Roundup for 11.9.24

A cold and snowy winter is predicted in the Cowboy State

Official meteorological winter is just around the corner, although most of Wyoming and parts of the West have already received some heavy snow and frigid

Quick Bits

Tax Webinars

Registration is now open for two free webinars hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Hurricane and Disaster Tax Issues for Farmers and Ranchers Webinar will take place from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on Nov. 20, and the Working with a Tax Professional Webinar will take place from 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. on Nov. 22. For more information or to register, visit farmers.gov

Fuel Options

On Oct. 29, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced USDA is awarding $39 million in grants to U.S. business owners to increase the availability of domestic biofuels in 18 states and give Americans cleaner, more affordable fuel options. Small also announced USDA will make $200 million available through the new Biobased Market Access and Development Grants, made possible by Commodity Credit Corporation funds.

New ERA

On Oct. 25, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced more than $3 billion through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program to lower electricity. USDA is awarding nearly $2.5 billion in financing for Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and has selected six rural electric cooperatives to move forward in the awards process for nearly $1 billion in New ERA funds.

Crop Prices

As of Nov. 6, corn was down 2.5 cents at $4.16 per bushel, and futures advanced 4.5 cents to $10.01. December soybean meal was down $4.40 at $295.10 per ton, and soybean oil was down 29 points at 44.70 cents per pound. December Chicago wheat was down nine cents at $5.63, Kansas City wheat was down 8.5 cents at $5.68 and Minneapolis wheat was down 7.5 cents at $6.03

temperatures the past few weeks.

According to a Sept. 7 Cowboy State Daily article by Andrew Rossi, Meteorologist Don Day says this is

a foreshadowing of what is to come during the next few months, in what he believes will be colder and snowier than last winter.

“This is the short ver-

sion. While North America endures an El Niño-La Niña whiplash transition phase, the signs strongly suggest Wyoming has a real winter

Welcoming a new administration

WWPC update

Wyoming counties vote to label cheatgrass as a noxious weed

During the final business meeting at the annual Wyoming Weed and Pest Council (WWPC) Conference, held Oct. 29-31 at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center in Casper, Wyoming’s 23 weed and pest districts voted to list cheatgrass on the state’s invasive and noxious weed list.

2024 election results have sweeping implications for agriculture

As the last of the voting polls closed and more than 140 million ballots were tallied, Donald Trump was ultimately triumphant in a hard-fought campaign against Kamala Harris, securing 291 electoral college votes and 50.8 percent of the people’s vote.

“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected the 47th – and 45th – president,” Trump said at an early morning rally in West Palm Beach, Fla. following his victory.

“Every citizen, I will fight for you, your family and your future every single day. I will not rest until we deliver the strong, safe and prosperous America our children and all of you deserve,” he continued. “This will truly be the golden

NILE results reported

Cattle breeders, exhibitors and consignors from across the U.S. and Canada gathered in Billings, Mont. Oct. 11-19 to show off the cream of their crop at the Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE).

The week-long stock show and rodeo draws livestock enthusiasts from far and wide for numerous competitive open and junior breed shows, a handful of junior fed market shows, several pen shows and multiple breed sales.

Cattlemen from Wyoming and surrounding states topped the leaderboard during multiple 2024 NILE competitions.

Aberdeen show results

During the NILE Aberdeen Show’s Junior Moderator Division, Emmery O’Hara of Fort Benton, Mont. received top honors with her Junior Moderator Grand Champion Female Emo Simone.

Fransisco Lewis of Parker, Colo. followed in the reservechampion position with NY Marie 11M, which also went on to win the title of Moderator Grand Champion Female in the open division. Additionally, Lewis’ NY Marion 14M was recognized as the Open Moderator Grand Champion Bull.

Lewis was followed by Stardust Ranch’s SRH Connie of Rathdrum, Idaho as the Open Moderator Reserve Champion Female and ILC Moose, shown by John Tomlinson of Hayden, Idaho, as the Open Moderator Reserve Champion Bull.

Archer Valley Ranch of Priest River, Idaho dominated the Open Aberdeen Division, taking home honors with the Open Aberdeen Grand Champion Female AVR Lucious Lou, the Open Aberdeen Reserve Champion Female AVR Mexicali Rose and the Open Aberdeen Full-Blood Grand Champion

age of America. This is a major victory for the American people, which will allow us to make America great again.”

Ag organization endorsements

Trump’s victory was met favorably by several agriculture-related organizations, who voiced their eagerness to work with the new administration into the future.

“Congratulations to President-Elect Trump for his historic victory last night and for running such a hard-fought campaign. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is excited to work with Trump to undo the harm cattle producers have endured under four years of ‘Bidenomics’ and restore the free-market principles which have

“There is still another step for cheatgrass to be added to the Wyoming designated noxious weed list,” stated Natrona County Weed and Pest Supervisor Matt Jolivet. “As it stands, the WWPC voted 14 to nine to add it to the list. The petition will now be sent to the Wyoming Department of Agriculture’s Board of Agriculture, and it must be adopted there as well.”

What is cheatgrass?

Cheatgrass goes by various names and can be identified by its drooping head and hairy leaves, among a few other characteristics. It’s highly competitive and will push out other grasses, and it’s known for not playing fair, which is how it got its name. According to the Bureau of Land Management

Wyo ranchers solve winter water problems

Shondah and Randall Otwell are ranchers in northeastern Wyoming near the small town of Oshoto in Crook County. Shondah is the fourth generation on the family ranch, located in high desert country where it gets hot in the summer and cold in winter.

Shondah noted her and Randall both left corporate jobs to return to the ranch in 2010 following her father’s passing – Shondah from a position as a network engineer, building businesses to support corporate computer networks and Randall from a job as a substation electrician.

While facing challenges that come with continuing the family legacy, Shondah and Randall have invented a unique

solution to keeping stock water from freezing in Wyoming’s harsh winter weather.

A better idea

“When my father passed away in 2010 and we came back to take over the family ranch, one of our biggest challenges during the winter was stock water,” Shondah noted. “Our options were chopping ice or using electric stock tank heaters.”

However, as many can attest, chopping ice is difficult physical labor, while electric tank heaters are expensive to operate and only work marginally when weather is extremely cold.

“Trying to heat water in an outdoor

see WATER on page A6

WYLR photo

Cows and beef products are always targeted as bad for the environment and human consumption, but both are easier to stand up for in recent years.

Usually when someone attacks the beef industry, one doesn’t have to look far to realize there are some animal rights activist cow haters involved.

It’s a lot like politics – truth and science be damned, say anything you want and hopefully it sticks on the wall.

The part those against the beef industry dislike to hear is consumers’ high demand for good beef products and the dollars they are willing to spend on them.

A good barometer is to look at what is happening with the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) brand, made up of Angus producers.

John Stikain, CAB meat business president, says, “Since 1978, CAB’s success has been in large part because of the engaging, forward-thinking and collaborative producers and partners we work with from pasture to plate.”

A recent BEEF Magazine article reads, “In a year marked by shifting marketing dynamics and margin pressure across the supply chain, CAB closed its Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) with its second strongest sales year in the company’s history. With growth both domestically and internationally, the global beef brand sold 1.237 billion pounds across the U.S. and 55 countries.”

It is one of the reasons we see more and more restaurants across the country advertise “Angus Beef” on their menus. It sells.

The most popular slogan in the meat business has been, “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” But I believe “Angus Beef” would have to be a close second. We see it from topend restaurants to fast-food hamburgers to local retailers.

Good genetics and management have earned CAB producers nearly $100 per head above market price in grid premiums for cattle meeting the CAB brand standards.

Consumers can also find CAB-branded beef in their local grocery stores. Retail stores had 521.5 million pounds of CAB beef sold in their stores during FY24. This marked six years of more than 500 million pounds sold with retailers.

The international CAB product sales are said to have grown by 4.6 percent in FY24 to 194.8 million pounds. While overall U.S. exports were down, this huge growth was in large part due to increased sales in Mexico which grew by 30 percent, making it the brand’s second-largest international market.

CAB’s Prime beef sales reached a new level with 50.5 million pounds sold, growing 22.5 percent from 2023. This goes to show consumers are not backing away from beef.

With the figures you have read above, CAB producers must have a lot of pride in their products of beef. The public has bought into the brand, both nationally and internationally. Here, back in the hills, we call it marketing.

GUEST OPINIONS

Consider Completing a Wyoming Public Lands Coalition Assessment

The annual Wyoming Public Lands Coalition assessment is now arriving in mailboxes across the state.

This voluntary assessment is used to promote policies which support public lands grazing and push back on misguided policies and/or ideas about grazing on a national scale. Wyoming Public Lands Coalition is a dues paying member of the Public Lands Council (PLC).

PLC is headquartered in Washington, D.C. but plays an active role across the West, as members of PLC are primarily in the western public lands states. Member states, such as Wyoming, gather with other western states to amplify the needs, concerns and positions of public or federal lands ranchers across the West.

The 2024 election has passed, but there remains much to be done. It is important for us to continue to be engaged and provide input.

By Jim Hellyer

It is simply not enough to say the election has solved all of our problems. Solutions and ideas to promote and defend grazing on public lands require nurturing year after year, and this is what PLC does.

The Wyoming Public Lands Coalition is made up of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, the Wyoming Wool Growers Association and the Wyoming State Grazing Board.

Continued support of the Wyoming Public Lands Coalition will help make it possible to continue pressing the case that cattle and sheep make important contributions to our economy, our way of life and our rangelands.

The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service are our range partners on these public lands. PLC is the voice of this partnership in Washington, D.C.

Thank you for your consideration.

Jim Hellyer of Lander is the PLC Board Wyoming director and the chair of the Wyoming Public Lands Coalition. He can be reached by visiting publiclandscouncil.org

andrea@wylr.net

• 605-695-1990

From the Publisher Dennis Sun

Jim Hellyer Courtesy photo

Bison scholarships awarded

Five emerging livestock industry leaders received welcome financial support this month as they were named recipients of the 2025 Throlson American Bison Foundation and Zahringer Memorial Scholarship.

Meredith Halweg of the University of Wyoming is this year’s $5,000 Rich Zahringer Memorial Scholarship Fund recipient, which supports students who focus on agricultural business and accounting in recognition of the fund’s namesake – a longtime bison industry accountant and among the pioneers of the modern bison business.

The scholarship is made possible by Rocky Mountain Natural Meats in Henderson, Colo.

The Throlson American Bison Foundation also distributed $20,000 to four recipients. The primary mission of the foundation is to annually award scholarships in bison-related studies.

This yearʼs scholarship recipients include Kaylee Kipp of Texas A&M University, Summer Lara of Colorado State University, Lauren Thompson of Kansas State University and Garrett Weldy of South Dakota State University.

USDA launches program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched the Food for Opportunity Program (FFO), designed to expand opportunities for non-traditional U.S. commodities to qualify for various international food assistance programs, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor announced at the World Food Prize.

The new pilot program managed by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will solicit applicants to apply for FFO and provide non-traditional commodities to be tested at active McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program projects.

FFO is funded with $50 million provided as part of the $1 billion investment of Commodity Credit Corporation funds deployed in April 2024 by USDA and the U.S. Agency for International Development, purchasing U.S.grown commodities to provide emergency food assistance to people in need throughout the world.

In seeking stakeholder input through a request for information (RFI), USDA received 26 comments covering 44 commodities, foods and items to assist with the design of FFO. In coming weeks, FAS will solicit applicants to run the pilot program, based on the input received from the RFI.

