Ranching.com is your weekly dose of trending news, seasonal tips, and community content put together by our team of ranchers.

NEWS

🐗 Wild Hogs

🐗 Wild Hogs - Carl and C.J. Jackson face severe agricultural damage from wild pigs on their Alabama farm, where the animals destroy crops and pastures, causing financial strain and jeopardizing their ability to farm. Despite using trapping, electric fencing, and thermal shooting, the pigs continue to thrive and cause significant disruption. The Jacksons' struggle highlights a broader issue, as wild pig populations surge nationwide, inflicting over $1 billion in annual agricultural damage. With no effective long-term solution in sight, the Jacksons emphasize that proactive measures and constant vigilance are crucial to managing the damage and ensuring the viability of their farming operations.

🔆 Dry Spell Consequences - Drought impacts cattle productivity and health significantly. It reduces cow rebreeding rates and affects offspring growth and finishing performance through ‘Fetal Programming,’ leading to lower carcass quality and higher feedlot mortalities. Poor maternal nutrition also harms colostrum quality and organ development, with lasting effects evident in post-drought health trends.

🔥 Burning Losses - Oregon wildfires have burned over 1.1 million acres, including the massive Durkee Fire. Ranchers like Clint Sexson face severe losses of cattle and grazing land, exacerbated by the abundance of dry grass fueling the fires. The ranching community has rallied, with benefit auctions helping to support affected producers.

🌡️ Summer Weather, Fall Calves - As Oklahoma’s fall calving season begins, high temperatures pose significant challenges for newborn calves. Heat stress can severely affect young calves, leading to dehydration and reduced appetite, while also exhausting the mother cow and prolonging calving. Key measures for managing heat stress include providing ample shade and fresh, cool water, as well as ensuring that black-hided calves, who are more susceptible to heat, have adequate access to hydration and cooling.

🧂 A Salty Threat - Livestock owners should be vigilant about the risk of salt toxicity due to the forecasted extreme temperatures. This condition can occur when animals are deprived of water for extended periods, leading to high sodium levels and brain swelling if they suddenly have unrestricted access to water. The result can be fatal, with high death rates even with treatment. Historically, such conditions have caused significant cattle losses.

🧬 Cracking the Fertility Code - The USDA has awarded Penn State researchers a $650,000 grant to study the genetics of testis development and sperm production in cattle. Led by Professor Wansheng Liu, the research will explore gene regulation and transcriptome dynamics to identify genetic markers for bull fertility, aiming to improve artificial insemination and cattle breeding.

RANCHING KNOW-HOW

The 3 Biggest Updates to USDA's Farm Loan Programs You Need to Know

To help farmers and ranchers amid falling commodity prices, the USDA's Farm Service Agency is implementing three key changes to its loan programs starting September 25. These include a new low-interest installment program for distressed borrowers, more flexible repayment terms to improve cash flow and retirement savings, and reduced collateral requirements to protect personal residences. These updates aim to enhance financial stability and simplify the loan process for producers.

Overcoming Today’s Challenges as an American Cattle Rancher

The American beef industry thrives due to the dedication and innovation of its members. Amanda Radke, a leading rancher and industry advocate, highlights concerns about private property rights and government mandates affecting ranching. Despite these challenges, she remains hopeful, noting the ingenuity of young ranchers who are diversifying and adapting their practices. Radke stresses the importance of proactive engagement and unity among ranchers to secure the industry’s future and ensure high-quality beef remains available. Check out this episode of The Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast for more!

RANCHING AROUND THE WORLD RECAP

🇨🇦 National Beef Strategy celebrates gains [Canadian Cattlemen]

🇫🇷 France extends bluetongue vaccination for ruminants after outbreaks [The Cattle Site]

🇬🇧 Top tips to overcome UK's slurry legislation [The Cattle Site]

CATTLE COMMUNITY

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

READER POLL

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

HOUGHTS FROM VOTERS

Yes

• “The persistent choosing ‘show steers’ over well fed steers that hang high choice/ prime on the rail is ridiculous. Fair executives should hire judges that actually know the difference between steers that are bred for hair and showiness and steers that both the packer and consumer really want.”

No

• “Our youth should be learning to be good producers, and part of that is learning to market the beef they've produced. Customer demand should dictate market weight. Often, families and small business owners are purchasing these market steers and want a smaller carcass that they can financially and logistically handle. Let's keep the local beef market diversified from the commercial beef market. Both are needed and equally important. Let's keep beef on every dinner plate.”

• “Its is a show. We are creating the best structured, and then the best conditioned animal with almost no regard for cost to finish for the showring. Reverse order for the commercial beef industry.”

Unsure

• “I’m always going to be in favor of free market capitalism and the rule of law. Any deviation from these basic tenants always has consequences. We as cattle ranchers know what it is like to operate on thin to nonexistent profit, but we have the freedom to not participate or make other choices. That’s what makes a market.”

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