LMD April 2011

Livestock “The greatest homage we can pay to truth is to use it.”

MARKET

Digest J

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Volume 53 • No. 4

What In The World Is Going On?

by Lee Pitts hey say “seeing is believing” and I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself. In one hour at the local auction market I saw a used up, old, range bull bring $2,300, or $800 more than he cost when he was sold as a yearling five years prior! I saw $800 calves that had just been weaned from their mommas and $1,600 pairs. I read all Spring about registered bull sales that average from $3,500 to $4,000 and I even heard of one that nearly averaged $10,000 on hundreds of bulls!

Every phase of the livestock industry is making money and when’s the last time you can remember being able to say that?

Packers are selling boxed beef for $187/cwt., are enjoying a $76.60 profit margin as I write this, and are bidding aggressively for fat cattle for over $1.13 a pound. Cattle feeders were making a profit of $140.00 per head even though the cost of corn has jumped 94 percent! Even the mutts and mongrels are in demand with the Choice-Select spread averaging close to zero during much of February. There were even times when Select cattle were selling at a premium to Choice! Yes, we’re living through some strange times indeed!

It sure is a fun time to be a rancher and we don’t mean to rain on your parade, but we

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NEWSPAPER PRIORITY HANDLING

by LEE PITTS

Self-Taught

– JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL APRIL 15, 2011 •

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“Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.” wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t ask, what in the world is going on?

The Uninvited Simply stated, the rancher, purebred breeder, feeder and packer are all the beneficiaries of a perfect storm of favorable coincidences. Despite a real estate market that is still sicker than a newborn calf with scours, the U.S. economy is finally showing signs of recovery, as are the economies of other countries around the world. That means

that consumers can afford beef again, at least for now. Consumers in emerging markets are becoming wealthier and demanding more high-protein foods, like meat and we are finally starting to get some of our overseas beef markets back that we lost in 2003 when a mad cow popped up. In January of this year our beef export sales were up 24 percent over last year and 2010 was the biggest on record in terms of the value of our beef exports, although it was not a record for the amount of tonnage sold, we

could set a record in both export value and volume in 2011.

Then there’s the fact that hedge funds have fallen in love with virtually all commodities, and cash that before might have been invested in stocks or bonds, has now found its way into the commodities pits. People who had their retirement plans altered dramatically in the last stock market crash are trying to play catch up by buying corn and cattle futures. And our government is seemingly pushing investors into riskier investments, like agricultural commodities, by making it nearly impossible to make money with low interest certificates of deposit.

As populations are rising around the world there is a growing shortage of food as a growing middle class in China and other Asian countries are hungry for beef.

All of these factors have contributed to the run-up in cattle prices, but by far the biggest reacontinued on page two

Slaying of border rancher — still a mystery one year later

by BRADY MCCOMBS, Arizona Daily Star

he murder of a prominent Cochise County rancher that triggered a nationwide outcry about border security remains unsolved a year later.

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Investigators have identified a man who fits the description of the possible killer — a tall, cross-border smuggler with a violent criminal record. But they don’t know for sure if he’s in the U.S. or Mexico — or if he’s dead or alive.

And even if they find him, it won’t mean the crime is solved. Authorities haven’t found the gun used to kill Robert Krentz on his ranch last March 27, and they have no witnesses, show investigation documents the Daily Star obtained through public records requests.

Alejandro Chavez-Vasquez is not an official suspect in Krentz’s murder but is a “person of interest” in a series of Portal burglaries in early 2010, say Cochise County sheriff’s officials.

Investigators believe there is a link between two of those burglaries and the murder, documents show. A search warrant affidavit filed in Cochise County Court on March 31, 2010, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows

investigators believe the burglar who stole a Glock 26 handgun and two cellphones from a vehicle near the town of Portal the day before is the person who killed Krentz.

The federal agency has been assisting the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office with the case.

Krentz was murdered with the same caliber firearm that was reported stolen from the car, the affidavit said. The burglary occurred in the Herb Martyr campground in the Chiricahua Mountains about seven miles southwest of Portal, a Cochise County Sheriff’s Office report shows.

Investigators have homed in on ChavezVasquez because of his height — 6 feet 3 inches — and criminal background. The shoe prints tracked from the crime scene about 20 miles south to the border were size 11, said Warner Glenn, a mountain lion hunter who helped track the prints. Based on the shoe size and 31-to-32 inch stride, Glenn and investigators estimate the killer is at least 6 feet tall.

Footprints of the same size and pattern were found at the campground vehicle burglary and at an area home that was likely burglarized during the day of March 27, shows a Cochise continued on page four

ust my luck, I missed out on two of the greatest concepts in education: the one-room schoolhouse and home schooling. Me? I was too busy going to school to get a great education.

My friend, Russell Wyatt from South Dakota, recently wrote me an eloquent letter about attending a oneroom schoolhouse with eight grades, one teacher, a barn for the horses you rode to school, no dictionary, two outdoor toilets and from as few as three students to as many as 20. Talk about getting individualized instruction! And there were no drugs or assault rifles carried to school by classmates.

Russell started the first grade in 1933 and was taught reading, writing, arithmetic (art and penmanship were taught on Fridays) an average of 80 school days per year! That’s less than half the time that I had to go to school per year.

And you got to ride a horse to school! Now you see why I wish I’d have been in Russell’s class. Russell said that the kids didn’t have to go to school if the temperature was ten below zero and you got two recesses per day to go outside and throw rocks at one another. (They raise ‘em tough in South Dakota!)

One would make an educated guess that with all the kids lumped into one room and going to school less than half the time that we did that those kids didn’t get much of an education, but then you’d have guessed wrong. I don’t think I’ve ever met a stupid or poorly educated person who attended a one-room schoolhouse. These days school for too many parents is just a baby-sitter to drop your kids off at while you go to work. Perhaps that’s why our kids are amongst the dumbest in the civilized world as measured by standardized tests.

In my day we weren’t trained how to think but how to memorize mounds of information that you can get quicker now days by Googling on your cell continued on page five

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Livestock Market Digest

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April 15, 2011

What in the World son ranchers have a smile on their face these days is because there are so few of us left. Those who have survived are partying like there’s no tomorrow, while the 600,000 ranchers who went out of business the last three decades, didn’t even get invited to the party.

According to the USDA, the U.S. cow herd now stands at around 40 million head, the smallest since 1949. If we had as many cows as we had back then we’d be in real trouble because ranchers have become so much more efficient. If you compare our 40 million head herd with the one the same size 60 years ago you’d be surprised to discover that we are producing 176 percent more beef than we did back then. And it looks like these current high cattle prices are going to keep the size of our nation’s herd small as a high percentage of ranchers are taking advantage of the great prices and are selling every calf on the place. As of Jan. 1, 2011, there were 5.4 percent less replacement heifers this year than there were last year.

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When the earthquake shook Japan it also shook the stock and commodities markets. The initial reaction was a lowering in ag commodities in this country as corn went from a high of $7.40 on the Chicago Board of Trade to a low of $6.10. Then people realized that the 125 million Japanese would still need to eat.

As more radiation leaked from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant Japanese consumers became less comfortable relying on their standard bill of fare. “Seafood makes up a really large portion of their protein consumption, so they will be looking at filling that protein gap somehow,” said Tim McRae, an economist with Meat & Livestock Australia. Before the earthquake and tsunami Japan was the biggest buyer of U.S. corn and pork, and the third largest buyer of American beef. As Japan became more comfortable with our BSE status and realized we didn’t have mad cows hiding behind every tree and tumbleweed, it began buying more and more of our beef. Japan imported 36 percent more beef in 2009 than it did in 2008.

Without making light of the terrible suffering in Japan it’s safe to say that American cattle producers could be beneficiaries of their misfortune. The next tsunami that could hit Japan could be a safe-food shortage.

The country is already the world’s third-biggest importer of foodstuffs, and it relies heavily on the United States for a lot of it. In 2009, Japan’s food imports totaled $53.5 billion, topped by seafood purchases at $13 billion, or 24.4 percent of all food imports. Meat was the secondlargest at $9.7 billion, or 18.2 percent. In view of the uncertainty caused by the fallout from

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the nuclear reactor, those numbers will only grow larger, putting more upwards pressure on consumer demand for beef.

In Global Perspective Even before the terrible events in Japan dominated the news every night, world food prices had reached a record high, as stockpiles of food around the world dwindled. Those food supplies are disappearing thanks in large part to one reason: China.

Already it has 1.4 billion people and it’s adding eight more million people every year! As Chinese consumers become more middle class they are moving up the food chain as well by adding more meat and dairy products to their diets. As this has occurred China has had to import more feed for its livestock and more meat from beef exporting countries around the world. And this demand will only grow in the future.

As long as the U.S. keeps our dollar cheap American ranchers face a bright future in trying to feed these protein-hungry people around the globe. When the dollar is low it is cheaper for our foreign customers to buy our beef, versus our competitor’s, a couple of whom seem to be sitting on the sidelines these days.

Although Australia is the world’s second largest beef exporter their beef sales are at an eight-year low. Whereas American ranchers are selling their heifers, the Australians grazers are keeping theirs, trying to restock the range after a decade of drought. And they have plenty of grass to carry their heifers over due to an overabundance of rainfall that has produced the best grass conditions in that country in 123 years!

While there is much to fear regarding Brazil’s ability to compete for beef customers around the world, another big South American beef producer has been crippled by its own policies, taxes and ridiculous regulations.

Because the Argentine government wants to keep the price of meat low for domestic consumption, it has taxed the export of beef. So instead of a thriving beef industry enjoying these historically high global prices, Argentinean beef producers are cutting back. With the Argentine government virtually cutting off the export market, the profit incentive is gone so Argentine producers are converting land to soybeans that used to run cattle.

Add in mad cow and foot and mouth issues to the beef exporting equation and you can see what we mean when we say it has been a confluence of all these factors that have produced the best cattle market many of us can ever remember.

Gas And Groceries So when will the party end?

Will it be five months or five years from now? And will it be a mad cow or a price freeze that will turn the market downward?

There’s plenty to be on the lookout for. When, and if, our

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April 15, 2011

What in the World federal government ends its cheap dollar policy will have a lot to do with your profitability. The minute the feds try to create a stronger dollar the less competitive our beef becomes on world markets and the more imports of cheap beef will flood our domestic market.

For now the greatest danger appears to be inflation, despite the fact that the government says it’s under control. Government statistics would seem to bear that out except for the fact that the core inflation numbers that the feds quote do not include either food or fuel costs!

Those of who must buy things, like gas and groceries, know better. Ag Economist Lester Brown has gone so far to say that the cheap food era in America is over. If he’s right, then ranchers and farmers are in the catbird seat for the foreseeable future.

One danger is that meat prices will become so high that American consumers will lose their taste for beef and buy more affordable chicken and pork. The wholesale price of beef in March seemed to hit new all time highs with every day’s passing.

“As commodity prices and input costs have risen over the past nine months, beef and pork prices are now significantly higher than in 2010,” according to Ephraim Leibtag, a USDA economist. The U.S. Labor Department reported that wholesale food prices jumped 3.9 percent in February over January, the highest monthly increase in 37 years. “You’re seeing some ingredients up 40, 50, 60 percent over

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last year,” said Leibtag. “When you see wheat prices close to 80 percent up, that’s going to ripple out to the public.” Those ripples are already being felt as McDonald’s has warned of higher prices to come and Smithfield Foods has cautioned consumers that they’ll be paying more for bacon, chops and ribs during this summer’s barbecue season.

According to the USDA, wholesale pork in the U.S. has climbed 28 percent in the past year and choice beef jumped 14 percent. Currently meat prices are rising faster than overall food costs at supermarkets and restaurants, which the USDA said will increase three to four percent this year, the fastest since a 5.8 percent jump in 2008 that was the most in 28 years.

That’s why we’ve seen shares of Smithfield Foods surge to a 31month high and Tyson Foods rally strongly.

The rise in food prices is not just an American occurrence.

Global food prices rose 25 percent from 2009 to 2010 and set a record this February, according to the United Nations. Rising food costs are a big deal in America where we spend about 10 percent of our annual incomes on food, but it is even a much bigger deal in countries where people must spend up to 70 percent of their income just to eat. The World Bank has reported that as many as 44 million more people have been forced into hunger because of the rising costs of food. A much under-reported aspect of the riots in North Africa and the

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Middle East that have toppled dictators is that protestors are rioting, in part, because of staggeringly high food prices.

Let The Good Times Roll Two things that could potentially derail this great market we’re enjoying are the costs of feed and fuel. With the rising price of petroleum the demand for biofuels has increased accordingly. J. Patrick Boyle, president and CEO of the American Meat Institute stated recently, “While many variables contribute to the price of any food item, the soaring cost of corn due to ethanol production is one underlying factor that is driving up not only meat and poultry prices, but other food prices as well. This news is clear evidence that we should not be embracing a policy that burns 40 percent of our corn for fuel — it is burning a hole in Americans’ food budgets.”

