California Cattleman May 2015

May 2015

What’s Inside...

Livestock MArkets working for you understanding your water rights 2015 Feeder Meeting

r u o y t e k r a M ith the w e l t cat ionals! s s e f o pr JOIN US FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS THURSDAY, MAY 21 SHASTA LIVESTOCK AUCTION YARD, COTTONWOOD Consignment deadline, May 13

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Family-owned and operated since 1987.

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2 California Cattleman May 2015

watch and bid live every wednesday:

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Join Us Ringside at Galt 2015 amador-el dorado-sacramento county

cattlemen’s special feeder sale saturday, may 9, at 10 a.m.

Featuring consignments from local california cattlemen’s associations: san Joaquin-stanislaus, calaveras, contra costa-alameda, mendocino, Fresno-kings, napa-solano, tahoe, yolo, sonoma, madera & tuolumne.

upcoming special cattlemen’s feeder sales Wednesdays: May 20 • June 3 • June 17 • July 1

Annual Bred cow and Pair sale: saturday, July 25

Representatives

Jake Parnell .................... (916) 662-1298 george gookin ................. (209) 482-1648 mark Fischer ................... (209) 768-6522 rex whittle...................... (209) 996-6994 Joe gates .......................... (707) 694-3063 abel Jimenez .................... (209) 401-2515 Jason dailey .................... (916) 439-7761

THD ©

12495 stockton blvd. galt, ca 95632 (209) 745-1515 office • (209) 745-1582 Fax website: www.clmgalt.com

Call To Consign To These UpComing WesTern video sales:

may 21, June 12 & July 13-15

May 2015 California Cattleman 3

CALIFORNIA

CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION

OFFICERS PRESIDENT

Billy Flournoy, Likely FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

David Daley, Ph.D., Oroville SECOND VICE PRESIDENTS

Mark Lacey, Independence Jack Lavers, Glennville Rich Ross, Lincoln TREASURER Rob von der Lieth, Copperopolis

STAFF

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Billy Gatlin

VICE PRESIDENT GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Justin Oldfield

DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Kirk Wilbur

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Lisa Pherigo

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Malorie Bankhead

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

Katie Almand

PUBLICATION SERVICES OFFICE & CIRCULATION

Office: (916) 444-0845 Fax: (916) 444-2194

MANAGING MAGAZINE EDITOR

Stevie Ipsen (208) 996-4922 stevie@calcattlemen.org

ADVERTISING SALES/FIELD SERVICES

Matt Macfarlane (916) 803-3113 mmacfarlane@wildblue.net BILLING SERVICES

Lisa Pherigo lisa@calcattlemen.org

4 California Cattleman May 2015

Feeders see ups and downs

by CCA Feeder Council Chairman Bill Brandenberg

Looking back over the last 18 months we have seen unprecedented change in the cattle market with fed cattle going from $125 per hundredweight in 2013 to a high of $170 last fall or a jump of $45 per hundredweight and feeders rising over 50 percent during that same time span. While this news seems great for producers, continued drought and the closing of National Beef in Brawley lsat year have had long lasting implications for California’s cattle industry cannot be ignored. However, we are hopeful that change will soon be on the horizon in that regard.

We have a lot to be thankful for but also face daunting challenges operating here in California.

As I write this column it appears that 2015 could be another year of drought disaster like 2014, which will cause severe problems for farmers and cattle producers in most of California. So while the price outlook is excellent going forward, the production side looks tough in 2015-2016 for most cattlemen.

From January 2014 through last fall numbers here in Imperial Valley dropped about 40 percent. There has been some recovery since then due to the fact that profits were so good last year and most feeders continue feeding cattle. The long term implications are not optimistic since the basis on Holsteins, which represent most of the cattle on feed in the Imperial Valley, has strengthened in the High Plains feeding area while our market has weakened, leaving us at a competitive marketing disadvantage.

Family-owned cattle feeding operations are going to fight to keep cattle in their pens, but the reality is that we are unlikely to ever keep our pens full without increased kill capacity to force some competition and narrow our marketing disadvantage. Justin Oldfield and the CCA staff have done a fantastic job working to get the Mexican border opened up to allow us to sell fed

cattle into Mexico, but the early indications are that the offering prices from packers in Mexicali will not help much as the discounts are too wide to be competitive.

I surely do not envy young cattlemen trying to get established in current conditions with high costs, drought, our very poor business climate and regulatory excess in California. With the cost of cows, calves and leases, the huge capital investment required to put together a reasonably-sized operation makes getting started in the cattle business today almost impossible. I know that in the cattle feeding business it takes twice the financing to feed the same cattle compared to 5 years ago. These record high cattle markets are great for existing cattlemen but an unintended consequence is limiting young cattlemen from growth due to increased costs.

As members of this association, it is vital that we band together to solve or lessen today’s problems so they don’t perpetuate and become our childrens’ problems as well.

We must do what we can to ensure that they upcoming generation of beef producers can get a fighting chance in the cattle business. By showing up and working toward solutions, we may not fix all the problem, but we can at least alleviate some of them.

As our annual Arizona-California feeder meeting in Coronado approaches this month on May 20 through 22. I look forward to the education that we will gain but also to the camaraderie we enjoy as cattlemen and women that helps us aim for a better tomorrow. Thanks to our many sponsors and speakers on the program who are making this meeting possible. It would not be possible without their support. For more information on this year’s meeting and agenda, see page 38.

SERVING CALIFORNIA BEEF PRODUCERS SINCE 1917 Bolded names and businesses in editorial represent only current members of the California Cattlmen’s Association or California CattleWomen, Inc. For questions about your membership status, contact the CCA office at (916) 444-0845.

The California Cattleman is published monthly except July/August is combined by the California Cattlemen’s Association, 1221 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, for $20/year, or as part of the annual membership dues. All material and photos within may not be reproduced without permission from publisher.

National Advertising Group: The Cattle Connection/The Powell Group, 4162-B Carmichael Ct, Montgomery, AL 36106, (334) 271-6100.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: California Cattleman, 1221 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

ON THE COVER

MAY 2015

Volume 98, Issue 5

ASSOCIATION PERSPECTIVES CATTLEMEN’S COLUMN

4

BUNKHOUSE Refocusing your advocacy efforts

6

YOUR DUES DOLLARS AT WORK 10 CCA members voice concerns in Washington VET VIEWS The value in preconditioning your calves

14

PROGESSIVE PRODUCER Implementing technology on your operation

22

BEEF AT HOME AND ABROAD A glance at China’s beef import forecast

32

COUNCIL COMMUNICATOR Dieticians get first hand industry education

34

RANGELAND TRUST TALK Ranch easement completed on salamader habitat

36

FUTURE FOCUS Young Cattlemen on the Capitol event

48

SPECIAL FEATURES

Understanding the war on water LMA clarifies traceability requirements Expertise from auction yard managers Sustainablity in the beef industry U.S.-to-Mexico exports agreement

18 24 26 42 46

Each May, the California Cattleman features California’s livestock auction markets, which not only work to serve California producers but also provide a true price discovery service that can only be found through an auction market.

Once again this year, Cattlemen’s Livestock Market (CLM), located in Galt, is featured on the cover as longitme CLM supporters Tom Conlin (on cover) and Jeff Gookin worked with CLM mangement and local cattlemen to ship cattle from Linden last month. Conlin and Gookin sold their calves through Western Video Market and were represented by CLM. As California’s livestock marketing headquarters, CLM’s commitment to their customers has been second-to-none for nearly 50 years. Throughout May and June, CLM sales will feature top calves and yearlings from California’s most reputable beef operations. See full sale schedule on page 3.

CLM is dedicated to the preservation of California’s ranching community and, as such, is again offering special cattlemen’s feeder sales from which a portion of the sales commission will be donated back to each consignor’s local cattlemen’s association. As an annual tradition, CLM and the Loretz family have donated nearly $700,000 to these organizations to help fund scholarhips and programs to benefit the beef industry’s future.

To learn more about what CLM can do for you and your operation, stop by CLM anytime or contact a CLM Representative about marketing your cattle through one of our weekly sales or via Western Video Market. For weekly market reports and auction yard information visit www.clmgalt.com.

CLM REPRESENTATIVES

Jake Parnell................. (916) 662-1298 George Gookin.......... (209) 482-1648 Rex Whittle................. (209) 996-6994 Mark Fischer............... (209) 768-6522 Joe Gates..................... (707) 694-3063 Abel Jimenez.............. (209) 401-2515 Jason Dailey................ (916) 439-7761

READER SERVICES

2015 CCA Livestock Market Directory 28 Buyers’ Guide 50 Obituaries & New Arrivals 56 Advertisers Index 58

May 2015 California Cattleman 5

BUNKHOUSE A COFFEE BREAK taking a timeout to refocus advocacy efforts

by CCA Associate Director of Communications Malorie Bankhead May is one of my favorite months of the year! It means my birthday is near, and it also represents a beautiful time of year for California landscapes, usually. Unfortunately, the old adage “April showers bring May flowers” has been all too unfamiliar to California ranchers and rangelands for the past several years.

Along with you, we at CCA are hoping for a drastic change on that front sooner rather than later. Lately, with all the undue stress on you and your operation because of the drought, it’s time to recharge your batteries.

So put up your feet, sit down with this month’s issue of the California

6 California Cattleman May 2015

Cattleman, and let us take some work off your plate.

Spring seems destined for a to-do list longer than your gravel driveway.

If you’ve called the office recently, you know that it’s sometimes difficult to get ahold of a CCA staff member, because we are in a meeting or traveling down the road to come see you at a local association gathering.

CCA officers have been racking up the miles lately in order to interact with members at local meetings and other events, too.

As my family and many of my friends on social media know, I’ve been hard to keep track of myself, but that’s not really unusual for me. What began as a bit of a traveling streak in January has turned into quite a little spring tour of my own. But I don’t mind it in the least, because I get to step away from my desk to see CCA members like you!

The Red Bluff Bull and Gelding Sale, the annual Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, the World Ag Expo, local association meetings, Beef Quality Assurance trainings, Young Cattlemen’s Committee meetings, Ag Day at the Capitol, communication workshops, cattle shows, FFA field days, Young Cattlemen on the Capitol and the California FFA Convention have all seen “Mal the Beef Gal” come and go this spring. It’s been a whirlwind that doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon, but I thrive at that pace. However, it’s time to regroup a bit, reflect and plan for the coming months.

I recently attended a social media and multimedia workshop organized by my friend and fellow beef cattle advocate Brooke Behlen, Clovis, author of the Meet Your Beef blog.

There I met Sergio and Ashley Cortes, social media and multimedia extraordinaires of Agape Creative

MALORIE BANKHEAD Studios in Fresno and took home with me a serious piece of advice.

Sergio shared with us that when he gets into a discussion on the Internet – or in person for that matter – he always invites the other person to coffee to further their discussion in a face-to-face setting. He said it’s important to remain human, because so often the “trolls” on the Internet activate, hide behind their computer screens and rarely have anything nice to say at all. Anger, fear tactics and emotion are their core strategies.

His advice? Don’t feed the trolls.

Let them stay under their bridges. As an agricultural advocate who has had personal experience with Internet trolls myself, this advice spoke to me.

On a Sunday morning in the rural towns of America, chances are the local café is filled with ranchers who have come to town to meet their friends and catch up on what’s been going on in their operations and their families and talk about things like drought and changing markets. There’s always that spot where you know you’d be able to find a large group of the “good ol’ boys (and girls)” shootin’ the breeze with one another.

What if we took the time to take a coffee break with folks who have questions about beef production? A true grassroots approach. Sure, a fair share of us have run into someone in an online conversation who may not be willing to listen to our side ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

The Central California Livestock Marketing Center Featuring California’s Finest Calves and Yearlings!

The 2015 Contra Costa-Alameda & San Joaquin-Stanislaus Cattlemen’s Association Special Feeder Sales

Featuring NHTC, Natural, and Age and Source Program cattle.

No matter what program you are on, we will promote your cattle!

SATURDAYS: BRUNCH AT 9 A.M.

SALES AT 10 A.M.

SELLING SOME OF THE FINEST CALVES AND YEARLINGS FROM THESE COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS:

Merced-Mariposa, Santa Clara, Napa-Solano, Madera, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Fresno-Kings, San Benito and Tahoe.

ALSO, JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL FEMALE SALE with 200 fall-calving cows from two different ranches

FROM THE SIERRAS TO THE SEA, OUR TEAM IS ALWAYS HERE TO ASSIST YOU IN YOUR BUYING AND SELLING NEEDS! TLAY REPRESENTATIVES

MAX OLVERA.......................... 209 277-2063 STEVE FARIA .......................... 209 988-7180 EDDIE NUNES......................... 209 604-6848 CHUCK COZZI ........................ 209 652-4479 BUD COZZI .............................. 209 652-4480 JOHN LUIZ ............................... 209 480-5101 BRANDON BABA................... 209 480-1267 JAKE BETTENCOURT ........... 209 262-4019

UPCOMING WESTERN VIDEO MARKET SALES APRIL 30, MAY 21 AND JUNE 12 ALSO JOIN WVM IN RENO, JULY 13-15!

TURLOCK LIVESTOCK AUCTION YARD OFFICE: 209 634-4326 209 667-0811

10430 Lander Ave., Turlock, CA P.O. Box 3030, Turlock, CA 95381 www.turlocklivestock.com

May 2015 California Cattleman 7

...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

8 California Cattleman May 2015

P

– and most often the truth of the matter – when it comes to discussions about cattle production and beef as it relates to a slew of topics like health and the environment. Could an in person discussion make a difference?

Another shining moment that Sergio and Ashley reinforced during our time together is that you are the experts of your own story -- a tip I’ve also used to give folks the confidence to correct misinformation.

A lot of the time, ranchers are frustrated with how their story is told for them, but the objective here is to tell your own story. You are the expert, and people appreciate you for that; people like Ashley and Sergio turn to people like you for information on cattle production Issues like the Grazing Regulatory Action Project, dietary guidelines and antibiotic use are complex and take time to understand. Add in the value of a face-to-face meeting, proven to be the most effective form of communication, and you’ve got a recipe for a stronger relationship and the possibility of learning from and teaching others, the natural ebb and flow that should be advocacy.

These days social media has taken the front seat in communication efforts.

Even if you haven’t taken the leap to communicate via social media platforms yet (I can help you, if you’d like to jump on board), coffee breaks can still be important to help you take a minute to slow down and share your voice. If that seems daunting, just repeat to yourself, “I believe in my message.”

If you keep the four P’s in mind-people, place, plot and purpose --you’ll have an easier time finding your voice.

With those four pieces of the puzzle, you will have covered your message and find ease in sharing your story. Inviting someone to the local coffee shop to chat might be just the ticket to expanding your agricultural advocacy efforts, and it might make the opportunity even more enjoyable.

By the way, the next time you come through Sacramento, how about we take a little coffee break together and catch up?

Agricultural advocate to advocate.

d JUNE 11-13, 2015

SACRAMENTO

CCA is excited to add several NEW informational forums to the Midyear Schedule. In these forums CCA members will hear from experts throughout the country on issues that are impacting ranchers. Invited guests include Antibiotics Forum Annette Jones, State Veterinarian, CDFA Valerie Fenstermaker, Executive Director, CVMA Larry C Rawson, DVM, Assistant Direct, District 6 USDA, APHIS Foothill Abortion Vaccine Forum Jeff Stott, Ph.D., University of California, Davis Drought Forum Mike Anderson, California State Climatologist, CDWR Mark Svoboda, Climatologist, National Drought Mitigation Center Brian Fuchs, Climatologist, National Drought Mitigation Center Aaron Tattersall, Silveus Rangeland Insurance GRAP & Ground Water Forum Dorene D’Adamo, Board Member, State Water Board Jim Houston, Undersecretary, CDFA Phil Crader, Assistant Deputy Director, State Water Board David Guiterrez, Sustainable Groundwater Management, CDWR

WATCH FOR REGISTRATION MATERIALS IN YOUR MAILBOX SOON. TO RESERVE YOUR ROOM BY MAY 27 CALL THE SACRAMENTO DOUBLETRE E HILTON AT (916) 929-8855.

YOU MAY ALSO REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.CALCATTLEMEN.ORG WHERE A DETAILED AGENDA IS AVAILABLE.

Extra-Fancy, Fall-Calving Cows Sell monday, June 1 at 12 noon

famoso opportunity bred cow special 1,000 FAll-cAlvING ANGUS cOWS: 3 & 4 yEArS OlD

These Fancy Females Sell Bred to High-Powered Angus Bulls from Leachman Cattle of Colorado.

