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January 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News From the General Manager
T
here is always a lot of speculation at the start of a new year. Sometimes there is an optimistic outlook, sometimes a pessimistic one, but one thing is certain and that is that no one knows for certain what the future will hold. Heck, I could win the lottery tomorJESSE WRIGHT row or get hit by a bus — either of which would result in an abrupt halt to this column. But, barring sudden wealth or absence of health, I’ll keep plugging along. I’m not much for resolutions, but if I have one for this year it would be just that: Keep plugging along. Too often we get caught up in the things around us and lose sight of our main objective, which is to do a little better every day. Markets rise and fall, sometimes it rains and sometimes it doesn’t, and this time of year it gets dark at 5:30 p.m. I can’t do anything about any of that, but I can try to do as much as possible before the sun sets in the early afternoon, and then get up and do it again tomorrow. One prospect I’m not too optimistic about for the upcoming year is my family discovering
oil on their place. My family’s land is in the Texas Hill Country, and if you drill down through the rock, you are most likely to find more rock. It’s just as well, I wouldn’t want any oil on my place anyway. I just couldn’t sleep at night knowing I was resting on top of dinosaur innards; that’s just disgusting. But if you happen to have the stomach for it, and can stand to be on a place with oil and gas, then you may need to know a thing or two about easements. In our cover story, we take a look at oil and gas easements and what to watch out for to keep them from interfering too much with your cattle operation. In this issue we also have our Vet’s Voice feature as well as a lot of other stories and information from around the industry. Hope you enjoy it and, as always, thanks for reading. ’Til next time,
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The Land & Livestock Post
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January 2016 — Issue 1
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News Southwest Beef Symposium to be Jan. 13-14 in Roswell, New Mexico By Steve ByrnS Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
ROSWELL, New Mexico — The Southwest Beef Symposium, an educational forum tailored for beef producers in the Southwest, will be conducted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service on Jan. 13-14 at the Roswell Convention Center, 921 N. Main St. in Roswell, New Mexico. “Looking to the Future” is again the theme of this year’s conference, said Bruce Carpenter, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist in Fort Stockton. “We are currently experiencing a bit of a correction in the beef cattle market after years of high prices. While this should come as no surprise to most seasoned cattlemen, it still will take some getting used to. Our program this year will deal with ways to stay profitable while making the adjustment to somewhat lower returns. We’ll also cover a host of other topics
cattlemen should be apprised of now and into the coming year. “Our ultimate goal for this annual symposium, which alternates between Texas and New Mexico, is to provide producers with timely information about current industry issues and practical management, and I think this year’s program will easily accomplish those goals,” Carpenter said Individual registration is $75, by Jan. 8 and $95 thereafter. Go to swbs.nmsu.edu to register and for more program details. The opening session from 1-5 p.m. Jan. 13 will include: • “Global Markets and How They Are Affecting U.S. Beef,” Leann Saunders, Where Food Comes From Inc. and IMI Global president and CEO, Castle Rock, Colorado. • “Sustainability — What is it Really? What Does it Mean in the World?,” Ted McCollum, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, Amarillo. • “Where Has Source/Process Verification Led Us?,” Saunders and Butch May-
field, Superior Livestock, Fort Worth. • “Key Performance Indicators: Targets for Ranches,” Stan Bevers, AgriLife Extension economist, Vernon. Topics to be covered Jan. 14 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. include: • “Using Expected Progeny Differences or EPDs to Accomplish Things,” Marcy Ward, New Mexico Cooperative Extension livestock specialist, Las Cruces, New Mexico. • “Beef Genomics 101,” Kent Andersen, Zoetis Animal Health, Lincoln, Nebraska. • “Residual Feed Intake: What Is It? What Are the Implications?,” Gordon Carstens, Texas A&M University animal nutrition professor, College Station. • “Fetal Programming: What Is It: Is It for Real? Is It Predictable? How Should It Influence My Management Decisions?,” Eric Scholljegerdes, New Mexico State ruminant nutritionist, Las Cruces, New Mexico. • “The Veterinary Feed Directive: What
Is It? What Do I Need to Know?,” John Wenzel New Mexico State Extension veterinarian. • “Weather and Climate Outlook,” Brian Bledsoe, KKTV consultant and chief meteorologist, Colorado Springs, Colorado. • “What About Wildfire and Prescribed Fire This Year?,” Morgan Russell, AgriLife Extension range specialist, San Angelo. For more information, contact Carpenter at 432-336-8585 or emailk him at bruce. carpenter@ag.tamu.edu.
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January 2016 — Issue 1
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News
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January 2016 — Issue 1
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News
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
The Texas Agriculture Law Blog written by Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agricultural law specialist in Amarillo, recently was recognized as one of the best in the nation.
Blog, from Page 3 ing in the top 100 last year, her blog received an average of 7,000 views a month. It now receives an average of 23,000, she said, and can be found at agrilife.org/ texasaglaw/. Dowell Lashmet said readers can subscribe by following the instructions on the website to begin receiving each blog post by email. It is the only agricultural law blog on the “Blawg 100” list, Dowell Lashmet said. The Blawg 100, selected from the more than 4,000 legal blogs in its directory, is what the ABA Journal terms “the best in blogs about lawyers and the law.” The list of blogs can be found at bit.ly/1OcG3Av. The journal has been recognizing the blogs for the past seven years, according to the information provided. When starting her blog, Dowell Lashmet said she wanted to come up with another way to reach people with current agricultural law news. She said she knew she could reach only so many people through meetings and presentations. She now has 950 subscribers. Now Dowell Lashmet regularly speaks to other attorneys, producers, Realtors and ag business people through her blog about issues such as the proposed “waters of the United States” rule, landowner liability and recently decided cases.
