Montana: Chapter 2
Post by Clemson Montana Summer Program student Sarah Stewart
In the words of Terry Frost, ranch manager at Frosty Creek Angus, “This country isn’t the same as the one you grew up in.” Yeah, no kidding. I was born in suburbia, I go to school in suburbia, and I go home to suburbia. I don’t spend a lot of time around ranches or cattle farms, unsurprisingly. I think that’s why this week was such a shock compared to my experience at the American Prairie Reserve (APR). The wide, open spaces welcomed me there; the multitudes of wildlife amazed me. I love these aspects of the plains, which is why I’m a wildlife major instead of, say, an agriculture major. My focus has always been on the conservation of wild spaces and the creatures that inhabit them. The adventure of exploring these landscapes offers an escape from my previously-mentioned suburban lifestyle, which is almost necessary at times. However, I have never given much thought to agriculture and ranching as an integral aspect of life on the prairie, or elsewhere. This week changed that.
Spending time on the ranch is the polar opposite of spending time at the APR. At APR, conservation and restoration of wildlife is the sole emphasis. When your goal is to create the largest wildlife reserve in the country, it’s almost impossible not to put surrounding ranchers’ needs behind the animals’ whom you’re trying to protect. The bison come first, while these locals are left reeling at the possibility of having to give up their farms. "Don’t Bison Me" signs were in abundance as we drove down the dirt roads in Phillips county. I scoffed at them, not fully understanding the livelihoods that were at stake. I was not able to understand the personal impact APR has made on many of these ranchers, simply because there was no dialogue about it – excluding the road-side propaganda. Dr. Gustavo Lascano and Terry Frost allowed this discussion to finally happen within our group when we learned about rangeland management and nutrition.
Before this class, I had no idea how specific and involved raising cattle could be. It is an exact science, one that Dr. Lascano stressed could not be achieved by just one man. He believes that to have a successful operation, one must outsource experts to aid you in maintaining the health of your cows and your business. Understandably so, since it would be almost impossible to be extremely knowledgeable on both range management, grazing, and nutrition. Ranching is a very personal thing. No two people are going to have the same farm, cattle, or potential outside impacts (wildlife, weather, fire, etc.). A rancher and the professionals he outsources must be very familiar with their specific ranch; they must know how much forage is available throughout the year; they must choose which grazing method is best for the land and how to maintain it through fences; they must utilize federal programs like the Bureau of Land Management to prevent massive wildfires; they must make sure to provide the best, most nutritious feed possible to their cattle - whether it be grass, corn byproducts, or hay. The misconception that cattle producers don’t care about the wellbeing of their cows seems ridiculous. Why would they not put great thought into the health of the animal when a healthier cows equals a healthier profit? You cannot simply release a herd into a fenced area and call it a day – there are countless components to rangeland management that carry a cow from its birth to its death.
During the week, the class spent time on both Frosty Creek Ranch and Weschenfelder Feed Lot, observing and learning about the life cycle of a beef cow. Terry Frost and Dan Weschenfelder, manager of the feed lot, discussed their daily life in the cattle industry, as well as some of the more difficult parts of their jobs. To say it was a culture shock would be an understatement. Learning about range management and actually seeing it for yourself are two separate things, especially if you’ve never experienced it before, like me. Both men expressed frustration with the wildlife that APR embraces, which was a vastly different narrative than the one we received last week. I adore the wildlife, but I’m starting to realize it is difficult to feel this way when it is detrimental to your business. Still, the harsh words from both men towards prairie dogs made me quite defensive. My most poignant moment, however, occurred when we were at the feedlot, standing by a enclosure full of cattle who were to be shipped off the next day to be slaughtered. The smell of ammonia hung heavy in the air, making it hard for me to breath as I looked into these animals’ eyes. They were going to die tomorrow. That was so strange for me to think about. I’m not naïve to where beef comes from; I know what it takes to produce burgers and steaks and filet mignon. Despite this, it brought tears to my eyes to actually see it happen before my eyes.
No longer is beef production a far-off concept to me – I now understand the scientific and personal significance it has on the plains, although some of it may seem hard to bear. Opening my eyes to both a rancher’s perspective and a rangeland health perspective, this lecture section has allowed me to have a more well-rounded view of the prairie and it’s inhabitants – human and animal alike. There simply cannot be a wildlife vs. ranching outlook, because both are wholly intertwined into the ecosystems of the west.
