Tri-State Livestock News' Forage 2019

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PUBLICATION

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SPRING 2019 EDITION

Since its inception in 1924, the name Sokota has been associated with quality seeds. The focus has always been, and will continue to be, the delivery of highly productive seeds that withstand the everchanging conditions of the Upper Midwest.

GRAIN SORGHUM GS-855

FORAGE SORGHUM FS-300

This hybrid has red grains that are large and round in shape.

The hybrid is 52 days to midbloom. It can be grown in short-season conditions and also in situations to escape drought in longer season conditions.

FS-300 is a non-BMR hybrid with tremendous yield potential.

FS-300 features good nutritional quality for a standard midrib hybrid and will produce a large grain head with high-grain yields.

FS-300 BMR

GS-750

This medium-early maturity hybrid produces a high-density, high-bushel weight, white grain. It has high tolerance to drought and will produce outstanding yields.

ALFALFA SB-1942 Northern hay producers will appreciate this top-yielding, finestemmed alfalfa that is specialized for the upper Midwest. Will alow up to four cuts if Mother Nature allows.

FS-300 BMR is the earliest BMR brachytic dwarf forage sorghum on the market. The tillering capabilities of this hybrid are unsurpassed, allowing for increased yields and ground cover.

FS-500 BMR

Medium early maturity. Extremely palatable, less waste. Digestibility and animal performance will be dramatically increased.

Drought-tolerant.

SORGHUM-SUDANGRASS SS-605

Produces thick, vigorous stands of fine-stemmed forage. It has excellent digestibility as compared to competing sorghum-sudan hybrids. Utilized by profit-conscious livestock producers. It’s a reliable, proven favorite.

SS-605 BMR

A brown midrib sorghum-sudangrass hybrid with excellent vigor and drought tolerance. Its exceptional palatability and digestibility makes this the variety of choice for many stockmen.

HYBRID PEARL MILLET

A warm-season annual grass commonly used for livestock forage. Having excellent seedling vigor, it is very quick to establish and can be ready for grazing or haying in as little as four weeks after emergence.

Call for a Dealer Near You

www.SokotaSeeds.com • Platte, SD • 605-337-9882

WWW.BRIDGERSTEEL.COM

11835 QUAAL ROAD, BLACKHAWK, SD TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

605.716.9003

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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The Vermeer N-series balers bring heavy-duty components for strength and durability in the field when you need it most.

Smart features like the available automatic pickup clutch and Auto Lube system help extend machine life. Plus, they’re backed by the best distribution network in the industry.

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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Because it’s more than a deal.

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Fantastic HQ, complete with the home, barn, mature shelterbelt, and corrals. Includes 1,043.25 tillable acres; watered by 2 electric wells and 4 dams.

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The regions choice ag weekly since 1981

What ranchers read.

1501 5TH AVENUE, SUITE 101, BELLE FOURCHE, SOUTH DAKOTA 57717 | 1 (877) 347-9100 | (605) 723-7013 | www.tsln.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS: (877) 347-9100 Publisher: SABRINA “BREE” POPPE Cell (605) 639-0356 | Office (877) 347-9104 spoppe@tsln-fre.com GM of Sales & Marketing & MT-WY-ND Fieldman: DENNIS GINKENS Cell (406) 670-9839 | dginkens@tsln-fre.com

Table of Contents

Editor: CARRIE STADHEIM cstadheim@tsln-fre.com Digital & Sections Editor: MARIA TIBBETTS mtibbetts@tsln-fre.com Audience Engagement Coordinator: LIZ BANMAN (970) 371-9073 |lbanman@tsln-fre.com Graphic Designer: CHRISTA VANDYKE Cattle Marketing Assistant & Nebraska Territory Account Manager: CARISSA LEE (877)347-9114 | clee@tsln-fre.com Special Projects Coordinator & Account Manager: DIANNA PALMER SD–N. of I-90 West of the River (605)423-6045 | (877)347-9112 | dpalmer@tsln-fre.com Account Manager: SUSAN CABLE SD–S. of I-90 Rosebud East Territory (605) 840-1986 | (888) 648-4449 | scable@tsln-fre.com Account Manager: KRISTEN SCHURR Montana-Wyoming-National (406) 498-6022 | kschurr@tsln-fre.com

8

Field Service & Ringmen

Frost seeding an alternative for improving forage

BY TAMARA CHOAT

16 MULTI-CROP ROTATION

Benefits of using multi-crop rotation

for livestock & crops

BY SHAUNA KOPREN

24 PAST TO PRESENT

Corn farming hasn’t been left

LIVESTOCK MARKETING DEPARTMENT

FROZEN ASSETS

in the dust

BY TRISTEN POLENSKY

32 CASH CROP

Winter wheat brings green

SCOTT DIRK, Dept. Director & Fieldman (605) 380-6024 | sdirk@tsln-fre.com West River SD, NE Territory

CHRIS EFFLING, Fieldman (605) 769-0142 | ceffling@tsln-fre.com East River SD, NE & MN Territory

in more ways than one

BY MEGAN SILVEIRA

DAN PIROUTEK, Fieldman (605) 544-3316 MATT WZNICK, Fieldman (406) 489-2414 | mwznick@tsln-fre.com

CLASSIFIEDS: CLASSIFIEDS@TSLN-FRE.COM COPYRIGHT 2019. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ERRORS: The Tri-State Livestock News & Farmer & Rancher Exchange shall be responsible for errors or omission in connection with an advertisement only to the extent of the space covered by the error.

Opinions stated in letters or signed columns do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of Tri-State Livestock News.

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

COVER PHOTO BY JEFF BARTLETT Jeff Bartlett focuses on the art and craft of adventure, blending photography, writing and video with a keen passion for story. | FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

40 TRITICALE

Offers protein, versatility

BY SAVANNA SIMMONS

48 CROPS TO GRASSLAND

Converting crops to grassland

BY RUTH NICOLAUS

58 COUNTING THE COSTS

Land-use decisions are increasingly

driven by science

BY RACHEL GABEL

70 START TO FINISH

Feeding your own corn

BY SHALEY LENSEGRAV

79 ADVERTISER INDEX

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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FORAGE 2019 7

Frozen Assets Frost seeding an alternative for improving forage Frosty berseem clover emerges from the winter ground. The new variety is the first berseem clover to be cold-resistant down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a great option for frost seeding. COURTESY PHOTOS

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| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

BY TAMARA CHOAT

A

sk farmers to describe a “typical” April day, and you’ll get a variety of responses: Rain. Snow. Wind. Freezing.

Sunshine. Tornados. Flooding.

The gamut of weather conditions during prime planting time can vary, and the workload crammed into “nice days” can get heavy.

Frost seeding is a somewhat paradoxical but effective planting method that allows farmers to win a hand with Mother Nature, even on her terms. Implemented in the late winter months while the ground is still frozen, frost seeding is simply broadcasting seed – normally a cold-tolerant legume – directly onto frozen soil, preferably with little to no snow cover. Subtle movements of the soil through freezing and thawing cycles allow the seed to embed up to a quarter-inch in the ground. By the time the soil has thawed and dried enough to get a tractor and drill on the ground, the seed will ideally have already germinated and established a stand – allowing for a head start on the growing season. Or, the seed can be spread on locations where a drill is not feasible or a current stand of other species needs to be supplemented.

Frost seeding has been around for a long time, says Risa Demasi, co-owner of Grassland Oregon, an international plant genetics company based in Salem, Ore. “There are some risks associated with it, but for unique situations, frost seeding is a great alternative that can improve legume stands in fields or pastures.”

An example of a situation that would be a good fit for frost seeding is a field where winter-kill has eliminated a stand of alfalfa. Here clover or other legumes can be frostseeded to “fill in the gaps” and improve yield. “We are likely to see a lot of winterkill this year,” says Demasi, “so this could be something people consider.”

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

Risa Demasi, marketing director and co-founder, Grassland Oregon, Salem, Ore.

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FROST SEEDING IS DONE WHILE THE GROUND IS STILL FROZEN. A LIGHT SNOW COVER CAN BE ADVANTAGEOUS, BUT TOO MUCH SNOW WILL IMPEDE THE SEED FROM REACHING THE SOIL.

Jerry Hall, plant breeder and co-founder, Grassland Oregon, Salem, Ore.

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Pastures that producers are seeking to improve nutrients from are also prime locations for frost seeding, by planting a desirable grazing legume before the growing season. Jerry Hall is a plant breeder and also co-owner of Grassland Oregon. He says the earlier establishment of seed into the soil allows new seedlings to better compete with established plants while the present plants are still dormant.

Hall says one challenge is seeds that germinate on the surface are still subject to winterkill. “Due to this it can be more difficult to establish full stands when compared to drilling, and thus seeding rates should be higher.”

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

Lance Lindbloom is an agronomist with 406 Agronomy in Havre, Mont., and has seen success with frost seeding. In his previous work as a farm manager in Nebraska, Lindbloom says he broadcast red clover and white clover seed along with spring fertilizer into a hay field that was predominantly cool and warm season grasses.

“Basically we were trying to fill holes in the ground, and add a legume to the mix,” he says. “The idea was the clover would have an opportunity to grow and replace other undesirables.”

Lindbloom says they used a reduced seeding rate, but implemented the practice over several years. “The first year or so we didn’t see a whole lot of difference,

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

but after that the clover became a good percentage of the stand.”

He added that currently in the agronomy industry there is a lot of attention paid to frost seeding grain crops. “It’s a different topic, but the same philosophy.”

Producers thinking about frost seeding should consider the following factors: 1) Evaluate seed species and varieties Red clover has long been noted as the best choice for frost seeding – clovers in particular have a smaller, slick seed and are more likely to settle into the soil.

Other species that work well include white clover, birdsfoot trefoil, perennial ryegrass, orchardgrass and smooth

bromegrass. A recent variety of berseem clover developed by Grassland Oregon called “Frosty” is being promoted for its ability to withstand temperatures of down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a great fit for the frost seeding model.

It is not recommended to use timothy or reed canarygrass for frost seeding, nor alfalfa, as they are not as cold-tolerant.

2) Seed to soil contact Ideal sites for frost seeding are fields or pastures with bare or exposed soil. Generally no-till fields with crop residue are not good locations because the seed will not easily reach the soil. Pastures that will be candidates for frost seeding can be grazed down to a lower-than-normal

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

Lance Lindbloom, agronomist at 406 Agronomy, Havre, Mont.

