Bull Development, Meat Trade & Costs, Lab Grown Meat, & Packer Consolidation

It’s The Ranch It Up Radio Show! Join Jeff Tigger Erhardt, Rebecca Wanner AKA BEC and their crew as they dive into breeding bull development. Plus, updates on Nebraska Fire Relief, the increasing price of meat, and Florida’s ban on lab grown meat. Hear the market recaps, the ranch channel sales calendar and lot’s more all wrapped into this brand-new episode of The Ranch It Up Radio Show. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcasting app or on the Ranch It Up Radio Show YouTube Channel. Season 6, EPISODE 282 Breeding Bull Development at The CK Bar Ranch Welcome to CK Bar Ranch — your trusted source for high-quality Simmental and SimAngus bulls. Based in Kadoka, South Dakota, we focus on raising durable, high-performance cattle that help producers improve herd efficiency and profitability. At CK Bar Ranch, customer success comes first. Our bulls are bred for longevity, adaptability, and easy calving, while delivering strong growth and real-world performance. Whether you’re buying at our annual sale, the Black Hills Stock Show, or through private treaty, we provide genetics tailored to your operation. We specialize in seedstock designed for commercial cattlemen, with an emphasis on maternal strength, growth, and carcass quality. Raised on native grass in the rugged Badlands, our cattle are built to perform in a wide range of environments across the U.S. and Canada. With more than 40 years of experience, owners Kelly Erickson and Amy Stilwell have built a reputation for producing reliable, ranch-ready cattle that deliver consistent results. We also make buying simple with free bull boarding until breeding season and free delivery to nearby states. Sale Details: Friday, April 3, 2026 2:00 PM MST St. Onge Livestock, St. Onge, South Dakota Online bidding available through DVAuction For more information, contact Kelly Erickson at 701-898-1583. Cattle Industry News Nebraska Fire Relief After more than 800,000 acres have burned in Nebraska wildfires, livestock producers are now searching for places to graze their animals. The Nebraska Cattlemen’s Association says there are two main options — both showing how neighbors are stepping up to help. One option is feeding cattle hay. Donations are arriving by the truckload, but hay can still be expensive. The second option is a free online tool called the Nebraska Grazing Exchange. It connects ranchers who need land with farmers who have pasture available. People who want to help can sign up, list what they can offer, and connect directly with ranchers in need. Once a match is made, the next step is moving the animals to that land. Laura Field, Executive Vice President of Nebraska Cattlemen, says support has been overwhelming. She says tough times like this bring out the best in the agriculture community. Field says some ranchers have lost up to 70 or 80 percent of their summer grazing land, and may need to move cattle to entirely different regions — even out of state. But she says help is coming from all directions — across the country. Field also says she doesn’t expect long-term economic damage. She says Nebraska’s beef industry is strong and resilient, and will weather this challenge. While moving cattle — also known as rotational grazing — isn’t new, the situation right now is complicated. Field says burned areas are filled with damaged equipment like fencing, water systems, and other infrastructure. She says groups are working with state and federal partners to match needs with resources and get supplies where they’re needed most. As for concerns about ranchers leaving the state, Field says the grass will grow back — and the cattle will return. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture adds that grazing can actually help prevent future wildfires by reducing dry plant material. Nebraska Grazing Exchange References: https://www.klkntv.com/online-tool-connects-farmers-with-available-land-to-cattle-ranchers-in-need-of-grazing-area-after-wildfires/ Global Meat Trade & Demand A series of market-moving events, including a strike at a JBS beef plant, geopolitical tensions involving Iran, shifting oil prices and tariff uncertainty, have yet to derail strong beef demand, as wholesale prices continued to climb, according to analysis by Drovers and Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker. Market fundamentals have shifted in recent weeks. Lower fed cattle prices combined with higher boxed beef values improved packer margins while pressuring feedlots. For the week ending March 14, packer margins were estimated at a loss of $54.17 per head, narrowing from deeper losses in prior weeks. The beef cutout rose to $390.66 per cwt. Feedlot margins turned negative, estimated at a loss of $48.79 per head. Elevated breakevens continue to pressure feedlots despite strong demand. Hamburger prices on restaurant menus are 14% higher in the last three years, but beef production costs jumped 32% since January 2023, according to a new report from food ...