October 6, 2018 by Wyoming Livestock Roundup

Volume 30 Number 23 • October 6, 2018

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

A Look Inside Gov. Matt Mead reaches out to Wyoming’s ag industry in a personal letter to farmers and ranchers in the state....................Page 4 Pasture productivity provides profitability for one Nebraska ranc her........................................Page 7 An Alberta, Canada producer provides some tips on ensuring open water during cold, winter mon ths......................................Page 14 Congresswoman Liz Cheney introduced a bill to lift Wilderness Study Areas in some Wyoming counties.............................Page 15

Quick Bits Ag Optimism

Don Close, senior analyst at Rabo AgriFinance specializing in beef, gave a presentation at the Kansas State Ranching Summit in August on what lies in store for the beef industry on both a global and domestic scale, commenting “I cannot think of a time when I have been more optimistic for animal agriculture, specifically the North American beef industry, as I am right now.”

PLC attendees get insight into Washington, D.C. Park City, Utah – Attendees at the Public Lands Council (PLC) 50th Annual Meeting in Park City, Utah came to celebrate the organization’s 50-year anniversary, but they also sought information on

the latest challenges facing the agriculture industry. PLC’s Executive Director Ethan Lane and Government Affairs Manager Tanner Beymer provided insight on the biggest issues fac-

ing public lands ranchers in the nation’s capital, including the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Beymer noted that shortly following PLC’s founding, an onslaught of legislation from

Congress began targeting the agriculture industry, including ESA, Clean Water Act, Wild Horse and Burro Act and more. However, the first piece Please see PLC on page 4

The ranches of southwest Montana Roundup features new region in Fall Cattlemen’s edition

Wyoming’s neighbor to the northwest provides high-quality seedstock and commercial cattle, with numerous producers carrying on a century-long tradition on their farms and ranches. This fall, the Wyoming Livestock Roundup featured a selection of livestock producers and associated industry businesses from southwest Montana in the 2018 Fall Cattlemen’s Edition. The edition covers ranches as far north as Helmville, west to Polaris and east to Bozeman, providing a look inside the climate, ranching practices, challenges and more of living in the area. Southwest Montana is cattle country, and producers in the region rank top in the state for the quality and quantity of cattle and calves. In 2017, production of livestock and products hit $1.636 billion, with beef

cattle numbers hitting 1.497 million head. Montana’s primary economic driver is agriculture, and the state’s largest industry provides open landscapes and beautiful vistas for visitors to the state. In an article in the Missoulian, Gov. Steve Bullock touted agriculture, saying, “There’s real demand for our ag products around the world.” In the state of Montana, farmers and ranchers make up about five percent of the population, with 17 percent of Montanans holding jobs related to the industry. 59.7 million acres of Montana's Land is used for farm and ranch production. Check out the 2018 Fall Cattlemen’s Edition, inserted in this week’s Roundup, for a look at how 20 different operations in the southwest corner of the state are raising livestock on the land and ensuring Montana remains the Big Sky State.

WLSB Rules The Wyoming Livestock Board released their Chapter 2 Vaccination Against and Surveillance for Brucellosis rules for public comment. The public comment period ends Nov. 26. The revisions more accurately depict the purpose and intent of the rules and reflect recent changes in federal brucellosis rules. Learn more at wlsb. state.wy.us.

RAAA Producers During their 65th Annual Awards Banquet in Watertown, S.D. on Sept. 14, 2018, the Red Angus Association of America (RAAA) honored producers for their impact to the industry. In 2018, three commercial producers were honors with the Commercial Producer of the Year Award, including Toedtli Ranch of northeast Colorado and Mike and Sandy Rossi, as well as Yance Farms of JYJ Red Angus in Columbia, Ala.

CHECK OUT THE 2018 FALL CATTLEMEN'S EDITION INSERTED IN THIS WEEK'S ROUNDUP! PLC honors Magagna for service Park City, Utah – During the Public Lands Council (PLC) 50th Anniversary Celebration, PLC President Dave Eliason recognized 50th Anniversary Committee Chair Jim Magagna with the 2018 President’s Award. In addition, Caroline Lobell of Pacific Legal Foundation received the 2018 Friend of PLC Award. Both were recognized for their continued support and dedication to the organization, providing leadership in advocating and fighting for the interests of public lands ranchers across the West.

Hay Prices

Hay price movement for August was mixed, based on USDA’s most recent Agricultural Prices report released last week. The All Hay price rose by $2 per ton to $161, which is $24 higher than August 2017. Other Hay was up $4 per ton from July to $130 per ton, $13 higher than July 2017. The average August Alfalfa Hay price dropped by $2 per ton for the second month in a row, after dipping $8 per ton in June.

Study: Antimicrobial resistance exists where there is bacteria

As the global health crisis rages on, agriculture is in the familiar predicament of defending itself against claims that antibiotic use in animals can contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Terry Arthur, who is a research microbiologist at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) in Clay Center, Neb., addressed antimicrobial resistance claims during a recent webinar on antimicrobial resistance and its effects on feedlot and beef cattle producers. Human health interface Since the global health crisis and the concern for human health, antimicrobial resistance has become a hot topic, Arthur noted. “For years, we’ve been able to use antibiotics to improve human health and reduce disease. Now, we’re finding resistance to those drugs, and our rate of discovery of new drugs has slowed dramatically. There are very few new drugs coming out,” he said. Antibiotic use in humans started in the 1940s with penicillin, which was used to treat disease. In the Please see HEALTH on page 9

Women in Ag

UN project highlights women in ag In a project announced in late September, the United Nations General Assembly looks to pool farming data from around the world to end worldwide hunger. The 50x2030 initiative specifically looks to look at data from 50 countries to help governments make better decisions in ending world hunger. The project is expected to cost $500 million and will look at 10 countries in Asia, 10 countries in Latin America and 30 countries in Africa. Global perspective With lots of opportunity to impact

the agriculture industry globally, Clair Melamed, CEO of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, says, “My favorite example about data is on gender in farming.” Melamed notes, “For a long time, policymakers had a picture of farmers as either a family unit doing subsistence farming or a business where the farmer was the man.” However, she adds, data collection around the globe, has shown a different more complex picture that includes women in the agriculture industry at

periodical

Award winner – Public Lands Council President Dave Eliason presented the President’s Award to Jim Magagna, executive director of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, for his service to the organization. Courtesy photo

Livestock and human health

periodical

Please see WIA on page 6

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

We’re Gaining in Trade The United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) has been agreed to by the three countries’ trade negotiators and leaders. For the United States to fully approve the agreement, the Presidents will sign the agreement From the towards the end of November, and Publisher then, Congress will have to give its Dennis Sun approval for the U.S. Earlier, President Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a revised version of the United States-Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS). Where this agreement is important to U.S. cattle producers is that the U.S. is the largest supplier of beef for the country. The agreement reduces the duty rate on U.S. beef to 21.3 percent from a current rate of 40 percent and will continue to decline each year until it is eliminated by 2026. In 2017, U.S. cattle producers sent $7.27 billion of beef to South Korea. Those are huge numbers. Because of this agreement, there is talk of Japan and the U.S. entering into negotiations for a trade agreement. Remember, the U.S. broke away from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and U.S. beef producers have been especially anxious to see the U.S. get back in trade negotiations with both South Korea and Japan. With USMCA, U.S. agriculture has gotten a better deal than with the old agreement, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The dairy people have to be a lot happier as their products will be allowed into Canada under new tariff rate quotas. Poultry and eggs also have a better deal, along with wheat. I’m not sure what it entails, but the word “transparency” is all through the agreement, which should be good for all. Under the agreement, all three countries agreed on the Annex on Proprietary Food Formulas, which requires each country to protect the confidentiality of proprietary formulas for food products in the same manner for domestic and imported products. It also limits such information requirements to what is necessary to achieve legitimate objectives. Reading through articles on the agreement, I haven’t seen much on beef. Most of the information was on the failure of any Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), which disappoints some beef producers. These trade agreements are full of winners and losers, in my opinion COOL was a topic that the Canadians were not going to budge on, and to President Trump, it was a topic to negotiate. Aluminum and steel were also items that were not agreed on, and the countries need to negotiate what is to happen with them. This agreement went down to the deadline on Sept. 30. Almost everyone thought it was doomed to fail. The Prime Minister of Canada called up President Trump, and they got the negotiators going again. I’m sure there was a lot of give and take to make the deal work. It usually turns out that way when you are down to the last minute. But, they got it done. Now the U.S. needs to get with Japan and China, and then with the European Union, to hammer out trade agreements. I feel those trade agreements in the past were just foreign aid for countries the U.S. traded with. Other countries have had it so good for so long, and the trade talks this time were really tough to negotiate. But, it looks like we are on our way to get there.

