NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 Vol. 80 | Issue 6
CORPORATE OFFICE P.O. Box 1506 • Great Bend, KS 67530 • 620-793-9200 Jerrod Westfahl, Executive Chairman Bronson Smith, CEO Jerry Kuckelman, President Tyler Spore, Vice President, Cattle Operations Larned, Kansas Chris Burris - Manager 620-285-2183 chris.burris@ilsbeef.com Lexington, Nebraska Brandon Sorensen - Manager 402-469-6313 brandon.sorensen@ilsbeef.com Ellinwood, KS Matthew Vaupel - Manager 620-546-3445 alan.pohlman@ilsbeef.com Macksville, Kansas Adam Stubbs - Manager 620-285-5245 adam.stubbs@ilsbeef.com Great Bend, Kansas Paul Woydziak - Manager 620-792-2508 paul.woydziak@ilsbeef.com Kearney, Nebraska Kurtis VenJohn - Manager 308-234-1874 kurtis.venjohn@ilsbeef.com Holdrege, Nebraska Jesse Landin - Manager 308-995-6136 jesse.landin@ilsbeef.com Professional Cattle Feeders since 1962 Lyons, Kansas Luke Knight - Manager 620-257-8069 luke.knight@ilsbeef.com
Words don’t matter, experience does. At Tallgrass, we believe that At Tallgrass, we’ve transported natural gas through the Trailblazer pipeline across Nebraska for over a decade without incident. By converting Trailblazer to transport a nonflammable gas like carbon dioxide, we will directly support Nebraska’s ethanol industry, the corn and sorghum farmers that supply the ethanol plants, as well as the cattlemen and livestock industry that use ethanol coproducts.
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6 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 THE ONLY PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO THE NEBRASKA CATTLE INDUSTRY. NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 Vol. 80 | Issue 6 REGULARS Ruminations .............................10 Membership Application.........14 Consider This ...........................42 NC Dispatch ..............................42 NC Partners ..............................44 NC Foundation .........................46 BQA .............................................50 MARC .........................................54 Markets ......................................56 Advertiser Index ......................59 Sale & Event Calendar .............61 Boots on the Ground ..............62 FEATURES PRODUCTION ‘Bird’ is the Word................................................................ 22 Managing birds in feedlots. PEOPLE Leaving a Legacy.................................................................12 Reflecting on the life and legacy of Paul Engler. PERSPECTIVES Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center Update ............ 18 State-of-the-art facility paves the way for world-class research projects and teaching and extension opportunities. PAST Tales of the Texas Trail ......................................................28 The storied past of the Texas Trail and its impact on the early days of Ogallala and Nebraska. POLICY Federal Issues Update .......................................................26 Where we stand on the Farm Bill and other federal issues of importance. SPECIAL TO THIS ISSUE 2024 Midyear Tour Highlights ...........................................8 2024 Midyear Meeting Recap...........................................36 NC Midyear Sponsors.........................................................41 Manuscripts and advertisements are welcome. Nebraska Cattlemen reserves the right to edit and refuse advertisements. Readers are welcome to submit letters to the editor. Full name and address of writer must accompany all letters. Letters are accepted with the understanding that they may be condensed to fit the magazine format and edited for accuracy and clarity. Letters contain the opinion of the writer and not that of the Nebraska Cattlemen. You can get Nebraska Cattleman via email. Receive each issue even before the Post O ce ships the printed edition. Just send an email to us at NCmag@necattlemen.org and put “Email NC Magazine” in the subject line. We assure you we will not share your email address with anyone! ON THE COVER: The Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center is a commercial-scale, state-of-the art feedlot located at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead. Read all about it on page 18. Photo courtesy of Emily Hanson of University of NebraskaLincoln.
August 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 7 GRADE MAKE THE BALANCER CATTLE ® Increase Performance Steers in the AGA Scale and Rail Contest had an average daily gain of 4 lbs. per day in the feedyard. ADDING THE POUNDS MAKING THE GRADE DELIVERING THE VALUE Gelbvieh ranks #1 for percent retail product according to U.S. Meat Animal Research Center progress report #22. Gelbvieh x Angus or Red Angus BALANCER® “We’ve been buying and finishing Balancer-sired calves every year since 2019 and they have made us money every year even with relatively high corn prices.” - KENT NELSON, ROOSEVELT, UT SCAN FOR MORE INFO GELBVIEH.ORG Carcass data collected from over 3,600 Balancer sired steers and heifers resulted in 88% USDA Prime and Choice with 91% yield grades 1, 2, or 3.
