Roundup for 2.20.2021 Section A

Volume 32 Number 43 • February 20, 2021

®

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

A Look Inside

The 117th Congress faces multiple rural and agricultural issues

Animal agriculture markets remain resilient through the pandemic...................Page A10

On Feb. 12, AgriPulse hosted a Facebook live session to delve into rural and agriculture issues facing the 117th Congress.

During the event, AgriPulse Managing Editor Spencer Chase was joined by

Dick Perue shares the historical revolutions in meatpacking industry......................Page A12 Water quality remains an important issue in drought conditions......................... Page B3 Interseeding legumes can decrease fertilizer use in pastures............................Page B7

Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations at the Association of Equipment Manufacturing (AEM) Kip Eideberg to discuss the topic.

Setting a bipartisan tone To begin the discussion, Johnson emphasized it is first important to note how critical it will be to maintain a bipartisan tone in the House Agriculture Committee moving forward.

“This committee has a

long-standing tradition of bipartisanship, but I think this time around it might be a little more difficult to maintain,” he said.

While Johnson admitted he is fully dedicated Please see ISSUES on page A5

Sheep industry

Quick Bits

ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK

NRCS Form

Current market projections bring good news to beef producers

Producers participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation programs might be contacted by the Farm Service Agency by mail with information on a form they require. New this year, all producers and landowners participating or applying to participate in certain NRCS programs must complete form CCC-902, the Farm Operating Plan. For more information, visit directives. sc.egov.usda.gov/viewerFS. aspx?hid=45889.

Good news is always welcomed in the beef industry, especially in terms of cattle markets.

“So many times we are in the dumps about the cattle market, but the industry is going into a supply trend producers will like,” said Commercial Cattle Manager and Livestock Market Analyst for DV Auction Corbitt Wall during The Business of Beef: Health and Management Summit presented by Boehringer Inglehim on Feb. 11. “For a change, this trend is going to favor cattle producers.”

Wall shared the cattle market has been dealing with large supplies since 2014, and producers have started to see

evidence of the cattle supply decline. However, he noted, declining supply is good for the cattle market from the producers perspective.

Current cattle industry “The last U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cattle inventory report was bullish,” Wall noted. “From the surface, it might not have seemed like it. After the USDA revised 2019 cattle numbers down 620,000 and the calf crop down 468,000 to start 2020, the beef industry is working with a total inventory of 93.6 million head which is Please see CATTLE on page A14

Wool Lab Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s wool lab has become the nation’s largest wool testing facility. The Bill Sims Wool and Research Lab is transitioning to accommodate the testing needs of domestic wool trade. Currently, the U.S. wool industry must rely on labs overseas for testing, following the closure of the only U.S. wool testing facility in Colorado in 2020.

Pork Market According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, hog slaughter in the week of Feb. 8 was 2.564 million head, up 2.5% higher than last year and 30,000 head short of what was expected. Weather has disrupted the flow of livestock from hog barns and feedlots to slaughter plants. Additionally, while packers have been able to increase Saturday slaughters to accommodate hogs canceled from delivery during the week, a short-term disruption in the flow of pork products to retailers and processors.

Water Update Statewide snowpack or snow water equivalents (SWE) averages increased to 93% of median following recent snow events, which is still below average for this time of year. The majority of gain in SWE occurred across basins in central through southern Wyoming. More snow in the far western mountains can be expected within the week.

Market acceleration – Shorter cattle supplies have the ability to improve cattle prices from the calf market to the finished cattle market. Averi Hales photo

WWGA executive director provides update on markets, predator control and industry promotion During the Fremont County Farm and Ranch Days held in Riverton Feb. 3-4, Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA) Executive Director Amy Hendrickson presented an update on the lamb and wool market, predator issues and industry promotion activities.

Lamb market Impacts of the COVID19 pandemic have devastated the lamb market for almost a year now. Hendrickson shared many lamb processors suffered major losses, and some of the business still has not returned.

“While the price of lamb is pretty good, there is potential for prices to get better but it is hard to tell what the future holds,” she explained. “One of the things we have seen lately is greater direct-to-consumer sales, but the question of where those lambs can be processed remains.”

Hendrickson continued, “Currently, it is estimated 55 to 60 percent of Please see WWGA on page A8

Mining ban lift overturned

Bartons promote ag education, cattle industry

On Feb. 10, U.S. District Judge Lynn Winmill overturned a Trump administration’s action, which allowed mining and other development on 10 million acres across six western states deemed important for the survival of greater sage grouse.

In 2017, Trump lifted this ban, which was imposed by President Barack Obama, allowing the potential for mining and other development in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming. At the time, officials conducted an analysis showing mining and/or grazing would not pose a significant threat to sage grouse.

Stakeholder comments According to Winmill, the 2017 ban cancellation was arbitrary and failed to fully consider the impact of mining on sage grouse populations. Therefore, Winmill ordered the U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management to reconsider the impact on sage grouse populations and if mining should be allowed.

Several environmentalist groups including Western Watersheds Project, Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians and Prairie Hills Audubon Society call the ruling a big win.

“The Obama administration found digging up one percent of sage grouse habitats rangewide and turning them into strip mines with noisy and disruptive industrial activity had a significant impact requiring a full-scale Environmental Impact Statement,” wrote the groups in a news release dated Feb. 15.

On the other hand, National Mining Association Spokesperson Conor Bernstein said the group was disappointed in the Feb. 10 ruling, noting they believed the Trump administration had correctly decided blocking mining across such a broad area was

sic Cattle Company sells 80 to 100 show cattle to California, Wyoming, Iowa and Texas each year.

Interest in agriculture Garrett and Megan both grew up in the San Diego, Calif. area, and were not directly involved in agriculture until Garrett was accidentally signed up for agricultural biology, rather than traditional biology his freshman year of high school.

In the first day of class, Garrett’s ag teacher introduced him to a student who raised and sold hogs to other students in the FFA program.

“I joined FFA, bought two hogs

Please see GROUSE on page A8

Garrett and Megan Barton, in partnership with Jeff and Tatum Berry, own and operate Classic Cattle Company. The operation sells Angus cattle, as well as show steers and heifers for 4-H and FFA members.

Currently based in Casper, Clas-

periodical

periodical

Please see BARTON on page A6

A2

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

Coal is Still King

Hopefully we won’t have any more storms this year like the storm we endured this past week, which was one for the books. It made us further appreciate coal and natural gas, and we wish Washington D.C. would as well.

From the

If we look back in the records Publisher Dennis Sun or listen to Weatherman Don Day, the years of a strong La Niña always produce a polar vortex weather event such as the one we saw the week of Feb. 8. The last strong La Niña was in the winter of 2011-12, and records show we had the same type of storm across the nation around this time. Weather patterns tend to repeat themselves.

This past storm was ranked as the second worst storm to ever happen in the country. The main reason for this is the storm covered 70 percent of the nation. It was the fourth time Houston had snow, and we saw pictures of icicles on South Padre Island, Texas. In Louisiana, the cold shut down Mardi Gras celebrations – that is cold.

One time, my family and I were in San Antonio, Texas during an early Easter. When we left Wyoming, the temperature was 30 degrees below zero. Two days later, it hit southern Texas and froze everything up.

The fountains at the Alamo looked like ice sculptures, and most of the houses had frozen water pipes as the main water pipes came out of the ground and up the outside of the houses. What a novel idea. Let’s face it, the south can’t deal with cold. Some parts of southern Texas have had no electricity for over 30 to 40 hours.

Many of us have heard about wind turbines freezing up, and it’s true. But, according to news reports, the polar vortex weather has not only shut down electrical generation from wind and solar energy sources, but also other conventional energy sources – especially in the energy-rich state of Texas.

During the ongoing cold, coal and natural gas saved the day, providing over one-half of the electricity on the power grid which serves Texas and its neighboring states. Those southern states also learned even with adequate power sources, the current power grid in most states is not able to keep up with demand of a polar vortex.

The big issues are the severe cold, lack of adequate infrastructure, the large area of the storm and not planning for all of the above.

The best way to plan for these issues, besides building more and better infrastructure, is to have diverse outlets of energy production. The current administration and others in Washington, D.C. want to eliminate oil, natural gas and coal production.

We learned this past week solar and wind energy alone are not going to cut it. During a normal summer, wind can provide around 60 percent of the power for the state of Texas, but during a harsh winter, it’s a different matter.

Utilities are going north and using coal powered electricity to power up the Southern Plains states. It’s a mess.

I’ve been visiting with people from the South. They’re going to remember this storm for a long time, and it’s not even over yet. A coal train from Wyoming looks really good right now.

And, as one person put it yesterday, “There’s not many Texans supporting the Green New Deal this week.”

Wyoming Livestock Roundup

GUEST OPINIONS Wyoming’s Agricultural Paradox

By John Freeman When we think of agriculture in Wyoming, we generally think of raising livestock and feed grains, and sometimes we think about timbering. We don’t think of cultivating vegetables and fruits.

Even in a time of doubts and divisiveness, we can easily agree healthful food is the key to our wellbeing. But, depending on our income and where we live, healthful food is often inaccessible.

Not always so. In the early days home gardens, orchards and diversified farms dotted our landscape. Wyoming farmers were recognized for their high-quality produce, which was shipped by train to Denver and beyond.

Reliance on small to midscale family farms began declining during World War I when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) instituted a policy favoring larger, industrialized farms to help feed the world while keeping food prices unusually low on the home front. Today’s produce comes mostly from California and Latin America.

Wyoming’s 2017 vegetable and fruit production made up less than two-tenths of one percent of our state’s gross agricultural product, which was less than two percent of the value of the state’s gross product. Local fresh food production is far from fulfill-

ing consumer demand – not just from affluent food snobs, but from the general public, communities without grocery stores and our many food pantries.

In a hopeful sign, the Wyoming Food Coalition, a fledgling voluntary association of committed producers, consumers, health professionals and agricultural experts, seeks to help build a coherent system of producing, marketing and distributing nutritious food in-state.

Wyoming is the last state to establish a food coalition, though many of the coalition’s members have been working for years on pieces of the system – especially two University of Wyoming (UW) faculty members, community and public health Expert Christine Porter and UW Agricultural Economist Cole Ehmke as well as Central Wyoming College (CWC) President and Economist Brad Tyndall.

With USDA support, their students have been able to draw out local interest and connect with community members in demonstration projects, most notably on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Their approach is both idealistic and pragmatic – understanding access to fresh, healthy, affordable food is a human right and encouraging projects to overcome systemic

obstacles to this inalienable right.

A founding member of the coalition, CWC has just inaugurated a beginning farmer and rancher program, which includes a complete farm business incubator at its field station south of Lander. Its purpose is to prepare full- and part-time farmers and home market gardeners for economically and environmentally sustainable yearround local food production.

A reservation project to restore traditional foods is providing transportation for tribal members to and from the CWC program. As the program develops, future producers will be able to cultivate on their own one-third acre plots at the field station.

For beginning farmers, securing enough start-up capital poses a formidable obstacle, which is why representatives of the Small Business Administration and other agencies are connected to the CWC program. Wyoming ranks near last for investments in local food systems, but this may change soon.

The new national administration has pledged a renewed effort to support farming and food systems based on sustainability – an effort initiated under President Reagan and expanded by President George W. Bush. Until more Wyo-

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Volume 31

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4 • May 25,

2019

Volume 30

The Weekly net News Source ty • www.wylr.

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Hinners spoke of the Sheridan Research down in the thebeginning referring to to previ- of in ous year. industry, about has made natural resources went export opportunities “Since the and Extension Center and the energy been entrusted “When of a job in for the U.S. associate professor at the Rabou were out time, we have USDA’s monthly Catcreation,” survey of many people University of Wyoming.

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Exports are Association a day, and test page index for 5 15. and bulls were As WyWP districts Hereford cows - Some cows, such as these Herefords in Torrington, are fed$2.50 for U.S. grain also positive confidence months dropped in a lot during 1, theand the ready to go. of March see AG on Please certain producers.

Curt times of the year. Callie Hanson photo WyWP council.

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News Source

Cattle market has moisture

Member: Wyoming Stock Growers Association Wyoming Wool Growers Association Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation • Wyoming CattleWomen Livestock Publications Council • National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Fremont County Cattlemen's Association Green River Valley Cattlemen's Association Wyoming Angus Association Converse County Stock Growers Association Carbon County Stock Growers Association

Volume 31 Number 9 • June 29, 2019

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mingites invest in farming, the federal government may continue as the principal source of investment capital.

