2012 Fall Cattle Journal

Sinclair 2012 Female Sale

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Sharing the Legacy

Original N-Bar Genetics

Working for You

MONDAY

Nov. 5, 2012BUFFALOWYOMING

NOON

Featuring cow families backed by generations of deeply embedded reproductive effi ciency and carcass value

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Sinclair Cattlecompany, inc.s i n c l a i r c a t t l e . c o m

6481 Buck Valley Road Warfordsburg, PA 17267

Lewis Hagen Western Operations Mgr.O: (307) 587-3169C: (406) 539-1748E: [email protected] Elliott • Program Advisor

PO Box 1158 Buff alo, WY 82834

Jeff Ward • O: (717) 294-6991F: (717) 294-6990 C: (301) 964-7423E: [email protected] Clark C: (717) 658-6435

Sale Manager: American Angus Hall of Fame • (816) 532-0811 • [email protected]

s i n c l a i r c a t t l e . c o m E: [email protected] Elliott • Program Advisor

Buff alo, WY 82834 Jack Clark C: (717) 658-6435

Sinclair 2012 Female Sale

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Sharing the Legacy

Original N-Bar Genetics

Working for You

MONDAY

Nov. 5, 2012BUFFALOWYOMING

NOON

Featuring cow families backed by generations of deeply embedded reproductive effi ciency and carcass value

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Sinclair Cattlecompany, inc.s i n c l a i r c a t t l e . c o m

6481 Buck Valley Road Warfordsburg, PA 17267

Lewis Hagen Western Operations Mgr.O: (307) 587-3169C: (406) 539-1748E: [email protected] Elliott • Program Advisor

PO Box 1158 Buff alo, WY 82834

Jeff Ward • O: (717) 294-6991F: (717) 294-6990 C: (301) 964-7423E: [email protected] Clark C: (717) 658-6435

Sale Manager: American Angus Hall of Fame • (816) 532-0811 • [email protected]

2012 Fall Cattle Journal ★ Tri-State Livestock News ★ 1

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Steve & Linda Buckner 405-498-3005Hans & Diana Buckner 406-581-0612

[email protected] • www.splitdiamond.com53 Ridder Land, Whitehall, MT 59759

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INSIDE THIS SPECIAL EDITION...

Producers10 Continuous improvement of the herd keeps the Weller family on top of the game By Gayle Smith

18 Johnsons taking on the challenge By Amanda Radke

Forage & Feeding28 Winter feed sources Western producers get creative, plan ahead to secure winter feed By Heather Hamilton

36 Mineral imbalances during a drought: Testing Is Key By Jan Swan Wood

42 Feeding solutions in a drought By Amanda Radke

48 Plan ahead to prepare cattle for winter By Gayle Smith

Business & Management56 National Beef Quality Audit calls for cattlemen to get engaged By Amanda Radke

66 Input management Maximum effi ciency means survivability in agriculture By Heather Hamilton

74 Don’t dry up your bank account in the drought By Amanda Radke

80 Hotlander cattle might offer a potential crossbreeding option By Loretta Sorensen

COPYRIGHT. All Rights Reserved.

ERRORS: The Tri-State Livestock News & Farmer & Rancher

Exchange shall be responsible for errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement only to the extent of the

space covered by the error.

Opinions stated in letters or signedcolumns do not necessarily refl ect the offi cial

opinion of Tri-State Livestock News.

2012 Fall Cattle JournalTri-State Livestock News

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HORSE EDITIONHORSE EDITION PUBLISHES:

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WINTER CATTLE WINTER CATTLE JOURNALJOURNAL PUBLISHES:

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Weller Angus enrolled in the Angus Source pro-gram about fi ve years ago. Being in the program has allowed the family to sell their calves for an additional $5-$10 a cwt, and given them priceless carcass data and feeding information from the calves. Courtesy photo/ Weller family


ContinuousImprovement

- See Continuous improvement on page 12 -

Some of the Angus bulls that will be sold by the Weller family on Dec. 11 at Philip Livestock Auction. Courtesy photo/ Weller family

When Bill Weller watches one of his customer’s group of calves top the sale, it makes

him proud. Bill, and his father, W.O., have worked many years to improve the quality of their Angus herd to pro-duce animals with superior genet-ics. Producing cattle that will work for their customers by helping them stay on top of the game and make money is a constant challenge for

most bull producers, and the Weller family is no exception. In 1949, Bill’s grandfather settled on a portion of the South Dakota prairie that makes up the Weller Ranch, which is near Kadoka, SD. He moved to the area from Colorado. “He started piecing the operation together,” Bill Weller said. “In fact, the original ranch my grandfather started is where my father, W.O., lives now.”

By Gayle Smith

of the herd keeps the Weller family on top of the game

Making a market niche Since then, the family has built up a herd of over 500 registered and commercial Angus cows. To work with the environment in their part of South Dakota, they calve from mid-

March to mid-May, which made it diffi cult to hold a traditional yearling bull sale. “We decided to build our own niche, and hold our bull sale in December,” Weller said. “Our niche market is long aged bulls that are about 18 months old when we hold our sale. We have a lot of repeat cus-tomers who like buying bulls with a little age on them. They realize that’s our program – they aren’t buying bulls leftover from last year’s sale,” he explained. “They can take these bulls home and put them with their other bulls, and they are just right by spring.” Because the bulls are sold at an older age, Weller said they can de-velop them slower, and more eco-nomically. “We wean the calves in

October, and feed the bulls and the steer calves together. After we sell the steer calves in January or Febru-ary, we put the bulls on a winter test. We feed them ourselves here at the ranch. We rough them the fi rst year to keep them sound and functional,” he said. “We’ve found that is the most economically feasible way for us to develop our bulls.”

“In the spring, we put them out on grass, and then bring them in and put them back on test about Labor Day,” Weller continued. “That fall, we feed them a higher roughage ra-tion in a large lot. We like to have them in good condition for the sale, but we don’t want them excessively fat,” he said. Along with the bulls, the Wellers and some of their customers will sell nearly 200 cows on the sale. Some of these cattle will be bred heifers home-raised by the Weller family, and others will be bred heifers from the Wieman Brothers of Marion, SD, and Cleve and Lori Pritchard, of Kadoka. Nearly 500 head of cattle will sell that day, all carrying Weller genetics.


“In the spring, we put them out on grass, and then bring them in and put them back on test about Labor Day,”

– Bill Weller

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Bill Weller

(Below) Weller’s place a lot of emphasis on the female side of their cattle’s pedi-gree. Replacement heifers are carefully selected to continue improvement of the program. Courtesy photo/ Weller family

Continuous improvement- Continued from page 11 -

(Right) Gage, Tagg, Bill, Jean, and W.O. Weller pose for a family photo. Courtesy photo/ Weller family


The breeding program All the heifers and about 200 cows on the ranch are artifi cially inseminated each year with semen Weller has carefully selected to produce the best offspring pos-sible. “When I’m selecting bulls to use as A.I. sires, I like to look at the dam side of the pedigree. I select sires that had good mothers because I feel that a good cow

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One of the herd sires at Weller Angus is this Upward son out of a 6595 daughter. Courtesy photo/ Weller family- See Continuous improvement on page 14 -

will keep you in the cattle business,” he explained. “If that bull didn’t have a good mother, I don’t have a use for him no matter how much he gained.”

Instead, Weller likes to study the dam’s EPDs, age, longevity in the herd, and disposition. He looks for happy medium EPDs with a high rate of accuracy. “Cows with bigger EPDs aren’t necessarily better animals,” he explained. “I am not a big fad kind of guy. I don’t select excessive EPDs,

but I do like bulls with high accuracy EPDs. It is important to me to hit the market for what my customers want to produce,” he said. To accomplish that, Weller looks at how his customers sell their calves – whether it is directly off the cow or if they retain ownership and feed them themselves. “I need to fi gure out what’s best for my customer, based on what they do with their calves,” he said. Looking at the Weller’s herd, Weller said many of the cows are 1,150 to 1,200 pounds, but some are bigger. “I try to stay away from four to fi ve frame size cows because they just don’t have enough frame to fi n-ish out correctly. For our environ-ment and resources, a six frame cow fi ts just right here,” he said. Over the years, the Wellers feel the key to improving their herd has been improving their females. “I continue to try and raise the best fe-males I can raise,” Weller said. “It is important to us to maintain a nice cow herd. We feel the best females will raise the best bulls.”

Don’t be afraid to add value The Wellers are also innovative pro-ducers who aren’t afraid to try something new – especially if it means improving their cattle. “About fi ve years ago, we got involved in the Angus Source pro-gram,” Weller said. “The benefi ts of that program have been tremendous. It has allowed us to get our genetics to different places, and allowed us to see what we’re producing.”


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Through the Angus Source pro-gram, carcass data and merit is col-lected on the calves from each sire. This information allows feedlot oper-ators to see how the calves feed, and what each sire can produce. “They can get on a website and see what to expect after feeding these cattle, and what they are capable of grading and yielding,” Weller explained. “It helps takes the guesswork out of what the end result will be.” The advantage for the Weller fam-ily has been the value it has added to their cattle. “If the cattle market goes south and things get tough, they still have more value,” he explained. “When you can add $5-$10 a hundred-weight, and have two or three guys sitting there just to buy your cattle because they are Angus-sourced, it makes the program very well worth it,” he said. Because of the success they have had with the program, Weller wouldn’t hesitate to encourage other

ranchers to sign up for it. “It is not a hard program to sign up for,” he said. “The application is simple to fill out, and what I really like about it is they don’t dig around in your operation. What is your business stays your business,” he continued. “I think some ranchers are afraid to take ad-vantage of programs like this because they don’t want peo-ple nosing around in their business, but this program isn’t like that.”

The next generation While W.O. and Bill continue their work building a solid, reputation

herd of Angus, they also take time to teach the next generation about

With the largest inventory in a five state area, B & B Sales in Philip is the go to dealer!Contact one of our salesmen today!

Darren Boyle (605) 222-0317 • Mark Buchholz (605) 859-2568 • Bruce Hegel (605) 791-1142

- See Continuous improvement on page 16 -


ranching and the way of life it offers. Gage, 12, and Tagg, 7, enjoy helping

with the day-to-day activities at the ranch, and Weller is quick to teach his boys why they do certain things, and how they are improving the genetics in their cattle. “I want them to under-stand there is a purpose for us being here,” he said. Gage is already showing cattle in 4-H, and at youth shows like the West-ern Junior Livestock Show. Tagg will join his brother in the showring this coming year. “Gage bought a heifer at the Western Junior last year. He showed her this summer, and won his county fair. This fall, he will take her back to the Western Junior as a futurity heifer, and will probably sell her at the Black Hills Stock Show. I want to see my sons learn how to keep things in perspective, and learn something from their projects. Since both of them will be in 4-H next year, we plan to start showing some heif-ers we raised ourselves, and I want them to learn from that experience,” Weller explained. “Any opportunity I have to spend time with my family is important,” Weller continued. “I want my sons to enjoy being involved in agriculture, and my job as a parent is to expose them to that. Someday, they will have to make their own decision whether or not they want to be involved in this operation, but it is important to me that I provide them with the oppor-tunity if that is what they choose to do.” The Weller family will hold their annual bull sale on Dec. 11 at Philip Livestock Auction beginning at 1 p.m. For more information about their pro-gram, Bill can be reached at 605-209-8556, or by email at: [email protected].

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J2012 Fall Cattle Journal ★ Tri-State Livestock News ★ 19

- See Johnsons taking on the challenge on page 20 -

JOHNSONS TAKINGON THECHALLENGE

By Amanda Radke

It’s a rare occasion to fi nd young people pursuing careers inproduction agriculture. According to the USDA, the average age of today’s farmer is 57 years old, and more than one-quarter of Ameri-can farmers are 65 or older.

