Protein Producers Summer 2021

2021 Volume 9 Issue 2 EDITORIAL TEAM: Brandi Bain, Darcy Howard, Lisa Taylor

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

Animal Health International Arm & Hammer Automated Dairy Specialists Bimeda, Inc. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Chr. Hansen Daniels Manufacturing Co. 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 Jason Rios and Dr. Nels Lindberg for the photo from Sunbelt Feed Yard in Hugoton, Kansas. pacdvms.com

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WELCOME ••••••••••••••••• Welcome to the summer issue of Protein Producers! Our industry and communities have faced all kinds of challenges in the last year. I hope this summer brings opportunities to spend time with family and friends and to participate in activities that may not have been available last year at this time. In a time and world in which local community structures are no longer as vibrant as they once were, we can be extremely thankful for the agricultural community’s continued strong engagement through the challenges of the pandemic. We look forward to the opportunity to get our clients together for fellowship and education at a series of afternoon meetings covering lameness at three locations on August 31, September 1, and September 2, and at our annual Summit meeting on September 29 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

This edition of the magazine has great informative and timely content as we move into the summer months. Chad Engle with USMARC has great information on heat stress management, Dr. Jeremy Martin covers planning for drought, and Dr. Chris Chase from South Dakota State University provides a great discussion of calf immunity.

Additionally, the second part of Dr. Pete Anderson’s series on reducing employee turnover is included. Dr. Julia Herman contributes information on the BQA Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention, and Dr. Jason Nickell from Merck Animal Health writes about new technologies in the beef industry. Also included is Dr. Nels Lindberg’s series on leadership, Ted Howard’s series on animal stewardship, Dr. Doug Ford and Dr. Greg Quakenbush’s parable, and Spanish-language articles translated by Jose Valles.

As always, we are grateful for our clients and subscribers.

Have a great summer!

Shane Terrell DVM, PhD

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.

•••

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

••• Follow us on Twitter @PACVets

Dr. Charles Luke Solomon Valley Veterinary Hospital Beloit, KS

Dragon Fly

Just leave me alone The Protein Harvester

We want to showcase unique photographs from our readers here!

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

SUMMER 2021 contents •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4.

24.

Welcome Shane Terrell DVM, PhD

Chuckles from Down Under

STEWARDSHIP

8. Seasonal Behaviors in Our Horses 40. Beat the Heat

32.

Chuckles from Down Under

39.

PAC Member Highlights: Audry Wieman, DVM Kristina Porter, DVM

Tricks of the Trade for Managing Feedlot and Reproduction Performance in the Summer Heat

COW-CALF

43. Newest PAC Members

12. Calf Immunity – It Is More Than Vaccines

48.

Parable: The Naysayer

INDUSTRY

52.

Chuckles from Down Under

58.

The Pot Roast: Cream Spinach

20. Advancing Cattle Health Through Real-Time, Actionable Data

Advertisers •••••••••••••••••••• Arm & Hammer ..................................................10

26. Preparing a Biosecurity Plan for Your Livestock Operation

Automated Dairy Specialists .............................47 Bimeda, Inc. .............................Inside Back Cover

LEADERSHIP

Boehringer Ingelheim.........................................51

30. 10 Ways to Make Today Great Daniels Manufacturing Co. ...............................29

34. Reducing Employee Turnover Part 2 - Promoting Employees’ Pride and Belonging

DocTalk...............................................................19 Dr. Nels................................................................33

NUTRITION

Elanco Animal Health ........................................11

44. Pray for Rain, Plan for Drought

Merck Animal Health .........................................23

BILINGUAL TRAINING 54. Comportamientos Estacionales en Nuestros Caballos 56. 10 Maneras Para Hacer el Día de Hoy Grandioso

Neogen ..............................................................25 Newport Laboratories ........................................37 Norbrook ..................................Inside Front Cover Superior Placement Solutions ............................57 Zoetis ..................................................................53 pacdvms.com

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Seasonal Behaviors in Our Horses

By Ted Howard, Production Animal Consultation

T

hose of us from the Midwest have heard the joke, “If you don’t like the weather… wait a few min utes!” Spring has sprung. Rain, sleet, snow, wind, and sun, all within a 100-degree temperature range that changes momentarily, make working in the agriculture industry challenging.

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We should not be too hard on our horses for the first hour of our day while they are utilizing their extra energy.

How do the seasonal weather changes affect our equine partners? During the summer, the extreme heat and fighting flies causes our horses to burn energy. By fall, the cooler weather is refreshing and the flies are decreasing, but the lack of green grass allows our horses to maintain an appropriate amount of energy. Our equine partners normally work the best in the fall. By winter, maintaining body temperature in the cold weather as well as navigating the poor ground conditions burns extensive amounts of energy.

Spring weather normally brings out the biggest change in our horses. Cool mornings versus the frigid cold of winter mornings, along with the warmer afternoons versus the blazing heat of the summer, makes for friskier behavior in our horses. This can especially be seen in our younger horses as well as those that have been rested.

This increased energy in our horses can be reflected into the cattle we check. Energy in our horses can be seen in faster foot speed and higher headsets. These behaviors will not put our cattle at ease. Young or high-stressed cattle

will move away from this type of behavior with a flight mentality. It will be more difficult to identify any illness or lameness in our cattle.

We need to be able to help our horses through this time of increased energy. Being very aware of the feed rations our horses are on in the spring is important. A grass/hay ration with less grain than what we feed in the winter is more appropriate in the spring. Also, being mentally prepared to help our horses through this increased energy is imperative. We should not be too hard on our horses for the first hour of our day while they are utilizing their extra energy. Being patient and not picking a fight with our horse will set up the rest of our day in a better frame of mind for us and our horse.

Enjoy the changes in seasons as well as the changes in your horse. Understanding your horse during these times will build a stronger relationship between you and your equine partner and build your confidence as a horseman or horsewoman. Always remember, if you don’t like the weather… wait a few minutes!

Calf Immunity – It Is More Than Vaccines

By Dr. Chris Chase, South Dakota State University

Introduction – In the beginning there was the immune response The immune system of the calf consists of three lines of defense systems: mucosa epithelium, innate immunity, and adaptive or acquired immunity that work together to give cattle protection from disease.

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A) Homeostasis is when the mucosal immune system and the microbiome are in a steady state and there is no “leaky gut” and passage of commensals. The “Kill Zone” provides the first layer of protection. It consists of the mucus, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) that also play a significant role in limiting exposure to the commensal microbiota. The combination of the “Kill Zone” epithelial barrier, and DCs and T cells comprises the ‘‘mucosal firewall,’’ which limits the passage and exposure of commensals from the gut. Commensals promote the induction of regulatory T cells via direct sensing of microbial products or metabolites by T cells or dendritic cells. Commensals promote the induction of Th17 cells that can regulate the function and homeostasis of epithelial cells. In the context of inflammation, similar mechanisms may account for the regulatory role of the microbiota. B) Inflammation is when there is “leaky gut” and passage of bacteria from the gut. Commensal-derived metabolites can also have a local and systemic effect on inflammatory cells. For example, short chain fatty acids (SCFA- i.e., propriate, butyrate) can inhibit neutrophil activation. Upon entrance in the tissue, inflammatory monocytes can also respond to microbial-derived ligands by producing mediators such as PGE2 that limit neutrophil activation and tissue damage. From Belkaid Y, Hand TW. Role of the Microbiota in Immunity and Inflammation. Cell. 2014;157(1):121-14

Figure 1

The mucosa epithelium of the respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) system is the largest immune organ of the body and provides the barrier, “the kill zone”, that eliminates 99.9% of all infections (Figure 1A). The kill zone integrates all of the components of the immune system: 1) barrier components (mucous and mucins, tight junctions); 2) innate immunity (macrophages, defensins, neutrophils, interferon, cytokines); and 3) adaptive immunity (secretory IgA and IgG, and T and B lymphocytes). This system is very susceptible to dehydration and changes in microbial populations. In addition, the mucosa epithelium along with the lamina propria is the immune “fire wall” (Figure 1A), the immune regulatory system that provides “homeostasis” mechanisms that balance the immune system to provide a stable healthy internal environment to minimize inflammation (Figures 1A & B). Once the mucosa epithelium is breached, the innate system is the first to be activated and responds almost immediately. The adaptive response follows up 10-14 days later in naïve animals. The immune system is regulated to prevent an over-response (too much of a good thing). The cumulative effect of these antiinflammatory responses is to regulate the immune system and maintain homeostasis. At the same time, overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines from infectious agents, feed intake issues (acidosis, ketosis), and stress can result in immune dysfunction and an overreactive immune system that can result in immunopathology and disease.

Too much of a good thing The immune system is a major consumer of energy, and times of negative energy, like seen in the newly weaned calf, can be difficult times for the immune system to respond. These macrophages are particularly sensitive to signals

from gut bacteria including endotoxin from gram-negative bacteria. Animals with “leaky gut” along with other metabolic or major stressors are at higher risk. With diet changes that occur at weaning or other stress times, the microbiome, the bacteria (microflora) in the gut, has major population changes. This combination of negative energy balance (at weaning), macrophage activation by stress, and “revamped” microflora can result in a cytokine storm (Figure 2). It is an overreaction of the immune system. This results in systemic spillover affecting other systems. An animal with a systemic inflammatory response (cytokine storm) will have increased bovine respiratory disease, pinkeye, GI disease, and other disease.

