A Deeper Dive
Here are three Angus at Work episodes focused on managing pastures and forages.
March 20, 2026
A common theme among cattlemen is the ever-present worry over whether there will be enough rain to grow grass and enough grass to feed the existing herd. In an industry that can feel at the mercy of the elements, pasture and range management continue to rise in importance.
Our theme for this edition of the Angus Beef Bulletin focuses on grazing and methods to improve pasture conditions. Here are a handful of Angus at Work episodes targeting forage topics worth considering back at home.
Every cattleman (and cattlewoman) we’ve ever met wants to take care of their land and their cattle to the best of their ability. Effective land management saves money, retains water, produces more grass and can increase stocking density.
In an effort to learn more about improving land management, our team sat down with Hugh Aljoe of the Noble Research Institute to discuss how regenerative ranching isn’t necessarily new, but it is certainly becoming a more popular topic.
“You grow more grass, and over time you build up the capacity of the land … Where you want to start is on your best opportunity, which is always your best soils.” — Hugh Aljoe
With fed-cattle size continuing to rise, how can commercial cattlemen balance females optimized for their environment with the terminal traits feeders are looking for?
On this episode, our host Miranda Reiman visited with Ryan Rathmann of Texas Tech University regarding cow herd efficiency research, how cattlemen can identify smaller females who are curve benders, tools producers have at their disposal to maximize potential and more.
“Know the capacity of your land … Know it for the good years and the bad. If you see that bad year coming on, go ahead and prep for that. There’s no worse feeling than having cattle that you can’t get feed to.” —Chad Woods
“Know your numbers. Know your numbers and network. That’s really what it boils down to.” —Rob Elder
Cattle are amazing creatures. They turn a resource humans cannot consume (grass) into a safe, healthy and delicious protein that many Americans love. However, grazing strategies and the forage varieties cattle are grazing on vary across the country.
On this episode, our team visited with Chad Woods of Firsthand Foods in North Carolina, as well as Rob Elder of Elder Farms in Oregon, to hear their insight on creatively stretching grazing regardless of an operation’s size.
“Do I run an 1,100-pound cow and 50 more of them, or do I run this big 1,400-pound cow like we’re currently doing, but get to run 50 less? You [have] to work through the math. It’s not an obvious answer of which will result in the greatest level of profitability.” —Ryan Rathmann
Listen in for answers straight from the experts
The Angus at Work podcast carries news and information on health, nutrition, genetics, marketing and management. Get your information straight from the source as we talk to technical experts, American Angus Association staff and fellow cattlemen about topics pertinent to your bottom line.
Recent episodes include:
- Focusing on Cow Herd Efficiency with Ryan Rathmann
- First-calf Heifer Success with Jordan Thomas
- Making the Most of Your Angus Bull with Troy Marshall
- The One Big Beautiful Bill with Chelsea Good
- Market Update with Derrell Peel | EOY 2025
- From Birth to Final Bid with Chris Jolly
- Bovine Congestive Heart Failure Update with Kelli Retallick-Riley
- Weaning Stress in Cows and Calves with Ted Perry
- Managing the Effects of Wildlife with Rosslyn Biggs
- Market Update with Paul Dykstra| Fall 2025
Topics: Feedstuffs , Management , Pasture and Forage
Publication: Angus Beef Bulletin
Issue: April 2026