"Prices for cattle recently reached record highs," says John Grimes, beef coordinator for Ohio State University Extension.  "So, there's a lot of enthusiasm (among beef producers right now) because of what animals are worth at the market, but input prices such as fuel, feed and fertilizer are still an issue."

Part of the issue is that the country's beef supply is tight right now, with U.S. producers having the smallest cow herds nationwide since the 1950s, Grimes says. That's due in part to drought in the southwest and higher than average export sales, he says.

How Long Will Beef Boom Hold Up?

With 1.27 million head of cattle, of which some 25% are dairy cows, Ohio ranks 16th nationwide in beef operations, according to the Ohio Beef Council. The state's beef industry is valued at some $1.3 billion and produces nearly 500 million pounds of beef each year, the industry trade group said.

"Looking from the outside in, sale prices are very good, which is very much a function of supply and demand," Grimes says. "We have fewer cows, export sales have been record high and domestic demand has been solid."

As a result, producers are trying to get as many live calves out of cows now as they can, he said. This has led producers to place more emphasis on fertility, calving ease and watching feed costs.

Grimes works on beef cattle research, including beef reproduction, new synchronization systems, artificial insemination, alternative forages, and ways to supplement production shortcomings for the year.

"One way producers are trimming feed costs is by trying to do as much with grazing as we can to minimize the use of harvested forages," he says. "Anytime you let the cow do the harvesting, it's more economical.

"The equipment costs associated with hay production can result in higher priced forages for a small producer."

Demand for corn has also increased significantly, as 2011 was the first year the amount of corn used for ethanol production basically equaled the amount used for feed production, Grimes says.

"That is an interesting dynamic which helped to drive up prices for feedstuffs," he adds.

An issue that has recently impacted beef prices negatively is the publicity surrounding lean finely textured beef, also known as "pink slime." 

While the process used to produce LFTB has been around for years to safely remove fat from beef trimmings, Grimes said, recent adverse publicity has resulted in prices for 50% lean trimmings plummeting to nearly half the value seen in early March.  The issue has also contributed to a recent decline in fed cattle prices.  

Grimes spoke recently at the Ohio Beef Expo, which was sponsored by the Ohio Cattlemen's Association.  The event, which is in its 25th year and included a trade show and a steer and heifer show, is the single largest event in the state devoted to cattle producers.

The overall outlook for U.S. beef is good for the next few years, noting that trade with Canada, Mexico, Japan and South Korea remains strong. And the rise in the growth of upscale hamburger chains has led to an increase demand for higher-quality beef.

But, Grimes cautions, rising consumer costs including gas prices could have an impact on consumer spending.

"So we have a home for our product but challenges are there," he says. "The biggest concern is pricing ourselves out of the market.

"Could the prices get so high that the consumer is going to push back?"

While that hasn't happened yet, Grimes says, it still could.

"Who knows?" he says. "If gas prices go over $4 a gallon, that's going to have a big effect on consumer spending because of concerns about disposable income.

"Will they be able to afford the higher priced steaks?"