Welcome to the 144th edition of Ranching.com – the leading cattle management resource for a community of 96,000+ ranchers and farmers.

🐮 Retain or Buy Heifers? - With cattle supplies tight and replacement females expensive, producers looking to rebuild and face a tough choice between retaining their own heifers or purchasing replacements. Comparing development costs, genetics, cash flow and how quickly females can begin generating returns can help determine which option makes the most sense for each operation.

🤝 Passing the Pitchfork - Two cattle producers found a path to keep their ranching legacies alive by transitioning their operations to trusted partners outside the family. The Scharf family, longtime CattleMax users, shows how good records, mentorship and thoughtful planning can help preserve an operation and create opportunities for the next generation.

🐄 Rebuilding Better, Not Bigger - As producers consider rebuilding the U.S. cow herd, the focus doesn’t have to be simply adding more cattle. Selecting females for fertility, efficiency, longevity and adaptability can help ranchers build a more productive herd that better fits their resources and long-term goals.

🌱 Fencing Without the Fence - Virtual fencing could give producers more flexibility to move cattle and manage intensive grazing without the labor and expense of constantly building and moving physical fences. Research suggests the technology may help improve forage use and grazing efficiency, but equipment costs and management needs will determine whether it pays for individual operations.

☀️ Helping Fall Calves Beat the Heat - Fall-born calves can still face heat stress during warm weather, which may affect health, growth and performance. Research suggests certain feed supplements could help calves better handle heat stress and maintain performance during challenging conditions.

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