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A
This is one of those episodes for your save list. We're starting our series on drought management. Crew, let's ranch it up. Good day everyone and thanks for riding with us on this all new episode of the Ranch it Up radio show. I'm Jeff Tigger Earhart. A big thank you goes out to our partners for today's episode. The American Galvy Association Farm a tan by Imogeet Ingredients Jorgensen land and cattle livestockmarket.com ranch channel.com the Sales Series Sire Buyer Westway Feed Products the world famous Mile City buck and horse sale and this fine radio station cattle battle. It is that time of year when many producers are moving cattle to summer grazing. But drought is plaguing many and it continues to Worsen. According to drought.gov as of May 5, 60.92% of the country is experiencing moderate to exceptional drought, largely concentrated in the Southeast, the high plains in the West. Now there are strategies for managing drought or I should say how to manage grass and forage uptake in the cow herd to get you through the drought. Trevor Berian from Kildeer, North Dakota joins us today. Trevor has been a student of grazing, plant management, regenerative ag and cattle efficiency and profitability his entire life. This year is very interesting to me because we're going into massive drought into grazing season with prices being as high as they are and with our cow herd numbers being the lowest that they've been in many, many, many, many years. Now that sets up for those people that have cattle to make a very good profit, hopefully. But for a lot of us this is a long term vision. This is a long term investment. This isn't, you know, like you said, hitting a lot of singles. This isn't hitting a lot of home runs. So let's start to dive down of we're going into summer grazing. A lot of people have turned cattle out to pasture already when we're dealing with the lack of moisture. In your opinion, Trevor, and you've, you've traveled the country and you've talked to a lot of different people about grazing management and regenerative eg and grass management and soil management. Going into what looks like this is going to be a hell of a tough summer. Where does a person even begin when you're trying to get those cows all the way through to fall in those calves to weaning?
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We start planning years in advance. And part of the reason we kind of graze like we do is for this situation we make sure to stockpile a lot of grass, you know, a good chunk of the ranch every year. Last, last summer we had above average rainfall. So we've stockpiled a little bit more than normal. Like we have over. We stockpiled over a third of our ranch last year. So that's kind of the best protection against drought is just making sure you don't graze everything off and especially leaving something to turn out onto early in the spring that, that you let recover and get that fall regrowth. And then in addition to that, probably some of the previous summer's growth too. That's kind of where, where we start the advantages to how we graze, especially in a, in a drought situation. So we're only giving cattle in a lot of or a certain amount of acres every day and we're making them consume most of it. So that by doing that we're allowing the grass in front of us to recover more, to have additional recovery days and get more, get more growth on it. And then also we only stay on a pasture for about 14 days max. And so then we're letting the grass behind us start recovering quicker as well. So we're gaining a little bit of extra grass on both the front end and the back end. But in that situation, when you're stockpiling grass and there's not a lot of green growth, one thing you have to consider is supplementation and how that works and keep an eye on cattle, cattle condition if there's not a lot of green grass out there. But yeah, those are all things to take into consideration.
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Going back to what you said, grazing 14 days and you know where a lot of guys are set up, where let's just use say like a quarter section. And in our country it's pretty common, just rough speaking, let's say a quarter section, you're going to run 20 pairs in a bowl. Just using that general scenario with that's how a lot of people are set up and you put them out in early summer and then you go and, and usually start bringing them home when you have to gather bulls or something like that. And that's when you take them off that grass. Hopefully we can do, you know, if guys are set up for that, they can, they can make it all the way to fall. But the way it looks, this is going to be awfully tough. So what would that scenario be? That maybe we need to be a little bit more intensive or if we can be where we take that quarter section depending upon where the water is and maybe we cross fence it maybe. Is that kind of what you're alluding to? Is there might have to be a lot more creativity of managing that grass. And maybe you got to put up a hot wire and maybe you gotta, gotta move these cattle back and forth from one side of the pasture to the other. Is that kind of a scenario that we could look at?
