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Synchronization can help cattle cycle at same time
By HEATHER JOHNSON hjohnson@nptelegraph.com
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is leading efforts in the state to gain insight into estrus synchronization. The phenomenon, which is when cows or heifers cycle at the same time, can occur naturally. However, it can also be manipulated. “We’ve been doing estrus synchronization since I started here more than 10 years ago,” said Rick Funston, beef reproductive specialist, at the West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte. “We are currently working with about 300 heifers and have a goal of artificially inseminating them in early June.” Estrus synchronization can make a huge impact on producer earnings. “One of the biggest factors that drives profits in beef operations is the percent of calves born early in the calving season,” Funston said. “The synchronization allows us to get more estrus cycles in a short period of time.” That’s not to say researchers are trying to tell farmers and ranchers when to calve. They just want them to end up with a lot of pregnancies in their cattle — the earlier the better. “It’s important to get a high percentage of pregnancies early,” Funston said. “Those calves born early are heavier at weaning and clear through to slaughter, and they grade better. The heifers reach puberty sooner and, pregnancy rates are higher in the heifers born early in the calving season.” Over the years, many factors believed to play a part in estrus synchronization have been studied at the research center. Those have included the introduction of hormones, pre and post-breeding nutrition, body condition of the herd and bull exposure.
Photo courtesy of West Central Research and Extention Center
Rick Funston, beef reproductive specialist, heads up estrus synchronization studies at the West Central Research and Extension Center. The phenomenon can make a huge impact on producer profits.
“Pheromones affect cycling, so perhaps just having a lot of animals cycling at one time can induce others,” Funston said. “We’ve found traditional, less expensive methods to be as effective as newer methods in synchronizing heifers.” He referred to the oral use of melengestrol acetate and prostaglandin as traditional methods and intravaginal controlled internal drug release devices (CIDR) with progesterone as one of the newer methods. The research center partners with producers throughout Nebraska for the synchronization projects. That allows more cattle to be studied. “One thing we’re learning about is the post-breeding plane of nutrition,” Funston said. “Gain post-breeding is very important to the success of a synchronization protocol. We’re trying to better understand some of the management practices that
Nebraska’s Top National Rankings First: Commercial red meat production, 2013 — 7,353,100,000 pounds Commercial cattle slaughter, 2013 — 6,869,800 head Commercial cattle slaughter, 2013, live weight — 9,389,940,000 pounds All cattle on feed, Jan. 1, 2014 — 2,450,000 head Second: All cattle and calves, Jan 1. 2014 — 6,150,000 head Third: Cash receipts from all livestock and products, 2012 — $11,771,253,000 Net farm income, 2012 — $5,952,230,000 Land in farms and ranches, 2012 — 45,500,000 acres
Nebraska Ag Facts Cash receipts from farm marketings contributed more than $24 billion to Nebraska’s economy in 2012 and 6.2 percent of the U.S. total. Nebraska’s 10 leading commodities (in order of importance) for 2012 cash receipts are cattle and calves, corn, soybeans, hogs, wheat, dairy products, hay, chicken eggs, dry beans and sugar beets, all of which represent 98 percent of the state’s total cash receipts.
inf luence that.” Researchers have observed better pregnancy rates in heifers on a lower rate of gain going into breeding because of their subsequent gain post-breeding when nutrition is often better. “We try to design the program so whatever their next envi-
ronment, they are always on an increasing plane of nutrition,” Funston said. “Sometimes, that means having them not gain so much when confined because of how they react when they go to grass.” The reproductive performance in later calving herds that appear to have lower pregnancy rates is also being studied. In those situations, it’s believed the cattle may benefit from supplementation during breeding because of the declining plane of nutrition they are on during the later breeding season. “We’ve seen our heifers in the May herd have a 20-30 percent lower conception rate than those in the March and April herd, which breeds in June and July,” Funston said. “That’s because the May herd would breed in August when forage quality is less.” Funston travels throughout the state giving presentations about the data collected. The facts are also compiled into reports and used for webinars. More information about estrus synchronization can be found under the learning modules and apps section at beef.unl.edu and at beefrepro.unl.edu.
Photo courtesy of West Central Research and Extention Center
About 300 heifers are currently being studied at the West Central Research and Extension Center. The goal is to get a better grasp on estrus synchronization.
