Casual Cattle Conversations (casualcattleconversations)

Imagine a world where the barriers of language and culture melt away, paving the way for a more harmonious, collaborative, and prosperous agricultural landscape. In this thought-provoking episode, rancher and podcaster Shaye Wanner invites Katie Dotterer, a passionate advocate for bridging communication gaps, to share her transformative mission.

Through captivating anecdotes and insights gleaned from her boots-on-the-ground experience, Katie unveils the profound impact that simple gestures of mutual understanding can have on workplace dynamics. From the beaming smiles that greeted her student's tentative "buenos días" to the heartwarming act of a crew spontaneously clearing snow from her car, these stories underscore the tangible benefits of fostering respect and connection across linguistic and cultural divides.

As you immerse yourself in this engaging conversation, you'll uncover:

• Practical strategies for demystifying the process of adult language acquisition, complete with memory-boosting techniques and tailored agricultural vocabulary
• Insights into crafting language lessons that resonate with the unique demands and lexicons of various sectors, from dairy and beef to produce and beyond
• The art of embracing cultural diversity while celebrating our shared humanity, empowering both English and Spanish speakers to meet each other halfway

00:00:00 Introduction to Bridging Language and Cultural Gaps in Agriculture

00:02:12 Katie's Journey and Passion for Bridging Agricultural Gaps

00:03:44 Impact of Spanish Speaking Workers on Katie's Perspective

00:07:24 Importance of Bridging the Language and Cultural Gap in Agriculture

00:07:53 The Power of Respect and Feedback in Teaching

00:11:10 Online Spanish Language Classes Overview

00:14:32 Demand for Learning Spanish and English

00:15:44 Professional Development through Language Learning

00:18:04 Tips for Easier Language Learning

00:18:22 The Importance of Attitude and Confidence in Language Learning

00:20:14 The Power of Writing Down for Better Memory Retention

00:22:09 Payment Options for Language Courses

00:23:40 Enhancing Communication in the Beef Industry

00:26:00 Encouragement to Learn Spanish and Connect Through Language

Katie's Website - https://www.agvokate.com/ 

Cattle Convos Website - https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/

Podcast Coaching - https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching 

Ryan Moorhouse, general manager at Hartley Feeders, joins the podcast to share how cattlemen can build better relationships with feedlots while offering insight as to what types of calves feedlots want. 

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Find Funding for Your Next Ranch Project: https://www.harvestreturns.com/ccc 

Make Record-Keeping Simple: https://www.cattleidapp.com/ 

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Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•  

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

In this conversation, Shaye Koester-Wanner and Terryn Drieling explore the importance of communication in ranching, particularly during high-stress situations. They discuss the role of self-awareness and the Enneagram in understanding personal and interpersonal dynamics. The conversation emphasizes practical strategies for improving communication skills, assessing one's communication effectiveness, and managing emotional responses in challenging environments. Terryn shares insights on fostering a supportive community among ranchers and the significance of honest questions in enhancing communication.

 

Takeaways

• Self-awareness is crucial for effective communication.
• The Enneagram helps understand the 'why' behind behaviors.
• Good communication ensures safety in high-stress situations.
• Reflecting on past interactions aids in improving communication skills.
• Asking honest questions can enhance understanding and connection.
• Grounding techniques can help manage emotional responses.
• Modeling desired communication behaviors influences others.
• Curiosity is essential for fostering better communication.
• Connection and open communication are vital for family operations.

Chapters

 

00:00 Revisiting Communication on the Ranch

05:44 The Importance of Effective Communication

08:46 Understanding the Enneagram and Self-Awareness

11:22 Assessing Communication Skills

15:34 Improving Communication Skills

18:30 Managing Emotions in High-Stress Situations

21:08 Dealing with Reactive Individuals

24:29 The Ripple Effect of Energy in Communication

27:14 Final Thoughts on Communication

Resources

Top Dollar Angus https://topdollarangus.com/ 

RancherMinds https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Terryn's Website https://faithfamilyandbeef.com/ 

How to Set Goals for Your Ranch https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events/p/move-the-ranch-forward-2025 

Kyley DeVoe joined the show this week to talk about the importance of having faith as ranchers and beef producers. • Kyley's message is passionate and inspiring to hear as he dives into...   1. Why we need to have faith 2. How to grow in our faith journeys 3. Understanding and using your spiritual gifts 4. What it can look like to live out your faith  

Listen: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast 

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdZHIY1ZKSEcPH0DsqB-QA 

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast

RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/ 

Resources: https://www.neogen.com/  

Discover the captivating journey of Chelsee Camblin, a young woman with a passion for livestock, who found her true calling behind the lens. Witness how her relentless pursuit of excellence led her to capture powerful photos that help cattle producers market their animals.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Dive into the essence of livestock photography, exemplifying the elegance of beef industry ranches and top-quality animals.

• Unravel the magic of telling tales through photography, creating a bond with customers by unveiling the true stories of ranchers.

• Find out why outstanding visuals are key to product promotion, showcasing cattle in the best light.

• Grasp the prominence of video content in livestock advertising, taking your marketing efforts a notch higher.

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My special guest is Chelsee Camblin

It's my pleasure to introduce Chelsee Camblin, an exceptionally gifted livestock photographer. She brings an artistic flair to her work, capturing breathtaking visuals of not just cattle and other livestock but also ranch lifestyle imagery. This passion stems from her own upbringing and experiences in the world of cattle showing and ranching. Her talent extends beyond the still image to video, interpreting the movement and characteristics of each individual animal with precision. Chelsee’s work emphasizes on the importance of high-quality visuals in marketing, bringing a fresh and engaging perspective to cattle producers.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:08 - Introduction, 00:02:07 - Podcast Coaching Opportunity, 00:03:46 - Episode Introduction, 00:25:11 - How showing livestock helps Chelsee become a better photographer, 00:25:56 - Pursuing livestock photography from the start, 00:26:54 - Effective communication with cattle producers, 00:28:31 - The importance of help during the photoshoot, 00:58:38 - Thanking Chelsee,

Connect with Chelsee: https://www.chelseecamblinphotography.com/

Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Season 7 || Episode 02 • Do you want to enhance the productivity of your leased land for cattle production? CJ Blew will reveal the key to improving soil and forage quality, leading to more sustainable grazing practices from environmental and economic standpoints. Discover how the family members of Blew Partnership work together to rehabilitate leased grazing lands in Kansas. By implementing these strategies, they leave land better than they found it while building a thriving diversified beef cattle operation.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover how to find leased land opportunities that work in your favor.

• Learn the crucial role of maintaining good relationships with landlords.

• Become inspired to take on new opportunities.

• Understand the importance of considering the wishes of the current generation when planning for the future.

• Discover the starting point of rehabilitating grazing lands.

My special guest is CJ Blew

CJ Blew is a seasoned cattle rancher from south-central Kansas, where he operates a family partnership primarily focused on a commercial cow-calf operation. With a strong emphasis on sustainable land management and conservation practices, CJ and his brother have successfully thrived on leased lands, which constitute the majority of their operational base. Their commitment to land stewardship is evident in their strategies for improving soil and forage quality through grazing, soil rehabilitation, and forage management. With a wealth of practical knowledge and experience, CJ's insights are invaluable for landowners looking to enhance their grazing operations and improve land quality on leased lands.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction to Red Angus Cattle 00:02:11 - Overview of the Cattle Operation 00:07:19 - Grazing Practices and Calving 00:09:11 - Land Rehabilitation and Partnerships 00:14:50 - Connecting with Landowners 00:15:20 - Regenerative Agriculture and Land Rehabilitation 00:16:49 - Converting Crop Land to Perennial Forage 00:20:40 - Learning Grazing Management 00:23:10 - Reflecting on Past Decisions 00:25:03 - Managing Risks in Ranching 00:30:47 - Family Dynamic and Succession Planning 00:32:22 - Challenges of Succession Planning 00:33:46 - Generational Change and Land Management 00:34:57 - The Epidemic of Inadequate Planning 00:35:39 - Advice for Young Producers

Resources:

Red Angus Association - https://redangus.org/

HerdDogg - https://www.herddogg.com/

 

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

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The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Traceability systems and animal disease are important topics in the United States beef industry today. Discover why all cattle producers need to be aware of the impacts of animal disease and how they can take action on their own operations.

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations...

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Chelsea Woodcock, DVM and Wes Chism discuss what cattle producers need to keep in mind to ensure optimum herd health during their spring calving season. This episode covers the topics of when to vaccinate calves, the Sandhills calving method, what supplies to have on hand as well as what records are critical to track during calving season. 

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Record-Keeping Solutions: https://am.gallagher.com/en-US/Solutions/Weighing-and-EID-Solutions#system%20type=Weighing%20and%20Electronic%20Identification 

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdZHIY1ZKSEcPH0DsqB-QA 

Newsletter: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

 

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot. 

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Do you want to revolutionize your cattle ranching operations and maximize efficiency and productivity? Tired of traditional fencing methods that are time-consuming and labor-intensive? Look no further! In this episode, we have a game-changing solution for you. Our guest, Jack Keating, will be sharing how virtual fencing can transform your operations and help you achieve optimal results. Say goodbye to physical cross-fences and hello to a cutting-edge technology that will streamline your processes and elevate your ranching game. Get ready to discover the countless advantages of virtual fencing and take your cattle ranching operations to new heights.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Explore the fascinating scope of virtual fencing technology especially suited for beef producers.

• Understand the unparalleled advantages offered by virtual fencing in modern cattle ranching operations.

• Discover the intricacies involved in training cows with avant-garde virtual fencing technology.

• Deep dive into a comprehensive cost analysis and return on investment data related to implementing virtual fencing for your herd.

• Recognize the immense significance of local resources in crafting an efficient grazing strategy.

My special guest is Jack Keating

Today, we're introducing Jack Keating, the ambitious founder of Corral Technologies. With a ranching background and a keen eye for detail, Jack knows first-hand the challenges and triumphs of cattle ranching. He's made it his mission to streamline the ranching process through tech-driven solutions. His innovative ideas are bringing a breath of new life into an industry steeped in tradition, making him a visionary in the field of cattle ranching technologies.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction, 00:01:26 - Overview of Virtual Fencing, 00:05:20 - Impact of Virtual Fencing, 00:09:33 - Cost and ROI, 00:11:53 - Resources for Grazing Strategies, 00:13:57 - Potential Benefits of Virtual Fencing in the Beef Industry, 00:15:11 - Design and Functionality of Virtual Fencing Collars, 00:16:43 - Testing Virtual Fencing on Different Age Groups of Cows, 00:17:59 - Future Plans for Virtual Fencing Bulls, 00:19:25 - Long-Term Investment and Increased Profitability, 00:28:08 - Solar Charging and Data Analytics, 00:28:36 - Mobile App and Grazing Plan, 00:29:21 - Field Days, 00:29:39 - Wrap-up and Thanks, 00:29:56 - Call to Action,

Links:

Corral Technologies: https://www.corraltech.com/ 

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•  

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

In an industry where it seems large-scale operations often dominate, a refreshing story emerges from the heart of San Diego County. Alli Fender, a dynamic force within the beef industry, invites you to explore the boundless potential of small-scale cattle ranching. Alongside her husband Bryce, Alli has forged a path that defies conventional wisdom, leveraging the inherent advantages of their small operation to craft a truly remarkable success story.

Alli's infectious enthusiasm captivates, as she recounts the pivotal moments that ignited their journey – a gift of ten heifers that has turned into a direct-to-consumer beef business, ranch-to-table dinners, picnics and tours. What began as a humble endeavor has blossomed into a multifaceted enterprise, fueled by an unwavering commitment to serving the local community and remaining profitable as a business owner. 

• Strategies for leveraging your operation's size to foster meaningful connections with customers
• Insights into curating a genetically superior herd tailored to your unique goals
• Tips for diversifying your revenue streams through immersive on-farm experiences
• The art of pivoting: embracing change and seizing opportunities as they arise

Whether you're an aspiring rancher seeking inspiration, a seasoned producer in search of fresh ideas, or simply someone captivated by the stories that shape our food systems, this episode promises to leave you with a renewed appreciation for the art of small-scale cattle ranching and the visionaries who breathe life into it. Immerse yourself in Alli's world, and let her contagious spirit ignite your own journey towards a more profitable, community-driven future in agriculture.

00:00:00 Exploring Management Practices in the Beef Industry

00:02:23 Upgrading Genetic Potential for Efficiency

00:05:08 Building Community Trust through Social Media

00:05:48 Diversification into Black Angus Herd and Farm Events

00:09:27 Expanding Business Strategy to Farm-to-Table Events

00:09:46 Thinking Outside the Box in Business

00:12:01 Diversifying Business Strategies

00:13:14 Greencover Seed Promotion

00:14:12 Transition from Large to Small Scale Farming

00:16:14 Advantages of Small-Scale Operations

00:19:47 The Importance of Shipping in the Beef Industry

00:20:52 Passion for Sharing the Beef Industry Story

00:23:39 Defending California's Agriculture

00:24:56 Parting Thoughts: Eat Beef

Links:

https://flyingfranch.org/ 

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•  

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Rick comes from a North Dakota ranch but has built a career of helping ranchers improve reproduction management in their herds from Montana, North Dakota and Nebraska. Rick is based out of Nebraska and is passionate about beef cattle reproduction because he understands how it drives profitability for ranchers. 

🤔What questions do you have about implementing genetic testing in your herd? 🤔

Bryce operates a ranch in Opheim, MT and is a believer in using 🧬 genomic testing on his commercial heifers. Listen to this short, honest episode to hear Bryce's experiences and advice on implementing DNA testing in commercial herds. 

Time: 15 minutes 

Listen on Spotify, Podbean and Apple Podcasts. Use the link in my bio!

Tom Brink, the current CEO of the Red Angus Association of America, shares his story of working in multiple sectors of the beef industry and the value that comes with it. He also offers advice on what skills and traits employers are looking for in their employees. 

Hannah Borg came back to the show to share her perspective of returning to her family’s diverse operation after over 2 years of making that decision. She shares the raw truth about overcoming the isolation, reimmursing yourself in your hometown and developing a balance between being an employee and a daughter.

 

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=casual+cattle+conversations

 

Listen: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/

 

Performance Beef: https://www.performancelivestockanalytics.com/performance-beef/?utm_term=performance%20beef&utm_campaign=Brand&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=5018952540&hsa_cam=8067233454&hsa_grp=83612017415&hsa_ad=485600886859&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=aud-1087398584554:kwd-570579290382&hsa_kw=performance%20beef&hsa_mt=p&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjw9qiTBhBbEiwAp-GE0b64OhejJtpEeV9FS6Ryojk4pB1Q5y0bt4OT_8sUdUz1D8kohOC6hxoCpcIQAvD_BwE

 

Read it: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/readtheepisodes

Dr. Clint Rusk, Ray Williams and Wes Chism join the podcast for a second time to add to last week’s conversation about the challenges faced by seedstock producers. This week the trio shares how data collection has become a fast and easy process, how to implement this technology as well as what is holding the industry back from adopting it.

Big Picture Concepts:

🎙 ROI of Technology

🎙 How Data Collection has Changed

🎙 Understanding more the Surface Level Challenges of Ranching

Links:

Full Show Note

Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•  

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations...

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Are you interested in how to improve your grazing management or the future of this area of the industry? Take a listen to Jason Rowntree for insight and advice in these areas. This honest conversation talks about what you can do today to make positive changes. 

Anyone involved in production agriculture knows that input costs are just a part of the business. However, high prices and inflation have created more challenges for cattle producers over the past year. Members of the RancherMind community came together from across the country via Zoom to share how they navigate high input costs and gain insight from fellow cattlemen and women. This group of cattle producers discussed feed costs, fertilizer costs, adjusting their business strategy as a whole and the future of cattle marketing for the commercial cow-calf producer during the 60-minute RancherMind event on March 23, 2023.

This podcast features the highlights of the call.

What's covered?

• feed cost

• fertilizer cost

• drought

• vertical integration

• changes in cattle marketing

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources

Record-Keeping Solutions: https://www.cattleidapp.com/ 

•

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Using Technology to Streamline Work on Diversified Cattle Operations

Creating cash flow and mitigating risk are two things that frequently cross the minds of cattle producers. For that matter, maybe they never leave our thoughts. Luke and Natalie Kovarik set an example of how young and first-generation producers can make things work and get started in production agriculture if they are willing to take on opportunities, work hard, try new technology and keep a business mindset.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Enhance cattle operations with cutting-edge technology integration.

• Unlock the benefits of using Performance Beef for your cattle business.

• Discover strategies for diversifying your cattle operations to increase cash flow.

• Dive into the reality of trying to grow as a first-generation rancher.

My special guest is Luke Kovarik

Meet Luke Kovarik, a first-generation rancher from Ord, Nebraska. Luke and his wife, Natalie, have carved out a multifaceted operation that includes commercial cow-calf, backgrounding, custom AI, heifer development, and a seedstock side. With a deep-rooted passion for ranching and an innate understanding of the industry, Luke brings a wealth of practical knowledge and a fresh approach to integrating technology into his diverse cattle operations. His journey from leasing cows while in grad school to managing a flourishing diversified cattle operation is a testament to his resilience and innovative spirit, making him a valuable voice in the realm of ag technology and cattle management.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:16 - Introduction to Luke Kovarik's Diverse Ranching Operation 00:04:41 - Diversification as a Risk Management Approach 00:12:18 - Natalie's Role and Social Media Influence 00:14:18 - Employee Management and Growth 00:15:25 - Finding Good Help and Providing Opportunities 00:16:41 - Implementing Technology for Efficiency 00:18:31 - Benefits of Performance Beef 00:19:55 - Utilizing Genomic Testing 00:27:24 - Reflecting on Business Decisions 00:32:23 - The Importance of Business Management in Agriculture 00:33:07 - Evolution of Technology in Agriculture 00:34:40 - Embracing Ag Technology 00:35:51 - Advice for Young Producers 00:37:49 - Conclusion and Takeaways

Learn more about Performance Beef: https://performancelivestockanalytics.com/stories/

Learn more about Kovarik Cattle Co: https://www.kovarikcattleco.com/

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

As I celebrate five years of hosting Casual Cattle Conversations, I'm taking a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that has shaped my understanding of the beef industry. From those early days of fumbling with podcast logistics to now hosting a thriving community of ranchers and industry professionals, the growth has been nothing short of humbling.

In this special anniversary episode, I'm opening up about the five most impactful lessons I've gleaned from countless conversations with producers, experts, and innovators across the cattle world. These insights have not only transformed my perspective but have also reinforced my belief in the resilience and ingenuity of our industry.

Key Takeaways:

1. Embracing Diversity in Production Methods Learn why I believe it's crucial to celebrate the variety of approaches within our industry, from large-scale operations to direct-to-consumer models.

2. The Power of Continuous Learning Discover how every interaction, even with those we may disagree with, offers valuable lessons for personal and professional growth.

3. Recognizing the Uniqueness in Every Producer Explore why I've come to reject the notion of an "average" rancher and how each individual's story contributes to the success of our industry.