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

FORAGE 2019 11

level in order to expose more soil previous to frost seeding.

3) Consider seeding rate Broadcast seeding is not as efficient as drilling, so in most cases seeding rate should be bumped up slightly to compensate. However, contrarily, some producers opt to distribute the risk of frost seeding over several years and use a reduced seeding rate, but repeat the process for four or more years.

4) Seek out expertise Frost seeding is not for everyone, says Demasi. Those who have had good luck at it will be more likely to do it again, and those considering trying it

should seek out someone who has had success. “Look at your whole system, consider the risks and the benefits, and find out as much as you can about the process,” says Demasi. Agronomy and seed companies are tremendous resources, and can provide data and advice on which varieties can accomplish producers’ objectives and match their climates.

With the right research, timing and just a little bit of luck, frost seeding can be an inexpensive method to improve forage and hay grounds.

Sometimes you have to make hay – while the snow sparkles.

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Although not as effective as a drill in successful plant stand, broadcasting is the best fit for frost seeding.

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Vermeer, the Vermeer logo and Equipped to Vermeer, Do More the Vermeerare logo and trademarks Equipped to Do More of are trademarks Vermeer of Vermeer Manufacturing Manufacturing Company in the Company U.S. and/or other countries. in the © 2014 U.S. Vermeer and/or Corporation. other All Rightscountries.

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Ver meer ,

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | FARMER RANCHER Vermeer, the Vermeer logo and Equipped to Do More are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the U.S. and/or other countries. © 2014 Vermeer Corporation. All& Rights Reserved.

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FORAGE 2019 13

Improved pasture forages is a common objective of farmers who implement frost seeding practices.

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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BENEFITS OF USING

multi-crop rotation FOR LIVESTOCK & CROPS

BY SHAUNA KOPREN

Steers grazing pea-barley at the beginning of grazing.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE DICKINSON RESEARCH EXTENSION CENTER.

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

A

t the North Dakota State University Dickinson Research Extension Center, one focus is improving crop and beef cattle production efficiency. Douglas Landblom, a beef cattle specialist, has found that multi-crop rotations with beef cattle can increase efficiency while decreasing inputs.

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

Landblom’s research consists of studying the comparison of spring wheat grown continuously on the same land compared to spring wheat grown in a multi-crop rotation consisting of spring wheat, dual cover crop, silage corn, field pea-barley mix and sunflowers. Yearling steers grazed three of the rotation crops and the deposited manure and urine

contributed to soil organic matter, providing a food source for soil microorganisms.

According to Landblom, the principles of regenerative agriculture are based in the context of improving soil health. Systems like expanded crop rotations allow soil biota, microorganisms, and

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

FORAGE 2019 17

fungi the opportunity to function at a higher level of efficiency. “Managing crops in a way that gives soil organisms the food necessary to perform is extremely beneficial,” says Landblom.

During the first few years of the multi-crop rotation study, both spring wheat yields were 40 and 41 bushels per acre. However, Landblom found that by discontinuing fertilizer application on the spring wheat rotation reduced the cost for fertilizer and, when combined with an increase in soil-derived nitrogen, resulted in a $15 per acre greater net return

for spring wheat grown in the crop rotation that included livestock grazing.

“Increasing soil health results in greater biodiversity, while grazing reduces carbon dioxide emission, improves water cycles, and increases plant-available nitrogen,” says Landblom. The research conducted

by Larry Cihacek, Songul Senturklu, and Landblom found that for every one percent increase in field soil organic matter content there is potentially 16 pounds of nitrogen mineralized by soil microbes and available for plant growth.

Rotation spring wheat at harvest time.

GRAPHS COURTESY OF THE DICKINSON RESEARCH EXTENSION CENTER.

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

“Replacing fertilizer with nitrogen produced by soil microbial processes is water-dependent,” Landblom says. “Integrating crop and livestock systems increases soil organic matter and aggregation, which subsequently contribute to a soil’s water-holding capacity and offers an opportunity to support better yields during moderate drought in semi-arid regions.”

Winter crops like triticale, hairy vetch and winter rye seeded in the fall make excellent grazing crops the next spring for yearling steers, feeder heifers, cows and calves, or cull cows. Designing a grazing

system that incorporates native range, when annual forages need time to grow, and a sequence of annual forages for grazing throughout the summer provides a measure of grazing flexibility.

Landblom found that yearling steers that grazed native range and multi-crop rotations gained 495 pounds after grazing 211 days. After that, the grazing steers were in the feedlot for 82 days and then slaughtered, “Feedlot average daily gain was 4.7 pounds per day and required 6.23 pounds of feed per pound of gain,” Landblom says. “Compared to control steers that were finished in the feedlot, net

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

FORAGE 2019 19

return was greater for the extended forage grazing steers by $61 per steer.�

In the past, producers have focused on the maximum yield that they can get from a field. However, Landblom explains that regenerative agricultural thinking still focuses on the need to produce, but also looks at more alternative ways to achieve maximum economic yield while also relying less on

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

purchased inputs, like fuel, fertilizer, chemical, and labor, plus reducing environmental impact.

The multi-crop rotation was originally designed for grazing yearling steers, however, it can be manipulated for producers without livestock as well.

Producers can substitute the appropriate crop such as grain corn for forage corn and the pea-barley mix produces excellent hay. In addition, the pea-barley mix can be replaced with low-water use legumes

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FORAGE 2019 21

such as peas, lentils, canola, and chickpeas, which are known to be financially rewarding.

For producers that are interested in implementing an integrated crop and livestock system, Landblom suggests beginning with a plan that fits the available farm labor, machinery and infrastructure, and is agreeable with other farm members with a vested interest in the farm business. Additional consultation with property owners, lenders, tax consultants and spouses is also important to keep in mind whenever changes in a farm business plan are made.

Producers also need to determine the class of livestock and the way livestock will fit into their cropping system. “Begin with a goal to produce a sequence of crops that provide for a diversity of crop types using a combination of cool- and warm-season grasses and broadleaf crops for cash grain, oilseed and forage production,” Landblom says. “I cannot over-emphasize the necessity for diversity, which can have a significant impact on soil fertility, weed, and pest management.”

“Multi-crop diversity is very important, and every farm may have different goals and crop

Steers grazing forage corn at the beginning of grazing.

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sequences to achieve those goals,” Landblom says.

It is important for producers to seek individuals with experience when first planning a multi-crop and grazing rotation. These individuals can help design a cropping system to fit specific farm objectives and also facilitate expertise for placement of crops within the cropping sequence.

“Experience has shown that producers who begin alternative production methods begin to see greater residual nitrogen the third or fourth year after initiation and, therefore, can begin reducing

the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied and subsequently increase their efficiency of the cropping and cattle systems while lowering their inputs,” Landblom says.

For more information on the research done at the NDSU Dickinson Extension Center or to learn more about improving cattle production system efficiency contact Douglas Landblom at 701-456-1109, 701-690-8245, douglas.landblom@ndsu.edu.

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FORAGE 2019 23

LEFT: Cultivating corn in 1938. PHOTO BY BEN

SHAHN, FARM SECURITY ADMINISTRATION - OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS).

The latest technology allows farmers to harvest more corn with less inputs, providing for healthier soil and groundwater, as well as higher yields. SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO.

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Past to Present:

Corn farming hasn’t been left in the dust

BY TRISTEN POLENSKY

F

rom fertilizing to the sale of the seed, the process and techniques used to cultivate corn have steadily evolved since the first agriculturists began using the

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

land to farm. The Corn Belt of the Midwest has dominated the farming industry and corn production since the 1850s and has seen leaps in production since then.

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FORAGE 2019 25

Husking corn in about 1900.

DETROIT PUBLISHING COMPANY PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS).

Corn field around 1920.

THEODOR HORYDCZAK COLLECTION (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS)

26

Agricultural technology has been improving the daily lives of farmers and ranchers since the invention of the wheel, and the industry has come a very long way since then. The U.S. dominates the corn market, producing corn with over 90 million acres.

Beginning in Mexico from the wild grass called teosinte, Native Americans brought corn up the Mississippi River and began the long history of corn in the Midwest. Scientific studies and assessments led to the production of different varieties of the crop, including dent, flint, flour, sweet and popcorn.

because of its high volume of food per seed and because women and children could easily harvest it. The corn seeds were originally hand-planted, covered with a hoe, and the ears were individually handpicked. The first mechanical corn harvester was a horse-drawn sled cutter, developed in the mid 1800s. It cut the stalks to the ground, and then bound into shocks for drying. The first binder and picker was developed around the same time, but took much longer to become a practically used piece of machinery for farmers.

Most early farmers were eager to use new technology in their fields. Corn was a common crop

New plows and threshers were widely accepted in order to cut the time needed for the entire

FORAGE 2019

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Cutting corn around 1900.

DETROIT PUBLISHING COMPANY PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS).

production. At one point, it took two animals and three workers to plow a field. One worker would steer, one would drive the team, and one would clear the soil from the blade. The invention of the colter, a sharp wheel-shaped component added to the plow, cut into the surface of the soil to allow the blade to move easier through the ground.

during World War II. The auger was invented in

The invention of combine harvesters began in the 1800s as well, and companies like Holt, Gleaner, Case, and John Deere raced to patent their own models. The Great Depression halted the progress and farmers resorted back to traditional methods, but tractor-drawn combines became popular

Secretary and treasurer for the South Dakota Corn

1947, which created an easier method for unloading grain from the combines. Rotary combines were introduced in the 1970s, and on-board electronics in the 1980s. The new designs allowed farmers better yields in less time.

Growers Association Scott Stahl is a third-generation farmer that has watched his farm evolve since his grandpa started farming the land in McCook County. They plant corn, oats, and soybeans.

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FORAGE 2019 27

Planting corn in Iowa in about 1940.

PHOTO BY JOHN VACHON. FARM SECURITY ADMINISTRATION - OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS).

“At the end of the day, the farm economy has been tough the last four to five years. My dad always says the yield drives the farm, so I guess we’re trying to push for good yields and most efficient use possible,” Stahl said. He farms the land with his dad and uncle, wife Amanda, and their three boys (8, 6, and 3 years old).

Stahl explained the various techniques and practices they utilize in order to optimize the yields and care for the soil health each year. They use the latest biotechnology and hybrid seeds available to help provide disease resistance. “They have to perform in the adverse climates we have here—drought-hardy that can handle the stress and vigor of the Corn Belt.

