Protein Producers Spring 2021

2021 Volume 9 Issue 1 EDITORIAL TEAM: Brandi Bain, Darcy Howard, Lisa Taylor

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

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 Terry and Debby Anderson and Dr. Brent Barton for the photo from Anderson Land & Livestock in Pilot Rock, Oregon. pacdvms.com

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CArrow Rose Farms Scott City, Kansas Photo Credit: Jacy Rose

We want to showcase unique photographs from our readers here!

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

WELCOME ••••••••••••••••• As we start a new year, we can ask ourselves where our real hope comes from in these times of uncertainty. It would appear that the only “normal” that we might see or experience is the setting on the clothes washer. If we pin our hope on the economic and political process, we will be disappointed. However, the Hope that we can experience is not within ourselves but is found in scripture.

I am reminded of a verse from 2 Peter 1:3: “seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” We can gain all that we need to know about how we should live through knowing God, who has called us to bring honor and glory to Him. In closing, I would like to share a quote from a young man after returning from a job in Russia working on a large ranch. He had the opportunity to gain perspective from a livestock production system that was starting from the ground up. Infrastructure, land mass, and equity were not spared, yet the personnel and labor skill could not be grown with money. In that political environment, 200 years of beef production could not be replicated quickly. His observation was unique in that he was able to put into perspective the years of experience that we have in livestock production.

Welcome to the spring edition of Protein Producers! With spring comes fresh beginnings, new calves, green grass, and the anticipation of new opportunities. Instead of looking at the whole year, let’s examine what we can do today that will enhance our position to “get a little bit better” every day.

How we view opportunities determines our success. Just as 2020 presented unprecedented challenges, 2021 will have new challenges. We can ask ourselves, “Where is the opportunity to produce food more efficiently, more humanely, and with more dignity?” Each of our operations has different nuances, whether it be environment, culture, equity, or personnel, but our tools remain the constant: people and livestock.

We can choose to understand the people that care for these animals. How does an attitude of compassion develop within ourselves and caretakers? How is that compassion translated to the people that will enjoy consuming our protein? When desire and humility lead us to think of others’ well-being, our production systems become much more satisfying and economically viable. Those that purchase our product are more likely to have a positive experience, be that financially or with satisfaction from taste.

Demand for protein will continue to increase. Let’s face it, we are in the people business.

Production is fast paced, but success is in the details. I think you will find this spring edition helpful in growing skills and deepening understanding.

Dr. Chris Reinhardt demonstrates how implants can be used successfully in calves and the financial reward gained.

Dr. Tom Noffsinger invites us to consider leading cattle as a powerful tool for effective stockmanship.

Dr. Nels Lindberg and Pete Anderson each share wisdom on leadership. We are all leaders as we serve those close to us.

Dr. Doug Ford and Dr. Greg Quackenbush share another real-life parable, demonstrating their faith and dependence on God Almighty.

“The compassion we, as American producers, share in agriculture is unique. By providing the highest quality of life for an animal that is going to give its life, we have created a food supply that is both safe and abundant. Yet, we pay attention to and fulfill the needs of those animals. It is our way of life.” – Mark Spare, DVM (2019 KSU) Dr. Randall Spare

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

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CONtributors ••••••••••••••••••••••••• Pete Anderson, Ph.D.

POT ROAST

Pete Anderson is Director of Research for Midwest PMS, LLC, a provider of liquid suspension nutritional supplements and con sulting services to cattle feeders and dairy producers. Dr. Anderson directs research conducted and sponsored by MWPMS and provides technical support to MWPMS nutritionists and clients. In addition, he leads the company’s efforts in the areas of performance records analysis and business consulting and has quality assurance, feed safety and regulatory responsibility for the firm’s production facilities. Pete received a B.S. degree in Animal Sciences and Industry from Kansas State University in 1983 and a M.S. (1987) and Ph.D. (1989) from Michigan State University with emphasis on growth and muscle biology, particularly as affected by exogenous agents. Pete and his wife, Denise, reside in Loveland, CO, and have three adult 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.

Chris Reinhardt, Ph.D. Chris Reinhardt is Feedlot Research Nutritionist with Zinpro Corporation. Chris has spent roughly 30 years in and around the feedlot business. Since earning degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Texas A&M University, and Kansas State University, he has spent 26 years in the commercial feed industry, the pharmaceutical industry, academia, and private nutritional feedyard consulting, prior to joining Zinpro. Chris has provided tech nical services to feedyards, nutritionists, and veterinarians throughout the U.S. and abroad. In addition to experience in applied feedlot nutrition and management, Chris has an extensive background in animal growth and development and implementation of growth promotion technologies.

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!

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.

Follow us on Twitter @PACVets

SPRING 2021 contents •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 6.

Welcome Dr. Randall Spare

STEWARDSHIP

16.

Chuckles from Down Under

10. Effective Stockmanship – Be A “Leader”

29.

Chuckles from Down Under

COW-CALF

42.

Parable: “Heated” Seats

14. Implanting Suckling Calves: Getting the Most Out of Your Calves’ Genetic Potential

46. Newest PAC Members

INDUSTRY 18. How Do We Keep Antibiotics Working?

24. Perry Owens Receives 2020 KCA Legacy Award

LEADERSHIP 26. Reducing Employee Turnover

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

Part 1 – Making Employees Feel Valued Bimeda, Inc. .......................................................41

32. 5 Intentional Habits to Be a Better You and Achieve Success

Boehringer Ingelheim ..............Inside Front Cover Daniels Manufacturing Co. ...............................45

FEEDLOT

Diamond V .........................................................30

36. Reflecting on the Impact of Extended Days on Feed Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Feedlot Mortality

DocTalk ...............................................Back Cover Dr. Nels................................................................35 Elanco Animal Health ........................................13 Merck Animal Health .........................................21

THE POT ROAST 47. Carne Asada

BILINGUAL TRAINING 48. Ganadería Efectiva – Sea un “Lider”

Neogen ..............................................................23 Newport Laboratories ........................................31 Norbrook ............................................................51 Superior Placement Solutions ............................50 Zoetis ..................................................................25 pacdvms.com

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Effective stockmanship – Be a “Leader”

By Dr. Tom Noffsinger, Production Animal Consultation

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aregiver activities that support cattle performance and health are based on effective handler-cattle communication during intervention opportunities. The use of handler position relative to cattle is a key component of efficient stockmanship. Correct handler position creates voluntary cattle motion and demonstrates to cattle that they can walk by handlers without harm.