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GUEST OPINIONS

Wyoming wool mill markets internationally By Tom Dixon, Wyoming Business Council

Karen Hostetler believes sheep raised by northern Wyoming ranchers produce better quality wool than even New Zealand’s famed herds. She is proving it one country at a time. Hostetler, president of Buffalo-based Mountain Meadow Wool, ships Wyoming wool to Canada, Germany, Denmark, Italy and points beyond. The family-owned operation, founded in 2002, turns raw product from ranchers into higher-value yarn and fiber. This allows ranchers to fetch better prices and brings money into the Wyoming economy from outside the state’s borders. Her work earned her the regional 2017 Small Business Exporter of the Year award from the Small Business Administration. “Sometimes these businesses do their work so quietly you would never know, until you ask them, about the amazing things they’ve accomplished,” said Susan Jerke, an advisor for the Wyoming Small Business Development Center, who nominated Hostetler for the award. Hostetler wants to make Wyoming wool a world-

wide brand as recognizable as Idaho potatoes and Florida oranges. She attended the Wyoming ExporTech workshop to learn new strategies in pursuit of that goal. The Wyoming Business Council, the state’s economic development agency, along with the Wyoming Small Business Development Center and Manufacturing-Works, conducted the workshop with the assistance of a State Trade Export Promotion (STEP) grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Business Council also helped Hostetler market her products by providing trade show incentive grants. The Small Business Development Center provided market research assistance to create a website that includes high-quality videos. “She has amazing footage that tells the story of sheepherders and takes viewers through the entire wool milling process,” Jerke said. In 2007, demand for Hostetler’s fibers increased enough to expand Mountain Meadow Wool. She turned to the Business Council for help securing a new facil-

Please see WOOL on page 6

Common Estate Planning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – Part One By Chris Nolt, Solid Rock Wealth Management Estate planning mistakes can cost you and your heirs a tremendous amount of money and stress. This article discusses common mistakes and suggestions on how to avoid them. Not having an estate plan may be the most common mistake. Unfortunately, far too many people put off estate planning until it is too late. There are many estate preservation tools and strategies you can use to reduce the stress of your heirs and maximize their inheritance but it’s up to you to take action. An outdated plan could be as bad as not having any plan at all. Changes such as the birth of a child or grandchild, an adoption, death, marriage, divorce, new property acquisi-

tion, inheritance or change of address may require changes to your plan. Additionally, tax law changes and/or changes to rules regarding investments, trusts and retirement and estate planning may warrant an update to your plan. Similar to dying without a plan is dying without a will. If you die without a will it is called dying intestate and your assets will be distributed under the Law of Intestate Succession in your state. These laws may not be in line with your wishes. A durable power of attorney will allow you to select in advance who will handle your financial affairs in the event of your later incapacity. Likewise, a medical power of attor-

Please see NOLT on page 5

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

NEWS BRIEFS

Wyo travels to Japan for trade

Four Wyoming agriculture companies are meeting potential buyers and exploring market opportunities in Taiwan in early October as part of the Wyoming Business Council’s ongoing international trade mission efforts. Murraymere Farms and GF Harvest, both of Powell, True Ranches of Casper and Wyoming Malting Company of Pine Bluffs are visiting wholesalers, grocers, import companies, meat processors and restaurants during a four-day trade mission funded by the Business Council and the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program, a federal initiative to increase United States exports. Wyoming International Trade Representative Chester Chu initiated the meetings as part of his role in helping Wyoming companies establish a presence in Asian markets. Chu is tasked with establishing relationships between Asian buyers and distributors and Wyoming businesses, assisting Wyoming exporters traveling to Asia and attending trade industry events. He will also educate Wyoming businesses on exporting to Taiwan and identify market demand Wyoming can fulfill. The trip will also mark the grand opening of the WyomingAsia Pacific Trade Office.

Novotny honored by WCCA Johnson County Commissioner Bill Novotny is the 2018 recipient of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association’s (WCCA) “Riding for the Brand” award, presented at the WCCA Fall Meeting, September 26, in Cheyenne. Novotny was honored by his peers – the other 92 County Commissioners Wyoming – for his hard work and dedication for improving the lives of Johnson County residents and the State of Wyoming. “Every successful association needs members who bring to the table versatile skills that can be deployed on demand on nearly any topic; someone willing to do anything and go anywhere when called upon,” said WCCA President Rob Hendry during his presentation remarks. “Luckily, Bill is one among our ranks who has the ability to strategize and execute the strategy, is able to think on his feet and shift messages quickly when the need arises and does it all with good humor and an easy going manner.”

Award nominations sought The Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) and Wyoming Department of Agriculture are seeking nominations for the 2019 Environmental Stewardship Award. The deadline for applications has been extended to Oct. 12, 2018. WSGA’s Environmental Stewardship Award in partnership with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture recognizes Wyoming cattlemen whose natural resource stewardship practices contribute to the environment and enhance productivity and profitability. Each year a different Wyoming ranch is chosen for these qualities after applying. By the ranch’s choice, a day will be set aside during the summer to celebrate Wyoming’s foremost land stewards – ranchers. Applications are available at wysga.org under the “Programs and Partners” tab. For more information, please call the Wyoming Stock Growers Association office at 307-6383942 or e-mail at info@wysga.org.

BLM releases ROD

In an ongoing commitment to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of public land for present and future generations, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has completed a plan review for public lands in south-central Wyoming administered by the Rawlins Field Office. The decision sets visual resource classifications for over 2.7 million acres of public land and reconfigures the boundary of the Blowout Penstemon Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The Rawlins Field Office Resource Management Plan and Record of Decision were completed in 2008, and the Visual Resource Management (VRM) decisions were remanded until an updated Visual Resource Inventory could be completed. Those inventories were finalized in 2011 and serve as the baseline from which a range of alternatives were developed. Since then, the content was revised and possible impacts associated with each alternative were analyzed. Completion of the VRM amendment clarifies how visual resources will be managed and analyzed in the Rawlins Field Office. To view the full list of decisions and review the Environmental Assessment, visit go.usa.gov/xPThm. For more information about BLM Wyoming programs, policies, services and more, please visit blm.gov/wyoming.

UN target antibiotic resistance U.S. officials called on global leaders this week to unite against what the government calls one of the greatest threats to public health – antimicrobial resistance (AMR). During the United Nations General Assembly, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar laid out plans for the most far-reaching initiative to date, “The AMR Challenge.” HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will lead the worldwide initiative to slow antibiotic resistance, a growing concern in the scientific community. Azar invited representatives of the human, animal and environmental health communities to collaborate on measures from new vaccine development to improved antibiotics use and environmental measures. “The AMR Challenge thrusts an important spotlight on antibiotic resistance, a core issue for members of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture,” says Katie Ambrose, CEO of National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA), an organization founded in 2000 by livestock producers and representatives working to eradicate disease, promote safe food and establish best practices for animal health.

Hunters asked for CWD assistance As part of a two-year study on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking hunters who harvest mule deer from selected herds to submit a lymph node sample to be tested. The goal is to collect 100 hunter-harvested adult buck mule deer samples from each of these herds – Bates Hole, South Converse, Goshen Rim, Laramie Mountains, Sheep Mountain, Platte Valley, Black Hills, Cheyenne River, Upper Powder River, Baggs and Southwest Bighorn. Hunters passing through check stations this fall can expect department employees to request a lymph node sample to meet this goal. Visit wgfd.wyo.gov for more information on collecting lymph node samples.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

PLC continued from page 1 of legislation PLC was faced with was the ESA, which continues to plague ranchers across the country at an increasing scale. ESA “As the Endangered Species Act’s impact spreads and as the environmental groups who push it get better at their craft, more people are drawn into the conversation,” commented Lane. “That brings us to where we are now, with an administration that recognizes the challenges and an administration that is willing to at least try to take what we’ve crafted

and turn it into actual legislation.” Lane and Beymer noted the work of Western Governors’ Association represents the hard work of leadership at the state level, as well as the leadership of PLC members providing their opinion. “We have a lot of tools in our tool belt with ESA that we’re excited to share,” Beymer said. “We’re waging a two-front battle right now – a regulatory component and legislative component.” In the first days of the Trump administration, the

President ordered federal agencies to streamline permitting processes, which spurred a wave of rulemaking efforts to create simplification in the way rules and legislation is implemented. “PLC was right there making recommendations to modernize the Endangered Species Act, and Sen. John Barrasso [R-Wyo.) has drafted a bill based on recommendations from the Western Governors’ Association and more,” Beymer said. Rules This summer, three sets of rules were released by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oce-

