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page 6May 12, 2011
B'eef verification a tool Going to school for cows
for worldwide markets
Hello,
Still hearing some holxor stories
another tail. Kind up and to the left.
Gary reached in and felt it. They
Hat Tips
By Dean Meyer
Beef, production and technology
continue to grow closer as produc-
ers seek to evaluate performance
and qualify annual production for
international markets. Source and
age verification is a management
tool needed to gain access to world-
wide markets.
Since 2005, the North Dakota
Beef Cattle Improvement
Association has povided source
and age verification for beef pro-
ducers. CalfAID rM, a USDA
Process Verified Program, has
source and age verified calves in the
past six years.
The conceptof: SAV cattle is
growing. Stockmen's Livestock
owner Jim Erickson of Dickinson
Said tlae defnand for SAV cattle is
there. "This is more than a want. It
is.a need," he told NDBCIA board
of dictors. "There are a lot of
feedlOts that are sending cattle to
differem places and they cannot
unless the''cattle are (source and
age) verified."
At present, CalfAID rM , is one of
maiiy USDA Process Verified
Programs for beef production.
fieeord keeping and electronic tech-
nology, is part of this process in
many cases.
"Source and age verification is a
process in which producers attest to
the stock they sell," said NDBCIA
Executive Secretary Dr. Kris
Ringwall. "In CalfAID TM , produc-
s keep a calving book that details
Birth dates, visual identification and
electronic identification Y
: Mick Riesinger, biosecurity spe-
Extension Center and a member of
the CalfAID TM team, said the SAV
designation involves the implemen-
tation of technology into each indi-
vidual calf. "With CalfAID TM , as
with the majority of SAV programs,
calves are required to have a VID
(visual identification) and an EID
(electronic identification)."
Producers can use low frequency or
high frequency EID tags.
The CalfAID rM team has con-
ducted extensive research on vari-
ous electronic tagging options for
beef cattle. The team began with
half and full duplex low frequency
tags and then graduated to UHF
(ultra high frequency) tags.
The low frequency tags, which
are the least expensive and most
often used by producers, require
"wand or stationary readers that are
within six to 12 inches of the tag"
according to Riesinger. In. most
cases, the animals need to be
restrained or moved very slowly
through what he called "portal read-
ers", which are stationary mounted
readers that need to be within the
six to 12 inches of the tag the ani-
mal has in its ear.
Early research data collected by
the DREC and the NDBCIA
involved several thousand head of
cattle: The research team followed
calves from the ranch to the harvest
floor. A high frequency pilot project
in 2010 involved nearly 8,500
calves.
The DREC research showed
nearly 100 per cent read rates on
beef cattle with high frequency tags
ways, in and out of pens", according
to Riesinger. The high frequency
tags also allowed cattle to be moved
at their normal speeds. "This was
good because we did not have to
catch or restrain cattle," he said.
"The ultra high frequency (UHF)
tags are read by a handheld comput-
er device," Riesinger said. "It is
much like the inventory control
readers you would see in a store like
Walmart. The reader needs to'have
radio frequency identification
(RFID) software installed.
There are many uses for the UHF
tagS, according to Riesinger. "Since
producers can read from as far away
as 30 feet, it is possible that one
could ride through his herd and do
an inventory count using the hand-
held computer."
Erickson said the key issue with
SAV calves is the paperwork. He
urged producers "to get records in
here (NDBCIA office) in June..."
Calves can be SAV as soon as
they are tagged and records submit-
ted. Ringwall said, "Calves only
need to be source and age verified
once. The designation stays with the
calf for its lifetime."
Erickson said, "CalfAID , is a
nice program and everything that I
have seen is that it is good... Now
is the time to get the ball rolling.
Let's do it now rather than be
behind (at marketing time in the
fall)."
Individuals needing more infor-
mation about CalfAID rM . can con-
tact the Dickinson Research
Extension Center at 701-483-2348
from the storm last week. If you're
in the cow business, it had to be one
of the scariest storms in history.
Cows and calves blew-into creeks
and washouts. Some into lakes or
sloughs. Calves drilled over when
sheltered by a cutbank. Cows and
yearlings drifted for mile,. A few
calves are still being found a week
after the storm. Losses varied from
none, to entire herds being pretty
much wiped out. A friend of mine
lost all of his heifer's calves. Had
put them out on a hay meadow to
get them out of his sloppy pens.
That vicious wind blew them all
into a little creek. After babysitting
the cows for two years and sitting
up nights this spring, gone with one
tough storm.
On the news just a day or two
ago, North Dakota was listed as one
of the happiest states in the nation to
reside in. I doubt if they checked
with any cowboys this week.
