Kickin' Cowchips

Keystone Calamity

2012-01-20T16:21:00.000-06:00

Keystone Calamity

This week President Obama made clear that he would rather please environmentalists than create jobs in America.

With the rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline, President Obama effectively killed 140,000 jobs that Keystone would have created directly and indirectly. That means 140,000 American families who could have benefitted from the certainty of a good paying job will not have the chance now.

Right here in Arkansas jobs will be lost because President Obama rejected the Keystone project. At Welspun Tubular in Little Rock, workers will be off the assembly lines and will instead be in the unemployment line because of President Obama’s action. The pipes that Welspun already built for the Keystone project are collecting rust instead of pumping oil into America to help power our homes and businesses.

To add insult to injury, not only did President Obama’s rejection of the Keystone project kill jobs, it all but guarantees energy resources in Canada will be sold to China. Recent news reports predict that gas prices this summer will be over $4 a gallon. Our country needs good paying jobs. Our economy would be more stable with an additional source of energy in North America. This week President Obama said “no” to Americans who are out of work and looking for a job and he said “no” to a common-sense energy solution.

In his reasoning for rejecting Keystone, President Obama said that his administration did not have enough time to consider the environmental impact of the pipeline. The truth of the matter is that the Keystone project has been in the works for more than three years and was on track to begin immediate construction. However, President Obama stepped in at the last minute to delay his final decision on the project until after this year’s presidential election. Late in 2011 the House of Representatives held President Obama’s feet the fire and set a deadline for Keystone’s approval. This week, over three years after the Keystone Pipeline was first announced, President Obama said that he did not have enough time to study the project’s environmental impact.

During my time in Congress I have listened to ideas from Democrats and Republicans and worked across the aisle when common interests allowed. President Obama’s overly partisan nature that cripples our government’s ability to pass meaningful legislation is inexcusable. The rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline was a partisan political maneuver that killed 140,000 American jobs and makes our country more dependent on Middle Eastern oil.

If you have a friend or family member that would like to receive these updates, please direct them to my website.

Respectfully,

Rick Crawford

My experience at the 2011 ACA Convention

2011-08-16T18:10:00.001-05:00

After 20 years in primarily one industry, circumstances beyond my control caused me to change directions in my life. Actually, it has allowed me to spend more time with my true passion, cattle.

But we're not talking about my philosophy of ranch life, we're talking about "Convention". Whatever your career may be, you belong to at least one trade organization that has an annual convention somewhere in the state.

I went to my first ACA convention 3 years ago, shortly before "the wreck", so my memories are a little splotchy, I missed last year due to recovery, but was back again this year.

Folks, if you're thinking of conventions as a "party place" where attendees drink all day, and party all night, you're wrong when it comes to the cattlemen of Arkansas. Now, I'm not saying we didn't consume a barley pop, or scoot a boot, but that was not the goal of anyone there.

The Arkansas Cattlemen's Association is one of the purist associations I have ever belonged to. It is run by the members of the association, and we all have the same goal to achieve, to do what's best for the cow. Not what's best for a corporation, political party, or individual, but for the animals in our care, and the land under our stewardship. After all, if we care for the animals and the land, the land will nourish the animals, the animals will nourish the people, and the cycle will repeat. That is why you see multiple generation farming and ranching operations in this country.

Every August, we are afforded the opportunity for all of us to come together under one roof. Even though it's just for a few days you will make lifelong friends, and gain a little more knowledge about the cattle industry than you had a week before. For me that is what it's all about, my 3-4 day break for the year, but I'm still working, and I'm still learning.

For the staff in the ACA office, Adam, Autumn, and Cody, thank you for all you do, and to all the volunteers who took time out of their schedules to pull this off...BRAVO, you did an excellent job.

I'm already looking forward to next year.
Until next time, thank the Lord for your blessings every day,
Scooter

Wordless Wednesday: Beef, it's what's for...

2011-07-20T13:43:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's what for breakfast too.

Wordless Wednesday: Finally a little rain

2011-07-13T08:07:00.001-05:00

Even a mini cow dog enjoys our brief showers.

Watch Cattle For Heat Stress

2011-07-06T14:05:00.000-05:00

US - With summer just starting and temperatures already approaching 100 degrees earlier this spring, cattle producers need to take steps to ward off heat stress in their herds, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln beef specialist said.

Late spring 80-degree days with rain are always welcome, but the current abundance of moisture in the Central and Northern Plains will certainly contribute to elevated relative humidities in the near future, which can be disastrous for cattle that have not had a chance to get adapted to hot conditions, said Terry Mader, beef specialist at UNL's Haskell Agricultural Laboratory near Concord.

Cattle can begin to experience some level of heat stress when the heat index approaches 80 degrees, with most cattle being severely stressed when the heat index exceeds 100 degrees.

Also, when early morning temperatures and/or the heat indices are in the mid-70s, chances are cattle did not adequately cool down at night, and feedlot managers should be prepared to provide as much relief to cattle as possible during the day.

Water is probably the best avenue to dissipate heat, Mader said.

Cattle normally take in about five to eight gallons of water per day. However, when temperatures rise, that amount can double or even triple.

