Explore every episode of the podcast Cattle Conversations
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increase Cattle Exposure on Sale Day with AtTheYards | 28 sept. 2026 | 00:22:24 | |
This week, Shaye welcomes back Jacob Sebade, founder of AtTheYards and part of a 6,000-head family feedyard in Emerson, Nebraska, and Jim Akers, COO of the Bluegrass Livestock Marketing Network in Kentucky, about maximizing cattle exposure through better pre-sale information. They explain how the AtTheYards app helps sale barns collect standardized consignment details, videos, documents, and health/genetic info and publish upcoming lots so buyers can find cattle, filter by criteria, contact the right barn representative, and connect with order buyers. Jim uses the app across seven barns to enter cattle in the field via smartphones, generate clean standardized sale sheets, and notify buyers earlier, including Sunday arrivals. The app offers buyer accounts, watchlists, and email alerts. They discuss value-driving questions such as weaning length (often 60+ days), open heifer guarantees, specific vaccine protocols, implants, and nutrition. This conversation shows that AtTheYards isn’t just for marketing feeder cattle. It also serves seedstock producers and the Cattleman’s Corner feature provides easy to analyze graphs about market prices, packer leverage and the market wire. This new business model is exciting for sectors of the beef industry. It is available today at app.AtTheYards.com or in the App Store and Google Play. Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
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| Choosing to Ranch Differently: Holistic Grazing and Cattle Management | 21 sept. 2026 | 00:25:00 | |
This week, Shaye Wanner interviews Shane Maddock of Mattock Ranches about holistic/regenerative management, shaped by his father’s practices since 1992. Shane describes their North Dakota commercial cow-calf operation with backgrounding, yearlings, heifer development, and some row crops and small grains near Maddock. He explains rebuilding degraded soils by reducing reliance on outside inputs through frequent moves, adequate rest and full grass recovery, and adaptive grazing based on pasture conditions. Shane shares unconventional infrastructure like permanent fencing and water tanks placed in the middle of cropland to enable winter grazing, bale grazing, and flexible feeding. After initially seeding diverse cover crops, he shifted to perennials and now plans a sod-based crop rotation with renewed cover cropping. He is composting feedlot manure and experimenting with compost tea to boost soil biology. Key challenges include labor, infrastructure setup, and profitability, and he urges ranchers to question tradition and find mentors. Learn more about Performance Livestock Analytics here: https://bit.ly/47PxY3W Learn more about Ambrook here: ambrook.com/casualcattle Learn more about Elanco here: https://farmanimal.elanco.com/us/beef Learn more about Corteva here: RangeAndPasture.com/CattleConversations
00:47 Meet Shane Maddock 01:22 Why Regenerative Matters 02:28 Operation Overview 04:10 Growing Up Holistic 05:21 Grazing Principles Basics 06:25 Cover Crops to Perennials 08:02 Neighbors Think You're Crazy 09:05 Adaptive Grazing Decisions 10:30 Rest and Recovery Cues 11:07 Water Tanks in Cropland 13:58 Winter Grazing Setup 15:04 Virtual Fencing Curiosity 16:18 Compost and Tea Trials 19:00 Learning Resources and Soil 21:06 Challenges and Profitability
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| Warning: Take These Cybersecurity Precautions This Fall | 14 sept. 2026 | 00:19:26 | |
This week, Shaye welcomes back Chris Sherman, CEO of Tech Support Farm, to discuss fall cybersecurity and fraud threats facing farms and ranches. Sherman highlights RFID tag swapping in cattle sales, emphasizing vigilance and real-time verification to prevent animals being sold at incorrect values. He also warns that busy seasons increase bank fraud and vendor-payment scams, advising producers to verify payment changes and urgent requests by phone, watch for spoofed emails, and use simple email folder rules to flag fake invoices. If a bad link is clicked or money is sent, he recommends contacting a cybersecurity provider, reporting significant losses via the FBI’s IC3, and carrying cyber insurance. He notes commercial accounts often have only 24 hours to dispute fraudulent transactions and suggests tools like Positive Pay, along with MFA/2FA, strong passwords, and paid domain email for better protection. You can learn more about what Chris offers at https://techsupport.farm/.
Learn more about Performance Livestock Analytics here: https://bit.ly/47PxY3W Learn more about Ambrook here: ambrook.com/casualcattle Learn more about Elanco here: https://farmanimal.elanco.com/us/beef Learn more about Corteva here: RangeAndPasture.com/CattleConversations
00:00 Risk Meets Cybersecurity 01:14 Meet Chris Sherman 02:37 Fall Threats Overview 04:03 RFID Tag Swapping 06:00 Busy Season Bank Fraud 08:22 If You Clicked Or Paid 12:27 Ponzi Schemes Due Diligence 14:15 Harvest Season Digital Hygiene 15:52 Passwords And Paid Email 16:25 Year End Vigilance Wrap Up
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| Fall Weed Control Strategies for Grazing and Hay Acres | 07 sept. 2026 | 00:23:02 | |
Today on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye interviews Corteva pasture specialist, Rachel Walker, about prioritizing fall weed control to maximize usable forage and extend grazing days. Walker explains that winter-emerging weeds like plantain, thistles, and poison hemlock should be treated in fall when young, using options such as DuraCor and UltiGraze. She describes DuraCor’s two-actives approach and notes grazing is allowed, with hay sales restrictions depending on state. They discuss why weed control matters in drought and for preventing livestock losses to toxic plants, and how improved control can reduce hay feeding and enable adding diverse grasses and clover. Walker recommends frequent soil testing and taking advantage of free forage testing, and adds fall brush control timing guidance. Learn more about Corteva solutions here: RangeAndPasture.com/CattleConversations Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 00:00 Fall Weed Control Urgency 01:10 Meet Rachel Walker 02:43 Drought and Hay Outlook 04:07 Grazing Longer Into Winter 06:19 Targeting Winter Weeds 10:21 Why Weed Control Matters 14:09 UltiGraze and Soil Testing 16:39 Forage Testing and Nutrition 18:23 Clover Integration With NovaGraze 20:16 Brush Control Timing
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| Fall Calving and Herd Health | 04 sept. 2026 | 00:45:37 | |
This week, Shaye interviews Dr. Robin Faulkner, a veterinarian with decades of beef industry experience, about fall calving systems and herd health. Faulkner outlines why fall calving can add value by spreading calf supply to better match year-round packing capacity and by producing more mature fall-born bulls, while noting location-specific challenges.
He emphasizes aligning calving with weather “thermal neutral” windows to reduce stress, disease risk, and negative fetal programming, and highlights nutrition as the key constraint for rebreeding when forage quality declines into winter. He advocates proactive, season-ahead management: forage testing, equipment readiness, calving kits, and facility preparation. On vaccines, he stresses tailoring protocols to handling and marketing constraints, using vaccination and weaning to improve marketability, and timing products to their effective protection windows, including pre-calving scour vaccines for colostrum immunity.
He discusses fall fly pressure and timing fly control to vulnerability periods, and urges responsible treatment and stewardship of insecticides, dewormers, and antibiotics to preserve efficacy.
