Lord gives Patience in Due Time

7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! -- James 5

That's the lines that came to mind this morning as I was doing my reading and sippin on my coffee before headin out the door to feed. Little did I know the Lord knew what was ahead for my day.

Not much seemed to go smoothly. I was workin by myself this weekend, and the bulls seemed to know it. Receiving cattle is like throwing cattle into a classroom and elementary kids. They'll cough in each others' faces and snot in the feed trough. By the time they get done passing around and sharing each other's germs, you'll always have a few to treat. Also had one with a sore foot to clean.

Well long story short, one decided he wasn't going out the walk through gate and had to go the long way around. 10 gates later, he made it to the alley. Another decided to jump the feed bunk a time or two. Finally got my bluff in on him and guess he decided to cooperate. He was actually relieved to get the mud and rocks out from between his toes. By this time it was plain I wouldn't be makin it to church services and the bulls were already testing my "patience and grumbling."

The wind was kickin strong all day and it wasn't making things any easier. I went to feed the yearlings and the feed did nothin but blow back in my face. Then I got to the silo, had the silage started, and walked out to count the steers along the bunk. Guess the wind pinched the plastic sleeve runnin down the spout, it caught some silage and pulled the whole thing loose. I saw it happen and was just a few steps too far to make it before it wrapped in the auger. Oh geeze....

I found the spare roll of plastic and made another sleeve. Climbed all the way back up the silo to attach it back to the spout and finally got the calves fed. Then the wind kicked back in as I pitched out the whole roll of hay to the bulls. Half of it blew back in my face.

Had I not read my verses on patience today, I probably wouldn't have kept my cool, would have been frustrated, and something probably would have gone forgotten or messed up. But nothing was permanently broken, everything was fed and taken care of, and I made it to the table for steak and taters tonight. Despite everything that goes wrong, I just have to be thankful for my surroundings. Nothing's quite as peaceful as being around the cattle when they're fed and comfortable at the end of the day.

Guess it's just another day in ranch life. Can't wait to see what the coming week has in store!

Questions about Heifer Development

Spend an afternoon reading scientific journal articles like it’s the latest newsstand gossip and your head will be spinning like a carnival ride. If only I could master the art of speed-reading…
Everyone has a different approach to developing replacement heifers for their beef herds. Some simply focus on a good feeding and mineral program, consistent from weaning through breeding. Others approach with ideas of modifying nutrition levels and gaining the advantages of compensatory gains. Then there are physiological aspects of puberty; at what age and weight will the heifer reach puberty, how can we determine this point, and how can we manage this.
Reading all of these articles, I can get pretty wrapped up in trying to over think the topics and forget what I am looking for. Sometimes our best ideas start with the basics, then work their way up.
Here are some basic principles of heifer development covered in various papers:

• Heifers will reach puberty at a specific weight and age, which can be influenced by genetics and management of their environment
• Post-weaning management of heifers is critical to their longevity and productivity in the cowherd.
• Early (preweaning) rapid growth can have a negative impact on development of the reproductive tract and endocrine system in heifers.
• Once heifers reach puberty, fertility in the first cycle in lower, increasing with the second or third ovulation.
• In order for a heifer to calve at 24 months of age, she must be cycling and ready to breed at 15 months.
• Breeding heifers earlier in the season will increase their longevity in the cowherd with a restricted breeding window.

Now it’s your turn. What is important to you in replacement heifer development? What aspects do you have questions about? What obstacles stand in the way of breeding heifers to calve successfully and by the age of 24 months? Do you have any suggestions or opinions from your experience?

Cowman Anonymous

It's about time someone steps up to admit there are others out there. I admit I have a problem, but not sure I'm ready to quit. Thought this editorial from Troy Marshall from Beef Magazine was worth sharing...


I'm thinking about starting a new self-help program. I'd call it Cowman Anonymous. At this point, however, I’m not advocating for a 12-step program, or that there's anything wrong with the disease that so many people become afflicted with when it comes to the cattle industry. But I do think that the urge to run cows can be compared to addictions to gambling, tobacco, alcohol, even drugs. Once it has hold of you, it has a similar power.

