Land and Livestock Post

November November 20142014 — Issue — 2

Growing pangs?

Questions to ask before you expand PAGE 12

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BRYAN, TX 77802 PERMIT # 23

JAMES THOMPSON CARPENTER SELECTED

JAMES THOMPSON JAMES THOMPSON

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Straight to Named from Meat theIndustry horse's mouth.

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November 2014 — Issue 2



The Land & Livestock Post

News Zerle Carpenter among six inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame vice have enhanced the legacy of America’s leading food industry sector. To date, there have been 72 distinguished industry leaders inducted representing animal agriculture, meat and poultry processing, supplier companies, academia, and retail and foodservice operators, according to officials.

Carpenter’s induction marks the fourth faculty member from the Texas A&M department of animal science to join the group.

H. Russell Cross and Gary Smith were inducted in 2009 and Jeff Savell, in 2010.

The selection committee cited Carpenter “for his leadership in helping conduct the foundational research that led to

Special to The Post

Zerle Carpenter, Texas A&M University professor emeritus of animal science and director emeritus of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, recently was inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame.

Carpenter was among six inductees selected from more than 75 nominations encompassing all areas of red meat and poultry production, processing, marketing and academia, according to officials.

Formed in 2008, the Meat Industry Hall of Fame is a repository of meat, poultry and livestock history and a celebration of the industry leaders whose business excellence, scientific prowess and community ser-

ZERLE CARPENTER

See CARPENTER, Page 6

T

From the General Manager

hanksgiving will be upon us before you know it.

Among the holidays, Thanksgiving is up there at the top for me. Sure, it is a time to be thankful for things, but it is also about food and football and, often, naps are encouraged.

This year we are having Thanksgiving at my house, JESSE WRIGHT then we may go to my in-laws, and maybe somewhere else. I’m not entirely sure. I just go where I’m told, and eat when I get there.

It’s a pretty good system.

While this is a time of year for me to expand my waistline, it also may be the time of year for you to start expanding your herd. In our cover story we look at some factors to consider if you are want-

ing to grow your production. We also have some information from The Noble Foundation on the matter. We have news about the ag industry from around the state and nation.

Be sure to look for the form in this issue for our Annual Ag Directory. If you would like to take advantage of having your ag business or service listed, just fill it out and send it in.

Hope you enjoy it. A Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. ’Til next time,

• For more information about content or advertising, contact Jesse Wright at jesse.wright@theeagle.com.

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November 2014 — Issue 2

3

News Corn prices expected to edge up, could pressure fed cattle bids

By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Recent lower prices in corn

Published by Bryan-College Station Communications, Inc. (979) 776-4444 or (800) 299-7355

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could translate into fewer planted acres in 2015, potentially putting pressure on bids for beef cattle next year, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist.

Mark Welch, AgriLife Extension grains marketing economist in College Station, told attendees at the recent Brazos Valley Beef and Forage Expo that a lot of things would have to come into play for this situation to develop.

“Over 174 bushels per acre is what we are seeing for corn harvest in the U.S. and that’s an outstanding number,” he said.

Welch said the record corn harvest in the U.S. and the recent decline in the price of corn could affect planting decisions by grain farmers heading into 2015.

“With high prices, farmers all over the world have incentives to increase production. With lower prices, those incentives just aren’t there, for either acres or intensive inputs to push production,” Welch said. “On the demand side, we are still seeing strong export demand and good

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin

MarkWelch,TexasA&MAgriLife Extension Service grain marketing economist,discusses the corn outlook for 2015 and its potential implications on cattle prices at the recent Brazos Valley Beef and Forage Expo.

feed and fuel use. High meat prices offer rewards to increase livestock numbers and feed to heavier weights; that will require more grain used for feed.”

Welch said the implication is that if there are tighter stocks of corn next year, this would have a positive impact on grain prices.

“I don’t anticipate to see this low price we are seeing right now to continue on into 2015,” he said.

“We could see the $4.10 to $4.20 a bushel level as we look at harvest prices going into 2015.”

Welch said a shift to higher corn prices could pressure bids for cattle.

“That would be a knee jerkresponse. Over time, low grain prices support larger beef supplies and lower cattle prices, generally speaking. The old saying is, ‘cheap grain means cheap cattle.’

