Sharing our Story - Hormones (cont.)

What are the hormones we use in the cattle industry?

The hormones that are used are estrogen and testosterone, or are the synthetic versions of the hormone.  They are the same hormones as those naturally synthesized by the beef animal.  The deposition of estrogen to the animal only increase the amount of the hormone found in each pound of beef by .2 nanograms as compared with cattle that have not ever been implanted.  That's right - even the all-natural beef, organic beef, or non-implanted grass-fed cattle contains only .2 nanograms of estrogen less than implanted cattle.

A pound of soybean oil contains nearly 900,000 nanograms of estrogen compared to only 1.7-1.9 nanograms found in beef - either non-implanted or implanted!

What is a 'nanogram'?

A nanogram is one billionth of a gram.

http://www.arborpic.com/company/12-allied-specialty-foods-inc-

Why do we use hormones in the cattle industry?

The use of hormones in the cattle industry has been scientifically proven to increase average daily gain, appetite, carcass weight, and the overall amount of red meat produced by the animal.  The 'days on feed' at the finishing stage could be reduced, significantly declining the amount of resource inputs needed for finishing the animal for harvest.  Bottom line - they save time, money, and put more food on the table, faster.

The use of hormones helps improve the sustainability of cattle production and will more efficiently feed the rapidly growing population.

Another thing to consider is farmers and ranchers care about the products they produce and the consumers they reach -  from tomatoes to poultry, wheat to milk - and cattle producers are no exception.  If we were troubled about our product being harmful to either the animal or the consumer, it wouldn't be on the market.  It is the goal of a producer - no matter the sort - to deliver the optimal product possible.  Hormones, in the cattle industry, help cattle farmers and ranchers to better deliver more meat to the consumer while optimizing efficiency on their operation.

For more information, I strongly encourage you to visit the American Meat Institute's Meat MythBusters for some quick facts on FAQ's in the meat industry.  It will be well worth your time and it has some useful information that can be easily shared with others!

Also, a big thank you to Amanda Radke of BEEF Magazine's BEEF Daily blog for sharing a link to this site in her Tuesday's post. Thank you for reading and especially sharing, Amanda! And thank you to all my new readers and followers - I appreciate your support! Feel free to stop by the 'Because the West Wasn't Won on Salad' Facebook page to see pictures, discussions, surveys, and upcoming topics.

Sharing our Story - Hormones

One of the most fulfilling things for me to do is to share the story of growing up on a cattle farm with others who are not familiar with the lifestyle.  I love answering questions, showing pictures, and offering contact information in case they want to get in touch with me again.

Lately, one of the most frequently asked questions is "Are hormones used in livestick causing girls to become sexually mature earlier than in the years past?"  I actually got asked this a few months ago at church and it continues to be resurfaced everywhere I turn.

http://www.redriverbeef.com/why-you-should-be-interested/

I wrote a little on this in a past post, and because my research for graduate school is on implant strategies, it is a topic I am very passionate about. 

Even though this is a common question among the American consumers, often times when we, as farmers and ranchers, are "on the spot," we are uncertain of the correct answer to this question.  Some facts about hormones in cattle:

• The hormones found in implants, like estrogen, are found in all plants and animals.
• A 3-ounce serving of beef from a steer that was implanted contains 1.9 nanograms of estrogen, while beef from a non-implanted steer contains 1.3 nanograms.  Only a difference of .6 nanograms is found from one another.
• Now, consider this (all 3-ounce servings):  Soybean oil contains 168,000,000 nanograms of estrogen.  Wheat germ contains 3,400 nanograms and ice cream has 520 nanograms of estrogen.  Potatoes and peas both contain over 220 nanograms and even milk has 11 nanograms of estrogen per 3-ounce serving.

While it is difficult to be able to regurgitate all those numbers and exact quantities, in summary we can plainly see that hormones fed to cattle or any other livestock are not prevalent enough to harm humans or negatively affect their development or lifestyle in any way.  In fact, with the growing population of the world, implants are not only key factors but imperative in order for enough red meat to be produced to feed the people of the world.

