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sunset cowboy moving cows

Memorial Day: scenes of our beautiful America 

May 30, 2011

I don’t want to get into politics, but I’ve always sensed that agriculturalists are a little more patriotic than the average American.

Perhaps it’s because we see the delicate balance of life and death from a closer vantage point than most, or maybe it’s because we have a strong connection to the land, a deep appreciation that’s bred from generations of hard-working, big-hearted, tough-as-nails, blue collar Americans who cared for it before us.

Either way, we know what’s at stake. Today we say an extra special thank you to the men and women who sacrifice everything we often take for granted–a good night’s sleep in our own beds, a simple supper at home with family, an early morning of checking cows and breathing in that fresh, crisp American air.

Our team is pretty darn lucky. We get to travel to all ends of this nation and we get to go to some pretty scenic, off-the-map places. We know this is the land that so many troops have fought to protect and we salute them for all they’ve done.

As a tribute,here’s “America the Beautiful” the way we see it in cattle country:

O beautiful for spacious skies

For amber waves of grain

Continue reading “Memorial Day: Scenes of our beautiful America”

First-born beef advantage

 

by Wyatt Bechtel

Early-born calves have a better chance than the later born of making a profit for their owners.

That’s what a 2010 study of Iowa Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity (TCSCF) data helped confirm. The analysis looked at birth date and age of Angus-Simmental rotational crossbred calves, compared to their feedlot performance and carcass traits.

Birth-to-harvest data on 1,369 spring-born calves from 2002 to 2007 on a central Missouri ranch were divided into four groups by date of birth.

Those born in the first 21 days qualified for the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand 28.6% of the time compared to only 11.24% for the calves born after 63 days in the sequence. Calves in the mid-early (22 to 42 days) sequence went 24.37% CAB while those born 43 to 63 days managed only 16.28% qualifiers.

“I didn’t expect to see that large of a difference in quality,” says Darrell Busby, TCSCF manager. Carcasses from the early-born calves earned approximately $11 more than those from the two middle groups, while outperforming the late group by more than $40 (see table).

Busby was also surprised at how the later-born calves did not catch up to their earlier-born herd mates in terms of weight gain. The oldest calves each year had higher weights entering and leaving the feedlot compared to their younger counterparts.

“In other words, you are going to have higher quality grades and more pounds in the earliest born calves,” says Gary Fike, beef cattle specialist for CAB, who presented the findings at last year’s American Society of Animal Science meeting in Denver. The abstract and slide presentation may be viewed at https://cabcattle.com/news/research/index.php

Another somewhat surprising note from the research indicated the earlier a calf was born, the better its disposition. Busby found logic in that, however: “The more time you interact with cattle, the more it allows them to adapt to you. That’s probably why we saw more docile disposition scores in the earlier-born calves.”

The University of Nebraska pioneered this area of research with a study that looked at progeny of a Red Angus-Simmental herd at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory near Whitman, Neb., finished at the West Central Research and Extension Center near North Platte, Neb.

Nebraska animal scientist Rick Funston says the study, which aimed to underline the importance of a short calving period, showed 30% of calves born in the first 21 days of calving graded average Choice or higher. Fewer than 17% of later-born calves hit that mark.

Carcass weight was positively affected as calves were born earlier. There was a 45-pound (lb.) difference in final carcass weight between the earliest born calves and those born after 42 days.

It all added up to a $77 advantage in carcass value for the oldest calves, but there are other  advantages, too. “Probably the biggest impact is that those cows that calve earlier are going to have a longer period in which to rebreed,” Funston notes, adding the resultant increase in cow longevity will decrease the need for replacement heifers as well.

The study also looked at the impact of heat synchronization on pasture mating, as one possible intervention method. Cows injected with prostaglandin five days after bull turn-in had more calves born in the first 21 days of the calving season and weaned heavier, more valuable calves. Both studies show the benefits of a more uniform calf crop.

“Extension and universities have been telling us for a long time to tighten up your calving season from the basis of marketing your calves and making them as uniform as possible,” Fike says.

When retaining ownership on feed, he recommends selling the latest born calves at weaning to help increase uniformity in the rest: “Let someone else manage those late calves as you reap the benefits of the older calves.”