Just 25 years ago, there were 350,000 farmers and ranchers under the

age of 35; today, there are only 70,000.What’s more, USDA says that the traditional transfer of family-operated farm opera-tions from parent to child has become less common as more farm kids leave the family business in pursuit of urban careers. Even more disturb-ing, a 2002 study showed the annual number of new farm entrants under the age of 35 dropped from 39,300 during

1978-1982 to just 15,500 dur-ing 1992-1997. Today, the U.S. has only 125,000 farms, down from 6.8 million in 1935. With increasing prices for feed, fuel and fertilizer, sky-rocketing land prices, com-petition from established ranchers, the estate tax and the lure of safe and more lu-crative jobs in town, the odds are certainly stacked against young people who have a de-sire to get into production agriculture, but that’s ex-actly what Brandon and Lau-rie Johnson intend to do.

Brandon and Laurie Johnson are a young couple determined to make it work in the competive agriculture industry.Courtesy photo/ Brandon and Laurie Johnson


Johnsons taking on the challenge- Continued from page 19 -

The Johnsons have a cow-calf op-eration, with cattle from Brandon’s original cowherd he started in high school. Courtesy photo/ Brandon and Laurie Johnson

- See Johnsons taking on the challengeon page 22 -

Brandon Johnson grew up on a small acreage, where his family raised corn and soybeans. “I spent most of my time as a small child with my grandpa and uncle rid-ing in the tractor and helping raise pigs in southwestern Minnesota,”

Johnson said. “I was involved in 4-H and FFA for much of my life. While I was in high school I bought my fi rst

group of heifers to feed out. I know I didn’t make much, but I was doing it on my own. I had feeder pigs be-fore, but I wanted to be in the cattle business. Once I graduated from high school, I bought my fi rst group of cows; I was also feeding out cattle

with the Anderson Brothers, who I worked for at that time.”

Like her husband, Laurie (Zubke) Johnson lived and breathed agricul-ture as a kid. “I grew up on a family farm with cattle and sheep near Watertown, South Dakota,” she said. “My fam-ily raises corn, soybeans, wheat and oats. We also have a custom-haying business. I was also involved with 4-H and FFA. My sheep herd started when I was fi ve years old from two bottle lambs that my dad bought for me at the sale barn. I always loved my sheep, but I also wanted cattle, so I raised a bottle calf, which hap-pened to be a heifer, and she turned out to be the first heifer in my herd.” The pair crossed paths at the Crys-tal Springs Rodeo, and it was almost a year later that mutual friends en-couraged them to go on a date. Their fi rst date was at the Little Interna-tional dance at South Dakota State University. With a passion for agri-culture, sparks fl ew. The couple was married on Sept. 11, 2010. The Johnsons had a strong desire to stay in the livestock business, and after they were married, they rented some acreage to house their cattle and sheep. After searching high and low for a place to call home, they fi -nally purchased a place near South Shore, SD. They have a cow-calf and lambing-to-fi nishing operation, with cattle from Brandon’s origi-nal cowherd started in high school and sheep from Laurie’s childhood fl ock. “We wean and background the calves and sell to Ebel Farms – a feedlot in Iowa,” Brandon said. “We fi nish the lambs out and sell to a local buyer in Watertown, who then ships them to the Greenly, CO lamb plant. We have also purchased two horses while we were dating. “When we bought our place, the previous owners left us their 20 egg-laying chickens,” Laurie, said. “This past spring, we raised 50 broiler chickens and processed them and sold them to neighbors. We had such a great response with the chickens we raised that we already

Johnson-Rose Angus has been AI’ing for 54 years.

Ultrasounded bred to AI sires Sinclair Net Present Value, Cole Creek Cedar Ridge, Connealy Thunder, and Mytty In Focus; cleaned up with

sons of KG Power Design. The heifers are sired by Salt Creek Bob, Papa Forte, BJJ GI Joe,

Hoover Dam, Rito 6I6, Mytty In Focus, and Net Present Value.

Check us out on facebook.com/johnsonroseangus For more information contact Stuart Johnson at (605)845-3221 • (605)848-2818 or Clint & Bonnie Rose at (605)845-3221

Our Bull Sale is Saturday, February 20, 2013.

For sale Private Treaty 100 home-raised registered and commercial bred heifers, start calving March 1st

“WE WEAN AND BACKGROUND THE CALVES AND SELL TO EBEL FARMS – A FEEDLOT IN IOWA,”

– Brandon Johnson– Brandon Johnson


KUBOTA TRACTORS10 M135X WITH LOADERS10 M126X WITH LOADERS7 M110X WITH LOADERS2 L5740 LOADERSBH92 BACKHOE FOR L5740M9540 LOADERM7040 LOADERL3800HST W/LOADERB4240B3200BX2660 W/LOADER AND MOWERBX2360 W/LOADER AND MOWER NEWHOLLAND TRACTORSTD 5050 MFDWORKMASTER 55 TWD LOADERBOOMER 8N W/LOADER

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have orders for more next year! We also raised 25 layers to replace the 20 that were left here. I have been selling the eggs, which the demand continues to keep increasing.” It’s clear the Johnsons have the grit, determination, passion and hard-work ethic to make their diver-sifi ed livestock operation a success. While their heart is on the ranch, off-farm jobs help to supplement their incomes. Laurie is an agricul-

tural instructor at Lake Area Tech-nical Institute and FFA advisor for Watertown High School. Brandon is

a welder at JW Welding; his job has fl exible hours, which allows him to

stay home to take care of the live-stock or make hay. Always seeking to learn more, the couple are very active in ag-riculture organizations and pro-

grams. They are active members of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s As-sociation (SDCA) Young Producers Council, South Dakota Cattlemen’s

“I GREW UP ON A FAMILY FARM WITH CATTLE AND SHEEP NEAR WATERTOWN, SOUTH DAKOTA,”

– Laurie Johnson– Laurie Johnson

Auxiliary, South Dakota Farm Bu-reau, Coteau Hill Cattlemen, South Dakota Sheep Growers Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). “I’m currently the president of the SDCA Young Producers Coun-cil, and I had the honor to go to NCBA’s Young Cattlemen’s Confer-ence this year,” Laurie said. “I also serve as the LATI Ag Club advisor and new pageant director for Prai-rie Village. It’s hard to be involved in everything but also run our op-eration. My parents live 10 miles away, but we hate to ask them to do

chores while we are gone, because they have their own operation to run. We can’t be gone from the op-eration too long or Brandon starts to miss the animals.” Another program the Johnsons are taking advan-tage of is BEEFSD – a program de-signed for young producers getting started in the cat-tle business. With 60 people in the program, they are building relation-ships with fellow producers, as well as growing a net-work of individu-als in the business to learn from and collaborate with. “We are in our second year of the three-year BEEFSD pro-gram,” she said. “Through the program, we tour different types of operations -- from cow-calf, seedstock, feed-lot, background, organic and re-tained ownership. We also take sum-mer trips to look at different as-pects of the beef industry from pasture to plate.” As young pro-ducers, they are

savvy about getting lower loan rates. “Since we bought our place, we are now working our loans through


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- See Johnsons taking on the challengeon page 22 -

Courtesy photo/ Brandon and Laurie Johnson


We carry a complete line of partswith a quality service department

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Call Us For All Your New & Used Equipment Isabel 605-466-2119 • Mobridge 605-845-5400Monte Lindskov 605-848-1066 • Phalan Schilling 605-848-1344

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• Phone: 701.974.2450 • Cell: 701.290.2450 E-mail:[email protected] • www.forsterredangus.com

HERD SIRES: Forster Northern 7057, Forster Legend 8213Forster Gold 9059, Beckton Cody U659,

Beckton Epic U841, Forster CW 8181, Forster Legend 8132Red Flying K Gen. 16U, Forster Sen 7142

Our cattle are a part of who we are, not just what we do!

Annual Bull SaleMONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012

Dickinson, NDSELLING 80 - GROWN OUT 18 MONTH OLD BULLS

Our program is measured by the success and satisfaction of our repeat and new customers, throughout the country,

and how our cattle work for them.

Farm Credit’s Young and Beginning Farm and Ranch Program,” Laurie said. “With a little extra paperwork, we get a lower interest rate. This helps us keep up on the paperwork and watch where our money is going to help us estimate income and ex-penses. Brandon and I work closely with our loan offi cer to make sure we are where we should be.” Of course, the Johnsons hope to grow and expand their operation, securing their position in the live-stock business. “Now that we have purchased our own place, which was a major goal for us, we are looking to pay down debt,” Brandon said. “We are also looking at keeping more replace-ment heifers and ewe lambs back to help replenish our aging herds. We also foresee our family growing in the next fi ve years, as well as hav-ing pasture and hay ground more se-cured. We are also planning to build a cattle-handling facility. I feel like we are in a transitional stage, as we have reached many goals in this last year. We are reevaluating our goals and what we really want.” “What we are doing is not easy – we are sacrifi cing having a va-cation, going out with friends and not having cable,” Laurie added “But, we are following our dream to have our own ranch and run it, without any help. We know that this is not going to be easy, but we are willing to do anything to make



Vermeer and the Vermeer logo are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the U.S. and/or other countries. © 2012 Vermeer Corporation. All rights reserved.

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it work. Many people have been behind us, and that is what keeps us getting up every day and fi ght-ing a good fi ght. We also know that if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. There are moments in the day when we have been working our butts off, and we look at each other and know we are doing the right thing. I almost tear up every time I think of what we are doing and what we are sacrifi cing, be-cause we are making a legacy to leave for our family.” Their advice for other young people pursuing production agricul-ture careers: “Make sure to look at items as a want, a need, or have to have. Your family or parents do not owe you anything such as a job on the ranch or even the ranch. Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams and to do what you want to do; but also don’t be afraid to pay the price ei-ther.” This young couple is certainly building a ranch legacy for them-

selves and the future generations of their family. Their early suc-cess in sheep, cattle and chickens has been won through hard work,

sacrifi ce and determination, and without a doubt, the Johnsons will be a ranching couple to watch in years to come.

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Weller Angus RanchBill Weller W.O. Weller

(605) 209-8556 (605) 837-2740Kadoka, SD

[email protected]

Weller Ranch InfluencedBred Heifers & Young Cows• 60 Home raised Bred Heifers

A.I. bred to Sitz Bull Durham• 50 Young Purebred Angus Cows

A.I. bred to Weller Ranch bulls• 100 Prichard Ranch Bred Heifers

Bred to Weller Ranch bulls• 100 Wiemann Brothers Bred Heifers

A.I. bred to Shipwheel Chinook** All females will be ultra-sound tested & broke into short calving dates. **

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Western producers get creative when planning

to secure winter feed

WINTERFEED

SOURCES

By Heather Hamilton



Two thousand twelve wo thousand twelve has proven to be an has proven to be an extremely unique and extremely unique and challenging year across challenging year across much of the western much of the western

states. As summer fades into states. As summer fades into fall, producers are having to fall, producers are having to examine their winter feed pro-examine their winter feed pro-grams and in many cases look grams and in many cases look at non-traditional methods of at non-traditional methods of procuring a feed source for procuring a feed source for the upcoming winter, while the upcoming winter, while also keeping in mind this may also keeping in mind this may be only the beginning of the be only the beginning of the feed-related issues triggered feed-related issues triggered by the 2012 drought.by the 2012 drought.

- See Winter feed source on page 30 -


Our Internet Address: www.stongelivestock.com E-mail: [email protected] appreciate your business. Call anyone of us any time if you have

stock to sell. We are glad to come to your ranch.

