Volume XXXX, #5 | March 2017 Published monthly for the NCA Membership The Voice of the Nevada Livestock Industry Continued on page 3 51st Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale A Success! By Kaley Sproul, Sale Secretary E ven with cold temperatures and winter weather across much of the west, it did not keep cattlemen from attending the 51st Annual Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale held at the Fallon Livestock Exchange. is year’s sale featured bulls ranging from 14-25 months of age. Cattlemen from California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah attended the sale looking to buy their range-ready bulls for the year. e Sale Average for the top 75 bulls sold comes to $3,696.67. Breed Averages included: Angus for $3,681.45; Balancer for $3,150; Charolais for $3,408.33; Herefords for $3,246.15; and Red Angus for $3,500. Each year, the consignors continue to bring high-quality bulls. Because of the high quality of bulls and dedicated support to the sale, the sale continues to be a success and reach out to many of the western states. e Nevada Cattlemen’s Association and Fallon Bull Sale Committee thank you for your participation and congratulate this year’s award recipients. e Top Range Bull Award and the Angus Best of Breed was awarded to Mitch Cain of Wild West Angus for lot #49. It was sold to Maureen Weishaupt for $4,700. ank you to both parties for your participation and support of the Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale. e High Selling Bull was from Jackson Mtn. Angus for lot #78. is was sold to Jon Wilker of the UNR Gund Ranch, Cresent Valley, NV for $5,600. e Balancer Best of Breed was awarded to Cardey Ranches for lot #2. It was sold to Joe Sceirine of Yerington, NV for $3,200. e Charolais Best of Breed was awarded to Jerry and Sherry Maltby of the Broken NCA Offers $1,000 Scholarship for High School Seniors Each year the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association accepts applications for a $1,000 Scholarship open to all Nevada high School graduating seniors. Eligibility requirements for the Scholarship include: • Student must be a senior graduating from a High School in Nevada • Student must plan to attend a Community College or a 4-year College or University • Student must be seeking a degree in an agriculturally related field • Student must have at least a 2.5 GPA In addition to completing an application, candidates must also submit: • A typewritten essay of 1,000 to 1,500 words on any current issue involving the beef industry including references cited • A copy of the student’s official transcripts • ree letters of reference Scholarship application forms can be downloaded from the Nevada Cattle- men’s website at www.nevadacattlemen.org, or applicants can call the NCA office at 775-738-9214 or send a request to [email protected] for a copy. Completed application form and all required information must be post- marked by Monday, May 1st, 2017 and sent to: Attn: Research & Education Committee, c/o Nevada Cattlemen’s Association, P.O Box 310, Elko, NV 89803; or submitted by email with the subject line, “2017 NCA Scholarship Applicant (Your Name)” to [email protected]. (Photo: Rita Armstrong) Let the bidding begin. Inside Sage Signals Fallon Bull Sale Report_________ 1, 3 NCA Membership Update ________ 2 Calendar ____________________ 2 Beef Cow Workshop ____________ 5 Steninger Recieves Award ________ 7 NCBA/PLC News_______________ 8 NDA: Invasive Species Infestation _ 11 USDA News _________________ 12
Transcript
Volume XXXX, #5 | March 2017 Published monthly for the NCA Membership
The Voice of the Nevada Livestock Industry
Continued on page 3
51st Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale A Success!
By Kaley Sproul, Sale Secretary
Even with cold temperatures and winter weather across much of the west, it did not keep cattlemen from attending the 51st Annual Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale held at the Fallon Livestock Exchange. This year’s sale featured bulls ranging
from 14-25 months of age. Cattlemen from California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah attended the sale looking to buy their range-ready bulls for the year. The Sale Average for the top 75 bulls sold comes to $3,696.67. Breed Averages included: Angus for $3,681.45; Balancer for $3,150; Charolais for $3,408.33; Herefords for $3,246.15; and Red Angus for $3,500.
Each year, the consignors continue to bring high-quality bulls. Because of the high quality of bulls and dedicated support to the sale, the sale continues to be a success and reach out to many of the western states. The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association and Fallon Bull Sale Committee thank you for your participation and congratulate this year’s award recipients.
The Top Range Bull Award and the Angus Best of Breed was awarded to Mitch Cain of Wild West Angus for lot #49. It was sold to Maureen Weishaupt for $4,700. Thank you to both parties for your participation and support of the Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale. The High Selling Bull was from Jackson Mtn. Angus for lot #78. This was sold to Jon Wilker of the UNR Gund Ranch, Cresent Valley, NV for $5,600.
