Proper use of vaccines effectively decreases illness in calves
When vaccines are used properly, they reduce the number and severity of calves that get sick.
During a March 18 Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) podcast, BCRC Science Director Dr. Reynold Bergen discusses the proper use of vaccines.
According to Bergen, vaccines teach calves’ immune systems to recognize particular pathogens so they can respond quickly and effectively if they encounter them in real life.
Immunity
“Calves are born with a completely naive immune system,” Bergen states. “Unlike other species, cows do not pass any immune protection to their offspring during pregnancy. This is why it is crucial for calves to consume at least two liters of high-quality colostrum soon after birth – it helps protect them while their immune system develops.”
The developing immune system of a calf can learn to recognize and respond to disease-causing pathogens in two ways – the hard way, by being exposed to an infectious disease, surviving it and responding more effectively the next time, or via a vaccine.
It is also important to note, revaccinating or boosting further strengthens the immune system.
A recent study by Canadian researchers found vaccination rates among producers are increasing.
According to the researchers, over 85 percent of those in the Canadian Cow/Calf Surveillance Network routinely vaccinate nursing calves against bovine viral disease (BVD).
Additionally, more than 90 percent of producers vaccinate against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and bovine parainfluenza-3 (PI3).
“This is encouraging news,” Bergen states. “However, it is important to note less than one-half of producers administer booster vaccinations for any of these viruses.”
Proof of concept
To determine how vaccine handling practices, including providing a booster, affected effectiveness in calves, University of Alberta (U of A) Adjunct Professor Nilusha Malmuthuge and Gleise Medieros da Silva, U of A assistant professor and BCRC-Hays chair in beef production systems, completed a proof-of-concept project.
For the project, 150 calves were vaccinated against PI3, BRSV, IBR and BVD types one and two using a commercial five-way modified live viral vaccine at spring processing.
The calves were divided into five experimental groups at weaning. The control group was not boosted, while the other four groups were boosted with the same vaccine, but the vaccine was handled differently.
Bergen reports one treatment was a mixed vaccine kept in a cooler and administered within an hour, while the second treatment was a mixed vaccine kept in a cooler and administered six hours later.
The third treatment was a mixed vaccine kept at room temperature and administered within an hour, and the fourth treatment was a mixed vaccine kept at room temperature for six hours before administration.
According to research, blood samples were collected before the booster vaccinations were given, and a second sample was collected a month afterwards.
The report mentions serum antibody levels and virus neutralization tests were also used to assess whether revaccination and vaccine handling affected the strength of the immune responses.
Outcome
Researchers discovered boosting matters.
“A month after the booster vaccinations were given, all four groups of boosted calves displayed a stronger immune response than the unboosted calves,” Bergen notes.
The team also discovered vaccine handling is important. Some vaccine antigens were less affected by storage temperature and mixing time than others, but vaccine handling methods clearly affected animals’ ability to mount a strong immune response against BVD.
Bergen states, “Six to seven times as many animals failed to generate an immune response to BVD types one and two when mixed vaccines were kept at room temperature for six hours before they were administered compared to when the mixed vaccine was chilled and used within an hour.”
The study also discovered vaccines prepare calves for germs they’ll encounter, allowing calves’ immune systems to “practice” in a safe environment without needing to expose them to the actual pathogen and risk death, illness and reduced growth performance.
According to the study, vaccines do not eliminate disease, but when properly used they can reduce the number of calves getting sick as well as the severity of the illness.
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.
WYLR photo
Cattle producers in the Black Hills of eastern Wyoming and western South Dakota face unique challenges due to abortion issues associated with ponderosa pine needles (PPN).
By increasing awareness of these challenges and implementing effective management practices, producers can mitigate potential losses and safeguard their herds.
In a Jan. 29 University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)
Pine needle consumption can cause major losses for
Beefwatch Newsletter, UNL
Extension Educator Bethany Johnston discussed pine needle abortion and strategies which can effectively mitigate risk and protect investments.
PPN research
Ponderosa pine or Western yellow pine is widely distributed in the U.S., but is most abundant in the western U.S. and western Canada and is the only species of Pinus in both areas shown to
cause abortion in cattle.
Both green and dry needles appear to cause abortion, and bark and branch tips also appear to contain abortifacient principles, Johnston explains.
Since the 1920s, cattlemen have raised concerns about the potential dangers of PPN, suspecting they might cause abortions in their herds.
However, in 1952 the first definitive evidence was discovered for a direct effect of a toxin in PPN in the induction of abortion in beef cows.
Groundbreaking research conducted between the 1980-90s definitively confirmed this suspicion, establishing PPN are indeed responsible for causing abortions in pregnant beef cows.
According to later research, abortions generally occur 72 hours to three weeks after consumption of pine needles, with most occurring five to 15 days.
The dose required to induce abortion in cows varies significantly, as some cows are more sensitive, and even a small amount of needles can trigger an abortion.
Incidents may vary from only a few to 100 percent of the cows involved.
However, there is limited research suggesting needles and buds from other pine species can also cause abortion in cattle. Why does it cause abortions?
Johnston highlights the compounds found in the needles of ponderosa pine trees can disrupt blood flow to the uterus and fetus, which may result in premature births or fetal death.
“Both green or dried needles from ponderosa pine trees, if ingested by pregnant cows, can be harmful,” Johnston states. “Cows would need to eat three to five pounds of needles for several days to trigger an abortion.”
She mentions cows are more susceptible to pine needle abortions during the third trimester, especially during the last 30 to 60 days compared to earlier in the pregnancy.
“Low temperatures also seem to increase pine needle consumption,” she adds. “Non-pregnant cows, steers and bull are not effected by ingesting pine needles, as well as pregnant elk, sheep or goats.”
The abortive response is physiologically triggered by a vasoconstrictive substance found in pine needles, researchers discovered.
This substance leads to a significant reduction in blood flow to the uterus, causing stress to the calf. In
turn, this stress triggers parturition, and the outcome is an induced parturition rather than an abortion.
Prevention
A practical approach to prevention would be to consider installing a fence around ponderosa pine trees.
Fencing may help ensure cattle are unable to access PPN, preventing any potential ingestion.
“Another strategy is to adjust calving season so cows are calving in the summer or late fall when they are less likely to eat pine needles in their second or third trimester,” Johnston concludes.
Ensuring cattle have enough feed is crucial to prevent them from resorting to eating pine needles out of hunger.
Providing ample space during feeding is also important so cattle have access to feed, rather than being pushed out and left with only pine needle areas for foraging.
Additionally, placing hay on top of pine needles may lead to unintentional consumption, which could result in abortions.
Currently, there are no drugs or vaccines available to prevent abortions caused by PPN ingestion. Therefore, managing cattle’s diet to avoid eating PPN is essential to addressing this issue.
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
UConn research improves bovine IVF, could have significant impact on industry
At the end of February, University of Connecticut (UConn) researchers announced their discovery of a new method for sperm capacitation which makes in vitro fertilization (IVF) of cattle more effective than ever before.
Sperm capacitation refers to a set of processes mammalian sperm must undergo while inside of the female reproductive system before they can fertilize an egg.
The process was first discovered in 1951 by independent researchers Min Chueh Chang and Colin Russell Austin, ultimately revolutionizing the world of human and animal reproduction through its role in development of IVF technology.
