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PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND
From moo to you Montana family owns, operates last dairy farm in the Flathead Valley By Madison Dapcevich Special to Agweek
KALISPELL, Mont. — When fourth-generation Montanan Bill Hedstrom bought his first dairy cow in 1971, he intended to produce just enough milk to provide for his family. But the operation grew, and he kept milking it. Forty years and twelve generations of cows later, Hedstrom’s family owns and operates the last dairy farm in the Flathead Valley. “We realized, if you have one cow, you might as well have a dozen,” Hedstrom says. “If you got a dozen, then you might as well have a couple hundred.” Over the years, the business expanded, and in 1996, the Hedstroms moved from their 25-acre farm to an 80-acre property and built infrastructure from the ground up with recycled materials. Today, Bill and his wife, Marilyn, run the dairy with the help of their children, grandchildren and eight employees.
More than 200 Holstein heifers are milked twice a day in a milking parlor built by the family. The milk is then pumped 20 feet away to Kalispell Kreamery, operated by Hedstrom’s daughter, Mary Tuck.
Getting creative When milk prices plummeted across the country six years ago, as a result of the recession, the Hedstrom family was forced to get creative or fold, as did many dairy farmers in the area. “We realized there was a real market for local products and local farming,” Tuck says. “People liked to know their farmer and know their food.” Overnight, a business model was drawn up on a dinner napkin that would vertically integrate the dairy with its new subsidiary — Kalispell Kreamery. Milk, Tuck says, is a flexible product that enables the creamery to offer its customers a variety of pasteurized products, including cream-on-top whole milk, reduced-fat milk, skim milk, half-andhalf, heavy cream and Greek yogurt. While distribution spans across Montana, business thrives on local
Kalispell Kreamery Cow Bill of Rights ■ Animals should have the freedom from thirst at all times. ■ Animals should have freedom from injury and disease. ■ Animals should have freedom from hunger at all times. ■ Animals should have freedom from unnecessary fear and distress. ■ Animals should have freedom to express a majority of their normal behavioral repertoire. ■ Animals should have room to move around freely.
Madison Dapcevich, Agweek
Kalispell Kreamery produces a variety of pasteurized products, including cream-on-top milk, reduced-fat milk, skim milk, half-and-half, heavy cream and Greek yogurt. connections and communitybuilding. “The community is very important to us, it is the reason we are still in business,” Tuck says. The creamery offers an unlocked mini-grocery that allows neighbors to purchase milk, yogurt and eggs through the honor system. Heifers begin their milking cycle when they produce a calf at 2 years old. The milking cow is then brought into the milk stream twice per day, producing one five-gallon bucket each time. About every 18 months, a heifer will have another calf, which keeps milk productivity at an appropriate peak. Raw milk is stored in a large tank before it is taken to
the creamery for processing, and bottled milk is placed on store shelves within 24 hours of milking.
Humane care Perhaps equally important to the Hedstroms is the humane care of all animals. Recognizing that, to get the highest-quality production and longevity from its prized milk cows, the dairy farmers treat their herd with a high level of respect. As such, the company instituted a “Bill of Rights” for its farm. This document outlines priorities and procedures to ensure safe and healthy business practices for its animals. Nestled between the Mission Mountains and Flathead Lake, Hedstrom Dairy and Kalispell Kreamery are truly a family affair. “The cows are a part of our family,” Tuck says. “They are a part of our life, and they are all we know.”