In the words of Terry Frost, ranch manager at Frosty Creek Angus, “This country isn’t the same as the one you grew up in.” Yeah, no kidding. I was born in suburbia, I go to school in suburbia, and I go home to suburbia. I don’t spend a lot of time around ranches or cattle farms, unsurprisingly. I think that’s why this week was such a shock compared to my experience at the American Prairie Reserve (APR). The wide, open spaces welcomed me there; the multitudes of wildlife amazed me. I love these aspects of the plains, which is why I’m a wildlife major instead of, say, an agriculture major. My focus has always been on the conservation of wild spaces and the creatures that inhabit them. The adventure of exploring these landscapes offers an escape from my previously-mentioned suburban lifestyle, which is almost necessary at times. However, I have never given much thought to agriculture and ranching as an integral aspect of life on the prairie, or elsewhere. This week changed that.
Spending time on the ranch is the polar opposite of spending time at the APR. At APR, conservation and restoration of wildlife is the sole emphasis. When your goal is to create the largest wildlife reserve in the country, it’s almost impossible not to put surrounding ranchers’ needs behind the animals’ whom you’re trying to protect. The bison come first, while these locals are left reeling at the possibility of having to give up their farms. "Don’t Bison Me" signs were in abundance as we drove down the dirt roads in Phillips county. I scoffed at them, not fully understanding the livelihoods that were at stake. I was not able to understand the personal impact APR has made on many of these ranchers, simply because there was no dialogue about it – excluding the road-side propaganda. Dr. Gustavo Lascano and Terry Frost allowed this discussion to finally happen within our group when we learned about rangeland management and nutrition.Before this class, I had no idea how specific and involved raising cattle could be. It is an exact science, one that Dr. Lascano stressed could not be achieved by just one man. He believes that to have a successful operation, one must outsource experts to aid you in maintaining the health of your cows and your business. Understandably so, since it would be almost impossible to be extremely knowledgeable on both range management, grazing, and nutrition. Ranching is a very personal thing. No two people are going to have the same farm, cattle, or potential outside impacts (wildlife, weather, fire, etc.). A rancher and the professionals he outsources must be very familiar with their specific ranch; they must know how much forage is available throughout the year; they must choose which grazing method is best for the land and how to maintain it through fences; they must utilize federal programs like the Bureau of Land Management to prevent massive wildfires; they must make sure to provide the best, most nutritious feed possible to their cattle - whether it be grass, corn byproducts, or hay. The misconception that cattle producers don’t care about the wellbeing of their cows seems ridiculous. Why would they not put great thought into the health of the animal when a healthier cows equals a healthier profit? You cannot simply release a herd into a fenced area and call it a day – there are countless components to rangeland management that carry a cow from its birth to its death.
During the week, the class spent time on both Frosty Creek Ranch and Weschenfelder Feed Lot, observing and learning about the life cycle of a beef cow. Terry Frost and Dan Weschenfelder, manager of the feed lot, discussed their daily life in the cattle industry, as well as some of the more difficult parts of their jobs. To say it was a culture shock would be an understatement. Learning about range management and actually seeing it for yourself are two separate things, especially if you’ve never experienced it before, like me. Both men expressed frustration with the wildlife that APR embraces, which was a vastly different narrative than the one we received last week. I adore the wildlife, but I’m starting to realize it is difficult to feel this way when it is detrimental to your business. Still, the harsh words from both men towards prairie dogs made me quite defensive. My most poignant moment, however, occurred when we were at the feedlot, standing by a enclosure full of cattle who were to be shipped off the next day to be slaughtered. The smell of ammonia hung heavy in the air, making it hard for me to breath as I looked into these animals’ eyes. They were going to die tomorrow. That was so strange for me to think about. I’m not naïve to where beef comes from; I know what it takes to produce burgers and steaks and filet mignon. Despite this, it brought tears to my eyes to actually see it happen before my eyes.
No longer is beef production a far-off concept to me – I now understand the scientific and personal significance it has on the plains, although some of it may seem hard to bear. Opening my eyes to both a rancher’s perspective and a rangeland health perspective, this lecture section has allowed me to have a more well-rounded view of the prairie and it’s inhabitants – human and animal alike. There simply cannot be a wildlife vs. ranching outlook, because both are wholly intertwined into the ecosystems of the west.