Uti li zing such handler posi tion during arri val acclimation and pen emptying acti v ities en courages trust between cattle and handlers.

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Correct handler position satisfies the need to be where cattle can see their source of guidance and destination simultaneously. Handler location provides cattle the luxury to move half around the handler as a source of guidance.

Many of us practice correct positioning and then let the cattle wander toward their destination. A powerful addition to proper positioning is insisting that a handler is available to “lead” cattle away from the scale, holding pen, or processing facility to a home pen, pasture, or field. Being in front of a group of cattle is a new experience for many caregivers. We are more accustomed to being behind cattle, pressuring the back of the herd.

Cattle are very aware, curious, and impressionable following transport, processing, sorting, or reimplanting.

Being a shepherd willing to lead and interact with anxious cattle improves cattle confidence instantaneously as they depart from a scale or holding pen. Connecting visually with a leader willing to show cattle to a destination that provides hydration, nutrition, comfort, and rest promotes cattle immune function. Destination behavior improves as cattle are led to water and feed. Panic motion and aimless walking are reduced as cattle drink with purpose, consume feed, and are willing to lay down, rest, and ruminate.

Simply wait at the gate until cattle connect to the handler and volunteer to follow. Control speed of movement and maintain a distance in front of the herd that will control cattle flow and foster a constant connection between lead cattle and the handler. Ride or walk in a zigzag pattern to be available to more cattle. Lead cattle through the gate and continue to the bunk, water, and bedding areas. Spend a minute or two stopping motion before exiting the pen. A team of two handlers can efficiently move a herd to new locations – one person in front and one person following the herd. The

handler behind the herd should be silent and spaced far enough away to allow cattle to be drawn to motion in front and not forced to bunch or crowd herd mates.

Our goal is to strengthen herd mentality even in commingled cattle. Cattle should perceive to belong where we intend and be willing to compete for bunk and tank space. Reduction of cattle anxiety and confusion reduces cortisol levels and increases disease resistance. Learn to recognize abnormal cattle behavior and develop confidence that effective leadership can improve cattle confidence.

Parallel lessons can be applied when describing effective leadership of caregiver teams. As a team leader, be available, especially when abnormal behavior exists. Spend the time required to offer support, guidance, and confidence to team members. Watch for behavior changes and lack of uniform focus and intervene early. Support positive changes. It is very exciting to build powers of observation, whether interacting with cattle or people.

Implanting Suckling Calves: Getting the Most Out of Your Calves’ Genetic Potential

By Chris Reinhardt, Ph.D., Zinpro Corporation

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mplants administered to suckling calves increase weight gain and improve efficiency, resulting in increased profit for the rancher. Anabolic implants are both safe and effective.

Implanting suckling calves can enhance what the rancher has already established from a progressive genetic selection program.

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Giving suckling calves an age-appropriate implant will result in 15-25 pounds increased weaning weight, depending on quality of genetics and abundance of nutrient supply. Implants will increase calf average daily gain by about 10%. If calves would normally gain 2.0 lbs/day without implants, they should gain about 2.20 lbs/day with an age-appropriate calf implant. That said, if calves would only gain 1.0 lb/day without an implant due to poor genetics or, more likely, poor nutrient availability, we should only expect calves to gain 1.10 lbs/day with implants. Given this 10% performance response, implants provide one of the greatest potential returns-on-investment from any available production technology.

The old silk purse/sow’s ear expression applies: the better the calf ’s genetics, the more benefit we should expect from implanting. And the more nutrients that are available to the

calf, the more benefit the calf will gain from an implant.

It is important to note that the added weight gain from a suckling calf implant stays with the calf no matter where that calf goes next. That is, if a calf is 20 pounds heavier at weaning due to the implant, it will still be 20 pounds heavier after backgrounding, after grazing, and through to slaughter than if the calf had not been implanted. An implant given today does not diminish the value or the potential performance benefit of an implant given in the next phase of production.

One key to understanding how growth-promoting implants work and how they affect growth and improve performance is that anabolic implants exert their influence through the very same biological pathways (chemical messengers, cytokines, carrier proteins, etc.) as those pathways that are altered by higher-growth genetics. The stimulus pathways are the same. Implants increase growth the same way that using a bigger bull does.

Make sure to always and only use the appropriate implant at the appropriate stage. Implants that are approved for use in suckling calves are formulated with a dosage of active compound that is specifically designed for the age and weight of suckling calves. Giving calves a dosage of implant that is not approved in suckling calves may result in delivering more active compound than the calf ’s metabolism can fully utilize; this excess dosage may potentially have a

Chuckles from Down Under The Cohens were shown into the dentist's office, where Mr. Cohen made it clear he was in a big hurry.

"No fancy stuff, Doctor," he ordered. "No gas or needles or any of that stuff. Just pull the tooth and get it over with."

"I wish more of my patients were as stoic as you," said the dentist admiringly. "Now which tooth is it?"

Mr. Cohen turned to his wife, Jenny. "Show him your tooth, honey."

negative impact on final quality grade. As calves grow and mature, and as they enter backgrounding and stocker programs, they are able to benefit from greater levels of active compound because they are heavier, consuming more nutrients, and typically growing faster.

A potential side effect in calves that have been exposed to excessive estrogen sources, either from feeds or from implants, can be bullers and prolapses. By making sure to match the proper implant dosage to the animal size and available nutrient supply, adverse side effects can be avoided.

One question that comes up frequently is the effect of growth-promoting implants on future replacement heifers.

There is a substantial body of data on the effects of implants on future reproductive efficiency of beef heifers. These data are equivocal in that some studies show a negative impact on fertility and others show no negative effect. The takeaway is possibly to be better safe than sorry. Two paths to achieve this are as follows: (a) don’t implant your heifer calves; or (b) select your future replacement heifers from your heifer calves and implant the remaining heifers which will not be used as replacement females. This can be feasible given that the number one factor correlated to heifer fertility at

breeding time is days of age relative to herd mates. Older heifers are more reproductively mature, typically a little larger, may be capable of greater feed intake, and are closer to their mature body size and weight both at breeding and at subsequent calving. Barring any physical defects, days of age could be a predominant factor when selecting replacement heifers, which would allow the producer to implant those heifers born later in the calving season which are not desirable as replacement heifers.

