the progressive rancher, february 2013

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February Issue. Agriculture news and information regarding the ranching industry issues, including cattle, horses, grazing, range plants and more. Traditional Past — Embracing the Future

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

NCA 2009 President’s

Award Recipient

Page 2: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Ads sent to or built by The Progressive Rancher become property of this magazine.

The Progressive RancherOwner/Editor/Publisher - Leana Stitzel

[email protected] Design/Layout/Production - Julie Eardley

[email protected]

Mailed to more than 6,000 individuals with approved addresses each month.The Progressive Rancher is published monthly. The views and opinions expressed by writers of articles appearing in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor. Letters of opinion are welcomed by The Progressive Rancher.Rates for advertising are available upon request. Advertising in The Progressive Rancher does not necessarily imply editorial endorsement. Liability for any errors or omissions in advertisements shall not exceed the cost of the space occupied by the error or omission.The Progressive Rancher is free to people working and active in the livestock industry. The Progressive Rancher is donated to the agricultural industry. If you are not currently receiving this magazine on a regular basis, and would like to be a part of The Progressive Rancher family, contact us by e-mail at [email protected], today, so we can include you on our mailing list. If you have moved or changed addresses, please notify us, by e-mail, so we can keep you informed. All requests for the magazine must be made by e-mail.

Leana Stitzel, Owner/Editor1188 Court St., #81, Elko, NV 89801

(208) 733-1828 • [email protected]

Cover Photo: The Buyers, by Leana StitzelArtistic Composition: Julie Eardley

WWW.PROGRESSIVERANCHER.COM

In this Issue...Nevada Cattlemen’s Assn. ........ pgs. 3-4

Cow Camp Chatter, ...................... pg. 5

Maintenance of Western Rights-of-Ways for Roads and Water Central to U.S. Supreme Court Appeal .......... pg. 7

Eye on the Outside ...................... pg. 11

Jack Algeo .................................... pg. 13

Horse Snorts & Cow Bawls ....... pg. 13

Look Up:Wild but Safe ............... pg. 14

Fumes from the Farm .................. pg. 16

Beef Industry Pleased with Release of 2013 Agriculture Study ................ pg.18

Dean Baker: SNWA Right of Way ................... pg. 23

Color Page ................................... pg. 25

Edward Jones: Financial Focus ... pg. 26

Designing Your Grazing System ........................... pg. 27

Grazing Can Control Cheatgrass ............................. pgs. 28-29

NVSRM: Nutritional Properties of Windrowed and Standing Basin Wildrye .............................. pg. 30

Range Plants for the Rancher Smooth Brome ............................. pg. 31

Beef Checkoff News ................... pg. 34

Dakota Eldridge: 2012 Resistol PRCA Double Buckle Rookie ......... pgs. 36-37

Brandon Dufurrena: Winner at NCHA World Finals ............. pgs. 36-37

Pearls from the Past: Working As One ........................... pg. 39

Living in the Now,Preparing for the FutureFor many of us, our goals in life remain constant: financial indepen-dence and providing for family. Striking a balance between saving for goals, such as education and retirement, and allocating money for daily expenses can be challenging. But you can do it.

Learn how you can redefine your savings approach toward education and retirement. Call or visit today.

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greatness is

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The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com2 February 2013

Page 3: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

UPDATE

UP

DAT

EAs this long cold winter continues to drag on, rest as-

sured spring will come. It always has and I am fairly certain that it will come again soon. The one thing that none of us know for sure is what kind of moisture will come with the spring. Many areas of Nevada have received some very much needed and appreciated snow. I am sure all of you are just like me and tired of the freeze drying cold that came behind it though. Winter snows are one thing, but those of us na-tive to Nevada know all too well the importance of timing when it comes to precipitation. A warm and wet spring will do more to heal the health of our rangelands than a decade of “prescribed rest” from grazing. A warm and wet spring will provide the feed for wildlife and livestock and the fuel for aggressive wild fires. I am not certain that this spring will be warm and wet, but one will come again soon.

So obviously I do not work for the Farmer’s Almanac, but I could work for the Weather Channel with a vague forecast like this. I am just trying to set the stage for what is coming in the near future. Livestock producers in Nevada will be faced with many decisions in the coming months. Some of these decisions will be made based upon regulatory threats from agencies, some will be made based on financial consid-erations, and others may be based solely upon emotion. For the public land grazers among us, these decisions are already being made. In many instances numbers are being cut in advance of what may be a short feed year. Pasture rotations are being evaluated to determine what goes where and when and why.

In previous articles, I have touched upon the need to help ourselves. I have asked for producers to collect data and share that data with agency folks when the time comes for decisions on our allotments to be made. I am going to keep asking that this be done. I know it is winter and there is no monitoring that can be done in most of Nevada. I also know that right now is when most of us are nervously awaiting the warm wet days of spring. Soon calving will be in full swing, water will be spread on meadows, calves will be branded, hay will be cut, and spring will turn to fall before we know it. Do not allow another year to go by without making the attempt to help ourselves.

The cost of hiring a range monitoring specialist can no doubt be expensive. I understand the need for all of us to be as frugal as possible. I am not saying that you absolutely have to hire a third party. Much data collection can be done by you the producer. That said I have found that it is always better to have an independent source for data when it comes time to really stand our ground. Let me ask you the question of what a loss of AUM’s means to you financially. We worry about running tight operations and making every penny count, but in today’s world, we stand to lose the very operation we are trying to run if we don’t spend some money on data collection.

The fire closures that many of us will deal with over the next couple of years have given this association a reason to once again evaluate the economic losses realized by losing an AUM. I want to thank NCA’s Public Lands Chairman Ron Cerri for the hard work he has done on this issue and credit him with trying to give us some real numbers to base our arguments on. Using data derived after the devastating ’99 fire season, we can see that a single AUM equates to an output value of $35.35. This directly affects the ranching operation. That same AUM accounts for $81.86 to the regional economy when the economic multiplier is applied. When thousands of AUMs are cut, millions of dollars are lost. Local and state governments should be focused on this in addition to individuals.

Many of the cuts to AUMs that we see either temporarily due to fire, more long term (often forever) due to suspended AUMS, or perma-nently due to decisions are often based on poor and incomplete data. The political pressure to do something leads agency personnel to make cuts

to livestock to save the environment. Poor restoration practices lead to little or no recovery of affected areas and the cycle continues. Inva-sive species move in, fire occurs, natives aren’t present and more cuts are initiated. Once a site crosses over the threshold, complete elimination of grazing will never lead to recovery, and yet this is the practice often employed by management agencies. All the while the viability of our ranches is eroded. Ranches sell, new and often inappropriate management decisions are made and the cycle continues. We must make agencies realize that there is no better long term economically stable industry than sustainable agriculture.

I am also aware that there are individuals who chose to live by a different set of rules. To some of these folks, utilization and standards don’t apply. These individuals are not in it for sustainability. Poor management decisions on the ground are made in an attempt to sur-vive until tomorrow. It is often these very few that draw the lion’s share of attention and paints us all with a negative brush. When animal abuse rears its ugly head, we all jump to say we as an industry do not condone that action. When the illegal use of banned substances occurs in the beef industry, we don’t defend the actions of the guilty. So why would we, as an industry with a long history of environmental stewardship, defend the abuse of range lands? We shouldn’t. Those of us who truly care for the land and care about making sure our operations are sustainable must stand together and be the leaders that others will follow. If we do not, our entire public lands ranching way of life is in greater jeopardy than we may realize.

I am not advocating taking cuts to AUM’s or bowing down to the pressure of federal agencies. I am saying that we have done a poor job of portraying how we graze today. We allow the poor examples to be what determines the regulatory actions of agencies. We don’t stand up and fight back when it comes to “Grazing Promotes Cheat Grass”, like we do when “Pink Slime”, “Meatless Monday”, or “Abuse at Texas Calf Ranch” are the headlines. We know that we do a better job of managing the range than we get credit for. Why don’t we tell our story? What are we afraid of? By remaining quiet, we often look guilty. As an industry, we have NOTHING to hide.

Years ago, the practices of animal husbandry that were consid-ered standard and accepted would be deemed cruel and unusual to-day. Through the Beef Quality Assurance program the industry has eliminated many undesirable practices. Do I hide the fact that I practice veterinary medicine because past practices are now unacceptable? No, I embrace the fact that I “PRACTICE” medicine (I hope to get it right someday), and acknowledge that as a profession, it has changed over the years. The same is true for rangeland management. The practices of old are no longer acceptable and do not yield the most productivity. The historic evidence that “overgrazing led to the spread of cheat grass” is written in black and white. We, as an industry have moved beyond those practices. When individuals look for reasons to reduce livestock grazing, we cannot allow them to cite old references. Will there be some examples they can stretch into “I told you so” cases? Yes. I would also go as far as to say those examples exist in every operation if one looks hard enough and at defined areas long enough, but not throughout a ranch or even an allotment.

The industry associations, local government, and agricultural friendly agencies will and can defend these isolated examples if we provide range wide data. We have made great strides has an industry in so many fronts and the same is true for range management. We must tell our story, stand together as stewards of the range, and do our part to lead by example.

J.J. Goicoechea

DVM

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association

President

Bert and I want to compliment you sincerely on writing and running the excellent article in January’s Progressive Rancher. Bert said, “That’s what I’ve wanted to write a hundred times, J.J. said it exactly right!”

Thanks for your good advice, encouragement, wake up call, and marching orders, all rolled into one outstanding article.

—Kathy and Bert Smith

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 3

Page 4: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association

By Desiree Seal, Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director

As many of you were ringing in the New Year, my phone was ringing off the hook as Congress met throughout the last few days before the start of the

New Year for a compromise on a Farm Bill. By now, most of you are aware that with the passage of the American Tax Payer Relief Bill by both Senate and the House, an ex-tension of the 2008 Farm Bill was passed. Two main parts of the Bill that are pertinent to Nevada ranchers are the death tax and disaster assistance programs. The death tax has been made permanent at exemptions set at $5 million/ person and $10 million/ couple with an increased tax rate to 40% from 35%. Disaster assistance programs were authorized for FY 2012 and 2013 at the rates described below. Congress only authorized the funding for these programs and they will still need to be appropriated money from the Appropriation Committees. Dates to keep in mind: American Tax Payer Relief Bill was approved through March 2013 and the extension of Farm Bill 2008 through September 30, 2013. 113th Congress was sworn in with the start of the New Year and we will continue to work towards a new Farm Bill.

Disaster Assistance Programs amounts authorized:• $80 million for livestock indemnity payments• $400 million for the livestock forage disaster program• $50 million for emergency assistance for livestock

January also brought the notice for the final rule for Traceability. USDA is aware implementation of the rule will vary from state to state and is expecting 6 to 12 months before enforcement will occur. As reviewed by NCBA’s Chief Veternarian Dr. Kathy Sim-mons, below are some major provisions of the rule. Please stay tuned for review of the rule by NCA’s Animal Health and Livestock Issues Committee as it pertains to more specifically to Nevada.

• Brands, tattoos and breed registration are accepted as official identification when

accepted by shipping and receiving States or Tribes.• The phase-out period for manufacturer-coded animal identification numbers

(AINs) is extended from 12 months to 24 months from rule implementation to make the transition less burdensome for producers (phase out by March 11, 2015).

• The requirement for the maintenance of interstate movement records on or after March 11, 2013 for poultry and swine is 2 years and for cattle and bison, sheep and goats, cervids and equines is 5 years.

• Movement documentation, other than an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI), is accepted for all ages and classes of cattle when accepted by the shipping and receiving States or Tribes.

• The final rule creates a new section of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) with species specific identification requirements. The other sections of the CFR related to disease program requirements were revised as necessary to be consistent with the final traceability rule. While this final rule establishes mini-mum traceability requirements, the disease program regulations may contain additional, or more specific, requirements necessary to control or eliminate livestock disease. The disease program requirements supersede the minimum requirements of the final rule on traceability.

Other Association news this month includes updates to public lands issues. The end of summer brought very devastating fires to much of the northern part of the State. As a result, many permittees have received livestock closure decisions that will destroy the sus-tainability of an operation. Not to mention, the added stress of wondering how a drought EA will be implemented and effect operations. And finally, as we knew this would come, grazing permits are beginning to be reduced in the name of sage grouse conservation. But, with the help of private range consultants, professionals from UNCE and their colleagues, we have been able to begin the process of protesting and appealing these decisions. Even better, in protesting these decisions, we have seen many friends and members of the indus-try come forward in this battle including Counties, Grazing Boards, Nevada Farm Bureau, and Public Lands Council.

Lastly, for Association news, next month brings our annual Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale and February Board of Directors meeting. Last year, we had one of the best bull sales in the State and with over 140 bulls consigned, we are confident we have some great stock that could be added to your operation. The Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale will be held Saturday, February 16 at the Fallon Livestock Exchange. The evening before will be the Churchill County Cowbelles Dinner and Dance and presentation of awards at the Fallon Convention Center. Come join us and enjoy a weekend away from the ranch!

If you are not currently a member of Nevada Cattlemen’s Association, we encourage you to join. Become part of an Association that is working to protect the future of ranching in Nevada. To learn more about the Association or to become a member, please call the office at 1-775-738-9214 or visit our webpage www.nevadacattlemen.org. We look forward to hearing from you! If you are currently a member, thank you for your continued support. Without your membership, the Association’s voice could not be as strong as it is today.

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Page 5: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

RT Range-ready A.I. Sired Angus Bulls, Accelerated Genetics Semen, Custom Artificial Insemination & Ranch Management Consulting

Ron & Jackie Torell ♦ 775-385-7665 ♦ [email protected]

COW CAMPChatter

Ron Torell, Long-Standing Educator and Advocate of Agriculture

Oftentimes when a first-calf heifer experiences calving difficulty we automati-cally cast all the blame on the immediate sire of the calf. We may forget that

the sire contributes only half of the genetic merit. The pedigree of the dam determines the other half. If the dam’s pedigree is stacked with growth and large birth weight sires and dams this is likely to influence calf delivery as a first-calf heifer. Conversely, if the dam’s pedigree is stacked with calving-ease sires and dams, one would expect shorter gestations, lower birth weights and less dystocia.

Information about gestation lengths of specific bulls are revealed when breeding and calving dates are documented from pasture-bred registered operations and/or artificial in-semination (A.I.) breeding programs. Averaged together the gestation length for all breeds of cattle is 283 days. The range is 279 days for Jersey and up to 292 days for Brahman. On the average, the Continental breeds of Charolais, Simmental, and Limousin exhibit gesta-tion lengths of 289 days. English-bred cattle such as Angus, Shorthorn, and Hereford exhibit shorter gestation lengths of 281, 282 and 285 days respectively. Within these breeds the average gestation length may vary an additional twelve days on either side of the average for the breed.

Take for example the following A.I. calving data ob-tained on registered replacement heifers recorded over the course of ten years from a northern Nevada ranch. During this time frame a total of 202 head of properly developed and nutritionally sound registered Angus replacement heifers were artificially inseminated to twelve different high accuracy calving-ease Angus sires. A success rate of 69% of the artificially inseminated first-calf heifers resulted in 140 A.I. pregnancies. Actual calving dates were recorded and compared to the 283 day gestation table. Any calves born over the 283 day gestation mark were DNA confirmed or denied to be from the A.I. sires.