PHONES: 1-800-249-1995 • 605-642-2200 • FAX 605-642-7628

Tim Tetrault: 605-641-0328 • Ron Frame: 605-641-0229Randy Curtis: 605-639-0112 • Dustin Vining: 605-354-9966

Justin Tupper ~ Cattle Yards Manager605-680-0259 • 605-722-6323

Brooke Tupper ~ Offi ce Mgr.:605-642-2200

STAFFFIELDMEN

AUCTIONEERSSeth Weishaar ~

Fieldman & Auctioneer605-892-2640

Doug Dietterle ~ Auctioneer

605-788-2963

P.O. Box 290 • St. Onge, SD 57779

SEPTEMBER 7TH – YEARLING & CALF SPECIAL - SELLING ALL CLASSES OF CATTLE

SEPTEMBER 14TH - YEARLING & CALF SPECIAL - SELLING ALL CLASSES OF CATTLE

SEPTEMBER 21ST - YEARLING & CALF SPECIAL - SELLING ALL CLASSES OF CATTLE

SEPTEMBER 28TH - YEARLING & CALF SPECIAL - SELLING ALL CLASSES OF CATTLE

OCTOBER 5TH – CALF SPECIAL – ALSO SELLING YEARLING CATTLEOCTOBER 6TH – 1ST SATURDAY WEIGH UP COW SALEOCTOBER 12TH – CALF SPECIAL – ALSO SELLING YEARLING CATTLEOCTOBER 13TH – BRED COW SPECIAL & WEIGH UP SALEOCTOBER 19TH – CALF SPECIAL – ALSO SELLING YEARLING CATTLE

FALL 2012 SALE SCHEDULE OCTOBER 20TH – WEIGH UP COW SALEOCTOBER 26TH – CALF SPECIAL – ALSO SELLING YEARLING CATTLEOCTOBER 27TH – BRED COW SPECIAL & WEIGH UP SALENOVEMBER 2ND – CALF SPECIAL – ALSO SELLING YEARLING CATTLENOVEMBER 3RD – WEIGH UP COW SALENOVEMBER 9TH – CALF SPECIAL – ALSO SELLING YEARLING CATTLENOVEMBER 10TH – BRED COW SPECIAL & WEIGH UP SALENOVEMBER 16TH – CALF SPECIAL – ALSO SELLING YEARLING CATTLENOVEMBER 17TH – WEIGH UP COW SALE

NOVEMBER 23RD – NO SALE – HAPPY THANKSGIVING

NOVEMBER 24TH – ANNUAL THANKSGIVING BRED HEIFER & COW SPECIAL

Dave Brence ~ Yard Foreman: 605-641-1173

“We’re seeing the impact of this year now as we harvest, locate and purchase winter feed, but people will con-tinue to see the impact of this year in everything from seed prices to milk to beef, pork and chicken – it all takes grain. We’re feeling it, and so will everyone else all the way down the line to the grocery store.” South Dakota farmer and rancher Brad Nesheim, on the broad impact this year’s drought has had on their operation going into the winter months, and the im-pact it will continue to have over the course of time.

– Brad Nesheim– Brad Nesheim

Located near Sturgis, SD, Chris Grubl is a large-scale hay producer who typically markets thousands of tons of hay each year in addi-tion to producing enough to feed his own large cowherd. This year he has switched from hay mar-keter to working to secure enough hay to solely meet his own needs.

“We baled 700 bales of hay this year, and I think about 150 of those came from road ditches that haven’t been cut in years – but they look better than a snow bank will. In comparison, last year we baled 6,600 bales, and that was an extremely good year. We’re at about 20 percent of our average,

Winter feed sourceWinter feed source- Continued from page 29 -- Continued from page 29 -


and you know you need the feed when you’re willing to drive 20 minutes to make a bale and then guard each one with your life,” Grubl said of the dra-matic change from last year, and an

average year, to this summer in west-ern South Dakota. To ensure he has enough feed for his cattle, Grubl has also baled all his wheat straw, and purchased a dried distillers corn mix from his local ele-

vator that he will add oats to. His plan is to feed the wheat straw, and then feed the grain mix right on top of it with a cake feeder.

We will continue to provide our customerswith top quality equipment and parts.

Please call or stop by andcheckout our large inventories.

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“We’re pretty fortunate in that we raise wheat and had the option to bale our wheat straw. We’ll have to spend a little more time and money on that wheat ground next year since we didn’t leave that organic matter, but so many of our neighbors have no hay and no options from other crops because they aren’t diversifi ed, and they don’t have enough hay. Where we are going to really feel this drought is on our income side. We sell $200,000-plus worth of hay most years, and at the end of the year we’re defi nitely going to feel that, especially since we’ve still made passes over most of our hay fi elds. The only input cost we’re really saving on is netwrap,” Grubl said. Northeastern Wyoming rancher Bryan Stroh is located between Wright and Newcastle, and knows all about fi nding and procuring hay this year. His hay typically comes from Grubl’s part of the country, but this year Stroh had to travel to southern Canada to fi nd quality alfalfa and


grass/alfalfa mix hay for around $85 a ton. “I went through a lot of sources to fi nd this year’s hay, and it was diffi -cult to purchase in Canada because I was so far away and just didn’t have any connections in the area. My re-search has found that it should be pretty easy to get into Canada as

far as permitting and crossing the border goes, as long as you have a clean driving record and no crimi-nal record. However, there are some hoops to jump through when coming back through to the U.S.,” Stroh ex-plained. They include fi ling and register-ing with the U.S. Food and Drug


Administration (USDA), and fi ling a prior notice entry on each load be-tween two hours and one week be-fore planning to re-enter the U.S. “The other side of the hay story this year is there is an incredible shortage of trucks. That’s what I’m really struggling with right now, and it’s like pulling teeth to fi nd any-

body to haul long distance. There’s plenty of local work for truckers and nobody wants to haul from Canada. Plus, they get winter up there, so I am really striving to have it at my place by November 1,” Stroh said of his ongoing issues past simply pur-chasing his winter feed.

In Eastern South Dakota, farmer, feeder and rancher Brad Nesheim works with his father and brother. Their operation raises corn, soybeans, alfalfa and wheat. They typically pur-chase a little hay to feed their cows, but raise all their additional feed-stuffs needed for the feedlot, with a little corn typically left over to sell. “Our corn averages 120 bushels per acre here, and we’re anywhere be-tween zero and 25 bushels this year. We’ve cut over 400 acres of corn for silage, and normally we might cut 10 percent of that. South of my location there is very little to no corn to speak of, but north of the I-90 corridor some of my college roommates are getting anywhere from good to tremendous crops, which is encouraging,” Nesheim stated. He added that his family is also considering cutting their soybeans for silage and using them as their primary energy source in the feedlot this winter. However, that decision is yet to be made and will be based on the weather in upcoming weeks and


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its impact on the crop. Grass hay has

also been purchased locally at a much higher volume and price than usual to add to this year’s ration and to keep

the cows going through the winter months. “We’re going to start feeding cows sooner than normal as we won’t have our typical fall grazing on cornstalks this year either. Most people here are going to be able to meet their needs this winter, as long as it’s not overly severe. But, if this drags on for mul-tiple years, I think our area will really see the impact. We hayed CRP and a lot of things like that, and those op-tions won’t be around next summer if it’s dry again, which will make a huge difference,” Nesheim said. Stroh agreed whole heartedly with Nesheim, adding that even if next year is a good year, having no old grass left to support new growth will make it tougher. “If you can leave a little grass on the ground it’s so much easier for the new grass to come up because the crown of the plant is protected and the core of the plant can start earlier and grow more robustly. In our case, even the pasture’s we haven’t grazed this year are beat down and look like they’ve been grazed hard. That grass will have a harder time coming back in that environment and I believe next year will be a shorter grass year than normal, even if we get adequate mois-ture,” he said of the eastern Wyoming plains. Grubl echoed their concerns, stat-ing that while his operation’s diversity will be helpful in feeding their own cattle, an ongoing drought could be detrimental to them and their area of South Dakota as well. “This drought is big, and it’s a big impact to us fi nancially when we can’t market hay and have that income source. But, it’s also a huge impact on our hay customers, who live all over, and who rely on us to feed their cows each year. If we’re in an ongo-ing drought here, my customers will feel the impact over a huge area,” he said.


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“Our corn averages 120 bushels per acre here, and we’re anywhere be-tween zero and 25 bushels this year...”

– Brad Nesheim– Brad Nesheim


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$17,175$16,575

601 S. OhlmanMitchell, SD 57301

JEFF & JANELL [email protected] www.goldiesautosales.com

phone: 605-990-5333 cell: 605-770-1331 toll free: 877-990-8333

Family owned & operated with very affordable prices!

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601 S. Ohlman St.Mitchell, SD

605-990-5333

13284 Fall River Rd.Hot Springs, SD605-745-8333

Jeff & Janell [email protected] • wwwlgoldiesautosales.com

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Mineral Imbalances Mineral ImbaDuring A Drought:During A Dro


Mineral Imbalances alances During A Drought:ought: By Jan Swan Wood

A dry, warm winter turned into a dry, hot spring. The extremely dry and hot summer put the fi nishing touch on a very challenging year for cattle producers. Dams dried up, hayfi elds didn’t produce well, if at all, grass was short, and decisions had to be made daily, on how to manage cattle and available feed and water supplies to get through the year.

- See - See Mineral imbalances during a drought Mineral imbalances during a drought on page 38 -on page 38 -

2012 Fall Cattle Journal ★ Tri-State Livestock News ★ 37. Photo by Kellen Little

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Dusty, dry conditions are usually blamed for calves getting sick late in the summer, but poor water quality is actually the culprit. Sulfates in the water supply bind copper and zinc, therefore setting up a lowered immune response in the calf. Photo courtesy of Jan Swan Wood

This dam has fresh run-off water in it, assuring these cowcalf pairs have quality water and better health. Photo courtesy of Jan Swan Wood

With all of the concerns about feed and water, the mineral and less obvious nu-trient needs of cattle can be overlooked. However, during times of higher stress,

whether from heat, cold, feed shortages, or water qual-ity, it’s even more critical to be aware of and address the issues before they become a crisis.

Dr. James Myers, Belle Fourche Veterinary Hospi-tal, Belle Fourche, SD, has had a long career in the fi eld of cattle health. His expertise is enhanced by being a cattleman himself, and his concerns mirror those of other cattlemen. When asked whether there was any difference in the mineral and vitamin needs of cattle during times of stress, he said, “The requirements don’t really change. What we have is an imbalance of mineral utilization during a drought.”

Mineral imbalances during a droughtMineral imbalances during a drought- Continued from page 37 -- Continued from page 37 -


Water quality is a major player in this imbalance, with higher sul-fur levels in dams, creeks and shal-low wells, which can be affected by surface sources of water. Improved water systems with deep wells, pipe-lines and tanks, have eliminated some of the problem, but many cattle still depend on surface water. As water evaporates, the hydro-gen and oxygen disappears, but the sulfur remains. As dams and creeks get lower and lower, concentrations can become serious, with 1000 parts per million (ppm) being the danger level. Cattle start losing condition and hair color changes. Black cattle develop brownish tinges in their hair, red cattle become yellowish. The reason for this, according to Dr. Myers, is that the sulfur changes to sulfates in the rumen of cattle, and that in turn binds the copper and zinc the cattle consume. “Sulfates in water are a negative ion while cop-per and zinc are a positive ion sub-stance,” Myers said. “It’s the lack of copper that causes the hair color change. More serious problems are happening, though, as it can affect the immune system, reproduction and overall performance.” A mineral supplement is an obvi-ous answer to the problem, but one has to go about it in the right way. “A chelated mineral with copper and zinc is needed. Chelated means that the copper and zinc are tied to an amino acid, and protects the mol-ecule from the sulfates in the rumen until it reaches the liver, where it can be utilized by the body,” Myers said. “A mineral that is 5000-7000 ppm copper needs to have one-third of it chelated,” he added. Water isn’t the only source for sul-fates. “Distillers grain can be higher in sulfates due to the processing, es-pecially in older facilities. Forage, such as grass growing around an alkali area, can also be high in sul-fates,” Myers explained. The key, ac-cording to Myers, is testing. “A nursing calf needs the proper balance of copper and zinc the most. Those calves that get sick toward the end of summer with pneumonia are usually low in copper and zinc. It’s a signifi cant contributor to the fact that they have a compromised im-mune system. The heat and dust just

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compound the problem,” he added, “pre-weaning shots do nothing for a calf with a compromised immune system.” Besides affecting the immune sys-tem, sulfates can also affect rate of gain and reproduction, both of which affect every head of cattle a producer owns. Randomly choosing a mineral and putting it out isn’t the answer either. “Testing is the key. Test water and feed. Only then can one provide the right mineral for each situation,” Myers stressed. Samples can be sent to a laboratory for testing through veterinarians, feed stores, and county agents, for example. “It may seem like a big expense to test everything, but, in the long run, it’s a good investment.” Myers continued, “Feeding the wrong min-eral costs money either way. Either they’re not getting what they really need, or the mineral has more than what they need. Mineral isn’t cheap, so know what you really need.” “It’s hard to recommend any single formula for mineral. There are just too many variables,” Myers said. There are so many unknowns in the current cattle business, many of which can’t be controlled. However, mineral imbalances don’t have to be a factor and the condition of cattle can be improved, not only for the present time, but for the year to come, with testing of feed and water. Healthy cattle always winter easier and cost less to run, which is the goal of every producer. As the old saying goes, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’

Mineral imbalances Mineral imbalances during a droughtduring a drought

- Continued from page 39 -- Continued from page 39 -


Feeding sin a dr

By Amanda Radke


solutions rought

- See Feeding solutions in a drought on page 44 -


Two-thirds of the U.S. is being hit hard by an epic drought – the worst one

the nation has experi-enced in half a century – and livestock produc-ers are feeling the heat. Because much of the corn and bean crop was scorched in the drought, feed prices have esca-lated, resulting in many herd dispersals across the country.


