On July 24, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), alongside the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), officially withdrew a proposed rule
Quick Bits
SDSGA Sale
The Eighth Annual South Dakota Sheep Growers Association (SDSGA) Premium Yearling Ewe Sale wrapped up July 26. Nineteen lots and 493 head of quality yearling ewes were sold to sheepmen from South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. Bidders from five states, both in person and online, helped push the sale average to $421 per head. The high-selling registerable lot was five Hampshire yearling ewes consigned by Gerdes Hampshire, which sold for $375 per head. The high-selling commercial lot was 10 Rambouillet yearling ewes consigned by Cook Sisters for $530 per head.
USDA Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host a free webinar series Aug. 13-14 for military Veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses on how to work with the USDA to prepare for a career in agriculture. For more information or to register, visit zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_m5F5xoGJS_OofR_YjZIXTQ?utm_ campaign=0728bfrvet webinar&utmmedium= email&utmsource=gov delivery#/registration
Webinar
Wyoming Wool Growers Association Executive Director Dr. Alison Crane will join North Carolina State University Extension Small Ruminant Specialist Dr. Andrew Weaver in presenting on the benefits of adding sheep and/or goats to a grazing system during the Graze on Over Webinar hosted by the National Grazing Lands Coalition on Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. For more information or to register, visit grazinglands.org/events
Horse Sale
Consignments are now open for the Colorado Draft Horse and Equipment Auction, set for Oct. 3-4 at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Brighton, Colo. For more information, visit joshwhiteauctions.com or call 970381-3649 or 970-381-3547.
requiring heavy commercial vehicles be equipped with mandatory speed limiting devices.
The rule, originally proposed to govern trucks with a gross weight of more than 26,000 pounds at 65 miles
per hour (mph), traces back to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking dated Sept. 7, 2016 and an Advance Notice of Supplemental Proposed Rulemaking (ANSPRM) dated May 4, 2022.
Dog Days of Summer
Wyoming faces worsening mid-summer drought conditions and water shortages
While some areas of Wyoming have seen drought conditions improve by as many as three categories this summer, the majority of the state finds itself grappling with expanding drought conditions and dwindling water supplies.
The hot, dry conditions have led to mounting pressure on ag operations across the state, forcing some producers to cut their grazing short and their hay earlier.
Worsening drought
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), drought conditions intensified across most of the West, with large portions of Wyoming in moderate drought or
worse and some severe areas emerging.
In the June 2025 Drought Climate Summary, the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) says locations across northeastern North Dakota, southeastern South Dakota, eastern Nebraska, the NebraskaKansas border, western Wyoming and northwestern Colorado saw drought conditions worsen by one to two categories.
NDMC further reports temperatures across Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado were two to four degrees warmer than usual. A notable heat event
Please see DROUGHT on page 16
2025 CFD Rodeo champions crowned
The Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) Rodeo has crowned its 2025 champions. The rodeo featured several performances across a nine-day period, starting with qualifying rounds on July 19 and culminating in Championship Sunday on July 27.
Known as the “Daddy of ‘Em All,” Cheyenne demands a lot of rodeo athletes, but contestants know what they sign up for and deliver accordingly. The top 12 contestants in each event returned to Frontier Park for Sunday’s short-go to take their shot at earning a championship saddle, buckle and chunk of change.
History was made and big checks were paid this year, with a total payout amounting to $1,123,706. Money earned in each event boosted winners in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) standings, which are crucial for qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December.
Records set
Hillsdale Cowboy Brody Cress won the saddle bronc riding in front of a hometown crowd on Championship Sunday with a 91-point ride aboard Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics’ The Black Tie. The powerhouse bronc has a reputation for excellence, having carried riders to championship titles in Cheyenne for three years and counting.
Cress became the first saddle bronc rider to win four CFD titles with his ride.
“It’s amazing to be here in front of this crowd, in this arena, with all of this history,” Cress said in a post-win interview. “To get to make some of my own is pretty special.”
On July 10, Chuck Petersen and Lander Nicodemus assumed full co-ownership of Torrington Livestock Markets LLC after purchasing Lex Madden’s portion of the company.
Madden has been experiencing ongoing health issues and is stepping away from operations to focus on recovery.
Petersen and Nicodemus will take over all operations of Torrington Livestock Markets, including its affiliate organizations, Cattle Country Video (CCV) and Torrington Livestock Cattle Company.
Operations remain in capable hands with Petersen and Nicodemus, who have partnered in Torrington Livestock Mar-
USDA reorganization
Department to consolidate offices, relocate employees under new plan
On July 24, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins released plans for a major reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) aimed at optimizing functions and reducing departmental bloat at the national level.
The proposed reorganization would close down underutilized government buildings in the capital and relocate roughly one-half of the department’s Washington, D.C. workforce to five regional hubs across the nation.
According to Rollins, the reorganization is a direct result of the Trump administration’s pledge to deliver “real change in Washington” and an attempt at refocusing USDA on its founding mission of serving farmers, ranchers, landowners and rural communities while performing critical public services which benefit all Americans.
“American agriculture feeds, clothes and fuels this nation and the world, and it is long past time the department better serve the great and patriotic farmers, ranchers and producers we are mandated to support,” Rollins says.
kets alongside Lex for the past several years.
“Chuck and I view this role as a major responsibility,” Nicodemus says. “We love this community and felt a responsibility to step into this role to ensure business continues as usual.”
Petersen and Nicodemus Petersen began working for Torrington Livestock Markets nearly two decades ago.
He started as a field representative in 2008, carrying years of experience from his family’s multigenerational cattle operation in Colorado into the field. Petersen took on a management role
WYLR photo
Story on Hormones
When some people hear about hormones and food in the same sentence, they start to panic. But the truth of the matter is, hormones occur naturally in all foods, even beef.
As many know, hormones are present in every living body, acting as messengers to regulate a wide variety of metabolic processes.
Hormones tell animals when to reproduce and plants how to grow. For example, hormones tell a hen when it should lay an egg. Like animals, humans have hormones circulating in their bodies as well.
The use of growth hormones is used by some beef producers to help cattle – mainly calves and yearlings – grow faster and more efficiently, leading to benefits for both the producer and the environment. However, consumers often have questions about the safety of hormones in the beef products they buy.
Hormone implants used in beef production come in the form of a small pellet which is injected into the ear of a calf or yearling. Hormones are released slowly over a designated period of time, and they are strategically administered so all of the hormones are spent before the cow goes to slaughter.
Similar to antibiotics, blood is tested prior to slaughter, and if elevated hormones are found, the carcass is condemned.
Ear implants have been approved for safe and effective use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1956, and the agency has established safe maximum tissue residue levels for these hormones.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service regularly monitors and tests for potential contaminants in meat products to ensure food safety.
I recently read an article published by the Nebraska Corn Board, and it did a good job of telling the story of hormones in our food.
The article said, “Hormones serve essential functions in their respective organisms, regulating various processes and contributing to their growth, development and overall well-being.”
Take estrogen, for example.
There is estrogenic activity in several common foods. Soybean oil is one of the highest, with one million nanograms (ng) of estrogen per 500 grams of oil. Cabbage has 12,000 ng per 500 grams; eggs have 17,500 ng per 500 grams; peas and wheat germ are lower at 2,000 ng per 500 grams and milk has only 65 ng per 500 grams.
Per 500 grams of beef, a non-implanted steer has eight ng, while an implanted steer has 11 ng. To me, this is not much of a difference.
Excessive hormone levels have been found in cattle from countries in Central America where there are no restrictions or regulations on the use of cattle implants, causing consumers to have concerns about U.S. beef
Some of this misinformation has been spread by those who want to rid the nation of cattle production and ranching.
In reality, hormone levels present in beef are far below natural levels found in other foods we consume daily, such as dairy products, vegetables and even certain fruits. Just remember, U.S. beef is the safest in the world.
GUEST OPINIONS
Rural Rights, Real Lives: Time to Stop the Stupidity
I’ve spent the last decade embedded with people who live with wildlife – from Tribal leaders in Zambia and keepers in the Scottish Highlands, to ranchers and farmers across the American West. These are people who live on the land – not in abstract theory, not on social media feeds and certainly not in urban echo chambers.
If there’s one truth that screams from the soil, it’s this – our global conservation fight is being hijacked by stupidity.
Disconnect by design
In Scotland, I watched government-sanctioned policies force rural estates to cull majestic red stags, not for population management or eco-
By Tom Opre
logical balance, but for ideological appeasement. Science was replaced by sentiment. Tradition was bulldozed by outsider arrogance.
In Zambia, Western policies stripped rural people of their right to manage their own wildlife, leading to starvation, the rise of child brides and the collapse of entire communities.
Here in America, our ranchers face wolves and grizzlies forced back into landscapes with zero support and total liability, all while being vilified online by people who’ve never once fed livestock in a blizzard or buried a calf torn apart overnight.
This isn’t conservation. This is
Austin Snook • 307-290-2161
Taylor Snook • 307-290-2273
Craig Deveraux • 307-746-5690
Dan Catlin • 406-671-7715
Clint Snook • 307-290-4000
Cheyenne Seymour • 605-641-0638
neocolonialism wrapped in wolf fur and Instagram filters.
The false kings of extremes
Today’s political climate is defined not by action, but by dopamine. The loudest voice wins. The Left shames farmers for emissions. The Right scoffs at science. And somewhere in the middle, the vast majority of people – the commonsense folks – are ignored.
Social media algorithms amplify rage and dilute reason. Strong emotions replace facts, and everyone thinks they’re a king.
But here’s the real kicker – no one
Please see RURAL RIGHTS on page 7
Kyle Kallhoff • 605-881-1526
Casey Sellers • 307-217-2614
Jim Forbes • 307-351-5932
Tye Curuchet • 307-351-8666
Daniel Escoz • 307-217-1440
Kade Kinghorn • 307-620-0525
July 30, 2025 - No Report
Thank you and we appreciate your business!
HANNAH BUGAS, Managing Editor • hannah@wylr.net GRACE SKAVDAHL, Editor • grace@wylr.net
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DENISE OLSON, Classified Sales Manager • 307-685-8213 • denise@wylr.net
ANDREA ZINK, General Manager • andrea@wylr.net
CURT COX, Director of Livestock Field Services • 307-630-4604 • curt@wylr.net
CALLI WILLIAMS, Livestock Field Services Rep. • 605-695-1990 • calli@wylr.net
From the Publisher Dennis Sun
Film screenings scheduled
“The Real Yellowstone,” a compelling new documentary by award-winning Filmmaker Tom Opre, is set to screen in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
This film offers an unfiltered look into the lives of ranchers and rural communities in the American West, highlighting their challenges amidst evolving environmental policies and conservation efforts.
“This film is a tribute to the hardworking families who have stewarded our lands for generations,” says Opre. “It’s essential viewing for anyone invested in the future of rural America.”
“The Real Yellowstone” delves into the complexities of modern conservation, the impact of rewilding initiatives and the realities faced by those living closest to the land. Through firsthand accounts and stunning cinematography, the documentary sheds light on the intersection of tradition, policy and the environment.
Screening will take place across Montana and Idaho through August, with a public screening date set on Sept. 17 at the Bighorn Cinema in Cody.
For those who can’t attend a screening, the film will be available via a digital cinema event from Aug. 15 through Sept. 15.