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B
Yeah, for sure. Especially if you bring like poly wire temporary fencing into it, depending on where the water is, split that pasture up and lock them in one part of it, wait for them to graze that down. Like in your situation, you're talking about like you turn out 20 cows onto a quarter section, so 160 acres. So those cows, when you have that few of cows on that many acres, they're gonna go selectively graze and hunt out the most palatable grass plants. And they're gonna, they're gonna graze those off and they're gonna leave the less desirable grass plants. And before they will be able to eat the less desirable grass plants, those desirable, more palatable grass plants will start regrowing. And the definition of overgrazing can kind of be debated. But I believe that overgrazing has nothing to do with how much grass you take, but it's to regrase a grass plant before it's fully recovered. So when you graze a grass plant, it kills off part of its root system to extract carbohydrates and energy from it to have the energy to get its leaves up. And so it can collect solar energy and rebuild its root systems and root system and put carbohydrates and energy back into its roots. But if you keep coming back and re grazing that, that grass plant before it's recovered, that root system is going to get shorter and shorter and you could end up killing off a lot of your desirable grass plants. And also if you're in a drought situation, that root system getting shorter and shorter, it doesn't, it's not going to have access to water, you know, by getting those roots down nice and deep and getting that subsoil moisture.
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How do you go about establishing when you should move to that next section or put them on the other side of the poly like you said, so that they aren't going out and selectively grazing the desirable, the tasty grasses, if you will. How do you go about establishing when you should go ahead and move to that other side so that we don't put too much stress on that plant and give it the opportunity to regrow?
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It's kind of a mixture of a bunch of things. You know, first and foremost, is there enough, enough grass out there to to even feed them. But then, you know, quality of grass, are they getting enough quality nutrition? How do they look? Do they look like they're hungry? Look like they need more grass? But we actually like when we so we move on at least daily moves and we, we start at the watering point and we'll graze that area right around the watering point and then we'll open up paddocks farther away from it. So they will be traveling back across the stuff they already grazed. But they won't really graze that stuff as long as we're out of that pasture before that regrow starts. And like I said before, that happens at about two weeks for us in our environment. So we strip graze away from water so they're able to have access to the stuff they already grazed. But we're just getting out of that pasture entirely before that regrow starts.
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Time for a quick break here on the program. We will be back with more from Trevor and drought management here on the Ranch it Up radio show right after this. Calf prices are good, but want to add another hundred bucks per calf? Here's the solution. Galvian balancer females at an average maternal weaning weight advantage of 22.7 pounds per calf at a market price of four and a half dollars a pound on five weight steers with a 22.7 pound weaning weight advantage. And that's an additional $102.15 per calf. Galvee and balancer females, they make it work. The world famous Miles City Buck and horse sale is back for the 75th anniversary Western experience of a lifetime. Join us May 14th through the 17th in Miles City, Montana. From the finest bucking stock to electrifying horse racing, this event has it all. And don't miss out on the Pendleton Whiskey kickoff concert featuring Trace Atkins and special guests Corblund and Kenny Fiedler. Mark your calendars for the world famous Miles City Bucking Horse sale where the spirit of the west comes alive. Get your tickets@buckinghorsesale.com grass changes, weather changes and your cattle's nutritional needs change right along with it. But don't let your mineral program fall behind. Synergy with TRT from Westway Feed Products is built for real pasture conditions helping support consistent intake, improved forage utilization and more predictable herd performance. It's a smarter liquid mineral solution for beef cattle on pasture. Ask for Synergy with TRT liquid mineral supplement from Westway Feed Products. Hey crew, welcome back. Dealing with drought grazing tips and tricks. We are back with Trevor Berian From Killdeer, North Dakota. Many times when we're doing things, I hate to say this, but it's a woulda, shoulda, coulda scenario. And it's. We're dealing with a problem being, you know, reactive versus proactive and it should be the other way. Right. So when you started implementing a lot of these practices on your place, was it during, and be honest with me now, Trevor, was it during a good year when you had an abundance of feed, Excuse me, you had a stockpile. And this was something where you said, okay, we should prepare for the next drought because it's going to be inevitable? Or were you in a situation like, unfortunately thousands of producers are in right now where they're saying, okay, we got to do something. And did that force you to start to implement these practices, knowing that long term this is going to be a good thing to do on your outfit?