Learn more at https://farmanimal.elanco.com/us/beef
Learn more about Noble here: https://bit.ly/3DD7uG0
Learn more about Vence here: https://bit.ly/4kfWrCG
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
00:00 Fall Calving Kickoff
01:18 Meet Dr. Faulkner
03:15 Why Calve in Fall
06:06 Weather Stress Window
09:50 Nutrition and Rebreeding
12:44 Pre Calving Prep
17:35 Vaccines for Value
23:20 Vaccine Timing Matters
29:42 Fly Control Strategy
32:46 Treatment Stewardship
42:45 Observe and Adapt | |||
| BRD Prevention and Treatement for Ranchers and Feeders | 24 août 2026 | 00:28:51 | |
Today on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye talks with veterinarian Dr. Paige Schmidt-Rios about bovine respiratory disease (BRD), its impact across the cattle supply chain, and key prevention strategies for ranchers. Dr. Paige explains BRD (also called pneumonia or shipping fever) as a complex syndrome involving multiple viruses and bacteria, often triggered when stress and environment compromise immunity; she lists common pathogens and notes BRD is a major cause of post-weaning illness. They discuss treatment limits, including supportive care for viral cases and five antibiotic classes for bacterial pneumonia, highlighting mycoplasma’s lack of a cell wall and fluoroquinolone restrictions, plus the role and timing of diagnostics and the need for a VCPR. Prevention focuses on colostrum within 12 hours, clean/dry calving environments, proper vaccine handling, and timely boosters, including considerations around preconditioning versus vaccinating at weaning. Learn more about Noble here: https://bit.ly/3DD7uG0 Learn more about Vence here: https://bit.ly/4kfWrCG Learn more abou Elanco here: https://farmanimal.elanco.com/us/beef Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 01:16 4-H Memories 03:09 What BRD Really Is 06:45 Mycoplasma Spotlight 08:01 Treatment Options 11:09 Diagnostics And Timing 12:59 Vet Partnership And Management 16:29 Prevention Starts At Birth 20:00 Vaccines And Boosters 22:11 Weaning And Preconditioning 24:32 Prevention Recap And Supply Chain
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| Artificial Intelligence: Is It Benefitting Ranchers? | 17 août 2026 | 00:21:03 | |
This week, Shaye Wanner interviews Haley Potter from the Ambrook team about how artificial intelligence can support ranch profitability and long-term continuity when used responsibly. Potter, who has North Dakota ranching roots and splits time between ranches in Dell and Alder, Montana, says AI fits best for producers who need help with information gathering and admin tasks while keeping humans in control of decisions and fact-checking outputs. She shares examples such as using Claude to summarize bull sale catalogs based on EPD parameters, building grazing plans, and analyzing financials for expansion scenarios, plus customer examples like an AI-assisted ordering/lead tool for direct-to-consumer beef and a “ranch command center” dashboard. Potter explains Ambrook’s AI-assisted bookkeeping features (tagging, invoice matching, receipt scanning) and emphasizes data quality, transparency, and privacy, including choosing trusted services and requiring approval for data use. See what Ambrook can do for your operation here: ambrook.com/casualcattle Learn more about Noble here: https://bit.ly/3DD7uG0 Learn more about Vence here: https://bit.ly/4kfWrCG
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| Making Virtual Fence Cost Effective for Ranchers | 10 août 2026 | 00:30:44 | |
This week on the Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast, Shaye interviews Jay and Cheyenne Smith, cattle producers on Idaho’s eastern edge near the Montana border, about adopting Vence virtual fencing and coordinating with neighboring permittees to make it cost-effective. After the 2022 Moose Fire and grazing restrictions, they partnered with the University of Idaho and worked with BLM and the Forest Service to implement virtual fencing on rugged public-land range; five permittees now use shared base stations while owning separate collars.
They discuss early hesitations about data being used against producers, onboarding lessons about placing fences to match natural cattle trails, and management gains including fewer emergency rides, more schedulable work, improved utilization control, and more efficient gathers. Virtual fencing enabled their shift from winter to fall calving by keeping cattle positioned to come home, reducing labor needs, and providing movement data useful for investigating events like wolf predation or other disturbances.
Learn more about Vence here: https://bit.ly/4kfWrCG
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
00:00 Virtual Fence Neighbors
01:08 Meet the Smiths
01:34 Ranch and Grazing Setup
04:05 Fire Sparks Adoption
07:02 Getting Neighbors Onboard
09:32 Workload and Riding Changes
11:43 Sharing Towers and Data
14:14 Training and Fence Design
18:01 Better Utilization and Plans
19:15 Fall Calving Made Possible
22:33 Costs and Quality of Life
25:23 Wolves and Movement Clues
27:35 Next Generation Buy In
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| Extended Grazing Seasons Do's and Dont's | 03 août 2026 | 00:19:56 | |
This week, Shaye sits down with Chance, a ranch manager at the Noble Research Institute, about extending grazing seasons to cut winter feeding and hay costs. Chance describes Noble’s 5,100-acre native-grass operation running about 200 cows, using intensive rotational grazing (moving daily to every few days) and aiming to remove only the top third to half of forage during the growing season so enough standing grass remains for winter. He stresses producers often plan too late, and recommends measuring pasture forage monthly to guide stocking decisions, destocking, or hay purchasing. Winter management includes protein supplementation (cubes/cake) for four to five months and occasional hay during heavy snow. They discuss other options such as cover crops (noting weather risk), rye winter pasture, crop residue grazing, and bale grazing/unrolling or pre-unwrapped bales to improve soil and return nutrients. Learn more about resources from the Noble Research Institute here: http://noble.org/find-a-course Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com 00:00 Cutting Input Costs 00:10 Meet Shay and Chance 01:31 Why Extend Grazing 02:05 Noble Ranch System 02:37 Summer Grazing Plan 04:51 Rotation and Calving Setup 06:42 When to Move Cattle 08:43 Stocking and Weather Limits 10:23 Cover Crops and Rye 12:14 Bale Grazing Methods 14:53 Put Nutrients Back | |||
| Making Ranches Investible for Your Family | 27 juil. 2026 | 00:15:29 | |
This week, Shaye Wanner welcomes Chris Rawley of Harvest Returns to discuss what makes ranches “investable” and why it matters for operators seeking outside investors or bank financing to expand herds, land, or infrastructure. Raleigh explains Harvest Returns’ model of pooling investor capital and investing as a single partner via loans, notes, or equity, and says investable operations have a solid plan, clear financial statements, defined marketing/sales strategy, and a realistic path to investor returns. He outlines that key first steps include transparency and documentation across complex land and entity structures, accurate balance sheets reflecting assets and debts, and building a team for missing functions like finance, bookkeeping, accounting, and sales. Common mistakes include poor herd tracking/accountability (amid “phantom cattle” scams) and attempting to raise public capital without proper SEC-compliant legal help. Raleigh emphasizes getting herd and financial numbers in order, including hiring professionals. Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 00:00 Is Your Ranch Investible 01:24 Meet Chris Rawley 01:33 Why Investability Matters 02:38 What Harvest Returns Does 04:56 Investible Ranch Checklist 07:50 First Steps to Improve 09:30 Building the Right Team 11:09 Common Mistakes to Avoid 13:20 Raising Capital Legally | |||
| Economics of Developing and Reselling Heifers | 20 juil. 2026 | 00:38:39 | |
This week, Shaye Wanner interviews NDSU livestock development specialist Jon Biermacher about the economics of buying weaned/backgrounded heifers in spring, breeding them, and selling them about a year later as long-bred heifers or as pairs, using an Excel-based enterprise budget tool developed from a student producer’s plan. The model includes key costs (heifer purchase, pasture/feed/hay/mineral, health, breeding, transport, interest, marketing) and compares AI plus cleanup bulls versus natural service, finding about a $55/head advantage to not using AI (not counting added labor) and little observed revenue premium for AI’d breds. In their projections, pairs returned about $100/head more than bred heifers. Results show costs are dominated by heifer purchase and feed, with profit highly sensitive to purchase price; a ~$0.20/lb increase can erase roughly $200/head projected net return. This conversation is helpful for anyone looking to create projections on their operation with resources from the NDSU team. Join Rising Ranchers Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risingranchers Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