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THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
Ranching takes a lifetime of commitment By HEATHER JOHNSON jhohnson@nptelegraph.com If there’s one couple that understands the struggles of creating a farming or ranching business from the ground up, it’s Bill and Barb Rishel. The couple owns a cow-calf operation, Rishel Angus, abut 8 miles south of North Platte. They’ve had international success with their bloodlines over the years, but that wasn’t always the case. “It took a lifetime of commitment,” Bill said. “To do it, you have to have a passion for the business and make a world of sacrifices. You spend days working when other people are going to the lake to boat or fish, and you learn to get along with less.” The Rishels were originally from Pennsylvania. Bill was raised on a farm, and Barb was from the city. The two were high school sweethearts who bonded over a love for agriculture. “There was no doubt when I graduated from high school what I wanted to do with my life,” Bill said. “Barb had no background in raising cattle — no experience at all — but
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Barb Rishel, Chuck Folken, past president of the Nebraska Cattlemen, and Bill Rishel hold an award during a ceremony to induct Bill into the 2012 Nebraska Cattlemen’s Hall of Fame. The event was in Kearney.
she was a pretty quick study.” The Rishels learned a lot about the beef industry and breeding for quality while attending Pennsylvania State University. Bill worked at the college’s beef barn and participated on livestock judging teams. Barb kept cattle records for an animal husbandry professor who judged livestock shows internationally. “Learning fundamentals besides what I grew up with was good for me,” Bill said. “I also got exposed to the registered business and trying to improve breeding and genetics. That’s what I always wanted to do.” Bill and Barb married in 1966 an purchased a 13-year-old Angus cow from the professor Barb worked for. She became a foundation female for their operation. “I always liked the maternal value of Angus cattle,” Bill said. “They were pretty much labor free. They were known for a high degree of fertility and reproduction, had quite a lot of carcass merit to them and it was relatively easy to make genetic progress.” He started using performance records early in his career to gain a better understanding of what the cattle would produce from the data standpoint. It would pay off in the long run. By the early ’70s, Bill was managing a cattle operation in eastern New York. The Rishels got to keep a few cows of their own on the place, which allowed them to build up a small herd. The couple moved to North Platte in 1975, leaving behind family and friends in the process. Bill had some potential leads for day work, but no steady job lined up. “I just wanted to be in a part of the world where the purebred industry was more connected to the cow-calf
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This bull, raised by Rishel Angus, is currently leased to ABS Global. The Rishels have strived to breed good temperaments into their bulls over the years.
industry,” Rishel said. “Back east, there were smaller herds, and the dairy industry was bigger than beef.” He appreciated the fact that so many segments of the industry co-existed in Nebraska, from commercial and cow-calf to feedlots and packing. Bill also recognized the value of always having water for livestock. He got into sales management to the pay bills and continued to develop his herd on the side. The Rishels put their savings toward purchasing and leasing land, and over time, secured the ranch they have today. By the late ’80s, the Rishels’ energy and emphasis was entirely focused on their operation. The cattle they bred weren’t the popular big-framed versions. “There was a period of 10-15 years where we had cattle not highly regarded in the breed,” Bill said. “We bred cattle that were functional and fault-free that worked for us rather than us working for them. When they were finally accepted, they took off within the industry.” The success came from the consideration of the value of the end product. The Rishels did structured evaluations to identify carcass merit from the functional standpoint.
“There were no value added grids or programs when we started, but we believed that would eventually happen,” Bill said. “We wanted to supply the kind of products consumers would spend their hard-earned money on.” Currently, the Rishels calve 150200 cows per year. They have a bull sale every March, and this year, incorporated open spring heifers into it. Their three daughters are grown and gone, but Bill and Barb continue to run things as a team, just like they always have. She keeps the finances in order, and he’s in charge of the cattle records. “This business is intense,” Bill said. “At the purebred level, the amount of records we keep on these cattle is huge. It becomes more difficult as a person gets older to keep all that running at the highest level possible. At some point, there’s probably an end to this. Our age and health will determine that.” Much of his focus these days is on encouraging younger generations and educating the public. “I want consumers to understand the care and passion producers have for livestock,” Bill said. “Our families eat these products just like our Please see RANCHING, Page D5
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Cattle are driven down a road south of North Platte. They are part of the Rishel Angus ranch, owned and operated by Bill and Barb Rishel.
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RANCHING from Page D4
urban customers, so the wholesomeness and healthfulness is just as important to us as it is to them.” He’s a firm believer that if agriculture is going to continue to thrive and prosper, those involved in the industry need to band together. It’s
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Part of ranching is branding one’s livestock and these young boys are learning how to participate early on in their lives. They helped out with Doug Sellers’ branding near Wellfleet in April. For more about branding, take a look at the story on page D10.
part of why he’s been involved in both state and national cattlemen’s organizations over the years. “Our industry, and those that surround it, are essential for this state to have a vibrant economy,” Bill said. “But there are a number of environmental and animal rights groups that have agendas not friendly to our business. Younger generations will have to play a bigger role if agriculture is to remain viable and profitable.”
Kids help with branding
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Angus cattle roam through a pasture south of North Platte. They are part of a dream Bill and Barb Rishel had back in the ’60s.