But, perhaps the greatest challenge is finding landowners willing to sell or lease all or part of their properties for commercial farming. As an association of producers and consumers, the Wyoming Food Coalition may be in the best position to help with the challenge of connecting aspiring farmers and landowners.

In at least a couple of instances, younger members of ranch families are doing some commercial farming on their family properties. Little has been said about pandemicinspired newcomers leaving cities and taxes to work remotely from Wyoming.

Would it be too much to ask them to consider allowing those aspiring farmers to lease or even sharecrop a few cultivatable acres since they themselves likely demand healthy food? The world may need more cowboys, and Wyoming definitely needs more farmers.

John F. Freeman is a longtime resident of Wyoming.

Trained in history, he served as community college dean, nonprofit executive and community development volunteer in the office of a former governor. He can be reached at jfreemanwyo@gmail.com.

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FDA Data

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

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NEWS BRIEFS Bill introduced Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced a bill to protect the name of the Devils Tower National Monument located in the northeast corner of the state. Despite the fact the monument has been known as Devils Tower since the 1800s, efforts have been made in recent years to change the name of the well-known landmark. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) is co-sponsoring the bill.

“Devils Tower is one of the most iconic sights in Wyoming. It’s the first national monument in the United States and a place of significance for everyone who sees it, from the tourists who visit to the native peoples and Wyoming residents who live nearby. Devils Tower is well known across the country and around the world as a historical and cultural landmark, and it is critical we maintain its legacy and its name,” said Lummis.

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Devils Tower as the first national monument in the United States. The monument welcomes more than half a million visitors each year and is an important part of the state and regional economy.

Since 2005, petitioners have asked the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to rename Devils Tower. The bureaucratic board has been unable to do so, however, thanks to the Devils Tower protection bill.

Since the bill is under consideration by Congress, the board cannot make its own decision on the issue. As a result, whether the bill becomes law or not, the name cannot be changed.

While serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, then-Rep. Lummis served as sponsor for the House’s companion legislation.

To read the bill, visit congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/ senate-bill/22?r=13&s=1.

Polar vortex spans U.S. Record cold temperatures from the polar vortex span most of the United States. Snow and ice covered 73.2 percent of the country from the Pacific Northwest to the Gulf Coast and continuing to the mid-Atlantic.

Widespread damage from the cold, ice and snow has caused power outages, water shortages, downed trees and damage to buildings and infrastructure in Oregon and throughout the South. Texas has been hit especially hard, with the entire state contending with record cold and snow.

Frigid temperatures are expected to persist for most of the country, with the Plains and Mississippi Valley forecasted to continue with double-digit temperature anomalies from 20 to 30 degrees below normal. Another storm system is predicted to provide additional snow and ice to the eastern U.S. through the weekend of Feb. 20.

For more information, visit wcc.nrcs.usda.gov.

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COWBOY STATE DAILY Publisher Bill Sniffin invites you to join 12,000 of your Wyoming friends by becoming a digital subscriber to the fastest growing statewide internet news source in Wyoming – the Cowboy State Daily.

Subscriptions are free! Just go to cowboystatedaily.com and “sign in” and you will get your morning news each day about 7:30 a.m.

This includes a daily forecast by Wyoming’s number-one weather forecaster Don Day. Join Publisher Bill Sniffin, Executive Editor Jimmy Orr, Editor Jim Angell, reporter Ellen Fike and favorite columnists like Dave Simpson and Ray Hunkins on our pages.

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Snowmelt forecast issued The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation has prepared the February snowmelt runoff forecasts and operating plans for the North Platte River Basin (NPRB).

The February forecasts indicate the spring snowmelt runoff will be below average. Total April through July runoff in the NPRB above Glendo Dam is expected to be 555,000 acre-feet (af), which is 60 percent of the 30-year average.

The total conservation storage capacity of the North Platte Reservoir System is approximately 2,815,800 af. As of Jan. 31, the combined storage content in the North Platte Reservoirs was 1,719,900 af, which is 108 percent of the 30-year average.

Current releases are 530 cubic feet per second (cfs) from Seminoe Reservoir through the Miracle Mile. Releases out of Gray Reef Reservoir are 500 cfs. Releases out of Gray Reef Dam will be reduced to 450 cfs out of concern for spilling water at Glendo Reservoir during the spring melt. Releases out of Guernsey Reservoir are zero cfs.

Based on current projections for the months of May, June and July, the releases out of Seminoe Reservoir are expected to peak around 1,700 cfs, while flows out of Gray Reef are expected to be in the range of 2,000 to 3,000 cfs.

Releases from Guernsey will be in the 3,000 to 5,200 cfs range. Pathfinder Reservoir is not expected to spill this spring.

MSLF welcomes Trachman Mountain States Legal Foundation (MSLF) announced the hiring of William E. Trachman as its new associate general counsel. Trachman brings broad experience to the job, and recently served as deputy assistant secretary in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education.

Prior to his appointment, Trachman served as general counsel to the Douglas County School District, where he helped litigate the fight for school choice in the suburban Denver school district. Trachman also currently serves as co-chair of the Colorado Federalist Society, a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ Colorado Advisory Board and as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law. He attended U.C. Berkeley for both undergraduate and law school, and then clerked for the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Trachman is licensed to practice in Colorado, California and Washington, D.C.

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Summit rescheduled

Lifelong residents of Wyoming.

The next American Lamb Summit has been rescheduled to Aug. 8-10, 2022 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The postponement is due to the ongoing pandemic situation.

The second summit will continue to focus and expand on the goals of the first summit held in Fort Collins, Colo. in 2019, which include increasing the quality and consistency of American lamb and improving the U.S. lamb industry’s competitiveness and productivity The American Lamb Summit is an educational conference designed to inspire production improvements and collaboration among all segments of the U.S. lamb industry.

Premier 1 Supplies, the American Lamb Board, Michigan State University and the Michigan Sheep Producers Association are partnering to host this unique educational event.

Stay tuned to lambsummit.com for more information as it becomes available. In the meantime, the site features videos and highlights from the 2019 event.

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A4

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

NEWS BRIEFS Information released Wyoming State Auditor Kristi Racines has released comprehensive Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act expenditure information. Through the CARES Act, the state of Wyoming received $1.25 billion. The CARES Act required these funds be used to cover expenses necessary or incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19.

In May 2020, the Wyoming Legislature enacted emergency legislation directing CARES Act spending and program development. Over the last 11 months, the state of Wyoming has deployed the funds through the creation of various programs and distributions to local governments and communities.

WyOpen was developed internally by the Wyoming State Auditor’s Office and includes payments made by the state of Wyoming through the Wyoming Online Financial System (WOLFS) to vendors for the purchase of goods and services.

The site, originally released in July 2019, allows users to search, view and download expenditure data by state agency, vendor name, vendor location and expenditure category.

WyOpen now displays expenditure information specific to the CARES Act $1.25 billion, including detailed transaction information and actual expenditures by category. The site currently displays CARES Act spending through Jan. 31 and will be updated as previously obligated funds continue to be disbursed.

Gov. Mark Gordon welcomed the release of the data, stressing the funding has been critical to helping the state weather the pandemic.

“These federal dollars helped address critical needs that arose during this pandemic, including small businesses, our communities, our nonprofits and our neighbors,” Gordon said. “The Auditor’s office is to be commended on their continued commitment to transparency.”

“We have continued to improve and evolve WyOpen based on user feedback,” said Racines. “Knowing how these critical aid dollars have been spent is a priority and a right of Wyoming citizens. I am committed to furthering transparency efforts as we navigate this challenging environment.”

CARES Act expenditures can be found at wyopen.gov.

A description of CARES Act programs and a breakdown of funding allocations can be found at wyomingsense.gov/ cares-act.

For questions or help navigating WyOpen, call 307-7775258 or e-mail SAOWOLFSHelpDesk@wyo.gov.

NRCS accepts applications The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications until March 17 for the Buffalo Municipal Watershed Landscape Restoration Project and the Hanover Irrigation District Project.

The objective of the Buffalo Municipal Watershed Landscape Restoration Project is to reduce the amount and continuity of fuels to maintain and protect the water supply for the city of Buffalo. The city’s municipal water supply is in a watershed primarily in the Bighorn National Forest.

This watershed faces several wildfire risks which could negatively affect water quality.

The project aims to reduce the risk of fires leading to sedimentation and debris flows in to the local watershed, reduce the risk of invasive plant species which increase fire risk and degrade habitat, maintain and restore native aspen stands and maintain and enhance riparian habitat. Project funding will help partners protect communities from wildfire and improve the strength of forest landscapes.

The Hanover Irrigation District in Washakie County used Reclamation WaterSMART funds to replace the aging Cottonwood Check and Spill structure and install data meters through the Hanover Irrigation District Project. The structure delivers water from the Boysen Reservoir through the Big Horn River to the Hanover Canal, which supplies water to over 13,700 acres of farmland and 513 users who depend on the water and crops produced for their livelihood.

The improvements are expected to save 1,165 acre-feet per year. With additional NRCS assistance, additional structures in the canal may be replaced and crop and livestock farmers will be able to improve soil moisture management, convert dirt ditches with buried pipe, and improve irrigation water management systems.

Water savings by these additional improvements are expected to be significant and will vary across the diversity of irrigated crops including sugarbeets, corn, beans, small grains and alfalfa. In addition to the water savings and drought resiliency benefits, Environmental Quality Incentive Program funds help improve soil health, protect crop health and reduce sediment, nutrient and pathogen loads to the Big Horn River.

For more information on how to apply, contact Kresta Faaborg at 307-233-6757 or Kresta.Faaborg@usda.gov.

Internships open The Timmerman Feedyard Management Internship is a nationally renowned feedyard management training program, exclusive to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), which has been producing feedyard management and industry leaders since 1988.

Designed for students interested in pursuing a career in beef feedyard management or other related agribusiness areas, the program trains students through comprehensive feedyard and personnel management classes and with realworld experiences in established Midwest feedyards.

“This is the perfect way for students to get into agriculture and get their foot in the door to learn skills so they can continue at the feedyard they intern at or take them somewhere else,” said Galen Erickson, Nebraska cattle industry professor of animal science and feedyard Extension specialist.

Interns who come to Nebraska will have a unique sevenmonth experience. The tri-segment program begins in late May with six weeks of class discussions and industry field trips.

From July through December, interns are assigned to a Nebraska feedyard, which is tailored to their specific goals and interests. Once placed at a feedyard, interns will have the opportunity to experience each facet of the business from animal health, economics, waste management, working with rations at the feed mill, personnel management and bookwork.

Finally, students will return to campus in December for two weeks to review their experiences at feedyards and learn from the experiences of other students in the program.

Timmerman Feedyard Management Internship applications close March. 1. For more information, visit animalscience.unl.edu/unl-feedyard-management-internship.

Applications accepted The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is currently accepting applications for water quality improvement projects in conjunction with the Sheridan County Conservation District and the Popo Agie Conservation District. The sign-up deadlines for both the Tongue River Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the Popo Agie River Watershed Health RCPP are March 17.

The projects were selected for funding under this program in 2015 out of more than 600 pre-proposals submitted nationally.

The Upper Tongue River Watershed RCPP Project included funding for projects within the Tongue River Watershed, including the Goose Creek and Prairie Dog Creek watersheds within Sheridan County. Projects can include fencing and stock water for riparian area and grazing management improvements, irrigation diversion and infrastructure improvements and others.

For more information contact Andrew Cassiday at 307-683-4192 or andrew.cassiday@usda.gov.

The Popo Agie RCPP Project was developed as a partnership among the residents of Lander and surrounding rural areas relying on the Popo Agie River system as their primary source of drinking, agricultural irrigation and stock water. Additionally, Popo Agie River system provides wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities and serves as an important fishery.

Projects include innovative water use agreements, stream restoration, irrigation infrastructure improvement, off-stream water developments and other best management practices.

For more information, contact Eric Watson at 307332-3114 or eric.watson@usda.gov.

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ESKEW AGENCY 1411 S BEVERLY ST CASPER, WY 82609

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

ISSUES continued from page A1 to maintaining this bipartisan tone, he noted he has been joined by many Democratic colleagues who want to use ag policy to address environment, climate and carbon issues.

