I really enjoy sausage. My Grandfather made real good breakfast sausage.
We had a slaughterhouse house when I was younger and he jokingly called his sausage, 3 brand sausage. When asked what that meant he would say “tits, tails and touch holes”. I always got a kick out of how people reacted to that.

I’m on the plane home from a three week long trip. I have been to Colorado, New Mexico, California, Oklahoma, British Columbia, and the last week Alberta.

Yesterday, was a great finish to the run. We sorted and processed a bunch of bawling calves, did a little horsemanship demo, and then finished up with some of the best homemade sausage I have ever eaten.

Rick Hagel was the host. We had a nice mix of people in attendance, and Rick was great at letting the three high schoolers learn by doing and trusted them with processing the calves. They did a great job, had a great chance to learn because their parents were interested enough to get them involved, and everyone else shared knowledge with them. Great ingredients for making good young producers.

As I was eating my steak last night and thinking over my past three weeks, I got to thinking about all the sausage I have eaten. I try to eat pretty low carb, so when I stop and want a snack I usually buy some kind of sausage. In California I had linguisa sausage for breakfast every morning. At Cal Poly we just about foundered on the sausage they served at the barbecue. Gord Collier and I always eat lots of “pepperonis” as they are called in Canada. So as you can tell I like sausage.

Eating Spam In Hawaii

The thing that makes a good sausage is the ingredients. The right mix makes it the right taste and texture for different tastes and purposes. Not everyone likes the same sausages. It’s all about the ingredients.

At all the different places I went, they were all a little different. The folks at Fort Collins , Colorado were a little different than the folks in Cal Poly, California.

I went to a “rope and stroke” (team roping and golf) in British Columbia and the ingredients (people)were a little different than the ranch roping I went to a while back, but they both fit the tastes of the people involved.

Of the three operations I went to last week with Katie Roxburgh with Zoetis, the ingredients of the crews were very different, but all made good teams to produce beef.

So I came up with the idea of livestock production is not like a box of chocolates as it says in the movie “Forrest Gump”. It’s like a piece of sausage.

You can have a crew or family that make up ingredients that don’t fit together or blend very well and get by, or all the ingredients can be high quality and blend together to really create something that sticks together, compliments and blends well together to make a very good product. It’s even better if you are always trying to improve the quality of the ingredients that make it even better.

My job, in trying to improve stockmanship skills is all about improving the ingredients that are available. The better the inputs the better the outcomes.

We producers must understand that we need to make sausage that we can make at a profit, but also make sure the ingredients fit the customers tastes. If you don’t like or trust the sausage, you’ll eat less or find something to replace it.

So there it is, my worldly wisdom. Life can be like a box of chocolates if you choose, but if you control the ingredients it’s like a stick of sausage.

Put that on the fire and Cook and eat it.

Just finished the final of five Regional “Stockmanship and Stewardship “ events in San Luis Obispo, California.

I have been working for NCBA presenting stockmanship for quite a number of years now, and feel like I have had a great opportunity at acquiring knowledge of the beef industry from all the presentations I have sat in and learned from.

I have learned about economics, nutrition, marketing, consumer trends, genetics, genomics, veterinary procedures, proper use of vaccines and antibiotics, how to cut a flat iron steak, how to deal with media, how to deal with protesters and a whole lot more. From all the knowledge I’ve received I should be about the smartest guy in all the beef industry. I said should be!

I’ve seen some really great presenters, and suffered through some terrible ones and tried to stay awake on some of the boring ones.

I think the favorite thing about my job is learning from so many great resources. The BQA state coordinators that I have got to work with are great. They present the materials to guide producers to produce high quality beef from the ideas they present.

I have listened to the originators of BQA to the young guns now carrying the torch to better beef, and it just keeps getting better and changing with the needs of the future, and present. It is really great.

Rene Loyd and Ryan Ruppert were the first to really bring the stockmanship and stewardship program to the NCBA. Ryan was a big believer in the program and worked very hard to get it on as many programs as possible. We had a real good program with sponsors for three years and then the support wasn’t there and it held its own for a few years, but even though people wanted it it really wasn’t promoted.