Enough on that. Maybe I can
lighten your week a little. •
I remember years ago, when |
went to A.I. school. That's artificial
insemination school. For cows. The
instructor told us there was no place
darker than the inside of a cow. And
he was right•
I was never much good at
A.I.ing. One time Grandpa Herb
brought a cow in to breed. I asked
what I should breed her to. He said
to use the same bull I did on number
t27. When I asked why, he
informed me that number 127,
whom I had bred the day before,
had already had a Calf. He figured
I remember years
ago, when I went to
A.I. school. That's
artificial insemina-
tion school. For
COWS
with a gestation period that short,
we could have a lot of calf crops per
year.
Back to the dark side, or inside,
of a cow. Gary and Dennis had a
tough one last week. When you're
calving a bunch of cows and
heifers, you inevitably run into a
few problems. And you learn to be
patient and straighten them out.
Calves with a leg back, or head
back, or backwards, or breeched.
That's butt first. Or twins.
And it's dark in there. But with
experience, long arms, and luck,
you can usually work things out.
But Gary ran into a tough ojae. The
hind feet were coming. Not much
you can do but pull. Nothing hap-
pened. It yeas solid. He decided
maybe it was twins. And he had one
leg of each calf. Now even a cow
with a lot of room is going to have
trouble here. He felt around and was
sure both the legs were on the' same
calf. But it's dark inthere. He pulled
again. Solid.
Dennis came to assist. Gary
explained the problem. Dennis
reached in and felt around. When he
was in about up to his waist, he felt
decided it was twins. But the one
they were pulling on wouldn't
budge. They had to do the unthink-
able. Haul a simple set of twins
down to the vet. Knowing full well,
the vet would reach in, move one
calf around, and deliver them with
ease.
But it was a different kind of a
deal. When they got to the vet, he
decided to do a C-section. Out came
the calf. But a strange one. One set
of hind legs on two calves. Siamese
twins. No, it didn't live. Or they
didn't live. Whatever. But like
Grandpa always said, if they all
lived they wouldn't be worth noth-
ing.
The neighbors "around here are
starting to notice that I don't take
Shirley out much. But I do. I do. I
was in at an elevator meeting the
other night (that's what we call
pinochle night). One of the club
members mentioned that I should
have brought Shirley in. That I
never take her out.
Boy, did I straighten him out. I
informed him that I had taken her
out the night before. At two in the
morning. To check heifers.
Actually, she had taken me out. She
usually does the two o'clock check,
but needed my assistance on a tough
one.
And boy. it's dark in there.
Oh, and by the way, next time
you go out for a cocktail, order a
Bin Laden. That's two shots and a
splash of water!
Later,
Dean
cialist with the Dickinson Research as they were "walking through alley ext. 105.
• Livestock producers urged to Program available for cattle losses
werN°irtn h thDakeCt obttheP;°edekCenrd :'O%7 he--art--s g-o ou---i to al--i i-hos--e wh----o uI-
protect animals from anthrax
BISMARCK - North Dakota's
state veterinarian is urging live-
stock producers to protect their
animals from amhrax.
"Producers should make sure
tttieir animals are current on vacci-
ffat}ons," said Dr. Susan Keller,
"'Don't forget recently purchased
animals that may not be vaccinat-
Most often reported in north-
east, southeast and south central
North Dakota, anthrax has been
found in almost every part of the
state in the past. Keller said wet
conditions this year are favorable
for anthrax to appear."
"Producers sh0uld-cdntact their
veterinarians for anthrax vac-
cine," Keller said. "The vaccine is
effective, but takes about a week
to establish immunity, and annual
boosters are necessary.
Veterinarians may recommend
two doses in known higher risk
areas."
Keller also asked producers to
monitor their herds and report any
unexpected deaths to their veteri-
narians.
It is mot unusual for North
Dakota to record a few anthrax
cases each year. In 2005, an esti-
mated 1.000 head of cattle, bison,
horses, sheep, llamas and farmed
deer and elk died from the disease.
b;',ade based on sound sci-
ence, not fear," said NDFB Pablic
Policy Director Sandy Clark. "The
state isin the best position to regu-
late hydraulic fracturing. NDFB
supported two bills in the
Legislature to exercise the state's
rights to regulate the process."
-. Clark testified that NDFB has
always supported multiple-use of
public lands, including livestock
grazing, recreation and oil and gas
Forum
(c'o ' " ....
ntinued from Page,3)
development.
"We believe 'agricultfire. oil
development and public use of
BLM lands can co-exist in western
North Dakota," she said.
