Rain, Snow, Sleet or Hail…Rancher’s Feed without Fail

It seems like all we’ve talked about the past couple of years is the drought and because of that we have experienced some very mild winters.  However, it is shaping up to be much different winter this year.  Just a month or so into what we consider “winter” here in NE Oklahoma, we’ve experienced dramatic temperature swings, episodes of ice and snow and yesterday stared a blustery -6 in the face as we A.I.’ed cows with a wind chill of -20.  Having, said all that, I don’t want it to sound like a complaint for the moisture.  Even the snow we have received has been so dry that you couldn’t even make a good snowball out of it, much less a snowman, which has disappointed young kiddos in the area greatly!

Chopping ice keeps animals with water and from falling through the ice.

But, I think it is important as agriculturalists to really let the public and our consumers, know what it truly means to be a rancher and a caretaker of the land and the four-legged bovines that graze it.  For any of you that have worked an 8 to 5 job in town or for that matter attended public school know that when the weather gets rough, most close unless they are necessary like grocery stores, shopping centers, some government offices, health providers and transportation departments.  And even then, only the necessary employees must report.  If it takes you a little longer to get to work or you need to head out early to beat the refreeze that is typically okay too.  Now, I want to be quick to point out, I don’t want it to sound like I am saying 8 to 5 people shut down, because they don’t.  Many employees take work home with them in anticipation of upcoming weather events. 

But, as much as you may take your work home with you mentally if you’re a rancher, you can’t take it home physically.  You just can’t feed and chop water from the comfort of your living room with a cup of cocoa or coffee.  Just because the weather is bad does not give ranchers a hall pass to stay home.  In fact, it is during those times that we as ranchers work our hardest.  Leading up to the bad weather, when warning is available, we begin by moving cattle to appropriate shelter and putting out extra hay for bedding and for food.  We feed a little heavier, ride pens a little harder trying to stay on top of the health during the inclement weather and once it hits we spend most of our time driving from pasture to pasture and pen to pen making sure the water gets chopped on the ponds, hay is rolled out so that they can bed down appropriately and that they continue to receive the necessary feed to maintain their energy levels.  Extra feed is like a warm bowl of soup to cattle and hay is like putting on a good heavy comforter or quilt on a cold winter’s night when they use it for a layer of bedding between them and the frozen, snow covered ground.

Yesterday was a prime example on how work just does not stop for anything around a ranch.  We set up a group of cows to breed about a month ago for yesterday.  They were all synced to come in heat (or cycle) Monday morning.  Now, it would have been nice to have set at home all weekend and enjoyed the NFL playoffs, but instead knowing what was coming in on Sunday, all our cowboys were out making extra preparations and went ahead and set everything up for the A.I. breed Monday morning on Saturday, leaving nothing to chance.  You see with A.I. breeding, it really makes no difference whether the temperature  is -6 degrees or 110 degrees.  It is a scheduled event and no matter what the elements the show must go on as scheduled.  Now, if you don’t think a few people were vying to be the A.I. tech’s assistant in the breeding box where it is slightly warmer than the outside elements and the wind is blocked off of you, well you would be correct. 

A breeding box controls noise, weather and provides a better environment for  A.I.

Now, it is bitterly cold today and we do have snow on the ground, but this is mild in comparison to the blizzard of 2010, one of the worst in state history in this area.  The news media was pleading with the public to not go out at any cost.  As the snow blew in and the drifts began to build, my husband and I both went to our jobs at the Ranch.  He left myself and our 1 ½ year old son, our daycare was closed as it should have been, at the office to answer the phones and take care of getting things the cowboys needed.  He went out and started around to all the ranch divisions right around Vinita while talking to our two divisions further out in Wann, Okla. and SE Kansas.  At one point the visibility and risk of stranding a cowboy became too great and business was called off for the day, but as soon as the blizzard stopped we each got back out and stared down a daunting list of to dos in very inclement weather.  It was so bad that a piece of heavy equipment staged in town was brought out to get us out of the house so we could return to our daily duties.    As each day passed the roads became more passable and within a few weeks you couldn’t even tell it had been there.  We literally had a 50 degree swing in temperature within three days.

We are not alone in experiencing any of these major winter events or caring for our animals in a similar manner.  We saw Facebook and blog posts from friends and ranchers this weekend all over the Midwest with similar stories, baby calves in back seats of extended and four-door pickups, bathtubs, houses, etc.  Nothing is too unusual to see this time of year and just like you welcome in house guests, we welcome in the four-legged kind.

Hay rolled out for bedding and for grazing purposes.