With corn prices at record highs, U.S. supplies are expected to be “incredibly tight” as a result of oil pushing $100 a barrel. That makes ethanol an attractive gasoline additive. That’s definitely not good news for cattle feeders or the ranchers who sell them their calves. Ranchers can only hope that there’s no longer any truth to the old adage that for every ten cents that corn goes up, feeder cattle prices go a dollar in the opposite direction.

There’s always the chance that we get hit with another surprise that none of us have calculated into the equation. Just when we thought the mad cow issue was becoming a moot

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What in the World point, Canada belatedly announced on Feb. 18, 2011, that it had detected its 19th mad cow. According to R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard, “it was the “12th BSE-positive animal to

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are over 30 months of age, as long as such cattle were born after March 1, 1999. Canada already has exported 681,135 of their higher-risk, older cows and bulls to the United States since USDA’s OTM rule went into effect in 2007, and these cows and bulls are not required to be tested for BSE before they are slaughtered and introduced into the U.S. food chain,” Bullard points out. “The result is that the United States is assuming a much higher risk for the introduction of BSE than the negligible risk that USDA claims.”

As anyone knows who has been in this business long enough to get saddle sores, anything could ruin this market.

(Personally we think the good times will roll for awhile.) And while cow-calf operators would seem to be in a most enviable position the worry is that stocker operators and feeders who have to pay $850 dollars for a calf for the privilege of feeding it seven dollar corn could be wiped out if the price of fat cattle dropped twenty bucks. That would no doubt displace another tier of ranchers and feeders and the industry would then be even smaller and more concentrated

April 15, 2011 than it is now.

In the words of one grizzled auction market veteran commenting about this market, “It’s real enjoyable for now but at some point you just know that someone’s going to get hurt.” In

the meantime it looks like good sailing ahead for cow-calf producers who’d be well advised to enjoy it while they can, and to save a little of the money they’re making for when the market turns, as it always does

Slaying of Border Rancher County sheriff’s report.

Chavez-Vasquez, likely in his late 30s, has convictions in four states for crimes including sexual assault, vehicle theft and possession of narcotics. He also pleaded guilty in 2004 to illegal re-entry after deportation.

In April, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office distributed a photo of Chavez-Vasquez to media outlets, area ranchers and Mexican authorities. Agua Prieta Police Chief Alfonso Novoa Novoa said Border Patrol officials told him Chavez-Vasquez could be a suspect in the killing.

Agua Prieta police distributed 500 pictures around the border city south of Douglas, but nobody claimed to know anything about Chavez-Vasquez. They also ran his name through municipal, state and federal databases throughout Mexico but found nothing — no

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property, no voter card, no driver’s license, Novoa said.

And so one of 2010’s highestprofile murders — one that helped prompt Arizona’s tough new immigration law — remains a mystery.

Many of the questions that surfaced in the days following Krentz’s murder remain unanswered: Why would someone kill a man known to family and friends as a teddy bear? Was the killing to punish the Krentz family for a call his brother made to the Border Patrol the day before about bundles of marijuana found on their property? Was Krentz targeted or was the killing random? Did it mark a sea change in the long-held rule among smugglers that they lie low in the U.S. for the good of their business?

There’s no closure for Krentz’s heartbroken widow, children and grandchildren. There’s no explanation for shaken ranchers desperate to know if they should be worried for their own safety in this remote valley near the Arizona-New Mexico state line.

“We would like to know what the heck happened,” said Bill McDonald, a fifth-generation rancher east of Douglas. “It doesn’t make any sense to us.”

Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever would not answer specific questions about the investigation but said his office believes the killer was involved in smuggling people or drugs in Cochise County.

“Rob Krentz was killed by a bad person with a bad agenda, and our porous borders continue to contribute to the potential for another event,” Dever said via email.

The investigation has momentum in the U.S. and in Mexico, where officials have been extremely helpful, Dever wrote.

There is a $45,000 reward for information.

“I will never rest until this killer is brought to justice,” Dever wrote.

But as days and months pass, fewer people believe the murder will be solved.

“The older the case gets,” said Richard Winkler, a Krentz family friend and former Cochise County Superior Court Judge, “the harder it gets to solve.”

The case so far Authorities didn’t discover Krentz’s body until just before midnight on March 27, giving the killer a nearly 14-hour head start to flee south to Mexico.

He was likely long gone by the time they followed his tracks to the border the next afternoon.

Without a suspect to follow, investigators looked to the burglaries for clues. Immigration and continued on page five

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

April 15, 2011

Border Rancher continued from page four

Customs Enforcement officials hoped the call history of the two cellphones stolen from the campground near Portal would lead lead them closer to the killer.

One was used the day of the robbery to call two phone numbers, phone records obtained through a search warrant show.

But the names of the people called that day didn’t help: The numbers were registered to famed Mexican Revolution generals Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.

In Mexico, authorities began searching for the killer the day after Krentz was found. State police looked for shoe prints and talked to ranchers near where he crossed over.

On the Monday after the killing, Agua Prieta police brought in about 100 people for questioning, fingerprints and photos in an attempt to find somebody who knew something about the crime, said Novoa, the Agua Prieta police chief. They didn’t yet have any information about the size of the shoe or gun used, so they focused on people who had scrapes or bites, think-

ing that maybe the killer was bitten by Krentz’s dog or otherwise hurt, Novoa said. But they didn’t find anything.

In the U.S., investigators also interviewed people who might have information. One was a man arrested by the DEA on April 6 who officials thought might know something due to his associates and location of the arrest. He denied knowing anything about the murder.

Another was a suspected smuggler apprehended by the Border Patrol on April 8 who nor-

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phone. I became very proficient in taking true/false and multiple choice tests and guessing what the teacher was thinking, but I didn’t have any room left in my brain for thinking.

(When Albert Einstein was asked his phone number he had to look it up in the phone book.

He never cluttered his mind with information he could find elsewhere. And he was a pretty bright guy, right?)

In public schools these days the main subject that’s taught is political correctness.

Instead of teaching kids how to think, they are taught how to think a certain way. Instead of being asked how to calculate the board feet in a tree students are asked how the spotted owl must feel when his tree is cut down by ruthless loggers. Rather than teaching kids how they’ll calculate their unemployment checks, they’re asked to write a blog about why unemployment benefits should be extended to illegal aliens.

They might be asked to draw a sketch of how they want their first tattoo to look, or to translate a rap song in English class. And there is seemingly no failing answer. Instead of flunking a student, which happened all the time in my

day, parents are told their kids need to work on their “inappropriate socialization skills” or that “their group integration skills are lacking.”

That’s why spelling has to be taught in college.

I read recently where school days should be the happiest days of your life, provided of course your youngsters are old enough to go.

Ha-ha! But that seems to be the attitude of many parent’s these days. They seem willing to accept mediocrity, even failure, for their kids.

But some other parents want more for their offspring and so they’ve taken them out of public schools and are homeschooling their kids. I salute these parents, and just like the those oldtimers educated in one-room schoolhouses, in all honesty I can say that I’ve never met a dumb homeschooled child. In fact, they seem way ahead of the curve.

I credit my mother for teaching me how to work, how to think and that the most valuable lessons you learn in life are those that you teach yourself. That’s why I would have loved to have been my own teacher in a one-room schoolhouse, or have been homeschooled by my mother. Granted, my older brother and younger sister and I couldn’t have fielded a very good football team but who knows, I might even have been the valedictorian of my class!

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April 15, 2011

Santa Gertrudis: A Breed That Doesn’t Monkey Around

by CAREN COWAN

he Santa Gertrudis breed, named for the Spanish land grant where Captain Richard King first established the King Ranch, was developed to gain weight on the native grasses of the South Texas brush country. The first efforts to produce the breed began in 1910 when the King Ranch started to systematically crossbreed its Shorthorn and Hereford cattle with Brahman. After a few crosses, the Brahman/Shorthorn cross showed the most promise, and the ranch headed toward a cross of 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Shorthorn as the optimum blend of the two breeds.

In 1920 an outstanding bull calf named “Monkey” was produced. With a distinctive red color, and an exceptionally deep and well-muscled body, Monkey was the most impressive calf of any breed ever born on King Ranch. In 1923, Monkey was used in a breeding herd of firstcross Brahman/Shorthorn red heifers. His offspring were superior cattle that were well adapted to the harsh environment in which they were developed.

Most importantly, the calves made money for the ranch.

Highly prepotent, Monkey became the foundation herd sire for the Santa Gertrudis breed.

Through many generations his descendants have retained the rapid and efficient growth, solid red color, hardiness and good

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disposition for which Monkey was noted.

In 1940, the cross received official recognition when the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognized 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Shorthorn as a distinctive beef breed. Santa Gertrudis were developed for survival and have, throughout the years been enhanced for profitability. Santa Gertrudis females are known for their exceptional maternal traits.

These females are fertile and give birth to small calves, eliminating most calving difficulties. The Santa Gertrudis female has strong mothering instincts and takes extraordinary care of her calf. Under normal management and with adequate nutrition these females will breed at 12 to 14 months of age and produce their first calf as a two year old.

The Santa Gertrudis is an above average producer of milk. Due to this heavy milk production she will also wean a heavier calf. An economically important bonus that makes money for cattlemen is the longer productive life of the Santa Gertrudis female. A female can remain in production well past her twelfth birthday and may stay in the breeding herd as long as 18 years. Considering the average production life of most cows is 9 to 10 years, the Santa Gertrudis female is producing an additional three calves.

Adaptability is a must to survive in the cattle industry. Santa Gertrudis are adaptable to most

climates, environments and terrains. Their make-up of 3/8 Brahman, 5/8 Shorthorn has proved to be ideal in most of the varied environments around the world. They thrive in the hot, humid weather conditions found along the coastal regions of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. They also perform well in the more arid regions as those found in South Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Purebred Santa Gertrudis herds are located as far south as Argentina and as far north as Canada. Their thick hide serves as insulation to the cold and as a barrier to insects and parasites.

Santa Gertrudis cattle are hardy animals that will travel long distances in search of forage or water. Commercial range livestock producers know that the breed is built for the range, to produce meat and money. The crossbred Santa Gertrudis is a valuable commodity to cattlemen all over the world. Crossbreeding with Santa Gertrudis produces outstanding replacement females regardless of the breed.

The breed is one that produces a profit of every stage of the cattle market. At a recent Texas A&M University Ranch to Rail feeding trial, a pen of purebred Santa Gertrudis steers had a net profit of $100.87 per head.

This compares to a minus $50.29 for 1,334 steers from 137 ranches. In a recent test of purebred Santa Gertrudis steers fed at the

Santa Gertrudis’ Star Five Program JOHNNY C. CUNDIFF, JR.

anta Gertrudis genetics and programs are changing to meet the demands of the beef industry. Cattle producers have responded to these demands by selecting genetics that perform in the pasture, feedlot and in the retail meat markets of the world. This is a tall order for any breed of cattle to fill. Producers that excel in this arena must have genetics that are time tested. The Star Five program was created to provide commercial cattle producers with genetics that are supported with records, performance and more importantly, breeder support after the sale.

The name given to this program, Star Five, reflects the heritage of the Santa Gertrudis cattle. Each point of the star represents an essential focus of beef cattle breeding. These focal points are fertility, milking ability, gain-ability, conformation and disposition. Developed as a marketing tool, the Star Five program will help producers to identify animals as Santa Gertrudis influenced and will

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& Ranch SANTA GERTRUDIS CATTLE SINCE 1995 Lindrith, New Mexico JOHNNY CUNDIFF 505/320-1294 JUANELL MEADOR JEFF CUNDIFF

improve the market share and perception for Santa Gertrudis producers.

Star Five will allow Santa Gertrudis members to identify the percentage of Santa Gertrudis in an offspring when 50 percent or greater. This information submitted by the breeder can include vital breeding information, performance and other breeder collected data. This information is contained in the form of a recordation paper that is presented to the owner when the animal is recorded. A fee per animal will be charged for recording and issuing a certificate of record. This program is also directly tied to the grading up program that has been part of the breed from its conception.

Santa Gertrudis bulls and the Star Five program can be marketed to commercial operators who would like to cross their non-Santa Gertrudis based females to obtain a higher level of hybrid vigor in the offspring.

From this cross, you arrive at a Star Five eligible offspring that is very marketable in the commer-

cial industry or the feedlot. The females of this cross would make excellent replacements in any environment. They combine the hybrid vigor, reproductive efficiency and milking ability that the industry demands. The bull calves can be put back into the industry as steers through the feed lot or recorded and used as composite bulls in a grading-up or commercial program.

Breeders who sell Star Five cattle are encouraged to transfer the animal to the new owner.

There is a nominal fee for transferring each animal. Transfer forms are provided on the backs of the recordation papers. Star Five cattle may be transferred at the time they are recorded.

