Protein Producers Fall 2020

2020 Volume 8 Issue 3 EDITORIAL TEAM: Brandi Bain, Darcy Howard, Lisa Taylor

SPONSORS Thank you to all sponsors for supporting PAC & Protein Producers.

American Animal Health Animal Health International Arm & Hammer Bimeda, Inc. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Chr. Hansen Daniels Manufacturing Co. Diamond V DOCTalk Elanco Animal Health Lallemand Animal Nutrition Merck Animal Health Micro Technologies Neogen Newport Laboratories Norbrook Vitalix, Inc. Zinpro Corporation Zoetis Front AND BACK COVER PHOTO CREDIT Thank you to Chelsea Deering for the photo from D&D Feedlot West in Proctor, Colorado. pacdvms.com

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K-Farms Gothenburg, Nebraska Photo Credit: Doug Keiser

2K Feeders Burns, Kansas Photo Credit: Laramie Siebert

We want to showcase unique photographs from our readers here!

Please submit your photographs to protein.producers@pacdvms.com.

WELCOME ••••••••••••••••• Welcome to the 2020 fall issue of Protein Producers. It has been quite some time since I have been asked to write this welcome. I think it may be because I am the humorous one of the PAC group and at times the most unpredictable with what I might say. With that said, I think it is appropriate to begin this issue with a joke. This is a blonde joke, and I am blonde myself, so please don’t take offense!

A blonde and a redhead have a ranch. They have just lost their bull. The women need to buy another, but they only have $500. The redhead tells the blonde, “I will go to the market and see if I can find one for under that amount.

If I can, I will send you a telegram.” She goes to the market and finds one for $499. Having only one dollar left, she goes to the telegraph office and finds out that it costs $1 per word. She is stumped on how to tell the blonde to bring the truck and trailer. Finally, she tells the telegraph operator to send the word “comfortable”.

Skeptical, the operator asks, “How will she know to come with the trailer from just that word?” The redhead replies, “She is a blonde, so she reads slow: ‘Come for ta bull.’”

I hope this brought a smile to your face during this time of elevated sensitivity. I always find that laughter and jokes brighten the day.

And now, on with the introduction. In this issue, we have a great lineup of topics and authors. I hope you find information that can elevate your understanding or help in your decision making.

Leadership is an area that I think we can all learn and continue improving in. In this issue, Dr. Nels Lindberg tackles the dreaded difficult conversations that we have all faced, outlining methods to make these difficult conversations successful. As a parent, I can honestly say I have had those conversations with my children and not all of mine have been successful, so I look forward to learning more on this topic.

Ted Howard will share some pointers on horsemanship.

I now am the proud owner of a beautiful 18-year-old mare that Patsy Houghton gave to me to ride and help retire.

This has allowed me to spend more time with Ted in the pasture or the pen. Every time I am with Ted, I learn something new or am able to refine my technique to be a better rider and stockman. No matter what your experience level is, the true professional is a forever student of their trade, and it is important to come to the table daily with the mindset to learn. Ted provides us the opportunity to do just that.

Chad Engle from the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) in Clay Center, Nebraska, will discuss early weaning nutrition and pasture management. You may have noticed or heard, in some parts of Nebraska, we have been drier this year than the last two years. I am not saying we are in a drought, but I am saying that our grass is an early discussion topic this summer. Many are exploring ways to wean the calf off early in an effort to continue utilizing pastures without over grazing or harming range health. In this article, Chad will discuss the experiences of the MARC and some of the strategies they are implementing to help sustain their pastures.

There will be several other interesting and valuable articles in this issue. If there are topics you would like to see covered in this magazine, I would encourage you to call or email your PAC veterinarian or the editors of this magazine and share your ideas.

In closing, I want to thank all of you that are involved in the business of agriculture for your courage, thoughts, and efforts in doing so much with so few people to nourish our communities, families, and friends locally and globally.

The seriousness of this business can drive a person crazy, so I find it uplifting to surround myself with positive people and friends. People that enjoying telling jokes and laughing without taking offense. People that can lean on history, find its value and learn from it. If it was good, let us build on it; if it was bad, let us not condemn it, but let us work hard to not repeat it.

Since I have many jokes (although some have been deemed inappropriate), I will close with one more: Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Officer asks a young engineer fresh out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “And what starting salary are you looking for?” The engineer replies, “In the region of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package.” The interviewer inquires, “Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks’ vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years, say, a red Corvette?” The engineer sits up straight and says, “Wow! Are you kidding?” The interviewer replies, “Yeah, but you started it.”

God Bless, stay positive, lead with courage and faith, and keep laughing!

Dr. Kip Lukasiewicz

CONtributors ••••••••••••••••••••••••• Chad Engle

POT ROAST

Chad Engle grew up in a diversified cattle and farming operation in Nebraska. He has spent the last 20 years in the cattle industry, working in a variety of capacities from sale barns and ranches to a 120,000 head Kansas feedyard before joining U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) in 2008. He is currently the Livestock Manager at USMARC, where they have cow-calf, feedlot, sheep, swine and horses. Chad also runs cows and operates a feedyard at home with his wife and two children.

We want to showcase the talented chefs that read our magazine. In this issue we are featuring Arturo and Wrenn Pacheco who run cattle in the Flint Hills of Kansas while also maintaining a fun and unique cooking blog which can be found at cookingwiththecowboy.com. If you have a recipe that you would like to feature in The Pot Roast section of the magazine, please email us at protein.producers@pacdvms.com. Our goal is to continue discovering recipes from agriculture’s finest.

PAUL KEITH

THANK YOU

Paul Keith lives on a farm south of Penokee, Kansas, that his grandfather from Scotland settled. He quit training horses for the public in the early 1990s and started working at the feedlot two miles from his home. He has been at a feedlot since then.

Paul has 4 sons and 11 grandkids and several great grandkids.

We want to thank the industry partners, publications and associations who have pro vided content to Protein Producers. Also, a big thank you to our readers for supporting us, offering content and helping us improve each issue. We could not do any of this without all of you!

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and information expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect Production Animal Consultation's policy or position.

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To subscribe to Protein Producers visit pacdvms.com and click on our Subscribe link!

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Follow us on Twitter @PACVets

FALL 2020 contents ••••••••••••••••• Welcome Dr. Kip Lukasiewicz

STEWARDSHIP

22.

Chuckles from Down Under

14. Developing Good Balance

26.

Chuckles from Down Under

39.

PAC Member Highlight: J. Oliver Irons, DVM

44.

Parable: Duct Tape & Twin

6.

10. The Feedlot Horse

COW-CALF 18. Early Weaning: Why, How and Results

INDUSTRY 51.

PAC Member Highlight: JD Folsom, DVM

53.

Chuckles from Down Under

54.

Newest PAC Members

24. Craftsman – Eldon Boyington, CJF 28. Dr. Dan Thomson Begins New Role at Iowa State University

LEADERSHIP 30. Achieving Successful Outcomes from Difficult Conversations

Advertisers •••••••••••••••••••• Arm & Hammer ..................................................12 Bimeda, Inc. .......................................................27

RESEARCH

Boehringer Ingelheim ..............Inside Front Cover

34. How Well Is Your Parasite Management Program Working?

Daniels Manufacturing Co. ...............................54

40. VS Is No BS – Considerations for the Current Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreak

DocTalk ...............................................Back Cover

BILINGUAL TRAINING

Merck Animal Health .........................................38

48. Desarrollando Buen E quilibrio

Diamond V .........................................................21

Dr. Nels................................................................33 Elanco Animal Health ........................................13

Neogen ..............................................................23 Newport Laboratories ........................................29

50. El Caballo Para Los Corrales De Engorda

Norbrook ............................................................55 Superior Placement Solutions ............................51

THE POT ROAST

Vitalix, Inc. ..........................................................20

52. Stew Meat Tacos

Zoetis ..................................................................17 pacdvms.com

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the FEEDLOT HORSE

By Paul Keith

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good feedlot horse is possibly the most vital, misunderstood, unappre ciated part of the yard. Many accidents at the feedlot involve a horse but can usually be traced to human error or bad judgment. In many cases, acci dents handling cattle would likely be much worse if the cowboy was on foot instead of horseback. I have seen several accidents where the horse was the victim of the cowboy.