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B
So we started. We had a couple of drought years. 2017 was a bad drought year 2018 was okay, but we still didn't get a whole lot of rain. But all of our pastures were just grazed off. I was rotating cows around, but I say I was kind of rotationally overgrazing them, like rotation overgrazing. As soon as that there was green grass there growing, I'd be on there hammering it. And, you know, the grass wasn't fully recovered. And so I just noticed that our plants, just our grass plants, even when we did get rain, they just weren't performing like they should. And so in 2019 was the first year I kind of started implementing this. And like I said, we were starting from nothing. Like all of our pastures were overgrazed.
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It looked like. It looked like a pool table is what it kind of looked like, didn't it?
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B
And so we were feeding grass until till into May or feeding hay into into May so the grass could get it get a, get a start, which is sometimes necessary, like when you're starting from zero. But we started from a very overgrazed, unhealthy place. And I could just see the, the ground going backwards, especially coming off some drought years. Then in 21, we also had a drought. So my first three years kind of grazing like this, we were pretty dry. And it was even hard to get any stockpile built up during those years. Even grazing like we were do like, like we were. And we weren't able to kind of get, get ahead and start stockpiling a good amount of grass to be safe in a drought situation until 2022 would have been our, so our fourth year doing this we were finally able to get ahead and, and start stockpiling some grass. But during those dry years grazing like this did, did help. The, the plants were getting healthier, we were growing more grass. We, we weren't having to feed as long during the winter so we could tell it was helping but we didn't see the full effects of it until
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we had a wet year in this situation. You know, and glancing again here at the drought monitor map and it just makes a person sick when you look at the southeast of what I mean there ain't, there ain't a lick of moisture to find anything out there. Now would be a great time actually to implement and start. You know, unfortunately like I said, so many of these practices that we put in place are because of a train wreck in a disaster and we're forced into a situation. But now would be absolutely the, I would, I would assume you're going to say is the perfect time to really, you're going to have to make some investment here of time and labor and a few dollars maybe to like you said, put some poly up and section those pastures out into start to create a long term scenario. Because I hate to say it, there's a lot of these places that might not get a lick of moisture this summer. I hope they do. But is it going to be enough? That's the thing is there might have to be a pile of moisture that have to, that we have to get and it needs to be consistent to even try to get those grasses to a, to a certain, to a certain point. So in a, in a situation like this, it maybe is setting it up as this is the perfect time to start because for a lot of people, they don't even have a choice.
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B
Yeah, for sure. And another thing that that's useful with in drought management is if your, your grass isn't, isn't to a point where it's ready to be grazed yet, it's better to really over graze a small chunk of property rather than over graze your, your whole ranch. So feed right now. I know the feed prices are going up and up and up, but let's say we don't get any rain throughout the summer. Feed prices are going to be sky high here this fall. But if they're, if they're relatively affordable, you know, or, or affordable in comparison to cattle prices right now, right now might be the time to lock cattle down and put them on feed for another two weeks, 30 days while that feed still affordable and just wherever they're at, just have, you know, Even if you're feeding, they're still going to graze that grass down, but just over graze that one spot and let the rest of the ranch keep growing and hopefully get ahead a little bit. As far as timing for a drought like with cattle prices like we had a great or we had a pretty bad drought in 21 and the cattle market was in a completely different spot. So if you had to destock, then it was a disaster because you weren't getting anything for your cattle. But right now if you have to destock, you know, it'd be a great time to. I know the cattle herd, everyone's cattle herd numbers are, are down. But you know, get, get rid of some old ones or some calls some stuff with some bad feed and some bad bags and still get, get, get real good money for them or if you have to destock more than that, I mean you're going to get great money for it. So kind of a, there is a good time for a drought. I'd say now is a pretty good time for it.
