LMD April 2015

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Livestock “The greatest homage we can pay to truth is to use it.” – JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL APRIL 15, 2015 • www. aaalivestock . com

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Digest I Volume 57 • No. 4

by Lee Pitts

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A bumble bee is faster than a John Deere tractor. beta agonists even existed. I did not receive one letter that supported the use of beta agonists. Not one.

A Lot To Lose After our story and a followup, an advertisement appeared on Reuters/PR Newswire electronic bulletin board in New York’s Time Square that was critical of beta agonists. Our dirty little secret was out and I wondered, was I the tattle-tale? The ad said that the message was brought to New Yorkers, and therefore the world, by a national consumer group calling itself Beef Additive Alert™. If you think that sounds like some militant vegetarian hate group you could not be more wrong.

Beef Additive Alert™ was the brainchild of two beef industry giants who have a LOT more to lose than one insignificant writer like myself. If I had doubts about divulging information that might harm the beef industry, just consider the agonizing doubts the two men who paid for the ads must have had. After all, these two men have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in the beef industry and they placed their sterling reputations on the line. Their desire to do the right thing trumped everything. After our first story on beta agonists ran I expected to hear from feedlot owners who insisted they needed the beta agonists in order to compete and in order to provide food for a hungry world.

At this stage of their lives Harvey Dietrich and Gerald Timmerman have nothing left to prove. Harvey is a self-made man who went from cleaning water troughs in a feedlot to being one of the biggest ranchers in the country, and owner of a beef packing plant known far and wide for the quality of its meat. Gerald Timmerman is likewise involved in all phases of the cattle business including a packing plant also known for it’s high quality beef. So you can see, they have a lot of other stuff to worry about besides feed additives. Serious stuff. Gerald Timmerman is battling throat cancer, for example. Yet they are fighting the bata agonist continued on page two

Measuring the impact of changing antibiotic rules BY JOHN MADAY, EDITOR,

NEWSPAPER PRIORITY HANDLING

So when I heard from my friend Gerald Timmerman and Harvey Dietrich I thought I might be in for a good scolding. To my surprise, I learned that these two cattle industry giants hated beta agonists more than I did. And they were willing to bet their life’s work on the idea that we’d better clean up our act before someone else does it for us.

Nothing Left To Prove

BOVINE VETERINARIAN

ver since the FDA issued its Draft Guidance 213 and the proposed Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) rules in 2013, veterinarians and industry stakeholders have wondered about measurement. The FDA rules of course, are intended to encourage judicious use of antimicrobials and thus reduce the risk of development of antimicrobial resistance in pathogens, and the industry generally has supported this effort. But, many have asked, how will we know whether the rules, once implemented, have any positive impact? Will the industry be able to measure and report significant reductions in antibiotic use or

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by LEE PITTS

Count Your Blessings

On The Horns Of A Dilemma or me, the hardest part of being a writer is not writer’s block, not knowing what to put on a piece of paper. It’s not knowing what not to write. For example, do you reveal an industry dirty little secret as part of a journalistic endeavor to inform the readership, knowing that you could also be giving ammunition to the enemy? Or do you keep quiet, even if it’s a ticking time bomb? Believe me, I debated long and hard before I wrote about beta agonists in this newspaper. I worried about introducing a subject that we as an industry were vulnerable on, and to be honest, I worried about Merck, the maker of Zilmax®, the most widely used beta agonist. Merck was not going to like my story and I envisioned an army of lawyers ready to pounce. Was it even worth it, after all, I was putting myself and this newspaper in jeopardy, all for one little story? Surely I could find less explosive things to write about. When in doubt, let your conscience be your guide. The story went to press and I held my breath for the fall-out. Amazingly, I heard from Merck even before the story was printed. There were some requests from other brave publications to reprint the story and I received many letters from concerned ranchers who had no idea that

Riding Herd

lower prevalence of resistant pathogens? During the recent National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) conference in Indianapolis, the NIAA Antibiotics Council discussed program goals and metrics with officials from the FDA and USDA. Craig Lewis, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, from FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), says the agency sees a need for collecting more on-farm data on antibiotic use and resistance trends, and is currently developing a plan for collecting, analyzing and applying that data. Currently, FDA cooperates with the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the National Antimicrobial Resistance Moni-

toring System (NARMS), and also collects data on total sales of antimicrobials for use in animals. More data will be needed to augment those efforts and determine the effectiveness of FDA’s strategy for judicious use of antimicrobials. That strategy focuses on two primary policies. First, Guidance 213 aims to eliminate use of medically important antimicrobials for production or performance purposes in livestock. In addition, FDA intends to require veterinary oversight of the use of antimicrobials in feed and water through the proposed VFD rule. In 2014, Lewis says, CVM substantially enhanced its annual survey on the quantity of antimicrobials sold for use in animal continued on page four

’ve read that many writers have a hard time letting themselves be happy. I don’t know if it’s the actual writing that causes depression, or if depressed people are just drawn to the job. Perhaps I’m being cocky but I like to think of myself as a writer too, and I get depressed once in awhile. Don’t we all? Usually when I’m blue it’s because I’m depending on special occasions, the accumulation of stuff, or the misery of others to put me in a better mood. And then one day I discovered the mathematical formula for a good life: happiness doesn’t always have to be derived by the addition of something, it can also be attained through subtraction. I can be depressed if there is no berry cobbler or homemade ice cream for dessert, or I can be overjoyed that I’m not eating liver and lima beans with the in-laws. I can either be miserable about what I don’t have, or happy with what I do have. It’s a different way of looking at the world. Happiness is a fly NOT buzzing around your head when you’re trying to go to sleep at night. It’s a dog that doesn’t bite and a big rainbow trout that does. Happiness is a parent that doesn’t have Alzheimers, a child without Down’s Syndrome and a teenager who is not on drugs. Happiness is not having to ride the one horse in your string today that bucks. Instead of being forlorn about having to get up at two a.m. to check the heifers, why not be excited about the possibility of seeing a brand new calf or a glorious sunrise? I can wake up and be a grump, or I can say to myself, “Yippie! It’s going to be a great day because I don’t have to go to the dentist today.” And then on those two days a year I do have to go, I walk with a bounce in my step knowing that it will be another six months before the dentist gets another shot at me. Ladies, I know that we menfolk have more than our share of faults, but rather than get mad or sad about our bad habits, why not be glad about continued on page twelve

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Livestock Market Digest

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April 15, 2015

Horns Of A Dilemma

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battle because they want an industry that does not depend on performance-enhancing drugs or feed additives to boost profits at the expense of quality. Gerald Timmerman is a third generation rancher who, along with his brothers, own and operate ranches and feedlots in South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Texas and Oregon. Gerald’s grand-folks emigrated from Germany to Cuming County, Nebraska, in the 1880s and started the enterprise that would one day become a giant. When Gerald’s father's health turned bad, the four Timmerman sons purchased the business in 1965 and expanded it to Timmerman & Sons Feedlots, The Timmerman Land and Cattle Company, farms and their partnership in Nebraska Beef. (On a personal note I should acknowledge my bias. For over 20 years I helped Western Video Market sell a half million cattle per year and in doing so I had the good fortune to become friends with Gerald. There’s not anyone in the packing and feeding business who I respect and admire more. At the same time, I sure wouldn’t want to be involved in a fight, judicially or physically, opposing Gerald. If Merck thought they had trouble with one snoopy reporter, they have no idea what it’s like to bring down the wrath of one angry cattle-feeding German from Nebraska.) In his typical blunt manner Gerald says this about beta agonists: “No amount of drug maker-sponsored study or 5-step PR spin campaign will convince us that beta agonists belong in beef production. We hope processors continue to resist accepting Zilmax-fed cattle for animal welfare, and to preserve USA beef quality, consistency and integrity.” Gerald’s founding partner in Beef Additive Alert™ is another industry stalwart. Harvey Dietrich is being honored this year by Oklahoma City’s Cowboy Hall of Fame with one of its highest honors. The Chester A. Reynolds Award is presented to a living honoree or group that has notably perpetuated the legacy of the American West. It is a well deserved honor. For the past 31 years Harvey has operated The Diamond A Ranch which is the largest cattle ranch in Arizona, covering 750,000 acres. His Cholla Cattle Co. has been a major player for decades. Harvey started at age 15 as a laborer in a LA packinghouse, feeding, cleaning water troughs and unpinning shrouds from cow carcasses before moving up the ranks to cattle buyer. Eventually he became such a valuable employee he got a percentage of profits. In addition to the ranch operations, this tenacious entrepreneur went on to co-launch Sun Land Beef in Arizona as the operating partner. Harvey developed a one-of-a-kind cattle feed-

ing and marketing program that changed the beef industry in the West forever. Sun Land Beef collaborated with 165 Ralphs Grocery Stores and they hired meat scientists to find out why the beef then being sold in grocery stores was so tough. Their findings enabled Sun Land Beef to sign agreements with feeders and retailers to produce a superior product ranchers could be proud of. Says Harvey, “The consumers here and abroad do not want their food produced with labproduced chemicals, coupled with no food labeling and lack of transparency. Beta agonists tend to reduce marbling. Steaks taste tougher, are less juicy and tender.”

Hitting The Fan Even though beta agonists have been around since 2007, we ran our first story about them in our February 2014 issue. After that story ran you could say the proverbial manure hit the fan. In early autumn of the same year, Merck Animal Health suspended its Zilmax® cattle feed additive in the United States and Canada after a videotape surfaced showing animals that were fed Zilmax® in distress, with hoof problems and lameness that required cattle to be destroyed. Reuters, the international news gathering agency, did several investigative articles on beta agonists. Comments from Professor Temple Grandin also surfaced in the Wall Street Journal, CNN, MSNBC and Fox outlets in which she said she had observed heat stress, lameness, hoof problems and aggressiveness in feedlot cattle fed beta agomists. “In hot weather, I have seen open mouth panting and a few animals were non-ambulatory after fed beta agonists.” Even more importantly to the halt of Zilmax® sales, the nation’s leading meat packers, led by Tyson, stopped buying cattle fed the feed additive due to their animal welfare concerns. Then Reuters reported that a second major meat packer, JBS USA, showed a video at a cattle industry conference that showed cattle at a JBS plant having difficulty walking after they were fed beta-agonists. On March 11, 2014, Reuters publicized a Texas Tech and Kansas State University study titled “U.S. Cattle Deaths Linked to Zilmax Far Exceeded Company Reports.” Even after all this, and their own suspension of Zilmax® sales, Merck emphasized that their product was safe when used as directed. After Merck stopped the sale of Zilmax®, most cattle feeders simply switched to a competing beta agonist from Elanco called Optaflexx, also known as ractopamine. You’ve probably read about it lately as 27 countries of the European Union, China, continued on page three

April 15, 2015

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

Horns Of A Dilemma

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Taiwan, Russia and 160 other other countries banned the importation of meat produced with ractopamine. South Korea found U.S. imported beef with traces of beta agonists in it.

On The Comeback Trail We speculated at the time of its suspension from the market that Merck was not going to give up that easily on Zilmax® which was worth $159 million a year to them. They were laying low, waiting for the heat to die down, but ever since Merck suspended Zilmax® sales they have been trying to re-introduce the FDA-approved product. Merck announced that they had initiated a five step plan to bring the bottom-line friendly, Zilmax® back to the market. A press release was issued, there was an online ad campaign to direct people to a “Responsible Beef” website, a lower dose relabeling alternative was proposed along with the certification of people who administered the feed additive. The Wall Street Journal reported that Merck had also planned a 250,000 head cattle study but it failed to materialize due to beef processor uneasiness. Merck’s press release read, “The totality of the comprehensive review supported that Zilmax® is safe when used according to the product label and in conjunction with sound animal husbandry practices. The research results and industry data showed that cattle weights, and thus feed consumption rates, have been steadily increasing over time. This creat-

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The Times Square BEEF ADDITIVE ALERT was the brainchild of two beef industry giants. ed the possibility that certain cattle could consume feed quantities that result in ingestion of Zilmax® in an amount that exceeds the approved dose. The review also noted that enhanced label language – coupled with the implementation of comprehensive certification requirements and a thorough best practices program – will ensure that usage of Zilmax® remains com-

pliant with the label.”

