Magazine Contents - Feedlot · Low Stress Cattle Handling 26 Cattle handled correctly are very manageable New Way to Battle Lice 28 A look at some newer products on the market Cover

F E E D E R I N F O R M A T I O N H I G H L I G H T S

Volume XV Number 6 November/December 2007

Editor’s Desk — Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Maximizing Your Experience at Cattle Industry Trade Shows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Anaplasmosis Alert — Ensure Preventatives Are Used Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

American-style Feedyard Finds Way to Ukraine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Flavor More Important than Tenderness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

What It Takes to Be a CAB-Licensed Feedlot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Market Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

A Strategic Plan for Labor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Wet Distillers Grains…Increasing The Shelf Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Roughages…Many Choices for Effective Fiber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

South Dakota Indoor Feedlot Says Facility Offers Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Low Stress Cattle Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

New Way to Battle Lice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Carcass Ultrasound 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Timely Tips to Prevent Calf Scours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

New Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Magazine Contents

Circle No. 100 on Reply

Jill Dunkel

Volume XV Number 6

November/December 2007


Robert A. StrongPresident, Editor

Greg Strong Annita LorimorFeaturesEditor’s Desk 4

Change is part of the circle of life

Maximizing Your Experience at Trade Shows 6

Make the most of your time in a sea of booths

Anaplasmosis Alert 8

Ensure preventatives are used properly

American-style Feedyard Heads to Ukraine 10

Fulfilling a need for quality beef

What It Takes to be a CAB Licensed Feedlot 14

What are the terms of participation with CAB?

Market Notes 16

How does the market look heading into winter?

A Strategic Plan for Labor 18

Having a plan can aid in finding good workers

Wet Distillers Grains...Increasing the Shelf Life 20

Research ideas now for next summer

Roughages — Many Choices for Effective Fiber 22

Consider several types of hay

Indoor Feedlot Facility Offers Advantages 24

How two feeders revamped their feedyard pens

Low Stress Cattle Handling 26

Cattle handled correctly are very manageable

New Way to Battle Lice 28

A look at some newer products on the market

Cover Photo: The photo features a pen of cattle atRanger Feeders, four miles east of Dighton, Kan.They have been on feed 147 days and are a cross of English/English and English Exotic. The cattle are owned by Lamar Fullmer.

Visit FeedlotMagazine.com

www.feedlotmagazine.com

The cattle industry has changedas much over time as any other in-dustry. For example: shipping byrail to trucks, farmer feeders tolarger feeding operations, horsepower to mechanized machinery,flaked rations and feeder trucks.

If we take in new informationand adjust our lives or method ofoperation, we have changed.Whether we want to or not, we ad-just to the future. “Change is theprocess by which the future in-vades our lives.”

Writer Alvin Toffler, a famous fu-turist, professor of astronomy andformer editor of Fortune Maga-

zine, was known for discussing thedigital revolution, and the changesit was creating. One of his earlybooks, “Future Shock,” was pub-lished in 1970, 37 years ago.

At the start of reading Toffler’sbook about the future in 1970, hispredictions seemed almoststrange. But, by the time the bookwas finished, it was plain thechanges he talked about were tak-ing place, and they still are. It was-n’t just the changes, but of equalimportance was his explanation ofwhat had taken place at the time,and how it was shaping our future.He said, “change is not merely nec-essary to life – it is life.”

For instance he said: Man hasonly invented three things:

1. The use of Fire.2. The making of tools, and3. The transistor. The first two were easily under-

stood at the time. The third was new.The transistor – was the early

stage of the computer chip. Invent-ed in 1947, which produced thefirst programmable computer in1948, which led to the internet aswe knew it in 1993, and the digitalrevolution continues.

Toffler at the time, couldn’t pre-dict the extent we would utilize thecomputer or how it would be uti-lized in the cattle industry, for re-search, tracking results, grading orcattle I.D, and other uses.

One of the other things Tofflersaid, “The time between originalconcept and practical use has beendrastically reduced.” Accessibleknowledge and communicationshave played a big part in change.We now expect rapid change by theuse of technology.

As an example: The first self pro-pelled combine was built in 1886,but the first patent was issued in1814. The first commercial produc-tion was in 1937 in Canada, a 123year laps.

The first typewriter was patent-

ed in 1714, but it was the mid 1800’sbefore it was available. With cellphones and the internet, everythingmoves faster. Instrument grading ismoving fast. It’s not going to take123 years before we have it. In fact,we do now to a limited extent.

It has taken 58 years for digitaltechnology to reach its presentstate. Cell phones, faxes, computersand the internet are only in the in-fant stage of development and use.

Eventually we will be able totrack the mass of data and sepa-rate all the variables that may influ-ence cattle performance.

With the use of the cattle I.D.system, the history of each animal,birth date, when and how long theygrazed, which type of forage, wean-ing, backgrounding, vaccinations,trucking, weather factors such ashumidity, temperature, sun lightexposure, the list goes on and on.

Do cattle all have the same ge-netic capability? There has to bevariables we’re not seeing whichmake a big difference. In the futurewe will use more information andtechnology which will make lifemore interesting, predictable andprofitable for all of us and the cat-tle industry. Instrument grading,cattle I.D. and DNA profiling aregood examples. ♦

4 FEED•LOT November/December 2007

Editor’s Desk — Change by Bob Strong



As we enter the winter season,many state and local cattlemen’sand allied industry groups are busywith their annual conventions andtrade shows. The season usuallyculminates with the Cattle IndustryAnnual Convention and NCBATrade Show in late January or ear-ly February. These conventionsand the trade shows associatedwith them present cattlemen withan excellent opportunity to catchup with old friends and familiarizethemselves with new informationand technology available to ourever-changing industry.

As I began to prepare this arti-cle, I reflected back on my first ex-perience at NCBA. The year was1996. I was then an undergraduateand had a pot load of steers con-signed to video auction on one ofthe trade show days. Needless to

say, all the industry people I met,the commercial exhibits, and vastamount of information to be gath-ered, somewhat overwhelmed me.I spent the majority of three dayswandering around, visiting the ex-hibits with the most “bells andwhistles,” and trying to learn, andsee, and do all that I could. Look-ing back, I am quite sure that Iwould have been much more effi-cient and much less tired if I hadtaken the time to prepare.

According to an online article bySusan Friedmann, it is estimatedthat 39 percent of all trade show at-tendees spend less than eighthours actually at the show. At tradeshows, time is at a premium. In order to get the most from a trade show, have a clear strategy inmind. This means knowing whatyou need to accomplish before,


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during, and after the show. Before you go, try to secure a

hotel adjoining or very near theconvention center. While planning,list your personal and profession-al goals as they pertain to the tradeshow and begin to budget yourtime. Make use of pre-conventionmaterials for research, and thenprepare a list of exhibitors catego-rized as “must-visits” and “want to-visits.” Once this list is completed,think of specific questions to ask ateach stop. This will help to maxi-mize efficiency by minimizing un-productive conversation. Considermaking appointments with some ofyour “must-visits”, especially if abusiness relationship already ex-ists. If the trade show seems toolarge, think about using a “divideand conquer” strategy usingfriends, family and/or coworkers.Use a show guide or map and planyour route. Bring along a light bagto carry all the free “stuff” that youobtain and plenty of your businesscards. Remember to wear comfort-able shoes as trade shows are oftenlarge and can be tiring, especiallyfor us “country folk” not as accus-tomed to walking on concrete.

At the trade show, check yourcoat and bag. As you go along yourplanned route, don’t just grab anymaterial that you can, rather takeonly what is relevant. Offer yourbusiness card and ask that addi-tional information be mailed to youso you have less to carry. Use thetrade show to comparison shop, re-search a project or product, and togather information about yourcompetition, but don’t be too obvi-ous. Don’t be hesitant to ask forsamples, demos, trial offers andpricing. If possible, take advantageof any show specials and becomefamiliar with the latest industrytrends. There are often opportuni-ties to attend educational semi-nars, symposia, or workshops heldin the trade show area. Seize theopportunity to meet in person and“put the face with the name” ofthose you may already do business

with. Before leaving, be sure tocomplete the exit questionnaires inorder to let the organizers knowwhat you think.