Recent research
According to a Feb. 23 article written by UConn personnel, the process of sperm capacitation activates a series of molecular pathways causing sperm to move in a very specific way – known as hyperactive motility – which is needed to successfully penetrate an egg and change the conformation of the sperm head to expose the part of the sperm that fuses with an egg during fertilization.
Previous research done by Marcia Gracia Gervasi, an assistant professor of animal science in UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, found improved sperm capacitation in mice when using a calcium ionophore to help bind and transport ions, and she wondered if this could be true in cattle as well.
In her recent study, Gervasi and a team of researchers introduced the calcium ionophore to a medium previously found to be required for bovine IVF, which contains calcium, bicarbonate, bovine serum albumin and heparin.
Increasing calcium levels in the medium caused sperm to stop moving,
but when the calcium was washed away, sperm initiated hyperactive motility, indicating the researchers had induced capacitation.
“In this study, researchers found the ionophore achieved similar results as traditional IVF procedures without heparin,” the UConn research team explains. “However, when they tested the ionophore with heparin, there were significant improvements in fertilization rates and embryo development.”
Ultimately, the study found fertilization rates of sperm treated with the calcium ionophore was 83 percent, compared to 70 percent in the untreated group, and the rate of fertilized eggs that developed into embryos increased from 11 percent to 27 percent.
Industry impacts
According to the research team, these findings could have a significant impact on the cattle industry in the U.S. and across the globe, as IVF treatment in cattle has recently surged in popularity.
“This is because it is much easier to take semen from a bull with characteristics a producer wants to introduce in a herd and ship the semen or embryos rather than moving the bull around,” the scientists say.
Additionally, Gervasi notes this simple sperm treatment has the potential to double the number of embryos grown through IVF, especially improving fertilization and embryo development rates for cryogenically-preserved, sexed semen.
“The process of sexing semen damages the sperm, leading to reduced fertilization rates,” Gervasi states. “Being able to test our treatment with those sperm would also be very applicable to what the industry is using nowadays.”
Moving forward Gervasi’s interest in the
Multimin 90 approved
The safety and effectiveness of Multimin 90 – a zinc, copper, manganese and selenium injection – as a supplemental source of key trace minerals was confirmed by the Center for Veterinary Medicine and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when the product was approved as a new animal drug in April 2024.
The transition to the FDA-approved product and labeling is now complete. The approval is the culmination of a significant multi-year investment in research for this novel innovation and ensures Multimin 90 is safe, effective and manufactured to the highest standards.
Axiota is one of few companies to partner with FDA to move a currently marketed product through the drug approval process.
Multimin 90 is the only FDA-approved drug containing four trace minerals known to support cattle health. Its subcutaneous injectable format for supplementation results in a significant rise in levels of zinc, copper, manganese and selenium in the blood within eight to 10 hours of injection and liver storage within 24 hours.
Multimin 90 complements oral trace mineral programs and is a safe and effective option to strategically supplement four key trace minerals.
The U.S. joins more than 30 other countries where Multimin 90 is approved, including several countries in key cattle-producing areas of Europe, North America and Latin America.
For more information, visit axiota.com
matter is still strong, and in the future, she plans to conduct follow-up research to better understand if embryos produced from ionophoretreated sperm remain more successful than those produced without the treatment after being implanted into the female.
She also notes her interest in analyzing the genetic quality of embryos produced using these treatments.
Currently, however, Gervasi is working on a separate sperm treatment with the potential to be combined with the calcium ionophore treatment
to “bolster improvements demonstrated in the study.”
“My lab here at UConn is focused on understanding how sperm and sperm treatments during capacitation can influence not only fertilization but post-fertilization events like embryo development,” Gervasi con-
cludes. “So, I will definitely be focusing a lot on embryo quality and what the sperm is bringing to it.”
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@ wylr.net.
CRR HEREFORD BULLS....... PRODUCING TOP BALDYS
CLASSIFIEDS
NOTICE: Publication in this newspaper does not guarantee the legitimacy of any offer or solicitation. Take reasonable steps to evaluate an offer before you send money or provide personal/financial information to an advertiser. If you have questions or believe you have been the victim of fraud, contact the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Unit, 109 Capitol Building, Cheyenne, WY 82002, 307-7776397 TFN
Help Wanted
package that includes health insurance, dental, vision, 401(k), health savings, life insurance and paid vacation. Retention bonus offered to full-time employees. Incentives paid out at 6 months and 1 year of employment. If you are interested stop by and fill out an application or visit our website at Call Brandon Furr at 402-257-7769 or 402-746-2222 for more information.
PEEGEE RANCH NEAR ARVADA, WY IS LOOKING FOR A FULL-TIME FARM/RANCH
EMPLOYEE: This position is open immediately. Applicant must be self-motivated, reliable and responsible with knowledge of haying and farming. Mechanical skills are a must. Farming duties include swathing, baling and raking hay, etc. This is not a cowboy position, but applicant will need to assist in all aspects of cattle work as well. Those duties include calving heifers, feeding hay, branding and gathering, etc. Nearest big town is 60+ miles and nearest K-12 school is 30+ miles away (location of the ranch is remote). Housing is provided and on a school bus route. Please send resume with references by mail or e-mail to: PeeGee Ranch, 1251 Lower Powder River Road, Arvada, WY 82831, pgranch@ rangeweb.net. Call 307-7362461 4/19
RANCH MAINTENANCE/ ANIMAL CARE: Looking for a reliable, self-motivated individual with a good work ethic that has experience in ranch work, including maintenance and upkeep at a ranch with several outbuildings, plus horse and animal care. Proven organizational skills and attention to detail required. Job facilities are located 17 miles west of Cheyenne, WY. Applicants MUST possess a valid driver’s license, have reliable transportation and be able to work a flexible schedule. Requires working weekends occasionally. Full-time and part-time positions available. Full-time positions are eligible for health insurance and holiday and vacation pay. Call 307-275-2090 or e-mail resume to brittiny@rfholdings.org 4/12
DAIRY CALF RANCH MANAGER WANTED: Looking for a good, dependable dairy heifer calf ranch manager. We have between 1,000 and 1,300 calves ranging from 1-day-old to 4 months old at any giving time to be cared for and processed. Knowledge of calf husbandry is a plus. Bilingual is necessary. Time and employee management is a must. Please contact Jeremiah Lungwitz at 970848-2842, e-mail jlungwitz@ hotmail.com or apply in person at Yuma County Dairy, 8798 Co. Rd. 39, Yuma, CO 80759 4/5
WYOMING STATE PARKS IS HIRING ENERGETIC EMPLOYEES FOR THIS SUMMER!! The employment period will run from May until September 2025. Apply here: www.governmentjobs.com/ careers/wyoming by searching “State Parks.” Join our team this summer! Maintenance and fee employees will be paid $10-$16/hour and law enforcement staff will be paid $18-$22/ hour. Housing may be available. EEO/ADA employer 4/5
BIRD AND ANIMAL AUCTION
SUN., APRIL 13: Selling a variety of chickens, geese, turkeys, peacocks, ducks, goats, hoof stock, and more. The sale starts at 9 a.m. at the Dawson County Fairgrounds, 1000 Plum Creek Pkwy. Lexington, NE. For more information call Jaiden, 308233-1799. Find us on Facebook, JGrace Auctions 4/5
REGISTERED WYO-