The Other Alternative After Fortune Magazine discovered beta agonists they’reported that, “Zilmax’s exit from the U.S. market did not spell the end of cattle-growth drugs. It simply led to renewed interest in ractopamine. That is, cattle producers are now substituting a drug that the FDA reports has

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already been linked to nearly a quarter million adverse events in pigs – more than any other animal drug." The organization this reporter was most afraid would get hold of the beta agonsist issue and use it to their advantage was The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), never a friend of the rancher. Sure enough, Wayne Pacelle the President and CEO of HSUS wrote an article titled “Ractopamine: It’s What’s for Dinner” in which he said “the drug’s safety assessment involved just one human study, of six healthy young men, one of whom dropped out after his heart began racing and pounding abnormally. But in America, ractopamine is legal and administered to an estimated 60 to 80 percent of American pigs, with residues often finding their way into supermarket pork.” Concluded Pacelle, “The meat industry’s fanatical devotion to a drug that boosts growth rates at the cost of all other concerns – animal welfare, the environment, and perhaps even human health – only makes sense when you consider the industry's mindset. For factory farmers, there’s always been one frustrating limit to their ability to ramp up meat production while slashing costs: the animal’s natural biology. He accused the cattle industry of cutting corners “in a never-ending quest for greater yield and profits.” The result of all the publicity was that HSUS and several other public interest organizations, including the Center for Food Safety, sued the FDA over “its

repeated, reflexive approval of animal drugs containing ractopamine.” According to their lawsuit, “The FDA has repeatedly approved ractopamine drugs based on pro forma assurances from the drug’s sponsors, and U.S. trade negotiators have even lobbied other nations to stop regulating ractopamine.” The lawsuit claims that the FDA approved the beta agonist class of drugs without fully examining if they were safe for the environment, animals or people and “asks the Court to set aside FDA’s unlawful approvals.”

Cattle or Chemicals? On February 19 Canada okayed a new, lower dose labeling option for Zilmax® and Merck seemed to be on track for the re-release of Zilmax® in the U.S., despite the fact that at least one of the major packers has allegedly said they still don’t want Zilmax® fed cattle. As for those of us who went to war on the issue of beta agonists, I think our attitude is best summed up by The Cowboy Hall of Fame honoree, Harvery Dietrich. “We think FDAapproved beta agonists do not belong in the beef industry. In addition to animal welfare, we are also concerned about decreased quality and tenderness. We are in the beef business, not the chemical business. Beef Additive Alert™ would prefer a beta agonist-free beef industry. For consumers. For animal well-being. For our economy. The USA boasts having the world’s premiere beef. Let’s keep it that way.”

Livestock Market Digest

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Changing Antibiotic Rules agriculture. Addition of on-farm use and resistance data, coupled with data currently collected through NARMS, will provide information for assessment of the impacts of the judicious use strategy. The FDA initiated their strategy in December 2013, with a three-year timeline for implementation. They have indicated they will finalize the proposed VFDrule early this year. Also early this year, Lewis says CVM plans to hold a public meeting to discuss the onfarm data-collection strategy to support the judicious use strategy. By later this year, CVM hopes to have the data-collection plan in place and begin collecting baseline data, prior to full implementation of Guidance 213 and the VFD rule in December 2016. By late 2016 and into 2017, with the changes in antimicrobial use fully implemented, CVM plans to implement its data collection and comprehensive assessment of antimicrobial use and resistance trends. Lewis says CVM intends to publish its first assessment report showing changes in antimicrobial use in 2018. USDA also will play a role in assessing progress in fighting antimicrobial resistance, and Larry Granger, DVM, senior leader for Veterinary Services (VS) at the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), outlined his agency’s perspectives during the conference. Granger noted that antimicrobial resistance is a high priority for

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the Obama administration, which recently introduced a report on Combating Antibiotic Resistance, along with an executive order, based on the recommendations of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). Among stakeholders outside of agriculture, Granger says, many believe the health risks associated with antimicrobial resistance are best resolved by reducing use. However, he says, data on antimicrobial sales alone are a poor indicator of actual use across production types and livestock species. Also, Granger points out, the VFD rule is not designed to limit appropriate use of antimicrobials. Instead, by increasing veterinary oversight, the rule should help ensure the right drugs are targeted toward appropriate pathogens at the correct dosages, with treatment records and results recorded. Granger says USDA, like FDA, advocates collection and dissemination of more sciencebased, actionable, quantitative antimicrobial use data coupled with information on resistance trends. His agency’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) could be enhanced to conduct more epidemiological work to correlate use patterns with resistance. And he adds, the cooperative NARMS program could be enhanced to conduct biological sampling on farms or slaughter plants, with tests for antimicrobial sensitivity then related back to farm practices.

April 15, 2015

Estate tax repeal back on the table in 2015 SOURCE: BEEFPRODUCER.COM

‘Death tax’ repeal bill introduced in Senate; House Ways and Means committee approves estate tax repeal bill bill to permanently repeal an estate tax that a group of legislators says has significant effects on family farms was introduced this week in the Senate, to join a similar bill already offered in the House. Co-sponsor of the “Death Tax Repeal Act of 2015,” John Thune, R-S.D., announced the with the help of Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Reps. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, and Sanford Bishop D-Ga. Thune also introduced an amendment to the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Resolution to create a deficit neutral reserve fund to eliminate the federal estate tax. The estate tax imposes a tax rate as high as 40 percent on family businesses – including farms and ranches – which Thune’s office said hurts economic growth and small business development. Thune cited a 2012 study from the Republicans’ Joint Economic Committee that suggests ending the estate tax would actually increase overall federal tax revenue by encouraging more investment. Another study by by former CBO Director Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Thune’s office said, found that repealing the death tax would create 1.5 million additional small business jobs and would shave almost a percentage point off the unemployment rate. The bill follows a hearing in the House Committee on Ways and Means, where stakeholders

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including farmers and ranchers shared testimony on how the estate tax has affected their farm businesses. In that hearing, Bobby McKnight, a seventhgeneration cattleman from Fort Davis, Texas, shared that he’s had to cut staff to pay estate tax expenses. Farm Bureau member and Tennessee farmer Brandon Whitt also shared that his family had to sell off land to pay tax expenses. The land was later developed and cannot be recovered, Whitt said. The bill also follows approval of the bill in the House Ways and Means Committee. “Currently more than 70 percent of family businesses do not survive to the second generation, and 90 percent of family businesses do not survive to the third generation. This legislation will finally give farmers, ranchers and family business owners the peace of mind of knowing that they no longer have to spend substantial sums on planning to minimize their death tax liability,” Thune said. “I believe there is now a majority in both the House and the Senate who agree with us that the death tax punishes a lifetime of hard work and I hope to see movement in both chambers on this legislation this year,” he said. Brady called the “death tax” the “wrong tax at the wrong time.” “After a family loses a loved one, why should Uncle Sam swoop in and take much of the nest egg they spent a lifetime building? Especially when it forces the survivors to take out loans or sell their land or business just to try to keep some of what they worked so hard to earn,” he said.

Preparing for Wildfires: Moving from Crisis to Opportunity BY DOUG CRAM, NMSU EXTENSION FIRE SPECIALIST

ecently, 8 members from NM Cooperative Extension and two employees from NM Soil & Water Conservation Districts attended a wildfire conference in Tucson, Arizaon under the same title as this column. As the title indicates, the principal focus of the workshop was identifying how the West, with particular help from the Cooperative Extension Service, can move away from allowing wildfires to wreak havoc across landscapes and in our personal lives and move toward a more predictable and prepared environment before, during and after fire. The workshop targeted Cooperative Extension educators from across the West, but also encouraged and welcomed attendance from potential collaborative partners, such as county emergency planners, fire chiefs, and stakeholder groups (e.g. fire safe councils) to name just a few. Insightful and engaged discussion characterized the three day event. Where is the ‘opportunity’ in wildfire? Let us ‘peel back the onion.’ First, from the academic side, we live on a fire planet. In fact, earth alone (probably) supports fire. For example, there are 8.5 million lightning flashes across the globe each day. If one tenth of one percent of those started a wildfire, that would amount to 8500 wildfires each day. Since fuel and oxygen are also readily available on this planet, the Smokey Bear philosophy of preventing fires would seem to be a nonstarter. Here in the

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Southwest, where hot, dry and windy are annually in the spring forecast the question is not if we will have forest and grass fires but when and where. Second, and maybe more meaningful, is that an individual can prepare for such events (or realities) and thereby reduce their risk to the hazard. In other words, an individual can take the opportunity to be prepared for wildfire, an opportunity that will yield better results than chance alone. Examples of individual preparedness include having a disaster/emergency supply kit (to include prescribed medications), and multiple and secure storage of important paperwork (e.g., last will and testament) and photos. Beyond individual or family preparations, there are approaches and actions that homeowners can undertake to further prepare their homes and yards for wildfires. In particular, preparing the home and yard to withstand an ember shower from an impending wildland fire is recommended. Where is the ‘opportunity’ for NM Cooperative Extension? Although ‘living with fire’ is not necessarily a traditional or typical ‘bread and butter’ type program found within NM Cooperative Extension, there have been and continue to be various efforts to educate stakeholders about ‘opportunities.’ One specific and rather unique example found in NM is Cooperative Extension’s participation in the ‘ag emergency conference calls’ that occur when wildfires are active or likely. These phone calls involve ag stakeholders at the local, county and state levels communicating information

and coordinating efforts as they pertain to ag issues and wildfire (e.g., where can displaced livestock be sheltered, what allotments are threatened, who can volunteer to help, etc.). Additional opportunities to engage the wildfire issue include collaborating with ongoing efforts (i.e., no need to reinvent the wheel). However, in some cases, such efforts consist simply of a passive web-based clearinghouse of information. Because of Cooperative Extensions unique structure and location there is an opportunity to have a greater impact. For example, the grass roots tradition of Cooperative Extension could create an opportunity where none existed before, perhaps introduced through the 4-H program. Engaging the Master Gardner program would be another opportunity to tie into an existing network to educate homeowners on how to ‘Firewise’ their yards. Living with fire is an iterative process that is achieved through multiple steps over a number of years. For example, although the individual can prepare relatively quickly as noted above, preparing one’s home, yard, neighborhood, and community takes time, and is best achieved through a local, organized, and persistent effort. This is where the stability, trust, and consistency of Cooperative Extension can have measurable impacts. Time and resources are limited especially when considering the prospect of adding a ‘new’ program. Contact Doug Cram to discuss opportunities to help NM live with wildfire. dcram@nmsu.edu; 575/646-8130

April 15, 2015

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

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My Cowboy Heroes Vicente Oropeza First World Champion Trick Roper BY JIM OLSON he first recognized champion of the world in the “Trick and Fancy Roping” event belonged to Vicente Oropeza (sometimes spelled as Vincente Oropeso) of Puebla, Mexico. The year was 1900. It has long been accepted that the American Cowboy first learned his trade from the Mexican Vaquero. The Vaquero had been “cowboying” in what is now the American Southwest and Northern Mexico since the 1500s. From gear, techniques, and language, to cowboy sporting events, origins can be traced back to the Vaquero, in one form or another. Trick roping is no exception. From about 1900 till the 1930s, trick or “fancy” (as it was sometimes called) roping was a rodeo event much like bull or bronc riding is today. It was a judged event, not a specialty act. The man given credit for taking trick roping to that level was Vicente Oropeza. Born in Puebla, Mexico in 1858, Oropeza was raised on a large Hacienda (ranch) where the skills of a Vaquero were practiced daily (the elaborate Vaqueros from that part of the world are often referred to as Charros). The Vaquero prided himself on his horsemanship and roping skills. Vicente was no exception.

