Beef Quality News

How Missouri is Turning to Genetics and Technology to Boost Cattle Profits

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 13:46:21 GMT

Missouri’s cattle industry is experiencing a wave of optimism. Prices are soaring, herds are rebuilding and innovations in genetics and technology are transforming the business. At the center of it all is a homegrown initiative that’s quietly reshaping the future of beef production: the Show-Me Select Replacement Heifer Program .

Since 1997, this University of Missouri Extension program has become the gold standard for replacement heifer development, bringing cutting-edge science and data to pastures across the state.

Boom for Beef Producers

Cattle prices are climbing to levels not seen in years — and for longtime producers, the rewards have been hard-earned.

“It’s hard not to be in a good mood if you’re a cattle producer right now,” says Zac Erwin, regional livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension. “This is the moment we’ve been waiting for for about the last decade.”

Erwin has worked with cattle producers for nearly 20 years, helping them navigate the ups and downs of a notoriously cyclical business. After the market peaked in 2013 and 2014, it plummeted in 2015 and stayed low for nearly a decade. Those who held on through lean years are now seeing the payoff.

“Those that were able to maintain inventory are certainly getting paid for their efforts,” Erwin says. “We’re also seeing new money coming into the business because of the profitability we’re currently experiencing.”

Grassroots Effort Becomes a National Model

The Show-Me Select Replacement Heifer Program was born out of a simple idea: add value to what was once considered an undervalued commodity — the heifer calf. It began as a grassroots initiative and has since grown into a model replicated across the U.S.

“This is really the gold standard for heifer replacement in the country,” Erwin says. “It started to raise the value of an undervalued commodity — and over the years, it’s snowballed.”

At its core, the program is about technology transfer: taking the latest university research — whether in breeding, pregnancy detection or genetics — and putting it directly into the hands of Missouri cattle producers.

Breeding Smarter with Technology

In the early days, the program focused on artificial insemination (AI) and ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis. Today, it’s moving into genomics and advanced reproductive tools that could revolutionize herd-building.

One of the newest developments is Doppler ultrasonography, championed by Thiago Martins, beef production state specialist at the University of Missouri. This technology allows producers to check a cow or heifer just 20 days after AI — a significant improvement over the traditional 28-day window.

“By exposing cows to two rounds of AI in 24 days, we got 85% of those animals pregnant,” Martins says. “If you compare that to natural service over 60 to 90 days, which gets you around 9% bred, the difference is huge.”

For producers looking to rebuild their herds with better genetics, this technology could be a game-changer.

Genomics: Peeling Back the Hide

The future of replacement heifer selection isn’t just about breeding more animals — it’s about breeding better animals.

“Genomic testing, especially on the commercial side, is relatively new to the beef industry,” explains Jamie Courter, state beef genetics Extension specialist. “With Show-Me Plus, producers can use DNA samples to unlock deeper insights into their heifers’ genetic potential.”

By understanding traits that can’t be seen — like longevity, calving ease and heifer pregnancy — producers can make more informed decisions. And while some are initially hesitant due to testing costs, Courter says the return on investment is clear.

“If you can show up at the sale barn with calves out of high genetic merit for traits like carcass weight, marbling and ribeye, buyers notice,” she says. “They love having that risk management — knowing what to expect when those cattle enter the feedyard.”

Proven Premiums and Long-Term Payoffs

The numbers speak for themselves. According to Erwin, Show-Me Select heifers routinely bring $200 to $300 more per head than comparable animals not in the program.

“Most sales this fall will be in the $4,000 range — and even above,” he says. “Over time, you build a reputation. Repeat buyers come back, and that puts more money in producers’ pockets. Those who stick with the program through good times and bad see the biggest rewards.”

Beyond the dollars, the program has had a transformative impact on rural communities, improving operations and livelihoods across Missouri.

Looking Ahead

The next Show-Me Select Replacement Heifer sale is set for Nov. 21 at the Joplin Regional Stockyards in Carthage, Mo., featuring around 275 spring-calving heifers. It’s more than just a sale; it’s a showcase of how genetics, technology and trusted branding can add real value to Missouri’s beef industry.

As Erwin puts it, “This program changes people’s lives.” And in today’s high-stakes cattle market, it may just shape the next decade of beef production.

3 Factors Fueling Americans' Obsession with Protein

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:48:10 GMT

Meat is having a moment, and the craze for more protein is benefiting protein across the board. The fact cattle prices continue to crush records is proof of that, as well as the robust demand for pork.