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PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND
Cattle cycle still a factor Variety of circumstances affect operation By Jonathan Knutson Agweek Staff Writer
The cattle cycle has long been a cornerstone of the U.S. beef cattle industry, a core assumption influencing crucial decisions involving marketing and expansion. In recent years, however, there’s been growing doubt in the industry whether the cycle — the roughly 10-year period in which the U.S. beef herd expands and contracts in response to changes in beef prices and profitability — remains valid and meaningful. But Tim Petry, North Dakota State University extension livestock marketing specialist, remains a believer. “It’s true, the cattle cycle hasn’t been as predictable as usual in the past 15 years,” he says. As a result, “I’m sometimes asked by producers if the
“It’s true, the cattle cycle hasn’t been as predictable as usual in the past 15 years.” Tim Petry Livestock Marketing Specialist, NDSU Extension cycle remains useful for planning purposes.” His answer: Yes, the cycle remains a helpful tool, especially over the next several years. Put simply, the cycle says when cattle numbers go down, prices go up — and when numbers go up, prices go down. Numbers don’t increase overnight — they can’t, given beef-cattle genetics — but higher prices eventually cause producers to build up their herds. But that’s not what happened over much of the past 15 years. Already-low U.S. cattle numbers continued to decline, even as prices climbed. Petry acknowledges the cycle didn’t always operate as ex-
pected, which he attributes to a number of circumstances: n Drought in parts of U.S. cattle country, especially the Southern Plains, forced many producers to sell livestock at a time when they otherwise would have been expanding their herds. n Drought in the Corn Belt pushed up corn prices and discouraged herd expansion. n Major political and economic events affected consumer confidence and demand. The list includes the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the Great Recession of 2008. The cattle cycle might never be as prominent or influential as it once was. The U.S. cattle
industry increasingly deals in the global marketplace, making cattle prices here more susceptible to events elsewhere in the world, Petry says.
Return to normal
But for now, at least, the cattle cycle is operating more normally, Petry says. U.S. cattle numbers are beginning to rise, and cattle prices, though still at relatively attractive levels, have dropped from their record highs of 2014. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts beef production to continue to increase for several years. Pork and chicken production is expected to rise in 2016, too, putting more downward pressure on beef prices, Petry says. “These record, once-in-a-lifetime prices we had been enjoying — there’s just no reason to think we’ll see them again,” he says. “Producers need to consider that in their planning, especially for the next few years.”
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PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND
Avoid skimping on cow nutrition
Proper balance of yellow and green
needed in feed rotation By Kris Ringwall Nice weather always is appreciated, but it can create illusions that things are fine. Lately, having traveled from eastern North Dakota to western Washington, I saw a lot of cows, normally obscured in the summertime, out grazing on crop aftermath or other paddocks that, in many winter seasons, are covered with snow. Using crop aftermath and late-season dry forage can cut production costs; however, this can result in consequences. Cows need to receive a balanced ration to halt poor performance, or even the loss of condition. Simply supplying copious amounts of dry, lowerquality forage will fill the cows up, but in the long haul, it will bring home some big-bellied cows that, once the belly empties, will be thinner than they should be. I have a generic approach to ration balancing: If you do not have some mix of green and yellow in the ration, more than likely, the ration is unbalanced. Take a look. More green is not the problem, but more yellow and brown means this is the time to involve your local nutritionist. Historically, nice winters produce thinner cows with calves that are susceptible to health issues. But when winters are tougher, outside feed is needed, the nutritionist gets involved earlier and the cattle receive a well-balanced, appropriately prepared ration.
Gestation Gaining weight is extremely difficult for a cow once she enters the last third of gestation. If the bull went out May 1, Nov. 9 started the last third of gestation; if the bull went out June 1, Dec. 12 started the last third of gestation; if the bull went out on July 1, Jan. 11 started the last third of gestation; if the bull went out on Aug. 1, Feb. 12 started the last third of gestation; and
Mikkel Pates, Agweek
Richard Papousek prepares bale feeders for cattle in Wall, S.D. Well-balanced rations are the best way to meet a cow’s nutritional requirements. if the bull went out Sept. 1, March 12 started the last third of gestation. These are critical dates in the production cycle. Producers need to adjust or supplement available feed to meet the cows’ changing nutritional requirements. Waiting to add condition to a thin cow can be a losing battle. The cow advances daily in fetal growth demands, and the third trimester arrives with the need to eat to support the accelerated growth of the calf. And, when winter weather does arrive, more thermal output is needed to survive. The cow needs the daily feed intake to keep the calf growing and stoking her internal furnace. As soon as she calves, all hands on deck. Milk production turns her into a perpetual milking machine. Feed in, milk out. Nice winters can lull producers into not paying attention. The opportunity to get the cows in shape and keep the cows in shape can slip by.
