Welcome to the 96th edition of Ranching.com – the leading cattle management resource for a community of 96,000+ ranchers and farmers.

📉 Cattle Markets Under Pressure - Cattle futures slid last week, with live cattle dropping more than 6% and feeders following behind. Concerns over imports and shifting trade policy added to the sell-off. It’s a reminder to steady your decisions on ranch numbers, not market noise.

🥩 Tight Cattle Supply - JBS says the cattle shortage will linger into 2026, and most of us can feel that pinch already. With fewer animals moving through the system, each calf counts a little more. It’s a good reminder to keep solid records and make the most of the herd we’ve got.

⏳ Border Cattle Flow - There’s talk that the U.S.–Mexico cattle border may reopen soon, but it won’t mean a big rush of cattle overnight. Mexico may have 200,000–400,000 head ready, yet staffing, inspections and paperwork will slow the pace. For ranchers, it’s worth watching — but no immediate market shake-up is expected.

🌾 Forage Quality Matters - Testing your hay and pasture forage makes the difference between guessing and knowing what your cattle are really eating. Pull a proper sample, send it to a good lab and use the results to steer your supplement and feed decisions. Smarter forage management now means fewer surprises and better herd health down the line.

💼 Tame the Tax Snowball - The article walks through how producers can stay ahead of the tax game — like using Section 179 deductions (up to $2.5 million this year) and planning the timing of asset purchases so the tax “snowball” doesn’t roll out of control.
For your ranch operation, that means being proactive about expenses now, so you’re not scrambling at year-end and losing flexibility.

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