MAY 2009
What Feedyards Want ■ Fertilizer Use ■ Staying Alive ■ Deworming ■
DISCOVER AN EXTRA CALF IN EVERY BOTTLE Vaccinating with VisionŽ 7 results in 14 pounds more weaning weight per calf than UltrabacŽ 7 –– You get an extra calf in every 50-dose bottle. Blackleg vaccination stress can decrease performance, but VisionŽ minimizes the negative impact of vaccination. The proof is in the pounds. Studies show: ¨ Less stress in calves vaccinated with Vision 2mL compared to 5mL blackleg vaccines results in a weaning weight advantage from 9 to 18 pounds ¨ Vision 7 2mL resulted in a 14-pound weaning weight advantage when compared to Ultrabac 7 5mL* – that’s an extra calf in every 50-dose bottle Take the stress out of blackleg protection. Consult your Veterinarian or animal health supplier on switching to Vision vaccine today.
* Intervet Technical Reference 93-9: Weaning Weight Comparison of Vision 7 and Ultrabac 7 in a Wyoming Beef Herd
7 ST 3TREET s $E 3OTO +3 s INTERVETUSA COM s / " 0ART 0 6ISION IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF )NTERVET )NC OR AN AFFILIATE 5LTRABAC IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF 0FIZER )NC ÂĽ )NTERVET )NC !LL RIGHTS RESERVED
LEADERSHIP & SOLUTIONS
NATIONAL CATTLEMEN
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Members Wanted
I
f you’re receiving this magazine, you’re already a member of NCBA. You understand the value it brings Tracy Brunner to your operation. It’s like having an extra hired man who understands marketing, trade and politics. I’ve always felt that the dues I pay to NCBA are a small price to pay for the exceptional service I receive in return. Dedicated staff members work to increase beef demand and educate consumers on the value and nutrition of our products. In our nation’s capital, the government affairs staff advocates for you on more than 50 policy issues that directly impact your business, like country of origin labeling, animal ID and estate taxes. NCBA has a solid membership base and can claim many legislative and regulatory victories, but to continue that success, we need to strengthen and solidify our sphere of influence. We do that by increasing our membership. Activist groups that oppose our business practices and way of life have membership rosters in the hundreds of thousands. We must counteract that influence, so NCBA has launched a Spring Roundup membership campaign. During this drive, NCBA will partner with its state affiliates to increase membership within state organizations at the grassroots level, too. NCBA is in its last month of the campaign, which has a strong producer-to-producer recruitment component and a recruiter incentive. Producers who recruit one new member will earn a set of exclusive John Deere steak knives — and each producer recruited gets a set, too. We need your help to make this campaign a success. Sometimes the best way to enlist new members is
May 2009 l National Cattlemen
to simply highlight the challenges we face with increased government regulations and hurtful laws. Remind them how NCBA is their voice on important issues and how we need their support. I can attest to the importance of recruiting new members for NCBA as last year, I was the top national recruiter. I don’t find recruiting new members difficult, I just explain the value of having a national organization making your voice heard on important issues. I’m proud to be a member of the Top Hand Club, which includes NCBA members who recruit three new members. Club members get a plaque, a Top Hand Club lapel pin, and one ticket to the Awards Lunch during the Annual Cattle Industry Convention. Other incentives include a special prize for top recruiters each year. This year’s prize for 10 recruits is a sterling silver Top Hand belt buckle with gold accents. Of course, the real advantage of recruiting new members is the strength you add to our organization. There is strength in numbers, and it critical to ensure cattle producers are seen as a formidable force in Washington, D.C. NCBA helps prevent the government from excessively regulating your operation or enacting policies that could hurt your ability to do business profitably These are challenging times: We have a tough economy, changes in beef demand, and activist challenges. Each of us is dealing with these in the most appropriate way for our operation. But there’s one thing that we can all do to ensure our industry and businesses remain strong — we can increase NCBA’s influence and ability to combat these challenges. Please join us in our efforts to recruit new members to our cause during this Spring Roundup Campaign.
The Journal for America’s Cattle Producers
MAY 2009 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 8 2009 Officers President President Elect Vice President Chairman Federation Division Chairman Policy Division Chief Executive Officer NCBA Publishing Staff Editor Assistant Editor Creative Director Designer/Production
Gary Voogt Steve Foglesong Bill Donald J.D. Alexander Tracy Brunner Forrest Roberts Curt Olson Joe Snyder Don Waite Joaquin Aviña
To Learn More About NCBA Call 1-866-BeefUSA (1-866-233-3872) or visit www.BeefUSA.org. To receive e-mail updates from NCBA, contact Sheryl Slagle at sslagle@beef.org. Contributors Elizabeth Bostdorff Ron Torell et al Mike Miller Heather Vaughan How To Contact National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: P.O. Box 3469, Englewood, CO 80155 (303-694-0305); Washington, D.C.: 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20004 (202-3470228). National Cattlemen is a monthly publication of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, 9110 E. Nichols Ave., Centennial, CO 80112 (303-694-0305).
Published by Naylor, LLC 5950 NW 1st Place Gainesville, FL 32607 Phone: 800.369.6220 | Fax: 352.331.3525 Web site: www.naylor.com Naylor Publisher Kathleen Gardner Naylor Editor Elsbeth Russell Project Manager Troy Dempsey Publication Director John O’Neil Advertising Sales David Evans, Robert Shafer, Matt Whitworth Marketing Associate Lauren Williams Pagination Catharine Snell Advertising Art Aaron Harper © 2009 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
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YOUR NCBA
Who Am I? Ben Spitzer of Salacoa Valley Farms in Fairmount, Ga., chairs the Membership Committee of NCBA’s Young Producers’ Council.
Coming in June’s National Cattlemen
• •
The annual Directions list of the tops in the industry Cow/Calf Panel Horn Flies
•
Around NCBA Brunner Is New Policy Division Chair Tracy Brunner, left, has moved from vice chair to chairman of NCBA’s Policy Division. Brunner made the transition in accordance with NCBA bylaws following the resignation of Eric Smith as chairman due to personal reasons. Brunner’s primary business interest is a fourthgeneration, family-owned beef production business with ranching and feeding operations located on the western Flint Hills of central Kansas near Ramona. Policy Division members of NCBA’s Executive Committee on March 18 named Bruce Hafenfeld of Weldon, Calif., as the new NCBA Policy Division vice chairman. Hafenfeld, right, is the owner and operator of a cow/calf, stocker and feeder operation. He operates on both private and public lands.
Voogt in Texas NCBA President Gary Voogt on March 20 addressed members of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association at their 132nd annual convention in Fort Worth. TSCRA is the oldest cattle association in the country. Gary discussed a number of issues impacting Texas cattle producers, including trade and country of origin labeling. More than 2,000 ranchers and landowners attended.
contest at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention & NCBA Trade Show, Jan. 28-30 in Phoenix. By answering a wide range of animal health questions in an interactive trivia game at the Pfizer Animal Health trade show booth, Minnesota producers earned the top prize of $5,000, which was presented to the Minnesota Cattlemen’s Association. South Dakota participants finished second, earning $3,000 for their state association, and Nebraska came in third to win $1,500.
