Top Beef Buzz - Oklahoma Farm Report

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Don Close of Terrain about the cattle market, recent disruptions affecting feedlots, and the outlook for rebuilding the U.S. beef cow herd. Despite ongoing uncertainty, Close says tight cattle supplies and strong consumer demand continue to support a positive market outlook. Cattle Industry Sees Young Producers Entering the Business Reflecting on his years of involvement with the cattle industry and TCFA, Close said one encouraging development is the number of young people entering the business. “We always want to say that we don’t have any or enough young people coming into the industry,” Close said. “You get to looking around from when I was around before, there’s a lot of young guys in here. So I think there’s some real optimism on that front that we do have a future.” However, the industry continues to face challenges, including disruptions that have made it more difficult for feedlot operators to plan and move cattle. Market Disruptions Add Challenges for Feedlots Hays and Close discussed recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in southwestern Kansas and the resulting disruptions to cattle movement and scheduling. “It was a big market disruption,” Close said. “It set back some scheduling of some cattle, not a huge problem, but just with all the challenges we have right now, it’s just one more we didn’t need.” Hays described one situation in which a producer hauled a load of cattle to Liberal, Kansas, only to have the cattle sit on the truck throughout the day before being sent back home. “Yeah, and you know, what a waste. What a waste.” Close said. Close said disruptions like these contribute to market uncertainty, making it more difficult for feedlot operators to feel confident about moving forward. Strong Cattle Market Fundamentals Remain in Place Despite the interruptions, Close said the underlying fundamentals of the cattle market remain favorable. “If we look at the core fundamentals, we’ve still got the tight supply of cattle we’ve been talking about for years,” Close said. “We’re still seeing incredibly solid demand on the consumer side, but we’ve just got so many interruptions, unnecessary interruptions, and noise.” Close said he hopes some of the market uncertainty will ease in the coming weeks, allowing producers to focus more on the fundamentals driving the industry. “The structure of the market is still so incredibly positive,” Close said. “If we just manage to stay out of our own way.” Cattle on Feed Report Could Clarify Herd Expansion With the U.S. cattle herd needing to rebuild, Hays asked Close whether the industry is making progress toward expansion. Close said recent weekly slaughter data has shown a reduction in heifer slaughter, potentially indicating that producers are beginning to retain more heifers for breeding. However, the trend has not been as clear in weekly auction market data. “We are seeing with the weekly slaughter data and that reduction in heifers, it’s going on long enough that we got to think, okay, we’re seeing some moderate level of expansion going on,” Close said. He added that the October Cattle on Feed report should provide additional insight into the situation, particularly through its steer and heifer breakdown. “We need that cattle on feed data to kind of clarify that topic,” Close said. The report is expected to offer a better look at the cattle available in feedyards and help determine whether the decline in heifer slaughter is translating into meaningful herd expansion. Older Cow Herd Could Increase Heifer Retention Needs Hays also asked whether weaker cull cow prices resulting from market uncertainty might encourage producers to keep older cows in their herds for another calf. Close said some producers may choose to hold onto cows longer, but he cautioned that years of herd liquidation have left the industry with an aging cow herd. Close said the age of the cow herd and increasing losses of older cows could make rebuilding more challenging. “As we have, the fallout from that with the average age of the cow herd is old, and the increase in attrition from those cows only intensifies the additional number of heifers that are needed to actually grow the business,” Close said. The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR above for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today. The post Don Close Says Cattle Market Fundamentals Remain Strong Despite Market Disruptions first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Oklahoma State University livestock market economist Dr. Derrell Peel ahead of his presentation at the TCFA Annual Convention in downtown OKC about cattle market volatility, political uncertainty, herd rebuilding, and expectations for the upcoming Cattle on Feed report. Despite a difficult summer and fall for the cattle industry, Peel says the underlying market fundamentals have not changed. Cattle Markets Continue to Face Volatility Peel said the cattle market has experienced significant volatility, much of it driven by outside influences. While prices have faced an extended correction, he said the underlying fundamentals remain in place. “This market has just had a tremendous amount of volatility injected into it, most of it from the outside,” Peel said. “We’ve had an extended correction, and I’m still calling it a correction. But it was a tough summer and fall for the cattle markets. Kind of hard to get their legs back under them. But you know, despite all that, the fundamentals have not changed.” Political Uncertainty Adds to Herd Rebuilding Challenges Herd rebuilding remains a significant challenge for cattle producers, and Peel said uncertainty surrounding political decisions has become another factor complicating the process. “We had a fairly lengthy list of reasons why this was a slow process to sort of get a start on stabilizing this herd and looking at some herd rebuilding, but the uncertainty itself is a significant factor on that list now,” Peel said. While recent political discussions have included efforts to influence beef prices ahead of the midterm elections, Peel said the opportunity for some of those actions may have