Evaluation and monitoring practices are inherent in the new program, and feedback will be incorporated as appropriate.

Bulk testing implemented

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is planning to test raw bulk milk nationally for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) because of the growing number of cases during the past month in California dairy herds and the finding of a different strain of HPAI on a small Oregon farm.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke at the World Food Prizeʼs Borlaug Dialogue about USDA’s plans to expand the testing of milk across the country.

USDA will begin broader bulk testing of vats or silos at milk processors in November for states such as California which now have the virus.

Since the outbreak began in dairy herds in March, there have been 404 herds hit by the virus in 14 states. California accounts for one-half of those infected herds – 202 dairies –with 158 confirmed cases in the past month alone.

California is the countryʼs largest milk-producing state and accounts for roughly 20 percent of the countryʼs milk and dairy products.

Vilsack said milk testing often can provide signs the virus is in a dairy herd before any cows show symptoms. Sometimes cows are also asymptomatic but still carrying the virus.

Rating improves

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP) team recently released its latest evaluation of the BLM High Plains District’s Wheatland Off-Range Corral, giving the facility an impressive 97 percent compliance rating.

The latest report assesses compliance with CAWP standards, ensuring the facility meets a high bar for animal welfare.

The increased rating reflects improvements in many of the categories assessed, including facility design features, biosecurity, feed and water and preparation procedures. Additionally, there were no repeat deficiencies in the 2024 report – meaning all categories in the 2022 report had been improved upon.

For more information or to review the report, visit blm. gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/comprehensive-animalwelfare-program

Bartlett Livestock Co. LLC 110 Blk few Bwf Angus Strs, 850-900#, Complete Vac. Program, Coming off grass, High Elevation

Jerry Blackburn 108 Blk few Bwf Angus Strs, 850-900#, Complete Vac. Program, No Implants, Coming off grass, Complete Mineral Program

Snow Cap Livestock 76 Mx Hfrs & Hfrs, 750-850#, Complete Vac. Program, Coming off grass

WEANED CALVES

Scissors Ranch 245 Blk Hfrs, 600#, Weaned 50 days, Bunk Broke, Been Silage & Hay, Branding & Precond Shots

Arleen, Curtis, Alan LeClair 176 Mostly Blk Strs & Hfrs, 500#, Weaned 30 days, Branding & Precond Shots, Producer All Natural Cross Ranch/Clay Stecklien 175 Mx Strs, 575-650#, Branding & Weaning Shots, Weaned 45 + days, Running out on Grass

Buz Oliver 130 Blk/Red Strs & Hfrs, 650-700#, Branding & Precond Shots

Bill Refault 130 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 650-700#, Branding & Precond Shots

Thane Ashenhurst 75 Mostly Red Strs & Hfrs, 600#, Weaned 45 days, Branding & Precond Shots, Producer All Natural

Don Judy 60 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 500-600#, Weaned since Oct. 10, Been on Grass Hay and Ranchers’s Choice Lick Tubs, Branding & Precond Shots

Guy & Kathy Landers 50 Blk/Bwf Strs, 550#, Shots at Birth: Alpha 7 & Inforce 3, Branding & Precond Shots

PRE-COND. CALVES

Ogallala Ranch/Josh Moore 350 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 400-525#, Branding & Precond Shots

Mark Kersting 250 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 550#, Branding & Precond Shots

Robbers Roost Ranch 150 Blk Strs, 400-450#, Branding & Precond Shots

Medicine Bow River Ranch 150 Mostly Blk Strs & Hfrs, 500#, Branding & Precond Shots, Producer All Natural, Coming off Grass

Vee Bar Ranch/Brent/Kari Kilmer 145 Blk/Bwf Strs & Hfrs, 525#, Branding & Precond Shots

Otto Ranch 125 Mostly Blk Strs & Hfrs, 475-600#, Branding & Precond Shots Oak Leaf Ranch 122 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 550-625#, Branding & Precond Shots

Chris Donnelley & Jack Bedessem 100 95% Black-hided Strs & Hfrs, 500#, Branding & Precond Shots

Rabou Ranch 90 Blk Strs, 500-600#, Branding & Precond Shots

Craig Hurdsman 52 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 600-700#, Branding & Precond Shots

Tom Dunlap 48 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 525#, Full Vac. Program, Producer All Natural

Quinn Hunter 40 Blk/Bwf Strs & Hfrs, 400-525#, Branding Shots, Pre-cond. Shots: Alpha 7, Cattle Master 4, Producer All Natural CALVES

Maryevelyn Krejci 140 Hereford Strs & Hfrs, 400-500#, Branding Shots, Producer All Natural

Brian & Angie Murphy 110 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 550-600#, Branding Shots, Producer All Natural, Sired by Paint Rock Angus Bulls

George Dale Crozier Family LP 80 Blk/Bwf Strs & Hfrs, 500-600#, Branding Shots

COMPLETE DISPERSAL

Susie & Danny Tadewald 40 Blk/Rd Angus Cows, Complete Dispersal, 4 yr olds to SS, Bred to WEBO Angus Bulls, CF: April 15 for 45 days, Been on a Complete Vac. Program but NO Shots this Fall, Been on a Complete Mineral Program ****20 Longhorn/Longhorn-x Cows, Complete Dispersal, 4 yr olds to SS, Bred to WEBO Angus Bulls, CF: April 15 for 45 days, Been on a Complete Vac. Program but NO Shots this Fall, Been on a Complete Mineral Program BRED HEIFERS

Ochsner Roth Cattle Co. 137 Bwf Hfrs, AI’D Bred to “Connealy Rowden” a Blk Angus Bull (With Proven Calving Ease, High Growth Performance, Excellent Maternal and Weaning Indexes) Ultra-sound to CF: Feb. 8, ****111 Blk Hfrs, Bred to Low Birth Weight Black Angus Bulls, Ultra-sound to CF: Feb. 10 to Feb. 28 ****33 Bwf Hfrs, Bred to Low Birth Weight Blk Angus Bulls, Ultra-sound to CF: Feb. 10 to Feb. 28 ****63 Blk Hfrs, Bred to Low Birth Weight Black Angus Bulls, Ultra-sound to CF: March 1 to March 31 ****17 Bwf Hfrs, Bred to Low Birth Weight Black Angus Bulls, Ultra-sound to CF: March 1 to March 31 All Heifers above have been on A Complete Vac. Program: 2 Rounds of Bovi-Shield Gold 5, One Shot, Pasteurella, Multi-Min 90, Ultrabac 7/Somnus at Weaning, Pre-breeding Shots: Bovi-Gold FP+L5 HB Sidwell Herefords 55 Extra Fancy AI’d Blk Hfrs, 1100#, AI’d Bred to ABS Ruggles Charisma 604: (son of Connealy Confidence); 4 Star Calving Ease Sire (offers added power and phenotype, great disposition, maternal strength, and super good feet), CF: Feb. 7 for 3 days, Pre-breeding Shots: Bovi-Shield Gold, Vision 7 Somnus, Poured w/Cylence, Fall Shots when Ultra-sounded: Bovi-Shield Gold FP5, Vision 7 Somnus, Poured w/Cylence, Heifers Originated off the Donald Simmons Ranch

****27 Blk Heifers, 1100#, Bred to Sidwell Hereford Bulls (sons of BR Rip Wheeler #092 and BR S Quentin G032, CF: March 6 for 45 days, Prebreeding Shots: Bovi-Shield Gold, Vision 7 Somnus, Poured w/Cylence, Fall Shots when Ultra-sounded: Bovi-Shield Gold FP5, Vision 7 Somnus, Poured w/Cylence

Dylan & Abby Martin 7 Red Angus Hfrs, AI’d Bred to Low Birth Weight Red Angus Bull or Bull Bred to Pieper Red Angus Bulls, CF: Feb. 18 - 70 days BRED COWS Fox Ranch 172 Blk/Bwf Cows, 3’s, 4,’s, and 5 yr olds, Bred to Registered Blk Angus Bulls, CF: March 1 for 60 days, Shots: Cambridge Shot, Poured, Ran at 7200’

D – S Farms 157 Blk/Bwf/Rd Cows, Running Ages, AI’d Bred to Blk Angus Bulls or Bull Bred to Berry Hereford Bulls, CF: March 10 for 70 days, Shots: 7-way, Vira Shield 6+VL5, Poured on Oct. 16

Kay Thornock & Sons 46 Blk/Bwf (3 Rd/Rwf) Cows, Mx Ages, Bred to Blk Angus Bulls, CF: April 1 for 60 days Dylan & Abby Martin 42 Red/Rwf Cows, Mx Ages, AI’d Bred to Red Angus Bull “Domain” or Bull Bred to Pieper Red Angus Bulls, CF: March 6 for 70 days, Shots: 7-way, Vira Shield 6+VL5, Poured on Oct. 16 88 Ranch Land & Livestock 32 Blk Cows, Mx Ages, Bred to Coleman Charlo and Lisco Diamond M Genetics, CF: Shots: 7-way, Vira Shield 6+VL5, Poured on Oct. 16April 1 for 65 days, Shots: Vira Shield 4+Vl5, Vitamin A & D, Cydectin and Poured w/Cleanup II, All weaned a calf; average 550# Ochsner Roth Cattle Co. 25 Black Angus Cows & Hereford Cows, 2-4 yr olds, Bred to Blk Angus Bull, CF: Feb 25 to April 15, Complete Vac. Program: Guardian Scour Guard, Bovi-Gold FP+F5 HB

SALE RESULTS -CALF SPECIAL WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6 - 4268 HD

Doug Hatch

Dam breach ordered

Following ongoing monitoring and a recent thorough inspection of the condition of LaPrele Dam, Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart issued an order to breach the 115-year-old dam.

The recent discovery of a large, new crack above the dam’s outlet works, the deterioration of previously identified structural deficiencies and the operational limitations of the existing dam led to the decision.

“I want to commend the state engineer and his staff for recognizing the significant risks of a potential dam failure and proactively addressing them before a disaster occurred,” Gov. Mark Gordon said. “This decision was not made lightly, and we recognize the impact this will have on those who rely on water for irrigation.”

The LaPrele Dam is owned and operated by the LaPrele Irrigation District and located 20 miles west of Douglas. The deteriorating conditions of the dam had been identified and monitored by the State Engineer’s Office, the irrigation district and the Wyoming Water Development Office, eventually leading the state engineer to issue orders restricting water storage behind the dam in 2019.

Currently, there is little to no water behind the dam, and the dam’s outlet works are completely open and passing all inflows into LaPrele Creek.

Given the age and condition of the structure, LaPrele Dam was already scheduled for replacement in the coming years. Planning for the replacement is underway, including demolition of the dam which was set to occur as part of the replacement project. The breach order now requires the demolition to be completed prior to the upcoming spring runoff season.

“This dam has significant structural deficiencies and has exceeded its useful life,” Gebhart said. “Due to preemptive actions already taken, there is currently no risk or danger to the public downstream because there is little to no water stored and the outlets are able to pass inflows to prevent new storage. However, continued use of the dam to store water could cause catastrophic failure, which poses a threat to life and property. These threats need to be mitigated before the spring runoff, when flows are expected to exceed the dam’s ability to pass inflows.”

H5N1 detected in pig

The U.S. has detected its first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) in a pig, a worrying sign for scientists who have warned the virus’ movement to swine could be a bellwether for a potential pandemic.

