Protein Producers Winter 2020

2020 Volume 8 Issue 4 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 Zinpro Corporation Zoetis Front COVER PHOTO CREDIT Thank you to Doug Keiser for the photo from K-Farms Feedlot in Gothenburg, Nebraska. pacdvms.com

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Pandorf Land & Cattle Callaway, Nebraska Photo Credit: Mark Pandorf Photo submitted by Yvette Mannon

We want to showcase unique photographs from our readers here!

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

WELCOME ••••••••••••••••• Hello everyone, and welcome to the Winter 2020 edition of the Protein Producers magazine. It is no stretch to say that we are all ready to see this year come to an end. It has been quite a year, starting with a global pandemic in the spring that led to extreme volatility in our economy, and ending with droughts, wildfires throughout the West, and one of the most active hurricane seasons the Gulf Coast has ever seen. At no time has the resiliency of our industry been more apparent, and we should all be proud to be a part of it. After a year of adversity and challenges, here’s to a happy 2021! We have a great lineup of articles that will hopefully inspire and educate our readers with solutions to common problems.

Our horsemanship expert Ted Howard talks about proper animal husbandry in the cold of wintertime. Our animals work hard for us year-round, so we have to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure safety and comfort during winter conditions.

Dr. Audry Wieman gives a rundown of what makes a great cattle-working dog and their role in livestock handling.

Dr. Tom Noffsinger offers us a guide for pen riders to evaluate cattle based on organ system. This is a great tool for even the most seasoned pen rider, as we all can get better at defining disease on an individual animal basis.

Dr. Nels Lindberg opens his heart to share the trials and triumphs of his family over the last few months and demonstrates the leadership and strength he is known for.

We also have articles on the relationship between animal welfare and BRD, the Secure Beef Supply program in Kansas, the benefits of bedding cattle in winter, and the importance of communicating the ‘why’ in your organization.

And as always, this issue includes an inspiring parable from Dr. Doug Ford and Dr. Greg Quakenbush, Spanish translations by Jose Valles, and a delicious recipe from Wrenn and Arturo Pacheco.

Thanks, and enjoy!

Dr. Matt Fruge

CONtributors ••••••••••••••••••••••••• quint finney

Audry Wieman, DVM

Quint Finney is an operations consultant with Midwest PMS. With 30 years of hands-on cattle feeding experience and facility management, his focus centers on personnel development and training, production and efficiency, and mill construction planning and management.

Audry Wieman, DVM owns Ridgeline Vet Services, LLC, an ambulatory veterinary practice in northeast Nebraska. Originally from Kentucky, she attended Auburn University for vet school and moved to Nebraska shortly after graduation. She has been in mixed animal practice with an emphasis on bovine medicine since 2008. Her practice focuses on herd health, preventative medicine, and a developing interest in animal behavior. Dr. Audry and her husband live on a farm that raises cattle, corn, chickens, kids, and a border collie named Tug.

zachary smith, ph.d.

Zach Smith has served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Science and as the Faculty Supervisor of the Ruminant Nutrition Center (RNC) of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in Brookings, SD since July of 2018. Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Production from Texas Tech University. He received a Master of Science Degree under the direction of Dr. Robbi Pritchard in Feedlot Nutrition and Management from South Dakota State University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree under the direction of Dr. Bradley Johnson in Feedlot Cattle Nutrition and Muscle Biology from Texas Tech University. Zach has a 70/30 split of research and teaching at South Dakota State University. Zach’s research program is focused on nutrition and management interventions that enhance growing and finishing beef cattle production.

THANK YOU 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!

POT ROAST 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.

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

••• Follow us on Twitter @PACVets

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.

Winter 2020-2021 STEWARDSHIP contents •••••••••••••••••

10. Snow Angels

6.

Welcome Dr. Matt Fruge

24.

Chuckles from Down Under

37.

2020 PAC Snapshot

46.

Parable: The Dun

50.

Congratulations: Jose Valles and wife Areli Monarrez-Valles

57. Newest PAC Member 58.

2020 Protein Producers Snapshot

COW-CALF 14. Squaring the Flank: The Making of a Stockdog

INDUSTRY 18. Planning Today for a Secure Tomorrow – A Secure Beef Supply Update

LEADERSHIP 22. Why Is More Important Than What 26. Adversity – Are You Fighting It, or Are You Fighting Through It?

RESEARCH 32. The Impact of Animal Welfare on BRD

Advertisers •••••••••••••••••••• Arm & Hammer ..................................................17

38. Wintertime Bedding Application for Feedlot Steers Fed at a Northern Latitude

Bimeda, Inc. .......................................................45 Boehringer Ingelheim ..............Inside Front Cover Daniels Manufacturing Co. ...............................49

FEEDLOT 42. Pen Riders and Pen Walkers – The Heart of Feedlot Cattle Care

Diamond V .........................................................29 DocTalk ...............................................Back Cover Dr. Nels................................................................31

BILINGUAL TRAINING

Elanco Animal Health ........................................13

52. Ángeles de Nieve

Merck Animal Health .........................................35

54. Vaqueros y Caminadores de Corrales – El Corazón del Cuidado de Ganado de Engorda

Neogen ..............................................................25 Newport Laboratories ........................................51 Norbrook ............................................................59

THE POT ROAST

Superior Placement Solutions ............................50

56. Swedish Meatballs with Sauce

Zoetis ..................................................................21 pacdvms.com

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snow angels

By Ted Howard, Production Animal Consultation

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hat do you like the best about wintertime? I posed this question to my sometimes factual friend, Google. You can imagine my amusement when the top six items of the article “Things That Make Winter the Best Season of All” 1 were snow angels, sledding, holiday lights, cozy fires, warm socks, and hot cocoa.

Since I spend most of my time in feedyards throughout the country, my first thoughts on wintertime went a different direction. In the past few years, I have submitted articles for the winter edition of Protein Producers magazine to cover precarious ground conditions, proper shoeing, and the need for increased water intake in our horses and cattle, as well as proper winter clothing options for ourselves. As I studied my past articles in relation to the list of “Things That Make Winter the Best Season of All”, I discovered some correlations.

1.

A snow angel is a design made in fresh snow by lying on one’s back and moving one’s arms up and down and one’s legs from side to side, to form the shape of an angel. Bovine “snow angels” can be seen in the feedyard when we get our cattle up when riding pens. I cannot stress enough the importance of getting cattle up and moving them to evaluate their health. Not only do we develop better health in our cattle, we create better conversions.

2.

Sledding is fun on a toboggan or behind a team of Belgians pulling a sleigh. Sledding is not quite as fun horseback in an icy pen or back alley. Proper shoeing of your horse is very important during the wintertime months. Rim shoes are appropriate for dry, hard surfaces that include icy ground conditions.

Toes and heels are better for muddy conditions. The right horseshoes will help prevent injury to your horse and yourself.

3.

Holiday lights can be seen throughout the winter, as we normally start and end our day in the dark.

Remember, when we are horseback, we can be hard

to see from a feed truck or vehicle. It is important to stay focused on safety, as our attention can be consumed battling the harsh weather elements.

4.

Cozy fires bring a sense of warmth. It is very important to stay warm while working outside during the wintertime. Taking a break and getting away from the cold helps you to stay focused on the health of your cattle. You do a better job of stockmanship and horsemanship when you are not cold.

Taking breaks to warm up also allows your equine partner a break from the poor ground conditions.

5.

Warm socks are very important on both lists.

Having the right clothing in cold temperatures makes your day in the feedyard more enjoyable.

Walking pens in frigid temperatures is also a good way to keep your feet warm and allows your horse a break from uneven, frozen terrain. Once again, it is very important to get each animal up and moving, even when you are walking your pens.

6.

Hot cocoa is nice, but I am more inclined for a cup (or five) of coffee. Staying hydrated is important.

Hydration for our horses and cattle is also critical during cold weather to help maintain their body temperatures. Keeping our tanks clean during these cold months is not as pleasant a job as it is in July, but it is still necessary for the health and well-being of our cattle.

I was not going to mention the seventh item of the article “Things That Make Winter the Best Season of All” as it was winter brews. It seemed more appropriate for a different type of article. However, after the year of 2020, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year of 2021 with a toast of whatever “winter brew” you enjoy. __________________ 1 https://www.redfin.com/blog/26-things-that-make-winterthe-best-season-of-all/

Squaring the Flank: The Making of a Stockdog

By Audry Wieman, DVM, Ridgeline Vet Services & Production Animal Consultation

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ou will find them on almost every cattle operation. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and numbers. They can be long-haired, short-haired, floppy eared, or bob-tailed. They may stroll around the yard, lay on the other side of the fence, or bound around when you arrive. Regardless of their composition, the company dog seems to be a ubiquitous character among cattlemen.