And yes, owning or running a ranch is a business and cattle are the commodity or the product we produce, however, you can’t shut them down like you can a lumber mill or something else.  And ranchers take this responsibility very personally.   We may not have every hoof on the place named, but many of us have our “favorites” within our herds and we care for these animals just like we do our children to some extent.  And sometimes we fail, just this last fall, we saw a devastating blizzard hit in the Dakota’s earlier than in the past.  Those ranchers through no fault of their own or the weather caster’s for that matter, were simply caught off guard.  This freak event was covered by news media nationwide.  It was devastating to watch our fellow ranchers struggle to get feed to their animals or try to get them out of snow drifts.  Anyone who has raised an animal like that knows the sinking feeling you get when you simply cannot get to them all.  There was a significant loss of cattle during that storm, however, it could have been worse and to add to the blow of that loss was a group of individuals who found fault with the ranchers, not with Mother Nature. 

As you go to the grocery store or as you pull your favorite meal off the grill or out of the oven, think about the coldest, most extreme weather event of recent (for some of you this won’t be hard) and then thank a rancher.  From birth to the point it reaches a consumer's plate, some facet of the beef industry has taken care of that animal for well over 18 to 21 months in wind, snow, sleet and hail.

We would like to personally thank all of our cowboys who work on days like today in freezing temperatures, merciless snow and wind chills, and through the weekend to ensure that our cattle are properly fed and maintained.  We would also like to thank their families for understanding why they go out early and come home late and even many times for their kids and wives that join in on those days and weekends to get the job done.  Ranching is a family affair and it is a way of life. 

Ratcliff Ranches to Host Curt Pate

If you’re throwing a rope, riding a bike or a horse, you know practice makes perfect.  Animal handling is much the same.  With the emphasis of our industry focusing on sustainability from both an environmental and economic standpoint to animal welfare/handling issues, Ratcliff Ranches is proud to have joined with the Oklahoma Beef Council and Boehringer-Ingelheim Vet Medica, Inc. to host Curt Pate.  This two session event will allow for individuals to choose the type of handling they utilize in their own operation and learn from one of the most sought after animal clinicians in the industry.

Both sessions will be hosted Tuesday, December 17, 2013 at Ratcliff Ranches.  The first session will be more geared to individuals who solely handle or gather their animals predominately using a horse.  This event will begin at 10 a.m. at Ratcliff Ranches Temple Grandin Designed facility located northeast of Vinita, Okla. and conclude at 2 p.m. The second session will begin with registration and dinner at 5:30 p.m. at the Ratcliff Ranches sale headquarters located just 2 miles north of Vinita.   A short animal health presentation will be delivered by Boehringer-Ingelheim Vet Medica, Inc. and at 7 p.m. the demonstration and clinic will begin.  This session will focus on handling cattle on foot or by ATV.



Pate on his own ranch working cattle

For more than a decade, Curt Pate has been holding demonstrations and clinics on stockmanship and safety.  His ability to take his knowledge and communicate it to the industry and public has made him a sought after resource both in the US, but also worldwide.  Handling animals in a safe and humane manner doesn’t only make sense from the animal’s welfare perspective, but also from an economic standpoint as well.  By handling animals in a safe and humane manner throughout their life makes input costs less and makes them easier to process, work and move.

Pate’s personal experience incorporates effective stockmanship principles that supports a “for profit” mindset and focuses on the increased economic benefits of handling stock correctly. 

This philosophy mirrors that of Ratcliff Ranches and its Chief Executive Officer Heath Kohler.  “We (Ratcliff Ranches) are really focused on doing things the right way.  In fact, we made it a priority to contact the local extension office and the Oklahoma Beef Council to offer a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Certification workshop in our area,” said Kohler.  In October, Kohler had all current day help along with the Ranch division managers attend and achieve BQA certification. 

“I feel this workshop is the next step after BQA certification for our operation.  By adding another layer to our handling/processing skills, we can demonstrate to the public and the consumer that we are focused on producing a quality product as humanely and efficiently as possible,” said Kohler.  In addition, Kohler also stated he felt “Ratcliff Ranches has a responsibility as neighbors and as fellow cattlemen to offer our facilities through this partnership with Boehringer-Ingelheim Vet Medica, Inc. and the Oklahoma Beef Council so that others can have this same opportunity to improve their handling skills.”



Pate teaches a variety of techniques for moving cattle on foot or on horse/ATV

While at a meeting with herd veterinarian Dr. Clint Gardner, Pryor Veterinary Hospital and Kara Jett, Cattle Territory Manager, Boehringer-Ingelheim Vet Medica, Inc., Kohler and the group discussed the need for this type of opportunity in this area.  This discussion resulted in the idea to have a sponsored event similar to that offered at Joplin Regional Stockyards for individuals in NE Oklahoma and the four-state region of Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas who would like to attend.