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She also features a “Weekly Round Up” of ag law news each Friday and a series called “Questions from Tiffany’s Desk” where she takes questions she receives a n d a n swe r s them on the blog. “Probably the most popular recent blog post was one I wrote to answer the question of how people can determine whether LASHMET they hold the mineral rights to their land,” Dowell Lashmet said. “It received a great deal of attention.” One online comment to that blog came from Bruce Liesman, who said, “I have been a title insurance underwriting attorney for 30 years and a Texas ranch landowner with mineral ownership in a very active zone. I congratulate you on the best and most complete answer to the determination of mineral ownership question that I have ever seen.” Dowell Lashmet, who grew up on a family ranch in New Mexico, was previously an associate attorney with the law firm of Peifer, Hanson and Mullins in Albuquerque. She earned her law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law and bachelor’s degree in agribusiness from Oklahoma State University.
January 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News Looking to agriculture innovations By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas agriculture industry leaders, producers and university researchers heard the latest in emerging innovations for agriculture at the 27th Texas Plant Protection Association Conference in Bryan recently. “Innovations for Texas Agriculture — Strategies for Implementation” was the theme of the conference. The challenge will be producing enough food to meet an ever-expanding world population, according to experts. “In looking at the theme for this year’s conference, I’m reminded this comes at a very good time for us. We need to think about doubling food production over the next 35 years to meet the anticipated world food demands of
9 billion people by the year 2050,” said Mark Hussey, vice chancellor and dean of agriculture and life sciences at Texas A&M University, College Station during his opening remarks. “To achieve this goal, it’s going to take continued technological innovations, new and stronger partnerships between public and private sectors, and increased awareness by the citizens of this country on the importance of food production systems — not only in protecting the economic well-being and vitality of rural communities, but the role in protecting our national security.” Hussey cited the late Nobel Prize winner Norman Borlaug, who was distinguished professor of international agriculture at Texas A&M, reminding attendees the importance of agriculture: “Everything in this world
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin
Former U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm provided the keynote address during the general session of the Texas Plant Protection Association Conference recently in Bryan. can wait; agriculture cannot.” Former U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm, senior policy advisor with OWA Law in Washington, D.C., was the featured general session speaker. He discussed current politics and policy in the U.S. and made a call for the return of regular order in Congress. “Our political system is broken, and there is good reason that 85 percent of you say that in poll after poll it is broken,” Stenholm said. “I’m in agriculture, and I’m an optimist. We are going to fix it, and you are the ones who are
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News Future, from Page 7 going to fix it.” Stenholm said regarding the future of the U.S., “There are a lot of questions. We now owe $18.8 trillion, soon to be $19 trillion, and $80 trillion in unfunded liabilities. Anybody in business ... knows that can’t go on.” Stenholm said when evaluating agriculture policy, agriculture is in the minority. “We are the minority. Accept it,” he said. He said to fix the current system, there needs to be a return to “regular order,” directly referencing House Speaker Paul Ryan’s recent pledge. Stenholm said when it comes to the future of agriculture, it’s going to take assembling the best ideas (of ) research, Extension educators, farmers and ranchers. “If (the idea) requires legislation, then get it in bill form, introduce it, get it referred to the appropriate committee, hear from special inter-
est groups, have the mark up and let people with different ideas vote. Let’s then introduce amendments, put it together and improve the legislation and improve it by getting a majority.” He recalled his time spent as a lobbyist, or as an “educator” for the oil and gas industry. “I’ve spent a lot of time trying to keep the oil and gas industry and agriculture together instead of fighting,” he said. “That’s a difficult thing to do. The last time I checked, you can’t produce food, feed, fiber and fertilizer without oil and gas. That’s not going to change in the next 30 to 40 years based on anything we know today based on science. And you can’t produce oil and gas today without food, feed, fuel and fertilizer. “And all 320 million Americans can’t do without both of us (agriculture, oil and gas). “That’s the kind of coalition we need to do a better job of talking about and finding supporters in
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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin
Mark Hussey, vice chancellor and dean of agriculture and life sciences at Texas A&M University,provided opening remarks during the 27th Texas Plant Protection Association Conference held recently in Bryan. the U.S. Congress on both sides of the aisle.” Stenholm said Congress needs to do a better job of fixing the problem instead of having a political issue. Issues such as climate change and water quality are issues that will continue to affect agriculture. He said ‘good ideas’ need to be developed and taken to Congress to facilitate research funding. “That’s where a lot of you in this room come in,” he said. “Thinking ahead, what kind of research do we need to provide so we have a good story to take to our good friends in Congress and get 218 votes? The other side out there is saying we don’t need you. But how is the world going to feed itself without new technology?”
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January 2016 — Issue 1
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News BIG, from Page 5 cotton. He will also evaluate yield potential with 2,4-D and Dicamba drift damage. The cotton session also will feature a cotton root rot update, plus discussions on new cotton varieties and other topics affecting the industry. Immediately following the session, the Blackland Cotton and Grain Association will have its meeting, according to session organizers. Topics to be discussed include an update on cottonseed classified as oilseed, and changes in 2,4-D regulations to allow use of new cottonseed technologies. Registration for the main Blackland Income Growth Conference is $20 per person and includes lunch. Several sessions will award continuing education units. Producers can download the brochure at bit.ly/1WwKzd4 to see specific continuing education credit allocations, sessions and speakers.
Photo courtesy of lubbocktx.tamu.edu
Cotton root rot is a destructive fungal plant disease that can attack more than 2,000 plant species, most imrtantly from an economic standpoint, cotton, ornamentals and fruit, nut and sahde tress, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Texas Plant Disease Handbook. Producers also will be able to take part in the Mid-Texas Farm and Ranch Show at the convention center. Vendors and agricultural equipment dealers will be on hand to showcase the latest in farm supplies and implements. The keynote luncheon speaker Jan. 5 will be Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, a diverse alliance that works to create opportunities across the agriculture supply chain for improvements in productivity, environmental quality and human well-being. He will present “Defining, Measuring and Advancing Sustainability in Agriculture.”