After the show, categorize all thematerials that you obtained andmake notes while the experience isfresh in your mind. Denote particu-larly effective displays, concepts, ormaterials that you encountered. Besure to follow-up, where appropriate

with any contacts that you made. Ifyou contact an exhibitor after theshow, remind them where you foundout about their product or service.Keep in mind that a trade show is notjust a gathering of representativesand potential customers; it’s an expe-rience. With some research andproper planning, your time at thetrade show can be much more pro-ductive and pleasant. ♦

FEED•LOT November/December 2007 7Circle No. 106 on Reply

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Producers who have experi-enced anaplasmosis in their herdsmay look toward preventativemeasures. A common approach isto supplement cattle with an oralantibiotic (chlortetracycline, CTC)in either free choice mineral or arange meal supplement, accordingto sources with the Arkansas AgExtension. Keep in mind that acommon mistake is feeding a min-eral supplement that DOES NOTcontain a sufficient level of CTC.This means the mineral labelshould indicate a use for anaplas-mosis prevention, and the feedingdirections should provide con-sumption indications for cows ofvarious weights.

Since consumption can varywith free choice minerals, andsome cows may not even consumethe mineral at all, the second mostconvenient method of supplyingCTC is purchasing a commercial

range meal. Range meals are tradi-tionally fed to supply supplementalprotein when forage quality dimin-ishes during mid to late summer.Consumption of range meals isgreater than free choice minerals,and hand-feeding daily in a troughwill provide a more consistent con-sumption. The salt in the rangemeal also helps prevent overeatingat the bunk by boss cows.

Producers who regularly fer-tilize pastures may not see thebenefit from added protein sup-plementation on forage intakeand digestibility. A custom sup-plement blend utilizing loose soy-bean hulls, ground corn or ricebran as an alternative, cheapercarrier feedstuff may be preferredin this situation.

One should note, the less con-centrated a medicated feed addi-tive becomes, the greater the cost

of the medication on a per unit ba-sis. For example, the cost per unitof CTC in a 4-gram crumble willusually be more expensive than thecost of CTC in a 50-gram formula-tion. However, more concentratedforms of medicated feed additivesbecome difficult to mix on-farm,especially if mixing small batches.In the end, purchasing a commer-cially prepared supplement (min-eral or meal) may be the bestmanageable practice.

Since blood-sucking insects canbe carriers of the disease, pesticideapplications will limit disease ex-posure. A number of useful appli-cation methods for insecticidessuch as sprays, pour-ons, spot-ons,dust bags, back rubbers, feed sup-plements and ear tags are avail-able. When using insecticides, youshould always follow the manufac-turer’s recommendations to maxi-mize treatment results. ♦


Anaplasmosis Alert — Ensure Preventatives Are Used Properly



A Yankton, SD, engineeringfirm is helping a Ukrainian compa-ny bring beef – and lots of it – totheir country.

Dan Eisenbraun, engineer andowner of Eisenbraun and Associ-ates, said JSC Mlronovsky Hlebo-produkt chose his firm to designand build a 50,000-head feedlotnear Kiev after conducting a world-wide search for an engineeringcompany with experience in feed-lot construction. JSC leads theUkraine in poultry production andoperates one of the country’sbiggest oil mills.

“This company knows theircountrymen have a great desire tolive the Western lifestyle,” Eisen-braun said. “Beef is a big part ofthat lifestyle.”

Most of the Ukraine’s beef,which is not high quality, is raisedby individual producers. Often thesupply comes from dairy cattle that weren’t suitable for the dairyindustry, which accounts for thelack of quality.

In addition to the quality of thebeef, the quantity being producedis not near enough to allow formaking beef part of the country’s

daily diet. Chicken and swine,which are more prominent in thecountry’s diet, are currently morecostly than beef.

A lack of modern agriculturalequipment and outdated farmingpractices also play a role in the low quantities of beef available tothe public.

“It’s an interesting clash in cul-tures,” Eisenbraun said. “Most ofthe people in rural areas have a fewcows, five or six in a herd. They

farm small plots of ground andhave a pig or two, and maybe somechickens. They all seem to havelarge garden plots. There are freshvegetables everywhere.”

Because Eisenbraun and his en-gineers have worked with numer-ous feedlot projects, they’refamiliar with laws surrounding de-velopment of this kind of project.

“The Ukraine doesn’t have thesame kind of regulations we have inthe States,” Eisenbraun said. “But


American-style Feedyard Finds Way to Ukraineby Loretta Sorensen

Dan Eisenbraun (left), owner of Eisenbraun and Associates in Yankton, SD, isworking with his associate engineers, Todd Van Maanen (center) and Mark Johnson,to develop a 50,000-head feedlot in the Ukraine. The company they’re working withthere expects to see a steeply growing demand for beef products in the near future.

Circle No. 109 on Reply Circle No. 110 on Reply

this company is well aware that Eu-ropeans are very environmentallyconscious. They want to constructthe facility to make it as environ-mentally friendly as possible.”

The feedlot design encompasses593 acres. It includes approximate-ly 200 lots that will each hold 200head of cattle. When the project iscompleted, it will feature 10 milesof feed bunks and more than 31miles of fence. There are few build-ings in the project, but it does in-clude silos and grain bins.

Among the hurdles Eisenbraun’scompany has encountered are cul-tural differences in the construc-tion process. They’ve learned thata foreign approach to constructioncan vary greatly from American’straditional processes.

“In the Ukraine they use concretefor everything,” engineer Todd Van-Maanen said. “We discovered theydon’t build fence like we do, andthey’ve run into some trouble hiringcontractors for the work they need.There aren’t a lot of constructioncompanies there like you find in theStates. They’ve had to do somesearching to find contractors.”

The Ukraine gained independ-ence from the Soviet Union in 1992.While it was under Soviet rule, theUkraine was known as the Com-munist’s bread basket. The soil isvery fertile, with several feet of top-soil in many areas. Because of thequantity of grains produced there,JSC will obtain feed products fromthe local area. They will use a mixof corn, sunflower meal, wheat,milo, and barley.

Nutrients generated by thefeedlot will be recycled into JSCMlronovsky Hleboprodukt Farms.The company owns approximate-ly 148,000 acres in the Ukraine.Unlike their farming neighbors,JSC uses the latest types of farm-ing equipment.

“When we were there we saw alot of their equipment,” engineerMark Johnson said. “They have 17Caterpillar Challengers and brandnew combines.”

Construction plans for the feed-lot have been delayed due to a

stalled land purchase. Eisenbraunexpects that their firm will com-plete some redesign once JSC ac-quires an alternative property nextto their feedlot site.

Once the first feedlot is complet-ed, Eisenbraun’s firm will workwith JSC to complete three moresimilar projects. As far as Eisen-braun knows, once the feedlots arecompleted, they will comprise thelargest feedlot operation in Eu-

rope. He and his firm are lookingforward to the opportunity to beinvolved in the development ofJSC’s venture.

“Part of their challenge will beto make beef affordable and getpeople to say ‘Beef, it’s what’s fordinner.’ Time will tell, but it’s cer-tainly exciting to have the opportu-nity to work with a company likethis, “ Eisenbraun said. ♦



There’s been a lot of talk abouttenderness in the beef industrylately. Tenderness markers havebeen identified and bulls are mar-keted with much fanfare sur-rounding this single trait. Sotenderness must be king with theconsumer, right?

Not so fast, says Mark Miller,San Antonio Livestock Show dis-tinguished professor of meat sci-ence at Texas Tech University.

“Beef can fail due to flavor, too,”he says. “Once there’s enough ten-derness across the industry, thenwe have to focus on the flavor.”

Recent Texas Tech Universityresearch shows that 1,440 con-sumers actually placed more valueon flavor than on tenderness. Thegrand summary says flavor held 59percent of the importance in deter-mining if a cut of beef met the par-ticipant’s satisfaction level.Tenderness came in second at 25

percent, followed by juiciness.“They varied a little, but flavor

and tenderness were the most im-portant in every demographic,”he says.