MING BRAND: Current through Jan. 1, 2029. LRC, LHS, LSH, $2,000 OBO 307359-0555 4/26
WYOMING BRAND FOR SALE: RRC, BS, RSH, one iron brand. Electric irons available: Calf size and cow size. Fees paid to Jan. 1, 2035. $7,500 OBO. Call Al, 307-575-1314 419
REGISTERED WYOMING BRAND FOR SALE: RRC, RHS, RHH. Registered until Jan. 1, 2029. Nice 1 iron brand!! $5,000. Call 307-351-7829 4/19
REGISTERED WYOMING BRAND: RRC. Current through Jan. 1, 2031. $3,000 OBO. Contact Gene at 307-331-1049 4/5
REGISTERED WYOMING BRAND: LHC, BS, LHH. Current through Jan. 1, 2033. $3,500 OBO. Contact Gene at 307-331-1049 4/5
Services Services
AGRI-ONE FINANCIAL: Farm/ ranch and all commercial loans. RATES AS LOW AS 5%. We have been helping with all aspects of agricultural, commercial financing and management for years. LET US HELP YOU on a consulting level with management to increase profitability, deal with and fix credit problems and for all your financing needs. WE CARE AND HAVE WORKING PROGRAMS designed for the farmer/rancher and not the banker. Please call Steve, 303-773-3545 or check out our website, www.agrionefinancial.com. I will come to you and get the job done!! 4/19
can help with everything from a complete pre-purchase ranch inspection to ongoing ranch consulting and ranch planning. For a free consult, contact Aaron, 575-537-1607, visit www.mtdranchconsultants.com 4/12
SIMANGUS YEARLING AND FALL-BORN SHORTHORN BULLS AVAILABLE PRIVATE
TREATY: Great dispositions. Solid red, black and BWF bulls available for cows and heifers. Bulls have been semen checked and ready to go. Quantity discounts. Call Rob at Schultz Farms, 308-3903612 4/12
WANTED TO BUY: No commission. Bred beef cows 2-8 years, 10-20 head. HORSES ALSO WANTED, riding, draft etc. Pickup available. Call Col. Carly Wincher, 320-630-9924 4/5
STAIRCASE CHAROLAIS AND RED ANGUS ONLINE BULL SALE: 50+ purebred yearling Charolais and Red Angus bulls SELLING APRIL 12-17 Timed auction online with www.dvauction.com!! Practical bulls bred for balanced traits, functionality, consistency, disposition, efficiency and quality, built to excel in every step of the cattle industry!! For more information, visit www.staircasebulls.com, find us on Facebook or give us a call. Gus, 307-575-5860 or Amy, 308-631-1952 4/12
SIMANGUS BULLS FOR SALE: Yearlings and 18-montholds. All bulls have GE EPDS, are homozygous polled, most are homozygous black. Bulls can be inspected at Dilka Cattle, pictures available by request. Bulls will be fed until April 1 at no cost to buyer. All bulls guaranteed for first breeding season. Information on the bulls may be requested by e-mail at thedilkas@aol.com or calling 970-396-8791 4/26
YEARLING POLLED HEREFORD BULLS FOR SALE PRIVATE TREATY: Forty-five year breeding program, bred to produce top baldy calves. Balanced trait genetics. Reasonably priced. See us on the web at www.mcmurrycattle. com, for pedigrees, photos and videos. BUY NOW! Call 406-254-1247 (house), leave message or 406-697-4040 (cell). E-mail mcmurrycattle@gmail.com 4/12
REGISTERED WYOMING BRAND: LHC, LBH. Current through Jan. 1, 2033. $3,500 OBO. Contact Gene at 307-331-1049 4/5
REGISTERED WYOMING BRAND: LRC, LSS, LSH. Current through Jan. 1, 2033. $3,500 OBO. Contact Gene at 307331-1049 4/5
FOR SALE: Wyoming registered 1 iron (2) letter brand registered on all 3 species and in good locations, RRC, RSS, RSH. One hot iron available. Asking $4,995 for this easy to read brand, registered until 2031. Call or text 307-254-2790 if interested 4/5
MINI AUSSIE PUPS: Born Jan. 4, 2025. Ready to go. Laramie, WY, $1,250. Call 307-761-2449. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 4/12
AIREDALE PUPS FOR SALE: Southwest WY. Four males, 4 females. Great companions, nine weeks old March 31. First round of vaccines, tails docked, dewclaws removed. For more information, call 307-386-2361 4/5
OLD FASHIONED WORKING RANCH BRED AUSSIES (no show lines), guaranteed to work stock. Father heads, mother heads/heels, gritty enough for pairs, lots of drive, biddable, sweet, extremely smart, works with relatively little training. Capable of trialing or fetching stock out of fields and corral work and capable of getting brushed up cattle out of brush. Pups are showing interest now on goats. Quality lines, Pincie Creek, Los Rocosa, CCK, Hangin’ Tree (Aussie) lines. Ready for homes now. Health tested parents, had their shots and wormed. One male, 1 female, all black bi, 16 weeks. $75 OBO. Can potentially deliver. Accepts texts, or call and leave a message, Lacey, 801721-8620, southwest Wyoming. To view photos, go to www.wylr. net in the classifieds 4/12
AIREDALE TERRIER PUPPIES: AKC, ranch and farm raised, from quality hunting lines, gentle, sweet temperaments, good with children and livestock. Excellent protection from predators, bears, mountain lions, coyotes, raccoons skunks, etc. Good retrievers and good upland and small game retrievers. Males and females. First shots and wormed. Ready March 30. Worland, WY. Call 307-219-2217 or 719-2178054 (cell) 4/5
ROYLANCE ANGUS, REG-
ISTERED BLACK ANGUS
BULLS: These bulls come with explosive growth, fueled by breed topping genetics. Calving ease, excellent feet, great dispositions. Sired by Coleman Rock 7200, Coleman Marshal 7170 and Coleman Navigator 614. Competitively priced. Semen tested, vaccinated. One breeding season guarantee. Sold private treaty on the ranch in Charlo, MT. Call or text, Adrian, 406-214-4444 4/19
REGISTERED ANGUS BULLS FOR SALE: Calving ease, growth. AI sired. Docile. Delivery available. Earhart Farms, Powell, WY 307-2728876 4/12
PUREBRED ANGUS BULLS: Only sell 2-year-olds, 100% Ohlde genetics, semen checked. Call Keith Reed, 402-649-3615 4/5
YEARLING ANGUS BULLS: These bulls are grown, not fattened, will get out and cover cows. Many will work on heifers. We will deliver. Call Joe Buseman, 605-351-1535 4/5
BULLS FOR SALE: Registered yearling and 2-year-old Black Angus range bulls for sale private treaty. Good selection for heifers and cows. From popular sires and industry leaders. Semen tested and ready to go. Call 307-762-3541 TFN
FOR SALE: 100 RED ANGUS PAIRS. Raised own replacements for 51 years. Sold many registered Red Angus bulls, Cows are gentle. Will be ready around May 10. Call Jim Shepherd, 406-698-6657 4/26
SALE * CHRISTENSEN RED ANGUS * SALE: Registered, vaccinated and fertility tested bulls. We have a deep carcass, high ADG packaged with moderate to low birthweights available. Call 406-208-4315 or e-mail criters64@gmail. com 4/19
RED ANGUS COWS AND HEIFERS FOR SALE: Twenty-five red cows, second and third calvers. ALSO, 6 red heifers. All bred to Leachman and Beckton Red Angus bulls April 15 for 60 days. Located in Torrington, WY. Call 307231-2883 4/12
RED ANGUS HIGH-ELEVATION YEARLING BULLS FOR SALE IN NORTHEASTERN UTAH : Out of AI and bull-bred sires. Will be trich, semen tested and fed for free until May 1. $2,700/head. Bar Lazy TL Ranch, David, 435828-1320, barlazytlranch@ gmail.com 6/14
SHORTHORN BULLS FOR SALE PRIVATE TREATY: Yearlings up to mature bulls available. Developed conservatively so they hold up. Remember a red Shorthorn bull on your homozygous black cows will give you black calves. Shorthorns are excellent maternal cattle that produce quality beef. Francis-Millvale Shorthorns, Gene and Roberta Francis Family, 701-331-2403, e-mail francis. millvale@gmail.com. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 4/26
PUREBRED CHAROLAIS BULLS FOR SALE: AI’d to Lead Time, spring and fall yearlings available. Priced at $4,000/head. Call 406-6717451 4/19
WOODARD LIMOUSIN : Quality Lim-Flex bulls for sale. High performance proven genetics, polled, good dispositions. Will work with you on delivery options. ALSO, A LIMITED TIME SEMEN OFFERING ON DEBV MC HAMMER 419M one of the hottest, most talked about, upcoming young bulls in the breed. His flashy looks combined with the center mass of body, bone and foot shape that’s hard to make, will elevate your next calf crop. Contact Rodger Woodard, 719-439-2011, www.woodardlimousin.com To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 4/5
Angus
Dogs
Charolais
WAGYU/AKAUSHI BULLS FOR SALE: Red/black, yearlings, 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds. Call 406-860-7085, Little Powder Wagyu 4/5
WIGGINS FEEDYARD, FEEDING CATTLE OF ALL CLASSES: Drylot cows; yearlings or calves to background or finish. Call Steve, 308-279-1432 or Sue, 308-2790924 (cell) 5/17
Pasture Wanted
LOOKING TO RENT OR LEASE PASTURE FOR
50-150 cow/calf pairs for 2025, longer or yearly lease if possible.
