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Volume 38 Number 19 • August 29, 2026

The Weekly News Source for Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net

A Look Inside Breeding season tips offered by UW Extension sheep specialist.... ......................................... Page 6 Bluetongue in Wyoming sheep flocks discussed............... Page 8 Get an inside look at the upcoming 98th Annual Wyoming State Ram Sale................. Pages 10-13 Flushing ewes is an important tool in reproductive success......... ....................................... Page 20

Quick Bits UW Workshop The annual University of Wyoming (UW) Sheep Program Workshop, presented by UW Extension Sheep Specialist Dr. Whit Stewart, will take place on Sept. 14 from 3-5 p.m. in the Touchstone Energy Building on the Wyoming State Fairgrounds in Douglas. Titled “Protecting Your Ram Investment: Managing for Breeding Success and Longevity,” the seminar will look at breeding season from the ram’s perspective and translate biology into practical strategies for preparing rams before turnout, managing them through breeding and helping them recover afterwards. For more information, visit wyowool.com.

Trailing of the Sheep Festival celebrates 30 years Each fall, a river of wool flows through the heart of Ketchum, Idaho as hundreds of sheep trail down from the high-elevation mountain ranges where they spent the summer to win-

ter grazing and lambing grounds farther south. For 30 years, the tradition has been marked by a colorful celebration featuring all things sheep, now spanning

a full five days, in an effort to preserve a living piece of Western ag heritage. Festival history According to the event’s website, Please see FESTIVAL on page 19

2026 WYOMING STATE RAM SALE EDITION

Positive Outlook

Sheep and goat markets strong despite drought and input cost concerns Despite ongoing drought conditions, increased production costs and concerns surrounding New World screwworm, industry experts note U.S. sheep and goat producers benefited from historically strong prices and high consumer demand during the first half of 2026. During a July 15 Sheep and Goat Marketing Outlook webinar hosted by North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension and University of Minnesota Extension, Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) Agricultural Economist Tyler Cozzens discusses current economic conditions, livestock supplies and price expectations.

Drought pressure Drought continues to be one of the largest challenges facing sheep and goat producers across the West. According to Cozzens, as of July 1, approximately 45 percent of the U.S. sheep inventory and 40 percent of the nation’s major hay acreage was located in drought-affected areas, increasing many producers’ concerns about forage availability and feed costs. He notes national May 1 hay stocks are the best indicator of hay supplies going into the second half of the year, and this year’s report shows May 1 hay stocks slightly lower than a year earlier and above Please see OUTLOOK on page 9

Questionnaire The American Sheep Industry Association has developed a grower/feeder questionnaire for U.S. sheep producers to share information regarding the 201 Trade Case. For more information or to access the questionnaire, visit champ.ly/.KV1-46q_.

Sugar Sales On Aug. 25, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation announced it does not expect to purchase and sell sugar under the Feedstock Flexibility Program for Crop Year 2026, which runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2027. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.

Public Comment The Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI), on behalf of the State Board of Land Commissioners, has submitted a notice of intent (NOI) to adopt rules and regulations and is opening a public comment period to accept comments on Chapter Four, Grazing and Agricultural Leasing, which will end on Oct. 3. A copy of the NOI, statement of principal reasons and proposed amendments are available at sos.wyo.gov. Written comments can be submitted via e-mail to SLR-Public-Comments@wyo.gov or mailed to OSLI, Herschler Building, 122 W. 25th Street, Suite W103, Cheyenne, WY 82002.

WYLR photo

Sheep Celebration Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous returns for ninth year From Aug. 21-23, the ninth annual Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous drew a crowd of roughly 300 people to Glenrock Town Park for a weekend of history, heritage and community. The annual event celebrates Wyoming’s sheep industry, past and present, through a variety of activities. From a sheep wagon display and Dutch oven cooking competition to mutton busting, square dancing and sheepdog trials, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Red, Wool and Blue With a theme of “Red, Wool and Blue” the 2026 rendezvous was a celebration of history and heritage. Organized by a committee including Rhonda Dilts, Rita Redig, Danis Hildebrand, Erin Wolfley, Rick Davis and Robert Mintle, with support from numerous sponsors, the annual rendezvous is one of the area’s most highly-anticipated events. The event kicked off on Aug. 21 with a great display of authentic sheep wagons and a heritage market

Please see RENDEZVOUS on page 7

Lamb-A-Year program highlighted Every year, the Wyoming Wool Initiative (WWI) facilitates the Lamb-A-Year program and honors top-performing producers with awards. This year, a total of 90 lambs from 23 regional producer partners were enrolled in the program, in which University of Wyoming (UW) students raised, tracked and evaluated animals for growth, feed efficiency and carcass merit. A flagship program of the UW College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources, WWI seeks to advance Wyoming’s sheep and wool industry through student-driven research, product development and producer collaboration. The 2025-26 Lamb-A-Year awards were presented on Aug. 1 at the annual Sheepherders Come Bye Dinner during the 2026 Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival in Powell. Program background UW Sheep Extension Specialist Dr. Whit Stewart oversees the Lamb-A-Year program, which partners with regional sheep producers to provide students with hands-on experience in commercial sheep production. Producers donate or consign lambs to the program, which are then monitored by UW students from October to February. Students gain experience with animal evaluation, nutrition and carcass data collection, and the program supports research focused on improving animal health, nutrition and production efficiency. “The Lamb-A-Year program is much more than a competition – it is a comprehensive teaching, research and Extension Please see LAMB-A-YEAR on page 5

UW Sheep Program publishes annual report On Aug. 24, the University of Wyoming (UW) Sheep Program and Wyoming Wool Initiative (WWI) published their 2025-26 annual report highlighting growth and progress achieved for Wyoming’s sheep and wool industry throughout the past year. In recognition of crucial partnerships which make advancement possible, the impact report states, “Through your generosity, we’re able to offer hands-on education, lead applied research, extend statewide outreach and build new market opportunities to serve producers, inspire students and strengthen the future of Wyoming wool and lamb.” Report highlights Starting off strong, the report begins by listing some facts and achievements from

the past year, highlighting the strength of Wyoming’s sheep and wool industry. First, the report states Wyoming ranks number one in the nation for wool value. “According to the 2026 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Sheep and Goat Report, Wyoming leads the nation in the value of its wool clip, shearing 2.3 million pounds a year,” the report reads. “The state also holds the fourth spot in both breeding sheep and total sheep numbers.” In addition, some high points of the year for the UW Sheep Program and WWI are outlined in the report, including a new ranch-to-table effort in partnership with

periodical

Please see REPORT on page 18

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

Celebrating the Sheep Industry, Concern Over Beef This week’s issue is our annual sheep edition, and we’re happy to have so many positive articles on sheep. It’s about time. Although lamb and wool prices are up, I realize there are ever-present hardships for the industry to overcome, but From the it doesn’t mean we can’t have some celPublisher Dennis Sun ebrations across the region. In the last month there have been three events celebrating the sheep industry – the Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival in Powell, the Wyoming State Fair Sheep Wagon Show and Dutch Oven Cookoff in Douglas and the Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous in Glenrock. All of these have been well attended and fun events for people of all ages. At one time, sheep were king in Wyoming and the reason many small communities got started across the state. I know there was a time when one drove from Casper to Riverton, it was all sheep country, and the same could be said for many other parts of the state, such as the southwestern area and the Big Horn Basin, Buffalo and Cheyenne. It is good to see celebrations taking place and keeping the history of the sheep industry intact. On the beef issue, there has been a lot of turmoil for some time now over the rising cost of beef, especially ground beef, which accounts for around one-half of all beef sales in the nation today. Due to affordability and the upcoming midterm election, President Donald Trump has been looking for ways to lower the cost of beef at the meat counter, and so far, whatever he has come up with hasn’t been very popular. For many years, the price of cattle has been cyclical – every 10 to 11 years, prices reversed. This has not taken place in the latter years. So here we are, with record-low numbers of cattle, high demand for value-added beef and protein around the world, one of the largest droughts in the last few years and an aging cattle producer population. This has created record-high prices for beef. The world knows American beef is the best-tasting and tenderest there is, and our president is fooling around with ground beef prices. But we know ground beef isn’t the only product with rising prices lately in the grocery store. Trump has temporarily increased the quota for tariff-free imports of lean beef over 90 days to substantially lower the price of ground beef in the U.S. before the midterm election. Before this, he opened the Mexican Border to bring in cattle which caused U.S. prices to decline. The U.S. will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of lean beef to be imported with no out-of-quota tariff. Trump also wants ranchers to build up their herds to raise national numbers. He doesn’t realize ranchers would be building up their herds if it were profitable and if there wasn’t a multi-state drought. The bad part is some are blaming ranchers and producers for small cattle numbers. They don’t realize it takes around three years to see an increase. This action has caused futures to drop at the fat cow level, as well as some lower prices across all markets. Keep in mind, this is taking place during the fall calf run and the start of the cull nonfat cow run. The weeks ahead will be interesting.

GUEST OPINIONS The Ram Pen: A Reckoning of Sorts By Dr. Whit Stewart The rhythms of agriculture give us a predictable pattern of harvest – a reckoning of sorts. Lambs are shipped, ewes are crutched and before long, we find ourselves in the often last-minute business of buying rams. It is a time when much of what was set in motion months – and sometimes years – before finally comes due. It’s easy to forget the flock standing in front of us this fall carries the consequences of decisions made well back in the rearview mirror. The rams we bought, the replacement ewes we kept and the genetics we chose to carry forward are either reaping rewards or quietly limiting production today. While a lamb receives one-half of its genetics from each parent, comparatively few rams influence a large proportion of the lamb crop and replacement females retained in a flock. The consequences of a ram purchase are often a reflection not only of last year’s decision, but of choices made two, three or four years ago. Therefore, fall offers an opportunity to take inventory – not only of lambs sold or ewes retained, but of the decisions that produced them. As producers take inventory of their flock’s performance this fall, the following represents a recurring conversation I have with producers this time of year. A kept ram – one which has lived in the dry lot the past couple of months on a subsidized diet and carrying excess condition – is the siren song of all ram buyers. And while what meets the eye – phenotype – can tell us something about what his offspring might reflect – especially when highly heritable traits are in play, such as mature body size, fiber diameter and staple length – the subsidized environment in which the ram was raised has steered many ram buyers onto the rocky shore of stagnant genetic gain and a shorter lifespan for the ram. More subtly, a ram born and reared as a single, raised by a three- to four-

year-old ewe or creep-fed versus range-raised can have advantages that artificially inflate even what we measure as “performance.” These differences should be balanced with an appropriate level of adjustment for those advantages. What you see isn’t always what you get in genetic gain. How do you take inventory of the traits that matter most? Pounds of lamb weaned per ewe will always be the gold standard, but for many of us, the milestones we use throughout the production year will look different – from lambing percentage to docking percentage and ultimately weaning percentage. Regardless of the metric, our ability to identify the bottom end of our ewes and lambs and either cull or breed those ewes to terminal sires is a proactive management strategy. A producer recently shared his data with me, and the range in productivity among ewes was substantial. Pounds of lamb weaned per ewe ranged from just 49 pounds among the lowest-performing ewe to 237 pounds among the highest – a nearly fivefold difference, with a median of 122 pounds weaned per ewe. This means the highest-performing ewe weaned nearly twice as many pounds of lamb as the median ewe and almost five times as much as the lowest performer. This discrepancy prompted me to look back at some of our own genetic research at the University of Wyoming Laramie Research and Extension Center. Across the six sire groups represented in our flock, the differences reinforced this point. The highest-performing sire group produced roughly 25 additional pounds of lamb weaned per ewe compared with the lowest – a 35 percent advantage. These differences reflect more than simply how fast an individual lamb grows – prolificacy, lamb survival and growth all contribute to the pounds of lamb we ultimately market.

Knowing which ram produced these lambs gives us an opportunity to identify the differences, retain genetics from the sires which consistently move productivity in the right direction and accelerate genetic progress rather than simply selecting on appearance or individual performance alone. And with this comes a nod to our stalwart ram producers who assume much of this risk before a ram ever enters the sale ring. They invest in genetics year after year and collect performance and pedigree information that can just as easily eliminate a good-looking ram as elevate him, all while managing a population of males seemingly hell-bent on injuring themselves or each other. This information comes at a cost, but it carries real value for the commercial producer who knows how to use it. This brings us back to the ram pen this fall. The goal isn’t necessarily to buy the flashiest or highest-indexing ram, but the one with the genetics to address the limitations in your flock and fit what your production system and lifestyle will support. If pounds of lamb weaned is the endpoint, what is keeping you from getting there – prolificacy, lamb survival, growth, mature ewe size, wool value or longevity? The answer should determine which numbers matter when you buy your next ram. The ram you purchase this fall will influence next spring’s lamb crop, but his larger footprint may remain in the replacement daughters kept and the flock they ultimately build. By the time we know the full measure of this decision, the ram himself may be several breeding seasons in the rearview mirror. In a world increasingly determined to shorten our attention spans, production agriculture still asks us to pay attention – to seasons, patterns and the consequences of choices made years before. Please see RAMS on page 3

Photo: Carol Waller

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

NEWS BRIEFS WNV confirmed Two cases of West Nile virus (WNV) in horses have been confirmed in Fremont County. These are the first cases of equine WNV reported to the Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) this year. According to WLSB, WNV is spread by mosquitoes when they feed on infected birds, then bite people and horses. Horses cannot spread WNV directly to humans or to other horses. Cases of WNV in equine can range from mild to severe. Contact a veterinarian if any clinical signs are present. These include muscle tremors, incoordination, stumbling, weak limbs, inability to stand, convulsions and/or impaired vision. Horses with WNV often require supportive veterinary care, and treatments vary depending on the severity of the case. To prevent WNV, horses can be vaccinated, preferably in the spring before mosquito season. Manufacturers’ instructions for vaccine administration and booster recommendations should be followed. Horse owners can also reduce the risk of their horses being bitten by an infected mosquito by eliminating waterholding containers where mosquitoes can breed; removing old tires; covering or drilling holes in barrels, buckets or tubs stored outside; turning over wheelbarrows when not in use; using sprays on horses to repel mosquitoes; using fans to deter mosquitoes; bringing horses into barns at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active and attaching and maintaining screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of horse barns. For more information or to report a suspected or confirmed case of WNV, contact WLSB at lsbforms-applications@wyo. gov or 307-777-7515.

U.S.-Mexico Border reopens According to an Aug. 24 BEEF Magazine article by Clint Peck, the U.S.-Mexico Border at the Douglas, Ariz. port has reopened to cattle imports from Mexico. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported 692 head of Mexican feeder cattle crossed the border into the U.S. on Aug. 24. Douglas is directly across from Agua Prieta in Sonora, Mexico and a total of 716 head of Sonoran feeders were presented for entry, but veterinarians rejected 24 head due to cuts, scratches and other lesions. There were no details on the size and sex of the feeders or the destinations. The U.S.-Mexico Border closed to cattle trade most recently in July 2025 – with a prior temporary closure starting in November 2024 and earlier restrictions – driven by concerns over the spread of New World screwworm (NWS) in Mexico. Since June 3, when the USDA reported the first active NWS case in the U.S., a total of 46 NWS cases have been reported – with all but one in Texas. Of those 46 cases, only two were reported as “active” on Aug. 24. For the first month, the reopening is beginning with 700 head per day during the first week, increasing to 900 head the second week and gradually rising to around 1,300 per day, according to Mexico’s National Confederation of Livestock Organizations. The cross-border trade is “guided by overlapping safeguards and a science-based import protocol” agreed upon by the two countries. USDA will next evaluate the reopening of ports in Santa Teresa, N.M. and Columbus, N.M. to cattle, bison and horses. Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Dr. Derrell Peel predicted for the remainder of 2026,150,000 head is probably a reasonable estimate of Mexican cattle imports by the end of the year, with outside chances of up to 250,000 head total. USDA plans to open two more New Mexico ports, one in 30 days and another in 60 days, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. The opening of ports may ‌be paused if USDA identifies increased risk in Sonora, Mexico or Chihuahua, Mexico via postopening audits or other observations or information.

RAMS continued from page 2 Harvest, weaning and, undoubtedly, ram buying offer a natural pause to take stock. They should be a celebration as much as an evaluation – a chance to appreciate what the flock has given us, reckon with the decisions that brought it here and be a little more deliberate about where we ask it to go next. Here’s to a little more meaningful visiting – and admiring – around the ram pens this fall. See you in Douglas. Dr. Whit Stewart is the University of Wyoming Extension sheep specialist and an associate professor. He can be reached at Whit.Stewart@uwyo.edu.

Hay report provided

Agreement reached Cargill is set to resume beef production at its Fort Morgan, Colo. plant this September following months of inaction stemming from labor disputes. Unionized workers recently voted to approve a new five-year labor agreement, ending a dispute which halted cattle slaughter at the facility beginning in April. Cargill said workers are expected to begin returning to the plant around Aug. 24, with slaughtering projected to resume the week of Sept. 7. An Aug. 17 Reuters article by Tom Polansek notes employees voted overwhelmingly to accept a contract proposal from Cargill which was previously rejected, according to Dean Modecker, who runs the Teamsters Local 455 union representing the workers. Unionized laborers had been hoping for better pay in the fourth and fifth years of a five-year deal, according to Modecker, and base pay will rise by a total of $1.40 per hour in the first year under the new contract. Cargill says base wages at the plant have climbed to $23.50 an hour from $15.35 since 2018.

NIETC cancelled On Aug. 12, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) will not move forward. The proposed NIETC line map identified more than two million acres – or 24 percent – of the state of New Mexico, and a corridor area in southeastern Colorado ranging from five to 15-miles wide across Prowers, Baca and Kiowa counties. Affected areas contribute $1.9 billion in New Mexico annually and another $504 million annually in the three affected Colorado counties from agriculture production alone. The announcement came from DOE Office of Electricity Assistant Secretary Katie Jereza, who said the agency heard concerns from agricultural, conservation and landowner organizations regarding landowners and property rights and the effects of the designations of working lands, ranching operations, agricultural production and local planning. “Today, DOE is announcing we do not plan to move forward with designating the three proposed NIETCs,” Jereza said. “There was not broad public support for designating these NIETCs, and the framework was not working for Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma.” The cancellation encompasses the Southwestern Grid Corridor, including parts of Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma; the Lake Erie/Canada Corridor, covering parts of Lake Erie and Pennsylvania and the Tribal Energy Access Corridor, covering parts of North and South Dakota, Nebraska and five Tribal reservations.

