Skip to main content

Limousin 365 October 2020 Fall Sale Edition

Page 1

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN LIMOUSIN FOUNDATION • OCTOBER 2020

FALL SALE EDITION


P BAR S RANCH

XV Sale SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 • 6 P.M. LIVE ONLINE ONLY

PBRS

PBRS PBRS Gail 942G

3/2/19 · Black · Polled · 25% Lim-Flex PBRS 6337D x Buford Lucy 9109 CE: 10 BW: 1.0 WW: 54 YW: 78 MK: 22 DC: 10 RE: 0.49 MB: 0.16 $MTI: 53 Due March 2021 to MAGS Good Will 130G

PBRS Genie 943G

3/2/19 · Black · Polled · 25% Lim-Flex PBRS 6337D x Buford Joy 9097 CE: 13 BW: 0.5 WW: 63 YW: 92 MK: 24 DC: 9 RE: 0.87 MB: 0.18 $MTI: 57 Due April 2021 to MAGS Good Will 130G

PBRS Graycyn 95G

2/7/19 · Black · Polled · 46% Lim-Flex CELL 20/20 x AUTO Mercedes 249Z CE: 12 BW: 0.5 WW: 62 YW: 93 MK: 21 DC: 14 RE: 0.32 MB: 0.27 $MTI: 60 Due March 2021 to MAGS Good Will 130G

PBRS

PBRS

PBRS Quickness 925

2/26/19 · Red Angus J6 Mr Quickdraw D328 x CRSL Flame C065 HB: 148 GM: 44 CE: 12 BW: -1.4 WW: 50 YW: 72 MK: 22 RE: 0.09 MB: 0.19 Due March 2021 to J6 Jagger 120G

PBRS Very Nice 985

3/11/19 · Red Angus J6RA Lion Heart E254 x ENGD Very Nice 6507D HB: 179 GM: 50 CE: 13 BW: -2.0 WW: 66 YW: 113 MK: 24 RE: 0.10 MB: 0.43 Due April 2021 to J6 Jagger 120G

PBRS First Lady 93

25 Bred Females 10 Breeding Age (18-month-old) Bulls Genetic Packages This sale will offer the influence of one of the greatest Lim-Flex and Red Angus cow herds in America.

Gail 942G

Quickness 925

FEATURING 50 LOTS

2/14/19 · Red Angus J6RA Lion Heart E254 x ENGD First Lady 6014D HB: 132 GM: 46 CE: 12 BW: -1.2 WW: 64 YW: 101 MK: 25 RE: -0.08 MB: 0.11 Due April 2021 to J6 Jagger 120G

Genie 943G

PBRS

Very Nice 985

PBRS

Graycyn 95G

First Lady 93

Sale Management:

Feel free to come by the ranch to view the offering. Visit www.Limousin365.com to view the sale catalog.

Randall O. Ratliff Randy@rrmktg.com 615-330-2735

We hope you will log in and be a part of this exciting auction featuring our most progressive genetics.

Sale Consultants:

MC Marketing • 402-350-3447 Grassroots Consulting • 515-229-5227

PAUL SISEMORE, Owner Manager: ELGIN ELMORE, 918-346-2438 11720 Overlook Dr. • Sand Springs, OK 74063 elginpbars@yahoo.com • www.pbarsranch.com “The Little Ranch with THE Big Genetics”


For more than three decades, Wulf Cattle has been one of the few seedstock operations in America that were cattle feeders first. Breeding to feeding was a natural evolution to improve the quality of cattle we supplied to cattle feeders. Today, Wulf Cattle continues “breeding to feeding”, supplying our own feedyards and others across the country with value-added feeder calves. In other words, decades of data collection and genetic selection have been guideposts for our seedstock operation in an effort to continue to improve the quality and efficiency of cattle that move from our pastures into the food supply. If we can assist in improving your current operation, contact Wulf Cattle today.

33rd Annual Opportunity Sale of 2021 Thursday n April 8, 2021 Selling Approx. 450 Limousin, Lim-Flex & Angus Bulls and Females Sale offering can be viewed at Sandy Ridge Ranch • Atkinson, Nebraska

26406 470th Ave. / Morris, Minnesota 56267 Office: (320) 392-5802 / Fax: (320) 392-5319 / Wulf@WulfCattle.com Casey Fanta: (320) 288-6128 / Casey.Fanta@WulfCattle.com

Visit www.WulfCattle.com n Registered Limousin, Lim-Flex & Angus n Semen Sales n Feeder Calf Procurement Value Added Branded Beef Opportunities n Feedlot & Carcass Data n Source & Process Verification Bull Selection Index n Private Treaty Bulls Available at All Times n Breeding to Feeding™ Dairy Beef Program


Family Focused Over the past four decades, family has been the main focus of our multi-generational operation. Not only our own family, but also the cow families that create performance-oriented cattle our customers demand. Come right to the source. Select open and replacement females from the top of our herd available this fall.

Available Private Treaty in Groups of Any Size: • 9 0 Registered Lim-Flex and Purebred Bred Heifers • 1 75 F1 Bred Heifers • 1 25 Registered Lim-Flex and Purebred Open Heifers Come by anytime and take as much time as you like to study this great set of females.

HUNT LIMOUSIN RANCH

Charles & Nancy Hunt Dan, Melinda, Jenna, Adeline & Houston Hunt 10329 Hwy. 136 • Oxford, Nebraska 68967 308/991-3373 (Dan) • 308/920-1120 (Charlie) huntlimo@huntlimousin.com

WWW.HUNTLIMOUSIN.COM

2

• OCTOBER 2020


Real World Performance In our country we measure performance in different ways. It’s not all about growth. It’s a combination of traits that starts with fertility and calving-ease which then allows us to measure weaning and yearling weights. If a cow is still in production on our ranch at 12-years-old you can bet she has done a lot of things right. She has had to breed back and raise a marketable calf every year in big, open country where she has to go out and forage. Our bulls are required to work and perform under the same conditions. If longevity and practicality are important to you, few have been doing it longer than Begert Limousin.

46 Years of Breeding and Selection Represented Large selection of bulls and females for sale privately.

Ranch Raised bulls and females for sale year around.

Hiram and Darenda • 806/375-2346 Bret, Hayley, McKinley & Boone • 806/375-2345 Box 110, Allison, Texas 79003 begertranch@wildblue.net www.begertlimousinranch.com

All Black, Polled & Purebred. Many Homozygous. • OCTOBER 2020

3


OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN LIMOUSIN FOUNDATION • OCTOBER 2020 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4

BEGERT LIMOUSIN RANCH....................................................................................... 26 CONTEMPORARY GROUP REPORTING................................................................... 30 B BAR CATTLE.............................................................................................................. 34 NALF BOARD CANDIDATES....................................................................................... 38

26

CATTLE PRICES PERK UP........................................................................................... 40 M&B LIMOUSIN........................................................................................................... 44 LONELY VALLEY SEEDSTOCK.................................................................................... 50 BROWN STOMACH WORMS COSTS PRODUCERS.................................................. 54 COVER CROPS EXPAND OPTIONS............................................................................ 56 MINERAL STRATEGIES................................................................................................ 60

34

HAY BUYING TIPS........................................................................................................ 62 NCBA LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP................................................................................. 64 FACTORS AFFECTING BULL FERTILITY................................................................... 66 LIFE CYCLE WELL-BEING........................................................................................... 68

DEPARTMENTS Around The Industry......................................................................................................................6 President’s Message........................................................................................................................10

44

Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................12 Member And Industry News.........................................................................................................18 Riding Shotgun.............................................................................................................................20 Invested In You.............................................................................................................................24 Performance Line..........................................................................................................................72 Junior Scene..................................................................................................................................74 Sales & Events...............................................................................................................................76 Advertisers Index...........................................................................................................................79 Limousin365 • 2005 Ruhl Drive, Guthrie, OK 73044 405/260-3775 • Fax 405/260-3766 • www.Limousin365.com • email info@limousin365.com

COVER...Designed by Monti West Design

around a photo taken by Dusty Morris at Magness Land & Cattle, Platteville, CO.

4

Limousin365 is a quarterly magazine published in the interest of the Limousin breed of cattle. Limousin365 seeks to promote the growth and development of Limousin, to publicize the activities of Limousin breeders, and to print news and educational material of use to them. Limousin365 is published quarterly by Limousin365, 2005 Ruhl Drive, Guthrie, OK 73044. Periodical Postage Paid at Guthrie, OK, and at additional mailing offices. Subscription rates for one, two and three years are $30, $40 and $52. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Limousin365, 2005 Ruhl Drive, Guthrie, OK 73044. (ISSN-8750-2127)

• OCTOBER 2020


• OCTOBER 2020

5


AROUND THE INDUSTY by Kiley McKinna

Stay The Course.

W

elcome to the Limousin 365 Fall Sale Edition! As you page through this issue, you’ll find many of the breed’s upcoming fall sales promoted, a showcase of the most relevant and progressive programs in addition to multiple feature stories and industry news. As I write this column, I recall a read in the Progressive Cattlemen magazine not too long ago that continues to echo through my “Limousin” phone line on a regular basis. That said, I think it’s fitting to share the article below. “In the 1980s, there was a popular song on the radio with the title “Should I Stay, or Should I Go.” A lot of producers today are asking themselves a form of that same question—should I stay the course and keep my cattle, hoping consumer demand and beef prices rise soon? Or, should I sell off a good share so I don’t incur the expense of feeding and maintaining excess numbers, not knowing when this crisis might end? To be certain, there is no correct answer or “one size fits all” response that applies to everyone. A line in the song above is, “If I go, there will be trouble. And if I stay, it could be double.” Nobody wants to sell when prices are depressed. Then again, most of us have lived long enough to have experienced times where, in hindsight, we wish we had cut our losses, taken our lumps and not continued to “throw good money after bad.” A few new issues to consider this time around include: • The drastic hit the entire world economy has taken—some enduser businesses, restaurants, for example, may never reopen again. • Even for the ones lucky enough to reopen, some of their customers are now unemployed (although, at least for the next four months, thanks to our federal government, a few are making more with unemployment than when fully employed) so our national pastime of eating out may be curtailed. • Meat processing firms are struggling with worker illnesses in their own facilities, jamming up the supply chain. It makes one wonder, “Is everyone riding against the wind?” The experts are all over the page with opinions as to how long and how bad all of this will get. I have my own opinion and am leaning toward something in the middle—maybe sell some head now to build cash and retain the rest with the expectation that demand and prices

6

will improve in three to five months, as we finally get a handle on this virus pandemic. Once businesses reopen and people go back to work and to enjoying their lives again, markets will stabilize. And, further, even before this pandemic hit, research was suggesting our herds would benefit greatly from some supplement feeding to maintain weight and ensure breed back during the hotter and drier summer months instead of solely relying on forage (that dries and dies with the heat and drought stress). Just something to consider. As my wise grandmother used to say, “This too shall pass.” So, put pencil to paper and run some numbers and scenarios to see what works best for you, your family and your organization. And, while you’re at it, reach out to your community to see how you can help. Nothing makes you feel better about yourself and your situation than to help somebody else who is worse off. As always, my advice is to grow your herd and keep them healthy, for land’s sake.” Contributing Author, Jim Walker, Progressive Cattlemen. From my vantage point, I’m inclined to agree with Jim. I think there’s real value in staying the course. As you page through the magazine and read the four feature breeder stories, “staying the course” is exemplified in those particular breeders. Whether it’s the story about Lonely Valley Limousin (on page 50) a true family program spanning the course of more than four decades; the Begert Limousin story (on page 26) about three generations of perseverance; the story of Mike and Betsy Cravens (on page 44) as lifelong propagators of Limousin cattle; or the B Bar Cattle (page 34) story that’s trenched in a path of father and son growing together all the while taking their program to the next level. I think it’s easy for me to conclude after reading those stories from various parts of North America, there is an unsaid value in staying the course during uncertain times, all the while doing what you believe in, doing what you know how to do and letting the chips fall as they may. Control what you can control. In closing, I sincerely hope you enjoy our Fall Sale Edition issue, it’s of benefit to your respective program and a promotional piece the Limousin breed can be proud of. A big thank-you to all of the advertisers, readership and those that continue to support and offer feedback as it relates to your magazine, Limousin 365. I look forward to seeing you down the sale trail this fall. We are all in it together and Limousin proud.

• OCTOBER 2020


AUTO

Legacy Continues PRODUCTION SALE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 • 6 P.M. At the Farm • Springfield, MO

AUTO Hettie 207H ET

AUTO Heidi 229H ET

69% Lim-Flex • 1/18/20 Polled • Homo Black S: MAGS Aviator D: AUTO Remi 674D

AUTO Affirm 275A

Fullblood • 9/1/13 Horned • Red S: AUTO Cliff Hanger 194D D: STBR Demetria 669D Calf: AUTO 648H, a 5/9/20 horned, red heifer by Harvest Olympus AI’d 7/13/20 to Harvest Olympus; PE’d 7/15/20 to 8/15/20 to GLDL Polled Promise 630D ET

57% Lim-Flex • 3/29/20 Homo Polled • Homo Black S: CJSL Creed 5042C D:AUTO Callie 403D ET

AUTO Folly 284F ET

57% Lim-Flex • 9/20/18 Homo Polled • Homo Black S: MAGS Cable D: AUTO Bliss 265Y Due 11/1/20 to AUTO Denali 746F

AUTO How It’s Done 1219H ET 50% Lim-Flex • 3/1/20 Polled • Homo Black S: Colburn Primo 5153 D: AUTO Luckie Too 423Y

65 LOTS SELL TOLL FREE: 1-877-PINEGAR 850 W. FARM RD. 56 • SPRINGFIELD, MO 65803 TY & SUSIE HEAVIN, FARM MANAGERS • 417/839-5849 HANNAH MCCALL, SHOW & SALE CATTLE • OCTOBER 2020

7


Consider the Running Creek Advantage Proven, Functional Limousin Seedstock

Cows that EARN their place in the herd each & every year! Fault Free, Age-advantaged bulls specifically bred for the commercial rancher! Performance Plus Superior Carcass Merit. Genetics that excel on the range and on the rail

Private Treaty Sales 24/7/365

Call us for complete details! Level 4 Johne’s-Free Certified Herd

Joe Freund Sr. 45400 County Road 21 • Elizabeth, Colorado 80107

WWW.runningcreekranch.com

Home: 303-840-1850 Office: 303-341-9310 Joey Freund - 303/475-6062 • Pat Kelley - 303/840-1848 • Casey Kelley - 720/480-6709 8

• OCTOBER 2020


Plan To Be A Part.. of these exciting events We are busy preparing for our online production sale. We will be offering our most promising heifers, bulls and genetic packages in this sale. A blend of Limousin, Lim-Flex and Red Angus genetics will be available.