New officers The Public Lands Council (PLC) wrapped up its Annual Meeting and 50th Anniversary Celebration on Sept. 29 in Park City, Utah, where it set policy priorities for the upcoming year, elected new officers, and celebrated the organization’s historic milestone. Bob Skinner, a fifth-generation cow-calf producer from Oregon, was elected as the new PLC President during the annual meeting. Skinner noted the momentum gained this year provides a great foundation to build on. “Our policy priorities are big asks, but we know they are possible,” said Skinner. “We have an Administration that is willing to listen – a big change from previous years, and an opportunity we won’t let slip by. Ensuring public lands ranchers can operate and are

provided the resources to succeed is PLC’s main priority.” Skinner, who has held leadership roles within the PLC and the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, will serve a two-year term with the PLC. Other elected leaders for PLC include Wyoming rancher Niels Hansen as Vice-President and Mark Rober as Secretary. Eliason handed off the reins during the Friday afternoon board meeting. “I have confidence the PLC is in exceptional hands with our new leadership,” Eliason said. “PLC is about more than just advocating for grazing on public lands. We are raising cows, wool and a new generation that can take the reins. – AgriMarketing

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anic and Atmospheric Association to begin improving the ESA. In rulemaking, Beymer commented that the agencies did an exceptional job in choosing the language explaining the rule. Among changes proposed were modifications to critical habitat determinations, which recognize the importance of economic factors, and removal of the blanket 4(d) rule, which allowed threatened species to be treated identically to listened, endangered species. “By rolling this back, it’s not to say that a species that is threatened and nearing endangered status won’t need some of the protections that endangered species see, but it’s not guaranteeing those protections for threatened species,” Beymer explained. “It really starts to clear up unnecessary protections.” Rules also emphasized the need for interagency cooperation in endangered species decision-making and management. “There’s a whole bunch of great stuff to impact in the bill,” he said. Next steps With comments on the rules closing early in October, PLC and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association submitted comments, and the groups continue to actively participate in the National

Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition. “The coalition compiled very technical comments,” Beymer said. “We’ll continue to be in talks with the administration, and we’ll see this process through to completion. Beymer and PLC further called Sen. Barrasso’s package of ESA reforms in the Endangered Species Act Modernization “the best chance we have to reform the Endangered Species Act. It is a oncein-a-generation opportunity.” Barrasso’s bill mirrors language in the Western Governors’ Association resolution. The bill was first released in discussion draft form in July to foster and create bipartisan support for the bill. Modernization bill As the bill stands, it has not yet been introduced, and upon introduction, changes are likely, said Beymer. “The first thing the bill does is create recovery teams for every new and listed species,” he explained, noting each team is responsible for setting specific goals and plans for delisting. Additionally, impacted states must be involved in the process of recovery. Fifty percent of recovery teams must be made up of Governorappointed state and local representatives. “So often, the issue is communicating on-the-

LETTERS

Submit your letters to: Editor, Wyoming Livestock Roundup, P.O. Box 850, Casper, WY, 82602, or e-mail to roundup@wylr.net. We reserve the right to edit letters. It is the policy of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup that we do not print letters attacking individuals, groups or organizations within the Wyoming agricultural community.

Dear Ag Friends, I have been privileged to serve you and all the people of Wyoming for the last eight years. As you know, I was raised on the family ranch in Teton County and am a fourth generation Wyoming rancher. The experiences I had and les-

sons learned growing up in ag shaped me into the person I am today, much like Wyoming’s ag heritage has shaped this state we love. Early settlers have found a place of rugged beauty, a place where you had to be tough to survive. The character, deeds

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ground issues back to D.C.,” he said. “A lot of problems with ESA can be traced back to that issues.” States must be informed before legal settlements can be made in ESA-related litigation. “This provision would mandate we start keeping track of litigation expenditures and report them back to the citizens,” Beymer said. “The bill also provides for annual reviews of FWS staff by the Governors of impacted states.” The bill also institutes a host of changes that target utilizing the best science available and mandating that science be published prior to a listing decision being made. In addition, Barrasso's legislation de-emphasizes species for which conservation plans have been developed, and finally, a five-year moratorium on judicial review to re-list species is set in place, which will allow land managers to determine the success of their recovery plans. “These are the first steps to being able to implement some real changes,” Beymer said. “We have to know what the problem is before we can change and fix it.” Saige Albert is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to saige@ wylr.net.

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and decisions of those early folks – my great grandparents and many of your ancestors were among them – earned Wyoming its reputation as the Equality State, the Cowboy State and Big Wyoming. Like you, I am proud of those names and what they represent about our history and our identity. In so few words, they say so much about us. Wyoming agriculture has a rock-solid foundation, and all involved in the industry continue to be hard working, independent and hardy people. You take care of the land and take pride in your work. You stand by your word, help your neighbors and are friendly to strangers. You weather difficult seasons and appreciate the good ones all more. I often quote my grandfather who said, “Where you find a blade of grass, leave two.” It expresses a philosophy about leaving the land in better condition as a result of responsible stewardship, and it describes Wyoming ag and the way you lead your lives. It is why I take every opportunity to talk with you and to talk about ag. You are the source of Wyoming’s strength. Your work supports clean water, clean air, open space, abundant wildlife and the essence of the cowboy spirit. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for Wyoming. We need more cowboys. Sincerely, Matthew H. Mead Governor

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

NOLT continued from page 2 ney will allow your selected person to arrange for medical care if you become incapacitated. Lack of such documents might require a costly guardianship proceeding. If you do not want to be kept alive on life support if your condition is terminal or irreversible, a directive to physicians should be considered. Today’s complex financial world requires a comprehensive and integrated approach for the effective preservation of your wealth and assuring that the needs of, and distribution to, your heirs are properly taken care of. An effective estate plan must take into account all areas of one’s life, including investments, retirement planning, tax strategies, risk management, wealth preservation and other components. No single person can be an expert in all these different areas. This is why it is wise to work with a team of professionals that collaborate with each other. A team approach will help ensure all areas of your financial life are properly addressed and that your estate plan effectively achieves your goals. Lack of a coordinated plan could result in conflicts between your estate plan, property titles and other beneficiary designations. Contracts with beneficiary designations and ownership of assets override what is stated in a will. Unless your property titles and beneficiary designations are consistent with your trust or will, your assets may not pass to the desired beneficiary. It is important to make certain that your beneficiary designations and the ownership of your assets are carefully coordinated with your overall estate plan. Estate planning is a complex and ever-changing field. Working with an attorney that specializes in estate planning is important for ensuring that the strategy and documents you are using are effective and up to date. Be careful of “canned” documents or documents you download from the internet or purchase at the office supply store. Relying on web-based, do-it-yourself solutions can be a recipe for disaster Probate is the process of settling one’s estate. Typically, probate involves paperwork and court appearances by attorneys with fees paid from estate property. Probate can be costly and time consuming, and the probate files are public record. Avoidance of probate is generally a preferable option. In some states, including Montana, a Uniform Probate Code exists which helps to simplify probate and reduce costs. While this may reduce the costs and time delay of probate somewhat, it does not eliminate them. Many people think that if they have a will, they will avoid probate. This is not true. If you have a will, your heirs will go through probate. There are several ways to avoid probate. One way to avoid probate is with a living trust. A living trust can avoid probate, significantly shorten the time involved in settling an estate and can keep your affairs private. Another way to avoid probate with your investment and savings accounts is to establish them as TOD and POD accounts. This way, upon death, the proceeds go directly to the beneficiary you name without going through probate. In some states, including Montana, you can place a beneficiary deed on real property. This enables you to pass property to the beneficiary you name and avoid probate. Look for part two of Common Estate Plan Mistakes and How to Avoid Them in the Oct. 20 edition of the Roundup. Chris Nolt is the owner of Solid Rock Wealth Management, Inc. and Solid Rock Realty Advisors, LLC, sister companies dedicated to working with families throughout the country who are selling a farm or ranch and transitioning into retirement. Nolt helps families to save tax on the sale of their farm or ranch and create passive income from the sale proceeds. For more information, visit solidrockwealth.com and solidrockproperty.com.

