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America's Heartland is made 
possible by...

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Farm Credit - 
Financing agriculture and rural 
America since 1916.

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Farm Credit is 
cooperatively owned by America's 
farmers and ranchers.

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Learn more at farmcredit.com

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CropLife America - 
Representing the companies whose

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modern farming innovations help 
America's farmers provide

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nutritious food for communities 
around the globe.

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Hi I'm Jason Shoultz.

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Do you like steak on the 
grill at those summer barbecues?

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Well, thank an 
American rancher.

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Let's head for the wide open 
spaces on America's Heartland

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this time for some 
stories about better beef,

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Texas longhorns, and stopping 
modern day cattle rustlers.

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Come along to California 
where state officials

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are taking a hard line on 
cattle theft

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using technology and old west 
traditions.

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If I said "longhorns" you'd 
think Texas.

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But we'll take you to a 
longhorn cattle roundup in Ohio.

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Then... a Kansas family traces 
its ranching roots

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back more than a century 
and changes

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the color of its cows to 
market their beef.

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And we'll introduce you to 
an Idaho couple adding elk

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to the ranching operation on 
their land.

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It's all coming up on 
America's Heartland.

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♪You can see it in the eyes 
Of every woman and man♪

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♪In America's Heartland 
living close to the land♪

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♪There's a love for the country 
And a pride in the brand♪

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♪In America's Heartland♪

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♪Living close 
Close to the land♪

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♪♪

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If beef is a regular item on 
your dinner table,

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well, you're not alone.

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Americans will consume more 
than 25 billion pounds

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of beef each year.

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And those numbers are just 
one indication of how

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important cattle ranching is 
to our economy.

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How many ranches?

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Well, there are some 750 
thousand ranching operations

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in the United States raising 
millions

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of beef cattle for market.

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And while "steak" is the 
number one pick in choices,

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ground beef is the big winner 
when it comes to

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beef being used in a whole 
variety of recipes.

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And don't forget millions of 
burgers being sold at fast

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food restaurants around the 
world.

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Midwesterners top the list 
of beef consumers in the U.S.

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followed by folks in the 
south, west,

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and then the northeast.

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The average American will eat

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more than 65 pounds of 
beef a year.

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There are hundreds of breeds 
of cattle around the world.

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Ranchers may choose to raise a 
certain breed because of climate

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landform, or a particular of 
beef that's in demand.

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And if you've ever spent time 
watching Hollywood westerns,

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you're probably 
familiar with a certain

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breed that once roamed wild 
in the American West.

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Our Sarah Gardner sets out 
to find some "longhorn" cattle.

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But not in Texas.

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♪♪

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Come on girls, come on 
sweethearts... whooo.

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Darol Dickinson and his wife 
Linda started their longhorn

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cattle career in Colorado.

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But it's here in Ohio that 
the family found its fortune

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in beef with the Dickinson 
Cattle Company.

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Raising cattle is grass and 
management and water, and

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things like that; so, this is 
great cattle country here.

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We're in the Ohio River 
Valley grasslands.

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It's wonderful grass 
country.

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The family ranches on more 
than four thousand acres and

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welcomes visitors with farm 
tours in the summer.

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Buyers and visitors alike 
come to see the Longhorns.

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Do you think that's a pretty 
cow there?

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I think she's beautiful.

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She's black and white 
spackled;

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she's got curly horns; she's 
got a sweet disposition;

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she raises beautiful calves.

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[cow moos]

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Darol, along with his wife 
and children oversee the

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"meat" of the business here: 
raising and marketing

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registered cattle.

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We sell all natural Texas 
longhorn beef.

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We sell semen, frozen bull 
semen from our very best bulls.

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The "science of selection" 
has also made it possible for

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the Dickinson Company to clone 
some of their prized cattle.

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Well, this is the cow that 
was used for the clones.

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This is Shadow Jubilee.

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And she'd be a little over 84 
inches tip to tip, on her horns.

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And she just had a new calf 
here three weeks ago.

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The other cow behind her is 
Jester and she was

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international champion last 
year.

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And she just had a new baby 
calf about three weeks ago.

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♪♪

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The ranch also raises two 
other unique breeds.

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Buelingo cattle adapt well 
to the open range

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of the west and central plains.

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You'll also find Watusi 
cattle here.

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Originally from Africa, this 
breed is not as well known

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in the United States.

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Joel Dickinson is the 
ranch's Herd Manager,

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overseeing a cattle 
operation that's grown from

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40 head in 1989 to more than 
a thousand head today.

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Joel and his crew will round 
up the newborn calves.

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To check on their weight, give 
them vaccinations, and tag them.

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You just lift the skin up.

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Put the needle under the 
skin.

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Where, here?

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Yep.

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And then we're giving it 
just a half a CC.

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A little more, a little 
more.

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Right there, that's pretty 
good.

