← Ranch It Up Radio Show & Podcast
Loading summary
Transcript30 lines
- [00:00]
A
Beef plant closings and how it could affect consumer prices, changing the dynamic of the operation, reorganizing and restructuring to offer the very best for sale 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.
- [00:23]
B
And I'm Rebecca Wanner AKA Beck.
- [00:25]
A
A big thank you goes out to our partners for today's episode. Imogene Ingredients bringing us Farmitan, the Keller Broken Heart Ranch, Thomas Ranch, Moose Creek, Red Angus Ranch, Channel.com and Westway Feed Products Cow Country News. You know the cow stuff.
- [00:43]
B
The beef business has been abuzz this past week when Tyson, one of the nation's largest meat packing companies, announced plans to close a large beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska. The news of the possible closing comes just weeks after President Donald Trump claimed the four largest companies are driving up the prices on purpose to keep meat prices for the consumer. On November 7, Trump took to social media to call for a DOJ investigation into the price fixing claims by saying, I have asked the DOJ to immediately begin an investigation into the meat packing companies who are driving up the price of beef through illicit collusion, price fixing and price manipulation. We will always protect our American ranchers and they are being blamed for what is being done by majority foreign owned meat packers who artificially inflate prices and jeopardize the security of our nation's food supply. Back in October, Tyson and Cargill agreed to pay more than $87.5 million to settle a federal lawsuit for inflating beef prices by limiting the supply to the public. Trump's most recent claims earlier in November call out the foreign owned meat packers as well as the American owned ones like Tyson. The White House website also posted about how much influence the top four meat companies have over the price of beef, saying the big four meat packers, JBS, Brazil, Cargill, Tyson Foods and National Beef currently dominate 85% of the U.S. beef processing market, up from just 36% in 1980. Two of these companies, including the largest meat packer in the world, are either foreign owned or have significant foreign ownership and control, according to agricultural economists and the national News desk. Beef prices at the grocery store are not expected to budge even after Tyson Foods announced it will close one beef plant and scale back another. Texas A and M economist David Anderson says government investigations into meat packer collusion are also unlikely to lower prices. He notes that the cattle prices are at record highs and even the big processors are losing money Anderson says. If they had real market power, they wouldn't be losing money. Right now, ground beef averages $6.33 a pound, up more than 11% from last year. The core issue, Anderson says, is tight cattle supply. The smallest US beef cow herd since the early 19, Anderson explains that every beef packing plant, not just Tyson, is operating in the red because live cattle prices are rising faster than wholesale beef prices, a normal pattern when herds are low. When cattle are plentiful, the roles reverse. Ranchers lose money and packers profit. Despite concerns about the dominance of a few large meat packers, Anderson says there's little evidence they can artificially inflate grocery store prices. He went on to say, to push prices higher, you have to control supply, and packers don't own the cattle or the feedlots. So what is driving today's high beef prices? A shrinking cattle herd shaped by years of drought, rising costs and previously low prices. And rebuilding that herd takes time. A calf born last spring won't have its first calf until 2027, and the next generation won't reach market weight until late 2029. He went on to say again, Anderson, it's hard to beat biology. We can't. Until then, experts say beef prices at grocery stores will likely stay high no matter what happens in the packing plants.