Fire relief available

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Astrid Martinez announced the availability of funding for fire recovery on cropland, forestland and rangelands directly affected by the wildfires in Sublette, Platte and Albany counties. NRCS is making these funds available to agricultural producers with lands impacted by this year’s fires, which have currently burned over 93,000 acres in Albany, Platte and Sublette counties, including over 35,000 acres of private lands. Applications must be submitted to your local Laramie, Wheatland and Pinedale NRCS field office by Nov. 2 to be considered for this funding opportunity. “Loss of vegetation impacts not only livestock forage and wildlife habitat but also soil and water health. Bare soil is highly susceptible to wind and water erosion, which can lead to increased soil loss, as well as increased sediment loading in streams and reservoirs,” states Martinez. “Practices such as grazing deferment, cross fencing, reseeding and water development are effective post-fire strategies.” For more information about NRCS’s programs, initiatives and services in Wyoming, visit us online at wy.nrcs. usda.gov.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

WIA continued from page 1 a much higher rate than many expected. “There are many women who farm or own a cow,” Melamed says. “Plus, in many countries, there are complex gender divisions. Just think about differences in labor, land ownership or farming different crops.” Further, she notes that understanding the demographics of farmers may impact ag programs that government agencies develop. “We always have to look at agriculture through the lens of gender,” she adds. “With better data systems, we get new ways of seeing the world. Data allows us to ask whether men and women are making decisions in different ways because their incentives and responsibilities

are different.” Melamed emphasizes, “If the right decisions are made, data and this program will help women and will ultimately deliver better policy and better outcomes.” Widespread impacts Howard Minigh, CEO of CropLife International, also sees an important role for women in the agriculture industry, recognizing that of the more than 1 billion agriculture workers around the globe, 43 percent of those workers in developing countries are women. “While climate change, population growth and other factors present challenges to all farmers, women, especially in the developing world, often lack access to the technologies and innovations that

Wyoming women During the month of October, the Wyoming Livestock Roundup will feature women who make a difference in Wyoming and the surrounding states’ agriculture industries. We will look at a selection of women from across the region and their impact on their farm or ranch, community and state. Do you know an amazing woman who makes a difference in the agriculture industry? Let us know by e-mailing their name and phone number to roundup@ wylr.net or calling 307-234-2700.

can help them improve yields and increase income,” he continues. “Ensuring that women also have the tools to succeed is key to eradicating poverty and hunger worldwide.” Minigh commented that access to technological innovation for women particularly in developing countries provides great benefits. “Because women perform tasks like manual weeding in disproportionally high numbers, advancements that reduce the need for this type of work can be life changing and increase productivity. These productivity advancements in turn improve day-to-day life for female agricultural laborers,” he says. Additionally, studies see that improvements in the day-to-day life of women ag workers also stimulates family and community health in the long-term. Research shows improvements in the income of female farmers results in direct re-investment in their family’s health and education. Looking back in history The Female Farmer Project sought to find icons in history of women farmers, and the project’s

founder Audra Mulkern said it was challenging to find historical images that documented female farmers. “There aren’t many pictures showing women working as farmers, and if we don’t see it being done, we don’t know it can be done,” she said in an interview with agriculture. com. Darline Graf was one rare exception, featured in the cover of the September 1943 edition of Successful Farming magazine at age 17. Earlier, in World War II, farmers across the country left their homes to fight in the war or work in other facets of the war effort. “The Bureau of Agricultural Economics reported that more than 2 million men left farm jobs between April 1940 and July 1942,” wrote Lisa Prater at agriculture.com. “By the time the war had ended, that number had climbed to 6 million, and U.S. food production had grown by 32 percent over prewar levels, according to USDA.” USDA Extension Service also said 1.5 million non-farm women were placed in agricultural jobs. Female Farmer Project Mulkern started the Female Farmer Project as

“Ensuring that women also have the tools to succeed is key to eradicating poverty and hunger worldwide.” – Howard Minigh, CropLife International a way to “change the way we look at farming and the food on our plates.” She is the stimulus behind a multi-platform documentary project that has captured the rise of women in agriculture. The project features essays, stories, portraits, podcasts and a documentary film, providing, “a powerful voice to the fastest growing demographic in agriculture – the Female farmer,” says Mulkern. Women in ag In addition to projects popping up that highlight the role of women, Women in Agriculture organizations have sprung up around the country, emphasizing he role of women in the ag industry. The National Women in Agriculture Association works to “save lives and eliminate poverty by increasing the availability of fresh, locally grown foods while expanding economic opportunities.” The organization works to provide opportunities to both rural and urban communities to help them develop a future while engaging them today. Farming First, a global

WOOL continued from page 2 ity. The agency provided nearly $1.7 million to Johnson County through two different grants to purchase a publicly-owned, 25,000 square-foot building and improve infrastructure in the area to assist Mountain Meadow and other local businesses. Mountain Meadow has also become a hub for other wool mills across the United States to get their product cleaned before processing. Hostetler designed a proprietary process to machine clean wool with the help of the Wyoming Small Business Innovative Research/Small

Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Initiative. The initiative is a partner organization of the Business Council. Mountain Meadow received a $5,000 contract from the initiative to pay grant writers and consultants with expertise in procuring federal research money. That initial contract spurred $540,000 in investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About 90 percent of Wyoming’s 34,000 businesses employ fewer than 20 people. Helping small firms like Hostetler’s gain a handful of jobs through programs like the SBIR/

coalition for sustainable agricultural development, calls women “the backbone of the rural economy, especially in the developing world.” “Yet, they receive only a fraction of the land, credits, inputs, agricultural training and information compared to men,” Farming First reports. Looking around the world, women wage workers dominate the labor force for export-oriented, high-value crops, including vegetables in Mexico, bananas in Kenya, flowers in Uganda and Kenya and cherry tomatoes in Senegal. Empowering and investing in rural women has been shown to significantly increase productivity, reduce hunger and malnutrition and improve rural livelihoods,” Farming First comments, “and not only for women, but for everyone.” Saige Albert, managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, compiled this article from farmingfirst.org, nwiaa.org, croplife.org, fao.org and agriculture.com. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net. STTR Initiative has a magnified effect on the state’s economy. State resources like the Business Development Center, Manufacturing-Works and the Business Council can help others like Hostetler create business plans, secure loans for expansion, learn to export, operate leaner and nimbler and add jobs. The Wyoming Business Council comments, “We celebrate the partnerships like these that help Wyoming’s economy grow.” Tom Dixon, senior communications specialist for the Wyoming Business Council, wrote this article during 2018’s National Ag Week. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

Nebraska producer finds making land more productive improves net profits Finding ways to better manage his land has helped a central Nebraska producer find ways to graze year-round with minimal use of harvested forages. Mike Wallace and his wife Fran own and operate Double M Sheep, which is a 400-acre sheep, cattle and goat year-round grazing operation in Nuckolls County, Nebraska. Wallace told more than 200 producers during the Nebraska Grazing Conference that he had raised Dorsets since his father had given him a Dorset bum lamb for his fifth birthday. By the time he graduated from high school, he had built the herd up to more than 100 ewes. Until 2006, the couple continued to raise Dorsets, and at one point, Wallace had even become a professional shearer. Transitioning to sustainability In the 1990s, Wallace started looking at ways to transition to a more sustainable land management and livestock production operation. To accomplish that, Wallace focused on a 12-month grazing program, with minimal use of mechanically produced, harvested or delivered feedstuffs, he explains. “We do feed some alfalfa during the winter as a protein source. It is the cheapest protein we can find around here. It is purchased. We don’t harvest any hay,” he explained. The alfalfa is typically fed between February and April by unrolling it in the paddocks one to two days a week. “We keep a supply of hay sufficient to feed all the brood stock for 60 days, and it is replenished each fall. Some of this supply is also used to feed developing females, does during kidding and during extreme ice or snow cover. We also keep

g n i om

some on hand as a drought reserve,” he added. The land “The objective of using multi-species grazing is to preserve a little bit of prairie that is not torn up and planted to corn,” Wallace stated. “A lot of the grassland in my area that shouldn’t have ever been broken up has been, and now it raises sub-marginal corn and is worth $3,000 an acre.” “Right now, I feel like I could compete with them on a net income return per acre,” he said. His grazing program is accomplished with two sets of pastures that are 240 and 160 acres and divided into 18 and 13 permanently fenced paddocks. “About half of the land is a native mixed tall/midgrass prairie. The dominant species are big bluestem, little bluestem, sideoats grama, hairy grama and blue grama, plus various other warm and cool season grasses, forbes and browse,” Wallace explained. Most of the remaining land was previously dryland crop ground that Wallace has converted to mixtures of native, warm and cool season perennial and annual grasses and legumes. “There is also 17 acres

of abandoned cattle feedlots that grow annual volunteer mixtures of various forbs. When properly managed, these lots are extremely productive through spring and summer with very high-quality forage for all three livestock species,” Wallace stated. In fact, Wallace shares that in 2015, he was able to harvest 188 animal units (AU) – at 1,000 pound animals per animal unit – days by grazing these lots. “That was 6.3 AU months per acre with 26.6 inches of rain,” he said. “The only additional inputs were limestone in the mineral mix in April, to counteract oxalate poisoning from drought stressed Lambs Quarter.” The livestock The couple also transitioned out of the Dorsets in 2006 and replaced them with Romanov, White Dorper and St. Croix composites, which are hair sheep that don’t need shearing, Wallace said. The crossbred ewes are lambed on pastures, separate from the cows, in mid-May. “The ewe families are merged with the other stock at the end of the lambing period,” Wallace explained. “The lambs and ewes are not handled until August, when the