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The cowboy dropped the gate rod through the back cinch.

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The cowboy dropped the gate rod through the stirrup over his foot. In this case, the horse stood perfectly still until help took the stirrup apart. Without the horse’s patience, the cowboy’s leg would have been broken.

•••••••••• pacdvms.com

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The cowboy ran the horse hard on a rock feed alley and then wondered why his horse got a stone bruise.

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The cowboy repeatedly used the horse, then ran him back to the barn and dumped grain to him. The cowboy then wondered why his horse was barn sour.

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The cowboy used a tie down (a poor substitute for good hands), and a steer ran between the tie down and the horse's neck, causing a wreck.

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The horse bucked the cowboy off. These horses should not be at the feedlot.

I have also seen the horse that runs off. The rider runs his horse, checking him and saying “Whoa” but never stopping him. After a few times, the horse learns that the rein pressure and “Whoa” do not mean anything.

Some Quarter Horse bloodlines are bred for “cow sense”, but this breeding means nothing if the cowboy does not know how to develop the cow sense. Even if the horse has lots of cow sense, if he is constantly put out of position, he will eventually lose the desire to work a cow properly. The horse that is taught to work a cow properly will be less apt to fall in slick conditions, as long

as the cowboy does not take control of his head and cause him to lose his balance.

Too often when pulling cattle or getting fats out of the pen, the cattle do not cooperate, and the cowboy takes his frustration out on the horse. Eventually the horse will come to dread his job.

Some good, solid horses learn to cheat the cowboy, and some cowboys who are very good at their jobs are not good horsemen. The horse needs proper correcting, and he will continue being a good horse. Horses need a pat on the neck once in a while when they are trying to do a good job, especially young horses. It builds their confidence, and they will try harder to please the cowboy.

Horses are not equipped to eat the same feedstuffs as cattle. Horses can be fed a variety of roughages, but all should be mold free. Horses cannot perform well if fed moldy feed.

It is pretty frustrating to feed once dairy quality hay that is now moldy because it was left uncovered in the rain!

I have worked with horses in feedlots for nearly 35 years and spent many years training horses prior to that. I hope that my observations and experience will shed light on the value of a good feedlot horse.

Developing Good Balance

By Ted Howard, Production Animal Consultation

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oes anyone remember the song “Dem Bones”?

It goes kind of like this: “The knee bone connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone connected to the hip bone, the hip bone connected to the back bone….” You get the idea. When thinking about developing good balance on a horse, we need to be aware of our posture and therefore the alignment of our bones.

When riding a horse, our shoulder and ankle should be in a vertical line, straight up and down. This alignment allows us to be more balanced in our saddle.

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When riding a horse, our shoulder and ankle should be in a vertical line, straight up and down. This alignment allows us to be more balanced in our saddle. When we are balanced, we spread the pressure evenly from the front of the tree to the back of the tree in our saddle. The even spread of pressure prevents sore backs on our horses and allows our horses to move more freely. If our feet are too far forward and out of line with our shoulder, we sit too far back in the saddle, which puts too much pressure on our horse’s kidneys.

Riding on the ball of your foot throws your feet out in front of you. The arch of your foot should be in the center of the stirrup. However, when you go to step off of your horse, you need to have the ball of your foot in the stirrup to prevent getting hung up if your horse would spook.

Your toes should be turned so they are parallel with the horse’s body. This parallel alignment helps keep your knees tight against your saddle. It also prevents having your heel or spur rowel continually touching your horse. The only time we should use our spurs is when we are asking our horse to move in a certain direction. Pedaling your horse or continually bumping him with your spurs throughout the day desensitizes his rib cage. A bridle rein should be used to encourage forward movement in your horse.

We should never lean to the left or right when riding our horse. Leaning will throw off the balance in our horse’s feet.

People who ride motorcycles lean for balance. Horses will balance themselves.

It is also very important to recognize the bridle reins when discussing balance. You should cross your reins when working cattle. This will keep your horse’s nose moving before his body. Using two hands will help keep a horse balanced as he works. Your hands should be about 10 to 14 inches apart. Remember to keep your hands as low as possible anytime you are asking your horse to make a move.

If your horse’s nose goes in the opposite direction you are asking him to move, your outside rein is pulling on the bit.

When we ask a horse to break at the poll properly, it allows the horse to relax and be more balanced in his feet.

Whether we are riding in conditions that are slick, dry or muddy, properly breaking our horse at the poll allows the horse to remain balanced.

It is very important that we help our horse stay balanced for his safety as well as our own. If your “Dem Bones” lyrics change to “The knee bone connected to the shoulder bone, the shoulder bone connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone connected to the back bone…”, you and your horse have lost your balance.

Early Weaning: Why, How and Results

By Chad Engle, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center

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anaging cow herds while battling “Mother Nature” is the norm for cattle producers. The most important battle is for rainfall. Rainfall in 2019 was excessive for many of us; however, 2020 has swung the pendulum in the opposite direction in south-central Nebraska. Most producers recognize that there are few great options available to manage through times of inadequate moisture, but one of the most effective is early weaning.

At the United States Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC), located in Clay Center, Nebraska, we are very accustomed to early weaning. In fact, we typically wean our calves much earlier than many operations without increasing morbidity and mortality rates. According to NAHMS survey data, the average age of a weaned calf is 221 days of age in the U.S. Even in years of adequate moisture, or dare I say “normal” conditions, the average age of a calf weaned at USMARC is closer to 150 days of age.

So why wean early? What are the most important factors to increase your chances of success? Does early weaning have an impact on calf performance in the feedyard or heifer performance in the cow herd? Let me share some of what we have learned to help you determine if early weaning is an option for your operation.

Why wean early?

Admittedly, one of the reasons we at USMARC wean earlier than most is our need to get calves in the feedyard, weaned, and sorted up for the experiments they will be on for the feeding period. With a cow herd exceeding 8,000 head coming off 22,000 acres of rangeland, this process takes a while and it cannot be rushed if you want to do it right.

Beyond the research needs, the biggest advantage to early weaning is reducing the load on our grazing acres. By removing the calves from the equation, we remove roughly a third of the animal units (AU, defined as 1,000 pounds of animal) off the pasture.

In addition, and more importantly in my view, we greatly decrease the nutrient demands of the lactating female.

Simply put, limited forage and decreased forage quality that are often associated with times of decreased rainfall will sustain her longer and better when she is not trying to produce milk for a 450-pound calf that will consume every ounce of milk she produces. This can be really advantageous in the younger cows and heifers in our cow herds that have the highest energy demands and who often calve early in our calving season. Early weaning can increase longevity in older cows as it gives them more recovery time heading into winter and the subsequent calving season, perhaps making that “one more year” a reality on our better older cows. The way that I like to think about this in times of limited rainfall is that I know I am going to be feeding something, and I would much rather feed those highly efficient 4-weight calves than I would my cow herd.

Additionally, feed costs are the highest cost we incur in

our ranching units and we often do not have the infrastructure, equipment, and efficiency in our cow feeding operations that our feedyards do. This is another reason to get the calves off early and get the most bang for your buck you can off every inch of forage you can in order to sustain your grazing acres longer and minimize the amount of feed you put in your cow herd.

Factors for success We all know that the most stressful event in a calf ’s life is the day it is weaned; therefore, we want to do everything we can to prepare for this day. In reality, the weaning process starts the day the calf is born. We prepare our calves for weaning by having positive interactions with them at tagging, branding, preconditioning, and on weaning day. If we have done our homework, we are well on our way to successfully removing those calves from the pastures and the comforts of their dams and acclimating them to the feedyard.

