IN THIS ISSUE
American Products and Services for American Cattlemen
Vol. 44 • No. 7 • July 2018
COLUMNS
6 PUBLISHER STATEMENT 22 BEST FOOT FORWARD 9 INDUSTRY NEWS Trending news from around the cattle industry.
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CREATE YOUR OWN CORRAL AND CHUTE SPIDER WEB
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SILENCE IS GOLDEN! STRESS-FREE WEANING IS AN ACHIEVABLE OUTCOME.
Building new or expanding and improving existing corrals and chutes can be simple and basic, or as complex as a spider’s web.
Christina Traeger has first-hand knowledge of every calf weaning method know to man. Like many ranchers, she was used to hearing unsettled, bawling calves every year at weaning time. But all that has changed in recent years and weaning time on the Traeger ranch is now blissfully quiet and relaxed.
If you are in the business of selling your cattle either at auction or even private treaty there are a few ways you can amp up your game to see better results.
CARE 30 SEMEN AND HANDLING
There are some components of A.I. success out of human control. Of all the things in the breeding process subject to human flaw and error, semen care and handling is one of the most basic and easily monitored.
COSTS FOR 36 ESTIMATED LIVESTOCK FENCING Fencing costs are one of the most expensive aspects of livestock grazing. The type of fence constructed greatly impacts the cost per foot, total cost, and annual ownership cost. In addition, the shape of the paddocks affects the amount of materials needed and labor required for construction of the fence.
SPONSORED FEATURES
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RAWHIDE PORTABLE CORRAL TO BLEND THE OLD WITH THE NEW
John McDonald knows a thing or two about livestock equipment after working with cattle and rodeo livestock most of his life. Knowing there had to be a better portable corral design out there; he came up with it himself.
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WHY SETTLE FOR LESS THAN THE ORIGINAL & THE BEST
Do you dread the driving of fence posts into the ground? You can simplify (any maybe even enjoy!) the task with the REDI Driver gas powered post driver & our exclusive accessories.
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26 STATE TESTING CENTRAL
Most people associate BVD with large, train wreck-like catastrophes. Rarely is this the case. What BVD does is quietly rob you by decreased gain, increased medicine costs, increased mortality and morbidity.
MAN OPERATION. 40 ONE TOTAL CONTROL.
As an industry leader in cattle handling equipment, Arrowquip’s reputation precedes them. With products ranging from the BudFlow® Cattle Tub that uses cattle psychology to the benefit of the handler to their highly efficient Portable Cattle Handling Systems, Arrowquip elevates every piece of cattle equipment they develop to a new level. www.americancattlemen.com
PUBLISHER STATEMENT
A Reminder Wow, I don’t know what it was like in your neck of the woods
American Products and Services for American Cattlemen
Vol. 44 • No. 7 • July 2018
Memorial Day weekend, but here in Central Iowa temperatures
President/CEO - Gale McKinney
reached record highs. Seems crazy to think that just six weeks
VP/CFO - Audra McKinney
ago we were complaining and whining about the snow. Shoot,
Group Publisher/COO - Patrick McKinney
two weeks ago we sat at my daughter’s soccer game in coats, gloves and stocking hats. Now we are complaining about the heat. But honestly, 100 degrees in Iowa in May is a little ridiculous wouldn’t you say? Not only is it hot, but those little pesky black bugs and gnats are out in swarms. Between the heat and those pests it has literally been a killer. So with summer rolling in with record breaking temperatures I want to remind you of a couple tips to help keep your herd healthy and stress free. The first thing, and possibly most important, is make sure there is plenty of fresh/clean water available. Like humans, there is no such thing as too much water. Another thing you can do to help keep your cattle cool is make sure there is plenty of shade. Whether there is natural shade via trees or man-made shade through buildings and shade tents/blankets that will help as well. Another thing you can do is set up sprinkler systems. This too will
Publisher - Dustin J. Hector Associate Publisher - Lissa Baker Office Manager - Dawn Busse Art Director - Brandon Peterson Graphic Designer - Teri Marsh Advertising Account Executives Kathy Davidson Mary Gatliff Lori Seibert Irene Smith Wendy Mills Joyce Kenney Ed Juncker Circulation Coordinator Shawna Nelson Subscription Sales Kendra Sassman
help keep the body temperatures down. You will also need to make sure you have your pest management systems set up. Those little black bugs and gnats are not only annoying and pesky to us, but they can wreak havoc on your herd. As you know there are multiple forms of pest management and everyone provides something different. So please do your research and find the
Livestock Media Group 4685 Merle Hay Rd • Suite 200 Des Moines, IA 50322 877-424-4594 www.americancattlemen.com
one that fits your operation best. We are also entering the severe weather season. Like you do for your family, make sure you have your emergency plan put into place in case Mother Nature rears her ugly head. Make sure everyone that works on your operation knows and understands the plan because you may need to act quickly. You can never be too prepared. As always, we hope you enjoy this issue of American Cattlemen. If there are topics you would like us to cover please let us know. We are here to serve you and help anyway we can. Enjoy your summer. Stay cool and keep those pesky bugs away. Best Regards, Dustin Hector Publisher – American Cattlemen
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©Twin Rivers Media, LLC, 2018. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recorded or otherwise without the prior written permission of Twin Rivers Media, LLC, 2018. The information and advertising set forth herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Twin Rivers Media, LLC, 2018 (“Publisher”) however, does not warrant complete accuracy of such information and assumes no responsibility for any consequences arising from the use thereof or reliance thereon. Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement or space reservation at any time without notice and for any reason. Publisher shall not be liable for any costs or damages if for any reason it fails to publish an advertisement. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their respective advertisements appearing in this publication and Publisher is not responsible or liable in any manner for inaccuracies, false statements or any material in such advertisement infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others. Advertisements appearing in this publication are not necessarily the views or opinions expressed by Publisher.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
A1 Mist Sprayers Presents The Cobra
Article and photos provided by A1 Mist Sprayers
Just in time for spring, A1 Mist Sprayers has added depth to their mist sprayer lineup with the introduction of the Cobra. For over 3 years, The Cobra has been engineered to be more accommodating to everyday use, while still reaching performance standards expected with every A1 mist sprayer. This 6th edition to the A1 Mist Sprayer lineup has been eng ineered to be the best. “We have combined the best features of our other units to create a one of a kind sprayer!” says Steve Nelson, A1 General Manager. The Cobra comes standard with a 40 gallon tank, 11 HP Electr ic Star t GX Series Honda Engine, and side mounted Safety Control Center, including a Back Flush system that allows to switch from herbicides to insecticides or just the changing of chemicals. This unit is capable of a 60ft. vertical and 90ft. horizontal throw with a 270⁰ fan rotation (the most of any A1 Mist Sprayer). A key feature of the Cobra is the ability to fit in the back of most UTV’s, with the tailgate up. Making this the perfect sprayer for all applications.