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November 2014 — Issue 2

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The Land & Livestock Post

News Proven strategies bring success in rebuilding cow herds

By Clay Wright The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

Many cattle seminars across the Southern Great Plains have offered sound advice about replacement female development and selection.

A significant number of producers are considering, if not already in the process of, rebuilding their cow herds.

Buying or raising replacements is an opportunity to improve the quality of your herd and product. A few common principles have emerged that I believe are very important to keep in mind when you are ready to rebuild.

Generally, the ideal cow for an operation is one that produces at her maximum genetic potential in the environment you are willing and able to provide. Besides things such as climate, forage type, terrain, pasture size, distance to water, etc., “environment” is also the knowledge, experience and management that I bring to the operation.

Photo courtesy of The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation An important step in rebuliding a herd is to select replacements that will be moderate in mature size and with average milk production.

Her reproductive performance (bringing a calf to the weaning pen every 365 days) is the most direct measure of how well she fits my environment and the factor that has the most impact on profitability.

• Select replacements that will be moderate in mature size and with average milk production. Reproductive performance primarily is driven by proper nutrition, and nutrition requirements are dependent on size and genetic capacity to milk.

For instance, while nursing a calf, a 1,300-pound cow needs more than 10 percent more total dry matter intake, protein and energy than a 1,100-pound cow. After weaning, although both cows have lower nutrient requirements, that difference in their needs remains. Cows that fail to rebreed are often too big and/or produce too much milk for available resources and management to support.

See REBUILD, Page 9

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November 2014 — Issue 2

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News Carpenter, from Page 3 the establishment of the USDA’s official grades of beef, pork and lamb. The value of U.S. livestock produced in the United States is based on this research and established U.S. meat products as the world standard.”

Carpenter’s career with the Texas A&M University System spans 35 years as a respected professor in the department of animal science and leader in animal science, meat science and Extension administration.

Carpenter began his career at Texas A&M as an assistant professor of meat science in 1962 and rose to the rank of full professor of animal science in 1971.

He served as department head for animal science beginning in 1978, and director of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, now Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, beginning in 1982. In 1988, he was named associate vice chancellor for agriculture for the Texas A&M University System.

Carpenter retired in 1997.

In 1985, Carpenter gained national attention when he launched issue-based Extension programming in Texas. This approach sought greater involvement by community members in planning and developing local Extension education programs.

This approach became a model for other Extension programs across the state and at the national level.

Carpenter has won numerous awards for his outstanding leadership and his contributions in research, teaching and Extension.

The department of animal science established an award in his honor in 1998 for his contributions to the university and the meat industry. The Zerle L. Carpenter Outstanding Graduate Student Award in Meat Science is presented annually to a graduate student in the department’s meat science section whose outstanding leadership skills have contributed significantly to the section’s teaching, research and Extension activities.

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The Land & Livestock Post

News

Four-state cattle conference set Dec. 10 in Texarkana ference will be held at the Four States Fairgrounds, 3700 E. 50th St., Texarkana, Arkansas.

Registration is $30, whether paid in advance or at the door, and includes a barbecue brisket lunch. Though there’s no discount for early registration, Triplett said those preregister-

By RoBeRt BuRns Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

TEXARKANA, Arkansas — Helping livestock producers take advantage of historically high markets and rebuilding herds will be just two of the presentations at this year’s Four States Cattle Conference on Dec. 10 in Texarkana, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county agent.

As in past years, the programming is designed specifically for the four-states region, which encompasses the contiguous corners of Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, said Brian Triplett, AgriLife Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Bowie County.

“This is a conference that brings together speakers from

See 4-STATE, Page 23

Photo courtesy of Rosalie Winard

Temple Grandin, a designer of livestock handling facilities and an animal science professor at Colorado State University, will be the featured speaker at the four-state cattle conference on Dec. 10 in Texarkana, Arkansas. four different universities in in one day that they would have one location, where producers to travel to four states to get othcan gain valuable information erwise,” Triplet said. The con-

The Land & Livestock Post

ing by Dec. 1 will be entered into a drawing for a VetGun, a $250 device for delivering insecticidefilled gel capsules to control horn flies and lice on cattle.

To register, send your name, organization, mailing address,

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November 2014 — Issue 2

Photo courtesy of Rosalie Winard

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Rebuild, from Page 5 In my experience, cows weighing 1,000 to 1,300 pounds at maturity and that are average milk producers seem to fit the spectrum of environments in this area the best.