The Land & Livestock Post
January 2016 — Issue 1
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News Commodity market outlook remains bleak By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
AMARILLO — There’s a big bear sitting on all the agriculture markets right now, according to Steve Amosson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist in Amarillo. Amosson was only one person who talked about 2016 commodity markets during the recent Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show, but the message was the same, regardless of meeting or speaker. Abundant carryover stocks, both domestically and globally, along with a flat demand due to dependence on exports and the strength of the dollar currently were the basis of the expected lower prices, the speakers said. John Anderson, American Farm Bureau deputy chief economist from Washington, D.C., said the markets are in a transition phase. “The foreign markets have slowed down and production has caught up,”
Anderson said. “We’ve been on the positive side and now we are going through the negative. It’s a challenging time.” Anderson said the net farm income is down more than 50 percent from two years ago, requiring a big adjustment and one that must take place in a different policy environment. His outlook: feed grains and wheat are not good and probably getting worse over the next year; cotton is not good and while it is getting better, it is improving too slowly to matter. Amosson said world wheat production generally has been moving up, but the past three years have been record production years. The European Union and the former Soviet Union both have had excellent crops and are major competitors to U.S. wheat in the export market. “There are a lot of people in this game besides us and with the dollar so strong, it is making it hard for us to compete,”
he said. Australia and India are looking dry, so that might help if their crop is limited as they are big producers, Amosson said. He advised producers that the farm bill payment might be triggered, helping offset the low price, and this may be the year where haying and grazing of wheat might be more attractive alternatives than harvesting grain. But, this decision should be made as late as possible when more is known about the relative prices of each alternative. “If wheat prices follow their normal seasonality, you may want to split your grain sales and market 50 percent early,” Amosson said. “We might see some early year rallies, so wait until February to evaluate your marketing alternatives.” Anderson said it definitely will be a tough marketing environment as farmers look ahead to 2016 planting decisions.
NY outpaces nation ALBANY, New York (AP) — New York state is outpacing the U.S. as a whole when it comes to agricultural sales. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the state’s sales from items such as dairy, fruit, vegetables and poultry and eggs have risen 36 percent since 2010. The national increase over the same period was 32 percent. The Democratic governor says the state is working to reduce red tape and encourage all aspects of the state’s agricultural economy. The state is a leading national source of apples and yogurt. Dairy products alone were responsible for half of the state’s agricultural receipts in 2014. Some of the biggest increases in the past five years came from the sale of other products, however, including peaches, honey, hay and poultry.
Jan.23 Texas Angus Assn. Stars of Texas Female Sale, Fort Worth, TX
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Events Calendar January Jan.7 Jordan Cattle Auction Special Replacement Female Sale, San Saba, TX Jan.9 Live Oak BBA Bull Sale, Three Rivers, TX Jan.11 Jordan Cattle Auction Special Stocker & Feeder Sale, Mason, TX Jan.14 Jordan Cattle Auction Stocker-Feeder & Premium Weaned Sale, San Saba, TX Jan.16 The Premier Texas Longhorn Sale, Fort Worth, TX Jan.16 AQHA Best of the Remuda Sale, Fort Worth, TX Jan.16 National Santa Gertrudis Sale, Fort Worth, TX Jan.16 Violeta Ranch Beefmaster Production Sale, Hebbronville, TX Jan.17 Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show Invitational Ranch Horse Show and Sale,
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Fort Worth, TX Jan.22 Texas Angus Assn. Best of the West Angus Bull Sale, Fort Worth, TX
Jan.23 Jordan Cattle Auction January Replacement Female Sale, San Saba, TX Jan.28 Jordan Cattle Auction Special Bull Offering Pat Griswold Bull Sale, San Saba, TX Jan.29 Cowtown Cattle Drive Charolais Sale, Fort Worth, TX Jan.29 Buzzard Hollow Ranch Bull Sale, Granbury, TX Jan.29 The Cowtown Classic Limousin Cattle Sale, Fort Worth, TX Jan.30 Fort Worth Red Angus Showcase Sale, Fort Worth, TX Jan.30 Dennis Charolais Farm & Guests BeefGene Charolais Bull Sale, Sulphur Springs, TX Jan.31 Fort Worth National “Cowtown Select” Hereford and Polled Hereford Sale, Fort Worth, TX Jan.31 47th Annual Whiteface Replacement Female Sale, Fort Worth, TX
Do you have a sale or event you’d like listed? Call Jesse Wright at (979) 731-4721 or email jesse. wright@theeagle.com
January 2016 — Issue 1
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News Cartoonist draws last ‘Stampede’ CASPER, Wyoming (AP) — Jerry Palen, creator of the Stampede comic strip for more than 40 years, is retiring and has stopped producing new cartoons on Jan. 1. Palen, 73, cited health and wanting to spend more time with family. Palen, who lives in the small southcentral Wyoming town of Saratoga, quit his job as a bank examiner in 1973 to start producing the comic strip that features a lovable agricultural couple, Flo and Elmo. Stampede became a weekly syndicated cartoon feature in both the United States and Canada, reaching an audience of more than 2 million readers via newspapers and magazines. “Being a cartoonist is a wonderful job,” Palen told the Casper Star-Tribune (bit.ly/1Tu8LMu). “You go to work in your pajamas and you quit in your pajamas.” But rheumatoid arthritis makes it difficult for him to produce the cartoon
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Nichole L. Ballard/The Rawlins Daily Times via AP, File
Jerry Palen talks about one of his favorite bronze pieces, The Desperado, in his home in Saratoga, Wyoming.Palen,creator of the Stampede comic strip for more than 40 years, is retiring and has stopped producing new cartoons on Jan. 1. He cited health and wanting to spend more time with family. because his hands swell and the medicine he takes makes it hard to concentrate and stay awake. Palen said the key to his comic strip was listening to people he met in real life. “‘My wife did this today, or my husband did this today,’ and I would write it down real fast and go home and draw a cartoon about it,” Palen said. “That’s the secret. Just listening to what people have to say, and listening to their stories. You can learn a lot just listening.” Palen also created bronze sculptures and oil paintings. He said he will continue making the popular Stampede calendar.