“There is plenty we can do together on this front, but I really do believe it is going to be more difficult to craft bipartisanship if we focus solely on environmental ag policy in the committee,” said Johnson.

“Therefore, it is critical all of those in ag country reinforce their needs to their members of Congress and

other leaders in the industry,” he added. “We really need ag policy to continue being bipartisan. It is what’s best for the whole country.”

Rural and agricultural issues From here, Johnson explained there are three overarching issues in regard to agriculture he believes will be addressed by the 117th Congress. These include mandatory price reporting, trade and the upcoming farm bill.

“The new farm bill seems like it is an eternity away, but it’s not,” stated Johnson. “In fact, we are actually laying

USDA clarifies seed rules Following a months-long investigation into thousands of reports from citizens who received unsolicited seed packages in the mail last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is providing additional guidance to help online buyers and sellers comply with U.S. laws when they import seeds and live plants for planting from other countries.

The information will also help protect critical U.S. agriculture infrastructure and natural resources from potential invasive pest and disease threats. The guidance explains buyer and seller responsibilities, outlines required documents, such as import permits and phytosanitary certificates, provides information on which plant and seed species have additional import requirements and makes clear which types of plants and seeds are not allowed to be imported into the United States.

APHIS published the site after evaluating thousands of reports of unsolicited seed deliveries beginning in July 2020. While APHIS confirmed some of the seeds were sent to the United States unsolicited, others were seeds the recipients ordered – unaware they were coming from a foreign country. Regardless, most of the seed shipments were illegal because they entered the United States without a permit or a phytosanitary certificate.

APHIS has found no evidence someone was intentionally trying to harm U.S. agriculture with these shipments. In fact, there is no correlation between where the seeds were sent and U.S. critical agriculture infrastructure.

APHIS officials believe the unsolicited packages are part of an internet brushing scam. Sellers carrying out brushing scams will often ship inexpensive items to increase transactions. The more transactions a seller completes, the higher their rating and the more likely their items will appear at the top of search results on an e-commerce site.

APHIS has been working with e-commerce companies to remove the online sellers participating in the illegal import of propagative materials, including seeds. The agency has also been working with e-commerce companies to ensure they, and the sellers who use their platforms, are complying with USDA import regulations.

A5

the groundwork for the next bill right now. This year is a key year because members are putting down markers and carving out areas they want to take ownership of, all while crowdsourcing ideas with the ag community. We are trying to ensure the next bill is predictable and won’t be a surprise for the ag community.”

Eideberg agreed market transparency is a huge issue.

He also noted rural and agricultural communities are facing lack of reliable high-speed broadband, poor infrastructure, low commodity pricing and mounting bankruptcy.

“Policies need to provide farmers and ranchers with the tools they need to manage risk, open up more markets for U.S. commodities, ensure

a fair and transparent regulatory system and acknowledge the ag sector needs to produce more food while taking care of the environment,” said Eideberg. “If we can do all of this, I think we will be well on our way to a healthy and vibrant rural America.”

Spanberger noted rural connectivity is one of her top priorities.

“Producers are the original work from home folks, and the way they conduct most of their business now is through the internet. From updating machinery to communicating with buyers and suppliers. internet is really important for them,” she said.

“Additionally, as a member of the House Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee

Torrington Livestock Markets PO Box 1097 • Torrington, WY 82240 307.532.3333 Fax: 307.532.2040

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my goal is to bring producers to the conversations happening in Congress,” Spanberger added. “Frankly, I think there are times Democratic discussion of the larger climate crisis has missed an opportunity to learn about what is happening in the agriculture space and what practices producers are employing across the country to be better stewards of the land.”

An optimistic future Despite these issues, Johnson, Spanberger and Eideberg express their optimism for the future of rural communities and the agriculture industry.

“I am optimistic, and I believe we will see substantial improvements in all of these areas,” stated Johnson. “While

I don’t think there is going to be one Hail Mary touchdown pass, I believe we will see trade expand with Kenya, Japan, Indonesia and Britain.

I also think we will see some bipartisan policy on broadband.”

“Gains are painstaking, incremental and slower than they should be, but we will make some,” Johnson continued. “I am dedicated to ensuring the Biden administration continues the progress we have made the past few years.

We don’t want to do any backsliding because those gains we made were hard fought.”

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

Lex Madden 307-532-1580 Michael Schmitt 307-532-1776 Chuck Petersen 307-575-4015

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 - FEEDER & CALF SPECIAL

FEEDERS D & W Livestock 382 Char-x, few Blk Hfrs, 7, few Strs 700-750#, Weaned a long time, Bunk Broke, Been on a Grower Ration, Complete Vac. Program Tracy & Beverly Pruitt 181 Blk Angus Strs & Hfrs, 600-750#, Weaned a long time, Bunk Broke, Been on a Grower Ration, 3 Rounds of Shots, Poured, No Replacement Hfrs kept Rod & Corey Adams 150 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 750-775#, Weaned Mid-Oct., Bunk Broke, Been on a Grower Ration, Pr-cond. Shots: Vision 7 w/Somnus, Vista Once, Booster Shots: Titanium 5, Nasalgen 3, Biomectin Pour On, No Implants, Sired by Sure Top Angus Smokey Rassmussen 125 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 700-725#, Weaned a long time, Bunk Broke, Corn Silage and Chopped Hay, Full Vac. Program, All Natural Harlan & Charlie Bradshaw 77 Blk/Bwf Strs & Hfrs, 550-750#, Weaned in Oct., Hay Fed, Branding Shots: Vira Shield 6 w/Somnus, BarVAc 7, Pre-cond. Shots: Vira Shield 6 w/Somnus, Bar Vac 7, Pasteurella, All shots given in the neck Paul McCoy 75 Blk Hfrs, 700#, Weaned a long time, Hay Fed, 2 Rounds of Shots, Poured Roy & Jeff Schmidl 45 Mx Strs & Hfrs, 650-700#, Weaned on Nov. 1, Bunk Broke, 2 Rounds of Shots: Bovi-Shield Gold One Shot, 7-way, Wormed w/Ivermectin on Nov. 25, All Natural, Hfrs are Bangs Vac. William Gifford 30 Blk/Bwf Strs, 625-725#, Weaned 80 days, Long Stem Grass/Alfalfa Hay (No Grain), 2 Rounds of Shots: Triangle 4, Vision 7 w/Somnus, Poured (2x), No Implants, Home Raised, Mostly March/April Calves few May CALVES Jack Creek Land & Cattle Co. 490 Blk/Bwf (1-2 Red) Strs, 600#, Weaned since Oct., Bunk Broke, Been on a Grower Ration, Branding & Pre-cond. Shots: Bovi-Shield One Shot BVD, 7-way w/Somnus, Endovac, Inforce 3, Poured, Home Raised, 1-Iron Cody Thompson 310 Blk/Bwf Strs & Hfrs, 525-600#, Weaned 65 days, Running Out, Branding Shots: Vision 7, Pyramid 5, Precond. Shots: Vision 7 w/Somnus, Pyramid 5, Nasalgen, Home Raised Steve and Jackie Palm 170 Blk Angus Strs & Hfrs, 475-675#, Weaned a long time, Bunk Broke, Silage and Hay Only, 3 Rounds of Shots, Green, Home Raised, Wintered for grass Adam/Gus Cross 112 Char-x/Red Angus Strs & Hfrs, 575-650#, Weaned a long time, Been on a Grower Ration, Bunk Broke, Branding & Pre-cond. Shots: Vision 7 w/Spur, Vista Once SQ, Home Raised, Wintered for grass Ron Lien 80 Mx Strs & Hfrs, 450-550#, Weaned since Oct., Running out on Cornstalks supplemented with Hay and Pellets, Bunk Broke, 2 Rounds of Shots: Titanium 5, Pyramid 5+Presponse, 20/20 Vision 7, Poured Forshee Land & Livestock 73 Blk/Rd Strs, 550#, Weaned since Nov, Been on a Grower Ration, Branding Shots: 7-way, Pre-cond.

Shots: 7-way w/Somnus, Vista Once, Nasalgen, NHTC Certified, Sired by Leachman Stabilizer Low Birth Weight Bulls C Bar Ranch 43 Blk (2 Rd) Strs, 550-600#, Weaned a long time, Running out on meadows, Grass Hay Fed Only, Branding Shots, Weaning Shots: Pyramid 5+Presponse, Vision 7 Somnus w/Spur, Poured w/Ivomec at Weaning Ron Zavorka 30 Blk Strs & Hfr, 600-700#, Weaned 90 days, Bunk Broke, Hay Fed, Branding Shots, Pre-cond. Shots: Pyramid 5+Presponse, Vision 7, All Natural, Home Raised, No Implants Hollis Givens 10 Blk Hfrs, 500-550#, Weaned in Nov., Running out on meadows supplemented with Grass/Alfalfa Hay, Complete Mineral Program, Complete Vac. Program, Bangs Vac., Replacement Quality, High Elevation

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A6

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

BARTON continued from page A1 to show at the county fair and kept them at the school farm,” explained Garrett. “I liked showing, and I decided the next year I wanted to show cattle.”

However, neither Garrett nor his family knew anyone who raised cattle.

Garrett’s dad, a pilot at the time, knew another pilot

who flew Advantage Cattle Services semen sales representatives across the country. He gave the Bartons Jeff Berry’s phone number.

“I purchased a steer from Jeff, and he shipped the steer all the way to central California in the jail house of a bull wagon,” said Garrett. “This steer

Selling genetics – The Bartons sell 80 to 100 show-quality calves each year to 4-H and FFA members, as well as embryos and semen in their genetics sale slated for Feb. 28. Courtesy photo

won my county fair, and I was hooked.”

In the next year, Garrett’s senior year of high school, he purchased two steers and a heifer from Jeff and traveled to Wyoming to pick them up directly from Cheyenne.

“At the time, Jeff was coaching the livestock judging team at Laramie County Community College (LCCC), and he gave me a tour while we were there. I didn’t have any plans for college, and Jeff talked me into judging for LCCC even though I had no experience.”

Garrett and Megan both graduated from LCCC and moved to Laramie to complete their education at the University of Wyoming (UW).

Starting a cattle business Garrett judged on the livestock judging team at UW and started selling show steers in college.

The Bartons bought cattle shortly after graduating from UW in May 2019.

“Shortly after graduation, Megan accepted the ag teaching position at Natrona County High School in Casper, and I found a job working for the Eastgate Ranch,” said Garrett, who noted the Classic Cattle Company was previously rooted in Cheyenne.

Classic Cattle Company utilizes embryo transfer technology to produce solid show cattle.

Garrett has a small herd of donor and recipient cows, and puts embryos in a few recipient herds around the state of Wyoming.

“We’re a little different from other producers because there is a lot of services that come with purchasing show cattle from us,” explained Garrett. “There is a strong camaraderie between our show cattle customers which almost acts like our own 4-H club. We clip steers together and support each other at shows.”

“This atmosphere is

“It is really important to make sure people stay friends and remember why we show cattle – to develop kids into good leaders and responsible adults.” – Garrett Barton something we strive to create,” Garrett continued. “It is really important to make sure people stay friends and remember why we show cattle – to develop kids into good leaders and responsible adults.”

“We sell good show steers, and I would like to say customers buy from us because we have good cattle, but its more than that,” Garrett laughed. “It’s a lot about family, and I love the

industry. I can’t wait until Megan and I’s daughter Tensley can start showing.”

Classic Cattle Company has steers available each fall starting in August and will hold an embryo and semen sale on Feb. 28, which is available on steerbidder.com.

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

Embryo transfer technology – Classic Cattle Company utilizes reproductive technologies, such as embryo transfer, to make quality cattle suited for the show ring. Courtesy photo

Ag is a family affair – Garrett and Megan Barton are passionate about sharing agriculture and the cattle industry with youth and are excited for their daughter Tensley to be involved. Courtesy photo

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A7

UW Extension Educators help youths build business savvy The Rocky Mountain Youth Entrepreneur Series, created by University of Wyoming (UW) Extension 4-H Educators to help youth develop a local food business, is set to launch with its first meeting in March.

Educators involved in the project are Kellie Chichester in Niobrara County, Joddee Jacobsen in Natrona County, Mary Louise Wood in Albany County and Glenn

Owings in Teton County.

Youth entrepreneurship The series is free and open to all youth between 14 years old up to seniors in high school and is a combination of in-person and online meetings. They do not have to be currently enrolled in 4-H but will be enrolled if they plan to participate.

