Roundup for 11.7.2020

Volume 32 Number 28 • November 7, 2020

®

The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net

A Look Inside GPS technology is used to track and study cattle movement...............................Page 7 Efficient cow size is discussed

by Rabo Research’s Dr. Dustin Aherin..........................Page 12 Risk management is critical for producers during hard times and volatile markets.....Page 15

Recommendation for heifer reproduction shared The Beef Reproduction Task Force Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle webinar series kicked off Nov. 4 with a session focused on cows and heifers.

Dr. Phillipe Moriel, assistant professor at the

University of Florida and researcher at the Range Cattle Research and Education Center presented information for enhancing longterm growth and reproduction of beef heifers focused on mechanisms and the importance of timing on

puberty attainment, as well as nutritional strategies to achieve puberty sooner with greater body weight.

Optimizing reproductive management “Optimal heifer management maximizes lifetime productivity,” says

Moriel. “Heifers reach puberty by 12 to 13 months of age and should be pregnant by 15 months of age.

Heifers need three cycles to be considered sexually mature, and those heifers bred in the third cycle,

Please see GROWTH on page 10

Wyoming wastewaters tested for COVID-19 virus by UW researchers..................Page 21

Quick Bits Corn Prices

Corn prices closed around 1% higher on some late-session technical buying on Nov. 4. December futures closed up 3.75 cents to $4.0475, while March futures rose 4.75 cents to $4.1075. Ahead of the next weekly export report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, analysts are expecting another bullish set of corn sales data, with guesses ranging between 70.9 million and 98.4 million bushels for the week ending Oct. 29.

Governor’s Invasive Species Initiative Wyoming Weed and Pest Council dives into governor’s initiative at annual meeting On Oct. 28, Gov. Mark Gordon’s Invasive Species Initiative delivered its 40-page final report, addressing a wide array of topics surrounding terrestrial invasive plant species and including recommendations for coming years.

The report is a product of a series of collaborative meetings between 32 field experts split into two teams – a policy team and a technical team, each of which put together a set of considerations for the governor and established a framework to move for-

ward, with a focus on seven overarching topics.

These topics include species of the highest priority in Wyoming, gaps in terms of both policy and technical expertise in managing these species, assessing the current extent of invasion, the appropriateness of a statewide strategy, developing a sustainable funding model, how to organize and engage stakeholders and how to define and monitor success.

During the virtual Wyoming Weed and Pest Please see REPORT on page 13

Averi Hales photo

Soy Futures

Soybean prices climbed significantly higher on Nov. 4 on a round of technical buying triggered by dry weather in South America and expectations that domestic stocks will continue to tighten. November futures climbed 19.25 cents to $10.7825, with January futures up 21 cents to $10.8525, earning back all the ground it lost since Oct. 27. Ahead of the Nov. 5 weekly export report from U.S. Deparment of Agriculture, analysts expect the agency to show soybean sales ranging between 29.4 million and 62.5 million bushels for the week ending Oct. 29.

Art Contest

Submissions for the 2022 Wyoming Game and Fish Department Collectible Conservation Stamp Art Contest will open Jan. 2, 2021. The subject of the 38th annual contest is the pronghorn, and the winning image will be featured on the 2022 collectible conservation stamp. The rulebook can be found at wgfd. wyo.gov.

USDA Webinar The Extension Risk Management Education Program and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are hosting a webinar on Nov. 12 at 2 p.m.

Eastern time for agricultural producers and professionals focused on livestock risk management. The webinar is free and will provide information on livestock markets, price risk and risk management options available through USDA. For more information and to register, visit farm.unl. edu/webinars.

UW updates University personnel provides updates at WWPC conference During the annual Wyoming Weed and Pest Council Fall Conference and Business Meeting, held virtually on Nov. 3-4, several individuals from the University of Wyoming (UW) made an appearance to provide updates in regards to Wyoming weeds and pests.

UW research Dr. Dan Tekiela, assistant professor and UW Extension specialist of invasive plant ecology began the discussion by providing an update on his current work and research.

“What we planned on doing this past year and what we actually did were a little bit different because of COVID19, but that doesn’t mean we weren’t productive,” he said, noting the university’s travel and smallgroup research restrictions made research difficult.

First, Tekiela noted, with the help of Dr. David Coyle of Clemson University, he has been working on a publication titled, “Redefining Success in Please see UW on page 7

Gray wolves delisted After 45 years on the Endangered Species Act (ESA) list, the Trump administration, in collaboration with its many conservation partners, announced the successful recovery of the gray wolf population in the contiguous 48 states and the delisting of the species from the ESA. On Oct. 29, Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt made the announcement at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge outside of Minneapolis, Minn.

During the event, Bernhardt announced state and tribal wildlife management agency professionals will resume responsibility for the management and protection of the gray wolf in states with active populations. He also noted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will monitor the species for five years to ensure their continued success.

“This action reflects the Trump administration’s continued commitment to species conservation based on the parameters of the law and the best scientific and commercial data available,” said Bernhardt. “After more than 45 years as a listed species, the gray wolf has exceeded all conservation goals for recovery.”

“This announcement simply reflects the determination that this species is neither a threatened nor endangered species based on the specific factors Congress has laid out in the law,” he continued.

A recovered population According to USFWS, the gray wolf population in the contiguous 48 states includes more than 6,000 wolves, a number greatly exceeding the combined recovery goals for both the Northern Rocky Mountains and the Western Great Please see WOLVES on page 5

WOMEN in Ag

Lenhart’s passion for agriculture shines in advocacy The Box Equal Ranch in the Little Powder River Valley is what fourth generation rancher Cinnamon Lenhart calls home. Growing up, Cinnamon was raised with an appreciation for the land, the cattle her family’s ranch raised and the way of life agriculture provides.

Cinnamon participated in youth sports, competed in 4-H and became passionate about FFA in high school, going on to be selected as a Wyoming FFA State Officer towards the end of her senior year.

She continued her education at the Uni-

versity of Wyoming (UW), majoring in agriculture education and agriculture business, all while promoting agriculture as a UW College of Agriculture Ambassador and a member of the Mortar Board.

Cinnamon notes her time in college shaped many of her passions and prepared her to return to the ranch her father was raised on. Today, Cinnamon and her husband Jade share their life ranching and raising the ranch’s fifth generation.

periodical

periodical

Please see WIA on page 8

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

Election Jitters

As I write this column on Election Day, I’m relieved it is finally here as we have all had our patience wear thin. Freedom has taken a hard turn in the last 10 months.

Coupled with the pandemic, we have faced some hard days.

From the

The good news is, I’ve heard peoPublisher ple across the nation are voting in numDennis Sun bers we haven’t seen in years.

We all have to agree this has been a rough election season. Slinging dirt has been the normal. However, looking back, history shows there have been some pretty rough elections throughout the years.

One of the most hard-fought elections was when Abraham Lincoln was elected. Lincoln didn’t have a pandemic to deal with, but a civil war was on everyone’s mind.

In a four-way election in 1860, the Republican Party ticket of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin won. The eastern states thought Lincoln was a hick from the Midwest, and they ridiculed him for not being able to govern.

After the election, southern states started to secede from the Union and plan for a civil war. The South wanted to gain control of western gold fields to pay for the war, but luckily, they were defeated in New Mexico. Politics were not nice in those days.

I understand the presidential elections of Alexander Hamilton and Andrew Jackson were wicked, too.

Andrew Jackson stopped the English in Louisiana after they were whipped in Boston and New York. The English figured if they took New Orleans and controlled the Mississippi River, they could control the West.

Andrew Jackson stopped them, and his toughness stayed with him throughout his presidency. He was most likely the only president to serve with two rifle balls lodged in his body.

Dueling was his way of settling a fight.

See, we have come quite a way from the old days. But, now if someone doesn’t agree, they take a brick and throw it through a store window. We still have a ways to go. However, better days are always ahead.

Despite some commodity prices, agriculture does have some bright sides. Although it is sometimes easy to only see negatives, there are always positives.

Despite the pandemic, the demand for meat at the retail counter is good. Consumers are realizing beef, lamb and pork are quick to prepare, nutritious for their families, and they enjoy the taste. They now realize there are other cuts besides hamburger to cook at home.

The surprise cuts out there are lamb. The latest retail data shows pounds of all lamb sold at multi-outlet supermarkets in the U.S. in the 13-week period from April 20 through July 12, 2020, compared to the same time period in 2019, increased 8.6 percent or 16.3 million pounds. This equates to $137.8 million in sales for the second quarter.

California showed the most growth, so we need to cut them some slack, not much, but a little. Somehow we need to curb the imports of lamb. Hopefully, the quality of American lamb will help with this.

We need to give a pat on the back to the beef, lamb and pork checkoffs, they have really helped with sales of those meats.

Thanks for voting.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup Reporting the News by the Code of the West

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DENNIS SUN, Publisher • Cell: 307-262-6132 e-mail: dennis@wylr.net HANNAH BUGAS, Managing Editor • hannah@wylr.net AVERI HALES, Editor • averi@wylr.net BEAU PITT, Production Coordinator • beau@wylr.net JODY MICHELENA, Advertising Director • jodym@wylr.net CURT COX, Director of Livestock Field Services • 307-630-4604 • curt@wylr.net CODY NEGRI, Livestock Field Services Representative • 208-697-1093 • cody@wylr.net ANDREA ZINK, Circulation/Accounting Manager • andrea@wylr.net DENISE OLSON, Classified Sales Manager • 307-685-8213 • denise@wylr.net

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GUEST OPINIONS

Women in Ag Prepare For In-Person Event in November

By Saige Zespy The Wyoming Women in Ag (WWIA) are slated to host the 27th Annual Wyoming Women’s Ag Symposium at the Ramkota Hotel in Casper on Nov. 12-13 this year. After many conversations, WWIA will host an in-person symposium, with a variety of safety measures in place.

In our 27th year, Wyoming Women in Ag is committed to providing a symposium packed with information and great speakers. While COVID-19 has impacted many lives, the agriculture industry keeps turning to provide food and fiber to the country, and we know women are actively engaged in the day-to-day management of their family farms and ranches.

The opportunity to continue learning useful information to benefit their operations is important.

This year, we have planned a jam-packed event, with top-quality speakers from around the region. Attendees will have the opportunity for education and fellowship with other women during our day-and-a-half-long event.

The symposium will kick off on Nov. 12 with a Thursday night speaker, cash bar and hors d’oeuvres beginning at 5:30 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., Katelyn McCullock, director and senior ag economist at the Livestock Marketing Information Center, will take the stage. Katelyn’s expertise in the cattle, hog, dairy, hay and grain sectors will inform her market update presentation. Her presentation is sponsored by Jonah Wealth Management.

Following Katelyn, Wes Taylor and Darci Tamlin, a talented duo, will entertain audience members. Darci and Wes are both heavily involved in agriculture and are students at the University of Wyoming in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The next morning, registration and coffee open at 8 a.m., followed by a welcome at 8:30 and a keynote presentation at 8:45 a.m.

The 2020 symposium brings back Cat Urbigkit, a wellknown western Wyoming rancher, livestock guardian dog and large carnivore expert. Cat will speak about ranching in environments where large carnivores are prevalent. The keynote presentation is sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America.

Following the keynote presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to select from four break-out topics.

Breakout presenter Tracy Hunt a Newcastle rancher and attorney, will speak about how “The Great Reset,” as articulated by the World Economic Forum, will impact Wyomingites. Doug Miyamoto, director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, will update attendees on the industrial hemp industry in Wyoming in a breakout session.

As a third breakout option, State Rep. Hans Hunt will cover the latest developments in the Wyoming Food Freedom Act. He will also provide the latest update on food freedom and local food efforts across the country, providing insight on how Wyoming is keeping pace with the food freedom move-

ment across the country.

The final break-out presentation will be offered by Greg Faxon of Zoetis, who will outline the best practices for vaccine programs, as well as provide updates on the latest innovations in the industry.

Following lunch, Tammy Burke of Financial Benefits in Spearfish, S.D., will provide information to symposium attendees on agricultural estate planning. Estate planning is often our most-requested topic, and Tammy provides a wealth of knowledge on the importance of estate planning, as well as the numerous options farmers and ranchers have when setting up their estate plans.

Throughout the symposium, attendees will also have the opportunity to shop from a variety of trade show booths, featuring items ranging from jewelry and clothing to food, books and more.

As the state continues to see cases of COVID-19, Wyoming Women in Ag continue to be mindful of health concerns. Masks will be available to attendees who choose to wear a mask, but they will not be required to attend the symposium.

The Ramkota Hotel is also taking extra steps to provide a safe environment while following state health ordinances and the governor’s COVID-19 recommendations. For more information on the safety practices at the Ramkota, visit ramkotacasper.com.

