CattleUSA Daily

Labor may be one of the most emotional and misunderstood pieces of ranch management, and Lauren Moylan takes a clear-eyed look at why hiring help feels harder than ever. By breaking down the true economics of paid and unpaid labor, she explains the math problems hiding behind most ranch operations, why good help is so valuable, and how producers can build labor strategies that match both reality a...

Winter has officially taken shape in the atmosphere, and Lauren Moylan and Gary Lezak break down what the fully formed cycle reveals about the months ahead. With a long LRC pattern driving everything from drought shifts to potential ice storms, the conversation unpacks the signals farmers and ranchers should watch as the season develops. Gary lays out the major themes in his 40-page winter forecas...

Cattle markets are shifting fast, and Lauren Moylan and John Campbell dig into the forces reshaping price discovery and producer confidence. With a major packing plant in Nebraska shutting down and Brazilian beef imports accelerating, the industry is facing structural pressures that reach far beyond weekly price moves. This conversation breaks down how these changes ripple through cash markets, in...

The cattle markets are closing out the year with more questions than answers, and Lauren Moylan and Samantha Cozza-Wright break down the forces driving the latest swings. From market volatility and whispers of insider trading to the growing pressure around heifer retention and the uncertainty heading into 2026, this conversation cuts through the noise and focuses on what producers actually need to...

Body condition scoring isn’t a side task. It’s one of the most accurate predictors of profitability in a cow-calf operation. In this episode, we dig into why BCS matters, how it ties directly to reproduction, feed savings, and weaning weights, and the checkpoints every producer should be scoring at. When you understand the fat cover on your cows, you can manage nutrition before it becomes a crisis...

The conversation takes a deep dive into the debate surrounding M-COOL (Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling) as host Lauren Moylan and guest Emma Coffman unpack how the policy was created, why it was dismantled, and what its absence means for both producers and consumers. They cut through the noise around labeling laws, imported beef, and trade pressures that shape the U.S. food system, offering c...

In this episode, Gary and Lauren Moylan break down what’s actually happening in the atmosphere right now and why it matters for agriculture. The pattern is cycling, the drought map is shifting, and the next few weeks will tell us whether we’re headed toward relief or tightening conditions. We also get into the gap between real forecasting and media hype, how long-range models can be right more oft...

The tariffs on Brazilian beef are back in the headlines, and this time Trump’s decision to lift them has the entire industry on edge. In this episode, we break down what a return to 26% actually means, why agriculture keeps getting used as a political bargaining chip, and how these changes ripple all the way from ranchers to consumers buying ground beef at the store. Lauren and Emma dig into quali...

The cattle market is getting hit from every direction right now. Tyson shutting down a major beef plant, tariffs lifted on Brazilian beef, a bearish cattle-on-feed report, and mounting questions around market manipulation have all collided in the same week. In this episode, we break down what actually matters, what’s noise, and what producers should be watching as the fundamentals shift. From heif...

The U.S. cow herd is the smallest it’s been in decades, and it’s reshaping every corner of the cattle market. In this episode, we break down why the CalHERD keeps shrinking, what it means for calf supplies and future prices, and what ranchers must focus on to stay profitable in a tight inventory environment. High prices only help if your cows stay bred, fed, and productive. This is the playbook fo...

European agriculture looks different—and not always in a good way. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Lauren Moylan sits down with Emma Coffman to unpack what she learned from her recent trip across Europe’s farms. They discuss the maze of EU regulations, sustainability mandates, and animal welfare policies shaping the region—and how they compare to U.S. agriculture. The conversation...

This week, Gary breaks down what the developing LRC pattern is actually showing as we head toward winter, and why the early drought signals deserve more attention than the hype around sudden stratospheric warming. We talk moisture, timing, and what producers should be watching as the winter forecast comes together. If you care about long-range predictions and how they set up your growing season, t...