“We began to kick around the idea of this program informally,” said

To register, visit bit.ly/RockyMountain YouthEntrepreneurship. For more information, contact Kelly Chichester at 307-334-3534 or kelliec@uwyo.edu.

Concerns addressed In a letter to Department of the Interior Acting Secretary Scott de la Vega, Gov. Mark Gordon outlined concerns over de la Vega’s Secretarial Order 3395, which is causing delays in routine approvals for oil and gas companies holding valid drilling permits.

Gordon stated the secretarial order’s 60-day pause on new oil and gas authorizations comes “with severe implications devastating the state of Wyoming’s revenue in the near-term with the potential to spell a long-term blow for the state’s economic wellbeing.”

Contradicting recent comments from the Department of the Interior (DOI), Wyoming is experiencing a backlog of actions which would normally be routinely granted by state Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offices. Instead, those decisions are being shuttled to DOI or BLM headquarters in either Grand Junction, Colo. or Washington, D.C. for bureaucratic review, causing unnecessary delays and driving up costs.

“The recent polar vortex is a prime example we need to be exploring and producing more gas for existing drilling permits, rather than waiting days and weeks to see if a surface drilling pad can be moved to a different location on the lease,” Gordon said.

The letter points out this 60-day pause is not intended to bar existing oil and gas operations, but it does.

Gordon also expressed displeasure with the Interior’s decision to postpone the quarterly oil and gas lease sale scheduled for next month and other decisions based on climate concerns.

“It is foolish and counterproductive to pit concern for the environment against quality, good-paying jobs when we know we must have both,” wrote Gordon.

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Chichester of how the program originated. “We keep hearing these buzzwords of entrepreneurship and youth entrepreneurship, and we felt like we had an opportunity to do something.”

The opening of applications for the John P. Ellbogen Foundation Grant provided the boost needed to get this project put together, shared Chichester.

The team applied for the grant and received $6,860 in funding.

This two-year project is designed to help youths learn about vision and mission statements, research the food truck/community service agriculture/farmers’ market industry, design their companies and think through a product and service plan.

The second year will dig into market analysis, competitive analysis and an operational plan to include finances, growth and contingency and wrap up with a

capstone project.

Program goals “Our idea is unique because we are looking at the kid with the germ of the idea,” said Jacobsen. “The program helps them go through the steps and think through the entire business plan, from financials to marketing to their names.”

Youth are limited to either developing a food truck, farmers’ market stand or farm stand, shared Jacobsen.

“They have to go stepby-step and really develop the plan,” she said.

The series is also designed for youths who may not have a business idea yet, said Wood.

“So many of our 4-H kids already have a project, so why not take it that next step and market it?” asked Wood. “Or at least learn it and then apply it to a different part of their life.”

The program is set up

“We keep hearing this buzzword of entrepreneurship and youth entrepreneurship, and we felt like we had an opportunity to do something.” – Kellie Chichester, University of Wyoming Extension in an experiential learning model to allow youths to do, reflect and apply.

“A lot of things are just doing and this is where it stops because they haven’t reflected on it, or made changes and applied it in a different area,” said Wood.

She said the series will help youths develop groundwork to create a business that may not just be for the summer but something they take with them while they are in college or even longer.

Jacobsen hopes this project will help youths think through issues which may come up with a business, such as what happens

when things go wrong, the business idea outlives its usefulness or competitors enter the market.

“It gives them the skills to make connections with community partners they need and maybe help them develop some of those business skills, bookkeeping skills and things like that,” said Owings.

Participation is expected at all scheduled dates throughout the year.

This article was written by Katie Shockley and is courtesy of the University of Wyoming. For more information, e-mail Shockley at jshock12@uwyo.edu or visit uwagnews.com.

A8

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

WWGA continued from page A1 all lamb consumed in the U.S. is imported, but the non-traditional lamb market is not generally captured in those numbers, and this market is where the industry is seeing the highest lamb prices.”

Another issue facing the lamb market at this time is the Scrapie Import Rule, which was passed at the end of the last administration.

“The sheep industry asked before the rule goes anywhere, the lamb mar-

ket secure more exports for U.S. lamb, however, the rule was pushed forward,” said Hendrickson.

“This will make it easier for lamb imports, including both live sheep and sheep products to enter the market from foreign countries.”

Wool market The wool market entered 2020 in a rocky place, noted Hendrickson. The trade disputes with China, along with the ongoing pandemic halted

the international commodity.

“After August, the industry saw some wool markets recover, and there has been recent jumps in wool prices,” she said.

“The good news is Wyoming wool is well suited for a strong recovery because producers in the state have a long history of providing good genetics, nutrition and care for their animals.”

“Although the industry is poised to see prices increase, some wool buyers have said it is likely the wool market won’t move as quickly as it could due to additional processing

wool incurs with drought,” Hendrickson added.

For most of last year, WWGA was focused on securing financial assistance for producers, including the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and state economic packages.

“Sheep were finally included in CFAP assistance,” said Hendrickson.

“At the state level, sheep were also included, but many producers didn’t feel they were able to utilize the help on short notice.”

Hendrickson shared state legislators and officials are aware of where

r e r e b e v Bi Fe PERFORMANCE BULL SALE

serving the history of the Wyoming sheep industry and sharing its value with the general public,” said Hendrickson.

Several sheepwagons were donated to the Little Snake River museum in Savory, and the museum secured a grant to build a center dedicated to the history of the sheep industry, Hendrickson noted.

The WWGA sheepwagon is on display on loan, and in August there was a celebration to mark the opening of the museum.

“WWGA is excited to be a part of the event, and share the positive impacts of the sheep industry,” noted Hendrickson.

The Wyoming SHEEP Foundation is also being developed, she shared.

This organization, separate from WWGA, will focus on education, Extension and preservation of the Wyoming sheep industry history.

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

GROUSE continued from page A1

ThURSdAy, MARCh 4, 2021 ONLiNE OR iN PERSON AT ThE RANCh NEAR LEOLA, Sd

275 yEARLiNg REd ANgUS BULLS SiREd By STOCkMARkET E119, STOCkMAN E116, TiBERiUS E254, MAxiMUS E294, SPARTACUS A193, hARd dRivE y120, ANd PROFiTMAkER E7030

LOT 1 BiEBER STOCkMARkET h179

producers ran into issues with the assistance, and a new package to utilize the remaining assistance is currently being negotiated.

Predator control “In 2020, WWGA was successful in getting an additional $1 million into the budget for the Wyoming Animal Damage Management Board (WADMB),” noted Hendrickson. “Because of the COVID-19 economy, this money was lost for 2021.”

Golden eagle predation has been a major issue for many producers, along with predation from other animals.

“This year there has been a lot of requests to relocate or harass golden eagles to mitigate predation in a nonlethal way,” she said. “The partnership with WADMB, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has been very helpful.”

Industry promotion “WWGA makes a point to promote the sheep industry in many different ways, but the focus is pre-

LOT 68 BiEBER FRANChiSE h520

unreasonable.

“We still firmly believe the science and evidence in front of the agencies led them to the right conclusion,” he said.

Sage grouse in Wyoming According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) Wyoming is home to 38 percent of the world’s sage grouse population, supporting over 1,800 known and occupied leks.

“Wyoming is a sage grouse stronghold,” stated Leslie Schreiber, WGFD sage grouse and sagebrush biologist. “Numbers remain even high enough to support hunting of the bird.”

In fact, WGFD data from 2020 shows reproduction and sage grouse populations in the state held steady.

Data was based on the

collection of wings from harvested chicks and hens from hunters across Wyoming who voluntarily contributed sage grouse wings by dropping them off at designated collection points during the hunting season.

According to WGFD, hunters deposited wings from 980 chicks and 874 hens, mirroring Wyoming’s 2019 chick to hen ratio at 1.1 chicks per hen.

While Schreiber noted a growing population needs at least 1.5 chicks per hen, she also pointed out sage grouse are known for their natural rises and falls in reproductive trends, which has been documented for nearly six decades.

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

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

A9

AFBF analyzes the Phase One Trade Deal’s first year in existence A little over a year ago, on Feb. 14, 2020, the Phase One Trade Deal between the U.S. and China took effect after it was signed into law by President Donald Trump on Jan. 15, 2020.

The agreement set lofty goals for exports from the U.S. agriculture industry to China, and now that there is a year behind it, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) sought out to understand what went right with the deal and what did not.

The Phase One Trade Deal According to AFBF, the Phase One Trade Deal required China to commit to increase purchases of U.S. agriculture products by $12.5 billion above 2017 purchases each year for two years.

“Numbers from 2017

were specifically chosen as the baseline because this was the last ‘normal’ year of trade between the two nations before they started trading retaliatory tariffs,” explains AFBF. AFBF further explains in 2017, the U.S. exported $20.8 billion in products covered by the agreement to China, implying in the year 2020, China would have to import $33.4 billion in U.S. agricultural products to meet terms of the agreement – a 60 percent increase over 2017 exports.

“The agreement also laid out total exports of U.S. agricultural products would equal $73 billion through 2020-21,” notes AFBF. “This is equivalent to $80 billion in Chinese imports once shipping and freight are factored in.”

USCA calls for import halt The United States Cattlemen's Association (USCA) calls for the immediate halt of beef imports from Namibia following reports of recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the country.

Namibia’s livestock industry is divided into two zones by the Veterinary Cordon Fence (VCF). The VCF is passable at nine permanent check points. North of the VCF is the FMD-infected zone, where the most recent outbreaks occurred, whereas south of the VCF is considered a “FMDfree zone where vaccination is not practiced.”

Documented cases of wildlife crossing into Namibia through the Zambezi River at shallow points elicits concern that diseased populations can move freely into and out of the country, and may contact domestic cattle herds.

USCA recommends the installation of a true buffer zone, free of multiple positive cases or the buffer zone should be enlarged until the area is free of quarantined locations.

Missed target, record exports In their one-year analysis of the Phase One Trade Deal, AFBF points to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) which states total exports of agricultural products covered under the agreement reached nearly $27 billion in 2020. This number indicated a 30 percent increase from 2017 numbers, equivalent to $6.5 billion.

“This, of course, means the export target of $33.4 billion was missed by over $6 billion,” explains AFBF in their report. “Put succinctly – we only got about halfway

to the target of $12.5 billion over 2017’s export levels.”

Despite this missed target, 2020 saw record levels of agricultural exports covered in the agreement.

According to AFBF’s report, several products set new nominal export records to China, including pork at $2.1 billion, poultry at $761 million, tree nuts at $705 million, hay at $445 million, beef at $304 million, peanuts at $239 million and pulses at $51 million.

Corn and wheat also far exceeded 2017 levels, even though they didn’t set any

records. In fact, $1.2 billion of corn was exported to China, which was 693 percent above 2017 levels, and $570 million of wheat was shipped to the country 62 percent above 2017 levels.

Looking ahead Although 2020 U.S. agricultural exports reached record highs and the U.S. share of Chinese ag imports rebounded from very low levels, the U.S. still only has around 14 percent of China’s total ag import market of nearly $170 billion, according to AFBF. “The missed target in 2020 will have implications

for 2021, given the Phase One Trade Deal is a two-year commitment,” said AFBF, noting in order for China to hold up to their two-year $73 billion commitment, U.S. agricultural exports to China would need to reach $45.8 billion in 2021.

According to AFBF this would be equivalent to a nearly 69 percent increase in exports over 2020 levels and a 120 percent increase over 2017.

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

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

Animal agriculture markets remain resilient through COVID-19 pandemic As COVID-19 vaccination efforts expand and the economy begins showing signs of recovery, Texas A&M AgriLife personnel are tabulating the impacts of COVID-19 on the U.S. animal agriculture product market. Leading the effort is Texas A&M University’s Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply Chain Defense (CBTS) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Center of Excellence.

“The two recent contributions to this effort specifically examine the impacts on livestock, meat, poultry and dairy product markets and what it means for producers and consumers,” said Greg Pompelli, CBTS director. “We want to gain a clearer picture of the pandemic’s short and longerterm impacts on the U.S. food and agriculture sectors in comparison to other critical sectors.”

CBTS-funded researchers at the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri are examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural commodities, food and related supply chains.

Additionally, CBTS joined forces with Arizona State University’s Center for Accelerating Operational

Efficiency DHS Center of Excellence and researchers at the Victoria University in Australia to determine how COVID-19 mitigation costs in the meatpacking plants might have affected retail meat prices and the prices received by livestock producers.