Registration for the event is slightly different for the 27th Annual Symposium, as compared to previous years. The Nov. 12 evening event is $10, and the full-day, Nov. 13 symposium costs $35. Registration for both days comes at a discounted $40.

WWIA is very thankful for the generous support of our sponsors. Sponsors for the 2020 event include Farm Credit Services of America, Jonah Wealth Management, ANB Bank and Enbridge. Without the generous help of our sponsors, our symposium registration costs would be more expensive, and we’re thankful for their support.

For more information or to register, visit wywomeninag. org. Call 307-259-5013 with additional questions.

Saige Zespy is the Wyoming Women in Ag president. She can be reached at wywomeninag@gmail.com.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

NEWS BRIEFS Audit tool released

On Nov. 2, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced the release of a comprehensive industry feedyard audit tool.

The Cattle Industry Feedyard Audit will serve as a standardized audit tool based on the sound science and common sense established in the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program.

Though the audit tool is owned by NCBA, auditing of feedyards will only be conducted through businessto-business activity within the cattle industry. NCBA will be maintaining the tool with updates as science dictates.

The Cattle Industry Feedyard Audit was built based on BQA principles and includes key standards of animal care directly related to animal health and welfare that contribute to a safe beef supply. There are two major components of this complete audit tool – review of documents and feedyard observations.

Auditors will review documented protocols, records and potentially conduct employee interviews to verify protocols are being followed. Auditors will also conduct observations of pens, handling facilities and animal observations both in pens and during processing.

Results from the audit can provide information back to the feedyard to drive improvement and measure the effectiveness of the operation’s implementation of BQA standards. Upon completion, it will also certify that participating feedlots adhere to industry best practices and provide an increased level of transparency for beef customers and consumers.

For more information and to view the audit tool, visit ncba.org/feedyardaudit.aspx.

COVID-19 surge addressed

With the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations around the state, Gov. Mark Gordon and the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) are stepping up their efforts to protect vulnerable populations, enhance contact tracing efforts and expand testing availability to all residents.

Gordon is also concerned Wyoming’s economy will be affected by this rise in cases. While the state remains open, the impacts of the surge in cases affects all Wyomingites. Wyoming has averaged more than 200 new cases of COVID-19 per day over the past 14 days, and more than 100 Wyomingites with the virus were hospitalized around the state as of Oct. 30.

“This surge in cases in our communities is directly impacting Wyoming’s healthcare system, our businesses and industries and straining our healthcare workforce,” Gordon said. “This is the time to recognize our actions impact others, their lives and livelihoods. All of us have a role to play in ensuring our hospitals can continue to care for all patients, not just those suffering from COVID19.”

To protect vulnerable citizens, Wyoming continues to provide enhanced testing at nursing homes and assisted living facilities, including testing all residents and staff at facilities where COVID-19 outbreaks or clusters have been detected. At other facilities not experiencing outbreaks, the state continues its surveillance testing program, where a percentage of residents are tested regularly.

WDH is supplementing its contact tracing efforts by bringing on a Wyoming-based company, Waller Hall Research, to provide assistance. The Wyoming National Guard will step down its help with contact tracing support next week. Contact tracing is one of the state’s most effective strategies in isolating the virus and preventing its spread.

The state is supporting health facilities, correctional facilities, counties and other entities through testing available at the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory and through the 175,000 tests Wyoming purchased with Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds.

Additional rapid testing utilizing the limited number of BinaxNOW platforms provided by the federal government is also being integrated into the state’s strategy.

A free, at-home saliva testing program remains available to residents, and WDH is launching a program to support businesses and employers across the state with free COVID-19 testing as well.

By making regular and frequent surveillance testing available, Wyoming businesses will have an additional way to keep their staff and their customers as safe as possible, preventing future impacts to their operations due to illness. Wyoming’s school surveillance testing program is underway, with 27 districts currently participating.

Wyoming’s public health orders have been extended an additional two weeks through Nov. 15. These orders can be found at health.wyo.gov.

Educators awarded

Five Extension Educators around the state of Wyoming recently received national recognition for their work.

Crook County 4-H Educator Sara Fleenor received the Excellence in Communication and Expressive Arts Award. This honor is sponsored by the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals Communication and Expressive Arts (CEA) Working Group and recognizes professionals who have created CEA opportunities for youths, volunteers and professionals.

Kellie Chichester, Niobrara County 4-H Educator, received the Achievement in Service Award. This award recognizes members actively engaged in extension youth programs and who have served more than three years but less than seven in extension youth programs.

Platte County 4-H Educator Stacy Buchholz received the Distinguished Service Award. This award recognizes outstanding association members with seven or more years in extension youth programs.

Mary Louise Wood, Albany County 4-H Educator, won the Western Region Award for published photo, and Kimberly Fry, Campbell County 4-H Educator, won the Western Region Award for personal column.

Broadband funding available

On Oct. 22, the Trump administration announced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $10.6 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and Idaho. This investment is part of the $550 million Congress allocated to the second round of the ReConnect Program.

“Access to a high-speed internet connection is a cornerstone of prosperity, and unfortunately many of America’s rural communities lack access to this critical infrastructure,” USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is committed to leveraging all available resources and being a strong partner to rural communities in deploying high-speed broadband e-Connectivity to the people, businesses and community facilities that don’t have access yet. Connecting America’s rural communities to this essential infrastructure is one of USDA’s top priorities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”

All West Communications Inc. will use a $5.6 million ReConnect grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network.

This network will connect 188 people, nine businesses and five farms to high-speed broadband Internet in Summit County in Utah, Bear Lake County in Idaho and Sweetwater and Lincoln counties in Wyoming.

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Mask mandate issued

On Nov. 4, Dr. Alexia Harrist, Wyoming State Public Health Officer, issued a Public Health Order requiring people in Albany County, with some exceptions, to wear facial coverings in certain public settings.

City officials say the order is in response to dramatically increasing infections of the COVID-19 virus in Albany County and throughout the state.

The order was effective on Nov. 6, and the six-page order was issued at the request of the Albany County Public Health Officer after consultation with Community Partners, including business professionals and public officials and is modeled after orders already issued for Laramie County and Teton County.

According to the City of Laramie, the order requires masks when waiting in line to enter a business or inside a business.

As of Nov. 4, there were 12,675 confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide and 1,517 cases in Albany County.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

NEWS BRIEFS Live cattle futures released

The October live cattle futures were volatile as the market whipsawed from a daily close of $110.18 before crashing to a bottom of $103.32 per hundredweight (cwt). The final days of the October contract recovered, and on the last trading day ended at $105.97 per cwt.

Daily weighted average cash prices had a lot of ups and downs during October, dipping as low as $101.04 for live steers and peaking as high as $108.67 per cwt.

August had a similar pattern with futures leading cash for most of July before converging by the end of August.

October prices had large spreads between these two prices in the two months leading up to contract closure.

In early September, futures were a premium to the cash market by nearly $5 per cwt. This spread narrowed by mid-October, before the October futures dipped below cash for about 10 marketing days, then rallied about $2 per cwt.

The spread between the live cattle futures and the live steer freight on board (FOB) price for October averaged 93 cents per cwt – small relative to the last five years.

On Nov. 2, live steers traded lower than Oct. 30, giving up 15 cents to $104.34 per cwt. The December contract closed at $108.65 per cwt. Last year, November started more than $6 behind the December futures and averaged a discount of $3.08 between the live steer FOB daily weighted average and the December futures for November and December.

Wheat enforcement requested Following reports that despite the ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) earlier this year, Canada has continued to downgrade American wheat imported into the country.

Therefore, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) urged U.S. Trade Rep. Ambassador Robert Lighthizer to immediately reach out to the Canadian trade representatives to resolve the issues and enforce the agreement.

“In theory, USMCA ends the Canadian practice of automatically downgrading all imported wheat to feed wheat, which is the lowest grade and therefore, the cheapest to import,” wrote Tester. “As USMCA goes into effect, the state of Montana is hearing the Canadian government is unwilling to make changes to the Varietal Registration System (VRS), which would bring any real equity to the grain grading system. If Canada continues to refuse to accept U.S. varieties into the VRS, then U.S. grain growers are back at square one and will be forced to sell their high-quality product as a low-quality import.”

Tester continued, “USMCA held such promise, but if we are unable to deliver any real outcomes from the deal, we are failing folks in production agriculture.

Without robust enforcement, negotiated trade agreements will be unable to bring certainty and market stability to American farmers and ranchers.”

Public comments sought The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is inviting public comment on a petition from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. seeking deregulation of a corn variety developed using genetic engineering for resistance to corn rootworm and tolerance to glufosinate herbicides.

The petition will be available for public review and comment for 60 days.

APHIS is interested in receiving comments regarding potential environmental and interrelated economic impacts to assist in our assessment of the petition as it relates to the National Environmental Policy Act. The public comments received, along with the best available scientific documents, will assist APHIS in determining the appropriate environmental documents to prepare in accordance with the petition process to make a fully informed decision on the regulatory status of this corn variety developed using genetic engineering.

Members of the public will be able to submit comments through Jan. 4, 2021, at regulations.gov /#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0098.

Home fires on the rise

October was a particularly busy month for the American Red Cross of Wyoming’s Disaster Action Teams (DATs). Since Oct. 1, DATs have responded to 13 house fires across the state. Six fires occurred in Cheyenne, three in Casper, two in Powell and one each in Buffalo, Lander, Rock River and Torrington. Many of those fires were caused by improper use of heating inside the home.

Heating equipment is the second leading cause of home and barn fires in Wyoming, which typically rise in throughout the state during the colder months. During the month of October, the Red Cross of Wyoming provided assistance to 35 individuals – nine children and 26 adults with urgent needs like emergency lodging, financial assistance and recovery planning after 13 local home fires.

“Colder temperatures often bring the risk of home heating fires, and we want everyone to stay safe by properly warming their home,” said Gehrig Haberstock, Disaster Program Manager for the Red Cross of Wyoming.

For tips on how to properly heat a home and prevent fire tragedies, visit redcross.org/fire.

Turkey supplies down, prices up Wholesale turkey prices are up and production is down amid looming uncertainty over how COVID-19 will impact traditional consumer trends this Thanksgiving, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Economist Dr. David Anderson.

“Supply, demand and the subsequent pricing and marketing of turkeys in 2020 appears as if it could be heavily influenced by COVID-19,” Anderson said, noting some aspects of the market are already being affected.

According to Anderson, on the supply side, turkey production is down 7.7 percent for October compared to the same time last year, and overall production is down 2.7 percent for 2020 so far compared to 2019.

“Turkeys in cold storage, which are typically stocked up for the holiday rush, were down 11.5 percent in September,” he said.

“The turkey industry has struggled with profitability and some of the trends when it comes to consumer choices around the holidays and consumer trends when it comes to deli meat,” he said. “There are producers trying to gauge demand and what the market will be, and that’s been difficult the last few years.”

Lower supplies have driven prices up this year, Anderson noted. Wholesale turkeys – both tom, which are typically 16 to 24 pounds, and hen, which are eight to 16 pounds – prices were 19 percent higher compared to last year due to tighter supplies.

Last year, wholesale turkey prices were 20 percent below the five-year average. Anderson said it would be interesting to see if retailers continue the practice of running specials on turkeys to draw shoppers.

“However, COVID-19 adds uncertainty surrounding typical holiday gatherings and the subsequent choices consumers will make this year,” Anderson said.

A marketing survey by the Food Industry Association and marketing consultants, the Hartman Group, showed 33 percent of Americans will have fewer people at their traditional Thanksgiving celebrations. Around 26 percent of respondents said they would avoid long-distance travel.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

WOLVES continued from page 1 Lakes populations.

“By the early part of the 20th century, the gray wolf had become scarce across almost the entire landscape of the lower 48 states. But, the dedicated efforts of partners including states, tribes, conservation organizations and private landowners working together under the auspices of the ESA, brought this great predator back to healthy, stable numbers,” explained USFWS. Now, gray wolves in the United States exist primarily as two large, genetically diverse, stable populations broadly distributed across several states, with an additional population in Alaska.

USFWS noted the Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf population, which extends across Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, was previously delisted, and these states have continued effectively managing the population.

“For over 10 years the state of Wyoming, together with our sister states of Idaho and Montana, have demonstrated the ability to manage an ever-increasing delisted wolf population,” stated Wyoming Stock Growers Association Executive Vice President Jim Magagna. “Wyoming accomplished this with a steady hand despite periodic re-listings mandated by the courts. State management succeeds in large part because state management plans are developed in close collaboration

with local, directly affected interests.”

According to USFWS, “The Western Great Lakes wolf population in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, the largest outside Alaska, is also strong and stable. These states have been key partners in wolf recovery efforts and have made a commitment to continue their activities. The states of Washington, Oregon, California and Colorado are also committed to conserving wolves, as demonstrated by their development of management plans and laws protecting wolves.”