Balance Last-trimester nonlactating cows should be consuming
approximately 8 percent crude protein feed. In many cases, if one was to gather a sample of the forage available for consumption, one would be hard-pressed to get 6 percent crude protein back in the feed analysis. Sometimes it’s even lower. The feed might be available in copious amounts, but the quality is lacking. Thus, you have the vicious internal cycle of trying to cope with the numerous nutrients that are lacking and how that affects the cow, and the calf, as well. Don’t forget, the cow has to go through parturition and then provide adequate colostrum at birth. This is a big expectation. This is not the time to force a cow to pick and choose what parts of the body get the needed nutrients and those that don’t, resulting in increased calving difficulty, and newborn calves that lack vigor and are more prone to illness. A couple of pounds of a good balanced supplement or commercial cake can pay dividends. Check with your local nutritionist.
Meet their needs A final reminder: The cows will enjoy the nice winter grazing; however, if the many extenuating circumstances affecting the cows’ nutrition are not accounted for, the cows will not enjoy calving. Those cows that were not able to rebuild stamina, add condition and muscle for her own well-being, and grow the developing calf late in pregnancy are a result of a lack of available good nutrition. Do not skimp in hopes of saving a few dollars. Rather, provide the proper supplementation to meet the current needs of the cow herd. A good discussion often comes about this time of year with this question: Do the cows fit the environment? If the answer is no, seek out some new genetics through time. If the answer is yes, seek to maintain those genetics. Editor’s note: Ringwall is a North Dakota State University beef specialist and director of the Dickinson Research Extension Center.
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PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND
Talking seedstock JB Angus picks up Tuhy tradition; bull sale first Saturday in March By Mikkel Pates
Agweek Staff Writer
BELFIELD, N.D. — Jonathan Ficek and Bobby Kubas don’t mind talking about their JB Angus cattle, but it’s not really necessary. “The cows speak for themselves,” Ficek says, flatly. It’s a figure of speech, of course, but when you’re in the cattle business, the meaning is clear: these are high-quality cattle, owned by a pair of confident young producers. Kubas, 29, grew up in Belfield and graduated from South Heart (N.D.) High School in 2004. He started working in retail businesses while farming and ranching in partnership with his father. He bought some cows and started farming in 2005. “I always knew I was going to farm,” he says. “I’m a fifth-generation farmer and rancher.” In 2011, Kubas married Erika, who is involved in the bookwork, calving and other ranch tasks, while also raising their children. Meanwhile, Ficek, 26, grew up 20 miles away in Dickinson, N.D. His parents worked in town, but since about age 10 he’d spent lots of time at his grandparents Richard and Luella Dvorak’s ranch, near Manning, N.D. After graduating from Dickinson Trinity High School, Ficek attended Dickinson State University, where he earned an associate’s degree in agricultural studies in 2010. Ficek started ranching and building a commercial cattle herd while working as a technician with the Dunn County Soil Conservation District in Killdeer, N.D. In 2012, he moved onto his grandparents’ farmstead, and in 2013, he married Stephanie, who works full time as a nurse in Dickinson. Five years ago, Ficek and Kubas met through mutual friends, and shortly after, were helping each other with branding, spring cattle moving and cattle-hauling work. In April 2013, the pair joined together to form JB Angus.
Photo courtesy of JB Angus
In 2013, Jonathan Ficek, 26, of Manning, N.D., and Bobby Kubas, 29, of Belfield, N.D., formed JB Angus after buying 150 purebred cows from Richard and Sandy Tuhy.