Market Results “These two efforts have identified impacts consistent with prior expectations, as well as some surprises.

The assessments indicate COVID-19 presented circumstances which could not have been predicted prior to experiencing the pandemic,” Pompelli said.

When meatpacking plants suspended or slowed operations due to COVID19 outbreaks among workers, these disruptions contributed to sharp increases in the processing cost of consumer-ready meat products.

The expectation was these costs would be borne both by livestock producers and meat consumers.

While the contracting U.S. economy was expected to reduce disposable income and cause consumers to buy less meat and other highvalue food products, this didn’t end up being the case, according to FAPRI’s assessment of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data.

Farm prices for livestock

and animal agriculture products did decline sharply in the spring, but apparently, supply chain issues were the primary cause, not macroeconomic effects.

“Consumer meat prices increased by more than six percent in 2020, while domestic per-capita meat consumption also increased slightly,” Pompelli said.

“This is one of the surprising outcomes for a year in which the pandemic’s disruptions and negative impact on the domestic economy signaled a weak outlook for livestock producers.”

Watching the market USDA data showed the average price paid to livestock, poultry and dairy producers at the farm level dropped by almost 20 percent in April. At the same time, consumer prices for meat, poultry, fish and eggs began a sharp increase in April, and by June, consumer prices were more than 10 percent above the March level.

But, according to USDA data, when the packing plant disruptions subsided and other supply chain problems were resolved, the trends reversed.

“We would have expected to see reduced domestic consumption of meat and/or lower retail prices,” Pompelli said.

The data also showed consumer prices for meat and other animal products actually declined by more than five percent between June and November, while farm-level prices for animal products increased by 20 percent between April and November.

While real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted sharply in 2020 in the U.S. and many other countries, real disposable income actually increased significantly because of various government stimulus programs.

Increased spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the new Food Box Program from USDA directly subsidized food consumption.

Also, restrictions on restaurant indoor dining resulted in major changes to where consumers purchased their food and what food they purchased.

“While things are not back to their pre-COVID-19 stages in the sector – consumers are still paying slightly higher prices – we can say the situation has improved dramatically since the depths of the crisis last spring,” Pompelli said.

Consumers pay for safety measures The second CBTSinvolved study with researchers in Arizona and Australia focused on changes in work practices introduced to reduce the spread of COVID in U.S. meat-processing plants, if they will remain in place and who might pay for them.

Meat-processing plants saw a rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus in the early months of the pandemic, which led to increased, when possible, distances between workers, improved hygiene measures and the installation of separation barriers. These changes increased costs per unit of meat processed.

For this study, research-

ers used the USAGE-Food model to simulate the impact of a permanent 10 percent increase in the labor and capital investment costs for meatpackers. Although the exact percentage is not known at this time, the 10 percent figure is considered to be higher than actual costs. As such, it serves as a worst-case scenario to illustrate possible impacts.

The model depicts the U.S. economy across 392 industries, including beef, hogs and poultry processing, related industries, cattle ranching and other animal farms – mainly hogs, poultry and egg farms.

Contrary to expectations, the USAGE-Food simulations showed when processing costs increased, the additional costs are paid mainly by meat consumers, not farmers.

For example, a 10 percent increase in beef processing raises the price of beef products in supermarkets by 1.488 percent relative to the general consumer price level. Similarly, 10 percent increases in pork and poultry processing raises the prices of these products sold to households by 1.444 percent and 1.673 percent, respectively, relative to consumer prices in general.

Farmers and ranchers were able to avoid over 80 percent of extra processing costs because they have alternative markets, including direct exports of farm products, replacement of imported farm products and direct sales of farm products such as eggs to households, the report concluded.

“This finding does not mean livestock producers can avoid extra processing costs entirely,” Pompelli said. “Instead, they can avoid some of these costs on the margin, especially if they can shift marketing channels where less processing is required.”

“In the end, simulating the effects of 10 percent increases in labor and capital requirements in processing showed a negative impact on farm incomes of only one to 2.5 percent,” he continued. “The effects on the macroeconomy of these large, simulated increases in processing costs are minor, only reducing GDP in the long run by about 0.03 percent.”

Looking forward While questions remain about how markets for meats and other animal products will evolve in 2021 and beyond, the largest COVID-19-related supply chain disruptions appear to be waning. However, according to the FAPRI assessment, forecasters expect GDP to rebound, but the eventual decisions about stimulus programs could affect disposable income and food demand in 2021.

“As the risk of further pandemic disruptions fades, livestock producers still face long-standing risks, including sharply increasing feed prices due to lower-than-expected crop production in the U.S. and South America,” Pompelli shared. “These changes in feed costs will eventually affect livestock sector production and consumer prices for meat and other animal products.”

“The fact livestock producers weathered the worst the pandemic had to offer in 2020 is great news,” Pompelli said. “But, the rising feed costs remind us agricultural producers face a wide variety of risks every year in their business, and those aren’t going away, just changing.”

This article was written by Kay Ledbetter and is courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife. For more information, visit agriliferesearch.tamu.edu.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

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Calving abnormalities have potential to impede birth process Occasionally, difficult calving is caused by an abnormality in the fetus.

Dr. David Steffen, diagnostic pathologist and professor at the University of Nebraska’s School of Veterinary Medicine says a common problem is discrepancy between the size of the calf and pelvic area of the dam.

Other problems are less simple. When checking a cow or heifer who is not progressing in labor, producers should keep in mind the possibility of an abnormality in which positional adjustments will still not allow delivery.

Some may be due to a congenital disorder or genetic defect in the calf which may be hindering the birth progress or making it impossible for the legs to be re-positioned to allow delivery.

Congenital defects “Defects in the fetus, which may cause dystocia, are usually associated with effects on the muscular or skeletal systems,” says Steffen.

Some congenital defects are due to accidents in fetal development. Others are caused by teratogens or factors causing abnormality in a developing embryo or fetus.

Teratogens include drugs, hormones, chemicals, viruses, toxic plants and high body temperature.

Many factors influence embryonic and fetal development. Vulnerability of the developing calf varies at different stages of gestation. Each organ and structure has a critical period of development during which it can be altered by harmful external influences.

“Dose, duration and timing are factors which determine the outcome and whether a teratogen will produce a birth defect. The dosage of the teratogen, the period of exposure and the time of gestation are key factors,” explains Steffen.

“One of the most disturbing defects is schistosoma reflexus,” says Steffen.

“The spine is u-shaped, the top of the tail is close to the head and the fetus is turned inside out.”

“When reaching into the cow to try to determine what’s holding up progress, producers may find all four feet presented and may get a handful of intestines. They may think the uterus is ruptured and the intestines are from the cow,” he says.

Most of these malformed fetuses will not fit through the birth canal and must be removed surgically.

Lupine calves are another instance in which the fetus is malformed.

Usually, lupine affects leg joints and limbs, but occasionally a producer will see a calf with a cleft palate.

Often, the legs are crooked or joints are fused and fixed so the legs don’t move properly. These defects are caused by certain alkaloids and can be attributed to the cow consuming lupine between 40 and 100 days of gestation.

Alkaloids affect the fetal brain and act as a sedative, causing the fetus to remain still. Legs and joints become stiff or fixed in abnormal locations. This may affect one or more joints or limbs and the

spine.

“Most body structures are formed during early gestation,” explains Steffen. “The palate closes between 55 and 60 days of gestation. If the fetus is sedated by the alkaloids in lupine or another toxic plant at this point, the tongue isn’t moving and forms an obstruction as the palate plates move toward one another, preventing those plates from coming in from the sides and fusing.”

“We see similar defects caused by other plant toxins such as hemlock,” he continues. “Any kind of plant alkaloid or toxin can affect the nervous system, and some viruses can cause these abnormalities.

In order for legs and joints to be mobile and develop normally, there must be an intact nervous system or there will be contractures as the muscles atrophy.”

“If there’s spina bifida, hydrocephalus or calves missing part of the brain, they often have stiff, crooked legs as a result.

If there is no function and no motion during development, the joints become fixed,” Steffen says.

“Spina bifida calves can also create dystocia.

In many of those calves, the hind legs are in fixed position, curled under the belly,” he says.

If joints cannot flex and move, there will be difficulty getting the calf extracted through the birth canal. Some hydrocephalic calves won’t fit through the birth canal because the forehead is too large.

Sometimes a normal fetus has an abnormal

twin attached to the fetal membranes. This fetal “abnormality” is usually a mass of connective tissue with skin and hair. Other abnormalities include calves with two heads or extra legs.

Hormonal abnormalities can also cause birth problems. Hormones produced by the calf as it reaches full term are the signals which trigger onset of labor in the dam.

In some instances, an abnormality in the fetus may interfere with appropriate signaling.

“Labor isn’t triggered at the proper time and the fetus just gets bigger.

Eventually labor is triggered, but the calf may then be too large for normal birth,” says Steffen.

Genetic defects Certain malformations of the fetus are inherited, and many of these are simple recessive genes. The defective gene must come from both sire and dam in order for the defect to show up in the calf.

Double muscled calves are normal in most aspects except for excessive bulk of certain muscles, which makes it more difficult for these calves to be born. In Angus calves with arthrogryposis multiplex (AM), often called

curly calf syndrome, legs are crooked and twisted in different directions.

“Whether or not this type of fetus can be delivered will vary with size of the calf,” shares Steffen. “Many arthrogryposis calves are small and one can usually manipulate the legs and get the calf out, though delivery will be harder with larger calves.”

Another inherited defect in Angus and Angus-cross cattle is contractural arachnodactyly, sometimes called fawn calf syndrome. Affected calves have skeletal abnormalities including a long, arched back, very short underline, long leg bones and long, weak pasterns. In some instances the skeletal and limb malformations may cause dystocia.

Calves with pulmonary hypoplasia anascara are generally large, heavy calves that can’t be delivered normally.

“Calves with pulmonary hypoplasia anascara don’t have proper lymph node structure, so their bodies fill with fluid.

They are huge and heavy because of the fluid,” says Steffen.

Other inherited defects which sometimes cause dystocia include anchon-

droplastic or bulldog dwarfism and calves with edema in legs and head.

Head and neck swelling can also be an effect of dystocia, as a result of being in the birth canal too long.

“Some big bulldog dwarf calves create a delivery problem because of their compact nature,” says Steffen.

Each breed has its own genetic problems.

“Some recessive defects hide in a carrier, and the cows don’t produce any affected calves because the stockman always uses an unrelated bull. This specific gene never gets doubled up,” Steffen says.

The majority of abnormalities he sees are not genetic.

“It pays to investigate the abnormalities to be sure so producers can keep using a bull or cow without worry. This can also bring peace of mind when marketing heifers by a certain bull and being confident the person who buys them won’t have problems,” he says.

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

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

CALENDAR

SALES Feb. 22

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

Feb. 22

EVENTS

Feb. 22

Feb 19-21

Laramie County Farm and Ranch Show, Cheyenne, Events Center at Archer. For more information, visit laramiecountyevents.com/farmandranch/.

Feb. 22 University of Wyoming Good Agricultural Practices Class, Casper. For more information, visit gapscasper.eventbrite.com.

Feb. 23 Montana Alfalfa Seed Committee Meeting, Zoom. For more information, contact Dani Jones at 406-444-2402 or by e-mail at Danielle.Jones@mt.gov.

Feb. 23 UW Extension Private Pesticide Applicator License Training, 1-5 p.m., Lusk. To register, call 307-334-3534.

Feb. 23 UW Extension Pesticide Applicator License Training, 1-5 p.m., Greybull, Big Horn County Weed and Pest. For more information, call 307-754-8836.

Feb. 23-24 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s 2021 Cattle Industry Convention Winter Reboot, Online. For more information, visit convention.ncba. org/winter-reboot.

Feb. 24 University of Wyoming Good Agricultural Practices Class, Sheridan or online. For more information, visit uwyo.edu/uwe/foodsafety.

Feb. 25 Wyoming Stock Growers Association Young Producers Assembly’s Business Leadership on YOUR Ranch, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Holiday Inn, Cody.

For more information, visit WSGA and YPA Facebook pages or wysga.org.

Feb. 25-26 King Ranch Institute Application of Advanced Genetic Technology in Beef Cattle Webinar, Zoom. For more information, visit krirm.tamuk.edu.