Most ranchers don’t realize where their money is actually disappearing. In this episode, we break open the five hidden cost traps that quietly drain profitability in cow-calf operations: equipment that doesn’t pull its weight, labor inefficiencies no one tracks, feed waste that compounds all winter, and nutrition decisions that look cheap until they aren’t. These aren’t new expenses. They’re leaks...

The cattle market is swinging harder than it has in months, and everyone wants to blame something different. In this episode, Lauren, Dan, and Samantha break down the volatility, how tariff changes and government reports are influencing price movement, and why the latest Cattle on Feed numbers hit the industry so hard. They dig into the reality of operating with the smallest American cattle herd s...

The conversation around beef is shifting fast. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , host Lauren Moylan sits down with Wisconsin producer Terry Quam to dig into the changing landscape of the beef industry—from the effects of GLP-1 medications on protein consumption to the importance of exports and classroom education. They talk global markets, consumer trends, and why telling beef’s sto...

The beef industry is back in the headlines. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Lauren Moylan and Emma Coffman unpack Trump’s recent comments on Argentina beef and what they mean for U.S. producers. They also dig into the DOJ’s potential investigation into the Big Four meat packers, the pressure for greater transparency, and how global standards—from the EU to South America—are shapin...

What if you could predict the weather months in advance? In this 200th episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Lauren Moylan and Gary Lezak dive into the power of the LRC (Lezak Recurring Cycle) and how it’s transforming long-range forecasting. They break down why proactive forecasting beats reactive predictions, what current patterns are showing for winter, and how farmers can use this insight t...

The cattle market is under pressure — and politics are making it even hotter. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Lauren Moylan and John Campbell unpack Trump’s recent comments on the DOJ investigation into the Big Four meat packers and what it means for producers. They discuss the effects of alternative marketing agreements, the psychology behind market swings, and the ongoing strugg...

The cattle market has been anything but calm. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Lauren Moylan and Samantha Cozza-Wright unpack the chaos behind market volatility—from USDA updates and consumer behavior shifts to the growing debate around mandatory origin labeling. They discuss how packer control, imports, and media coverage are influencing beef prices, and what producers can do to s...

Regenerative grazing gets a lot of buzz—but does it really work? In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Lauren Moylan breaks down what regenerative grazing actually means for ranchers, from soil health to real economic returns. She shares how short, intentional grazing periods followed by rest can improve forage growth, boost drought resilience, and even cut feed costs over time. Lauren...

If you don’t know your numbers, you’re managing blind. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Lauren Moylan breaks down the three financial metrics every rancher needs to track: cost of production, operating expense ratio, and debt service coverage ratio. She explains how these simple numbers reveal whether your operation is profitable, sustainable, or quietly losing ground—and why the b...

The pattern isn’t settled—and neither is the forecast. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Gary Lezak breaks down the early signs of drought developing across the Northern Hemisphere and what it could mean for agriculture heading into winter. He explains how the LRC (Lezak Recurring Cycle) is shaping up this season, why Colorado’s unusual warmth matters, and what producers should be w...

The cattle market’s been swinging hard—and producers are feeling it. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Lauren Moylan and John Campbell dig into what’s behind the latest price shifts, from government involvement to small-producer challenges. John shares fresh insights from recent auctions and hard truths about how volatility is reshaping the market. Together, they unpack what’s reall...

The cattle market flipped again—and fast. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Samantha Cozza-Wright and Dan Gerhold break down the latest cash and futures swings, unpack how government chatter is shaping prices, and explain what producers can do to protect themselves. From PRF insurance to risk management strategies, they share what’s actually working in volatile markets and why stayi...

Not all herd health problems show up in the chute. In this episode of the CattleUSA Daily Podcast , Lauren Moylan uncovers the five hidden herd health costs quietly eating into your ranch profits. From subclinical disease and vaccine mishandling to parasite resistance and mineral deficiencies, she breaks down how these overlooked issues stack up fast. Lauren also explains how better handling, reco...