Livermore, Calif., submitted the winning registration card and will receive the signed, numbered print titled “Summer Pastures.”
Reagan Is Professional of the Year Bo Reagan received the National Meat Association’s Professional of the Year Award during NMA’s annual MeatXpo Feb. 22 in Las Vegas. Bo is senior vice president of Research, Education & Innovation at NCBA. The award is given each year to the person who has proven to be “the quintessential professional, someone who can be relied upon time and again to provide services above and beyond.”
Ad Champ The beef checkoff ’s “Creating Crave” and “Beefscapes” ad campaigns have both been chosen as finalists for the 2009 International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) awards of excellence. IACP is a group made up of test kitchen professionals, food writers, cookbook authors, food photographers and other culinary professionals.
Have Your Redbook? The NCBA Redbook is pocketsized, so it’s easy to use for recording calving and production information. Its 100+ pages allow you to record calving, herd health, pasture use and cattle inventory information. It also has sections on body condition scoring, cattle treatment and death loss, along with an area for notes. To order one, go to www.BeefUSA. org and click on NCBA store, or call 1-800-525-3085 and ask for Grace.
Smart Producers in Minnesota Minnesota cattle producers proved their cattle production knowledge by taking fi rst place in the popular “Who Wants to Be a CattleMaster®?”
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May 2009 l National Cattlemen
Scholarship Grants from AgriLabs AgriLabs awarded $1,500 for scholarship grants to three state associations as an outcome of its booth promotion at the recent NCBA Trade Show in Phoenix. The Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation, the Oregon Cattlewomen and the Oklahoma Cattlewomen each will receive $500 to be used for an educational scholarship for a deserving youth during 2009. In addition to the scholarship grants, AgriLabs offered a grandprize drawing of a framed print by rural-American artist Bonnie Mohr. Karen Sweet, Sweet Livestock of
NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen TV Show on RFD-TV Airs Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. (all times Eastern). Check your local listings.
About the Cover Nathan and Lynn Hovde operate Hovde’s Ranch near Alexander, N.D, which captured the Region VII Environmental Stewardship Award in 2008. Photo by Josh Baxter.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Member Spotlight Iowa Producer on Mission to Mexico
Will Frazee of Emerson, Iowa, (center) represented Iowa beef producers on an Iowa Meat Trade Mission to Mexico in late February. Will is chairman of the Iowa Beef Industry Council. He’s been an NCBA member since 1988 and is on the New Products and Culinary Initiatives Committee and is a Beef Board member. The Iowa trade team visited Expo Carnes, the Mexican meat convention held biennially in Monterrey. Pictured here, Will visits with Mark Fischer, Iowa Department of Economic Development (left) and Aaron Gutierrez Turner, marketing director, U.S. Meat Export Federation in Mexico City.
Nichols Farms Receives World Simmental Federation Honors Nichols Farms of Bridgewater, Iowa, has been recognized with the prestigious 2009 World Simmental Fleckvieh Federation (WSFF) Golden Book Award. Founded in 1953 by Merrill Nichols and his two sons, Dave and the late Lee Nichols, Nichols Farms is the largest seedstock operation in the Midwest and the fifth largest in the nation. Dave has been active in NCBA, the Beef Improvement Federation, and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. He has been inducted into the Iowa Cattlemen’s Hall of Fame, received the Farm Bureaus Distinguished Service Award, and was chosen as the Beef Improvement Federation’s Seedstock Producer of the Year.
Ford County Feedyard Honored as Hereford Industry Innovator Ford County Feedyard Inc., was presented the Hereford Industry Innovator Award by the American Hereford Association. Danny Herrmann, yard owner and manager, was presented the award at the National Western Stock Show Hereford Carload and Pen Show in Denver, Jan. 15. He has been an NCBA member since 1991. Ford County Feedyard, Ford, Kan., has been a licensed Certified Hereford Beef cattle feeder since 2004 and a participating Hereford Verified yard since the program’s inception in 2005.
David Meyring Passes Dave Meyring, 67, of Walden, Colo., passed away on Feb. 25 as
the result of a horse accident. He had joined the National Cattlemen’s Association in 1967 and remained a member of NCBA after the merger. Dave lived in North Park his entire life and graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in farm and ranch management. He worked with his dad and two brothers at Meyring Livestock until 1986. He owned and operated Spicer ranches while residing at the Coyte Ranch where they raised commercial cattle, Percheron horses and hay. It has been said that “Dave could move water to places that people didn’t think water could be moved, with only a shovel.” He enjoyed feeding cattle with a team of horses his entire life and showed many pens of cattle along with his brothers at the National Western Stock Show.
The Census Says … The number of farms in the United States increased slightly between 2002 and 2007, according to the 2007 Ag Census. Most of the growth was in the small farm area. The number of farms with sales of less than $1,000 increased by 118,000. The number of farms with sales of $500,000 or more increased by 46,000. USDA says there were 291,329 new farms in the survey period. On average, they had 201 acres and $71,000 in sales. This contrasts with the national average of 418 acres and $135,000 in sales. Farm growth was strongest in the Rocky Mountain region, Texas and Louisiana. Of the total 2,204,792 farms, 125,000 produced 75% of total value of U.S. agricultural production. Production costs during the survey period were up 39% to $241 billion. Gas and fuel costs guzzled their way to a 93% increase, followed by fertilizer prices, which were up 86%. The value of the ag products sold went up 48% to $297 billion in 2007. • Beef cattle are raised on 764,984 farms in the U.S. This is down from 796,437 in 2002. • Cattle and calves accounted for 21% of the total value of U.S. ag products sold in 2007. Grains and oilseeds had a 26% share. • The top five states in terms of the value of ag products sold (and their percentage of total value) are: California, 11.4%; Texas, 7.1%; Iowa, 6.9%; Nebraska, 5.2%; and Kansas, 4.8%. Fresno County in California accounted for 1.2% of the total U.S. value of ag products. • Average age of all farm operators: 57; on a new farm: 48
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YOUR CALF CROP
What Feedyards Want By Joe Snyder
W
hat do feedyards want from cattle producers this year? NCBA asked that question to three reputable feedyard owners. Craig Uden owns the Darr Feedlot in Cozad, Neb. He serves on NCBA’s Federation Division Board of Directors and several
