Beef 2013

BEEF 2013

D2 SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

May is Beef Month From cattle farmers and ranchers to feed manufacturers and processors, thousands of people play an important role in beef's journey from pasture to plate. In fact, cattle generate $12 billion in total direct and indirect activity in Nebraska’s economy making beef much more than just what’s for dinner.

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

UNL team launches monthly newsletter Online publication offers producers helpful information IANR NEWS SERVICE University of Nebraska-Lincoln

LINCOLN — The Internet provides seemingly unlimited resources on any subject, but University of Nebraska-Lincoln beef experts are collecting

information for beef producers in one convenient place.

The UNL Beef Spires Team launched UNL BeefWatch in March. The monthly newsletter provides producers with timely, research-based information on beef production issues.

The beef team saw this as a way it could get information to producers, said UNL Extension educator Troy Walz.

“We look for new ways to reach our clientele and we thought this might be a way to

do that, with more people checking things online,” Walz said.

BeefWatch includes articles

by UNL experts about various aspects of production from feedlot production, nutrition and forage management to beef economics, focusing on the most important issues producers are facing during that time of year.

“We want timely, current information that addresses what producers are working with at

the time, whether it’s calving or breeding,” said Rick Funston, professor of animal science and contributor to UNL BeefWatch.

Each edition of the newsletter will include information that is applicable to stages of production occurring that month.

BeefWatch can be accessed at go.unl.edu/beefwatch or through beef.unl.edu. Subscriptions can be started at go.unl. edu/beef watch.

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BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

Carrying on a family tradition Third, fourth generations return to keep ranch legacy going

State beef facts The beef cattle industry is the state’s single largest industry and the engine that powers the state’s economy.

The multiplied impact of the $6.5 billion in cattle sales each year is $12.1 billion.

Cattle-related employment means income for businesses up and down main street in towns and cities across the state.

In short, the beef cattle industry has an unmistakable impact on other economies in Nebraska.

good work ethic, a love of family and an appreciation for making a living off the land — those are the values Ruth Orr hopes to instill in her children.

A

“I just hope they see what the good Lord has done for them,” Orr said.

“They’re surrounded by it every day.”

Her attempt seemed to be working last week as her three boys, ranging in age from 2 to 6, raced toward the four-wheeler.

“I can feed cows,” Blaine, 2, said, “but sometimes I need help lifting the bucket.”

The boys mark the fourth generation on the ranch, which is split. The headquarters are about 10 miles southeast of North Platte and the rest is approximately 10 miles west of Tryon. Two years ago, the ranch adopted the name “Daigger-Orr Angus,” a testament to the two families that run it.

John and Pat Daigger, Ruth’s parents, lead the operation. John’s family began raising registered Angus at Tryon in 1969 with the goal of developing registered cows that were practical and range efficient for the area.

John purchased the land in Lincoln County in 1989 to be closer to feed. It features alfalfa, wet meadows and pasture ground.

“When you [artificially inseminate] as many cows in a confined area in the Sandhills as we did, you get blowouts,” John said.

Most of the cattle spend summers west of Tryon and return to headquarters at calving time. The ranch has a production bull sale every April. It continues to increase its number of Red Angus and to breed and improve a Black Angus herd.

Overall, operations run smoothly and efficiently.

With a new generation in place, it appears things

D3

Heather Johnson / The North Platte Telegraph

Ruth, David, Grant, 6, and Clay Orr, 4, receive help feeding cattle from John Daigger and Blaine Orr, 2, in a lot at the family ranch last week. The boys make the fourth generation to be part of the cattle operation after the younger family moved back to Lincoln County.

“

“I’m really grateful someone has stepped in to take over. I was worried that we had done all this work and no one would carry on.”

”

— JOHN DAIGGER, DAOGGER-ORR ANGUS ABOUT PASSING ON THE RANCH’S LEGACY

BY HEATHER JOHNSON HJOHNSON@NPTELEGRAPH.COM

will continue that way well into the unforeseeable future. It’s a relief for John.

“I’m really grateful someone has stepped in to take over,” John said of Ruth and her husband David. “I was worried that we had done all this work, and no one would carry on.”

Despite that, Ruth said she and her four sisters never felt any pressure from their parents to return to the ranch. It was a decision she, the youngest of the siblings, and David made on their own.

The two lived relatively close to one another, but didn’t date until college.

David grew up on a farm between North Platte and Hershey. They married in 2005.

“I never really knew what I was going to be until I tried to become a city girl,” Ruth said of her college days in Omaha and Lincoln. “I guess you can take the girl out of the Sandhills, but you can’t take the sand out of her boots.”

The Orrs moved back to Lincoln County when they decided to start a family.

“We wanted our children raised the way we were,” Ruth said. “For country kids, working time doubles as family time. No matter what job we were doing, my parents always managed to make working time fun.”

David hired on with Union Pacific Railroad shortly after their return and also worked for his father.

After he was furloughed from the railroad and his brother moved back to the Orr farm, he and Ruth decided to join forces with her dad.

“I knew I enjoyed the cattle side more than farming,” David said.

“Plus my dad’s operation probably would have had to have expanded to support three families if I had stayed there.”

Ruth said it’s almost impossible for young farmers and ranchers to make a living in agriculture unless they inherit a place. It’s expensive to get started.

“What we are doing now wouldn’t have been possible if we had

branched off on our own,” Ruth said.

According to John, it’s also not so easy to stay in business once you’re in it.

“The cost of production has gotten phenomenally high,” John said.

“Last year, it was about three times higher than the year before. A lot of that had to do with the drought.”

He’s proud of David and Ruth and the sacrifices they have made by returning to the ranch.

He said it hasn’t always been easy for them — they’ve put in a lot of work hours and lived on little to nothing.

“It doesn’t seem like that much,” Ruth said.

“But then, I guess it never does when you’re doing what you love.”

■ $12.1 billion impact to Nebraska’s economy ■ 20,000 beef cow operations ■ 1.88 million head of beef cows ■ The average herd size is 94 head ■ 4,570 cattle feeding operations statewide ■ 5.1 million cattle fed and marketed per year ■ On average there are 2.3 million head of cattle on feed ■ Only 770 feeding operations are larger than 1,000 head

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D4 SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

Female feeder makes a name for herself From Florida to feedyard, Burkholder pulls on boots just like male counterparts COZAD — Anne Burkholder knew without a doubt that when she graduated from high school in urban Palm Beach County, Fla., she had no intention of ever going back to bigcity life.

What she didn’t know, however, is that two days after receiving her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Dartmouth College, she would land in the middle of nowhere and spend her first day on the job at a cattle feeding operation, not even owning a pair of boots.

“I worked cattle that first day in sneakers,” said Burkholder, who now calls herself the boss lady at Will Feed, Inc. at Cozad.

Feeding cattle may not have been her life’s goal then, but it is her passion now.

“There’s a reason God planted me in a feed yard in Cozad, Neb.,” she said.

“I want to do what I can to improve the industry.”

Starting at the bottom Burkholder married her husband, Matt, in 1996 and the couple moved to Nebraska in 1997. Matt’s family had been farming and raising cattle near Cozad since Matt’s father traveled from Ohio to Dawson County with his family on a train.

Though Matt’s heart was not tied to the feed yard, he did have an interest in the alfalfa dehydration plant, so they moved from New Hampshire back to Cozad in 1997.

“I started in the feed yard making an hourly wage, driving the feed truck, riding pens and handling cattle,” Anne said.

Now she’s in charge of a crew of four, procures

most of the cattle in the yard and is working day to day to find ways to reduce stress — not her own, but in the cattle.

She’s been head honcho for 10 years in an industry led predominantly by men.

And she’s definitely finding her niche.