- [04:10]
A
And now an update on equine herpes virus The Equine Disease Communication center is monitoring an outbreak of equine herpes virus myeloencephalopathy, the neurological form of equine herpesvirus one that originated at the Women's Professional Rodeo Association World Finals, an elite barrel race event in Waco, Texas, November 5th through the 9th. As of November 24th, the EDCC has confirmed 29 EHV1 cases associated with the event. The cases are located in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Colorado, New Mexico, Washington, Arizona and South Dakota. Herpes virus is highly contagious among horses and can cause a variety of ailments. In many horses, the first or only sign of EHV1 infection is fever, which can go undetected. In addition to fever, the other common signs of EHV1 infection in young horses include coughing, decreased appetite, depression and nasal discharge. Pregnant mares typically show no signs of infection before they abort, and abortions usually occur in late gestation, about eight months, but can be earlier. Abortions can occur anywhere from two weeks to several months following infection with EHV1. Herpes virus is easily spread by nose to nose or close contact with any infectious horse sharing contaminated equipment, including bits, buckets, towels, clothing, hands or equipment of people who have recently had contact with an infectious horse. Routine biosecurity measures include hygiene and basic cleaning and disinfection. Practices should be in place at all times to help prevent disease spread. Already some equine events have been canceled or postponed due to EHV1, while others have been put on high alert, including the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Now if your horses show any concerning signs or abnormalities, especially a fever or neurological symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately and that is a look at the news coming up Reorganizing and restructuring resulting and offering the best of the best. We head to Keller Broken Heart Ranch, Simmental and Simangus Genetics crew. You're listening to the Ranch it up radio show and we will be right back.
- [06:28]
C
Keller Broken Heart Ranch, a leader in Simmental and Simangus Genetics, invites you to their first annual Heart of the Herd Fall Elite female sale, Wednesday, Dec. 10 at the ranch in Mandan, N.D. selling 86 registered bred heifers, eight breed leading donors and 12 elite young cows. Literally the absolute top of the herd. Bid and buy online at dvauction.com catalogs, videos and sale information available at KBHR, semitol.com, and ranch channel.com don't miss this exciting Simmental and Simangus event. Wednesday, December 10 Keller Broken Heart Ranch.
- [07:05]
A
Are you looking for the best way to raise healthy, productive beef? Look no further than Westway Feed Products. Westway's liquid supplements support increased forage utilization, efficiency, convenience and sustainability. With Westway Feed scientifically formulated liquid feed, your cattle will gain weight faster and stay healthier, ensuring you get the best return on your investment. Visit westwayfeed.com or call 800-875-17 to learn more. Westway Feed Products Raising the Bar in Beef Production One supplement at a time.
- [07:39]
B
Looking for a Christmas gift that really rocks? Surprise your friends and family with tickets to the world famous Miles City Buckinghorse Sale. Not only will they experience world class rodeo action, parades, shopping and classic western fun, this year's concerts are bigger, louder and more unforgettable than ever. Featuring Corb Lund, Kenny Fiedler and the Kicko concert with Tres Atkins, you have the gift of live music, dancing and memories that last long after the lights go down. Get your Bucking Horse sale tickets today@buckinghorsesale.com and ranch channel.com and make Christmas legendary. Cattle battle.
- [08:19]
A
Welcome back 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 y'. All. Questions, comments, concerns, criticisms, rants, it doesn't matter. You can call or text us at 707-RANCH20. That is 707-726-2420. Our email is ranchitupshowmail.com and prowling around social media. RanchitupHow now it seems there are a couple of different trains of thought about being in the cattle business, sticking to traditions, which I totally respect and honor, and being able to change, adapt and restructure when necessary. The ultimate is really a blending of the two, in my opinion. Now it doesn't matter what sector we are in. From cow calf to seed stock to background feeder, all the way to retailer, change is inevitable. And sometimes outfits just grow outside of its ability to maintain said growth. For example, we have seen more and more seed stock outfits move towards selling 18 month old bulls this time of year and others are incorporating female sales this time of year. Normally, like on most outfits, you look at the top cut of your replacement heifers and they go back into the herd. And if you're in the business of selling breeding genetics, those top cuts are offered to your customers. Keller Broken Heart Ranch of Mandan, North Dakota is just such an outfit that is evolving and restructuring, maintaining tradition. The first Thursday in March they host their annual production sale offering Simmental and simangus bulls and heifers. And they have been very successful over the last several years. But as I said, change is inevitable. And this year Keller Broken Heart Ranch is hosting their first annual female sale featuring the very top 100 bred heifers in top notch choice female lots of the very top, not the middle third, the very top are being offered up for sale. Luke Keller, come on in on this one. When you have an outfit like yours, Luke, where traditionally having your bow sale, you know, 100, 120 bulls kind of right in there and then we would follow it up with about a hundred or so bred females and we'd have some open females, maybe a pick of the herd every now and then or something like that. That's what you were doing in the past. You decided to completely change this whole deal up and we're going to start marketing some females now. Now, for obvious reasons, the market being what it is, it makes sense to be able to move some of these females in, recoup that inventory in terms of cash if you will, and pay down debt. But that is a big change to go in, an operation to completely change kind of your whole marketing protocol and program. So let's just call A spade. A spade. And dive into it. And let me ask why?