For more information, visit shepherdsofwildlife.org
WyFB to host event
The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB) will host its 11th Annual Wyoming Needs Agriculture event on Sept. 13 from 2:15 to 5:15 p.m. in the Fan Zone ahead of the University of Wyoming Cowboys’ home football game against the University of Utah.
Held in the Indoor Practice Facility during pre-game festivities, the event invites fans of all ages to connect with farmers and ranchers and explore the essential role agriculture plays in Wyoming.
The event will include several interactive activities fit for the whole family. The first 400 participating fans will receive a special edition Wyoming Cowboys/Wyoming Needs Agriculture T-shirt.
The event aims to bridge the gap between consumers and farmers and ranchers, highlighting how agriculture feeds families, fuels the economy and preserves the state’s open spaces.
For more information, visit wyfb.org
HELP Act introduced
On July 28, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) urged support for the Hauling Exemptions for Livestock Protection (HELP) Act introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO). This legislation supports livestock haulers by protecting drivers from burdensome hours of service (HOS) and electronic logging device (ELD) mandates.
“When hauling cattle, you are dealing with livestock that must be protected from the elements and cannot be easily unloaded until you get to your destination. Livestock haulers need flexibility to complete their trips free from government mandates,” said NCBA Policy Division Chair Skye Krebs. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, haulers and ranchers were granted additional flexibility on HOS and ELD. In this time, we proved we could safely transport our livestock and also support the overall supply chain.”
The HELP Act codifies HOS and ELD exemptions issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for about two years during the pandemic. Since then, America’s livestock haulers have been burdened by HOS rules, but this legislation would reinstate permanent exemptions, providing the flexibility necessary to safely transport livestock.
Fire ban implemented
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is implementing a fire ban on all Wyoming Game and Fish Commission-owned or administered lands in Uinta County. A countywide ban took effect on July 1.
Some of the lands covered in the ban include Woodruff Narrows, Blacks Fork and Bear River Divide Public Access Areas. Open fires are never permitted in walk-in hunting and fishing areas.
As part of the ban, it is prohibited to build, maintain, attend or use a fire, charcoal grill, coal or wood-burning stove and/or smoke, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter barren or cleared of all flammable material.
Fires within established campfire rings are also banned under this regulation, and fireworks are always prohibited on WGFD lands.
For more information, contact the Green River Region Game and Fish Office at 307-875-3223.
Field days set
For over 25 years, growers have benefited from the latest advancements in soybean production, management and marketing at Soybean Management Field Days.
This is the second year the Soybean Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) competition highlights are included in the field days, including lessons from last year’s contest and progress this season.
The field days provide an opportunity to learn about cutting-edge soybean management, production practices and technologies, while networking with fellow farmers and industry experts.
Throughout the four-day event, attendees will be able to participate in two different formats, one occurring in the evening and the other during the day.
Evening meetings, held Aug. 12-14, will feature presentations on locally-relevant topics and engage participants in interactive discussions.
To conclude the week, on Aug. 15, a field day starting mid-morning will highlight the Soybean TAPS contest with interactive discussions and a plot tour.
Soybean Management Field Days is free to attend thanks to support from the National Soybean Board (NSB). To help with a meal count, pre-register two days in advance of each field day via the online form or by calling 402-624-8030.
For more information or to register, contact NSB at 402-441-3240 or Nebraska Extension at 402-624-8030.
WyFB seeks vendors
The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB) is now accepting vendor registrations for its 2025 Annual Meeting Vendor Fair, set for Nov. 13-15 at the CAM-PLEX in Gillette.
This annual event offers a prime opportunity for Wyoming-based businesses to showcase their products just in time for the holiday season.
Held in conjunction with WyFB’s statewide annual meeting, the fair draws members from across Wyoming, giving vendors the chance to connect with attendees while promoting locally-made goods and services.
Booth pricing for WyFB members is $100 for a 10x10 booth or $200 for a 10x20 booth. For non-members pricing is $200 for a 10x10 booth or $400 for a 10x20 booth.
Vendors are welcome to split booths between multiple businesses.
For more information or to reserve a space, contact Callie Hanson at chanson@wyfb.org or call 307-721-7711.
Correction
In the Wyoming Livestock Roundup’s July 26 edition events calendar, the 99th Annual Wyoming Pioneer Association meeting was listed with an incorrect date. The annual meeting is Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. at the Ruthe James Williams Memorial Conference Center at the Wyoming State Fairgrounds in Douglas.
WGFD seeks public comment
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is seeking public input on proposed changes to management objectives for the Targhee Elk Herd Unit – Hunt Area 73 – and the Palisades Mountain Goat Herd Unit – Hunt Areas Two and Four. A virtual public meeting will be held on Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. to discuss the proposed changes and gather feedback from the public. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the history, management challenges and current status of both herds, as well as the specifics of the proposed objective changes.
In addition to the meeting, the Jackson office encourages anyone interested in the proposed objectives to complete a survey. Information collected from both the meeting and the survey will assist wildlife managers in making decisions about proposed changes, which will be presented to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission at their Sept. 9-10 meeting in Lander.
Objective reviews are conducted every five years to help department personnel make informed decisions about managing wildlife populations.
For more information, contact the Jackson Regional Office at 307-733-2321.
Application process open
Resident and nonresident hunters still have time to apply for preference points, as the application process is open July 1 through Oct 31.
Resident and nonresident hunters can build points for moose and Bighorn sheep, and nonresidents can acquire elk, deer and antelope points. All applications must be submitted online at wgfd.wyo.gov
“Preference points can help increase odds of drawing some species and hunt areas,” said Josh Moulton, Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) license section manager. Residents unsuccessful in moose or Bighorn sheep drawings automatically receive a point. Nonresidents unsuccessful in moose or Bighorn sheep drawings can choose to purchase a point. Failure to purchase a point for two consecutive years results in forfeiture of all points for species in which points were not purchased.
Hunters can view their preference point balance and find more information on the WGFD website. Totals for the 2025 hunt season will be updated in late November.
“There’s no rodeo more special than this to me,” Cress continued. “Ever since I was a little kid I was sneaking in behind the bucking chutes to watch, so to get to come out here and have success in front of people who helped me get to this point is very important.”
Cress wasn’t the only rough stock rider to make history at this year’s Daddy of ‘Em All.
Weatherford, Texas Cowboy Kade Berry lit up Frontier Park with a record-breaking bareback ride aboard Brookman Rodeo’s Lunatic Heaven. Berry’s ride was good for 93.5 points and a new arena record, clearing the previous record – which had not been touched for half a century –by half a point.
The 22-year-old cowboy is in hot pursuit of his first NFR qualification.
Bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding
The top three bareback riders all recorded marks in the 90-point range.
Berry took top honors with his record-breaking 93.5-point ride – a full two points higher than the second-place finisher. Jess Pope of Waverly, Kan. scored 91.5 points for a second-place finish, and Wacey Schalla of Arapaho, Okla. took third place in the bareback with a 90-point ride.
The saddle bronc competition was also top notch.
Cress’s 91-point win was followed closely by Big Valley, Alberta, Canada Cow-
boy Zeke Thurston, whose 90-point finish was good enough for second place.
The remaining top places were shared between Ordway, Colorado Cowboy Waitley Sharon and Kade Bruno of Challis, Idaho, who split third and fourth with 89.5-point rides.
Another Wyoming Cowboy, Brody Wells of Powell, landed just outside of the top three in the saddle bronc riding, splitting fifth place with Eagle Butte, S.D. Cowboy Shorty Garrett with an 88.5-point ride.
Australian Cowboy Qynn Andersen took home the championship buckle in the bull riding. Andersen closed out his CFD campaign with a 90-point ride aboard Smith Pro Rodeo’s Hunter to clinch the 2025 title and just over $10,000.
Andersen’s first-place finish was followed by Coltan Fritzlan of Rifle, Colo. and Jessi Petri of Dublin, Texas who finished in second and third with rides worth 87.5 and 86.5 points, respectively.
Tie-down and team roping
Tyson Durfey announced his return to professional rodeo in a big way at CFD, taking the 2025 tie-down title with a 10.9-second run.
At 41 years old, the former world champion from Brock, Texas announced his retirement in 2020 following a string of surgeries and health issues but has since stepped back into the saddle.
Jake Pratt of Ellensburg, Wash. was not far behind
Durfey, securing second place with a time of 11.8 seconds. Malad, Idaho Cowboy Tom Simpson rounded out the top three tie-down ropers with a time of 12.3 seconds.
The team roping title was awarded to Aaron Tsinigine of Tuba City, Ariz. and his partner Jeremy Buhler of Arrowwood, Alberta, Canada. The duo turned their steer in 9.3 seconds.
There was a tie for second and third in the team roping, split between partners Luke Brown of Rock Hill, S.C. and Trey Yates of Pueblo, Colorado, respectively, and partners Tyler Wade of Terrell, Texas and Wesley Thorp of Stephenville, Texas.
Each duo stopped the clock at 9.5 seconds during the short-go, pocketing $9,250 apiece.
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Steer wrestling
Tyke Kipp of Lordsburg, N.M. came out on top in the “big man’s event” with a time of 5.5 seconds on Championship Sunday.
Kipp was followed by Talon Roseland of Marshalltown, Iowa in second place with a time of 5.8 seconds. Third place was a draw between fourtime NFR Qualifier Rowdy Parrott of Mamou, La. and young gun Trisyn Kalawaia, a 22-year-old cowboy hailing from Hilo, Hawaii.
Parrott and Kalawaia each recorded 6.1-second runs in the steer wrestling. Breakaway roping and barrel racing
Competition was fierce across the women’s events.
In the breakaway roping, Danielle Lowman of Gilbert, Ariz. caught her calf in 4.3 seconds to take
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first prize.
Oakdale, California Cowgirl and 2025 College National Finals Rodeo Breakaway Roping Champion Rylee George took second place with a time of 4.9 seconds. Third place went to Bailey Bates of Tohatchi, N.M. with a time of 5.9 seconds.
The barrel racing buckle went to Lisa Lockhart, a Oelrichs, S.D. cowgirl who stopped the clock at 17.03 seconds on Championship Sunday. Lockhart’s victory was her second CFD title, having won her first in 2015.
Lockhart was followed by Three Forks, Montana Cowgirl Tayla Moeykens who landed in second place with a 17.19-second run. Fan favorite Cowgirl Hailey Kinsel of Cotulla, Texas took third in the barrel racing with a time of 17.23 seconds.
Steer roping and the wild horse race
Although not sanctioned by the PRCA, the wild horse race and steer roping are two iconic events held during the CFD Rodeo every year.
A fan-favorite CFD classic, the wild horse race features teams of three who compete to tame and ride
an unbroke horse across the finish line. A team called Gotta Go took first prize this year, winning $960 on Sunday and a total of $6,000 across all of their races.
This year’s CFD steer roping champion was Scott Snedecor, a Fredericksburg, Texas cowboy who stopped the clock at 12.7 seconds on Championship Sunday. Brodie Poppino of Big Cabin, Okla. followed close behind with a time of 12.8 seconds, while Roger Noella of Redmond, Ore. stopped the clock at 15 seconds flat to round out the top three.
Money earned in the steer roping also contributed to All-Around standings. The 2025 All-Around title was awarded to Jake Clay of Sapulpa, Okla., who earned the buckle based on money collected in the team roping and steer roping.