January 2016 — Issue 1
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News
Feeling gassy?
Manage oil and gas easements: negotiate and monitor By RoBeRt FeaRs Special to The Post
M
any Texas cattle ranchers find themselves dealing with the effects of oil and gas production on their properties. Dealing with those effects takes some special knowledge and forebearance. Land surface disturbance resulting from oil and gas production involves more than pads for well sites. Normally, all-weather roads, pipelines, and utility lines are needed to transport equipment, product, and electrical power. “An easement for ingress and egress issued to a group for deer hunting on the back 50 acres is probably not a terrible ordeal for a landowner; but when the easement is for an oil and gas developer, it can be quite a different experience,” said Kent Schuster, an attorney with offices in Hearne and Austin. The developer must have access to the drill site with all of its trucks and employees up until development begins and then afterward to maintain the well. For the landowner, it can mean an intense amount of traffic and surface damage during the time the well is being drilled. “If a person owns the surface and mineral rights, then he or she will have a considerable advantage in negotiating location of the easement. Often times, however, the surface estate owner does not own the mineral estate and is forced to deal with a company that has already leased the property for oil and gas development,” Schuster said. “In this situation the law of the state of Texas and public policy favors the developer because production of oil and gas resources is deemed good for the state,” Schuster said. “By law the mineral estate takes preference over the surface estate. The rancher raising cattle and growing hay has to suffer
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Photos by Robert Fears
Lease agreements should stipulate that all equipment be removed after the area no longer is producing. Lease documents should be as detailed as possible, indicating who is responsible for all aspects of the oil and gas drilling and production process. On the cover: Land owners should request that oil companies fence around pump jacks to avoid livestock injury. the consequences if the mineral estate owner leases the property for oil and gas development. “Reimbursement for surface damages is usually included in lease agreements;
but management of the surface is often not mentioned. The landowner must do his or her best to negotiate location of the easement, an agreed upon amount for surface damages, and whether or
January 2016 — Issue 1
not he or she wants the easement to terminate and any roadway that is to be removed at the end of production.”
See LEASE, Page 13
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Photo by Robert Fears
What’s wrong with this picture? The road was not built for all weather; equipment was left after production ceased; the electric line still is in place. Situations such as this can be avoided by spelling out in the lease who is responsible for cleanup when oil and gas production as syopped and then keeping close watch on the oil and gas company to ensure it lives up to the agreement.
Lease, from Page 12 “Agreed upon management of surface rights is not automatically guaranteed when the lease or agreement is signed,” said Jeff Petter, a consultant with Catoico Resource Management LP. “Normally transportation systems are established by contractors, who haven’t read or even seen the agreement; so it is important to keep tabs on easement construction and use. It is too late to request the company to follow agreement terms after construction is completed; so make sure the construction crew is fully aware of any unique terms in the agreement prior to their entry onto the property.” Petter said, “Before signing a lease or agreement, read it and make sure you understand it. If
you don’t understand the legal terms, ask your attorney or some other knowledgeable person to explain them to you. It is very important to know what’s in the document.”
Keep records
“Anything and everything that a landowner expects from the developer should be documented in writing,” Schuster said. “Telephone conversations are often forgotten by mistake or because they no longer benefit the oil/gas producer.” “Agreed upon dates for initiation and completion of required tasks are an important part of the lease. Enter the dates on a calendar or spreadsheet to aid in monitoring activity. Entries may include dates for tasks such as clearing brush, digging ditches for pipelines,
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and setting utility poles. Often landowners ask that rights-ofway construction be scheduled around ranch activities such as lambing, cattle shipment, or hunting,” Petter said. The landowner should try to establish a good rapport with a designated contact person in the oil company and be flexible on initiation and completion dates if unavoidable delays occur due to weather or other unpreventable events. In turn, the oil company should understand why the landowner asks for a work schedule change when a roundup is delayed due to lack of labor or some other uncontrollable factor. Work performed by the oil company has to be monitored to ensure that the performance dates are
See RIGHTS, Page 14
January 2016 — Issue 1
landandlivestockpost.com landa And sign up today for Land & Livestock Post news to be delivered to your e-mail inbox. 13
News Vet’s, from Page 15 followed.
Measure and count
Allowable size and number of easements and well sites usually are stated in the surface lease, which allows the land manager to measure and count installations to ensure that the document is followed. This is important because oil and gas production can take a sizeable amount of land out of agriculture. A 50-foot wide easement uses six acres of land for every mile in length. The pad for a well that is fracked can consume up to five acres. It is very wise to check the company’s measurements, due to the amounts of money that are paid for surface damages. The possibility of additional compensation could make the effort worthwhile. Another reason for measuring and counting is for calculation of remaining agricultural land regardless of whether it is for farming or grazing. A reduction in grazing land requires destocking and less farmland could result in loss of crop production. The downsizing of any agricultural enterprise may provide an opportunity to sell equipment that no longer is needed. Fixed costs are usually the largest drains on profit and selling equipment reduces depreciation and maintenance expenses. “Request the oil or gas company to cross the least productive land with easements and position roads to provide the most beneficial ranch use,” Petter said. “Most oil companies are willing to locate easements according to the landowner’s requests provided they are reasonable. The needs of both parties are addressed if the requested locations require less construction costs.” “The landowner will be beneficiary of an all-weather road, built by the developer, which in-
14
cludes its use 24 hours per day, seven days a week,” Schuster said. “So there can be benefits from working close with the developer and construction crews.”
