It’s that time of year for breed associations to have their spring National Cattle Evaluation (NCE) run to produce expected progeny differences (EPDs) for a release somewhere around the first of the year. The quality of these EPDs is directly related to the quality of data that is used to produce them.

Agricultural exports have become increasingly important to Colorado’s economy, with high-quality, locallygrown products sold from our farmers and ranchers to worldwide markets that are rich with opportunity. And these exports are growing rapidly, doubling since 2009 to $2.

While there is no shortage of water in the Columbia Basin, this country wouldn’t be much if it wasn’t for the massive irrigation projects associated with the Columbia River and the network of dams that service the area with hydroelectric power and water.

Even as the cattle went through the chutes, the feeling was good. Interestingly, the cows seemed to be bred steadily until about midway through the second cycle and then tailed off quickly. One could say the cows were almost all bred by a cycle and a half.

Statistics show an 8 percent to 10 percent cow culling rate at the markets. But how many don’t make it to the sale? Unfortunately, some death loss is a fact of life on a livestock farm, and the older the cows going through “one more winter,” the more likely some will fit into that statistic.

Under current tax law, the tax goes back on Jan. 1, 2013, to a top rate of 55 percent and a $1 million exemption. With such a low exemption, as many as 18 percent of farms and ranches in Utah could owe estate taxes next year, according to the Agriculture Department.

The U.S. faces a beef “deficit” in the coming year that will challenge every sector of the beef industry. I use the term “deficit” in that per capita beef consumption will decline relative to how much beef people would like to eat. USDA’s latest forecast is for available beef supplies in 2013 to be 54.

Discussions about the Republican party being willing to consider tax increases to avoid the fiscal cliff have been making the rounds. But, ironically, the numbers they’ve thrown out have been a bit too large for Democrats. Cuts that were on the table just last year are now being snubbed by the very same side that proposed them.

Clinical signs of disease vary, but often include: severe watery and bloody diarrhea, fever, dehydration, inappetence, and weakness. Some pregnant animals may abort, and affected dams may inadvertently starve their calves due to decreased milk production.

It sure seems that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has missed the entire point in granting the livestock and food industries a waiver regarding the government’s production mandates for ethanol outlined in the Renewable Fuels Standard’s legislation.