Cattle Chat: Defining Cow Efficiency

Cattle Chat: Defining Cow Efficiency

Author: The Cattle Business Weekly newspaper February 25, 2026 Duration: 1:51
When it comes to cow efficiency, beef producers often focus on outputs like weaning weights and pregnancy rates. K-State beef cattle experts recently discussed which performance metrics really matter on a recent Beef Cattle Institute Cattle Chat podcast episode. Researchers defined cow efficiency as the relationship between feed intake and pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed, a metric that directly affects profitability. However, beef cattle nutritionist Ph...

Tune in to The Cattle Business Weekly for a direct line to the news that matters most to ranchers and producers. This isn't just a summary; it's the same reporting from the news desk of The Cattle Business Weekly newspaper in South Dakota, delivered in audio form so you can stay informed while you work. Each episode digs into the headlines that move markets, the on-the-ground realities of ranch life, and the policy shifts from Washington, D.C., that ultimately shape your operation's profitability. Think of it as your essential briefing on all the factors-economic, environmental, and political-that touch the bottom line. Made for cattlemen by those who understand the business, this podcast fits right into your rhythm, whether you're in the tractor, driving to a sale, or winding down at the end of the day. You'll get straight talk and timely insights, ensuring you're never behind on the information that drives your decisions. We keep it focused, relevant, and grounded in the real-world challenges and opportunities of the cattle industry.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 61

The Cattle Business Weekly
Podcast Episodes
Consumers Want Beef [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:46
Beef producers can take heart: Americans still love beef and are willing to pay for it. But, the modern consumer is far from a single, predictable buyer. “Today’s marketplace includes more distinct generations than ever…
Diversifying the Ranch: Adding Buffalo to S.D. Cattle Operation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:30
On most days, Drew Anderson moves between two herds that require very different mindsets. In one pasture, black Angus cows ease toward the pickup, calm and predictable. In another, a herd of buffalo stands broad and aler…
$150 Million Expansion at Cactus Beef Production Facility [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:46
JBS USA broke ground Feb. 27 on a 0 million expansion project at its beef production facility in Cactus, Texas. The project includes construction of a new, state-of-the-art fabrication floor and an expanded ground beef r…
Paul Hill to be Inducted into Saddle - Sirloin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:35
Paul H. Hill is the 2026 inductee into the prestigious Saddle & Sirloin Portrait Gallery. A special induction ceremony dinner and portrait presentation is scheduled for Sunday evening, November 15, 2026, during the North…
Production Testing at the Core of Johnson Angus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:04
“Performance is what we were looking at then, and it’s still what drives our decisions today,” says Bailey Johnson, fourth-generation producer at Johnson Angus near Mobridge, South Dakota. For more than six decades, prod…
Quad Calves Sell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:01
In February of last year, Stavick Simmental near Veblen, S.D. welcomed the birth of quadruplet calves—a rare event that Mike Stavick describes as extremely lucky. Remarkably, these calves thrived and made history again t…
Buseman Angus Bulls Have Sale Success with Private Treaties [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:29
For some cattle breeders, hosting an annual sale is a milestone. But that approach isn’t the best for every producer. Buseman Angus, Canistota, S.D., conducts all of their bull sales via private treaty, and the approach…
A Snapshot of the Cattle Feeding Industry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:20
The latest USDA Cattle on Feed report showed feedlot inventories at 11.505 million head on February 1, down 1.8 percent year over year and the fifteenth consecutive month of declining feed inventories. January placements…
Industry Leaders Highlight Strategies to Maximize Value [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:39
At the 2026 National Westere Stock Show, Industry leaders and cattle producers gathered to discuss how breeding, management, and market decisions can create value buyers recognize and reward. Sponsored by the Colorado An…
Saved By a Dog [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:58
We have all heard about people being saved by farm dogs. A dog that shook a rattlesnake to death before it struck the baby. A dog that ran 5 miles to the neighbors to alert them that his owner was having a heart attack.…