The Balancer Best of Breed was awarded to Cardey Ranches for lot #2. It was sold to Joe Sceirine of Yerington, NV for $3,200.
The Charolais Best of Breed was awarded to Jerry and Sherry Maltby of the Broken
NCA Offers $1,000 Scholarship for High School SeniorsEach year the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association accepts applications for a
$1,000 Scholarship open to all Nevada high School graduating seniors.Eligibility requirements for the Scholarship include:
• Student must be a senior graduating from a High School in Nevada• Student must plan to attend a Community College or a 4-year College
or University• Student must be seeking a degree in an agriculturally related field• Student must have at least a 2.5 GPA
In addition to completing an application, candidates must also submit:• A typewritten essay of 1,000 to 1,500 words on any current issue
involving the beef industry including references cited• A copy of the student’s official transcripts• Three letters of reference
Scholarship application forms can be downloaded from the Nevada Cattle-men’s website at www.nevadacattlemen.org, or applicants can call the NCA office at 775-738-9214 or send a request to [email protected] for a copy.
Completed application form and all required information must be post-marked by Monday, May 1st, 2017 and sent to: Attn: Research & Education Committee, c/o Nevada Cattlemen’s Association, P.O Box 310, Elko, NV 89803; or submitted by email with the subject line, “2017 NCA Scholarship Applicant (Your Name)” to [email protected].
(Photo: Rita Armstrong)Let the bidding begin.
Inside Sage SignalsFallon Bull Sale Report _________ 1, 3
WWW.NEVADACATTLEMEN.ORG SAGE SIGNALS March 2017 • 3
Continued from page 1
Box Ranch for lot #15. It was sold to Pete Delmue of Pioche, NV for $3,200.
The Red Angus Best of Breed was awarded to Merle Eakin of the Lazy J Red Angus Ranch for lot #137. It was sold to Ira Renner of Jiggs, NV for $3,500.
The Hereford Best of Breed was awarded to Dan-iels Hereford Ranch for lot #30 selling for $3,000 to Alton Anker.
This year’s recipient of the volume buyer jacket is Andrea Jackson of the Jackson Ranch. A spe-
cial thank you to our volume buyer and all of our buyers. Whether you bought one bull or eleven, your continued support of the Bull Sale is greatly appreciated.
Along with the dedicated group of buyers and consignors that participate in the sale each year, there are several sponsors who help make the sale possible year after year and they include: Pinenut Livestock, (awards for Best of Breed, Top Overall Range Bull, and ear tags for the sale); Fallon Con-vention Center (grant for advertising); Hoof Beat Gates and Corrals for donating the panels for the FFA raffle; and Great Basin Ranch of Southern Nevada Water Authority (for donating the “Raffle Calf”, proceeds go to benefit Churchill FFA and the NCA Scholarship Fund). Also, each year Gayle Hy-barger organizes the Stock Dog Trials and Auction, proceeds go to benefit a family in need of help in the livestock industry. Along with these dedicated sponsors, we would also like to thank Stix Cattle Company, Robison Ranch and Demar Dahl for
contributing a donation calf. Without the support of these great sponsors, the Fallon Bull Sale would not be possible.
Nevada Cattlemen’s Association and the Fallon Bull Sale Committee would like to send a thank you to everyone for support and assistance in making the Sale a success each year! Lastly, thank you to the crew at the Fallon Livestock Exchange, the Churchill County FFA, the Churchill County Cowbelles and the Fallon Bull Sale Committee members. Your hard work is greatly appreciated.
Current NCA President Dave Stix Jr., and past chair of the Fallon Bull Sale Committee, Chris Gansberg, at the Churchill Co. Cowbelles Dinner
Photos Courtesy of Rita Armstrong
Eric Duarte, FBS Auctioneer
Above: Lot #15 Charolais Best of Breed
Left: Charolais Best of Breed winner Jerry Maltby of Broken Box Ranch
Above: Lot #30 Hereford Best of Breed
Left: Hereford Best of Breed winners Dan and Teresa Daniels of Daniels Hereford Ranch
Above: Lot #49 Top Range Bull and Angus Best of Breed
Left: Angus Best of Breed and Top Range Bull winner Mitch Cain of Wild West Angus
WWW.NEVADACATTLEMEN.ORG SAGE SIGNALS March 2017 • 5
Making Everyday Decisions to Manage Your Beef Cows
Ranchers face many challenges each day that require their attention. These challenges include things like
dealing with and preventing disease, getting cows fed or moved to the right pasture, getting cows bred, getting calves on the ground and started out right, and many others.