industry committees and is active in the Beef Quality Assurance program. John Josserand, Hereford, Texas, is president of the AzTx Cattle Co., with operations in Texas, Kansas and Colorado. Jamie Willrett is owner and manager of J. Willrett Farms in Malta, Ill. He has served on numerous NCBA committees and was president of CattleFax in 2008. NCBA: What does the perfect calf coming into your feedyard look like this year? How long has it been weaned, how old is it, how much does it weigh and what else do you look for? Uden: We like to see a 675-700 pound steer, weaned for 45-60 days. They should be young enough to be put in a source- and age-verified program, so cattle anywhere from 8 to 9 months old. We want cattle preconditioned, cattle that haven’t been pushed too hard, with not a lot of flesh on them. Josserand: That depends on what market you’re going to. Generally, a calf should be 6-7 months of age and between 500 and 700 pounds. It needs to be weaned for at least 45 days and have had two modified live IBR vaccinations. It’s preferably been taught to feed out of a bunk and will come with management records so we can pursue whatever niche market we might be going for, whether that’s source and age, natural or whatever. Complete management records should start with the birth date and include any animal health records. I think one of the keys to success in the times we’re in is to continue to add value. If we don’t pursue sourceand age-verified animals and the niche that provides, that can be the difference between profit and loss. Willrett: We are predominately a steer feeder, but regarding calves, in our yard we look for a backgrounded calf weaned a minimum of 60 days. Calves should weigh 650 to 750 pounds and have a good, solid health and vaccination program behind them. Source verification will become more important as time goes on. NCBA: How does the mandatory COOL law affect your procurement practices? Uden: It’s made it a little challenging. It has slowed Canadian purchasing down, slowed customers from Canada sending feeder cattle in. Even for U.S. cattle it’s a challenge because we now have a law with no rules and no one seems to know how it’s supposed to work. In order for it to work the way it’s supposed to, mandatory COOL should have been accompanied by a mandatory ID law. In the future, just taking someone’s Continued on Page 10
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May 2009 l National Cattlemen
Photo courtesy Steve Crecelius for the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau
e c n e r e f n o C r e m m u S y r t s Cattle Indu
It’s where industry decisions are made and business gets done. Join us in Denver, July 14-18, 2009 For more information visit www.beefusa.org
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association – SPRING 2009 We need you now more than ever! M EM BER
Support Your Industry! Become a member, recruit a member and earn rewards! The legislative challenges in Washington, DC have never been more urgent. s %NVIRONMENTAL REGULATION INCLUDING WATER AIR AND SOIL s !NIMAL WELFARE REGULATION DRIVEN BY ANIMAL RIGHTS EXTREMISTS s 2EDUCING THE #APITAL 'AINS 4AX
To join or for more information, contact .ATIONAL #ATTLEMEN S "EEF !SSOCIATION "%%& 53! s "EEF53! ORG
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Feedyards Continued from Page 8
word for it won’t be good enough for the consumer. Josserand: I don’t think it has changed our procurement practices. It has curtailed my retained ownership activity. A lot of the Mexican cattle I’ve grazed and fed in the past have been retained animals. The law has done more harm than good. NCBA: What can you tell cattle producers about preparing for branded programs? Uden: Cattle are going to have to be source and age ID’d. And full disclosure is needed on what cattle have had for vaccinations and when. Be willing to stand behind what you do and have it documented. Josserand: If a cow-calf man will just maintain ranch management records he can pretty much fit in any niche or branded beef program. The key at the ranch level is to just maintain ranch records. Willrett: We don’t have access to a lot of branded programs back here, but the markets have been headed that way for some time. We use ultrasound in marketing our cattle to eliminate the outliers and make them more uniform for the packers. We’re seeing better demand for quality and consistency. Packers want uniform cattle, the kind they can sell at a profit. We’re seeing this reflected in the bids for our fed cattle. We in turn look for those qualities in feeder cattle and ultimately pass value down the procurement chain in our bids. NCBA: What are you doing to assure your customers that the welfare of the animals has been maintained, and what are you asking sellers to do? Uden: We’re participating in the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Feedlot Assessment Program. That’s one. Two, all of our people are BQA certified. Three, we have a biosecurity plan. Four, our staff has monthly or semi-monthly training with a veterinarian on how animals are handled and new procedures. We keep our employees updated. And we hold safety training meetings that include how to handle animals for the betterment of the animals and the people involved. Josserand: We’re relying on our state and national associations to communicate that to us and to our customers and to give us guidance under BQA-type
programs. We have our own process verification program in-house and are writing animal welfare guidelines as part of that. Third, we are training our employees in animal welfare. Willrett: We ask our suppliers to adhere to BQA guidelines to make sure all products administered to cattle are in the proper place and with the proper delivery method. We train in the administration of animal health products twice a year and with all new employees. As the industry focuses more on delivering higher value, the whole system will become more conscious of these things, and there will be traceback available when issues arise. NCBA: Anything else? Uden: I think in the future there needs to be more cooperation between sellers and feeders. We do a lot of teaching back to the ranch, and most cattlemen are pretty receptive to it and have made changes on their own. A lot of our customers have gone through the BQA program. We have a ready-response team so that if customers have problems on the ranch, we get our staff vet together with them to try and solve them. We also work with Dr. Dee Griffin a lot. His students come out and review procedures, and we have worked with them through some of the IRM programs. We try to stay up to speed on everything. We try to stay ahead on the COOL requirements. All the cattle in this yard are individually ID’d so they can be traced back. Josserand: I would encourage all cow-calf producers to align themselves with a program for their own benefit and for the long-term viability of this industry. We all need to cooperate. It’s helped us in our business to be aligned with our suppliers and work together to cut costs out of the system and bring in premiums. I would say to the industry: We have to work closer together and continue to improve our efficiencies in order to stay competitive. Willrett: The more integration we achieve and the more we can streamline production processes to deliver the packer and ultimately the consumer a better product, the more we will enhance the efficiency of the whole system and improve consumer demand. The whole industry — not just cow-calf producers — needs to keep its eye on the target. And the target is the consumer.
Be willing to stand behind what you do and have it documented.