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Even to the untrained eye, a great stockdog is easy to recognize. Like any master craftsman, they refine the skills that elevate their actions to an artform. Christa Thomas of CE Stockdogs raises and trains border collies on her ranch near Menno, South Dakota. She uses her dogs daily on chores ranging from gathering on pasture to penning and sorting.

“A good stockdog has presence,” she says. While it sounds like a mystical force, much like ‘the look’ that a parent can give to a demonstrative child, presence stems from a few core principles. At its foundation, presence is born of confidence. This quality allows great dogs to ‘think’ in unfamiliar or tricky situations. A good stockdog knows it can set cattle up for success by creating the opportunity to move in a particular direction. A composed dog has the ability to work cattle without causing overarousal.

Confidence is broken down into three core principles: position, posture, and patience. A dog’s position places its body in a location that directs the stock toward the desired destination. The position may bring the cattle to the handler, move them through a gate, or drive them down an alley. Posture refers to the stance a dog takes as it presents itself to the cattle. A crouched approach, a lowered tail, or an intense stare all indicate focus on the task at hand. The dog’s posture gives the cattle an inherent signal on the rate of movement. Patience may be the most elusive component, as it is with people, because it requires some relinquishment of control. Patience allows a situation to develop with understanding that the dog will be able to handle the unpredictability of the outcome. Part of learning this skill

is the acceptance on the part of both the dog and the handler that there will be mistakes. Creating an environment for the dog to make mistakes without retribution allows the dog to recognize more effective actions. Not all dogs can withstand that type of pressure naturally, but every dog can be handled to develop more confidence.

Even if a company dog is not destined for working greatness, all dogs on the operation can be useful. Oftentimes, training dogs around cattle is done while people are focused on working cattle. Shaping a dog to understand expectations of its behavior around cattle is something that every owner can do. Short, intentional training sessions dedicated to the dog’s behavior can result in the dog be self-assured and create a suitable environment for cattle work.

Where does confidence start? Generally, away from stock. While many dogs show incredible instinct and drive, without guidance and fair expectations, they can develop into anything from a nuisance to a danger. The deception of a great, reliable stockdog is that they make the work look so effortless. The layers of learning necessary to develop their understanding is no different than teaching someone to read. Start with the basics: vowel and consonant sounds. Get it wrong and people wait for the right answer or make an odd face trying to figure out what you meant. Get it even partially right and people smile. If a teacher rolls their eyes when you get it wrong, then that creates a negative impact on the drive to try it again. It can make those learning timid, or angry, or impatient. So when you are trying to understand why the dog does not do what is expected, consider

whether your ability to communicate is setting the dog up with confidence to seek the desired response.

“You watch the stock to see if they respond to the presence of a dog, or if they react to it,” comments Thomas.

Dogs that crowd the cattle may be frustrated or positioned incorrectly. Dogs that bark are often uncertain of what they need to do to get their desired response and vocalize to move the stock around—like reshuffling the deck for a better hand. Developed stockdogs determine the workability of their cattle while they move to them. They will adopt a position that permits the cattle to acclimate in their presence. A great stockdog will have good grip, or bite, but will not rely on it. The dog does not give ground but also allows the cattle space to think. Christa’s young stud dog, Hook, effectively demonstrates this as he lets new cattle approach and focus on him but repositions himself to direct them as the group gathers to be moved.

Lack of confidence shows up in some dogs when they become reliant on their handler. Dogs that are ‘broke’ will work cattle by response to a command. Training a dog in this manner is the equivalent of “this is the way we have always done it” mentality. In addition, ‘broke’ dogs must face the flaws in a human’s ability to read the situation.

Instead of relying on the instinctive quality that a dog brings to working cattle, overtraining interferes with the dog’s vision. It impedes the dog’s ability to adapt on the fly and adjust when working new or ranker cattle. The hesitation slows the reaction time and further degrades a dog’s confidence. Developing a dog that reads cattle means that the handler must be aware of their own limitations and recognize that they may be the obstruction, not the dog’s ability.

At the heart of a topnotch stockdog is the rapport that it has with its cattle. The dog becomes the great communicator between what the handler desires and what the stock are presenting. It takes whatever scenario is presented, breaks down and assesses the current conditions, and orchestrates a solution. With the ability nature provides and the skills it has cultivated, watching a proficient working dog leaves a person wondering what we could achieve if we used all our senses to get a job done.

If you are interested in seeing more of Christa’s working dogs in action, you can find her on Facebook at CE Stockdogs or email her at cthomas.12@hotmail.com. If you have a question about stockdog training, you can contact Dr. Audry at audry.wieman@pacdvms.com.

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Planning Today for a Secure Tomorrow A Secure Beef Supply Update

By Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health

Secure Beef Supply at a Glance The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health has gained momentum in the Secure Food Supply program within the last year. Kansas beef, milk, and pork producers are working alongside State Animal Health Officials to build enhanced biosecurity plans in preparation for a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak. The impact of an FAD outbreak will be detrimental to the Kansas agriculture economy.

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The Secure Food Supply Plans are designed to aid in the prevention of disease entering a herd and provide eligibility to receive a permit to move animals during the crisis. A Secure Beef Supply (SBS) Plan incorporates all inputs and outputs of an operation. Inputs include feed, veterinarian visits, semen, employees, vehicles, and anything else that might enter the premises. Outputs include anything leaving the premises. In the written plan, producers also identify all personnel who will be involved in carrying out biosecurity measures.

SBS Multi-State Meeting In March of 2020, State Animal Health Officials, beef industry companies, and trade organizations met to discuss the adoption and implementation of Secure Beef

Supply Plans. Participating states included Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri. This two-day interactive meeting stimulated discussion around biosecurity requirements, permitting processes, and enforcement of these two things across each state. Future meetings will be held in 2021 to further the region’s preparedness.

SBS in Kansas Currently, Kansas has 47 feed yards secured and within those feed yards 1,394,000 head of cattle. The Secure Beef Supply Plans also address cow-calf operations and cattle on pasture. While cow-calf pairs will not be considered priority during the first 72 hours of a stop movement, it is still vital to continue education for enhanced biosecurity practices on those operations. These plans have minor modifications from the plans targeted toward cattle in pens but still demonstrate effective biosecurity practices. Biosecurity should be taught at all levels of production to prevent spreadable diseases from expanding their reach.

Private Veterinarian Role Increased involvement in the Secure Food Supply Plans by private veterinarians is essential in developing Secure Food Supply Plans. During an FAD outbreak, private veterinarians will be utilized in helping producers start and finish their enhanced biosecurity plans. Veterinarians will also be instrumental in approving plans during an outbreak. If you are a veterinarian or know of a private veterinarian not yet involved in Secure Food Supply Plans, it is highly encouraged to get involved or have a conversation with your State Animal Health Officials.

Get Involved Developing a Secure Food Supply Plan in Kansas looks different for all producers. Some have worked with their veterinarians to develop and submit a plan, while others have worked directly with the state Animal Health Planner to complete the process. The Kansas Department of Agriculture is dedicated to being the most prepared, should we ever face a foreign animal disease. If you would like to get involved in a SFS program, please contact your veterinarian or visit www.securebeef.org. You can also contact Emily Voris directly at Emily.Voris@ks.gov or 785-210-7741.

Why Is More Important Than What

By Quint Finney, Midwest PMS

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s anyone who has spent significant time in a feedyard knows, a manager’s day is usually a whirlwind of ac tivity. The list of responsibilities can be lengthy. Providing the best possible care for the cattle is at the top of most managers’ priority lists but is just the beginning. Add administrative duties, customer relations, attending to com pli ance issues, dealing with packer buyers, procurement, and more, and the day can quickly turn to night.

One item on the long list of managerial responsibilities is dealing with employees. Depending on one’s viewpoint and approach, employee relationships can be either stressful or rewarding. They can be stressful from the standpoint of being short-handed, lack of motivation and loyalty, or experience level. But employee relations can also be one of the most rewarding aspects of the manager’s job given he or she has the right perspective.

It is becoming widely agreed upon in our industry that focus on employees is key to feedyard success. As competition for employees becomes more intense, we have to create cultures that attract the best people and empower them to be their best so they can be retained. After all, since production employees are the ones ultimately responsible for carrying out the tasks that enable us to properly care for the cattle, it just makes good business sense for them to be fully engaged.

As managers, we tend to focus on efficiency. Efficiency and profitability are directly related. But what about effectiveness? Peter Drucker once said, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.” This is where employee focus comes in. Most often, the members of the team know WHAT the tasks are (doing the right things). But do they know the WHY? Do they fully understand that there is a reason behind doing things a certain way or at a certain time (doing things right)? Do they really understand the impact on cattle performance, financial results, and food production of doing things the right way every time? There are organizations within the industry that have a culture in place where team members do know the why. Unfortunately, there are many that do not.