Low-stress handling Burkholder has put her psychology degree to work in the feed yard finding ways to reduce stress in the cattle so they will perform better, eat better, convert their feed better and become easier to handle.

“I’m a big proponent in holistic care, not just in people, but also in animals,” Burkholder said.

“If the cattle are confident and thrive, they become safe and healthy beef.

That, in turn, makes for safe and healthy beef.”

One way Burkholder has implemented the lowstress handling is through exercising and acclimating the cattle as they transition into the feed yard.

She said constant handling keeps the cattle calmer.

“My husband thinks I’m crazy sometimes and I have had my struggles because it’s not the way it’s always been done,” she said. “A lot of people don’t believe it’s worth the time.

There are ranchers who laugh at me exercising my cattle. They say, ‘Anne must not have anything to do today.’ But it’s part of who I am and what I believe in. I run my operation according to what I think is right for the cattle.”

Others in the industry have obviously begun to buy into Burkholder’s ideas about cattle care,

Courtesy photo

Anne Burkholder might be the “boss lady” at Will Feed, Inc., at Cozad, but she still gets up-close and personal with her critters in the feedyard. Staying hands-on is one way the 38-year-old self-proclaimed city girl is able to convince others that her low-stress approach to feeding cattle is beneficial in the long run. cattle tracing and food safety.

After 16 years in the industry, Burkholder now serves on the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Advisory Committee, is on the board of directors for the Nebraska Beef Council and serves on Tyson’s third-party animal welfare committee.

In addition, she was named Beef Quality Assurance Producer of the Year in 2009.

“You know you’ve made a difference when others bring your ideas to the table,” Burkholder said.

“It’s so satisfying to see when folks recognize that we can make the industry better with change.”

A man’s world Burkholder didn’t become a recognized cattle producer overnight. Nor did it happen without a bit of resistance from a few in the male-dominated industry.

“I’ve certainly had my challenges,” she said. “I think the industry wasn’t quite sure what to do with me. I remember joking at the first cattlemen’s meet-

Unique beef state

Feedyard Foodie Anne Burkholder posts a regular online blog called Feed Yard Foodie. Its hosting and technology support are made possible through funding from the beef checkoff to provide a voice for farmers and ranchers who are dedicated to providing safe, wholesome and nutritious beef.

Burkholder said before she began writing the twice weekly blog, she set some goals and parameters to keep it viable and useful.

“Feed Yard Foodie is a site where people can come to read about the real story of beef, written by someone who actually gets their hands dirty,” she said.

The blog can be found at feedyardfoodie.com.

BY DEB EGENBERGER DEB.EGENBERGER@NPTELEGRAPH.COM

ing I went to that there was no line at the women’s restroom.”

Burkholder hasn’t always taken the route most traveled, though, or gone about things the easiest of ways.

“I bring a different perspective and, for the most part, people have been pretty receptive,” she said.

“I had spent 22 years of life eating beef and I didn’t know where it came

from. I was open-minded about it and I learned everything I could. I’m still learning.”

Burkholder said the key to succeeding, as a woman in a male-dominated industry, has been that she is comfortable in her own skin.

“I stand 5-foot-3 and I’m 110 pounds soaking wet,” she said. “If I’m not a confident woman, no one is going to take me seriously

The importance of cattle feeding to Nebraska’s economy runs deeper than in other states.

Nearly 5 million head are finished and marketed in Nebraska, a state with a population of 1.8 million residents.

Texas markets a third more cattle than Nebraska, but it has a population

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But they do.

Burkholder said one valuable piece of advice she goes back to time and time again, is to be willing to do what she expects others to do.

“My scoop shovel is smaller than the guys’ on my crew and it takes me more scoops, but I will get it done,” she said. “They know I won’t ask them to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.”

And she does. Burkholder continues to be a hands-on manager, despite also retaining the pencil-pushing and management responsibilities of the feedyard.

“For the most part, I’ve been treated with an open mind,” she said. “It’s a good industry to be a part of and it’s been a tremendous journey, both professionally and personally. I greet each day’s challenges with a smile knowing that I am using the gifts and talents that were bestowed upon me to both improve the welfare of the United States cattle herd and the safety of the beef that they produce.”

of 25.6 million residents more than 14 times larger. Iowa markets less than 2 million cattle and has 1.2 million more residents than Nebraska.

This means such states depend on other industries.

Their standard of living isn’t nearly as dependent on cattle feeding as Nebraska’s.

BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

D5

Drought forces closer look at feed options Ailing pastures keep producers looking for viable strategies

By CAROLINE SABIN Telegraph correspondent

Caroline Sabin / For The North Platte Telegraph

Cattle near North Platte feed on distillers grains, a byproduct of ethanol production that has become an increasingly important element of cattle feed, particularly in Nebraska, where drought has crippled pastures and forced producers to look for other feed options.

The obvious effects of the drought have been easy to spot — barren pastures and shriveled crops.

The next victim of the drought could very well be dried up bank accounts.

In an effort to maintain herd numbers, many cattlemen are feeding cattle until summer pastures are in healthier condition.

Those expenses have to be monitored closely to prevent whittling away working capital.

“Everybody’s expenses are way up,” said Jeff Dewey, ag loan officer at First National Bank in North Platte. “Since inputs have stayed high, margins are going to be tighter than ever.”

Drought conditions last summer vastly reduced hay production and created lower supplies. Hay prices have increased significantly due to high demand.

Some borrowers that Dewey advises have been forced to buy hay to feed.

It is an expense that can mount up quicker than a producer may realize.

Dewey said some strategies to keep expenses in check and preserve resources could be to keep fewer heifers, wean early to take stress off cows or consider a mature cow dispersal.

Each producer’s situation is unique, he said, so the management decisions are often different for each operation.

Matt Stockton, West Central Research and Extension Center ag economics specialist, advises producers to factor in secondary expenses and demands in time or labor when making management decisions.

Transportation, fence supplies, labor and machinery use are expenses often piggy-backed onto extended feeding of livestock or leasing cattle out, he said.

Producers should project what price they could realistically expect to receive for the sale of livestock. The expenses should not erase profit margin, Stockton said, and a decision made now will likely have an impact for the next four or five years, so some forward thinking should be done for managing the future.

Many pastures are still

in frail condition and will not have the carrying capacity of a typical year. A reduction in the herd may reduce income, but in an effort to control expenses and preserve pasture productivity for the future, it could the favored option.

Jon Holzfaster is a farmer and feeder at Holzfaster Farmers in Paxton.

In his feedlots, he takes cattle from 600 pounds to a finished weight of 1,300 pounds.

Holzfaster considers distillers grains an excellent resource for feeding livestock and there have been opportunities to lock in a good price, especially if a producer is taking advantage of a risk management plan, he said.

“Distillers has been a tremendous friend to the feeding industry,” he said.

Distillers grains have been incorporated into rations in many feedlots and for use by ranchers.

Holzfaster said distillers grains, a byproduct of ethanol production, are a good supplement that can be used in combination with lower quality hay.

There is little that can be done to control the forces of nature. That’s why managing ranch resources in spite of nature requires objective and realistic thinking in order to stay in business.

Corn silage offers alternative in finishing diets Another UNL experiment tests distillers grains with oil removed IANR NEWS SERVICE University of Nebraska-Lincoln

LINCOLN — University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientists are experimenting with the use of corn silage in cattle finishing diets, finding that it can be an economical replacement for corn in feedlot diets containing distillers grains.

On another front, research is being conducted into feeding distillers grains that have some corn oil removed, so the oil can be used in biofuels.

Corn silage long was a staple of cattle diets, particularly in times of high corn prices, since it allows feeders to use the entire corn plant.