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At an early age, he learned the basics of heading and heeling cattle and catching horses with his reata (rope). The next challenge was to learn to do it with style. The old-time Vaquero would commonly incorporate trick roping into the every day task of roping livestock. Doing it this way took more skill in his book. He would also entertain and show off with his “Floreada de reata” skills (basically rope tricks, literally translated it is to make flower designs with a reata). Vicente soon mastered this skill. In his younger days Oropeza toured Mexico with Ponciano Diaz, a famous Bull Fighter who also put on shows. It was during one of these shows he made contact with Buffalo Bill Cody who then invited Vicente and several other Charro performers to preform in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. That was in 1893 (some sources claim 1894). In an article about Will Rogers, written by Jesse Mullins for American Cowboy Magazine, Jesse wrote, “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show played the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Clem Rogers, Will’s father, shipped a trainload of cattle to Chicago then took Will, 13, along and they attended both the fair and Wild West Show. “At that show, a Mexican trick roper, Vicente Oropeza, bedaz-

zled the boy. Will had already learned to handle the lariat for practical, workday purposes. Oropeza, at the end of many horseback tricks and others done afoot, wrote his name—one letter at a time—with his lariat. This moment became the clincher for Will.” Will Rogers has been quoted many times as giving Oropeza credit for inspiring his trick roping. On several occasions, he also credits Vicente as being the greatest trick roper—ever. Oropeza traveled with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show until about 1907. According to information given on the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave website, “Many of the cowboys’ skills originated with the Mexican vaqueros. Exhibitions of riding by brothers Antonio and Jose Esquivel and rope tricks by Vicente Oropeza were a very popular part of the Wild West. Oropeza inspired Will Rogers to begin his career as a roper.” According to the Hyatt Verrill autobiography (who performed with the show for a time), “Vicente Oropeza was a remarkable man. He had been a bullfighter and bandit before he turned Rurale (in the show) and as he often said, ‘A most excellent bandit.’ He was an enormously tall, heavily built Mexican but as light on his feet as a cat. He was the first man ever to spin a rope and in some ways was the best

rope-spinner I ever have seen— and I knew Will Rogers, personally. “On one occasion, Oropeza leaped onto the long dining-tent table and spun his rope back and forth over the dishes, never more than an inch or two above them, but never touching them, regardless of their various heights. Another of his feats was to stand blindfolded with his back to a horse and rider and call out by which foot he would loop the horse. Judging only by the sound of the oncoming horse, he would spin his reata backward and never missed his throw.” – Hyatt Verrill The oldest trick and fancy roping contest of record was held in New York in 1900. This was the first time it was a judged (contested) event and just not a part of a Wild West Show performance. Ropers from all over the world came to compete. It was won by Vicente Oropeza, who was then given the title of the first World Champion Trick and Fancy Roper. Trick and fancy roping soon became a standard event at Rodeos and Wild West Shows and many men, Will Rogers included, not only followed in Oropeza’s footsteps, but looked up to him as a legend. He could make a rope “talk” with style and grace. What he did soon became the benchmark to shoot for in this event.

During the sixteen years Oropeza spent with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, he was usually headlined as “The Premier Charro Mexicano of the World!” He was described as a very charismatic showman (even rivaling Cody himself). In Mexico, Vicente is a hero as well. Regarded as one of the legendary Charros, there are volumes of research written in the Spanish language about Oropeza and his accomplishment both in the United States and Mexico. According to a Spanish website dedicated to the history of the Charro, “Un grupo de 12 Charros capitaneados por Vicente Oropeza que salieron por primera vez a Nueva York. A Vicente Oropeza los norteamericanos le dieron el calificativo de Campeón de Lazo en el mundo.” (Basically saying that Vicente led a group of twelve Charros to New York where the North Americans gave Vicente the title of World Champion Roper.) At the time of his retirement, he was definitely regarded as the finest trick roper in the world. He retired to his ranch at Puebla, where he died in 1923. In 1975, the first World Champion Trick or Fancy Roper of the World was posthumously inducted into the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Hall of Fame.

Livestock Market Digest

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Clones and Groans BY BARRY DENTON

f you are so inclined you can get up this morning and order a clone of your favorite horse, mule, cow, or sheep. I am sure we are not far off from ordering an extra you! On the high side of this idea you could get much more done if you multiplied yourself. However, if you succeeded in multiplying yourself, now you would have to multiply the people that are capable of putting up with you. This is where it would get tricky. I have often wondered why God did not give us guidelines for this in the Bible. He should have known that if you give humans free will then they would try to come up with a way to get out of work. Look at how many people we have on the public dole. If we get too many clones of ourselves working all the time will we have to have civil clones movement on our hands? Let’s say that you want to clone your most talented horse. We should probably jump ahead 50 years until cloning is perfected. You will be able to end up with an exact replica of your good horse. Now you have two great horses.

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In my book it spells financial disaster as it just made your good horse worth half as much because there are now twice as many. How do you justify what it cost you to clone him? Perhaps in 50 years the price of cloning will have gone down as it will be so commonplace. Now let’s say you wanted all your cowboys mounted well so you clone ten of your good horse. If all the horses are exactly the same I guess you will find out who the best cowboy is. If you had ten of the clones in a corral you would have to number them? Well, maybe not if they are all the same it wouldn’t matter which one you rode each day. It would make shoeing much easier as all the feet would be the same. You would only have to keep one size horseshoe at the ranch. You may want to take this one step further and clone your good cowhand and cowdog. The cloning will allow us to cut down on the number of the people in the world and make hiring so much easier. Clones would eat the same so you could clone the cowhand that works the hardest and is the cheapest to feed. I think it is quite clear that cloning is the answer to most of

the rancher’s problems. I will not get into cloning the ranch wife. I will let you fellows create your own domestic bliss. On a serious note, if you are cloning a great rope horse then it will be at least three or four years before you start using him. Keep in mind that as time goes on all competitions become tougher. So just because you had the champion rope horse in 2015, in reality a clone will not be good enough in 2019 as all your fellow competitors have had four years to get that much better, but your horse is still stuck at the 2015 level. It might work on a ranch horse where things do not change very quickly. However, if it costs $50,000 to clone, then that is a very expensive ranch horse. Many people will not even talk about cloning because they say it is messing with God. That is an interesting point, but God knows we are experimenting with cloning. If he made us, then what would he expect us to do? The human race needs to move progressively forward and figure out for itself whether it is good or not. We humans have never been short on trying odd things. Not too long ago I sat through a seminar on cloning horses. However, I was not convinced it was anything great. One avenue where it might become great is if they could clone body parts and not the entire human. Just think if you needed a new kidney and they could go and get one out of the cooler. What if they could clone Secretariat’s huge heart? Someday you could literally meet yourself coming and going.

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April 15, 2015

App being developed for cattle producers Technology to help track and submit data BY: ROXANNE BLACKWELL, WWW.WESTERNWHEEL.COM

ave you ever been driving through a field, found a newborn calf and needed to write down its weight? There’s going to be an app for that. For cattle producers across the country, this is just one of the few pieces of information they need to track on a daily basis. Information like cattle records, supply logs and breeding dates all need to accounted for, and sometimes it’s just done by a rancher in a field scribbling something in a notebook. Beef industry organizations are looking to take this work high-tech by developing a smartphone app to help keep track of information as well as seamlessly share it with the various organizations and systems required. The Canadian Hereford, Simmental and Angus Associations were recently awarded a grant from the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency to fund the first step to develop the app. Okotoks-based Integration Traceability Solutions Global (ITS Global) has been working on researching the tools breeders may want by collecting feedback through an online survey. ITS Global strategic initiatives associate Erin Hussey said they’re hoping to have a good idea of which direction they might like to go with an app after the online survey closes at the end of the month. “A big part of the survey was trying to gauge kind of what people like about the management software or management programs that they’re using now and what they didn’t like so we could work on identifying what was important and what wasn’t,” Hussey said. “And, equally as important is what they were using not just in terms of a smartphone or no smartphone, but which smartphone because, if we develop an app we need to learn to make sure that we develop it on a platform that people are using.” In terms of what the app will be able to do for producers, she said they’re trying to figure out what is most needed. “We’ve asked which events they’re interested in tracking, whether it’s calving, breeding, health records, performance data, pedigree information or non livestock inventory like treatment products or feed or things like that,” Hussey said.

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Hussey said the ultimate goal with a potential app is simply to make life easier for cattle producers and hopefully improve efficiency in the industry as a whole. “I think as ranchers and cow calf producers and feedlots become more complex with their daily activities, if they can spend a little less time managing those day to day activities electronically and a little bit more doing them and then that’s where we see our role is making things easier for them and improving their efficiencies,” she said. Canadian Hereford Association executive director Steven Scott said he thinks developing an app will definitely help streamline the process. “Technology seems to be a growing part of the industry and I think for breeders alike, entering data only once into one system is key for them,” he said. “I think it’s the role of the software companies to ensure that all this data is easily transferrable from the producers’ on-farm software system to the breed associations, to BIXS to all of those different platforms, the breeders want their information to flow to.” Scott said this information is essential to their association as they use it to create generate Expected Progeny Differences, or EPDs, which are numbers that predict the genetic quality of future offspring. Scott said the more they know, the more they can improve the industry, so it’s essential that the breeders have a seamless way of transferring that information to them. “Our breeders will go and report data to us because they want to generate on their animals so those are like breeding numbers that they can use and market their animals or use the EPDs in their own breeding program to make breeding decisions,” he said. “So, it’s very important we get that information back because if the industry wants to better itself…we need to track it from the farm of origin to slaughter so it’s important that all that data comes back to the breed associations to be properly calculated into EPD.” He’s looking forward to hopefully working together with other organizations to find a solution that makes it easier for breeders to share that information. “Hopefully this will sort of decrease the burden breeders have right now as to entering it multiple times or writing it down and then entering it into our system,” he said. “The data will flow a little better.”

April 15, 2015

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

Page 7

Conflict experts dispute impact of global climate change on national security BY DAVID O. WILLIAMS, WWW.REALVAIL.COM

lobal conflict experts say the Obama administration’s recent focus on climate change as a national security threat may be misguided. “The link between global warming and national security needs is tenuous at best, though the Arctic might be an exception, if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin continues his revanchist ways,” Harvard psychology professor and best-selling author Steven Pinker said in a recent email interview. “Most wars have nothing to do with climate, and vice versa.” The Obama administration’s 2015 National Security Strategy emphasizes climate change as a long-term national security threat that must be balanced with more immediate concerns such as terrorism. In aninterview last month with Vox, Obama added that media tend to overstate terrorism as a threat compared to climate change. Joshua Goldstein, professor emeritus at American University and a political science research scholar at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, said in an email interview said there’s a dubious connection between global climate change and armed conflict.