01:31 Meet John Biermacher 04:54 Defining the Enterprise 06:08 Building the Budget Tool 13:03 Markets and Assumptions 15:04 AI Versus Bulls 19:48 Where the Costs Sit 22:26 Breds Versus Pairs 25:35 Break Evens and Risk 31:47 Tools Beyond Spreadsheets
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| 3 Transition Planning Tips You Won't Want to Forget | 13 juil. 2026 | 00:18:38 | |
In a solo episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, host Shaye Wanner shares her background growing up on a ranch that evolved into a registered Red Angus seedstock operation and now living on her husband’s centennial family farm, to frame three key transition planning tips. First, she urges producers to honestly ask whether they truly want to be on the family farm or would rather farm/ranch independently while staying close to family, noting legacy isn’t limited to land ownership and that not all family members work well together. Second, she advises financially planning for the unknown by saving and working with bankers and financial professionals even without a clear transition timeline, since taking over must still be a sound business decision. Third, she emphasizes, “You don’t get to change what’s not yours,” encouraging respect for older generations and clarity about one’s current role. Join Rising Ranchers Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risingranchers Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 00:08 Welcome and Ways to Connect 01:45 My Ranching Background 05:20 Three Tips Overview 05:41 Family Farm or Nearby 10:01 Plan for the Unknown 13:27 You Cant Change It
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| Which Technologies Pay Off for Ranchers | 06 juil. 2026 | 00:56:56 | |
Today on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye Wanner talks with ag tech consultants Chelsea Good (Good & Associates) and Jared Wareham (Horizon Venture Management) about how cow-calf producers can decide which technologies are worth adopting. They stress that many tools enter agriculture from outside the industry and may be “solutions looking for a problem,” so ranchers should evaluate technology like a toolbox and demand ROI, especially in an asset-rich, cash-poor business. Examples include mismatched expensive tags for sale barns versus value-based traceability programs, strategic uses of GPS and estrus-detection tags (often for herd bulls or specific heifer programs), virtual fencing’s geography-dependent economics, and emerging biometrics, camera applications, and gene-edited pest control. They also discuss digital recordkeeping and payment systems as adoption challenges without policy drivers, and encourage producers to share pain points and explore tech that supports long-term generational sustainability. Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ Learn more about Chelsea and Good & Associates here: https://www.goodandassoc.com/ Learn more about Jared and Horizon Venture Management here: https://www.horizonventuremanagement.com/ 00:00 Tech That Pays Off 01:09 Meet Chelsea and Jared 04:40 Picking Tech by ROI 09:50 AI Is Not Magic 11:50 Genomics Fit and Value 14:39 Virtual Fencing Reality 17:09 Smart Tags and GPS 28:14 Cameras and Computer Vision 37:40 Gene Editing and Pests 43:17 Digital Records and Payments
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| Hair Shedding the Secret to Higher Weaning Weights and Conception Rates | 29 juin 2026 | 00:25:56 | |
Today, Shaye Wanner interviews Jamie Courter, a University of Missouri assistant professor and genetics extension specialist, about research and producer use of cattle hair shedding scores. Corder explains hair shedding’s link to heat stress—especially in the Southeast with endophyte-infected fescue—and summarizes findings that earlier-shedding cows wean heavier calves, including Simmental data showing hair shed score 1 cows weaned calves 45 pounds heavier than score 5 cows. She describes the 1–5 scoring system, typical shedding pattern, and recommends scoring the whole herd on the same day when variation is greatest, noting bulls shed earlier and younger cows score higher than mature cows within a year. She discusses recent genomic work suggesting shedding relates more to changing daylight than temperature, notes variation exists within all breeds, and points listeners to University of Missouri Extension publications for scoring guidance and research details. Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ Learn more about hair shedding research at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g2049 Sign up for the upcoming RancherMind with Jasper here: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events 00:51 Jamie’s background 01:37 Why hair shedding matters 03:39 Research results and economics 05:02 Daylight vs temperature genetics 08:37 Scoring timing and method 11:39 Bulls calves and age effects 16:47 Consistent scoring observers 17:48 Across breeds and selection 21:49 Culling signals and resources
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| How to Protect Profit During Drought | 22 juin 2026 | 00:28:54 | |
Today on Casual Cattle Conversations, Shaye interviews Devlon Ford, a regenerative ranching advisor at the Noble Research Institute, about managing drought in cattle operations. Ford explains drought-stress indicators producers should watch for, including forage color and condition, lack of rainfall, and cattle manure consistency as a signal of declining forage protein. Reactive options discussed include early weaning, strategic destocking (culling old, open, ornery, and poor performers while considering market profitability), and carefully analyzing the costs of purchasing hay or supplements. He also suggests subdividing pastures to increase stock density, improve grazing uniformity, and extend recovery time. Proactively, Ford emphasizes calculating carrying capacity and setting stocking rate below it, using rainfall trigger dates for destocking decisions, avoiding overgrazing to protect soil cover and biology, and using flexible enterprises like stockers/custom grazing during high-forage years. Learn about carrying capacity and stocking rate with Devlon: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes/devlon-ford Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
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| How to Reduce Overwhelm on the Ranch | 15 juin 2026 | 00:31:20 | |
Today on the Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast, Shaye interviews Jasper Oeltjen of Heritage and Horizons about why ranchers feel overwhelmed financially, mentally, and operationally, and how those areas intertwine. Jasper shares her background in education, IT strategy, and a 14-year cow-calf operation, describing how constant hustling led to plateauing and reactive decision-making that created domino effects in nutrition, calving, labor, medications, margins, and relationships. They discuss how unavoidable hard seasons are easier to navigate with a foundation of goals, clear expectations, and defined roles. Jasper outlines a four-phase “road trip” framework: set shared long-term goals, map the route with shorter targets, define day-to-day tactics and metrics aligned to goals, and proactively anticipate issues (like aging cows or replacement needs) to avoid “construction.” She also explains helping producers clarify goals via conversation and four focus categories: optimize, innovate, maintain, or grow. Start Building a More Intentional Operation 👇 https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events Learn more about Noble here: https://bit.ly/3DD7uG0 Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 00:59 Meet Jasper Oeltjen 02:32 From Hustle to Strategy 04:06 Reactive Decisions Dominoes 07:10 Financial and Operational Strain 10:23 Relationships and Tough Seasons 12:48 Root Causes Goals and Roles 17:34 Four Phase Planning Framework 20:56 Finding Your Real Goals 26:06 Keep It Simple and Take Action 29:10 Rancher Mind Series Invite
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| How to Monitor Water Quality for Beef Cattle | 08 juin 2026 | 00:17:14 | |
Today, Shay interviews NDSU Extension Livestock Environmental Stewardship Specialist, Miranda Meehan about how cattle water quality affects intake, performance, abortions, central nervous system disorders, and death. Meehan explains how geology influences salts, sulfates, TDS, nitrates, and phosphorus in springs, ponds, creeks, and wells, with drought concentrating minerals and increasing risk; she also notes regional concerns such as higher nitrates in the Southern Plains.
She recommends testing at least a week before turning cattle into a pasture and more often during drought, using simple screening tools like handheld TDS meters and sulfate strips, then submitting samples for lab panels (pH, sulfates, TDS, nitrates) when elevated. If water is unsafe, options include fencing off sources, hauling water (including possible ELAP/FSA assistance), and longer-term infrastructure like wells, pipelines, or rural water, while checking aquifer test data. They also stress monitoring for cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms, which can occur earlier or later in the year and can kill within 15 minutes, using visual checks and tools like trail cameras.