Preferably northeastern Wyoming. Call 307-660-0294 and leave a message if no answer.
WANTING TO RENT PASTURE IN NORTH-CENTRAL WYO-
MING: Enough for 20 to 50 pairs. Call 605-252-8156 4/26
PASTURE WANTED AND/OR RANCH OR FARM LEASE, northwest Wyoming or south-central Montana. References available. Call 307-851-2426 4/5
LOOKING FOR RANCH OR PASTURE TO LEASE FOR 150-200 HEAD: Will pay lease or run owner’s cows. Looking for place with corrals. Long term. Call 307-689-6172 (cell) or 307868-2170 (house) 4/19
Ranch for Lease
PARK COUNTY, WY RANCH
NEAR CODY, WY IS AVAIL-
ABLE FOR A LONG-TERM
LEASE: The ranch has over 50,000 acres and supports an irrigated hay base with BOR water rights. Carrying capacity is 700 animal units year-round with hay production. Willing to split the hay ground and grazing. Please e-mail Honora Beirne (hbeirne@acpg.com) and Melanie Giliati (mgiliati@ acpg.com) for details 4/19
THREE OUTSTANDING
AQHA 2024 COLTS, sires Metallic Rebel, Badboonarising, Countin Hot Checks, asking $20,000/each. TWO OLSEN NOLTE SADDLES, good condition, circa 1930’s-1940’s, $3,500/each OBO. COMPLETE SET OF WILL JAMES BOOKS, including first editions and children’s books, $4,000 for the set. Napa County, northern California. Call 707-3336923 4/12
HORSES FOR SALE: Twoyear-old Gypsy Vanner red roan gelding. Two-year-old High Roller Rey brown gelding. They are both gentle, halter broke, easy to catch and trim. Five-year-old Autumnator/Playgun bay roan mare, stands 14.2 HH, broke to ride. Ten-year-old gray mustang mare, stands 14.2 HH, broke to ride. Yearling IF WHIZS WERE GUNS red roan stud colt. Yearling WHIMPY NEEDS A COCKTAIL bay filly. Both are halter broke and gentle. Three AQHA bred mares. For more information, please call or text 307679-3126 4/12
FOR SALE: Five-year-old gray Quarter Horse gelding. Stands 14.2 HH, well-broke to ride. Good ranch horse. Five-yearold sorrel draft cross gelding. Stands 15.2 HH. Well-broke to ride and drive. Fifteen-year-old mini pony gelding. Well-broke to ride and drive. ALSO, yearling blue roan draft cross fillies. For more information, call 307-467-5651, leave message for Henry Lambright 4/5
BEST OF THE BIG HORNS HORSE SALE, APRIL 12, Buffalo Livestock Marketing, 44 TW Rd., Buffalo, WY. Online bidding through www.cattleusa. com, register 3 days prior to sale. Contact Ellen Allemand, 307-751-8969 or Kay Lynn Allen, 406-697-5882. Visit us on Facebook for updates 4/5
WEANER PIGS FOR SALE, located in Powell, WY. For more information, call 307271-1014 1/17
CERTIFIED BARLEY STRAW FOR SALE, 3x4 bales. Cody, WY. Call 307-899-1952 TFN
2,000 TONS OF HAY FOR SALE: First, second and third cutting alfalfa. All bales are 4x4x8 in size. Location between Lovell and Powell, WY. Contact Crosby Farms, 307272-3712 4/19
WIGGINS FEEDYARD, FEEDING CATTLE OF ALL CLASSES: Drylot cows; yearlings or calves to background or finish. Call Steve, 308-2791432 or Sue, 308-279-0924 (cell) 5/17
Warner Ranch Seed
Serving Fremont County, Wyoming and the surrounding areas.
HarvXtra® alfalfa with Roundup Ready® technology, Roundup Ready® alfalfa and conventional varieties available! Plant the best!
Buffalo Brand Seed for annual forages, cover crops, pasture grasses, small grains and custom mixes.
