Cattle Stats Dispatch

Your Source for BVD Information!
June 2009

CS:  Dr. Sweiger, tell our readers about you.

Dr. Sweiger:  I grew up on the family farm in Northwest Missouri .  We were a diversified operation-dairy, beef, swine and row crops.  After high school I attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield , MO , then on to the University of Missouri in Columbia , MO , to receive a DVM in 1994 and Masters in Beef Production Medicine in 1998.  I provide feedlot, stocker and cow/calf consulting in OK, MO, TX, KS, and NE.  I am also a part-time lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine at Iowa State University where I enjoy teaching Beef Production Medicine and providing some outreach/extension services to the state of Iowa .  I have been involved in several BVD research trials and will continue my involvement in the research of BVD as well as the education of producers.

CS:  What is your primary focus?

Dr. Sweiger:  My primary focus is on educating my customers.  Whether I am visiting with a feedlot manager, a Cattle Stats client or a student, I want them to walk away with good information that will help them make better decisions in the future.  I want to take information gained from my research or from my years of experience, unpack it, and pass it on to my audience in a language they can understand and utilize.

CS:  How can you help Cattle Stat’s customers?

Dr. Sweiger:  I maintain strict quality control standards within our testing facility.  Our clients can be confident that we are using the best testing methods at the best possible prices.  I am available to answer questions that can arise after test results are communicated.

CS:  What motivates you?

Dr. Sweiger:  I like to be very involved in developing people, whether that’s developing students who have a future in veterinary medicine or men in a ministry.  I’m entrepreneurial in spirit, but my passion is developing and serving others.

CS:  What type of information will you be sharing with our readers in the future?

Dr. Sweiger:  I want to share interesting pieces of information that will help our customers and friends.  It may be BVD related, it could be another disease that affects cattle, or it could be another topic that I feel is timely for our clients or industry.

CS:  As we close this Q & A, what words of advice do you have for our readers?  

Dr. Sweiger:  Keep good detailed records; gain as much knowledge as you can.  Without good record keeping, you can’t measure your progress.

… And so do many of today’s buyers.  To provide BVD-PI Negative Cattle with additional exposure in the marketplace, Cattle Stats has formed an alliance with The Cattle Range... www.cattlerange.com.

The Cattle Range 's Internet Marketing Option provides market exposure and facilitates private treaty sales without expensive commissions.  Cattle Stats is the sponsor of a BVD-PI Negative section on The Cattle Range website on which BVD-PI Negative Cattle are listed for sale.  In addition to being listed on the BVD-PI Negative page the cattle are also listed in the corresponding Breed and Cattle Class sections.  Cattle Stats' customers receive a 20% discount on the sale fee, which is payable only if the cattle sell to a buyer originating from the website.

The Cattle Range is the premier website for Internet marketing of cattle and receives visits from 1,000's of cattlemen daily. Your BVD-PI Negative cattle, listed for sale on The Cattle Range, will be exposed to buyers who would otherwise never know they are for sale.

Not an Internet Auction… Buyers & Sellers Deal Directly.

·         There is No Charge to list cattle for sale on The Cattle Range...

·         Sellers pay a sale fee only if the cattle are sold to a buyer who located them on The Cattle Range.

·         As the Fee Schedule shows, the sale fee is as little as $4 per head for cattle depending on the class of cattle and the number of head listed. Don’t forget that Cattle Stats customers receive a 20% discount.

·         Listing cattle for sale is simple and only takes a few minutes… List On-Line or call toll-free.

·         Listings can remain on our website for up to 90 days.  Notify us when the cattle are sold and the listing will be removed.

·         Listings include fairly detailed information about the cattle, color photos, and how to contact the seller.

·         Photos can be added and changes made to the listing at any time.  Just give us a call or send an e-mail.

·         If not ready to price the cattle, list price as “Negotiable” or "Contact seller for current price quote", etc.

·         It is not necessary to have knowledge of computers or Internet access to benefit from this marketing option.

·         Buyers have free access to listings and contact sellers directly.

·         From this point, it's no different than a traditional private treaty sale.

To receive the discount, enter “CattleStats” in the “Discount” field on the listing form, or if you call in the listing information, just tell us you are Cattle Stats customer.

CS:  What is your primary focus as Director of Research and Development?  

Dr. Vander Ley:  My primary focus is on BVD research.  I am interested in methods of detecting persistently and acutely infected cattle as well as ways of measuring the true impact of BVD and other diseases in production systems.  Part of my time is also spent at the ISU Veterinary Teaching Hospital.  I am an intern in the food animal department and I am pursuing a Master’s Degree in Veterinary Preventative Medicine.  

CS:  How can you help Cattle Stat’s customers?  

Dr. Vander Ley:  At Cattle Stats, we are committed to fast, accurate BVD testing.  My purpose and goal is to insure that we are using the best testing technology available to serve our clients better.  We are also actively engaged in finding new ways to help clients make sound management decisions about BVD testing through further work on the economic impact of BVD in the feedlot.  We are also investigating ways that we can make BVD testing at the cow/calf level easy, affordable, and economically advantageous.  

CS:  What type of information will you be sharing with our readers in the future?  

Dr. Vander Ley:  I will provide updates of current research topics that are relevant at the producer levels.  Currently there is research being done that explores the potential of bringing BVD on a farm through semen.  My goal is to provide the latest information to producers so that the best decisions pertaining to BVD control can be made. 

CS:  As we close this interview, do you have any words of advice or a parting comment?  

Look for Dr. Vander Ley's column each quarter!
 

Come visit us at these upcoming shows:

• Oklahoma Cattlemen's Conference - Midwest City, OK
  July 23rd thru July 25th.

• Southern Plains Beef Symposium, Ardmore, OK
  Saturday, Aug 8th

• Enid Wheatland Stocker Conference - Saturday, August 21st