Learn more about what Vence could look like on your operation here: https://bit.ly/4kfWrCG
Learn more about Noble here: https://bit.ly/3DD7uG0
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
00:41 Meet Miranda Meehan
01:05 Why Water Quality Matters
02:43 What Impacts Water Sources
05:11 How Often to Test
05:56 Easy Screening Tools
07:38 Reading Lab Results
09:47 Fixing Bad Water
11:50 Blue Green Algae Danger
13:56 Tech for Monitoring
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| Global Agriculture Challenges and Perceptions | 01 juin 2026 | 00:37:22 | |
Today, Shaye welcomes back Nebraska rancher, Jaclyn Wilson to discuss how extensive international travel has shaped her ranch management and views of global agriculture. Wilson describes how travel began through the Nebraska LEAD program and expanded into regular international speaking and industry visits, leading to operational changes at home such as organized team planning with whiteboards and calendars and greater delegation. She contrasts U.S. open-pasture wintering with UK/Ireland winter confinement driven by mud and heavy clay soils, and shares a Netherlands example where turning cows out to grass becomes an agritourism event. Wilson outlines Dutch regulations and subsidies tied to nitrates, water runoff, stocking limits, and methane, and questions measurement accuracy for emissions and carbon credits. From Kenya, she highlights corruption concerns, diverse agricultural tours, and a “My Tank” water project. She emphasizes U.S. beef efficiency and safety but notes persistent overseas perceptions about sanitation, traceability, confinement, and antibiotics, and encourages producers to stay aware of global concerns and opportunities, including genetics and investment abroad. Learn more about what Vence could look like on your operation here: https://bit.ly/4kfWrCG Learn more about Noble here: https://bit.ly/3DD7uG0 Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 01:24 Jaclyn’s Travel Bug Origins 03:29 Ranch Changes From Travel 05:35 Whiteboards And Planning 07:16 Winter Housing Culture Shock 10:16 Netherlands Dairy And Agritourism 12:00 EU Rules Subsidies And Nitrates 15:21 Methane Carbon And Measurement 17:52 Africa And Nuffield Journey 20:33 Kenya Corruption And Water 24:43 Water Links Every Country 25:48 Why Home Matters Most 28:08 US Beef Strengths And Perception 31:13 Genetics Trade And Open Minds | |||
| Maximize Grazing Resources with Virtual Fence | 25 mai 2026 | 00:27:47 | |
On today's show, Shaye Wanner interviews Saskatchewan ranchers John and Deanne about using Vence virtual fencing on their 400 cow-calf commercial operation near the Bronson Forest. They explain how virtual fencing improves utilization on rough, boggy forest lease country where conventional fencing is difficult and expensive, while saving labor, supporting planned/rotational grazing, and helping soil health by controlling stock density and drift with back fences. They describe added benefits like better monitoring for predation claims, reducing temporary electric fencing on rented land, and sorting groups (heifers, main herd, and open cows) using different virtual fences, achieving about a 95% success rate in a week. They discuss software tools like maps and heat maps, training protocols, cow-to-cow variation in responses, challenges with bull collar retention, collar loss rates improving with tighter fitting, and battery life lasting closer to six months than nine. Learn more about what Vence could look like on your operation here: https://bit.ly/4kfWrCG Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
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| Reducing Stress for Cattle | 18 mai 2026 | 00:24:37 | |
On this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast, Shaye interviews first-generation Texas rancher Kim Jungkind about staying curious to reduce cattle stress and improve performance. Kim shares how observing cattle led her to test music and color preferences: her herd moved away from rock music but gathered closely to Bach, especially Yo-Yo Ma’s cello, which she now plays during feeding and stressful events like trailering or difficult births to calm the herd; she connects stress reduction to better weight gain by preventing metabolic energy loss. She also found cattle are drawn to yellow after placing art in a corral, and notes cattle see yellow best and blue well, inspiring practical changes like using yellow flags on sorting sticks. Kim recounts transitioning from nursing and academia to ranching after inheriting her father-in-law’s operation, receiving community support through a local church, and facing a major fire early on. She recommends helping new ranchers network and directs listeners to order her book, “Back to the Barn and Bach,” at www.insightskj.com. Links and Resources Learn more about Cargill here: https://bit.ly/4e1qygS Learn more about Vence here: https://bit.ly/4kfWrCG Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
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| Tips for AI'ing Cattle | 11 mai 2026 | 00:39:03 | |
On this episode of Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye interviews Jaclyn Ketchum, who grew up on a registered Red Angus ranch using AI and embryo technologies, earned advanced degrees in reproductive physiology, and now runs her family’s custom AI business while expanding embryo work. Ketchum explains benefits of AI and fixed-time AI with synchronization, including access to superior genetics at lower cost than buying bulls, use of sexed semen, improved early conception linked to heavier calves, more uniform calf crops, and reduced bull-to-cow ratios with cleanup bulls. She discusses why some producers still heat-detect, heifer protocol considerations, and how weather can reduce estrus expression and conception. Key success factors include communication, strict protocol timing, facility readiness, proper product handling and dosing, semen storage and shipping, skilled technicians, and managing expectations before and after AI. Mentioned Episodes Lacey Quail on Improving Preg Rates: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes/lacey-quail Jennifer Koziol on Bull Fertility: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes/p4fffrydex27m1zkm1cj7bmrgpp56d Links and Resources Learn more about Cargill here: https://bit.ly/4e1qygS Learn more about Corteva here: RangeAndPasture.com/CattleConversations Learn more about CattleMax Here: https://bit.ly/4aG7K5q Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
00:00 Why AI Matters 00:18 Meet Jaclyn Ketchum 01:50 AI and Fixed Time Benefits 07:53 Why Skip Synchronization 11:17 Heifer Protocol Basics 13:20 Planning a Successful AI Day 22:07 Heat Detecting 21 Day AI 24:35 Weather and Conception 27:45 Resync and Backup Plans 30:18 Sync for Natural Service 32:37 Repro Efficiency Big Picture 34:45 Final Takeaways and Wrap
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| Cybersecurity: The Biggest Overlooked Threat to American Agriculture | 04 mai 2026 | 00:39:19 | |
On this episode of Casual Cattle Conversation, Shaye interviews Chris Sherman of Tech Support Farm about why farmers and ranchers are at risk for cybercrime and how to improve security. Sherman explains that cybercriminals target finance, information, and service disruption, and notes agriculture’s scale, liquidity, critical-infrastructure status, rapid tech adoption without “security by design,” a culture of trust, generational transition risks, and reliance on residential-grade hardware.
He cites examples, including a Minnesota cooperative ransomware attack during harvest and spoofed bank emails that led to lost money and a land deal, plus invoice fraud against ag businesses. Action steps include using a custom domain with commercial email and security tools, stronger 12+ character passwords and multifactor authentication, reviewing social media/device access, locking phones/computers, spotting phishing via headers, links, timestamps, and PDFs, segmenting farm Wi‑Fi, and using tools like antivirus, endpoint monitoring, and mobile device management. Wrapping up, Chris also recommends Tech Support Farm’s “Fence Check” assessment. Learn more about what Chris does at https://techsupport.farm/services/.
Links and Resources
Learn more about Cargill here: https://bit.ly/4e1qygS
Learn more about Corteva here: RangeAndPasture.com/CattleConversations
Learn more about CattleScales Here: https://bit.ly/4dqqTtr
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
00:00 Cyber Risk Warning
01:34 Why Ag Is Targeted
04:08 Five Ag Cyber Gaps
08:41 Spyware Routers Cameras
09:55 Chris Background Mission
13:07 Email Domains Encryption
16:37 Real World Attack Stories
20:31 Action Steps Passwords MFA
27:52 Phishing Emails Links
30:05 Security Tools MDM WiFi
35:48 Fence Check Takeaway
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| Stop Haying to Improve Your Bottom Line | 27 avr. 2026 | 00:45:11 | |
Have you ever considered that haying might not fit your operation anymore? This week on the podcast, Carson Roberts, a University of Missouri state forage specialist with a background in alfalfa production and cattle, discusses why producers must treat haying as a separate business enterprise and know the true cost of production to evaluate profitability.
