This week on the We Live It Podcast, Ty deCordova and Casey Mabry kick off a new Weekly Cattle Market Update format with a timely look at what’s shaping the cattle markets right now.

With winter weather shutting down sale barns across the South, the guys break down how light cash trade is impacting the CME Feeder Cattle Index, January contract settlement, and what that means heading into February. They also unpack last week’s Cattle on Feed report, regional supply differences, grain prices, and why feeder cattle remain historically strong despite choppy day-to-day moves.

Short, practical, and straight from the field. This is a market check you can actually use.

📌 Topics covered:
• CME Feeder Cattle Index & January settlement
• Weather disruptions across Texas & Oklahoma
• Cattle on Feed report takeaways
• Northern vs. Southern supply differences
• Grain prices, feed costs & market sensitivity

Have questions or want us to cover a specific topic next week? Drop them in the comments.

00:00 Introduction & New Weekly Market Update Format
00:50 Denver Trip Recap & Weather Challenges
02:45 Winter Storms Impacting Sale Barns
03:35 Lack of Cash Trade in the South
04:00 How Southern Closures Affect the CME Feeder Cattle Index
05:45 January CME Feeder Cattle Contract Settlement
06:40 Cattle on Feed Report Overview
07:30 Placements, Marketings & What the Numbers Really Mean
09:15 Regional Differences: Northern vs Southern Cattle Supplies
10:10 Market Sensitivity to Slaughter Levels
10:55 Outside Markets: Grains, Feed Costs & Commodities
12:00 Feeder Cattle Strength & Near-Term Outlook
12:45 Upcoming Purebred Sales & Closing Remarks

CattleFax CEO Randy Blach joins We Live It from the shared CattleFax and NCBA headquarters in Denver for a straight-talk conversation on the U.S. cattle market.

Hosts Ty deCordova and Casey Mabry sit down with one of the most trusted voices in cattle market analysis to break down what’s really driving today’s prices and where the industry may be headed next.

In this episode, Randy digs into:

• Why cattle prices remain historically strong
• How tight cattle supply is shaping the market
• What changes in slaughter capacity mean for producers
• Where we are in the cattle cycle and what comes next
• How demand is holding up across the beef complex
• What cow-calf producers should be watching right now

With decades of experience advising ranchers, feeders, packers, and policymakers, Randy brings clarity to a market often clouded by noise. This is a fundamentals-first conversation focused on supply, demand, and disciplined decision-making.

If you’re a rancher, feeder, or cattleman trying to understand the forces shaping today’s cattle market, this episode delivers context you can use.

0:00 Why cattle prices are historically strong right now
2:10 How today’s demand is holding together
5:30 What the market is already pricing into 2025–2026
8:40 The real story behind tight cattle supply
11:15 Why supply matters more than headlines
14:00 Where we are in the cattle cycle
14:40 Slaughter capacity and why it’s a bottleneck
16:15 Heifer retention, cow numbers, and herd rebuilding
20:30 What these fundamentals mean for cow-calf producers
25:10 Market volatility vs. long-term fundamentals
30:00 What Randy is watching most closely right now
36:00 Demand risk, supply discipline, and market balance
39:30 Reading the road ahead for cattle prices

We’re joined by Wyatt Agar of Durbin Creek Ranch on the latest We Live It Podcast to talk Hereford cattle, beef cattle industry leadership, and long-term decision-making in today’s cattle market.

Wyatt discusses why engagement at the local and national level matters for producers, reflecting on his time as a Wyoming State Senator and as chairman of the American Hereford Association board of directors. We explore how successful operations think beyond sale day and the impact their genetics have for their commercial customers.

The conversation also includes a preview of the Durbin Creek Ranch Hereford Bull Sale on February 4, 2026, featuring PAP-tested Hereford bulls and an outstanding set of F1 baldie females, plus Wyatt’s perspective on the commercial cattle business as a newly onboarded LiveAg commercial representative.

A must-listen for seedstock producers, commercial cattlemen, and anyone focused on building a resilient cattle operation.

Register to bid on the Durbin Creek Ranch annual bull sale here: https://bid.live-ag.com/events/event/262/14th-annual-bull-sale-durbin-creek-ranch

In this episode of We Live It, Ty and Casey sit down with Beaver Yoder, a member of the Elite Livestock Marketing Group and Florida Cattlemen's leadership team, to talk about the people, places, and stories that shape Florida’s ranching community.

Beaver shares his family’s long history in the agriculture industry, what it was like growing up in Florida cow country, and how ranchers in the Southeast adapt to a landscape unlike anywhere else in the United States. From year-round management to differences in forage, Florida ranching requires grit, creativity, and a deep connection to the land.

Together, they dig into:
• Beaver’s family background and how he got his start in the cattle business
• What makes Florida ranching truly unique
• Challenges and advantages of running cattle in a subtropical climate
• The community, traditions, and people who keep the Florida cattle industry thriving
• Beaver’s work with the Elite Livestock Marketing Group and his passion for serving producers across the Southeast

They also preview two major upcoming LiveAg sales:
• The Dec. 11 Video Auction featuring more than 9,000 head
• The Stockmen at the Stadium Video Auction coming January 15 at Coors Field

Whether you run cattle in Florida, the Southeast, or anywhere across ranch country, this conversation offers a genuine look at the heart behind the industry.

Have questions for next time? Submit yours here: https://heyor.ca/sq3C0d

Ready to market your cattle? Sell on the LiveAg Cattle Xchange or consign to an upcoming video auction. Contact your local rep at www.live-ag.com to get started.