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May 2009 l National Cattlemen
YOUR BUSINESS
Staying Alive By Curt Olson
T
ough times make better managers out of everyone. Businesses get turned inside out looking for better ways to do things just to survive. Cattlemen’s College® attendees in January during the Cattle Industry Annual Convention found classes focused on surviving in today’s economic climate. Some of that information follows. CattleFax advises producers to look at the smallest change you can make that will have the biggest impact on your operation. If you can increase your weaning weight by 10%, or your calf crop, both will lower your break-even costs and increase your return. Tom Brink of Five Rivers Cattle Feeding and Chip Ramsey of Rex Ranch in Nebraska encourage producers to think holistically because everything that producers do in their job is connected. “Look at your operation from a cost standpoint and determine what’s going to keep you in business,” says Mike John, vice president of MFA Healthtrack Beef Alliance and former NCBA president. “Start with the basics, because a lot of people aren’t doing that.” With sky-rocketing feed costs, maximizing your feed use will make a difference in your bottom line. You have to look at hay. It cost almost twice as much in 2008 as it did 10 years ago, using CattleFax statistics. With nitrogen costs up, you may have to re-calculate hay costs and how you apply nitrogen, and if you’re getting the return you need. To reduce winter feed costs, have adequate body condition scores going into winter. Sort the animals by age and whether or not they’re a first time or second time calver or mature cow. There are different nutritional needs for each class and no need to feed
everyone the same thing. If you have the financial resources, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture recommends considering increasing your on-farm fuel storage capacity to take advantage of lower prices. Fuel and utility costs have risen sharper than other input costs since 2006. Likewise, more feed storage will allow you to do the same for feed, if prices drop. Herd health greatly affects the profitability of any operation. Brink advises producers to invest in animal health because far too many cattle enter feedyards with naïve immune systems. Besides increased production efficiency, a vaccination program can result in repeat customers. Sick animals are a problem your customers don’t have to buy next year. “We won’t even bid on cattle anymore that don’t have vaccinations because we ship them all over,” says Leslie Callahan of Crossroads Cattle Company in Austin, Texas. You need a marketing plan. With the rise of niche markets/branded beef products, it’s popular to say “give the consumer what he wants and he’ll pay you for it.” Callahan points out that you have to have a buyer for that product if you’re going to raise it. To get in some branded programs you need a certain critical mass of cattle to sell — at least a load, if not more. Investigate these programs fully before entering one. That said, being qualified for different programs gives you options, and that may become critical to remaining profitable. Your auction market or cattle buyer can help steer you toward programs that might work for your cattle. Source and age verification is a growing trend, and it qualifies cattle for different programs. Still, when it comes time to sell, with all the
variables in play it may be that the commodity market is a better deal that day, Callahan says. Don’t forget the cull cows. If you can add some cost-effective gain to them and market them in February, there should be a price benefit versus selling them in the fall. Ag advisors everywhere caution against buying more equipment than you can afford or need. Consider lease arrangements, renting or hiring the work done. If you do need to buy something, will it pay for itself? If you do buy it, maximize it. Can you use it to do work for someone else? “Don’t put yourself in any one box,” Callahan advises. “At the end of the year it comes down to profitability. You need to use as many tools as possible to keep yourself profitable.”
Top 10 Critical Points for Profitable Beef Production Herd nutrition Pasture and range Herd health Financial management Production Marketing Genetics Labor Information management Harvested forage management Source: Dr. Tom Field
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YOUR MANAGEMENT
Fertilize Your Grass Hay Meadow? By Ron Torell, Brad Schultz, Jason C. Davison, University of Nevada Extension; Dr. Dave Bohnert, Oregon State University
M
any producers question whether they should purchase expensive hay this fall or expensive fertilizer this spring. As conditions and markets differ across the country, producers need to make an evaluation based on their area. Nitrogen fertilization often more than doubles grass hay yield and increases the hay’s nutritional quality. High prices for purchased hay and soaring feed costs suggest that better yields of high quality grass hay are an important consideration — probably more important than high fertilizer prices. Hay quality depends on the type of forage plants in the field, fertilization practices, irrigation management and the growth stage at harvest. Proper management can increase the biomass of desired plant species and improve their nutritional quality. Meadow hay lands in the Intermountain West using continuous irrigation remain saturated during much of the growing season and dry out in mid- to late summer. Prolonged saturation increases sedges and rushes — both low quality forage plants. Intermittent irrigation allows the soil to periodically dry out, become warmer and have more soil oxygen. Th is increases desirable grass species, which improves hay quality. Soil fertility, particularly available nitrogen, influences a meadow’s plant composition. Unfertilized meadows, with few desirable grasses and mostly sedges and rushes, can become mostly desired grasses with annual fertilization. The conversion may take three to five years but that can reverse if fertilization stops. Nitrogen is the most important element for plant growth. The amount applied affects production more than the type applied. Usually 80 to 100 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre results in optimum forage production. Higher rates can result in more hay production and quicker conversion to desired grasses, but usually are not economical. Nitrogen should be applied in the fall unless the fields
remain saturated. For fields grazed in the spring, nitrogen should be applied after livestock are removed. Nitrogen concentrates in the forages’ leaves and when livestock graze the leaves, nitrogen is lost. If fertilization occurs after livestock are moved from meadows, there must be enough irrigation water to move the fertilizer into the root zone and provide for full plant growth. Phosphorus, particularly in combination with nitrogen, can dramatically increase forage production and forage quality. Percent crude protein and total digestible nutrients are useful indicators of hay quality. As their percentages increase, hay quality improves. Sixty years of forage testing in northeastern Nevada show that fertilizing meadows usually improves forage quality. Research in Colorado, Oregon and Idaho had similar results. At nitrogen application rates greater than 80 pounds per acre, the additional nitrogen increased crude protein levels. When nitrogen application rates were less than 80 pounds per acre, crude protein levels decreased. Hay yields are usually expressed as tons of hay harvested per acre. Pounds of crude protein harvested per acre may be a more meaningful production figure. Fertilized hay has about 2.6% more crude protein than non-fertilized hay; therefore, one ton of fertilized hay has 52 more pounds of crude protein than a ton of nonfertilized hay. Also, the fertilized hay will produce significantly more forage from the same acreage. Several factors determine the economic returns from a fertilization program. Typically, fields with deep, loamy soil and abundant, manageable water supplies will have the best economic return. However, low quality hay fields can produce economic returns if fertilizer prices are not too high. Producers are advised to follow recommended irrigation practices and test fertilization on a small scale. Production increases should then be compared with the cost of the fertilizer.
Table 1. Nutrient requirements of a 1,000-pound cow during the last two-thirds of pregnancy compared to the nutritive value of fertilized and non-fertilized northeastern Nevada hays
Crude protein % TDN % Calcium % Phosphorus %
Nutrient Requirements Middle 3rd 7.00 48.80 0.18 0.18
Nutrient Requirements Last 3rd 7.90 53.60 0.26 0.20
*Figures in parenthesis do not meet the nutrient requirements of a 1,000-pound pregnant cow
12
May 2009 l National Cattlemen
Nutrient Value Fertilized 10.10 55.10 0.45 0.21
Nutrient Value Non-Fertilized (7.50)* (51.30) 0.54 (0.17)
YOUR FEED
Stretch Your Hay Supply
T
he most effective way to reduce your hay costs is to simply not use as much of it. Of course, that might not be a practical solution. Given the cost of nitrogen, some growers may be tempted to use less nitrogen on their fields. Know that Kansas State University says a decrease in nitrogen often means the hay crop will have less protein. A good soil test will tell you what you need to do to get your fields ready and might prevent you from applying more fertilizer than you need. And like everything else you do, you might need to look at ways to stretch your hay supplies. Researchers at Purdue University offer these tips. 1) Test your hay for nutritional value. Whether purchased or homegrown, it will be important to get a laboratory analysis of a representative sample of hays. Knowing the nutritional value of hays will allow the most effective use in a feeding program. 2) Match quality of forage to nutrient needs. The nutrient needs of the cow change. Those in early pregnancy have different requirements than those in late gestation or in lactation. Thus, higher amounts of better quality hay can be fed when needed, or lower amount or lower quality hay can be fed when appropriate. 3) Calculate how much hay will be needed. 4) Extend the grazing season. If the grazing season can be extended later in the fall or cows can be grazed earlier in the spring, it saves you hay. 5) Limit access to big bales. Large round bales of hay are great labor savers. However, research and practical experience have shown that cows will eat more hay than they need if given unlimited access. Consider every other day access or access to bales for
7) Consider forage alternatives. Alternative feedstuffs can reduce your hay costs, but that kind of change has to be made carefully. If you need to add supplements or other feeds, do you save money in the end? 8) Obtain hay early. Buy all or most of your hay needs as soon as possible. If you wait until the snow fl ies, the price of hay will most likely be flying upward also.
a shorter time period each day during maintenance or early pregnancy to stretch your supplies of hay. 6) Cull. Cull non-productive, problem cows before overwintering to decrease hay needs. Sort cows by age and body condition when they are due to calve if space and facilities permit. Young cows won’t have to compete so hard with older ones for feed.
