MANAGEMENT

Springtime is thunderstorm season across the Plains. Spring storms occasionally bring severe winds or even tornadoes. Cleaning up after a severe storm is difficult enough. Losing valuable cattle brings additional financial hardship to the situation.

The term “ranch hand” might conjure images of an old Western movie, but modern ranches are also employers. Management of human resources is as important as management of land and cattle. However, common business practices of employee evaluation and motivation may not fit into the mold of employment on a ranch.

The dollar-beef ($B) index helps cattlemen select for cattle that perform and grade. Megan Rolf, Oklahoma State University animal scientist, discusses how to use such selection indexes effectively. This video news is provided by Certified Angus Beef LLC and the American Angus Association. Visit www.CABpartners.com or www.angus.org for more information.

Retaining the calf crop adds value to segmented industry

Cattlemen wage their own chess game with the industry every day, planning strategies to counteract what’s happening with the weather, market demand or increasing costs.

Currently, I am a member of South Dakota Agricultural Rural Leadership (SDARL) program – Class VII.

SDARL was initiated 15 years ago with the goal of assisting program participants in gaining the vision, knowledge, confidence and commitment necessary to assume leadership roles in South Dakota’s agricultural industry.

This goal is accomplished through a 55-day intensive educational program spanning over 18 months, including both classroom and field experiences.

In this article, we focus on the most indispensable part of any industry – beef, agriculture, any business. I am talking about customers of farmers – consumers of food. It is important to remember that no business can exist without customers that purchase its products or services.