passed. “In terms of some of the things that they’ve talked about and tried to do relative to trying to impact markets ahead of the midterm elections, it’s a little bit past that opportunity now,” Peel said. “So maybe things will settle down a little bit.” Lower Retail Beef Prices May Not Signal a Major Shift Recent data showed a slight decline in retail beef prices, but Peel cautioned against interpreting that movement as evidence of a major market trend change. “I’m not sure what to make of that,” Peel said. “I don’t think it really reflects a major trend shift at this point. Some of it’s probably seasonal in nature.” Cattle on Feed Report Expected to Show Light Placements Looking ahead to Friday’s Cattle on Feed report, Peel said the general expectation is for another month of light placements as tighter cattle supplies become increasingly apparent. “I think the reality of these cattle numbers is really coming home to roost in a way that cattle feeders will not be able to resist going forward,” Peel said. Peel noted that Oklahoma auction volumes have remained below year-ago levels since mid-July, even as the fall calf run gets underway. “We’re into the fall run of calves, but it’s not a very big fall run at this point,” Peel said. “Now there may be some more coming. There was probably some delayed marketings because of the hot and dry weather earlier, but at this point in time, it doesn’t look like we’re going to see big numbers this fall.” Recent Rainfall Offers Some Encouragement for Oklahoma Cattle Producers Recent rainfall across parts of Oklahoma has provided some relief and helped support calf prices, but Peel emphasized that additional moisture will be needed to improve conditions for herd rebuilding. “There’s nothing like a rain in September or October to put some dollars on the calf market, and it certainly has done that to some extent,” Peel said. However, he cautioned that the recent precipitation is only a starting point. “We’re still behind moisture-wise. We’re going to have to have follow-through moisture to make this thing work,” Peel said. “It’s at least possible now, but that’s really all it is: is a possibility and a start at this point.” The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR above for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today. The post Dr. Derrell Peel Talks Market Uncertainty and Previews Cattle on Feed first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays continues his conversation with Dr. Shalene McNeill, a registered dietitian working with the Beef Checkoff, about the new dietary guidelines, the growing focus on protein and the role beef can play in healthy diets. McNeill says the guidelines have created new opportunities to communicate beef’s nutritional value, but she emphasizes that continued research will be important as nutrition recommendations and consumer interests evolve. Part one of this conversation can be found here. Protein Remains a Major Nutrition Focus McNeill says protein has remained a major topic in nutrition for years, and she believes consumers’ experiences with high-protein foods have helped sustain that interest. “Someone said to me a long time ago, you know, that nutrition is evolutionary, not revolutionary,” McNeill said. “What I’ve seen over the course of my career is that if a topic gets really, really hot, sometimes then it starts to become tempered, or the pendulum swings back over time.” She said protein is one of the hottest nutrients in nutrition today, but researchers are beginning to ask whether the focus has gone too far. “The scientific community wants to make sure that we’re always providing caution to the nutrition recommendations that we provide,” McNeill said. “I think we’re beginning to see them start to question: Are we giving too much attention? Have we gone overboard with all of this chaos around protein and trying to put protein in every food?” McNeill said the Beef Checkoff has a role in answering those questions through research that demonstrates the value of beef as a high-quality protein source. “The protein trend is not going away, but it is evolving,” she said. Pairing Protein With Fiber As consumers and health professionals pay more attention to fiber, McNeill said the beef industry has an opportunity to show how beef can fit into a balanced diet alongside fruits, vegetables and other fiber-rich foods. “We’re hearing more about fiber than we’ve ever heard before,” McNeill said. “There’s many folks that are saying fiber is going to be the new protein.” She said that shift does not mean protein will become less important. Instead, nutrition conversations may increasingly focus on combining protein with other nutrients. “We can pair protein foods with fiber and still keep protein very relevant as part of the conversation,” McNeill said. McNeill said the Beef Checkoff is funding a research study that combines high-quality beef protein with fruits, vegetables, fiber sources and exercise to examine the broader picture of nutrition and health. She said that research could help the beef industry remain part of the conversation as dietary priorities change. Beef’s Nutritional Value Creates Opportunities With Health Professionals McNeill said the beef industry has made progress in communicating with physicians, dietitians and other health professionals about beef’s role in a healthy diet. She added that many consumers already recognize beef’s nutritional value. “More than 70% of consumers agree with us that beef is nutritious,” McNeill said. She said protein’s increased prominence in dietary discussions has made beef more relevant when health professionals consider how to help people meet their nutritional needs. “It’s not only high-quality protein, but it’s also iron and zinc and B vitamins and things that you need that complement that protein to benefit your health,” McNeill said. McNeill said those nutrients provide opportunities for more meaningful conversations about the role beef can play in supporting overall health. Heart Health Remains an Area of Focus Despite the positive momentum surrounding protein, McNeill said the beef industry still faces questions about beef and heart health. “One of the things that we’ve