Purebred plunge
Good timing
The two friends decided to buy an entire herd of about 150 registered Angus cows from Richard and Sandy Tuhy, neighbors to the Ficeks in Manning. They took possession of the herd that fall, about the time of Blizzard Atlas, and had their first calf crop in 2014. Keeping with a tradition the Tuhys had for 24 years, the new JB Angus holds an annual production sale for yearling bulls on the first Saturday in March at Stockmen’s Livestock West sale barn in Dickinson. The 2015 sale was the first for JB Angus, and in 2016 they expect to sell 65 bulls on March 5. The company also sells registered replacement heifers off the ranch in private treaty sales. “Our herd is backed by 40 years of genetic selection,” Ficek says. “The main focus is raising seedstock for the commercial cattleman. The registered cows don’t receive any special treatment. They’re run alongside our commercial beef cows and have to maintain their place in the herd while running in North Dakota weather.” JB Angus says they put “a lot of selection pressure” on their bulls, meaning they have structural correctness, calm disposition and “functional real-world genetics,” Ficek says. The bulls must produce calves with a high percentage of gain on grass and milk, and that heifers must have the potential to be top replacement females.
Ficek knows he and Kubas got into the business at a good time, and Ficek was able to take advantage of some Farm Service Agency programs for beginning farmers. “The market was definitely coming up, but wasn’t at the high point it would hit later,” he says. “One of the big helps is that the customers were selling steers and making good money,” he adds. “All of the bull sales in the region have been doing well.” Both are pleased with the Angus breed, of course. The breed is well-promoted and has become the “go-to” breed for commercial base herds throughout the region. Ficek says his grandparents used Tuhy Angus bulls for years. “It’s a good herd to buy,” he says. “When you know something works, why not?” Kubas says the registered cattle might account for 40 percent of his income these days. “It probably wasn’t that hard a couple of years ago when farming was real good, but farming’s kind of fell off the map,” he says. Kubas acknowledges mixed expectations, as the industry moves ahead. It’s aggravating to hear the persistent drumbeat from “people who think we’re cruel to animals,” he says. But it’s important to remember that only about 5 percent of the population, and U.S. beef consumed per capita, is only slightly less than the fiveyear average.
“Obviously, a lot of people like to eat meat,” Kubas says.
Looking ahead There are several reasons to be optimistic if you’re a young person getting into the cattle business, Ficek and Kubas say. “Cattle numbers — the hooves on the ground — are going to be down from what they were 20 years ago,” Kubas says. The average age of farmers has increased to 58, and cattle continue to be a lot of work. “There’s less and less (pasture) land for them to roam on because the farming side of it is taking more land,” he says. “I think things are going to stay decent, so we can make a living,” Kubas says, and notes the cattle business is still a legacy, passing know-how to future generations. “Our own families have passed it on to us.” echoes Ficek. “But it’s not easy. It’s stress.” But the production factors are looking favorable, at least in the immediate term. The warm fall weather has been easy on the JB Angus herd. They had a good hay crop and have had pretty decent precipitation in 2015. It wouldn’t hurt his feelings to get a little Christmas snow, he says. “We’re always looking for moisture out here,” Ficek says. At the end of the day, he says, it’s really about serving the needs and desires of customers. “We have a good healthy product, and it tastes good.”
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PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND
South Dakota producer honored for quality breed Zens Herefords farm calls award ‘a huge honor’ By Caitlynn Peetz Forum News Service
CANOVA, S.D. — Zens Herefords has been named the South Dakota Seedstock Producer of the Year, marking the culmination of more than 60 years of the farm’s efforts raising and breeding cattle. “We’re right in the heart of cattle country, especially for Hereford cattle,” Matt Zens says of the Canova operation he helps run. “So, to be recognized as the seedstock producer of the year is a huge honor.” The award is given annually to honor an individual or group who makes an outstanding effort in seedstock cattle production. Zens Herefords is family owned and operated, and for decades has focused on raising cattle that weigh between 2,000 and 2,700 pounds on the family’s nearly 1,400-acre property. Matt says there are approximately 130 cows on the property, and 20 to 25 are sold annually. The operation branches throughout the Zens family tree, with the majority of its members helping in some way to ensure the farm runs smoothly.