The case was identified in a backyard farm in Oregon with a mix of poultry and livestock, including swine. All pigs at the farm were euthanized, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) noting the animals were never intended to enter the food supply.

The risk to public health is still low, according to the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist and CDC consultant, told Agriculture Dive “the moves the virus is making is making public health very uncomfortable.”

Pigs are known as mixing vessels for flu viruses because they can harbor both human and zoonotic influenza viruses at the same time, increasing the threat of a new virus which can more easily infect people.

Jetelina said, “If a pig is infected with human and bird flu strains, then the virus can switch genes. When this happens, the virus could become more adaptable to human spread and then become a pandemic.”

She noted pigs were the source of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, and the recent detection in Oregon raises alarms for public health officials.

The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory has conducted genomic sequencing from infected poultry on the farm and has not identified any changes to the H5N1 virus, according to the department, suggesting no evidence of a virus more transmissible to people.

An investigation into the Oregon farm is underway as questions remain about how the virus spread to pigs. While the development is worrisome, Jetelina said the risk for further transmission is lower if federal officials determine this was an isolated case.

“If it’s isolated, it’s not very meaningful,” Jetelina said. “But we do want to get a better handle on this virus, because we don’t want to give it any more opportunities to swap genes, especially now that we’re going into flu season.”

made U.S. cattle and beef the finest and safest in the world,” says NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane.

“Despite cattle prices soaring to record highs over the previous years, producers have been squeezed by exceptionally high input costs, record inflation and the Biden administration’s so-called competition agenda. This is the perfect opportunity to execute a hard reset on all of these failed policies,” Lane adds.

International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Chief Executive Officer Cathy Burns comments, “As we move into the next chapter of U.S. leadership, IFPA stands ready to work collaboratively with the incoming president and the new administration. We are unwavering in our mission to build our members’ prosperity by increasing access to and consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables and floral products, a critical step in building a healthier, more resilient future for all Americans.”

Other industry groups which have openly endorsed the new administration include the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Renewable Fuels Association, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, National Corn Growers Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Growth Energy.

Ag industry impacts

As with any election, experts predict the 2024 General Election will bring sweeping changes to the agriculture landscape.

“With Trump returning to the presidency, new dynamics will unfold – especially in the U.S. Senate – where pivotal shifts are already affecting the agriculture sector,” says Sabrina Halvorson in a Nov. 6 Hoosier Ag Today news report.

During the newscast, Lane tells Halvorson some of the most pressing priorities for the new administration include regulatory overreach in the wake of the Loper Bright Enterprises vs. Raimondo decision, which has limited the leeway federal agencies have; tax relief for ag producers and the next farm bill.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall agrees, stating, “Now that the American people have spoken, it’s time to put politics aside and begin the work of ensuring families nationwide can prosper. Among the most pressing issues in rural America is the need for a new, modernized farm bill. The two-year delay is unacceptable.”

“The new administration must also address the impending tax hikes, which would crush many of America’s farmers and ranchers when stacked on top of inflation, high supply costs and market instability. Another big issue on farmers’ minds is the labor shortage and skyrocketing costs,” he adds.

However, while Trump’s reinstatement as president gives some people hope for the agriculture industry, others are worried his tactics won’ t help the industry at all.

On Nov. 6, Investigate

Midwest staff posted an article titled “Four ways Trump could impact the agriculture sector during the second term,” citing concerns for the ag industry under Trump’s coming administration.

First, the article points out there is potential for the billions of dollars spent on climate-smart ag practices over the last four years to be completely reversed.

Investigate Midwest staff also say, “During his campaign, Trump promised to deport upwards of 20 million undocumented people, many of them agricultural workers who perform the dangerous jobs most Americans don’t want to. Trump’s close allies have recently proposed eliminating the H-2A Visa Program, which farmers said is necessary to fill labor shortages.”

The article also notes Trump promised to be more aggressive on trade policy.

During his second year in office, he enacted the most significant increase in U.S. tariffs since the Great Depression, according to Investigate Midwest, and countries such as China, Canada, the European Union, Mexico, India and Turkey responded to higher taxes with retaliatory tariffs, leading to an estimated $27 billion decline in foreign ag sales between mid-2018 to the end of 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. Other notable election results

In addition to the presidential race, other notable elections took place across the nation on Nov. 5.

Wyoming residents also had the opportunity to cast ballots for the state’s one congressional district and one of two Senate seats.

Both of the Republican candidates – Congresswoman Harriet Hageman and Sen. John Barrasso – won their respective races in a landslide, with Hageman garnering 71.9 percent of the vote and Barrasso securing 76 percent.

Additionally, a resounding sigh of relief rang through the agriculture industry following vote counts in Colorado, as three controversial measures with the potential to harm agriculture failed.

Ordinance 309, known more commonly as the Denver Slaughterhouse Ban, was voted down in landslide fashion with 140,457 votes against the initiative and 77,102 for it.

This ballot measure sought to shut down livestock harvest operations in Denver city limits beginning in January 2026, which would have resulted in the closing of Superior Farms, Inc., the nation’s largest lamb processor – a huge blow to western sheep producers and the industry as a whole.

According to a Colorado State University study conducted earlier this year, the ban would have cost the economy up to $861 million and threatened more than 2,700 jobs.

“We’re very pleased the ordinance was defeated. It’s a critical facility for the lamb industry, including sheep producers in Wyoming,” says Wyoming Stock Growers

Association Executive Vice President Jim Magagna in a Nov. 6 Cowboy State Daily article by Jackie Dorothy. “If it had succeeded in Denver, there’s no doubt in our minds it would have led to other initiatives of the same type, be they in Colorado, California or other places where the proponents of it would feel they could have another success.”

Superior Farms, Inc. General Manager Gustavo Fernandez told Northern Ag Network, “I can’t tell you how

relieved I am. Me and the workers at this facility just want to do our jobs and provide for our families. Now we can get back to it without this huge weight on our shoulders. Thank you, Denver.”

Colorado voters also rejected Ordinance 308, the Denver Fur Ban, which looked to prohibit the sale, distribution and manufacturing of new fur products within city limits.

However, the measure failed in a 65 to 35 percent vote.

Likewise, rural voters resoundingly defeated Proposition 127, which would have banned the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats in the state of Colorado.

According to a Nov. 5 Colorado Sun article by Jason Blevins, the initiative failed in a 55.5 to 44.5 percent vote and is the first time Colorado voters have rejected a wildlife ballot proposal since 1992.

“Coloradans stood up for science and sound wildlife management by voting

against Proposition 127,” Dan Gates, chairman of the opposition group Colorado Wildlife Deserves Better, said in a statement Wednesday morning.

“This result reflects the voices of those who recognize the importance of letting wildlife experts – not the ballot box –guide decisions on the conservation of Colorado’s big cats.” Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

environment is challenging, because it only heats the water directly around the element. The water further away will freeze, so we still had to break ice on our tanks,” she said.

Randall had the chore of trying to keep water tanks functional and eventually came up with a better idea.

“This all started one winter day in 2019 when I was trying to chop ice out of an 800-gallon tank,” Randall shared. “Even though it had an electric heater, the water was frozen. When I got the ice off and water going back into it, I went to the next stock tank and had the same issue.”

His frustration level was at the breaking point, and for a moment he thought it was time to sell the cows and move somewhere else.

Instead, Randall started doing some research and experimentation, making various devices in his shop.

He tried a little bit of everything and found a lot of things that didn’t work.

In fact, he spent four years looking for an effective, affordable method to manage winter ice and was determined to design something to keep water circulating at the tank’s surface. Randall tried numerous devices – some froze solid, others moved insufficient water and some clogged with debris.

“I kept testing various innovations to figure things out,” he said. “One morning it was 22 below zero and it had been for several days. I called Shondah to come out to look at what I finally came up with.”

The rippler Randall showed Rhonda two 800-gallon plastic water tanks side by side. There was a tank heater in one, and his invention – a water rippler –in the other.

While the tank with the heater remained frozen solid, bubbling water danced beneath a skim of ice on the latter. A person could easily push through it with their hand, meaning a cow could push through to get a drink.

“This meant no more chopping ice and pitchforking it out of the tank. It was a simple matter of pushing through a thin layer of ice on top and removing it,” Randall stated. “When Shondah saw it, she thought other ranchers might be interested too because of the savings in electricity, as well as the functionality.”

They went to a patent attorney and filed their patent.

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“We had to keep our idea a secret for a year until we reached the patent-pending status. At that point, our lawyer said we could start trying to make this a business,” Randall explained.

The Otwells then had to find an engineer who could take the homemade version –made from scraps around the ranch and things at the local hardware store – and put a form around it to mass produce the parts.

“The first prototypes and the first ripplers we are producing are made of structural foam. We have a company that is building these for us,” Randall said. “Those parts are sent to us, and we take the rest of the components

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and assemble them here at the ranch.”

Randall reiterated the rippler doesn’t require heat – as moving water doesn’t freeze as readily as stationary water – and runs on less electricity than a stock tank heater.

“Right now in Wyoming, the cost of running a 1500watt stock tank heater that one can buy at any farm and ranch store will cost about $3.39 per day when the outdoor temperature is below freezing and the heater is running 24 hours a day,” Randall explained.

“The water rippler runs on a 120-volt AC outlet and has an AC to DC converter, which changes it to 12 volts DC to run the pump. Producers can run the water rippler on the same daily kilowatt hours for 11 cents per day, compared to the $3.39 to run a tank heater,” he added.

Summer solutions

While the Otwells’ water rippler is certainly effective for winter months, it also proved beneficial during the summer as well.

“We ran the water rippler in our stock tanks through summer this year,” Randall shared. “I kept two stock tanks side by side – one with a water rippler and one without. We put thermometers in each tank, and the one with the water rippler stayed 10 degrees cooler than the stagnant, stale water in the other tank.”

This can make a big difference in palatability and pest control, including deterring mosquitos from laying eggs.

Moving water also helps deter algae buildup in a stock tank.

“We are getting as much interest from people in the South who want to use the rippler in the hot summer as we are in the North,” Randall said.

While this idea has already been utilized for pets through water dishes with constantly circulating water, the Otwells are doing it on a larger scale for livestock.

Shondah said, “Animals are drawn to the sound of running water. On hot days, we’ve watched our heifers come to these tanks and fight over who gets closest to the outlet where the water is moving the fastest.”

Hearing water movement can be an advantage in a weaning pen as well, so calves can locate the water source, especially if they grew up drinking from a stream and are not familiar with water tanks or other artificial water sources.

“One lady who reached out to us raises mink and thinks this will be wonderful for her operation in the winter because it’s low voltage and very safe, with no moving parts,” Shondah shared. “She thinks this will keep ice from forming on the tanks where her mink swim.”

Ripplers will soon be available online at waterrippler.com. The Otwells are also active on Facebook @WaterRippler, where individuals can find more information or stay up to date on Shondah and Randall’s journey.

Heather Smith Thomas is a corresponding writer for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@ wylr.net.

Lawrence Atkinson of Laramie passed away on Oct. 5.

He was born on Feb. 9, 1935 in Cheyenne to Day and Connie Atkinson.

Connie had traveled to Cheyenne to stay with her father John Ulrich until Lawrence was born. After his birth, they returned to a small cabin at Day’s 640-acre homestead on Sheep Creek, located in the remote Marshall area of northern Albany County. It was here Day and Connie were trying to survive the effects of the 1934 drought and the hard times of the depression.