I just spent two days visiting cattlemen in Virginia. The three operations I visited were all highly successful cattlemen and all of them were rabid about what they're doing. Each one could recite 5-6 generations of pedigree on their cattle, as well as individual data on nearly every cow we drove up on. My guess is that they would have struggled to come up with even the names of their own children’s ancestors much beyond two or three generations.

All three operations were large, diversified and successful. Yet, they were consumed with their plans for the future, and how they were going to improve their cowherd or expand. I do believe they were exhibiting the advanced stages of cow addiction.

I’m not trying to cast aspersions. Lord knows I could be described as a cow addict myself. They say the first stage to recovery is admitting you have a problem, but I’m not quite to the point of admitting it's a problem – yet. I guess the analogy would be the drinker who knows he drinks quite a bit more than he maybe should, but is still convinced he can handle it. Personally, I can admit that maybe there are some potential problems with my addiction, I’m just not sure I want to quit.

My dilemma is that my wife has seen the light, which I suppose is like a drinking buddy veering off on the straight and narrow. After all, it potentially creates some conflict in the cattle business when one partner is able to think rationally and the other isn't so inclined.

My wife is one of those people who wake up one morning, decide it's time to quit smoking and does it cold turkey. That frustrates me for a couple of reasons – my character's not wired that way, and I now know she's right.

Don't get me wrong. She still loves cows, but the cows are a distant fourth on her priority list, after God, kids and family. She still wants to ranch but now she expects, even demands, that the cows work for us instead of the other way around. I knew things had really changed when she started talking about a vacation that she affectionately referred to as a "real" vacation, which means it's not cattle-related.

I've thought about starting a support group. The problem is that if you collect 15 cattle addicts in the same room, they'd just end up hatching a plan to buy a whole lot more cows, maybe even a feedlot. I've been told the quickest way to cure the cow addiction is to own a packing plant, but I think that's the equivalent of electric shock therapy. I'm not that bad yet.

Ramblin Kind and Cattle Tours

Because my life is a never-ending playlist...

Now I'm on a greyhound bus, rolling hard and fast

I'm lookin at the world through the bottom of my glass

Said it's a good thing I got this photographic mind

'Cause I'm just your ramblin kind

Bleh, in the last 4 weeks, I've managed to leave the state in all but one. First it was my trip to Nashville, then my trip to Colorado, and last week I actually got to stay in Arkansas. I took a trip to Petit Jean Mountain just South of Morrilton, Arkansas. More specifically I was at Winrock Farms; home of some awesome Santa Gertrudis bloodlines. As much as I love to avoid that breed, yes we have bought some bulls of their's before.

I was with the Young Cattlemen's Leadership Class from the Arkansas Cattlemen's Association. We got a grand ole tour of the place, saw some of their Gerts, Red Angus, and commercial cattle. They also have a stocker backgrounding program and a natural beef feedout program. Interesting fact, Arkansas has our own Rockefellers, and they have made many contributions to the Arkansas cattle community. Learn more about em on the Winrock website.

Winrock feeds stocker cattle in bunks enclosed in catch pens along the road

Stocker cattle at Winrock

The YCLC group learning about feeding stocker calves

Winrock Farms

My travels are not done yet. This week I'm on the road again... I'll give you a hint. I'm headed out of state and your clue is "Rocky Top" (If I told ya already you can't answer first!)

Road Trip and Fasting from Social Media

The trusty boot/duffle bag that follows me everywhere!

Taking off for a week long trip to Colorado Springs in the morning. An 8:00 flight out of Little Rock, an hour-long stop in Phoenix, a two-hour shuttle ride from Denver to Colorado Springs, a 30 minute drive, and I should find myself on a ranch in the Chico Basin of Central Colorado. It ought to provide a good view of Front Range of the Rockies and an awesome view of the Colorado landscape.
Not 100% sure what's in-store for my trip, other than I expect to do a lil work on the ranch. It's sort of a working interview situation with the ranch. I won't complain, I'll be ready for anything. It'll be nice to get away from the heat and humidity and see morning temps in the 50s!
One thing is for sure, my lap top will be at home. My sister lent me her extra memory card, so I should have plenty of room for photos on the trip. I have a note pad and paper, so I'll be ready to jot down a blog post if I need it. I'm turning off all text notifications for my phone, and hopefully it'll be a peaceful break from the social media world (withdrawals expected).
We'll have to see how things go. I'm taking a few new books to read because I'll have a few hours between my shuttle arrival at Denver and my departure, then a 3 hour layover in Houston on my way back Saturday. Expect plenty of photos when I return! It's gonna be an awesome week!

