Getting paid for the value of your cattle

I'm often asked by producers for my ideas on ways to increase the income they receive for their cattle.  Getting a better return is something most people want from their cattle.  And along with the desire to make a better return, there is always some new idea or marketing strategy that someone wants to do because they have heard it will make them more money!

Sadly I don't think there is one simple scheme, breed or idea that will guarantee you will make more money!  In my experience the way to make money in cattle production is through a combination of work and focus.  And while most people work hard, the focus is often the area that is most lacking.

So what should you be focussing on?  The first thing is your market.  Australian beef markets are well defined.  If you are selling cattle to a feedlot or to an abattoir, both of these destinations can clearly describe what type of cattle they want to buy and they can say how much they are prepared to pay for those cattle.  

Despite these specifications being readily available, many people don't appreciate what a powerful tool they are in helping you make money.

Specifications provide you with target weights and fatness.  This helps you determine suitable growth paths on farm for your animals.  It means you can use your feed reserves and make grazing decisions that will direct your animals to a market end point.  This is the focus that many people need to have but often don't.

Sadly I often see people who put cattle into a market and those animals are overweight or over fat.  This creates a few problems.  Firstly the animals are out of specification, and so will be valued at a discounted level.  So instead of an optimum price per kilogram, it is sometime much lower than the animals deserve.  

Secondly it takes your feed resources, and therefore adds to the cost of producing those animals, to get them to the weight you sold them.  So not only are they worth less per kilogram, but you also wasted feed getting them to that point.  

I reckon a lot of people don't notice they are losing money.  The extra weight, even though it has a lower value, will mask the lower each animal has made.  So that producers often miss the fact their animals didn't receive the optimum price.

Focussing on a market specification, either for feedlots of for processing, helps set realistic work goals.  Decisions about grazing management, feeding programs and other tactical decisions become easier if you are working towards an end point. 

More importantly at a strategic level you can start examining your genetics and your herd.  Are your bulls helping you achieve the correct growth rates and level of fatness required by your target market?  Do you need to be selecting a different type of cow in the breeding herd?  

Are your pastures capable of supporting your growth program?

These are important decisions that can help you target your financial resources more effectively in the long term.  While in the short term you can focus on hitting a market specification that will return you the greatest return.

I recently worked with a client who was aiming for a specification for a feedlot.  The optimum price was for steers that were 400 - 449kg.  Over 450kg the price difference was 5c/kg lower.  Initially this didn't seem to bad, however we started to look at the feed resources we had to use.  The extra cost in this instance to get steers over 450kg, effectively worked out to be the equivalent of a 25c/kg discount!  We started to look at how we were growing those steers, and by aiming for an earlier turn off at the optimum weight we were able to save around $70/hd on the steers that normally would have been in the heavy category.  To wrap this story up in past years about 10 - 15 steers would always have been too heavy, so we saved around $1000 by making a few changes and staying more focused on the plan!

There is no doubt we had to work a little bit harder and change a few management practices.  However I reckon using resources more efficiently, and targeting a specification more closely, has helped realise better returns on farm.  

I reckon working with producers to be more focussed and efficient in their work programs has helped gain a better return for the clients I've worked with.  

What do you expect at the local show?

I love agricultural shows!  I'm not really sure where that love came from.  I have an early memory of going to the Picton Show as a small child, and I remember seeing cattle being judged.  I'm certain they were Charolais because in my mind they were big white animals.  While Picton is now close to the outskirts of Sydney, the Royal Easter Show was too far for us to go to until I was much older.

As a school student my desire to be involved in agriculture led me towards the school cattle showing team. So much of my extra curricular activity involved preparing steers, and weekends away at local shows in the Southern Highlands, and finally taking steers to the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Somewhere along the way, I made a switch from being an exhibitor and competitor in the showing, and became one of the organisers.  In my final year at university I was holding the position of Secretary of the Picton Show.  

When I moved to Glen Innes, I was a member of the show society and at one stage was responsible for the Prime Cattle Section and Feedlot Competition.

Now my involvement with shows is through my role as a Councillor of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW.  So almost 25 years after this picture was taken I'm now helping to run the competitions that in many ways launched my career into agriculture.

So with that background and passion for agricultural shows, I am always interested in the comments and often criticisms that get levelled at shows.  I reckon a lot of it is unfair.  I am equally ready to admit there are always things to improve.  If you think something is perfect, then I reckon you aren't trying hard enough to progress.  

Today I saw some criticism on social media about local shows.  The comments ranged from the poor numbers of animals being exhibited, through to low prize money and lack of sponsors.  

This comes off a recent series of discussions by dairy industry representatives regarding farmer interaction and industry promotion that started in a blog, and spilled over to The Land.

So my question to people is what do you want from your show?

Shows initially were one of the only ways farmers could benchmark their production methods against their peers; to obtain expert advice and critique from judges and to learn from others new ways to go about their businesses. There certainly is nothing like competition to bring out the desire in individuals to do better!  

The reality is, industries change.  For many producers there are other ways that they can learn new techniques, can benchmark and measure their production systems.  Unlike the agricultural landscape of 50 years ago, access to experts is not restricted to a judge in a competition.  

Sadly this means some competitions decline or disappear.  And while that is sad, it is reflection of the direction of agricultural industries to move forward with technology and research.

The critics often want to say the problem is there should be more prize money and sponsorship on offer.  I think we would all like to have more money and sponsorship for our competitions!  Again, the challenge is to find businesses that can afford sponsorship and money to support competitions.  In local communities, small businesses can only afford so much on advertising and sponsorship.  

Often that money has to be spread across a lot of worthwhile community events, not just the show.  The reality is, does the show deserve more money than the local sporting teams, or to support local service clubs or even just to advertise business in traditional formats.

Having said that, its certainly not all doom and gloom!  Agricultural shows seem to respond to the changes in their industries in different ways.  New industries often find a way of promoting themselves into the area through local shows and establishing competitions.

Alpacas, utes, goats, young farmer challenges, are some of the more obvious competitions I can think of. More unusual ones include home brewing and wine making.

So I reckon the first thing is, if you don't think theres enough competition or focus on agriculture, why is that?  If you can recognise your area has a different focus on agriculture, and you want to see competition, than maybe joining the committee and helping arrange competition is a start.

I know some people feel committees are dominated by older established identities who don't like change.  I think that is an unfair thing to level at committees.  Many committees, and certainly every show society I have been a member of, has been welcoming and pleased to have new people becoming involved and sharing the work load!  The challenge is to join a committee and not expect to be running the show straight away!  

I also think the recent discussion regarding farmers expected to share industry messages and promote the industry to the broader community.  Its a bit of a tough one.  Producers who choose to compete are there for reasons that range from promotion of their operation to potential clients, not necessarily promotion to the broader population.  They are at a show to demonstrate or test their skills, ability or their knowledge.  

I reckon you have to focus on your reason for being there.  Yes interact with the public, and answer questions when you are asked.  Thats not just common sense, its also politeness.  But can you spend your time interacting with large numbers of peopled provide the messages that the industry wants shared with the community?  I don't think thats a realistic expectation to place on exhibitors or on a show society in general.

If an industry, like the dairy industry, or the red meat industry wants to share messages with the public, then it should be the role of the industries marketing and promotion bodies to do this.  Thats why they are funded through levies!  

The role of the show societies is to encourage those organisations to be part of local, regional or state hows, by providing the venues and assistance to share those messages.  But ultimately to expect a show committee or an exhibitor to do broader promotion is asking them to take on new roles, and potentially detract fro the roles they should be focussed on.