The CFD Rodeo will return to Frontier Park one year from now, celebrating its 130th year in July of 2026.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
Making history –Wyoming Cowboy Brody Cress won the 2025 Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) saddle bronc title with a 91-point ride aboard Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics’ The Black Tie. A native of Hillsdale, Cress has been attending the CFD rodeo his whole life and made history this year with his championship finish, becoming the first rider in CFD history to win four saddle bronc titles at the Daddy of ‘Em All. CFD photo by Tanya Hamner
Breaking records – Kade Berry earned the 2025 Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) bareback title with a 93.5-point ride aboard Brookman Rodeo’s Lunatic Heaven on Championship Sunday. The Weatherford, Texas cowboy broke a 51-year-old arena record in the process, outscoring the previous CFD record by half a point. CFD photo by Tanya Hamner
in 2017, joining Lex and Michael Schmitt in the partnership after Shawn Madden’s retirement.
Nicodemus started with Torrington Livestock Markets in 2014, working as a field representative and eventually as an auctioneer. Although Nicodemus comes from a long line of auctioneers, he credits Shawn with his official start behind the microphone.
Nicodemus sold his first pen of cattle at Torrington Livestock Markets at Shawn’s invitation with little prior experience aside from “selling fenceposts and telephone poles” during long drives.
“When people ask where I went to auctioneer school, I like to tell them I went to the auctioneer school of Shawn and Lex,” Nicodemus jokes, noting he has always looked up to the Madden brothers for their talent behind the auction block.
Shawn and Lex both hold world titles in auctioneering and were inducted into the Livestock Marketing Association’s Cattle Marketing Hall of Fame last July.
Nicodemus also holds Petersen in high regard, highlighting his tremendous eye for cattle and business philosophy as points
of learning throughout their business relationship.
“I think the absolute world of Chuck,” Nicodemus says. “I’ve learned an immense amount from him about the salesmanship and marketing of cattle and have the utmost respect.”
Nicodemus was invited to partner with Petersen and Madden following Schmitt’s retirement in 2022. Nicodemus admits he was nervous to accept the offer, questioning what he could bring to the table with less experience than Madden and Petersen. Some good advice from Petersen quickly put his fears to rest, and Nicodemus joined as a partner in January of 2023.
“I had some pretty big reservations when they asked me to join them in partnership – I really questioned how much I had to offer and bring to the table,” Nicodemus says. “But I’ll never forget it. Chuck said to me, ‘We’re in the business of helping ranchers. As long as your heart is always in the right place of wanting to help ranchers succeed, you’ll be fine in this business.’”
Legacy of Torrington Livestock Markets
Torrington Livestock Markets has been in the business of helping ranchers succeed for several decades.
The full-service livestock marketing company offers a variety of avenues for producers to buy and sell cattle, including onsite auctions, video sales and private treaty offerings. Their online platform, Cattle Country Video, has been providing quality livestock sales over the internet since 2010.
Cattle buyers from a nine-state region encompassing Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, South Dakota and Montana look to Torrington Livestock Markets as a trusted source and seller of high-quality livestock.
Torrington Livestock Markets consistently ranks among the top 10 auction houses in cattle sales, marketing cattle to the tune of 400,000 head across all platforms annually.
During the fall, facilities see an uptick in business, with record sales amassing numbers of up to 19,000 head of cattle per week. Sales often bring anywhere between 3,000 to 7,000 head of cattle through the auction ring in one day.
“Wyoming’s Largest Livestock Market” employs approximately 35 full-time personnel and roughly 65 part-time employees in addition to several field representatives.
Nicodemus notes the shift in ownership has been aided by support from Torrington Livestock’s staff, who have banded together to make sure business continues as usual.
“We’ve got an incredible team at Torrington Livestock Markets,” Nicodemus says. “It was key to make sure we had the support and backing of our employees, because we absolutely couldn’t do it without them.”
Continuing excellence
The Madden name has been synonymous with Torrington Livestock Markets since 1989. This transition in ownership will mark a new era, but Petersen and Nicodemus have pledged to keep people at the heart of operations and carry over lessons learned from the brothers.
“It’s difficult to think about Torrington Livestock Markets without the Maddens in it, but at the same time, like all great leaders, they leave behind them a future,” Nicodemus says,
emphasizing several years under the Maddens’ guidance have paved a path for continued success.
Petersen and Nicodemus will continue to build upon a legacy several decades in the making, maintaining a business ethic built upon quality relationships which has marked Torrington Livestock Markets for many years.
“This market has a legacy of so many great men who have come before us – incredible cattle marketers who will forever have a piece of the agricultural history in the state of Wyoming and beyond,” Nicodemus says.
“We want to make sure Torrington Livestock Markets continues as an industry hub known for marketing what we believe to be some of the finest cattle in the nation from some of the greatest producers,” he continues.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
BLEVINS
New All Metal Stirrup Buckles
Blevins new all-metal stirrup buckle in 3”& 2-1/2” widths. The 3” and 2-12” widths have the posts set horizontally and fit standard holes while the 2” width has the posts set vertically. Made of stainless steel and heat-treated aluminum, the same as our leather-covered buckles.
Blevins Stirrup Buckles Improved
Sleeves same as on regular style buckle. The tongue has no hinge or strap. Available in 3” and 2-1/2” widths.
Easy to change stirrup lengths quickly and easy to install – won’t slip or stick. Made of stainless steel and heat-treated aluminum. Sleeves covered with leather. Order either improved, regular or four post buckles. Also new all-metal buckle in 3”, 2-1/2” and 2” widths. At your dealers or:
Lander Nicodemus Courtesy photo
Chuck Petersen Courtesy photo
Most western Wyoming cattle ranching families make their livelihoods selling trailer-loads of yearling feeder steers and heifers each autumn.
Many factors go into building a nice solid herd of stout bulls, fertile cows and springtime calves, with emphasis on birth and carcass weights as well as the final quality of the steaks marketed to consumers.
Show debut
On July 24, during the 2025 Sublette County Fair, two years of planning, support and a lot of hard work led to the first-ever Green River Valley Select Producers’ show, highlighting last year’s top heifers and this year’s calves.
Last year’s debut heifer show, sponsored by the Green River Valley Cattlewomen/Cowbelles and the Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association, brought a variety of replacement heifer livestock projects by Sublette 4-H and FFA youth members.
The members whose heifers produced their first calves in the spring continued their intensive program through 2024, right up to fair time, caring for their cows and first calves while keeping extensive record books.
First, this year’s judges, Marsha Barlow, Eric
Sublette County Fair hosts inaugural youth cow/calf show
Marincic and R.J. Thompson assessed the class of potential replacement heifers, interviewed participants and judged the young livestock. They reviewed record books and consulted with each other after comparing growth, conformation and condition suitable for Sublette County.
Winners announced for the two shows were for the animals themselves, with more awards pending for interviews and log books.
Young heifers
Participants in the heifer show were Treyven Rouge, Daisy Rogers, Shane Rogers, Colter Siems, Virginia Bousman and Mesa Landers.
Coke Landers and Wayne Barlow manned the mics and former Pinedale Ag Teacher Anna Hays and Leah Zupan helped collate judges’ paperwork and tally points.
Rouge’s heifer won the top honors – a belt buckle and $500. Ciara Grimes took second, winning $350, and Mesa Landers placed third, earning $250. Cow/calf pairs
The next show – featuring the new cows and their calves – was another lengthy process for the judges.
After much deliberation, Jolien Robertson’s docile Black Angus cow and calf took top hon-
ors, earning her a buckle and $500. Also participating were Matazi Landers,
whose cow/calf pair took second place; Maddi Landers who landed in third and
Treyven Rouge. Joy Ufford is a corresponding writer for the Wyo-
ming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
First-place pair – During the Inaugural Green River Valley Select Producers’ Show, held on July 24 during the 2025 Sublette County Fair, Jolien Robertson took home honors with the champion cow/ calf pair, earning her a buckle and $500. Green River Valley Cattlewomen/Cowbelles President Haley Clark, pictured left, and Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association President Kristy Wardell, pictured left, presented the buckle and certificate. Courtesy photo
First-place heifer – The first-ever Green River Valley Select Producers’ Show took place on July 24 during the 2025 Sublette County Fair. A heifer shown by Treyven Rouge was crowned champion during the heifer show. Green River Valley Cattlewomen/Cowbelles President Haley Clark, pictured left, and Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association President Kristy Wardell, pictured left, presented the buckle and certificate. Courtesy photo
Second-place heifer – Ciara Grimes exhibited the second-place heifer at the Inaugural Green River Valley Select Producers’ Show, held on July 24 during the 2025 Sublette County Fair. Green River Valley Cattlewomen/Cowbelles President Haley Clark, pictured right, and Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association President Kristy Wardell, pictured center, presented the buckle and certificate. Courtesy photo
Third-place heifer – Mesa Landers rounded out a tough top three during the heifer show at the Inaugural Green River Valley Select Producers’ Show, held on July 24 during the 2025 Sublette County Fair. Green River Valley Cattlewomen/Cowbelles President Haley Clark, pictured right, and Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association President Kristy Wardell, pictured center, presented the buckle and certificate. Courtesy photo
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has issued a draft record of decision (ROD) to allow continued domestic sheep grazing in 10 national forest allotments in Utah’s High Uinta Wilderness.
The allotments are held by two southwestern Wyoming domestic sheep producers, Shaun Sims and Vance Broadbent and their families, and they provide for grazing for about 10,300 ewe/lamb pairs and 3,000 dry ewes from early to mid-July into September each year.
The decision proposes to authorize grazing on five allotments on the UintaWasatch-Cache National Forest and five allotments on the Ashley National Forest, located on the north and south slopes of the Uinta Mountains, about 40 miles southeast of Evanston.
The authorization also allows continued use of 50 miles of sheep driveway to access the allotments.
Background information
The draft decision is the latest step in a process for reauthorization of these grazing permits which has taken more than a decade. It has involved numerous environmental impact statements (EIS) and was undertaken to comply with
likes having things shoved down their throat.
Whether it’s anti-trophy hunting campaigns filled with misinformation or ag slogans like “We Feed America” that ignore the reality of global trade – hint: Mexico feeds us too – the public backlash is predictable because neither side is talking to people – they’re yelling at them.
The Rural Bill of Rights
It’s time to flip the script.
Rural people deserve more than platitudes. They deserve power.
We need a Rural Bill of Rights – a real, working contract with our governments. It should guarantee the right for those on the ground to participate in wildlife management decisions. Not as
High Uinta sheep grazing approved by U.S. Forest Service
a 2013 lawsuit settlement agreement between the USFS and Western Watersheds Project (WWP).
While WWP and its allies submitted numerous comment letters to USFS, these groups claim any grazing of domestic sheep in the High Uintas will eliminate Bighorn sheep and should be reason enough to close the allotments to domestic sheep.
Their animus toward domestic sheep producers was evident in their official comment letters to USFS.
For example, in one letter they wrote, “Is the ‘shoot, shovel and shut up’ management philosophy being practiced by sheepherders and permittees in these allotments? If not, how does USFS know this? It must be assumed any carnivore seen will be shot by a herder or permittee with the excuse they were ‘harassing’ the sheep. This is a license to kill on sight and it is not ever discussed. But, with the presence of sheep and herders in every watershed, it may explain the absence or near absence of lynx, wolves, bears and wolverines in the Uinta Wilderness.”
In a separate letter, WWP berated USFS for its “misguided prioritization
props, not as consultants, but as co-owners of the outcome.