The offspring of these Santa Gertrudis cross-matings will be more efficient, gain more and produce a better carcass when hung on the rail. The ultimate goal in the cattle industry is to produce pounds of beef. With these Santa Gertrudis Star Five cattle that is what a producer can do, produce the two P’s, pounds and profit.

Circle E Feedlot in Potwin, Kansas the average daily gain for this set of 116 steers was 3.84 pounds. These steers were fed for 133 days. In another test, purebred Santa Gertrudis steers from Alabama were shipped to Heritage Beef Cattle Company in Wheeler, Texas. This group of 58 steers was fed for 163 days.

They had a daily gain of 3.93 pounds per day and a feed conversion rate of 5.95. The total cost of gain was $41.27.

In a South Texas bull test, 64 Santa Gertrudis bulls performed well in comparison with the other breeds represented. Bulls were fed for 112 days. The average final weight for these bulls was 1,060 pounds, the average daily gain was 3.61 and backfat was .20. Santa Gertrudis breeders have responded to the changes in the beef industry by selecting genetics that perform in the pasture, feedlot and the retail meat markets of the world.

Among those breeders is Red Doc Farms in Belen, New Mexico. Truly a family affair, Roland Sanchez, M.D. and his wife Elia and their six children – Jessica, M.D. 33; Alicia 32, Adolfo, M.D. 29; Roland “Scooter,” D.D.S. 28; Florian, D.V.M. 24; and Emilio 21, have become a driving force in the Santa Gertrudis breed and the beef industry as a whole worldwide.

Using the tried and truth method of one-to-one contacts and relationships, the Sanchez family has traveled extensively into to Mexico as well as Central and South America. Red Doc has developed a strong market for live cattle, primarily bulls, in Mexico, selling into many states throughout the country. At the continued on page eight

The Star Five Grading Up Program also offers SGBI members the ability to progress from a non-Santa Gertrudis base herd to purebred Santa Gertrudis status. The program consists of three levels relating to the percentage of Santa Gertrudis. Animals less than purebred will be recorded in the Herd Book and receive Star Five Recordation Certificate indicating they’re percentage Santa Gertrudis.

Recorded animals must be permanently identified by fire band, freeze brand or tattoo with an individual ID number. Multiple sire and/or multiple dam matings are allowed in the Grading Up Program.

Level I. A minimum of 50 percent and less than 75 percent Santa Gertrudis resulting from the mating of a purebred Santa Gertrudis parent and a non-Santa Gertrudis parent or the mating of percentage Santa Gertrudis parents. Level I animals will be recorded as 50 percent Santa Gertrudis, may be male or female, and will receive a Star Five percentage recordation certificate.

Level II. A minimum of 75 percent and less than 87.5 percent Santa Gertrudis resulting

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper�

April 15, 2011

Page 7

Rocky Mountain Santa Gertrudis 2010 Ranch of the Year

by ALICIA SANCHEZ

aul Donisthorpe founded Corazon Cattle Company in 2003. He wanted to make sure that his cattle promoted the commercial utilization of American beef breeds to the U.S. beef industry.

Corazon Cattle Co. currently runs 50-plus head of mother cows. Corazon’s initial herd consisted of heifers and mother cows purchased from: Warren Harris of Albuquerque, N.M.; Red Doc Farms in Belen, N.M. and several Santa Gertrudis breeders in Texas.

A herd sire was purchased from Wendt Ranch in Bay City, Texas and placed in production in April 2004. His lineage of calves began in 2005.

The current herd sire, Wrangler 128/6, a Top Gun 244 son out of the embryo of a King Ranch cow that produced Ricardo, produces thick, moderate calves that will influence the breed for years to come. His semen is marketed in Australia and other international markets.

In 2007, Paul moved the majority of his operation to East Texas and Dan Palacek joined Corazon Cattle Co. as a partner.

Together, the Corazon Cattle Co. partnership continues to produce high quality purebred Santa Gertrudis and HerefordSanta Gertrudis cross cattle.

Additionally the partnership is active in feeding stocker and feeder calves.

In partnership with Pitchford Cattle Services, Corazon is active in marketing and showing Santa Gertrudis cattle around the Country and in the development of new genetics. On the

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from the mating of a purebred Santa Gertrudis parent and a Level I recorded Santa Gertrudis parent. Level II animals will be recorded as 75 percent Santa Gertrudis, may be male or female, and will receive a Star Five percentage recordation certificate.

Level III. A minimum of 87.5 percent Santa Gertrudis resulting from the mating of a purebred Santa Gertrudis parent and a Level II recorded Santa Gertrudis parent. Level III animals will be registered as purebred Santa Gertrudis, may be male or female, and will receive a purebred registration certificate.

Eligible cattle must be from one registered Santa Gertrudis parent. These offspring are a first cross and are eligible for a Star Five recorded paper. They can also begin the program for grading up to purebred status. These cattle do not need to be inspected by a representative of the association.

Anyone who would like to participate in or receive more information about the Star Five Program can contact Santa Gertrudis Breeders International at 361/592-9357 or via e-mail at info@santagertrudis.com

show road the cattle always performed very well and placed at the top of their class.

Paul became the Rocky Mountain district director for the Santa Gertrudis Breeders International in 2004. He served on the re-districting, shows and exhibits breed standards, Long Range Planning, and Finance Committees. Paul was the leader in completing all the needed documentation of the Santa Gertrudis Foundation and brand board which is located at SGBI Headquarters in Kingsville, Texas. Paul’s insight into the financial world really has benefited the Santa Gertrudis breed in these challenging times. He represented our district very well by

always being at board meetings and shows across the county.

A New Mexico native, Paul was raised on a farm in Bloomfield. His parents, Oscar and Christine, both came from farming and ranching backgrounds in their native Montana and moved to New Mexico in 1953. His father Oscar recently passed away and is dearly missed by all who knew him. Paul was active in FFA in high school, serving as a state officer. He and his wife, Liane, reside in Alameda. They are both very active in raising and riding their Missouri Fox Trotter’s on numerous trial rides.

Liane is adapt horse trainer having broken to ride many Missouri Fox Trotter’s herself.

The Santa Gertrudis breed was developed to possess the best traits of Bos Indicus and %RV 7DXUXV FDWWOH )URP WKH EHJLQQLQJ 6DQWD *HUWUXGLV ZHUH GHVLJQHG IRU HIĂ€FLHQF\ DQG EHHI

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une was taking a renegade bull with a tendency to “wander� to the sale barn in Dodge City. Her son helped her load the beast into their stock trailer. It was an authentic ranch trailer with lights that worked intermittently, gates that swung almost even, tires that didn’t match, and compressed rubber floor-planks whose 99year warranty had expired!

A few miles outside of Dodge, June heard and felt a thump, crack and crunch loud enough to be heard above George Strait on KBUF. In her rear-view mirror she watched a dark object helicopter out from under the second axle!

She swerved to the right and stopped on a slant in the bar ditch. Upon examination, she found a hole in the floor of the front compartment of the trailer.

The bull, butt to the front, was eyeing the hole nervously. “Sim-

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ple,� she surmised, “I’ll just open the divider gate and move him into the rear compartment and be on my way.�

She unlatched the gate and it swung it open. The bull was coaxed around the hole to the rear and June hurried around to close the divider. It was on a good slant. She pushed it closed and raced back around to latch it . . . BUT, not in time! It swung back open. Three times she attempted the maneuver, when she heard someone say, “Can I help you?�

A handsome, strong Kansas State trooper smiled.

June left him to push and hold while she went around to catch and latch. When the divider banged closed it spooked the bull who tried to climb over the back gate, slid to the down side and spooked the trooper who fell back writhing in agony! He was on the ground grasping his knee!

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She reached to help him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;No,â&#x20AC;? he groaned, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can do it!â&#x20AC;? He keyed his collar mike, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Officer down! Officer down! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been injured and need assistance!â&#x20AC;?

Within five minutes the horizon in all directions was filled with red and blue flashing lights and sirens blaring! They closed Hwy 400. Well, nobody could get around all the Dodge City Police cars, Ford County Sheriff deputy pickups, the ambulance, fire trucks, tow truck, first responders and one Wildlife and Park Service utility vehicle.

After a thorough questioning, they realized the truth. The upset June told them she thought they were going to handcuff her and leave her in the ditch while they searched her rig for contraband!

One big burly officer laughed and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeah, but if weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d done that, you couldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve toldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;em it took six of us to get the job done, and you put one of us in the hospital!â&#x20AC;?

Santa Gertrudis continued from page six

same time, via semen and embryos, Red Doc genetics have spread further south into Central and South America as well as Australia. It was this acceptance that led the Sanchez family to holding a bull sale. The enjoyed hosting buyers numerous weekends throughout the year, but between college and post graduate studies, a full-time medical practice and farming and ranching operations from Belen to the Mexican border, called for a more organized method of sales.

And, organized it is. It is really amazing to watch the Sanchez family tackle whatever obstacle that might arise as a team.

The sale isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t operated in an auction ring format but rather a form of silent auction where buyers are given bid numbers and can place bids on selected bulls for 45 minutes. After the 45 minute window, a final bid-off takes place. Buyers are both present and represented via callin bid. Red Doc Farm adopted this form of sale to allow buyers the opportunity to meet their needs as well as their budget (If a bull becomes out-priced to the buyer but his need for another bull still exists, he can change to an alternative selected bull without the time pressure of a regular auction). Red Doc customers appreciate this flexibility associated with current sale, as uniformity of genetics present allows for many bulls that meet buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; demand.

The Santa Gertrudis breed and the family at Red Doc Farm has certainly demonstrated that the descendants of Monkey work for the Southwest and the rest of the world.

April 15, 2011

Border Rancher continued from page five

mally works in the corridor east of Douglas. He denied knowing anything about the crime but said the talk was that the “cartels were pissed because there was too much heat, and they were not able to easily get people and drugs through.”

On April 9, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol put out alerts to cover an area within a 15-mile radius of the crime scene with special emphasis on “6-foot-tall or taller smugglers, guides and repeat offenders,” Cochise County Sheriff’s Office reports show.

Chavez-Vasquez appears to be the only person being sought in the murder.

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper” She desperately wants the crime solved, Hoffman said.

“We never asked to ride this horse that we are on, but it is saddled now and we must go on,” said a family statement issued this month. “We are still searching for the truth of what happened that day and hope to someday put closure to this tragedy.”

The Krentz family is frustrated with the investigation, said Don Kimble, a cousin of Sue Krentz’s.

Though a close friend of Sheriff Dever, Kimble doesn’t hold back his criticism of the Sheriff’s Office for waiting for the suspected killer to surface. “I think they should be more aggressive,” Kimble said.

“Hanging back and watching never gets nothing done.”

Kimble thinks authorities should more aggressively adver-

tise in Mexico the cash reward for information about the murder. “I truly believe that if the money got placed in the right hands, the killer would show up,” Kimble said.

Friends and neighbors in the hourglass-shaped San Bernardino and San Simon valleys near the Arizona-New Mexico state line are still troubled by the killing.

A noticeable boost in Border Patrol agents and technology there has slowed illegal activity a bit, but the smugglers keep coming. “The outlaws and dope and the guns are still here,” said Ed Ashurstwho manages a ranch just north of the Krentzes and helped track the killer’s footprints. “There is this combination of anger and depression and cynicism.”

Ashurst believes his friend

Page 9

simply ran into a criminal who was intent on not getting caught and sent back to prison.

“I was worried the moment he got into Mexico that they were going to be able solve this,” said fellow rancher Bill McDonald. “I continued to be worried despite assurances to the contrary.”

Although authorities don’t know whether Krentz’s killer is still alive, what Sheriff Dever said about him during a press conference on March 29, 2010, still rings true a year later: “He is the only person living that knows exactly what happened out there that day.”

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Who is Chavez-Vasquez?

Chavez-Vasquez has criminal convictions in four states — Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Oregon — and an immigration charge out of Arizona.

He spent two years in a Nevada prison, from 2002 to 2004, on a coercion conviction that stemmed from an arrest by Las Vegas police on suspicion that he attempted to sexually assault a woman.

He was paroled on April 15, 2004, from Nevada prisons, records from the Nevada Department of Corrections show.

A month later, he was arrested in Arizona and charged in U.S. District Court with illegal re-entry after deportation. He was given 36 months’ supervised release and a fine of $100 in a plea agreement, federal records show.

Despite the deportation, it’s unclear whether he is an illegal immigrant. Clark County, Nev., court records show a Social Security number for Chavez-Vasquez that suggests he was born in California. Nevada officials could not confirm if the Social Security number was valid.

His criminal records show four birth dates that put him between 37 and 41 years old.

Though the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office said ChavezVasquez was from Agua Prieta, the police chief there said he doesn’t believe it.

“If somebody knows that 60 to 80 police officers are looking for a person, some kind of information arrives,” Novoa said in Spanish.

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Family, ranchers feel loss To say 2010 was a nightmare for Susan Krentz would be a gross understatement.

