Sort & Cull

Pushing Past Challenges

ShayLe Stewart
By  ShayLe Stewart , DTN Livestock Analyst
Ranchers are used to challenges beyond their control, yet they realize they have go on about business in the most normal fashion possible. (Photo by ShayLe Stewart)

This last weekend felt like the way things "used" to be. It was the weekend of our bull sale and the good Lord blessed us! The sun was shining, pickups rolled in from near and far away, and cattlemen wanted nothing more than to walk through the pens to find the bull they just had to take home.

COVID-19 was still running across nearly every radio station, and there seemed to be little to nothing else on the morning news, but ranchers still had business to do. There was plenty of conversation exchanged about the worry of feeder cattle prices; the worry about the trucking industry and how we would all fare after this passes. But there was undoubtedly a sense of peace and contentment amongst everyone.

You see, the thing is, ranchers aren't unfamiliar faces to adversity. They are used to challenges beyond their control, but they realize they have go on about business in the most normal fashion possible.

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One customer said to me this weekend, "whatever you dwell on, you will become." What a profound thought for such an uncertain time, and if you think about that in the context of the cattle market, it really makes sense. Take five minutes -- be mad, yell, scream, cuss or do whatever you need to do, but after those five minutes are up -- it's time to get on with life and get to business.

If you dwell on the uncertain cattle market you aren't helping yourself, and realistically, you're just exhausting your mind and adding anxiousness to your soul. In these uncertain times, it's essential that we as producers wrap our heads around what different curveballs may come our way and how we are going to combat their disruption. Some producers may need to think about when they market their calves; others may need to talk with the banker to see if holding calves through the end of the year is an option. Meanwhile, other producers may need to look at their input costs.

Regardless of what you and your operation need to do, the important part is that you are planning and preparing both your mind and your operation to handle the unforeseen.

Check out this week's Cattle Market News update on the DTN/Progressive Farmer Facebook Page to hear last week's market recap.

https://www.facebook.com/…

ShayLe Stewart can be reached at ShayLe.Stewart@dtn.com

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