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Yeah, exactly. Especially if it's. Well if we got to turn something into cash temporarily and you know people that are in the cat long run usually multi generational. So it's, it's okay if we need to destock right now just to kind of get us through, take those dollars, turn it into cash maybe like you said, maybe then funnel that cash towards some more affordable feed just to get us through, to keep us kind of going to create a little bit more of a long term plan instead of just reacting to this real quickly and to this disaster real quickly and to this one real quickly.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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Trevor, thanks so much for the time. Make sure you tune in next week as we continue deep diving drought management and grass and forage management along with cow calf nutrition. Keep it locked to the ranch it up radio show crew and we'll be right back. Welcome to sirebuyer, a place where we
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connect cattlemen, the nation's number one destination
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for buying and selling breeding genetics.
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In depth reviews and upbeat news. Your favorite sires Sire Byer features the top Angus bulls across the country.
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Be sure to sign up to receive
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your directory by emailing infoirebuyer.com if you're looking for the best place in breeding genetics, you've just found it.
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I run a 150 cow calf operation.
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Two years ago Nick Small of Fullerton ran into scourge in his cow calf operation.
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I had a big problem with coccidiosis scours and it went through my whole herd.
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The next year, after getting his herd on a dosage of Pharmatan Sweet Chestnut tannin. How many cases of scourge did you have?
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Zero. I'm not kidding.
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I didn't have any. Learn more@farmatanusa.com or call Joe Knopf at 402-340-3323. The world famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale is back featuring one of the largest one day match bronc riding events presented by Truvet Solutions. Join us on Sunday, May 17th for a PRCA sanctioned spectacle where over 30 elite bronc riders compete for a massive $75,000 purse in honor of the 75th annual Mile City Bucking Horse Sale. Visit buckinghorseale.com for schedule and tickets. The world famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale where the spirit of the west comes alive. Welcome back everyone to Ranch it up radio show. It's that time in the program when we check in with Kirk Donsbach, Stonex Financial Incorporated. Recap in the markets from the previous week. So Kirk, what do you got for numbers for us this morning?
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Good morning Tigger and all your listeners out there. As of Friday, May 8th, May feeder futures closed week at 367.07 and a half. That's down 417 and a half on the week with the CME feeder index up 80 cents at 374.83. I left the basis at a positive 775.5 versus May futures. June live cattle closed the week at 251.17 and a half. That's down 182 and a half on the week with cash trading a very good 256 to 258 in the south and mostly 258 to 260 in the north. That left the five area weighted average up 330 on the week at 258.32 and that was on 30,430 hen a very good test basis versus June futures was positive $9.14.5. So very wide basis with cash being so strong. Choice boxes closed the week at 388.39. That's down 72 cents and very much worth keeping an eye on. Weekly slaughter was 527,000 head. That's down 7,000 head from last week and 34,000 head below the same week. Last year Dress weights remained at 901 pounds. That's up 28 pounds over last year with a combination of weekly slaughter and dress weights leaving yearly production up 1/10 of a percent at 6.9% less than last year. Fresh beef imports remained at 14% above last year, with Mexico increasing 1% week over week to 23% more than the same week last year. In other trade news, Brazil is expected to hit their trade quota with China by the middle of the year, and that supply could very much see its way into the U.S. on that note, there was also a meeting between President Trump and leader of Brazil theoretically discussing an increase of the Brazilian trade quota into the U.S. no news has came out of that meeting. Wrap this up. December corn closed at 493 and a half. That's up $4.75 on the week.
