Stanford University's Bill Lane Center for the American West’s Post

Moving cattle, particularly long drives, requires a team of cowboys, each with a specific role. 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻: The point man is the cowboy who rides near the front of the herd, determining the direction, controlling the speed, and giving the cattle something to follow. An honored position on the drive, this job is reserved for more experienced hands who know the country through which they are traveling. 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿: Swing riders ride closely along each side of the herd, about a third of the way back from the point rider. Their responsibility is to keep the herd together, and they are constantly looking for any animals that might try to break away. 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿: Flank riders ride on each side of the herd, near the rear. Their role is to back the swing riders up and keep the cattle bunched, preventing the back of the herd from fanning out. 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗴 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿: The drag riders ride behind the herd to keep it moving, pushing the slower animals forward. 𝗪𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗿: The wrangler is responsible for taking care of the drive’s remuda, making sure the horses are fed and doctored. 𝗪𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸: One of the most important roles in any outfit, cookie is responsible for feeding a crew of hungry cowboys. Says Fay E. Ward in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘸𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬, "A good cook will do more to keep a bunch of cowhands in good humor than anyone or anything else." 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰: 𝘟𝘐𝘛 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘸𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘋𝘢𝘭𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘛𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘴, 𝘤𝘢. 1880-81| 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳-𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴

Can you easily and quickly identify marginal performing animals in your herd? Those animals that ultimately cost the farm more in comparison to herdmates with earlier breedings and shorter calving intervals? The nTELL platform provides Key Performance Areas to help you know what dairy animals can be considered to be considered for the beef market based on markets. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gtnRJQ7D

Prime example of an applied epigenetic project using crossbreeding and composite breeds to find the balance between terminal and maternal efficiency. Tip of the hat, East Foundation. Santa Gertrudis Breeders International #beef #cattle #sustainability #genetics #genomics #epigenetics

The calf in this photo is a testament to our ongoing vision to build a better herd. We strive for a cow that can thrive in the South Texas environment yet raise a calf that meets the quality expectations of discerning beef consumers. This ranching goal drives us at the East Foundation - each calf born on our ranch is a step closer to this vision, a testament to our dedication and passion for ranching and livestock management. You might be wondering how we aim to accomplish this goal. We use a two-breed rotation between Red Angus and Santa Gertrudis bulls, intending to build a solid-colored animal that's well adapted to South Texas, marketable, and able to perform at the yard. For all females that lack Red Angus influence, we breed them to Red Angus bulls to create 50% Red Angus calves, and those females will then be exposed to either Purebred Santa Gertrudis or American Red Bulls. The American Red Bulls simplify the process as they are either 25% or 50% Red Angus, and the balance is Santa Gertrudis. This process can eventually eliminate some of the need for different breeds of bulls while creating a spectrum of genotypes. As we move forward, we'll be able to track individual animal performance; having a variety of Red Angus/Santa Gertrudis percentages will hopefully allow us to see differences in performance and answer one of our main questions: how much Bos indicus do you need in a South Texas cowherd? #eastfoundation #ranching #ranchingupdate #calves #cowcalfpair #southtexas #cattleherd #southtexasranch

Exciting times for wagyu in the UK - Figures released by the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) for 2023 show that British Wagyu, known for its highly marbled premium beef, has more than doubled its numbers on the year. The figures, for beef cattle born in England, Scotland & Wales, reveal over 35,000 Wagyu-sired calves were born in 2023. Of these, 33347 were crossbred (sired by a Wagyu bull) and 2203 Purebred or Fullblood - totalling 35,550 head of Wagyu animals when compared to 17,083 in 2022. https://lnkd.in/eNYjMXfu