- [11:21]
D
Well, sometimes, I guess, things happen and you grow and you grow and sometimes you grow too fast. And we've been blessed with some really good bull sales and, you know, used to always sell about 80 bulls a year and 80 open heifers. We started to grow the bull sale as it got more successful and increased the cow herd size some. And the last, like you said, the last several years, we've been selling about 120 bulls a year and typically 80 open heifers along with those. The main reason why it gives us a chance to not calve out quite so many cows this coming spring because of the sale. And we've got some ideas in mind to make some changes in terms of how we do the bull sale and things like that moving forward. And it's hard to make those changes when you've got so many cattle.
- [12:17]
A
Right. Right.
- [12:17]
D
When you're just trying to keep. Keep things going. And so if you want to make some adaption, try and do some different things, it's a little bit easier when you've got time to actually think about how you want to do those things.
- [12:30]
A
Well, and there's not a darn thing wrong with restructuring. There isn't anything wrong. I mean, we do that all the time in our businesses. It's what we need to do. Step back and analyze where we're at, what we're doing, why we're doing it in the first darn place. So there's not a darn thing wrong with restructuring. Changing, maybe just changing the dynamic, even if it's down to. And I get it, your outfit is just like a lot of other outfits that go through those stages of business of growth and success. And then you get to a certain point of, well, now we got to maintain said growth. That's a tough part with a lot of people. When you start Gavin out all these cows and you start looking at all this and we're going a thousand different directions of, then we need to really restructure and we need to change. And there's been a lot of outfits that have done this this year that have really said, okay, here's an opportunity maybe where we can sell some of our genetics. And this isn't ones that, well, we wouldn't have kept her anyway. I mean, you're selling off the top of the top. You're saying, okay, if we are going to restructure, we're going to give somebody else the opportunity to come in and literally get the best of the best females out of our herd. And that is representation of a lot of the breads that you have in the sale.
- [13:48]
D
Yeah, yeah. So we're selling our entire red heifer group. What would have been our replacement bred heifers. These would be the future herd. I guess we called the sale the heart of the herd dispersal because it truly is basically the top end of the very youngest, precious, best genetics in our herd. I think part of it too is that we found is how important the female is with making genetic improvement. You know, a lot of these popular AI bulls are very good and everybody has equal access to the same semen. What makes a difference in terms of, I think the very top end of our genetic advancement, the breed, is what the female contributes to these popular AI bulls. The sale would give an opportunity to. Is for people to take advantage of some of these top maternal genetics and help advance the breed forward.
- [14:49]
A
Well, and it's not just breed specific on the concepts that you're talking, although for your sale, yes, red and black, semi and simangus females. But concepts that you're talking about is very much neutral and parallel with every other breed that we have out there in terms of having the cow as the factory. You said it very, very well that we all have access to all these bulls. We really do take any breed anywhere. And the majority of the time we all can eventually get semen out of that bull. However, what an opportunity for people to be able to take advantage of said factory. Like in this situation, for those people that have followed this success of Keller Broken Heart Ranch, of your genetics, the KBHR prefix on a lot of those bulls that. But what an opportunity to come in. And literally, when I say cherry pick, it is cherry pick, because here we've got a hundred females that in the past you would have kept them, they would have stayed in the replacement pen, and they would have became your new factory. And now you've said, we've got to draw the line somewhere. We can only have. We can only manage so many. So what an opportunity to be able to take advantage of that. That factory potential, if you will.
