All posts tagged: cattle

Why the U.S. cattle herd is at a 75-year low — and what it means for beef prices : NPR

Why the U.S. cattle herd is at a 75-year low — and what it means for beef prices : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Cows stand in a feed barn at Hallstead Farms in Lexington, Ky., in February. Although the U.S. cattle herd size has shrunk in recent decades, U.S. beef production has remained strong, partly because cattle now weigh hundreds of pounds more than they did in the 1950s. Luke Sharrett for NPR hide caption toggle caption Luke Sharrett for NPR Grocery prices got you down? Learn how to cut your food bill with NPR’s 4-part newsletter. Sign up here for budgeting tips, meal planning and more. Beef has long been an iconic and beloved staple of the American diet, from barbecue to hamburgers and steaks. Even as retail prices have soared recently, U.S. demand for beef has remained strong. Yet the U.S. cattle herd, including both beef and dairy cattle, is the smallest it has been in three-quarters of a century. Domestic producers had 86.2 million head of cattle on the first day of this year, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, the lowest number since 1951. A number of factors have been pushing livestock numbers down, …

Solar ranch aims to prove grazing cattle under the panels is a win-win

Solar ranch aims to prove grazing cattle under the panels is a win-win

Published by Sam Flores

CHRISTIANA, Tenn. — From a distance, the small solar farm in central Tennessee looks like others that now dot rural America, with row upon row of black panels absorbing the sun’s rays, creating a flow of clean electricity. But beneath the panels is lush pasture, not gravel, enjoyed by a small herd of cattle that spends their days munching grass and resting in the shade. Silicon Ranch, which owns the 40-acre farm in Christiana, outside Nashville, believes cattle-grazing is the next frontier in so-called agrivoltaics, which mostly has involved growing crops or grazing sheep beneath the panels. The solar company debuted the project last week and will spend the next year working to demonstrate to farmers that much larger herds of cattle also can thrive at solar sites. If successful, advocates say, that could jump-start new projects to meet the soaring electricity demand driven by rapidly expanding data centers — without contributing climate-warming carbon emissions — and help cattle producers hold on to their land and livelihoods. “Solar is one of the most powerful tools we have …

This solar farm lets cattle roam under moving panels

This solar farm lets cattle roam under moving panels

Published by skeptic

Photo: Silicon Ranch Silicon Ranch has brought something online commercially that you don’t see every day: a utility-scale solar farm where cattle graze under moving panels. The Nashville-based developer has launched its new “CattleTracker” system at the Christiana Solar Ranch in Tennessee. It’s the first commercial deployment of the company’s patented approach to combining solar generation with full-scale beef cattle operations on the same land. Instead of fencing off solar farms from agriculture, Silicon Ranch is designing its projects to coexist with agriculture. The system uses a custom solar tracker that can shift into a “grazing mode,” giving cattle space to move safely beneath the panels. The Christiana project is located within cooperative Middle Tennessee Electric’s (MTE) service territory, which will purchase power from the site. MTE says the deal delivers savings for the more than 750,000 customers it serves across 11 counties. The co-op is the largest in the Tennessee Valley Authority region and the second largest in the US. Advertisement – scroll for more content Agrivoltaics – using land for both solar and …

From Moon hotels to cattle herding: 8 startups investors chased at YC Demo Day

From Moon hotels to cattle herding: 8 startups investors chased at YC Demo Day

Published by skeptic

Investors have flocked to Y Combinator’s Demo Days for years to get their hands on promising startups building cool tech. After all, the accelerator has produced some of the biggest tech companies in the world, from Airbnb and Reddit to Dropbox, Zapier and Stripe. That’s why we make it a point to keep an eye on the event to spot the most interesting companies from each batch. As I’ve been doing nearly every quarter now that the accelerator has moved to four cohorts a year, I asked nearly a dozen investors which startups were most in demand at Y Combinator’s Winter 2026 Demo Day earlier this week. To ensure our list included truly sought-after standouts, a company had to be flagged as a ‘fave’ by at least two different venture capital investors to make the cut. As for valuations, I’m hearing that at least a couple startups have raised funds at a $100 million price tag, though notably, those startups are already bringing in run-rate revenue of $1 million or more. Even for the less …

Warning to all drivers about little-known animal rule – £5,000 fine | UK | News

Warning to all drivers about little-known animal rule – £5,000 fine | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Many drivers don’t know how to act when they hit an animal on the roads (Image: Getty) This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more New research has revealed that millions of drivers are risking a £5,000 fine, penalty points or even prison time as animal encounters on the road surge. As spring gets underway and the number of animals on the road increases, new research from dash cam company Nextbase, has revealed that nearly half of UK drivers (49%) do not know which animals they are legally required to report to the police if struck on the road. The survey of 2,001 UK adults found that more than half (56%) of drivers notice a significant increase in animal activity on roads during spring and summer, yet awareness of the law and correct driver behaviour fails to keep pace, leaving millions at risk of committing major driving offences. Under the Road Traffic Act 1998, drivers are legally required to report collisions with dogs, horses, …

‘Treated like cattle’: Readers push back against calls for smarter airport dress

‘Treated like cattle’: Readers push back against calls for smarter airport dress

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Independent readers reacting to the row over airport dress codes and passenger behaviour were far less concerned with leggings and pyjamas than with how flying now feels. For many, the debate became a wider reckoning with what they see as an increasingly dehumanising travel experience – one in which civility has been eroded long before passengers reach the gate. Commenters argued that airlines and airports have effectively “earned” the behaviour many now criticise, pointing to overcrowded terminals, poor communication, long queues and relentless cost-cutting. In that context, readers said choosing comfort over appearance was common sense – not disrespect. Several said they now fly far less, or only travel business class, where they feel treated more like human beings – noting the irony of condemning pyjamas when several premium airlines hand them out on night flights. A poll of readers reflected this divided mood. While the largest group backed “smart-casual, not …