Delisting the species USFWS explained they made their final determination to delist the gray wolf using the best scientific and commercial data available, a thorough analysis of threats and how they have been alleviated and the ongoing commitment of states and tribes to continue managing for healthy populations once they are delisted.

USFWS also noted the gray wolf population is the latest in a long list of recoveries including the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, American alligator, brown pelican and 48 other species of plants and animals in the U.S. “No administration in history has recovered more imperiled species in their first term than the Trump administration, which has recovered 13 species in addition to the gray wolf since 2017,” stated USFWS.

“President Trump’s administration has focused on proactive measures, including partnerships with organizations, to ensure listed species flourish to the point of recovery,” said USFWS Director Aurelia Skipwith. “This is a win for the gray wolf and the American people.”

Importance of the ESA Kaitlynn Glover, executive director of the Public Lands Council and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association noted the announcement proves the importance and effectiveness of the ESA. “This is an example of the way the ESA can be used to recover a species and then return it to state management. This is important because so often we talk about the ESA as something that is punishing, burdensome or inefficient,” she stated. “However, this delisting teaches us there is an opportunity to improve the act to know when recovery efforts are successful, and like in the case of the gray wolf, to remove those federal protections so USFWS can turn its attention to other truly imperiled species.”

“We commend the USFWS for this nationwide delisting that is long overdue. Successful delisting of this high-profile species will serve to incentivize diverse partnerships that can expedite the recovery of many other listed or imperiled species,” stated Magagna.

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.

Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Deadline approaching Wyoming agricultural producers have until Wednesday, Nov. 18 to apply for $90 million set aside for those who experienced business interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Business interruptions can include supply chain disruptions, decreased demand for products or services, required closures and/or regulatory requirements that make operating unprofitable.

Wyoming farmers and ranchers can request up to $250,000, according to Cole Ehmke, rural entrepreneurship specialist with University of Wyoming Extension.

A second fund is available to nonag businesses and nonprofits that experienced losses.

“Both the Ag Fund and the Endurance Fund close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 18,” said Ehmke. “This is a rare injection of U.S. federal funds to state governments through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Wyoming has until Dec. 30 to spend the money.”

Eligible producers can apply one time per fund, and recipients of previous Business Relief Program awards may apply for the new funds if they have eligible losses or expenses since their previous application dates.

Applications can be made at wyobizrelief.org, which also has details, webinar recordings, video tutorials and calculation worksheets.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

USDA study finds large amounts of consumers don’t properly prepare frozen food According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 128,000 Americans are hospitalized annually for foodborne illnesses, resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths.

Therefore, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service researchers conducted a multi-year, mixed-method study to evaluate various consumer food handling behaviors.

In a press release dated Sept. 23, USDA noted this research has revealed many consumers may not know how to safely cook frozen foods, which can put families at risk of getting foodborne illness in their own homes.

USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Mindy Brashears noted more people are preparing meals at home due to the worldwide pandemic, meaning the practice of food safety in home kitchens is more important than ever.

Uncooked frozen products Brashears reminded consumers not all frozen foods are fully cooked and ready to eat, even if they

have browned breading, grill marks or other signs indicating a product has been cooked.

“In our study, 22 percent of participants said a not-ready-to-eat frozen chicken entrée was either cooked, partially cooked or they weren’t sure if the product was raw or not,” stated Brashears.

She also noted it is even more important for consumers to understand if a frozen product is raw or ready to eat if they have children.

“Frozen foods are convenient for busy families because of how quickly they can be prepared. Frozen food products are also a great option because children can easily prepare them on their own,” Brashears said. “It is especially important for children to know how to practice necessary food safety steps needed to prepare frozen meals to avoid foodborne illness.”

“Although some frozen products may look cooked, it is important to follow the same food safety guidelines as we would if we were cooking a fresh, raw product,” she continued. “Consumers should wash their

hands before food preparation and after handling raw frozen products and use a food thermometer to make sure frozen meals reach a safe internal temperature.”

In their news release, USDA noted 61 percent of national survey respondents who had experience with foodborne illness reported they did not make changes to how they handled food at home after being sick.

“This is concerning when we consider more than half of survey respondents reported someone in their home was considered at risk for foodborne illness,” Brashears said.

“These individuals – children, older adults, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems – are unable to fight infection as effectively as others, so they can be susceptible to longer illness, hospitalization and even death from foodborne illness.”

Food safety recommendations In light of their survey responses, USDA then offered a list of recommendations for safely handling frozen food products.

First, the department

noted inadequate hand washing is a major contributing factor to many illnesses, especially foodborne illnesses. Therefore, it is important for consumers to properly wash their hands before, during and after preparing frozen foods.

USDA explained in their study, 97 percent of participants did not attempt to wash their hands during meal preparation to prevent cross contamination, and of those who did try, 95 percent failed to wash their hands properly.

“Although frozen products may appear to be precooked or browned, they should be handled and prepared similarly to raw products and must be cooked,” stated USDA. “Frozen products may be labeled with phrases such as ‘Cook and Serve,’ ‘Ready to Cook’ and ‘Oven Ready’ to indicate they must be cooked.”

USDA’s third recommendation is to always use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of frozen meat products. The department noted beef, pork, lamb and veal should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit, ground meats should be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and poultry should be cooked to

165 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to USDA, frozen and raw produce may also carry germs causing foodborne illnesses.

Therefore, it is important to handle these food items with care as well.

“When preparing frozen corn for a salad in our study, almost all participants failed to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to check that it reached a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit,” stated USDA. “A food thermometer is the only safe way to know if it reaches a safe temperature.”

“Even when preparing a cold salad, frozen products must first be cooked,”

USDA continued.

When handling fresh produce, the department suggested consumers follow recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which noted fresh produce should be rinsed and scrubbed with a vegetable brush.

USDA’s final recommendation for preparing frozen food products is to make sure items in the freezer have not been recalled. Recall information can be found at FoodSafety. gov.

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.

Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Information sought Rock Springs Game Warden Andy Roosa is looking for information or tips concerning a mountain lion that was shot and left near the Utah state line on Oct. 24.

The collared animal was discovered Oct. 26 on the south side of Tepee Mountain. The mountain lion had been shot once, and no part of the animal was taken. Mountain lion hunters are required to present the skull and pelt of harvested lions to Wyoming Game and Fish Department personnel within 72 hours for registration.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Stop Poaching Hotline at 877-WGFD-TIP. Reports can also be submitted online at wgfd.wyo. gov, by texting TIP411 using keyword WGFD or calling Roosa directly at 307-350-4204.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

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Cattle grazing tracked as range management tool The Fall Grassland Seminar Series hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Center for Grassland Studies hosted a webinar on tracking cattle grazing with GPS and diet selection metrics. Range Management Specialist Dr. Mitch Stephenson from the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff, Neb. led the discussion.

Stephenson starts by explaining plant growth is dynamic and grazing livestock behavior tends to be dynamic as well, both based on a multitude of variables.

Transition with technology “A 1938 study visually observed cattle grazing behavior at half-hour intervals over a 24-hour period in the Sandhills,” says Stephenson. “This study found cattle graze 11 to 12 hours a day and rest 12 to 13 hours a day.”

Since this study, tracking cattle movement has dramatically progressed with new technology for cattle research, comparable to a Fitbit or an Apple Watch. GPS devices with accelerometers can be used to determine time spent grazing, resting and nursing, says Stephenson.

“GPS technology can almost continuously track cattle movement in one second to 10-minute intervals, for anywhere between three weeks and three or more months,” he adds.

The units, previously costing thousands of dollars, are much more affordable now, decreasing into the hundred-dollar range.

GPS ear tags are even available as an option, making precision agriculture for livestock more available to commercial producers.

Based on a continuous, automatic and real-time monitoring and control of production and reproduction, precision livestock management is gathering more data to use for decision making.

With rangelands mostly being extensive systems, Stephenson focuses on resource distribution, forage quality and distribution and things producers can’t manage such as weather, wild herbivores, predators and topography.

Where cattle are grazing “One of the questions we’ve been looking to answer is where cattle are grazing,” he explains.

“We can look at vegetation areas at the landscape or pasture scale, down to the

UW continued from page 1 Invasive Plant Management and the Importance of Realistic Expectations.”

“We used data from research in Teton County and Johnson County for the manuscript to show different examples of invasive plant management success in Wyoming,” he said.

Tekiela also noted he has been hard at work using dalmatian toadflax as a case study on the importance of management tool selection with particular herbicides.

“I am also still supporting the Wyoming Weed Risk Assessment Initiative, and as of right now, there are over 170 separate submissions of risk assessment, which is a really great starting point for this program,” he said. “Our goal is to eventually have an online resource accessible to the public regarding the riskiness and invasiveness of each species on our list.”

When it comes to on the ground research, Tekiela informed attendees he has two students conducting field research – one of which is looking at remote sensing technologies for invasive plant management and the other focusing on leafy spurge management in riparian areas.

New pest updates UW Extension Entomologist Scott Schell was next to address meeting

attendees.

“In addition to many other reasons, we had a very different year with a lot of new things showing up,” Schell said. “First, there was the Asian giant hornet found in Blaine, Wash., near the Canadian border. The U.S. Department of Agriculture was able to radio collar a few of the captured adults and successfully track them to a nest they were then able to eradicate.”

“We also had Japanese beetles show up in Sheridan County, which is the first report of the beetle in Wyoming,” he added, noting after setting traps in the area the beetle was reported, nearly 264 beetles were found.

“The goal was to see if we could trap them out.

The more adults we capture and eliminate from reproducing, the better,” he added.

Although the Japanese beetle is a concern, Schell noted the finding of beetles in Sheridan County doesn’t mean there is an established population in the area, since it is fairly common for the insect to hatch out in large numbers without overwintering.

Additionally, Schell noted the westward march of the Emerald Ash Borer down the I-80 corridor, which is being watched closely.

Release of beneficials Next, Tim Collier, associated professor of

plant community and individual plants the animal consumes.”

A recent study Stephenson conducted tried to predict grazing utilization relative to cattle grazing behavior. Their first step was to develop a topography index of the site using a digital elevation model to classify the upper, middle and lower parts of the landscape, which were labeled as lowlands, flat plains, open slopes and uplands.

“We were able to add resource selection probability to identify areas of the pasture receiving higher grazing pressure under different grazing strategies,” shares Stephenson. “We saw topographic influence on grazing utilization, which gave us some ideas in terms of management as far as where our cattle are more likely to over-utilize certain areas and plant species.”

In predicting cattle grazing locations, larger pastures tend to have less even grazing and distribution, while smaller pastures saw more uniform use, says Stephenson. Grazing behavior influences vegetation composition, plant structure and health and can influence multiple ecosystem structures within the

New technology – Tracking cattle movement has progressed with new GPS technology. Averi Hales photo

ecosystem science and management, informed attendees of several beneficial insects released in Wyoming for bio-control measures.

“Last year, I submitted a petition for the release of the Russian olive mite, and I recently received positive comments back recommending the release of the mite,” Collier stated.

He also noted leafy spurge beetles from Montana were released in Platte County, and following research on spotted knapweed and Canadian

thistle rust, field bindweed mites were released in Platte and Converse counties.

Applicator training When it comes to private and commercial applicator training, Jeff Edwards, pesticide applicator training coordinator at the UW Agriculture Experiment Station, noted those interested have three options for receiving their license – taking the test in person, completing an at home workbook or completing a 50-question exam.

“We have been work-

same pasture.

What cattle are grazing The second question Stephenson has been working to answer is what cattle are eating. Using fecal DNA and GPS monitors, researchers have been able to tackle challenges as tough as cheatgrass management.

“Targeted cheatgrass grazing has shown to be effective at reducing cheatgrass seed production, biomass and fire risk,” notes Stephenson. “Although, the risk of grazing native perennials early in the grown season if cattle aren’t grazing the cheatgrass, will dis-

“GPS technology can almost continuously track cattle movement in one second to 10-minute intervals, for anywhere between three weeks and three or more months.” – Dr. Mitch Stephenson, University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center courage perennial plant growth.”

Using GPS collars to determine time grazing in cheatgrass-filled areas, Stephenson and his team found potential target timing for cheatgrass grazing to be used as a management tool, without harming native perennial grasses.

Stephenson concludes,

“In the future, there may be opportunities for producers to use this kind of technology to get clear ideas of the plants their cattle are using and key times their cattle are using those plants.”

Averi Hales is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

“What we planned on doing this past year and what we actually did were a little bit different because of COVID-19, but that doesn’t mean we weren’t productive.” – Dr. Dan Tekiela, University of Wyoming ing with the Wyoming Weed Management Association to develop the program this year,” Edwards stated. “This year, we will be offering 12 continuing education units for individuals who need them to keep their licenses, which will be available Dec. 15-16.”