Surprise The award came as a surprise to Matt and his dad, the owner of Zens Herefords, Harley, who assumed larger operations that sell upward of 100 cows, would always win the honor. Matt added that the family strongly believes in “quality over quantity.” Zens could probably sell more bulls, but if a bull isn’t good enough to use on their own cows, they won’t sell it to someone else. “We’re picky with the ones
Caitlynn Peets, Forum News Service
Treston Zens, 5, tries to fool a cow into thinking a piece of yellow plastic is an ear of corn at the Zens Heresfords farm in Canova, S.D., while his grandpa, Harley, watches. we keep,” Matt says. “We want to keep the very, very best ones and make sure there are no downfalls in them.” Matt and Harley say they received a plaque at the South Dakota Hereford Association annual meeting and banquet on Nov. 13 in Brookings to commemorate the award, but the notoriety is the most rewarding. “They could have picked anyone, and we’re it,” Matt says. “At the banquet, it’s full of all sorts of deserving people, so being singled out is a huge honor.”
Special features One of the special features the Zens Herefords farm has is cameras set up in the calving barn. The feeds are accessible on the family’s mobile devices, where they can watch the cows and determine, from the comfort of their homes, if and when
they need to intervene. This feature is especially handy for Harley, who has an artificial leg. He says the cameras allow him to remove the leg at night and not jump the gun to put it back on when he doesn’t need to be in the barn. The other main draw the farm has, Matt says, is that Herefords are docile creatures. Especially with young children helping run the operation, he says, it is important to have animals that are not wild or easily frightened. “You can be standing here, just a few feet away, or drive right up to them,” Harley says. “The kids aren’t afraid of them.”
Quality cattle Harley says being staterecognized award winners just heightens the family’s desire to provide quality bulls and cattle to the community.
“The best thing is just looking at that bull right there,” he says, gesturing to one of the Zens herefords on the property. “You come out in the evening when you’re looking for the calves when they’re just being born, and you look at them and say ‘That was a special calf.’ It’s the satisfaction of knowing you’re trying to produce good cattle.” The dynamics of the farm operation haven’t changed since receiving the award last month, and Harley says the recognition is nice, but the hard work must continue. “It’s nice to be recognized for the accomplishments and stuff, but it’s still the satisfaction you get when you produce a product that’s important,” he says. “It’s amazing how the simple things are always the best things.”
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PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND
Veterinary Feed Directive SDSU Extension answers
What is a VCPR?
questions on new rule
In general, the VeterinarianClient-Patient Relationship is an agreement between the client and veterinarian assuming the responsibility for the animal’s health and treatment on their operation. With this agreement, the veterinarian must initiate timely visits and have sufficient knowledge of the client’s animals to prescribe treatments via a VFD, if necessary. A client must have a VCPR with a veterinarian before a VFD can be written.
SDSU Extension
In June, the Food and Drug Administration finalized the Veterinary Feed Directive rule pertaining to how feed-grade antibiotics can be used for livestock. Since then, there have been several meetings hosted in South Dakota and around the country for producers, veterinarians, feed mills and feed distributors discussing the details of these changes and how all parties will need to work together to follow new FDA guidelines for feeding antibiotics to livestock. On Oct. 1, the VFD final rule went into place, but manufacturers of feed-grade antibiotics have until Dec. 31, 2016 to change their labels, with Jan. 1, 2017 the day when these rules fully go into effect. Although producers will be able to wean one more set of calves before full implementation, it is important to start the conversation now and prepare all parties for the changes ahead. With change comes several questions. Here is a list of common questions about the VFD that will help producers start conversations with their veterinarians and feed dealers, so they can be ready for 2017.