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Other features include: • 4 Roller Cast Iron Pump (belt driven) • Heavy Duty 10 Gauge Steel Frame • 13” Commercial Grade Fan with Safety Rings • Hand Gun Kit with 10’ of hose • 2 nozzle Cannon Volute • Easy to use Wireless Remote (7 Function) • Perfect for fruits, vegetables, livestock, fences, brush, trees, barns, vineyards, orchards, hops & insect/ weed applications The Cobra is now available for the public. For more information call us toll free at 877-924-2474. To see the full A1 Mist Sprayer lineup, visit us at www.mistsprayers.com. About A1 Mist Sprayers A1 Mist Sprayers is a Valley Industries brand based in Ponca, Nebraska. For over 40 years, A1 has been a staple of the mist spraying industry. Each sprayer is engineered with a heavy focus on durability, performance, safety, and standard features that elevate A1 above the competition. Each sprayer comes fully assembled, and includes basic safety and technical information to tackle any application. With continuous innovation, ingenuity, and integrity; A1 Mist Sprayers will continue to be the number one choice for mist spraying.
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CORRALS AND CHUTES
CREATE YOUR OWN CORRAL
AND CHUTE SPIDER WEB By Bruce Derksen for American Cattlemen Magazine.
C
overing all the dos and don’ts of building new corrals and chutes or improving and adding to existing infrastructure would be like trying to hold back the ocean with a sand shovel and pail. If you’ve won the lottery and have unlimited funds plus your choice of land suddenly available to you, there are likely a number of different decisions you will make than if you have a homestead with fifty year old rotting pens located in a hollow washed out mud hole. Building new or expanding and improving existing corrals and chutes can be simple and basic, or as complex as a spider’s web. First, what is it that you need? Are you building these corrals for a large cow calf ranch, feedlot, or dairy operation with hundreds of cattle, a twenty thousand head feedlot, or eighteen cows, fifteen grass cattle, two dogs and a dozen cats? Do you have eighty clear acres available or only minimal space? What do you hope to accomplish with these corrals and chutes? Whether you need
to process a cow calf herd or run hundreds of varying weight feedlot cattle through the alleys and chutes daily, your requirements will vary. The basic purpose of corrals and chutes is to hold, sort, direct, position, control and treat. If built properly they will reduce operator handling time and effort, minimize animal injury and stress, plus allow a safe operation for anyone involved in
the day to day tasks. The answers to the above questions should point you in the right direction to help decide what you need to build or add to your existing infrastructure. So if you have secured the needed funds, property and desired numbers of cattle, you may want to expand on the basics. Corral systems should always consist of some variation of collection alleys, sorting and holding pens, crowding pen and tub, single file chute and a head-gate and squeeze unit. You can add almost countless items including but not limited to concrete flooring, an adjustable ramp and loading chute, metal gates and poles solidified with concrete, palpation cages, scales, blind boxes, calf tables and light poles. For those with a tighter budget, there are still ways to improve your * Continued on page 12
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CORRALS AND CHUTES
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features like an escape board bolted to the inside of sorting and crowding pens, or small spring loaded gates to squeeze through if trouble arises. Add a light pole in the treating area for those late night health or calving issues. Check sales and auctions for used gates, hinges and even hydraulic or better quality manual squeezes that can sometimes be bought at the right price. And don’t forget about the fencing, gates and pens off the squeeze itself.
Install swinging panels to direct cattle to different areas and pens. After treating is completed, don’t accept having to sort the herd a second time increasing time, energy and stress for the cattle and workers. All these ideas can be done piece by piece without breaking the bank and over time will allow you to take advantage of your own version of the corral and chute system spider web, be it basic or complex.
Photos courtesy of Rawhide Portable Corrals
existing corrals, sorting and treating areas that won’t drain your bank account. One of the most important features to update and improve on is drainage. There is nothing worse than working and treating cattle in mud and slop because your facilities are located in a rain attracting pond. Raise clay areas in the alleyways, holding and sorting pens so when sloppy weather hits, you can still work in reasonable conditions. Strongly consider adding concrete to the crowding tub, chute and squeeze area. Without rebuilding entire corrals, you can replace old wooden panels with steel gates and metal posts set in concrete. Adding a few extra gates along alleyways can be a fairly simple and cost effective way to make work easier and reduce stress. Add catwalks to your tub and working chute area to facilitate moving cattle easier. Consider adding an adjustable incline loading chute with a swivelling bumper or maybe an extra holding pen, or a single file sorting chute and gate in an existing collection alley. Don’t ignore safety
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STRESS-FREE WEANING
SILENCE IS GOLDEN!
STRESS-FREE WEANING IS AN ACHIEVABLE OUTCOME. By Michael Cox for American Cattlemen Magazine.
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ith decades of experience in the beef and dairy cattle business, Minnesota based Christina Traeger has first-hand knowledge of every calf weaning method known to man. Like many ranchers, she was used to hearing unsettled, bawling calves every year at weaning time. But all that has changed in recent years and weaning time on the Traeger ranch is now blissfully quiet and relaxed. Traeger believes the secret to stress-free weaning is the use of nose-flaps in the calves. Nose-flaps are a simple, plastic, fan-shaped device that can be fitted onto a calf’s nose, much like the way a metal tongs can be fitted on an animal’s nose. The flap does not pierce the skin, instead it ‘grips’ the nose. This feature makes it stress-free and simple to insert, while also allowing the flaps to be easily removed after weaning for future repeated use. “We were skeptical at first,” Traeger says,
“but the flaps are now an essential management tool of our system.” Unlike the conventional method of weaning by abruptly removing the calves from sight and earshot of Momma cows, Traeger now prefers to insert the nose flaps into all the calves, before turning them back out with their mothers for a week to 10 days. The flaps force the cows to wean the calves themselves in a more natural manner. When the calf tries to suckle the cow, the nose flap not only makes it physically difficult for
the calf to suckle the teat, it also provides slight discomfort to the cow’s udder; causing her to nudge the calf away and so wean the calf herself over a period of several days. After the gradual weaning takes place, Traeger will work the calves a second time and remove the nose flaps. It is only at this stage that the calves are separated from the cows, and sent to different pasture.