Wordless Wednesday: Jumping Cattle Guards

To learn more about cows jumping cattle guards, check out this post.

Be sure to link up your Wordless Wednesday Post by entering the url below

Wordless Wednesday:Ranch Life

Just a glimpse of the livestock on our ranch that enjoy green pastures and quality animal care. Check out more about how ranchers care for their livestock on my Agriculture Proud Blog. On my Facebook Page there is a growing list of links from farmers who share their own perspective of Animal Welfare. Check it out and share your own links!

Wordless Wednesday: Ranch Life

Wordless Wednesday

From One Set of Chores to the Next

Sunday ended up being a busy day. I finished all of my chores on the ranch by 11, drove 2 hours, and helped my dad with his chores. It was great to spend some time with him and feed cattle up there. Some unexpected rain moved in late, and on my drive back the interstate was white with hail cover. Glad I just missed that storm!

Many people see the cattle auction as a one day business, but it's really an all week affair. I helped my dad feed some cows we had out in the pastures and we received some yearlings some producers were bringing in early. Learn more about my family's cattle auction, what we do during the week, and join the Facebook fan page. We've even stepped up and have our auction broadcast online. So, yes you can bid on cattle from your Lay-Z-Boy.

Oh yeah, and at the end of the day we stopped at McAlisters. When I noticed they have a vegetarian menu, I wanted really bad to order the vegetarian sub with extra beef. Gotta be onery, right?

Wordless Wednesday: Caption Needed

 In addition to my weekly ranch photos, this week I have included this first photo and need a little help with a caption. This was taken pretty much first thing this morning as Pistol and I were driving around looking for newborn calves in the pastures. Let me know what you can come up with and enjoy the rest of the photos!

I Heart BEEF

Happy I Heart BEEF month. To celebrate take your loved one out to enjoy some heart healthy, lean beef.

Learn more about Beef and how it fits into a healthy diet at Beef, It's What's For Dinner

Wordless Wednesday: Calving Season Begins

 Sorry, not many photos this week from the ranch. I spent half of the week out with the flu, so I was just doing the chores and heading back to bed. BUT we have started calving season. Here is our first bundle!

Raising Cattle is My Passion in #RanchLife

I have lived on the ranch all of my life. With the exception of a few college months in an apartment, I have been able to wake up with the sunrise to feed the stock and walk in the door just as the sun sets. There is nothing better in life than being on the ranch and witnessing the peacefulness that comes with these occasions. Some might call me crazy, I call it a passion.

The crowd is waiting on February 15th (hopefully not before) to begin calving

Calving season is one of my favorite times of year. The long days, short nights, and cold weather often make it a tiring season, but watching those young calves run in the pastures of Spring grass just makes it all worth the time and effort. As a kid, I remember begging to go with my dad at night to check on the 1st calf heifers in the snow. One can always count on these inexperienced mothers to need a lil extra TLC. With proper breeding and nutrition management, we can influence the amount of calving troubles, but when that snow hits, these confused heifers really do not know what just happened. It may be a chilled calf left in a muddy creek bank or a snow drift, but we will be there to help. No matter the time or the weather, we cattlemen care for our livestock.

I can remember many days when the office kitchen was filled with straw and yellow manure from the night before, but we did not mind the clean up. The floors and bottles would be cleaned and colostrum restocked as the season wears on and pastures fill with lil black bundles.

This heifer is more than ready. Hopefully she delivers that calf with no problem and knows what to do with it

There were several times in high school when I remember being "Up To My Armpits," as the saying goes, trying to find that turned back leg. I was blessed with long skinny arms, so my dad was more than happy to let me lay flat in the mud to save that calf. There was the time when everyone was gone to my brother's basketball game and I was left at home to watch the herd. One of our cows who had prolapsed and been sown was calving. So I had to cut the stitches and wait. She decided to go ahead and have trouble long after the sun set, just as it started to snow. I was much too young to drive on the highway and the only vehicle I had was a rugged four-wheeler with only one headlight. I pulled it up the chute, pushed the cow up the alley, only to find I had no chains and no sleeves. With the help of some string and lots of effort, the calf was on the ground. The calf later died, but I saved the cow. Life lessons learned on the Ranch.