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After vaccinations, Joel 
takes a picture

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of each new calf on his iPhone.

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Those digital photos are 
transmitted to the ranch office

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where Joel's mom enters the data 
on the company website.

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So, it's red and white 
heifer 5409.

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We have the largest Internet 
presence of any breed of

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cattle or breed association 
in the United States.

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We sell about 90 percent of 
the cattle online.

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What are people looking for 
in a longhorn?

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They've got to have beef 
quality;

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they've got to have pretty 
conformation, pretty color,

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a good disposition, raise a 
large calf.

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And longhorn cattle, they gotta 
have pretty, twisty horns.

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[cow mooing]

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Darol says economics and 
consumer demands have

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changed his industry over 
the past 40 years.

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When we first started, it 
was really important

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for cattle to be very fat.

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And fat was important, and 
fat wasn't a bad thing.

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Today, people talk lean.

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So, Texas longhorns were 
criticized years ago

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because they weren't fat enough.

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Now they're complimented because 
of their high protein,

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low cholesterol, low carb, 
low fat content.

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And he expects even bigger 
changes in the future.

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Well, in the future, we're 
going to see less grain

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available to feed all 
livestock.

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So, it's being used for Ethanol 
and export and other things.

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So, the cattle of the future 
are going to be cattle that

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eat cactus and grass and 
briars and low quality fiber.

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So, that's where the Texas 
longhorns really excel.

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[cow mooing]

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Do you expect that one day, 
the kids will take over

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and continue the ranch?

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Well, the 13-year-old grandson, 
I asked him the other day.

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I said, 'What do you think 
you'll do in life.'

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And he said, 
'Well, grandpa, I don't know.'

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But he said 'I may have to take 
over the ranch.'

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And I said, 'Why do you say 
that?'

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And he said, 'Well, have you 
noticed how old my dad is?'

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Well, you met him today. 
He's about 36.

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So, he's already 
thinking about

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booting his dad out and 
taking over.

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With young folks pushing their 
way into the family business,

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the Dickinson's see continuity 
to their life on the land.

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Something to be handed down 
to the next generation.

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You do well what you like to 
do,

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and you like to do what you 
do well.

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So, our family enjoys this 
kind of a business.

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Despite the longhorn cattle 
stampedes that you've seen

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in Hollywood westerns, 
ranchers say that Texas

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longhorns are usually quite 
gentle and easily worked

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on foot as well as horseback.

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They do say, however, stay 
out of the way of those

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horns when the cattle turn 
to look at you!

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I mentioned earlier that 
ranchers may choose to raise

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a certain breed of cattle 
for many reasons.

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Climate and consumer demand 
are just two of them.

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And ranchers have been cross- 
breeding cattle for a long

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time working to get the best 
attributes of separate breeds.

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Our John Lobertini takes us 
to a cattle ranching

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operation in Kansas where 
one historic farm family did

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some "color changes" in their 
efforts to deliver better beef.

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♪♪

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The flint hills are the last 
remnant of the tall grass

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prairie in North America.

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You have to go to the Serengeti 
in Africa

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to find grass like this.

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Joe Hoagland's white hat 
makes him stand out even in

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the wide open spaces of 
eastern Kansas.

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Hoagland and his family have 
been trailblazers in the

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ranching business since the 
late 1800's;

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and flint hills grass is just 
the beginning of this story.

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This is very nutritious 
grass.

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There's a lot of calcium in 
this grass which is good for

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growing bones and a lot of 
protein for developing

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the meat in the steers.

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But Hoagland doesn't raise 
cattle like everyone else.

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He herds them with Honda's 
instead of horses

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and this is livestock of a 
different color.

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Black Herefords to be exact.

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This British breed of cattle 
is traditionally red.

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There is this perception in 
America,

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that a black hided beef 
animal is the superior one.

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We see that in the sale barn.

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Time after time the red 
hided animals are discounted.

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So the Hoagland's did what 
people in agriculture do;

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they tried something new.

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John, you got a good count 
of 'em didn't you?

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Breeding Red-Hided Herefords 
with the wildly popular

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Black Angus breed.

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After several generations of 
genetic work,

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ranchers learned how to 
capture that coveted black

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hair but end up with a cow 
that's still a Hereford.

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You get ten cents a pound, 
if it's a 500-pound calf,

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why that's 50-dollars.

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So, you know that doesn't 
take long to add up if you

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got a hundred cows, you've 
produced a lot more income.

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You know Black Herefords are 
new to cattle ranching;

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the first were bred back in 
1994.

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But today there are breeders 
in more than 25-states.

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And that numbers is expected 
to multiply in the years ahead.

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The Hoaglands say, this 
isn't just a black Hereford;

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it's a better Hereford.

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You can see his father or 
his sire,

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his grand sire and his great 
grand sire.