“The fi rst step is to take an inventory of what forage you have, including any carry-over feed from last year,”

– Warren Rusche– Warren Rusche


Warren Rusche, South Dakota State Univer-sity (SDSU) Extension

cow-calf fi eld specialist, offered some advice on managing feed costs in a time of drought. “The fi rst step is to take an inventory of what forage you have, including any carry-over feed from last year,” Rusche advised. “Feed availability and feed costs are going to be pretty tough. Thankfully, we had a lot of hay made last year, so for many people, that will help. We also need to look at what alternatives we have to purchase, as well as considering what opportunities we have to graze crop residues or cover crops. By now, we know how much forages from grain crops, such as silage, are available. The second thing is to take inventory of the cattle and ask ourselves, should they be here? The cattle need to justify their existence on the place.” Once inventory of feed resources and cattle numbers have been taken into consideration, there are practical solutions to getting the most out of the feed offered to livestock. “Whatever steps we can take to minimize hay waste we need to do,” he stressed. “Perhaps we need to limit access to the amount of time that cattle have at the hay feeder. With limited feeding, they tend not to waste as much hay. We can also grind hay or improve on our hay racks and feeders to minimize waste. Many people don’t realize this, but hay waste is a huge variable. Some producers waste 10 percent, while others waste up to 30 percent of their hay because of poor feeding methods.” In addition to getting the most out of the hay fed to cattle, a balanced ration, combining an affordable protein source in an effi cient package, will be key to managing costs. “Having a balanced ration will be more important now than ever before,” Rusche said. “We don’t want to under-

feed our livestock because it will hurt performance, but we also don’t want to over-feed because it will hurt our bank account. We need to do whatever we need to do to keep cattle functional and profi table. We can’t starve the profi t out of them – we will have weak calves and open cows. Finding an economical protein source will be key. Evaluate any kind of protein feeds on a cost per pound of protein basis. Consider the trucking cost, moisture con-tent and crude protein. This also applies for supplement energy. We need to look for the lowest cost.” Changing management strategies might be key for navi-gating through the drought. Perhaps, changing tactics will yield great cost-savings. “In some cases it might make sense to fi nd a farmer who might have some silage available,” he said. “If you are feeding drought-stressed forage or a salvaged corn crop si-lage, make sure you know where you’re at as far as nitrate levels. You can either segregate the feed, dilute it down or feed it to lower-risk and non-pregnant animals.” In some cases, it may be more cost-effective to send cat-tle to available feed versus sending feed to the cattle. And, there may be opportunities to buy cows as there are more herd dispersals. “I think there is going to be some possibilities in areas where there is roughage available that producers can pur-chase some additional cows or feeder cows,” Rusche said.

Feeding solutions in a droughtFeeding solutions in a drought- Continued from page 43 -- Continued from page 43 -

- See Feeding solutions in a drought on page 46 -

Warren Rusch

Changing management strategies might be key for navigating through the drought. Photo courtesy of Amanda Radke

In some cases, it may be more cost-effective to send cattle to availavle feed versus sending feed to the cattle. Photo courtesy of Amanda Radke

“The cattle need to justify their existence on the place,” Rusch said. Photos courtesy of Amanda Radke


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“If you are buying cattle, know the health status of the stock. What kind of condition are the cattle in? Be weary of something that is really thin. Do you have time to get them back in shape again? Do the cows’ calving season match your own? If you bring in extra breeding cattle, in the back of my mind, I would still think about what happens if feed supplies are short, what are you alternative back-up plans or what is your exit strategy? “If you are thinking about sending your cattle to feed, visit with the other party to discuss what care is expected and what will be provided,” he added. “For example, what mineral is used? Is it the cheapest available, or is it the same brand you have always used? Are the cattle sepa-rated, or are they thrown in with other groups? When will they be shipped back? Who will handle the costs? Make sure you get this in writing; we can’t rely on just a hand-shake anymore. In the right circumstances, this can be a way for folks to hang onto cows without having to spend way too much to truck hay in. This could be an option. There could be many places where there is a lot of silage and this could be an opportunity,” Rusch said. Another consideration is culling cows that are unpro-ductive or late-bred. “If producers haven’t done it already, I encourage them to pregnancy-check their cowherd sooner rather than later, so you can cull those open and late-calving cows,” Rusche added. “Look at poor producers, cows with poor udders or cows with bad dispositions – maybe they need to go to town, as well.” Ultimately, it’s going to take “dollars and sense” to get

through this drought. “Look at your expenses to fi nd places to cut,” he advised. “The big-gest thing is going to be knowing what you have on hand in terms of quantity and quality of forages and what you need to do to make things work. I re-ally think how ranchers manage this next year or so, with the drought plus with the cattle numbers are – the folks who can manage this crisis the best will be in the best position to benefi t in the upcoming years. We could see a huge demand for cattle down the road, but we have to get through this drought fi rst. One thing often forgotten is to keep a positive attitude in challenging times. Rusche tells producers: “Keep some perspective in terms of stress. This isn’t going to be a fun year, but there are worse things, too. Talk to folks. Everyone is in the same boat. Learn from friends and neighbors and have a plan. Be in communication with your lender, as well. They need to know your plans and how things are moving along. Work with them, so they can help you navigate through this drought.” Rusche recommends checking out www.igrow.org for additional informa-tion and drought-related resources and updates.

Feeding solutions in a droughtFeeding solutions in a drought- Continued from page 45 -- Continued from page 45 -

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to prepare cattle for winter

Plan ahead��


- See Plan ahead on page 50 -

With many areas of the United States in a drought, stockmen will need to pay particular attention to their cattle to prepare for the upcoming winter months.

“This year is going to be tough for many ranchers,” according to Aaron Berger, University of Ne-

braska extension specialist. “If the cattle are in poorer condition going into winter, they may not be able to handle the cold as well,” Berger said. The best time to improve the body condition score of a spring calving cow is after weaning and prior to winter. “The cow’s nutrient requirements will be ex-

tremely low,” Berger explained. “She doesn’t have a calf nursing her, and the calf inside her is very small and taking very little in terms of nutrients. I would en-courage ranchers, even though feed is expensive, to try and get their cows back into condition after weaning,” he said. With nutrient requirements lower, cows need less to maintain themselves and should be able to regain body condition quickly.

A cow should be in a body condition score fi ve A cow should be in a body condition score fi ve going into winter so she can best utilize forages going into winter so she can best utilize forages during the winter without needing extra nutrients or during the winter without needing extra nutrients or supplement to keep warm. supplement to keep warm. Photo courtesy University Photo courtesy University of Nebraskaof Nebraska


Ideally, Berger said a cow should be in at least a body condition score fi ve going into winter. “A cow that has the right body condition will stay warmer, and be able to manage herself better than one in a body condition score four, and is already thin,” he explained. “If the cows are still in good condition prior to calv-ing, producers can use the extra fat on the cow’s back later on as a feed

resource,” he said. “But if the cow is in poor condition, the nutrient requirements will be more during the winter months than if they had gained some condition prior to win-ter,” he explained.

Building back condition

Building back body condition will hinge on what feed resources

are available. “Many ranchers will

be giving their best feed resources to their calves – if they still have them,” Berger explained. “This year, it may make more sense to use the best resources to put that body condition back on the cow.” Meadow re-growth, crop resi-due like cornstalks or wheat stub-ble, and even some cake can help cows gain weight and improve their body condition. “Producers may also want to keep in mind that forage quality is going to be in the lower quality range, so they may need to supplement it with an energy source,” he explained. “I would encourage producers to shop around and see what low cost energy source can be found that will allow those cows to gain some weight. Put a pencil to what can be purchased most economically,” he added.

What about the bull?

Producers also need to provide their bulls with extra care prior

to winter weather. “This year, any marginal bull, or one with some age or disposition problems, should be culled so it doesn’t have to be fed through the winter,” Berger said. Young bulls that are 18 months to two years old, have had a tough summer in many areas, and will need some attention. “Often times, ranchers fi nish with the breeding season and kick these bulls out into the back pasture,” he explained. “This year, with forage quality so low, those bulls aren’t going to re-gain much condition without some supplemental feed.” Berger said the bulls should be fed some sup-plement in the pasture, or put in a corral and fed. They can also be put back with the cows after preg-

Plan aheadPlan ahead- Continued from page 49 -- Continued from page 49 -

- See Plan ahead on page 52 -

“If the cows are still in good condition prior to calving, producers can use the extra fat on the cow’s back later on as a feed resource,”

– Aaron Berger– Aaron Berger


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One of the best ways to improve body condition and put weight on cattle is by wintering them on a cornfi eld. Photo courtesy of University of Nebraska


nancy checking so all the cattle needing condition can be fed as one group. Like cows, Berger recommends mid-fi ve for an ideal body condi-tion score in bulls. “They are still growing and developing, and try-ing to mature. They need good nutrition to help them reach their mature size,” he said. Body con-dition in bulls is evaluated simi-

lar to cows, except they may not be as quick to deposit fat. “Don’t let them get overly fat,” Berger cautioned. “Going into winter a fi ve and a half to six would be ad-equate. The extra condition can always be used in the spring, but if the winter is tough, it can help them manage the stress of that,” he said.

Protection in harshstorms important

Producers need to think about providing adequate protection

for their cows in the event of bad weather. “For every degree the air temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, the cow’s nu-trient requirements will increase signifi cantly,” Berger explained. “It is important to have an area where the cows can get out of the wind, so they can use those nu-trient requirements to maintain themselves.” Cold, wet conditions can be det-rimental to cattle. If the cows are wet, combined with cold winds and low temperatures, they have a harder time maintaining their thermal body temperature which causes them to use more nutrients to maintain themselves. Natural protection, like trees, creek bottoms and topography, can make a signifi cant difference when the air temperature is low and the wind is cold. For produc-ers without natural protection, Berger said many types of wind-break are available from panels

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Plan aheadPlan ahead- Continued from page 51 -- Continued from page 51 - “For every degree the air

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with windscreen on them, to por-table systems that can be folded out and easily moved. Windbreak in a horseshoe or semi-circle de-sign can also help combat winds. One easy method of building windbreak is using bales that are stacked around corrals, and can be fed later in the spring. Berger warned this type of windbreak may need some type of snow fence built behind it to help catch heavier snows before it comes over the bale windbreak and piles up. If a major snowstorm is pre-dicted, Berger urged producers to try and gauge how serious the storm will be and take precau-tions ahead of time. “If the storm will be bad, have the cows full, es-pecially if feed will be hard to get to,” he said. Cattle should also be moved to an area with protection. “If they are in good condition going into winter, they will have some cover on their back and be able to withstand bad weather,” he added.