The August Crop Production Report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service included forecasts for 2026 hay production. The hay crop year runs from May to April, so total hay supply includes May 1 carryover hay stocks plus current year production. Total U.S. May 1 hay stocks were up 19.5 percent year-overyear, but total hay production is expected to be down 9.3 percent, leading to a 7.2 percent decrease in the 2026 total hay supply. Total U.S. hay production in 2026 is also expected to be down 9.3 percent from the 2015-24 average and down 7.9 percent year-over-year. All top 10 hay production states are down individually, and the group is down 15.3 percent from the 10-year average while accounting for 43.8 percent of total U.S. hay production. The top 10 states for alfalfa hay production are mostly northern beef cow states and/or big dairy states, with 2026 alfalfa hay production down 10.4 percent from the 10-year average. These states accounted for 58.2 percent of total U.S. alfalfa hay production. Alfalfa hay production was down in seven of the top 10 states but up in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Total U.S. alfalfa hay production is forecast down 10.4 percent from the 10-year average and down five percent year-over-year. Total 2026 other hay production is forecast to be down 8.4 percent from the 10-year average and down 9.9 percent from last year. The top 10 states for other hay production account for 57.1 percent of total other hay production. Nine of the 10 largest other hay producing states are down from the 10-year average, with the increase in Arkansas the sole exception. A broad measure of the relative hay situation is the hay supply per head of cattle. For 2026, the hay supply per head is 1.59 tons, down from last year but about equal to the average of the past 15 years.

Open house scheduled The 2026 Dry Edible Bean Open House will be held on Sept. 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center (PREEC) in Scottsbluff, Neb. Dry bean producers, industry professionals and the public are invited to meet the specialists who work on dry beans, their management and ongoing research. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Associate Professor of Agronomy and Horticulture Dr. Nevin Lawrence, PREEC Research Assistant Professor Dr. Wei-Zhen Liang and the majority of the center’s faculty will present at the Dry Edible Bean Open House, which will include food and networking. The public will then have a chance to visit research plots at PREEC and view educational displays and information booths. Tours of dry edible bean plots will also be available. For more information or to register, visit go.unl.edu/ drybeans.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

NEWS BRIEFS

Ag groups pen letter

Scholarship awarded Durango Boots and the Dude Ranch Foundation (DRF) are proud to celebrate Presley Cooper as the recipient of the third annual National Day of the Cowgirl Scholarship, an award created to honor young women who embody the strength, confidence and resilience of a cowgirl. Cooper is a student at California State University, Fresno pursuing her degree in agricultural business with a minor in water studies. She also plans on pursuing a law degree to specialize in agricultural law. Receiving the National Day of the Cowgirl Scholarship means more than financial support – it is a recognition of hard work, dedication and the responsibilities that come with agriculture and rodeo. “I am so honored to join the amazing group of girls who are continuing these traditions and making an impact in the agricultural communities,” Cooper said. “This scholarship motivates me to keep working hard and to represent the values I believe in.” Cooper’s background reflects a lifelong connection to Western culture. She began in 4-H at age five, showed livestock, held leadership roles, rode horses throughout her childhood and entered her first rodeo at age 11. In high school, she continued her involvement through FFA and high school rodeo while developing leadership and public speaking skills. Her passion for water and land rights is rooted in a desire to protect agricultural communities and defend the future of farmers and ranchers. “The National Day of the Cowgirl Scholarship was created to celebrate and support young women like Cooper who are shaping the future and preserving the Western way of life,” said Erin DeLong, marketing manager at Durango Boots. “We’re proud to recognize the next generation of cowgirls who lead with purpose, strength and authenticity.”

USDA signs MOU On Aug. 11, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins hosted an event at Moore Air Base in Texas to announce a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), reinforcing a whole-of-government commitment to protect the nation’s food, agriculture and veterinary systems from emerging threats like New World screwworm (NWS). Key elements of the MOU include leveraging advanced technologies including unmanned aircraft systems and artificial intelligence to enhance screening, detection and interdiction at and between ports of entry and within border enforcement zones; sharing actionable biosurveillance and information in real-time, supporting faster and more effective responses and formalizing roles and expanding joint capabilities to improve how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and DHS work together during high-consequence events, supporting stronger, more unified national biosecurity. The MOU also establishes clear protocols for coordinated response actions, joint training and capacity building and expands existing research collaborations, including with DHS Centers of Excellence, to develop advanced screening, detection and mitigation technologies for NWS and other emerging threats. Federal, state, Tribal and local partners, as well as industry stakeholders, helped shape the MOU. USDA and DHS will continue to refine response tools, strengthen coordination and support joint planning efforts. The agencies will periodically review and update the MOU to ensure alignment with evolving preparedness activities and industry practices.

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August 26, 2026 First test on spring calves today! Selling very well despite the continued fall in the market and being so early in the season. Shorter test on yearlings selling slightly lower. Weigh ups selling mostly steady compared to last week. Thank you for your business! CALVES FLOYD LAND & LIVESTOCK IN, GILLETTE WY 107 MXD STRCF 426 528.00 WT 2,249.92 18 BLK STRCF 334 600.00 WT 2,001.66 3 RWF STRCF 430 466.00 WT 2,003.80 22 MXD BULLCF 431 472.00 WT 2,032.81 4 BWF BULLCF 295 590.00 WT 1,740.50 126 BWF HFRCF 414 496.75 WT 2,054.21 VICTOR AND DARCY GONI, BUFFALO WY 19 BLK STRCF 405 527.00 WT 2,134.35 7 BLK STRCF 299 607.50 WT 1,818.16 7 BLK BULLCF 409 474.00 WT 1,940.01 DAVID DEWEY, SHERIDAN WY 7 BLK STRCF 410 510.00 WT 2,091.00 6 BLK HFRCF 403 497.00 WT 2,004.56 YEARLINGS MERLIN RANCH INC, BUFFALO WY 39 BLK HFR 872 300.50 WT 2,618.97 WAYLON CARSON TRUST, ARVADA WY 18 BLK HFR 922 289.50 WT 2,668.22 JOHN H. & JANICE KANE, SHERIDAN WY 8 BLK HFR 1070 250.00 WT 2,675.00 SPRING WILLOW RANCH INC., WYARNO WY 17 BLK STR 926 310.50 WT 2,874.86 BOARDMAN RANCH CO LLC, WESTON WY 10 RED HFR 912 296.00 WT 2,698.04 FIELDGROVE RANCH L LC, BUFFALO WY 5 RED HFR 956 277.00 WT 2,648.12 BREDS LEO MCDONNELL, COLUMBUS MT 15 BLK BCOW,BM,L 1331 2,700.00 HD 2 BLK BCOW,BM,L 1300 3,000.00 HD WEIGH UPS JONATHAN K OR BRITTANY GORZAL, SHERIDAN WY 2 BLK COW 1235 216.00 WT 2,667.60

FLOYD LAND & LIVESTOCK IN, GILLETTE WY 1 BLK COW 1115 199.00 WT 2,218.85 7 BLK COW 1361 174.00 WT 2,368.88 6 BLK COW 1270 172.00 WT 2,184.40 JAMES C EKLUND LIVING TRUST, BUFFALO WY 1 BLK COW 1265 171.50 WT 2,169.47 PERRY CATTLE LLC, CLEARMONT WY 8 BLK COW 1424 169.50 WT 2,414.31 JAMES C EKLUND LIVING TRUST, BUFFALO WY 1 BLK COW 1310 169.00 WT 2,213.90 CHERYL CUNNINGHAM, SHERIDAN WY 1 BLK COW 1375 167.50 WT 2,303.12 FLOYD LAND & LIVESTOCK IN, GILLETTE WY 1241 167.50 WT 2,078.67 5 BLK COW JAMES C EKLUND LIVING TRUST, BUFFALO WY 3 BLK COW 1312 166.50 WT 2,183.92 LLC BUFFALO LIVESTOCK MARKETI, BUFFALO WY 1 HERE COW 1520 166.50 WT 2,530.80 NICK OR GAIL MONK, LODGE GRASS MT 1 BLK COW 1280 165.00 WT 2,112.00 BOARDMAN RANCH CO LLC, WESTON WY 10 RED COW 1478 164.50 WT 2,431.31 PERRY CATTLE LLC, CLEARMONT WY 1 HERE COW 1315 164.00 WT 2,156.60 WILLIAM A & KAITLIN A DUNCAN, CASPER WY 1 BLK COW 1365 163.00 WT 2,224.95 FLOYD LAND & LIVESTOCK IN, GILLETTE WY 1 BLK COW 1505 162.00 WT 2,438.10 1 BLK COW 1495 161.00 WT 2,406.95 JAMES C EKLUND LIVING TRUST, BUFFALO WY 1 BLK COW 1550 159.50 WT 2,472.25 1 BLK COW 1560 157.00 WT 2,449.20 WILLIAM A & KAITLIN A DUNCAN, CASPER WY 1 CHAR COW 1365 157.00 WT 2,143.05

WILL DUNCAN, CASPER WY 1 RED COW 1800 149.00 WT 2,682.00 FLOYD LAND & LIVESTOCK IN, GILLETTE WY 1 BLK COW 1875 149.00 WT 2,793.75 BOARDMAN RANCH CO LLC, WESTON WY 1 RED COW 1660 148.00 WT 2,456.80 BULLS 1 RED BULL 1905 207.50 WT 3,952.87 S. K. JOHNSTON JR, BIG HORN WY 1 BLK BULL 2030 206.00 WT 4,181.80 PADLOCK RANCH CO., RANCHESTER WY 1 BLK BULL 2100 204.50 WT 4,294.50 S. K. JOHNSTON JR, BIG HORN WY 1 BLK BULL 2035 204.50 WT 4,161.57 JONATHAN K OR BRITTANY GORZAL, SHERIDAN W 1 BLK BULL 2235 203.50 WT 4,548.22 1 BWF BULL 1805 200.00 WT 3,610.00 CARL & VICKIE BLACK, ROZET WY 1 BLK BULL 1780 200.00 WT 3,560.00 MARTIN MASTERS, DAYTON WY 1 RED BULL 1730 198.50 WT 3,434.05 GERRY J & MARIE G MILLER LIVI, BUFFALO WY 1 BLK BULL 1650 194.50 WT 3,209.25 REINKE PROPERTIES LLC, SHERIDAN WY 1 BLK BULL 1900 193.00 WT 3,667.00 TAD M. &/OR HILLARY N. TIPTON, SHERIDAN W 1 BLK BULL 1960 191.00 WT 3,743.60 BAKER LIVESTOCK LLC, BIG HORN WY 1 BLK BULL 1640 191.00 WT 3,132.40

E-mail us at: buffalolivestockmarketing@outlook.com

• Fall 2026 Schedule • September 2 - Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes • September 5 - Big Horn Classic Performance Horse & Production Sale September 9 - Anniversary BBQ Feeder Cattle Special Featuring Yearlings Off Grass and Spring Calves September 16 - Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes September 23 - Yearling and Spring Calf Special with Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes September 24 - Open Consignment/Loose Horse Sale September 30 - Yearling and Spring Calf Special with Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes • October 7 - Spring Calf Special October 10 - Bred Cow Special and Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes • October 14 - Spring Calf Special October 17 - Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes • October 21 - Spring Calf Special October 24 - Bred Cow/Exposed Cow Special and Weigh up Special - Selling All Classes • October 28 - Spring Calf Special October 31 - Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes • November 4 - Spring Calf Special November 7 - Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes • November 11 - Spring Calf Special November 14 - Bred Cow/Exposed Cow Special and Weigh up Special - Selling All Classes November 18 - Spring Calf Special and Regular Weigh Up Special - Selling All Classes November 21 - Redland Angus Bull Sale - Fall Sale • November 25 - NO SALE, Happy Thanksgiving! November 28 - NO SALE! • December 2 - Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes December 5 - Bighorn Mountain Heart of the Herd Bred Cow and Heifer Special December 9 - Spring Calf and Weaned Calf Special • December 16 - Regular Weigh Up Sale - Selling All Classes December 19 - Cows for Christmas Bred Cow and Heifer Special • December 23 - NO SALE - Merry Christmas! December 30 - NO SALE - Happy New Year!

To view the consignment lists visit our website • www.buffalolivestockwyo.com

On Aug. 26, four major U.S. livestock organizations announced they are joining together to urge President Donald Trump to reverse course on a proposed plan to increase beef imports over the next 90 days. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, Livestock Marketing Association President Joe Goggins, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Gene Copenhaver and U.S. Cattlemen’s Association President Justin Tupper signed a joint letter expressing deep concern with the plan to import up to 300,000 metric tons of beef. According to the letter, the stated purpose of the plan is to drive down beef prices, including selling imported product at prices undercutting domestic supplies. Representatives of these organizations argue this approach sends a discouraging message to U.S. farmers and ranchers. The groups said they share the goal of keeping groceries affordable for American families but contend increasing discounted foreign beef supplies is not a long-term solution. “Beef prices are in line with other consumer prices and reflect the inflated cost of raising cattle, grain and forage,” the letter reads. “Ranchers and farmers are finally experiencing the strong beef demand needed to invest in their operations after years of drought, high input costs, processing plant disruptions and other challenges which have reduced cattle numbers. This announcement will discourage investment in the U.S. cow herd and undo the progress producers have made.” “Americans deserve safe and wholesome beef free from any market distorting actions,” the letter continues. “There is nothing more American than beef, and we look to your leadership to ensure resilience for our farmers and ranchers, which is the only long-term way to prevent higher grocery costs and maintain control over our food supply.” “American cattle producers are asking you for a fair and competitive market, honest price signals and policies to put U.S. farmers, ranchers and consumers first. We urge you to reverse course on this 90-day import plan and work with us instead on solutions to strengthen – rather than weaken – America's capacity to feed itself. We stand ready to work with you on policies which keep food affordable, protect producers and consumers and preserve a viable future for the U.S. cattle industry,” the groups conclude.

Nigeria opens markets In a significant market access win for U.S. agriculture, Nigeria, West Africa is now open to a wide range of U.S. beef and pork products. While Nigeria previously accepted only a limited number of processed meat items, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Export Library now states U.S. red meat products can be exported to the African country unless they are specifically excluded. Nigeria still does not accept beef or pork offal or bone-in hams. Smoked, dried and cured beef and pork products are also excluded, but beef cuts and all pork cuts except bone-in hams are now eligible to be shipped to Nigeria, which has the sixth largest population in the world at more than 240 million. It is the third largest economy in Africa, behind South Africa and Egypt. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and Chief Exectuive Officer Dan Halstrom said this is an important breakthrough in a market with excellent longterm potential for the U.S. red meat industry. “There are certainly challenges we must overcome, and it will take some time to gain a foothold in the Nigerian retail and foodservice sectors,” Halstrom said. “But the first step in developing a new market is to secure meaningful access, and USMEF thanks USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for their persistent efforts to open Nigeria and other promising markets throughout the world.”

Parfitt announces retirement On Aug. 26, Gov. Mark Gordon announced the retirement of Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Director Todd Parfitt, who will depart on Oct. 1, following more than 14 years of distinguished leadership and 32 years of dedicated public service to the state of Wyoming. Appointed director in 2012, Parfitt has guided DEQ through one of the most dynamic and transformative periods in the agency’s history. Under his leadership, DEQ strengthened Wyoming’s environmental programs, expanded state regulatory authority, modernized public-facing systems and advanced major initiatives supporting Wyoming’s air, land and water resources. Parfitt began his career with DEQ in 1992 and served in multiple leadership roles before becoming director. His tenure has been marked by collaboration, scientific rigor and a commitment to balancing environmental protection with Wyoming’s economic vitality. “It has been a tremendous honor and pleasure to have worked directly for Gordon for the last eight years and for former Gov. Matt Mead before that as director,” said Parfitt. “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the outstanding staff of DEQ who work tirelessly to implement a solutions-oriented culture to improve the quality of air, water and land for the betterment of all Wyoming citizens while also enabling robust energy and economic development and growth.”

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

by Lee Pitts Weaponizing Diarrhea Here’s some food for thought. This past July, Taylor Farms de Mexico was linked to the iceberg lettuce believed to be responsible for one of the largest cyclosporiasis outbreaks in American history, with at least 15,000 confirmed cases. After Taco Bell announced they were voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, Taylor Farms soon followed with a recall of their own. Although it may sound like a mom-and-pop operation, Taylor Farms is the largest global producer of salads and fresh foods, with production facilities across the U.S., Canada, Mexico

and Western Europe, and they have a long history of food recalls. In 2012-13, Taylor Farms recalled products six times, including a recall of organic baby spinach which caused E. coli outbreaks in 39 states. Previously, they had recalled romaine lettuce, broccoli, salad kits and packets of salad dressing for listeria contamination, and hundreds of cases of cyclosporiasis were linked to their salad mix served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster. At a press conference on July 21, health officials in North Carolina announced a surge in illnesses caused by the parasite cyclospora which sick-

ened 561 people – nearly double the number of cases it recorded in all of 2025. The cause was eventually determined to be tainted parsley and cilantro which probably came from the same area of Mexico the tainted lettuce came from. After jalapeño peppers were linked to a large, multistate outbreak of salmonella, Taylor Fresh Farms recalled multiple salsas, dips and guacamole. Some specific products included diced jalapeños, rice and bean burritos, spicy roast beef sandwiches, spicy pimento cheese dip, pico de gallo salsa, spicy guacamole, fiesta style salad shrimp, salsa fresca, pineapple mango salsa, etc. which were sold at retailers across 26 states and included Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods and many others. Federal investigators later said the Mexico-based supplier Coast Citrus Distributors may have been responsible for the peppers.