Understanding the WHY is crucial in getting employees to give their best efforts. A recent Gallup article reports that up to 70% of the American workforce are not showing up to work committed to delivering their best performance.

This has serious implications for individual companies and

the U.S. economy as a whole. The old adage of “20% of the people do 90% of the work” may not be far off. It is critical that managers devote the time and effort to communicate the WHY to all employees, whether new hires or long-time team members.

One of the most persistent operational challenges faced by managers is that of staffing. Hiring the “right” person, developing that person, retaining that person. So, how do we address these issues and how do they relate to effectiveness and efficiency?

First, hiring the right person is a challenge in and of itself. But how often do we hire the first person who owns a horse and saddle to ride pens because we have been shorthanded for an extended period? Or hire someone with a driver’s license to run a feed truck for the same reason?

Experience tells me this happens often. Then, we give them the “crash course” in whatever we have hired them for and often end up being disappointed in their performance or because they leave. When we buy cattle, we look for the potential in those cattle before we invest. The challenge is to do the same when hiring employees.

Next, we focus on ensuring the individual is successful.

One way to help accomplish this is to ensure they understand WHY we do what we do. This helps instill a sense of purpose and lends to establishing a culture where ownership mentality is a cornerstone. Everyone needs a paycheck, that’s a given, but the paycheck does not have to be the primary motivator that brings people to work and drives them to deliver their best performance.

Developing people to a higher level of performance and focusing on their success not only gives an organization an advantage over the competition, it is the right thing to do.

Simply put, people are the only true competitive advantage an organization has. Not only will this process help make a manager’s life more manageable, it will increase the odds of bringing effectiveness and efficiency together. At the end of the day, that is the ultimate goal.

Chuckles from Down Under The hospital regulations required a wheelchair for patients being discharged.

A young student nurse found a gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet who insisted he didn’t need her help to leave the hospital.

After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let her wheel him to the elevator.

On the way down, she asked him if his wife was meeting him.

“I don’t know,” he said. “She’s still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.”

Adversity – Are You Fighting It, or Are You Fighting Through It?

By Dr. Nels Lindberg, Production Animal Consultation

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e all face adversity at varying points in our life.

Some face more adver sity and obstacles than others, and we often ask, “Why me?” We can sometimes be buried when adversities shift the course of our lives forever. The adversities I have experienced or witnessed that have the most profound effects are events like the loss of a loved one, a divorce, dissolving a part nership, failing in leadership, or a bad mistake that changes one’s own life or the lives of those around them forever.

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Obstacles often show up in our lives when we least expect them, and how we handle these challenges often predicts our immediate and even long-term futures. How we respond to adversity determines the journey we choose to go on and the roads we travel.

Many of you know about my son’s accident. My son Nash was accidentally shot by his little buddy with a 22 rifle at about 3:30 p.m. on August 7th. At that moment, a very vivid nightmare began to unfold, as we truly did not know if our son would live or die. As I write this, it is September 27th, and I am sitting in Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital.

I just finished up with some stretches with Nash, and I am typing away as he waits for his Sunday therapy sessions with me since he has no “real PT or OT” today.

Over the short, almost two months of this journey so far, my wife and I have learned a lot, been through a lot, cried until there were no tears left, and asked “Why?” a good number of times. We have seen our son experience a nearly insurmountable pain that left us in almost despair at times, but we have fought hard to make some very intentional decisions and actions to get to where we are today.

The following are some key aspects to fighting though adversity and winning in adversity. As you read this, please think back through your challenges and what you can learn from them. Because we must expect obstacles and adversities in life, do not be surprised when they show up! When those obstacles show up, we must get up, dress up, and show up to destroy them!

Choose your mental mindset At about 4:00 or 4:30 p.m. that Friday afternoon, the pilot and nurses were getting ready to load Nash and me up to head to Wichita. Nash’s life was in their hands, but I knew I had to be there and be a “force” for Nash. My thoughts were racing, but I knew I had to get my mind right to help fight for and with Nash. When I hopped on that helicopter, packed in tight as could be with Nash, that is where my mental mindset began to go. There was no choice but to fight!

That was just the beginning of the mental mindset work; it carries on today and will continue to do so. When you are in Nash’s shoes, wanting your legs to be normal and wishing you could change “the event” most days, mental mindset and how you face each day are extremely important. We must get our mental mindset right. We must have a relentless attitude, a winning spirit, the heart of a warrior, the courage of a lion, and the perseverance of God. Attitude is everything, and you can change your life with the right mindset. To do that, we must exercise our mental

mindset muscle by daily pushing our mind, believing in ourselves, never giving up, and never giving in to external human or other physical forces. We need to make sure our hearts and minds consume books, stories, articles, podcasts, emails, or other resources to build our heart and mind so we can withstand the next obstacle of life.

Believe. Believing builds authenticity. Authenticity builds relationships. Relationships build trust. Trust builds a team of support for you!

Death and life are in the power of the heart and mind.

Allow yourself to mourn For Nash and our family, it has been important to allow ourselves to mourn. We have embraced this through knowing it is what we needed to do and with the help of our pastor. Our family has two rules: allow ourselves to mourn and to cry, but we do it and then move forward. We mourn as long as we need to, cry as hard as we need to, and scream as loud as we need to in those moments, but we do not dwell in those thoughts or places.

One of our biggest mistakes in facing adversity is not allowing ourselves to mourn because we think we can’t. We think we have to be tough, and we bury the feelings. This often leads us to succumb to our vices, such as drinking, drugs, or some other not-so-healthy addiction. These things are understandable; we often do not want to face the issue, so we bury our head in the sand. But being the tough guy and refusing to mourn is not the answer. We typically know this, but we often do not practice it. My mourning often occurs in my pickup, away from others. We often want to be strong in front of our families or our people, and that is okay. Just find your space to mourn and get it out!

Otherwise you may succumb to your vices.

Have faith It was midnight that Friday night of the accident. Nash was laying there in bed in so much pain, and he could not get enough morphine in his body. He was allowed morphine every three hours and it lasted about two hours.

During that last hour between doses, he would lay there, arms in the air, squeezing his hands in pain, moaning, and there was not one thing I could do. Or so I thought, until he looked at me and said, “Daddy, let’s pray.” So the prayers began! Every time I laid down, my mind wandered to some version of “Why did this happen to one of the best young men on the planet!?” For several nights, the only sleep I got came through laying there and beginning to go to God in prayer. The only way I got any sleep was by falling to sleep in prayer.

Times of adversity often go hand in hand with times of uncertainty. Not knowing what the future holds creates space in our mind for wondering and questioning. Those things often lead to doubt, fear, anxiety, and depression.

As believers, we often are also angry with God for letting this happen to us. It is in those very moments that we have to let go of that anger and go to God. I have never lived more strongly by the saying “Let go and let God” than during the last two months of our lives. When I got the call from my wife Karen, “Nels, Nash is alive but has been shot!” at 3:30 p.m. that Friday, I let go of Nash and placed him at God’s feet for God’s plan for Nash. I did not know if that was life or death, but I let go and let God. And He gave us Nash!

The Bible verse Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Anxiety, stress, and fear can often fill our souls, but faith and talking to our God roots out anxiety, stress, and fear. Anxiety is the process of experiencing failure before it ever happens and is often created in an idle mind. An idle mind is the devil’s playground! We must take an obvious and vocal stand against

the devil. Adversity and obstacles cause us to worry. As Max Lucado teaches, “Worry has more questions than answers, more work than energy, and thinks often about giving up.… You can dedicate a decade of anxious thoughts to the brevity of life, and not extend it by one minute. Worry accomplishes nothing.”

You cannot dwell on the negative, the story, the past, the event, or whatever started the adversity! You must seek first the kingdom of God so that you can experience His daily presence in your time of need to root out your anxiety, stress, and fear. He is begging us to lean into Him! He is yearning for us to talk to Him!

Prove them wrong We arrived at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital determined, with Nash’s goal of walking again. The first day was full of assessments. The following day, his case manager came in to review the goals they had set for him to achieve before he was discharged, and none of them included walking. The look of devastation was clear on Nash’s face.

After the case manager left, I began to remind him, “We do not let anyone predict our future! And we are here to prove

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them wrong!” And so that journey began! And within two weeks, guess what? His team added walking to their list of goals for him! That was not because of them; that was because of Nash’s mental mindset to prove them wrong and his determination to walk. No one would stop him, including a bunch of doctors!