Over the ten year period 37% of the calving-ease A.I. sired calves were born between 276 and 278 days of gestation (see Chart 1). Twenty-seven percent were born between 272 and 275 days of gestation. Twenty-three per-

cent were born between 279 and 283 days of gestation, while only 13% were born between 284 and 291 days of gestation. The average gestation length on all 140 of these calves was 279 days, 4 days less than the 283 day Angus breed average. The range was from 272 days clear out to 291 days. By the time these heifers had reached the 283 day average Angus gestation length, delivery of the A.I. sired calves was 87% complete.

Sires used at the Nevada ranch were obviously short gestation, calving-ease and low birth weight for only a light pull was required on less than 3% of the A.I. sired calves. Many of these assists were due to an abnormal presentation of the fetus and not due to excessive birth weight. Ninety-one percent of the calves weighed less than 80 pounds at birth. As birth weights increased over 80 pounds so did the assist rate.

Research has shown that there is an 80 pound birth weight threshold relative to dystocia in first-calf English bred heifers. During the last ten days of gestation, 1 to 1½ pounds of birth weight per day may be added to the size of the fetus. Within a five day extended gestation as much as 8 pounds could potentially be added to the birth weight of a calf. This could mean the difference between an unassisted birth when calving or a dystocia situation.

In addition to genetics and gestation length there are several environmental and nutri-tional variables that also may contribute to dystocia. Many calving-ease sires are calving-ease partially because they are short gestation. This theory held true with the Nevada cattle. Second and third generation short gestation and calving-ease sired heifers tended to have even smaller calves at birth with shorter gestations. This would support the idea that true calving-ease sires are stacked with calving-ease in their pedigree, not simply the immediate sire.

In an effort to reduce dystocia on first calf heifers the process of selecting for smaller birth weight calves over several generations may come at the price of reduced growth po-tential. Additionally, very small newborn calves do not have the body capacity to withstand severe weather nor the gut capacity to fully utilize the milking ability from the dam. As is

true with most genetic selection tools, moderation is the best course of action.

A big advantage of short gestation bulls is an in-creased postpartum interval and breed back for the cows. Research clearly shows that young cows and those cows who have difficult and slow deliveries require additional days of postpartum interval to cycle and re-breed. If a calf is born at 275 days gestation versus the breed average of 283 days, that cow will usually have an easier delivery and will automatically have an additional eight days post-partum interval advantage.

That’s enough for this month. A special thanks to my wife Jackie for her part in writing Cow Camp Chatter. As always, if you would like to discuss this article or simply want to talk cows, do not hesitate to contact me at 775-385-7665 or [email protected].

Gestation and dystocia

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 5

Page 6: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

saturday, February 16, 2013

SALE STARTSAT

11:30 A.m.

Fallon Livestock Exchange

Fallon, nevada

For more information or a sale catalog, call the sale offi ce

775-738-9214 p.O. Box 310, Elko, nV [email protected]

BULL SALEFALLONAll Breeds

47 th Annual

Sifting:Friday, February 15, 2013

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com6 February 2013

Page 7: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Upcoming Video Sale

Friday, March 1st

Shasta Livestock Cottonwood, CA

WATCH & LISTEN TO THE SALE on the Web at:

Maintenance of Western Rights-of-Ways for Roads and Water Central to U.S. Supreme Court Appeal

by Ramona Hage MorrisonOn January 17, 2012, the Hage family filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the

United States Supreme Court, asking the Court to review the decision of the United States Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit which overturned important parts of the Claims Court’s judgment in favor of the Hages. The Circuit Court held that the Hages’ regulatory

takings claims were not ripe for the lower court’s consideration because they had not tried to ob-tain the permission of the agencies to access and maintain their ditch rights of way.

Ironically, the Federal Circuit’s ruling came on July 26, 2012, exactly 146 years after Con-gress passed the Act of July 26, 1866, commonly known as the1866 Mining Act. The purpose of the act was to entice people to settle the West and to protect the rights of people who had already

come westward, including their property rights. Among the many rights recognized by the 1866 Act were the rights of settlers to build and maintain roads and trails and ditches for water across the vast reaches of the desolate American west. The ditch and road rights recognized by the Act form the backbone of the West’s infrastructure.

These property interests, including the right to access and maintain them without the permission of the government, were recognized by the Court and even the federal land management agencies for most of their existence. In the Hage taking case, however, the Forest Service demanded that the Hages seek permission from the Service to access and maintain their rights of way unless they limited themselves to the use of hand tools. Be-tween this and many other agency actions which the Claims Court found to be harassing or based on hostility to the Hages, the Hages were unable to operate their ranch. After almost 20-years of litigation, Judge Smith of the Claims Court determined that both regulatory and physical takings had occurred and ordered the United States to pay approximately $14 million, including interest to date.

The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals overlooked well more than 100 years of local customs, laws, and court decisions, including a 2005 decision by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeal and the Claims Court that recognized that no such permit could be required. Instead, it ruled, the Hages had to first attempt to obtain a permit before they could sue for a Fifth Amendment regulatory taking. The court also ruled against the physical takings claims to the extent that the claims rested on federal fencing of Hage water sources.

This is not just a fight between solitary ranchers and the government. The ruling, if it stands, may impact virtually every major highway and water system in the West, most of which are 1866 Act rights-of-ways. The City of Tombstone, Arizona, for example, is already facing a similar problem which threatens the ability of the City to maintain mu-nicipal services and to protect its residents from public health and safety threats, including catastrophic wildfires. In Tombstone, as in Hage, the Forest Service is demanding that Tombstone obtain a federal permit to maintain its 130-year-old water rights-of-way and is imposing a hand tool limitation on that maintenance, a requirement inconsistent with historic practice.

In a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, Hage attorney Mark Pollot wrote, “The ability of everyone owning and using waters (or roads) carried by these rights-of-way – as well as the protection of public health, safety, welfare and commerce within entire communities, counties and states in the West – depend upon clear, stable, and proper interpretation and understanding of the laws governing such rights-of-way.”

Pollot further argues, “The BLM and the Forest Service seek to break free from their statutory limitations by administrative fiat. Hage v. United States is one glaring example of such a departure on the part of the Forest Service....Tombstone v. United States is an example of a departure by the Forest Service yet again. These departures have thrown individuals, businesses, and entire states and communities into uncertainty and have cre-ated hardship and chaos.”

A petition for writ of certiorari to the U. S. Supreme Court was filed by the Hage fam-ily January 17. Petitions for filing amicus briefs must be submitted within 20 days of the filing date.

“The ruling, if it stands,

may impact virtually every

major highway and water

system in the West…”

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 7

Page 8: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Wednesday, March 20, 20131:00 PM MSt

Lunch at Noon

Blackfoot Livestock Auction • Blackfoot, Idaho

SELLING:• 60 Fall Angus

Yearling Bulls

• 80 Spring Angus Yearling Bulls

• 10 Sim/Angus Yearling Bulls

• 30 Open Commercial Angus Heifers

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• Connealy Final Product

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• NLC Upgrade (SM)

“Angus Made to Use”

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com8 February 2013

Page 9: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

We have 4 cattle trains available for your cattle hauling needs.We can haul approx. 80,000# of cattle per load either to our sale or in the country. Give us a call for pricing.

OFFICE: 775-423-7760JACK PAYNE Cell: 775-217-9273

Alt: 775-225-8889

Email: [email protected]

Full-Service Cattle Sales & Marketing serving the Fallon, Nevada and Outlying Areas.Sales Results from

January 16 & 17, 2013Regular Butcher Cow, Bull and Feeder Sale

Seller City # Head Desc. Type Weight Price CWT

Cave Valley Horse & Cattle Ely 3 BBF Bred Cow 987 $1,190.00/h

Tommy & Barbara Moore Jordan Valley 54 MIX STR 314 $229.50

Tommy & Barbara Moore Jordan Valley 86 BLK STR 371 $226.00

Robert Parlaska Reno 37 BLK STR 381 $229.00

Robert Parlaska Reno 40 BLK STR 449 $202.50

Lamar Roche Parma 13 BLK STR 415 $213.00

Lamar Roche Parma 38 BLK STR 507 $174.50

Truckee River Ranch Fallon 5 BLK STR 361 $212.00

Robert Steele Alamo 18 MIX STR 358 $211.00

Robert Steele Alamo 26 MIX STR 489 $173.50

Varlin Higbee Alamo 7 BLK STR 381 $211.00

Varlin Higbee Alamo 4 BLK STR 544 $179.50

Young Bros Austin 16 MIX STR 431 $207.00

Shane Mathews Panaca 27 MIX STR 403 $200.00

Mike Morrison McGill 3 MIX STR 387 $199.00

Gandolfo Ranch Austin 21 BLK STR 408 $196.00

Greg Titus Clarkston 2 MIX STR 380 $195.00

Greg Titus Clarkston 4 BLK STR 543 $170.00

Cave Valley Horse & Cattle Ely 5 MIX STR 456 $194.50

Douglas Quintero Schurz 10 BLK STR 321 $191.00

Jerry Johnston Alamo 3 BLK STR 370 $190.00

Jerry Johnston Alamo 5 MIX STR 629 $148.00

Michael & Claudia Casey Fallon 24 MIX STR 426 $190.00

Michael & Claudia Casey Fallon 11 MIX STR 378 $181.00

Blaise Berg Rnd Mountain 1 BLK STR 295 $187.50

Elko Land & Livestock Battle Mountain 6 MIX STR 459 $187.00

Elko Land & Livestock Battle Mountain 43 MIX STR 526 $168.00

Jeremy Block Reno 7 BLK STR 492 $186.00

Jeremy Block Reno 9 BLK STR 638 $143.50

Wild Horse Cattle Co Fernley 8 BLK STR 444 $185.50

Margie Burbank Austin 7 BLK STR 478 $185.00

Nelo Mori Tuscarora 40 BLK STR 488 $183.00

Nelo Mori Tuscarora 3 BLK STR 600 $147.00

Daniel Berg Rnd Mountain 1 BLK STR 390 $180.00

Janet Lind Alamo 2 BLK STR 463 $177.00

Sterling Lambert Fallon 6 CHAR STR 482 $177.00

Henry Trujillo Fallon 2 BLK STR 405 $174.00

Robert Parlaska Reno 63 BLK STR 542 $166.50

Bruce Estes Reno 1 BBF STR 522 $155.00

Sales Results from

January 16 & 17, 2013Regular Butcher Cow, Bull and Feeder Sale

Seller City # Head Desc. Type Weight Price CWT

Russell Berg Sr. Rnd Mountain 1 BBF STR 523 $155.00

David & Corine Buckingham Paradise Valley 13 MIX STR 566 $150.00

Ray Schmutz Hiko 5 BLK STR 616 $149.50

Ray Schmutz Hiko 6 BLK STR 721 $134.75

G W Gillemot Washoe Valley 51 RD STR 666 $146.50

Karl & Dana Weishaupt Fallon 10 BLK STR 672 $138.50

Kenneth Buckingham Paradise Valley 2 BLK STR 645 $138.00

Domingo Segura Fallon 16 CHAR STR 651 $137.50

Domingo Segura Fallon 5 BLK STR 653 $134.50

Art Villalobos Orovada 15 MIX STR 738 $135.75

Tom Weddell Fallon 4 BLK STR 701 $134.00

Lester DeBraga Fallon 4 BLK STR 765 $130.00

Naggin' Woman Ranch Winnemucca 9 MIX STR 776 $125.00

Shawn & Mindy Goemmer Battle Mountain 4 MIX STR 674 $123.50

Shawn & Mindy Goemmer Battle Mountain 7 MIX STR 778 $118.00

Tommy & Barbara Moore Jordan Valley 77 BLK HFR 307 $213.00

Tommy & Barbara Moore Jordan Valley 34 MIX HFR 333 $194.00

Young Bros Austin 15 BLK HFR 422 $191.00

Mike Morrison McGill 5 BLK HFR 365 $188.00

Gandolfo Ranch Austin 36 BLK HFR 374 $186.00

Robert Parlaska Reno 57 BLK HFR 426 $179.50

Craig & Margie Burbank Carlin 78 BLK HFR 424 $175.50

Shane Mathews Panaca 18 BLK HFR 423 $173.50

Wild Horse Cattle Co Fernley 6 MIX HFR 459 $159.00

Sterling Lambert Fallon 5 BLK HFR 625 $147.50

Tom Weddell Fallon 11 BLK HFR 528 $143.50

Karl & Dana Weishaupt Fallon 20 BLK HFR 578 $137.00

Karl Baker Doyle 10 BLK HFR 600 $135.50

G W Gillemot Washoe Valley 26 RD HFR 683 $134.50

Biddinger Ranch Fallon 5 WF HFR 710 $132.00

Calvin Sample Lovelock 28 BLK HFR 640 $131.75

Cave Valley Horse & Cattle Ely 12 BLK HFR 722 $131.00

Lester DeBraga Fallon 11 MIX HFR 623 $130.00

Harriman & Son Fallon 14 CHAR HFR 693 $129.50

Naggin' Woman Ranch Winnemucca 3 MIX HFR 740 $126.00

Sheryl Lynn Hicks Schurz 3 MIX HFR 685 $114.00

Rod Ferguson Fallon 1 WF HFRTT 1325 $89.00

Jessie & Rebecca Nuttall Fallon 6 BLK COW 1298 $75.00

Jessie & Rebecca Nuttall Fallon 2 RBF COW 1333 $71.50

TO ALL OF OUR CONSIGNORS & BUYERS

Look for Weekly Market Reports at www.nevadalivestock.us

REGULAR SALEEvery WednesdaySmall Barn at 10:30 AM

Cows at 11:30 AM

Feeder Cattle at 1:00 PM

SALES

Feeder Salein conjunction

with our

Regular Wednesday sale

February 20th & 21st

Butcher cows on Wednesday

Feeder cattle on Thursday

starting at 11 AM

CaféOpen on Sale Days

Stop by and have a Homestyle Burger

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 9

Page 10: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Millie Spratling775-934-9754

P.O. Box 44, Deeth, Nevada 89823email: [email protected]

Currently offering calving ease and performance yearling bulls by:

regisultimate

BismarckPredestined

ThunderWar Party

Priced right and developed right for Nevada Cattlemen

Priced right and developed right for Nevada Cattlemen

The BRAND of “REAL WORLD” excellence in Hereford Genetics.Proven for 36 years on the High Deserts of Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and California foothills.

www.bellranchherefords.com

Watch for our POWERFUL consignments in 2013:Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale — February 16

Winnemucca Ranch Hand Rodeo Invitational Bull Sale — March 1

and 10 Yearlings for Snyder’s “Bulls for the 21st Century Sale” — March 10

Lilla and Woodie BellDan Bell P.O. Box 48, Paradise Valley, NV 89426(775) 578-3536e-mail: [email protected]

Daniels Hereford RanchMalad, Idaho

Dan and Teresa Daniels | 208-339-2341(Formerly DTK Land and Cattle)

WSF CC LEADING ANSWER 396 ETSire of DTK LEADING ANSWER 106

Coming To Fallon Bull Sale,Bringing Our Best

CED -3.0 PBW 4.8 .19WW 49 .18YW 88 .17MM 18 .10M&G 43CEM 3.4 PSC 1.3 .12Fat -0.01 PREA 0.40 PIMF 0.00 P

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com10 February 2013

Page 11: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

By Joe Guild

Looking back over the years in writing this col-umn, I wonder how many times I have depressed

the reader with ever more bad news or predictions of dire consequences to the ranchers this publication serves. It certainly wasn’t my intent to be depressing. I started writ-ing these monthly pieces with the goal of trying to stay positive and optimistic because it had been my experience

too often in the ranching community it was easy to dwell on the negative.After all, I don’t have to tell the readers how tough this business is and how many pit-

falls there are for any rancher. We have sure seen it this past year with the severe drought in Nevada and elsewhere in ranching world. Add the fires or threat of fires which have struck many ranching operations and the recipe for negativity is easy to conjure. If just one more ingredient is added such as the potential listing of the sage grouse as an endangered species in spite of the efforts of governors, affected interests, scientists and others to prevent the listing it is easy to see the negative cake is ready for the oven.