Edwards noted reg-

istration information for the course can be found at wyagric.state.wy.us, and as of right now, there are no plans for a new applicator program.

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.

Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

WIA continued from page 1 Ranching and advocating The Lenhart’s main focus is to create the best

cowherd possible to fit the land and the ranch. Cinnamon notes this doesn’t

Ranch advocate - While working to create the best cowherd for the ranch and raise fifth generation ranchers, Cinnamon Lenhart advocates for agriculture by sharing the daily aspects of ranching on social media, to educate both consumers and other ranchers. Courtesy photo

mean they apply everything exactly as it is taught in school, but more so, they have figured out what it means for cattle to be successful on their ranch and recreate those traits in each animal they raise.

“Our cattle come from an incredibly maternal line of Shoshone Black Angus cattle that I started with when I was eight years old,” says Cinnamon.

“These cattle have led us to our ranch mission statement of ‘Making Ranching Easy,’ because their genetics were created to save time and money.”

While working the ranch, Cinnamon passionately documents daily activities to share about the ranch, cattle and their production story. She believes social media is an incredible asset to producers, and shares her story to help teach more ranchers do the same.

“Learning how to tell our story efficiently has been a big mind shift change

for me, but I believe it is the key to good marketing,” Cinnamon states. “No one is going to tell the story of an operation, if the rancher doesn’t do it themselves.”

Sharing ranching and beef production on social media is one of the greatest ways Cinnamon continues to advocate for agriculture.

“Agriculture is leaning more and more directly to consumers, so we need direct marketing to allow us the opportunity to share a true and honest representation of what our operations look like,” she says.

“It is important our customers know what they are getting and be happy with the choices they’ve made as consumers.”

Cinnamon shares the more ranchers who tell their story, the better off the industry will be in the future.

Education is key One of the greatest lessons Cinnamon and Jade have learned through

“Be a sponge to the world. Take the online course.

Listen to the speakers. Do the professional development. Join the organization, and be ready to walk through the door if and when it opens.”

– Cinnamon Lenhart ranching is to be ready for risk.

“Ranching and agriculture are a risky business, and producers will most likely step out and jump at least a few times,” says Cinnamon. “But, treating a business like a business, learning how to market products and taking advantage of every educational opportunity out there will help risk to be less of a scary thing.”

Cinnamon notes whatever it takes to better the

business and the operator with knowledge and preparedness is worth the task.

“Be a sponge to the world,” she advises. “Take the online course, listen to the speakers. Do the professional development.

Join the organization, and be ready to walk through the door if and when it opens.”

Averi Hales is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

WaterSMART funding announced The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has selected 31 priority areas to receive $13 million in Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding as part of the WaterSMART Initiative (WSI).

These investments will help producers on private working lands better conserve water resources in coordination with investments made by water suppliers.

“Our farmers and ranchers are stepping up to the plate to partner with communities to gain efficiencies to better conserve our water supply,” said Kevin Norton, Acting Chief of NRCS. “Working with the WaterSMART Initiative allows us to make a bigger impact where it’s most needed.”

The priority areas are part of a collaborative effort between NRCS and the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation to modernize existing infrastructure and otherwise build drought resilience. The bureau’s WaterSMART programs, available in the western U.S., work with states, tribes and local entities to increase water supply.

NRCS helps farmers and ranchers voluntarily address water quantity resource concerns and agricultural drought stress. By aligning investments through WSI, NRCS aims to improve water conservation and drought resilience.

“Reclamation works cooperatively with states, tribes and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments to modernize existing infrastructure through the WaterSMART Program,” said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman. “This partnership with NRCS maximizes the impact of each agency’s program in conserving water and being resilient to drought.”

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

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Windrow grazing extends fall and winter pastures University of Nebraska studies found windrow grazing can save money on feeding costs and enable cows to more efficiently graze fall and winter pastures.

Dr. Jerry Volesky, range and forage specialist at University of NebraskaLincoln’s West Central Research and Extension Center, says this practice has been around for a number of years and can work very well in many situations.

“Windrow grazing has become fairly popular and is a part of many producers’ feeding programs. It works very well for producers who are using annual forage crops, with some warmseason species in the mix,” Volesky says. “These are crops with a lot of growth, which are then cut at the peak of their forage quality.”

Advantages of windrow grazing The advantage of cutting and leaving feed in windrows, rather than letting cattle harvest it on the stem as stockpiled forage later, is it can be cut at optimum maturity, locking in the nutrients at a higherquality stage. If left on the stem, it becomes overly mature and dry, losing nutrient quality.

“Stage of maturity is the important thing when harvesting hay or creating windrows for winter grazing. When cutting it, producers capture the quality at that particular stage,” says Volesky.

“The annual crops we utilize for this are usually planted in early to mid-July, which provides adequate period of growth. The windrows can be made in September and then grazed all winter long,” he says.

Volesky conducted a study nearly 20 years ago, which compared leaving crops in windrows versus baling the crop, hauling it to a stack yard and then hauling it back to feed cows in the winter.

“We grazed those windrows November through February with weaned calves weighing about 500 pounds at the start of the program. We looked at several things, such as how well the forage quality was maintained through winter. We found it kept just as well as hay that was harvested in big round bales,” he explains.

“Our calf weight gain on windrow grazing was equal to that of calves fed hay traditionally. We looked at the economics, and windrow grazing was a cheaper alternative because we saved the cost of baling, hauling the bales and hauling them back,” he continues.

Volesky adds, “Another advantage is we are leaving the nutrients in the field rather than hauling them off. Any organic matter left, plus manure from the cattle, serves as good fertilizer for the next few years.”

“We strip grazed the

field in sections, giving the calves about a week’s allocation each time, using electric fencing. They waste less forage this way. Otherwise, they have a tendency to pick through the windrows over the entire field, bedding in the hay and wasting more,” Volesky notes.

“We tried to measure waste, and the waste we saw with the calves was about 25 percent of the forage.

We didn’t try to push them very hard to clean up the feed. After the study ended in February, we brought in some dry cows, and they ate more of it, so there wasn’t a lot of waste,” he continues. “After the second goround with cows, our waste was probably equivalent to what we’d have feeding big round bales out on the field.”

Forage quality considerations “The forage quality is maintained quite well through most of the winter, but by March or April there is more variability in weather, with warming and cooling, and maybe some rain instead of snow. Here in the Central Plains area this time of year, the likelihood of heavy, wet snow might be a problem, and there will be some deteriorating changes in the windrows,” Volesky says.

Large windrows keep better than small ones.

“It depends partly on the type of forage and the equipment used. If it’s a very productive sudangrass or sudangrass mix producing three to four tons to the acre, those will be fairly large windrows. We need a properly formed windrow that settles down well,” he says. “If it is too large and fluffy, a strong wind may scatter it all over the field.”

A fairly large windrow, even though it settles down a bit, is easy for cattle to find under deep snow.

“Once the cattle learn about windrow grazing, they root down through the snow and find the forage,” explains Volesky.

Volesky notes it helps to cut the forage at a higher stubble height than when cutting hay, so windrows are not lying directly on the ground. On a perennial pasture or hayfield, there is minimal damage to the plants under the windrow, since the plants are cut after most of their growth cycle is complete.

“The feed lies in the windrow for several months, and there’s some potential for mold, but we noticed once the hay is cured and dry in the windrow, it didn’t spoil much, other than some discoloring of the top surface from rain or snow through the fall,” he explains.

“Underneath, we didn’t have any mold or spoilage problems. However, this will depend partly on the amount of rain received in the fall. Here in Nebraska, or on the Great Plains, fall weather is usually relatively

dry,” he says.

In most cases, producers are grazing dry cows on windrows rather than calves and letting cows graze the whole field rather than strip grazing with electric fencing.

“Initially strip grazing was a recommendation to minimize waste, but a lot of folks today just graze the

entire field, depending on the size and number of cattle. They see good results without the extra labor of moving electric fence,” Volesky notes. “A person may trade labor saved with a bit more waste, but feel they come out ahead in the long run. It all depends on their situation, time and goals.”

“Windrow grazing has become fairly popular and a part of many producers’ feeding programs. It works very well for producers who are using annual forage crops, with some warmseason species in the mix.” – Dr. Jerry Volesky, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Heather Smith Thomas is a corresponding writer for the Wyoming Livestock

Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@ wylr.net.

Popular practice – UNL's Dr. Jerry Volesky notes windrow grazing is a popular and efficient practice. Heather Smith Thomas photo

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

GROWTH continued from page 1 rather than the first, have shown to be more productive.”

Boosting puberty attainment is beneficial to producers as heifers reaching puberty before the breeding season are more productive than those reaching puberty during the breeding season, notes Moriel. Earlier maturing heifers also calve earlier, wean heavier calves and tend to remain in the herd

longer.

Moriel mentions preweaning strategies have more potential for attaining puberty, as opposed to postweaning strategies, while also offering an opportunity to minimize feed costs. Young cattle, Moriel explains, are susceptible to metabolic imprinting or nutritional and environmental impacts of productivity and growth, which follow the animal through

its life.

Pre-weaning strategies Recent studies have suggested enhanced nutrition in heifer developmental stages, particularly between two and six months of age, can help heifers to reach puberty sooner. One study Moriel cited in particular, suggests heifers consuming higherquality nutrition have greater reproductive tract development as well.

He explains four different nutritional strategies to promote greater nutrition

Fishing contest scheduled Just when anglers thought fishing on Flaming Gorge Reservoir was enticing enough on its own, Buckboard Marina is once again hosting the ‘Pup’ulation Control Contest for lake trout.

Anglers will be able to participate in this contest now through mid-June 2021 for only $20 per angler. Registered participants will be entered for prizes and immediate cash rewards for catching a tagged lake trout.

One hundred lake trout under 25 inches were tagged in Wyoming with a

bright green external tag, and these fish are worth $100. Additionally, there are more than 80 lake trout with orange external tags remaining from last year’s contest worth $50.

The goal of the contest is to make anglers aware of the abundance of small lake trout, less than 25 inches, in Flaming Gorge Reservoir and encourage harvest of these fish. Only those registered will qualify for cash and prizes.

For more information, visit Buckboardmarina.net.

during development. The first strategy is early weaning.

“Weaning calves at two to three months of age or on the first day of their mother’s return to the breeding season allows full nutritional control over calves and boosts growth directly after weaning,” says Moriel. “It is not so much the actual early weaning strategy, but we are immediately applying a high concentrate diet to increase average daily gain (ADG) and heifer size at puberty.”

The second strategy is pre-weaning injections of the exogenous growth hormone bovine somatotrophin (bST). Although bST is not currently on the market for early injection for commercial operations, research has shown the hormone increased ADG and increased levels of the hormone, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).

Creep feed supplementation is Moriel’s third preweaning strategy, providing calves supplementa-

tion without allowing cows access.

“A study started creepfeeding much sooner than normal, starting at 68 days of age,” Moriel explains. “Supplemented heifers gained more during the metabolic imprinting phase, and heifers had higher levels of IGF-1, but there was no difference in time to pubertal attainment.”

He notes when calves are small and don’t eat much, producer investment in supplementation is low, and this is a cost-efficient way to boost heifer ADG to reach a greater body size by puberty.

Pre-calving enhancements The fourth strategy is focusing on maternal diet during gestation. Research has shown heifers born from cows with restricted diets have smaller ovaries and a smaller corpus luteum, showing gestational nutrition has the

ability to increase reproductive organ development, according to Moriel.

“Cows supplemented in the third trimester tend to have heavier calves, and those heifer calves have a greater first-calf pregnancy rate and calved during the first 21 days of the calving season,” notes Moriel. “Heifers born to cows offered 100 percent to 125 percent of maintenance requirements also calved in the first 21 days of the calving season and had higher calving percentages.”

Body condition score also matters when it comes to the second and third trimesters, he says, as higher body score could protect the calf’s performance after birth from negative changes to the diet during pregnancy.

Averi Hales is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Keeping Up

By Miranda Reiman Some people dream of a cook or a maid, or perhaps a nanny or staff carpenter. I’d trade all of those for a technology manager for my family – our own personal information technology (IT) employee who could make sure I had all my photos backed up, parental controls set correctly and all the necessary updates installed.

I’m probably a bad Millennial for saying this. It’s not that I dislike technology, but some days I feel I have enough to worry about without complicating my life further by introducing yet another change.

Then as I type those words, I wonder, “Am I becoming my mother?”

When I hear about a new time-management app, a handy way to organize my grocery list or track my finances, two thoughts come up together, “That sounds cool. How could this possibly save more time than it takes?”