Checking Cows with Dad

Although I'm in graduate school and don't have cattle of my own in Arkansas, I am fortunate enough to live far enough out of town to have my house surrounded by them and have pastures lining either side of the roads I travel down.  Last night while on my evening walk I spotted my first calf from the fall calving cow herd across the road.  Although he was the only baby in the pasture, that didn't stop him from kicking up the dust and throwing up his feet as he tore circles around the mama cows.  Watching him made me think about one of my favorite things as a child - and even still to this day.  Our cow herd at my home in Maryland is spring-calving, so we're still quite a ways off from our calving season. 

There is absolutely nothing I enjoy more in this world than riding with my dad through the fields to check cows - I remember when I was young that would be our question and answer time... I would ask about 3579 questions, and dad would be patient and answer every one.  It would be so exciting when we found a cow with a new calf - I would get to hold it while dad castrated and tagged it - and I would love to pet it's little head and soft ears and couldn't wait to watch it grow.  I remember the exact place we were the first time I got to tag my first calf.  I was so excited and so proud - I felt like I was really growing up.

Things really haven't changed much since then... I enjoy checking cows with my dad just as much as I did back then and I still love the feeling of soft, curly hair on a newborn calf's head.  Looking back, I now know that most of my knowledge I gained about cattle was learned from the passenger side of my dad's truck.  I wouldn't trade a single thing in this world for the memories of those moments and the lessons learned while checking cows with dad.

Surviving the Drought

Here in northwest Arkansas, we have been blessed with a few days of much-needed rain.  Things were getting very dry, as they are across the entire southwestern part of our country, though the dryness here doesn't hold a candle to areas such as west Texas.

We are in the midst of history-in-the-making.  With a summer of non-stop record-breaking high temperatures across the country and a mind-blowing drought in the southwest section of the United States, cattle producers are faced with making life- and operation-changing decisions.

Countless herd-dispersal sales have been occuring across the region, with producers selling their cows because of lack of water, lack of forage, and the inability to harvest hay to feed their cattle due to both of these.  As a result of the lack of water resources in part of the country and too much water in the midwest, grain prices are sky-rocketing, making it virtually impossible to economically prosper in the cattle business... unless your on to it's game.

I had the priveledge of listening to a few presentations while they were being taped for a webinar a few weeks ago that opened my eyes to just how serious things are getting - and how we can overcome these tough times.

Take a look at this resource guide of The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation's, titled Managing During Drought.  By following this link, you will be able to find an answer to many of your questions, hopefully easing the pain of the dry times just a bit. 

Another link on The Noble Foundation's site identifies some tips for managing your cattle, specifically.  These tips include:

• Wean Calves Early
• Identify cows to sell
• Inventory forage resources
• Acquire hay and feed
• Scout for toxic plants
• Monitor water quantity and quality
• Test hay before purchase
• Plan ahead!

"The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation is an independent, nonprofit institute headquartered in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Founded in 1945, the Noble Foundation conducts direct operations, including assisting farmers and ranchers, and conducting plant science research and agricultural programs, to enhance agricultural productivity regionally, nationally and internationally." (www.noble.org)  Their website is a great production tool, no matter where you are located in the United States or what kind of operation you are running.  When you have a few extra minutes, mosey on over to their website and take a look - you will be pleased with what you find!

Pray for rain

Value Cuts of Beef

This morning I logged on to www.beef.org - The Beef Industry's Information Center, and I stumbled across the neatest thing...  Check out this diagram of the Value Cuts of a beef carcass, funded by The Beef Checkoff - click on each cut and read a little excerpt about each one, see pictures of the cut, and you can even download a fabrication guide!  Take a few minutes to brush up on your beef knowledge so the next time a consumer comes up to you and asks a question in the market, you'll be sure to have a correct answer!

And while you're visiting www.beef.org, sign up for the Beef So Simple newsletter and download the 29 Leans Cuts wallet card! 

Have a wonderful week everyone!  

Eat beef and wear leather.