On that sour note, I would like to mention three recent successes which should give any rancher hope that in the end all will be, if not well, at least better. I have often written I believe in my heart there are several things which are basic to agriculture surviving and even thriving into the future. First, as to the critics of whatever part of agriculture is on the hot seat that week, they do not often use truth as their weapon of choice, but the truth, in fact, is on the rancher’s side.

A great example of this last year was the media frenzy surrounding the mischaracter-ization of lean finely textured beef as “pink slime”. This meat product had been part of our diet with no health or consumer rejection problems for many years. The fallout from this exaggerated, misrepresented media coverage was the shutdown of three beef processing plants, the loss of hundreds of jobs, increased prices for ground beef, the waste of a viable processed beef product and the bankruptcy of a good company.

I guess I need to stay negative for another example. Those ranchers who use the federal lands as part of their operations know full well the lies and distortions that are used by misguided extreme environmental groups to sway public opinion against the use of these lands by livestock producers who are supported in their businesses by federal statutes, regulations and the case law interpreting those laws.

Furthermore, the advancement of range science over the last 80 or so years fully acknowledges the use of well-managed livestock grazing as a viable and necessary tool to maintain the health and vigor of the plant communities which grow on those public ranges. For instance, my latest issue of “Rangelands”, the official publication of the Society for Range Management is 76 pages in length. There are some 14 articles by scientists, educa-tors and land managers speaking to one topic: Ecologically Based Invasive Plant Manage-ment as a science-based solution for helping to combat the problem of invasive annual grasses (read cheat grass etc.) on our western ranges.

There is virtually no recognition by the opponents of public land grazing of the science that is brought to bear on the management of these ranges by the federal agency employees whose job it is to oversee the proper implementation of the laws, regulations and agree-ments in place regarding these lands, or the fact that the ranchers themselves use this same science in their daily decisions in the use of these lands by their livestock.

So, it is easy to think negatively when there are so many groups and individuals who find much to criticize and who work very hard to demonize modern agricultural and animal husbandry practices; but, and I repeat myself, all of these people eat food. I would bet some of them even eat beef raised on western ranges or, great heavens, food from a “factory farm” or genetically modified practices!

Now that I feel sufficiently smug about introducing some positives with such a lengthy discussion of negatives, I’ll comment about successes.

The first great thing that happened during the final hours of the recent Congressional lame duck session was making the current death tax package permanent. Congress, in its wisdom, could not see clear to repeal the estate tax. However, the compromise which did pass gives some relief to the vast majority of ranch families who are faced with putting the ranch at risk by selling or encumbering land and other assets to pay this unfair double tax. Instead of the tax burden reverting back to the year 2000 exemption amount of $1 million per person and a tax rate of 55%, the extended exemptions will be $5 million per person or

$10 million per couple indexed for inflation, with a rate of 40 percent and stepped up basis provisions. The tax is now permanent with these provisions. This will mean ranch families will be able to do a better job of estate planning. I strongly urge every reader with a potential estate tax liability to seek professional guidance.

In a recent ruling a Federal District Court Judge in Colorado said the U.S. Forest Ser-vice was wrong in creating a policy which required ski areas that are permitted to operate wholly or partially on USFS lands to turn over their water rights to the USFS as a condition of permit renewal. The judge said the Forest Service did not follow procedural rules for notice and due process in creating its policy.

The court vacated the new rule and enjoined the USFS from enforcing its rule. Over 120 ski areas in 13 states could have been subject to this confiscatory new policy. Similar actions on the part of some National Forests have been reported in regard to stock water rights. This ruling should put a stop to such irregular activities by the USFS, at least until a rule is developed through proper procedures, which would be subject to appeals and legal challenges if other multiple users of forest lands with valid water rights disagree with the rules which may be developed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Finally, in the interest of commenting in a fair and balanced manner, a Federal Judge in Arizona upheld something the USFS did correctly. In that case, the USFS renewed some grazing permits using the categorical exclusion tool which is authorized for just such circumstances by the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). The Western Water Sheds Project went to court claiming, as they have in many other cases, the USFS violated NEPA for failure to put these permit renewals through a full- blown environmental impact analysis because renewing grazing permits is a major federal action which requires such an analysis.

The Arizona Cattle Growers and The Public Lands Council joined with the Forest Service in defending the USFS decision. The judge said that in seven of the eight permit renewals the Forest Service was correct and he threw out the WWP case. One of the allot-ments has significant archeological sites dating back thousands of years. The judge ruled a proper analysis considering these resources was not done and therefore, the USFS should do such a review under NEPA. The significance of this case cannot be overstated. Permit renewals do not require a NEPA environmental impact statement analysis. This tactic by anti-grazing groups to delay or thwart the renewal of a permit for livestock grazing is now subject to much greater scrutiny by the courts. I predict the tactic will be used less and less or not at all in the future. Every public lands rancher owes a debt of gratitude to the Arizona Cattle Growers and the Public Lands Council and, for that matter, the Forest Service for Fighting the WWP in this case.

Well there you have it; lots of negative stuff to set up my commentary on some pretty positive things currently affecting the livestock industry. Maybe next time I will try to be more positive in the beginning, so by the time I get to the negative things, I will be too happy to be sad.

I’ll see you soon.

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 11

Page 12: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Download a sale book at www.slcnv.comP.O. Box 550 • Yerington, Nevada 89447 Office 775-463-2677 • Fax 775-463-4319

Lucy Rechel 775-790-0801 • [email protected] in part by grants from the City of Yerington and Lyon County Room Tax Boards.

Snyder LIVeSTOCK CO.

Efficiency testing is not just about selling bulls.

Did you know? A 5% improvement in feed efficiency has an economic impact 4 times greater than a 5% improvement in Average Daily Gain (ADG).

It Is About… •10%reductionincowmaintenancecost. •15%reductioninfeedlotcostofgain. •25%reductioninmethaneproduction. •20%reductioninmanureproduction. •Providingyourcustomerswithbullsthatwillenhanceprofitability.

JOiN Us FOR OUR ANNUAL “BULLs FOR the 21st CeNtURY” sALe

sunday, March 10, 1 p.m.ANNUAL BULL BUYeR’s seMiNAR & sOCiAL

saturday, March 9, 4 p.m.Matt Macfarlane ©

Matt Macfarlane©

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The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com12 February 2013

Page 13: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Christmas is over and the New Year has be-gun. Politically, it seems we are hell bent on

destruction of our fine Nation. Our arrogant President is bound to become a lifetime leader by executive order. Our Congress and Justice System are too lethargic to stop him. Now, I hear rumors of a new amendment to the Constitution doing away with term limits on the Presidency. Guess who will buy his way in with all the promises of free living?

——— ❁ ———

A disturbing story pops up of a third-grade civics class teacher having a mock election of a class president in order to teach the election system. The election was down to two candidates. The teacher sort of thought the student with the mother and father having been to all functions of the class would stand the better chance. After all, she was the better student and the better thinker of the two. Number 2’s parents had never been to the school and had never com-municated in any way.

Down to the campaign speeches that had been prepared as part of the lessons, candidate number 1 had some really good ideas about how to make things better for the school, how to do some really fun things, and how to raise funds to pay for the fun things.

Candidate # 2 stated one sentence. “If you vote for me, I will give everyone ice cream!”

There followed discussions of the students proposals. Candidate #1 went through her plans for implementing her ideas.

When asked how Candidate # 2 planned to pay for the ice cream treats, she had no idea. Would her parents pay for it? Not sure. Would she have fundraisers? No thought to that.

Candidate # 2 won by a landslide!That, people, is how Obama won the election. Every

time he opened his mouth, he offered ice cream. Fifty-one (51.4) percent of the people reacted like nine-year-olds and voted for the free stuff. The other 48.6 % know they’re go-ing to have to feed the cow that produces the ice cream, and

then who is going to have to clean up the mess!

We need to remember the gov-ernment does not generate money of its own. In order to give freebies, it must first take from somebody else.

That is how our President got re-elected-by promising free goods and services. And we all know he does not keep his promises!

——— ❁ ———

So much for that bit of soap box-ing. Now on to another one. GUN CONTROL!!

After the tragedy in Connecticut, all sorts of solutions have surfaced. First and foremost, take away any means of self defense we now enjoy and re-do the Constitution so the 2nd Amendment to arm ourselves would be illegal. If this happens, of course the criminals would be the first to turn in their weapons and vow to abide by all the laws they have previously broken!

So, I propose to have all schools, and I mean ALL, seri-ously arm themselves. First, all administrators, some office staff, some teachers, some janitors, be required to take gun safety courses and to be proficient in their use. Only those comfortable with the procedure would be required to go on with the course.

Second, guns would be secured in various locations through out the school and grounds. These would be in securely locked boxes. Certain hand images could be imple-mented as the key to unlock these boxes. That detail could be worked out within the school as to whose hand could unlock these boxes. But they must be scattered throughout the area!

Third, and very importantly, the entire area would be posted, both inside and out, that this school is armed and trained to protect itself. In that manner, those intent on doing harm that could read would be deterred, and if they couldn’t read the signs, the school could defend itself much faster than the local law could arrive on the premises!

A lot of problems could be prevented. But we must rely

on ourselves to defend and protect our own. We must rely on ourselves. We are there first!

——— ❁ ———

Enough rabble rousing and on to the good stuff! Only one kid story this time.

Little Quill came out of the shower fluffing her hair.“Yeah, I decided I needed a hair cut, so I gave myself

one!”She had trimmed her bangs and pretty evenly. Mom

gave her a lecture and spanked her and sent her to her room. Dad went in to console her.“If you want to be pretty like Mom, you just can’t cut your own hair!”

Next day at a ball game, she sat next to Uncle Brian who shaves his head. He told her, “See what happened when I cut my own hair—never grew back!!!” What an astounded look passed!!!!

Samme’s stepson, Breven, is here now and playing varsity basketball as a freshman. (I’m enjoying those games immensely!) Anyway, she made turkey noodle soup the other day with homemade noodles. As Breven ate some, he commented that the bread in the soup was really chewy. Samme looked up and saw what was happening.

“Those are home made noodles-not bread!!”“Oh, that makes it taste much better!”

——— ❁ ———

Happy Valentines Day to you and yours.

Horse SnortsAND Cow Bawls

by Jeanne King

Beloved family man, educator and beef indus-try trailblazer Jack Algeo passed away Jan. 3 in Reno, Nev., surrounded by his family. He was 91.

Born in San Diego in 1921 to William and Margaret Algeo, Jack had a lifetime of industry experience over a distinguished career, including educator, consultant, researcher and Marine. Algeo received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ani-

mal science, production and nutrition, from Wash-ington State University, Pullman, Wash. He served in

the Marine Corps during WWII and the Korean War.After teaching at Washington State College and Cali-

fornia Polytechnic State University from 1948 to 1954, he served as the director of research and resident nutritionist for

Sinton & Brown Company, Santa Maria, until 1959, when he started a private con-sulting and research practice.

Algeo not only consulted for national firms, but also globally, including firms in Jamaica, El Salvador, Sweden, China and Australia. He returned to Cal Poly in

San Luis Obispo in 1985, where he was appointed department head of Animal Sciences and Industry until retiring in 1992. Algeo continued to lead a busy

life and had recently renewed his pilot’s license and often flew himself to Harris Ranch in Coalinga where he loved his continued work as a Thoroughbred nutritionist.

Algeo was the distinguished recipient of many prestigious awards including the 2010 California Cattlemen’s Association’s Gordon Van Vleck Memorial Award and Liquid Feed Hall of Fame. He was an Honorary Fellow and past director of the Ameri-can Society of Animal Science and an Honorary Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was a former national president of the American Society of Agricultural Consultants and was active in many other groups including the Council for Agricultural Sciences and Technology, the California Cattlemen’s Association’s Feeder Council and is a past member of the USDA National Advisory Veterinary Medical Committee.

He was survived by his loving wife Catherine and three children, Nancy Harrison, Yerington, Nev.; John (Cris) Algeo, Tucson, Ariz.; and Rie (Dennis) Gilsdorf, Minneapolis, Minn. He also leaves behind four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services for Algeo were held Jan. 8 in Yerington, Nev. Family and friends are planning a celebration of life in his honor for later this coming spring. The Jack and Catherine Algeo Memorial Fund through Cal Poly. Contributions may be mailed to the Animal Sciences Department, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0250

Jack Algeo : 1921 — 2013

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 13

Page 14: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

by Pastor Diana GonzalezLookUPWell, did you survive Christmas, New Year’s, and going over the cliff?

Seems to me we went over a cliff about four years ago, but enough of that.Going over a cliff reminds me of a funny story a friend of mine told. I hope I remember

it right and do it justice.He was helping gather wild horses down by Vegas (legally, that pays better). The

gentleman he was working for (also a friend) flew the helicopter and furnished the horses. Well, right here my concern for my friend rose up. I had heard about these horses and how when some of them got to running mustangs, you may as well pull on their tail as their mouth. Well, soon enough, they had the trap all set up and were ready to jump a bunch. My friend saddles up and realizes he only has a snaffle. No matter, he should be able to ride any horse in a snaffle, right?

Well, short story long, the helicopter jumps a nice bunch just as my friend gets to them and his horse thinks he’s jumped, too. So they all take off with my friend hauling on the reins to no avail. He did tell me he was sure glad of that hard mouth because that’s how he was hanging on as they jumped rocks, cactus, and washes, with a cliff just off to his side. In one of these wild jumps he gets loosened up enough that he thinks he’s going to get bedded down with the rocks. (I believe the helicopter bumped him also.)

It looked like this wild ride would soon be over, but no, he hangs a spur up in his saddle (this is where you trick riders would get envious). His horse has no feeling in his mouth so he is able to haul himself up with his reins hand over hand. When he gets seated again he sees that his horse (being in mighty fine shape) has blown past the mustangs and he’s about to be the first one in the trap.

I guess a cheap moral to this story would be: even though there is a cliff and it looks like things couldn’t get any worse, we survive and get through no matter who and what we have to deal with, no offense to my other friend.

You know, we were made to be overcomers. Man was designed in the beginning to rule and reign on Earth.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our like-ness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and sub-due it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:26-31 NAS

Man was made in the image of God. (Just like God.) God gave man (Adam) the power and ability to reign on Earth as He did in heaven. Man was not higher than God nor equal to Him, he was however, just a little lower than God (Psalm 8:5). However, man’s power and domain on Earth would depend on his faithfulness in obeying God. In other words, man’s success or failure would depend on knowing what God said he could or couldn’t do and obeying. That’s still true today.

Today we see people paying no attention to God or His Holy Word. All around us we see the devil using people to push God out of our schools, our government, and our courts. We see laws being passed that are an abomination to God. What happens when we allow this to happen? Read and watch the news and we see what has happened – tragedy and de-struction. We pushed God out and He left. The results are failure, destruction and tragedy. It should not be this way.

