A book that you have to read!

Some can call it “old stuff”, “old fashioned”, “ancient” or any other related adjective, but will never be able to call it out of date. Here is a fragment of a book that the ones who like and want to study forage, grasslands, rangelands, have to read: Grass: The 1948 Yearbook of Agriculture. As I said before, this book opened many doors for me since I got it in my hands.

John James Ingalls (1833-1900), a Senator from Kansas, wrote “In praise of  Blue Grass” for the yearbook and here is a fragment of what he taught us (for more information about J.J. Ingalls access: http://www.territorialkansasonline.org/~imlskto/cgi-bin/index.php?SCREEN=bio_sketches/ingalls_john)

 

[…]

Grass is the forgiveness of nature -- her constant benediction. Fields trampled with battle,
saturated with blood, torn with the ruts of cannon, grow green again with grass, and carnage is
forgotten. Streets abandoned by traffic become grass-grown like rural lanes, and are obliterated.
Forests decay, harvests perish, flowers vanish, but grass is immortal. Beleaguered by the sullen hosts
of winter, it withdraws into the impregnable fortress of its subterranean vitality, and emerges upon
the first solicitation of spring. Sown by the winds, by wandering birds, propagated by the subtle
horticulture of the elements which are its ministers and servants, it softens the rude outline of the
world. Its tenacious fibres hold the earth in its place, and prevent its soluble components from
washing into the wasting sea. It invades the solitude of deserts, climbs the inaccessible slopes and
forbidding pinnacles of mountains, modifies climates, and determines the history, character, and
destiny of nations. Unobtrusive and patient, it has immortal vigor and aggression. Banished from the
thoroughfare and the field, it bides its time to return, and when vigilance is relaxed, or the dynasty
has perished, it silently resumes the throne from which it has been expelled, but which it never
abdicates. It bears no blazonry or bloom to charm the senses with fragrance or splendor, but its
homely hue is more enchanting than the lily or the rose. It yields no fruit in earth or air, and yet should
its harvest fail for a single year, famine would depopulate the world.

[…]

“Grass: The 1948 Yearbook of Agriculture”, pg. 7

For the complete text access: http://www.grassbydesign.com/pdf/douglas.pdf

Estacado Sheep Feedlot

A few weekends ago Gustavo (I have already talked about him, he is another Brazilian from ESALQ, in the same program that I am here) and me went to visit a sheep feedlot in Dimmitt, TX. This feedlot was recommended for me to visit by my Sheep Production professor, Dr. Sam Jackson. The manager, Mr Beerwinkle received us really politely and showed us the facilities and explained how he runs the feedyard. Most of the lambs come from San Angelo (the Hill County, 260 miles south), mostly black face (Hampshire and Suffolk) and merino crosses. The quality of lambs varies a lot and the days in feed will depend on that. There are some lambs that come from New Mexico, really good animals, that enter in the feedlot with 94 lb and are kept there for 70 to 90 days. On the other hand there are some light animals that enter with 50 lb and need to be feed for 180 days. Another factor that dictates the days in feed is the market that they will be sold. The muslin ethnic market wants a small framed, well-muscled animal (up to 90 lb, against the 120 lb of normal market), with less fat, preferentially male and uncastrated and for that they around $1.40/lb (against $0.95 – 0.96). The main destination for this category is New Jersey. Other normal destinations are Denver, CO; Dixon, CA and Detroit, MI.

The lambs are feed different diets according to how long they are being fed. The initiation diet is 40% chopped hay, 20% alfalfa, cracked or steam flaked corn and cottonseed hulls. The final diet is 87% whole corn, alfalfa pellets tetracycline and mixture (minerals) and is fed for approximately 20 days. To sheep there is no problem to feed whole corn because of the better chewing that they have compared to cattle.

By the time we were there the capacity was not fulfilled (around 50,000 hd) but there were arriving the fall born lambs that would be finished for the spring market (Easter) with 8 months. In the slaughter they receive a bonus of $9.00 for the pelt (hair sheep has no value) and a discount of $25.00 for break joints. The lambs that were there were sheared in January to optimize gain and wool revenue (even thought that the wool price makes no more that covering the shearing costs).

Thanks Mr. Beerwinkle for the visit!

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

This last week Gustavo and me went to Houston for the Livestock Show and Rodeo (the same trip that I was talking about in the last post). We have been invited by Dr. Kevin Pond, professor and chair of the Animal Science Department at TTU and also a good and dedicated friend. Dr. Pond has been helping me a lot since I got here in US and one of the things that he would like to make sure I wouldn’t miss was the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I guess is the biggest fair in US, and believe me, it is huge! The fair is a little bit different from those that we have in Brazil, it’s in a big barn where everything is in (animals, companies booths and attractions). There is no place for all the animals and breeds at the same time, to they make turns for each breed to make their show. This week was going on the Brahman show and beginning of Brangus and Santa Gertrudes shows. We were received by the international committee and got the chance to meet several people from other countries (mostly from Latin America).

Among the people that we met there there is one farmer, director of international relationships of the Rural Society of Paraná (from Londrina), Paulo Vilela. We have been talking to him and said how amazed we were by everything that we were seeing there in Houston, how everything works and how people are committed with the show. He told me that he is trying to change a bit the reality of our country, trying to take hope and innovation for our fairs and class and how hard is it, but he still fighting for it. He trusts a lot in our generation, that we have the potential to change the reality and make thing better, that we can star working together and pursuit the common wellbeing and prosperity. It is good to see that we have people that believe in our country, in our youth, in our potential to grow and make the difference there. We just cannot stay waiting for other people, we need to change ourselves (also meaning start changing “us”). That’s the kind of people that I like meeting, that’s the kind of people that incentive us to study, learn more and work harder to find the solution instead of stay complaining and trying to find some one to guilt.