We have our own fertilizer spreader and perform annual tests on our soil to make sure we’re optimizing

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for our crop but not too much that it becomes wasteful spending.”

They split-apply the nitrogen because it creates less leaching and less volatilization. Putting the nitrogen on at different times of the season is better for the environment and is more cost effective. Stahl also discussed the technology in their equipment, like iPads that document exactly what they’re doing for each application and provide harvest data.

“We’re able to take that data and optimize a plan for the following year and knowing the best areas and seeds, depending on where they’re located in the field and the weather. It’s really quite fascinating to see that data and see the variability in knowing what techniques work better. We’re always hoping to be pragmatic enough to know what we can do next year that will help better our farm and not only help

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us provide additional cash flow, but make sure we’re making the farm better for the next generation.”

farmers don’t want to use all the chemicals and fertilizers on their land, that’s why they’re spoon-feeding

The South Dakota Corn Growers Association’s In- that technology instead of just over-applicating evdustry Affairs and Legislative Director, Teddi Muel- erything. They have to wear all these different hats— ler had similar ideas about preserving the soil and scientists, meteorologists, and mechanics—because increasing yields. “The soil has been the number one they truly care about what happens to the land. If tool of the farm. Before, it was thought to be ma- they have to keep reapplying because of runoff, they BRING THIS CERTIFICATE IN TO YOUR LOCAL ARTEX DEALER WORTH chinery, but it’s not. There’s been a huge change. The have to pay more money to do that,” Mueller said. $1,000 soil health initiative has grown TOWARDS YOUR NEXT ARTEX EQUIPMENT PURCHASE. exponentially.

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More changes that the SDCGA has observed over the years include the policy aspect. They would get involved when the Farm Bill came around, but now they need hands-on activity in Pierre on a daily basis. Stahl said he became involved with the organization because they had a strong reputation of standing up for corn growers, and he admired the ability they had to shape policy across the state.

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Along with policy, Mueller said that the state has adapted to technology changes quickly and efficiently, and the changes have been for the positive.

“We have to sharpen our pencils faster than anybody else. We have to adapt. We were the first state to adapt to biotechnology. We make mistakes, but in the industry we hold each other accountable.

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Shelling Corn on a Nebraska farm in 1903. PHOTO BY SOLOMON D. BUTCHER, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

Today’s corn yields, machinery and production techniques have far exceeded previous generations’ wildest dreams. SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO.

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Picking corn near Lexington, Nebraska in 1905.

Photographer’s note: “Half day work for the young man.”

PHOTO BY SOLOMON D. BUTCHER, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

Corn farming has made an immense leap from when it began in the Midwest, and the technology and policy changes made have impacted these farmers with positive growth and better yields each year.

Stahl noted that every year they take more bushels of corn off the land. They’re able to do this through technology and updated practices. He didn’t want to pit agriculture against the coal and oil industries, but he brought up that taking a scoop of that out of the ground is all it is. That’s all there is for this generation.

“What we do on the farm is pretty powerful.

It’s all renewable. We plant the seed, nurture the crop, we watch it grow with God’s provision. That bushel of corn feeds people and supplies the fuel and energy needs of this country.

That’s pretty powerful to say. Every year it’s getting better, and our land is in better shape than it was the generation before. We’re doing something that is renewable and better each year. It’s exciting to be involved with it, and it’s an exciting time for agriculture.”

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FORAGE 2019 31

BY MEGAN SILVEIRA PHOTO BY KELLIE LASSACK

CA$H CROP Winter Wheat Brings Green in More Ways than One

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A

s the small white flakes fall to the already powder-covered ground, hairedup cattle venture out, plowing

their own paths through the pasture. These cattle are on the hunt for forage, searching for a food source that can get them through the winter.

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FORAGE 2019 33

Gardiner Angus Ranch in Kansas uses winter wheat to provide a cold-weather feed source. PHOTO BY KAYLA GARDINER.

Similarly, cattlemen across the country are constantly on the hunt for the best feed for their cattle during these tough months, one meeting their herd’s nutritional needs without breaking the bank.

Gordon Jamison, owner of 20,000 acres and a Hereford cow-calf operation, is one of the many cattle ranchers who believes wheat is the solution.

In Quinter, Kansas, Jamison said his cattle need more feed during the winter to keep up normal bodily functions.

“I think winter is the critical time to keep condition on cattle,” Jamison said. “We find that wheat is the near perfect feed when we have it.”

Dr. Twig Marston, field beef nutritionist said that as temperatures drop and wind chill sets in, cattle

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need more energy to stay in the proper thermoneutral zone and keep up performance levels.

When wheat is in its growth stage, Marston said it has 20 percent-plus crude protein and a high moisture content. As the plant matures, the crop’s nutrient content does decrease, but its winter annual growth cycle makes it an excellent option for grazing in the winter.

“Wheat possesses the opportunity for growth prior to freezing temperatures,” Marston said. “It’s a really good, complete kind of forage system in the winter.” He said the crop needs a wet season. Without at least a small amount of rain, the crop does not grow to its full potential, Jamison said. When the winter lacks moisture, he said cattle on wheat will require some sort of feed supplement.

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Unfortunately, in his part of Kansas, Jamison said he cannot always rely strictly on winter wheat. If he does not plant at the right time or have enough rainfall before the cold months, Jamison said his cattle will need more than just the grazing crop on its own.

Wheat can withstand the winter weather, but it does have some particular conditions that it needs to truly thrive.

John McCurry of McCurry Angus in Burton, Kansas said wheat grows best in at least 50-degree weather and when rain comes during the colder months.

While wheat does possess the ability to “go to sleep and come back alive again” during a freeze, ranchers still need to be able to try to balance their animals’ needs with predictions of how future weather might affect their crops.

Jamison said this particular crop is the only one he knows of that will “stay green through to winter.”

He respects wheat for its ability to freeze down but maintain its color and nutritional value.

According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, one of the biggest differences between species of winter wheat is its cold tolerance—some are more cold-hardy than others. Without winter snow cover, or in dry winters, winter wheat crops are more likely to suffer injury, especially if dry conditions are coupled with winter winds.

The planting depth can also affect the success of a winter wheat crop. Wheat that is planted deeper, so the crown is farther under the surface of the soil, is more likely to survive cold temperatures.

Winter wheat is also more likely to do well if the

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temperature declines gradually, after the plants are established, so they have a chance to “harden off,” rather than being subjected to temperatures that plummet suddenly.

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While winter wheat must be carefully managed to avoid damage to the crop, if harvesting grain is the goal, Jamison still describes wheat as a “win-win crop.”

“Wheat is very high in protein,” Jamison said. “It supplies more than cattle actually need. If you have plenty of it, there’s no better way to put weight on cattle.”

McCurry said wheat “packs a punch” nutritionally for his cattle while still helping keep the costs of his operation down. Wheat is a crop McCurry said can grow through the winter months at an economical price.

Jamison believes cattle grazing on the crop is also advantageous for the plant. Keeping wheat fields grazed down prevents disease and wind erosion, he said.

Grazing his cattle on wheat during the winter decreased McCurry’s operating costs. “Any day the animal is harvesting and processing what they eat, and you’re not hauling them off, you’re better off,” he said.

McCurry said one major component of feed costs is feed supplementation, but Marston says cattle on wheat pastures often require minimal supplementation, if any. Cattle might require a protein or feed

McCurry stresses the importance of keeping wheat grazed down. Besides shorter wheat growing better, he said bites of shorter wheat are denser and more beneficial for the animals.

Winter wheat is suitable for all classes of cattle and, in many cases, is a complete nutrition source, so requires no additional supplementation.

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“You want to also consider your forage availability if you’ve got so many cattle on a certain land mass with a certain percentage of plant growth,” Marston said. “Other forages or grain supplementations can help stretch the grazing.”

In regards to other costs of grazing on wheat pasture, Marston said there are many different management decisions a producer can make to “personalize the grazing system.”

If grazing cattle on wheat the producer owns, Marston said there is the option of utilizing the crop for both grazing and grain yields. To reap the full benefits of grain yields, he said cattle need to be turned out once the plant is rooted down and then pulled off when it becomes hollow-stemmed.

If a rancher is planning to lease wheat pasture, Marston said the list of various financial decisions grows. Pasture land can be rented on a costto-gain basis, where cattle are weighed after coming off the grazing land and one would pay so much per pound gained. Another option is to pay per acre, a choice where Marston said ranchers will have to consider stocking rates and density.

As with any land-rental agreement, the contract should spell out who will handle pasture upkeep, fence management and watering options. While there are a lot of components to managing a cattle herd on wheat pasture, Marston said better management leads to better returns.

In the end, however, McCurry describes all setbacks with this crop as “controllable,” and considers wheat to be a reliable food source for cattle during the winter.

Another option for a winter grazing crop is triticale, a wheat hybrid Jamison said is highly comparable to wheat. Jamison describes triticale as a rye-wheat cross and the only crop he considers to even be in the same realm as wheat when it comes to winter grazing options.

“It’s exactly like wheat in the value it provides,” he said. “Except with the same amount of moisture, it will produce 10-20 percent more forage.”

Then why not plant all triticale? Jamison said it’s about “not putting all your eggs in one basket.” Triticale is less hardy in the winter compared to wheat and lacks the grain value wheat provides, he said.

As a cash crop, wheat provides extra income for his operation and becomes the answer to more than just the winter grazing problem, because it can still be harvested as a cash crop in the summer.

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T

BY SAVANNA SIMMONS

riticale, pronounced trit-ih-KAY-lee (or trit-ihKAYL, if you live west of the Mississippi) has resurfaced as a choice grain for high-protein feed.

The crop species, a cross of wheat (Triticum) and rye (Secale), has been around for many years, however, its popularity surges and ebbs. Producers tend to either love and continually plant the crop or give it a go once and decide they have another preference.

Robert Franke, an 84-year-old farmer from Hillsboro, Wisconsin, fits the former. A newspaper ad for triticale caught his eye in 1969, and he decided to plant the protein-rich crop for his cattle. Franke reached out to Duane Bye out of Devils Lake, North Dakota, who had placed the triticale ad, and Franke learned that Bye would be coming to Madison, Wisconsin, so Franke and his wife met with Bye to figure out how to proceed.

Franke ordered 50 bushels initially, and Bye’s brother showed up with an entire semi-load.