“When 90 percent of the beef inthe U.S. meets tenderness thresh-olds, flavor is going to become themost important driver,” he says. Al-though more research needs to bedone on what factors influencebeef’s taste, Miller has an idea ofwhere to start.

“We know marbling has a big ef-fect on flavor,” he says. “A higherdegree of marbling increases theflavor,” he says.

The Texas Tech take-homepoint, Miller says, is that con-sumers don’t just want tender beef;they want tasty, tender beef. Theindustry must maintain its focus onassuring tenderness while facingthe fact that it must add more fo-cus on marbling. ♦

Flavor More Important than Tenderness



When like-minded producers work together, theycan accomplish more than the sum of their individ-ual efforts.

That’s why Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB)launched the Feedlot Licensing Program (FLP) in 1999.It gathers information on management and genetics ofAngus-type cattle in 63 feedlots in 12 states. More thanthat, it provides many good examples of cooperation.

“We’re all about a quality endpoint,” says Gary Fike,CAB feedlot specialist. “We’re interested in talking tomanagers of yards who want to dedicate at least partof their business to getting the most out of high-qual-ity, Angus-influenced cattle. Especially those who likethe interaction with cow-calf producers.”

The license defines the terms for FLP participation,including use of the CAB partner logo.

“We work more closely with these feedlots to helpthem collect data which they can use to manage cat-tle for Certified Angus Beef‚ brand premiums,” saysFike. Of course, cattle don’t have to be fed at CAB-li-censed feedlots to be eligible for the brand’s premiumsat licensed packing plants.

“CAB acceptance is solely determined by 10 scientif-ically based specifications, which are evaluated by


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USDA,” says CAB feedlot specialistPaul Dykstra. “Marbling—or suffi-cient quality grade—is the numberone hurdle that keeps cattle frommeeting our brand’s standards.”

Being a licensed partner is an in-dication to Angus producers that afeedlot manager does not view theircattle as average commodities. Thelicensed feedlot can provide somelevel of individual animal manage-ment for optimum results.

The FLP database helps CABidentify what prevents cattle frommarbling, among many otherthings. The company coordinatescarcass data collection and re-ports it back to feedlots and theircustomers.

“We can’t own cattle and our li-censed feedlots can’t feed them all,”says John Stika, CAB president.“But by working with Angus pro-ducers and this network of feedlots,we can gather information that willinfluence 100 percent of the cattle.”

That dataset now contains more

than 1 million detailed rows of car-cass data, returning a wealth of in-formation about what affects CABacceptance, says Fike. To make adifference with this data, dedicat-ed feedlots need to enroll pens ofcattle and help with the informa-tion flow, he says.

Jerry Bohn, manager of the40,000-head Pratt Feeders yard, saysit takes commitment at all levels.

“Our staff and our company wantto be known as a feeder of high-quality cattle,” he says. “They workreally hard to get good cattle, getthem into our system and then getthe information back to the owner.”

The last step is at least as impor-tant as the first one to Bohn, whowants to feed cattle that keep im-proving. “CAB helps us get that to the owners so they have infor-mation to digest and use to makechanges in their operations, whichin turn will be better for us and the consumer.”

Named for its proximity to Pratt,

Kan., the feedlot licensed in 2003.“We hoped to attract more of the

higher quality Angus cattle tofeed,” says Bohn. ♦


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The October Cattle on Feed re-port was released showing 96 per-

cent on feed from a year ago (aver-age trade estimate 95.7). Place-ments are 109 percent of a year ago(trade estimate 104.9). Marketing’scame in at 97 percent compared tolast year (average trade guess96.0). The report was consideredneutral for cattle.

Year to date, beef production is0.8 percent above last year whilecattle kill is 1.4 percent above.More cattle and less beef yet weare being told that packers and re-tailers are having trouble sellingthe beef.

Perhaps the uneasiness in theeconomy and the attack on discre-tionary income by the energy mar-ket is coming into play. Of course,the cheap competing meats, porkand poultry are catching the retailconsumer’s eye. Seasonally, boxbeef price should firm up into theend of the year along with the livecattle price. USDA projects fourth

quarter price for Choice Steers at91 to 95. The first quarter of 2008is projected between 90 and 96. Wetend to think that price will exceedthose levels as long as the econo-my holds together.

Corn price is likely to increasefrom the harvest lows. The latestsupply and demand report from theUSDA indicates US ending stocksat nearly two billion bushels, butonly 58 days of inventory left at theend of the season. Exports are ex-pected to increase by 125 millionbushels and corn for ethanol to in-crease 1.1 billion over last year.

The US is expected to have arecord crop of 13.3 billion bushelsbut usage at 12.6 billion bushels isrecord large as well. The USDAlowered ethanol use by 100 millionbushels from the September reportand the perception from the marketplace appears to be that the ethanol industry is slowing.


Market Notes by Luke Schwieterman, President, Schwieterman, Inc.


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However, over the last few tradingsessions, crude oil and unleaded gashave reached record levels. Themarkets perception of the ethanolindustry will probably change if en-ergy prices continue to rise.

World ending stocks for corn areprojected to increase five millionmetric tons but days of inventorywill be another dayless and the lowest inmodern history. Hereagain, production isslated to be recordlarge but usage isrecord large as well.

The shortage offeed wheat aroundthe world will spillover into the corn andsorghum market as asubstitute feed. Eventhough Europe is notlikely to import USGMO corn, they will import USsorghum. Should the US aggres-sively export sorghum supplies, UScorn feed use will need to increase.The marketplace seems to be morefocused on supply as opposed todemand. This time of year suppliesare the largest available.

From here on out, supplies willshrink as time goes on so, now is agood time to protect feed costs forthe rest of the year since the out-look for drastically lower prices

doesn’t look promising. USDA’sKeith Collins released their projec-tions for next year’s planted acres.The USDA thinks corn plantedacres will drop 6.6 million acreswhile bean acres will increase 6.3million acres along with an in-crease in wheat planted acres of3.6 million. A 6.6 million acre drop

in corn acres for the2008/09 crop year willbe supportive in pricein both old crop andnew crop.

We also suggestbuying put options oncattle and feeder cat-tle. Should the econ-omy stay in goodshape, prices willlikely trade steady toup over the next fewmonths. However,should the economy

soften and energy prices continuehigher, discretionary income willtighten and the retail consumer willseek out alternatives to high pricedbeef. We are optimistic, but cau-tious in these volatile times. ♦

Schwieterman, Inc. is a RegisteredCommodity Trading Advisor in GardenCity, Kansas. The information herein isbased on data obtained from recognizedstatistical sources believed to be reliable.However, such information has not beenverified by us, and we do not make anyrepresentations as to the accuracy orcompleteness. Past results are not nec-

essarily indicative of future results. Therisk of loss in trading commodity futurescontracts can be substantial. You shouldtherefore consider whether such tradingis suitable for you in light of your finan-cial condition. You may visit their website at www.upthelimit.com.


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The successful, forward-think-ing business person has an overallStrategic Plan for their businessthat includes a Vision Statement, aMission Statement, Specific Goalsand a Timetable for accomplishingthose goals. Greater competition,rising benefit costs and a shrinkinglabor pool for employers in agri-culture requires that we have anadditional Strategic Plan for ourlong-term labor needs.

A Strategic Plan for Labor re-quires a discussion of some toughquestions, such as:

• “Who will our labor force be inthe next five to 10 years and wherewill we find them?”

• “What will their experiencelevel be and how will we trainthem?”

• “What will the other employersin the area be offering five to 10

years from now and how will wecompete with them for employees?”

• “How will we keep the goodemployees we have?”

• “How can our business be-come the “Employer of Choice” inour area?”

• “What changes in technologycan we implement that will reduceour labor needs?”

• “How will we train our employ-ees in the use of new technologythat requires a higher level of

skill and knowledge?”• “How do we progressively re-

duce our labor costs while contin-uing to pay competitive wages andbenefits?”