They are Bangs Vaccinated and have also had Lepto-Vibro 5, 8-Way and Ivomec®.

Do Not Miss This Opportunity ... Call Now for More Information

Join us mondays in may, june and july for our feeder specials lArGE rUNS OF cAlvES AND yEArlINGS EvEry MONDAy AT FAMOSO

Mark Your Calendar

50th famoso all-breeds bull sale

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saturday, october 17

Western stockman’s market Your Southwest Livestock Market Leader

31911 Highway 46, mcfarland, california

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DWIGHT MEBANE ...........................................661 979-9892 JUSTIN MEBANE ............................................. 661 979-9894 Frank Machado ......................................... 805 839-8166 Bennet mebane........................................... 661 201-8169 Office .................................................................... 661 399-2981 WEBSITE ..... www.westernstockmansmarket.com May 2015 California Cattleman 9

YOUR DUES DOLLARS AT WORK

LOBBYING ON CAPITOL HILL

cca members descend on nation’s capitol

by CCA Vice President of Government Affairs Justin Oldfield Although CCA focuses the majority of its time working to confront challenges to the ranching industry in California, CCA staff and officers also spend a considerable amount of time working to address federal issues in Washington, D.C., that have the potential to affect your bottom line. Fortunately, CCA has a strong partnership with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

NCBA has a team of dedicated and outstanding staff based in Washington, D.C., who represent the interests of all cattle producers on a daily basis in our nation’s Capitol.

Although CCA coordinates directly with NCBA on a myriad of federal issues, California’s congressional delegation still wants to hear from you, their constituents. Speaking directly with our members of Congress helps to bolster the advocacy efforts of CCA and NCBA staff.

A strong contingent of CCA officers, members and staff descended on Washington, D.C., the last full week of March for the NCBA and Public Land Council’s (PLC) annual

Legislative Conference. The group was comprised of CCA President Billy Flournoy, Likely; CCA First Vice President Dave Daley, Ph.D., Oroville; and CCA members Mike Byrne, Tulelake; and Kurt Urricelqui and his daughter Valley Urricelqui, Palo Cedro. Past CCA president and recently-elected NCBA Policy Division Chair Kevin Kester, Parkfield, as well as American National CattleWomen President and California native Melanie Fowle, Etna, joined the team for a series of meetings with members of Congress, their staff and various federal regulatory officials.

The trip coincided well with a handful of issues that are now center stage in Washington, D.C., including the development of new dietary guidelines by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CCA and NCBA are adamantly opposed to the recent release of an advisory report to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services that, though advocating for consumption of protein as part of a healthy diet,

essentially removes lean beef from the direct list of suitable proteins.

Neither Secretary is obligated to completely follow the recommendations of the advisory committee and in fact, NCBA has already been instrumental in working with Congress to hold several oversight hearings to remind USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack that the development of the guidelines must be based on proper nutrition and science.

Secretary Vilsack acknowledged that he would work within these parameters, but it is essential that cattle producers across the country continue to demand that lean beef be directly recognized as an essential source of protein in the actual dietary guidelines.

Producers can comment on the flawed recommendations made by the advisory committee until May 8, 2015 at: http://cqrcengage.com/beefusa/ nutrition.

The CCA delegation also lobbied ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Pictured (L to R) are: ANCW President Melanie Fowle, Kurt Urricelqui, Valley Urricelqui, Rep. Doug LaMalfa, CCA President Billy Flournoy and NCBA Policy Division Chair Kevin Kester.

10 California Cattleman May 2015

Don’t Tolerate Sick Days

ANADA 200-495, Approved by FDA

Enroflox 100

(enrofloxacin)

100 mg/mL Antimicrobial Injectable Solution For Subcutaneous Use in Beef Cattle, Non-Lactating Dairy Cattle and Swine Only.

Not for Use in Female Dairy Cattle 20 Months of Age or Older Or In Calves To Be Processed For Veal.

Brief Summary: Before using Enroflox 100, consult the product insert, a summary of which follows.

CAUTION: Federal (U.S.A.) law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. Federal (U.S.A.) law prohibits the extra-label use of this drug in food producing animals.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Each mL of Enroflox 100 contains 100 mg of enrofloxacin. Excipients are L-arginine base 200 mg, n-butyl alcohol 30 mg, benzyl alcohol (as a preservative) 20 mg and water for injection q.s.

INDICATIONS: Cattle: Enroflox 100 is indicated for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Histophilus somni in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle.

Swine: Enroflox 100 is indicated for the treatment and control of swine respiratory disease (SRD) associated with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida, Haemophilus parasuis and Streptococcus suis.

Enroflox 100 is administered as a single dose for one day (swine) or for multiple days (cattle) of therapy.

Enroflox 100 is not approved for a one-day, single dose of therapy in cattle.

RESIDUE WARNINGS: Cattle: Animals intended for human consumption must not be slaughtered within 28 days from the last treatment. This product is not approved for female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, including dry dairy cows. Use in these cattle may cause drug residues in milk and/or in calves born to these cows.

A withdrawal period has not been established for this product in pre-ruminating calves. Do not use in calves to be processed for veal.

Swine: Animals intended for human consumption must not be slaughtered within 5 days of receiving a single-injection dose.

HUMAN WARNINGS: For use in animals only. Keep out of the reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes. In case of contact, immediately flush eyes with copious amounts of water for 15 minutes. In case of dermal contact, wash skin with soap and water. Consult a physician if irritation persists following ocular or dermal exposures. Individuals with a history of hypersensitivity to quinolones should avoid this product. In humans, there is a risk of user photosensitization within a few hours after excessive exposure to quinolones. If excessive accidental exposure occurs, avoid direct sunlight.

PRECAUTIONS: The effects of enrofloxacin on cattle or swine reproductive performance, pregnancy and lactation have not been adequately determined.

The long-term effects on articular joint cartilage have not been determined in pigs above market weight.

Subcutaneous injection can cause a transient local tissue reaction that may result in trim loss of edible tissue at slaughter.

Enroflox 100 contains different excipients than other enrofloxacin products. The safety and efficacy of this formulation in species other than cattle and swine have not been determined.

Quinolone-class drugs should be used with caution in animals with known or suspected Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders. In such animals, quinolones have, in rare instances, been associated with CNS stimulation which may lead to convulsive seizures. Quinolone-class drugs have been shown to produce erosions of cartilage of weight-bearing joints and other signs of arthropathy in immature animals of various species. See Animal Safety section for additional information.

® Enroflox 100 enrofloxacin

ADVERSE REACTIONS: No adverse reactions were observed during clinical trials.

Same Active Ingredient as Baytril® 100 www.norbrookinc.com In Cattle, For Multi-Day Use Only For use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. Enroflox100 is not approved for a one-day, single dose of therapy in cattle. Federal law prohibits the off-label use of this drug in food producing animals. Cattle intended for human consumption must not be slaughtered within 28 days from the last treatment. This product is not approved for female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, including dry dairy cows. Use in these cattle may cause drug residues in milk and/or in calves born to these cows. A withdrawal period has not been established in pre-ruminating calves. Do not use in calves to be processed for veal. Use with caution in animals with known or suspected CNS disorders. Observe label directions and withdrawal times. See product labeling for full product information.

0514-495-102D

ANIMAL SAFETY: In cattle safety studies, clinical signs of depression, incoordination and muscle fasciculation were observed in calves when doses of 15 or 25 mg/kg were administered for 10 to 15 days. Clinical signs of depression, inappetance and incoordination were observed when a dose of 50 mg/kg was administered for 3 days. An injection site study conducted in feeder calves demonstrated that the formulation may induce a transient reaction in the subcutaneous tissue and underlying muscle. In swine safety studies, incidental lameness of short duration was observed in all groups, including the saline-treated controls. Musculoskeletal stiffness was observed following the 15 and 25 mg/kg treatments with clinical signs appearing during the second week of treatment. Clinical signs of lameness improved after treatment ceased and most animals were clinically normal at necropsy. An injection site study conducted in pigs demonstrated that the formulation may induce a transient reaction in the subcutaneous tissue.

Norbrook Laboratories Limited Newry, BT35 6PU, Co. Down, Northern Ireland

The Norbrook logos are registered trademarks of Norbrook Laboratories Limited Enroflox is a registered trademark of Norbrook Laboratories Limited Baytril is a registered trademark of Bayer Animal Health

I03 May 2014

May 2015 California Cattleman 11

...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 members of Congress to move quickly to pass legislation known as Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) that would enable the president and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate trade agreements directly with other countries. Without TPA, the specific provisions of any negotiated trade agreement would need to be brought before Congress where they would likely stall and ultimately die.

Providing the president Trade Promotion Authority is specifically important to ensure the timely adoption of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) which stands to benefit U.S. beef producers by lowering tariffs on U.S. beef purchased by international consumers in several Pacific Rim countries, including the Republic of Korea and Japan.

CCA Feeder Council Vice Chair Mike Smith, Selma, was also on hand to testify at a House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture regarding mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (mCOOL) and the costs associated with compliance.

Smith was joined on the panel by representatives from several other industries who were all outspoken against mCOOL due the imminent threat of tariffs to be placed on U.S. goods exported to Canada and Mexico, which is likely to occur following the release of the final World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling sometime this summer.

California has the largest congressional delegation of all 50 states in the union. Traveling to Washington, D.C., to speak directly with federal lawmakers is not only critical but a memorable experience.

All CCA members are welcome to participate in future trips. NCBA’s next legislative conference is scheduled for April 12-14, 2016.

Please do not hesitate to contact the CCA office at (916) 444-0845 if you would like to participate in future lobbying trips to Washington, D.C. Additionally, for a full rundown of federal issues currently being attended to by CCA staff contact Justin Oldfield in the CCA office.

12 California Cattleman May 2015

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“

” ! w o C y l Ho

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In appreciation to our customers and to help during the severe drought, we’ve taken our already low rates and lowered them even further!

2 ¾% ON FEEDERS & BUTCHER ANIMALS 3% ON BREEDING STOCK • EFFECTIVE APRIL 24 THROUGH JUNE 19 • IN ADDITION, WE HAVE ADDED 300 FEET OF NEW BUNK SPACE FOR YOUR CATTLE TO FEAST ON OUR CHOPPED ALFALFA HAY. JOIN US FOR THE FOLLOWING SPRING SPECIALS!

Join us for these special events!

May 1

TEHAMA COUNTY CATTLEMEN’S SALE 2,500 HEAD OF STOCKERS, YEARLINGS AND BREEDING STOCK

May 22

LATE SPRING SPECIAL 3,000 HEAD OF ALL CLASSES

June 12

Sale

! y a d i r F Every

SUMMER KICK-OFF SPECIAL 2,000 HEAD OF ALL CLASSES

For Information, Please Call Shasta LivestockMay (530) 347-3793 2015 California Cattleman or visit our website at www.shastalivestock.com

13

VET VIEWS

THE BEST FOR BOTH WORLDS

preconditioning can boost profits, eliminate risk

by Jon Seeger, DVM, Veterinary Operations, Zoetis Nearly all cow/calf producers will say their goal is to sell calves for a premium on sale day. However, most buyers will say their objective is to buy healthy calves as economically as possible. While these may seem like competing interests, both buyers and sellers can get what they want with calf preconditioning programs.

Studies have shown that preconditioning programs can help cow/calf producers sell their calves for a premium on sale day — at times adding an extra $6.38 per cwt.

And buyers can reap the rewards of preconditioned calves, too.

Preconditioning programs promote calf growth, enhance immune function and minimize stress during weaning, adding value to calves as they move from the ranch to stocker operations and, finally, the feedlot.

While buyers may have to pay a bit more at the time of purchase, they also should see reduced health risk with preconditioned calves with fewer pulls, lower treatment costs, less labor and higher performance.

In fact, benefits to feedlots have

14 California Cattleman May 2015

been well-documented, with research demonstrating that preconditioning programs administered at the ranch of origin meant: • Decreased morbidity and mortality rates; • Increased net returns in feedlot cattle compared with cattle of unknown vaccination history; • Calves had a 0.29-pound average daily gain advantage when preconditioned for 45 days or longer; • Calves had a 7.2 percent better feed efficiency when preconditioned for 45 days or longer; • Calves had a $29.47 per head lower medicine cost when preconditioned for 45 days or longer; • Calves had a 3.1 percent lower death loss when preconditioned for 45 days or longer.

What’s more, preconditioning programs are easy for cow/calf producers to implement because many are already doing most of what is required, including vaccination,

deworming, dehorning, castration, water and feed bunk training and weaning prior to sale day.

To help ensure sale-day premiums for producers and healthy feeder calves for buyers, producers should look for programs that include all of these practices and are third-party verified, demonstrated and backed by a trusted company. Additionally, choosing programs that offer flexibility for calves, stocker cattle and heifers helps producers tailor the preconditioning program to fit their — and their customers’ — needs.

Preconditioning programs do require some additional planning and, in many cases, an analysis of the market in a producer’s area.

Despite this, calf preconditioning is a smart choice for the cattle industry as a whole, preparing calves for the challenges they will face once they leave their ranch of origin. Finally, preconditioning can help producers enhance the health of their cattle — and their bottom line — and take some of the risk away from buyers. It’s a win for all.

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May 2015 California Cattleman 15

Second Annual

SHAW FEMALE SALE Saturday, May 30th

12 noon MDT • At the Ranch • Caldwell, Idaho

TheLadies

Selling

BEHIND

TheBull BusinessBrand Real World, Functional Females Built By Cow Families

275 Head Sell as 150 Lots

67 HEREFORD | 69 ANGUS | 14 RED ANGUS Donor Dams, Fall Heifer Calf Splits, Fall Bred Heifers, Spring Heifer Calf Pairs…The fall calvers are confirmed with heifer calf pregnancies!

Shaw Lady FINaL PROdUCT 4375

Shaw Lady FINaL PROdUCT 4394

S: Connealy Final Product | MGS: Sitz Thunderbolt 0189 8/24/14 open heifer. Her dam also sells…

AI 11/26/14 to EXAR Denver, safe with a heifer calf.

S: Connealy Final Product | MGS: Benfield Substance 8506 8/28/14 open heifer. Her dam also sells…

AI 11/26/14 to VAR Reserve, safe with a heifer calf.

Shaw Lady ThUNdERBOLT 3333

S: Sitz Thunderbolt 0189 | MGS: Connealy Final Product This 8/14/13 heifer sells AI bred 12/14/14 to Basin Excitement, safe with a heifer calf.

Room reservations: Best Western Plus, (208) 454-7225 or (800) 454-3522.

Several major airlines service the Boise Municipal Airport, just 30 minutes east of the sale facility.

Catalog mailed with the Hereford World and on request. Contact the owners or the sale manager to request your copy.

Also available for online viewing at: shawcattle.com mcsauction.com

Since 1946

SHAW CATTLE CO. 22993 Howe Road, Caldwell, ID 83607 www.shawcattle.com greg@shawcattle.com HEREFORD | ANGUS | RED ANGUS

Greg Shaw Sam Shaw Tucker Shaw Ron Shurtz

16 California Cattleman May 2015

(208) 459-3029 (208) 880-9044 (208) 899-0455 (208) 431-3311

&

SALE MANAGEMENT

incorporated

Matt Sims Cell/Text (405) 641-6081 matt@mcsauction.com www.mcsauction.com

/S LADY DOMINO 145Y

SHAW LADY FINAL PRODUCT 2073

S: UPS Domino 3027 | MGS: /S Mister Mom 774S Proven donor dam that will continue to influence our program. AI 12/15/14 to Hyalite On Target 936…safe with a heifer calf. A daughter and granddaughter also sell.

/S LADY THOR 1369Y

S: THR Thor 4029 | MGS: /S 443 Lemhi 0027 Three-year-old Thor daughter AI 11/26/14, safe with a heifer calf

by Schu-Lar Red Bull 18X. Her 10/4/14 Red Bull heifer calf also sells.

SHAW LADY PRODUCT 1243Y

S: Connealy Final Product | MGS: KMK Alliance 6595 I87 Sells AI bred 12/13/14 to VAR Reserve, safe with a heifer calf.

Her fall heifer calf by Mohnen Substantial also sells.

RRC JLT 10Y MIRANDA 4565 ET

S: NJW 73S W18 Hometown 10Y | MGS: SB Git-R-Done 19R ET show heifer prospect and donor candidate from our second top-selling lot in the 2014 sale.

S: Connealy Final Product | MGS: BCC Bushwacker 41-93 AI 11/16/14 to Basin Payweight 1682, safe with a heifer calf.