GLENDENNING J BAR J

Holiday Classic Sale DECEMBER 17, 2020

Hosted by L365Auctions.com

Look for us at these upcoming events: OCTOBER 10 Heart of Missouri Sale, Lebanon, MO NOVEMBER 5 Red Revival Online Sale, L365Auctions.com DECEMBER 5 A Night On The Town Limousin Sale, Arlington, TX

Watch for upcoming details and contact us if we can assist you in any way. JACK & VICKY. JAMYE. JOSH, KAYLA & EASTON. • JASE, SHAWNA & KADEN. 24300 McDonald Dr. • Lebanon, MO 65536 jack@jbarjlimousin.com • www.jbarjlimousin.com Jack (417) 588-6121 Josh (417) 664-0913 • Jase (417) 664-1186

• OCTOBER 2020

9


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE by Curt Wieczorek

G

reetings and welcome to the Fall Sale Edition of Limousin 365. As I sit here putting pen to paper there is definitely a crispness in the air. Weaning is here for some, or just around the corner for others, the first opportunity to evaluate the performance on this calf crop to see how well the mating decisions made last summer actually panned out. A few months ago, about the same time the last issue of this magazine was making its way to our mailboxes, many in our Limousin family were making their annual summer migration to Junior Nationals with this year’s installment being held in West Monroe, Louisiana. Congratulations to each participant, whether it was exhibiting livestock, competing in showmanship or participating in satellite events. These experiences truly are life changing. I would also like to congratulate the NALJA board, NALF staff and the Gulotta family for the incredible job they put forth to host this well planned, well run event. In the absence of a host state, the NALJA board, with the help of the Gulotta family, put forth what could accurately be described as a herculean effort to be the host. If NALF had a Limousin person or family of the year award for selfless, sacrificial service to others that goes above and beyond, Troy and his entire family would definitely get my vote. If you are participating in LIMS Whole Herd Reporting I would like to encourage you to consider taking advantage of the opportunity you have to reduce your cost to run genomics on your cowherd by participating in the Lim-Vision Cowherd Project. By submitting DNA on a minimum of 90% of your cowherd, you will receive a price reduction of half the regular cost to run LD genomics and you get the parent markers for free. You can reduce the price even more by submitting weights and body condition scores. Once the 90% minimum has been achieved you also lock in the reduced rate for replacement heifers going forward. This is an incredible opportunity to learn more about your cowherd and greatly increase the accuracy of their EPDs. The first handful of producers to submit samples have already gotten profiles back, while several more herds are planning on pulling samples this fall. If you are interested in participating, call the NALF office to get more details or to get enrolled. For the fall board of directors meeting held in August, the decision was made to move back to an in-person format. After countless committee conference calls leading up to both the spring and fall meetings, as well as the April meeting all being on a virtual platform, it was refreshing to finally have the opportunity

10

to gather in one place. For me, the highlight was being in a position to be able to budget for a cattle feeding research project. While not all of the details have been nailed down, we do know we will be working with Kansas State University to conduct the trial. The purpose of this trial is to get relevant, up-to-date data on how Limousin genetics perform from a quality, efficiency and economics standpoint. At present, the data available to us was created 40 years ago. While I can’t speak for everyone’s cattle, I am pretty sure the genetics we are producing today have changed quite a bit for the better since then. With the information that will be gleaned from this effort, we plan to develop a data driven message that will facilitate increased demand for Limousin genetics in commercial crossbreeding beef production systems. Watch for updates on this project. Finally, I would like to update you on the carcass beta run that is scheduled to take place within the next two to four weeks, possibly by the time you read this. All of the prepatory work to include the Wulf Cattle breeding to feeding carcass data, and blend that information into the IGS run, has been completed and now it is up to IGS to conduct a trial run to make sure everything works properly with no hiccups. Once that happens, it should be able to be run live shortly after that. In addition to all the carcass data being generated by Wulf Cattle, there has been an increased effort by several breeders that also feed cattle to get individual carcass data on known pedigreed cattle and begin submitting them to the NALF office as well. Thanks to Wulf Cattle, Running Creek Ranch, Hunt Limousin Ranch and Symens Brothers for the information that has been turned in, as this will have a major impact on improving the accuracy and predictability of the carcass EPDs in the evaluation. These are the ranches that I know of, but if I missed your ranch and you have also turned in carcass info, thank you as well. In closing, I would encourage each of you to keep up the good work of promoting Limousin and continue to carry the banner high. I look forward to seeing you along the trail. Success and blessings.

• OCTOBER 2020


Wilder Family

Aggie Traditions Sale

of 2020

October 6

We welcome your call or visit. Jay, Molly, Jayce & Spencer Wilder Snook, Texas Jay: 979.268.5491 jwwilder1993@gmail.com www.wilderfamilylimousin.com

Our Plan Is Coming Together

We hope you plan on being part of this grand event.

Visit L365Auctions.com to view pictures and videos of the offering. SALE MANAGEMENT:

J&J Cattle Company Joe and Jay Wilder Box 551 • Snook, Texas 77878 Joe: 979.268.4843

KILEY McKINNA • 402-350-3447 mcmarketingsales@aol.com www.mcmarketingmanagement.com

CONSULTANT:

R&R Marketing • 615-330-2735

HOSTED BY

L365Auctions.com


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY by Mark Anderson Executive Director North American Limousin Foundation

N

ALF has just completed its August board meeting in Denver at the time of this writing. The August board meeting is typically centered around budgeting for the next fiscal year. Much of this year’s discussion was centered around positive items we can do as a breed in terms of marketing, promotion and research on our cattle, thanks to membership registrations and transfer levels in spite of last year’s rate increase. The financials look very positive heading into the fiscal year end and by the time you read this, the fiscal year will be completed. As a result, the board has approved a $15,000 increase in our national commercial marketing program which incorporates new advertising outlets in addition to maintaining our venues such as Superior, Working Ranch and DV Auction. Even more critical, the board has approved new research on our cattle in conjunction with Kansas State University. Through this research we will be attempting to put Limousin-sired calves, Lim-Flex® and a control group of English-based feeder cattle on feed to capture intake and feed conversion data. This will not only include group closeout and feed performance data, but also a 60-day individual intake trial as well. Our feed intake and conversion data is very dated. Your cattle have changed and improved dramatically the last five years and the board feels it is critical to document the Limousin advantage to the commercial industry with new valid research trials on our current cattle that can be used in a national advertising campaign. We also plan to capture individual carcass data on the cattle to a logical slaughter end point to document the advantages of using both Limousin and Lim-Flex® sires on an English-based commercial cowherd. This will hopefully document the following advantages we would expect to see at both the feedyard and packer segments of the beef industry 1. Improved average daily gains, superior dry matter feed conversions resulting in cheaper cost of gains at the feedyard level with heterosis achieved in the terminal cross. 2. Larger out-weights at harvest compared to their English-based counterparts resulting in additional rollback on breakevens while maintaining feed efficiency and superior dry matter conversions. 3. Cattle that should have advantages at the packing house should still be able to grade 85% Choice and above while maintaining a higher percentage of yield grade 1-3 cattle than their English counterparts. Additional NALF members have been sending actual kill data on customers they have sold bulls into their commercial cow/calf operators that are feeding their cattle out. Many of these kill sheets are coming back with group harvest date that are now grading 80-90% Choice or higher with

12

minimal yield grade 4 & 5 cattle. This will also be promoted and publicized over the next 12 months. This year, NALF has had an increase of members who have enrolled in the LIMS whole herd reporting program. The increased interest in LIMS was spurred by the LIM Vision Cow Herd Project in partnership with Neogen. This collaborative effort with Neogen enables LIMS members to obtain more affordable 50K testing on their mature cowherds for the price of $24 per head versus the regular $55 retail price. To qualify, the member must submit DNA on 90% of their mature cows enrolled in LIMS to take advantage of the discounted price and can also receive an additional $3/head discount by submitting body condition scores and weights on their mature cows. This lets a member genomically test the female portion of their herd, or their “Cow Factory,” at a more affordable price versus regular retail cost. This also qualifies that member to obtain that discounted rate every year on their replacement females to keep their cowherd current and achieve higher accuracy on their EPDs and expanded progeny equivalents acquired through genomic testing. In the NALF herdbook, genomically enhanced testing has increased dramatically the past three years, but the bulk of this has been on bull sale offerings, A.I. sires and donor dams. To reach our full potential in an effort to increase expected mating accuracy, genotyping the female portion of our herd book is just as important. The increased progeny equivalents of 15-20 head on weight-trait EPDs that are achieved with the IGS cattle evaluation when also incorporating performance and pedigree data has been a game changer for the seedstock industry. As you are now aware, IGS recently released the long awaited new EPD set with adjustments to growth-trait predictions referred to as “Work Order 1”. The updated marker panel subsets were applied to growth trait prediction models in addition to adjusting the milk EPD that was previously hurting our high growth young sires along with the exclusion of genomic marker effect on the milk EPD. This has been adjusted beneficially to not be as detrimental to those young, high growth, low accuracy sires. Over the last couple of years, the massive research undertaking has been going on to modernize the evaluation of growth traits (Birth Weight, Weaning Weight, Yearling Weight and Milk). For a more detailed explanation, see the Performance Line article later in this issue. These changes were incorporated into the production run generated from IGS back on the week of August 17. Thanks to Wulf Cattle, NALF is also in the process of an exciting project to incorporate thousands of records of actual carcass data harvested through Wulf ’s BeefBuilder® program that will dramatically increase utilized sire accuracy of carcass trait data into the evaluation. Actual carcass trait data of cattle harvested to a logical slaughter endpoint is rare in seedstock evaluations.

• OCTOBER 2020

continued on page 14


Success Breeds Success

We are proud of the success we are enjoying with cattle bred in our program. To see our customers achieve success is the most gratifying part of this business.

Great job to Ben Spencer and the J6 Farms crew from Gibbon, Nebraska, for showing the Grand Champion Female at the 2020 “Last Show” at Arrow B and the Reserve Supreme Champion at the Nebraska State Fair. They purchased DL Glamour Girl 414G from us and have campaigned her successfully this past summer.

AUTO CASPER 241C 37% LF • HP/HB EXAR Classen 1422B x AUTO Rebeca 292S CE: 9 BW: 2.3 WW: 76 YW: 114 MK: 20 SC: .75 DC: 10 RE: .57 MB: .28 $MTI: 64 Watch for progeny out of this great donor in our upcoming sales.

Congratulations to Ryleigh Morris of Ash Grove, Missouri, on being named Supreme Champion female at the 2020 Ozark Empire Fair with AUTO Crowning Day 204G. She is a daughter of our cornerstone donor, AUTO Casper 241C.

Our breed leading herd sire continues to make an impact throughout the industry.

ELCX Kings

Landing

81% • HP/HB MAGS Xyloid x WLR Prada CE: 8 BW: 2.0 WW: 60 YW: 90 MK: 22 SC: 0.6 DC: 13 RE: 0.8 MB: -.31 $MTI: 41 Don’t miss out. Offering limited semen packages of 20 units for $1,500

We always welcome your call or visit.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR OUR UPCOMING ONLINE SALES 10-8-20 • Davis Limousin Ranch Fall Online Sale _________________________________________________ 10-10-20 • Heart of Missouri Sale _________________________________________________ 11-9-20 • Davis Limousin Ranch Fall Online II Sale _________________________________________________ 12-5-20 • A Night On The Town Limousin Sale _________________________________________________ 12-6-20 • All Breeds Signature Sale

BRAD DAVIS • 12500 HWY. 279 • BROWNWOOD, TX 76801 • 325.647.7681 • BRAD@DAVISLIMOUSIN.COM • OCTOBER 2020

13


continued from page 12 NALF is in a unique position to capture carcass phenotypes to improve carcass trait EPD accuracies. NALF is blessed to have good portion of their membership that are also cattle feeders. Additional members are turning in actual slaughter data on cattle they have fed or customers cattle they have sold bulls too. This will incorporate more bloodlines across the herd book and get a better cross section of sires represented. Until now, these phenotypes have mainly relied on ultrasound data for inclusion into the EPDs of yield grade, back fat, marbling, ribeye and carcass weight. Incorporating this actual kill data along with pedigree information will dramatically increase EPD accuracy for those traits and over time, increase progeny equivalents on genomically-enhanced carcass EPDs as well. The cattle business, and in particular the seedstock industry, continues to evolve and improve at a rapid pace given the leap forward in DNA testing (genomics) and improved single-step national cattle evaluations that have given the serious seedstock breeder the tools to make rapid genetic progress. NALF looks forward to working with the membership as we move ahead into a new era of seedstock cattle production over the next decade!