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“Climate change is a terrible crisis that needs all our attention, but it’s not really war that will be the problem we’ll have to deal with,” Goldstein wrote in an email. “As for the U.S. government, it’s always going to be on the lookout for threats that justify ongoing high military budgets, even when violence is declining historically — though of course increasing modestly in the past five years [due to Syria]. “I think the officials genuinely think this is a threat they must prepare for, but I also suspect that if it wasn’t this, it would be something else.” A study released recently linked the ongoing war in Syria to a drought precipitated by climate change, but Goldstein says most extreme weather events and natural disasters — which are not all linked to climate effects — do not result in armed conflicts. “There is some evidence that drought was a factor in Syria and some other scattered cases,” Goldstein said. “But the 2004 tsunami actually seems to have helped end the war in Aceh [Indonesia] and didn’t create a new war. “The typhoon in the Philippines a year ago didn’t cause the war there to restart,” Goldstein

added. “The terrible flooding in Eastern Europe a couple of years ago doesn’t seem to be connected to the Ukraine violence. In Somalia a few years ago there was a terrible drought and start of a famine, but it didn’t make the war worse — if anything, the opposite.” Pinker, whose 2012 bestselling book Better Angels of Our Nature concludes armed conflict around the globe is on the decline, has consistently rejected climate change and any resulting scarcity

Hagel writing, “Rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, climbing sea levels, and more extreme weather events will intensify the challenges of global instability, hunger, poverty, and conflict.” Pinker, however, points to several studies by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) that undermine the theory that climate change will lead to more armed conflicts. “While population growth and density are associated with increased risks, the effects of land degradaFighting over resources tion and water scarcity are weak, negligible or is not necessarily the insignificant,” one such PRIO report concludes. big driver of conflict in “The results indicate the 21st century that the effects of political and economic factors far outweigh those of natural resources as likely caus- between local level demographes of major wars in the future. ic/environmental factors and con“Physical resources can be flict.” divided or traded, so compromisNevertheless, a rising chorus of es are always available; not so for both active-duty and retired U.S. psychological motives such as glo- generals and admirals have ry, fear, revenge, or ideology,” sounded the global climate Pinker wrote in 2013. “There are change alarm as it relates to milimany reasons to worry about cli- tary readiness. mate change, but major war is In a report last year (pdf) entiprobably not among them.” tled National Security and the The Department of Defense in Accelerating Risks of Climate October released its Climate Change, 11 retired generals and Change Adaption Roadmap, with admirals found that, “Fresh water, then Secretary of Defense Chuck food, and energy are inextricably linked, and the choices made over how these finite resources will be produced, distributed, and used will have increasing security implications.” The former military experts also discussed the “melting of ‘old ice’ in the Arctic,” and wrote that study after study has proven increased accidents the week the “United States and the interthere is no energy savings. after the time change. national community are not preRemarkably, changing one’s clock doesn’t actually add What Damian Says another hour of daylight to Time marches on, regardless one’s day. Therefore we still of how we monitor it. That need lights, refrigerators, air said, monkeying with the clocks conditioning…you know, every March to pretend it’s a things that require energy. time it’s not is akin to those people you know who purposeAgriculture ly set their watches on the Many people mistakenly wrong time, telling you “I do believe DST was instituted for this because I always run late.” There are 24 hours in a day. farmers. But that’s not true. Farmers understand there’s Period. Changing the clock only 24 hours in a day and, every Spring is just a confusing despite the gimmick, you can’t encumbrance. Wanna save energy? Insulate make it 25. In fact, agriculture has the only organized lobby your house. Wanna help Agriculture? against Daylight Saving Time. DST is particularly bad for live- Increase trade with booming stock because animals get in a Asian countries such as India routine for such things as feed- and China — where, by the ing and milking. Cows don’t way, they don’t observe Dayunderstand human time — light Saving Time. Wanna boost the economy? heck, they don’t even wear End welfare and unemploywatches. ment so all those people who Economy get paid to not work can finally Supporters of Daylight Sav- buy a watch, set an alarm clock, ing Time believe “more day- and devote 40 hours to doing light” makes America more something productive. Without productive. This is also incor- the burden of paying for those rect. In fact, one study says folks, the rest of us might get a DST costs America $434 Mil- few more hours per week to lion just in lost productivity and enjoy some daylight.

Why Daylight Saving Time Isn’t About Ag & Doesn’t Help the Economy BY DAMIAN MASON, OWNER DALOROSA FARM, VIA LINKEDIN.COM

Happy Daylight Saving Time America — The government mandated practice of pretending it’s a time it really isn’t! id you “spring forward”? If you did, be careful, studies show an increase in accidents and heart attacks the Monday after Daylight Saving Time is enacted — turns out, that extra hour of daylight you’re getting comes at the expense of your sleep. Daylight Saving Time (DST) has been around about 100 years. As with most things the government makes us do, you probably don’t ask why. But you should. In 2013 a Rasmussen poll found 45 percent of people don’t even want DST to 37 percent who do. Presumably the remaining 12 percent didn’t get their responses turned in on time due to confusion over what time it actually was.

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Energy Originally DST was pushed as an idea to save energy. Yet,

pared for the pace of change in the Arctic.” On the subject of major war over dwindling resources, Goldstein echoed Pinker at an event both attended in Denver last fall, hosted by the Colorado-based One Earth Future Foundation. “Fighting over resources is not necessarily the big driver of conflict in the 21st century,” Goldstein said, pointing to the example of the Caspian Sea soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union in early 1990s. “Suddenly, a bunch of countries were there bordering it, and they discovered a huge amount of oil under there. “You think everyone will be out there with their warships fighting each other over the oil, but they didn’t,” Goldstein said. “You can’t pump oil when you’re fighting a war, so they yelled at each other for a couple of years and then they started drawing these lines on maps and pumping out the oil. It can be an impetus to conflict. It can also be an impetus for cooperation.” The author of Winning the War on War: The Decline of Armed Conflict Worldwide and the bestselling text book in its field, International Relations, Goldstein does acknowledge the significance of climate change — just not as a primary reason for increased conflict. “I think climate change is the big issue,” Goldstein said. “I may literally now stop studying war and try to go into climate change, because I just think it’s the big moral and practical issue of our generation — or my kids’ generation really. But not because it’s going to kill a lot of people in conflicts. People will starve, people will drown, but less so in conflict.

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Livestock Market Digest

Page 8

Scott Land co. Ranch & Farm Real Estate

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530/347-9455 19855 S. Main St., Cottonwood, CA 96022 homeranchproperties.net

SCOTT MCNALLY www.ranchesnm.com 575/622-5867 575/420-1237 Ranch Sales & Appraisals

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paulmcgilliard.murney.com 361 Acres - Absolutely the Ultimate Hunting/Retreat being offered this close to Springfield/Branson, Missouri. Many options for this PAUL McGILLIARD property - hunting, recreational, church camp, jeeping, horseback riding Cell: 417/839-5096 facility, or just your own personal retreat. A-1 built 60x100 all steel insu1-800/743-0336 lated with 2-16’ elec. overhead doors. Inside is a fabulous 900sq ft. 2 BR, MURNEY ASSOC., REALTORS 1 BA living quarters. Open fields, heavy woods, timber, rolling hills, bluffs, SPRINGFIELD, MO 65804 springs, creeks, a cave and breath taking views. Only 60+ miles south of Springfield, minutes to Bull Shoals Lake. 113 acres SOLD / 214 acres REMAINING: “Snooze Ya Loose.” Cattle/horse ranch. Over 150 acres in grass. 3/4 mile State Hwy. frontage. Live water, 60x80 multi-function barn. 2-br, 1-ba rock home. Priced to sell at $1,620 per acre. MLS #1204641 GREAT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY CLOSE TO SPRINGFIELD. El Rancho Truck Plaza. MLS #1402704; Midwest Truck Stop MLS #1402703; Greenfield Trading Post MLS # 1402700. Owner retiring. Go to murney.com, enter MLS #, CHECK THEM OUT!!!

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“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper�

April 15, 2015

Take Care of Yer Friends riend is a word that I don’t throw around Though it’s used and abused, I still like the sound.

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Page 9 Those words you don’t mean and not bat an eye. It makes a friend happy to see your success. They’re proud of yer good side and forgive all the rest. And that ain’t so easy, all of the time Sometimes I get crazy and seem to go blind! Yer friend just might take you on home Or remind you sometime that you’re not alone. Or ever so gently pull you back to the ground When you think you can fly with no one around. A hug or a shake, whichever seems right Is the high point of givin’, I’ll tell ya tonight, All worldly riches and tributes of men Can’t hold a candle to the worth of a friend.

I save it for people who’ve done right by me And I know I can count on if ever need be. Some of my friends drive big limousines Own ranches and banks and visit with queens. And some of my friends are up to their necks In overdue notes and can’t write a check! They’re singers or ropers or writers of prose And others, God bless ‘em, can’t blow their own nose! I guess bein’ friends don’t have nothin’ to do With talent or money or knowin’ who’s who. It’s a comf’terbul feelin’ when you don’t have to care ‘Bout choosin’ your words or bein’ quite fair ‘Cause friends’ll just listen and let go on by

What Does the Cattle Market Have in Store for 2015?

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he USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) cattle inventory report for January 2015 confirms that beef herd expansion is underway. The number of beef cows that have calved increased over 600,000 head in 2014 to 29.7 million head. The increase in beef cow numbers is the largest since 1994 and the second largest increase in over 30 years. The herd expansion was impressive by any measure, but especially remarkable given the cost of replacement animals and the smaller number of replacement females available compared to 1994, when there were 34.6 million beef cows in the U.S. While increased herd numbers have been expected by many, the new inventory statistics and rapid growth leave many producers wondering what this means for cattle prices going forward.

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While a 600,000 head increase is sizeable, the U.S. beef cow herd is still small by historical measures and has decreased by over 3.9 million since 1996. Nearly half of that decrease, 1.7 million head, came in 2012 and 2013 alone, when a drought ravaged the Southwest and forced massive herd liquidations. Even if cattle numbers continue to increase at the 2014 rate, it will take several years just to get the U.S. herd back to the size it was only four years ago. Clearly, total per capita beef supply in the US will remain at historically low levels for several years while the U.S. population continues to grow, resulting in per capita beef supply and beef prices remaining at or near their current levels. While the current herd expansion suggests that calf prices likely hit their high water mark in the fall of 2014, prices should remain strong in 2015. The 2015 calf crop is likely to be 10 to 15 percent higher than 2014, but calf supplies will likely remain tight while producers retain inordinately large numcontinued on page thirteen

Livestock Market Digest

Page 10

April 15, 2015

New Leaders Elected at 138th TSCRA Convention Convention Sets Attendance Record in Fort Worth he Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) elected new members to their board of directors at the 138th Cattle Raisers Convention, which took place March 27-29. Cattle Raisers set a new record at their Convention with more than 3,700 ranchers and

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friends in attendance. New directors include Deborah Clark, Henrietta, Texas; Lynn Cowden, Skellytown, Texas; Ford Drummond, Pawhuska, Okla.; Dan Gattis, Georgetown, Texas; Claude Koontz, San Antonio, Texas; Frank Price, Sterling City, Texas; and Robert J. Underbrink, Houston, Texas. Jay Evans, Austin, Texas; Steve Sikes, Fort Worth, Texas;

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ows are calving and the baby lambs are on their way. It must be time for New Mexico Indian Livestock Days. New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service is hosting the annual event May 12 to 14 at Route 66 Casino and Hotel, west of Albuquerque on Interstate 40. “Through the years, our Native American livestock producers have gained information at the Indian Livestock Days that has helped them to improve their herd and quality of meat produced, and to stay informed on vital issues,” said Kathy Landers, McKinley County Extension agricultural agent and chairperson for the one of the larger conferences hosted by NMSU Extension. This year’s program will begin

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bers of the board. TSCRA also re-elected their officers, President Pete Bonds, Saginaw, Texas; First Vice President, Richard Thorpe, Winters, Texas; Second Vice President Robert McKnight, Fort Davis, Texas; and Executive Vice President/CEO Eldon White, Fort Worth, Texas. “This year’s Convention was a huge success with a record breaking number of cattlemen,

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emocrats’ attempts to paralyze climate skeptics in academia, think tanks, and companies, using intimidating letters threatening a federal investigation into their funding connections, backfired. They opened a Pandora’s Box of questions concerning where climate alarmists get their money. Now Democrat Senators Barbara Boxer (CA), Ed Markey (MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) and Democrat Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva have egg on their faces. Public-choice economics explains politicians and bureaucrats are as self-interested as anyone. They seek expanded authority and bigger budgets. Because the federal government and left-wing foundations provide the vast bulk of climate research funding, funding from these two sources certainly should undergo at least as much scrutiny as funding from private industry. Nearly all university-based climate scientists are funded mainly by federal grants, and the ideological and political goals of those authorizing the grants could reasonably be expected to affect the kind of research universities and researchers undertake. The conflict between gaining research money and scientific integrity puts sound but nonconformist science at a crushing disadvantage. Michael Mann, Pennsylvania State University’s notorious ClimateGate email scandal figure, has garnered close to $6 million promoting scary scientific conclusions serving government’s goal of control over energy sources, $3.6 million of it from the National Science Foundation. Both PSU and the NSF conducted investigations absolving Mann of any wrongdoing in ClimateGate, but with the offending institutions effectively investigating one of their own, would anyone expect a different outcome?

