the blood vessels under the skin layer and/or (FWS) action earlier this year to remove the in the muscle tissue … and includes signifi- population cap on wolves means that wolf cant muscle tissue damage.” density will increase dramatically in Arizona Apparently, WS has already been using and New Mexico. The WS decision this by Caren Cowan, Publisher this new standard as far back as July 22. summer to change the evidence standards New Mexico There has been no public notice of the new means that there can be few if any findings Stockman evidence standard or its application. There of confirmed or even probable wolf depredawas no comment period, which is becoming tions on livestock. FWS will be relieved of the norm for government agencies relative responsibility to remove wolves that repeatto the Mexican wolf program. edly kill our livestock. These actions will “The proposed changes in the manage- make ranching unsustainable here in the ment of the Mexican Wolf Program will Southwest.” make it almost impossible for the Arizona Wehner told ranchers who heard that Department of Agriculture to meet our stat- changes in the evidence standards were utory mandate to protect the livestock being made and who pressed the issue that operators in this state,” wrote Arizona they had to provide comments by September fter 18 years operating under one set Department of Agriculture Mark Killian in 23. Regardless, given that there is no pubof standards, ranchers in southwest- a letter to Keith Wehner, Director, Western lished notice of a comment period, comments ern New Mexico and southeastern Region APHIS Wildlife Services. from other interested parties should be sent Arizona learned in late September that the “Your proposed New Standards disregard immediately to Wehner as well as other USDA APHIS Wildlife Services (WS) has the concerns of ranchers who are already USDA officials involved, including but not changed the evidence standards for confirm- waiting on depredation payments and will limited to Janet Bucknall, WS Deputy ing Mexican wolf kills on their livestock. raise the standard of proof to an impossibly Administrator; Wendy Anderson, WS AssisWith the new standards, there will be few if high level. There is evidence that you are tant Program Manager; Jennifer Moffitt, any confirmed or probable wolf kills. already following your New Standards Secretary for Marketing & Regulatory Under the proposed New Standards, the without due process for livestock owners,” Programs. only evidence that is actually relevant in wrote the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Assofinding a Confirmed Kill is “subcutaneous ciation and the Arizona Cattle Growers’ Watch for email addresses for these and other hemorrhaging and tissue damage,” where Association in a joint letter. government offices involved in this action on the New “subcutaneous hemorrhage” is defined to Nelson Shirley, a rancher living with Mexico Stockman Facebook page or contact caren@ “refer to heavy or uncontrolled bleeding from wolves, said “the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service aaalivestock.com. JUST THE FACTS ... & THEN SOME
USDA Secretly Makes Wolf Depredation Compensation Impossible
A
▫
LT Cattle Company Selling commercial Hereford bulls to cattlemen in rugged southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona for over 50 years. Our cowherd started with about 40 registered cows in the mid-1950’s. Our herd bulls come primarily from the Barber Ranch, Channing, Texas. We select for balanced traits, with a little more emphasis on growth. BW +3.4
EPDs for the last 15 years are: WW +57 YW +91 Milk +23 SC +.85
REA +.51
We will wean around November 1. Calves will be ready to go by mid-December. There will be some polled and a few registered bulls. Our current 240 Hereford cows birth unassisted out in big pastures. At branding time those of the calves that are structurally correct, have bone and a big square hip are left as bulls. We are confident our bulls used on your predominately black cowherd will give you a top end set of productive, fast growing black baldies. We would be honored to hear from you.
BR TNT 3A00 ET BW 3.2 WW 59
14
OCTOBER 2022
BD 4/24/2013 YW 101 MILK 26
SC 1.0
REA .82
LT Cattle Company Silver City, New Mexico Jimmy McCauley 575.574.2283 David McCauley 575.538.1828 Ryan McCauley 575.654.4030