These sample questions providea basic introduction to the issuesthat must be investigated to devel-op your strategy. As they are dis-cussed, it is essential to have anopen format, perhaps with a meet-ing facilitator, to assure that allideas are welcomed and that ac-tion steps are implemented.

Including a “SWOT” analysis inthis discussion can be extremelyhelpful. SWOT stands for yourStrengths, your Weaknesses, yourOpportunities, and “Threats” toyour business.

The plan needs to include a Vision for the labor force of the future, a Mission to help clarify


A Strategic Plan for Laborby Don Tyler, Tyler & Associates


The value of havingwritten Vision andMission Statements

cannot be over-emphasized.

their particular role in the busi-ness, specific Goals that can bemeasured to evaluate success,and a Timeline to keep theprocess moving on schedule.

The value of having written Vi-sion and Mission Statements can-not be over-emphasized. YourVision states the general directionand philosophy for the entire Com-pany. The Mission statement ismore specific, and reveals your val-ues and commitment in certain ar-eas. The Goals provide additionalspecifics, with action steps, whichperson is responsible for each ac-tion, and how the results will bemeasured. Providing a Timetable,with dates and expected accom-plishments, holds everyone ac-countable for doing their part.

It has been widely stated that,“Unwritten goals are just dreamswithout a plan.” The specific typesof goals that could be included inyour Strategic Plan might be; spe-

cific efficiency targets, establish-ing and following labor budgets foreach enterprise, hiring andturnover limits, certification andtraining goals, personal and pro-fessional development goals,measurable goals for employee sat-isfaction, recruiting goals, etc.

Developing the Strategic Planfor Labor will take time and dedi-cation. Be certain to include someof your more valuable, long-termemployees in the discussion, aswell as other professionals fromwhom you regularly seek adviceand counsel. The Vision Statement

alone will provide you with cleardirection as you consider businessopportunities and encourage goodemployees to stay with you.

For more detailed informationon how to develop a Strategic Plan(for the entire Company or just forLabor) with sample Vision and Mission Statements, Goals andTimelines, send an e-mail [email protected] with your re-quest and questions. ♦

For assistance with employee

management issues, or for refer-

ence materials on these subjects,

call Don or review his manage-

ment book, “The Complete Guide

To Managing Agricultural

Employees ©” and his new audio

series, “Introduction To Com-

munications ©”. They can be re-

viewed at www.dontyler.com, or

contact Don Tyler; Tyler & Associ-

ates, at 765-523-3259.


It has been widelystated that,

“Unwritten goalsare just dreamswithout a plan.”

Shelf life concernsWet distiller grains with solubles

(WDGS) have outstanding feed val-ues, however they come with somemanagement concerns. As we ap-proach the winter months, preserv-ing WDGS or extending the shelflife of these products is not as im-portant as in the hot, wintermonths. But often, winter is thebest time to consider viable op-tions for a summer problem. Re-searching different options nowcan make the decision makingprocess easier in the spring andsummer, when the “heat is on,” soto speak.

No doubt, WDGS need a morestable shelf life. This is particular-ly true during hot weather, but can occur any time of the year. Cat-tle operations need consistent

product without fear of “throwingcattle” off feed. WDGS can becomeless palatable after it leaves the dis-tillery and is stored at the feedlot,farm or dairy. This can begin as

quickly as two days in the summerfor the wet material.

The practical way is to add a pre-servative to WDGS. A prescribedamount of a preservative ispumped on the solubles and then

blended with the distillers grains.The preservative companies do notrecommend adding the preserva-tive at the farm or feedlot. Theyprefer it be added at the ethanolplant as the solubles are blended.

Kemin’s preservativeadditive

Western Wisconsin Energy fromBoyceville, Wisconsin, treat theirdistillers grains with Kemin’sZeniPro ™. They reported to Feed-Lot Magazine that in their marketarea the WDGS is used by bothfeedlots and dairy farms. They aretreating only part of their productson a demand basis. Their “modi-fied distillers grains,” as they calltheir WDGS, is 40-50 percent drymatter from a two step dryingprocess. They are working for a 12-14 day shelf life at the feedlot or


Wet Distillers Grains…Increasing The Shelf LifeReport and comments by James I. Sprague, PhD Livestock Nutritionist

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WDGS can becomeless palatable after

it leaves thedistillery in as

quickly as two daysin the summer forthe wet material.

farm in the summer. They stressthe cooler the weather the longerthe shelf life. They reported thatthe representative of the KeminCompany helped them with the in-stallation of equipment to pumpthe preservative on to the WDGS.

Alltech’s preservativeadditive

Golden Triangle Energy Compa-ny of Craig, Missouri shared infor-mation with Feed-Lot Magazineabout their program. They treattheir “wet cake” as they call theirWDGS with a product from Alltechcalled “CakeGuard™” to increasethe shelf life. The product is treat-ed by blending the distillers grainand the solubles as it is conveyedto their concrete slab for load out.It may be shipped immediately oroccasionally may be held one totwo days. Their customers are lo-cal and up to 120 miles to feedlotsand dairies. They recommend thatthe treated WDGS be used in oneweek to ten days. They only treattheir “wet cake” in the summermonths. They will continue in thefall until October depending on theweather. During the winter the de-mand for their WDGS is high andthe use rate appears to be morerapid by their customers. They re-port excellent repeat businessfrom their customers.

Storage and shelf life of WDGS

Most feedlots and dairy will notstore WDGS, however smaller op-erations may use “ag bags” or pur-chase treated WDGS. Prompt useof the WDGS will be the standardprocedure if it is not stored in ei-ther plastic bags or preserved withan additive. Cattle operators mon-itor the condition of WDGS and dis-card products that are out ofcondition. Depending on the costof treatment, preservative addi-tives will help insure the safety ofthis perishable feed ingredient.

It appears most wet distillersthat are stored in a plastic storage

system keep well for severalmonths. This has been successful-ly demonstrated with research tri-als at West Texas State University,South Dakota State University

Dairy Science Department and oth-er stations. It comes in very hot (upto 190 degrees F) and usually is al-lowed to cool for 24 to 48 hours be-fore it is packed in the storage

bags. If the product is deliveredpromptly from the day of produc-tion to the feedlot and does not getcontaminated, then a preservativeadditive may not be needed. But ifthere is a delay in delivery and stor-age, then spoilage may develop. Ifair is left in the bags or the bags aredamaged, the wet distillers grainmay go out of condition. Very pu-trid spoilage will begin to form inthe spots where oxygen can reachthe wet distillers.

Comments by the author Regarding storage in storage bag

systems, it is the opinion of this nu-tritionist that it is safer to haveWDGS treated with a preservativeif it will be stored for any length oftime, and particularly if stored dur-ing the summer. ♦

Comments on this or any article by

Dr. Sprague can be directed to him at

625 Grandview, Newton, Kansas,

67114 or call him at 316-283-8692.

FEED•LOT November/December 2007 21

During the winter,the demand for

their WDGS is highand the use rate

appears to be morerapid by their

customers.

— Golden Triangle

Energy Company


22 FEED•LOT November/December 2007Circle No. 128 on Reply Circle No. 129 on Reply

Grass hay not forgotten Grass hay has a definite role for

growing and feedlot rations. Forexample, in eastern Kansas in 2007,spring rains have stimulated har-vesting prairie hay and brome hay.This hay is competitively pricedcompared to other roughages.

Grinding or processing of grasshay is interesting compared to al-falfa hay. The effective roughagefactor is not destroyed as much aswith alfalfa hay.

Processing withoutgrinding

New methods of processingroughages by cutting or choppingwith knives are an ideal methodof processing grass hay for com-plete mixed rations. Some ofthese machines are also used toprocess bedding.

Kansas State University, at their

2007 Beef Stocker Conference,demonstrated the use of a “Roto-Mix Round Bale Slicer” for pro-cessing round baled hay for theirstocker unit (see picture courtesyof Dr. Dale Blasi.) They report theycan mix the sliced hay with otheringredients for a total mixed ration.