Wordless Wednesday

Factory Farms and the Misleading Media

The United States beef cow inventory is at the lowest that it has been since 1958 and the average herd size and number of producers continues to decline.  The average American is at least 3 generations removed from the farm - with some being even farther!  It is not hard to see how easily the mission as agriculturalists can be misconstrued.  Small farms across the country are beginning to vanish, while larger operations are stepping up to the plate to feed the growing population.

Above is a picture of our barn from the early 1900's.  The three pictures below it are the same barn, today.

While I could go on all day about the farming lifestyle and heritage, I'll keep it short and sweet.  My brother and I are the seventh generation on our family farm in Maryland, and while I am away (far away.) for school right now, I can only pray that one day I can return to our farm.  While the farming tradition may be dying as a whole across our country, I can tell with great certainty that in the families that the heritage remains, it runs deep.  I grew up in a rural community with several of our closest family friends also coming from a farming background - and it won't be going anywhere, anytime soon, the good Lord willing.

Unfortunately in today's day and age American farm families are, in most cases, very misunderstood. "Factory Farming" is becoming a buzz word in the media and nearly 100% of the time misrepresents the ideals behind large-scale farming.  This term is most often heard when referring to dairy farms, but hog facilities, chicken operations, and even beef feedlots have been referred to as "Factory Farms."  These farms, although on a large scale, are family ran operations.  They are still America's family farms!  Read this article, "Factory Farming" on the Plows and Cows website,  about the misleading conceptions from the media on the American Agriculture industry and primarily the battles the dairy industry is faced with today.

"...then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers, forever."

                                                                       -Jeremiah 7:7

Antibiotics in the Cattle Industry: What is our Future?

A lot of attention has been paid to food safety regulations lately on Capitol Hill - all of which will directly affect cattle producers. 

Beef producers use antibiotics in their management strategy to ensure optimum health of their cattle and to maximize production of their animals.  Antibiotics are used to maintain good health, help prevent the onset of disease, or put a stop to the disease after it occurs.  Without antibiotics, it is safe to say that the United States' cattle industry would not be where it is today and the projected growth we are seeing in the future may not be the case.

Nonetheless, antibiotics are getting a bad reputation and stirring up debate in popular press.  Residue on meat and the development of antibiotic resistance in humans is an on-going concern and is currently being debated in our government system.  Click here to take a closer look at the Food Safety Modernization Act.

This link is a past article by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition that predicted the Congressional popularity of the subject. 

Everyone has his or her own opinion of antibiotics in our livestock industry and there is no doubt that policies, uses, and administration need to be taken a closer look at.  But this is where Beef Quality Assurance comes in to play... BQA is a national program designed to educate producers on proper management techniques, such as antibiotic administration.

No matter what policies Congress passes, we as producers must strive to continue to improve our business in every way possible.  Even if our use of antibiotics is restricted or altered, we must adjust to government policies and keep our eye on the prize: promoting our product and encouraging others to eat beef!

Are hormones fed to cattle affecting the earlier maturation of young girls, the muscle mass of young males, or the life expectancy of humans?

The question of the decade:  

Are hormones fed to cattle affecting the earlier maturation of young girls, the muscle mass of young males, or the life expectancy of humans?

As addressed in my previous post, growth-promoting implants given to cattle use small amount of hormones to increase the efficiency of muscle growth in the animal.  This, in turn, reduces the amount of fat deposition and increases the efficiency of feed conversion.  All of these things are necessary to sustain our growing population and increasing beef demand.

Before believing all the hype thrown about by the media on hormones given to livestock, I ask you to consider these facts:

• The hormones found in implants, like estrogen, are found in all plants and animals.
• A 3-ounce serving of beef from a steer that was implanted contains 1.9 nanograms of estrogen, while beef from a non-implanted steer contains 1.3 nanograms.  Only a difference of .6 nanograms is found from one another.
• Now, consider this (all 3-ounce servings):  Soybean oil contains 168,000,000 nanograms of estrogen.  Wheat germ contains 3,400 nanograms and ice cream has 520 nanograms of estrogen.  Potatoes and peas both contain over 220 nanograms and even milk has 11 nanograms of estrogen per 3-ounce serving.

