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Ranch It Up Radio Show & Podcast
Cutting Feed Costs In 2026 With Winter Grazing, Cattle News, And Bull Sales
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A
Lowering the feed costs in 2026. We all like that one. Let's talk winter grazing even in the cold country. Crew, let's ranch it up. Good day everyone and thanks for riding with us on this all new episode of the Ranch it up radio show. I'm Jeff Tigger Earhart. A big thank you goes out to our partners for today's episode. Clear Springs Cattle Co. Bringing us the bread for balance sale for pharmatan by Imajeet Ingredients Livestockmarket.com, ranch Channel.com Westway Feed Products Wrangler in this fine radio station, Cow Country News, you know the cow stuff. Tyson Foods agreed to pay $82.5 million to settle a proposed class action lawsuit brought by grocers and other businesses that accused the meat and poultry company of conspiring to inflate U.S. beef prices by restricting supply. The proposed settlement was disclosed in a filing in the US District Court for the District of Minnesota. Attorneys for the plaintiffs said they were working on a final settlement agreement to submit to the court for approval. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of grocery stores, food distributors and other businesses that purchased beef products directly from Tyson Foods. Plaintiffs allege that Tyson and other major beef producers conspired to limit production and raise prices for boxed beef and retail ready cuts because between 2015 and 2022. The Tyson settlement marked the second agreement reached with direct purchasers in the long running beef antitrust litigation. JBS USA previously agreed to pay $52.5 million to resolve similar claims. That settlement, in which JBS denied wrongdoing was approved by a judge back in 2022. We have to talk feeder cattle while the Ozarks Regional Stockyards in West Plains, Missouri launched 2026 with a bang, hosting one of the most in its storied history. The January 2nd special prevax sale shattered records setting 28 new all time highs including never seen before prices for four, five, six and seven weight steers. The five weight stole the spotlight, posting eight of the top ten highest prices ever recorded at the barn, highlighted by 19 head at 521 pounds selling for 515 and another 10 head at 516 pounds bringing 505 the first 5.8 sales to ever break the five dollar mark. Time for our first break here on the Ranch it up radio show. When we come back, we're talking about cutting costs in 2026. Keep it parked. We'll be back right after this ranch channel.com I'll give you just a few seconds to head there on your phone. Ranchchannel.com your farm and ranch network on demand bull sales, Western events, product information right at your fingertips on the ultimate cowboy friendly platform. Want to follow up to date markets ranchchannel.com no need information on all these different websites. It's all right there on ranch channel.com y' all are loving it now, aren't you? Are you looking for the best way to raise healthy, productive beef? Look no further than Westway Feed Products. Westway's liquid supplements support increased forage utilization, efficiency, convenience and sustainability. With Westway Feed, scientifically formulated liquid feed, your cattle will gain weight faster and stay healthier, ensuring you get the best return on your investment. Visit west or call 800-875-17 to learn more. Westway Feed Products. Raising the bar in beef production one supplement at a time. John Fox shares his experience with the demand for his Galvi influenced cattle.
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We've got a reputation. Whenever we sell our cattle, we've got some buyers that want to know when we're going to sell. That's another positive, you know, well, we're going in the right direction. Even in the times whenever, whenever there was so many cattle moving, you know, the cow numbers were higher. We still had that demand for our cattle. They have been performing, you know, outside of our realm. And so that's another feather in our hat, I guess you could say.