A chance to rebuild herds Newly restored disaster aid will help farmers hurt by the drought as well as other extremes By BARBARA SODERLIN World-Herald News Service
WAVERLY — Tom Peterson feels lucky that drought hasn’t hit his cow/calf operation here harder. He said he weathered the drought better than some because of his supply of extra hay. “Some other guys were not as fortunate,” he said, thinking of ranchers in western Nebraska who have culled thousands of cattle from their herds because drought dried up pastureland and made it too expensive to feed the cattle. Peterson and the others now can apply for a newly restored disaster assistance program that will make payments to farmers and ranchers hurt financially over the last three years by drought, blizzard and other extreme conditions. U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden visited Peterson’s operation Wednesday to promote the program, restored by the 2014 Farm Bill. The program opened for applications Tuesday and covers eligible losses dating to Oct. 1, 2011. Harden said producers will use the money to pay off loans and rebuild their herds, which she said in the long run could temper the record-high beef prices consumers are seeing at supermarkets. The consumer price index for food rose 0.4 percent in March, with the index for beef jumping 1.9 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this week. “This will help producers stay on their ranch or farm,” Harden said. Beef operations have a major impact on Nebraska’s economy — an estimated $12.1 billion annually — and the USDA said the state’s inventory of cattle and calves showed a 2 percent decline in 2014, to 6.15 million head. Harden, who said she was raised on a cow/calf operation in Georgia, toured the farm with Tom and Paula Peterson, asked whether their daughters would go into agriculture and scratched
a wobbly newborn heifer behind her ears. Harden called the losses “horrific” but said the USDA does not have an estimate of how much money might f low to Nebraska through the benefit programs. Assistance is based on location, intensity of drought, and number of livestock affected, and will be limited to a cumulative $125,000 per person per year. “We will not know until producers come into our offices,” she said. “We hope to have checks out to producers within weeks, not months.” She and other USDA officials said that unlike with row crop insurance, there are few insurance products available that would cover these types of losses.
“This will help producers stay on their ranch or farm.” — Krysta Harden, USDA deputy secretary
The programs cover loss of grazing forage, as well as loss of livestock due to blizzard and extreme heat, said Doug Klein, a Farm Service Agency program chief in Lincoln. He said producers in every Nebraska county will be eligible for at least some benefit. “The drought was very widespread,” he said. Producers have through January 2015 to apply, he said, and can visit FSA offices statewide. In Rushville, in the northwest part of the state, Sandy Orr said there is high interest in the assistance program from local ranchers. As the executive director of the Sheridan County FSA office, Orr has held one public meeting on the assistance and has three more scheduled. “We’re going to be busy out here,” she said. “It was terribly dry in 2012. A large majority of our county is pastureland.” On her own operation, her husband had to sell close to 100 head of cattle. She said they are slowly rebuilding the herd.
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Beef producers target college experience 100-Cow program gives hands-on experience to students at NCTA
lationship with his mentor. He chose agriculture over a construction career, because he is passionate about ag production, working outdoors, and with the land. Custom work for others helps with cash flow.
By MARY CRAWFORD NCTA News Service
The ownership advantage
CURTIS — Young cattle producers growing their beef herds continue to seek hands-on educational programs such as the 100 Beef Cow Ownership Advantage Program at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. “Each year, we have students enrolling at NCTA because they want to become cattle owner-producers, or own their own farms,” reports Douglas Smith, Ph.D., chairman of NCTA’s Agricultural Production Systems division. Smith says hands-on training, combined with strong agribusiness and beef production classes, makes NCTA’s 100 Cow and 100 Acre programs appealing. Students want to live and work in rural America. Dr. Smith points to three enterprising alumni as examples. Dayna Cayer of Wauneta (Class of 2013), Luke Schweitzer of Strang (2012) and Zach Gimeson of Phillipsburg, Kan. (2013), each run their own operations. “At NCTA, we believe that if students become familiar with entrepreneurial concepts, they can help their rural communities remain economically viable,” says Scott Mickelsen, Ph.D., NCTA’s associate dean. Cayer graduated in NCTA’s Livestock Management Systems and had worked most Fridays for five years at the Imperial Auction Market. She owns a small herd of breeding heifers and has been able to pasture them with a mentor/partner’s cattle near Wauneta. Her goal: Buy land
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A black white-face calf was born midApril to one of Dayna Cayer’s cows on her operation near Imperial. Cayer graduated from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture and emphasized the 100 Cow Ownership Advantage.