Dr. Clint Gardner, who sees cattle on a daily basis in his practice and out on farm/ranch calls sees first-hand the difference in how animals are handled and how that effects the health of the animal.  “Proper cattle handling is paramount from a cattle stress standpoint.  Stress is directly correlated to respiratory disease and disease in general, for that matter,” said Dr. Gardener.  In addition, he notes “cattle that are handled properly are not only more productive, but are simply safer to be around.”

This cooperative sponsored event by the Oklahoma Beef Council, Boehringer-Ingelheim Vet Medica, Inc. and Ratcliff Ranches is truly a unique opportunity for the producers in the area.  We encourage everyone who can to attend.  The knowledge and skills you will have the opportunity to leave with our numerous and will pay dividends to your bottom line and to the health and safety of you and your herd.

This event is free to the public and industry, however, to ensure enough seating and food, the sponsors request you RSVP to attend.  To RSVP, for more information or directions, contact Kim Kohler by phone at 918-244-8022 or by e-mail at kim@ratcliffranch.com.

Ratcliff Ranches Hosts 10th Annual Customer Appreciation Sale in Conjunction with their Fall Production Sale

You couldn’t have asked for nicer weather or for a better crowd on November 9, 2013 at the Ratcliff Ranches sale headquarters just north of Vinita, Okla.  The crowd was full of seasoned customers and cattlemen, but also had a crowd of younger and new to the industry cattlemen as well.  The Ranch sold nearly 75 Angus and SimAngus bulls, both heifer bulls and production oriented bulls to the crowd.  In addition the Ranch and its customer consignors, Fryin’ Pan Angus Ranch, Pawhuska, Okla; Irwin Cattle Co., Oswego, Kansas.; Lazy K Cattle Company, Bluejacket, Okla; and new consignor Jimmie Hollanback of Jay, Okla.; sold nearly 800 head of females and their offspring through the sale ring to a crowd of ready  to restock cattle producers.



Matt Caldwell and Jeff Hallowell taking bids during sale.

The sale grossed $1.71 million and sold 870 head of cattle in just a little shy of 3 ½ hours. The auction, always quick paced thanks to Auctioneer Matt Sims and the Ratcliff Ranch crew, was more than Ratcliff Ranches CEO Heath Kohler had hoped for.  Going into the sale it was a given that with many areas less drought-stricken than recent years and with the input costs coming down for feeding animals in the near future that folks were looking to restock.  Thoughts were heifer bulls would be in high demand and with producers looking to add spring bred heifers due to carrying costs these ladies would also be right up there.

The females were in high demand and were steady from start to finish.

However, the market was definitely exciting and unprecedented for recent years.  The Angus bulls, both the yearlings and the 18-month-olds, averaged $3460 while the SimAngus bulls, often used for hybrid-vigor, were also in demand and averaged $4538 per bull.  The bull sale grossed $272,350.00.  Ratcliff Ranches offered fall first-calving heifer pairs as well as some mature fall calving cow-calf pairs.  The first calf heifer pairs averaged $2678/pair and the mature cow offering averaged $2563/pair.  Ratcliff Ranches also consigned over 280 head of spring bred heifers that averaged $2164/head.  These females will begin calving in February and end in April. 

“I was very humbled at our Fall Bull sale by the packed house actively and aggressively bidding on a set of quality replacement females, with a strong demand for both breds and pairs and for the high demand for quality genetics with proven performance during this rebuilding stage of our industry,”  said Ratcliff Ranches Chief Executive Officer Heath Kohler.  “As we go forward, Ratcliff Ranches along with our customer consignors, look forward to being an integral part of the rebuilding efforts of the cattle producers in our region.  It is an opportunity we all have within this industry to challenge ourselves to genetically engineer quality cattle at an extreme efficiency level for the ups and downs in the markets,” he further remarked.

Ratcliff Ranch Customer consignor's didn’t have any problem finding a buyer in the crowd for their spring breds as well. These ladies averaged $2153/head.  Their mature cow-calf pairs averaged $2334/pair.   

The stands were full and the bidding quick on November 9th.

The Ranch also consigned some mature spring bred cows for those not wanting to calve out heifers next spring.  They averaged $2022/head and ranged in age from 3-7 years of age. 

The sale concluded with a semi load of Ratcliff Ranches fall open heifers that were ready to breed.  In fact, those ladies recently left and have already been set up for a scheduled A.I. at the end of the month.  The open heifers averaged $1384/head.