The truth is, rural people don’t want handouts. They want respect. They want to be heard. They want their children to inherit not just land, but a way of life, and they want to live free of interference from urban elites who don’t know the first thing about predator tracks or barbed-wire cuts.
Humility wins hearts
Conservation won’t be won with arrogance. It will be won with humility, with science, with truth and with stories from the front lines – stories like those shared in “The Real Yellowstone,”
“The Last Keeper” and “Killing the Shepherd.”
But if we don’t engage proactively and positively,
of welfare ranchers” and its “rush to satisfy the two permittees” while claiming domestic sheep use “renders Bighorn sheep habitat toxic.”
While the environmental documents discussed a wide range of issues, USFS noted it considered two key issues which arose during the public outreach process in making its decision –the possibility of pathogen transmission to Bighorn sheep and the social and economic future of families and communities who have been relying on domestic sheep grazing in the area for more than 100 years.
USFS noted the sheep grazing enterprises on these allotments provide for the retention of 38 employees and an estimated annual $2.6 million of economic impact to the community.
Bighorn sheep were considered extirpated from the Uinta Mountains by the mid-1970s, but were subject to reintroduction programs starting in 1983, in a cooperative effort between state and federal agencies and livestock permittees.
As the Bighorn population grew and USFS closed three domestic sheep allotments in the region in order to protect Bighorn sheep from the possibility of the
transfer of pathogens, concerns were expressed by permittees, resulting in a meeting and a 1998 letter from USFS to one of the sheep producers providing assurances “no permits would be cancelled to accommodate the reintroduction and no permits would be in jeopardy of cancellation in the future.”
But USFS soon had a change in policy, placing Bighorn sheep on its list of “sensitive species” warranting additional protections, and the agency suspended its support for transplanting Bighorns until action plans were developed to address the risk of wild sheep coming into contact with domestic sheep.
The USFS’s use of the Congressionally-authorized categorical exclusion process to reauthorize grazing on these allotments was included in a lawsuit filed in 2010, and the agency settled the case with the agreement to initiate a detailed environmental review of the action, resulting in the EIS process.
Recent movement
Much has taken place since this time, with Utah officials and federal agencies entering into a memorandum of understanding
we’ll die a death of a thousand cuts. Not from our enemies, but from our own refusal to build bridges.
Let’s stop being stupid. Let’s start being real.
Tom Opre is a film director, cinematographer, television producer, human rights advocate and wildlife conservationist who lives in the Flathead Valley of Montana. As the past president of the Professional Outdoor Media Association, he has worked to help other outdoor communicators and industry leaders understand and present a unified message regarding the top issues facing wildlife conservation today. This opinion column was originally published by Northern Ag Network on July 18.
(MOU) on the management of Bighorn sheep on these national forests in 2019, and state wildlife officials and national forest officials and the two grazing permittees entering into a separate MOU in 2022 which provides for measures to mitigate the risk of disease transmission to Bighorns.
The USFS issued a draft EIS in 2019, a supplemental EIS in 2023 and the final EIS in 2025.
It appears Utah wildlife managers and federal forest managers agree continued domestic sheep grazing for a few months of the year in the High Uintas is compatible with maintaining Bighorn sheep in the region.
The director of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources expressed support for continued authorization of domestic sheep grazing on the allotments, writing in a 2018 letter to the USFS, “This population of Bighorn sheep has coexisted with domestic sheep in proximity to their occupied habitat for nearly 30 years, and our agency has successfully managed a sustainable population of wild sheep during this time.”
The draft USFS decision incorporates measures from the 2022 MOU to mit-
igate the risk of pathogen transmission between the species.
The decision notes, “We also recognize recent science shows some wildlife species may also have the potential to transfer pathogens causing bacterial pneumonia to Bighorn sheep, transplants may have been infected with pneumonia before becoming a part of this Bighorn sheep population and this Bighorn sheep population spends time off of National Forest System lands in areas where the Bighorn sheep have a high likelihood of encountering domestic sheep. Therefore, regardless of which alternative we choose, pathogen transmission to Bighorn sheep may continue to occur whether from other wildlife species or from domestic sheep contact off the forests.”
The draft ROD is subject to a 45-day objection period before finalization. Any pending objections must be addressed before the final decision can be issued.
Cat Urbigkit is a corresponding writer for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@ wylr.net.
OREGON TRAIL CLASSIC
Task force releases new Beef Industry Long-Range Plan for 2026-30
On July 8, the Beef Industry Long-Range Plan Task Force officially unveiled its new five-year plan for 2026-30 at the Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in San Diego.
The mission of the Beef Industry Long-Range Plan is to ensure the U.S. beef industry provides sustainable, high-quality beef to meet consumer demands worldwide.
“Since late 2024, our task force has taken a hard look at what’s working in the beef industry and where we need to improve,” said Joe Lowe, task force member and eighth-generation seedstock operator at Oak Hollow Angus in Smiths Grove, Ky. “The result is a five-year plan offering flexibility and local adap-
tation while keeping us all moving toward shared goals. By focusing on results and smart investments, we can keep the U.S. beef industry strong and competitive.”
The plan
The Beef Industry Long-Range Plan is a tool designed to help the beef industry establish a common set of objectives and priorities. It communicates the industry’s strategic direction and provides insight on how the industry can serve its stakeholders by growing beef demand.
Since 1995, industry leaders representing key beef industry segments –cow/calf, seedstock, dairy, feeder, animal health, livestock auctions and more –have gathered to develop an aligned, comprehen-
sive plan with the goal of increasing consumer demand for beef.
These leaders are brought together to study and compile major areas of opportunity facing beef over the next five years.
The 2026-30 LongRange Plan identifies six interconnected goals representing what the industry wants to achieve.
These include policy and supply chain viability; sustainable industry outcomes; public engagement and building confidence; innovation, science, research and continuous improvement; stakeholder engagement and animal health and food safety.
Each goal is paired with a strategic initiative, a broad approach to achieving it and a success defi-
nition. The goals are supported by actionable initiatives, organized to drive alignment and accountability across all segments of the beef supply chain.
“All six goals work together, so progress toward one goal helps move others forward,” said Lowe. “For example, strong advocacy can lead to more research and innovation, which supports sustainability and builds trust. And by working together on animal health and other issues, we’re better prepared for challenges like disease outbreaks or changing consumer demands.”
How the beef industry uses the long-range plan
The Beef Industry Long-Range Plan Task Force encourages other
beef industry businesses and organizations to utilize the plan as input for their own strategic decisionmaking processes.
For example, the Beef Checkoff, its committees and contracting organizations use pieces of the long-range plan as their guidebook.
All funding decisions and focus areas of checkoff projects and programs, by design, must follow the key areas outlined in the plan. Checkoff contractors take this direction and develop checkoff-funded programs which fall within the scope of the Beef Promotion and Research Act and Order and support the plan’s priorities.
“This long-range plan reflects the best of what our industry can do when
we come together with a shared purpose,” said Lowe. “It’s built to be flexible, rooted in commonsense priorities and designed to help the industry stay strong no matter what challenges come our way. I’m proud of what we put together, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it can continue moving the beef industry forward in the years ahead.”
Sarah Metzler is the director of organizational communications for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and John Robinson is the senior vice president of membership, communications and events for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. They can be reached at smetzler@beefboard. org or jrobinson@beef.org, respectively.
It’s looking more and more like ranchers are going over ranches to take inventory so they’ll know exactly
If you thought the Hatfield and McCoys’ feud was bad, just wait until ranchers start spying on their neighbors.
8. The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management will also have a drone air force.
One day after the due date for getting all of your cows removed from your
interstate commerce.
But, is a rancher in California going to commit economic suicide because most of the California stockers are sold to feeders in Nebraska, Colorado, etc.? And by not using EID tags is he going to eliminate them from bidding on his cattle?
6. Auction markets are disappearing faster than a
USDA’s job much easier. At the touch of a keystroke, they will know how many cattle and what prices were paid.
This will allow packers to know immediately which auction markets to send their buyers to in order to buy their cattle the cheapest.
4. One day a producer will sell a slaughter cow to be ground up in a big batch of ground beef which could potentially have meat in it from a couple dozen countries. When it’s found a specific batch of hamburger in it and because they’ll know the cow contributed to that particular batch, the USDA will send officials out to the producer’s place to depopulate their entire herd, including those two new $10,000 bulls they just
3. Using the IRS inventory, you will receive a big bill from the Environmental Protection Agency based on how many head you own multiplied by their supposed greenhouse gas production.
2. Good help will be as rare as a cowboy with a 401(k). This is because a cattleman will someday be able to check the temperature of all of his cows or all of his cattle in a feedlot with a drone and a special EID reader.
Cowboys will be replaced by drone pilots and virtual fences.
1. Your inventory tax bill may be inflated by one head thanks to the longhorn head hanging over your fireplace with an EID tag still in its ear.
D9 bulldozers will then show up to dig a big trench and bury all of the beautiful cows. The packers will love it because they can assign all the blame to the producer, who will get sued and lose their ranch despite the fact the dirty cow meat actually came from Australia.
According to a July 23 CDLLife article, withdrawal of the rule follows up on efforts made under the Trump administration to deregulate trucks and “improve the lives of American truck drivers.”
Key drivers
In explaining their decision to withdraw the rule, FMCSA and NHTSA pointed to the 2022 ANSPRM, which proved the agencies intended to move forward with the rule.
Additionally, the rulemaking process included a public comment period, which garnered 15,638 total comments, of which nearly 300 supported moving forward with the rule and over 15,000 comments opposed it.
Many critics argued speed limiters could hurt truck driver earnings, especially for owner operators who rely on mileage-based pay and slow deliveries. They raised concerns about industry-wide costs and impacts to small businesses.
FMCSA and NHTSA also cited insufficient data and uncertain benefits, safety technology advancements, economic and operational concerns and federalism and legal issues as key drivers in their decision.
The agencies said the original proposal lacked compelling safety evidence and there were significant gaps in crash avoidance impact statements.
They also noted the growing adoption and
advancement of safety systems like automatic emergency braking and forward collision warnings may deliver similar safety gains without mandated limits.
Industry reactions
Withdrawal of the speed limiter rule stirred up mixed reactions across several industries.
Truck drivers and industry groups celebrated the decision, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), which submitted thousands of comments in opposition of the rule.
OOIDA President Todd Spencer says, “No one is more committed to safe highways than America’s truck drivers. We share the same goal as every motorist – arriving safely. But forcing trucks to operate below the speed of traffic makes roads less safe by creating speed differences and more risky interactions.”
Similarly, the National Private Truck Council also welcomed the move, noting many trucking fleets voluntarily use speed limiters and favor flexibility over a blanket federal mandate.
On the ag front, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) voiced their support for the rule’s withdrawal and urged legislation to permanently bar FMCSA from issuing similar mandates in the future.
“America’s livestock haulers know how to safely navigate our nation’s roads,
and putting an artificial speed device in the truck with them was only going to create safety hazards, increase risk to drivers and travelers and push livestock haulers out of their jobs,” says NCBA Policy Division Chair Skye Krebs.
“As the holder of a Commercial Driver’s License myself, I know how much training and licensing occurs before a hauler gets behind the wheel. We have full faith in the safe practices of our livestock haulers and appreciate FMCSA and NHTSA standing with drivers by withdrawing this rule. NCBA is committed to
supporting livestock haulers and protecting the safety of our roadways,” Krebs adds.