I like to think of our feedyards as five-star hotels. Once those calves step into our “hotel”, they should be greeted by knowledgeable handlers, fresh feed, clean waterers, and clean pens. We never put new calves into pens that do not

have fresh hay and ration in the feed bunks. It is our job in the feedyard to show those calves that the feedyard is the best place on earth for them to be.

Weaning younger calves does require paying particular attention to feed bunks and waterers. We need to make sure calves can reach both with ease. Using our hotel analogy, we would not go back to a hotel with a buffet that we could not reach or a beverage we could smell but barely get a taste of. In some cases, it is well worth the effort to add additional water tanks that mimic what the calves have seen while grazing with mom. If a calf does not drink, then he will not eat. If a calf will not eat, then he will get sick. If a calf gets sick, well, you get the point. Even if we have done everything right up to the day of weaning, if we place our calves in a facility that is not ready for smaller calves, we will be headed down the road to disaster.

We also want to pay particular attention to bunk management. One key factor is having the correct rations and plenty of hay for the calves at arrival. Finding the balance of keeping the calves coming to the bunk but not hungry is a topic for another day; just know that when you wean your calves, this point is critical to success. Having well-mixed rations with good bunk distribution is always important, but

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due to relatively small intakes at weaning time, mistakes in feed distribution or ration mixing can quickly have adverse impacts on calf health and performance. Feeding distillers byproducts has been a great way to increase protein content and palatability of the rations while at the same time helping to alleviate some of the digestive risks such as bloat and acidosis that are associated with weaning calves and starting them on feed. While I am not a nutritionist, I like to have rations that are a minimum of 14% crude protein and at least 60% TDN to ensure that the calves’ nutritional needs are met even during times of minimal intake.

Even at a research institution, cost of gain management is important, and we constantly evaluate our rations and costs to see what we can improve or do more efficiently.

COVID-19 and 2020 have caused us to take hard looks at the distillers inclusion rates in our rations. I would encourage cattle producers everywhere to do the same thing. Distillers grains are not what they were ten years ago and the performance we get from them, and their respective costs, need to be considered critically, even when starting calves on feed.

The bottom line is if we are well-trained stockmen, are following good animal health protocols, have a good nutrition program, and have a well-maintained feedyard, we can be just as successful weaning our calves at 150 days of age as we are at 220 days of age.

What about the future?

I would venture to guess that some of you reading are

asking yourselves if weaning calves at a younger age has negative impacts on the performance of that calf in the future. It stands to reason that longer time spent in confined feeding situations can potentially lower endpoint weights on fed cattle and get our breeding stock too fleshy.

The truth is that it depends. Properly formulated rations and disciplined feed-calling can help us avoid the potential pitfalls associated with starting calves in the feedyard at younger ages and lower weights. I am not trying to imply that we can get the same performance out of a calf weaned at 400 pounds as we can get with a 950-pound yearling brought into the yard, but I am saying that we can make the economics of that 400-pound calf leaving the feedyard at 1350 pounds versus the 950-pound steer leaving at 1500 pounds work in our favor. They can be equally as profitable.

The key to making early weaning work is our cattle handling, facility, and feed management skills. I would never say anything is easy in our business, but I can guarantee a 9-weight yearling is more forgiving to a mistake we make with a feed call or facility design than a 400-pound bawling calf would be.

The value of early weaning lies in attention to detail.

If we can be exceptional stockmen from start to finish, these calves can come into our yards and flourish.

There is no replacement for well-trained stockmen, and you might be amazed with the rewards when testing those skills by pushing that weaning date up. It works for us.

Chuckles from Down Under How To Wash Your Cat 1. Thoroughly clean the toilet.

2. Add the required amount of shampoo to the toilet water.

3. Obtain the cat and carry to the bathroom.

4. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both the lids (you may need to stand on the lid so that he/she cannot escape).

CAUTION: Do not get any part of your body too close to the edge, as the paws will be reaching out to maliciously lacerate anything they can find.

5. Flush the toilet three to four times

(ignore the thudding in the toilet seat and the hissing, this is normal). This provides a “power and wash rinse” which is found to be quite effective.

6. Have someone open the back door and ensure that there is no one between the toilet and the outside door (as this will result in their hospitalization).

7. Stand as far behind the toilet as you can and quickly lift both lids.

8. The now clean cat will rocket out of the toilet like an electrocuted maniac and run outside spitting and screeching, where he/she will sulk until dry.

Yours sincerely – The Dog

In March 2020, Eldon, accompanied by his daughter Kat, competed at the American Farrier’s Association 49th Annual Convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Craftsman Eldon Boyington, CJF

By Darcy Howard, Production Animal Consultation

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orth of Ruleton, Kansas, you will find a true treasure, not only to the equine world, but to his clients, friends and family. Mr. Eldon Boyington, CJF (Certified Journeyman Farrier) is described by his wife, Joy, as “quiet, humble and a silent strength”. I would agree after spending a delightful evening with this couple. What I thought would be an article on a horseshoeing award developed into much more. However, let us start with the award.

In March 2020, Eldon, accompanied by his daughter Kat, competed at the American Farrier’s Association 49th Annual Convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He won the Vern Hornquist Memorial Class for ages 60 years and up. Eldon turns 72 this year. The judge was last year’s winner and he chose the very difficult sideweight hind shoe to be forged from 9 inches of 3/8” x 1” iron. The competitors were given one hour to make this shoe with only their forge, anvil and vise. Eldon explained that “a sideweight shoe is a corrective shoe as a horse’s foot will travel toward the weight.” Next year the 50th Annual AFA Convention will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Eldon will choose the type of shoe and be the judge for this class. Eldon has some ideas for the shoe but is not going to share them!

Eldon Boyington has been trimming and shoeing horses since he was twelve years old. His dad shoed horses around the Colby and Brewster area and got Eldon started with ponies. He graduated up to nailing on shoes for larger horses at age 14. Eldon has shod everything from drafts to miniature horses including rodeo, pleasure, feedlot, ranch, race, backyard pet and gaited horses. When asked if he preferred a certain type of horse, Eldon indicated, “I don’t treat any horse any different; a horse is the same

Chuckles from Down Under Collected by Jane Sullivan, Bell Veterinary Services

to me. If you gain their trust, you can do anything with them.”

When discussing how mules were to shoe, Eldon responded, “That depends on the mule.”

After shoeing for 60 years, I asked Eldon what he wished he knew when he started that he knows now. “How to trim properly” was the answer. “Improper trimming will get a foot out of balance.” He said learning how to nail properly was also very important and that he had won an award with his ability to properly nail. When asked what he would tell a young person that is considering becoming a horseshoer, Eldon did not hesitate when he said, “Go to a good school to get started.

They can teach you things you don’t always know or routinely see.”

A true inspiration to Eldon was his good friend, shoeing partner and mentor, Mr. Ray Helmbold (1947-2018). “Ray was a gentle giant and could get under horses. He always helped to motivate me to keep learning.” Ray and Eldon traveled to Tucumcari, New Mexico, to take the written portion of the journeyman farrier test. Ray insisted on studying instead of seeing the sights of Tucumcari! Dr. Doug Butler’s Principles of Horseshoeing was the “bible” from which they studied. Eldon shared that “Ray’s saying was ‘Hone your craft’.”

Our horseshoeing discussion encompassed dark feet versus white feet, resetting time frames, use of tranquilizers, tying up feet, scotch hobbles, hot shoeing versus hot shaping, cold shoeing, prescriptive shoeing, corrective shoeing, proper shoeing, medical plates, shoeing for the “good” foot, not shoeing to the “fad”, as well as Dr. Wade Taylor’s horse’s front foot and leg. However, each one of those topics are articles in and of themselves!