Do you ever feel this way?

A buddy starts rattling off the newest, best, greatest thing, and we feel a little bit behind. An expert talks about a new genetic tool, animal handling system or grazing strategy, and we wonder if we have the time to apply any of it.

Sometimes it all seems just a little too overwhelming to me. I want to throw up my hands and dig my heels in. I’ll stick to what I know, thank you.

But, then there are those times I’ve been forced to change. Other times, I’m as motivated by the advantage as I am paralyzed by the unknown, so I just take the leap.

For those of us who have made big changes that have worked for the better, we see it, too. Maybe its an investment in genomic testing or making renovations to a processing facility. We’ve seen the results in the calf crop or the time saved and better herd health after working cattle.

Those situations remind us much good can come from change. We all inherently know we can’t just stand still and expect to thrive.

So how do we balance it all?

This summer a cattleman discussed his adoption of technology with me. He said he wasn’t going to be first to try the novel idea, but when there was some evidence of success, he’d be right behind those that were.

Maybe others out there need to hear it too – we don’t have to be first. We don’t have to try every new thing, lest we be left in the dust. We need to find the ones that are most applicable and stand to do the most good.

It’s all about keeping the forward momentum going.

Next time in Black Ink, Miranda Reiman will talk about appreciating growth. Questions? E-mail nerceg@certfiedangusbeef.com.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

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International regulations for imports and exports affect beef industry The United States imports and exports many agricultural products, and there are many regulations affecting these sales – some imposed by our country and some by the countries we trade with.

Cheyenne McEndaffer, director of Export Services and Access for the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), says the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Export Library is considered the 'Bible' of export requirements.

Export Library “It is a full compendium and publicly available for anyone to see,” she says. “It lists the regulations for most countries we export to as well as their requirements for us to send product to their country.”

“Canada has some of this information for exports, but they don’t have the export certificates available like we do,” she continues. “Most countries don’t have these requirements publicly available. The United States is pretty open on what our requirements are to ship around the world, so many countries check our list as well.”

All U.S. exporters check this Export Library to know if they can ship a certain type of product, or to see if the U.S. has access to a particular market.

“If there are certain labeling requirements, facility requirements or live animal requirements, these are all listed,” McEndaffer notes.

“This is what the FSIS inspector, who signs off on exports, checks to make sure the product complies with regulations.”

“Some listings like Canada or the European Union (EU) are huge, while other listings, like Syria, are minimal," she says.

There are several ways this information gets listed, McEndaffer explains. First, if our government has a formal access discussion or an export certificate creation discussion with another foreign government.

“This could be initiated by one of the countries – either the U.S. or the other country involved,” she says. “It could also happen through a free trade agreement (FTA) discussion, which is the technical component to export under an FTA.”

“As we find new countries of export interest, if there have not been formal government-to-government discussion on the export certificate, as a trade association or an exporter we may approach the USDA and inquire about export requirements,” McEndaffer continues. “For example, we posed a question to the USDA this last spring for the Faroe Islands, and they reached out to our embassy in Denmark, who then reached out to the government in the Faroe Islands. They confirmed they wanted EU requirements to be followed for any beef shipped there.”

This type of confirmation can be official communication like a government letter or in verbal confirmation. Typically, McEndaffer shares, some type of written communication from the foreign government is required.

The USDA updated and created a new listing for the Faroe Islands following the interaction, she notes.

There are many countries listed, and sometimes a few things get missed.

“USDA tries to make the list as comprehensive as possible,” says McEndaffer. “If we notice an issue, we raise a question, and USDA will clarify with the corresponding government to get something back in writing, which is noted in the listing. There are different ways the governments can engage to make sure export requirements are understood by USDA inspectors for export certification.”

Harmonization efforts The U.S. has always worked toward harmonization of trade regulations.

“The ultimate goal for every market would be the potential to ship from any federally-inspected establishment in the U.S. under the 9060-5 form, which is just the basic export certificate,” explains McEndaffer. “We don’t want additional letterhead certificates with additional attestations to be signed off on for a country. We would not want an export verification program, which would be something the Agricultural Marketing Service also has to certify to, as it goes above and beyond what FSIS would look at from a safety standpoint.”

An example would be countries with outstanding bovine spongiform enceph-

Online marketplace launched FarmlandFinder Inc, a technology provider helping farmland companies and lending institutions digitize farmland transactions, launched the first online marketplace for farmland.

Now at FarmlandFinder.com landowners are able to buy and sell farmland, entirely online.

“Farmland is a highly fragmented and opaque market,” says Steven Brockshus, Founder and CEO of FarmlandFinder. “There are more absentee landowners today than ever before. Farmers are looking for optionality when it comes to expanding their land base and getting access to reliable information about the farmland market is difficult. We’ve seen books, cars and houses start to transact online, so why not farmland?”

Through the FarmlandFinder Offers platform, a landowner can request an offer on their land and receive offers from a private network of verified buyers in as little as a week. Once an offer is accepted, FarmlandFinder helps to navigate the rest of the process to ensure a seamless and stress-free transaction.

alopathy (BSE) restrictions, a requirement for beef produced from cattle less than 30 months of age.

“All these additions add costs and complications to the process,” says McEndaffer.

“Our ultimate goal would be to remove all those additional requirements.”

“Requirements on the live production side include beef being free of growth promotants and the traceability components of the EU program or the feeding component of the Saudi Arabia program. Anything required to be certified on the live side adds complications and makes the product more expensive,” explains McEndaffer.

“To import here, however, we require other countries to follow our E. coli testing and monitoring program, and we have additional requirements,” she says. “We also have to approve the plants shipping into the U.S.” Each country has the right to stipulate certain require-

ments for meat coming into their country to protect their own population. Thus, we will never get rid of all the differing requirements, because we also have our own. Any product coming in must meet the same requirements as domestically-produced beef.

The U.S. is slowly making progress, however.

“A lot of our export verification programs were put in to regain access after we lost access due to the 2003 BSE case,” notes McEndaffer.

“Now, we have the lowest risk classification for BSE under the World Animal Health Organization and it is easier for our government to negotiate with countries to try to remove some export requirements.”

“It’s really just a stepbuilding process and we try to slowly chip away at these things,” she continues. “This is one function of USMEF. We export to more than 80 markets around the world, and USDA looks to us and other

trade associations to prioritize what they need to focus on, since obviously they can’t work on all countries at once.”

“They look to us to see if we should focus on Chinese bilingual labeling or whatever else it might be. With regard to harmonization, we had a big effort with our government to try and align export requirements between Canada and the U.S,” says McEndaffer.

She explains Canada and the U.S. have similar food safety systems and share a lot of companies.

“So, why do we need to put bone-in in a specific position in the product name, going to Canada?” she asks.

“There were some unnecessary things over the years, so we worked with the North American Meat Institute in Washington, D.C., and went through the Canadian export library line item by line item and determined the countries could be harmonized. There is no reason for some of these requirements between our two

countries. ” “We spent a lot of time going through the export libraries and had meetings with our government to make sure they were clear on what we were hoping to see come out of that,” McEndaffer says.

“We didn’t get all the requirements removed we had hoped to, but in the end, between consolidation of some of the requirements and removal of old ones and alignment of others, the Export Library page went from 28 pages to 13 pages."

If nothing else, she says, it made it easier for inspectors who might not be really familiar with the process or any exporter or plant looking into the Canadian market.

“It’s not as overwhelming for them now to look through this information,” she concludes.

Heather Smith Thomas is a corresponding writer for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.

Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

12

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

Efficient cow size depends on biological and economic metrics

Cow size is a heavily debated topic at coffee tables, sale yards and calving barns, with no solid consensus throughout the industry. Dr. Dustin Aherin, vice president of Rabo Research Animal Protein Analyst discusses how cow size translates into profitability during the Cattle U and Trade Show hosted by the High Plains Journal.

Previous literature, Aherin shares, has found smaller-framed, lighter milking cows to be more economically efficient and profitable, while other studies found increased profitability with larger and/ or heavier milking cows.

While the studies differ in economic method, resource condition and geography, the greatest differences between the studies are in metrics used to measure efficiency.

Cow efficiency from a per dollar basis, per head basis or a per acre basis are all important to consider

when thinking about efficiency, says Aherin. The basis used to measure efficiency depends on the goals of the operation.

Biological versus economic efficiency “Biological efficiency and economic efficiency are not the same thing,” Aherin states. “Although both metrics are important, they depend a lot on the specific conditions measured, and it is important to measure them separately.”

Often, biological efficiency and economic efficiency align fairy well, says Aherin. But, this is certainly not always the case, and there are several studies showing the different rankings of biological efficiency and economic efficiency.

“Cow efficiency is a key point the beef industry needs to address, as the cowherd accounts for roughly 50 percent of total energy consumption in beef production,” he notes. “We need to figure out how cat-

tle can consume energy efficiently from a biological standpoint in terms of the number of calves or the pounds of calf weaned, as well as the economic efficiency, such as the cost of energy.”

Before digging too deep into the details, it’s easy to see one size does not fit all, says Aherin. Ideal cow size for efficiency and profitability depends on operation goals, geography, management practices and marketing strategies, at the least.

Modeling cow size and efficiency In his doctoral dissertation, Aherin created a model to quantify the biological and economic efficiency of cow/calf production with varying combinations of mature cow weight and peak lactation in the Flint Hills of Kansas. The model worked to combine genetic potential, growth impacts, reproductive and nutritive requirements and

overall cow health.

In the study, kilograms weaned per cow exposed increased with mature cow size, which Aherin explains as a known correlation between calf growth and cow size. Kilograms weaned per cow also increased with increases in milk and lactation.

Both metrics, as seen from a biological standpoint, suggest there might not be enough added weaning weight from large mature cows to offset their nutrient requirements when considering energy intake relative to calf weaning weight, Aherin says.

From a peak lactation standpoint, Aherin’s study found higher lactating cows were more efficient, but he explains this metric varies depending on nutrient availability, herd management and herd uniformity.

Lack of uniformity can lead to discrepancies in both research and real-world production.

“Cow efficiency is a key point the beef industry needs to address, as the cowherd accounts for roughly 50 percent of total energy consumption in beef production.” – Dr. Dustin Aherin, Rabo Research “The underlying theme is the importance of having a uniform cowherd and managing on a uniform basis,” Aherin notes. “If a producer’s cowherd is not uniform, some cows are going to be getting too much nutrition, while others won’t be getting enough.”

Economic efficiency From an economic standpoint, data from Aherin’s study suggests as cow size decreases, return per cow exposed tends to increase also. The trend continues with lactation, but is less apparent in heavy weight cows due to the interaction between nutritional requirements and dollar return.

“Looking at return on a per head basis, it depends on economic conditions,” Aherin says. “On an individual year basis, when feed is cheap and cattle prices are high, larger cows are favored because producers will see greater return on a per head basis. On the other hand, when feed prices are high, bigger cows will lose the most money.”

He notes smaller cows tend to be more stable in terms of general return per animal. On a lactation basis, results were similar.

“When feed costs are cheap relative to cattle prices, producers are rewarded by weaning as many pounds as possible, so heavy milking cows tend to be more profitable on a per head basis,” shares Aherin.

“When feed costs are high relative to cattle prices, the advantage goes away.”

“Perhaps the best metric to look at economic efficiency is return on investment (ROI),” he adds.

“With ROI, we tend to see an increase with smaller cows and higher lactation potential.”

Real-world herd application However, Aherin notes this model assumed all cow types exist in reality.

He asks, “How many 1,000-pound cows have a peak lactation of 30 pounds per day in a real beef cow herd?”

Another assumption his model made was no price differentiation based on projected performance after weaning.

“A different study which looked at calf projected performance suggests a $5.98 per hundredweight (cwt) discount between a smallframed calf and a mediumframed calf,” says Aherin.

“It is safe to assume 1,000pound cows could end up with calves falling in the small-framed category.”

Although ROI tends to favor smaller to moderate cow weights with heavy lactation, removing assumption of heavy-milking, light weight cows existing in real beef herds and adding the six dollar discount to animals assumed to finish lighter than the industry standard weight changes the picture.

“We start to see moderate weight cows with moderate to high milk rise to the top,” Aherin explains.

“The median is a 1,300pound cow milking around 27 pounds per day.”

Aherin notes in the beef industry, we are often taught to keep a uniform cowherd, maintain body condition scores between a four and a six, keep pregnancy percentages above 90 percent and manage nutrient requirements and cow type to match the environment.

“Following recommended practices and accounting for differences in size at weaning, the most economically efficient cow weighs somewhere between 1,200 and 1,400 pounds, with a peak lactation near 25 pounds per day,” Aherin concludes.

Averi Hales is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@ wylr.net.

