Learning New Ways

#bfrdpwy #aginternship #RightRisk

Here at the ranch they use a program for their cattle; the program their cattle arein is the G.A.P Program. G.A.P
stands for Global Animal Partnership. This program is an animal welfare certified program that assesses the welfare of livestock animals on-farm, during transport, at collection points and at slaughter. It is a multi-tiered labeling program that signals to consumers how the animals were raised. Coming onto this ranch I had never heard of such a program before. I now know the basics of the program but I would love to ask more specific questions in the coming weeks, such as, can the cattle be put on a vaccination protocol? Can you feed any type of feed or does it have to be specific feed? Can the operation be treated when there is a sick one, or do you have to turn in the symptoms for them to say it is okay to treat? Does the operation get paid to have the cattle on this program?

Some major points I have learned over the past week are putting in fences and how to adapt to the different climate and land up here. It is a lot different from back home. I got to experience how they semen test bulls up here, which is also different from back home. We turned the bulls out to pasture after we semen tested them. I was also able to help with putting in a new fence. I got to learn where everything is held, and I am starting to get the path we need to take down.

I can do almost everything by myself now. I helped them load a semi truck with spay heifers and take them to the Wyoming ranch, I was able to help push the cattle to where they are supposed to be.

I would challenge some ideas on why they spay the heifers. I have gotten out of my comfort zone to be able to ask hard questions to get as much information as I can. I like to ask questions to gain more information. I started this internship because I wanted to see something different from my family’s operation. I want to make sure I gain as much information so I can take some of the information back to my operation. I try to understand why they do things.

Some things are done differently from the way we do them, which is totally fine, it shows me a different perspective on how to operate some things. I feel as though as I get more comfortable, I will be able to challenge more ideas and help to improve my knowledge and show them ways they have never seen either.

At this point, I don’t have a lot of questions for this operation. I have been well adapted into the family and into the work environment. I am able to ask any questions and not be shut down. Any questions I ask no matter if they are simple or hard they never look down on me and they always answer and give me all the information I need.

I have worked along side Michael all week and I feel as though I have gained a lot of knowledge. I have become more familiar with the fence stretcher. I have always known how to run on but I wasn’t the best at getting it tight. This week Michael took the time to help me figure it out. I have been able to see parts of Nebraska I have never seen before. When I arrived I had no idea the terrain in Nebraska looked like it looks out here. This week has been nothing but amazing. I’m excited to see what the rest of the summer holds.

The information and knowledge I have gained the last week I plan to use for the rest of the summer. I will take some of the information back to my home ranch but at the moment some of the stuff we have learned has been some stuff that I have already known. I believe this program has helped me gain some knowledge and will help me grow to be a better rancher by the end of the summer.

Submitted by: Tamryn Klein
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team