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Indoors, session topics will include horse care, value-added marketing and selling meat to schools, and food safety. The conference will conclude at noon on Thursday, May 14. The morning will include updates from cattle growers’ organizations, the state veterinarian and New Mexico Livestock Board, as well as a speaker panel for open questions. Registration costs $75, with advance registration ending May 1. Registration for walk-ins on the day of the conference is $100. Online registration and payment is available athttp://indianlivestock.nmsu.edu. The deadline for special room rates at the Route 66 Casino and Hotel is May 1. Attendees may ask for the New Mexico Livestock 2015 group rate of $69 per night.

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cattlewomen and friends in attendance,” said Bonds. “There were many informative speaker sessions and great entertainment options for those who visited. I am also very excited about the new leaders who were elected to the TSCRA board of directors. These individuals possess a wealth of knowledge on the cattle industry and I look forward to working with them in their new capacity.”

Indian Livestock Days Indian early registration deadline May 1

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and Dennis Webb, Barnhart, Texas were elected as executive committee members. New TSCRA honorary directors include Emry Birdwell, Henrietta, Texas; Richard Gates, Marfa, Texas; Alan Lewis, Olney, Texas; Frank H. Lewis Jr., Bay City, Texas; John L. Sullivan, Galveston, Texas; and Rick Tate, Marfa, Texas. All members with honorary titles serve as ex officio mem-

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Influence, Conflicts of Interest Princeton professor Michael Oppenheimer has

written more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and testified before Congress on multiple occasions. He was the Environmental Defense Fund’s senior scientist (1981-2002) and remains as science advisor to the multimillion-dollar lobbying group (2013 assets: $208.7 million). EDF has received $2.8 million in federal grants since 2008, spent $11.3 million on lobbying, and has 55 people on 32 federal advisory committees. Since 2008, EDF has received 3,332 grants from 600 foundations, totaling $544,487,562. EDF is deeply rooted in left-wing foundation agendas. Oppenheimer’s professorship is supported in part by private equity tycoon Carl Ferenbach’s High Meadows Foundation, which has given Princeton $6.5 million and the Environmental Defense Fund $6 million. Ferenbach is both EDF’s Chairman of the Board and a trustee of Princeton, suggesting a strong conflict of interest. The proudly progressive Center for American Progress (CAP) has five people on federal advisory committees, spent $3.6 million on lobbying, and gave $312,400 to Democrat candidates in 2014. CAP Senior Fellow and Chief Science Advisor Joe Romm has testified before Congress on global warming and coauthored numerous peer-reviewed studies. Yet Romm failed to file conflict-of-interest disclosures for an article in Environmental Research Letters although the journal explicitly requires it. Since 2004, CAP has been supported by left-wing foundations including Marilsa (Getty Oil fortune, $7 million), Rockefeller (Standard Oil fortune, $5 million), Sea Change (ties to Russian oil money laundering, $4.8 million), and 200 other left-wing foundations. Government and foundation monies go only toward research advancing a pro-regulatory climate agenda. That is the greatest threat to the integrity of scientific research. Ron Arnold (arnold.ron@gmail.com) is a free-enterprise activist, author, and commentator.

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

April 15, 2015

Page 11

Here’s what cow-calf producers can learn from grain farmers BY TROY MARSHALL, IN MY VIEW FROM THE COUNTRY, BEEF MAGAZINE

he cow-calf industry has always had one significant advantage, which conversely can also be a disadvantage, compared to other agricultural segments. Whether you’re talking farming or our pork and poultry competitors, the genetic interval doesn’t allow the beef industry to adjust supply as quickly, or correspondingly, prices. The result is that the bad times for cow-calf producers tend to last longer than in the other sectors, and so do the good times. The upside is that

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this provides cow-calf producers with a longer planning horizon and, often, more opportunity to manage risk. With that said, there are, however, some valuable lessons that beef producers can take from the grain production side. Grain producers – corn producers, in particular – had a very good and extended period of profitability, as the advent of ethanol subsidies overnight changed the demand structure for corn. Farmers responded to these good times as expected by setting new records for production. Despite this unprecedented growth in demand, farmers

quickly raised production levels to the point that prices today are near or below production cost levels. Diversity seemed like a wonderful thing, but 14 billion bushels of corn coupled with $40 oil prices isn’t exactly the diversity they were looking for. If you throw in the fact that the livestock industry extremely curtailed the use of their product and downsized considerably as a result of higher grain prices, and the grain industry is facing a reality that seemed unimaginable just a few years ago. The cattle industry’s scenario differs in that, while demand has been showing improvement, the real push behind the current

boom has been related to supply. Our industry can’t increase production like the grain industry, but with the cooperation of Mother Nature, expansion will occur on the beef side as well. It’s important to remember that these “good” times are almost by definition temporal in nature. Eventually, prices will come back closer to breakeven levels. While the time horizon for grain farmers is more compressed than it is for cattlemen, the risks are similar. In our community, for instance, we’re already hearing stories – and witnessing the scheduling of sales – of producers who overextended themselves and didn’t

prepare for the return of more normal margins. I have been and remain extremely bullish in terms of cattle prices and the beef industry in general. I can think of no worse advice than that given the last four years that has urged caution, but we do know that eventually prices and breakevens will converge. This is the time to position oneself for the future. The beef industry has and will continue to move away from its commodity mindset. The more successful we are in differentiating our production, the more successful we will be in creating sustainable and consistent profits.

Antibiotic resistance, better vaccines change livestock practices TIM HEARDEN, CAPITAL PRESS

purred by a crisis of antibioticresistant bacteria, new restrictions on the use of the drugs in livestock are causing producers to find new ways to care for their animals. Producers are changing the way they care for their livestock as increasing regulation and consumer awareness bring more scrutiny to the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture. New guidelines from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have effectively eliminated use of the drugs for livestock growth promotion or feed efficiency, and even more restrictive rules are being considered at the federal and state levels in an attempt to curb the problem of antibioticresistant bacteria in humans. “No one wants to be the last person to play by the rules,” said John Maas, a beef extension veterinarian at the University of California-Davis. “There’s always going to be bad actors, but for the most part everyone’s jumping on board and have made their plans to operate without using them.” New herd management practices and advances in vaccines and nutrition have led to healthier animals, said David Daley, a cattle producer and interim dean of California State University-Chico College of Agriculture. “What’s changed in many operations is they’ve changed their strategies . . . so that there’s less need for the therapeutic use of antibiotics,” said Daley, a California Cattlemen’s Association first vice president who’s worked on the antibiotics issue at a national level for several years.

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‘Judicious use’ The spread of antibiotics resistant illnesses is a growing problem in human medicine. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have estimated that antibiotic-resistant infections cause 23,000 deaths and 2 million illnesses nationwide each year. The annual impact of antibioticresistant illnesses on the U.S. economy has been pegged at as much as $35 billion in direct health care costs and another $35 billion in lost productivity, said a panel of scientists commissioned by President Barack Obama to study the issue. In his budget outline in January,

Obama proposed nearly doubling funding to combat and prevent antibiotic resistance to more than $1.2 billion, which would include $77 million to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for tracking antibiotic use and developing alternatives. “That in itself is a big change in policy,” said Ellen Jo Baron, a former associate director of clinical microbiology at Stanford University’s School of Medicine who now works for a high-tech molecular diagnostics firm. Within agriculture, topics to consider are changing diets for cows during the last weeks before slaughter to reduce the incidence of enterohemorrhagic E. coli growth in their guts and moving toward more antibiotic-free livestock — especially chickens, she said in an email. Forming much of the basis for Obama’s actions was the work of the 20-member President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which spent a year consulting with experts to craft recommendations for combating antibiotic resistance. Issued in September, the group’s 65-page report suggested improving surveillance of bacteria, developing appropriate-use standards for antibiotics and increasing the rate at which new antibiotics are developed.

Human medicine The report placed much of the blame for the drug-resistance crisis at the feet of human medicine, noting that the “vast majority” of antibiotics prescribed in outpatient settings are used for acute respiratory tract infections. “Yet most respiratory tract infections are caused by viruses, against which antibacterial drugs are useless,” the scientists wrote. “Such inappropriate use contributes directly and substantially to increased antibiotic resistance, increased adverse drug reactions . . . and increased cost of care.” “The important point is there’s greater recognition of the problem,” said Dr. Stuart Levy, an author and nationally recognized expert on antibiotic resistance at Tufts University in Boston who was an advisor to the president’s panel. “There’s greater interest among many of the professional societies now in having parts of their outward activities devoted to antibiotic resistance, which we’ve never seen before.” Levy’s organization, the Alliance

for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, has surveyed physicians and found that medical professionals “are now touting the careful use of antibiotics” and that “stewardship is now the key word,” he said.

Agriculture’s role As for animal agriculture, the group asserted that disease prevention in farm animals “is a laudable goal,” but that recent studies have made it “clear” that agricultural use of antibiotics can affect human health. For instance, one recent study of over 200 livestock workers suggested methicillin and multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus — known by the acronym MRSA — can be transmitted from livestock to workers, the group noted. The group strongly endorsed the guidelines the FDA issued in late 2013 phasing out the use of medically important antibiotics in livestock for promoting growth or feed efficiency and ensuring that licensed veterinarians oversee other uses of such drugs. The FDA is now revising its Veterinary Feed Directive to expand veterinarians’ role, and all 26 animaldrug companies affected by the guidelines have agreed to remove references to growth promotion and

feed efficiency from their labels. While federal officials consider their next moves, the issue is also being debated at the state level. A CCA-backed bill to give the FDA guidelines the force of law in California was vetoed last year by Gov. Jerry Brown after animal welfare and environmental groups assailed the legislation as “weak.” Now the bill’s author, Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, has introduced new legislation that would bar the over-the-counter sales of antibiotics for livestock, and Brown has directed the state Department of Food and Agriculture to study the issue and come up with its own proposals. Ongoing research of the issue may create additional pressures on ranchers to change their practices. Doug Call, associate professor at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said he’s about to publish research that shows the population of drug-resistant bacteria is amplified in the manure of animals that have been given antibiotics, highlighting the need for producers to isolate sick animals from the rest of the herd. “I think the only way to get there is to demonstrate empirically that there is a problem,” Call said. “We’ve actually done the work (of identify-

ing) how this process works and why it’s important to pay attention to it.”