"It's important to have plenty of available water," he said. "When there is competition for water, it creates problems because the dominant animals will occupy waterer space and not allow other animals access."

If cattle are crowding around the watering trough, add more waterer capacity or move a portion of the animals to pens that will allow the animal to have adequate access to water, Mader said.

In an emergency, cattle can be sprayed with water to cool them down. However, once producers do that, they need to repeat or continue spraying until the heat subsides. Spraying cattle with water will allow the animal to rapidly dissipate heat through evaporative cooling processes but this may limit the animal's ability to adapt to the heat.

If the pen surface is dry, then wetting the pen will also provide relief to confined animals. It is always beneficial to start the wetting or cooling process in the morning prior to the cattle getting too hot.

Another suggested heat stress mitigation tactic is to use bedding to decrease surface temperatures animal's are exposed to, Mader said. Generally it's thought bedding is for insulation against cold stress. However, straw can aid in breaking up or diffusing the solar heat load that often contributes to heating up dry, bare ground. The degree bedding is effective in doing this is unknown. However, if used, it is suggested bedding be placed in the pen early in the morning when the ground has cooled, otherwise heat will be trapped in the pen surface. Also, wetting the bedding would allow for additional cooling to occur when the animal uses it.

Producers should avoid handling cattle when it's hot and never after 10 a.m. Cattle body temperatures can rise an additional 0.5 to 3.5 degrees during handling.

Cattle yards also should be free of any structures that restrict airflow. Cutting down vegetation around pens and moving cattle away from windbreaks can all help. Building earth mounds in pens also can increase airflow by preventing cattle from bunching together. Other heat stress mitigation strategies include: providing shade, controlling biting flies and other parasites, keeping very current on cattle marketings and being mindful of heat effects on personnel as well.

Enjoy Independence Day with meat. It is safe, contrary to what vegans will tell you.

2011-07-04T10:22:00.000-05:00

You may have heard the Cancer Project's claim that processed meats cause cancer. But did you know that the Cancer Project is funded and operated by a vegan, animal rights group? And that the Cancer Project's claims are not supported by science?

FACT: The alleged link between processed meats and cancer is not supported by the full body of scientific research.

The Cancer Project cites a controversial and inconclusive report by the World Cancer Research Fund as representing "consensus" when it has been widely challenged by scientists. Studies showing no connection between processed meats and cancer were not included in the WCRF report cited by the Cancer Project. Numerous studies and experts show that processed meats are safe and nutritious and that nitrite in meats is safe and has health benefits.

FACT: The Cancer Project is a Vegan, Animal Rights Group

The Cancer Project is funded and operated by the animal rights group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a vegan, animal rights group whose views are closely aligned with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The widely respected American Medical Association has called PCRM's past dietary recommendations "irresponsible and potentially dangerous." The Cancer Project ad campaign is factually inaccurate and is aimed at scaring parents and school systems out of feeding children processed meats.

FACT: Harvard Data Showing No Relationship Between Meat and Colon Cancer Not Considered

One of the largest studies ever done on red meat and colon cancer - a 2004 Harvard School of Public Health analysis involving over 725,000 men and women and presented at the 2004 American Association for Cancer Research Conference - showed no relationship between meat and colon cancer. Yet the pooling analysis used in this study, "Meat and fat intake and colorectal cancer risk: A pooled analysis of 14 prospective studies" was not factored into WCRF's 2007 report.

This federally funded data shows that red meat and processed meat are not associated with colon cancer and uses what is considered perhaps the most reliable approach to analyzing relationships: pooling original data together and analyzing it.

FACT: Check with a Credible Doctor, Not an Animal Rights Group, about The Cancer Project's Meat/Cancer Allegations
The causes of cancer are extremely complex. Just as consumers need to eat a healthy, balanced diet, they need balanced information. When it comes to cancer, check with credible health sources like your doctor, dietician or the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. You can be assured that they will tell you that a healthy diet can include processed meats.

RAINY DAY RANT WARNING...ALL WORDS IN THIS POST ARE MY FEELINGS

2011-06-24T10:14:00.000-05:00

A recent CNN Eatocracy post was titled "Does 4-H desensitize kids to killing?".
What I began to ruminate about as I thought about this is the general state of mind of the public as a whole. Has the United States become so disconnected as to where the food on their plates, and the clothes on their back comes from, that they have in a since, started living in a fairy tale world?
I was raised up in 4-H, and what I learned was that while beef did come from cattle, pork came from pigs, and eggs and chicken legs came from...well...chickens. We were also taught that cotton is a natural fiber produced here in this country that's used to make cloth, leather is a product that comes from animals, and vinyl and polyester are by-products of the petroleum industry. All these products are utilized to clothe, feed, and protect the consumers of this country.
We were taught animal husbandry, and good stewardship of our land. If we don't care for the land or animals under our care, then they won't produce and our efforts would be wasted.
Every farmer and rancher that I know has an emotional attachment to their land and animals, and we care for these in a responsible and humane way.
Just last week, I had a heifer that got down, I didn't let her lay in the hot sun and just suffer her last hours away. She was provided food, water, and veterinary care to attempt to treat and rehabilitate her. Having grown up with cattle, I knew the prognosis was poor from the start, but, (BUT!!) I tried everything we knew to try. I never once turned my back on her and left her to suffer. Had she showed signs of suffering, she would have been humanely euthanized.
As I read these post about "desensitizing kids" I can help but wonder if those posters are sitting there at their computer, powering it with a generator hooked up to bicycle pedals, and are hungry and naked, as they spew forth information, that they apparently have only one sided jaded information about.