4. Navigating Change with Resilience Gain insights into how seasoned producers view industry cycles and weather patterns, and why adaptability is key to long-term success.

5. Ranchers as World Leaders Understand the profound impact cattle producers have beyond providing food, and why I consider them true stewards of the land and community pillars.

This episode is more than a celebration—it's an invitation to reflect on your own journey in the beef industry. Whether you're a day-one listener or new to the show, I encourage you to share your own lessons learned and connect with our vibrant community.

Join me as we look back on five years of growth, challenge our assumptions, and reaffirm our commitment to the future of cattle ranching. Your story matters, and together, we're shaping the narrative of our industry.

RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

Podcast Coaching: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

In an era where the narratives surrounding agriculture are often shaped by misinformation and disconnection, a refreshing voice emerges – one that harnesses the power of storytelling to bridge the gap between producers and consumers. Cheramie Viator is a trailblazer, whose journey from the corridors of Congress to the heart of Texas ranching has ignited a profound passion for nurturing the next generation of agricultural advocates.

Through her captivating "Not Your Ordinary Cattle Clinics," Cheramie weaves a tapestry of knowledge that transcends mere showmanship techniques. With an infectious enthusiasm, she guides young participants on a transformative odyssey, unveiling the intricate connections between cattle management, consumer trust, and industry sustainability. Her approach is a masterclass in storytelling, where every lesson is a brushstroke on the canvas of agricultural literacy.

As you immerse yourself in this thought-provoking episode, you'll uncover:

• Strategies for fostering meaningful connections between urban youth and the intricate world of cattle ranching
• Insights into cultivating a deeper appreciation for the journey from pasture to plate, empowering informed decision-making
• The pivotal role of mentorship in shaping the leaders of tomorrow, and the enduring impact one individual can have on an entire industry

00:00:00 Introduction to Casual Cattle Conversations

00:02:10 Cheramie's Diverse Journey in Agriculture

00:06:05 Importance of Sharing the Beef Industry Story

00:09:58 Embracing the Challenges of Raising Cattle

00:13:57 Greencover: Custom Seed Mix for Pastures

00:14:42 Transition to Working with Youth

00:17:34 Teaching Kids about Showmanship and Cattle Management

00:20:16 Determining Locations for Clinics

00:21:15 Rewards of Hosting Clinics

00:22:11 Advice for Teaching Kids in the Beef Industry

00:25:59 Importance of Advocacy and Conversation

00:29:55 Appreciation for the Guest and Youth Work

00:30:06 Encouragement to Keep Going

00:30:10 Closure and Call for Feedback

We’re just generating your Key Moments…

Green Cover Seed: https://greencover.com/ 

RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Podcast Coaching: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching 

Social Media Handle ---> @cattleconvos

In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Buddy Rowlett from the Gallagher team shares his expertise on winter fencing for cattle producers. From the challenges posed by snow and ice to the importance of proper corner design, Buddy offers valuable insights. He even shares a few creative ideas for how to use temporary fence to create shelters for calves during blizzards!

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Learn how to overcome winter fencing challenges to ensure the safety and security of your cattle.

• Discover effective strategies to enhance the visibility of your electric fences in snowy conditions, improving the effectiveness of your containment system.

• Understand the impact of cold weather on electric fence chargers and learn how to protect and maintain them for optimal performance.

• Discover which insulators are the best option for your specific fence and management situation

• Learn the importance of proper corner design for fence durability and how to implement it to ensure the longevity of your fencing system.

My special guest is Buddy Rowlett

We're excited to have Buddy Rowlett, the Director of Sales at Gallagher Animal Management, join us on the podcast today. Hailing from the town of Richmond, Kansas, Buddy and his wife run their own Angus cowherd. This means they have hands-on experience dealing with the trials and tribulations of winter cattle management. With Buddy's expertise, we're going to delve into the world of winter fencing and learn how to design fences that can withstand the harshest winter conditions while still allowing for efficient grazing. His practical knowledge and personal experience make him the go-to person for improving winter cattle management. So, get ready to gather some insightful tips and strategies to keep your cattle happy and well-managed during the winter months.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction 00:01:37 - Background and Location 00:02:49 - Importance of Winter Fencing 00:04:43 - Impact on Energizers 00:07:23 - Corner Design and Insulators Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

Gallagher Products: https://am.gallagher.com/en-US

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

S7, Episode 42 🎙️ What’s the impact of mature cow size and ranch profitability? Dr. David Lalman – professor of Animal and Food Sciences at Oklahoma State University – and Shaye Koester-Wanner tackle this question during this thought-provoking podcast episode. David and Shaye discuss the assumed correlation between mature cow weight and feed intake as well as how some cattle are above average in weight but below average in feed intake.

In this episode, ranchers will:

🎙️learn how to select their ideal cows and bulls

🎙️dive into the 4 quadrants cattle can be placed in when measuring efficiency

🎙️understand the impact of selecting for industry average growth traits

🎙️hear David’s thoughts on if the beef industry is pushing terminal and growth traits too far

Chapters

00:00 Genetic Selection in Cattle Production

17:57 Impact of Cow Size on Profitability

22:00 Navigating Genetic Information for Commercial Producers

27:13 Balancing Performance and Cost Efficiency

31:54 Future Directions in Cattle Efficiency Research

Resources:

Red Angus - https://redangus.org/

Breedr - https://www.breedr.co/

Newsletter - https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

Keep your cattle in and the wolves, coyotes, elk, deer and other wildlife out with these fencing strategies shared by Liam Shaw. Liam discusses several different fencing strategies to keep predators and wild game away from your herd and hay in this short podcast episode.

Listen: 

Watch: 

Show notes: 

Resources: 

 

Kirsten Angell has an entrepreneurial spirit and is an integral part of her family's ranch. She built her own career outside of ranching before her and her husband made the decision to return. She offers great insight on what it is like to wait a while before returning home. 

Ranchers are true stewards of the land and have been caring for their resources and livestock from the beginning. However, there is more that can be done and we have been hearing the words regenerative agriculture for some time now. 

In this episode, Steve Rhines and Hugh Aljoe with the Noble Research Institute share their knowledge and experience with regenerative ranching practices. They explain what it is, why it will be a huge part of ranching now and in the future, and what it looks like for different producers. 

Listen on your favorite podcast app and find a link to the transcript and all other episodes on https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/

Video: https://youtu.be/wu7AXP8HAZM

Transcript:

{Intro Music}.

 

Shaye Koester  0:08  

Hey, hey it's Shaye Koester and I'm your host for the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast where we foster innovation and enthusiasm in the ranching industry through sharing the stories and practices of different ranchers and beef industry leaders. Be sure to be a greater part of this podcast and become involved on my social media pages. Follow cattleconvos on Instagram, Facebook and tik tok or Shaye Koester on LinkedIn to join the conversations around the challenges we face as ranchers and how we can overcome them. You can also find more information about this podcast, all my episodes and how to partner with me on this show, by going to my website, casualcattleconversations.com. With that, thanks for tuning in, and let's see who our guests is today. 

 

Red Angus Association of America  1:09  

Profit. Repeat. With Red Angus genetics.  Red Angus bulls generate repeated profits for commercial cow-calf producers.  Year after year, despite unpredictable market conditions, cattle producers see increased return on investment for their Red Angus-sired calves. These cattle excel both in the feed yard and on the rail.   Calves sired by Red Angus bulls are eligible to be enrolled in the Feeder Calf Certification Program and wear the yellow tag verifying age, source and genetics.  Increase your profit potential with Red Angus genetics.  Visit RedAngus.org for more information on enrolling your calves in Red Angus value-added programs.

 

Shaye Koester  1:39  

Alrighty folks, thank you for tuning in again today. It's great to have you on here again. If you're a new listener, welcome to the show. Today we are going to be discussing regenerative ranching. So I brought on two experts from the Noble Research Institute in Oklahoma. Today, visiting with me on the show is Steven Rhines, and Hugh Aljoe. These two individuals truly possess the background, knowledge and experience to explain what regenerative ranching is and why it's important to your operation, whether that is that relates to profitability, the ability to pass your land down to the next generation, or really just looking at your soil health and quality right now. This is a topic that I truly believe is important and we always need to continue improving our stewardship. We are already great stewards of the land, but we can always continue to improve. I think these two individuals do a tremendous job of explaining the topic of regenerative agriculture and providing some tips and advice on what practices you can look at maybe implementing now and how they will impact your operation. So with that, let's get on with the episode. 

 

Steve Rhines  2:01  

Hi Shaye, how are you? 

 

Shaye Koester  3:11  

Oh, I can't complain. I'm doing pretty good. 

 

Steve Rhines  3:14  

It's good to see you again. 

 

Shaye Koester  3:15  

Yeah, it's been a couple years. 

 

Hi, Hugh. Thanks for hopping on. I'm Shaye. It's nice to meet you. I appreciate you joining me for this. 

 

Hugh Aljoe  3:24  

Oh, you bet. Glad to do it. Glad to do it. 

 

Shaye Koester  3:28  

Well, with that would one of you or both of you please provide a brief background on the history of Noble Research Institute.

 

Steve Rhines  3:38  

I'd be happy to do that. Noble Research Institute is 75 years old this year. We were formed in 1945 by an oilman philanthropist by the name of Lloyd Noble. He had grown up in this part of the country, and he had seen the consequences of manmade disaster. So we mined the earth pretty extensively, using cotton, as as a monoculture with doing very little to put back into the land. And the idea was land was so cheap. And honestly, it probably wasn't a regular practice at the time, you just took what you needed. And Ardmore the town that we're located in was one of the largest cotton-producing centers in the world for a short period of time. Probably what would happen is the combination of weather will so we're at the tail end of the dustbowl, at this time, and the kind of combination of how we manage the land resulted in a lot of degradative and abandoned land. So people would just move on to something because land was so cheap, and it was really easy for them to stake. About 25 miles from here. They discovered one of the largest domestic findings of oil, and Mr. Noble was a part of that and so he gained his wealth not by inheriting it, but actually working for it and creating two companies by the name of Noble Energy, and Noble Corp. and recently noble energy was just acquired by Chevron, which is one of his legacy companies. But when he started the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, which was named after his father, originally, he set it up for the sole purpose of working with farmers and ranchers to build up the soil. And so they started with doing very simple things like a soil test, to give you the information on what to add back after a growing season, and after harvest, and so, we've progressed on for 75 years, we've done a variety of different things in between. We have always worked with farmers and ranchers, we have always conducted research in one form or another. And we've always effectively tried to work and educate producers on mass, but we've usually done it in a much smaller footprint like Southern Oklahoma and North Texas. In 2019, I took over this position after being here about 18 years. And so we began having a conversation with the board, having a conversation internally, looking at what we should be doing. And what we decided to do is transition into regenerative ranching, which would focus on what Mr. Noble asked us to do when he started us. It also the idea that we should be a national organization and not limited in a geographic footprint. So this board of ours, which still represents probably three quarters, either direct descendants or their spouses have been incredibly engaged throughout this process are committed to following the founders direction. And what we've we've done is, is begin to transition into regenerative ranching.

 

Shaye Koester  6:47  

Well, that is awesome. And thank you for offering that history. So now on a more personal scale, would each of you offer insight on what your backgrounds' in agriculture are?

 

Hugh Aljoe  7:01  

All right. Well, my background is, ya know, I grew up in West Texas on a family farm, I went to A&M and got a couple of degrees there and was hired right out of school to work for an international businessman running a cattle operation in East Texas. I did that for 10 years. We did you know a lot of say intensive rotational grazing, tried to try to be as progressive as we could with you know, with the land as well as trying to try to run as many cattle as you could just because the businessman, that was one of his objectives. So you know, we were able to grow the operation to about 1400 cows. From there, I was hired here as a pasture range consultant 25 years ago, been here ever since. I'm primarily working with people on pasture and range issues. In particular, grazing management has been kind of my forte. The last few years, I've been the director of the producer relations, which is our consulting efforts as well as overseeing the range operations here at Noble. 

 

Shaye Koester  8:10  

Well, awesome, thank you. How about you, Steve,

 

Steve Rhines  8:13  

Not quite as extensive. I grew up on a very small cow-calf operation. By small I mean, probably a dozen mama cows. My grandfather had upwards of the high 80s. The challenge was, I didn't really care for the state of Oklahoma or cattle when I was a kid and I thought a lot of good opportunities go. I saw myself being in a city and being an engineer. And, that's what I chased in school. So I went to school to become a mechanical engineer and work in the aerospace industry, went on to law school, and then found myself in Ardmore, Oklahoma. So as fate would have it, it's not my choice. It was somebody else's choice and we wound up here and fell in love again with the state. I couldn't be happier to be involved with farming and ranching and cattle production. So it was an underlying calling, which I just didn't appreciate for the better part of my life.

 

Shaye Koester  9:11  

Well, I'm glad you had the chance to come back and live that out then. So with that regenerative ag is it's a buzzword and there's a lot that can fall into it. So how would you describe regenerative agriculture within the ranching space?

 

Hugh Aljoe  9:31  

Well you know if we look at regenerative ranching, which is the term that we've coined because our focus is going to be around grazing lands, this would be the process of restoring degraded grazing lands using practices based on ecological principles. And what we really want to be able to do is take some of the practices that we've known to be part of what we'd consider good stewardship and apply them more intentionally in order to focus on restoring you know, the ecological process. Particularly the water cycle, the mineral cycle, energy cycle as well as community dynamics, just being sure that we're helping Mother Nature do what she does really well. So what do some of these practices look like, you know, surprisingly to some people is that they look a whole lot like what we're doing when we're trying to apply good, you know, good land stewardship to begin with, we're actually planning for rest and recovery of our pasture land or grasses to grow up before they're actually grazed. Providing the recovery that the plants need, so that we get more photosynthetic activity and, as a result get more biological activity below the surface. Because as the roots grow, so do the associations with the organisms in the soil, in able to be no-till some of the cover crops that we're looking at as diverse mixtures, planting into areas that would have been cropland that have been grazed year after year, trying to minimize the need, reduce drastically the need for things like fertilizer and pesticide, and what we're seeing is we can increase our stock density and grazing affects, you know, a lot of those things we consider problems sort of disappear. They're taking care of them as we're going through our proper management. Those are some examples. Anything else you'd like to add?

 

Steve Rhines  11:27  

No. I think simply, one of the things that we've looked at is making soil a partner in our operation, I think a lot of times, we just use it to either hold the animals up, or serve as a medium for plants to grow. But it's actually thinking a little bit about how we manage that as the entire system as he talked about. So I've got nothing further to add.

 

Shaye Koester  11:47  

So when we look at ranching on the business side, what are the main benefits there that ranchers see from adopting some of these practices,

 

Hugh Aljoe  11:57  

The main benefit that producers have when they begin adopting these practices, is that one, they have reduced the need for some of the inputs that they routinely apply such as chemicals and fertilizer. They also find that, that they begin to work with Mother Nature. You are actually working and using whatever is provided grazing for us, in many instances, trampling some of the materials in order to actually feed organisms within the soil, things that that most people haven't up to this point really considered animals that we need to be feeding. You know, and those organisms within the soil, really begin to add the biology and add to the biology, improving those ecosystem processes that we spoke of early on. I think that's the biggest benefit too is that another benefit is that you also because you're not putting these inputs, you're seeing an extreme reduction in some of the costs that they've used to support their operations. And they're not losing very much of the production, in most cases, whatever they might have seen early on is recovered within a very short period of time.

 

Shaye Koester  13:04  

Well, thank you for sharing that. Steve, do you have anything else to add?

 

Steve Rhines  13:09  

I think one of the interesting things is a lot of the pastures look a little different than what they might otherwise look like. In this part of the country look at monoculture. Bermuda grass is our primary warm-season grass, and tend to what you see here is a little bit of a different mix as we actually worked to incorporate forbs legumes into the pasture. And so and my father is one of them. He'll talk about the weediness and how is he going to manage the weeds and what you see in this managed grazing setup, is you intensely graze smaller paddocks and you actually suppress a lot of the weed problems, because the animals find them into their diet, and so they aren't selective anymore, which is exactly the way I eat at a buffet. I'm not allowed to do that anymore. I'm forced in one capacity or another to graze everything equally and as a consequence, a lot of the activities that we've otherwise known becomes unnecessary as Hugh was mentioning.

 

Shaye Koester  14:08  

Okay, so overall, when we're talking ROI, would you say it's there for these practices?

 

Hugh Aljoe  14:15  

Most definitely, I mean, that's, that's what were some of the questions is, what's the cost on the infrastructure, and really refers to make good use of what you already have. That's where we need to start when most people should start to buy themselves just a little bit of time understanding and trying to learn what regenerative ranching is about. Understand the ecosystem processes as well as the soil health principles. What are we really trying to use and once you get a little practice at applying grazing management, maybe using cover crops to some degree, you really begin to get a feel for what you're trying to accomplish. At that point, then you can come in with a plan in order to phase in what you need to, so it's not as if it's an, what I would call them,  extreme inconvenience or financial burden in order to get started. 

 

Shaye Koester  15:08  

Go ahead, Steve,

 

Steve Rhines  15:09  

I will add the idea that that that is really one of the focal points of our research at the Noble Research Institute is to begin to look at these economic issues. We have roughly 14,000 acres worth of land that's, that's located in the southernmost part of Oklahoma. That's only one geographic reference. It's got a lot of different soil types, it's got a lot of different production value. But the idea is what we need to begin to do is across a larger footprint, do this research to begin to answer a lot of the questions that you just posed. There are different mechanisms. Some people are going to go all in, and that's going to have a certain perhaps infrastructure valuation that they need to be able to put in whether it's water, or portable water, what are those different options? That's what noble needs to be able to do. Historically, we've done this in conventional agriculture is we take a little bit of that risk away from the producer by doing some of that research and then demonstrating on our own lands, we're going to continue to do that as we go forward in this direction.

 

Shaye Koester  16:12  

Awesome. Well, so Hugh mentioned, you know, producers need to kind of do some research and figure out, you know, what might work best for their operation and gain a better understanding of what regenerative ranching really is? Where can they go for this information, and these contact points to make sure they're getting the right information?

 

Hugh Aljoe  16:32  

Well, as we look, look out there, here at Noble what we're looking at is trying to find people that have been in the regenerative ranching circles and learning from them to begin with. Then also in a very short period of time, we're hoping to be able to transfer a lot of that information through our own internet, our own website, and our own educational venues. There are entities such as Understanding Ag, the savory and Holistic Management organizations, Ranching for Profit and so these are some of the leaders within the regenerative ranching community that we're gleaning from, and we're happy to be learning from them as well.

 

Shaye Koester  17:10  

Well, thank you for sharing that. So when we look at producers, as they start to implement these practices, as you've worked with producers, or seen some of their operations, what are some of the challenges they may initially face.

