If the local farming community’s coffee row were surveyed about the beef industry’s major players, the rancher, feedlot operator and packing plants would likely dominate responses.
Each is critical, but here are three often-unrecognized players helping to build and sustain the beef cattle sector.
Rodeo
“We’re a part of the U.S. beef industry, although you could say we’re a small niche,” says Binion Cervi of Cervi Championship Rodeo. “With the constant need for tie-down roping calves, steer wrestling steers, team roping cattle, bucking bulls and the emergence of breakaway roping, we fluctuate with the cattle market when bidding and running our rodeos.”
Cervi is the largest rodeo company in North America, producing over 40 rodeos and 200-plus performances annually, from Montana to Missouri to Texas.
“I pay a little more and try to lease cattle from each rodeo’s region rather than trucking them across the country, as freight has become such a huge cost,” says Cervi.
Cervi uses a network of trusted partners in different areas of the country to provide the stock he needs.
“We’re all part of the industry by adding value and creating entertainment,” he says. “Money changes hands and the beef industry benefits from our unique yearly supply chain, unlike other, more ‘normal’ cattle markets.”
Cervi wants people to understand the rodeo market will always be steady, and with the expansion of the breakaway roping event, it’s a niche constantly needing specific cattle.
“The luxury is: We know a certain rodeo will take place at a certain date each year,” Cervi says. “We’ll always need X number of roping calves, Y number of team roping animals and Z number of bulls to make it happen. That’s never going to change.”
Ovum pickup (OPU) technicians
In vitro fertilization (IVF) to advance genetics and multiply the offspring of elite-performing animals is becoming more prevalent each year. Trained ovum pickup (OPU) technicians begin the IVF process by collecting oocytes from selected donor cows.
“According to the International Embryo Technology Society, 80 percent of all reported embryo production was made through IVF,” says Lisa Rumsfeld, vice president of business strategy and development at Vytelle. “It’s today’s technology, not the future.”
OPU specialists use unique tools, including an intravaginal ultrasound probe and aspiration needle assembly to aspirate follicles and remove oocytes from a donor’s ovaries to be used later in the IVF process. They collect oocytes from 20 to 40 cows daily, taking approximately 15 minutes per animal.
Rumsfeld says technicians come from varied backgrounds. Some are DVMs, others with animal science educations, but most grew up around cattle and fell in love with reproduction.
“These men and women look after our most elite beef and dairy genetics,” she says. “It’s the core of our industry from a sustainability standpoint. IVF allows us to make five times more genetic progress than traditional breeding. This genetic progress is the compounding and lasting solution and when we get it right, it’s a beautiful thing.”
Rumsfeld says more technicians are needed, as many qualified applicants enter the pet rather than the livestock sector. While it may not seem like an obvious part of the role, she says conversation is a key component. Technicians interact with the customers about what they see on the ultrasound screen, predict the number of oocytes collected and develop a human connection.
“OPU technicians are our most important customer-facing relationship,” Rumsfeld says. “Donor cows are our clients’ pride and joy. It’s not just putting in an arm, but engaging with people, learning more about the industry and why producers choose each donor. These are multifaceted people, and we need more of them.”
Cybersecurity experts
“As farming becomes more regenerative, we need more technology,” says Kristin Demoranville, founder and owner of AnzenSage, an agricultural cybersecurity firm. “But not enough people are talking about the cybersecurity aspect, or what’s going on with data, or how they’ll protect themselves from an attack.”
Demoranville runs one of only two current U.S. food and agriculture cybersecurity firms.
“We’re underserved,” she says. “I’m worried people will only pay attention when they start dying from foodborne illness, contamination or nation-state attacks. JBS showed us the food supply chain is broken, making it easy for bad actors and hackers to exploit. It’s why I exist.”
Demoranville explains that cyber attacks are twofold, as food and agriculture interact with the digital and cyber-physical world. Phishing, ransomware or more sophisticated exploits attempt to steal data or hijack and encrypt information for ransom. Farms also feature physical levers and buttons, creating access controls and device interaction. Hackers sabotage operations and endanger animals and produce. They manipulate and fabricate to disrupt, weaken competitors and cause financial losses.
She notes the U.S. government didn’t add food and agriculture to the critical infrastructure until a few years ago, causing the industries to be defensive-minded.
“We’re limping badly and not keeping pace,” she says. “Hackers are 10 steps ahead. My concern is it will be too little, too late and get worse before it gets better.”
Demoranville outlines several recommendations for livestock producers to protect themselves and their operations:
- Don’t invest in new tech if it’s not needed.
- Read agreements and ask where collected data is going.
- Find out who is liable when an attack happens.
- Invest in cyber insurance.
- Consider the equipment used and confirm what is connected to the internet.
- Post the contact information of the livestock commission, Farm Bureau or nearest FBI office in a clear place in case of an attack.
- Research and learn about cybersecurity. Listen to relevant podcasts and become more informed.
- Call a security expert and discuss potential security weak spots.
Demoranville urges people to understand it’s not their fault and there’s no shame in not knowing. She wants security to become more humanized and a routine part of business, not a burden.
“If we say technology, the next word out of our mouth should be cybersecurity,” Demoranville stresses. “Make it real, protect ourselves and our families. Attacks will happen because there’s so much disinformation out there. People need to get through these scary experiences and build resilience rather than being destroyed.”