Implants can affect marbling content of the calf. Even if implanted calves and non-implanted calves can be slaughtered at the same fat level, implanted calves will typically have slightly less marbling. However, the marbling reduction is minor relative to the increase in weight gain resulting from implanting, especially in calves fed to a high level of fatness and in calves which have excellent genetic potential for marbling.

Implants increase suckling calf performance and improve rancher profitability. Implants have been demonstrated to be safe for the calf and for the beef consumer. Global demand for high-quality protein is on the rise; now is the time for ranchers to find ways to meet that need.

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How Do We Keep Antibiotics Working?

By Justin Welsh, D.V.M, Executive Director, Livestock Technical Services, Merck Animal Health

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ntibiotics are a critical tool for livestock pro ducers because, like in humans, they are used to treat bacterial disease in animals. Without them, people and animals alike can suffer and even die. At a basic level, antibiotics are animal welfare and people welfare medications.

Individual animal monitoring along with better, faster, more specific diagnostic tools all will have positive implications in antibiotic stewardship. pacdvms.com

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Keeping antibiotics working is a complex topic but antimicrobial stewardship is an effort we all need to be a part of. Livestock producers, veterinarians, medical doctors, animal health companies, pet owners and human patients are all key players in this critical effort to retain the effectiveness of antibiotics. We believe the One Health collaborative approach is critical to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment.

The fact is the list of new antibiotics for animal agriculture isn’t growing. So what do we do?

Merck Animal Health is part of a global animal health association Health for Animals that includes manufacturers of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other animal health products throughout the world, as well as the associations that represent companies at national and regional levels. The association has put forth a “Roadmap to Reducing the Need for Antibiotics”. It revolves around investing research and energy into three priority areas: prevention, detection and treatment.

Prevention: the first line of defense Preventing disease through vaccination is one of the best ways to reduce the need for antibiotics. In the U.S. livestock market, this means working with your veterinarian to develop a vaccination program that makes sense based on the disease pressure in your area and evaluating new vaccines as they come to market to advance health programs. In lower and middle income countries, there is a need to improve access to animal health professionals and vaccine availability.

Merck Animal Health is committed to providing leadership and innovation in bringing new vaccines to veterinarians and producers. As a result, several new vaccines, including intranasal vaccines for cattle, have been brought to market in the past year.

Biosecurity and animal welfare also play critical roles in disease prevention. We know that to successfully immunize cattle, they need to be able to respond to the vaccination.

As David Sjeklocha, D.V.M. explained in the winter issue of Protein Producers, 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. In that article, he shared several steps for ensuring both of those things happen at the ranch or feedlot level.

Detection and diagnosing disease To reduce the need for antibiotics, we also must monitor animal disease and antibiotic usage. Utilizing new technology to see disease occurrence trends and geographies, monitoring and sharing resistance data and how antibiotics are used will be necessary for success. Individual animal monitoring along with better, faster, more specific diagnostic tools all will have positive implications in antibiotic stewardship.

Merck Animal Health has created a new operating unit focused on just this – using data, diagnostics and technical innovation to improve animal health. It includes well-recognized and market-leading brands of Allflex Livestock Intelligence, Sure Petcare, Biomark and Vaki, including the recent acquisitions of IdentiGen and Quantified Ag. The goal is to provide technologies that give animal caretakers real-time, actionable data to improve or enhance animal management and health outcomes. An example of this is the Whisper® Veterinary Stethoscope that can help gauge the severity of bovine respiratory disease in 8 seconds.

New diagnostic tools can help us make better antibiotic decisions.

Treating by using antibiotics judiciously, responsibly Even if the best practices and protocols are followed, it’s important to recognize that some animals will still get sick.

Thus the need for treatment will continue as well.

Antibiotics are a key part of animal well-being. Through better training and diagnostics, veterinarians and animal caretakers will be able to make treatment decisions that are more individualized and focused to use the right antibiotic at the right dose, time and route.

This ultimately reduces treatment times and the amount of antibiotic used. To aid in their recovery, animals also need the fundamentals of good animal husbandry – fresh feed, clean water, dry pens and ample bedding.

Combating antimicrobial resistance Continued efforts to improve prevention, detection and treatment of disease in both animals and humans are hallmarks of a One Health approach to antimicrobial stewardship. We must recognize this is not an issue limited to one species or location, and what we do on the ranch or farm level does matter. Retaining the use and usefulness of antibiotics will require all of us to change our view of how we approach disease.

Justin Welsh, DVM, is executive director of Livestock Technical Services for Merck Animal Health’s U.S. Livestock Team. Dr. Welsh oversees the technical services and pharmacovigilance groups for the company’s ruminants, swine and poultry businesses.

He has more than 25 years of experience in veterinary medicine.

Before joining the company in 2012, he was in rural private practice for 17 years, working in and owning a mixed animal veterinary practice in western Nebraska. Welsh holds a bachelor of science degree in Animal Science from the University of NebraskaLincoln and earned his doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Kansas State University. He is an active member of numerous industry associations, including the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, Academy of Veterinary Consultants and the Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association.

Roadmap for Reducing the Need for Antibiotics Health for Animals, a global animal health association, put forth a “Roadmap to Reducing the Need for Antibiotics.” The introduction, printed below, explains the concept of antimicrobial stewardship.

Read the entire document at https://healthforanimals.org/roadmap/.

Antibiotics are a cornerstone of modern medicine and public health.

Their importance to human and animal health cannot be understated, which is why antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is such an urgent global threat. When bacteria develop tolerance or resistance to antibiotics, we risk returning to a time when animals – and people – fell seriously ill or even died from simple, treatable infections.

Antibiotics are the only way to treat a bacterial disease. There is no alternative.

As the producers of animal medicines and other health products, our industry equips veterinarians to deal with animal disease. Reducing antibiotic use without first tackling disease rates would mean sick animals go untreated, causing unnecessary suffering and increased risk to other animals and people.

However, we can exploit the full spectrum of our veterinary tools to reduce the need for antibiotics.

By better protecting animals from the threat of disease, identifying health issues earlier and treating them quickly and responsibly, we can bring down disease levels and with it, the need for antibiotics. This requires maximizing the long-term and preventative health benefits of vaccination, nutrition, biosecurity, disease surveillance diagnostics and other animal health technologies.

Together, these tools can improve the prevention, detection and treatment of animal disease. This is our roadmap to reducing the need for antibiotics.