“I stored it and shipped it out,” Franke said. “At that time, we shipped seed air freight. It was cheaper than by truck.

Between Duane and me, we supplied seed for practically all states east of the

Mississippi River. There were only three states we didn’t sell seed to.”

For local orders, Franke would load his mother’s Ford Galaxy—with the back seat removed and her two friends in the front with her—with nearly a ton of seed to bring to Madison for customers.

Franke relished the crop for its versatility in crop rotations, which were a trend for a while, then fell in popularity.

“We did rotations and planting fall cover crops back in the ’40s and in the ’50s, and in about 1955, from then on, people began to think they could plant corn on corn on corn, just adding more fertilizer,” Franke said. “Now it’s reversed back to what it was.”

Triticale is hybrid cross between wheat and rye that has proven to be a versatile feed source, though it often suffers in drought conditions. SHUTTERSTOCK.

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FORAGE 2019 41

Dusty Pulver was impressed by the high yield of Triticale while combining the crop for the first time.

He fed it to replacement heifers and saw 100 lbs. of growth in two months. PHOTO BY DUSTY PULVER.

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Triticale provided a spring and fall crop for Franke after a happy accident occurred while harvesting the crop for the first time.

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“There was things universities told us wouldn’t work but did. The first year we combined it, I wasn’t used to setting the combine for that kind of grain,” he said. “Some went over the sieves and the next spring, it was growing, so we left it.

Then, before the oats were ready, this was ripe and ready.”

Franke found triticale to be hardy and tall, often yielding more than similar counterparts.

Due to its lack of hull, the grain didn’t need to be ground in order to be fed.

“Instead of buying soybean meal, which at that time was quite expensive, when feeding oats or corn, producers could also throw a couple shovels full in their bin and had the same amount of protein,” Franke said.

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Raising triticale ended for Franke during a series of poor circumstances that started initially with a damp, humid Wisconsin summer, which made for impossible conditions to harvest the triticale, ending in it going to seed.

“What I should have done was disk it into the ground,” he said. While disking a perfectly good crop into the ground isn’t normal practice, no one Franke had sold seed to would sell him any back.

He ran into health and other life problems and so triticale and Franke essentially parted ways.

Roger Dikoff, a producer near Hermosa, South Dakota, tried his hand at triticale for only a short year, and while he got a high yield, the low calcium content was a concern for him.

“We put it in for feed. We rolled it up in big bales and ground it,” Dikoff said. “It was ok, there was a lot of tonnage and a lot of stuff there, and it’s just like winter wheat or rye, it competes with weeds well and chokes them out.”

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WINNER LOCATION - 27855 Golden Prairie Drive • Winner, SD Call Tresh Swedlund 605-840-4070 or Justin Vietor, Winner Store Manager 605-842-2293 WHITE RIVER LOCATION - 1107 Park Place, White River, SD 605-259-SCLS GREGORY LOCATION - 33830 US Hwy 18, Gregory, SD Katie Kahler, Gregory Store Manager 605-680-9384 or 605-835-BEEF

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FORAGE 2019 43

Dusty Pulver also spent a year with triticale, though unlike Dikoff, he plans to replant it. He favors the leniency in harvesting and high yield.

“It was a learning experience; I had to do a lot of reading and studying on it,” Pulver said. “To put it up properly, it had to be in the milk stage, and the first time looking at it, I thought it was in the milk stage.

When the heads first start coming out, and you pop it open, there is a white milk inside of there.”

What he was really after was the dough stage, in which that milk turned into a cottage cheese consistency, doughy and soft, a period which lasts about 12 days, he said, far longer than hay or barley’s one to two days to put up.

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“The next thing I learned about was nitrates.

What I learned from other people is that it’s a crop you want to cut after noon,” the rancher from Ismay, Montana, said. “The nitrates rise in it pretty good in mornings, especially cool, early mornings. I cut it in the afternoon so the nitrates would go back down, and there was a lot of waiting for it to dry.”

As a new manager of the Burk Ranch with triticale already in the ground, Pulver decided to feed it to their replacement heifers and saw great success.

“It’s not like grain where calves will go to it every time and just eat, eat, eat,” he said. “They will kind of limit themselves to it. We started out pretty light on them. We don’t have a feed lot exactly, so we

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weren’t able to scale it to know what weight we were feeding.”

Pulver estimated how much he fed, starting at approximately two to three pounds per day, which the calves cleaned up well.

“Of course the stalks, they wouldn’t eat those, but the heads, they cleaned up really nice,” he said. “They stayed healthy, and haired up good, gaining a little more than 100 lbs. in two months.”

The grain is nothing if not versatile. Sherry Floyd, of Idaho, pastures her cows on triticale through the winter, renting the field from a neighbor.

“I leave the cows on it until the first of March or when the temperature stays above 60, and it really starts to grow,” she said. “They will green chop it around the middle of May, then plant corn. The neighbors have dairies, so they feed the greenchopped triticale to their dairy cows.”

Pulver’s only hesitance with triticale is a pending a dry year, he said. Triticale often performs better in normal to ample rain conditions.

Triticale, under the right conditions, tends to be denser than wheat and produces more forage per acre. SHUTTERSTOCK.

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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FORAGE 2019 45

1-877-347-9100 • www.tsln.com

LIVESTOCK MARKET • NAPOLEON, ND

NAPOLEON LIVESTOCK 701-754-2216

ND’s #1 YEARLING MARKET Regular Cattle Sale Every Thursday Monthly Cow Sales Through April Large Yearling Runs: Aug.-Sept.

40,000 Feeder Cattle Sold Jan.-Apr. Ray Erbele: 701-424-3307 Jim Bitz: 701-754-2404 Paul Bitz: 701-754-2440 George Bitz: 701-754-2857 For Market Reports & Upcoming Consignments.

Check out our website: napoleonlivestock.com

• BELLE FOURCHE, SD

and

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• LEMMON, SD

LEMMON LIVESTOCK INC.

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Baxter & Skyler Anders, Owners - 605-685-4862 Brett Loughlin - 605-210-0615 Randy Curtis - 605-892-5694 Craig Deveraux - 307-746-2317 Mike Greenough - 307-620-2597 Joe Vodicka - 307-351-2024 Bill Johnson - 605-866-4813 Dan Piroutek - 605-544-3316 Bob Anderson 605-641-1042 Gary Krell - 307-746-8051 Rod Schaffer - 406-672-5546 Ty Jones - 406-951-4221 Jason Schaffer - 406-853-4626 Jason Twitchell - 406-480-2345 www.bellefourchelivestock.com

Cattle Sell Every Friday • St. Onge, SD 605-642-2200 • 800-249-1995

Barney Barnes - Sheep Yards Mgr. Justin Tupper - Cattle Yards Mg. & Auctioneer: 605-456-2582 605-680-0259 • 605-722-6323 Brooke Tupper - Off. Mgr.: 605-642-2200 Fieldman: Tim Tetrault: 605-641-0328 • Ron Frame: 605-641-0229 Jess Cline: 307-751-8143 • Dustin Vining: 605-354-9966 Ray Pepin: 605-892-5072 • Scott Crowser: 605-645-2654 CaseyHumble: 605-490-9829 • Trler Scott: 406–853-5690

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• Special Sales as Advertised

REGULAR CATTLE SALES THURSDAY

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Sheep Sell Every Thursday • Newell, SD 605-456-2348 • 800-409-4149

Contact:

Paul Huffman, Owner/Mgr. 605-374-5675 605-645-2493 Chad Hetzel, Asst. Mgr. 701-376-3748 Clint Ehret, Baker Field Rep. 406-778-3282 or 406-772-5522 Jim Sheridan, Field Rep 605-490-2288 or 605-967-COWS

• DICKINSON, ND

STOCKMENS LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE Selling Thursdays 701-225-8156 800-472-2667 (ND & MT only)

“For the Best in NorthernGrown Feeder Cattle” All Fresh Rancher-Consigned Cattle

Owner: Thor Roseth Owner/Auctioner: Jeff Long Philip, SD: 605-685-5826 Auctioneers: Lynn Weishaar: Reva, SD 605-866-4670

Office: 605-859-2577

Fieldmen: Billy Markwed ~ Midland, SD: 605-567-3385 Bob Anderson ~ Sturgis, SD: 605-347-0151 Clint Hammerstrom ~ Hereford, SD: 605-490-0711 Mark Lantis ~ New Underwood, SD: 605-390-7828 Dan Piroutek ~ Milesville, SD: 605-544-3316

• VALENTINE, NE

• MANDAN, ND

VALENTINE LIVESTOCK AUCTION CO.

Cattle Sales on Thursday Special Feeder Sales Fall, Winter & Spring Greg Arendt, Mgr. 402-376-3611 • 800-682-4874 www.valentinelivestock.net Internet & Private Placements Available

Manager - Bill & Fred Kist 701-663-9573

Toll-Free in North Dakota 800-732-1163

Regular Sales Every Wednesday Horse & Dairy Sales Last Saturday of Each Month

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Cattle Sale Every Tuesday

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DIRECTORY CALL TODAY TO LIST YOUR SALE BARN IN THE TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

877-347-9100

• FT. PIERRE, SD FT.

PIERRE LIVESTOCK AUCTION, INC.

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• BASSETT, NE

• MILES CITY, MT

BOWMAN AUCTION MARKET

MILES CITY LIVESTOCK COMMISSION

Computerized Ring Scale

877-211-0600 Regular Sale Every Monday

Special Sales as Advertised

Marketing Cattle, Sheep, & Horses

Regular Cattle Sales Tuesday Special Feeder Sales In Season Horse Sales As Advertised Home of Frontier Stockyards

P.O. Box 58 Bowman, ND 58623

Cattle Every Friday

800-280-7210

Sale Barn: 605-223-2576

Dennis Hanson: 605-223-2575 Willie Cowan: 605-224-5796 Bryan Hanson: 605-280-1283 • KIMBALL, SD

Harry Kerr, Mgr. 701-523-5922 701-523-6711 (c) Wayne Miller Field Rep 701-523-6885

www.frontierstockyards.com

Bart Meged 406-951-3005 Office • 406-234-1790 800-755-5177 Amanda Kincheloe Office Mgr Andy Wemmer 406-853-0539 Danny Maag 406-351-9349

• RUSHVILLE, NE

Sheridan LiveStock auction co., inc.