A part of Eldon’s horseshoeing business that needs recognition and may truly be a story in and of itself is ‘Ol Red, Eldon’s 1990 Dodge Cummins pickup. The math is pretty

It was a quiet Monday morning in September 2053, when John awoke with a need to go to the bathroom.

To John, this wasn’t just any ordinary day.

This was the day he would open the last package of toilet paper his parents bought in the year 2020.

straightforward: ‘Ol Red is 30 years old. It was purchased at Oakley Motors new for $16,000. Even though the odometer quit working over fifteen years ago at 397,000 miles, Eldon has estimated a conservative million miles on ‘Ol Red’s original engine, transmission, and clutch. It has had a few sets of tires, batteries, and alternators but no major overhaul. It makes over 20 miles to the gallon with no A/C, but the windows roll down. The topper on ‘Ol Red traveled over 400,000 miles on Eldon’s previous shoeing pickup prior to the million it has traveled on ‘Ol Red. Needless to say, Eldon takes care of his equipment.

Eldon’s life outside of his shoeing career has been filled with family, friends, and dancing. Eldon and his wife Joy have three children, Chad, Kat, and Kit, as well as five grandchildren. All three of his kids know how to shoe a horse and have demonstrated it. It was apparent that Eldon is very proud of his family and their many talents.

Eldon grew up in a Bohemian Catholic family that liked to dance. So it was understandable that Eldon would take a dance class during his college career at Colby Community College. It was not long and Eldon was teaching this college outreach ballroom dance class to cover his tuition.

Over the years, Eldon has taught western style, two-step,

jitterbug, polka, waltz, and even the Bohemian schottische dance. If you get the chance, ask Eldon and Joy about their dancing story.

Not only was Eldon a dance instructor, he was a member of the PRCA. He competed in the steer wrestling, calf roping and saddle bronc riding at major events in Denver, Cheyenne, and state fairs. Eldon competed the same time as a bareback rider named Chris LeDeoux. In Oklahoma City during the National Finals, Reba McEntire was singing with Red Steagall when Eldon asked her to dance, to which she said yes. I told you this article was more than the showcase of a shoeing award!

These days you can find Eldon shoeing horses. Eldon is not taking any new clients and finds it hard to say no. “His customers are loyal and will wait on him because he is worth the wait,” Joy mentions smiling. When asked about his back he said, “My back has been good. My hands have some arthritis, but I take a little ibuprofren. I take vitamins and calcium. I’ve had both knees replaced. I am genetically sound.” As we concluded our visit, I asked Eldon if he understood how revered he is in the horse shoeing world, to which he humbly replied, “I just go out there, bend over, and do my job.”

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Dr. Dan Thomson Begins New Role at Iowa State University

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n March 23, 2020, Dr. Dan Thomson assumed the role of the Head of the Animal Science Department at Iowa State University. Dr. Dan has spent his years in research, in teaching and in practice focusing on food animal production, health and well-being. In his new role, Dr. Dan will be leading one of the world’s most prestigious departments focusing on all food animal production systems and a worldclass meat science laboratory.

Iowa State’s Department of Animal Science has 50 faculty members, 75 graduate students and 1,200 undergraduate students. The state of Iowa ranks first in swine and egg production nationally. Iowa is also home to top 10 production in turkey, broiler, beef, dairy and any other food animal category. At Iowa State, Dr. Dan not only serves faculty through leadership but also has the responsibility of programmatic direction and fiscal responsibility of the department. The department has 2 swine farms, a feedlot, a cow/calf operation, a commercial egg laying facility with 8,000 hens, a 450-cow dairy and broiler units. Currently, they are in the process of building a turkey finisher unit and a new $21 million feed mill for the department.

One of Dr. Dan’s favorite responsibilities of the new job is working directly with each farm manager to provide real world production systems for research, teaching and extension. All farms are being developed to allow visitors to see modern production such as watching cows being milked, seeing hens in modern layer facilities and walking through a swine operation without breaching biosecurity of the operation. “We have a responsibility to serve agriculture by not only having world-class training for our students and research for our stakeholders, but we need to provide consumers an opportunity to come see how food animals are housed, raised and cared for every day.”

The Animal Science Department is also home to a thoroughbred equine farm that stands many studs and is home to over 60 brood mares. A new stallion is due to arrive from Belmont race way to stand as stud in the program. On the 4th of July, two horses that were born and bred at the ISU horse farm won races at Prairie Meadows Racetrack in Des Moines, Iowa. “I love the horses. Man, they are fast, and our genetics program is just getting stronger and stronger. We want to get to the Kentucky Derby someday.”

Dr. Dan will still be the host of Doc Talk on RFD TV, but it will expand into other species and have a little more red and gold in the introduction of the show. Dr. Dan also continues his involvement with PAC but will be working more on research, consultation to the field veterinarians and providing service to beef and pork meat packers and retailers. “It has been a transition from being a consultant to being the manager. I have been fortunate to have worked with some of the best feedlot managers in the world. These experiences are carried with me as I serve our staff, faculty and students. We aim to build a program that provides the most practical, relevant and motivating education for students. Nothing is more important than energizing those that will lead our industry tomorrow.”

Dr. Dan welcomes all to Iowa State University located in Ames, Iowa. His new email is thomson1@iastate.edu.

Achieving Successful Outcomes from Difficult Conversations

By Dr. Nels Lindberg, Production Animal Consultation

Remember, words create worlds. Words determine direction. Words invite resistance or open hearts. Words convince or deceive.

Words cut or heal. Words inspire or discourage. Words make work difficult or enjoyable. Words elevate your status.

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ho has felt the pressure to have a difficult conversation lately? Do you need to clarify expectations with an underperforming member of your animal health team or feed crew team? Is it time to address a key leader that is not meeting the communicated standards and expec tations of the organization?

Even more importantly, those that master the art of difficult conversations will enjoy greater success by virtually any tangible or intangible measure.

I routinely speak about having difficult conversations because most of us were never taught how to have them.

Our universities certainly do not have the knowledge to teach how to conduct difficult conversations because they typically do not have them. Difficult conversations often end in complete and devastating failure, with cutting words said that are like nails in a coffin. We conduct the conversation poorly, and no one leaves the conversation feeling good about it. Have you ever done that? I sure have, a good number of times!

Unless we are fortunate enough to have an awesome pastor or mentor teach us how to have difficult conversations, we must take it upon ourselves to study up on how to do it. Ultimately, if difficult conversations are avoided, the future will likely look like the past, and minimal progress will be made moving the bus forward. As a matter of fact, one will likely take a few steps backward, rather than forward, by avoiding a difficult conversation. In the avoidance of the difficult conversation, mediocrity begins to grab hold of your operation. Even more importantly, those that master the art of difficult conversations will enjoy greater success by virtually any tangible or intangible measure.

The following are eight key points to execute when having difficult conversations. Over the years, I have observed, absorbed, read about, listened to, and failed to deliver on these points. In my experience, these points are crucial for helping to create improved worlds rather than destroy worlds.

1. Show extreme grace. While you may hold great anger toward the other person, no one is perfect, including you, and you have made mistakes before as well. To extend grace to someone means to give courteous goodwill and respect. Instead of assuming negative intent, always give the other person grace and assume positive intent behind their actions.

2. Be kind. Show empathy by putting yourself in the other person’s shoes to better understand the difficulties he or she might be facing. If we all lived more like our mommas and grandmas taught us, I am certain our world could be almost as perfect as possible. Frustration often removes kindness from our voice, so dig deep to avoid frustration. Instead

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of focusing on where the other person may not be meeting your expectations, reach for gratitude and show you appreciate all the good they do each day in other areas.

Deflect inward. Search your soul and share how you have messed up the same way over the years. This shows humility and relatability and shows you are human. None of us is perfect, and if you are like me, you have screwed many things up yourself.

When you are not willing to share the mistakes you have made before or admit your responsibility in the current problem, the other person will often feel the conversation was worthless and leave thinking, “They can’t even accept their own faults! How can they expect me to accept mine?” Take responsibility for your part.