So what do you expect from your show?  I reckon if you are treating your show like an agricultural zoo, wanting to see examples of industries that may or may not exist in your community, then you are being unrealistic. If you are expecting big prize money on offer, but begrudge paying entry fees or offering to help find some sponsorship, you are being unrealistic.  If you expect a committee to offer competitions or events and then don't support them of contribute to them, then don't complain when those events are no longer conducted.  

I guess in short, we all expect a lot of things in agriculture.  Our local shows, our regional shows and our state shows, are a way of celebrating our industry and demonstrating the excitement that should exist every day in agriculture.  But the show can only celebrate these things if people are prepared to keep it relevant and to help shape the show in a way that celebrates the way agriculture is practiced in your local area.  

When did you last have an objective look at your business?

How often have you stopped and taken the time to consider your farming business?  If you can answer that question, then I reckon you're a member of a pretty small group of farmers nationally!  When most people stop to think about their farm as a business, its around tax time, completing a BAS statement or as part of financial discussions. 

Assessing your financial performance is not just important, its vital for your business.  But its not the only thing you need to be assessing.  Every farm is made up of systems that contribute to the level of production and the financial returns your system producers.  

These systems are the obvious ones such as the livestock your carry, the pastures and soils that you rely on, the infrastructure that supports your programs.  Less obvious are the systems that bring it all together, your management skills, as well as the specialist skills that you need to manage your livestock, your pastures and soils as well as the specialist marketing skills you need when you look to make a return from your production.

So how do you assess if your enterprise is running to its full potential?  

When you are making your assessment, how objective are you?

The four steers in this 

photograph are all the same age, and were all from the same property when this photograph was taken.  The variation between the four of these steers is obvious in the picture.  

However variation like this is common across the herd.  The flow on effect of that variation impacted on sale times, sale weights and income on the steer and surplus heifer sales.  It also impacted on joining weights and the conception rates recorded in the fixed time joining that was being followed.

One of the problems in rectifying this situation was the owner was so used to seeing the herd, the variation was no longer obvious.  The flow on effects were being ignored or not addressed correctly, instead the owner focussed on other areas to manage.

I reckon the problem is that most people are so used to seeing their operation every day, they lose their ability to see the variations, or to be objective about the strengths and weaknesses that exist in their systems, and in their farm as a whole.  When you can't identify your strengths or your weaknesses, it makes it very hard to capitalise on the opportunities that exist for you, or to prepare for the threats that may be coming.

One of the key roles of the RaynerAg business is to provide producers with an objective view of their program.  Helping reduce the variation in a program is one practical approach.  But its not just about working through the cow herd and taking out the extremes!

More importantly, I reckon its my role to help identify the strengths and weaknesses that impact on the whole business.  And then to work with the producer to come up with a plan to use the opportunities available to be more productive and profitable, and to be prepared for the threats that could be coming.

If I can help my clients take a more objective look at their business, and to do that on a regular basis, I reckon I've done a good days work!

So if you're part of the large group of Australian farmers that haven't had an objective look at your business in a while, why don't you get in touch?  I'll be happy to help you see the variation and work out ways to fix it.

Crossing into profit!

Last week I was part of a road trip with Shorthorn Beef, delivering several workshops on crossbreeding.  We were holding these workshops on properties in southern NSW and in Victoria.  The three places we visited were all running crossbreeding programs to target specific markets and to capture the advantages of hybrid vigour in their herds.

I reckon crossbreeding is a concept that many producers know of, and in many cases, are actually strong advocates for.  If you're a little unsure of what crossbreeding really means, I reckon its important to know what it actually is, before you implement a crossbreeding system in your herd. 

Crossbreeding uses two (or more breeds) to produce a calf that displays the attributes of both parents.  The impact of two breeds on that calf results in an expression of hybrid vigour, which means the progeny will perform to a greater degree when compared to straight breed animals. 

This extra performance is often seen in the important traits associated with beef production, such as improved weaning weights, improved growth rates and greater longevity in a herd.  

If you use crossbreed female in your breeding herd those traits also influence your fertility rate.

So there are positive benefits from crossbreeding!  If I needed to go a little further, one of the more obvious advantages of crossbreeding is to introduce new traits to your herd, such as adaptation to heat or pests, or to capture other production traits that are important to you and may take a long while to select for within a breed.

While crossbreeding systems offer these advantages, many people grow discouraged by crossbreeding.  I've wondered for a long time why that might be.  I reckon there are a few reasons.  Firstly, there are different strategies involved in crossbreeding.  The most simple is to use two breeds generating an F1 calf.  These calves display all the hybrid vigour effects and surplus females are always in demand for people wanting to use them in breeding herds.

In this simple system, there is a positive return from extra growth in the F1 progeny.  These extra kilograms result in an increase in gross margins when compared to the straight breed program.  

However the big increases start to occur when producers look to use crossbred females in the breeding program.  

When they do this, its very quickly apparent that the hybrid vigour effect in both the parent and the progeny result in increases across the range of production traits.  

The downside is, these systems need to be planned and followed in the joining program.  It seems that many people move away from crossbreeding systems because they forget to follow a plan, or they find difficulties in making the system work to their benefit.

So instead of using a crossbreeding system that allows you to have increased weaning weights, improved longevity in your herd and greater fertility in your cows, (both of which mean keeping less replacement heifers) many people step back from crossbreeding because they are frightened by a perception of complexity!  

Maybe the other concern is that people have dabbled with crossbreeding and have been disappointed by the results they have received.  I know of a few producers who have bought cheaper bulls to use over their second choice cows, "just to see what would happen".  While the progeny did grow well, the results weren't everything they expected, so it becomes a program that isn't "all its cracked up to be!"

Well, I reckon there are a few simple messages.  One,  is that if you want to increase your kilograms of beef producers and earn a greater return in your enterprise, you should be considering or implementing a crossbreeding strategy.  The only exception may be where you have a target market for straight bred animals that suits you and rewards you well enough already.  

The second message is you need to elect the best quality sires and dams from the breeds you want to use. Don't use second rate genetics!  Rubbish crossed with rubbish still results in rubbish!  

Thirdly follow the plan.  Most crossbreeding problems occur when people deviate from the plan, for example by keeping heifers that should have been sold or introducing a new breed without thinking about what will be done with the progeny.  

If you want to consider crossbreeding and if it will take your herd into a new direction of production, take the time to discuss options and ideas.  I've helped a few people in the last 12 months weigh up their options and we have come up with some very nice programs that will be exciting for their results and for the profits they will generate!

How much does it cost to buy cattle?

There's no doubt the prices for cattle have been a major talking point in the last two months.  The average sale yard price for cattle of all descriptions are significantly higher than the average over the past 36 months.  In some cases records are being broken and many people are struggling to remember if prices have ever been so high.  

With this strong market, I've received a lot of requests from people wanting to buy and sell cattle, as well as people looking to understand the industry a little better, to advise them on what an animal is worth.  

In the case of commercial animals, I rely on the NLRS market reports, that are available online every day.  These are the reports you hear on the ABC Country Hour or read in your weekly rural papers. I reckon these reports are the most useful guide on current market prices, and when we are looking at cattle in a paddock, its the best option to work out a value.

But how do you put a value, or budget on buying new breeding stock such as a new bull or some new cows?

There's lots of people who have an opinion on what a new bull should cost you.  As you can imagine the range in opinions is pretty broad!  I had some comments on the RaynerAg Facebook page on this topic, with suggestions about buying from smaller studs where the price will be lower, through to the importance of recognising the value of long term genetic improvement.

So how do you value the cost of a bull?  

Well there are a few things to consider.  The first thing is you are investing in an animal that will have an influence on three generations of your herd.  So you need to recognise that you are buying an animal that offers value over a long time.  

More importantly, the traits or genetics that bull has, may allow you to produce more kilograms of beef more quickly, or hit your market specifications more efficiently.  These improvements in your herd can earn you more, so spending on genetics might well be justified.