He outlines using regional hay budget sheets and accounting for income, seed, fertilizer, herbicides, custom hire, labor (including the producer’s time), fuel, repairs, overhead, land charge, and especially machinery ownership and opportunity interest. Carson argues hay often becomes unprofitable due to rising and excess equipment costs, over-equipped farms, and mismatched cattle-to-equipment inflation, suggesting some operations may profit more by selling hay equipment, converting hay acres to pasture, and buying tested hay while building reliable supplier relationships. He highlights cheaper feed alternatives such as grazing/stockpiled fescue, corn stalks, and grazing milo, and notes that aligning calving date with spring forage can reduce winter hay needs and costs.
Links and Resources
Learn more about Cargill here: https://bit.ly/4e1qygS
Learn more about Corteva here: RangeAndPasture.com/CattleConversations
Learn more about CattleScales Here: https://bit.ly/4dqqTtr
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
02:56 From Agronomy to Forages
05:00 Why Know Hay Costs
06:52 Building a Hay Budget
11:31 Equipment Overload Trap
15:50 When Hay Doesn’t Pencil
19:45 Scale and Reality Check
22:10 Buying Hay Strategically
26:43 Grazing Beats Haying
29:32 Hay Testing and Sourcing
33:11 Winter Grazing Options
36:35 Calving Date and Profit
39:40 Weaning Weights Myth
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| The Value of Weighing Cattle | 20 avr. 2026 | 00:31:55 | |
Why is weighing your cattle important? In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations, Shaye interviews Dawn Anderson from the CattleScales team about why weighing cattle is valuable and how different scale options fit different ranch setups. Dawn shares her family’s ranch background and explains how their weighing systems evolved from beam and hanging scales to load bars and chute-side scale heads.
They discuss how accurate weights improve confidence in breeding and culling decisions, reveal herd consistency, guide feed testing and ration changes, track average daily gain, help market seedstock and finished cattle, and ensure proper medication dosing. Dawn emphasizes that scales are an investment, there are portable and stationary options, and ranchers can call to match a system to their goals. Learn more at https://bit.ly/4dqqTtr.
Links and Resources
Learn more about Cargill here: https://bit.ly/4e1qygS
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
00:00 Why Weigh Cattle
02:01 Meet Dawn Anderson
05:16 Scale Evolution on the Ranch
08:56 Better Data Better Decisions
12:56 Backgrounding and ADG Tracking
14:22 Cow Performance and Culling
17:18 Accurate Treatment Dosage
20:39 Feeding and Pen Decisions
22:24 Marketing With Confidence
26:33 Choosing the Right Scale
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| Fly Control Strategies That Protect Your Bottom Line | 13 avr. 2026 | 00:24:15 | |
Today, Shaye welcomes Jonathan Wells of the Cargill Animal Nutrition Team to discuss fly control strategies for pasture cattle, focusing on horn flies’ economic impact and how to choose tools for an operation. Wells says horn flies drive about $2 billion in annual losses and can spread diseases like mastitis and anaplasmosis while reducing performance through increased heart rate, higher water intake and urinary nutrient loss, reduced nitrogen retention, and about a 15% drop in average daily gain. They compare adult-killing topicals and ear tags (and resistance concerns) with feed-through IGRs like Altosid (methoprene) that break the fly life cycle in manure. Wells explains the Altosid XRB extended-release bolus, given once at season start and releasing IGR for about 195 days, dosing guidance for cows and calves, application tips, compatibility with other controls, and visual signs of adequate control. Learn more about Cargill here: https://bit.ly/4e1qygS 01:33 Why Fly Control Matters 03:12 Hidden Performance Losses 05:04 Fly Control Options 07:24 Breaking The Fly Cycle 08:24 Altosid XRB Bolus 10:57 Bolus Release Science 12:27 Dosing Cows And Calves 14:08 Safety And Application Tips 18:17 How To Judge Control 20:36 Producer Field Experience
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| Cut Feed Costs by Improving Pastures: Weed Control and Soil Fertility Strategies | 06 avr. 2026 | 00:29:00 | |
On this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast, Shaye interviews Corteva forage specialist, Sam Ingram, about prioritizing pastures and hay land to maximize forage production and improve cattle margins by lowering feed costs through grazing. Ingram explains how fertility, weed control, and grazing rest increase tonnage, forage quality, and carrying capacity, emphasizing soil testing and sticking to a consistent testing time to guide nutrient plans. He discusses the value of legumes like white clover and annual lespedeza for quality and nitrogen fixation and introduces Corteva’s NovaGraz, a non-residual broadleaf herbicide that controls weeds such as biennial thistles, ironweed, buttercup, plantains, wild carrot family species, poison hemlock, and parsnip while maintaining key legumes, offering flexibility for hay sales and crop rotation. He also describes UltiGraz, which combines herbicide and fertilizer in one pass for efficiency. The conversation addresses drought and wildfire impacts, stressing post-disaster planning, avoiding grazing too soon, and using sacrifice areas and stored feed to protect forage cover. Learn more about Corteva Pasture Products here: https://www.corteva.com/us/products-and-solutions/pasture-management/product-finder.html Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ Other Links and Resources Learn more about CattleScales here: https://bit.ly/4dqqTtr Learn more about Cargill here: https://bit.ly/4e1qygS Learn more about Performance Livestock Analytics here: https://bit.ly/47PxY3W
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| Family, Technology, and Entrepreneurship in the Beef Industry | 30 mars 2026 | 00:26:04 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast, Shaye interviews Andrew Bredeweg about his multi-generational family farm in southwestern Indiana and why supporting family agriculture businesses helps rural communities thrive. Andrew explains how their operation evolved from a sustenance farm and dairy into a cattle-focused business that also farms under 500 acres, and how his kids are gaining ownership and business experience through feeding cattle and selling beef locally. He discusses their approach to adopting practical technology—highlighting rotational grazing, TMR feeding, and the Performance Beef app to improve feeding accuracy, billing, and decision-making for custom-fed cattle. Andrew also shares his role managing a co-op feeder calf auction barn with seasonal sales and describes a local high school internship program that places juniors and seniors with area businesses to keep young talent in the community. Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 00:00 Andrew’s Family Farm Story 01:10 Why Support Family Ag 02:32 Life in Southern Indiana 03:31 Generations on the Farm 05:14 Raising the Next Gen 06:10 Learning Business Leadership 08:27 Adopting Farm Technology 12:35 Performance Beef App 15:47 Managing the Sale Barn 19:56 Internships for Rural Youth 23:30 Community Keeps Talent Home 25:18 Final Takeaways 26:19 Wrap Up and Thanks
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| How to Make Record-Keeping Easy for Ranch Families | 16 mars 2026 | 00:24:25 | |
Today on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye sits down with Wyoming rancher and CattleMax team member Jacqueline Lewis to talk about why herd records matter, especially for family and multi-generational ranches. Jacqueline explains how simple, goal-driven recordkeeping helps ranchers make better decisions, improve herd performance, and support long-term ranch success. She also shares practical advice for getting started, overcoming common challenges like time and technology concerns, and choosing a system that works, whether that’s paper, spreadsheets, or software. Listeners will walk away with simple steps to begin organizing herd records and using data to strengthen their operation. Learn more about CattleMax here: https://bit.ly/4aG7K5q Links & Resources Learn more about Red Angus here: https://bit.ly/4iaU6bb Learn more about At the Yards here: https://bit.ly/400T7mF Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/. 00:24 Meet Jacqueline Lewis 01:43 Goals Drive Data 03:18 Generational Ranch Benefits 05:19 What Organized Looks Like 07:11 Common Recordkeeping Challenges 10:48 Simple Starting Steps 12:23 Choosing Your Method 15:02 Team Approach on Family Ranches 15:54 Switching Platforms Without Overwhelm 19:19 Beyond Cattle Inventory 20:21 Key Takeaways and Next Steps 21:41 CattleMax Resources and Wrap-Up | |||
| The Profit Check Every Cattle Producer Should Do | 09 mars 2026 | 00:16:37 | |
In this solo episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast, Shaye checks in a little over two months into 2026 and shares a simple ranch audit process to avoid setting profit goals blindly and to create benchmarks for improvement. She explains that audits help ranchers understand where they stand before making changes. The three-step audit includes: (1) defining what success means for your ranch (unique to each operation), (2) ranking confidence from 1–10 in key areas such as finances/bookkeeping, reproduction, genetics, nutrition, grazing/resource management, and health, and (3) assigning measurable metrics to each area (e.g., break-even, pregnancy rate, calving interval, death loss, treatment costs, costs vs returns). She encourages prioritizing improvements that align with the ranch’s definition of success and references her course Profit Foundations for Ranchers for a deeper process.