Thank you for letting have my moment to rant. Before you write back some bashing remarks, because you disagree with my feelings (and therefore I am wrong, not you) I'd like to ask you this, are you sitting there naked and hungry? If you're not, then you need to thank a farmer or rancher, not condemn them.

My feelings about the new White House Rural Council

2011-06-22T13:46:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine just sent this to me in an email, and I had to C&P to share with all of you. As you are learning, your President has recently formed the White House Rural Council. As I live a life of being a cattleman first, before I dable in party politics, I have always believed that the government needs to leave me and my cows alone.
Below is the tale of "Bud the Cowboy"

A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a remote Pasco pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust.

The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, Will you give me a calf?"

Bud looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?"

The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.

The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany...

Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses an MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response.

Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer, turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."

"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says Bud.

He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.

Then Bud says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"

The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"

"You're an aide in the Obama Administration", says Bud.

"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?"

"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You used millions of dollars' worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a thing about how working people make a living - or about cows, for that matter. This is a herd of sheep. ...

Now give me back my dog.

SAFE BEEF AND E. COLI PREVENTION

2011-06-17T18:46:00.000-05:00

E. coli is short for Escherichia coli -- bacteria (germs) that cause severe cramps and diarrhea, and it is once again trying to peak it's head into the news. While it is a serious bacteria, everybody (people with vegan agendas) wants to blame the meat. While I agree with the need to prevent it, I also want to express to everybody, that beef is safe and nutritious, full of protein, and minerals.

I personally eat beef several times a week, and have never once come down with this nasty little bug. Nor does it existence bother me enough to eliminate beef from my diet.

Below are some facts about E. coli, and precautions everybody should take. Basically it boils down to good hygiene, and we all should spread that around.

Most E. coli infections come from:

Eating undercooked ground beef (the inside is pink)
Drinking contaminated (impure) water
Drinking unpasteurized (raw) milk
Working with cattle

Healthy beef and dairy cattle may carry the E. coli germ in their intestines. The meat can get contaminated with the germ during the slaughtering process. When beef is ground up, the E. coli germs get mixed throughout the meat.

The most common way to get this infection is by eating contaminated food. You can be infected with the E. coli germ if you don't use a high temperature to cook your beef, or if you don't cook it long enough. When you eat undercooked beef, the germs go into your stomach and intestines.

The germ can also be passed from person to person in day care centers and nursing homes. If you have this infection and don't wash your hands well with soap after going to the bathroom, you can give the germ to other people when you touch things, especially food.

People who are infected with E. coli are very contagious. Children shouldn't go to a day care center until they have 2 negative stool cultures (proof that the infection is gone). Older people in nursing homes should stay in bed until 2 stool cultures are negative.

You can help prevent this infection by handling and cooking meat in a safe way. For your protection, follow these rules:

Wash your hands carefully with soap before you start cooking.

Cook ground beef until you see no pink anywhere.
Don't taste small bites of raw ground beef while you're cooking.
Don't put cooked hamburgers on a plate that had raw ground beef on it before.
Cook all hamburgers to at least 160°F. A meat thermometer can help you test your hamburgers.
Defrost meats in the refrigerator or the microwave. Don't let meat sit on the counter to defrost.
Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods. Use hot water and soap to wash cutting boards and dishes if raw meat and poultry have touched them.
Don't drink raw milk.
Keep food refrigerated or frozen.
Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
Refrigerate leftovers right away or throw them away.
People with diarrhea should wash their hands carefully and often, using hot water and soap, and washing for at least 30 seconds. People who work in day care centers and homes for the elderly should wash their hands often, too.
In restaurants, always order hamburgers that are cooked well done so that no pink shows.

Bovine Trichomoniasis does not affect beef safety or quality.

2011-06-14T12:56:00.000-05:00

Recently, officials in Arkansas implemented a regulation requiring bulls used for breeding be tested for, and have negative results for Bovine Trichomoniasis. Any bull testing positive must be reported to the Livestock and Poultry Commission, and sent to slaughter.
When word of this got out to the general public, they feared, that infected meat would soon be in their local supermarket meat cases. Bovine Trichomoniasis does not infect the meat of animals, only their reproductive systems, and I've never seen those available at the local meat markets.

The concern over this disease is the economic loss to cattle producers. "It is dangerous to producers" said state Veterinarian Pat Badley, adding an outbreak of Bovine Trichomoniasis could reduce a ranch or farm's calf production by 50% in one year.

The disease is asymptomatic in bulls and does not affect the safety or quality of beef. But it is considered dangerous because it infects the uterus of cows, causing fertility problems and spontaneous abortion of calves that could sharply reduce herds in the state.

If a cow becomes infected, it can be kept away from bulls and vaccinated, and will "shed the disease" over a four to six month period. However, once a bull is infected, they carry the organism for life.