The top selling bull, RRJS Upgrade 233Z, sold for $10,000 and the next three top selling bulls averaged over $8834/head.  All four bulls were purchased by long-time Ratcliff Ranch Customers Mike and Beth Perkins, Lee Harris Farms, of Bentonville, Ark.  The top ten buyers of bulls and females included: Ashwood, Jenks, OK; Clyde Thomas, Jay Ok.; Hartley Cattle, Ada, OK; Coal Investments, Miami, OK; Cattlemen’s Choice, Paola, KS; Yazel Cattle Co., Kiowa, KS; Riddle Farms LLC, Cape Fair, MO; Argene Clanton, Vinita, OK; Newton’s RR Ranch, Gentry, AR; and Blackjack Farms, LLC, Seminole, OK. 

Ratcliff Ranches runs over 4,000 head of registered Angus, commercial Angus, registered SimAngus, commercial SimAngus and F1 Hereford Angus Cows on 28,000 acres.  The Ranch also producers a large number of registered bulls for in-herd use and for customers.   Ratcliff Ranches is proud to participate in various reproductive studies with Genex and the University of Missouri to advance not only its herd but the herds of other cattlemen in the US through its participations in these large scale studies.

For more information on future Ratcliff Ranch sales or genetics see our website at www.ratcliffranches.com or contact Heath Kohler at 918-244-8025 or by e-mail at heath@ratcliffranch.com. 

 

Videos Available of American Royal Simmental Sale Lots...These Ladies sell Nov. 2nd!

Ratcliff Ranches has consigned four really, fancy show heifer prospects at the American Royal Simmental Sale.  This sale will be held Friday, November 2nd at 6 p.m. in the Wagstaff Sale Center at the American Royal.

Lot 13 RRJS Miss Upgrade 205Y is one you will really fall in love with.  She is a well-made female that combines bone, muscle and power in a very feminine package.  She has a great disposition, which is a real plus for a junior show person.  She has has had two outs this fall at the Missouri State Fair and the Iowa State Fair where she placed high both times in her class/division.  She drew a lot of attention at both shows due to her super-cool phenotype.  She is out of RR Lady 3403, one of our donors that always has the top-selling lots in our sale.  Her bulls have been awesome and her females have went on to win in the show ring and made great donors themselves.



Lot 14 RRJS Miss Upgrade 708Y is a purebred Simmental female who is the complete package.  She will not disappoint when you see her in person.  A long-skeleton female with lots of power and rib shape.  She is super-sound on the move.  If you're looking for a heifer to be a force to reckon with in the show ring and make a great donor one day, this one just might be for you!



Lot 15 RRJS Miss Upgrade 704Y is an October female and is full of donor potential.  She has a powerful pedigree with Upgrade as her sire and the well known RR Miss Morrision 8020 donor cow from Ratcliff Ranch.  She is moderate in size, feminine made but with the muscle and depth of body that anyone would like to see standing in their front pasture.




Lot 31 RRJS Miss Steel 203Z is a spring born heifer out of Steel Force.  She has all the right pieces to be a successful show heifer.  She is sound, deep-sided and has a cool front.  She has the phenotype to put you in the front of the class at any breed or jackpot show in the spring.  Her look will even compete against the tough cross bred heifers.
 
If you attend in person, please be sure to look up Utopia Genetics for any additional questions you have on these females or feel free to contact Heath at 918-244-8025.

Finishing Touches...

The leaves are turning, the air is thinking about being crisp in the morning and with all of this seasonal change, it is time to get in high gear for the upcoming sale.  The sale catalog will be mailed the middle of next week to our mailing list.  If you're not on it and you would like to be, simply shoot us an e-mail at heath@ratcliffranch.com and we'll get you added.

You're going to like what you see in the catalog.  We have an outstanding set of 45 Angus and 21 SimAngus bulls out of leading sires like Grass Master, Bismarck, Broadside, Grand Torino and Frontman.  The SimAngus offering is no slouch either with an awesome lead-off bull out of donor cow RR Idessa 3651 and Upgrade.  Make sure you pay attention to Lot 50, he is quite possibly the best half-blood bull offered to date here at RR.  The SimAngus sires include Upgrade, Steel Force and the first two Frog bulls every sold at auction at Ratcliff Ranches.  Many of these bulls are out of great donors like the Camilla family, Idessa Family and the Ruth family that Ratcliff Ranch is so well-known for.  In addition, we are introducing a few new donor cows to our auction line-up.  These ladies will be producing bulls for Ratcliff Ranches and our sale for years to come.  The offering includes low-birth weight bulls as well as bulls with high-growth potential.  There is truly something for everyone!