According to Dr. Rick Rasby, an animal scientist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, "the average man or woman daily produces 35,000 times more hormones than could be present in beef or any other food."

The long and short of it, hormones fed to cattle or any other livestock are not prevalent enough to harm humans or negatively affect their development or lifestyle in any way.

For references on statistics and information, view this article by Dr. Rasby or this article by Dr. Paul Beck, PhD, of the University of Arkansas.

The Elephant in the Room: Taking a Look at the Use of Hormones, Antibiotics, and Other Controversial Topics

Over the next few days, I want to tackle several different hot topics in the beef industry.

These days there is so much hype in the media claiming how important it is to eat "whole" or "clean" or "natural" foods... Organically grown with "no additives" or "no steroids" or "no hormones" seems to be all the rage in the world of human health and nutrition and while the public seems to read article upon article on why to eat this way, where is the voice informing consumers that conventional agricultural practices are not harmful?

Because my research for my Master's focuses on implants, I think that would be a good place to start...

What is an implant?
An implant is inserted into the posterior aspect of the ear of cattle and releases a hormone that promotes growth of the animal.  In order for the implant to be completely effective, the nutritional needs of the animal must be met and with the proper implant strategy, daily gains of the animal could be improved by as much as 20%, depending on the stage of production of the animal at implantation.

Why do we implant cattle?
Along with improving the daily gain of the animal, implants can also provide other benefits.  Implanting helps us get more meat on the table per animal unit.  With the declining numbers of cattle and herd size and the increased demand for beef, we, as producers, must meet the market demands while battling the reduction in the number of animals.

The benefits of using implants far outweigh the downfalls.  As stated previously, implants improve the growth rate of the animal monumentally as well as increasing the amount of red meat on the animal.  With the increasing population of the world and the decline in the number of farmers, it is essential that in order to sustain life, we produce enough food to support the growing human population.  Implants are just one step closer to feeding the world efficiently. 

And let's think of it economically - basic 'Supply & Demand'.  If the demand for beef exceeds the supply, the prices per unit are going to increase.  However, on the contrary, if we can meet the market demand, the price per unit decreases, causing red meat to be more affordable and more apt to be at the center of the dinner table.  And let's be honest, who doesn't want a steak for supper?

Implants have been approved for use for over fifty years and several studies prove that the proper use of implants in cattle do not adversely affect human health as a result of residue levels in meat.

For more in-depth information on implants, visit:

Beef Cattle Implants - A Utah University publication by
Growth-Promoting Implants Affect Food Supply - An article written by my major advisor, Dr. Paul Beck, which leads me right into my next topic...  

Does the use of hormones in cattle production contribute to the trend of increasingly earlier sexual maturation of today's youth?

When I was young and dumb (ok, ok, maybe just "uneducated") I did not fully understand other sectors of the beef industry, therefore I was unable to appreciate all the gears it takes to make our wheels go round in the cattle business.

I grew up on a cow/calf operation in western Maryland where small farms are common but were just that - small. And agriculture was limited to cow/calf operations, small farrowing operations, a few chickens for laying and eating, a few lambs that were possibly shown at county shows, a horse here and there, a little corn, a lot of gardens, pasture, and hay. It was not until I left home when I was 18 that I really saw what the agriculture industry had to offer and what it really meant to raise cattle.

While in Kentucky I experienced large scale cow/calf operations and how non-challenging it can be to keep a cow who raises a calf on "tall grass and sweet water" (Thank you, Dr. Wistuba, for forever engraining that phrase into my mind...) with the right management techniques.

I had the opportunity to go on a short trip out to the Panhandale of Texas at the beginning of last summer to see feeding cattle at it's finest. With feedlots of 100,000 head of cattle being finished for slaughter, it kind of brings a new meaning to the word "fattening."

Last summer while interning in western Arkansas for the USDA-Ag Research Service, I saw what "stockering" was all about... Field after field after field of 400-800 lb. stocker calves grazing grasses of all kinds, preparing themselves for the feeder stage.