OPEN POLLINATED SEED CORN out produces hybrid for silage and grazing quality grain, $69/bushel +S/H. Call 217-857-3377 or text cell 217-343-4962, visit website www.borriesopenpollinatedseedcorn.com 4/19
EXCELLENT QUALITY OATS FOR FEED OR SEED, $12/ cwt. ALSO, WRANGLER ALFALFA SEED, $2.50/lb. Greybull, WY area. Call 307-2729259 4/12
WHITE DURANA CLOVER SEED FOR DEER PLOTS, $6/lb. Can be used for deer plots or pasture mix. Please text 970-520-1320 4/5
BARLEY STRAW: Certified weed-free small squares, $4/ bale. ALSO, 5x6 round bales, $125/ton. GRAIN OATS, wheat and barley, $20/cwt. Greybull, WY area. Call 307762-3878 or 307-899-4714, leave message 4/19
FORAGE WHEAT, GRASS AND ALFALFA HAY FOR SALE: Cow and horse quality. Round bales, 3x3 square bales and 3x4 square bales. Delivery available!! Call 307630-3046 4/19
Hay & Feed Equipment
ALFALFA HAY FOR SALE: 3x3 bales shedded. Priced depending on quality and quantity needed. Farson, WY, trucking available. Call 307350-0350 4/19
HAY FOR SALE: 2024 big rounds of second and third cutting alfalfa, 57 bales of third cutting, bales average 1,440 lbs., $125/bale, 35 bales of second cutting, bales average 1,200 lbs., $85/bale. Hay is located in Frannie, WY. Contact Keri Merrill, 307389-3377 4/12
ALFALFA/GRASS HAY FOR SALE: 1,350 lb. round bales, west of Sheridan, WY. Call 307-673-8267 4/19
NORTHWEST WYOMING CERTIFIED GRASS SEED GROWER HAS CERTIFIED GRASS HAY FOR SALE: 3x4x8 bales. 2023 crop approximately 1,200 lbs. 2024 crop approximately 900+ lbs. $25/bale. Powell, WY area. Call Mike at 307-202-0494 4/19
GRASS HAY FOR SALE, 1,400 lb. net-wrapped round bales, $140/bale. Near Laramie, WY. Call 307-760-8429 4/5
ROUND-BALED GRASS: 2024 crop $50/bale. 1,000 lb. net-wrapped bales. Cody, WY area. Call, don’t text, Anthony at 307-254-2645 5/24
Hay & Feed
Spry 84-year-old wrinkly geologists couple seek western Wyoming ranches wide open space to sheep wagon camp 4-5 days this summer. Prefer historic locals, solitude , wildlife, with gawking scenery, etc. where we can hike, read history books await Remington sunsets. No fires, pets, drugs, guns or proselytizing. Limited budget. Might bring you dinner if we can use your freezer. References. Linda/Pete, Denver 303-986-3039 geochem@centurylink.net
CERTIFIED WEED-FREE PURE ALFALFA HAY: Small squares, covered. 2023 first cutting available for a reduced price. 2024 first, second and third cutting available. Will load trucks and any open trailer. MONIDA OATS, $16/cwt. Combine run. Will auger into truck, trailer or large totes/ag bags. Located between Powell and Cody, WY. Call or text Knopp Farms for details, 307-254-0554 4/26
JOHN DEERE 250 SKID STEER, 2,309 hours, has foot controls, cab enclosure with heat, excellent tires, 66” bucket, auxiliary hydraulics, excellent shape and runs great. $21,000. Call or text only please, 308-241-2188. To view photos, go to www.wylr. net in the classifieds 4/19
FOR SALE: 1994 FORD 9000 CUMMINS N14 with 13 speed Hendrickson suspension. MOHRLANG MANURE SPREADER, 2 beater, 20’, in good condition!! $49,000. Contact 970-396-9464 or 970-6914782. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 4/5
VALLEY VIDEO HAY MARKETS, LLC: Hay available. Go to www.valleyvideohay.com or call Barry McRea, 308-2355386 4/26
HAY FOR SALE: 2023 milo and grass/alfalfa. 2024 first, second and third cutting alfalfa, first cutting 90% alfalfa/10% grass mix, grass mix, grass/alfalfa, milo cut late in the season. ALSO, 2024 haybet barley, nitrates low, protein high, 2023 and 2024 CRP hay. All in net-wrapped round bales. Semi load delivery available. Call for pricing, ask for Klint, 701-2904418, send a text if no answer or keep trying 4/26
HAY FOR SALE: 3x3 and round bales of grass or alfalfa/grass mix. Prices starting at $70/ton. FOB. Delivered only. Call 605840-0015 4/5
Vehicles Wanted
1932, 1933 OR 1934 FORD WANTED, in any condition, unrestored or restored. Call 605-290-3208 4/5
Equipment
SOLD MY LOADERS, HAVE OVER $12K WORTH OF INVENTORY!! New in the box, filters, glass, belts, and more. Will fit John Deere 644J, 744J and 744K, $3,500 for all or would trade for skid steer attachments or a good car trailer. Call 307-259-4321 4/19
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, FARMER RETIRING: John Deere 71 Flex 8 row corn planter on a 24’ stackable bar. AC Model 1300 30’ ripper with rakes. 16’ Eversman fold up land plane with S tine rippers. 9600 John Deere combine with 930 30’ grain header and an 893 8 row 30” corn header. A 20’ Krause offset disc (new blades in front). 24’ Model 630 John Deere tandem disc. Safety pull with a bull hitch. John Deere front suitcase weights. IHC front suitcase weights. Round John Deere wheel weights. Contact Greg Keller at 406-679-1136 4/26
2007 KIOTI FRONT END LOADER, BACKHOE AND SNOWPLOW: 30 HP diesel, 200 engine hours. Pictures available upon request. Call 303-442-7543, leave a message. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 4/5
FOR SALE: Phillips 45’ hydraulic rotary harrow. Mandako 45’ landroller. Rowse 9’ pull type mower. Rowse 9’ 3pt. mower. Rowse 14 wheel high capacity v-rake. Lorenz 16’x29’ 18 ton bale mover with tandem axles. Farmhand 870 hydraulic grinder/mixer with scale. 2020 Freightliner, automatic transmission, DD13 engine, 178” wheelbase, 407,673 miles, runs and drives nice. Vermeer BP7000 bale processor. Summers hydraulic rock picker. Miller Pro 5100 18’ chuckwagon with bunk feeding extensions and tandem running gear. H&S 7+4 18’ chuckwagon with bunk feeding extensions and tandem 14 ton running gear. John Deere 716A chuckwagons with John Deere running gear and bunk feeding extensions, been shedded, nice condition. 12’ HD box scraper with tilt. All in very nice condition!! Call 605999-5482 4/5
Hay Equipment
FOR SALE: 2009 AGCO (Hesston) 7115 small square hay baler, 14x18. 2009 AGCO (Hesston) 2270, 14’ hydroswing windrower, John Deere 2630 diesel tractor, good engine, good tires. New Holland 1033 pull type bale wagon, old but works. 3 pt., 4 wheel, side delivery hay rake. 3 pt. Frontier 7’ spring tooth chisel plow. 3 pt. Conical fertilizer/seed spreader. 3 pt. Rhino 950, 9’ hydraulic blade. Rhino N20 hydraulic post hole auger, loader bucket mount. Call 307-2627874, Casper, WY 4/12
TWO DOUBLE 9 KOSCH SICKLE MOWERS, 1 hydraulic driven and 1 PTO driven. Both shedded and in very nice condition. Call Keith Reed, 402-649-3615 4/5
Irrigation Irrigation
Pipe
MANUFACTURER OF HEAVY DUTY CONTINUOUS FENCE: Corral panels, farm gates, free standing panels and more. Call for pricing and delivery, Rocky Ridge Welding, Nevada, MO, 417549-1077 4/19