Carefully manageforage availability

With many rangelands suffer-ing from the drought, Berger

said fall grass may be brittle, and will need to be carefully managed to prevent trampling. “Producers may need to do some cross-fenc-ing or fi nd a way to limit the areas the cattle have access to, to pre-vent trampling,” he explained. “It will be an important tool this year to get as much as possible out of the feed resources that are avail-able.” Berger also encouraged produc-ers to estimate forage growth and cow grazing days per acre. “Pro-ducers need to try and use all the forage they have available,” he

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Manager - Bill & Fred Kist701-663-9573

Toll-Free in North Dakota800-732-1163

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• NAPOLEON, NDNAPOLEONLIVESTOCK

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40,000 Feeder Cattle Sold Jan.-Apr.Ray Erbele: 701-424-3307

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George Bitz: 701-754-2857For Market Reports & Upcoming Consignments. Check out our website: napoleonlivestock.com

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Randy Curtis: 605-639-0112 • Dustin Vining: 605-354-9966

Barney Barnes - Sheep Yards Mgr.& Auctioneer: 605-456-2582

Justin Tupper - Cattle Yards Mg.605-680-0259 • 605-722-6323

Brooke Tupper - Off. Mgr.: 605-642-2200

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• ST. ONGE, SD

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• HERREID, SD

HERREIDLIVESTOCK

MARKETRegular Cattle Sales

Every FridaySpecial Sales by Appointment

605-437-2265

Owners/ManagersHermann Schumacher

Joe VetterJ.R. Scott

• BASSETT, NE

BassettLivestock

Auction, Inc.402-684-2361

Regular and Special FeederCattle Sales on Wednesdays

Owners:Arlen (Bim) Nelson • 402-684-3922Donnie Painter • 402-684-2221

Office Manager:Jeri Nelson • 402-684-2361

• BOWMAN, ND

BOWMANAUCTION MARKET

P.O. Box 58Bowman, ND 58623

877-211-0600Regular SaleEvery Monday

Marketing Cattle, Horses,Sheep & Hogs

Harry Kerr, Mgr.701-523-5922

701-523-5666 (h)Wayne Miller

Field Rep 701-523-6885

• MILES CITY, MT

MILES CITY LIVESTOCKCOMMISSION

Regular Cattle Sales TuesdaySpecial Feeder Sales

In SeasonHorse Sales As Advertised

Home of Frontier Stockyardswww.frontierstockyards.com

Offi ce • 406-234-1790800-755-5177

Bart Meged • 406-421-5377 Cell 406-951-3005

Rob Fraser • 406-234-2066Cell 406-853-2066

www.milescitylivestock.com

• BILLINGS, MT

BILLINGS LIVESTOCKCOMMISSION

Cattle Sales Every ThursdayMonday IN Season

Northern Livestock Video AuctionHorse Sale the 4th

weekend of each month

For Information or to Consign Call:1-800-635-7364 or call:

Ty Thompson 406-698-4783Dan Catlin 406-671-7715Bill Cook 406-670-0689

website:www.billingslivestock.com

• GORDON, NE

308-282-1171Dick Minor

308-282-2655 • 308-360-0427www.gordonlivestock.com

• KIMBALL, SD

KIMBALL LIVESTOCKEXCHANGE

Selling Fat Cattle the Auction Way605-778-6211 • 800-859-2346

Cattle Sell Every Tuesday

OWNER: Wayne Tupper605-778-8211

Eddie Houska:605-234-5633 • (C): 605-680-0666

Dick Deffenbaugh:605-680-1324

Check out our website at:www.wesellcattle.com

• TORRINGTON, WY

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

All Classes – Every FridayYearlings & Calves – Wednesday

Bred Cow SpecialsGo to

www.torringtonlivestock.comfor current listings,

sale schedules & resultsShawn Madden 307-532-1575

Lex Madden – 307-532-1580

Computerized Ring ScaleSpecial Sales as Advertised

800-280-7210Sale Barn: 605-223-2576

Dennis Hanson: 605-223-2575Willie Cowan: 605-224-5796

Jack Carr: 605-259-3613Brian Hanson: 605-280-1283Chad Heezen: 605-870-0697

• FT. PIERRE, SDFT. PIERRELIVESTOCK

AUCTION, INC.Cattle Every Friday

• PRESHO, SDPRESHO LIVESTOCK

AUCTIONSALE EVERY THURSDAY

Presho, SD is located on Interstate 90,175 miles east of Rapid City, SD

Toll-Free: 800-753-6455

www.presholivestock.com

Ronald VolmerRes.: 1-605-895-2378 • 605-381-2501

Cody Volmer Res.: 1-605-895-2393 • Cell: 1-605-222-9270

Sam Stoddard Res.: 605-837-2363 • Cell: 308-360-0609

• RUSHVILLE, NESHERIDAN LIVESTOCK

AUCTION CO., INC.Regular Sales Wednesday

Offi ce (308) 327-2406Horse Sales Every Month

As AdvertisedHogs Sell at 9:30 a.m.

Weigh-ups & Bulls Sell at 11:00 a.m.Stock Cattle Sell at 1:00 p.m.

Owner: Dan OtteFieldmen:

Wayde Bolden, Kirk OtteLink Thompson • Galen Voss

Sales Every FridayOffi ce: 308-665-2220Fax: 308-665-2224

Toll Free: 866-665-2220Horse Sales As Advertised

Owners:Jack & Laurel Hunter:

308-665-1402 • Cell: 308-430-9108www.crawfordlivestock.com

e-mail: [email protected]

• CRAWFORD, NE

1-877-347-9100

• PLATTE, SDPLATTE

LIVESTOCK MARKET800-337-2655

Cattle Sale Each WednesdayFeeder Pigs Monday 12:30 pmButcher Hogs Monday 1:00 pm

Sheep Sales Every Monday 1:30 pmCo-Owners:

Scott Kirsch, Sheep & Cattle Rep.605-337-2616

Marshall Ringling, Sheep & Cattle Rep.605-243-2328

Alvie Timmermans, Auct. & Mkt. Rep.605-243-2235

John Dean: (C) 605-680-1972


National Beef Quality Auditcalls for cattlemen

to get engagedBy Amanda Radke

Since 1991, the beef checkoff has funded the National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA), a study conducted every fi ve years that as-sesses progress the beef industry makes on production issues as they relate to con-sumer demand for beef.

The 2011 NBQA was re-leased at the 2012 Cattle Industry Summer Confer-ence held in July in Den-

ver, CO. As the results of the audit were revealed, the conclusion was that the beef industry continues to make great strides in producing quality beef, but there is still areas where cattlemen can improve their practices. The audit consists of three phases and took nearly a year to complete. The phases included personal inter-views with individuals representing every segment in the beef supply chain, a collection of data from four beef packing plants looking at cam-era grading of nearly 2.5 million carcasses in 17 federally inspected plants, and a survey used to evalu-ate the quality of pre-harvest seg-ments of the industry.

- See National Beef Quality Audit on page 58 -


“All an audit does is provide you the opportunity to make better choices,” Tom Field said. Photo courtesy Amanda Radke


National Beef Quality Audit

- Continued from page 57 -

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- See National Beef Quality Audit on page 60 -

Keith Belk, Colorado State University (CSU), was one of the individuals involved in the devel-opment of the audit, and he identi-fi ed changes made to collect data for the study. “We attempted to change Phase One around this year, and Phase Two actually, to collect a bit more data that was maybe more modern using some of the technologies that are now available to us,” Belk said. “In Phase One, we designed a survey where we used a soft-ware that allowed us to dynami-cally route questions based on the answers that respondents gave to various questions. And in Phase Two for the fi rst time, have been able to collect a ton of data that re-sulted from the use of instruments and instrument grading systems. So there’s been a lot more infor-mation available this round of the

N a t i o n a l Beef Qual-ity Audit than ever before.” The vast amount of data can be overwhelm-ing, but Belk said that ulti-mately the i n f o r m a -tion, once b r o k e n down, is benefi cial to producers in helping to identify areas that they are doing well

and ways they can improve. “For the fi rst time we’ve been able to quantify responses to gut reactions about quality issues and things that affect purchas-ing decisions in the industry,” he added. “You know, anytime you can quantify the impact that vari-

“For the fi rst time we’ve been able to quantifyresponses to gut reactions about qualityissues and things that affect purchasing decisions inthe industry,” – Keith Belk


Following Beef Quality Assur-ance guidelines, when working cattle, is one way to ensure a safe and wholesome end prod-uct. Photo courtesy of Amanda Radke


ous attributes have on purchasing decisions, that always will benefi t the industry in terms of things that they can manage to improve profi tability. So I’m certain that this audit will provide information that’s useful to all cattle produc-ers.” Belk has been involved with the NBQA since the initial study in 1991, and although the audit con-tinues to grow, change and evolve over time, the research always fo-cuses on improving rancher profi t-ability by providing guidelines to

produce satisfactory beef for con-sumers. “It’s an evolutionary process trying to collect data and trying to benchmark the state of the indus-try, and so every time we do one of these, we learn something that we can apply to the next audit,” he said. “But it hasn’t lost its grass-roots, its main original purpose of trying to quantify the things the industry could do to improve the profi tability by improving the value of beef at consumption lev-els. So, that’s always been a pri-

mary goal of the audit and I think that’s still on target.” In a nutshell, the NBQA Execu-tive Summary identifi ed several areas the beef industry needs to improve upon including: low level of written protocols, balancing needs of all industry segments, lack of trust between industry segments, disconnect with dairy, carcass inconsistency, no com-mon language, potential food safety issues and poor story-tell-ing. Complete results from the 2011 National Beef Quality Audit can be found by visiting www.bqa.

org. Certainly, c a t t l e m e n have made great strides in addressing quality issues and meeting consumer de-mands, but as societal shifts create greater barriers be-tween rural and urban America, pro-ducers will need to focus on several key points, one being con-sumer satisfac-tion with beef taste and ten-derness. “The ten-derness sur-vey has been done four times starting in the early 90s,” said Jeff Savell, Texas A&M Univer-sity, who was also involved in the audit. “What we have found, es-pecially in the most recent audit, is that t e n d e r n e s s values have

National Beef Quality Audit- Continued from page 59 -

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greatly improved from previous surveys, which tells me that where fl avor is showing up as one of the driving concerns people have, then with a baseline tenderness that is okay, we can now focus on fl avor. If you’ve got tough beef, it doesn’t matter how fl avorful it is, it isn’t going to be acceptable. What else is necessary for complete cus-tomer satisfaction? I think that’s why fl avor is a bigger component now. Beef has to deliver both ten-derness and fl avor, and if it’s got both, we get ‘Wow!’ Flavor and tenderness has to align.” “Process matters more; as con-s u m e r s , b e c a u s e they are r e m o v e d from it, they have more ques-tions about how beef i s pro -d u c e d , ” a d d e d J a s o n A h o l a , Colorado State Uni-v e r s i t y , a n o t h e r m e m b e r who helped c o n d u c t the audit. “ O n e thing the industry has in place is a system of information fl ow. I think it’s a matter of trying to tie more in-formation to those cattle to try to respond to the idea of know-ing how and where the cattle were raised. Allowing the market place to drive this maybe should be the way we address this. Ad-ditionally, record-keeping should be increased by producers. Beef Quality Assurance can help pro-vide the standards of consistency to be able to accomplish that.” Ultimately, an audit helps to identify ways that producers can improve in their day-to-day opera-tions.

“All an audit does is provide you the opportunity to make bet-ter choices,” said Tom Field, Uni-versity of Nebraska, Lincoln, also involved in the study. “Markets drive choice making. I think now there is suffi cient economic pres-

sure and suffi cient social pressure that our industry will take this information and will make sig-nifi cant changes in the way that it views not only delivery of prod-

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- See National Beef Quality Auditon page 62 -

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uct integrity, eating satisfaction and telling the story, but do that in a much more proactive way. I think we’re an industry that is ab-solutely at a crossroads and we’re at a tipping point. We either get it right or we continue to watch cow numbers slide and as cow numbers slide, there are undesirable conse-quences that ripple not only across our industry and all the related industries but through our soci-ety. I think producers are highly motivated. What they need and

what I think is incumbent upon the in-dustry is that it is time for industry lead-ers to step up their game and drive for a profi table, sustainable future and to stay out of the weeds and off of the side roads and get right down the highway.” So, how can produc-ers improve? NBQA iden-tified three major chal-lenges in-cluding: food safety, con-

sumer eating satisfaction and con-sumer outreach. “Can we get it right and can we tell our story to consumers?” Field asked. “We only have two options. Either we get it right and we tell consumers that, or we see the cowherd continue to shrink.” Telling the beef production story to consumers isn’t often a top priority for ranchers, but edu-cating the public about where and how beef is produced will be key to the future success of the indus-try.