God’s plan was to bless and have fellowship with man. God’s plan was for man to have dominion and authority over the devil. Adam failed to obey God, and man’s fall was great. But God soon had a new plan; His name is Jesus (John 3:16). And we can be blessed and back in right standing with God if we call on that Name (Romans 10:8-10). Then we can be blessed and successful as we learn God’s Word and willingly obey (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Then we can operate in God’s kingdom, not the world’s system (Matthew 6:9-15, 33). Blessed and safe.

Happy trails. May God richly bless you. We love you and would love to hear from you. If you would like someone to pray with, or just have a question, please give us a call at (775) 867-3100. ‘Til next time….

Read Psalm 91, Psalm 112, and II Corinthians 10:3-6.

Afterthought: God’s gifts to us are life and Jesus Christ. Our gifts to Him are how we live that life and use that name. Let’s live a life that honors and pleases God.

Harmony Ranch Ministry3767 Keyes Way (775) 867-3100Fallon, NV 89406 [email protected] Cell (775) 426-1107

Tom J. Gonzalez Diana J. Gonzalez, Pastor

You are invited to

COWBOY CHURCH!1st Saturday of every month

Standish, CA @ 6:00 p.m.

Hwy. 395 /A3 — Standish 4-H Hall

Are you having a Rodeo or Livestock event?

Give us a call.

We would love to come to your event or ranch and hostCowboy Church for you.

Wild but Safeby Pastor Diana Gonzalez

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com14 February 2013

Page 15: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

BULLS AVAILABLE AT THE RANCH AND THESNYDER LIVESTOCK 21ST CENTURY BULL SALE

MARCH 10, 2013

Selling atSnyder’s Bulls for the 21st Century Sale

Sunday, March 10, 2013

No BW WW YW Milk ME

107 -0.3 44 82 23 -3

109 -0.9 66 100 14 3

112 0.5 52 90 18 -2

113 -1.6 66 103 17 2

114 -1.3 70 105 17 1

Ron Paregien - 18445 Ave. 304 - Visalia, CA 93292

(559) 592-5024 - (559) 799-8000

All bulls sired by Beckton Epic R 397 K

Calving

EaseCalving Ease

Trotter Red AngusTrotter Red Angus

(661) 548.6652 | cELL (661) 330.4617rt. 4, Box 206a, porterville, ca 93257 | [email protected]

Raising registered Red Angus since 1965

Selling 9 Fall Bulls(17 to 18 months old)

at Snyder’s Bulls for the 21st Century Sale,Sunday, March 10, 2013

EPD’S BW W Y MARB REALot # 3607 Packer -2.7 58 87 0.37 0.41 Calving Ease

3608 Packer 2.2 73 114 0.31 0.333615 Packer -1.0 66 95 0.61 0.29 Calving Ease3617 Packer -1.5 62 88 0.51 0.47 Calving Ease3620 Big Sky -1.6 56 78 0.66 0.09 Calving Ease3623 Epic 3.3 82 126 0.57 0.383624 Epic 2.0 66 98 0.39 0.303625 Citadel 0.5 71 98 0.39 0.313627 Citadel -0.8 68 98 0.43 -0.19

• Well adapted to a variety of terrains—from rolling hills to a mountain eleva-tion of 4000 feet.

• Received no creep feed. Only what Mom and the range provided for them.

• On test, all bulls excelled in all traits that count for feedlot effi ciency and carcass merit. For example Lot # 3625 gained 4.42 lbs/day, #1 on feed effi ciency at a -4.149, and has a 17.5 rib eye.

4Messmer

Packer S008

2Becton Epic

R397K

1Freddes Big Sky

R9

2FGMRA Citadel 6109 Grandsons

6 Angus | 2 Balancersell at Fallon Bull Sale

February 16

2 Angus | 2 Balancersell at

Winnemucca Bull SaleMarch 1

7 Angus | 2 Balancerconsigned to

Snyder’s Bulls for the 21st Century

March 10

Steve SmithANGUS & GELBVIEH

Performance Bred Bulls and Heifers at Reasonable PricesNevada Cattlemen’s All breeds bull Sale

AWARD WINNING BULLS

• Easy Calving • Good Disposition • Deep & Easy Fleshing

• Gelbvieh • Angus• Balancer Bulls

Using Leading Association Sires

Call Steve @ (801) 768-8388Cell # (801) 368-4510Fax # (801) 768-3910

or Stop by @9200 W. 8570 N.

Lehi, Utah 84043

WAR ALLIANCE 9126

Private Treaty “READY TO GO TO WORK”

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 15

Page 16: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Sp� ializing in hunting, ranching,and horse properti�

Allie BearReal Estate

775-738-8535

View compl� e list ings at:www.ARanchBroker.com

775-777-6416Allie Bear, Broker/Realtor

Cattle Ranch South of Eureka (Duckwater)

4851 deeded acres, of which 600 acres are hayable meadows & 410 irrigated pasture meadows from year-round springs. 3820 acres of native grazing lands) will run 830 head of cattle. Family owned for generations. 807,954 BLM acres out the gate for spring, summer & winter grazing. Also, 134,865 acres summer Forest grazing. $3,500,000.

Sherman Hills RanchAll Private. Approx. 1,259 acres, six pas-tures, with corrals, shop, garage, newer 2040 sq. ft. perm. man. home, landscap-ing, nice BBQ deck. Year-round creek. In Osino - within 15 min of Elko! NEW PRICE $1,500,000

Flying M RanchGreat ranch, Just minutes from I-80 (Im-lay, NV) & not far from Winnemucca. Approx. 23,000 acres of deeded ground with over 23 miles on the river. Winter outside-no feeding. $15,000,000

Bear RanchGreat Development Possibilities. Mead-ow & Range Ground, East Idaho St., Elko. Cattle Operation & Open Space!, Meadow Water Righted; Produces Grass Hay! $1,700,000, (Ranch Headquarters not included)

Wildhorse RanchApproximately 4,500 deeded acres north of Elko, Nevada. 2,123 accepted water-righted acres. Borders the forest & Wildhorse Reservoir.

Recanzone RanchNeat ranch in Paradise Valley. 900 plus acres, 300 aum’s Right by town. Original sandstone house. $1,500,000

31 Acre Ranch in LamoilleBeautiful 3 bed, 2 bath home with large family room addition and 3-car garage. Property includes large building with covered area, several pastures, corrals, sheds, chicken coops, shop, horse/goat stalls, squeeze chutes, working pens, fuel station, and greenhouse.

Well, where is spotted Al Gore when you need him? As I write, my brass monkey is on the stove in a pan of water. If this is global warming, just how cold was it when spotted Al started his computer model?

There is an annual event that the folks that live at the end of the road must endure. Contrary to popular belief, out here on the high, wide, and lonesome, nothing is free. One must prepare for the com-ing years migration to the office of the friendly banker. Yes, pillaging and plundering the public domain for fun and profit costs money. One must go into the big city of Winnemucca or Ely or Elko on this pilgrimage and drag all of last year’s near- miss sales receipts, a budget for next year’s “projected cash flow,” and of course expenses to be incurred and budgeted for to the last red cent, so as to show a profit that will make that old banker Tufernall roll his cigar. YES!!!! It’s time for Aesop’s Fables.

Careful planning and concise records will not prepare you for this ordeal. I practice in front of the mirror. Don’t blink a lot when you wind your, “and they lived happily ever after,” fairy story. Practice not getting red in the face when asked where the money is coming from. If you knew the answer to that question, you wouldn’t be sitting in the banker’s office. You take good enough care of the bank’s assets. You claim little equity in your operation. The mere fact that you are pretty much unemployable doing anything else should be reason enough to keep you going. Aren’t there enough people drawing unemployment now? If the bank shuts you off, they will have to hire you to run the ranch as you know where the baling wire stash is hidden that keeps the operation together. Not to mention, that if the bank forecloses, someone might ask the banker what he was thinking when he originally started loaning you money. Learn to change the subject when you are asked tough stuff like, what happened? Why is the calf check so small? I thought you said last year that your sheep sheared fifty pounds of wool a year, not fifty pounds in their lifetime. Or can lambs live after being weaned at nine months of age and only weighing forty pounds? These are just stan-dard boiler plate questions that bankers feel obligated to ask. They have very little to do with your highly professionally run, fine-tuned, humming like a sewing machine empire. The banker can easily be tricked by changing the subject to some other topic. Put him on the defensive. Ask him how he can keep the doors open with the inter-est rate being so low. Tell him that banks are banging on your door constantly wanting good loans like yours. Tough questions like what do you think about the EURO vs. the dollar? What will it do to the international monetary situation? Tell him that the bankruptcy laws have just been revamped, and at the rate it is going foreclosures will go the way of the horse and buggy. If that fails, at least ask him who he is betting on in the Super Bowl.

Always wear a Winnemucca tuxedo. Yes - a white shirt and

Levis won’t show how bad you are sweating. Try not to make eye contact when he asks you about this year’s cash flow. And for God’s sake don’t say that at your operation cash flows like water down an endless drain. It makes them irritable-trust me. Don’t answer his question about budget projections and expenses by saying your projections are more like projectiles; they blow up like a horse on a frosty morning. Mention that, yes, you bought a new King Ranch pickup, but Ma is getting a little more use out of her gasoline engine powered ringer washing machine to save money. Also, tell them that the kids are going to stay on the ranch as you have promised to give them the outfit when you’re done, and they will work for free as someday this outfit will be theirs, and they have also promised to come in and do business with him. If that doesn’t work, then refer back to my philosophy that fluffing up a story is not lying; it just makes the story more colorful!

Now, I never have any trouble with my friendly local banker. We always schedule an early morning meeting so we can get done by midnight. He always asks me if I would like a drink as he usually knocks a couple back when he hears my voice in the front office. I think it helps him steady his hands. They sure shake when he shakes my hand. I bring in my highly professional handwritten spread sheet with several coffee rings on it. The coffee stains are strategically located over some of the,” less than adequate projections,” covering outflow and near-miss income streams. I used to take the grandkids as added attractions. He has a lot of trouble screaming at you in front of little kids. The grandkids were always good to get cranky or mess their pants, and you could hit the door when the veins in old banker’s face turned purple. Darned grand kids got big and won’t go any more; so it’s all up to me.

Never let them see you sweat. I go for the jugular right off. I start by saying, “Hey, did you know that this has been the coldest year in China in fifty years? Did you know that there are a billion three hundred million of them. The Chinese handle eighty percent of all the fiber in the world. One pair of wool socks per Chinaman and what have you got? WOOL IS GOING THROUGH THE ROOF!!” Emphasis added. It’s cold here, and the wool is going to be five mi-crons finer, and the little dolls are surely going to shear fifty pounds for sure this year. The wool buyers have told me that if I will finally start handling the wool better at shearing, they’ll give ten cents a pound more for it. I know that the big outfits get more, but a hundred percent more for my wool is nothing to sneeze at. My lamb crop is going to be huge! I gave them a special shot, and they will all have twins. Those twenty-five percent lamb crops are HISTORY!!!!. My calves are going to break the three hundred pound weight ceiling this year, and the auction barn says they will quit tanking my culls, if they can walk off the truck this time. The sky is the limit! Say do you think the Forty-niners will get in the Super Bowl? Who’s your favorite team?”

Over the years, my banker and I are getting along a lot better. He thinks so much of me, he put me in this group called, “special as-sets”. Not everybody is so privileged. To be in this group, he charges me a little more interest. Most years I pay most of the interest on my notes so it’s ok with me .It really is worth it though. He calls once a week, and I send him all my receipts and sales slips. He even has called all the sale barns within a thousand miles and asks that his bank’s name goes on the check. It saves me a lot of postage as the sale barns just send the checks to him. If I fail to get in touch weekly, he drops by. I think he just likes to get out of the office. When he gets here you can see such a difference in his complexion and mood. His face gets a bright red glow, and he clinches his teeth real tight like he used to. He balances my check book for me, and the bank pays my bills direct as he doesn’t think I should have to bother with such little things like that. They never did make those check books to fit your pockets anyhow. No matter for me. No one will take my checks anyway. Hang and Rattle!!!!!! Hank

by Hank Vogler

Fumes From The Farm

An OversightIn the January 2013 issue of The Progressive

Rancher, pages 20-21, “Restoring Rangeland Following Catastrophic Wildfire,” the magazine neglected to men-tion that the article’s authors Jeremy James and Missy Merrill are from UC Davis. James is the Director and Extension Rangeland Specialist of th UC Sierra Foothill Research & Extension Center

The Progressive Rancher apologizes for this over-sight and thanks them for the informative and useful information they provided.

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com16 February 2013

Page 17: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Livestock Exchange, Inc.

FALLON

For more marketing information,or to arrange trucking needs:Call Monte Bruck, Manager at

775-426-8279Fallon Livestock Exchange, Inc.

2055 Trento Lane • Fallon, Nevada 89406 • 775-867-2020

We would like to say thank you to all of our consignors and buyers, for your continued support.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 1:00 p.m.

Ship ’Em To

Sale Every Tuesday at 11:00 AMSelling All Classes of Livestock: • Cattle • Horses • Sheep • Goats • Pigs

TOP OFFERINGSWeight Steer Heifer

300-400 194.00-227.00 139.00-172.00400-500 187.00-204.00 145.00-170.00500-600 163.00-188.00 138.00-155.50600-700 145.00-162.00 132.00-138.50700-800 121.50-134.00 121.60-126.00Lite Holstein (under 600#) 70.00-78.00Heavy Holstein (over 600#) 65.00-83.00*Single, Small Framed or Plainer Cattle 15.00 to 20.00 less than top offerings

BUTCHER COWS & BULLSBreakers (Fat Cows) 65.00-70.00Boners (Med Flesh) 70.00-82.00Cutters (Lean) 55.00-63.00Holstein Cows 35.00-66.50Butcher Bulls 65.00-77.50Shelly (Thin) Bulls 40.00-60.00Shelly Cutters (Thin) 20.00-40.00Young Feeder Cows 60.00-65.00Heiferettes 83.00-102.00Holstein Heiferettes 72.00-87.00Holstein Bulls 60.00-65.00Feeder Bulls 65.00-75.00Cutting Bulls 80.00-95.00Used Roping Steers 72.00-85.00Preg Tested Cows (3, 4, 5 yr. old solid mouth) NTPairs (solid mouth) 3-6 yrs NTPairs (broken mouth) NT

CALVES-SHEEP-GOATS-PIGS-HORSESBeef Calves (HD) 60.00-340.00Dairy Calves 2.00-35.00Feeder Lambs 105.00-115.00Fat Lambs 95.00-100.00Ewes (CWT) 25.00-40.00Bucks (CWT) 35.00-48.00Small Goats (under 65 lbs.) (HD) 20.00-90.00Large Goats (over 70 lbs.) (HD) 95.00-145.00Weaner Pigs 45.00-95.00Feeder Pigs 60.00-130.00Top Hogs 60.00-75.00Butcher Sows 15.00-20.00Horses (under 1100 lbs.) 10.00-20.00Horses (over 1100 lbs.) 18.00-22.00

TODAY’S COWSAvg. Wt Avg. Cost

Top Cow 1125 86.00Top 10 Cows 1361 77.06Top 50 Cows 1418 70.05Top 100 Cows 1279 65.56Top Butcher Bull 1750 85.50

MARKET TREND:Feeder cattle sold 5.00 to 15.00 higher with very strong buyer demand

on same kind and quality depending on fi ll with good butcher cows steady, one iron cows 4.00 to 8.00 higher. Ranchers, if your cull cows

are one brand they bring a big premium over other cows. Call for details.Fallon Livestock is a key market for the livestock industry, where buyers and sellers meet each week with a professional staff with

over 50 years of experience in marketing livestock. PLEASE call us ahead with your consignments. It helps us market your cattle. We

talk to buyers all the time–they want you to know what’s coming in.We have trucks available for your hauling needs,

pasture to pasture or here to the sale yard.

