Integrity Beef Alliance

06/04/2026

USDA confirms New World Screwworm in Zavala County, Texas close to La Pryor, TX.

U.S. CATTLE REPORT 🚨 USDA Confirms First New World Screwworm Case in the United States 🚨

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in a 3-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, marking the first confirmed U.S. case. The larvae were found in the calf's umbilical area, and no additional cases have been detected to date. New World screwworm is a serious pest whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, posing risks to livestock, pets, wildlife, and, in rare cases, humans.

In response, USDA and Texas animal health officials have activated their NWS Response Playbook and are taking immediate action to contain and eradicate the pest. Measures include establishing a 20-kilometer quarantine zone around the detection site, increasing surveillance and trapping efforts, deploying additional sterile screwworm flies, implementing wildlife monitoring programs, and forming a unified incident command team. USDA emphasized that the U.S. food supply remains safe, as screwworm does not infest meat products and any affected animals would be identified during federal meat inspection. Officials also urged livestock producers and pet owners in the region to monitor animals closely for signs of infestation and report any suspected cases immediately.

05/22/2026

An updated ERM-1466 Chemical W**d and Brush Control Reference Guide for Rangelands is now available! This is the first update since 2020. Our Reference Guide is the result of DECADES of herbicide research conducted by Extension Range Specialists in Texas, listed by brush or w**d species. We're proud to offer you this data, but be sure to always check the effectiveness rating. The data helps you make the right decision for your situation!

Download Here:
https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu/s/product/erm1466-chemical-w**d-and-brush-control-reference-guide-for-rangeland/01t4x000004OfsmAAC

05/06/2026

Yesterday, May 5, 2026, USDA APHIS announced another shift in New World screwworm (NWS) sterile fly dispersal efforts, further north along the Texas border. As a precautionary effort to stop the northern spread of NWS into the U.S., the added dispersal area, or polygon, will expand the biological border across more of South Texas along the international border with Mexico.

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is a proven tool for fighting the spread of NWS in combination with producer management practices, efficient wound treatment, and diligent response tactics.
❗️NWS has NOT been found in Texas or the United States.

Learn more about the SIT: https://bit.ly/TAHC-SIT

05/01/2026

Thursday Industry Insight: Cash vs. Managerial Accounting
Carson King – KRIRM Graduate Student

Most cow–calf operations use cash accounting because it’s simple and often better for tax purposes. Under cash accounting, when you buy hay, the entire purchase becomes an expense the moment you write the check. Even if that hay sits in the barn for multiple months/years, it still shows up this year. With cash accounting that can make a perfectly healthy year look unprofitable just because you stocked up on feed.

Managerial (or accrual based) accounting works differently and gives a more accurate picture of how the ranch is performing.

Cash Accounting: Expense Immediately
• You buy hay
• Cash goes out
• The total cost is recorded as an expense immediately
• Profit appears lower this year, even if the hay has not yet been fed

Managerial/Accrual Accounting: Expense When Used
• You buy hay
• Cash goes out — that part doesn’t change
• However, the hay becomes an asset on the balance sheet because it’s inventory
• You only record an expense as the hay is actually fed to the cows on the income statement

This means:
• The cash flow statement shows the “flows” of cash leaving and coming
• The balance sheet shows the value of hay inventory
• The income statement only shows the cost of the hay that was fed during the period

Accrual and managerial accounting separates “I spent cash” from “I incurred a cost to produce calves.” That difference is essential for understanding true costs and profitability of an operation.

The key difference is that cash accounting will eventually tell you whether you were profitable or losing money — but often not until years later. Because expenses are recorded when the check is written, not when the inputs are actually used, cash accounting can delay the true picture of operational performance. Accrual/managerial accounting, on the other hand, shows profitability in the year the costs are actually incurred and matched to production, giving you a timely and accurate understanding of whether the operation is truly creating or eroding wealth on your balance sheet.

Photo courtesy of Matador Ranch & Cattle.

04/17/2026

Thursday Industry Insight: Cow Nutrient Requirements
Salvetti D’Ascoli – KRIRM Graduate Student

With spring calving just around the corner, it is essential to focus on the cowherd’s nutrition as they approach their greatest nutrient requirements. One of the first steps in developing a feeding plan is to know exactly what you are feeding. This could include knowing the differences in nutritional requirements for various stages and classes of cattle, or the nutrient content of the feedstuffs fed. The crucial factor is knowing exactly how much the cattle weigh to accurately feed and prevent wasting money by overfeeding. An article from Oklahoma State University Extension states that between 42-52% of cow-calf enterprise costs can be attributed to grazing and feeding/supplementation (Lalman, Holder, 2024). Recognizing that this is a large cost center, producers should design the most economically cost-effective and nutrient-dense nutrition strategy possible, especially during calving and lactation.

As spring calving approaches, it's important to consider how dry matter intake relative to body weight varies by stage of lactation—late gestation, early lactation, and late lactation—whether cattle are grazing or fed hay. For a diet consisting of low-quality forage, the expected values would be 1.5% of body weight (BW) during late gestation, 2.5% BW during early lactation, and 2.25% BW during late lactation. Growing heifers should gain 1.0-1.5 lbs. per day to achieve a higher percentage of mature bodyweight before their first calf. One effective strategy to support this growth is to increase protein supplementation to encourage dry matter intake of low-quality forages.

Protein requirements for running-age cows become important as they get into the final trimester, when two-thirds of fetal growth occurs. Increasing a cow's protein intake at this stage will help ensure she is in optimal condition as she approaches calving and lactation. It is essential to meet both energy and protein requirements during the last trimester to prevent any loss of body condition. Lactating cows will require nearly double the amount of protein as a dry cow, which is understandable given the milk she produces – averaging around 25 lbs./d – contains a significant amount of protein. Ensuring the nutritional needs are met during lactation is just as important as in the third trimester, as it helps maintain the cow’s body condition and supports successful rebreeding. Additionally, vitamin and mineral supplementation is a key component of nutrition to consider. Various informative charts, including those from the Beef Cattle NRC, detail the nutrient requirements for beef cattle.

