Appreciating the experience

This week saw the end of my time in Kansas, where I was based at Kansas State University in the Flint Hills of Kansas for nearly three months. It has been a great opportunity and an important part of my learning experience here in the US. I have enjoyed access to world class educational facilities, passionate and learned professors, and a host of learning resources including K-State's online and physical library database.

One of the best things about this opportunity was being able to step back and assess our beef cattle production business program at home, along with my performance in it. Four months is a long period to take off work and so it was a top priority for me to gain as much from this opportunity as possible. I was able to take the time to look at the way we run our business as a whole, at the way I work as a team member, and also the performance of my section of the business. I'm not sure who originally coined the terms 'working on the business', rather than 'working in the business', but this opportunity has certainly forced me to actively engage in the former.

It hasn't only been what I have gained from a professional perspective which has made this trip so worthwhile. As with any experience in which you're forced outside your comfort zone, this trip has provided a platform for self appraisal. There have been challenges and times when I have doubted myself. There have been times when I have felt shy and wanted desperately to climb into a hole in the ground. There have been many nights when I've cried myself to sleep because I've been so homesick. There are times that made me take a look at myself and who I really want to be. But through those challenges, nothing has come to me more clearly then what it is I want.

And what I want first and foremost, is to be a good person; someone who is thoughtful and kind to others. Who is considerate of and helps those who are less fortunate. A supportive and loyal friend. I want to work hard in our business and enjoy our lifestyle back home, and appreciate what it is we have. To be a strong but kind friend to the animals in my life. And perhaps most importantly, I want to be a generous, fun and loving granddaughter, sister, daughter, sister in law and girlfriend. Because that's what really counts. 

                   With Alex in Oklahoma at the start of our US trip. A better man there is not.

The learning never stops

The past month has given me some great learning opportunities in horse training. The sixth annual A Legacy of Legends held in Fort Worth, Texas was a fantastic event, held to showcase and share the knowledge and legacy of Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance; two men widely credited as promoting horsemanship through trust and understanding rather than through fear and force.

This event was an incredible convention of horsemanship and knowledge. Nine colts were started over a three day period using the methods of Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance. The colts I saw being worked were willing, quick to learn, and supported by the trainers working with them. It was a pleasure to watch horsemanship at that level, and a privilege to learn from horsemen like Buck and Reata Brannaman, former Aussie Wayne Robinson, and Jaton Lord to mention just a few. It is quite astounding to be able to achieve such willingness and subtlety in colts over such a short period of time, and I feel it is a true testament to the work of Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance. 

I also had the opportunity to work for Ben Royal of Ben Royal Cutting Horses in Lockeford, California. For just over a week I worked with Ben at his training facility, loping horses as part of their training regime. I learned such a lot about the finer points of working horses on cattle from watching Ben train the horses, as well as from riding the horses myself. At the professional level of cutting horse training timing and feel are crucially important, and although some would argue that these cannot be taught, I very much refined my own feel and timing through learning from those horses I worked at Ben's. I was even lucky enough to work one of the horses on a heifer, which was an incredible experience.

A big thank you to Ben and Holly Royal, and to all those involved in the 2016 A Legacy of Legends event in Fort Worth. A special thank you to Linda, Kitty, Chilita, EB, Mark, Trav, and Tulenic: the horses who taught me softness again.  

Sustainable agriculture in western Kansas

It's been very interesting taking a brief trip out through western Kansas this week, during a visit to a number of industry facilities. Western Kansas is a traditionally dry landscape, with sandy loam soils and an average annual rainfall in the range of 20 inches. First native range for the roaming buffalo, western Kansas became predominantly cattle country until the advent of groundwater irrigation throughout the region in the early half of the twentieth century, resulting in the widespread use of flood irrigation and then sprinkler irrigation.

Driving through western Kansas now, the majority of farming ground utilises centre pivot groundwater irrigation supported by the Ogallala Aquifer, and although this has allowed generations of farmers to engage in profitable and productive farming, there is growing concern regarding the sustainability of the continued use of this aquifer. Along with this proliferation in commodity crop production over the past century has come availability of feed for widespread lot feeding of cattle and subsequent processing plants for those cattle. Hence, western Kansas consists mostly of cropping, along with lot feeding and processing of cattle as the main agricultural industries.

