I'm Dr. A.J. Tarpoff, and I’m thrilled to kick off my first episode as cohost on The Beef Podcast Show! Very excited to embark on this journey with you. In this episode, our guest, Dr. Zachary Smith from South Dakota State University, explores the evolution of carcass weights and what it means for the future of beef production. He explains the factors behind increasing live weights, how technology and management are keeping pace, and what infrastructure and physiology limits may lie ahead. Gain timely insights into modern feeding strategies and consumer expectations. Listen now on all major platforms! "Carcass weights have increased consistently at five pounds per year since the 1960s, with no clear end in sight." Meet the guest: Dr. Zachary Smith is an Associate Professor at South Dakota State University. He holds degrees from Texas Tech and SDSU, with research focused on nutrition and management strategies to improve beef and dairy-derived cattle production. Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love! https://www.wisenetix.com/blog?tag=the+beef+podcast+show What you will learn: (00:00) Highlight (00:59) Introduction (02:29) Carcass weight trends (06:39) Managing heavy steers (11:06) Barriers to scaling up (16:08) Consumer preferences shift (28:15) Market and demand outlook (33:51) Final questions The Beef Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like: * Pro Earth Animal Health (https://proearthanimalhealth.com/) * Lallemand (https://chooselevucellsc.com/) - dsm-firmenich (https://dsm-firmenich.com/VictusTransition) - Virbac (https://vet-us.virbac.com/cattle) 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 Website: https://www.wisenetix.com/beefpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beefpodcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/86453620/ #podcast #cattle #cattlefarm #beeffarmersandranchers #ranchlife #ranching #cattleindustry #cattleraising #agriculture #farm #livestock #farminglife