Casual Cattle Conversations

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Casual Cattle Conversations is the podcast for beef cattle producers and ranchers to explore new ideas and hear stories that will help them improve their current management practices. Shaye Koester - Wanner connects listeners to other cattle producers and beef industry experts to discover what management practices, industry trends, current events and inspiring stories are impacting today’s beef cattle industry.

  1. 5 days ago

    Maximize Grazing Resources with Virtual Fence

    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/  01:01 Biggest Grazing Wins 02:42 Why Vence 03:30 Ranch and Region Overview 06:04 Secondary Benefits and Predators 08:24 Sorting Cows with Maps 13:31 Software Insights and Training 16:42 Heat Maps and Logging Changes 19:47 Bulls Learning Curve and Next Steps 24:10 Challenges Battery and Retention

    28 min

  2. 18 May

    Reducing Stress for Cattle

    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/  00:48 Why Curiosity Matters  01:15 Yellow Flags Reduce Stress  02:14 Testing Music Preferences  04:00 Stress Economics Weight Gain  04:46 From Nurse To Rancher  07:14 Finding Help Through Church  09:32 Wildfire Wake Up Call  10:57 Learning Cow Personalities  12:45 Grandin And Behavior Research  14:08 Playing Cello For Cows  17:33 Art In The Corral Colors  19:25 Key Takeaways Curiosity Community  21:13 Where To Get The Book

    25 min

  3. 11 May

    Tips for AI'ing Cattle

    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

    39 min

  4. 4 May

    Cybersecurity: The Biggest Overlooked Threat to American Agriculture

    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

    39 min

  5. 27 Apr

    Stop Haying to Improve Your Bottom Line

    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

    45 min

  6. 20 Apr

    The Value of Weighing Cattle

    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

    32 min

  7. 13 Apr

    Fly Control Strategies That Protect Your Bottom Line

    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

    24 min

  8. 6 Apr

    Cut Feed Costs by Improving Pastures: Weed Control and Soil Fertility Strategies

    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  00:00 Pasture Profit Boost  00:16 Meet The Forage Expert  01:10 Why Prioritize Pastures  03:56 Fertility And Grazing Basics  04:49 Weed Control Matters  06:26 Legumes And NovaGraz  09:02 Target Weeds And Application  11:36 Hay Fields And Residue  15:16 Soil Testing Fertility Plan  18:08 Weed Control Plus Fertility  21:19 Drought And Recovery Planning  25:24 Key Takeaways And Wrap Up

    29 min
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About

Casual Cattle Conversations is the podcast for beef cattle producers and ranchers to explore new ideas and hear stories that will help them improve their current management practices. Shaye Koester - Wanner connects listeners to other cattle producers and beef industry experts to discover what management practices, industry trends, current events and inspiring stories are impacting today’s beef cattle industry.

Information

  • Creator
    casualcattleconversations
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    282
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2019 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Casual Cattle Conversations

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