NALF STAFF LISTING NORTH AMERICAN LIMOUSIN FOUNDATION

6205 S. Main St. Ste D-280 • Aurora, CO 80016-5370 ph: 303-220-1693 • fax: 303-220-1884 • limousin@nalf.org • www.nalf.org EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR................................................... Mark Anderson Ext. 51, Mark@NALF.org • 970-590-9576 (c)

Responsibilities include: Organizational leadership and direction; Liaison between the board of directors and staff.

DNA PROCESSING & ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT.......... Tammy Anderson Ext. 57, Tammy@NALF.org

Responsibilities include: Accounts receivable for NALF members; DNA sample submissions; Assist with DNA results; Assist with accounts payable.

DIRECTOR OF MEDIA & ACTIVITIES..................................Mallory Blunier Ext. 61, Mallory@NALF.org • LimousinMedia@gmail.com

Responsibilities include: NALF communications and press releases; Marketing coordinator; NALF.org website manager and updates; Blog manager; Design services; E-Partners e-newsletter; Social media; State association communications liaison; Sale downloads; Junior programs; Medal of Excellence (MOE) shows; NALJA Board of Directors.

DIRECTOR OF DNA PROCESSING & ACCOUNTING OPERATIONS..... Alison Jones Ext. 59, Alison@NALF.org

Responsibilities include: Paying your NALF bill; Bill discrepancies; Request statements; All DNA services; LIMS program; Herd EPD downloads; International import/export paperwork.

REGISTRY & MEMBER SERVICES SPECIALIST..... Stephanie Kramer-Beddo Ext. 27, Steph@NALF.org

Responsibilities include: Membership questions; Registering natural and foreign animals; Recording weaning and yearling weights; Transfers of live animals and embryos; Bull and cow leases; New memberships; NALF-Digital Beef Member Site questions; Ultrasound results and barn sheets; Mailing certificates, supplies, and promotional material.

14

Tentative 2021 NWSS & Annual Limousin Convention January 8-13, 2021

HILL CATTLE ARRIVAL: Begin Arrival: Tuesday, January 5, 12:00 p.m. In Place: Friday, January 8, 4:00 p.m. Begin Release: Tuesday, January 12, 3:00 p.m. All out: Wednesday, January 13, 5:00 p.m. YARD CATTLE ARRIVAL: Begin Arrival:Tuesday, January 5, 8:00 a.m. In Place: Friday, January 8, 3:00 p.m. Begin Release: Wednesday, January 13, 5:00 p.m. All out: Thursday, January 14, 10:00 p.m. FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 1:00 p.m. NALF Board of Directors Meeting SATURDAY, JANUARY 9 9:00 a.m. Hill Cattle Check-In - NWSS Hill 1:00 p.m. Yard Cattle Check-In – NWSS Yards SUNDAY, JANUARY 10 4:00 p.m. Social Hour for National Limousin Sale – National Western Club 5:00 p.m. National Limousin Sale - National Western Club MONDAY, JANUARY 11 7:30 a.m. Annual Meeting – National Western Club 6:00 p.m. Membership Banquet & Genetics on Ice Auction TUESDAY, JANUARY 12 9:00 a.m. National Junior Limousin & Lim-Flex Show NWSS Stadium Arena 1:00 p.m. National Limousin MOE Show - NWSS Stadium Arena 3:00 p.m. Begin Hill Release WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 9:00 a.m. Limousin & Lim-Flex Pen & Carload Show - SYEC 12:00 p.m. Hamburger Fry 5:00 p.m. Begin Yard Release ANNUAL CONVENTION

The annual convention for the North American Limousin Foundation is held during the National Western Stock Show. Activities for the annual convention include a board of directors meeting, annual membership meeting, National Limousin Sale, membership banquet and Genetics on Ice Auction, in addition to shows and social activities at NWSS.

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR NALF AWARDS

Each year NALF honors a Commercial Producer of the Year, a Commercial Marketing Booster of the Year and a Limousin Promoter of the Year. These awards are presented at the National Western Stock Show. NALF is currently seeking nominations for this year’s awards. Nominations are due by December 1. Nomination forms may be found under the Member Center of the Management tab at NALF.org or may be requested from the NALF office at 303-220-1693 or Limousin@NALF.org.

HOST HOTEL INFORMATION

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Denver will serve as the host hotel for the 2020 NWSS & Annual Limousin Convention. More information on rates will be available at a later date.

2021 NATIONAL LIMOUSIN SALE

The National Limousin Sale is breeders’ opportunity to market their best genetics. The 2021 event is a video sale held Sunday, January 10, at the National Western Club. The event begins with a social hour at 4 p.m., followed by the sale at 5 p.m. Contact American Cattle Services, MC Marketing, R&R Marketing or Grassroots Consulting for more information.

• OCTOBER 2020


Un

p

aralleled erformance

With an average yearling weight EPD of 144, our sire battery is head and shoulders above the competition. With more than 225 head for sale privately this fall, capitalize on this opportunity to integrate unparalleled performance into your herd.

R&R BEEFMAKER 116D Black, Polled, Purebred Ranks in the top 1% of breed for WW, YW, TM, SC, CW & REA

Ranks in top 30% or better for 12 traits Chart-topping YW EPD of 159 Reference Sire and Service Sire

R&R JOCK 9W

Black, Polled, Purebred s in top 1% of breed for WW, YW, TM & CW

Rank

Ranks in top 35% or better for 12 traits Reference Sire and Service Sire

LIMOUSIN, ANGUS AND LIM-FLEX… RED, BLACK AND POLLED 125 Bulls For Sale Private Treaty Yearlings & Two-Year-Olds

All Feed Efficiency and Performance Tested, All Guaranteed

Contact Mark today to schedule a viewing appointment.

BW EPD Average of 1.8 YW EPD Average of 115

MARK & SHERYL LEONARD & FAMILY 1362 Hwy. 59, Holstein, IA 51025 712-368-2601 work • 712-830-9032 cell mark@agcomfinancial.com In the Limousin Business Since 1969

__________________________________

100 Bred Females Available This Fall All females calved unassisted. • OCTOBER 2020

15


the dam of Riverstone Charmed

Thanks to Kevin Smith of KLS Farms for your purchase of 100% embryo rights of HSF Your Fantasy!

MARKETING & BRANDING ... Randall O. Ratliff Randy@rrmktg.com 615.330.2735

16

KEVIN SMITH

318.245.4607 | Jkcattle@gmail.com 9296 Hwy 4, Chatham, LA 71226-9357

• OCTOBER 2020

TIM AND KIM MATTHEWS & FAMILY 403.556.5744 | tim@riverstonecattle.com www.riverstonecattle.com


• OCTOBER 2020

17


MEMBER AND INDUSTRY NEWS BRIEFS Need Registration Certificates?

Do you need registration certificates for an upcoming show, a show validation or any other purpose? NALF staff is happy to send the registration certificates to you. Please submit your request to the NALF office at least two weeks prior to the event in order to make sure they reach you on time. Requests may be made to Stephanie at steph@NALF.org. Exhibitors do not need registration certificates for the NWSS junior and open shows.

Rush Orders on Registrations and Transfers

When mailing in rush registrations and transfers, please print RUSH on the outside of the envelope and when emailing, please put RUSH in the subject line. Since the busy time of year is upon us in the NALF office, this will help make sure your work gets processed immediately. The $25 rush fee for each certificate, noted on the selfbilling worksheet, is in effect as of now. There are no rush orders available on lab work and ET calves.

Order Your Show Vest Today

If you have not yet ordered your Limousin soft shell show vest, do so today. The show vests are a black soft shell with the Limousin logo on the chest. You may order using the form found under the Shows tab at NALF.org. Vests must be worn in the show ring at all Level I MOE shows.

MOE Points Totals

Updated point totals are located on the MOE show standings page at NALF.org. For any questions, contact Mallory Blunier, director of media & activities, at Mallory@NALF.org or 303-220-1693.

NALF Office Closed

The North American Limousin Foundation office will be closed select days over the upcoming holiday season. Please take note that the office will be closed Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27 for Thanksgiving and Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25 for Christmas. As well, the office will be closed Friday, January 1 for New Year’s. The office will be open for regular hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MST Monday, November 30; December 28-31, and then again on Monday, January 4.

International Year Letter Codes

2021 - J 2020 - H 2019 - G 2018 - F Tune in to Tennessee for the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show

Registration and housing for the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattleman’s Beef Association Trade Show opens Monday, November 9. The annual convention will be held in Nashville, Tennessee February 3-5, 2021. Convention participants will hear from industry leaders and gather insight on industry trends.

NALF Promotes Mallory Blunier to Director of Media and Activities

Mallory Blunier has been promoted to Director of Media and Activities for the North American Limousin Foundation. Mallory has been heavily involved with NALF media and communications the previous four years and has grown familiar with both NALF and NALJA programs and activities. She is a previous state FFA officer from Illinois and is excited to take on the additional responsibilities working with NALJA, their board of directors and membership as well. Mallory stated, “I am excited to be taking on this new responsibility and can’t wait to see what these juniors accomplish this year!” Mallory will be assisted by Tammy Anderson and Dominique Braun in her expanded role at NALF and NALJA. The North American Limousin Foundation would like to thank Katie Campbell for her dedication and commitment to the Limousin Breed and the Junior Association the past five years. We wish Katie the very best as she moves forward with her future endeavors.

DNA and Registration

The DNA turnaround is four weeks. Contact Alison, Alison@ NALF.org, with any DNA questions. Mailed in registrations and transfers are a two-week turnaround, contact Stephanie at Steph@ NALF.org with any questions.

18

• OCTOBER 2020


MAGS Faultless 154F

TMCK Cash Flow 247C x MAGS Andria HP • HB • 53% Lim-Flex CE: 7 BW: 3.0 WW: 98 YW: 154 MK: 22 SC: 1.2 DC: 17 YG: -.10 RE: 0.84 MB: 0.48 $MI: 78 • #1 bull in the breed for $MTI • Ranks in the top 1% for WW, YW and CW. • Ranks in the top 2% for MB. Top 4% for DOC. Troy, Linda, Lauren, Lindsey, Tristan Gulotta 52448 Alessi Rd. Ext. • Independence, LA 70443 Troy, cell: 985.662.1561 • www.liveoakcattle@gmail.com

If you’re looking for a big time herd sire that can add balanced, breed-leading numbers along with faultless phenotype, you just found your bull.

Semen $40 • Grassroots Genetics 866-305-9600 • OCTOBER 2020

19


Riding Shotgun A Cattleman Retires As we travel the highways and by-ways of the Limousin family and breed we often cuss and discuss the cattle business, sports, politics, great cheeseburgers and most of the time, the promotion and marketing of Limousin cattle. Through “Riding Shotgun” we invite you to join us in the righthand seat, so that we can let you in on what we find to be our marketing pet peeves, shortcuts and some of the favorite habits of top-flight professional producers. Grab a cup of coffee and take the ‘shotgun seat’—we are pleased to have you riding along.

Y

ears ago, in 1976, I took a job preparing cattle for sale and show during my Christmas vacation from the University of Missouri. While working my skinny little rear off, I had the great opportunity to add to my salary with a New Years Eve poker game with the

Bullish

On The

Business

For more than 34 years, Hayhook has been one of the largest and most reputable sources for black, polled Limousin and Lim-Flex cattle. Our cattle have been bred and developed to meet the demands of registered and commercial cattlemen alike.

Lim-Flex and Limousin Bulls and Females for Sale at all times. Call today!

neighbors and of course my employer and host, David Smith. Late into the evening, in a round of Three Card Guts (I was dealing), I found myself with a guaranteed winner, two kings with an Ace kicker. The pot was $1,250, the same amount as my paycheck for one month of fighting yearling bulls and frozen ponds. As we rounded the table, two of us thought we had winning hands, it turned out that Dave (my employer) had 3 of a kind, an unheard of situation in Three Card Guts. But a bet made is a bet played and I worked that month for nothing. Turned out it was worth every minute. Sometime this fall, David Smith is going to retire from Grassroots Genetics and the registered cattle business. The dates are a little foggy, but the end result is the same. It’s not very often you get to work with your hero, but around 1996, I found myself in need of a dependable and knowledgeable cattleman, and Dave found himself in need of a job that allowed him to follow an up-and-coming high school defensive end that put his feet under Dave’s kitchen table. Now, 25 years later, we find ourselves facing a new future and new business plan. David and Ginger are going to enjoy their grandchildren, the oldest of them also works on the defensive side of the ball. They are going to travel to their favorite countries, cook their favorite gourmet meals, and enjoy the taste of vineyards from here to there. We all learn and need mentors in our lives. David Smith is mine. We’re cousins by birth and brothers by circumstance. We have cussed, discussed and dissected bulls and females from four different breeds and still had time for pro football, chef-style cooking techniques and the properly executed pitching wedge. His and Ginger’s influence on my life and business sense is immeasurable and I can’t thank them enough for all they have done for me beginning with the year we all went to the New Bloomfield County Fair with five Polled Herefords, eight sheep and David’s brand new driver’s license. Thank you, Dave and Ginger for all you have done for De and I and for the Limousin breed. Here’s to hoping you never have to talk to UPS customer tracking again and that we will, down the road, tip back a Busch or maybe a Cabernet and talk about bulls with heart, guts and big feet. Real cattlemen are hard to find, I was lucky enough to have one three miles away. See you down the road.

Judy Bugher • 405/306-1315 • Edna Manning • 405/306-1316 9700 Slaughterville Rd. • Lexington, OK 73051 Ranch Office: 405/527-7648 • email: hayhooklimousin@gmail.com Call or come by our central Oklahoma ranch to see the large selection of bulls and females we have available private treaty.

20

• OCTOBER 2020

CONTACT THE AUTHOR Mark A. Smith email: grgenetics@aol.com phone: 515-229-5227


Creating Consistency Consistently focusing on performance-oriented cattle embodying the kind of muscle and carcass quality this breed is known for is integral to our operation. We utilize the best proven and progressive herd sires to ensure continued genetic improvement.

