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February 2010
by Ron Cerri

 

I recently finished traveling around the northern and central part of Nevada on the Cattlemen’s Update, which was put on by the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Service. This year’s tour matched the all time high attendance for the Cattlemen’s Update with 445 adult livestock producers and 90 4-H and FFA youth having participated. For the past 45 years the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Service has offered producers not only in Nevada, but also Oregon and California the opportunity to learn the newest information regarding livestock production, marketing and other topics.

While on this tour I was able to visit with old friends and meet some of you for the first time. It was an enlightening experience for me for many reasons. I was able to see that in Nevada we have a diverse industry with both large and small ranches, many which operate on public lands and others that operate completely on private lands. These diversities also include operations that have feedlots but may also raise hay and other row crops. This was an opportunity for me not only to get my face out there, but also to let cattlemen know what the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association is actively involved in and what we, as an Association, are doing for you and the industry. Just as importantly, it was an opportunity for me to hear from you about what issues are important and to hear your points of view on various issues.

As a native Nevadan I hate to admit this, but this was the first time I had been in Ely and Smith Valley, Nevada. We put about 1600 miles on the odometer, starting from the west side of our state, traveling to the east side on Highway 50 and then back again on Interstate 80. What I discovered was that the issues that concern the Cattlemen are the same all across the state, although the order of importance might be slightly different in each area. Cattlemen everywhere are facing challenges on federal lands, water, regulations, seemingly endless litigation by anti- cattle groups and challenges by the animal rights groups.

While on the tour I had the pleasure of riding along with Ron Torell, UNCE Livestock Specialist. Ron has spent the last 26 years working for the Nevada Cooperative Extension. He has a strong passion for the cattle and the livestock industries. What I saw on this trip was that he has gained the respect of the cattlemen in this state as well as from his peers. He knows everyone by name as well as their spouses and their children. Ron also contributes a good portion of his time to the 4-H program. He puts on the Elko County Fair as well as judging 4-H carcass contests across the state. He educates the youth on the importance of agriculture, teaching them the necessity of proper nutrition and good genetics.

Ron has done more than anyone else I know to make sure that the livestock producers in Nevada have the latest information available to assist in making their operations profitable. Among the many things he does, he is also actively involved in the Beef Quality Assurance program. Because he has such an understanding of the industry he also realizes that many ranches and feedlots have Hispanics that work with the livestock. Ron saw the need for BQA training geared toward these workers, realizing that it is very important that they be properly trained in basic livestock handling and the correct way of handling and administering vaccines. If you are an operator with Hispanic workers that could benefit from this type of training, a Spanish Beef Quality Assurance training program will be held on February 22, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. at Steve Lucas’ Sandhill Feedlot, at no charge to you. Scott Jensen, University of Idaho, Owyhee County educator who speaks fluent Spanish, will teach the class.

Also coming up is the Nevada Cattlemen Association’s 44th Annual Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale to be held at the Fallon Livestock Exchange on February 20. There will be approximately 120 top quality range-ready bulls offered, so whether you need one bull or more, I hope you will all come and check out this fine offering of yearling and two year old bulls.

NCA will be holding a Board of Directors meeting prior to the sale on Friday, February 19. Everyone is invited to attend. It will be a good opportunity to come and listen to what the Association is working on. It is also a good time for our members to let the leadership know what issues are important to them and how they would like the Association to address these issues.

The Churchill County Cowbelles will be providing a dinner and dance beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night. This is always a fun evening and a chance to visit with friends and consignors and kick up your heels to some great country music. I hope to see you there!

No better word can be spoken of a man than that he is careful with his horses.”
— Andy Adams, The Log of a Cowboy (1903)

 

 

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