Modulation of the immune response Although we have been using prebiotics, probiotics, essential oils, and/or organic acids in animal production for years, the approaches have often been empirical and based

Figure 2

on one or two components with little understanding of the mechanism of action. In looking at human medicine and the prevention and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, there has been a more holistic multipronged approach developed (Figure 3). Like veterinary medicine, the initial approaches for prevention and/or treatment of GI disease were pharmaceutical based with antibiotics being a major tool. Using a multipronged approach in humans has been aimed at reducing the use of antibiotics (Figure 3, circle lower left). There are several GI health goals from these multipronged approaches. First, maintain a healthy “kill zone” and mucosa and block specific pathogen attachment (Figure 3, center green box). Second, correct dysbiosis (microbiome imbalance) and restore normal microbial function (Figure 3, upper left blue box), and normalize the immune dysfunction and repair barrier defects (Figure 3, upper right lavender box). These approaches may be accomplished by using traditional approaches (probiotics, organic oils, high fiber diets, or combinations of these) and/or

Imagery of the “Cytokine Storm”. Many different cytokines are activated and create “Cytokine Storm”. From Tisoncik, J.R., Korth, M.J., Simmons, C.P., Farrar, J., Martin, T.R., Katze, M.G., 2012.

Into the eye of the cytokine storm. Microbiol Mol Biol R 76, 16–32.

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Targeting the mucosa with nutraceuticals that specifically enhance the microbiota and improve barrier and immune function. AIEC, attaching and effacing E. coli; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor; FA, fatty acid; FXR, farnesoid X receptor; FMT, fecal microbial transplant; HS, hydrogen sulfide; IL-10, interleukin 10; OMV, outer membrane vesicles; SCFA, short chain fatty acids; SFB, segmented filamentous bacteria. From Sartor RB, Wu GD. Roles for Intestinal Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi in Pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Therapeutic Approaches. Gastroenterology.

2017;152(2):327–339.

Figure 3

cutting-edge methods (fecal microbial transplants; synthetic mixtures of defined microbes, personalized for an individual’s specific microbiota profile; and personalized diets).

In livestock, we have several other unique approaches to improving GI health in addition to the traditional approaches (probiotics, organic oils, high fiber diets, or combinations of these). These approaches including prebiotics {refined functional carbohydrates (RFC); inhibiting bacterial attachment, promoting a more anaerobic environment; blocking bacterial receptors; stimulating protective mammalian pathways}; mixtures of defined microbes based on culture and sensitivity testing that are herd and/or region specific; and hen egg IgY antibodies against specific organisms. With ruminant housing and pasture management exposure to feces (and rumen content transplants), there is an on-farm “microbial transplant” opportunity.

When do we vaccinate - age and stressors Age: Neonatal calves The newborn calf is immunological naïve at birth. It has

had no chance to enhance adaptive immunity by “experience” because of the protective environment in the uterus.

It is further handicapped by maternal factors and the hormonal influences of parturition, and by its lack of antibodies in circulation and in the tissues. The ingestion of colostrum is essential for providing the neonate with immunological protection during at least the first 2-4 weeks of life. While all the essential immune components are present in the neonate at birth, many of the components are not functional until the calf is at least 3 weeks of age and may continue to develop until puberty.

This ongoing maturity of the immune system in the developing neonate coupled with maternal antibody interference makes vaccination strategy more complex. The mucosa epithelium provides immune function very early, making intranasal and oral vaccines effective in calves less than a week of age. Parenterally administered MLV vaccine responses begin at 7-10 days following birth although BVDV MLV vaccines should be avoided particularly in dairy calves before at least two months of age as the major BVDV vaccine strains inhibit innate immune bacterial

killing for 10-14 days following vaccination. Bacterial parenteral vaccines typically do not have much response in animals less than 3 weeks of age with the exception of Clostridial perfringens toxoids that have an immune response when administered at 3 days of age.

Age: Weaning-puberty (arrival) Vaccination programs are a routine practice in beef operations to protect cattle against bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Current vaccine protocols recommend that calves be vaccinated prior to weaning or commingling to provide protection against BRD. Unfortunately, many calves are not vaccinated prior to weaning or commingling into backgrounding lots, feedlots, or pasture operations.

These animals are at increased risk of viral infection and are predisposed to secondary bacterial pneumonia.

However, the highly-stressed calf presents a unique problem, as the vaccines may sometimes actually predispose the calves to more severe disease while on other occasions providing protection.

The time from vaccination to onset of protection can play an important role in subsequent management of newly arrived cattle against BRD viral agents, i.e., bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1; IBR) bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV).

Commercially available MLV vaccines administered to nonvaccinated low-stress calves at weaning or at arrival to feedyards will provide increased weight gains and protection to animals as early as 48 hours prior to an IBR exposure, at 57 days prior to a BVDV exposure, and 8 days prior to BRSV exposure. This protection is due to the innate immune response, which is activated within hours after exposure to modified-live vaccines or infectious virus.

achieving mature immune response homeostasis takes at least 3 weeks (Figure 4). This fully developed mature primary response can then be boosted to get a true anamnestic secondary response. In many cases, cattle vaccine primary and booster doses are administered at two-week intervals.

In young calves, this is done to provide an opportunity to make sure that the calves develop a primary response in the face of maternal immunity. The adjuvants that are used with most commercial vaccines provide superior immune development over older generation adjuvants like alum. Therefore, in most instances if primary vaccination occurs after 3 weeks of age, booster vaccination beyond three weeks and even longer will be efficacious (Figure 4). The dogma that revaccination must occur within two weeks of the primary vaccination is not true and the anamnestic response will be better if we wait longer.

Stressors and vaccination There is ample evidence that both physical and psychological distress can cause dysfunction of the immune function in animals, leading to an increased incidence of infectious disease. Excess heat or cold, crowding, mixing, dehydration, weaning, calving, limit-feeding, shipping, noise, and restraint are stressors that are often associated with intensive animal production and have been shown to influence immune function in cattle (Figure 5). Also, social

Frequency of vaccination No more than 1-2 doses of MLV or 2-3 doses of inactivated vaccines should be administered in young calves less than 4 months of age to develop good herd immunity against respiratory diseases.

Interval between doses of vaccine In all animals following vaccination there is expansion in the populations of responding T- and B-cells. However, to have a complete and mature immune response, this Tand B-cell expansion must not only stop but an active process of cell death (apoptosis) must also occur. This “waning process” allows “culling” T- or B-cells that may be poor responders or even cause autoimmunity to be removed by apoptosis. This whole process from vaccination to

Figure 4

Vaccine A primary dose is administered and the booster dose is given ~21 days later

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status, genetics, age, and the duration of stress (chronic vs. acute) are important in the animal’s response to stress. There is clear evidence that waiting to vaccinate at least 2 days and preferably as long as 2 weeks after the stress will result in better immunity and less sickness in that adjustment period after the stress.

Hydration and nutrition One of the most critical issues in poor responses to vaccines is when animals have low water and feed intakes as a result of lack of supply, transportation, or other disruptions. The immune system requires hydration and energy

for the barrier to be effective and for the immune system to actively respond and develop an immune response quickly including duration of immunity and memory from vaccination. The immune system is a major consumer of energy, and times of negative energy, like seen in the newly weaned calf and the fresh dairy cow, can be difficult times for the immune system to respond. The immune response requires energy, protein, vitamins, and trace minerals. Both malnutrition and overfeeding may result in impairment of immune function and increased susceptibility to disease due to a deficiency or excess of proteins or calories, or a relative imbalance in vitamin or trace mineral content. Animals

Immune responses are highly dynamic and are shaped by various host and environmental factors, including host genetics, mode of delivery, diet and the microbiota of the mother, environmental housing, weaning, feeding type, transportation, comingling, antibiotic treatment, vaccination, and pathogen exposure. Adapted from Zeineldin M, Lowe J, Aldridge B. Contribution of the Mucosal Microbiota to Bovine Respiratory Health. Trends Microbiol. 2019; 27, 753-770.

Figure 5

under intensive production conditions typically have a completely controlled diet. Therefore, it is very important that the diet, especially the vitamin and trace mineral content, be optimally formulated. Key vitamins and minerals for optimal immune function include vitamins A, C, E, and the B complex vitamins; copper (Cu); zinc (Zn); magnesium (Mg); manganese (Mn); iron (Fe); and selenium (Se). Of these, zinc, copper, and selenium are the “immune microminerals”.

Laws of Immunological Common Sense for Calves •

Passive antibodies (colostrum) are protective

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Better colostrum management, less need to vaccinate

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Hydration, hydration, hydration

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In general, we vaccinate too often and too much

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Avoid multiple stressors (i.e., heat, transport, off feed, surgical procedures, weaning, comingling, etc.) – don’t forget vaccines are stressful

•

Vaccinate before shipping

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Vaccinate at least a few days after shipping – a week or two later is best

Conclusions Management of the calf ’s immune system is not a simple process. Stressors and nutrition often compromise immunity. It is important that vaccinations be given at optimal times and that vaccination is not overused.

Vaccination can never overcome poor management.