She lost her husband in March, and on Sept. 25 a suspected drunken driver hit her and a friend as they left church in Douglas. She suffered several skull and hip fractures and is still seeing doctors regularly, said her attorney, Paul Hoffman of Tucson. “She is lucky to have lived,” Hoffman said.

In addition to dealing with her injuries, she misses her husband dearly. ‘All I can say is that my heart is broken, and I can’t get over it,” she said in a brief phone interview.

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here aren’t many real cowboys in the seedstock cattle business, but John Hall, J-Bar Ranch at Hedley, Texas, is the exception. From his slow country drawl to his handle bar mustache, John fits the description and the definition of a cowboy. He still does a lot of day work for other ranches in the spring and fall, during branding or shipping, and can be found artificially inseminating (AIing) and palpating cows on any given day.

His wife and life partner, Loretta, is pretty skilled herself on a horse and in a working pen. Of course, she has the mandatory job in town to cover the health insurance. She is also the book keeper, the pedigree expert and John’s partner in ranch decisions.

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Starting from Scratch Having grown up in the sandy country around Hedley, Hall quickly decided he liked cows better than cotton farming. He worked for other ranches awhile and finally was able to put together a cowherd of his own. Hall’s first cattle came from a local purebred breeder who managed cattle to fit the environment.

The J-Bar program took a big step forward when the American Gelbvieh Association contracted with them to AI their commercial cows to the best bulls in the Gelbvieh breed so carcass data could be collected. Halls got to keep the top end of the resulting heifer calves. After a couple of years of trying to sell red cattle when everyone wanted black, they

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turned their breeding and selection toward black.

About 15 years ago, a fellow cattleman sent Hall some extra straws of semen to use to see what he thought. “When the calves arrived, they were phenomenal.

They out-weighed the other calves by about fifty pounds at weaning.

They were thick, with big tops and had tremendous bone,” says Hall.

They were Braunvieh. Needless to say, J-Bar had an excellent set of almost purebred Gelbvieh cows, but began a serious Braunvieh breed-up program. They were fortunate to find black and moderate framed Braunvieh bulls that have greatly influenced their program.

Setting Selection Standards According to Hall, “There are great cattle in most all breeds and very poordoing cattle in every breed. It’s up to the breeder to challenge his cattle, hold them to a standard and not waiver, by making excuses or exceptions.”

What is the saying? “There is more variation within a breed than among all breeds.”

Hall was one of the first ranchers in their area to recognize the potential of DNA testing. “I’m certain that the sire and dam can’t pass along what they don’t possess other than the magic of hybrid vigor,” states Hall. Two of the three Braunvieh bulls J-Bar started with were sired by the same Braunvieh bull — he was black and he produced a high amount of DNA for marbling and tenderness.

Now Halls use GeneSTAR® DNA testing for evaluating color coat, tenderness, marbling and feed efficiency along with a 100day gain test to help in selection of their bulls. “We have found that DNA testing speeds up the process of finding the better performing cattle tremendously,” says Hall. “We have also found there is money to be made in feed efficiency due to less maintenance in the pasture and fewer days on feed when they go to the feedyard.”

J-Bar Ranch also ultrasounds their bulls as they come off the gain test for ribeye area, back fat and intra-muscular fat. All are measured for scrotal circumference as it relates to maturity in heifer mates and siblings.

Slowly, Halls are branching out into some embryo transfer work.

Their donor cows have never won a show or had a halter on. They are cows that produce sons and daughters that work. “With our embryo work, we share our genetics with like-minded producers for a percentage of the calves. This gives us a broader study with larger contemporary groups and more numbers for selecting top genetics for feeder animals,” explains Hall.

Managing for Profit Halls have kept data since 1994 on each animal in the herd.

They collect cow production information, feedyard performance information and carcass information. “We have found the traits we follow to be highly heritable and use that information to cull the cowherd,” states Hall. “Normally, if a cow has low production, her daughters will also have low production. Since we have been culling on production for so long, we have a high degree of fertility in our herd.”

Halls believe fertility is one of the most important profit traits in a cowherd. Cattle that don’t breed are the most costly animal to a herd, and generally cows that calve first wean the biggest calves.

This philosophy has led to a 60day calving season at J-Bar Ranch.

“We have right at 12 sections of land owned and leased where we run over 500 head of cows, bulls, breeding heifers and weaned calves,” says Hall. J-Bar cows run in big country with varied terrain near Hedley in the Texas panhandle. The ranch produces mostly native grasses as well as some improved grasses such as bluestem and Bermuda grass.

“We have our A-team herd of 180 cows that have calved in 45 days, six years in a row. Genetics, nutrition and management all have to come together to make that happen,” believes Hall.

At J-Bar Ranch, nutrition is also believed to be critical and getting cows to re-breed is always a concern. In his attempt to tighten the J-Bar calving season to 60 days, Hall came across a liquid supplement that has been extremely beneficial. “We keep out Anipro Liquid Mineral with Ruma-Pro year-round and also feed dry mineral from XtraFormance Feeds as well as loose salt with EDDI (organic iodine),” explains Hall. These supplements have worked great in conditioning cows for breeding and preventing foot rot.

Cattle That Work “Our cattle are spread out over a large area and you can’t see them all in one day, so they have to be self sufficient. We try to see them a couple of times a week during calving and during the winter feeding season,” explains Hall.

The current J-Bar herd has high percentage Braunvieh and Gelbvieh cattle as well as crosses between. A typical J-Bar cow is moderate framed, early maturing and easy fleshing. “Our cows and first-calf heifers are expected to bring in a calf every year and to wean at least 50 percent of their body weight,” states Hall. continued on page twelve

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

April 15, 2011

Bull Fertility and Management

by BRUCE B. CARPENTER, Associate Professor and Livestock Specialist,Texas AgriLife Extension, Ft. Stockton

Page 11

irish blacks

attlemen’s TOO BOX

Introduction

Disease Prevention

It is often said that the herd bull contributes half of the production in a calf crop. This may be true for an average bull, but likely exaggerates the contribution from a poor quality bull and dramatically under estimates the contribution of a good bull. For the purposes of this discussion, a good bull is defined as having both high fertility and the capability of genetically transferring at least one or more economically important traits such as growth, calving ease, maternal value, or carcass quality.

Under natural service conditions, in order for a sire to be a genetic asset he must first be able to find, travel to, and successfully impregnate estrus females. For example, it is not unreasonable to expect an extremely fertile bull to sire 60 or more calves in a short breeding season; whereas a truly infertile bull might sire none, even in a long breeding season. In truth, the fertility of most bulls probably falls somewhere in the middle of these extremes. Fertile bulls are of greater economic value, not only because of the number of calves they can sire, but also because they tend to settle cows earlier in the breeding season, resulting in older and heavier calves at weaning. Properly managing any given bull from weaning through maturity will maximize his inherent fertility and boost his contribution to overall herd productivity.

Diseases affecting both young and mature bulls are essentially the same as those of breeding females. Do not assume that vaccinating one of these groups will also protect the other. Vaccinate both males and females for common reproductive diseases such as Leptospirosis and Campylobacter (vibrio) and possibly BVD depending on your location and your veterinarian’s recommendations. Lepto and BVD can develop in the fetus in utero, resulting in offspring that may become carriers of the disease. To prevent carrier status, it is best to vaccinate females at pre-breeding and again at pregnancy testing.

Trichomoniasis (trich) is somewhat unique in the way it is spread, in its management, and in its prevention strategies. Trich is a venereal disease that passes both ways: male to female and female to male. It does not produce signs of disease in bulls but they can become life-long carriers — necessitating their removal and slaughter. In females it causes abortion.

Some cows are capable of clearing the disease organisms after a period of time. Prevention is the first step in managing trich. For more information on management see Bovine Trichomoniasis (https:// agrilifebookstore.org/publications_details.cfm?whichpublication=2751) and Texas Bovine Trichomoniaisis Control Program (https://agrilifebookstore.org/publications_details.cfm?whichpubli-

cation=2724). Follow state guidelines on bull purchase, testing, quarantine and slaughter see http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_health/trich/trich.html or http://www.nmlbonline.com/index. php?id=14#trich.

A vaccine is available for use in females, but realize that it is not a “preventative vaccine” in the classical sense. That is, one shot, once a year will not protect your herd from infection. The vaccine is efficacious only for a period of months, necessitating a booster and re-vacc. program. Thus, the vaccine is most typically used in situations where herds are already under management to clear a trich outbreak, or in other high risk situations. Again, working with your veterinarian will be the best way to insure that a vaccine program is appropriate and if so, that the vaccine is being used correctly.

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Nutrition Adequate nutrition allows young bulls to more completely express genetic potential for growth, which predicts potential performance of eventual offspring.

More importantly proper nutrition allows puberty to begin on time, allowing moderate breeding use by 15 to 17 months of age.

Severe undernourishment can cause irreversible testicular damage in young bulls and decreased sperm production in older bulls. continued on page twelve

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Braunvieh

continued from page ten

Most all of the J-Bar weaned heifers are given the opportunity to breed. They are put in with the bulls on February 15, and the bulls are picked up within the first weeks of May. Heifers are then pregnancy checked in June. Those that are bred to calve within the ranch’s 60-day calving season will stay in the herd and those that will calve later are sold as bred heifers.

The J-Bar Ranch has some 14year-old cows still meeting pro-

duction standards in the herd.

“These cows calved as 2-year-olds and have bred back and raised a calf every year. They have weaned 50 percent of their body weight every year in a 60-day calving season for 12 years in a row. We hold these cows in high regard and we expect equal results from their daughters,” says Hall.

Marketing Halls like to help other people;

Jeanne Charter n Friday morning, April 1, Jeanne Charter told her husband Steve how much she loved him and admired him as a person. That afternoon, driving to move cattle on the northern part of their ranch, she died instantly in a three vehicle accident near mile marker 22 on the Roundup Highway 87.

Born on April 20, 1949, to Hans and Jenny Hjermstad, Jeanne grew up in the Chicago area with her brother, Chris Hjermstad. She graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Greek and Latin, then at the University of Michigan she earned a master’s degree in environmental studies.

Jeanne came to Montana during the coal boom of the early 1970s and met Steve when both were young staff members at Northern Plains Resource Council, a group formed in 1971 by ranchers and conservationists, to protect the land and people living on the land from (then unregulated) stripmining and, later, from a variety of predatory practices including excessive centralization and price manipulation in the livestock feeding industry.

Jeanne and Steve married in 1975. They raised a son, Ressa, and a daughter, Annika, while working the Charter family ranch in Hoskins Basin north of Billings and in the Bull Mountains south of Roundup.

Innovators in all aspects of ranching, from sustainable grazing practices to developing local markets for range-fed beef, Jeanne and Steve also challenged the

O

they have a customer buy-back program for producers who purchase their bulls. In the program, J-Bar customers can feed and test their bull prospects at the Ranch.

The bulls that meet the standards are marketed with J-Bar bulls.

J-Bar Ranch also helps local youth providing them with steers for the commercial feeding contest at the San Antonio and Houston Stock livestock shows.

“Our calves won the San Antonio Stock Show Jr. Fed Beef Challenge in 2007 and 2008 at 13months of age, and we had two

April 20, 1949-April 1, 2011

federal government in court, alleging that the beef check-off program was no longer accountable to the very ranchers who raised the beef and paid fees to fund the program.

Jeanne and Steve also extended their innovation and teamwork beyond their ranch and beyond the cow-calf industry. They continued their work with Northern Plains on a variety of issues, including work with two affiliate groups — Bull Mountain Land Alliance and Yellowstone Valley Citizens Council — to promote local foods.

They were longtime supporters of AERO, Montana’s Alternative Energy Resources Organization, advocating for clean renewable energy and energy conservation. Their own home is a partially underground, passive solar structure heated chiefly by a wood stove.

Jeanne lived by “being the change she hoped to see in the world.” She became a familiar face in television news interviews, wrote thought provoking letters to the editor and offered eloquent, incisive testimony at public hearings. No one was tougher or more determined in fighting for a cause.

She is survived by her husband Steve and son Ressa of the family ranch, daughter Annika of Billings, Mont. and her brother Chris Hjermstad of San Diego, Calif., as well as sister-in-law Katherine “Kit” Nilson and husband Hank, and brother-in-law Joe Charter and wife Donna, and their families.

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April 15, 2011 pens of calves place in the top five at the Houston Stock Show Jr. Fed Beef Challenge in 2008,” states Hall. They also had the best calf at the Texas Cattle Feeders contest a couple of years ago, and have helped some youth with show heifer projects.

This year, Halls had a new thrill when the five calves they tested at the Midland Bull Test in Montana topped the Braunvieh group.

More than 80 head were put on test and a three-quarters Braunvieh J-Bar calf was the high-gaining bull. J-Bar also bred the low Residual Feed Intake bull, and took home the Best Pen of Three honors.