Apologize for your part. Apologize for your lack of clarity, for not talking to them sooner, for your excessive firmness or candor, or maybe even for showing anger. Apologize for your shortcomings in having difficult conversations. An apology shows that you not only have a vested interest but also that you likely are not 100% innocent. It has been my experience in many difficult conversations I have had or moderated that no one is 100% innocent.

Let go of thinking, “I’m going to teach them a lesson!” Aiming to teach someone a lesson ends up teaching no one and leaves you bitter and angry.

Instead of looking to point your finger and teach a lesson, look to help the other person get better at his or her job. This will teach them that you care for them and their success at work and in life. They will realize you are trying to build them up, not trying to tear them down.

Do not avoid or delay the conversation. Waiting too long to have a difficult conversation, or worse yet, never having the difficult conversation, is the number one mistake we are all guilty of making. It takes intention, energy, and ability to have difficult conversations. We avoid them because those conversations require us to suffer. When you do have the conversation, do not have it from behind any keyboard or screen! Conducting the conversation

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face to face helps to keep dangerous words from flying out of your mouth. Hiding behind a keyboard, courage usually results in destructive rather than constructive conversation.

Wear a different “hat”. Different “hats” may be warranted when the conversation involves a team member, client, or student. If there is a direct answer, wear the “business owner hat”. If you truly care for this person, maybe you should also wear the “caring friend hat”, “mentor hat”, or “dad hat”.

Preface the conversation with which hat you are wearing, so the other person knows which position you are coming from.

(The most important) Acknowledge the difficult nature of the conversation at the start. Any time you are going to have a difficult conversation and know it could get heated or has the potential to “turn south”, make sure you communicate clearly from the beginning. Start with, “We are going to have a difficult conversation. You may not like or may disagree with parts, but we are going to do this. Everyone is going to remain calm, cool,

and collected; no one is going to get upset or stupid, or walk out and leave.” I did this for the first time in a very difficult conversation with a client over five years ago, and it worked perfectly.

In fact, they are still a client today. I have said this numerous times since then (two times in just the last week), and I promise you it helps every single time.

All that being said, I still am not perfect at having difficult conversations. Believe me, I have more than one former and current employee, a wife, and a kid that would tell you I have messed it up. But I can tell you, if you intentionally work on these eight objectives, with practice and preparation, you will get better at it!

Remember, words create worlds. Words determine direction. Words invite resistance or open hearts. Words convince or deceive. Words cut or heal. Words inspire or discourage. Words make work difficult or enjoyable. Words elevate your status. The people around you need you to develop the skills to have difficult conversations to help them get better at work and in life. May God bless you with intense discernment in those conversations!

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How well is your parasite management program working?

By Harold Newcomb, D.V.M., Technical Services Manager, Merck Animal Health

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arasites impact all segments of cattle production from the cow/calf operation to the feedlot. The No. 1 thing they do is reduce feed intake, which also negatively affects average daily gain, reproduction effi ci ency and milk production, as well as impair the immune response to vaccines and diseases.

Diagnostic testing is helpful in determining what parasites are present, as well the parasite load.

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Do you know how well your parasite management program is working? If you’re only using an endectocide, such as ivermectin, you may only be getting half of the reduction in worms necessary to maintain animal performance. You may also be contributing to the dewormer resistance.

For more than a decade, Merck Animal Health has maintained the world’s largest Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) database to monitor field use efficacy of dewormers approved for use in cattle in the U.S. From 2009-18, results from 721 trials and more than 24,000 samples, representing more than 24 states, have been compiled.

The bottom line is the endectocide pour-on and injectable products performed well below the 90 percent fecal egg count reduction threshold that is critical to ensure proper parasite management (Figure 1). With an endectocide pour-on product, a mere 51 percent efficacy was attained. Nearly half of the eggs remained 14 days after receiving the pour-on.

Adding fenbendazole made a tremendous difference.

When fenbendazole was added, 99.1 percent effectiveness was obtained (Table 1). Not only can this make an improvement in animal performance, using two or more classes of dewormers concurrently can help to reduce the rate of resistance, extending the useful life of each class of dewormer several years.

Diagnostics are critical Diagnostic testing is helpful in determining what parasites are present, as well the parasite load. The FECRT protocol is a critical tool to determine if your deworming program is working.

Jim Hollenback is a nutritionist for Farmers Cooperative

Association in Baxter Springs, Kansas. In order for nutrition programs to be successful for his cattle-producing clients, it’s important to have effective parasite management.

“We recommend using FECRT to determine the parasite status and gain a baseline understanding of the parasite load,” says Hollenback. He typically works with the producer’s veterinarian to conduct the diagnostic testing.

“It can be eye-opening for producers – many have heard about parasite resistance – but until the FECRT is conducted and they see the results, they often don’t realize the significance of it to their own operation.”

A FECRT includes collecting 20 samples the day of deworming followed by another 20 samples 14 days after treatment. In the samples collected 14 days after treatment, at least a 90 percent reduction in fecal egg count (FEC) should be observed in order to know the anthelmintics are working properly and a successful deworming was accomplished.

For best results, sample animals from the same age and management group. The ideal range is cattle six months to two years of age. For feedlot and stocker cattle, test and treat incoming cattle on arrival to check parasite population. Test grazing cattle after sufficient grazing time of at least two months. For cow/calf operations, sample cattle in pastures. For dairy, sample replacement heifers or freshening cows.

If the FECRT shows less than a 90 percent reduction in FEC, then additional investigation is warranted to determine if the dewormers were given correctly and at the correct dose.

In some instances, additional diagnostics are needed to confirm resistance issues. Testing with PCR (molecular or DNA-based) testing can identify specific parasite species,

which provides a basis for highly specific targeted treatments of those parasites. This testing can also assist in developing future diagnostic and treatment plans.

Best practices for deworming In addition to annual diagnostic testing and working with your veterinarian, there are a couple best practices that will help ensure maximum efficacy from your deworming protocol.

First, concurrently use two or more classes of anthelmintics. Not only does a concurrent deworming program most effectively control internal parasites, it also helps ensure a sustainable anthelmintic program that helps keep resistance to a minimum. In grazing operations where concurrent deworming is not feasible, the use of a feedgrade dewormer with fenbendazole alone provides very high deworming efficacy.

There are three classes of dewormers approved for use in cattle in the U.S. – benzimidazoles, endectocides or macrocylic lactones, and imidazothiazoles. The two most commonly used are endectocides and benzimidazoles.

Second, weigh or properly estimate animal weights so a full dose of dewormer is used. Administering less than the recommended amount may not fully treat the parasites and speeds development of resistant parasites.

Hollenback likes the feed-through forms of fenbendazole, especially for his stocker and cow/calf clients who

have cattle on pasture. “Deworming cattle on pasture doesn’t require gathering and running cattle through the chute, and it can be highly effective,” says Hollenback.

“When we use fenbendazole, we see positive efficacy results when we run the FECRT.” Altogether, these anthelmintic best practices, coupled with proper animal and forage management, are important to the overall stewardship of cattle.

Harold Newcomb, D.V.M., technical services veterinarian for Merck Animal Health, encourages cattle producers to work with their nutritionist and veterinarian to use FECRT and PCR testing to help ensure effective dewormer use.

••••PAC MEMBER HIGHLIGHT••••

J. Oliver Irons, DVM Ironsides Animal Health Lewisburg, West Virginia When asked what he loves about the beef industry, J. Oliver Irons, DVM, replied, “The favorite portion of my ‘job’ is the people. People within agriculture are the most humble, hard-working, and respected humans on this earth; fortunately, that is who I share my company with daily.” Dr. Irons of Ironsides Animal Health has been practicing for the past seven years in Lewisburg, West Virginia. The veterinarians in his practice provide beef consultative services in the eastern portion of the United States including West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Iowa.