lambs are tagged, counted and vaccinated. The ram lambs are weaned and moved to a pasture several miles away from the ewes and ewe lambs.” Other livestock on the operation include about 40 head of mother cows and 40 does. The mature cows calve on pastures in mid-April, and their calves are sold off pasture-grazed cows in December. Wallace mentioned he also retains replacements from the cows but keeps them in a drylot through the first winter. “I keep a cowherd as a diversified income source,” Wallace said. “If there is a drought, I can take them to the salebarn and get good money for them. When the drought is over, I can go back and buy some more. They are easy to destock and restock.” Wallace has also found that cattle deter predators by chasing away coyotes and other animals. “They are also beneficial for range and pasture sustainability, and they help control pasture

parasite contamination. The parasites from each species do not cross over between the cattle, sheep and goats,” he explained. The goats are a Spanish-Boer crossbreed that kids in barn lots in April. After vaccinating, tagging and castrating, the goat

families are moved back onto pastures with the other livestock. The kid crop is sold off pasture at the end of September. Gayle Smith is a correspondent for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Mike Wallace

Water projects selected Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman announced that Reclamation has selected six projects in Wyoming to receive a total of $1.8 million through WaterSMART water and energy efficiency grants. The projects funded with these grants include converting open canals to pipe, lining canals and other water delivery projects. “President Trump is dedicated to better water infrastructure for communities and farmers and adequate and safe water supplies are fundamental to the health, economy, and security of the country,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. WaterSMART water and energy efficiency grants enable Interior, states, tribes and local entities to work together to take action to increase available water supply through infrastructure investments.” The complete list of projects is available at usbr.gov/ watersmart/weeg.

! n o So

2018 Christmas Corral

November 3- December 8 the Wyoming Livestock Roundup will be offering a special section featuring Christmas ideas for everyone in the family! Receive a special rate of $7 per column inch when you advertise in the Christmas Corral! To advertise in the Christmas Corral, contact Jody at 800-967-1647 or jodym@wylr.net.

www.wylr.net 800.967.1647 • 307.234.2700

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

HEALTH continued from page 1 last 20 to 30 years, resistance has been identified in those drugs, so Arthur questions what has changed since then. Where there is bacteria, there will be antimicrobial or antibiotic resistance, Arthur stated. Antibiotic production goes hand-inhand with antibiotic resistance, but what role does animal agriculture play in antimicrobial resistance, Arthur questions. “The majority of antibiotics are used in farm animals, but the question is does use equal resistance?” he asked. Impacts and risk A USMARC team of researchers looked at what kind of resistance there is and what types of organisms live in other environments, besides agriculture. “We wanted to identify how antimicrobial resistance in animal agriculture could be mitigated and what could be done to reduce the issues,” Arthur explained. Isolated tribes in the Amazon and isolated centuries-old caves have been found to contain antimicrobial resistant organisms. Some of these microbials have been around for a long time and are considered naturally resistant, if they were found in a normal environment. Other microbials are

synthetic antibiotics derived from chemistry, Arthur said. “The problem with resistance is, there is an umbrella that covers all these drugs,” he explained. Within this umbrella are drugs that are considered very important to human medicine, and others that are considered unimportant. As an example, Arthur refers to two drugs under this umbrella. Tetracycline is considered unimportant to human health, but Cephalosporins are considered the most important. Prevent or treat The team performed a study that looked at feeding chlortetracycline prophylaxis to cattle to prevent bovine respiratory disease (BRD). One group of cattle was fed chlortetracycline prophylaxis and showed very little disease. A second group didn’t receive chlortetracycline prophylaxis,

and 25 percent of the animals in that group became sick and needed treatment. Arthur pointed out the sick cattle needed the critical antibiotic tildipirosin, which is considered much more important to human health. “So, we could use chlortetracycline to prevent BRD, which has little risk to human health, but instead, we have to treat BRD later with something that is more important to human health,” Arthur summarized. Antibiotic treatment The team also looked at animals raised without any antibiotics in their lifetime and compared those to animals raised conventionally. They found a difference in seasonality, rather than treated versus untreated. “What that tells us is something other than antibiotic selection is responsible for changes in antimicrobial resistance,” Arthur said. Nutrient enrichment Researchers wanted to

address bacterial outgrowth, so the next step was to investigate nutrient enrichment as the main cause of antimicrobial resistance occurrence in the livestock environment,” he explains. “Our hypothesis is, nutrient enrichment potentially plays a larger role than antimicrobial selective pressure in the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance associated with livestock,” he explained. In this study, they set up three plots on a piece of an unused piece land. One plot served as the control, the second had water applied to it, and the third had nutrients added. The third plot showed a real increase in bacteria. “What we found was just by adding nutrients, we could drive the level

“The majority of antibiotics are used in farm animals, but the question is does use equal resistance?” – Terry Arthur, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center of resistance quite high,” Arthur explained. Arthur told producers that most farmers don’t like the study because they think it shows that manure contributes to antimicrobial resistance. The resistance is in there, and it is nothing new, Arthur responded. “We have been putting manure on fields for more than 8,000 years. Antimicrobial resistance only started in the last 20 to 30 years, since the clinical use of antimicrobials,” he explains. Arthur also compared

demographic changes stating that the U.S. population in the year 1500 was 10 million people and 30 to 60 million bison. In 2018, there were 325 million people and 94 million cattle. “The livestock environment hasn’t increased quite as much as the human population. Now, there are more issues with wastewater treatment and bio-solids that have to go somewhere,” he says. Gayle Smith is a correspondent for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Municipal wastewater The U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) team compared similar environments and areas where the environment was treated with and without antimicrobial treatments. They looked at municipal wastewater treatment facilities that had been treated, comparing it to what is in a livestock environment and to a low impact environment, like prairie soil from an urban pond setting. What they found was a much higher number of antimicrobial resistant genes being released from the wastewater treatment facilities into streams, and bio-solids into fields or landfills.

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Resistants to antimicrobials – Teams of researchers at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center have looked at the use of antibiotics, asking whether it is better to treat cattle proactively using non-medically important antibiotics or not treat cattle until after they are sick when they require antibiotics essential for human medicine. Photo courtesy of Lacee Sims, Leather-N-Lace Photography

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

CALENDAR

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

Sept. 22 – Oct. 31 Oct. 9 Oct. 9-11 Oct. 9-11 Oct. 10

Oct. 11 Oct. 13 Oct. 13-20 Oct. 16-19 Oct. 24-26 Oct. 25-27 Nov. 3

EVENTS

Green Acres Corn Maze, Casper. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and weekdays by appointment. For more information, visit greenacrescornmaze.net or call 307-797-8796. Wyoming State Engineer’s Office Drought Contingency Planning Meeting, Baggs, Valley Community Center, 6-8 p.m. For more information, contact Steve Wolff at 307-777-1942 or steve.wolff@wyo.gov. Wyoming Section of the Society for Range Management Annual Meeting, Sheridan. Visit wyomingrangelands.org for more information. BLM National Wild Horse and Burro Committee Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more at go.usa.gov/xPcdQ. Wyoming State Engineer’s Office Drought Contingency Planning Meeting, Rock Springs, Western Wyoming Community College, 6-8 p.m. For more information, contact Steve Wolff at 307-777-1942 or steve.wolff@wyo.gov. Wyoming State Engineer’s Office Drought Contingency Planning Meeting, Pinedale, Sublette County Library, 6-8 p.m. For more information, contact Steve Wolff at 307-777-1942 or steve.wolff@wyo.gov. Wyoming Night at the NILE Ranch Rodeo, Billings, Mont., MetraPark, 7 p.m. Buy tickets by calling 406-256-2495. Northern International Livestock Exposition Stock Show and Rodeo, Billings, Mont. MetraPark. Visit thenile.org for information on events, tickets and more. Wally Olson’s Livestock Marketing School, Claremore, Okla. Visit olsonranchllc.com, call 918-244-0654 or e-mail olsonranch@junct. com for more information. 2018 Wyoming Water Association Annual Meeting and Education Seminar, Laramie, Holiday Inn. Visit wyomingwater.org, call 307-7061377 or e-mail radona@wyomingwater.org for more information. PRCA Ram Mountain States Circuit Rodeo, Loveland, The Ranch Events Complex. For tickets, call 877-544-TIXX or visit treventscomplex.com. The Great American Cowboy PRCA Rodeo, Casper, Central Wyoming Fairground Arena, 7 p.m. For tickets and more information, call 307-259-1674 or visit tributetogac.org.