J-Bar Ranch is also invested in an all-natural, grass-finished beef program with Paidom Meats of Nazareth, Texas. They supply 1215 head to the meat company each month. Some consumers are attracted to grass-fed beef for health reasons and it’s gaining in popularity.

“Health studies indicate that grass-fed beef is higher in Omega 3 fatty acids and Conjugated Linoleic Acid, which are important in maintaining cells and healthy body systems. Grass-fed beef also has significantly less saturated fat than corn-fed beef,” explains Hall. However, Hall emphasizes beef from Braunviehbred cattle is high quality whether it is corn-fed or grass-finished.

When asked what his favorite part of the cow business is, Hall said from the womb to the tomb.

“Our cows have to pay their way.

We don’t have a business in town or oil and gas production, or even a great inheritance; we live on pure sweat and long hours with many blessings from our Lord God,” states Hall. John and Loretta’s hard work have let them mold a philosophy of efficient, well muscled cattle into an existing, functional cowherd that produces high-quality seedstock and really good beef.

Cattlemen’s Toolbox

continued from page eleven

Conversely, getting bulls excessively fat can reduce libido, cause structural unsoundness and impair ability to travel.

In performance tests it is still argued as to whether weanling bulls should be fed for maximum gain on a full-feed test, or for moderate gain on forage. The former approach sometimes results in excess fatness, which can temporarily reduce breeding performance and sperm quality. The moderate gain approach may avoid these problems but precludes the chance for maximum gain which offers more opportunity to observe inherent genetic differences among bulls for growth. Breeders should refer to their association regarding specific test conditions.

Cottonseed products have been used successfully for years as a concentrated source of protein in cattle rations. During the 1980s, concern arose over the use of cottonseed products in the diet of young bulls. The naturally occurring gossypol contained in the cottonseed can temporarily reduce sperm quality in young bulls when fed at excessive levels for long periods of time.

However, severity of these problems varies because of the toxicity effects of gossypol are influenced by cotton plant variety, cotton oil extraction procedures, diet content of cottonseed products and length of feeding period. Consequently, some degree of caution is warranted, but cottonseed products are completely safe in the diet of young bulls if these guidelines are followed. These levels fall within the range of what typically has been fed over the years with no negative effects on reproductive performance.

■ Whole cottonseed should be limited to 10 percent or less of a young bull’s total diet (15 to 20 percent for mature bulls).

■ Solvent-extracted cottonseed meal (a process used by 95 percent of Texas and Oklahoma mills) should be limited to 5 percent or less of the total diet.

■ Mechanically extracted cottonseed meal (used by less than 6 percent of Texas and Oklahoma mills) can be fed at a level of up to 15 percent of the total diet.

Assessing Fertility Whether in young or mature bulls, a fertility assessment is required before breeding performance can be predicted. For a bull to impregnate females, the requirements are more complicated than expected. Bulls in good overall health must still have enough libido to pursue, mount and serve an estrus female. This involves travel over short or long distances in varying terrain, requiring sound feet and legs. Copulation requires functional genitalia free of abnormalities. Finally, quality sperm must be deposited.

The Breeding Soundness Examination (BSE) should be should be the minimum test performed annually on all breeding-age bulls. Examinations should be conducted about 60 days before the breeding season starts. A BSE is probably still the most effective means of estimating fertility on a practical level.

The conventional BSE does not evaluate every factor which is known to, or suspected of, influencing fertility; nor does it guarantee fertility. It merely provides a fair estimate of a given bull’s fertility potential. It can provide a good assessment of what actual semen quality and production was like at a single point in continued on page fourteen

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

April 15, 2011

NMSU To Host Youth Ranch Management Camp At Valles Caldera National Preserve ew Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension Service is seeking youth ages 15 through 19 to participate in a unique summer experience, June 5-10, at the Valles Caldera National Preserve.

Twenty-five youth will be selected to attend the New Mexico Youth Ranch Management Camp where they will receive training in all aspects of ranch management.

“The camp is tailored to be one of the most unique educational experiences these kids may ever see, even in their college career,” said Manny Encinias, NMSU Extension beef cattle specialist. “Ranching is an aging industry. People who own and manage ranches are getting up in age. The question now is who is going to fill their boots. Hopefully, this camp will be an opportunity for young people to see that there are career opportunities in this area of agri-business.”

“There are other youth ranch camps throughout the country, but this one is tailored to introduce the participants to new concepts and ideas, advanced technologies and applied skills that are used on commercial beef cattle operations. They will be learning some of the cutting-edge practices.”

The youth will participate in a wide variety of hands-on field experiences and lectures. Early in the week, John Wenzel, NMSU Extension veterinarian, Eric Scholljegerdes, NMSU ruminant nutritionist, and Encinias will address beef cattle health, handling, nutrition and reproduction. Participants will have the opportunity to work with Jack Thomas, NMSU meat scientist, to fabricate a beef carcass into wholesale and retail cuts of beef.

Midweek, NMSU range management specialists Chris Allison and Nick Ashcroft will provide instruc-

N

tion on range management, plant identification and stocking rates. Sam Smallidge, NMSU Extension wildlife management specialist, along with state wildlife management experts, will provide a broadscope program on wildlife management.

Stan Beevers, ranch economist with Texas A&M University, will lead the cattle marketing session, where the youth will gain a well-rounded perspective of ranch economics and the dynamics of purchasing and marketing cattle.

“Participants will leave this experience with a greater appreciation for not only new skills and practices, but also the economics of each practice as it relates to cash-flow for a ranch in the Southwest,” Encinias said.

Throughout the week, participants will work in teams and ultimately present a ranch management plan before a review panel to compete for prizes and scholarships.

“This program is not just for FFA and 4-H members,” Encinias said. “It is for any youth who has an interest in the areas of ranching, range management, wildlife habitat management and cattle marketing.”

Partnering with the Extension Service in providing the camp are Beef Industry Improvement of New Mexico, the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association and the Valles Caldera National Preserve.

APPLICANTS SHOULD CONTACT Patrick Torres, Santa Fe County Extension agriculture agent, at 505/471-4711, or visit the camp’s website at http:// nmyrm.nmsu.edu for information and to submit an online application. Applicants must submit a completed application that includes a short essay on what they expect to gain from attending the camp. Applications are due May 1. A panel of industry leaders will review the applications and select the participants. Successful applicants must submit a $250 camp fee by June 1.

Page 13

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PETA Wants More Animal-Friendly Language In Bible fter they heard that the latest translation of the New International Version of the Bible will now use genderinclusive language such as “he or she” instead of just “he”, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) saw an opportunity to change one other thing. The organization has petitioned the Committee on Bible Translation to suggest that its next translation remove “speciesist” language, by referring to animals as “he or she” instead of “it.”

“When the Bible moves toward inclusively in one area . . . it wasn’t much of a stretch to suggest they move toward inclusively in this area. Language matters. Calling an animal ‘it’ denies them something. They are beloved by God. They glorify God,” Bruce Friedrich, PETA’s vice president for policy, told CNN. PETA said it hopes the switch to include more gender-inclusive

A

language will spark translators to readdress the ways animals are referred to in the Bible. “Updating the Bible’s language regarding animals would not only reflect modern writing trends but also reinforce the idea that animals are living beings valued by God, not inanimate objects. Jesus taught us the importance of mercy and compassion, and this update would encourage mercy and compassion for all God's creatures — including those who have feathers, fins, and fur,” Friedrich wrote.

But David Berger, the dean of Yeshiva University’s Bernard Revel graduate school of Jewish studies, said shifting the language would be difficult, given the original Hebrew: “In Hebrew all nouns are genderspecific. So the noun for chair is masculine and the noun for earth is feminine. There’s simply no such thing as a neutral noun. It’s unusual to have a noun that would indicate the sex of the animal.”

David Lyle Jeffrey, a professor at Baylor University who teaches about ancient texts and the Bible’s relationship to literature and the arts, sympathizes with PETA, but isn’t sure if it would be true to the text: “When you get to the point when you say, ‘Don’t say it, say he or she’ when the text doesn’t, you’re both screwing up the text and missing the main point you addressed.”

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This includes a general evaluation of the skeleton, particularly the feet and legs. Can the bull walk and get around okay today?

The mouth and teeth are usually evaluated, as are the eyes. Good eyes are especially important for bulls. Research indicates that the primary stimulus for a bull to seek estrus females is his ability to first visually locate groups of sexually active females (i.e. females that are being mounted by others in the herd).

Testis, Genitalia and Scrotal Circumference are also evaluated.

Both testis will be observed for normal size and descension into the scrotum. They will be palpated for texture. The penis will be observed for physical abnormalities and at some point the sheath, prepuce and accessory glands will be evaluated. Finally scrotal circumference will be measured.

Bulls with larger testicles produce more sperm cells and in addition to enhanced sperm production, research has also shown that bulls exhibiting larger scrotal circumferences, reach puberty sooner, and also sire daughters that reach puberty at earlier ages. Scrotal circumference is moderately herita-

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time. The procedure is most often performed by a veterinarian who is familiar with semen evaluation techniques. However, any herdsman will probably visually evaluate some of the components of a BSE whenever he sees his bulls.

The first component of a BSE is an evaluation for structural correctness.

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continued from page twelve

ble and therefore progress can be made through selection. Puberty begins later in straight bred and crossbred Brahman breeds than in British and Continental breeds, partly because of smaller scrotal circumference.

Semen Evaluation will usually consist of microscopic examination of spermatozoa for motility, concentration and normality.

There are also new procedures which utilize test kits containing reducible dyes (color change) to test sperm motility and concentration. Also,computerized digital photographic lab systems have been developed to evaluate sperm motility.

Following the BSE the bull will either be classified as satisfactory or unsatisfactory as a potential breeder. Any bull classified as unsatisfactory should probably be re-tested before he is culled.

Libido and Serving Capacity Neither libido nor serving capacity is typically assessed during a conventional BSE. Libido has been defined as sexual aggressiveness whereas, serving capacity has been defined as copulatory proficiency. It is possible for bulls to possess good libido but still not be able to properly service a female. Both libido and serving capacity are distinct elements of reproductive function and unfortunately, their correlation to BSE parameters appears to be weak or nonexistent. In other words, bulls may possess good semen but may still lack the ability or desire to service females.

It is possible to objectively measure libido and serving capacity in bulls. A variety of methods have been evaluated. Essentially, groups of bulls are given the opportunity to service females in either of two ways: 1) restrained females, or 2) non-restrained estrus females. The number of attempted and completed services during a 20 to 30 minute period is recorded. Each method has certain advantages and disadvantages. Use of non-restrained females requires estrous synchronization which in turn, requires relatively large numbers of non pregnant but cycling females.

Response to synchronization treatment is also a consideration.

Use of females restrained in specially designed service crates requires fewer animals, but may not always sufficiently stimulate serving activity in Bos indicus influenced breeds. As stated, serving capacity appears to be a measurable component of bull fertility.

However, procedures for its measurement are not always practical in many commercial ranching situations. Simple observation of mating activity in the pasture is better than nothing, but it has shown a generally poor relationship to serving capacity results obtained with standardized testing procedures.

There are probably several factors at work in determining what a bull’s serving capacity is. Serving continued on page fifteen

April 15, 2011

Cattlemen’s Toolbox capacity appears to be a moderately heritable trait that is somewhat genetically determined. Serving capacity can vary between individuals and possibly even sirelines. Libido is dependent, to a degree, upon the male hormone, testosterone, which is produced by the testis. However, it appears that once relatively low “threshold” concentrations of circulating testosterone are achieved, that concentrations beyond this level do not impart higher libido. In other words, high testosterone is not necessarily related to high libido. Similarly, masculine characteristics such as crest of neck or forehead hair whorl are not necessarily predictive of higher libido.

Age, breed and prior sexual experience may all interact to influence how a bull displays his inherent serving capacity during testing.

Bull performance in serving capacity tests can be used to predict fertility under natural mating situations. Higher pregnancy rates and/or improved conception patterns have been observed for higher serving capacity bulls evaluated in pasture mating studies. In two trials, high-serving-capacity bulls increased pounds of calf weaned per cow by an additional 60 to 98 pounds compared to hat of lowserving-capacity bulls.

Social Ranking In multiple-sire pastures, socially dominant bulls may obtain access to more females.

This is probably acceptable if that bull is also of high fertility. However, problems might arise if a bull were socially dominant, yet still lacked reproductive function. For example, a socially dominant bull with poor semen quality would likely not sire many calves. Social ranking does not appear to be related to either semen quality, libido, or serving capacity.

Social dominance orders within a mix of bulls may be subtle and, once established, are usually maintained without aggressive fighting. Fighting among bulls may simply indicate that the social dominance order has yet to become established. Age can be a factor in social dominance. For managers interested in using younger bulls, manipulating the age mix, so that yearlings and twoyear-olds do not compete with older bulls may be the best way to minimize lost breeding opportunities for younger bulls. As one might expect, large physical body size and presence of horns have been shown to impart higher dominance ranking in most (but not all) bulls.

