CattleUSA Daily

Andrew Sylvester is on the podcast today. He is the auctioneer at Manhattan Commission Company and King of the Ring contestant, to talk about what it really looks like to sell cattle through both strong and challenging markets. From record-high prices to tougher days when the board turns against you, Andrew shares how volatile markets impact both buyers and sellers and what auctioneers see from th...

Lauren and Samantha break down a choppy week in the cattle markets, starting with the latest cattle on feed report that, on paper, looked supportive but didn’t move the market the way many expected. They also dig into why that disconnect exists, how much weight producers should actually be putting on these reports, and what other factors may be driving market behavior right now. From ongoing droug...

Justin Dodson is on the podcast today, another one of this year’s King of the Ring contestants. He sits down with Lauren for a meaningful conversation about building a career in the sale barn from the ground up. From practicing his chant alone in a hay barn to working the ring for free, Justin shares what those early years actually looked like truly pinching pennies, chasing opportunities, and con...

This is one of those conversations that sticks with you. Lauren sits down with Dave Shumpert of X2D Ranch Ministries and the Feed the Need program for a meaningful conversation about faith, ranching, and what it looks like to use cattle to serve something bigger than yourself. What started as a traditional ranching operation has grown into a community-driven effort to provide high-quality beef to...

Today Lauren and John Campbell revisit the ongoing situation at the U.S.–Mexico border, as screw worm concerns, shifting headlines, and new information continue to keep this topic front and center in the cattle industry. Recent false reports around a potential border reopening added another layer to the conversation, highlighting just how quickly information, and misinformation, can move the marke...

We welcome back Dan and Samantha to break down this week’s cattle market and the growing list of outside factors influencing it from equities and oil to global trade and current events. While the market remains strong overall, it’s clear that more than just supply and demand is at play. Headlines, policy shifts, and global dynamics are continuing to shape how the cattle market is behaving day to d...

Today we welcome Jace Thompson to the podcast, one of the youngest guys in the game and another contestant in this year’s King of the Ring competition. He talks about his start in the auction industry and what it’s been like building a career early on. Growing up around the business, Jace was exposed to auctioneering from a young age, but stepping into it professionally came with a learning curve....

Today, Lauren is joined by Brandon Frey, one of the contestants in the upcoming King of the Ring competition in Dodge City, to share his story of growing up in the sale barn and building a career in the livestock marketing industry. From an early age, Brandon was surrounded by the auction world, learning the rhythm of the barn, the people, and the lifestyle that comes with it. That foundation shap...

Lauren is joined again today by Gary Lezak to break down expanding drought conditions across cattle country, uneven rainfall, and what producers should be watching as we move deeper into spring. Drought pressure continues to build across the Southern Plains and Midwest, while upcoming rain chances remain hit-or-miss. Gary explains what the current weather pattern is signaling, how it impacts grazi...

Lauren is joined by John Campbell once again on the podcast, and this week they break down this week’s cattle market, highlighting continued strength and resilience across regions as demand holds steady heading into spring. The conversation also dives into beef demand and what’s happening with alternatives, as shifting consumer preferences continue to favor real, whole foods over highly processed...

Today on the podcast, Lauren sits down with another King of the Ring contestant. This time, it is World Champion auctioneer Kenneth Wilcox to talk about a career that was never part of the plan, but became his life’s work. From getting his start by chance to selling cattle across the country, Kenneth shares stories from over 50 years in the auction industry, lessons learned along the way, and what...

The cattle market is staying strong,but more and more, it’s being influenced by forces outside of agriculture. In this episode, Lauren is joined by Samantha Cozza-Wright once again to break down a week of volatile markets, strong cash trade, and the growing impact of global headlines. From Iran and oil markets to stock market swings and drought conditions at home, this conversation highlights why...