SALES Oct. 7 Oct. 8 Oct. 11 Oct. 13 Oct. 14

Laramie Plains Club Calf Sale, Albany County Fairgrounds, Laramie, 307-760-5914, showcattlepage.com Ox Bow Ranch Complete Dispersion, at the ranch, Wolf Creek, Mont., 406-235-4281, oxbowranchangus.com Split Diamond Ranch and Malek Angus Ranch 2018 Inaugural Sale, 82 Whitetail Road, Whitehall, Mont., 406-498-3005, 406-7336200, splitdiamond.com Fall Classic Catalog Horse Sale, Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission Co., Salina, Kan., 785-826-7884, 785-493-2901, 785825-0211 20th Annual Fall Colt and Yearling Catalog Sale, Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission Co., Salina, Kan., 785-826-7884, 785-493-2901, 785-825-0211

Oct. 15

The Berry’s Herefords Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Cheyenne, 307-634-5178, wherecowmenbuybulls.com

Oct. 18

Valley Video Hay Markets, LLC Internet Hay Market Auction, 888935-3633, valleyvideohay.com

Oct. 22

J&L Livestock Montana Angus Female Bonanza XV, PAYS, Billings, Mont., 406-861-5664, 406-200-1880

Oct. 23

Strang Herefords and Black Angus 39th Annual Sale, at the ranch, Meeker, Colo., 970-270-4445, 970-270-9599, strangherefords.com

Oct. 24

Micheli Ranch Bull Sale, at the ranch, Ft. Bridger, 307-780-8232, 307-747-7786, 307-747-3897, micheliranch.com

Oct. 28

Horse Sale, Gordon Livestock Market, Gordon, Neb., 308-282-1171, 308-282-9998, 308-360-0427, gordonlivestock.dvauction.com

Nov. 1

5L Red Angus Profit $eeker Bull Sale, at the ranch, Sheridan, Mont., 877-552-8557, 5lredangus.com; 5lbulls.com

Nov. 1

Obsidian Angus Private Treaty Sale, at the ranch, Meeteetse, 307272-4911, 307-868-2595, greatbearreflection.com

Nov. 3

Wooden Shoe Farms Angus and Polled Hereford Sale, at the ranch, Blackfoot, Idaho, 208-684-5252, 208-604-0235, 208-681-4169

Nov. 8-10

Sinclair Cattle Company Frustration Free Internet Sale, 307-2541477, sinclaircattle.com

Nov. 9

Rees Brothers 31st Annual Fall Production Sale, at the ranch, Morgan, Utah, 801-668-8613, 801-949-8960, 801-913-5747, reescattle. com

Nov. 10

Rocky Mountain Angus Association Golden Opportunity Angus Sale, Weber County Fairgrounds Auction Arena, Ogden, Utah, 801540-6818

Nov. 11

The Wyoming Angus Association Eighth Annual Wyoming Select Female Sale, Casper, College, Casper, 307-630-4604, wyomingangus.org

Nov. 15

Largent and Sons Desert Mart “Money Matters” Sale, at the ranch, Kaycee, 307-738-2443, 307-267-3229, largentandsons.com

Nov. 15

K2 Red Angus Annual Fall Sale, Torrington Livestock Auction, Torrington, 307-331-2917, k2redangus.com

Nov. 15

XH Angus Sale, at the ranch, Saratoga, 307-710-6700, 307-3263553, xhangus.com

Nov. 17

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

Nov. 20

Paint Rock Angus Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Hyattville, 307469-2206, 307-469-2252, paintrockangus.com

POSTCARD from the Past

Compiled by Dick Perue rrichardperue@gmail.com

Bison Range in Montana The Bison range in the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, to establish which Congress at its last session appropriated $40,000, has been selected. So reads the headline and lead paragraph of a news item in the Oct. 9, 1908, issue of the Grand Encampment Herald in Encampment. The article continues: The location of the range is the one recommended by Prof. Morton J. Elrod of the University of Montana after he had

carefully examined several parts of the country. It lies directly north of the Jocko River near the towns of Ravilli and Jocko. Approximately 12,800 acres are embraced in the tract, which will be fenced in a substantial manner under the direction of the Engineering Department of the United States Forest Service. Of the $40,000 appropriated, only $10,000 will be available for fencing the range and constructing the shelter sheds and other buildings necessary for the proper maintenance

Beefalo production – An Upper North Platte River Valley rancher, Richard Savage (right on fence), is shown with what was reported to be the first successful cross between a buffalo bull and a domestic cow and the animal was called a “beefalo.” Proof of the claim could not be substantiated, but the Savage Ranch was known for both the buffalo and beef it raised on the place 10 miles southeast of Rawlins in the early 1900s. Photographer unknown, photo from the Bob Martin/Dick Perue collection, Historical Reproductions by Perue

and care of the bison. The remaining $30,000 will be paid to the owners of the land, many of whom are Indians. Funds for the purchase of bison are being raised under the auspices of the American Bison Society, which was largely instrumental in securing the appropriation. The first person to spend actual money in the effort to preserve the American Bison from total extinction was the late Austin Corbin, who many years ago fenced some 6,000 acres at Blue Mountain Park, N.H. and secured a herd of bison. The Corbin herd became in course of time the inspiration of the national movement, which is now furthered by the American Bison Society. This society – of which President Roosevelt is honorary president, and William T. Hornaday, director of the New York Zoological Park, is president – was founded in 1904, and the Montana bison range is directly the result of its efforts. Details of the management of the herd in the new national bison range will be worked out as soon as the herd is purchased, when the construction work on fences and buildings will also be begun. Author’s note: Does anyone know for sure if this event ever happened, or was it another government program started but never completed? Please let me know by e-mail at rrichardperue@ gmail.com, and I’ll pass the information along to “Postcard” readers.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

Pipe

Property for Sale

PIPE FOR SALE: 2 3/8 heavy wall, 2 7/8 reg and heavy wall, 3/4, 7/8 and 1” rods, 4” drill pipe, 41/2 casing, 7” casing and guardrail. ALSO have 50,000’ of PVC water line pipe. Can ship to most locations. Please call Ron at 406425-3100..................... 10/27

OILFIELD PIPE: RPJ Enterprises, Inc. Used for fencing, cattle guards, etc. ALL SIZES!! Quantity discounts and delivery available. Pierce, CO 80650. Call 970-324-4580, e-mail rpjenergy@gmail.com.......1/5

10 ACRE PROPERTY: Great value with 100’x225’ indoor arena plus a lovely 4 bedroom, 3 bath home. Only 1 mile south of Torrington, WY on Hwy. 85. Fantastic opportunity for private or commercial equestrian clinics, ropings, self boarding with indoor and outdoor riding. Includes pasture paddocks with shelters. $555,000. Reduced! Now $535,500. 35 ACRES: This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with attached garage and bonus room on 35 acres is located on the south edge of Yoder, WY. Private lane leads to the home. Features include: Horse barn, loafing shed, corrals and hay meadows. There is no zoning, which offers the opportunity to live the country life the way you desire. $425,000. GOSHEN COUNTY, WY. Pivot irrigation. 160+ acres. Zimmatic pivot with 153 shares of Horse Creek Conservation. Home, shop, hay barns. Five miles southwest of Yoder, WY. $650,000. Casey Essert at Empire Realty at 307-534-2222 or 1-888-340FARM. More listings available at www.buyaranch.com ..................................... TFN

Irrigation

FENCE PIPE: Structural pipe for fence, pens, feeders, rails and much more!! All sizes available, 2 3/8 up to 7”. Pete Maxwell 307-258-8784......... 10/20

Property for Sale

ALL OF CITY BLOCK 69 IN ENCAMPMENT, WY FOR SALE: 24 lots, 12 parcels, $175,000. Call 352-316-6867, if no answer please leave a message. ....................... 10/6

NEW LISTING!! Rock Creek Hereford Ranch, 200 acres, 60 acres irrigated. Highway location, $1,100,000. SPRINGWATER RANCH: This 267+ acre ranch is located in a year-round trout stream with beautiful views of the Beartooth Mountains. 160+ acres hay meadows with 60+ acres irrigated. A spacious 2,600 sq. ft. home with a second plus shop and barn. Located between Red Lodge and Roscoe, MT. Sidwell Land & Cattle Co., Richard Sidwell, 406-861-4426, 406322-4425 or e-mail sidwell@ sidwell-land.com. . ........ 10/6