LODGEPOLE PRODUCTS, 307-742-6992, SERVING AGRI-BUSINESSES SINCE 1975!! Treated posts, corral poles, buck-and-rail, western rail, fence stays, rough-sawn lumber, bedding. SEE US at www.lodgepoleproducts. com and click our “Picking A Fence Post” tab to see why folks choose our posts!! TFN
FOURTEEN PIECES HEAVY
DUTY SCHEDULE 80 PVC, 3.5” ID, 20’ long with stainless steel couplers. Call EMC2, 307-630-2345 4/19
PIPE FOR SALE!! 2 7/8”, 3 1/2” tubing, 4” drill pipe, 4 1/2” casing, 5” casing, 7” casing. Rods 3/4”, 7/8” and 1” located in Montana, can ship anywhere. Call Mike, 602-758-4447. To view photos, go to www.wylr. net in the classifieds 7/26
OILFIELD PIPE: PRICE REDUCED!! RPJ Enterprises, Inc. 2 3/8”, 2 7/8” and 4.5” is available, pricing is coming down. Used for fencing, corrals, cattle guards, etc. 2 3/8” and 2 7/8” are on average 31.5’ long per joint. Pierce, CO. Call for details, 970-3244580 6/28
Killebrew Irrigation
SIOUX COUNTY, NE CENTER PIVOT: A productive farm of 75± acres located 2 miles north of Henry, NE. Featuring a T&L wiper pivot and reliable irrigation from Pathfinder Irrigation District. With no other structures, it’s an ideal investment. $240,000. Casey Essert, Land Broker, 307532-1750, Empire Realty, Inc., 2010 West B Street, Torrington, WY 82240 4/5
COUNTRY FARM HOME, ON 8 ACRES, overlooking the Big Horn River with superb mountain views, 3 bedroom, 1 bath, horse paddock, natural springs, paved access, municipal water and no covenants. Located between Greybull and Worland, WY. By owner, $479,000. Call 719-217-8054 4/12
Hunting & Fishing
ANTLER MARKET STEADY TO STRONG!!! APRIL 9-10 PETSKA FUR WILL BE BUYING ALL GRADES OF ANTLER AND LATE SEASON FUR IN THE FOLLOWING TOWNS AND LOCATIONS: APRIL 9: Newcastle 7:10-7:30 p.m., Voelker’s Body Shop. APRIL 10: Newcastle 6:30-6:50 a.m., Voelker’s Body Shop; Upton 7:20-7:40 a.m., Joe’s Grocery (drive thru, call Greg); Moorcroft 8-8:20 a.m., The Coffee Cup (drive thru, call Greg); Sundance 8:45-9:30 a.m., Rapid Stop; Beulah 10-10:20 a.m., Truck Stop (drive thru, call Greg); Spearfish, S.D. 10:3011 a.m., Butcher Shop; Belle Fourche, S.D. 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Runnings (NE parking lot); Aladdin 12:20-12:50 p.m., General Store (drive thru, call Greg); Hulett 1-1:30 p.m., Tower Valley Ag Supply; Alzada, MT 2:152:30 p.m., B&J Convenience (drive thru, call Greg); Gillette 7-7:30 p.m., Rocky Mountain Sports and Howard Johnson Motel room 143 7:45-8:15 p.m.. For more information, call Greg, 308-750-0700 or visit www.petskafur.net 4/5
Property for Sale
ANTLER MARKET STEADY TO STRONG!!! APRIL 11-14
PETSKA FUR WILL BE BUYING ALL GRADES OF ANTLER AND LATE SEASON FUR IN THE FOLLOWING TOWNS AND LOCATIONS: APRIL 11: Gillette 5:45-6 a.m., Rocky Mountain Sports (drive thru, call Greg); Wright 6:20-6:50 a.m., Big D (drive thru, call Greg); Midwest 7:50-8:10 a.m., Sinclair Truck Stop (drive thru, call Greg); Kaycee 8:35-9 a.m., Sinclair Truck Stop; Sheridan 10:30-11 a.m., Sportsman’s Warehouse; Buffalo 11:45 a.m.12:15 p.m., Good 2 Go; Ten Sleep 1:50-2:20 p.m., Pony Express; Hyattville 3-3:20 p.m., Paint Rock Processing (drive thru, call Greg); Manderson 3:40-3:50 p.m., Hiway Bar (drive thru, call Greg); Basin 4-4:20 p.m., Overland Express Mart (drive thru, call Greg); Greybull 4:40-5 p.m., Overland Express Mart (drive thru, call Greg); Lovell 5:50-6:20 p.m., Good 2 Go (drive thru, call Greg); Byron 6:106:20 p.m., Cardtrol Station (drive thru, call Greg); Powell 6:50-7:10 p.m., Murdoch’s (drive thru, call Greg); Cody 7:40-8 p.m., Nature’s Design Taxidermy; Meeteetse 8:30-8:45 p.m., on street in front of firehouse (drive thru call Greg); APRIL 12: Worland 7:30-8 a.m., Coop One Stop; Thermopolis 8:50-9:20 a.m., Renegade Guns; Shoshoni 10:10-10:30 a.m., Fast Lane/Exxon (west of truck diesel pumps, (drive thru, call Greg); Riverton 11-11:45 a.m., Vic’s Body Shop (behind the Dollar Tree); Hudson 12:10-12:20 p.m., Wyoming Custom Meats (drive thru, call Greg); Lander 12:501:30 p.m., Zanders; Jeffrey City 2:30-2:45 p.m., Split Rock Cafe (drive thru, call Greg); Muddy Gap 3-3:10 p.m., (drive thru, call Greg); Alcova 3:50-4 p.m., Sloanes General Store (drive thru, call Greg); Casper 4:30-5:15 p.m., Wagner Outdoor Sports; Glenrock 5:45-6 p.m., east exit on I-25 (drive thru, call Greg); Douglas 6:30-6:45 p.m., Douglas Feed. APRIL 13: Douglas 6:30-6:45 a.m., Douglas Feed (drive thru, call Greg); Orin Junction 7-7:10 a.m., Truck Stop (drive thru, call Greg); Lost Springs 7:30-7:40 a.m., truck pull off 1 mile east (drive thru, call Greg); Manville 8-8:10 a.m., Truck Stop (drive thru, call Greg); Lusk 8:30 a.m.-9 a.m., Decker’s Grocery; Hartville 9:45-10 a.m., Miner’s & Stockman’s Restaurant (drive thru, call Greg); Guernsey 10-10:30 a.m., Crazy Tony’s; Wheatland 11-11:30 a.m., Wheatland Travel Center; Chugwater 12-12:15 p.m., Stampede Saloon (drive thru, call Greg); Cheyenne 1:15-1:45 p.m., Tractor Supply; Archer 2:10-2:30 p.m., Home on the Ranch Processing (drive thru, call Greg); Carpenter 2:50-3 p.m., Antelope Truck Stop (drive thru, call Greg); Pine Bluffs 3-3:20 p.m., Sinclair (drive thru, call Greg). APRIL 14: LaGrange 6:45-7a.m., Bear Mtn. Stage Stop (drive thru, call Greg); Hawk Springs 7:20-7:30 a.m., Longbranch Saloon (drive thru, call Greg); Yoder 7:50-8 a.m., Post Office/Community Building (drive thru, call Greg); Lingle 8:208:40 a.m., Ty’s Pit Stop; Torrington 9:10-9:30 a.m., Gary’s Gunshop (drive thru, call Greg). For more information, call Greg, 308-7500700 or visit www.petskafur.net 4/5
2:45-3:15 p.m., Gardner’s Country Village; Thayne 3:30-3:40 p.m., Farmer’s Feed (drive thru, call Greg); Alpine 4-4:20 p.m. Tack & Treasure Gun Shop (drive thru, call Greg); Hoback Jct. 4:45-5 p.m., Hoback Market/ Exxon (drive thru, call Greg); Bondurant 5:30-5:45 p.m., Elk Horn Bar (drive thru, call Greg); Daniel 6:15-6:30 p.m., The Den (drive thru, call Greg); Pinedale 6:45-7 p.m., Gannett Sports. MAY 4: Big Piney 6:30-6:45 a.m., Public RR/Visitor Info. lot; La Barge 7:10-7:25 a.m., All American Fuel (drive thru, call Greg); Green River 8:45-9:05 a.m., Hitching Post (drive thru, call Greg); Rock Springs 9:3010 a.m., WY Wool Warehouse; Wamsutter 11-11:15 a.m., Conoco (drive thru, call Greg); Rawlins 11:45-12:15 a.m., Tractor Supply; Saratoga 1-1:30 p.m. Saratoga Feed & Grain; Elk
2:10-2:20 p.m., Conoco on I-80 (drive thru, call Greg);
2:30-2:45 p.m.,
Market (drive thru, call Greg);
Bow 2:50-3:05 p.m., JB’s (drive thru, call Greg); Rock River 3:30-3:45 p.m., Rancher’s Supply (drive thru, call Greg); Laramie 4:30-5:15 p.m., West Laramie Fly Shop. For more information, call Greg, 308-7500700 or visit www.petskafur. net 4/26
by Lee Pitts
Do You Work Out?