Continued growth
“Some people are automatically put-off by the fact that we need to work the calves twice,” Traeger says, “But taking two hours to insert noseflaps into 140 calves, and one hour to remove them a week later is a good time investment in my view.” Time is not the only good investment associated with the nose-flaps. The economics stack up too. Traeger, * Continued on page 16
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STRESS-FREE WEANING
who direct markets all the beef from the 400 head British White herd as ‘grass-fed beef’, has carried out a private study on calves weaned with nose-flaps, compared to calves weaned conventionally. “Our steers weaned gradually with nose-flaps were 200lbs heavier at slaughter weight, and finished between 60 to 100 days earlier than the conventionally weaned calves,” Traeger explains. Impressed by such a stark contrast between the male calves, Traeger examined the female replacement stock and found that nose-flap weaned heifers had better conception rates at first breeding and needed less calving assistance than conventionally weaned calves. “The nose-flaps allow the calves to keep gaining weight all the time,” Traeger says. She believes the gradual weaning of the heifers allows them to be larger and more mature at breeding, which carries through to less problems in later-life. With gradual weaning, less feed is required to grow out youngstock as they don’t get ‘checked’ and simply continue to thrive. Traeger also believes that meat quality is influenced by the weaning process. “In conventionally weaned calves, the stress and weight loss results in the calves burning off fat. The gristle found within steaks can be traced back to calves burning off Omega-3 fats during times of stress. The gristle remains as a type of scar 16
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tissue,” Traeger explains.
Delayed Weaning
Having challenged the stereotype of conventional weaning in preference for gradual weaning, Traeger has also gone one step further and over the past few years has carried out ‘delayed weaning’. “The industry norm is to wean at seven months of age, but if we look at nature, and especially deer, they don’t wean their fawns until almost a year old. If delayed weaning works in nature there must be a benefit behind it,” Traeger says. She now allows calves to run with cows until ten months of age, before starting the gradual weaning process. Even though Minnesotan winters can stay 20 below for weeks on end, Traeger has found that cows require little extra feed to maintain both themselves and calves at-foot. “When you see the benefits of gradual weaning it shows you that conventional wisdom often isn’t perfect. Our management tools now rely on gradual weaning, delayed weaning in the Spring, and a slightly later start to calving than most producers,” Traeger says. “It’s about looking at your options and having an open mind. We’ve gone the traditional route for many years, but the gradual and delayed weaning is the right option for our ranch. The calves walk away from weaning and never look back.”
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BUSINESS PROFILE
RAWHIDE PORTABLE CORRAL
TO BLEND THE OLD WITH THE NEW Article courtesy of Rawhide Portable Corral
J
ohn McDonald knows a thing or two about livestock equipment after working with cattle and rodeo livestock most of his life. Knowing there had to be a better portable corral design out there; he came up with it himself. In 2003 the public was introduced to his original Rawhide Portable Corral. It could be set up by one person without any lifting and it could be done quickly; yet it could also be pulled down the road at highway speeds, ensuring that no time would be wasted while catching cattle. Fast forward to 2018 and now customers have two different corrals to choose from; the Rawhide Original, throwback to the first design, or the Rawhide Processor. Even though the Processor’s design is viewed as the superior portable corral on the market, John believes that there are still those who will want a smaller, more affordable system. Enter the Rawhide Original, which is a blend between the two designs he has offered throughout the years and has a bumper hitch with permanent transport wheels. The Original is only offered in the Standard and Large sizes. The Processor is offered in three sizes for the convenience of ranchers and cattle producers throughout the world and the main difference with this design is the ability to customize the corral upon ordering by including a hydraulic alley, head gate or loading chute. Whether you simply want to catch your cattle or process them on
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site and load them into a trailer from the pasture, you are able to do so with the Processor. The design of the Processor continues to impress cattle producers with its versatility and ease of use. The permanent sheeted adjustable alley aids with working your livestock, whether it is done on site or in the field. The adjustable alley can be sized from thirty (30) inches down to sixteen (16) inches; either manually or hydraulically. The most notable features of the Rawhide corrals are that they are easy to set up and they are easy to transport. We mean it when we say that one person can open up the corral without lifting a panel. This will continue to be the model as we move forward with our newer designs. The key is one person can handle it all by themselves. Customers can manipulate the panels so it is not just one big pen, but two, three or even four pens for sorting, as one can never have enough pens when it comes to working
cattle. John’s design was the first portable corral on the market to offer the hydraulic lift option. This has been so popular that we now offer customers the option to buy the Hydraulic Lift Kit with or without the battery so that they may upgrade existing equipment of their own. A lift kit includes the jack,
power unit, solar panel and of course the option of including a battery at time of purchase. John and his wife Mary run the family business at their manufacturing plant in Abilene, Kansas, which is the only place where a Rawhide may be purchased outside of South Texas, where we now have a dealer in Hempstead. Please check out our website for more information and to view our videos: www.rawhideportablecorral.com or find us on Facebook. Phone # 785-263-3436.
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BUSINESS PROFILE
WHY SETTLE FOR LESS THAN THE ORIGINAL & THE BEST Article provided by REDI Driver
D
o you dread the driving of fence posts into the ground? You can simplify (any maybe even enjoy!) the task with the REDI Driver gas powered post driver & our exclusive accessories. You can cut your working time & effort in half; and still have energy left at the end of the day for the more important things in life! The REDI Driver is designed to do all the work for you, without any additional equipment such as power packs or hoses. The power is provided by an authentic HONDA 4 stroke engine. Simply carry the REDI Driver which weighs only 32 pounds, from post to post until you reach the end of your fence line. Lorri Evans tells us that REDI Driver is the original gas-powered post driver, it was the first one to hit the market over 6 years ago! The REDI Driver has since been copied, but it has never been equaled! You will get the best 3-year warranty, and the best personalized customer service from the Evans Family; who personally operate the business with passion for the product & their customers. Your complete satisfaction is guaranteed! With REDI Driver’s perfect reputation, there is no reason to settle for a copied unit, or to get lost in the shuffle…. Just ask one of our satisfied customers:
REDI DRIVER DESIGNERS HIT A HOME RUN WITH THIS ONE! Statz Bros. Fencing We’ve found the Redi Driver to be a great
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piece of gear. This has been an unusually dry year. The ground is as hard and tough as I’ve seen. The Redi Driver makes short work of driving T posts into this type of soil. It also handles rocky soil very nicely. It does a good job and doesn’t fatigue the operator. Nice and light and not at all cumbersome. The Redi Driver designers really hit a home run with this one.