When this regulation goes into effect tomorrow, cattle producers throughout the state that haven't already been testing for this, should begin doing so, and with due diligence, we will be able to curtail this threat to our industry as we did to become a Brucellosis Class Free state.

Wordless Wednesday: Modern hay bales may not fit old barns.

2011-06-08T10:32:00.001-05:00

Brood XIX has arrived

2011-05-20T16:08:00.000-05:00

Recently when I was walking across a barnyard, I noticed lots of little holes in the ground. My first fear with my over active imagination, were of all the snakes coming out from winter hibernation to torture me for the summer. The as I listened, I noticed around me the constant tone of the Cicada. Only making their appearance every 13 years, it took a minute for me to place the sound, but as I looked around at the numbers of holes in the ground, it became clear.
I came across this article about the noisy little bugs from NWAOnline, and thought I would share with you. While they do mention fried cicadas, I believe I'll stick with my fried spam as a summertime treat, and enjoy the fact that even though the big hatches only occur every thirteen years, I'm kinda glad I'm sorta hard of hearing.

FAYETTEVILLE — After years of preparation, an army of millions of flying, six-legged insects will be descending on Arkansas in the coming weeks.

But despite a noisy mating call, experts said the cyclical cicadas, which come out in droves every 13 years, are relatively harmless. For the adventurous, they can even be tasty.

Cicadas are native to Arkansas and emerge from the ground in the late spring and summer, but every 13 years, they come out in even greater numbers as part of what scientists have dubbed Brood XIX. This brood is set to arrive late this month or early next month.

These cicadas are different from the annual bugs because of their sheer numbers — sometimes as many as 1.5 million can be found per acre, said Jeff Barnes, curator of the Arthropod Museum at the University of Arkansas.

Early settlers compared them to locusts because of their sheer numbers, but they actually have no relationship to locusts, which are a kind of grasshopper.

Brood cicadas are also slightly smaller than the cicadas seen every year, and stand out more thanks to red eyes, orange wing veins, and yellow or orange stripes on the underside.

Southern cicada broods actually spend less time incubating than their northern counterparts, which are on 17-year cycles. And a second southern group, Brood XXIII, is next scheduled to emerge in 2015.

But the most noticeable thing about the influx of cicadas, which prefer wooded areas, will be the noise.

“The biggest effect most people will notice is the loud, raucous singing of the males,” Barnes said.

After incubating for more than a decade, the cicadas of Brood XIX only live for about three weeks after they burrow out of the ground, so they have a lot to do in a short period of time.

The males spend most of their days trying to attract mates with their distinctive song, which is produced by contracting muscles known as tymbals.

After mating, the females lay their eggs in branches, which can cause scarring in trees, and even affect fruit production if too many females choose the same tree.

“They won’t hurt gardens and in general, if you pick them up they won’t sting you unless they mistake you for a tree limb,” Barnes said.

When the nymphs hatch, they fall to the ground and burrow down inside of it, starting the cycle all over again.

Despite the risk to trees, officials with Arkansas State Parks said they will not take any special precautions for the emergence of the brood.

“They get kind of loud, but I think campers expect that,” said Adam Leslie, an interpreter at Devil’s Den State Park.

Jason Kindall, associate director for the Ozark National Science Center, said he was unaware of the coming of Brood XIX, but the center is now sure to plan insect programs around their arrival.

Cicadas are not poisonous, and it’s actually when they first emerge from the ground they’re considered to be at their tastiest, if eating them sounds appealing.

Fried cicadas are considered a delicacy in some cultures, with a taste compared to everything from asparagus to escargot.

“They come out every 13 years, so you tend to forget your recipe,” Barnes joked.

Hereford Breeders Respond to HSUS

2011-05-07T17:32:00.000-05:00

Below is what some of my fellow Hereford Breeders felt about Animal Advocacy groups and the future of our industry.
Scooter

Craig Huffhines

chuffhin@hereford.org

When you hear the words factory farming, what does that mean to you? If you were to define traditional beef cattle management practices, would any of those practices cause stress or cruelty to an animal? For those of us who have grown up on beef cattle farms and ranches, we acknowledge that some of our practices inevitably induce stress, but none of the things we do are perceived by us as cruel or unusual treatment to livestock. After all, Dad and Granddad taught us that this was the way it is supposed to be done, but to others there are far different perceptions. Political pressure built from “full-courtpress” lobbying, massive promotion and campaign contributions to legislative activists, and media blitzes is influencing a growing number of public sympathizers as it relates to humane handling. This movement is coming from a deep-pocketed organization that can and does influence the opinions of government thought leaders. That’s been the recipe of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). During the last decade, HSUS, the world’s largest animal advocacy group with reported assets of $160 million, has influenced agriculture legislation across the country. It is not just about dog and cat shelters as HSUS television commercials would have you believe. The organization has influenced legislators by convincing them that certain common animal handling and management practices are inhumane. The ultimate goal of HSUS is to eliminate or at least reduce the consumption of meat and other animalbased foods and products.
Wayne Pacelle, HSUS CEO, openly announces his intentions from his HSUS blog. “The HSUS promotes eating with conscience and embracing the three Rs — reducing the consumption of meat and other animal based foods; refining the diet by avoiding products from the worst production systems (e.g., switching to cage-free eggs); and replacing meat and other animal-based foods in the diet with plant-based foods.”
Pacelle goes on to write, “The HSUS is a big tent organization, and we support people who want to switch to more humanely raised animal products, reduce the amount of meat in their diets, or try a vegetarian lifestyle — but the reduction of meat consumption is one of the best things we can do for the planet given how unsustainable the current levels of factory farming are.”
The HSUS’s underlying mission is where the battle will be fought. The perfect example of this is the dramatic negative impact upon the equine industry that the U.S. horse slaughter ban has had. Our challenge as beef producers and Hereford breeders is to define, scientifically justify and articulate our common management practices in an effort to get ahead of the HSUS machine. A sound defense of our
management practices with creative promotion in an aggressive, carefully crafted and understandable way may, at a minimum, cause those that are not in the know to question restrictive regulations that could force us out of business.
This is not an appealing or interesting conversation, but it is a fact of life that threatens the very core of our business.