But animal scientist Galen Erickson thinks UNL’s current research may be the nation’s first that looks into evaluating elevated levels of corn silage in finishing diets containing distillers grains.

Distillers grains are a byproduct of ethanol production and have become an increasingly important element of cattle feed, particularly in Nebraska, which relies on cattle, corn and ethanol production like no other state.

“I’m a big fan because I think it fits our state,” Erickson said. “As corn becomes more expensive, it’s quite economical.

“We’re on a mission to im-

prove the use of corn residue, whether grazed, baled or harvested as silage as long as it’s done in a sustainable way,” the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources scientist added.

The objective of the experiment was to determine the performance effects, carcass characteristics and economics of feeding elevated levels of corn silage and MDGS (modified distillers grains with solubles) as a partial replacement of corn in finishing diets, Erickson said.

The research, which partially replaced corn with the more economical corn silage, found that as corn silage increased, there was a slight increase in feed-to-gain ratio and a decrease in dry matter intake and average daily gain.

However, ADG and F:G were improved when corn silage was fed with MDGS. Scientists also studied the economics of this approach, comparing the impacts at different price levels of corn and cost of silage.

They found that under certain conditions, it makes economic sense, and “it especially fits for some of our smaller producers,” Erickson said.

“In general, corn silage in combination with MDGS can be utilized to partially replace corn in finishing diets,” the UNL scientists concluded in a summary of their work. “Cattle performance is reduced with increased level of corn silage in finishing diets containing MDGS. However, feeding corn silage with MDGS is better than without MDGS for average daily gain and feed to gain ratio.”

As for the de-oiling research, Erickson said it’s yet another way to take better advantage of the synergy in Nebraska’s mix of corn, beef and ethanol.

Erickson and his colleague Terry Klopfenstein are comparing the effects of feeding condensed distillers solubles, and distillers grains plus solubles, with and without corn oil removed in steer diets.

Condensed distillers solubles (CDS) are a liquid byproduct and distillers grains plus solubles are a semisolid byproduct, both from ethanol production.

CDS are generally added back to distillers grains before feeding, but earlier IANR research found they can be fed separately in cattle diets.

Ethanol plants can remove some corn oil from the CDS; it can be sold for about 30-35 cents a pound to be developed into biofuels.

So, IANR scientists wanted to determine how performance of cattle fed the de-oiled byproduct compares to that of cattle fed regular CDS or regular distillers grains plus solubles.

Findings so far are surprising. Scientists found that when CDS are fed at a higher percentage of cattle diets, removal of corn oil improves digestion in forage-based diets.

In feedlot diets, two experiments have shown either no impact or a slight decrease in value for finishing cattle.

However, the impact on performance is much smaller than predicted, or had no impact at all. More work is underway.

Caroline Sabin / For The North Platte Telegraph

Distillers grains, a byproduct of ethanol production, is the subject of a study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources researchers who are comparing the benefits of the feed alternative with and without the corn oil removed.

D6 SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

Nebraska Ag Facts Cash receipts from farm marketings contributed nearly $17 billion to Nebraska’s economy in 2010 and 5.5% of the United States total.

Nebraska’s ten leading commodities (in order) for cash receipts are cattle and calves, corn, soybeans, hogs, wheat, chicken eggs, dairy products, hay, dry beans and potatoes, which represent 98% of the state’s total farm receipts.

Every dollar in ag exports generates $1.31 in economic activities such as transportation, financing, warehousing and production. Nebraska’s $5.3 billion in ag exports translate into nearly $7 billion in additional economic activity.

Nebraska has 47,200 farms and ranches; the average operation consists of 966 acres; average net income per farm was $68,523 between 2006-2010.

In 2011, Nebraska ranked second in ethanol production capacity, with 24 operating plants having production capacity of 2.2 billion gallons (6,813,739,982 liters). Over 40% of the state’s 2010 corn crop was utilized in ethanol production.

The Nebraska livestock industry accounted for 49% of the state’s total agricultural cash receipts in 2010. Livestock or poultry operations were found on 50% of Nebraska farms.

One American farmer/rancher produces enough food for 129 people – 95 in the United States and 34 abroad.

In 2008, Nebraska was 8th nationally in certified organic cropland acres (129,858 acres) and 8th in certified organic pasture acres (53,174 acres).

Natural Resources Nebraska’s farms and ranches utilize 45.6 million acres (18,413,270 hectares) – 93% of the state’s total land area.

Nebraska is fortunate to have aquifers below it. If poured over the surface of the state, the water in those aquifers would have a depth of 37.9 feet (12 meters).

The state has 92,233 registered, active irrigation wells supplying water to 8.6 million acres of harvested cropland and pasture. Of the total cropland harvested during 2007, 36% was irrigated.

BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

Club Hous Burger with Buttered Bun Total Recipe Time: 30 minutes Servings: 6 1 pound ground sirloin 1 pound ground chuck 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Coleman’s dry mustard 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons extra-virgin Olive oil 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter 6 kaiser rolls, sliced 6 crisp butter or Boston lettuce leaves 6 slices purple or sweet onion, such as Vidalia 2 large tomatoes, cut into 6 slices 6 slices cooked bacon, Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise 1. Heat a grill to high.

2. In a large bowl, combine the ground sirloin and ground chuck. Mix it together, being careful not to overwork the meat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Mix until just combined, then divide the mixture into 6 pieces. Gently shape each piece into a burger about 3/4 of an inch thick. Press your thumb gently into the center of each to form a depression.

3. Brush the patties lightly on both sides with the olive

oil. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the burgers and grill until the meat no longer is pink, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time.

4. Meanwhile, brush butter over both sides of the rolls and grill until lightly toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Serve the burgers immediately on the buttered rolls with a lettuce leaf, a slice of raw onion, tomato and a slice of bacon, if desired. Serve with traditional condiments on the side.

Nutrition information per serving: 550 calories; 260 calories from fat (47 percent of total calories); 30 g fat (12 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 110 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 35 g protein; 760 mg sodium.

Secret to a great burger?

Less is more

By ELIZABETH KARMEL The Associated Press

When the weather turns warm, I find myself craving the smell and taste of a great homemade burger off the grill.

So what makes a great burger? There are a few simple rules. But if you remember just one of them, it should be that less really is more. Which is to say, the less you add to your ground beef, the less you handle the meat when mixing it, and the less you flip it while grilling, the better burger you get in the end.

The foundation of my backyard burger is a 50-50 combination of sirloin and chuck. I love mixing the leaner and cleaner ground sirloin with the rich beefiness of ground chuck. A patty that is 100 percent sirloin is too lean, and 100 percent chuck is too fatty.

If I am close to a good butcher, I also love to make a custom grind. You can ask the butcher to grind the odd pieces of brisket, short rib, skirt and hanger steak, and add it to a lean and clean base of sirloin for a top notch burger. The key is a mix of lean and fatty meat, freshly ground.

Beyond the meat itself, you don’t want to add too many other ingredients, particularly wet ones. You don’t want to compete with the flavor of the beef, or leave it too watery. I limit myself to a sprinkle of salt and pepper, plus just a bit of dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

The last two amp the savory flavors of the burger without competing with it.

Once the meat is seasoned, I lightly mix everything together and divide it into equal portions. I generally use 2 pounds of

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meat to make six burgers.

This step can be done up to a day in advance. If prepping in ahead, refrigerate the patties and make sure they are well covered to minimize the oxidation (discoloration) of the meat.

Before the burgers go on the grill, be sure to press your thumb into the center of each patty, pushing it halfway down. This is the real secret to a perfect backyard burger. This is because as the meat cooks, the fibers expand and they inflate the burger, turning it into a ball. If you make the depression with your thumb, the meat expands to fill the hole, leaving the burger flat.