I reckon there are some things to think about when determining your spending limit.  Firstly how many cows will your bull be joined to in his working life?  Unfortunately the average working life of bulls is only around 3.5 years.  Many bulls seem to break down physically after this time.  This means if you want a bull to have a longer working life, you need to focus on structural soundness as much as on genetic potential.  

How many cows will your bull be joined to?  On average most producers join bulls at a rate of 3% to their cow groups.  Some bulls get slightly higher numbers, but this is pretty much a common joining rate in southern Australia (NSW, Vic, SA, Tas and southern WA).  From that we can work out that a bull will probably sire 30 calves a year for 3.5 years.  Which means an average bull may sire about 105 calves in his working life.

According to Beef Central, the average price for a bull across all breeds in 2014 was $4639.  on current market prices, the salvage value of a bull, that is what it is worth at the end of his working life is around $1500.  From this we can work out that the bull is actually worth about $3,139.  From this, you can work out the value of every each calf he sires.   In this example the cost per calf will be $29.89

If that is the cost of an average calf, then why would you spend more?  It now comes back to how much you want to improve your performance.  Not every bull is average!  Some bulls will grow faster, be leaner or fatter at the same stage of growth, some have better temperament and some have more muscle.

Genetic differences are the key to how productive your herd is.  Finding a bull with the genetic potential to move your herd can now be budgeted.  

It might be that if you can produce calves that will grow slightly faster than the average, you could turn your steer progeny off 3 weeks earlier.  This earlier turn off might allow you to capture a higher market return, and the extra value on those steers justifies spending more than the average on a new bull.

I reckon the challenge in determining how much it costs to buy cattle, isn't about the round figure sale price everyone likes to quote.  Instead I reckon its about working out: 

• how much your calves cost you?

• can better genetics help you achieve your target more efficiently?

• is there a financial advantage to be had - either in the paddock or at sale time?

If you can answer those questions then I reckon you can work out the price you can afford to spend on bulls.  And if you don't really know how to start answering those questions, I reckon you should give me a call and I'll help you come up with some results to take you forward.

Why show cattle?

Being part of agricultural shows has been a huge part of my life.  I'm fortunate to have not only been a judge of cattle showing in judging rings across the country; I've been a ring steward, show official and even prepared and exhibited cattle for judging.  So I guess in almost 30 odd years of being around livestock judging I've heard the comment "its not commercially relevant" once or twice!

Last week I saw a few people share this article from the UK with some comments about showing cattle from an Australian breeder who has a firm opinion that breeding decisions should be made on objective data, particularly EBVs.  

I've heard this before, although to read that selecting animals by eye was holding the industry back did surprise me more than a little!  

I reckon there were some important points raised by this article.  Firstly nobody can argue that EBVs are one of the most important tools producers have to identify the genetic merit of animals they wish to use within their breeding herds.  

However, EBVs are only part of the selection story. EBvs don't actually identify if an animal has 4 feet!  If it walks correctly, its structural soundness or its maturity pattern relative to your herd.  Its for these reasons my advice to bull buyers has always been to find the animals that fall within the EBV range for the traits you desire, and then go and look at each bull to critically assess his physical attributes.

So where does the show ring fit into this debate?  I've spent a lot of time considering this question.  I reckon there are several things to take into consideration.  

Firstly it is one method of promotion. Promotion for individual breeders and for a breed generally.  Its important not to discount the generation of interest in a breeder or a breed through being displayed in front of many people.

Secondly it does give potential buyers the chance to see a number of animals from a number of breeding programs in one place at one time!  As part of my masters research I asked farmers about the time invested in researching new information.  Using their time wisely was one of the most common discussion points.  So how many producers are able to afford to take a week off and travel around widely dispersed breeding programs to look at the cattle and then hopefully remember if the two year old bulls they saw at the start of the week are comparable to the bulls at the end of the week?

In a single day at a show, producers can see a range of breeders and cattle.  Regardless of the ring results, they can follow up on their own preferences by talking to the exhibitor, checking the animals EBVs for the suitability to their herd and making a more complete decision about following up on a breeder or not.

Exhibiting cattle exposes breeders to another form of feedback.  They are exposed to not only the commentary of a judge; but to the comments, suggestions & criticisms or other breeders and industry observers.  It can be a fast way to obtain feedback on everything from sire selection decisions to nutritional programs and structural soundness.

And while EBVs can be used to show the genetic differences in animals, visually seeing those differences as animals stand side by side in age classes can be an valuable lesson to many breeders.

A final point many overlook comes down to the importance of connecting with the broader community.  I reckon we are all pretty quick to complain that city people don't understand or care about farming.  It is harder to connect with people outside of agriculture.  The success and long term survival of the industry is not so much dependant on producers simply doing their job.

It depends on the broader community wanting to purchase our products, and to understand and support our industry.  Exhibiting livestock gives farmers the opportunity to demonstrate in the most visible way, their commitment to animal welfare and their on going goal of producing the food for people to enjoy and desire.

So for that reason alone, I reckon showing is commercially relevant.  Because if we cant engage with the broader community to tell our story and show our pride in what we do, in the long term we are all going to struggle more than we need to!

Dealing with bloat

If I had to describe the feeling around the cattle industry at the start of 2015, I think I would have to say it was optimistic, tinged with relief.  I think these feelings are a direct result of the combination of rainfall & pasture growth over a wide area.  Combine this with some of the highest prices many people can recall being offered for cattle of all descriptions and its hard not to be relieved and optimistic about the future. 

The rain certainly hasn't reached everyone, and there are still large parts of Northern NSW in drought conditions.  Sadly I've had to help clients make the difficult decision to completely de-stock.  The only positive is the market strength ensured this decision was rewarded with a good financial return.

Seasonal conditions on the western side of the North West Slopes of NSW and on parts of the plains, still look much like this picture.  The frustration of seeing the rain skirting around is immense.  

My advice has been to continue to follow the drought plan developed for the property, and to look to reduce numbers through selling.  At this stage feeding cattle is fair too expensive and with the market as strong as it is, its financially the only sensible option to consider.

While I have been working with producers on drought plans and market decisions, I've also been spending time with producers struggling to utilise the rapid growth of feed they now have as a result of the rain.  

In some case pasture mass is still average or patchy, but the rapid daily growth of pastures is now starting to see herbage mass build up.  Keeping pastures grazed is a challenge, and there are various options we have been discussing.

For most people the rapid growth is good news. However there are a few tips worth considering as you start to use this pasture growth for  livestock production.

The most commonly referred to issue is bloat.  Bloat is caused when grazing young lush pasture, and is more prevalent in pastures with high legume content.  That is pastures with plenty of clover, medics or lucerne.  One of the by products of ruminant digestion is a large amount of gas.  Normally cattle can belch this gas out.  

Unfortunately the nature of legumes results in a foam developing in the rumen which traps the gas. Cattle cant really belch the gas or foam, and the pressure build up causes the rumen to press against the lungs.  If the pressure cant be relieved the animal will die, generally from the pressure on the lungs and obstruction to breathing and blood flow.

I reckon bloat is one of the hardest things to manage, and there are no absolute methods to prevent it occurring.  Very early or mild cases can be treated with an oral anti bloat preparation, which helps break the foam up.  Animals more affected will need veterinary attention.  

Managing to minimise bloat often involves a combination of strategies.  These include:

* Restrict pasture intake by limiting grazing time or strip grazing

*Don't place hungry cattle onto lush green pastures, particularly if it is high in legume content

*It can be useful to allow cattle access to older grass pastures or hay when grazing potential bloat risk pastures

Some producers have had good success with bloat capsules, bloat blocks and medicating water supplies with a bloat oil.  Its important to remember these options have limitations.  Bloat capsules are not always available when you need them.  They also take a few days to take effect and this means animals are still at risk just after they receive the capsule.