Since 2002 HSUS has taken credit for major legislative and corporate initiatives including:
• 2002 – Florida phases out metal gestation crates for swine.
• 2007 – Oregon bans gestation crates for breeding pigs.
• 2007 – Horse slaughter plants in Texas and Illinois forced to close.
• 2008 – Colorado phases out gestation crates and veal crates.
• 2008 – California passes the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, defining pen space requirements for veal calves, laying hens and swine gestation crates.
• 2009 – Proposed federal ban on horse slaughter and the sale of horse meat.
• 2009 – California bans the practice of tail docking dairy cattle.
• 2009 – Wendy’s agrees to start purchasing a modest but more meaningful portion of eggs from cage-free producers.
• 2009 – HSUS pressures McDonald’s to go to cage-free eggs, mirroring the McDonald’s European practices.
• 2010 – McDonald’s board opposes cage-free eggs for the U.S. despite pressure.
• 2010 – Ohio Farm Bureau compromises with Ohioans for Humane Farms in order to remove extreme animal handling legislation from the ballot. Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board is formed.

Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board
Some say Ohio agrarians wisely negotiated a truce with HSUS in 2010. In order to get harmful legislation off the ballots and cool down the HSUS promotion machine, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, along with the Ohio Department of Ag, adopted the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board (OLCSB) in order to have a place at the table to define humane standards for livestock management.
I have asked several Hereford breeders their opinions of the various proposed guidelines for purposes of stimulating further dialog with the American Hereford Association (AHA) membership.

Question 1— How concerned are you about the animal welfare/handling issue, and do you think there is a real threat to our business?

AHA President John Woolfolk, Columbia, Tenn.:
In my opinion, there are several organizations and groups that would like nothing better than to see animal agriculture disappear from the American countryside. These organizations are extremely
well funded and are very creative in developing advertising campaigns that reach the hearts and pocketbooks of the American people. In order to keep the animal industry viable, farmers and
ranchers will have to take a hard look at how we are viewed by the general public in regard to the welfare of the animals that we raise.

John Dudley, Comanche, Texas:
I am very concerned about the animal welfare/handling issue. There is a difference between the humane treatment and care of animals and humanizing animals. This is a slippery slope that can seriously impact our ability to raise food and fiber for this nation and the world beyond. To a great degree, much of the animal rights movement is a front for radical action and thought that is aimed at putting animal production agriculture out of business. It also targets private ownership of land and private enterprise.

Montie Soules, Skiatook, Okla.:
This movement is not going away, and we must be proactive. HSUS has a strong voice and is very influential with the public. The purebred industry is a portion of the beef industry that is seen in the public at various stock show events around the country. Because of our industry visibility, the Hereford breed could develop and communicate a standard of care that would boost the image of our industry and our product including Certified Hereford Beef (CHB). Defining a standard could even improve the demand for CHB because of a proactive approach to an animal welfare message. We must communicate our concern and care for our cattle and couple that message with the Hereford breed’s unique trait of docile disposition.

Question 2 — Do you agree with the OLCSB recommendation that newborn calves must be offered colostrum, or colostrum replacement, within the first 24 hours of their lives?

Woolfolk: Maybe I am missing something here, but I thought that we were already doing that. I thought that even the dairies allowed calves to nurse their mothers for the first day before moving them to milk replacer from a bottle. Any type of supplemental colostrum would certainly be impractical with normal beef production.

Dudley: The recommendation indicates an obvious lack of understanding regarding the range environment that most cattle are raised in. This standard is unrealistic for most operations that allow cattle to be cattle and calve outside in the natural elements with the instinct and expectation to take care of their own calves.

Soules: Assuring that a newborn receives colostrum the first 24 hours is really something that many operators may not be able to achieve. I think the operator has the knowledge to keep the baby calves
alive with or without colostrum. It is to the operator’s benefit to have a live, healthy calf, but it is the cow’s responsibility to take care of that part. There are times at our ranch when we have to step in and assist, and we do, but I’m not sure it should be a standard.

Question 3 — What is your opinion of the following statement: Pain management must be used for purposes of dehorning and castration based on the age and weight of the animal, the methods used, environmental condition, available facilities and human and animal safety. The practice of horn removal or disbudding prior to eruption of the horn growth is permissible without pain management.