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Students at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis learn through hands-on programs such as the 100 Cow Ownership Advantage.
and eventually own 400 cows (200 spring-calving and 200 fall-calving). “Right now, I am working to build up some income to really start getting my own place going,” Cayer said. She wants to raise Hereford-Angus crossbred calves. “I wasn’t really sure how to get started in the industry, so with the 100 Cow program I got my foot in the door. Without it, I wouldn’t have considered asking my friend to partner, to buy my own heifers and run them with his cows. The program helped me to develop the plan, punch numbers [financially] and decide if it would work.” Although she’d been around cattle since the age of 3 while her family had a dairy operation in Michigan, it wasn’t until the move to Nebraska when she yearned to know more about the beef cattle side of the industry. Now, her partnership with an established producer has helped reinforce her hands-on training from NCTA. “I help him with putting cattle out to grass, pregnancy checking and helping when he needs a hand,” says Cayer. She relies on her 6-year-old gelding, Blackjack, for much of her sorting and cattle work at the ranch. She is also co-training a young filly to show professionally in reining competitions starting in the fall. Meanwhile, she also works at Frenchman Valley Cooperative in the grain merchandising area and says her goals are still on track to own cattle and horses. Having an established mentor/partner is also how another 2013 NCTA graduate was able to realize early ownership progress. Actually, Gimeson’s program in the 100 Acre Own-
ership Advantage took him back to Kansas for farming and custom work. But he hopes in another few years with the help of his mentor, Michael Kats, to have enough pasture lined up to buy cows and start a beef herd as well. “Yes, I am now living my dream,” Gimeson said, after completing his 2-year technical program. He farms his own 240 acres of alfalfa, wheat and milo near Phillipsburg. “I love being in the country, farming and owning my operation.” He credits the capstone class in 100Acre courses for preparing him for the loan application process at the Farm Service Agency office in Norton, Kan. “What I learned at NCTA certainly helped make it easier.”
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Learning the cattle business in the field is an advantage for students at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.
Gimeson, originally a city kid from Ogallala, has worked for diversified ag operations in Kansas since he was 16 years old. He had earlier college education and work experience in construction management, but kept returning to farming in Kansas where he had some relatives and a great re-
The 100 Cow Ownership Advantage works like this: NCTA students take 76 hours of coursework, much of which is hands-on including calving, health programs, processing and branding calves in the spring and working with animals at NCTA’s farm and feedlot. Also, students get a heavy dose of agri-business courses where they map out short- and long-term goals after studying marketing, financial plans, input costs, cash flows, land acquisitions, machinery purchases and more. Field tours and visits directly with cattle producers about their management methods solidify career choices and professional development. As Smith and animal science professor Teri Jo Bek are diligently guiding students through livestock courses, Brad Ramsdale, Ph.D., heads the 100 Acre Ownership Advantage, emphasizing agronomy and crop production aspects. Certainly, none of the students would succeed, they said, without Paul Clark and the teachers in the Agribusiness Production Systems division. Each class builds on another, emphasizing business, entrepreneurship and long-range planning for business ownership. Upon completion of the two-year program, students are prepared to apply for financing through their own agricultural lender or apply for a Beginning Farmer-Rancher low-interest loan of up to $300,000 through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). The interest rate is usually below 2 percent, lower than traditional agricultural lending. Students know what paperwork, cash flow projections and business plans to prepare before they approach any lender. In fact, when Schweitzer went to his local bank so well organized, he was granted an operating loan for his first year out of college. The 2012 graduate now is in partnership with his dad, leasing 60 head of cows from him on a 60-40 split, with Luke providing the labor and sweat equity. His dad, the landlord, provides the cow-calf pairs plus a breeding bull. When he first started looking at college programs, Schweitzer had Please see BEEF, Page D7
Maple-Bacon Beer Burger Total Recipe Time: 20 to 25 minutes Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS: 1 pound Ground Beef 1/4 cup beer 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split 4 slices reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 4 extra-thick slices Maplewood smoked bacon, cut in half, cooked crisp INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAPLE-BACON BEER BURGER 1. Combine Gound Beef, beer and Worchestershire sauce in medium bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 1/2-inch thick patties. 2. Place patties on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 8 to 10 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 7 to 9 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally. About 2 minutes before burgers are done, place buns, cut-side down, on grid. Grill until lightly toasted. During last minute of grilling, top each burger with cheese. 3. Place burgers on bottom of buns; top with bacon slices. Close sandwiches.
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Producer, landlord win-win
from Page D6
college programs, Schweitzer had narrowed it to three choices and selected NCTA due to the 100 Cow Advantage. Originally, he was thinking he would strike out elsewhere and would need a mentor/landlord partner to help get him started. Then things at home changed and as the last of five children, Schweitzer was invited to return to farm with his dad. As a student, a summer internship Schweitzer had between his first and second year of studies was invaluable. He worked at a ranch near Whitman, which included a feeding operation north of Mullen. Being on a Sandhills hay crew and operating machinery on wet meadows and pastures was far different than the fields of south central Nebraska, he said. Even building fence in sandy soils was unique. “I had a great experience there,” he said. “It is a lot different solely on a ranch than when farming is involved.”