LAMB-A-YEAR continued from page 1 initiative which embodies UW’s land-grant mission,” says Stewart. “The program provides students with hands-on experience in commercial sheep production, animal evaluation, nutrition and carcass data collection while supporting research focused on improving animal health, nutrition and production efficiency.” “Most importantly, every producer who consigns lambs receives detailed performance and carcass data which is used to make more informed genetic selection and management decisions within their flock,” he adds. Award winners The Lamb-A-Year awards recognize lambs which demonstrate excellence in growth, feed efficiency and carcass merit. According to Stewart, the Grand Champion, Reserve Champion and Performance Consistency awards recognize excellence across multiple economically important traits rather than a single measurement. Additionally, overall index was calculated using a weighted formula consisting of 30 percent average daily gain, 30 percent feed efficiency and 40 percent red meat yield. To ensure champions represented commercially desirable carcasses, Stewart says only lambs with a U.S. Department of Agriculture yield grade between 2.0 and 4.0 were eligible for the overall championship awards, but individual performance awards were determined solely by the specific trait being recognized. This year, the Grand Champion Lamb-A-Year was a Centennial lamb consigned by the Moore family of Spearhead Ranch in Douglas which recorded an overall index of 111.68.

The Reserve Champion Lamb-A-Year was a Rambouillet-Suffolk cross consigned by Marvin and Sheila Schmidt of Kinnear with an overall index of 111.47. Earning the Top Average Daily Gain Award was a Rambouillet-Merino cross lamb consigned by Ivan Laird of Lander which averaged a gain of 1.38 pounds per day. Another Centennial lamb consigned by the Moore family took home the Top Feed Efficiency Award with a feed-to-gain ratio of 3.755 to one. A Rambouillet lamb consigned by Scotty Johnson of Buffalo, earned the Champion Red Meat Yield Award for producing 84.48 percent red meat yield as a percentage of the cold carcass weight. The Performance Consistency Award recognizes producers whose entire group of lambs performed well with minimal variation, and this year’s honors went to the Smith family of Powell. Their consignment of Hampshire crossbred lambs demonstrated the best combination of average performance in growth, feed efficiency and carcass merit while maintaining exceptional uniformity across the entire group. In addition, UW Assistant Professor of Meat Science Dr. Cody Gifford was presented with the Top Hand Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the success of the Lamb-AYear program. Continued success The impact of Lamb-AYear reaches far beyond the program’s duration and ripples throughout the state of Wyoming. According to UW Extension, lamb sales from the program help support educational programming

for students and producers, workshops at the annual Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival, UW meat science curriculum, lamb quality research and more. UW welcomes producer participation in the LambA-Year program each year, and producers receive a taxdeductible charitable gift receipt based on the market

Chipotle was among the first to pull the jalapeño peppers from their menu, and several other restaurants soon followed. But the damage had been done as at least 345 people across 27 states fell ill in the salmonella outbreak, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Every year, salmonella averages 1.35 million illnesses and 420 deaths in the U.S. A shipment of nearly 30,000 pounds of beef from Argentina was recalled after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found it had bypassed a required import reinspection. The USDA categorized the recall as Class I, indicating a “high or medium risk.” The shipment of 29,628 pounds of raw beef was not presented to USDA inspectors for a mandatory reinspection before it was sent to distributors and retail outlets

in Florida and Texas. The American rancher became the fall guy by default because Congress won’t make country-of-origin labeling mandatory for beef, so the American consumer has no way of differentiating Argentinian beef from American beef. Did you notice a recurring theme to all of the above cases? That’s right, they all involved foreign food. Thomas Friedman didn’t take the possibility of international food poisoning into account when he extolled globalism in his 2005 bestselling book “The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century.” The book got its name because Friedman said the world was now a level playing field where production of everything would automatically go to the least-cost producer. Although the book won the Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award

value of their lambs. All lambs entering the program must have a valid brand inspection, and animals must be delivered to UW or a pickup can be coordinated. Stewart emphasizes producer participation is a critical component of the LambA-Year program’s continued success. “The continued success of the Lamb-A-Year program depends on the will-

ingness of Wyoming producers to participate,” Stewart says. “Their involvement not only advances research, but also provides invaluable educational opportunities for UW students while generating data to help producers make more informed genetic and management decisions.” “Through the integration of teaching, research and UW Extension, the Lamb-A-Year program continues to strengthen Wyo-

in 2005, Friedman’s theory has now turned into a nightmare where America sacrificed its manufacturing industry and farmed out the production of 60 percent of fresh fruit, 35 percent of fresh vegetables and 10 to 15 percent of beef to foreign producers. Instead of being called the “World is Flat,” Friedman should have called his book “The World is Stupid.” How did Americans ever fall for this idea that benefitted big businesses and hurt not only Taco Bell and Chipotle but American farmers too? Because now my wife – and millions of others – won’t eat their beloved jalapeños or dine at their favorite Mexican restaurant until this dark cloud has passed. And she hasn’t touched a salad in months. I wonder, did it ever dawn on Friedman or the globalists diarrhea could cause more harm than a suicide bomber or a car bomb? ming’s commercial sheep industry,” he concludes. The 2026-27 Lamb-AYear program will begin accepting donations and consignments in October, and producers interested in participating should contact Stewart at whit.stewart@ uwyo.edu. Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

EXTENSION EDUCATION

By Whit Stewart, UW Extension Educator

A Few Things Worth Noting During Breeding Season The production calendar is a culmination of many “pinch point” moments – the first 24 hours after birth, timely spring rains that determine a year’s worth of forage growth and breeding season, when producers set production in motion for another calendar year. None of these moments happen in isolation, and rarely does the ranch give us a problem with a clear right or wrong answer. I’m reminded of this through the phone calls I receive from producers. Seldom do I hang up feeling like

I offered a tidy prescription. Every flock, ranch, year and set of circumstances is a little different, but after enough conversations, patterns begin to emerge. The questions change, but certain themes return with the seasons. This fall, many of these conversations have centered on rams. After an unusually hot summer and with a feedscarce fall staring many of us in the face, two questions keep surfacing – will our rams be fertile when we turn them out and will they have enough left in the tank to do the job again next year?

Neither question begins on turnout day. What happened weeks ago can influence fertility today, and how we manage a ram through breeding may determine whether he is still earning his keep several years from now. With so much riding on a relatively short breeding season, perhaps it is worth slowing down long enough to consider a few things easy to overlook. Heat today, fertility tomorrow Breeding soundness exams start well before the day we test a ram. For many of us, October and November are when rams are evaluated ahead of breeding, but what we see in the semen sample can reflect what happened weeks earlier. Sperm production and maturation takes roughly 50 days, meaning late-summer conditions can follow a ram well into breeding season. This is worth considering

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after a hot summer and a fall that seems to look more like July. In fact, July 2026 was Wyoming’s warmest July – and warmest month of any kind – on record, with temperatures 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit above average. Against this backdrop, heat stress is more than a theoretical concern as we prepare rams and ewes for breeding. Rams must maintain their testicles several degrees below core body temperature for normal sperm production. Research has shown just four days at 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit and 65 percent relative humidity reduced motile sperm from approximately 80 percent to less than 10 percent two weeks later. Importantly, the damage is delayed. Abnormal sperm generally begin appearing around nine days after heat exposure, peak 18 to 24 days later and can persist for 30 to 35 days. Fertilization and preg-

Chuck Petersen 307-575-4015 Lander Nicodemus 307-421-8141

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 - FEEDER SPECIAL FEEDERS Shipley Livestock 220 Blk few Bwf Hfrs, 885-925#, Guaranteed Open, Complete Vac. Program, No Implants 88 Ranch Land & Livestock 200 Blk Hfrs, 900#, PTO @ ranch on Aug. 31; Coming off their Replacements, Complete Vac. Program, Coming off grass, Home Raised Flock Ranches Inc. 200 Blk/Bwf Strs, 750-900#, Complete Vac. Program, Coming off grass Notch Peak Ranch 163 Mostly Blk few Red/Rwf Strs, 875-950#; Majority 925#, Complete Vac. Program, Wormed & Fusoguard before going to grass, No Implants, Knife Cut, Coming off grass, Home Raised, High Elevation, Coming off Laramie Peak Brian & Jerilynn Currier 127 Blk Strs, 900-1000#, Branding Shots: Bovi-Shield, One Shot Ultra, Pre-cond. Shots: Pyramid 5, Ultrabac 7, Weaning Shots: Vira Shield 6, Pro-Bac, Coming off grass, Home Raised Alan Harrison 54 Blk Strs & Hfrs, 700-800#, Heifers are Spayed, Branding Shots Only, No Implants, Coming off grass, Producer All Natural Roaring Fork Cattle Co. 50 Blk Angus Hfrs, 850-900#, Guaranteed Open (PTO @ ranch on Aug. 31), Complete Vac. Program, Coming off grass Tillard Brothers 30 Blk Hfrs, 900-1000#, PTO @ ranch on Aug. 25, Complete Vac. Program, Coming off grass Rodger Schroeder 30 Blk Hfrs, 1000#, PTO @ ranch, Complete Vac. Program, Coming off grass Mike & Valorie Heatherly 13 Blk/Char Hfrs, 1000#, PTO @ ranch on Sept. 1; coming off their Home Raised Replacement Heifers, Complete Vac. Program, Coming off grass Grace Hodges 1 Purebred Blk Angus Str, 800#, 3 Rounds of Shots, Been on Cubes, Hay, Grain and Grass, Home Raised PRE-COND. CALVES Broken Box Ranch 214 Mostly F-1 Cross with few Blk/Rd Strs, 500-625#, Branding Shots: Vision 7 w/Spur, Bovi-Shield Gold One Shot, Pre-cond. Shots: Ultra 7 w/Somubac, Bovi-Shield Gold One Shot, Nasalgen 3 PMH, Poured w/Clean-up II, No Implants, Knife Cut, Home Raised CALVES Bar JL Livestock 75 Blk/Bwf few Red Strs & Hfrs, 425-540#, Branding Shots: Pyramid 5+Presponse, Vision 7 w/Somnus/Spur, Long Range Dewormer, Coming off the cows Tillard Brothers 60 Blk few Blk Strs & Hfrs, 300-400#, Branding Shots: Vista Once, Vision 7 w/Somnus, No Implants, Coming off the cows, Fancy set of calves; Sired by Reyes Blk Angus Bulls, Strictly Reyes Genetics, Selling early due to drought conditions WEANED CALVES Vern Black 11 Mx Strs, 300-600#, Weaned 30+ days, Bunk Broke, Been started on Grain, Branding Shots, Pre-cond. Shots: 7 -way, Safeguard

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nancy rates can also decline when heat exposure occurs two to three weeks before breeding. But it’s not just rams. On the ewe side, heat stress can disrupt several steps between showing heat and establishing pregnancy. Field studies found for every additional day at or above 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit during the week of mating, the proportion of ewes returning to heat increased by 3.4 percent – an indication of fertilization failure or very early pregnancy loss. Heat stress can also impair oocyte maturation, reduce fertilization and increase early embryo loss. Timing matters. Ewes appear most vulnerable from about five days before heat through the first several days after breeding, with the day of heat itself being a particularly critical window. In controlled studies, exposing ewes to 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit beginning two days before heat increased embryo mortality by more than 60 percent, and some studies reported complete embryo loss when heat stress began on the day of heat. A broader analysis found ewes exposed to short-term heat stress were 12 times more likely to experience an unfertilized ovum or embryo loss than ewes kept under thermoneutral conditions. In practical terms, a ewe can show heat, stand for the ram and even be fertilized, yet still fail to carry the pregnancy because heat stress compromised the egg or embryo during those first critical days. The risk declines with time after breeding, but commercial flock data has associated higher temperatures during the following three weeks with fewer lambs ultimately born. A ram has to last more than one breeding season A breeding ram is an investment, and how long he stays in the flock matters. University of Wyoming (UW) survey data collected from Western sheep producers between 2021-23 found white-faced rams remained productive for an average of 4.5 breeding seasons compared with 2.8 seasons for black-faced rams, with some operations reporting only one or two breeding seasons from their terminal sires. Put some economics to that. Assuming a $1,500 purchase price, $300 salvage value and 40 ewes exposed per ram each breeding season, a ram lasting only 1.5 breeding seasons costs about $20 per ewe exposed in ram depreciation alone. Stretch this same investment across 4.5 productive breeding seasons and the cost

falls to less than seven dollars per ewe exposed – a nearly three-fold difference, simply by keeping him sound and productive for more breeding seasons. So perhaps we need to think beyond getting a ram through breeding season and start thinking about getting him through it in condition to do it again next year. Rams can lose eight to 15 percent of their body weight during breeding as they travel, seek out and breed ewes. They’re covering more country while spending less time with their heads down eating, all while maintenance requirements increase as temperatures turn colder. There is a reproductive consequence as well. Supplemental energy during breeding has been associated with rapid changes in luteinizing hormone and folliclestimulating hormone, both of which are involved in testicular function and sexual behavior. We sometimes assume when a ram starts wandering away from the ewe flock his work must be finished. But when a ram has lost considerable condition, perhaps his first inclination when he wanders is much simpler – he’s hungry. Consider the mature, lowquality forage which makes up the basal diet in many of our breeding pastures, add the energetic cost of breeding and colder weather, and it takes something approaching a biological miracle for a ram not to lose condition. Then we expect him to gain it all back before asking him to do the same job again next year. There are rarely tidy prescriptions in sheep production, and this fall is no exception. However, breeding season is one of those pinch points where small things overlooked today can become much larger things come lambing. A hot week in August, a ram losing a little too much condition or another cold week on declining forage may not seem consequential in the moment. Good stockmanship has always required paying attention to those things before they become problems. We can’t change the summer we just had or make fall feed better than it is, but we can take stock of what our sheep have been through, manage what is in front of us and remember the decisions we make during a few weeks this fall will follow the flock well into another production year. Dr. Whit Stewart is the UW Extension sheep specialist and an associate professor. He can be reached at Whit. Stewart@uwyo.edu.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

RENDEZVOUS continued from page 1 featuring vendors from across the Cowboy State. This year, 20 wagons hailing from Casper, Douglas, Gillette, Glenrock and even Montana and Kansas made their way to the park. Demonstrations were also held throughout the weekend showcasing the history of the sheep and wool industries and Wyoming’s pioneering roots. Travis Blankenbaker showcased his blacksmithing skills as one of the featured demonstrations, along with living history by Jean’s Sheep Camp, Mormon handcart displays and Pony Express reenactments. The Jackalope City Spinners and Laramie Fiber Guild also hosted a Sheep to Shawl demonstration showcasing weaving, spinning, dyeing and more. A square dance was held in the afternoon, followed

by live music by Byron and Nancy. Sheepdog trials and mutton busting The weekend continued on Aug. 22 with the Dick Grabow Memorial Sheepdog Trials. Organized by Charlie Castelein, the event features working dogs and trainers showcasing their sheepherding skills. Wendy Auzqui of Clearmont took first place this year, followed by Kandi Carter of Gillette in second and Linda Lulias of Buffalo in third. Auzqui also earned fourth place, and Ronda Pletcher of Yuma, Colo. finished fifth. The dog trials were judged by Joe Dona of Casper for the third year in a row, and the People’s Choice Award – sponsored by Shane and Danie Ray Christian – went to Lesta

Cooking contest – Eight cooks made a total of 14 delicious dishes during the Dutch oven cooking competition at the Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous. Paws Fur a Moment Photography photo by Diane Mintle

Conger of Buffalo Gap, S.D. and her dog Mabel. In addition, mutton busting returned to this year’s rendezvous after a successful first run in 2025. The mutton busting was sponsored by Kenny and Erin Wolfley of Glenrock, and sheep for both the mutton busting and the dog trials were provided by Guy Edwards of Gillette. Additional highlights The second day of the rendezvous featured a Dutch oven cooking competition where participants cooked sweet and savory delicacies. The contest featured eight cooks and 14 exceptional dishes from sweet crumbles to savory stews. Judges Kelli Clausen and Katherine Padilla, both of Douglas, awarded wins to one sweet and one savory dish, and a People’s Choice Award was also chosen. Rachel Grant of Glenrock earned the win in the sweet category with an apple pie, and Buck Smart of Glenrock cooked the favorite savory dish – a London broil stew. A Mexican lasagna made by Kyle and Keri Gray of Casper won the People’s Choice Award for savory dishes, while an apple-raspberry crisp made by Brian Kelly of Douglas earned the People’s Choice Award in the sweet category. In the evening, a live auction fundraiser brought in over $2,000 for next year’s rendezvous and was

Fire management funding secured On Aug. 17, the office of Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte announced via press release the state of Montana secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with costs associated with fighting the Sand Creek Fire in Beaverhead County, Montana. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, along with Montana Disaster and Emergency Services, submitted the request for firefighting assistance to FEMA. The FMAG makes FEMA funding

available to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs including materials and supplies, mobilization and demobilization, equipment use and expenses. The Sand Creek Fire, which started on Aug. 1, has burned over 31,000 acres and was at 11 percent containment at time of publication. According to the press release, firefighters are continuing to prioritize structure protection and have prevented structure loss, with the only confirmed impact to the Maverick Mountain upper lift shack and the Maverick Mountain U.S. Forest Service repeater.