Many people set goals for us, and many people think they can dictate our future or our being, but they can’t. It is all you. Two of the greatest football coaches of all time had people tell them they were not good enough and asked them to move on. Bill Belichick, then head coach for the Cleveland Browns, and Nick Saban, his defensive coordinator, did not allow the Cleveland Browns to “write their story”. They proved them wrong!

Did you know that the Major League Baseball team that won the most games in a season was the 2001 Seattle Mariners? And it was after they traded three of baseball’s greatest players ever: Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., and Randy Johnson! That team proved the naysayers wrong!

As we face our obstacles and our adversities, we must be determined to keep moving forward and achieving our goals. We may think the world is against us; that is okay, but we do not dwell on that one single second. We focus on our goals and our determination to move forward and win every single day relentlessly with true grit and perseverance.

People with grit are finishers in life!

The bravest weapon in history is your heart. Use it to prove the naysayers wrong. Do not accept limitations from anyone. Your inner voice better be saying, “Prove them wrong!”

Reach out Do people know your story? We are often too scared to be transparent, but transparency will open doors you have never even approached before. People want to know your story. Telling your story builds your authenticity, which builds relationships, which in turn opens doors. Talk to the people that reach out to you. Do not ignore them and tell them you are busy. Talk to them. They are reaching out a hand to help you.

You must also pick up the phone and be intentional about reaching out to others that have successfully dealt with what you are going through. In our case, my colleague Dr. Shane Terrell reached out to us about his friend Alex McKiernan, who experienced an injury similar to Nash’s.

We in turn had the courage to reach out to Alex, someone we did not know but someone we knew we needed to talk to. In Alex, we found one of our biggest resources to help Nash succeed on his journey and an absolutely generous

man who has been a warrior for Nash. He knows the journey, knows the path, knows the ups and downs, and knows the challenges, and he can help our son push through his journey.

One of our challenges is simply having hope and believing for the future. Hope is great thing because it is the beginning to healing and to a successful journey. We have to hope, and we have to believe. However, hoping and believing is not a strategy; we must also take action and reach out to others to help us along our journey. When we begin to ask questions and look for others who have successfully dealt with a similar adversity, hope builds and belief grows, leading to confidence to take action!

Courage does not come from deep down inside. It comes from knowing people have your back, will fight for you, and will push to help you win! Reach out to find your tribe, the people who will push you to your innermost greatness!

Celebrate the peaks and survive the valleys Adversity and obstacles are typically an emotional roller coaster. Some days are great; some days are terrible. Some days show progress forward; other days show two (or two hundred) steps backward. Some days are dark, and some days the light is shining bright. We must learn to live each day and keep moving forward. Often the valleys are bigger and longer than the mountain tops, and we get in trouble living in those valleys. We must learn to survive another day in the valley and keep moving toward the next mountain peak.

We must learn to do two things. First, do not put the keys of your happiness in anyone else’s pocket, whether a doctor, a bad spouse, an ex-spouse, a controlling friend, a fear-based approach boss, or anyone else. The keys belong in YOUR pocket, so you remain in control of your own future and destiny. Second, do not live in yesterday and do not live in tomorrow. Live in today, face today, and celebrate today! It might be a valley day but find space to be grateful for what you do have. Gratitude creates contentment. Contentment creates a happiness not replicated by any other person, purchase, or thing. It is hard to be hateful when we are grateful! Celebrate your blessings and say them out loud as you start your day.

Never ever give up On that Friday afternoon, August 7th, Karen and I were standing in the ER waiting room, because we sure could not sit as we waited to hear from anyone, is Nash alive? Is he dead? Is he dying? I really do not know how long we waited there, but it felt like an eternity. We just stood. Sometimes

we just have to keep standing so we can keep moving forward. Standing allows us to put one foot in front of the other. Standing lets our minds think forward because we are looking forward. Standing makes our mind tell our muscles to withstand the static pressure of standing, which accomplishes more than not standing.

Nash is learning to stand all over again, and it is painful.

Standing is hard. Standing tests his balance, his core strength, and his musculoskeletal structure to withstand the static nature creating stamina and strength. The level of pain Nash has endured is far greater than 99% of the 7.5 billion people on this planet. And he is enjoying today, smiling, laughing, thankful for his new AirPods Pro, and grateful he is alive!

What is your story? What adversity are you in right now? What adversity has you in a dark place right now or has in the past? Maybe you have not faced true adversity yet. That’s okay. Here are some “to do’s” to help weather that storm and come out a victor, a better person, achieving your innermost greatness!

Two great quotes come to mind: “Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life,”1 and “Comfort is the enemy to progress.”2 Everything worthwhile is uphill.

Stop being scared and start slaying your demons. Quit worrying about your past, your future, your enemies, the white noise, the naysayers, and the pessimists. Remember, the most common answer in a survey of nursing home residents about the meaning of life was, “I wish I wouldn’t have spent so much time worrying.”

Get to the point where you crave some form of adversity to stretch your capacity, to raise your lid, and to push your limits. The best version of yourself will not be revealed without failure, tragedy, bad decisions, and more failure. God is in your corner longing to help reveal the best version of you!

We each have a higher calling in life. We have a huge purpose! When you accomplish hard things, it feels great! __________________ 1 Susan David 1 P.T. Barnum

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The Impact of Animal Welfare on BRD

By David Sjeklocha, D.V.M., Technical Services Manager, Merck Animal Health

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lifetime of experience, from pen rider through consult ing veterinarian, has made it clear to me the more we pay attention to animal welfare, the more we find how much of a profound effect it has on cattle health.

Vaccinating is the act of administering a vaccine; immunizing cattle is the animal actually responding to the vaccination.

Every extra day cattle are kept on feed is another day they can get sick. With the impact of COVID-19 on packing facilities, many are feeding cattle to heavier weights and that can require ration changes and perhaps another trip through the chute for reimplanting. This can add stress, which dampens the immune system and makes the animal more vulnerable to disease challenges.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is one of the most common disease hurdles and its impact on days on feed and cost of gain, plus treatment costs can take their toll on productivity and profits. Good animal husbandry practices with a focus on minimizing or de-stressing cattle, coupled with a comprehensive vaccine program, is the first line of BRD defense.

Vaccinating vs. immunizing cattle It’s critical to understand that “vaccinating cattle” is not the same thing as “immunizing cattle.” Vaccinating is the act of administering a vaccine; immunizing cattle is the animal actually responding to the vaccination. For this to happen, two things need to take place. First, the vaccine has to be correctly cared for and administered. Second, the animal has to be in a physiological state in which it can respond to the vaccination.

When reconstituting the modified live vaccine, use a swirling or rolling motion vs. shaking, which can damage the modified live virus within the vaccine. Vaccines should be kept cool and out of sunlight. Modified live vaccines should be used within two hours of opening.

If you have 200 calves to vaccinate, you do not want to mix all 200 doses, and then get cattle in and start vaccinating. It’s important to mix as you go. Any remaining reconstituted modified live vaccine at the end of the day should be discarded.

It’s important to store the vaccine cake and sterile diluent per the label. Over the years, I’ve seen examples of improper vaccine storage and handling, including a feedyard that only kept the cake – and not the sterile diluents – in the refrigerator. Mixing the cake with warm sterile diluents greatly shortens, if not eliminates, the effectiveness of the vaccine when mixed.

The protocols for proper handling of vaccines or medications prior to administration need to be fully explained and reinforced with processing crews, whether an on-site or custom crew.

Preparing cattle for immunization All vaccine labels read along the lines of “for aid in

preventing disease in healthy cattle”. To be effective, the animal has to be healthy and in a physiological state to respond to the vaccination.

The time leading up to calves arriving at a feedyard can be challenging. If calves are coming from an auction, there’s comingling and a fair amount of sorting. Even if the handlers are well-trained, the animals are going to be stressed due to the additional handling and movement, and shipment to a new location.

Unless the calves are coming directly from the ranch of origin, they’ve had two or three experiences of being on the truck, probably within a 48- to 96-hour period. Unloading – often done during the night – can increase calf stress. A tired trucker paired with a yard employee who has awoken in the middle of the night can lead to shortcuts in good animal handling practices.

There are things we can do prior to arrival that will help calves overcome the stress of hauling and a new environment. The receiving pen should be ready with all of the basics in place – bedding, clean water, hay in the bunks and perhaps some ration waiting for their arrival.

Unloading needs to be as stress-free as possible. Using calm, quiet handling methods, and putting calves into a properly prepared pen allows them to settle in and rest. A herd veterinarian can best advise what vaccines to use and when to vaccinate calves. For calves to be able to respond to vaccines, they should be on feed and drinking.

When you do administer vaccines, stress can be reduced by minimizing the time calves are away from the home pen.