What is a VFD? The VFD is a document that is necessary to use medically important feed-grade antibiotics in livestock that producers will need to obtain in consultation with a licensed veterinarian in their state.
What products will require a VFD? There are currently some medically important antibiotics that require a VFD, but as of January 2017, the list will get longer, affecting medically important products such as chlortetracycline (Aureomycin), oxytetracycline, tylosin (Tylan), sulfas (AS-700) and macrolides (Pulmotil).
For a valid VCPR, how often is a timely visit? The language on “timely visits” on the VFD final rule is intentionally vague, leaving the best knowledge and judgment up to the veterinarian and type of livestock they are raising. For example, they can visit a cow-calf ranch once per year at weaning time. Yet, timely visits to a swine operation might be much more frequent, depending on the barn turnover rate. Individual states’ interpretations of VCPR’s might vary.
How will FDA monitor the new VFD? The FDA will most likely begin monitoring the VFD at the feed mill and feed distributors to see if the filled VFD forms match actual sales. Similar record checks might be implemented on farm visits to make sure all feed-grade antibiotic usage is being documented.
What info needs to be on the VFD? The information required on a VFD includes: Veterinarian’s name, client’s name, premises where the animals fed a VFD drug are located, date issued, expiration date, name of VFD drugs (brand name or generic needs to be specified), approximate number of animals fed, level of feed-grade antibiotic fed and duration of use, withdrawal time and number of reorders.
Nick Nelson, Agweek
New rules go into effect Jan. 1, outlining how feed-grade antibiotics can be used for livestock.
Who needs the VFD? The primary caregiver of the animals needs to have the VFD. Therefore, in a farmer owned or custom feed yard, the manager will want to obtain the VFD. But if a feed mill is manufacturing feed-grade antibiotics for farm use (not resale), the mill is considered the end user and will need to have a VFD to get the medicated feed.
Can my vet call in what I need? No. The VFD needs to be documented and have a paper (or electronic) trail. Each of the three parties involved needs to keep records of each VFD for at least two years. When the veterinarian writes the VFD, he or she will keep one copy and the other two will go to the producer. The producer will keep one copy, and the other will be delivered to the feed dealer where they want the VFD filled. It’s anticipated that electronic means will be available to accomplish these paperwork tasks.
Can I use medicated feed in creep feed or mineral? Yes, but you will need to obtain a VFD for it and make sure the use is approved on the label.
How often do I need to get a VFD and what if it expires? A VFD can be written for a maximum of six months’ use. But, if a VFD expires before the client completes treatment, he or she will need to obtain a new VFD for those animals. Also, if there is product left after a VFD expires, the client will need to obtain a new VFD to feed the remaining medicated feed to a new group of livestock.
Will this happen or will it go away? Don’t count on the new VFD rules going away. Begin preparing now to help the transition go smoothly. Aside from starting these conversations, producers and ag industry personnel should follow best management practices ensuring the best vaccination protocols, lifetime nutrition and animal handling skills are in place to raise healthy animals.
Where can you find more information? The Food and Drug Administration website has outlined what producers, veterinarians and feed dealers will need to know about the VFD in informational brochures.
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PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND
NRCS releases Cropping Systems Inventory Landowner and agency cooperation important for soil health By Pete Bauman South Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service State Conservationist Jeff Zimprich announced on Dec. 1 the release of the latest South Dakota Cropping Systems Inventory at the joint annual meeting of Ag Horizons and the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts. The data in the inventory is valuable to anyone involved with agriculture and natural resource conservation in South Dakota.