ONE OF THE BEST MACHINES I’VE OWNED, Steve Freemen
First, I wanted to tell you that the REDI Driver Boss I purchased from you is one of the best machines I’ve owned. We rebuilt a large corral system and used the REDI Driver to driver 3” posts 4’ into the ground. Doing the same with our skid steer driver has always been difficult trying to maneuver around the existing panels and alleyways. Not only that, we felt we could control the pipe and keep everything plum much easier with the REDI Driver. Great Machine! REDI Driver offers 2 models to meet all your post driving needs: • REDIclassic model with 2” id barrel is perfect for t posts & other smaller posts,
optional rod sleeve available for rods or rebar. • REDIboss model with 3 1/8” id barrel & reducer sleeve will drive from t post up to 3” posts, optional 4” id magnum barrel available for larger profile posts. Accessories available which are exclusive to REDI Driver: • REDIhdnlkit is a handle extension kit available in 2 ½’ or 4’ lengths. These kits will make driving taller posts an easier & safer task; no more ladders or stools! • REDIbox is a customized hard plastic storage box to secure your driver & accessories for transporting or storing. Please visit www.redidriver.com or you are more than welcome to give us a call (509) 235-2780
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MARKETING YOUR CATTLE
BEST FOOT FORWARD By Aly McClure for American Cattlemen
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aising cattle can be the compilation of many goals, but at the end of the day, you need to move cattle in order to make a paycheck. If you are in the business of selling your cattle either at auction or even private treaty there are a few ways you can amp up your game to see better results. While every day on the farm may not be picture perfect, in the world of marketing, that’s what it needs to be, and you need to be marketing your cattle.
Marketing your cattle begins well before the auction or private treaty announcements to increase your odds of walking away with the biggest pay day possible. You can create any environment you want to with a little imagery and good weather. In a world flooded with pictures on social media and advertisement, it is imperative that you also have pictures to share with the crowd before the event. If you fancy yourself a camera slinger this can be an easier step for you, BUT, 22
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and this is a big but, you need to have good images. If you do not know how to compose a good image, please hire someone with livestock photography experience to help you in this area. This initial investment will repay you tenfold. The bonus of professional images is that there is less work for you to do and you have beautiful pictures ready to go and share online. When scheduling a photography session make sure you also schedule a rain out date. Do your best to
have clean, possibly clipped animals for pictures. I understand that this is not a realistic situation for everyone, but if it is possible, you will love the picture that much more. Stir up some dust on social media by creating hype leading up to the
GOOD AUCTION PREP BOILS DOWN TO THE ADAGE, “SPEND A LITTLE TO MAKE A LITTLE.” big day by sharing images and information regularly. It is a best practice to share on your accounts daily, if not twice daily when possible. This is where hiring a photographer to create great images for you can pay off, because you will already have a prewww.americancattlemen.com
MARKETING YOUR CATTLE
built album to populate your queue and auto-share. By setting up a queue using one of many services available such as HootSuite, you again take out the daily work of trying to remember to post and figuring out what you should share. Plus, your images will all have a similar feel giving you a polished and put together appearance. Having ads created by a professional graphic designer is usually a good idea as well. You can go as far as creating an ad for each animal or a general catalog; it depends on the number of animals you are listing and the price point at which they will sell. A lot of good auction prep boils down to the adage, “Spend a little to make a little.” When you go the extra step of hiring professionals to help you in these areas you will have less stress, a more polished advertisement, and be able to spend time doing what you do best, raise great
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cattle. Don’t drop the ball after a sale is made, follow up with your customers, and you may have repeat sales for years to come. A good sale starts with great customer service.
Put your best foot forward, starting now, present the best animals and information that you have, and you will see great success when selling your animals.
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PARTNERING WITH PRODUCERS FOR SUCCESS
TEST AT THE SPEED
OF BUSINESS
TESTING FOR THE CATTLE INDUSTRY’S COSTLIEST SILENT ROBBER, BVD-PI Article courtesy of Dustin Hessman with Central States Testing
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ost people associate BVD with large, train wreck-like catastrophes. Rarely is this the case. What BVD does is quietly rob you by decreased gain, increased medicine costs, increased mortality and morbidity. You are puzzled -- something is wrong with that pen and no matter what you do you can’t seem to fix it or find a solution.
“The economic impact from PI animals exposing the population to BVD virus can be great. A study evaluating this impact in the feedyard showed a cost of $67.49 for every animal exposed to BVD-PI animals,” says Dr. Bill Hessman, owner of Central States Testing (CST). “Most of the economic loss came from reduced performance at $58.83 and an additional $8.66 coming from increased 26
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mortality.” Central States Testing was the first to apply ACE-ELISA BVD-PI testing technology for large scale testing in the U.S. Dr. Hessman has led and aided in many research studies on BVD and is known as “one of the experts” on BVD. Since opening CST in 2004, Dr. Hessman has spent the last 14 years with the goal of keeping the cost as low as possible for the pro-
ducer. The biggest segment of the industry testing today is the stocker and backgrounder segment, because the calves are younger and more vulnerable as they are comingled. Customers say they are seeing a difference in the mortality and morbidity by testing for and removing PI’s as well as improvement in gain and feed efficiency. “I didn’t know that one PI positive calf could expose the entire bunch to illness,” Greg Goodnight with Goodnight Ranch said. “High medicine bills and death loss are a thing of the past since being able to test for PI cattle. Another bonus is healthy www.americancattlemen.com
calves move to grass quicker and gain better than calves that spend a month in the sick pen.”
