Podcast Summary: Cattle Chat

Episode: Virtual Fencing, Cattle Inventory, Smoke
Date: March 7, 2025
Host: BCI Cattle Chat Team
Guest: Dr. Juliana Ranches, Assistant Professor & Beef Extension Specialist, Oregon State University

Overview

This episode of Cattle Chat features an in-depth discussion with Dr. Juliana Ranches about new and evolving topics in the beef industry. The conversation centers on the adoption and application of virtual fencing, current U.S. cattle inventory numbers and their implications, and emerging research on how wildfire smoke affects cattle health. The discussion offers both practical insights and emerging research findings, all in a collegial, informative tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Virtual Fencing in the Beef Industry

[03:14 – 11:59]

• Technology Overview

  • Virtual fencing involves GPS-enabled collars that create invisible boundaries for cattle using satellite data and custom software.
  • When an animal approaches a boundary, it receives an audio cue (beep); if it persists, it gets an electric shock similar to dog collars but based on GPS, not wires.
  • "Basically... it's like a dog shock collar type of thing, but it's based on a satellite coordinate rather than something in the ground." – Dr. Juliana Ranches [04:25]

• Adoption & Suitability

  • Use is growing, especially in the Western U.S., due to logistical and regulatory challenges post-wildfire, where permanent fences are costly or impossible.
  • Traditional fencing lacks flexibility, whereas virtual fencing allows boundaries to be changed as needed.

• Costs & Requirements

  • Example (Vence® system): approx. $40 per collar annually, $10 per collar battery, and $10,000–$15,000 per tower (connects collars to satellites/software).
  • Some conservation money available to offset infrastructure costs [05:16].

• Applications

  • Enables management-intensive grazing on large rangelands where cross-fencing is impractical.
  • Can keep cattle out of sensitive areas (e.g., riparian zones) and track their movements more carefully.

• Limitations & Open Questions

  • Herd dynamics: It remains unknown if only a percentage need collars or if all do. Early studies suggest if forage is scarce, uncollared animals (or calves) may lead others to leave the virtual boundary.
  • Legal considerations:
    • At least 4–7 days of training required for effectiveness.
    • Legality varies by state, especially in regions with open range and highways nearby.
    • Bulls may be less responsive to virtual fences, especially if cows in heat are across boundaries.

• Memorable Moment:

  • "I have one cow that might need two or three collars just to keep her where she’s supposed to be." – Brad White [10:01]

2. U.S. Cattle Inventory: Numbers and Market Implications

[11:59 – 16:16]

• Latest USDA Report (Jan 2025):

  • Overall cattle inventory is down 1%, now at the lowest level since 1961 (approx. 86.5 million head).
  • Beef cattle: 27.9 million head (beef cows), also down 1%.
  • Cattle on feed: down 1% year-over-year.
  • Replacement heifers: down 1% as well, not indicating herd growth.
  • Dairy herds: mostly steady, possibly up by a small fraction.

• Implications:

  • "We keep waiting for when people are going to start retaining heifers, which then the actual cow number growth lags a while, a couple of years. But my understanding is we have not seen anything that indicates that cow numbers are going up soon." – Bob Larson [15:15]
  • High feeder calf prices make it attractive for producers to sell heifers rather than retain them for herd expansion.
  • Despite herd shrinkage, beef production hasn’t dropped as much because cattle weights and days on feed have increased.

• Outlook:

  • The hosts foresee potential shifts in heifer retention patterns in the near future, possibly as early as later in 2025 or beyond.

3. Smoke Exposure and Cattle Health

[16:16 – 22:43]

• Background:

  • Wildfires have become more common in western states, affecting large swathes of rangeland and exposing cattle to elevated smoke levels.
  • Producers report increased rates of pneumonia, mortality, and lower calf birth weights tied to smoke events.

• Research Findings:

  • Field studies during wildfire events in Oregon observed:
    • Elevated stress markers (cortisol) and acute-phase proteins (inflammatory response) in calves during smoke exposure.
    • Stress levels from wildfire smoke were comparable to those experienced during weaning, a known high-stress period for cattle.
      • "We noticed that stress level during smoke exposure was similar to the same stress level of the calves at weaning." – Dr. Juliana Ranches [19:24]
  • Controlled studies (lab-generated smoke, 7 days exposure):
    • Replicated the stress and inflammatory responses seen in the field studies.
    • Measured physiological markers returned to baseline about a week after smoke exposure ended.

• Producer Guidance:

  • It is not always easy to distinguish between smoke-related respiratory symptoms and infectious bovine respiratory disease (BRD).
    • "What we're seeing, it's very similar—coughing, runny nose, teary eyes—but they don't have a fever." – Dr. Juliana Ranches [21:36]
  • More research and producer education are needed to avoid unnecessary treatments and to monitor for lingering health effects.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On virtual fencing flexibility:

  • "Traditional fence doesn't give you the flexibility that virtual fence would give... with the virtual fence we always say that it gives you management to the animal level, not so much the herd level." – Dr. Juliana Ranches [07:51]

• Inventory humor:

  • “A Life in Spreadsheets.” – Dustin Pendell (suggested autobiography title) [02:57]

• On smoke stress:

  • “It was multiple days of gray skies and you don't know if it's day or morning and it's horrible.…That got me thinking about smoke exposure from wildfires and how that would impact livestock health.” – Dr. Juliana Ranches [16:59]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Podcast Introduction & Guest Background: 00:05–03:14
• Virtual Fencing Deep Dive: 03:14–11:59
• Cattle Inventory Quiz and Market Implications: 11:59–16:16
• Smoke Exposure Research and Results: 16:16–22:43

Themes & Takeaways

• Virtual fencing is an evolving technology providing flexible, individualized management for cattle (especially useful in the West post-fire or in large rangelands), but practical and legal challenges remain.
• Cattle inventory in the US continues to decline, with little sign of herd rebuilding on the horizon, affecting both short-term market conditions and long-term production capacity.
• Wildfire smoke impacts cattle health by producing acute immune and stress responses; short-term effects are becoming clearer, but long-term health outcomes need more research and better field differentiation between smoke exposure and infectious diseases.

For ongoing questions or feedback, listeners are encouraged to contact the show at bci@ksu.edu.