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Learn more about how your crossbreeding counts@galvi.org cattle battle welco the Ranch it up radio show. The most information packed into a 30 minute program that you can find at your All Things Ranching newscast. And so glad to be hanging out with y'. All. You can get ahold of us at any time by texting or calling 707-RANCH20. That's 707-726-2420. And our email, ranchitupshowmail.com cutting costs in 2026, that is our goal. Heck, I think that's everyone's goal. But the trick is to maximize the efficiency while reducing costs without sacrificing production. I just made it sound a whole lot more complicated than it really is. But let's start by looking at feed input, feeding the cows cheaper. Here comes the potential solution and that is winter grazing. I know now winter grazing is very different from neighbor to neighbor, state to state, region to region. What it looks like up north is completely different when compared to the south, for example. But here is the takeaway. Regardless of the region, the less times that you have to harvest that forage. Rake it, bail it, haul it, stack it, grind it, feed it, unroll it, the more dollars we save, it adds up more than a person realizes. Now we head north to the harsh winter environment of North Dakota. Mackenzie, North Dakota to be exact and home of Jace Doane with the Blackleg Ranch. The Doan family is known as an enterprising forward thinking outfit with implementing all types of different grazing strategies throughout the year. In addition to custom grazing, salon intensive grazing, their commercial cow calf outfit, even incorporating buffalo into the mix. Jase, thanks for coming on the program and visiting with us. Winter grazing in North Dakota. How and why we try to winter.
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Graze as much as we can. If we're able to keep them cows out on like a cover crop or something, it'll save 300 per cow for, for the winter. And when you're talking 500 or a thousand cows, I mean that's a huge amount of money that you can save. Now when the weather gets real inclement, you obviously have to supplement them. And I don't want anybody to think that we don't feed our cows because that's just not reality. When, when they need to be fed, they, they get fed. But on beautiful fall or winter days you might feed cows 30 bales and they won't touch them because they'll be out there foraging for cover crops that, that were in really good condition going into the freeze.
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So will they prefer that? Will those cows prefer to kind of break through that crust of snow to get after that forage versus go to that bale that's sitting in front of them?
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Some of them. Do you have some lazy cows but if you sit out there and watch you have cows that are leaders and they'll go through and BO does a path and they'll pick up like a turnip or something and eat half of it and drop it and then the lazy ones will come along and finish it off.
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They got it figured out.
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Yeah, yeah, no, that's, it's very, very much true. So and can be used as a culling mechanism too. If you really wanted to go hardcore into the winter grazing deal to, to sit out there and watch animals how, how they react and respond to winter grazing. And if there's a bunch of lazy cows out there and you don't like that, then use it as a culling mechanism.
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So how does a person get into winter grazing and what types of forages has it been in your experience that you've had available? I don't want to say should because we're always learning of course, but that, that you've implemented on the Blackleg ranch For a winter grazing program, we use.
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Like a 25 species mix out there, trying to cover all your, your classifications of plants, you know, from your legumes to your, to your cool seasons, warm seasons, all that stuff. And there's probably no perfect mix. You kind of go based on what seed is cheap and, and what, what, it'll, it'll just fluctuate year after year. There's, there's not a perfect mix. People always ask dad or I what, what we have in our mix. And we're like, well, just as long as you have your plant bases covered, it doesn't really matter what's in your mix. But I mean, if you want to get into winter grazing, just run the numbers. Most people like feeding their cows too much to really see how much they're spending on feeding their cows.
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Yeah, why is that? Why is that, Jace, that we, like, feed? Why is that?
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I think it's just a, it's a mentality deal. You obviously don't want your cows to be in poor condition or anything, but again, if you're, if you're doing your due diligence and sending in tests on manure and everything and just seeing if, if them cows are lacking anything, you shouldn't really be worried about anything. And honestly, your bottom line is what kind of matters the most. And so if you can save $300 per head by, by winter grazing, or even if you can save a hundred dollars per head by winter grazing part of the time, why wouldn't you do that? I mean, every year we lose more and more producers in the cattle business, and there's more and more grassland that's broke up because people think their cows can't make any money. And crop rent's over a hundred bucks. Well, sit down and run some numbers. I mean, there's probably a reason your cows aren't making any money if you're consistently putting all these high inputs into them. So I mean, it's just a way for people to stay in business and keep cattle out on the range, keep range in grass and not convert it to cropland.