Dr. Irons was inspired to become a veterinarian because of his desire to make a difference across the

cattle industry and agriculture as a whole and his belief that veterinarians are a respected voice in the business.

The goal of his practice is to help the sustainability of their clients’ operations. He pointed out, “It is our job to find new or old methods that create efficiency and profitability. If our clients are not thriving, we are out of a job.”

A memorable moment in Dr. Irons’ career was riding a boat to Russia with 2,600 head of bovines. He recalled, “After 10 extra days on the water, I established myself as a veterinarian by land.” He encourages anyone interested in working in rural veterinary medicine to be different and to set themselves apart from the get-go.

VS Is No BS Considerations for the Current Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreak

By Jacob Hagenmaier DVM, PhD, Production Animal Consultation

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hen it comes to ruminant diseases that present with vesicular (blister) lesions, foot and mouth disease pre dominates the conversation nine times out of ten. Foot and mouth disease (FMD) was eradicated from the United States in 1929, hence its designation as a foreign animal disease. Reintro duc tion of the virus would have economically dev a stating ramifications for U.S. beef producers as a positive case would likely cause international exports to cease for some undetermined period of time.

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Figure 1: Counties with confirmed VSV case in 2020 outbreak Based on USDA APHIS data through September 3, 2020

Although recent emergency disaster planning has occurred among scientific and regulatory bodies should an FMD threat arise, the risk of cattle operations being affected in the near future remains small. However, another disease with clinical signs closely resembling FMD exists that is not a foreign animal disease and poses significant economic threats to cattle operations: vesicular stomatitis (VS).

Outbreaks of VS in the United States are most commonly confined to a small number of premises located in southwestern states. Yet, in some years outbreaks can be larger due to transport of infected animals, weather patterns, and transmission pressure of insects. In 2005, a total of 445 premises across 9 states were involved in a severe outbreak that spanned the U.S. from New Mexico to Montana, including 202 positively identified bovine cases.

In 2020, VS has certainly garnered more attention due to an ongoing outbreak with confirmed cases in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Arizona, with 12 premises reporting clinically affected bovines (6 in Kansas, 4 in Texas, 2 in Missouri; as of September 3, 2020; Figure 1).

Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is caused by a vesiculovirus of the family Rhabdoviridae. The virus primarily affects horses, cattle, and swine, while sheep and goats are less susceptible and rarely show clinical signs. The virus is most prevalent in and largely considered a disease of the Western Hemisphere, with endemic livestock populations present in Central and South America. Outbreaks of the virus occur via transmucosal spread through direct contact with an infected

individual, and transcutaneous spread via arthropod vectors, specifically sand flies, mosquitoes, and black flies. Being an arthropod-borne disease, multi-premise outbreaks follow a seasonal pattern whereby they most often occur during late spring and early summer and the incidence of cases decreases drastically following a frost or end of a rainy season. Having nearby water sources is typically associated with exposure to insects that transmit the virus.

The incubation period, or time from exposure to infection until the animal is showing clinical signs, will typically range between 2 and 8 days, although vesicles can develop as soon as 24 hours post-exposure. The vesicles localize to mucous membranes such as the mouth, mammary gland, coronary band, and interdigital region of the foot in cloven-hoofed animals (Figure 2). Clinical signs reflect the anatomical location of the lesions, with excessive salivation being the most common first sign of morbidity due to the disease. Initially, the lesions may only appear as a blanched area but will progress to raised vesicles that erupt and cause discomfort. Inside the oral cavity, lesions may be present on the lips, tongue, dental pad, or gums. With lesions on the foot, cattle will possess severe lameness and typically large numbers of animals will be affected. Widespread vesicular stomatitis infections in feedyard operations have not been reported, but a reduction in feed intake and an acute spike in feed refusals may be expected to be observed if it were to occur.

Morbidity rates with VS can be very high (90 – 100%), especially in confined settings where transmucosal transmission

is likely. Fortunately, the mortality due to the disease is very removed and adjacent pens relocated to prevent further low as the lesions are self-limiting and most animals are transmucosal spread. Gloves should always be worn when recovered by 14 days following the onset of clinical signs. handling and examining suspect infected animals as VS is However, production losses may be significant due to the considered mildly zoonotic. In humans, potential clinical decreased feed intake and associated weight loss. Treatment signs are similar to the flu such as fever, headache, and musfor the disease involves supportive care, including feeding cle aches. of soft feedstuffs to reduce discomfort while feeding, Strategies to mitigate the risk of exposing your horse or administration of anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce livestock to VS involve insect control, minimizing exposure inflammation, and antibiotic therapy for secondary bacterial to animals from known infected areas, and preventing noseinfections should they occur at the site of the vesicle. to-nose contact with potential suspect carriers when at all Inactivated vaccines conferpossible. Horse owners ring immunity against the commonly wonder about the Figure 2: Vesicular lesions virus have been experirisk of contracting the virus mentally tested in other at ranch rodeos or other regions of the world but are recreational equine events. In not allowed in the United such cases, owners can States since cases are rare and practice caution by quaranvaccination would interfere tining the horses for at least with diagnostics during an 14 days before being reinoutbreak investigation. troduced to other horses Being a reportable disand cattle at the feedyard, ease, it is critical to contact on the ranch, or at other your veterinarian immediately events. In addition to the should you suspect an animal quarantine, minimizing the is affected by VS. Until the potential to contract the virus diagnosis can be confirmed, from fomites needs to be a restricting movement of focus by not sharing tack, animals both onto and off housing, or feed. the premise is required.

We encourage you to conBecause the lesions of FMD tact your veterinarian and and VS are clinically indisstate animal health officials if tinguishable, it is important you have additional questions to consider whether or not on the appropriate measures horses on the premise have needed to protect your herd Photos courtesy of: Kansas Department of Agriculture also been affected, as horses or operation from the onDivision of Animal Health are susceptible to VS but not going outbreak. The USDA FMD. Other differential APHIS continues to closely diagnoses for vesicular lesions in cattle include foot rot, monitor the ongoing outbreak of VS in the United States, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, and other less common including the publication of a weekly update that is available viruses. If confirmed VS, a 14-day quarantine will be placed to the public, which serves as a good resource to stay up to on the entire premise from the day the lesions appear on date with the most recent confirmed VS cases and be aware the last affected animal. Shared waterers would need to be of the disease pressure in your area.

Resources __________________ USDA APHIS Vesicular Stomatitis website: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/cattle-disease-information/vesicular-stomatitis-info

Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health, VSV Prevention for Cowboys flyer: https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ah---disease-control/vsv-flyer-for-cowboys_email.pdf ?sfvrsn=6e3d8dc1_4 pacdvms.com

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Duct Tape & Twine

By Dr. Doug Ford, Production Animal Consultation, & Dr. Greg Quakenbush, Geissler Corp.

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am always amazed by redneck, country innovation and logic at every layer of agriculture. Let me share three examples on my way to the heart of the matter. First, there is the farmer ready to fix anything with a pair of pliers and a piece of baling wire or twine. I recall several years ago being excited when one of my farmer cow-calf clients shared that he had completely rebuilt his cattle working facility. The day of fall preg check I was filled with excitement.

It is not our place to judge, and first impressions can be very deceiving.

To my surprise, as I drove down the rugged unkept two track road, things did not look any different. The only change was three new 16-foot pine poles (bark on) and 500 yards of recycled florescent orange twine strategically holding the same dilapidated corrals together. With head held high, shoulders back, and a big grin, our barnyard CEO blurted out, “Doc, looks like we’re good for another 10!” (as in a decade).

A second ag wonder is the Hispanic culture. Mexican people are the most ingenious, frugal, and hard-working souls on the earth. I marvel daily at what I call “Mexican MacGyverisms”. My favorite “ism” came one cold January morning while standing under a large radiant heater in the processing barn. As I stood, deep in conversation, I became aware of a steady rhythmic drip on my cap from above.

