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Jeff Tigger Earhart
Florida restricts animal imports from Texas Drought management previews heading back to the rodeo arena and lots more 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 Galvi 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 Bucking Horse Sale and this fine radio station, Cow Country News. You know the cow stuff. Lots going on today. Starting out A dangerous livestock pest that hasn't been seen in the United States for years is raising new concerns, this time along the southern border. The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on the living flesh of animals, most often cattle. Right now, there are no confirmed cases in the United States, but Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller says a case has been detected just across the border about 60 miles south of Texas. That proximity is enough to trigger action more than 1,000 miles away. Florida officials are tightening restrictions on livestock coming from six counties in South Texas. Any animals brought in from those areas must undergo additional veterinary inspections and, if needed, treatment before entering the state. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson says the state is taking no chances. He warned that if the screwworm takes hold, it could have serious economic and animal health consequences. He's also urging ranchers, veterinarians and animal health workers to stay alert and report anything unusual right away. Here's how the pest works. Adult flies lay eggs in open wounds or natural openings on the animal's body. When when those eggs hatch, the larvae, commonly known as maggots, burrow into the tissue and begin feeding. According to the cdc, the infestation can worsen quickly if not treated. Texas officials say Florida's response makes sense. The state dealt with a screwworm outbreak in the past, and the memory of that damage still lingers. Meanwhile, as a precaution, the US has shut down livestock trade through ports of entry along the southern border. There are also long term plans in motion to stop the pest before it spreads. The US Department of Agriculture is building a sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburgh, Texas. The idea is to release sterilized male flies into the wild. Since female screwworms mate only once, this strategy helps prevent reproduction and gradually reduces the population. The facility is expected to be up and running by November of 2027. For now, officials say vigilance is key. Even without confirmed cases in the U.S. the threat is close enough to be taken ser Now Transparency in Alternative Protein Labeling Representatives from Missouri, Texas, Nebraska, Idaho and Wisconsin reintroduced the Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels or Fair Labels act in the House to add transparency in food labeling for alternative protein products. The legislation will provide consumers with clear and accurate information about plant based and cell cultivated protein products when making purchasing decisions. Senators Pete Ricketts of Nebraska and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania sponsored the Senate version of the bill. Here's what the Fair Labels act says. First, define cell cultivated or plant based alternative protein products to help consumers easily identify these products. Provides a clear definition of cell cultivated protein products to ensure labels and accurately reflect lab grown food sources. Requires product labels to use terms like cell cultivated or plant based and to bear a clear disclaimer if the product does not contain meat or poultry or was not derived from a live animal. It directs the U.S. department of Agriculture to oversee the labeling of these products, working alongside the Food and Drug Administration to maintain product inspection standards and confirms the shared jurisdiction of FDA and USDA in overseeing cell cultivated protein products and requires the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to jointly revise the 2019 current memorandum of understanding. NCBA President and Virginia cattle producer Gene Copenhaver says that currently there is no federal statute for labeling cell cultivated protein products in the marketplace. He says for far too long lab grown protein companies have exploited the use of terms like meat and beef to describe their products, creating the potential for consumer confusion through misleading marketing. He went on to say that the Fair Labels act will establish a federal guideline for labeling cell cultivated and plant based alternative protein products, ensuring that consumers can easily differentiate these products from real beef products produced by U.S. cattlemen and U.S. cattlewomen. For the first time since eradicated in the U.S. commercial swine herd in 2004, pseudorabies or PRV, has been confirmed in herds in Iowa and Texas. A small commercial swine facility in Iowa was confirmed to have positive cases of PRV by the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the National Veterinary Services Laboratory during routine testing. Officials at aphes, in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and and the Texas Animal Health Commission, revealed that five affected boars in the Iowa facility originated from an outdoor production site in Texas. It is believed that the initial infection on the outdoor production site in Texas may have been a result of unintentional contact with feral swine. Pseudorabes virus was eradicated from the US commercial swine herd in 2004. However, it is important to remember that PRV is endemic in the feral swine populations around the U.S. an APHIS release stated. Pseudorabes is still found in