Heparin-binding Protein In the 1990s a family of proteins present in the semen and/or on the sperm membrane, were identified by researchers at the University of Arizona. The proteins are produced by the seminal vesicles, prostate and bulbourethral glands and are released into the semen at ejaculation. The semen contains a specific chemical fraction known as FAA (fertili-

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

continued from page fourteen

ty associated antigen). FAA binds to the sperm membrane which then allows the sperm to bind heparin produced in the female reproductive tract. The binding of heparin enhances the 6 to 8 hour long process known as ‘capacitation’. Until capacitation is complete, a sperm is incapable of fertilizing an egg. Further research showed that the degree of FAA attachment to sperm varies greatly among bulls, suggesting a reason why fertility can still vary so much among bulls that, because they passed a breeding soundness exam, would otherwise be expected to be highly fertile.

Research conducted on about 6,000 cows showed that bulls that had passed a BSE, but that had FAA bound to sperm membranes averaged 81 percent pregnancy

Social dominance orders within a mix of bulls may be subtle and, once established, are usually maintained without aggressive fighting. rates versus 63 percent for bulls that did not have FAA on sperm membrane. Another mating trial on 650 cows showed that bulls with FAA on sperm generated an additional 50 lbs of calf per cow because of higher pregnancy rates and earlier conception following AI. Note that absence of FAA does not render a bull sterile, merely less fertile. In general it appears that FAA positive bulls are about 16 percent more fertile than FAA negative bulls . . . “all else being equal”. Subsequent research has examined interactions between FAA and serving capacity. Researchers at the University of Arizona and at Texas A&M compared bulls of similar semen quality, but of differing serving capacities and FAA profiles. They reported significant differences in pregnancy rates among certain classes of bulls.

Those bulls with high serving capacity and FAA +, produced 87 percent pregnancy rates.Those bulls with high serving capacity and FAA - produced 78 percent pregnancy rates. Bulls low in serving capacity, but FAA +, produced 68 percent pregnancy rates.

A commercial “chute-side” test (ReproTest®) is available for bulls. It can easily be incorporated into a conventional BSE. Simply place a drop of fresh (or frozen then thawed, non-extended) semen on the test cassette. After 10 to 20 minutes a color change will indicate whether the bull is

FAA + or FAA -. FAA status does not change after puberty so one test is good for life. The test kit does NOT work with frozen extended semen as is used in AI as the extenders that are added to the semen at processing interfere with the antibodies used in the test. Cost runs about $40.

Summary Decisions regarding sire selection are among the most important that any cattleman will make.

If a bull is to become a successful breeder, he must possess certain characteristics. Some of these are inherent, some may be acquired, and some will be determined by management. The following lists some of the factors discussed above, which may influence fertility of herd sires: ■ Proper nutrition and herd health ■ Structural correctness — eyes, feet, legs, skeleton ■ Properly functioning genitalia ■ Adequate scrotal circumference ■ Semen quality ■ Proper birth weight for calving ease ■ Age at puberty ■ Libido and Serving Capacity ■ Social interactions ■ Newly discovered proteins present in the semen (HBP) ■ Unknown factors ?

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MAURICE W. BONEY, Founder of the Breed 1971 25377 WCR 17, Johnstown, CO 80534 mwboneyirishblacks@gmail.com 970/587-2252

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View (www.irishblack.com). 1OO HIGH PERFORMANCE BULLS FOR SALE, coming two year olds. We feed very little grain and more on roughage than the bulk of the other breeds. We also have BRED FEMALES FOR SALE, this is an opportunity for one to establish a carbon copy of the foundation herd of the breed. This can also be accomplished by embryos.

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Livestock Market Digest

Page 16

Calendar of

EVENTS April 2011 10 – Redd Ranches High Altitude Bull Sale, Paradox, CO 12 – Three Mile Hill Angus Production Sale, Animas, NM 13 – Hereford & Salers Bull Sale, La Junta, CO 14 – Beckton Stock Farm Annual Production Sale, Sheridan, WY 15 – Ad copy deadline for May New Mexico Stockman 21 – Freeman Ranch Rocky Moutain Beef Solutions Day, Yoder, CO 23-24 – Reata Range Days, Benson, AZ 28-30 – New Mexico Women’s Ag Leadership Conference, American National Cattlewomen’s Region VI Meeting, Albuquerque, NM 30 – Wienk Charolais Bull Sale, Lake Preston, SD

May 2011 1 – Ad copy deadline for May Livestock Market Digest 9-13 – New Mexico Horse Industry Tour 10-11 – Indian Livestock School, Rt. 66 Casino, west of Albuquerque, NM 15 – Ad copy deadline for June New Mexico Stockman

THE LIVESTOCK MARKET DIGEST

Real Estate GUIDE To place your listing here, contact Debbie Cisneros at debbie@aaalivestock.com; New Mexico office: 505/243-9515, ext. 30; or Colorado office: 720/242-8032 (direct line)

October 2011 1 – Isa Cattle Co, Inc. Bull Sale, San Angelo, TX 25 – Strang Herefords 32nd Annual Bull Sale, Meeker, CO

★

DEBBIE CISNEROS ★

• New Mexico Office: 505/243-9515, ext. 30 • Colorado Office: 720/242-8032 • Email: debbie@aaalivestock.com

BERRY LUCAS 575/361-7980 berryc_lucas @yahoo.com

Call Me For All Your Farm and Ranch Listings

Ben G. Scott, Krystal M. Nelson, Brokers 1301 Front St., Dimmitt, TX 79027 • 1-800/933-9698 day/night www.scottlandcompany.com

“EAGER SELLERS”

—— TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO ——

P BAR RANCH: Rates at 1,350 AU’s including 900 mother cows outside year round – WINTER RANGE – 11,750 deeded acres plus BLM, 300 irrigated – background lot for calves – 3 homes – good improvements – CAN SPLIT – $6,000,000.

This ad is just a small sample of the properties that we currently have for sale. Please check our website: scottlandcompany.com and give us a call! We need your listings both large and small, all types of ag properties (ESPECIALLY RANCHES).

LYMAN RANCH: Rated at approximately 225 hd. year long – MEADOW RANCH – 850± deeded with 670± irrigated – FREE WATER – several interior pastures for easy management of cattle – over 1-1/2 MILE RIVER THRU RANCH – would make great stocker operation for about 800 hd. – modest improvements including great shipping facilities and scales – asking $1,530,000 Rae at 208/761-9553.

LINSON CREEK: 400/500 HD. WINTER (11/5 – 5/1) with less than 1/2-ton on normal years – 1,938 deeded plus BLM – great stock water – UPLAND GAME BIRDS, MULE DEER, ELK, FISHING – Washington/ Payette Counties, ID – modest improvements – $1,475,000 with SELLER FINANCE. LANDRETH: Malheur County, OR – 780 deeded acres with 180± irrigated – 1/2-MILE RIVER – quality improvements – upland game birds, water fowl, mule deer, bass ponds – PRICE REDUCED – $980,000.

FARM/FEEDLOT: 500± deeded acres with 280 irrigated row crop – CAFO at 850-1,000 hd. – good improvements – great stocker and/or dairy hfrs. – $1,580,000.

QUARTER CIRCLE DIAMOND: Gilliam County, OR – 6,148 deeded acres with 1,078 dry farm – in addition running 125 mother cows year long – includes 40% interest in potential power generation – siting for 17 TURBINES – mule deer, elk, chukar, quail – $1,750,000 Rae at 208/761-9553 Jack at 541/473-3100.

AGRILANDS Real Estate www.agrilandsrealestate.com Vale, Oregon • 541/473-3100 • jack@fmtcblue.com

KEVIN C. REED RANCH SALES & APPRAISALS Office: 325/655-6989 Cell: 915/491-9053 Email: llp@wcc.net

Ranchers Serving Ranchers Texas and New Mexico

1002 Koenigheim San Angelo, TX 76903

LEE, LEE & PUCKITT ASSOCIATES INC.

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To advertise in the New Mexico Stockman or the Livestock Market Digest REAL ESTATE GUIDE, contact:

Affordable Ranches in Southeast New Mexico

RANCH & FARM REAL ESTATE

June 2011 1 – Deadline for advertising copy Livestock Market Digest 15 – Deadline for advertising copy July New Mexico Stockman, 2011 N.M. Directory of Agriculture 26-28 – NMCGA, New Mexico CowBelles, New Mexico Wool Growers Mid-Year Meeting, location TBD

April 15, 2011

New Mexico: 461-ac. farm just east of Deming. Very clean and well maintained turnkey operation.

Texas: 7,670 ac. east of El Paso. Quality mule deer and exceptional quail.

Texas: 7,360 ac. Brewster Co. Remote hunting ranch with beautiful vistas.

SANTA FE AREA: A very scenic piece of ranchland about 35 minutes from the Santa Fe Plaza and an hour from the Big I interchange in Albuquerque; just on the outskirts of White Lakes. Great access, U/S/ Highway 285 joins the Ranch for several miles. Open rolling grassland to tree covered slopes and ridges, not rough just enough tree cover to allow many areas of privacy yet wonderful, panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Good wells and good water quality are found on this Ranch! This offering includes approx. 4,530 acres of deeded land and 4,835 acres of state lease land. Priced reasonably for the Santa Fe region. And the owner might consider selling a smaller portion of the property. Call to discuss your interests.

READY TO RANCH & DEVELOP (wind energy, comm., res.) Potter Co., Texas – 4,872.8 acres of beautiful ranch country four miles north of loop 335, Amarillo, TX., pvmt. on four sides. Well watered by pumps powered by solar energy (state-of-the-art).

Deer, quail and dove. 50% MINERALS!

New Mexico Ranches for Sale Davis Gila Farm ~ Located in the heart of the Gila River Basin at Gila, N.M. Nestled at the confluence of the Gila River and Bear Creek is a very private end of the road irrigated stock farm and wildlife sanctuary. 100 acres with 84 water right acres, improved pastures, stock pens, and equipment shed all neat and tidy. $1,375,000!

Stockton Ranch ~ Located north of Deming in the high desert is a solid 400 animal unit cattle ranch with a 350 animal unit BLM grazing allotment. Great improvements developed for function and service; steel pens, excellent water distribution and a comfortable territorial adobe residence. $2,000,000.

MJM Ranch ~ 169 animal unit BLM ranch located near Roswell. 1,525 deeded acres, remodeled residence, new shop and cake bins, powder river cattle system. RO system for the entire ranch. You need to see this one. $800,000 Los Chaparrales Ranch ~ This river ranch located along the lower reach of the Mimbres north of Deming has the river’s most pristine river bosque complemented with beautiful views of Cook Peak and nearby mountains. 1,389 deeded acres includes water rights, old adobe residence and horse pens. Price reduced $1,500,000.

Lea County Ranch ~ located north of Jal is the Matkins Ranch and room for 150 mother cows. This is a no frills ranch in the mist of the oil patch but a proven producer of 700 lb. calves, and oil field surface fees. 1,840 deeded with 11,800 acres lease. $700,000.

Zia Mesa Farm ~ North of Ft. Sumner is 162 acres with 122 water rights. Nice, neat and tidy farm with center pivot sprinkler, Enclosed Morgan barn – a 1,900 sq. ft. Griffin home. $400,000.

State Lease Ranch ~ Nothing fancy, just a simple cattle ranch with 7,733 lease acres. Excellent water distribution, stock pens, and three pastures. Easily accessed off highway north of Deming. $55/acre!

ANNOUNCING A NEW ASSOCIATE BROKER! I’m proud to announce that Gary Wood has recently joined me as an associate broker and will be working ranch sales in most of the State. Gary is native New Mexican, raised in the Roy area, educated at New Mexico State University and spent over 30 years as a range conservationist with the Bureau of Land Management; as a result, he’s very knowledgeable about rangeland and ranching.

TErrell Land & Livestock Company Tye C. Terrell, Jr., Qualifying Broker, 575/447-6041 Associate Brokers: Jimmy Jones 720/989-3975, Gary Wood 505/681-7011 “We Know New Mexico”

KEITH L. SCHRIMSHER • O: 575/622-2343 • C: 575/520-1989

srre@dfn.com • www.nm-ranches.com

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

April 15, 2011

Page 17

With Sales Flabby, Wal-Mart Turns to Its Core

by MIGUEL BUSTILLO, WSJ.COM

fter attempting to appeal to a wider variety of shoppers backfired, discount giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. now is mired in its worst U.S. sales slump ever.

But William Simon, the former Navy officer put in charge of the flagging U.S. division last June, says he is confident that the lumbering giant can reverse its fortunes after seven consecutive quarters of domestic sales declines at stores open at least a year.

Part of his strategy includes returning to the “Every Day Low Prices” formula Wal-Mart popularized, after the company in recent years veered away from offering low prices across the board and instead discounted some items while raising prices on others.