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Preschool panic = learning opportunity

May 26, 2011

 

I often think running a family and running a cowherd share a lot of similarities.

(On a side note: I’m pregnant with baby #3 right now, so I’ve had fetal programming on the brain and I think there are quite a few similarities between obstetric care for people and bovines, but that’s a subject for another day.)

There are the things like calendars and scheduling, juggling lots of activities at once, keeping records (in full disclosure my kids’ baby books have not been updated since returning from maternity leaves) and planning ahead.

So it might be a leap, but I’ve recently had a moment of parenting panic that some of you cattle producers might relate to.

You see, where I grew up every little 4-year-old happily attended preschool. I didn’t realize that either a few decades time, or maybe just the change in states, moved that timeline up a year. I vaguely heard friends talk about sending their 3-year-olds to school in the fall, but I didn’t really think that applied to my firstborn baby.  Then he turned 3 in April and I realized those preschoolers would be his classmates someday. He already knows his colors and how to spell his name, but what if he’s missing out on some grand piece of knowledge?

So we just decided we better look into preschools. They’re pretty much all run privately and the options,even in my small community,are staggering. I called the first one: booked, with a two year waiting list. The next one: no openings. Apparently some people sign up for preschool the day their little newborns leave the hospital nursery. So as I make my way down the list, I feel a little behind the eight ball.

You never get that feeling on your farm or ranch, right? (If you answered yes, you can probably quit reading, but if that temporary panic sounds familiar, read on.) Continue reading “Preschool panic=learning opportunity”

sunset cowboy moving cows

Food morality on the ranch

May 25, 2011

I love airports.

I know most people hate them, but I like showing up early for a flight so I can spend a few extra minutes there. I love the people watching; I love the diversity; I enjoy the hustle and bustle. Mostly, I love that people are just a little more friendly than normal when they know we all have a common bond: We’re all going somewhere to do something other than our daily routine. An airport lends itself to the world’s easiest conversation starting ice breaker: “So, where ya heading?”

I strike up a lot of random conversations in boarding lines, airport bars and with new seat buddies. Not surprisingly, many of these conversations end up on an agriculturally related topic as soon as my new friend and I start exchanging career information.

Some people are enamored with the idea of actually growing up on a farm/ranch and love looking at photos of my parent’s cattle on my cell phone; others tell me about their cherished memories of visiting grandpa’s old farm as kids. Sometimes the conversations gets in-depth enough that we chat about concerns we often hear: organic v. traditional product, grass-fed v. grain-fed, hormones, antibiotic use, humane treatment, etc.

I always start those conversations by first asking, “Why are you concerned about that?” “Why is feeding your family grass-fed beef important to you?” “What do you consider a ”factory farm,” and why is that bad?” With those thoughts in mind, it’s almost always easy for me to empathize and understand their point of view, whether I agree with it or not. That makes for a spirited discussion and interesting information sharing. That’s fun. Continue reading “Food morality on the ranch”

fed cattle under shade

Ghost yards

May 20, 2011

Have you ever seen a ghost town?

More appropriately, have you ever seen a ghost yard?  I did, while on the road to the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles.

I mean a feedyard, that is…….which has turned into a ghost yard! I went by a feedyard in the panhandle of Oklahoma on recent travels, and it was just one of those experiences that was a tad bit eerie.  This feedlot is a 30,000 head capacity yard;  in existence since the late 1960’s;  smack dab in the heart of the high plains feeding region.  I had been to it several times for visits.  I knew the manager, the assistant manager, and the office professionals.  I had visited the yard with a livestock judging team in college in the early 1980’s.  And now, it’s a ghost yard.  I’d even applied for a job there once in college.   Adding to that “eerieness” was a dead, denuded skunk carcass along the side of the road.  Whew!

It was inevitable; not so much for this particular yard, but rather for the feeding industry.  We all know that cattle numbers are down; we’ve been told that an overcapacity situation exists in the feedlot industry and in the packing industry.  We’re at a low in cow numbers.  Why is that so? Continue reading “Ghost yards”

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Niche or not?

May 20, 2011

The phrase “niche market” conjures up different images and feelings for different people.

Some embrace the term, thinking it’s ultimately synonymous with value-added. Their business plan, their identity, is tied to being a niche-marketer. Others say niche markets are too small to worry about. They pop up and then fade with the change of the seasons, offering no real stable target to shoot for.