A landlord may be eligible for a tax credit by assisting the young producer. Resources are also available through the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. And, the satisfaction of working with an industrious beginning producer can be rewarding for the mentor and whole operation, Mickelsen says. “Although the relationship between the landowner and the new NCTA graduate is beneficial to both parties,” Mickelsen notes, “in the bigger picture, this catalyst program helps young people return to rural America, to not only be future owners of rural businesses, but also provide building and sustainability to schools, churches, and existing farms and ranches through rural leadership for generations to come.” A “kick-off” program is held at NCTA each fall, with agencies and instructors providing information about the program. Further details are available from Smith at 308-3675286 or doug.smith@unl.edu, or Ramsdale at 308-367-5225 or bramsdale2@ unl.edu.
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Students at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis learn the beef industry through mentor/partner relationships in programs like the 100 Cow Ownership Advantage.
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; refrigerate foods while marinating; and never baste with the marinating liquid. (Make extra marinade just for basting)
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 250-300°F for low heat. A properly heated grill sears foods on contact, keeps the insides moist and helps prevent sticking.
Let it Cook
Turn steaks as little as possible to avoid losing juices. Always flip steaks over using tongs (never pierce with a fork!). To reduce flare-ups, select lean cuts of meat, trim excess fat and avoid pressing down on hamburgers which releases drippings that can catch fire.
Is It Done?
The best way to know if protein is fully cooked is to check its internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Remove from grill when internal temperature(s) reaches 135°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium doneness.
Give It A Rest
Let finished meats rest on a clean platter, tented with foil, for about 5 minutes before carving so juices can redistribute evenly. Nebraska Beef Council www.nebeef.org
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BEEF 2014
Beef & Pasta Skillet Primavera Total Recipe Time: 25 to 30 minutes Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS: 1 pound Ground Beef (93% lean or leaner) 1 can (14 to 14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium beef broth 1 cup uncooked whole wheat or whole grain pasta 2 small zucchini and/or yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2 inch slices 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional) INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAPLE-BACON BEER BURGER 1. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add Ground Beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Pour off drippings. 2. Stir in broth and pasta; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 7 to 11 minutes or until pasta is almost tender. Add squash and tomatoes; continue to cook 4 to 6 minutes or until pasta is tender and sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired
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THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
All your agriculture news can be found each month in the Farm & Ranch Exchange publication, as well as online at www. nptelegraph.com
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Branding tradition goes back a long way Area ranchers still continue historical process of placing mark on their cattle By DIANE WETZEL dwetzel@nptelegraph.com It seems like a scene from a movie depicting times in the Old West. A restless herd of cows milling around a flaming bonfire when a cowboy ropes one animal, wrestles it to the ground and holds it down while another cowboy applies a blazing hot iron to its skin, It’s called branding and it is a tradition that goes back to ancient Egypt. Marking livestock with fire-heated marks to identify ownership is an ancient art and while it may seem primitive to a non-cattle producer, it remains the most effective way to keep track of the herd. According to the Agricultural Cultural History Project branding found its way to America through Mexico. Mexican cattle ranchers were known to mark their cattle with their family coat of arms. As the industry moved north into Texas, Americans saw it as the best way to establish ownership. Keeping track of the brands used to mark cattle is the role of the Nebraska Brand Committee. The committee was created by the Nebraska state Legislature in 1941 to inspect cattle and investigate missing and/or stolen cattle. “We don’t have a law in Nebraska that requires cattle be branded, but it does make it easier to identify them when they come out of the chute,” said Nebraska Brand Committee assistant direc-
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Branding has not changed much over the years as is seen in this photo taken at Doug Sellers’ branding near Wellfleet in April.