The sustainability of such agricultural industries is of concern to many stakeholders here in Kansas and the broader United States including primary producers, corporate companies, government, consumers and rural communities, with the potential impact of diminished or depleted water supplies fatal to these industries. Water efficiency has subsequently become an important area of focus for many of these stakeholders with innovation in water technologies continually being developed. It will be interesting to see the inevitable change in water use practices here over the next twenty years. Whether farming and intensive cattle production and processing will still be a part of the western Kansas landscape at that time is anyone's guess.

Ranching success..What is the key?

Well, what a weekend I've had! I had the opportunity to tour a number of family run ranches around Kansas, each of which had received industry recognition for their business successes, and all of whom shared their business, agricultural and personal knowledge with me.

It has always intrigued me what exactly makes a successful agricultural operation. Success of course is a subjective term, and open to interpretation by anyone judging that 'success', but I've always based success in the agricultural setting on production, efficiency and economic growth. The ranches I visited on my recent tour met all of these criteria and had been awarded either at a state or national level for success in their field. So what makes these operations successful?

I think there are common themes shared by these operations, as with the many other successful ranches around the US and the world. Successful business owners share a strong desire to succeed; to achieve beyond what the average operator can achieve, to strive towards clearly defined goals, and be driven to continually improve.

A genuine interest in the industry in which you work is another common element to success. People who love what they do are more likely to apply themselves to working at what they do, and to achieving goals which they have set. Hard work is also a common theme amongst successful ranching operations, and this was certainly the case with each of the businesses I visited over the weekend. Long days and working weekends seem to go with the territory of agricultural success, and it is clear amongst successful ranchers that these 'long hours' are filled with productive work and generally enjoyed by the rancher.

I consider my Dad to be a successful rancher. Sure, he had opportunity as a young man that not everyone has, but he has built on that opportunity and with the support of my Mum has continued to strive for growth, production and efficiency in our commercial Angus business. Dad has always said that consistency is one of the keys to success in agriculture. Working hard day in, day out, year after year is a hard thing to achieve. The easier option is to get side-tracked or distracted or lose enthusiasm, but those who stick with it and strive for consistency in their work ethic and their desire are apt to be more successful in their agricultural ventures.

The challenge now is for me to strive to gain and utilise these attributes to make a successful agricultural business of my own. 

A big 'thank you' to Kirk Sours, Tailgate Ranch Company, Tonganoxie KS, Berry and Carla Bortz, CB Farms, Preston KS, and Melody and John, Mary and Andy McCurry, McCurry Angus, Burrton, KS for hosting me this past weekend. Your kind hospitality and industry knowledge will not be forgotten.

We talk the talk, now let's walk the walk

Last week I attended a two day 'Women Managing the Farm' conference here in Manhattan, Kansas. The conference provided a good platform from which to meet other women working in agriculture, and covered educational content in farming and ranching, along with industry best practice and advice. I enjoyed the two days and met some fantastic women and certainly learned a lot about the agricultural industry here in America. However, with my enthusiasm for this industry event came some sincere disappointment. Disappointment in the constant promotion of women as superior to men in agriculture. Disappointment in the overcompensation apparently necessary to justify such an event. Disappointment in the regularity with which I heard women speak of their expected secondary roles in family businesses. And the reality that the majority of the women I spoke to openly and happily played 'second fiddle' to their male partners.

I spoke with a number of women over the two days; young and old, experienced ranchers and those new to the industry, those working in a partnership and those working for corporates, industry professionals and those keeping the home fires burning. I spoke with a young woman, a passionate teacher, who had to find employment in another area because "there weren't any teaching jobs where my husband was based". I heard a story of a woman who moved to her husband's ranch only to be told on her first day that she should "go inside and make lunch" rather than be out in the paddock fencing; a 'rule' which she subsequently adhered to.

I spoke with a young woman in her mid twenties who showed earnest disappointment in having to leave her job on her family farm because her boyfriend wasn't a farmer. When I asked her how her partner not being a rancher prevented her from continuing in her work she replied, "Well he's not a farmer, and there's no jobs around here so we'll have to move somewhere where he can work in his industry". I was incredulous not that she would make a kind and substantial sacrifice for her partner, but that she would walk away from her rightful and no doubt hard earned position in her family farming business as if she had no option to stay.