Her 8/28/14 heifer calf by Mohnen Substantial also sells.

/S LADY DOMINO 3220A

S: /S 3027 Domino 1540Y | MGS: HH Advance 286M 1ET One of many two-year-olds selling! Has a 1/31/15 heifer calf by Red Bull 18X and will sell AI serviced to Hyalite On Target 936.

SHAW LADY PRODUCT 1244Y

S: Connealy Final Product | MGS: SAV Net Worth 4200 Carrying a heifer calf by VAR Reserve, bred AI 12/13/14.

Her fall heifer calf by Connealy Consensus 7229 also sells.

/S LADY THOR 3480A

S: THR Thor 4029 | MGS: HH Advance 286M 1ET Donor candidate carrying a heifer calf by the easy calving Schu-Lar Red Bull 18X, AI 11/24/14.

/S LADY THOR 3432A

S: THR Thor 4029 | MGS: CJH Harland 408 Tremendous Hereford heifer from a great cow family.

AI 11/24/14 to Schu-Lar Red Bull 18X, safe with a heifer calf.

SHAW LADY STIMULUS 2016

S: Connealy Stimulus 8419 | MGS: Shaw New Day 7985 Sells with her 2/3/15 heifer calf at side by Mohnen Substantial and bred AI to Connealy Black Granite.

/S DIXIE LADY CONQUEST 336A

S: HXC Conquest 4405P | MGS: PIE Gridmaster 589 Red Angus first-calf heifer with a 1/9/15 heifer calf by Brown JYJ Redemption Y1334. Sells AI bred to Andrus Fusion R236.

May 2015 California Cattleman 17

WHO OWNS CALIFORNIA’S WATER? Understanding the legal and applicable definitions of your water rights

by California Cattlemen’s Association Second Vice President Richard M. Ross, J.D. California’s law of water rights is unique to California and combines English and Spanish law with California custom. English common law recognized “riparian” right – the right of those along a waterway to draw water from it.

The Spanish, dealing with a more arid climate, followed a doctrine of “appropriative” right - the right to appropriate water from a waterway and transport it somewhere else for use. In California, the gold rush created a need to develop water for washing gold bearing placers away from the streams.

I pay for my irrigation water by the “miners’ inch” . Mining practices, combined with California’s Spanish/ Mexican heritage called for recognition of appropriative rights. But California adopted the English common law in its constitution, making riparian rights the law of the land. What resulted was the California Doctrine which combines the two. Over the years, the most profound changes in water rights have probably been adoption of the Water Commission Act of 1914 which created the current state administered permit system; Article X, section 2 of the California Constitution which limited water rights to reasonable use; and the California Supreme Court’s decision recognizing a “public trust doctrine” as trumping recognized water rights. Recent groundwater legislation will be important as we move forward.

Water rights can be made simple. In 1968 I headed to Wyoming to study water rights under the great Frank J. Trelease. He had three “Laws of Water.” 1. Water flows downhill, 2. Water flows toward money, 3. Rule 2 prevails over Rule 1. His rules were especially true in California. The Public Trust Doctrine may reflect Rule 2 and the economic power of green.

With Dean Trelease’s ultimate realities in mind, we can turn to the source of all human power and right - our constitutions. Rights to water are specifically covered in California’s constitution which provides that people can have

18 California Cattleman May 2015

a right to use it, so long as it is applied to a reasonable and beneficial use, using a reasonable method of diversion and use. What that means is that nobody can OWN water, you can only have a conditional right to use it. In legal terms, it is a usufruct, the right to use the property of another.

Where its value cannot be realized in a non-consumptive way, water is an “imperfect usufruct” and may be consumed.

Still, outright ownership is not possible and a right to water is only an “incorporeal hereditament” (a “right” with no embodiment, but capable of being inherited). So – moving beyond law school terms, who has a right to use the water if someone else ‘owns’ it?

The right to use water is a property right. Clearly it has value. In its absence nothing can live – crops, livestock and people themselves parish. Taking the “value” of the water from the land makes the land of little productive value.

However, the right to use water is generally set by place, time and type of use. What is the value of a new Ferrari if your right is conditioned on it being covered by a tarp in a barn in Idaho? But that goes to valuation, not whether there is a property right.

If the government “takes” private property for public use it must provide just compensation under the due process provisions of the 5th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. However, what if government does not “take” the water right? What if a current right simply ceases to exist?

As the thirst of urban counties increases, state government (controlled by urban areas) will likely find more and more current uses, and methods of diversion and use, to be unreasonable. If your use or methods of use are unreasonable (i.e., “you shouldn’t be raising almonds vs grazing because they use too much water,” or “you only need half as much water because you could drip irrigate your pasture”) then you arguably don’t HAVE a right to the water. You only have a right to water so long as you use it

reasonably.

Why would the government “take” water rights if it can simply declare that existing uses or methods of use are unreasonable? The Russian River frost protection case reflects such a change. Sprinkling grapes for frost protection was recognized by regulation as a reasonable use; some salmonids were found stranded in the Russian River; the state water board passed a resolution changing the regulation and finding that pumping water for frost protection that could affect the flow of the river was “an unreasonable method of diversion and use.” The Superior Court overturned the board, but was reversed on appeal. Look forward to more challenges to the reasonableness of diversion and use.

With the underlying authority in mind, the next element to understanding a legal framework is understanding the terms used. Here are a few of the basic terms in water law.

“Appropriative right”: The right to take from a surface water and use the water away from the source. Appropriative rights have priority depending upon when they were established. Appropriative rights are often divided into two parts: 1. Pre-1914 Rights: Rights to appropriate water that were established before the Water Commission Act of 1914 which authorized state regulation. The rights must have been in continuous use since 1914.

2. Post 1914 Rights: Since 1914 the state has taken applications and determined if there is adequate unappropriated water, whether there would be adverse impact on the stream, etc. and can issue a permit which becomes a license when fully implemented.

Establishing a pre-1914 right is not easy. In 1872 the legislature enacted Civil Code provisions establishing ‘first in time is first in right’ and providing that notice needed to be posted in some conspicuous place at the point of intended diversion stating the claimed number of miners inches of water, the purpose for which it was being taken, the place of use and means of diversions. That information was then to be recorded at the county. The right was dependent upon completion of the project, and the priority of the right related back to the original notice. But what if the project was not completed as noticed, or was abandoned for some period or changed? The county recording does not establish all of the elements needed to establish the right. Because of the potential for un-confirmable pre-1914 claims, the water board has announced a review of pre-1914 rights.

Appropriative rights are for specific amounts of water/ rates of flow, points of diversion, methods of diversion,

periods of use, places of use, and uses (irrigation, stock water, storage, etc.).

Riparian Rights: Any parcel contiguous to a water body generally has riparian rights to take water from that body to use on the riparian parcel. The land entitled to riparian water is the smallest parcel in the chain of title that has had the same ownership as the parcel touching the water, although there is precedent for reconnecting once severed parcels if the deeds reserved the riparian rights.

Riparian rights are superior to appropriative rights, so in times of water shortage, riparian owners may take all of the water, leaving none for people with appropriative rights. The rights of riparian owners are “correlative,” meaning that all must proportionately share whatever water is available. There is no priority based upon where you are on the waterway or how long you have used the water. [There is some law related to ownership of a water’s source.] How to share is not always easy to determine. For instance, there is an argument for determining correlative rights based upon the number of irrigable / arable acres owned, but definition of those lands has changed with technology.

Of significance with riparian rights is that there is no right to store water. The state has long recognized a 30 day rule, but that is subject to change without notice.

Prescriptive Rights: These are rights acquired by “adverse possession.” If someone uses water with no right to do so for a long time, and the people who might have a higher right to the water were aware and did nothing to protect their rights, the party using the water in a manner adverse to the others may acquire a “prescriptive right” to use the water. It generally requires a judicial decree.

Adjudicated Rights: The Water Code authorizes adjudication of the state’s waters. Historically, the appropriative water rights of a river have been subject to adjudication, but not riparian rights. However, in 1979, the Supreme Court ruled that unexercised riparian rights could be curtailed by future adjudications. The normal process is that the Superior Court tasks the Water Resources Control Board with researching the uses and potential uses of the river and allocating the water to various users for various uses, periods of use, and priorities of use. The WRCB also has its own authority.

The research and report from the state can take many years.

Eventually the adjudication is adopted. Superior courts retain ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

May 2015 California Cattleman 19

...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 jurisdiction to resolve disputes and appoint a watermaster to administer the decree on a day to day basis.

Pueblo Rights: In Spanish/Mexican days, the rights of communities to take water from waterways for domestic use and irrigation were recognized. These rights are still recognized for cities that were established during Spanish or Mexican rule.

Groundwater rights: The rights to groundwater are in flux. Historically, groundwater belonged to the overlying land owner. Since the groundwater basins generally extend beyond the surface boundaries, the rights are “correlative” meaning that all landowners are required to share proportionately. Last year, the legislature adopted laws calling on the state to regulate groundwater. Given the potentially constitutional nature of existing rights, there will be questions on the authority of the legislature to amend those rights, and the legislature will undoubtedly fine tune the process for some years to come.

Public Trust Rights: In 1983 the California Supreme Court ruled in the Mono Lake case that the public had a right to water that trumped vested rights. The court held that “The principal values plaintiffs seek to protect . . . are recreational and ecological, the scenic views of the lake and its shore, the purity of the air, and the use of the lake for nesting and feeding by birds. . . . it is clear that protection of these values is among the purposes of the public trust.”

The conclusion of the court in the case was: “The public trust doctrine and the appropriative water rights system are parts of an integrated system of water law. The public trust

doctrine serves the function in that integrated system of preserving the continuing sovereign power of the state to protect public trust uses, a power which precludes anyone from acquiring a vested right to harm the public trust, and imposes a continuing duty on the state to take such uses into account in allocating water resources.” National Audubon Society v. Superior Court (1983) 33 Cal.3d 419.

The decision called for “reconsideration of the allocation of the waters of the Mono Basin.” In conjunction with laws like the endangered species acts, there has been a massive reappropriation of water. Many articles refer to agriculture’s use of 80 percent of California’s water, yet recent studies show that nearly 50 percent of the state’s developed water now goes to environmental enhancement, 40 percent for agriculture and 10 percent for urban. Roughly 60 percent of the state’s water is “undeveloped” (free range water) which undoubtedly inures to the benefit of the environment, for a total of 80 percent actually going to the “environment.”

An interesting twist on the public trust doctrine was presented by the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Summa Corp. v. Cal. State Lands Commission the year after Audubon. The court denied California’s claim of a public trust easement over a wetland because title to the land traced back to a Mexican land grant. California had made no claim in the land patent proceedings implementing the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which recognized property rights of Mexican origin, so it was estopped from challenging the current owner’s rights derived from Mexican title. As a result, land that was included in old land grants is arguably exempt from the public trust doctrine. But is the water flowing past?

SPRING

jon & summer dolieslager: 559.591.0884 www.tularecountystockyard.com

Beef Sales Every Friday in Dinuba upcoming special spring feeder sales: May 8 and May 22 @ 12:30 p.m.

Fundraiser

WIN A

!

Plus products from each YCC chapter!

1 ticket for $5 or 1 booklet (5 tickets) for $20

YCC members who sell 2 booklets will receive a FREE 2015 CCA/CCW Annual Convention registration!

Email CA YCC Advisor, Malorie Bankhead for tickets to sell at malorie@calcattlemen.org Tickets will be drawn June 12 at the CCA/CCW Midyear Meeting in Sacramento.

Need not be present to win.

20 California Cattleman May 2015

Ranchers APPLAUD HOUSE FOR DECISIONS, CALLS TO ACTION ON KEY ISSUES The House voted 240 to 179 on The bill passed out of committee water,” said Ellis. “We also appreciate April 16 for full repeal of the death tax, a on April 15. 1732 Regulatory Integrity the legislation requiring the federal tax that is threatening the livelihoods of Protection Act of 2015 requires the government to work with state and local farmers and ranchers across the country. EPA and Army Corps to withdraw the governments, further protecting states’ National Cattlemen’s Beef Association WOTUS proposal within 30 days. NCBA rights.”

President (NCBA) Philip Ellis said H.R President Philip Ellis said cattlemen The bill also charges the agencies 1105 Death Tax Repeal Act of 2015 is and women appreciate the Committee’s with developing a new proposed rule commonsense legislation necessary for efforts for moving legislation forward that must take into consideration all rural America. that addresses the problematic proposed of the comments received and reach “When did it become appropriate rule. consensus with the state and local to tax death?” said Ellis, a multi“The subjective and ambiguous governments on defining “Waters of generational rancher from Wyoming. language of the proposed rule would the United States.”

“This is a punitive tax on farmers and significantly broaden the federal NCBA and PLC urge Congress ranchers that is inaccurately framed as a government’s power to regulate to act on this important piece of tax on the rich. The U.S. Department of waters and adjacent lands that convey legislation without delay.

Agriculture even names the death tax as one of the top contributors to the breakup of multigenerational farming and ranching operations.”

At the end of 2012, Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Calving Ease, Growth, Maternal and Carcass Traits Act, narrowly avoiding a return to a $1 million estate tax exemption with a 55 percent tax rate. This legislation Abe Lincoln said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it”. provided a permanent exemption That’s what our latest ACQUISITION is all about! of the estate tax of $5 million per individual, 10 million per couple, and raised the top tax rate to 40 percent.

While ATRA provided some relief for some farmers and ranchers, fixing the underlying problem is TOP SELLING BULL AT 2015 CATTLEMAN’S CLASSIC critical. With rising farm land values W Unique Pedigree W Best Red and Black Angus Genetics across America the estate tax will continue to plague farm and ranch W Superb Phenotype W Top 1% Herdbuilder and 1% GridMaster families until it is repealed.

“The estate tax is a disservice to agriculture because we are a land-based, capital-intensive industry short of funds, and with few options for paying estate taxes when they come due,” said Ellis.

“Unfortunately, all too often at the time of death, farming and ranching families are forced to sell off land, farm equipment, parts of the operation or take out loans to pay off tax liabilities and attorney’s fees.”

Ellis added, “We urge the Senate to act soon and vote for full repeal of the death tax to prevent an undeserved death sentence to many family-owned farms and ranches.”

CCA, NCBA and the Public Lands Council also applauded Create the future for your herd! the House Transportation and Call Us for Semen or More Information Infrastructure Committee in midApril for sending a clear message 1/05/14 #1686395 to the Environmental Protection HrdBldr GrdMstr CED BW WW YW MILK ME HPG STAY MARB YG CW REA Agency and the Army Corps of 224 57 16 -6.3 66 108 21 -2.0 9 18 1.04 0.05 25 0.54 Engineers that the proposed Waters of the U.S. rule is an expansion of Everett Flikkema: 406.580.2186 federal jurisdiction that strips rights Jack Vollstedt: 818.535.4034 from private property owners. www.vfredangus.com • Terrebonne, Oregon

Dunn Acquistion B506

May 2015 California Cattleman 21

PROGRESSIVE PRODUCER

EMBRACING INNOVATION

phone app featured at cattle health meetings

by Jeffery Stackhouse, Josh Davy, and Larry Forero; Ph.D., University of California Cooperative Extension

The Northern California annual University of California Cooperative Extension Winter Animal Health meetings resulted in another successful educational opportunity for beef producers. One of the topics introduced was an iPhone application called BeefTracker. This application is valuable for collecting and storing data relevant to beef production, cattle movements, pasture management and conservation efforts.

What is BeefTracker?

This inventory tool is an iPhone-based phone application that affords operators the ability to update inventory cattle numbers and their location at the time changes occur. Setup of the ranching operation and use of the application is intuitive and simple. Employing this technology on your ranching operation(s) will provide ranchers and ranch managers with stocking histories that can be used for better management of cattle and grazing resources, as well as data on the productivity of the ranch over multiple years.

What can the application do for me?

The BeefTracker application allows operators to set up individual ranch maps and will even calculate pasture size or ranch wide grazing acreages. The maps can be as complex or simple as the operator desires. The maps can include infrastructure (fences, corrals, water troughs, etc) as well as conservation efforts (weed management, controlled burns, reseeding, etc).

In addition, the application allows users to set up as many ranches or pastures as necessary. This makes it possible to track inventory movements between ranches and even between pastures on the ranch.

Application users can easily generate reports of cattle inventory as well as historical ranch and pasture-scale stocking levels. It also can be used for range monitoring to store location-specific monitoring photos or even more technical data if desired.

How is the data stored? Is it confidential? What if my phone or computer dies?