SOUTHWEST MCCONE COUNTY GREAT PASTURE LAND FOR SALE: 17,792+ total acres with 12,391 acres being deeded. Located approximately 14 miles from Brockway, MT with Hwy. 200 and 24 frontage. For more information or to make a physical inspection of the property contact Montana Land Brokers Co., Jason Dunham, broker 406-366-5588 or Russell Pederson, broker 406939-2501, www.montanalandauctions.com.............10/20 HUNTING AND FISHING RETREAT PROPERTY FOR SALE: Fort Smith, MT, 77+ acres, 2 bedroom, 1.5 baths, shop/Quonset. $475,000. Call Travis for details or a showing. Travis Dimond 406-8697681, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Floberg Real Estate......................... 10/13 FOR SALE: 656.9 acre hay farm and feedlot on Tunnel Hill Rd., Pavillion, WY. Very productive hay farm with 3 feedlots for up to 850 head of cattle, which makes a great winter unit. 388 acres is irrigated ground: 330 acres under 3 pivots, 58 acres with gated pipe. Historical production of 1,400-1,600 tons of high-quality alfalfa and some grass hay. Improvements include a 1,740 sq. ft. main house, 4,600 sq. ft. metal shop and storage building. Four wells provide more than adequate water for the 3 feedlots, which have separate tire tanks. The slope and soil-types of the feedlots ensure cattle do not stand in mud. Must see to appreciate. $1,950,000. Call Ray Elser, Broker, Contour Investment Properties, Jackson, WY 307-690-4313 or email ray@contourproperties. com............................... 10/20

VETERAN, WY, 518 ACRES TOTAL: 118 acres deeded plus 400 acres Wyoming State Grazing Lease. 2004 Zimmatic 7 tower pivot. Excellent combination of sub-irrigated grass, hard grass, irrigated grass and tall brush for calf protection. $405,000. IRRIGATED HAY MEADOWS and impressive improvements on this balanced 360 acre property located near Veteran, WY. Nice home, shop, machine shed, livestock barn, Quonset, grain storage and corrals. Ideal for a purebred livestock operation. 120 acres deeded plus 240 acres state lease. $766,615. Reduced!! Now $699,000. Casey Essert at Empire Realty at 307-534-2222 or 1-888-340FARM. More listings available at www.buyaranch.com ..................................... TFN

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Mineral Rights

WANT TO PURCHASE mineral and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201................. 10/13

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Roof Coatings

“The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time.”

Winter weather brings water availability concerns to farmers and ranchers Clareshom, Alberta – Gerald and Pat Vandervalk of Clareshom, Alberta have solved the challenges of winter water for their cattle by utilizing the springs on their ranch. The water systems Gerald Vandervalk created work well in several kinds of situations, and he now makes and sells his innovative water troughs, made from big tires. “We are fortunate on our ranch because we have so many springs. We don’t have to pump any water,” he says. Vandervalk explains that Springs run all the time. Water from a spring is about 45 to 55 degrees year-round and doesn’t freeze as quickly as water in a river or stream. “Sometimes if it’s a slower spring, with not as much volume or flow, we might have to partially cover the trough or use a smaller trough, so there is not as much surface area to freeze,” Vandervalk says. “We use different sized tires to make the troughs. The tires are indestructible.” Fast-flowing springs If a spring has a slow flow that runs into a small trough, Vandervalk puts a 90-degree angle in the pipe where the water comes in, which shoots the water across the surface, creating more movement where the water is coming in. As a result, water runs across the surface and never freezes in that spot. The strategy allows cows to have constant access to an area of open water and no ice where they can drink. The ideal situation is a good fast-flowing spring, Vandervalk notes. Trough construction To make the troughs, he uses concrete for the bottom. “We use black poly pipe and pull it up through the bottom of the trough. Most of these troughs are designed for springs, so I usually have three pipes coming through – the intake and two overflows,” says Vandervalk. The reason for the two overflow pipes is that sometimes, if there is a lot of water in the spring, two overflows are necessary to handle the excess water and avoid overflow. Vandervalk comments that another reason for the second pipe is that sometimes, a few years later, the person decides to take the overflow water from that trough and pipe it down the hill and across the fence to another pasture. “It’s pretty hard to put another hole in the concrete bottom, so we just put in two overflow pipes in case we want to use some of that water for another trough, down in the next field,” he explains. “There are also some producers using my troughs with

“The cattle are always pulling warmer water off the bottom of the trough.” – Gerald Vandervalk a solar watering system and to keep from overflowing the trough they need to cut the intake pipe off a bit, so it is low enough a float can be put on it. When pumping water, we would want a float,” Vandervalk says. Preventing ice A unique way of preventing ice buildup is a method Gerald has seen done by another producer. “When we cut the top out of the tire, we cut all around the outside, but he cuts about six holes or slots in the top part of the side walls. The holes are large enough for a cow’s head. Then, each hole has a tube, like an inner tube from a tractor tile, which goes into the trough and into the water,” he explains. This makes for less surface area on top of the trough, Vandervalk says, adding that the tube also extends into the water, meaning it’s less likely that water will be frozen. “The cattle are always pulling warmer water off the bottom of the trough.” He adds, “The tube is big enough that there is plenty of room for the cow’s head and nose, and it drops about a foot down into the water.” Heather Smith Thomas is a correspondent for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Water troughs – Maintaining open water in cold climates can be a challenges, and one Alberta rancher suggests using moving water or specialized tanks to accomplish the feat. Courtesy photo

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

Time Tested By Miranda Reiman

We’ve dubbed it the “smiling house.” On my family’s regular route through the Sandhills, there’s a lonely old place; rain and time have left the wood devoid of color. Yet, with its classic, square farmhouse design – and a little imagination – its two upstairs windows make eyes. It sags so much that the porch looks like it’s turned up in a smile. Every time we pass the “smiling house,” I do the opposite, however. There are no signs that anybody has cared about the place in quite some time, but I can’t help thinking about a time when someone did. “That was somebody’s dream, somebody’s hope,”

as the old Tracy Byrd song goes. “They had big plans. They had no doubts.” We always wonder when we’ll drive past and find it’s disappeared into the sea of grass, either due to Mother Nature or management. Of course, it could be they have a bigger, nicer place more suitable for ranch headquarters or dozens of other explanations, but my mind often settles on the depressing thought that perhaps that operation didn’t survive a ’50s drought or the ’80s Farm Crisis. A little way down the sparse highway, I see a ranch that probably dates back to the same period,

but it’s a starkly different picture. The well-kept house could look much like it did new, perhaps 100 years ago. There’s a bustle of activity around the place, with evidence that the people living there grow everything from tomatoes and cucumbers to kids and cattle. As I travel past slices of the country with a past I know only in general, I often wonder about their specific history. What could we learn from the places that failed and the ones that flourish? Sometimes I’m lucky enough to learn those stories. Last month, I sat down with two different cattle

SALE REPORTS

16th Annual Sugar Bars Legacy Sale Sept. 16, 2018 Sheridan County Fairgrounds, Sheridan Top 5 Weanlings Avg. $2,400 Top 5 Yearlings Avg. $2,520 Top 5 Saddle Horses Avg. $11,150

Top Yearling – Lot 58

Top sellers Weanlings Lot 17 – TDM Four Star Lowry – Price: $3,300 Sire: Vascos Lowry Star Dam’s Sire: Four Twenty One. Consignor: Swensen-Martin Horse and Cattle Co., Trent and Dawn Martin, Beaulah,

N.D. Buyer: Apsen Larmer, Mot, Mont. Saddle horses Lot 61 – Profits Paisley – Price: $14,500 Sire: Profit Power Consignor: Haight ranch, Dale and Carol Haight, Saskatchewan, Canada Buyer: Jon Robinett, Dubois

Saddle horse gelding Lot 64 – Peppered Pistol – Price: $12,000 Sire: Wilywood Dam’s Sire: Sonny Sugar Consignor: SwensenMartin Horse and Cattle Co., Trent and Dawn Martin, Beulah, N.D. Buyer: Steve Stoddard, Broadus, Mont. Yearling Lot 58 – Mia Sparkle Girl – Price: $4,100 Sire: Catalena Boy Consignor: 3D Quarter Horses, Sandra Devine, Wibaux, Mont. Buyer: Graham Roberts, Wibaux, Mont. Ranching Heritage breeder Lot 30 – Sugar Oaks Trademark – Price $1,500 Sire: Frenchmans Trademark Dam: Sugar Oak Freckles Consignor: Bender Ranch, LeAnn Bender, Mobridge, S.D. Buyer: Olivia Vehran, Sheridan The 2019 Sugar Bars Horse Sale and Futurity Show is set for Sept. 21-22, 2019.