Chris Chase is a professor of veterinary and biomedical science at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. He received his DVM from Iowa State University and MS and PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has been at SDSU since 1992. Dr. Chase is the Past-President of the American College of Veterinary Microbiology and the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Disease.

Dr. Chase co-founded RTI (Research, Technology Innovation) LLC., an animal health contract research organization founded in 1994 that does studies in poultry, swine and cattle and is Chief Scientific Officer and has served as President since 1998.

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Advancing Cattle Health through Real-time, Actionable Data

By Jason Nickell, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVPM, Manager, Professional Services, Merck Animal Health Intelligence

H

ow do we advance cattle health as an industry? How about in your herd or feedlot?

We can significantly impact the future of animal health through new technologies allowing cattle producers access to real-time, actionable data that can improve animal management, health outcomes, and ultimately your bottom line. Merck Animal Health has invested in several recent acquisitions to bring new technologies that assist in animal monitoring and surveillance.

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I like to draw a parallel with the use of precision agriculture in row-crop agriculture. Precision ag – the use of information technology to ensure that crops and soil receive exactly what they need for optimum health and productivity – has been used for several decades. The goal is to strive for profitability, efficiency and sustainability based on the needs of the specific row-crop operation.

Through soil mapping using GPS coordinates and variable-rate technology, row-crop farmers can apply the right amount of inputs – seed, fertilizer and water if irrigating – for each field that will maximize yield. At the same time, they can reduce costs by not applying as many inputs in the areas that do not justify it.

We can take a page out of the precision ag “play book” and apply this concept and learnings to beef cattle production. There are applications from the cow/calf through the feedlot level.

Monitoring the cow herd

based upon the ear movement secondary to the animal’s chewing activity. Artificial intelligence is then used to determine if there is an estrous event, as well as if the animal’s health is normal.

Using data to predict and manage BRD Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex involves the pathogen (virus or bacteria), the calf (the host), and the environment and stressors, which all work in tandem to cause disease manifestation. BRD is the number one health issue that we deal with on a day-to-day basis in post-weaned animals.

There are three categories of data and intelligence use as it relates to BRD – disease prediction, detection and confirmation.

The ability to predict BRD at the group or lot level using perceived risk factors is a highly inaccurate exercise.

Until recently, the only tool to select animals needing an antibiotic was a thermometer. Producers could take the temperature of each calf and only give antibiotics to animals who have a certain elevated rectal temperature.

However, research shows that feverbased treatment is less effective than conventional metaphylactic group treatment for decreasing the prevalence of BRD in newly arrived cattle. The data would indicate rectal temperature alone is not predictive of BRD incidence.

Metaphylaxis, a tried-and-true BRD management practice, has historically focused on administering antibiotics to each animal in the group. Whisper® On Arrival is the first technology of its kind with the goal of optimizing metaphylaxis use.

The objective is to predict which animals need antimicrobial therapy and which do not. This will reduce the cost of treatment and support judicious antimicrobial use all while maintaining the positive attributes of conventional BRD control.

The technology’s predictive algorithm uses up to four data points – the animal’s lung sound, heart sound, rectal temperature and weight. Heart and lung sounds are captured with a hardware device, while rectal temperature and body weight are currently hand entered into the application. Based on individual animal examination, the algorithm calculates each animal’s risk of developing BRD and provides a simple “treat” or “do not treat” outcome. The

We can take a page out of the precision ag “play book” and apply this concept and learnings to beef cattle production.

At the cow/calf level, remote monitoring and decision-making systems provide producers with constant access to their animals. The emphasis currently is on two areas: individual heat or estrus detection and health monitoring. From a heatdetection standpoint, technology can monitor both activity and rumination patterns to identify profiles that reflect estrous activity. When an animal displays estrus, the producer is alerted via their smart phone or computer. In addition, it also identifies where she is at during the 12-18 hour “breeding window” – indicating when conception is most likely to be successful.

In a natural-breeding system, precise cycling information can enable producers to detect heat in heifers at a younger age. In an artificial-breeding system, the breeding window allows for more precise insemination timing. Producers also can use the information to gauge the quality of the semen used. For example, they may want to use higher-priced semen when the cow or heifer is in the most-likely-to-conceive window.

The system also monitors the animal’s health. If there is an adverse health event, the user will get an alert that the animal needs to be evaluated. Timely alerts add an additional layer of confidence for producers to know the health status of their animals and to be able to treat them quickly.

The system includes an individual ear tag that measures animal activity and rumination. It measures rumination

technology identifies which cattle are likely to respond to antimicrobial therapy for BRD control while leaving the remaining population untreated.

Development studies across four sites demonstrated that pens managed with the technology displayed no statistical differences in health and performance compared to the positive control. Pens managed by this technology reduced metaphylactic antibiotic use by 10-43 percent compared to conventional metaphylaxis.

Detecting BRD via technology Cattle’s defense mechanism is to appear healthy, even when sick. That is why a sick animal will often look alert and conceal signs of sickness if it knows it is being watched.

The Quantified Ag® technology is used to monitor activity and body temperature to detect sick animals earlier and more accurately. Body temperature is captured by an infrared thermistor that captures ear temperature.

A built-in accelerometer measures activity. The hardware is very minimal. It consists of the ear tag, an antenna placed strategically on site and a gateway where the data is collected, stored and sent to a data platform.

The user receives a report of animals flagged by the system. In parallel, there is a light on the tag that illuminates so pen riders can easily identify animals with blinking lights on their tag. This allows them to find and remove sick animals with minimal disruption.

Confirming BRD at the chute The Whisper® Hospital technology aids in the diagnosis of BRD by estimating the degree of lung pathology at the time when cattle are brought to the chute for assessment.

The user receives a severity score of 1-5 (lung pathology, and subsequently the risk of retreatment and mortality rising

with an increase in severity). Using the score, producers can determine the severity of the disease and use those data to make treatment and/or management decisions.

Just as precision agriculture has been incorporated into row-crop agriculture, adding new technology can seem like a daunting task. It is important to start with your goals and determine what makes sense for your operation and to seek out those who can help you along the way. Improvements and innovation in animal monitoring should allow you to make more informed therapeutic decisions. Ultimately, these tools are designed to positively impact beef productivity, well-being and profitability.

Jason Nickell, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVPM, is manager of professional services for AllFlex Livestock Intelligence, which is Merck Animal Health Intelligence’s livestock company. Dr. Nickell earned his D.V.M. degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. After four years of mixed animal practice, he pursued a Ph.D. in Epidemiology at Kansas State University. Dr. Nickell is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, and the Association of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine.

He is also the past AABP liaison for the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST).

Chuckles from Down Under Mr. Daison, a vacuum salesman, went to a remote farm hoping to sell one of his new fangled vacuum cleaners with all the bells and whistles.

As the farmer's wife opened the door, without a word Mr. Daison entered and emptied a small bag of dust onto the carpet and said, "If my vacuum cleaner does not pick up every speck of that dust, I will eat it all."

The farmer's wife without a word went to the kitchen, brought a dessert spoon, and handing it to Mr. Daison said, "You better start eating then. We don't have electricity."

Courtesy of Bell Veterinary Services

Preparing a Biosecurity Plan for Your Livestock Operation Julia Herman, DVM, MS, Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian, NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff

E

very day livestock pro ducers are taking steps to protect their families, animals, and oper ations from various risks. These risks could include inclement weather, poor nutrition, predators, contaminated water, viruses and microbes, among many others.

Livestock production systems in the U.S. uphold high standards of animal care and handling which in turn provides a safe, wholesome food supply.

The cost of preventing an animal disease outbreak is far less than the impacts of the disease. pacdvms.com

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In the cattle industry, these standards are outlined in the Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program.

Biological risk management is also essential for the people working on farms and ranches for preventing the spread of human illness between these operations, as seen with COVID-19. These biosecurity techniques can be applied to your herd. As discussed in BQA, the goal of biosecurity is to protect animals from disease by minimizing the movement of biological organisms such as pests, viruses, bacteria, or parasites within or onto an operation.

The cost of preventing an animal disease outbreak is far less than the impacts of the disease. For example, when a single case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) was discovered in 2003, estimated costs to the U.S. cattle industry export market exceeded $3.2 billion according to a 2005 economic impact study by Kansas State University. Prevention of common cattle diseases is occurring every day. This may involve quarantining new additions to the herd in a separate pen for 21-30 days before introduction to the herd. Or it could be washing buckets, bottles, trailers, or other equipment between uses for individual animals or groups of animals.

Vaccination and optimal nutrition are common ways to aid in prevention of diseases such as respiratory diseases in your livestock herd but applying biosecurity principles remains important because not all diseases have vaccines available. Identification of risk factors for diseases such as Johne’s Disease or Salmonella would also be a part of prevention in the cattle herd. In the end, developing and maintaining a biosecurity plan that is specific to your operation is essential to keeping your herd and our food supply safe.

Daily biosecurity practices include some of the most important steps to protecting your cattle herd and other livestock. BQA has partnered with the USDA funded Secure Beef Supply (SBS) Plan to develop resources for cattle producers on how to properly prepare for daily cattle diseases. The BQA Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention template offers an introductory, stepwise biosecurity plan for identifying biosecurity risks on cattle operations. It goes through several areas on the farm such as animal movement, personnel training, feed and water monitoring, cleaning and disinfection processes, and more.