Links & Resources Learn more about Performance Livestock Analytics here: https://bit.ly/47PxY3W Learn more about Red Angus here: https://bit.ly/4iaU6bb Learn more about At the Yards here: https://bit.ly/400T7mF Learn more about CattleMax here: https://bit.ly/4aG7K5q Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
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| Improving Ranch Leadership | 02 mars 2026 | 00:33:22 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations, Shaye interviews Tom and Terryn Drieling about ranch leadership on their Nebraska Sandhills ranch, where Tom has served as a ranch manager for about 10 years within a corporate ranch structure. They discuss how leadership sets workplace tone and impacts culture, profitability, efficiency, safety, and retention, emphasizing transparency, clear communication, attitude, and providing employees tools, autonomy, and support. Tom shares his shift from a default of anger toward more unbiased tone and open forums for crew input, along with accountability and continuing education requirements. Terryn highlights self-awareness, feedback, repair after poor interactions, and using stockmanship principles to assess energy and responses. They advise employees seeking better leadership to pursue education, ask curious questions, align around goals, and lead from any position, and they recommend resources such as universities/extension programs, podcasts, and paid options like Ranching for Profit. Links & Resources Learn more about Red Angus here: https://redangus.org/ Learn more about At the Yards here: https://attheyards.com/ Learn more about CattleMax here: https://bit.ly/4aG7K5q
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| Non-family Transition Plans: How to Make it go Smoothly | 23 févr. 2026 | 00:29:56 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversation, Shaye talks with Lydia, a first-generation farmer in southwestern Manitoba, about how non-family farm transitions can work. Lydia and her spouse started on leased land, built a direct-to-consumer livestock business, and later formed a structured transition partnership with a neighboring producer. They operate separate profitable businesses while collaborating on land, feeding, and asset purchases through clear written agreements and vendor financing. She shares that successful non-family transitions come down to trust, communication, solid business planning, and financial transparency. Lydia encourages new and aspiring farmers to live in the communities where they want to farm, build relationships, seek mentors, and work with advisors open to creative transition models. She also outlines red flags, including avoiding written agreements, weak financial management, and unclear profitability. Her message: with preparation, the right partners, and clear structure, non-family transitions are not only possible—they can be sustainable. Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ Learn more about CattleTags here: https://bit.ly/3Lf8yE3
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| Finding the Best Tags for Your Cattle | 16 févr. 2026 | 00:23:46 | |
On today’s episode of the Casual Cattle Conversation, Shaye welcomes Brittany Kelsey, a Missouri-raised cattle industry professional, wife, and mom who leads a remote team at CattleTags.com. They discuss why a solid animal identification system is the foundation for effective herd management, accurate record keeping, and improved profitability. Brittany covers how to choose the right tag by animal and purpose (large/calf tags vs. maxi and super maxi for mature cattle), color-coding strategies, and the advantages of Allflex laser-engraved, inked tags for lifelong readability versus marker-written tags that fade. They also discuss layout options (phone number, brand, birth date, sire info), one-piece vs. two-piece tag preferences and retention, and how to build practical management code/numbering systems that are easy to interpret and avoid duplicates—especially when retaining heifers. The conversation explores EID benefits including reducing human error, USDA compliance considerations in some states and markets, common misconceptions about what EIDs store, and matched EID/visual tag sets and TSU DNA sampling workflows. Brittany explains what to consider when purchasing EID readers, including desired data capture features, barcode scanning for DNA samples, ISO low-frequency compatibility, and avoiding proprietary systems. The episode highlights cattletags.com’s producer support, including help designing systems, creating spreadsheets for random numbers and EID imports into software like CattleMax, and proactive order checks, and closes with a takeaway that animal ID is about building a management foundation beyond tags or compliance. Learn more about CattleTags here: https://bit.ly/3Lf8yE3 Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
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| Tips for Uniform Calf Crops | 09 févr. 2026 | 00:17:38 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye speaks with Dr. Emma Briggs about the significance of calf uniformity in the beef industry. Dr. Briggs, a faculty supervisor at Kansas State University Ag Research Center, dives deep into strategies for achieving uniform calf crops, discussing elements like calving windows, genetic selection, reproductive strategies, and management practices. The episode provides practical insights into how producers can enhance calf uniformity to improve overall herd management and productivity.
Links & Resources Learn more about CattleTags here: https://www.cattletags.com/
Sign up for the Profit Foundations for Ranchers here: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/profit-foundations-for-ranchers
Learn more about the Ranch Channel here: https://bit.ly/ranchchannel
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
00:00 Introduction to Casual Cattle Conversations
00:40 Guest Introduction: Dr. Emma Briggs
02:25 Understanding Calf Uniformity
07:52 Genetic Selection for Uniformity
10:58 Management Strategies for Uniform Calf Crops
12:52 Final Thoughts and Resources | |||
| Risk Management Ideas for Ranchers | 02 févr. 2026 | 00:22:06 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye talks with Dr. Josh Maples about price risk management strategies for cattle producers. Dr. Maples discusses the importance of understanding risk tolerance and the various tools available to manage price risk, such as futures and options, and livestock risk protection (LRP). The conversation emphasizes the need for cattle producers to plan proactively rather than reactively. Topics include the financial and mental aspects of risk management, the role of diversification, and common mistakes producers make. Dr. Maples also shares useful resources for further information.