18th Annual Fall “WYO” Quarter Horse Sale Sept. 8, 2018 Thermopolis Geldings Avg. $17,225 Two-Year-Old Geldings Avg. $7,550 Yearlings Avg. $2,600 Weanlings Avg. $1,774

Top Seller

Top sellers Geldings Lot 53 – Mercedes Otoe Oil – Price: $47,000 Buyer: Colorado Two-year-old geldings Lot 20 – Me O My Nick – Price: $28,000 Sire: ELS Scottish Nick Dam’s Sire: Handle Bar Doc Buyer: Colorado Yearlings Lot 83 – ELS Lace And Roses – Price: $4,500 Sire: TC Joe Cotton Dam’s Sire: Tee Jay Three Bars Buyer: Idaho Weanlings Lot 62 – Cats Dash To Fame – Price: $3,700 Sire: Vabellez Dam’s Sire: Smooth As A Cat Buyer: Wyoming Complete results are posted on at wyohorses.com.

feeders – one male, one female; one 96, one close to 80; one in Nebraska, one in Colorado; one large scale, one small. There were many differences in their journey but also many similarities of how one ends up looking back on a career in agriculture with collectively more wins than losses. Here are a few pearls of wisdom. Work hard, spend wisely. “First, you’re so busy trying to make a living, you haven’t got time to wonder what’s going to happen in the years to come,” one said. They both talked about the physical labor and mental energy it took building their businesses. They still practice frugal-

ity. “Keep enough reserves that you know you’re going to weather a storm,” said the other. Challenges aren’t something to fear, but rather something to learn from. “Some of those are good because it will humble you. You get to going along pretty good, and you get to feeling pretty good about yourself. You get in one of those and you’ll get a little humility back,” said the cattleman. Embrace technology. An adding machine and typewriter have given way to the computer, “but that’s progress, and we’re always for progress, really. Not progress for itself. Not progress because the neighbors have it,” she said. “Progress, that it will

fit your business and be profitable in your business.” Remember your buyer. “If you give them what they want, you can rest assured you’re going to have a profit.” Both feeders have watched quality grades increase and consumer demand follow suit. “You’ll be rewarded for your work. It’s easier to go downhill than it is to push something uphill.” I’ll be smiling at the gems I picked up from these seasoned producers, long after that landmark house falls into a final frown. Next time in Black Ink®, Nicole Lane Erceg will find some answers. Questions? E-mail mreiman@certifiedangusbeef.com.

Cheney bill releases WSAs in some Wyo counties Washington, D.C. – On Sept. 27, Congresswoman Liz Cheney introduced the Restoring Local Input and Access to Public Lands Act, after Big Horn, Lincoln and Sweetwater County Commissioners requested the bill. The bill lifts Wilderness Study Act (WSA) designations in the counties. The counties opted not to participate in the Wyoming Public Lands Initiative, which is led by the Wyoming County Commissioner’s Association (WCCA), and commissioners requested that Congress act to release the WSAs. Serving constituents “I have heard from County Commissioners, local officials and other impacted users requesting that the WSA designations be lifted in these counties to restore management for multiple use and sustained yield,” said Cheney, adding that recreation, ranching and other economic activities have been negatively impacted by the designations that prevent access and restrict grazing rights, among other things. “Congress is responsible for designating WSAs, listening to local input and ultimately legislating on whether these lands should be returned to multipleuse management” She continues, “For over 40 years, federal land in Wyoming has languished in WSA status. The bill I introduced will finally address this long-standing issue and provide citizens and local officials in Big Horn, Lincoln and Sweetwater counties more authority to determine how best to manage the federal land within their counties.” By formally removing the “Land with Wilderness Characteristics” designations from public lands in those counties, which have been implemented by abuses of the Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA), according to Cheney. “Over the last few years, federal land management agencies abused their authority under FLPMA to classify land as having wilderness characteristics then restrictively managing that land based on the agencies’ arbitrary standards without local input, support or any real justification. My bill ends

this deeply flawed practice,” she said. Community support Cheney’s bills acts with the support of both county commissioners and members of agriculture advocacy and recreation advocacy organizations. “We, the Lincoln County Commissioners, fully support the release of the WSA’s in Lincoln County. We appreciate all the work that Congressman Cheney has done to help us with an important issue,” said Robert King, Lincoln County Commission chairman. His sentiments were echoed by Sweetwater County Commissioner Wally Johnson, who said, “I sincerely hope Congress can make the change in Sweetwater County, since roughly 80 percent of the people I represent depend on the quality jobs that stem from mineral development.” In addition, both the Wyoming Stock Growers Association and American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) expressed support for the bill, noting that the bill is a positive movement of the “interim status” that the lands have been in. “We are very pleased to see an effort to move out of the WSA status and into multiple use management which was the original recommendation of the Bureau of Land Management for many of these areas,” said Wyoming Stock Growers Association Executive Vice President Jim Magagna. Zippy Duvall, AFBF president, said, “The American Farm Bureau supports Representative Cheney’s efforts to return common-sense, multiple-use management to Wyoming lands that have been locked up for decades. The established wilderness criteria put multiple-use areas off limits for the use of motorized tools and mechanized vehicles for management practices, fire protection and recreation uses.” Saige Albert is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. This article was summarized from information provided by Congresswoman Liz Cheney’s office. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr. net.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 30 No. 23 • October 6, 2018

It’s the Pitts by Lee Pitts

Save the Ice Cube I have lived for most of my life within 10 miles of San Luis Obispo, Calif. – or SLO as it’s known. Normally, I hate cities, long lines and traffic jams, so I tend to stay away from places with stoplights. But, as towns go, SLO isn’t so bad. In 2010, National Geographic proclaimed SLO “the happiest town in America,” while, at the same time, it was also named the third best place to live in the country. I wouldn’t argue with that, but the town is also known for some pretty kooky

stuff. SLO was the first city in America to ban smoking in bars and paper and plastic bags in grocery stores. In March, it was one of the first cities in America to ban drinking straws in restaurants. If your average, over-worked restaurant server who is working two jobs and depending on good tips from persnickety customers to make ends meet gives you a straw without you first asking for one, he or she could face a penalty of $1,000 and six months in jail. There are actually straw cops stak-

ing out restaurants trying to nab the vile straw givers who are terrorizing America. Restaurants can’t even substitute plastic straws with paper ones because that might entail cutting down a few extra trees every year, not to mention an outbreak of the muchdreaded soggy straw syndrome (SSS). The bloated left-coast politicians say the plastic from straws pollutes the environment, but if they’re so worried about that, why isn’t California’s own Nancy Pelosi put in jail for all the work plastic surgeons have wasted on her? Personally, I don’t think the straw ordinance goes far enough. Why stop with just the straws? How about all the parsley that gets wasted on restaurant plates every year? Is there a single soul in America who eats the stuff? And

yet, why isn’t there a garnish gestapo? And how about paper napkins? How many more innocent trees have to die just so you can wipe the mustard off your ugly mug? That’s what shirt sleeves are for. If we’d just outlaw all the greasy chicken being served, we could save entire forests. The list of items wasted in restaurants is longer than the menu at Jack in the Box. We could turn the Mojave Desert green with all the water that’s served but never drunk. And do you really need that afterdinner mint at Olive Garden or the Waverly Wafers in the cracker basket at your favorite steak house? And don’t get me started on wasted pickles. I haven’t even mentioned the thing that needs saving the most – ice cubes. How many more must die a slow, agoniz-

ing death in the bottom of a drink glass? Are you so deaf that you can’t hear their screams? Every year, there’s enough ice melted in all the Big Gulps to provide the ice for every hockey rink in North America. Ice crunchers like myself should be locked up for 10 years before they destroy any more cubes. And talk about climate change! Researchers at the Institute for Junk Science in Hollywood, Calif., say there’s enough ice wasted every year in the bottom of drink cups to create 10 icebergs bigger than the one that doomed the Titanic. Their melting is causing the temperature of the planet to plummet by two degrees every year. That’s why not a single polar bear was spotted in Hollywood last year, according to Professor Alec Baldwin. So, I say, “Save the

Ice Cube!” We can start by demanding that dying ice cubes be rehabilitated by refreezing them. And women’s groups should be knitting little tiny sweaters for the disappearing cubes, so they don’t freeze to death. It’s the least we can do. I beg every small town, municipality and giant city in America, to follow SLO’s example and save the straws, save the garnish, save the napkins and for goodness sakes, save the cubes. Why must they suffer a single second more? You can help by sending your tax-deductible contributions to Save The Ice Cube (STIC), in care of my bank, where I’ll stick it somewhere the IRS will never find it. Don’t let the little disappearing buggers suffer a single second more or they could soon end up on the endangered species list.