The U.S. Department of Agriculture is abandoning the use of hot-iron branding and moving towards the use of ear tags for the identification of cattle.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is abandoning the use of hot-iron branding and moving towards the use of ear tags for the identification of cattle. Callie Richmond
As Climate Hurts Cattle, Ranchers Turn to Genetics

For years researchers have been studying how to develop cattle that are heat and drought tolerant. And while crossbreeding isn’t a new development, it’s becoming more common among Texas ranchers as summers become drier and hotter.

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Kiah Collier was a reporter for the ProPublica-Texas Tribune investigative initiative from 2020 through 2023. She previously worked at the Tribune as a reporter and associate editor, covering energy and...