CST Products
Central States Testing offers a few different products and services based on customer needs. In 2017 they released the CST-QuickTest, a simple, fast test designed for producers to use on-site, with results in less than 30 minutes. They also offer in lab testing for BVD-PI and blood pregnancy with unsurpassed experience and technology as well as personalized customer training on all products. “One thing we really pride ourselves on is how clean our test runs,” says Dr. Hessman. “Our negatives
er and/or feeder style operations it’s best to test everything as comingled cattle are more susceptible to the effects of BVD. If you run a cow/calf operation it’s best to test all calves, dams that didn’t produce calves and bulls. If the newborn calf is negative, it’s mother is negative for being Persistently Infected (PI). If a new born calf or still born is positive, test the dam to determine if she is a PI or was acutely infected. Then you can surveillance test all new cattle that are introduced into your herd such as replacement heifers, cows, and bulls. Remember, you bring this problem on to your ranch. “Whether you are a veterinarian, cow-calf, stocker, feeder, or dairy operator, it is of utmost importance to know the PI status of your animals in order to do a complete job of managing cattle health,” said Jim Bob Harris with Texas Vet Labs
Pooling is Fooling
run dead clean so there is no guessing which one is positive and which one isn’t.”
Strategies
“We BVD-PI test everything in our Schwertner Select Program, it has reduced our morbidity rate by half.” - says Jimmy Schwertner, Capitol Land and Livestock Should you test everything or only surveillance test? What you test depends on your operation. For stock-
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In it’s simplest terms, pooling samples is combining multiple samples into one test. Producers and laboratories do this in order to keep testing costs at a minimum. While it seems that this will save money up front, you lose money on the back end. Pooling samples can greatly decrease accuracy in two ways: first is outright dilution of the samples because you only take a fraction of a normal sample size. Second is a masking effect where negative animal can mask the signal of a positive. Central States Testing has put forth immense effort to figure out why some negative samples can
mask the signal of a positive sample. While they don’t have the exact answer, evidence to date would indicate that something more than antibodies may be causing these false negative pooled results. The chances of having a pooled negative sample mask a positive one increases in herds where sickness is present, which is where you will normally find a PI positive animal. “You don’t know when or where a PI will show up and by finding them and finding them sooner the less damage they can do to a group of cattle and that’s better than throwing a lot of antibiotics at a group of cattle,” said Mike Tompkins with Tompkins Livestock. With the trend for less antibiotic use in the livestock industry it will become more important for producers to adopt proactive strategies to address health issues. Utilizing BVD-PI testing to eliminate positive animals from the herd and to stop the spread of BVD virus is a very proactive technology and is very cost effective. Central States Testing focuses on providing producers with cost effective and accurate options for testing for BVD-PI animals. Whether you test on site yourself or ship samples to the CST lab or one of their many affiliates, you can be rest assured you have an accurate product. You can view many articles, studies and information about BVDV and BVD-PI animals on Central States Testing’s website at www.cstbvd. com/bvd101
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SEMEN CARE AND HANDLING
SEMEN CARE AND HANDLING: A SOMETIMES OVERLOOKED
COMPONENT OF BREEDING SUCCESS By Jaclyn Krymowski for American Cattlemen
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here are some components of A.I. success out of human control. Of all the The freeze and thaw When semen is frozen, the process things in the breeding process subject to human flaw and error, semen removes the intracellular water in care and handling is one of the most basic and easily monitored. Proper semen the sperm cells. This prevents damage during the crystallization. The handling and storage requires basic knowledge of the freezing and thawing formation of intracellular ice crystals processes because once any thawing has occurred, all damage done to the sperm can cause damage to the sensitive cell is permanent. Returning it to the liquid nitrogen may prevent further damage, membranes, organelles, or chromosomes. Sufficiently damaged sperm but it can’t repair anything. Injury of sperm, namely anything that will affect acrosomes can cause enzyme leakage its motility or fertility, begins at temperatures as low as -110F. In retrospect, the and impair the cell’s fertility. However, when a sperm is exposed to an safe storage temperature of semen in liquid nitrogen is -320F. environment warm enough to begin 30
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the thaw, usually starting at -110F, and then refrozen the process of recrystallization begins, creating larger crystals that can penetrate the delicate cell membranes. Degree of damage and impact on fertility depends on how high above the freezing level the sperm is exposed to and how long they are exposed for. This principle applies not only to frozen semen, but also embryos in liquid nitrogen. The neck of the nitrogen tank is where the stable temperature begins www.americancattlemen.com
to change. At different depths below the opening of neck, temperature progressively increases. Beginning at 2 inches below the top of the neck, temperature is variable at an increase of 40-50F, at 4 inches below the temperature is -160 F and at 6 inches is -290F. When selecting a straw to thaw, it is recommended that the canister never be held above the frost line (usually 4 inches below the top of the neck) for more than 10 seconds. The recommended “proper� thaw-
ing process will vary slightly from expert to expert or company to company. The general guideline according to the National Association of Animal Breeders is thawing at 90-95F for at least 40 seconds long. There is some conflicting opinions and research on how many straws can be thawed in the same water bath at the same time. Thawing only one straw at a time is considered optimal, and some research has argued it is the best way to ensure optimal fertility. However, July 2018
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SEMEN CARE AND HANDLING
this is impractical on larger scale operations where there are many animals to run through the chute and breed in a timely manner. A 1991 study examined thawing as many as 15-20 units at the same and concluded that if water was sufficient to maintain 90-95F temperature with the addition of more frozen straws, sperm viability wasn’t compromised.
Tank care
To maintain a consistent and safe temperature for long-term storage, nitrogen tanks must be totally undamaged and regularly monitored. One field study found that out of 60 tanks stored unsupervised for a period of time, 3 were found to have suffered significant nitrogen evaporation from various causes, destroying their stored units. Total evaporation can be incredibly costly but is a rare occurrence, it usually happens when a tank is neglected or improperly cared for. Nitrogen loss can happen very rapidly when due to even minimal external damage. Tanks should be observed and checked daily. Outer shell corrosion often happens when the tank is stored directly on top of concrete or another wet, poorly ventilated surface. This can greatly reduce its life expectancy. Simple elevation on wooden slats or a rubber mat is suffi32
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cient. No more than 6 months’ worth of semen should be stored in a single tank at the same time. When transporting or moving a tank, extra care should be taken that the outer shell is not bumped, scratched or dented. When transporting straws between nitrogen tanks, transfer should occur immediately with two tanks that are side by side to prevent as little thaw as possible.