The ability to manage and control animal disease has profound consequences for human health and development, from ensuring the safety of meat, milk, fish and eggs to reducing the risk to people of bacterial animalborne diseases. And while the links between antibiotics in animals and growing levels of resistance remain complex, AMR affects us all.

Perry Owens Receives 2020 KCA Legacy Award

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uring the Kansas Cattlemen's Association (KCA) Annual Banquet, held November 14, 2020, KCA President, Greg Davis, presented the 2020 Legacy Award to Perry Owens, saying, “It is an honor to be able to present the Legacy Award to such a deserving recipient. Perry is a leader in our industry and an excellent source of experience and knowledge.”

PAC members echo these sentiments and are honored to recognize Perry in this issue of Protein Producers. Perry was one of the first feedlot managers to consider the “team” approach to veterinary consultation proposed by Dr. Wade Taylor. Perry was an early proponent of learning effective stockmanship and allowed his family and employees to access new ideas pertaining to nutrition, physiology, and health.

Upon receiving the award, Perry pointed to his family and said, “This is what it’s all about. It’s about legacy and it is for them.”

Perry Owens has been an active KCA member for many years. He previously served three terms on the KCA Board of Directors, several years of which he served as KCA President. Perry is a strong advocate for independent agriculturalists and has been a steadfast voice and role model for improving competition and cash markets within the industry.

Perry, his wife Bonnie, and their children operate Lindsey Creek Feeders in Minneapolis, Kansas. The feedyard specializes in custom feeding. The family proudly provides cattle

Photo by: KCA

producers options for finishing out their cattle while providing exceptional attention to the livestock in their care. They accomplish these goals by exercising stockmanship techniques like low-stress cattle handling, shade structures, and daily sorting.

Congratulations, Perry Owens!

Reducing Employee Turnover Part 1 - Making Employees Feel Valued

By Pete Anderson, Ph.D., Midwest PMS, LLC

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mployee turnover is frustrating and expensive. After investing the time, effort, and money to find and hire a good employee and watching them grow into their job, it really hurts to have them leave. Sometimes they just get a much better opportunity. In that case, say congratulations and wish them well. In other cases, they make a lateral move, to a similar job for similar pay. When that happens, look in the mirror. It may well be your fault.

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The key to keeping good employees is having them engaged and committed, but how do we get there?

Employee engagement starts with the interview and hiring process. Letting prospective hires know that you are hiring for the long term will attract those prospects who want to make a commitment. Follow that with a meaningful orientation, onboarding, and training period and provide the necessary resources to do their job properly. Set clear expectations, measure, and report, so that employees know how they are doing. All of those things are just good management but really achieving employee engagement requires even more.

Let’s start by understanding employee engagement and discuss a few things that you as a supervisor and leader can do.

Engaged employees have four things in common: 1. They feel valued as people.

2. They understand the value of the work that they do.

3. They feel good about the organization that they are part of.

4. They feel good about the industry that they are part of.

Let’s take a closer look at the first of these commonalities.

They feel valued as people.

Employees trade their time, talent, and effort for money.

That’s what a job is. But if your employees have only a transactional relationship with you and your company, they will

always be open to leaving for a better transaction. As their leader, you need to show them that you value them as people, as employees, as team members.

If employees feel valued, their relationship will be one of belonging to something, not working for somebody. That is the first step to high employee engagement levels.

You need to accomplish that.

You can’t delegate it to someone else. There are no shortcuts, and you can’t fake it. The only way to make them feel valued is to make it actually be true!

That means you. The single biggest factor in employee engagement is their relationship with their immediate supervisor. People do not quit jobs; they quit bosses. If an employee believes that you do not care whether they come to work tomorrow or somebody else is in their place, that employee is not long for your organization. Contrast that with being the type of leader that people say they would walk through walls for. You want to be that leader, but it takes hard work and a lot of emotional intelligence on your part.

Try to look at the world through the eyes of your employees. How did you greet them the first time you saw them today? Were you dismissive and in a hurry, or were you truly engaged when you said good morning? Did you wave when you drove by, or were you too busy? Do you occasionally ask about their life outside of work, and when you ask, do you really, sincerely care about the answers? All of these little interactions are opportunities to show respect for another human being and they are not really little at all.

They are huge, especially in the eyes of a lower-ranking person with an employment situation that may seem a little fragile to them. Employees often feel powerless to affect their job environment. They may be fearful or intimidated by you as their supervisor or by the owner, general manager, CEO, or whoever ranks the highest. Showing that you see them and respect them, as a person, not just a set of hands, goes a long way.

And then there are the big interactions. How do you act when something goes wrong? How did you react the last time a piece of equipment broke down or something got damaged? Did you rant and rave and kick the door

shut so you could yell at someone? Did you berate one employee in front of others? What about the last bad closeout or high death loss pen? How about that time you found feed or gas spilled? How did you act?

Ask yourself if your employees are likely to hide or cover up problems and mistakes. Or do they tell you about them and work to fix them? If they are covering up, that means they are afraid or intimidated and do not feel valued.

What can you do to ensure that your employees feel valued? Start by really valuing them! That seems obvious, but too many supervisors just do not value their people.

Or if they do, they are not demonstrating that in ways that the employee notices. Stop and make eye contact when you talk to them. Really listen to what they say. Stay off your phone while you are talking to them and do not drop them in the middle of a conversation to react to something “more important”. Avoid negative non-verbal indicators like eye rolls or looking bored while someone speaks to you. Try to connect with every employee in your group every day, if only for a minute or two. If you have supervisors that report to you, make sure that they do the same.

Respect also means that you listen to their ideas and foster an environment where it is okay to ask you a question or say “I don’t know” as long as they have a desire to learn. That means you stop and explain things rather than just barking out orders. That means you engage employees in the small parts of management, like schedules, work flows, and ordering supplies, so that they are connected to the business. That means that when there are problems, you solve them right away. When there are people issues, you do not let them fester. That means that

the rules are enforced fairly but also that they make sense and have a basis in reality.

Those things affect an employee’s emotional well-being.

If you really value your employees, you will safeguard their physical well-being, too. Feedyards can be dangerous places to work and everyone needs to work constantly to make safety a priority. The wrong way to do that is a bunch of boring meetings and threats to punish someone if you catch them doing something in an unsafe manner. The right way is for the entire organization to adopt a culture that promotes safety. If your feedyard does not have a strong safety culture, it is not the worst employees who will leave, it is the best ones. They will find a place to work that takes their safety and well-being seriously.