A hot grill also is important to getting a great burger. Be sure to heat it with all burners on high (or wait until the charcoal is covered with a gray ash), then clean the heated cooking grates with a

brass-bristle brush. Reduce the heat to a medium just before placing the burgers on the grill.

You should hear a satisfying sizzle when the meat hits the grates!

Cover the grill and flip the burgers just once halfway through the cooking time.

The meat will initially stick to the grill grates. But as it cooks, it will naturally release itself.

This is true of many foods and all protein, whether you are grilling or sauteing it.

This is why it is so important not to flip the burgers more than once, as well as why so many burgers end up falling apart when they are flipped too early.

And it should also go without saying that pressing down on the burgers with a spatula is a no-no, too!

Pesto Steak & Arugula Pizza Total Recipe Time: 45 to 50 minutes Servings: 4 1 boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick (1 pound) 2 tablespoons basil pesto 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 refrigerated whole grain, whole wheat or regular pizza dough (about 1 pound) Nonstick cooking spray 1 cup yellow and/or red cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Italian blend cheese 1 cup arugula or baby spinach leaves 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) 1. Combine pesto and lemon juice in small bowl. Evenly brush beef steak with 1 tablespoon pesto mixture.

2. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals.

Grill, covered, 11 to 15 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 13 to 16 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F. Spray 10 x 15-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place dough on baking sheet and pat dough to edges of baking sheet.

Spread dough with remaining 3 tablespoons pesto mixture. Top with tomatoes and cheese. Bake in 425°F oven, 15 to 18 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

4. Carve steak into slices; season with salt, if desired. Top pizza evenly with arugula and steak slices; sprinkle with red pepper, as desired.

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THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

BEEF 2013

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

D7

Braised Brisket Street-Style Tacos Total Recipe Time: 3 to 3-1/2 hours 1 boneless beef brisket, flat cut (3 to 3-1/2 pounds) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 large onion, sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 bottle (12 ounces) beer 1-1/4 cup tomatillo salsa, divided 16 to 20 small corn tortillas (about 6-inch diameter), warmed Toppings: Chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped fresh cilantro or prepared pico de gallo 1. Heat oil in stockpot over medium heat until hot.

Place beef brisket in stockpot; brown evenly. Remove brisket; season with salt and black pepper.

2. Add onion and garlic to stockpot; cook and stir 4 to

5 minutes or until onion is crisp-tender. Return brisket, fat-side up, to stockpot. Add beer and 1 cup salsa; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until brisket is fork-tender.

3. Remove brisket; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid; bring to a boil. Cook 18 to 20 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup salsa.

Meanwhile, trim fat from brisket. Carve diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Return beef to cooking liquid and heat through. Serve beef in tortillas.

Garnish with Toppings, as desired.

Makes 8 to 10 servings Nutrition information per serving: 321 calories; 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat); 93 mg cholesterol; 353 mg sodium; 22 g carbohydrate; 3.0 g fiber; 35 g protein; 8.2 mg niacin; 0.3 mg vitamin B6; 2.3 mcg vitamin B12; 3.0 mg iron; 32.8 mcg selenium;

7.7 mg zinc; 122.4 mg choline.This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B12, selenium, zinc and choline; and a good source of fiber, vitamin B6 and iron.

BEEF 2013

D8 SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

Mediterranean Beef Meatball Kabob Total Recipe Time: 25 to 30 minutes 1 pound ground beef 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs 2 egg whites or 1 whole egg 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons water 2 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 flatbreads (such as naan, lavash or pita bread) Toppings (optional): Chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, chopped red onion, chopped fresh parsley, Tzatziki sauce 1. Heat oven to 400°F. Combine ground beef, parsley, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into sixteen 1-1/4-inch meatballs.

2. Thread meatballs onto four 10-inch skewers. Place on rack in broiler pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in 400°F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

3. Remove meatballs from skewers. Serve in flatbreads.

Garnish with Toppings, as desired.

Makes 4 servings Cook’s Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness. Cook’s Tip: For easy cleanup, line bottom of broiler pan (not rack) with aluminum foil before baking meatballs.

Nutrition information per serving, using 93% lean ground beef: 360 calories; 13 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 7 g monounsaturated fat); 76 mg cholesterol; 763 mg sodium; 26 g carbohydrate; 1.6 g fiber; 33 g protein; 9.2 mg niacin; 0.5 mg vitamin B6; 2.3 mcg vitamin B12; 5.2 mg iron; 32.3 mcg selenium; 6.8 mg zinc; 82.1 mg choline.This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of choline.Nutrition information per serving, using 80% lean ground beef: 413 calories; 20 g fat (6 g saturated fat; 10 g monounsaturated fat); 77 mg cholesterol; 754 mg sodium; 26 g carbohydrate; 1.6 g fiber; 30 g protein; 9.2 mg niacin; 0.4 mg vitamin B6; 2.4 mcg vitamin B12; 4.6 mg iron; 32.6 mcg selenium; 6.2 mg zinc; 72.2 mg choline.This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of choline.

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BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

Telegraph Time & Temperature — 532-6007

Succulent Filet in a Field of Greens Total Recipe Time: 20 to 25 minutes 4 beef tenderloin (filet) steaks, cut 1 inch thick 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 teaspoons minced garlic, divided 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 3 cups assorted wild mushrooms 2 cups red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, cut in half 2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinaigrette Salt and pepper 1/2 cup mixed baby salad greens 1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add mushrooms and 1 teaspoon garlic; cook and stir 2 to 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and browned. Remove to medium bowl; cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 teaspoons garlic and thyme. Press evenly onto beef steaks. Place steaks in same skillet over medium heat; cook 10 to 13 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Remove to platter.

3. Add tomatoes, salad greens and vinaigrette to mushrooms; toss lightly to coat.

4. Season steaks with salt and pepper, as desired. Serve with salad.

Makes 4 servings Cook’s Tip: Three cups sliced button mushrooms can be substituted for assorted wild mushrooms.

Nutrition information per serving: 273 calories; 14 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat); 67 mg cholesterol; 182 mg sodium; 8 g carbohydrate; 2.4 g fiber; 27 g protein; 10.6 mg niacin; 0.7 mg vitamin B6; 1.4 mcg vitamin B12; 2.5 mg iron; 30.0 mcg selenium; 5.1 mg zinc; 126.4 mg choline.This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium, zinc and choline; and a good source of iron.

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D9

BEEF 2013

D10 SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

UNL study shows cattle diet affects beef flavor Feed variations determine 3,831 descriptions of texture, taste on the table

“

“We have some beginning understanding ... but we’ve got to dig deeper and mine the data more.”

ABOUT CATTLE DIET STUDY

IANR NEWS SERVICE University of Nebraska-Lincoln

LINCOLN — University of Nebraska-Lincoln research is focusing on how beef-cattle management factors can affect steak flavor.

Animal science graduate student Kim Varnold has worked with meat scientist Chris Calkins on the research, a collaboration with Texas A&M University and funded by The Beef Checkoff through of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

Calkins said Varnold’s work builds on previous research into beef ’s so-called “off flavors” — tastes that can turn off consumers.

In this case, the goal was to figure out “what we need to do to get good beef flavor.”

It’s important information to have as studies have found consumers are willing to pay considerably more for cuts identified as having a desirable flavor.

Varnold’s research set out to evaluate production factors — including post-weaning forage, energy supplementation during

”

— CHRIS CALKINS, MEAT SCIENTIST,

summer grazing and finishing diets — that produce desirable flavors.

She also sought to assess effects of aging on flavor of different muscles and conducted a biochemical analysis of the meat to attempt to tie biochemical constituents of muscle to specific flavors.