Mr. Simon says he hopes this will win back some of Wal-Mart’s core customers — households earning $30,000 to $70,000 a year — which the company has been losing to upstart dollarstore chains.

Mr. Simon also hopes to restore Wal-Mart’s reputation as a one-stop-shopping destination: The company spent billions remodeling its U.S. stores over the past four years, but some customers were alienated by the

A

resulting supercenters’ leaner selections.

Mr. Simon stresses he isn’t merely returning Wal-Mart to the past, however. His comeback

strategy hinges on opening smaller stores to penetrate the big urban markets that long have eluded Wal-Mart amid opposition from unions and their allies.

Real Estate GUIDE Missouri Land Sales

See all my listings at:

paulmcgilliard.murney.com ■ Horse Training / Boarding Facility: New, state-of-the-art, 220x60 horse facility with 20 stalls, back to back, offset with bull pen at end of the barn.Two large pipe outside paddocks. 3-4 BR, 3 BA, 2,000+ sq. ft. home. All on 18+ acres. Just 5 miles north of I-44 Bois D’Arc exit. MLS #1017424. Call Paul for your private showing.

Cell: 417/839-5096 ■ 675 Ac. Grass Runway, Land your own plane: Major Price Reduction. 3 BR, 2 BA 1-800/743-0336 home down 1 mi. private land. New 40x42 shop, 40x60 livestock barn, over 450 ac. in MURNEY ASSOC., REALTORS grass. (Owner runs over 150 cow/calves, 2 springs, 20 ponds, 2 lakes, consisting of 3.5 & 2 ac. Both stocked with fish. Excellent fencing. A must farm to see. MLS #1010371 SPRINGFIELD, MO 65804 ■ 483 Ac., Hunter Mania: Nature at her best. Don’t miss out on this one. Live water (two creeks). 70+ acres open in bottom hayfields and upland grazing. Lots of timber (marketable and young) for the best hunting and fishing (Table Rock, Taney Como and Bull Shoals Lake) Really cute 3-bd., 1-ba stone home. Secluded yes, but easy access to ForsythBranson, Ozark and Springfield. Property joins Nat’l. Forest. MLS#908571

PAUL McGILLIARD

FOR SALE IRRIGATED FARM NEAR SEDAN, N.M. 960 total acres, 770 irrigated acres, brick home, large barns, grain bins, etc. Good livestock operation.

Favorable financing and terms available to qualified buyers.

CALL JORDAN OR NICK FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Farmers & Stockmens Bank

R.G. DAVIS, BROKER Cell: 530/949-1985

Properties

and Equities

19855 S. Main St., P.O. Box 1020 Cottonwood, CA 96022 Ofc.: 530/347-9455 • F: 530/347-4640 homeranchr@sbcglobal.net

——— CALIFORNIA RANCHES ——— Lassen County: 11,725 acres, all deeded. 970 acres irrigated, flood and 4 pivots. Alfalfa, grain, grass. BLM permits, 500 cows, organic hay. Lots of potential for more farm ground. Priced at $5,375,000.

Tehama County, Cottonwood, Calif.: 1,850 acres, winter range. Large barn, 1 bdrm. apt., horse stalls, tie stalls, tack room, shop. Deluxe 400x200 ft. roping arena.

All new fences and steel corrals. Hunting and fishing. Priced at $2,200,000.

Tehama County, Cottonwood, Calif.: 556 acres, winter range, two small houses, corrals, chute, small barn. Good hunting and fishing. Price reduced — $775,000.

Tehama County, Cottonwood, Calif.: 80 acres, winter range and a custom built appx. 3,000 sq. ft. beautiful home. Large barn, tack room, shop roping arena, round-pen — a real crown jewel. Many amenities. A roper’s dream. Priced at $1,400,000.

Capulin Ranch, Separ, N.M.: 21,640 acres total, 7,785 deeded acres and 13,835 leased acres. 350 auyl operation has 8 pastures, 2 traps, 10 wells and drinkers, forage is in excellent condition. Good populations of mule deer, antelope, big cats, javalina and quail.

HQ home is southwest style with pool. Also find a 2 bedroom Guest home, an equipment garage, 2 rail cars, working pens and digital scales all in working order. Priced at $4,000,000 La Cueva Ranch, Las Vegas, N.M.: 3,519 deeded acres on Apache Mesa 20 minutes from Las Vegas, N.M. Caves, rimrock views, canyons, grassy mesa tops and tall pines. Smaller parcels available too.

Wild west views. Priced at $$1,779,107

P.O. Box 431, Clayton, N.M. 88415 • 575/374-8301

Trigg Ranch Parcels, Las Vegas, N.M.: 720 acre and 360 acre pastures located on Apache Mesa at $612,000 and $216,000 respectively. 180 acre parcel located on Hwy 84 has stunning views, several building sites on this parcel. Go to www.SantaFeLand.com for more info.

Ken Ahler Real Estate Co., Inc.

Descriptive brochures available on all ranches. $ ,

▼

▼ EAST-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO CATTLE RANCH: 60,400 deeded acres with approximately 6,000 acres of leased and free use land. The ranch is located near Santa Rosa and historical stocking rates indicate a carrying capacity of 1,200 – 1,300 animal units. The ranch has a rolling to hilly terrain with a small amount of canyon country. The property is watered by natural lakes, submersible wells, windmills and an extensive waterline network. Improvements include a nearly new Spanish style hacienda, two camps and several good sets of livestock pens. This working cattle ranch is very realistically priced at $240 per deeded acre.

SOUTHEAST COLORADO RANCH: 12,383 deeded acres, 640 acres of Colorado State Lease, together with a five month permit to run 183 animal units on adjoining Comanche National Grasslands. This ranch has been operated as a 500 animal unit cow/calf ranch and has been under the same family ownership for approximately 60 years. The terrain varies from open plains grama grass country to rocky side slopes and scenic high elevated mesa tops. The property has adequate improvements, is very well fenced, and extremely well watered.

This is a quality cattle ranch, but also offers the added benefit of hunting. This well maintained ranch is offered at $425 per deeded acre.

www.SantaFeLand.com 1435 S. St. Francis Drive, Suite 210 • Santa Fe, N.M. 87505 O: 505/989-7573 • Toll Free: 888/989-7573 • M: 505/490-0220 E-mail: kahler@newmexico.com

NEVADA RANCHES and FARMS

MASON MOUNTAIN RANCH Nothern Elko County ranch with 3700 deeded acres and a small BLM permit. Great summer pasture with free water from springs, creeks and seeps. No power but land line phone.

The ranch received 1 landowner Elk Tag this year.

The irrigation reservior on Mason Creek is stocked with Red Band trout. Several useful buildings including home with gravity flow water and propane lights, water heater and refrigerator.

The ranch should run 300 pair for the season.

Price: $1,575,000.

Bottari Realty

Chas. S. Middleton and Son

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Out West Realty Network Affiliate

PAUL D. BOTTARI, BROKER www.bottarirealty.com • paul@bottarirealty.com

Ofc.: 775/752-3040 Res: 775/752-3809 • Fax: 775/752-3021

Livestock Market Digest

Page 18

National Day of the Cowboy in New Mexico

by RICHARD BEAL

he New Mexico Legislature has unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Rep. Brian F. Egolf and cosponsored by Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell declaring July 23, 2011 as National Day of the Cowboy in New Mexico.

Local ranches and businesses are encouraged to hold special events that day at their facilities, in any manner they want. A BBQ with a western flair, a square dance, a special sale of cowboy clothing, a western celebrity guest, horse clinic, book signing, horseback trail rides, hotel discounts, restaurant special meals, featuring western art, trunk shows, special western buckles, maybe some cowboy singing and food? I’m sure you can come up with great ideas.

T

RANCH SALES & APPRAISALS SERVING THE RANCHING INDUSTRY SINCE 1920

Chas. S. Middleton and Son 1507 13th ST. • LUBBOCK, TEXAS 79401

(806) 763-5331

INTEREST RATES AS LOW AS 3%. PAYMENTS SCHEDULED ON 25 YEARS

JOE STUBBLEFIELD & ASSOCIATES 13830 Western St., Amarillo, TX 806/622-3482 • cell 806/674-2062 Michael Perez Assocs.

Nara Visa, NM • 575/403-7970

TEXAS & OKLA. FARMS & RANCHES • Magnificent 90 Hunting – Cattle/Horse Ranch 50 miles E. of Dallas, 35 miles W. of Tyler, White pipe fence along FM Hwy. 3,700 sq. ft. elaborate home, flowing waterway, lake. Has it all.

• 532-acre CATTLE & HUNTING, NE TX ranch, elaborate home, one-mile highway frontage.

OWNER FINANCE at $2,150/ac.

• 274 acres in the shadow of Dallas. Secluded lakes, trees, excellent grass. Hunting & fishing, dream home sites. $3,850/ac.

• 1,700-acre classic NE TX cattle & hunting ranch. $2,750/ac. Some mineral production.

• Texas Jewel, 7,000 ac. – 1,000 per ac., run cow to 10 ac.

• 256 Acre Texas Jewel – Deep sandy soil, highrolling hills, scattered good quality trees, & excellent improved grasses. Water line on 2 sides rd., frontage on 2 sides, fenced into 5 pastures, 5 spring fed tanks and lakes, deer, hogs & ducks. Near Tyler & Athens. Price $1,920,000.

• 146 horse, hunting cattle ranch N. of Clarksville, TX. Red River Co. nice brick home, 2 barns, pipe fences, good deer, hogs, ducks, hunting priced at $395,000.

• 535 ac. Limestone, Fallas, & Robertson counties, fronts on Hwy. 14 and has rail frontage water line, to ranch, fenced into 5 pastures, 2 sets, cattle pens, loamy soil, good quality trees, hogs, & deer hunting. Priced at $2,300 per ac.

Joe Priest Real Estate 1205 N. Hwy 175, Seagoville, TX 75159

972/287-4548 • 214/676-6973 1-800/671-4548 www.joepriest.com joepriestre@earthlink.com

Cowboys have been part of New Mexico history even before it became a state so it seems very appropriate to honor the past and current contributions and encourage events to commemorative them.

There are 6,800 livestock producing ranches in New Mexico and with the support organizations and services they employ 18,000 people and produce about $2.1 billion in economic

activity each year.

The National Day of the Cowboy is a day Congress has set aside for Americans to celebrate and honor their pioneer heritage and the contributions of the Cowboy and Cowgirl to America’s culture and economy.

This resolution, naming the fourth Saturday in July as a national day to honor the Cowboy, has passed in the U.S. Senate for five consecutive years,

April 15, 2011 beginning July 23, 2005.

In 2008, for the first time, the National Day of the Cowboy resolution was sponsored and passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, by Arizona U.S. Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords (yes, that Gabby). In June 2008, the National Day of the Cowboy resolution also passed in the Arizona State Legislature, making Arizona the first state to pass a Cowboy Day resolution.

In 2009, it passed in the state legislatures of Texas, Arizona, New York, Kansas, and Oklaho-

ma.

Now New Mexico has joined that group.

In the words of the President of the United States, “We celebrate the Cowboy as a symbol of the grand history of the American West. The Cowboy’s love of the land and love of the country are examples for all Americans.”

Richard Beal is a writer and a cowboy who loves working with horses and cattle. He and his family live in the town of Lamy overlooking the beautiful Galisteo Basin. He is also a member of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association.

New Mexico Ranches For Sale MOATS RANCH: 20,000 ± total acres, 12,025 deeded. 400 ± AUYL. Thirty miles north of Roswell, NM along and on both sides of U.S. Highway 285. Good pasture design and water distribution.

Adequate improvements to include pens with scales. Reasonably priced at $200 per deeded acre to include lease land.

This Torrance County Ranch has been in the same family for nearly 60 years.

The main ranch has 7,280± deeded acres plus 1,280± acres State Lease land.

Comprised of rolling hills, canyons and good, flat land, this ranch has been well-maintained and has exceptional water and watering systems. Great for cattle raising and hunting elk, deer, antelope and dove.

Another 1,710± deeded acres with a house, barns and corrals, close to town with city water and development opportunities.

Call for a brochure.

Amarillo, TX 806/355-9856 • Benny Splawn, 806/674-7523 www.CliftLandBrokers.com

DEGANAHL RANCH: 5,700 ± total acres. Section 3 BLM grazing permit for 164 AUYL. Three wells with pipeline system.

Rested all summer, excellent grass. All improvements are less than three years old to include 3 bedroom residence, shop, tack room and feed barn. Price significantly reduced.