Though focused on cattle operations of any sector, this plan provides space to include other livestock or animal species in the plan so diversified operations can find utility in this tool. Producers can customize plans to their own operation, allowing flexibility for producers and their resource team to evaluate what management practices work best for their situation. Working with the herd veterinarian

provides unique opportunities for evaluating current biosecurity practices and collaborating on continuous improvement goals for the future.

This plan is a precursor to the SBS Plan and supporting training materials which provide valuable information on developing an enhanced biosecurity plan, which is necessary during a potential foreign animal disease outbreak such as foot and mouth disease (FMD). FMD is the most contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hooved animals (i.e., cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, wildlife) and could be particularly devastating to the U.S. livestock industry. This disease causes blisters in the mouth and on the feet of these animals. Thankfully FMD does NOT affect public health or food safety so meat and milk from affected animals are safe to eat and drink. The effects on our economy, trade, and way of life would be tremendous if this disease were to enter the U.S. or North America. On the SBS website (securebeef.org), producers can learn more about FMD, what it looks like in affected animals, and find tools and design concepts to incorporate into their facilities and their business plans.

To improve their biosecurity practices, cattle and livestock producers can prepare by: • Writing and implementing operation-specific biosecurity plans during peacetime that can be further developed during an outbreak o BQA Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention along with an example plan is available at: https://www.bqa.org/resources/templatesassessments o Example enhanced biosecurity plans and templates for feedlots and cattle on pasture are available at: https://securebeef.org/beef-producers/ biosecurity/ o Other species-specific Safe Food Supply plans, including pork, milk, sheep and wool, and poultry, can be found at: https://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/secure-food-supply/ • Developing contingency plans for periods of restricted movement o For example, financial risk management will be critical if you are unable to move your animals or product during an FMD outbreak o In addition, during a potential FMD outbreak, the enhanced biosecurity plan will be required for permitted movement and may play a role in indemnity for affected operations • Keeping movement records of animals, people, equipment, and other items on and off your operation

•

Having a national Premises Identification Number (PIN) issued by the office of your State Animal Health Official With these biosecurity goals, realize that biosecurity is always a work in progress as your business may change from year to year and different risks may need to be mitigated.

However, you can prioritize action from the BQA Daily Biosecurity and SBS plans on what your operation has already done or could do quickly versus what should be developed over the next year. Record keeping is extremely important during normal business operations and more so during a disease outbreak.

Biosecurity is one thing that the producer has significant control over. Resources in your community such as your veterinarian, extension agent, or BQA state coordinator can work with you to write a biosecurity plan, implement the plan, and update it. They could also be instrumental in employee education on these biosecurity guidelines to focus on every day.

The most difficult concept about biosecurity is both preparing for a disease that is common, such as respiratory

disease, or a disease we hope never comes, such as FMD. These concepts are helpful in keeping both humans and animals healthy and can be continually improved upon. For more information and downloadable preparation documents, please visit Beef Quality Assurance at bqa.org or the Secure Beef Supply Plan at securebeef.org. Together we can take a stepwise approach to protect your animals and your business now and in the future.

Julia Herman serves as the Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. She works with livestock producers, students, and veterinarians to develop practical educational resources in conjunction with the Beef Quality Assurance program that emphasize optimal animal health and welfare, biosecurity practices, and industry productivity. Her experience spanning both private practice and academic settings has provided a strong foundation to produce applicable tools for producers such as a daily biosecurity plan template and an advanced education online module on biosecurity. Julia earned her DVM and M.S. with an emphasis in Epidemiology from Colorado State University and resides in northern Colorado with her farmer husband.

10 Ways to Make Today Great

By Dr. Nels Lindberg, Production Animal Consultation

“L

ong vision of time” is a topic I routinely speak about as we grow as human beings. Long vision of time is simply how far out we are looking or planning.

As kids we are often planning for the next day or the next test. As we get to high school, maybe we are planning for college. As adults, some may be planning for the next day, living day to day, while some are planning out through retirement. Are you planning for a month from now?

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Are you planning for a year from now? Or maybe you are planning for 10 to 20 years from now. Whatever length of time your vision includes, I always push people to go longer and double that length of time. The longer we plan out, the more focus we place on that length of vision and the more likely we are to take action and initiate the right habits to achieve those goals. I routinely discuss these subjects when I meet with cowboy crews, pushing them as individuals to plan further out in their lives.

However, there are times when we need to be present and live day by day.

Recently I was speaking to a great group of people at a leadership workshop, and after the event, a good, solid young man emailed me about his life and some of his experiences. Specifically, he talked about the day, about six months ago, which he tried to commit suicide. The great news is he is still alive and now thriving in life. At the workshop, he asked me, “What is your definition of success?” In his email, he shared what success looked like for him. He talked about focusing on the day. He went on to tell me, even though he is a highly accomplished young man, he does not necessarily plan for the long term; he focuses on winning each day.

In his email, he taught me a valuable lesson. I focus on the long term, and I was teaching others to focus on extending their long vision of time no matter what. As tragedy struck our family last year, I truly began to focus on winning each day, living each day with the attitude of being grateful for where we were, embracing our renewed

and strengthened purpose, and moving forward each day.

This young man taught me that as I teach and preach extending your long vision of time, I must also teach that we must win each day. We must embrace each day and make forward progress as best we can. When we face our daily challenges, sometimes just getting through the day is a victory. As we battle in the daily grind of feedyard life, farm life, or ranch life, we are well aware of the insane curveballs we swing at routinely. We all have life challenges that humble us and give us opportunity to bring direct focus to that day and situation. We can’t live or plan beyond that day, and that is okay.

As we look at winning today, we all have opportunities which we can embrace. The following are ten ways to make today great, based on teaching from Jon Gordon1. As you read them, I want you to think about how you can implement one of these each day. If you are leading a crew, my challenge to you is to have each person on your crew execute one of these daily for 30 days. Take a look!

We often get caught up focusing on and worrying about our lives, our family’s lives, or our businesses. In those very moments, we cannot change a thing about the future.

1. Replace “have to” with “get to”.

2. Be grateful. Tell several people “thank you” each day.

3. Be open to new possibilities. Ask the person next to you, “What is something you think I need to work on?”

4. Look for the good. Tell one person each day they did a good job on something you saw them do.

5. Take action. Do these things routinely!

Chuckles from Down Under This is Buddy. I bought him as a surprise present for my husband, but it turns out he’s allergic to dogs. So unfortunately, I’m going to have to find a new home for him and I’m just wondering if anyone out there can help?

His name is Alan. He is 61, great at DIY, drives a nice car, and plans wonderful holidays.

Courtesy of Judy Cook and Bell Veterinary Services

6. Maintain hope. Look for people that inspire you and go have a conversation with them.

7. Believe in yourself.

8. Encourage at least 2 people.

9. Be kind (to yourself and others).

10. Smile!

These 10 opportunities to make today great are things I have to work on. We all have to work on them because for most of us, they just do not come naturally. But, if you do them daily for 90 days or more, progress will be made, and you will become a different person. Your life will change because taking these actions to make today great will make other people’s days great. When you do these things, you will find yourself leading people, advancing in your professional world, growing yourself and everyone around you.

We often get caught up focusing on and worrying about our lives, our family’s lives, or our businesses. In those very moments, we cannot change a thing about the future. The gentleman who emailed me after the leadership workshop is very successful in his career and he still felt life was not

worth living at one point. He endured a life-changing event that made him realize he is able to get through life by focusing on winning each day and not by concerning himself greatly with the long term. He taught me, and I thank him for his lesson!

Again, my challenge to you is to do at least one of these ten things to make today great each day for the next 90 days!

When the 90 days are over, assess, reflect, and resolve to make it a part of your daily life! If you do, I promise you will find yourself enjoying levels of success you have never experienced before!

1 @JonGordon11 (Jon Gordon). Twitter, June 11, 2020,

https://twitter.com/jongordon11/status/127104449449502720 0?lang=en. Italics added.

Dr. Nels Lindberg is a people coach, team coach, business coach, and a keynote speaker, all virtually or in person. If you have any interest in these opportunities, please reach out to his office at 620-792-1265 and visit with his right-hand lady, Jill.

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Reducing Employee Turnover Part 2 - Promoting Employees’ pride and belonging

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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If you are a life-long learner and your feedyard has a culture of continuous improvement, you have set the stage for employees to understand that their work is valuable and will continue to be.

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.

We explored the first item, making employees feel valued, in the last issue of Protein Producers. Let’s take a closer look at the other three commonalities now.

They understand the value of the work that they do.

In feedyards we spend a lot of time telling new employees what to do. We spend some time showing them how to do it and publish schedules that tell them when and where. All of those things are necessary for the short-term goal of getting today’s work done.

Unfortunately, we are not great at answering the most critical questions: Why do we do that? Why do we do it that way? Why do we do things in this order or do this only after that occurs? Why do we invest in the best equipment for this function but not for that one? Employees need to understand the why so that they realize the value of doing their jobs well.