WZRK Game Changer 4015G

Game Changer

Red · Homo Polled · Purebred HUNT Credentials 37C x WZRK Miss Tuffenuff 4015B CE: 12 BW: 0.0 WW: 64 YW: 98 MK: 26 CM: 7 SC: 1.5 DC: 19 YG: -0.50 RE: 0.83 MB: -0.18 $MTI: 47 Owned with Coleman Limousin Ranch and the Game Changer Syndicate Watch for semen opportunities in Spring of 2021

Wulfs Eisenhower 3616E

Het Black · Homo Polled · Purebred Wulfs Billy The Kid K234B x Wulfs Abril 3616A CE: 5 BW: 4.9 WW: 79 YW: 127 MK: 27 CM: 4 SC: 1.3 DC: 14 YG: -0.60 RE: 1.19 MB: -0.22 $MTI: 51 Owned with Wulf Cattle and the Eisenhower Syndicate Semen $40 Exclusively Through Grassroots Genetics Eisenhower

Wulfs Gallagher 7056G

Red · Homo Polled · 75% Lim-Flex Wulfs Xcellsior X252X x Wulfs Edwinna 7056E CE: 15 BW: -1.8 WW: 72 YW: 109 MK: 26 CM: 7 SC: 0.90 DC: 13 YG: -0.55 RE: 1.09 MB: 0.09 $MTI: 60 Owned with Wulf Cattle Semen $40 Exclusively Through Grassroots Genetics

CJSL Data Bank 6124D Gallagher

Homo Black · Homo Polled · 81% Limousin MAGS Anchor x AUTO Carminda 656S CE: 14 BW: 0.5 WW: 74 YW: 114 MK: 17 CM: 7 SC: 0.30 DC: 15 YG: -0.40 RE: 0.80 MB: -0.15 $MTI: 50 Owned with Linhart Limousin and the Data Bank Syndicate Semen $40 Exclusively Through Grassroots Genetics

Join Us February 26, 2021

41st Annual Bull Sale At the Ranch, Mount Vernon, SD Data Bank

We invite you to visit our website to learn more about our program. Your call or visit is always welcome.

CURT & LEANNE WIECZOREK • 605-227-4601 39768 267th St. • Mount Vernon, South Dakota 57363 • clwzrk@santel.net

WIECZOREKLIMOUSIN.COM

• OCTOBER 2020

21


UPCOMING: STEEL FOUNDATIONS BULL SALE 12-29-2020

HOSTED BY: LIMOUSIN365.COM

The

TMCK - 782H

10-22-2020

TMCK - 779H

TMCK - 763H

ALSO SELLING ON THIS SALE - WULFS EASTERN 5002E

22

• OCTOBER 2020


These two breed leading donors are an integral part of our program’s genetic advancement. We are excited about the high quality offspring they have produced thus far and the great things that are yet to come. Be sure to watch closely, select progeny and genetic opportunities are available this fall.

AHCC DAKOTA DIAMOND 6061D

Homo Black • Homo Polled • 81% Limousin MAGS Anchor x LVLS 9066U CE: 11 BW: -1.4 WW: 67 YW: 105 MK: 18 SC: 1.3 DC: 16 YG: -0.43 RE: 0.96 MB: -0.25 $MI: 45

MAGS ETERNAL FLAME

Homo Black • Homo Polled • 81% Lim-Flex AHCC Badlands 908B x MAGS Andria CE: 9 BW: 2.5 WW: 78 YW: 124 MK: 20 SC: 0.80 DC: 14 YG: -0.43 RE: 0.91 MB: -0.02 $MI: 56

Consignments to

A NIGHT ON THE TOWN SALE III DECEMBER 5, 2020

ATAK ONLINE SALE JANUARY 26, 2021 via L365Auctions.com

INAUGURAL BULL SALE MARCH 2, 2021 Andy & Tammy Schmalshof • Adam, Jonelle, Peyton, Carrina & Dixon Schmalshof 436 140th St. • Avon, IL 61415 • Andy, cell: 309/333-0029 • Adam, cell: 309/333-3044 atak4limo@agristar.net

Follow us on f ATAK Limousin • OCTOBER 2020

23


INVESTED IN YOU by Randy Ratliff

More Than Just The Cattle Business!

W

hen I think about my 30-year journey in the Limousin breed…there is so much that comes to mind! My first occupation fresh out of college from Colorado State University, was signing on as a sales representative of Limousin World. It came with the recommendations of Gene Raymond, John Edwards and Tub Ratliff. I had no idea what I was about to experience at that time in my life. Though my goal was to follow in the footsteps of my family who many, many years ago created and sold livestock at the Anderson County Sales Co. Stockyards, I also wanted to see what it was like at a more prestigious level in the registered seedstock business.

OKLAHOMA PRIDE PRODUCTS Visit Our New Website

oklahomaprideproducts.com 6 Ft. 90 Bushel Single Axle Feeder with Creep Pens

12 Ft. Feed Bunk OKLAHOMA PRIDE PRODUCTS

1.800.658.1415

Since 1969 & Still Strong

As one of the youngest to graduate at age 12 from the Reisch World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa, following threegenerations of family prior to that, I set out on a path that was new to me. After being hired by Dan and Nancy Wedman at Limousin World, I quickly realized I was in a business where I needed to sell to survive! After countless hours of communicating with Dan and Nancy about the business of advertising, I quickly realized I was creating relationships within the breed as much as I was selling. Those relationships have continued to be a big part of my life since 1998. I may have moved on and created different opportunities for my life, but as I write this, I am quick to realize my journey has been a part of something so much bigger and better than I could ever have anticipated—the family within this breed of cattle is what make it special. As I witness and experience the COVID 19 pandemic and how it has affected all of us in some way, I realize how it has brought people much closer together. The recent National Junior Limousin Show in Louisiana, the biggest event in our breed, could not have come at a worse time with the pandemic. Troy Gulotta and his family were in charge of this event and worked countless hours to assure myself, and so many families across the U.S., that if we attended it would be a safe environment and one we could all enjoy. This annual event, highly anticipated by virtually every young junior who exhibits Limousin cattle, conveys such a sense of family and community for the juniors to showcase their projects. It was a huge success and now our seedstock operations are maneuvering through planning the best and safest ways for them to host their fall production sales. One thing I know is that they will make it happen no matter what. My point in saying all of the above is that our Limousin Breed is about so much more than just cattle! I see it, I feel it, I experience it and I live it every day with the relationships across this great community…for that I would not change anything. What I would do is encourage any young junior who is considering it, to say yes to being a part of something bigger than they could ever imagine—and that is this great Breed of cattle.

Chickasha, OK

24

• OCTOBER 2020


Proving His Value ROMN

Floyd Mudhenkey

101F

Black • Homozygous Polled • Purebred AUTO Lucky Guy x ROMN Aretha 50A CE: 17 BW: -0.7 WW: 64 YW: 101 MK: 25 SC: 0.6 DC: 12 YG: -0.61 RE: 1.19 MB: -0.29 $MI: 44

His first calves look outstanding. We couldn’t be more pleased with what this bull is doing in our program. His calves have the look, performance and structural correctness everyone is looking for. If you’re searching for a bull to add real value to your next calf crop, Floyd Mudhenkey is an excellent choice.

Semen Available. Contact Grassroots 515-965-1458

We invite you to stop by the farm to see his calves and what we have for sale. RANDY, NANCY, RANDEE & ASHLEE CORNS Randy: 620/750-0924 • Nancy: 620/432-5056 • Randee: 620/583-2959 • Ashlee: 620/953-2210 11535 Thomas Rd. • Altoona, KS 66710

Contact us for current pictures and more information on his calves we have available.

• OCTOBER 2020

25


A Family Affair A

by Megan Silveira

as the pair’s number one source of income, their livelihood and most llison, Texas, has been labeled “home” by the Begert family importantly their biggest passion. since 1911, but Bret Begert believes the best years for his kin Calves from the family-run operation are sold primarily to a started in 1974 when his father Hiram first brought Limousin cattle commercial customer base, all through private treaty. Bret said this onto the Begert ranch. marketing practice allows him and his father Since a trip to the Oklahoma State Fair where to truly know their customers and provide Hiram first saw fullblood Limousin cattle, the “We’re team players and a guarantee on each animal that leaves their Begert family has been hooked. property. Hiram said, “I saw what I liked. The people we want the best for all of “We’re still in an industry where a handshake met we liked, and the cattle we had we liked.” our Limousin family.” is all you need,” he said in regard to the pride he Hiram invested in a few fullblood Limousin and Hiram take in selling high-quality cattle. “If bulls and never looked back. After those animals we look you in the eye and say that’s the way it is, hit the ground in Allison, Texas, Hiram says he knew there was no then that’s the way it is. It’s a great way to do business and a great place other type of cattle he wanted to raise. He said the cattle have the type to raise a family.” of look he appreciates while also bringing a lot of natural thickness Despite having a primarily commercial customer base, the family is and muscle to the table. no stranger to the show side of the cattle industry. The Begert’s career Today, the father-son duo runs close to 450 purebred, black, polled in the seedstock industry truly kicked off when Bret turned nine years Limousin females on 10,000 acres. Bret describes the cattle business

Allison, Texas, has been home to the Begert family since 1911 and home to registered Limousin cattle since 1974 .

26

• OCTOBER 2020


old and latched onto the lead of Along with their desire his first show heifer. to produce the best cattle Though his enthusiasm and possible in their own herd, mind for cattle made him an Hiram said both he and Bret admirable young showman, have been drawn to give back it was the females Bret said he to the breed. Their impressive chose to lead around the ring list of accomplishments is that truly made a splash. fairly similar, as the two have “We were showing black cattle been involved, for several when black cattle weren’t cool,” terms, on the North American Bret jokes. He led the first black Limousin Foundation (NALF), Limousin heifer into the Texas including serving as president, State Fair showring in 1981, as well as the Texas Limousin where she won her class. The Association. Bret also worked next year, Bret brought home for several years as the NALF the title of Grand Champion Both bulls and females from the family-run operation are sold primarily director of junior activities. Limousin Heifer with one of his to a commercial customer base via private treaty. This marketing practice Their main reason for serving? black-hided females. It’s all about the people and the allows them to truly get to know their customers and provide a guarantee While it may have appeared on each animal that leaves the property. bigger picture, Hiram explains. to those outside the show ring “It’s just a love for the cattle like the Begerts were taking a stand, Bret said he and his father have just and the producers,” he said. “I enjoyed being around fellow board always been passionate about black-hided, purebred Limousin cattle. members and trying to make the right decisions for the betterment Hiram said the color of their cattle is just a reflection of their of the breed. You just come together with one common goal.” preference. Homozygous black, polled cattle are the phenotype Hiram Bret said it was the partnership their ranch was founded on that is drawn too, and his fondness to the look has been a commitment allowed him and his father to be so heavily involved. First, it was that has paid off for their ranch. Hiram’s own story within the industry that inspired Bret to give “We’ve never flinched in our love for the breed,” Bret said. “We’ve back. But, more importantly, Bret said it has been a “tradeoff through stayed with purebred Limousin cattle. Over the years, that’s become the decades.” One Begert would often be off serving in a leadership what our customers want and expect.” position and the other would be at home handling the day-to-day Hiram said while he and Bret never viewed the show industry as operations. Once the term of the latest leadership position concluded, their top priority, they were blown away by all they gained from they would switch roles. the seedstock side of the business. From a look into new genetics to That family aspect is the one thing both Hiram and Bret cherish most. friendships capable of lasting a lifetime, Hiram said he is grateful for “Everyone has their place in the operation. It’s always been a family every moment he has spent at youth livestock events. deal for us,” Hiram said. From Hiram’s wife Darenda being involved in His own days in the show ring may be over, but Bret said he and his the advertising of their livestock, to Bret’s wife Hayley and their children father consistently work to be improving not only their herd but also bringing everyone back to the show side of the business, it is evident the overall perception of the breed. Through consistently breeding for everyone in the Begert family shares the same love for Limousin cattle. cattle with gentle dispositions and desirable phenotypes, Bret believes Bret’s two children – McKinley, 19 and Boone, 15 – found their the Begert Ranch has made their mark on the industry. own passion for the Limousin breed and have kept both Hiram and “We try to breed for the best within our own business and our breed Bret ringside for many more years. McKinley has served a few terms, as a whole,” Bret said. “We’re team players and want the best for all of our Limousin family.” continued on page 28

In addition to being a breed leader in the adaptation of homozygous black and homozygous polled, purebred Limousin cattle, consistently breeding for cattle with gentle dispositions and desirable phenotypes has kept Begert Ranch at the forefront of the industry.

• OCTOBER 2020

27


continued from page 27 one of which as president on the Texas Junior Limousin Board of Directors and Bret said Boone has already expressed interested in serving on the board as well. “The cattle are just a part of their lives,” Bret said. “The dedication and work ethic they learn through showing cattle translates over to every other area of their lives. It’s been rewarding to watch them grow.” In addition to having a chance to work with family members on a daily basis, Bret said he feels blessed to wake up every morning and do work that is his passion. Despite having a primarily commercial He believes there is no customer base, the family is no stranger better industry to make a to the show side of the cattle industry. The livelihood in. “We enjoy what we do,” Begert’s career in the seedstock industry he said. “We are thankful kicked off when Bret turned nine years that we get to do what we old and has continued through his do and that we get to raise children, McKinley and Boone.

Begert Ranch is a truly family run and inspired enterprise. Bret, Hiram, Darenda, Boone, Hayley and McKinley all serve important roles in the ranches’ daily operations. the type of cattle we believe in. This isn’t just something we do, it’s something we love.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Megan Silveira is a freelance writer originally from Denair, California. She is currently attending Oklahoma State University as a member of the agricultural communications graduate program and will graduate in May 2021.