Remember the livestock
Oil field equipment and cattle are not a good mix unless a fence separates the two entities. attle are curious, particularly calves, and they will wander into equipment areas just to see what is going on. “Head and neck injuries in cattle commonly occur when pump jacks are not enclosed with fence,” said Glenn Rogers, DVM, consultant and owneroperator of Holt River Ranch. “Injuries range from fractured jaws to crushed heads, sometimes resulting in death.” “Ditching for pipelines can cause problems for livestock,” said Petter. “Contractors often dig a trench, and then return the next week to lay pipe and backfill. The ditch may be dug between the herd and their source of water. When cattle get thirsty, they are going to try to cross the ditch. We know of several cases where cattle have fallen into a ditch and became seriously injured.” “If moving cattle from the pasture is not feasible, then require the contractor to install and cover pipelines the same day the ditch is dug,” Petter said. “The ranch manager needs to monitor progress of pipeline construction so he knows when to move cattle to retain water access.”
funding from the oil and gas producer, but that they take responsibility for getting the work done,” Petter said. “Normally oilfield contractors don’t have the expertise for seeding grass or preparing agricultural sites. It is better that landowners or ranch managers act as the general contractor for restoration work or do it themself. Additional money can be made doing the work with ranch crews.” Catoico uses the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department bulletin “Voluntary Conservation Practices” as a guide for balancing wildlife conservation, agricultural production, and oil and gas development in one management plan. Topics discussed in the bulletin include: • Management Practices: Minimize Impacts to Natural Resources • Planning: Before the Drilling and Development Begins
Photo by Robert Fears
All weather roads can be a benefit to the land owner from surface leases. (Practices that should be detailed in the surface agreement.) • Operations to reduce environmental impact and surface damage (as dictated by the sur-
face lease). • Reclamations during and after production • Monitoring The bulletin can be obtained at tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/ land/private/voluntary-conservation-practices/. Most oil and gas producing companies strive to be good land stewards and try to please the landowner. Landowners, in turn, need to be reasonable in their demands and develop a good working relationship with the producer. Let the lessee know of your expectations by writing them into the lease. Then monitor the oil company’s activities on your property and adhere to your obligations written in the document. Oil and gas production are beneficial enterprises for the agricultural producer, if good relationships exist between the two parties.
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January 2016 — Issue 1
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News
Learn how to address the ‘5 M’s’ of down cattle By Dr. MEREDYTH JONES Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
I
n nature, cattle and other grazing species exist at the bottom of the food chain. From a survival standpoint, in the face of an illness, they are wired to try to appear healthy and fit until they simply cannot fake it anymore. As a prey species, if cattle appear weak, they become a target for predators. For this reason, owners must be alert to even the most minor signs of illness in order to initiate treatment early to increase the chance of success. With this in mind, we know that very severe illness or injury must be present for an
Vet’s Voice animal to be unwilling or unable to stand. For this reason, anytime an animal is unable to rise, it critically is important that a correct diagnosis of the problem be made as soon as it isfound and proper treatment initiated. Most of the causes of cattle not being able to stand fall into what veterinarians refer to as the “5 M’s of Down Cows.” These are categories of disease which help us to develop a list of possible causes and work through each one to determine the cause for each given case. The five M’s are mastitis, metritis, metabolic, musculoskeletal and mystery. Yes, you read that last one correctly! • Mastitis is an infection of the udder that, with certain
Special to The Eagle
Ignoring a cow that is unable to stand can risk its life and cost a producer a lot of money. bacteria present, can releases toxins into the bloodstream which cause a cow to become so ill that it cannot stand. This generally occurs very soon after calving. These infections are severe enough that antibiotics alone are not sufficient to effect a cure. • Metritis is an infection of the uterus that, like mastitis, can have certain bacteria present that release toxins into the bloodstream causing severe illness. Also like mastitis, this typically occurs very soon after calving and requires more therapy than antibiotics alone. • Metabolic diseases include several conditions where the metabolic processes of the animal become so disturbed that its nervous system and muscles lack the functions that enable it to stand. These can include low magnesium (grass or winter tetany), low potassium, low phosphorus, and protein-energy malnutrition. This time of year, when dormant forage has lower nutritional value and poor digestibility, we often see cattle with protein and energy deficiencies. This condition is particularly prevalent in heifers in spring calving herds because they have the additional demands of still growing themselves and growing a late-term calf. • Musculoskeletal diseases include conditions of the musculoskeletal or nervous systems which impair the ability to stand. These could include fractures (usually of the spine or upper limbs), calving paralysis where the nerves in the birth canal become compressed when
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News Down, from Page 15 a large calf is delivered, or any other injury where there is direct damage to nerves or compression by nearby swelling. And then there’s mystery. You guessed it: Sometimes there are cases where we simply are unable to find a cause.
This likely occurs when there is a combination of causes which are not defined easily that culminate in enough inhibition of function of the organ systems that the cow has no choice but to stay down. These cases are the most frustrating to owners and veterinarians alike, particularly when the animal is
LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT Buffalo
Results of the Buffalo Livestock Commission’s Dec. 12 sale: Head: 1,607 Steers: 150-200 lbs., $225$275; 200-300 lbs., $215-$260; 300-400 lbs., $195-$237; 400500 lbs., $160-$210; 500-600 lbs., $150-$180; 600-700 lbs., $140-$155; 700-800 lbs., $135$145. Heifers: 150-200 lbs., $235$245; 200-300 lbs., $200-$230; 300-400 lbs., $155-$220; 400500 lbs., $135-$185; 500-600 lbs., $132-$145; 600-700 lbs., $130-$140; 700-800 lbs., $110$135. Slaughter bulls: $85-$115. Slaughter cows: $40-$79. Bred cows: $1,100-$1,750. Cow/calf pairs: $1,275-$2,100.
Caldwell
Results of the Cadwell Livestock Commissions Dec. 16 sale: Head: 335 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $200$220; 300-400 lbs., $200-$220; 400-500 lbs., $175-$190; 500600 lbs., $165-$175; 600-700 lbs., $150-$165. Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $175$200; 300-400 lbs., $160-$200; 400-500 lbs., $160-$235; 500600 lbs., $155-$170; 600-700 lbs., $140-$160. Slaughter bulls: $70-$90. Slaughter cows: $50-$80. Bred cows: $1,300-$1,800.