“. . . I think producers are highly motivated. What they need and what I think is incumbent upon the industry is that it is time for industry leaders to step up their game and drive . . .” – Tom Field


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In addition to the beef check-off-funded program, Beef Qual-ity Assurance, which provides a guideline for animal care and handling to help ensure a safe, wholesome and consistently tasty beef product, there is a second checkoff program that will assist producers in sharing the positive beef production story with con-sumers. It’s called the Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) Program. The MBA program is an online t r a i n i n g tool de-signed to equip beef producers with the in-formation they need to speak eloquently about the beef indus-try with c o n s u m -ers and the media. The on-line course consists of six topics including: m o d e r n beef pro-duction, an-imal care, beef safety, beef nutri-tion, envi-ronmental stewardship and the

beef checkoff. Once completed, MBA graduates become part of an alumni program, where members are called to action when the need arises. To apply, check out http://www.beef.org/mastersofbeefadvocacy.aspx. At the end of the day, the NBQA granted that producers

are doing a great job – improving in many areas over the course of the past two decades when the audit started; however, there are still ways to improve and make the beef industry better. Getting BQA-certifi ed and be-coming an MBA graduate are great places to start.

“Can we get it right and can we tell our story to consumers? We only have two options. Either we get it right and we tell consumers that, or we see the cowherd continue to shrink.” – Tom Field


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A progressive rotational grazing system that includes fi ve stra-tegically placed water sources in each pasture allowed North-eastern Wyoming rancher Randy Oleson to signifi cantly increase his carrying capacity, while only minimally increasing his winter feed cost per cow. He attributes 10-plus percent of his growth to his water system alone. Photo by Heather Hamilton


Maximum effi ciency means survivability in agriculture

- See Input management on page 68 -

Inputmanagement

By Heather Hamilton

Agriculturalists have always been able to stretch a dollar. As the west comes off one of the driest summers on record, pro-ducers are having to both implement new, and rely on old man-agement techniques to prevent input costs from skyrocketing, and to stay in business.

“We’re always looking for a better way to do something.

I attend farm shows and visit with other producers, and am always open to ideas that might work on my operation. It’s been said that you can ask 10 different produc-ers how they run their operation and you’ll probably get 10 differ-ent answers, but they all prob-ably work for that person, and some part of their answer might work for you too” stated Her-mosa, SD, rancher Alan Mielke of managing costs on an agricul-ture operation.

Mielke has a cow-calf operation, and said one key area managing costs for him is doing everything he possibly can in-house. “We do everything we possibly can here. We have a good shop and repair all our own equipment and do all our own maintenance. When you start taking stuff to town there is a lot of quality slip-page and cost increase. Doing it yourself is the most effi cient and highest quality way to have re-pairs done,” he noted. Haying ever available acre each is another thing Mielke does to prevent soaring feed costs on years such as this one.

“...I attend farm shows and visit with otherproducers,and am always open to ideas that might work on myoperation.

– Alan Mielke– Alan Mielke


“We never sell any hay at – that’s a big no-no to us. We look at hay as

money in the bank. We put it up with double nine mowers and 20 wheel v-rakes. This may be a little old-fash-ioned, but I also stack at least half of each year’s hay in loose stacks. With those I can keep hay for six to

eight years with very little spoilage. If you round bale everything you’re much more limited in that respect,” Mielke explained of his haying pro-gram. This year he didn’t put up any hay, grazing that ground instead. Mielke said he won’t have to purchase any hay to get through this winter, just as he never purchased any hay dur-ing the last drought in his area. All hay is tested annually, and Mielke noted that most years an ad-ditional protein source is not needed to get his 1,200 pound cows, and weaned calves, through the winter months.

“I think a cow of that size is the most effi cient when looking at what she is able to produce relevant to her size, and I manage my cows to be that size. Records are kept on all our livestock and we put calving information and anything else that stands out on a particular cow into those records to help with our man-agement decisions in that area,” he explained. When asked if anything changed as a result of this year, Mielke re-plied, “No, whether it’s wet or dry that’s pretty much how we run things.” In contrast to putting up as much hay as possible, Northeastern Wyo-ming rancher Randy Oleson was able to signifi cantly increase his car-rying capacity and overall effi ciency through eliminating haying on his op-eration.

Input management- Continued from page 67 -

(Above) Having the option to grind lower quality hay has increaed intake effi ciency and lowered overall hay costs on both Alan Mielke and Randy Oleson’s operations. Making smart equipment purchases and utilizing equipment effectively is a part of maximizing effi ciency on both Oleson and Mielke’s ranches. Photo by Heather Ham-ilton


“I decided that I would utilize all available graz-ing in eight months and feed the remaining four months instead of ex-pecting cows to graze 12 months of the year, then having to feed them anyway when the grass snowed under,”

– Randy Oleson– Randy Oleson


(Right) Alan Mielke puts a percentage of each year’s hay crop in large loose stacks. This enables him to store the hay for six to eight years with minimal loss, and ensures he has a winter feed supply every year. Mielke says to him having hay on hand is like money in the bank, and fi nding a way to make it last just adds to its value. Photo by Heather Hamilton


“I decided that I would utilize all available grazing in eight months and feed the remaining four months instead of expecting cows to graze 12 months of the year, then having to feed them anyway when the grass snowed under,” Oleson explained. To accomplish this, Oleson imple-mented an intensive grazing system. His cows are in four groups of 200 to 250 head each, sorted by age. Each group has their own six-pasture rota-tion. Each pasture is between 1,120 and 1,600 acres, and has fi ve water sources placed to maximize that pas-tures usage. In a given year, he uses all six pastures. Four of the six are not grazed during the growing season, and the two that are used won’t be during the following year’s growing season. For the four months cows are fed, they are placed on the old hay-fi elds, which also impacted Oleson’s management changes in the mid-2000s when it was so dry they didn’t produce for multiple years. “As a result of those changes my effi ciency of scale has increased, and I run about 40 percent more cows than I could when I started here. Even running fewer cows, it was cost-ing between $125 and $150 dollars a year to winter each cow. Now I run more cows and it costs me about $160 to winter each one. If you’re going to feed 600 cows you might as well feed 800 because aside from the hay, no

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Sundance, WYImpressive log home on 35 acres that is a great vacation destination or a year round residence. A western lodge atmosphere with all of the upgrades for fine living. 3 levels designed for entertaining guests & luxurious living. Approx 6,100 sq ft with 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, huge great room with fireplace, game room, sitting area, fitness room, office, & 2 laundry areas. Get away and enjoy all the amenities of a fine lodge in a private country setting. $985,000

Dry Creek Log Home

Sundance, WYScenic northeastern Wyoming property on the road to Devils Tower. 451 acres on Oudin Hill and adjacent to Hwy 14 with year round access. This rugged and picturesque landscape offers terrific views of Devils Tower, the Missouri Buttes, the surrounding Black Hills. Diverse terrain with secluded draws, open parks, wooded hills with pine and bur oak, and high plateaus with long-range views. Ideally located for a year round place or recreational hideaway. $815,000.

Oudin Hill Retreat

Aladdin, WYAmazing Black Hills setting west of Aladdin on Beaver Creek. 136 acres fronting Highway 24 and bordering a wide expanse of Black Hills National Forest. Picturesque terrain with winding creek bottoms, open meadows, & wooded hills. Live water, varied terrain, and lots of feed makes for excellent wildlife habitat, with elk, deer, and turkey in the area. This recreational haven has it all: a creek, convenient location with year round access, access to National Forest, & gorgeous scenery. $656,000

Beaver Creek Acreage



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other costs are associated with feeding go up,” explained Oleson of his mindset. As a result of his changes, Oleson purchases roughly 1,500 tons of hay annually, which he tests and feeds in combination with whatever protein source is most compli-mentary and economical. He noted that he purchases hay of various qualities, and has a bale processer to increase the digestibility of lower quality hay. Last year his hay

By implementing an intensive and progressive rotational grazing system, Northeastern Wyoming rancher, Randy Ole-son was able increase his herd size and maximize the return potential on his operation. Photo by Heather Hamilton



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cost just under $100 a ton delivered, and this year it will be over $225 de-livered.

“I do try to manage for a drought all the time, but I don’t know how you manage for one like this because nothing ever grew this year. My cows have eaten nothing but last year’s grass since the snow went off. I’m looking to wean early and sell about 40 percent of my cows because I just can’t see investing $400 a head into wintering them. Those I am keeping I’m planning to feed for six months instead of four this winter. I’ll be keeping the calves and feeding them for a couple months at least, with no defi nite plan at this point on when they’ll be marketed,” stated Oleson of the changes he’s making in re-sponse to this year.

“Luckily I’m in a pretty good posi-tion where I don’t have a lot of debt, but I will come out of this with debt again,” he added. Decisions and choices made on good years have provided both Ole-son and Mielke the flexibility to make changes this year that will enable them to continue operating. Both noted they are always maximiz-ing effi ciency to improve their op-erations, and increase their odds of surviving years when costs are going to be high.


“I do try to manage for a drought all the time, but I don’t know how you manage for one like this because nothing ever grew this year. My cows have eaten noth-ing but last year’s grass since the snow went off. I’m looking to wean early and sell about 40 percent of my cows be-cause I just can’t see in-vesting $400 a head into wintering them...”

– Randy Oleson– Randy Oleson


Every animal that goes through the chute gets a dose of MULTIMIN®

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We market our cattle through 3 annual auctions.

The mainstay of our operation is selling bulls to

commercial producers. About 300 bulls are marketed

through two bull sales we host here at the farm plus

we have an annual female sale every November.

It’s evident that the quality and the health of the

animals are working for the customers because of the

repeat business we get year after year. One of the

reasons we feel the cattle go out and perform so well

is the use of MULTIMIN in our herd.

We’ve used MULTIMIN here for about 7 years and

we consider it to be the most versatile product we use

through out our program.

Initially, we started using MULTIMIN in our

embryo transplant program and saw a significant

increase in the number and quality of the embryos

we received out of the donor cows. Since we started

using MULTIMIN on heifers in our pre-breeding

program, we’ve seen an increase in conception rates.

Last year we ran a trial with it on a set of heifers

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We use MULTIMIN on the calves at birth. It does

a great deal to boost their immune system and helps

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increase semen quality and quantity.

MULTIMIN has done a great job of running

trials and publishing data that shows multiple uses

for their product. Our area MULTIMIN rep,

David Lamon, and Dr. Lourens Havenga have

spent time with us explaining how we could

expand the use of MULTIMIN in

our program.

MULTIMIN plays a major role in improving the

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antibiotic usage and the costs associated with pulls

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I’d recommend MULTIMIN to producers in any

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Two thousand twelve will be remembered as the year of the drought. A widespread drought, impacting two-thirds

of the nation, is the worst in more than half a century.

With little moisture and above average temperatures, the sum-mer devastated many agricul-ture communities – scorching pastures, hayfi elds and crops. The result is a rise in feed prices for livestock and food prices in the grocery store.

As prices escalate, now is the time to buckle down and tighten the purse-strings. Will Haugen, First Dakota National Bank ag-riculture fi nancing specialist, offered some fi nancial advice for producers to help navigate through the drought.

By Amanda Radke

Don’t

in theyour bank account


“We are in the middle of ex-tremes – extreme drought, extreme volatility in prices – but don’t make extreme decisions,” advised Hau-gen. “Be rational in your thoughts. Think things through, and perhaps think outside the box to make things work.

Bankers often refer to the four C’s of credit: character, ca-pacity, capital and collateral. In tough fi nancial times, banks look very closely at borrowers, and Haugen said there is a fi fth C to consider: the cranium.