 

Hugh Aljoe  17:28  

One of the big challenges is making sure that they have a good partner to guide them through, you know, the steps that are going to be necessary in order to have early success, We want to make sure that people have the opportunity to have early wins and if you're partnering with the right people, it makes it really easy. But you know, we want to be able to serve as guides, to those entities and where we've had people that have had the success, that's where they come back. So it's been the most rewarding for me is where to get started, how to start using the resources that they already have. It doesn't mean that for most people, if you see it every day, he may not understand or value what you really have. And when you've got somebody on the outside coming in, and making suggestions, then they have the buy in order to take it and run it. Rather thoughts through us, we provide a little bit of critique and do they implement their, their thoughts and our suggestions or recommendations.

 

Shaye Koester  18:26  

Thank you. 

 

Steve Rhines  18:27  

I think another part of that, too, is as that as this grows, it's going to be critically important and it's an extension of what Hugh was mentioning just then it's going to be important to connect each Farmer and Rancher to a like community. We know farmers and ranchers. They're social people. They like to engage, whether it's over at the coffee shop or the donut shop, or if it's a church, you'd like to share what you're doing, you'd like to get that other idea, maybe it's just looking across the fence. But we think that that's a critical piece of this as we go forward is to be able to put these communities together and they can't be we know for a fact that they cannot stretch over large geographies, because of the differences in operations, the difference in soil, the difference in the climate. So the challenge becomes is building these networks close to home so you can relate to your neighbor and what they're going through and see it in your own operation.

 

Shaye Koester  19:28  

Well, absolutely, you know, it is very valuable to have those people who are close to you kind of seeing some things, seeing some of the things but also having an outside look at your own place too. What would you say the future of ranching looks like then with these regenerative practices?

 

Steve Rhines  19:49  

Well, we hope our goal is we get a new toolkit for where we're going to go I mean, we know for a fact. So before the call started you and I talked a little bit about working with Dr. Tom field at the University of Nebraska. He was an integral part of our discussions as we strategically planned and where should Noble fit and how does it relate to its history. One of the projects he asked for, that we asked him to do is to look into what's gonna compromise the viability of ranching in the United States as we look into the future. And he really came up with three points, and they're not magic to them. They're just once you hear them, you're like, yeah, I get that. And that's basically, soil productivity in the face of climate variability. The nation's or the producers level of debt, it's at an all-time high, it stretches across all agricultural sectors, it's not limited to ranching it, it is unbelievable. I believe it was in 2015 when we began to exceed $400 billion and it's only grown since 2015. And then the last, this lack of a pipeline, into the future of new people coming into ranching, coming into agriculture, to support this heritage industry for the United States. So if you begin to look at those three areas, any one of them is completely overwhelming, all three of them together is amazing. And so what our role is, is to begin to figure out, how is it that we can connect those dots begin to come up with a set of tools to manage the climate variability and soil productivity, to work on the economics of any operations to ensure that someone who wants to stay on the land can. But there's a second story to that, if I only make enough to get by year to year, what's the first thing I go after, and that's long-term thinking. So we know regenerative ranching, regenerative agriculture requires a long time, a long thought process, a long term planning process, we can't have operations live month to month, year to year, because they can't do that long term planning. And then that last piece really looks at that next generation. And it's the generation that's currently in university, it's also probably that next generation that that sets behind where you are in your own progress. And, and that is a generation that may have a connection to the land, but they also need to be thinking about ranching, or agriculture in a new light. And so as we see these new, and I hate to call them trends, because I think they're starting to eclipse trends, but localized food, knowing where my food comes from being comfortable with the idea that I not only know where it was raised but maybe where it was processed. And so as we get into those ideas, can we build an agricultural system behind that to support and help alleviate these three obstacles to the future of ranching viability?

 

Shaye Koester  23:02  

Well, that was amazing to hear. And thank you for sharing that there was so much I value in that statement, especially when you do look at the long-term picture. And yes, making sure that we as producers are doing everything we can when we get to have a fully traceable product within the United States. So with that, you two have done a very good job answering all the questions I had, do you have anything else you would like to add? Whether that's about regenerative ranching, ranching in general or Noble?

 

Steve Rhines  23:35  

I would just say that, and Hugh touched on it earlier. We don't pretend to believe that we're the only ones in this space. Just like agriculture, and just like I would, for the most part, I would say the nonprofit world that that Noble belongs to. It's an unbelievably generous space. And so we've worked really closely with Understanding Ag, Dr. Alan Williams, Gabe Brown, Doug Peterson, Shane, and a lot of those folks have poured into the Noble Research Institute and its employees that to help bring us along. We're also working with savory we're also working with Ranching for Profit. These people have really been the pioneers and in this space, and so we believe that we can complement them. There's a lot of things that Noble can do. A lot of the questions you raised are critical questions to the future of regenerative ranching. And that's the economics. That's the practices built on principles. And then mostly it's farmer and rancher education. We know for a fact that it's going to be a bit of a challenge because many of us grew up in a certain mindset on what ranching looks like, what my pasture should look like, what I do in May of every year, some of those are really big challenges to overcome but the burden is on Noble and these other organizations to continue to work ahead and help answer these questions for farmers and ranchers. Because for the most part, what we're working for is the underlying land. And a lot of people ask the question initially when we were making this transition, but the idea of how big is the grazing land challenge in the United States, 655 million acres, it's the single largest land use of anything in the United States. So when we talk about water quality, water quantity, almost every raindrop passes at one point or another across rangeland. So if we're not doing everything we can to sustain its health bring its health up, then we're missing an opportunity there with the waterside, new markets with regard to carbon, we're not going to explore those, but we should be incredibly versed and how that impacts farmers and ranchers in everything that we're doing, whether it is how you tend to the soil, or ultimately how you measure your progress is going to lend itself to that potential revenue source for farmers and ranchers in the future.

 

Hugh Aljoe  26:09  

I think you know, when you look at Noble Research Institute, you know, research is in our name, you know, we are here to answer the producer questions. And that's what our objective is using our resources in order to make sure that we're always answering the questions that producers might have, helping them move toward a better, more regenerative state, as early and as quickly as possible. And through that, with financial soundness at the same time.

 

Shaye Koester  26:36  

Well, thank you very much. I really appreciate everything you both had to offer and taking the time out of your day to be on the show. 

 

Steve Rhines  26:44  

Thank you. 

 

Hugh Aljoe  26:45  

It's been a pleasure. Thank you very much. 

 

Shaye Koester  26:47  

And that's a wrap on that one, folks. Thank you, again, for tuning in. If you got something out of this podcast episode that really hit home for you, or you maybe you have a deeper question that wasn't covered, please go drop that in the comment section of my social media posts. There's a post for this episode, as well as a post before it was published. And there will be a post a couple days after as well. So any of those options, please go drop that question or comment about the episode so that we can have a conversation about it, as well as bringing in the rest of my fans to see what we all think about that as we work to combat some of the challenges that we faced with ranching, or maybe trying to open each other's minds to new ideas and new methods. With that, thank you to Steven and Hugh, for sharing your stories and your expertise on this show. I know I really appreciated it. It really got my mind turning about maybe some things to change or what does the future of ranching really look like? So with that, thank you again, and thank you for listening, and I hope to catch you on the next one. 

 

Red Angus Association of America  28:03  

Profit. Repeat. With Red Angus genetics.  Red Angus, the industry's most-favored female, generates repeated profits for commercial cow-calf producers.  Independent research from a decade of data collection showed Red Angus-sired heifers commanded sixty-six dollars per head more than females of other breed types.  That's nearly five-thousand, three hundred dollars on a single load of replacement heifers. A true boost to profits on your operation!  Why are Red Angus females the most-favored? Their strong maternal characteristics and quiet dispositions top the list. They are also productive, low maintenance and efficient. In short, they do their job and do it well.  Visit RedAngus.org for more information on the industry's most-favored female.

 

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Resources:  https://redangus.org/   https://www.noble.org/about/?utm_term=%2Bnoble%20%2Bresearch%20%2Binstitute&utm_campaign=National+-+Consumer&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=7474336878&hsa_cam=10697792127&hsa_grp=106343093935&hsa_ad=454272569887&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-934911811908&hsa_kw=%2Bnoble%20%2Bresearch%20%2Binstitute&hsa_mt=b&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjwybyJBhBwEiwAvz4G7_mDkbwg-s5QPFhVGlfw_rY6I3HyyFSmJYZuLRT5aL5-ozPDThJ2sRoCoeoQAvD_BwE  

Audio: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Partner: https://forms.gle/VnkrkbfB3m4MFgip7

Patron: https://patron.podbean.com/casualcattleconversations

Website: casualcattleconversations.com

Cowboss Conversations: https://www.podbean.com/premium-podcast/cowbossconversations

Julie Ochsner has been marketing beef directly to consumers long before the current trend we are seeing today. In this episode, Julie shares her story and advice for starting a direct to consumer beef business. She also talks about raising a family during this process and balancing other jobs. 

"Be humble, have a lot of humility, and be a lifelong learner." 

Listen to Trey Patterson share his outstanding story and knowledge about what mindset he uses to approach ranch management. 

Trey talks about his journey to where he is at today and how we can all work to stay open-minded as we manage ranches. He shares real and practical examples and experiences in this episode. 

You won't want to miss it!

S7, E48 – Discover the importance of uncomfortable conversations in shaping the future of the livestock industry. Dr. Keith Belk discusses insights from the 2024 International Summit on the Societal Role of Meat and Livestock, including science-based communication, ecological impacts, and the need for proactive engagement. Learn how producers can use facts to navigate evolving societal perceptions of meat production.

Takeaways

• Effective communication of scientific data is crucial for the livestock industry. • There is a need for clear definitions in the industry to avoid misrepresentation. • Public understanding of science is lacking and needs improvement. • Producers should engage with society to share the realities of their practices. • Global perspectives can inform local practices and policies in agriculture. • Collaboration among producers and scientists is essential for progress.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Keith Belk and His Role in the Beef Industry 04:15 The 2024 International Summit on Meat and Livestock 07:31 Communicating Science: Challenges and Strategies 10:20 The Role of Policy Makers in Meat Production 13:13 Call to Action for Ranchers 16:25 Addressing Misconceptions in Animal Agriculture 19:11 Uncomfortable Conversations in the Industry 22:06 Defining Terms in Animal Agriculture 25:59 Improving Public Understanding of Science 29:18 The Importance of Advocacy in Agriculture 32:07 Global Perspectives on Meat Production 34:56 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Resources

Westway Feeds: https://westwayfeed.com/ 

International Summit: https://societalroleofmeat.org/ 

RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Goal-setting for Ranchers: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events/p/move-the-ranch-forward-2025 

 

Feed is the number one input cost for many cow-calf producers. Renaissance Ag joins the podcast to share how they are working to create avenues for beef producers to obtain quality feed sources that are not weather dependent. 

Resources

Renaissance Ag

Full Shownotes

RancherMind

Newsletter

Video

In between where we are and where we want to be lies the challenges that come with change. However, the difference in those who get to the other side and those who revert back to old ways comes down to practicing patience and maintaining the proper mindset. Joe Pokay, general ranch manager at the Noble Research Institute, shared how to stay patient and adopt the right mindset to make it through the first five years of focusing on regenerative principles during Season 7, Episode 18 of the Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast.

 

Key Moments:

(03:00) About Joe

(05:38) Mistakes Made During the First Five Years

(10:25) Removing Bias

(11:23) Challenges During the First Five Years

(13:00) Staying Motivated

(15:25) Metrics to track

(17:15) Rewarding Parts of the Beginning Days

(19:50) Going all in or one step at a time

(21:38) Building a Team & Resources

 

About Joe

Joe Pokay grew up in northwestern Colorado as a town kid but wasted no time in finding ways to work with great people in production agriculture who helped him get started. The opportunities and people he worked with helped him develop a passion and skillset for animal husbandry and land stewardship that he now applies every day as the general ranch manager for the Noble Research Institute.

Resources:

https://www.noble.org/regenerative-agriculture/

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•  

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Uncover what's in it for you when you start collecting herd data and learn the beginning steps of this process with Ray Williams. Ray shares his expertise about scales, load bars and EIDs in the beef industry and how these integrated systems are improving the profitability and efficiency of ranches around the globe. #gallagher

 

Resources: https://am.gallagher.com/

Watch: https://youtu.be/tQ6Wffzy7Yg

Listen: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Read: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/readtheepisodes

RancherMind: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

Join host Shaye Koester as she delves into the world of reproductive vaccines for cattle with Dr. Jeff Sarchet. Discover the economic impact of not implementing these vaccines, the diseases they aim to prevent, and the crucial timing and considerations involved. Shaye and Jeff also dive into vaccine efficacy!

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Maximize reproductive performance: Learn the optimal vaccine protocols for cattle to improve reproductive health and increase breeding success.

• Protect your bottom line: Understand the economic impact of reproductive losses and how vaccination can prevent financial setbacks in your cattle herd.

• Targeted disease prevention: Discover the diseases that reproductive vaccines can protect against, ensuring the health and well-being of your cattle.

• Manage risk with vaccination: Learn the importance of implementing a proactive vaccination program to effectively manage disease risk and minimize potential losses.

• Timing is key: Gain insights into the ideal timing and considerations for administering reproductive vaccines to maximize their effectiveness and safeguard your herd's reproductive health.

My special guest is Dr. Jeff Sarchet

Dr. Jeff Sarchet, a beef technical service veterinarian with Zoetis, is our esteemed guest on this episode. Dr. Sarchet brings a wealth of expertise in reproductive vaccine protocols for cattle. His role involves supporting sales and providing technical guidance in various states, including Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Prior to joining Zoetis, Dr. Sarchet had a successful career as a mixed animal practitioner, specializing in feed yard consultation. His deep understanding of the economic impact of reproductive vaccines and their role in preventing reproductive losses makes him a valuable resource for cattle producers. Join us as we delve into the world of reproductive vaccine protocols with Dr. Jeff Sarchet on Casual Cattle Conversations!

More about Zoetis: https://www.zoetisus.com/products/cattle/valcor-makes-it-easy-to-be-tough-on-tough-worms

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction to the Podcast 00:00:35 - Speaker Availability 00:01:13 - Introduction to Dr. Jeff Sarchet 00:03:08 - Economic Impact of Reproductive Vaccines 00:05:45 - Diseases Prevented by Reproductive Vaccines 00:21:06 - Understanding the Clostridium Disease and Flukes 00:21:33 - Importance of Vaccines for Disease Prevention 00:23:03 - Differentiating Vaccines for Reproductive Issues 00:23:51 - Fetal Protection and Vaccine Duration 00:25:40 - Timing Vaccines for Reproductive Protection 00:41:40 - Evaluating Vaccines 00:45:51 - Communicating with Veterinarians 00:49:02 - Testing and Diagnosis 00:52:58 - Vaccine Efficacy and Handling Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Jason Medows joins the show this week to discuss comparison syndrome and how it impacts management decisions for cattle producers. He also brings to light methods of pulling yourself out of comparison syndrome and how to create a healthier relationship with your farm and ranch.

Listen: 

Watch: 

Read the Summary: 

Red Angus Association: 

Neogen: 

I dare you to challenge how it has always been and start with yourself to make a difference on cattle working days and ranch work in general. Terryn Drieling shares how discovering who we are through the Enneagram aids in our ability to work with others and ourselves during everyday ranch work and life events in this episode.

Read: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/readtheepisodes Listen: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Watch: https://youtu.be/scbcf0aEpzc

Terryn's Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/terryn.drieling/

S 7, EP 46 – This conversation delves into the fundamentals of liquid feed in the cattle industry, exploring its usage, economic advantages, and nutritional benefits. Drs. Kelley Neuhold and Kelly Sanders with Westway Feed Products discuss how liquid feed varies across geographical regions, its historical context, and the practical considerations ranchers should evaluate when considering liquid feed for their operations. The discussion emphasizes the efficiency, labor savings, and nutritional enhancements that liquid feed can provide, making it a compelling option for cattle producers.

Takeaways

• Liquid feed is used differently across geographical regions. • The economics of liquid feed can lead to significant savings. • Liquid feed can improve cattle nutrition and efficiency. • Understanding the cost per head per day is crucial. • Liquid feed can help maintain body condition scores in cattle. • Labor savings are a significant advantage of liquid feed. • Liquid feed can enhance the digestibility of forages. • Ranchers should evaluate their goals when considering liquid feed. • Liquid feed can be a convenient solution for busy ranchers. • Availability of liquid feed is widespread across the country.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Liquid Feed and Its Experts 06:46 Understanding Liquid Feed: Composition and Variability 11:39 The Historical Evolution of Liquid Feed 11:46 Introduction to Liquid Feed and Its Variability 16:18 Understanding the Economic Benefits of Liquid Feed 27:16 Evaluating Liquid Feed for Your Ranch Needs 32:51 Final Thoughts and Resources for Liquid Feed

Connect with an expert about liquid feed: https://westwayfeed.com/the-best-way-to-raise-beef-liquid-feed/

Move the Ranch Forward: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events/p/move-the-ranch-forward-2025 

Free Ranching Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

Discover when and how to develop effective weaning protocols for your herd's animal health and nutrition by using current weigh scales and building relationships with veterinarians and beef cattle nutritionists. Experts from ADM and Gallagher join the show to share their experience and advice to ranchers as beef producers themselves.

 

Listen: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdZHIY1ZKSEcPH0DsqB-QA

Read: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast

RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Resources:https://am.gallagher.com/

S7, E 45: In this episode, I sit down with Erin McKnight, a cattle producer from the Sandhills of Saskatchewan, Canada, to explore her journey and the creation of Ranch Academy.

Erin shares how Ranch Academy, her online program, equips hired hands with essential skills and knowledge—covering everything from equipment safety and cattle handling to water system troubleshooting. Originally developed to streamline her own training process, Ranch Academy has grown into a powerful tool that helps ranchers reduce training time, empower new employees, and prevent costly mistakes. This conversation is packed with insights for anyone involved in ranching or interested in the future of hands-on ranch management.

So, grab a coffee, tune in, and join us for another conversation that’s as real and rugged as ranch life itself.

Takeaways

• Training employees is crucial for effective ranch management. • Ranch Academy provides practical solutions for common ranching challenges. • Empowering employees leads to increased confidence and productivity. • Customization of training materials is essential for different ranch operations. • Clear communication is key to preventing misunderstandings and mistakes. • Ranch Academy can benefit individuals of all ages, not just employees. • The program includes troubleshooting for various ranching scenarios. • Training can reduce the need for constant supervision of employees. • Understanding the unique needs of each ranch is vital for effective training. • Building trust through communication enhances team dynamics.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ranch Academy and Its Purpose 04:56 The Development of Ranch Academy 07:39 Content and Structure of Ranch Academy 10:24 Customization and Accessibility of Ranch Academy 13:47 The Importance of Communication in Ranching 15:40 Conclusion and Resources for Ranch Academy

Resources:

Westway Feeds - https://westwayfeed.com/ 

Ranch Academy - https://www.mcknightranch.ca/academy 

Move the Ranch Forward - https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events/p/move-the-ranch-forward-2025 

Season 7 || Episode 19 Let's dive into heifer marketing and profitability with Doug Ferguson. Doug's sell-buy marketing strategies and mindset shifts will open your mind to how participating in the female side of the cattle market can be a profitability game changer for your ranch.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Understand sell-buy marketing strategies to increase profitability in the cattle industry.