On the other hand, safety advocates such as the National Safety Council (NSC) expressed disappointment with the withdrawal, pointing to research suggesting speed limiters set at 65 mph could prevent hundreds of fatalities and thousands of injuries each year.
NSC urged the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to reconsider the decision.
“USDOT’s research has proven speed-limiting devices save lives,
ensuring truckers can perform their jobs and return home safely,” says Lorraine Martin, NSC chief executive officer. “This is a disappointing rollback of a decades-long effort to reduce speed-related fatalities involving large commercial vehicles. The NSC urges USDOT to reconsider its decision, which will cost lives.”
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
Northern Livestock Video Auction
CALENDAR
July 25-Aug. 3 Campbell County Fair, Gillette. For more information, visit campbellcountywy. gov/2280/Fair-Week-Activities
July 25-Aug. 3 Platte County Fair, Wheatland. For more information, visit plattecountyfair.org
July 26-Aug. 3 Johnson County Fair, Buffalo. For more information, visit johnsoncountyfairgrounds.com/fair
July 26-Aug. 3 Sweetwater County Fair, Rock Springs. For more information, visit sweetwaterevents.com
July 26-Aug. 3 Weston County Fair, Newcastle. For more information, visit westoncountyfair.org
July 27-Aug. 4 Sheridan County Fair, Sheridan. For more information, visit sheridancountyfairgrounds.com
July 28-Aug. 3 Big Horn County Fair, Basin. For more information, visit bighornfair.com
July 30-Aug. 9 Laramie County Fair, Cheyenne. For more information, visit laramiecountyevents.com/fair
Aug. 1-9 Lincoln County Fair, Afton. For more information, visit facebook.com/LincolnCountyFair
Aug. 2-9 Carbon County Fair, Rawlins. For more information, visit carboncountyfairgrounds.com
Aug. 3-8
Great American Farmers’ Market, National Mall, Washington, D.C. For more information, visit usda.gov/gafm
Aug. 5 Wyoming Game and Fish Department Virtual Public Meeting, 7 p.m., Zoom. For more information, contact the Jackson Regional Office at 307-733-2321.
Aug. 6-7 Four States Irrigation Council’s Central Nebraska Tour, multiple locations, Nebraska. For more information, visit 4-states-irrigation.org
Aug. 6-8 High Plains Journal Live, Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center, Wichita, Kan. For more information or to register, visit hpjlive.com
Aug. 7 North Platte Valley Ag Expo and University of Wyoming Field Day, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Lingle. For more information, call 307-532-8267 or e-mail mwinchell@ewc.wy.edu.
Aug. 8-9 Colorado Outdoorsman Days, Pathfinder Park, Florence, Colo. For more information, visit coloradooutdoorsmandays.com or call 719-275-4077.
Aug. 9 Inaugural University of Wyoming Extension Ag and Art Tour, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Albany County. For more information, visit bit.ly/ag-art-site or e-mail wyagandarttour@gmail.com.
Aug. 12 Cowboy Cornhole Tournament, 11 a.m., Event Tent, Wyoming State Fairgrounds, Douglas. For more information or to register, visit form.jotform. com/251774419743162
Aug. 12 2025 Nebraska Soybean Management Field Days, 6-8 p.m., Lonnie and Scott Bohn Farm, Ravenna, Neb. For more information or to register, call 402624-8030.
Aug. 12-16 Wyoming State Fair, Wyoming State Fairgrounds, Douglas. For more information, visit wystatefair.com
Big horn Basin
LIVESTOCK AUCTION LLC
bighornbasinlivestock.com
Worland, WY
Call to Consign Cattle Sale Barn: 307-347-9201 Danny Vigil: 307-388-0781
Visit Cattle USA for broadcasting and online bidding – auctions.cattleusa.com
Big Horn Basin Livestock Auction will be having their last summer sale Thursday, June 26.
We will be tearing out the indoor ring to put in ring scales the months of July and August. Due to the construction, we will not be having any live auctions during these months.
We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. If you have livestock that you need to market during these months, please contact Danny Vigil at 307-388-0781 or the office at 307-347-9201.
We will start with our first Thursday sale on September 4, 2025. We appreciate your understanding.
Danny Vigil • Owner and Northern Livestock Representative Layne Weber • Field Rep & Auctioneer • (307) 331-2222
Aug. 11-12
Aug. 12-13
Aug. 18-19
Aug. 18-22
Aug. 23
Aug. 23
Aug. 23
Aug. 23-26
Aug. 24
Aug. 30
Aug. 30
Aug. 30
Western Video Market, Little America, Cheyenne, 530-347-3793, wvmcattle.com
Cattle Country Video Oregon Trail Classic, Gering Civic Center, Gering, Neb., 888-322-8853, cattlecountryvideo.com
Northern Livestock Video Auction Early Fall Preview, 866-616-5035, northernlivestockvideo.com
Superior Livestock Auction Big Horn Classic, 800-422-2117, superiorlivestock.com
Memory Ranches Third Annual Foal Sale, at the ranch, Wells, Nev., 208412-6156, 208-695-0399, memoryranches.com
Colorado Horse Sale, Adams County Fairgrounds, Brighton, Colo., 970-7448989, coloradohorsesale.com
27th Annual Come To The Source Horse Sale, Laramie, 970-231-8384, cometothesource.com
Lauing Mill Iron L Ranch 20th Annual QH Production Sale, online auction only, prohorseservices.com, 605-347-6193, 605-280-0698, 605-280-0398, lauingmillironlranch.com
RQHBA 25th Annual Horse Sale, Besler’s Cadillac Ranch, Belle Fourche, S.D., 605-347-1964, 605-639-9482, rqhba.com
Proffit Ranch 24th Annual Labor Day Horse Sale, Diamond X Barn, Evanston, 307-723-5857, proffitranch.blogspot.com
Huskerland Horse Sale Extravaganza, Burwell Livestock Market, Burwell, Neb., 308-383-0039, dvauction.com
Sundance Select Horse Sale, Crook County Fairgrounds, Sundance, 307302-2090, 307-281-2273, 662-538-5110, sundanceselecthorsesale.com
POSTCARD from the Past
Way back in 2008 when I first started writing this column for the Roundup, I penned the following column. If you’re a new reader, enjoy. If you’ve seen this before, you’re probably so old you can’t remember it. Since I’m so old I can’t remember writing it, let’s enjoy another Postcard from the Past together.
For more than 140 years, the sheep wagon –sometimes called a “Home on the Range” or more poetically “The Ship of the Desert” – housed the men who tended vast herds of sheep in Wyoming.
A sheep wagon is a model of combining a living quarters with a cookhouse. It was customarily covered with two canvases separated by ribs to affect an insulating dead air space and tacked over bows which extended from side to side.
quite similar to a Dutch door. The lower part is closed when moving and windows are in the upper part of the door.
Upon entering an authentic sheep wagon, the combination heating and cooking stove is on the right side with the stovepipe extending through the canvas roof.
Suitable cupboards are behind the stove for cooking utensils and food. The kerosene lamp hangs from a bow. A bench extends from the cupboards to the bed which is above the wagon box and crosswise of the wagon.
The bed is usually full size with a boxedin mattress and springs. Under the bed is the “cellar” where the greater part of the food is carried. A swing door offers access. A sliding table pulls out from under the bed.
wooden “jockey boxes,” often metal lined to carry flour, sugar, coffee and other supplies. A grain box to provide feed for the horses extends between and beyond the rear wheels and is metal lined to keep out rodents and water.
The sheep wagon has been described as snug and warm when Wyoming blizzards howl. It is truly a home for the herder and camp mover and is a welcome sight for the traveler who is far from home and knows there is sure to be a hot pot of black coffee and a kettle of beans on the stove to provide western hospitality.
The Sheepherder’s Home
A crude construction this house on wheels, and yet to the sheepherder it is home, as it stands alone in the bleak foothills, where a child of nature he dwells alone.
Save for his dog, the faithful friend who follows his master day by day, and the solitude of the sheepherder’s life the word “alone” can scarce convey.
The back end of the wagon is likewise insulated and carries a window, either sliding or hinged, for ventilation and light. The window is an integral part of the wagon.
The door is in the front end and is of two parts,
A second bench on the left side extends from the bed to the front end, sometimes with other cupboards close to the door. The water bucket is usually placed there.
On the outside of the wagon and between the front and rear wheels are
Yet of his patient endurance so little is told, for, of the woof and warp of the factory’s web, this silent hero holds the thread and clothes a nation from the fold.
– By Julia E. Gaskill, Grand Encampment, 1899
The first sheep wagon in the West was believed to have been built by Rawlins Blacksmith James Candlish in 1884. The initial sheep wagons had canvas doors rather than wooden doors. The small tent was called a herder’s tepee and was often used in the high mountain summer ranges. Photo courtesy
Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Torrington Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Greeley, CO National Sheep Summary
As of July 25, 2025
Compared to last week slaughter lambs 15.00-20.00 lower, slaughter ewes stronger, feeder lambs stronger. All sheep sold per hundred weight (CWT) unless otherwise specified. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 1-3 San Angelo: wooled and shorn 50-60 lbs 268.00; 60-70 lbs 254.00.00-256.00; 70-80 lbs 250.00-254.00. Billings: No test.
Ft. Collins: 50-60 lbs 210.00-220.00; 60-70 lbs 210.00; 70-80 lbs 205.00-220.00; 80-90 lbs 205.00-220.00; 90-100 lbs 200.00-210.00; 100-110 lbs 210.00-215.00; 120-130 lbs 200.00.
Sioux Falls: 50-60 lbs 230.00; 60-70 lbs 235.00-240.00; 7080 lbs 239.00; 80-90 lbs 210.00-235.00; 90-100 lbs 220.00229.00; 100-110 lbs 215.00; 110-120 lbs 207.50-225.00; 120130 lbs 215.00-231.00; 130-140 lbs 224.00-234.00; 140-150 lbs 228.00-235.00. Equity Coop: No test. Slaughter Ewes San Angelo: Good 2-3 94.00-116.00.
Billings: No test.
Ft. Collins: Good 2-3 82.00-125.00; Good 3-4 85.00-125.00. Sioux Falls: Good 2-3: 90.00-110.00; Good 4-5: 95.00100.00; Utility 1-2: 75.00-100.00. Feeder Lambs: Medium and Large 1 San Angelo: No test.
Billings: No test.
Ft. Collins: No test.
Sioux Falls: 40-50 lbs 275.00; 50-60 lbs 240.00-255.00; 6070 lbs 240.00-255.00; 70-80 lbs 205.00. Equity Coop: 90-100 lbs 223.50. Replacement Ewes: Medium and Large 1-2 San Angelo: No test.
Ft. Collins: No test.
South Dakota: No test.
Billings: No test. Sheep and lamb slaughter under federal inspection for the week to date totaled 33,000 compared to 33,000 last week and 34,282 last year.