Feb. 26 ProHort Lawn and Landscape Update Workshop, 8 a.m. Zoom. For more information or to register, visit go.unl.edu/ProHort.

Feb. 26-28 Up In Arms LLC Flea Market and Gun Show, Gillette. For more information, contact Lisa at 208-420-2295.

March 2 University of Wyoming Good Agricultural Practices Class, Jackson or online. For more information, visit uwyo.edu/uwe/foodsafety.

March 3-4 University of Wyoming Acidified Foods FDA Approved Processing Class, Jackson. For more information, visit acidifiedfoodsjackson.eventbrite. com.

March 4 UW Extension Pesticide Applicator License Training, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Powell, Park County Fairgrounds. For more information, call 307-754-8836.

March 6 University of Wyoming Acidified Foods Home Processing Class, Powell. For more information, visit acidified-food-processing-powell.eventbrite. com.

March 6-7 Wyoming State Chariot Races Championship, Glendo. For more information, call Gene Daly at 307-331-1049.

March 8 Central Flyway Council Meeting, 11 a.m., online. For more information, visit fws.gov/birds/management/flyways.php or e-mail angela.bruce@wyo. com.

March 11-14 Schleining Genetics, LLC Bovine Reproductive Services 2021 AI Schools, Lamar, Colo., Schleining Genetics. For more information, call Dallas Schleining at 970-420-0267 or visit schleininggenetics.com.

March 12-14 Cache Valley Cowboy Rendezvous, Hyrum, Utah, Mountain Crest High School. For more information, visit cvcowboy.org.

March 12-15 American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2021 FUSION Conference, Portland, Ore. For more information, visit fb.org.

March 16 UW Extension Pesticide Applicator License Training, 9 a.m., Worland, Washakie County Extension Office. For more information, call 307-754-8836.

March 17-18 National Cover Crop Summit, online. For more information, visit covercropstrategies.com/national-cover-crop-summit-2021.

March 25-28 Schleining Genetics, LLC Bovine Reproductive Services 2021 AI Schools, Ault, Colo., Schleining Genetics. For more information, call Dallas Schleining at 970-420-0267 or visit schleininggenetics.com.

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Feb. 18, 2021 • 513 Head Bulls $4 to $6 Higher Cows $2 to $3 higher

BRED COWS Meeker, Westley - Greybull 2 Red Bred Cows........$1375/Hd. 8 Blk Bred Cows .........$1250/Hd. 14 Blk Bred Cows .......$1200/Hd. Lungren, Kendrick - Worland 4 Blk Bred Cows .........$1325/Hd. Lungren, Carter - Worland 4 Blk Bred Cows .........$1325/Hd. Kampbell, Chris & Sheila - Basin 6 Blk Bred Cows ........... $950/Hd. BULLS Geis, Nick & Karen - Worland 1 Char Bull, 2010# .............$10250 1 Blk Bull, 1915# ................$10050 1 Blk Bull, 1915# ..................$9850 1 Blk Bull, 1945# ..................$9800 1 Blk Bull, 2095# ..................$9700 1 Blk Bull, 2135# ..................$9600 1 Blk Bull, 1955# ..................$9600 1 Blk Bull, 2125# ..................$9550 1 Blk Bull, 1995# ..................$9550 1 Blk Bull, 2085# ..................$9550 1 Blk Bull, 1940# ..................$9500 1 Blk Bull, 2070# ..................$9450 1 Blk Bull, 2050# ..................$9450 1 Blk Bull, 2040# ..................$9400 1 Blk Bull, 2105# ..................$9400 1 Blk Bull, 1990# ..................$9350 1 Hrfd Bull, 1975# ................$9300 1 Blk Bull, 2070# ..................$9300 1 Blk Bull, 2065# ..................$9200 1 Blk Bull, 2145# ..................$9200 1 Blk Bull, 2085# ..................$9200 1 Blk Bull, 1960# ..................$9100 1 Blk Bull, 1840# ..................$9100 1 Blk Bull, 2035# ..................$9000 1 Blk Bull, 1955# ..................$8800

1 Blk Bull, 2025# ..................$8700 1 Blk Bull, 2115# ..................$8600 Lungren, Luke - Worland 1 Blk Bull, 1960# ..................$9750 1 Blk Bull, 1940# ..................$9500 1 Hrfd Bull, 1745# ................$9300 1 Blk Bull, 1990# ..................$9200 1 Blk Bull, 1885# ..................$9050 1 Blk Bull, 1985# ..................$9000 1 Blk Bull, 1960# ..................$8900 1 Blk Bull, 2005# ..................$8800 1 Blk Bull, 2050# ..................$8750 1 Blk Bull, 1890# ..................$8700 1 Blk Bull, 2055# ..................$8650 1 Blk Bull, 2090# ..................$8300 Stoffers, Shawn - Greybull 1 SimX Bull, 1845# ..............$9700 Whitehead, Dustin - Worland 1 Red Bull, 1950# ................$9400 1 Red Bull, 1625# ................$9250 Stambaugh, Kenneth - Cody 1 Hrfd Bull, 1930# ................$9100 L U Ranch - Worland 1 Blk Bull, 1925# ..................$8950 1 Blk Bull, 2115# ..................$8750 1 Blk Bull, 2245# ..................$8200 Schwede, Walter - Manderson 1 Hfrd Bull, 2200# ................$8400 COWS Flying V Cattle Co. - Manderson 1 Blk Cow, 1210# .................$6650 1 Blk Cow, 1260# .................$6600 2 BWF Cows, avg. 1198#....$6575 1 Blk Cow, 1300# .................$6550 3 Blk Cows, avg. 1230#.......$6500 4 Blk Cows, avg. 1264#.......$6500 4 Rd/Blk Cows, avg. 1254#...$6500 3 Blk Cows, avg. 1243#.......$6500 4 Blk Cows, avg. 1135# .......$6450 1 Blk Cow, 1335# .................$6450 4 Rd/Blk Cows, avg. 1224#...$6400 3 Blk Cows, avg. 1232#.......$6400 2 Blk Cows, avg. 1330#.......$6400

3 XBred Cows, avg. 1285# ...$6350 3 Blk Cows, avg. 1313#.......$6350 4 BWF Cows, avg. 1229# ...$6300 3 BWF Cows, avg. 1240# ...$6250 3 Blk Cows, avg. 1230#.......$6200 3 Blk Cows, avg. 1208#.......$6100 Meeker, Westley - Greybull 1 Blk Cow, 1735# .................$6650 3 Rd/Blk Cows, avg. 1388#...$6475 Miller, Joe - Worland 1 Blk Cow, 2185# .................$6650 1 Hrfd Cow, 1090# ...............$6300 Herman Livestock LLC - Hyattville 1 Blk Cow, 1115#..................$6650 1 Blk Cow, 1330# .................$5350 Clay Creek Angus - Greybull 1 Blk Cow, 1500# .................$6500 2 Blk Cows, avg. 1323#.......$6400 1 Blk Cow, 1550# .................$6400 1 Blk Cow, 1300# .................$5400 Kampbell, Chris & Sheila - Basin 1 Blk Cow, 1620# .................$6450 2 Blk Cows, avg. 1593#.......$6200 French, Carlissa - Emblem 1 Blk Cow, 1210# .................$6300 Davidson, Peter - Burlington 1 Blk Cow, 1690# .................$6150 Walker, Eric - Burlington 1 Hrfd Cow, 1675# ...............$6000 HEIFERETTE Walker, Brac - Burlington 1 Blk Hfrette, 1230# ...........$10600 PAIRS Miller, Joe - Worland 1 Hfrd Pair ...................$1375/Hd. 1 Hfrd Pair ...................$1260/Hd.

• Upcoming Sales • Feb. 25 – Weigh-Up Special w/ All Class Cattle

Feb. 23 Feb. 23 Feb. 23 Feb. 24 Feb. 24 Feb. 25 Feb. 26 Feb. 26 Feb. 27 Feb. 27 March 1 March 1 March 2 March 2 March 3 March 3

Reyes/Russell 30 Annual Sale, at the ranch, Wheatland, 307-322-1530, 307-322-4848, 970-587-2534, mrangusranch.com Colyer Herefords & Angus 41st Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Bruneau, Idaho, 208-845-2313, 208-250-3924, 208-599-0340, hereford.com Circle L Angus Annual Production Sale, Dillon Livestock Auction, Dillon, Mont., 406-832-3535, 406-491-7363, circlelangus.com Barker Cattle Company Bull & Female Production Sale, Burley Livestock Auction, Burley, Idaho, 801-792-1036, 208-312-3085, barkercattle.com Haynes Cattle Company 13th Annual “Working Bull” Angus Sale, Ogallala Livestock Auction, Ogallala, Neb., 970-854-3310, 970-520-3374, haynescattleco.com Dietz Boer Goats Online Club Goat Sale, 307-202-1154, wlivestock.com Mt. Rushmore Angus Ranch 55th Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Rapid City, S.D., 605-342-2449, 605-484-6731, 605-381-7361, mtrushmoreangus.com Wooden Shoe Farms Maternal Value Added Bull Sale, at the ranch, Blackfoot, Idaho, 208-680-0320, 208-684-5252 Homestake Ranch 6th Annual Production Sale, Huron Continental Marketing, Huron, S.D., 605-350-5517 Diamond Peak Cattle Company Diamonds in the Rough Bull Sale, Winter Livestock Auction, La Junta, Colo., 970-326-8620, diamondpeakcattle.com Calvo Family Red Angus Bull Sale, at the ranch, Bassett, Neb., 605-8302210, 402-760-1274, calvofamilyredangus.com Kretschman Angus Annual Bull Sale, Buffalo Livestock Auction, Buffalo, 307-736-2327, kretschmanangus.com RV Bar Angus 14th Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Jensen, Utah, 435-828-1116, rvbarangus.com P\T Livestock Annual High Country Genetics Performance Bull Sale, P\T Livestock Feedlot, Riverton, 307-709-8351, 307-809-8361, ptlivestock. com Loya/Wardell Angus Online Sale, 970-396-0035, 970-785-0145, loyawardellangus.com Ipsen Cattle Company 8th Annual Internet Bull Sale, 208-681-4174, ipsencattle.com SO Cattle Inc. Bull Sale, Riverton Livestock Auction, Riverton, 307-3304670 Ox Bow Ranch Spring Sale, at the ranch, Wolf Creek, Mont., 406-2354281, 541-965-0088, oxbowranchangus.com The Adams Connection 52nd Annual Bull Sale, Blackfoot Livestock Auction Company, Blackfoot, Idaho, 208-313-5844, 208-785-4459, 208-3130235, srvgenetics.com th

POSTCARD from the Past

Compiled by Dick Perue rrichardperue@gmail.com

Swift Revolutionizes Meatpacking Industry Last week, we posted a brief history of the meatpacking industry. This week, we share more of what we found on the internet.

During the 1850s, when he was still a teenager, Gustavus F. Swift started to work in the beef business in Massachusetts. In 1875, Swift began buying cattle in Chicago to send to his family’s butcher operations back East.

He quickly revolutionized the meat industry by using newly developed refrigerated railcars

to ship fresh meat from Chicago to eastern markets and eventually throughout the nation.

The company soon set up a national network of branch offices, which allowed it to control the distribution of its meat across the country.

By 1886, when the company slaughtered more than 400,000 cattle each year, Swift employed about 1,600 people.

Between 1887 and 1892, new packing plants were opened in Kansas City, Kan., Omaha, Neb. and St. Louis.

By the time the founder died in 1903, his com-

While Henry Ford was inventing one new industry, Gustavus Swift had completed revolutionizing another. The great butcher pioneered the business school term “vertical integration,” loosely defined as a form of organization in which all stages of production – commodities, manufacturing, distribution and retail – are controlled by the company. In Swift’s case, he merged the usual steps of meatpacking into a smooth efficient process, according to information from the internet. Photo of trade card used by Swift. Historical Reproductions by Perue

pany grossed $200 million in annual sales and employed about 23,000 people across the country, including over 5,000 workers at its slaughtering plant in Chicago’s Union Stock Yard.

In 1908, Swift plants across the country slaughtered a total of about eight million animals. By this time, Swift owned a fleet of nearly 5,000 refrigerated railcars.

Annual sales reached $700 million by the late 1920s, when the total workforce of the company, which ranked as one of the largest industrial corporations in the United States, consisted of about 55,000 people.