• Learn how to identify and serve your ideal customer

• Stay ahead of the curve with the latest trends in selling bred heifers and pairs.

• Gain insight into the importance of knowing your cost of production

• Hear how other cattlemen and women are applying these strategies to remain profitable

My special guest is Doug Ferguson

Doug Ferguson, a seasoned figure in the beef industry, brings a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for cattle marketing. Doug's roots in conventional farming have instilled in him a deep understanding of the industry. His commitment to sharing his expertise is evident through his in-person marketing schools, where he imparts practical knowledge and insights to fellow producers. Doug's approach is not only rooted in tradition but also incorporates a forward-looking perspective, making him a trusted source for those seeking to elevate their cattle marketing strategies.

https://mrcattlemaster.com/

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Cattle Marketing 00:09:58 - Trends in Marketing Bred Heifers 00:12:41 - Value Assessment and Trading Cattle 00:13:03 - Selling and Replacing Cattle 00:13:22 - Fallout Rate of Females 00:15:05 - Maximizing Profit with Cows 00:18:42 - Missed Opportunities when Selling Bred Heifers 00:22:05 - Sale Barn vs. Private Treaty Sales 00:24:09 - Providing Important Information to Customers 00:28:17 - Understanding Ideal Customers 00:30:06 - The Importance of Cattle Marketing 00:31:23 - The Example of Heifer Pricing 00:33:16 - Resources and Upcoming Events 00:35:25 - Market Demand and Timing 00:37:58 - Commitment to Cattle Farming Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Make rotational grazing easier on yourself and employees with RangeWard. RangeWard offers fencing trailers that allow you to implement the grazing strategies you need to improve your soil health and reduce the labor challenges associated with these. 

 

The first half covers the benefits of regenerative grazing and the second half talks about the technology offered by RangeWard.

 

RangeWard: https://www.rangeward.ca/

Audio:https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Video: https://youtu.be/HPTzaoyMUec

Transcript:https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/transcripts

Tip Shaye:  PayPal.Me/cattleconvos

Newsletter: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/newsletter

www.facebook.com/RangeWard

www.linkedin.com/company/range-ward-inc/?viewAsMember=true

Whether you are ranching full-time are taking on other gigs too, there is always more than one thing going on. Start making the most of your drive time by using the 4 tips outlined in this episode by your host, Shaye Koester.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdZHIY1ZKSEcPH0DsqB-QA

Transcripts: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/readtheepisodes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Empowering Youth • Entrepreneurship • Diversifying Operations • Overcoming Covid

Brandon Howley talks about it ALL! You won't want to miss this inspiring story of teaching youth to build and sustain businesses in agriculture.

Resources: http://cowcamppromotions.com/

Connect with Ranchers Around the United States with this Link! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bullstalkers

Improve your ranch, lifestyle and mindset in 3-minutes by telling me what you want to hear! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B5Q23FX

Audio: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Video: https://youtu.be/zyzt7hoFSEU 

Transcript: https://casualcattleconversations.blogspot.com/2021/11/empowering-next-generation-of-beef.html 

Season 7 – Episode 41 || Shaye Koester-Wanner, Andy Bishop, and Jason Schmidt delve into the intricacies of the Beef Checkoff program, discussing its origins, structure, and the significant return on investment for producers. They address common producer concerns and the importance of effective marketing strategies. The discussion emphasizes the need for transparency and producer involvement in the decision-making processes, while also highlighting the positive impact of the Checkoff on the beef industry.

Takeaways

• The Beef Checkoff was established in 1985 to promote beef. • Producers voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Checkoff. • The Checkoff structure involves state and national councils. • Producers receive a $13.41 return on every dollar invested. • The Checkoff funds are not used for policy-related activities. • The Checkoff has a significant impact on beef prices. • Effective marketing strategies are crucial for beef promotion. • Producers should engage with the Checkoff process and provide feedback.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Beef Checkoff 05:11 History and Structure of the Checkoff 22:06 Return on Investment for Producers 36:09 Producer Questions and Concerns 57:51 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Resources:

Breedr - https://www.breedr.co/ 

Red Angus - https://redangus.org/ 

Checkoff - https://www.beefboard.org/the-drive-sign-up-form/ 

Cattle Convos - https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 

 

Jerry Wulf shares his experiences as a leader in the beef industry and his community. He discusses how and why it is important to become a leader. His advice and experience are honest as can be. Take a listen!

In Season 7, Episode 17 of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Caitlin Word shares how cattle producers in all regions with different goals can regenerate their natural resources by being observant and applying the following soil health principles:

 

1. Know Your Context
2. Cover the Soil
3. Minimize Soil Disturbance
4. Increase Diversity
5. Maintain Continuous Living Plants/Roots
6. Integrate Livestock

 

 

While we discuss all of the soil health principles during our conversations, we go back to number one quite frequently. “I like to bring it back to outcomes. What outcomes are you looking for? You have to strike a balance between what you want and what nature can provide,” said Word. Caitlin walks through how different producers such as seedstock operators, those with hunting leases, stocker operators and cow-calf producers are all looking for slightly different outcomes and shares specific grazing strategies they can apply to find that balance between their desired outcome and regenerating the soil.

 

Learn more about regenerative ranching: https://www.noble.org/regenerative-agriculture/

 

Key Time Points

(04:15) Soil Health Principles

(7:55) Seedstock Producers

(14:50) Hunting Leases/Wildlife

(23:39) Stockers/Yearlings

(27:30) Cow-calf/moving during calving season

(36:30) Knowing which principle you need to improve/focus on

 

 

Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•  

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Don Schiefelbein, a respected and experienced beef industry leader, ignites a battle for unity as he challenges beef leaders to set aside differences, find common ground, and save the industry from internal threats during this podcast episode.

This episode is sponsored by Zoetis. Find deworming solutions here. https://www.zoetisus.com/products/cattle/valcor-makes-it-easy-to-be-tough-on-tough-worms

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Learn how to lead with authenticity and credibility, gaining the trust and respect of your team and industry peers.

• Discover the importance of disease traceability in the beef industry and how it can protect your livestock while building consumer trust.

• Explore effective strategies for animal care and consumer engagement, enhancing your brand's reputation and connecting with conscious consumers.

• Uncover the power of unity and finding common ground in the beef industry, fostering collaboration and driving positive change for a sustainable future.

My special guest is Don Schiefelbein

Don Schiefelbein is a highly accomplished figure in the beef industry, with a rich background and extensive leadership experience. He hails from a prominent family farming operation in Kimball, Minnesota, which encompasses a diversified seedstock operation, feedlot and farm. Don's involvement in the industry extends beyond his farming and ranching responsibilities, as he has held key leadership roles in various organizations. He has served as the executive director of the American Gelbvieh Association and has been a board member and president of the American Angus Association and National Cattlemen's Beef Association, among other notable positions. Don's leadership style is characterized by authenticity and a deep-rooted belief in the need for genuine connections within the industry. His expertise and insights make him a valuable guest, particularly when discussing the crucial role of effective leadership in shaping the future of the beef industry.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction 00:01:26 - Don Schiefelbein's Background 00:03:08 - Don Schiefelbein's Leadership Roles 00:05:23 - The Start of Don Schiefelbein's Leadership Journey 00:07:57 - The Importance of Authentic Leadership 00:15:09 - Moving Forward with Different Opinions 00:16:17 - Opening Our Eyes in the Beef Industry 00:19:00 - Enemies of the Beef Industry 00:22:24 - Animal Care and Public Perception 00:25:33 - Misconceptions and Advocacy 00:30:55 - The Importance of Staying in Organizations 00:33:30 - Challenges of Leadership Roles 00:36:38 - The Importance of Effective Communication 00:39:38 - Timing and Comprehension in Leadership 00:42:13 - Pride in the Beef Industry's Demand 00:46:21 - Invitation to Connect on Social Media 00:46:21 - Wrapping up the Episode 00:46:21 - Importance of Conversation 00:46:21 - Call to Action 00:46:21 - Closing Remark

Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Lance Cox comes from a ranching background and has worked on several operations other than his home place. In this episode, Lance shares his perspective and advice on how ranch hands and managers can better communicate and work together.

David Schuler shares his experience of returning home to the family operation upon graduating college. He offers honest advice about returning home and discusses the challenges and rewards this decision offers. 

We need to stop silencing our voices and share the story of the beef industry. If we don’t, someone else will do it for us and probably not share what needs to be shared. In this episode, Chandler Mulvaney discusses the dos and don’ts of advocacy and helps listeners find resources to start their journey as advocates.

Resources: https://www.performancelivestockanalytics.com/performance-beef/

Transcript: https://casualcattleconversations.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-dos-and-donts-of-advocacy-with.html

Audio: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Video: https://youtu.be/ZasFWr-H3jI

Newsletter: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Partner: https://forms.gle/iSrxi6NkzMVtQy9h8

Chandler’s Email: cmulvaney@beef.org

Wes Chism joins the show to share his experience and knowledge from helping ranchers in the southern United States manage their grazing systems to fit their environments.

Wes covers topics around managing fescue, native grasses, stockpiling, fencing systems, watering systems and how to navigate rotational grazing as a seedstock producer.

This quick 18-minute episode is well worth the listen!

Resources:

https://am.gallagher.com/

Geared Reel

Listen: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/

 

Read: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/readtheepisodes

 

RancherMind: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

 

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdZHIY1ZKSEcPH0DsqB-QA/featured

 

Join host Shaye Koester and rancher James Clark as they delve into the challenges of winter watering systems for livestock. Discover the innovative solutions James uses to keep water flowing and his cattle hydrated.

 

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover the secret to preventing water freezing in livestock tanks during winter.

• Learn strategic planning techniques for effective winter watering systems for your beef herd.

• Ensure your livestock stay hydrated all winter long with tips on maintenance and preparation for winter watering systems.

• Find out why clean, unfrozen water is vital for the health and well-being of your animals during the winter months.

• Gain insight into the latest advancements in winter watering systems, including miracle water tanks that keep water from freezing.

My special guest is James Clark

Meet James Clark, a valuable guest on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast. As a member of the Gallagher team and a fellow rancher in eastern Ontario, Canada, James brings a unique perspective to the table. With his small herd of cows and a flock of sheep, he understands the challenges faced by beef producers when it comes to winter watering systems. From dealing with frozen water lines to ensuring a consistent water supply for livestock, James has firsthand experience in finding effective solutions. His practical knowledge and experience make him an invaluable resource for beef producers looking to improve their winter watering systems. Tune in to this episode to gain insights and tips that will help you prepare and maintain your watering systems, ensuring your cattle have access to water even in the coldest months.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction, 00:00:43 - Importance of Winter Watering, 00:03:26 - James Clark's Watering System, 00:05:51 - Previous Watering Systems, 00:09:33 - Challenges and Preparation,

Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! https://landtrust.pxf.io/c/4809275/1796544/20081

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

The new year is just around the corner and the next calving season will be here before you know it. Ray Williams joins the show to discuss what cattle producers can do to straighten out their herd records in a way that will move them toward their goals faster. Ray discusses what data points can be collected and different options for collecting them. We also talk about different methods for tagging calves and giving them their unique ID.

 

Alphanumeric Tagging Codes & Years

Watch

Listen

Full Show Notes

RancherMind Event

Elaine Froese – Farm Family Coach – shares tips for communicating and resolving conflict between in-laws and generations on family farms and beef cattle operations. Elaine discusses how to make sure everyone's skillset is used, how to approach conversations in a way to avoid conflict and how to set boundaries around work, life and compensation. 

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More from Elaine: farmfamilycoach.com

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•  

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Are you looking for innovative ways to boost your calves' weight gain without breaking the bank? In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Mark Johnson, a professor at Oklahoma State University, to explore the potential of creep grazing as an alternative to traditional creep feeding.

Drawing from his rich background in commercial cow-calf operations, Mark shares valuable insights into this cost-effective management practice that could revolutionize your approach to calf nutrition. We delve into the nuts and bolts of creep grazing, comparing its advantages to conventional creep feeding methods and discussing how it might fit into your operation's unique needs.

Key Points Covered:

• The fundamentals of creep grazing and its potential benefits • Cost-effectiveness compared to traditional creep feeding • Practical implementation strategies and infrastructure considerations • Ideal timing for introducing creep grazing in your management plan

00:02:30 Passion for Beef Production

00:05:11 Understanding Creep Grazing

00:06:31 Variety in Forage Options

00:08:09 Advantages of Creep Grazing

00:08:24 The Pros and Cons of Creep Feeding

00:13:17 Cost Effectiveness of Creep Grazing

00:14:32 Marketing Considerations for Creep Grazing

00:16:00 Setting Up Creep Grazing Structures

00:17:29 Challenges and Considerations of Creep Grazing

00:19:08 Benefits of Creep Grazing for Calves

00:20:28 Simplicity and Cost-effectiveness of Creep Grazing

00:22:29 Determining Creep Grazing Area Size

00:24:07 Timing and Benefits of Starting Creep Grazing

00:25:47 Excitement for Future of Beef Industry

https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/

|| Season 07 : Episode 04 || Kiernan Brandt joins me for a conversation about bull selection criteria. This episode is designed to help producers prepare for sorting through the mountain of bull sale catalogs, ads and videos before sale season picks up even more!

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Identify key bull selection criteria for maximizing profitability in your cattle operation.

• Understand the critical role of genetics in shaping the performance and health of your cattle herd.

• Explore how the cow's environment and genetics influence the overall success of your cattle operation.

• Recognize the significance of temperament when selecting bulls for your herd's efficiency and ease of management.

• Maximize bull longevity and herd efficiency with strategic selection practices.

My special guest is Kiernan Brandt

Kiernan Brandt, a professional service technician at TransOva, brings a wealth of expertise to the table. With a background in heifer development and reproductive physiology, coupled with hands-on experience working with producers as an extension field specialist for SDSU, Kiernan has honed his skills in optimizing and streamlining cattle operations. His current role involves leveraging advanced reproductive technology to propagate top-tier cattle genetics, making him an invaluable resource for cattle producers aiming to enhance their bull selection process. Drawing from his roots in Wyoming and a strong passion for the agricultural lifestyle, Kiernan's insights offer practical and proven strategies for maximizing conception rates and genetic progress in cattle operations.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction to the Red Angus breed 00:02:23 - Guest Introduction and Background 00:07:01 - Importance of Diverse Perspectives 00:11:36 - Reflection on Cowherd and Management 00:15:02 - Understanding Environment in Bull Selection 00:15:29 - Understanding the Ranching Environment 00:19:30 - Balancing Cow Size and Efficiency 00:22:50 - HerdDog: The Smart Cattle Monitoring Solution https://www.herddogg.com/ 00:23:15 - Adding Smart Pounds Through Genetic Selection 00:30:53 - Age of Bulls and Long-Term Success 00:31:36 - Importance of Mature Bulls 00:32:23 - Benefits of Data-Driven Decisions 00:33:57 - Marketing Plan Considerations 00:38:04 - Common Mistakes in Bull Selection

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Matthew May shares the challenges and benefits of ranching in an urban area and how he makes the most of the situation. Listen on your favorite podcast app or right here! Read it: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/readtheepisodes https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/

Winter has more than made its appearance this year and for some people that means chopping ice and opening water tanks more than they'd like to...I mean does anyone actually like to do it?!?!?!

James Clark Gallagher Québec joins the show from Canada to discuss winter watering. Here's what we talk about 👇

1. Effective Water Tanks

2. Planning for Water Lines

3. What to Consider when Creating a Watering Plan

Resources: 

Full Shownotes: 

RancherMind Events: 

Don’t forget about your bulls! In this 16 minute episode, Dr. Kacie McCarthy offers insight on what the components of a BSE are, why they are important and when to have them performed. We also discuss new and upcoming research in this area of beef production.

 

Listen on your favorite podcast app.

 

Find all transcripts, episodes and ranching resources on the website! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/

 

Tip the host: PayPal.Me/cattleconvos

Watch it: https://youtu.be/352MZ43W1cY

Leave the stress of selecting bulls behind! Dr. Matt Spangler explains how your operation can increase profitability through genetic selection and how you can discover which data is the most important for you to analyze. 

 

Resources:https://ebeef.ucdavis.edu/

https://getpenned.com/

https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources

Audio: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Video: https://youtu.be/v6UgYAeTztw

Read it: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/transcripts

Tip the Host: PayPal.Me/cattleconvos

Uncover the hidden genetic potential of your herd and revolutionize your selection process as Ryan Ludvigson and Jed Hutchison dive into the world of genetic testing, revealing the shocking variations within commercial cattle and the urgent need for culling strategies to improve profitability and consistency in the industry.

Learn more about INHERIT Select: beefgenetics.com

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Grasp the important position of genetic testing with INHERIT Select to revolutionize the beef industry.

• Ascertain the incredible advantages of employing genetic testing in your commercial beef cattle herd.

• Master the art of understanding genetic test results and its substantial influence on your cattle venture.

• Familiarize yourself with the powerful resource of genetic testing in devising select and culling strategies.

• Recognize the immense potential of genetic testing in reshaping the beef industry.

My special guest is Ryan Ludvigson, Jed Hutchison

Ryan Ludvigson is a well-established figure from Billings, Montana, who along with his family runs Ludvigson Stock Farms. They have a solid reputation as Red Angus and Red Sim Angus seed stock producers. Ryan's expertise goes beyond the seedstock business; he's also part of The Orion Beef Group. His inputs have added significant value to cattle producers in the beef industry.

Jed Hutchison works for Zoetis on the Beef Genetics side of their business. He uses his passion and background in the beef industry to help other cattle producers understand how to leverage genetic information in a way that accelerates their business and increases profits.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:05 - Introduction, 00:02:03 - Background of the Guests, 00:04:12 - Overview of Inherit Select, 00:07:24 - Process and Benefits of Inherit Select, 00:12:39 - Making Decisions with Inherit Select, 00:15:37 - Resources to Understand EPD Results, 00:17:12 - Surprising Variation in Herds, 00:19:02 - Breed Composition and Sire Trace, 00:22:34 - Return on Investment, 00:27:28 - Benefits and Timelines, 00:31:51 - Selecting Genetics for a Successful Beef Industry, 00:33:50 - The Impact of Genetic Testing on the Beef Industry, 00:36:33 - DNA Profiling as a Game Changer in the Beef Industry, 00:39:21 - DNA Profiling for Commercial Herds, 00:41:46 - Embracing DNA Technology and Accurate Selection,

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Kevin Miller operates a ranch in Colorado. However, he did not grow up in the agriculture industry. Kevin offers an inspiring story of how to take action and bridge your knowledge gap to accomplish your goals and live the lifestyle you want. 

As a cattle producer, staying committed to your goals is crucial for effective leadership. In this episode, I share different strategies for setting goals as well as practical strategies like phone reminders and sharing goals with others to increase your level of commitment.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover the power of setting clear goals.

• Stay focused and committed to your objectives.

• Unlock effective tools to streamline goal setting.

• Learn how to regularly assess and adapt your goals.

