Internet Beat
Robin Blackburn-Jerkins
Helpful web sites for ranchers
Several months ago, I stumbled across a site called Suite 101.com which basically consists of articles on more than 900 subjects and lists of useful Web sites related to each subject. I thought this was great, so I found out how the site's contributing editors surf the Web for a few hours each week and weed out the bad or useless sites so they can let people know what sites are the most useful. I became a contributing editor at Suite 101.com, and each month, I write a column in which I review ranching-related Web sites.
Some of you who know me might be asking, "What in blazes is Robin doing researching ranching Web sites on the Net? Has that city girl ever even seen a cow in person?" Yes. And I didn't tip it over, either.
I took up the cause of finding online resources for ranchers for several reasons. First, I've got an aunt and uncle in Kansas who used to have cattle on their ranch, and I know how difficult managing a ranch can be. Second, when I did my very first search of the Web for ranching sites, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of online resources for ranchers. Third, I quickly discovered that if a greenhorn like myself wants to start ranching, the Internet is a great starting point for learning the basics and finding almost every supply you'd need to start a ranch, from land to artificial insemination equipment, from feed to herd management software. And finally, I like melding opposites together, and if the age-old ranching industry can be helped by the new-fangled Internet, then so be it.
I've found dozens of sites just in the past three months that could be of help to third-generation ranchers, first-time ranchers or ag students doing research for a project. A couple of sites of general interest are AgriHelp (www.agrihelp.com) and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (www.beef.org). AgriHelp features resources for both beginners and expert ranchers. Among the features are 17 ranching-related software programs, written and provided for free by students at the Oklahoma State University Animal Science Department. There's a "Neighbors" section, which I like, because it has listings of people from all over the world who are interested in farming and ranching, and they can ask and answer questions for each other. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association site offers a lot in the way of marketing help. This site also includes production information, industry links, economic information and a directory of beef producer organizations. Other features are the online Beef Business Bulletin, tips on buying and selling cattle online, recipes using beef as a main ingredient and tips on cooking different beef cuts.
In the realm of breeding, I've found several good sites offering a variety of cattle, semen, embryos and artificial insemination equipment. Cowman's Choice at www.cowmans.com and Medina Valley Genetics at www.mvgenetics.com both offer good-looking sites with wide selections of breeding necessities for cattle.
You dairy farmers out there might want to check out the American Dairy Science Association's site at www.adsa.uiuc.edu. Offerings include dairy science-related job listings, the Journal of Dairy Science, updates from the Committee on Food Safety, Animal Drugs and Animal Health and other federal committees and a healthy list of links to sites addressing everything from debt management to dairy cattle reproduction. Another good dairy site is DairyBiz Online Magazine at www.dairybiz.com. This very good site includes links to industry, agricultural and government sites and has articles on a wide variety of dairy-related subjects.
Ranchers who are concerned about the environment and trying to make their land and water last for the next generation of ranchers will find no shortage of resources on the Internet. Ranchwest: Living In Harmony With Nature, www.ranchwest.com/index.html, is probably the best ecological ranching site I've come across so far. There's a lot of common-sense advice from "Old Rancher," Nol Ward, a highly educated and experienced ranch man. There are also informative articles for teachers, students and the general public to view. Ranchwest also has a good list of links to sites that would be of interest to ranchers.
Foundation EARTH, www.earthonline.org, is another good environmentally-aware ranching site. Foundation EARTH is a nonprofit organization of farmers, ranchers, consumers and others who want to preserve the environment. There's a library at this site which includes links to federal and state ag agencies as well as ag companies, organizations and publications. Foundation EARTH offers information on biotechnology, energy use, alternative crops, alternative livestock, conservation organizations, fertilizer and pesticide use and safety, grazing and range management and soil and water conservation. Though it's geared mostly toward farmers, this site has a lot of information which ranchers could find useful.
Looking for feed for your livestock? You don't need to call around to every feedlot in a 10-county area to find one. Check out Feeders Digest, www.feedyards.com, an online magazine for feeders. There's a directory of feedyards, sale barns and order buyers, along with market information and informative articles. Feeders Digest also has links to ag products, services and directories online. The Hay Barn at www.haybarn.com is a classified ad site for hay and hay-related items. Buyers and sellers are listed by state, which can be helpful. The Hay Barn looks good and is very navigable. It features some informative hay-related links, including "Tips on Selling and Producing Hay," "How To Select Quality Hay" and "U.S. Hay Market Reports." If you're feeling playful, check out the Cowboy Clip Art offered on the site.
And if you need more pens, chutes, scales and other "hardware," check out Flying W Livestock at www.flyingwlivestock.com or For Most at www.for-most.com. Both offer a wide variety of supplies such as chutes, pens, circular alleys, headgates, calving tables, scales and more. Flying W also offers the company's patented Hydraulic Headbender, which is used for holding cattle while they are bled or given implants or injections.
This is just a short list of some of the great sites I've found that would be of interest to ranchers and dairy farmers. There are lots of sites out there about ranching -- some of them are anti-ranching and anti-dairy, some of them are little more than cute pictures of Jersey cattle and some of them are just downright boring. But there's a great deal of resources available online for the enterprising rancher.
My monthly column can be seen at: www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/ranching. Stop by the page and say hello; I'd appreciate your comments.
Robin Blackburn-Jerkins is features editor and a staff writer for the Gazette-Enterprise. She feels that anyone who appreciates a good steak should do what they can to support the ranching industry. She can be reached at robinjerkins@hotmail.com
To contribute to this column, contact Gloria R. Rivera, webmaster@seguin.net