That safety culture starts at the top. You need to organize and participate in safety meetings. You can’t skip or delegate because you have “more important” things to do. It sends a clear message if you are involved – and if you are not. And when you are involved, make sure that your team knows that safety is critical because you want them all to go home well tonight and come back in the morning. It is not just about lowering liability and insurance costs – you truly care about the people. Also, when you are involved, check your body language and non-verbal communication.

Do not check your watch or phone, hurry through, or skip over parts of the agenda. Make sure that each employee knows that a safety meeting is the most important meeting of the day.

An employee’s relationship with their supervisor is critical but so is their relationship with their peers. You need to work to create the right kind of culture in their department or group. The employees must respect each other, and

Chuckles from Down Under The company commander and his sergeant were in the field. As they hit the sack for the night, the sergeant said: "Sir, look up into the sky and tell me what you see."

The commander said, "I see millions of stars."

"And what does that tell you, sir?"

"Astronomically, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.

Theologically, it tells me that God is great and that we are small and insignificant.

Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you, sergeant?"

"Well, sir, it tells me that somebody stole our tent!" pacdvms.com

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It is great if your team members want to work hard for you, but it is even better if they are working hard for each other.

this is your responsibility too. As a leader, you are building teamwork every day. That does not mean a bunch of trust falls and team building exercises. Those are mostly big company time-wasters that do not do any real good. It also does not mean a lot of beer drinking with the fellas, although a little social interaction away from work can be helpful.

One of the most important things that managers do for team building is offer the occasional compliment to their team or team members. That means a sincere and specific compliment when someone deserves it, not just a drive-by “great job”.

True team building means that the people in your department or organization respect each other and care about each other. It also means they care about getting the work done right and hold each other to that standard. It is great if your team members want to work hard for you, but it is even better if they are working hard for each other. If they care about each other and about team results, they will

set a standard and hold each other accountable in a way that exceeds anything you could do.

You drive this by who you bring into the organization and by what behavior you tolerate. You must model the behavior that you want your employees to display. You bring people into the organization that share the same values and live those values.

People who care about their work and the people that they work with. People who show and earn mutual respect.

You also drive this by eradicating gossip, back-biting, and employees criticizing each other or the company. These things are corrosive and must not be tolerated.

In the next issue, we will explore the other three commonalities shared by engaged employees: understanding the value of the work that they do, feeling good about the organization that they are part of, and feeling good about the industry that they are part of. Until then, start working on showing your people that you value them!

5 Intentional Habits to Be a Better You and Achieve Success

By Dr. Nels Lindberg, Production Animal Consultation

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abits are an important part of our lives that we do every single day. We all have habits, good and bad. I certainly have some bad habits to work on, including reacting (or overreacting) instead of responding to my wife and kids; not letting go of my ego with business partners; being on my phone too much; not giving thanks often enough; not recognizing others for their hard work; cussing too much; not being “present”; and overserving myself at times!

We must set aside our egos and have a humble attitude and heart to learn. We must also make sure our learning leads not only to knowledge but to action as well. pacdvms.com

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We all have habits, whether we have been intentional in making them or letting them simply happen based on what feels good. Our greatest opportunity as an individual, leader, or parent is the intentional creation of healthy habits.

We can utilize a two-step process to create healthy habits: first, we start with the destruction of old habits, and then we integrate new, healthy habits. It takes 66 days to wire in a new habit into a neural pathway into our brains.

The intentional development of the following five habits will help you achieve greater success in your individual, work, and family life!

The amount of success we achieve is directly correlated to the number of people we serve.

The more people we serve, the greater level of success we achieve. Do not ask for more money; instead ask for an opportunity to serve.

Creating Value When I am consulting at a feedyard, I must be intentional about creating value for them. My actions, words, and recommendations must help the yard, the cattle, or their people improve. This creates value, and I become a “linchpin” in their operation. If I, a “linchpin”, was to be removed, they would miss me given the value I created.

If I do not create value, then I can be removed and they can separate their train from my caboose without any loss and perhaps even with gain. You are no different. You must create value at work or at home to make yourself a necessary “linchpin”. Your value may lie in your skillset, attitude, work ethic, concern for animals and people, desire to learn, personality, coachability, positive effect on those around you, integrity, grit, self-awareness, or passion. If you are intentional about creating undeniable value, you will be a “linchpin” for everything you are involved in.

Touching Other People’s Lives Every human interaction we have is either positive, negative, or neutral. If we are unhappy, uptight, upset, or in a bad mood, the effect on the other person will be negative. However, if we are in good spirits, happy, grateful, and looking to help, that interaction will be positive. We have the ability with each interaction to be positive and make a difference for that person. I want you to take just a minute and think about three people that have touched your life. Think about what they did to touch your life and why it made a difference to you. Now begin to imitate them! Identify a behavior or an emotional skill you can develop to help you touch the life of someone around you today and every day.

I promise you, if you do that 365 days a year, you will begin to see a massive effect in your own life. You will go from being forgettable to most people to being unforgettable to most of the people whose lives you touch. I expect you to be unforgettable to most people!

Putting Other People’s Interests First

We begin our lives as babies where everything is done for us. Everything is about us and for us. As we grow up, we have to do things for ourselves. As life continues to transition, some choose to serve others. The amount of success we achieve is directly correlated to the number of people we serve. The more people we serve, the greater level of success we achieve. Do not ask for more money; instead ask for an opportunity to serve. Ask for an opportunity to get better or do more. The purpose of the business is not to bring value to you; it is to bring value to the customer and to serve our mission. The best part is anybody can be successful because anybody can serve. Who are you serving today? If you can intentionally serve someone 365 days a year, you will enjoy greater success.

Being Real Authenticity is a must. The world we live in is more fake, dishonest, insincere, and synthetic than ever before. Most all people on the planet are in search of real, honest, sincere, authentic, and caring people. As you become more caring, open, sincere, and transparent, as you become better at communicating, as you confess more of your own faults, you become more real to those around you each day.

Authenticity is bred by owning and talking about your mistakes and failures. Not owning them breeds dishonesty and insincerity. You must look to create authenticity, because authenticity builds relationships, relationships build trust, and trust builds loyalty. Aren’t we all looking for loyal friends, family, coworkers, team members, and relationships? We know what it takes. Be intentional about being real and authentic!