• Select replacements that increase the uniformity of the herd in breed makeup, size and stage of reproduction. This will increase the uniformity of the calf crop, which numerous studies show adds significant value to your product at marketing.

Data from Oklahoma indicates that a pen of six to 10 head of uniform calves can bring a premium of $7.50 per hundredweight compared to smaller, less uniform lots.

• If purchasing pregnant replacements, buy only females that are bred to calve early in your calving season, or even a month or two before your calving starts. This sets the new females

up for success, with the potential to stay in the early-calving part of your herd.

It’s a common objective to have at least 65 percent of calves born in the first 21 days of the calving season.

Logically, early-born calves will be heavier at weaning.

In fact, you give up 50 pounds of weaning weight for each 21day period into the season a calf is born. Of course, having at least 65 percent of your calves in a 21day period increases uniformity and value at marketing.

• Breed yearling heifers to calve a full month before the cow herd begins calving. This age-old recommendation still is valid. This gives them an extra month to be ready to breed along with the mature herd.

Be very deliberate when selecting replacements so that you come out on the other side with a more uniform, productive herd that fits your environment.

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News

Eagle Ford Shale boom will continue to fuel rural Texas

By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

COLLEGE STATION – Oil and gas drilling in the Eagle Ford Shale will continue to propel growth in rural Texas, but helping small businesses experience that same growth with a shortage of skilled labor will be a challenge, according to experts.

“Production is on the upswing compared to the 1970s,” said Rebekka Dudensing, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist, during a special farm program, part of the department of agricultural economics’ tailgate activities at the AgriLife Center.

“How long is this going to last? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, they are expecting this to go on for quite some time. It does continue to be a very important part of our economy.”

One area of concern is manufacturing jobs in Texas. Dudensing said the concern is lack of skilled workers.

“Our challenge is to help small busi-

nesses stay alive in rural communities,” she said.

Employment along the Eagle Ford Shale has been good overall, Dudensing said. Oil and gas production has boosted sales tax revenue in the economies of rural Texas.

However, looking ahead, some of the grand challenges facing Texas are food, water and energy. She said some rural communities still have access problems to food retailers and have to drive long distances.

“Affordability and choices are other challenges,” Dudensing said. “When we talk about choices, we are talking specialty markets and the growing organic sector.”

Water quality and quantity also are important challenges to Texas in the future.

As Texas’s population grows, Dudensing said there are challenges to having enough electrical power while meeting climate change issues.

“Overall, as we look to the future, the

Texas population will be growing older, our state will become more diverse,” she said. “We need to be thinking long term about how we are going to meet these challenges.”

Joe Outlaw, co-director of the Agricultural Food and Policy Center at Texas A&M, said the new farm bill has a lot of moving parts and farmers will have to give careful consideration electing which type of program they choose.

To assist farmers, Outlaw said the center is nearing a release date for a new online decision aid.

Outlaw said farmers have to choose between Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage for their program crops. They also can reallocate base acres to crops planted on the farm anytime during 2009 to 2012.

Outlaw said these choices are complex and “we have a lot of work to do educating producers on these choices.”

“Producers don’t want to be wrong,”

Outlaw said, adding the online decision aid will help producers in determining which options are best for them.

Parr Rosson, head of the department of agricultural economics, said there are 700 undergraduates enrolled in agricultural economics compared to 600 a year ago.

There are 153 graduate students. Rosson credited the increase to the department’s diverse course offerings and the opportunities provided for students.

Meanwhile, Mariel Braun, a senior agricultural economics major, discussed her summer experience at the New York Stock Exchange, and graduate student Justin Benavidez discussed his summer intern experience with the House Agriculture Committee.

Rosson also gave special recognition to Danny Klinefelter, AgriLife Extension Service economist, who has funded an endowed AgriLife Extension specialist fund to further continue educational program efforts across the state.

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News

Growth spurt

Want to expand or intensify your operation?

By RoBeRt FeaRs Special to The Post

D

o you want more land and cattle so that you can be a larger producer? Expanding or intensifying a beef cattle operation may be a worthy goal but it is important to know why you want to grow.

