Ranchers are resourceful. After all, they are using natural resources to produce a high-quality protein source with countless by-products. But, there is more to the story of the resourcefulness of ranchers. Cattlemen and women across the country think outside the box to repurpose materials from other industries that would otherwise end up in landfills. Damon Carson – the owner of repurposedMATERIALS – has a front-row seat and hand in helping ranchers across the country make this happen more and more each day.

Testing the feed is one thing. Raising high-quality, cost-effective feed is another. We tend to do a lot of things like generations before us, but our cows and economy are not the same. This makes it important to explore different options and be flexible with our environment and weather to raise cost-effective, high-quality feed.

Mark Johnson – Professor of Animal and Food Sciences at Oklahoma State University – discusses the pros and cons of using creep grazing versus creep feeders as well as what producers need to consider before creep grazing during Season 7, Episode 34 of the Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast.

I believe cattlemen and women are the true leaders of our world.

“The reality is that the things that are happening in rural America affect every single American dinner table,” said Reisinger. He recognizes that the factors driving this change can be viewed as both good and bad and the history of American agriculturists is rich with innovation and resilience which is something to be celebrated.

One of the main reasons Katie encourages people to learn a second language is due to the respect you create and the positive outcomes that come as secondary benefits. 

In an era where there is too much information and too little time to consume it all, how do cattle producers manage to sort through what matters most to them on top of all the day to day tasks their never ending to-do list? A small group of ranchers have turned to the RancherMind program to just this while simultaneously building a community with ranchers from around the country.

“A lot of my travel made me who I am today. It affects my management decisions and helps me come up with new ideas all the time.”

Telling the beef story is often associated with being a social media influencer or selling beef directly to consumers. These advocacy avenues are effective, but not for everyone. It’s important that beef producers and supporters find ways to share the beef story that compliments their own skillset and lifestyle. Cheramie Viator sets an example for cattle producers everywhere when it comes to advocating for our industry and creating informed constituents for generations to come with her program – Not Your Ordinary Cattle Clinic.

Efficient moisture utilization and additional grazing for livestock are only two of the many benefits of utilizing diverse cover crop mixes. Additional benefits include breaking up compaction, building up organic matter and improving infiltration rates.

Her concerns stem from her past experiences seeing ranchers in other countries impacted by government mandates and seeing how other protein industries have been impacted by what look like small compromises on the surface but pose greater challenges down the road.

What started as a wedding gift has turned into something that serves not only the community of San Diego County but also the entire United States beef community. Alli and Bryce Fender – owners of Flying F Ranch – go above and beyond to connect with and create experiences for beef consumers while taking advantage of owning a smaller than average herd in the United States.

The main challenge he faces is communication between the rancher and the customer. “If the customer can’t get out to your farm to see which animal they are buying, communicate with them about the animal. Let them know if it is a steer, bull or heifer. Let them know the age and if it is grain or grass-finished. It shouldn’t be a surprise to them when they come to pick it up. If they are used to grain-finished,” said Sandquist.

Imagine a beef industry where commercial cattlemen and women have the power to negotiate prices and the ability to collaborate without losing their independence and ability to make their own management decisions? Truth be told, some cattlemen and women are already living in this world.

“I think in the same way your genetics impact how you look, your legacy is what gets handed down to you through hard-won experiences. It’s how your family handles problems and challenges. To have a family legacy is to know how we as a group of people handle ourselves when challenges inevitably come up,” said Vance Crowe – founder of Legacy Interviews.

Remember your role as a cow-calf producer. You have the opportunity to set calves up to be premium beef and high-end replacement females just by making sure your mineral and nutrition program are in line.

“Whenever we had people over for supper, they kept saying that this was the best beef. Yet, there really was no way to prove that and when you look around at other industries such as wine, cheese, or whiskey they all have some type of tasting event,” said Tyler. As they thought about the problem, Angela threw out the idea that they need to find a way to bring ranches together to judge who has the best steak.

Season 7 || Episode 19 Let's dive into heifer marketing and profitability with Doug Ferguson. Doug's sell-buy marketing strategies and mindset shifts will open your mind to how participating in the female side of the cattle market can be a profitability game changer for your ranch.

The difference in those who get to the other side and those who revert back to old ways comes down to practicing patience and maintaining the proper mindset. Joe Pokay, general ranch manager at the Noble Research Institute, shared how to stay patient and adopt the right mindset to make it through the first five years of focusing on regenerative principles during Season 7, Episode 18 of the Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast.

At the end of the day, take it back to the basics, be honest and ask yourself, “Where do I currently stand and how can I get where I want to be.” There is no cookie cutter approach, so take advantage of opportunities you have to try new things and customize the six soil health principles to fit your own unique operations and goals.