“I am still bullish of dairy. I’m bullish of beef. I’m bullish of pork and poultry,” says Dan Basse, AgResource Company . “I think as you think forward, I see the next two or three years as being the years of protein. It’s that side of the fence in agriculture that’s going to do very well.”

Basse’s optimistic outlook on protein hinges on one major factor: consumers’ ability to pay for it.

“I’m still bullish of protein, until we see the labor force start to shrink in the United States, and I start to see disposable income coming down. Again, there’s not a period looking backward in history that I can find where disposable income on a personal basis has risen this quickly from 2020 to 2025,” he says.

“Meat protein, not just pork or not just beef, but meat is having a moment. I’m an economist, so I have concerns on the macroeconomic front, but it is exciting to be in an era where the public’s desire for meat protein is growing,” says Glynn Tonsor, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University.

People Are Eating More Protein Than Ever Before

Cargill’s 2025 Protein Profile found people are eating more protein than ever before. The report found 61% of consumers report increasing their protein intake in 2024, which is up from 48% from 2019.

According to Cargill, the shift in shoppers’ preferences toward whole, minimally processed foods, is giving protein a chance to shine.

“It’s really important to remember the U.S. public wants meat protein,” Tonsor says. “There are a lot of signs. We are in a pro protein environment. I don’t think there’s issues. I actually think there is a celebration about the taste and the eating experience and so forth for all the major proteins.”

A Slight Shift in May’s Monthly Meat Demand Monitor

Tonsor also authors what’s called the Monthly Meat Demand Monitor (MDM) , which tracks U.S. consumer preferences, views and demand for meat. The first half of the year, the MDM continued to show consumers’ growing demand for protein, but in the report in May, it did show a slight shift.

“The biggest takeaway from the MDM would be we have two conflicting patterns,” says Tonsor. “One is the public really wants meat protein, but the macroeconomic environment is giving us some pause. So, we continue to see strong signals people want protein. Taste is leading that decision, so that’s good and very supportive, but we also see lots of uncertainty on the macro-economic front. So, trade discussions, elevated unemployment, inflation concerns and so forth. Those are not supportive of meat demand, so those are the two trends that are fighting the way out.”

Tonsor points out the May MDM showed a pullback in consumers eating away from home, like in restaurants, but showed a boost in retail demand, which would be grocery stores.

“But part of that is a substitution away from restaurants,” he says. “And that’s across the board. It’s not just pork or beef or chicken. It’s all of them that we track, so I do think it is a headwind that is growing here in 2025.”

Tonsor says if confidence in the economy rebounds, and tariff discussions ease, the restaurant piece of meat demand could quickly recover, especially considering we’re entering the summer months, where meat demand is typically higher.

3 Major Drivers Behind the Protein Craze

And even with the pause in restaurant demand in May, Tonsor says the push for consumers to eat even more protein doesn’t seem to be going away, and it’s being driven by three major factors.

“More people are having meat as an ingredient rather than center of the plate. So, it’s coming across as more convenient. It’s an input,” Tonsor says. “Also younger folks in particular are quite physically active, and their demand for protein and that broader lifestyle is elevated.”

Those two factors are strong drivers of meat demand, especially in the younger crowd. But another supportive piece of the growing demand for protein is related to weight loss drugs.

“We have a GLP-1 effect, so Ozempic, Mounjar and so forth, in the MDM, we put out a report earlier this year, showing maybe 15% of the U.S. public is using the GLP-1,” Tonsor says. “That’s a higher end, but that’s what we estimate. And if you are on those products, you’re actually consuming beef, pork and chicken more frequently.”

He says all of those things add up to support the growth in meat demand.

“It’s the income and the future status of my finances is mainly the only headwind at the moment, and that’s why I keep reiterating that concern,” Tonsor says.

Demand is What’s Pushing Cattle Prices to New Highs

It’s not just the hog industry that’s benefiting from the strong demand, both domestically and with exports

Cattle prices continue to crush records. But according to one veteran cattle analyst, it’s not historically tight cattle numbers pushing prices higher, it’s the strong demand.

“This price increase that we’re experiencing in the industry is demand-driven,” says Randy Blach, CEO of CattleFax. “Our per capita supplies were flat last year. They’re going to be flat again this year. And yet we’ve had a market that’s gone from a $1.75 to $2.25. That’s all been demand driven with what we’ve seen throughout the industry.”

The incredible demand is pushing beef demand to its highest level in nearly 40 years.

“Beef demands that are a 37-year high,” he says. “And I think when people think about demand, obviously quality has been the key to that. We’ve seen the quality of the animals being produced has increased substantially.”

