The Navajo Nation
June 24, 2011
On the road took me last week to Crown Point, New Mexico. Tribal ranchers gather at various points on the reservation for educational programs four times per year. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be on their June meeting at the Vocational-Technical school in Crown Point, thanks to an invitation from Mr. Dean Gamble.
The Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture purchased 70 head of purebred Angus bulls from the Stevenson Basin ranch in Montana and leased the bulls to tribal ranchers. The ranchers wanted to learn more about how these Angus bulls could help their bottom line. We discussed the premium for fed cattle that met the CAB brand specifications, as well as the premiums for age and source verification utilizing the AngusSource program. We talked about cow management and how health programs and nutrition subsequently affected CAB acceptance rate.
Grazing conditions are tough in this part of the country, with an ongoing drought and wildfires to the south of the reservation. Grazing cows that I happened to catch in the photo after my departure would probably agree that the groceries were just a little bit shy of what they might have hoped for!
Until next time, adios!
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