- [16:06]
D
Yes. In addition, our entire Brett Hefford group, we kind of picked out about 10 additional young donor cows that we were flushing that were still in the prime, either first or second calf, kind of the, you know, what was the future of our donor program. And then we kind of picked through another group of about 12 females that are kind of a good representation of what these young bred heifers will have turn into in a couple years. These are all first, second calving cows that were kind of right at the nucleus production side of our herd. And so we thought that was a good way to just showcase the maternal strength of what we've been doing. And it's a pretty exciting opportunity.
- [16:55]
A
Well, you know, in our business, we get so used to this. I don't want to say the same old same old, but we get so used to, like I started out saying, how, you know that first Thursday in March when your sale always is, you're selling 100 plus bulls and then we sell the females after that, we, you know, we just kind of get used to that repetition, if you will. And then when we change it up a little bit, everybody does the oh my gosh, what's going on? Right. I mean, it doesn't matter what operation it is. Luke, I'm. When you think, well, what's going on? What happened there? You know, all of these different things surface. Well, of course, when we need to restructure and rechange some things. So you alluded to some changes to the bull sale.
- [17:39]
D
So this spring, our bull sale, it'll be the same day as normal. We will probably be offering that similar number of bulls as you said, maybe a few less this year Instead of that 120 plus range, we might be more back to around the hundred. And then we won't have any females since we're selling all these females now. And then next next year, then after this spring bull sale, we will have retained some of those bulls that were supposed to be in this spring sale and start offering them as aged bulls. What we'd like to do is move to more of an aged bull program to where instead of selling young yearling bulls, we start calving in mid March. And so most of the bulls we sell this coming March are not even quite a year of age yet when we sell them. And, and we'd like to move into selling more of that 18 month plus animal and probably having that working off of this sale date with a red heifer and age bull type sale instead of what we have been currently doing.
- [18:52]
A
Luke Keller with Keller Broken Heart Ranch. Lots of changes, but really restructuring and reorganizing how genetics are offered and when. Speaking of when, here are the details of their first annual female sale. Wednesday, December 10th at the ranch in Mandan, North Dakota selling the top 100 bred heifers, Simmental and Sim Mangus. Bid and buy online at dvauction.com sale details, video and sale catalogs available at kbhrcimmental.com and ranch channel.com it is time for a break. When we come back, market recaps and more of the cow stuff. You're listening to the Ranch it Up radio show and keep it parked. Ranch channel.com I'll give you just a few seconds to head there on your phone. Ranch channel.com your farm and ranch network on demand bull sales, western events, product information right at your fingertips on the ultimate cowboy friendly platform. Want to follow up to date markets ranch channel.com no need to dig for information on all these different websites. It's all right there on ranch channel.com y' all are loving it now aren't you? You can call it a dispersion if you want. We're calling it a once in a lifetime opportunity. For over five decades, the Moose Creek Red Angus cowherd has done what few ever do and that's quietly shape a program that stood the test of time and now is your chance to build that legacy. The Moose Creek Red angus dispers sale December 22nd and 23rd at the ranch His Bee, Saskatchewan, Canada selling a thousand head of elite purebred red Angus cattle. All sale information available@moosecreekredangus.com and ranch channel.com this isn't just a sale. It's an opportunity. A chance to bring home the kind of cattle that built a legacy.
- [20:44]
C
Hi, I'm Chase Keller. A little about farmertan products on my operation here I feed farmer tan products year round have for two or three years now and I have not had to treat a single calf for scours. Haven't lost the calf of scours. I believe fully in farmer tan products and helping my profitability on my operation.
- [21:07]
A
For more information go to pharmatanusa.com. Welcome back everyone to the Ranch it Up radio show. It is that time in the program as you all well know when we check in with Kirk Donsbach. He is with Stonex Financial Incorporated. Each and every week we kind of recap the markets from the previous week, break down what happened, why it happened, get a little perspective maybe going forward. So Kirk Donsbach with Stonex Financial, what do you got for numbers for me buddy?