These daily challenges require a lot of time and effort to get them done right. Because of this time commitment on these essential tasks often things like marketing, eco-nomic analysis and risk management get put on the back burner. With this in mind, the Wyoming Ranch Tools website was developed to help producers make those marketing and economic analysis decisions (www.uwyo-extension.org/ranchtools).
The tools on the website are designed to help producers answer the question “will I be better or worse off if I make a change to my operation.” Example questions that ranch-ers are faced with are:
• Should I use a cross breeding program that would increase production, but reduce efficiency?
• Should I consider marketing my calves early or later to take advantage of market trends?
• Does it make economic sense to market yearlings instead of calves?
• What can I afford to pay for replacement cows or heifers?
• Is it better to market my calves direct, at an auc-tion barn, or should I use a video auction?
• Is the price slide in my calf contract fair?Two workshops are being held in April that will demon-
strate how to use the Wyoming Ranch Tools website using real ranch situations. The workshops, “Making Everyday Decisions to Manage Your Beef Cows,” will be held in Fallon at the Fallon Convention Center on April 18 and repeated in Elko on April 19 at Great Basin College.
Topics to be covered at the workshops include:
• Economic Ranch Tools: Budgeting and cow valuation tools for making decisions on a ranch - Bridger Feuz, Livestock Marketing Specialist, University of Wyoming Extension
• Range Management: Tools for building a range management plan and strategy - Barton Stam, Area Extension Educator, University of
Wyoming Extension
• Cow Herd Nutrition: Tools for monitoring and managing nutrition in the cow herd - Hudson Hill, Area Extension Educator, University of Wy-oming Extension
• Risk Management: Tools including Livestock Risk Protection for mitigating risk in volatile markets - Bridger Feuz, Livestock Marketing Specialist, University of Wyoming Extension
• How to Utilize USDA Programs in Nevada: Insurance, Loan and Conservation Programs (USDA, Risk Management Agency; USDA, Nat-ural Resources Conservation Service; USDA, Farm Service Agency) - Staci Emm, Extension Educator, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and USDA Agency Staff.
Ranchers who have attended this workshop in the past, throughout the Western United States, have consistently found it to be useful and directly applicable to their ranch-es. When asked if they would recommend this workshop to other producers, 100% of the respondents have indicat-ed yes they would.
The workshops will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at each location, and a meal will be provided. Please register by April 14 by contacting Bridger Feuz at [email protected] or 307-799-8740. The cost of the workshop is $15 and will be collected at the door.
The workshops are offered in partnership with Nevada Cattlemen’s Association, University of Nevada Coopera-tive Extension and Master Stockman Consulting.
Funding for this workshop is provided through USDA Risk Management Agency grants.
For more information please contact Bridger Feuz at [email protected].
NEVADA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION6 • March 2017 SAGE SIGNALS
Born out of necessity during the GreatDepression, Beefmasters were created to thrive inthe harshest of environments. In the 1930s, TomLasater, the breed’s founder, experimented withcrossbreeding two F1’s (Bos Indicus x Hereford andBos Indicus x Shorthorn), and he immediately sawthe resulting composite calves far exceeded the F1’s.
Being a composite, or three-way, cross,Beefmasters blend the best attributes of the parentbreeds. Beefmasters initially were developed withoutregard for color, a unique point in the breed’shistory. Lasater believed that color had no bearingon the end product—beef. So he selected only foreconomic traits. This decision was not easy, but hetook the difficult stand of ignoring aesthetics insearch of the best possible genetics.
Today, Beefmasters are the largest of theAmerican breeds. More importantly, they are theonly Bos Taurus x Bos Indicus American composite,yielding maximum effective heterosis, or hybrid
vigor. In the United States, and many other parts ofthe world, the Beefmaster-type cow is the idealfemale for low-cost, grass-based production indifficult tropical or desert environments.
Because they are a three-way composite,Beefmasters enjoy built-in hybrid vigor. This meanscowmen experience a significant jump in weights
and other heritable traits when crossing Beefmasterswith just about any other breed. The cattle willmaintain that heterosis when crossed back insuccessive generations, resulting in continuousimprovement and no loss of heterosis.
Beefmasters differ from other breeds in that theywere developed according to criteria of directeconomic importance. While most breeds evolve outof some aesthetic (color, size, horns, etc.),Beefmasters were raised strictly under the uniquephilosophy developed by Tom Lasater, known as theSix Essentials (see list at left).
Beefmasters are perfectly suited to economicallyefficient grass ranching. They beautifullycomplement a wide range of breed types, addingbuilt-in heterosis and a multitude of importanteconomic traits.
If any of the attributes discussed here would bean asset to your own herd, please consider usingBeefmaster genetics in your crossbreeding program.