Caution is needed in attempt-ing to mix long roughage in somemixers because of binding underthe augers or paddles. At KSU,they use a small bale processingattachment on top of the mixer forfurther processing.

Ground corn stalks or straw

The material handling, includingall the steps of harvesting, bailing,transporting, and grinding this very“rough” feedstuff, has stimulatedthe use of corn stalks and straw in feedlot rations. Yet its use for

bedding in confinement feeding ar-eas of the Corn Belt and the north-ern plains of the US and Canadahas increased the price. Straw orstalks at one to five percent of beeffinish rations is often used withhigh levels of wet distillers grainsfor effective fiber.

Alfalfa Although tub ground alfalfa hay

is the standard roughage in manyfeedyards, the increased price hasled to the use of alternativeroughages. Drought in many areasplus competition for quality alfalfaby dairy farms are some of the fac-tors of increased price of alfalfa hay.

The availability of corn glutenfeed and distillers grains with sol-ubles with their protein credit havedecreased the value of the proteinin alfalfa hay.

Processing alfalfa hay by grind-ing has destroyed part of the

Roughages…Many Choices for Effective FiberReport by James I. Sprague PhD Livestock Nutritionist

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effective roughage factor. This, inturn, encouraged the considerationof other roughages with more of arumen “scratch factor.”

Even with high prices, alfalfahay has advantages for feedlot ra-tions. It is readily available on thehigh plains of the U.S. A feedlot canalmost always count on a supplyfor their feedyard.

Silages With the price of corn for live-

stock and ethanol production, cornsilage and earlage may diminish asroughage source for feedlot cattle.

Alfalfa silage is used for feedlotrations. It not only adds theroughage factors, but the cut by theforage chopper gives a more uni-form length of particles comparedto ground alfalfa hay. Grass and al-falfa-brome silages are used in theeastern part of the US. One of theadvantages of grass silage is gettingthe crop off and not worry aboutweather delays of hay harvest.

Small grain silages areoutstanding succulentroughage.

Roughage factorsNutritionists and feed-

lot managers will evaluatethe different sources ofroughages based on avail-ability, consistency, quali-ty and of course price. Theroughage factor will be a“judgment call” based onvisual evaluation followedby fiber tests. For exam-ple, I use a large white pa-per and spread out asample of hay and evalu-ate the length of the cutand proportion of fine ma-terial. A method for evaluating adried sample of corn silage by sep-arating particle sizes is possible andaccomplished in the field by somenutritionists. Then they will usechemical test for fiber; either ofcrude fiber, acid detergent or

neutral detergent fiber to estimatethe energy value and an “effectivefiber’’ value. Protein analysis willgive a credit or debit to the evalua-tion process. Then nutritionists andmanagers can evaluate alternativeroughage sources. ♦


Roughages can be supplied in many different ways,including with a bale slicer. This Roto-Mix RoundBale Slicer mounted on a tractor is another methodof feeding hay. Photo by Dale Blasi, KSU.

building has a steeply sloped roofwhich leaves the structure open tothe south, to ensure that the cattlehave plenty of sunshine and air. Onthe north, between the roof and thefloor, a 10-foot opening with a cur-tain feature allows the Vannors-del’s to open the area for increasedventilation or close it during ad-verse weather conditions.

Six 85 by 120 foot pens hold upto 300 cattle each. A 50-foot wideworking bay in the middle of thebuilding provides a squeeze chutethe Vannorsdels use to administervaccinations or medicine.

Because they toured nearly 20similar feedlots before finalizingthe design of their own, the Van-norsdels had a good idea of what toexpect when they moved their cat-tle to the new facility. What theyappreciate about their new processis a significant reduction in main-tenance requirements.

“We spent quite a bit of timekeeping the mud out of that out-door lot,” Merlin says. “Snow wasprobably our worst problem. Youhad to move it away from the feed-lot or it would melt and keep thelot muddy for a long time.”

Just four to eight inches of mudcan reduce feed intake by five to 15

Merlin Vannorsdel and his sonScott of Viborg, South Dakota, arenot newcomers to the cattle busi-ness. Merlin’s father establishedtheir first outdoor feedlot in 1948when he began farming the landwhere Merlin and Scott still live.

A small stream on their proper-ty initially ran through their feed-lot. As the years went by and theVannorsdel’s considered how they

could remain in compliance withDepartment of Natural Resourcesregulations and maintain their beefproduction, they began research-ing their options.

“We didn’t have room for a la-goon,” Merlin says. “We didn’t wantto get out of the cattle business, sowe opted for an indoor feedlot.”

The Vannorsdel’s feedlot is 770feet long and 100 feet wide. The


South Dakota Indoor Feedlot Says Facility Offers Advantagesby Loretta Sorensen



percent, reduce daily gains by 25 to37 percent, and significantly in-crease the amount of feed requiredper pound of gain. Because theyare well aware of the negative af-fect a wet feedlot can have on cat-tle, the Vannorsdels were diligentabout monitoring the conditions oftheir cattle yard. Providing thatkind of care meant that their per-sonal schedules had to be flexibleenough to address the needs of thecattle on any given day.

With their indoor facility, theVannorsdels can maintain condi-tions of the lot more consistentlybecause weather conditions nolonger directly affect the areawhere the cattle are housed.

“Now we know we clean thefeedlot once a week, the same dayevery week, and we know abouthow much time it will take,” Mer-lin says. “That makes everythingelse a little bit easier. The time weset to work with our cattle isn’t allspent on maintaining yards. It’s stillwork, it’s just different work.”

To keep the feedlot pens fromfreezing in the winter, the Vannors-dels must maintain enough animalsin each pen.

“Once it freezes,” Merlin says,“it’s hard for the cows to get aroundin that pen. It’s like trying to walkon rocks.”

Monitoring the health of their

cows in the indoor feedlot re-quires close inspection on a dailybasis because cattle can’t with-draw from the herd if they are ex-periencing problems.

“It’s just harder to spot a cowthat’s having a problem,” Merlinsays. “Once we do see a cow thatneeds to be treated or separatedfrom the herd, it’s a little easierwhen they’re confined like this.”

The Vannorsdels maintained anoutdoor lot for part of their cattleand have noticed that summer heat

isn’t as much of a problem for thecattle in the indoor lot becausethey are always shaded. The build-ing is constructed to draw a breezethrough the area too. They believethat will result in a more consis-tent gain for the cattle held inside.

“You have a lot more controlover the conditions that cattle arein,” Merlin says. “That may bemore true in the summer than inthe winter. Still, the cattle aren’t as exposed to the weather in thewinter either.” ♦


A 50-foot working bay located in the center of the Vannorsdel’s feedlot allows them toseparate and treat their cattle as necessary.

www.sartec.com 800-472-7832®

Steve Cote, Conservationistwith USDA NRCS (Natural Re-sources Conservation Service) Dis-trict at Arco, Idaho, gives seminarson how to improve cattle handlingmethods. “I learned about live-stock handling from Bud Williams.The way cattle are handled is a lot

of the problem in cattle stress. Youcan prevent weaning stress thatcauses sickness and poor gains,”he says.

“With a different way of han-dling, you stress cattle less andhave more control over them. Youcan move large herds all mothered

up, with no wadding up. Cattledon’t take off to get away fromeveryone like they do when pushedtoo hard. If you move cattle in away they feel they are still in con-trol, they cooperate. They don’tfeel forced, and can be with theircalf, so they are not upset. If youmove cows mothered up, theymove very well.”

With his methods, he can loadcattle into a trailer out in the mid-dle of a field without any help--noteven a dog or horse. “If you do itright, they’ll go in the trailer andstay there, even if you don’t shutthe tailgate.”

At seminars he shows ways tosort cattle, how to take cattle awayfrom a bunch, put a cow into a penand leave the gate open-- and haveher stand quietly. He demonstrateshow to place cattle in rotationalsystems--without any fences, and

the cattle (about 25 of them) willstay on 5 to 7 acres. They go to wa-ter and drink, then go back towhere he put them, every day.