In a tub and alleyway system, there’s a tendency to think of the tub as a holding pen, and it shouldn’t be. As soon as cattle enter the tub, they’re at a heightened level of stress and that continues through the alleyway and chute. I recommend bringing in just enough cattle at a time to keep the crew at the chute working and not have cattle standing in the tub.

I’m a firm believer that cattle can remember their experience. So, if they have a good experience their first time through the chute, they will be more inclined to handle the process with ease the next time.

Making the right treatment choice Every day we own cattle is another day we need to keep them healthy. While adhering to vaccination protocols can certainly help to keep cattle healthy, we recognize that some animals still will get sick and respiratory disease often is involved. It’s for those situations where an effective

treatment program is needed. Additionally, COVID-19 has highlighted some of the challenges with cattle on feed longer, but it certainly wasn’t the first time we’ve been aware of the increased respiratory issues we can see late in the feeding period.

Cattle recover faster when we use the right antibiotic, so it’s important to follow the protocols set forth by the veterinarian. New diagnostic tools, such as Whisper® Veterinary Stethoscope, can help us make better antibiotic decisions.

Using the right antibiotic ultimately reduces treatment times and the amount of antibiotic used, which is a priority for consumers. We also need to focus on the condition of the hospital pen and be sure it’s not overcrowded. To aid in their recovery, cattle need the fundamentals of good animal husbandry – fresh feed, clean water, dry pens and plenty of bedding.

Hand-in-hand with not overcrowding the hospital pen is getting the calves back to the home pen in a timely manner. Some animals, if detected early in the disease process, may be able to be returned to the home pen the same day they are treated. This can require extra labor, but it reduces hospital pen overcrowding and results in healthier animals.

Education and attitude Continuing education for the entire crew is a priority.

One thing I found in both consulting and daily feed yard management is the more we train on and apply good animal husbandry principles, the more we explain the “why” of what we do, the more the employees will appreciate and implement proven practices.

David Sjeklocha, D.V.M., technical services manager for Merck Animal Health, encourages cattle producers to work with their veterinarian to determine what vaccines to use to prevent BRD and when to vaccinate calves.

Wintertime Bedding Application for Feedlot Steers Fed at a Northern Latitude

By Zachary Smith, Ph.D., Department of Animal Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD

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hree important factors that influence the profitability of a cattle-feeding enterprise include: 1) an abundant supply of feeder cattle, 2) readily available and economically priced feed resources, and 3) a favorable production environment. For example, in South Dakota, we are fortunate to be close to an abundance of quality feeder cattle and feedstuffs. Obviously, South Dakota got the short end of the stick in regards to wintertime weather conditions. Challenges to cattle and their caretakers in the wintertime include cold temperatures, wind, snow, and freezing rain, all of which result in undesirable pen surface and working conditions. Average wintertime conditions in the Northern Plains region range from 10 to 35°F.

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Cattle producers are, however, forward thinkers, adaptable, and readily resourceful. Early settlers to this region used shelterbelts to protect their homesteads from relentless wintertime conditions. For producers without mature and well-established shelterbelts, the use of wind fencing is common in feed yards in the northern regions of North America. Crop residues such as corn stalks and straw are commonly used as bedding material in the Northern Plains (same products others consider a feedstuff further south). Lastly, many producers in the Northern Plains region elect to feed cattle throughout the entire year in enclosed barns. All of the aforementioned mitigation strategies have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, what is useful in the wintertime (e.g., a shelterbelt or wind fencing) might prove problematic come summertime (e.g., no wind movement across the yard).

Undesirable pen conditions observed during wintertime can negatively impact the insulative capacity of cattle hair coat as a result of dampness and mud or manure accumulation. For cattle, the insulative capacity of the hair coat is a contributing factor to their lower critical temperature (LCT) threshold. The LCT for all homeotherms is the temperature below which the organism’s metabolic rate must increase in order to maintain homeothermy. The maintenance requirement of an animal is an estimate of the amount of energy necessary to keep an animal in an equilibrium state. Temperatures falling below the lower critical temperature for cattle with a dry, heavy winter coat (18°F) will result in an increase in maintenance requirements, and due to this diversion of energy toward maintenance function, a resulting decrease in feed available for gain and productive function is observed through decreased performance.

Bedding application as a means to improve cattle comfort during wintertime has been commonplace for Northern Plains cattle producers for many years. However, the exact degree to which bedding application improves growth performance has not been well established. As such, three experiments were conducted at the Ruminant Nutrition Center in Brookings, South Dakota, from January to March (yearling steers, initial 36 day receiving period, Exp. 1), January to July of 2019 (yearling steers, cumulative finishing period, Exp. 2), and October to December of 2019 (bawling steer calves, initial 56 day receiving period, Exp. 3). In Exp. 1 and 2, steers received 4 lbs (as-is basis)/steer·d-1 of wheat straw bedding, and in Exp. 3, steers received 2 lbs (as-is basis)/steer·d-1 wheat straw bedding. The goal of bedding application was to ensure that all steers within a bedded pen had a dry spot to lay down at all times during the course of

the experiment. The average ambient temperature and the average wind chill was 5.2°F and -0.3°F in Exp. 1, 39.8°F and 37.3°F in Exp. 2, and 26.5°F and 22.8°F in Exp. 3.

In Exp. 1, steers from the bedded treatment had increased body weight on day 36 by 4.2%, increased average daily gain by 48.0%, improved feed conversion by 74.4%, and a decreased estimated metabolic rate by 40.8% compared to non-bedded steers. In Exp. 2, steers from the bedded treatment had increased average daily gain by 21.0%, greater dry matter intake by 5.9%, improved feed conversion by 14.6%, a decreased estimated metabolic rate by 10.6%, and required 35 fewer days on feed to reach an industry acceptable level of rib fat compared to non-bedded steers. In Exp. 3, steers from the non-bedded treatment had 4.6% greater dry matter intake, an increased estimated metabolic rate by 18.2%, and similar average daily gain at the end of the 56 day receiving period, that translated into an improved feed conversion rate of 5.6% for bedded steers compared to non-bedded steers.

Based upon the value of body weight gain and cost of body weight gain, we can assess the value of bedding application (Table 1; extreme wintertime cold stress). The following examples will include 3 different types of bedding with varying costs applied at a rate of 4 lbs (as-is basis)/head·d-1: 1) corn stalks (30.00 $/ton), 2) wheat straw (70.00 $/ton), or 3) wheat straw (145.00 $/ton).

Assumptions include: 1) initial body weight of 1000 lbs, 2) 60 day feeding period, 3) value of body weight gain of 0.80 $/lb, 4) a 64 Mcal/cwt NEg diet priced at 180.00 $/ton (dry matter basis), 5) same dry matter intake between bedded and non-bedded groups, 6) increased net energy for maintenance requirement of 34% for bedded cattle and 88% increase for non-bedded cattle, 7) yardage of 0.35 $/head·d-1, 8) estimated loader cost of 72.50 $/hour (loader cost of 0.07 $/head·d-1), 9) estimated labor time of 1 hour/week for a 150 head pen (labor cost not included), and the bedding cost of 0.06 $/head·d-1 for corn stalks, 0.14 $/ head·d-1 for the less expensive wheat straw, and 0.29 $/ head·d-1 for the expensive wheat straw. The in and out cost for corn stalks is 0.129 $/head·d-1, 0.209 $/head·d-1 for the less expensive wheat straw, and 0.359 $/head·d-1 for the more expensive wheat straw. Thus, the return on investment (ROI) for corn stalks was 6.3 to 1, for less expensive wheat straw ROI was 3.9 to 1, and for the more expensive wheat straw ROI was 2.3 to 1.

Another example can be used where all assumptions remain the same except that assumption 2 is changed to a 120 day feeding period, assumption 5 is changed to reduced intake of 5.5% for non-bedded, and assumption 6 is

changed to a 26% increase in metabolic rate for bedded cattle and a 42% increase in metabolic rate for non-bedded cattle (Table 2; normal wintertime cold stress). The in and out daily cost does not change from above for daily labor or bedding cost. In this second example, ROI is 1.7 to 1 for the corn stalks, 1.3 to 1 for the less expensive wheat straw, and 0.9 to 1 for the expensive wheat straw. This second example suggests that even if the wintertime conditions are not severe (much like the alterations in metabolic rate seen in Exp. 2), the ROI for bedding is more nearly a breakeven proposition.

A key point here is that one will likely incur the cost associated with bedding cattle no matter what they choose to do (i.e., the extra 35 days of yardage and feed costs for the non-bedded steers in Exp. 2). Even if the ROI for bedding is not large, the steers from Exp. 2 took an extra 35 days to achieve a marketable end body weight compared to the bedded steers. Another factor to consider for an BEDDED

integrated crop-livestock business is the nutrient value of the crop residue will be returned to cropland as part of the manure, reducing the net cost of the bedding compared to these examples. There are also less tangible but still important benefits to bedding that should be considered such as enhanced visual appeal of cattle to be sold as backgrounded feeders and improvements in overall cattle comfort and welfare.