- See Don’t dry up on page 76 -


A lender can help put a pencil to paper to evaluate costs. Many pro-ducers struggled to choose between salvaging corn for harvest or cut-ting it for silage. Photo courtesy of Amanda Radke


Don’t dry up - Continued from page 75 -

Building Better Cattle.®

GREAT

STARTSStart Your Cattle Off Right for Optimal Health.

Sioux Nation of Fort PierreFEED - SEED - ANIMAL HEALTH

Phone: 605-223-3101 or 1-800-658-3657Fax: 605-223-2902

Feedmill/Warehouse: 605-223-2427Owners Reg Nelsen and Steve Magdanz

504 DeadwoodBox 452

Ft. Pierre, SD 57532

“I always refer to the fi fth C of credit, the cranium,” said Haugen. “If you have good management skills, bank-ers are more willing to work with you. In tough times, it’s important to keep in close communication with your lender. Your banker is your partner, and we can be a resource to help you work through your busi-ness plans. Keep us in the loop with the decisions you are making. Now might be the time to refi nance and

restructure to take advantage of low interest rates.” A lender can help put a pencil to paper to evaluate costs. Many pro-ducers struggled to choose between salvaging corn for harvest or cutting it for silage. Taking a look at the numbers helped many of Haugen’s customers decide which route to choose. “Put a pencil to paper; know what your costs are,” Haugen suggested. “The biggest thing to ask yourself right now is, what have you done to prepare for this drought? Have you preserved some capital from the last

couple of good years we have had? Are you prepared if the drought con-tinues through next year? There’s a possibility the drought will continue. Plan for a good year, but prepare for a bad year.” Haugen suggests maintaining a working capital that is 20-30 percent of the annual gross revenue to serve as a safety net in hard times. “A common mistake I see is peo-ple who jump into something with-out analyzing a decision before they make it,” Haugen said. “We have had some good years, so folks bought more pairs, sold hay when the price

“Don’t forget to take a break and relax once in awhile,” he said. “I have custom-ers who were cutting silage for 18 days straight. This can lead to fatigue and injury. Work hard during the week and take Sun-day off to regroup and unwind.”

– Will Haugen– Will Haugen

Will Haugen

was high and updated equipment. With so many herd dispersals right now, the temptation is there to buy more cows. Certainly, the opportu-nity is there. At the same time, feed costs are going to be high. I would be hesitant to jump in and buy more cows. Find ways to mitigate your risk. Make sure you have enough forage available – even if the drought con-tinues – to support the extra pairs.” Haugen said producers should ex-plore ways to diversify, whether it’s buying more pairs, taking in feeder calves or custom-feeding. Another important thing to do is visit with others to avoid common pitfalls. “Visit with your banker, the neighbor or an Extension specialist,” Haugen suggested. “Ask around to see how others are working through the drought. Get in touch with some-one on the marketing side of things. These experts can help lock in feed prices at the right time and fi nd ways to mitigate risk. Use a put option in case prices would retract a little bit. Get in touch with your elevator to see what they anticipate feed prices doing.” “If you raise crops, make sure you are in touch with your crop insur-ance agent,” Haugen added. “With larger claims there are more audits. Keep up with your record-keeping and plan for an audit. If you’re feed-ing cattle, be sure to consult with your nutritionist to evaluate your feed ration. Explore different ra-tions that might be more affordable as feed prices rise; be willing to ad-just if needed. And, be sure to get nitrate levels tested in corn before feeding silage.” Cash fl ow is critical to producer success in these unprecedented times.

“Make sure you are fully em-ployed,” Haugen said. “A job in town can help pay the bills and offer some security during lean times. Look for

ways to diversify and increase your revenue.”


Common Sense Manufacturing, Inc.www.commonsensemfg.com

CONTACT KELLY MELIUS for dealer nearest you16008 357th Ave., Faulkton, SD 57438 • 605-598-4157 offi ce • 605-216-0687 cell

Jangula Post Pullers Water Tank & Solar Pump

Balefeeders Bottomless Feed Bunks

Calf Shelters Wire Winders

Continuous Fence Pan Bunk

Expl

ore

the

Poss

ibili

ties!

Liewer Enterprises Inc.“Mobility in Tough Conditions is our Business.”

www.argoadventure.com

Kevin (Fritz) LiewerPhone: 605-775-2917 • Cell: 605-830-9919


Originally from Assman Land& Cattle top end genetics

Tuesday, February 19, 20131:00pm at Winner Livestock Auction

��PRODUCTION SALE

4TH Annual

Dallas, S.D.

Dan & Lyn Forgey605-835-8675 or 605-830-5990

Kevin Graesser605-835-8223 or 605-830-1574

www.forgeygraesser.comRod Graesser605-835-8039

- See Don’t dry up on page 78 -


Livestock Equipment

Tombstone Bull Feeder

www.hutchison-inc.com1-800-525-0121

Cattle Bale Feeder

WBF-4 Flex Feeder Crown Feeder SS660 2" Feeder Panel

Rectangular Bale Feeder

“One Ton”All equipment proudly

Made In USA

Steel Stock Tanks

As producers are busy cutting silage, harvesting crops, weaning calves and gathering forages for the winter, long days can lead to stress and fatigue.

“Don’t forget to take a break and relax once in awhile,” he said. “I have customers who were cutting silage for 18 days straight. This can lead to fatigue and injury. Work hard during the week and take Sun-day off to regroup and unwind.”

First Dakota Bank offers a news-letter and other resources to help producers. Check it out at www.fi rst-dakota.com.

Don’t dry up - Continued from page 77 -

JD Hewitt [email protected]

Tyson Hewitt [email protected]

Kendall Smith [email protected]

Lotton Ranch Located in SW South Dakota and NW Nebraska, this ranch is comprised of; 7,440+/- acres deeded, 640 acres state lease, and 467 AUM’s lease in the Buffalo Gap Nat’l Grassland. (There are 4,000+/- acres which are or have been in cultivation, current CRP contract on 1,000 acres and 2,706 base acres.) Indian Creek crosses the ranch for three miles, two homes, headquarter facilities, water pipeline, and abundant wildlife. Priced at $3,534,000

Girl Creek Ziebach County, Dupree SD: 2,727+/- acres of excellent native pasture. Five separate pastures facilitating easy rotation of grazing. Extremely well watered by nine reservoirs, together with two shallow wells serving six tire tanks and three new automatic waters’. Access is provided by well- maintained gravel roads and power is located on the property. Girl Creek runs through the property providing an added element of limited winter protection. This property would make an excellent starter ranch or added grass for an established operation. Call us on this. Priced at $1,570,000.

Perkins County Farmland; 966.4+/- acres highly productive cropland with (930.46 ac. FSA base acres). Mostly class II and III loam and silt loam soils with productivity indexes ranging mostly from 68 to 95. Located close to town and only 1 mile off a paved hwy. The property is all contiguous and could still be available for spring possession. Priced at $1,255,000.00

Dakota Landing Estates; Pierre, Hughes Co. SD, Three residential lots 110’ x 115’ each all utilities, water and access near boat dock on Lake Oahe. Priced at $24,000 each, will sell one or all. Call Kendall.

SALE PENDING

Laduke Property; This property consists of 160 acres of which 137.5 acres are irrigable from the Belle Fourche Irrigation District. County roads border both the East and West sides of the property, as well as power and rural water. Great views and access combined with good production and income potential allow for several viable options with this property. Price: $184,000

Perkins County, SD; LaGrand Ranch North Unit, 4,126+/- deeded acres (comprised of 2,200+/- ac. cultivated and 1,926+/- ac. grass). Excellent soils, water and access help characterize this highly productive property. The offering includes a complete set of improvements located along SD Hwy 75 NE of Prairie City, SD. This property may be divided into operating units to suite the buyer or would make an efficient size operation as a single unit. Entire Unit Priced to Sell at $4,075,500

Oelrichs, SD; In the same ownership for more than 80 years, the Hagman Ranch is located eighteen miles east of Oelrichs just off US Hwy 18. Comprised of nearly 9,000 acres total; 2,090.79+/- deeded, 916 acre bonded lease, and

6,000+/- acre range unit (Pine Ridge Tribal). The deeded acreage consists of approx. 600 acres hay-land, barn, corrals, shop and home along black-tail creek and is contiguous to the leased property. The ranch is watered by several shallow wells and water-line along with the Mni-waconi rural water system. Priced to Sell at $1,100,000

13167 Arapahoe, Dr. Piedmont, SD • 57769Office phone/fax 605.791.2300

www.hewittlandcompany.com



Hotlander Cmight offer a potential crossbreeding option

By Loretta Sorensen

Beef producers searching for a hardier beef breed might consider Hotlanders, a breed developed by Texas Cattleman Rob Brown, Jr. on the R.A. Brown Ranch at Throckmorton, TX.

While the breed has proven to thrive in hot humid condi-tions, the short haired coats, charateristic of the breed

wouldn’t provide good protection during Northern Plains winters. “Most of our customers are in south-east Texas, close to the Gulf Coast where there’s high rainfall and a lot of humid-ity,” Brown says. “We can run English cattle breeds here, but the Hotlanders have been found to be most effi cient compared to other breeds. In northern climates, Hotlanders may work well for a terminal cross.” Brown began working in the 1980s to develop the Hotlander composite, rely-ing on the expertise of Dr. Keith Gregory at the U.S. Meat Animal Research center and Dr. Ronnie Green, then Professor of Animal Breeding and Genetics. In an ef-

fort to produce hardy cattle that also pos-sessed other desirable traits, Brown used Red and Black Angus, Senepol, Simmen-tal and Brahman genetics. He primarily selected cattle for red hides because they do better in high heat conditions than black-hided animals. However, some Hot-landers are black-hided because the color is so popular with beef breeders. “Our Senepol animals came from St. Croix, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Brown said. “Our aim was to improve heat tolerance while we maintained car-cass quality and disposition. The four breeds we used to develop Hotlanders complement one another in terms of the traits they possess. Senepol was bred to Red Angus and Simmental bred to Brah-man. We then crossed those two hybrids to come up with the Hotlander.”

- See Hotlander Cattle on page 82 -

Cattle“Hotlanders are high red meat yield cattle,”

– Rob Brown


Hotlanders are moderate-sized cows with high reproductive effi ciency. Brown noted that they breed “ex-tremely well” as yearling heifers, calving at 23-25 months of age. “Our two-year-old heifers have consistently weaned from 55 to 60 percent of their body weight, even during three years of a fi ve-year drought,” Brown said. “We’ve seen 95 to 100 percent re-breed on two year old heifers nursing their fi rst calf.”

Cow longevity spans 15 to 18 years. With the Simmental infl uence, cows retain udder quality. Feedlot gain and carcass data has also proven to be highly satisfactory.

“Hotlanders are high red meat yield cattle,” Brown said. “They av-erage over 70 percent Yield Grade 1s and 2s. Quality grade has averaged about 67 percent choice and better. The meat is tender. We had 99 steers in a National Cattlemen’s Associa-tion tenderness project, where the Hotlander meat was compared to Si-mAngus, Brangus, Braford and Sim-brah. Testing demonstrated that the Hotlander Warner Bratzler Shear Force averaged only 5.4 pounds with all Hotlanders testing in the accept-able range.”