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And the ability to really kind of analyze that cow herd, or at least what I've talked to other people that they have really tried to focus on this winter grazing. And I should preface this by saying winter grazing as long as we, we can. There gets a point in the northern climates that there is too much snow out there, that of course then we got to start feeding. However, it can really start to. Your, your cows start to group themselves and again, I don't have experience with this. I am just repeating what people have told me. And they have said that your cows, whether it be a big registered outfit and they're selling bul in the high elevation country, or it could be just a bunch of commercial cows on the Great Plains that they have seen that their cows will start to group themselves in terms of efficiency. And you can really start to break that down on step one before maybe you go into genomic testing or something like that to really prove it. But they will start to separate those cows out where, you know, back and I'm aging myself, we call them harder doing cattle or easier doing cattle that you can see those cows that are scientifically, biologically and genetically more efficient and they can survive on less based on their ability to convert feed. And guys have said that, boy, I tell you what, our cow herd starts to separate themselves and it makes the culling that much easier.
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Yeah, for sure. And if you can use that as a culling mechanism and create some cows that work for you instead of you having to work for your cows and cows that are profitable, I mean, we've bred the profitability, in my opinion, kind of out of catt to need high inputs in order for them to perform. And I mean that's fine, and that's fine if it works for your operation. But if you're at the end of the day, if you're not making money on the cattle, then, then you should probably just look at your, your cattle herd and, and, and your bank statement and see what can I do different.
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Exactly, exactly. So in terms of what you've had to do different. And I'm fascinated, and I'm fascinated about the whole grazing concept and managing grass and soil. I think those two go hand in hand when we're talking about that because really that's what we're doing. We're managing grass is what we're doing. The cows take care of it, Jase. They are an efficient foraging machine. We are managing soil and we're managing grasses and we're managing environment is really what we're doing, at least in my opinion. So have you had to change your calving period based on your winter grazing scenario? Have you pushed that back a little further than maybe it was? And I'm going to say this too. It's just as easy to, to calve a cow on a nice green pasture as it is in a snowbank at 30 below?
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Well, yeah, I mean, you don't see deer out there fawning in the dead of January. And, and again, if that Works for your operations model. More power to you. But when, when I was younger, dad was calving in March in a barn and a slop, and one year he lost 100 calves to scours. He was just working himself to death. And I mean, I vividly remember that because fortunately, my dad was always progressive in wanting to adapt, I guess, at least in his later years, to try and bring profit back into it and try and bring some quality of life back into it. So, yeah, we, we pushed our calving date back, ideally to like the first of May. I mean, I still calve cows in April, sometimes even earlier. It just, it depends on what your goals are and, and what works for you. But statistically, cows that are calving out on the range in dry hills are going to be probably healthier than ones that are calving in muck and snow and slop and confinement. And so, I mean, we've kind of seen that we don't treat calves for scours anymore. It's just not an issue for us.
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A
When we just kind of land the plane on this. Regardless if it is a winter grazing situation or trying to implement that, and I use the word try, or if it's grazing yearlings or if it's custom grazing. What this kind of comes down to is just like everything. You really have to look at what your place can sustain. Right? I mean, because it's going to take grass and it's going to take different kinds of grass. And creating different income streams or being curious about creating different income streams is the absolute best way to go. I'm going to argue with anybody about that one, but really, and I would assume when you are talking to different people and you do present to different associations, just like you're doing with us, sharing your experience, not saying this is the best, you're just saying good, bad and indifferent. This is what we've done and this is what we've learned and how we can improve. It just kind of takes really stepping back and micromanaging, analyzing really your situation, doesn't it?
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Absolutely, yeah. Yeah. Just looking at the bigger picture and a big thing that's helped us is looking at everything in more of a holistic approach, not just seeing a solution and looking for a problem and looking for a topical solution, you kind of look at how it affects the operation in a whole and what you could do to better the operation as a whole, I guess.
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Jason, thanks for coming on the program and sharing with us. This topic of winter grazing has me fascinated because it takes those that are doing it to really share what works and what doesn't work to give others ideas. So if you have any information please share it our way. You can call or leave a message on the hotline at 707-Ranch-20. You can text that number, 707-726-2420. Yeah, just actually just fire me a text and say hey Tigger, call me back at such and such a number. We'd love to visit with y'. All now coming up in just a few weeks, one of the enterprises I mentioned that Jason his family does is custom grazing. Another potential option if the risk is too high for some and owning your own calves out there on the grass. We'll have more on that coming up in the next few weeks. Now time for a quick break and when we come back, the year end numbers in a 2026 outlook with Kirk and the Ranch Channel sales calendar. Boo season is here. We've got it all coming up on the Ranch it Up radio show when we return. So keep it poor.
