Wes Ishmael

Contributing Editor, Penton Media, Inc.

Among the industry’s most insightful thinkers, Wes Ishmael concentrates on industry price and market perspectives for BEEF magazine. Along with his monthly “Cattle Economics” column, he also writes the BEEF Stocker Trends electronic newsletter, coordinates the National Stocker Award competition, and contributes to the Beef Stocker USA website produced by BEEF and Kansas State University. A BEEF contributing editor since 1999, he’s been involved with livestock publications since 1983. Wes grew up in Colorado and has always been in and around the livestock business; he now lives at Benbrook, TX.

Posts in Cattle Economics view all

Jun. 2, 2010

Free Trade Is Fair Trade

If you support fair but free market competition, you should be concerned about the regional anti-trust workshops being conducted by USDA and the....More
May. 1, 2010

Genetic Rut Gets Deeper As Cattle Industry Ignores Crossbreeding

Crossbreeding systems that exploit heterosis and complementarity and match genetic potential with market targets, feed resources and climate provide....More
Apr. 1, 2010

High Cost Put Producers At A Decided Disadvantage

Dumb luck can overwhelm knowledge and rational strategy in the short term. For the long haul, though, there is no substitute for wisdom, that unique....More
Mar. 1, 2010

Opportunity Galore For Beef Stocker Sector

The stocker cattle business will never be confused with an easy, carefree pastime. But at least the value of gain continues to run ahead of average....More
Feb. 1, 2010

Optimism Or Caution?

Is now the time to sell cows or buy them? That's the basic question often posed at the beginning of each year to Darrell Mark, University of Nebraska....More
Jan. 1, 2010

More Than Just Price Determines Cow-Calf Profitability

Pounds may drive revenue in the cattle business, but how those pounds appear in the marketplace, and when, determine the direction and degree....More
What's Cattle Economics?

Wes Ishmael provides tightly focused analysis and commentary on specific beef quality and marketing issues of practical importance to beef producers.