Caravanning through the Elk County countryside

by Mark Parker

Elk County, Kan., rolled out a rich tapestry of agriculture last week for its annual Livestock-Conservation Tour.

A good crowd of local farm and ranch folks caravanned through the western part of the county, exploring a wide range of topics from Boer goats to wind energy.

Matt Gilhousen of Trade Wind Energy delivered an update on his company’s Caney River Wind Project which is planned for a site 10 miles west of Howard on the north side of Hwy. 160.

Gilhousen stopped short of calling the project an absolute certainty but emphasized that plans are moving forward and he fully expects construction to begin late this year with the project going online as soon as October, 2010.

The Lenexa-based firm constructed the Smoky Hills Wind Project along I-70, west of Salina, Kan.

The Elk County wind farm would harvest 200 MW of wind power—enough to supply electricity for 70,000 homes—and would connect to the Westar transmission line running through the county.

Gilhousen said it is yet to be determined how the power will be sold. The project itself, however, would have immediate economic developments to Elk County, he said. The project would create 15-20 permanent jobs as well as roughly 200 more during the construction phase.

Additionally, since wind energy is exempt from county taxes, the company would make an annual payment to the county, estimated to be around $1 million.

Approximately 10 landowners and 15,000 acres would be involved in the project which would utilize about 140 wind machines. Although there are various ways to determine payment to landowners, Gilhousen said an annual payment in the $20/acre range would not be uncommon.

He also asserted that Kansas is well-positioned to benefit from the potential harvesting the wind holds.

“Wind has the potential to provide up to 20 percent of the nation’s power,” he said, “and Kansas is smack-dab in the middle of the wind belt. There are challenges, such as transmission infrastructure, but this is a resource that offers clean energy that is cost-effective, renewable and locally beneficial.”

Kate Perkins, DVM, of Perkins Creek Ranch, shared the family operation’s experience with Boer goats which provide an opportunity to control unwanted range species and produce meat for a growing market.

She explained that increased demand, particularly in ethnic communities, has resulted in the U.S. importing a big share of the goat meat it consumes. That, Perkins said, creates an opportunity for producers who can realize brush control benefits and produce a saleable product without reducing cattle stocking rates.

The primary challenges for goat production, she noted, are parasites and predators. The ranch uses pasture rotation and the FAMACHA eyelid test as parasite control tools. Although Perkins Creek has tried both llamas and donkeys for flock protection, they have settled on dogs as the most effective means for their operation.

The family is in the eighth year of incorporating goats into its ranching enterprise, which also markets some club goats for local 4-Hers.

Boers are the Perkins’ choice because of the breed’s rapid growth and meatiness. Perkins noted that various ethnic groups have different preferences regarding market size and explained that the market is significantly impacted by religious holidays, most of which fall between Thanksgiving and Easter.

At the Ron Cummings ranch, the group viewed a group of Angus-Simmental influence heifers and listened to Flinton McCabe of Genex Cooperative discuss his firm’s artificial insemination services which range from mating consultation to heat detection protocol customized for individual operations.

Elk County rancher Jeff Wiseman demonstrated how he uses stock dogs in his cow/calf and custom-grazing operation. Wiseman Has Hangin’ Tree dogs which are half-Border Collie, 1/4 Catahoula Leopard, 1/8 Kelpie and 1/8 Australian Shepherd.

At the Wiseman Ranch, Mark Nelson of Kansas Farm Bureau outlined KFB’s Beef Verification Solution program which integrates age/source verification with data collection and management. Nelson said such efforts provide an opportunity to create value for small beef operations by enhancing the ability to group-market calves of known backgrounds.

Richard and Julia Fechter displayed the family’s Maine-Anjou cowherd and said they liked the disposition, performance and maternal traits of the breed. The Fechters began building their herd in 2006 and have focused on retaining heifers. They rely on AI and a heat detection protocol and use QuietWean nose-flaps at weaning time. The herd is being managed to produce club calves as well as performance cattle for commercial beef production.

NRCS Rangeland Management Specialist Dane Varney conducted a native range plant identification program at Perkins Creek Ranch.

In addition to a look at pasture renovation on the Larry Odle ranch, the group heard from representatives from Novartis Animal Health and Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health.

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