MARKET REPORTJanuary 12 & 15, 1013

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CALF AND YEARLING SALE

You can bring in your cattle onSaturday, Sunday, or Monday at no extra charge — only feed!!

The market is good and we will have buyers in the seats.

This special is along with our regular sale.

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 17

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IT’S NOT JUST CATTLE IT’S YOUR LIVELIHOOD

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Beef Industry Pleased with Release of 2013 Agriculture Study and Governor’s Support

(Elko, NV) January 23, 2013 – Northern Nevada Development Authority Legislative Kickoff Breakfast came with a strong message for the economy in the State of Nevada, ag-riculture is a huge contributor and the Governor and his staff plan to expand that. Governor Brian Sandoval took the podium in a crowded room of local government representatives, interested parties, and affected stakeholders to release the 2013 Nevada Agriculture Report. The report was completed by means of a grant from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development given to the Northern Nevada Development Authority this past year. “Agricul-ture is a primary economic component of our State. We will be putting a revised economic development plan out to reflect more agriculture,” stated Sandoval. Sandoval expressed his interest in moving forward with this study as a foundation of what we have available and how we need to expand.

Following Sandoval’s comments, Nevada Department of Agriculture Director Jim Bar-bee spoke to the essentials learned from the report. “We have gaps but we see those gaps as an opportunity.” One such gap particular to the beef industry is processing within the State

and accountability of Nevada’s beef production. In response to such gaps expressed in the Report, Governor Sandoval has included in his budget a Marketing and Promotion sector within the Nevada Department of Agriculture.

Both Governor Sandoval and Director Barbee presented great enthusiasm to use this report to revitalize not only the agriculture sector of Nevada but the economy as well. “We have the resources to turn this State into a major agricultural state. This is only a starting point. Now, the heavy lifting starts,” said Barbee.

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association was pleased to learn of the results of the Study and the Governor’s views. “Governor Sandoval understands that our economy benefits greatly from agriculture and, while the impact may vary from each sector or county, they are all interde-pendent,” stated Desiree Seal, Executive Director of Nevada Cattlemen’s Association. The 2013 Nevada Agriculture Repot Analysis and Opportunities can be viewed online at www.diversifynevada.com or www.nnda.org

Centennial Awards Program Seeks Long-time Nevada FamiliesRENO, Jan. 14 ─ If your farm or ranch has been in your family for 100 years or more,

the Agricultural Council of Nevada would like to hear from you.The Ag Council is the lead sponsor of Nevada’s Centennial Ranch and Farm Awards

Program. Forty-five Nevada families have been inducted into the program since it started in 2004.

“Many of Nevada’s Centennial award-winning ranches and farms date back to the 1860s,” said Liz Warner, program coordinator. The oldest is the Cushman-Corkill Ranch in Churchill County. Other long-time ranches include the Snyder Livestock Company in

Mason Valley (1862), the Laura Springs Ranch in Carson Valley (1863), Stewart’s Ninety-Six Ranch in Humboldt County’s Paradise Valley (1864), and the Stodieck Farm in Carson Valley (1868).

Two families were inducted in 2012: the Lytle Ranches in Lincoln County, settled in 1865, and the Day-Annett-Costa Ranch in Lyon County that was settled in 1905.

“We know there are other long-time ranches and farms that have not yet applied for Centennial status,” said Warner, “and we are encouraging anyone who is eligible to apply this year. We’d also like to hear from folks who are close to being eligible. Funding for the program is uncertain and identifying eligible and soon-to-be eligible properties will lend support to maintaining the program.”

As Nevada grows increasingly more urban, and the demands for water in the sprawling metropolitan areas lead to the further decline of farms and ranches, the Centennial Ranch and Farm Program is a wonderful means to recognize the long-time family-owned busi-nesses dedicated to agriculture in our nation’s most arid state, wrote Guy Rocha, former Nevada State Archivist.

Bruce Petersen, state conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, one of the founding sponsors, said, “We know that ranchers and farmers are the best stew-ards of the land. They wouldn’t be in operation for 100 years or more if they hadn’t taken care of their natural resources.”

Applications are due by June 1, 2013. Application forms and more information can be found on the Web at http://www.nv.nrcs.usda.gov/centennial_awards.html or by contacting Warner at (775) 857-8500.

The Centennial Awards Program is funded by the Nevada Ag Council and Nevada’s agricultural license plate fund, the Nevada Ag Foundation, Nevada Heritage Foundation and the Nevada Farm Bureau. The Nevada Department of Agriculture and NRCS provide in-kind assistance.

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com18 February 2013

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All bulls are born and raised on our • ranch. No Cooperators.

Shaw Cattle Co. Production Sale

February 20, 2013 - 12 p.m. (MST)

500 Hereford, Angus & Red Angus Bulls and Heifers

SThe Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 19

Page 20: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

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Saturday, March 16, 2012Sale Time: 1:00 PM

Burley Livestock Yard in Burley, Idaho

Selling 100 bulls2-Year Olds & Yearling Bulls

Many low birthweight & high performanceAlso offering prospect Show & Replacement heifers

SiresRepresented:

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The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com20 February 2013

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BLACK ATTACK BULL SALE1:00 pm • FEBRUARY 23rd, 2013

Hutchings Arena, Fallon, Nevada

RICH HUTCHINGS/ 775-761-1834 GARY HUTCHINGS/ 775-217-1836 MARK HYDE/ 775-217-2325PO BOX 5010, FALLON, NV 89407 WWW.TWINRIVERSLIVESTOCK.COM

TWIN RIVERS LIVESTOCK, OWNED BY RICH AND GARY HUTCHINGS AND MARK HYDE, BRINGS TO YOU THE LARGEST ANGUS HERD IN THE STATE OF NEVADA. USING AI, EMBRYO TRANSFER, TOP QUALITY HERD BULLS, AND SUPERIOR GENETICS, WE HAVE BUILT A COW HERD WITH POWER, PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY SECOND TO NONE. TWIN RIVERS BULL POWER RUNS STRONG. OUR LIGHT WEIGHT

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The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 21

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We design complete nutritional supplement programs with your needs in mind. Strategic, quality supplementation doesn’t cost—it pays—and we’ve been proving it to ranchers for more than 20 years. If you’re serious about reducing labor costs and getting the most out of forages, call 800-558-3341 or visit Anipro.com.

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The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com22 February 2013

Page 23: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

by Linda Drown BunchIn December 2012 the Bureau of Land Management rendered its Record of Decision

(ROD) approving the Right Of Way (ROW) across federal lands requested by the Southern Nevada Water Authority(SNWA) for the purpose of constructing a 84” in diameter, 306 mile pipe-line and associate infrastructure from east central Nevada to Las Vegas. This approval came as a result of the EIS which in spite of a preponderance of negative feedback, the BLM still chose to grant .

In a January 23, 2013 phone interview with Dean Baker, long-time Snake Valley rancher, he expressed the opinion that those in the agencies closest to the situation, while recognizing the negative impacts on stakeholders such as agriculture, grazing, wildlife, wild horses, tourism, and tribal concerns, have accepted them under the umbrella of the Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2004(Public Law 108-424) and basically “caved” to political pressure from the extremely powerful Southern Nevada Water Authority whose influence extends far beyond the borders of Nevada to the seats of power in our nation’s capital.

Baker recounts the history of above-well pumping in Snake and Spring Valleys which has resulted in the drying up of perennial springs with no previous history of drying up, even during periods of drought. This drawdown of the water table has been deemed an acceptable, albeit unfortunate consequence, of water use for agriculture, stock water, and domestic use; however, he goes on to assert that “pumping in the Snake Valley is already a water-mining situation with negative impacts now and in the future. What is now being done is only a drop in the bucket compared to the pumping that SNWA would have to do to justify the large interbasin transfer of water to southern Nevada….”. He goes on to cite the demise of the Needlepoint Spring which had been developed in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corp as a long-term sustainable water source which dried up in 2001 because of a developer who pumped the groundwater onto unproductive land but whose main purpose was to sell the water to SNWA. The result was the death of seventeen wild horses!

Dean also foresees the potential of disaster not only for Spring Valley where pumping is projected but also for Snake Valley which being a 1000 feet lower would be impacted as well. He goes on to say that if and when the multi-billion dollar investment is made to complete the project, the disastrous effects will be compounded and more far-reaching as the need to keep the pipe full and the water flowing will ever increase resulting in more projects and pipelines and further interbasin transfers going far beyond what is currently contemplated.

Section 13.1 of the BLM Record of Decision citing Legal and Policy Mandated for the decision.

The FLPMA requires public lands to be managed for multiple use and sustained yield and directs the BLM in its management of public lands to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation of public lands 43 USC § 1732(b) in a manner that will “protect the quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air and atmospheric, water resource, and archeological values” 43 USC § 1701(a). The FLPMA also requires that: each ROW shall contain such terms and conditions deemed necessary to; protect Federal property and economic interest; protect lives and property; protect the interest of individuals who rely on the fish, wildlife and other biotic resources; and protect the public interest in the lands 43 USC § 1765.

As part of its “reservation for local public purposes” provisions, the SNPLMA requires the Secretary, upon application, to issue ROWs on Federal Lands in Clark County to a unit of local government or regional governmental entity (in accordance with the FLPMA and other applicable law) for all reservoirs, canals, channels, ditches, pipes, pipelines, tunnels and other facilities and systems needed for the impoundment, storage, treatment, transporta-tion or distribution of water.

The LCCRDA requires that the Secretary grant to the SNWA and the Lincoln County Water District “nonexclusive ROW to Federal land in Lincoln County and Clark County, Nevada for any roads, wells, well fields, pipes, pipelines, pump stations, storage facilities, or other facilities necessary for the construction and operation of a water conveyance system...” The LCCRDA provides, “Before granting a ROW under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Interior shall comply with the NEPA (42 USC § 4321 et seq.) including the identification and consideration of potential impact to fish and wildlife resources and habitat.”

The NEPA places an obligation on the BLM to consider potential environmental im-pacts of the proposed project and ensures that the BLM will inform the public that it has considered the environmental concerns in its decisionmaking process. The NEPA also re-quires the BLM to take a hard look at the environmental consequences of the Federal action that includes consideration of all reasonably foreseeable direct and indirect impacts and a discussion of residual impacts that cannot be properly avoided, minimized or mitigated. A programmatic analysis must provide sufficient detail to foster informed decisionmaking, but site-specific impacts need not be fully evaluated until a critical decision (subsequent tiers) has been made to act on site development.

The BLM policy guidance listed below was followed in reaching this decision:

• Authorize all ROW uses on Federal lands in the most efficient and economical man-ner possible;

• Manage ROW use of Federal lands through a system of ROW corridors;

• Maximize the use of performance stipulations through the use of construction, operation, and main-tenance plans (prepared as attach-ments to the POD); and

• Assure to the greatest extent pos-sible that all identified impacts are mitigated and that the terms and conditions of the ROW grant are complied with as noted in the BLM Manual Section 2801.

For links to the complete text of the Record of Decision and to the Final EIS Comments, go the The Progressive Rancher home page at www.progressiverancher.com.

Dean Baker Speaks to BLM Approval of SNWA Right of Way

is pleased to announce

the opening of their

new Fallon location

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Tired of Waiting for the mailman to deliver your issue of The Progressive Rancher?

Read online at the beginning of the month!

www.progressiverancher.comPlus you won’t want to miss the great Extra features the website has to offer

DON’T WAIT!DON’T WAIT!

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 23

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We can both drag our tails in the dirt…

FRETTIN STANDING AT

Deadwood Quarter Horses(Randy and Linda Bunch) – Tuscarora, NV

PRIVATE TREATYContact info: [email protected]; 775-756-6508 or 775-934-7404

2007 Red Roan StallionSire: Boonlight Dancer

(NRCHA Snaffl e Bit Futurity Open Champion, Sire of offspring earning in excess of 1.5 million; LTE $136,253)——Peptoboonsmal/Little Dancer Lena

Dam: Crackin(Earner of $133,084; NCHA Open Reserve Champion; dam of offspring earning in excess of $400,00)——Smart Little Lena /Lynx Melody

TESTED HERDA N/N

Full brother to Nabisco Roan(Multiple Two Rein and Open Bridle Championships and

Reserve Championships NRCHA events in 2012; 2012 AQHA Reserve Champion Senior Working Cowhorse) Boonlight Dancer x Crackin

“Fret” has been trained by Bobby Ingersoll and

shown at the 2010 Snaffl e Bit Futurity

Placed 3rd in 2011 Nevada Stallion Stakes Open Snaffl e

Bit with Cory Shelmanand 2nd in Open Snaffl e Bit at

Harney County Fair

Nabisco Roan

Fret’s Amazing First Babies!

but look at what else I can do

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com24 February 2013

Page 25: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

The Progressive Rancher Coloring Page

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 25

Page 26: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

The Progressive Rancher

Introducing VIDEO Extras

Please take a peek at:

• Barker Cattle Company

• Udy Cattle Company

• Van Norman Horse &

Friends Horse Sale!

• Quest of the West Bull Sale

Call me for information 1-208-733-1828

www.prOgrEssIVEranchEr.com

Investment Mistakes to Watch For …At Different Stages of Life

As an investor, how can you avoid making mistakes? It’s not always easy, because investing can be full of potential pitfalls. But if you know what the

most common mistakes are at different stages of an investor’s life, you may have a better chance of avoiding these costly errors.

Let’s take a look at some investment mistakes you’ll want to avoid when you’re young, when you’re in mid-career, when you’re nearing retirement and when you’ve just retired.

When you’re young …Mistake: Investing too conservatively (or not at all) — If you’re just entering the work-

ing world, you may not have a lot of money with which to invest. But don’t wait until your income grows — putting away even a small amount each month can prove quite helpful. Additionally, don’t make the mistake of investing primarily in short-term vehicles that may preserve your principal but offer little in the way of growth potential. Instead, position your portfolio for growth. Of course, stock prices will always fluctuate, but you potentially have decades to overcome these short-term declines. Since this money is for retirement, your focus should be on the long term — and it’s impossible to reach long-term goals with short-term, highly conservative investments.

When you’re in mid-career …Mistake: Putting insufficient funds into your retirement accounts — At this stage of

your life, your earning power may well have increased substantially. As a result, you should have more money available to invest for the future — specifically, you may now be able

to “max out” on your IRA and still boost your contributions to your employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as your 401(k), 403(b) or 457(b). These retirement accounts offer tax advantages that you may not receive in ordinary savings and investment accounts. Try to put more money into these retirement accounts every time your salary goes up.

When you’re nearing retirement …Mistake: Not having balance in your investment portfolio — When they’re within just

a few years of retirement, some people may go to extremes, either investing too aggres-sively to try to make up for lost time or too conservatively in an attempt to avoid potential declines. Both these strategies could be risky. So as you near retirement, seek to balance your portfolio. This could mean shifting some of your investment dollars into fixed-income vehicles to provide for your current income needs while still owning stocks that provide the growth potential to help keep up with inflation in your retirement years.