• Master the art of leading through goal setting.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction to the podcast and Bullpen app 00:01:13 - Importance of goal setting for cattle producers 00:04:26 - Different methods for goal setting 00:08:35 - Tips for effective goal setting 00:14:31 - Joining the RancherMind program 00:15:02 - Setting Reminders for Goal Achievement 00:16:12 - Importance of Adjusting Goals 00:17:08 - Encouragement to Set Goals 00:18:00 - Seeking Feedback and Topic Suggestions 00:18:12 - Wrapping Up and Call to Action

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BullPen: https://getpenned.com/ Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye Wanner and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

The "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality with your cattle herd health is tempting to adopt. However, episode guest Gary Bosch explains that the challenge with this mentality is that we don't know when things will break. Gary Bosch sheds light on how diagnostic surveillance and modern vaccine technology can help you stay ahead of potential herd health problems and keep your operation thriving. Tune in to discover the game-changing benefits of platform vaccines and why it's time to consider modernizing your cattle herd health strategies.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover the enhanced herd health benefits of platform vaccines in cattle.

• Uncover the cutting-edge technology behind prescription platform vaccines for cattle.

• Explore the modernized strategies for optimizing cattle herd health.

• Understand the crucial role of diagnostic surveillance in maintaining cattle health.

• Learn the benefits of transitioning to modern cattle vaccines for improved herd well-being.

• Learn more about platform vaccines: https://medgenelabs.com/

My special guest is Gary Bosch

Dr. Gary Bosch is a highly experienced veterinarian with a career spanning over 40 years in the animal health industry. His extensive background includes practicing veterinary medicine for eleven years and collaborating with cattle producers and veterinarians. Currently, Dr. Bosch is a key figure at Medgene, a biotechnology company dedicated to the development of prescription platform vaccines. His vast expertise in the cattle industry and hands-on involvement in the creation of modernized vaccine technologies position him as an expert in discussions about enhancing herd health management and proactive surveillance for cattle producers.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:01 - Introduction to Casual Cattle Conversations 00:00:20 - Diving into Herd Health with Gary Bosch 00:01:00 - Benefits of Platform Vaccines 00:02:09 - Medgene and Prescription Platform Vaccines 00:15:06 - Baculovirus vs. mRNA Vaccines 00:18:08 - The Importance of Diagnostic Surveillance in Herd Health Programs 00:19:32 - Key Elements for Herd Health 00:21:03 - Monitoring Disease Status in Cattle Herds 00:22:32 - Where to Learn More

Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Hear the honest reality of starting a direct-to-consumer beef business from Hannah Klitz, founder of Oak Barn Beef. Hannah shares how she navigates online sales, a storefront, social media marketing and growing her business in this podcast episode. Whether it is selling quarters, halves and wholes or beef bundles; Oak Barn Beef has found ways to serve a variety of customers who crave Nebraska beef directly from ranchers.

Links:

Harvest Returns: https://www.harvestreturns.com/ccc 

Cattle ID: https://www.cattleidapp.com/ 

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•  

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

In this episode of Casual Cattle Conversations, Craig Gifford reveals the impacts of anti-suckling devices for weaning in the beef industry. Find out how these devices can improve weaning success. Gifford also shares the caveats of these devices and helps beef cattle producers determine if they are worth the investment.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover the effectiveness of anti-suckling tools in improving beef production efficiency.

• Grasp the core methods of a two-phase procedure for weaning calves using anti-suckling devices.

• Investigate how using anti-suckling devices can be a cost-effective strategy for greater gains during weaning.

• Unravel the mystery behind the limited data concern on the health ramifications of anti-suckling devices usage on calves.

• Absorb crucial knowledge about the necessity to adapt weaning practices to the specific needs of individual ranches and conditions.

My special guest is Craig Gifford

Craig Gifford joined NMSU as the Beef Cattle Extension Specialist in July 2016. Craig received his B.S. degree in Animal Science from the University of Wyoming and M.S. degree in Animal Physiology from NMSU. He then went to the University of Idaho for a Ph.D. in Animal Physiology. Craig’s Extension program goals are to increase profitability and sustainability of New Mexico ranches, and he also maintains a research program which focuses on improving reproductive technologies and animal health in beef cattle.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:00 - Introduction, 00:02:25 - Purpose of Anti-Suckling Devices, 00:03:39 - Two-Step Weaning Procedure, 00:05:34 - Potential Gain Increase, 00:08:43 - Animal Health Concerns, 00:16:04 - Importance of Weaning Practices, 00:16:54 - Influence of Pasture Size on Fence Line Weaning, 00:18:14 - Ranch-Dependent Management Practices, 00:18:44 - Individuality of Management Practices,

Links:

Vitalix: https://vitalix.com/

Corral Technologies: https://www.corraltech.com/

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources

•

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Seasons 7 || Episode 10 – The beef industry has been focused on measuring economically relevant traits for decades. However, some of these traits are harder to measure than others. One of these traits includes pasture-based forage intake on an individual animal basis. With feed costs being one of the highest inputs cattle producers have each year and forage being a limiting resource, the ability to measure this trait is more important than ever before. Cattle producers can now measure forage intake on a per-head basis in their pastures with the implementation of Ceres Tag devices. David Smith, Dr. Troy Rowan and Barbara Jackson share valuable insights about how Ceres Tag devices measure pasture feed intake and how it can be applied in real-world settings during Season 7, Episode 10 of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Understand How Technology Optimizes Cattle Management

• Maximize Profitability Through Forage Intake Management

• Unlock the Power of Genetic Selection for Efficient Grazing

• Discover the Importance of Measuring Forage Intake for Profitability

• Achieve Balance Between Traditional Practices and Modern Technology in Cattle Management

My special guests are David Smith, Troy Rowan, and Barbara Jackson.

Learn more about Ceres Tag: https://cerestag.com/collections/ceres-ranch

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:01 - Introduction to the Importance of Forage Intake Management 00:01:08 - Insight on Forage Intake Importance 00:02:25 - Guest Introductions and Expertise 00:05:09 - Practical Challenges in Cattle Ranching 00:10:02 - Research and Technology in Forage Intake Measurement 00:16:15 - Importance of Design in Technology 00:19:31 - Impact on Genetic Selection 00:22:04 - Pasture Feed Intake Algorithm 00:27:37 - Future Generations and Data Utilization 00:32:56 - Closing Thoughts 00:34:14 - Importance of Software in the Cattle Industry 00:34:58 - Importance of Basic Practices 00:35:19 - Leveraging Technology with Solid Foundation 00:36:02 - Pushing the Beef Industry Forward

Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Implementing cover crops into a grazing plan has a host of benefits for the soil, cattle and profitability of the business when done properly. Steve Swaffar shares his knowledge about cover crop grazing and how it can be an effective method of increasing soil cover in all climates if done properly. During this episode, you’ll learn about the following topics:

 

(04:08) Increasing popularity of cover crops

(06:00) Cover crops in wet climates versus arid climates

(08:30) Using cover crops for forage, soil health and grazing

(09:40) Return on investment

(11:02) Animal performance and managing livestock diets

(12:30) Beginner Mistakes

(15:10) Working synergistically with farmers

(20:15) Being prepared for when planting cover crops is the right decision for you

 

Steve Swaffar grew up in Tulsa and spent a majority of his time on the family farm where he was exposed to raising certified wheat and registered Angus cattle. He has spent his entire career in agriculture and currently works for the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, OK.

 

Resources:

https://www.noble.org/regenerative-agriculture/

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

 https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

 https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Bill Rishel knows how to build herds with the most of the best. Listen to this podcast episode to discover how Bill defines a quality herd and makes selection decisions that benefit commercial and seedstock producers alike. 

 

Neogen: https://www.neogen.com/igenity-beef

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdZHIY1ZKSEcPH0DsqB-QA

Follow @cattleconvos on social media

Season 7, Episode 1: Join veterinarian Chelsea Woodcock and Wes Chism from Gallagher North America as they uncover the secrets to a successful spring calving season, navigating the delicate balance of herd health and the challenges of record keeping.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Master successful spring calving strategies for healthier herds.

• Implement the efficient Sandhills calving system for better outcomes.

• Maximize herd health with optimal vaccination timing for calves.

• Elevate herd management practices through the importance of record-keeping.

• Understand why BCS and nutrition are important to monitor throughout the year.

  Learn more about digital record-keeping systems: https://am.gallagher.com/en-US

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction to the Podcast 00:00:43 - Importance of Spring Calving 00:02:30 - Preparing for Calving Season 00:09:13 - Efficient Data Collection 00:11:35 - Ensuring Calf Health 00:15:03 - Implementing Sandhills Calving System 00:16:29 - Effectiveness of Calving Method 00:17:42 - Vaccinating Calves 00:19:43 - Importance of Keeping Records 00:21:50 - Conclusion and Takeaways

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

The expert himself, Burke Teichert, shares his advice after years of managing ranches in the west. He shares the number one action that can be taken and when to do it in this 20-minute episode of Casual Cattle Conversations.

 

Audio:https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Video: https://youtu.be/2ZSPDnhK8JU

Read it:https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/readtheepisodes

Tip the Host: PayPal.Me/cattleconvos

Ray Williams joins the show from the team at Gallagher to share how cattle producers can start to create rotational grazing strategies. Ray covers where producers can start with stock rates, water, fencing supplies and paddock design in this short episode.

Resources

Gallagher Product Visuals: https://am.gallagher.com/

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching

Interested in a coaching package?

Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

James Clark shares ways ranchers can access reliable technology support to keep their operations moving forward in a timely manner. This quick episode will tell you where to go and who to talk to when you need it!

Read: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/readtheepisodes

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdZHIY1ZKSEcPH0DsqB-QA

Listen: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodeshttps://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Discover the journey of Shaye Koester's return to her family ranch in North Dakota. Shaye shares four tips for anyone returning to their ranch or bringing someone back onto the ranch to consider if they want to be better communicators and make the first year a smoother transition.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• The significance of being flexible and open-minded in managing the ranch. In this episode, you will get insights on:

• Navigating the transition phase back into your heritage – the family ranch.

• Balancing between occupying your professional space and your leisure time.

• Harnessing the power of entrepreneurship and personal passions outside the ranch premises.

• Effective dialogues and family communication for better cooperative success.

• Embracing adaptability and flexibility while handling the ranch's everyday hurdles.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:03 - Introduction, 00:01:10 - Setting Boundaries, 00:06:53 - Having Her Own Business, 00:09:39 - Scheduling, 00:11:57 - Flexibility and Communication, 00:13:46 - Interest in Taking Over, 00:14:42 - Being the Fifth Generation, 00:15:37 - Embracing Unknowns, 00:16:24 - Tips for Bringing the Next Generation Back, 00:18:03 - Final Thoughts and Call to Action,

Links:

Neogen: Use code RADIO to get a discount on your next Igenity Beef order. https://www.neogen.com/industries/beef/

Corrall Technologies: https://www.corraltech.com/

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Do you want to enhance individual contributions and strengthen your family bond on the farm or ranch? Find out how to achieve this and elevate your family farm experience.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Understand Family Dynamics: Discover how to navigate and leverage family dynamics for a thriving farm operation.

• Find Your Farm Role: Uncover the key to defining individual roles within the family farm for enhanced productivity and unity.

• Embrace Generational Collaboration: Learn the significance of uniting different generations for a successful and sustainable farming future.

• Personal Advocacy in Agriculture: Explore the power of personal connections in advocating for agriculture and shaping its positive narrative.

• Achieving Work-Life Balance: Master the art of balancing work and family life within the unique context of agriculture for a fulfilling and harmonious lifestyle.

This episode is brought to you in part by MedGene. Learn more: https://medgenelabs.com/

My special guest is Chelsey Erdmann

Chelsey Erdmann is an esteemed advocate for the ranching legacy, with extensive experience and a profound dedication to agriculture. Based in North Dakota, Chelsey plays a pivotal role in her family's multi-generational diversified agriculture operation, which has a proud history dating back to 1893. Renowned for her adept storytelling skills and a fervent commitment to sharing valuable insights online, Chelsey's journey in identifying her role within the family farm, coupled with her adeptness in navigating the complexities of working alongside family members and employees, positions her as a highly knowledgeable resource for individuals seeking role clarity and unity within their family operations.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:01 - Introduction to the podcast and guest 00:03:13 - Overview of the family's diversified operation 00:06:18 - Unique business structure and roles 00:10:09 - Working one's way into the business 00:12:44 - Transitioning into full-time role and finding one's area of genius 00:14:09 - Navigating Leadership Transition 00:15:08 - Role of Employees 00:16:39 - Outsourcing and Decision Making 00:19:09 - Legacy and Family Passion 00:23:53 - Advocacy and Family History 00:28:19 - The Gift of Time in Agriculture 00:28:42 - Gratitude for Family Collaboration 00:28:58 - Encouragement for Implementation 00:28:58 - Call to Action on Social Media

Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Cattle producers have been focused on sustainability for generations, but how can they stay on top of this and continue to be progressive? Steve Wooten joins the show to discuss his family’s operation and how they continue to improve.

Steve covers…

1. What sustainability looks like on cattle operations 2. How you make changes to move in this direction 3. How sustainable practices impact your profitability in the long run • Full Show notes

Video

RancherMind

Red Angus Programs

Malcolm Harvey shares his background in technology and agriculture during this episode. He will provide an explanation of how EID technology works, the differences in tags, and how it will best help your operation.

Patron: https://patron.podbean.com/casualcattleconversations

Video: https://youtu.be/_zulbHwXZR8

Transcript: https://casualcattleconversations.blogspot.com/2021/06/understanding-implementing-eids-with.html

Partner: https://forms.gle/mDP1uSNvtuFkeMvK8

 

Strategic plans are crucial to the success of ranches. They allow goals to be achieved and often bring families closer together. Scott Mickelsen shares how ranchers can get started with strategic plans and what those first steps look like in this episode.

 

Tip the Host: PayPal.Me/cattleconvos

Video: https://youtu.be/UQXKtyQlg9k

Transcript:https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/transcripts

RancherMind: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

Julie serves as the Executive VP for the North Dakota Stockmen's Association and has been involved in ranching her entire life. She's a leader, a mother, a beef industry enthusiast and so much more. In this episode, Julie shares her advice on how she works in the ranching and political spaces and serves ND ranchers through these actions. She also offers insight on work-life balance and making the most of daily work commute. Take a listen to Julie's story. There is a message for everyone in this episode. 

Elsabe discusses the differences in ranching in America vs. South Africa, as well as how she balances her own business with the ranch and her family.

She's a rancher, entrepreneur, wife, mother, dreamer and action taker. Originally from South Africa, Elsabe Hausauer lives an inspiring life and currently ranches with her family in North Dakota.

She shares an empowering story of building your own life and being grateful for what you have.

Imagine unleashing the full potential of your beef operation, one mineral at a time. In this informative episode, rancher Shaye Koester-Wanner invites renowned nutritionist Cadra Krueger to share her wealth of expertise on crafting strategic pre-breeding mineral programs. This conversation unveils the profound impact minerals can have on conception rates, calf health, and ultimately, your bottom line.

Cadra illustrates the intricate connections between mineral intake, reproductive success, and long-term calf vigor, underscoring the ripple effects of proper pre-breeding nutrition. Her emphasis on forging collaborative partnerships with extension agents and nutritionists equips producers with a roadmap for making well-informed decisions tailored to their unique operations.

Learn more about Alltech: https://www.alltech.com/en-in/beef 

Here are just a few of the invaluable gems you'll uncover in this engaging discussion:

• Strategies for selecting the optimal mineral forms to maximize bioavailability and herd utilization
• Insights into adjusting supplementation based on forage quality fluctuations and environmental stressors
• Tips for identifying potential mineral deficiencies or excesses in your specific region
• The critical role of macro and trace minerals in supporting reproductive health and fetal programming

00:00:00 Exploring Pre-Breeding Conception Mineral Programs

00:02:34 Cadra Krueger Background in Animal Nutrition

00:04:13 The Significance of Pre-Breeding Mineral Programs

00:06:17 Impact of Fetal Programming on Calf Fertility

00:07:43 Considerations for Successful Breeding Seasons

00:09:50 Determining Feed Deficiencies

00:12:05 Timing of Pre-Breeding Mineral

00:13:12 Seasonal Mineral Adjustments

00:15:22 Mineral Requirements for Heifers

00:16:32 Nutritional Adjustments in Drought

00:19:27 Importance of Mineral Program in Cattle Operations

00:20:42 ROI and Mineral Program Investment

00:21:05 Effects on Cattle Health and Weaning Weights

00:22:34 Questions for Mineral Company Representatives

00:23:36 Final Thoughts on Mineral Programs

Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Dallas Mount sees over 400 ranches per year and in this episode he shares common mistakes ranch managers make and offers actionable solutions and resources on how to turn things around.

 

https://redangus.org/

https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/

https://youtu.be/jKn9YVgiHG4

Casey has experience working on ranches his entire life and now he notices where the gaps lie in the skillsets required for ranchhands and managers. He shares his personal experiences, struggles and advice for finding good help and how to keep them. He also offers tips on how to gain the skillsets you need to work on and operate a ranch.

Celeste Settrini is a woman who wears many hats in the beef industry. Her passion for family ranches, improving the beef industry and connecting with consumers is inspiring to say the least. When she decides she wants to do something, she simply makes it happen and uses the power of storytelling in all that she does. Settrini shares her advice for remaining resilient as a rancher and why it is important to be a leader in the beef industry.

 

Key Points:

• overcoming the government regulations in California
• taking the initiative to create your own opportunities
• the value of being a leader in the beef cattle industry

Celeste's Website: https://celestesettrini.com/ 

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•  

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Season 7 || Episode 5 Tired of working all day for little pay and being told you are supposed to be proud of it? That’s the narrative many of us in agriculture grew up with, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Compensation is not only possible on family farms and ranches but also necessary. Elaine Froese, Farm Family Coach, and Lyndsay Seafoot, agriculture HR specialist, shared tips and strategies for creating fair compensation plans on family farms in ranches on Season 7, Episode 5 of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Uncover the untold advantages of farm compensation.

• Establish fair policies for farm compensation with ease.

• Overcome the challenges of determining fair farm compensation.

• Shift your mindset to maximize farm earnings effectively.