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If you're buying or selling cattle, make your first stop livestockmarket.com Bred cows, heifers, pears, bulls and frozen genetics. Even feeder calves. You'll find them all@livestockmarket.com Livestock Market features private treaty sales, online auctions and live production sale bidding. You'll also find horses, sheep, goats and hay. Check out the free Livestock Market magazine wherever you pick up Tractor house and download the Livestock Market mobile app today. Hey Tigger and Beck, hope everything's going well for you and your listeners. This is Travis Wolf here from Clear Springs Cattle Company and we're gearing up for our 2026 Bread for Balance sale. It's going to be February 13th this next year here in Starbuck, Minnesota. Join us on DV Auction or check out our website bread4balance.com and follow myself, Travis Wolfe on Facebook to stay updated with all the latest lot information and catalog. Thanks. Have a great day.
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That's the Clear Springs Cattle Company and their annual Bread for Balance sale February 13th in Starbuck, Minnesota. Home of Superior Simmental and Simangus Genetics.
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I'm Chase Keller know about farmertan products on my operation here farmer tan products year round have for two or three years now and I have not had to treat a single cap for scours.
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Haven't lost the cap of scourge.
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I believe fully in pharmatan products and helping my profitability on my operations.
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For more information go to pharmatanusa.com. Welcome back everyone to the Ranch it Up radio show. You all know what happens next. It's that time in the program we check in with Kirk Donsbach, Stonex Financial Incorporated. Recap in the markets from last week. Well, I should say from last year actually, Kirk, is what we're going to recap as we rounded it out. So what did, what did 2025, when we put it to bed, what did it look like? That's right, Tigger.
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C
And Happy New Year to all your listeners out there. As of Friday, January 2nd, January feeder futures closed the week at 356.35. That's up 1005 on the week with a CME feeder index up 90 cents at 350. 22. That left the basis at a negative 613 versus January. So right at the end of the year, their futures ran out ahead of cash a little bit. February live cattle closed the week at 236,17 and a half. That's up 642 and a half on the week with cash trading 230 and a half to 232. That left the five area weighted average up a dollar 30 at 23053 and the basis a negative 564 versus February futures. So same case with live cattle Futures definitely ran up ahead of cash right at the end of the year. There choice boxes closed down 124 on the week. That is off the lows earlier in the week, but the close was at 349.97. Boxes are very concerning. Weekly slaughter was 474, 000. That's up 48, 000 week over week and 31,000 head below the same week last year. Dress weights were down one pound to 896 pounds, which is 15 pounds more than last year. Combination of lower slaughter and higher weights left yearly production starting 2026 4.6% below the same week last year. Wrap this up. March corn closed week at 437. That's down 12 and a half. Corn continues to consolidate between 435 and 452.
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Well, I tell you what, Kirk, cash sales here the last week were kind of incredible. I mean, people were using the word hot to describe them. Feeder sales were really, really, really good. So as we look now into 2026, into that little crystal ball, I know there's been a lot of scuttlebutt with people speculating what could potentially happen this year. And I know that's, you know, take a dart and throw it at a dart board and that's what you're gonna get. But when you're kind of looking at Numbers. And you're kind of looking and analyzing this and establishing trends. What are you seeing here? Now that we're into January, we're into a new year, Are you seeing a lot of confidence in these markets, A lot of faith in these markets? I guess I'm asking you how. How high can these things go, buddy?
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C
I think there would actually be a lot of concern in these markets. I think everybody feels the market will be fairly strong on the fat cattle side, but there's a lot of concern with the. With the price that's being paid on the buy side. The fats will get up high enough to make those numbers work. Obviously, this could just be seasonal weakness and, you know, nothing to see here or boxes trading where they are could be a sign of some stress on. On the demand side. I'm very, very concerned about the demand side. With that being said, it looks like the equities are doing quite well today. So maybe that worries all about nothing, but I guess we'll see.