These data indicate that enhancements of growth performance for bedded steers compared to non-bedded steers were not solely attributable to increased dry matter intake but rather to an amelioration of cold stress on maintenance energy requirement. In conclusion, bedding application should be considered as a risk reduction strategy during wintertime feeding to improve feed conversion efficiency by reducing maintenance energy requirements in beef steers during the feedlot production phase.

NON-BEDDED

Exp. 1 February 26, 2019 Average ambient temperature = -1°F Average wind chill = -7°F

Exp. 2 May 10, 2019 Average ambient temperature = 47°F Average wind chill = 47°F

Exp. 3 November 6, 2019 Average ambient temperature = 21°F Average wind chill = 18°F pacdvms.com

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Pen Riders and Pen Walkers – The Heart of Feedlot Cattle Care

By Dr. Tom Noffsinger, Production Animal Consultation

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aregivers that perform daily pen evaluations spend more time with cattle than any other team at the feedyard. Pen rider focus has evolved over time from negative to positive, from detection of abnormal cattle to creation of cattle health and wellbeing. Likewise, I continue to refine my own thought processes as I learn from the teachers and mentors around me. For example, Ted Howard, Shane Morrissey, and Lucy Morrissey have demonstrated the valuable harmony between stockmanship and horsemanship and the importance of asking my horse to move his feet in cadence with the foot motion of the cattle.

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Locomotion

Let us show you the way.

Evaluate locomotion health as cattle get up and move.

Voluntary cattle motion will encourage resting cattle to rise, stretch, and walk. Match locomotion expectations to pen history. Cattle on feed less than 10 days are at risk for septic toe and sole abscesses, sole bruises, upper limb injuries, and injection site tenderness. When pulling animals with musculoskeletal concerns, learn to list the affected limb number and probable diagnosis on pull cards to guide hospital team diagnostic activities. Monitor all pens for early signs of foot rot cases and digital dermatitis lesions.

Laminitis cases often reflect missed acclimation opportunities or diet transition management opportunities.

Digestion

Please ride between us.

Many years ago, Bud Williams taught me that pen riders should expect all cattle to walk correctly, eat and drink normally, breathe normally, and be willing to play. Jose Valles has taken these expectations and developed a fivepoint evaluation to help pen riders systematically observe cattle, including their locomotion, digestion, respiration, nervous system, and mental health.

Let’s take a closer look at the basic principles of implementing this five-point evaluation.

Initial approach Observe cattle appearance prior to entering the pen either from adjacent pens or from the drovers alley. Be ready to acknowledge the cattle’s first response to your presence.

When cattle recognize your position, stop and step back one step or simply change the angle of approach. Enter the pen and look over the top of the herd, observing the most distant cattle first. As you move your gaze toward the cattle closest to you, the cattle will be drawn to you. Watch for cattle requesting guidance. They are the cattle standing sideways that intensely turn their heads and ask for guidance. Simply ride by these special creatures, becoming more available to their vision, and then turn back and ride by them to initiate either straight or orderly counterclockwise herd movement.

Cattle in motion are great candidates for digestive system evaluation. Does manure being passed match stools on the ground? Dry, stacked stools on the ground should be temporary and replaced by moist, pliable stools as digestive systems recover from transit stress. Learn to use stools to detect dehydration, rehydration, acidosis, coccidiosis, anxiety, and health. Loose stools and variation in stools may signal the need for more cattle motion, exercise in the alley, long stem hay, or conservative ration transitions. Are stools reflective of salivation and abdominal fill? The presence of excessive salivation should be accompanied by loose, watery stools. Be willing to share your questions, observations, and comments with management and the feed team. Pen riders can sometimes see more signs of digestive abnormalities in the pen than feed callers can see from their vehicles.

Respiration Cattle that move with confidence and reveal locomotion abnormalities will honestly communicate their level of respiratory health. Watch for depression and lack of exercise tolerance. Evaluate cough activity, especially cough suppression and chest pain. Do cattle improve as they move or do some cattle stay behind and ask for rest? Cattle with poor exercise tolerance are more likely to have BRD lung lesions resulting in poor oxygenation. Cattle that improve with mild exercise more likely suffer from digestive or fatigue issues. Fever, fatigue, septicemia, pneumonia, and upper respiratory infections are all sources of undifferentiated depression. Rely on hospital teammates to diagnose, treat, and report back to pen riders. Use lung scores, temperatures, and treatment responses to manage priority pens via pull decisions, mass treatment strategies, bedding, and therapeutic exercise sessions.

Nervous system Evaluate cattle for proper coordination as they get up and begin to move. Improper coordination of limbs or an unbalanced head posture can be a sign of neurological disorders.

Some of the most common neurological disorders in a feedyard include polio, thromboembolic meningoencephalitis (TEME), and nervous coccidiosis. In some cases, loss of balance can also be a sign of an ear infection. Communicate your observations of the affected animal to the hospital team, in writing or verbally, to guide them as they assign a case definition. It is critical that all animals suspected of neurological disorders be reported to everyone in the animal health team so safety precautions can be implemented in case of a zoonotic disease.

Mental health Positive cattle attitude is a product of effective pen rider activities during acclimation and health assessment activities. The willingness for cattle to express exuberance and play is essential for cattle performance and disease resistance. Pen riders are the stewards of this behavior as they train cattle to travel straight and convince them to pass by handlers with confidence.

We are ready to go.

It is possible to create what we anticipate. Pen rider efforts should be aimed at health. Start with the best animal in the pen and look for ways to ask other cattle to perform at that level. Some cattle may deserve treatment; others will respond well to support and training.

Pen riding is the most exciting job on the cattle care team.

Every animal, every pen, and every day is an adventure.

Please share your observations, challenges, and successes with each other as we all work together to improve cattle health and wellbeing. Develop confidence that how we ride and walk pens is the key to early, accurate detection of illness and the source of cattle comfort, confidence, and wellbeing.

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If foolishness was a disease, one might want to get vaccinated or have some medication on hand in case of an outbreak.

The Dun

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

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have heard it said, “Your journey is where you are.” As a boy growing up, I wanted my journey to involve growing up on a large ranch in rural Colorado or the sandhills of Nebraska.

What I have since learned is sometimes entering through the back door can be an even better option. Your zip code and environment do not have to determine your destiny in life.

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As it turned out, I was given the opportunity to grow up in one of the most prominent equine practices in Colorado.

The practice is located in Golden, Colorado. Golden is nestled in the foothills below Lookout Mountain and is home to Colorado Kool-Aid brewed with pure Rocky Mountain spring water, the prestigious Colorado School of Mines, the famous Westernaires drill team, and the Hillcroft School of Horseshoeing. In the 50s and 60s, the practice was very mixed and covered a 100-mile radius. The majority of ranches were in the foothills and mountains west of Denver and ran 200 or less mother cows. Over the years, many of the original cattle operations sold out to high-dollar developers for residential or commercial use. With this shift came an abundant wave of backyard horse owners, brood farms, and exclusive horse stables. How could I have known that this experience would prepare me for a distinguished career in veterinary medicine and eventually fulfill my dream of owning a ranch?

In addition to cattle and horses, I was exposed to every creature known to man. With this opportunity, I became very observant and confident in my clinical experience. The range and scope of veterinary cases was extraordinary! Reproductive physiology in brood mares including a new technology called ultrasound, lameness in dressage and hunter jumpers, routine maintenance procedures, major colic surgeries, and assorted minor surgical procedures. Pharmacology, clinical pathology, radiology, and late-night calls all occurred under the influence of my hero and amazing mentor, Dr. John Pallaro. At the time, I could not comprehend how all of these experiences would propel me towards fulfilment of the true blueprint for my life. Today, I understand that the step-by-step process I experienced was God’s perfectly orchestrated plan. Sometimes conflicted, I learned that my plan was not necessarily His plan. As it turned out, every step of the journey was part of God's perfect appointment for my life. These childhood experiences became my foundation, and the diversity and experience developed my confidence both as an individual and as a future veterinarian.

One of my favorite memories as a teenager has led to one of my most precious life lessons. Doc was the attending veterinarian for the Westernaires. This organization was founded to develop personal growth and core values while teaching junior and senior high age girls advanced equine riding skills. They performed all over the country at various rodeo events presenting America's colors using high-speed technical horseback maneuvers. The horses were great, but all those teenage girls! Get the picture? Whenever possible, in the name of science, I jumped at the opportunity to be at Doc’s side when attending an event. As it turned out, my tenure with Doc opened many doors, but a cute 16-yearold equestrian was not one of those doors. At the events, I

became intrigued by the dynamic of the horse-rider interaction, the horse-horse interaction, and the rider-rider interaction. I observed that like humans, some horses do not get along with other horses. This was apparent by the assorted lacerations, bumps, bruises, and dented pickups and trailers, not to mention countless broken reins.