Dog trials – The Dick Grabow Memorial Sheepdog Trials are held each year during the Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous. Paws Fur a Moment Photography photo by Diane Mintle

followed by live music, campfire songs and stories. The rendezvous wrapped up on Aug. 23 with gospel music and Cowboy Church in the morning, and wagons rolled out following the service. The Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous will return in August 2027 for another year of fellowship and fun while honoring Wyoming’s unique Western heritage. Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Wagon show – The annual Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous features an impressive lineup of sheep wagons sourced from across Wyoming and surrounding states. Paws Fur a Moment Photography photo by Diane Mintle

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

EXTENSION EDUCATION

By Dan VanderPloeg, UW Extension Educator

Bluetongue in Wyoming Sheep Flocks In 2025, Wyoming sheep producers began hearing familiar reports – sheep going lame, swollen faces, excessive salivation or unexpected deaths in the flock. At the same time, hunters and landowners began finding dead deer and pronghorn near ponds and creeks. In many cases, these events are linked to bluetongue virus, a disease which has affected livestock and wildlife across the western U.S. for decades. Bluetongue is not a new disease in Wyoming, but changing weather patterns, drought conditions and shifting insect populations continue to create conditions that favor outbreaks. Understanding how the disease spreads, recognizing early signs and taking practical management steps can help producers reduce losses and protect flock health. Disease transmission and risk factors Bluetongue is a viral disease affecting ruminants, especially sheep. The virus is spread by tiny biting insects called Culicoides midges, often referred to as “no-see-ums” or gnats. Unlike contagious diseases which spread directly from animal to ani-

mal, bluetongue depends on these insects for transmission. An infected midge bites a sheep and transfers the virus while feeding on blood. Once infected, sheep may become sick within several days. The disease occurs worldwide, but it is especially important in the western and southern U.S. Wyoming regularly experiences periodic outbreaks, usually during late summer and early fall when midge populations are highest. In the Rocky Mountain West, outbreaks tend to occur in cycles every several years, often following periods of drought or unusually warm weather. Weather plays a major role in bluetongue outbreaks. Midges require moist environments to reproduce, but drought conditions can actually increase disease transmission. During dry years, livestock and wildlife gather around the few remaining water sources. Muddy pond edges, leaking tanks, irrigation runoff and manure-rich wet soil create ideal breeding areas for midges. At the same time, the concentration of animals around water increases the chance

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infected insects will spread the virus between animals. These tiny insects are most active during the evening and nighttime hours, especially around dusk and dawn. Sheep grazing in low wet areas during these times are at greatest risk of exposure. Producers often notice outbreaks are worse in lower elevation areas below about 7,000 feet where conditions are warmer and insects remain active longer into the season. Sheep are the domestic species most severely affected by bluetongue. While cattle often carry the virus without obvious illness, sheep can develop serious disease and death losses. The severity of illness depends on the strain of virus involved, the age and condition of the animals and whether the flock has been exposed previously. Early signs of bluetongue may look similar to several other diseases. Affected sheep often develop fever, depression and weakness. Producers may first notice animals separating from the flock, refusing to move or showing signs of lameness. As the disease progresses, sheep may develop swelling of the lips, face, tongue and muzzle. Excessive salivation and nasal discharge are common. Some animals develop sores or ulcers inside the mouth, making it painful to eat or drink. The disease gets its name from one of its most recognizable symptoms – a swollen tongue which may appear blue or purple because of poor oxygen circulation. Although this classic “blue tongue” appearance does not occur in every case, severe swelling and inflammation in the mouth is common during outbreaks. Lameness is another major sign producers observe. Bluetongue damages

blood vessels throughout the body, including those around the hooves. Sheep may appear stiff, reluctant to walk or spend long periods lying down. In severe cases, hoof tissues may separate or slough. Animals that survive may continue dealing with hoof problems or poor condition for weeks afterward. Respiratory problems can also occur. Swelling and inflammation may affect the lungs, leading to rapid breathing, pneumonia or sudden death. Secondary infections often make the disease worse. Some sheep die quickly with little warning, while others gradually lose weight and condition over time. Pregnant ewes are particularly vulnerable because infection during early pregnancy may lead to abortions, stillbirths or weak lambs with neurological problems. Lambs born after bluetongue infection may appear blind, weak or unable to nurse properly. Although sheep producers feel the greatest economic impact from bluetongue, the disease also affects wildlife across Wyoming. Deer, pronghorn, elk and Bighorn sheep are all susceptible to becoming infected. In some years, large numbers of dead wildlife are discovered near rivers, reservoirs and stock ponds. Wildlife outbreaks often happen at the same time producers begin seeing illness in domestic sheep. Pronghorn and deer are especially susceptible to hemorrhagic diseases caused by bluetongue virus and the closely related epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus. Wildlife officials in Wyoming commonly receive reports of dead animals during late-summer outbreaks. There is no evidence

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bluetongue virus can cause any illness in humans. Preventative management options Unfortunately, there is no cure for bluetongue once animals become infected. Treatment focuses on supportive care. Producers can improve survival by reducing stress, providing easy access to feed and water and separating severely affected animals from the rest of the flock when possible. Antibiotics may sometimes help control secondary bacterial infections, but they do not treat the virus itself. Because there is no direct treatment, prevention becomes the most important management tool. The primary goal is reducing exposure to biting midges. One of the most effective steps producers can take is reducing standing water or muddy insect breeding areas around livestock facilities. Repairing leaking tanks and pipelines, improving drainage and reducing manure buildup in wet areas may help lower midge populations. Complete elimination of breeding habitat is usually impossible, especially in irrigated or riparian areas, but reducing wet organic material can still help. Timing of livestock grazing and housing may also reduce exposure. Since midges are most active during dusk and dawn, moving valuable animals indoors overnight during peak insect season may decrease biting activity. Air flow from barn fans may reduce midge flight abilities, further reducing the chances of livestock exposure. Some producers use insecticides or repellents as part of a control program, though results vary. Because midges are extremely small and widespread, chemical control alone rarely eliminates risk. Still, insecticides may help reduce insect pressure during severe outbreak years. Insecticide applications for sheep should focus on the belly and flank where the midge can most easily access. Vaccines are available in some situations. Bluetongue is caused by at least 24 different virus serotypes – a distinct variation of the disease – which circulate in various regions. These differences matter because immunity is largely

serotype-specific, and strains can differ in severity of disease between species. In the 2007 Big Horn Basin outbreak, BTV-17 was identified and associated with flock losses in Wyoming sheep as high as 35 percent. Vaccines may not protect equally against every strain present in a region. In some cases, vaccine use may create additional complications, particularly in pregnant animals. For these reasons, vaccination programs must be carefully planned. Good overall flock management also plays an important role in reducing losses. Proper nutrition, parasite control and minimizing unnecessary stress help sheep maintain stronger immune responses during disease outbreaks. Healthy animals are generally better able to survive infection than animals already weakened by poor body condition or other illnesses. Producers should remain especially alert during late summer and early fall, particularly following drought conditions or periods of high insect activity. Early recognition allows producers to contact veterinarians quickly and implement supportive care before losses become severe. If sheep begin showing signs such as mouth sores, swollen faces, lameness, fever or unexplained respiratory distress, veterinary consultation is important. Several diseases can resemble bluetongue, including foot-and-mouth disease and other serious foreign animal diseases. Laboratory testing may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Wyoming sheep producers have always adapted to difficult conditions, from harsh winters to drought and predators. Bluetongue presents another challenge requiring observation, preparation and sound management. By staying informed and working closely with veterinarians and University of Wyoming (UW) Extension, producers can better protect their flocks and reduce losses during outbreak years. Dan VanderPloeg is the agricultural and natural resources educator with UW Extension serving Washakie County and northwest Wyoming. He can be reached at dvanderp@uwyo.edu or 307-347-3431.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

U.S. producers represent lamb industry in Global Sheep Forum Young Leader Program The American Lamb Board (ALB) selected two emerging leaders through a competitive application process to represent the U.S. in the Global Sheep Forum’s 2026 Young Leader Program in Australia and New Zealand. Cole Bush of California and Blake Ball of Idaho joined young sheep producers from around the world for an international leadership and educational experience focused on innovation, collaboration and the future of the global sheep industry. U.S. representatives Bush is an entrepreneur, educator and advocate whose work spans prescribed grazing, sheep production, meat, fiber, sheepskins and land stewardship. As the founder of Shepherdess Land and Livestock, Shepherdess Holistic Hides and Grazing School of the West, she has spent more than a decade using sheep and goats as natural tools for wildfire miti-

gation and ecological land management. Her commitment to sustainable agriculture, workforce development and preserving the traditions of shepherding made her an outstanding representative of the U.S. sheep industry. Ball is a fourth-generation sheep rancher from Idaho who manages approximately 3,500 head of sheep with plans to continue expanding his operation. After serving a church mission in Argentina, where he became fluent in Spanish, he returned to the family ranch and discovered his passion while herding sheep across the open range from Idaho’s desert valleys to its mountain ranges. In addition to ranching, he provides custom trucking, shearing and feeding services for fellow producers while exploring direct-to-consumer marketing and other innovative ways to add value to sheep production. Together with his wife,

OUTLOOK continued from page 1 levels recorded two years ago. Hay prices as of July 1 were also holding steady at around $150 to $160 per ton nationwide. However, Cozzens emphasizes the May 1 report only provides a snapshot of supplies entering the growing season, noting continued drought conditions could force producers to feed more of their stored hay through the summer and reduce the amount carried into fall and winter. “We’re seeing quite a bit of drought pressure in the western part of the U.S., so the question is how much of the May 1 hay stock is being fed over the summer months and into fall and what this year’s hay crop is looking like,” he states. Further, Cozzens nods to long-term indicators suggesting dry conditions will likely continue in the foreseeable future across much of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nebraska and South Dakota, which may ultimately limit the ability for producers to retain females and rebuild their flocks. “A lot of what I am hearing from producers is they are happy and efficient with the size of flock they have,” he says. “From an economic standpoint, being as efficient as possible and minimizing costs supports their bottom lined, which is an important consideration too.” Limited supplies Due to the ongoing drought, Cozzens reports the national flock has remained relatively steady but is continuing to show signs of marginal tightening. He notes, as of Jan. 1, the total U.S. sheep and lamb inventory was approximately five million head, down 0.7 percent from the previous year, while breeding sheep numbers declined 1.4 per-

cent and replacement lambs under one year old were down nearly 2.5 percent. Additionally, the national lamb crop declined slightly, while the number of market sheep and lambs increased just over one percent. “From a forecasting standpoint, when I see a decrease in the breeding flock, it signals drought pressure has potentially limited some producers’ decision-making to retain and rebuild their flocks,” he says. “By and large, the majority of signaling shows a marginal tightening of supplies, but overall sheep and lamb numbers are staying steady around the five million head mark,” he adds. In addition, Cozzens reports year-to-date sheep and lamb slaughter was down approximately three percent through late June and early July. Average dressed weights were also six percent lower, representing a decline of about four pounds compared to the same period in 2025. Together, lower slaughter numbers and lighter carcass weights reduced U.S. lamb and mutton production by about eight percent. Cozzens explains lighter carcass weights indicate lambs are moving through the marketing system quickly, rather than remaining on feed to add weight. “The market is staying very current,” he states. “There is a demand pull to get lambs through the market, so they’re not getting as much weight put on them.” He also points out cold storage inventories have remained near year-ago levels – another indication product is not accumulating within the supply chain. Overall, Cozzens says he expects total lamb slaughter and production to finish 2026 approximately five percent below 2025 levels, noting car-

Carlianne, Ball is raising their eight children on the family ranch, inspiring the next generation of sheep producers. Innovation and industry leadership The program began with an educational tour across Victoria, South Australia, providing participants with firsthand exposure to Australia’s progressive sheep, wool and lamb industries. Throughout the tour, the group visited commercial sheep operations, processing facilities, wool handling centers, feedlots, retailers and research organizations to learn how Australian producers are advancing productivity, sustainability, animal welfare and market development. Young leaders from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom exchanged ideas with producers, researchers and industry experts while exploring advancements in genetics, biosecurity, wool marketing,

processing and sustainable production systems. The experience highlighted the value of international collaboration and demonstrated how producers around the world are addressing many of the same opportunities and challenges. Participants also attended LambEx 2026, Australia’s premier sheep, lamb and wool industry conference. Held every two years, LambEx brings together producers, researchers, processors, marketers, educators and industry leaders to share the latest research, technology and innovations shaping the future of the sheep industry. Through keynote presentations, educational sessions, farm tours, trade exhibits and networking opportunities, the conference fostered meaningful discussions and global connections. Learning from pasture-based production The program concluded with an educational tour

across New Zealand’s North and South Islands, where participants experienced one of the world’s most efficient pasture-based sheep production systems. Visits included commercial sheep and beef farms, genetics and breeding operations, processing facilities and organizations dedicated to producer education, sustainability and market development. Throughout the New Zealand tour, participants explored how producers are adapting to changing consumer expectations while maintaining profitability through improved genetics, grazing management, environmental stewardship and producer collaboration. Discussions also focused on traceability, animal health, export markets and strategies to improve productivity while reducing environmental impacts. For Bush and Ball, the experience offered valuable opportunities to com-

cass weights will be an important factor in determining the size of the final decline. High prices and consumer demand As a result of tight supplies and strong demand, lamb prices during the first half of 2026 were well above yearago levels. Cozzens notes the LMIC three-market average for 60to 90-pound feeder lambs – calculated from markets in Colorado, Texas and South Dakota – exceeded four dollars per pound during portions of the first quarter and approached $4.50 per pound in some weeks. Prices moved seasonally lower to the three-dollar to $3.50 range during summer

months but remained substantially higher than a year earlier. Slaughter lamb prices followed a similar trend. At Sioux Falls, S.D., 100- to 150pound lambs reached approximately four dollars per pound during April before moving below $3.50 as summer supplies entered the market. Cozzens says he expects feeder and slaughter lamb prices to average 20 to 30 percent more than in 2025. “These are hefty prices, well above where I was expecting them to be at the beginning of the year,” he admits. The lamb cutout value also climbed to a weekly record high of approximately

$658 per hundredweight. Rack values provided much of this strength, although legs, shoulders and loins also remained valuable, Cozzens explains. Wool markets have improved as well. Australian wool prices, measured in U.S. dollars, rose across several micron categories to levels not seen in five to six years. “We’ve seen a strong run up in the wool price which is definitely a welcome sign, indicating strong demand for wool and manufactured textile goods, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the market cool down in a little while,” Cozzens remarks. Demand for lamb has also trended higher, especially dur-

pare production systems, exchange ideas with peers from around the world and build lasting professional relationships. The knowledge and perspectives gained throughout the program will help strengthen their own operations while contributing to the continued advancement of the U.S. sheep industry. By investing in young producers through opportunities like the Global Sheep Forum Young Leader Program, ALB continues its commitment to developing future industry leaders, encouraging innovation and strengthening the long-term success and global competitiveness of the U.S. sheep industry. ALB provides information to the industry on lamb and sheep marketing in addition to the association’s Strategic Plan, return on investment, annual reports and financial information. For more information, visit lambboard.com. ing the past decade, with a significant increase from 202425, according to LMIC’s lamb demand index. Cozzens notes maintaining this high demand is essential, especially when consumers also face higher prices for food, fuel and other household costs. “Overall consumers’ willingness to purchase lamb at the meat case is key,” he says. “With the prices we are seeing, we are definitely going to test this demand moving forward through the rest of 2026 and arguably well into 2027.” Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2026 • 8 AM: Deadline For All Rams To Be In Place • 9:30 AM: Sifting Of All Consigned Rams Will Begin • 3-5 PM: Sheep Production Workshop "Protecting Your Ram Investment: Managing for Breeding Success & Longevity" Dr. Whit Stewart, UW Sheep Extension Specialist LOCATION: Wyoming State Fairgrounds, Douglas, WY

• 6-9 PM: Buyer & Consignor Appreciation Dinner LOCATION: Moose Club, 120 N. 2nd St., Douglas, WY 6 PM: Happy Hour • 7 PM: Lamb Dinner Everyone Welcome!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 11 AM: Wyoming State Ram Sale LOCATION: Wyoming State Fairgrounds, Douglas, WY ONLINE: frontierlivesale.com

Join Us in 2026! Wyoming Wool Growers Association president welcomes producers to ram sale The Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA), our board, our sponsors and I would like to welcome you to what has historically been one of the top-tier ram sales held anywhere in this country. The breeders list includes long-time returning stalwarts as well as new and building producers. Whether you are looking for rams from historical genetic lines or wanting

to introduce some new blood into your flock, we think you will find something to fit your needs at this year’s sale. Consistency and uniformity have been the trademark of this sale, and we are excited to say this sale will follow that line. Please take the time to look through the catalog, not only for consignments but also for information about all of the sponsors,

people and businesses who make this sale the success it is. The sale might be a twoday event, but it is way more than that, and these consignors and sponsors are what make it happen. We hope buyers will join us the evening before the sale to review the offering, meet the consignors and sponsors and enjoy supper with us to kick off this event.

The past year has brought many positive changes to the sheep industry – great lamb prices, much improved wool prices and some great legislative wins. Although drought brings some uncertainties we

can’t control, sheep producers will deal with the challenges and continue to produce our amazing product for people all over the world. May God bless you, your family and your oper-

ation in the challenges you will face this year, but enjoy the wins as well. Thanks for looking! Gwen Geis President WWGA

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.WYOWOOL.COM

10 YEARLING RAMS 2026 WY STATE RAM SALE DOUGLAS, WY

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

 Thank You 2025 Buyers 

Wyoming Wool Growers Association executive director welcomes everyone to the 98th Wyoming State Ram Sale On behalf of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA), thank you for your interest in our 98th Annual Wyoming State Ram Sale! You are cordially invited to Douglas on Sept. 14-15 to view “the best in the west.” Whether you are a new or returning buyer, thanks for taking a look at this year’s stellar line-up of bucks! It’s been amazing to watch an already awesome set of bucks continue

to improve over these past four years. To say I am proud to be a part of this sale and event is quite the understatement. These consignors continue to invest in the improvement of their genetics because you – the buyer – continue to invest in them. Thank you for believing in this sale, our consignors and WWGA. We hope you all will join us for the festivities surrounding the 2026

Wyoming State Ram Sale, which you will find more details on throughout the catalog, and we welcome you to take part in these wonderful programs. WWGA is excited to offer a donated Targhee ewe from the Von Krosigk family to start the bidding on Sept. 15. Don’t miss the list of new consignors on page 45 of the catalog. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @wyomingwoolgrowers to see our

consignor spotlights and stay up-to-date on industry topics. If you would like to receive our newsletter, please consider membership with the WWGA. We hope you enjoy and find some great bucks at the 98th Wyoming State Ram Sale! See you at the sale and welcome to the Cowboy State! Alison Crane, PhD Executive Director WWGA

THANK YOU

SPONSORS and ADVERTISERS . . . BUYER’S and SELLER’S

WE APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH WYOMING WOOL GROWERS ASSOCIATION

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.WYOWOOL.COM

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

CALENDAR

Submit your events to: Editor, Wyoming Livestock Roundup, P.O. Box 850, Casper, WY, 82602, or e-mail to roundup@wylr.net.