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The best are registered and 
their genealogy

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00:11:08,498 --> 00:11:10,564
documented in detail.

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The Angus bloodlines add 
some kick to a meat that's

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already a popular choice for 
many consumers.

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And ranchers say the hybrids 
produce bigger offspring

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while consuming less feed.

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We're seeing longevity in 
our cows that I find remarkable.

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A cow that's 10 years old that 
has an udder like a young cow.

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We produce more meat because 
the cattle are more productive,

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bigger framed and production 
techniques are improved.

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More meat from 
fewer cattle.

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28-year old Dirck Hoagland 
knew from an early age he'd

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probably take over the 
family business.

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But instead of getting a 
degree in animal science,

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he mastered in business.

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You need to have backgrounds 
in marketing.

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You need to understand 
finance,

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you need to understand how 
to manage people.

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Really in a lot of ways a 
cattle ranch is a factory.

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A factory the family runs 
like a well-oiled machine.

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♪♪

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The heartland grasses of the 
flint hills provide a rich

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00:12:20,164 --> 00:12:24,264
pasture land for the Hoagland's 
unique cattle operation.

240
00:12:24,264 --> 00:12:27,298
It's land that's served the 
family for more than a century.

241
00:12:27,298 --> 00:12:29,964
Land the Hoagland's view as 
a window to their past

242
00:12:29,964 --> 00:12:32,231
and America's heritage.

243
00:12:32,231 --> 00:12:34,931
The views and the vista's you 
see here are

244
00:12:34,931 --> 00:12:38,264
exactly what they saw in covered 
wagons

245
00:12:38,264 --> 00:12:41,431
moving west and traveling across 
the prairie.

246
00:12:41,431 --> 00:12:45,098
This is pretty much a 
pre-Columbian view of America.

247
00:12:45,098 --> 00:12:52,764
♪♪

248
00:12:52,764 --> 00:12:54,898
Hereford cattle were brought 
to America in the early

249
00:12:54,898 --> 00:12:59,264
1800's from their place of 
origin in Herefordshire, England

250
00:12:59,264 --> 00:13:01,564
And consider this: a thousand 
pound cow

251
00:13:01,564 --> 00:13:05,564
can produce 4 tons of manure in 
a year.

252
00:13:05,564 --> 00:13:17,864
♪♪

253
00:13:17,864 --> 00:13:19,931
Hi I'm Paul Robins and 
here's something you may not

254
00:13:19,931 --> 00:13:21,798
have known about 
agriculture.

255
00:13:21,798 --> 00:13:24,464
When it comes to beneficial 
livestock you can't do much

256
00:13:24,464 --> 00:13:26,031
better than cows.

257
00:13:26,031 --> 00:13:27,798
The cud-chewing bovine 
provides everything

258
00:13:27,798 --> 00:13:30,131
from food to fertilizer.

259
00:13:30,131 --> 00:13:31,098
Are you up for some ice 
cream?

260
00:13:31,098 --> 00:13:32,464
Cheese? Maybe some yogurt?

261
00:13:32,464 --> 00:13:35,031
Thank a farmer and a cow.

262
00:13:35,031 --> 00:13:37,331
But when did this 
partnership all begin?

263
00:13:37,331 --> 00:13:40,531
Well, let's head across the 
Atlantic.

264
00:13:40,531 --> 00:13:42,931
All modern domesticated 
breeds of cattle descended

265
00:13:42,931 --> 00:13:46,331
from wild ox-like animals 
called Aurochs that once

266
00:13:46,331 --> 00:13:49,931
roamed over large areas in 
Asia, Europe, and North Africa.

267
00:13:49,931 --> 00:13:51,831
We're talking 30 thousand 
years ago.

268
00:13:51,831 --> 00:13:53,531
The Aurochs were a favorite 
animal for hunters since

269
00:13:53,531 --> 00:13:56,831
they provided food and hides 
for clothing and shoes.

270
00:13:56,831 --> 00:13:59,964
Fast forward to 6,000 BC and 
early man started luring

271
00:13:59,964 --> 00:14:03,964
wild cattle into communities 
and domesticated them.

272
00:14:03,964 --> 00:14:05,964
Scientist says the herding 
instincts of the cattle made

273
00:14:05,964 --> 00:14:08,231
that easier, along with the 
natural curiosity

274
00:14:08,231 --> 00:14:10,564
of the big bovines.

275
00:14:10,564 --> 00:14:12,331
The fertile crescent of the 
Middle East was one of the

276
00:14:12,331 --> 00:14:14,898
first regions to benefit 
from domesticated animals

277
00:14:14,898 --> 00:14:18,031
both for food and as beasts 
of burden.

278
00:14:18,031 --> 00:14:19,031
And from there the good 
news,

279
00:14:19,031 --> 00:14:21,564
or should that be "good 
moo's" thank you,

280
00:14:21,564 --> 00:14:25,431
spread across Asia, Europe, 
and Africa.

