Question

[cowman]

rsomer: Do you think feeding straw is revolutionary? Back in the twenties and thirties thats all they got, with maybe a little slough hay if it was available. Any good hay was saved for the weaners and the working horses.
I have to agree with kato on taking what works for you from the "experts". Because some of the things they come up with are not practical at all. And it always amazes me when they make some revolutionary discovery that is in reality as old as the hills. I guees that's why we pay them the big bucks?

[rsomer]

I agree. I like kato’s comments "The important thing is that what's right for one operation, is not right for another. You have to listen to the experts, sift through what they have to say, and use what applies to you." A concern I have is that we don’t always get to sift through what the experts say, more and more often the expert advice comes to the industry in the form of regulation. i.e. manure regulations. Be that as it may, we will still need the experts to help us remain competitive as the rest of the world is constantly improving the way cattle are raised and processed. Whether is it cost of production, or food safety or herd health our beef industry needs to keep constantly moving forward. It is critical to our long term success that we as an industry have access to the highest level of science and expertise. Wouldn’t it be fair to say that if we depended strictly on our old time knowledge acquired from our years of personal experience as producers that we would, within a generation, end up with a stagnant old time industry.