Practices improving One of the most powerful statistics provided in the inventory is the trend toward
using no-till farming practices, which have increased from 37 percent in 2004 to 46 percent in 2015. During the same period, conventional tillage decreased 2 percent. Furthermore, more than 65 percent of South Dakota crop acres were managed with conservation systems that leave a minimum of 30 percent residue cover on the soil surface. This level of improvement in conservation practices of cropping systems is a step in the right direction. Despite the increase in conservation practices in most counties, some areas are slower to adapt or have returned to conventional tillage. In the past 10 years, eight counties in northeast South Dakota were reported reducing the total number of no-till acres.
Soil health Why is no-till important?
Soil Health is a hot topic, and has taken center stage in agriculture and natural resource discussions, and for good reason. Soil health has emerged as “common ground� where frank discussions can occur and where proactive steps can be implemented that benefit all parties. Experts say no-till crop management, which includes diverse crop rotations, is the quickest road to cropland soil health.
Agency communication Another significant consideration beyond the actual data Zimprich shared is the setting in which he shared it: A joint meeting of Ag Horizons and the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts. People in agriculture and natural resources should all be encouraged by the
positive trends toward improved communication and cooperation among the variety of agencies and nongovernment organizations involved in South Dakota landuse policy. While there is room for debate on many issues, soil health points everyone in the direction of improved health of all natural resources. Whether the soil health movement is the instigator of this change or the beneficiary, is of little consequence in the long run. The point is to realize no single entity can carry the load, and cooperation is necessary for success. Cooperation is demonstrated at joint meetings of the Society for Range Management and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts to the multiorganization sponsorship of the annual South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award, SOIL: See Page 20
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SOIL
PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND
Continued from Page 18 to the recent formation of the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition. All are examples that show cooperation in practice. The Soil Health Coalition is a new organization modeled after the success of the South Dakota Grassland Coalition and born of the support of groups such as SDSU Extension, the NRCS and the South Dakota No-Till Association. Soil health is a comfortable platform for many to speak openly and confidently about the role of natural resources and the importance of their protection for future generations.
Tying it together Soil health ties it all together. Improved farming practices that trend toward no-till and soil health generally yield positive results on the farm and beyond. For the farmer, the benefits are multiple, and include reduced input costs in fuel, fertilizer and chemicals, decreased wear and tear on equipment, increased residue cover, less compaction and erosion, increased infiltration, water holding capacity and improved soil quality. For the livestock producer, it creates opportunities for livestock integration into cropping systems through stubble and residue grazing or through the addition of cover and forage crops occur, while reducing the input costs of hauling feed and animal waste. Rangeland health can be improved through opportunities to move livestock off range and onto alternative forages planted on cropland acres.
These examples create opportunity for improved rangeland health and healing. Soil health is just as important in grasslands as it is in cropping systems. In many cases, rangelands set the benchmark for soil health when compared with cropland soils because they are the original no-till system. This fact speaks volumes to the importance of retaining and managing our native rangelands — which is another branch of soil health. The soil health movement, as it is often referred to, has the potential to provide a lasting and living legacy in South Dakota farm and ranch country. As a state, South Dakota will continue to struggle and debate the balance — and tipping point — of its natural resources and land-use decisions, and l continue to seek unbiased and research-based information to steer those discussions. A recent SDSU report highlights the increased conversion rate of grasslands to cropland in the past 10 years and the drivers of those land use decisions. The report indicates a possible return to grass on some of those acres during the next 10 years. Hopefully, the soil health movement not only directs good decisions on existing cropland, but also serves to improve landowner understanding of the value of native grasslands. It’s encouraging to see, at least in the no-till arena, the quest for improved soil health is not a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but truly can serve as a foundation to build on and a platform for all to come to the table. Editor’s note: Bauman is a South Dakota State University Extension range field specialist.
Hopefully, the soil health movement not only directs good decisions on existing cropland, but also serves to improve landowner understanding of the value of native grasslands.