• CRAWFORD, NE

Owners: Jake Maurer • 402-822-0080 Shane Kaczor • 402-336-7011

• BILLINGS, MT

BILLINGS LIVESTOCK COMMISSION

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Sales Every Friday

CHAD HEEZEN (605) 870-0697 EMAIL: COWTRACKS@MIDSTATESD.NET 605-778-6211 • 888-282-2593 WADE CHRISTENSEN (605) 730-1801 WEBSITE: KIMBALLLIVESTOCKEXCHANGE.COM

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Horse Sales Every Month As Advertised OWNERS: Chad Heezen 605-870-0697 LEE NESS (605) 680-2778 Hogs Sell at 9:30 a.m.

CHRISTI CHRISTENSEN - OFFICE MANAGER Wade & Christina Christensen: (605) 680-1536 DICK DEFFENBAUGH (605) 680-1324 Weigh-ups & Bulls Sell at 11:00 a.m.

605-730-1801 Tuesday Sales - Sales Broadcast On Cattleusa.com Stock Cattle Sell at 1:00 p.m.

Dick Deffenbaugh: 605-680-1324 Owners: David Viereck: 605-680-0386 Dan & Sherry Otte 308-362-2563 Lee Ness: 605-680-2778 Kirk Otte 308-282-0282 Steve Chavez: 605-860-0016 Fieldmen: Wayde Bolden, Gilbert Grooms • Galen Paul Munsen: 605-680-1450 kimballlivestockexchange.com Voss • Chip Hartman • Travis Binger STEVE CHAVEZ (605) 860-0016

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• FAITH, SD

Regular Sales on Monday Tues. Sheep Sales in Season Phone 605-967-2200 Dace Harper 605-515-1535 Mason Dietterle 605-580-5878 Doug Dietterle 605-580-1362 Max Louglin 605-244-5990 Troy Wilcox 605-515-0121 Kaden Deal 605-515-4180 www.faithlivestock.com

Toll Free: 866-665-2220

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• TORRINGTON, WY

626 West Valley Rd. Torrington, WY 307-532-3333

All Classes – Every Friday Yearlings & Calves – Wednesday Bred Cow Specials Go to www.torringtonlivestock.com for current listings, sale schedules & results

Lex Madden 307-532-1580 Michael Schmitt 307-532-1776 Chuck Petersen 307-575-4015

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

Cattle Sales Every Thursday Monday IN Season Northern Livestock Video Auction Horse Sale the 4th weekend of each month For Information or to Consign Call: 1-800-635-7364 or call: Ty Thompson 406-698-4783 Dan Catlin 406-671-7715 Bill Cook 406-670-0689 website: www.billingslivestock.com

• HERREID, SD

HERREID LIVESTOCK MARKET Regular Cattle Sales Every Friday Special Sales by Appointment 605-437-2265

Owners/Managers Joe Vetter: 701-391-3479 J.R. Scott: 605-359-7358 Kent Fjeldhein: 605-848-3459

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

FORAGE 2019 47

SDSU’s Northeast Research Farm plots are covered with native species. The plots are sponsored by NRCS for landowner and staff education, and are used in the S.D. Grassland Coalition’s annual Grassland Management School as well as for other outreach opportunities.

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| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

BY RUTH NICOLAUS

W

ith the low price of commodities, many producers are struggling to cover input costs.

Converting crops

to grassland

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

FORAGE 2019 49

And with the goal of netting a profit, some farmers are choosing to convert marginal cropland back to grass.

In 1996, Jim and Karen Kopriva, who live at Raymond, S.D., in the northeast corner of the state, bought some farm ground with the intent to farm it till it was paid for, then put it into pasture.

They kept good records, tracking input costs and net profit for the first three years. The first year, it made $12 an acre; the second year, it cleared $14, and the third year it made $16 an acre.

The Koprivas were renting pasture for their cattle at $20 an acre, which wasn’t optimal for more reasons than just the cost. “When you rent grass, you inherit poor fences and abused grass conditions,” Kopriva said. “Then you fix it up and get the grass healthy, and you lose it to somebody who outbids you.”

So for him, it made sense to take crop land that wasn’t making money and put it into grass. “We’re not sorry one bit we did that,” he said.

“It became abundantly clear that it was not going to pay for itself with grain production, ever.”

Kopriva did some research, talked to some agencies, and decided to take 207 acres of level ground and plant it to native grasses: big bluestem, Indiangrass, switchgrass, and sideoats grama. The seed was expensive, so he searched around for cost share opportunities. While talking to the S.D. Department of

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Game, Fish and Parks, they said they had a program to help him.

They would offer the cost of the seed if he would make a commitment to leave it in grass for ten years. After ten years, he could do what he wanted with it. And during the ten years, he could hay it but not until after July 15, when the primary nesting season ended.

So he agreed. “They plunked down $40,000 for me to buy grass seed with,” he said.

He planted it and it grew.

The weeds came the first couple years, mostly broadleaf, and Kopriva controlled them by mowing with a sickle mower. After the weeds were under control, the grass did very well, and it was productive, yielding four to five tons of hay per acre. It wasn’t his original plan to hay it, but with no water or fences on it, it wasn’t ready for grazing.

He also didn’t want to graze cattle on it for a few years, especially when the soil was wet. Sod that has been newly changed from crop ground to native grasses hasn’t had time to develop its soil health yet.

Conventional farming breaks up soil structure, which decreases water infiltration; that, along with soil microbes, needed to be restored to allow native grass roots to develop and help build the soil structure and organic matter again.

Kopriva uses part of his native grass area for calving. The grass is six to seven feet in height, allowing cows a private area in which

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Jim Kopriva does controlled burns in his native grasses every few years to keep the weeds at bay.

The burns are beneficial for the native grasses.

JIM KOPRIVA BALES THE NATIVE GRASS GROWING ON HIS FARM IN NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. IN THE LATE 1990s, HE CONVERTED MARGINAL CROP GROUND TO GRASS.

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

FORAGE 2019 51

Jim Kopriva stands in the native grasses growing on his farm. He uses a portion of his native pasture for calving; the tall grass gives cows and calves a chance to bond.

SNOW DRIFTS BETWEEN STRIPS OF NATIVE GRASS AT JIM KOPRIVA’S FARM IN NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. THE RAYMOND, S.D. FARMER CONVERTED MARGINAL FARM GROUND TO NATIVE GRASSES NEARLY TWENTY YEARS AGO.

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| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

to calve and bond. And it’s a clean, sterile environment. No animals are grazed on it except during the calving season.

Mostly, the native grass he raises is used for hay. There’s a good market for native grass hay, and good quality grass hay brings a premium.

Across the state, to the south and west, Colby LaCompte has done something very similar.

The Winner, S.D. farmer decided to take about 200 acres of his farm ground and put it to native grasses.

He was showing a net loss with the corn, soybeans and winter wheat he raised on rotation.

So in the fall of 2016, he planted three native grasses: green needlegrass, western wheatgrass, and pubescent wheatgrass. The grass got a good start with adequate rainfall the next year, and LaCompte let it grow that year.

In 2018, he hayed some of it and put cattle on some of it.

He had several goals in mind. In the short term, he wanted to improve cash flow on that ground. In the long term, he needed additional feed for his livestock and wanted to eliminate soil erosion.

In just two and a half years, his goals have been met. He can tell, “absolutely,” that soil erosion has been diminished dramatically. He has additional grass for his cow/ calf pairs, reducing overgrazing on his existing pasture, and his net return was a profit instead of a loss.

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

LaCompte got help, in part, from EQIP, (Environmental Quality Incentives Program), a voluntary conservation program helping farmers and ranchers to promote agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals. EQIP is a USDA Farm Bill program administered by the NRCS. It was either rent more pasture or convert crop ground to grass, LaCompte said, and it was “more profitable to plant farm ground back to grass than pay high-dollar rent.”

Looking back, if he could have done anything differently, he’d have converted more farm ground into grass. “I’d do more of it,” he said.

Another benefit of grassland is the wildlife. LaCompte sees more pheasants and deer, and Kopriva, in his corner of S.D., sees more animals, too, especially pheasants.

In the nearly twenty years that Kopriva has had his native grasses, he has used controlled burns to keep out the weeds. Non-native grasses move in, especially smooth brome, which is a thief. “It robs all the nutrients and water for the year,” Kopriva said, and puts out a seed head “before the wild grass wakes up in the spring.” Then there is no moisture or nutrients for the native grass. About May 1, Kopriva does a controlled burn. The native grasses aren’t up yet and the brome, crested wheatgrass and cheatgrass is. The burn “will really suppress the

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

FORAGE 2019 53

The Kopriva family: Jim and Karen, daughter Angela and son Lee, kneel in the native grasses that grow on land that once raised corn, soybeans and wheat.

non-natives. It messes them up and they’re out of the picture for two or three years.”

might make $2,000 an acre. “How many years of $15 an acre does it take to equal that?”

Burning doesn’t cost as much as chemicals but it does require wisdom and time, and it’s part of the operation of native grasses. “It takes more management,” he said. “It’s less expensive on a cash outlay basis, but it takes management and discipline to say, it’s not wise to burn today.”

He notes that with native grasses, the soil is doing what it was created to do, with no inputs from the producer. With farm ground, “you’re buying inputs and those inputs are things that the soil should produce. We take the short cut and pour more fertilizer and chemicals on it to make it produce. It will produce if you keep it healthy and in a healthy condition.”

The native grasses have benefited Kopriva in more ways than with hay and cattle feed. Twice in the years he’s had the grass he’s harvested the seed off those acres. The burn is especially beneficial in the growing season before seed harvest, he says.

“You can’t believe how influential that fire is on the production of the natives,” he said. He noted that experts believe the entire Great Plains burned, from one end to the other, although not at the same time, at least once every decade. For his seed, he

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Kopriva is a board member with the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition, a group that educates people about how to learn to work with their soil, “to let it regenerate so it has greater productive capabilities and great economic capabilities, to let soil do what it was designed to do, with less inputs.”

Nineteen years ago, Kopriva moved away from grain production and more into hay. He planted

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

alfalfa and grasses into his farm ground and now harvests horse and dairy hay instead of corn, beans and wheat. He has 1,200 acres in hay ground and about 100 acres dedicated to grain production. “I don’t have to re-establish the roots every year,” he said. His hay is sold to North Carolina, Wyoming, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Kopriva’s neighbors are all grain farmers, “and they think they’re making money,” he said. A neighbor “told me he was sleeping like a baby,” through tough financial times. “He wakes up every hour and cries himself back to sleep.”