Let’s look at some examples. Every feed truck driver knows that the feed should be spread in an even line from

one end of the bunk to the other without gaps. They hear that every day. Did we tell them why? Do they know that the cattle have 8 inches of bunk space each, but they are 30 inches wide, they can’t all eat at the same time, they have established an order, and any gap in feed means that at least one animal that expects to eat right now is missing out on fresh feed? Do they know that a frustrated and hungry animal might overeat later when they have a chance and that could cause digestive upsets?

Does the feed mill manager really understand why every bite of feed needs to have the right amount of medication or trace mineral because these things are critical nutritionally, expensive, and sometimes dangerous?

Does every member of the processing crew know the “why” behind properly chilled vaccines or ideal injection sites?

Does every member of the maintenance crew know how much mud increases the maintenance energy requirement of cattle and results in wasted feed energy and poorer performance? Does your office staff truly understand the importance of answering every call or getting accurate statements out on time?

You have a real teaching opportunity related to the “why” behind what we do. Make “why” a key part of your training and onboarding and regularly revisit it with experienced employees. Get your nutritionist and veterinarian involved in this if they are not doing it already. If they are not communicating the “why”, make sure they start right away.

Once all of these valuable employees understand that everything they do affects the well-being and production of the cattle, that every action has a cattle impact and a bottom line impact for the business or the cattle owner, three things will happen. First, they will take more pride in doing their work properly instead of just completing the tasks. Next, they will feel a greater attachment to their department and the organization because they will understand that they make a difference. Third, eventually they will bring forth questions, suggestions, and innovations that will make your business better. When you see these things, you have employees who are engaged in their work.

If you are a life-long learner and your feedyard has a culture of continuous improvement, you have set the stage for employees to understand that their work is valuable and will continue to be.

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

All of us in production agriculture need to work every day to let our employees know that they are part of something valuable and noble.

When I am asked by friends or acquaintances who do not work in agriculture what Midwest PMS does, I always start my answer with: “We contribute to the safest, most abundant, most affordable food supply the world has ever known.”

I then explain our role with a second sentence: “Our role is to improve the efficiency and profitability of cattle production.”

And I add a third to explain our specific function: “We accomplish this by delivering quality nutrition products and elite, science-based consulting.”

In those three sentences, I have told them what we do to answer their question, but I have also told them why we do it and who we do it for.

How do your employees answer that question? Every feedyard has a reputation in town. Think about what the reputation of your yard is. Then think about being among the lowest-ranking employees and telling your friends that you just went to work for that yard. What do your friends say? Are they impressed, envious? Or do they wonder why you would have made that choice and assume you did not have any good options? Is your yard respected in town and thought of as a great place to work, a leader in the community? Or is it a place that people do not respect, and employees are reluctant to tell their friends where they work?

I am proud to work for what I believe is a great company that does meaningful work and values its employees. I hope that always comes across in my words and actions. Set the goal to have your employees feel the same way about your company. Then do the hard work to make it happen.

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

All of us in production agriculture need to work every day to let our employees know that they are part of something valuable and noble. We are feeding the world, and everyone involved should take pride in that.

Our industry is under constant attack from activists and media who portray what we do as bad for the environment or describe us as greedy capitalists who do not care about animals and only care about profit. An employee who hears bad things about the industry they work in, or the product that they work so hard to produce, may eventually decide that they do not want to tell people that is what they do,

and the next step is to find another job.

As leaders, we need to reinforce the message that we are providing highquality, great-tasting protein and doing it in a way that we can be proud of.

How do your employees answer when they are asked what they do? Do they say, “I work at a feedyard,” or do they say, “I provide care and feeding for cattle so that you can have safe, affordable beef ”?

There are lots of good resources available, including brief videos that make important points on this subject. Schedule a brief meeting, bring some donuts, and give everyone 30 minutes to watch a video and discuss it for a few minutes.

Every organization would benefit by increased employee engagement. Start with this: Do an honest accounting of the last three or four employees who left your organization. Exclude anyone who moved away for family reasons or took a much better job than you had available. Employees who made parallel moves have critical data for you.

Why did they leave? It may be worth a call to ask. Chances are they did not feel valued, either by you as their supervisor or by the entire organization. If that is the case, you better get to work and fix it, or other good employees will be following them out the door and finding someplace where they do feel valued.

The bottom line: You are responsible for the job satisfaction and engagement of the people who work for you.

You got that responsibility when you agreed to accept a management position. Improving employee engagement will not just happen; you need to make it happen, but your organization, and your own career, will benefit greatly if you can get there. Now go get to work!

Pete Anderson is Director of Research for Midwest PMS, LLC, a provider of liquid suspension nutritional supplements and consulting 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, Colorado, and have three adult children.

••••PAC MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS•••• Audry Wieman, DVM Ridgeline Vet Services, LLC Lynch, Nebraska “I am passionate about animal behavior. I have wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as I can remember, pretty much because I could work with animals and be outside.”

Dr. Audry Wieman graduated from Auburn in 2008. She is now a solo ambulatory practitioner near Lynch, Nebraska, and has been practicing out of her truck since 2014.

“My practice is a small, committed number of clientele with a variety of animals from dogs and cats to sheep, goats, horses, and cattle.” One of Dr. Wieman’s core values is commitment to the animals she takes care of and the

people dedicated to raising them in a meaningful way.

In mentoring relationships, Dr. Wieman looks for a collaborative partnership of what different people know, observe and experience in a way that benefits both individuals as well as their communities. When asked why she joined Production Animal Consultation, Dr. Wieman responded, “I love the intricacy of veterinary medicine and hoped PAC could provide mentors and colleagues to provide innovative solutions for our industry. There is no typical day in my life as a vet.”

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Kristina Porter, DVM Kleinsasser-Porter Veterinary Service Huron, South Dakota “We want to take care of the people, not just the animals.

My goal is to glorify God each day through my work. Not only was I called to care for God’s creation, but I’ve never had a patient without a person attached. Each call and job is an opportunity to make someone’s day a little better.

Hopefully that is by making their operation more profitable through healthy livestock. But it may be through praying for them or listening to hardships and joys.”

Since graduating from veterinary school in 2010, Dr. Kristina has practiced at Kleinsasser-Porter Veterinary Service in Huron, South Dakota. “My dad and I work together.

He had a business doing cattle work, artificially breeding, selling semen for American Breeders Service, and freeze branding among other things. I expanded his business into a veterinary practice. We spend most every day together.”

While Dr. Kristina specializes in large animal medicine, her husband, Dr. Matt, who is also a veterinarian, runs their small animal practice in Huron. Dr. Matt’s rule is, if it outweighs him, it goes to Dr. Kristina!

Dr. Kristina is always striving to learn more as a veterinarian, a quality she admires in her mentor, Dr. Tom Noffsinger, and the other veterinarians in PAC. “Dr. Noffsinger is a lifelong learner. He approaches every person and situation with eyes wide open, ready to learn and ready to love. When I met the veterinarians of PAC, I saw a group of people who were passionate for the people, for the animals, and who were determined to always do better than the day before. It felt like home. The veterinarians of PAC inspire me to keep searching for a better answer for our people and animals alike.” pacdvms.com

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Beat the Heat Tricks of the Trade for Managing Feedlot and Reproduction Performance in the Summer Heat

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

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attlemen all over the country tend to pay a lot of attention to weather forecasts. That is because all of us know that the single biggest consistent factor influ encing the difficulty and financial success of our operations is weather.

Here at the USDA-ARS U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC), we often laugh at the thought that there are only about 60 days a year when everybody wants to be a cowboy. Pretty much the rest of the time we are faced with conditions that contribute to the “cowboy” appear ance and char ac ter that we all acquire if we are blessed with enough years in this business.

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Of all the climatic conditions that challenge the health and performance of our cattle, heat can be one of the most difficult to manage. Most of us are well equipped to handle cold and snow, but what can we do to navigate extreme heat? In this article, I will offer four tools or tips you can use regardless of whether you are in the feedlot sector trying to keep cattle performing with minimal losses or you are a cow/calf stocker operator trying to get cows bred and maximize grazing performance. These four tools are: preparation and planning, increasing access to water tanks and sprinklers, access to shade, and adjusting the timing of working and processing events.

Before I discuss ways to beat the heat, I think it is important to define what really causes heat stress in our livestock. There are five climatic elements that contribute to heat stress. Understanding what “normal” is for these in your ranch or feedlot and when a change in these elements is a cause for concern is the first step in managing heat stress. The five key factors we need to focus on are: solar radiation, ambient air temperature, relative humidity/dew point, windspeed, and nighttime cooling. In my career, I have experienced a lot of variation in how these elements affect cattle, depending on where the operation is located. For example, a 104-degree day in southwest Kansas will not have too much of an effect on cattle given that there is often a 30 mph “breeze” and humidity in the 20 to 30 percent range. On the other hand, an 85-degree day in central Nebraska with no breeze and relative humidity in the 60s and 70s or higher can be extremely stressful to cattle.