Recently, I was at a large branding. The sweet aroma of a wood-fired branding box, in combination with all makes, models, and paint jobs on the four-legged equids, outfitted with assorted unique paraphernalia, brought back many fond memories. There were also tents, awnings, campers, Yeti coolers, cow dogs, and an indescribable maze of steel and aluminum trailers of all makes and models. Nowadays I just enjoy watching the interaction of all the moving parts.

As I sat quietly in my canvas camp chair, I observed one of our special young cowgirls ride towards trailer city to tether her mount. On her way to the trailer, one of the attending top hands got a foot taller and with great conviction yelled, “Whatever you do, don’t tie up next to that dun horse!”

In the moment, an extraordinary revelation was born.

In life we have a choice. We can tie up next to the wellmannered sorrel, the cow-savvy buckskin, or the spooky illmannered dun. We can tie up next to doubt, strife, unforgiveness, lust, gossip, drama, and hypocrisy, or we can tie up next to peace, joy, wisdom, truth, integrity, and faith. It is our choice; all we have to do is discern what is right, decide where we want to tie up, and pull the trigger. Sin is the same way! In that moment, it became crystal clear.

When temptation comes, we must simply ask ourselves, do we really want to tie up next to the dun?

Do we want to experience the consequences of the broken reins of life, the lacerations and scars of disobedience, or the guilt and regret from tying up to the wrong trailer? “When the student is ready to learn, the teacher will appear.”1 Do not let the teacher be a painful and regretful outcome. Pay attention; choose to be obedient.

Digging Deeper If someone did you the favor of warning, “Don’t tie up next to the dun horse,” and you ignored their counsel and did so anyway, it might be appropriate to call you a “fool”.

The Bible has a lot to say about fools and advises us not to call someone a fool carelessly. “Fool” is mentioned in the New Testament around 41 times depending upon the translation; however, the Book of Proverbs really examines and speaks to the perils of “fools” as that term is used about 76 times.

A fool in scripture is not necessarily one who lacks intelligence. A fool is a fool not because he cannot do something, but rather because he will not do something.2 At the top of this definition sits the individual that when he

has a chance to obey God chooses not to. Considering that there is a God who created us and seeks to care for and love us, only a fool would walk away and ignore or reject His guidance and concern. Rejection which ultimately always has detrimental or even catastrophic consequences, just like when you go ahead and tie up next to the dun after having been forewarned.

Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” This sounds much like what one would hear from an atheist; however, as mentioned before, this position has nothing to do with a lack of intelligence, lack of money, or lack of status. So why the rejection of God? This question is too involved for this discussion by your humble authors; however there seems to be a connection between the goof who ties up next to the dun and the one who decides to reject God outright. Neither one wants to be told what to do or to be held accountable. They do not want the rules or morality to apply to them, and they seemingly are not concerned with the concept of consequences.

If foolishness was a disease, one might want to get vaccinated or have some medication on hand in case of an outbreak. Maybe social distancing would work, but a better recommendation would be to pull out the owner’s manual

on wisdom versus foolishness. The single best read would be Proverbs. Proverbs has 31 chapters that provide brief instructions regarding the meaning of life, wisdom, righteous living, honesty, hard work, humility, and other actions that contribute to living an effective life. How about making a commitment to read one chapter of Proverbs a day? What do you have to lose? Do not be foolish (or lazy) and reject this offer!

The following are a few examples regarding wisdom and fools from the Book of Proverbs: Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 10:23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

Proverbs 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 18:6 A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.

Proverbs 19:1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool. __________________ 1 Quote from Dr. Tom Noffsinger 1 https://archive.org/details/WhatMakesAFoolAFool

congratulations Jose Valles and his wife Areli Monarrez-Valles were inducted into the Seward County Community College Hall of Saints in January 2020.

Jose and Areli with their sons Antonio and Matteo at the Hall of Saints Awards Reception

The following articles have been translated into Spanish:

Ángeles de Nieve •••••

Vaqueros y Caminadores de Corrales – El Corazón del Cuidado de Ganado de Engorda Translation provided by Jose Valles – Production Animal Consultation

Ángeles de Nieve Por Ted Howard, Production Animal Consultation ¿Qué es lo que más te gusta del invierno? Le hice esta pregunta a mi amigo a veces factual, Google. Puedes imaginar mi diversión cuando los seis puntos principales del artículo “Cosas que hacen del invierno la mejor estación de todas”1 eran ángeles de nieve, trineos, luces navideñas, hogueras acogedoras, calcetines calientes, y chocolate caliente.

Dado que paso la mayor parte de mi tiempo en los corrales de engorda en todo el país, mis primeros pensamientos sobre el invierno fueron en una dirección diferente. En los últimos años, he sometido artículos para la edición de la revista Protein Producers para cubrir las condiciones precarias del suelo, el herraje adecuado, y la necesidad de aumentar el consumo de agua en nuestros caballos y ganado, así como también opciones de ropa de invierno adecuada para nosotros. Mientras estudiaba mis artículos anteriores en relación con la lista de “Cosas que hacen del invierno la mejor estación de todas”, descubrí algunas correlaciones.

1. Un ángel de nieve es un diseño hecho en nieve fresca al recostarse boca arriba y mover los brazos hacia arriba y hacia abajo y las piernas de lado a lado para formar la forma de un ángel. Los “ángeles de nieve” bovinos se pueden ver en el corral de engorda cuando levantamos nuestro ganado cuando montamos en los corrales. No puedo enfatizar lo suficiente la importancia de levantar el ganado y moverlo para evaluar su salud. No solo desarrollamos una mejor salud en nuestro ganado, también creamos mejores conversiones.

2. Andar en trineo es divertido en un tobogán o detrás de un equipo de caballos belgas tirando un trineo.

Andar en trineo no es tan divertido montando a caballo en un corral o en un callejón congelado.

Herrar adecuadamente a su caballo es muy importante durante los meses de invierno. Las herraduras cóncavas son apropiadas para superficies secas y duras que incluyen condiciones de suelo congelado. Las herraduras de uña y tacón son mejores para condiciones lodosas. Las herraduras adecuadas le ayudaran a prevenir lesiones a su caballo y a usted mismo.

3. Las luces navideñas se pueden ver durante todo el invierno, ya que normalmente comenzamos y terminamos el día en la oscuridad. Recuerde, cuando andamos a caballo, puede ser difícil vernos desde un vehículo o camión de alimentación. Es importante

4.

5.

6.

mantenerse enfocado en la seguridad, ya que nuestra atención puede consumirse luchando contra las inclemencias del tiempo.

Las hogueras acogedoras aportan una sensación de calidez. Es muy importante mantenerse caliente mientras trabaja afuera durante la temporada de invierno. Tomarse un descanso y alejarse del frío lo ayuda a mantenerse enfocado en la salud de su ganado. Hacemos un mejor trabajo de ganadería y equitación cuando no tenemos frío. Tomarse descansos para calentarse también le permite a su compañero equino un descanso de las malas condiciones del suelo.

Los calcetines calientes son muy importantes en ambas listas. Tener la ropa adecuada en temperaturas frías hace que nuestro día en los corrales de engorda sea más agradable. Caminar en los corrales en temperaturas frígidas también es una buena manera para mantener los pies calientes y le permite a su caballo un descanso del terreno disparejo y congelado. Una vez más, es muy importante hacer que cada animal se levante y se mueva, incluso cuando esté caminando sus corrales.

El Chocolate caliente es agradable, pero me inclino más por una taza (o cinco) de café. Mantenerse hidratado es importante. La hidratación de nuestros caballos y ganado también es fundamental durante el clima frío para ayudar a mantener su temperatura corporal. Mantener limpios nuestros tanques durante estos meses fríos no es un trabajo tan agradable como lo es en Julio, pero sigue siendo necesario para la salud y el bienestar de nuestro ganado.

No iba a mencionar el séptimo punto del articulo “Cosas que hacen del invierno la mejor estación de todas” ya que son cervezas de invierno. Parecía más apropiado para un diferente tipo de artículo. Sin embargo, después del año 2020, les deseo a todos una Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo 2021 con un brindis de cualquier “cerveza de invierno” que disfruten.