Dr. Ron Gill, Associate Department Head for Extension Animal Science at Texas A&M ArgiLife Extension started using Hotlander genetics a couple of years ago on his ranch south of Decatur, TX. He made the

change after watching his concep-tion rates and weaning weights de-cline as the genetic makeup of his cow herd moved away from heat tol-erant breeds like Beefmaster. “I needed to add heterosis and hybrid vigor to my cowherd genet-ics without losing carcass quality,” Gill said. “Brahman infl uence can improve performance, but there can be quite a price discrimination in sale barns against cattle that display the Brahman infl uence. That was the primary reason I started using the Hotlander breed.” “Drought tolerant” is often a term associated with Hotlanders, but Gill noted that no breed is actually drought tolerant. “They all need grass and water to live,” Gill said. “However, the Bos indicus breeds from Brahman and their composite breeds such as Brangus, Beefmaster, etc. are all more heat tolerant than Bos Taurus breeds such as Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Simmental, etc. The other advantage to Bos Indicus cattle is the ability to remain productive in areas where forage quality is lower. Bos indicus breeds evolved in areas where forage quality was much lower than in the U.S. Therefore, their di-gestive system can function a little differently and their maintenance requirements are a little lower.” Gill, who keeps detailed records of weaning and fi nishing weights, knows Beefmaster genetics had a positive influence on his cattle’s growth rates. He typically takes 45 to 70 days to precondition weaned

“AT THE TIME THAT ROB BROWN DEVELOPED THE HOT-LANDER BREED, A LOT OF PRODUCERS WERE TURNING TO BLACK HIDES, BUT I FIND THE RED CATTLE DO BET-TER FOR ME,”

– Dr. Ron Gill– Dr. Ron Gill

Hotlander Cattle- Continued from page 80 -

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David Koupal, Instructor, West River Farm/Ranch Business Management

The South Dakota Center for Farm/Ranch Management at Mitchell Technical

Institute is an organized program dedicated to assisting agriculture producers

in South Dakota to become better business managers. Our goal? To help you

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calves before sending them to the feedyard, tracking weight and performance throughout that phase. “Weaning weights range from 575 to 725, depending on the kind of year we have,” Gill said. “Due to the dry conditions we often have, weaning weights are pretty inconsistent.” Another Hotlander trait Gill appreciates is the me-dium-frame size. He notes that larger cows require too many acres of what is often scant forage on his ranch. “At the time that Rob Brown developed the Hot-lander breed, a lot of producers were turning to black hides, but I fi nd the red cattle do better for me,” Gill said. “We still have some productive black cows on our operation. However, we have been weighing calves at weaning for many years and our red calves average about 40 pounds higher weaning weights than my black calves, even when they’re sired from the same bull. I certainly don’t say everyone would have the same re-sult, but it’s pretty consistent on our operation.” Brown said Hotlander bulls can be used on any breed of cow to improve growth, fertility and reproductive ef-fi ciency. “They work great on Beefmaster, Brangus, Braford, and Santa Gertrudis,” Brown said. “The cross improves carcass quality, yield and tenderness. The beautiful part of using the Hotlander bulls is that they allow you to keep heat tolerant replacement females that will work very well in your environment. With a planned breeding program like this, calves will be uniform and stay that way generation after generation. Within three generations, your cattle will be bred up to purebred Hotlander status. “In tough environments, Hotlander cattle do more things right than any other breed of cattle we’ve ever known,” Brown added. “I believe a lot of continental English composites like the ones developed by Clay Center would be more climatically adapted to the north-ern region. Understanding genetics isn’t easy, but this kind of composite offers great potential.” More information about Hotlander™ cattle is avail-able at www.rabrownranch.com/hotlander.html.

Hotlanders are moderate-sized cows with high reproductive effi ciency. Courtesy photo

Hotlander bulls can be used on any breed of cow to improve growth, fertility and reproductive effi ciency. Courtesy photo


■ 5L Red Angus ........................... 6■ Alltech South Dakota ............ 52 ■ Arnold Realty ........................ 70■ Assman Implement .......... 25, 34 ■ Auman Mack .......................... 73 ■ B & B Sales ............................. 15 ■ Bejot Feed Lots ...................... 58 ■ BHSS Gold Rush .................... 85■ Bieber Red Angus .................... 5 ■ Bill’s Volume Sales, Inc ........ 32■ Bridger Steel .......................... 16 ■ Brooks Chalky Butte Ranch ... 4 ■ Brozik Angus .......................... 38 ■ Butler Machinery Co ............. 72■ Cammack Ranch Supply ....... 13 ■ Carls Trailers ......................... 47 ■ Cattle Range .......................... 14 ■ CHS Nutrition ........................ 69■ Common Sense Mfg. .............. 77

■ Country Pride Coop ............... 82■ Cross Diamond Cattle Co ...... 87■ Crystalyx .................................. 8■ Dean Odden & Sons ............... 52 ■ Diamond D Angus .................. 84■ Divine Concrete ..................... 34 ■ Farmers National Company . 63■ Finkbeiner Feeds .................. 12■ FMG Feed & Seed ........... 14, 16 ■ Forgey & Graesser Angus ..... 77■ Forster Red Angus ................ 24■ Genex Hawkeye West ........... 40■ Goldies Auto & Trailer Sales ..35■ Hersruds of Sturgis ............... 53■ Hewitt Land Company .......... 79■ Hipke Welding ....................... 23■ HL Brunner & Sons Feedyard ...50■ Hutchison Western ................ 78 ■ Jenner Equipment ................. 23

■ Johnson-Rose Angus ............. 20■ K & A Implement ................... 31■ Liewer Enterprises ................ 77■ Lindskov Implement ............. 21■ Linn Post and Pipe ................ 46■ Livestock Market Directory . 54-55■ M & J Auto ............................. 39■ Meyerink Farm Service ........ 64■ MGR Marketing Tools ........... 71■ Midwest Liquid Feeds ........... 38■ Mitchell Technical Institute . 83■ National Western Stock Show .. 78■ Natur’s Way Inc ..................... 39■ No Bull Enterprises ............... 64■ Paint Rock Angus .................. 61■ Palmer Cap-Chur Equip ........ 62■ Parasal Manufacturing ........... 9■ Pettera Angus ........................ 27■ Pfi ster Land Co. LLC ............. 88■ Pieper Red Angus .................... 2■ Platte Power Sports ............... 62■ Premier Equipment ............... 24■ Quality Liquid Feeds ............ 86■ RangeMate ............................. 60

■ Raven Angus Ranch .............. 73■ RCC Western Stores ................ 1■ Real Tuff Inc .......................... 63■ Red Angus Association of America .............................. 17■ Rowse Rakes Inc .................... 40 ■ St. Onge Livestock Co. .......... 30 ■ Sandhills State Bank ............. 58 ■ Shearer Angus ....................... 65■ Sioux Nation Ag Center ........ 76 ■ Sonstegard Cattle Co. ........... 33 ■ Split Diamond Ranch .............. 3 ■ Stuart Concrete ..................... 46 ■ The NILE ................................ 41 ■ TSLN/FRE .................... 9, 17, 51 ■ TSLN/FRE Classifi eds ........... 64 ■ Waldo Realty ......................... 71 ■ Weller Ranch ......................... 26 ■ Willrodt Motors ............... 22, 25

Outside Premium Pages■ Sinclair Cattle Co.■ High Plains Genetics■ Agri-Best Feeds

2012 Fall Cattle JournalAdvertisersGUIDE

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�� BREED SHOW/SALE DATE TIMESAngus Mon., Jan. 28 Show • 9am/Sale • 1pm

Charolais Tues., Jan. 29 Show • 9am/Sale • 1pm

Hereford Wed., Jan. 30 Show • 9am/Sale • 1pm

Gelbvieh Thur., Jan. 31 Show • 8am/Sale • 1pm

Shorthorn Thur., Jan. 31 Show • 9:30am/Sale • 1pm

Red Angus Thur., Jan. 31 Show • 10am/Sale • 1pm

Limousin Fri., Feb. 1 Show • 8am /Sale • 1pm

Maine-Anjou Fri., Feb. 1 Show • 11am/Sale • 1pm

Simmental Sat., Feb. 2 Show • 8am/Sale • 1pm

Chi-Influence Sat., Feb. 2 Show • 10am/Sale • 1pm

Selling: Pregnant Recipients The Right To Flush Elite Embryo Packages

Contact Jim Scheel for more Information 605-545-1521

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Scott & Kim Ford(308) 876-2211

72862 C Road •Bertrand, NE 68927www.crossdiamondcattle.com

YourAge-Advantaged

Bull Headquarters

Join us for ourAnnual Production Sale

on December 10th!200 coming two-year-old Red Angus Bulls

20 open registered Red Angus Heifers

175 bred commercial Red Angus Heifers

Contact us for your catalog today!

Broadcast Live on Superior Livestock!

"The bulls we have purchased fromCross Diamond have been standouts fortheir durability, longevity, soundnessand ability to survive the tough condi-tions at the Bell Ranch in New Mexicoand our Kiowa, Colo. ranch. We reallyappreciate how the bulls hold up andlook forward to having their daughtersin our herds for years to come. Thesebulls are the right kind and they are sir-ing the right kind!"

Cheramie Viator- Silver Spur Marketing & GeneticsKris Wilson, Bell Ranch Division Manager



China Wall Ranch - Albany Country, Wyoming-6,535+/- deeded acres and 1,602+/- lease acres located in Sybille Canyon, between Laramie and Wheatland, Wyoming.-Three creeks run through the property providing water to most of the pastures. -There are also three spring fed watering tanks, as well as a solar powered well.-The ranch is cross-fenced into 6 pastures, with an abundance of forage and the many different canyons provide adequate protection for livestock and wildlife.Offered for $5,000,000

Grand Canyon Recreational Retreat - Crook, WyomingThe Grand Canyon Recreational Retreat is a unique recreational property tucked in the middle of the Black Hills National Forest. Located approximately 31 miles north of Newcastle, 41 miles from Spearfish, and 26 miles from Deadwood, off Highway 85 on Forest Service Road 107/807, this 145 +/- deeded acres of unfenced, raw land is surrounded by 1.2 million acres of National Forest. The property has no power, but it can be accessed only a few miles away. This acreage feels very remote, yet is only 3 miles from Highway 85, which is its best attribute. Offered for $580,000

Jackpot Ranch - Sundance, WyomingFor the first time in history, the Jackpot Ranch is being offered for sale. This legacy horse and cattle ranch is located approximately 8 mile west of Sundance, WY, just off I-90. The ranch consists of approximately 6,300 deeded acres, with another 320 acres of state of Wyoming lease acres and 280 BLM lease. Beaver Creek is a year-round stream that runs through the core of the ranch, a pipeline system supplies water to cisterns and stock tanks. There are approximately 6,200 mineral acres of the total 6,300 deeded acres intact. This is an incredibly diverse and productive ranch with tremendous wildlife populations.Offered for $10,395,000.

King Trust Land - Johnson County, WyomingThe King Trust Land is a rare opportunity to own a large acre parcel in the heart of Buffalo, Wyoming. Consisting of approximately 197 acres of irrigated grassland, this property has excellent views of the Bighorns, great home sites, unbeatable location and easy access off of North Bypass Road via King Lane. Located just outside of Buffalo city limits, with no zoning or covenants, the King Trust Land has endless opportunity for Buyers looking for residential or commercial development.Offered for $2,955,000

Pete Suhit Mountain Property - Johnson County, WyomingThe Pete Suhit Mountain Property (pronounced sweet) is an exceptional offering in the heart of the Big Horn Mountains. Consisting of 1,001 +/- acres of which 921 +/- acres are deeded and 80+/- acres are state of Wyoming lease, this parcel brings together a diversity of open grass range and timbered ridges. The Pete Suhit Mountain Property is easily accessed by turning south off of U.S. Highway 16, and traveling down the Hazelton Road two miles past Dullknife Reservoir. The southwest corner of the property and access is directly across from the Rome Hill Road turnoff. Price Recently Reduced to: $1,519,650

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Ty Hendrix - General Manager605-787-4808 Fax: 605-787-7127

13171 High Plains Place Piedmont, SD 57769


Ty Hendrix - General Manager

For All Your Bovine & Equine Reproductive Needs

Custom Collection Facility

Visit our website for details:www.high-plainsgenetics.com

Bovine Breeding Services: o Synchronizing o Artifi cial Insemination o Embryo FlushSemen Services: o Collection & Evaluations o Shipping o Freezing & Storage o CSS Accredited Facility

Equine Breeding Services: o Individual Mare Care o Stallion Management o Artifi cial Insemination

fresh, cooled shipped or frozen semen o Embryo Transfer

Consulting VeterinariansDr. James Myers, Bovine

Dr. W.J. Hines, Bovine Embryo

Sturgis Veterinary Hospital, Equine

Exceeding Industry Standards

Lena Red Pep Ideal 1281 Bravo

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866-601-6646call Today

Also Available: Redmond Natural Trace Mineral

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2012 Fall Cattle Journal

Documents

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