Need equipment? Buy and sell on the LiveAg Equipment Xchange: www.live-ag.com/equipment

Worthington Angus Fall Sale - November 1st at Noon. Register to bid remotely: https://bit.ly/4nMMiiD

Work with the best. Blue Reef Agri-Marketing offers strategic livestock marketing solutions: https://bluereef.ag/

Interested in advertising on We Live It? Contact Katy Holdener at katy@live-ag.com

Rising equipment costs, land values, and input prices mean more ranchers are turning to financing - not because they're struggling, but because they're making strategic decisions to grow their operations. In this episode, we sit down with Hollie Bunn from United Producers, Inc. (UPI) to demystify ag loans and help you understand what lenders are really looking for.

Hollie breaks down the key differences between financing land versus equipment, what documentation you need to have ready, and the common mistakes that can delay or derail your loan application. Whether you're a first-time borrower looking to expand your herd, a young producer trying to get started, or an established operation upgrading equipment, this conversation will help you approach financing with confidence.

We cover real-world examples of ranchers who've successfully secured financing for herd expansion and equipment upgrades, plus the action steps you should take before ever walking into a lender's office. Financing doesn't have to feel overwhelming - it's a tool that, when used strategically, can help move your operation forward.

Key Takeaways:

• What lenders want to see: records, credit, cash flow, and collateral
• Tips for first-time borrowers and smaller operations
• Questions you should ask lenders before signing anything
• How to prepare your operation for financing approval

Ready to put this into action? Register now for the LiveAg End-of-Year Live Virtual Equipment Auction on December 16th. Browse tractors, balers, trailers, livestock handling equipment, and more from trusted operations across the country—then get pre-approved for financing to make your purchase happen. Whether you're upgrading your operation or adding proven machinery to your fleet, this is your chance to invest strategically in equipment that works as hard as you do.

Register to bid: https://heyor.ca/wg21Sg

Running cattle is hard enough without drowning in receipts and spreadsheets. In this We Live It podcast episode, we sit down with Alex Thompson from Norwood, Colorado to talk about the financial headaches every rancher faces—from tracking expenses across multiple enterprises to actually knowing if you're profitable at the end of the year.

Alex truly lives it. Being married to a rancher running Limousin cattle at high altitudes, she understands the ranching lifestyle firsthand. Now working with Ambrook, she's helping producers modernize their bookkeeping without abandoning the values and traditions that define ranching. We dive into why accurate financial data matters for making better breeding, marketing, and operational decisions, and how the right tools can simplify back-office chaos so you can spend more time doing what you do best: raising livestock.

This isn't about replacing ranchers with technology. It's about giving you the data you need to run a more profitable operation while staying true to who you are. Whether you're a third-generation commercial operator or just starting out, this conversation will help you think differently about ranch finances.

Learn more: ambrook.com/liveag
Have questions for next time? Submit yours here: https://heyor.ca/sq3C0d

Ready to market your cattle? Sell on the LiveAg Cattle Xchange or consign to an upcoming video auction. Contact your local rep at www.live-ag.com to get started.

Need equipment? Buy and sell on the LiveAg Equipment Xchange: www.live-ag.com/equipment

Manage your risk. Blue Reef Agri-Marketing offers strategic livestock marketing solutions: https://bluereef.ag/

Interested in advertising on We Live It? Contact Katy Holdener at katy@live-ag.com

Most ranchers know trace minerals matter, but do you really understand how they're affecting your herd's fertility, immune function, and long-term productivity? In this episode of We Live It, hosts Ty deCordova and Casey Mabry sit down with Bryson Williams, Account Manager at Zinpro®, to break down the science behind trace mineral nutrition and why it's one of the most overlooked tools in your herd management strategy.

Bryson shares what he's seeing across cow-calf operations today - the challenges producers are facing and the real opportunities to improve herd health and performance through better mineral supplementation. We dig into why trace minerals like zinc, manganese, copper, and cobalt play such a critical role in everything from hoof health to reproduction, and how Zinpro performance trace minerals are designed to make a measurable difference. We also talk through Zinpro® ProFusion®, a complete trace mineral supplement designed specifically for beef cattle, and where you can find it to start making improvements in your own operation.

Shop Zinpro ProFusion: https://heyor.ca/iRRTuy
Learn more about Zinpro: https://www.zinpro.com/en_na/species/beef/

Whether you're dealing with open cows, foot problems, or calves that just aren't thriving like they should, this episode will give you a better understanding of how trace mineral nutrition can help you build a healthier, more profitable herd.

This week on We Live It, Director of Purebred Operations Margo Paeltz joins us for a deep dive into LiveAg’s Purebred Division — plus market analyst Casey Mabry breaks down current cattle market volatility and what producers should expect heading into year-end.

We cover how our Purebred Team partners with ranchers nationwide, what to expect when booking your sale, and strategic tips for preparing for auction day. Then Casey walks through the latest market swings, what’s driving the volatility, and his short-term outlook for cow-calf producers, feeders, and purebred breeders.

Episode Highlights:

• How to book your purebred sale with LiveAg
• What ranchers can expect from our Purebred Team
• Upcoming purebred auctions across the country
• Marketing opportunities for breeders
• Current cattle market volatility trends
• Casey Mabry’s outlook on feeder cattle, calves & replacement females
• What ranchers should watch in the weeks ahead

Whether you’re planning a purebred sale or keeping an eye on the market, this episode delivers practical insight you can use.

👉 Subscribe for weekly cattle-market commentary, ranch stories, and industry updates.