When you’ve just retired …Mistake: Failing to determine an appropriate withdrawal rate — Upon reaching re-

tirement, you will need to carefully manage the money you’ve accumulated in your IRA, 401(k) and all other investment accounts. Obviously, your chief concern is outliving your money, so you’ll need to determine how much you can withdraw each year. To arrive at this figure, take into account your current age, your projected longevity, the amount of money you’ve saved and the estimated rate of return you’re getting from your investments. This type of calculation is complex, so you may want to consult with a financial professional.

By avoiding these errors, you can help ensure that, at each stage of your life, you’re doing what you can to keep making progress toward your financial goals..

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Presented by Sonny Davidson and Jason Land, Financial Advisors, Edward Jones in Elko, Nevada2213 North 5th Street, Sui te A | 775-738-8811

Financial Focus

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The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com26 February 2013

Page 27: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Jeffrey C. Mosley, Assistant Professor of Range Resources, University of Idaho

A grazing system is a particular way of managing the interactions between plants, soils, and grazing animals. Ifyou graze cattle, you already have a grazing system of some kind. As you begin to design or redesign your grazing system, remember that any grazing manage ment problem usually has many possible solutions and very few things you can do are “right” or ‘’wrong.” Most of all, remember that no one grazing system is “best.”

Most grazing management problems can be solved by reducing them to a formula of simple fundamentals or principles. To be successful, you will need to creatively combine these principles into a grazing plan designed specifically for your operation’s unique cir-cumstances. Your grazing system will be your particular way of managing your plants, soils, and grazing cattle.

Grazing Management PrinciplesTiming of Grazing: Avoid repeated grazing during critical stages of plant growth.

The most critical stages are when plants are initiating new growth. This includes new growth in the spring or fall and mid-season regrowth after grazing. New plant growth requires energy from the plant, and the plant needs a chance to replenish the energy used. To produce energy, the plants need ungrazed leaf tissue. Also, avoid grazing when soil moisture is too high and soils are more susceptible to trampling damage.

Frequency of Grazing: Avoid grazing too often during a single growing season. If given an opportunity to regrow and replenish its energy stores, a plant can be grazed several times during one growing season. If grazing is too infrequent, some plants will become “choked” by too much dead material, and subsequent plant growth will be restricted. Too-long ungrazed peri ods will also cause the forage’s nutritional quality to decline.

Severity of Grazing: Avoid removing too much of a plant’s leaf area. Leaves are the main sites of energy production for the plant. If too little leaf area remains after grazing, the plant be unable to regrow and replenish its energy reserves. Also, leave enough plant material to hold the soil in place and to protect the plant’s roots and stem bases from exces-sive cold or heat.

Season of Grazing: Avoid grazing an area at the same time of year, year after year. Some plants can cope with this better than others (e.g., crested wheatgrass), but varying the season of grazing from year to year is recommended for most kinds of plants. If altering the grazing season is not possible, you may need to reduce the severity or the frequency of grazing. Grazing during winter dormancy may help reduce buildup of dead plant material.

Type of Cattle: Graze the type of cattle best matched with the kind of forage avail-able and its nutritional quality. For example, dormant forage will not meet the high nutrient requirements of growing yearlings. You should also match the type of cattle to your area’s topography. Cows with calves, for example, usually will not use steep topography as fully as dry cows or year lings. Use the type of cattle accustomed to your environ ment. Cattle raised on flat, open grasslands usually do not adapt well when relocated to steep or timbered grazing lands. An animal’s previous grazing experience should also be considered when purchasing new ani mals. This is because cattle unfamiliar with the kind of plants in a pas-ture usually will not perform as well as cattle that previously have grazed similar forages.

Number of Cattle: This is probably the most impor tant decision with any grazing sys-tem. Too many ani mals will cause cattle performance to decline, but the soil and vegetation will have deteriorated before animal performance begins to suffer. Most grazing systems that include strategically timed ungrazed periods during the growing season will, over time, support more animals than grazing systems where pastures are grazed continu ously throughout the growing season.

Cattle Distribution: Prevent large numbers of cattle from congregating, especially on sensitive areas such as along streams. If cattle are causing soil or plant damage, it is often a problem of poor animal distribution rather than too many animals.

Grazing Selectivity: Cattle make choices and select those plant species and plant parts they find the least objectionable. Grazing systems can affect the extent to which cattle are allowed to graze selectively. Maximum individual animal performance will result when cattle are allowed to be the most selective in choosing their forage. Individual animal per-formance will drop below maximum whenever cattle are forced to graze less selectively. Non-selective grazing is appropriate when the objective is to prevent plants from becoming too coarse or “wolfy.” Care should be used with the non selective approach because forced grazing of unpalat able plants usually first results in heavy grazing of any palatable plants in the pasture.

Additional ConsiderationsNumber of Pastures: More pastures give you in creased flexibility and greater op-

portunity to control the timing, frequency, severity, and season of grazing. The optimal number of pastures will depend upon site con ditions and your objectives. Good grazing management can occur under one-pasture management, but your ability to control grazing use is limited. Consequently, one-pasture management usually necessitates fewer animals.

Size of Pastures: Non-selective grazing usually requires small pastures grazed for short time periods with a high number of animals. If maximum selectivity is the goal, larger pastures with fewer animals are needed. Optimal pasture size will vary greatly. Exten sively managed rangeland pastures may reach 10,000 acres or more in size, whereas intensively managed improved pastures may encompass 5 acres or less. The larger the pasture,the less control you will have over animal distribution.

Movement of Cattle Between Pastures: If cattle are moved infrequently, their per-formance will usually suf fer when the herd is moved to a new pasture because the cattle will need time to become accustomed to their new surroundings. If cattle are moved more frequently be tween pastures, they usually become accustomed to the routine and need less time to adjust to new pastures. Movement between pastures can also depress animal gains when calves are separated from their dams. Thus, movements during calving season should be avoided. Whenever they are moved between pastures, animals should be jostled as little as possible.

Tailor System to Objectives: Design your grazing system with a clear set of objec-tives in mind. Don’t copy someone else’s system and then try to change your objectives to make them fit the grazing system. Your grazing system should be unique, reflecting your par ticular set of objectives and your unique set of economic, social, and environmental conditions.

Judge System by Objectives: Even the most well developed grazing plan will con-tinually require some adjustments. These adjustments should be based on how well your grazing system is meeting your objectives. As your objectives change, you’ll need to re-evaluate and probably adjust your grazing system.

Summary Observations

1. Intensive rotational grazing systems that use many pastures per herd do not magically eliminate the need to practice all available management skills. In fact, these skills become even more important as your level of grazing management intensifies.

2. Cattle generally perform better under less intensive grazing systems, whereas for-age plants are usually healthier under more intensive grazing systems.

3. Intensive grazing systems will usually improve un satisfactory soil and vegetative conditions, but they usually will not greatly improve soil and vegetation that’s already in satisfactory condition.

4. Because the conditions and objectives of your opera tion are unique, the economic outcome of a new grazing system can’t be precisely known until after it is imple-mented. Therefore, be cautious when consid ering economic projections of changes to your grazing system.

5. Good grazing systems develop conditions for possible soil and vegetation improve-ment when favor able weather conditions occur. Several years may pass without improvement, but improvement will not occur unless plants and soil are in good health and capable of responding.

6. Flexibility is critical. Manage your pastures and ani mals according to the varying plant, animal, and economic conditions that exist, not according to spe cific calendar dates or pasture rotation schedules.

7. You are the key to success. Take advantage of any assistance offered by neighbors, consultants, or ex tension personnel, but don’t let anyone else design your grazing system. If someone else designs your grazing system, undoubtedly it will fail. Re-member that it’s your grazing system and it’s up to you to make it work.

Cooperative Extension System, Cattle Producer’s Library, Cow-Calf Section, Second Edition, January 1996

Designing Your Grazing SystemDesigning Your Grazing System

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 27

Page 28: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

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BLM, UNR: Research Demonstrates Ways to Control Cheatgrass

by Dr. Barry Perryman and Schirete Zick“Several theories have prevailed through the years regarding cheatgrass,” said Jerry

Smith, District Manager for the Bureau of Land Management’s Battle Mountain District. “ You had to graze it in the spring when it was green, once it dried out, it had no nutritional value to livestock, and cows won’t eat dry cheatgrass.”

“Now, an experiment by University of Nevada Scientists, Dr. Barry Perryman and Dr. Ben Bruce, dispels these theories,” said Smith. ”Dr. Perryman, who is a member of the BLM’s Northeastern Resource Advisory Council, demonstrated that cheatgrass can be significantly reduced with the use of fall graz-ing. I believe it is important to bring the research to the attention of the public.”

Perryman, who is an Associate Professor of rangeland Ecol-ogy and Bruce, who is Associate Profession of rangeland Animal Nutrition, conducted the experiment between 2006 and 2009 at the Gund Ranch near Eureka, Nevada, the results showed reduc-tions in the amount of cheatgrass from 500 lbs. of cheatgrass biomass per acre to 90 lbs. of cheatgrass biomass per acre.

“In subsequent years, we reduced the cheatgrass to less than 90 lbs.,” Perryman said. “With the reduction in wildfire potential, came improvement in perennial grass production. Over the course of the study, production of perennial grasses

increased from 45 lbs. per acre to 577 lbs. to the acre.”Perryman and Bruce began the research to investigate whether or not previously held

theories regarding cheatgrass were true. Only grazing cheat-grass when it is green seemed like an impractical solution for large-scale control, according to Perryman.

“You can’t get enough animals to graze it all, you don’t know when it is going to be green, making it difficult to plan, and you don’t know how many animals to bring to an area be-fore it is too late,” said Perryman.

“The notion that animals don’t eat dry cheatgrass is in-correct,” said Perryman. “Our experiment showed that once the seeds fell off the plants, the cheatgrass became palatable.” Perryman also ruled out the notion that dry cheatgrass has no nutritional value.

“The protein content and energy of cheatgrass in the fall is at least as good, if not better, than perennial grasses. And the results were consistent through the four-year study,” said Perry-man. “We analyzed the cheatgrass in the lab. The protein level fluctuated between 3.5 percent and 6 percent, but never went

below the 3.5 percent. Energy levels measured 45 percent and above. “Perryman and Bruce began their research by shifting the calving cycle to later in the season. They found that using this system would benefit ranchers, the rangeland and other wildlife.

“Fall grazing is of great benefit to ranchers, giving them another source of forage that previously was not considered nutritious,” said Bruce. “Also, decreasing cheatgrass increases perennial grass growth.

“We made sure that the cows were in the second trimester before putting them on a cheatgrass diet. This time in their production cycle is less nutritiously damaging. We supplemented their diet with Anipro liquid protein just as ranchers do when grazing with local perennial grasses in the fall,” he added.

Bruce pointed out that liquid protein supplement not only stimulates the cattle’s appetite, but also keeps them in a specific area where the cheatgrass is located.

“Protein stimulates the microbes in the rumen and increases the cattle’s appetite to consume the cheatgrass,” said Bruce. “When we entered the study, we didn’t know what condition the cows were going to be in after 30 to 60 days of a cheatgrass diet. We didn’t want them to lose weight. We found that the cows either maintained their weight or gained weight.”

Perryman and Bruce maintain that fall grazing will help reduce the fire danger and the spread of cheatgrass.

“Fall grazing is more logical because the cows consume it all the way including the litter, thus helping reduce cheatgrass the following years. It’s also easier because you know where the cheatgrass is and how much of it there is,” said Perryman. “You can decide when you want to graze it, you can measure how much forage there is, which then allows you to determine how many cows you can put there and for how long. In our research, we couldn’t find a downside to fall grazing. The results were all positive.”

“Everything about grazing cheatgrass in the spring is difficult,” added Perryman. “If you graze in the spring, you are also grazing perennials. In the fall, grazing perennials is less of an issue because they are dormant. In the spring, you don’t know exactly when the cheatgrass is going to grow, you don’t know how much of it is going to be available, and you don’t know how long you can be in that specific area from a permit perspective.”

To Jerry Smith, who has dedicated his 34-year career with the BLM to managing natural resources, the research shows great promise in the fight against cheatgrass.

“Cheatgrass presents a hazard from two perspectives,” said Smith. “It comes up earlier than most perennial grasses, stealing resources like water and nutrients needed by other grasses, which provide forage for wildlife. Secondly, once cheatgrass dries, it is highly flammable and becomes a fire hazard.”.

“According to our records, during the last four years nearly four million acres

To date, application of fall cheatgrass grazing has been

expanded to three opportunities. Two ranches in southeast Oregon…

A third ranch in northern Nevada anticipates initiation of a spring/fall cheatgrass grazing program in 2013.

WiTh The uSe Of GrAziNG

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com28 February 2013

Page 29: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

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burned in Nevada,” said Smith. “Cheatgrass was a contributing factor to large fire growth in 85 percent of these fires. Furthermore, cheatgrass invades burned areas. For example, a single stalk of cheatgrass can produce 1,000 seeds, and a single acre may contain hundreds of thousands of these plants. The BLM estimates that cheatgrass invades 4,000 acres a day. The research that Dr. Perryman and Dr. Bruce conducted is valuable in providing another method to win the fight against this invasive grass,” said Smith

Doug Furtado, Field Manager for the Mount Lewis Field Office, agrees with the research results, but points out that it is important to remember that effective grazing of cheatgrass must be accompanied and supported by the appropriate level of livestock management.

“Successful grazing to reduce cheatgrass must be well planned, targeted to man-ageable areas and supported by the permitee and the BLM in order to ensure that the appropriate control of livestock exists to meet the desired outcomes,” said Furtado.

Cheatgrass is a common name given to downy brome, by western farmers who thought they had been given impure seed when the downy brome started spreading into their wheat fields.

Cheatgrass is an invasive species that began spreading quickly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, displacing native plants. It can produce more than 10,000 plants per square yard and is highly flammable.

By 1920 to 1930, cheatgrass had become the most invasive range grass in the western United States. It is currently the dominant species on more than 100 million acres of land in the intermountain West.

Doing away with prevailing theories about cheatgrass through scientific research gives ranchers, rangeland conservationists and wildland fire managers hope that the war on cheatgrass is on the way to being won.

To date, application of fall cheatgrass grazing has been expanded to three op-portunities. Two ranches in southeast Oregon are using the tool under two different operational situations. Both began in the fall of 2012. A third ranch in northern Nevada anticipates initiation of a spring/fall cheatgrass grazing program in 2013. The Bureau of Land Management has been cooperative and encouraging when their involvement has been necessary. We are still seeking funding for a large, landscape scale assessment of cheatgrass grazing as a fuels reduction treatment in the Great Basin, and remain op-timistic for a decision this fiscal year. Support from producers is paramount, so please continue to let your county, state, and federal representatives know of the potential for cheatgrass fuels reduction using fall grazing. We thank you for your support.

Support from producers is paramount, so please continue to let your county, state, and federal representatives know of the

potential for cheatgrass fuels reduction using fall grazing.

Experiment delivers results.

The experiment controlled cheatgrass with the use of fall grazing. Though the photos are from different angles, both are from the Gund Ranch, where the study took place. The experiment lasted four years, with significant results generated after the first year.