Woolfolk: Pain management is the area that is of most concern to me as it relates to livestock management practices. I foresee a growing opinion from the nonfarm sector that believes practices such as dehorning and castration should not be done without anesthesia. Currently, requiring anesthesia will also require a veterinarian perform these procedures and that brings about other concerns. We have a shortage of food animal vets in many areas of the country today. Adding this service to their current workload would only magnify the difficulty that farmers and ranchers have in obtaining veterinary assistance in a timely manner. Even though it is of little concern to those pushing so hard for reformed animal welfare, it would be a direct increase in cost of meat production.

Dudley: Most producers make every effort to accomplish de-horning and castration as early as possible. Better for the animal and better for the bottom line. However, there are certain proposed standards that simply are not feasible in the real world.

Soules: Proper dehorning of cattle is a battle area that is going to be difficult to win unless we commit to managing horns at an earlier age. We know the stress this puts animals through as they get older. There will likely come a time where an animal will have to be treated for pain management once it reaches a certain age.

Should the AHA get involved?
It’s worth mentioning that the handful of prescribed standards discussed were written by thoughtful beef industry producers and agriculture professionals in the state of Ohio, yet we do not agree with every aspect of the proposed standards. In fact some are viewed as impractical. These concerns highlight the challenges that are ahead. According to Dudley, it may be time we engage in the process as a Hereford breed: “It is vitally and critically important that animal agriculture producers are involved in the dialog and rule-making process from the start. This is not going away, and we must confront head on these issues that are being raised. It really becomes our responsibility to educate the public and
have them understand that proper care and handling of livestock has always been a core belief of those engaged in animal husbandry.”

Fixing Fence

2011-05-05T20:15:00.000-05:00

As I strolled through the Wordless Wednesday photo's one of my friends had posted pictures of some fence he had mended. And while other friends have posted pictures with the same theme at times, last night it occurred to me, that we all have a hole in the fence that needs some mending. This piece of fence line can be found anywhere in the country. It's the missing knowledge of where our food comes from. A knowledge gap that has grown wider over the past few generations with everybody's hectic lifestyles. People rush around from their jobs, then go home and plop down in front of the tv, or computer and are bombarded with falsehoods from AR groups and "greenies" swearing that those of us raising beef, beat our animals everyday, those of us raising horses, don't feed them regularly, and force them to do labor they don't enjoy. Then the folks who raise our grain crops. Apparently they all us some genetically altered seed, that will genetically alter our children. Folks, we all know that's a load of BS, but we have a hard time combating it. Why? Well, these groups and their spin doctors work 9-5, Monday through Friday to come up with ways to put us out of business and promote their personal agenda. We, on the other hand work Monday through Sunday from sunup until sundown (sometimes before sunup, and often long after sundown) trying to stay in business. Unfortunately we've have not figured out a way as of yet to get movies stars and business moguls to donate money to ensure the safe food supply we have now. We chore everyday to do what has to be done to feed cattle, plant crops, bale hay, harvest crops, and get the food to the consumer who's at home watching tv. We don't have money to burn to buy excessive television time or computer and newsprint ads. Any extra money we may ever have, either gets ate up by the unexpected equipment breakdown, or those little extra supplies that would make our day to day job just a little better.
But we can utilize the computer and the explosion of social media to keep everybody informed. Your posts or tweets may only be seen by your followers or friends, but they can "share" or re-tweet what you write. Let's let America know that we are still in the fields and pastures raising crops, tending to livestock, repairing equipment, or what ever we may be doing to make sure they have a safe nutritious meal on their table that wasn't "made in China" like the plate they will eat it off of probably was.
Until next time, thank the Lord for your blessings every day,
Scooter

The end of a week, Scooter's Sentiments

2011-04-23T09:23:00.000-05:00

As another week draws to an end, I sit back and watch the radar to see more rain moving in on me. Will it bring me more water? I'm not sure. When I went to sleep last night I was expecting the weather radio to wake me up with thunderstorm warnings, but those cells dissipated before ever reaching me, and when I woke this morning, the rain gauge hadn't increased any.
As I get to thinking about radars, and the things they show headed your way, I also get to thinking about my cattle. There are groups in this country trying their best to put me and you out of business. This week we saw a sickening video of animal abuse. Was the animal rights group right to bring it to someones attention? Yes they were, but they are also partially responsible. This group spend TWO WEEKS gathering video of this abuse. That's as irresponsible as the person committing the abuse. If you see abuse, you stop it THEN. Not after the fact, not after you've had time to gather stock footage for future monetary donation ads. To top it all off, the "investigator" was seen in the video, committing the abuse himself. Then and ONLY then was the video released to public. The owner was not made aware of the abuse and given time to correct the problem. Which brings me to point #2, "you can't fix stupid". No you can't fix it, but you can sure as hell fire it. Every rancher in this country has been at some point in their life been a "hired hand". Whether it be another rancher, or low man down on a family operation, and in some fashion, we still are.
We all have the responsibility to our livestock, be it one animal, or 1,000, to provide them the best care we can. They depend on us for feed, water, vaccinations, and other care as needed.
I welcome any of you to ride with me when I feed everyday to see happy, healthy animals, that will run up to the truck as I enter the field, and say "Hey Scooter...we love you....got any grain".
That is my responsibility to these animals, and if I'm ever unable to provide for them in way they deserve, be it financially, mentally, or physically, then that is the day I need to sell out, and let these animals go to someone who will care for them in that fashion.
Until next time, thank the Lord for your blessings every day,
Scooter