They got a new crew in the education and BQA head in the NCBA, and to be quite honest I thought it was going to be more of the same. They made the same promises I had heard before, and were a bunch of young folks that operated quite differently than what I was used to. I didn’t think they were going to get much done.Well, I was wrong. They stepped up and got it done. “They” being a bunch of young people that text while you are talking business, (most times they are doing business)having dinner and while you are presenting. “They” being a great mix of young folks that make sure they are providing everything the presenters and attendees need to make the event successful. “They” being the ones that make the event happen, but never need to be the center of attention. “They” being the ones that create the social media outlets that connected thousands of people to the knowledge we were presenting to the hundreds live. They were always polite, accommodating, and were as comfortable with seasoned producers as students. I never saw inappropriate behavior from any in all the events. “They” were great.

Chase DeCoite is the head of Beef Quality Assurance for NCBA. I was not used to how he did things when he started, and didn’t really understand how he did things and didn’t think he was doing a very good job for Stockmanshp and Stewardship. Well I was wrong again. He has attended all 5 events and has done an outstanding job of leading and presenting. I have enjoyed watching him get better and better at interacting with people, improving his speaking skills, and most of all, in my case, when he says he will do something, he does it.

Jill Scofield, Rob Eirich, Brandi Karisch, Libby Bigler and Jill Scofield (Jill did two events) took good care of us and put together great programs for producers. Much work and not near enough recognition or pay for the effort.

Jill asked us what the most significant thing that stuck out from all the programs we have done this year. We started out in Davis, California, then went to Lincoln Nebraska, Jackson Mississippi, Fort Collins, Colorado and finished up at Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo, California. I would have to say the diversity of the producers we met, but the desire to increase knowledge of the production of beef, no matter the level they were at was what stuck out most. Some people are so thirsty for knowledge.

One example of this was three attendees from the Dorrance family at the Cal Poly event.. I have studied the writings, videos, discussions and anything I can Bill and Tom Dorrance had anything to do with. I have always had them as examples in my mind of how I feel they would present things to animals and humans, and have tried to figure out how to present my self better to both, from the examples of folks with the kind of knowledge they had. I have often wondered how they gained the skills and knowledge they had.

The Dorrance group asked more questions than anyone in attendance, no matter the subject.
They seemed to be so thirsty to increase their knowledge. It was fascinating to see. They wanted to learn.

That is what I noticed about the great people that we saw at the five events. The need to improve.

I feel we all have addictions in life. Some are addicted to drugs, some are addicted to work, some are addicted to lots of things. I think some people are addicted to learning. That is one of the best addictions a person can have.

No matter what you are interested in, learn to learn. It will improve quality of life exponentially.

Education is what I am involved with and observe working with the National Cattlemans Beef Association. I am not interested or involved in the political side of it. I feel they are good and getting better at presenting things for beef producers to learn how to improve Beef Quality Assurance.

So to answer Jill’s question, I am fascinated at people that want to learn and people that can teach. I saw lots of both in the Stockmanship and Stewardship events this year. I can’t wait until next year!

 

I have not had time to write any scoop loops in the last couple weeks, but I have thrown a few with my rope.

When I fly I use that time to write and sometimes in motel room in evenings. I like having that time so I enjoy flying and motel rooms.

I share some observations from the last couple weeks.

Judged the Zoetis feedlot challenge for about the fifth time. The skill level is so much better now than it was when I judged the first one. Many of the same people, just improved skills. When the culture changes, the outcome changes.

My judging was the pen riding portion. The skills they used to get two numbered animals out was very precise, but with the correct pressure. The real good ones still had a large percentage of the pen laying down when they got the ones they needed out the gate. I had a hard time judging, ended up with lots of teams tied, so time became the winning factor. If the score was tied it went back to who got the job done fastest. I judged on safety, calmness of pen, calmness of pull, teamwork, and stockmanship skills.

I got home from Lethbridge, and the next day headed to Fort Collins Co, and discussed going to work for a large operation. I would like to be a part of really managing resources and creating a good environment for a livestock operation. We decided not to pursue the job, but it would have been a nice challenge. It is a good outfit that does lots of good for the industry. I’m not so sure I’m not making a mistake.

Next we went over the mountain for my yearly endeavor into the world of western luxury. I’ve been going to the “Home Ranch” for many years and have seen many changes. Each Manager has added to what the ranch has offered in their own style and I have learned from each of them. A big part of a guest ranch is the head wrangler, and they have had many different styles in the years I have been going. Michael Moon is the current head wrangler and I think he is very good at his job. He’s a cowboy that is good with people.