Swift stopped slaughtering in Chicago in 1953, but its corporate headquarters remained in the city.

In 1973, by which time meat had become only one of its businesses, Swift became part of Esmark Inc., a holding company. During the 1980s, Esmark’s meat division was spun off and moved to Texas.

Swift, once one of Chicago’s leading employers and largest companies, no longer has a presence in the city. From the early 1990s through the early 2000s, food conglomerate Conagra owned Swift’s operations. Swift and Company’s divisional headquarters were located in Greeley, Colo.

By the 1920s, the Swift Refrigerator Line had over 7,000 reefer cars on rails across North America. We’ll pack that into next week’s “Postcard.”

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

CATTLE continued from page A1 significantly smaller than the 94.4 million that was predicted.”

Wall explained these numbers mean the industry is facing significantly tighter numbers of market-ready fed cattle moving into the second quarter of 2021. With this comes the opportunity for producers to gain ground in the market, and the demand for yearling cattle and calves should increase.

Sharply higher input costs, including corn trading well over five dollars per bushel, is something producers haven’t had to deal with for a while, Wall said. Grain has become more expensive as interest from China

has increased, and the export demand for grain has overshadowed the lack of demand from ethanol plants.

“It is unbelievable how the export demand for grain has more than made up for this loss,” said Wall. “Although, without ethanol plants up and running, the cattle industry does not have the byproducts from ethanol production many have gotten used to feeding.”

Large cattle carcasses have also contributed to higher input costs.

“Cattle reaching carcass weights of 1,700 pounds is not a healthy market weight,” he shared. “It has been great for grading, and the industry has seen over 80 percent of car-

casses grade Choice or better because they are being fed to huge, obese weights. But, cost of gain is a large contributor to higher input costs.”

“On top of lighter supplies, feedlots are going to start getting rid of cattle sooner as cost of gains top one dollar per pound,” Wall continued.

“Marketing cattle at a more reasonable weight helps the market because as cattle move through the system faster, there will be a better demand for market-ready cattle.”

Market and industry projections Wall shared it is unbelievable how well beef exports fared through the pandemic.

Wholesale beef prices were able to maintain forward movement because there was so much export and retail demand.

CattleFax survey released CattleFax has introduced its annual cow/calf survey. Information requested in the survey provides participants and the rest of the industry with valuable data regarding industry benchmarks and trends.

Survey participants will receive a results summary packet, with useful benchmarking information which will allow managers and owners to evaluate their own operations. Items such as cow/calf profitability, tendencies of high and low return producers, regional data and other valuable material are included.

To receive the summary packet, a valid e-mail address must be submitted. All individual results will be confidential and

remain anonymous.

By completing the survey and submitting a valid e-mail address, participants will also be entered in a drawing to win a $700 CattleFax voucher. The credit can be used for any CattleFax memberships, registration fees for education seminars including the Corporate College and Risk Management Seminar and/or registration fees for the annual Outlook and Strategies Session.

The survey can be accessed by going to CattleFax.com, selecting the About tab at the top of the page, and then clicking on 2020 Cow-Calf Survey on the sidebar. The deadline to complete the survey is Feb. 22.

19th Annual Spring Bull Sale March 10, 2021 At the Ranch—Dillon, MT

Do your bulls have a SITZ prefix?

Offering 300 Yearling, PAP-Tested, Angus Bulls, 240 Open Commercial Replacement Females Selling sons of: SITZ Stellar 726D, SITZ Accomplishment 720F, SITZ Commerce, Baldridge Command C036, Connealy Dry Valley, BUBS Southern Charm AA31, and GDAR All Pro 8121

3

□ Your maternal source —the bulls average in the top 20% of the breed for $M!

3 3Increased fertility □ 3Calf marketing assistance □ 3Unmatched customer service □ 398-years of Angus excellence □ □ Heavier weaning weights

SITZ Stellar 704H Reg# 19677938 S: SITZ Stellar 726D MGS: SITZ Invasion 574D CED 7 BW .7 WW 80 YW 138 SC .07 HP 17.5 Milk 27 CW 62 Marb .64 RE .74 $M 105 $B 149 $C 298

SitzAngus.com

“Currently, the industry is looking at a finished fed cattle market around $1.14, which can be expected to move into the mid $1.20s into the second quarter,” Wall said. “The feeder steer market, based on an 800-pound animal, is around $1.40 and is expected to move up.”

“Late summer and fall contracts for feeder cattle coming off grass are expected to be in the mid $1.50s. This is a pretty good market, so producers who like this price should consider hedging or protecting this price,” he continued.

“A 500-pound calf is currently $1.60 to $1.70,” Wall added. “As the industry moves forward into the demand for grazing cattle, lighter cattle have the potential to touch two dollars per pound.”

Wall noted producers in

“The beef industry has competition in the market, the supply of cattle is building demand and producers have things to look forward to.”

– Corbitt Wall, DV Auction the industry have to keep their eyes on finished cattle prices, especially as cash markets move to more competitive trade.

“We want to make sure the industry has a healthy, competitive finished fed cattle market, and this has not been seen as of late,” he shared. “So much of the industry is in corporate feedyards, and even smaller feedlots are in contracts with packers.”

The Cattle Market Transparency Act is in the works, said Wall. More legislation is on the way, including one which calls for major packing facilities to purchase a min-

EXTENSION EDUCATION

By Anowar Islam, UW Extension Forage Specialist

Pros and cons of fescue toxicity – part IV In my last few articles, I discussed common syndromes of fescue toxicosis in cattle and horses, including abortions, difficult birth (dystocia), longer or prolonged gestation, thickness in placenta, death of foals, retained placentas, little to no milk production (agalactia), mares’ death during foaling and some biology of the causal agent.

In this article, I will focus on possible benefits of endophyte remaining inside tall fescue plants.

Symbiotic relationships There are several benefits of the fungal endophyte living within tall fescue plants. The endophyte does not cause any harmful effects to tall fescue plants.

In fact, both plants and endophyte receive mutual benefits from their association of living together.

The benefits for endophyte include food, protection from external harms

within the tall fescue plants and the ability to spread their future generations through seeds.

On the other hand, tall fescue plants receive many benefits in return for their better survival and competition with other plants, especially in stressed environments. These include tolerance to drought, close or heavy grazing, pests, improved seed germination, seedling vigor, tillering and competition with other plant species.

Tall fescue plants infected with endophyte are more tolerant than endophytefree plants. The endophyteinfected plants have greater root volume and depth which helps plants uptake more water from greater depth for longer period. As a result, plants have better survival under moisture stressed conditions.

Tall fescue benefits Endophyte presence in the plants increases germination of seeds, seedling vigor,

PRIVATE TREATY 46 Head 2-Year Old Bulls

imum requirement of their weekly kill through negotiations.

“This legislation would make it easier for smaller feedlots to get animals into the packer and help formulated feeders because it would increase the base price of cattle,” Wall continued. “The beef industry has competition in the market, the supply of cattle is building demand and producers have things to look forward to.”

Averi Hales is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr. net. growth of tiller, production of seed and uptake of nutrients. In addition, endophyte infection improves resistance of plants to some diseases, insects, nematodes and close continuous grazing.

Although, fescue endophyte has a bad reputation, no doubt, there are some obvious benefits as well from their mutual association with grass. Overall, the endophyte makes tall fescue plants more persistent and competitive with other plants in pasture systems.

If tall fescue plants can be infected with a nontoxic novel endophyte, this will not only remove all endophyte-related toxicity problems but also provide excellent animal performance. Researchers have identified some non-toxic endophytes and infected them in tall fescue plants for better performance.

I will continue this discussion on endophytes, their effects on tall fescue and animal performance and possible solutions of fescue toxicity. Please keep an eye on my future writings.

Anowar Islam is a professor and the University of Wyoming Extension forage specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He can be reached at 307-766-4151 or mislam@uwyo.edu.

Free Wintering Free Delivery to adjoining States

46 Bulls Average Pap Score:38 BW:75 WW:674 YW:1157

SITZ Accomplishment 729H Reg# 19677962

S: SITZ Accomplishment 720F MGS: SITZ Stellar 726D CED 6 BW 2.8 WW 79 YW 128 SC .73 HP 14.8 Milk 23 CW 60 Marb .53 RE .91 $M 99 $B 148 $C 291

Jim Sitz (406) 683-5277 SitzAngus@gmail.com

SITZ Command 448H Reg# 19841441 S: Baldridge Command C036 MGS: Connealy Final Product CED 11 BW -.5 WW 77 YW 136 SC .53 HP 14.0 Milk 24 CW 59 Marb .48 RE .88 $M 67 $B 150 $C 262

Bob Sitz (406) 685-3360 SitzAngus@3Rivers.net

Joe Jones (208) 670-2364 JoeJones@SitzAngus.com

Chloe Juanada 7009, Grand Dam to Redland Rainmaker3836 (14 Sons)

Redbank Queen 2864, maternal half sister to Redbank Cincha 0264 (13 Sons)

Adam & Briana Redland 307-250-1548 redlandrbangus@gmail.com

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

By Paul Dykstra

Market update

Northwest Wyoming Angus Association

Fed cattle prices were steady in the first half of February, averaging $114 per hundredweight (cwt) in each of those two weeks. Live cattle futures contracts have been pricing higher this month despite choppy movement during the week of Feb. 8.

Several deliveries against the February contract have been tendered in recent days due to the weak basis. This has had a negative impact on the February contract as the market tries to force convergence with the spot cash value.

Extreme winter conditions and temperatures well below zero have been widespread across the country impacting most of the major central cattle-feeding region. Feedlot weight gain will be stalled for a period of days in many cases as nutrient intake is channeled toward maintenance needs.

Some of the futures market rally can likely be attributed to the recent weather pattern, which had been forecast several days in advance. The prospect and reality of lighter carcass weights plus lost production efficiencies are bullish factors for futures prices in the short term.

The other side of the coin is the smaller fed cattle slaughter during the week of Feb. 8 and further processing disruptions the week of Feb. 15 due to weather impacts and rolling blackouts causing temporary plant shutdowns.

This doesn’t help with cattle throughput during a period when fed supplies are ample and need to stay current to keep weights down and clean up feedyard inventories of heavy cattle. This would apply downward market pressure.

•

Latest confirmed steer weights are still 19 pounds higher than last year, but are now poised to decline rapidly under recent weather developments. Analysis of feedlot placement data indicates carcass weights should move much lower as spring nears, taking on a more seasonal pattern.

The country is in a bit of a mess with all of the weather disruptions changing the normal movement of beef product and cattle. Focusing on daily beef prices in the spot market may not provide a good measure of demand.

Even so, year-to-date boxed beef values are convincing enough with cutout prices poised well above a year ago.

The industry will zero in tighter on middle meats in the next segment as price signals for those cuts are aggressive for this time of the year. Aside from the chuck roll, most of the end meats trended lower last week. The few with an upward price trajectory are cheaper than a year ago and justifiably can see price appreciation.

Middle meats heat up during typical slump The early months of the year are often dull for middle meat demand, when the trends dip or flatten for those primals. But, not this year.

By taking price per pound and the weight of the primal, the value of each of the middle meat items adds to the wholesale carcass value.

A look at rib, strip and tenderloin trends shows them up 121 percent, 129 percent and 108 percent, respectively, above last year’s values for the same timeframe. The market was still operating “nor-

mally” during the first part of 2020, so comparing them to an average of the three years prior tells a similar story.

We can’t lay our hands on all the reasons this pronounced spike is happening, but generally conclude it’s influenced by continued restaurant reopening across parts of the country and stimulus optimism giving buyers confidence in the market.

Wholesale prices are getting high and working unseasonably higher. The important note back to cattle country is middle meats are in high demand, and the spreads are playing right in line with this. In the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture report, the Choice-Select spread was at $11.44, up from a $9.48 average the week of Feb. 8.

The Certified Angus Beef (CAB) brand grid premiums are following suit to a lesser degree, but still above trend line for this mid-February timeframe.

It probably goes without saying, but this increase is not a response to supply. In fact, it’s happening in spite of an abundance of high-grading cattle across the U.S. I believe the industry is at an all-time high of combined Choice and Prime grading carcasses, hitting 85 percent of the fed cattle supply this past week.

Cold weather, grade expectations Weather is always a popular topic this time of year, but this last week probably marks the first event of 2021 which affects such a wide swath of the U.S. experiencing it in a similar way. Record cold temperatures have been noted from South Dakota down through southern Texas.