Still talking about the Livestock Show and Rodeo, another thing that took my attention was the speed that they change categories and build stages in the rodeo. Is a really fast process. Whenever they are with the bronco riding there are steers in the other end of the arena being prepared for the roping and when that begins the bulls are being prepared for back riding also. Is incredible how things work as gears. The rodeo never stops, you don’t have to wait for transitions in between competitions! People are well prepared and organized here! It’s impressive. The rodeo and the shows were a blast.

Coincidences always happens when we are talking to people. I met a friend of some good friends from Livramento and that know my parents also. Unfortunately we were in a rush and I couldn’t talk much with Mr. Patrick, but I hope to see him in the Expointer. Another one was a girl cousin of a friend of ours from the Jersey association in Rio Grande do Sul. That’s why I like talking to people, we always find out amazing things. About human relationships, we did great making contacts there and fortunately we find some more farmers that will gladly receive us it their farms for a visit (one of my objectives for the semester is visiting farms to learn how people work here).

The cattle in the show was really good and even. I bet it was difficult for judging. We just saw the Brahman show (unfortunately I am not too familiar with the breed characteristics to understand better the the judgment) but I wish I could see the Angus and Hereford one. I was a little bit disappointed because there was nothing about dairy cattle. But, as a friend of mine said, we are in the beef area, there wont be much dairies (actually they are coming to TX). 

Well, I guess this is a briefly report about what we saw there. Whenever you have the chance to go to a show like that do it. It worth a lot going. I want to thank the Pond Family that received and hosted us there as part of their family. We have no words to say how grateful we are for everything that you have done! I hope we can return the affection whenever you go to Brazil.

Life knows how to take care of us…

Life always put the right things in our hands and lead us to the right way, is just know how to let her lead us, how to listen and learn with her. Before coming to US an old book, seeming “out of date” end up in my hands through my dad. Was a present from a cousin of ours, agronomist, Gabriela Moura. I got really atracted to this book, that is called “Grass: yearbook of agriculture 1948” and started reading it during the vacations before leaving Brazil. This book gave an idea of what I was going to face (about grasslands) whenever I get in US. I also found several answer for questions that for me where new and unsolved yet. Was a pleasant reading. When I arrived here in Texas I started talking to Dr. Vivien Allen and told her about this particular book. Amazed, she told me that was really one of the best books about grasslands ever. I was really happy to know that and I got even more when she told me that there is a review of that book where she also part of it. The book is a publication of the American  Society of Agronomy and is called  "Grassland: Quietness and Strength for a New American Agriculture” (press control and click on in for the link). There are some books that are “master works” and should be read us, students and professionals, to built our base knowledge and opinion.

Nevertheless, the fact of knowing this book also brought me more satisfaction also. This last trip to Houston we, Gustavo (a friend from Indaiatuba, SP) and me, stopped in College Station to visit the Texas A&M University (TAMU). One of my friends, Cody, had his Masters degree at the TAMU and I asked him who should I meet there. He gave me some names and I went there to meet those professor. First was Dr. Urs Kreuter, who received us with a huge smile when I told him that I was Cody’s friend and we talked for a while about my background and interest and his researches. He is also a very enthusiastic professor, those who believe in the students potential and support for all the needs. Professor Kreuter is specialized in Human Dimensions and Socio-Economics of Rangeland. We talked a bit about how difficult is to change realities, does not matter if we are here in Texas or back in Rio Grande do Sul, cultural influence and tradition is a huge factor that lingers the changes (but really good in some other aspects, please, don’t get me wrong) that some times needs to be made. We got to a point that we realized that often the problem is the approach of the person trough whom the changes will be made, the presentation of the proposes, the way that we try to show the advantages of the new concepts.

After that, we went to meet Dr. Mort Kothmann, and old professor from TAMU in the area of Range Management Systems. Meeting this professor was, I am not afraid to say, one of the best moments that I had here in Texas. Enthusiastic and passionate about his profession and with a contagious interest in the area. We had and amazing and pleasant conversation about my life here in Texas, my background, objectives and about his researches and career. I told him about my interests in forages and grassland and rangeland management, and we end up talking about books and how expensive they are now a days and how lower value people are giving to them as times go towards the e-books era. I told him about that “old book”  from 1948 that I read and how impressed I was for finding so many updated subjects and concepts there and he told me that we that want to learn about this subject (and I guess this is valid not just for forages) should go to those old master pieces, because there we can find several answers for questions that we are being asked today. He also told me how important is to write things down in order to perpetuate the knowledge.

Dr. Kothmann, liking my interest about the subject, stand up from his chair, went to the shelf and grabbed a book and told me: “this is a book that you have to read”  and I asked him for the name of the author so I could try to find it in internet and buy in and he told me “you don’t need to write it down, this book is for you”. I was moved by his act, giving a completely stranger one of his best book. Not happy yet, he grabbed another book and also gave me. He told me that he needs to pass ahead the knowledge for those who are interested in it. I had no word to thanks him but I am sure that I will honor his confidence in this young guy that out of the blue just showed up in his office.

Thanks to all those people that have been helping me to build my way. Those who, with me, are responsible for my achievements, my conquests and happiness. Once I’ve read that success is when the preparation line crosses the opportunity line, so preparation is along your life that we get and opportunities is a matter of create them (we create our opportunities), so is just up to us to find the way and meet the success, no one else. We have to desire and fight for that. This is not something that we decide and from one day to the other we just have it. Being prepared takes long and I think I am being lead to towards the right way.

 

Lubbock, Texas, March 10th, 2010.