Source: USDA AMS LPG Market News, San Angelo, Texas National Wool Review As of July 25, 2025
Source: USDA- CO Dept of Ag Market News Service, Greeley, CO
Nebraska Hay Summary
As of July 31, 2025
Compared to two weeks ago, comparable offerings of small squares, round bales, dehy pellets and ground and delivered hay sold steady. Demand picked up a tick this week especially from the large hay grinder operators. Few ranchers in western Nebraska and in Wyoming are buying some good quality squares for winter feeding. Overall prices still lack luster but on the flip side most of the hay quality is the same. High humidity, rain showers have produced quite a lot of poor-quality hay this summer. Several meadow hay producers have struggled to get hay baled in good condition. Several areas of the state have had over 20 inches of rain since May, unbelievably! Good and bad in some cases especially when trying to produce good, clean, green and dry hay for livestock. Central Nebraska Alfalfa - Good
- Fair
Utility/Fair
AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Kearny, NE
Montana Hay Summary As of July 25,
Compared to last report(7-11-25): Hay sold mostly
higher on good to very good demand. The strongest demand continues to be seen from Northern Montana, as drought conditions coupled with limited irrigation water have greatly increased the demand for hay in the region. Most of the hay sold was purchased delivered for 200.00-250.00. New crop prices continue to establish themselves and some variation in price continues to be seen. Rare July rains have fallen across much of South, Central and Southeastern portions of the state over the past 2 weeks allowing for summer pastures to green in some locations and sustain themselves in others. Drought conditions have expanded over the western portion of the state with several
counties in or west of the Rockies showing drought expansion. Cattle herd expansion is on the minds of many ranchers and many are purchasing hay and grain hay ahead of winter as they try to fine enough feed to sustain extra mouths. Producers in Southern and Eastern Montana are in the middle of 2nd cutting. Central Montana is wrapping up first. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this secession. According to the drought monitor 65.65% of the state is in Moderate drought or worse, up 3.17% from 2 weeks ago. 34.27% of the state is in an Severe drought or worse, up 1.40% from 2 weeks ago. 10.23% of he state is in Extreme drought or worse, up 0.74% from 2 weeks ago. 0% of the state is in Expectational drought, unchanged from 2 weeks ago. Notably, 77.61% of the state is abnormally dry, up 2.46% from 2 weeks ago.
N/A
- Good
- Fair
Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Billings, MT
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, 307-777-6397 TFN
Events Services
UP IN ARMS, LLC FLEA MARKET AND GUN SHOW AUG. 29-31 Gillette, WY at the CAMPLEX. Open to the public. Fri., Aug. 29, 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Sat., Aug. 30, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Aug. 31, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Giving away a .22 pistol Sunday at 2 p.m., must be present to win, 21 years of age and able to pass background check. Buy, sell, trade. Adults $6, children 12 and under free (when accompanied by an adult). For more information, contact Lisa, 208-4202295 8/23
COYOTE DAYS 2025: The largest gathering of predator control and fur harvesting experts in the world. Twenty instructional demos on all aspects of the industry. Come learn about an outdoor activity that can be very rewarding. Aug. 1516, Niobrara Co. Fairgrounds, Lusk, WY. Vendors, drawings, banquet, fur fashion show and more. For more information, call 307-334-9930 8/9
Ranch for Lease
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. CLAY CREEK ANGUS, 307-762-3541, www. claycreek.net TFN
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.
WE’RE HIRING!! LOOKING TO FILL THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS AND ARE WILLING TO TRAIN: MEAT CUTTER, SLAUGHTER FLOOR OPERATIONS AND WRAPPERS. Located in Dayton, WY about 20 miles from Sheridan, WY. Starting pay is dependent on experience. We are starting between $20-$30/hour and will train you. If interested in any of the positions, please call 307-655-2551. You can also stop into our plant to apply or for more information, Valley Meat Co., 297 Hwy. 343, Dayton, WY 82836. If you have any questions about the positions, please feel free to send us an e-mail at sam@ valleymeatco.com. Thank you and looking forward to your application!! 8/16
DEVILS TOWER FOREST PRODUCTS, A LUMBER MANUFACTURER IN HULETT, WY, IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FULLTIME PLANER, SAWMILL, MILLWRIGHT AND BOILER
POSITIONS: Benefit package includes company paid medical and dental insurance (including dependents), life insurance, company matching 401(k) retirement program, safety incentives, holiday pay and paid vacation. Mandatory employment and random drug testing conducted. D.O.E. Contact Joe Ortner at 307-467-5252. You can also send your application with resume to joe.ortner@devilstowerfp.com E.O.E 8/2
LOOKING FOR A FULL-TIME FARM/RANCH EMPLOYEE: Seeking a motivated individual to assist in day-to-day operations of our working ranch. The role supports the current foreman and works alongside to ensure smooth and efficient operation of livestock, haying, equipment and facility management. Applicant must have a strong agricultural background and a hands-on approach to problem solving and daily ranch work. The position is long term and offers a clear path to increased responsibilities, pay and leadership over time. Location of the ranch is remote. Housing is provided and on a school bus route. Position open immediately. 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 307-736-2461 8/9
CORRECTIONS AGRICULTURE CORPS PROGRAM
SUPERVISOR: Are you a seasoned ag leader wanting to make a real difference?
Join Wyoming’s Department of Corrections as a Corrections Agriculture Corps Program Supervisor in Riverton, WY. You’ll manage everything from seed planting to harvest, supervise inmate workers and teach essential life and vocational skills while supporting livestock feed programs and sustaining farm equipment operations. Three to 4 years’ experience in agriculture/farming or bachelor’s in ag. Knowledge of crop science, irrigation and farm equipment. Strong leadership and safety awareness. Rewarding opportunity to contribute to public safety and inmate rehabilitation. $24.78/hour plus full benefits: Tuition reimbursement, retirement, health care. Riverton, WY, Wyoming Honor Farm. Learn more and apply www.governmentjobs.com/careers/wyoming/ jobs/4943010/correctionsagriculture-crops-programsupervisor-2025-01356
Grow with us, help cultivate futures, both in the field and beyond. #WyomingJobs #Agriculture #Reentry #PublicService #LeadershipOpportunity 8/2
ALL TYPES OF EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLE FINANCING. Great service!! Great rates!! Call Chuck Brown at C.H. Brown Co., LLC, 307-3223232 (office), 307-331-0010 (cell) or e-mail chuckbrown@ wyoming.com 8/2
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!! 8/9
WYOMING BRAND FOR SALE: RRC, RSH. Registered until Jan. 1, 2035. No horses or cattle with brand. No irons available. $1,500. Contact Ronnie at 303-913-2493, leave a message if no answer 8/2
NICE WYOMING BRAND FOR SALE:
LIVESTOCK GUARD DOG FOR SALE: Spayed female started on sheep, out of great working mother with proven predator control. She is Akbash/ Komondor. Sire is Akbash/Pyrenees/Anatolian. Blue Lady was born July 4, 2024. UTD on shots. Ready to go, with the flock now. $1,000. Near Moore, MT. Call 406-374-2406 8/16
MULTIGEN MEDIUM BERNEDOODLES AVAILABLE!! Pups are non-shedding hypoallergenic, come with UTD shots, microchipped, dewormed and health guarantee, 50-60 lbs. full grown. Happy to arrange delivery or do a FaceTime. Visit www.yellowstonedoodles.com Price $3,500. Please reach out with questions. Call 307-272-5976. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 8/2
MINI SHEEPADOODLES: Mom (mini sheepadoodles) first generation AKC Old English sheepdog/AKC toy poodle. Sire of this litter is a 5 lb. AKC toy poodle. Perfect little lap babies. Small, healthy, home raised beautiful babies. UTD on shots, vet checked, microchipped, pellet box trained. $900-$2,000. May be able to help with delivery. Call 307-272-3180. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 8/16
PARK COUNTY, WY RANCH NEAR CODY, WY IS AVAILABLE 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 8/16
RED ANGUS 2-YEAR-OLD FORAGE BULLS FOR SALE: Bulls for heifers and cows. Smaller framed, efficient, easy fleshing, good dispositions. Not fat, but in great shape and ready to go to work. Have been worked with dogs, on foot and horseback. Raised in rugged, rough, steep, rocky, high elevation country. Red Fork Red Angus, Ken & Cheri Graves, Kaycee, WY, phone 307-7382247, cell 307-267-0724, email gravesredfork@rtconnect.net 8/2
Horses
Dairy Cattle
BROWN SWISS DAIRY STOCK: Three bred milk cows and bull. $3,500 each or all 4 for $12,000. Call 307219-2217 or 719-217-8054 (cell) 8/9
CUSTOM FEEDING AND FINISHING FOR CATTLE AND SHEEP. Cactus Hill Ranch Company, Fort Collins, CO. Contact AJ Nelson, 970372-8273 8/2
FAITHFUL FEEDERS: Heifer development, backgrounding, and grass calf prep. Billings, MT. Call Ryan, 406-696-0104 4/11
RANCHERS QUARTER HORSE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION SALE AUG. 24: Located at Besler’s Cadillac Ranch, Belle Fourche, S.D. Selling 81 head. Yearling Futurity $3,000 added. Featuring a yearling in-hand trail class!! All 2024 foals eligible to win in 2025. Ranch Horse Futurity, added money, open to 2- and 3-year-olds sold through the sale. Invitational saddle horse session, have 21 riders and 7 yearlings. Online bidding available day of sale with pre-approval through Tri-State Livestock at www.thestockshow.hibid. com/auctions/current. For more information, call Clete Schmidt, 605-641-0669 or Susan Riesland, 605-6399482, www.rqhba.com. “The Sale Where You Can Buy With Confidence” 8/16
Saddles & Tack
READY FOR THE RIDE!! Large SELECTION of saddles, HEADSTALLS, reins and SADDLE pads. $AVE on BOOTS: HONDO, BOULET, JUSTIN WORK BOOTS, TWISTED X (boots and shoes) and more!! Well stocked for arena, range and above the plains. WE CAN ship!! Shop Moss Saddles, Boots and Tack, 4648 West Yellowstone Highway, Casper, WY; 307-472-1872. Our family serving yours for 50 years!! Check us out on Facebook or our website 8/2
Leatherwork
LS CUSTOM LEATHER: Belts, tack, cell phone cases and much more!! Contact Lester, 307-631-1053, leave a message. Located in Riverton, WY 8/2
HAMP/SUFFOLK CROSS, POLYPAY/DORSET CROSS RAMS FOR SALE: These rams are big boned, heavy muscled and high performing. They are not tall frame sheep. We sell all across the Midwest. Call DJ, 605-929-0337 8/16
GERDES HAMPSHIRES HAS 32 REGISTERED PUREBRED HAMPSHIRE RAMS: Born in the winter of 2025. Our rams are big framed, fast growing with plenty of depth, muscle and bone. These are wether producing type Hampshires without excessive leg length but possess tremendous thickness of loin and leg. Rams are sired by stud rams purchased from leading Hampshire sheep breeders at national sales and are sired by sons of Unicorn, UFFDA and Jackalope. For more information, call or text Darrell Gerdes of Madison, S.D. at 402-760-0104. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 8/30
WEANER PIGS FOR SALE, located in Powell, WY. For more information,
GOOD QUALITY HAY FOR SALE: Alfalfa/orchardgrass mix and straight alfalfa, all in netwrapped round bales. Nisland, S.D. For more information and pricing, call 605-892-5676 8/2
FIRST CUTTING ALFALFA AND GRASS/ALFALFA, round and small square bales. For more information, call 307-7545864 8/2
HAY FOR SALE: 2025 first and second cutting grass/alfalfa, first and upcoming second cutting alfalfa. ALSO, 2025 and 2024 haybet barley, low nitrates. 2024 first and second cutting alfalfa, grass/alfalfa. 2023 first and second cutting alfalfa, milo and grass/alfalfa. 2022 first and second cutting alfalfa. GRINDING HAY also available. 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 8/23
90 NET-WRAPPED ROUND BALES, 1,500 lbs. grass/alfalfa mix, 2024 crop, $125/ton. Located in Cody, WY. Calls only, 307-899-3737 8/23
2025 HAY AVAILABLE: Round bales and small squares. Grass/ alfalfa mix and alfalfa. ALSO, have certified grass and alfalfa. Located in Powell, WY. Call JK, 307-254-8201 8/16
VERY NICE, FIRST OR SECOND CUTTING ALFALFA FOR SALE: Located in the Sterling, CO area. Call 970520-7775 8/16
VALLEY VIDEO HAY MARKETS, LLC: Representing 40 of the best growers in eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska. Call now for your summer/fall needs, Barry McRea, 308-235-5386, www.valleyvideohay.com 8/16
CERTIFIED BARLEY STRAW FOR SALE, 3x4 bales. Cody, WY. Call 307-899-1952 TFN
ROUND-BALED GRASS: 2024 crop $30/bale, need to move. ALSO, 2025 crop 1,000 lb. netwrapped bales. Cody, WY area. Call, don’t text, Anthony at 307-254-2645 8/16
2025 CERTIFIED GRASS HAY SMALL SQUARE BALES: Barn stored, $10/bale, 71 lb. average. 2025 GRASS ROUND BALES, net wrapped, $200/ ton. 2025 ALFALFA ROUND BALES, net wrapped, $210/ton. 1,300 lb. average on rounds. No rain on any. ALSO, some 2024 net-wrapped grass and alfalfa bales available. Bales handled with skid steer 8 pack and tractor with bale spear. Powell, WY. Call 307-254-4865 8/9
2025 HAY FOR SALE
2,500 tons, 3x4 squares, straight alfalfa, mostly tarped, $145/ton. Near Bozeman, MT. Call Doug 406-581-4124
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 307-762-3878 or 307-899-4714, leave message 8/9
TONS AND TONS OF HAY FOR SALE!!! Alfalfa, alfalfa/grass mix, straight grass (crested wheat and native grasses), winter wheat, 1,300-1,350 lb. net-wrapped round bales. Deliveries are available if needed or come and get it. Sheridan, WY area. Call the ranch, 307-737-2680 or 307-7512068 (cell) 8/2
CERTIFIED ORGANIC ALFALFA/GRASS MIX HAY: No chemicals, 3x3 squares and round bales. Adrian Troyer, Byron, WY. Call 307-631-4104 12/27
2023 KIOTI RX7320: Power shuttle with creep, 73 HP, 3 remotes, live hydraulics to the front, fluid in tires, block heater, 92 hours and Bluetooth stereo. $48,500. For more details, call 307-388-3300 8/9