There are two other variables to heat stress that compound the five factors that I just outlined: duration of the heat stress period and suddenness of the onset of the stressful conditions. Cattle can and do adapt to heat, admittedly some breeds better than others. Regardless of the breed however, a quick change to the stressful range of any of the five factors can be extremely tough on cattle. It is also important to remember that heat stress is cumulative, especially without adequate cooling at night. There is something magical about the number 70 in regard to temperature and dewpoint. If either the temperature or dewpoint does not drop below 70 at night, little to no dissipation of the heat load taken on by the cattle during the

day will occur. This will result in much lower tolerance to heat the following day or days. Besides 70, the other critical number is three. If we go three days without dropping temperature and dewpoint below 70, the chances of the heat having an adverse effect on any and all classes of livestock ramps up significantly. To illustrate this effect more clearly, if we have a sudden onset, insufficient night cooling, and a span of three days or longer, we often see significantly increased mortality and other related problems, especially in the feedlots, unless we provide mitigation.

Step one in addressing heat stress is to make sure you are prepared – ahead of time. Day three or four in the scenario I just described is too late to implement any of the other three strategies we use to combat heat stress. It is too late to get extra water tanks out, alter work schedules, or provide shade in the middle of the heat event. Obviously, we need to plan ahead to successfully implement any of our strategies. Not only is heat stress a risk to our animals, but it is a risk to our employees and ourselves as well, and the height of a heat event is not the time to add extra tasks to our employees.

Consequently, planning and preparation are the most important. We usually know a few days in advance that we have a potential heat event coming, which gives us time to plan and implement. Much like a blizzard, if we wait until the storm starts, we are already too late.

The second most important tool, next to preparation and planning, and by far most effective is adding extra water sources for our livestock. Most of our facilities are equipped with stock tanks that are adequate during the majority of the year; however, during periods of extreme heat, they often are inadequate to meet the increased water demands placed on them by our livestock. This is especially true for facilities that do not have shade available to the cattle. If there is only one thing that you implement from reading this article, let it be this, because nothing cools cattle down more quickly than abundant water available anytime they want it. I have been amazed during heat events how many thousands of extra gallons of water are consumed by the feedlot cattle when additional stock tanks are provided. You will also notice improvement in the comfort and performance of the cattle. This is not only true in the feedyards, but it also helps in pasture cattle as well, especially during times of increased

The other source of water that we can add is sprinklers to cool the cattle down.

handling such as branding or artificial insemination (AI).

The other source of water that we can add is sprinklers to cool the cattle down. While this is also a very effective way to provide cattle with comfort and get them through heat events, it needs to be well calculated before being implemented. Cattle have to be acclimated to the sprinklers prior to the heat event. We also have to be careful when we use sprinklers because cattle very quickly can become dependent on this method and we will have to continue using it after the heat event has returned closer to normal. The primary goal in the use of sprinklers is not to cool the cattle down directly but rather to cool the surface of the pens and provide cattle with a cooler place to stand and lay down. We must be judicious using sprinklers to not create excess mud and pen maintenance issues. In short, use increased tanks first and always, and sprinklers only in emergency situations.

Giving cattle access to shade, especially in confinement such as feedyards, is another great way to help cattle beat the heat. This strategy is usually not one that can be implemented very quickly and often requires significant investment in infrastructure. There are many effective types of shade structures that I have seen in various feedyards across the country, and each have their pros and cons. In general, if you are going to invest in shade for your operation, do your research and invest in a structure that fits your needs.

Avoid the pitfall of not putting your shade high enough.

Failure to do so will actually reduce air flow and create pen maintenance issues in a very short period of time. You also need to consider the winter climate in your area and either construct a shade structure with removable canopies, like we have at USMARC, or construct one strong enough to stand up to a snow and ice load if appropriate for your climate. Shade can and will improve the comfort for your cattle and it often will limit the need for having to intervene with sprinklers during periods of extreme heat.

At USMARC, whenever possible, we avoid processing, shipping, or any event that results in extra movement of our

cattle during times of extreme heat. This is done for the obvious reason that extra movement by our animals increases body heat and can quickly elevate the amount of heat stress an animal is under. We all know that the need to move cattle in times of heat does not go away and cannot always be put off until another day. For example, when breeding animals during extreme heat, USMARC’s AI approach is to breed only in the early morning, and we only pull cows in estrus in the morning. When heat checking in the evening, we note the cows we need to breed tomorrow but we do not attempt to bring them into the corrals when the temperatures are high. Conventional thinking on AI suggests that breeding twice per day is the best way to maximize conception. We have found that once per day breeding with the right hormone protocols achieves the same or better conception when compared to morning and evening breeding. In addition to breeding, we strive to have all animal activities completed by 10:30 in the morning to avoid the heat of the day.

Not every heat event will require all the tips discussed in the article, while other heat events will test every bit of knowledge and fortitude we have. It is my hope that you found a couple of valuable insights from this article that you are able to successfully implement in your operation. After all, at the end of the day, doing all we can to provide optimal care and comfort of our livestock is our priority and what we stand for. It may only be fun to be a cowboy 60 days a year, but we are stockmen all day, every day.

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

Trace Elizabeth Stabel Parents: Taylor & Lyndee Stabel Kansas

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Pray for Rain, Plan for Drought

By Jeremy Martin, Ph.D., Great Plains Livestock Consulting, Inc.

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ne has only to look at the UNL drought monitor (droughtmonitor.unl.edu) website to see that widespread drought in the High Plains, West, and South are a looming issue for the industry. While March rains alleviated the severity of drought in some areas and eliminated it for now in others, much of the nation’s cowherd resides in areas of concern.

Most of us hope that drought plans fall in line with the old adage that plans are worthless but planning is everything.

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Ideally, we would develop a plan that never has to be used – but better to put it into action too soon than too late. We often think of drought as primarily a cow/calf problem, but feedlots, backgrounders, and stocker operators are impacted greatly as well. With rising feed costs across the marketplace, now is the time to evaluate your target dates and actions should drought develop, persist, or worsen in your area.

The first step in developing a drought plan is to have a plan for when there is not a drought, including “normal” stocking rates and forage production. After that, determine in your region when moisture is most critical and identify target dates and actions that will occur at those dates. Target dates will vary substantially according to an operation’s resources. The first target date may occur from the fall prior to the growing season if your operation relies on winter annual pastures, to the late spring in areas where warm season grasses are the primary forage resource. If you operate a feedlot or backgrounding lot, your first target date may be right before planting season, when you have an opportunity to grow more forage crops. These decisions are best made by a team and team member discussions should include family, employees, financial advisors, veterinarians, and nutritionists.

From a cow/calf standpoint, no doubt reducing inventory has the largest potential to mitigate reduced forage production but can also have the greatest financial risk and tax liability. The obvious decision is to begin by culling cows that deserve to be culled prior to the grazing season.

Particularly while cull prices are reasonably good, it would be a wise use of time to sort off cows with problem attitudes, udders, feet, and poor production, along with taking a hard look at the oldest cows on the ranch. Realistically, this is probably a small step in a well-managed herd but an important one. Further decisions on selling cows are dependent on the severity of drought, but certainly delaying turnout on summer pastures and improving grazing management should be the focus of any ranch facing drought.

If your ranch has a yearling enterprise, the logical step may be to put yearlings in a feedlot to save grazing resources for your cowherd.

Early weaning calves will likely be a reality for many ranches this year to stretch forage resources and hold the cowherd together. Weaning early reduces the nutritional requirements of the cows by 25-40% and reduces forage use by 20-35%, depending on the stage of lactation at which weaning occurs. Planning your vaccination programs and feeding strategy for early-weaned calves is a must. Fortunately, there is an abundance of research and experience available to consult when making the decision. In terms of stretching forages, early weaning has a much larger impact

than creep feeding calves because creep feeding does not impact milk production or cow forage use. Therefore, creep feeding only replaces a part of the forage consumed by calves, with minimal impact on total forage demand. In severe drought, the aforementioned steps may not be enough and supplementing forage or drylot feeding of cattle can become the only viable option. Again, much research is available to support this decision, and a variety of rations can be used successfully.

Along with grazed forage resources, harvested forage becomes a valuable commodity in widespread drought, and this is where backgrounders and feedlot operators need to focus. If traditional hay sources are limited by drought, consider whether you can harvest silage from row crop acres.

Traditionally, most silage was grown by the end user of the silage, but today we routinely purchase silage. Accurate testing of the silage coming into the pit is critical to ensure the transaction is fair for everyone. Selling a crop for silage may be in the best interest of the grower for reasons other than marketing, for instance if irrigation resources are limited or costly. Now is the time to approach those growers in your area and secure your silage needs.

Byproduct feed supplies typically become costly and scarce in drought conditions as more distillers grains, gluten feed, and similar products are utilized for feeding cows or early-weaned calves. As a feedlot operator, now would be a good time to investigate summer contracts for these ingredients, and make sure you have access to grains if byproducts price out of rations. Additionally, managing lighter early-weaned calves in the backgrounding lot or feedlot presents its own set of challenges. Take the time to meet with your crew and advisors to have a plan in place before you place these cattle.

I realize it is early, and I hope developing a drought plan for 2021 proves to be worthless, but going through the planning process now, if you have not already, is important even if the plan never gets used. In the meantime, keep praying for rain where it is needed.

Jeremy Martin is a beef cattle nutritionist with Great Plains Livestock Consulting, LLC who consults for seedstock, cow/calf, stocker, and feedlot operations in the central Great Plains. Dr. Martin developed the desire to help producers make more profit while growing up at his father's veterinary practice, which led him to pursue a Master's and Ph.D. in ruminant nutrition and reproductive management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

His home base is the family ranch near Wellfleet, Nebraska. Along with the cow/calf and yearling enterprises at the ranch, the Martin family are partners in a small feedlot and host an annual bull sale.