8 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 NC BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT: Jerry Kuenning*, Lemoyne, (308) 883-8382 PRESIDENT-ELECT: Dick Pierce*, Miller, (308) 440-2489 VICE PRESIDENT: Craig Uden*, (308) 325-0285 TREASURER: Laura Field, Lincoln, (402) 475-2333 SECRETARY: Melody Benjamin, Lakeside, (308) 760-6464 PAST PRESIDENT: Steve Hanson*, Elsie, (308) 289-0225 MEMBER SERVICES VICE CHAIR BY REGION 1 – Jaclyn Wilson, Lakeside, (308) 762-3196 2 – Kat Kennedy, Purdum, (308) 645-7036 3 – Allan Louthan, Stanton, (402) 841-6601 4 – John Ecklund, Atkinson, (408) 602-5905 5 – Scott Reynolds, Berwyn, (308) 870-0970 6 – Chuck Graff, Ogallala, (308) 289-5841 7 – Heath Clausen, Leigh, (402) 750-4433 8 – Allen Bruntz, Friend, (402) 525-2651 9 – Shannon Peterson, Gothenburg, (308) 529-2116 COW-CALF COUNCIL CHAIR: Travis Chrisman, Wauneta, (308) 883-6781 VICE CHAIR: Jake Johnson, Hastings, (402) 984-8824 FARMER-STOCKMAN COUNCIL CHAIR: Marc Hanson, Morrowville, Kan., (402) 729-7174 VICE CHAIR: Dwight Dam, Hooper, (402) 720-4250 FEEDLOT COUNCIL CHAIR: Ryan Danehey, Manhattan, Kan., (308) 440-8267 VICE CHAIR: Daron Huyser, Lexington, (308) 233-4368 SEEDSTOCK COUNCIL CHAIR: Reiss Bruning, Bruning, (402) 768-3332 VICE CHAIR: James Felt, Wakefield, (402) 287-2488 ALLIED INDUSTRIES COUNCIL Jake Pullen, Aurora, (308) 380-9040 ~ COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP ~ ANIMAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION CHAIR: Jared Walahoski*, Overton, (308) 746-1965 CHAIR-ELECT: Jeff Heldt, Scottsbluff, (308) 641-5781 BRAND AND PROPERTY RIGHTS CHAIR: Brock Terrell, Hay Springs, (308) 430-1213 CHAIR-ELECT: Matt Blackford, Brownlee, (402) 322-1377 EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CHAIR: Marcus Urban, Leigh, (402) 276-3830 CHAIR-ELECT: Suzanne Jagels, Davenport, (402) 469-3374 MARKETING AND COMMERCE CHAIR: Joe Eisenmenger, Humphrey, (402) 920-0665 CHAIR-ELECT: Chance McLean, Stromsburg, (402) 366-2254 NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT CHAIR: Eric Hansen*, North Platte, (308) 530-3899 CHAIR-ELECT: Sam Drinnin, Grand Island, (402) 910-0233 TAXATION CHAIR: Scott Peterson, Valentine, (402) 322-0225 CHAIR-ELECT: Steve Sunderman, Norfolk, (402) 750-0149 MEMBER SERVICES CHAIR: Jim Edwards, Ord, (308) 750-0881 NEBRASKA LIVESTOCK MARKETING ASSOCIATION REP. Bryce Dibbern, Interior, S.D., (308) 293-7766 UNL EXTENSION REPRESENATIVE Erin Laborie, Beaver City, (419) 494-3872 UNL REPRESENTATIVE Deb VanOverbeke, Lincoln, (402) 714-5879 * member of the Executive & Finance Committee SPECIAL TO THIS ISSUE Working for Nebraska Beef Producers PASTURE TO PLATE TO PLATE 2024 Midyear Tour Highlights Tour attendees stand atop the Kingsley Hydroplant where the power of water is in full display. The Kingsley Hydroplant is one of three hydropower facilities operated by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District. Tour attendees on the catwalk at the Ogallala Livestock Auction Market are able to see the pens and activity below. Richard Gibson, left, co-owner of Second Chapter Brewing in Ogallala, explains the brewing process to NC Midyear attendees during the second tour stop. Nate Nielsen, Kingsley Dam foreman at Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation, explains the dam’s inner workings to tour attendees. Central delivers irrigation water to more than 109,000 acres on the south side of the Platte River between North Platte and Minden, and provides supplemental water from Lake McConaughy (Central’s main storage reservoir) to irrigation projects serving more than 100,000 acres along the North Platte and Platte Rivers. Central also generates electricity for homes, farms and industry at four hydropower plants, one at Kingsley Dam and three on Central’s Supply Canal. Jay Nordhausen, owner of Ogallala Livestock Auction Market, gives a brief history of the Ogallala Livestock Auction Market during the final tour stop. View of the Kingsley Hydroplant from the platform above.
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10 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 LAURA FIELD | NC EVP RUMINATIONS 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521 Phone (402) 475-2333 | Fax (402) 475-0822 nc@necattlemen.org | www.nebraskacattlemen.org NEBRASKA CATTLEMEN STAFF EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | Laura Field lfield@necattlemen.org VICE PRESIDENT OF ASSOCIATION ENGAGEMENT | Melody Benjamin VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING | Jeff Stolle DIRECTOR OF MARKETING | John Roberts DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS | Libby Schroeder DIRECTOR OF PRODUCER EDUCATION | Bonita Lederer DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP-RETENTION | Jessica Rudolph DIRECTOR OF STATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS | Matthew Melchor ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER | Kathy Abel Nebraska Cattleman is published monthly, except for May and July, by the Nebraska Cattlemen, 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521 – (402) 475-2333. --------------------------------------------------------------------- MAGAZINE PRODUCTION: BLUEPRINT MEDIA LLC www.blueprintma.com | ncmag@necattlemen.org EDITOR | Lisa Bard MANAGING EDITOR | Jessie Topp-Becker COPY EDITOR | Larisa Willrett DESIGNER & MATERIALS COORDINATOR | Megan Sajbel Field ADMINISTRATION | Leslie McKibben CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Bill Coe | Natalie Jones STATE & REGIONAL ADVERTISING Amber Coleman | (402) 340-1588 acoleman@necattlemen.org NATIONAL ADVERTISING Wendy McFarland | (334) 271-6100 mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com Working for Nebraska Beef Producers PASTURE TO PLATE TO PLATE NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN VIEW NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN DIGITAL VERSION BY SCANNING THE QR CODE. THE HEARTBEAT OF NEBRASKA CATTLEMEN LAURA FIELD | NC EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT “Thank you for your membership!” This is the way I begin all speaking engagements or any gathering that includes Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) members. This opening comment is usually followed by, “And if you’re not a member, come talk to me before you leave so I can talk to you about joining.” Membership is the heartbeat of Nebraska Cattlemen. Members set the association’s priorities and ignite the fire to create change and move the association forward. A thriving and vibrant membership helps fulfill our mission – “Working for beef producers – pasture to plate.” The 2021-2025 Nebraska Cattlemen Strategic Plan was developed before I started in the role as NC executive vice president. I reviewed a copy when I submitted my application for the position, and I’ve