2025 RAM Tradesman crew cab, gas, 8’ flatbed in stock!
Mention this special discount code: WLR825
Please Contact Brett Osborne at 307.262.1235 on any Vehicle, New or Used
2012 FORD F650 FLATBED:
6.7L Cummins, Allison automatic. Good condition, 18’ flatbed, Vanair PTO driven air compressor, 161,000 miles. Best offer. Golden, CO. Call Eric at 720-312-9582. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 8/2
FEATHERLITE 2001, 3-horse, gooseneck, slant load. Large, carpeted tack room, water tank and excellent tires. $8,750. Leave message, 307-634-8410, Cheyenne, WY 8/2
ARTSWAY 786A BEET DEFOLIATOR: 6 row 22 inch, 1 steel, 2 rubber drums. Steerable wheels, scalpers, extra parts. Very good working condition. Call 406-591-0797 8/2
CASE 1070 TRACTOR: 5,000 plus hours, with Du-Al loader and grapple. $12,500. Calls only, 307-899-3737 8/23
FOR SALE: Lorenz 16’x29’ 17 ton balemover. Tonutti 7 wheel finger rake. Rowse 9’ pull type mower. Rowse 9’ 3 pt. mower. H&S 14 wheel high capacity vrake. New Holland H7460 16’ pull type discbine. J&M gravity box with 12 ton gear and truck tires. 2024 AGT mini excavator H13R with tracks, new machine, $5,000. Ford 7N tractor with wide front, runs great. John Deere 3975 silage cutter with 3RN green cutter head. Burns portable calf creep feeder. Burns portable loading chute. For-Most cattle working chute with palp cage and automatic headgate. 2016 Mack semi with MP7 engine and automatic transmission. 2020 Freightliner, automatic transmission, DD13 engine, 178” wheelbase, 407,673 miles, runs and drives nice. 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. 12’ HD box scraper with tilt. All in very nice condition!! Call 605999-5482 8/24
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. A 20’ Krause offset disc (new blades in front). 24’ Model 630 John Deere tandem disc. Safety pull with a bull hitch. 2003 IHC 9400I Eagle semi fifth wheel truck, Cat engine, 26’ end dump trailer with roll tarp. 1997 Kenworth T800, Detroit engine, 20’ box with hoist, roll tarp, both beet and grain end gates. John Deere front suitcase weights. IHC front suitcase weights. Contact Greg Keller at 406-6791136 8/16
CASE IH 8920: Clean tractor, always shedded, 4,343 hours., MFWD, 3 remotes, 18 speed power shift, 172 HP, tires very good, 540/1000 PTO, rear duals, everything works. $73,500. Call 307-331-0446. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 8/2
2009 JOHN DEERE 6430 TRACTOR: 2,850 hours, MFWD, 16 speed powerquad, L.H. reverser, 18.4R34 tires, with John Deere 673 loader, 7’ bucket, excellent condition. $79,500. 2011 JOHN DEERE 6430 PREMIUM TRACTOR: 1,540 actual hours, MFWD, 24 speed autoquad, L.H. reverser, 18.4R38 tires, many options, with 2015’ John Deere H340 self-leveling loader and 8’ grapple bucket. ONE OWNER. Like new. $107,500. Call 651338-6861. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 8/16
2015 GRAIN AUGER 14122 FARM KING: Less than 100,000 bushels ran through it. The flighting and tube on this auger are twice as heavy as a Westfield. Hydraulic swing out, $40,000 would consider any reasonable offer. ALSO, 2001 FREIGHTLINER CLASSIC, long hood C15 Cat engine less than 100,000 miles on complete overhaul at Butler machinery, 18 speed tag axle, new steering tires, drive tires over 60%, wet kit with 4 remote tower in cab. Day cab, would be willing to pull engine and sell separately, $60,000 for complete truck. If interested in engine or want more details, call 605-2280471 8/9
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, RETIRING; John Deere 5300 tractor, diesel, front end loader, pallet forks, and back blade, $24,000. 2020 CanAm 570 outlander 4 wheeler, $5,900. 2011 Ford F450, 4 door, diesel 6.7, 4x4, 108,000 miles, $29,500. Dodge Ram 3500 4 door 4x4, 6.7 diesel 127,000 miles, $34,900. Ford F450 dump truck, 4x4, diesel, 61,000 miles, $24,900. 2005 Buick LeSabre, looks and runs like new, $2,900. Lincoln Town Car, 1 owner, 130,000 miles, loaded, immaculate, $7,900. 2018 PJ gooseneck 14’ low profile dump trailer, $7900. Flatbed, hydraulic tilt deck, 2010 trailer, $3,900. Chevrolet dump truck, 1955, 6400 model, exceptional condition, $4,500. Gooseneck stock trailer, 16’, good condition, $2,500. Gooseneck stock trailer, 12’, older, $1,500. 1992 Ford F350 service truck, 4 door, diesel, 135,000 miles, $4,500. Big Tex flatbed, bumper pul 16’ trailer, $2,500. PJ bumper pull, 20’ flatbed trailer, $4,700. Stihl ms460 chainsaw, $795. John Deere, high volume quick detach bucket, 7'x3', new, $900. Call 307-219-2217 or 719-2178054 (cell) 8/9
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 8/9
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
NEW MEXICO RANCH 209+ ACRES, 38 miles to Albuquerque, N.M. Incredible mountain views and your livestock from a 1,000+ sq. ft. deck. 2,843 sq. ft., 3 bed, 2 bath home. Two car carport, 2 car garage and RV bay. Pipe corrals, grow out pens, hay/implement/livestock barns, horse/tack/tool, riding arena, round pen area, vet clinic. $1,450,000. First Class Realty Services, Susan Wilson qualifying broker/realtor 505-328-4172, contact Jay 505-263-7419. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 8/2
CERTIFIED WEED-FREE
PURE ALFALFA HAY: Small squares, averaging 70-80 lbs. each. 2025 first cutting available for $225/ton. ALSO, 100+ tons of 2024 hay with weather damage. Would be good cow hay or great for compost. $50/ton. 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, 307-2540554 8/16
Also specializing in
FOR SALE: WATER TRAILER with (4) 1,500 gallon water tanks, 3 cones, 2 pumps, 50 ft. hose, electric start. ALSO, International 1256 tractor and John Deere 4520 tractor. Call 701-290-2504 8/9
1960 JOHN DEERE 95 COMBINE, round back, 16’. All new belts, stored inside, overhaul on engine. $2,500. Call Ivan, 307-629-0974 TFN
RETIREMENT SALE!! Corral panels, Cattle Master squeeze chutes, John Deere 6400 tractors ($40,000 each), Peterbilt 379, step deck trailer. Call 208651-8698 8/2
“We will do so through a transparent and commonsense process to preserve USDA’s critical health and public safety services the American public relies on,” Rollins continues. “We will do right by the great American people who we serve and with respect to the thousands of hardworking USDA employees who so nobly serve their country.”
Realigning priorities
The USDA Department Reorganization Plan rests on four key pillars outlined in an official memorandum signed by Rollins.
According to Rollins, the plan will help return the USDA to its core mission of serving the nation through improved effectiveness, enhanced services, reduced bureaucracy and cost savings for the American people.
The first pillar focuses on ensuring the USDA workforce aligns with available financial resources.
According to the memorandum, the reorganization is a step in aligning workforce numbers with available finances by reducing unnecessary functions and eliminating repetitive positions.
USDA emphasizes certain public safety and national security roles including wildfire response, food safety inspection and emergency coordination will be unaffected.
The second pillar zeroes in on bringing USDA operations closer to the communities it serves by relocating the majority of its Washington, D.C. workforce to regional hubs. Relatedly, buildings which fail to meet mandated 60 percent occupancy rates will be
vacated and repurposed on Capitol Hill.
The third and fourth pillars aim to promote coordination across USDA by consolidating redundant positions and phasing out several repetitive regional offices.
Relocating workforce
One of the most significant changes outlined in the reorganization involves relocating up to one-half of USDA’s National Capital Region (NCR)-based staff to five regional hubs – Raleigh, N.C.; Kansas City, Mo.; Indianapolis; Fort Collins, Colo. and Salt Lake City.
USDA says the hubs were chosen based on existing presence of USDA employees and cost-of-living considerations, emphasizing each hub is much closer to the majority of agricultural states than Washington, D.C.
Currently, USDA employs approximately 4,600 individuals within the NCR. The region has one of the highest costs of living in the nation, with a federal salary locality rate of 33.94 percent.
A July 24 press release from the USDA called the department’s presence in the NCR “underutilized and redundant, plagued by rampant overspending and decades of mismanagement and costly deferred maintenance.”
“Trump was elected to make real change in Washington, D.C. and we are doing this by moving our key services outside the beltway and into great American cities across the country,” Rollins says.