TO ONE OF THE BREED’S HOTTEST HOMOZYGOUS POLLED RED SIRES TRMS RED DIRT COWBOY If you’re looking for a red bull with a different pedigree that will make them all polled, SADDLE UP to RED DIRT COWBOY. SEMEN $40 - Contact Grassroots Genetics 866.305.9600 Come see his calves and our herd any time. Chad McReynolds PO Box 1658 • Sallisaw, OK 74955 (918) 616-5671 • chad.7oaks@yahoo.com

28

• OCTOBER 2020

Homo Polled • 43% Lim-Flex Pie The Cowboy Kind 343 x ENGD Zenana 2074Z CE: 7 BW: 1.8 WW: 64 YW: 106 MK: 20 SC: 0.7 DC: 16 YG: -0.33 RE: 0.56 MB: -0.08 $MI: 49

The popularity of red cattle continues to grow nationwide giving us even more reason to be excited about our leading herd sire. His first calves were born this past Fall and Spring and we couldn’t be more pleased. The latest semen orders are from breeders that have used him before, which means they also like what they see.


Building A Brand with the Best We are focused on ramping up quality and improving our herd. We have made some major acquisitions to build our brand upon.

New Herd Sires! WULFS GAMEBOY C911G

Wulfs Gameboy C911G

CELL Granite 9245G

Homo Polled • Black • 80% Limousin Wulfs Xcellsior X252X x MAGS Dealing Magic CE: 12 BW: 2.1 WW: 80 YW: 124 MK: 19 SC: 0.4 DC: 10 YG: -0.61 RE: 1.36 MB: -0.05 $MI: 57 Top-selling bull at Wulf’s 2020 sale. Pleased to be part of the syndicate on this great young sire.

Homo Black • Homo Polled • 34% Lim-Flex HA Cowboy Up 5405 x MAGS Xtra Rest CE: 11 BW: 3.1 WW: 89 YW: 140 MK: 13 SC: 1.1 DC: 16 YG: -0.13 RE: 0.66 MB: 0.25 $MI: 67 Featured bull in Linhart’s 2020 sale. Semen Available through Grassroots Genetics

Top Females!

CELL GRANITE 9245G

Wulfs Genista 9712G

HBRL Effortless 7506E

Red • Polled • 75% Lim-Flex Wulfs Xcellsior X252X x Wulfs Extravaganza 7562E CE: 14 BW: -0.9 WW: 75 YW: 113 MK: 28 SC: 0.62 DC: 16 YG: -0.60 RE: 1.05 MB: -0.07 $MI: 55 Future donor in our program.

Homo Black • Homo Polled • 50% Lim-Flex G A R Prophet x HBRL Coverigrl 563C CE: 14 BW: -0.5 WW: 68 YW: 110 MK: 18 SC: 0.57 DC: 15 YG: -0.35 RE: 0.81 MB: 0.43 $MI: 69 Currently bred to Silveiras Style.

We are pleased to be part of the Heart of Missouri Sale October 10, 2020 at Lebanon, Missouri. We hope you will take the time to look up our consignments which includes a nice selection of bred females and breeding-age bulls.

WULFS GENISTA 9712G

Your call or visit is always welcome.

PUREBRED & LIM-FLEX “Better Genetics for Bigger Gains” HBRL EFFORTLESS 7506E

• OCTOBER 2020

JAMES D. HERR - JEREMY HERR 17329 S. Nebo Dr. - Versailles, MO 65084 ph: 573/378-0500 - fax: 573/378-5137 - email: jherr@gvsdis.com

29


Contemporary Group Reporting by Dr. Tonya Amen Geneticist for North American Limousin Foundation

I

n our technology-driven world of the 21st century, cattle breeders have a plethora of tools in the toolbox for genetic selection and often the discussion of some of the more modern technologies overshadows the basics. So, this month, let’s be sure we’re still getting the basics right. There is still tremendous power in performance data reporting. In fact, reporting that data completely and accurately is more important that ever. One of the greatest sources of error in performance data reporting is improper contemporary grouping. Keeping in mind the purpose of submitting performance data on seedstock is to evaluate the genetic difference between individuals, we need to be sure the data submitted is as free from environment and

Look for our consignments to the Heart of Missouri Sale, October 10, in Lebanon, MO, and at other future sales. Contact us for genetics available privately.

1201 Flint Rock Rd. Strafford, MO 65757 Caleb (417) 576-6364 Tara: (443) 605-6127 minorfarms930@gmail.com www.minorlimousin.com Find us on Facebook at Minor Limousin

30

management noise as possible. This is where contemporary group reporting comes into play. A contemporary group is simply a group of cattle that have had the same opportunity to express their genetic potential. This means animals of the same sex, born and raised at the same place, and treated the same way get reported together. This means the dams of all calves in the CG were treated the same way too. One potential issue in contemporary grouping would be grouping animals that had different planes of nutrition – this could be due to differences in pasture conditions from one location to another or

Going Places

continued on page 32

We have worked hard the last few years strengthening our program to provide genetics for the most astute cattlemen. With the genetics we now have in place our program is going places.

ROMN

Graffiti

103G

HomoB • Pld • 89% Limousin AUTO Lucky Guy 140D ET X ROMN Alexus 66A CE: 13 BW: 2.4 WW: 76 YW: 124 MK: 26 TM: 64 SC: 1.0 DC: 9 YG: -0.58 RE: 1.22 MB: -0.41 $MI: 43 Graffiti was a Division Champion at Denver this past year. We look forward to his influence in our program.

MINO

Fiona

ET

HomoB • HomoP • 57% Lim-Flex CJSL Creed 5042C X AUTO Callie 403D ET CE: 14 BW: 0.3 WW: 63 YW: 102 MK: 26 TM: 57 SC: 0.82 DC: 12 YG: -0.26 RE: 0.84 MB: 0.30 $MI: 62 MINO Fiona is a Creed daughter out of AUTO Callie, the 2018 All-American Futurity winner. We have been showing Fiona the last two years where she has won her Division at multiple shows. We love her mass and power combined with her overall femininity.

• OCTOBER 2020


UPCOMING FALL SALE SCHEDULE SEPT 24

The III Annual Summit Sale Live Online Auction . . . . . .L365 Online Sales

SEPT 26

Vorthmann Focused on Family Values Private Treaty Sale . . . Treynor, IA

OCT 3

Pinegar Limousin Fall Production Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Springfield, MO

OCT 6

Wilder Family Aggie Traditions Sale of 2020 . . . . . . . . . .L365 Online Sales

OCT 8

Hawkins-CJO Ranch Inaugural Online Female Sale . . .L365 Online Sales

OCT 10

Heart of Missouri Limousin Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lebanon, MO

OCT 13

Lawrence Family Limousin Online Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SC Online Sales

OCT 17

Bradley Cattle Co Female & Bull Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Springfield, MO

OCT 20

Magness Land & Cattle Bred Heifer & Cow Sale . . . . . . .L365 Online Sales

OCT 22

Tubmill Creek Online Female Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .L365 Online Sales

OCT 25

P Bar S Annual Production Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sand Springs, OK

OCT 26

Rust Mountain View Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mercer, ND

OCT 27

Mill Road Trophy Hunt Online Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .L365 Online Sales

OCT 31

Thomas & Sons Halloween Hunnies Online Show Heifer Sale . . SC Online Sales

NOV 1

Linhart Limousin Fall Harvest Production Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leon, IA

NOV 3

Jones Brothers Inaugural Online Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .L365 Online Sales

NOV 5

Red Revival Online Sale V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .L365 Online Sales

NOV 10

Edwards Limousin Annual Online Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .L365 Online Sales

NOV 12

Magness Land & Cattle Live Online Big Cow Sale . . . . .L365 Online Sales

DEC 5

A Night On The Town Sale III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fort Worth, TX

DEC 15

B-Bar Annual Production Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saskatoon, SK CANADA

DEC 17

Glendenning’s J Bar J Holiday Classic Online Sale . . . . .L365 Online Sales

DEC 29

Tubmill Creek Farms Steel Foundations Online Bull Sale . .L365 Online Sales

• OCTOBER 2020

31


continued from page 30

TABLE 1 Factors for reporting CG BIRTH 90-day window Season Ranch Group/Premise Sex Management Code Service Type (AI/NS or ET) Birth Type (Twin or Single) Method (Tape vs Scale)

WEAN

YEAR

ULTRASOUND

Weigh Date Birth CG Ranch Group/Premise Sex Management Code Feed Code

Weigh Date Wean CG Ranch Group/Premise Sex Management Code Feed Code

Weigh Date Wean CG Ranch Group/Premise Sex Management Code Feed Code

TABLE 2 Complete vs Imcomplete Weight reporting. ID LFF1 LFF2 LFF3 LFF4 LFF5 LFF6 LFF7 LFF8 LFF9 LFF10

Full CG Reported Adj WW Deviation Ratio from Average 670 -45.8 94 671 -44.8 94 679 -36.8 95 684 -31.8 96 695 -20.8 97 708 -7.8 99 734 18.2 103 736 20.2 103 780 64.2 109 801 85.2 112

Cattle That Can Do It All! Excellent Quality Grade with Superior Yield Grade.

Only top animals reported Deviation Ratio from Average

-43.8 94 -17.8 98 -15.8 98 28.2 104 49.2 107

the supplemental feeding of some animals and not others. Animals from different pastures should be in different groups. Also, if any animal or its dam received supplemental feed or creep feed that was not offered to the whole group, they need to be in a separate CG. Table 1 illustrates some other important factors to keep in mind when reporting CG. Management and feed codes are used to denote those animals who were managed alike (same pasture) or different (creep vs non-creep or treated for illness, etc). In addition to grouping the animals correctly, another important factor is complete reporting of the entire group. While there is the temptation to only report “the best,” succumbing to this temptation can actually have negative consequences. Let us take a look at an example.

LIM-FLE Limousin x Angus Hybrid

Commercial Cattle Fed in Nebraska

Steers harvested at Tyson, Lexington, Nebraska – June 17, 2020 1404 pounds live weight, Dressing % = 65.21, 100% Choice & Prime 12% Prime 44% CAB (upper 2/3rd Choice) 44% Choice 0% Select 22% YG 2’s • 59% YG 3’s • 19% YG 4’s

Base market Dress Price = $167.67 • Actual Price Received = $175.60 Premium = $7.93 cwt. or $72.63/Hd Registered HUNT Lim-Flex® Bulls on Commercial Angus Cows

Limousin@NALF.org

www.NALF.org

32

• OCTOBER 2020


AUCTIONEER C.K. “Sonny” Booth

SALE CONSULTANTS Mark Smith - 515-229-5227 Bill Helton - 256-962-0256

ACCOMMODATIONS

Sand Spring Resort Bennett Springs 800-543-3474 • 417-532-5857

SALE MANAGEMENT

KILEY McKINNA • 402-350-3447 mcmarketingsales@aol.com www.mcmarketingmanagement.com

AUTO Prixie 856F

Polled • Homo Black • 67%LF by AUTO Gunn Point 192Y due 10/31/20 to AUTO Power Plus 133B

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 • 1 p.m. Laclede County Fairgrounds • Lebanon, MO Endorsed by the Heart of Missouri Limousin Association

80 LOTS SELL

LIMOUSIN & LIM-FLEX Breds Females • Pairs • Show Heifers • Bulls

Misty Morning Yvonne

Polled • Red • Purebred by LFLC Bank Account 701B Sells bred to CELL Granite 9245G for spring calf.

LYDH Global Power 46G

Homo Polled • Homo Black • 84% Limousin by AHCC Earning Power 900E

Join us in the heart of cow-calf country for one of the longest-running Limousin sales in the Midwest. • OCTOBER 2020

33


by Amanda Radke

I

n Saskatchewan, Canada, near the town of Lucky Lake, is the home of B Bar Cattle, a Limousin outfit owned and operated by Delaney and Deanna Boon, and Eric, Terra and Rozlyn Boon. The three-generation Limousin ranch was established in 1982 when Delaney and Deanna purchased a package of registered Limousin and Limousin-cross females. The Boons appreciated the added muscle, growth and calvingease the Limousin genetics added to their calf crop, and the rest is history. They were hooked on Limousin and have been raising them ever since. “My dad has always been passionate about the Limousin breed— both the cattle and the people in it,” said Eric, who grew up showing Limousin cattle in 4-H and junior events. “We have had some great mentors over the years who have helped us make great strides in our breeding program.” A few of those mentors included J. Yorga Farms of Flintoft and Anchor B Limousin of Hanley, both in Saskatchewan. In the early

2000s, the Boons were selling bulls with the Yorga family in a joint annual bull sale. Later, they leased cows to the Anchor B crew, and as part of the partnership, the cows were managed by the Boon family, where the focus was raising bulls for the Anchor B Annual Bull Sale. That partnership dissolved in 2011 when Eric returned home after graduating from the University of Saskatchewan with an Agricultural Business degree. “After a rewarding partnership with Anchor B, in 2012, we officially put our tattoo back on the cows,” said Eric. “We have been extremely active in the breed since then.” The B Bar Cattle herd currently consists of 70 purebred cows and 30-40 commercial females that are used for recipients in their embryo program. “The leasing partnership allowed us to use genetics that were exclusive to just a couple of herds, including Anchor B, in Canada,” said Eric. “ROMN Made To Order was one of those bulls that heavily

The herd grazes on primarily native pastures at B Bar Cattle.

34

• OCTOBER 2020


Powerful Preview Eric and Terra Boon, stand alongside Delaney and Deanna Boon. Together, the Boon family runs B Bar Cattle in Lucky Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Plan to Attend:

Eric and Terra Boon are raising the third generation on B Bar Cattle—Rozlyn Boon.