Groesbeck
Results of the Cadwell Livestock Commissions Dec. 10 sale: Head: 989 Steers: 300-400 lbs., $200$230; 400-500 lbs., $190-$215;
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500-600 lbs., $175-$200; 600700 lbs., $160-$170. Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $175$210; 400-500 lbs., $165-$200; 500-600 lbs., $150-$180; 600700 lbs., $145-$160. Slaughter bulls: $87-$94. Slaughter cows: $58-$75. Bred cows: $1,100-$2,100. Cow/calf pairs: $1,300- $2,100.
Navasota
Results of the Navasota Livestock Auction’s Dec. 12 sale: Head: 2,444 Steers: 150-300 lbs., $160$285; 300-400 lbs., $150-$235; 400-500 lbs., $140-$185; 500600 lbs., $130-$173; 600-700 lbs., $120-$142.50. Heifers: 150-300 lbs., $150$250; 300-400 lbs., $140$217.50; 400-500 lbs., $130$175; 500-600 lbs., $120-$160; 600-700 lbs., $110-$145. Slaughter bulls: $70-$92.50. Slaughter cows: $50-$73. Bred cows: $1,000-$2,750. Cow/calf pairs: $1,200- $3,050.
an “alert downer,” eating and drinking and generally healthyappearing otherwise. So, what should you do if you have a down cow (or calf or bull) on your place? 1. Immediately roll her up onto her chest so she is sitting up and use hay bales or a vehicle to prop her up so that she is stable. Lying flat on her side can cause her to bloat, which rapidly can be fatal. It also causes muscle and nerve damage to the legs on the down side, which reduces the chances of recovery. 2. Call your veterinarian. With each day that a cow is down, the chances of her getting back up are reduced significantly. Proper diagnosis and early treatment are the most reliable predictors of success. On the other hand, if her illness or injury is irreversible, it is im-
portant to determine that early in order to be able to end her suffering. Letting her lay simply to see what happens rarely ends well and often results in a worsening condition in the interim. 3. If she must be moved to another location, she should never be dragged by a limb or the head/neck, which can cause severe additional injury. Rather, a sled can be fashioned out of a sheet of plywood or metal and the cow rolled onto that and the sled then pulled behind a vehicle. 4. Make sure fresh feed and water are available and accessible at all times. Feed and water pans that are shallow enough to allow easy access should be placed close to the cow’s head throughout her treatment and recovery. 5. Roll her side to side a few
Our 47th annual sale should be the best of all. Our consignors have saved only their best through one of the harshest years on record to offer some of the best Hereford Genetics offered in the State of Texas. Watch for our unique opportunities and THA Heritage Pen to be sold with the Whiteface Replacement Sale. Make "Super Hereford Weekend" an educational and fun event by attending the THA Annual Membership Meeting and Social, Commercial Sale, Cowtown Invitational Sale and National Hereford Show.
Hereford Weekend Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show Jan. 30-Feb 1, 2016
Jordan
Results of the Jordan Cattle Auction Dec. 17 sale: Head: 1924 Steers: 300-400 lbs., $190$216; 400-500 lbs., $185-$215; 500-600 lbs., $150-$197; 600700 lbs., $145-$164. Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $160$187; 400-500 lbs., $150-$172; 500-600 lbs., $135-$171; 600700 lbs., $110-$150. Slaughter bulls: $70-$86. Slaughter cows: $50-$75. Bred cows: $900-$1,875. Cow/calf pairs: $1,380- $2,300. — Special to The Post
times per day so that she is not always laying on the same hindlimb. This will help maintain circulation to the limbs and reduce muscle crush injury. A down animal is probably the single most frustrating condition for which a ranch owner seeks a veterinarian’s advice. The size of cattle makes them difficult to manage and treat and, by remaining down, their weight causes further damage to muscles and nerves. For this reason, we have a responsibility as their stewards to quickly identify the problem, handle them properly, and determine the most humane course of action in their management.
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January 2016 — Issue 1
Texas Hereford Association
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News Florida school teaching agriscience in an immersive way By Annie MArtin Orlando Sentinel
ORLANDO, Florida — A snake rested on the back of Valerie Lantigua’s neck as she sat, unperturbed, facing her laptop. The 16-year-old occasionally took her hands from her keyboard to steady the snake’s wandering head. It’s a typical day in Timothy App’s class, which is part of the Veterinary Animal Science and Services magnet program at Colonial High School in Orlando, Florida. The four-year program covers critters from the zoo to the wild. Agriscience programs such as Colonial’s don’t fixate on “cows, sows and plows,” said Danny Garner, the district’s coordinator of agriscience and natural resources education. Today’s classrooms emphasize transferable skills including public speaking, debating and critical thinking. “To me, it’s a program that can benefit any and every student at a school, regard-
less of career choice,” he said. About 4,500 Orange County students participate in agriscience programs such as the one at Colonial, Garner said. That’s up from 2,500 during the 2012-13 school year. Though Colonial’s program is about animals, Garner said the focus of each agriscience program varies among schools. Wekiva High offers an agriscience academy that includes aquaponics, biotechnology and horticulture. Orange isn’t the only place where students are showing a growing interest in agriscience. The National FFA Organization (formerly known as Future Farmers of America), counted 629,000 members this year, up from 495,000 a decade ago. The organization estimates more than a quarter of its members live in urban or suburban areas, said Kristy Meyer, a spokeswoman for the organization. Students in Orange’s agriscience programs aren’t always FFA members, but many are.