Sept. 5

EVENTS

Sept. 5

Sept. 2 Sept. 5 Sept. 10 Sept. 11

Sept. 11 Sept. 11-13 Sept. 12 Sept. 14 Sept. 15-17 Sept. 15-17 Sept. 15-17 Sept. 16 Sept. 17 Sept. 19-20 Sept. 22-24 Sept. 22-25 Sept. 25 Oct. 6 Oct. 7-11 Oct. 8-25 Oct. 17 Oct. 20-22 Oct. 23-24 Nov. 5-7 Nov. 5-19 Nov. 15-20

2026 Dry Edible Bean Open House, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, Scottsbluff, Neb. For more information or to register, visit go.unl.edu/drybeans. Wyoming Rough Riders Cowboy Mounted Shooting, Niobrara County Fairgrounds, Lusk. For more information, visit cmsaevents.com/events/event. php?id=14897. Wyoming Pork Producers Association Board of Directors Meeting, 6 p.m., Grace Werner Ag Pavilion, Casper. For more information, contact Jeremy Burkett at 307-630-6267. Thermopolis Cowboy Rendezvous Concert, gates open at 6 p.m., concert starts at 7 p.m. Hot Springs County Fairgrounds, Thermopolis. For more information, visit bandsintown.com/e/108691593-tris-munsick-and-the-innocents-at-thermopolis-fairgrounds?came_from=253&utm_medium=web&utm_ source=city_page&utm_campaign=top_event. Homesteader Days Festival Farm to Table Fundraising Dinner, 6-9 p.m., Park County Fairgrounds, Powell. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit homesteadermuseum.com/product/farm-to-table-tickets. Hells Canyon Mule Days, Wallowa County Event Center and Fairgrounds, Enterprise, Ore. For more information, visit hellscanyonmuledays.com. Homesteader Days Festival, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Homesteader Museum, Powell. For more information, visit homesteadermuseum.com/events. University of Wyoming Sheep Program Workshop, 3-5 p.m., Touchstone Energy Building, Wyoming State Fairgrounds, Douglas. For more information, visit wyowool.com. Public Lands Council 58th Annual Meeting, Copper Mountain Resort, Copper Mountain, Colo. For more information or to register, visit publiclandscouncil.org. 2026 South Dakota Angus Tour, Rapid City, S.D. For more information, contact Justin Uhrig at jhuhrig@gmail.com or 308-760-5615. To register, visit sdangusassociation.org. Stockmanship and Stewardship, Husker Harvest Days, Grand Island, Neb. For more information, visit stockmanshipandstewardship.org/. Growing Food in Wyoming Masterclass: Fall Soil Care, 7-8 p.m., Zoom. For more information or to register, visit dirtworkswyo.com. Land Quality Advisory Board Meeting, 10 a.m., video conference. For more information, contact Craig Hults at 307-777-7066 or craig.hults@wyo.gov. Rapid City Gun Show, Monument Civic Center, Rapid City, S.D. For more information, call 605-391-8843. 2026 Montana Angus Tour, Havre, Mont. For more information or to register, visit mtangus.org/montana-angus-tour.html or call 406-945-4180. U.S. Department of Agriculture Agribusiness Trade Mission, Accra, Ghana. For more information, visit fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions/ghanaseptember-2026. Blue Jeans Ball, 5:30 p.m., Wyo Sports Ranch, Casper. For more information, visit wyoffafoundation.org/bluejeansball. Dave Stamey: An Evening of Western Songs and Stories, 6 p.m., Midwest Theater, Scottsbluff, Neb. For more information, visit legacyoftheplains.org/ dave-stamey-live-in-concert. 30th Annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival, Ketchum, Idaho. For more information, visit trailingofthesheep.org. 2026 American Royal Livestock Show, Kansas City, Mo. For more information, visit americanroyal.com. University of Wyoming Ag Day Barbecue, Indoor Practice Facility, University of Wyoming Campus, Laramie. For more information, visit uwyo.edu/ uwag/students/ag-day-bbq-university-of-wyoming.html. Stockmanship and Stewardship, Sunbelt Ag Expo, Moultrie, Ga. For more information, visit stockmanshipandstewardship.org/. 2026 Wyoming Bee College, Casper College, Casper. For more information or to register, wyomingbeecollege.org/. West Central States Wool Growers Convention, Holiday Inn-Buffalo Bill Resort, Cody. For more information, visit wyowool.com/wcswgconvention. North American International Livestock Exposition, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky. For more information, visit livestockexpo.org. International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit 2026, Auckland, New Zealand. For more information or to register, visit idfwds2026.com/registration/ register-now.

Big horn Basin

LIVESTOCK AUCTION LLC

bighornbasinlivestock.com

SALES

Sept. 5

Worland, WY

Call to Consign Cattle Sale Barn: 307-347-9201 Danny Vigil: 307-388-0781

Visit Cattle USA for broadcasting and online bidding auctions.cattleusa.com

August 27 – 465 Head • Feeders First Test Back • Cows & Bulls $2 to $4 Lower BULLS Lloyd, Mike - Meeteetse Leroux, John - Cody Whitlock, Will - Alcova 4 Blk Hfrs, avg. 798# ........... $32750 4 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 593# ..... $40500 1 Blk Bull, 1885#.................. $19250 Blocker, Dan - Torrington Lara, Dustin - Worland 50 3 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 592# ..... $40500 Otter Creek Grazing Assoc - Ten Sleep 62 Blk Hfrs, avg. 905# ......... $313 1 Blk Bull, 1675#.................. $18100 Six C Ranch Operations - Meeteetse 12 Blk Hfrs, avg. 922# ......... $30100 Apanashk, Kanton - Powell • Upcoming Sales • 1 Hrfd Bull, 1675# ................ $17800 HEIFER CALVES Lewton, Lonnie - Ten Sleep Greet Ranch, Inc. - Ten Sleep Sept. 3 – No Sale 50 50 46 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 389# ... $470 1 Blk Bull, 1795#.................. $177 Sept. 10 – Yearling Feeder COWS BHR LLC - Dallas Whitlock, Will - Alcova 20 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 401# ... $44550 Cattle, Weigh-Up Special & 4 Blk Cows, avg. 1258# ....... $17400 STEERS All Class Cattle 3 Blk Cows, avg. 1338# ....... $16600 Christensen, Tom - Thermopolis 4 RWF Strs, avg. 798# ........ $33650 Savage, Van - Cody Sept. 17 – All Class Cattle, 1 Blk Cow, 1665#................. $14300 Johnson, Mark - Lovell Sheep & Goat 13 Blk Strs, avg. 839# ......... $31650 Bates, Jeff - Crowheart Sept. 24 – All Class Cattle 1 XBred Cow, 1225#............ $13850 STEER CALVES Lewton, Lonnie - Ten Sleep Belden, Isabel - Thermopolis Sept. 28 – Monday: The 00 00 20 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 328# ... $531 1 Blk Cow, 1475#................. $132 Bawl of the Fall Feeder HEIFERS BHR LLC - Dallas Special & Customer Morrison, Marion - Torrington 27 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 453# ... $48900 50 29 Blk Hfrs, avg. 856# ......... $327 Simon, Deborah - Thermopolis Appreciation Lunch 00 9 Blk Str Clvs, avg. 527# ..... $425

Danny Vigil • Owner and Northern Livestock Representative Layne Weber • Field Rep & Auctioneer • (307) 331-2222

Sept. 10 Sept. 12 Sept. 12 Sept. 14 Sept. 15 Sept. 15 Sept. 16 Sept. 18-19 Sept. 20 Sept. 26 Oct. 10 Oct. 11 Oct. 28 Nov. 1 Nov. 12 Nov. 19 Nov. 20 Nov. 24 Dec. 1 Dec. 1 Dec. 5

Proffit Ranch 25th Annual Labor Day Horse Sale, Diamond X Barn, Evanston, 307-723-5857, proffitranch.blogspot.com Big Horn Classic Performance Horse and Production Sale, Buffalo Livestock Marketing, 307-746-5690, 605-210-3329, horses.buffalolivestockwyo.com Huskerland Horse Sale Extravaganza, Burwell Livestock Market, Burwell, Neb., 308-383-0039, dvauction.com Cattle Country Video Frontier Fall Roundup, Cheyenne Frontier Days Event Center, Cheyenne, 888-322-8853, cattlecountryvideo.com Open Box Rafter Ranch Quarter Horses 33rd Annual Production Sale, Rapid City, S.D., 605-538-4450, rafterranch.com SanBar Ranch Quarter Horses 15th Annual Production Sale, Producers Livestock, Salina, Utah, 435-469-1232, sanbarranch.net Northern Livestock Video Auction Fall Premier, 866-616-5035, northernlivestockvideo.com Western Video Market, Haythorn Ranch, Ogallala, Neb., 530-347-3793, wvmcattle.com 98th Annual Wyoming State Ram Sale, Wyoming State Fairgrounds, Douglas, 307-265-5250, wyowool.com/ramsale Montana Wool Growers Association 101st Annual Ram Sale and 13th Annual Ewe Sale, Eastern Montana Fairgrounds, Miles City, Mont., 406-9393200, mtsheep.org Van Norman and Friends 30th Annual Production Sale, Elko County Fairgrounds, Elko, Nev., 775-934-7404, vannormansale.com Sugar Bars Legacy Sale, Sheridan County Fairgrounds, Sheridan, 496-8120084, 307-680-2158, 605-210-0255, sugarbarslegacy.com Fall Roundup Longhorn Sale, 15372 Antelope Creek Road, Rapid City, S.D., 605-381-3998, 605-415-3235, chowie.com Farmers and Ranchers Livestock LLC Fall Classic Catalog Horse Sale, Salina, Kansas, 785-825-0211, fandrlive.com Farmers and Ranchers Livestock LLC 29th Annual Fall Colt and Yearling Catalog Sale, Salina, Kansas, 785-825-0211, fandrlive.com Micheli Cattle Company Bull Sale, at the ranch, Ft. Bridger, 307-747-7786, 307-747-3897, michelicattle.com Triangle J Ranch Harvest Select Female Sale, at the ranch, Miller, Neb., 308-627-5085, 308-457-2505, 308-293-9241, trianglejranch.com Stellpflug Cattle Company Fall Bull Sale, Hoffman Ranch Facility, Thedford, Neb., 307-351-1712, 530-604-5096, stellpflugcattle.com K2 Red Angus Fall Female Sale, K2 sale barn, Wheatland, 307-331-2917, k2redangus.com Leachman Cattle Fall Roundup Sale, Meriden, 307-788-7165, 308-7631361, 970-413-0993, leachman.com Paint Rock Angus Annual Fall Sale, at the ranch, Hyattville, 307-469-2206, 307-271-2000, 307-272-5332, 307-578-7392, paintrockangus.com ZumBrunnen Angus Annual Bull and Female Production Sale, at the ranch, Lusk, 307-216-0198, 307-334-2265, zbangus.com Ward Livestock Seventh Annual Red, White and Blue Bull Sale, at the ranch, Laramie, 307-399-9863 Leachman Cattle High Altitude Sale, Loma, Colo., 307-788-7165, 308-7631361, 970-413-0993, leachman.com

POSTCARD from the Past

Compiled by Dick Perue rrichardperue@gmail.com

Preparation for the 1915 School Year A July 1915 issue of the hometown weekly newspaper contained the following call for bids in preparation for the coming school year. Call for bids Bids are hereby called for the following work on the school building of District No. 9 in Saratoga – painting roof, two coats on main building; two coats roof paint on heating plant building; paint doors and windows of building, two coats; oiling floors of building, two coats linseed oil; painting blackboards in each room, two coats; one coat stain varnish on desks, chairs, organs and wood work in building, washed before sizing; sizing three rooms and halls, ceiling and sidewalls, paint two coats ceiling and sidewalls of entire building inside; painting smoke stack of heating plant; painting out-buildings two coats, inside and out. Specifications for work can be obtained from the clerk, and all bids must conform to plans. Sealed bids will be received until noon on July 31,1915.

The board reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Dated July 21, 1915, Saratoga. Board of Directors, School District No. 9. W. C Edwards, president. C.C. Hickok, clerk. J.C. Burnett, treasurer. Call for bids for transportation of pupils Call for bids is hereby made by School District No. 9 for the transportation of pupils of school age from the north end of School District No. 9 to the schoolhouse in Sara-

toga each school day during the school term, in the morning in time for school work and to return the same pupils to destination each school day after school closes. Suitable conveyance must be acceptable to the board of this district, and all rigs must be heated during cold weather by some device. Information may be obtained from the clerk of said district, and any and all bids may be rejected by the board. All bids must be sealed and in the hands of the clerk on or before July 31 at noon. Children living on the east side of the river must be delivered to conveyance on the west side of the river in time to be delivered at the school building before school is called. All bidders must be responsible, and all drivers must be reliable, sober persons.

These youngsters are all decked out and heading for a rural school with the most reliable transportation available in the early 1900s. Books appear to be stuffed in the back of overalls for easy transportation. S.S. Wood photo from Bob Martin/Dick Perue collection. Historical Reproductions by Perue

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

MARKETS

LIVE CATTLE FUTURES SETT PRICE

Month

Compiled from USDA Market News Service information and other sources

Location Volume PAYS

Under 400

Steers Heifers

400-500 600-700 700-800 Over 800 Sltr Bull Stock Cows FOR THE500-600 WEEK ENDING May 24, Sltr 2019 Cows Pairs

540

Crawford 8-21 2256

575-665 525-620

Riverton

No Report

Torrington 8-26 1702

518-528 486-516

375

310-367

480-576 442.50-480

432.50-530 395

367.50

322.50-352 316-343

227.50-270

190-210 140-169

329 260-327

175-210 135-159

223.43 217.23 217.15 217.80 218.48

218.48 210.78 212.58 214.08 215.73

$3200-$3950

Change -4.95 -6.45 -4.57 -3.72 -2.75

FEEDER CATTLE FUTURES SETT PRICE

Month

No Report

Centennial 8-21

This Week

AUGUST OCTOBER DECEMBER FEBRUARY APRIL

FOR THE WEEK ENDING August 28, 2026 WEEKLY CATTLE AUCTIONS

Week Prev

This Week

Change

336.85 329.13 322.05 314.08 305.43

332.75 319.00 314.25 307.50 300.08

-4.10 -10.13 -7.80 -6.58 -5.35

AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER JANUARY

WHEAT FUTURES SETT PRICE 465-487 435-454

450-471 394

St. Onge 8-21 996 Big Horn Basin 8-27 465

531 470.50

489 445.50

405-425

Billings 8-27 1078

420-560 421-480

417.50-455 386

350-412 342.50

590-607.50

466-528 496.75-497

Buffalo 8-26

509

367

352 311

265-342 252-331

185-200 155-160

407.50 362.50

409 324.50

274-340 275-326

171-247..50 157-172

336.50 327.50

316.50 301-327.50

177.50-192.50 132-174

340-375

274-341 274-341

170-215 115-162

175-277.50 $3000-$3500

310.50

191-207.50 250-300.50

$2700-$3000

330-386 325-337.50

$3200

WEEKLY SHEEP AUCTIONS Auction

PAYS

Volume

Feeder Lambs

Slaughter Lambs

Slaughter Ewes

Stock Ewes

Slaughter Bucks

Month Week Prev SEPTEMBER 6.80 DECEMBER 6.97 MARCH 7.15 MAY 7.22

2952

St. Onge

3765

Change +0.50 +0.51 +0.50 +0.49

CORN FUTURES SETT PRICE

Month

Week Prev

This Week

Change

4.73 4.98 5.14 5.21

5.14 5.36 5.51 5.57

+0.41 +0.38 +0.37 +0.36

SEPTEMBER DECEMBER MARCH MAY

OATS FUTURES SETT PRICE

No Report

Centennial

This Week 7.30 7.48 7.65 7.71

230-373

225-360

80-180

237-340

104-135

Daily Grower Bids Region Price US #2 Yellow Corn Southeast WY 5.0525-5.5850 US #1 HRWW Southeast WY 7.3850-7.4350 US #1 Black Beans Min-Dak 35-40/cwt US #1 Pea (Navy) Beans Min-Dak 30-32/cwt US #1 Pinto Beans Min Dak 40/cwt Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Torrington National Sheep Summary As of August 21, 2026 Compared to last week Slaughter Lambs sold 3.00-4.00 lower and slaughter ewes traded 11.00 lower. All sheep sold per hundred weight (CWT) unless otherwise specified. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 1-3: San Angelo: 50-60 lbs 360.00; 60-70 lbs 328.00; 70-80 lbs 282.00; 100-110 lbs 262.00. Billings: No test. Ft. Collins: 50-60 lbs 340.00-350.00; 70-80 lbs 290.00-310.00; 80-70 lbs 282.50-315.00; 90-100 lbs 290.00-310.00; 100-110 lbs 307.50; 110-120 lbs 270.00-310.00; 120-130 lbs 260.00-285.00. Sioux Falls: 80-90 lbs 285.00-320.00; 90-100 lbs 250.00285.00; 100-110 lbs 250.00-290.00; 110-120 lbs 260.00-283.00; 120-130 lbs 270.00-301.00; 130-140 lbs 270.00-305.00; 140150 lbs 290.00-307.00; 150-160 lbs 294.00-306.00. Slaughter Ewes: Good 2-3: San Angelo: 125.00-142.00. Billings: No test. Ft. Collins: 100.00-177.50. Sioux Falls: 125.00-160.00. Feeder Lambs: Medium and Large 1: San Angelo: No test. Billings: No test. Sioux Falls: 40-50 lbs 395.00; 60-70 lbs 335.00-375.00; 70-80 lbs 315.00-340.00; 80-90 lbs 317.50-320.00. Ft. Collins: No test. Replacement Ewes: Medium and Large 1-2: San Angelo: No test. Billings: No test. Ft. Collins: No test. South Dakota: No test. Sioux Falls: No test. Sheep and lamb slaughter under federal inspection for the week to date totaled 34,000 compared to 36,000 last week and 35,910 last year.. Source: USDA AMS LPG Market News, San Angelo, Texas National Wool Review As of August 21, 2026 Domestic wool trading had no confirmed trades reported this week. Prices reflect trades FOB warehouse in original bag or square pack, bellies out, some graded, and 76 mm or longer. No allowance made for coring, freight, or handling fees at the warehouse level to reflect net grower prices. Wools shorter than 75 mm typically discounted .10-.20 clean. Classed and skirted wools usually trade at a .10-.20 premium to original bag prices. Australian Wool Exchange Clean Del Price Change from 75-85 Percent Micron US Grade in U.S. Dollars Previous Sale of Australia 17 > 80s 8.09 (0.16) 6.07-6.88 18 80s 7.86 (0.14) 5.89-6.68 19 70-80s 7.28 (0.07) 5.46-6.19 20 64-70s 6.70 (0.20) 5.02-5.69 21 64s 6.53 (0.28) 4.90-5.55 22 62s 6.46 (0.28) 4.84-5.49 60-62s ----------------------24 60s ----------------------25 58s 4.00 (0.06) 3.00-3.40 26 56-58s 3.55 (0.06) 2.66-3.02 28 54s 2.69 0.01 2.02-2.29 30 50s 2.43 0.10 1.82-2.07 32 46-48s 2.08 (0.08) 1.55-1.76 Merino Clippings 3.71 (0.15) 2.78-3.15 Source: USDA- CO Dept of Ag Market News Service, Greeley, CO