The cattle were fed either cool-season brome grasses or warm-season switchgrass and bluestem and orchard grasses.

Within each pasture, half the cattle were supplemented with wet distillers grains and with solubles (WDGS).

After the grazing period was over, cattle in half of each pasture were finished on an allcorn diet while the other half were fed corn with WDGS. After slaughter, bottom round and strip loin steaks were collected from each animal, some aged seven days and others 28.

Then came the tasting by consumer panels in Kansas and Texas, and later a highly sophisticated “flavor lexicon panel” at Texas A&M University.

How sophisticated? The six

panelists selected collectively underwent 120 hours of training as well as 1,200 hours of testing.

This flavor lexicon panel uses 3,831 descriptive words to describe flavors — everything from “browned,” “charred” and “grassy” to “bloody,” “warmed over,” “sour milk” and “floral.”

Yes, floral — and that’s not a good thing in a steak.

“We have some beginning understanding ... but we’ve got to dig deeper and mine the data more,” Calkins said.

What the research does clearly show is that cattle’s diets, from weaning to finishing, have a substantial affect on the composition of the meat and its ultimate flavor.

For example, assessing the biochemical components of the meat, Varnold and Calkins found that certain amino acids and minerals tended to negatively influence heme iron and phosphorous content appeared to spark negative scores.

Cool-season grasses produced higher-rated steaks, and supplementation of the diets was a positive too, Varnold said.

The chance to do this kind of research is what brought Varnold from her home in Illinois to UNL. “If you’re going to get into beef, Nebraska is the place to do it,” she said.

UNL’s Departments of Biochemistry, Food Science and Technology and Nutrition and Health Sciences also contributed to participated in the research.

Caroline Sabin / For The North Platte Telegraph

Cattle near North Platte gather around as a feed truck dumps a meal for the herd. Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows what cattle are fed can affect the taste and texture of beef.

How to clean, season and maintain a grill

By ELIZABETH KARMEL Associated Press

Whether you’ve just bought a shiny new grill or pulled your old one out of winter hibernation, step No. 1 before embracing grilling season is to clean and season it.

Grills are like cast-iron skillets; the more you use them, the better they cook. That’s because food cooks on the grill, the fats and juices are instantly vaporized by the heating elements or charcoal briquettes. The vapor creates the smoke that flavors the food with that legendary grilled taste. The smoke that isn’t absorbed by the food accumulates on the inside of the grill, and so the Grill gets “seasoned.”

So let’s start with the cleaning. If you’ve had your grill for a while and use it a lot, you may notice that the lid of the grill looks like peeling paint. It isn’t. This is simply the accumulation of layers of smoke. Warm soapy water, a scrub brush and a little

Courtesy photo

Keeping the barbecue grill in good working order will help favorite meat cuts cook and taste better. elbow grease will take the excess bits of black smoke off the inside of the grill lid with little trouble. And you’ll only need to do this once a year.

Next, burn and scrape off any food bits stuck to the grates. Turn all the burners on high for a gas grill with the lid down.

For a charcoal grill, burn a chimney starter of charcoal with the lid closed.

Let the flames burn until any residue has turned into a white colored ash.

Brush gently with either a brass bristle brush or my makeshift foil cleaning brush.

A brass bristle brush is soft enough to bend and not break off like steel brushes. They are the only kind that I would use.

The harder, more brittle brushes can also damage

the finish on your cooking grates.

If you don’t have a grill brush or don’t want to use one, try this. Crumble heavy-duty foil into a ball about the size of a tennis ball. Hold the ball in a pair of sturdy 12-inch locking chef tongs and brush away! Remember to use heavy-duty foil or the ball will disintegrate.

After you clean your grill, it’s time to season it.

My favorite and very effective method is to fill the cooking grate with uncooked fresh sausages such as bratwurst or Italian sausage, but any food with a medium- to high-fat content that will cook for at least 30 minutes is ideal. I usually cook the sausages at a lower temperature than normal to suit this.

Grill the sausages slowly on a low-medium heat until bubbling hot and very brown. Remove the sausages from the grill, then re-set the burners to high, letting the grill burn off the residue until it

turns white, about 20 to 30 minutes. Do this while you enjoy the grilled sausages recipe below.

When you are done eating, clean the cooking grates by rubbing them with foil or a brush again.

Grill cleaning Follow this checklist and grill maintenance will never be a big job.

■ Preheat the grill on high every time you use it.

■ After pre-heating, use crumpled foil to loosen and clean away any gray ash or leftover residue on the cooking grates.

■ After removing the food from the cooking grate, turn burners back to high and burn any stuck-on food off for 10 to 15 minutes.

■ After each use, use a brass-bristle grill brush or crumpled foil to loosen and clean residue on the cooking grate.

■ Remove accumulated ashes from charcoal grills frequently.

■ Clean both the inner

and the outer drip pan of a gas grill frequently ■ Once a year, clean the inside of the grill with warm, soapy water.

Grill safety ■ Always read the owner’s manual before using a new gas or charcoal grill.

■ Do not lean over a barbecue grill when igniting.

■ When lighting a gas grill, the lid should always be open.

■ Gas or charcoals grills should NEVER be used indoors; they are outdoor cooking appliances.

■ Every time a refilled propane tank is reconnected to the barbecue, the hose connection should be checked for leaks.

■ Always use heat-resistant barbecue mitts or gloves and long-handled tools.

■ When done cooking, cover the charcoal grill and close all vents. Turn a gas grill off at the burners and the gas source.

BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

Beef — it’s still what’s for dinner Restaurant managers say customers continue ordering beef menu items

By STEVE WILSON swilson@nptelegraph.com

Despite the overall national economic situation over the past several years that has people eating out less, beef sales for at least one local restaurant have not suffered as a result.

Molly Freeze is the general manager of Whiskey Creek in North Platte, one of the area’s premier restaurants for beef and steak.

“Overall, our beef is still going over very well,” Freeze said.

“Beef is our big thing.”

Freeze has been with Whiskey Creek for more than 13 years, and in her current position since December. The North Platte location has been open since April 1998. As they specialize in steak and barbeque, Freeze said the 20ounce steak and rib eye are customer favorites.

“All our beef is USDA choice,” Freeze said. “We get all our beef from Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota. It’s all corn-fed and we are all about quality.”

She added that Whiskey Creek only sells choice steak burger, and the restaurant gets the majority of its steaks from Skylark and the Great American Steak Co. Matt Stockton, an agricultural economist with the University of Nebraska’s West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte, said the recent drought situation across the region has been a general factor with respect to beef supplies and prices.

“Prices are higher than normal, but what is normal?” Stockton said. “The drought has decreased the supply and helped raise prices for beef. The trends are likely to remain constant or move sideways since demand will likely remain constant or decrease. The summer grilling season has been slow to develop this year, which when it starts could help increase prices for the middle meats.”

“ ” “Overall, our beef is still going over very well.”

— MOLLY FREEZE, WHISKEY CREEK GENERAL MANAGER,

ABOUT BEEF ENTREE SALES

Freeze said Whiskey Creek uses forward contracting arrangements with its vendors, which means it has held the line on beef prices. With forward contracting, an amount is set for a certain number of years and prices from that vendor remain set, even if general prices increase.

“We’ve only had one price increase in the last three years, and we work hard to avoid that if at all possible,” she said.

Deb McNew is the owner/manager of The Depot in North Platte, which has been open for nearly 20 years. She said these days the restaurant is selling as much beef as usual, with New York and rib eye steaks being very popular.

“We sell a lot of those,” she said.

With respect to the national economic situation over the past several years, McNew is “cautiously optimistic.”