wild or feral swine populations, which remain a potential threat of exposure for domestic pigs. Challenging market fundamentals and unused processing capacity combine to further erode beef packer margins in the week ending April 25, with an estimated capacity utilization of 77.5% for fed cattle plants and 60% for cattle cow plants. According to Sterling Marketing's Beef Profit Tracker, packer margins averaged a negative $188.10 per head that week compared to a negative $170.50 per head a week earlier. The pain was felt at the feedlot too. Sterling's estimated feeding margin plummeted to $2.50 per head as the average five area direct steers fell $2 per cwt to 246.19 per cwt and wrapping up we head to the sale barn Stockman's Livestock Exchange in Dickinson, North Dakota last week. Starting out with the cow calf pears on the high side, black pears two years old sold for 6,300 bucks a pair, all the way down to pairs four to six years of age bringing $3,500. The high selling bred cows of the day, black and black white faced cows 3 to 6 years old bringing 54 50. The way up cow market in between $1.61 all the way up to 222.5 and the way up bull market at $1.87 all the way up to 255 and again, that was last week at Stockman's Livestock Exchange in Dickinson, North Dakota. Crew, it's time for a quick break here on the Ranch it up radio show. Keep it parked and we'll be back right after this. Welcome to sirebuyer, a place where we connect cattlemen, the nation's number one destination for buying and selling breeding genetics. In depth reviews and upbeat news on your favorite sires, sirebuyer features the top Angus bulls across the country. Be sure to sign up to receive your directory by emailing infoirebuyer.com if you're looking for the best place in breeding genetics, you've just found it. The best way to raise beef on pasture, on crop residue or in a dry lot. It's Westway Feed Products. Westway Liquid supplements support increased forage utilization, efficiency, convenience and sustainability. Find your nearest rep by calling 8-800-875-17 or head to westwayfeed.com on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. Country music's trace Atkins don't get drunk, but don't get Don't Live in concert Thursday, May 14th at the World famous Mild City Bucking Horse Sale in Mild City, Montana. One of country music's hottest performers with special guests Corb Lund and Kenny Fiedler. Tickets on sale now at buckinghorsesale.com Trace Atkins with Corb Lund and Kenny Fiedler at the world famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale Miles City, Mon. Montana.
Steve Kenyon
If you're buying or selling cattle, make your first stop livestock market.com Bred cows, heifers, pears, bulls and frozen genetics. Even feeder calves. You'll find them all@livestock market.com Livestock market features private treaty sales, online auctions and live production sale bidding. You'll also find horses, sheep, goats and hay. Check out the free Livestock Market magazine wherever you pick up Tractor House and download the Livestock Market mobile app.
Kirk Donsbach
Today.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
You've got to tune to the Ranch it up radio show. The most information packed into a 30 minute program that you can find. It's your All Things Ranching newscast and so glad to be hanging out with you. Questions, comments, concerns, criticisms, rants, it doesn't matter. Call or text us at 707-Ranch 20. That's 707-726-2420. The email is ranchituphowmail.com and prowling around social media ranchituphow Last week we introduced you to Steve Kenyon, the announcer for the world famous Miles City Buck and Horse Sale. A couple of listeners texted the hotline asking a few more questions for Steve about the business of announcing, sharing the story. It doesn't matter what business we are in, telling the story is so vitally important. We hear that all the time in our industry. So Steve, I'm bringing you back on one more time to answer those questions about announcing and the storytelling. But let me first start here. I've said this before to you Steve, that this is your baby. And I say that with all the pride and admiration of being a fellow PRCA announcer. There is not another voice that needs to be on the microphone other than yours when it comes to the Miles City Buck and Horse sale. I've been there the first time that you announced and the first time you did. And I was happy that you were there because number one, you're the end of the type of individual that you put everything that you have into that performance and its performances that are out there. I mean, it's not just a Sunday afternoon matinee of knowing exactly what's going on. You understand the history of Mild City. You have embedded yourself because it is your job to tell the story, to bring people together to understand the bucking horses, to understand the way of life, to understand the history, to understand the economics and the finances and everything that goes along with, with agriculture and animal agriculture of past, present and future. So my compliments to you. I don't think we can have a world famous Mile City buck and horse sale unless you are on the microphone. And I just, I just gotta say that Steve, you do such an amazing job where it's not just pride as your friend, where I listen to everything you're saying and I absolutely, I just love it. I learned something, I learned something new about bucking horses. I learned something new about the contestants. I learned something new about Miles City. So you have done an absolute stellar job of presenting this amazing and it's coming up the 75th year, you'll do another amazing job of presenting this information to us that are sitting in the seats.