spent time thinking about and discussing it with staff, leadership and members. Member Relations and Engagement is one of the three key pillars in the current strategic plan, which is divided into three focuses for each pillar: MUST, SHOULD and WON’T. Since a strategic plan is a living, breathing document that can be adjusted and molded over time, it is important for NC leadership and staff to keep these things in mind as we work to keep the association growing. Outlined under the plan’s Member Relations and Engagement section, highlights include that NC MUST continually work to improve the value of the organization to its members; SHOULD improve avenues for members to engage with the association; and WON’T be afraid of eliminating old ways, be wary of new opportunities or be complacent. These are key statements for the association’s success, and I’m thankful for the thought and time that went into developing the current strategic plan. Soon it will be time to start working on the next five years, and these metrics will be an important part of where we go from here. I spend time every day thinking about Nebraska Cattlemen membership and what an awesome responsibility it is to work with and for the members 365 days a year. The staff and I listen to member feedback and talk often about what we are doing well and what we can do better, and we challenge each other to bring big and bold ideas to the table as we plan. In reading about successful organizations, a top-line focus is always the value story. Members of associations and organizations are usually united by an interest, profession or industry. These groups have many different types of members with focuses in different areas within the association. I recently read an article that said, “Smart associations not only focus on the value membership delivers – the ʻvalue proposition’ – but also talk to the member segments in unique and personal ways.” We want to hear from you. Your opinions about membership matter, and I encourage you to share your feedback with me and with the staff and leadership. The value story of Nebraska Cattlemen is important to the success of the beef industry, and as we continue to grow and evolve, your perspectives are key. Thank you for your membership, and if you’re not a member, reach out for a visit with us! ~NC~
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12 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 Leaving a Legacy JESSICA WESSON | CONTRIBUTING WRITER Paul Engler was known for many things – trailblazing the cattle feeding industry, being a life-long learner and having a passion for others. Engler was born in 1929 to Henry Paul Engler and Jenny Gill in Stuart. From an early age, he loved cattle and wanted to be an entrepreneur. At 12 years old, Engler bought his first herd of cattle without telling his father. From that day on, he kept making leaps and bounds in the cattle industry. Trailblazer Engler graduated high school at 15 and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), where he graduated in 1951. He founded the Hereford Feedyard in 1960 and became an executive at Iowa Beef Packers in 1972. He moved to Dumas, Texas, three years later, where he founded Cactus Feeders. Cactus Feeders would become one of the nation’s largest cattle feeders, processing approximately 20,000 head per week. “He recognized that the industry was shipping feed and cattle out of the Texas Panhandle to be fed and finished elsewhere,” says Tom Field, director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). “He knew that there were margins to be captured by developing an industry right here and making sure there was packing capacity within an arm’s length of feeding capacity to make transportation efficient.” Not only was Cactus Feeders innovative by combining several links in the food supply chain, it also started a whole new generation of formula pricing. “He understood that the large-scale, commercial feedlot was the industry’s future,” says Ronnie Green, Chancellor Emeritis of UNL, who worked closely with Engler over the years. “Cactus Feeders was the first entity to sell cattle on the formula to IBP, Inc. in the early 90’s. It was unheard of and very rare at the time.” Engler was concerned about the formula and wanted to ensure that all parties got a fair shake. “He contracted the Texas Tech meats group to do a full carcass cutout on 36 head, statistically designed to determine if the formula was fair,” Green says. “I was a green assistant professor at Texas Tech at the time, and I helped with the data analysis and interpretation. When the final report was sent to Paul, he had some questions about the interpretation.” Green’s department head instructed him to meet Engler to answer his questions. “I rushed out to the airport at Lubbock and walked out on the tarmac to meet his helicopter,” Green says. “I talked to him in the helicopter for 10 minutes to answer his questions, and he took off again. Needless to say, the formula got changed.” Most people would consider that an impressive career and sit back to reap the rewards of their hard work, but Paul Engler wasn’t done with his work. In 1996, he was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against Oprah Winfrey after her talk show stirred up controversy in the beef cattle industry. The episode included a segment on BSE; her guest predicted the disease would eventually reach America. Winfrey stated that the discussion “has just stopped me cold from eating another burger.” The Texas Beef Group sued under a law that made a person liable for making false statements about food safety. While the court’s decision did not favor Engler, he believed the action was valuable for the beef cattle industry. “After that, I think they were more careful about getting good experts and people with good reputations and so forth that could make statements on an authoritative basis. I think we cleaned up her act,” Engler told the Amarillo Globe-News in 2011. Lifelong Learner Engler was passionate about education and entrepreneurship and wanted to reignite that at his alma mater. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 PEOPLE
August 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 13 “Paul reminded all of us that cattle feeding was a business and that innovation, risk-taking, work ethic and a deep commitment to the values of free enterprise are critical for success in this business. He always encouraged people to have a fire in their belly to make the world a better place. He desired to build a better industry, and he wanted to do that through our students.” – Tom Field, Director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Paul Engler regularly met with students at the UNL Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program. “His legacy is the generations of people who will have a passion for entrepreneurship. For Paul, entrepreneurship came down to service: serving your family by providing for them, serving your community through your business and serving the customers in your business. I intend to pass that down to younger generations and to my kids, who were fortunate to meet Paul before he passed. I hope to continue to share Paul’s vision for service through entrepreneurship.” – Alix Ambriz, graduate of the Engler Program and Co-Owner of Sehnert’s Bakery “Paul’s legacy will always be what he built and how he built it. His lasting legacy will be his impact on the largest cattle-feeding industry in the world. He will forever be known as one of the innovators and leaders in that industry. Very few people in the world have impacted their industry the way Paul did for cattle feeding.” – Ronnie Green, Chancellor Emeritus at the University of NebraskaLincoln “The Engler Program has a tremendous impact and legacy. He also had a tremendous impact on the feedlot industry and various things we do in the cattle industry, such as how we operate and make marketing arrangements.” – Homer Buell, personal friend of Paul Engler “Paul was an agent of change and a giant in the livestock industry. The history of livestock feeding will always have a major chapter revolving around Cactus Feeders. However, the thing that will probably still be carrying his name and having a global impact is the Engler Program. It has positively altered the lives of the students who have come through that program. It has given them a sense of purpose and the ability to influence the world using their gifts and creativity. I predict this endeavor will far outweigh his impact on the cattle industry.” – Chuck Schroeder, former Director of the Rural Futures Institute at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, former Director of Agriculture – Nebraska, former CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and former CEO of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum “Paul had a ripple effect in Nebraska and across the country. His impact will be felt forever because of the students who go through the Engler Program. We are going out into the world to change the landscape of rural America, and Paul was a living example to myself and my fellow students. I’m a direct product of his risktaking mindset. I probably wouldn’t have started my own business if it weren’t for Paul.” – Logan Peters, graduate of the Engler Program and Livestock Business Development Manager at Agri Beef “His legacy is empowering young people to return to and revive rural communities, specifically in Nebraska. It’s giving them an entrepreneurial mindset that empowers these young people to take their business ideas and innovations back to rural communities to invest in them.” – Hannah Klitz, graduate of the Engler Program and Owner/ Operator of Oak Barn Beef “Paul’s legacy was not about him. He empowered so many people in his lifetime. What he created while he was alive is just the beginning of the impact he will have. His legacy will live on through the young entrepreneurs he guided because they learned what it truly takes to be a business owner. He fast-forwarded their opportunities by surrounding them with mentors and letting them grow. We couldn’t have done that without Paul.” – Cassie Lapaseotes, Advisory Committee Member for the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Many current and former students of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship program, as well as a number of NC members, attend Engler’s memorial service in Texas.
14 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 MEMBERSHIP AT THE GRASS ROOTS BEGINS WITH YOU! Primary Contact: _____________________ Business Name: ______________________ Address: __________________________ City: ____________________________ State: __________ Zip: ______________ Phone: ___________________________ E-Mail: ___________________________ Local Affiliate: ______________________ Recruiter: _________________________ CONTACT INFORMATION COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP– Voting Cow/Calf Farmer/Stockman Seedstock Check one option for the above Councils: # of Option I: Option II: Head: NC/NCBA/Local NC/Local 0-100 $275.00 $115.00 101-250 $472.50 $152.50 251-500 $692.50 $212.50 501-750 $980.50 $287.50 751-1,000 $1,322.50 $362.50 1,001-1,250 $1,664.50 $437.50 1,251-1,500 $2,005.50 $512.50 1,501-1,750 $2,347.50 $587.50 1,751-2,000 $2,689.50 $662.50 2,001 & up $2,727.00 $700.00 +$.70/addt’l hd +$0.30/addt’l hd FEEDLOT COUNCIL– Voting NC/NCBA dues are unified Bill monthly Bill quarterly Bill semi-annually Bill annually Capacity Dues Placement Billing # of head X $1.15 # of head X $0.58 Total: $_________ Total: $_________ Student Membership – Voting Under 24 years of age. Birthdate: ______________ Option I: NCBA – $53 Annually Option II: NC – $25 one-time fee Supporting Membership– Non-voting, non-owners of livestock and local business Option I: NC/NCBA/Local – $260 Option II: NC/Local – $150 Associate Membership– Unified vote on Allied Industries Council Option I: NC/NCBA/Local – $560 Option II: NC/Local – $400 MEMBERSHIP CLASSIFICATIONS Total dues investment: $ _________________________ Add Donation to NC Political Action Committee: $ ___________ The investment in Nebraska Cattlemen is based on fair share dues. Fair share dues allow for all sizes of businesses to participate. Payments of NC/NCBA Dues are tax deductible for most active members as a business expense. NC estimates 15% of the dues payment is not deductible as a business expense due to our direct lobbying activities on behalf of members - please check with your tax professional. Card Type: ________________________ Name on Card: _______________________ Address: __________________________ City: _____________________________ State: ______________ Zip: __________ CardNumber: ________________________ Expiration: ________ Security Code: ______ CREDIT CARD INFO Add Nebraska Cattlewomen membership (no charge) OPT-OUT of Seedstock, Feedlot and Associate Directories Remit to: Nebraska Cattlemen 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521 (402) 475-2333 | www.nebraskacattlemen.org *Payment required for all memberships except Feedlot Council. DID YOU KNOW: Both members and non-members receive the Nebraska Cattleman magazine. By receiving this magazine, you may think you are a member, but that may not be the case! To check your membership status, call (402) 475-2333 “Paul thought it was time for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to refocus and build another generation of entrepreneurs,” Field says. “He wanted the college to produce entrepreneurs who would create employment opportunities for other people. He recognized that the education system had started producing employees for large organizations but thought it should produce more risk takers.” Engler invested in his home state by establishing the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at UNL through a $20 million gift from the Paul and Virginia Engler Foundation. “There was a genuine transformation in Paul’s life that occurred after the gift to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,” says Chuck Schroeder, former director of the UNL Rural Futures Institute. “There was a new sparkle in his eye and joy in his heart that I’d never seen before. It lifted him to a new height of excitement about the future.” Schroeder served as Nebraska’s director of agriculture, where he met Engler. Over the years, Schroeder and Engler crossed paths while working in the agricultural industry. They intersected during their time at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and again at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Schroeder also mentors students in the Engler Program. Students who graduate from the Engler Program are prepared to be purpose-driven entrepreneurs who focus on building their community and rolling up their sleeves to develop their solutions. Cassie Lapaseotes serves on the advisory committee for the Engler Program. “Paul was a life-long learner and was still building businesses later in life,” Lapaseotes says. “He had a fire in his belly that was contagious to everyone around him, including the students in his program. He wanted to empower students to help them get where they dreamed of being.” The unique program propels students by providing experiential, community-based learning to help them build their enterprises from the ground up. “It’s not a program where you just get a certificate and walk away,” Lapaseotes says. “If you have the entrepreneurial spirit, the Engler Program is a lifelong experience.” Some students walk in without an idea of what they want to do or where they want to go, but the skillset they develop through the Engler Program sets them up for success after graduation. “Some kids don’t even know they have the entrepreneurial spirit, but it clicks for them when they are given these opportunities,” Lapaseotes says. “The program doesn’t teach them that they will be successful with every business idea, but it does teach them how to overcome their failures. That’s very important for business owners to understand.” She says the program goes beyond the enrolled students. “It also allows Nebraska to grow through the potential in the graduates who stay in Nebraska,” Lapaseotes says. “It’s great LEAVING A LEGACY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
August 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 15 PHARO CATTLE COMPANY www.PharoCattle.com 800-311-0995 Bulls@PharoCattle.com GENETIC Fly Resistance While others use toxic chemicals to cover up their inferior genetics, we are helping you solve the problem. We have cowherds in 12 different states (from Minnesota to Texas and from Alabama to Montana) that have gone 20 years without being treated for parasites. Parasite resistance is one of many areas Pharo Cattle Company has assumed the leadership position. In the last 18 years, we have evaluated and scored 15,000 bulls for genetic fly resistance. We sell over 1000 bulls every year in six different states — including Nebraska. Call or Email for more information and/or to receive our FREE and Very Opinionated Newsletter for our state because these students might stay and start their businesses here. That would help our economy and make the state better.” One Engler graduate knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur as a teenager and found her home in the Engler Program. “I chose the University of Nebraska-Lincoln because of the Engler Program. I looked up to Paul Engler as an entrepreneur and was blessed to be part of the program,” says Hannah Klitz, owner and operator of Oak Barn Beef. She says the scholarship money was life-changing for her. “I didn’t have to have as many parttime jobs to get me through college like my peers did,” Klitz says. “It gave me a lot more time to build my business.” Beyond the financial benefit, the Engler Program encouraged her to be confident. “The program is very self-driven and doesn’t box you in like the typical educational system,” Klitz says. “It pushed you to think for yourself, decide what you want to do and what you want your life’s impact to be. It was empowering to find other people like me who didn’t fit the ʻtraditional’ educational mold and were looking for something different.” Klitz started her business, Oak Barn Beef, during her sophomore year of college. Now, she and her husband, who graduated from the Engler Program, run the small business together. “We’re running this business and other businesses together, and we also get to raise our kids in this environment,” Klitz says. “It’s amazing that our kids grow up seeing their parents as business owners. We hope to pass on the same lessons and mindset we learned through the Engler Program to our kids so that it impacts their lives positively, too.” Paul Engler was a man of many talents and passions, but the recurring theme throughout his life was an innovative, entrepreneurial spirit he wanted to share with others. ~NC~
16 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 BRUCE DODSON, AFM C: (308) 539-4455 COTTONWOOD FEEDERS 640 ± ACRES | STUART, NEBRASKA Cottonwood Feeders offers expansion opportunities in a prime location for feed and cattle. The feedlot sells with an existing expansion plan and permit to reach 45,000 head total capacity! 15,000 head current capacity with an additional 30,000 head expansion permit. Invest in Agriculture! WWW.AGRIAFFILIATES.COM | NEBRASKA FEEDLOT FOR SALE BART WOODWARD, ARA C: (308) 233-4605 LISTING AGENTS: • Feedlot was entirely constructed in 2008. • 640 ± acres with three center pivots. • 15,475 Linear feet of poured in place bunk. • 90 Feeding pens with pipe and cable construction. • 14 Foot aprons and in pen Johnson waters. • Dry roll feed mill with large commodity building. VIEW DETAILS: American Foods Group Kimball, MN Holstein Contracting Dairy Cross Fats Tim Schiefelbein 320-398-2700 Long Prairie Packing Long Prairie, MN Bulls | Lean Cows Tyrel Lembke 877-300-9298 Cimpl’s Yankton, SD Bulls | Lean Cows Chad McQuade 605-668-4275 Gibbon Packing Gibbon, NE Fed Cows | Bulls | Lean Cows Mike Baczwaski 800-445-0042 Green Bay Dressed Beef Green Bay, WI Holstein Steers | Fed Cows Lean Cows | Dairy Cross Fats Dean Derricks 920-436-6529 Holstein Steers • Bulls • Fed Cows • Lean Cows • Dairy Cross Fats - CATTLEBUYERCOVERAGE - THROUGHOUT THE MIDWEST OWNED FAMILY
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18 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 PERSPECTIVES Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center Update GALEN ERICKSON | NEBRASKA CATTLE INDUSTRY PROFESSOR OF ANIMAL SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN All of us at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) who have been involved with the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center project are super excited to be opening and starting projects in our new facilities. We have many donors, partners and companies to thank for helping us make a vision become a reality. One of the hallmarks of the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center is the ability to compare different housing systems, including two different deep-pit barn designs and two open lot designs. The barns are constructed with either a gable or monoslope roof – designs that impact airflow. A common question is What design is best? So one priority will be to evaluate differences between each of the barns for performance, behavior, carcass outcomes and any environmental impacts. The open lots are built as either traditional soil-based pens with a concrete apron or solid-surfaced pens using roller-compacted concrete. Pen size is different (yet logical) across the different housing systems. The housing system with the greatest interest in how to optimize cattle performance is the roller-compacted concrete pens. Pen space, bedding amounts, robotic manure collection and frequency of manure removal are all questions we hope to address with the roller compacted concrete pens. We will have data to compare all four different systems to answer producer questions. Manure quality, volume and nutrient content are major priorities as we search for ways to minimize nitrogen loss from feedlot systems. A focus on environment that studies impact of environment on the cattle as well as ways to minimize impacts of cattle production on the environment will also be a central theme. Last, testing technologies that either improve productivity, management or decrease labor needs will be a priority. We are exploring different technologies and want to be a testbed for industry developed technology so producers can trust impacts from product claims. One of our exciting developments will be offering students hands-on experience in our school of feedyard production. More and more students are wanting to work in the beef industry, yet many are coming with less and less experience. A common criticism is students need more hands-on experience and animal contact. We can offer that, provide experience and also train them on technologies we are testing. We know students who get experience with us gain confidence, realize the career potential and reinforces their interest in feedyard production. We think this can be a pipeline for the Timmerman Feedlot Internship program. In addition, these students will learn to operate the technology being tested so they can be marketable and hired to use these technologies in practice for yards across Nebraska. The Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center features various pen sizes and building structures that allow for a variety of research options. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
August 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 19 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2024 THE LINCOLN MARRIOTT CORNHUSKER HOTEL 333 SOUTH 13TH STREET • LINCOLN, NEBRASKA 68508 BUILDING THE FUTURE of the FEEDER CATTLE INDUSTRY 8 a.m. Trade Show Open with Breakfast Buffet 9 a.m. Commercial Cattlemen’s Symposium 9:05 a.m. Welcome 9:15 a.m. Cattle Market Opportunities & Challenges Ahead Derrell Peel, Ph.D., Oklahoma State University 10 a.m. Buying A Bull Backed by Genomics Matt Spangler, Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln Ladies’ Symposium 10:30 a.m. Refreshment Break 11 a.m. Feeder Panel Abram Babcock, Adams Land & Cattle Sara Cover, Greater Omaha Joe Klute, Phelps County Feeders Perry Harrison, Harrison Harvesting 11:45 a.m. Marketing Opportunities through Value-Added Programs Doug Stanton, IMI Global Noon Lunch Presentation of Awards: Commercial Producer of the Year and Grid Master 1 p.m. Purchasing Portal and RAAA Marketing Update 1:30 p.m. Using Genomics in Feeder Cattle Tanner King, Neogen 2 p.m. Neogen Lab Tours In conjunction with the National Red Angus Convention Sept. 10-13, Lincoln, Nebraska Commercial Cattlemen’s Symposium sponsored by Sy posi m open to c lemen & women of a br d i terests! Register online at RedAngus.org Reserve your seat today – Scan the QR code! (Registration is free but requested for meal planning.) 2024 Com eri l Ca lemen’s Sy posi m FREE SEMINAR LUNCH PROVIDED TRADE SHOW OPEN Babcock Klute Cover Harrison Stanton Peel King Spangler
20 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 The University of Nebraska held a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 27 marking the completion of the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center. The new facility, located at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead, will pave the way for world-class research projects, and teaching and Extension opportunities in a commercial-scale, state-of-the-art feedlot. The facility is named in honor of the late John Klosterman and his wife, Beth, of David City. The Klosterman family represents five generations of cattle feeding in Nebraska. The $7.2 million facility received $5.5 million in private support through the University of Nebraska Foundation. In addition to the Klostermans, other lead donors to the project include JBS USA, Greater Omaha Packing Co. Inc., Farm Credit Services of America, and Dennis and Glenda Boesiger. The new facility is among the largest research feedlots in the world and is designed to present unique opportunities for teaching, outreach and public-private partnerships. The center includes commercial-scale, open-air and covered pens, allowing researchers to improve the performance and environmental impact of cattle in varied settings. It also boasts a 240-head feeding facility that will allow researchers to use precision techniques to study the outcomes of various feeding protocols, measure emissions and study the various uses for precision-feeding technology already on the market. The center allows for expanded research of the impact of low-stress animal handling and increased emphasis on animal welfare, with state-of-the-art equipment donated by Daniels Manufacturing and Arrowquip, two leading animal- handling equipment companies. An enclosed classroom will give students hands-on experience and allow for training opportunities for Nebraska’s beef industry workforce. The facility will also serve as an innovation laboratory, that industry partners, ag-tech startups, producers and others can use. Numerous industry partners have already made in-kind donations of equipment, and in the future, the center will provide opportunities for ag-tech companies, equipment manufacturers and other companies to test new products in a commercial-scale facility, as well as for cattle feeders to observe how these products work. Additional philanthropic support came from the Terry Klopfenstein Fund, which included gifts from 53 alumni, colleagues and industry partners who knew and worked with the late Terry Klopfenstein. Klopfenstein was a longtime leader of the university’s ruminant nutrition program and a pioneer in using byproducts from the ethanol and sweetener industries to supplement cattle feeding. One of the buildings in the complex will be named the Terry Klopfenstein Feed Technology Center, pending formal approval. The new center will be a key component of the university’s Beef Innovation Hub, which aims to advance, support and communicate continuous improvement of beef production, economic vitality and natural resources stewardship through innovative research, education and extension. Cattle will arrive in the facility later this summer, with research projects, classes, tours and other learning opportunities to be offered shortly after. Nebraska Celebrates Feedlot Research, Teaching, Extension Center Cara Pesek | IANR Media UNL has a long and proud history of research, outreach and teaching students in the beef systems area. Our legacy is to research applied problems and provide results that are repeatable. Having a new, commercially scaled research operation with different housing systems will only enhance our programming in research, Extension and teaching. We will continue to be good stewards of the investment that donors, supporters and the state makes in programming to benefit our great state and our beef industry. As always, let us know if we can address your questions. If anyone would like to visit and learn more about the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center, don’t hesitate to reach out to me or your local Extension educator. ~NC~ The Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center features several state-of-theart technologies that allow for advanced research. The RIC 2 Discover system, where RIC stands for roughage intake control, consists of an open feeding trough with an electronic system linked to advanced management software. KLOSTERMAN FEEDLOT INNOVATION CENTER UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18
August 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 21 WE’RE NO.1. AND THAT’S NO BULL. NEBRASKA IS NO. 1 IN RED MEAT PRODUCTION, BUT OUR LEADERSHIP DOESN’T END THERE. AGRICULTURE HAS A $21.4 BILLION IMPACT ON THE NEBRASKA ECONOMY, AND YOUR NEBRASKA SOY CHECKOFF IS DIALED INTO IT TO ENSURE YOUR NEBRASKA SOYBEANS ARE A MAJOR PLAYER. FOOD, FEED, INDUSTRIAL USES ANYWHERE THERE IS A NEED FOR MEAL AND OIL, NEBRASKA SOYBEANS ARE FINDING A PLACE AT THE TABLE. Source: Nebraska Department of Agriculture. ©2021 United Soybean Board. [61078-10 7/21] #CROPPORTUNITY NEBRASKASOYBEANS.ORG
22 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 ‘Bird’ Is the Word Managing Birds in Feedlots TRESSA LAWRENCE | CONTRIBUTING WRITER BEEF UP Beef up with BOVAMINE DEFEND® Plus. An innovative combination of four proven strains of good bacteria, BOVAMINE DEFEND Plus supports cattle gut health and immunity, allowing cattle to be more productive. Research also shows improvements in feed efficiency, cattle performance, dressing percentage and hot carcass weight — all helping to beef up your profit potential, too. It’s the power of good bacteria at work. Scan to learn more. YOUR CATTLE. YOUR OPERATION. YOUR BOTTOM LINE. Chr Hansen BDP_Half page_NECattlemen_Fall2023.indd 1 10/10/23 11:07 AM For feedlot managers and workers, bird has been a troublesome word for decades when discussing problems in the yard. Migratory birds such as starlings, blackbirds and pigeons (also referred to as rock doves) are known to wreak havoc in feedlots and other livestock facilities. The Cost of Infestation Consumption and destruction is the name of their game, consuming valuable livestock feed and destroying remaining feed and infrastructure with their highly acidic feces. You may be wondering how much one of these birds eats and if it really makes a difference. Charlie Lee, former Extension wildlife specialist with Kansas State University, explains that feedlots can oftentimes attract large flocks of 300,000 or more of these migratory birds. When talking about starlings specifically, if each bird consumes one pound of feed in a month, a flock of 300,000 starlings would consume 150 tons of feed in one month. With the ever-increasing price of feed, it is easy to see how these birds become a financial burden very quickly. It is not uncommon to have these infestations for four to five months each year. “Starlings are a slow-moving migratory bird, meaning you could remove all the birds that are in a feedlot and maybe a month later have the same number of birds back,” Lee explains. “They move north and south, more slowly and over shorter distances compared to other migratory birds that you might be aware of that move primarily because of weather.” These starlings are European starlings, an invasive species that was brought to the United States in the early 1890s. PRODUCTION
August 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 23 “The not-so-darling starlings,” chuckles Alfredo DiCostanzo, a beef systems Extension educator with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “It is a serious dent on inventories when they flock in large numbers and are eating stored feeds or feeds off the bunk. We know that certain feeds or certain compounds within some feeds attract birds. Textured feeds such as cracked corn mixed in a diet or the little particles or fibers in silage are very attractive to these birds.” Research has found that extruding feed rations into large pellets (1½-inch by 3-inch) significantly decreases feed consumption by birds; however, that tends to be a more costly solution. It is not just the consumption of feed that adds up. Feces dropped onto feed in the bunks or in storage can reduce feed value or even spread disease. Health Risks “We begin now to understand that, for instance, salmonella can cause liver abscesses in feedlot cattle,” DiCostanzo explains. “Well, if salmonella comes about because of bird poop on some of these fences and water tanks, etc., then it’s just one more place that we can pick that bacterium up and cause problems, in addition to the feed bunk.” Salmonella, E. coli, the highly pathogenic avian influenza and encephalitis are at the top of the list of concerning illnesses that birds are known to spread. With the rise of avian influenza in dairy herds across the country, researchers have been CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 Birds line feed bunks and alleyways at a feedyard in Venezuela. Photo courtesy of Alfredo DiCostanzo. keeping a close eye on how it spreads, and currently there is no data on how it affects non-lactating bovine. These birds are known not only to hang around feed bunks, but also in confinement areas used for livestock where they Central City, Nebraska (308) 946-3068 Lexington, Nebraska (308) 324-7409 Brush, Colorado (970) 842-5165 BillsVolume.com When timing is everything, Breakdowns are costly and Customer service is priceless. Commercial Beef & Dairy Sales & Service • New & Used Equipment SALES & SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS! BVS 7.25x4.875 4c-NE Cattleman.indd 1 1/30/24 9:35 AM