41st Annual

influenced our program, and a lot of our females today go back to those genetics. The lease agreement allowed us the flexibility to really evaluate which genetics worked in our operation.” Since striking out on their own in 2012, the Boons have focused on growth, genetic improvement and building name recognition within the breed. They are now familiar faces at Canadian shows and consignment sales. In their first year back at Agribition and the National Show, three of their consigned lots received banners, with the highlight being winning the Reserve National Champion Bull title with B Bar Titanium. Additionally, in the last eight years, they have bred and shown four bulls that have went on to win Reserve National Champion honors. In

Muscle Up For Profit Sale FEBRUARY 25, 2021

At The Farm • Amherst, South Dakota

continued on page 36

Your visit is always welcome!

SymensBrothers SYES

Your Guarantee of Predictable Genetics

P.O. Box 155 • Amherst, South Dakota 57421 John: 605/880-8061 • Warren: 605/237-2127 Office: 605/448-2624 • Fax: 605/448-5786 • jssymens@venturecomm.net • OCTOBER 2020

35


continued from page 35 2019, at the 50th National Limousin Show held at the Toronto Royal Winter Fair, a bull they raised and sold the year before was the National Champion Bull and his flushmate sister was the top-selling female, the Reserve National Champion Heifer, and the second-highest selling lot of A fifth-generation Foxtrot cow poses in the pasture at B Bar Cattle has hosted an annual bull and female sale B Bar Cattle. since 2017, and in 2020, they will host the event at the the entire sale. farm for the first time. “Winning Reserve National Champion Bull “It’s always exciting to connect the right bull with a new commercial our first year back in the show ring really did a lot for us,” said Eric. buyer who has never used Limousin bulls before,” said Eric Boon. “It’s “It helped elevate our program and built some excitement for the always the hope that they will keep coming back for more. I’m excited bulls at our sale. Since then, our program has grown by leaps and to continue to work on attracting new cattlemen and women to the bounds, and we are continuing to focus on improving our genetics Limousin breed.” and meeting the needs of our customers.” With a goal of raising bulls that can add value to their customers’ calf crops, the Boons are motivated to continue to focus on ways to ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amanda Radke raises Limousin cattle with build relationships and help others succeed in their breeding goals, her family at NOLZ Limousin in Mitchell, SD. She is also a blogger as well. Since 2017, B Bar Cattle has hosted a bull and female sale for BEEF Magazine and the author of ranch-themed children’s in mid-December, and this year, they are excited to bring the annual books, “Levi’s Lost Calf ” and “Can-Do Cowkids.” Connect with event to the farm for the first time. her at www.amandaradke.com.

SHOWCASING

Our Best

Wulfs Gaylord C904G

S: LFLC Checking Account 701C D: CAIT Extra Special 710E Homo Polled • Homo Black • PB CE: 12 BW: 0.2 WW: 70 YW: 90 MK: 25 SC: 1.5 DC: 15 YG: -0.70 RE: 1.27 MB: -0.24 $MI: 48 We will be using Gaylord heavily in our program and are anxious to see his first calves. Owned with Hunt Limousin Ranch and Syndicate. Look for semen in the future.

We are proud of the cattle we are producing. Our newest herd sire addition shows the caliber of genetics leading us into the future. We welcome all inquires.

Selling two of our best. SWSK Candy 902G

Dbl Black • Dbl Polled • PB S: Wulfs Conversion 3970C D: SWSK Esther 714E Sells AI’d to Wulfs Fifty T804F.

36

HEART OF MISSOURI October 10 Lebanon, MO

SWSK Xciting 853F

Dbl Black • Dbl Polled • 50% LF S: Wulfs War Party A831C D: SWSK Warrior Xciting 412B Sells AI’d to Wulfs Fifty T804F.

• OCTOBER 2020

Stan & Emily Schrock 24663 Hal Dr. - Greentop, MO 63546 Stan: (660) 988-1163 stanandem@outlook.com


Rolling into the Fall Sale Season after a crazy first half! Log onto www.RRMktg.com to view upcoming fall sale dates!

Aven Beutke

615.330.2735 Randy@rrmktg.com www.RRMktg.com • OCTOBER 2020

37


MEET THE NALF BOARD OF DIRECTOR CANDIDATES

T

he North American Limousin Foundation nominating committee has selected the candidates for the 2021 board of directors’ election. The election will be held at the annual meeting on January 11, 2021 in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show. These candidates have been named by the nominating committee. Joey Freund, Elizabeth, Colorado Rob Brawner, Wood Lake, Nebraska The following are brief biographies submitted by each candidate. JOEY FREUND

Joey Freund is a lifelong supporter of the Limousin breed. Joey grew up on his family’s ranch, Running Creek Ranch, located 40 miles southeast of Denver on the high plains of Colorado, where he resides today. He works with his family managing 1,000

2020 NORTH AMERICAN LIMOUSIN FOUNDATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT, Curt Wieczorek..............................Mount Vernon, SD 605-227-4601 • clwzrk@santel.net VICE PRESIDENT, Dan Hunt..........................................Oxford, NE 308-991-3373 • huntlimo@huntlimousin.com SECRETARY, Wade Beckman....................................... Roberts, ID 208-313-0235 • beckmanlivestock@gmail.com TREASURER, Dr. Mark Barker............................ Oklahoma City, OK 405-520-5846 • diamondhillcattle@gmail.com AT-LARGE, Bruce Lawrence.......................................... Anton, TX 806-790-2535 • bll1@speednet.com EX-OFFICIO, Gary Fuchs........................................... Cameron, TX 254-482-0611 • garyfuchs53@yahoo.com DIRECTORS Randy Corns, Altoona, KS; 620-750-0924, superc@terraworld.net Ronn Cunningham, Rose, OK, 918-629-9382, colronn@yahoo.com Troy Gulotta, Independence, LA, 985-662-1561, liveoakcattle@gmail.com Austin Hager, Karlsruhe, ND, 701-626-2345, hagercc@srt.com Charles Linhart, Leon, IA, 641-446-7425, charles@linhartlimousin.com Bart Mitchell, Wauzeka, WI, 608-553-8070, springcreeksbart@gmail.com Joe Moore, Raphine, VA, 540-569-6219, jomolimo69@gmail.com Kevin Ochsner, Kersey, CO, 970-396-5525, kevinkochsner@gmail.com Jay Wilder, Snook, TX, 979-268-5491, jwwilder1993@gmail.com Jerry Wulf, Morris, MN, 320-491-1390, jerry.wulf@wulfcattle.com

38

registered Limousin cows, as well as looking after their private treaty sales of two-year-old bulls. Additionally, Joey manages the marketing of their feeder and fed cattle. Horse power is a passion of his. Saddle horses are used in all the cattle work on Running Creek Ranch and Belgian draft horses are used to feed cattle and are also used in pulling horse competitions, with his favorite being at the National Western Stock Show. His other involvements include the family construction business and the banking industry. The Freund family has been very involved and committed to the Limousin breed for 40 years. Joey’s father, Joe Sr., was a director of the NALF Board of Directors 25 years ago and Joey previously served on the NALF Board, from 2014-2019. ROB BRAWNER

Bullis Creek Ranch is a fifth generation ranching operation that was founded in 1917 when Herbert “Doc” Brawner relocated from the family farm in Delevan, Illinois to south of Livingston, Montana The family ranched there for 80 years when in 1997 the ranch was sold and another purchased in the sandhills of Nebraska in Cherry County, the nation’s largest cow county. The present-day ranch is operated by Rob and his wife, Brenda, and children Neil and Audrey and grandson, Junior. Chuck and Beth and kids, Nathan and Kiera live in Springfield, Missouri. and work for Bass Pro. The ranch consists of 5,000 acres of sandhills grassland. There is no farming and the ranch is mainly a grass and range cattle outfit. The cowherd consists of 400 head of registered Limousin, Lim-Flex and Red Angus females. The ranch has raised Limousin for 50 years and Red Angus for 28 years. An annual bull sale is held on the 4th Monday of January each year when 80 head of age-advantaged, range-raised, coming 2-year-old bulls are offered along with 40 purebred and commercial bred heifers. Animals not making the sale are sold as yearling feeders or retained and are fed and sold as finished cattle. The last year’s close out showed 94% Choice and Prime, yielding 63.5% and an average gain of 4.39 pounds with a $67 per cwt cost of gain. The ranch also sells beef direct to the consumer. The family also operates Killdeer Nook guest cabin, a vacation rental that offers multiple recreational opportunities for guests. The cabin is usually rented around 200 nights per year. Rob is a past president and board member of the Montana Limousin Association, Nebraska Limousin Association and Nebraska Red Angus Association. Rob is a member of the Nebraska Cattlemen and R-Calf USA. Rob served two terms on the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic board of directors. Rob served two terms on the Sandhills Cattle Association board of directors and served as Secretary/Treasurer and President of the 450-member producer organization. Rob has also served on various 4-H and Extension boards.

• OCTOBER 2020


• OCTOBER 2020

39


Cattle Prices Perk Up by Wes Ishmael

Beef demand will say much about prices the rest of the year.

C

attle markets the first part of August remained skewed, tough to decipher and hard to trust. They felt firmer and more familiar, though. For starters, cash fed cattle prices and wholesale beef values appeared to be past the bottom, thanks to packing capacity returning to prepandemic levels sooner than many thought possible. For perspective, the likely ebb in beef production was the week ending May 2, when total cattle slaughter was 438,614 head, according to USDA’s Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection report. That was 233,926 head fewer (-34.8%) than the same week in 2019. Total fed cattle slaughter that week of 318,207 head was 223,325 head fewer (-41.2%) than the previous year. By the week ending July 18, total fed cattle slaughter of 520,206 head was just 4,429 fewer than the same week a year earlier. Beef production for the same week was 1.6% more year over year, as the backlog of fed cattle lifted carcass weights significantly higher.

Increased beef production weighed on fed cattle prices.

“The June price for fed steers marketed for slaughter in the fivearea marketing region averaged $103.82/cwt., but prices ended the month at $96.21, losing more than $16 from the first week of June,” say analysts with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), in the July Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook (LDPO). “With the expectation of steadying demand for slaughter cattle and a large number of marketready cattle in feedlots, price forecasts for both the third and fourth quarters were lowered by $4 to $100 and by $3 to $103.00, respectively.”

40

There are still plenty of backlogged market-ready fed cattle to work through, but it appears progress is being made. “The calculated estimates of cattle on feed over 120 days are still very large compared to last year, but the difference has decreased by some 160,000 head since May,” explained Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma City, in late July market comments. “It appears that the backlog is decreasing but a sizable number of cattle remain to be cleaned up before feedlots will be current.” Peel also points out feedlot placements were about 1 million head less year over year from January through April, which should offer a window for clearing the backlog in September and October, if it still exists.

Demand Increases for Feeder Cattle

Feeder cattle prices had some seasonal steam heading into August, boosted by the availability of yearlings coming off grass and what appeared to be quicker feedlot turnover. The CME Feeder Cattle Index recovered to a high of $139.99 by the end of July. It began March at $134.00 and then sank as low as $114.23 in the middle of April. By way of review, that index is a sevenday weighted average price of beef steers sold at auction or via direct trade and reported to USDA. It includes Medium and Large #1 steers weighing 700-899 lbs. from 12 states. Also by the end of July, price levels for Feeder Cattle futures were the highest since March and Cattle future price spreads across all months recovered to near pre-COVID-19

• OCTOBER 2020


levels, according to Elliott Dennis, livestock economist at the University of Nebraska. “With higher anticipated fed cattle slaughter in 2020, feedlot marketings will increase; a faster pace of marketings will likely improve feedlot demand for feeder cattle,” explained ERS, in the July LDPO. ERS increased its forecast feeder steer price for the third quarter to $133/cwt. (basis Oklahoma City), given stronger prices at the end of the second quarter and beginning of the third quarter. Forecast price for the fourth quarter is $131. Plus, get through August and net feedlot returns grow significantly more positive, according to the most recent Historical and Projected Kansas Feedlot Net Returns (HPK) from Kansas State University. Keeping in mind these projections are cash-to-cash and include no price risk management, the HPK projected average net returns for steers at -$214.57/head in June to -$135.31 in August. From there, projected returns through March range from -$20.87 (Jan.) to +$39.52 (Mar.), with four of the seven months in positive territory. Projected feedlot cost of gain (FCOG) for steers ranges from $79.42/cwt. to $82.07, for September through March.

Foundation Fullblood

FEMALES

Its brood matrons like these that have laid the foundation for our herd. These females represent the kind we have in production and what we have for sale at the farm. They have the extra mass and muscle we have been concentrating on since our beginning in 1995.

Calf Prices Could Beat Last Year

Calf prices were on the rise through the end of July, contra-seasonally, as they sought levels more in line with market fundamentals. Although the fall run of calves coming to town will likely pressure prices, depending on your tea leaves and abacus, the case can be made for prices this year being higher than last year—not run-away higher, though. Toward the middle of July, the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) projected calf prices (Southern Plains 500-600 lbs. at $153-$156 for the third quarter and at $158-$162 for the fourth quarter. Feeder steer prices (Southern Plains 700-800 lbs.) were projected at $123-$126 for the third quarter and $132-$137 in the fourth quarter. This year’s corn crop appears to be supportive, with crop progress and condition well ahead of last year and the fiveyear average through the end of July. In that month’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, ERS pegged corn production this year at 15.0 billion bu. and the season-average corn price at $3.35/bu. “Big crops usually get bigger and yields will be no exception. This makes it hard to convince anyone, especially farmer-feeders, that we will have any corn production problems,” said analysts with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, in late July. “Thoughts that the size of the corn crop will overshadow demand has many producers willing to walk a lot of corn to town.”

This outcross fullblood bull shows the caliber of sires we are using on our impressive cow herd. He has some of the highest growth rate figures in the breed and his progeny are outstanding.

Check out our revised and detailed website

www.GOSSLIMOUSIN.com

To Find Pictures and Details of Cattle For Sale at the Ranch.