105-170 $270-$465

122-141

Wyoming Hay Summary As of August 20, 2026 Compared to the last report, hay prices sold fully steady. Demand is very good with a lot of people looking to buy hay within the state. Some hay is going out of state but the bulk is staying in the local market. Producers are trying to help long-term customers and trying not to gouge them on this year’s hay price. Very dry across the whole state and the only green areas are where irrigation water has been applied. Most irrigation districts in west appear to be in good shape for this 2026 growing season. However, most irrigation water is shut down in the eastern area of the state. Moat producers in the west are getting ready or are on second cutting of hay. Some are bailing grass and wheat straw. Central Wyoming Alfalfa Cubes 450 Eastern Wyoming Alfalfa Pellets 17% Suncured 400 Alfalfa - Premium Large Square 3x4 330 Alfalfa - Good/Premium Large Square 3x4 280 Large Square 4x4 285 Alfalfa - Good Large Square 4x4 270 Large Square 3x4 290 Western Wyoming Alfalfa Cubes 400 Alfalfa - Premium Small Square 285 Small Square 3 Tie 310 Small Square 7-9/bale Alfalfa - Good/Premium Large Square 3x4 160 Alfalfa - Good Large Square 3x4 260 Alfalfa - Fair/Good Large Square 4x4 225 Medium Square 3x3 250 Alfalfa/Grass Mix - Good Large Square 3x4 225 Medium Square 3x3 250 Alfalfa/Orchard Mix - Premium Small Square 285 Orchard Grass - Premium Large Square 3x4 275 Teff - Premium Small Square 9/bale Timothy Grass - Premium Small Square 285 Brome Large Square 140 Wheat Large Square 100 Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News Torrington NE Montana Hay Summary As of August 21, 2026 Compared to last report (8-7-26): Hay sold generally steady. Hay continues to see very localized pricing. Hay continues to be delivered out of Canada for mostly 180.00-230.00 depending on freight. The Northern portion of the state have seen adequate rains and have put up a good crop. Most producers have first cutting in the bale and many in Northern Montana are working on putting up second. Southern Montana is working on 3rd. Northern hay yields have been at or under last year, while most other areas are seeing hay yields 30-40% under last year. Hay supplies are very dependent on location as a result, but overall yields have been lower than last year across the board. USDA freight assistance programs have helped ranchers move hay supplies at a reduced freight rate from surrounding states. Some hay is moving out of the state into Wyoming as demand for hay in severe drought stricken areas is very good. Demand for hay across the state remains very good. Limited sales were seen this week as producers are busy with grain harvest, hauling livestock or cutting and putting up hay. Many producers state they have most of their hay already spoken for but have yet to establish a price. Many are not concerned with marketing hay knowing most of it is already spoken for. According to the drought monitor 54.59% the state is in Moderate drought or worse, up 5.30% from 2 weeks ago. 17.43% of the state is in an Severe drought or worse, up 0.24% from 2 weeks ago. 4.40% of the state is in Extreme drought or worse, down 0.61% from 2 weeks ago. 4.40% of the state is in Expectational drought, up 4.40% from 2 weeks ago. Notably, 94.31% of the state is abnormally dry, up 15.26% from 2 weeks ago. Alfalfa - Fair Large Round 200-220 Timothy Grass - Premium Small Square 360 Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Billings, MT

Month

Week Prev

This Week

Change

3.31 3.49 3.63 3.66

3.33 3.61 3.74 3.77

+0.02 +0.12 +0.11 +0.11

SEPTEMBER DECEMBER MARCH MAY

SOYBEAN FUTURES SETT PRICE

Month

Week Prev

This Week

Change

12.22 12.37 12.51 12.55

12.54 12.66 12.81 12.86

+0.32 +0.29 +0.30 +0.31

SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER JANUARY MARCH

CUTOUT VALUES Cutout Values Primal Rib Primal Chuck Primal Round Primal Loin

This Week

Prior Week

Last Year

379.03 597.29 329.72 319.37 463.62

371.14 592.57 320.87 312.72 449.55

393.98 594.09 339.93 347.31 488.50

5 AREA WEEKLY WEIGHTED CATTLE PRICE Live Steer Live Heifer Dressed Steer Dressed Heifer

This Week

Prior Week

Last Year

225.01 225.14 355.54 355.50

228.52 227.64 365.08 363.96

244.25 243.16 386.17 386.34

BLM seeks input The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) opened a 30-day public scoping period ending on Sept. 10 to receive public input on 328 oil and gas parcels totaling 427,701 acres which may be included in a March 2027 lease sale in Wyoming. Before development operations can begin, an operator must submit an application for permit to drill detailing development plans. The BLM reviews applications for permits to drill, posts them for public review, conducts an environmental analysis and coordinates with state partners and stakeholders. All parcels included in a federal oil and gas lease sale include appropriate stipulations to protect important natural resources. Information on current and upcoming BLM leases is available through the National Fluid Lease Sale System. BLM lease sales are held online through Efficient Markets. For more information, visit eplanning.blm.gov.

2 16

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 •August August29, 29,2026 2026

CLASSIFIEDS

307-234-2700 • 1-800-967-1647 • Fax: 307-472-1781 • E-mail: denise@wylr.net or jodym@wylr.net Website: www.wylr.net. Weekly Deadline: Tuesday, 5:00 p.m.

Notice

Services

Public Notice: Wyoming Pork Producers Association and the National Pork Board The election of pork producer delegate candidates for the 2027 National Pork Producers (Pork Act) Delegate Body will take place at 6:00 p.m., Sept. 10, 2026 in conjunction with a Board of Directors meeting of the Wyoming Pork Producers Association at the Grace Werner Ag Pavilion, 125 College Dr., Casper, WY. All Wyoming pork producers are invited to attend. Any producer, age 18 or older, who is a resident of the state and has paid all assessments due may be considered as a delegate candidate and/or participant in the election. All eligible producers are encouraged to bring with them a sales receipt proving that the hogs were sold in their name and the checkoff deducted. For more information, contact Jeremy Burkett (State Executive for Wyoming Pork Producers Association), 125 College Dr., Casper, WY 82601, (307) 630-6267. NOTICE: Publication in this newspaper does not guarantee the legitimacy of any offer or solicitation. Take reasonable steps to evaluate an offer before you send money or provide personal/financial information to an advertiser. If you have questions or believe you have been the victim of fraud, contact the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Unit, 109 Capitol Building, Cheyenne, WY 82002, 307-777-6397 .....TFN

Events RAPID CITY GUN SHOW: Sept. 19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sept. 20, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The Monument Civic Center, Rapid City, S.D. 57701. Buy, sell and trade, $10 daily admission, children under 15 free. For more information, call 605391-8843 ........................... 9/12

Help Wanted GOTTSCH LIVESTOCK FEEDERS LLC Red Cloud, NE Come Join the Gottsch Livestock Feeders Family! Gottsch Livestock Feeders is looking for Cowboys/Pen Riders for their feedyard in Red Cloud, NE. The main focus of the Cowboy/Pen Riders are spotting, pulling, diagnosing and taking cattle to the hospital and shipping fat cattle. This person will need to be a team player who is seeking a long-term position. You will have the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the best in the industry. We offer a benefits package that includes health insurance, dental, vision, 401(k), health savings, life insurance and paid vacation. Retention bonus offered to full-time employees. Incentives paid out at 6 months and 1 year of employment. If you are interested stop by and fill out an application or visit our website at www.gottschcattlecompany.com Call Mike Faimon at 406-469-1585 or Davin Arnold 970-301-3098 for more information. VALLEY FOODS IN SARATOGA, WY HAS IMMEDIATE OPENINGS FOR MEATCUTTER, DELI, GROCERY AND PRODUCE WORKERS: Experience is preferred but not necessary. Ideal candidates are selfmotivated, efficient and customer service minded. Pay DOE. Send resume to valleyfoods9024@ hotmail.com....................... 8/29

Auctions

Torrington Livestock Markets 307-532-3333

www.torringtonlivestock.com Subscribe to the Roundup

FOR SALE: THREE- TO 5-YEAR-OLD BLACK AND BLACK WHITE-FACE COWS, bred Angus for March 1. ALSO, black bred heifers, bred Angus, calve in two different calving groups, March or April. Located in eastern Montana. Fall delivery. Call 701-523-1235 .....9/12

YOUNG CHRISTIAN FAMILY SEEKING A GRASS LEASE, shared partnership or a rent-toown opportunity in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, or South Dakota. Call Weston at 719-8920256..................................9/19

REGISTERED ANGUS YEARLING AND 2-YEAROLD BULLS FOR SALE, visit w w w. c r o o k e d c r e e k a n g u s . com or call 785-332-6206, St. Francis, KS ................... 8/29

LYTLE RED ANGUS IS YOUR SOURCE FOR 30+ YEARS OF SELECTION FOR FERTILITY, LONGEVITY AND EFFICIENCY: Our Red Angus cows are moderate framed, low-maintenance and highly adaptable. ALSO, be sure to reach out about our private treaty opportunities and keep an eye out for our spring calving bred cows that will be available this fall!! Contact Zeb, 605-441-7658 or e-mail zeb.lytle@gmail.com. Visit www.lytleredangus.com for more insights. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds .........................9/12

SimAngus 3/H SIMMENTAL RANCH, PLAINS, MT OFFERS POWERFUL SIMANGUS BULLS: Yearlings and 18-month-olds sired by top AI genetics. Bred for performance, soundness and longevity, with a strong emphasis on calm disposition. These bulls are built to work and last in real world conditions. Call Alan at 503-931-6815, to find the right fit for your program. To view photos, go to www.wylr. net in the classifieds .........TFN

Wyoming Sugar Company is hiring for multiple positions. Please see the openings and apply at wyomingsugar.com. 307-347-3261 Starting date for positions, September 14.

RANCH HAND/GROUNDS KEEPER: Full-time position at a family-owned ranch near Cody, WY and located in the Shoshone National Forest. Position entails lawn care, irrigation, heavy equipment operation, carpentry, equipment maintenance, building maintenance and overall residential and agricultural property maintenance. Experience is welcome but will train the right candidate. The ideal candidate will be reliable; have a strong work ethic; be able to perform individually and with a team; be a self-starter and enjoy working outdoors. Benefits include health, with optional dental and vision; paid-time off and 401(k) with employer matching contribution. For the right candidate housing on property is also available. Salary based upon previous experience. Send resumes to emilyb@colliergroupoffice.com .............9/26

Ranch Lease Wanted

Red Angus

Help Wanted

FULL-TIME EXPERIENCED COWBOY/RANCH HAND: Commercial ranch seeking experienced cowboy/ranch hand for all aspects of ranch operations: Irrigation, haying, feeding, cattle stewardship, horseback skills a must. Housing, benefits, salary. ONLY serious committed candidates should apply. Eastern Oregon cow/calf operation. Please call 541-742-2130 or send resume to lisa.steele@ pvranch.com ...................9/12

Angus

Meat Processing

Solar Water Pumping Systems Water Well Services • Well & Pipeline Design Submersible Pump Specialist Pump

Parker Blakeley, Owner ppr@pronghornpump.com www.pronghornpump.com

Service LLC.

• (307) 436-8513 •

Financial Services

Pond Services

ALL TYPES OF EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLE FINANCING. Great service!! Great rates!! Call Chuck Brown at C.H. Brown Co. LLC, 307-322-3232 (office), 307331-0010 (cell) or e-mail chuckbrown@wyoming.com......8/29

FULL THROTTLE OILFIELD SERVICES: Premium pond liner installation start to finish. We take care of it all. We offer extremely competitive pricing. Garden City, CO. Call for a free estimate, 970-339-9400 10/10

AGRI-ONE FINANCIAL: Farm/ ranch and all commercial loans. RATES AS LOW AS 5%. We have been helping with all aspects of agricultural, commercial financing and management for years. LET US HELP YOU on a consulting level with management to increase profitability, deal with and fix credit problems and for all your financing needs. WE CARE AND HAVE WORKING PROGRAMS designed for the farmer/rancher and not the banker. Please call Steve, 303-773-3545 or check out our website, www.agrionefinancial.com. I will come to you and get the job done!! ......... 9/5

Auctions BIRD AND ANIMAL AUCTION SUN., SEPT. 20: Selling a variety of chickens, geese, turkeys, peacocks, ducks, goats, hoof stock and more. The sale starts at 9 a.m. at the Dawson County Fairgrounds, 1000 Plum Creek Pkwy., Lexington, NE. For more information, call Jaiden, 308233-1799. Find us on Facebook, JGrace Auctions .... 9/12

Brands REGISTERED WYOMING BRAND FOR SALE: LHC, LSH. Sells with hot irons. $5,000. Call 307701-8001......................... 9/12

Dogs FOUR ENGLISH SHEPHERD PUPPIES: Farm raised, working parents. Will be available after Sept. 15. Tri-colored, shots and health certificate, $400/each. Call 402-641-8842 ............9/19

Angus REGISTERED ANGUS YEARLING BULLS: Breeding soundness, fertility tested and PAP tested. Ready to go to work. Call Paul at TAG Double H Cattle Co., Ten Sleep, WY, 307-690-4225 ...................8/29

Offering custom processing and bulk meat sales. Veteran Owned Call to schedule! 605-456-2230 • Newell, S.D.

Custom Feeding CUSTOM FEEDING AND FINISHING FOR CATTLE AND SHEEP. Cactus Hill Ranch Company, Fort Collins, CO. Contact AJ Nelson, 970372-8273 .....................11/14 SOLARIS FEEDERS AT KINSEY, MT IS CURRENTLY RESERVING PEN SPACE FOR FALL AND WINTER: Stock cows, replacement heifers, backgrounding calves. Big pasture pens where cattle stay clean. Consulting nutritionist and vet. Call for a free projection, 406-853-BEEF. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds.................9/12 3,500 HEAD FEEDLOT NEAR WATERTOWN, S.D.: Specializing in replacement dairy cattle and custom beef operations. AI service available. Shots/vaccines to your protocols. Room available. Call/text to talk rates, Nathan, 605-868-7383 ........ 9/5 CUSTOM CATTLE FEEDING AND BACKGROUNDING AVAILABLE. Custom grazing. Located in Montezuma, KS. Call Galen Schmidt, 620290-8151 ...................... 7/24 FAITHFUL FEEDERS: Heifer development, backgrounding and grass calf prep. Billings, MT. Call Ryan, 406-696-0104 .......... 4/10

E-mail your ad to denise@wylr.net

LOOKING TO LEASE A RANCH FOR APPROXIMATELY 150-200 HEAD OF COWS. Prefer area in Johnson and Sheridan counties. Call 307290-1643 ..........................9/12

Land Wanted LOOKING FOR LAND, 3001,000 ACRES MORE OR LESS, budget is around $1 million. I was born in Glasgow, MT. School years spent in Miles City, MT. Moved to South Dakota when dad/Paul Schultes moved family to Sturgis, S.D. and purchased Sturgis Livestock Exchange. Spent my lifetime ranching for the family and operated a small 2-3 guy construction and remodel business for 28 years. It’s time to sell my campground and little resort by Deadwood, S.D. and move back to the country. I’m a great neighbor and good guy. Basically, wanting to live off the land. I would offer an older couple, widow or bachelor to continue to live on the place if that’s where their home, until they pass on or want to move. Looking for a decent place in God’s country. Southwest Montana or open to other areas. Would like good deer, turkey, elk and antelope area. Will build my own cabin/home. Call Troy Schultes, 605-5691283 ...............................9/12

Ranch for Lease PARK COUNTY, WY RANCH NEAR CODY, WY IS AVAILABLE FOR A LONG-TERM LEASE: The ranch has over 50,000 acres and supports an irrigated hay base with BOR water rights. Carrying capacity is 700 animal units year-round with hay production. Willing to split the hay ground and grazing. Please e-mail Melanie Giliati at mgiliati@acpg.com for details ..............................9/19

Horses FREE TO GOOD HOME: WELL-TRAINED CUTTING HORSE. Was entered in the 2007 NCHA Open Futurity, 22 years old, gelding. Available due to owner’s health. Call 970302-6597......................... 8/29

Advertise Here Leatherwork LS CUSTOM LEATHER: New tack, belts and cell phone cases. ALSO, SADDLE AND TACK REPAIR. Custom orders welcomed. Contact Lester, 307-631-1053, leave a message. Riverton, WY .........8/29

Sheep ARE YOU IN NEED OF A NEW HERDER CAMP OR A PERSONAL RANGE CAMP FOR YOUR FAMILY? Contact us at Western Range Camps and see what we can build for you. We specialize in quality, handcrafted camps built to your specifications. Contact us today to design the camp just right for you. Western Range Camps, 435-4625300, heidi@wrcamps.com, 1145 S. Blackhawk Blvd, Mt. Pleasant, UT 84647 ..... 8/29 SUFFOLK AND SUFFOLK/ HAMPSHIRE CROSS RANGE RAMS: Yearling rams available. B. ovis and scrapie free. Vet checked and semen tested. Ready to work. Raised in eastern Montana for 30+ years. Delivery options. For sale at the Montana Ram Sale Sept. 16-17 and private treaty. Call or text Gibbs Range Rams, Pat, 406-977-2852, Jordan, MT .................. 9/12