Changes on the ranch Daley, the rancher and Chico State dean, said he hopes livestock producers don’t totally lose the use of antibiotics as a tool when animals get sick. He said it would be impractical to require veterinarians to administer the drugs to animals, which are often out on the range many miles from town. “As a producer, I understand that they need tracking (of antibiotic use) but it should be on a macro level” and not require ranchers to file paperwork each time they administer the drugs, Daley said. However, new management tools are helping livestock producers move away from using antibiotics even for illness, he said. In recent years, new vaccines have been developed to “cover more and different diseases,” and ranchers are taking such measures as weaning calves at home before sending them to the sale barn to prevent stress-related illnesses, he said. Vaccine and feed additive companies have noticed a new emphasis on prevention among their livestock-procontinued on page twelve

Livestock Market Digest

Page 12

April 15, 2015

Genetic resistance to parasites: An option besides chemicals? BY CASSIDY WOOLSEY, WWW.PROGRESSIVECATTLE.COM

s cattle evolved over the centuries, so did technology. No longer are cattle relying solely upon their genetic resistance to survive. Instead, technological approaches have been made to improve production in cattle. Pest management chemicals, A.I., embryo transfer, EPDs and other genomic technologies are constantly improving and changing the industry. Even though technology has helped control parasitic problems, selecting for resistant traits and improving management practices could be a long-term solution to the problem. So why are chemicals being used today? Were cattle previously resistant to parasites? How can an operation develop genetic resistance? What else can be done besides the use of chemicals? Jared Decker, an assistant pro-

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Riding Herd those faults we don’t have? If your husband didn’t walk through the house today with crud on his boots you have reason to celebrate. If he doesn’t frequent bars, squander your money on gambling, or cheat on you, congratulations, you have won the marital trifecta. Likewise for men. Maybe your wife can’t cook or keep house like your mother, but just be happy she doesn’t nag at you to sit up straight, eat your peas, clean your room and make your bed. Thoreau said, “That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.” If that’s true then I’m the richest guy in the world. Rather than piling up consumables to cheer me up, I make myself happy by not spending money. Hey, it works for me. If you are made miserable by the fact that there are people richer than you, better looking, live in a bigger house or drive a more expensive car, you’ll never be happy. Life is not a race or a contest. Count your blessings, not your money.

fessor of animal science at the University of Missouri, addresses these questions and explains his perception of why producers use chemicals today and how they can use genetics to breed for a resistance to parasites. “There was a need for these chemicals,” Decker says. “Parasites have an economic impact on the industry. More importantly, as the world population grows and agriculture is asked to produce more food with fewer resources, I think it’s important we continue to adopt new technologies that can improve the production of our livestock.” Though chemical control for parasites has offered a solution to the problem, research has suggested certain breeds can offer a systematic approach. It has been found that Brahman and other Zebu breeds, breeds with a hump, have shown greater resistance to parasites than other breeds. Due to their genetic nature, continued from page one

Last Christmas I was once again reminded that it’s the little things in life that bring us the most joy. We were at a wealthy friend’s beautiful ranch home in the presence of her grandchildren and as you’d expect, the kids got every toy imaginable. Within two hours of Santa’s arrival the kids were playing, not with their fancy new toys and computers, but with a big box of blocks their Great-Grandpa made decades ago. This crudely made box of blocks is the reason they like to go to Grandma’s house in the first place. And you should have seen the castle they built with those sawed off two by fours! I think that’s a good metaphor for life: build your own castle with what you have to work with. You can be depressed if you want to but being happy is a lot more fun, and a lot less work. I’ve learned in life that happiness is found in the strangest places and you’ll never know where you might find it unless you look.

these breeds can be crossed with other breeds to create a resistance to parasites. Research conducted in Australia found that selecting for parasite resistance does improve animals’ overall resistance, Decker says. However, the typical EPD approach of collecting trait measurements, phenotypes on animals, probably wouldn’t be that effective because of the difficulty in consistently and accurately measuring the parasite load for herds across the U.S.

Cross-breeding for parasite resistance Cross-breeding is one strategy that could be implemented in an operation quite rapidly, Decker says. In that cross-breeding system, breeds such as Brahman that have been shown to have more genetic resistance to parasites can be introduced to the herd. The other approach would be to start collecting information and data on the cows that have more parasites and the cows that have fewer parasites. A strategy could be created where, at a set date, the producer measures the number of parasites on a specific cow and records that data over time. Based on those records, breeding decisions could be made for parasite resistance. “While cattle prices are high, we need to evaluate what new approaches and what new technologies we can use and implement now and reap the benefits of these high cattle prices,” Decker says. However, when selecting for a specific trait, it is important that the genetic merit or genetic

progress for other traits is not lost in the process. A good example of this would be the selection for growth and the subsequent calving ease problem in the ’70s and ’80s. In that scenario, the industry was primarily focused on growth; consequently, it resulted in extreme calving ease problems, which shifted the selection of multiple traits at one time. The best approach for selecting multiple traits at one time is to use an economic selection index, Decker says. The economic selection index takes all the important EPD traits, all of the genetic merits, and weights them according to their economic importance in dollar values. These indexes are motivated by the profit of the operation, meaning that the right amount of emphasis is put on each trait according to its importance in profit of an operation.

Research on genetic resistance There has been very little research on genetic resistance to parasites in bovine animals, says James Miller, interim associate dean for research and advanced studies at Louisiana State University (LSU). Most of the research conducted has been to find genetic markers that make certain animals better than others in carcass traits such as back fat, marbling, etc. He says LSU has tried for 25 years to discover any genetic selection criteria in sheep – but so far has been unsuccessful. The U.S. does not have any research efforts being conducted on this topic, he says. What seems to work best is the basic selection for traits desired in

Antibiotic Resistance ducer customers, their representatives said. “That’s where we’ve got to go,” said Dennis Hermesch, a Nebraska-based veterinarian for Elanco, which makes cattle and poultry vaccines. “If prevention is good enough, we don’t need antibiotics, and our company really feels strongly about that.” Producers are also looking to companies like Alltech for natural feed additives that are rich in carbohydrates and protein and enhance animal productivity, said Tyler Bramble, the company’s Fresno, Calif.-based general manager of ruminant nutrition. The 30-year-old multinational company did $1 billion in sales last year and has seen its business grow by as much as 25 percent a year, Bramble said. “We compete every day in the commercial feed additive market,” he said. “I would say we are seeing more and more interest from the large players (in livestock production) that had been using antibiotics and are looking to us as an alternative.” Levy, a staunch critic of the nontherapeutic use of antimicrobial drugs in livestock, notices the change in approach. In a recent survey conducted by his Alliance

an animal. It may take longer, he says, but by selecting for genetic resistance over time, animals will become better resistant.

Management practices to control parasites A. Jacques Fuselier, assistant professor of food animal medicine at LSU, says it all boils down to management. If an operation is having a problem with parasites, the producer needs to evaluate and consider revising production practices, he says. “All these dewormers that we have are just adjuncts,” he says. “It is a tool we have in our management tool chest. It is not what I call management in a bottle. Some people think they can bypass good cattle management and just vaccinate and deworm their cattle, and everything will be fine. That alone is not going to do it.” Management practices and technology have changed the way cattle are produced. The U.S. has the same number of beef cattle today as in the early 1950s; however, the industry is producing twice as much beef. These technological advancements have helped cattle obtain their true potential, Fuselier says. “Even though we have these high cattle prices, it is all about investment and protecting your investment. You want to get the most out of your operation,” he says. “Producers have a lot of value on their operations. Anything that can be done to improve animal health and increase weight gain is more valuable to a producer. Start with improving management practices; if that includes dewormers or other vaccines, then use them.” continued from page eleven

group, 23 of 24 farms said they had eliminated antibiotics for growth promotion. “What’s interesting is that the industry is telling us they don’t need it,” Levy said. “Certainly in northern Europe — Sweden and the Scandinavian countries — they raise perfectly healthy livestock without antibiotics for growth promotion. There’s a lot to be said for a change in attitudes and we’re seeing it.”

A tall order Reducing the use of antibiotics in livestock could be a tall order considering its use had been on the rise before the tighter federal scrutiny began. Use of the drugs in the U.S. rose by 16 percent from 2009 to 2012, to 32.1 million pounds per year, according to the Pharmaceutical Journal. Simply reducing the pounds sold won’t necessarily lessen the instances of pathogens’ disease resistance, UC-Davis’ Maas cautions. Maas faults the president’s scientific panel for failing to consider such factors as dosing, noting that animals are given doses based on their weight while humans are mostly given the same doses regardless of their body size. “It’s about decreasing the bac-

teria that might be resistant so when we do need to use the drugs, they’ll be effective,” Maas said. He added the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, a veterinarians’ group, will be coming out with practical guidelines in the next couple of months. But all in all, Daley said he found the council report “pretty reasonable,” and that the onus is on livestock producers to show the public they’re concerned about the issue and that they know what they’re doing. “The bottom line is, I think the livestock sector has done an incredibly good job with judicious use and stewardship of antibiotics,” Daley said. “We need to tell that story to the public and we need to keep improving what we do, and we should never rest.”

Online Scientific council’s report on antibiotic resistance: http://www. whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/mi crosites/ostp/PCAST/pcast_carb_re port_sept2014.pdf Fact sheet on the president’s executive order: http://www. whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/ 09/18/executive-order-combatingantibiotic-resistant-bacteria

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

April 15, 2015

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Obama’s UN Climate Vow Needs Court Wins, Cheap Natural Gas BY MARK DRAJEM, WWW.BLOOMBERG.COM/

resident Barack Obama’s pledge to the United Nations to sharply cut greenhouse-gas emissions relies on being able to rebuff legal and legislative challenges – and the continuing availability of cheap natural gas. It’s no slam dunk. A coalindustry suit over the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to force reductions in emissions from power plants is set for argument in federal court next month, and Republican leaders are prodding states to refuse to implement the rules in any case. More court challenges are likely after the rule gets finalized this year. Efforts to cut methane emissions from oil and gas drilling, raise mileage standards for trucks and increase the efficiency of household appliances all face their own challenges, and some may be undone by a future

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president who doesn’t share Obama’s conviction that fighting global warming should be a top priority. “The administration is taking the first steps,” said Peter Ogden, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington and former White House climate adviser. “The challenge for getting all the way there will be one for future administrations and future Congresses.” Obama, who made fighting climate change a priority in his second term, recently submitted a plan he outlined in November to slash U.S. greenhouse gases by more than a quarter over the next decade. The filing with the UN is intended to boost talks among 190 nations that are set to conclude in Paris this December with an agreement on how each nation will tackle the issue in 2020 and beyond.

Emissions Increase The U.S. promised to cut its

greenhouse-gas emissions 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. U.S. emissions are already down more than 10 percent from 2005, although the independent Energy Information Administration predicts emissions will increase, not fall, over the next decade. The White House said the cuts can be achieved because of the EPA’s proposal to get states to cut emissions from power plants, and upcoming rules on methane and refrigerants will bring about further reductions. The majority of the reductions in the EPA’s power plant rule comes from switching from coal power to natural gas, as the fracking boom has made lowcost gas a strong competitor to coal. “From an engineering perspective, it’s easy to get those kinds of cuts,” said Michael Webber, deputy director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. “We could

Cattlemen Recognized at IBBA Annual Meeting ive of the most elite cattle producers and Brangus breeders were honored by the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the Brangus breed and the beef cattle industry. Year after year someone that personally knows the winner of the award presents it to them and addresses their contributions to the Brangus breed. The Pioneer Award recognizes an IBBA member, past or present, for his/her service, loyalty and contributions to the Brangus breed. Mr. Vern Suhn presented this award to the late David Schubert. There to accept the award on Mr. Schubert’s behalf was his nephew and his wife, Gordon and Ann Schubert. David Schubert served as the IBBA President in 1982-1983 as well as serving on the IBBA Board of Directors for seven years. Schubert’s operation, Chair Brand Cattle, was out of Mississippi and he was involved in all aspects of the Brangus breed. Schubert’s nephew, Gordon, humbly accepted the award on his late uncle’s behalf. The IBBA Breeder of the Year Award was established in 1981 to annually honor a person in the breed who has shown outstanding leadership

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in the association and who has been truly progressive in the promotion, production and advancement of Brangus cattle. This year, John Milam with Draggin’ M Ranch was presented this award by Bill Davis. Davis gave credit to Milam for his display of cattle and experience in the Brangus breed in the pasture of the Draggin’ M Ranch and the sale ring. Milam graciously accepted his award alongside his wife, Sherry, and ranch staff Grady and Sarah Green, giving them the credit for him being as accomplished as he is. Alex Johns and Chris Heptinstall presented the Commercial Producer of the Year award to the late Donald “Don” Robertson. There to accept the award on Robertson’s behalf was his son Donnie and his wife, Clare, and daughter, Ragan. Robertson worked for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Inc. for 23 years and helped transform the herd to predominately Brangus cattle. His legacy continues to live on at the ranch. Award recipients were presented their awards Saturday, March 7, 2015, by the IBBA in Houston, Texas, at the IBBA annual meeting. Award recipients are nominated and selected by the IBBA Awards Committee.