Staphylococcus aureus, a big word aimed at scaring people vegan

2011-04-18T20:26:00.000-05:00

Here we go with another new "study" that only "studies" one side of the issue. The side of the issue they were already supporting. The Translational Genomics Research Institute offers up this study, but fails to tell you the whole story.
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) can be a serious bacteria, but what they fail to mention is that, it is also a fairly common bacteria. It can be found in over half the human populations nostrils, along with household pets and healthcare settings. Only two foodborne outbreaks of S. aureus have been identified and both were attributed to food handlers contaminating food – not to the food source itself. S. aureus is a reportable illness to the CDC who keep the statistics on this, and differentiates the various sources of the illness. S. aureus is still one of the five most common causes of nosocomial infections (infections that are a result of treatment in a hospital or a healthcare service unit).

The American Meat Institute answered the study with the following, “As with any raw agricultural product, it is important to follow federal safe handling recommendations included on every meat and poultry package that urge consumers to wash hands and surfaces when handling raw meat and poultry and to separate raw from cooked foods to ensure that food is safe when served”

As a beef producer myself, I answer it with the following, "meat is safe, wholesome, and nutrient rich, when handled and cooked properly. I have spent my entire life consuming meat of various forms from numerous sources, and have spent a little over 20 years in the healthcare industry. Whether I was grilling a steak, or performing a procedure on a patient, I have never once contracted S. aureus. And while my healthcare career is over, I still continue to provide safe wholesome beef, and will for years to come.
Is it possible for me to become infected with S. aureus, yes it is. But with proper hygene, food handling and cooking practices, there is a higher chance that I will contract it in the emergency room getting treatment for something, than at the backyard picnic table.

Until next time, eat beef and be happy.

Open letter to all my Arkansas friends who own cattle

2011-04-12T18:03:00.000-05:00

As I sat down this evening to read this month's Arkansas Cattle Business, I got to thinking about my local area. I belong to the Tri-County Cattlemen's Association of the Arkansas Cattlemen's Association. What does this mean to me as a cattle producer? Well, it means I have a voice at the local level, I have a voice at the state level, AND I have a voice at the national level. My membership in the TCC and ACA give me a place to not only voice my concerns, but to also network with fellow cattlemen, and gain valuable information and education.
My friends, if you are a cattleman (and it doesn't matter if it's 10 head or 100), you need to join if your not a member. We all need to join together and become proactive in our industry. If you choose to sit idly by in your recliner every evening and complain about the EPA's new dust rules they're trying to implement, Or if your fretting over the fact that you just inherited the family farm, but have to sell half of it off to pay estate taxes, please take this minute to think. Think about the fact that there is an organization that is working every day at both the state and national level to protect our industry. If I stand in front of the EPA and explain to them while I feel the new dust rules they're trying to implement would be detrimental to me, well, I'm just one person. But, BUT (this is the big but), if the NCBA (National Cattlemen's Beef Association) stands up to the EPA, and has the support of the ACA, who has the support the support of the Tri-County Cattlemen's Association, who has the support of myself and several other proactive beef producers, the EPA would take notice to that.
But, BUT (another big but), none of these groups would not be able to function without my dues dollars, AND none of these groups would get my dues dollars if they didn't keep those dollars close to the cow (thanks Adam for that phrase).
So, basically what I'm trying to ask is, are you a member of your local, state, and/or national organization? Will you step up to the plate and not only become a member and voice your opinion? Or are you going to be satisfied with just letting a few people fight the fight, and let the chips fall where they may?
If you are interested in learning more about what the association can do for you, feel free to call, email, or just stop me on the street. I'm always willing to grab a cup of coffee and talk cattle. My contact information can be found on my website: www.moodycattle.com.

Dust and Cow Farts

2011-04-11T12:30:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As many readers of my blog may already be aware (it appears once again the government and the general population of America don't have a clue), dust is created by circumstances other than combines, tractors, and feed trucks. Is it going to be OK for me to drive down a dirt county road stirring up dust, but I'd be fined if my tractor at the end of the road doesn't have a mist sprayer on it to keep the dust down? Is my county government going to have to pave ALL of their thoroughfares (I'm looking forward to the day that they are actually two lanes wide)?

I've got another solution! Take inventory of all the vehicles in a metropolitan area that travel the same route, but only have one occupant, pool them all together, and put them in one car. Take all the freed up parking lots, remove the asphalt, and plant it in crops they tend by hand. They can get up a little earlier each morning, and tend to these "truck patches" before they head into their 9-5 jobs. That's what many MANY generations did before us, and before the invention of these larger dust generating farm machines. By the way? wasn't the need for these machines a result of fewer people being sustainable themselves?

The last thing we need in this country is more asphalt.