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 29

Page 30: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

The Society for Range Management (SRM) is “the professional society dedicated to supporting persons who work with rangelands and have a commitment to their sustainable use.” SRM’s members are ranchers, land managers, scientists, educators, students, conservationists – a diverse membership guided by a professional code of ethics and unified by a strong land ethic. This series of articles is dedicated to connecting the science of range management with the art, by applied science on the ground in Nevada. Articles are the opinion of the author and may not be an official position of SRM. urther information and a link to submit suggestions or questions are available at the Nevada Section website at http://www.ag.unr.edu/nsrm/. SRM’s main webpage is www.range-lands.org. We welcome your comments.

This past week I received a call from a rancher near Austin, NV who was looking for an economical, high producing forage that could be used as a

winter forage in his beef cattle production system. Although there are many alternative forages and small grains that can be rotated with alfalfa, or used in pastures such as: Teff, Wheat, Barley and traditional grass hays. A forage that is sometimes over looked, but common to Nevada and the Intermountain West is Basin wildrye (Elymus cinereus).

Resent on farm research conducted at the University of Nevada Reno’s Gund Ranch, compared principle nutrient/mineral content of June cut, windrowed and free-standing basin wildrye; and assessed the effect of managed fire on basin wildrye standing crop.

Basin wildrye can produce a large amount of forage and can be found on many different ecological sites within the 8 to 20 inch precipitation zone. Basin wildrye is a very tall, robust grass that has been used for winter grazing since early settlement times. Beginning with settlement in the 1860s, basin wildrye was recognized as a superior winter forage that was abundant on vast areas of intermountain basins within the larger Great Basin. Today, many of these areas are entirely shrub dominated with only remnant stands of this once abundant native grass.

The species is also characterized with elevated meristematic growing points, and because of this feature, spring and early summer grazing as well as mowing is not recom-mended since both can remove and reduce the number of growing points causing a decline in plant vigor and survival. However, when used as late summer, fall, or winter forage, growing point concerns become less of an issue when the plants become dormant. Tradi-

tional methods of mechanical harvest also tend to remove the elevated growing points, but when mechanical harvesters are adjusted so that cutting bars are elevated mostly above

growing points, this problem is effectively eliminated. Leaving more residual stub-ble height also reduces smothering problems for plants under the windrow.

Protein content fluctuates dramatically with season ranging from a peak of about 20% in early summer to 7% in winter. Like many

grass forages, basin wildrye should have greater nutritional value if it is cut near the growing season peak and windrowed as stockpiled forage to be subsequently grazed later in the year. Because of relatively low nutrient value and palatability (coarse, wolfy stems) if left standing after the growing season, it has lost favor as a standing stockpile of forage and ignored by many ranchers as a potential forage source.

Basin wildrye characteristically responds with significantly higher forage production after prescribed burning or wildfire fire

ignitions. This presents the prospect of significantly increasing Basin wildrye forage production by using prescribed fire as a tool.The implications of this study were- Forage production was increased by

prescribed burning. The quality of the windrowed forage was well above the standing crop version. Windrowing Basin wildrye provides an opportunity for improved access to quality forage in fall and winter. Increased production combined with the advantages of windrowing will provide ranchers with additional winter feed options without requiring a great deal of new input capital. However, work remains to determine actual cost effective-ness and if repeated mowing will cause any long-term decline to the basin wildrye.

Source: Nutritional Properties of Windrowed and Standing Basin Wildrye over Time, B. Bruce1,5 PAS, B. Perryman2, T. Shenkoru2, K. Conley3, and J. Wilker4

Stephen S. Foster, Extension Educator, UNCE, Pershing County

SOCIETY FOR RANGE MANAGEMENTNutritional Properties of Windrowed and Standing Basin Wildrye

1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.

2. Take a morning walk of gratitude. I call it a “Thank You Walk.” It will create a fertile mind ready for success.

3. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

4. Zoom Focus. Each day when you wake up in the morning ask, “What are the three most important things I need to do today that will help me create the success I desire?” Then tune out all the distractions and focus on these actions.

5. Instead of being disappointed about where you are, think optimistically about where you are going.

6. Remember that adversity is not a dead-end but a detour to a better outcome.

7. Don’t chase success. Instead decide to make a difference and success will find you.

8. Get more sleep. You can’t replace sleep with a double latte.

9. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

10. Mentor someone and be mentored by someone.

11. Live with the 3 E’s: Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.

12. Remember there’s no substitute for hard work.

13. Believe that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences.

14. Implement the “No Complaining Rule.” After complaining you feel better, but everyone around you feels sick.

15. Read more books than you did in 2012.

16. Don’t seek happiness. Instead decide to live with passion and purpose and happiness will find you.

17. Focus on “Get to” vs. “Have to.” Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.

18. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for _______. Today I accomplished____________.

19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.

20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.

20 Tips for a Positive New Yearby Jon Gordon

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com30 February 2013

Page 31: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

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Perennial grasses are very important to the forage base on any ranch in Nevada. This month I describe Smooth Brome (Bromus inermis Leysser).

Smooth brome is an exotic plant (introduced from Europe). There are 52 species of the genus Bromus in the United States, 28 native and 24 introduced. Worldwide the estimate is 100-400 species. This is a cool-season grass from 1.3 to 3.2 feet (0.4-1.0 m) tall. The inflorescence is an open panicle with branches in whorls 4 to 8 inches long. Panicle spikelets are ¾ to 1 inch long bearing 6 to 11-flowers. They are long and slen-der turning brownish at maturity and containing 5 to 10 florets; Lemmas have short awns (<2 mm). They may be unawned or awn-tipped, glabrous and split near the tip, into a bifid apex. This is a rhizomatous long-lived perennial commonly producing a dense sod that often excludes other species. It starts growth in early spring and flowers from May to July. Plants reproduce from seeds, tillers, and rhizomes. It may regrow and reflower in the fall if moisture is sufficient. The blades are flat, glabrous or occa-sionally pubescent, particularly on the sheaths. They are normally 8 to 15 inches long, ¼ to ½ inch wide, flat, with a raised and keeled midrib below. The sheaths are closed, except near the collar, and papery when dry. Ligules are up to 1/8 inch long, rounded, and membranous with no auricles.

This species has been used in range seedings in many areas of the country and is a good forage producer. The elevation range for this grass varies from 3,000 to 12,000 feet. Due to Smooth Brome’s aggressiveness, it is sometimes considered to be weedy plant. It is best adapted to fertile, loamy, deep soils including stony loams where there is at least 16 inches of rainfall annually, or supplemental irrigation equivalent to that. Smooth brome is mildly alkaline and moderately salt tolerant but is not tolerant of prolonged flooding. It is highly adaptable, having persisted in many of the habitats where it has been planted to increase for-age production including pinyon-juniper (Pinus-Juniperus spp.)woodland, quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), and subalpine and alpine ranges. It has persisted on old saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) meadows with saline soils once the saltgrass has been removed.

Smooth brome is excellent forage for all classes of domestic livestock and for wildlife. Tolerance to grazing is generally rated as high. Its quality and palatability rapidly decline after inflorescence development. Regrowth in the fall can furnish valuable fall grazing. Smooth brome can withstand heavy use, but produces best with 60% use. If it is grazed too closely for too long it becomes “sodbound” and unproductive. Smooth brome is excel-lent for the control of soil erosion and is used widely for rehabilitation of rangeland for purposes including forage production, wildlife habitat, landscape beautification, cover for recreational areas and campgrounds, roadside seedings, and for watershed stabiliza-tion. Fertilization with nitrogen fertilizer or interseeding with nitrogen fixing legumes is recommended, especially for older smooth brome stands. Recently, it has been determined to be very competitive with desirable native species, so it is often not recommended for restoration seed when other seed is available.

Smooth brome cultivars have been bred for nutritional quality and adaptation to select-ed climates. This has made smooth brome one of the most important exotic forage grasses in the United States and Canada. Grazing wildlife utilize smooth brome to varying degrees,

depending upon wildlife species and smooth brome quality. Elk use it as a winter food. Mule deer in central Utah were found to use it only lightly but deer utilization of smooth brome is generally considered good. Geese and small rodents such as pocket gophers also graze smooth brome. Smooth brome provides cover for birds and small mammals. A number of birds including ducks, gray partridge, American bittern, northern harrier, and short-eared owl have been known to use this plant as nesting cover.

Range Plants for the RancherBy Paul T. Tueller, Ph.D., CRMC

SMooth broMe

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 31

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The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com32 February 2013

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The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 33

Page 34: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

EquinE PodiatryJudging Clinic

February 16, 2013 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Twin Falls CSI Campus — Taylor Building

Clinic - $20.00, includes lunch

Reservations appreciated

For information: Katie Breckenridge 208-788-4424

Annual B Bar B Ranch and CSI Equine Department

David Glaser

Van Greenwell

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Topics:

Any New Rules

Showmanship

How to Read and Work Cattle

Ringing in the New Year with BeefThrough its Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI), the checkoff launched the

fifth annual New Year’s beef promotion in 111 retail supermarkets in the heavily populated Northeast corridor. “Livin’ Lean. Lovin’ Beef” reminds supermarket shoppers to include lean beef in their healthy active lifestyles as they implement their New Year resolutions. In-store promotional materials include beef recipe booklets, shelf wobblers and, for the first time ever, on-pack labels. Retailers are asked to feature the promotion on their websites and in their ad circulars. The promotion also encourages shoppers to visit www.LeanBeef-Sweepstakes.com for more nutritional information, recipes and entry into the associate’s sweepstakes.

Demonstrating Beef’s VersatilityThe checkoff-funded culinary innovations team and marketing team will be conduct-

ing cutting and culinary demonstrations for producers at the 2013 Cattle Industry Conven-tion in February. A representative will be breaking down the top sirloin and discussing the knuckle and bottom round, which have been newly endorsed as “heart-healthy” by the American Heart Association (AHA). Culinary team members will demonstrate grilling, stir-frying and other cooking methods and answer beef culinary questions.

Naming 2012 Beef Backer WinnersEach year, the checkoff-funded marketing team and state beef councils identify and

recognize independent and chain retailers and foodservice operations that exhibit a strong commitment to menuing and marketing beef to their customers through checkoff initia-tives. Entries for the 2012 National Beef Backer Awards program, now in its final year, were collected through October, and a panel of judges selected the foodservice and retail win-ners based on the award criteria. The winners will be unveiled and recognized at the 2013 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Tampa, Fla. Winners also receive local and national publicity support from the checkoff and its associated state beef council.

Extending Shelf Life and Generating Beef SalesResults of a recent pilot test to stimulate beef sales through provision of more conve-

nient package sizes results exceeded expectations, with retail sales increases ranging from 26.54 percent on the slowest moving item (flat iron) to 83.39 percent on the bestselling item (the tenderloin steak). Led by the checkoff’s retail team, the pilot introduced a merchandis-ing solution that addressed retailer and shopper needs for convenient packages to stimulate beef sales. In a 12-store pilot test with Associated Food Stores, one of Utah’s largest retail grocery chains, the checkoff worked with Willamette Valley Meat to introduce convenient package sizes of high-quality beef items -- among them skirt steak, flank steak, flat iron steak, tenderloin steaks and roasts. To help add value to the carcass and increase retailer demand of these fresh cuts, Willamette purchased large sizes of the cuts and re-packaged

in a case-ready size that extended the item’s shelf life and met shoppers’ needs for more convenient package sizes. For 12 weeks, Associated Grocers prominently displayed the items in the meat case, along with checkoff-funded point-of-sale materials. In-store tasting demos and weekly featuring activity further supported the pilot. The checkoff will leverage the pilot test results with other retailers, packers and state beef councils to motivate similar activity throughout their regional stores and distribution channels. For more information about checkoff-funded retail merchandising programs, visit BeefRetail.org

Endorsing Beef as an Everyday FoodThe checkoff’s marketing team and market research team recently conducted a series

of consumer focus groups and surveys to evaluate how in-store educational and merchan-dising efforts could drive fresh lean beef sales at retail. Because consumers are turning to supermarkets and their registered dietitians (RDs) for nutrition information, the research sought consumer feedback about which messages and in-store tactics best create awareness of beef’s nutrition benefits and influence their protein purchase decisions. The insights from the research will be shared with retailers so they can communicate beef’s positive attributes to shoppers using what are proven to be the most effective tools and messages. Findings also will help shape the strategy of a multi-store pilot test in spring 2013 with a Midwest retailer to educate and promote supermarket RDs as beef brand ambassadors to their shoppers.

Securing a Beefy Presence in Foodservice MediaIn November, the checkoff’s foodservice marketing team met with high-profile food-

service trade editors at the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC) Annual Conference. In one-on-one meetings with editors, the team informed editors of checkoff-funded resources and tools available to them and provided ideas about how beef can play a role in shaping their editorial coverage in 2013. Research shows that operators and chefs refer to publications like Food Arts, Nation’s Restaurant News, Flavor & the Menu, and others, for ideas and inspiration to keep beef top-of-mind with those who are making busi-ness decisions about beef purchases and menuing.

Teaching Beef Cutting and CookingBeef will have a presence at the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) 2013 North-

east Regional Conference in Verona, NY on March 17-20. The national checkoff will sponsor a trade-show booth to make new contacts and distribute informational materials to the 500+ conference participants. The beef checkoff also will sponsor two culinary seminars during the conference. The first seminar will feature Kari Underly, author of The Art of Beef Cutting and Chef Mary Ann Kiernan from Syracuse University performing a tandem beef cutting and cooking demonstration. The second seminar will be a beef, veal and wine-pairing session.

BEEF CHECKOFF NEWSBEEF CHECKOFF NEWSNews From the Nevada Beef Council: CHECKING-IN ON YOUR BEEF CHECKOFF

by Stephen E. O’Grady, DVM, MRCVS

Will Return in the Next Issue of

The Progressive Rancher

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com34 February 2013

Page 35: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

MONTANA LIVESTOCK AUCTION

ANNUAL BULL SALE

SoUth MoNtANA ANGUS ASSoCIAtIoN

58th Annual Performance Test

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SAtUrDAY, MArCh 161:00 PM

Montana Livestock AuctionRamsay, MT • I-90 Exit 216 West of Butte

For performance results or sale book info, contact:South Montana Angus Association

Halane VanDyken, Secretary406-266-3975 • [email protected]

Chuck & DorisMoiese, MT

406-644-2268

Vern & BarbieMoiese, MT

406-644-2893

MarvMoiese, MT

406-644-2653

Sharon & HaydenOrville, CA

530-846-4403

Doug & KimOntario, OR

541-889-2084

Our Complete Program

Quality Grade with Performance at its best – Proven!

Industry leading DNA results Performance with no sacrifi ce in

calving ease or carcass quality

Record Setting Champion results in carcass competition—NWSS, Denver.

Selling 100 Performance-tested bullsFrom the Top-End of the Consignments

FrIDAY, MArCh 291:00 PM • Montana Livestock Auction

Ramsay, MT • I-90 Exit 216 West of Butte

45 years of selection on the same criteria.

For more information and our current DNA results, visit us at:www.stipecharolaisangus.com

BULL SALE

VIEW BID AND BUY VIA CATTLEUSA.COMBlake Nuffer: 406-533-5904 Ted Odle: 406-533-8773

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 35

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I once saw a tee shirt with the caption, “There’s no buckle for second place!” Dakota Eldridge might well take issue with that slogan in that his road to winning Resistol’s 2012 PRCA All-Around Rook-ie($37,406) and Steer Wrestling Rookie($30,089) titles had several second and even third place finishes along the way. He possesses a perception way beyond his years that in order to achieve the ultimate prize, in addition to possessing a God-given talent, it takes dedication, patience, a strong support system, a goal, and a plan.