Although the program is downloaded to a cell phone and computer, the actual data that the user inputs is web-based and stored on the cloud. This means that individual ranch data is very secure for only the ranch to view, and it can easily be retrieved if a phone or computer crashes. Your data is as secure as your password.

What if I don’t always have cell phone service?

This is not a problem. If a cattle inventory move is 22 California Cattleman May 2015

recorded on a cell phone that is out of a service area it will simply be sent once the phone returns to service.

How was it funded?

In 2013 the Beef Checkoff Program funded the project to develop a working prototype of the web-based ranch management phone application named “BeefTracker.”

The objective in funding the project was to promote their sustainability program by providing ranchers with a tool to demonstrate that cattle production fits within sustainable ecosystems and to provide regional data to update the current beef sustainability lifecycle analysis.

According to National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoication (NCBA) data, today’s cattlemen are significantly more environmentally sustainable then they were 30 years ago.

Today US farmers and ranchers raise 31 percent more beef with 30 percent fewer cattle. BeefTracker is a tool cattle producers can use to improve the management of the cattle and grasslands under their stewardship.

Where is the process now?

The application, developed by VESTRA Resources, Inc., is currently being tested by Cooperative Extension farm advisors, specialists and ranchers. An Android version has not yet been developed but may be in the near future. Once the testing phase has been completed, the application will be launched nationwide. The intent is to make this a lowcost, user-friendly tool. We are very open to adding potential collaborators during this testing phase. To participate, or for more information, please contact James Oltjen, Ph.D., UC Cooperative Extension by e-mail at jwoltjen@ucanr.edu.

Other topics presented at the annual winter meetings included: pinkeye, the Grazing Regulation Action Project, UC Davis feedlot trial opportunities, invasive species management, fecal pathogen shedding in beef cattle, blue tongue threats to beef cattle and the effects on overseas markets, grazing strategies, invasive species management and grass tetany.

These meetings were co-sponsored by local cattlemen’s associations. We would like to thank the California Beef Cattle Improvement Association, Humboldt County CattleWomen, Humboldt County Woolgrowers, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., Zoetis, Hawes Ranch and Farm Supply, Golden State Farm Credit, Shasta Farm and Equipment, Cottonwood Veterinary Clinic, Shasta-Tehama Watershed Education Coalition and Shasta Livestock Auction Yard for their support for these meetings. Their support provided travel funds for quality speakers and meeting expenses at these educational workshops held in Eureka, Montague, Willows and Cottonwood.

UCCE Seeks Siskiyou County Livestock Farm Advisor The University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, a statewide program with local development and delivery, is seeking a cooperative extension advisor to conduct a county-based extension, education and applied research program that will focus on livestock production including nutrition, herd health, grazing management, genetic selection, reproductive efficiency, and marketing.

The natural resource component of this position will focus primarily on the interaction of beef cattle production systems with water quality, aquatic habitat, and wildlife while developing livestock production strategies that enhance ecosystem services of range and pasture lands.

The UC Cooperative Extension advisor will facilitate interactions and information exchange among campus based academics, CE advisors and community stakeholders. The Livestock and Natural Resources advisor is responsible for the development and implementation of Cooperative Extension education and applied research programs addressing important issues at the interface of livestock production systems, natural resources management, and watershed health.

The advisor needs to have a thorough and practical understanding of livestock production, irrigated pasture and range management in order to develop an effective program.

Advisors provide credible and practical solutions to ranch owners and managers, natural resource professionals, and water resources regulators, who face complex management issues relating to livestock production, natural resources and watershed health.

Key clientele will include livestock producers and managers, 4-H youth, public resource management agencies (Natural Resources Conservation Service, California Fish and Wildlife, and US Forest Service, Resource

Conservation Districts), nonprofit conservation organizations (such as local watershed councils and The Nature Conservancy), and other public agencies.

A minimum of a master’s degree is required for this position. An understanding of and commitment to UC ANR’s affirmative action goals and commitments is expected

of all advisors. and salary shall commensurate with experience.

For information regarding this position, visit http://www.ucanr.edu/ jobs or contact University of California ANR Academic Personnel Pam Tise at pdtise@ucanr.edu or (530) 750-1281. Refer to position AP#15-07 in all correspondence.

Spring Runs Are Here!

Join us for Our Spring Feeder Runs!

MAY 4 • MAY 18 • JUNE 1 at 1 p.m. cattle sell every Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Pay us a visit...We’re 2 miles north of Escalon VISIT US ONLINE AT: ESCALONLIVESTOCKMARKET.COM

MIGUEL A. MACHADO, PRESIDENT

OFFICE (209) 838-7011 • MOBILE (209) 595-2014

FIELD REPRESENTATIVES JOE VIERA......................(209) 531-4156 THOMAS BERT ...............(209) 605-3866 TONY LUIS .....................(209) 609-6455 MICHAEL MACHADO .........(209) 495-9208 DUDLEY MEYER ..............(209) 768-8568

25525 LONE TREE RD. ESCALON, CA 95320 OFFICE (209) 838-7011 FAX (209) 838-1535 May 2015 California Cattleman 23

ANIMAL DISEASE TRACEABILITY CLARIFICATION: selling at a livestock auction market from the Livestock Marketing Association The Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) rule went into effect on March 11, 2013. However, after a two-year grace period, the final component of the rule went into effect into March of this year. Many producers have been asking questions recently to ensure they are complying with the rule. In some cases, there has been a misconception that the rule prohibits producers from traveling to a market across state lines to sell cattle. This is not true. In fact, in most cases, when selling at market producers do not need to do anything different because they have the auction market owners can help ensure the rules are followed.

It is important to note that state rules still apply and are not consistent across the United States. Any questions about shipping to another state can be answered by the State Veterinarian’s office in the receiving state.

THE 2015 PHASE IN As of March 11, 2015, ear tags applied to cattle on or after this date must have an animal identification number beginning with the 840 or other prefix representing a U.S. territory in order to be recognized as official identification.

The tag must also bear an official ear tag shield.

This does not change what animals require official identification or when official identification is required.

Rather, USDA simply allowed a two-year phase in period to ensure ear tags being used as official identification would meet the standards listed above.

24 California Cattleman May 2015

THE ADT RULE The ADT rule only applies to cattle moving from one state to another and not those staying in state. For cattle, the following animals must be identified with official ID if traveling in interstate commerce: • • • • •

All sexually intact cattle and bison over 18 months of age, All female dairy cattle of any age, All dairy males (intact or castrated) born after March 11, 2013, and Cattle and bison of any age used for rodeo, shows, exhibition, and recreational events.

Cattle requiring official identification must have an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI), commonly called a health certificate, or alternate documentation agreed on by the state to move across state lines.

Shipping to Market or Slaughter There is some flexibility built into the rule. Cattle requiring official ID may move across state lines directly to an approved livestock facility, including many livestock markets, without a health certificate if moved on an ownershipper statement.

Information required to be included on an ownershipper statement, such as the location from which the

animals are moved interstate and the destination of the animals, is spelled out in the ADT rule. In some cases, and existing document such as a tag in slip at livestock markets have been used as an owner-shipper statements.

Additionally, cattle can move to an approved tagging site, including many livestock markets, prior to being identified as they will be identified at the approved tagging site.

In another exception, cattle moved direct-toslaughter can move with approved backtags instead of official identification, even if moving between states.

State Veterinarian Decisions State veterinarians also have the ability to make some key decisions under the rule. While official eartags always qualify as official identification, State veterinarians may accept the use of brands or tattoos accompanied by breed registration documents as official identification when agreed to by both the shipping and receiving states. State veterinarians may also accept movement documentation other than an ICVI, as long as both the shipping and receiving state agree on the alternative document.

OTHER RULES STILL APPLY The ADT requirements are in addition to state requirements for livestock identification, documentation, and disease testing for cattle movement in their states. Veterinarians shipping to a state where they are unsure of import requirements should contact their State veterinarian’s office in the receiving state for specific requirements.

Madera, California

Special Spring Feeder Sale MAY 11 • 1 P.M.

Featuring quality stocker and feeder cattle from reputable Central Valley ranches!

This sale has a special commission rate with 2.75% going to members of Madera County Cattlemen’s Association, Merced and Fresno – Kings County Cattlemen Association.

SALE EVERY TUESDAY AT 10:30

butcher cattle followed by pairs/bred cows, stockers and feeders.

Butcher cows sell every Friday at 12:30

Celebrating our 80th year serving the Central Valley’s finest cattlemen and women!

(559) 674-4674

ADAM KATHREIN 559-660-6752 DEAN PENERO 209-649-7341 WWW.PRODUCERSLIVESTOCK.COM

1022 SOUTH PINE STREET • MADERA, CA

ENFORCEMENT For the first year under ADT, USDA focused its efforts on education about the rule. On March 4, 2014 USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) administrator Kevin Shea sent out a bulletin about the next phase ADT implementation.

While USDA will continue to work with people not in compliance to educate them about the requirements, USDA will also pursue penalties in situations where an individual repeatedly fails to comply with the regulatory requirements. USDA stated its priorities are: • Official Identification of Cattle • Proper Administration of Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) • Collection of ID at Slaughter

May 2015 California Cattleman 25

Turbulent Times How cowherd size, drought and cattle prices are impacting operations up and down the state from the California Cattlemen’s Association For many of California’s producers, it seems there has been no time where the West Coast beef industry has experienced such dramatic highs and desperate lows. From the nation’s smallest cowherd size driving cattle prices up to the severe effects of record-low moisture forcing ranchers to disperse their herds even further, the uncertainty for California’s beef industry is overwhelming to say the least.

CCA recently visited with three livestock auction yard managers from across the state whose perspectives are uniquely positioned to provide an overview of how the state’s cattlemen and women are adjusting to their unprecedented conditions.

ADAM KATHREIN PRODUCERS LIVESTOCK, MADERA Q. As a new auction yard manager in California, you’ve been thrown into quite an interesting situation. How have you been adjusting and what has been your favorite part of the job so far?

A. For me, getting out and learning about the issues guys are facing every day has been an enjoyable part of the job. I’ve heard this is one of the best grass years our area has seen in the last four or five years but was unfortunately cut short so water supplies are limited leaving guys to haul water to their cattle.

The high cattle prices offset some of the additional costs.

In our area we are seeing native cattle number decreasing as a whole but the numbers are still here, just in a different form, leaving us at the auction market to expanding our trade area a bit to sustain some of the market share we have had in the past.

Q. In one of the state’s driest areas for the second year in a row, how are cattlemen holding on? Are they digging in their heels determined to stay in business?

A. Generally speaking, those ranchers who are well-established in the business are able to look forward to see that they can hang on through additional leases, purchasing hay, etc. Some of the smaller guys are leaving the business and leasing out their pastures. We are seeing some horizontal integration with the smaller guys leaving and the bigger guys getting a bit stronger.

Q. What advice would you give a longtime rancher who was faced with the decision to liquidate his herd?

A. I think the decision to liquidate would partially depend on a rancher’s tax situation; whether he would face capital 26 California Cattleman May 2015

gains taxes and that sort of thing. It is always helpful if a beef producer can make a well thought out exit strategy before dispersing their heard. But, if you don’t have time to make a detailed plan, the prices make it a easier time to liquidate. Many cattlemen have doubled the inventory value of their cowherd, making it an easier time to sell, though that decision probably never comes easy.

Normally when we see dry weather prices aren’t this good, so if you have to sell cattle at least you will reap a reward.

Q. What do you anticipate for the rest of the year? More or less cows going to market? What kind of prices do you foresee?

A. I think anyone who follows the cattle market would guess that prices are going to stay steady. I mean, we always seen the ebb and flow of the market, that’s just the nature of the game. We’ve seen the futures change a bit but I think fundamentally, based on cowherd size nationwide, we are going to see acceptable prices being somewhat long term.

As far as numbers of cattle being marketed and when, some guys have had to come off the grass early but those who run at a little higher elevation have been able to stick it out until the early summer when they would normally send their cattle to the sale barn.

JIM WARREN 101 LIVESTOCK, AROMAS Q. You’ve been around the California livestock business now for decades. How does this year compare to years with other extreme circumstances?

A. First of all the drought was very spotty this year. Some droughts, like last year, have been more consistently dry.

But this year, we saw some spots around King City who had a great year and then

areas like Morro Bay that were worse off than ever. From here (Salinas area) north was dry but not as dry as we’ve seen it in the past.

We’ve sold a lot more head in April than in the past. March and April we were selling more cattle as people were lightening up their herds as producers were giving up on the chance of getting more rain.

An interesting thing to note is that light cattle are bringing as much per pound as heavier calves because demand is so high due to total inventory being down. For There has been an early scramble to get cattle for all the grass on mountain areas and more permanent pasture areas. Often those cattle are unavailable this time of year but because producer had cattle ready to go early there were some available. The June run we typically see is now happening in March and April. The cattle from the northern areas still look to come to market in June and July.

Q. The Central Coast was the area hardest hit by the drought last year. So far this year, what is the perception of cattlemen? Is it better or worse than last year’s conditions?

A. Again, this year was spotty, last year was just dry everywhere. It’s been a hitand-miss deal where some folks are still dry and some are having a decent year.

Overall, conditions have been better than last year so cattlemen have been a little more optimistic.

Q. Are strong prices a consolation for most producers who have been forced to sell parts or all of their herds?

A. Strong prices are a short-term consolation because even light cattle are worth more than if they were a ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

Buying or Selling Livestock?

We’ve Got Your Back.

LMA member auctions have your best interests in mind.

In the livestock business, success is based on established relationships and trust. Members of the Livestock Marketing Association have a vested interest in helping livestock producers stay in business, and thrive even in these challenging times.

We’re here to ensure: • You earn top dollar for your livestock • Receive immediate payment whether the market receives payment or not • Hassle-free compliance with state and federal livestock disease trace and other health rules • Your animals are handled humanely to reduce shrink and stress • You complete all documentation needed for packers and COOL compliance

Auction markets that belong to the LMA are the most professional and reliable markets in the business.

To find LMA members in your area call 1-800-821-2048 or visit www.lmaweb.com.

May 2015 California Cattleman 27

2015 California Cattleman

Auction Market Directory

FEATURING CALIFORNIA LIVESTOCK AUCTION YARDS WHO HAVE ADVERTISED THEIR SERVICES IN THIS ISSUE OFFICE........................................ (831) 726-3303 FAX.............................................. (831) 728-2677 E-MAIL............................ 101@101livestock.com WEBSITE..........................www.101livestock.com CONTACTS Col. Jim Warren........................... (831) 320-3698 Monty Avery ................................ (831) 320-3701 101 LIVESTOCK MARKET, INC. Cody Keller................................... (805) 441-3198 4400 Hwy 101, Aromas, CA 95004 Bobby Donati............................... (805) 245-2015 Paul Reed................................... (719) 850-0900 Ty Warren..................................... (805) 811-7817 Jeannie Coefield......... .................(831) 801-1428 OFFICE........................................ (209) 745-1515 E-MAIL..................................... info@clmgalt.com WEBSITE.................................. www.clmgalt.com CONTACTS Frank “Butch” Loretz..............................President Jake Parnell, Manager................. (916) 662-1298 12495 Stockton Blvd., Galt, CA 95632

CATTLE AUCTION............................ Wednesday MEMBERSHIPS........ .NCBA, CCA, LMA, CLAMA OFFICE........................................ (209) 387-4133 FAX.............................................. (209) 387-4476 WEBSITE............................www.dpyauction.com

16575 S. Hwy 33, Dos Palos, CA 93620

ESCALON

Livestock Market, Inc.

CONTACTS Joel E. Cozzi............................... (209) 769-4660 Joel A. (Joey) Cozzi..................... (209) 769-4662 Col. Doug Gallaway..................... (209) 617-5435 Mike Vieira................................... (209) 617-5435 Bill Enos....................................... (209) 761-1322 OFFICE.........................................(209) 838-7011 FAX.............................................. (209) 838-1535 WEBSITE........www.escalonlivestockmarket.com E-MAIL.....escalonglivestockmarket@yahoo.com PRESIDENT Miguel A. Machado...................... (209) 595-2014

REPRESENTATIVES Joe Vieira..................................... (209) 531-4156 P.O. Box 26 25525 Lone Tree Rd, Escalon, CA 95320 Thomas Bert................................ (209) 605-3866 Tony Luis...................................... (209) 609-6455 Michael Machado......................... (209) 495-9208

FARMERS

LIVESTOCK MARKET

OFFICE.........................................(209) 847-1033 FAX...............................................(209) 847-4425 CONTACT Steve Haglund..............................(209) 847-1033

6001 Albers Road, Oakdale CA 95361 CATTLE AUCTION...........Monday and Thursday

28 California Cattleman May 2015

Cole Warren...................................... (831) 998-0194 CATTLE AUCTION...................................... Tuesday MEMBERSHIPS............ NCBA, CCA, LMA, CLAMA AUCTIONEER........................ ����������������Jim Warren UPCOMING EVENTS For more on what 101 has to offer, see our ad on page 15. Mark your calendar for special feeder sales on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Join us for our 40th anniversary sale May 12!