My special guests are Elaine Froese and Lyndsay Seafoot

Elaine Froese, a farm family coach with a background in cattle farming, has established herself as a prominent figure in the family transition space. Residing in southwestern Manitoba, Elaine is known for her practical insights and expertise in addressing the financial and interpersonal challenges within family farms. Her extensive experience and commitment to providing valuable tools and resources make her a trusted source for family farm owners and operators seeking to navigate fair compensation and enhance financial stability.

https://elainefroese.com/

Lyndsay Seafoot, an HR consultant specializing in the agricultural sector, brings a unique blend of personal experience growing up on a hog farm and professional expertise in HR consulting. Based in southwestern Manitoba, Lyndsay is dedicated to supporting farms and agribusinesses in optimizing their HR functions, including compensation policies. With a grounded and approachable demeanor, Lyndsay offers relatable insights and actionable strategies to help navigate the complexities of compensation within family farms, fostering a more cohesive and prosperous working environment.

https://www.curbridgeco.com/

Elaine and Lyndsay offer practical solutions to help farmers and ranchers create harmony on their operations. They are effective leadership skills, experience with transition planning and agriculture backgrounds make them both valuable assets to the agriculture community.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:19 - The Influence of Red Angus Females in the Beef Industry https://redangus.org/ 00:01:27 - Importance of Compensation on Family Farms 00:02:28 - Introduction of Elaine and Lindsay 00:07:57 - Fair Compensation and Merit-Based Rewards 00:11:59 - Initiating Conversations about Compensation 00:14:57 - The Impact of Unstructured Compensation 00:17:35 - Clean Accounting and Compensation 00:19:35 - Determining Worth and Fair Compensation 00:23:11 - Delayed Compensation and Fair Exchange of Value 00:27:01 - Clarity in Compensation and Fairness 00:29:29 - Understanding Different Needs and Compensation 00:30:44 - Shifting Mindset Around Money 00:31:20 - Challenging Unwritten Rules 00:34:49 - Blowing Up the Ranch Mindset 00:36:33 - Accessing Support and Resources Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

We talk about maximizing efficiency with data, communication and cattle handling as well as maintaining mental health. David Schuler with Schuler Red Angus shares the methods and processes used by their operation to improve the overall efficiency of the ranch. 

Bill Rishel has lived his entire life involved in the beef industry. He has been involved in countless changes and adaptations that have taken place and are to come. Bill shares his stories, insight and perspective about the future of the beef industry. We cover genomics, changes in carcasses and packing plants, sustainability, methane emissions and economics all in one episode!

Technology and ranching go together more than one might initially expect. In fact, technology is changing how cattle producers manage and improve their herds day in and day out. Alex Heine and Keenan Hawekotte join the show from the Cattle ID team to discuss how technology helps cattle producers and what ranchers need to know about adopting these tools on their operations.

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In this episode of Casual Cattle Conversations, Shaye shares actionable strategies to help ranchers increase both profitability and productivity without burning out. She kicks things off by addressing common misconceptions about productivity—more hours don't necessarily mean more profit. Instead, Shaye highlights the importance of focusing on high-impact tasks that drive the ranch forward.

Key Takeaways:

Identify Revenue-Driving Tasks: Start by making a list of daily, weekly, and monthly activities. Then, star the tasks that directly contribute to generating revenue and productivity.

Know Your Numbers: Ranchers must understand their financials beyond year-end taxes. Shaye shares tips on creating a clear financial picture and the importance of delegating bookkeeping if it's not your strength.

Set Clear Goals: Break down your ranch’s goals into 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year increments. Knowing your long-term goals helps you align your short-term actions for success.

Enhance Communication: Whether you're a solo operator or have a team, effective communication can make or break productivity. Shaye shares examples from her own ranch life and stresses the importance of clear, concise instructions.

Leverage Technology: Automate and delegate tasks using modern tech tools to save time and reduce stress. Shaye encourages ranchers to assess what can be automated to focus on high-impact tasks.

Prioritize with the Four-Quadrant Method: Use this method to separate urgent from non-urgent and important from unimportant tasks. It’s an easy way to break down overwhelming to-do lists and stay focused on the right things.

Reduce Screen Time: Set boundaries with your phone to enhance mental health and productivity. Shaye shares how limiting screen time drastically improved her focus on the ranch.

Resources Mentioned:

Move Your Ranch Forward Goal Setting Book: Get Shaye’s digital guide to help set and prioritize your ranch’s goals for 2025. https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events/p/move-the-ranch-forward-2025

RancherMinds Program: Join Shaye’s community to dive deeper into ranching profitability and productivity. https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

Ranch Channel: Find your next herd sire FAST with this great resource. https://ranchchannel.com/

Adding value to calves before sale day is critical. Monte Rainforth shares key actions to achieve success when backgrounding your calves to add value to your herd. 

Follow @cattleconvos on social media

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Resources: https://redangus.org/

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Shaye Koester  00:08

Hey, hey, it's Shaye Koester and I'm your host for the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast where we foster innovation and enthusiasm in the ranching industry through sharing the stories and practices of different ranchers and beef industry leaders. Be sure to be a greater part of this podcast and become involved on my social media pages. Follow @cattleconvos on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok or Shaye Koester on LinkedIn to join the conversations around the challenges we face as ranchers and how we can overcome them. You can also find more information about this podcast all my episodes and how to partner with me on this show, by going to my website, casualcattleconversations.com. With that, thanks for tuning in, and let's see who our guest is today.

 

Red Angus Association of America  01:09

Hey folks, let's give a quick thank you to the association helping make this episode possible. Profit. Repeat. With Red Angus genetics.  Red Angus bulls generate repeated profits for commercial cow-calf producers.  Year after year, despite unpredictable market conditions, cattle producers see increased return on investment for their Red Angus-sired calves. These cattle excel both in the feed yard and on the rail.   Calves sired by Red Angus bulls are eligible to be enrolled in the Feeder Calf Certification Program and wear the yellow tag verifying age, source and genetics.  Increase your profit potential with Red Angus genetics.  Visit RedAngus.org for more information on enrolling your calves in Red Angus value-added programs.

 

Shaye Koester  02:02

Hey there, it's time for another episode. Thanks for hopping on again folks, if you're new Welcome to the show and I'm glad you found us today. In the spirit of fall activities on the ranch. We are going to visit with Monte Rainforth about all things backgrounding. Monte is certainly passionate and experienced in this area and is going to share some do's and don'ts about backgrounding cattle and a little marketing advice too. Before we get on with the show. Remember to have these episodes and my blogs sent straight to your inbox by going to casualcattleconversations.com/newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things CCC. Also, go to casualcattleconversations.com/patron to learn how you can gain access to exclusive episodes, content and rewards. Don't forget to follow @cattleconvos on all social media too. With that, thanks again for hopping on. And let's get on with the episode.  Alrighty, so what's your experience in the backgrounding space?

 

Monte Rainforth  03:09

Well, we calve about 300 head of commercial mother cows and for the last 25 years, we've always backgrounded prior to marketing the calves. So I'd say 25 years of backgrounding, my own calves and then also I worked for Merck Animal Health company. I have an opportunity to see a lot of different scenarios. As far as backgrounding calves in feedlots or on cow calf operations there is a lot of observation there as far as what people do different, what works, what doesn't work.

 

Shaye Koester  03:41

Okay, so how would you define backgrounding as a part of the beef cycle?

 

Monte Rainforth  03:47

That's a good question. I think that gets a little bit confusing to some people. And it's because it's defined differently by different people. But in my opinion, backgrounding is from the time you take those calves off the cow. And some people try to condense it into a certain number of days. And I think that's right, I think backgrounding phase starts when that calf comes off the cow. And to me, it's defined as a period of days, whether that's 30 days off the cow. My opinion is it needs to be a minimum of 45 days off the cow until they go into a feedlot type phase or a grass program phase. But I think at minimum for the vaccinations to take hold and protect those calves get them nutritionally sound I think a minimum of 45 days off the cow before they leave the ranch is in my opinion, the true backgrounding phase.

 

Shaye Koester  04:44

Okay, so you've talked about it a little bit as far as days, length of time and when it starts, but what does this process fully look like when we talk about backgrounding

 

Monte Rainforth  04:57

Um, to me, it looks like bringing the cows and calves and taking the calves off the cow and weaning the best way you know how. I prefer the fenceline weaning method, it seems like the calves don't travel as much in the pen. They're not as anxious, so they don't kick a bunch of dust. They're more you know more confident in what they're doing or supposed to be doing and that is eating and drinking and staying next to the cow by the fence. So that's what the process looks like. For me personally, it can look like a lot of different things, I mean, take them into a feedlot. Background them. Then take them into a small feedlot for a while without the mother there. But for me personally it looks like fenceline weaning and leaving them in that situation for a couple of days and then remove the cows or remove the calves or whatever your situation is. There's just so many scenarios that you talk about as far as getting those calves off the cow. We're kind of talking about backgrounding this morning, but the weaning process actually to me is a part of that and maybe you've got to get them started off right when you take them off that cow so that that's part of the process is removing the calves from the cow. Get them into the backgrounding phase. Get them started on feed and water to get the vaccinations and let them do what they need to do to perform and gain weight and stay healthy.

 

Shaye Koester  06:24

So when you say feed and water I mean what type of feed is this?

 

Monte Rainforth  06:29

Um those are all good questions Shaye and I've thought a lot about this podcast this morning and there's so many different opinions and scenarios that one can draw as far as what it looks like. What the feed looks like, how you do it, just literally hundreds of different scenarios you could draw so I talk I look at from my experience, what I like to do what works for me what I think works best and most backgrounding phases and the feed to me looks like long-stem prairie hay – good, high-quality, long stem prairie hay that's highly-palatable, highly desirable, buy that calf and then start them on some type of a pellet or some type of a ration. Slowly introduce that to them and get those calves on their feet and get them eating. You cannot hardly hurt a calf on prairie hay and so I think the ration looks like dry-stem prairie hay temporarily. Start introducing those pellets almost immediately. They want get them going. If you're going to be messing around with corn, be very very careful a corn. It gets into changing the rumen bugs. And if you change it rumen bugs too fast on a calf that creates stress. And that can trigger what looks like pneumonia or sickness. A good barometer for me to find out if you're dealing with a true sickness or disease in calves, respiratory disease or shipping fever, a good barometer for that is if you get some calves that look sick and you go ahead and Doctor him with an antibiotic, any antibiotic and they don't respond. Chances are you're treating a digestive upset versus a true pneumonia. Because the antibiotics we have available today are very very broad spectrum and good high quality products. So if they're not responding to one of them, and then you switch to another one and they don't respond you're not happy with your success, You are probably dealing with a digestive upset. And then we need to come back and look at our starting ration and see if we've got the rumen bufs out of whack. We tried to change them too fast. But bottom line is I like the dry temporary hay and a dried pellet and then go ahead and introduce them to your corn down the road and the week or two and and get them on their feet. That way I think it's so important the way we start those calves that very first day through the first two or three weeks. We can get a lot of things messed up there or we can get a lot of things right and I think it's directly dependent on that ration and how we start them. And it starts with dry stem prairie hay. To me, it just makes sense because that calf is used to dry grass or grass, you know you're giving the same opportunity all you're doing is removing mother's milk. And then the second part of that nutrition thing what it looks like is water. And water obviously is the number one nutrient of any living being. And just because they have water available, may not correlate that access. And if we don't have plenty of room around the water tank and the tank doesn't stay full. And especially in hot weather, those dominant calves push timid ones out and that triggers some sickness and some disease opportunity And so I think nutritionally the dry stem prairie hay and water and not just availability or access to water, but availability to good clean water.

 

Shaye Koester  10:09

Oh, awesome, thank you for going into depth and explaining that more. So, looking at backgrounding on the bigger picture, why is that an important part of this calf's lifecycle?

 

Monte Rainforth  10:25

I think it's really important part of that calf's lifecycle and obviously you know production agriculture as well as anybody. But there's a lot of different management practices out there. We can get by and do a lot of different things and have success and failure along the way. I think when it comes down to the beef animal, the backgrounding part is so important to that calf, because if we take the time to background him on the ranch, or in a setting that allows that calf to perform and prosper I think we're doing a big favor on the animal welfare front and, and showing the world that we're doing the right thing for that calf, and giving him the best opportunity possible. I think we're crazy to think that we can, you know, have cattle without any illness, just like people sometimes really get sick, can be self inflicted, it could just be something's going to naturally occur. But I think the backgrounding phase in itself really is the one segment of our industry or one production opportunity that gives us the best opportunity to provide a setting for that calf to stay healthy for the rest of his life on to the next phase and to me it's you know, it is about me, you know, as always like to say really, it is all about me what I'm doing here on the ranch, because I'm here to make money and if this backgrounding deal doesn't make me money most of us aren't really interested in listening to anything on that but the reality to is it's gonna make me money I know it does. Otherwise, I wouldn't do it this long. As far as backgrounding, if my calves didn't make money, I'd jerk them off the cow and then be done with it and hope somebody had a good day with them. For the second part and I think the important part of this industry is we need to look out for the next person. You know, it's it's our industry is pretty segmented. And I'm always concerned about the next guy, you know, if I'm going to background my calves and they've been background and 45 days, they've had all their shots and they've been nutritionally started right? They're straightened out, they're not sick, that gives me some satisfaction that I can take those calves to the sale barn and move them to the next person meaning the feedlot and they're going to have success and my reputations on the line with that so I follow through and make sure that they're happy with the calves. If they got sick, I want to know why, how many, what time, and what happened. Following up on that I think that's really really important as far as the opportunity for calves and give them the best chance to stay and stay healthy and perform all the way through and we want to talk about production and agriculture. You know that it's about the rancher it's about the feedlot it's also about the packer and consumer. You know, we know through research that we do a good job setting these kids up for success in the feedlot packers are gonna have success the consumers can have success, so it all plays hand in hand. And basically it starts with the rancher.

 

Shaye Koester  13:46

Okay, so looking on the other end, what are common mistakes you see producers make when they are backgrounding.

 

Monte Rainforth  13:55

Okay, yeah, there And believe me, there's plenty of mistakes can be made. I can tell you firsthand, I've made plenty of mistakes backgrounding calves, and if somebody is gonna jump in and background calves, I think they need to have their eyes wide open. I'm 100% on board and that's the right thing to do for the calf. It's the right thing to do for the industry. It's the right thing to do for animal welfare. Not everybody's able to or willing to do it. But if you're going to jump into it, eyes wide open, understand your risk, understand your reward. And number one thing is nutrition. We need to start these calves right. And I think that's probably the number one mistake I see. And it's not dependent on the size of operation. There could be a huge person that could be a small producer. It's not getting these calves started right and not really understanding the concept. Cause and Effect of poor nutrition. And poor nutrition to me is not defined as not enough feed or low quality feed. Sometimes I see as I look around, and I have the opportunity to get next to some of these guys, and unfortunately the reason I get next to him is they have trouble and they call me and say, Hey, what do you think of this. And believe it or not, a lot of times it's the calves that get sick, are on real high quality feed. And a lot of it and it's almost like we overdo it by think by doing what we think is best for that calf having really high quality feed. And a lot of it is actually the wrong thing. It's wrong thing for that calf. So I learned years ago that you know, I don't want them to starve but I want those calves happy to see me when I go out there and feed them that next morning, they need to be a little hungry. Some people call it keeping them dry, you know, keeping that stool kind of firm and then not dry, but keeping that stool firm, not getting them loose. So I think nutritionally, that's one of the biggest things is understanding how to start that calf how to feed him. And more is not better. Just like with vaccines more is not necessarily better. When it comes to nutrition. It's understanding the ingredients you're feeding them and the effect those ingredients have on the rumen of that calf and how that affects the health of that calf. So that's that's probably number one far and away that is number one. So somebody's going to embark and background calves and they don't really have a lot of experience with it. Seek somebody out that has done it has had success and find out what they're doing nutritionally and I come back to prairie hay. That is the biggest most forgiving ingredient we have access to is high quality prairie hay, to buffer that rumen and those calves will stay healthy. It's about performance. Now calves won't perform real well on prairie hay long term. But we're not talking long term. We're talking per day and for a short period of time until those calves get over missing their mother. They're over missing the milk. And now once they do that and we've been through the vaccine stage where we're given those vaccines an opportunity to work and the calf to uptake them. And now we can start moving into the ration type deal. And mixed ration, a pellet, whatever you want to do just a lot of different options. There's really not a right or wrong way on this process. But there are some things to look at. And I think your question was what are some of the biggest mistakes and the biggest one I see before in a way is nutrition. When it comes to the feed they're eating.  The other common mistake I see that messes many groups of calves up as the feed does, but it's the water situation. I mean you I see too many times we have four or 500 head of calves in a pen with one little tank in there and they can only get around one side of it because it's in between two fences. And it's all burrowed out around the tank and blown out and they can't get up there and drknk once it gets down a foot. Those calves just aren't getting enough fluid. Then one of the barometers to see that is number one they're going to show you they're going to get ganted up. The other thing is you can tell a lot if you go into a set of calves at any stage of production and look at the stools of those calves. If they're all hard and dry, and the calves are a little bit depressed. You need to start looking for a problem problem and the problem could be water, it could be nutrition, it could be water, it could be a lot of things but those are the primary two. If they're splattery different color and all over the board. You need to go to the bunk. There's something wrong in the bunk we probably have too much feed in there if you're not feeding to a slick bunk. those calves are probably getting digestive upsets acidosis and they're going to show symptoms like pneumonia. If you try to treat with an antibiotic and they don't respond chances are that's a problem. Go back to long-stem prairie hay and get them straightened out as quick as you can and get through that rough period of time with them. And then the third one is your animal health, your vaccines. You know I've been doing the vaccine deal for quite a number of years. And over 30 actually, and I mentioned earlier more is not better. And I see too many times we overwhelm these calves with too many vaccines. And I won't get into it too deep here but there's things called Gram negative vaccines, your foot rots, your pink eyes, you're somnus, your mycoplasmas and we start overwhelming those calves with too many Gram negative vaccines and we'll make those calves sick. We'll darn sure help them get sick so, so overdoing the animal health part of it, we need to do enough but I see too many times we overwhelm the calf's immune system and don't let them respond very well to anything and we can trip those calves into being more sickly type calves so those are the three most common errors I see when it comes to backgrounding calves and then for that fact any stage a cow calf production or feedlot production

 

Shaye Koester  20:39

Okay, so the next point I kind of wanted to ask you would be what are the main things that producers need to remember when backgrounding calves? Does that just go back to those three points you discussed about what's in the bunk, the water situation and vaccinations? Or is there more you'd like to add to that?

 

Monte Rainforth  20:57

No, that's about it. You know, I will say we will. We do everything right, to the best of our ability, we have nutrition right. We have the water right. We have the animal health right. It doesn't mean those calves won't get sick. Mother Nature can overwhelm the best intentions and best program but my opinion is if we get everything right that's in our control. Chances are Mother Nature is not going to hurt It's too bad. I mean those calves can take some pretty dusty dry days and take on some pretty long wet windy cold days. As long as we got those three things in order, the water feed and animal health it's pretty amazing to me what those cattle can take. So we we control we have a handle or what we can and what we can't control we try to manage it but don't worry too much about it I mean try to keep them out of the you know if you got a big old blow coming get them behind some shelter and do what you can, but my experience is that if we if we take care of those three main things feed water and animal health, we can make them pretty bulletproof but nothing's a guarantee but we can help ourselves a lot and help the calves a lot by providing that opportunity.