tor Paul Beaver. Surrounding states do require branding. A lot of cattle producers live and work in remote areas, Beaver said, and marking the cattle requires two guys wrestling a cow to the ground. “Other than electric irons and better shaping of the branding irons, branding is performed today very much the same as the way it
was when cattle first came up here from Mexico where a hot iron is applied to the skin,” he said. Why brand cattle? “We are dealing with living, breathing creatures who sometimes don’t like the side of the fence they are on,” Beaver said. “A brand is proof of ownership.” “Producers must register their brand with us prior to branding,” Beaver said. “We have recording clerks who go through our brands to make sure there aren’t any brands in the area that would be too similar.” Branding has its own language, he said. “The location and position of the characters in the brand all mean something,” he said. “There are multiple combinations of two characters.” The committee has records of brands going back to the 1800s, Beaver said. “We have brand books from before we were established, back when brands were tracked by counties,” he said. “Families that had those brands still own them today. Brands are often passed down through generations. “It represents their livelihood and their investment in time and money over generations,” Beaver said. “They will do just about anything to keep the brand in the family.” Producers have tried other methods of identifying cattle, such as ear
tags and electronic chipping. “The tag never really caught on because of the cost,” Beaver said. “And the problem with tags is again, you are dealing with a living animal that tends to stick its head into places they shouldn’t and the tag gets ripped off.” Chipping may work well for pets, but not when you are dealing with several hundred head of cattle, he said. “Branding is effective,” Beaver said. “It makes a mark that never leaves and if applied correctly and with care — and all our cattle producers do care for these animals — it is not intended to inflict pain.” Brand inspectors for the state make sure that cattle bought and sold are credited to their proper owners. They are present at every sale barn in the state’s brand area. “They are making sure people are selling the cattle that belong to them,” Beaver said. “Some people buy cattle and don’t rebrand them, so brand inspectors make sure the cattle match the papers presented.” With cattle prices strong and apparently going up, it is not unheard for a single bred cow to sell for $2,000. “Calves themselves are worth well over $1,000.” Beaver said. “So when it is your livelihood, when the pasture is your office where you punch in and out every day, it is important to keep track of the merchandise.”
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The youngsters get involved in the branding process as they learn how to do what has been done for centuries. Families, such as those shown in this photo taken at the Doug Sellers’ branding near Wellfleet in April, join together during branding season to make sure they can identify their cattle.
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Dose of reality in NCTA beef courses By MARY CRAWFORD NCTA News Service CURTIS — Students taking beef cattle production courses at the Curtis agricultural college know they will experience more than book learning and written exams. Their education may entail giving aid to a distressed newborn calf, figuring upgraded feed rations based on available forages during a drought or giving a solid set of verbal reasons for why one bull is better than another when analyzing breeding stock in the college corrals. Students enrolled in livestock industry management courses at the University of Nebraska’s Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture find themselves in the real world here, when away from the lectures and outside the classroom doors. During the institution’s 101-year history as a high school, then later as a college, NCTA and its predecessors have emphasized hands-on learning for students. That part hasn’t changed. Livestock production is alive and well at the NCTA farm in 2014. Dr. Douglas Smith, chairman of the Agricultural Production Systems Division at NCTA, appreciates the diligence of his students in all phases of their livestock management coursework. He also coaches the judging teams, which compete at intercollegiate livestock evaluation contests around the United States. Classes for the 2013-14 year wrapped up in time for May 8 graduation and included courses such as feedlot management and
Steps to delicious, healthy grilling season n Opt for lean, well-trimmed cuts of meat and poultry to prevent fire flare-ups and excess smoke formation n Trim any remaining visible fat and choose lean cuts of meat, such as one of the 29 beef cuts that meet government guidelines for lean. n Traditional favorites like flank staek, tenderloin, 95-percent lean graound beef burgers and T-bone steak are all lean cuts, meaning they have less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3½-ounce serving. n Marinate meat for added flavor and tenderness n Less-tender beef cuts such as shoulder steak, eye round steak, top round steak, skirt steak and flank steak are more affordable, but require a tenderizing marinade before cooking. n To make a taste bud-tantalizing, yet simple and tenderizing marinade, use an acidic ingredient like lemon or lime juice, vinegar or wine or a natural tenderizing enzyme found in fresh ginger, pineapple, papaya, kiwi and figs. Many storebought marinades include a variety of delicious flavors such as teriyaki, jerk, chipotle, and mesquite.
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— Note that using marinades with little or no sugar may help protect meat from charring and reduce the formation of potentially carcinogenic compounds.
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— BeefItsWhatsFor Dinner.com
range science. One course to be offered this fall will be Seedstock Prep and Marketing. In it, students focus on developing heifers and bulls for breeding and auction. They learn about grooming animals to display best features in the sale ring, preparing advertising and marketing materials such as flyers and publications and then, finally, traveling with the animals to an auction setting. Also, this fall’s class may get hands-on experience in “fitting” or grooming bulls for a local bull sale. Various methods of marketing the cattle are studied in the course, including private treaty sales, commercial auction barns, on-farm public sales and online or video auction opportunities. In January, livestock judging students competed at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, and were able to help purebred breeders prepare cattle for exhibit in competitions afterward. Some years, livestock students help organizers with unloading cattle or checking in livestock at registration for the Nebraska State Fair or at the Cattlemen’s Classic in Kearney. NCTA students gain hands-on experiences in many ways, says Smith, including taking certification training for artificial insemination of beef cattle. The course, open to the public, is taught twice a year on campus. “During the spring semesters, we have two courses that usually attract a lot of students,” Smith said. That’s where much of the hands-on occurs. Those courses are feedlot operations
Photo courtesy of NCTA
Cattle at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis are pastured at the campus farm or fed to finished weight in the feedlot facilities on campus so students are responsible for their feeding and care.
and beef production systems. In feedlot operations, students are assigned one or two animals to track and care for in feeding and health management. In beef production systems, students are assigned a rotation at calving time, assisting with birthing, if needed, and then branding, processing and health management. NCTA’s production operations continue year round. Some students have cattle at home where they return on weekends or intermittently during the semester to tend to herds there. And area producers within driving distance of Curtis, including feed yards and cow-calf operations, serve as seasonal or part-time employers for more hands-on training and work. Internships are common in the second eight-week period of the spring semester and often lead to lifelong friendships and mentoring situations for the students.