Lawrence soon had a brother, Eugene Day, who was born on Feb. 29, 1936. The family was able to lease the Bridge’s place located a few miles north of the homestead. This afforded the family a house with more room than the simple cabin, and the livestock were trailed back and forth.

Lawrence attended the one-room schoolhouse at Marshall from the first through third grades. When Gene started school, they rode a horse called Blondie double to attend class.

For fourth grade, Lawrence and Gene went to Laramie and stayed with their Uncle Toots and Aunt Florence. About this time, their younger brother James Felix Atkinson was born on Jan. 4, 1944.

By Lawrence’s fifthgrade year, the family had moved to the original Atkinson Ranch, homesteaded by his grandfather, which was adjacent to the Day’s homestead. His mother would teach the boys for the next four years through eighth grade.

After school, Lawrence was responsible for chores and helping with the livestock, which included surviving the horrendous Blizzard of ’49.

In the fall of 1949, the family decided to board the cattle with Lawrence’s Uncle Merl, trail the sheep herd to Wheatland where they leased pasture for the winter and Lawrence began high school.

The family continued summering at the ranch and wintering in Wheatland until Lawrence graduated in 1953. While in high school, Lawrence was active in sports, FFA and broke horses for a local rancher. After graduation, he worked at the home

ranch and helped a neighbor who had a sawmill.

During the drought of 1954, with no hay or grass for the livestock, Lawrence’s father leased the Samuel’s place southwest of Rock River, where he and Lawrence spent the winter tending the animals.

In 1956, Lawrence enlisted in the U.S. Army. He completed his basic training at Ft. Carson, Colo. and then was shipped overseas to Germany for active duty. He was discharged in January of 1958, returning to the ranch until the summer when he went to work for Wiesbart and Boxer Withholdings which adjoined the home ranch.

This entailed the care of a large bunch of yearlings.

After they were shipped in the fall, he worked at home until winter when he moved to Medicine Bow to help family friends run their grocery store.

Come spring, he returned home where he and Gene would build 5.5 miles of fence for their dad.

This same spring, Pitchfork Land and Cattle Company General Manager Dee Burns, based out of Guthrie, Texas, asked Laramie Rancher Oda Mason to be on the lookout for someone to manage the 33,000-acre Flag Ranch south of Laramie. Garrett Rancher Frank Dobson mentioned Lawrence, and he was hired as the ranch manager, holding this position for the next 50 years.

While working at the Flag Ranch, Lawrence began dating Carol Hanson who was raised on a ranch west of Laramie. They were married on Aug. 7, 1960 and raised their daughter Kimberly and son Shawn together.

In his early years on the job, Lawrence was invited to Texas to see the Pitchfork headquarters. Asked to help move some cattle, the hired hands decided to get a laugh and put him on a pretty broncy horse none of them liked to ride. Lawrence got the last laugh as he rode the horse with no problems.

Lawrence had much experience breaking horses, had won the bull riding one year in Saratoga, won the cow riding at Valley Station and, along with his brother Gene, participated in several wild horse races. Known for his tremendous strength, Lawrence was the “mugger” and Gene was the rider.

On another trip to Texas in 1983, Lawrence participated in the 100th anniversary of the Pitchfork Land and Cattle Company, along with 700 other invited guests and employees.

Lawrence has always been well liked and respected by all of his neighbors, friends and

the businesses he patronized. He worked the ranch tirelessly, yet was always ready to help anyone in need.

He worked for the Pitchfork from July 9, 1959 until Nov. 1, 1993, when it was sold to the DeLine family. He would continue working the ranch, renamed the Monaghan Ranch, for the new owners until he retired in November 2010, marking over 50 years of employment on the same ranch which had then increased to 42,000 acres.

Throughout his lifetime, Lawrence has received many recognitions and awards.

These include the 1965 Albany County Top Hand Award; Honorary Chapter Farmer for the Snowy Range FFA; Honorary Wyoming Territorial Prison Inmate Award, for assistance with various projects to open the park; president and member of Albany County Stockgrowers; active on the Harmony Volunteer Fire Department for 30 years, completing his basic firefighter course in 1994: Albany County Agribusiness Committee Person of the Year; Laramie Rivers Conservation District Range Conservation Award; University of Wyoming Advisory Board for Agriculture; Wyoming Rancher of the Year Award from Goodyear, which included a trip to Arizona; Wyoming Society of Range Management Rancher of the Year; Laramie Rivers Conservation District Outstanding Cooperation Award and close to 20 years of playing community Santa Claus. In 2018, he was also inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame. Lawrence was preceded

in death by his parents Day and Connie Atkinson, his brother Gene Atkinson and his nephew C.D. Atkinson. He is survived by his wife Carol Atkinson, his daughter Kimberly Atkinson and her family, his son Shawn Atkinson and his family, his brother Jim Atkinson and his family, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

A celebration of life

will be held at 2 p.m. on Nov. 30 at the Albany County Fairgrounds. Donations can be made in Lawrence’s name to the Big Laramie Volunteer Fire Department.

ANGUS ASSOCIATION

Sale Daate: December 16, 2024

An Elite Offering of the Finest Hand-Picked Angus Heifer Calves, Show Heifer Prospects, Bred Heifers, Donor Cows and Embryos that Wyoming has to offer!

(BLM) website, cheatgrass is an annual grass which is native to Europe and eastern Asia, not North America. It was brought over by settlers in the mid- to late1800s and is now found in at least 49 states, including Wyoming.

Cheatgrass has found optimum growing conditions and is now dominating landscapes across the Cowboy State, creating fuel for fires along with many other issues.

Why is cheatgrass bad?

According to BLM, cheatgrass, unlike perennial native grasses, grows in the spring and then dies off between April and June, depending on local precipitation patterns. It dies just in time to provide fuel for fire season.

Cheatgrass dries out much earlier than native vegetation and can lengthen the fire season as well.

Additionally, cheatgrass has very fine leaves and

stems, which makes it ignite easily and causes fires to spread rapidly.

Cheatgrass plants also grow very close together – up to 10,000 plants in a square meter – creating a continuous fuel base, according to BLM.

Basically, cheatgrass can be compared to tissue paper covering the landscape, allowing fires to quickly ignite and spread rapidly.

However, cheatgrass has adapted to efficiently use the increased nitrogen in the soil after a fire and invades empty spaces made by the fire, creating a vicious cycle.

Jolivet noted, while some may consider cheatgrass unmanageable, there has been extensive research done to prove both sides of this issue.

“I don’t think cheatgrass is unmanageable. However, eradication is not a reasonable outcome at this point,” he stated.

“The University of Wyo-

ming and Colorado State University have done extensive work on invasive annual grass treatments, and we are seeing a lot of success in areas with potential for recovery,” he commented. “Treated lands cannot be beyond the threshold for recovery, meaning beneficial, native and perennial grass species need to be present in sufficient quantity on the site for herbicide application to be of benefit and make the site suitable for treatment.”

He continued, “We have tools to manage the species that work, but increasing funding and technological advancement, imaging and application technology will make positive outcomes likely and more practical across the state.”

He noted all of these advancements will require continued thoughtful investment.

Wildlife and range impacts Cheatgrass has a shallow root system and absorbs much of the water and nutrients during spring grow-

ing season, outcompeting native plants for limited resources, according to the BLM website.

The loss of native plants means losing their deep root system, which creates healthy soil, roots of sagebrush and other native shrubs to help maintain the cycle of nutrients in the soil and utilize deeper water sources.

Cheatgrass can also affect the diversity and abundance of soil microorganisms, which may reduce the ability of native plants to grow in the future.

As for wildlife, the biggest threat is the loss of habitat due to increased wildfires and the conversion of diverse native plant communities to monocultures of annual grasses.

Plus, cheatgrass doesn’t meet the nutritional needs of most wildlife, as it does not stay green long enough to provide nutrient-dense forage during the summer and fall, nor does it provide structure for many species which need cover or nesting habitat.

Cheatgrass management

According to Jolivet, the implementation of cheatgrass control will look different in each county, but there are many options for cheatgrass management and each county can choose the tools which work best for their individual situation.

However, during the convention it was mentioned some districts did not want to add cheatgrass to the noxious weed list because it would hurt seed sales in the area.

According to Jolivet, the law governing seed certification is separate from the Wyoming Weed and Pest Designated Species List, and there is not a zero-tolerance policy for cheatgrass seed. This designation would not affect that.

“Some infested lands have the opportunity to respond favorably to herbicide treatment, and some lands likely will not recover without substantial inputs in addition to herbicide application,” he stated. “Herbicide treatments range from eight dollars to $75 per acre, with the more expensive options being more effective. However, the more expensive options do give three to five years of efficacy, and they do not have to be applied annually.”

“Herbicide treatments are not the only way to control the spread of this invasive annual grass,” Jolivet mentioned. “Timed grazing and mowing can be effective depending on the situation.”

He noted cheatgrass is far too established and widespread to reasonably treat all infested acreage, so prioritization and excluding spread to valuable and sensitive habitats will be the focus in the near term.

“With this said, we would like to provide resources for agricultural producers to reduce the likelihood of spreading cheatgrass. This listing increases the resources for reduction across the state,” he added.

Jolivet hopes, from a personal view and for Natrona County Weed and Pest, all county entities will do their part to be neighborly and “ride for the brand,” doing what they can and being reasonable within their programs to combat this threat, as the cost of doing nothing will be high.

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

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The title of Open Aberdeen Full-Blood Reserve Champion Bull went to Tomlinson’s ILC Massimo 4M. Angus show results

Livestock Judges Matt Leo of Snelling, Calif. and Cheramie Viator of Tomball, Texas sorted through tough competition during the Junior Angus and Angus ROV shows.

Ultimately, Lane Toledo’s Toledo Sandy 0310 345 of Visalia, Calif. topped the leaderboard as the Junior Angus Bred and Owned Grand Champion Female, followed by TMB WSF Erica 2318 ET, shown by Tymber Billman of Rigby, Idaho, finishing as the reserve champion.

The Junior Angus Bred and Owned Grand Champion Bull title went home to Paradise, Kan. with Jayce Dickerson’s Bar S Dueces 3519, followed by IBK

266G Dynamite 346, a bull shown by Sydney Dodge of Pendleton, Ore., in reserve.

Wyoming’s own Cooper Miller of Newcastle earned top honors during the Junior Angus Show, with JB Annie Lu 362 named as the Junior Angus Owned Grand Champion Female and Junior Supreme Angus Female.

Alva’s Gabriella Jordan also represented the Cowboy State well, bringing home the title of Junior Angus Owned Reserve Champion Female.

In the Angus ROV Show, Samantha Prouty of Corning, Calif. topped the final drive with RW Sara’s Dream 315, the Angus

Angus Reserve Champion Bull was Caitlynn Poser’s PVF High Times 3014 of Denton, Mont.

Charolais show results

During the 2024 NILE Charolais Show, Cora Cattle Company of Ellensburg, Wash. received top honors, with CL7 MS Berkley Tally 2332 ET named as the Junior Charolais Grand Champion Female and the Open Charolais Reserve Champion Female.

Likewise, Jady LeDoux’s TR MS Lucinda 3920L of Harrold, S.D. was the Junior Charolais Reserve Champion Female and the Open Charolais Grand Champion Female.

Cora Cattle Company made the leaderboard again with the Junior Charolais

2416P ET, a bull shown by Clift Livestock of Ellensburg, Wash.