Jason Fuchs, vice president of Capital Farm Credit in Temple, said the reasons for growth include the possibility of a higher income, increased efficiency through economies of scale, to take advantage of an opportunity, or improved quality of life.

The next question is, “What exactly will grow?” Answers probably are tied to limiting factors in your operation such as land, cattle, available time, necessity of coordinating with custom hire, ranch labor or technology.

“How will things change when the operation grows?” Fuchs said. “If the answer is nothing, then stop and don’t pursue the growth idea any further.

“Maybe the answer to the question can be quantified, or maybe not.

“If benefits from the change are greater than the cost, it’s time to take the next step, which is to seek opinions from those who have an interest in your success and listen to what they say. These people may be successful mentors, subject matter experts, or your lender.

“Once the decision to expand has been made, sources of funds to finance growth must be identified,” Fuchs said.

“A percentage of earnings can be retained to pay for expansion, although it is a very slow way to accumulate cash.

“Increased efficiencies can sometimes result in reduced costs and improvement of income which creates money for expansion. There may be an opportunity to merge with another entity such as

12

Photo courtesy of Robert Fears

Today farming and ranching are very capital intensive and more questions are asked by loan officers. Having needed information ready will improve the chances of securing the loan. a ranch, stocker operation, feedlot, or processing facility, depending upon the expansion objective.

“Assets can be inherited which facilitate growth or one may marry money.

Investment capital can be accepted from outside parties with investor expectations that the money will be recovered with an income through earnings gen-

erated by the business over a defined period.

“The most common method of financing expansion is to utilize leverage or borrowed funds.”

Utilizing leverage

“Borrowing money today is not as easy as it was in Grandpa’s era,” Fuchs

November 2014 — Issue 2

said.

“When Grandpa wanted to borrow money, the lender asked only one question, ‘Are you going to pay me back?’

Today the lender asks many more questions and there is a reason. Grandpa’s farm or ranch was a family operation and labor intensive. He borrowed what

See EXPAND, Page 13



The Land & Livestock Post

News Expand, from Page 12

Example of a balance sheet

he needed, but his leverage was low. Grandpa was land rich with high solvency, which means his assets far exceeded his liabilities.”

In today’s environment, a person who depends upon ranching or farming for primary income is involved in a large business that is capitalintensive. As did Grandpa, the grandson borrows what he needs, but has high leverage. Today’s rancher often leases land which reduces his net worth. With more leverage and a proportionate lower net worth, the risk in loaning grandson money is higher than it was with Grandpa; hence, more questions are asked by the lender.

“In utilizing leverage, there are some things to remember,” Fuchs said. “The lender has

limited, if any, information about your operation, particularly if you are a potential new client. So you need to educate the lender about your business by completing the firm’s application for credit in detail.

“On the application, explain who you are and exactly how much money you want. Show the lender what you have accomplished with a short writ-

ten history of the operation and income tax returns for the past three years. Let the lender know where you are financially by submitting an up-to-date balance sheet and a listing of assets and liabilities.”

The lender likely has no knowledge of your future plans, so an operation plan for the

See LOAN, Page 14

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News Loan, from Page 13 next year should be prepared and submitted with the loan application and other documents. In the plan, list realistic expenses in detail.

“If expansion is anticipated and estimated expenses for next year are the same as last year, the loan officer sees a red flag.

Expenses will increase with expansion. It is also important to be realistic in listing anticipated production and sales prices.”

After finances are documented for the loan office, it is a good idea to compare anticipated production with the Beef Cowcalf Standardized Performance Analysis. The analysis provides an opportunity to compare your production figures with the averages in your region.

If you are below average on several of the measurements, you may have difficulty in bor-

skills is inherently made on the quality and accuracy of the application for credit.”

Risk management

The question of whether to expand or intensify equates to how much risk the operator and lender want to manage.

Lenders are paid to manage risk and so are the operators, when they are successful. Risk Photo courtesy of Robert Fears

Do the necessary planning and financial analyses to determine whether the operation should be expanded. rowing money, because lenders provement in order to increase use area agricultural operation production. benchmarks to help make deci“Lenders place a lot of emsions on whether to finance exphasis in agricultural lending pansion. Their benchmarks are on character and management based on information in their skills,” Fuchs said. “If people loan portfolios. have a reputation for not payStandardized Performance ing their bills, their chances Analysis information can help may not be great for securing a identify areas that need imloan. Judgment of management

increases for the loan officer when the highest reliance is on individual management. More risk occurs for both the operator and loan office when capital is intensive and profit margins are low.