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Steninger Receives Sustained Lifetime Acheivement Award from the Society For Range Management
Al Steninger of Elko, Nevada, received the Sustained Lifetime Achievement Award at the So-ciety for Range Management’s (SRM) 70th Annual Meeting held in St. George, Utah, Jan-uary 29 – February 2, 2017. The Sustained Lifetime Achieve-ment Award is presented by the Society to members for long-term contributions to the art
and science of range management and to the Society for Range Management.
Al Steninger joined the Society for Range Manage-ment in 1961, and is a life member. A native of Elko, NV, Al has had a varied career. He’s been a buckaroo, a ranch manager, earned his BS/MS from Colorado State Uni-versity, worked as a BLM Area Manager, range consul-tant, ranch broker, appraiser and arbitrator. Since 1968, he has operated Western Range Service and Nevada Ranch Service in Elko serving private clients west-wide.
Al has improved management on millions of acres of rangeland. In all phases of his work, Al has maintained
adherence to scientifically-based range management strategies. Al advocates that good range studies result in good range management decisions. Not only has he collected data, interpreted data, and turned data into management, he has applied the data on- the-ground on several large ranches he managed or advised, bringing innovative range management into practice. Al’s con-sulting is built on strict ethical standards; he believes his clients deserve the truth based on facts. His broker-age and arbitration policy is: be thorough, be transpar-ent, and provide service and ethics which are beyond reproach. His integrity has attracted collaboration with top scientists and educators in range management in conducting range studies and expert testimony.
As part of a pioneering Elko family, Al has been active in support of the Elko County Fair, Northern Nevada Community College, Elko Historical Museum, and other civic projects.
For his long-time efforts to combine good science with practical experience in managing rangelands The Society for Range Management proudly presented Al Steninger with a 2017 Sustained Lifetime Achievement Award.
SRM’s 2017 Sustained Lifetime Achieve-ment award recipient Al Steninger with SRM President (2016) Dr. Val Jo Anderson
Al Steninger with SRM Past President (2011) Jack Alexander
NEVADA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION8 • March 2017 SAGE SIGNALS
Cattlemen, Public Lands Council Applaud Confirmation of Zinke for Interior Secretary
WASHINGTON (March 1, 2017) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Associa-tion and the Public Lands Council today hailed the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Ryan Zinke to be the next U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
“This is great news for America’s ranchers and cattle producers,” NCBA President Craig Uden said. “Ryan Zinke has an outstanding record advocating for Western communities and ranchers, and for the real inclusion of stake-holders’ voices in the decisions that affect them. We look forward to working with Secretary Zinke to restore common sense and balance on issues like public lands management, conservation, and endangered species.”
PLC President Dave Eliason said having a Secretary of Interior who under-stands public lands and who values true cooperation with stakeholders is in the best interest of all Americans.
“Secretary Zinke is from the West and understands the unique challenges faced by communities with a large federal footprint,” Eliason said. “We look forward to working with him and his staff at the Department of the Interior to restore the role of local input in planning and review processes, fix laws like the Endangered Species Act, and protect grazing rights that are so critical to western economies.”
Western ranchers own approximately 120 million acres of the most produc-tive private land in the West and manage nearly 250 million acres of public land. Ranchers who hold grazing permits on public land do vital work that benefits public land including the improvement of water sources, improve-ment of wildlife habitat, and maintaining the open space that Americans enjoy, yet are often targeted by outside interest groups.
PLC and Legal Community Comment on the Range Allotment Owners Association
WASHINGTON (Feb. 20, 2017) — Ethan Lane, executive director of the Public Lands Council, today released the following statement and open letter regarding the Range Allotment Owners Association:
“The Public Lands Council is the only organization in Washington, DC,
who solely represents the 22,000 ranchers who operate on public lands. Since 1968, PLC has had boots on the ground in the halls of Congress and the fed-eral land management agencies, working to ensure that rancher’s voices are heard.
“Recently, a group has materialized, claiming to be the only organization that represents the public lands rancher. This group, called the Range Allot-ment Owners Association, is advancing a compelling but dangerous theory, that ranchers who hold grazing permits on public lands are not merely per-mittees, but allotment owners. While we at PLC fight every day for the prefer-ence and property rights of ranchers, we feel that this particular theory goes beyond our legal rights and could ultimately result in the loss of permits and subsequent destruction of family ranches.
“We are lucky in this industry to have a deep bench of legal talent that is focused on our issues and represent our interests in the courts. These assem-bled legal minds have released the following open letter on this general topic, which we present to you independent of our opinions and analysis. That so many of the names on the attached letter will be familiar to you is a testa-ment to their commitment to our industry and their years of work on behalf of ranchers.”