AUCTIONEERS...................... .Jake Parnell, Brian Pachaco, Mark Fischer, Matt Morebeck UPCOMING EVENTS CLM will feature large runs of calves and yearlings on May 20, June 3 and June 17 and July 1 at 9:30 a.m. at its special feeder sales. Mark your calendars for July 25 for CLM’s Fall-calving Bred Cow Sale.

Visit www.clmgalt.com for an up-to-date list of upcoming events and market reports.

CATTLE AUCTION..................Monday and Thursday MEMBERSHIPS............... NCBA, CCA, LMA, CLAMA AUCTIONEERS.........Doug Gallaway and Garrett Jones UPCOMING EVENTS Holding special upcoming feeder sales Thursday, May 14 and in June on an undecided date. Join us for lunch prior to the May 14 sale. For details, contact us at (209) 387-4113.

Dudley Meyer..................................... (209) 768-8586 CATTLE AUCTION......................................... Monday MEMBERSHIPS............... NCBA, CCA, LMA, CLAMA AUCTIONEERS..............................Miguel A. Machado, Michael Imbrogno UPCOMING EVENTS Big strings of yearlings and calves sell Mondays in May and June. Call now to consign to our special feeder sales May 4, May 14 and June 1. Visit our website for more information on what we have to offer. www.escalonlivestockmarket.com MEMBERSHIPS................NCBA, CCA, LMA, CLAMA AUCTIONEERS............. Clint Haglund, Ken Tompson UPCOMING EVENTS Join us for auction sales every Monday and Thursday for dairy, beef and feeder cattle.

...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 little heavier. But the downside is that replacing them will also be expensive and the cattle producers keep are expensive to feed.

If it rains and we have feed it will be pricey to replace them. If you have to sell cows, the factory that gives you calves, it is money in your pocket now but you are out a significant amount in the longrun. It is easier to gamble on a yearling market.

memorable times in the marketing business?

holds is still unknown. Our feed season is being developed right now. Last year shut off early and never came in the late spring like we usually see. If that happens again, the rest of the year might mean a few more replacement heifers going to market that normal but probably nothing drastic just yet.

A. There is absolutely no comparison.

The market we have seen lately is so far out in left field from what anyone could have predicted. It is a new marketing time for everyone. Calves selling for $2 to $3 was something that was unheard of for my grandpa. In reality, it didn’t seem in the Q. With less grass from a lack of rain last year, what feed alternatives are producers realm of possibility even 18 months ago.

That’s not to say we don’t enjoy it, but it is using to stay in business?

Q. What do you anticipate for the rest darn sure a time period that is unmatched.

A. For now cattlemen are feeding more of the year? More or less cows going to Q. In an area that is typically not plagued hay, which is out of the norm for ranchers market? What kind of prices do you with drought, how are cattlemen fairing up here. Ranches are year-round in our foresee? with the conditions? area and we usually have enough pasture A. Because total inventory is down, prices grass to make that work. There is more should stay good but might not be as high A. We still feel optimistic. Guys up here hay being fed that normal but we haven’t in June as normal but prices will still be aren’t selling cows because it’s not as yet seen a need to ship cattle out of the better than we’ve ever seen. It’s a whale of bad as it has been for other areas of the area. a market. To be able to sell butcher cows state. Some operations may be shrinking quick at a buck a pound and calves for a little bit but right now cattlemen are Q. What do you anticipate for the rest of $2 to $3 dollars is something some of us kind of just letting nature run its course. the year in terms of cattle being marketed? could have never imagined.

Actually, for some guys in our area around A. For our area in the situation we are the wetter low-lying areas, a dry year is LOU MORA in, I don’t think we will see more or less sometimes a blessing.

HUMBOLDT AUCTION YARD, EUREKA It’s not the same rain season that we numbers of cattle going to market. In other areas it seems they might not have see elsewhere; the rain that comes from Q. Having been raised in the auction any cattle left at all if things don’t change March 1 through June 1 is what really yard business, how does the current soon. helps our feed here. So what this year beef industry climate compare to other

Auction Yard Alturas, California

Join us for a special feeder sale

ESTABLISHED 1950

Saturday, May 9 • 12 p.m.

Regular Sales February to August: the first and third Saturdays September to January: every Saturday Serving Cattle Producers From Northeastern California, Southern Oregon and Western Nevada

Thurs., May 14 • June: Call for dates WEEKLY SALE SCHEDULE

MONDAYS: DAIRY, FEEDERS, SLAUGHTER BULLS & COWS THURSDAYS: FEEDERS, SLAUGHTER BULLS & COWS

SALE INFORMATION

OFFICE ..................................................................209 387-4113 JOEL E. COZZI ......................................................209 769-4660 JOEL A. (JOEY) COZZI .........................................209 769-4662

FIELD REPRESENTATIVES

GARRETT JONES ............................................... 209-777-0817 DOUG GALLAWAY ................................................209 617-5435 MIKE VIEIRA..........................................................209 761-6267 BILL ENOS ............................................................209 761-1322 Visit us online at www.dpyauction.com

Jerry Kresge (530) 640-1302 • Office (530) 233-3442 P.O. Box 1866 •Hwy 299 W, Alturas, CA 96101

16575 S. HWY 33 • DOS PALOS, CA 93620 located 1/8 mile south of Hwy. 152 on Hwy 33

May 2015 California Cattleman 29

2015 California Cattleman

Auction Market Directory

HUMBOLDT AUCTION YARD, INC.

603 S. 3rd Street, Fortuna, CA 95540

MODOC AUCTION YARD Hwy 299 W, Alturas, CA 96101

OFFICE...........................................(707) 725-5188 FAX.................................................(707) 725-9822 E-MAIL......................humboldtauction@hotmail.com CONTACTS Col. Lee Mora.................................(707) 845-7188 Lou Mora.........................................(707) 845-7288 CATTLE AUCTION......................... Wednesday OFFICE...........................................(530) 233-3442 CONTACTS Jerry Kresge....................................(530) 640-1302 CATTLE AUCTION......................... February to August: first and third Saturdays; September to February every Saturday.

OFFICE...........................................(209) 862-4500 FAX.................................................(209) 862-4700 CONTACTS Col. John McGill..............................(209) 631-0848 P.O. Box 756 • 2011 E, Stuhr Rd., Newman, CA 95360

ORLAND LIVESTOCK

COMMISSION YARD, INC. P.O. Box 96 3877 Hwy. 99 West, Orland, CA 95963

PRODUCER’S LIVESTOCK MARKETING ASSOCIATION

1022 S. Pine Street, Madera, CA 93637 P.O. Box 510 Madera, CA 93639

MEMBERSHIPS.......................... CCA, CLAMA AUCTIONEERS..................................Lee Mora UPCOMING EVENTS The Mora family invites you to join them ringside every Wednesday in Fortuna.

CATTLE AUCTIONS..........Tuesday and Thursday MEMBERSHIP....................... .CCA, LMA, CLAMA

OFFICE...........................................(530) 865-4527 FAX.................................................(530) 865-2643 CONTACTS Col. Ed Lacque............................... (530) 865-2643 Col Wade Lacque, Manager...........(530) 570-0547 CATTLE AUCTION............................. .....Thursday MEMBERSHIP....................... .CCA, LMA, CLAMA

OFFICE...........................................(559) 674-4674 E-MAIL...............producersmadera@sbcglobal.net WEBSITE..................www.producerslivestock.com CONTACTS Adam Kathrein..................................559-660-6752 Dean Penero.....................................209-649-7341 CATTLE AUCTION....................................Tuesday

30 California Cattleman May 2015

MEMBERSHIPS.......................... CCA, CLAMA AUCTIONEERS..................................Lee Mora UPCOMING EVENTS Join us for a special feeder sale on May 9 at noon. See our ad on page 20.

AUCTIONEERS........................... John McGill UPCOMING EVENTS Currently accepting cattle for Tuesday and Thursday sales plus Western Video Market sales from Cottonwood on May 23 and Reno, Nev., in July. For details see our ad on page 21.

AUCTIONEERS.........Wade Lacque, Ed Lacque UPCOMING EVENTS Join us for the annual Butte County Cattlemen’s Association Annual Sale May 7.

Call us for details. Also see our ad on page 33.

Join us Thursdays at noon for our regular beef sales. ALSO CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK!

MEMBERSHIPS......NCBA, CCA, LMA, CLAMA AUCTIONEERS.......................... Adam Kathrein UPCOMING EVENTS We hope to see you at a special feeder sale May 11. See our ad on page 25 for details. Also watch for big runs of calves and yearlings on our regular sale days in May and June.

2015 California Cattleman

Auction Market Directory

SHASTA

LIVESTOCK AUCTION YARD 3917 N. Main Street, Cottonwood, CA 96022 P.O. Box 558, Cottonwood, CA 96022

OFFICE...........................................(530) 347-3793 FAX.................................................(530) 347-0329 WEBSITE.......................... www.shastalivestock.com CONTACTS Ellington Peek.................................(530) 527-3600 Brad Peek.......................................(530) 347-3793 Donald Doverspike..........................(541) 377-6298 CATTLE AUCTION....................................... Friday OFFICE...........................................(559) 591-0884 FAX.................................................(559) 591-0808 WEBSITE...............www.tularecountystockyard.com

9641 Ave. 384, Dinuba, CA 93618

CONTACTS Jon Dolieslager...............................(559) 358-1070 Summer Dolieslager, bookeeper.... (559) 591-0884 AUCTIONEER............................... Jon Dolieslager OFFICE...........................................(209) 634-4326 FAX.................................................(209) 634-4396 WEBSITE.......................... www.turlocklivestock.com

10430 Lander Ave., Turlock, CA P.O. Box 3030, Turlock, CA 95381

CONTACTS Karen Cozzi.....................................(209) 634-4326 Col. Max Olvera..............................(209) 277-2063 Col. Steve Faria.............................(209) 988-7180 Col. Chuch Cozzitorto.....................(209) 652-4479 Buddy Cozzitorto.............................(209) 652-4480

OFFICE...........................................(559) 625-9615 FAX.................................................(559) 625-9012 WEBSITE...........................www.visalialivestock.com

733 N. Ben Maddox Way, Visalia, CA 93292

WESTERN STOCKMAN’S MARKET 31911 Hwy. 46, McFarland, CA 93250

CONTACTS Col. Randy Baxley..........................(559) 906-9760 Sam Avila........................................(559) 799-3854 CATTLE AUCTION...................... ........Wednesday

MEMBERSHIP...NCBA, CCA, LMA. CLAMA CATTLE AUCTION Join us for our regular Friday sales, as well as the Tehama County Cattlemen’s Special Sale on May 1. Don’t miss the Western Video Market sales on May 21 in Cottonwood. For more information, visit us online at www.shastalivestock.com or wvmcattle.com.

MEMBERSHIPS...NCBA, CCA, LMA, CLAMA BEEF SALES EVERY FRIDAY AT NOON WITH COWS AT 2 P.M. Join us for Special Feeder Sales May 2 and May 15, featuring large runs of calves and yearlings.

BEEF SALE DAYS....Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday MEMBERSHIPS....NCBA, CCA, LMA, CLAMA AUCTIONEERS..........Max Olvera, Steve Faria, Chuck Cozzitorto, Eddie Nunes, Jake Bettencourt UPCOMING EVENTS Feeder Sales: Sat. May 2, Tues. May 19, Sat..

June 6. We hope to see you there! See our ad on page 7 for details.

MEMBERSHIPS.... NCBA, CCA, LMA, CLAMA AUCTIONEERS..........................Randy Baxley CATTLE AUCTION Join us for weekly sales and take advantage of our transporation options from the central coast! Join us Wednesdays in May and June for large runs of stockers and feeder calves.

OFFICE.............................................(61) 399-2981 FAX.................................................(661) 399-0177 WEBSITE......www.westerstockmansmarket.com

BEEF SALE DAY.................................... Monday Butcher Cows at 10:30 a.m./Feeders at 12:30 p.m.

CONTACTS Dwight Mebane...............................(661) 979-9892 Col. Justin Mebane.........................(661) 979-9894 Frank Machado...............................(805) 839-8166 Col. Bennet Mebanre......................(661) 201-8169

UPCOMING EVENTS Special feeder sales every Monday in May and June featuring large runs of stockers and feeders. See our ad on page 9 for details.

MEMBERSHIPS...................... NCBA, CCA, LMA

May 2015 California Cattleman 31

BEEF AT HOME AND ABROAD CHINA’S BEEF IMPORTS MODERATE, SHIFT FROM AUSTRALIA from the U.S. Meat Export Federation Following more than two years of explosive growth, China’s beef imports may be plateauing. Last year China’s beef/beef variety meat imports totaled 317,119 metric tons (mt), up 1 percent compared to 2013. But monthly volumes were lower year-over-year from September through December. This trend continued in January, as imports declined 4 percent to 27,403 mt.

Although imports were seasonally lower in February (20,831 mt), this was an 8 percent increase from a year ago, pushing January-February imports slightly ahead of last year’s pace (48,234 mt, up 1 percent). USMEF expects beef imports for the remainder of this year to remain fairly steady with volumes reported in 2014.

“Last year China’s foodservice sector suffered its weakest year-overyear growth in recent history,” said Joel Haggard, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) senior vice president for the Asia Pacific. “Although conditions are improving this year and growth is strong in some areas, overall there is still not a lot of momentum. This is reflected in China’s beef and mutton prices, which are still high but definitely showing a downward trend.”

U.S. beef still lacks access to China, as the market never reopened following the December 2003 BSE case. When China’s beef imports began to surge in the second half of 2012, Australia was its dominant supplier. In 2013, Australia captured 52 percent of China’s imported beef market, with Uruguay a distant second at 25 percent.

Australia’s market share began to decline, however, after China began enforcing its hormone ban in May 2014, requiring documentation that Australian beef was derived from nonhormone-treated cattle. In the first two months of 2015, Uruguay and Australia 32 California Cattleman May 2015

each captured about 35 percent of the market, with China reporting imports of just over 17,000 mt from each country. Although imports trended higher from New Zealand (6,195 mt, up 14 percent), Argentina surpassed New Zealand as China’s third-largest supplier as imports from Argentina more than doubled (6,643 mt, up 135 percent).

“With Australia’s beef supplies expected to tighten significantly this year due to herd rebuilding, we expect China’s imports to continue to shift in favor of South American suppliers,” Haggard said.

China is now Uruguay’s largest beef export market and ranks No. 3 for Argentina, following Russia and Hong Kong. China also reported imports from Canada of 767 mt through February, down 65 percent from the same period last year. China’s imports of Canadian beef were suspended on Feb. 27 due to the recent classical BSE case reported in Canada.

Brazil is reportedly close to regaining access to China, but the market has been closed to Brazilian

beef since Brazil’s first BSE case was announced in December 2012.

Two Mexican beef plants have also been approved for export to China, and Ireland announced in February that China had lifted its ban on beef imports from that country, Chinese data has yet to show imports from the two additional suppliers.

China’s domestic beef production may be getting a boost from the culling of dairy animals, due in part to the steep decline in China’s dairy product prices over the past year. Australia and New Zealand exported nearly 200,000 head of dairy breeding cattle to China in 2014, double the previous year’s number. While there are some signs of investment in the beef sector, China is expected to remain reliant on imports to meet its growing beef demand.

Although not reflected in official data, USMEF analysis shows that China’s beef production has declined over the past few years, which helped fuel the surge in imports that began in 2012.

FIGURE 1. CHINA’S BEEF AND VARIETY MEATS IMPORTS

YOUR COMPLETE MARKETING SERVICE ...

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TEMPLETON RECEIVING YARD:

4350 RAMADA DRIVE, TEMPLETON, CA (805) 434-8334

SALES EVERY WEDNESDAY

733 North Ben Maddox Way Visalia, CA 93292 (559) 625-9615

BUELLTON RECEIVING YARD:

OFF HWY 101 - 2201 JONATA PARK RD, BUELLTON,CA (805) 835-8990

Take advantage of our weekly live auctions in Visalia or our first-class Internet marketing service (for those with load lots) as well as order buying and great transportation services for our Central Coast customers.

