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December 1, 2017 CapitalPress.com 7 Owyhee cattleman embraces all types of change the first carcass data we will get — to see how cattle are actually doing end-product- wise.” Bachman transitioned By BRAD CARLSON For the Capital Press of doing things, for sure,” he said. “I’m always trying to think of something new,” Bachman said. Brad Carlson/For the Capital Press Lynn Bachman checks the moisture content of orchard grass hay. er ranchers would be. He’s pretty well-read, spots trends in the industry, and stays up on the latest ways to add value to cattle.” Ranchers historically used the best data available to man- age herds, property, and gov- ernment grazing allotments, but today’s information is more accessible and power- ful, said Idaho Cattle Asso- ciation Executive Vice Presi- dent Cameron Mulrony. Data analysis helps in assessing grazing needs and forage car- rying capacity by “animal unit month,” for example, he said. Analyzing genetic data helps ranchers identify the best bulls and produce calves with the best chance to gain weight efficiently while pro- ducing quality beef cuts, said Mick Boone, who has a reg- istered seed-stock Angus herd in south Nampa. Back in a business he left decades ago amid harsh market conditions, he blends new and traditional approaches. “You physically have to be involved with your cattle. You can spot things the com- puter can never spot,” like an illness or why a cow did not calf, Boone said. Bachman Land & Live- stock, recently aiming to im- prove genetics in its Black Angus herd through artificial insemination, in 2016 con- tracted to supply grass-fin- ished cattle to meal-kit provid- er Blue Apron Inc. Bachman said the venture, initially ex- pected to account for less than 20 percent of revenue, aims to generate a premium price and valuable information. Ideally, “we can capture more value from those ge- netics we’ve been improv- ing over the years,” he said. “We’ve always used financial data, but this will be some of FOR PASTURE HELP 503-873-6498 pggseeds.us L17-3/106 Cows flash seemingly trusting looks toward rancher Lynn Bachman as they move from one Bruneau River Val- ley pasture to another, as if to acknowledge that he knows as much about the land as they do. Bachman stays active in the community as he man- ages Bachman Land & Live- stock, his family’s patchwork of owned and leased ground featuring modernized irriga- tion, a niche herd for a new, high-profile client, and some orchard grass hay for the pet market. He broadens his perspec- tive and sense of place in part by monitoring an irrigation district’s infrastructure, serv- ing with a volunteer fire de- partment and gathering infor- mation about an early-stage, multi-stakeholder proposal to restore stream banks. “Most ranchers want to preserve it for the next gen- eration,” he said, referring to the land. “If you are not sus- tainable, there is no way to do that.” Bachman, at 35 one of the youngest presidents of the Owyhee Cattlemen’s Associ- ation board in recent memory, exemplifies a generation of environmentally conscious, data-driven ranchers aim- ing to position a historically commoditized business for sustainable, value-added suc- cess. He’s the third consec- utive Owyhee Cattlemen’s president who is younger than 40 and willing to embrace change. “Lynn embodies the younger person who takes a modern approach, and tries to incorporate and take advan- tage of newer programs and ways to market cattle,” said Murphy-area rancher Chad Nettleton, who preceded Bachman as Owyhee Cattle- men’s president. “He’s more cutting-edge than maybe old- into managing his family’s Bruneau-area operation after a five-year stint in the con- struction industry, where “I learned a lot of different ways