The Naysayer

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

E

very other Thursday, I pack up my ultrasound and head east for my 4:30 a.m. one-hour drive to Yuma Dairy. Yuma Dairy was my first experience with being a “dairy vet”, and I am going on 38 years of service. On this particular morning, the temperature was 30 degrees with overcast skies and dry roads. As I become older, slick roads and stormy weather creates more concern than when I was 25 years old. As I turned left onto the main two-lane highway, off in the distance was a bright orange screen with flashing caution lights. As I drew closer, parked on the side of the road was a portable message screen. In big, bold letters, the message read: Use Extreme Caution, Slippery Dangerous Road Conditions Ahead.

Naturally, I did a double take, pulled the cinch tighter on my seat belt, and hunkered down for what would appear to be more like a two-hour drive. Ten miles down the road all was good, 20 miles nothing, and 35 miles smooth sailing. The next thing I knew, I was buying health food at the local donut shop. My day was great, and the return trip was uneventful.

On the drive home, I thought about the power of words. The warning sign that morning added unnecessary stress and changed the course of my attitude for part of the day. As it turns out, the message was untrue and my concerns were totally unfounded. This experience parallels many events over the years in my personal and professional life.

One not-so-fond memory occurred when I was a senior in high school. Each student was required to meet with the college and careers counselor to guide the course of their future after graduation. Looking back, my meeting was intimidating and very impersonal. My so-called

Probably the greatest example of the power of words is found in Genesis where God spoke the universe into existence. pacdvms.com

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counselor’s first and foremost question was, “Mr. Ford, what are you going to do after graduation?” Mr. McQ wasn’t ready for my abrupt reply. I looked him straight in the eye and said, “I’m going to CSU to study veterinary medicine.”

He immediately began to stutter and stammer, fidgeting with the manila folder on his lap while adjusting his posture in his uncomfortable wooden chair. How in that moment could I have known that this man, a counselor and supposed example of wisdom to young, developing minds, was about to destroy me with his words. He began coldly and without conscience to recite to me all the reasons I would never achieve my goal, explaining that sometimes without proper guidance we set our bar too high. The reality was, in his mind I was unqualified, and my aptitude scores confirmed the obvious. My standardized testing profile indicated that I had gifted hands, I loved animals and being outdoors, and I was very detail oriented. These traits in a nutshell qualified me to be a jeweler, game warden, forest ranger, gunsmith, or an assembly line worker, certainly not a veterinarian!

In the time it took for the second hand on the clock to make one round, this man single-handedly and completely destroyed every part of my being. My mind, my heart, my soul, my confidence, my self-esteem and will. His words literally reduced me to ashes in a little more than a heartbeat.

In that moment, I retreated to the undertow of defeat where I remained for many years. I had an invisible hole in my heart. I became the walking wounded. It took years to rebuild the carnage he created in the blink of an eye, with no accountability or thought. How many other fertile, talented minds had been affected by his reckless lack of wisdom and mentorship?

I have since learned that naysayers are part of life.

Someone or something will frequently be there to bring you down. The thing I missed for many years was the fact that the Heavenly Father knew how my story ended. The Bible says we are created in the image of a perfect God and if HE is for you, who can be against you? If I had only known these fundamental Biblical principles years ago. In the end what I saw as a setback and major defeat was the doorway to great success, peace, joy, and victory. Through Christ and His word, I have learned about true healing of emotional scars, compassion, forgiveness, grace, and servitude. I have learned that the power of life and death are truly in the tongue and to guard my heart and guard my words. Satan came to kill, steal, and destroy, but Christ came to give abundant life. (John 10:10) Lessons learned: • Pursue the qualified, not merely the available.

• Choose worthy and capable mentors.

• •

No relationship is insignificant.

Friendship or association with the wrong person can destroy you forever.

• Worthy relationships increase your worth.

• Satan will use the words of others to undermine, discourage, and destroy you. He has been a liar from the beginning.

• People who build you up with words of life are a gift from God. Recognize them as such.

Discern worthy relationships!

Digging Deeper No honest examination of the potential impact of words and speech would be complete without seeking the wisdom and truth found in the Bible. A quick internet search on this theme immediately retrieves over 100 individual Bible verses. Another source notes that one out of every six verses in Proverbs is devoted to the tongue, speech, and our words.

Who knew that one’s words and speech were such a huge influence over our lives and the lives of others?

Given all the scriptural references, there is one verse that seems to stand out and succinctly portray what is at stake: Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue...”.

Power of the tongue? Life and death? This seems a bit overstated or extreme. Aren’t we just talking about “words”?

• Proverbs 15:4 (NLT) Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

• Proverbs 12:18 (ESV) There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

• James 1:26 (ESV) If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

Probably the greatest example of the power of words is found in Genesis where God spoke the universe into existence. While this is hard to get your head around, consider that we too, as mere mortals, have the ability to create worlds by our words. The worlds created by our words are found in marriages, families, the workplace, and so forth.

What marriage or family does not thrive when the spoken environment is one of encouragement, support, joy, and forgiveness? Conversely, if a spouse, parent, or boss creates an environment of sarcasm, bitterness, fault finding, or criticism, the result may make some long for death as a way to escape the verbal hell.

What world is currently being created by words and venomous tongues in our contemporary cultural environment?

Given the two choices of “death” or “life” as noted in Proverbs 18:21, which way do you perceive we are rapidly moving as a nation? It seems like a dark cloud is descending upon us as cities like New York, Baltimore, Seattle, Minneapolis, Portland, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit, and Denver are moving away from unity and civility. Anarchy and lawlessness seem to be the preferred result where speech and words are crafted for such an outcome. All of this verbal rhetoric is magnified, multiplied, and passed around at lightning speed via the vicious viral social media of the 21st century.

In retrospect, we seem to have drifted far, far away from the picture of reality painted by Dr. Brewster Higley. In the early 1870s, Dr. Higley (who lived in Smith County, Kansas) wrote the lyrics for what some have called the unofficial anthem of the American West, “Home on the Range”. His famous perspective for the world he lived in at the time observed that “Seldom was heard a discouraging word.” This sounds somewhat corny to our ears today. However, if we examine this lyric in a bit more detail, we will see that he cleverly used a double-negative expression with his words.

Looking at his lyrics from this slightly different angle we see that at his home on the Kansas prairie, encouraging words were often heard. It becomes easy to see that this special place is one that we all would like to call “home”.

If there is any doubt remaining regarding the power of our words or the ability of the tongue to cause hurt and damage, the Book of James clearly spells it out.

James 3:6-10 6And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

So, choose words that give life, both for others and for yourself. There is a lot to choose from in this category but none more important, personally life changing or eternally impactful than what Paul presented to the group at Rome: Romans 10:9 (ESV) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Chuckles from Down Under On vacation in Europe, Bob noticed a marble column in a church in Rome with a golden telephone on it. As a young priest passed by, Bob asked who the telephone was for. The priest told him it was a direct line to Heaven and if he’d like to call, it would be a thousand dollars. Bob was amazed but declined the offer.

Throughout Europe, Bob kept seeing the same golden telephone on a marble column.

At each, he asked about it and the answer was always the same: a direct line to Heaven and he could call for a thousand dollars.

Bob finished his tour of Europe with a stop in Ireland. He decided to attend Mass at a local village church. When he walked in the door, he noticed the golden telephone, but underneath it there was a sign stating: “DIRECT LINE TO HEAVEN – 25 CENTS.” “Father”, he said, “I have been all over Europe and in all the cathedrals I visited, I’ve seen telephones exactly like this one, but the price is always a thousand dollars. Why is it that this one is only 25 cents?”

The priest smiled and said, “Son, you’re in Ireland now. It’s a local call.”

Courtesy of St Joseph’s Parish Dalby and Bell Veterinary Services

The following articles have been translated into Spanish:

Comportamientos Estacionales en Nuestros Caballos •••••

10 Maneras Para Hacer el Día de Hoy Grandioso Translation provided by Jose Valles – Production Animal Consultation

Comportamientos Estacionales en Nuestros Caballos Por Ted Howard, Production Animal Consultation ¡Quienes somos del Medio Oeste hemos escuchado el chiste, “Si no te gusta el clima… espera unos minutos!” La primavera ha llegado. La lluvia, la aguanieve, la nieve, el viento, y el sol, todo dentro de un rango de temperatura de 100 grados que cambia momentáneamente, hacen que trabajar en la industria agrícola sea un desafío. ¿Cómo afectan los cambios climáticos estacionales a nuestros compañeros equinos? Durante el verano, el calor extremo y luchando contra las moscas hacen que nuestros caballos quemen energía. En el otoño, el clima más fresco es reconfortante y la cantidad de moscas esta disminuyendo, pero la falta de pasto verde permite que nuestros caballos mantengan una cantidad adecuada de energía. Nuestros compañeros equinos normalmente trabajan mejor en el otoño. En el invierno, mantener la temperatura corporal en el clima frío, así como también navegar por las malas condiciones del suelo, queman grandes cantidades de energía.