recently learned with some research that we did with dietitians and with consumers is that heart health is still our Achilles tendon,” she said. McNeill said concerns about LDL cholesterol and whether beef raises cholesterol remain among the issues the industry needs to address. She said the Beef Checkoff will continue communicating research to health professionals as the scientific discussion evolves. “We have continued work to do because as protein stays a hot topic and as heart health and fiber and those kinds of nutrients stay hot topics, we still need to make sure that beef can be that protein of choice in healthy diets,” McNeill said. She identified heart health as an area of emphasis for the coming year, noting that the industry has been working on the issue throughout her career. Beef Could Play a Role as GLP-1 Medications Become More Common McNeill also pointed to the growing use of GLP-1 weight-loss medications as another area where beef’s protein content could remain relevant. As these medications become more mainstream, she said, conversations about protein, fiber and balanced nutrition will continue to develop. For the Beef Checkoff, McNeill said the goal is to keep advancing research and communicating beef’s nutritional benefits as those conversations change. The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR above for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today. The post Shalene McNeill Says Beef Protein Remains Relevant as Nutrition Trends Evolve first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Dr. Shalene McNeill, executive director of Nutrition Science, Health and Wellness for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which works with the Beef Checkoff. McNeill has been examining the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and what their increased emphasis on protein could mean for beef producers and consumers. Dietary Guidelines Mark a Historic Shift for Protein The 2025 Dietary Guidelines brought significant changes to protein recommendations, putting the nutrient at the center of the conversation about healthy eating. McNeill said the updated guidance represents a historic shift in how much protein Americans are encouraged to consume. “Those changes that we saw in the 2025 dietary guidelines were historic changes for recommendations for protein,” McNeill said. She explained that traditional recommendations have generally called for 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, while the new guidelines increased that recommendation to 1.2 grams per kilogram. “So really, effectively, what that means for beef is almost doubling the beef servings as well that could be recommended,” McNeill said. The updated recommendations have sparked debate within the nutrition science community about whether the increased emphasis on protein is appropriate and how it fits into the broader picture of a healthy diet. Through its nutrition research program, the Beef Checkoff has been working to bring researchers together to examine the evidence behind higher-protein diets. McNeill said the organization recently gathered 100 of the world’s leading protein researchers at Texas A&M University for three days of discussions focused on the potential health benefits of higher-protein diets. “I think the goal of that is, and what we’re seeing is, is that there’s a lot of agreement that the dietary guidelines recommendations are probably reflective of what the current science says,” McNeill said. She added that continued research is important to ensure future dietary guidelines reflect the available evidence and recognize the potential benefits of increasing protein intake. Protein Trend Creates Opportunities for Beef As protein becomes one of the biggest trends in nutrition, McNeill said food companies are finding new ways to incorporate it into products, including foods that traditionally have not been considered major sources of nutrition. “Protein is the hottest nutrition trend right now,” McNeill said. She noted that protein is increasingly being added to processed foods, including chips and Pop-Tarts, as manufacturers look to appeal to consumers seeking more protein in their diets. With protein appearing in a growing number of products, McNeill believes consumers and researchers will need to look beyond the amount of protein listed on a label and consider the overall nutritional value of the food. “I think it’s starting to change the way the protein trend is starting to change the nutrition conversation,” McNeill said. She said the Beef Checkoff is paying attention to whether adding protein to a wide variety of products provides the same value as choosing naturally nutrient-rich foods. “I believe that’s going to create more opportunities for us as we begin to question whether or not just adding more protein to all of these other foods is really valuable, or do we really need to focus back on natural whole food, real quality sources of protein like beef,” McNeill said. Beef Offers More Than Protein Alone McNeill emphasized that beef provides high-quality, complete protein containing the essential amino acids the body needs. However, she said its nutritional benefits extend beyond protein itself. “Beef is a fantastic source of protein. It’s a natural source of high-quality protein,” McNeill said. Beef also provides important nutrients, including iron, zinc and B vitamins, making it a nutrient-dense food source. McNeill said researchers are increasingly examining how the combination of nutrients in whole foods contributes to health benefits, rather than looking at protein in isolation. “It’s not just the pure protein that we’re getting out of beef, but it’s the package or what we’re calling the food matrix, all of the other nutrients that work together with protein to help give you the benefits,” McNeill said. Those benefits include supporting muscle protein synthesis and metabolic health, she explained. The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR above for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today. The post New Dietary Guidelines Put Protein in the Spotlight, Creating Opportunities for Beef first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.