Wyoming Wyoming Livestock Livestock Roundup Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

Sheep

Hay & Feed

HAMP/SUFFOLK CROSS, POLYPAY/DORSET CROSS RAMS FOR SALE: These rams are big boned, heavy muscled and high performing. They are not tall frame sheep. We sell all across the Midwest. Call DJ, 605-929-0337 ...................8/29

HAY FOR SALE: Wheatgrass, round bales. Barley/chickpea mix, big squares and round bales. Oat/soybean mix, big squares and round bales. Oat hay, big squares and round bales. All tested. Round bales average 1,350 lbs. and big squares average 1,250-1,300 lbs. Trucking and delivery available. Located in Sheridan, WY. Call 307-751-2068, if no answer leave a message ..............9/12

FINE WOOL TARGHEE YEARLING BUCKS FOR SALE: Forty-five big, growthy, open faced, all natural, not pushed and range raised. Born May 2025. For more information, call 605866-4828 (home) or 605-8925872 (cell), if no answer leave message .............................9/5

Swine WEANER PIGS FOR SALE. ALSO, butcher hogs. Located in Powell, WY. For more information, call 307-271-1014 .....1/16

Livestock SHEEP AND GOATS FOR SALE: 60+ goats to choose from and 8 head of Rambouillet sheep. ALSO, Simmental/Jersey cross milk cow, currently being used as a nurse cow. Call for pricing and ask for Jerry, 307-467-5343. Leave a message .............. 9/12

Soil Products DIRT WORKS WYOMING HAS COMPOST, TOPSOIL AND BIOCHAR FOR SALE: Located in Worland, WY and delivering statewide. Call 307-622-4284 or visit www.dirtworkswyo.com ...9/19

Seed

FOR SALE: 1,000 plus hailed out wheat bales, swathed and baled while it was green. Nutritional values provided upon request, 1,350 lb. bales, $110/each. Call 701-337-6496 ...................10/10 VALLEY VIDEO HAY MARKETS, LLC: Millet hay will be available in the coming weeks. Call Barry McRea for your future hay needs, 308-235-5386, www.valleyvideohay.com ... 9/5 HAY FOR SALE: Alfalfa, grass and grass/alfalfa mix. Starting at $250/ton Located Winner and Presho, S.D. Call 605-8154655 ................................ 10/3 BARLEY STRAW: Certified weed-free small squares, $4/bale. ALSO, 5x6 round bales, $125/ton. GRAIN OATS, wheat and barley, $20/cwt. Greybull, WY area. Call 307-762-3878 or 307-899-4714, leave message ....................... 9/5 HAY FOR SALE: Native grass, 220 bales, 1,400-1,500 lbs., net wrapped, $175/ton. ALSO, CRP hay, native grass, 400 bales, call for price. Wayne Opitz, Roslyn, S.D., 605-590-0578........... 8/29 FEED/GRAIN FOR SALE: Alfalfa, grass and rye/triticale mix hay. Large squares and rounds. Semi loads and delivery only. Call 308-882-1498 ............8/29 MONIDA OATS: $16/cwt. Combine run, great for seed or feed. Will auger into truck, trailer or large totes/ag bags. Located between Powell and Cody, WY. Certified scales on site. Call or text Knopp Farms for details, 307-254-0554 ...................9/12

ATVs

For Sale: 2012 John Deere XUV 825i $6,000 OBO • Located in Casper, WY, can make delivery arrangements.

Hay & Feed ALFALFA HAY FOR SALE

Call or text 307-277-6778, for more information.

Advertise here!

3 17

Equipment

BOLINGER INC.

Cannonball Bale Beds Cannonball Bale Beds Offering both Stocking and traditional and installing dealer. One day bale/dump beds. Stocking and turn around! installing dealer. One day In stock now! Ainsworth Motors turn around! Ainsworth, NE Ainsworth Motors 800-210-1681 www.ainsworthmotors.com Ainsworth, NE 800-210-1681

www.ainsworthmotors.com

FOR SALE: Alfalfa and alfalfa/ grass mix, large rounds with net wrap, several hundred bales, nice hay. Rowse 9’ pull type sickle mower. CIH 1100 3 pt. 9’ sickle mower. H&S 12 wheel finger rake. 2022 Kenworth T680 day cab semi, PACCAR MX-13 engine, automatic transmission, air ride, 172 inch wheelbase, 405 HP, aluminum wheels, 40,000 lb. rear end, 2.64 ratio, 486,242 miles, very nice, asking $29,500. 2019 Mack day cab semi with Mack MP8 engine, 10 speed transmission, air ride, air slide 5th wheel, aluminum wheels, new tires, 646,581 miles, $22,500. 1999 Wilson Pacesetter 50’ triple axle grain trailer with air lift tag. New Holland 195 manure spreader, 410 bushel with slop gate, double floor chains, tandem axle. Behlen Country livestock working chute with automatic headgate. Burns portable creep feeder. Stroberg portable loading chute. Miller Pro chuckwagon with tandem running gear. H&S 7+4 24’ chuckwagon with bunk feeding extensions and tandem 14 ton running gear. 12’ and 14’ HD box scrapers with tilt. All in very nice condition!! Call 605-999-5482 ..........8/29

Trailer Services/ Repairs

HAY FOR SALE: 2026 first cutting alfalfa, grass/alfalfa mix and alfalfa/grass mix. ALSO, CRP Hay. All in net-wrapped round bales. Semi load delivery available. Call for pricing, ask for Klint, 701-2904418, if no answer, send a text or keep trying......................9/12 ALFALFA AND ALFALFA/ GRASS HAY FOR SALE: Round bales. Will deliver. Call 605-8869264, Thompson Trucking & Farms ...................................9/12

EIITRAILER Authorized Service Center

REPAIRS

PIPE FOR SALE!! 2 7/8”, 3 1/2” tubing, 4” drill pipe, 4 1/2” casing, 5” casing, 7” casing. Rods 3/4”, 7/8” and 1” located in Montana, can ship anywhere. Call Mike, 602-758-4447. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds ...................11/7

Have Pipe to sell? Advertise here!

Irrigation

JOHN DEERE MODEL H SERIES 47 MANURE SPREADER: Functional or could be used as yard art. Looks new. New tubes in tires. Always barn stored, $1,625 OBO. WILL BE IN BUFFALO, WY Aug. 28-31 delivery options available for serious viewers only. Call 303-653-3900. To view photos, go to www.wylr. net in the classifieds ..... 8/29 1939 MOLINE Z: Starts, runs good. Cast iron wheels. Round fenders, PTO, single front tire. Good paint. Excellent condition, $4,000. Call 970-581-8709 ............... 8/29 LODGEPOLE OUTDOOR FURNACES, 307-223-2046. Your authorized Central Boiler Dealer. Get your outdoor wood furnace today!! Efficient wood heat. Heat multiple buildings. Invest in your heating, don’t just pay for it!! See us at www.cb.lodgepoleproducts. com!! ........................... 8/29

Fencing RAIL TIES: #1-9 ft., #1 and #2-8 ft. SWITCH TIES: 12 ft. and 14 ft. USED CULVERTS: Three ft., 2 ft., 18” and various lengths. ALSO, 14 pieces of heavy duty schedule 80 PVC, 3.5” ID, 20 ft. long with stainless steel couplers. Call EMC2, 307-630-2345 or 307-534-5253 ............... 8/29 WE DO ALL TYPES OF FENCING!! Agricultural, commercial, residential, with 3 generations of experience. Call Glen, 605380-5311 or e-mail fenceguru@live.com ......................9/5 LODGEPOLE PRODUCTS, 307-742-6992, SERVING AGRI-BUSINESSES SINCE 1975!! Treated posts, corral poles, buck-and-rail, western rail, fence stays, rough-sawn lumber, bedding. SEE US at w w w. l o d g e p o l e p r o d u c t s . com and click our “Picking A Fence Post” tab to see why folks choose our posts!! ......................... TFN

Metal Buildings

Hay Equipment

w w w. w y l r. n e t

Call Doug 406-581-4124

Pipe

307-684-5515 | Buffalo, WY | www.bolingerinc.com

Call Doug 406-581-4124

AWilson

Pipe

307-684-5515

ORIGINAL ROUND BALER BELTING FOR ALL MAKES: Save $100s. Free shipping, www.balerbelts.com. Call Hammond Equipment, 334627-3348 ........................10/24

650 tons, 3x4 squares, tested, $195/ton. Near Three Forks, MT. Delivery available.

Livestock Equipment

Call for options and pricing

800-967-1647

2026 HIGH QUALITY HAY BARLEY FOR SALE

Livestock Equipment

Butler and Deweze Beds Available

110 tons, 2nd cutting, 3x3 squares, $265/ton. Near Manhattan, MT. Delivery available.

Equipment

�

22080 HWY 34, Ft. Morgan, CO 80701 PARTS SALES 970-542-2325

FLATBED REDECKING • OLD TRAILER RENOVATION LIVESTOCK REFLOORING AND ROOFS • TRAILER MAINTENANCE INSURANCE CLAIMS • ALTERATIONS AND FABRICATIONS

Rapidset designs and ships pre-engineered bolt together buildings. You can design, price and print plans, live online RapidsetBuildings.com 719-268-1325

Oil/Mineral Rights WE BUY MINERALS, ROYALTIES AND OVERRIDES: Anywhere, any size. We offer maximum value for your assets. Call 1-866-687-2456 or e-mail innerarityoffice@gmail.com today ..............................10/24

Irrigation Systems

The choice is simple.

Copper wire is being stolen from electrically powered pivot systems world-wide. Many growers have resorted to 24-hour guards, razor wire, floodlights and daily disassembly to protect themselves. T-L’s hydraulically No wire to steal! powered pivot systems can be Easier On You. designed with little or no wire to steal. Stop theft and discover T-L’s reliability, simplicity and low maintenance cost. T-L irrigation systems are easier on you - for life.

Big Horn Truck and Equipment

Manderson, WY rairdenjlw@tritel.net • 800-770-6280 Property for Sale

Property for Sale

FOR SALE: FOUR BED, 3 BATH LOG HOME ON 19.97 HAY PRODUCING ACRES IN LANDER, WY. 1997 build that checks all the boxes. Metal roof, FANG heating, AC, backup generator with auto transfer switch, excellent water well, septic system, new windows and patio doors, access ramps, 40’x60’ heated, insulated shop, hay barn and tack room. Irrigation water rights, 2 miles from the city limits. Asking $950,000. Call or text 307-349-9866 for information ........................ 9/5

“THE GEM” AN EXCEPTIONAL EQUESTRIAN ESTATE: Scottsbluff, NE. This is an extraordinary 20+ acre estate that offers more than a beautiful 6 bed, 3 bath home. It is a thoughtfully designed property featuring a custom 4 stall horse barn designed to promote horse health and rider convenience, spacious custom stalls and premium ventilation, with a beautiful tongueand-groove finished interior. Irrigated hay meadows, arena, 60’ solid wood round pen, heated shop with bathroom, equipment/ hay storage barn and wildlife love to explore this beautiful, landscaped property. $990,000. IRRIGATED 80+ FARM AND HOME: Classic, beautiful ranch-style home with a blend of country charm. Situated on 80+ acres with an irrigation well for the wiper pivot. Features a versatile Cleary building, wellmaintained livestock corrals and a character filled antique loft barn. Positioned 6 miles northeast of Henry, NE in Sioux County. $775,000. Pictures at www.buyaranch.com. Call Casey Essert, Land Broker, 307-532-1750 ................. TFN

Subscribe Today 800-967-1647

Wanted to Buy WANTED!! ARROWHEADS AND INDIAN ARTIFACTS/ BEADWORK ETC. FROM THE HIGH PLAINS REGION, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, Kansas, Montana. No collection to small. Please call/text and/or text photos, 308 631-9535...............9/5

SELL YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS IN THE ROUNDUP CLASSIFIEDS! CALL DENISE TODAY AT 800-967-1647 OR 307-234-2700

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

OBITUARIES Shirley Ann Woolington May 5, 1936 – Aug. 4, 2026

On Aug. 4, Shirley Ann Woolington broke free from her frail frame, allowing her spirit to soar freely as she ascended to meet God in her heavenly form. Shirley was born on May 5, 1936 in Burns to parents Roy and Hazel (Kelly) Woolington. She had a younger brother, Jim. The Woolington family raised wheat and cows

north of Burns. Shirley attended Egbert School in Egbert. Following graduation from Egbert School, she attended the University of Wyoming (UW) in Laramie. She was an active member of the UW Marching Band, playing the tuba, a member of the Chi Omega Sorority and held many honors and leadership roles in campus groups. Shirley was active in 4-H, and upon graduation from UW with a degree in home economics, she was chosen to participate in a trip to India with the 4-H International Farm Youth Exchange. She traveled on a large passenger ship for several weeks to get to India and again for the return trip home. It was quite an adventure for a young ranch girl from Burns.

Tod Allen Nelson July 23, 1960 – Aug. 11, 2026

Tod Allen Nelson, age 66, passed away at the Prairie Pines Extended Care Facility in Lusk on Aug. 11

surrounded by his wife and kids. Tod was born on July 23, 1960 to Andy and Gloria Nelson in Lusk. He received his education in Niobrara County, graduating high school in 1978. He then went on to attend college at Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington where he graduated with his associate degree in farm and ranch management. While attending school, he met and married the love of his life, Marilyn (Mellott) Nelson. They were

REPORT continued from page 1 the Lamb-A-Year program which served more than 450 Wyoming Premium Lamb entrées to customers. The UW Wool Judging team also saw success, earning reserve champion finishes in the intercollegiate contests at the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City, S.D. and the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver. The team also won the Champion Handspinning Division at NWSS. Further, the 7220 National Wool Contest included 53 collegiate competitors and more than 100 youth – the largest scale to date for the contest – and is now the official Wyoming State FFA Wool Judging Contest. Outreach and research In terms of outreach, the UW Sheep Program hosted multiple webinars regarding sheep and wool in Wyoming and published and delivered critical resources to producers. Additionally, the program collaborated with the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps at the Laramie Research and Extension Center on a large-animal

training program. UW researchers published a study with the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Small Ruminant Research showing timing flock moves to grazing behavior has positive impacts on both livestock and rangeland health. Additionally, the annual UW Giving Day campaign saw record-breaking numbers, with 80 donors and nearly $30,000 in donations. Lamb-A-Year A section of the annual report is dedicated to achievements from the 2025-26 Lamb-A-Year program, which saw tremendous support. “Thanks to the generous support of 23 producers, 90 lambs were donated and evaluated for growth, feed efficiency and carcass merit this year,” the report states. “These lambs were raised, tracked and evaluated by UW students and faculty, providing individualized lamb performance reports, feed-to-gain data, average daily gain data and carcass quality metrics.” “The program continues

She met her first husband, Lester Brown, at the National 4-H Center in Washington, D.C. while giving a dissertation on her adventures and experiences in India. Her time living in the Washington, D.C. area was one of elegant parties and meeting dignitaries from all over the world. She worked as a 4-H Extension agent in Maryland and then at the American Dairy Council in Virginia until the birth of their son Brian, after which she devoted herself to being a full-time mother. Five years later, they welcomed Brenda to the family. After 14 years of big city life, Shirley returned to her roots, moving back to Burns with her children. She taught home economics and art and served as the guidance counselor at Pawnee School in Grover where she met and married Leonard Wiggin. They were married at the Bashor Ranch by Reverend Gertrude Horn. Leon-

ard and Shirley both taught school at Pawnee and ran a cow/calf operation. The students and faculty at Pawnee loved her funloving, vivacious attitude and willingness to always participate in faculty led comedy skits at pep assemblies or sewing costumes for plays or planning menus for community meals. Shirley had a flair for entertaining, being an excellent, creative cook and welcoming hostess. Cooking, sewing, food preservation, music, china painting and painting with acrylics and oil were all skills she loved to teach to others. She made a special effort to whip up homemade delicacies to welcome newcomers to the community or support someone who needed encouragement. She believed in the value of the 4-H organization and her role as a 4-H leader to prepare young people to be good citizens. Shirley worked tirelessly with the Pawnee Historical Society, being the last

living charter member and helping to preserve the Grover Depot, turning it into a museum filled with local treasures of the surrounding communities’ history. She was an active member of the Weld County Cattlewomen’s organization, historian for the Pawnee School Alumnus and devoted pianist and organist for the Hereford Community Church. She was a member of the Hereford Church Choir and Prairie Songbirds, and she taught many young people to play the piano. She supported Brian and Brenda in all of their activities and traveled endless miles to be their number one supporter. Being an amazing mom to Brian and Brenda also spilled over to the countless young people she encountered. She mothered them all. Shirley and Leonard especially loved attending school, 4-H, FFA and sporting events of grandchildren Bridget, Lena and Cash, as well as their great-grand-

daughter Eliza. She adored her three great-granddaughters – Eliza, Wren and Taylor – and treasured the time spent with them. Shirley is remembered as a beautiful soul. She could be feisty, but mostly she was kind, respectful, generous and always cheering for those who needed a helping hand. She lived her life with grace, kindness and forgiveness. Shirley is preceded in death by her parents Roy and Hazel Woolington and husband Leonard Wiggin. She is survived by her son Brian (Kathy Landry) Brown of Durango, Colo.; daughter Brenda (Chris) Haun of Grover; brother Jim (Pat) Woolington of Kerrville, Texas; grandchildren and great-grandchildren Bridget (Dylan) Rose, Eliza, Lena (Austin) Burentt, Wren, Taylor and Cash, all of Grover, and numerous nieces and nephews. Shirley’s life was celebrated on Aug. 14 at the Pawnee School in Grover.