“We went from conventional black dirt farmer mentality to doing the math and figuring out that it wasn’t working. We weren’t looking for it to make us wealthy but we were looking to relieve debt, feed the family, put the kids through college.

We had expenses.”

The conversion from crop ground to native grassland “had to work or I had to do something else.

We made those decisions for financial reasons,” Kopriva said. “It was plain old not making money.

We came to the fork in the road and took the one less traveled.”

The South Dakota Habitat Conservation Foundation, SDSU, and NRCS are working together on a project called Every Acre Counts. The program is designed to help farmers better manage marginal ground while improving their bottom line.

Four regions of South Dakota have been selected to start the project: Moody, Lake and Minnehaha Counties, Brown, Spink, Clark and Day Counties, Edmonds, Potter and Faulk Counties, and Aurora, Brule, Buffalo and Jerauld Counties. For more information on Every Acre Counts, contact SDSU or email project directors Anthony.Bly@sdstate.edu or Matthew.Diersen@sdstate.edu.

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FORAGE 2019 55

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1-877-347-9100 grocery and building material businesses. Plus hundreds braska, Wyoming, North weekly Dakota, Mon-• www.tsln.com publication distributed free in the upper Midwest region. published in 1981 the Farmer & weekly RancheragriculExchange offers a of First seedstock cattlemen utilize the only tana, and readers Minnesota, the Dakota, Farmer Ne& antique dealers, realtors, auctioneers, seed, feed, retail, ith 52,800 in South vastpublication potential customer base with the largest tural with 100% advertising to geographical promote coverage Rancher Exchange North is the largest braska, Wyoming, MonHundreds of businesses and individuals rely on Dakota, the “buyweekly and sell grocery and building material businesses. Plus hundreds any South Dakota-based publication. their annual production sales. agricultural First published in 1981 Many of the free the upper of seedstock cattlemen utilize the only weekly agricultana, agriculturalists. and distributed Minnesota, the in Farmer & of bibleâ€? advertising to reach the publication region’s These loyal advertisers verypublication first advertisers consistently placed ads in the Farmer & the Farmer & Rancher Exchange offers a vast potential with have 100% advertising to promote Rancher Exchange is the largest weekly includeMidwest region. livestock markets, vehicle dealers, farm machinery and tural Rancher Exchange for over 30First years.published in 1981 customer base with the largest geographical coverage of annual production sales. advertising distributed free auctioneers, in rely the on upper equipment dealers, dealers, realtors, seed, their Hundreds ofpublication antique businesses and individuals the

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any South Dakota-based agricultural publication. Many the Farmer & Rancher Exchange offers a vast potential of the very first advertisers have consistently placed ads customer base with the largest geographical coverage of in the Farmer & Rancher Exchange for over 30 years. any South Dakota-based agricultural publication. Many of the very first advertisers have consistently placed ads in the Farmer & Rancher Exchange for over 30 years.

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Unwise pasturing in the fall can destroy vegetative cover essential to soil protection in the winter and spring, as evidenced here. A cover crop was grown on this field in 1937 that had been abandoned in 1935 because of wind erosion. But despite these erosion control methods, overgrazing coupled with the weather conditions caused the soil to blow again.

COUNTING

THE

COSTS

BY RACHEL GABEL

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T

he mention of the Dust Bowl evokes images of drifted dirt, barren landscapes, suffocating dust in the air, and ruined crops, livelihoods, and desperate families. With modern day farming practices and conservation efforts, it appears farmers and ranchers have learned from the days when blowing dirt spelled disaster.

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Land-use decisions are increasingly driven by science TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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Dr. David Clay, professor of soil science at South Dakota State University, has been collecting data over three time intervals, 2006, 2011, and 2014 at locations across Nebraska and South Dakota. Using high-resolution remote-sensing data sets made available by the federal government, the research team identified land uses at 80,000 points. By comparing the data over three time intervals, the team was able to determine land use changes.

Clay said that a Wyoming researcher, Dr. Benjamin Rashford, said in a published paper (Cons. Biol.

25:276-284) that based on results from an economic model, “nearly 12.1 million ha (30 million acres) could be converted by 2011” in the Prairie Pothole region of the northern Great Plains. The Prairie Pothole region contains portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Montana.

However, these potential estimates were much higher than the 1.3 million acres that Dr. Wright and Dr. Wimberly (PNAS 110:4134-4139) reported to have been converted from grasslands to corn and soybean production for the entire states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa.

The team compared the land use changes with the suitability of the land for cropland and what they found was a fair amount of conversion but, more interesting to Clay, was the small amount of conversion on land suitable for crop production.

“As opposed to what people oftentimes ask, ‘how many acres are being converted?’ I think a better question is how come so little land is converted when we had a period of time when people would have captured a lot of economic benefit?” Clay said.

Science and technology continues to give farmers and ranchers tools to enhance productivity and sustainability, while reducing erosion and improving soil—winning concepts all the way around.

During the time period from 2006 to 2012, commodity prices for corn, wheat, and soybeans nearly doubled, but most suitable land was not converted. Following the drought in South Dakota in 2012, data suggests that cropland was returned to grassland.

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All of this, Clay said, suggests that the lessons of dry years have been learned and that farmers are working hard to not repeat history. Farmers should do what has worked historically on their farm, he said, and they should be mindful of the lessons learned at the kitchen table by older generations.

During and prior to the Dust Bowl, Clay said,

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The ranch in Deuel County, South Dakota, owned and operated by Cliff Millsap focuses on soil health and productivity, using an intense rotational grazing system, and converting all previously cropped fields to grasses and legumes.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN LENTZ, FOR THE SOUTH DAKOTA SOCIETY FOR RANGE MANAGEMENT.

farmers were creating a fine mulch on the surface of the soil, thinking this would prevent moisture loss.

However, the soil was made more erodible. Mixed with drought and high winds, the Dust Bowl images marked one of the darkest times for agriculture.

Reducing tillage through no-till practices in semi-arid areas has been successful, he said, protecting soil to some extent. Clay said he would exercise caution when converting lands that are at a high risk for erosion and initial research results suggest that farmers are moving forward conservatively.

Recent years have seen about a 25 percent increase in soil carbon levels in South Dakota soil tests. In the Dust Bowl, extensive tillage greatly reduced soil

carbon levels but this increase, he said, is indicative of the very different position farmers are now in.

Although this is all positive, the risks that led to the Dust Bowl still exist, including high climate variability, risk of erosion, and other factors.

Economics aside, land use is also driven by demand, successful crop rotations, and often, availability of crop insurance. Drought also serves as a driver.

During the drought, Clay said, people were selling cattle rather than feeding them to reduce grazing requirements, a practice Jim Faulstich has seen over the years.

Faulstich, owner operator of Daybreak Ranch in Highmore, S.D., keeps in mind an old bit of wisdom

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View of the front yard of the Jefferson farm looking toward the Geister place, the buildings of which can be seen in the background about one mile away. The three- and four-foot dust banks on the Jefferson front yard are mostly from the soil blown in from the Geister place. Beadle Co., South Dakota, Oct. 19, 1935.

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regarding land use. When it comes to land in areas where drought is a major consideration, Faulstich abides by the adage, “farm the best, conserve the rest.”

He is a member of the South Dakota Grassland Coalition, a group of private landowners who strive to promote ranching practices that encourage sustainability and profitability. The group touts healthy grasslands as a step toward maintaining and improving water quality by decreasing runoff and flooding. Drought planning is something the group heavily advocates in tandem with other concepts to help sustain through a drought. “(We advocate) taking a holistic approach, being diversified and diversity is a huge thing for us whether it’s in the plant community in our pastures, in a seeding for those who farm and their rotation, even enterprise diversity, so we don’t have all of our eggs in one basket,” he said.

Faulstich acknowledged the driving force commodity prices can play on land-use decisions but cites drought plans as an economic boost for his operation.

“If I were in the lending industry, I would require a drought plan from my customers because I feel it’s that important,” he said.

“Drought is not unusual, it’s not the first time, and it’s getting to be a regular occurrence. To be prepared for it is huge.”

The Drought Monitor from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln is a resource for those tracking drought conditions and offers information for the entire region and worldwide.

The worldwide data is useful as markets and commodity prices are predicted.

Predictions and planning often come together in drought plans. South Dakota State University

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Soil drifts around fences and buildings that will be leveled by the Soil Conservation Service.

South Dakota, 1930s.

published a study that draws a direct correlation between April moisture and the pounds of beef produced for the year.

“We want to have a year’s worth of forage on the ranch at all times or enough moisture we know it will grow that year,” Faulstich said.

It is this combination of forage and moisture that triggers dates contained within a drought plan. These dates begin the fall previous and outline actions to be taken based upon how dry conditions are and how far into the year the dry conditions are being experienced.

The National (NRCS) Drought Tool evaluates the capabilities to predict forage production in areas. For example, by July 1 with normal moisture, what percentage of forage can be produced.

Faulstich custom-grazes yearling steers and heifers and has an agreement with the cattle owners that outlines the removal of the cattle from grass, with a two-week notice, based upon conditions. He calls it a flexibility tool that can be utilized. Additionally, multiple CRP plantings are maintained to be released on trigger dates for additional forage. Other tools are early weaning calves and a list of cows that can be moved or sold immediately.

Faulstich said the number of grassland acres currently being converted to farm ground isn’t as dramatic as it once was when grain prices were considerably higher.

“It’s definitely one of the drivers,” he said.

“The other thing is every time we go through one of these major droughts, people are forced to reduce their cowherds. Especially if they’re an older owner/operator without someone new to come into the operation, every time we see a major drought and a reduction of total cow numbers, if you were to look at the mass records of cow numbers, I will suggest in South Dakota, for sure, there is a direct correlation between

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number of cows and amount of ground that is taken out of grass.”

As owner/operators are faced with landuse decisions, Faulstich said land capabilities ought to be the number one consideration.

He admits the temptation to get caught up in profitability is strong but recommends looking long-term at what is best for the land.

The economics, he said, show that converting lower quality ground--not necessarily from the standpoint of growing grass but from the standpoint of crop production--can be complicated. For example, on the Faulstich’s ranch, there are wetlands that are poorly suited for farming but, in a dry year, were able to produce grass and be productive. The value of these seasonal wetlands is factored into the ranch’s drought planning.

“They have a huge value to us,” he said. “I’ll take all the wetlands somebody wants to get rid of because they can be very productive.”

