Livestock

Agricultural operations in Illinois have been significantly impacted by recent severe weather, tornadoes and flooding.

Free trade dogma suggests that more imports benefit consumers by affording them more choices and lower prices. Let’s see if this holds true in the U.S. beef market.

On my family’s farm, we achieve Earth Day objectives throughout the year, guided by respect for the blessings natural resources provide. We must conserve and protect natural resources to grow food and sustain our farm for future generations.

The Western Illinois University School of Agriculture hosted its 53rd annual Bull Test Sale at the WIU Livestock Center.

The animals are smelling green grass and are tired of eating their winter vittles. The rye looks great, but the cool temps have slowed its growth enough that I have decided to delay the usual turnout a few days.

Some of the highlights I came away with from the Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition’s 2025 Grazing Conference are: soil microbes help the water percolate through the soil and cover crops help feed the soil microbes which make them multiply.

It is great to see several tractors in the fields around northern Illinois. They are putting fertilizer down and soil finishing the fields. No planting yet, but it will not be too long.

Farmers were less optimistic about the agriculture economy in March due to trade and farm policy concerns, according to the latest reading of the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

With over 90% of the business wholesale, nearly every day is delivery day for Ken Ropp. “I spend a majority of the time on the road,” said the Ropp Jersey Cheese proprietor.

Meet Mindy Orschell, AgriNews’ new From the Fields contributor in southern Indiana.

The rural version of the Golden Rule is this: Do unto your neighbors’ farms that you’d have your neighbors to do unto yours.

Twenty-five Illinois Farm Bureau members recently graduated from the Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow, an extensive leadership development program designed to help participants develop leadership and advocacy skills and to become a voice for Illinois agriculture.

R-CALF USA is aggressively pursuing tariffs for cattle, sheep, beef and lamb. And it seems we’re the only national livestock association that is doing so.

Cow size has been on the rise for decades. Cows today weigh 1.4 times as much as their predecessors in 1980. In fact, cow weight is rising 100 pounds every 10 years.

Grass will be ready for turnout soon. It is hard to hold out, but so important to give grass a fair start.

The futures market is reacting as expected with all this tariff news creating plenty of uncertainty which usually trends lower as most players look to eliminate risk.

We have faced several consecutive days over a six-state area where there have been multiple tornados causing damage, a lot of rain, lightning, hail and serious flooding and washouts of roads and bridges.

Plant-based and lab-grown protein products enjoyed a moment in the sun several years ago, but it didn’t take long for the free market to kick in and push these companies down a very steep decline.

Shepherds should consider what diseases are on their farms to develop a disease prevention strategy.

Tags on bags of livestock feed must meet specific standards.

Vegetation management is a vital part of the development plan for solar arrays since shade is the No. 1 enemy for collecting sunlight by the panels.

If you ask most working adults about their required annual certification processes, you may get an eye roll with their response.

Merck Animal Health announced it will donate $50,000 to the National Professional Agricultural Student Organization to support its newly established Educational Advancement Program.

Illinois cattlemen have an abundant supply of low-cost feed available for their herds with the millions of acres of corn grown each year in the state.

Disruption is the key to adaptive grazing systems.

Agricultural economic conditions remained relatively weak across the Corn Belt, driven by concerns over drought conditions, trade, balance sheets and the lack of farm bill clarity.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition announced the recipients of the 2025 Master Grazier Awards at the ILGLC Annual Grazing Conference in Springfield.

Tight supplies of cattle and resilient demand for beef are expected to support fed steer prices this year, according to projections at the Agricultural Outlook Forum.

Over 35 million birds, mostly egglayers, have been lost in the United States by highly pathogenic avian influenza since Jan. 1.

There have been 985 confirmed cases of avian influenza in dairy cattle across 17 states since first confirmed in March 2024.

Hog prices are projected to increase as strong domestic and export demand is expected to carry over from 2024.

When Ken Ropp returned to the family farm in 2000, milk prices were at a then-all-time high and the prospect of him joining in the family dairy business was bright. Six months later, milk prices were at record lows.

Indiana’s agriculture organizations teamed up to bring the farm to Indianapolis on National Agriculture Day.

Purina Animal Nutrition, along with the Land O’Lakes Foundation, has reopened its annual scholarship program designed to assist students with experience in livestock production and animal stewardship in pursuing their passions and furthering their education.

In the seven weeks that global markets and U.S. farmers have been living in the uncertain trade world of the Trump administration, prices for most American ag exports have headed south faster than a Canada goose in late October.

More than 2,400 students attended a virtual field trip to a dairy farm during National School Breakfast Week.

The U.S. sheep industry reveals what happens when our nation ignores market failure for too long, and it’s a case study applicable to every livestock sector in America.

March is a month that I sometimes struggle with. The weather is starting to warm up, then a cold snap comes through. It is a month of anticipation for the upcoming spring and summer projects.

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture held its 2025 Winter Policy Conference. Members adopted 16 policy amendments and 10 action items.

With new administrations come new leadership, new priorities and new regulatory approaches. The recent transition has highlighted policy changes throughout the federal government, including interior enforcement of existing immigration laws.

I saw robins, snow geese and green grass all in the same frame last week — it must be spring!

In reviewing my February writing, I realize that quite a few things actually were finished or at least started in the last month — I am pleased to report that!

Along with cattle sales, junior activities and shows, the Illinois Beef Expo included a trade show where numerous companies provided information to cattlemen at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

At a very young age, sisters Claire and Jemma Dorsey started showing cattle, which has developed into a passion and award-winning endeavor.

Save the date for Ag Day at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fairgrounds, in the Commercial Building, April 4-6.

Applications are being accepted for college scholarships that are awarded by America’s dairy farmers and importers through the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board.

R-CALF USA welcomes the 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican beef and cattle — and we want more.

Uncertainty in both commodity prices and input prices is making farmers’ already tough job even more difficult.

Students at Westlake Elementary School kicked off National School Breakfast Week with a fun program hosted by American Dairy Association Indiana.

What started as a lunch gathering of local agribusiness leaders several months ago culminated into a very successful Illinois Agricultural Summit.