Bloat blocks or water treatments rely on animals consuming them.  Not all animals will use blocks, and on lush pastures or if cattle can access water in other ways, they may not use medicated water in troughs.  Every situation will be slightly different and if you are concerned about a pasture and its risk, get some advice and develop a strategy that works for you.  NSW DPI has a useful guide on bloat which lists some treatment options if bloat becomes and issue.

Most people blame bloat for cattle losses when grazing lush pasture.  While bloat can be a cause of death, many more animals are killed by the Clostridial Bacteria that causes Pulpy Kidney, or to give it its technical name, Enterotoxaemia.  

The bacteria that cause this disease normally live in the intestine in low numbers.  Sudden changes of feed allow these bacteria to multiply rapidly.  As they do they produce toxin faster than the body can deal with and death of the animal occurs very quickly.  Unfortunately there isn't really any treatment for this disease.  The first sign is often finding dead cattle.

Its important to prevent the disease by making sure your animals have been vaccinated with 5 in 1 and if they are grazing lush feeds or changing diets, that you give them a booster shot before you make the change.  There may be times when you have to give a booster every 90 days.

I reckon that the growth we are getting in most areas will be the biggest help for producers.  So to make the best use of it, just remember that some simple strategies, combined with an appropriate vaccination program will stand you and your cattle in better stead for the rest of the growing season.

Safely working with cattle

Its great to be back after a short break over Christmas and the New Year.  Starting 2015 has been really exciting with a few new projects.  I've been catching up on some of the agricultural news from around the country and internationally.  One particular story did catch my eye.  

It was about a producer in England who had been forced to cull his herd of cows as a result of their aggression towards himself and his staff.  The story described these particular animals as the German Heck breed,  and were breed in the 1930's and 1940's.  With the links to the Nazi party, the strangeness of the breed and the danger to people this story has had world wide attention!  

I'm not really in any position to make a comment on the animals, the farmer or the story.  Rather it was a story that made me start thinking about handling cattle and the importance of focussing on temperament within a herd.

I reckon temperament is one of the most important things you should be selecting for in your herd.  It is a highly heritable trait.  So focussing on breeding cattle with better temperaments will show improvements within the herd.

There are plenty of ways you can focus on, and select for better temperament.  Within your herd the most obvious starting point is to identify any animals that show aggression towards you or other people.  

These animals really have no place in your herd, and are dangerous.  You should remove them from your herd and if your records are good enough, look at the behaviour of the progeny and consider their temperament in the overall direction of your program.

An objective method of assessing temperament is to record the behaviour of each animal in the crush or the race.  Let each animal come up and stand in the crush or the race by itself.  Note down the ones that stand calmly, the ones that are restless and the ones that can't settle and try to jump or exit the race.

If you do this with every animal you can identify the quiet ones through to the ones with much poorer temperament.

Other methods to assess temperament include a flight speed test.  This basically is two light beams set apart at the end of the crush.  When the animal leaves the crush it breaks the first beam, and then shortly afterwards the second beam.  How quickly it breaks the beams is related to its speed and overall temperament.  Many breeders have used both crush scores and flight speed to identify animals for breeding, and these scores can be submitted for inclusion into EBV records.

Selection for better temperament and removal of individuals are the two key strategies for improving your animals temperament.  However I reckon its just as important to remember that how you handle and treat your animals will also impact on their behaviour.

Cattle are herd animals, and don't like to be left alone, particularly in strange or threatening places. If you do have to put animals in a yard, try and put them with a mate.  This will help them feel more safe.  

Cattle have a flight zone which they rely on to keep them out of danger.  Any perceived threats, including people, results in them moving away.  If they can't move away, such as in the yards, then they often fall back on the only option which is to threaten the thing causing them fear.  This is why formerly quiet animals may suddenly become more anxious or aggressive.

Cows will be very protective of young calves around people and especially dogs.  Again the quietest cow can become very threatening if she perceives her calf is in danger.

So it is important to understand how to work with cattle, to recognise the difference between an animal trying to give itself space from a threat, and an animal that is genuinely aggressive. When you take the time to learn how to work with cattle safely, you can avoid causing yourself and the cow unnecessary stress or anger.  And the ones that are genuinely dangerous, sell them out of your herd as soon as its safe to do so.

2014 - What a year!

Looking back on my diary for 2014, it has been an extraordinary year!  I established RaynerAg in March 2013, and that was a big year in itself.  I really hoped 2014 would be a year to build on.  Looking back, I'm a bit blown away to see so many goals achieved!

The year commenced with pregnancy testing across the North West of NSW.  Pregnancy testing took me from Tamworth to Gunnedah, up to Barrabra and the Horton Valley, across to Boggabri, over the Liverpool Plains and down as far as Wellington. 

I really enjoyed this work.  I met a lot of new people and I got a chance to see new areas and to talk about managing fertility, plans for managing pregnant cows and nutrition programs for the season ahead.  

I'm already taking bookings from some of these producers to do next years testing, and I'm really pleased to be going back and building on those relationships.

The continued drought across much of eastern Australia tested many of the producers I worked with.  We spent a lot of time working on plans to mange the season, developing rations and strategies to cope with the impact of the drought. 

Every drought is a learning experience, and this year I learnt new things about feeds such as grape marc.  While we hope to see drought conditions ease soon, I am happy to come and help anyone revisit and renew drought plans or rations if the season hasn't changed in the new year.

This years bull selling season provided a few opportunities to support producers making decisions on buying bulls.  I'm really grateful to Kilburnie Angus; Yamburgan Shorthorns & Elite Poll Herefords for engaging me to support their sales and assist their clients.  

This years bull sales were a challenge.  According to Beef Central numbers sold nationally were down around 9.7% on last year.  However the good news was prices lifted slightly (around 3.3%) on last year.  So that I guess suggests continued confidence in the industry.  Some big improvements on prices were Brahmans with an increase in average sale price of 14.6%; Shorthorns by 7.9% and Charolais by 7.5%.

These are good increases.  Although it might be that price is a result of smaller catalogue numbers, improving the quality on offer and increasing competition.  

I've greatly enjoyed the chance to participate in a number of industry training field days and events this year.  I had a couple of trips to South Australia for the SA Junior Heifer Expo and then for the South Australian Beef Assessment School at Mount Compass.  

I reckon these events are really important for the beef industry.  Not only for sharing knowledge and skills, but for connecting people and making sure we have a network that supports each other in production and socially.   I really have a lot of fun at these events and I'm appreciative of the chance to be involved this year.

There have been plenty of other big highlights in 2014!  Supporting local agricultural shows is an ongoing focus for me.  I have been pleased to be a judge at several local shows, as well as the Brisbane Ekka.  The commitment to the Sydney Royal Easter Show gives me a great chance to see some of the best agricultural exhibits anywhere in the country.  

I have to admit I am very excited about my involvement with the team from ClassiMate  and the project to develop a cattle assessment system.  I am positive this will present a lot of opportunities for breeders next year, and I can't wait to meet some new people who are already asking me to assess their cattle.

I reckon this year has been an amazing year.  There have been some big highlights, and a chance to share lots of ideas and suggestions with people all over the country.

However the best part of the year has without doubt been the support and encouragement of producers.  

I appreciate the trust shown in me to invite me onto your farm to observe and comment on your business and your livestock.  I'm very glad that I've been able to help you all achieve your goals and I look forward to continuing to support you throughout the year ahead.  

I hope you, your family and friends have a happy and safe Christmas and a very successful and rewarding 2015.