Feed Inventory Aid to Management Iowa State University Extension A simple feed inventory can be a valuable management tool when planning your livestock feeding program for the upcoming year. By completing a feed inventory, you can 1. determine your available feed supply, 2. estimate your total feed needs for your planned herd size, and 3. adjust livestock numbers or plan feed purchases when prices are favorable. Table 1. Feed requirements for growing beef cattle 550-800 pounds using forages. Forage Used
Barren corn silage
5-20 bu. corn silage
Oat1 hay grass
40-60 bu. corn silage
Mature alfalfa hay
To produce daily gains of 1.5 to 1.7, 147 to 167 days on feed Tons of forage
2.11
2.81
3.40
1.16
0.79
Bushels of corn
18.50
9.60
0.00
8.10
21.70
Lb. of supplement
115.00
120.00
115.00
155.00
120.00
To produce daily gains of 2.3 to 2.5, 100 to 110 days on feed Tons of forage
0.70
0.74
1.58
0.38
0.28
Bushels of corn
22.40
20.20
1.90
18.30
23.60
Lb. of supplement
80.00
85.00
105.00
125.00
80.00
1
Assumes no feeding waste, add 15 to 25% to forage needs if fed free choice
Table 2. Estimated forage and concentrate requirements for a producing beef cow. Cow weight
Corn silage 60% moisture
Alfalfa- brome hay medium quality
Oat hay dough stage
Poor quality hay
10% waste
10% waste
20% waste
20% waste
tons/cow 1,000
5.0
2.1
2.5
2.2
1,200
5.7
2.5
2.9
2.5
1,400
6.4
2.8
3.2
2.8
Corresponding supplement needs1
lb/cow
Corn
0
275
100
775
Soybean meal
50
0
60
25
1
Except for poor quality hay, the supplementation is needed just before calving and during lactation.
www.NationalCattlemen.com
13
YOUR HERD’S HEALTH
Did You Deworm Yet This Year? By Curt Olson Dr. Mac Devin
Dr. Tom Yazwinski
S
pring brings a return of green grass, but along with that new growth comes worms and other parasites that will eat the profit right out of your calf crop if they are left unchecked. Worms and other parasites live in your pastures. Spring grazing and the warming wet conditions that accompany it, especially when the grass is low, comes with an increased likelihood that your animals will pick up something parasitic along with a mouthful of grass. Left unchecked, these worms live in the intestinal tract of your animals and provide eggs that contaminate the pasture for the next grazing season. Dr. Tom Yazwinski, a professor of animal science, has been studying parasites at the University of Arkansas for 30 years. He routinely finds that cattlemen are losing 5 to 10% of the productivity of their animals just due to the levels of worms they can’t even see. “The reasons we deworm cattle is to improve their performance, which means more dollars in our pockets because we have more weight to sell,” says Dr. Mac Devin, senior veterinary consultant for Fort Dodge Animal Health. Worms also compromise the health of an animal. “The immune response of parasitized animals is somewhat disabled due to the presence of the worms,” Yazwinski says. “If the immune response is working on the worms, then some of that immune response will not be able to work on the other pathogens or vaccines.” Timing is important when you deworm. If you’re a stocker operator, you want to do it every time you bring
14
May 2009 l National Cattlemen
new cattle onto your place, because you don’t want to bring any worms from their last residence with them. Most cow/ calf operations deworm in the fall and spring, two points in time that coincide with green-up along with new calves. “Generally speaking, if we deworm cattle 30 to 45 days after the grass greens up in the spring, we will go a long way to reducing parasite contamination at a time when we have the best forage conditions,” Devin says. “We can get the most cattle gain during that time. It makes sense to maximize that forage and get as much return on investment as we can from that forage.” Devin says it’s necessary to deworm again in the fall when the temperature starts to cool down and the first frost is coming. Fall deworming means you won’t have to feed worms all winter. In addition to internal parasite control, pour-on dewormers can also help reduce external parasites, such as lice. Injectable products also provide broad-spectrum control, although they’re more focused on internal parasites. Each producer has to choose what works best for him. If he doesn’t have a squeeze shoot, a pour-on dewormer can be used easily on cattle standing in an alley. It’s important to use the right dosage. Most products come with guidelines on the labels that are tied to the animal’s weight. If you give the animal too much, you’re wasting product and money. If you don’t give the animal enough, the treatment is ineffective and actually fuels the development of resistance in the worm population. One of the things you want to do is to periodically evaluate the efficacy of what you use. One way to do that is to work with your veterinarian. He can do an egg-count assessment pre- and post treatment. If you have been dosing at the proper level and applying it properly and not getting acceptable egg count reductions at treatment, Devin says you might need to consider changing product. Yazwinski says there are several classes of drugs available with differences in effectiveness within class. He points out that his work, along with that of several others, indicate that generics routinely are not as effective as the brand names. The bottom line is that good dewormers provide better gain. Yazwinski says that in numerous tests he has done, a treated stocker animal will weigh 100 pounds more than an untreated one after 150 days. “Typically speaking, if you have an effective product, you will get nice returns on your investment,” Devin says. “In a few days you regain the cost of treatment. After that, it’s actually like putting money in your pocket. Producers need to remember that parasite control always pays.” Editor’s note: Any statements by Dr. Yazwinski or his inclusion in this article should not be interpreted as a product endorsement by Dr. Yazwinski or the University of Arkansas.
Results don’t lie. QuickBayt® is proven to kill flies fast.1 In fact, QuickBayt starts killing flies in as little as 60 seconds.1 Ask your Bayer Sales Representative for more information about QuickBayt products or visit flycontrolcenter.com.
1. Nipcam Study, QuickBayt Technical Information Manual, December 2002. © 2009 Bayer HealthCare LLC, Animal Health Division, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201. Bayer, the Bayer Cross and QuickBayt are registered trademarks of Bayer. Q09125n
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YOUR MARKET UPDATE
CATTLEFAX
Beef’s Demand Dilemma By Mike Miller
Weekly Ch/Se Spread 5-Yr Avg
Source: USDA
12/8
11/8
9/8
8/8
7/8
10/8
2009
WEEK 5-Yr Avg
to $4.83/cwt. during the same time a year ago. Demand for beef and for Choice beef in particular has been damaged by the downturn in the economy. With consumers eating at home more and watching their pocketbooks more closely, higher priced cuts of beef have been impacted. Th is has also played a role in keeping the Choice-Select spread historically narrow as demand for these products is very unstable.