After a minute or so I looked skyward to investigate the annoying intrusion. To my surprise, there was a rotisserie unit mounted 10 inches in front of the radiant space heater.

Attached was a long horizontal rod with a perfect line of bacon wrapped dark colored meat. In a moment of complete surprise, I thought, “What the ...?” With overwhelming excitement, Jose said, “Oh jes, Mister Doggie, today we dine on paloma for luncha.”

A third culturally distinct group are the cowboys and stockmen with their incredibly entertaining logic, wisdom, cowboy ethic, colorful descriptive slang, and witty sayings.

This particular spring day in April 2020 especially caught my attention. Chris is a loving husband with four of the greatest kids you will ever meet. Three boys and one girl, all polite, intelligent, fine-tuned with overwhelming common sense, truly top hands. As we worked, I asked Chris if he ever had to hone and tune on the kids. With a big smirk and in his Missouri redneck drawl, he replied, “During office hours, all I have to do is give the look, you know the look, but on occasion we have to handle ’er on the ride home.” I instantly reflected to my youth. Back in the day that meant one of many scenarios.

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“Wait ‘til your father gets home.” (I am sure Dad could not wait to come home and “beat” the kids after a hard day.)

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Solitary confinement in the form of grounded for life.

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The guilt trip, you know the one with “Your mother and I are extremely disappointed in you.” (I would rather do the beatin’.)

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On the occasions when my mouth got the best of me, the remedy was a bar of Ivory soap. I think I blew bubbles out both ends for most of my

formative years. Kids today think Tide Pods are a new thing. Mom had that one figured out back in the 50s.

Digging Deeper: Regarding the quick fix...

In the first story, our farmer saw the need for change and improvement but fell short of what really needed to happen. He gave a half-hearted effort resulting in a temporary fix. The analogy for our lives comes when we accept Christ. For me, I knew the working facility of my life needed to be completely rebuilt. Unfortunately, I did much like our farmer friend – a few poles and a little twine. The result was a disappointing and temporary fix. Thankfully, today I am not the same person I was. Through better choices and conviction, I am making progress in the area of spiritual integrity. Today my corral has a much better design and is built on a solid foundation with better materials. It creates voluntary motion and low stress if you know what I mean. The construction process is never ending, but the joy and fulfillment of the journey has been life changing and rewarding.

Most of us have tried “half-hearted efforts and temporary fixes” at one time or another. The reasons behind these “half-way” efforts are many and include a range of excuses from economics, laziness, and indifference to poor attitudes and selfishness. With experience and maturity, most begin to realize that “halfway” or “get by” solutions need to come with a warning label and caution. Not doing things right or to one’s best ability will lead to greater problems or even injury.

We need to diligently guard against halfway measures in the area of our faith. I have heard this situation best described as “give me just enough Jesus so I will get to heaven”. This bailing twine and duct tape approach to the most important decision in life (what to do with Jesus Christ) is not adequate, not even close.

Zeal, passion, and purpose are the foundation of a meaningful Christian walk. Why would you settle for less?

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV) 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Regarding judging others...

It is not our place to judge, and first impressions can be

very deceiving. Sometimes a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate can be a disadvantage to ingenuity, common sense or enjoying fine gourmet pigeon cuisine.

We need to remain cautious in how we evaluate others, and thus first impressions or biases may lead us to easily misjudge. Culture today seems to be overly impressed or even intimidated by those who have achieved high levels of education. While an advanced degree often opens many doors and serves to give immediate credibility, it may not be aligned with reality.

“It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense.” - Robert G. Ingersoll Common sense and ingenuity are frequently born out of need or necessity. A solid work ethic and respect for others is surely worthy of honor.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NASB) 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

James 4:6 (ESV) But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

important things to remember. First, if you are a Christian, you are forgiven your sins, absolutely and completely.

However, the negative consequences of your sin have not been removed and the painful results that follow are the result of your poor choices or actions. God in His grace may spare us from some of the consequences of our bad choices and certainly may use it in His disciplinary process.

Second is the concept of punishment. There are many different definitions for punishment but for our brief discussion, punishment is defined as a “punitive action done to make the offender repay the debt they have incurred.” ii Th good news to remember here is that God put any punishment that we deserved on His son, Jesus. The punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23) and Jesus paid that price for all of us.

The bad news still remains for those who have rejected God’s payment for sin. That is why in our story about Chris and the kids, you do not want to wait to make a decision about your salvation on the proverbial ride home. The most important decision you will ever make needs to be made before you get in the Dodge diesel dually leaving this life.

If you wait until the ride home, it will be too late. Eternity is eternity whether in Heaven or in Hell. Only He knows the day. Be prepared.

Regarding the ride home...

Romans 4:7-8 (ESV) 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

So how does discipline and punishment work in God’s economy? Probably the most important thing to note is that for the Christian, discipline and punishment are two separate and different things. This point is often lost or misunderstood, but understanding the difference is important and even encouraging.

The Bible is clear that the Lord disciplines those that belong to Him. Few of us enjoyed the discipline our parents meted out, yet all of us who are now parents know its critical importance. True or correct discipline is based on love and seeks the best for the recipient of that discipline.

“Discipline is a corrective action taken to change the negative behavior of the offender.” i So how do Christians know when God is disciplining us?

That is a question with no easy answers, but there are two

Hebrews 12:7-11 (ESV) 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

__________________ i https://applygodsword.com/the-biblical-difference-between-discipline-punishment-and-consequences/ ii Ibid

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The following articles have been translated into Spanish:

Desarrollando Buen Equilibrio •••••

El Caballo para los Corrales de Engorda Translation provided by Jose Valles – Production Animal Consultation

Desarrollando Buen Equilibrio Escrito por Ted Howard, Production Animal Consultation ¿Alguien recuerda la canción “Estos Huesos”? Dice mas o menos así: “El Hueso de la rodilla juntado con el hueso del muslo, el hueso del muslo juntado con el hueso de la cadera, el hueso de la cadera juntado con el hueso de la espalda….”

Entienden la idea. Cuando pensamos en desarrollar un buen equilibrio en un caballo, debemos ser conscientes de nuestra postura y, por lo tanto, de la alineación de nuestros huesos.

Al montar a caballo, nuestro hombro y tobillo deben estar en línea vertical, hacia arriba y hacia abajo. Esta alineación nos permite estar mas equilibrados en nuestra montura. Cuando estamos equilibrados, distribuimos la presión de manera uniforme desde la parte delantera del fuste hasta la parte posterior del fuste en nuestra montura.

La distribución uniforme de la presión previene el dolor de espalda de nuestros caballos y permite que nuestros caballos se muevan con mayor libertad. Si nuestros pies están demasiado hacia adelante y fuera de línea con nuestros hombros, nos sentamos demasiado atrás en la montura, lo que ejerce demasiada presión sobre los riñones de nuestro caballo.

Montar en la bola del pie lanza sus pies al frente de usted.

El arco de su pie debe estar en el centro del estribo. Sin embargo, cuando vaya a bajarse de su caballo, debe tener la bola del pie en el estribo para prevenir que se atore si su caballo se asusta.

Debe girar los dedos de los pies para que queden paralelos al cuerpo del caballo. Esta alineación paralela ayuda a mantener sus rodillas firmemente hacia su montura.

También evita que su talón o la rodaja de la espuela toque continuamente a su caballo. La única vez que debemos usar nuestras espuelas es cuando le pedimos a nuestro caballo que se mueva en una cierta dirección. Pedalear a su caballo o

talonearlo continuamente con sus espuelas durante el día desensibiliza su caja torácica. Se debe usar la rienda del freno para estimular el movimiento hacia delante de su caballo.

Nunca debemos inclinarnos hacia la izquierda o hacia la derecha al montar nuestro caballo. Inclinarse causara desequilibrio en las patas de nuestro caballo. Las personas que conducen motocicletas se inclinan para mantener equilibrio. Los caballos se equilibran por si mismos.