WATCH SALES LIVE AT WWW.LMAAUCTIONS.COM

RANDY BAXLEY (559) 906-9760 • SAM AVILA (559) 799-3854 WWW.VISALIALIVESTOCK.COM

Also watch for daily cattle sale listings five days a week WWW.ROUNDUPCATTLE.COM, with live Internet auctions monthly.

May 2015 California Cattleman 33

COUNCIL COMMUNICATOR

CHECKING IN ON YOUR BEEF CHECKOFF dieticians get production perspective from the California Beef Council When it comes to providing a transparent and accurate portrayal of what it takes to get beef from the ranch or farm to one’s dinner plate, it’s no surprise that providing an up-close-andpersonal tour of a beef cattle operation is one of the best ways to do so.

In March, the California Beef Council (CBC) and Nebraska Beef Council teamed up to bring a group of high-level registered dietitians and nutritionists right to the barn for a close-up on beef production. A group of 45 registered dietitians from throughout the country joined the two beef councils and California seedstock producer Marcia (Kunde) Mickelson for a personalized tour of Sonoma Mountain Herefords in Kirkwood.

The registered dietitians who joined the tour were in the Napa area for the annual Food and Culinary Professionals (FCP) Culinary Workshop. FCP, which is a Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, works to develop food expertise throughout the dietetics profession in order to better shape the food choices and impact the nutritional status of the public.

Throughout the conference, attendees were able to participate in a variety of sessions dealing with

agriculture, specifically beef. The tour of Sonoma Mountain Herefords was one way the conference organizers, through close coordination with the California and Nebraska Beef Councils, provided attendees an opportunity to have a conversation with the very farmers and ranchers who grow and raise America’s food.

During the tour, participants got an up-close look at how a seedstock operation works, along with a detailed overview of various aspects of raising and producing beef. Mike Smith, chair of the CBC and representative of Harris Ranch, Coalinga, was also on hand for the tour, providing valuable perspective and insight on multiple sectors of the beef production process that occur once cattle leave a seedstock operation such as Sonoma Mountain Herefords.

Smith also joined Mickelson in discussing the sustainability of beef production and how the industry as a whole has improved over time to lessen its environmental impact and increase its overall efficiency.

James Winstead and Mitch Rippe, nutrition experts for the California and Nebraska Beef Councils, also discussed beef ’s nutritional profile and the growing body of evidence that

Marcia Mickelson describes the role of a seedstock operation within the beef production process to registered dieticians.

34 California Cattleman May 2015

supports beef ’s critical role in a healthy diet. This portion of the tour came during a tasting of beef sliders paired with wines from the Kunde Family Estate – the other agricultural venture Kunde Mickelson and her family have operated for generations.

According to Winstead, partnering with the FCP for this ranch tour was an important way to deliver the beef community’s message to key influencers. “Our work with FCP provides elite and influential registered dietitians an opportunity to learn about beef producers’ work, way of life, and the delicious and nutritious food they produce. It also gives a group of health influencers a powerful story to share with their clients and patients when questions about beef and cattle production arise, as well as help them feel more comfortable recommending beef and adding more beef options to their school or health care facility

Jamie Mickelson gives tour participants an up-close look at how cattle are raised at Sonoma Mountain Herefords.

menus.”

In addition to the tour, FCP conference attendees had other opportunities to learn about the beef industry. The day after visiting Sonoma Mountain Herefords, conference attendees listened to an insightful presentation by Kim StackhouseLawson, Ph.D., executive director of beef sustainability for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

Stackhouse-Lawson spoke about the continuous improvement of balancing efficient agricultural production with environmental, social and economic attributes, highlighting key facts about how the beef industry specifically has improved over time.

The CBC also organized a beef and wine pairing demonstration for FCP attendees. The event was held at Cakebread Cellars, and included a variety of specially crafted beef plates provided by Executive Chef Dave Zino of NCBA that were paired with Cakebread Cellars wines. The event provided attendees with a glimpse of some creative (and delicious) ways to prepare beef, giving this group of culinary dietitians some helpful ideas as they return to their daily practices.

“For this group of culinary and dietetic influencers, we wanted to showcase some innovative and unconventional ways to pair beef and wine in order to foster ideas for their own dishes when they return to their practices,” said Christie Van Egmond, Director of Foodservice and Retail Marketing. “We took some of our popular large batch recipes from www. beeffoodservice.com, and worked with Chef Dave Zino to customize them for this group and make the recipes more user-friendly for home use. The result was a delicious combination of wine and beef that gave attendees some food for thought for their future menu items.”

Be sure to check out the recipe for Catalan Steak Sandwiches that was provided to the attendees. This was served bruschetta-style and paired with a 2013 Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc. Who said beef couldn’t be paired with white wine? Light, fresh flavors of this beef recipe paired wonderfully with a cool, crisp, refreshing splash of the Sauvignon Blanc.

Influencer Education on the Horizon

Continuing with the theme of providing influencers with behind-thescenes tours of beef production, the CBC is holding a Pasture to Plate Beef Tour for influential chefs, foodservice industry representatives and registered dietitians later this spring. The tour, taking place at a variety of operations throughout the Central Valley, will

provide attendees with a chance to view every aspect of the beef industry – from cow-calf, to feed yard, to auction market, and lastly, to the packer. Stay tuned for more on this educational event in an upcoming CBC update!

Keep up with your Beef Checkoff by visiting www.calbeef.org, www. mybeefcheckoff.org, or signing up for the CBC’s monthly producer update, the CBC Roundup. E-mail jill@calbeef. org to be added to our e-mail list.

Mike Smith, CBC Chair and Harris Ranch representative, was also on hand to share insight about the overall beef production process, as well as share details about how the industry as a whole has evolved over the decades to respond to consumer demand as well as environmental factors.

Catalan Steak Sandwich Time: 40 to 45 minutes • Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS Tomato Cruda

1 cup Diced Tomatoes 1 tablespoon Olive Oil 2 teaspoons Julienned Orange Peel 1½ teaspoons White Balsamic Vinegar 1 teaspoon Julienned Lemon Peel 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Basil ½ teaspoon Minced Fresh Oregano ¼ teaspoon Minced Garlic 2 New York Strip Steaks 4 pieces rustic bread cut 1/2-inch thick 4 garlic cloves 4 ripe tomatoes cut in half ¼ cup Basil, chiffonade ¼ cup Balsamic Syrup ¼ cup Basil Oil (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Gently mix together all Catalan Tomato Cruda ingredients. Let sit 30 minutes before using.

2. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat 11 to 15 minutes to medium rare or desired doneness. Carve across grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.

3. Brush bread slices with olive oil; grill until lightly toasted. Rub each slice with one garlic clove and cut side of one tomato half. Fan steak across bread and top evenly with Catalan Tomato Cruda. Garnish with basil chiffonade; drizzle sandwiches and plates with balsamic syrup and basil oil.

May 2015 California Cattleman 35

RANGELAND TRUST TALK bay area ranch haven for threatened species is protected in perpetuity from the California Rangeland Trsut Who would ever think the threatened California tiger salamander would depend upon cattle to thrive?

In a unique mitigation easement, an 85-acre stretch of upland habitat environment for the California tiger salamander on the Koopmann Ranch in Sunol will be protected in perpetuity, thanks to a partnership between the Koopmann family, Westervelt Ecological Services, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the California Rangeland Trust.

The 85-acre easement surrounds a pond on the Koopmann Ranch that is known as a fertile breeding ground for the federally threatened California tiger salamander. Because of habitat loss and destruction, cattle ranches that remain undeveloped, like the Koopmann Ranch, have become vital for the survival of the California tiger salamander species and others.

Scientists have found that grazed land is beneficial for the little amphibians, creating a symbiotic relationship between cattle and tiger salamander that allows the salamanders to successfully breed and avoid predators.

Mitigation is a term for a type of conservation easement. When mitigation easements are used, it is to conserve a specific habitat in response

36 California Cattleman May 2015

to impacts on that habitat in another area. These easements are often funded by the business community, conserving the habitat in perpetuity.

The Koopmann Ranch was the ideal place to conserve California tiger salamander habitat because it is also home to a breeding pond for the amphibians that is protected by another 31-acre easement, also held by California Rangeland Trust. The two easements together create a contiguous 116-acre stretch of habitat that will be forever protected as a thriving breeding ground for the threatened species.

“This agreement is a prime example of how we can work with the business community to ensure open rangeland habitats critical to the health and well being of California are protected,” said Nita Vail, chief executive officer for California Rangeland Trust. “Ranchers like Tim Koopmann are responsible caretakers of the water, plants and animals that live on their land. By protecting our rangelands, we protect our quality of life.”

The 850-acre Koopmann Ranch has been in operation since 1918.

Located in the Bay Area between a golf course and Interstate 680 and near a number of small ranches, the ranch is a sanctuary for many endangered

and threatened species including the Viola (Johnny-Jump-Up) wildflower, California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog, and the Callippe silverspot butterfly. A fourth generation rancher, Tim Koopmann employs managed grazing and progressive water conservation practices to protect the land, plants and animals while maintaining the family cattle operation.

Tiger salamanders live most of their lives underground, traveling through burrows in upland habitat for up to one mile to breed in ponds.

Grazing by cattle helps lower the vegetation levels to a level optimal for California tiger salamander. Livestock also affect pond turbidity, which helps the amphibians avoid predation and raises nutrient levels so the algae they feed on can grow.

“As a kid, I remember going to the pond and being fascinated by the salamanders that were there,” said Koopmann, who has lived on the ranch his entire life and is a leader in ranch conservation. “Our ranch is healthy open space where all animals, big and small, can do what they were intended to do. Thanks to this agreement, we can give the California tiger salamander a chance to come back as a thriving species. “

NO NO NO CONFINING

As individuals and companies who benefit from the sale of products and services that ranchers need, the CCA Allied Industry Council is a group striving to give back to the industry that provides their livelihood.

Through scholarship funds and program sponsorship, the Allied Industry Council is continually giving back to the beef industry. CCA has listed below the companies which are currently represented on the Allied Industry Council.

Agrilabs Bar Ale Feed Co. MWI Veterinary Supply Newport Labs Mill Station Veterinary Service MultiMin USA Inc Pacific Coast Renderers Association Curtis Custom Feeders Bayer Animal Health Easton Ag Consulting Foster Commodities Cargill Beef Steve Gardner Monsanto New Generation Feed Farmers Livestock Market, Inc. Hearst Corporation Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Producers Livestock Marketing Association Kovac Ranch Equipment Kunafin Lander Vet Clinic-ET Loomix California, Inc. Laird Mfg LLC McCune Cattle Micro Nunes Farms Ferndale Veterinary, Inc. Umpqua Bank Allflex USA Ridley Block Operations Westway Feed Products Stanislaus Farm Supply Global Animal Products, Inc. Zinpro Corporation Trailhead Designs & Marketing Dr. Amanda Wright Yosemite Farm Credit Zoetis For more information on the Allied Industry Council, or to join, contact Lisa Pherigo at (916) 444-0845 or by-mail at lisa@calcattlemen.org.

STRESS

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Check with your animal health supplier for availability. AgriLabs and AiM-L are trademarks of Agri Laboratories Ltd. VetGun is a trademark of SmartVet. Š 2014 All rights reserved. AIML033130P345MVA

California Cattleman 4.75" x 10"

HANDLING

Baxter Black with his cows using his VetGunTM

Due to the pub: 4-3-15 May 2015 California Cattleman 37

Today’s date: February 18, 2015 9:5

38 California Cattleman May 2015

Duane Lenz, Cattle-Fax Steve Kay, Cattle Buyers Weekly Vern Crowder Lawrence Yates, Ph.D.,USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Annette Jones, DVM, California State Veterinarian Mike Apley, Ph.D., Kansas State University Cameron Bruett, JBS Chuck Pirie, Safety in Sight, LLC Kenneth Eng, Ph.D., nutristionist and consultant John Lundeen, National Cattlemen’s Beef Assocation Jimmy Maxey, Cattlemen’s Beef Board Ed Avalos, USDA Congressman David Valadao

Some of This Year’s Topics Beef Industry Overview and Outlook The Future of Antibiotics USDA Grading Standards and Future Changes Feedlot Safety Antimicrobial Research & the Impact of Cattle on Human Health Beef Sustainability: Meeting the Growing Global Demand What Does the Consumer Want? What Drives Buying Choices?

A Special Thank You To these title sponsors and all of our 2015 Feeder meeting Sponsors

May 2015 California Cattleman 39

Extended-Release Injectable Parasiticide 5% Sterile Solution NADA 141-327, Approved by FDA for subcutaneous injection For the Treatment and Control of Internal and External Parasites of Cattle on Pasture with Persistent Effectiveness CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

INDICATIONS FOR USE LONGRANGE, when administered at the recommended dose volume of 1 mL per 110 lb (50 kg) body weight, is effective in the treatment and control of 20 species and stages of internal and external parasites of cattle: Gastrointestinal Roundworms Lungworms Dictyocaulus viviparus Bunostomum phlebotomum – Adults and L4 – Adults Cooperia oncophora – Adults and L4 Cooperia punctata – Adults and L4 Cooperia surnabada – Adults and L4 Haemonchus placei – Adults Grubs Hypoderma bovis Oesophagostomum radiatum – Adults Ostertagia lyrata – Adults Ostertagia ostertagi – Adults, L4, and inhibited L4 Trichostrongylus axei – Adults and L4 Mites Trichostrongylus colubriformis – Adults Sarcoptes scabiei var. bovis Parasites Gastrointestinal Roundworms Bunostomum phlebotomum Cooperia oncophora Cooperia punctata Haemonchus placei Oesophagostomum radiatum Ostertagia lyrata Ostertagia ostertagi Trichostrongylus axei Lungworms Dictyocaulus viviparus

Durations of Persistent Effectiveness 150 days 100 days 100 days 120 days 120 days 120 days 120 days 100 days

SEASON-LONG PARASITE CONTROL • 15,000 HEAD • 9 STATES

+28 POUNDS AVERAGE Looks like our secret is out.

LONGRANGE averaged 0.28 lbs./day more Average Daily Gain (ADG)1 2.5 lbs.

Difference ADG 0.24*

2 lbs.

1.5 lbs.

1.93

Difference ADG 0.40 2.33 1.93

1.69

Difference ADG 0.30* 1.84

2.07

2.14 1.79

1 lb. .5 lb.

0 lb.

150 days

DECTOMAX/ivermectin Pour-on

Conventional Dewormers

Combinations

All Study

*Statistically significant

LONGRANGE

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin) should be given only by subcutaneous injection in front of the shoulder at the recommended dosage level of 1 mg eprinomectin per kg body weight (1 mL per 110 lb body weight).

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Withdrawal Periods and Residue Warnings Animals intended for human consumption must not be slaughtered within 48 days of the last treatment.

This drug product is not approved for use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, including dry dairy cows. Use in these cattle may cause drug residues in milk and/or in calves born to these cows.

A withdrawal period has not been established for pre-ruminating calves.

Do not use in calves to be processed for veal.

Animal Safety Warnings and Precautions The product is likely to cause tissue damage at the site of injection, including possible granulomas and necrosis. These reactions have disappeared without treatment. Local tissue reaction may result in trim loss of edible tissue at slaughter.

Observe cattle for injection site reactions. If injection site reactions are suspected, consult your veterinarian. This product is not for intravenous or intramuscular use. Protect product from light. LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin) has been developed specifically for use in cattle only. This product should not be used in other animal species.

When to Treat Cattle with Grubs LONGRANGE effectively controls all stages of cattle grubs. However, proper timing of treatment is important. For the most effective results, cattle should be treated as soon as possible after the end of the heel fly (warble fly) season.

Environmental Hazards Not for use in cattle managed in feedlots or under intensive rotational grazing because the environmental impact has not been evaluated for these scenarios.

Other Warnings: Underdosing and/or subtherapeutic concentrations of extendedrelease anthelmintic products may encourage the development of parasite resistance. It is recommended that parasite resistance be monitored following the use of any anthelmintic with the use of a fecal egg count reduction test program.

TARGET ANIMAL SAFETY Clinical studies have demonstrated the wide margin of safety of LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin). Overdosing at 3 to 5 times the recommended dose resulted in a statistically significant reduction in average weight gain when compared to the group tested at label dose. Treatment-related lesions observed in most cattle administered the product included swelling, hyperemia, or necrosis in the subcutaneous tissue of the skin. The administration of LONGRANGE at 3 times the recommended therapeutic dose had no adverse reproductive effects on beef cows at all stages of breeding or pregnancy or on their calves.