EPA dust rule challenged by 100 Congress members | Natural Resource Report

BQA can eradicate SEP

2011-03-25T10:59:00.000-05:00

Last week I got the oportunity to visit with some great cattlemen from around our region at the Arkansas Cattleman's Association Region VIII Meeting. This was the first regional meeting I have attended, but it won't be the last.
We had several great speakers, and I'd like to thank Independence/Jackson Cattleman's for getting it all put together.
One of the topics covered last week was SEP.. For those of you that haven't heard of this ailment affecting not only the cattle industry but society in general, let me give a little disclaimer. First of all, I believe if your taking the time out of your day to read my blog, you are not affected by SEP, but you have seen it in others, and were probably frustrated by it. Secondly, I believe it can be eradicated from the state through word of mouth and education. Third and finally, I want to let you know that I am a 3rd generation cow/calf producer, and my Grandad taught me MANY things that I still use today. Also my dad has taught me a great many things, and will probably teach one or two more in time.
NOW....with that said..on to SEP. Arkansas is primarily a cow/calf state, and as such, most producers in this state, calve out their cows, wean the calves, then load the calves and cull cows into a stock trailor for a ride to the local auction barn, then sit back and wait for the check to come in.
What about those cows and calves in that trailer? Well, they are now Someone Else's Problem (SEP). And boys and girls...there lies the problem.
I remember growing up, we vaccinated twice a year, and where did the vaccines go? The first part of rump that presented itself. That's just the way things were done around here back then. Was it wrong? No..not really. Was it right? No..not really, but what it was, was easy, and they were fixing to be SEP'd anyway. Did the order buyer at the auction barn, or the pen riders at the feedlot know this? Nope. But the harvest facility found it out in short order. While I'm not sure the exact way word got around, I can imagine that ten years ago a de-hided carcass on the rail was pretty hard to trace back to an particular market, or individual farm, but it was easy just to discount ALL Arkansas cattle and assume that SEP was statewide and affected every animal.
What can we do about SEP? We can educate! A few years ago I went through the BQA program, and became certified. During this course I learned the data about injection site blemishes and how much of the meat it affected. I showed up at the next "cattle workin" with a new syringe and some 3/4" needles for SQ injection. Boys...you shoulda been there for that unveiling!!
Sometimes in Father/Son operations (I'm the son by the way), you can suggest new ideas to the father, it will seem like his idea, and he'll go for it. Sometimes you just gotta show up with the new idea and stand your ground. I couldn't gaurantee more dollars per pound for the method, all I could prove was, that it was the right thing to do. If we're going to take an animal from birth to harvest, don't we owe it to the animal to use everything available and not purposally waste anything? I believe we do. After a little learning curve, it's the way I do things chute side now. If we could get EVERY producer in Arkansas to go along with this new "Cow Code of Conduct" it wouldn't be long before we are no longer discounted just because the calves came from the "Natural State".
It's not somebody else's problem, it's our problem, and we need to fix it. After all, like my grasndad and dad taught me (and yes it took a few years to get it through my skull), anything worth doing, is worth doing right the first time.

The Start of a New Blog

2011-03-14T17:03:00.000-05:00

Monday morning started off with rain that tapered off to a cold heavy drizzle in North Central Arkansas. While most folks would have preferred to pull the blankets back over their head and hit the snooze button, there were a select few of us who got up anyway, drank coffee, and after donning insulated coveralls and rubber boots, trudged out to meet the day.
We are the farmers and ranchers scattered throughout this country working hard every day. From the small scale farmer/rancher with only a few head of livestock, or a truck patch garden, to the large scale farmer/rancher with thousands of head of livestock, or thousands of acres of cropland. We all have the same job to do, and we all do it for the love of the job, not the money.

As I drove to the field this morning, I knew I had two newborn calves, and 3 more due any moment now. It was wet, it was cold, and by some measure it was even miserable. Did I complain? No!...This is the life I have chosen for myself, and I wouldn't trade it for all fame and fortune that other desire. Did I grumble? You bet I did, it was wet, cold, and miserable! And to top it off...my coffee had gotten cold!
Through the field I trudged, the "freshest" of the two babies was born a little before nightfall last night, and had barely had a chance to dry off before the rain had set in. His momma had him curled up under a cedar tree for shelter, and he was doing fine. The older of the two calves was playing in the field looking for someone to tussle with, unaware of what the weather felt like to the rest of us.
After feeding them, and walking through the rain to check each one for health and happiness, I got back in my truck and realized how lucky I am to have the job I have, and what a great story I have to tell each one of you about where your food comes from.
I will try to post regularly about agriculture related topics, all of my knowledge and experience is centered around beef. However I will occasionally re-post from my friends about all other aspects of agriculture.
If you have any specific questions you'd like answered, or topics that you think I should cover, feel free to drop me a line. You can find me on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/moody.cattle, email me at moodycattle@gmail.com.
Until next time,
Scooter

As Will Rogers would say.....When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut!!!!!

2011-03-10T22:39:00.000-06:00

1. Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.

2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.

3. There are 2 theories to arguing with a woman...neither works.

4. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

5. Always drink upstream from the herd.

6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging

7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back
in your pocket.

8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The
few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the
electric fence and find out for themselves.

9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from
bad judgment.

10. If you're riding' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and
then to make sure it's still there.

11. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it back.

12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he
started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him.

The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut