This year I got my Master of Beef Advocacy Degree from the National Cattleman's Beef University and The Beef Checkoff Program.

As soon as I could I but it to work, I joined the Idaho Beer Council at the Elementary School in Gooding Idaho for their food fair to promote the importance of Beef in a balanced diet.

Life on the Farm Living the Education:

There are those who have stated out loud that a degree in agriculture will not be needed , and that the children of those in agricultural  family’s will no longer be able to learn from generations of knowledge. I am a member of the Agriculture Millennial Generation and at my age most of my education comes from the Agriculture Boomers; first hand knowledge or job training so to speak. I am the future of Agriculture; when I finish high school I plan to get a degree in Agriculture, Public Relations (promotion), and Business. Just to insure that you as a consumer can rest easy, and know that the next generation of the Agricultural community who grows the food that you are eating is educated and has your best interest and health at heart.

My on the job or first hand knowledge comes from two families that have a total of more than  200 years of hands on  knowledge, and College degrees in the beef cattle producing community.

My goal is to have both a seed stock or pure bred herd and a commercial herd.

I guess the best place to start is at the beginning; I have learned of should I say have lived with this knowledge as long as I can remember.

I am writing this for the consumer that may or may not know that there are two entirely different types of cattle, Beef cattle and Dairy cattle and the two should not be confuse with each other. Dairy cattle are raised to give milk; and beef cattle are raised to grace your dinner table.  I will be talking About BEEF cattle.

Red and Black Angus (beef cattle)

Holstein (Dairy Cow)

Beef Cows – “a beef cow does not spend a single day in a cattle-fattening feedlot, but instead lives on grass and hay her entire life, being retained for breeding and nursing: her job is to generate more cattle. Beef cows have a nine-month gestation period and usually give birth to a single calf either in the fall or in the spring. Most these calves are called "commercial" cattle as opposed to "purebreds," which are born from both a sire and dame of purebred ancestry. The majority of calves in this country are born in the spring and sold in the fall. The average calf weighs between 80 and 85 pounds at birth and lives on a diet of grass and its mother's milk. The calves run beside their mothers until they are weaned, which usually occurs when the calves are between six and eight months old and which time the calves will weigh between 500 to 650 pounds.”

The best Pure bred heifers are usually registered and kept to restock the herd, and the others are sold as commercial heifers; they are called replacement heifers. Cows are called heifers until they have conceived and have given birth to a calf.

“The Bulls that are used are usually purebred cattle in which multi-generational pedigrees have been maintained by a breed association; these bulls are produced by purebred breeders; who’s sole intent is to provide seed stock for the commercial beef cattle producer. These purebred producers test their cattle for weight gain and meat quality, and keep extensive records on their pedigreed livestock. When commercial producers purchase a bull in the spring or fall of the year, they are aided by a pedigree and by computerized records that indicate how a particular sire's offspring might perform. The price of these commercial bulls usually ranges from $1,500 to $4,000, while the purebred sire that was used to produce them might cost upwards of $20,000 or more.” Only the best of a breed makes the grade to become a registered purebred bull. A mature bull can weigh anywhere from under 2000 lbs to over 3300 lbs.

Steers are bulls that do not make the grade as a commercial bull.  A steer is a bull that has been castrated  to prevent breeding with cows and heifer calves it can also be thought of as a form of birth control; in addition "also to prevent them from being aggressive and hurting other cattle or those working with the cattle. As well as improving the quality of the meat for the consumer." Castrating a bull calf is done at a very early age two or three days old and sometime even a little older.   The elastrator  bloodless method is when an elastrator band (it looks like a very small rubber band) is placed around both testicles to cut off the blood supply to the testicle and causes the scrotum to fall off in about  two weeks. This method is much like putting a rubber band around a wart to cut off the blood supply and the wart dries up and falls off; this is a very humane practice. Most of the beef that makes it to your dinner table comes from these types of cattle (steers). A finished steer can weigh about 1200 to 1400 pounds.

“Many ranchers consider themselves grass farmers. Their job is to convert grass to beef as efficiently as possible. Cattle spend between 80 and 100 percent of their lives on grazing lands and have played a role in the sustainable agricultural and Eco systems for centuries. Their manure and urine naturally fertilize the grasslands, and their hoofing action breaks up the crust of the soil.” Ranchers and cattlemen are great environmentalist and cattle play a key role in maintaining soil productivity and keeping forages in a healthy condition.

My information
Dad, Grandfather, Grandmother, Great Grandfather.
and two of the best cattlemen in my area.

Science Backed information

http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu

 http://business.highbeam.com

Beef Production Medicine and Management

http://www.agintheclassroom.org

My next blog will be - Cattle the Digestion Process and What They Eat.

Feeding and caring for animals at Will Feed

Power of Protein

There are plenty of powerful health reasons to put high quality protein including lean beef protein, at the center of your plate:

Manage your weight

Lower your risk of heart disease

Improve your blood sugars

Make your bones stronger

Read the entire article by following the link.

Beef Nutrition Facts

Red meat's fat profile is often misunderstood and a common misperception is that animal proteins provide only saturated fat.  Surprisingly, half the fat in beef is monounsaturated, the same type of heart-healthy fat found in salmon and olive oil.  In addition, one-third of the saturated fat in beef is stearic acid, which studies have shown has a neutral or cholesterol-lowering effect. 

the Idaho Beef Council 

Colorado Cattlemen Beat WWP

Idaho Cattle Association.The Executive Update is a weekly newsletter sent to members of the Idaho Cattle Association.http://www.idahocattle.org/

The Colorado Cattlemen‘s Association (CCA), the U.S. Forest Service, the Chaffee County Board of Commissioners, and thirteen livestock producing families this month prevailed against a lawsuit filed by Western Watersheds Project (WWP). In 2009, CCA and Chaffee County joined ranchers in protecting their right to multiple-use grazing of public lands by intervening in a lawsuit filed by the anti-livestock grazing WWP, which sought to deny renewal of grazing in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests.

 

According to a CCA press release, the appeal by WWP objected to the renewal of the grazing permits, claiming that the decision violated the Forest Plan in various ways including wildlife protection, protecting soil productivity, protecting water quality, and protecting archaeological resources. The decision to renew had in fact been approved after a thorough environmental review. The Forest Service grazing decision also incorporated adaptive management principles to improve environmental conditions in the forests. The ranchers and the Forest Service worked together to develop management steps that would address resource issues and still be cost-effective. Upon reviewing the briefs and the administrative record, the court affirmed the decision of the Forest Service and allows continued livestock grazing under the adaptive management that everyone committed to do.

 

This ruling is very helpful in the greater fight against extremist groups as they continually file lawsuits with similar claims to those of WWP. The victory is also a testament to the great job CCA has done along with their members in collecting monitoring data to defend grazing decisions in the face of court challenge.

Red Angus plays a strong role in profitable ranching

Cattlemen across the nation are recognizing the role genetics play in increasing both quality and profitability of their cowherds. Breeders and industry professionals who attended the annual BrainTrust meeting in Denver, Colo., held during the National Western Stock Show, discussed the direction of the beef cattle industry and Red Angus’ impact on profitability.

For complete story follow this link

Cattlemen care: Idaho’s beef industry unites against hunger

Cattlemen care: Idaho’s beef industry unites against hunger

It’s no secret that cattle producers have generous hearts, and one program that is clearly showcasing this is Beef Counts, the first-known program of its kind that provides a means for Idaho’s beef producers to assist less-fortunate consumers right in their own backyards.

Described by the Idaho beef industry as a multi-faceted public relations and community-help campaign, Beef Counts brings together all of Idaho’s beef industry in partnership with the Idaho Foodbank, to provide nutrient-rich beef to help end hunger in Idaho.



Read the compete story follow this link

Beef Cattle and the Quest for Knowledge (Beef Production Medicine and Management)

I love to read;  I truly believe that knowledge is power.

While on this quest for knowledge; last week I had a book dropped in my lap that I have not put down.

The title of this book is BEEF Production Medicine and Management; in section A; you can read about Anatomy, Biosecurity, Body condition Scoring, Nutrition, Normal ranges for temperature, heart and resporatory rates, showing junior livestock, prescription and non-prescription drug guidelines and the list goes on this is just section A.
Section B - Routine Observation and Procedures.
Section C - Vaccines and Parasite Control Products.
Section D - Tests and Diagnostics.
Section E - Flowcharts for Specific Symptoms.
Section F - Infectious Diseases, Problems and Treatment.

If you are in 4-H, FFA, or a cattle producer this is a book you should own. I have to return this one soon, but I have order my own and it will be here soon.

this book is a Animal Health Publications  you can order it on line or call 1-877-424-7838.

There is also manuals for;
Horses
Sheep and Goats
Beef and Dairy
Dogs and Cats

I think the next one that I will get will be the one for Horses. before I am done I hope to own all of them because my animal never seem to get sick on a week days.