Bar M

Contact: SCOTT MCNALLY, 575/662-5867 • C: 575/420-1237

REAL ESTATE

www.ranchesnm.com

Offered in cooperation with United Country Vista Nueva, Inc., Portales, NM 575/356-5616

P. O . BO X 4 2 8 • RO S WE L L , N . M. 8 8 2 0 2

WAHOO RANCH: Approximately 40,976 acres: ± 11,600 deeded, 6,984 BLM, 912 state, 40 uncontrolled and 21,440 forest. Beautiful cattle ranch located on the east slope of the Black Range Mountains north of Winston, N.M., on State Road 52. Three hours from either Albuquerque or El Paso.The ranch is bounded on the east by the Alamosa Creek Valley and on the west by the Wahoo Mountains ranging in elevation from 6,000' to 8,796'. There are 3 houses/2 cabins, 2 sets of working corrals (1 with scales) and numerous shops and outbuildings. It is very well watered with many wells, springs, dirt tanks and pipelines. The topography and vegetation is a combination of grass covered hills (primarily gramma grasses), with many cedar, piñon and live oak covered canyons as well as the forested Wahoo Mountains. There are plentiful elk and deer as well as antelope, turkey, bear, mountain lion and javelina (47 elk tags in 2010). Absolutely one of the nicest combination cattle/hunting ranches to be found in the Southwest. Price reduced to $5,500,000.

UNDER CONTRACT

MAHONEY PARK: Just 10 miles southeast of Deming, N.M. The property consists of approx. 800 acres Deeded, 560 acres State Lease, and 900 acres BLM. This historic property is located high up in the Florida Mountains and features a park like setting, covered in deep grasses with plentiful oak and juniper covered canyons. The cattle allotment would be approx. 30 head (AUYL). Wildlife includes deer, ibex, javalina, quail and dove. This rare jewel would make a great little ranch with views and a home site second to none. Priced at $600,000.

SAN JUAN RANCH: Located 15 miles south of Deming, N.M. east of Highway 11 (Columbus Highway) on CR-11.

Approximately 24,064 acres consisting of approximately 2684 acres Deeded, 3240 State Lease, 13,460 BLM, and 4,680 uncontrolled. The cattle allotment would be approx. 183 head (AUYL). There are 6 solar powered stock wells with metal storage tanks and approximately 6-1/2 miles pipeline. The ranch has a very diverse landscape consisting of high mountain peaks, deep juniper & oak covered canyons, mountain foothills and desert grasslands.

There is plentiful wildlife including deer, ibex, javalina, quail and dove. A truly great buy at $600,000.

212 ACRE FARM BETWEEN LAS CRUCES, N.M. AND EL PASO, TEXAS: Hwy. 28 frontage with 132 acres irrigated, 80 acres sandhills, full EBID (surface water) plus a supplemental irrigation well, cement ditches and large equipment warehouse. Priced at $1,696,000.

50.47-ACRE FARM: Located on Afton Road south of La Mesa, NM. Paved road frontage, full EBID (surface water) plus a supplemental irrigation well with cement ditches. Priced at $609,600.

OTHER FARMS FOR SALE: In Doña Ana County. All located near Las Cruces, N.M. 8, 11, and 27.5 acres. $15,000/acre to $17,000/acre. All have EBID (surface water rights from the Rio Grande River) and several have supplemental irrigation wells. If you are interested in farm land in Doña Ana County, or ranches in Southwest New Mexico, give me a call.

DAN DELANEY R E A L E S TAT E , L L C www.zianet.com/nmlandman

318 W. Amador Ave. Las Cruces, N.M. 88005 (O) 575/647-5041 (C) 575/644-0776 nmlandman@zianet.com

April 15, 2011

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

To The New York Times: Ranchers Respect Livestock

by AMANDA RADKE

don’t know much about Mark Bittman, food-opinion writer for the New York Times, but I know he has some pointed things to say about food production these days. In a recent column entitled “Why Don’t Farm Animals Get The Respect Pets Do?”, Bittman uses an activistcoined term “common farming expectations,” to lump together the bad apples in agriculture to paint a rotten picture of the hard-working farmers and ranchers who first, care and respect for their livestock on a daily basis, and two, produce a safe supply of food they are proud to feed the world and their own families.

In his column, Bittman writes, “It’s time to take a look at the line between ‘pet’ and ‘animal.’

When the ASPCA sends an agent to the home of a Brooklyn family to arrest one of its members for allegedly killing a hamster, something is wrong.

“That ‘something’ is this: we protect ‘companion animals’ like hamsters while largely ignoring what amounts to the torture of chickens and cows and pigs. In short, if I keep a pig as a pet, I can’t kick it. If I keep a pig I intend to sell for food, I can pretty much torture it. State laws known as ‘Common Farming Exemptions’ allow industry — rather than lawmakers — to make any practice legal as long as it’s common.

“We ‘process’ (that means kill) nearly 10 billion animals annually in this country, approximately one-sixth of the world’s total.

Many, if not most, of these animals are raised (or not, since probably a couple of hundred million are killed at birth) industrially, in conditions that the philosopher Peter Singer and others have compared to concentration camps. Might we more usefully police those who keep egg-laying hens in cages so small the birds can’t open their wings, for example, than angermanagement-challenged young people accused of hamstercide?

“But thanks to Common Farming Exemptions, as long as I ‘raise’ animals for food and it’s done by my fellow ‘farmers’ (in this case, manufacturers might be a better word), I can put around 200 million male chicks a year through grinders, castrate — mostly without anesthetic — 65 million calves and piglets a year, breed sick animals (don’t forget: more than half a billion eggs were recalled last summer, from just two Iowa farms) who in turn breed antibiotic-resistant bacteria, allow those sick animals to die without individual veterinary care, imprison animals in cages so small they cannot turn around, skin live animals, or kill animals en masse to stem disease outbreaks. All of this is legal, because we will eat them,” Bittman writes in his article.

I

I hate to re-post such a negative article on agriculture because such ill-informed pieces like these are simply intended to rally activist dollars, stir up controversy and impose fear on good-hearted Americans; however, I feel it’s vitally important for all of us in the food business to note a few things.

1. Bittman isn’t alone in his perception of what American agriculture is.

2. The graphic images developed by activist groups have seriously hurt our image.

3. We have to start doing a

better job of TELLING OUR OWN STORY. Yes, I used all caps to make my point clear. When’s the last time you explained to someone

Page 19

Quality Assurance (BQA) program for both the animal and the end-product? As a beef producer, I truly believe I’m doing what’s right by caring for my animals, being an environmental steward for the land and respectfully harvesting my livestock to help enrich and improve human lives.

More importantly, I, too, am upset about the bad apples in our

Bittman uses an activist-coined term “common farming expectations,” to lump together the bad apples in agriculture to paint a rotten picture of the hard-working farmers and ranchers what good animal handling practices are and how ranchers follow them? Or, how about enlightening our consumers about the benefits of the industry’s Beef

industry; I don’t believe in animal cruelty, and I hate when I see another recall in the news. I think these messages are words our consumers are desperate to hear.

My challenge today was to encourage all of you to respond to the article, but the New York Times is no longer accepting comments on the piece. Instead, I hope you will all look for new opportunities to share your story.

Find another online article to post on, and while it’s easy to get defensive about a negative blog spot, I hope you won’t. Instead, focus your energies on sharing your positive story — that means sharing something about the many generations of family members in your ranch history, explaining how you care for your animals and providing testimonies about the safe, wholesome food you produce at your place. I promise, a few minutes carved out to do this small task will make a big difference.

Kathy Winkler Capturing the Spirit

Easy to Love • 22x28

I’ll Be Seeing You • 24x36

Rhapsody in Blue • 22x28

Original and Commissioned Paintings Limited Edition, Signed and Numbered Giclees Long Ago and Far Away • 16x10

Note Cards, Standard and Custom Matted Reproductions of Originals

Strollin’ • 16x20

KathyWinklerArt@aol.com

•

703/349-2243

For more information: www.dejavuimpressions.com Sentimental Journey • 22x28

Livestock Market Digest

Page 20

Forget PC: Is agriculture morally correct?

Speaker challenges cattlemen to examine ethics of food production hate to be an alarmist, but I have to tell you: there is a time for urgency, and the time is right now.”

Kevin Murphy didn’t mince words in getting to his point at the Feeding Quality Forum.

“We’ve got to change the way we look at food issues, the way we respond to those issues and how we do it with the proper language, and we’ve got to do it right now.”

He admitted to the cattlemen attending the event in Grand

“I

Island, Neb., and Amarillo, Texas, that his presentation was dramatically different than the others. The one-day educational seminars had a lineup of speakers focused on increasing economic feasibility and ideas the feedlot managers, owners and customers could take back and employ at their feedlots and ranches.

But none of those issues will matter if agriculture is regulated out of business by the activist groups he said are leading “an

attack on agriculture that is literally unrelenting.”

Murphy, the founder and owner of Food-Chain Communications LLC (truthinfood.com), spoke about the “food morality” movement and what it means to those in production agriculture.

“Every single day you can pick up a newspaper or magazine that talks about how horrible modern agriculture is and the sins of the industrial agriculture model,” he said. “Now, we see activists mov-

Don’t miss s this event a there is fun e for all in th family!

April 15, 2011 ing toward denouncing what goes on in food through the prism of morality, religion and ethics.”

And it’s not just typical groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

It’s the people those kinds of organizations work to influence, he noted: university professors, reporters, religious organizations and civic groups.

“You can’t believe these activists groups are so ‘way out there’ with unique and radical ideas that they will never gain mainstream momentum,” Murphy said. “If you think that, you haven’t been paying attention.

The people participating in the attack against agriculture are people you know.”

he said. Murphy shared four pointers to appeal to consumers’ moral questions: ■ “Re-discover the 21st century moral farmer. Throughout history, we have played on this image about how authentic and moral farming is, and now we’re allowing people to take that image away from us.” Everyone used to know and trust a farmer, Murphy pointed out. Society is now several generations removed from farming, but people still “yearn for a connection to the people who produce their food.”

Be that connection.

■ “Beware the double standard. This is a hot-button issue,” Murphy said, “but it must be addressed. If you do your best to raise a pet, even your best ranch dog, to human status, then don’t cry when somebody says a dairy

None of those issues will matter if agriculture is regulated out of business by the activist groups who are leading an attack on agriculture that is unrelenting.

~2ND ANNUAL~

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He pointed out that HSUS and PETA have more than 200 full-time employees working to disseminate information and influence opinions about agriculture. Opinions that include, but are not limited to, the topics of animal welfare and rights, the environment, food nutrition and safety and the ethics and morality of it all.

“Food is undeniably the most political issue on the planet,” he said, “and I feel like agriculture is completely ill-equipped and unprepared for anybody to ask a question about their ethics.

“We have a tendency in agriculture to look at food as a physical, tangible, packaged product.

In reality today, a lot of issues that are presented about food are not really about food — they’re about the issues that cascade around it,” he said.

Undercover videos of animal abuse, e-coli contamination, “factory farming,” water contamination, antibiotic resistance, growth hormones and legislated animal housing are topics that surround modern agriculture, but Murphy says they are issues the industry rarely deals with constructively.

“How does agriculture traditionally respond to bad press?

We ignore it. We scoff at it. We boycott it. We outlaw it. And my favorite — we ‘science-ize’ it. We put together a recommended handling guideline and auditing system. Then when consumers are unsure about how we handle our animals, we tell them to read the 100-page audit guide. Boy, that’ll show them,” he quipped.

Instead, he said, agriculturalists must be prepared to defend their practices morally and ethically.

“Agriculture appeals to scientific reason. Anti-agriculture activists appeal to emotion. That leaves an appeal to morality, and we better tell our story before the activists take our moral high ground right out from under us,”

cow, beef cow, chicken or pig deserves the same rights as a human.” He described a PETA billboard with the image of a kitten and a piglet with the text ‘How can we love one and eat the other?’ We must be able to morally and ethically differentiate the value of a human life and an animal’s with no exception, Murphy said.

■ “Shed our guilt.” Agriculturalists are always on defense, feeling guilty and apologizing for what we do, Murphy said.

“Frankly, farmers are in the business of feeding their fellow man, and they love what they do. Why in the world do we apologize for that? Stop it.”

■ “Ditch the public relations campaign. We dress up a picture of a farmer running through a field with a sunset behind him and think it’s going to make people feel warm and good about agriculture. That’s nothing but a false security.” Murphy pointed out that each segment of the agriculture industry — livestock species, fresh produce, grain or others — has its own public relations campaign, but the industry lacks a unified, grassroots voice.

In the end, Murphy said, winning the battle of being politically and morally correct in the agriculture arena comes down to one argument. “You have to be able to answer one simple question: is what you do right? And can you explain why? If you can’t explain what you do and why you do it, morally, you will not win.”

On the other hand, he said, “If we tell our moral story, we will win. If we can’t tell that story or at least begin to engage conversations in that arena, other people will begin to dictate what happens in our food system and we will be regulated to death.”

The Feeding Quality Forum was sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health, Land O’ Lakes Purina Feed LLC, Certified Angus Beef LLC and Feedlot magazine. For more information on the event and highlights from other speakers, visit http://www.cabpartners.com/events/past_eve nts/index.php