I've seen 'em twisted and turned, twins or butt-first, but through all the work, sweat, and pain, I do it all again.

If all pastures were this clean and dry when it comes time for calving...

I have missed the last 4 calving seasons while away at college, and let me tell you; I'm like a kid waiting on the Golden Ticket getting ready for this round to start. I can hardly stand it. I hope all the calves deliver safely in good weather, without assistance, but reality is.... some will need a tug or a dry place to warm. We'll be there no matter the time or the weather.

It's times like calving season when I jump out of bed because the jacked up knee gives me fits. I swear it's a change in the weather and I worry about that heifer I saw wondering off by herself. It keeps me up late at night, and I rely on that coffee to keep me wound tight. But it's calving season when we cattlemen work hard, because we'll work hard again come weaning time.

I could go on for days on why the cattle business is my passion, but I think you get the idea. This is just a glimpse of what's on my mind now. Just a piece of the year round cycle of a cattleman.

This post is in response to the weekly #RanchLife topic: What fuels your passion for #RanchLife? Share your thoughts today and join the conversation on Twitter.

Weekend Trip to the Mountains

From the six lanes to the rough terrain, I never know where life will take me. This weekend I made a quick trip to the Colorado mountains for some time away from work and a lil breath of fresh air. I had the opportunity to see the Arkansas Headwaters, Collegiate Peaks, San Isbel and Pike National Forests, and the Capulin Volcano National Monument. It was so cool to see so many different things in one weekend. From the river valley, to the snow covered peaks, the fall colors of the national forest, and finally climb an 8,200ft volcano where I could see Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and New Mexico all at the same time. Here is a video and some photos from my awesome trip. Enjoy!

Technology Upgrade: EID Tag Reader

At our feedyard we handle many groups of age and source verified cattle. Good News: This is a great program that is gaining momentum and increasing guaranteed premiums for producers. Bad News: This is just another set of paperwork and thought processes I have to go through as a receiver in the feedyard.

I remember just a few years ago where a state extension cattle specialist came to our county Cattleman's meeting to promote the idea of Age and Source Verifying cattle for premiums at time of marketing. Problem was at the time there were little to no guaranteed premiums for producers efforts. The extension specialist tried to convince these ole cattlemen, who had just filled up on a Choice Sirloin, that their $4 spent on a tag would be a good investment, but could not guarantee a premium. Of course older cattlemen can be a stubborn type, set in their ways, and a contrary to the slightest mention of change. Myself, I could see their point of view. Why pay some company to send me a tag with a serial number in exchange for untold amounts of paperwork and the added labor, without a guarantee of any added premium whatsoever for my efforts. Needless to say, that sales pitch did not go over so well and not one producer signed up for the program.

This gives you an idea of current models of EID tag readers. Click here to learn more about the Readers

A few years later I find myself working in the feedyard and realizing that not all things are what they seem and given time some programs can have a chance to improve. I am far from knowing all the details, but I now realize the A&S program is not near as scary as it first seemed.

1. The record keeping for the age verification can be as simple as jotting down the birth date of the oldest and youngest animal in the group.
2. Much of the effort does not fall on the producer. The tags can be placed in the animal's ear when it leaves it's first premise.
3. The paper work process falls mostly upon the buyers (i.e. feedyards, stockers, backgrounders, auction barns) who may participate in the program more frequently and can easily have a system in place to handle processing the paper work.
4. Premiums for A&S cattle are more frequent than they were just a few years ago thanks to increase international trade and increased consumer interest in knowing more about their food.

The EID tag reader is very simple to use. Every time we process cattle I collect the tag data by waving the wand over the calf's ear, waiting for the green light, and we're good to go. It does not take much time and I can still help to push calves into the chute. The wand I have been using is one of the first versions of the model released by Allflex and today my tag numbers did not download. We called our Rep and when I read him the serial number, he found that our wand was purchased in 2005 and several versions behind the current product. They did not even have an update for my model any longer. Guess that shows you the speed of technology these days. But for a few hundred dollars we can purchase a new reader and be back on track. (Keep in mind this is a small investment for an operation that runs several hundred A&S cattle each year and it is an investment that producers do not have to make to participate in the program.)

