Rancher
As extreme drought fuels a fire that has jumped rivers and state lines, ranch families and volunteer fire crews are directing the flames away from ranches the best they can.
Whether it’s 2,700 wolves in Minnesota or 70 in California, ranchers report similar challenges — predators targeting livestock, limited management authority, and compensation programs some say don’t solve the underlying problem.
DNA-based diet research from two Northern California wolf packs shows cattle rival mule deer as a primary prey source — adding hard data to what ranchers have been reporting for years.
For 100 years, Ed Koger’s family has bought Angus bulls from Dalebanks Angus, proving in the cattle business, the most valuable trait you can breed for is integrity.
With New World screwworm confirmed in Texas, a critical shortage of skilled labor threatens the response. Ranchers warn that technology and drones cannot replace the “boots in the stirrups” needed to doctor infected calves.
A historic lack of winter moisture and drying water sources are forcing Wyoming and Nebraska producers to make gut-wrenching choices. At Torrington Livestock Markets, sales volume has surged to nine times its normal seasonal average.
Despite record-high cash costs of $780 per head, surging calf prices pushed average profit margins up by $614 in 2025.
As fed cattle weights hit historic highs, a surplus of fat trim is creating an unprecedented need for lean blending beef, pushing cull cow values to new records.