As the Southwest grows more arid, ranchers are using tech to sustain the economic and ecological viability of cattle — and protect the fragile living soil beneath their hooves.

Bovines and Biocrusts

Dairy farmers are seeing huge payouts for beef-dairy crossbreeds amid a major beef shortage and bottomed-out milk prices.

U.S. Dairies Bet On Beef

Siri Kaur

A prodigal daughter moves from NYC back to Montana to help her family’s cattle give birth. 

The Night Calver

Wholesale beef supplier Agridime told investors the deal they offered “sounded too good to be true” — and it was.

“Ghost Cows” and Spoiled Beef: The Ponzi Scheme That Rocked the Cattle Industry

New research exposes how America’s beef industry is increasingly propped up by the consumption habits of middle-aged men.

Aging Out of Beef

The need remains extraordinary as difficult assessments and treatment continue.

Texas Ranchers and Veterinarians Salvage Life After Wildfires

Livestock producers are feuding with black vultures, who sometimes attack and kill newborn cattle. But there’s more to the story.

Buzzard Kill

In a push for increased sustainability, some high-end chefs are utilizing beef from old dairy cows. Yet for dairy farmers, a business case has yet to be made for promoting the product.

Old Cows, New Meat

When Beth Hoffman and her husband moved from the Bay Area to farm sustainably in rural Iowa, they tried some things their neighbors had never seen. Did it ruffle any feathers?

What the Neighbors Think

The state will now pay livestock producers for their animals‘ indirect, wolf-related stress.

California Is Spending Millions to Compensate Ranchers for Living Near Wolves

Along with chemical inputs like glyphosate, Eric Williamson uses grass-fed cows as a tool, to improve the soil health on his Washington farm.

Why Would a Conventional Vegetable Farmer Bring Someone Else’s Cattle Onto His Fields?

As U.S. farmers and ranchers get their hands on the technology, its labor-saving, climate-friendly benefits are becoming clear — and so are its shortcomings. 

Virtual Fencing Will Change How We Raise Livestock, Fight Fires, and Support Soil Health

Xylazine, one of the most common sedatives in large-animal veterinary care, is increasingly being mixed with fentanyl for human use. The results are disastrous. 

“Vital” Sedative for Cattle and Horses Is in DEA Crosshairs

The federal government created an uproar by slaughtering New Mexico’s “feral” cattle via helicopter. Ranchers and animal advocates aren’t happy, but disagree on the best path forward. 

Is There a Better Way to Deal With Wild Cattle?

For 40 years, a group of wild cattle have grazed the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. In efforts to remove them, the Forest Service is using lethal measures — leaving many in the ranching community upset.

Shooting Feral Cattle From Helicopters

How ranchers prepare cattle to sustain extreme temperatures and winter storms.

When the Cows Get Cold

Bovine respiratory disease is deadly, costly — and famously difficult to detect. A new pilot study charged dogs with tracking down the elusive illness.

Using Hound Dogs to Sniff Out Cattle Disease

The first generation of emissions-reducing feed additives has started to come online — but not in the U.S.

Feeding Seaweed to Cattle Could Reduce Methane Emissions up to 80%. Don’t Expect to See it Here Soon.

“The cattle are ready but the lockers are full.”

All “Cattle” Posts