Exhibited by Paxton Hovley of Payette, Idaho, Miss Chantel Outsider 1L was the Charolais Composite Grand Champion Heifer, while C&O Carmel 415, shown by Cora Rose Tonne of Ephrata, Wash,. was the Charolais Composite Reserve Champion Heifer. Gelbvieh show results Kyla Mather of Wilsall, Mont. had a strong showing in the 2024 NILE Gelbvieh Show, bringing home the titles of Junior Gelbvieh/ Balancer Grand Champion Female and Open Balancer Grand Champion Female with her heifer TGV T Bar Primrose.

JRCC Mint Julep

ProHart Seedstock continued their winning streak, taking three more titles home to Pueblo, Colo. –ProHart Fancy Lady 3 was named Open Gelbvieh Grand Champion Female, ProHart Mojave 445M was named Open Gelbvieh Reserve Champion Bull and ProHart Monarch 429 was named Open Balancer Reserve Champion Bull.

Ledgerwood Gelbvieh of Clarkston, Wash. swept up the rest of the honors, earning Open Gelbvieh Reserve Champion Female with Ledgerwood Las Vegas, Open Gelbvieh Grand Champion Bull with Ledgerwood Red Sox and Open Balancer Grand Champion Bull with Ledgerwood Mariner.

Lizzie and the Open Maine Anjou Grand Champion Bull HNDC Ross 16M. The reserve champion bull, Rigbys the One 15M, was shown by Jentrey Rigby of Fairview, Utah.

Coen Cahoon of Charlo, Mont. was a competitive force during the show, earning titles of Junior and Open Mainetainer Grand Champion Female with Simone 753, as well as Junior and Open Mainetainer Grand Champion Bull with SMMT Endless Fame 406M.

Hereford show results

During the 2024 NILE Hereford Show, Leo and Viator favored cattle raised

Miller topped the leaderboard yet again, taking more honors home to Newcastle, including the titles of Junior Champion Female with his heifer SHR Diana 3096 ET and Junior Hereford Reserve Champion Female and Open Hereford Reserve Champion Female with his heifer SHR

Fellow Wyomingite Sarah Harfst of Sheridan also headlined the show, earning Junior Hereford Grand Champion Bull and Open Hereford Reserve Champion Bull honors with MYO 0183 Maverick 244

Megan Otis of Emigrant, Mont. exhibited the Junior Hereford Reserve Champion Bull OR Chico Peak 401, while Frank Herefords of Absarokee, Mont. exhibited the Open Hereford Grand Champion Bull MJT 25 G Royal 850K and Storey Hereford Ranch of Bozeman, Mont. had the Open Hereford Grand Champion Female SHR Diana McKee

Judged by Amanda Schnoor of Chowchilla, Calif. the NILE Miniature Hereford Show took place

Wyoming breeder Triple 3 Cattle Company of Cheyenne topped the charts, taking home honors with the Grand Champion Female and Grand Champion Bull.

The Reserve Champion Female and Grand Champion Bull were exhibited by DuVal Farms of Silverton, Ore.

Maine Anjou show results

O’Hara had another strong showing on the week during the NILE Maine Anjou Show. Her heifer MVH Miss Justine 634L was named Junior and Open Maine Anjou Grand Champion Female and Open Maine Anjou Reserve Champion Female, while MVH Miss Final Drive was crowned Junior Maine Anjou Reserve Champion Female.

Hearts and Diamonds Cattle of Worden, Mont. exhibited the Open Maine Anjou Reserve Champion Female NFLL 644L

Hailing from Susanville, Calif., Maddi Johnson’s SMMT Empress 404M was the Junior and Open Mainetainer Reserve Champion Female, while Chrome of Meyer, exhibited by Vanek Club Calves of Silesia, Mont., was named the Open Mainetainer Reserve Champion Bull.

Red Angus show results TBARS MS 5028K, shown by Hadley Hartman of Tecumseh, Neb., was the Junior Red Angus Grand Champion Female as well as the Open Grand Champion Female. Reservechampion honors in both the junior and open divisions went to H/H MS CV 2016, shown by Kambrie Murray of Lebanon, Ore.

Taryn Cox took Junior Red Angus Grand Champion Bull honors home to Walla Walla, Wash. with LFL TC Sanborn 405, followed by Red DFK E Razor Sharp IM, exhibited by Eric Fettes and DFK Angus of Gladmar, Saskatchewan, Canada in reserve.

Co-owned by Saige Brush Cattle Company, Timber Creek Ranch and HR Star Ranch of Wills Point, Texas and Marietta, Okla., TWG Instinct L338 topped the final drive in the open division, earning the title of Open Red Angus Grand Champion Bull. Laso Unstoppable B29L, consigned by Lautenschlager and Sons, Erica Bianchi and Bianchi Ranches of Endiscott, Wash. and Gilroy, Calif., was the Open Red Angus Reserve Champion Bull. South Devon show results

The South Devons wrapped up the breed shows at the 2024 NILE, with Leo and Schnoor sorting through the tough competition.

Cade Barney’s EGR Mary Lou 425M of Klamath Falls, Ore. took home the title of Junior Grand Champion Female, while JVH Miss Lucy 36L, shown by Jaxson VanHaur of Valier, Mont., was reserve. This heifer was also named the Open Poundmaker Reserve Champion Female.

The Junior Grand Champion Bull and Open Reserve Champion Bull JVM Maverick 450M was shown by Julie Damman of Pella, Iowa, while WGF Loki 0321L, the Junior Reserve Champion Bull, was show by Ciera Steinlicht of Valley Falls, Kan. In the open show, WhiteFeela Farms of Wadena, Minn. had the Open South Devon Grand Champion

on the way,” Day says.

“When digesting these long-range forecasts, broad statements don’t work well for everybody,” he continues. “There could be some parts of Wyoming with a pretty cold, snowy winter and some parts of Wyoming may be spared from all of this. But, overall, everybody will have more winter this year than last year.”

Key factors

Experts agree there are several key factors influencing the weather pattern for the coming winter months, and the most notable of these is La Niña, a phenomenon which occurs when water temperatures near the equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean remain below the historical average for an extended period of time, according to AccuWeather.

“This winter, an emerging La Niña is anticipated to influence the upcoming winter patterns, especially our precipitation predictions,” notes Jon Gottschalk, chief of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center’s Operation Prediction Branch.

The second factor, according to AccuWeather, is the polar vortex.

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and LongRange Expert Paul Pastelok believes, based on data from previous years with a similar setup to this year’s upcoming winter season, February will likely see the most apparent cold blasts from the polar vortex.

“A third factor is the temperature of the water in the Gulf of Mexico and the northern and northeastern Pacific. Water temperatures in the gulf are expected to be higher than historical averages, which can translate to mild air masses for the

Female WF Lulu 14 F, the Open Poundmaker Grand Champion Female WF Mango 3M and the Open Poundmaker Reserve Champion Bull JWF Blackjack 4M.

The Open South Devon Reserve Champion Female BC Calico 6545D was shown by JVM Cattle Company of Pella, Iowa, who also exhibited the Open Poundmaker Grand Champion Bull JVM Landslide 360L.

DLCC Lexington 179L, exhibited by

central and eastern U.S.,”

AccuWeater explains. “The warmer-than-average water temperatures in the northern Pacific could alter the storm track at times during the winter for the West Coast, impacting the entire U.S.”

Day also points out wind patterns in the stratosphere will play a role in this winter’s weather conditions.

Although he notes these patterns change about every 14 months, he believes the current pattern – which is different from last year –should hold steady through this winter.

Colder, snowier conditions

Since La Niña is expected to last through March, Day believes Wyoming’s coldest months –December through February – will likely be even colder than usual.

“What we’ll see a lot of times in the pattern we’re expecting is the coldest parts of Wyoming will be the northern and eastern counties,” he tells Cowboy State Daily. “The western and southwest parts of the state will sometimes get shielded from northern intrusions of cold air.

I think the coldest, harshest parts of winter will be in central, northern and eastern Wyoming.”

Day also expects frigid temperatures to last longer.

“La Niña winters can cause some pretty good Arctic outbreaks, especially in the beginning. We should expect the winter to have a few cold snaps where we see subzero temperatures, and they’re likely to stick around a bit longer,” he says.

In addition to colder temperatures, Day says some of Wyoming will also see above-normal snowfall this year.

“The odds are highest

DLCC Ranch of Pierz, Minn., was the Open South Devon Grand Champion Bull.

For results from the 2024 NILE Any Other Breed, Simmental, Shorthorn or Club Calf shows, please refer back to an article titled “Cowboy State represented well at the NILE” in the Oct. 26 edition of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup

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

central, northern and eastern Wyoming will get the best snowpack if this happens,” he notes. “Last winter, the snow was directed to the south because of El Niño. This winter, it will likely be directed more to the north.”

“This doesn’t mean there’ll be a lack of snow in the south,” he adds. “It’s just the pattern that made northern Wyoming snowless last year is not there this year. I’m expecting the northern and northwest mountain ranges and the Northern Plains will do quite well with snow this year.”

Ongoing drought

Although increased snowfall generally means greater snowpack, the NOAA notes the moderate to extreme drought conditions across much of the Great Plains and portions of the Rocky Mountains are expected to persist through coming winter months.

The Oct. 29 National Drought Summary, published by the U.S. Drought

Monitor (USDM), notes, “Dryness again dominated the High Plains region, with only areas of far southeast Nebraska, northeast Kansas, northeast Wyoming and northwest South Dakota recording any significant precipitation.”

The USDM also notes temperatures have been unseasonably warm for the region, with most areas reporting temperatures four to eight degrees above normal.

Additionally, USDM notes during the week of Oct. 29, drought expanded and intensified over western North Dakota, western and southern South Dakota and western, eastern and northern Nebraska.

“In northeast Colorado, moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions expanded, with both moderate and severe drought expanding in southeast Colorado,” the USDM report reads. “Southeast Wyoming saw expansion of moderate, severe and extreme drought,

while eastern Montana had severe and extreme drought expand to the west.” Hannah Bugas is the

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

RANCH

– ONE PROGRAM

FEMALES SUITED FOR ALL ELEVATIONS

The first snow – During the last few days of October, much of Wyoming got a taste of the upcoming cold and snowy winter with a blanket of thick, heavy snowfall. Uinta County, where this photo was taken, received around 14 inches on Oct. 30. George Bugas photo

CALENDAR

Nov. 11-12

Second Annual Wyoming Association of Irrigation Districts Conference Hilton Garden Inn, Casper. For more information or to register, visit waidwy. org/w-a-i-d-conference-registration

Nov. 12-14 41st Annual Governor’s Business Forum, University of Wyoming Campus, Laramie. For more information or to register, visit wyomingbusinessalliance.com

Nov. 13 Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory Train the Trainer Training, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Agricultural Resource and Learning Center, Casper. For more information, contact Donna Hoffman at dhoffman@uwyo.edu.

Nov. 13-14

Nov. 14

Nov. 14-16

Wyoming Agricultural Stress Symposium, University of Wyoming Ag Resource Center, Casper. For more information, contact Lucy Pauley at 307777-8788 or lucy.pauley@wyo.gov.

Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory Community Training, 1-4 p.m., Agricultural Resource and Learning Center, Casper. For more information, contact Donna Hoffman at dhoffman@uwyo.edu.