- [21:41]
E
Well, good morning Tigger and all your listeners out there. As of Friday, November 21st we had a huge headline week. The first one started with President Trump removing the remaining 40% tariff on Brazil. That includes beef and beef products. The next headline was the Tyson plant in Lexington was closing and also reducing a shift at the Amarillo plant. Very reminiscent of 2014-15. And then we also had a Cattle on feed report that came in at 97.8% versus expectations of 97.9 placed at 90 versus expectations of 92.2 marketed at 92% versus expectations of 92.5. There are some trying to say that was really bullish as it was a historically low placement number. I would call the report neutral as everything fell with expectations basically. And there's also some saying that the report was bearish with a very historically high Catalon feed number. If we move past that January Feeder futures close the week at 3.14.30. That's down 587 and a half on the week with the CME feeder index down 401 at 339.72. That left the basis versus January futures at a positive 2524. That is pretty wide, but there is two months until January expires. December Live cattle closed a week at 214 and a quarter. That's down 465 on the week. Cash traded 222 in the south and 218 on Wednesday in the north. That unfortunately ended at 215 late in the week. That left the five area weighted average down 778 at 217.57 and the basis versus December futures at positive 332. Choice boxes gained 75 cents to close at 371.48. That's a little disappointing. Going into Thanksgiving weekend The weekly slaughter was 585,000. That's up 9,000 head from last week. 50,000 head lower than the same week last year. Again a little bit disappointing that we're getting higher volume on lower cash prices. Breast weights were a historical £890. That's up £33 over last year. Yearly production is down 7.1% and slaughter is 4.4% less than last year. Wrap this up. March corn closed the week at 437¾. That's down six and a quarter on the week. March corn is holding the trend line that dates back all the way to August 14th and kind of is making the old adage that Thanksgiving is for the bears and Christmas is for the bulls seem to be like that's going to come true.
- [24:12]
F
Are you tired of ice cold hands in the winter because your water tanks are froze over? Hey hey. I'm Shea Warner and I host the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast. I recently visited with Rocky Brown about different solutions for fall and winter watering that all ranchers should be aware of. Here's one example that Rocky shares P.S. this is a great one to check. Check out on YouTube.
- [24:37]
G
We developed this stainless steel system here that clamps onto the brick. This is a great company called Watson Manufacturing, makes great products, but it's a continual flow system. You just turn this petcock on and so even when this float reaches the top and so this will shut off the valve. Once it shuts off, this is below the valve. And now this water will continually flow through this copper tubing. Now you can change how much that's flowing by adjusting your petcock. The other thing that's really cool is you can actually run a double copper tubing. So you can have one go this way and shoot over towards the side of your tank and you can have another one come up and go right underneath your valve. And you want to keep that like 4 to potentially even 6 inches below your float here so that it doesn't freeze in. Because if you do that, it'll keep just a little bit of a ring of water around the outside of this valve so it doesn't freeze in. So it's just letting the water come out of here and that continual flow. We've had customers here in North Dakota, they go into January and they're just running off of a hydrant into just a basic eight or ten foot steel tank.
- [25:38]
F
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.
- [25:48]
A
And now that's going to wrap it up for today. A big thanks goes out to our crew. Luke Keller with Keller Broken Heart Ranch. Kirk Donsbach with Stonex Financial, Inch Shea Wanner with casual Cattle Conversations and the boss lady, Rebecca Wanner, AKA Beth.
- [26:02]
B
A big thank you to our partners for today's episode. I'm a Gene Ingredients bringing us Farmitan Keller, Broken Heart Ranch, Thomas Ranch, Moose Creek, Red Angus, RanchChannel.com Westway Feed Products Wrangler and this fine radio station and crew.
- [26:17]
A
So glad you all came with us one more time as we ranch Ranch it up. Be sure to follow and like 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. That's 707-726-2420. Spread the good word and join us again next week where it's always Tigger and Beck approved.
- [26:39]
B
Stay ranchy and ranch it up.
- [26:45]
D
Sam.