Having the Humility to Stay Open to Receiving and Learning I am a highly decorated, over-educated fool! I am also an arrogant, egotistical consultant. (I think most of us consultants could fall into that category!) But I also believe

most humans are prideful with a vast working knowledge and the capacity to learn more. I routinely tell people that I do not know it all, but I am willing to learn more and to reach out to others for their knowledge and help. We must set aside our egos and have a humble attitude and heart to learn. We must also make sure our learning leads not only to knowledge but to action as well. It is what we learn after we know it all that becomes important because learners create the future for the learned. As Dr. Tom Noffsinger says, “We create learners and leaders, not laborers.” If we are not open to learning, we are only hurting ourselves.

Anyone reading this is a leader, whether you are a tank washer, feedyard manager, veterinarian, or rancher. Leadership is simply serving others by being a positive influence and helping make the people around us better each day.

Our daily habits are our greatest opportunity to be a leader through our actions. Companies with average leaders give their people something to work on. Companies with innovative leaders give their people something to work toward.

What are you and your people working toward? Have you communicated opportunities or objectives for your people to work toward? I am not talking about just the daily

action of going from point A to point B; I am talking about deep actionable behaviors and habits to work on. It is a simple fact that we imitate the habits of those around us. By shaping the tribe or team you belong to, you often shape your habits just by imitation or by being the example. If you focus on the daily processes and habits, the outcomes you desire will happen. Forget your focus on outcomes, and instead focus on your daily processes, habits, and behaviors!

Success is the result of specific habits of action.

Creating value, touching other people’s lives, putting other people’s interests first, being real, and having the humility to stay open to receiving and learning are five habits to create success in your life. We are only as sick as our secrets, but I also believe we are only as healthy as our habits. Destroy your bad habits and integrate your new ones for at least 66 days. We can all wire in new habits; we often just do not stick with it long enough! A feedyard manager recently repeated to me a quote that nutritionist Twig Marston shared with him: “The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth!” Get out of your rut of old habits and integrate these 5 intentional habits to enjoy even greater success!

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Reflecting on the Impact of Extended Days on Feed Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Feedlot Mortality

By Jacob Hagenmaier DVM, PhD, Production Animal Consultation

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t would be an understatement to say the fed cattle market has been dynamic over the last 18 months. The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on harvest capacities and consequently the ability for feedyard inventory to stay current put downward pressure on cash cattle prices and extended days on feed in the second and third quarters of 2020 (Figures 1a and 1b). While harvest capacities have since rebounded and cattle inven tories have become much more current, PAC veter i nar ians continue to field questions regarding the effect of extended days on feed on health outcomes. In order to help an swer some of these questions, an exploratory data analysis was performed using PAC’s closeout database. pacdvms.com

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Figure 1A

Historical USDA weekly slaughter (black line) and Kansas weekly average price (red line) for steers and heifers.

Endpoint management is a common discussion as it pertains to growth, especially when trying to project marginal profit and the optimal endpoint for a pen of cattle. Generally speaking, live weight gain becomes less efficient as cattle approach physiological maturity and lean tissue accretion gives way to adipose tissue deposition. The good news for dressed and grid sellers is this decrease in efficiency is at least partially offset as carcass transfer (the proportion of gain realized in the carcass) increases late in the feeding period. From a health perspective, the cost of extending days on feed is a bit more ambiguous. It seems logical to surmise extending days on feed increases mortality simply because of the fact there are more days of risk, which is indeed the case (Figure 2). As a wise man Figure 1B

once said, the number one predisposing risk to death is to be alive! Therefore, the question is not whether more cattle die if fed longer, but rather does the rate at which mortality occurs increase during this added period of risk?

Figure 1b shows the 3-week period beginning in late April 2020 when the average days on feed extended 20 to 30 days. This reflects the COVID-19 landscape whereby reduced harvest capacities at beef abattoirs pushed finished cattle out further days on feed. I recall conversations within PAC at this time focusing on strategies to mitigate late-day death loss and challenging ourselves to help our clients not surrender a higher incidence rate of mortality during these additional 30 days. This was going to be easier said than done, as not only are there additional musculoskeletal and

Historical USDA weekly slaughter (black line) and average days on feed (red line) for steers and heifers.

Figure 2

Three-year historical mortality by closeout days on feed and gender (heifers top, steers bottom).

physiological stressors that accompany later endpoints, but the extension of days on feed occurred concurrent with the transition into spring when digestive and AIP death loss historically begins increasing.

Days on feed is confounded by placement weight, which is our best gauge of age and immunocompetence and typically the best indicator of risk for health challenges in the feedlot. To fairly evaluate the effect of adding days at the end of the feeding period, it is important to not only look at mortality specifically near the end of the feeding period, but also to account for potential confounding factors such as gender, placement weight, and closeout date.

PAC was encouraged upon reviewing the data for 700pound steers and heifers to find that mortality rate during Figure 3

the final 30 days on feed remained flat as days on feed increased during the second and third quarter of 2020 (Figure 3). More broadly, mortality during the final 30 days stayed relatively static when monthly closeouts were considered retrospectively over a 3-year period (Figure 4).

This is consistent with simple linear regression models incorporating data over the same timeframe that suggest days on feed only explains 0.1% and 0.2% of the mortality occurring in heifers and steers during the final 30 days, respectively (Figure 5). So, increasing days on feed may have had impact on performance but it did not have a considerable impact on the rate of death loss during the final 30 days. It should be noted that the inability to project shipping dates during the second and third quarter of 2020

Mortality during the last 30 days on feed during the second and third quarter of 2020 for 7 wt placements by gender and closeout days on feed.

Figure 4

Mortality during the final 30 days on feed for 7 wt placements by gender and closeout month.

was an impetus for many yards to periodically stop feeding the beta-agonist ractopamine during the final 28 to 42 days, another potential confounder that was not accounted for in this analysis.

One limitation of evaluating population data to answer these types of questions is that no two pens of cattle are the same, and there can be significant variation across feedyards. With a randomized research trial, variation attributable to factors such as genetics, vaccination history, prior health challenges, environment, and nutrition (betaagonists) can be controlled to isolate the true effect on health outcomes of adding days to the feeding period. Yet, Figure 5

the increase in late-day mortality by adding days is likely so small that designing a study to test this question would require extremely large numbers of cattle. With that said, PAC veterinarians continue to frequently utilize data to not only help guide research questions but also turn data into knowledge to identify opportunities to help our clients’ operations. Macroscopic trends such as those explored in this analysis often lead to more granular analyses within individual feedlot operations and produce actionable items.