Wyoming Food Coalition Sixth Annual Conference, Casper. For more information or to register, visit wyfoodcoalition.org/fall-conference-2024

Nov. 14-17 29th WRCA World Championship Ranch Rodeo, Amarillo, Texas. For more information, visit wrca.org

Nov. 15 Wyoming Food Coalition Ranching for Profit Workshop, 9:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Casper College, Casper. For more information, visit wyfoodcoalition.org

Nov. 19 2024 Southeast Wyoming Beef Symposium and Trade Show, Rendezvous Center, Torrington. For more information, visit eventbrite.com/e/2024-southeast-wyoming-beef-symposium-trade-show-tickets-969431053377

Nov. 19-20 U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service Center for Animal Welfare Virtual Avian Enrichment Welfare Symposium, online. For more information, visit aphis.usda.gov/animal-care/caw

Nov. 20 U.S. Department of Agriculture Hurricane and Disaster Tax Issues for Farmers and Ranchers Webinar, 12:30-2:30 p.m., online. For more information or to register, visit farmers.gov

Nov. 20 Livestock Theft Informational Meeting, 6 p.m., Glendo Town Hall, Glendo. For more information, contact Lisa Millikin at 307-331-1714.

Nov. 20-22 Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts Annual Convention, The Virginian, Jackson Hole. For more information, visit conservewy.com/events2/2023-annual-convention

Nov. 22 U.S. Department of Agriculture Working with a Tax Professional Webinar, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., online. For more information or to register, visit farmers.gov

Nov. 22-23 Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Annual Convention, DoubleTree by Hilton, Colorado Springs, Colo. For more information, visit rmfu.org

Nov. 18-Dec. 1 Cheyenne Livestock Exposition, Laramie County Event Center, Cheyenne. For more information, visit cheyennelivestockexpo.com

Dec. 4

Second Annual Green River Valley Rancher’s Workshop, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sublette County Extension Office, Pinedale. For more information or to RSVP, e-mail dmontgo8@uwyo.edu or call 307-367-4380.

Nov. 11

Nov. 13

ANVIL LAND & CATTLE, RYEGATE - 450 Head Dispersion, MARCH 1 for 70 days, bred Hereford, weaned 650# calves this fall!

• 140 home-raised coming 3’s, 60% blk, 25% black baldies, bred to black SimAngus bulls

• 70 coming 5’s, mostly black bred Hereford

• 250 short-term cows, 85% black bred Hereford, 15% red bred Red Simmental

Complete dispersion from the south side of the Snowy Mountains in central Montana!

WEAVER LAND & LIVESTOCK, BIG SANDY

• 160 black baldy heifers, AI FEB 10, bull bred Angus MAR 1 / MAR 21, sorted for cycle

• 300 coming 3’s & 4’s, black bred Hereford, MARCH 13 for 75 days

DERKS RANCH, HOBSON - 40 Black Hfrs, AI FEB 16, home raised EVERS RANCH, SHONKIN - 75 Black Hfrs, MAR 1 for 60 days

AMOS BIRKY, BELT - 50 Black/BWF Hfrs, MAR 1 for 60 days, ultrasound for cyle JOHN BODNER, RAYNESFORD - 33 Black/BWF Hfrs, MAR 15 for 45 days,

for

Ludvigson Stock Farms Fall Herdbuilder Bull and Female Extravaganza Sale, Diamond Y Development Center, Park City, Mont., 406-601-9192, ludvigsonstockfarms.com

Hummel Cattle Company and Friends Angus Bull and Commercial Female Sale, Snowy Range Equestrian Center, Laramie, 307-399-7617

Nov. 14 Bieber Red Angus Ranch Fall Female and Bull Sale, at the ranch, Leola, S.D., 605-439-3628, bieberredangus.com

Nov. 16

Nov. 18

Nov. 21

Nov. 21

Pharo Cattle Company Fall Sale, Headwaters Livestock, Three Forks, Mont., 800-311-0995, pharocattle.com

J&L Livestock Montana Angus Female Bonanza XX, PAYS, Billings, Mont., 406-861-5664, 406-690-1150, northernlivestockvideo.com

K2 Red Angus and Friends Fall Female Sale, K2 sale barn, Wheatland, 307331-2917, k2redangus.com

Largent and Sons “Prime Fuel” Sale, at the ranch, Kaycee, 307-738-2443, 307-267-3229, largentandsons.com

Nov. 21 5L Red Angus Fall Profit $eeker Bull Sale, at the ranch, Sheridan, Mont., 406-596-1204, 5lbulls.com

Nov. 23

Nov. 23

Nov. 25

Nov. 26

Redland Angus Annual Production Sale, Buffalo Livestock Marketing, Buffalo, 307-250-1548, redlandangus.com

Pharo Cattle Company Fall Sale, Valentine Livestock Auction, Valentine, Neb., 800-311-0995, pharocattle.com

The Berry’s Herefords Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Cheyenne, 307-6345178 and 307-630-7944

Paint Rock Angus Annual Fall Sale, at the ranch, Hyattville, 307-469-2206, 307-271-2000, 307-272-5332, 307-578-7392, paintrockangus.com

Nov. 26 Huge Premier Retirement Online Auction, Bonesteel, S.D., 800-251-3111, 605-491-4748, wiemanauction.com

Nov. 29-30

Dec. 2

Vermilion Ranch Fall Performance Sale, PAYS, Billings, Mont., 406-6700078, 406-672-5844, vermilionangus.com

Stevenson’s Diamond Dot Angus 64th Annual Fall Production Sale, at the ranch, Hobson, Mont., 406-366-9023, 406-374-2250, stevensonsdiamonddot.com

Material for this Postcard of the mineral hot springs in Saratoga was compiled from the files of the Saratoga Sun and Rawlins Daily Times; the collections and writings of Bob Martin, Elva Evans, Dick Perue, Gay Day Alcorn Clark, Candy Moulton and other authors and historians.

A natural phenomenon known by many monikers such as “Big Medicine,” “Healing Waters,” “Magic Waters,” “Medicinal Water,” “Mineral Hot Springs” or “Hobo Pool” is believed to be responsible for the location of Saratoga.

Hot mineral water comes to the surface in the valley through fissures at the peak of a geological formation resulting from the upheaval of a rock ledge.

There are a number of these springs in the Upper North Platte River Valley from Elk Mountain on the north to Walden, Colo. on the south. However, most large springs are located in the town of Saratoga.

Many legends link Native Americans to these hot springs. The Natives believed in the supernatural powers of the waters. They believed by bathing in the mineral waters they would regain health and long life, while warriors sometimes believed the first to bathe would be the most enduring fighter.

The earliest settlers in this area often referred to the hot springs as the “Indian Bath Tubs.”

Professor W.H. Reed,

who came over in 1868 to study and gather specimens, has told the most believable stories about the springs. He traveled throughout Wyoming and often came to Saratoga.

He said, “The hot springs at this place used to be very popular with the Indians, they would resort to this valley by the thousands. This was neutral ground for every Indian Tribe, for they all wished to bathe in the waters and be healed. No matter how much they might war outside of its boundaries, here they would fraternize and bathe and be healed. All roads led to these hot springs, and there were deeply worn trails made by the dragging of teepee poles. The waters were big medicine.”

Reed also said when the emigrants came through this area in about 1847, “They brought smallpox to the Indians who then came to the hot springs for treatment, which consisted of sweating each patient in the hot water – listed as between 118 and 128 degrees –then plunging them into the cold waters – about 40 degrees – of the nearby river. The result was nearly always fatal.”

Mountain men and early hunters have said the treatment of many other Native American diseases was the same. The Natives decided a bad spirit had gotten into the waters and was killing all who bathed in them, so from then on, they shunned the valley and called the hot springs “Bad Medicine.”

Later this month, other historians and I will present a slide show and talk concerning this and many more accounts of the Mineral Hot Springs and Hobo Pool in Saratoga during a special history program at the Saratoga Library. – Dick Perue

guide and

says the Native Americans used to

in these springs 35 years ago from about 1849-50. The land about the springs seemed to have been neutral ground between the

enne, Utes and Araphoes. When the smallpox raged so terribly among the Natives, they were accustomed to bathe in the hot waters and then plunge into the cold Platte, thinking such extremes of temperature would prove beneficial. Scores of them died in consequence of such exposure, and the survivors named the place “Bad Medicine.” From “Saratoga” in the Carbon County Journal, dated June 14, 1884. Photo from the Dick Perue/Bob Martin collection. Historical Reproductions by Perue

scout,

bathe

Chey-

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Torrington

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Greeley, CO National Sheep Summary

As of November 1, 2024

Compared to last week slaughter lambs mostly steady to 20.00 higher, except at Kalona, IA 20.00-30.00 lower. Slaughter ewes mostly steady to 10.00 higher. Feeder lambs 5.00-14.00 lower. At San Angelo, TX 5,055 head sold in a one day sale. Equity Cooperative Auction sold 325 slaughter lambs in North Dakota, 530 feeder lambs in Idaho and 281 slaughter ewes in Wyoming. 2,042 lamb carcasses traded with no trend due to confidentiality. All sheep sold per hundred weight (CWT) unless specified. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 2-3 San Angelo: wooled and shorn 110-150 lbs 160.00-180.00. Ft. Collins: wooled and shorn 110-155 lbs 160.00-178.00. South Dakota: wooled and shorn 110-165 lbs 145.00-170.00. Billings: wooled and shorn 125-135 lbs no test. Equity Coop: Tappen pool 147 lbs 160.50. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 1-2 San Angelo: hair 40-60 lbs 272.00-315.00, few 320.00-325.00; 60-70 lbs 270.00-298.00, few 305.00-314.00; 70-80 lbs 240.00-296.00; 80-90 lbs 222.00-256.00, few 262.00-286.00; 90-110 lbs 200.00-230.00, few 240.00. wooled and shorn 59 lbs 275.00; 74 lbs 247.00; 90-100 lbs 200.00-220.00.

Ft. Collins: hair 50-60 lbs 227.50-285.00; 60-70 lbs 230.00-2240.00; 70-80 lbs 210.00-245.00; 80-90 lbs 190.00-217.50; 90-100 lbs 190.00205.00; 100-110 lbs 185.00-217.50. wooled and shorn no test. South Dakota: wooled and shorn 70-80 lbs 220.00-255.00; 90-100 lbs 191.00-235.00; 100-110 lbs 185.00-222.50. hair 66 lbs 195.00; 70-80 lbs 205.00-235.00; 80-90 lbs 174.00-187.00; 90-100 lbs 177.00-178.00; 100-110 lbs 159.00-162.00. Billings: no test.

Slaughter Ewes

San Angelo: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 96.00102.00, hair 80.00-108.00; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium flesh) hair 100.00-116.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 90.00, hair 80-101.00.00; Cull and Utility 1-2 (very thin) hair 70.00-75.00; Cull 1 65.00-66.00.

Ft. Collins: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 72.00-97.50; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 70.00-97.50; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test; Cull 1 no test.

South Dakota: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 72.00-100.00; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 60.00-105.00, hair 85.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 52.00-60.00, hair 80.00; Cull and Utility 1-2 (very thin) 46.00; Cull 1 12.00.

Billings: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) no test; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test; Cull 1 no test.

Equity Coop: WY: 281: Utility and Good 1-3 90.50. Feeder Lambs: Medium and Large 1-2

San Angelo: 58 lbs 305.00. hair 30-40 lbs 294.00-305.00; 40-50 lbs 316.00-340.00; 52 lbs 336.00. Ft. Collins: no test.