The guests always fascinate me. They are willing to pay a lot of money(a lot of money) to live the life for one week that ranch folks live every day. Food and meals served cookhouse style (five chefs, not cooks) and all the outdoor activities we in the livestock business take for granted.

My job was to present horsemanship and cattlehandling. Most of the folks only do it for pure entertainment, but are fascinated by the relationship humans and animals can have. We worked cattle, I started a colt, and just shared what we in the animal world do every day. Great staff, great guests, great cabin, great food makes for a great week. I’m glad I get to go back next year.

Got home Saturday and left Sunday morning with daughter Mesa and we went to a benefit ranch roping for an old friend Maggie (Magpie)Beck, at the Wallace outfit in Hall, Montana.

I haven’t been to a ranch roping competition in lots of years, and had a blast. Wife Tammy let me borrow her horse, who according to her is the smartest horse in the world, so I nicknamed him Spencer, after my cousin who my grandmother thinks is the smartest kid in the world. I had never ridden him before and he worked real nice. I really enjoyed watching Mesa rope and interact. The first round she was pretty timid and didn’t rope as good as she does. The second time she did much better.

Comparing this competition with the feedlot competition was real interesting. This ranch roping was four team members roping four yearling, laying them down and paint branding them. The fastest time wins. It was real fun, and I understand it, but at the end of the competition the cattle were not as good as when we started. They weighed less and were worse to handle. At the feedlot challenge they were just the opposite.

I’m not criticizing the competition. I would go to more of them if I could, because I enjoy the skills of “extreme” cowboying, and feel they are needed in the real world, and the competition showcases that part of stockmanship. The better you are at roping, setting up a good shot to catch, and working on the ground, the safer and less stressful it is.

What these different competition show is the different pressures we put on with our handling and the outcomes of it. I was also surprised at the skill levels. Ranch roping have been going on for a long time and the skills have not improved near as much as I’ve seen the cattlehandling skills at the Feedlot competition improve.

We loaded up and headed west to Ronan Montana, then went to Victor Montana the next day and finished up in Gold Creek on Wednesday presenting stockmanship and stewardship for NRCS.

Three very different operations, managing resources to improve quality of life for all things. You want hospitality, go to western Montana ranches! The three operations were different, but the common denominator of all is how good the NRCS folks were, and how dedicated to the industry the three hosts were.

Now let’s look at the producers in attendance. Mesa was amazed at how different each crowd was. The towns were not 100 miles apart, but the style of each was very different. That is what is so great about my job is observing how traditions, climate, terrain, and demographics create its own culture in each area.

At Gold Creek, I new a lot of the producers and how their operations worked. I was raised just over the mountain so I was kind of at home. That made me a little nervous.
I knew how good of producers were there and what they did on the ranches they manage.

To be real honest, I like the animal work the best in my job. I had a guy at the Home Ranch tell me he thought I was more comfortable with the horses than I was in the dining room. He was right. I remember when I first came to the Home Ranch I would almost get sick, having to go and have dinner with a bunch of folks that new which fork to use first. I have over come it and actually enjoy it now, even though I still have silverware left over when I’m done.

When I get to do a presentation where I know the people, I am just so proud to be a part of this business. Livestock people are good people. The people at the Home Ranch are good people. The lifestyle brings out the good in people.

The best part of the last week was Mesa. She is a good hand. She has been working with some of the snortiest, most dangerous cattle in the world, but she has so much feel for putting the right pressure on. She really makes nice horses. She also is a good people person. We really had fun and worked well as a team. I hope she wants to do more.

Every where we went someone wanted to buy one of her horses. The Thomas Hereford ranch hosted in Gold Creek. Someone wanted to buy Mesas big bay horse we call “Low Tone”. She said everything was for sale. After some fun discussion Mesa said that he was “for sale, but not on sale”. Everyone got a big kick out of that.

So now I am on a plane to Denver and will be in Fort Collins for the next couple days for the big Stockmanship and Stewardship event with NCBA. I won’t get home for three weeks and will be going to New Mexico, California, Oklahoma, British Columbia and Alberta. I should finds something fun to talk about.