POUNDS PAY & MUSCLE STILL MATTERS!

Wild Cards Aplenty

There’s plenty of uncertainty, of course, mostly tied to consumer beef demand and how the pandemic and the global economic recession it created unfold from here.

CALL TODAY!

VIDOR, TEXAS 77662 WWW.GOSSLIMOUSIN.COM ANTHONY GOSS 281-794-1339 DAVID GOSS 832-260-5885

continued on page 42 • OCTOBER 2020

41


continued from page 41 “The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have devastating impacts on public health and the economies of the U.S. and many other countries. There is much uncertainty about the future impacts of COVID-19, but even in the best of circumstances, the economic impacts are enormous,” Peel explained in his July 10 market comments. U.S. real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased at an historic annual rate of 32.9% in the second quarter of this year, according to the advance estimate from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Real GDP decreased 5.0% in the first quarter. “Beef supply conditions have stabilized, albeit at higher levels of production year over year in the second half of 2020,” Peel explains. “Beef demand will be critical in determining overall beef prices and, subsequently, cattle prices going forward. Beef demand, as for any product, is generally a function of consumers’ willingness and ability to purchase specific quantities of the product at various prices of the product.” Here at home, the all-fresh Beef Demand Index plunged 24.26% from March to April to 67.23, which was 17.57% less year over year. It rebounded to 75.86 in May, which was 9.96% less year over year. That was with unemployed workers receiving an extra $600 per week in pandemic aid from the federal government. It was a way for the government to not only help sidelined workers, but to encourage social distancing. That benefit ended at the end of July.

“In the first half of the year, the dramatic drop in GDP and increase in unemployment did not correspond directly to similar beef demand impacts because federal stimulus and unemployment benefits partially offset direct negative economic impacts on consumers. Macroeconomic conditions as well as the status of economic support will play a key role in overall beef demand going forward,” Peel says. So, the level and length of added federal aid to the massive number of unemployed U.S. workers will likely influence beef demand. Peel points out U.S. unemployment peaked at 14.7% in April before declining to 11.1 in June. Ironically, extra federal unemployment benefits make it more difficult to ease folks back into the workforce. “To further aid in a gentle transition back toward economic normality, federal economic policy will have to shift from sending families money to maintain social distancing to helping businesses maintain employment,” said Jeffrey Dorfman, professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Georgia. That’s part of a recent publication from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST): Macroeconomic Impacts and Policies in the Face of COVID-19. “Workers were making more from unemployment than from working, particularly in the retail, hospitality, and personal services sectors that are home to so many small businesses,” Dorfman explained. “With the unemployment bonus, not working can pay the equivalent of about $50,000 per year. Few small businesses can compete with that when roughly half of all workers made less than that just a few months ago.”

V Online Sale

November 5, 2020 • Sale Closes at 7 p.m. CST SALE HOSTED BY: www.Limousin365.com SALE CONSULTANT: Grassroots Consulting, 515/229-5227

MC Marketing Management Owner. Kiley McKinna, 402.350.3447 Email. mcmarketingsales@aol.com MCMarketingManagement.com Your Trusted Livestock Brokerage Firm

42

• OCTOBER 2020

Selling 12

Exclusive Red Lots Limousin & Lim-Flex Picks - Genetics - Females Bulls - Semen Rights This offering represents more than 350 years of combined experience and genetic selection pressure in the Limousin seedstock business. These time-tested firms have committed to presenting the breed’s finest red, purebred genetics November 5.


Recent U.S. beef export demand also underscores the negative global impact of COVID-19.

U.S. beef exports in May were a staggering 33% less in May than a year earlier at 79,280 metric tons (mt)—the lowest monthly total in 10 years—according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Value was 34% less than the same time last year at $480.1 million.

The previous month, beef export volume was down 6% from a year earlier.

“As protective measures related to COVID-19 were being implemented, plant disruptions peaked in early May with a corresponding temporary slowdown in exports,” explains USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “Unfortunately, the impact was quite severe, especially on the beef side. Exports also faced some significant economic headwinds, especially in our Western Hemisphere markets, as stay-at-home orders were implemented in key destinations and several trading partners dealt with slumping currencies.”

Beef production played a role in the precipitous decline, but higher prices and economic turmoil wrought by COVID-19 were likely factors, too.

“It is not clear how much of the drop in May beef exports was due to reduced supply and how much was due to reduced demand because of global recession,” Peel says. “Beef production dropped 19.7% in April followed by a 19.9% drop in May. There is little doubt that May

beef exports were curtailed in part simply due to a lack of available product. No doubt, some export orders were simply unable to be filled in May. It is likely, however, that part of the decrease in beef exports was due to macroeconomic weakness in some countries, combined with higher U.S. beef prices. Choice boxed beef prices increased to a monthly average of $263.35/cwt. in April, up from the March level of $228.05/cwt. May Choice boxed beef prices increased to $420.00/ cwt., up 84.2% over the March levels.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Wes Ishmael has been involved with livestock publications since 1983. Wes grew up in Colorado and has always been in and around the livestock business. He now lives in Benbrook, Texas.

KEEP INFORMED

24/7 LIMOUSIN365.COM

HEMI

AHCC 0901E Homo Black • Homo Polled • 50% Lim-Flex S A V Resource 1441 x LVLS 9066U CE: 10 BW: 1.5 WW: 82 YW: 140 MK: 20 SC: 1.4 DC: 17 RE: .99 MB: .07 $MTI: 60 Semen $40—Grassroots Genetics—515.965.1458

Revved

Up!!! Breeders are revved up about the Hemi calves on the ground and the positive reports continue to pour in.

OUR NEWEST PREMIER DONOR

FERRARI

MAGS 1023F Homo Black • Homo Polled • 51% Lim-Flex CJSL Creed 5042C x MAGS Bacall CE: 14 BW: 0.6 WW: 72 YW: 113 MK: 18 SC: 0.5 DC: 11 RE: 0.78 MB: .42 $MTI: 69 We are more excited than ever with females like this in transplant to the top bulls in the industry. We always welcome your call or visit to see what we have available

26525 Hwy. AA Lebanon, MO 65536 TERRY & NANCY GRAVEN 417/594-0257 cell terry@gravenchrysler.com

• OCTOBER 2020

43


M&B LIMOUSIN Capturing Added Value With Limousin

A

by Amanda Radke

market calves to Wulf Cattle and enjoy seeing their genetics perform t M&B Limousin, you’ll find cherry red Limousin females in the feedlot setting in the Wulf program. grazing on the rollings hills near Lee’s Summit, Missouri. “Using Limousin genetics, we have found the calves to be big and Owned by Mike and Betsy Cravens, the operation was established stout, with heavy muscling and gentle attitudes,” said Cravens. “Our in 1990 and consists of 150 spring-calving cows and 150 fallbreed’s huge improvements in docility is a story we need to share with calving cows. more people. I’m really proud of our On the edge of the western plains, breed, but we need to continue to the pastures are mostly fescue and debunk that old reputation of those dry, windy conditions can make “I think Limousin is the wild Limousin of the past.” things challenging, but Mike best breed in the country,” Building the operation while Cravens said his hardy females prove says Mike Cravens, maintaining off-farm jobs was that Limousin genetics can work in owner of M&B Limousin. no easy task, but Betsy and Mike every type of environment. worked together to grow numbers “In 1990, I needed a bull for my while improving the genetics of their commercial cows, and by chance, I cow herd. Retirement from their nine-to-five jobs has allowed them ended up leasing a Limousin,” said Cravens. “I was pleasantly surprised to put their full energy into the business, and they are focused on by the overall growth and performance, and it didn’t take us long to achieving their production goals with selective breeding and a solid transition our crossbred cows to registered Limousin seedstock.” health and nutrition program. Over the years, the Cravens have capitalized on value-added programs. They have previously worked with branded beef programs, continued on page 46 Strauss Free Raised® Veal and Laura’s Lean Beef. At present, they

At M&B Limousin, you’ll find mostly cherry red Limousin females grazing on the rollings hills near Lee’s Summit, MO. Owned by Mike and Betsy Cravens, the operation consists of 150 spring-calving cows and 150 fall-calving cows.

44

• OCTOBER 2020


Bred for Delivering to your bottom line

• OCTOBER 2020

45


“Overall, I think Limousin is the best breed in the country. It’s our hope that we can continue to spread the word and to work with NALF to help cattle buyers and feeders see the value of these red Limousin calves. With excellent docility, hardiness and feed efficiency—we have a great story to tell in the Limousin breed today,” Mike says. continued from page 44

After leasing a Limousin bull for his commercial cows in 1990, Mike was pleasantly surprised by the overall growth and performance of the resulting calves. It didn’t take long to transition the crossbred cows to registered Limousin seedstock.

In 2010, M&B Limousin was recognized for their efforts by winning the North American Limousin Foundation’s Commercial Producer of the Year Award. The Cravens were nominated by the Missouri Limousin Breeders Association and the Heartland Limousin Association and were continued on page 48

CHAMPIONSHIP

We are expanding our herd around championship caliber bulls and females. Our newest herd sire addition represents the quality we are incorporating into our program.

Caliber

Watch for our consignments:

December 5, 2020, Arlington, TX

Gold Buckle

MAYC 624G Grand Champion Bred & Owned Lim-Flex Bull, 2020 National Junior Show Dbl Black • Dbl Polled • 65%LF • MRRC Legal 441E x FWLY Purple Ribbon CE: 10 BW: 1.6 WW: 61 YW: 88 MK: 18 SC: .69 DC: 14 RE: .75 MB: -.02 $MI: 50 Look for him in the Ratliff show string at the American Royal in Kansas City and for future details regarding semen availability.

46

• OCTOBER 2020

4560 FM 999, GARY, TX 75643 email: osborngar@aol.com G.W. AYERS • 903/685-9878 CECIL OSBORN • 903/235-4102 mobile


>

www.grassrootsgenetics.com > New EPDs, New Bulls, New Pictures > Download Updated Catalog > Fall Sale Calendar

MARK AND DEIDRE SMITH

ph/fax: 515-965-1458 • cell: 515-229-5227 GRGenetics@aol.com • OCTOBER 2020

47


BRINGING YOU OUR

BEST

SELLING OCTOBER 10, 2020 AT THE LEBANON, MO

A full brother to the bull that topped the Spring 2020 American Pie Sale. He is an awesome combination of phenotype and performance.

continued from page 46 applauded for their careful record keeping, strict culling program and successful relationships with value-added beef programs. Calving in both the spring and fall has been a win-win for the Cravens, who enjoy both the struggles and rewards of calving in both seasons. The same herd bulls are used for both breeding windows, so they place extra emphasis on making solid herd sire selections that will benefit both their spring- and fall-calving herds. “We have purchased bulls from several places including Pinegar, Wulf and GV Limousin,” said Cravens. “We prefer to use red Limousin bulls that are aged 18-24 months. We enjoy sticking to the red color in our breeding program. To me, Limousin should be red, so that’s what we use.” Looking to the future, the Cravens are hoping to expand their cow herd if they can acquire more grass—an ongoing challenge that many can relate to. “We don’t raise our replacement heifers, but we are always looking to add more females to our herd,” he said. “Overall, I think Limousin is the best breed in the country. It’s our hope that we can continue to spread the word and to work with NALF to help cattle buyers and feeders see the value of these red Limousin calves. With excellent docility, hardiness and feed efficiency—we have a great story to tell in the Limousin breed today.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amanda Radke raises Limousin cattle with her family at NOLZ Limousin in Mitchell, SD. She is also a blogger for BEEF Magazine and the author of ranch-themed children’s books, “Levi’s Lost Calf ” and “Can-Do Cowkids.” Connect with her at www.amandaradke.com.

She is a daughter of our best producing cow family and will make someone a terrific replacement female. She sells bred to MAGS Firestorm.

LYDH GLOBAL POWER 46G (top) 9-13-19 • Homo Polled • Homo Black AHCC Earning Power 900E x AUTO Pia 245X CE: 10 BW: 1.9 WW: 76 YW: 119 MK: 22 SC: 1.25 DC: 15 RE: .76 MB: -.20 $MTI: 50

AUPH GLITTER 06G (bottom) 1-8-19 • Homo Black • Dbl Polled CJSL Data Bank 6124D x TMCK Confetti 254C CE: 11 BW: 1.5 WW: 76 YW: 119 MK: 18 SC: 1.2 DC: 15 RE: .67 MB: -.03 $MTI: 54

M&B Limousin females graze on fescue pastures on the ranch in Missouri.

We are proud of our consignments to this sale. We welcome all inquiries. Nathan, Rebecca, Lydia & Austin Hunt 10049 Highway C Frohna, MO 63748 huntlimi@hotmail.com 573-513-1490 -Nathan’s Cell

48

These individuals represent the quality we producing. You are invited to come see the bulls and females we have available at the farm.

M&B doesn’t raise their own replacement heifers, so they are always looking to add more females to our herd as resources allow.

• OCTOBER 2020


North American Limousin Junior Association

The purpose of NALJA is to develop knowledgeable, motivated beef industry leaders, while promoting the Limousin breed through fellowship, leadership and education. The initial cost of a junior membership is $50. This fee activates the Junior membership for the current year and the following calendar year. After this time, Junior members pay a $50/year activity fee to qualify for active member rates and to show at NALF and NALJA sponsored events.

Friendships

Teamwork

Leadership

www.NALF.org • ALimousinBlog.com • Facebook • Instagram • Snapchat • Mallory Blunier • Mallory@NALF.org • OCTOBER 2020

49


by Peyton Haley

50

• OCTOBER 2020


Chad and his wife Kristi, along with their daughters Reagan, 19, Kennedy, 17, twins Baylee and Brynn, 13, and Bergan, 9, represent the third and fourth generations of the Lonely Valley program.