24 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2024 April/May 2024 Calf News 1/2 Page 7.25” x 4.875” Horizontal www.dodgemfg.com Call Today! 402-693-2221 BRUTE STEALTH “Cattle don’t have square shoulders” roost in rafters and in silos or enclosed barns used for feed storage. The acidic feces can deteriorate and corrode infrastructure, create an unpleasant work environment due to the smell and noise, and present a major health concern. This can ultimately lead to an increase in labor requirements to keep water tanks, feed bunks, buildings and vehicles clean. Prevention and Management There is no one-size-fits-all, guaranteed solution for managing birds. Lee explains the basics for approaching wildlife management with an easy-to-remember acronym. “Most wildlife problems are resolved by following the acronym HER,” he says. “H stands for habitat modification; What can you do to prevent the problem? So, making the habitat unsuitable for birds to land or roost. E is exclusion; Is there some type of physical or chemical barrier you can put up that separates the things you want to keep [birds from]? And the R is removal, dead or alive.” The first action that many feedlots implement is to keep stored feeds covered. If the feed is kept out in the open, like silage, covering feed with a tarp is extremely beneficial. It is important to keep feeds cleaned up and not leave piles or rations exposed. If feed is kept inside of a three-sided shed, ‘BIRD’ IS THE WORD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 a curtain can be placed over the fourth side. The curtain can be lifted out of the way for equipment to load feed and left down the rest of the time to keep birds out. Some operations Habitat Modification: Making the habitat unsuitable for birds to land or roost. Exclusion: Some type of physical or chemical barrier that separates the birds from the things you want to keep them from. Removal: Remove them, dead or alive. H E R
August 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 25 have even gone to the extent of putting a ceiling in so that the rafters are not exposed for roosting. When discussing operations that include confinement buildings for livestock, placing netting in the rafters coupled with hanging plastic in doorways can be helpful. If you are looking to the environment around feedlots, cedar windbreaks may reduce the negative impacts of winter storms but may also serve as starling roosts. “They are not going to go into these plastic coverings because it’s a random movement,” DiCostanzo explains. “It’s not like a steady, rhythmic type movement. Starlings are pretty sharp. If you’ve ever hunted them, they figure out any movement from the shooter quickly, and you have to be far away to get them.” There are many automated options that people use to try to scare birds away such as recordings of gunshots or frightening devices, but they can become less effective over time because birds learn to anticipate the disturbance. “I have heard that laser beams are actually effective,” DiCostanzo says. “What helps with laser beams is that they can be set up for random movement and a random appearance so that if birds start getting used to the movement, it appears from a different direction at different times, making it difficult for them to predict.” Other methods of control include pyrotechnics, which deliver a loud noise and concussions, coupled with a visual cue directly into the flock of birds. Live trapping can be very effective where smaller populations of starlings are concerned, keeping a few decoy birds in the entrapment can allow for more than 100 starlings to be caught in a day per trap, which can then be euthanized. Habitat modification to eliminate roosts and reducing the bird’s accessibility to food and water, which may mean keeping water tanks at a lower level and changing feeding schedules, have also been useful. If these measures do not reduce damage from birds, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services technicians can come to the facility and apply toxicants, such as DRC-1339 concentrate, which is a pesticide that is highly toxic to starlings, blackbirds and pigeons, but is less toxic to other birds and mammals. “It’s a challenging process, and again, it’s unlikely you’re going to have 100 percent success once and be done with it; it’s not an easy problem,” Lee says. “Each problem might have a slightly different solution or things to try. I wish I could tell you there was one surefire solution, but there isn’t.” It is important to note that, unlike starlings, blackbirds have some protections under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Migratory Bird Depredation Permits must also be acquired in certain circumstances before actions are taken to remove birds, their nests or their eggs. If you are facing a bird infestation in your feedlot and would like more information on management practices and regulations, contact the Nebraska Office of Wildlife Service at (402) 434-2340 or visit the Wildlife Services page on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website. ~NC~ 1/2 page horizontal Nebraska Cattleman Serving nebraSka Cattlemen SinCe attlemen SinCe 2010 Holdrege Equipment provides sales, service and product parts to livestock producers throughout Nebraska. Our shop offers complete service and repairs for all brands of mixers, spreaders, trucks and trailers. Years of experience and a broad understanding of the cattle industry’s equipment needs set Holdrege Equipment apart from other suppliers. We have recently added additional product lines to give our customers even more choices for their livestock equipment and service needs. From truck-mounted and pull-type TMR mixers to manure spreaders, dump and forage trailers, and utility vehicles, Holdrege Equipment is the go-to source for your livestock operation’s equipment solutions. Commercial Spreaders TMR Mixers and Spreaders TMR Mixers and Spreaders Spreaders and Forage Trailers 4x4 Utility Vehicles Side Dump Semi and Ag Trailers Holdrege Equipment • 1009 W US Hwy 6 • Holdrege, NE 68949 • 308-995-9565 www.holdregeequipment.com
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