281
00:14:25,431 --> 00:14:27,331
Africa is still home to a 
large number

282
00:14:27,331 --> 00:14:29,998
of cattle about 230 million 
animals.

283
00:14:29,998 --> 00:14:32,264
The U.S. has about 100 million 
cattle.

284
00:14:32,264 --> 00:14:35,364
But it's India that leads 
the cattle count worldwide

285
00:14:35,364 --> 00:14:38,398
with about 280 million head.

286
00:14:38,398 --> 00:14:40,064
That's a lot of methane.

287
00:14:40,064 --> 00:14:45,631
♪♪

288
00:14:45,631 --> 00:14:47,498
There's good money in cattle 
ranching and, as you

289
00:14:47,498 --> 00:14:50,198
might expect, there are some 
folks who would like to benefit

290
00:14:50,198 --> 00:14:53,931
from great beef prices without 
having to do the work.

291
00:14:53,931 --> 00:14:55,931
Now you might have thought 
cattle rustling was a thing

292
00:14:55,931 --> 00:14:58,131
of Wild West days gone by.

293
00:14:58,131 --> 00:15:01,098
But it's alive and well in many 
parts of the country and today

294
00:15:01,098 --> 00:15:05,664
stopping the thieves requires 
some old and new skills.

295
00:15:05,664 --> 00:15:07,164
Back in Chicago, I never 
thought that I would be

296
00:15:07,164 --> 00:15:10,498
punching cattle, mostly 
belonging to other guys.

297
00:15:10,498 --> 00:15:13,431
Yeah, using trucks for 
rustling is the latest thing.

298
00:15:13,431 --> 00:15:16,998
In the 1939 western "Code of 
the Cactus" cattle rustlers

299
00:15:16,998 --> 00:15:23,698
are using trucks to menace 
California ranchers.

300
00:15:23,698 --> 00:15:27,098
And when the sheriff tries 
to track down the rustlers, the

301
00:15:27,098 --> 00:15:30,931
first thing he does is check the 
paperwork on the cattle.

302
00:15:30,931 --> 00:15:32,698
Who did you say them cattle 
belonged to?

303
00:15:32,698 --> 00:15:34,498
I didn't say.

304
00:15:34,498 --> 00:15:37,698
Oh, a smart aleck, huh?

305
00:15:37,698 --> 00:15:41,298
Fast forward 70 years, not 
far from the Oregon border,

306
00:15:41,298 --> 00:15:44,431
just like the sheriff did in 
"Code of the Cactus," a cowboy

307
00:15:44,431 --> 00:15:48,398
hat wearing investigator is 
doing the exact same thing.

308
00:15:48,398 --> 00:15:50,631
Pasture to pasture movement 
out of that county has to be

309
00:15:50,631 --> 00:15:52,598
inspected before they leave.

310
00:15:52,598 --> 00:15:54,898
Truck driver Jeff Giessner 
was delivering a load of

311
00:15:54,898 --> 00:15:58,331
cattle when he got stopped 
at a weigh-station checkpoint.

312
00:15:58,331 --> 00:16:01,131
He's not getting questioned 
by the long arm of the law.

313
00:16:01,131 --> 00:16:02,631
These guys actually work for the

314
00:16:02,631 --> 00:16:07,464
California Department of 
Food and Agriculture.

315
00:16:07,464 --> 00:16:09,631
And today they're checking 
brands and paperwork

316
00:16:09,631 --> 00:16:11,464
on trailers of cattle.

317
00:16:11,464 --> 00:16:14,131
And Giessner's paperwork 
is not quite in order.

318
00:16:14,131 --> 00:16:16,764
Now Jeff Giessner is NOT a 
cattle thief.

319
00:16:16,764 --> 00:16:19,231
But for not carrying the 
correct slip of paper

320
00:16:19,231 --> 00:16:22,698
the ranch he works for will pay 
a fine.

321
00:16:22,698 --> 00:16:24,498
So why so strict?

322
00:16:24,498 --> 00:16:28,731
We lose probably around 
1,200 - 1,300

323
00:16:28,731 --> 00:16:31,864
head of cattle every 
year due to theft.

324
00:16:31,864 --> 00:16:34,164
This equates out to about a 
million

325
00:16:34,164 --> 00:16:35,898
and a half dollars' worth of 
cattle.

326
00:16:35,898 --> 00:16:37,864
Cattle theft's alive and 
well in California and

327
00:16:37,864 --> 00:16:40,331
probably throughout the western 
United States, still today.

328
00:16:40,331 --> 00:16:43,498
From sprawling ranches where 
beef cattle graze to dairy

329
00:16:43,498 --> 00:16:46,664
operations where cattle are 
lined up by the hundreds.