RCPP applications accepted The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Wyoming is currently accepting applications for enrollment into the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

RCPP is a voluntary farm bill program, which provides financial assistance for targeted conservation projects in the state, such as addressing natural resource concerns in targeted big game migration corridors, addressing priority natural resource concerns in the Popo Agie Watershed and improving aquatic habitat in southeast Wyoming.

Producers interested in implementing conservation practices to improve natural resources on their private agricultural land have until Dec. 7, 2020 to submit applications.

Producers must have farm records current with the Farm Service Agency and submit a complete program application to NRCS to be considered for financial assistance through RCPP. Applications are accepted at all Wyoming NRCS offices located in USDA Service Centers across the state.

For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

REPORT continued from page 1 Council’s (WWPC) Fall Conference and Business Meeting Nov. 3-4, a panel of esteemed individuals discussed the new initiative.

“Completion of this report has been challenged on multiple fronts,” stated Gordon. “The teams were hindered by multiple large storms last year, making meeting in person nearly impossible. Then, in early 2020, COVID-19 impacted the ability for the teams to meet again. Nevertheless, the group delivered a product that can serve as a launchpad for future discussions, and I am extremely appreciative of their efforts during these challenging times.”

Funding discussion “Despite the challenges of getting everyone together, there was a lot of great discussion,” noted Rod Litzel, Johnson County Weed and Pest District supervisor. “Certainly, when thinking about invasive species control, funding is a major part of the discussion.”

“Where is funding coming from? Where can we find something that is consistent? Where can we find something that is flexible? Where can we find enough to develop and implement a management plan?” Litzel asked. “Our discussion really dived into the answers for these questions.”

According to Litzel, a potential answer to these questions is expanding the first mill levy and merging it with the second.

“Giving districts the ability to levy up those mills is something we explored,” he explained.

“Currently, only 11 of the 23 counties in the state of

Wyoming are able to capitalize on the second mill, so if we restructure it, it might give districts a little more power and ability to carry out effective programs.”

Litzel continued, “We also looked at the potential for a third mill, which would more or less be a locally led tax initiative giving districts the ability to focus on a single species, such as cheatgrass or other invasive grasses.”

“It is critical we recognize how important it is for the state to establish a sustainable funding mechanism in the future,” Gordon chimed in.

Collaborative partnerships In addition to funding, Julie Kraft, Sublette County Weed and Pest District supervisor, noted strong, collaborative relationships are also an important part of discussion around the initiative.

“In the document there is a strong focus on collaborative partnerships at all levels and focus areas,” she stated. “This is something already being pursued by many districts at some level, but we can always do more in terms of being better partners, gaining more partners and increasing our reach.”

She noted, “Solid partnerships can help us build more credibility to tackle difficult issues like our federal agreements, National Environmental Policy Act analysis and long-term landscape funding. By working with our partners at all levels of government, we can develop frameworks to help streamline the process.”

The panel agreed one of the most important part-

RAAA releases index The Red Angus Association of America (RAAA) released an updated suite of bio-economic selection indexes, including the Profitability and Sustainability Index (ProS).

The breed’s new flagship index is an all-purpose index covering economically relevant traits across all aspects of the beef supply chain from conception to carcass. This updated index will work as a combination of the alreadyexisting HerdBuilder and GridMaster indexes, which include traits from conception to weaning and postweaning through harvest, respectively. The ProS index is expressed in dollars per head born.

“Economic selection indexes are some of the best tools to help producers and commercial cattlemen and women with identifying animals that will improve the profitability of their operations. Using the updated ProS index will allow for improvement in the genetic potential of progeny to be profitable across all segments of the beef supply chain,” said Ryan Boldt, RAAA director of breed improvement.

The ProS index will provide producers from all segments with information they need to make cattle management decisions in order to become more profitable and work towards greater beef industry sustainability.

“These new indexes are the best that have ever been available for describing Red Angus genetics,” stated Tom Brink, RAAA CEO. “We’re excited about how these new tools will enable our breeders to make rapid, multi-trait genetic advancements in the years ahead. They are easy to understand and use, and Red Angus breeders have already proven their commitment to commercial cattlemen through continually making the breed better in the traits that drive profit.”

To view current Red Angus expected progeny differences averages and percentiles, visit RedAngus.org.

nerships to build and maintain is with university scientists and personnel.

“The university provides us with a stronger tie to research, while also providing training opportunities and public outreach through Extension,” noted Dr. Brian Mealor, associate professor at the University of Wyoming and director of the Sheridan Research and Extension Center. “It’s important we strengthen our support to the university for the work they are doing around the state.”

Public education and outreach Another of the most important partnerships

13

to build, according to the panel, is with the general public.

“Our teams also participated in a lot of discussion about education and public outreach,” stated Wyoming Weed and Pest Coordinator Slade Franklin, who then noted Wyoming state parks saw a 150 percent increase in visitation this summer.

“State parks throughout Wyoming saw a lot of both in state and out of state visitors, which easily allows invasive species to come into the state and get distributed throughout,” Franklin continued. “From mountain bikes, to boats, to RVs and everything in

“Weeds are not just an agriculture issue, and we need to spread the message to more recreationalists and the general public.

Partnerships within WWPC and among our colleagues can help Wyoming continue to lead fight against invasive species.” – Julie Kraft, Sublette County Weed and Pest District between, the visitation of recreationalists has a big impact on invasive species, and how we reach out to them is certainly a very important part of the discussion.”

“Weeds are not just an agriculture issue, and we need to spread the message to more recreationalists and the general pub-

lic,” Kraft added. “Partnerships within WWPC and among our colleagues can help Wyoming continue to lead the fight against invasive species.”

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to rounduo@wylr.net.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

Self-care critical for agricultural stress The Ag Community Support Initiative, presented by the University of Minnesota Extension, Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center and American Agri-Women, along with Annie’s Project and the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Foundation hosted a webinar providing information for responding to agriculture-related stress.

The webinar features Dr. Brenda Mack, who has specialized in providing therapy and crisis response services to a farm community for 21 years, and currently is an assistant professor and the director of field education in social work at the Bemidji State University.

Mack explains stress is a fact of nature, in which inside or outside forces affect an individual’s emotional or physical wellbeing. Due to the overabundance of stress in individuals lives, stress tends to be a negative experience, she says.

Building resiliency “We are in an unexpected, unprecedented time with COVID-19, with the impact heavily on the agricultural community,” Mack continues. “Some of us might be worried about our loved ones with underlying health conditions, worried about our kids who are ready to go back to college or school and what additional expectations or pressures might be on us during these times.”

Mack shares thinking about people individuals are comfortable with and activities which bring joy help to “fill their cups.”

“Self-care is a solution to reducing stress and symptoms of burnout – things we see manifest as exhaustion, inefficiency and cynicism,” she says. “Self-care builds resilience and is the thoughtful and mindful engagement in a healthy lifestyle, which builds resilience to endure personal and professional challenges and demands.”

These activities, Mack notes, are often ignored because of feelings related to other

tasks. However, putting self-care tasks on hold is detrimental to dealing with stress and feelings of being overwhelmed.

“It is important to talk about the positive things in our lives and what we are doing to take care of ourselves,” she adds. “By sharing with others, they might give themselves permission to do some self-care practices, also.”

Self-care tips Mack provides what she calls her “threelegged stool” of self-care to reduce stress.

The first leg of the stool is relational.

“Healthy relationships and connecting with others is critical fuel for resiliency,” she shares. “Often in times of stress, we isolate and detach from others, when research has proven one of the most critical things we can do to deal with stress is to connect with others.”

She adds, “Just being an unconditionally caring person in a farmer or rancher's life makes a world of difference.”

The stool’s second leg is cognitive.

Changing negative, self-defeating self-talk into positive and empowering self-talk has the ability to change perspective, especially when developed into a habit and practiced often.

The third leg is the physical reduction of stress, including eating right and drinking consciously, getting a good night’s rest and exercising.

“When we pay attention to our physical health, eat healthy foods and drink water, we feel better,” Mack notes. “Getting a good amount of sleep at night helps us to recharge and prepare for the next day.”

“In farming and ranching, there are a lot of things we don’t have any control over, such as commodity prices, the impact of COVID19 and weather,” she says. “But, what we do have control over is our thoughts and behaviors and how we approach and react to certain things.”

Averi Hales is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

15

Volatile cattle markets call for risk management planning Shortly after a fire in the Holcomb, Kan. Tyson beef processing plant devastated the beef industry in September 2019, disruptions from the COVID19 pandemic entered the scene. Both events, among others, have allowed for unprecedented risk for many business owners, but especially for those in the cattle business.

A recent episode of the National Beef Cattlemen’s Association (NCBA) Cattlemen to Cattlemen series featured a panel discussing tools available for producers to manage risk and set themselves up for success during these challenging times. Cattlemen to Cattlemen Host Kevin Ochsner says this volatile climate has tested even the most skilled and prepared producers.

The panel consisted of Greg Ibach, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, Don Close, senior vice president of food and agriculture research for Rabobank Agrifinance, Jim Fryer, incoming chair of the NCBA live cattle marketing committee and Tanner Beymer, NCBA director of governmental affairs and market regulatory policy.

Market volatility Both the Holcomb, Kan. fire and the ongoing pandemic significantly impacted the cattle market, leading NCBA and other organizations to call for an investigation into the markets.

“USDA Packers and Stockyards Division is in charge of watching the markets and any activity and movement in the market all the time,” says Ibach. “As calls for an investigation came out, we were able to analyze the data we collected throughout the year, and we released a report discussing both scenarios and sharing recommendations Congress is looking at right now.”

“One of the recommendations standing out the most from the report was the recommendation to work with the beef industry and help producers understand risk management tools available and potentially work to develop new risk management tools,” he continues.

Fryer notes the cattle market has seen big changes over the past two years, but this is not the first time the industry has experienced volatile markets. The most recent events impacting the market are fresh on producers’ minds.

“If 2020 and parts of 2019 have taught us anything, it’s that uncertainty

is the only certain,” adds Beymer. “I think in the foreseeable future as we start to work to normalize some of these levels, we are going to see market effects hit hard for cattle producers. How do we mitigate the effects of that?”

Risk management planning A more aggressive look at risk management is inevitable, says Close.

“Risk management is just part of this environment, not only for the survivability of an individual business, but also for the relationships of the producers with the lenders and end users,” he continues.

“Often, images of breakeven spreadsheets and a comprehensive suite of futures and options contracts pop into producers minds when talking about mitigating risk,” says Beymer. “That is certainly a part, but tweaking the calving season schedule and making adjustments to grazing rotations are also tools falling into risk management that are much easier and probably more intuitive to cattle producers.”

Risk management planning benefits producers by establishing a stronger relationship with lenders, a marketing plan to follow and the opportunity to manage leverage and equity better, all while taking a proactive approach in marketing their cattle, says Fry. “Producers will also be able to spread their marketing decisions out over time,” he notes. “Diversifying the marketing window is a major point of lending and financing.”

Ibach shares the most important tool as a producer working to manage risk is knowledge.

“Understanding what the prices are and what is going on in the current marketplace is imperative,” he says. “USDA offers a lot of different tools where we collect prices on a voluntary basis and on the mandatory basis. We give producers access to reports so they can tell what prices are and what they could expect from their cattle.”

Close explains Rabobank Agrifinance works on an extensive amount of research to provide their clients with information, as well as provide agents for loan and insurance programs through the government.

“The bank also offers a full lineup of over-thecounter products very similar to futures contracts, but some versatility with margin flow,” he shares.

“These products enable producers to structure loans so everything is settled when the livestock are

For more information on risk management materials, visit rma.usda.gov or rabobank.com.

sold.”

The USDA has massive amounts of data available to producers to understand the market and compare their herd to current cattle prices, says Ibach. Close adds in the United States, the amount of information provided through USDA is often taken for granted, compared to other countries around the world.

Commodity-based pricing adds value to products to help mitigate price risk.

Fryer shares there is a long list of programs available for producers to participate in listed on the USDA website.

Future tools “The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) launched MyMarket News, which allows producers to customize a report,” says Ibach. “In the next couple of weeks, we are going to be rolling out a self-help video letting producers customize their education.”

The CME Group is announcing a pork cutout contract in early November, according to Close.

He calls this an excellent example of what the beef industry might be able to pick up to incorporate individual carcass merit, rather than depending on traditional cash markets.

Ibach adds mirroring the grain industry with an opportunity for smaller contracts for those producers who don’t want to commit large percentages of their yearly production at one time is something the industry should discuss with the CME Group to benefit cow/calf producers.