Steve Kenyon
Well, thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it. I, I, I'm, I'm sure that, you know, this year has been interesting because I've had hip surgery and been in and out of the hospital four times. So it's going to be a, it's going to be a different kind of a year just in terms of me running up and down the steps, I think. But you know, the, the, here's the thing about announcing a rodeo or announcing an event like the world famous bucking horse sale or Uvalde, Texas or wherever it is that you go, you really kind of have to become, you have to learn the community. You have to learn the people. You have to get to know the folks that are there. And if you don't know the history and the tradition going back to Bob Polling and les bow in 1951 in Miles City, Montana, you probably better not grab a microphone and try to tell that story. And, but really at the announcer, to me, the rodeo announcer, the guy that is the, the voice of the event has to, has to become a storyteller and has to learn what so many different people have done. There are hundreds of volunteers that go into producing the, the event in Miles City. They don't get paid a dime. They work their backsides off for three, four, five, six days or you know, in Miles City for a couple of weeks because they're running horse races prior to the event. And those volunteers are all going to be there when Trace Atkins is holding a concert on Thursday night. Those volunteers are all going to be there. When? When we have the Oren Murray Permit Challenge on Friday night. Those volunteers are all going to be there. They don't get near the credit they deserve, but you know, the volunteers, the board of directors, the board of governors in Miles City is what they call themselves, the entire community. You are, you're kind of the voice that brings all of that together and presents it then to the crowd. And if you think about it in those terms, this becomes a pretty awesome responsibility because you are representing not just yourself, not just the bronc riders of the prca, not just the stock contractors that are there, but you're representing literally hundreds, if not thousands of people that have put some kind of effort into putting these events together. And you darn sure better take that seriously if you're going to show up and try to tell the stories of an event like the world famous bucking horse. Salem, Miles City, Montana. You know, we talk about and I get all fired up about what happens in the arena, but the whole community plays a part in this. The reason the Pendleton Roundup is special, the reason the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo is special, the reason Miles City, Montana's world famous bucking horse sale is special. And those are just three of many, many, many events and some of them are more famous than others. I'm really blessed because I get to announce a lot of rodeos that are maybe not the Cheyennes or the Reno's or the Pendletons, but they still become a critical part of the community. And the buckinghorse sale is Miles City in, in that weekend. Get to know not just what happens in the arena, get to know what happens around the town and outside of the arena and some of the silly things that people do and some of the fun things that people do and the way that the downtown area and Miles City's got the coolest, most traditional looking downtown.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
You got it.
Steve Kenyon
When you drive through is it is. I don't get to spend near enough time there. I'm going to try to get there a little bit earlier than I normally do and just go visit some of those shops and visit some of those places that you know are, are open and, and catering to the fans of the bucking horse sale. Get to know all of that. The penalty ground up Miles City Bucking Horse Sale, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. They are great because of what happens in the arena, but they're greater because of the buy in of the entire community to make those events something special.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
Steve Kenyon, thanks for coming back on for a few minutes. I know you are super busy traveling from one event to another. Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks. The world famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale is coming up May 14th through the 17th in historic Miles City, Montana. Get your tickets and see the schedule of events@ranch channel.com and buckinghorse sale.com with producers fixing to move cattle to summer grazing, the major drought situation plaguing so many in the lower 48 is on the forefront of producers minds. There are some grazing strategies and ideas to help prolong the summer grazing season. Trevor Berrian from Killdeer, North Dakota will be joining us sharing some of those tips and tricks that he has learned along the way. Now here's a preview of of what is to come over the next few weeks.