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Yet, today’s students are less likely to become farmers than in previous generations. The share of Americans who work in agriculture has shrunk from 41 percent in 1900 to less than 2 percent today, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Employment in fields such as agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting is expected to decline by 6 percent over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But Orange educators say studying agriscience can help students prepare for a wide range of careers, such as becoming veterinarians, scientists or nutritionists. And App said helping students explore their options, including eliminating those that are a bad fit, is a priority. “I want them to find out what they want to do before they go to college,” he said. At the Colonial High magnet program, about a quarter of the 74 students don’t live in Colonial’s zone. Many students who enter the program are eager to become
veterinarians, and a few do just that. But App said he tries to educate them about other animal-related careers, too. App said he covers all types of animals because that’s what his students want to learn. But snakes are clearly an emphasis. The reptiles lurk in the glass tanks that border the room. Students roam freely with the animals wrapped around their necks. Behind the school, a couple of large tortoises sat lazily in a pen. Dozens of chickens clucked noisily in a coop. Three sheep waited to be fed in a covered area. At Colonial, where students mostly live in homes with small yards and apartments, App allows his most serious students to keep farm animals in a grassy area adjacent to a parking lot. Families must purchase the animals with their own money. Students arrive on campus before the first class starts at 7:27 a.m. to feed the goats and come in on weekends and over school breaks.
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News
Getting to the meat of the best barbecue in Texas By BLAIR FANNIN Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
L
ow corn prices are helping to produce more pounds of meat, whether it’s beef, pork or chicken, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist. That’s good news for barbecue restaurant owners who continue to purchase and smoke thousands of pounds of meat to satisfy a growing demand for Texas barbecue. As a whole, meat prices are coming down from 2014 levels, especially beef, said David Anderson at a recent town hall meeting for Texas barbecue owners, managers and pitmasters held at Texas A&M University in College Station. “We still have pretty tight supplies of cattle even though we’ve seen prices come down,” Anderson said. “A year ago we were talking about record-high cattle and retail beef prices, that we needed rain to break drought conditions before herd expansion could kick in full force. That expansion has started, and longer-term, we are going to have a lot lower prices (as a result of more cows and calves). That’s pretty normal. The cattle industry is a cyclical industry.” Anderson said as of Jan. 1, 2015, there were 2 percent more beef cows in the U.S. than in 2014. He said by Jan. 1 of this year there could be another 2 percent to 3 percent more beef cows. “The idea is we are rebuilding the herd, and we have had rain. “When I talk about tight supplies, 30 million beef cows, that’s still the lowest in decades. But we are starting to grow (beef herds) across the
18
nation.” “A year ago when you came to
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photos by Blair Fannin
Left, Ray Riley, manager of the Rosenthal Meat Science and Technology Center at Texas A&M University, slices beef tenderloin to serve attendees at the recent barbecue town hall meeting. Right, Pork loin was served at the recent barbecue town hall meeting at Texas A&M University. prices you pay would get a little better,” said Jeff Savell, meeting coordinator and university distinguished professor, regents professor and E.M. “Manny” Rosenthal chairholder in the department of animal science at Texas A&M. “Well, here we are again and prices have come down.” The town hall meeting is an extension
this meeting, we were talking about good forecasts for meat prices on the way and the
of a series of educational workshops led by Savell and meat science department faculty to help
See BARBECUE, Page 19
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January 2016 — Issue 1
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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin
Left, Davey Griffin, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service meat specialist, cooks beef sirloin,beef strip loin and pork loin.Above,Kerry Bexley,left,of Snow’s BBQ in Lexington and David Anderson,Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service livestock economist, at the barbecue town hall meeting at Texas A&M University in College Station.
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Barbecue, from Page 18 further education in cooking Texas barbecue. The town hall meeting attracted more than 50 barbecue professionals from across the state, including representatives from Riscky’s Barbecue, Fort Worth; Pappas Bar-B-Q, Houston; Louie Mueller Barbecue, Taylor; Snow’s BBQ, Lexington; Southside Market and Barbeque, Elgin and Bastrop; and Roegels Barbecue, Houston. As a bonus, Savell and the meat science team provided lunch, which consisted of pit smoked beef strip loin and top sirloin, smoked front-end pork loin and homemade side dishes. “We thought it would be nice to feed you for a change instead of you feeding us,” Savell said. “It’s a chance for use to return the favor. We like to have this as a venue, a chance to meet each other. Relationships are important.” Davey Griffin, AgriLife Extension meats specialist, led cooler and meat cuts demonstrations. He also discussed carcass values and grading.
Al Wagner, AgriLife Extension food technology specialist, provided an overview on bottling sauces for retail sale. Anderson said corn prices, which have held around $4 a bushel, have allowed feedlot operators to put extra gain on feedlot cattle — so much in fact that carcass weights have averaged a record high 930 pounds. “Those are huge animals,” Anderson said. “When they are averaging 930 pounds, think of what the ends look like. You have huge cuts. It’s a really interesting phenomenon going on in terms of dressed weights.
“For the last couple of months, we’ve been producing more beef than we were a year ago. We’ve been feeding them to heavier weights and getting more tonnage on markets.” Beef production increased about 1.7 percent in the last three months of 2015, Anderson said. And by 2016, there will be 3-4 percent more beef produced and even more in 2017. Slaughter steer prices have been averaging $125 per hundredweight compared to $158 a year ago.
See MEATS, Page 20
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January 2016 — Issue 1
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News
Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Jeff Savell
Davey, Griffin, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service meats specialist, discusses beef cuts at the barbecue town hall meeting.
Meats, from Page 19 “Wholesale boneless beef prices have seen sharp declines this year,” he said. “They were averaging $290 (per hundredweight)in late 2014 and are now $210 in 2015. These declines have been a heck of a lot lower than I anticipated. These are just shocking changes from a year ago.” Brisket prices in 2015 came down considerably for Texas barbecue managers, who also offered alternative meats on their menus to compensate for
20
the high beef prices. Brisket prices that fetched nearly $6 a pound camedown to $3.90 a pound by May. “The crunch of tight supplies of cattle as a result of drought and low cattle numbers drove us to those high prices we saw last year,” Anderson said. Hog and pork production has recovered from the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus, Anderson said, and litter rates have returned to normal growth rates. “With cheap feed, the pork industry has gone through a
pretty profitable period and boosted production. We’re headed to more production and even lower prices for pork.” With wholesale pork loin prices at 85 cents a pound, Anderson said consumers are giving these cuts a good look compared to higher priced beef. “How many of you are cooking whole pork loins?” Savell asked. “It’s a good product if you keep it moist.” Said one barbecue owner, “I bet a whole lot of us start doing it since it’s so cheap.”