Although cost of living is lower, concerns have been raised about the locations of the proposed
SALE REPORTS
Top Sellers Top Herefords Lot 29 – ASM 708 E33
hubs, none of which fall within the nation’s top agricultural states of Nebraska, Iowa, California, Texas or Illinois.
Congressional response
The proposed reorganization has been met with mixed reactions.
Several members of Congress expressed disappointment at a lack of consultation before the plan was made public, including Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman (R-AR) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) who called a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee to better understand the details of Rollins’ decision.
On July 30, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden fielded questions from the Senate Agriculture Committee regarding the proposed reorganization.
Boozman oversaw the hearing, expressing support for the proposed reorganization while emphasizing operations should continue to prioritize the American people.
“I appreciate the secretary’s emphasis on improving effectiveness and accountability, enhancing services, reducing bureaucracy and cutting waste. I support these goals,” Boozman began in his opening address. “I share the secretary’s desire to ensure USDA operates efficiently, is a good steward of taxpayer dollars and meets the needs of agriculture and rural America.”
“We must also prioritize what matters most to producers and rural communities – responsiveness, service and results,” Boozman continued. “USDA is often the most visible face of the federal government in rural America.
This presence, whether through Farm Service Agency offices, conservation staff or rural develop-
ment programs, needs to be preserved and empowered.”
Klobuchar was first to speak, reprimanding the reorganization as “a half-baked plan with no notice” before expressing fears about the reorganization placing strain on an already reduced USDA workforce.
Klobuchar was not the only representative to express concern about employees not wanting to relocate, but Vaden remained optimistic, emphasizing the department is expecting a high retention rate.
Vaden stressed 90 percent of agency workers are already located in regions other than the nation’s capital, and only four of 94 research facilities would close under the reorganization.
He also noted the high cost of living in the NCR as a barrier to long-term careers with USDA and framed the proposed relocation as a remedy.
“We want people to come to USDA for a career, to start a family and to stay with us,” Vaden said, noting the cost-of-living in the proposed regional hubs would yield this result at a higher rate than keeping operations anchored to the NCR.
Lawmakers from both parties expressed approval of the idea of placing USDA employees closer to constituents and supporting efficient operations.
Throughout the hearing, Vaden maintained USDA’s commitment to the proposed reorganization. Vaden also emphasized the plan is just starting to take effect and is still subject to change.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
Macie 203K ET – Price:
$90,000 DOB: 1/22/22 Sire: GO King E33 Dam’s Sire: R Leader 6964 Buyer: GKB
Cattle Company, Desdemona, Texas Lot 29A – Stellpflug
Macie 5065 – Price: $30,000 DOB: 1/12/25 Sire: KCF Bennett Monument J338 Dam’s Sire: GO King E33 Buyer: GKB Cattle Company, Desdemona, Texas Lot 1 – Stellpflug Raegan 3651 ET – Price:
$35,000 DOB: 2/11/23 Sire: H WMS Thomas County 1443 ET Dam’s Sire: UPS Sensation 2296 ET Buyer: GKB Cattle Company, Desdemona, Texas Lot 22 – NJW
60E0016Free Spirit 74L ET – Price: $32,500 DOB: 2/8/23 Sire: RST Final Print
0016 Dam’s Sire: NJW 160Z 10W Whit 33B Buyer: Ty Bergh, Florence, S.D. Lot 40 – Stellpflug Rita 79Z 4295 ET – Price:
U.S. agriculture has been an economic beacon providing trade surpluses to the national economy since the 1960s.
This began to change more recently as agriculture began to experience a trade deficit, meaning the U.S. imported more agricultural products than it exported to other countries around the world, says Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist for CoBank.
Trade imbalance
“While the agricultural trade balance turned slightly negative in 201920, a noticeable imbalance appeared in 2023, with a $17.2 billion deficit, reported the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service and Foreign Agricultural Service,” Geiger says.
By 2024, this spread expanded to a $31.8 billion shortfall, as the U.S. began importing more fresh produce and coffee.
This year, USDA agencies forecast the U.S. will export $170.5 billion and import $220 billion worth of ag product. If this comes to fruition, it would create a historic $49.5 billion shortfall, based on the latest Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade.
“While those are the headwinds facing U.S.
agriculture, dairy is bucking those forces,” Geiger explains. “In 2024, U.S. dairy processors exported $8.2 billion in dairy products and ingredients, while we imported $5.4 billion in dairy products. This created a positive $2.8 billion trade surplus in the dairy category.”
For the most part, U.S. dairy continues to grow its export base. To this end, 2024 dairy exports stand in second place to the alltime record of $9.65 billion posted in 2022.
“Those record exports were driven by record milk prices which netted a $25.93 mailbox milk price that year and caused higher product prices in the U.S. and also globally,” Geiger says.
As for 2025, USDA economists are forecasting $8.6 billion in dairy product and ingredient exports.
“On the flip side, imports could total $5.6 billion. Incidentally, cheese – primarily from Europe –could be $2 billion of the $5.6 billion import total,” Geiger notes. “If USDA’s latest forecast unfolds this year, dairy would have a net trade surplus of $3 billion, which would be a $200 million improvement over last year.”
Dairy market bright spots Cheese, butterfat and high-protein whey pace
growth in dairy product and ingredient exports. In May, cheese posted a record 114 million pounds in exports.
While exports to number one customer Mexico fell, sales to just about every other major customer rose in May, including Japan, up 24 percent; South Korea, up 20 percent; Central America, up 23 percent and South America, up 47 percent.
Globally, cheese demand remains strong, and cheese exports have been buoyed by lower U.S. prices when compared to the largest two dairy exporters – the European Union and New Zealand.
“From a price standpoint, U.S. butterfat, just like cheese, is selling at a
discount when compared to the world’s two largest dairy exporters,” Geiger says. “This has significantly buoyed exports. Through May 2025, the U.S. has already exported 88 million pounds of butter and anhydrous milk fat.”
By comparison, the U.S. exported 101 million pounds of those two products total last year. This means U.S. buttermakers have sold 87 percent of last year’s sales volume in the first five months of the year.
Protein continues to be regarded as a hero ingredient, and according to Geiger, dairy is a proven winner in this category. To this end, high-end whey exports continue to grow both in vol-
ume and value. This category includes whey protein concentrates and whey protein isolates over 80 percent protein.
“On the other end of the spectrum, low-protein-level whey exports have been battered by tariff-related issues,” Geiger explains.
“In 2024, China purchased nearly 40 percent of all dry whey exports sent from U.S. suppliers. When comparing January to May 2024 to the same time this year, whey exports in product category 4.404.10 were off 5.5 percent. However, the larger concern popped up in May as China imports were down a whopping 70 percent.”
Specific exports for the month were 20,696 metric
tons of low-protein whey in May 2024 and just 6,265 metric tons in May 2025.
This isn’t the only category of concern when it comes to China, as shipments of high-end whey protein, nonfat dry milk, lactose and cheese dropped between 59 to 83 percent during May, Geiger says.
“With China being the world’s largest dairy product importer, U.S. exporters must find new homes for products and ingredients to keep growing international dairy sales,” he concludes.
Fran O’Leary is the senior editor of the Wisconsin Agriculturist. This article was originally published by Farm Progress on July 21.
Positive trend – If the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest forecast unfolds in 2025, the U.S. dairy industry would have a net trade surplus of $3 billion, which would be a $200 million improvement over last year, says Dairy Economist Corey Geiger. Farm Progress photo
in mid-June brought tripledigit temperatures to portions of eastern Wyoming, stressing dry soils and increasing wildfire concerns.
“Rainfall varied widely across the region. Much of western and northwestern Wyoming, central South Dakota and North Dakota received one to three inches less rain than normal,” reads the report. “In contrast, parts of Colorado saw wetter than usual conditions, especially in the north, south and east.”
Record-low flows
In addition to above normal temperatures and lack of rainfall, the National Integrated Drought Infor-
mation System (NDIS) says snowpack has nearly disappeared from monitoring stations across the West as hot, dry conditions accelerated snowmelt and early snowpack loss.
“Snow disappeared early even in areas without widespread snow drought conditions and with above normal peak snow water equivalent,” notes NDIS.
While much of Wyoming experienced near normal snowpack, the state was no exception to this trend. In fact, according to NDIS data, snow at 84 percent of the state’s Snowpack Telemetry stations – 57 locations –melted earlier than usual
Summer streamflow forecasts have also been significantly below normal across the region, heightening water availability concerns for irrigation, summer stock water and wildfire mitigation.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s June-July Water Supply Forecast indicates below median runoff for the entire northern Rocky Mountain Region, with the majority of large river basins expected to receive less than 80 percent of median flows.
“Forecasts for the Marias, Salmon and Upper Snake river basins are among the lowest in the region at 45, 65 and 67 percent of median,
RIVERTON LIVESTOCK AUCTION
respectively,” NDIS reports. “Moderate and severe drought are present throughout the region, according to USDM. Based on the late onset snow drought conditions, near to below median October through May observed runoff and below median June to July forecasted runoff, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center forecasts drought will persist through the rest of the summer.”
In a July 23 WyoFile article, Journalist Mike Koshmrl reports the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) shows record-low flows across the Cowboy State.
He notes a river gauge above Jackson Lake detected less water than it
ever has before during the last week of July, with just 147 cubic feet per second (CFS) – the lowest streamflow reported in 41 years of data collection.
The typical flow in this area at the end of July is 516 CFS, and the previous minimum flow for July 23 was 263 CFS.
Additionally, according to USGS state monitoring, the Wind River near Kinnear was only carrying 295 CFS as of July 23, which is less than any other July 23 in 40 years of recordkeeping.
The Bear River above the Woodruff Narrows Reservoir reported a dismal two CFS – seven percent of the median 31 CFS detected over the 63 years of data
collection.
The bright side
On the bright side, not all of the West has seen drought conditions worsen.
In fact, NDMC notes drought conditions improved across all six High Plains states from May through late June, with as much as threecategory improvements seen in eastern Wyoming. Other areas experiencing noticeable improvements include western North Dakota, northern South Dakota, central Nebraska, central and southern Kansas and southeastern and southwestern Colorado.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
Wyoming firefighter honored
The Wyoming Fire Service and the state of Wyoming is honored to induct Carl Jungck of the Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department and Wyoming State Forestry Division into the Wyoming Firefighters Hall of Fame.
fighters Hall of Fame.
Arapahoe Ranch- 1 load weigh bulls/steers
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The Wyoming Fire Service has some deeply rooted traditions – honor, pride, integrity and valor, to name a few.
With these ideals in mind, the Wyoming State Fire Marshal’s Office created the Wyoming Fire-
The purpose of the Wyoming Firefighters Hall of Fame is to recognize the accomplishments and achievements of all first responders, from a variety of response agencies or departments who, in their service to the community and citizens of Wyoming, have excelled in their dedication and service.
To qualify for this recognition individuals are nominated and accomplishments submitted by a fire department or agency.
Then, those applications are reviewed by an independent committee.
The application must prove the firefighter has significantly contributed to the Wyoming Fire Service and to the citizens of the state of Wyoming.
The induction ceremony will take place on Aug. 16 at 10:30 a.m. at the Wyoming Fire Academy in Riverton. This will be held in conjunction with the Wyoming Fallen Firefighters Memorial which starts at 1:30 p.m. on the same day.
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Tuesday,