You must quit forcing cattle, anduse methods they understand. “It’svery important to give them relieffrom pressure. Most people shoveand pressure cattle and keep press-ing even if the cow goes the rightdirection, so she rebels. Also,you’ve got to give them a second tofigure it out. Cattle must under-stand what you want, and the han-dler has to operate in a way thatcattle know there IS relief frompressure,” he says.

“If you walk directly toward theside of an animal, it should walkstraight ahead. If you walk with thedirection of flow, cattle will stop as


Low Stress Cattle Handling by Heather Smith Thomas


If you handle themright, it produces

a manageableanimal.

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you go by their shoulder. If youwalk against them, parallel to thedirection they’re going, towardstheir back end-- straight by them--they speed up. If they’re walking,they should pick up the pace, andif they are stopped, they shouldstart walking,” he explains.

If you handle them correctlythey react to the handling ratherthan the facility. Some people doeverything at once, processing cat-tle, because they aren’t able to getthe cattle back into the corral andchute again that easily. But withcattle that are well handled, youcan bring them in, give them a shot,turn them out, bring them back todehorn or brand, and bring themback in again.

If you handle them right, it pro-duces a manageable animal.

“It’s a great way to handle cat-tle. It doesn’t cost anything to do,and sickness rate plummets.When I used to receive calves at afeedlot, it was typical to have

them mill around the pen; the bosswould tell me to leave them alonefor a few days until they quitmilling and get settled. They goaround in a group kicking up dust,and stressed, not eating much, andlose weight,” he says.

“Bud taught me how to receivecalves. As soon as they come in,they should be worked gently, totake the stress off from shipping. Ihave them put their minds on meby asking them to do some simplethings. Within 45 minutes I havethem all on feed and water; the cor-ral is quiet, rather than three orfour days of bawling,” says Cote.

“If you handle them right, cattleare quiet and comfortable. Theydon’t get sick as readily. I thoughtat first that cattle were tough, butthey are not that tough--especiallycalves. They get sick easily. If youmishandle them, sickness skyrock-ets. Many people are saying thateven doing this half right has re-duced their sickness,” says Cote.♦

FEED•LOT November/December 2007 27Circle No. 135 on Reply Circle No. 136 on Reply

Lice are profit robbers, reducing weight gains andmaking animals more susceptible to disease--especial-ly during colder months when lice populations in-crease. There are several methods for controlling lice,including injectable and pour on products. One rela-tively new product is called Clean Up.

Dr. Jack Lloyd, recently retired from University ofWyoming, says the chemical in this topical pour on hasbeen around for quite awhile, but was not made avail-able for control of ectoparasites such as lice until re-cently. “We did research many years ago on this forlice control, and were very impressed with it, and re-ported on it. But nothing happened with it for years.Then three years ago Boehringer Ingelheim made itavailable for lice and horn fly control,” says Lloyd.

“There are two active ingredients. One is difluben-zeron (dimilin), an insect growth regulator that hasbeen available for horn fly control as a bolus, for sev-eral years.” For horn fly control, the ingredient in thebolus goes into the manure and kills developing flymaggots by inhibiting their growth.

“The other ingredient in the lice product is perme-thrin, which doesn’t do much on sucking lice but con-trols chewing lice. The best thing about Clean Up is thedimilin which is effective against both types of lice. Weare excited about this product. The insect growth reg-ulator is not toxic to humans. It affects the cuticle ofthe immature insect so it can’t go from one stage to thenext so it dies in the molting process,” explains Lloyd.

The cattle product is a pour on that’s easy to use; itdoesn’t have to be mixed. It’s ready to use right out ofthe container, to be poured along the backline of theanimal. “It then moves through the hair coat and tendsto cover the whole animal, but is not systemic. It is notabsorbed at all; it stays on the surface. The dimilinseems to be quite residual. Researchers in Australiafelt it lasts a long time,” he says.

“It probably lasts several months.” Sometimes,however, it is necessary to retreat, if treated animalsget exposed to animals with lice before winter is overand become reinfested, or were underdosed when theywere treated, or maybe one got missed. If you mixtreated and untreated cattle, or if they have fencelinecontact, the treated animals become exposed again.

“If an animal shows evidence of lice or is itching be-fore winter ends, you can administer another dose ofpour on (depending on the product and label). Usual-ly by the time you notice the cattle itching again, how-ever, the lice populations are going down again.”Warmer weather tends to inhibit them. One treatmentwith Clean Up usually gets cattle through the winterpretty well. It’s a relatively inexpensive product, com-pared with some of the systemic products being used.


New Way to Battle Liceby Heather Smith Thomas

FE

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•LO

T’S

CO

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ALF

FEED•LOT’S COW CALF


www.newportlabs.com

Another new topical product isavailable for lice control, an EliLilly product called Elector (ac-tive ingredient Spinosad). This isa pour-on also, but not systemic.The active ingredient is a materi-al produced by micro-organismsand has a different mode of actionthan other products.

According to Richard Hack atEli Lilly, Spinosad is an organicmolecule derived from a fermenta-tion process and is in a differentclass than pyrethroids ororganophosphates. This producthas been available in the U.S. forfour years and can be used as apour-on or spray. The battle againstlice is ongoing, every fall and win-ter, but research keeps coming up


FE

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ALF

Lice typically affect cattle during coldermonths. They reduce weight gains andmake animals susceptible to disease.

Carcass Ultrasound 101By Patrick Wall, Dir. of Communications, National CUP Lab

With all of the incentives to raiseChoice and Prime cattle, it’s easy tosee why so much selection pressurehas been placed on marbling. How-ever, how ultrasound “measures”marbling often needs an explana-tion. Percent Intramuscular Fat, or%IMF, is the common ultrasoundterm for marbling, but it needs fur-ther explanation.

In short, %IMF is simply an in-dicator trait for marbling, muchlike Birth Weight EPD is an indica-tor of calving ease. With high mar-bling EPDs and carcass qualitygenetics demanding top dollar inthe sale ring, it is extremely im-portant producers understandwhat they are buying.

The major difference between%IMF and marbling is that %IMF isa numeric objective measure,whereas marbling is subjective tothe eye of the grader. The correla-tion is usually around +.70 to +.80between the two measures. In or-der to accurately predict USDAmarbling score using ultrasound,the same grader would need to be used for every research trial. Asa result, a chemical extraction

procedure was adopted, using thepercentage of intramuscular fat inthe ribeye muscle. The collectionof %IMF comes from taking a thinslice of the ribeye in the cooler. Thesteak is then frozen, ground up,and ether extract analysis deter-mines the fat percentage from asub-sample of the ribeye. Thus, alive animal with an ultrasound es-timate of 4.0%IMF should also pro-duce a carcass with a ribeye steakthat has 4.0 percent fat within it.

This method captures saturatedand unsaturated fat cells, both ofwhich contribute to the eating ex-perience of the consumer. USDAGraders can only measure fat ormarbling they can see when assess-ing quality grade. Typical chainspeed in a harvest facility oftendoes not give ample time for somefats to “bloom” or whiten beforethe carcass is stamped for quality.As a result, some animals are sentto a “re-grade” rail in the cooler toallow more time for fat cells to ap-pear to the human eye.

Some High Select carcasses willactually reach Low Choice if giventhis opportunity. ♦

with effective products to help thestockman in that fight. ♦


Calf scours can cause majoreconomic losses for cow/calf pro-ducers, as great as 50 percentdeath losses in severe situations,according to Iowa State Universi-ty research. Some calves die ofscours. While some do recoverwith treatment; scours treatmentcosts valuable time and money. Inaddition, research shows calvestreated for scours weigh as muchas 35 pounds less at weaning thanhealthy calves.

The good news is the occur-rence of calf scours can be mini-mized and often preventedthrough management practicesthat reduce exposure and enhanceimmunity to the common scourspathogens. Minimizing or prevent-ing scours is a multistep, manage-ment-reliant endeavor thatinvolves three tiers: the animal, theinfectious agents responsible for

the illness and the environment.Simply put, sanitation, animal

management and vaccination arethe key starting points for scourprevention, reminds John Rodgers,DVM and veterinarian with PfizerAnimal Health, Fairmont, Minn.