Steer Byproduct Value Tumbles Steer byproduct value as reported by USDA hit a record low in March. This is in sharp contrast to the record prices for byproduct value recorded last summer. The byproduct value is basically the total value of all the non-meat items collected from an animal after harvest such as liver, tallow, and hides. The values of these non-meat items are a vital aspect not only to beef packer margins, but cattle prices as well. Byproduct values are highly dependant on foreign markets, which
6/8
5/8
4/8
3/8
2008
2/8
20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 -2
1/8
$/CWT
T
here’s no question the cattle and beef markets have been disappointing for the past several months. Beef supplies have outpaced unstable demand, which has kept the markets from developing any upward momentum. The industry has felt the impact of the bad economy, which has severely limited both cattle and beef prices. The big question on everyone’s mind is when will demand return to normal? The beef market has been a story of both supply and demand. Choice beef supplies have been on the increase for over a year as a higher percentage of carcasses have graded Choice. So far in 2009, beef production is up just 1.4% compared with year earlier levels. However, Choice beef production has increased by nearly 7.5%. This increase kept the ChoiceSelect spread very narrow during much of 2008 and has impacted the spread once again in 2009. Yearto-date, the Choice-Select spread is averaging just $2.77/cwt. compared
have deteriorated dramatically since last summer’s record highs of $12 per cwt. Byproduct values reached record highs last summer due to many factors, including spillover demand from the oil and feedstuffs markets as well as a low U.S. dollar. However, since last fall the global economic contraction has forced byproduct values to record lows. By mid-March 2009, byproduct values fell into the $5 per cwt. range, the lowest weekly values ever reported by USDA.
2008
2009
The beef industry will more than likely feel like a recovery is underway once the Choice beef market begins to show signs of life and the ChoiceSelect spread returns to normal ranges. The spring is always a good time for Choice beef and beef demand in general. Spring 2009 will more than likely see the normal trends, but at a reduced level. The economic news just isn’t good enough yet for full confidence to be restored. However, there is a good chance that by late 2009 the markets will stabilize to the point that retailers and food service operators will feel more comfortable, and that in turn will help the beef and cattle markets. Hopefully, the worst of the news is behind us and the economy will begin to recover. It will take some time for things to return to normal and our industry may find that “normal” no longer exists. The beef industry will likely have to adjust to a whole new set of market dynamics that will play out during the recovery. All this will just take time and a little bit of patience.
www.NationalCattlemen.com
17
Workshop Presentations Include: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Overviews of E.coli and Salmonella in the animal and the environment Discussion of recent outbreaks and recalls Links between pre-harvest pathogen loads and food safety Factors influencing pathogen loads in feedyards/animals Movement of the pathogen through the production system Intervention strategies Current research involving interventions, E.coli and Salmonella
The workshop is sponsored by Texas Tech University, West Texas A&M University, and USDA CSREES.
COST:
FREE to the first 25 registered workshop participants
DATES:
June 17, 2009 June 18, 2009
WHERE:
Texas Tech University Dept of Animal & Food Sciences Corner of Indiana & Main Streets Lubbock, TX 79409
TIME:
8am – 5pm both days
A block of rooms is reserved at the Staybridge Suites in Lubbock at 2515 19th Street. Special room rates are $85/night for a Queen and $105/night for a King. Please call the hotel directly at 806-765-8900 and ask for the TTU Pre-harvest food safety workshop rate. Reservation deadline is May 26th!
Workshop Registration Deadline Monday, June 1, 2009 Upon Completion of the workshop a certificate will be awarded to each participant Name Company Address City
State
Zip Code
Telephone
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THE WORKSHOP For Information Call (806) 742-2805 OR email icfie@ttu.edu To mail reservations: Fill out bottom portion of flyer and send to: Dept of Animal & Food Sciences, Box 42141-Lubbock-TX-79409 To fax reservations: Fill out bottom portion of flyer and fax to 806-742-4003 Visit our Website www.icfie.com
CAPITOL CONCERNS
NCBA, Working for you in D.C.
Progress on Death Tax
I
n a vote on a budget resolution in April, the Senate voted 51 to 48 to pass an amendment on Death Tax relief sponsored by Senators Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Jon Kyl of Arizona. The Lincoln-Kyl amendment would raise the Death Tax exemption to $5 million per individual and $10 million per couple, indexed for inflation. Under this amendment, the maximum tax rate is reduced to 35%. Currently, estates valued at more than $3.5 million, or $7 million for a couple, are taxed at a 45% rate. President Obama has proposed freezing it at this level so it can be dealt with at a later date. But if Congress doesn’t act to freeze or reduce the estate tax, in 2011 it will revert to a staggering 55% tax on estates worth $1 million or more. Lobbyist Jill Davidsaver in NCBA’s government affairs office called the amendment a huge win for NCBA members. “Our members have worked hard to develop and preserve profitable businesses,” Davidsaver says. “They should have the right and the ability to pass these operations on to their children and grandchildren.” Most cattle producers have businesses that have been passed down through the generations for more than 50 years. In fact, 15% of producers have operations that have been in the family for more than 100 years. “This vote was a recognition of the extraordinary burden the Death Tax places on average Americans trying to pass on family cattle operations,” states Davidsaver. “The amendments don’t have the force of law, but
they are important guidelines for committees that have jurisdiction over the policies in the amendments.” Many farmers and ranchers are what is known as “land rich and cash poor.” The Death Tax hurts these people most because those inheriting the land often cannot afford the taxes on it. Families are often forced to sell off land, farm equipment, parts of the operation, or the entire ranch just to pay liabilities under the Death Tax. “The majority of the U.S. Senate demonstrated that they understand the extraordinary burdens this tax places on farming and ranching families. They realize the importance of reforming this tax,” says Davidsaver. “It sets the stage for further action in reducing this burden on our farmers and ranchers.” The bipartisan amendment was sponsored by Senators Lincoln and Kyl, as well as Senators Ben Nelson, Chuck Grassley, Mark Pryor, Pat Roberts, Mary Landrieu, Mike Enzi, Susan Collins, and John Thune. “This vote was a strong show of support for our producers, and we appreciate the senators who stood up for our rights,” Davidsaver says. “We’ll continue to push for a full repeal of the estate tax, but we realize that may not be viable right now in the current political and economic climate. The Lincoln-Kyl amendment is the best option to provide relief in the meantime.” As debate continues on tax reform, producers like you can have a significant impact on the discussion. If you’d like to get involved in this issue, please contact Jill Davidsaver at 202-347-0228 or jdavidsaver@beef.org.