“It seems to me that it will level out,” she said of recent increases in beef prices. “I’ve seen this over the years. We haven’t had to raise many prices.”

She added that many of their customers are tourists passing through North Platte, and that people are spending money to eat out.

Stockton also believes the national economic situation has impacted beef prices and sales.

“Know your customers, know the value of meat and know your vendors,” he said. “Be careful when dealing with unknown vendors and cuts of meat. There are ways to try new entrees with-

Steve Wilson / The North Platte Telegraph

Tyler Meyer, a cook at The Depot in North Platte, grills a ribeye steak and a beef patty for restaurant customers. out risking your business. The restaurant business has taken a big hit since the economic slowdown. It is not likely to return to its former glory until families have a more steady and increased income, a reduction in joblessness.”

Stockton added that while corn prices might affect production cost of beef, it does not have an impact on demand, which is what is limiting the current prices that producers receive.

“Given the same production level and higher demand, prices would be even higher,” he said.

“Pork and chicken are compet-

ing well and will likely continue to do so.”

Canteen Bar and Grill owner and executive chef Charles Lalanne said steaks are also popular with his customers, and that about 70 percent of his business is beef. He also said that beef prices are cyclical, with cycles occurring almost every year, similar to that of customer spending during the Christmas holidays.

“The biggest thing is that if prices go up, they stay up,” he said. “That can affect our business if it happens for a long period of time.”

D11

Grilling tips 1. Safety First Food safety is a top priority, so keep these simple rules from the USDA in mind: avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards, utensils and platters for raw and cooked foods and refrigerate foods while marinating.

2. Get It Hot Preheat your grill 15 to 25 minutes before you start cooking to make sure it reaches the right temperature.

Your grill should be 400-450°F for high, 350-400°F for medium-high, 300-350°F for medium and 250300°F for low heat.

3. Let it Cook Turn steaks as little as possible to avoid losing juices. Always flip steaks over using tongs, not a fork. To reduce flare-ups, select lean cuts of meat or trim excess fat.

4. Is It Done?

The best way to know if protein is fully cooked is to check its internal temperature with a thermometer.

Remove from grill when internal temperature reaches 135°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium doneness.

5. Give It A Rest Let finished meats rest on a clean platter for about five minutes before carving so juices can redistribute evenly.

D12 SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

The perfect meal begins with the right cut of beef North Platte meat cutter offers tips for getting the best meat

BY DEB EGENBERGER DEB.EGENBERGER@NPTELEGRAPH.COM

It’s grilling season. In beef country, that means a trip to the local meat counter.

Many cooks rely on their butcher to provide the right grilling meat for weekend get-togethers.

But understanding the grades of beef and the differences in cuts can help grillers get what they want.

Mitch Fiedler knows his beef from the inside out — he was brought up in the business.

Fiedler’s father, Fred, was a Hormel meat salesman in North Platte as far back as Fiedler can remember. In 1986, the elder Fiedler purchased the oldfashioned meat market on North Poplar Street that had previously been Tim Britt’s Meats and then Carpenter’s Meats.

The business continues today as Fiedler’s Meat Market at the corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets.

“It’s always been in my blood,” Fiedler said. “It’s what I know.”

Grading Although Fiedler no longer handles whole carcass beef, he is still very much involved in choosing and cutting individual pieces for customers.

Fiedler said rather than carcasses hanging in his store, he receives Nebraska beef boxed at

the JBS Swift plant in Grand Island.

Most of what Fiedler sells is choice grade.

“It has to do with the marbling,” he said.

Prime: Produced from young well-fed beef cattle, only 2 percent of the beef in the U.S. is graded prime. It has abundant marbling and is generally sold in upscale restaurants and hotels in big cities.

Choice: High quality with less marbling, choice roasts and steaks come from the loin and rib and are generally tender, juicy and flavorful.

Select: Uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades, select meat is fairly tender but because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades.

Standard and Commercial: Frequently sold as ungraded or as “store brand” meat.

Utility, Cutter and Canner: Seldom, if ever, sold at retail, but used instead to make ground beef and processed products.

Mitch Fiedler, owner of Fiedler’s Meat Market in North Platte, holds a tray of prime and choice cuts of beef in his store at the corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets.

The Fiedler family opened the meat market in 1986 and the business continues to offer customized cuts of meats for its customers.

“What’s nice about this shop,” Fiedler said, “is that if you want a 1 1/2inch ribeye, I can cut it for you.”

Best cuts Fiedler said everyone has his or her favorite selection of beef and each selection has cuts that are better for certain cooking than others.

For instance, he said a

Deb Egenberger/ The North Platte Telegraph

Photo courtesy of cutsofbeef.org

seven-bone roast comes from the front shoulder and works best as the

winter roast that cooks all day with potatoes and vegetables.

At the same time, a chuck roast will be most tender because of marbling, while a rump roast is the leanest roast, but at the same time the most dry.

While prime rib roast is always popular, it can be quite pricy, Fiedler said.

Tri-tip, which comes from the bottom of the sirloin, offers a good alternative.

“In California and Texas, they use tri-tip for a lot of barbecue,” he said. “It’s so tender.”

As for steaks, the ribeye is always a favorite because of its tenderness. Some people prefer the T-bone, though, which offers both a New York strip and a fillet, separated by the bone. A porterhouse steak is similar to the T-bone, but larger, including part of the sirloin.

“It’s really just a mat-

ter of preference,” Fiedler said.

For cheaper, yet tasty, steaks, Fiedler suggests the top sirloin, also known to some as a London broil.

“It’s not as pricy, but it still makes for a tender grilling steak,” he said.

Round steak, or Swiss steak, is another option.

Then there’s likely the most commonly grilled meat, the ground beef.

Fiedler said he only sells ground chuck from 85 percent to 90 percent lean.

“You need a little fat in it to give it some flavor,” he said, “and to help the patties stick together.”

For health reasons, some folks prefer ground round, which has no fat at all.

A label of ground beef, Fiedler said, can mean other parts of the carcass are included in the meat.

“That could potentially mean just about anything,” he said.

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Safe meat Fiedler said beef will last three days before it needs to be frozen. A bit of a color change, from red to brown for instance, doesn’t necessarily mean the meat is bad.

“When the air gets to it, it can change color,” he said. “All you need to know is if it smells bad, throw it out.”

Meat sales, he said, is nothing like it was 10 or 15 years ago.

“Families are so busy these days with their kids’ activities that few people sit down at the dinner table anymore,” Fiedler said. “I have families who will come in here and ask me how to cook a roast. They don’t know how to cook because they eat out all the time.”

And families aren’t filling their freezers with a half-beef or more like they used to, either.

“It’s just a whole different world now,” Fiedler said.

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BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

D13

Three cuts added to heart healthy diet Association endorses six extra-lean beef items Nebraska Beef Council The Beef Checkoff Program recently announced that three additional fresh beef cuts are now certified to display the American Heart Association’s Heart-Checkmark.

Retailers now have the opportunity to market six different extra-lean beef items to their shoppers using one of the most trusted nutrition icons on food packaging today.

The extra-lean beef cuts that meet the American Heart Association’s criteria for heart-healthy foods

as part of an overall healthy dietary pattern, and are certified to display the Heart-Checkmark, include: ■ Sirloin Tip Steak (USDA Select grade) ■ Bottom Round Steak (USDA Select grade) ■ Top Sirloin Stir-Fry (USDA Select grade) ■ Boneless Top Sirloin Petite Roast (USDA Select grade) ■ Top Sirloin Filet

(USDA Select grade) ■ Top Sirloin Kabob (USDA Select grade) “Having the American Heart Association certify three additional extralean beef cuts is yet another important milestone in the Beef Checkoff’s efforts to help consumers understand the positive health and nutritional benefits of beef,” said Kaiti George, Registered Dietitian and Director of nutrition and Education at the Nebraska Beef Council. “Using strong science-based guidelines and criteria, the American Heart Association has now certified six different beef cuts and we will continue to support and apply scientific evidence to show consumers how they can eat healthfully with extra-lean beef.”