“Develop a plan to clean up calv-ing areas from last season to re-duce the concentrations of scourspathogens,” Rodgers says. “In allactuality, the environment shouldbe the first variable that producersconsider, as wet, unsanitary condi-tions and mud can be primary cul-prits behind calf scours.”

It’s also important to work withyour local veterinarian to choose ademonstrated, broad-spectrumvaccine and plan vaccination forthe cows and heifers prior to calv-ing, but not too early.

“We know production ofcolostral antibodies begins about

five weeks prior to calving andpeaks at two weeks pre-calving. Toensure the cow’s passive immuni-ty is at optimum levels, vaccinationand revaccination should be doneaccording to labeled directions,and ideally close to calving, so im-portant antibodies are as high aspossible in the cow’s colostrum,”Rodgers explains.

“The vaccination window for aproduct such as ScourGuard® 4KCcoincides well with the peak in thecows’ colostral antibody levels,”Rodgers continues. “Initial vacci-nation with ScourGuard 4KC re-quires two shots given three weeksapart with the second dose giventhree to six weeks prior to calving.For cows vaccinated with Scour-Guard in previous years, an annu-al booster should be given 3 to 6weeks prior to calving.” ♦


Timely Tips to Prevent Calf Scours


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See-Through Visibility • Swivel Clevis Hitch• Available in 10’, 12’ & 14’ Widths• Lift Height at Blade Edge - 23”

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WEST POINT IMPLEMENT, INC.2074 So. Hwy. 275 / West Point, NE 68788 (402) 372-2408

WEST POINT DESIGN, INC.2074 So. Hwy. 275 / West Point, NE 68788 (402) 372-2408

THE QUALITYSPEAKS FOR

ITSELF!

• 16 or 20 Ton Capacity• 6’ x 20’ or 7’ x 20’ Box• 20 or 22 Ton Truck Mounted Spreader

w/7’ x 20’ or 7’ x 22’ Box Available• Variable Speed Apron with

Heavy-Duty Double Apron Chain• Tandem Oscillating Running Gear• High Floatation Tires• Heavy-Duty Frame & Components• Aggressive Distributor with Curved

Teeth for Even Spread of Material• Box Made from No Rust Composite Material

New and Improved Distributor24 teeth per bar for an improved, finerdistribution of material. This benefitsthe no till and minimum tillage farmer.

Introducing the optional Spread-All Spinner attachmentFeatured Benefits Wider pattern ofdistribution and the capabilities of a lower tonnage spread per acre dependingon consistency of the material.

Photo is shown with optional scarifer attachmentBenefits of this attachment is that it loosens hardened soil so blade can cut andremove excess soil and by products. This reduces cut and fill time by at least a third.

PROCESSING, SORTING and SHIPPING LAYOUTSBy World Famous Dr. Grandin — Originator of Curved Ranch Corrals

CUSTOM DESIGN SERVICE AVAILABLE

Proven designs used by the largest cat-tle companies. Drawings for gates,hinges, latches, V-chute, crowd tub,sorting pens and loading ramp plus cat-tle behavior information.

BOOK OF LAYOUTS $55 Check/MOFor Large & Small OperationsINSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO on low

stress cattle handling.VHS $59 – DVD $68

DVD set includes additionalSpanish video and picture CD

GRANDIN LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS3504 North Shields / Fort Collins, CO 80524

970-229-0703www.grandin.com

AgriculturalEngineeringAssociates

Phone: 1-800-499-5893www.agengineering.com

Three Decades of Technical LeadershipEQIP Technical Service Provider• Feedlot Design• Shipping / Receiving Facilities• Processing / Sorting Facilities• Environmental Permitting and Compliance• Natural System

Grass Filters, Buffer StripsConstructed WetlandsInfiltration Areas

• Water Supply and Distribution• Ethanol Production

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Check Out This Great Selection of Used Mixers

Bill’s Volume Sales, Inc.PO Box 277 • Central City, NE 68826

800-658-4375

BJM Sales & Service, Inc.RR1, Box 870 • Hereford, TX 79045

806-364-7470

USED MIXER SALE


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Livestock Waterers

SUPERIOR FEATURES:• Electric heat or constant flow models (available in all sizes

with custom designing available)• New frost preventer available• Unique, easy-clean brass drain• Stainless steel trough• Thick-walled, insulated and reinforced steam cured

concrete frame• Brass water inlet to high volume, trouble-free valve system

Hereford, Texas

800-299-8265www.superiortanks.com

Ferrell-RossFlaking Mills

FlakeMaster Mills are available in a size to fit your capacity needs from 18 x 36, 20 x 36,

20 x 42, 24 x 48, 24 x 56, 28 x 56 to 32 x 68

High Capacity, Energy Efficient, UnmatchedDependability, Low Maintenance, Lower Cost/Ton

Ferrell-Ross is the original, a pioneer in Steam Flakingwith designs often imitated, but never duplicated.

Ferrell-RossRoll Manufacturing Inc.

Hereford, Texas 800-299-9051www.ferrellross.com [email protected]

24 x 56 Dual-DriveFlakeMaster

MANUFACTURING, INC.

877-370-4948FAX #: (402) 371-9117

WEBSITES:

www.gentleroll.comwww.ebmmanufacturing.com

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Since 1975

C&S CATTLE EQUIPMENTSales 800-257-0097

Cummings Sales, Inc. / Garden City, KS

email: [email protected]

Now you canbuy the C&SCommercialProcessorChute andattach any ofour headgates.

SAVES YOUMONEY.

Scissors Head Gates

Rotary Head Gates

Ultra-SlideHead Gates


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★ Insect Control — Mosquito (West Nile),grasshopper, flies

★ Pasture & Range — Fence rows, roadditches, brush, and thistle

★ Livestock Fly Control — Cow/calf, dairy,feedlots, swine, and poultry confinements

★ Specialized Uses — Cities, parks camp-grounds, fly, mosquitoes, and tick control

877-924-2474www.mistsprayers.com [email protected]

Sport Utility Ranger Super Duty

Spray up to 140’ without Booms!High Performance PTO or Engine

Driven Mist Sprayers, Blowers,Foggers, Parts & Accessories

Ask Us About Organic Insect Control

Dirks EarthmovingPrecision Land Forming

• Livestock Pen Shaping• Lagoon Construction• Conservation Practices• Site Preparation • Laser Equipped

Richard Dirks - Scott City, KS

1-877-872-3057cell # - 620-872-1793

Call Toll Free

While the truck is unloading theloader is refillingthe BatchBox.

THE BATCH BOXGIVES YOU 1/3 MORE USE

OF FEED TRUCKS WITH 1/3 LESS MAN HOURS

STREAMLINE YOUR FEEDING WITH A

BATCH BOX402-843-5671

feedingsystems.biz

Feeding Systems, LLC309 Plantation St. • Elgin, NE 68636

Holcomb Feedlot Scraper withRemovable Chisel

620-277-2333Box 249 / Holcomb KS 67851

• Heavy construction withremovable chisel points.

• 10,000 lb. hub and spindels.Ideal for chiseling along fencelines, waterers and any place

where manure is packed. Various sizes available.

Toll Free: 800-832-1113Phone: 830-757-1181

Fax: 830-757-1468



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Bowman Livestock Equipment Company

America’s PremierCattle Handling EquipmentBOW MAN

785-258-3991www.bowmanlivestockequipment.com

[email protected]

Attention Feed Lot Managers! — The Bowman Heavy Duty XL Hydraulic Squeeze Chute is theheaviest chute available on the market today. Weighing in at 3200 lbs, all hydraulic, this chute has nolinkage to wear out and a very quiet power unit. The Heavy Duty XL Hydraulic Squeeze Chutemeasures 8 feet 8 inches long, with a 30 inch wide floor and is 6 feet in height. This chute isdesigned to stand up to the demands of large Feed Lots.