__________________ 1 https://www.redfin.com/blog/26-things-that-make-winter-

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Vaqueros y Caminadores de Corrales – El Corazón del Cuidado de Ganado de Engorda Por Dr. Tom Noffsinger, Production Animal Consultation Los cuidadores que realizan evaluaciones diarias de corrales de ganado pasan más tiempo con el ganado que cualquier otro equipo en los corrales de engorda. El enfoque de los vaqueros ha evolucionado con el paso del tiempo de negativo a positivo, desde la detección de ganado anormal hasta la creación de salud y bienestar del ganado. Asimismo, continúo refinando mis propios procesos de pensamiento a medida que aprendo de los maestros y mentores que me rodean. Por ejemplo, Ted Howard, Shane Morrissey, y Lucy Morrissey me han demostrado la valiosa harmonía entre la ganadería y la equitación y la importancia de pedirle a mi caballo que mueva sus patas en cadencia con el movimiento de las patas del ganado.

Hace muchos años, Bud Williams me enseño que los vaqueros deben esperar que todo el ganado camine correctamente, coma y beba normalmente, respire normalmente, y esté dispuesto a jugar. Jose Valles ha tomado estas expectativas y ha desarrollado una evaluación de cinco puntos para ayudar a los vaqueros a observar sistemáticamente al ganado, incluyendo su locomoción, digestión, respiración, sistema nervioso y salud mental.

Veamos más de cerca a los principios básicos para implementar esta evaluación de cinco puntos.

Acercamiento Inicial Observe la apariencia del ganado antes de ingresar al corral, ya sea desde corrales adyacentes o desde el callejón.

Esté preparado para reconocer la primera respuesta del ganado a su presencia. Cuando el ganado reconozca su posición, deténgase y de un paso atrás o simplemente cambie el ángulo de aproximación. Ingrese al corral y mire por encima del hato, observando primero el ganado más distante. A medida que mueve su mirada hacia el ganado más cercano a usted, el ganado será atraído hacia usted. Esté atento al ganado que solicita orientación. Este es el ganado que se para de lado, que voltea intensamente la cabeza y pide orientación. Simplemente pase junto a estas criaturas especiales, volviéndose más disponible a su visión y luego de la vuelta y pase junto a ellas para iniciar un movimiento de hato recto o ordenado en sentido anti horario.

Locomoción Evalué la salud de locomoción a medida que el ganado se levanta y se mueve. El movimiento voluntario del ganado

alentará al ganado que esta descansando a levantarse, estirarse y caminar. Haga coincidir las expectativas de locomoción con el historial del corral. El ganado con menos de 10 días en alimentación esta en riesgo de tener abscesos sépticos en los dedos y planta de las pezuñas, hematomas en la planta de las pezuñas, lesiones en las extremidades superiores, y sensibilidad en el sitio de inyección. Al sacar animales con problemas musculoesqueléticos, aprenda a anotar el numero de la extremidad afectada y el diagnóstico probable en la tarjeta con los apuntes de animales sacados por anormalidades para guiar las actividades de diagnóstico del equipo de hospital. Monitoree todos los corrales para detectar señales tempranas de casos de gabarro y lesiones de dermatitis digital. Los casos de laminitis a menudo reflejan oportunidades de aclimatación perdidas u oportunidades de manejo de transición de dietas.

Digestión El ganado en movimiento son grandes candidatos para la evaluación del sistema digestivo. ¿El estiércol siendo expulsado coincide con las heces en el suelo? Las heces secas y apiladas en el suelo deben ser temporales y reemplazadas por heces húmedas y blandas a medida que los sistemas digestivos se recuperan del estrés de tránsito. Aprenda a utilizar las heces para detectar deshidratación, rehidratación, acidosis, coccidiosis, ansiedad y salud. Las heces sueltas y la variación en las heces pueden señalar la necesidad de más movimiento del ganado, ejercicio en el callejón, heno de tallo largo o transiciones de raciones conservadoras. ¿Las heces reflejan la salivación y el llenado abdominal? La presencia de salivación excesiva debe ir acompañada de heces sueltas y acuosas. Esté dispuesto a compartir sus preguntas, observaciones y comentarios con la gerencia y el equipo de alimentación. Los vaqueros a veces pueden ver más signos de anomalías digestivas en el corral que las personas que realizan las lecturas de comederos pueden ver desde sus vehículos.

Respiración El ganado que se mueve con confianza y revela anomalías de locomoción comunicará honestamente su nivel de salud respiratoria. Esté atento para identificar depresión y la falta de tolerancia al ejercicio. Evalué la actividad de la tos, especialmente la supresión de la tos y el dolor de pecho. ¿El

ganado mejora a medida que se mueve o algunos animales se quedan atrás y piden descanso? El ganado con poca tolerancia al ejercicio tiene más posibilidades de tener lesiones pulmonares de complejo respiratorio bovino (BRD, por sus siglas en ingles) que producen una mala oxigenación. El ganado que mejora con ejercicio leve es más probable que sufra problemas digestivos o de fatiga. La fiebre, la fatiga, la septicemia, la neumonía y las infecciones de las vías respiratorias superiores son todas fuentes de depresión indiferenciada. Cuente con los compañeros del equipo de hospital para diagnosticar, tratar e informar a los vaqueros.

Utilice puntuaciones pulmonares, temperaturas y respuestas al tratamiento para manejar los corrales de prioridad mediante decisiones de ganado sacado, estrategias de tratamiento masivo, encamado y sesiones de ejercicio terapéutico.

trastornos neurológicos sean reportados a todas las personas del equipo de salud animal para que se puedan implementar precauciones de seguridad en caso de una enfermedad zoonótica.

Sistema Nervioso

Es posible crear lo que anticipamos. Los esfuerzos de los vaqueros deben estar dirigidos a la salud. Comience con el mejor animal del corral y busque formas de pedirle a otros animales que se desempeñen a ese nivel. Algunos animales pueden merecer tratamiento; otros responderán bien al apoyo y a la capacitación.

La revisión de corrales a caballo es el trabajo más emocionante del equipo de cuidado de ganado. Cada animal, cada corral y cada día es una aventura. Por favor comparta sus observaciones, desafíos y éxitos entre sí ya que todos trabajamos juntos para mejorar la salud y el bienestar del ganado. Desarrolle confianza de que la forma en que montamos y caminamos corrales es la clave para la detección temprana y precisa de enfermedades y la fuente de comodidad, confianza y bienestar del ganado.

Evalué el ganado para una coordinación adecuada a medida que se levanta y comienza a moverse. La coordinación inadecuada de las extremidades o una postura de cabeza desequilibrada pueden ser señales de trastornos neurológicos. Algunos de los trastornos neurológicos más comunes en un corral de engorda incluyen polio, meningoencefalitis tromboembólica (TEME, por sus siglas en ingles), y coccidiosis nerviosa. En algunos casos, la pérdida del equilibrio también puede ser una señal de una infección de oído. Comunique sus observaciones del animal afectado al equipo de hospital, por escrito o verbalmente, para guiarlos en la asignación de una definición de caso.

Es fundamental que todos los animales sospechosos de

Salud Mental La actitud positiva del ganado es un producto de las actividades efectivas del vaquero durante la aclimatación y las actividades de evaluación de salud. La disposición del ganado para expresar exuberancia y juego es esencial para el rendimiento del ganado y la resistencia a las enfermedades.

Los vaqueros son los administradores de este comportamiento a medida que capacitan al ganado para moverse en línea recta y lo convencen a que pasen junto a los manejadores con confianza.

Por favor, pasa por medio de nosotros.

Permítenos enseñarte el camino.

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Swedish Meatballs with Sauce Ingredients Meatballs •

2 lbs. ground beef

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1 c. breadcrumbs

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1/2 c. quick oats

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1/2 c. milk

Meatball Sauce

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2 eggs

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3 tbsp. butter

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1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced

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3 tbsp. flour

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1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

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2 c. beef broth

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salt & pepper

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1 tsp. paprika

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1/2 tsp. salt

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1/2 tsp. pepper

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1-2 c. cream

Instructions Meatballs 1. In a large mixing bowl, add the beef, breadcrumbs, and oats.

Mix thoroughly.

2. Then add milk, eggs, parsley, and spices, and mix well.

3. Cover a baking pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

4. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the meatballs, and space them about 1" apart on parchment paper.

5. Bake for approximately an hour, turning them over after 30 minutes.

Instructions Sauce 1. Start by melting the butter over low heat, then sprinkle with flour and whisk until mixed.

2. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the remaining ingredients except for the cream.

4. Continue stirring until completely smooth.

Reduce heat to low and cover, cooking for about 10 minutes and stirring occasionally to avoid clumping.

5. Adjust seasonings to taste.

6. About 10 minutes before serving, add cream and whisk to desired consistency.

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.

Brogan Brown Parents: Bryce & Jill Brown Nebraska

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