They realize the importance of reforming this tax.
Horse Slaughter Debate Begins Again House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers recently introduced H.R. 503, Elizabeth Bostdorff a bill to amend the federal criminal code to impose a fine and or a prison term for possessing, shipping, transporting, purchasing, selling, delivering or receiving any horse with the intent that it be used for human consumption. H.R. 503 is a similar bill to H.R. 6598 that passed the House Judiciary Committee by a voice vote in September 2008, but was referred to the House Agriculture Committee where it did not gain any movement. NCBA is lobbying against this legislation and has developed letters for producers to send to their congressmen on Cap-Wiz (http://capwiz.com/beefusa/home/). Additionally, NCBA is working to gather stories of abandoned horses or the financial strain that the current horse situation is putting on state and local governments. To get involved with this issue, contact Elizabeth Bostdorff at 202-347-0228 or Ebostdorff@beef.org.
You Made the Difference After putting out a call to action about the Death Tax, NCBA members responded by sending more than 200 calls, plus additional e-mails and faxes to their senators. This strong grassroots response helped push the final vote in our favor. Please see the story on this page.
www.NationalCattlemen.com
19
YOUR CAPITOL CONCERNS Vilsack Meets with NCBA and PLC NCBA and the Public Lands Council on March 27 met with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Chief of Staff Carole Jett. The meeting focused on priority issues for the beef industry and livestock ranchers on federal lands, including trade, animal ID, wildlife services and conservation. NCBA President-elect and Astoria, Ill., producer Steve Foglesong said, “Secretary Vilsack made a point to emphasize his commitment to increasing trade.” Trade adds about $180 to each head of cattle marketed by U.S. producers. Foglesong continued, “ We appreciate that he understands how critical it is to open markets for beef and remove unscientific trade barriers.” Animal identification also was discussed. “Secretary Vilsack assured us that the National Animal Identification System must be workable for ranchers,” Foglesong said. “We understand the need for an animal identification plan that is an effective disease surveillance and monitoring tool, but it must also serve the needs of our livestock producers on public and private lands.” NCBA continues to support a voluntary, market-driven approach to animal ID that supports genetic improvement, source verification, and disease surveillance.
Enhanced Feed Ban Ignores Multiple Impacts Despite urging from NCBA and Congress, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to solicit public comments for seven days solely on delaying implementation of a new feed ban rather than soliciting public comment on the ban itself. The ban was scheduled to go into effect April 27. The proposed new date is June 26. NCBA has opposed the enhanced feed ban since it was first proposed in 2005. NCBA continues to urge FDA
20
May 2009 l National Cattlemen
to open the rule to public comment and delay implementation until they have had time to consider the many problems caused by the ban. The enhanced feed ban would prohibit certain cattle-derived risk materials from all animal feed and provide negligible benefits to animal health or food safety. However, it would create tremendous costs for ranchers, exacerbate disposal issues, and generate environmental concerns. Many renderers already have stopped picking up dead livestock because of the economic realities of this proposal. NCBA has received numerous reports from producers and veterinarians finding it harder to get dead animals picked up, and the services that are still available cost significantly more. FDA estimates the new regulations would generate an additional 28 million pounds of prohibited material derived from healthy cattle at the slaughter plant level. It also will decrease cattle carcasses being picked up by rendering services by 26%-41%. That adds 369-577 million pounds annually that will have to be disposed by some other means, in addition to about 3 billion pounds of ruminant carcasses annually resulting from natural causes.
Don’t Increase Ethanol Blend NCBA in March sent a letter opposing an increase in the ethanol blend percentage for gasoline to Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, and Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Carol Browner. The current 10% blend percentage is causing more competition for corn and driving up feed costs for cattle producers. NCBA said that before an increase in the ethanol blend percentage is considered, a comprehensive assessment needs to address how that will impact
the market and if production can accommodate a higher percentage. Current corn-based ethanol production is capped at 15 billion gallons. Increasing the blend percentage to 15% would require 4.5 billion more gallons of ethanol and an extra 1.6 billion bushels of corn. That much corn is roughly equal to the entire amount the cattle industry uses in one year. Based on 2008 yields, to reach this level an additional 10.4 million acres of corn would need to be planted. USDA’s March 31 Planting Perspectives report projects 1 million fewer acres are planned for corn this year. Cattle producers support energy independence and developing the renewable fuels industry. NCBA’s members continue to advocate for a market-based approach when building any industry.
NCBA Supports Bill to Amend Clean Air Act NCBA sent a letter to Senators John Thune and Charles Schumer expressing support for their bill to amend the Clean Air Act with respect to certain emissions from agricultural production. The bill, S. 527, would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from requiring livestock operations to get Clean Air Act Title V permits for greenhouse gas emissions caused by biological processes at those operations. The Clean Air Act is ill-suited for regulating greenhouse gas emissions and it was never the intent of Congress for the Act to be used for that purpose. The Act was intended to regulate traditional air pollutants from major emitters on a state or regional level. It is not adequately equipped to address global climate change. Agriculture is a minor source of greenhouse gas emissions overall and should not be regulated under a climate change program. According to the EPA, in 2006 greenhouse gas
YOUR CAPITOL CONCERNS emissions from the entire agriculture sector represented only 6.4% of total greenhouse gas emissions in teragrams of carbon dioxide equivalents in the U.S. Over half of that amount is due to emissions from soil management when growing crops. The agriculture sector should be considered a solution to the climate change problem, as it provides soil carbon sequestration and renewable energy offsets. According to EPA, land use, land use change, and forestry activities resulted in a net carbon sequestration offset of approximately 14.8% of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, or 12.5% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2006. Using the Clean Air Act to control greenhouse gas emissions would provide the EPA with unprecedented control over every sector of the U.S. economy.
NCBA Supports Conservation Easement Tax Incentive Act In a letter to Congress, NCBA President Gary Voogt urged support for the Conservation Easement Tax Incentive Act. The Act, co-sponsored by Congressmen Mike Thompson and Eric Cantor, would make permanent the enhanced tax deduction for donations of conservation easements. They are set to expire at the end of 2009. Voluntary conservation easements keep land in agriculture and protect conservation values for future generations. “Many of the nation’s most ecologically diverse and agriculturally productive lands are owned by working farm and ranch families,” said Voogt. “This legislation encourages voluntary, incentive-based donations of future development rights to ensure such lands remain in production.”
Protect Private Voting Rights NCBA joined with more than 40 national and regional agriculture associations in sending a letter to Congress urging them to preserve
the fundamental right of American workers to a secret ballot election when deciding whether or not to join a union. As a member of the Agriculture for a Democratic Workplace coalition, NCBA is working to block the passage of the deceptively named Employee Free Choice Act.
The Act would effectively deprive American workers, including most agriculture workers, of their right to vote in a private ballot process. Workers would instead be subject to a “card check” program, which would eliminate anonymity and allow for coercion and intimidation during the voting process.