So to get back to the point, producers should not be afraid to look into new programs that can offer premiums for their livestock. A small investment now can turn into a big return later, especially with growing global demand in today's meat markets. So to those ole cattlemen back home who were skeptical of that extension specialist's plan to make them more money.....take another look. You might like how things have changed in just a few short years.

Until next time,
ARranchhand

Antibiotic Use: No Easy Solution

Bacteria are becoming resistant to Antibiotics so we need to ban ALL antibiotic use in food animals.

We have all heard those lines. But livestock producers realize there is no simple answer. ALPHARMA Animal Health has a new way of communicating the "Straight talk about antibiotic use in food animal production" called "For the Record."

This month's issue presents 6 questions that show there is no easy solution to antibiotic use and banning antibiotic use does not account for the scientific complexities involved.

1. If bacteria freely swap the genetic material to resist antibiotics, why aren't all bacteria resistant to all antibiotics by now?
2. Where is the policy position against the use of tetracycline to clear up teen acne?
3. If it's "too risky" to allow farmers to use antibiotics, what's an acceptable risk?
4. If "no one's questioning the use of antibiotics to treat a sick animal" then why have you actively opposed?
5. If food animals consume an unacceptable fraction of all antimicrobials, then what's a fair percentage?
6. If animal suffering is a concern, why eliminate the least stressful means of medicating animals?

Many livestock producers have used antibiotics to treat animals at one point or another and it's not like we are going to use more than what is necessary because we feel like it.

Do you refuse vaccines, antibiotics, and other medications to prevent or treat sickness for yourself or your children? How many supplements do you take every day?

Consider these questions and view more of the discussion at the Antibiotic Truths website. Before you criticize livestock producers for using antibiotics, take the time to visit a producer in your area and learn why they make the management decisions when producing your food. You might find you have a distorted view on antibiotic use in livestock production.

Feedyard Update

What do you call a cow with a twitch?

Can you believe that summer has passed and September is already here? My, how time flies when you are having fun, or in my case, staying busy. I have been doing most of the receiving and processing tasks lately because we are short handed at the feedyard. I find myself trying catch up with life, but work seems to get in the way more and more these days.

I do believe this stock tank has earned it's keep. I filled it up this morning and half of it had already drained out in a few hours. It might be time to invest in a new tank. I use tanks like these to supplement the automatic waters, like the one in the background, when I receive calves that may not be accustomed to fresh water from a tank or trough. The more readily available supply of water helps to reduce stress and helps cattle start on feed earlier.

Like many others in the cattle feeding business, we have been taking advantage of rising fat cattle prices and have been shipping several cattle to harvest in the past few weeks. Of course this means we have been receiving just as many feeders, if not more. An empty pen in the feedyard does not pay, so we try our best to fill every pen after it empties and gets cleaned.

I am at the yard by 5:30 every morning. So as I am looking at new cattle or making a pen move, I watch the sun rise from start to finish every morning. The horizon in the Texas 'Handle seems to go on forever.

The feedyard is a busy place, and the receiving desk is no exception. I take care of the vaccine and medicine inventories, processing charges, as well as the receiving and processing schedules. After I finish coordinating my plan with the pen riders, processors, feed crew, and yard crew I'm about done in. But that makes it challenging and keeps me on my toes. I really would not know what to do with a slow day anymore.

I got a new pup for my birthday. She is from a ranch in Kansas and should turn out to be a pretty sharp dog. Already she has proved to be an escape artist; finding every hole in the back yard and kennel that the older dogs had not found. It is always interesting trying to teach a new dog tricks. Too bad we do not use dogs in the feedyard. However, I could see how one mistake could really make a mess out of things.

These are some content cattle after the 1st round of feeding for the day. Each pen of cattle is looked at on horseback and fed three times daily.

This is not really much of an update, but I thought I would share a few things that are happening. Hope you are keeping up with my other blogs. Have a great week!
--ARranchhand

Oh yeah. A cow with a twitch is called BEEF JERKY.