Just the Facts ... and Then Some

JUST THE

FACTS ... &

THEN SOME

by Caren Cowan, Publisher New Mexico Stockman USDA Secretly Makes Wolf Depredation Compensation Impossible

After 18 years operating under one set of standards, ranchers in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona learned in late September that the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services (WS) has changed the evidence standards for confirming Mexican wolf kills on their livestock. With the new standards, there will be few if any confirmed or probable wolf kills.

Under the proposed New Standards, the only evidence that is actually relevant in finding a Confirmed Kill is “subcutaneous hemorrhaging and tissue damage,” where “subcutaneous hemorrhage” is defined to “refer to heavy or uncontrolled bleeding from the blood vessels under the skin layer and/or in the muscle tissue … and includes significant muscle tissue damage.”

Apparently, WS has already been using this new standard as far back as July 22. There has been no public notice of the new evidence standard or its application. There was no comment period, which is becoming the norm for government agencies relative to the Mexican wolf program.

“The proposed changes in the management of the Mexican Wolf Program will make it almost impossible for the Arizona Department of Agriculture to meet our statutory mandate to protect the livestock operators in this state,” wrote Arizona Department of Agriculture Mark Killian in a letter to Keith Wehner, Director, Western Region APHIS Wildlife Services.

“Your proposed New Standards disregard the concerns of ranchers who are already waiting on depredation payments and will raise the standard of proof to an impossibly high level. There is evidence that you are already following your New Standards without due process for livestock owners,” wrote the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association and the Arizona Cattle Growers’ Association in a joint letter.

Nelson Shirley, a rancher living with wolves, said “the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) action earlier this year to remove the population cap on wolves means that wolf density will increase dramatically in Arizona and New Mexico. The WS decision this summer to change the evidence standards means that there can be few if any findings of confirmed or even probable wolf depredations on livestock. FWS will be relieved of responsibility to remove wolves that repeatedly kill our livestock. These actions will make ranching unsustainable here in the Southwest.”

Wehner told ranchers who heard that changes in the evidence standards were being made and who pressed the issue that they had to provide comments by September 23. Regardless, given that there is no published notice of a comment period, comments from other interested parties should be sent immediately to Wehner as well as other USDA officials involved, including but not limited to Janet Bucknall, WS Deputy Administrator; Wendy Anderson, WS Assistant Program Manager; Jennifer Moffitt, Secretary for Marketing & Regulatory Programs.

Watch for email addresses for these and other government offices involved in this action on the New Mexico Stockman Facebook page or contact caren@ aaalivestock.com. ▫

LT Cattle Company

Selling commercial Hereford bulls to cattlemen in rugged southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona for over 50 years. Our cowherd started with about 40 registered cows in the mid-1950’s. Our herd bulls come primarily from the Barber Ranch, Channing, Texas. We select for balanced traits, with a little more emphasis on growth.

EPDs for the last 15 years are:

BW +3.4 WW +57 YW +91 Milk +23 SC +.85 REA +.51

We will wean around November 1. Calves will be ready to go by mid-December. There will be some polled and a few registered bulls. Our current 240 Hereford cows birth unassisted out in big pastures. At branding time those of the calves that are structurally correct, have bone and a big square hip are left as bulls.

BR TNT 3A00 ET

We are confident our bulls used on your predominately black cowherd will give you a top end set of productive, fast growing black baldies.

We would be honored to hear from you.

LT Cattle Company Silver City, New Mexico Jimmy McCauley 575.574.2283 David McCauley 575.538.1828 Ryan McCauley 575.654.4030

For Sale Private Treaty Bred Cows - Heifers - Bulls

Give us a call to schedule a visit!

Bill King: (505)220-9909 Tom Spindle: (505)321-8808 Moriarty, New Mexico

Hereford - Angus - Charolais 2022 Seedstock 100 Producer -Beef Magazine

If you’re looking for cattle with powerful genetics and phenominal phenotypes like these, be the first to take your pick! We’re offering Registered & Commerical Bred Cows, Bred Heifers, and Yearling Females for sale private treaty. Along with Two-Year Old and Yearling Bulls. Herd Sires include: Loewen Genesis G16 ET BR Belle Air 6011 C CJC Belle Heir ET CRR 5280 Connealy Black Granite Connealy Power Surge 3115 CAG CC SIDELINE 7063E LT Patriot 4004 PLD LT Horizon and more!