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and lead-

ing health organizations, including the American Heart Association, recognize lean meat as a nutritious food and a single serving of lean meat can be part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

“Independent research and this certification from the American Heart Association confirms to consumers that extra-lean beef can be a building block in an overall hearthealthy diet,” said Cheryl Hendricks, a Registered Dietitian with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, contractor for the Beef Checkoff Program.

“We know that consumers are looking to retailers as a trusted source of nutrition information. Displaying the American Heart Association Heart-Checkmark in the meat case makes it easier for consumers to identify heart-

healthy extra-lean beef and as a result, grow beef sales among health conscious shoppers.”

Hundreds of stores across the U.S. currently display the Heart-Checkmark on certified beef items in the meat case and retailers can work with the Beef Checkoff Program to participate in the American Heart Association Food Certification Program to receive significant cost savings.

Integrated promotional tools are available to help retailers merchandise the certified cuts where it matters most – the point of purchase. Resources such as on-pack labels, posters and recipes help make healthier choices with extra-lean beef cuts in the meat case, and ultimately, generate fresh beef sales.

In fact, nearly 75 percent of shoppers say the Heart-

Checkmark improves the likelihood that they’ll buy a product.

About the Heart-Checkmark The American Heart Association established the Heart-Checkmark in 1995 to give consumers an easy, reliable system for identifying heart-healthy foods as a first step in building a sensible eating plan.

More than 900 products that bear the Heart-Checkmark have been screened and verified by the association to meet criteria for heart-healthy foods as part of an overall healthy dietary pattern.

To learn more about the Heart-Checkmark, and to see a complete list of certified products and participating companies, visit HeartCheckMark.org.

What you might miss by not eating meat Nebraska Beef Council Americans are increasingly overfed, yet undernourished, so it’s essential that we get the most nutritional value from the foods and beverages we enjoy.

In fact, the dietary guidelines for Americans and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPyramid encourage people to “get more nutrition from their calories” by choosing nutrient-rich foods first, within and among all food groups, including colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low- and nonfat dairy and lean meats.

The meat and beans group includes many nutrient-rich foods that provide essential vitamins, minerals and protein needed throughout the lifecycle; however, a common myth is that people are eating too much from the meat and beans group.

In fact, many Americans are not meeting the recommended servings from the meat group each day, based on caloric intake, placing them at risk for nutritional deficiencies.

In particular, more than 70 percent of females age 20 and older and more than 80 percent of girls ages 2-11 are not eating the recommended servings from the meat group each day. In addition, nearly 80 percent of boys ages 2-11 are not eating the recommended servings from the meat group each day.

Kaiti Roeder, a registered dietitian and director of nutrition and education at the Nebraska Beef Council said, “Lean

beef is a naturally nutrient-rich source of several essential vitamins and minerals we need to live well and prevent chronic disease. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef is an excellent source of protein, zinc, vitamin B12, selenium and phosphorus; and a good source of niacin, vitamin B6, iron and riboflavin.”

Scientific research shows that each of the nutrients that beef provides is important in its own unique way.

Protein A three-ounce serving of lean beef is an excellent source of protein, supplying more than half the protein most people need each day. In addition, the protein in beef is a complete, high-quality protein, which means it supplies all of the essential amino acids, or building blocks of protein, the body needs to build, maintain and repair body tissue.

A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that eating more protein can benefit weight loss, muscle mass maintenance, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and satiety.

Iron According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, iron deficiency is a common nutritional deficiency worldwide among young children and women of childbearing age, including those who are pregnant.

In fact, 4 million U.S. children are iron-deficient, and childhood iron-deficiency anemia is associated with behavioral and

cognitive delays. Beef is a good source of iron, and unlike plant proteins, beef is the food supply’s most readily available and easily absorbed source of iron.

Zinc One 3-ounce serving of beef is an excellent source of zinc, which is an essential nutrient that fuels thousands of bodily processes, including building muscles and healing wounds, maintaining the immune system, and contributing to cognitive health.

B vitamins Beef contains a significant amount of several B vitamins including vitamins B12 and B6, niacin and riboflavin. One 3ounce serving of beef is an excellent source of vitamin B12, which is needed for normal functioning of body cells and of the nervous system.

One 3-ounce serving of lean beef is a good source of vitamin B6, which is important for a healthy nervous system and helps the body fight infection. In addition, both vitamins B12 and B6 play important roles in lowering blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that increases risk for heart disease and dementia.

A 3-ounce serving of beef is a good source of niacin, which promotes healthy skin and nerves, aids digestion, and fosters normal appetite. It is also a good source of riboflavin, which helps the body use energy and promotes healthy skin and good vision.

Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

BEEF 2013

D14 SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

Spring branding offers great practice for rodeo O’Neill youth puts work experience to use in high school rodeo

By RUTH NICOLAUS Adams County Ag Society

O’NEILL — Cody Colman is busy with branding.

It’s springtime in the Sandhills of Nebraska and that means everybody’s help is needed to brand.

That gives Colman, a member of the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association, practice at roping and wrestling calves.

Colman, who lives outside of O’Neill, is a team roper and tie-down roper in the NHSRA, and has competed in high school rodeo the past four years.

He just graduated from O’Neill St. Mary’s School, where he enjoyed going to school. A Catholic education was important to him.

“I could practice my religion freely every day, and I am a lot closer to my classmates,” he said.

When he has the chance, Colman works alongside his dad at the ranch where his dad is employed. During the school year, he only works on the weekends and during holiday breaks. In the summer, he’ll work nearly full time, saving his money for big purchases.

He also rides colts for the boss and some of his own. Cody doesn’t train colts but puts in the time needed riding them to give them experience and maturity. The extra income is nice.

“I like to save up, but I’ll buy big things every now and then,” he said.

The last big thing he bought was the extra “trimmings” on a championship saddle.

Colman won the state high school rodeo team roping championship his sophomore year, and he put a little extra money into the saddle to get more embossing and inlays on it.

Colman and his team roping partner, Tom Littel of Elm Creek, are currently ranked second in the high school rodeo standings, and are on track to return to the High School Finals Rodeo in Hastings in mid-June.

He loves the Hastings rodeo.

“I really like the rodeo they have there with state,” Colman said. “It’s different than the rest of the (yearly) rodeos, and it has a better atmosphere for state finals than just a regular season rodeo.”

Colman is a member of the Country Clover 4-H Club of Holt County, where he has been captain of the 4-H Horse Quiz Bowl team. He has also showed cattle, horses and sheep.

This fall, Cody will attend Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington to study farm and ranch management and rodeo on the college team.

Colman has a younger sister, Taylor, who is 14, and a younger brother, Wyatt, age 12. He is the son of Chad and Sandi Colman.

U.S. beef facts ■ 757,300 beef cow operations ■ 32.6 million head of beef cows ■ The average herd size is 43 head ■ 87,160 cattle feeding operations ■ 26.2 million cattle fed and marketed per year ■ 14.3 million head of cattle on feed

■ The average cattle feeding operation cares for approximately 290 head ■ Cattle and calves total 41% of the $99 billion worth of U.S. livestock and poultry sold ■ Individual or family, family held corporations, and partnerships make up 99% of the U.S. farm ownership

Photo courtesy of Denise Kasperbauer

Cody Colman competes in high school rodeo, works with his dad on the ranch and enjoys branding time in the Sandhills.