Whatever you think about niche markets, there is one false assumption held by folks on both sides of the aisle:

Myth—All branded beef programs are small, niche programs.

Fact—While all branded beef programs started out that way, some have grown to be the shining examples for nationwide, large-scale opportunities to add value to cattle by differentiating beef.

The Certified Angus Beef ® brand, for example, started as the original, niche branded beef program in 1978. As a matter of fact,when I interviewed founding CEO Mick Colvin a few years ago for a story on CAB’s 30th anniversary he told about celebrating the first million pounds sold:

“We went out to a CABlicensed restaurant. There were four of us,” he said. “We used to have a party after we increased by a million pounds — two and then three million — but we kind of got away from them because today we’re marketing a million pounds every five or six hours.”

Last year our licensed partners sold 777 million pounds. As industry-wide quality has increased, nearly one in four Angus-type cattle qualifies for our brand. One in seven beef carcasses makes CAB. That’s a mainstream premium market.

We access more than 85% of the United States packing base. That means almost any major packer you sell your cattle to will evaluate them for this brand. Continue reading “Niche or not?”

Beefsteak pop-up in New York City

 

by Miranda Reiman

When springtime hits the rural regions, folks hunt for mushroom delicacies that pop up this time of year. People crave these, seek them out and guard their secret places, but they know it is for a limited time only.

This year, amongst the traffic and concrete of New York City, the emerging season brought about a different springtime arrival. Just like those searching the pastures and woodlots for the tasty, fleeting morels and beefsteak mushrooms, urbanites sought out the James Beard Foundation’s “pop-up store” for its unique and limited-time flavors.

The JBF LTD, as it was called, operated in New York City’s trendy Chelsea Market for just 27 days, April 12 to May 14, and featured the work of the world’s finest chefs.

The Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand partnered with the organization, not only to ensure diners the best beef available, but also to add a healthy dose of farm and ranch education.

“We looked at this as an opportunity to showcase not only our product but our ranch connections to a ‘foodie’ audience,” said Melissa Brewer, CAB assistant director of public relations.

The pop-up was designed as a kind of educational restaurant, café, retail shop and performance space. Limited lunch menus and special, ticketed dinners by visiting chefs featured CAB brand product.

A “Cowboys and Cleavers” program brought Texas ranchers Steve and Ginger Olson together with renowned New York butcher Marc Sarrazin of DeBragga & Spitler and CAB Chef Scott Popovic.

“They talked about the entire beef production process from the ranch to the plate,” Brewer said. “It was a good chance to show how our brand is involved every step of the way. People seemed to enjoy meeting real, working cattlemen, too.”

And diners had the chance all month long to learn from the people who produce their food.

“Cowboy Fridays” brought Angus seedstock producers to the Big Apple to share their passion for raising cattle and how it’s done. Cattlemen and women traveled from Montana, Oklahoma, California, New York and South Carolina.

“We love meeting new people and telling our story,” said Abbie Nelson, of Five Star Land & Livestock, Wilton, Calf. “I want people to be comfortable knowing the utmost care is taken to raise beef from gate to plate.”

The Nelson family, including Abbie’s husband, daughter and granddaughter, is used to a non-farm audience because much of the land around their ranch has been developed.

“People are curious about what we do,” she said. 

Similarly, Debbie Lyons-Blythe of White City, Kan., has been “agvocating” for a while, so her and husband Duane’s trip to New York a couple weeks later was just an extension of that.

“Duane and I have a commitment to advocate for the beef industry,” she said. “I write a blog and we connect with consumers whenever possible, but this was an excellent opportunity to connect with folks we have no other way of meeting.”

The owner-manager of Blythe Angus hoped to “show people the face of a rancher” who supports the CAB brand.

“We found New Yorkers to be interested in what we had to say and they asked great questions about what we do,” she said. “There were so many accents and it was exciting to think we may have had an impact on international consumers as well.”

The pop-up store also included a “steak of the day,” where consumers could purchase fresh cuts. CAB Prime tenderloins, T-bones, bone-in CAB Natural cowboy steaks and strip steaks stocked the meat case on alternate days, and every 21st purchaser received their beef for free.