Taking a leaders role

Leadership is a word used very frequently in every workplace.  I reckon its a word that is easy to say, and despite being the focus of research, training and plenty of publications, still is open to many different definitions.  I think all of us have expectations and interpretations of what leadership is, and of some of the characteristics of leadership.  But having said that, how important is leadership to you and in your farm business?

I think about leadership a lot.  In my mind leadership is something that is a combination of many skills and more importantly an attitude.  I reckon its vital that you don't look on leadership as something that only matters when you are working with a team or when you are working with employees or when you are judging your boss!  I think good leadership starts at an individual level and if you can get that established it will help in your interaction with everyone else.

So what makes a good leader?  There are plenty of publications that attempt to define this.  I think about something I was told once as a newly appointed Deputy Captain with Fire Rescue NSW.  That is;

"A good leader is a good follower"

If you think about that for a second and consider it for your own circumstances, it might help you in your daily efforts to be a good leader.  I take it to mean, that when I follow someone, I do it because:

• I respect their knowledge and skills

• They have an ability to make decisions and to stick by these decisions

• They have a strong sense of fairness

• They have a willingness to listen 

• They trust my skills and knowledge 

• They share their ideas and encourage me to to do better

I could go on, but thats what I expect from people I choose to follow.  Or rather who exercise leadership roles in activities I am involved in.  

So if I expect that from others, I think its only fair that I try and do the same when I'm in working with other people.  

It might be easy to think, particularly when you may work on your own or with a family team, that concentrating on your attitude and skills to leadership isn't the most important priority.  I would argue that it actually is a big priority.  

Your attitude to the important things such as being safe when you are on the farm, driving safely, moving stock correctly, wearing the right gear when welding or fencing or mixing chemicals; how you approach animal welfare or comply with industry practice are, without a doubt, reflections of your attitude to leadership.  When you take on staff, or even if you are working with you partner, your willingness to be a good follower, and share your knowledge and skills, to trust the other people to do their job and to help them do their job better all contributes to you becoming a better leader.

I guess I focus on these things because I'm passionate about helping other people do their job better, to achieve their passions and goals, and because I want them to be safe from personal injury or from the unintended consequences of poor decisions.  So in my mind being a leader isn't about being in charge.  To me it comes down to using the opportunities that come my way in order to help people move closer to their goals.

I reckon if one of your goals is to enjoy your work and for the people you work with to enjoy their roles; if you and your colleagues want to be safe and effective across your business thinking about leadership skills and attitudes will help you move closer to achieving these goals.

I love a successful outcome!

In a number of these blogs for Rayner Reckons, I've written about the importance of working to achieve outcomes.   I have a deeply held belief that every business should know what goals they are working towards.  Those goals or outcomes don't have to mean that your business is to move into the top ten beef producers in the country, or to own more cattle in the region than anyone else.  

Your goals could be as personal as making sure you and your family can have a holiday away from the farm every year.  Or it could be a decision to structure your operations to respond to seasonal changes without significantly altering your enterprise.   

Whatever your outcomes are, its important to work towards those by structuring your daily, weekly, and monthly activities around the best tactics to help you achieve your outcomes on time and as efficiently as you can.

One of the key outcomes for RaynerAg is to help my clients find ways to more efficiently meet their goals.  

This year I've been working to help the team at Classimate services offer producers who want to market their livestock on line a credible, independent assessment of the structure, temperament, fertility & muscling of their cattle. 

This system would complement other data breeders want to provide their clients, such as EBVs or pedigrees on their animals.  I've written in previous Rayner Reckons about the way we have developed this concept.

For me there are some outcomes I wanted to achieve.  The first was to develop a system that ticked the boxes for industry credibility, repeatability, relevance and most importantly usefulness to producers, both from a selling and from a buying position.  

To achieve this goal I worked closely with a team of people who I respect for their industry knowledge and experience.  Together we developed a cattle assessment system that ticks those boxes.

The next goal was to actually undertake assessments for a producer who wanted to market their cattle on line.  As a new concept I wondered how producers would respond to the new opportunity.

It turns out there has been plenty of interest from producers in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. The first cattle to be assessed for the system are based in Gin Gin, Queensland.  

I was really pleased to have over 100 cows come through the yards to be assessed under the system I had developed with my colleagues. I reckon that in itself was a successful outcome to the project I'd been working on.

I reckon the next goal is to use the assessment data in two ways.  The first will be to provide the owners with the ability to market their cattle with the independent assessment scores we allocate each animal.  And secondly I want to provide the owner with a benchmark of their animals structure, the trends and observations I've seen, as well as some suggestions on how to manage those trends.  

That way I reckon there is real value in having your cattle assessed.  One, you can market them to a wider audience, and two, you can have something objective to work towards in your herd improvement process.

I'm really pleased this project is achieving the outcomes I wanted, its also reminded me of a few lessons that can be applied to any project you're working on to achieve your goals.

1. Break your goal down into a series of smaller goals so that you can manage them more easily

2. Look to your networks and seek the skills to help you get to your goal

3. Be prepared to invest in those skills or people.  It might mean paying for advice or assistance, but that is investment that pays a bigger return when you achieve your goals.

4.  Think about the other positive outcomes your achievements might bring.  It could be new options to manage your business, to market your livestock or in my case provide additional tailored support to producers.

I really love the outcomes from this project.  For me, I've been able to see some great cattle, meet some fantastic new producers, work more closely with a great group of colleagues as well as implementing a great cattle assessment program.  Its been a great few months, and I'm looking forward to setting some new goals to work towards.

Are you prepared for a fire?

How prepared are you if a fire starts on or spreads to your farm?  As a firefighter, this is a question I think about a lot.  Last week my crew was called to a grass fire on some grazing land close to Tamworth.  The fire actually started with a car catching alight.  But it quickly spread to the paddocks beside the road.  

There were a couple of issues with this fire. The first was it was actually quite difficult to get to the paddocks to put the fire out.  

The gate into the paddock was directly below a large tree, so there was no way any vehicle, let alone a fire truck could drive through the gate.  

Secondly the paddock was being grazed by several horses.  The horses were panicked by the flames, smoke, noise and trucks.  I was very concerned that they would do themselves major injuries on the fence line as they galloped around the paddock to escape the fire. 

Fortunately we were able to cut the fence, extinguish the fire and allow the horses owner to calm the animals down.  But its had me thinking a lot about the impact of fire on larger holdings.  

How prepared are you for a fire?  If anything people are probably over confident in their fire preparations.  Every fire is different.  This is because the fuel available to burn, the temperature, the wind and the humidity are all different, and these impact on fire behaviour.  

I reckon its essential that every year you make the time to review your fire plan. The NSW Rural Fire Service has a great checklist to help you plan and prepare for a fire.  

Its called the Farm FireWise Checklist and Action Plan.  Its designed to help you think through the areas you should be preparing, so that if a fire does occur, you at least have some measures in place to protect you life, your animals, your home and your infrastructure.

For example have you thought about things such as what is the plan for communications if a fire starts?  Can you rely only on mobile phones?  What is the Local Radio or CB channel?  

How is access to your farm?  Where would you direct fire trucks to go?  Can they get into paddocks without having to cut fences?  Where are your water supplies?  Are you relying only on poly pipe laid across the ground?

In recent fires some producers fire fighting response failed because the poly pipe they were relying on melted in the fire. 

Where will your livestock be safe?  Can you move your stock to a location that has been cultivated or heavily grazed so that there is nothing to burn?  Is it safe to muster your animals, or will it be quicker to cut your fences and allow them to move to safety?

After the fire has been extinguished or it has passed your property you need to think about checking there is no further risk to your infrastructure, such as smouldering posts or material.

For your livestock what feed will you have to provide them with.  In most cases hay is the best option to provide to livestock following a fire.  This is because hay is more suitable for all classes of stock than grains, and it is more rumen friendly, meaning there is less risk of digestive upsets and illness among stock.  