Can you see your worth? 💡 Highland cattle are powerful-looking and have long, shaggy coats that serve a purpose: keeping them warm in winter. Their majestic horns aren't just for fighting off predators but also help them rake up snow and forage for food in the winter. 🐂 The main reason people breed these types of cattle is for the quality of their meat. They don't carry much fat due to their double-thick coat of hair, which keeps them warm in winter, unlike the typical fat that other breeds carry for warmth. ❄ The one problem with these animals is that they can't see clearly, as their eyes are often covered by long hair. It's kind of frustrating, if you ask me. Imagine walking around not being able to see clearly!? 👀 The problem with that statement, if we're honest with ourselves, is that there are times and seasons in our lives where we do just that! When challenges come our way and life's pressures crash against us, we quickly forget how valuable we are. It's just like the hair hanging over the bull's eyes. ☝ We tend to question our abilities and strengths and fail to see our great qualities and skills that we're known for. It's in these times that we shouldn't isolate ourselves but rather seek out a trusted friend or mentor to remind us of those things that make us unique and valuable. 💥 In essence, we need a farmer in our lives to trim the hair from our face so that we can clearly see our worth again. 😎 Food for thought: 💭 Who in your life, whether personally or professionally, needs to be reminded of their worth to you or the company? Reach out to them without delay, as we all need that reminder at different times and seasons in our lives! #peopleofworth #youarestrong #togetherwecan #customerjourneyexperience

Tags are great until they come out of the animal's ear. This rancher's processing crew misunderstood the assignment and cut out all the ear tags. Years of time and tens of thousands of dollars in bull purchases, breeding decisions, cow data, performance data, and financial records were lost. This is why 406 Bovine Facial Recognition is so valuable. For only $15/month this ranch's data and years of investment would have been saved. It's the cheapest insurance a ranhcer can buy! Want to save the agony that this rancher is facing. Download the 406 Bovine Facial Recognition app today and get started! No Tag - No Problem!

Every day we have the privilege of talking to ranchers about their cattle identification needs and challenges. It's one of the best parts of our work at 406 Bovine. Here are our top three observations we have after talking to ranchers: 1. There is no one-size-fits-all animal identification solution for all ranchers. Every ranch operation has different goals, human resources, schedules, and budgets. Don't worry about copying others, do what works best for your operation! 2. Ranchers don't like computers but every rancher has a cell phone. Find ways to put that cell phone in your pocket to work and become a tool to help with cattle identification and management processes. 3. Many operations bet their ranch's future on the hope that a single, numbered piece of plastic will remain in an animal's ear 365 days a year. Relying on a single ear tag is a path to frustration because missing ear tags lead to lost opportunities and revenue. Tools like 406 Bovine Facial Recognition can provide a simple, cost-effective backup to ear tag identification systems. Have some cattle identification challenges at your ranch? Call us and let's figure out a solution to help your operation!

Armed with fresh, long-awaited data, our Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service horse specialists in the Department of Animal Science are actively strategizing ways to cater to the diverse needs of horse owners and enthusiasts, spanning various equestrian activities. The results of the American Horse Council’s National Economic Impact Study survey are in. Dr. Chelsie Huseman, one of two AgriLife Extension horse specialists in #TAMUansc, said they will use the extensive Texas data on horse industry impacts, involvement, and economic contributions to guide education and outreach. Texas leads the nation in horse numbers, and the equine industry adds a total value of $12.3 billion to the Texas economy. “The equine industry significantly fuels Texas’s economy. However, the lack of concrete data makes it challenging to articulate our narrative and make informed decisions. This newfound data will greatly enhance our ability to support both the equine sector and its passionate enthusiasts statewide.” -Dr. Huseman Read more about the 2023 Economic Impact Study of the Texas Horse Industry at https://lnkd.in/gUAB7ZRc

Need help designing your next #cattle corral or working system? maybe have safety concerns or animal flow problems with existing equipment. Would you appreciate an outside perspective? reach out to schedule your on-site consult. Discuss all things #beefcattle and share insights for #safe cattle handling! Send a note, let's chat! #texas #cattle #ranch #equipment