Growing up in Arkansas, the cattle business was fairly lax when it came to politics, environmental concerns, and general camaraderie of the industry. Moving to Montana has given me a few new perspectives on things. Earlier this month, I traveled to San Antonio for work at the annual Cattle Industry Convention. This was their largest … Continue reading Perspectives Divide and Offer Opportunity for Growth
Integrity as Seen from Outside Perspectives
Integrity is who you are when you think no one's looking. Not that what you're doing is wrong, but never assume others see things the way you do. We should always be prepared to share why we do things the way we do. To the right is a screen capture from my Instagram feed a … Continue reading Integrity as Seen from Outside Perspectives
Arkansas Drought Worsens, Impacts Livestock and Crops
Arkansas was on the fringes of the 2011 drought that impacted much of Texas and Oklahoma. Cattle farmers culled a little deeper than normal, but most were able to retain the majority of their herds. However, this year things have not been kind to Arkansas cattle producers. The state started off on a dry note, … Continue reading Arkansas Drought Worsens, Impacts Livestock and Crops
Why do farmers use cattle branding?
Humans have been using brands to identify livestock animals for thousands of years. In ancient times it was more of a ritualistic act. During the Middle Ages in Europe, hot cattle branding was used to identify the owner of the livestock. This has continued throughout history. In the American West, cattle branding is often associated … Continue reading Why do farmers use cattle branding?
Meeting Today’s Beef Demands
So I'm really not a fan of saturating a conversation with facts and figures, but I saw this video from Merck Animal Health and thought it worth a share. Doing less with more. That is today's American Cattle Farmers and Ranchers. Sustainablebeef.org has much more information on sustainable beef production practices.
Time for Cattle Doctoring
Now that calving season is all but wrapped up (Northern producers, don't be haters), we are starting our Spring round of vaccinations, or sometimes referred to as doctoring cattle. It makes for some long workdays, but we only do this twice a year. Once in the Spring when calving is finished but before hay season … Continue reading Time for Cattle Doctoring
Who Is Ryan Goodman? What is this blog about?
Everyone has a story to tell. America's Ranchers and Farmers have a great one. Whether it is our hard work, resilience, sense of community, or passion to keep improving upon our skills, someone is listening. These are the stories of Agriculturalists and the reasons why they are proud to be a part of Agriculture. What … Continue reading Who Is Ryan Goodman? What is this blog about?