Additional check points
The most obvious and perhaps often overlook aspect of breeding
success and semen care is overall cleanliness. This includes the thaw bath and water, A.I. rods, sheaths, scissors, and anything else that encounters straws and the animals. To help prevent additional cold shock of thawed sperm, the A.I. rod and sheath should be kept at body temperature, but never warmed with water. Rubbing them by hand or sticking them inside a coat or shirt for a few minutes will be sufficient. Temperatures should be maintained until semen has been deposited into a cow.
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CATTLEMEN’S SHOWRING
Cattlemen’s Showring WE WANT YOUR
PICTURES!
Show us You CATTL r E!
Welcome to the Cattlemen’s Showring, a place for our readers to show off their cattle pictures. Each month we will take photos from Facebook or ones sent directly to us and feature them in this page. If you have any past, current, or future livestock photos with family, friends, or yourself included please send them our way. We will put them on Facebook as well as the new Cattlemen’s Showring. Send pictures to our Facebook inbox @americancattlemen or email them to us at info@twinriversmedia.com
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ESTIMATED COSTS FOR LIVESTOCK FENCING
ESTIMATED COSTS FOR
LIVESTOCK FENCING
By William Edwards - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
F
encing costs are one of the most expensive aspects of livestock grazing. The type of fence constructed greatly impacts the cost per foot, total cost, and annual ownership cost. In addition, the shape of the paddocks affects the amount of materials needed and labor required for construction of the fence. This publication compares the costs of building a quarter-mile (1,320 feet) straight perimeter fence with four different types of permanent fencing plus temporary interior fencing. These are: woven wire, barbed wire, high-tensile non-electric, high-tensile electrified and temporary interior fencing. The type of fencing selected varies by personal choice and the species of livestock to be confined. In general all configurations shown can be used with cattle, woven wire and high-tensile electrified can be used with sheep, and woven wire can be used with hogs. The list of materials needed for each type of fencing is from Costs of Cattle Fencing for Grazing Areas (see referenc36
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es at the end of the article). Costs were adjusted to 2011 prices provided by a number of Iowa retailers, although prices may vary. Labor was valued at $15.05 per hour for woven wire and $16.25 per hour for barbed wire, the average fence building custom charges reported in AgDM File A3-10, 2011 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey. These charges include the cost of equipment and tools for building fence, as well as labor. Gates are not included in the estimates. Fencing can be configured in many different ways, using various types of fencing materials. The examples in this publication provide a general compari-
son between the following five configurations.
Woven wire fence
The woven wire fence (see Table 1) employs a brace that uses two 8-inch diameter posts and a 4-inch diameter crossbrace at each end. Posts between the braces are steel “T� posts alternated with 4-inch diameter pressure-treated wood posts. All posts are spaced 12 feet apart with one strand of barbed wire at the top.
Barbed wire fence
Materials for the barbed wire fence (see Table 2) are similar to the woven
Table 1. Construction cost for woven wire fence (Based on a 1, 320 ft. fence)
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wire fence except that five strands of 12-gauge barbed wire are substituted for the woven wire and single strand of barbed wire.
Table 3. Construction cost for high-tensile non-electric wire fence (Based on a 1, 320 ft. fence)
High-tensile non-electric wire fence
The high tensile non-electric fence (see Table 3) uses eight strands of 12.5-gauge high-tensile wire on 4-inch diameter pressure-treated wood posts. Posts are 20 feet apart. Bracing uses three 8-inch diameter posts and two 4-inch diameter cross braces on each end. Wire tension on this fence is maintained with springs and ratchet-type tensioning devices. An alternative is to set posts 30 feet apart and place two stay rods in the wire between each set of posts. Cost would be reduced about $85 for every 1,320 feet of
fence, or $0.064 per foot.
High-tensile electrified wire fence
The high tensile electrified fence (see Table 4) uses five strands of 12.5 gauge high tensile wire with three charged and two grounded wires. Bracing uses three 8-inch diameter posts and two 4-inch diameter cross braces on each end.
Table 2. Construction cost for barbed wire fence (Based on a 1, 320 ft. fence)
With the exception of brace posts, steel “T� posts spaced 25 feet apart are used. One quarter of the cost of an electric energizer is included in the cost of the 1,320 foot fence, assuming that such a unit would be used to energize at least a mile of fence. Wire tension on this fence is maintained with springs and ratchet type tensioning devises.
Electrified polywire fence (for interior use only) The polywire fence (see Table 5) uses one strand of polywire. With the exception of the end posts, fiberglass rod posts are used and spaced 40 feet apart. One-fourth of the cost of an electric energizer is included in the cost of 1,320 feet of fence, assuming that such a unit
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ESTIMATED COSTS FOR LIVESTOCK FENCING
Table 4. Construction cost for high-tensile electrified wire fence (Based on a 1, 320 ft. fence)
would be used to energize at least a mile of fence. If substituting polytape for polywire, the total will increase by about $40 because polytape costs about twice as much as polywire. If substituting high-tensile wire for polywire, the cost will increase by about $125-$150 (change includes switching to five-eighths inch diameter fiberglass posts).
Estimating annual ownership costs
Annual ownership costs for each type of fence are shown in Table 6. In addition to the initial material, labor and construction costs, owners need to determine depreciation and maintenance costs re-
quired over the useful life of the fencing. Ownership costs for polywire and polytape are more difficult to estimate than for other types of fencing. The nonwire/tape components have an estimated life of 25 years; the polywire and polytape will likely last about four to five years. Based on these estimates, the annual ownership cost for a polywire or polytape fence is approximately $0.06$0.07 per foot.