 

Shaye Koester  22:19

Okay, so switching gears to kind of the marketing side of things what are the key elements producers need to be aware of or do when they're marketing these calves that they're backgrounding

 

Monte Rainforth  22:33

I kind of mentioned earlier but risk. I mean this is a risky business we all know it's a low margin business and you need to manage your risk best you can and I think that's why some choose not to background calves and take them off the cow and sell them. I mean there's risk you do it long enough you're gonna lose one. You do it long enough you're gonna regret no matter what your your best of intentions you're going to open yourself up to problems but the reward is well we know there's risk in it but there's great reward in it for you personally. Financially you're gonna have little money wrapped up in them you're gonna have some time wrapped up in them but the reward can be awfully great done right and it still starts with the quality animal. I mean you can add value to any quality of an animal by backgrounding them and adding value to them for the next guy but but you need to know the higher quality animal the better reward you get, I think so I think it's understanding your risk understand your reward. You know, you need to market those calves. Sale barns do a tremendously good job for our industry. I mean, they're just we're fortunate along Highway 20 we have some great barns along Highway 20 Basset, Atkinson, Burwell just some great barns that sell a lot of high quality calves people those barns do a fantastic job and not only in handling the animals and get them through the sale barn but getting buyers there they do a great service. Having said that, me personally I feel it's important for me to market my own. You know, I tried to make the contacts from past buyers. I follow up with them, let them know 'hey, these calves are gonna be in Basset this day' or wherever I'm gonna take them to. And here's what they are. We got along good last year you bought them last year two years ago. Thanks for your interest in them and do your part as a producer. I think that's probably the biggest mistake I see is we depend a lot, as good as a sale barns are, we put a lot of pressure on them to market our calves. They do a good job. The calves and they'll mark your calves as well, you know, they advertise and all that. But I think as a producer, if you really want to capture the value out of your calves and the effort hard work you put into those calves all the way from breeding their mothers, the background and them getting them to that stage. I think a big mistake is we don't do a good enough job as individuals marketing, okay?

 

Shaye Koester  25:24

So do you want to elaborate a little bit more on that, as far as, as individuals not doing a good enough job of marketing calves.

 

Monte Rainforth  25:34

Um, maybe that's not the right way to say it, I think maybe it's not the right way to say that they don't do a good enough job. Maybe they don't put enough effort into it. Maybe some don't have the confidence to do it. To me, that's kind of the fun part of it, you develop the relationships, and you're building your own reputation, you're building the reputation of your herd. So I don't know that I have a lot to add on that, Shaye. Except, I think that's a really, really important step that sometimes gets left out, we put all this work and effort into it. And contacting the buyers you know, it's one thing know the feedlot that owns your calves, the bottom it's another thing to have a relationship with buyers, you know, try to find those buyers at least know them, be able to visit with them follow up with them. Did you like him? Or you know, 'I saw you betting on my calves and you bailed out 50 cents short of buying them and what stopped you?' not being accusative. But you know, I'm just interested what stopped you from taking that extra bit? You know, did you get to the end of your rope? Was that just the end? That's all you had? Or was there something about the cattle that they were a little too full or little to something or a try to learn something from those buyers, they they know a lot, they see cattle every day, and try to learn something and make yourself better and make your operation better. I think that's the goal. Because we'll never know it all. We'll never know everything about it. But the fun part is kind of that not knowing everything about it, but trying to keep learning of how can I make my herd better? How can I make my herd more profitable? And those are exciting things to me to try to get accomplished? Knowing that it's impossible to do but you're gonna make progress all the time.

 

Shaye Koester  27:32

Well, absolutely. It's about learning and making that progress. But with that, that really wraps up all the main points and questions I wanted to ask you. Do you have anything else you'd like to add before we wrap up completely?

 

Monte Rainforth  27:45

Why is it valuable to feedlot I think that's something that needs to be hit on a little bit harder probably is the value of the feedlot. I think we're the industry is getting so much attention, so much attention from the animal welfare side, the backers and how you doing things, what's your production practices and I think, you know, as a cow-calf guy, if I can provide the best opportunity to a feedlot to minimize their antibiotic use to keep those calves healthy, and provide a good product to the to the packer and the consumer. We know that sick calves don't read well we know there's so much we do know about how disease and sickness affects these animals. And I think you know, most feedlots recognize that. And I think sometimes cow calf guys feel like they don't recognize it. But believe me I believe feedlots do recognize that a backgrounded, well vaccinated calf has more value than a calf brought into town right off the cow. And the market shows that to some degree, but not consistently. And I think the lack of consistency in how the cow-calf guy views it probably creates some reservations of why do I want to go down this path of backgrounding and put the shots into them and all the headache and risk losing one every now and again. When it's not a consistent payback and my argument is it is a consistent payback. It may not be financial gain every year, eventually it will be generally but we need to look out for the next guy a little bit in this industry and give them the best opportunity with what we're providing them. And so my message to cow-calf guys would be don't get discouraged by it. You know you're going to lose one you're gonna have some expanse. You can't take your backgrounded calves to the sale barn that have been background for only 20 or 30 days and say they've had all the shots and say they bring the same money as someone that's got some higher quality calves in there that are right off the cow, that's not comparing apples to apples, the guy that brings some really reputation high quality calves right off the cow and gets more money or at same money as you do and you put all this work into, well, you got to buck up and realize maybe your calves don't have the reputation that this guy does. And maybe they're not the highest quality, you know, maybe they're put together calves, maybe you've got to recognize your quality, you're not comparing apples to apples. So don't let somebody misconstrue that and discourage you from adding value to your calves, and utilizing the tools we have available to us to add value to the calves. So I just kind of wanted to touch on that a little bit more. I think feedlots recognize it. Of course, every cow-calf guy wish they'd pay more for backgrounded calves. But they can only pay so much, you know, they've got a budget as well. So just don't get discouraged as me my message.

 

Shaye Koester  30:57

Awesome.

 

Monte Rainforth  30:58

I appreciate the opportunity, Shaye, I really do. I think this is a very important thing that you're doing as far as your podcast, and I just I just really appreciate the opportunity to see a young person get involved and do things that you're doing and then bring in something kind of unique to the industry and giving people an opportunity to another platform to learn and you know, gain experience. I'll never sit here and have a podcast with you sitting here saying I know everything. I know there's probably way more I don't know. But it's interesting to me. And if you're interested in it, you're going to try to do your best and excel at it. And I just the message I would say is just a big thanks to you for doing what you're doing and helping people try to get better at their operations. Whether it's you know, just cow-calf in general, or feedlot or animal health, whatever it is. It gets me excited. It gets me excited to see you do the things you do. So thanks for the opportunity.

 

Shaye Koester  31:58

Well, thank you very much.

 

Red Angus Association of America  32:00

Once again, thank you to the red Angus Association of America profit repeat with red Angus genetics. Red Angus, the industry's most favored female, generates repeated profits for commercial cow calf producers. independent research from a decade of data collection showed red Angus sired heifers commanded $66 per head more than females of other breed types. That's nearly $5,300 on a single load of replacement heifers. A true boost to profits on your operation. Why are Red Angus females the most favored they're strong maternal characteristics and quiet dispositions top the list. They are also productive, though maintenance and deficient. In short, they do their job and do it well. Visit red angus.org for more information on the industry's most favored female.

 

Shaye Koester  32:54

And that's a wrap on that one, folks. Thank you Monty for sharing your story and advice with all CCC fans and myself. If you want more content on backgrounding Be sure to comment on this episode, a social media post or shoot me a direct message and I'll see if I can find you more information. With that. Have a great day and I'll catch you on the next one.

Ray Williams with Gallagher North America joins the show to discuss the big-picture view of sustainability and what it means for family farms and ranches today. Ray covers what he is gaining from producer conversations at NCBA convention in New Orleans, the 3 segments of sustainability and why cattle producers need to do their part to prevent misinformation in the beef industry.

 

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdZHIY1ZKSEcPH0DsqB-QA 

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In God we trust and all others bring data, right? This phrase has been thrown around at various conventions and presentations, so I am not entirely sure who to credit for it. One thing I do know is that it is getting truer and truer each day. Whether it is data as simple as calving and vaccine records or as encompassing as DNA, weights, foot scores and anything else you can think of; it matters in today’s beef industry. Ray Williams from the team at Gallagher North America joined me for a conversation about the challenges beef producers face when it comes to data collection and management along with a few solutions to make the process easier for everyone involved. 

 

Looking for some digital solutions? Check out this offering. https://am.gallagher.com/en-US/Solutions/Weighing-and-EID-Solutions 

 

Ray Williams is an integral part of the team at Gallagher North America where he gets to help cattle producers improve their operations through various forms of technology. Ray's background and experience in the beef industry make him an expert on this topic. He knows that solutions need to be tailored to each operation for optimum performance. 

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Grazing corn stalks isn't new but there are new data that could make you rethink some management strategies. Dr. Jim MacDonald shares information on grazing periods, supplementation and the soil benefits that occur from this management practice.

Listen on your favorite podcast app or at casualcattleconversations.com

 

Redd Summit  00:05

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Shaye Koester  00:05

So to start off, would you please explain your background in the ranching industry?

 

Jim MacDonald  00:10

Sure, I grew up probably about 50 miles from where you grew up just in a different era. So I grew up on a cow-calf operation in South Central North Dakota, just south of Bismarck, and was very involved in the day to day activities there all the way through college. I got my undergraduate degree at North Dakota State University, and then kind of switched and went to the other end of the industry and focused on the feedlot industry. Did a feedlot management internship program here at the University of Nebraska. Both Master's and PhD at University of Nebraska, I spent six years in the Texas A&M system and then I've been back on faculty at UNL since 2012.

 

Shaye Koester  00:57

Okay, so you're on faculty at UNL, but what is your position there? What do you kind of do today?

 

Jim MacDonald  01:03

Yeah, so my job title is beef cattle production systems, which I always say is the best job title in the world. Because, I can do anything I want, as long as it's related to beef cattle, and I call it a system. Okay? What that means functionally, is if you think about the segments of the industry, so cow-calf, post, weaning, and then feedlot, and then the end product, I'm usually trying to tie together two or more of those segments, right? So we start with a weaned calf. You know, what is the optimal rate of gain that you want that weaned calf and what are the consequences when they go into the feedlot? And even, you know, what are the what, what does that do to marbling potential, those types of things. So I span everything from from cow-calf production, all the way through the feedlot in my research program.

 

Shaye Koester  01:58

Awesome, that's a pretty neat job title, or you have a lot of flexibility there. So that's pretty neat. So today, I really kind of wanted to talk about grazing corn stalks. So what are your experiences, you know, maybe on the research side, but specifically with helping ranchers in this area?

 

Jim MacDonald  02:16

Yeah, so when I started at UNL, well, first of all, grazing corn stocks is not new, right? I mean, we've been doing that for generations. But as we've become more specialized, and especially, you know, we're a couple generations in where the integrated farm is kind of a thing of the past, and people have generally specialized and, you know, they're either farmers or ranchers. Some people are ranchers that farm to feed cattle and some people are farmers that have cattle around to eat extra feed, right? So kind of most people fall into one of those two categories. So, you know, as the as yields have increased, and the intensity of production is increased on farming acres, and quite frankly, as we've had more grasslands converted into property and acres, you know, that opens up a lot of questions about how do those two things go together? Right? So from a farming perspective, what am I giving up, if I allow cows to graze my cornfield, and I would say the old, I'm going to call it a paradigm that the old strategies of grazing corn residue, you know, is is perhaps not relevant today. You know, in when I was young, certainly there was a lot of concern about corn left in the field. Unless you have a young or inexperienced grain cart driver that spills, we don't really worry about residual corn because the harvesting combine is so efficient now that there's very little grain left in the cornfield. So there's been some changes over time, but it's not a new concept. But I would say, you know, the biggest thing that we've done is try to reconcile that tug of war between the cropping systems and the cattle systems.

 

Shaye Koester  04:16

Okay, so like, with your job position, how are you directly involved in this process whether working with ranchers or farmers or how are you involved in that process?

 

Jim MacDonald  04:30

So primarily from a research standpoint. Okay, so we generate the data that then can help answer questions by producers. I don't personally have an extension appointment. So producers don't see me out at meetings and those types of things, because that's not in my job description. I have a research and teaching appointment, which keeps me on campus most of the time, but I work very closely with extension. I have a colleague by the name of Mary Danowski. She does a fabulous job on the extension side really taking the research that she and I do together most of the time and extending that to producers so that they have the answers that they're looking for.

 

Shaye Koester  05:11

Okay, so going back to grazing corn stalks as this feed resource. So can you talk a little bit about the nutritional value of grazing corn stalks?

 

Jim MacDonald  05:24

Sure. So let me start, you have to start with the plant, okay. There's about 50% of the plant is grain by weight, actually, just a little more than that. And about 50% is forage. The forage that's in the corn plant, when it's harvested varies dramatically. Okay, so you don't, you won't see a cow out consuming the stem of a corn stalk unless she's really, really hungry. So the nutritional value of the stem is not quite zero, but it's close to zero. On the other extreme, the husk that surrounds the corn cob, right, that's got a digestibility that can approach 70%. So you're talking about the digestibility, of very lush spring grass, okay, so it's, it's very different. And the cow is very good at selecting those best parts. So the best parts of the corn plant are the husk and leaf. And so that's, if there's any corn out there, she'll find that, especially an experienced cow, but then they'll consume the husk in the leaf, we don't recommend that you ask them to consume the stem. What you need to remember is that grazing corn residue is very different than bailing and harvesting corn stalks, because the cow is able to select for the husk of the leaf in the field. And if you bailed at all, and you're forcing her to eat it, now you're forcing her to eat some stem. Okay, so the nutritional value back to your original question. The nutritional value that we put on from an energetic assumption standpoint, is we use about a 55% TDN for cows grazing corn residue. If you bail corn residue, and you put it in a bale feeder, or, you know forced them to eat it, somehow we use a 43. And really, and so nutritionally, the difference between a 55 TDN and a 43 TDN diet is huge. Okay, but the reason that those two things are so different, is because the stem is is really lowly digestible compared to the rest of the plant.

 

Shaye Koester  07:52

Okay, so you've talked about these nutritional differences. So when they're grazing corn stalks, what needs to be supplemented with that, you know, mineral wise, or other feed sources?

 

Jim MacDonald  08:04

Yeah. That's an excellent question and probably maybe one of the most misunderstood or we have trouble getting producers to believe us when we say that a non lactating, so the calf has been weaned, gestating pregnant cow does not need any additional protein or energy supplement when she's grazing corn residue. And when people first hear that, you know, you look at the residue, and it's brown and you think it's low, low quality feed, they've got to need something, right. But we have a lot of data on that class of animal, okay. So she doesn't have a calf on her side, she's not lactating, and she's already pregnant. That is the lowest of her annual nutrient requirement. That time is her lowest requirement in terms of nutrient requirements throughout her production cycle. And she just doesn't need any protein or energy now mineral, vitamin premix, all of those things that you would provide during the summer, yes, we would recommend that you provide those. Now, there's caveats to that, right. You and I grew up in North Dakota, grazing corn stalks in North Dakota is maybe a little bit more variable than it is as you move south and into say, for example, southeastern Nebraska, where you can probably get from November to March and perhaps without any significant weather that would cut people from grazing, right? So naturally, the assumption is or when you go out if you get a significant snow, that'll inhibit them from grazing and then we need to provide some additional protein and energy. Snow itself. Cows are pretty good at digging through the snow. Snow itself doesn't really inhibit their grazing. too much, but ice will. So if you have an ice storm, then we need to start thinking about providing some additional supplement. Or if you have extremely cold temperatures, then for maintenance requirements are gonna go up and perhaps need to provide some additional energy and protein.

 

Shaye Koester  10:18

Okay, awesome. So thank you for going through and kind of explaining the nutritional side of it. So as we kind of shift and look at the management, what would you say the common mistakes producers make when they're using or grazing corn stocks?

 

Jim MacDonald  10:34

I think I don't want to call it a mistake, but I think producers tend to think in animals per acre. And what they need to be thinking is animals per bushel. Okay, so remember, I said that the corn plant is about 50% forage and 50% grain? Well, I know what the yield on a field is, I then know what the forage availability is. And so there's a much... it's a very different grazing scenario, if you've produced 150 bushel to the acre corn versus 200 or 250 bushels to the acre corn. Okay, the easy math in my head is is 200 bushels to the acre. If you look at the amount of husk and leaf on for bushel grain produced, it's about 16. Okay, so for every bushel of grain, you get about 16 pounds of husk and leaf, which is primarily what we're going to eat. We've assumed through experience about a 50% grazing efficiency, which is fairly standard. That means you're going to get eight pounds of reasonable forage per bushel of grain produce. Okay, so 200 bushel corn, you're going to have 1600 pounds of forage available to you. Many producers think on an aum basis. Okay, so how much feed does it require to be the 1000 pounds of beef animal for a month, and by definition, at least in the Nebraska system, that 780 pounds of air dried forage. Okay, so at 1600 pounds there is a little over 280 aums per acre there, right? versus if you had 100 bushel to the acre, you would only have one aum per acre for that, right? So moving away from thinking about, I have x number of acres of corn, to thinking about, this was my yield on these acres of corn and then back calculating how many AUM do you have available, and then either how many cows you can put on? Or if you have a set number of cows, how long they raised?

 

Shaye Koester  12:57

Okay, so how, looking at this as a big picture view, how would you say that grazing corn stalks benefits the rancher, if they're able to use this as a feed resource, because not everyone is able to use it.

 

Jim MacDonald  13:12

I think we need to be talking about it. As we think about communicating with our consumer. We need to be talking about multi use how ruminants and cattle specifically allow us to use more of what we're producing in an efficient manner. Okay. From the ranchers perspective, how much additional cost is there in grazing the residue? You've already put all the inputs into the corn, you've already harvested the corn. So your choices are, you can either graze the residue or do nothing with it. It is by far, even if you're paying yourself or you're renting, you know, in Nebraska on the eastern part of the state where supply and demand, there's way more supply of corn residue than there are cows to consume it, you know, you're probably talking about eight to $10 breaker. If you move west where the relative concentration of cows goes up, and the supply of corn residue goes down, all of those acres are utilized. Maybe you're at $20-25 per acre, right? There's gonna be somebody listening to your podcast that says those numbers aren't right. But in general, you know, supply and demand dictates how much you're going to pay either yourself or rental rates for corn residue. If you look at the amount of digestible forage, so on a TDN basis use that 55 TDN times the pounds of forage that are available. Corn residue is by far the cheapest feed resource that a rancher will have access to. Okay, that's without trucking and some of those types of things but you know, it's probably equivalent, think about just grass hay, you know, you'd probably be paying $35 a ton for grass hay, to get to the equivalent to most of the economics of corn residue grazing day. That's the number one benefit for that period of time when cows can be out on corn stalks. That is your cheapest feed probably in the entire year. From a bigger picture, if you look at, and this is a little bit further away from from direct ranching, right, but if you think about resource utilization, increasing global population, diminishing actually number of grazing acres and even farming acres as the population increases. We've got to be more efficient. And I'm going to take it one step further. I know greenhouse gas production isn't always popular within the ranching community, but it's something that is on the minds of the public overall, especially the impacts of beef on greenhouse gas emissions, right. So what's the the environmental footprint, you've already invested all of the energy, carbon and gas emissions, all of those things in the corn crop? Now we've used that to generate beef. I mean, the improvement in efficiency for the entire production system, by utilizing that residue is huge. So there's a lot of benefits. I'm a big proponent of grazing corn residue. We talked about the impacts on yield some if you want to, but that in most systems, there's really no reason not to be utilizing the residue if it's available to you.