Links & Resources
Learn more about Ranching.com at https://bit.ly/3LMAizU
Sign up for the Profit Foundations for Ranchers here: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/profit-foundations-for-ranchers
Learn more about the Ranch Channel here: https://bit.ly/ranchchannel
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
00:44 Meet Dr. Josh Maples
02:26 Importance of Risk Management
04:58 Financial Considerations for Risk Management
07:50 Price Risk Management Tools
15:46 Common Mistakes and Best Practices
18:47 Final Thoughts and Resources | |||
| How to Find Your Most Profitable Cows | 26 janv. 2026 | 00:33:24 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye interviews Shane White from Ceres Tag. They discuss new features aimed at maximizing cow performance, focusing on fertility, estrous alerts, and calving alerts. Shane highlights how Ceres Tag's technology automates cow behavior tracking via satellite, providing valuable data for improving reproductive efficiency and profitability. They also cover how the new subscription model makes this technology more accessible to ranchers. The episode emphasizes the importance of data-driven decisions to enhance the future of ranching. Learn more about Ceres Tag here: https://bit.ly/45WlwfW Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
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| Profit Tips for Managing Yearlings | 19 janv. 2026 | 00:28:13 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye talks with Doug Ferguson, known as Mr. CattleMaster, about profitable strategies for selling, buying, and managing stocker cattle. The discussion covers various aspects of Doug's sell-buy marketing approach, the importance of managing high-risk cattle, and recognizing value in different cattle groups. Doug shares his insights on animal health protocols, the significance of knowing market trends, and the need for experience in handling different cattle types. The conversation also touches on common mistakes in the industry, how to make informed purchasing decisions, and strategies for maximizing profits in fluctuating markets. Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ Links & Resources Start your free trial or learn more about CattleMax here: https://bit.ly/4aG7K5q Get a head start on your year with our Profit Foundations for Ranchers Course here: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/profit-foundations-for-ranchers Learn more about the Ranch Channel here: https://bit.ly/ranchchannel 00:00 Welcome to Casual Cattle Conversations 00:18 Introducing Doug Ferguson: Mr. CattleMaster 02:36 The Sell-Buy Marketing Approach 03:19 Why Stocker Cattle? 04:17 Key Considerations for Buying Stockers 08:12 Appraising and Managing Stocker Cattle 15:28 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Stockers 19:19 Marketing and Selling Strategies 25:28 Final Thoughts | |||
| New Year, New Goals: How to Increase Ranch Efficiency with CattleMax | 12 janv. 2026 | 00:28:48 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye interviews Terrell Miller, founder and CEO of CattleMax, the leading cattle management software. They discuss the importance of setting New Year’s resolutions for ranchers, focusing on long-term profitability, goal-setting frameworks, and the significance of organized herd records. Terrell also shares insights on transitioning to digital records, using electronic IDs, integrating genomic testing, and the role of data in ranch management. Miller emphasizes the need for efficient data management to improve decision-making and ensure the sustainability of ranching operations for future generations. Learn more about CattleMax and start your free trial here: https://bit.ly/4aG7K5q Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
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| Spring Calving Health Tips | 05 janv. 2026 | 00:25:40 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye discusses calf health during the calving season with Dr. Troy Dutton and Dr. Joseph Hochhalter, owners of Steele Veterinary Clinic. They delve into the importance of good nutrition, ensuring timely and adequate colostrum intake, and maintaining proper sanitation in calving barns to prevent diseases like scours and pneumonia. The conversation also covers differences in calving strategies based on seasonal weather conditions, emphasizing the need for preventive measures and good animal health practices year-round. This episode is filled with valuable insights for ranchers looking to improve calf health and overall herd productivity. Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
Links & Resources
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| Why We DNA Test Commercial Heifers | 29 déc. 2025 | 00:17:24 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye discusses the importance and benefits of genomic testing for commercial heifers, a practice she uses on her ranch with her husband and father-in-law. Shaye explains the ease and process of taking tissue samples from the ear for DNA testing, the valuable data it provides, and how it helps in making informed decisions about heifer selection and bull selection, ultimately improving herd quality and productivity. She also shares personal insights into adapting to these advanced techniques on your own operation. Tune in wherever you listen to podcasts!
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ Learn more about Profit Foundations for Ranchers here: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/profit-foundations-for-ranchers
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 00:17 Personal Insights on Genomic Testing 05:23 The Process of Genomic Testing 07:58 Benefits and Challenges of Genomic Testing 16:39 Conclusion and Contact Information | |||
| Retaining Ranch Employees | 22 déc. 2025 | 00:32:21 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye interviews Kane Wellnitz about effective strategies for employee retention in ranching and agriculture. Kane shares insights from his experiences as a rancher and ag business owner, discussing challenges and solutions for retaining employees. Key topics include fostering ownership among employees, the importance of communication, and offering flexibility. Kane also touches on the necessity of providing competitive salaries and exploring talent from related industries. He provides an overview of his family's ranch operations and his consulting business, Landbridge Partners, emphasizing ways to improve management and maintain a committed workforce.
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
Learn more about Profit Foundations for Ranchers here: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/profit-foundations-for-ranchers
00:00 Introduction to Casual Cattle Conversations
00:17 Guest Introduction: Kane Wellnitz
02:09 Kane's Ranching Background
04:37 Employee Retention Strategies on the Ranch
05:27 Consulting Business Insights
06:54 Lessons Learned in Hiring and Retention
09:23 Challenges and Solutions in Ranch Management
13:03 Finding and Retaining the Right Employees
27:07 Final Thoughts and Advice
30:54 Conclusion and Podcast Support | |||
| What Ranchers Need to Know About Vitamin A | 15 déc. 2025 | 00:20:32 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye is joined by Dr. Blane Lowe to discuss vitamin A deficiencies in cattle herds. The conversation covers the importance of vitamin A for cattle health, symptoms of deficiency, and prevention strategies. Dr. Lowe explains how vitamin A impacts various organ systems, reproductive efficiency, and overall cattle productivity. The episode also delves into environmental factors affecting vitamin A uptake and practical supplementation methods, including a specialized product developed by Dr. Lowe. With expert insights, this episode is essential for ranchers aiming to maintain the health and productivity of their herds during the winter months.
00:00 Welcome to Casual Cattle Conversations
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
Learn more about Profit Foundations for Ranchers here: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/profit-foundations-for-ranchers
00:18 Introduction to Vitamin A Deficiencies
00:49 Meet Dr. Blane Lowe
02:24 The Importance of Vitamin A in Cattle
04:03 Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin A Deficiency
05:34 Geographical and Environmental Factors
07:32 Supplementation Strategies
15:02 Innovative Solutions: OPT Aid
17:01 Final Thoughts and Contact Information | |||
| Tax Tips for Ranchers | 08 déc. 2025 | 00:50:10 | |
In this episode of the 'Casual Cattle Conversations' podcast, Shaye interviews CPA Hannah Mann, who specializes in serving agricultural clients. They delve into practical tax and bookkeeping tips for ranchers, highlighting the importance of effective and marginal tax rates, and the potential benefits of income averaging using Schedule J. Hannah Mann shares her passion for the agricultural industry and her unique insights from both a professional and personal perspective. The discussion also covers common mistakes ranchers make with end-of-year bookwork and tips on utilizing software like Ambrook for efficient bookkeeping. Hannah emphasizes the importance of knowing your effective tax rate to make informed financial decisions and avoid unnecessary expenditures. Listeners will find valuable strategies to better manage their financials and leverage tax benefits specific to the agricultural industry. Learn more about Ambrook: ambrook.com/casualcattle Catch more conversation like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 00:00 Welcome to Casual Cattle Conversations 00:18 Introducing Hannah Mann: Tax Tips for Ranchers 01:08 Hannah's Passion for Agriculture 02:43 Tax Strategies and Bookkeeping Tips 07:05 Common Mistakes in Ranch Bookkeeping 11:22 Effective Tax Rate vs. Marginal Tax Rate 21:59 Retirement Accounts for Farmers and Ranchers 25:58 Understanding Raised vs. Purchased Cattle 26:57 Importance of Accurate Bookkeeping 28:10 Tips for Organizing Bookwork 29:08 Benefits of Using Ambrook Software 31:46 Challenges with QuickBooks 42:19 Tax Strategies and Effective Tax Rates 45:19 Final Thoughts and Recommendations | |||
| Cattle Market Q&A | 01 déc. 2025 | 00:41:20 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye sits down with Tim Petry from North Dakota State University to discuss the intricacies of the current cattle markets. The conversation covers producer-submitted questions, providing insights on price trends, the impact of global markets, and the future outlook for the cattle industry. Tim sheds light on the importance of sticking to traditional marketing plans, the volatility in the futures market, and the factors influencing the high demand and low supply scenario. He also shares valuable resources for producers to stay updated. Tune in for a comprehensive discussion aimed at helping producers make informed decisions in a fluctuating market. Get the resources mentioned in this episode here: https://bit.ly/CCC-resources Learn more about Profit Foundations for Ranchers here: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/profit-foundations-for-ranchers Order your flavor of Pluck here: https://eatpluck.com/?ref=SHAYEWANNER
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| Improving Cattle Performance During Winter | 24 nov. 2025 | 00:23:07 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye Wanner speaks with Karla Wilke, cow-calf and stocker management specialist from the University of Nebraska, about managing cattle performance during harsh winter conditions. The discussion covers the impact of cold weather on cattle, optimal body condition scores, and strategies for cold stress management. Karla provides practical tips on using windbreaks, bedding, and adjusting feed to help cattle maintain their health and performance throughout winter. The episode also touches on the importance of monitoring body condition scores and being proactive in cattle management to avoid potential long-term negative effects.