Typically, mud and adverse weather conditions result in depressed grade, but what about severe cold? Cattle start to use a greater portion of their energy for maintenance, so producers would expect average daily gain to fall off. However, the degree to which this will impact carcass quality is probably

43rdAnnual Sale

Tues., March 23, 2021 1:00 p.m. MST Riverton Livestock Auction

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negligible.

History in our CAB data shows grade generally improves, rather than declines, during periods of extreme cold.

The spike in Choice and Prime quality grading starting off 2021 is not a result of cold temperatures, but an indication of the compositional makeup of the cattle on feed. There

The 2020 Annual Report of Grizzly Bear Management Captures, Relocations and Removals, completed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is now available on the department website at wgfd.wyo.gov. The annual report is required by state statute and quantifies management actions by the WGFD in relation to grizzly bear conflict resolution in Wyoming outside the National Parks and Wind River Reservation.

Because grizzly bears remain under federal protection, WGFD manages grizzly bears under the direction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. During 2020, in response to over 200 conflicts, WGFD captured 26 individual grizzly bears in an attempt to prevent or resolve them. Most captures were adult males.

“In comparison to some previous years, we had relatively low conflict in suitable habitat for bears,” said Brian DeBolt, large carnivore conflict coordinator. “WGFD tries to mitigate conflicts with proactive strategies and a great deal of educational efforts for people living, working and recreating in these areas. However, sometimes a direct management action is necessary to

Thank You to our buyers from previous sales!

minimize human-bear conflicts.”

A total of nine grizzly bears were relocated to U.S. Forest Service land in or adjacent to the core grizzly bear habitat referred to as the “recovery zone.”

DeBolt notes increased recreation was a concern for managers in 2020. But, the abundance of the grizzly’s natural foods and bear-wise practices by many recreationists made a difference, thus preventing the need for captures and relocations due to conflict.

“We’ll continue to prioritize efforts like Bear Wise Wyoming, a program which teaches people how to live with bears and minimize conflict potential while recreating outdoors,” DeBolt said.

Grizzly bears are relocated or removed in accordance with state and federal laws, regulations and policy. WGFD also continues to educate the public about how to proactively live and recreate in bear country to avoid conflicts as part of their Bear Wise Wyoming program.

For more information, visit wgfd. wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/ Wildlife/Large%20Carnivore/2020-Grizzly-Bear-Relocation-Report.pdf.

30th Annual Value Added Angus Bull Sale

march 4th, 2021

1:00 p.m. mst • Dillon, MT

Dillon Livestock Auction SD Acclaim 4114-0129 W

Bid Online at www . frOntierlivesale . cOm

catalOg & videO s

ar e liv e

at On Ou r we Bs ite On d . cO m ! w w w . sp lit di am

SD Dually 8289-0116

AAA #19834739

AAA #19847369

Lot 1

Lot 5

AAA #18608253 43 PAP CED BW WW YW $W +4 +2.0 +89 +156 +85

AAA #1860825339 PAP CED BW WW YW $W +7 -0.5 +67 +115 +76

SD Fortitude 0261

SD Master Plan 5259-0109

AAA #19834774

AAA #19834734

Lot 33

Sale viewing and Bidding available online at

For information regarding the sale or for a sale catalog contact: Fred & Kay Thomas - (307) 868-2595• fkdramsrus@gmx.com

decline in carcass quality.

The record-high quality grade mix coupled with the unseasonally high premiums for quality are an unprecedented feature of the present market.

Paul Dykstra is the assistant director of supply management and analysis at CAB. He can be reached at pdykstra@certifiedangusbeef.com.

WGFD releases grizzly report

Bulls are PAP and Semen Tested

Pre-registration required to bid.

Sale day phone beside phones listed is 307-856-2209.

are some big, long-fed cattle coming through the supply chain, evidenced by lingering heavy carcass weights.

Producers might rationally expect some decline from the current recordhigh quality grade observations, but history shows plunging temperatures won’t necessarily mean a dramatic instantaneous

AAA #18608253 41 PAP CED BW WW YW $W +5 +3.0 +96 +160 +104

Lot 45 AAA #18608253 36 PAP CED BW WW YW $W +9 +0 +64 +114 +85

120+ yearling angus pap tested bulls sell!

Fertility Tested

Maternally Minded

Range Functional

Easy Calving

with lots of peformance!

Steve & Linda Buckner | 406-498-3005 | steve@splitdiamond.com Hans & Diana Buckner | 406-581-0612 | hans@splitdiamond.com www.splitdiamond.com | 53 Ridder Lane, Whitehall, MT

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 43 • February 20, 2021

RIVERTON LIVESTOCK AUCTION Tuesday, February 16 Market Report • 2,391 Head Sold Representative Sales COWS LANDER 2 Cow, 1082# ..................................... $82.00 SHOSHONI 2 Cow, 1112# ..................................... $73.50 RIVERTON 4 Cow, 1128# ..................................... $72.00 1 Cow, 1210# ..................................... $71.50 1 Cow, 1340# ..................................... $71.00 1 Cow, 1375# ..................................... $70.50 SHOSHONI 1 Cow, 1395# ..................................... $70.00 RIVERTON 1 Cow, 1430# ..................................... $69.50 LANDER 1 Cow, 1190# ..................................... $69.00 SHOSHONI 1 Cow, 1425# ..................................... $68.50 RIVERTON 1 Cow, 1230# ..................................... $68.00 SHOSHONI 1 Cow, 1295# ..................................... $67.50 1 Cow, 1450# ..................................... $66.50 1 Cow, 1280# ..................................... $66.00 1 Cow, 1030# ..................................... $65.50 RIVERTON 1 Cow, 1565# ..................................... $65.00 BULLS THERMOPOLIS 1 Bull, 1800# ...................................... $91.00 MCKINNON 2 Bull, 2195# ...................................... $89.00 THERMOPOLIS 1 Bull, 2090# ...................................... $88.00 GREEN RIVER 1 Bull, 2015# ...................................... $84.50 BIG PINEY 1 Bull, 1775# ...................................... $84.00 HEIFERS BIG PINEY 3 Heifer, 480#................................... $181.00 EDEN 26 Heifer, 509#................................... $162.50 BIG PINEY 38 Heifer, 545#................................... $159.50 LANDER 35 Heifer, 628#................................... $149.50 12 Heifer, 683#................................... $133.00 3 Heifer, 688#................................... $131.00 RIVERTON 13 Heifer, 710#................................... $130.00

1 Heifer, 715#................................... $127.50 SHOSHONI 14 Heifer, 841#................................... $122.00 18 Heifer, 943#................................... $116.00 LABARGE 1 Heifer, 960#................................... $106.00 RIVERTON 1 Heifer, 1015#................................... $89.00 STEERS RIVERTON 4 Steer, 315#.................................... $205.00 1 Steer, 345#.................................... $200.00 7 Steer, 375#.................................... $195.00 LANDER 10 Steer, 453#.................................... $191.00 SHOSHONI 25 Steer, 489#.................................... $185.75 LANDER 44 Steer, 562#.................................... $177.85 EVANSTION 42 Steer, 567#.................................... $176.00 SHOSHONI 51 Steer, 617#.................................... $159.10 RIVERTON 38 Steer, 621#.................................... $155.00 BIG PINEY 4 Steer, 640#.................................... $153.50 LANDER 23 Steer, 641#.................................... $150.00 SHOSHONI 325 Steer, 684#.................................... $148.10 RAWLINS 79 Steer, 703#.................................... $145.75 ARAPAHOE 152 Steer, 709#.................................... $143.50 SHOSHONI 81 Steer, 739#.................................... $141.60 ARAPAHOE 24 Steer, 747#.................................... $139.00 EVANSTION 5 Steer, 766#.................................... $136.00 LANDER 30 Steer, 800#.................................... $135.25 ETHETE 11 Steer, 893# .................................... $132.50 LANDER 5 Steer, 904#.................................... $126.00 1 Steer, 945#.................................... $120.00

E-mail us at: riverton@winterlivestock.com

Early Consignments TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23

SATURDAY, MARCH 6

BRED COW SPECIAL W/ SHEEP AND HORSES START TIME 9:00 AM W/ SHEEP & WEIGH UPS BRED COWS @ NOON

LUCKY 7 ANGUS BULL SALE START TIME 12:00 PM

Gardner Ranch - 20 Blk Ang Short Term Bred Cows. Bred to Paintrock & Gardner Heart Dot Blk Angus Bulls. Start calving March 10th. Rec Cydectin injectable & Virashield 6 VL5 this fall.

20 Blk Ang Bred Hfrs. Bred to LBW Paintrock & Gardner Heart Dot Blk Angus Bulls. Start calving March 10th. Rec Virashield 6VL5 & Injectable Cydectin this fall.

Pearson Ranch - 65 Blk Ang Bred Hfrs 1000#. Bred to LBW Blk Angus bulls to calve April/May. Vista 5 VL5, 8 way, & poured @ preg testing. Nice, high elevation 1st calf heifers!!

Rafter Cross Ranch - 57 Blk Ang Bred 3-6 year old cows.

Bred to Blk Angus bulls to calve March/April. Poured this fall.

Corbett Ranch - 20 Mostly Black Bred Cows. SS-ST. Bred to Lucky 7, Clay Creek & Reyes Black Angus Bulls to calve March/April. Had shots & poured this fall. Nice, high desert, reputation cows!!

Elayna Hedges - 5 BWF F1 Cross Bred Cows 2-5 year olds.

Bred to SO Angus, Hogg Sim Angus & small % Hedges Hfd Bulls, to calve March/April. Had all shots & poured in the fall.

Canta Feeders - 2 Corriente Roping calves 300-350#.

Bar S Ranch – 2 Fresh Corriente/Longhorn Roping Steers 350-400#.

Dillon Hedges - 3 high quality HampshireX Ewe Lambs. Out of Griffith, Burch & Hedges show genetics!

TUESDAY, MARCH 2 FEEDER SPECIAL W/ SO CATTLE ANGUS BULL SALE @ 1:00 PM START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS SO Cattle Inc - 25 Blk Ang Yearlings Bulls. High elevation, Reputation Bulls!! (1:00 PM) Hicks Ranch - 90 Blk Ang & AngX Strs 575-600#. Comp shots. Hay fed, green, weaned a long time!

Dan Bisbee – 35 Blk Ang Strs & Hfrs 600-700#. Shots @ branding & weaning. Hfrs are bangs vacc.

King Ranch - 25 Blk Ang Strs 600#. Hay fed, weaned & fancy!

Ray Parkhurst - 14 Blk Ang Hfrs 750#. Weaned over 60 days. Rec Vision 8 & CD Bar Vac @ Branding & Weaning.

Bunk & hot wire broke. Fancy!!

Lucky 7 Angus Bull Sale - 262 Blk Ang 2 Yr old Bulls 60 Blk Ang Yearling Bulls 30 Blk Ang Fall Embryo Bulls PAP tested @ 7,580 ft. Nation’s leader in proven feed efficiency. (12:00 PM NOON)

TUESDAY, MARCH 9 BRED COW SPECIAL W/ HANCOCK ANGUS BULL SALE @ 1:00 PM START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS Hancock Angus - 40 Yrling Blk Ang bulls. All sired by proven AI sires. PAP & semen tested & Carcass Ultrasounded. BVD & Bangs tested free. (1:00 PM)

SATURDAY, MARCH 13 DIAMOND PEAK CATTLE BULL SALE START TIME 1:00 PM

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 FEEDER SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS

TUESDAY, MARCH 23 BRED COW SPECIAL W/ 43RD ANNUAL NORTHWEST WYOMING ANGUS BULL SALE @ 1:00 PM START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS BREDS @ NOON Northwest Angus Association - 60 Blk Ang Yrling Bulls - Obsidian Angus, Wagler Angus, Blue Sky, Hoggs Angus, Davidson Angus, Walking W Angus, JOH Ranch.

Bulls are known for calving ease & growth. PAP & Semen Tested, Proven Sires! (1:00 PM)

www.cattleusa.com

Contact: Riverton Livestock Auction (307) 856-2209 • Jeff Brown (307) 850-4193 • Tom Linn (307) 728-8519 • Mark Winter (580) 747-9436 • www.rivertonlivestock.com • Also watch our live cattle auction at www.cattleusa.com

1490 South 8th Street East • River ton, WY 82501 • (307) 856-2209