OPTIONS:• Hydraulic head bender • Headgate extentions• Hydraulic adjustable bottom • With or without a tilt option


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ROBERTS TRUCK CENTER4354 Canyon Drive / Amarillo, TX 79109

800-692-4430 806-355-9771www.robertstruckcenter.com

We Carry the Full Line ofKuhn Knight Mixers

Mounted on Internationalor Kenworth Trucks.

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Let your advertising dollar work for you.Advertising in FeedLot Magazine will

bring the customers that you are looking for. Call 1-800-747-7575 to find out more.

“I like the quality. They’re goodheavy bunks, with straight backs,fronts and a flat bottom. The insideedges are curved or filled in. Makingthe bunks much stronger. There bigbunks but that doesn’t pose anyproblem. We’ve had some 2 weightcattle in here and there wasn’t anytrouble. The guys that deliveredthem were real professionals, theysaid they would be here at daylight and they were. They put them in and were out of the way.”Rick Tyree

OwnerAlva, Oklahoma

CONCRETE INDUSTRIES

CALL TODAY...1-800-545-7411

620-275-7591111 J.C. Street Box 599Garden City, KS 67846

divisionof U.B.C.


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POUNDS PER SQUARE FOOT

FOR ANYWHEREANIMALS MAY SLIP

• Processing Areas • Livestock Trailers• Alley and Walk Ways • Horse Trailers

Double D Family Mat Shop, Inc.CALL 1-785-673-4326RT 1 Box 18, Park, KS 67751

www.ddfamilymats.net

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Midwest Mixer of Dodge City1501 South Second

Dodge City, KS 678011-800-280-7150

Midwest Mixer of Scott City1523 South Main

Scott City, KS 678711-800-280-7251

We offer a full line of

Kuhn Knight and Harsh Mixers.

www.midwestmixer.com

450-550 Head Spayed/Day• Better Grazing & Feedlot Gains

• No Pregnancies & Riding• Eliminate Estrous Suppression Drugs

• Eliminate Preg Checking Costs• Co-mingle Steers & Heifers

• Fewer Prolapses• Happier Neighbors and Customers

• Vaginal Spaying Eliminates IncisionScarring & Flank Damage

Daryl Meyer, DVM

1-800-494-1045

HEIFERSPAYINGSERVICES






ROLL CORRUGATING& GRINDING SERVICE

Four U.S. Locations

• Creason Corrugating & Machinery Co., Inc.Wichita, KS • 800-644-0061

• Creason Corrugating Co.Chattanooga, TN • 888-797-1983

• Utah Machine & Mill SupplySalt Lake City, UT • 801-364-2812

• Sid’s Corrugating &Machinery, Inc.Wichita, KS • 316-263-9496

[email protected]


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HUNTER AGRI. CONSTRUCTION

Jerry Hunter, Owner

SLIP FORM CONCRETE BUNKSDirt Work — Laser Control

Fencing — Ditching — Portable Concrete PlantButler Metal Buildings and Grain Bins

Pour-in-Place Bunk For Small Jobs

PLAN &DESIGN

Turnkey Feedlot Construction806-244-5330 — 800-644-5330

HIWAY 54 WEST • P.O. BOX 464 • DALHART,TX 79022

ANIMAL BREEDING• Pregnancy Testing• AI • Herd Health• Calf Delivery & Calf CareAnd Many Other Services You and

Your Help Will Be Able To Do

SAVE TIME, MONEYAND CATTLE CALL

1-800-552-3538 or Write forFree Catalog / Class Schedule

Graham School, Inc.641 W. Hwy 31 - Dept. FL • Garnett, KS 66032

www.grahamschool.com

90 Years of Continuous Service/Over 30,000 Graduates

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feedlotmagazine.comFor additional information that is

sure to benefit your operation.

www.feedlotmagazine.com


Robert A. Strong, editor; Greg Strong, advertising sales man-

ager; Jill Dunkel, production director / contributing editor;

Annita Lorimor, office manager.

The editor assumes no responsibility for unso-licited manuscripts and photographs. Publisherreserves the right to reject advertising matter.Copyright 2007 by FEED•LOT Magazine All rights reserved.

FEED•LOT is published under ISSN 1083-5385

FEED•LOT (ISSN 1083-5385) is published bi-monthly, except January and July,monthly in February and August, at no charge to qualified recipients, by FEED•LOTMagazine, Inc. 116 E. Long, Dighton, KS 67839. Application to mail at Periodicalspostage paid at Dighton, KS 67839 and additional mailing offices. Non-qualifyingsubscription rates: $29.95 per year within USA. $50 per year for foreign, includingCanada. Back issues $10, including postage and handling. Please call FEED•LOTMagazine, Inc. for reprint and copy authorization, 620-397-2838. POSTMASTER: Sendaddress changes to FEED•LOT Magazine, Inc. PO Box 850, Dighton, KS 67839.

Brand names appearing in this publication are for product identification purpos-es only. No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar productsnot mentioned.

Audited by:

New ProductsBobcat Company

Bobcat Company recent-ly launched the S100 skid-steer loader as the newestmodel to Bobcat’s line ofcompact equipment. Thenew S100 replaces the Bob-cat 553 skid-steer loader.The S100 features a 1,000-pound rated operating capac-ity and a narrow width of 50 inches. The S100 skid-steer loader features a new deluxe cab and acompletely new instrument panel that places addition-al functionalities and state-of-the-art diagnostic capa-bilities at operators’ fingertips. ♦


Pfizer

DRAXXIN® (tulathromycin) Injectable Solution re-cently received a control claim from the Food andDrug Administration for Mycoplasma bovis, one of theleading causes of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).The product is now the first and only antibiotic ap-proved for the treatment and control in cattle at highrisk of developing BRD for all of the four major BRDdisease pathogens, including Mycoplasma bovis. ♦


Zinpro

Zinpro Corporation announces the release of AskZinpro, a new robust, interactive CD-ROM programthat delivers answers to mineral and vitamin questionsfrom a world-renowned veterinary toxicologist.

Robert Puls’ set of comprehensive diagnostic bookson mineral and vitamin levels are considered thesource to help link mineral and vitamin analyses to an-imal nutrition, health and performance. Now, with AskZinpro, the diagnostic data contained in these booksare accessible in a handy, interactive form.

The CD-ROM provides a fully searchable, completerepresentation of Mr. Puls’ many publications. The ma-terial is presented in numerous categories, such as tis-sue levels, deficiency and toxicity signs and diseasesand symptoms. ♦


Bowman Livestock

Bowman Livestock Equip-ment introduces their newHeavy Duty XL HydraulicChute. This is the heaviest chuteavailable on the market today.Weighs 3200 lbs, all hydraulic, nolinkage to wear out with a very quietpower unit. The chute measures 8 feet 8 inches long,with a 30 inch wide floor, 6 feet in height.♦


Kuhn

Kuhn Farm Ma-chinery expands itsrange of Gyrorakeswith a high-perform-ance, high-capacity,side-delivery rotaryrake designed forlarge-scale livestock farmers and commercial haygrowers. The new GA 8020 rake features a DIN work-ing width of 25’ 7”, and has two, large, hydraulically-driven Masterdrive® rotors for minimal maintenanceand long life.

The patented 3-D rotor suspension allows the unitto follow the terrain while gently and cleanly rakingwithout moving dirt into the crop. All functions arecontrolled using a control box from the tractor cab forincreased operator comfort. These include windrowwidth, raking height and folding for transport. ♦


Elanco

Producers, veterinarians and nutritionists can re-ceive timely industry analysis, news and commentarythrough BeefCast,™ a new podcast that can be accessedeasily on the Internet or via an iPod®. Each week, three10- to 15-minute programs, which feature experts’ com-ments on beef production, industry issues and otherwide-ranging topics, are produced. BeefCast™ pod-casts are sponsored exclusively by Elanco AnimalHealth, hosted by Ned Arthur of Truffle Media Net-works and made available free to listeners. ♦




Magazine Contents - Feedlot · Low Stress Cattle Handling 26 Cattle handled correctly are very manageable New Way to Battle Lice 28 A look at some newer products on the market Cover

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