In conclusion, prioritizing cow nutrition is essential, particularly during the final third of pregnancy and throughout lactation. This can be achieved through informed management decisions tailored to the cow’s specific environment.

04/09/2026

Thursday Industry Insight: Why Producers are Hesitating: Economics of Herd Rebuilding
Mason Dahl – KRIRM Graduate Student

As many of you well know, we are living through one of the most fascinating periods in beef production history. The US National beef herd is at its lowest level in over 70 years. Extreme market volatility, unpredictable weather, and rising costs have many producers wondering what is next.

Historically, the cattle cycle moves in waves; expansion when prices and forage are favorable, followed by contraction as supply grows and prices fall. But this time, things are a little different. Record-high feeder cattle prices make selling heifers more attractive than retaining them for breeding, especially when interest rates have jumped considerably, creating both financial barriers to entry as well as increasing the cost of money for current producers. Add in drought concerns, the threat of new world screwworm, and thin margins, and it’s no wonder herd rebuilding is on hold.

The numbers tell the story: from a peak of 132 million head (nationally) in 1975 to now only 94.2 million (as of July 2025) as published by USDA NASS. Efficiency gains mean we are producing more beef with fewer animals, but that doesn’t fully explain the sharp decline.

Looking ahead, expect this trough to linger for several years, before national herd rebuilding gains any momentum. Tight supplies will likely support continued high beef prices through at least 2027. Eventually, demand for breeding females will increase, and expansion will return more gradually than experienced in past cycles.

For producers, the challenge revolves around managing uncertainty today while preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities.

(Data derived from USDA Economics, Statistics, and Market Information System historical data (https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/publication/cattle))

04/07/2026

Price protection is something everyone should do to protect your margins.

04/02/2026

Thursday Industry Insight: Prescribed Burning for Brush Management
Cooper Larson – KRIRM Graduate Student

Prescribed fire can be an effective tool for brush control on ranches across the country. Generally, this method is considerably less expensive than alternative chemical and mechanical treatments. Controlled burns can be effective for managing cedars, prickly pear, mesquite, and other mixed brush species. Efficacy rates will vary depending on the brush type and burning fuel load.

To decide whether burning is right for your ranch, first consider the fire mitigation equipment available to you. Fire lines, water trucks, and other firefighting equipment need to be in place before burning. The timing of the burn is also essential to prevent loss of control of the fire.

Also, consider the types of brush species to control and how they respond to fire. Some species are not well controlled with prescribed fire. Many brush species will only achieve a top kill, which only sets the brush back.

A quality-controlled burn requires enough dead-fuel load to maintain sufficient heat to be effective. If you are considering burning a pasture that has been grazed, you may need to defer grazing on the pasture for a duration of time until enough fine fuel is present.

Benefits of burning include thinning undesirable species and removing dead biomass that can smother and reduce the quality of the grazable forage. By removing the canopy of dead plants or undesirable species, stimulate the growth of desirable grasses and increase biodiversity. Burning also deposits and releases nutrients in the soil that stimulate growth.

Devise and follow a prescribed burning plan for your farm or ranch, and work with professionals in the area to safely capitalize on the economic, natural brush management tool that is prescribed burning.

03/27/2026

The flesh-eating parasite has not been reported in Texas since 1982, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture is eyeing the movements of New World Screwworms south of the Texas-Mexico border.

03/20/2026

We’re proud to introduce a new weekly series from the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management: The Thursday Industry Insight.

Each week, we’ll highlight articles written by our graduate students, offering thoughtful perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping today’s ranching industry. Be sure to follow along!

Thursday Industry Insight: How Many Bulls Do You Need?
Cheyenne Young – KRIRM Graduate Student

When it comes time to turn bulls out, it is important to know how many are needed to ensure all cows are covered and come pregnant this fall. A useful rule of thumb when deciding how many bulls are needed is one mature bull for every 20-30 cows. While this is generally widely accepted, it is just a starting point. Every operation has its own goals and expectations. The correct bull-to-cow ratio depends on a few factors. Bull age, breeding season length, and environment are just a few.

Bull age matters. Yearling bulls generally shouldn’t be expected to cover as many cows as a proven bull. A safe guideline is one cow per month of age for the yearling bull. A healthy, mature bull could successfully breed 30 or more cows under good conditions. Overwork of younger bulls can lead to bull injury, decreased conception rates, and a bull that loses too much body condition.

The environment in which bulls are expected to perform also influences bull numbers. Rough terrain or large pastures can affect the number of bulls an operation needs. In large pastures, cows are spread over a greater distance, requiring bulls to work harder to cover them.

The length of the breeding season also requires bulls to perform to a certain level. If a breeding season is 40-60 days or cows have been synchronized, additional bulls may be needed to reach the desired conception rate because the breeding window is narrower.

In the cattle industry, we know to plan for the unexpected. It would be prudent for producers to plan for bulls to experience lameness, account for death loss, and understand that infertility can happen. Thus, it is prudent to have backup bulls to be prepared for breeding-season deaths or injuries. Bulls should undergo a breeding soundness exam before being turned out to ensure they are ready to work.

Bulls are a major financial investment for any cow-calf operation. Having a surplus will increase costs, and having too few will lead to low pregnancy rates. Taking the time to evaluate your operation's goals can help you find the right balance.

Successful breeding is intentional. Being intentional with bull numbers can help create a uniform calf crop overall, resulting in a more profitable operation.