“The fed cattle exchange is a good platform for trading, but there needs to be some tweaking to incentivize participation by all of the major packers and some of the regional packers to make the tool more of a price discovery

“Often, images of breakeven spreadsheets and a comprehensive suite of futures and options contracts pop into producers minds when talking about mitigating risk.” – Tanner Beymer, National Beef Cattlemen’s Association tool,” notes Beymer. “We have also talked about the need to increase negotiated trade in the form of negotiated cash or a negotiated grid so producers can still have negotiation contributing to price discovery but also get to realize premium for high-quality carcass traits they put on the rack because of improvements in herd genetics and every step along the way in the cow’s lifecycle.”

Beymer adds incorporating all of these tools into an online platform could provide producers with real-time access to real market information at any given time.

In the end, Fryer says having a sound risk man-

agement program will really help to solidify a producer’s business, but the program doesn’t need to be complex. The risk management program is a daunting task, Beymer adds, but it can be as simple or as complex as a producer wants to make it as long as it makes sense for their operation.

There are resources out there to help inform and make decisions, including county Extension agents, land grand universities, the USDA and NCBA, they add.

Averi Hales is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

16

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

CALENDAR

SALES Nov. 9

Submit your events to: Editor, Wyoming Livestock Roundup, P.O. Box 850, Casper, WY, 82602, or e-mail to roundup@wylr.net.

Nov. 11

EVENTS

Nov. 12

Sept. 3-Dec. 10 University of Wyoming Extension Master Gardener Online Training.

Register at bit.ly/master-gardener-2020. For more information, contact Chris Hilgert at chilgert@uwyo.edu.

Nov. 8-9 137th American Angus Association Annual Meeting, Kansas City, Kan., Kansas City Convention Center. For more information, visit angusconvention.com.

Nov. 9-11 Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Meeting, 8:30 a.m. Online. For more information, visit wyoleg.gov.

Nov. 12 Extension risk Management Education Program and U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Webinar, 2 p.m. For more information and to register, visit farm.unl.edu/webinars.

Nov. 12-13 27th Annual Wyoming Women’s Symposium, Casper, Ramkota Hotel.

For more information, visit wywomeninag.org.

Nov. 12-14 Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation’s 101st Annual Meeting, Casper, Clarion Inn at Platte River. For more information, visit wyfb.org.

Nov. 12-15 WRCA World Championship Ranch Rodeo, Amarillo, Texas. For more information, visit wrca.org.

Nov. 16-17 Wyoming Legislature Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee Meeting, 8:30 a.m. Online. For more information, visit wyoleg.gov.

Nov. 13 Nov. 14 Nov. 14 Nov. 14 Nov. 17 Nov. 17 Nov. 19 Nov. 19 Nov. 19 Nov. 20 Nov. 21 Nov. 21

Mohican West Bull Sale, at the ranch, Laurel, Mont., 406-633-2600, 406670-8529, mohicanpolledherefords.com Diamond Land & Livestock LLC, Douglas, Unreserved Online Auction, 800-937-3558, bigiron.com Bieber Fever Fall Production Sale, at the ranch, Leola, S.D., 605-4393628, bieberredangus.com Rees Brothers 33rd Annual Fall Production Sale, at the ranch, Morgan, Utah, 801-668-8613, 801-949-8960, 801-913-5747, reescattle.com Rocky Mountain Angus Association Golden Opportunity Angus Sale, Golden Spike Events Center, Ogden, Utah, 916-837-3095, 801-540-6818 Leachman Cattle of Colorado Fall Harvest Sale, Leachman Bull Barn, Fort Collins, Colo., 970-568-3983, leachman.com Live Hay Auction, Lofink Farms, Thermopolis, 307-921-1864, 307-921-1825 ZumBrunnen Angus 2nd Female Sale, at the ranch, Lusk, 307-334-2265, 307-216-0198, zbangus.com Selling BWF & Hereford Calves, Atkinson Livestock Market, Atkinson, Neb., 402-340-1680 K2 Red Angus Fall Commercial Female Sale, at the ranch, Wheatland, 307-331-2917, k2redangus.com Largent and Sons “Prime Event” Sale, at the ranch, Kaycee, 307-7382443, 307-267-3229, largentandsons.com Superior Select Replacement Female Auction, 800-422-2117, superiorlivestock.com HD Dunn & Son Angus Ranch 22nd Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Tetonia, ID, 208-221-3866, 402-382-5810, hddunn.com Redland Angus Annual Production Sale, Buffalo Livestock Auction, Buffalo, 307-250-1548, redlandangus.com Amdahl Angus and Herefords Annual Bull and Female Sale, at the ranch, Rapid City, S.D., 605-929-3717, 605-999-6487, amdahlangusandhereford.com

POSTCARD from the Past

Compiled by Dick Perue rrichardperue@gmail.com

Veterans to be Trained for Civilian Jobs by Second AF Colorado Springs – Second Air Force has evolved and put into operation a program providing jobs for honorably discharged veterans, thus returning ex-service personnel to a normal, useful wageearner’s life. The program was announced today at Second Air Force (2AF) headquarters.

Initial phases being completed, the 2AF Veterans Placement Program already has veterans in training for jobs on air bases as mechanics, welders, radio men and sheet metal workers. With this plan, 2AF is completing the cycle of training and placing men in civilian jobs just as it trains air crews for combat.

As the largest air force in continental United States, Sec-

ond Air Force, at present employs approximately 29,000 civilians at some 40 bases in more than 10 states as it produces heavy bombardment crews and fighter pilots for overseas duty. With manpower regulations becoming more and more stringent and to meet the growing requirements for capable and qualified workers, 2AF has developed this new program for the training and placement of veterans.

The plan includes the following methods of placement: First is the direct employment on one of the 2AF bases for men already skilled in mechanical trade or for unskilled men in jobs to suit their capabilities, such as laborers, fire fighters, guards, clerks or other semi-skilled occupations. The salary range on these direct assignments depends upon the ability

In honor of the fallen – Observance of the end of World War I featured an American Legion drum corps, made up of World War I veterans, shown here passing in review before civic and military officials. Veterans of Foreign Wars, Spanish-American war veterans and disabled veterans also helped observe the holiday of Veterans Day, along with Ft. Warren soldiers. Note the three children at the left, saluting like grownups. Cutline below from the Nov. 17, 1944 Fort Warren Sentinel published at Fort Warren near Cheyenne. Historical Reproductions by Perue

and qualifications of the veteran, his duties and responsibilities.

Second is employment through training for veterans who need or desire training, 2AF has arranged through the Colorado Springs Vocational School for courses in aircraft sheet metal, welding, aircraft radio and machine shop practices. The veteran is enrolled at a salary of $1,500 per year and $3l5 per year overtime paid while he is undergoing training.

Upon direct employment or at conclusion of the training period, the veteran is assigned to 2AF base of his own choice, if possible.

Travel to the installation is made at government expense.

The placement program, it was pointed out, has three-fold advantages including immediate employment of discharged veterans, further the war effort by relieving manpower shortages on the air bases and preparation of the veteran for skilled occupation after the war.

The above article was printed in the Feb. 7, 1945 issue of Slip Stream, a military newspaper published at Casper Army Air Base in Casper.

According to the Internet, Casper Army Air Base is one of only four World War II military installations constructed in Wyoming but, then, that’s a future history lesson.

In later years a portion of the Casper Army Air Base was used by the Wyoming Air National Guard, and I spent time training there in 1959.

– Dick Perue, proud Air Force veteran

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Floriculture included in CFAP 2 The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Two (CFAP 2) will now provide floriculture or nursery crop producers with financial assistance, giving them the ability to absorb some of the increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

CFAP 2 payments are available for eligible producers of floriculture and nursery crops, including cactus and Christmas trees, which are categorized as sales commodities. Payment calculations will use a sales-based approach, where producers of eligible commodities are paid based on five payment gradations associated with their 2019 sales.

Producer applications will be accepted through Dec. 11, 2020.

Additional information and application forms can be found at farmers.gov/cfap. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested.

All other eligibility forms, such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be downloaded from farmers.gov/cfap/apply.

Customers seeking one-on-one support with the CFAP 2 application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

Holiday Roundup Advertising Deadlines THANKSGIVING DEADLINES The Roundup office will be closed Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27 for Thanksgiving.

Advertising Deadline for the November 28th Roundup: Monday, November 23rd • Noon

CHRISTMAS DEADLINES

American Agri-Women applaud ESA policy On Oct. 29, American AgriWomen (AAW) President Karolyn Zurn attended the announcement of the final ruling by the Department of Interior (DOI) to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) list. The event was held at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Center outside of Minneapolis, Minn. and officiated by DOI Secretary Bernhardt.

The gray wolf was listed and began receiving protections under the ESA in 1973. It is widely acknowledged the gray wolf population had recovered years ago, under both statutory requirements for species recovery as well as from the standpoint of longterm ecological sustainability.

By delisting the gray wolf from federal guidelines, the future responsibility will be held by the states.

Gray wolf management will be better off under the guidance of individual states as they are better equipped when watching environmental concerns surrounding the wolf habitat.

AAW supports state and local control for the management of all species of predators, such as the gray wolf. The protections put in place for the gray wolf should include protection for agriculture as well. State and locally kept records showing issues arising for humans and causing harm to the livelihood of farmers and ranchers as the gray wolf preys on livestock including cattle.

The Roundup office will be closed Thursday, December 24 - Friday, January 1 for Christmas.

Advertising Deadline for the December 26th and January 2nd Roundups: Monday, December 21st • 5 p.m.

®

www.wylr.net • 800.967.1647

AAW in attendance – Department of Interior Secretary Bernhardt stands with Karolyn Zurn, president of American Agri-Women, at the gray wolf endangered species delisting event. Courtesy photo

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

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UW research will test Wyoming wastewaters for COVID-19 virus University of Wyoming (UW) scientists will use an $800,000 grant from the Wyoming Department of Public Health to test effluent from Wyoming communities for SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19.

The testing could show disease trends and even predict outbreaks days before they can be identified by other types of testing.

Bledar Bisha in the Department of Animal Science and Sara Collins in the Department of Zoology and Physiology are collaborating to test samples from up to 100 sites several times a week once the project is running.

More than 7,000 samples over the course of one year will be tested in Bisha’s laboratory in animal science and half in the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory (WPHL) in Cheyenne, noted Bisha, associate professor and interim head of the department.

Bisha and Collins have other ongoing collaborations on water projects, especially focusing on understanding sources of microbial contamination of recreational water bodies in Wyoming.

“This has a different feel from everything else we do,” Bisha said. “We feel the sense of urgency here, so we are really happy to be able to provide at least some help in the fight against the disease in the state.”

Bisha explained the virus typically spreads via larger droplets generated by individuals in close contact when they breathe, talk or sneeze, but evidence has mounted supporting airborne transmission via aerosols.

“COVID-19 is thought of as a respiratory illness, but the receptors to which the virus attaches are also present in the gastrointestinal tract,” he said.

“Those infected with the virus shed the virus through feces.”

“So this is why we look in

wastewater,” he said. “But, the interesting thing about looking at wastewater is we’re likely to catch both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases because the disease is transmitted by those who are asymptomatic.

However, sometimes clinical testing won’t pick up those cases.”

The process can indicate whether there is a trend of increasing positive samples as well as higher virus quantities, which could indicate if the disease is spiking in a community. The testing cannot determine number of cases, even though at least semi-quantitative predictions of cases can be made using the current methodology, he said.

“The tool can’t be fully quantitative, but it’s fairly

2020

useful if we use it to assess trends,” said Bisha. “Where this tool has been used in the past, it’s been possible to assess an outbreak at least a week before clinical cases started to appear.”

The tool has been used to detect polio cases in the 1930s and more recently has been employed for this in developing countries.

“It’s proved to be an effective method to look at trends of infectious disease in the past and not only infectious diseases, but even other unconventional applications, such as wastewater testing to look at opioid use in communities, for the benefit of public health,” he said.

Graduate Student Alexys McGuire of Akron, Colo. will

lead the project assisted by undergraduate students and a laboratory technician.

The research group is working closely with public health officials, especially Noah Hull and Wanda Manley at WPHL and will plan to share the COVID-19 data, said Bisha. Samples will be taken before the influent enters a wastewater treatment facility.

McGuire’s group will use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to detect gene sequences unique to the virus.

“The best way to do this is to try to concentrate the viral nucleic acids, which in the case of this virus is RNA, not DNA,” said Bisha. “We are extracting the target RNA

“COVID-19 is thought of as a respiratory illness, but the receptors to which the virus attaches are also present in the gastrointestinal tract.”

– Bledar Bisha, University of Wyoming indicative of the virus, and then we purify it and run the PCR, making many, many copies and detecting them in real time.”

The testing does not replicate the virus, only the target RNA. COVID-19 mutations would not change testing effectiveness, said Bisha.

“The genes are very important genes for survival and for the attachment to the target cells, so they are not likely to mutate,” he said.