New beef processing plant proposed in Scottsbluff Wyoming-based company plans to process 300,000 cattle annually

By MAUNETTE LOEKS World-Herald News Service

SCOTTSBLUFF — A beef processing company proposing to construct a facility in Scottsbluff says it will reach out to the community to answer questions and address concerns.

Keith DeHaan, of Future Food Energy LLC, outlined the company’s proposal to purchase 43 acres of land from the city of Scottsbluff. The company has already signed a letter of intent to purchase property in the Immigrant Trails Subdivision, located in the area of Frank Implement along Highway 26. The company is now hoping that the city will approve the sale, with Future Food Energy offering $10,000 per acre.

“We will do what we have to do to convince you that this will be a positive thing for you and the city,” DeHaan told the Scottsbluff City Council during its meeting last week.

About 30 people gathered in the Scottsbluff City Council chambers to hear DeHaan’s brief proposal. In his presentation, DeHaan outlined that the Wyoming-based company is seeking to construct a 358,000-square-foot facility.

It hopes to process 300,000 to 375,000 cattle per year in

a state-of-the-art facility that will use reclaimed heat in a process that DeHaan said eliminates the odor commonly associated with meat-packing facilities.

The proposed facility will employ 250 to 400 employees during its first years in operation, DeHaan said. The company hopes to reach 550 employees when fully operational, but is willing to track its hiring in a gradual process to minimize impact on the community or workforce. The company aims to hire its employees locally, as it is able, but will also plan a separate investment fund to develop additional housing within Scottsbluff and outlying communities.

Studies in previous communities have shown a $2 billion economic benefit to the community and thousands of additional indirect spinoff and ancillary job creation.

“We don’t look at this as a Scottsbluff project, but as a Scottsbluff, Gering, Mitchell, Minatare, Bayard (and other surrounding communities) project,” DeHaan said. “We see it as a community that supports itself and there is opportunity for all of these communities.”

The company sees Scottsbluff as an ideal lo-

cation because it has the infrastructure to support a beef processing facility, including water and waste water. DeHaan said the company had looked at locating in the Cheyenne area, but abandoned that idea after the community didn’t have the water capacity needed to support a facility.

An Asian company will be the majority owner of the Future Food Energy facility, but Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming cattle producers will be minority owners in the facility. One local cattle producer, Pete Lapaseotes of Bridgeport, said producers are interested in doing business with the facility because of the opportunities the company offers.

“We feel that we are producing the healthiest food in the country and we would like to get paid for it,” he said, saying that the company will offer an owner premium program and competitive prices for the beef produced by area producers.

Lapaseotes said he and other producers had toured an Aberdeen, S.D., facility and found that it to be a clean, indoor facility.

Councilman Scott Shaver said he wants to hear directly from the public.

The company plans to host public forums to address concerns and questions of the community.

BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

Top cow counties Nebraska has the top three beef cow counties in the U.S., including the nation’s No. 1 cow county — Cherry County, with nearly 166,000 cows.

Custer County is No. 2 (100,000) and Holt County is No. 3 (99,000).

Also among the top counties in the nation is Lincoln County at No. 12 (69,000).

More cattle than people January 2012 figures illustrate that Nebraska continues to have far more cattle than people.

Cattle outnumber Nebraskans nearly 4 to 1.

Cows number 1.94 million, versus Nebraska residents who number just 1.8 million.

The cows and the 4.7 million head that are annually fed in Nebraska total nearly 6.64 million cattle.

Why so much beef?

Nebraska has a unique mix of natural resources.

Cattle turn grass from 24 million acres of rangeland and pasture, more than one half of Nebraska’s land mass, into protein and many other products for humans.

The land grazed by cattle allows more people to be fed than would otherwise be possible.

More than one billion bushels of corn are produced here each year, 40 percent of which is fed to livestock in the state.

Cattle producing families, who make their living from the land, have a strong incentive to protect their animals and the environment.

How Neb. stacks up nationally First ■ Commercial red meat production in 2011 — 7,163,800,000 pounds ■ Commercial cattle slaughter, 2011 — 6,869,200 head ■ Commercial cattle slaughter, 2011, live weight — 9,060,655,000 pounds Second ■ All Cattle and calves, Jan. 1, 2012 — 6,250,000 head ■ All cattle on feed, Jan. 1, 2012 — 2,650,000 head

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

D15

Maker of ‘pink slime’ continues to struggle SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The beef-processing company that makes the product that critics call “pink slime” continues to struggle more than a year after the initial stories on the lean bits of beef that Beef Products Inc. makes.

The Sioux City Journal reports the Dakota Dunes, S.D.-based company lost 80 percent of its business after the uproar over what BPI calls lean finely textured beef.

The meat BPI separates from trimmings with heat and treats with ammonia to kill bacteria used to be widely used in hamburger, but consumers objected to it af-

ter media reports depicted it as unsavory.

Many schools and retailers pledged to stop using BPI’s products after the “pink slime” reports, and the company saw demand fall to 2 million pounds a week from the previous 5 million pounds a week.

The private company closed three of its four plants, scrapped expansion plans in South Sioux City and eliminated more than 700 jobs, which won’t return soon. The plants that closed were in Waterloo, Iowa; Amarillo, Texas; and Garden City, Kansas.

BPI spokesman Rich Jochum said the compa-

ny has had little success winning back customers.

The company has filed a $1.2 billion defamation lawsuit against ABC News and scientists who criticized the product, and that lawsuit is pending.

The outcome of BPI’s defamation lawsuit could affect the company’s future, but legal experts say BPI will still have a difficult time succeeding with its lawsuit.

“I think BPI probably has a pretty steep uphill climb to win the case,” said Erika Eckley, a staff attorney at the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State University.

The Associated Press

Beef Products Inc., the South Dakota-based company that has been criticized for a beef product that has been labeled “pink slime,” reports it has lost 80 percent of its business.

Checkoff launches new ad campaign Promotion targets next generation of beef consumers Nebraska Beef Council The new “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” consumer advertising campaign is premiering this month, bringing the recognizable tagline to older millennials and Gen-Xers. The new campaign, funded by the beef checkoff, will feature sizzling beef recipes, juicy details about essential nutrients and the voice of one of Hollywood’s most promising new talents.

“This campaign builds upon the core benefits that only beef offers — its great taste and 10 essential nutrients. While most folks just

look at beef for its sizzle or great flavor, it’s made up of more than that. Its nutrients are what make it the most powerful protein and what makes beef above all else,” says Cevin Jones, chair of the checkoff ’s Domestic Consumer Preference Committee and producer from Eden, Idaho. “It doesn’t hurt that the voice delivering the message on the other side of the radio epitomizes health and sizzle too.”

New voice, new target The new “Above All Else” campaign aims to reach the next generation of beef eaters — the older millennial and Gen-Xer, aged 25 to 44 — who care about food and nutrition.

While keeping many brand mainstays, such as Aaron Copeland’s “Rodeo” music, the new beef campaign is switching up the

voice behind the famous words, “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.”

Sparking a new interest for the older millennial and Gen X target, Garrett Hedlund’s voice will take a starring role in the campaign’s radio spots.

“I’m proud to represent America’s farmers and ranchers,” Hedlund said. “I grew up on my father’s cattle operation, so I’m right at home as the new voice of beef.”

Born in Roseau, Minn., Garrett spent his early years on a cattle operation. He was just 18 when he landed a role in the epic film Troy (2004) playing opposite Brad Pitt. Following his debut in Troy, Garrett went on to Friday Night Lights (2004) and Tron Legacy (2010). His latest roles include Country Strong (2011), in which he plays a rising young country star opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as On the Road.

The Beef Checkoff The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products.

States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

D16 SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

BEEF 2013

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

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