Here in Oklahoma I am seeing what it's like to manage a cow herd on native prairie grass... something that a farmer from where I came from would think is insanity. Some of these ol' girls require up to 50 acres per cow/calf pair, depending on the area of the rangeland. That's a far cry from the 2 acre per pair stocking rate I came from. Talk about strategic planning and management - the epitome of "risk management."

And today with so many different areas of the cattle industry coming into the spotlight - Grass Fed, All-Natural, Organic, Home-Raised - it's easy to get caught up in the buzz.

However, yesterday I experienced a sector of our industry that I have never experienced - I went to a bucking bull sale. Don't get me wrong, I've been to my fair share of rodeos and bull rides, but never have I witnessed what goes on "behind the scenes." D&H Cattle Co. of Ardmore, Oklahoma had a sale - you wanna talk about an educational experience. Some of these bloodlines are so respected in the bucking bull industry, people will pay out the wazoo for a yearling bull sired by [insert name of famous bull here]. But honestly it was incredible and very intriguing to observe the buyers and the cattle sold at these sales - both cow/calf pairs and bulls alike. Some of the most famous bulls owned by D&H Cattle Co. include: Coppertop, Mossy Oak Mudslinger, Night Moves, Fandango, Copperhead, Crossfire Hurricane, Western Wishes, and Hotel California.

Displayed at the sale on a huge tv were these bulls with "bucking dummies" on their backs to show how well each of the yearlings bucked on their first try. It reminded me of a young teenage athlete - one who will certainly be great in his day, but is still too young and clumsy to know just how to put it all together. These bulls will be enetered in "futurities," which are essentially like prospect shows in the show cattle business. There is a points system and money winnings and the bulls that score the highest in these futurities will be ranked the highest when they are invited to the PBR or other rodeo associations.

Barbed Wire Scars Will Fade

I recently saw this quote on a website that I frequent. I often try to put into words the way I feel or the passion that I possess, but I can't help but feel sometimes that I've fallen short and haven't really portrayed the message that I want to get across. However, this man could have said it no better way... And everytime I read this, I can't help but get a lump in my throat.

An old rancher on why he is proud to be a cattleman:

"I have never ranched for the money; it pays more grit than dollars. It is more for the feeling of a rain after a year-long drought, standing in the mud where the pasture was, laughing so loud and hard they could hear me in town. More for the pride of saving a newborn calf's life that even the vet said would not suckle. More for the huge knot that ties in my stomach when walking up to the seller's window at an auction barn. The knowing that the barbed wire scars will fade,

but my cattle blood line could run forever."

Breedin' Some Cows...

I had the most wonderful day today - one that I'm fairly confident only I would think was marvelous.

It is that time of year again - breeding season. However, this year I will have a slightly different one than the past that I am used to. On our research farms at the Foundation we A.I. (Artificially inseminate) all the cows. Today was the first day for A.I. and thank God I got my certification years ago because I got to breed some! [I know, only I would get excited over that...but at home we use natural service (herd bulls) so A.I.ing cattle is something that is a very very rare activity for me] It has been my dream to have our herd at home go to 100% A.I., but time and labor restraints make that nearly impossible... So in a way I guess I got to make-believe today. Haha...

And it is absolutely gorgeous outside - about as beautiful as south central Oklahoma can be anyway, with winds whipping up to 40 mph on a "still" day... (Something I'm still having trouble getting used to) And this day will only get better - my parents flew in from Maryland to Dallas today and they are on their way to see me and spend a few days here! I am so absolutely blessed and at this moment, I couldn't imagine how life could get any better...

"Whatever you do, do it with all of your heart..."

Colossians 3:23

"I do not believe there was any life more attractive to a vigorous young fellow than life on a cattle farm in those days. It was a fine, healthy life, too; it taught a man self-reliance, hardihood, and the value of instant decision... I enjoyed the life to the full."

-Theodore Roosevelt

"Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will, in the end, contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and above all: happiness."

-Thomas Jefferson