NEVADA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION10 • March 2017 SAGE SIGNALS
WWW.NEVADACATTLEMEN.ORG SAGE SIGNALS March 2017 • 11
NevAdA dePArtmeNt of AgriCuLture
Nevada Prepares For Increased Invasive Species Population
NDA encourages landowners to monitor for noxious weeds early(SPARKS, Nev.) – Northern Nevada has received heavy
rainfall and snow leading up to National Invasive Species Awareness Week. This wet weather brings the probability of increased noxious weeds, which are invasive weed spe-cies that can be detrimental or destructive to Nevada’s landscapes.
“Invasive noxious weeds species like Perennial pepper-weed and Purple loosestrife, grow well in wet soil con-ditions and can spread rapidly during flooding events,” Sean Gephart, the NDA’s noxious weed coordinator, said. “It is extremely important for landowners to keep an eye out for weeds like these on their property to reduce the risk of spreading.”
The Nevada Department of Agriculture provides nu-merous resources such as the Nevada noxious weeds quick reference guide, which highlights the most effective control measures for common species. In addition, staff is available to assist landowners when needed. The NDA website also provides a list of licensed control companies that help eradicate weed invasions.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week was Feb. 27
through March 3.The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) pro-
motes a business climate that is fair, economically viable and encourages a sustainable environment that serves to protect food, fiber and human health and safety through effective service and education. NDA includes the divi-sions of Administration, Animal Industry, Consumer Equitability, Food and Nutrition and Plant Industry.
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NEVADA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION12 • March 2017 SAGE SIGNALS
USDA Designates Two Counties in Nevada as Primary Natural Disaster Areas with
Assistance to Producers in CaliforniaWASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2017 — In response to a
request from Janice Kolvet, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) acting State Executive Director in Nevada, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Esmeralda and Mineral counties in Nevada as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought.
Farmers and ranchers in Churchill, Lyon and Nye counties in Nevada also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are con-tiguous.
Farmers and ranchers in Inyo and Mono coun-ties in California also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous.
All counties listed above were designated nat-
ural disaster areas on Feb. 23, 2017, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for FSA’s emergency (EM) loans, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eli-gible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.
Other FSA programs that can provide assistance, but do not require a disaster declaration, include
• Operating and Farm Ownership Loans;
• the Emergency Conservation Program; • Livestock Forage Disaster Program; • Livestock Indemnity Program; • Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Hon-eybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program; and
• the Tree Assistance ProgramInterested farmers may contact their local USDA
Service Centers for further information on eligi-bility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.
FSA news releases are available on FSA’s website at www.fsa.usda.gov via the “Newsroom” link.
Farm Service Agency Emergency Physical Loss Loans Available for Counties in Oregon, Idaho and Nevada due to Severe Snow StormWASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2017 — U.S. De-
partment of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting Administrator, Chris Beyerhelm, announced that physical loss loans are available for four counties in Oregon, four counties in Idaho and one county in Nevada. Farmers and ranchers who have suffered major physical losses caused by the severe snow storm that occurred on Dec. 15, 2016, and continuing may be eligible for FSA emergency loans.
At the request of Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Acting FSA State Executive Director Daniel LoFaro, this Administrator’s Physical Loss Notifi-cation has been issued by FSA for Malheur County as the primary damaged area. Three Oregon coun-ties are contiguous to this designated disaster area, making these producers also potentially eli-
gible for programs based on this designation. The contiguous counties are: Baker, Grant and Harney.
Producers in Canyon, Owyhee, Payette and Washington counties in Idaho and Humboldt County in Nevada are also eligible because they are contiguous counties.
“Damage sustained by the severe winter storm has resulted in significant loss for many farmers and ranchers in the impacted areas,” said Beyer-helm. “Disaster assistance programs offered by FSA including emergency physical loss loans offer much needed financial support for producers in the recovery process.”
Emergency loans may be made available to any applicant with a qualifying loss in the counties named above. Approval is limited to applicants who suffered severe physical losses only.
Physical loss loans may be made to eligible farm-ers and ranchers to repair or replace damaged or destroyed physical property essential to the suc-cess of the agriculture operation, including stored crops and livestock losses. Examples of property commonly affected include: essential farm build-ings, fixtures to real estate, equipment, livestock, perennial crops, fruit and nut bearing trees, and harvested or stored crops and hay.
Producers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans for physical losses.
Please contact FSA for more information on loan eligibility and the application process. FSA office information is available at http://offices.usda.gov. Additional FSA disaster assistance program infor-mation is available at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.