Reach out to your PAC veterinarian if you have questions specific to your operation that custom analytics can help in answering.

Simple linear regression looking at the relationship between days on feed and mortality during the final 30 days on feed for heifers (top) and steers (bottom).

Increasing days on feed may have had impact on performance but it did not have a considerable impact on the rate of death loss during the final 30 days.

While patience can be learned, it is best obtained when gifted and installed by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) – GOD.

“Heated” Seats

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

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eated pickup seats are the greatest invention ever. There is nothing better than to bask in the therapeutic grip of luxury after a long day spent out in the freezing wind and cold. For many years I had no idea what I was missing, stuck in the medieval days of cold vinyl and crankup windows. I have since seen the light, never to return to the dark ages.

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Patience is identified by many as a desirable “virtue”. Aristotle included patience in his list of 12 virtues which he viewed as components required to build and maintain a life of moral excellence.i

You can only imagine my horror one recent below-zero November morning when the magic red button failed to fire up my newfound friend on the driver’s side. I fell into a deep depression and panic. An emergency of epic proportion! Hoping my nightmare would be quickly resolved, I checked the appropriate fuses and connections believing it would be a simple fix. No such luck! I immediately set my GPS to the nearest dealership. Being a well-known celebrity in the county, a few worm pills and dog shots for the service manager and he agreed to take the case. The tech got me right in after a two-hour wait. He methodically dialed in his computer, pushed on the seat like a chiropractor on a mission, and we were set. Our 10-minute encounter came to $150. Oh well, it was worth the trouble. With a big smile, I hooked my seat belt and headed west.

I made it about five miles before my blood ran cold.

You guessed it, no heated seat. My response was an abrupt U-turn. The service manager caught my disgusted look out of the corner of his eye and exclaimed, “She must be intermittent.” We rescheduled for the following week when the appropriate parts would be in. (Let the games begin.) In reality, it would be a couple of weeks before they would get me back into the shop because of the holidays.

I anticipated victory with each passing day. The magical day finally arrived; I worked all morning so I could make my 1:00 p.m. appointment. We agreed I would get right in, only a one-hour wait this trip. That was okay because it was time to work on the next parable for Protein Producers. I could make every precious minute count. I found a quiet corner, put my head down and began to write. Our previously selected topic of choice was to be on patience. The hours passed quickly as I furiously jotted down my thoughts. Suddenly, I looked up and my pickup was outside the showroom window. Four hours had passed, but the reward would be worth the wait. I picked up my keys, paid the $450 service bill, and headed to my F250.

I gleefully fastened my seat belt and wildly hit the magic red button. I waited a few minutes… nothing! I thought I must have done something wrong. Poised for my re-ride, I methodically repeated the pre-flight procedure. Again, nothing! I sheepishly looked around thinking this had to be a practical joke or an audition for a new episode of Candid Camera. I sat dumbfounded. I couldn’t move.

I reluctantly headed back inside thinking it surely was something I was doing wrong. I walked to the desk and revealed the bad news.

The serviceman gingerly put on his coat, walked outside, and hit the button. Thirty seconds passed as he held the palm of his lily-white hand to the seat and exclaimed, “She’s workin’ fine, Doc!” He cheerfully gave me the brush off assuring me that everything was okay.

There was no way that seat was working. Seriously doubting myself, my ability, and my logic, I was convinced I must have suddenly become a psychological paraplegic. I strongly contemplated squeezing my foot with the hoof testers or sticking a 14gauge x 1.5” needle through my big toe to disprove the point. I became so angry my face was bright red, and the heat of the situation was the only thing keeping my backside warm. I grabbed my $450 invoice, broke through the dealership door in true Clint Eastwood fashion, and began to warm the backside of the service manager. One big bite at a time. After a few minutes, a crowd began to gather to see what was going down. I informed everyone involved that the health and well-being of my lower extremities would be avenged and avenged now! The only response the serviceman could muster was, “Must be intermittent.

See you after the first of the year.” At this point I couldn’t speak. My teeth were throbbing from the increase in my blood pressure. I was enraged and convinced myself I had every possible reason to be in my current state.

However, I hated the way I was acting, including my lack of self-control. How could I allow the actions of someone else to affect my composure to that degree? As I headed south on the two-lane highway, my speedometer said 85 in the 65-mph speed zone. Keep in mind, I’m the guy who works with charging bulls, mad cows, biting dogs, and striking horses and am not easily shaken. In my rage, I drove by my turn off and realized this situation had turned into a Dr. Tom Noffsinger tutorial. Time to release the pressure, look away, and roll a smoke like our friends in Australia. In that revelation moment, I heard a voice, “Hey big boy, what was the topic for the next parable?” In my solitude, I blurted out, “PATIENCE!” In a flash of total embarrassment and shame, I began to laugh out loud.

2 Corinthians 5:17 proclaims: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away.

Behold, the new has come!” When will I start living the

part? The apostle Paul said in Romans 7:15, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

Thank you, Father, that you are sooo patient with me, and that my picture is still on your refrigerator.

Digging Deeper Patience is identified by many as a desirable “virtue”.

Aristotle included patience in his list of 12 virtues which he viewed as components required to build and maintain a life of moral excellence.i Aristotle and his ancient philosophical musings were not the first to identify and characterize the importance of patience. The Bible addresses this topic in detail with the most important aspect and example of patience being found in God Himself.

Patience is often confused with endurance. In the New Testament, the original Greek word translated “patience” is makrothumeo. “Makro” is where we get our word “macro”, and thumos is best rendered as “anger”. With a little imagination, we can see the Greeks had “patience” identified as the trait of being long-tempered. This is in

contrast to being short-tempered or having a short fuse.

Patience is defined as “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset”.

Patience is typically used in regard to relationships.

Endurance on the other hand relates to difficulty encountered in circumstances.

Our current self-centered culture has lost sight of patience and most of the other 11 of Aristotle’s moral virtues. Patience is enhanced by other traits like humility, self-control, and forgiveness. It is the ability to endure being mistreated, disrespected, or somehow marginalized by another person. Ultimately, it is being slow to anger.

Patience is not a default setting coming from the factory.

Most (all?) do not have the patience module installed. As an example, infants are all about “me, right now, and what I want, need, or desire”. Some individuals never seem to progress past the infancy stage. Anger or tantrums are their way of exerting control.