Not for use in bulls, as reproductive safety testing has not been conducted in males intended for breeding or actively breeding. Not for use in calves less than 3 months of age because safety testing has not been conducted in calves less than 3 months of age.

STORAGE Store at 77° F (25° C) with excursions between 59° and 86° F (15° and 30° C).

Protect from light.

Made in Canada.

Manufactured for Merial Limited, Duluth, GA, USA. ®LONGRANGE and the Cattle Head Logo are registered trademarks of Merial. ©2013 Merial. All rights reserved.

1050-2889-02, Rev. 05/2012

Comparing more than 15,000 head in nine states, stockers treated once for parasites with LONGRANGE gained an average of 28 lbs. more over DECTOMAX® (doramectin), CYDECTIN® (moxidectin), SAFE-GUARD® (fenbendazole) and ivermectin-treated cattle – even when used in combination over 103 days.1 And at today’s market prices, that adds up to an extra $56 per head. Not bad for around a $5 investment.

If you want results like this, talk to your veterinarian about LONGRANGE or visit theLONGRANGElook.com.

Watch for a chance to win a

JOHN DEERE® GATOR

Scan to watch video and enter, or go to theLONGRANGElook.com/cc54.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Do not treat within 48 days of slaughter. Not for use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, including dry dairy cows, or in veal calves. Postinjection site damage (e.g., granulomas, necrosis) can occur.

These reactions have disappeared without treatment.

®JOHN DEERE is a registered trademark, and ™GATOR is a trademark, of Deere & Company. Deere & Company neither sponsors nor endorses this promotion. ®LONGRANGE and the Cattle Head Logo are registered trademarks of Merial.

All other marks are the property of their respective owners. ©2015 Merial Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. RUMIELR1455-B (01/15)

Difference ADG 0.28*

Thanks to LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin), parasite control will never be the same.

Available in 500 mL, 250 mL and 50 mL bottles.

Administer subcutaneously at 1 mL/110 lbs.

40 California Cattleman May 2015

1

Data on file at Merial.

2

Dependent upon parasite species, as referenced in FOI summary and LONGRANGE product label.

3

LONGRANGE product label.

®

150 mg/mL ANTIMICROBIAL

(gamithromycin)

NADA 141-328, Approved by FDA

For subcutaneous injection in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle only.

Not for use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older or in calves to be processed for veal.

Caution: Federal (USA) law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

READ ENTIRE BROCHURE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS PRODUCT. INDICATIONS ZACTRAN is indicated for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle. ZACTRAN is also indicated for the control of respiratory disease in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida.

CONTRAINDICATIONS As with all drugs, the use of ZACTRAN is contraindicated in animals previously found to be hypersensitive to this drug.

WHEN THE QUESTION IS PROFITABILITY,

WARNING: FOR USE IN CATTLE ONLY. NOT FOR USE IN HUMANS. KEEP THIS AND ALL DRUGS OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. NOT FOR USE IN CHICKENS OR TURKEYS. The material safety data sheet (MSDS) contains more detailed occupational safety information. To report adverse effects, obtain an MSDS or for assistance, contact Merial at 1-888-637-4251.

RESIDUE WARNINGS: Do not treat cattle within 35 days of slaughter. Because a discard time in milk has not been established, do not use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older. A withdrawal period has not been established for this product in pre-ruminating calves. Do not use in calves to be processed for veal.

PRECAUTIONS The effects of ZACTRAN on bovine reproductive performance, pregnancy, and lactation have not been determined. Subcutaneous injection of ZACTRAN may cause a transient local tissue reaction in some cattle that may result in trim loss of edible tissues at slaughter.

the answer is ZACTRAN® (gamithromycin).

ADVERSE REACTIONS Transient animal discomfort and mild to moderate injection site swelling may be seen in cattle treated with ZACTRAN.

THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR BRD. Give subcutaneously at 2 mL/110 lbs.

When you see lightweight, long-haul new arrivals come off the truck, there’s no time to waste.

ZACTRAN delivers rapid onset1 and 10-day duration2 against the most prevalent causes of BRD in a single dose.3,4 And most cattle stayed healthy with ZACTRAN, which can

mean fewer retreatments5 – and healthier margins. Talk to your veterinarian about prescription ZACTRAN. It’s exZACTly right for lightweight, long-haul calves on arrival.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: For use in cattle only. Do not treat cattle within 35 days of slaughter. Because a discard time in milk has not been established, do not use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, or in calves to be processed for veal. The effects of ZACTRAN on bovine reproductive performance, pregnancy and lactation have not been determined.

Sifferman RL, Wolff WA, Holste JE, et al. Field efficacy evaluation of gamithromycin for treatment of bovine respiratory disease in cattle at feedlots. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med. 2011;9(2):171-180.

Lechtenberg K, Daniels CS, Royer GC, et al. Field efficacy study of gamithromycin for the control of bovine respiratory disease in cattle at high risk of developing the disease. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med. 2011;9(2):189-197.

3 ZACTRAN product label.

4 Kahn, CM. Merck Veterinary Manual. 10th edition. 2010:1319.

5 Van Donkersgoed J, Merrill JK. A comparison of tilmicosin to gamithromycin for on-arrival treatment of bovine respiratory disease in feeder steers. Bovine Practitioner. 2012;46(1):46-51.

1 2

EFFECTIVENESS The effectiveness of ZACTRAN for the treatment of BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Histophilus somni was demonstrated in a field study conducted at four geographic locations in the United States. A total of 497 cattle exhibiting clinical signs of BRD were enrolled in the study. Cattle were administered ZACTRAN (6 mg/kg BW) or an equivalent volume of sterile saline as a subcutaneous injection once on Day 0. Cattle were observed daily for clinical signs of BRD and were evaluated for clinical success on Day 10. The percentage of successes in cattle treated with ZACTRAN (58%) was statistically significantly higher (p<0.05) than the percentage of successes in the cattle treated with saline (19%).

The effectiveness of ZACTRAN for the treatment of BRD associated with M. bovis was demonstrated independently at two U.S. study sites. A total of 502 cattle exhibiting clinical signs of BRD were enrolled in the studies.

Cattle were administered ZACTRAN (6 mg/kg BW) or an equivalent volume of sterile saline as a subcutaneous injection once on Day 0. At each site, the percentage of successes in cattle treated with ZACTRAN on Day 10 was statistically significantly higher than the percentage of successes in the cattle treated with saline (74.4% vs. 24% [p <0.001], and 67.4% vs. 46.2% [p = 0.002]). In addition, in the group of calves treated with gamithromycin that were confirmed positive for M. bovis (pre-treatment nasopharyngeal swabs), there were more calves at each site (45 of 57 calves, and 5 of 6 calves) classified as successes than as failures.

The effectiveness of ZACTRAN for the control of respiratory disease in cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida was demonstrated in two independent studies conducted in the United States. A total of 467 crossbred beef cattle at high risk of developing BRD were enrolled in the study. ZACTRAN (6 mg/kg BW) or an equivalent volume of sterile saline was administered as a single subcutaneous injection within one day after arrival. Cattle were observed daily for clinical signs of BRD and were evaluated for clinical success on Day 10 post-treatment. In each of the two studies, the percentage of successes in the cattle treated with ZACTRAN (86% and 78%) was statistically significantly higher (p = 0.0019 and p = 0.0016) than the percentage of successes in the cattle treated with saline (36% and 58%).

Marketed by Merial Limited 3239 Satellite Blvd., Duluth, GA 30096-4640 U.S.A. Made in Austria

WWW.ZACTRAN.COM ®ZACTRAN is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. ©2012 Merial Limited. All rights reserved. Rev. 03/2012

®ZACTRAN is a registered trademark of Merial. ©2014 Merial, Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. RUMIOTD1301-C (03/13)

May 2015 California Cattleman 41

STEERING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Innovations Allow Beef Industry to Freeze Carbon Footprint, Save Resources from Elanco Animal Health Growth of the world population and new entrants to the middle class will cause demand for meat, milk and eggs to increase worldwide. By 2050, average per capita beef consumption will increase slightly from 182 grams (6.4 ounces) per week to 194 grams (6.8 ounces). To meet this increased demand, global beef production will need to increase by 43 percent.

This will be possible through the use of farming innovations and best practices that will allow farmers and ranchers around the world to produce more beef with fewer resources—meeting global demand, while freezing the industry’s environmental footprint.

If innovation is frozen at 2010 levels, farmers and ranchers will need to raise 710 million additional cattle and water buffalo to meet 2050 demand. To raise more cattle and water buffalo without improved farming best practices, especially in developing countries, farmers and ranchers would need to increase their use of grazed forage and water by 43 percent.

With continued improvement for farming practices, such as better year-round nutrition and improved breeding and genetic selection, fewer than 1.7 billion cattle and water buffalo will be needed to provide adequate global beef supplies. This is nearly the same size as today’s global herd of cattle and water buffalo, which is approximately 1.68 billion. More importantly, the beef industry can freeze its environmental footprint to 2010 levels.

According to Elanco’s analysis as part of its 2014 Food Forward reporting, continued innovation in 2050 compared to frozen innovation in 2050 will lead to significant savings, including: • Saving 2.48 trillion liters (655 billion gallons) of water • Saving 5.6 billion metric tonnes (6.2 billion tons) of grazed forage “The ability to freeze the environmental footprint of beef production represents a game-changing milestone for the industry,” said Rob Aukerman, President, North American Commercial Operations at Elanco. “As demand for beef and other animal proteins rises, investment in farming best practices becomes crucial. With that investment, we can provide the beef demanded by consumers around the world while preserving land and water resources.”

As the world population surpasses 9 billion people as estimated in 2050, increased demand for beef will be driven by the estimated 3 billion people expected to join the middle class who will be able to afford to add meat, milk and eggs to their diets.

“With improved knowledge of farming best practices and increased access to innovations for animal health, producers can focus on efficient production methods to provide consumers across the globe with the quality, nutrient-rich food they want and deserve,” said Aukerman. “Elanco aims to equip these farmers and ranchers with the innovative products, services and expertise needed to do so.”

42 California Cattleman May 2015

• With innovation we will have enough beef by 2050. All with 682 million fewer cattle than otherwise needed, 6.2 billion tons less forage, 655 billion gallons less water.

• Continued innovation will mean we can raise fewer than 1.7 billion cattle by 2050 yet raise 43 percent more beef.

• Today we have 1.67 billion beef cattle. Without innovation we will need an estimated 2.38 billion by 2050 to meet demand.

When you need it, you need it .

Animal Health International.

Animal Health International, providing California and Arizona Cattlemen: • Vaccines, antibiotics, dewormers, and other animal health products • Micronutrient feeding machines and supplements • Feed lot management and accounting systems • Reproductive supplies and cow/calf health products To reach any of our 6 California and Arizona distribution centers, please call 1-800-854-7664

animalhealthinternational.com | 800-854-7664

May 2015 California Cattleman 43

In the Cool of Spring, Plan For the Heat of Summer

by Miranda Reiman, industry information assistant director, Certified Angus Beef As soon as the planters are in the shed, the crew at Weborg Feeding Co. near Pender, Neb., will unpack the shades in preparation for summer in the yard.

The 16 portable tarp systems they’ve purchased in the last two years are just one more step in their effort to minimize heat stress on finished animals.

“Shades have been a great addition, another tool for the toolbox,” says Tyler Weborg, who co-manages the 25,000 head feedlot with his dad Kent. “I wouldn’t say they’re a cure all, but they’ve worked in combination with sprinklers.”

The family consulted with Terry Mader, retired Nebraska beef Extension specialist, to develop a plan for dealing with the problem days: the hot, humid and still. He says shade is just one of the many management and facility options producers have to help their animals through those times.

“You really shouldn’t go into the summer without a heat mitigation plan,” says Mader, who recently summarized decades of research into, “Guidelines for Managing Heat Stress in Feedyard Cattle.”

The best management practices, developed for Certified Angus Beef LLC, can be found at www.cabpartners.com/ educators.

“All cattle, of all sizes, shapes and kinds can be under heat stress,” he says. “It’s a continuum where the blacks and dark reds will absorb the most solar radiation but the whites absorb some, too. And all of those things are confounded with body condition, hair coat and feed intake.”

Similarly, there is no single solution.

“There is a low probability that just one thing is going to be the sole solution, but it will take the edge off,” Mader says. “Shade is a good one. It certainly will eliminate the most severe part of the heat load, but you have to understand that there are more things you can do to keep the animals comfortable. You can pick and choose. You don’t have to do them all, but these are the things at your disposal.”

Other suggestions include moving processing times to cooler times of day, wetting portions of the pen’s surface or using sprinklers, and altering feeding schedule or ration.

“If you do at least one thing, it’s better than nothing,” he says, “but if you can do two or three things, then you have a greater chance of minimizing that impact and maintaining the cattle on feed.”

For the Weborgs, portable options allow them to place relief in the pens at highest risk, like those with animals 44 California Cattleman May 2015

closest to marketing.

“The combination of the shade and sprinklers gets the cattle spread out and gives them a chance to move between the sprinkler, the bunk, the tank and back to the tank,” Weborg says. “In observing them, they rotate in and out.”

Although there is an initial investment, he says “shades pay for themselves pretty quickly” when figuring lost gain and other potential health problems associated with heat stress.

Mader also notes decreased dark cutters and quality grade impacts with cooling strategies.

“We did see some hard numbers on our performance, where in years previous cattle maybe went off feed, but with the shade and sprinklers, it seemed like they stayed more consistent,” Weborg says. “They were more comfortable and they continued to eat throughout the day.”

That appetite is a good sign.

“There is climatic and metabolic heat stress, and one of the main mechanisms the animal will have is that he’ll just stop eating so that he can drop that metabolic heat load,” Mader says.

If cattle continue to eat, it’s a good indication that prevention measures are working and they’re able to dissipate heat, he says.

Mader suggests producers monitor the weather conditions carefully, poised with a plan to respond.

“If you need to have extra water space, have the tanks available and a mechanism to fill them,” he offers as an example.

Seventy degrees. That’s a critical number for Weborg.

“If the temperature doesn’t get below 70 degrees overnight and through the early morning, cattle don’t have a chance to cool off,” he says. “You keep an eye on cattle movement. If cattle start milling around, looking for air, you better get a plan in place and keep ahead of them.”

Humidity and air flow are other significant variables to watch.

It would be easier if there was a one-size-fits-all approach, Mader says, “but when you’re dealing with an external environment you have no control of, that’s a variable component you have to be aware of relative to the welfare of the animal.”

In the feeding belt, most of the “heat events” occur from July 1 to August 15. Although true heat emergencies are somewhat rare, Weborg says it’s important for both themselves and their feeding customers to know they’re prepared.

“We try to do the best job we can,” he says

â&#x201E;˘

May 2015 California Cattleman 45

SEEKING SOLUTIONS by managing editor Stevie Ipsen Though it was just over a year ago that Imperial Valley feedlot operators experienced the closing of their local National Beef packing facility in Brawley, the stress to the local community has been far reaching.

In addition to leaving local feedyard operators without a kill plant within the Imperial Valley, the area lost their largest single employer and over 1,000 jobs.

At the announcement of the plant’s closure, California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) Feeder Council members and CCA staff and officers were left scrambling to do whatever was necessary to keep the plant from closing. From pleading with Kansas City-based National Beef to keep the plant open to searching for a buyer for the plant, there was no shortage of work being done by feeders who remembered all to well the pre-2000 challenges that came with shipping slaughter cattle out of the area to be harvested.

“The processing plant closure here in the Imperial Valley left us without a market for all our production,” said California Feeder Council Chair Bill Brandenberg, El Cento, earlier this

46 California Cattleman May 2015

spring. “While the cattle owned last year made excellent profits, our feeding operations have taken a permanent hit that without slaughter facilities would be impossible to recover from. The fact that our basic discount has taken a huge hit due to the lack of processing capacity makes it very difficult to feed cattle to finish here in the desert southwest thereby reducing numbers on feed.”

In mid-2014, CCA staff and government agencies on both sides of the border began examining the possibility of moving cattle into Mexico to be slaughtered, an option that came with plenty of questions and no lack of scrutiny. Exporting live cattle to Mexico for slaughter was common practice prior to 2003 and the event that most cattlemen remember all too well, the discovery of a cow infected with Bovine Spongiform Encephlopathy (BSE) in the United States.

According to CCA Vice President of Government Affairs Justin Oldfield hundreds of phone conversations and multiple meetings took place in the Imperial Valley with multiple interests coming to the table to vet various solutions to the

slaughter facility crisis.