Catch Karla's first episode here: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes/0ijj3c1vyqkspk4ls3xo7223qgqi77 Learn more and order your Pluck here: https://eatpluck.com/?ref=SHAYEWANNER Find more information and more episodes at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ | |||
| Profitable Strategies for Marketing Heifers | 17 nov. 2025 | 00:27:54 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye Wanner interviews ranchers Jon and Patty about their approach to marketing open heifers. The conversation covers various sales methods, the importance of genomic testing, and strategies for building a high-quality herd. Jon and Patty share insights into their decade-long relationship with Wasem Red Angus, their balanced approach to breeding and selection, and the benefits of marketing through trusted partnerships. They also discuss the challenges they've faced and offer advice for other ranchers looking to improve their operations. This episode provides valuable knowledge for both seasoned ranchers and those new to the cattle industry.
Learn more about Pluck here: https://eatpluck.com/?ref=SHAYEWANNER
Find more information and more episodes at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
00:00 Welcome to Casual Cattle Conversations
00:17 Meet Jon and Patty
00:57 Why Bet on the Beef Industry?
02:13 Marketing Open Heifers: Strategies and Experiences
08:58 The Role of Genomic Testing
10:12 Challenges and Solutions in Heifer Marketing
13:44 Advice for Fellow Ranchers
19:21 Exploring New Marketing Avenues
23:49 Balancing Terminal and Maternal Traits
26:08 Conclusion and Final Thoughts | |||
| What Ranchers Need to Know About Fetal Programming | 10 nov. 2025 | 00:28:55 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye talks with Kelly Sanders about fetal programming and its implications for cattle nutrition. Kelly shares his journey and passion for cattle, discussing his role at Westway Feed Products. He explains the technical aspects of fetal programming, the impacts of environmental and nutritional factors on cattle development, and provides practical advice for ranchers to ensure optimal cattle health and performance throughout gestation. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining body condition scores, using balanced nutrition programs, and leveraging available resources to mitigate adverse effects on cattle. The episode offers a comprehensive look at managing cattle nutrition to maximize genetic potential and overall herd quality. Learn more about Westway Feed Products here: https://bit.ly/4lBtKRK Find more information and more episodes at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 00:39 Meet Kelly Sanders: Passion for Cattle Nutrition 02:53 Understanding Fetal Programming 04:25 Impact of Fetal Programming on the Beef Industry 15:53 Practical Steps for Ranchers 27:48 Final Thoughts and Resources
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| Keep Livestock Waters Open All Winter Long | 03 nov. 2025 | 00:46:04 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye visits with Rocky Brown to discuss effective fall and winter watering systems for cattle ranchers. Rocky, who operates Wald Fencing, a local farm supply store, shares expert advice on both temporary and permanent watering solutions to help keep water flowing and reduce winter maintenance headaches.
Highlights include tips on various watering systems, the benefits of using geothermal heat and energy-efficient methods, and key considerations when installing permanent solutions such as Ritchie waters. Additionally, Rocky emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge within the beef industry to collectively elevate the success of all producers.
01:19 Meet Rocky Brown: Expert in Winter Watering Systems
01:38 The Importance of the Beef Industry
03:56 Rocky's Business and Customer-Driven Approach
06:57 Temporary Winter Watering Solutions
18:52 Permanent Winter Watering Solutions
22:40 Removing and Thawing Water Systems
23:06 Geothermal Heat and Insulation Benefits
23:20 Customer Experiences and Product Endorsements
25:04 Concrete Pads for Livestock
27:22 Rough Cut Lumber Alternatives
29:45 Ritchie Water Systems Overview
32:33 Ritchie Water System Enhancements
39:17 Tank Heaters and De-Icers
43:14 Final Thoughts and Industry Advice
Find more information and more episodes at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
Learn more about Wald Fencing here: https://bit.ly/3KMGd7v Learn more about Pluck here: https://eatpluck.com/?ref=SHAYEWANNER | |||
| Attract More Buyers with Value-Added Programs | 27 oct. 2025 | 00:17:23 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye is joined by Jeananne from the Red Angus Association of America (RAAA) to discuss the advantages of value added programs for cattle producers. The conversation covers the importance of genetic verification, age and source documentation, and the specific benefits of RAAA's programs such as Angus Access and Allied Access. Jeananne explains how these programs boost marketability and premiums for producers, regardless of breed. The discussion also touches on the recent rebranding of the Feeder Calf Certification Program to Angus Access and the transition to electronic ID tags for improved traceability. For more details, listeners are encouraged to check additional resources and contact RAAA directly. Learn more about RAAA here: https://bit.ly/4iaU6b Find more information and more episodes at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
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| Are You Better off to Transition to a Non-Family Member? | 20 oct. 2025 | 00:37:39 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye Wanner speaks with Elaine Froese about the critical and often overlooked topic of non-family farm transition plans. Elaine, a seasoned expert in farm transitions and coaching, emphasizes the importance of considering non-family members in continuity plans. She offers insights for both the rising generation seeking better opportunities and the senior generation without family successors. Key points include the necessity of solid agreements, financial literacy, and understanding individual strengths and gaps. Elaine also touches on the importance of open communication within the family and the community to ensure a harmonious transition. Listeners are encouraged to take proactive steps in planning to avoid being stuck in unfulfilling situations and to find value in collaborative efforts.
Learn more about Elaine here: https://bit.ly/46KdlUm Learn more about the Red Angus Association of America: https://bit.ly/4iaU6b | |||
| Alternative Ranch Revenue: Does influencing pay off? | 13 oct. 2025 | 00:32:58 | |
In this episode of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast, Shaye talks with Tucker Brown about using social media as an alternative revenue stream for ranchers. Tucker shares his journey of leveraging platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to not only market their cattle operations but also create a substantial income. He discusses the challenges and rewards, the transition from casual posting to serious content creation, and the impact this has had on his family's life. He also gives practical advice on storytelling, handling negative feedback, and selecting brand partnerships, emphasizing the importance of staying authentic and strategic. This insightful conversation sheds light on how ranchers, especially the younger generation, can use social media to sustain and grow their family operations while inviting more people into the world of agriculture.
Learn more about Performance Beef: https://bit.ly/47PxY3W
Learn more about Red Angus here: https://bit.ly/4iaU6bb
Connect with Shaye: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 00:41 Meet Tucker Brown: A Ranching Legacy 03:14 Social Media as a Revenue Source 05:20 The Journey and Impact of Social Media 11:22 Monetization and Brand Partnerships 16:13 Advice for Aspiring Social Media Influencers 22:06 The Long Game: Building a Sustainable Presence 24:14 Speaking Engagements and Final Thoughts
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