While patience can be learned, it is best obtained when gifted and installed by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) – GOD.

Galatians 5:22-23 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

This patience module is part of the “fruit of the Spirit” and comes from God to believers by the Holy Spirit. It is the installation of this aftermarket kit (i.e., fruit of the Spirit) that noticeably creates observable improvement. Unfortunately, even with this new module in place the operator may choose to override the settings and resort to the old short-tempered nature. This however is not recommended as owner regret is frequently reported (Romans 7:15).

The following are some additional Bible verses regarding patience for your consideration. Keep in mind that we have generously been the recipients of God’s patience and unmerited favor.

Ephesians 4:1-2 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love...

Colossians 3:12-13 12Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate

Proverbs 15:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

2 Peter 3:15 (NLT) And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved... __________________

i Courage,

temperance, liberality, magnificence, magnanimity, ambition, patience, friendliness, truthfulness, wit, modesty, justice. https://kevinhabits.com/aristotles12-virtues-from-courage-to-magnificence-patience-to-wit/

Newest PAC Members

Carne Asada Ingredients •

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. skirt steak

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1/2 of a 12 oz. Mexican beer

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1/4 bunch cilantro, stems and all

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1 small onion, quartered

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4 cloves garlic

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1 tbsp. red chili powder

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salt & pepper

Instructions 1. Puree the beer, cilantro, onion, garlic, red chili powder, salt, and pepper together in a blender. Prick the skirt steak all over with a fork (this helps tenderize the steak and will allow the marinade to penetrate into the meat).

Place the steak in a gallon zip top bag and cover with half of the marinade. Seal the bag and work the marinade around the steak, making sure it is well covered. Reserve the other half of the marinade to baste the skirt steak while it cooks. Place in refrigerator for 4-5 hours before cooking.

2. When ready to cook the Carne Asada, build a two-zone fire. Place the steak on the hot side of the fire and cook medium to medium well. I know this may sound like blasphemy to cook a steak to this degree of doneness, but it will be the most tender when cooked to this temperature. (If it is underdone or overdone, it will be tough.)

3. Once the steak is cooked, let it rest for at least 10 minutes and slice against the grain.

4. Serve with your favorite sides and fresh tortillas. Enjoy!

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.

The following article has been translated into Spanish:

Ganadería Efectiva – Sea un “Líder” Por Dr. Tom Noffsinger, Production Animal Consultation

Translation provided by Jose Valles – Production Animal Consultation

Las actividades de los cuidadores que apoyan el rendimiento y la salud del ganado se basan en una comunicación efectiva entre el manejador y el ganado durante las oportunidades de intervención. El uso de la posición del manejador en relación con el ganado es un componente clave de la ganadería eficiente. La posición correcta del manejador crea un movimiento voluntario del ganado y le demuestra al ganado que pueden caminar cerca del manejador sin sufrir algún daño. Utilizar tal posición del manejador durante las actividades de aclimatación al arribo y el vaciado de corrales fomenta la confianza entre el ganado y los manejadores.

La posición correcta del manejador satisface la necesidad de estar donde el ganado pueda ver su fuente de guía y destino simultáneamente. La ubicación del manejador le proporciona al ganado el lujo de moverse media vuelta alrededor del manejador como fuente de orientación.

Muchos de nosotros practicamos el posicionamiento correcto y luego dejamos que el ganado deambule hacia su destino. Una adición poderosa al posicionamiento adecuado es insistir en que un manejador este disponible para “liderar” el ganado de la báscula, del corral de espera, o de las instalaciones de proceso a un corral de casa, un pastizal, o un campo. Estar frente a un grupo de ganado es una nueva experiencia para muchos cuidadores. Estamos más acostumbrados a estar detrás del ganado, presionando la parte trasera del hato.

El ganado es muy consciente, curioso e impresionable después del transporte, procesamiento, clasificación o reimplantación. Ser un pastor dispuesto a liderar e interactuar con ganado ansioso mejora la confianza del ganado instantáneamente al momento que sale de una bascula o de

un corral de espera. Conectarse visualmente con un líder dispuesto a mostrarle al ganado un destino que proporcione hidratación, nutrición, comodidad, y descanso promueve la función inmunológica del ganado. El comportamiento de destino mejora a medida que el ganado es llevado al agua y al alimento. El movimiento de pánico y el caminado sin rumbo se reducen a medida que el ganado bebe con propósito, consume alimento y está dispuesto a acostarse, descansar y rumiar.

Simplemente espere en la puerta hasta que el ganado haga conexión con el manejador y sea voluntario para seguirlo. Controle la velocidad del movimiento y mantenga una distancia en frente del hato que controle el flujo de ganado y fomente una conexión constante entre el ganado líder y el manejador. Monte o camine en forma de zigzag para estar disponible para más ganado. Lleve el ganado a través de la puerta y continúe hasta las áreas de comedero, pacdvms.com

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agua y cama. Dedique uno o dos minutos para detener el movimiento antes de salir del corral. Un equipo de dos manejadores puede mover eficientemente un hato a nuevas ubicaciones – una persona al frente y una persona detrás del hato. El manejador de la parte trasera hato debe guardar silencio y estar lo suficientemente alejado para permitir que el ganado sea atraído al movimiento de enfrente y no forzarlo a amontonarse con sus compañeros de hato.

Nuestro objetivo es fortalecer la mentalidad del hato

incluso cuando se trata de ganado mezclado de diferentes orígenes. El ganado debe percibir que pertenece donde pretendemos que este y debe estar dispuesto a competir por el espacio de comedero y bebedero. La reducción de la ansiedad y la confusión del ganado reduce los niveles de cortisol y aumenta la resistencia a las enfermedades. Aprenda a reconocer el comportamiento anormal del ganado y desarrolle confianza en que un liderazgo efectivo puede mejorar la confianza del ganado.

Se pueden aplicar lecciones paralelas al describir el liderazgo efectivo de los equipos de cuidadores.

Como líder de equipo, esté disponible, especialmente cuando exista un comportamiento anormal. Dedique el tiempo necesario para ofrecer apoyo, orientación y confianza a los miembros del equipo. Esté atento a los cambios de comportamiento y la falta de enfoque uniforme e intervenga temprano. Apoye los cambios positivos. Es muy emocionante desarrollar poderes de observación, ya sea interactuando con ganado o personas.

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