330
00:16:46,664 --> 00:16:49,198
Cattle are a valuable 
commodity.

331
00:16:49,198 --> 00:16:52,164
And it's impossible to keep 
them under lock and key.

332
00:16:52,164 --> 00:16:54,198
So as long as people have 
been raising cattle,

333
00:16:54,198 --> 00:16:56,431
thieves have been rustling 
them.

334
00:16:56,431 --> 00:17:00,798
I'd say the cost was around 
300 to 400,000 dollars.

335
00:17:00,798 --> 00:17:04,231
Dairy farmer Margo Souza 
knows all too well what kind

336
00:17:04,231 --> 00:17:07,298
of impact cattle theft can 
have on the bottom line.

337
00:17:07,298 --> 00:17:11,998
In 2006 nearly 200 dairy 
cows were stolen from her farm.

338
00:17:11,998 --> 00:17:13,664
The fact of the matter is, 
my dear fellow,

339
00:17:13,664 --> 00:17:17,731
they're planning on raiding 
your lower pasture tonight.

340
00:17:17,731 --> 00:17:19,831
How do you know that we have 
cattle in our lower pasture?

341
00:17:19,831 --> 00:17:22,364
Because they get information 
from your own outfit.

342
00:17:22,364 --> 00:17:24,164
And just like in the movie, 
the theft at the

343
00:17:24,164 --> 00:17:27,331
Circle H Dairy Ranch was an 
inside job.

344
00:17:27,331 --> 00:17:30,398
The herdsman responsible for 
overseeing the cattle was

345
00:17:30,398 --> 00:17:33,331
actually stealing and 
selling them.

346
00:17:33,331 --> 00:17:34,731
What had he been doing?

347
00:17:34,731 --> 00:17:37,298
He was selling the cattle to 
people he knew.

348
00:17:37,298 --> 00:17:40,798
They were stealing cows and 
selling them,

349
00:17:40,798 --> 00:17:42,331
trading the animals.

350
00:17:42,331 --> 00:17:45,064
You know he'd have people in 
here making deals.

351
00:17:45,064 --> 00:17:46,164
At night or during the day?

352
00:17:46,164 --> 00:17:48,064
Well even during the day and 
when I was gone.

353
00:17:48,064 --> 00:17:49,698
So it was going on right 
under your nose

354
00:17:49,698 --> 00:17:50,631
and you didn't even know.

355
00:17:50,631 --> 00:17:51,998
Right.

356
00:17:51,998 --> 00:17:56,264
Margo's surprise at the betrayal 
was no surprise to John Suther.

357
00:17:56,264 --> 00:17:58,864
95 percent of the time it's 
either an employee,

358
00:17:58,864 --> 00:18:02,598
a neighbor or a friend of an 
employee

359
00:18:02,598 --> 00:18:06,531
that's participating in the 
theft.

360
00:18:06,531 --> 00:18:09,598
Stopping rustlers these days 
isn't done with shootouts.

361
00:18:09,598 --> 00:18:14,231
Some things have changed.

362
00:18:14,231 --> 00:18:17,131
It happens at places like 
auctions where cattle are

363
00:18:17,131 --> 00:18:19,431
bought and sold by the 
hundreds.

364
00:18:19,431 --> 00:18:21,298
It turns out it's not 
DNA testing,

365
00:18:21,298 --> 00:18:23,798
satellite tracking, 
or infrared cameras

366
00:18:23,798 --> 00:18:25,831
that are the best way to combat 
cattle rustling.

367
00:18:25,831 --> 00:18:28,464
In fact, these days the way 
they do it is really the way

368
00:18:28,464 --> 00:18:31,031
they've been doing it since 
folks have been trading cattle:

369
00:18:31,031 --> 00:18:33,198
by using branding.

370
00:18:33,198 --> 00:18:34,864
Brands are the marks burned 
onto the side

371
00:18:34,864 --> 00:18:37,064
of cattle using a hot iron.

372
00:18:37,064 --> 00:18:40,364
Every ranch has a specific 
brand for identification.

373
00:18:40,364 --> 00:18:43,198
In fact, there are 23 thousand 
brands

374
00:18:43,198 --> 00:18:48,098
recorded in California alone.

375
00:18:48,098 --> 00:18:50,298
At the auction yard state 
inspectors take a close look

376
00:18:50,298 --> 00:18:53,464
at the cattle coming in for 
sale.

377
00:18:53,464 --> 00:18:55,198
So if somebody came in with 
their truck and they didn't

378
00:18:55,198 --> 00:18:57,864
have the right paperwork, 
what do you do?

379
00:18:57,864 --> 00:18:59,798
Basically we impound the 
cattle.

380
00:18:59,798 --> 00:19:00,931
You impound the cattle?

381
00:19:00,931 --> 00:19:01,998
We impound the cattle.