 

Shaye Koester  16:49

Well, I really appreciate how you took that. I mean, a lot of times, I've always heard this topic, you know, more focused on the economic side for the rancher like and like you talked about, there's a huge impact there. But really looking at looking at it for our resource management and being able to explain that to consumers. I think that is very important, especially as we look at, you know, an industry where we're going in the direction of traceability.

 

Jim MacDonald  17:16

Yeah. So, I mean, we're, we're attempting to generate those numbers that people can use to model right, so we're set kind of segmenting out segmenting the production system and looking at at least brome grass, that's what we have access to in eastern Nebraska. You know, summer grazing very traditionally. Be frank, the the greenhouse gas emissions for corn crop that's already been established. But what hasn't been established is where the emissions from cow grazing that corn residue, dry lot of cows, cows grazing a cover crop. So we're trying to do all of these different segments for the cow, for a backgrounded in calf, and then in the feedlot, and you can put those together and approximate at least, you know, we have approximations for carbon footprint for the beef industry. And those are probably okay. But when you start talking about traceability, you know, how does my system impact that environmental footprint? We're very close to having those numbers where you can change the production system and see how that changes the overall outcome in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Shaye Koester  18:29

That sounds like something that'll be a really needed resource once it comes out as far as a model standpoint for producers. So as we look at managing cattle on corn stalks, typically, you know, how long can cattle graze corn stalks? I know that might vary between operation but what are those kind of timelines? Or when do you need to realize that, hey, it's time to pull them off this field?

 

Jim MacDonald  18:57

Right. So soon as the corn is harvested, right? There's a bottleneck there for a lot of producers, especially if they own the corn field. They're trying to get harvest done and they're trying to get cows out on corn stalks and they've got to get the fencing and the water set. You know, there's a bit of a labor bottleneck right away in the fall, but nutritionally or from a management standpoint, you know, as soon as you can get into the field after it's been harvested. And then it's really weather dependent. You know, if you have a major storm and you know, there's six or eight inches of snow and you can't get out and graze or have an ice storm, at times, having a management plan where you can either feed or supplement in the field. Again, depending on where you are, where you and I grew up, you know, once once the snow comes often it's there for the remainder of the winter. That's not necessarily the case, as you go back further south, so it kind of depends on where you're at, in terms of weather effects. And then it's really Thinking about it in terms of aums? How much forage do I have available to me? And what is my grazing demand on that forage? How many cows do I have and that will dictate how long you can stay in a field, there are some benefits to moving from field to field giving them access to a fresh field. And the reason for that is when she goes in, when a cow, an experienced cow goes into a cornfield, she's going to find any grain that's left there, which is normally very little, then she's going to eat the husk, and then the leaf. So her diet is changing from the first day that she goes into the cornfield until the last day that she comes out of the corn field, right, so the proportion of grain plus leaf, and then cob stem, what you really want to try to avoid. Okay, so if you're moving, for example, from pivot to pivot, you've given her access to fresh husk fresh grain, fresh leaf, right? So there is some advantages to moving cows throughout that grazing period. One of the questions that we've really taken a hard look at is how long can you graze into the spring? There's kind of an unwritten rule of thumb in Nebraska, that you have to have them out by March 15, to get ready for planting and so that they don't compact the soil. The data do not support that. Okay, so we've grazed well into April. And the idea is, you know, our spring grass is going to be ready the end of April. And we really want to minimize that gap in between corn stock grazing, and when she can go to grass, because then you got to feed supplemental hay and you get more expensive feed in there. But if it's going to cause damage to the subsequent crop, by leaving her in there when it's muddy, that's a problem from the cropping systems perspective. So we've worked really hard at trying to create the worst case scenario. So you take our grazing or stocking recommendations for corn residue, we actually doubled that in the spring when it's muddy, and tried to beat up experimental fields as badly as we could. And then we come in with soybeans, now soybeans are fairly robust plants. That that's a normal cropping system in Nebraska and we can't find any reduction in yield because there's no reduction in yield there. We even went so far as to hold cattle out of the field until it rained in the spring. And then we stock them so heavily, you would think it was like a feedlot pen. Okay, so we put a whole bunch of cattle in for a very short intensive period of time, we still couldn't find a reduction in yield. We get a lot of pushback on that and I mean, we have clay loam soils in this part of the state, right so as you move west and you get less rainfall and in sandier soils I understand there's those differences But, this perception that you have to be off by March 15th, the data just simply do not support. So I don't think there's an end date where you have to have the cattle off until it's time to go in and plant the next crop in that field.

 

Shaye Koester  23:30

Awesome. I appreciate you sharing the typical perspective that this is how we've always done it, this is the unwritten rule as well as the data side of it. So as we look at grazing corn stalks are their you know, any toxicity issues, any of those things that producers need to be aware of before their cattle go out there and how can they make sure that those issues aren't there before they turn cattle out?

 

Jim MacDonald  23:57

Yeah, so I've never I've never seen a toxicity issue on corn residue. You know, the two that you might be worried about would be mycotoxins in the corn but if the corn is harvested and they're not really consuming the cob, probably not going to see that. We do get questions about nitrates but nitrates well for one you really have to segment. We're talking about a very specific that the corn has been harvested and you're grazing the residue. Okay, so this is a different scenario than grazing, drought, stress corn, you know, haying corn that's been drought stressed and didn't make corn. different situation. Okay. So most people will fertilize based on an expected yield and if the crop actually made that yield then that nitrogen has been utilized and there's really no concerns for nitrates. Even if the crop has had a lower yield, maybe didn't get quite as much rain as what you were expecting. And there is some residual nitrogen there, that nitrate accumulation? Well, first of all, the plant is dead, right? So its production cycles is over, those nitrates are probably going to senesce out of the plant back into the ground. And if there is any nitrate accumulation that's in the bottom part of the stem. And one thing I hope that I've emphasized is you don't want them eating the stem, right? So there's really no nitrate, I've never seen an issue with nitrates in harvested residue, corn residue. Now, let me put a caveat on that, because we do have some areas, especially where you and I are from and into the west where there is some drought issues this year. And I've had some questions and tried to help some people on grazing drought stress corn, that's really a different circumstance, because now you're fertilized based on this expected yield. And that yield may actually be zero, right? And that plant may be instead of knee high by the Fourth of July, it may never get more than the knee high. Okay, well, there's nitrates accumulating in that plant. They're probably still in the lower part of the stem. But we want to, we want to approach that with a with a lot more caution. The worst case scenario from a nitrate standpoint is if you have drought, stressed corn, and you swap it and you try to hay it. Because now you have all of that nitrate that's in the stem and if you go feed those bales to a cow, then right nitrates all there. Okay, so I want to be very clear when I say there's really no concerns with nitrates, that is in a very normal year where you had a normal corn crop, and there's residue in the field after harvest. That's a very different thing from drought stress corn.

 

Shaye Koester  26:57

Okay, so and you just want to be clear on why we can't feed these nitrates what's the impact on that pregnant cow through feeding nitrates? Sure.

 

Jim MacDonald  27:06

Before I get myself in trouble, we can actually feed some nitrates. Okay, so from the from the rumen microbes standpoint, nitrate is a source of nitrogen. And so just like we can feed urea, they have the ability to use the that nitrogen that's in nitrate. The problem is that the microbes that convert, it's actually nitrite into ammonia, they need time to adapt. And so we can increase the nitrate load slowly and get along. Okay. The problem is if we do that all in a day, and so we turn cows out onto a high nitrate field or pasture of some kind, the nitrite accumulates and spills over into the blood. And it keeps the compound is the conversion of hemoglobin into met-hemoglobin don't want to get into the biochemistry too much. But basically, hemoglobin can't carry oxygen and they asphyxiate. By the way, it's the same process that turns your meat brown in the refrigerator in the shelf. So production of met hemoglobin in the blood, and they can't carry oxygen and they asphyxiate. So there's some indication I think, probably some debate about how much sooner you will have abortions before the cow actually dies. But I don't want to get into either one of those circumstances I want to be conservative and stay out of the nitrate situation. Or if I'm forced to use high nitrate plants, like some people, quite frankly. I mean, if that's the feed that they have available to them, then I want to be very careful about how I do and adapt them and under the guidance of a nutritionist, preferably.

 

Shaye Koester  29:09

Absolutely. So well thank you, first of all for going into depth on that and then mentioning in the guidance of nutritionists, because that's something that's valuable for all ranchers to have and need as a resource. So switching gears a little bit, you've talked a little bit about the impact of soil health with grazing corn stocks, but you do you just want to kind of talk about that overall about how does grazing corn stalks impacts the soil health?

 

Jim MacDonald  29:37

Yeah, so if you know if you ask the agronomist how you should price grazing corn residue. Often you will hear that you need to account for nutrients leaving with the cow. But I think the part that that we shouldn't expect the agronomist to understand is it that cow is it maintenance. By definition, maintenance is no gain or loss in body weight, right? That means that she's not removing any nitrogen nutrients from the field. So there's some some carbon turnover. But if it is only 55% digestible, about half of what she's consuming ends up deposited back on the field. And quite frankly, in probably a better form, not probably in a more useful form to the soil than the original corn residue was anyway. There's not much nitrogen, there's some nitrogen that's probably tied up in the residue itself. And then you're probably bringing in more micro mineral and phosphorus through the supplement than what she's consuming anyway or what's leaving with her anyway. Okay, so that's the first thing to remember from a soil standpoint is the cow is at maintenance, she's not taking anything with her. And from a nutrient standpoint, in terms of carbon turnover for for the soil itself, one of the advantages of having cows out on residue is the soil gets to take advantage of the microbes from the cow. Okay, so the feces that are deposited back out on the soil, actually benefit the soil and benefit carbon turnover in the soil, I think we have data to very clearly show that. Really no change in terms of organic matter content, or soil organic carbon is the measurement that we would use. And these are on fields that have been grazed for 20 years. Okay, so corn-soybean rotation, so they're grazed ever the same field graze every other year, for for the past twenty years. You know, the concern, the normal concern is that there is a loss and subsequent yield. The other thing that you have to remember is that in high producing fields, this isn't every field, right, but if you're producing 200, or 250, bushels to the acre of corn, there is a lot of residue left on that field. And farmers do stuff, too, they do things to manage that residue, right? I know, of a friend who goes in with a moldboard plow and turns it over about once a decade, right, just to turn all that residue over. We don't really want to recommend that we'd much rather maintain long term, no till farming practices. Well, some people go in with a shredder, let the cow do the work for you. That's what I would say, in those high producing fields, let the cow do the work for you. She's probably only removing somewhere between 15 and 20% of the biomass that's out there anyway. So in our in our long term research studies, we've actually seen an improvement in subsequent soybean yield two bushel to the acre. So again, I don't want to I don't want to extrapolate that to, you're going to see an improvement in yields, regardless of your cropping system. But in a very normal corn soybean cropping system, we have a lot of data that record that suggests an improvement in subsequent soybean yield. When you let the cow remove some of that residue. That's probably the biggest benefit, from the producer standpoint, that there's some of these other soil health, especially on the microbial side, that's actually benefiting from having that cow out there.

 

Shaye Koester  33:41

Awesome. Thank you for going through that more in depth. But as we kind of round out this interview and conversation, just in summary, could you please explain, you know, the main points that producers need to be aware of when they're grazing corn stalks, just to kind of summarize everything?

 

Jim MacDonald  33:59

Yeah, the first. The first thing is, remember the class of animal that you're that you're grazing. In our discussion today, you know, we've been very specific about non lactating gestating a dry cow that's pregnant in a fall calving system that that you know, you would potentially use on your ranch Shaye. You could have a lactating cow out on corn stalks, but then we would we would have a supplementation recommendation because she's going to need additional protein and energy for that lactation requirements and for rebreeding. Okay, so class of livestock, we didn't talk about the backgrounded and calf but you can also utilize corn residue for weaned calves. Again, there would have to be some supplementation strategy associated with that. Second major point is the amount of residue that you have available to graze is driven by the corn yield, you know, corn yield, you know how much residue that you have out there and you can plan accordingly. Adjusting the number of animals that you want to have out there and shortening the number of days or less animals for longer days, you can do either of those two things. We're not really concerned about residual corn in most situations down corn. And so there's some specialized situations you have a windstorm or something, we have a lot of down corn. But that the old concerns about adapting cows to corn residue, if that field has been successfully harvested, there's really no concerns about that anymore. And then finally, we think there's more benefit to grazing corn residue in terms of both the environmental implications and soil health implications. We just don't see any downside to that. And in fact, we think it's more of a benefit than a hindrance. So tremendous resource. I think I think we've got a lot left to learn in the integrated cropping livestock system, and his acres become more the supply of acres diminish some, which we expect to continue to happen. We'll have to be more efficient at utilizing those acres for two purposes.

 

Shaye Koester  36:03

Well, awesome. Thank you for being on the show today. Is there anything else you would like to add before we wrap up?

 

Jim MacDonald  36:12

Look forward to seeing you in class next week.

 

Redd Summit  36:14

Are you experiencing a bit of a drought on your grazing lands?  As mentioned earlier, my friend Jess at Redd Summit Advisors understands how hard it can be on your operation during the dry years. She's helping many of your neighbors with PRF Insurance - Pasture, Rangeland and Forage Insurance. Jess can help you with this USDA program to protect your ranch when there isn't enough rain. Not every ranch is the same, so she looks at historical rainfall data in your area and focuses coverage on the driest months. SO you can be happy when it rains, covered when it doesn't and make sure your family can stay on the land for generations to come. The deadline for 2022 coverage is Dec 1st, so give Jess a call at 801-360-6431 for an analysis on your place. To learn more, check out www.reddsummit.com - that's Redd with two D's or call Jess at 801-360-6431

Jacy Hauge is a beef industry enthusiasts from North Dakota who had the opportunity to experience agriculture in Spain. This is an amazing episode for any youth who are interested in studying abroad or curious about how far FFA can take you in life. 

Herd Health & Grazing

Learn how beef producers in Quebec have used intensive grazing to improve their herd health, while creating a business that fits their lifestyle. Brian and Kim Maloney with Brylee Farms, join the show this week to discuss their process for buying cattle, grass finishing them and selling the meat directly to consumers.

 

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Listen

Show Notes

Brylee Farms

Herd Health Resources

Marcos Jeffers has truly embraced holistic ranch management practices and is reaping the benefits of moving his cattle multiple times per day as a part of his grazing strategy. The Jeffers ranch is truly creating abundance in the arid climate of Chihuahua, Mexico. James shares the ranch's grazing strategy, how they got started and where other producers can start in this episode.

Listen: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/episodes

Watch: https://youtu.be/mS5RTgPiR4k

Read: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/readtheepisodes

Stay ahead of the herd with my top industry resources, as I navigate the flood of information to help you make informed decisions in the ever-changing agricultural landscape.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Gain valuable insights and stay updated with the latest trends in the agriculture industry.

• Discover top agriculture podcasts for expert interviews and in-depth discussions on farming practices and innovations.

• Stay informed with the latest industry news and trends through recommended agriculture newsletters.

• Explore insightful articles and expert opinions in valuable print magazines dedicated to agriculture.

• Access reliable and up-to-date agriculture news from top industry websites.

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:16 - Greetings and Seasonal Wishes 00:01:30 - Introduction to RancherMind Program 00:03:12 - Podcast Recommendations 00:05:54 - Newsletters and Print Magazines 00:09:57 - Online Resources Links:

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

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The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos 

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Improve your overall promotional strategies for your bull sale. Tracey Koester shares her knowledge and experience on this topic and provides listeners with actionable tips that they can start using today. 

 

Bull Stalkers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bullstalkers

Newsletter: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/newsletter

RancherMind: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events

Tip Shaye: PayPal.Me/cattleconvos

Follow @cattleconvos on social media.

Brandi Buzzard-Frobose is experienced in operating social media pages for agriculture businesses. In this episode, Brandi shares why it is important to have a social media page for your ranch and tricks to make it successful. As an added bonus, she discusses how she juggles all the different aspects of her life and offers great advice for the ambitious, younger generation.

Kirsten Angell is a rancher, entrepreneur and registered dietitian. In this episode, she shares tips and tricks to live a healthier lifestyle on the ranch. She covers both the mental and physical side of living healthy lifestyles. 

This conversation gets real and we cover some tough conversations.

Transcript: https://casualcattleconversations.blogspot.com/2021/07/Link4Nutrition.html

Partner: https://forms.gle/tSc2xJGG3eKFrtA26

Do you want to enhance the well-being of your beef calves and increase your profits? Are you searching for a solution that can help you achieve these desired outcomes? Look no further! Our guest experts, Shelby Cornelius and Zeb Gray, will be revealing the key to improving calf health and boosting profitability. They will be sharing the secret to obtaining optimal results during the weaning period. So get ready to unlock a world of healthier calves and greater financial success.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Unravel the essentiality of effective stress control during calves' weaning and receiving and its direct link to their overall well-being and profitability.

• Explore the significance of apt nutrition preceding weaning in paving the path for robust cows and calves.

• See first-hand how innovative products like Number Ten Breedback Tub and Kickstart Weaning Tub are leading the pack in cow and calf nutrition.

• Delve into the critical role of water in calf nutrition and the necessity for it to be clean and easily accessible.

• Recognize the intricate differences in nutrition management for immediate sale calves versus those readied through backgrounding, and the value of working with a nutritionist.

Learn more about Vitalix: https://vitalix.com/

The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction, 00:01:39 - Introductions, 00:03:15 - Negative impacts of stress, 00:05:34 - Setting calves up for success, 00:09:46 - Preparing calves for weaning, 00:15:47 - Importance of Nutrition for Cattle, 00:17:10 - Marketing and Nutrition, 00:19:23 - Selecting Products for Cattle, 00:22:01 - Importance of Organic Minerals, 00:25:07 - Managing Weaning and Receiving Period, 00:32:40 - Recap and Call to Action, 00:32:40 - Thanking the Audience, 00:32:40 - Implementation of Advice, 00:32:40 - Social Media Engagement, 00:32:40 - Closing Remarks,

Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes 

Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources 

•

Take Your Ranch to the Next Level

Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic!

Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 

Connect with me on Social Media

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/

Podcast Coaching

Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot.

Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching 

Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

Paul Engler is a true entrepreneur and has dedicated his life to solving problems within the beef industry. At the age of 12 he bought his first set of cattle which eventually led to starting several cattle feeding operations. In this episode, Paul shares his story, advice and knowledge on what it takes to be an entrepreneur in the beef industry.

Transcript: https://casualcattleconversations.blogspot.com/2021/07/a-lifetime-of-entrepreneurship-in-beef.html

Partner: https://forms.gle/Xc3G4N9dRu6zLNDe7

Patron: https://patron.podbean.com/casualcattleconversations

YouTube: https://youtu.be/hnuPVXtlGxw