In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, about the future of U.S. beef exports. As the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary, Halstrom discusses the importance of adapting to changing international markets, finding new opportunities for a wider range of beef products and working to restore more reliable access to China. U.S. Beef Exports Must Adapt to Changing Markets Halstrom said the industry cannot assume the strategies that worked in the past will continue to deliver the same results in the future. “I think the key there is we can’t assume what’s worked the last 50 years is going to work the next 50, and for that matter, you can’t assume what worked last year is going to work next year,” Halstrom said. He said U.S. beef has a strong international reputation for safety, quality and eating experience, providing a foundation for continued export growth. However, exporters must also offer international buyers more options as they manage high beef prices and changing purchasing decisions. “They still want U.S. beef, but maybe they’re going to use more of a variety of the carcass,” Halstrom said. He explained that some buyers may shift away from traditional cuts and explore other options, including rounds, inside and outside skirts, and variety meats. Halstrom pointed to Guatemala as an example of a market purchasing products ranging from Prime U.S. beef to variety meats. He also identified Colombia and the Philippines as markets where exporters can pursue additional opportunities by helping buyers find uses for a broader range of products. China Remains a Major Opportunity for U.S. Beef Halstrom said recent discussions between U.S. and Chinese leaders have acknowledged the need for both countries to work together to address trade challenges. One priority is getting suspended U.S. beef processing plants relisted, along with establishing greater clarity around residue testing and compliance requirements. “The groups acknowledge that there’s work to be done, so there’s reason for some optimism,” Halstrom said. However, he cautioned that the progress has not yet translated into a major increase in business. While U.S. beef exports to China are modestly higher than a year ago, uncertainty continues to make some companies hesitant to ship product. “For the most part, the industry is on the sidelines until we give a little more clarity, a little more comfort in the fact that we’re all going to follow the same set of rules,” Halstrom said. The high value of beef shipments adds to the risk. Halstrom noted that a container of mixed products that was worth approximately $200,000 three or four years ago could now be worth $400,000, making the possibility of a shipment being rejected much more costly. Diversifying Export Markets While Working Toward China Despite the challenges, Halstrom said China remains one of the largest potential opportunities for adding value to U.S. beef exports if trade issues can be resolved. “Make no mistake, the number one opportunity to add value, at least theoretically, if we get everyone on the same page, is China,” Halstrom said. He added that the industry cannot simply wait for China to reopen fully. Exporters must continue building relationships and developing new markets to create additional demand for U.S. beef products. “And if the China thing works out, great,” Halstrom said. China Previously Generated More Than $1.2 Billion in U.S. Beef Exports Halstrom recalled that U.S. beef exports to China reached a value of more than $1.2 billion in 2022, including both muscle cuts and variety meats. He said there remains demand for U.S. beef among Chinese retailers, including Sam’s Club, Costco and high-end domestic retailers. The primary challenge, he explained, is not a lack of interest in the product but establishing consistent trade rules and confidence that shipments will be accepted. “The reality is that there is no replacement for U.S. beef in China,” Halstrom said. The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR above for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today. The post USMEF Works to Diversify Global Markets- and Dan Halstrom Offers China Update first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.