382
00:19:01,998 --> 00:19:03,164
They are not goin' into the 
auction.

383
00:19:03,164 --> 00:19:04,898
They don't go to the 
auction and they can't leave

384
00:19:04,898 --> 00:19:09,964
the sale yard until we figure 
out who actually owns them.

385
00:19:09,964 --> 00:19:12,531
Wouldn't be hard for 
somebody to go rustle up a

386
00:19:12,531 --> 00:19:15,164
cow, throw it in the back of 
a trailer,

387
00:19:15,164 --> 00:19:16,131
and try to claim it as their 
own?

388
00:19:16,131 --> 00:19:17,098
Not at all.

389
00:19:17,098 --> 00:19:20,031
Not hard at all.

390
00:19:20,031 --> 00:19:23,131
If they don't have a brand 
inspection, a brand on them,

391
00:19:23,131 --> 00:19:25,964
it's not hard to claim one 
for your own at all.

392
00:19:25,964 --> 00:19:27,998
So it would seem like a sure 
thing that all cattle get

393
00:19:27,998 --> 00:19:30,931
branded but surprisingly 
they don't.

394
00:19:30,931 --> 00:19:32,898
I would say probably, only 
about 50 percent of the people

395
00:19:32,898 --> 00:19:36,698
that own livestock in California 
or cattle in California brand.

396
00:19:36,698 --> 00:19:39,364
More so in beef cattle than 
probably in dairy cattle.

397
00:19:39,364 --> 00:19:42,498
Because dairy cattle aren't 
left alone in vast pastures,

398
00:19:42,498 --> 00:19:45,998
often dairy owners believe 
that branding isn't necessary.

399
00:19:45,998 --> 00:19:49,798
They're betting that they won't 
end up as theft victims.

400
00:19:49,798 --> 00:19:52,598
But Margo Sousa's experience 
is a lesson for all cattle

401
00:19:52,598 --> 00:19:56,164
owners to keep close track 
of your animals.

402
00:19:56,164 --> 00:19:58,798
Fortunately for Margo the 
thief was caught after

403
00:19:58,798 --> 00:20:01,031
John Suther's investigation.

404
00:20:01,031 --> 00:20:04,464
But brand inspectors continue to 
warn livestock owners,

405
00:20:04,464 --> 00:20:07,264
if your cattle get 
stolen and aren't branded -

406
00:20:07,264 --> 00:20:10,498
don't expect a happy 
Hollywood ending!

407
00:20:10,498 --> 00:20:12,164
If you ever need any help!

408
00:20:12,164 --> 00:20:13,731
Send me a wire!

409
00:20:13,731 --> 00:20:16,864
[laughter]

410
00:20:16,864 --> 00:20:21,298
♪♪

411
00:20:21,298 --> 00:20:24,498
You may associate cattle 
rustling with the American west,

412
00:20:24,498 --> 00:20:27,731
but the problem goes 
far beyond U.S. borders.

413
00:20:27,731 --> 00:20:31,398
Australian ranchers battle 
cattle rustlers down under

414
00:20:31,398 --> 00:20:33,564
and some parts of central 
Africa have had a problem

415
00:20:33,564 --> 00:20:39,031
with cattle rustling for 
more than a century.

416
00:20:39,031 --> 00:20:40,998
Head for the high country in 
Idaho and you're bound to

417
00:20:40,998 --> 00:20:44,298
find sheep ranches and 
plenty of cattle as well.

418
00:20:44,298 --> 00:20:46,598
But staying profitable in 
the ranching business these

419
00:20:46,598 --> 00:20:48,098
days demands that you look 
to diversify your operation

420
00:20:48,098 --> 00:20:52,664
and create additional 
sources of income.

421
00:20:52,664 --> 00:20:55,531
Our Rob Stewart says, for 
one family that's been

422
00:20:55,531 --> 00:20:58,531
ranching in Idaho for more 
than a century that meant

423
00:20:58,531 --> 00:21:03,064
running other animals 
besides cattle on their land.

424
00:21:03,064 --> 00:21:06,331
[whistling]

425
00:21:06,331 --> 00:21:08,331
Some six thousand feet above 
sea level,

426
00:21:08,331 --> 00:21:11,131
the Teton Mountain Ranch is 
close to the sounds of

427
00:21:11,131 --> 00:21:14,931
nature in the scenery of 
this majestic valley.

428
00:21:14,931 --> 00:21:16,464
And you've had people from 
all over the world.

429
00:21:16,464 --> 00:21:18,798
From India, from Europe, 
everywhere.

430
00:21:18,798 --> 00:21:20,431
Everywhere, we have.

431
00:21:20,431 --> 00:21:23,364
Almost every place in the 
world.

432
00:21:23,364 --> 00:21:26,631
Kent and Pauline Bagley are 
farmers here in eastern Idaho.

