Livestock Education

Livestock Extension Agent: Fara Currim

Current Program Emphasis:

• Calf Crop Percentage Increase
  
• Bull Production and Upgrades
  
• Early Weaning
  
• Marketing Alternatives
  
• Efficacy of Llamas as Guards for Calving Herds
  
• Foreign Animal Disease Response and Surveillance
  
• Animal Welfare
  
• Pasture Rental Guide
  
• Warm Springs Stockman's Newsletter

The Warm Springs Livestock Industry

The Warm Springs Indian Reservation encompasses 1,000 square miles in north-central Oregon. The Cascade Mountains unravel eastward onto an open plain of native bunchgrass and juniper to the Deschutes River which forms the eastern border. There are approximately 3500 individual tribal members who call Warm Springs home. Of these, about 500 are livestock owners. Indian producers have used traditional "Old West" style methods of beef production, and also manage a significant number of feral horses on the reservation.

Both animal welfare and sustainability considerations are now vital in beef production and for beef producers. Not only is sustainability an indicator of sound environmental practices, it is also an indicator of healthy economic practices for beef producers. Oregon State University Extension works to integrate modern beef production techniques, keeping animal welfare in mind, with traditional animal ranching methods.
There are currently 2000 mother cows and approximately 3500 horses across the 660,000 acres of the reservation-proper. Cattle are turned out onto the rangelands in early March, to take advantage of early-maturing annual grasses. Weaning generally takes place in October when the cattle are gathered and driven back to the "home base", that of the individuals and families.

The reservation is divided topographically into six separate grazing districts, with each district determining its own pasture rotations, roundups, and stewardship. District meetings are held on an annual basis to discuss fencing, salting stations, and importantly, water.

Welfare of Beef Cattle and Calves

Concern among consumers about how food animals are treated, cared-for and, ultimately, dispatched for conversion into meat, has increased dramatically in the past 7 years. Some animal rights organizations have mounted campaigns that have resulted in the restaurant chains setting animal welfare standards for those who supply them with meat, poultry, dairy and egg products. Emboldened by their successes, these groups have now targeted other corporations to demand excessive reforms.

In an effort to deflect undue criticisms and to promote proper livestock welfare, ranchers must be prudent in caring for, and handling, calves to assure that the animals in their charge are not subjected to inhumane circumstances or conditions. Although it has not been scientifically documented, it is reasonable to believe that happy animals would be more productive than unhappy animals. It has been documented that slaughter cattle that are stressed, just prior to harvest, are more likely to produce dark-colored and tough beef, and may shed more pathogens (Voisenet et al., 1997). Diligence in animal welfare may, someday, generate monetary rewards for producers but, for now, it should at least comfort consumers that the beef they purchase has been produced properly.

Pastures and grazing lands for cattle are managed to provide adequate nutrition for breeding herds and calves. Water is provided and supplemental feed is supplied as needed, depending on weather and other conditions. Assistance and increased care, feed and shelter are provided as needed at the time calves are born. After weaning, calves are transferred to other pastures or are sent to feeding operations. At all stages, professional health care procedures are followed.

Any suffering inflicted upon an animal by a producer, any attempt to violate or work against their natures, work just as much against the producers’ interests as against the interests of the animals. With the exception of relatively short-term affronts such as castration and branding, then, traditional agriculture involves an implicit contract between human and animal, still reflected in the ethics of the traditional extensive ranchers with whom I spend a great deal of time—“I take care of the animals, the animals take care of me” —which is both a prudent and an ethical maxim. The Warm Springs rancher can still consider himself a traditional rancher while proudly practicing his profession in the modern world.

Proper and appropriate practices help in animal identification and record-keeping; in enhancing reproductive control; in preventing injury of one animal by another; in controlling aggressive, possibly harmful behavior; and/or in satisfying consumer preferences regarding taste. The relatively small amount of short-term discomfort pales when compared to the long-term benefit to the animals.

Animals that receive proper care are the most productive (Grandin 1993). If beef producers are going to stay in business and remain on their ranches, they must be efficient producers, which requires proper feeding, health maintenance, care and handling. Furthermore, cattle producers continue to adopt methods for improving those efficiencies.

Statement of Principles

Cattle producers are united in their commitment to the proper and humane care of animals, and have reaffirmed that commitment through the official NCBA Statement of Principles adopted by the Warm Springs Range and Ag Committee. Through their statement, cattle producers affirm: I believe in the humane treatment of farm animals and in continued stewardship of all natural resources; I believe my cattle will be healthier and more productive when good husbandry practices are used; I believe that my and future generations will benefit from my ability to sustain and conserve natural resources; I will support research efforts directed toward more efficient production of a wholesome food supply; I believe it is my responsibility to produce a safe and wholesome product; I believe it is the purpose of food animals to serve mankind, and it is the responsibility of all human beings to care for animals in their charge.

Summary

livestock producers on the Warm Springs Reservation are indeed proud of their identity as Western ranchers. They have little quarrel with the ethic of animal welfare. Indeed, the new ethic is the traditional ethic of care and husbandry expressed in a new language. The challenge to all stockmen, who carry the ethic within them, is not to resist and combat the new ethic for animals, for they will not win. Rather, they must learn to incorporate it into their enterprise with the help of research and relevant information that acknowledges and respects the patent truth that consumers care about how food animals are treated, and that beef animals, properly handled and managed, are more productive.

References

Grandin, T., 1993. Teaching principles of behavior and equipment design for handling livestock. Journal of Animal Science (71):1065-1070

Voisinet, B.D., T. Grandin, J. D. Tatum, S. F. O'Connor, and J. J. Struthers, 1997. Feedlot cattle with calm temperaments have higher average daily gains than cattle with excitable temperaments. Journal of Animal Science (75): 892-896