The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced important leadership changes within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Dr. Michael Watson, APHIS Administrator, will retire at the end of January after decades of distinguished service, and Dr. Rosemary Sifford, Deputy Administrator for Veterinary Services and U.S. Chief Veterinary Officer, has recently retired from …
Category: Ag News
Jan 13
Ben Hale: Cattle Markets Open 2026 with Solid Demand and Strong Prices
On Tuesdays, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays visits with Ben Hale of Western Livestock Auctions as he talks about the latest in the markets and more. Established in 1995, Western has grown into a multi-generational family-owned and operated business and stands as a symbol of tradition, excellence, and a deep-rooted passion for the …
Jan 13
ARS: Targeted Antibiotic Use Saves Beef Producers Millions and Reduces Resistance
ARS researchers identified methods to reduce antibiotic use in livestock, potentially saving the U.S. beef industry between $50M and $100M per year and reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance in cattle production settings. Metaphylaxis is the process of treating a group of animals with an antibiotic that shows no signs of disease but have been …
Jan 13
Cow Calf Corner Dr. Mark Johnson: Leasing Bulls
As follow up to “What’s a Good Bull Worth in 2026?” from last week, I address a recent question from a producer regarding the cost of leasing bulls. One potential way for a commercial cow-calf operation to reduce expenses is to lease, rather than own, a bull. Producers should compare the costs and benefits of …
Jan 13
Fire Weather Update: Dry Conditions Persist; Stronger Winds and Cold Front Arriving Wednesday
After a Monday that proved breezier and drier than anticipated, Oklahoma faces another day of elevated fire danger. While wind speeds are expected to decrease today, extremely low humidity levels will keep the fire spread potential in the “moderate” range across much of the state. Forecasters note that fire weather conditions yesterday were stronger than …
Jan 13
Tuesday Preopening Market Update with Dave Lanning
RON’s Dave Lanning has a pre-opening look at today’s agricultural Markets. Click the audio tab below for today’s report.
Jan 12
Gross Sales at Cattlemen’s Congress Purebred Beef Cattle Auctions Jump 14% Over Year Ago
The live animal and genetics sales connected to Cattlemen’s Congress jumped over a million dollars in total for 2026 versus 2025. For the sales that were held on site – 7.59 million dollars were generated in 2025 with $9.29 million dollars brought in for 2026 in primarily the Barn Three Sales Arena. When you add …
Jan 12
More Students Compete and Win in Junior Speech Contest Day Two at Cattlemen’s Congress
It was day two on Monday for the inaugural Cattlemen’s Congress Junior Speech contest. Over the two sessions held on Wednesday January 7th and Monday January 12th- entries from 13 states and the youth competed in five categories in three age divisions. Close to 90 students competed on day two- and the winners listed below …
Ron salutes our daily email sponsors!