South Dakota: 33 lbs 295.00; 40-50 lbs 210.00-226.00; 50-60 lbs 233.00-285.00; 60-70 lbs 220.00-265.00; 70-80 lbs 183.00-199.75, few 235.00; 80-90 lbs 182.00-190.00; 90-100 lbs 158.00-179.00; 100-110 lbs 148.00-165.00. hair 60-70 lbs 192.50-250.00.

South Dakota: lambs 85 lbs 174.00/cwt; yearlings 180.00-220.00/head young 160.00-170.00/head; middle age 130.00-170.00/head; aged 105.00/head.

Billings: no test.

Sheep and lambs slaughter under federal inspection for the week to date totaled 33,000 compared with 34,000 last week and 38,000 last year.

Source: USDA AMS LPG Market News, San Angelo, Texas

National Wool Review

As of November 1, 2024

Australian Wool Exchange

Domestic wool trading had no confirmed trades reported this week. Prices reflect trades FOB warehouse in original bag or square pack, bellies out, some graded, and 76 mm or longer. No allowance made for coring, freight, or handling fees at the warehouse level to reflect net grower prices. Wools shorter than 75 mm typically discounted .10-.20 clean. Classed and skirted wools usually trade at a .10-.20 premium to original bag prices. Australian Wool Exchange Clean Del Price Change from 75-85 Percent Micron

SOYBEAN FUTURES

Source: USDA- CO Dept of Ag Market News Service, Greeley, CO Wyoming Hay Summary

As of November 7, 2024

Movement has increased from last week. According to producers, movement and demand is light for this time of year all over Wyoming. According to the Wyoming Crop Progress Report, as of November 4th, 2024 Alfalfa Hay 3rd cutting is 86% completed, other hay 2nd cutting is 70% harvested, corn harvested for silage is 95% completed in the state, pasture condition is 16% good condition and 36% fair condition. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor Website most of Eastern Wyoming is under extreme dry soil moisture. Western Wyoming is moderately dry to severe dry soil moisture. According to the National Weather Service Website precipitation was 1.51 inches which is above normal for this time of year. Temperatures have been an average of 50 degrees which is higher than normal for this time of year.

Irrigation data available

There were 212,714 farms with 53.1 million irrigated acres, which included 81 million acrefeet of water applied in the U.S., according to the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey results, published on Oct. 31 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

In 2018, the irrigation survey results showed there were 231,474 farms with 55.9 million irrigated acres, which included 83.4 million acre-feet of water.

The results show the number of farms irrigating, the amount of land irrigated and the total water used for irrigation decreased between 2018-23.

Some of the data highlights from the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey include the total amount of water used in 2023 was 81 million acre-feet, down 2.8 percent from 2018; the average acre-feet applied per acre was 1.5, which was the same as the 2018 irrigation survey; the largest portion

Wyoming dominates NILE Longhorn Show

1180# $13000

1 Blk Cow, 1650# $12500

1 Blk Cow, 1765# $12350

2 Blk Cows, avg. 1358# $12150 1 Blk Cow, 1320# $11600

Creek-Foster Ranch - Riverton

1 BFW Cow, 1145# $13000 Ward, Paul - Thermopolis

1 Blk Cow, 1240# $12500

1 Blk Cow, 1295# $11900 Koehn Catfish Inc. - Otto

1 Blk Cow, 1395# $12300

3 Blk Cows, avg. 1273# $11900 Jackson, Tom - Worland

2 Blk Cows, avg. 1163# $12200

1 Blk Cow, 1165# $11750 Johnston, Thomas - Boulder

2 Red Cows, avg. 1300# $12150

3 Red Cows, avg. 1032# $11400

3 Red Cows, avg. 1097# $11200 Raildog Ranch Inc. - Powell

2 Blk Cows, avg. 1798# $12050 Red Rock Ranch LLC - Greybull

1 Blk Cow, 1375# $12000

1 Blk Cow, 1305# $11700

1 Blk Cow, 1145# $11550 Miller, Joseph - Worland

1 Hrfd Cow, 1760# $11950 Baird, John - Thermopolis

1 Blk Cow, 1350# $11900 Bonita Ranch LLC - Ten Sleep

1 Blk Cow, 1265# $11700

1 Blk Cow, 1235# $11200 Weber, Layne - Riverton

1 Blk Cow, 1110# $11500 Risch, Jediah - Ten Sleep

1 Blk Cow, 1190# $11500 Weber, Landis - Cody

1 Hrfd Cow, 1365# $11500 Whitt, Star - Big Timber

1 Blk Cow, 1570# $11100 Breeden, Clinton - Ten Sleep

1 Hrfd Cow, 1260# $11000 Christofferson, Neil - Powell

1 CharX Cow, 1075# $10800 Campells Inc. - Thermopolis

1 Brindle Cow, 1285# $10500 Blackstar Cattle Co. - Hyattville

1 Blk Cow, 1295# $10300 Whitt, Ash - Thermopolis

1 Blk Cow, 1320# $10050 Cross, Marty - Worland

1 Blk Cow, 1520# $9900

HEIFERETTES

Brewster Ranch LLC - Ten Sleep

10 BWF Hfrettes, avg. 876# $21000 Jackson, Tom - Worland

2 Blk Hfrettes, avg. 908# $20500 Schmidt, Blake - Greybull

1 Blk Hfrette, 955# $20100 Red Rock Ranch - Greybull

2 Blk Hfrettes, avg. 935# $19400 Deep Creek-Foster Ranch - Riverton 1 Blk Hfrette, 930# $19200

Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 471# $27400 McCumber, Donald - Thermopolis

7 BWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 323# $32000 18 BWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 407# $30700 12 BWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 439# $28900 McNeff Double Bar C - Thermopolis

6 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 372# $31750 Whitt, Ash - Thermopolis

3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 413# $31500 Nicholson, Jerry - Burlington

2 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 418# $31000

7 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 392# $29750 Paumer, Dave - Hyattville

3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 418# $31000 Lodahl, Kim - Powell

2 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 463# $30250 Leigh Creek LLC - Ten Sleep

1 Blk Hfr Calf, 310# $30250 Whitt, Britt - Meeteetse

3 BWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 373# $30000 Trosper, Truman - Lander

4 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 459# $29300

12 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 540# $24650 Webber, Landis - Cody

4 Hfrd Hfr Clvs, avg. 499# $28600

7 Hrfd Hfr Clvs, avg, 571# $27000 Bain, C. Joy - Hyattville

12 BWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 427# $28400

20 BWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 504# $27100 Conner, Carolyn - Thermopolis

3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 370# $28250

3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 460# $26250 Rock Creek Cattle Co. - Crowheart

18 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 425# $28250 Neves, Jay - Otto

2 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 463# $27250

10 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 513# $27000 Loeper, Dick - Powell

5 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 461# $27100 Skorcz, Brian - Farson

3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 445# $27100 Weber, Layne - Riverton

3 BWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 467# $27100 Lewton, Lonnie - Ten Sleep

5 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 460# $27000 Rogers, Don - Boulder

11 Red Hfr Clvs, avg. 539# $26700 Paxton, Brenton - Basin

5 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 511# $26600

5 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 580# $25000 Geis, Ernest - Worland

3 Red Hfr Clvs, avg. 548# $25600 Lodahl, Kim - Powell

3 XBred Hfr Clvs, avg. 498# $25250 Warner Living Trust - Pavillion

5 SimX Hfr Clvs, avg. 528# $25100 Fink, Ray - Lovell

2 Rd/Bk Hfr Clvs, avg. 563# $25100

4 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 718# $24100

Bower, Keith - Worland

6 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 549# $25050

8 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 569# $24900

Schlager, John - Worland

4 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 554# $25000 Campbells Inc. - Thermopolis

5 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 636# $24900 Shumard Enterprises - Cody 4 Red Hfr Clvs, avg. 616#

of irrigated farmland acres in the U.S. was dedicated to cropland, including grain and oilseed crops, vegetables, nursery and greenhouse and hay crops; farmers irrigated 49.6 million acres of harvested cropland acres in the open in 2023 and ground water from onfarm wells accounted for 54 percent of irrigation water applied to acres in the open.

To access the results of the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey, visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

avg. 344# $40500

21 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 425# $33900 15 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 414# $33400

5 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 526# $30500 Rock Creek Cattle Co. - Crowheart

7 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 339# $39600 6 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 428# $32000 Willis, Travis - Powell 6 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 374# $39500 Love, Valerie - Thermopolis

6 Red Str Clvs, avg. 383# $39200

12 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 460# $30500 Whitt, Britt - Meeteetse

2 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 355# $37500 SLS Cattle Co. - Meeteetse 19 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 384# $37200 25 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 460# $33000 Littlewhiteman, Hailey - Ft. Washakie

4 Rd/Bk Str Clvs, avg. 333# $36000 Doyle Ranch Inc. - Hyattville

31 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 511# $33750 Winters, Clifford - Otto

13 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 438# $33700 Mooncrest Ranch - Cody 19 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 514# $33600

4 RWF Str Clvs, avg. 514# $32500 85 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 605# $29275 9 RWF Str Clvs, avg. 633# $25100 Trosper, Truman - Lander 16 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 443# $33500 13 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 600# $27550

Loeper, Dick - Powell

4 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 450# $33250

9 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 569# $28700

4 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 729# $22500 Weber, Larry - Lander

3 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 445# $33250

4 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 600# $27400 Leigh Creek LLC - Ten Sleep

3 CharX Str Clvs, avg. 382# $33250

9 Str Clvs, avg. 380# $32000

Schlattman, Dean - Greybull

7 Red Str Clvs, avg. 456# $33000

6 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 548# $30100

11 Red Str Clvs, avg. 570# $26700 Campbells Inc. - Thermopolis

10 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 453# $32900

23 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 577# $28950

13 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 650# $26050

21 BWF Str Clvs, avg. 578# $25800

Bower, Keith - Worland

6 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 537# $31500

5 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 628# $25250

Rogers, Don - Boulder

4 Red Str Clvs, avg. 503# $31500

3 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 533# $28250

7 Red Str Clvs, avg. 654# $26100

Schlager, John - Worland

6 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 537# $31400

3 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 640# $26400

Lodahl, Kim - Powell

4 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 599# $27000

3 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 728# $24600

Johnstone Ranch LLC - Ten Sleep

3 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 617# $26700 Henderson, Tye - Powell

13 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 675# $26300

Paxton, Brenton - Basin

9 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 614# $26300

Raildog Ranch Inc. - Powell

5 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 629# $26100

Webber, Landis - Cody 8 Hfrd Str Clvs, avg. 617# $25750 Whitt, Slim - Thermopolis

4 LnghrnX Str Clvs, avg. 488# $25000

Shumard Enterprises - Cody

3 Red Str Clvs, avg. 723# $24300

The American Livestock Markets and Dealers Association (ALMDA), a national association serving livestock markets, order buyers, dealers and professional livestock marketers throughout the U.S., has formally requested the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) delay the imple-

ALDMA requests USDA APHIS delay implementation of ADT Rule

mentation or enforcement of the final “Use of Electronic Identification Eartags as Official Identification in Cattle and Bison Rule” (ADT Rule).