Risk also is increased for both parties by low owner equity, which is defined as the total assets of an entity minus its total liabilities.

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November 2014 — Issue 2

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The Land & Livestock Post

News

Cost of lime affects the economics of nitrogen use

By JON BIERMACHER and WADE BRORSEN The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

If you are not getting the coolseason forage production that you expect, low pH is a likely culprit.

Farmers in the Southern Great Plains typically apply significant quantities of ammonium-based nitrogen on their cool-season cereal forages — forages that commonly are grazed by stocker cattle. This practice has been shown to acidify the soils over time.

Lime typically is recommended and used to return the health of the soil back to the ideal pH range (6.0 to 6.5) for optimal production; however, applying lime to the soil is expensive. Recommendations about the optimal levels of nitrogen to apply to ce-

Photo courtesy of Iowa State University

Ag lime applied at 6.5 ton CCE/acre. real forages typically ignore the cost of lime.

In response to this issue, we conducted an economic study to determine the effect of considering the cost of lime on the current recommendations about the optimal level of nitrogen.

A long-term agronomic experiment conducted at the Noble Foundation’s Red River Farm near the community of Burneyville, Oklahoma, was used to establish the effect of liming, nitrogen fertilization rate and timing of application, and soil

pH dynamics on mixtures of rye-ryegrass pasture. Mixtures of rye-ryegrass were planted each year in early fall at a seeding rate of 10 pounds per acre. Six treatment levels of nitrogen were applied as (1) a single application in the fall at the time of planting, (2) in the spring as a topdress, or (3) in split applications with half in the fall and the other half in the spring.

Treatment rates were 0, 100, 150, 200, 300 and 400 pounds per acre per year. Effective calcium carbonate equivalent was applied to half of each plot in the study in 1996, 1998 and 2004 to raise soil pH levels to 6.0 to 6.5.

Lime rates ranged from 2,000 to 5,000 pounds per acre depending on the year and nitrogen treatment level. The split-plot application of lime provided the oppor-

tunity to measure forage yield for the six rates of nitrogen with and without lime.

Using data from this study, an equation representing the forage yield response to lime and nitrogen was estimated and used along with expected prices for forage, nitrogen in the form of urea (46-0-0), and lime in the form of 100 percent effective calcium carbonate equivalent to evaluate the producer’s expected net return per acre for a typical stocker cattle graze-out enterprise in south-central Oklahoma.

For a base-case market scenario, we used 45 cents per pound ($415 per ton) for the price of nitrogen and 1.5 cents per pound ($30 per ton) for the price (including application) of

See LIME, Page 20

Oct. 17 - W4 Ranch Production Sale.

Morgan, TX. 903-599-2403

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Events Calendar

Oct. 18 - Central Texas Beefmaster Breeders Assn. Beef “On” Forage Bull Sale. Brenham, TX.

October Oct. 2 - Jordan Cattle Auction Special Bull

Oct. 14 – Powel Herefords 17th Annual Production Sale. Ft. McKavett, TX. 325-6531688

Oct. 4 - Isa Cattle Co. Bull Sale. San Angelo,

Oct. 22- Texas Hereford Assn. Fall Classic Sale. Buffalo, TX.

Offerings. San Saba, TX. TX.

Oct. 4 - Heart of Texas Special Replacement

Female Sale. Groesbeck, TX. 903-599-2403

Oct. 4 – Four County Auction Center Inc.

Fall Consignment Sale. Industry, TX. 979-3572545

Oct. 8 - R.A. Brown Ranch Bull Sale.

Oct. 24 - Oak Creek Farms Seminar.

Chappell Hill, TX.

Oct. 25 - Oak Creek Farms Forage Tested Brangus Bull Sale. Chappell Hill, TX. Oct. 25 - 44 Farms Angus Production Sale.

Cameron, TX.

Throckmorton, TX. 940-849-0611

Oct. 11 - South Texas Beefmaster Breeders Assn. Buccaneer Classic Sale. Robstown, TX.

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Oct. 11- CX Advantage Brangus Sale.

Weimar, TX.