Cattle Market bers of heifers during this expansion phase. As a result, deferred feeder cattle futures suggest calf prices holding very close to the levels seen last fall. Of course, there is still a long time between now and the fall, and corn prices and winter wheat conditions this fall will play a large part in determining calf prices late in the year. Feed cost and forage availability aren’t the only sources of uncertainty for this year’s calf prices. Exports have been incredibly strong and a strengthening economy has also supported domestic beef demand. Therefore, a U.S. recession or a global economic slowdown could have a substantial adverse impact on cattle prices. With the U.S. beef

continued from page nine

herd expanding and a strong dollar and soft oil prices indicating global economic uncertainty, there is more downside risk for cattle prices than upside potential. With increased downside market risk, this is a good year to consider carefully managing price risk. Forward contracts, futures, options, and RMA’s Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) insurance are all worth considering. If fundamentals hold steady, the calf market is expected to remain strong, so producers should consider a risk management strategy that limits or softens unexpected downside market moves. Also, because a repeat of 2014’s explosive upside move is unlikely, 2015 is probably a

good year to consider early forward contracts at current price levels. Despite national herd expansion, the next several years should remain profitable for cow/calf producers. Beef demand domestically and abroad is strong, and heifer retention that is fueling expansion will help offset the effects of larger calf crops in the coming years. With prices still near historic highs, however, a price risk management strategy should be employed to protect against downside movements triggered by high feed costs or macroeconomic issues. For 2015, the old adage “Nobody ever went broke locking in a profit” is a good one to remember.

ramp up natural gas plants to displace coal.”

Court Test “The harder part is getting the policymakers to stick with it,” Webber said. “I’m optimistic, even though I have no reason to be.” The power plant rule faces its first court test next soon, and the final rule, set to come out within the next six months, is likely to be litigated all the way to the Supreme Court, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said Monday. Harvard University law professor Laurence Tribe, who was hired by coal producer Peabody Energy Corp., argues the rule violates the Constitution and should be tossed out by the courts. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from coal-rich Kentucky, has urged states not to implement plans to meet the EPA goals, which could complicate the so-called Clean Power Plan. “Even if the job-killing and likely illegal Clean Power Plan were fully implemented, the United States could not meet

the targets laid out in this proposed new plan,” McConnell said in a recent statement. “Our international partners should proceed with caution before entering into a binding, unattainable deal.”

Linchpin Rules The scope of those power plant rules is the linchpin of the U.S. pledge because it’s such a large share of emissions, said John Larsen, a senior analyst at the Rhodium Group in Washington. “Whatever EPA finalizes will set the tone for reductions in the power sector.” Still, not everything relies on these federal policies. Individual states are pursuing renewable energy and energy efficiency plans, and falling costs of solar and wind power mean changes could accelerate, Karl Hausker, a senior fellow at the World Resources Institute, wrote after the U.S. unveiled this overall goal last November. “Innovation and technology also have the potential to bring down costs and make it easier to meet – or even exceed – the proposed targets,” he wrote.

Livestock Market Digest

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April 15, 2015

Herman Symens Inducted into Limousin Hall of Fame he North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) inducted Herman Symens of Symens Hills Ranch in Sisseton, S.D., as the fifth member of the Limousin Hall of Fame. The objective of the Limousin Hall of Fame is to honor those breeders who have made a significant impact on the improvement and furtherance of the Limousin breed of cattle in the United States. The inductees have given unselfishly of their counsel and wisdom, and provided

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leadership in advancing the objectives of the North American Limousin Foundation and its members. Only four other individuals have received this high honor. The members of the Limousin Hall of Fame include Floyd McGown of Texas inducted in 1991, Dale Runnion of Arizona inducted in 1993, Leonard Wulf of Minnesota inducted in 2000, and Kenneth Holloway of Oklahoma inducted in 2009. The induction ceremony takes place during the NALF activities held

in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show. “Herman is numbered among the great breeders of Limousin cattle in the United States,” says Mark Anderson, NALF executive director. “He is considered a true friend of Limousin breeders and is a committed promoter of the breed to this day.” Symens is a pioneer of the breed, with a history that spans more than four decades of breeding, feeding and proLimousin cattle. moting Besides Symens Hills Ranch,

Herman and his wife Judy own and operate LIMI-Gene, Inc., a semen distribution company created in 1989 with the vision of providing the Limousin breed with a source of quality genetics. They have marketed Limousin semen throughout the United States and Canada. “Herman and Judy’s love of the Limousin breed has never wavered. Herman is still as committed to this breed of cattle today as he was 40 years ago, and is still just as willing to help or support all breeders,

young or old. He is passionate about the attributes of Limousin cattle in terms of muscle, yield and feed efficiency that the cattle offer the industry today,” continues Anderson. Symens is a dedicated member, serving on the local, state, regional and national association level. He was on the NALF board of directors, including two years as president. Additionally, Herman and Judy have given continuous and generous support to the North American Limousin Junior Association.

Political beef? Lawmakers worry red meat getting raw deal in new dietary guidelines FOXNEWS.COM

awmakers on Capitol Hill are pushing back on proposed dietary guidelines they say wrongly downplay the benefits of lean red meat and advance an environmental agenda rather than promoting healthy choices based on “sound nutritional science.” Seventy-one House lawmakers sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell expressing their disappointment over a recent report issued by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. They said the report exceeded its scope in developing the recommendations.

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“It is extremely difficult to reverse or change public policy, once enacted, without causing consumer confusion,” the letter states. “Inaccurate and conflicting dietary guidance messages are detrimental to consumer understanding of nutrition and the ability to build healthy diets.” The USDA and HHS will use the DGA advisory committee’s report to write the final version of the 2015 dietary guidelines, expected by the end of the year. Political beefs over the guidelines have been growing on Capitol Hill, with the cattle and agriculture industries arguing that an environmental agenda has no place in a government blueprint for healthier living. The advisory committee has

discussed sustainability as a good dietary goal, saying in its draft recommendations that there is “compatibility and overlap” between what is good for health and what is good for the environment. It said that a diet higher in nuts and greens and lower in animal-based foods is “more health promoting and is associated with lesser environmental impact than is the current average U.S. diet.” Current guidelines push lean meats as a healthy source of protein. The advisory panel, though, has debated whether lean meats should be included at all. The draft recommendations question whether a healthy dietary pattern includes fewer “red and processed” meats.

The lawmakers behind the letter argue that the guidelines play a critical role for federal nutritional policy development and is the scientific basis for education and outreach. Therefore, they say, it is essential that they “be based on sound nutrition science and not stray into other areas outside of this specific discipline.” “I am asking the same question thousands of school kids in North Dakota and across America will be asking: ‘Where’s the Beef? Sacrificing sound science and denying the nutritional benefits of lean red meat to satisfy an extreme environmental agenda is woefully misguided,” Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said in a written statement. The March 31 letter states:

“We are disappointed with reports from observers that the approach of the 2015 DGAC suggests studies were either selected or excluded to support pre-determined conclusions.” More than 100 environmental groups like Green America and the Sierra Club have come out in support of the recommendations. There have been ads purchased in daily newspapers that feature an open letter urging Burwell and Vilsack to adopt the changes. “What we are seeing with the Dietary Guidelines is a rare consensus between the environmental, public health and nutrition communities,” Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a written statement.

2015 National Ag Day Essay Contest Agriculture Council of America Announces 2015 National Ag Day Essay Contest Winners he Agriculture Council of America has announced the winners of the 2015 National Ag Day video and

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written essay contest winners. The winners were chosen based on the 2015 theme, Agriculture: Sustaining Future Generations. The theme presented an opportunity for students to address how the agriculture industry is rising to the chal-

lenges of feeding a growing population. Entrants chose to either write an essay and/or create a video focusing on how today’s growers are overcoming challenges to provide a safe, stable food supply and sustain the significant role agriculture plays in everyday life. “CHS enthusiastically supports rural youth and is proud to showcase their thoughts and creativity,” says Annette Degnan, marketing communications director, CHS Inc., one of this year’s essay contest sponsors. “The essay and video contests provide the perfect platform for their visions and dreams to be shared with a broader audience.”

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To list your herd here, call RANDY SUMMERS at505/24 3-9515, ext. 30, or email randy@aaalivestock.com.

The national written essay winner, Theresa Seibel from Roanoke, Virginia receives a $1,000 prize and travel to Washington, D.C., for recognition during the Celebration of Ag Dinner held March 18 at Whitten Patio at the USDA. During dinner, she will have the opportunity to read the winning essay as well as join with industry representatives, members of Congress, federal agency representatives, media and other friends in a festive agriculture celebration. Video essay winner, Harshin Sanjanwala from Madison, Mississippi wins a $1,000 prize. Both entries can be viewed online at www.agday.org/media/pr11.php. This is the 42nd anniversary of National Ag Day. The goal of the ACA is to provide a spotlight on agriculture and the food and fiber industry. The ACA not only helps consumers understand how food and fiber products are produced, but also brings people together to celebrate accomplishments in providing safe, abundant and affordable products. The Ag Day Essay Contest is sponsored by CHS Inc., High

Plains/Midwest Ag Journal, National Association of Farm Broadcasting and Penton Farm Progress Companies. National Ag Day is organized by the Agriculture Council of America and celebrated in classrooms and communities across the country. ACA is a nonprofit organization composed of leaders in the agricultural, food and fiber community, dedicating its efforts to increasing the public's awareness of agriculture's role in modern society. Founded in 1973, National Ag Day encourages every American to: n Understand how food and fiber products are produced. n Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products. n Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy. n Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry. Learn more and register for events at www.agday.org.