El clima primaveral normalmente provoca el mayor cambio en nuestros caballos. Las mañanas frescas comparadas a el frío gélido de las mañanas de invierno, junto con las tardes más cálidas comparadas al calor intenso del verano, hacen que nuestros caballos tengan un comportamiento mas energético. Esto se puede ver especialmente en nuestros caballos más jóvenes, así como también en los que han sido descansados.

Este aumento de energía en nuestros caballos puede reflejarse en el ganado que revisamos. La energía en nuestros caballos se puede ver en una velocidad de patas más rápida y una cabeza más alzada. Estos comportamientos no tranquilizarán a nuestro ganado. El ganado joven o muy estresado se alejará de este tipo de comportamiento con una mentalidad de escape. Será más difícil identificar alguna enfermedad o cojera en nuestro ganado.

Necesitamos poder ayudar a nuestros caballos a través de este tiempo de aumento de energía. Es importante estar muy al tanto de las raciones de alimento que reciben nuestros caballos en la primavera. Una ración de pasto/heno con menos grano de lo que alimentamos en el invierno es más apropiada en la primavera. Además, es imperativo estar mentalmente preparado para ayudar a nuestros caballos a través de este aumento de energía. No debemos ser

demasiado duros con nuestros caballos durante la primera hora de nuestro día mientras están utilizando su energía extra. Ser paciente y no pelear con nuestro caballo ayudara a preparar el resto de nuestro día con un mejor estado de animo para nosotros y nuestro caballo.

Disfrute de los cambios de estaciones, así como también de los cambios en su caballo. Comprender a su caballo durante estos momentos construirá una relación más sólida entres usted y su compañero equino y desarrollará su confianza como jinete. ¡Siempre recuerde, si no te gusta el clima… espera unos minutos!

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10 Maneras Para Hacer el Día de Hoy Grandioso Por Dr. Nels Lindberg, Production Animal Consultation La “visión de tiempo a largo plazo” es un tema del que hablo rutinariamente a medida que crecemos como seres humanos. La visión de tiempo a largo plazo es simplemente qué tan a futuro estamos mirando o planificando. De niños, a menudo planeamos para el siguiente día o para el próximo examen.

A medida que llegamos a la escuela secundaria, tal vez estemos planeando para la universidad. Como adultos, algunos pueden estar planeando para el día siguiente, viviendo el día a día, mientras que otros están planeando hasta la jubilación. ¿Está planeando para un mes a partir de hoy? ¿Está planeando para un año a partir de hoy? O tal vez está planeando para 10 o 20 años a partir de hoy. Independientemente del periodo de tiempo que incluya su visión, yo siempre presiono a las personas a que alarguen y dupliquen ese período de tiempo. Cuanto más planifiquemos hacia el futuro, más nos centramos en ese periodo de visión y mas probabilidades tendremos de tomar medidas e iniciar los hábitos correctos para lograr esos objetivos. Hablo de estos temas de manera rutinaria cuando me reúno con equipos de vaqueros, presionándolos como individuos a planificar más hacia el futuro en sus vidas.

Sin embargo, hay momentos en los que necesitamos estar presentes y vivir el día a día. Recientemente, estaba hablando con un gran grupo de personas en un taller de liderazgo, y después del evento, un joven bueno y sólido me envió un correo electrónico hablándome sobre su vida y algunas de sus experiencias. Específicamente, habló del día, hace como seis meses, en el que intentó suicidarse. La gran noticia es que todavía está vivo y ahora prospera en la vida. En el taller, el me preguntó, ¿“Cual es su definición de éxito?” En su correo electrónico, el compartió cómo era el éxito para él.

Habló sobre su enfoque en el día. Continuó diciéndome que, aunque es un joven muy talentoso, no necesariamente planea a largo plazo; se enfoca en ganar cada día.

En su correo electrónico, me enseño una valiosa lección.

Yo me enfoco en el largo plazo, y le estaba enseñando a otras personas a enfocarse en extender su visión de tiempo a largo

plazo sin importar cualquier cosa.

Cuando una tragedia golpeó a nuestra familia el año pasado, realmente comencé a concentrarme en ganar cada día, viviendo cada día con la actitud de estar agradecido por donde estábamos, abrazando nuestro propósito renovado y fortalecido, y avanzando cada día. Este joven me enseño que a medida que enseño y predico sobre extender su visión de tiempo a largo plazo, también debo enseñar que debemos ganar cada día.

Debemos abrazar cada día y avanzar lo mejor que podamos. Cuando enfrentamos nuestros desafíos diarios, a veces solo terminar el día es una victoria.

A medida que luchamos en la rutina diaria de la vida de corrales de engorda, la vida de granja, o la vida de rancho, somos muy conscientes de los problemas que atacamos de manera rutinaria. Todos tenemos desafíos en la vida que nos humillan y nos brindan la oportunidad de enfocarnos directamente en ese día y en esa situación. No podemos vivir ni planificar mas allá de ese día, y eso está bien.

A medida que contemplamos ganar hoy, todos tenemos oportunidades que podemos aprovechar. Las siguientes son diez maneras para hacer el día de hoy grandioso, basadas en la enseñanza de Jon Gordon1. A medida que las lee, quiero que piense en cómo puede implementar una de estas cada día. Si esta liderando un equipo, mi desafío para usted es que cada persona en su equipo ejecute una de estas diariamente durante 30 días. ¡Mire a continuación!

A menudo nos entretenemos enfocándonos y preocupándonos por nuestras vidas, las vidas de nuestra familia, o nuestros negocios. En esos mismos momentos, no podemos cambiar nada sobre el futuro.

1. Reemplace “tengo que” con “llegar a”.

2. Sea agradecido. Dígales a varias personas “gracias” cada día.

3. Este abierto a nuevas posibilidades. ¿Pregúntele a la persona que tiene a un lado, “Qué es algo en lo que crees que debo trabajar?”

4. Busque lo bueno. Dígale a una persona cada día, que hizo un buen trabajo en algo que usted la vio hacer.

5. Actué. ¡Haga estas cosas de manera rutinaria!

6. Mantenga la esperanza. Busque a personas que lo inspiren y vaya a conversar con ellas.

7. Crea en usted mismo.

8. Anime a al menos 2 personas.

9. Sea amable (con usted mismo y con los demás).

10. ¡Sonría!

Estas 10 oportunidades para hacer que el día de hoy sea grandioso son cosas en las que tengo que trabajar. Todos tenemos que trabajar en ellas porque para la mayoría de nosotros, simplemente no surgen de manera natural. Pero, si las hace a diario por 90 días o mas, se producirá avance, y se convertirá en una persona diferente. Su vida cambiará porque tomar estas medidas para hacer el día de hoy grandioso hará que los días de otras personas sean grandiosos. Cuando hace estas cosas, se encontrará liderando personas, avanzando en su mundo profesional, creciendo a usted mismo y a todos los que lo rodean.

A menudo nos entretenemos enfocándonos y preocupándonos por nuestras vidas, las vidas de nuestra familia, o nuestros negocios. En esos mismos momentos, no podemos cambiar nada sobre el futuro. El caballero que me envió el correo electrónico después del taller de liderazgo es muy exitoso en su carrera y todavía sintió que la vida no valía la pena vivirla en algún momento. El sufrió un evento

que le cambió la vida y que le hizo darse cuenta de que es capaz de vivir la vida enfocándose en ganar cada día y no preocupándose demasiado por el largo plazo. ¡Él me enseñó y le agradezco por su lección! ¡Nuevamente, mi desafío para usted es hacer por lo menos una de estas diez cosas para hacer el día de hoy grandioso cada día durante los próximos 90 días! Cuando terminen los 90 días, evalúe, reflexione, ¡y resuelva para hacerlo parte de su vida diaria! ¡Si lo hace, le prometo que se encontrará disfrutando de niveles de éxito que usted nunca había experimentado!

1 @JonGordon11 (Jon Gordon). Twitter, June 11, 2020,

https://twitter.com/jongordon11/status/127104449449502720 0?lang=en. Cursiva agregada.

El Dr. Nels Lindberg en un coach de personas, un coach de equipos, un coach de negocios, y orador principal, todo de manera virtual o en persona. Si tiene algún interés en estas oportunidades, por favor comuníquese con su oficina al 620-792-1265 y hable con su mano derecha, la señora Jill.

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Discovering recipes from agriculture’s finest.

Small Batch Cream Spinach Ingredients •

1/4 onion diced

•

1/2 tbsp. butter

•

1 clove garlic minced

•

1/3 c. parmesan cheese grated

•

1/2 c. cream

•

3 c. fresh baby spinach

•

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 1. Sauté onions in the butter until translucent and add the garlic.

2. Add cream and bring to a simmer.

Once the cream is simmering, whisk in parmesan. Add the spinach and let it wilt down.

3. 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 Ph.D. in ruminant nutrition and owns and operates his own nutrition consulting business, Pacheco Cattle Services. The couple also has a ranch-to-table beef business, Pacheco Beef. Wrenn manages all of the day-to-day operations of the eCommerce website as well as the storefront located in Alma, Kansas. Together they have two little cowboys, Leo and Ross.

You can find more of their recipes at cookingwiththecowboy.com.

If you have a recipe that you would like to feature in The Pot Roast section of Protein Producers, email us at protein.producers@pacdvms.com.

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