2024 Digital Media Kit | Page 6

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National Cattlemen Publication

AUGUST 2023 | Vol . 39 , No . 7 | NCBA . org

National Cattlemen ’ s Beef Association

The National Cattlemen is the official publication of NCBA and is distributed the first week of every month to all NCBA members . Each issue focuses on NCBA industry news as well as features on current topics that are relevant to the beef industry .

• Frequency : 10 issues per year

• Circulation : 25,000 +

• Pass-through readership : 45,000

• Audience : NCBA producer members , corporate members , state affiliates , members of Congress and industry stakeholders

HEALTHY , SUSTAINABLE DIETS : BEEF AS THE KEY TO A FOOD SECURE FUTURE

A sustainable beef industry is one in which the full value chain ecosystem services . In addition , an often overlooked , but no less is able to balance environmental stewardship , economic viability important , counter to this point is the nutritional value of beef and and social responsibility while meeting the growing global the benefits beef provides to human health . demand for beef . These three pillars – environmental , economic With a growing global population , agriculturalists not only and social – guide our work as stewards of land and resources need to produce more food with fewer inputs , but we also need and are the foundation of NCBA ’ s sustainability goals . to produce more nutrient-dense foods to support the needs of Discussions around beef sustainability often hyper-focus on the people both in the U . S . and abroad . While U . S . beef is the most environmental pillar , and many would say beef cannot be part of efficient in the world , producing more beef with fewer inputs , it is a healthy , sustainable diet because cattle produce methane or use important to unpack the nutritional benefits of beef and the role too much land and water . These points can easily be countered U . S . cattle producers play in helping to ensure beef remains part with a discussion on the biogenic carbon cycle or a look at of a healthy , sustainable diet and a food secure future . Continued on page 4

TAX SURVEY | PG . 7 Ab ium dus , occulpa rcipsum quosapid minci utem . Et volore

CATTLE HANDLING | PG . 12 Haruptatem alicimi , con experov iduscim oluptas eostorem

PROPER STOCKMANSHIP | PG . 16 Haruptatem alicimi , con experov iduscim oluptas eostorem

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2023-2024 Production Schedule and Editorial Features

Edition Editorial Features Materials Deadline Print Date

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WINTER BACKGROUNDING AND GRAZING CONSIDERATIONS

By Lance Zimmerman

SVP – Senior Animal Protein Analyst , RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness

Pasture availability and profit opportunity are improving in tandem to create one of the strongest potentials for winter backgrounding and grazing U . S . cattle producers have seen in years , but the viability of that retained ownership strategy for the upcoming season may remain in limbo for many operations .

There is an unmistakable dichotomy in two key metrics RaboResearch looks at to monitor pasture health and drought status for U . S . cattle operations .

The weekly USDA pasture and range condition ratings report conditions for the 48 contiguous states individually and collectively as the percentage of pasture and range in very poor , poor , fair , good and excellent condition .

Through mid-July , the combined index of those ratings for the contiguous U . S . was 64 , where 100 would equal all pasture lands across the region being in excellent condition . This is comparable to the 10-year average index at 63 , and it has improved considerably from the last two years which averaged 54 ( Figure 1 ).

While immediate pasture conditions are promising , the threat of continued drought remains as subsoil moisture is relatively depleted across critical cattle producing regions .

The U . S . drought monitor map shows the largest area of moderate to extreme drought in a multi-state region spanning from Kansas to Missouri and north to the Great Lakes . And smaller areas of drought persist in Texas , the Pacific Northwest and from West Virginia to Maryland and into Pennsylvania .

Therefore , the influence of drought on the U . S . cattle inventory remains relatively strong . Fifty-six percent of U . S . cow-calf producing regions are experienced dryness or drought conditions in June , which is similar to last year .

The difference is only 35 % of those grazing lands are in moderate or worse drought ( Figure 2 ). That is similar to what was seen in 2021 at this time . So , while roughly the same grazing area is battling dryness or drought as last year , there is also a smaller percentage of the herd battling extreme or exceptional drought conditions .

The differences in how year-to-date 2023 stacks up in these two measurements come down to the contrast between shortand long-term moisture conditions . Overall , U . S . pastures and grazing lands have improved compared to last year , but in many cases , the improvement is surface level .

Many cattle operations still report suboptimal growing conditions and a lack of available water from ponds and streams — reflecting relatively depleted subsoil moisture conditions . Add to that a May 1 on-farm hay stocks inventory that was the second lowest in three decades ( 14.5 mil . tons ), and cattle producers still face uncertainty in projecting winter forage supplies .

That limits the potential for winter backgrounding and grazing , despite an exceptional cattle market in recent months .

Early 2024 feeder cattle futures market contracts are priced at $ 250 / cwt . at publication time , while summer video auction markets have been pricing fall delivery 500-lb . steers around on region and quality . That projects to a $ 500 / head value of gain in the out-front market to convert a 500-lb . calf into an 800-lb . feeder steer this winter ( Figure 3 ).

Can winter grazing and backgrounding operations add 300 lbs . to fall-weaned calves for a cost of gain less than the market-implied breakeven of $ 1.67 / lb .? For many producers , the better question is probably “ Should they do it ?” not “ Can they do it ?”

Many grazing and backgrounding operations show signs of trying to sustain — and perhaps even rebuild — the cow herd . While the anticipated profitability of adding weight to fallweaned calves through the winter appears to be historically excellent , the need to conserve or replenish exhausted forage resources may be too much to overcome .

Another option could be to sell fall-weaned steer calves and retain ownership of the heifers . This would allow the operation to conserve some pasture or hay , while offering marketing flexibility to sell feeder heifers this winter or further develop those feeders into potential 2024 herd replacements depending on the continued availability of feedstuffs .

Resource availability may continue to trump market incentives for many cattle operations as they make retained ownership decisions this fall . But the good news is greener pastures and

Figure 3

improving hay supplies should make that a tougher decision in fall 2023 compared to either of the last two years .

RaboResearch F & A North America provides dynamic insight and value to cattle industry members , and other Rabobank clients and stakeholders . Learn more about the exclusive research reports for a competitive edge by scanning the QR code .

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