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A
So what do you mean when you say you're very, very concerned on the demand side? Break that down for us just for a little bit.
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C
The demand for the. For our beef products in the. At the retail level, at these prices, we're definitely seeing unit sales down in all the major retailers for beef. Not just beef, for all things except for baby, but definitely in beef. Boxes have not gotten anywhere close to their 415 high since we saw that last year. And again, like I said, now sitting at 349, almost 350. Profit margins for the packers are horrible. Rumored to be pushing worst of the year. Obviously all these really high prices only work if they can be pushed on through to the retailer.
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And that's what I was going to ask you. That's what you mean, is the consumer. How much can the consumer go to the grocery store and are they willing to pay these prices for beef right now? I guess, is what, what you're meaning by demand? Correct?
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Yeah.
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And it's not only these prices right now that, you know, they would have to rally even more to cover the extremely high cash prices being paid. Remember, that cycle is about a year, say six months to a year behind you know, prices that you paid for a calf a year ago equal the retail price in the store. Not only do we have to meet those highs, we probably have to surpass the box B5S to make all this work.
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Are you sure your nutrition program is.
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Hitting the mark for your herd? Hey. Hey. I'm Shay Wanner and I host the casual cattle conversations Podcast I recently visited with veterinarian Blaine Lowe about vitamin A deficiency and what cattle producers can do to stay on top of their herd. Vitamin needs Here is a portion of our conversation.
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Yes, vitamin A is a very critical nutrient, as are all vitamins. And first of all, vitamins are what we call mainly trace elements. They're very critical in a lot of different organ systems. It's involved with the gene expressions, so the genetics that have been selected and the performance that is expected. It's very critical to, to healthy skin. And that's also external and as well as internal, the linings of the eyes, the conjunctivitis that calves get with pink eye, the linings of the intestinal tract and the respiratory tract. So basically anything that I learned in veterinary school about diseases and the bacteria and viruses that impact these systems can be mitigated. I mean, not, I mean, you need some other things in there too. But it's, it's a real critical component of healthy and productive cattle.
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B
Ready to tune into the full conversation? Check out the casual Cattle Conversations podcast on your favorite podcast player as soon as you're done listening to the Ranch.
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A
It Up radio show. The Ranch Channel Sales Series bowl season is on, my dear friends. So let's start with the Zimmerman Ranch Black Balancer bulls and commercial open replacement heifers selling Saturday, January 17th and Steel, North Dakota. Then on to the Spruce Hill Ranch Angus in simangus bulls Thursday, February 5th at the Bowman Auction Market in Bowman, North Dakota. Then Friday, February 6th, Six Mile Angus at the Branded Bar Grill and Flasher, North Dakota. Now Six Mile Angus, it's kind of a diamond in the rough. And you all need to check out the cow base producing these bulls. And then on Super Bowl Sunday, February 8, Wrestler Land and Cattle Red Angus bulls, commercial heifers, very powerful two year old sons out of Cracker Jack and Destiny by the way, that Sunday, February 8th at the ranch in Cooperstown, North Dakota. Now lots of sales jumping on as we speak literally across the country. And get all the details, catalogs, videos, bidding and buying information is available@ranchchannel.com and don't forget those top dollar certified feeder cattle when and where they are selling. It's all on ranchchannel.com and now that's going to wrap it up for today. A big thanks goes out to our crew, Jace Doane with the Blackleg Ranch, Kirk Donsbach, Stonex Financial Incorporated, Shea Warner with casual cattle conversations. And remember, if you have those winter grazing scenario do's and don'ts if you will, we want to hear about them, call or text the hotline 707-Ranch 20. That's 707-726-2420. And our email ranchitupshowmail.com A big thank you goes out to our partners for today's episode. Clear Springs Cattle Company Farm A Tan by Imogene Ingredients Livestock Market.com Ranch Channel.com Westway Feed Products Wrangler in this fine radio station and crew. So glad you all came with us one more time as we ranch it up. Be sure to spread the good word and join us again next week where it's always Tigger and Beck approved. Stay ranchy and ranch it up.
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Sam.