This is a dividing fence that had been filled by sand drifting from either side. This fence is to be cleaned by the Soil Conservation Service.

Beadle County, South Dakota, June 2, 1936.

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START TO

FINISH

Silage will warm cattle up on a cold day, “like a shot of whiskey.”PHOTO BY TAMARA CHOAT 70

FORAGE 2019

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BY SHALEY LENSEGRAV

F

or some producers, finishing cattle is an effective way to maximize the synergy between the farming and ranching side of their operations.

Warren Rusche, SDSU Extension Beef Feedlot Management Associate said that one upside to feeding home-raised cattle to finish is that the two sides of a diversified operation “can feed off each other” to leverage their labor and management resources. The two businesses “become a circle” as crops become feed for livestock and manure becomes fertilizer for crops.

Dr. Alfredo DiCostanzo, Professor & Extension Animal Scientist at the University of Minnesota, found that feeding cattle can increase the value of crop land.

In a nineteen-year study, he calculated the net value of corn as feed for cattle and the net value of corn as a cash crop and then compared the two.

In the end, Dr. DiCostanzo found that “the average return over direct costs per acre for corn marketed through cattle was $173 compared to $108 for cash corn,” Rusche writes.

While the corn marketed as a cash crop experienced highs and lows during that 19-year time period, the corn marketed through cattle saw significant jumps and dives in returns over the years.

Because increasing the value of corn through finishing cattle exposes producers to the risks/rewards of the cattle market as well, these extreme highs and lows can be expected.

Keeping that in mind, producers who choose to finish their cattle using homegrown feed can be expected to experience gains in the longterm more so than in short-term endeavors.

“Livestock is a way to add value to the crops that they’re raising,” Rusche said.

Along with the capacity to grow feed, producers should also evaluate their current facilities for feeding and housing the animals, proper drainage, and any issues with the environment, including climate, that might impact the finishing process.

Long hard winters can become an issue in finishing. Producers who choose to background rather than finish have more flexibility in how long they keep their cattle and can potentially avoid negatives such as negative temperatures.

Utilizing land resources is another key to successful finishing.

Howard Rambur founder of Rambur Charolais in Sidney, Montana raises purebred Charolais and Angus cattle along with operating a 1,000-head capacity custom feedlot on site where they feed some of their own cattle and finish and background their customers’ cattle or even their customers’ bulls.

Rambur utilizes his irrigated farm ground to raise his own hay and silage for the feedlot, but he does purchase corn.

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Is raising silage affordable?

By University of Nebraska Extension

CORN FOR CORN SILAGE STANDING IN THE FIELD

University of Nebraska–Lincoln research has shown that corn silage priced standing in the field before harvest should be at valued at 7.65 x the price per bushel of corn where a ton of corn silage is harvested at 60-65% moisture. This multiplier value is consistent regardless of corn price. Corn at $3.50 bu. x 7.65 = $26.78 per ton in the field.

CORN SILAGE PACKED IN THE SILO

Harvest, hauling and packing expenses can vary. A 2016 survey showed a range of $7-10 per ton with the most common rate being charged at $10 per ton.

At $26.78 per ton plus $10 per ton for harvesting, hauling and packing equals $36.78 per ton in the silo. When $2 per ton is added for storage expense the price per ton is $38.78.

CORN SILAGE DELIVERED IN THE BUNK

Corn silage due to the ensiling process will experience shrink and dry matter loss from 10-20% or more when silage is packed into the silo until it is removed to be fed. With 10% dry matter shrink the value of silage delivered to the bunk would be $43.08 per ton. If the shrink loss is 20%, than the value of silage would be $48.48 per ton.

Comparing corn silage under current market conditions to other feed resources can be helpful in evaluating whether to harvest a field for silage or as grain. When comparing nutrients in feeds to one another, they should be compared on a price per pound on a dry matter basis consumed by the cattle. This takes into account all waste loss and expense. The following examples are compared to one another on a price per pound of TDN (energy) on a dry matter basis delivered to the bunk.

• Corn silage priced at $43.08 per ton that is 35% dry matter and has a TDN value of 72% on a dry matter basis would cost $.085 per pound of TDN. • Corn silage priced at $48.48 per ton that is 35% dry matter and has a TDN value of 72% on a dry matter basis would cost $.096 per pound of TDN. • Wet distillers grains plus solubles at $50 per ton delivered that is 35% dry matter, has a TDN of 108% on a dry matter basis and shrinks 5% would cost $.069 per pound of TDN.

• Corn priced at $3.50 per bushel and has a TDN value of 88% on a dry matter basis would cost $0.081 per pound of TDN. • Grass hay priced at $90 per ton and has a TDN value of 53% on a dry matter basis would cost $0.095 on a dry matter basis.

There are several factors to consider when evaluating whether to harvest corn for grain or for silage. Both methods of harvest have advantages and disadvantages depending upon an operation’s goals and objectives.

Tight forage supplies in many parts of Nebraska combined with current corn market conditions may heighten the attractiveness of harvesting corn for silage.

The nutrient or fertilizer value of manure from cattle fed corn silage should also be taken into account in determining the value of corn silage. In operations where the nutrient value from manure is utilized with cropping systems, this manure value should be credited back against the cost of the corn silage.

Feeders can utilize silage in a ration for backgrounding or finishing cattle. PHOTO BY

TAMARA CHOAT

EXISTING RESOURCES: Assessing producers’ available resources or the potential in their operations to expand their resources is an important step.

Corn, silage, and distillers’ grain or some combination of the three, are some of the most popular feedstuffs for finishing cattle.

In some cases, producers might use milo, wheat, or barley; however, the majority of feed is corn based.

With this in mind, it is important for producers to consider what their operation is able to grow most efficiently.

“From pounds of beef per acre, corn silage comes out pretty well especially if you use it with some hay,” Rusche stated. He also explained that finishing cattle takes a specific expertise in management which means that there isn’t a one size fits all feeding plan—regiments will vary from operation to operation which is why it is important to consult a nutritionist when developing a finishing plan.

Nutritionists can help producers ensure they are using their resources to provide their animals with quality feed in order to add weight and not hinder the growing process.

While silage is an excellent food source, producers need to make sure that they are harvesting at the proper moisture content, and storing and packing it correctly to avoid losses of dry matter. Feeding cattle spoiled silage, overfeeding, or underfeeding them can affect them negatively and result in lower performance, lower weight gains, and decreased profit.

When looking into a finishing program, he explained that producers first need to determine their goals, assess their operation’s resources, take into account available market outlets, and consider what their current expertise is or who they could add to their team.

SETTING GOALS FOR FINISHING:

There are a multitude of reasons that producers may choose to finish out their cattle. Some examples that Rusche outlined include, optimizing homegrown resources, capitalizing on superior genetics, and increasing net income without purchasing more cattle.

The current market, available resources and feed options, producer knowledge, and location all play a large role in deciding just how long to keep and feed cattle.

Rusche explained that “the northern plains have the best cattle genetics, which allows people who finish to capture all of those extra values.”

Raising corn for silage can help make cattle feeding a profitable venture. PHOTO BY CARRIE STADHEIM

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Dwight Keller and his family own and operate Keller Broken Heart Ranch, a purebred Simmental and Simmental/Angus ranch located twenty-five miles south of Mandan, North Dakota.

Most of the Kellers’ heifers stay on the ranch to become replacements or are sold at their annual sale, but they send “anything that doesn’t make a bull” to a feedlot in Nebraska after weaning to a custom feeder.

As Keller works to become more involved in the Simmental breed, he uses finishing cattle to obtain statistics on his herd performance and sire data. He then submits that data to the Simmental Association to help prove the accuracy of the sires.

The carcass data, how they marbled, and the quality of the finished animal are all valuable pieces of information. “You might not make money, but the data is worth it,” Keller said.

AVAILABLE MARKET OUTLETS: Proximity to an end point is a huge factor in finishing cattle especially in the northern states.

“The biggest drawback and the reason why there aren’t more finished cattle up north is because of the freight issue,” Rambur said.

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As the animal’s weight increases, so do the shipping costs, which can add up, especially for producers such as Rambur located in Montana, who is over 600 miles from major packers in Nebraska and Colorado.

Keller echoed concerns about packing locations and said that producers from North and South Dakota could make money feeding cattle within state, but there would need to be more accessible packing locations—preferably within 100 miles.

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

“[Finishing] is a different set of management practices—a different skill set from just having cows” Home-grown grain hay, grass hay, grain, silage and haylage can all be useful for cutting down the cost of rations for backgrounding or finishing cattle. PHOTO BY CARRIE STADHEIM

“There is risk in feeding cattle, even if you’ve got good cattle,” he said. “The biggest risk is the market because you have no control over it.”

Some producers who chose to background rather than finish have more flexibility when attempting to hit market highs, but producers who finish deal with a longer period of time for markets to vary.

BRINGING EXPERTS ON BOARD: “[Finishing] is a different set of management practices—a different skill set from just having cows,” Rusche explained. Producers need to have “different management skills and the ability to get cattle up on feed, keep them growing efficiently, and not push cattle too far.”

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As cattle are fed feed such as corn with higher energy and starch content, they are vulnerable to getting acidosis. Avoiding pitfalls such as this disease again relates back to proper management techniques, closely monitoring bunks, and working with a nutritionist.

Because of that, producers should consult a team of people to ensure success.

“I would encourage people to seek out a really good team of advisors,” Rusche stated. This team should be made up of your banker, a nutritionist, local veterinarian, and someone who can assist with the marketing side of finishing.

“For someone who has never finished, think about starting with backgrounding first,” Rusche suggested.

Backgrounding allows cattle producers to have more flexibility in when to sell, more marketing options, and the ability to capitalize on growth while reducing some risk.

The benefits of finishing or backgrounding cattle rely heavily on the market conditions, but along with that having the proper resources, being in a good location, and obtaining end point data can make finishing worthwhile.