NCTA cattle are pastured at the campus farm or fed to finished weight in the feedlot facilities on campus, Smith said. That way, students are responsible for feeding and care. Student workers are hired during the semesters, as well as in summer when most livestock majors are at internships or their own operations. Although classes adjourn for summer when market-ready calves are trucked to the beef processing plant, students will learn about the economic and beef grading outcomes when they return. Smith said NCTA cattle generally grade Choice or better. Business management lessons come in many forms. NCTA is able to provide much of that education year-round with programs such as internships, the 100 Cow Ownership Advantage and Livestock Industry Management degree. Along with Smith, Jo Bek and
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BEEF 2014
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2014
Auctions are livestock producers’ lifeline Sales have huge impact on ranchers By JOB VIGIL jvigil@nptelegraph.com Times have changed for livestock auctioneers, but it has not diminished the need for local auctions. Kyle Schow of Schow Auction Service based in Paxton, said there have been excellent prices for both calf and bull sales. “With the cattle market as good as it has been, we have seen some record prices in the last year or two and record prices for calves as well,” Schow said. The sale of livestock has been embedded in the history of Nebraska for many years. From the cattle drives that brought livestock from all over the west-central states to be bought and sold and transported by railcar to markets across the country, sale barns have had a significant role in that process. For those who may not know much about the process, the livestock auction is where producers — ranchers — bring their cattle for the purpose of selling them. Feed lots purchase most of the cattle that are then fattened up for slaughter to provide meat for the consumer. “Ranchers bring their calf crop, generally in the fall, to be sold at auction,” Schow said. “Calves are generally born in the spring, raised with the mother all
Courtesy photo
Livestock auctions are still at the core of the cattle industry. Technology has changed some of the methods, as bidders can access auctions online and bid from the comfort of their home or from their iPad. More information is also available on the Internet and buyers and producers alike can access it on the scene of an auction as well.
summer, weaned in the fall and then brought to the auction.” Some producers, if they have a feed source, will wean the calves themselves for 30 days before they are sold. Schow said a lot of feed lots like to buy weaned calves because a calf that has come right off the cow the day before the sale is stressed and the risk is a bit higher than a weaned calf. Marketing season is generally October through February, depending on the producer’s program. The sale of livestock is very important to the producer and Schow said his company does not take it for granted. “This time is important because the producer’s livelihood is dependent on the sale,” Schow said. The money earned from the sale determines what the next season will be like for the rancher, whether that means increasing his herd or purchasing equipment or supplies. Once the calves are sold, feed lots then take them and fatten them up to be sold to slaughterhouses, which then, in turn, sell them to packing plants for the production of meat for the nation’s food supply. “There are not a lot of slaughterhouses left in the U.S., unfortunately,” Schow said. “There was a time in North Platte when there were 4-6 packing plants and now they are non-existent.” However, that has not reduced the need for livestock auctions. Competitive bidding is still the way a producer can make a profit in his business and although the methods have changed somewhat, auctions are still the mainstay of buying and selling. There have been some changes that have affected the industry. “There are now a lot of video auctions,” Schow said. “Some livestock are never brought to a market. A company goes to the ranch and films a video. The auction is then conducted under a specific set of terms. This type of auction may take place in June, July or August. There was talk 15
THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
State Beef Production Facts Nebraska Facts · $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 years ago that video would do away with local auction markets, but it hasn’t. It has just become another marketing tool for ranchers.” There is some risk involved when transporting calves to an auction, so the video auction reduces the cost and stress on both the cattle and the producer. Schow said video has mostly helped ranchers in remote locations like Montana, Idaho and other markets where producers may have to travel a long way to find an auction service. Another change has been bidding through the Internet. “Our role [as auctioneers] has not changed,” Schow said. “But in the last 5-10 years Internet bidding has increased. There’s a camera mounted on the ring and the viewer can be sitting at his desk or on his iPad and he can bid from there. This is helpful, especially on a day when the weather’s bad. People can stay home and bid from the comfort of their office.” Schow came to be involved in the auction business through his family. His father, Dean Schow, has been a lifelong auctioneer and a good one at that. Dean was the 1980 World Champion Auctioneer and Kyle’s brother, Kevin Schow, has competed and done well at the World Championships. “I grew up in the business,” Kyle said. “When I went to college, I was more interested in the ranching side of the business. I came to realize that it was a good way to support my family and I went to auction school in 1983. It’s hard to get into an auction market and I didn’t start in sale barns until 1997.” Schow Auction Service is involved in three auctions a week. One in Wray, Colo., another in Ogallala and the third in North Platte.