married on Oct. 20, 1979. Their early years were spent moving around the state and leasing various ranches until they finally settled in Lance Creek. Tod and Marilyn grew their family with the addition of their son Jeremy Nelson and their daughter Amanda (Nelson) Martinez. The family continued to grow with the addition of their daughter-inlaw Kelsey Nelson and son-in-law Joseph Martinez, as well as six grandchildren – Kaydence Nelson, Jarrett Nelson, Mila Martinez, Avery Martinez, Oliver Martinez and Eleanor Martinez. One of Tod’s favor-

ite activities was chasing his kids and grandchildren all around the countryside to watch them compete or perform in various sporting events, competitions and concerts. Tod never met a stranger, making friends of all ages. Often, when a room of kids was getting too rowdy, one can bet Tod was in the thick of it getting the kids riled up. He enjoyed visiting with anyone and everyone and could often tell a person’s backstory minutes after meeting them. He wasn’t afraid to try new things, never backing down from an adventure. Tod always offered a help-

ing hand to anyone in need and had the best smile and hardy laugh that could lift even the most downtrodden spirit. Tod is preceded in death by his parents Andy and Gloria Nelson, fatherin-law Melvin Mellott, mother-in-law Donna Mellott, grandparents Tod and Elouise Pate and Elmer and Billie Nelson, brothers-inlaw Jon Mellott and Rick Huether, aunt Algera Jensen, uncle Don Jensen and cousin Brian Ruffing. He is survived by his wife Marilyn Nelson of Lance Creek; children Jeremy (Kelsey) Nelson of Lance Creek and Amanda (Joseph) Martinez of Lusk;

grandkids Kaydence and Jarrett Nelson and Mila, Avery, Oliver and Eleanor Martinez; brother Rod (Roxie) Nelson of Lusk; sisters-in-law Lynn (Fred) Dewey of Moorcroft and Cindy (Mance) Hurley of Casper; brother-in-law Cris (Charlotte) Mellott of Sundance; aunts Judy (Bob) Ruffing and Carolyn (Irv) Skillings, both of Casper, and uncle Dennis Johnson of Manville, as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Memorials to Prairie Hills Community Church or the Niobrara County School District Activities Fund would be appreciated by the family.

to integrate all pillars of the land-grant mission – teaching, research and outreach – and provides actionable performance data back to producers,” the report continues. In addition to a great turnout from producer partners, more than 450 Wyoming Premium Lamb entrées were served to consumers through a partnership with Altitude Chophouse and Brewery in Laramie. “Every lamb in the program was processed through the UW Meat Laboratory and dry aged for 21 days, and we quantified fabrication yields and moisture loss to see where value is created and lost from carcass to consumer,” the report reads. Through this partnership, the team found the chop and ground offerings ranked among the second- and thirdhighest sellers in comparable protein categories, and consumers actually preferred traditional 80-20 blends to leaner ground lamb. Wool research The report also highlights ongoing ranch-to-consumer research being conducted via the Wyoming Wool Consumer Survey. Through collaboration

To view the University of Wyoming Sheep Program and Wyoming Wool Initiative 2025-26 Annual Report in its entirety, visit issuu.com/lstewar9/docs/uwsheep25-26_report. with Mountain Meadow Wool in Buffalo and other private partners, UW is working to develop fully traceable, ranch-to-consumer wool products made entirely from Wyoming-grown wool. “Each pilot traces the whole path – supply chain logistics, infrastructure gaps and what consumers will pay for Wyoming-branded goods – to test whether a rural state can capture more of this value at home,” the report states. Findings from the open consumer survey are encouraging, indicating ranch-level traceability appeals to nearly every respondent, and nearly every respondent is familiar with wool and values sustainable, American-made products. In addition, more than 90 percent of respondents were more likely to buy wool from Wyoming ranchers, and most said they would pay a premium of more than $200 for local products over a comparable cheaper, imported wool product.

“These findings point to real demand for premium, locally-branded wool and to Wyoming’s opportunity to lead in sustainable, valueadded product,” the report states. Lasting impact The report closes with a letter from UW Extension Sheep Specialist Dr. Whit Stewart, expressing gratitude for the past year’s developments and excitement for the future. “As another year comes to a close, the realities of agriculture are the same as ever,” Stewart writes. “Rain, grass and markets stay beyond our control. What stays constant is our commitment to the flocks, the land and the people who make their living from both.” Stewart emphasizes the core of the UW Sheep Program comes back to connection and advancement of Wyoming’s sheep and wool industries for years to come. “Some of this work is about growing something new, but much of it is about

maintaining what already works and doing it well,” he writes. “The thread running through all of it is simple – connect what Wyoming raises with the people who value it and return more of this value to the ranch.” “We want students to leave here with experience, not just exposure – in the classroom, on the judging floor, at the lambing shed and alongside producers,” he continues. “Because of you, our graduates are now researchers, veterinarians, Extension educators, nutritionists, producers and industry leaders across the country.” “None of it happens alone,” Stewart concludes. “Thank you for standing with us and for believing in this work and in the people who look after these flocks, this land and the communities they hold together.” Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

FESTIVAL continued from page 1 the Trailing of the Sheep Festival dates back to the fall of 1996, when local Sheep Ranchers John and Diane Peavey invited community members to meet for coffee and accompany their band of sheep through Idaho’s Wood River Valley as they moved home from summer pasture. The invitation was somewhat of an extended olive branch, as the Peaveys hoped to minimize conflicts between their sheep and users of the town’s bike path, and instead of simply addressing the issue, they saw an opportunity to educate the public about a tradition deeply rooted in the area. As participants walked alongside the sheep, the Peaveys shared stories about local ranching history and the cultures and people who helped shape the area’s robust sheep industry. The informal and educational gathering was well received, and the following year, the Peaveys approached the Sun Valley/ Ketchum Chamber and Visitor Bureau (CVB) about developing a larger event. “Working with the Peaveys, CVB provided staff, ideas and funding to create and promote a multiday event featuring the Big Sheep Parade down Main Street in Ketchum, Idaho; the Sheep Folklife Fair; Sheep Tales Storytelling; the Lamb Dine-Around and other elements which

remain an integral part of the festival today,” the website notes. The Peaveys, CVB and a group of dedicated volunteers, continued to host the event until 2003 when the nonprofit Trailing of the Sheep Cultural Heritage Center was created to take over the reins. Decades of tradition Although the event has grown significantly throughout the past three decades, organizers note its mission remains largely unchanged. The festival continues to preserve the history and stories of ranchers and cultures connected to the region’s sheep industry – with an emphasis on Basque, Scottish and Peruvian traditions – and to provide education about locally-produced food and fiber. In the last 30 years, the festival has also become an important draw for tourism. In 2025, combined attendance across the fiveday event exceeded 25,000 visitors from 46 states and multiple countries. Organizers estimate the festival generated an economic impact of more than $7.5 million for the Wood River Valley. The festival has also received national recognition and garnered some well-deserved accolades throughout the years, including being named one of the Top 10 Festivals in the World, by msn.com

Sunny Spur Corn Maze

Educational opportunity – Visitors from all walks of life are invited to walk alongside local ranchers’ flocks of sheep as they make their way down from high-elevation mountain ranges to winter grazing and lambing grounds during the annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival in Idaho’s Wood River Valley. Carol Waller photo

travel, Top 10 U.S. Fall Festivals by smartertravel.com, Top Animal Festivals in the World and Top 10 Fall Festivals by USA Today, Top Seven Fun Fall Festivals by AARP and One of the Greatest Cultural Events in the West by Northwest Travel. The event has also been mentioned on National Geographic’s Top Seven Best Fall Festivals in the U.S., Forbes’ Nine Fall Festivals Worth Traveling For, the Reader’s Digest Bucket List Fall Events and Cowboy and Indian’s Top Foodie Fests in the West. Additionally, the festival was the recipient of the Society of American Travel Writer’s Phoenix Award for Best Cultural Tourism and the Idaho Governor’s Award for Cultural Heritage. Milestone celebration This year marks the Trailing of the Sheep Festival’s 30th anniversary, and a full slate of activities for visitors of all ages is planned to celebrate the milestone event. The festival will host the National Qualifying Sheepdog Trials, featuring approximately 80 herding dogs working alongside their handlers for top honors and the Sheep Folklife Fair, in which attendees can watch sheep shearing demonstrations and Basque, Scottish and Peruvian dancers and musicians. More than 80 sheep and wool product vendors are expected at the fair as well, in addition to numerous educational activities for children. The Sheep Tales Gathering will feature “A Taste of Basque: Then to Now and There to Here,” with James Beard-nominated Boise, Idaho Chef Dan Ansotegui and two fellow Basque chefs exploring the evolution of Basque cuisine from its roots in the Old Country to meals served in boarding houses for Basque sheepherders and the modern Basque dishes of today. Food will remain a central part of the celebration through the For the Love of Lamb Dine-Around, the Lamb Fest at the Folklife Fair, cooking with lamb and cheesemaking classes and farm-to-table dinners featuring Idaho lamb provided

CASPER’S ORIGINAL CORN MAZE

Big Sheep Parade – At the center of the Trailing of the Sheep Festival is the Big Sheep Parade, where more than 1,200 sheep make their way down Main Street in Ketchum, Idaho as they return home from summer pasture. Carol Waller photo

by local ranchers. Additionally, a Wool Fest will offer more than 20 classes and workshops focused on creating with wool. Festivities will conclude with the Happy Trails Closing Party in the Ketchum Town Square before and after the Big Sheep Parade – the event’s most recognizable tradition, when more than 1,200 sheep will make their way down Main Street as they return home from summer pasture. The closing party will feature vendors, food and live music. Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

CattleC Country C Video

Cultural celebration – The Trailing of the Sheep Festival continues to preserve the history and stories behind the cultures connected to the region’s sheep industry. Basque, Peruvian and Scottish traditions are highlighted during the festival’s Sheep Folklife Fair. Carol Waller photo

For more information about the Trailing of the Sheep Festival or to purchase tickets, visit trailingofthesheep.org.

307-532-3333 • Torrington, WY

CATTLE COUNTRY VIDEO Frontier Fall Round-Up

Thursday, September 10th, 2026 9:00 am MT Cheyenne Frontier Days Event Center

Cheyenne, Wyoming

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17,500 head - Yearlings, Calves & Bred Females

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Sept. 12– Nov. 1, 2026 • Casper, WY Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Reservations during the week are available

Sale Day Bid Line: 307-575-5005 View Sale & Bid Online @ www.cattleusa.com Preview Lots on www.cattlecountryvideo.com For Live Broadcast go to CattleCountryVideo.com

Turn right on 33 Mile Rd. and take for 3 miles. Turn right on County Rd. 121 and take for 2.5 miles and you're there! Follow the Pumpkins!

For more more information, visit SunnySpurCornMaze.com,call the MAZE Hotline at (307) 797-8796 or email getlost@sunnyspurcornmaze.com

Like us on Facebook! Proceeds from this year’s corn maze will benefit Natrona County local non-profits

Cattle Country Video • Torrington, WY www.cattlecountryvideo.com

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 38 No. 19 • August 29, 2026

RIVERTON LIVESTOCK AUCTION Market Report, Tuesday, August 25, 2026 - No Sale

Early Consignments

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:30 AM W/ WEIGH UPS CALVES Steve Baumann – 18 Blk Ang & BWF Strs & Hfrs 400-550#. Rec Vista VL5, Once PMH, & Vision 7 w/ Somnus @ branding. One brand calves! Bryan Berg – 15 Blk Ang & Ang Strs & Hfrs 500-550#. PUREBRED LONGHORNS Teton Valley Ranch- 3 Yrlng Hfrs 600#, 1 Yrlng Str 600#, Grass finished 2 & 3 yr old Strs 850950#, 1 Yrlng Red Bull #500. All natural grass fed. All offspring out of big horned colorful cows with great temperament!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 LABOR DAY YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:30 AM W/ WEIGH UPS YEARLINGS JM Livestock- 160 Blk Ang & AngX Spayed Hfrs 875-900#. Coming off Dry, High Desert Country! Green! Mrs Dixon- 50 Blk & Red Strs 700-775#. Riverview Ranch- 50 Red Ang & AngX Hfrs 850#. Diamond X Ranch- 30 Blk Ang & AngX PTO Hfrs 700-800#. High desert, home raised. Otis & Norma Jones- 8 Blk Ang & AngX Strs 700#.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:30 AM W/ WEIGH UPS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:30 AM W/ WEIGH UPS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL W/ SHEEP & HORSES START TIME 9:30 AM W/ SHEEP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:30 AM W/ WEIGH UPS CALVES Hurricane Cattle Co- 330 Blk Ang & AngX Strs 450-550#. 280 Blk Ang & AngX Hfrs 450-550#. Rec Calf Guard, Vision 8 w/Somnus & Vista Once @ branding. Knife cut. Summered above 8000’. Sired by Lucky 7 Angus, Ingalls Angus & Popo Agie Angus Bulls. Fancy, one brand, high elevation! Sired by performance tested, high quality Black Angus bulls! Ruby Ranch- 200 Blk Ang & AngX Strs 450-525#. Rec Vista Once & Vision 7 w/Somnus @ branding. Sired by Popo Agie & Ingalls Angus Black Angus bulls. Reputation & high elevation!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 COW SALE • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 COW SALE • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20

MSU Extension specialist discusses flushing ewes for reproductive success In a June 4 edition of the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) Research Update podcast, Michigan State University (MSU) Extension Specialist Dr. Richard Ehrhardt discusses the reproductive practice of flushing ewes. Hosted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Sheep and Goat Program Specialist Jake Thorne, the episode examines the biology, practical applications and research findings surrounding flushing ewes during breeding season. “Most sheep producers have probably heard the term before, but there’s a lot more nuance behind flushing than simply feeding a little extra grain before breeding season,” Thorne says. “From body condition and ovulation rate to embryo survival and managing larger litter sizes, flushing sits right at the intersection of nutrition and reproduction.” About flushing Flushing is the practice of increasing breeding ewes’ feed and energy intake right before breeding, which Ehrhardt explains has been linked to improved ovulation rates, higher pregnancy success and increased litter size. Ehrhardt defines the flushing period as roughly three weeks to 10 days before rams are turned in, with the 10-day period being the “critical window.” He emphasizes this area of study is constantly evolving, but there are a few things research has indicated, including a link between body condition scores (BCS) and successful pregnancies. BCS impact Ehrhardt recommends a minimum BCS of two-anda-half to three for successful breeding, highlighting research from sheep-producing countries which indicates this number as the reproductive ideal. “Body condition has an impact on ovulation rate,” he says. “Ewes in better body condition at the beginning of a flushing period tend to have more lambs.” Interestingly, Ehrhardt

WYLR photo

also mentions findings from MSU which indicate sheep with a “really good” preexisting BCS, such as four or higher, have been less responsive to short-term improvements provided by flushing. He also notes seeking a change in BCS rather than a dramatic change in weight should be a producer’s priority. Timeline considerations In addition to BCS improvement, Ehrhardt offers some timeline recommendations for producers to follow to contribute to successful, healthy pregnancies after conception. Following the initial three-week flushing period and ram introduction, Ehrhardt recommends “toning it down” in terms of nutrition by changing feed to a slightly above maintenance diet after ram introduction. “I advise flushing for three weeks then simply feeding a slightly above maintenance diet,” he says. “Continuing to feed sheep at a really high rate of nutrition and high caloric intake can actually harm embryo survival to a degree.” Breeding variables Turning to potential breeding variables and challenges, Thorne poses the question of what factors might be at play if flushing is seemingly not yielding results. Ehrhardt admits there are many factors influencing conception rates and litter sizes, including variability in ram power and energy intake. He recommends controlling as many variables as possible to combat this and maintaining consistency in breeding protocols each year. In terms of breeds, Ehrhardt maintains flushing responses themselves do not tend to vary drastically across breeds, but admits prolific

breeds often produce larger litters by nature of genetics. With such breeds, Ehrhardt theorizes providing adequate feed during flushing – roughly 2.2 times maintenance – is especially important. Operational considerations Ehrhardt reminds producers, although flushing is a great option for many operations, the practice is not right for everyone. To determine if flushing is a good fit for one’s operation, he encourages producers to consider whether they have enough available feed resources to support ewes in the flushing process and all stages of pregnancy, as well as an increased number of lambs. Without adequate feed and labor to support increased flock size, Ehrhardt emphasizes flushing may be a waste of investment. Still, for producers with access to plentiful feed resources, Ehrhardt says flushing could be a great fit. “I think flushing really is a no-brainer for most operations,” he says. “For most production systems with access to good feed resources, producers are going to get a positive return on investment.” “A three-week flushing program at two times maintenance is a good place to start, and I’d recommend most producers consider employing this program to help improve their profitability,” he adds. “While flushing is a very old management concept, there’s still a lot to learn about how nutrition, genetics and management interact to improve reproductive success,” Thorne concludes. Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS CALVES Shane & Chris Eberline- 230 Blk Ang & AngX Strs & Hfrs 475-550#. Rec Vista Once SQ, Nasalgen & Vision 7 @ Branding. Sired by SO Cattle & Hancock Blk Ang bulls. High elevation, choice calves! Ransom & Jill Logan – 150 Blk Ang & AngX Strs & Hfrs 525#. Sired by Colyer Herefords & Angus bulls, & Redland Redbank Angus bulls. Rec Vista Once SQ, & Visions 7 Somnus w/ Spur @ branding. High elevation. Good F1 cross calves! Fred Larsen – 60 Blk Ang & AngX Strs & Hfrs 500#. Rec Vista Once SQ & 7 Way w/ Somnus @ branding. Choice calves!

SEPTEMBER 11, 2026 | 7 P.M.

HOT SPRINGS COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS | GATES OPEN AT 6 P.M.

TRIS MUNSICK

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Consignors~~~~~~~~~~~ Preg Checking/Bleeding Cattle:

Cattle need to be in the yard by 2:00 PM prior to the day of sale if they need preg checked or bled. Thank you for your cooperation!

& THE INNOCENTS

Contact: Riverton Livestock Auction (307) 856-2209; Jeff Brown (307) 850-4193 • Tom Linn (307) 728-8519 Mark Winter (580) 747-9436 www.rivertonlivestock.com also watch our live cattle auction at www.cattleusa.com

1490 South 8th Street East • Riverton, WY 82501 (307) 856-2209

SCAN FOR TICKETS

TEKA BROCK

& THE CLAY HALOS