Dakota, the son of Mark and Veronica Eldridge, grew up in Elko where his dad, grandfather, and uncles all have excelled in team roping and ranch hand rodeos. As his great-grandpa Elias Goicoechea used to say, “It’s in the bone”. He excelled in high school rodeo, winning the state all-around and steer wrestling titles three years in a row. His senior year he finished third in the National High School Rodeo Finals in Farmington, NM. His high school achievements led to a full-ride scholarship to Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, OR. From the get go the kid from Nevada made his presence felt. In his final season, he finished third in the all-around cowboy and steer wrestling competitions in the Northwest Regional Standings. To his credit, he resisted the temptation to hit the pro circuit a year earlier and opted to pursue his degree while continuing to mature mentally and physically.

“I’ve just been using those as stepping stones, the high school rodeos down in Nevada and the amateur rodeos in the Northwest,” he said. “All those little stepping stones helped me along the way. Everybody’s goal is to make the finals. You rodeo all year long and sac-

rifice everything. Just to be out here for rodeoing (itself), I think you’re crazy”, he laughs. Dakota proved himself quickly last year and in fewer rodeos than most. Cowboys are allowed seventy-five rodeos per year and he grabbed the top rookie honors in just sixty rodeos, but it also hurt his chances of making the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December. He finished about $15,000 short of making the finals.

Almost a third of his winnings in 2012 came at the Chey-enne Frontier Days where he placed second in steer wrestling and earned a $10,360 paycheck for his three days of work. It was by far the best week of his season as earlier he had won the all-around title in Longview, WA and placed second in the calf roping giving him a total of $14,000 for the week.

“That really made me feel like I can hang with these guys. I can compete. It gave me a confidence boost there,” he said. “That’s a major confidence booster. From that time of year, from Cheyenne on, entry fees get so expensive and it all starts adding up. I like the pressure. You have to bear down and need to win in order to get into the next one.” Dakota hopes his top rookie ranking can help him pick up more sponsorships. Right now, his one sponsor is Remington Construction in Elko. “That’s what I really wanted to do, get the rookie (title) number one and then prove myself — show people it’s worth sponsor-ing this kid,”

Not only is he quick to give credit to friends, family, and sponsors, Dakota always mentions his horse Rusty, a thirteen year old gelding raised by his grandfather Tom Eldridge, bought as a two-year old, and trained by his father Mark at their

place north of Elko. “I have a great horse. That’s really helped me out. Dad always had great

Fort Worth, Texas, December 12 – Area cutting horse owner, Brandon Dufur-rena of Gainesville, Texas, was a big winner during the National Cutting Horse Association’s (NCHA) $265,000-added Mercuria NCHA World Finals December 9 in Fort Worth, Tex. Dufurrena earned a year-end total of $93,690.85, including $25,347 during the World Finals, riding the American Quarter Horse Nievas to win the World Championship title in the Non-Pro division.

Nievas’s name means “snowstorm” in the language of the Basque region of northern Spain, where Brandon’s great-grandmother, the original Nievas, was born,

Brandon Dufurrena —Nevada Cowboy Moved to Texas—

Wins 2012 NCHA Non-Pro World

Championship

Dakota Eldridge: 2012 Resistol PRCA Double Buckle Rookie

NC

HA

Pho

to

Submitted Photo

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com36 February 2013

Page 37: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

horses. That’s the biggest part of rodeo timed events-horse power,” he said. Dakota is also well on his way to becoming an accomplished arena horse trainer in his own right.

Again taking it one step at a time, competing at the Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco in late October, Dakota cruised to all-around, tie-down roping and steer wrestling titles for a total of $4,357 which counts toward the 2013 standings. He’s al-ready secured himself a spot in the biggest rodeos of the season in Denver, Ft Worth, San Antonio, and Houston. They only take the top 40 ranked cowboys from last season and the top five from this season. Thanks to a strong 2012 season, he’s qualified in steer wrestling and, with the hot start in San Francisco, he has a chance to qualify in tie-down roping as well. As of this writing he is currently ranked fourteenth in steer wrestling.

When not traveling to rodeos, Dakota might be found on the ski slopes, working on his parent’s places in Nevada or Oregon, schooling a young horse, hunting a coyote, or just hanging out.

in a snowstorm.“She’s not a superstar, but she’s a really good, smart cow horse,” said Brandon of

Nievas,A cutting horse is an athletic and willing animal possessing an innate “cow sense”

and ability to respond quickly and turn sharply that is trained to keep a cow from return-ing to the herd. The horses involved are typically American Quarter Horses, although many other stock horse breeds are also used.

In the event, the horse and rider select and separate a cow out of a small group. As the cow tries to return to its herd, the rider loosens the reins (“puts his hand down” in the parlance) and leaves it entirely to the horse to keep the cow separated, a job the best horses do with relish, savvy, and style. A contestant has 2 ½ minutes to show the horse; typically three cows are cut during a run, although working only two cows is acceptable. A judge awards points to the cutter based on a scale that ranges from 60 to 80, with 70 being considered average.

The 2012 NCHA World Championship Futurity and Mercuria NCHA World Finals offers more than $4 million in cash to more than 2,000 horses competing over 21 days in Fort Worth, Texas. The Futurity is the pinnacle of competition for three-year-old cut-ting horses, who are mostly American Quarter Horses, at the onset of what will become a career of cutting competition. Horses are shown in open, sometimes referred to as professional, competition, non professional and amateur events. The Mercuria NCHA World Finals is a year-end celebration of the weekend cutter whose earnings has quali-fied him or her to appear as one of the Top 15 in the nation in different event categories, also based on earnings and in open, non professional and amateur levels.

The National Cutting Horse Association approves approximately 2,000 events each year with purses totally more than $40 million throughout the sport. Cutting events take place throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, South American and Europe.

Submitted Photo

March 18, 2013 • 1 p.m.at the ranch near Parma, Idaho

MALSON ANGUS & HEREFORDS BULL SALE

Bulls sired By: WK Pow-Wow

WK uptown 9372HF Kodiak 5r

VAr rocky 80029Connealy Final Product

sitz upward 307rsoo line Alternative 9127Pine ridge Hammer s322C 112K Cowboy 8150 eT

Offering 110 Yearling, Fall and Two-year-old Bulls100 Angus • 10 Hereford

www.malsonangus.com

Call or email to request a salebook!

Mark & Carla Malson & Family2901 SW 9th Ave. • Parma, ID 83660

Mark (208) 739-1059Josh (208) 739-0725Joe (208) 550-7251

[email protected]

Where Quality Comes First

The “Quality Comes First”

• Large selection of low birth bulls

•Performance data and EPDs

•Ultrasound data

• Free delivery within 250 miles

•BVDpi-negative testing

• Sight unseen guarantee

•First-year breeding

guarantee

BW: -1.5WW: +53yW: +96Milk: +25Marb: +.80re: +.59$W: +35.54$F: +35.69$G: +35.01$B: +67.07

WK PoW-WoWsire: WK Power updam’s sire: Bon View New design 1407

Sons Sell!

Sons Sell! BW: +1.0WW: +55yW: +96Milk: +25Marb: +.32re: +.29$W: +36.26$F: +34.84$G: +28.04$B: +56.64

soo liNe AlTerNATiVe 9127sire: HF Kodiak 5rdam’s sire: rr 7407 rainmaker 2154

Sons Sell!

Sons Sell!

BW: +3.6WW: +87yW: +143Milk: +28Marb: +.50re: +.42$W: +41.09$F: +76.10$G: +22.49$B: +77.39

PiNe ridGe HAMMer s322sire: Hyline right Time 338dam’s sire: sAF strategy 9015

VAr roCKy 80029sire: HArB onward 786 J Hdam’s sire: Connealy dateline

BW: +4.5WW: +75yW: +130Milk: +32Marb: +.57re: +.72$W: +34.93$F: +65.00$G: +32.90$B: +83.36

2013MAH_progressiverancher.indd 1 1/9/13 11:52 PMThe Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 37

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Email your photos taken digitally to: [email protected]

Photos must be sent before February 28, 2013Please send high quality images, no less than 1800x1200 pixels (or 6x4 at 300 dpi).

Please do not compress photos for “quick” emailing.

All photos become property of The Progressive Rancher Magazine. The Progressive Rancher will have the right to publish and/or use the photos and/or images in any way, including, but not limited to: editorial content, advertisements, and cover photos.

*iPod is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. and is not affiliated with this contest.

The Progressive Rancher Magazine is so very proud to announce its 2013 photo contest!

The Winner will receive an iPod,* to read the magazine on.Photo topics can be:

• Cattle in fields• Cattle turned out in AuMs• Range Health• Sage Grouse on your Ranch

• Wildlife on your Ranch• Ranchers and Crews working

together

Winner to be determined February 28th, 2013

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com38 February 2013

Page 39: The Progressive Rancher, February 2013

Working As One1981 Nevada Day Historical Essay Contest-First Place

by Shammy(Rhoads) Rodriguez, Tuscarora, Nevada

Have you ever wondered what goes into the mak-ing of a cattle ranch? Today it is mostly a lot of

money; however, the people who first built these northern Nevada ranches put in their tears, sweat, dedication, sac-rifice and many years of hard work. Such is the case of the Packer (now Rhoads) Ranch located in Independence Valley of Elko County This ranch was put together and developed by Willis and Lois Packer over a thirty-year period, and this is their story.

Willis Packer was born in Preston, Idaho, on January 20, 1911 to Delbert and Ellen Packer. He was the youngest of six brothers and sisters – Vera, Ethel, Della, Alta, Ruby, and Sam. He attended various schools in southern Idaho. By quitting school and working, then going back to where he left off, he finally graduated from eighth grade.

For many years Willis worked at different jobs – buckarooing, feeding cattle, and mining. After getting his first job with the Utah Con-struction Company, he went to visit his sister

Vera in Mountain View, Idaho. Just as he pulled into town, excitement arose. Two outlaws had been found involved in a robbery in the vicinity. They ran up the hill where the sheriff shot and killed them.

Soon he headed for Elko, Nevada. His old Model T wouldn’t pull Northfork Hill, so he went back to the Old Boy Service Station in Deeth which was owned by two Greeks. Willis asked them if they knew where he could find work. One Greek looked at the other and said, “I don’t know about these white people. They don’t have the brains of a squirrel. At least a squirrel knows enough to save enough to get him through the winter, but not these Americans!” He went to Grocks’ Garage to get his car fixed, and while he was waiting to people came in. They asked where they could find a mail stage driver. Willis spoke up and told them, “I’m just the man you’re lookin’ for.” They liked his answer and gave him a job driving the stage from Deeth to Charleston. He lasted until March when the temperature got down to fifty-five below zero!

Over the next several years, Willis worked for Earl Phillips, John G. Taylor, the Elko County Cattlemen’s Association, Burr Stewart, Jake Reed, and Senator T. T. Fairchild -all in or near Independence Valley. Dur-ing the depression, he worked for Burr Stewart. He got twenty dollars a month, taking the job “because of the

good pay!” While working for Jake Reed, he traded his Model T Ford for fifteen head of mustangs. This was the beginning

of the Packer horse herd which has earned a reputation throughout Nevada and California for its production of fine cow and rope horses.

He then went to work for the Rio Tinto Mine in Mountain City. While working at the Rio Tinto, he drove back and forth over Maggie Creek Summit to court the love of his life, Lois Williams of Indepen-dence Valley near Tuscarora.

Lois was born on December 28, 1917, to Burton and Irene Wil-liams. She was born at the Williams Ranch which now belongs to the Van Norman family. She and her older brother Dan grew up on that ranch.

Dan and Lois went to school on the ranch, and like Indepen-dence Valley children to this day, boarded with a family in Elko while attending high school. By working summers, Lois earned enough money to attend a beauty school in Oakland, California. After she graduated, she moved back to Elko where she worked as a beautician.

On August 9, 939, Willis and Lois were married under an old tree which is still standing at the Williams Ranch. This marked the beginning of a partnership in every sense of the word which was to last for the next thirty-seven years.

After working at the Rio Tinto for six more months, the newly-weds purchased the McKenna Ranch located in the center of Inde-pendence Valley. They started with 00 head of cattle. In was during the years at the McKenna that their only child Sharon was born.

During the summer of 1943, Willis worked at the Quarter Circle S Ranch putting up hay while Lois cooked three meals a day for the hay crew. With the money earned that summer and the sale of the McKenna, they were able to make a down-payment on the Fairchild Ranch which forms the nucleus of the present-day Packer Ranch. Over the next twenty years, they also acquired the Quarter Circle S Ranch and the Boulder Flat property, thus forming the large, suc-cessful ranching operation which exists today.

Lois and Willis worked together all the way. She cooked three meals a day for the crew of fifteen to twenty men, helped ride, fixed fence, cut up the beef alone, and milked the cows when the men were gone. The last twenty years of Lois’s life were spent ailing with a bad heart. She passed away on August 9, 1976 – their thirty-seventh wedding anniversary.

Lois and Willis had scrimped and saved all their married life so they could send their daughter Sharon to college. She graduated from Cal Poly in 1965 returning to the ranch with her husband Dean Rhoads where they now live with their two daughters Shammy and Chandra.

The backbone of the Packer Ranches lies with the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice of Willis and Lois Packer, but within their teamwork lays its heart. So the next time you read in the newspaper of ranch selling for a million plus dollars, remember – it took more than money!

(Shammy attended Independence Valley School for grades one through eight, Elko High School and UNR where she graduated with a degree in elementary education. She now makes her home on the Trembath Ranch at the mouth of Taylor Canyon on the way to Tuscarora with her husband, Cowboy Rodriguez and their two children. She and Cowboy work for the Rhoads Ranch, owned by her parents, Dean and Sharon (Packer) Rhoads. Two older sons have graduated high school are making their own lives.)

Lois and Willis

Willis, Lois and Shammy

The Progressive Rancherwww.progressiverancher.com February 2013 39

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PRSR

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TAngus and Hereford Bull Sale

Monday, March 11th, 2013 1:00 PMat Spring Cove Ranch in Bliss, Idaho

Selling sons of CCA Emblazon 702 Reg 15980098CED+17 BEPD-2.0 WEPD+60 YEPD+111 MEPD+22 SC+.87

CW+25 MARB+.45 RE+.45 $W+41.19 $B+68.54

For Catalogs Call: 208-352-4332 www.springcoveranch.com

Selling sons of SLL Overload T18 Reg 15843888CED+11 BEPD+1.0 WEPD+65 YEPD+111 MEPD+19 SC+1.10

CW+55 MARB+.60 RE+.61 $B+97.50

Selling sons of Varsity V Warrior Reg 16410859CED+14 BEPD-1.2 WEPD+55 YEPD+99 MEPD+33 SC+.05

CW+43 MARB+1.36 RE+.69 $B+102.84

Selling 157 Angus Bulls

50 Hereford Bulls

26 Angus Heifers

15 Hereford Heifers

Yearlings & Falls

Yearlings

Yearlings, Falls & 2’s

Yearlings

Selling sons & daughters of JWR 024P Sara’s Prince 153TReg P42862086 BEPD+5.1 WEPD+67 YEPD+107 MEPD +26

SC EPD +1.1 MARB +.04 RE+.66 $CHB+34

The Progressive Rancher www.progressiverancher.com40 February 2013