PARKVILLE, Calif. — The beef checkoff isĀ using its beef-promotingĀ #
āEvery time there is a new technology, we try to take advantage of it,ā says Kevin Kester. āMost recently, we purchased a commercial drone that we use to gather cattle, look at our water troughs, and make sure everything is functioning correctly.ā
Kevin says that with over 100 miles of roads on the ranch, the drone saves them a lot time and energy that would be taken up in driving down those roads.
āIf cattle are in a rugged part of the country where itās harder to herd themĀ on horseback, we can fly the drone over them and get them moving in the direction we want for gathering them,ā he says.
Along with drone technology, the Kesters are using solar technology to operate water systems and manage grazing systems.
āWeāve developed a lot of solar technology for our water systems that allows us to pump water in the higher elevations,ā he says. āThat helps us manage grazing. Itās also good for the wildlife after the hot summer we had. Not only does technology help us in our business, itās beneficial for the environment and conservation.ā
Brian Medeiros is also using technology to reduce energy costs on the Medeiros and Sons Dairy Farm in Hanford, California.
āWe want to be as self-sustaining on power as we can. We put in solar panelsĀ and thatās going to take care of eighty percent of our electrical uses,ā says Brian.Ā āIn the future, weāre going to look at other things such as methane digesters and projects that can help us be as self-sustaining.ā
And thatās what your checkoffās efforts are all about. We want to provide a consumer-friendly, easy-to-understand way to communicate the complexities of raising beef today and the technologies that are being used. Weāve put together a video about the Kester ranch that does just that by showing consumers what you do every day. (See for yourself what theĀ videoĀ looks like.)
Read more about #RethinkTheRanch effortsĀ here. Be sure to check out the new BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com website, and stay up to date on what your beef checkoff investment is doing for YOU at MyBeefCheckoff.com.
–Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board
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