A lawful fence
Chapter 359A.18 of the Iowa Code states: A lawful fence in Iowa shall consist of: 1. Three rails of good substantial ma-
Table 5. Construction cost for electrified polywire fence (for interior use) (Based on a 1, 320 ft. fence)
Table 6. Annual average ownership cost by fence type (Based on a 1, 320 ft. fence)
terial fastened in or to good substantial posts not more than ten feet apart. 2. Three boards not less than six inches wide and three-quarters of an inch thick, fastened in or to good substantial posts not more than eight feet apart. 3. Three wires, barbed with not less than thirty-six iron barbs of two points each, or twenty-six iron barbs of four points each, on each rod of wire, or of four wires, two thus barbed and two smooth, the wires to be firmly fastened to posts not more than two rods apart, with not less than two stays between posts, or with posts more than one rod apart without such stays, the top wire to be not more than fifty-four nor less than forty-eight inches in height. 4. Wire either wholly or in part, substantially built and kept in good repair, the lowest or bottom rail, wire, or board not more than twenty nor less than sixteen inches from the ground, the top rail, wire or board to be between forty-eight and fifty-four inches in height and the middle rail, wire, or board not less than twelve nor more than eighteen inches above the bottom rail, wire or board. 5. A fence consisting of four parallel, coated steel, smooth high-tensile wire which meets requirements adopted by ASTM International (formerly, American Society of Testing and Materials) including but not limited to requirements relating to the grade, tensile strength, elongation, dimensions and tolerances of the wire. The wire must be firmly fastened to plastic, metal or wooden posts securely planted in the earth. The posts shall not be more than two rods apart. The top wire shall be at least forty inches in height. 6. Any other kind of fence which the fence viewers consider to be equivalent to a lawful fence or which meets the standards established by the department of agriculture and land stewardship by rule as equivalent to a lawful fence.
References
Gerrish, J., Fence Systems for Grazing Management, University of Missouri, Forage Research Center, Linneus, MO Morrical, D., Wells, G., & Shouse, S., Fencing Systems for CRP Land, Iowa State University Extension, Ames, IA, 1994 (CRP-8) Turner, L.W.; Absher, C.W.; & Evans, J.K. Planning Fencing Systems for Intensive Grazing Management, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Wilson, R.K. and Clark, R.T. Costs of Cattle Fencing for Grazing Areas, University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, 2002, (EC 830)
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PARTNERING WITH PRODUCERS FOR SUCCESS
ONE MAN OPERATION. TOTAL CONTROL. By Dana Charban
As an industry leader in cattle handling equipment, Arrowquip’s reputation precedes them. Their name is recognized around the world for their lineup of innovative livestock handling solutions and rancher-friendly equipment. With products ranging from the BudFlow® Cattle Tub that uses cattle psychology to the benefit of the handler to their highly
efficient Portable Cattle Handling Systems, Arrowquip elevates every piece of cattle equipment they
“TAKING THE MANUAL WORK OF THE MANUAL CHUTE.” – ARROWQUIP –
develop to a new level. Their entire lineup is world-renowned for the
innovation behind each piece of equipment, but there is no betterknown piece of equipment than Arrowquip’s Q-Catch 86 Series cattle chute. The New Q-Catch 86 Series has redefined the cattle handling industry with silent operation, and has quickly become known throughout the industry as the best cattle squeeze chute ever
manufactured. When Arrowquip asked the question, “Why settle for ordinary cattle equipment?”, their answer was the Q-Catch 86 Series. The industry has never seen a chute quite like this. The new 600 Series Q-Catch has been thoughtfully designed from top to bottom with the sole purpose of making cattle handling easier, faster, and safer for the operator and their livestock. They have created a chute that features one-man operation and can handle cattle of any size with no adjustments necessary. ‘Be Arrowquip Innovative’ is more than just a slogan – it is the driving force behind who they are as a company.”
“INNOVATION ISN’T JUST SOMETHING WE DO. IT’S WHO WE ARE. WE WILL ALWAYS STRIVE FOR BETTER, AND WILL NEVER SETTLE FOR ‘GOOD ENOUGH’” – ANDREW FIRTH, PRESIDENT –
Research is at the core of what Arrowquip believes in, and this belief is reflected in their skilled Research and Development team. This R&D dream team of engineers, cattle handling experts and ranchers with generations of experience
forms the backbone of Arrowquip, and the hundreds of research and design hours they put into their equipment can be seen in every inch of the Q-Catch 86 Series. With its user-friendly design, autolocking mechanisms, single lever controls, and the best access offered in any cattle chute on the market, the Q-Catch 86 Series is much more than quiet - it is everything a rancher could possibly need for their operation. Arrowquip is not afraid to take on a challenge, instead they take what others say cannot be done and make it happen. Silence is golden when it comes to handling cattle, and Arrowquip has taken every possible step to eliminate operating noise from the Q-Catch. From noise reducing poly bushings and rubber coated hinges to rubber floors and welded stays, everything on the Q-Catch is designed to be silent. Renowned as the quietest chute on the market, the Q-Catch 86 Series is the most sought-after cattle chute
the need for a second operator and ensuring solid, secure catches every time. The one-man operation title is no longer owned exclusively by the self-catch head gate. Arrowquip is often asked why they do not manufacture selfcatch head gates for their chutes, and their answer always the same. “The Q-Catch manual head gate has been recognized globally as the easiest way to work cattle – even easier than a self-catch!” The drive to find new, more efficient ways for ranchers to handle their cattle has allowed them to develop the most innovative manual catch out there, the world-renowned Q-Catch Head Gate. This chute can handle any animal from the smallest calf to the largest bull, and the dual friction lock box allows you to handle cattle of any size without a single adjustment – simply position the squeeze at a suitable width for the animal you are handling. Arrowquip has thoughtfully crafted every inch of
“THIS THING IS TOUGHER THAN NAILS. WE’VE USED IT FOR A LOT OF STOCKER CATTLE AND WE’VE GOT GOOD, CALM CATCHES, WE GET SOLID CATCHES, AND WE GET SOLID SQUEEZES. IT’S AN AMAZING PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT HAS MADE A JOB THAT HAS TAKEN MOST OF THE TIME FOUR-FIVE GUYS DOWN TO ONE!” – JASON, YOUTUBE VIDEO TESTIMONIAL, ARROWQUIP CHANNEL –