In a Nov. 4 letter to USDA, ALMDA requested the implementation or enforcement of the ADT Rule be delayed at least 180 days to ensure USDA, state animal health officials, vet-

erinarians, tag manufacturers and the entire industry are fully prepared to support the ADT Rule in a way which does not reduce industry traceability, slow speed of commerce or increase costs for livestock markets and dealers.

ALMDA, working alongside livestock markets, dealers, order buyers, veterinarians and state animal

4 Cow, 1058# $155.00 RIVERTON 13 Cow, 1076# $146.00

1 Cow, 1060# $135.00

1 Cow, 1235# $135.00

1 Cow, 1140# $132.00

3 Cow, 1145# $131.00 ARAPAHOE 2 Cow, 1142# $131.00

PINEY 1 Cow, 1405# $125.00 ARAPAHOE 2 Cow, 1355# $122.50 RIVERTON 1 Cow, 1725# $122.50

BOULDER 1 Cow, 1145# $122.00 PINEDALE 1 Cow, 1655# $121.50 RIVERTON 4 Cow, 1242# $120.00 ARMINTO 2 Cow, 1465# $120.00 KINNEAR 1 Cow, 1230# $120.00

LANDER 1 Cow, 1715# $118.00

PINEDALE 1 Cow, 1615# $117.00

THERMOPOLIS

2 Cow, 1315# $116.00

1 Cow, 1290# $116.00

BIG PINEY 10 Cow, 1126# $115.00

2 Cow, 1197# $114.00

PINEDALE 2 Cow, 1460# $114.00

THERMOPOLIS

2 Cow, 1437# $112.00

DANIEL 3 Cow, 1421# $111.00

BIG PINEY 3 Cow, 1183# $111.00

2 Cow, 1315# $111.00

DANIEL 2 Cow, 1187# $111.00

JACKSON 2 Cow, 1395# $110.50

BOULDER 6 Cow, 1185# $110.00

ARMINTO

6 Cow, 1339# $109.75

PINEDALE 5 Cow, 1268# $109.50

KINNEAR 3 Cow, 1220# $109.00

BOULDER 2 Cow, 1262# $108.50 4 Cow, 1421# $108.00

ARMINTO 5 Cow, 1209# $107.50

BOULDER 6 Cow, 1150# $107.00

KINNEAR 5 Cow, 1233# $106.00

DANIEL 6 Cow, 1202# $105.00

KINNEAR 4 Cow, 1373# $104.00

DANIEL 6 Cow, 1283# $103.00 BREDS

RIVERTON

3 Bred Cow, 1233# $2,025.00

1 Bred Cow, 1720# $2,000.00

2 Bred Cow, 1545# $1,750.00

5 Bred Cow, 1409# $1,700.00

CODY 11 Bred Cow, 1336# $1,525.00

RIVERTON

3 Bred Cow, 1356# $1,510.00

PAVILLION 12 Bred Cow, 1176# $1,500.00 PAIRS

RIVERTON

3 Pair, 1551# $2,200.00

2 Pair, 1425# $2,575.00 BULLS

RIVERTON 1 Bull, 1665# $165.00

1 Bull, 1705# $163.00 1 Bull, 1875# $163.00 1 Bull, 2105# $154.00

1 Bull, 2020# $151.00

2 Bull, 1677# $148.00

KINNEAR

1 Bull, 1845# $147.00

BONDURANT

1 Bull, 1880# $147.00

SHOSHONI 1 Bull, 1975# $146.00

LANDER 1 Bull, 1615# $144.00

RIVERTON 2 Bull, 1772# $143.50

1 Bull, 1795# $142.00

health officials, has identified a number of issues with the implementation plan and has communicated these to USDA officials.

In September, ALMDA provided USDA with data illustrating potential issues with the ADT Rule. As the implementation date has approached, the issues ALMDA identified are becoming a reality.

Additionally, in representation of Ranchers Rick and Theresa Fox and Kenny and Roxie Fox of South Dakota and Tracy and Donna Hunt of Wyoming, as well as R-CALF USA, South Dakota Stockgrowers Association and the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) filed a complaint against USDA

and APHIS for its “unlawful new rule.” NCLA is urging the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota to halt an “illegal attempt” to eliminate an already-in-place efficient means of cattle identification. The rule, according to NCLA, imposes financial and practical burdens, particularly on smaller and independent cattle producers.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15 CALF

YEARLINGS

Wilson Cattle Co- 12 Blk Ang Yrlng Strs 650-700#

D&D Livestock- 14 Corriente Strs & Hfrs 700-800#. On grass.

CALVES

John & Kay Stoll- 180 Blk & Red Strs & Hfrs 475-550#.

Rec Vision 7 w/ Somnus @ Branding. Knife cut. All natural. Sired by Lim Flex bulls. High elevation, powerful & fancy!

WM Thoman- 100 Hereford & HerefordX Strs 450-475#. 35 Herford & HerefordX Hfrs 400-450#. Rec Vis-

ta Once SQ & Vision 8 @ branding. High desert & Green!

Matt Clark- 120 Blk Ang & Ang/CharX Hfrs 475-550#. Rec Pyramid 5 w/Presponse & 8 way @ branding & Precon. Over 30 days weaned. Hay fed. High elevation. Fancy!

Dennis Ranch- 110 Blk Ang Strs & Hfrs 500-550#. Rec Vista Once SQ & 7 way @ branding. Sired by Lucky 7 Blk Ang bulls. Fancy & High elevation!

Hall Ranch- 100 Blk & Red Ang Strs & Hfrs 400-500#. Rec Vista Once & Vision 7 @ branding. High desert & Green!

Travis & Mindy Clyde- 100 Blk, BWF & few RWF Strs 450-525#. Rec Vision 7 w/Somnus + Spur & Virashield 6 @ branding. Knife cut. Sired by Blk Ang & Hereford bulls. High desert & fancy!

Hoffman Sage Creek- 80 Blk Ang & AngX Strs 450-500#. 20 Blk Ang & AngX Hfrs 400#. Rec Vista Once & Vision 7 @ branding & Precon(10-15). High elevation. No implants. Great calves that are guaranteed to grow!

Falula Farms- 92 Blk Ang/SimX Strs & Hfrs 500#. Rec Spring & Fall shots following the Zoetis vaccination protocol. Powerful set of feeding calves!

Larry Lancaster- 90 Blk Ang Strs & Hfrs 600#. Rec Pyramid 5 w/Presponse & 8 way @ branding & Precon. High elevation. Reputation calves!

Jack & Vera Roberts- 85 Blk & BWF Strs, 30 Blk & BWF Hfrs 500-600#. Rec Vista Once & Vision 8 w/Somnus + Spur @ branding. Sired by HD Dunn & Jensen Blk Ang Low PAP bulls. High elevation. Reputation & quality!

Crosson Ranch- 75 Blk/BWF/Red/RWF Strs & Hfrs 500550#. Rec 8 way @ branding. High desert. All natural. Reputation Calves!

Hodges Livestock- 67 Blk Ang Strs & Hfrs 550#. Comp vacc @ branding. High elevation. No implants, all natural. Fancy calves!

Nyle Larson- 40 Blk, BWF & few Red AngX Strs 515#. 25 Blk, BWF & few Red AngX Hfrs 480#. Rec 7 way + Spur & Vista Once SQ @ branding & Precon. High elevation. One iron.

Will Thompson- 60 Blk Ang Strs & Hfrs 500#. Rec Vista Once & 7 way @ branding. High elevation. Straight off cows.

Thomas A Jones- 60 Blk Ang Strs & Hfrs 530-600#. Comp vacc @ branding. Sired by Obsidian Blk Ang bulls. High elevation & fancy! Reputation!

Goncalves Farms- 33 Blk Ang & AngX Strs, 27 Blk Ang & AngX Hfrs 450-550#. Weaned 60 days. Bunk Broke. Rec Pyramid 5 & 7 way spring & fall. Nice set of calves that are ready to go!

Hat Bar Cattle Co- 50 Blk Ang Strs & Hfrs 450-550#. Rec Vista Once SQ & Vision 7 @ branding. Popo Agie Blk Ang sired. Choice calves!

Downs Ranch- 44 Mostly Blk Hfrs 500-550#. Rec Inforce 3, Bovishield Gold Pro & 8-way w/Somnus. Complete mineral program. High elevation. Reputation, one brand calves!

Baker Cattle- 42 Blk Ang Strs 550#. Rec Injectable Cydectin, Nasalgen 3 PMH & Vision 8 w/Somnus + Spur @ branding. Complete mineral program. Sired by low PAP, High production/carcass RADG bulls. Out of a one brand operation. Powerful set of calves!!

Tim Barkhurst- 41 Blk Ang Hfrs 400-450#. Comp vacc @ branding & Precon. High elevation. Sired by CSU bulls. Will make gentle mothers!

BRED COW SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM BRED COWS @ NOON

BRED COWS Grindstone Cattle Co.- 400 Blk Ang & AngX (F1 BWF) 3-10 yr old Bred Cows. Bred to Low PAP, High performance Blk Ang bulls & small % Hereford bulls to start calving April 1st for 45 days. (Lucky 7, Paintrock, HD Dunn & Durbin Creek Hereford bulls) Cows Rec 8 way, PregGuard & wormed @ fall preg check. Year around ranch @ Daniel, WY. (8000ft & higher in summer months) Absolute dispersion of high elevation, ranch raised, reputation stock cows. Opportunity for a second to none cowherd that can run anywhere!! Wyoming Honor Farm- 57 Blk Ang Bred 3-9 Yr old Cows. Bred to Blk Ang & Hereford Bulls to start calving March 10th for 60 days. Rec Cattle Master 4 & poured this fall. Nice set of one iron cows that are proven producers!

BRED HEIFERS

Louis Roberts- 60 Blk Ang Bred Heifers. Bred to LBW Blk Ang Bulls to start calving April 1st. Bulls were pulled after 30 days. Rec 8 way, Vibrio Lepto & poured this fall. High elevation. One iron, home raised! JP Robinson- 45 Blk AngX & Red AngX Bred Hfrs 10001100#. Bred to LBW Blk Ang bulls to start calving March 1st. Big stout, high elevation Heifers! Sheldon Merrit- 24 Blk Ang Bred Heifers 1000-1100#. Rec Virashield 6 VL5, 8 way, Cydectin Injectable prior to breeding. Bred to LBW Reg Blk Ang bulls (SAV genetics) to calve 3-1 for 60 days. One brand, ranch raised, low PAP, high elevation genetics! WEIGHS Griffin Land & Livestock- 2 loads weigh cows Willis Ranch- 2 loads weighs

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19

CALVES

Layne & Robin Pentz- 175 Blk Ang & AngX Strs & Hfrs 500-550#. Rec Virashield 6 & 8 way @ branding & weaning. Over 40 days weaned. Hay fed. Choice, high desert weaned calves! Woolsey Family Farms- 150 Blk & BWF Ang Strs & Hfrs. 2 rounds of shots spring & fall & poured this fall. Weaned 45 days. Sired by Powerful Blk Ang bulls. High elevation. Super set of reputation calves! Ransom & Jill Logan- 100 Blk Ang & AngX (BWF & RWF F1) Strs & Hfrs 525-600#. Rec Vista Once SQ & Vision 8 w/Somnus + Spur @ branding & Precon (poured w/ Ivomec) Sired by Redland Redbank Blk Ang & Collyer Herford Bulls. High elevation, real performing crossbred calves! Fancy! TY Ranch- 100 Blk, BWF, Hereford Strs & Hfrs 425475#.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22