“When it was clear the plant wasn’t going to reopen in the near future, we started looking at other alternatives including packing plants south of the border where we were told there was considerable interest,” Brandenberg said. “After visiting some of those facilities ourselves, it was impressive to say the least. I, along with some of our Imperial Valley feeders, were excited to further explore what we felt would be a great long-term opportunity to reopen the border for trade between our cattle feeders and their packers. The drought and short supply of feeder cattle in Mexico have left many of the Mexican feed yards operating at less than full capacity.”

Oldfield said at that point CCA’s Feeder Council began to strongly consider pursuing the option of exporting cattle across the border for slaughter.

Thanks in part to the work done by Imperial Valley feeders and CCA, on April 13, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had recently

reached trade agreements allowing U.S. beef and pork producers greater access to consumers in Mexico and Peru. The two agreements announced on April 11 will allow U.S. producers to export slaughter cattle to Mexico and expand access to consumer markets in Peru for U.S. fresh and chilled pork.

“Our priority at USDA is not only to open or reopen markets for our producers, but help drive U.S. economic growth through trade by supporting nearly 1 million American jobs on and off the farm,” said Vilsack. “Mexico is an important market for U.S. cattle producers, with the potential to import $15 million of live U.S. cattle per year and we expect Peru’s market could generate $5 million annually in additional pork sales.”

The new market established in Mexicali adds strength to the market for Imperial Valley feeder cattle. Since the closure of the National Beef plant in Brawley, Imperial Valley feeders have established new and promising relationships with other prominent beef packers in the Southwest as well.

The opportunities in Mexicali provide one additional tool in the toolkit for Imperial Valley feeders to increase the competiveness of their cattle.

Jesse Larios, a manager at Foster Feed Yard, Brawley, said even though the news of the Mexican export deal was welcome news, it is important to emphasize that Imperial Valley feeders sill appreciate and depend on U.S. packers for getting beef to consumers.

“Having Mexico in our reach is a great benefit for several reasons,” Larios said. “We have a large number of Mexican cattle here in the valley that can’t be sent to the JBS Plant in Tolleson, Ariz., and if we wanted to send them somewhere in the U.S. for processing we would have to go to Texas or to Utah, which would kill us

in freight expense.”

Larios also said the Mexican consumer market is also different than the U.S. market. Mexico will take cattle at 1,000 pounds and in the U.S. packers won’t take them until 1,275 pounds.

“The bulk of the U.S. packers’ markets are geared to meet the needs of the U.S. consumer and Mexico’s market is geared toward the export market, offering full traceablity, and is also approved for Chinese export.

The agreement with Mexico was effective April 13 and will allow U.S. producers to export slaughter cattle to Mexico for the first time in over a decade. The USDA has been working with Mexico since 2008 to reopen this market and the final agreement was reached between USDA Undersecretary Ed Avalos and Enrique Sanchez-Cruz with SAGARPA during early April meetings in Washington, D.C. Another interesting item of note is that soon after the official press release on the export negotiations was released other news broke that the Brawley plant was being purchased

by One World Beef owned by local cattleman Eric Brandt.

“While more clearly needs to be done prior to the reopening of the plant in Brawley, we hope that it means California feedyard operators will have even more options in place to send cattle to harvest,” Brandenberg says. “As the deal moves forward, we wish Eric (Brandt) well in his endeavor as he has been a longtime supporter of CCA’s feeder council efforts, and we hope the Brawley facility will again be an option for all Imperial Valley feedyards.”

USDA has also conducted extensive negotiations with Peru’s Servicio National De Sanidad Agraria (SENASA) since 2012 to expand access for U.S. fresh, chilled pork and

pork products. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service export library will be updated to the new export requirements for these pork and pork products exports.

USDA continues its push to eliminate all remaining trade barriers to U.S. cattle and cattle products stemming from past detections of BSE. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service continues to work with its trading partners to ensure any unnecessary requirements for U.S. origin beef are eliminated. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) considers the United States’ to have negligible risk for BSE. This is OIE’s lowest risk category for this disease.

CCA and NCBA continue to push for science-based trade parameters to ensure that U.S. beef and live cattle are not discriminated against due to faulty information or misconceptions.

USDA continuously seeks opportunities for U.S. agricultural products and producers to expand access to overseas markets and contribute to a positive U.S. trade balance, to create jobs and to support economic growth.

The past six years have represented the strongest period for American agricultural exports in the history of our country. In fiscal year 2014 American farmers and ranchers exported a record $152.5 billion of food and agricultural products to consumers worldwide. In California alone, the export of beef products amounted to $436 million in 2013.

The economic benefit from those international markets purchasing U.S. beef resulted in cash receipts exceeding $5.7 billion for the same year.

Exporters and producers can find the required documents on the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service website or through their local Veterinary Services office.

May 2015 California Cattleman 47

FUTURE FOCUS Stepping Out Of The Comfort Zone

young cattlemen expand boundaries in sacramento

by CCA Associate Director of Communicatios and Young Cattlemen’s Committee Advisor Malorie Bankhead The California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) proudly hosted 23 California Young Cattlemen’s Committee (YCC) members in Sacramento on April 7-8 for the first annual Young Cattlemen on the Capitol event. Students representing Fresno State University (Fresno State), California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly, SLO), California State University, Chico (Chico State), University of California Berkley (UC Berkley) and young ranchers from Clovis and Salinas met in Sacramento to expand their knowledge of important issues in the beef industry and mingle with industry professionals and government officials. The group also represented an impressively diverse area of the US— including six different home states of California, Nevada, Montana, Oregon, Missouri and Texas.

The purpose of the event was multi-faceted. The students and young ranchers set goals to achieve over the course of the day including networking and building professional relationships, pushing themselves outside of their comfort zones, learning about important issues in the beef industry, gaining confidence in their communication efforts meeting appointed and elected officials.

The morning program took place in the CCA office where CCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Justin Oldfield, kicked off the day by clearly defining the governmental process before explaining how CCA becomes involved in that process.

Oldfield said it’s best to bring everyone to the table in order to achieve what CCA members have directed as CCA policy, “You have to be willing to compromise and work with legislators who will be champions for the beef industry,” Oldfield explained.

“Regardless of how they view things that don’t impact the beef industry.”

48 California Cattleman May 2015

CCA Director of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur met with the group and shared how CCA is involved in the regulatory arena and his how he works with regulatory agencies and their staff to keep Californian ranchers’ livelihoods protected. Those in attendance were able to discuss certain issues with Wilbur such as the Grazing Regulatory Action Project (GRAP), a topic he has spent a great deal of time working on over the past few months.

After learning about important issues impacting the beef industry in California, I offered tips to put that knowledge to action by encouraging YCC members to proactively tell their story before others tell it for them. When speaking with elected officials and consumers, it’s important to improve their perception and address inaccurate information with the truth so that you become a credible source for others.

Special guest Kirk Kimmelshue, chief of staff for Assemblymember Frank Bigelow (R- O’ Neals) was excited to see the next generation of the beef industry present at the event.

Kimmelshue, a Cal Poly, SLO alumni told the group they had already accomplished the first step of his advice by showing up.

When visiting with a legislator, Kimmmelshue says, “You may not change your elected official’s mind on an issue, but you will definitely leave an impression, and that’s ok.”

If that elected official has a question about the topic you came to discuss in the future, they will contact you for clarification, Kimmelshue said. You suddenly become their go-to, because you’re the one who came to help them make an informed decision.

Share your on-the-ground experiences. Let the staff member or the legislator whom you are meeting with know how the topic at hand

presents a challenge for you in your day-to-day work on the ranch. If the opportunity presents itself, invite the person you meet with to your ranch to expand your impact, but leave the jargon at home during your visit.

Keeping conversations simple for ease of understanding is best. Make your points clear and concise with limited industry vocabulary to limit confusion.

After lunch the group ventured to the Capitol building to attend a committee hearing and then moved onto the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) where they were met by California Undersecretary of Food and Agriculture Jim Houston. Houston spoke about his background with CDFA and the importance of putting a face to agriculture.

“The average consumer adamantly supports and trusts family farmers and ranchers,” Houston said.

“It’s up to you as the next generation to provide a trustworthy voice for

them to depend on.”

After coming back to the Capitol to meet with two assemblymembers, the group crossed paths with the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross, who shook each person’s hand and asked them where they were from before taking a photo with the group.

“It was neat to see how personable Secretary Ross was,” Ashley Budde, YCC chair and Fresno State student said. “She was as genuinely interested in meeting all of us as we were to shake hands with her.”

The group also met with Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Nicolaus), whose family grows rice in Colusa County. Assemblymember Gallagher said he’d love to be back on the farm helping out, but he developed an interest in policy and is doing what he can in his current position representing the 3rd district of California to help ensure that the livelihoods of his family and families like his are protected.

Assemblymember Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) also welcomed the group into his office and was pleased with the large group of young people who could articulate important truths about the subject that they are most passionate about.

Assemblymember Patterson explained how he makes a great effort to bring fellow elected officials with him on his trips home to Fresno to show them first-hand the agricultural diversity in the county. He said some of the trips helped persuade his fellow elected officials to expand their viewpoints of agriculture when it comes to making decisions that will impact the farmers and ranchers in the area. He praised the group for doing a lot of the same by attending an event like Young Cattlemen on the Capitol and actually acting on what had been taught by walking through the Capitol.

“Everyone in the beef industry has a story to tell,” Katie Stroud, Adin, past YCC Chair and Chico State student said. “This event helped us gain confidence in sharing our story and exercising our right to do so.”

The YCC would like to extend a thank you to the CCA Allied Industry for sponsoring this event to help grow young leaders in the California beef industry.

Future events like this one will continue to grow into a leadership program for young leaders in the California beef industry encompassing various segments of beef production, leadership training, communication skills and professional networking to prepare adept young professionals for their careers in the beef industry.

YCC members with CDFA Undersecretary Jim Houston.

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross takes a moment to speak with members and pose for a photo at the State Capitol.

YCC members in the office of agriculture-friendly Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Nicolaus) May 2015 California Cattleman 49

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IN MEMORY Gretchen Johnson

Gretchen Johnson, born Gretchen Ann Van Bevers, passed away March 27, 2015 surrounded by her family.

Gretchen was born in Tacoma, Wash. on July 20, 1941 to Richard and Josephine Van Bevers.

She spent her youth in Kalama, Wash. and attended Washington State University, joined the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and she studied languages and education. She spent a year in Berlin, Germany as an exchange student becoming fluent in the German language. She spent most of her career as a German teacher, and she started the AP German Language program at Fremont High School in San Jose.

Gretchen ended her professional career as an administrator in the district office.

Gretchen married Dr. Bert D. Johnson Sept. 8, 1984 and became an integral part of his activities in medicine and ranching in Northern California. Gretchen was a dedicated volunteer including service to Hospice, and as president of the California CattleWomen, Inc.. She also made several trips with the Stanford medical team to a remote Guatemalan missionary hospital with her husband Bert.Gretchen learned to ride horseback and rope and finished among the top teams in the Bolado Park team roping competition in Gilroy.

Gretchen is survived by her husband Bert Johnson, her sister Sally Radcliffe, nephew David Radcliffe, step-children Lynn Johnson, Leslie Johnson Kelsey, Bill Johnson, Charlie Johnson and grandchildren Heather Eady, Hillary Hays, Chris Anello, Nico Anello, Sean Johnson and Dustin Johnson.

Gretchen’s vibrant personality, beauty and grace, strength of character, radiant smile infectious laughter, love for all things with sparkle and shine, will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

Contributions to Hospital de la Familia Foundation P.O. Box 12981 Berkeley, CA 94712

56 California Cattleman May 2015

NEW ARRIVAL Weston James Mickelson Bobby and Heidi Mickelson, Glen Ellen, were excited to welcome a son, Weston James Mickelson on April 7.

He weighed in at 7 pounds and was 19 1/4 inches long. Grandparents are Jim and Marcia Mickelson, Santa Rosa, and George and Laurie Goss, Lincoln.

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Sage Grouse Species Will Not Receive Federal Protection After years of lobbying on behalf of ranchers throughout the country, CCA is pleased to announce that they Mono Basin sage grouse, found in in California and Nevada, no longer faces the threat of extinction and doesn’t require federal protection, according to the Interior Department.

The announcement, made on April 21, just months before the decision on whether to officially list other sage grouse as threatened or endangered in 11 Western states will be announced.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2013 proposal to list the bistate, Mono Basin sage grouse as no longer threatened is warranted because agreements with ranchers to conserve land and other improvements in the bird’s habitat have helped stabilize its population along the Sierra’s eastern front, according to USFWS officials and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.

“The threats are no longer of a magnitude that would require listing,” said Mary Grim, regional sage grouse

coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

‘Ted Koch, the agency’s supervisor for Nevada-California, agreed. “The enhanced understanding of the status of the subspecies is that it is stable — or closer to stable or increasing, than to declining,” he said.

The bistate population is separate from the greater sage grouse population, which also is under consideration for protection in Nevada, California and nine other states. The service has to make that court-ordered decision by Sept. 30 in a legal battle with conservationists that spans over 15 years.

Although the agency intends to make the decision on time, formal implementation of a listing for greater sage grouse currently is prohibited under a congressional rider attached to the department’s budget

by Western lawmakers who fear such action would trigger new restrictions on ranchers, energy exploration and other development of federal lands.

Jewell said in remarks on April 20 at the annoucement, made with with Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval in Reno, Nev., that the Department of the Interior will withdraw the proposal to declare the bistate population threatened.

Jason Weller, chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource and Conservation Service, said he believes the steps taken in Nevada and California should be used as a model to head off a potential listing of the greater sage grouse stretching across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Government scientists estimate 2,500 to 9,000 bistate sage grouse are spread across more than 7,000 square miles of sagebrush habitat straddling the Nevada-California line from Carson City to near Yosemite National Park.

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58 California Cattleman May 2015

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RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE TODAY IN THE

2015 BULL BUYERS GUIDE

CONTACT MATT MACFARLANE MMACFARLANE@WILDBLUE.NET • (916) 803-3113 DEADLINE: JUNE 5, 2015 May 2015 California Cattleman 59

Would you give away $20,000?

You might be without even knowing it ...

For nearly a decade, we’ve tested every sale bull for residual feed intake (RFI). RFI measures the difference between an animal’s actual feed intake in relation to the amount of feed the animal is expected to eat.

Thus, RFI allows selection for animals that will reach the same level of growth, yet do so by consuming up to 20% less feed.

With pasture and feed costs accounting for nearly 70% of the cost of running cattle, it’s easy to see how selecting for feed efficient genetics can save you close to $140 per head from birth to harvest. If your average bull sires just 35 calves per year for four years, that’s almost $20,000 saved – on only one bull!

As production costs continue to spiral upward, we believe in offering our customers every opportunity to save money through enhanced genetics. Therefore, we don’t just provide the standard EPD and ultrasound information; we incur the added expense to provide you with Residual Feed Intake (RFI), Dry Matter Intake

(DMI) and Average Daily Gain (ADG) data on every bull in the sale. Additionally, every bull will be Zoetis HD 50K tested to generate more reliable genomicenhanced EPDs. At Byrd Cattle Company, we’re different than most purebred breeders. We breed cattle that are designed to excel in an environment with limited feed resources – leaving you efficient, moderately sized daughters that wean in excess of 50% of their body weight, while producing steers that will top the market, then gain, yield and grade with any in the industry.

We realize all the data in the world won’t tell you about things like attitude, udder quality, mothering ability, and the ability of a cow to wean a calf and breed back in a harsh environment – every year.

At BCC, these intangibles have a direct effect on the most important number of all – THE BOTTOM LINE OF OUR CUSTOMERS.

If you’re interested in making money, not giving it away, plan to join us Friday afternoon, September 4!

Mark Your Calendar for the 15th Annual

‘Enhanced Efficiency’ Angus Bull Sale at 3:30 p.m.

Friday, September 4

110 Bulls Sell All with the BCC Bull Buyers’ Bonus

All bulls sell Zoetis HD 50K tested with RFI, DMI and ADG data

Our famous BCC dinner and party will follow the sale!

E-mail byrdcattleco@hotmail.com or call 530-527-9036 to be added to our mailing list

BYRD CATTLE COMPANY, LLC P.O. Box 713 • Red Bluff, CA 96080

Dan 530-736-8470 • Ty 530-200-4054

THD ©

byrdcattleco@hotmail.com • www.byrdcattleco.com

60 California Cattleman May 2015