433
00:21:26,631 --> 00:21:29,898
And while the family has been 
working this land for decades,

434
00:21:29,898 --> 00:21:33,164
the "wildness" of the region is 
still evident today.

435
00:21:33,164 --> 00:21:36,198
We gotta watch out for the 
bears and the elk and the

436
00:21:36,198 --> 00:21:39,664
wild grouse that might jump 
out of the trees.

437
00:21:39,664 --> 00:21:42,531
But these horses do pretty 
good.

438
00:21:42,531 --> 00:21:45,998
Crops and cattle have long been 
a part of this farming operation

439
00:21:45,998 --> 00:21:48,531
But the family decided to 
diversify,

440
00:21:48,531 --> 00:21:51,664
adding saddleback vacations 
for visitors and expanding

441
00:21:51,664 --> 00:21:55,598
their livestock herds to 
include Bison and Elk.

442
00:21:55,598 --> 00:21:58,864
♪♪

443
00:21:58,864 --> 00:22:01,331
It's really tough to farm 
and ranch in Teton Valley

444
00:22:01,331 --> 00:22:02,798
because of the winters.

445
00:22:02,798 --> 00:22:04,631
And we figured we can bring 
in the elk,

446
00:22:04,631 --> 00:22:06,231
and we are looking at the 
recreation,

447
00:22:06,231 --> 00:22:08,564
looking into the trail rides 
and pack trips.

448
00:22:08,564 --> 00:22:10,531
And we figured that this would 
be a way

449
00:22:10,531 --> 00:22:12,231
we can share this with 
people.

450
00:22:12,231 --> 00:22:14,031
They seem to be very curious 
animals.

451
00:22:14,031 --> 00:22:15,264
They're very curious.

452
00:22:15,264 --> 00:22:18,098
They probably like your blue 
shirt.

453
00:22:18,098 --> 00:22:19,931
They'll come and 
investigate.

454
00:22:19,931 --> 00:22:22,064
They're wonderful watchdogs.

455
00:22:22,064 --> 00:22:25,164
Anything that comes onto the 
place that's different,

456
00:22:25,164 --> 00:22:29,131
we know it, because we can 
tell by the way they act.

457
00:22:29,131 --> 00:22:32,431
But these animals are more 
than just something to "see."

458
00:22:32,431 --> 00:22:35,431
Wild game consumption in the 
U.S. and abroad provides

459
00:22:35,431 --> 00:22:40,031
a ready market for the lean meat 
of animals like the elk.

460
00:22:40,031 --> 00:22:42,298
For beef cattle, we can put 
a lot of weight on them,

461
00:22:42,298 --> 00:22:45,398
and that's what put the fat 
or the marbling in the meat.

462
00:22:45,398 --> 00:22:47,264
The elk aren't designed that 
way.

463
00:22:47,264 --> 00:22:52,698
We can't force feed them so much 
to put a lot of weight on them.

464
00:22:52,698 --> 00:22:55,431
In addition to elk meat, 
ranchers also sell the

465
00:22:55,431 --> 00:22:59,164
antlers which the animals 
shed naturally each year.

466
00:22:59,164 --> 00:23:01,164
Even the furry "velvet" of 
the antlers

467
00:23:01,164 --> 00:23:03,298
provides a valuable commodity.

468
00:23:03,298 --> 00:23:06,331
We'll sell the antler. We have a 
lot of market for the antler.

469
00:23:06,331 --> 00:23:07,331
What is it used for?

470
00:23:07,331 --> 00:23:08,764
A lot of it is ornamental.

471
00:23:08,764 --> 00:23:12,331
It's used for chandeliers, 
for furniture.

472
00:23:12,331 --> 00:23:15,231
This whole piece is 
considered the velvet antler

473
00:23:15,231 --> 00:23:18,231
until it- until it calcifies.

474
00:23:18,231 --> 00:23:21,098
So the whole thing is 
considered the velvet antler.

475
00:23:21,098 --> 00:23:25,198
And it is used for a dietary 
supplement all over the world

476
00:23:25,198 --> 00:23:26,898
and also it's in the US.

477
00:23:26,898 --> 00:23:37,164
♪♪

478
00:23:37,164 --> 00:23:39,431
Well, it's going to be a 
nice day for us today.

479
00:23:39,431 --> 00:23:42,164
The herds of bison, elk, and 
cattle along with the

480
00:23:42,164 --> 00:23:45,564
natural beauty of the region 
have provided a significant

481
00:23:45,564 --> 00:23:48,431
draw to city dwellers 
looking to have a different

482
00:23:48,431 --> 00:23:50,231
kind of vacation experience.

483
00:23:50,231 --> 00:23:51,431
It was amazing.

484
00:23:51,431 --> 00:23:53,298
We couldn't believe it when 
we got to the very top.