The local gym is now the new country club, and people are being judged by which gym they belong to.
This hit me when I was runover as I was going to the hardware store by a spandex clad gentleman who ran right into me because he was talking on his phone and had his nose up in the air like he was high society or something.
“Oh, excuse me. I’m sorry old chap, but I’m late for my pilates class,” he exclaimed.
The gym happens to be right next door to the hardware store, which makes for an inter-
esting clash of two cultures.
The guy was wearing a headband, Fitbit watch and was carrying a bottle filled with a slimy green liquid, which I assumed he drank. The haughty gym-goer stooped so low as to speak to me, the lowly hardware aficionado.
“I haven’t seen you around here. Do you work out?” he asked, scanning my body from head to toe while shaking his head in disgust.
“I sure do, seven days a week,” I replied.
“You certainly don’t belong to my gym or I’d have
seen you around,” he said. “What’s the name of your gym?”
“It’s called the ranch,” I answered.
“Hmph. Never heard of it. Is it nearby?” he asked.
“It’s about 15 miles from here,” I said.
“You really should apply for a membership to my gym, that is, if you qualify of course,” he continued.
“Of course,” I replied.
“As a member, you can use any of our state-of-the-art machines. For instance, our treadmills allow you to run in place while talking on your phone and streaming a movie. For a small additional charge, you can sign up to participate in our pilates, spinning and yoga classes,” said the uppity gym jock.
“You keep referring to it as ‘my gym.’ Why are you hustling gym memberships? Do
you own the place?” I asked.
“Oh no. It’s just that my gym is running a special promotion, and for only $39 per month you can be a member and get an official T-shirt signifying your new-found status,” he said. “And for every five new members I sign up, I get a free month’s membership fee, a headband and a mangobeet smoothie.”
He continued, “As a new member, you would qualify for the same program. That is, after you pass our rigid screening process.”
“I’m sure I could use the status I’d gain by joining your prestigious gym, but mine is free,” I replied. “And I don’t have to drink the green yuck or buy the leg warmers or headband, and honestly, can you picture me in a spandex leotard? Also, I don’t really have time for yoga or pilates, and I threw up on the carou-
sel at the county fair so I think the spinning class is definitely a non-starter.”
“But are you really getting a proper workout at this ranch place?” asked Mr. Spandex. “You certainly don’t look like it. From the looks of your body, I suspect your abs and lats could use a lot of work. We have an excellent coaching team, and I’m sure we have a more modern, up-todate apparatus to work out on.
What’s your favorite machine at The Ranch?”
“I’d have to say it’s a Bobcat, but it’s a rental,” I replied.
“Hmph. I’ve never heard of it,” he said. “Do you have a climbing wall?”
“No, but I do have to climb a fence every once in a while when I’m sorting,” I said.
“Might I ask how much you can lift?” he asked.
“Well, it depends on how much rain we get,” I replied.
“In a real wet year, I might have to lift and throw 400 pounds, but if we have a bad year with no grass, I might only have to lift and throw 300 pounds. I also work out by lifting railroad ties, heavy sacks of grain and cement and by digging postholes.”
“That’s certainly an unorthodox workout regimen,” he stated. “What’s the main staple of your exercise regimen?”
“I’d have to say fencing,” I responded.
“Oh, after watching that sport during the Olympics I’ve always wanted to try it. Please do tell me more,” said the suddenly excited gym snob.
“Well, it’s something you and your wife can do together, but it’s dangerous, especially if your wife is mad at you,” I said. “See all of these cuts and lacerations on my arms and hands? They’re all from fencing with my wife.”
By Paul Dykstra
CAB Market Update
Fed cattle trade was highlighted by sales on March 21, which featured substantially higher prices as packer demand for spot market cattle pressed prices higher in all regions. The five-area weighted average for the week summarized strong market support with a $212.76 per hundredweight (cwt) live steer price and $335.15 per cwt dressed price in the North.
The North-South price spread remains a factor in the market, although smaller at this time than the recordwide spread in the $10 per cwt range last summer.
Nebraska and Iowa prices were reported from $212 per cwt to $215 per cwt live, while Texas and Kansas prices were between $209 per cwt and $210 per cwt.
The March price pattern has been exceptionally bullish, with this latest development bringing the month’s fed cattle price increase to just over $14 per cwt.
Carcass cutout values reflect strong price trend
Carcass cutout values have also reflected a very strong price trend through March as healthy demand has been met with lower weekly fed cattle harvest head counts to culminate in higher values.
Even so, increasing cattle costs for the packer have outpaced boxed beef price increases. As such, packer margins remain well below breakeven in spot market calculations.
Price increases across several cuts were noted during the week of March 17, but most notable is demand and higher values focused on middle meats.
Ribeyes and strip loins were the highlight attractions in the week’s Certified Angus Beef (CAB) pricing report, with the week-over-week price change spiking nearly
straight upward for each.
Wholesale ribeye rolls were up 80 cents per pound or seven percent on the week prior, while strip loins were up 85 cents per pound or eight percent on the week. Top sirloins were up next with a 20 cents per pound single-week increase to bring the wholesale price change to four percent for the week.
Carcass quality spreads pop
The last edition of the CAB Market Insider focused on the total carcass value contribution between the four major beef carcass primals.
A summary of this discussion revealed the chuck and round primals contributed a slightly larger share of total carcass value in the past two years. This is due to increasing demand for cuts from end meats which could be easily substituted as lean grinding material in the face of limited cull cow harvest.
An adjustment of focus this week swings attention back to the pricing power middle meats exert in the beef market. In particular, high-quality steak and roast items such as ribeyes, strip loins, tenderloins and sirloins carry an outsized share of the load when it comes to generating pricing separation up and down the carcass quality spectrum.
Beginning in January, typical seasonal trends pressured quality price spreads rapidly lower as beef demand shifted away from middle meats.
The premium between U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Choice and Select dropped from December’s record $38 per cwt to the season’s low $12.20 per cwt in early March. A similar, less pronounced narrowing between CAB and Choice cutout val-
ues narrowed this gap to $16 per cwt for the period.
The latest market highlights show middle meats surging to higher prices as spring demand sets in early and smaller recent harvest totals create urgency for buyers. As carcass cutout prices have shifted swiftly upward, the spread between CAB, Choice and Select have widened.