PUBLIC LANDS COUNCIL: Fighting for Western Ranchers! PLC Hosts 2009 Spring Legislative Conference During the Public Lands Council’s Spring Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., nearly 50 members from 11 Western states met with representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The group also met with congressional representatives on Capitol Hill to discuss a variety of legislative issues affecting Western ranchers, including Wildlife Services funding, greenhouse gas regulation, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Wild FreeRoaming Horses and Burros Act.
NCBA and PLC Submit Comments on USDA Funding NCBA and the Public Lands Council partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund, National Association of Conservation Districts, Partnership of Rangeland Trusts, the Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund to submit comments to USDA on an interim final rule on the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The groups urged USDA to support ranching and conservation in the West by making EQIP funds available on both private and public lands. From an environmental standpoint, public and private lands in
the West cannot be distinguished. EQIP is principally intended to serve production agriculture and address natural resource concerns on private lands. In many Western states production agriculture occurs on private, state and federal lands. “Federal permittees control more than 110 million acres of the most biologically diverse private lands in the West,” explains Skye Krebs, PLC president and rancher from Ione, Ore. In the interim final rule, land eligible for EQIP funds includes publicly-owned lands where, “the conservation practices to be implemented on the public land are necessary and will contribute to an improvement in the identified resource concern that is on private land.” Th is language will close the possibility of enrolling public land in EQIP. The conservation and ranching groups propose changing the language to the following: “The conservation practices to be implemented on the public land are necessary to improve the condition of resources on the public land as well as benefit the private land.” Krebs said natural resources should be addressed comprehensively on federal, state, and private lands. “Where an entire environmental system stands to benefit, conservation and stewardship shouldn’t stop at a property boundary,” he said.
www.NationalCattlemen.com
21
T
hese are companies that have teamed with NCBA as Allied Industry members, demonstrating their commitment to the beef industry. Their involvement and investment strengthens our future. NCBA members are urged to support these partners in turn by purchasing their products and services. Those who would like to become Allied Industry partners with NCBA (securing a premium booth placement at the next annual convention and trade show), please call the Association Marketing team at 303-694-0305.
Allied Industry
Directory Gold Level Sponsors (minimum $100,000 investments) AgriLabs www.agrilabs.com Bayer www.bayer-ah.com Caterpillar www.cat.com
Dow AgroSciences, LLC www.dowagro.com Elanco Animal Health www.elanco.com Fort Dodge Animal Health www.fortdodge.com
Intervet/ Schering-Plough Animal Health www.intervetusa.com www.spah.com John Deere www.deere.com
Merial www.merial.com Micro Beef Technologies www.microbeef.com Pfizer Animal Health www.pfizer.com Purina Mills, LLC www.cattlenutrition.com
Allied Industry Council Allflex USA, Inc. Alpharma Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
Cargill Animal Nutrition Health Central Life Sciences CME Group Destron-Fearing
Leo Burnett USA Monsanto Novartis Animal Health U.S., Inc.
Pioneer, A DuPont Company Y-Tex Zinpro Corporation
Allied Industry Associates ADM Alliance Nutrition, Inc. AgInfoLink American Live Stock Inc. AgCareers.com Beef Magazine
Cover-All Buildings Farnam Companies, Inc. Land O’Lakes Feed Lextron, Inc. Midwest PMS, Inc.
Nutrition Physiology Co., LLC Priefert Manufacturing Company Ridley Block Operations
SmartLic Supplement U.S. Premium Beef, Ltd. Vigortone Ag Products Walco International, Inc.
Allied Industry Partners Agriculture Engineering Associates Albion Advanced Nutrition Alltech, Inc. AniPro Certified Angus Beef Certified Hereford Beef Cline Wood Agency CMA Consulting, LLC Croplan Genetics Faegre & Benson, LLP
Farm Journal/Beef Today Grow Safe Systems, LTD Hartford Livestock Insurance Hot Shot Products Co., Inc. IMI Global Kuhn Knight Kunafin “The Insectary” Lallemand Animal Nutrition Meat & Livestock Australia, Ltd. Miraco/Gallagher Moly Manufacturing
New Holland Noble Foundation Nova Microbial Technologies Phibro Animal Health PlainJan’s Quali Tech, Inc. Rabobank International Ritchie Industries Inc. Roto-Mix Stone Manufacturing Temple Tag
Teva Animal Health Tru-Test US Bank Vitalix The Vit-E-Men Co. Inc./ Life Products Western Farm Credit Association WW Livestock Systems Varied Industried Corp.
Product Council Members American Foods Group Applebee’s International Beef Products, Inc. Booker Packing Company Cargill Meat Solutions DuPont Qualicon
22
May 2009 l National Cattlemen
IEH Laboratories Kraft Food/Oscar Mayer Lobel’s of New York McDonald’s Corporation National Beef Packing
Novus International Outback Steakhouse Sam Kane Beef Processors Smithfield Beef Group, Inc. Spicetec
Swift & Company Topco Associates Tyson Fresh Meats Wal-Mart Stores Wendy’s International
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in implement bonuses*
OR
Bonus Value. Bonus Performance. Bonus Comfort. Meet the one tractor that really does have it all. Power up on performance with 83-101 engine horsepower – enough to tackle your toughest tasks. Kick back in comfort in the fully-enclosed, climate-controlled cab with built-in panoramic views. Get the job done easier with the PowrReverser™ transmission – perfect for quick shuttle-shifting between forward and reverse. And with these great BUY-NOW BONUS offers, we’re truly talking a lot of tractor for the money!
Hurry! The BUY-NOW BONUS offers end soon, so contact your dealer before April 30, 2009.
*Offer ends April 30, 2009. Subject to approved credit on John Deere Credit Installment Plan, some restrictions may apply, so see your dealer for complete details and other financing options. 0% Fixed Rate Financing on new 5E Limited Series Tractors only. Not all customers who qualify for financing will be eligible for 0% down or low introductory payments. Free rotary cutter offer applies to new John Deere MX6 and MX7 models, and new Frontier RC2060 and 2072 models when purchased with a new 5E Limited Series Tractor. Special package savings available on a purchase of a new 5E Limited Series Tractor when purchased with any combination of qualifying John Deere loader, pull-type hay equipment, rotary cutter, or Frontier implement. Residency restrictions may apply. Freight, installation, delivery, dealer fees, and taxes not included.
Wouldn’t it be great if you had one less thing to juggle? Have you ever noticed that re-implanting always seems to come when you need to be doing something else—haying, harvesting, or spending time with your family? But if ÂŽ you switched to Revalor -XS you’d get all the performance of re-implanting with half the work. Just implant Revalor-XS once, and your steers will get improved feed efďŹ ciency for up to 200 days. No extra stress on them‌or on you. So switch to Revalor-XS and get implanting that’s one and done.
INTERVETUSA COM s s s "6 2%6 Revalor is a registered trademark of Intervet Inc. or an afďŹ liate. Š2009 Intervet Inc. All rights reserved.
Never Re-implant Again.