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Revamping conservation legislation

STEPPING OUT

16, 2018 Saturday, June

rtson Act Pittman-Robe to boost amendments funding preservation

Saturday, July

28, 2018

‘I WANT TO COME BACK’ Volume 56 • Issue 30

rton

By Traci Eathe ock News 2 Sections for Tri-State Livest a House NatuLast February, at a panel looked ral Resources land and wilding number of public n bills, includ life conservatio America’s Wildthe Recovering 4647). The bill Fedlife Act (H.R. d parts of the would amen ife Restoration beral Aid in Wildl the Pittman-Ro Act, known as ertson Act. 1937, the PittEnacted in tes son Act alloca obert man-R taxes from ammu m The Agriculture federal excise firear and , arrow Department has announced fe nition, bow, fund state wildligh plan to provid a “short-term” purchases to e programs. Throu in emergency up to $12 billion conservation aid to farme , hunters and affected by this mechanism ers have proPresident Donalrs Trump’s trade shoot d in n war. recreational The help, annou than $15 billio fe vided more nced by Agriwildli culture Secret based terrain to graze. stateainous for ary elevaand mount funding in a call to reportSonny Perdue management. travel up rocky slopes and higherBailey restoration and Secretary Ryan out which ones willing to graze steep noon, will come ers this afterby Derek cattle to find through a direct sity cattle. Photo g collars on cattle are more U.S. Interior this year more assistance progra g GPS trackin that could indicate that owned, but some are univer placin that are m said rs design ly bed to help with food Zinke Researchers ed some gene marke are private will be distri in the study purchase and distribution ies than $1.1 billion They have identifi said most of the cattle and wildlife agenc Bailey ted equal. promoting trade. geared toward tions. Derek uted to state cows are crea select for ated by the Pit“The actions from taxes gener Act, along with ents, ‘Not all can statement thattoday are a firm I tell my stud l and some don’t.’ If we tman-Robertsonnson Sport Fish other nation cannot bully s Some will trave the Dingell-Joh producers to our agricultural difference.” researcher Act. a e and ration ssor mak force Resto profe the United it, we can States to cave State University put in,” Perdue on Page A6 , New Mexico reporters, accord told less likely to - See Wildlife Act Derek Bailey re, they are any ing to The New York Times. find- pastu g pressure in nt his latest much grazin “This admin He will prese veme nt too area. cows Beef Impro stand by whileistration will not ings at the ntion in one tell my students, ‘Not all our conve l hard-w ing agricultural “I annua ork20-23. . Some will travel Federation producers , from June the brunt of created equal select unfriendly andbear Loveland, Colo. distri butio n re- are some don’t.’ If we can gal tariffs.” illeng ence,” Fellow grazi Thomas with Colo- and it, we can make a differ When he finishe searcher Milt rsity also will talk for - See Plan on Page s his Animal N.D. Courtesy ved Science degree A2 he said. photo , Bailey obser at NDSU, Trey rado State Unive Klain looks forwar In his first study tainous range d to returning to BIF attendees. collars to record g moun grazin to the the GPS up family cattle d ranch near Turtle gathered Bailey uses eim Lake, of cattle in rugge Montana and that traveled to

By Carrie Stadh the movements which cows exhibit in ximately half of the pasture.

Editor n to learn cteris- appro es and terrai of three chara the further reach bunch in half to one or more erek Bailey split that crton r Then he d the same chara

By Traci Eathe By tics: News Lensegrav his cohorts have ockShaley to travel to highe see if they showe • Willingness ng: for Tri-State Livestfor Tri-Sta . re Livestock News erterolls At the time, pastu been wonderi to elevations to graze graze steeper teristics again weath the er of isal As the summ mothe years old, but Klain was only 5 or 6 to r-nature Visual appra the cows n 2006 y he recalls that “It’s really cool • Willingness Trey Do cows like that indeed, in, a very mood natura day as see to think back l weather Klain’s grandfa- “one of the coolest things ther fur- revealed g to travel when grazntains? for and slopes that ever got that (my grandpa) is the be it him the best gift happened.” sets the stage most states,gave to graze areas , we were willin one that hike in the mou me started,” any ranch

By Heather in • Willingness bunch of cattle an Flash forwar one aspect Smith but kid could modification ng, hail, etc., d 12years: Klain’ ing. “With that Klain is the he said. for Tri-State Livest Thomas e in ripari from water This is just ceive —deson of Durne s herd ghout the west,, saw a lot more forag his first cow. re- has significantly increa drought, floodi a, a progr ock News the New ther steep ll and sed from his Darcy Klain and grew up He remeam grandpa’s gift.

Bailey said throu even use of al lands Foot rot is an mber of research that with his two older siblings in North Dakot se rainfa ll ands his grandpa ity but He is an active infection that areas, and more said it is possible ularly on feder vers out Uni ber partic on d causes swelli ing saye increa in the mem“I y the sprea to family’s ranch think Trey needs ranch near Ruso, N.D. signed ng, Mexico Stat researcher, cattle that are willing tobe valuable. slopes.” Bailebe trained to do the ge has some flammation betwe heat and indamagot a cow— Simmental Associng community and ase hail I’ve e The family , can could one decre and iation can r scienc graze ers picke the cattle . to He esso servin a cloven -hoofe en the toes of d d out” and does some enjoys ing, ioning if ranch prof g on the being so excite don’t get graze . same thing, but that residents quest er modothers has and“Atravel ing in severe d animal, resultd he wasn’t sure team and showingjunior leadership has raises Simmental cattle farmweath offspring that lot of areas ade water sire man-m will lamen his d from along with sinc e the , had cattle and grandpa was sess. Nearly behin an . every cattle He also still e are too far get grazed choose bulls even serious. bull sale for annua l regist ered genetically predifiproducer has has cows out areas ification. herd starter likely to be this situation, seen worked on determine —som the past 30 reap of his County resi— No. 578. finding an anima years.

And then some close to riparian are ,” they might an Some Hettinger suddenly very l posed to “hike without any extra trying to put 1990s to help much — the lame. dents have been a Cloud ModiDr. Bill Lias, al rewards genetic vari- too - See Klain on Page ,” he said. fully nanci Interstate Vet Dakot A2 if there are Clinic, Brand end to North years. pastures aren’t tu- labor. cattle that areas on, ct for several When large said the main South Dakota, the oppor fication Proje ances between “work for utilize A5 By Carrie Stadh A8 organism that d, ranchers lose said. Addito causes foot - See Grazing on Page Page eim ing on g Bailey e, will rot Seedin Editor is Fusobacteare Baxter Ander - See Cloud those nity for incom cattle use the entire rium necrop s, who lives horum which southeast of Ander r dinner” and anaer is tionally, when

Researchers seek genetic information t in cattle tha ze travel to gra

“

North Dakota g cloud seedin the planes get Foot rot in Trey Klain loo ks for ht green ligran cattle is easy ch in North Da ward to returning to the fam kota after he graduates co ily to treat bu t llege must be fast

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FARM BILL

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2018 WLAC

’S HUNTINGTON

ents, er NSU stud Iowa auctione professor part the 55th that her wins of research S. Dakota ranc p annual contest. lead to B2 could Dean Schremp ase. cure for dise the on cts B4 refle life. his of story A5 B1

Future of Beef Revisited: Con s sumer issue and demand.

83 YEARS YOUNG

Belle Fourch e Livestock

s had worked Rapid City with There’s a new with The yard his wife and Roseth and face at Belle Fourc children, bough three small Lives tock Long at Philip staff will crew and office he remain the same. for about t BFLE from Exchange, and Livestock Thor Roseth 10 “Jeff and Thor he’s been and Jeff Long years, before taking busy getting had a rethe ally earlier this plunge to the other facesknow all of over ownerspring. He took Belle to buy the barn in got good staff here when we Fourche, he here and we’re in ship the reJune gion. going to 1.

Roseth and There isn’t much said. keep them in Long place. reason to a to operate Philip continue make big change STAGE IS SET really good job,” They do Livestock. he said. cessful busine s to the sucss, Anders said.

High school - See

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Vermeer Corporation A5 rava ged by a tornado.

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Page A2 -

CASH’S

Beef sandwich OUTSIDE es PRIZES named one CIRCLE of Wall, S.D., junio best state fair captures NHS r Hay and flies; foods.

RA mini bron Saddle Bron cs; c Indian relay B1 Cham s; pionship. county fairs .

B4

HORSE

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B5

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an obe, meaning it thrives in environmen ts without oxyge “It usually n. gains entry to the foot through a between the nick in the skin two ganism is found claws. This orsee more cases in feces, and we conditions in in muddy, wet tures,” he said. feedlots or pas-

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ROUNDUP

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BLACK HILLS STOCK SHOW & RODEO® HORSE SALE & STALLION ROW

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P R E M I E R

P U B L I C A T I O N

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2018 EDITION | VOLUME XVI

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SURVEYING THE DAMAGE

A6

JANUARY 26 - FEBRUARY 4, 2018

Anders on Page A5

INSIDE THI

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Cost per pound of calf A4 is strug gling.

B6

A2

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

| FARMER & RANCHER EXCHANGE

Advertiser Index Agpro .................................................................................................55

Lakeside Livestock Equipment ..................................................21

Assman Implement ......................................................................36

Livestock Market Directory...............................................46 & 47

Blair Brothers Angus ....................................................................75

Mathis Implement .........................................................................15

Bridger Steel ...................................................................................... 1

Meyerink Farm Service ................................................................29

Buffalo Brand Seed ......................................................................35

Montana Seeds ..............................................................................39

Butte Co Equipment ...................................................................... 3

Orwig’S Tubs, Inc. ..........................................................................78

Cammack Ranch Supply ............................................................73

Pawnee Buttes Seed Inc. ............................................................74

Central Bale & Grind .....................................................................43

Pharmco ..........................................................................................80

Circle S Seeds ................................................................................76

Quality Liquid Feeds ................................................................... 38

Farm Credit Services ..................................................Back Cover

Sokota Seeds/Seed Exchange ..................Inside Front Cover

Farmer & Rancher Excahnge .......................................... 56 & 68

South Central Livestock Supply ...............................................43

FMG Feed & Seed ........................................................................ 69

Stuart Concrete ............................................................................ 38

Heartland Tanks & Supply ..........................................................15

T&T Quality Buildings ..................................................................57

Hewitt Land Company .................................................................. 5

The Fine Twine Company ...........................................................21

Hutchison Western ........................................................................ 4

Tri-State Livestock News...................................................68 & 77

Insure My Forage ..........................................................................60

Vitalix, Inc. ......................................................................................... 2

Jason Bartels ...................................................................................67

Warne Chemical & Equipment ................................................ 66

Kennedy Implement ........................................................... 12 & 13

WD Manufacturing .......................................................................74

Krone North America .....................................Inside Back Cover

Willrodt Motor ...............................................................................36

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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FORAGE 2019 79

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