For all your local and area news, check out the Telegraph website at www.nptelegraph.com
Where Nebraska Stacks up Nationally 1st.... Commercial red meat All cattle on feed Commercial cattle slaughter Commercial cattle slaughter (lbs) 2nd.... All cattle and calves Beef & veal exports
2013 - 7,353,100,000 lbs (prev. yr - 7,284,000,000 lbs) 2014 - 2,450,000 head (prev. yr - 2,550,000 head) 2013 - 6,869,800 head (prev. yr - 6,730,400 head) 2013 - 9,389,940,000 lbs live wt (prev. yr - 9,163,177,000 lbs) 2014 - 6,150,000 (prev. yr - 6,300,000 head) 2012 - $840,000,000
The Nebraska Beef Cattle Industry
Its 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. Cattlerelated 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.
Nebraska is Unique
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 of 25.6 million residents over 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.
Nebraska has the Top Cow Counties in the Nation
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).
Four Times as many Cattle as 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 in Nebraska?
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% 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. Nebraska Beef Council - www.nebeef.org
THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
BEEF 2014
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2014
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Forecast for beef prices is high, production down Despite rising cost, grilling season brings consumers to grocery stores for fresh meat By DIANE WETZEL dwetzel@nptelegraph.com The price of beef in the United States has hit a 27-year high. USA Today reports that the average retail cost of fresh beef rose to $5.28 a pound in February, the highest price since 1987. The price paid to ranchers who raise the cattle went to $1.44 a pound in February, up from $1.25 in January. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has amended its forecast for 2014 beef production and for beef prices. Production is now expected to be down 4.5 percent compared to last year to the lowest level since 2004, but production will rise in the second half of the year the forecast says. The price for fed cattle is expected to rise to a range of $1.44 to $1.51 a pound, sharply above last year’s record price of around $1.26 a pound. Many factors impact beef prices, said Matt Stockton, agricultural economist with the West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte. “Has drought impacted cattle prices? I would think it has, in the sense that it has limited the supply of cattle,” he said. “Droughts don’t happen overnight. They are a long time coming. Our producers tend to try to survive and begin to depopulate their supply. They dispose of the less productive cattle first.” When the number of cattle goes down, there are less animals and beef becomes less available. “The way to ration the supply is through the price,” he said. “Right now prices have maintained stability and are fairly good if you want to sell animals. Beef is not cheap right now.”
Diane Wetzel / The North Platte Telegraph
It may be what’s for dinner, but consumers are paying more these days. Just in time for the summer grilling season, beef prices reached record highs. Despite a climb in prices, beef remains a popular staple at Gary’s Super Foods in North Platte, which features an extensive meat counter with many choices for consumers.
Prices for beef are higher than they would be if there hadn’t been a drought, he said. The Wall Street Journal notes that demand for beef from Japan, Hong Kong and Mexico increased beef exports by 3.2 percent in February to more than 10 percent of all U.S. production. Combine that with the smaller size of the country’s cattle herds and the low numbers of animals being processed and the result is higher prices. “The demand for exports can change,” Stockton noted. “We got a lot of countries opening up and demanding increases and that will decrease the domestic supply.” The price of other products such as pork and poultry can also affect
beef prizes, he said. “If I can go buy a pork chop cheaper than a steak, I might buy pork more often,” he said. “Prices can be volatile in the short-term,” Stockton said. “Let’s say there is a drought going on, It may not impact price right away. Beef would be cheaper because producers are dumping cows on the market. I’m talking a national drought, not a localized one. Everything is cheaper so beef may be relatively inexpensive for a short time. Then in two years all of a sudden there is not a lot of cows around so the beef supply might become limited and prices might rise.” According to the April 14 Livestock Outlook compiled by Ken-
neth Matthews of the USDA, cattle and beef dynamics will depend on precipitation patterns for the rest of 2014. “With California already dismally short of precipitation and past the rainy season, the rest of the United States is hoping for more normal rainfall,” he writes. “With normal rainfall, anticipated expansion of cattle inventories could begin this year. Reduced supplies of beef and higher prices could follow.” Noting that the rainy season for the Plains typically begins around mid-April and half of the national cow herd located east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the Mississippi River, there is still hope for normal precipitation.
Diane Wetzel / The North Platte Telegraph
Beef prices are higher, but consumers in Nebraska are still willing to fork over the cash for a nice chuck roast like the one pictured here from Gary’s Super Foods in North Platte.
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