You need to assess all your animals and treat those animals that have been burnt or injured.  The NSW DPI has a useful guideline to assessing bushfire burns in livestock and you should refer to this guide.

Hopefully you will never have to experience the impact of a fire on your farm or in your local area.  

Having said that, don't ever assume you won't be impacted by a fire.  Even worse don't assume that if a fire happens you can handle it without some preparation.

Taking the time to update your plan, make sure you know how to respond, where to go, who to talk to and what your actions will be if a fire occurs is going to be the most important thing you can do this year.  

If you do have a fire, ring 000 and put your plan into place.  I reckon if we all do this, its going to help save lives, property and stock.

Why I love my job!

One of the features of my job is spending a lot of time traveling to visit clients. I don't mind travel so much.  It gives me a chance to think about my clients and what is happening with them in regards to the season, their programs and the new strategies we could look at to lift their businesses to a new level of production & profitability. 

I reckon its important to take the time to gather some thoughts and reflect on what they mean and could mean to the advice and services I provide.  

Every now and then I also get to thinking about how fortunate I am in my job!  In the last week Ive been part of a few events that have reminded me of the reasons why I love my job.  The events have all been a little different.  One was some pregnancy testing on commercial and stud cows.  

The other was participating in a seminar focussed on latest pasture research, and the last was working with some of my longest clients who hosted a visit of the International Red Poll World Congress.  All very different, but all very rewarding.

This week I wanted to write a Rayner Reckons that highlights why I love my job.

1. My clients: My business is built around providing producers with information that is technically sound, practically based and appropriate for their situation. And while that is the service I aim to provide, without clients wanting these services, the business wouldn't work. The clients who I have been fortunate to work with are great people for many reasons. Firstly they are passionate about their businesses, and are looking to make their businesses operate that little bit better in all areas. I love working with people who are enthusiastic, passionate and committed. I'm also humbled by their trust and confidence on the services and information I offer to them. I have to say I look forward to working with my clients on all of their projects!

2. Sharing Information: I love sharing information with others. There are so many fantastic research outcomes; practical solutions and good ideas that can be used to make any agricultural business perform even more effectively. I find it rewarding to share these outcomes and use them to help my clients or have an positive impact on agriculture generally.

3. Being challenged in my role: So much of my job satisfaction comes from the responding to the challenges associated with agricultural production. I want to help my clients better respond to the challenges for their enterprises. These can be dealing with the drought; improving herd fertility, increasing their market returns. These challenges are ones that require me to keep looking for new ideas, new information and new solutions. its really rewarding to step up and help address them.

4. Working with livestock: Not everyone gets to work outside and to work with animals! I like cattle! I enjoy working with them and improving my handling skills so that animals move and flow without unnecessary stress or excitement. I enjoy the chance to help my clients select animals that are best suited to their environment and to their markets and to out plans in place to breed that style of animal in the future. There's no doubt this is one of the best parts of my job.

5. Travelling to new places: In the past 18 months I have worked with clients from South Australia, NSW, QLD, Victoria and even in Malaysia. Its been really exciting to visit new places and see new ways of going about agriculture. Having said that, I reckon I get just as much excitement visiting a new farm within an hour of home to do some preg testing or look at bulls.

There are lots of reasons to love my job, and these are only a few of the reasons.  I reckon agriculture offers so many rewarding and pleasurable outcomes.  

Having said that, I still reckon one of the nicest parts of my job is having the chance to meet and work with a great group of people from all parts of Australia.  

And that is definitely why I love my job!

Are your bulls ready to work?

Its hard to believe that November is almost here.  The year seems to have passed so quickly, and for cattle producers the next event on the annual breeding calendar is just about to kick off.  If your enterprise is designed around a spring calving, that event is the annual joining period.  So the question is, are your bulls ready to work?

Joining is a critical event for any breeding enterprise.  If it isn't well managed the cash flow over the next 1 -2 years can be dramatically reduced.  

A poorly managed joining doesn't just mean less calves next year to sell.  It also has implications for the culling strategies and replacement programs you might have in place.  Both of these also impact on your profitability.

How you manage your joining program should be a key priority for the year.

Your bulls readiness to work is a key aspect of successful joining.  Its important you take some time to check your bulls over before you introduce them to their joining groups.  

Ideally your bulls will have been running together for some time in the lead up to joining.  This allows them to sort out their pecking order and this will minimise the time they spend fighting with each other instead of working.  it also helps reduce the risk of injury.

When you start to prepare for joining, you should bring you bulls to a location such as your yards and check them all over to ensure there are no injuries or issues that may have recently occurred.  Joining is a physically demanding time for bulls and slight physical injuries can become worse over time and may prevent your bull working as hard as he should.

Even if you have only purchased your bull at this years bull sales, check him over again before putting him out to work.  As a new bull he may have had some difficulty settling in and as a result could have some minor issues.

I reckon its definitely worth putting your bulls through a crush and checking everything, particularly sheath and testicles.  The bulls testicles should feel firm and springy, and if they don't, this is an indication his testicles may not be as healthy as desirable, and therefore his value as working bull may be lower.  

Its better to find the bull with issues before you put them with the cows, rather than mid way or at the end of joining.

Take some time to consider the mating load and length of joining for your bulls.  A structurally sound bull in working condition with a Fat Score of 2.5 - 3.5 should comfortably handle a joining period of 9 to 12 weeks.  In terms of a mating load, bulls in this condition and with good structural soundness should be mated at the rate of 3 bulls per 100 cows. 

If your plan is to single sire mate, that is one bull to a group of cows, you need to consider the following things:

* Don't overload your bulls with too many cows.  More than 40 is putting a lot of pressure on him and some cows may get missed

* Consider your paddock size.  If the paddocks are too big or have undulating terrain or timber and vegetation your bull could miss some cows

*Check your bull regularly and have a back up ready to replace him

These are good guidelines for multiple sire mating.  Stick to the 3% bulls to cows, and remember to check them frequently.  You need to make sure a bull hasn't injured himself while working, and be prepared to replace an injured bull.

One good trick some people use is to have their replacement bulls running as a group.  If there is a need to replace a bull through injury during joining, the whole group of bulls are swapped over.  The new bulls should get to work without too much fighting and the other group can be rested or treated for injury if that is an issue.

Keep an eye on all your mating groups.  As joining comes to a close, start thinking about how you will bring your bulls out, how you will run them and be prepared to boost their nutritional requirements following their working months.

While many people plan to put bulls out on Melbourne Cup day, which is only next Tuesday, its not too late to make some time to check your bulls and plan for the next few working weeks.  If your bulls are ready to work then your joining period will be off to a good start.

A System to Provide Independent Cattle Assessments

Earlier this year I was undertaking some work in Brisbane.  While I was in town I was contacted by Angus Burnett-Smith who wanted to talk to me about cattle assessment work.  I have to admit I was pleased to be contacted, largely because it seemed like a good chance to meet someone new, and hopefully it might bring some more work towards RaynerAg!

Well I was right on both of those assumptions!  Angus is the brains and energy behind an online livestock marketing system.  In simplest terms the ClassiMate model combines independent assessment of breeding livestock with an online marketing platform for those animals.

The model has proven to be very successful with small ruminant animals, and Angus was keen to discuss with me the opportunity to extend the platform to beef cattle.

It certainly was an exciting proposition.  

There are plenty of methods used in the beef industry to describe cattle. The challenge was to draw on those to develop a system that would allow breeders to be able to list their cattle on line, and for potential buyers to view those cattle with complete confidence in the way those animals had been assessed.