by ranchers across North America. Rumor has it dealers are selling the equipment by the truck before they have even arrived on the lot! While most manual catch chutes require extra hands and extra work for the operator, Arrowquip does things differently, as always. Their Q-Catch 86 Series Manual Chute features the most innovative method of operation ever seen in a cattle chute. You can use the head gate handle from any point along the side of the chute from front-toback, eliminating the need for extra hands in your operation! A solo operator can stand at the back of the chute to run the head and tail gates simultaneously, eliminating * Continued on page 43
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PARTNERING WITH PRODUCERS FOR SUCCESS
THE SILENT CATTLE CHUTE
SQUEEZE
SPECS
• 1950 lbs. • 54.63” wide x 92.23” high x 129.89” long
Q-CATCH HEAD GATE
• Single lever push-pull operation • No adjustments needed • Curtain-style straight head gate opens to a full 30” top to bottom • Patented locking mechanism • Poly roller brushings offer years of hassle-free operation
ONE MAN OPERATION
• Head gate operation handle can be situated anywhere along the side of the chute • User-friendly handle reduces operators fatigue
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• Single lever push-pull operation • Dual friction lock with infinite adjustments • Ranges from 29½” to 7¾”
SILENCE
• Poly bushings reduce noise • Quietest flooring system on the market
NEEDLE DOOR
• Completely removable panel with 12.75” of access to the neck
SIDE ACCESS
• Swing-out top and bottom access doors can be used independently or together as a full side exit • Side access panels are removable and can be used individually or together to access the whole animal
RUBBER FLOORS
• Maintenance-free molded rubber • Removable and replaceable • Patent-pending
DUAL ROWS OF RUMP BAR FINGERS • Top row of rump bar fingers extends to the back of the chute • Second row of rump bar fingers provides extra control for cattle of any size • Nylon rump bar fingers are engineered to endure high pressure • Heavy duty fiberglass rump bar is rubber coated to ensure it does not slip
VET CAGE DOORS
• Both doors swing 180°, offering maximum control and flexibility • Improved low-profile slam latch
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more. The true extent of Arrowquip’s innovation and expertise in the cattle handling industry can be seen in
“TREATING RINGWORM WITH THE HEAD HOLDER BY ARROWQUIP IS MUCH EASIER THAN NOSE TONGS AND ‘HOLD ON’ METHOD.” – FRANKLIN GENETICS –
two small additions to the Q-Catch 86 Series, the Head Holder and Sternum Bar. The Head Holder is renowned as the easiest and most efficient way to complete any procedure that requires access to the animal’s head. Even the rowdiest calves calm down immediately once the Head Holder is secured around the Q-Catch to provide the control and access necessary to work cattle of any size with ease. The squeeze ranges from 29½” fully open to just 7¾” when closed, and the curtainstyle head gate opens to a full 30”. There are no hip-catches or
“BY FAR THE NICEST, QUIETEST, HEAVY BUILT, USER FRIENDLY CHUTE WE HAVE EVER PUSHED CATTLE THROUGH!!” – BRIAN ARBOGAST –
foot traps to be found when going through the chute either, offering additional safety for the animal and ease of use for the operator. Access is incredibly important to the rancher operation for tasks of all kinds. Arrowquip has taken this into consideration, providing a fully removable 12.75” of neck access and side access panels that can be configured to suit your needs. The top and bottom side access doors can be used individually or together as a full side exit, providing additional safety and flexibility to the rancher operation. No matter what type of cattle access you require, the Q-Catch 86 Series has been designed to provide it and
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their neck, and the sternum bar is designed to keep cattle from going down in the chute. When paired with the Q-Catch, this trio is bound to increase the efficiency of any cattle handling operation. Arrowquip’s Q-Catch 86 Series cattle chute is innovation at its finest. The time and effort invested in the development of this cattle chute is apparent in every inch of the finished product. Silence, access, one-man operation, and the list goes on and on. Arrowquip has truly outdone themselves with the all new Q-Catch 86 Series Cattle Chute. For more information, please visit arrowquip.com or contact Arrowquip at info@arrowquip.com.
Q-CATCH Q&A.
YOUR QUESTIONS. ARROWQUIP’S ANSWERS. “WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT IS THERE UNDER THE RUBBER FLOOR?”
“CAN I INSTALL A SCALE IN THE CHUTE?”
“WHAT DOES THE ‘Q’ STAND FOR?”
“CAN IT REALLY WORK COWS, CALVES, AND BULLS WITH NO ADJUSTMENTS? IT SEEMS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE.”
The rubber floor is fully supported from front to back with 7-gauge (3/16) metal pans featuring drainage spouts.
Quick. Quiet. Quality. The concept behind the Q-Catch lineup is to provide ranchers with the best in cattle handling solutions to benefit their operation and their bottom line.
“IT LOOKS GOOD, BUT I NEED HYDRAULICS FOR MY OPERATION. DO YOU MAKE A HYDRAULIC CHUTE?”
Yes, we do! The Q-Power 106 Series is exactly like the Q-Catch 86 Series, but features hydraulic operation designed for the cow-calf operation.
Yes! The Q-Catch 86 Series is custom designed to work with Gallagher and Tru-Test Scales and Alleyway load bars.
Yes, it can! The squeeze opens to 29½” and squeezes down to 7¾”, the palpation cage squeezes with the chute, and the curtain-style head gate opens to a full 30” top-to-bottom. The auto-locking mechanism with infinite adjustments ensures that the squeeze stays put without the hassle of adjusting the chute for cattle of varying sizes. That means you can handle any cow, bull or calf in the same chute, and there is no calf table needed!
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July 2018
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The SKIDRIL G20D Ultra-Driver easy, fast post driver Weighing less than 40 pounds and requiring no hoses, cables or external power source the G20 is the tool if you’ve got fence to mend or build. The gas powered G20 can drive T-Post, ground rods and round steel post up to 3”. Its even fun!
SKIDRIL has been providing fencing machines for nearly 30 years so you can count on the G20D Ultra-Driver.
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Call today and order yours! Tel: 800-843-3745 • Fax: 336-674-6690
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MACHINERY & PRODUCTS NEW HOLL AND BALE WAGONS: I sell a n d bu y S elf- P r opelle d & Pull-type two/three wide models — H/9880, H/9870, BW38, BW28, 1095, 1089, 1085, 1079, 1078, 1075, 1069, 1068, 1049, 1048, 1037, 1036, 1033, 1032, & other models, parts, and tires. Can finance/trade/deliver. Call Jim Wilhite 208-880-2889 anytime. www.balewagon.com MISCELLANEOUS WANTED: Old barns or barn lumber or old city buildings/warehouses in WI, IN, IL and IA. Cell 309-2531317 www.barns-n-boards.com or email at Dndfox@aol.com.
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