November 2014 — Issue 2

Do you have a sale or event you’d like listed?

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To advertise in the Ag Directory call Jesse Wright. (979) 731-4721 • jesse.wright@theeagle.com

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News Canola as a crop to be discussed at Plant Protection Conference Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin

By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Canola production will be one of several sessions featured at the Texas Plant ProtectionAssociation conference scheduled Dec. 10-11 at the Brazos Center in Bryan.

Canola cropping practices will be featured at the Texas Plant Protection Association Conference Dec. 10-11 at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan.

Clark Neely, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service small grains and oilseed specialist in College Station, will give an overview of growing canola and its potential in Texas.

“Researchers and producers are always on the lookout for new alternative crops to help diversify cropping rotations and spread out economic risk,” Neely said.

“In the past decade, canola acres have rapidly expanded to over 300,000 acres across the Southern Great Plains, and the growing infrastructure provides a realistic

The Land & Livestock Post

future for canola in Texas.”

Neely said much research is needed on this new crop under

Texas environments to establish yield goals and best management practices.

This year’s conference theme is the future use of water and its impact on agriculture.

“Water availability is paramount for agricultural produc-

See CANOLA, Page 18

SALE EACH SATURDAY

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November 2014 — Issue 2

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News Canola, from Page 17 tion and certainly is of utmost concern to everyone in Texas,” said Ray Smith, association chairman. “This conference will feature several presentations from leading experts across the state.”

Travis Miller, interim director for state operations forAgriLife Extension, will be one of the featured speakers during the opening general session Dec. 10.

John Nielsen-Gammon, Texas state climatologist, and Carlos Rubinstein, chairman of the Texas Water Development Board, also will be general session featured speakers.

Other presentations during the general session will focus on water conservation, comparative irrigation methods, agricultural innovations from industry in dealing with climate change and a Texas farmer’s perspective on dealing with water management.

Afternoon sessions on Dec. 10

18

Photo courtesy of Oklahoma Farm Report

The 2015 winter canola crop is off to a good start in a field in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma. will include a look at the impact of the Texas drought on wildlife, unmanned aerial vehicles in agriculture, and decision and precision applications of nitrogen.

The second day of the conference will feature sessions on grain, cotton, horticulture, turf,

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November 2014 — Issue 2

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News Lime, from Page 15 lime. The price of forage was determined as the cost of beef gain (dollars per pound) divided by the pounds of forage required by a typical stocker animal to produce a pound of gain. For a basecase cost of gain of 45 cents per pound, we assumed a price of forage equal to 4.5 cents per pound.

When considering the cost of lime, the economical optimal recommended level of nitrogen was reduced by about 20 pounds per acre (i.e., from 150 to 130 pounds per acre).

The Noble Foundation recommends testing soils each year for nutrient content and pH level.

As soil pH levels fall into acidic levels, we recommend applying lime to restore the productive health of the soil. Considering the economics of applying nitrogen every year and lime once every three to five years, producers would be better off to reduce their applications of nitrogen by about 10 to 15 percent from their normal optimal levels and use the saving each year for anticipated lime applications.

Complete details of the economic study can be found in:

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Lime is typically recommended and used to return the health of the soil back to the ideal pH range (6.0 to 6.5) for optimal production of cool-season cereal forages.

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The Land & Livestock Post

News LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT Brazos Valley

Results of the Brazos Valley Livestock Commission’s Oct. 28 sale: Head: 1,005 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $339-$410; 300400 lbs., $314-$370; 400-500 lbs., $250$340; 500-600 lbs., $229-$295; 600-700 lbs., $214-$250; 700-800 lbs., $220-$228.

Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $294-$370; 300400 lbs., $264-$320; 400-500 lbs., $229$275; 500-600 lbs., $220-$250; 600-700 lbs., $195-$229; 700-800 lbs., $195-$210.

Slaughter bulls: $110-$130.

Slaughter cows: $80-$120.

Bred cows: $1,300-$2,100.

Caldwell

Results of the Caldwell Livestock Commission’s Oct. 29 sale: Head: 500 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $300-$360; 300400 lbs., $263-$310; 400-500 lbs., $260$312; 500-600 lbs., $240-$285; 600-700

Groesbeck

Results of the Groesbeck Auction & Livestock Co.’s Oct. 30 sale: Head: 680 Steers: 300-400 lbs., $300-$360; 400500 lbs., $275-$320; 500-600 lbs., $250$305; 600-700 lbs., $210-$250.

Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $260-$345; 400500 lbs., $245-$315; 500-600 lbs., $218$282; 600-700 lbs., $200-$245.

Slaughter bulls: $120-$131.

Slaughter cows: $80-$122.

Bred cows: $1,400-$2,900.

Cow/calf pairs: $1,800-$3,500.

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Results of the Jordan Cattle Auction’s Oct. 30 sale: Head: 4,826 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $310-$350; 300400 lbs., $300-$342.50; 400-500 lbs., $270-$337; 500-600 lbs., $235-$312.50; 600-700 lbs., $220-$256; 700-800 lbs, $210-$231.

Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $300-$360; 300400 lbs., $275-$327; 400-500 lbs., $240$327; 500-600 lbs., $220-$270; 600-700 lbs., $210-$238; 700-800 lbs., $200-$224.

Slaughter bulls: $120-$139.

Slaughter cows: $97-$139.

Bred cows: $1,025-$4,100.

Cow/calf pairs: $1,875-$3,700.

Milano

Results of the Milano Livestock Exchange’s Oct. 14 sale: Steers: 300-400 lbs., $221-$341; 400500 lbs., $247-$313; 500-600 lbs., $217$301; 600-700 lbs., $196-$223.

Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $236-$311; 400-

500 lbs., $230-$311; 500-600 lbs., $209$277; 600-700 lbs., $193-$223.

Slaughter bulls: $120-$130.

Slaughter cows: $81-$118.

Bred cows: $1,350-$1,850.

Navasota

Results of the Navasota Livestock Auction Co.’s Oct. 25 sale: Head: 1,784 Steers: 150-300 lbs., $200-$430; 300400 lbs., $200-$355; 400-500 lbs., $175$310; 500-600 lbs., $160-$295; 600-700 lbs., $155-$242.50.

Heifers: 150-300 lbs., $195-$370; 300400 lbs., $185-$310; 400-500 lbs., $175$280; 500-600 lbs., $165-$285; 600-700 lbs., $160-$230.

Slaughter bulls: $100-$134.

Slaughter cows: $85-$115.

Stocker cows: $1,200-$3,000.

Cow/calf pairs: $1,800-$3,000.

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Heifers: 268-330 lbs., $268-$330; 300400 lbs., $263-$310; 400-500 lbs., $250$297; 500-600 lbs., $216-$250; 600-700 lbs., $208-$250; 700-800 lbs., $187-$200.

Slaughter bulls: $117-$152.

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Stocker cows: $1,100-$2,075.

Cow/calf pairs: $2,150-$2,650.

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November 2014 — Issue 2

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November 2014 — Issue 2

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The Land & Livestock Post

News 4-State, from Page 7 phone number and email along with a check or money order payable to Clark County CES, 640 S. 6th St., Suite B, Arkadelphia, AR 71923.

Speakers will include Temple Grandin, a designer of livestock handling facilities and an animal science professor at Colorado State University; Paul Beck, University of Arkansas beef cattle nutrition researcher; Brian Freking, Oklahoma State University regional livestock specialist; Ryon Walker, Louisiana State University assistant professor of beef cattle at the Hill Farm Research Station in Homer, Louisiana; Stan Bevers, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension economist in Vernon; Jason Banta, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist; and Ron Strahan, Louisiana State University weed management specialist.

Early morning presentations will include “How to Reduce

Stress on Cattle During Handling” by Grandin, and “Making Sense Out of Cattle Markets” by Bevers.

After a mid-morning break and refreshments, concurrent breakout sessions will include: “Heifer Selection and Development: Which Ones Will Be More Profitable?” by Banta, “Managing Winter Annual Pastures for Stocker Cattle” by Beck, and “Weed Management in Southern Pastures” by Strahan.

Following lunch and a trade show, the concurrent sessions will be repeated and then followed at 2 p.m. by demonstrations on heifer selection by Banta, and a processing and branding demonstration by Freking.

The event will conclude about 4 p.m., Triplett said.

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We are thankful for our abundance . . . and for those who produce it.

Amen.

Serving Agriculture Since 1943

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November 2014 — Issue 2

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