The Urner Barry report for the week of March 17 pegged the CAB-Choice spread at $20 per cwt and Choice-Select spread at $16 per cwt. Today’s daily USDA weighted report indi-
cates the Choice-Select spread has widened to $20 per cwt.
The pattern depicted in the chart’s timeline, beginning in February, shows the trends for the combined rib and loin primals compared to the combined chuck and round primals. The price spreads for the cutout values are weighted for the share of total carcass value contributed by each.
Note the divergence in price spread direction between CAB and USDA Select. The rib and loin primals are shown with widening price spreads for
quality recently while the chuck and round spreads are narrowing. Summarizing total carcass value, the CAB-Select carcass price spread in the first quarter was narrowest in mid-February at $29.65 per cwt and has quickly widened to $36.54 per cwt.
It’s yet to be seen if spring demand and the price spreads that come with it are here to stay through the spring season. Price spreads narrowed last year from late March into early April, but remained rather strong in the two previous years.
Carcass quality, includ-
ing CAB carcass certification rates and combined Choice and Prime quality grades, are running at peak historic levels. The latest CAB acceptance rates touched 43 percent of Angus-type carcasses and have since pulled back to a still-stellar 41 percent. Demand ahead of spring holidays, plus the pace of packer harvest schedules, will be the key factors in the equation.
Paul Dykstra is the director of supply management and analysis at CAB. He can be reached at pdykstra@certifiedangusbeef.com.
MSU scientists analyzing how nutrients in beef are impacted by what cattle eat
Instead of answering, “Where’s the beef?”
Michigan State University (MSU) scientists are gaining a deeper understanding of what’s in the beef.
A paper recently published by two MSU researchers highlights new data on how the nutrient composition and healthfulness of beef is impacted by what beef cattle feed on.
Fatty acids in grass-fed beef
Jenifer Fenton, a professor in the MSU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, and C.S. Mott Professor of Sustainable Agriculture in the Department of Animal Science
Jason Rowntree published their findings in October 2024 in npj Science of Food
Funded by the Greenacres Foundation, Fenton and Rowntree, whose work is also supported by MSU AgBioResearch, examined fatty acids and other organic compounds in grass-finished beef from cattle raised using rotational grazing methods, specifically studying whether analyzing the nutritional components in beef can lead to accurate predictions on what cattle were fed.
Being able to determine the feedstuff cattle ate –such as grass, supplemental feeds or grains – based on the nutrients found in beef could create an approach for
how grass-finished beef can be authenticated.
Previous research of theirs published in 2022 in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems confirmed several nutritional benefits of grass-finished beef compared to grain-finished beef from cattle fed barley, oats or corn. These benefits included less fat, more omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids – which support heart health – and a lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.
Too high of a ratio can cause inflammation in the body and heighten disease risk.
“There’s variation in beef, yet we tend to put it under one umbrella,” Rowntree said. “I often say beef is healthy, but there’s nuance to it.”
Fenton said the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in grassfinished beef is usually about two-to-one. However, some samples her team previously collected had ratios as high as 28.3-to-one.
“How you feed the animal can change the omega-6 to omega-3 profile dramatically,” Fenton said. “Salmon is one example that gets talked about a lot. Farm-raised salmon, when fed corn and soy, contain higher amounts of omega-6 fatty acids compared to wild salmon, which contain more omega-3 fatty acids because
they’re feeding on small fish which eat algae.”
“The same concept is true for beef,” she continued. “When cattle are fed a high proportion of corn and soy, the beef has higher amounts of omega-6 relative to omega-3. On the commercial project we did prior, we saw wide variations in the ratio from twoto-one all the way to 20-toone and more, but the beef samples should’ve all been close to two-to-one because they were purportedly grassfinished. So, we’ve been working to identify potential supplemental feeds which might explain the variation.”
Supplemental feeds
For some farmers and ranchers who practice rotational grazing and produce beef labeled to be grassfinished, fresh forage isn’t always available for cattle due to snow cover and other seasonal interruptions. As a result, cattle are fed supplemental feeds such as hay, baleage, soybean hulls and other diets.
The American Grassfed Association provides an approved list of supplemental feeds for cattle grown to produce grass-finished beef, but Fenton and Rowntree sought to provide evidence supporting ways to accurately authenticate grassfinished beef.
They did this by observ-
ing differences among the fatty acids and secondary metabolites in the beef they sampled, and then predicted which feeds were fed to cattle based on the information they recorded. Secondary metabolites refer to bioactive compounds that aren’t associated with cell growth or development but play a role in how organisms function and survive in relation to their environment.
Previous studies –including one funded partly by Michigan Alliance of Animal Agriculture and published by Fenton and Rowntree in 2023 – have demonstrated how secondary metabolites produced by plants responding to their environment have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents which can be transferred to cattle fed on grass.
Rowntree said land management will continue to be an important research topic moving forward to ensure the feedstuff cattle eat and graze on is nutrient dense.
“There is a unique demand for understanding the nutrient density of the food we produce,” Rowntree said. “Our premise is healthy soils equal healthy land, and healthy land equals healthy plants, animals and people. Understanding how management influences the nutrients in food is a growing and much needed area.”
For this project, Fenton, Rowntree and the team examined beef from four cattle groups at the MSU Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center, with each group being fed different feeds and/or exposed to
different environments.
Group one fed on pasture and was supplemented with hay. Group two fed on pasture and was supplemented with baleage. Group three fed on pasture and was supplemented with soybean hulls. Group four was confined and fed baleage and soybean hulls.
From the data, the team could predict what each group was fed with accuracies of 100 percent, 50 percent, 41 percent and 97 percent, respectively.
Hay – based on its 100 percent accuracy prediction – was described in the paper as the “gold standard” to supplement with fresh forage for a reliable authentication of grass-finished beef.
Likewise, the team could predict with a high degree of certainty which beef samples came from cattle fed solely forage- or feed-based diets.
Fenton said, while a few differences among the samples confirmed certain supplemental feeds – such as hay – present more favorable characteristics in grassfinished beef than others, all of the feeds they tested remain stable options to supplement with fresh forage.
“I think a producer can feel assured if they feed these byproducts at a rate similar to what was done in the study during the winter or at other points in time, the ones we’ve measured won’t greatly influence the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio,” Fenton said.
Moving forward
The next step of this research is currently underway as the team conducts similar tests to examine the nutritional profile of beef
from cattle fed distillers’ grains. Additionally, Fenton said partners from Cal Poly Pomona, Chapman University and Utah State University are monitoring how metabolic genes change in response to what cattle eat, as well as the extent to which bioactive compounds from biodiverse pastures accumulate in grass-finished beef.
Fenton said one area of research needing to be further explored – noting the team may investigate it in the future – is how human health is affected when eating beef from cattle fed different diets and how consumers choose among different beef products.
“We’d like to work toward taking the grassfinished beef with a nutrient profile favoring human health and then beef from conventionally-fed cattle and feeding it to humans to see if there’s data showing lower inflammatory markers or a more beneficial cholesterol profile between the two,” Fenton said.
MSU AgBioResearch scientists discover dynamic solutions for food systems and the environment. More than 300 MSU faculty conduct leading-edge research on a variety of topics, from health and climate to agriculture and natural resources. Originally formed in 1888 as the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU AgBioResearch oversees numerous on-campus research facilities, as well as 15 outlying centers throughout Michigan. To learn more, visit agbioresearch.msu.edu