Trevor Berrian
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 smaller, a small chunk of property than overgraze 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 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 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.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
Trevor will be sharing more tips to help manage drought along with analyzing cow condition and nutrition for maintaining body condition scores. This is going to be a really good one. Don't miss out. Time for a break here on the program. We will be back with more of the Ranch it Up radio show after this. Calf prices are good but want to add another 100 bucks per calf. Here's the solution. Galvi and Balancer females add an average maternal weaning weight advantage of 22.7 pounds per calf at a market price of 4.5 dollars a pound on five weight steers with a 22.7 pound weaning weight advantage, that's an additional $102.15 per calf. Galvie and balancer females. They make it work. Bull and female sales, commercial heifers, products, services and information. It's all on ranch channel.com make it easy on yourself. Head to ranch channel.com on your phone. Click those three little dots in the corner and save it to your home screen. Use it like it? Love it.
Steve Kenyon
Ranch channel.com I run a 150 cow calf operation.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
Two years ago Nick Small of Fullerton ran into SC in his cow calf operation.
Kirk Donsbach
I had a big problem with coccidiosis scours and it went through my whole herd.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
The next year, after getting his herd on a dosage of Farmitan Sweet Chestnut tannin, how many cases of scourge did you have?
Kirk Donsbach
Zero. I'm not kidding. I didn't have any.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
Learn more@farmatanusa.com or call Joe Knopf at 402-340-3323 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 Mild 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. Welcome back everyone to the Ranch it Up radio show. That time in the program we check in Kirk Donsbach, Stonex Financial Incorporated going over the numbers from last week. So Kirk, what do you got for us today buddy?
Kirk Donsbach
Good morning Tigger and all your listeners out there. As of Friday, May 1st, May feeder futures closed the week at 371.25. That's up 1122 and a half on the week with the CME feeder index up.471 at 374.03. That left the basis at a positive 278 versus May futures. June live cattle closed the week at 253. That's up 812 and a half on the week with cash trading all regions 250 to 256 with even a few 258 mixed in there. That left the May 1st five area weighted average up 902 at 255.02 and the basis a positive 202 versus June futures choice boxes were 206 higher at 389.11. Keep in mind that is against 399.07 average dress price. So we've got some math issues there. With boxes trading well under what they traded cash for. Weekly slaughter was 534,000 head. That's 5,000 head above last week and 19,000 head below the same week. Last year dress weights remained at 901 pounds. That's 30 pounds higher than this week. Last year the combination left yearly production4.10 of a percent higher at 7% less than this week. Last year. Fresh beef imports were up 1% to 15% higher than last year with Mexico increasing 2% on the week to 22% over last year. Again the indication that the cattle are coming across the border from Mexico. Just in boxes to wrap this up. December corn futures close the week at 498 and a half. That's at 14 and a quarter on the week. There definitely seems to be some wound up bullish energy in corn based on weather concerns and high fertilizer costs.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
Now before I say fare thee well, got a quick question for you, Kirk. We've seen here in the past few weeks what a lot of these grass calves have been selling for, have been amazing. So a good strateg or something for people to think about is probably looking at locking in some of those prices now for those fall calves.
Kirk Donsbach
I would definitely highly recommend that. It's ironic that you mentioned that last week was probably the most bullish cash news I can remember in my career as a broker. That's incredibly bullish to have a $10 to $12 move in cash prices in a week, one that no one saw coming. And feeder futures and deferred fat cattle futures have not closed the day higher or a day in the red since that. Very strong indicator. To use caution, I would say that this market definitely has a death wobble in it. If you want to use analogy to a motorbike or a street bike running down the pavement at 100 miles an hour and you get that death wobble. We don't know how long it can hold it. We don't know how much higher this market can go. But at the end of it it is not going to be pretty.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
So why was the big jump in cash last week?
