December 18, 2021

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Volume 33 Number 34 • December 18, 2021

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The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net

A Look Inside U.S. Sen. John Boozman discusses the outlook in farm country ...........................................Page 2 Several veterinarians analyze causes and treatment of blackleg disease in livestock........................ ...........................................Page 7 Dick Perue wishes you a Merry Christmas with Christmas Eve poem................................Page 10 Lee Pitts recalls weight loss programs and diets over the year...... .........................................Page 16

Quick Bits Water Rule

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) released the proposed Agricultural Water Rule and intent to set risk and science-based regulations required by the Food Safety Modernization Act. This rule replaces some existing requirements for agricultural water. The proposed rule and opportunity for comment is available on the Federal Register.

Champions crowned at Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas, Nev. – The 63rd Annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) took place Dec. 2-11 at the Thomas and Mack Center. Several contestants from Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South

Dakota and Wyoming were in attendance, and the 2021 WNFR champions have been crowned. Bareback riding Caleb Bennett from Corvallis, Mont. entered the WNFR fourth place in the

world standings. He tied for fourth place in round seven with Clayton Biglow after an 86-point ride, winning $9,144 in the round. In round eight he placed seventh, round nine he placed first and round 10 he tied for sixth. Bennett

finished the WNFR in ninth place, winning $188,532 and finishing 13th in the average. Richmond Champion from Stevensville, Mont. started the WNFR in seventh place. He tied with Please see WNFR on page 6

WSGA Winter Roundup Industry convention provides important updates on the state of agriculture

Casper – The Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) hosted their annual Winter Roundup Dec. 13-15 at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center. The threeday event was jam packed with several presentations from researchers, cattlemen, cattlewomen and industry leaders. Several Wyoming representatives were in attendance including Gov. Mark Gordon, and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), while Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) attended virtually. All three leaders provided comment on several government concerns impacting the state. Future of Wyoming During the banquet, Gordon shared his passion for the

state of Wyoming, it’s people and commodities. Wyoming is by far the best state, he noted. “Wyoming has wonderful industries which showcase perseverance, ones that have been through bad and good times, industries such as agriculture – folks like you,” he explained. “The state of Wyoming doesn’t ask for a lot but is able to get a lot done, and going forward, Wyoming is going to have to dig deep.” Gordon acknowledged the hard work and commitment of Wyomingites – a big family which represent the agriculture industry. Please see WSGA on page 15

Snow supply Recently, the Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting (SSWSF) Program published a new 30-year hydroclimatic normal values for snowpack and precipitation at U.S. monitoring stations. This information serves as a benchmark for assessing water supply conditions and is used by producers, natural resource managers and the research community. To view the new data, visit wcc.nrcs. usda.gov.

Bird Stocking

The Downar Game Bird Farm will stock birds at Glendo State Park and Goshen County Walk-In Areas 29 and 63 during the week of Dec. 13. The farm raised 17,000 pheasants this year. Birds were also stocked at Springer and Table Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Areas, Glendo State Park and Walk-in Areas in Goshen County. The supply of pheasants usually lasts until mid-December each year.

Scrapie Update The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Scrapie Eradication Program reported in the October 2021 monthly report that durig Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, no sheep or goats tested positive at slaughter out of 1,982 samples submitted. The annual test target is at least 40,000 animals each year for scrapie, as of Oct. 31, 2021, 2,076 animals have been sampled for scrapie testing in FY 2022.

Industry convention – Gov. Mark Gordon speaks to attendees about his committment to Wyoming's agriculture industry and future at the Wyoming Stock Growers Association Convention in Casper on Dec. 14. Photo courtesy of Trenda Allen, Wyoming Stock Growers Association

Progressive sheep production WWGA meeting provides producers important updates Casper – The Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA) met Dec. 13-15 in conjunction with the Wyoming Stock Growers Association Winter Roundup. Producers in attendance gained great information from the Progressive Rancher Forum, including topics such as the sustainability of grazing and soil health, succession planning, how to conduct interviews and successful onboarding of new employees and managing grazing animals without fencing. Specific to the WWGA meeting and sheep producers, attendees received updates from the American Sheep Industry Association’s (ASI) Animal Health Committee Co-Chair Dr. Cindy Wolf, the prevalence of M. ovipneumonnia in Alaska and the correlation to Wyoming’s wildlife, Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Director Brian Nesvik, sheep industry promotion and direct marketing e-commerce. Please see SHEEP on page 4

Cloud seeding activities shared Cheyenne – The Wyoming Water Development Office (WWDO) started cloud seeding in the early 2000s. WWDO Project Manager Julie Gondzar elaborates on her passion for cloud seeding and discusses Wyoming’s current operational projects over the Wind River Mountains as well as the Medicine Bow and Sierra Madre mountain ranges. Process of seeding clouds Cloud seeding is conducted during the winter season, generally Nov. 15 through April 15, over mountain ranges to promote a cloud’s natural precipitation process. As ice crystals grow in a cloud, the crystals turn into snowflakes and fall to the ground, explains Gondzar. “Cloud seeding is essentially cloud physics – initiating a process that already has a high potential,” says Gondzar. Silver iodide is a natural compound used during the seeding process and is similar to the structure of naturally forming ice crystals. “When silver iodide is distributed into the atmosphere it aerosolizes – you can’t see it,” says Gonzar. “And, you only need a few grams to start the ice crystallization process in the cloud.” The process of seeding clouds can be done by either aircraft or on ground-based operations, she continues. It is estimated that the production of snow can occur within 15 to 30 minutes from the start of seeding. The state of Wyoming has two cloud seeding operations – a ground-based and an aerial operation. Wyoming cloud seeding operations The Wind River Mountains Cloud Seeding project is a Please see WWDO on page 8

Sheep grazing targets larkspur Poisonous plants can present many challenges to livestock producers. In Wyoming, larkspur, locoweed, halogeton and death camas are a few examples of dangerous plants found on rangelands. New University of Wyoming (UW) research utilizes grazing practices to target one of the most toxic plants to livestock – larkspur. UW Sheep Extension Specialist Whit Stewart and UW Rangeland Extension Specialist Derek Scasta, as well as Graduate Student Hannah Fraley began studying the ability of sheep to remove larkspur from the landscape through grazing. “Larkspur is one of the most problematic toxic plants in the West because

it is native on some of our public lands,” Scasta explained to producers at the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Winter Roundup on Dec. 13. “We can’t just go spray with herbicide, as it is not always effective or economical. So, we’re trying to understand integrated sheep and cattle grazing.” Grazing research This study originated as previous research noted sheep have a greater tolerance of alkaloids, a toxic chemical compound found within larkspur plants. In fact, sheep’s tolerance of the compound is roughly four to six times the tolerance of cattle – in other words, sheep are about

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Please see GRAZING on page 4


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December 18, 2021 by Wyoming Livestock Roundup - Issuu