Follow the links and check it out for yourself; KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Beef Understanding What you are Buying and Eating

 Today I went to the Bates Custom Butchers and graded my two remaining steers.

Cindy Kinder the Extension Educator for Gooding County was my teacher.

To grade my beef we measured the size of the rib eye, back fat, and figure the kph fat, and you must have the carcass weight. 
These two beef graded prime minus and choice plus. 

Grades are based on the amount of marbling in the meat and the age of the animal. Marbling is the flecks and streaks of white fat you find distributed throughout the meat. In general, the higher the degree of marbling, the more tender, juicy, and flavorable the meat will be. Higher grade meats come at a higher cost.

Beef is best in flavor and texture when cattle are between 18 and 24 months old, so the grading favors younger animals.


Meat graders assign a yield grade to a carcass by evaluating:

1. the amount of external fat;
2. the hot carcass weight;
3. the amount of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat; and
4. the area of the ribeye muscle.

There are eight distinct grades of beef recognized by the USDA.

USDA Prime Beef

•  is the ultimate in tenderness, juiciness, and flavor.

USDA Choice Beef

Choice grade beef has less marbling than Prime, but is still of very high quality. This is the most popular grade of beef because it contains sufficient marbling for taste. 
Just over half of the beef graded each year earns a grade of Choice.

USDA Select beef

This is generally a lower priced grade of beef with less marbling than Choice. Select cuts of beef may vary in tenderness and juiciness.


USDA. In order of descending quality they are:

• Prime
• Choice
• Select
• Standard
• Commercial
• Utility
• Cutter
• Canner  

To Read complete articles and click any of the links. 

I got all my information from
http://meat.tamu.edu/beefgrading.html 
http://www.bbqreport.com/archives/barbecue/2006/03/02/understanding-the-usda-beef-grading-system/


for more information click the links above.

I Have Been Giving This Some Thought

 I am not sure if the majority of the American Consumers really understands the impact that the loss of BLM ground for grazing will have on their personal and financial lives.

Once upon a time Buffalo roamed the plains. Sadly, this is no longer true; but when they did roam, they grazed and in the search for food, they also cut large paths that acted as firebreaks. The thundering herds of Buffalo did not harm the environment; the fact is that they worked the ground with their hoofs and grazed off vegetation that later in the summer would become a fire hazard.  The grazing off of this vegetation in now done by cattle and other livestock, their hoofs now work the ground and stimulate the new growth of vegetation that not only feeds the livestock the following spring but the wild game during the winter months.

Wildfires happen it is just part of nature; the fact is that the cattle graze off the fuel that feeds these wildfires, which in turn saves wildlife habitats, and the scenic beauty that we have all grown to expect.  Wildfires cost the American taxpayers millions of dollars per year to put them out. The loss of grazing permits means you as taxpayers will have to foot the bill for not only putting out the fire but also the lost trees, vegetation and habitats.

Ranchers and cattlemen are great environmentalist. We as American consumers need them and the wildlife needs them. After a wildfire, the cattle and livestock still need to be fed, watered and cared for; to meet the needs of their cattle, or livestock. These hard working souls (rancher, cattlemen) work to return the burnt out BLM ground to it natural state, clean water ways so that they run freely, and reseed vegetation usually at their own expense; this is done to not only to feed their livestock; but also to repair the wildlife habitats.To be a true Stewart (environmentalist) of the land you have to get your hands dirty.

Ranchers, Cowboys, Cattlemen live and breath their lifestyle; they are not on a vacation their way of life is hard work. The one perk that they do have is the beauty of the great outdoors, even though it comes with extremely hot summers and very cold winters. 

As I said; Buffalo once roamed; how sad it will be if generations to come say, once upon a time there were Cowboys/Cowgirls, Ranchers, and Cattlemen/Cattlewomen.

Remember that food we eat does not grow on the grocery store shelves.

Keep America strong let us eat what we grow; Look for the Country of Origin on the label.

 That’s my opinion and story and I am sticking to it.

Cattlemen, Ranchers, Farmers, Are the Backs on which This Country was Built

Cattlemen, Ranchers, Farmers are in my opinion a soft spoken, hard working, breed. Most spend their days from sun up to long after the sun goes down seven days a week twelve months a year working alone; So when they do speak I found that I better be listening.

Here lately these hard work souls have been being attacked by some who would like to but them out of business.  Here are a few videos you won't see on the Evening News. If they go out of business we as a Nation will most likely go hungry.