Add to this, overhearing a conversation between college students in which they related a regular term used amongst young female agricultural faculty students who claim they attend college to gain an "M.R.S." or "Missus" degree. More simply put, they come to college not to further their educational and vocational skills and prospects but to find a husband so they can marry and not undertake employment.

I'm certainly not against women choosing to take a role in their family other than professional, nor am I against women making the choice to have a secondary, support or 'behind the scenes' role on the farm, but I feel very disappointed when someone gives up their professional aspirations, no questions asked, because that is the expectation. In no way do I mean to diminish the important and central roles of women and mothers as primary caregivers, as 'stay at home' mums, as family matriarchs and as business partners. But I strongly believe that if a woman chooses to be something other than one of those roles, than that is a valid choice which should be accepted and respected. Why should a woman relinquish her professional opportunities at the directive of another?

The conference talked big on women in agriculture and of women being the foundation of the agriculture industry, but I don't believe that to be true. Until I see women making independent choices and gender equality becomes more than just lip-service at a conference, I won't be content to accept the apparent sexism which so many women find legitimate. Nor will I promote the role of women in agriculture as superior to that of men. My hope is that one day, women and men can work side by side in whichever area of agriculture they choose, regardless of their gender, based solely on their ability and performance. In the words of Oprah Winfrey: "Excellence is the best deterrent to sexism".

Blue skies and sunshine prevail in the Flint Hills

Following a very bleak start to my time in Kansas, the broad blue skies and sunshine have finally this week prevailed. That's welcome news to an Aussie girl. Along with the improved weather has come an opportunity to see some of the vast pastures in this part of the world, the Flint Hills of Kansas. Common forage crops and pastures here include alfalfa (Lucerne), seed canary grass (type of phalaris), brome, buffalo grass, Bermuda grass, switch grass, birdsfoot trefoil (type of lotus), orchard grass (Cocksfoot), red clover, forage sorghum, and ryegrass. It's interesting to note that a lot of these plant types are similar to that which we use for livestock forage back in the New England region of NSW, Australia.

Average annual rainfall is also quite similar between the two areas; thirty five inches here in Kansas and thirty three inches back at home. But mean temperatures over the season are significantly different here in Kansas with cooler temperatures and regular snow fall in winter, along with warmer temperatures in summer. Combine that with an elevation of only three hundred metres, compared with just over 1050 metres in Glen Innes, NSW, and that makes for some significant farming and grazing differences between the two locations. But regardless of those differences, beef production principles remain the same.

I've had the opportunity this week to spend some one on one time with one of my lecturers who has given me some real insight into the comparisons and differences between the production and marketing of beef here in the US and in Australia. Being a majority feeder cattle market here in the US there is less grass fed production, but the principles of fertility, longevity and animal health remain crucial regardless of the market in which cattle are destined. Our grass fed system outside of Glen Innes, Australia utilises those very same principles as the crux of our operation.

A close friend asked me before I left Australia what I could learn about beef cattle production in the US that would help me better manage our breeder operation at home. At the time I wasn't sure, but now that I'm here and learning in the US beef industry, I can see how strong the correlation is between beef systems across the world and the fundamental need for efficient, sustainable production.

Feeder market tips

As a visiting student to K-State in Manhattan, Kansas, I'm in the fortunate position of being able to sit in on any classes I choose within the Animal Science and Agronomy faculties. Being centrally focused on equipping myself with plenty of skills I can use back home in Australia I have selected a large and varied group of classes from Beef Systems to Forage Management and Utilisation.

Today in one such class we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to hear Tom Brink speak. Tom is the founder of Top Dollar Angus here in the States, which is a company marketing feeder cattle through genetic verification rather than through the traditional means of physical assessment and weight. The presentation brought forth some very valid points into the future direction of feeder cattle procurement and marketing.

Tom also revised a basic principle of beef cattle production, which is that of producing a healthy animal that will grow and fit the market requirements. Such a simple principle but one which we all should keep in the forefront of our minds as we go about the daily workings of our farms and ranches.