As record-high cattle prices also push the cost of beef higher, that would push consumers to eat more pork and chicken in the past. But it’s a trend Tonsor is not largely seeing this time around.

“We see some of that, but not nearly as much as you might think. So, there’s less of that adjustment than historically we would have seen,” Tonsor says. “This is 100% Glynn’s opinion, but I think habits are a little stickier. Persistence of an item in your meal is a little sticker than in the past. Meat is an ingredient, not just the center of the plate. Higher beef prices have not elevated chicken demand as people have expected, and I think it’s because the consumer substitution effects, they exist, but they’re not as strong as they were 20 years ago.”

As consumers crave more protein, it’s a bright spot for all of livestock with many hopeful this isn’t just a trend but a permanent fixture on consumers’ plates.

Urgency in Action: We Must Eradicate New World Screwworm

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 16:14:06 GMT

New World screwworm (NWS) continues to threaten the U.S. cattle industry. The potential impact is devastating — the larvae can kill an animal in just four to seven days if not quickly detected and treated.

Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO, discussed the hurdles of controlling the spread of NSW on the latest episode of the “Unscripted” podcast .

“We have to eradicate it from here,” Woodall stresses. “We need to eradicate it from Mexico. We need to eradicate it from Central America. We need to push this thing all the way back down to South America.”

The NSW fly and its larvae are flesh-eating parasites that pose a significant threat to warm-blooded animals.

“This is not just a cattle issue,” Woodall says. “This could be dogs. This can be cats. It can get into people. So, anything that is warm blooded could be a host for this flesh-eating parasite.”

Woodall says NSW is approximately 700 miles from the U.S. border, having breached the isthmus of Mexico in the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz, adding that Texas is expected to be the first point of entry if the fly continues to move north.

“We’re going to look at every eradication option possible, because we have to get rid of this thing,” he says. “This is not something that can become endemic to United States. We have to eradicate it from here.”

Woodall says the situation has been complicated by cooperation challenges with Mexico. Earlier attempts to transport sterile flies were hindered by bureaucratic obstacles, with planes unable to land and flies dying before deployment. This led Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to close the border, sending a clear signal to the Mexican government about the need for more serious action.

He explains cooperation has reportedly improved, with USDA teams planning to visit Mexico to assess the current situation. The primary strategy for control involves releasing sterile flies into the wild to disrupt breeding and push the population back southward.

Woodall says NCBA is actively working on several fronts to address the threat:

Pushing for the establishment of a domestic sterile fly production facility.
Exploring genetic engineering technologies for fly control.
Investigating treatment options (such as ivermectin) and helping producers understand how to detect and treat potential infections quickly. Woodall says treatment is possible, explaining ivermectin has proven effective in killing larvae and treating wounds. However, early detection is crucial due to the rapid progression of infection.
Conducting education and awareness campaigns to explain the threat without causing panic. He says misinformation has been a significant challenge. A recent false report about NSW in Missouri caused panic and temporarily impacted cattle prices. He adds that while the threat is serious, it’s not a cause for panic.

“While everybody needs to be aware, they don’t need to panic, and that’s the thing we want everybody to understand,” Woodall summarizes.

NCBA is taking an active role in addressing the threat of NSW through education, technological exploration, government collaboration and a clear commitment to preventing its spread.

Your Next Read: Secretary Rollins Announces $21 Million Investment to Renovate Fruit Fly Production Facility

Florida Becomes First State to Ban the Sale of Lab-Grown Meat

Thu, 02 May 2024 22:13:16 GMT

The first bill banning lab-grown meat was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida on May 1. According to SB 1084, the bill prohibits the manufacture for sale, sale, holding or offering for sale, or distribution of cultivated meat in the state.

In a press conference in Hardee County, which is one of the top five cattle-producing counties in the state, the Governor spoke about the importance of supporting rural economies and agriculture.

“We’re fighting back against an ideology that ultimately wants to eliminate meat production in the U.S. and around the globe,” DeSantis said. “In the state of Florida we’ve put down the marker very clearly; we stand with agriculture. We stand with the cattle ranchers. We stand with our farmers because we understand it’s important for the backbone of the state. It’s important for our culture. It’s important for our heritage so the bill that I’m going to sign today is going to say basically take your fake, lab-grown meat elsewhere. We’re not doing that in the state of Florida.”

Joining the Governor during the conference were Wilton Simpson, commissioner of agriculture; Dale Carlton, president-elect of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association; Pat Durden, president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association; and Sen. Jay Collins who worked on the bill.

In his remarks, Simpson said that food security is national security.