I reckon it was a challenge I had to accept, and I went away and worked with several industry people who have a level of experience and industry knowledge I respect.  Between us we looked at the current industry methods, and considered what traits are most important to assess in breeding animals. 

With a lot of research, discussion and testing, I was able to report back to Angus and the ClassiMate team we had developed a system we are confident in to assess with credibility and repeatability, breeding cattle of both sexes.  

The ClassiMate assessment system assesses structural soundness; temperament; fertility and muscle.  These are the traits that are important in any breeding enterprise, and using these as the basis for selection will certainly drive the performance of any beef business.  

Now that the system has been established the role of RaynerAg will be to provide ClassiMate members with the assessment service so that they can list their animals on the website. 

RaynerAg will not be working for ClassiMate.  I'll provide an independent service (along with the other team members) that is arranged on demand as people require it.

So what happens now?  Well firstly I reckon its important to remember that assessing your animals on their physical merits won't replace the value of EBVs which describe the genetic potential of an animal.  So if you are in BreedPlan I'd encourage you to continue to monitor and record the traits required to contribute to your EBVs.  

However having the opportunity to have your animals independently assessed for their structural soundness, temperament; fertility and muscle can be incredibly beneficial.  

Assessments such as these will allow you to select out animals that are not suited to your environment; to your market specifications or are just not right for your program.  

If you are trying to market your livestock and one option is to advertise your livestock online, providing potential buyers with an independent assessment of your animals can add to your credibility. 

I reckon there will be opportunities for breeders who are looking to try and combine traditional marketing techniques with online marketing.  There would be no reason why bulls in a sale catalogue or females in a feature sale couldn't be accompanied with both their individual EBVs and a ClassiMate score.  That way you address genetic potential and the animal's physical traits at the same time.

I'm pleased I was able to work with a great team to develop this system. Naturally I hope ClassiMate see's new members that are looking to have their cattle assessed!  But I also have to be honest and say I'm pleased that a team of people I respect came together to put some ideas together to have a system in place that will aid beef producers across Australia improve their herds and hopefully move much closer to their owners goals.  

If you are interested in joining ClassiMate you can get in touch with them yourself.  As an independent assessor, my connection with ClassiMate is now purely to be on their list of cattle assessors and to ensure the system used to assess cattle into the future maintains industry relevance and credibility.  I reckon it will work and I think there will be plenty of producers who will gain a lot from both the assessments and the new marketing opportunities. 

Problems with foxes

This week I had a phone call from a new client who has taken on a small farm in NSW.  Its an exciting time for them, as they are starting a small beef herd, and are looking to enjoy a new direction with the purchase of their farm.  As well as running a few cows, they have done the usual things many new farmers do such as planting a veggie garden and they also had some chooks.

I say had, because until this week they did have chooks. Sadly a fox has taken most of their chooks over night! 

I reckon we have all had a similar experience at some point in our farming life.  As a small child I remember my grandparents having a fox take their chooks, and even last year the pet chooks of my local fire station in town were all taken by a fox.

The impact of foxes on agriculture is often considered in the destruction they cause to sheep and goat production, chicken & egg production and even occasionally with horticulture.

There is no denying foxes cause a huge amount of damage every day in Australia to agriculture and to the native wildlife on our farms and in our bushland.  I saw some research that suggests a fox eats about 400grams of food a day.  About a 1/3 of that will be made up of farm livestock, 1/3 from pest animals like mice or rabbits and the final 1/3 from wildlife. 

But foxes will eat 100% of their diet from whatever is easiest to catch!  The research went on to state foxes will make up to 50% of their diet from farm livestock and the losses in lambing flocks range from 10 - 30%.

The problem is, there are plenty of foxes!  Current estimates suggest fox populations have about 4 foxes per square kilometre. As you can see from this picture, that means that within 5km of your home there's around 312 foxes!

If you have sheep, goats or chickens, this alone should get you thinking about your control measures!  

The thing is, many cattle people don't really think foxes pose much of a problem to their enterprises, and so are less likely to participate in control programs.  

I reckon its vital to be involved.  Firstly effective control can only happen across properties, as we all know foxes can move through fences!  Secondly it will help protect the native wildlife that lives in your area.

While these are both good enough reasons to be involved, foxes do have a production impact on cattle!

There is a parasite known as Neospora Caninum which is responsible for abortions in cattle.  On the north coast of NSW, Neospora Caninum is thought to be responsible for over 30% of all abortion losses in both beef and dairy herds.

Cows become infected by this parasite after eating eggs of the parasite that may be passed by a dog or another carnivore, such as a fox.  Dogs and foxes are thought to become infected with the Neospora parasite after eating infected foetal tissue or afterbirth.  

Foxes are opportunistic feeders, and during calving will take advantage of after birth as well as praying on vulnerable calves if they get a chance.  And while foxes may not always kill calves, the fact that they could be spreading a parasite like Neospora means they are having an impact on herd fertility by reducing the number of calves born in your cow herd.

So next time you see a fox, just remember there is likely to be another 49 of them within a 2km radius of you! Any one of those foxes, and most likely all of them, are having a direct impact on your agricultural business, as well as on the wildlife you enjoy seeing when you are out working in the paddock.

I reckon we all need to take a greater role in controlling foxes, and hopefully minimising the problems they bring down on us every day!  

How much nutritional wisdom do your cows have?

Have you ever heard someone state categorically that "animals know what they need to eat"?  I hear claims like this quite often.  In general I hear statements like this when we are discussing supplementary feeding programs, in particular the need for adding minerals and trace elements.

There's no doubt animals need minerals and some trace elements for their well being.  In general animals obtain the minerals and elements they require as part of their daily feed intake.

In most circumstances the feed cattle eat each day has enough of minerals and trace elements to satisfy the animals needs.  

There is another way cattle obtain them in their diet.  Thats through the soil.  I remember being told in a lecture from a vet that cattle eat roughly about 1kg of soil a day!

It makes sense when you think about it.  If plants are pulled out from the soil during grazing, some soil will make its way inside!!  Fortunately it comes out in the dung!

In that process cattle can access some of the minerals that may not be available form the feed itself. 

Having said all that, there are times when the plants or the soil can't supply the minerals and elements cattle need.  

So, do cattle know they need to have these minerals and elements, and will they actively search for them?  Many people say that cattle will do this.  They use plenty of examples to demonstrate this position.  

In my experience and from many years working with researchers, I'm not so sure.  I reckon my position is best summed up in this picture.

More recent research suggests that animals will look for particular minerals, but only when they have been deliberately depleted of that mineral and when the deficiency is major.  It seems that when the deficiency is minor, the animals don't know they are missing it and don't go looking for it!  

So what does this mean for producers designing feeding programs?  I reckon it means that in the short term, deficiencies are not recognised by animals, and you can't expect them to go and eat a supplement to correct the problem.  If you do want them to eat something, its more likely they will go to something they are used to eating, suck as a block.  This is why sulphur blocks work quite well on some forage crops.  

In the long term, deficiencies like calcium and phosphorus seem to be felt more by the animal.  In these longer term deficiencies, animals do seem to look for options to address the absence of these minerals. This is when cattle will lick the soil, and in many cases chew bones. 

While its easy to think they know that chewing bones is a result of nutritional wisdom, most researchers think its more likely that they do it because it makes them feel better.  

There is one big exception to this!  And its the need for sodium, in other words, the need for some salt.  

We know there are some specific metabolic needs that will trigger the animals brain to crave salt.  When this happens you will see cattle licking the ground or looking for salt deposits.  

It was actually this behaviour that first made people think cattle possessed nutritional wisdom.

So what does this mean at a practical level?  I reckon the first thing is to realise your animals are not smart enough to choose their specific mineral needs in the short term.  Its up to you to monitor your animals and ensure they are not deficient.  