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Flies could be costing you a third of a pound per day, and in these markets that is way too much. Hey hey.
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I'm Shea Wanner and I host the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.
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Jonathan Wells joined me from the Cargill Animal Nutrition team to discuss fly control
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strategies, particularly one that offers 195 days worth of protection.
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Here's a portion of our conversation.
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The negative impact on performance is where my mind goes. More times than not, when you look at what that fly does, there's several things that happen from a heart rate standpoint. Say with 500 flies, you have the heart rate go from about 76 beats to over 100 beats per minute. That's a significant increase just in heart rate. But when you look at past that, so things like the amount of water that the animal consumes increases. But even though that amount of water intake increases, the amount of urinary output is much, much larger. That urinary loss of nutrients is huge. But the single biggest thing when you look at nitrogen retention. So the nitrogen being the building block for proteins and truly the average daily gain or lean muscle development retention numbers there that are 30% less, meaning it's impossible to have the same level of average daily gain when you're not retaining that nitrogen going in. So you look at average daily gain differences of about 15%. That's about a third of a pound a day.
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Ready to tune into the full conversation? Check out the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast on your favorite podcast player as soon as you're done listening to the Ranch it up radio show.
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And here's what's happening in the news. A federal judge granted preliminary approval to a proposed $47 million class action settlement between Tyson Foods and commercial and institutional indirect purchaser plaintiffs in the ongoing cattle and beef antitrust litigation in an order filed in the middle of last week, approved preliminary certification of a settlement class covering entities in the United States that indirectly Purch raw beef products sold by defendants between January 1st of 2015 and May 6th of 2026 for use in commercial food preparation. The settlement involves Tyson Foods Inc. And Tyson Fresh Meats Incorporated. Tyson did not oppose the motion for preliminary approval. The plaintiffs in the case include restaurants, catering companies and other food service operators alleging anti competitive conduct in the Fed cattle and beef markets. The approval comes on the the DOJ's doubling down on an ongoing investigation into Tyson, JBS National Beef and Cargill. The DOJ and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins accused the Big Four of colluding to artificially raise beef prices. US Beef exports declined in March as shipments to China remained largely stalled, though strong variety meat demand helped push export value for those products to a record high that according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. March beef exports were down 11% from a year ago while export value fell 8%. Shipments increased year over year to Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Indonesia, while exports to South Korea and Taiwan were steady. However, exports to China remained minimal and shipments also trailed year ago levels to Japan and the Middle East. Excluding China, March beef export value increased 4% from a year ago while value climbed 8%. Mexico is blocking certain US pork products due to pseudorabes concerns. The move by Mexico, the largest market for US Pork exports, comes a week after the discovery of pseudorabes in a small commercial pig operation in Iowa and a farm in Texas where the infected animals originated. The confirmation of pseudo rabies at a small swine facility in Iowa was the first commercial outbreak since 2004, when the US deemed the virus eradicated from the commercial swine industry. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said the initial trace back from the Iowa herd indicated that affected boars came from an outdoor facility in Texas. And now that's going to wrap it up for today. A big thanks goes out to our crew, Trevor Burien, Kirk Donsbach with Stonex Financial Inc. And Shea Warner with Casual Cattle Convers. A big thank you to our partners for today's episode. The American Galvie Association Farm A Tan by Imogene Ingredients Jorgensen land and cattle livestockmarket.com ranchchannel.com the sales series Sire Buyer, Westway Feed Products, the world famous Miles City Buck and Horse Sale and this fine radio station and crew. So glad y' all came with us one more time as we Ranch it Up. Be sure to follow and like us on Facebook at Ranch It Up show. Our email is ranchitupshowmail.com you can call and text 24 7, our phone number. 707-RANCH20. That's 707-726-2420. Spread the good word and join us again next week where it's always Tigger and Beck approved. Stay ranchy and ranch it up,
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Sam.