Agriculture and the energy
industry are the two biggest cre-
ators of new wealth for the state.
"The use of hydraulic fractur-
ing to develop oil production is an
important component to the oil
industry in North Dakota." Clark
said;_ We need to make sure we
don t stifle growth because people
fear something they don't under-
stand."
Clark said more people asked
questions at the hearing than testi-
fied.
"That would indicate that there
is a lot of education that needs to
happen, so people can feel com-
fortable with the process." she
said.
Renter refund filing deadline is May 31
" BISMARCK Tax
Commissioner Cory Fong reminds
low income senior citizens and dis-
abled persons they may be able to
receive a refund for part of the
money they paid as rent for their
home or apartment. The deadline
for filing for the refund is May 31,
2011.
"The Renter's Refund program
offers some relief to low income
senior citizens and disabled persons
who pay rent for their home," said
Fong. The program is part of the
homestead credit for senior citizens
or disabled persons that the State
Tax Department administers. The
refund program is available to low-
income renters who are 65 or older
or permanently and totally disabled.
People who think they may qual-
ify should call the Tax Department
at (701) 328-3127 or 877-328-7088,
option 6. for more information.
Construction
to begin 12
Highway
MARMARTH - Construction
work will begin 6n U.S. Highway
12 at the Montana State line to five
miles east of Marmarth on Monday,
May 9; The project consists of
paving ihe roadway.
During construction, speeds
Wilt.be reduced to35 mph in some
locations, a width restrietion of 20
feet will be in place, flaggers and
a pilot ar will. be present.
.motorists may experience minimal
delays, and trucks will be entering
antt exiiing the highway, according
to the N.D. Department of
Transportation.
This project is expected to be
)dmplete by May 21.
RECEPTION FOR MAXlNE TROTTER
Billings County School District will be hosting a re-
ception to honor Maxine Trotter on her retirement
after 28 years of teaching in Billings County Schools.
The reception will be held at Prairie School immediately follow-
ing graduation ceremonies (approximately 8:00 p.m.) on Tuesday,
May 24, 2011.
All present and past co-workers, parents, students, and other
friends are welcome to stop by and wish Maxine well!
Missouri River Royalty Corporation (MRRC) is
currently paying $ TOP DOLLAR $
to lease minerals in the Williston Basin.
A
MRRC also pays top dollar for mineral N l I
fights, existing production, and top leas- ...
ing minerals. We specialize in the Bakken
Formation and are headquartered in
North Dakota. Please call today to
compare competitor's lease
terms. Have the Section,
Township, and Range
ready for appraisal.
Call
701-226-6128
storm, working to protect their herds fered losses over the weekend and who are
and, especially, the many newborn
calves that are on the ground and that
are still making their debut.
Challenges came in the lorm of wind,
rain and snow and from disoriented
animals drifting with the storm.
"This has been a tremendously
stressful winter - both for people and
their livestock," said North Dakota
Stockmen's Association President
Jason Schmidt, a rancher from
Medina. "Our hearts go out to all
those who suffered losses over the
weekend and who are scrambling to
find some semblance of normal this
week."
Schmidt reminds producers who
have lost cattle as a result of this or
another adverse weather event that
the Livestock Indemnity Program
(LIP) is available to those who have
experienced above-normal mortality
rates. LIP provides some :ompensa-
tion for weather-related death losses.
Livestock losses from some diseases
may also be elible if the disease
was accelerated or intensified by an
eligible adverse weather event. LIP is
administered by the Farm Service
Agency (FSA).
The program covers livestock,
such as cattle, sheep, swine, poultry
Put Your Money .
Whe Your House Zsl
Ioctll tndodent strengthen our
buneses am commum
your b vae and our conomy
scrambling to find some semblance of nor-
mal this week."
Jason Schmidt
and goats, as well as other animals
that were being used/'or commercial
purposes as part of a farming opera-
tion.
Producers must file a notice of
loss to their local FSA office within
30 days of the loss being apparent.
The notice of loss may be completed
by telephone, in person or by e-mail
or lax.
In application for the LIP, produc-
ers will be required to provide docu-
mentation about their losses. FSA
officials suggest that producers use a
camera with an imprinted date lea-
ture to document their losses. Other
verifiable documentation includes
things Such as veterinary records.
bank 6r other loan documents, pro-
duction records or calving books. If
these types of records are not avail-
able, a certificate from a third party
may be accepted if the third party is
not affiliated with the producer's
operation, but has specific knowl-
edge"of the deaths. In those cases,
inventory records will also be
required .For more information about
LIP, producers should contact their
local FSA office.
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6/7/2011
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