También es muy importante reconocer las riendas del freno cuando se habla de equilibrio. Debe cruzar las riendas cuando este trabajando ganado. Esto mantendrá la nariz de su caballo en movimiento antes que su cuerpo. Usando las dos manos ayudará a mantener un caballo equilibrado mientras trabaja. Sus manos deben estar alrededor de 10 a 14 pulgadas de separadas. Recuerde mantener sus manos lo más bajo posible cada vez que le pida a su caballo que haga un movimiento. Si la nariz de su caballo va en la dirección opuesta a la que le esta pidiendo moverse, su rienda exterior esta jalando el bocado.

Cuando le pedimos a un caballo flexionar la nuca adecuadamente, le permite al caballo relajarse y estar más equilibrado en sus patas. Ya sea que estamos montando en condiciones resbalosas, secas o lodosas, flexionando adecuadamente nuestro caballo en la nuca permite que el caballo permanezca equilibrado.

Es muy importante que ayudemos a nuestro caballo a mantenerse equilibrado por su seguridad, así como también la nuestra. Si la letra de “Estos Huesos” cambia a “El hueso de la rodilla juntado al hueso del hombro, el hueso del hombro juntado al hueso del tobillo, el hueso del tobillo juntado al hueso de la espalda…”, usted y su caballo han perdido el equilibrio.

El Caballo para los Corrales de Engorda Escrito por Paul Keith Un buen caballo para los corrales de engorda es posiblemente la parte más vital, incomprendida y menospreciada de una operación de engorda. Muchos accidentes en las operaciones de engorda involucran un caballo, pero generalmente se pueden atribuir a errores humanos o mal juicio. En muchos casos, los accidentes manejando ganado probablemente serian mucho peores si el vaquero anduviera a pie en lugar de a caballo. He visto varios accidentes donde el caballo fue la victima del vaquero.

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El vaquero dejó caer la varilla de la puerta a través del barriguero.

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El vaquero dejó caer la varilla de la puerta a través del estribo sobre su pie. En este caso, el caballo se quedó perfectamente quieto hasta que la persona que ayudo desarmó el estribo. Sin la paciencia del caballo, la pierna del vaquero se habría fracturado.

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El vaquero corrió el caballo fuertemente en un callejón de alimentación con suelo de roca y luego se preguntó por qué su caballo tenía una contusión causada por rocas.

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El vaquero usó repetidamente el caballo, luego lo llevó corriendo al establo y le dio grano. El vaquero luego se preguntó por qué su caballo se volvió “barn sour” (termino adoptado en ingles). “Barn sour” se le conoce al habito que el caballo desarrolla a medida que el vaquero lo corre hacia el establo y luego lo alimenta, con el paso del tiempo el caballo se querrá regresarse al establo rápidamente pensando en que será recompensado con alimento.

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El vaquero usó un bajador (un mal sustituto de buenas manos), y un novillo corrió entre el bajador y el cuello del caballo, provocando un accidente.

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El caballo tumbo al vaquero. Estos caballos no deben estar en los corrales de engorda.

También he visto el caballo que se desboca. El jinete corre su caballo, alentándolo y diciéndole “Ooo” pero nunca deteniéndolo. Después de unas cuantas veces, el caballo aprende que la presión de la rienda y diciéndole “Ooo” no significan nada.

Algunas líneas de sangre de caballos Cuarto de Milla son criados para el “juicio de la vaca”, pero esta crianza no significa nada si el vaquero no sabe cómo desarrollar el “juicio de la vaca”. Incluso si el caballo tiene mucho “juicio de la vaca”, si es constantemente puesto fuera de posición, eventualmente perderá el deseo de trabajar una vaca adecuadamente. El caballo al que se le enseña trabajar una vaca adecuadamente será menos propenso a caerse en condiciones resbaladizas, siempre y cuando el vaquero no tome el control de su cabeza y lo haga perder su equilibrio.

Con demasiada frecuencia al sacar ganado enfermo o al sacar ganado gordo del corral, el ganado no coopera, y el vaquero descarga su frustración en el caballo. Eventualmente el caballo llegará a temer su trabajo.

Algunos caballos buenos y sólidos aprenden a engañar al vaquero, y algunos vaqueros que son muy buenos en su trabajo no son buenos jinetes. El caballo necesita una corrección adecuada, y seguirá siendo un buen caballo. Los caballos necesitan una palmada en el cuello ocasionalmente cuando intentan hacer un buen trabajo, especialmente los caballos jóvenes. Desarrolla su confianza y se esforzarán mas para complacer al vaquero.

Los caballos no están equipados para comer los mismos alimentos que el ganado. Los caballos pueden ser alimentados una variedad de forrajes, pero todos deben estar libres de moho. Los caballos no pueden tener buen desempeño si se alimentan con alimentos mohosos. ¡Es bastante frustrante alimentar heno que en un momento fue de calidad para ganado lechero y ahora esta mohoso porque se dejó descubierto bajo la lluvia!

He trabajado con caballos en corrales de engorda durante casi 35 años y pasé muchos años entrenando caballos antes de eso. Espero que mis observaciones y experiencia iluminen el valor de un buen caballo para corrales de engorda.

••••PAC MEMBER HIGHLIGHT•••• JD FOLSOM, DVM cattle health and reproduction rexburg, idaho When JD Folsom, DVM, looks back on his journey to get to where he today, one memorable moment that stands out is “the grind of vet school”. Although he would not want to go through it again, it reminds him of the sacrifice that was made to get where he is today. Dr. Folsom has been practicing veterinary medicine for five years and has owned and operated the Cattle Health and Reproduction ambulatory practice based in Rexburg, Idaho, for the past three and a half years. He and his team have a 250-mile radius of clients and are licensed to practice in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

The team at Cattle Health and Reproduction appreciates honesty and has a passion for embryology and raising seedstock cattle. Uniquely, everyone involved in the practice runs some of their own cows. When asked what he loves about the beef industry, Dr. Folsom replied with certainty, “The people.”

Like his mentor, Dr. Folsom strives to embody the values of constant learning and willingness to help. Therefore, it is understandable that Dr. Folsom listed “mentorship and the values of the people within PAC” as reasons for joining Production Animal Consultation.

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Stew Meat

Tacos Ingredients •

1 lb. stew meat

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1 tsp. chile powder

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1 tsp. cumin

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1 tsp. turmeric

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1 tsp. oregano

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Olive oil

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1 onion

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1 clove of garlic

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1 tsp. tomato paste

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3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

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1/2 beer (Mexican)

Instructions 1. Begin by seasoning the meat with the chile powder, cumin, and turmeric.

2. Place the seasoned stew meat in a preheated skillet coated with olive oil to brown, and once the meat is browned, add the onions. Cook until they are translucent.

3. Then add the oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic. Stir to combine. After the garlic is cooked down for a minute or two, add the tomato paste.

Cook the tomato paste for approximately 1 minute and then add the beer and vinegar.

Let simmer for 2-3 hours.

4. Serve with flour tortillas.

Thank you to Arturo and Wrenn Pacheco for sharing your recipe and pictures.

Arturo and Wrenn are custom grazers located in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Their grazing operation consists of grazing double stock steers and custom heifer development for their clients. Arturo has his PhD in ruminant nutrition and owns and operates his own nutrition consulting business, Pacheco Cattle Services. Wrenn is a professional photographer and operates Wrenn Bird Photography. Together they have two little cowboys, Leo and Ross. You can find more of their recipes at cookingwiththecowboy.com.

Chuckles from Down Under Collected by Jane Sullivan, Bell Veterinary Services The father of five children had won a toy at a raffle. He called his kids together to ask which one should have the present.

“Who is the most obedient?” he asked.

“Who never talks back to mother?”

“Who does everything she says?”

Five small voices answered in unison, “Okay, dad, you get the toy.” pacdvms.com

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Production Animal Consultation PO Box 41 Oakley, KS 67748 pacdvms.com