TWO BEST AND TWO WORST DECISIONS

My name is Kory Bierle and I am from a family ranch just east of Midland, South Dakota, on the Bad River. The name of our ranch is the Madsen Ranch. We use that name because it was my mother’s family that settled and started the place. My great-great-grandfather showed my great-grandfather where a good place for a ranch would be, and we’ve been there ever since. My house is just a few yards from where the original log house was. The gal that talked to me about participating in the Range Beef Cow Symposium this year said that, from the evaluation forms from past symposiums, you were interested in hearing from a small to average size rancher, while you got him here. We are average to even below average in size and herd numbers for Haakon County. Midland is a town of about 125 people, and I graduated from a class of 13 students. We no longer have a high school and, for a bit of trivia, the former Secretary of Agriculture for South Dakota, also a resident of Haakon County, said that Haakon County has the lowest number of women of child-bearing age in South Dakota

Computer Software Selection: Financial

Over and over we as producers are told we need to know our cost of production. As the title of my college accounting book stated, accounting is the basis for business decisions. The question comes up: how do we track these costs and make sense of all the numbers? As soon as we realize the importance of the office work and the need to get it done in a timely and efficient manner, we address how to get it done. What has been the answer for the past 20 to 25 years to help get the work done? That\u27s right, get a machine to do it (for better or worse!). Just as none of us rode the train or brought the team and buggy to this symposium, record keeping has progressed with the times with the advent of the computer, and an abundance of software programs. But remember, the computer is just another machine that helps us do our office work, much like the baler and stacker helps with the haying, it won\u27t do the work for you, just help you get it done. When considering software, remember what is said of financial reports like the balance sheet, they give you a picture of your financial position at a given time. When you take a picture, a camera is used, so think of the software that produces a balance sheet as a camera. As with cameras, which come in many models; from the simple point, shoot, and throw away to the more sophisticated studio models; software varies. As you can imagine, programs like cameras, vary in price and the degree of skill and experience needed to get the very best out of them. But have faith, the good news is that with today\u27s advances in computers and programming, even the most old fashioned cowboy or the most educated animal scientist can get a good set of financial records established. Selecting computer software is really just asking and answering a series of questions. If a lot of thought goes into what and how you want to examine your business, the selection process will be much easier. To put this in rancher (not photographer) terms, think of buying software just like buying a pickup. Before you buy a pickup you figure how you are going to use it. Will it be used primarily for going to town, or will it pull a 8x24 trailer filled with horses on mostly gravel roads, plow mud, and be used to fix fence and haul out mineral. Just like pickups, software comes in many makes and models to suit a variety of needs. And especially like modern pickups, newer programs come with many bells and whistles which you can compare to electric seats and fancy stereos

Traversing the Internet for Useful Information

In the fast paced livestock industry, producers are looking for information that can give them an edge in a timely manner. Never before has so much information been at our fingertips. The Internet is an excellent tool that can be used for obtaining good research-based information. The type of information available on the Internet is endless. Daily, weekly, and yearly reports such as market reports can be found on free sites as well as private sites. When questions arise the Internet can be a resource finder. In addition, e-mail allows you to communicate with individuals on your time schedule. Obtaining information on the Internet can be difficult, until you develop some understanding of how it works. When using the Internet, first you must decide: Are you looking for general information or specific topic? Three ways of getting information in general are: 1) go to nearest land grant university site, 2) that favorite commodity group home page, or 3) search the Internet. To find an information site on the Internet you need a piece of software called a browser. The most common browser software packages are Netscape and Internet Explorer. Both of these come installed on the computers you buy today. Select the browser that works best for you. In order to get a Web page or information site on the Internet you need to type in the Web address. Typing in the appropriate address is the quickest way to access a site. If you are planning on revisiting this site, add the site to your bookmarks or favorite sites. Bookmarks save time and typing mistakes by making a copy of the Web address in a pull down list