To learn more, visit the JBF LTD website at popup.jamesbeard.org or search “James Beard” on the Black Ink Blog (www.blackinkwithcab.com)

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feed truck at grow yard

Confessions from a corn/cattle girl

May 18, 2011

I grew up in farm country–corn and soybeans (and now quite a few hog barns) as far as the eye can see.

As a matter of fact, I read somewhere a few years back that 97% of the land in our Minnesota county is in row crops. My family’s operation had livestock, but profit or loss was more focused on what was in the fields rather than the fences.

That’s probably why whenever there’s a change in seasons it reminds me of some activity related to farming. When spring arrives in my rural location (although it seems like it’s taken its dear sweet time this year), I smell the tilled dirt and see tractors in the field and I long to be home for corn planting. I’m reminded of my early years riding with my mom or grandpa in the tractor and later bringing supper to the field.

That probably also explains why when listening to farm markets and I hear that corn is up, the farm kid in me thinks, “Yippee.” Then I put on my cattle industry hat and think, “Oh, boy, what now?!”

I know cattle producers are resourceful people and you take a variety of approaches to dealing with high corn prices. One of them is undoubtedly looking for substitutions. Distiller’s by-products used to be an easy answer, but anyone I’ve talked to in the last couple years indicates those prices closely mimic the corn market.

So what other options have you looked into? Are there any new feedstuffs on the horizon that will help ease the pain? Continue reading “Confessions from a corn/cattle girl”

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Grass and other disappearances

May 17, 2011

Hey fellow seekers,

There are disappearances, and then there are things that never were. In the latter category, I think of the grass I expected to see by now.

We like it when things are “normal,” but realize our average climate is the result of a wide range from year to year.  If you look up my county on the Palmer Drought Index or any other monitoring site, and you live in the truly drought-stricken South, you would roll your eyes in disgust at the mere “abnormally dry” classification. I am not worthy to complain, compared to the many thousands of producers who have it worse, but we are looking at an estimated 20% of normal hay crop in our cool-season combination hay/graze program. Maybe a rain tomorrow will boost that to 30%. It is something to hope for.

As for livestock, the term usually refers to an obscure category in the USDA Cattle on Feed Report,but “other disappearances” are common on the ranch as well.

We don’t like to think about them, much less blog about them, but they happen just the same. Sometimes it is an accounting error. I knew 134 heifer had been sold after the vet pulled her stillborn, breech calf, but I kept her on the roster. I could minimize these miscues it by taking inventory more regularly, but it is especially hard to keep track of calves on pasture.  Suddenly, you notice something that has occurred gradually: a cow has stopped lactating because no calf is nursing.

This year it was a promising heifer calf, number 151, at about two months of age. She had everything going for her. From a good family, an AI daughter, living within the AI herd. But as the synchronizing program began on the cows, the expected 49 pairs (minus 134) became 48 with 47 calves.  We’ll probably never know what happened to 151, but I miss not getting to see what she would become, and I’m sorry to have to cull her formerly promising mom.

Until next time… let’s aim for profit, target the brand and keep building tomorrow together.

~Steve

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Not perfect, but working to get better

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Beefed up findings

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cutting a steak

Mythbuster Monday: good fat, bad fat

May 16, 2011

Last week while sampling Certified Angus Beef® Prime tenderloins to hungry New Yorkers, I tried diligently to explain exactly why this was some of the best beef they had ever eaten.

It’s all about the marbling – those beautiful flecks of flavor you see evenly dispersed in the steak. You may notice that I focus on saying “flecks of flavor” rather than “flecks of fat,” because that little three-letter word instantly sends up a red flag on red meat.

This week, I’m giving Miranda a break from Mythbusting to take this one on myself and prove that more marbling isn’t something we should be scared of.

Myth: Highly-marbled beef is more fatty and therefore not a healthy “lean” protein option.

Fact: When you want to go lean, what you really want to cut back on is beef’s external fat, which is usually trimmed to a constant level for all grades.

Marbling, on the other hand, is primarily made of heart-healthy oleic acid, the simple (monounsaturated) fat prevalent in olive oil. More marbling means more oleic acids, which means less of the potentially harmful saturated and trans-fatty acids that many negatively associate with red meat. Continue reading “Mythbuster Monday: Good fat, bad fat”