485
00:23:53,298 --> 00:23:55,698
And we went to our second 
location,

486
00:23:55,698 --> 00:23:57,531
and we saw how far we have 
traveled.

487
00:23:57,531 --> 00:24:00,698
It was mind-blowing to know that 
we did that much on our horse.

488
00:24:00,698 --> 00:24:02,631
I mean, it's great to get 
away from the rough,

489
00:24:02,631 --> 00:24:04,631
fast lifestyle with the 
city.

490
00:24:04,631 --> 00:24:07,398
When you just come out here, 
you know, you can go like

491
00:24:07,398 --> 00:24:10,231
four hours by, and it feels like 
it's been 20 minutes.

492
00:24:10,231 --> 00:24:12,231
You know, you don't waste 
your time-

493
00:24:12,231 --> 00:24:14,064
you just take your time and 
slow down.

494
00:24:14,064 --> 00:24:15,698
And it doesn't matter 
whether they are attorneys,

495
00:24:15,698 --> 00:24:18,831
or doctors, or whatever 
their way of life is.

496
00:24:18,831 --> 00:24:20,698
To get them on a horse and 
get out and share this,

497
00:24:20,698 --> 00:24:23,864
show them the elk that we 
have.

498
00:24:23,864 --> 00:24:28,031
And to have a school group 
come out and listen to the

499
00:24:28,031 --> 00:24:32,031
elk bugle and see the sparkle in 
these little kids' eyes,

500
00:24:32,031 --> 00:24:35,164
"That's an elk. I've never seen 
an elk before."

501
00:24:35,164 --> 00:24:38,298
That just gives you that 
inner joy.

502
00:24:38,298 --> 00:24:41,764
Continuing an agricultural 
tradition is important to

503
00:24:41,764 --> 00:24:44,398
this multi-generational farm 
family.

504
00:24:44,398 --> 00:24:47,098
Making a difference in the 
lives of their visitors and

505
00:24:47,098 --> 00:24:49,431
in protecting the land 
they've been given.

506
00:24:49,431 --> 00:24:51,498
We want it to be taken 
care of.

507
00:24:51,498 --> 00:24:57,498
We take joy in seeing it 
looking good.

508
00:24:57,498 --> 00:24:59,864
We love it. It's our life.

509
00:24:59,864 --> 00:25:03,098
♪♪

510
00:25:03,098 --> 00:25:04,764
And that's going to do it 
for us this time.

511
00:25:04,764 --> 00:25:06,631
We thank you for traveling 
the country with us

512
00:25:06,631 --> 00:25:08,764
on this edition of 
America's Heartland.

513
00:25:08,764 --> 00:25:11,598
We're always so pleased that 
you can join us.

514
00:25:11,598 --> 00:25:15,098
Have you checked out our 
America's Heartland website yet?

515
00:25:15,098 --> 00:25:17,131
We got video from all 
of our programs

516
00:25:17,131 --> 00:25:19,364
and lots of other 
information as well.

517
00:25:19,364 --> 00:25:21,764
You'll find us at 
AmericasHeartland.org

518
00:25:21,764 --> 00:25:25,698
And look for us too on some of 
your favorite social media sites

519
00:25:25,698 --> 00:25:27,564
Thanks for being with us and 
we'll see you next time,

520
00:25:27,564 --> 00:25:29,231
right here, 
on America's Heartland.

521
00:25:31,098 --> 00:25:34,498
You can purchase a DVD or 
Blu Ray copy of this program.

522
00:25:34,498 --> 00:25:35,631
Here's the cost:

523
00:25:37,264 --> 00:25:39,564
To order, just visit us 
online or call:

524
00:25:43,131 --> 00:25:51,398
♪You can see it in the eyes 
of every woman and man♪

525
00:25:51,398 --> 00:25:57,264
♪In America's Heartland 
living close to the land♪

526
00:25:57,264 --> 00:26:03,264
♪There's a love for the country 
And a pride in the brand♪

527
00:26:03,264 --> 00:26:06,064
♪In America's Heartland♪

528
00:26:06,064 --> 00:26:11,464
♪Living close 
Close to the land♪

529
00:26:11,464 --> 00:26:12,998
♪♪

530
00:26:12,998 --> 00:26:16,131
America's Heartland is made 
possible by...

531
00:26:16,131 --> 00:26:21,531
Farm Credit - 
Financing agriculture and rural 
America since 1916.

532
00:26:21,531 --> 00:26:25,298
Farm Credit is 
cooperatively owned by America's 
farmers and ranchers.

533
00:26:25,298 --> 00:26:28,431
Learn more at farmcredit.com

534
00:26:28,431 --> 00:26:31,331
CropLife America - 
Representing the companies whose

535
00:26:31,331 --> 00:26:34,898
modern farming innovations help 
America's farmers provide

536
00:26:34,898 --> 00:26:38,198
nutritious food for communities 
around the globe.