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January 2016 — Issue 1
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Farmers and ranchers must share their ag stories By Chad Ellis The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
Agriculture is an industry that has been misunderstood by those outside it. It has at times been criticized, mocked and left a mystery to the people who rely on it the most. A great deal of that has to do with the individuals involved in agriculture. In general, ranchers and farmers are low key and more interested in doing their job and doing it well than beating their own chest. That humility may be a great character trait, but it doesn’t help to promote awareness and understanding of why agriculture is so great and essential. Today, fewer than 1 percent of our population works in agriculture and fewer than 2 percent of the population live on farms. Interest in how food is raised is increasing daily, even though less than 10 percent of a U.S. family’s income is spent on food. There are many opportunities to tell your agriculture story. Many in the industry already have sensed the need to reconnect with consumers and actively are telling their story and emphasizing the importance of environmental stewardship, food safety and good animal care practices. Being an advocate for agriculture is nothing new, but agriculturalists need to focus more on telling their stories of what agriculture means to them and why they choose that lifestyle, as well as the depth and breadth of their conviction. Anyone in agriculture telling the story of their operation has impact. They should tell it often and with conviction and commitment. It can be as simple as talking to a consumer in a grocery store, writing a letter to the editor of their local paper or to a legislator, or even going into a classroom. Agriculturalists should also become involved in trade and professional associations related
to their operations. This is an effective avenue to communicate agriculture’s story. Association memberships can be pricey, but when considering the benefits, trade and professional associations are a great investment for agricultural producers and their industry. Trade and professional organizations offer dozens of benefits, but the following are three major ones: • Education — Associations offer a variety of educational opportunities from webinars to national and international conferences. Often, the educational resources alone are worth membership. • Advocacy — Advocacy is perhaps one of the most overlooked Photo courtesy of The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation benefits of a trade association. Trade and professional associations related to agricultural operations are effective avenues to communicate agriculture’s story. Members belong to and support an organization dedicated to protecting and advancing industry needs. Having a dedicated team to lobby and advocate on behalf of the membership is powerful. Segments of the agricultural industry not engaged and at the table are on the plate. • Networking — This might seem obvious, but associations offer wonderful opportunities to connect with others in our industry. Members can learn from other members and even can create alliances or partnerships. What’s great is that trade and professional associations typically exist on national, state and local levels. Of course, it’s important to find the right one. Consider asking colleagues and competitors what associations they’re involved in. Look at your local newspaper and event calendars to see which associations are the most active in your area. If you find one that looks like a good fit, contact a few existing members and ask them about their experiences. When conducting this due diligence on potential associations, you will find the right one, benefit from the mem39606 FM 1736 West • Hempstead, TX 77445 bership and become engaged in 806.683.6435 • scottm@rioranchtx.com the conversation.
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Good Selection of Charolais & Brangus bulls for Sale! Scott Milligan - Manager
January 2016 — Issue 1
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The Land & Livestock Post
News Expert: Cattle producers should be ‘steeling’ for the future By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
AMARILLO — Cow-calf producers have made some money and now need to be “steeling” for what is to come, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist said. Ted McCollum, AgriLife Extension beef specialist in Amarillo, spoke at the Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show recently. He said the definition of steeling as a verb is “to prepare oneself for something difficult or unpleasant.” “We are just out of the drought of the decades and rangeland recovery is underway,” McCollum said. “But the strong El Niño is over next spring and we could revert back to dry conditions very quickly.” The question is whether conditions will return to the long-term normal or “do we run the risk of dry weather,” he said. Couple that with the end of a long bull cattle market that is settling back into a lower trading range, a strong dollar that is hampering exports and incentivizing imports, and large meat supplies after both the poultry and pork industries overcompensated to recover from bouts with disease issues. “Where will the trading range be for the calves we are producing? The price of cows and replacements hit all-time highs,” McCollum said. “On average, cow-calf returns are still good. We, the cow-calf producers, have some money in our pockets and need to be investing in the future.” He said some measures to be taken at this time of profitability would be those that will help maintain productivity during the drier times: improve rangeland resources by building ground cover and improving water infiltration, manage woody plant competition, and enhance grazing distribution by improving water and fencing layouts. “Set some money aside to in-
vest in these rangeland resources,” McCollum said. “The longer we wait to do some of these things, the more the cost will be, especially on suppression of woody plant competition such as mesquite and redberry juniper.” He also said that the investment in cows today is relatively high, and producers need to set themselves up to maintain productivity and profitability from those high-value assets. This will require efficient cows able to convert forage resources to pounds of calf or beef. The continued increase in cow size has been a point of discussion in the industry for several years, McCollum said. As cow size increases, more land and forage resources must be allocated to the cow, thus the herd size that can be maintained on a finite resource is reduced. The question of efficiency revolves around whether the larger cows will wean proportionately heavier calves to offset the reduced herd size, he said. Based on averages, this is not the case. Producers need to strive to reduce the upward drift of cow weight on their operations or manage the larger cows so that their production is proportional to their size, McCollum said. In either case, bull selection and sourcing of replacement heifers will be focal areas. He also recommended producers study “Key Performance Indicator Targets for Cow-Calf
The Land & Livestock Post
Texas A&M Agriculture Communications photo by Kay Ledbetter
Preparing for the future should be a primary concern of cow-calf producers, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension specialist said. Operators” by Stan Bevers, AgriLife Extension beef economist in Vernon. Bevers outlines 15 indicators of financial performance that will help producers evaluate their operations and prepare for the future. The booklet can be found at bit. ly/1N8Wqtm.
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