The female offering won't disappoint either!  We're offering nearly 850+ head.  Ratcliff Ranches is consigning 150 Fall 1st calf pairs, many A.I. sired calves by Right answer.  These calves will be selling SAV through IMI Global; 40 Fall pairs (3-Yr.-Old to 8-Yr.-Old); 400 Spring bred heifers, many with A.I. service; 150 3-Year-Old to 4-Year old spring calving cows; 40 Angus Cows (4-Yr.-Old to 7-Yr.-Old - papers optional); And open heifers.

There will be a generous offering of Steel Force daughters and granddaughters in the sale.

Videos will be available online soon as well.  The guys are shooting the female videos today.

Ratcliff Ranch “Right off the Ranch” Spring Production Sale Exceeds $1 M

Ratcliff Ranch’s Spring Production Sale featuring nearly 50 bulls and over 450 females, some with calves at side brought in a little over $1 million in sales during the Saturday April 6th sale.

The much-needed inch of rain didn’t dampen the spirit of the customers in attendance, even with a 15-minute rain delay of sale. The sale was speedy and lasted a little shy of two hours. Auctioneer Matt Sims of MCS Auction, kept the crowds hands high and often, especially during the spring calving pairs and heavy springers.

The high selling bull, RR Pioneer 0517 out of the great Shady Brook Ruth donor cow, rang the bell at $10,000 and sold to Fryin’ Pan Angus Ranch in Pawhuska, Okla. The 47 bulls averaged a little shy of $4,200; the SimAngus bulls averaged nearly $4,600.00/head.

“The demand for 18-month old SimAngus bulls was evident as they held high through almost the entire SimAngus sale,” Ratcliff Ranch Manager Heath Kohler said.

Hands down the most in demand and highest garnered offering were the spring calving cow-calf pairs and the heavy springers. With nearly one-third left to calve out the group averaged nearly $2,800 and the highest lots sold for $3,100 per cow/calf pair.

After just coming out of a drought in most of the region and not very much vegetation guaranteed this year, the price of our spring calving females was hard to believe. “It just made me wish we had consigned more spring pairs,” Kohler jokingly stated after coming off the sale block.

The ranch also offered a set of fall bred heifers ultrasound safe in calf (by sex) to its customers. This offering was a part of a study that the Ranch participated in with Genex and the University of Missouri. These 18-month-old heifers averaged $1,572/head and the open ready-to-breed heifers averaged $1,224/head.

“This is one of the best sets of commercial spring calving cows we have offered at our sale to our customers,” Ratcliff Ranch Owner Jim Ratcliff stated. “At 78, it is nice to have a set of cows sell that well following a drought and it speaks to the value of females in your herd at this time.”

The top 10 buyers at the sale, which was made up of both bulls and commercial female purchasers, were Stonehill Farms, Miami, Okla.; Gray Oaks Ranch, Wagoner, Okla; Wilmoth & Sons, Mt. Vernon, MO.; Motley Ranch, Drexel, MO; Fenske Farms, Monett, MO; Chris Harrall, Springdale, Ark; John Alleman, Quapaw, Okla.; Downing Cattle, Grove, Okla.; Jeffers Cattle Co., Wagoner, Okla.; and Dixon Cattle Company, Paola, Kan.

Ratcliff Ranch Partners with Genex and University of Missouri in Study

Ratcliff Ranch partnered a few months ago with Genex and the University of Missouri in a sexed semen study. Females were A.I.’d to sexed semen at Mark Yazel Cattle, the growyard used to develop Ratcliff Ranch replacements, and at Ratcliff Ranches’ Blackwell facility, just outside of Vinita.

The motivation behind the study came from Ranch Manager Heath Kohler’s interest in the Genex 14-day Cidr protocol. After talking with Stan Lock at Genex in depth about the protocol, Stan mentioned that the University of Missouri was looking to do a study in sexed semen. After some discussion, this intrigued Heath as well as Jim Ratcliff.

“A.I. is really the only way to utilize the best genetics out there,” said Heath Kohler, “Working with Stan and the rest of the Genex crew made it effortless.”

Kohler pointed out that he just guided Stan and his crew in the direction of the cattle to be bred and gave minimum instruction. The chute-side services portion offered by Genex ran smooth, the paper work was in great order and couldn’t have been a better experience.

To find out more about the chute side services offered by Genex or to hear more about this experience and more on Ratcliff Ranch and our operation check out the video on youtube at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KffbHTugpGc

The results of the study will be recapped on our website at a later date. Pregnancy checks were just conducted and are currently being inputted into the study.

For more information on Ratcliff Ranch or this study, please contact Heath Kohler at 918.244.8025.