“It doesn’t always rise to the height of national security, but think about if there were no groceries just for one week in the grocery store, you would have total chaos in this country, and if that’s not national security, I don’t know what it is,” he said. “We get up every day thinking how can we have the most safe, affordable, abundant food anywhere in the world, and Florida is going to do its share of growing that product. We work hard every day to give our farmers the tools they need to accomplish these things.”

Both cattlemen expressed appreciation for the Governor and the legislature for protecting Florida’s cattle industry by signing this bill.

There has been an ongoing debate across the country in regard to cultivated meat products. Currently, lab-grown meat is only approved to be sold in the U.S. and Singapore. Italy was the first country in the EU to ban lab-grown meat, a decision made in February 2024.

Ground Beef Tests Negative for H5N1, says USDA-APHIS

Thu, 02 May 2024 15:46:16 GMT

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced results from testing 30 samples of ground beef on Thursday, showing that all were negative for H5N1.

The agency made the announcement on its website, available for review here .

USDA-FSIS said it collected the samples from “states with dairy cattle herds that had tested positive for the H5N1 influenza virus at the time of sample collection. The samples were sent to APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) for PCR testing.”

PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction. Such testing is done to identify the presence or absence of human pathogens in food. Common pathogens routinely tested for in food include E. coli and Salmonella, for instance. In the ground beef study, no virus particles were found to be present.

The USDA said it is working on two additional beef safety studies. According to the information posted online, these include:

1. Beef muscle sampling of cull dairy cows condemned at select FSIS-inspected slaughter facilities: FSIS is currently collecting muscle samples at FSIS-inspected slaughter facilities of cull dairy cattle that have been condemned for systemic pathologies. The samples will be analyzed by APHIS using PCR to determine presence of viral particles. The results are forthcoming and will be posted as soon as they become available.

2. Ground beef cooking study: ARS will be conducting a beef cooking study and will be using a virus surrogate in ground beef and cooking it at different temperatures to determine log-reduction of the virus. The results will be posted as soon as they become available.

The agency said the results from both studies will be posted as soon as they become available.

FSIS Asked to Recall Beef Over Failed Antibiotic Tests

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 17:08:28 GMT

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) should immediately recall any beef that tested positive for the presence of antibiotics. Farm Action and the American Grassfed Association made the request after a study by Georgetown University reported finding antibiotics in cattle destined to be sold through a USDA-approved no-antibiotics labeling program.

In a statement, the groups say the current system that processes “raised without antibiotics” (RWA) beef lacks credibility. They said a previous investigation from the organization Farm Forward discovered antibiotic-positive meat on Whole Foods Market shelves.

In their statement, the two groups suggest Whole Foods is the retail destination for the beef in the Georgetown study, but Whole Foods said in an email to Drovers that is an incorrect assumption and no retailer is identified by the study.

“We have extensively reviewed the information made available to us and have no reason to believe that the cattle tested in this study ended up in products in our stores,” a Whole Foods Market spokesperson wrote. “We take compliance very seriously and never hesitate to act if a supplier has failed to meet our rigorous Quality Standards.”

In a letter to FSIS, Farm Action and American Grassfed Association described the pressing need for immediate action: “FSIS should swiftly request a recall of the meat in question. If Whole Foods refuses to recall its misleadingly-labeled meat, FSIS should use its legal authority to detain and seize it.”

On Thursday, Science Magazine published a study where researchers from George Washington University tested urine samples from cattle that were destined for a “Raised without Antibiotics” (RWA) marketplace and found about 15% of the cattle tested positive for antibiotics. The researchers say their findings suggest current “raised without antibiotics” labels lack integrity.

Farm Action and the American Grassfed Association wants an “investigation of the entire Whole Foods supply chain, including the retail stores, slaughter plants, and feedlots that claim to produce antibiotic-free meat.”

“Labels should mean what they say,” said Angela Huffman, Vice President and Co-Founder of Farm Action. “When they are false or misleading, people can get sick, cheaters profit, and farmers working hard to comply with the rules lose money and market opportunities.”

“American Grassfed formed over the issue of truth in labeling,” said Carrie Balkcom, Executive Director for the American Grassfed Association. “We’re reaching out to FSIS now in pursuit of real accountability and oversight.”

Only a recall, thorough investigation, and appropriate penalties will protect consumers and those farmers who do comply with the antibiotic-free claims, the two groups maintain. Failure to take these steps perpetuates a system that rewards deceit and endangers consumers.

Related stories:

Beef Fails Antibiotic-Free Test in New Study