You also need to think of how you supply your animals needs.  Don't rely on the animals to pick and choose.  If there is a deficiency in your animals intake, then design a program that will actually correct it quickly and effectively.  In the long run it will be much more cost effective.

I reckon the final thing is don't have a guess! If you're not sure about your cattle and their nutritional needs, get some advice.  If you don't have nutritional wisdom, just remember your cows can't tell you what they need either!

Do you have a goal for your business?

In the last few weeks I've met a few people who have talked to me about their "5 year plan".  These are people who have set some goals in their lives for where they would like to be.  For one person it was a location they wanted to live in, and a business they wanted to operate.  For another it was a qualification and profession they were aspiring to.

These people have been great to meet and share a few ideas with.  I reckon I'm very fortunate in having the opportunity to work closely with plenty of farmers to help achieve their goals or even contribute to their "5 year plans!"

What I've learnt is setting goals is important for every business.  It doesn't matter if you operate a part time farm enterprise; or your entire income is derived from the farm, setting goals is essential.  

I was recently asked why are goals essential?  

It is really quite straight forward.  A goal gives you a direction to aim for.  It lets you develop practical strategies, the on farm actions that you can follow and hopefully avoid making mistakes that cost you money.

A goal give you a purpose for on farm recording; for focussing on improved management skills or even for developing new skill sets.  Without that purpose you can spend a lot of time recording data, going to courses and workshops or moving cattle around for little practical return.

I know that this doesn't sound like rocket science!  However the number of people I have had a chance to meet and work with, who are carrying out activities for no real purpose is surprising.  

One of the benefits of working with people is bringing a fresh perspective to an operation.  There are times when I see people doing something, and I have to ask, "why are you doing this?"  There are plenty of times where the answer is "I don't know" or "because its always what we do.."  

Now that's not to say that what they are doing is wrong or unnecessary!  Sometimes I ask and find the answer is that the action is important for a specific reason or program.  

But, the chance to stop and think about things for a little while is vital.  I'd encourage producers to take time, at least once every 12 months, to sit down and review a few things about their business.

First of all ask yourself:

• What is the goal of the business. What do you want to achieve?

• How close does the business come to achieving that goal?

• What actions and program work best to help you achieve your goals?

• What are you doing each day and do these things actually help you or are they a distraction?

• Could you do things differently?

I reckon these 5 questions are quite challenging to answer.  If you are honest with yourself, you need to spend some time on each point.  Having said that, the answers you come up with can really help you focus your business to be capable of achieving your goals more efficiently.

There are plenty of people who can help you bring a fresh perspective to identifying your goals and answering these questions.  However, if you do get another opinion, make sure its from someone who will look at your goals as well as your on farm strategies.  There's not much point looking just at goals if they can't help you towards the most efficient activities.  

Finally, don't let someone convince you to change what you do each day simply to follow a trend or fad!  Make sure that they give you ideas that actually help you achieve your goals!!  

Making time to take a break

I was very tempted to not share a Rayner Reckons this week. The reason is I have actually put aside two weeks for a short break.  I know for many of my clients, the idea of taking a break or having a short holiday is just that, an idea!  

Now I'm running my own business, I understand the pressure felt by farmers and other business owners to focus on the jobs to be done; the projects that are on going and the issue of being able to actually afford some time off.  There are plenty of reasons to put off a break.

So I know there are plenty of reasons not to take a break.  I've got plenty of exciting projects happening and I'm loving working with a range of clients.  Its easy to focus on the job.  But, I also remember a few years ago during a long drought period, a farmer I knew told me how he had not left the farm in four months.  I saw him at a seminar and dinner in Armidale.  He was telling me how great it was just to be away from the place. How it was so monotonous and draining.  I really felt he was struggling with everything, and the weekend away really changed his outlook.

Now I know a weekend is only short.  But I do know how easy it is to become exhausted by work.  Being exhausted is no joke.  You make poor decisions, you build bad habits and you become careless.  

In our industry you can't afford the risk of creating bad habits or getting careless.  A simple mistake can lead to physical injury, or can contribute to poor decisions in regard to your business management or in regards to your livestock.

So in actual fact taking a break is essential. You need to get a chance to re focus and refresh and recover from the demands of work.

Thats why companies make their employees take a break each year. 

As self employed business operators, we have to be a bit more disciplined and focus on taking a break for our own safety and for the well being of our business.

Two days isn't really enough for a proper break.  In my case after three days, I'm checking emails and even on a stroll near the beach today I was looking at some clover and then I started thinking about bloat management, before considering why cape weed was kicking on so well in that particular area. So I reckon it will take a few days to properly switch off!

But I am also gaining a sense of perspective.  I'm feeling more refreshed and I know after a break I will be in a position to give complete attention to my job without bad habits possibly developing!

So if you are in the position where your last break was so long ago you can't remember it, or if you have not left the farm in months, ask yourself; 

• What bad habits have you developed?

• What short cuts are you taking?

• Are you making clear and balanced decisions?

If you're in that position, I reckon it's a great idea to take a break.  It will be the best thing you can do for yourself and for your business.

Im going to enjoy my break and then I'm excited about getting back into it afterwards!

Whats going on in your cow herd?

I reckon this time of the year is possibly the most frenetic for beef cattle breeders.  Spring calving is well underway, and there are plenty of people talking to me about the ups and downs of calving.  At the same time the bull selling season in northern NSW and southern Qld is dominating the minds of many producers.  Meanwhile, in the back of everyones mind is the question about what the spring will be like and if we can finally move towards a good season and a strong market.

I've been giving this time of year some thought as I travel to meet clients and attend bull sales in the north. 

A couple of things stand out for me.  Firstly it seems like 80% of the people I speak to are looking for bulls specifically to join to heifers.  These "heifer bulls" are being sought to address, in many cases, a difficult year for calving heifers.

If you are experiencing difficulty in calving your heifers, don't just blame the bull!

Birth weight is a major cause of calving difficulty. And the bull does contribute to the potential weight of the calf.  However, don't neglect the other factors in calving difficulty! You should also consider how well grown your heifers are; what nutritional program they have been managed under and how has your management of this group been undertaken generally.  

If you really want to get on top of a problem, you need to know whats going on in that part of your herd.

The second thing I've noticed a lot at recent sales is many producers have not really thought a lot about the structural soundness of the cows within their breeding herd. 

It seems that people are confident in looking at bulls and saying they want to make sure of feet or legs or eyes.  

But when I ask them whats the general level of structural soundness in their herds, on more than one occasion I've been told the producer just doesn't know.

I have to say it makes selecting a bull for long term herd improvement, a real challenge.  Unless you know where your herd sits for all attributes, such as growth to meet market specs, for fatness, for size, for temperament and for structure, you can't actually make the most informed decision regarding the influence a new bull may make in your breeding herd.  

At best, its an informed hunch!  With EBVs and a physical assessment of a bull you can decide if he will generally improve your herd.  

But; (and there is always a but) is the bull likely to improve the structural soundness of the herd?  Does he help lift your herds muscle score?  Will he help correct the level of cow hocked animals or introduce legs that are possibly too straight.  In other words will the bull make existing problems better or worse?

If you haven't spent time considering your cow herd and working out whats going on in the herd, I reckon you've made your bull purchasing decisions just a little bit harder.  

So while I know it's a busy time right now, try and put aside a bit of time to look objectively at your cows.  Start assessing them and make some decisions about each female and her long or short term future in the herd.  If you do this now, come joining time, you may actually be able to have a select group to join with the bull and this could be the group that really does achieve the lift in production you wanted!

If you need a hand or a second opinion to help you be more objective about your cows, then I'm always happy to come out and help you work out whats going on. 

After all this will help me next year when you start looking for a bull to lift your herd performance that little bit higher!