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PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND
Reduce costs of herd expansion Advanced grazing management can reduce expenses By Tong Wang The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s mid-year cattle inventory report suggests beef cow herd expansion is currently underway. When compared with the same period a year ago, beef cow numbers have increased by 2.5 percent and heifer retention rate is up by 6.5 percent nationally. In South Dakota, beef replacement heifers experienced a 12 percent yearover-year increase. South Dakota has the thirdlargest increase in absolute numbers of beef replacement heifers in the nation, behind only Oklahoma and Texas. The expansion of beef cow herds is strongly supported by historically high cow calf returns in the most recent years, which likely will continue in the future. To make the cow-calf herd expansion decision more profitable, there are things for ranchers to consider. Advanced grazing management practices can reduce production expenses on a per-cow basis.
Grazing strategy Management-intensive grazing (MIG) refers to a grazing strategy in which the pasture is fenced into smaller units called paddocks. Animals are allowed to graze only one of multiple paddocks at a time, allowing other paddocks to recover. Compared with continuous season-long grazing, MIG can greatly improve harvest efficiency, the proportion of forage consumed by livestock compared with the forage produced. Meanwhile, selective and repetitive grazing, which is typical of continuous grazing, is minimized with MIG. This is because stock density is high on a small paddock being grazed, limiting selectivity and improving use of all available forage. In addition, MIG allows periods of regrowth and recovery for highly desirable grass species.
Cost reduction Pasture costs have a great impact on cow-calf returns. With improved harvest efficiency, MIG might allow a higher stocking rate, which might alleviate the need to rent or purchase more pasture if the MIG system is managed well. Research studies show, under certain circumstances, MIG can support increased stocking rates, compared with continuous grazing. Take a herd with 194 cows and six bulls for example. Given the initial stocking rate is four acres of pasture per cow (or one cow per four acres) for a six-month grazing season, with continuous grazing, an 800-acre pasture is required. For easy illustration purposes, assume pasture rent is $75 per acre. Typically, continuous grazing has a harvest efficiency of approximately 25 percent, while MIG can have a harvest efficiency of 35 percent. By increasing harvest efficiency, MIG allows more cattle to be fed on the same size pasture without reducing intake of individual cows. Given the same available forage quantity, this means the cattle stocking rate can increase by 40 percent. Suppose the rancher decides to expand the cow herd size by 10 percent. If the same stocking
rate is to be maintained, 80 additional acres will need to be rented to provide grazing for the additional 20 cattle under the same grazing system. If pasture rent is $75 per acre, a total of $66,000 will be incurred to rent 880 acres for the expanded herd of 220 cattle. For the same cattle herd, a greater stocking rate means less grazing land will be required. For example, if the stocking rate increases by 100 percent, only half of the total acres would be required to graze the same herd, which is 440 acres. Similarly, in our case, stocking rate under MIG system can increase by 40 percent without reducing individual cow intake. Therefore only 629 acres are needed to graze the expanded herd, because of the higher carrying capacity of the new system. MIG system involves additional costs as producers need to put up additional fences and install new water systems. The initial investment to incorporate MIG could range from $10 to $70 per acre, depending on the unique characteristics of each ranch. Most of the extra investments for MIG should last at least 10 years, with some maintenance costs after the investment. The chart above illustrates the partial cost comparison
between continuous grazing and MIG practice using a cow herd expansion example. Note that it is constructed for comparison purposes, therefore the common costs incurred by both grazing systems such as replacement heifers purchase costs are not included.
Ecological benefit In addition to cost reductions, MIG has the advantage of increasing vegetative cover and reducing bare ground. This enhances infiltration, reduces soil erosion risk and negative impacts on water quality. Compared with continuous grazing, research also shows that, if managed well, MIG also has the potential to increase carbon sequestration in the soil. Adoption of MIG strategy can be a win-win situation for the ranch operator and society. The Conservation Reserve Program offers cost-share assistance of up to 50 percent for fence and watering systems to enhance planned grazing, including MIG. This is good for ranchers who are considering expanding their cowherd and adopting MIG as a way to improve their operation. Editor’s note: Wang is an advanced production specialist with SDSU Extension.
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