Kirk Donsbach
Very good million dollar question. The hypothesis that I like is that there were some major packers that were along the board. They wanted to get cattle around them as they started running their bids up, that ran the board up, able to then exit those futures contracts, take that profit. And that's really the only thing that makes sense to me. And then obviously mixed in with that is everybody's kind of hoping or banking on, on the big box rally going into Mother's Day and all the, all the beef holidays. I think the major packers being long futures make sense. I don't have data that can validate that, but that does make sense to me.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
Ready to slash your feed costs? Hey.
Steve Kenyon
Hey.
Jeff Tigger Earhart
I'm Shea Wanner and I host the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast. Sam Ingram from Corteva's Range and Pasture team joined me for a conversation about prioritizing pasture health. Here is a portion of our conversation. The value of forages because feeding costs are our highest cost, maintaining those animals throughout a given year, even in a good year like this. Yeah, we talked about margins. We can improve our margins by improving those forages because it's the lowest feed cost. So even in a good year, our base, our foundation, should stay the same. And I think that foundation is forages. And if we can improve those either through grazing management, weed control, fertility, that's going to be a benefit to our producers. 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. And now that's going to wrap it up for today. A big thanks goes out to our crew. Steve Kenyon, the announcer One more time for the world famous Mile City Bucking Horse Sale, a quick drought management preview from Trevor Burien. We will be covering drought and pasture management tips and tricks. And coming up next week and the two weeks thereafter, Kirk Donsbach with Stonex Financial Inc. And Shea Wanner with Casual Cattle Conversations. A big thank you goes out to our partners for today's episode. The American Galvie Association Pharmatan by Imogene Ingredients Jorgensen land and cattle livestockmarket.com ranchchannel.com, the sale series Sire Buyer, Westway Feed Products, the world famous Miles City Buck and Horse Sale. And in this fine radio station and crew. So glad you all came with us one more time as we ranch it up. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook at Ranch It Up show. Our email is ranchituphowmail.com you can call and text 24. 7. That phone number is 707-RANCH20 at 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.
This episode delivers a dynamic roundup of pressing topics in rural America and the cattle industry, focusing on animal health threats, new food labeling legislation, challenging market updates, insights into rodeo announcing, drought management tips, and a preview of the iconic Miles City Bucking Horse Sale. With expert commentary and boots-on-the-ground perspectives, Tigger, BEC, and guests provide valuable knowledge for ranchers, rodeo fans, and supporters of the western way of life.
[00:00 – 03:53]
"If the screwworm takes hold, it could have serious economic and animal health consequences." – Jeff Tigger Erhardt, paraphrasing Florida Commissioner Wilton Simpson [01:19]
[03:53 – 06:45]
“For far too long lab grown protein companies have exploited the use of terms like meat and beef... creating the potential for consumer confusion...” – Jeff Tigger Erhardt [05:56]
[06:45 – 07:54]
[07:54 – 09:17]
[09:49 – 16:50]
“There is not another voice that needs to be on the microphone…you put everything that you have into that performance.” – Jeff Tigger Erhardt [11:01]
“If you think about it in those terms, this becomes a pretty awesome responsibility because you are representing not just yourself… but literally hundreds, if not thousands of people that have put some kind of effort into putting these events together.” – Steve Kenyon [14:54]
[16:50 – 18:47]
[21:03 – 23:54]
(Announced throughout episode; main details at [20:11] & [16:50])
Straight-shooting, community-focused, and grounded in practical ranch wisdom. The hosts and guests speak with authenticity and pride, celebrating the resilience and traditions of rural America while tackling serious industry topics with a solutions-oriented perspective.
Whether you’re a working rancher, rodeo enthusiast, or Western lifestyle advocate, this episode keeps you in the loop on vital news, best practices, and shared culture—delivered with storytelling flair and actionable insights.