Most ranches plan for the future based on what’s already happened, but agriculture doesn’t work that way. In today's episode, Lauren breaks down why planning forward using backward assumptions creates risk and how to think more intentionally about the next five years. From market cycles to labor, land, and liquidity, this episode challenges producers to build flexibility, reduce risk, and posi...

Cow size isn’t just a preference—it’s one of the biggest economic drivers in your operation. In this solo episode, Lauren breaks down the real cost of bigger cows and how they impact feed requirements, stocking rates, drought resilience, and overall profitability. From the biology to the math, this episode challenges producers to take a hard look at whether their cow size actually fits their envir...

The cattle market keeps pushing higher even when just about every indicator says it shouldn’t. In this episode, Lauren is joined by Dan and Samantha to break down a week of strong, resilient markets and the chaos that came with it. From headline driven volatility to shifting beef demand and a market that refuses to break, this conversation covers what’s happening right now and what producers shoul...

Beef prices are at record highs—but demand isn’t slowing down. In this episode, John Campbell shares his take on what’s really driving beef demand right now and why consumers are still choosing beef despite the cost. From changing nutrition trends to the “Traeger effect” and shifting consumer preferences, this conversation breaks down why beef may be entering a new era of demand—and what that mean...

Tradition built this industry—but when it goes unexamined, it can quietly become one of the most expensive parts of your operation. In today's episode, Lauren breaks down where tradition adds value and where it may be costing you more than you realize. From calving seasons to cow size to equipment and marketing decisions, this episode challenges producers to separate intentional systems from i...

In this episode, Lauren sits down with Dr. Cheryl DeVuyst—producer, ag economist, and Chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board—to talk about beef demand and where checkoff dollars are really going. They break down what’s driving beef demand right now, how consumer behavior is shaping the industry, and why every producer should care about the role demand plays in profitability. Cheryl also shares how ch...

There’s a decision every cattle producer faces at some point—and for many, that decision is here right now. In this episode, Lauren walks through one of the most important financial questions in a drought: do you buy the hay or sell the cows? Lauren breaks down the real math behind feeding costs, the hidden risks producers often overlook, and how quickly margins can disappear when conditions tight...

This episode marks the kickoff of our King of the Ring episodes, and Lauren is joined by World Champion auctioneer John Korrey to start it off. From growing up in northeastern Colorado to becoming a World Livestock Auctioneer Champion and traveling the globe, John shares the story behind his career, the evolution of the auction industry, and the role auction markets still play in cattle country to...

Today, Lauren is joining Dan and Samantha from Brazil as they break down a week where the cattle markets continue to look strong on paper, but the reality on the ground tells a more complicated story. In this episode, they walk through a week full of choppy, headline-driven markets and talk about why things feel so uncertain despite solid fundamentals. From ongoing volatility and outside pressures...

Today’s episode flips the perspective and takes you beyond the ranch gate. Lauren sits down with TC Turner, also known as the Red Bearded Butcher, to talk about what really happens to your cattle after they leave your hands—and what producers might be missing on the other side of the industry. From the growing need for small processors to the value producers are leaving on the table, TC shares har...

Samantha and I are doing a Q&A today answering some of the most common questions she gets about LRP and how it actually works in today’s market. We run through everything from what it does, how coverage and premiums work, when it pays out, and how flexible it actually is depending on your operation. If you’ve ever been confused by LRP or just want a clearer understanding of how it fits into yo...

Gary is back, and this week’s conversation is all about the absolute roller coaster the weather has been on lately. From single digits to near 90 degrees in a matter of days, he breaks down what’s actually driving these swings and why this isn’t just “normal March weather.” They dig into drought concerns across Nebraska and the Plains, what Gary is seeing on his dashboard for rainfall over the nex...

John is back on the podcast to break down what’s happening in the cattle market and some of the bigger stories developing across the industry right now. John shares updates from the sale barns and what he’s seeing in terms of demand, pricing, and early signs of producers adjusting due to dry conditions. The conversation also covers the latest on the JBS Greeley plant shutdown, ongoing wildfire dev...