine whole-herd surveillance testing, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

Dehorning is often thought of as a calf management task. From a herd health perspective, however, the reason behind it extends well beyond the procedure itself. Horns can increase the risk of injury and bruising among herd mates. They can also create additional risks for people working with cattle and affect how animals move through feeding, handling and transportation systems. For beef producers, preventing horn growth can therefore become part of managing cattle safely throughout their lives.

written by: Dr. Michelle Arnold, DVM, Ruminant Extension Veterinarian, UKVDL As late summer turns into early fall, it is easy to overlook the importance of pasture fly control through the end of the fly season. Many fly control products utilized in the spring and early summer are at the end of their useful life, meaning fly populations can increase quickly.

There’s a lot going on right now that can make it hard not to worry. Trade and tariffs can change from one day to the next. Markets are uncertain, costs are increasing and weather is always unpredictable. Add in a busy time like harvest, when the days are long and there never seems to be enough hours to get everything done, and the changes brought by back to school, and it can start to feel like a lot. The challenge is that many of those things are beyond our control.

Artificial intelligence on the farm doesn’t necessarily look like a tractor operating without anyone in the cab. It might be a machine adjusting an implement. Software could analyze equipment data and recommend an action. A sprayer might identify where a product should — and shouldn’t — be applied. Those differences matter as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly common in agricultural equipment.

Every time cattle change hands in the U.S., Beef Checkoff dollars enter a system designed to support demand, research, consumer education and international marketing. For fiscal 2027, approximately $39.5 million in national Checkoff funding is set to be directed toward those programs, pending USDA approval. But where that money goes provides a more useful look at what the Checkoff is prioritizing in the year ahead.

U.S. beef exports held steady in July, but the value of those shipments continued to climb as stronger demand from several markets helped offset ongoing weakness in China. July exports totaled 89,139 metric tons, essentially unchanged from a year earlier, according to USDA data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Export value, however, increased 6% to $796.7 million. For cattle producers, the difference between volume and value is worth watching.

Two bags of cattle mineral can have similar-looking labels, similar claims and very different feeding rates. So which one is actually supplying more calcium, copper or vitamin E? The answer isn’t always obvious from the number printed beside the nutrient on the tag. A recent Beef Cattle Research Council article takes a closer look at how producers can interpret mineral labels and compare products.

Canadian crop producers are entering 2026-27 with plenty of grain in the system, another relatively large crop taking shape and very different market signals depending on what they grow. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada expects production of principal field crops to fall 5% from last year’s record harvest. That decline needs some context. Even with lower production, the 2026 crop is forecast to remain 9% above the five-year average.

U.S. cattle producers could see changes to predator management, beef labeling, livestock market enforcement and regional processing under new federal actions announced this week. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders addressing several parts of the cattle sector. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also announced four additional measures under its Ranchers First Initiative. Together, the actions cover a wide range of issues. Some could lead to direct changes for ranchers.