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper�

April 15, 2015

By Frank DuBois We have the Bundy Ranch, Smokey’s declining badges and the War on Meat‌

Bundy he confrontation on the Bundy Ranch is back in the news, with enviro groups and a key Congresswoman pushing the BLM to file charges and remove the cattle. At a recent budget hearing, Rep. Betty McCollum (DMinn.) grilled BLM’s Director. “Mr. Bundy and his band of armed thugs are dangerous. They have committed acts that are criminal by threatening federal employees,� said McCollum. “They should be held accountable. They should be prosecuted�, she continued and then asked, “What steps have been taken to stop this misuse of grazing without a permit and threatening federal employees who are just doing their jobs?� The BLM can’t directly respond because the current investigation is being handled by the FBI and the Justice Department. Elsewhere, the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) has written to the Secretary Of Interior and the U.S. Attorney General saying the fed’s silence has been “both deafening and deeply troubling.� The letter further states, “Bundy has violated the laws of the legislative branch, ignored the orders of the judicial branch to enforce those laws, and defied efforts by the executive branch to enforce three court orders.� They requested a public update by April 5, the one-year anniversary of the confrontation. The Las Vegas Review-Journal is also expressing frustration with BLM’s lack of response to their FOIA requests. In a recent editorial the paper said they had “submitted multiple public records requests to the BLM

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under the Freedom of Information Act, but the agency has stalled and stonewalled the newspaper.� The paper also says, “The longer a government refuses to answer basic questions about public business, the more suspicious taxpayers become.� It has also been reported that PEER has filed suit because of the non-response to their FOIA requests. All of this does make one wonder. Or, as the Nevada paper editorializes, “What is the BLM trying to hide?�

Blue Smokey LEOs Forest Service law enforcement officers are crying the blues over budget cuts. As wildfire suppression consumes more of the budget less is left for the non-fire employees. The Forest Service budget justification for 2016 says the number of LEOs will decline from 813 in 2015 to 680 in 2016. The documents says the Forest Service will prioritize for life-threatening emergencies with an emphasis on drug trafficking, “particularly in California and along the Southwest and northern borders.â€? “We’re basically the police in the woods,â€? says Matthew Valenta, a union spokesman for the group. “Our primary focus is resource protection, but we also do vehicle stops, DUIs‌recreation vehicle enforcement and crimes against persons,â€? said Valenta. In a letter to the U.S. Senate he said the budget issue is affecting their ability to conduct investigations, “from minor infractions to serious felonies such as homicide, rape, assaults, domestic disputes, robbery, gang activity.â€? We find ourselves in a situation where poor management by the Forest Service results in more, larger and hotter fires, which results in more spending for wild fires and less funds for non-fire programs. One causes the other. The poor management

is not all the Forest Service’s fault. Congress passes the laws, enviros file the lawsuits and judges (appointed by the President and approved by the Senate) issue the decisions. The whole thing is a mess and instead of fixing the real problems they want to change how fire fighting is funded. And why is Forest Service law enforcement placing such an emphasis on the Southwest border? It appears the whole border has or is being designated as Wilderness, Wildlife Refuges or National Monuments where they can’t go at all or have limited access. Why place an emphasis on policing the border with Mexico when the administration says it’s “safer than ever�? What does the Forest Service know that the President and his Secretary of Homeland Security either don’t know or aren’t telling us? The spokesman says their top priority is “resource protection� yet they are involved in all kinds of non-resource infractions both on and off federal property. Instead they’ve built a bureaucracy with their own chain of command at USDA. And of course the copycats at Interior are doing the same.

Greenhouse gas from federal land You knew it was coming sooner or later. The Wilderness Society and the Center for American Progress have issued a report that says twenty percent of all greenhouse gasses are emitted from federal land and are calling for a full inventory of the sources. “Any comprehensive strategy to address climate change in this country should account for these emissions and present a strategy to reduce them, as well,� says one of the researchers. This report is aimed at the oil, gas and coal industries. But have you heard of methane? You can guess what’s coming next.

Fizzle on the sizzle I’ve written before about the War on Meat, primarily through the dietary guidelines and the school lunch program. Whether you are producing meat animals on federal, state or private lands, these programs affect you. Now comes EPA to the battle. Joe Roybal at BEEF magazine has discovered an EPA grant for

Brahman Breeders Elect New Leadership eading the American Brahman Breeders Association (ABBA) for the next two years will be newly elected president J.D. Sartwelle, Jr. His placement was announced during the ABBA’s annual membership meeting held on March 4, in Houston Texas. The meeting was part of a week of activities including shows and sales for Brahman breeders and enthusiasts during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Sartwelle and his wife Sugie operate Sartwelle Brahman Ranch in Sealy, Texas. He will lead the association for two years with his term ending in 2016 and will succeed outgoing president Dr. Richard Hughes, Donaldson, Arkansas, who will remain part of the executive committee. “J.D. Sartwelle will be a true asset to the ABBA board with the wealth of knowledge he brings to

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the table,� says ABBA Executive Vice President Chris Shivers. “He has a lifetime of experience breeding Brahman cattle, has managed sales across the country as well as previously owning and operating a sale barn, making him invaluable to our breed and what he can offer over the next two years.� The rest of the newly elected officers and executive committee is: Vice President: George Kempfer, St. Cloud, Florida; Secretary/Treasurer: Loren Pratt, Maricopa, Arizona; Executive Committee: Dr. Richard Hughes; Larry Barthle, San Antonio, Florida; Dr. Craig Fontenot, Ville Platte, Louisiana; John Coleman Locke, Hungerford, Texas; Jim Bob Trant, Anderson, Texas; Steve Wilkins, Ozona, Texas, and Gerald Young, Katy, Texas.

$15,000 to the University of California at Riverside. The purpose of the grant is to develop “Technology for the Reduction of Particulate Matter Emissions for Residential BBQs� and is part of the nationwide “National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet.� Got that? Actually they are to develop a system for your grill that will prevent fat from catching on fire. Burning fat causes air pollution don’t you know. I was gonna suggest you not invite any EPA employees to your barbeque. But that’s probably not enough protection. I’ll bet they’ve got a whole fleet of EPA Drones outfitted to detect illegal sizzling and if caught you will be fined for the first offense and lose your government permit to cook on your own property for any subsequent violations. Talk about your Cruel and Unusual Punishment, that would be it.

USDA weighing your babies It’s not our calves or lambs they’ll be weighing, it’s our children. Is this some evil study concocted by a team of bored bureaucrats? Nope, it’s Michelle Obama who pushed this, along with your friendly Congressmen. The study is required by section 223 of Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which was championed by Mrs. Obama and passed in 2010. U.S.D.A. will be measuring and weighing children in pro-

Page 15 fessional and home childcare facilities. According to a Federal Register notice, they will also collect data on the “nutritional quality of foods offered, physical activity, sedentary activity, and barriers to� healthy food and exercise in childcare. All of this fits under the War on Obesity, and based on the government’s own figures, it’s not working. The Center for Disease Control reports that obesity among adults is 27.7 percent, up from 25.5 percent in 2008. The percentage of children aged 6– 11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7 percent in 1980 to nearly 18 percent in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5 percent to nearly 21 percent over the same period. Who were the only ones who made progress? Those under six who hadn’t entered the government’s clutches yet. The rate of obesity among 2 to 5 year-olds decreased from 13.9 percent to 8.4 percent. They are attacking our industry and invading family privacy, but its all for naught as their hectoring our citizens with their centrally planned dietary dictates is simply not working. Till next time, be a nuisance to the devil and don’t forget to check that cinch. Frank DuBois was the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003, is the author of a blog: The Westerner (www.thewesterner.blogspot.com) and is the founder of The DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.

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Livestock Market Digest

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April 15, 2015

Exposing animal abuse breaks law BY: ISAAC ARNSDORF, BLOOMBERG & WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

n undercover video taped in 2012 showed Idaho dairy workers beating cows, prompting criminal convictions. State lawmakers responded – by banning undercover videos. Activists citing the right to free speech want the Idaho law struck down, and a federal judge may rule on the case next month. The challenge is part of the fight against rules, known to their opponents as “ag-gag laws,” in at least seven states that prohibit documenting conditions on animal farms. At the same time, lawmakers proposed new bills limiting documentation of farm conditions in five more states this

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year. Organizations such as Mercy for Animals, which posted the Idaho video of what they identified as a farm that supplies Burger King, said undercover investigations are the only way to expose abuses, in the tradition of Upton Sinclair’s 1906 novel, The Jungle. The industry has a different view. According to the Animal Agriculture Alliance, such videos misrepresent agricultural practices. They’re staged by interlopers who get farm jobs under false pretenses, then use an excuse to disappear weeks or months before the videos surface. Worse, they draw attention to vulnerabilities in the food supply that could be exploited by terrorists. “You have the farmers, pro-

ducers, industry who are trying to protect themselves,” said David Favre, a law professor at Michigan State University in East Lansing who studies animal issues. “On the other side you have First Amendment people and animal people who are saying, ‘No, we get to talk about the conditions of the animals, and it’s inappropriate for you to interfere with our collection process.’ “ The Idaho law, drafted by a lawyer for the state's dairy association, made it a crime to interfere with agricultural production by gaining employment under false pretenses and making audio or video recordings without permission. “Terrorism has been used for centuries to destroy the ability to produce food and the confidence

in food's safety,” Republican state Sen. Jim Patrick, who sponsored the bill, said of the legislation at the time. “This is how you combat your enemies.” The Animal Legal Defense Fund and other organizations sued the State of Idaho in federal court in March 2014, claiming the law impinged on freedom of speech. There are many other places where videotaping is prohibited for good reasons, such as concerts, museums and movie theatres, said Kay Johnson Smith, president of the Animal Agriculture Alliance in Arlington, Virginia. “The reason these laws have been proposed is the use of unauthorized videos and photographs by animal-rights activists and animal-extremist organizations that

exist to stop the use of animals for food have found this is a very effective publicity tool and fundraising tool for them to advance their agenda,” Smith said. The videos lack context because of how they're edited, and activists have refused to release raw footage, she said. The meat industry’s safety is a matter of national security to make sure the U.S. isn’t dependent on imports or vulnerable to foodborne attacks, she said. “The real al-Qaidas and ISISes of the world, they monitor what’s happening,” Smith said. “I don’t think the use of undercover videos is an act of terrorism, but it could easily be imitated by terrorists who see how easy it is to be hired onto a farm.”

Limousin Elects New Board Members and Officers he North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) elected new members and officers for its board of directors during the annual neeting held in Denver, Colo. Those newly elected to serve the Foun-

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dation for three-year terms are Dennis Alt of Shawnee, Kan., and Curt Wieczorek of Mt. Vernon, S.D. Elected to serve second three-year terms are Bret Begert, Allison, Texas, Chris Milam, Olmstead, Ky., and Fred Wacker,

Miles City, Mont. Chad Settje of Creston, Neb., was selected as the NALF president of the board. He succeeds Mat Lewis, Iliff, Colo. Bret Begert was chosen to serve as vice president. The remaining execu-

tive committee consists of Jim Bob Hendrickson, Adair, Okla., as secretary, Dexter Edwards, Beulaville, N.C., as treasurer, and Gary Fuchs, Cameron, Texas, as member-at-large. Mat Lewis will continue on the executive com-

mittee as ex-officio. Settje most recently served as treasurer of the association for the past two years. Chad was elected to the board of directors in 2010. He and his family operate Lonely Valley Limousin headquartered near Creston, Neb., where he is active in and past president of the Platte Valley Cattlemen’s Association. Bret Begert recently resigned his position as NALF junior activities advisor to accept a larger role as vice president. Begert is a third generation rancher at Begert Limousin, which was founded in 1974. He is a past NALJA president and has also served as president of the Texas Limousin Association. Dennis Alt operates Double A Limousin and is currently a member of the Missouri Limousin Breeders Association, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. He first began using Limousin cattle in his commercial and registered operation in 1978. Curt Wieczorek and his family operate Wieczorek Limousin on the ranch that was homesteaded by his great grandfather in 1882. A fourth generation cattlemen, Wieczorek serves on local township and church boards while also having served on the NALF Performance Committee. The additional breeders on the 16 member NALF board of directors include Joey Freund, Elizabeth, Colo., Gary Gates, Absarokee, Mont., Austin Hager, Karlsruhe, N.D., Chris Milam, Olmstead, Ky., Bob Mitchell, Wauzeka, Wisc., Warren Symens, Amherst, S.D., and John Tobe, Lexington, Ky., and Fred Wacker, Miles City, Mont. The North American Limousin Foundation would like to thank the two retiring board members for their service. Those retiring members are Charles Linhart, Leon, Iowa, who was the immediate past vice president, and Mike Smith, Plainville, Kan., who was the immediate past exofficio.

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