There is much to be done

on the research front, said Bisha.

“But, it’s also a great service to the state, so we feel excited to provide yet another tool to monitor the prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 in our communities and help in the greater effort to curtail the outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2,” he said.

This article was written by UW Extension Senior Editor Dr. Steve Miller and is courtesy of the University of Wyoming. Miller can be reached at slmiller@uwyo.edu.

Christmas Corral

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

Livestock Conservancy works to conserve heritage sheep breeds The Livestock Conservancy, a national nonprofit dedicated to conserving rare breeds and continuing biodiversity in agriculture, teamed up with the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) during the Sept.

8 Let’s Grow webinar to discuss the conservation and comeback of several heritage breed sheep in the U.S. “Heritage breed sheep are one of the more numerous species we work with, and there are quite a few rare breeds in the U.S. that have been outcompeted by faster growing, finer-wool breeds,” notes Jeannette Beranger, senior program manager at the Livestock Conservancy. “We try to not only conserve these breeds, but give them a purpose and help people get excited about them.”

Heritage sheep breeds Beranger explains the Livestock Conservancy

works with several heritage breeds of sheep, which have been placed on the Conservation Priority List and classified as endangered, threatened, watched, studied and recovered.

“The first category of heritage breeds we work with are the British longwools. These include Costwold, Leicester, Lincoln and the newly added Teeswater, which was introduced to our priority list this past year,” Beranger says.

The next two categories she discusses are the British white breeds, including Clun Forest, Dorset Horn, Oxford, Shropshire and Southdown and the British colored breeds, including Black Welsh Mountain, Jacob and Shetland.

“There are a lot of British breeds on our list, so we work very closely with our British counterparts at the Rare Breeds Survival

Trust,” Beranger says. “We have a great collaborative relationship with them because we share a lot of breeds and genetics.”

“We also have quite a few American breeds of Spanish decent, including Florida Cracker, Gulf Coast, Navajo Churro and Santa Cruz. These breeds aren’t very well known outside of where they were developed, but they are often very hardy and well-adapted to extreme climates,” she adds, noting Gulf Coast and Florida Cracker sheep, which reside in the deep south, are extremely heat and parasite resistant, while the Navajo Churro breed is well adapted to dry, arid climates.

Other American breeds Beranger lists are Hog Island, American Karakul, Romeldale/CVM, St. Croix, Barbados Blackbelly and Wiltshire Horn.

Conserving heritage breeds In an effort to conserve these heritage breeds, the Livestock Conservancy works year-round conducting DNA testing, documenting information, educating consumers and overcoming marketing challenges.

“The Livestock Conservancy conducts a lot of consensus of the breeds,” Beranger notes. “In fact, we have a volunteer who works with us year-round, and her only job is to call up breed associations throughout the year to see how many animals of each breed exist.”

“We also maintain herd books for Hog Island, Santa

“Heritage breed sheep are one of the more numerous species we work with, and there are quite a few rare breeds in the U.S. that have been outcompeted by faster growing, finer-wool breeds. We try to not only conserve these breeds, but give them a purpose and help people get excited about them.” – Jeannette Beranger, Livestock Conservancy Cruz and Wiltshire horn,” she adds. “Additionally, we do a lot of DNA analysis, documenting stories and breed qualities and hosting educational workshops.”

Beranger notes marketing and promotion is a huge focus for the Livestock Conservancy.

“One of the most impor-

Gulf Coast. Livestock Conservancy photo

Shetland. Livestock Conservancy photo

Navajo Churro. Livestock Conservancy photo

Barbados Blackbelly. Livestock Conservancy photo

tant programs we have worked on is our Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em initiative,” Beranger explains. “This program recognizes fiber artists who are using wool from breeds on the Conservation Priority List, while connecting shepherds of heritage breeds with consumers.”

“Basically, fiber artists are given a passport and each time they buy wool and complete a project from our rare breed fiber providers, they receive a stamp in their passport,” she explains.

“The artists earn prizes for completing projects, and we have nearly 2,000 fiber artists currently participating in the program.”

In the short two and a half years the program has been around, Beranger notes the heritage sheep breeders who are involved have seen significant increases in the interest of their sheep and sales of their products.

“We are so pleased with this program and the remarkable changes it has made to this unique industry,” she states. “We are working on ways to expand the program as well as coming up with other ideas to help our breeders be more successful.”

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.

Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

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Dry weather impacts on harvest and planting explained The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center predicts with good probability the chance of a warmer, drier winter and early spring than normal, especially throughout the West and Midwest. La Niña conditions are likely to continue through the Northern Hemisphere throughout the winter and into spring 2021.

Kansas State University’s (KSU) Agriculture Today podcast featuring KSU Northeast Area Crops and Soils Extension Specialist Stu Duncan provides an update on fall crop harvests and crop planning considerations for a potentially warm, dry winter and spring.

Harvest updates Corn yields this year have been surprisingly good, with most farmers seeing high yields, says Duncan. As temperatures increased in July and August, there were some bean losses. Although, bean yields have generally been good unless planted late.

Sorghum harvest has been a strong point this fall, picking up with good yields.

With higher temperatures and dry conditions, some producers are worried about their water supply and their feed supply throughout the winter.

Potential hay shortages are to be expected, Duncan notes, especially as

producers are starting to see intermittent ponds dry out.

“We are seeing great harvesting weather,” he laughs. “But, its not so great for seeding wheat and getting ready for the fall.”

Early planted wheat is looking a lot better and has seen much better growth than that planted later in the season, Duncan adds.

Dry weather farming “It is dry, and the ground is hard,” Duncan states. “It is going to take a lot of rain to get seeded plants up now.”

He shares even a light turbo-tilling cutting residue can be expected to blow, even if there is resi-

OBITUARIES

We welcome obituaries. Obituaries are printed free of charge and can be sent to roundup@wylr.net.

Lois Irene Simonson Nov. 13, 1916 – Nov. 2, 2020

Lois Simonson, age 103, passed away peacefully on Nov. 2 at the home of her daughter and sonin-law Sara and Verlin Pitt in Lander. She lived with them for the past 12 years.

Lois was born in Groton, S.D. to Robert Bruce McCordic and Melvina (Maltby) McCordic. She had two sisters, Margaret and Ella and one brother,

Robert (Bob). When Lois was four years old, the family went on a picnic, and her mother and sister drank from a contaminated well. They died from typhoid fever shortly afterwards in 1921.

Lois and her brother Bob were sent to Idaho to live with her maternal grandparents and her aunt Nellie on their farm in

Rogerson, Idaho.

The Great Depression had a profound impact on Lois. She and her brother lived alone in an old shack during the winter of 1931 to 1932 when she was 13 and Bob was 10. She complained of the ceiling plaster falling into the bread dough she was making on one occasion.

When it snowed, the school bus couldn’t get through to pick them up, and all they had to eat were canned fruit and vegetables in an old cellar in the yard. Lois and Bob took down the posts of the fence around the yard and chopped them up for fuel that winter.

Lois graduated from Hollister High School in 1934 and attended Idaho State University in Pocatello for a year. She attended Albion State Normal School the next year.

Lois then taught in Elba and Wendell, Idaho.

Lois moved to Madison, Wisc. in 1939 and stayed with her paternal aunt and uncle while attending the University of Wisconsin. She graduated in 1942 with a degree in home economics.

While teaching high

due still left on the ground.

“It is predicted to be a dryer winter,” he says.

“Add some wind to our dry soil and we could see some soil move.”

Duncan notes anhydrous ammonia is applied in the fall for a spring nitrogen source, but requires moisture in the soil to activate the reactions changing ammonium into nitrate, as well as seal the nutrients into the soil.

If producers don’t see a good seal, there may be instances of gas leak.

In terms of winter weed control, Duncan reminds farmers weeds need to be actively growing and alive in order to absorb any herbicides applied.

A dry spring is likely to follow the dry winter, aligning with weather patterns connected to a La Niña event. Duncan recommends using good judgment in planning ahead as normal, but being prepared to pivot or shift.

“In preparation for next spring, make plans and follow through to the greatest ability,” he shares.

He continues with an example, “This year, some folks planted sorghum, either planning to or forced into it, and they

hit a home run.”

Duncan recommends contacting local Extension agents to discuss planting drought-tolerant crops or hybrids known to do well in drought conditions, as well as discuss potential changes to planting dates.

“Be patient, and stay alert,” Duncan recommends. “Plan for a normal year, and plan for success.”

Averi Hales is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

school home economics in Lone Rock, Wisc. and living at a boarding house run by the Simonson family, Lois met her future husband, Melvin Simonson.

They moved to Middleton, Wisc. where they raised their two children, Bruce and Sara. Melvin was a contractor, and Lois taught first grade for many years in Madison, Wisc.

In her younger years, Lois enjoyed playing golf and participating in bridge club and homemakers club. Her sense of humor and adventure were great

fun to her family. Even in her later years, Lois would often participate in adventures, such as going whitewater rafting at age 83, getting on her grandchildren’s trampoline and taking funny photos with her family.

Lois will be remembered as a kind and loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, teacher, friend and neighbor.

Lois is survived by her daughter Sara (Verlin) Pitt of Lander; daughterin-law Cynthia Nesson of

Chattanooga, Tenn.; grandchildren Kjirsten (Dave) Elsner of Belleville, Wisc., Beau Pitt of Casper and Stefani Wanner of Lander and great-grandchildren Thea, Triton and Chase.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Margaret McCordic and Ella Curran; brother Robert McCordic; husband Melvin Simonson; son Bruce Simonson and stepgranddaughter Molly Bonner.

Cremation has taken place. Services are not planned at this time.

“Be patient, and stay alert. Plan for a normal year, and plan for success.” – Stu Duncan, Kansas State University Extension

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 28 • November 7, 2020

It’s the Pitts

by Lee Pitts

Merry Covid Christmas When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, I didn’t think it would last long – after all, it was made in China. But now it is almost Christmas, and I’m still living like a dog.

All day long I wander around the house looking for food, my wife has to keep telling me, “Down boy,” and I get excited about going for a ride in the truck.

This Christmas I don’t want another stimulus check from our bankrupt govern-

ment or another lecture by Dr. Fauci about washing my hands. Here is a list of what I do want this during this COVID-19 Christmas.

In my stocking I want to find a lifetime supply of N95 masks and little bottles of Purell®.

I’d like to go outside again.

I desperately need a year’s supply of toilet paper – the good stuff, not the paper that’s so thin you can

see through it.

If it’s not too much to ask, I’d like a haircut by a real barber.

For once I’d like to be able to cough in public without being treated as if I’m a leper.

I want all the kids to go back to school so they can suffer like I had to.

I’d like permission to be able to touch my face again.

I’d like to be able to shop in real stores without having to buy everything from Amazon, thus making Jeff Bezos the world’s first trillionaire.

I’m wishing I never have to hear the following words ever again – quarantine, PPE, Wuhan, pandemic and most of all, “We’re all in this together.” The only time I want to hear the words self isolate is if I’m running a few minutes behind schedule.

I’d like to be able to go to a car show, an estate sale, a cattle show at the county fair, a community library sale or a country-western concert without sitting six feet away from my wife.

I’d like to feel safe when I take a free pen from the bank. After all, it’s the only way I have of getting more than a .05 percent return on my savings.

All this stress is causing me to snack too much. It’s gotten so bad the buttons on my shirt are social distancing themselves. This is why I just want oversized hoodies without buttons for Christmas.

I’d really like to shake someone’s hand again, maybe even hug them, instead of bumping knuckles or all this ridiculous elbow rubbing.

If it’s not too much to ask

for this Christmas, I’d like to be able to go into the grocery store without having to worry if some super-spreader had his hands all over the cans of Campbell’s double noodle soup.

I’m tired of standing in line and having people I don’t know breathe down my neck. So this Christmas, I’d like for someone to give me a 12-foot two by four I can attach to my belt buckle so I can swing it in a complete circle thus assuring everyone is keeping at least six feet away. If they aren’t, I’ll make them pay with a good thwack to their mid-section.

I really wish the pregnant emergency room nurse I met at the hospital remains healthy and that her baby is okay. Oh, I almost forgot, I hope Chris gets his job back at Olive Garden.

I’d like for people to stop aiming those temperature guns at my forehead. One of these days someone’s going to point one at a cop and he’ll return fire.

In 2021 I’d like to be able to consider myself an essential worker.

Please, I’d like a “Chinafree” Christmas this year. If you can’t find anything made in the good old U.S.A., just send me cash instead. So far, I think it’s still printed in America.

I’d like to never have to wear a face mask ever again.

The only time I want to hear the words “Corona task force” is if they are in reference to six people drinking Mexican beer with a lime in it.

The main thing I want this year for Christmas is a COVID-19 vaccine.