T

hough he spends his work weeks as an agricultural insurance agent, Chad Settje is no stranger to the Limousin breed. The Nebraska native has graduated from the halter-breaking duties he was given at 16 years old to co-owning and managing Lonely Valley Seedstock, a cow-calf and row crop operation in Creston, Nebraska. Stan Settje and his sons Mike, Mark and Dean established the Lonely Valley program in 1981. Looking for a way to increase the weaning weights of his commercial Angus cattle, Stan purchased two Limousin bulls in 1983. Upon adding females from Wieczorek, Symens Brothers and Dottie Bee Limousin, the Lonely Valley program was off to a solid start. “As I grew up, I was involved with the bull sales, and after college, I got more involved in the marketing side of things, working alongside

my uncle Dean.” Chad Settje said. “When he decided to focus on his own agricultural engineering company a few years ago, it was a natural step for me to take the reins.” Chad’s father Mike and his uncle Mark are still major contributors to the Lonely Valley operation. Stan is now 85 years old, but still enjoys feeding bulls, Chad Settje said. A true family affair, Chad’s younger brother Alex, cousin Reed, and brother-in-law Kyle Dlouhy have come back to the farm and are involved in day-to-day operations. Originally, Stan, Dean, Mark and Mike each owned a set of cows. Stan and Dean ran their herds together and Mark and Mike did the same, though all cattle fell under the Lonely Valley umbrella. continued on page 52

The Settje’s have taken at least one pen of bulls to the National Western Stock show every year since 1994. • OCTOBER 2020

51


The Lonely Valley operation focuses on performance and thickness while working to provide reliable genetics to commercial producers and quality bred replacement females to their fellow seedstock producers.

continued from page 51

seen a decrease in registrations, and it’s important to remember that commercial acceptance of the Limousin breed is an important aspect “They bred purebred Limousin bulls to the commercial cows they to breed growth.” had to develop a herd of Lim-Flex females,” Chad recalled. “Rather The 30th Annual Keepin’ Kind Bull Sale is coming up this than going out to buy the registered purebred stock at the beginning, February, which will mark 38 years of the Settje’s involvement in they took the time to grow their registered herds year by year.” the Limousin breed. Nearly 40 years later, those original cowherds have grown into a As for the females, the Settjes raise and market 60-70 bred nearly 600-head set of registered cows including Limousin, Lim-Flex replacement heifers, many of which are consigned to various Limousin and Angus genetics. sales and marketed in Lonley Valley While many things have online sales throughout the year. changed at Lonely Valley over the Chad followed in Dean’s “We focus on performance and thickness... years, the Settje’s commitment footsteps serving as a member of we want to provide reliable genetics to the to both quality and customer the North American Limousin commercial producer,” Chad Settje said. satisfaction has remained Foundation board of directors steadfast. In 2020, 90% of bulls including a term as president, and sold were to repeat customers. says Limousin genetics will always The primary goal of the Lonely Valley program is to develop and have a place in the Lonely Valley pastures. sell functional Limousin bulls to the commercial cow/calf industry. “When you grow up surrounded by something you’re passionate “We focus on performance and thickness...we want to provide about, it stays in your blood. That’s what the Limousin breed has been reliable genetics to the commercial producer,” Chad Settje said. for me,” Chad stated. “The cattle are as good as any out there, and the “Back in the ‘90s, the breed was growing steadily. As a breed, we’ve people involved in the breed set it apart.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Peyton Haley, from Perry, Oklahoma, graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2019 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural communications at OSU. She grew up in the Limousin breed and served as the Oklahoma Junior Limousin Association President.

Stan Settje and his sons established the Lonely Valley program in 1981. Limousin bulls were purchased to use on commerical Angus in 1983 with registered Limousin females being added to the operation soon after.

52

• OCTOBER 2020


DEC OKLAHOMA SELECT 5

2020

39th Annual

Bull & Female Sale

ATOKA LIVESTOCK AUCTION ATOKA, OK • 1 P.M. Located at 800 East B Street, just east of Hwy. 69-75 in Atoka.

SELLING…

Seedstock & Service…

70 BREEDING-AGE BULLS 40 FEMALES (PAIRS & BREDS)

Be with us at 11 a.m. to hear Mark Anderson, NALF Executive Director, discuss modern technology and its application to the use of Limousin genetics.

LIMOUSIN & LIM-FLEX MOSTLY BLACK, POLLED • MANY HOMOZYGOUS Complete performance data available in catalog on all bulls. BW, WW, YW and EPDs for 13 economically important traits. All bulls are fertility tested and trich tested. Many bulls will have ultrasound carcass data.

SPECIAL FEATURE

“SUPER BULL AWARD” All bulls are eligible to be judged in the pens the day before the sale for the outstanding bull. A belt buckle will be awarded to the “Super Bull” consignor.

SALE MANAGEMENT… KEN HOLLOWAY • 580/597-2419 580/581-7652 mobile 24018 State Hwy. 5 Chattanooga, OK 73528 Office: 580/597-3006 Fax: 580/597-6619 acs@americancattleservices.com www.americancattleservices.com SALE-DAY PHONE … KEN HOLLOWAY (580) 581-7652 AUCTIONEER … BRUCE BROOKS (580) 695-2036 VIEW CATALOG ONLINE … www.americancattleservices.com

• OCTOBER 2020

53


O

stertagia ostertagi is the most common and economically important parasite in cattle. Also known as the brown stomach worm, it is estimated to cost the U.S. cattle industry $2 billion peryear due to lost productivity and increased operating expenses. “On beef and dairy operations, we’re not seeing the traditional signs of worms, such as skinny animals with rough hair coats, anymore,” said Stephen Foulke, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim. “Instead, internal parasite infections manifest as poor productivity, including reduced feed intakes, slower growth rates, delayed breeding, decreased milk production and depressed immune responses.” Studies show that a brown stomach worm infection can reduce weight gain by up to 20 pounds, whereas milk production can see a decrease between two and five pounds per day.

How do herds become infected?

Unlike other stomach worms, the brown stomach worm has the unique ability to penetrate the lining of the abomasum and become dormant, so it can survive during weather that’s too cold or too hot. When conditions improve, the larvae can emerge all at once, causing severe inflammation and irritation, reduced feed intake and sometimes even death. Dr. Foulke breaks down the basic life cycle: • Adult parasites lay eggs in the gastrointestinal tract of cattle. • Eggs are expelled from the cattle through feces. • Eggs hatch and develop into infected larvae. • The infected larvae crawl onto the grass that cattle graze on. • Larvae are ingested by cattle.

54

• OCTOBER 2020


Producers are encouraged to pay special attention to parasite control Stocking density and weather conditions can influence the in replacement heifers, as they have significant nutrient demands likelihood of this cycle continuing, and consequently the number of parasites present at any given time. on their bodies during the growing stages. Adding parasites to that equation can slow time to mature weight and conception, which gets “Parasites place themselves in the best position to be ingested by cattle,” explained Dr. Foulke. “They try to stay at the top of them into the milking string late, and ultimately decreases lifetime milk production. the grass blades during the day, and migrate back down to ground level overnight.” Studies have found that the climate at the Managing the Brown Stomach Worm base of the grass is very favorable for larval “Producers often ask about the best “Parasites place themselves survival and can harbor large numbers of deworming protocol, but unfortunately, parasite larvae. Some larvae migrated as far in the best position to that answer is different for every farm,” as 15 cm down into the soil, and were able said Dr. Foulke. “The way you’re going to be ingested by cattle,” to return to the surface for ingestion. deworm a dairy herd in the Northeast is explained Dr. Foulke. Rainfall and other adverse weather going to be very different than deworming conditions allow larvae to be more easily a stocker operation in Florida.” transported away from the fecal matter. In To minimize the impact these parasites fact, a minimal amount of water can transport larvae up to 35 inches can leave on herd performance and profitability, Dr. Foulke advises away from their original location. both beef and dairy producers to work with their veterinarian to To best protect your herd from parasites, Dr. Foulke encourages perform routine fecal tests on their cattle, and implement management producers to look for a weatherproof dewormer. A local veterinarian protocols accordingly. can help you determine the parasite load in your animals and on your pasture throughout the year, as well as adapt control methods to Source: Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. manage parasites in all weather conditions.

PHENOTYPE &PERFORMANCE Genius powered his way to the top of the sale report at Wulf’s Opportunity Sale of 2020. Highly coveted on sale day, he brings a unique pedigree to the table and combines it with a balanced set of EPDs. Structurally sound and stout all the way to the ground, he is the perfect balance of phenotype and performance. Consider using Genius in your herd today.

Wulfs

GENIUS 5293G

3/18/19 Homo B • Homo P • Purebred S: Wulfs Cobra 2662C D: Wulfs Charisma 5293C CE: 9 BW: 0.6 WW: 76 YW: 112 MK: 30 CM: 5 SC: 1.0 DC: 15 YG: -0.76 RE: 1.3 MB: -0.34 $MTI: 47 Owned with Wulf Cattle Contact owners or Grassroots Genetics for semen.

Ben Petre (740) 408-2433 Caleb Miller (614) 218-2043 13315 Church St., Mt. Perry, OH 43760

Your call or visit is welcome anytime. • OCTOBER 2020

55


Cover Crops Help Expand Cattle Operation W

ith three sons who might one day take over the family farm, Todd and Michelle Andresen are advancing plans to expand their beef operation without buying more land. The Andresens run about 1,500 acres of grain, grow about 300 acres of hay and raise 110 cow-calf pairs on about 400 acres of pasture north of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Expanding last season’s cover crop trial would add pastureland, extend the grazing season, cut feed costs and—once established—help to alleviate the excess spring moisture that often delays planting. The initial trial started with a 27-acre wheat field. On the cover crops planted into the post-harvest wheat stubble, the Andresens grazed cattle for 10 days in November. Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service reduced the risk of trying a cover crop. Clean Water Funds from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources covered part of the fencing costs. Becker Soil & Water Conservation District and NRCS staff offered technical assistance. “We want to grow that end of our operation, and I think [how we’re going to do it] has got a lot to do with these programs,” Todd says. “We can grow our livestock end without a lot of capital expense. We don’t need to purchase more land or rent more land. We can utilize the land we have now with cover crops—full-season

56

cover crops or cover crops after we harvest our wheat or corn—and just grow internally.” That might mean expanding to 150 or 200 cows—maybe more depending upon what their oldest son decides to do after he graduates from high school this year. Michelle’s primary responsibilities center on the cattle. She also helps with fieldwork. Each son owns a few cattle.

Rotational Grazing Begins

In August 2019, the cattle grazed on land previously enrolled in USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program. The Andresens bought the CRP land about six years ago, intending to use it for pasture. “I knew nothing about rotational grazing,” Todd says. “We’d never done it. So, we started with 152 acres, fenced the whole thing, made it into six paddocks, put in 7,000 feet of waterline and six water tanks.”

EQIP Assistance Provided A Rotational Grazing Payment

Once the property was fenced and water was installed, the paddocks opened to rotational grazing about four years ago. The grazing contract with NRCS expired in 2019. The Andresens are continuing the practice on their own. “We see the huge benefit in what’s going on there,” Todd says. “The best benefit is we can have more animals per acre than we could in the

• OCTOBER 2020


past. We are utilizing our grass in a timely fashion and keeping our heights of grass to a manageable re-growth state.” The cattle also graze on rented acres and on nearby U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service land. Through an NRCS delayed haying program, the Andresens converted 25 acres of marginal cropland to pasture. Planted with native grasses, it can be grazed after August 1. This season’s cover crop plans extend to 300 acres of wheat, which will be seeded with no-till cover crops after harvest, and then planted with no-till corn in 2021. That EQIP application to expand cover crop and no-till practices has been submitted. Todd also plans to expand an on-farm experiment with planting 60-inch-row corn. Last year, he planted four acres of 60-inch rows to evaluate cover crop seeding and yield. “It’s a challenge with 30-inch-row corn to get cover crops established,” he says. He read about 60-inch rows online and thought he’d give it a try, anticipating that his cattle would be able to graze cornstalks in the fall and cover crops, too.

Evaluating Trial Success

After he did the math, Todd deemed the cover crop and the 60-inch corn trials a success, even though both had challenges. A late wheat harvest delayed planting the cover crop and the 60-inch-corn fared somewhat worse than the 30-inch-rows in a windstorm that flattened a field and took out a barn. Although the season was shorter than anticipated, Todd says that grazing the cattle on the cover crop for 10 days saved $2,000 in feed costs. An earlier cover crop planting and later snow could extend grazing to 30 or 40 days. Although the test-plot wide-row corn yield was about 8 bushels per acre less, Todd figured the value of a cover crop interseeded in the more widely spaced corn rows would more than compensate. Continuing each year with the fields planted to wheat, the Andresens plan to slowly expand cover crops and no-till practices. “Every person says start slow. I would love to jump in with two feet, sell my tillage equipment and get to no-tilling. I don’t believe that’s a continued on page 58

HONORING COMMERCIAL PRODUCERS The Heartland Limousin Association welcomes all Limousin enthusiasts. HLA is passionate about the growth of the breed and connecting seedstock producers with commercial cattlemen.

Application for Membership

Who can join? Any reputable supporter of Limousin cattle is welcome as long as you fill out the application form and send $50 membership dues each year.

Name Address Phone

City/State/Zip e-mail

The undersigned herein applies for membership in the HLA with all rights and privileges outlined in the HLA constitution and bylaws.

Signature

Make check payable to the HLA and return this membership form and $50 payment to: Dean Summerbell, HLA, 619 139th Ln. NW, Andover, MN 55304

• OCTOBER 2020

Dean Summerbell, HLA Executive Secretary 619 139th Ln. NW, Andover, MN 55304 bjsummerbell@gmail.com

(612) 963-3799

57


continued from page 57 very smart move on my part at this point. There’s a lot of things that have to cash flow to make this operation sustainable,” Todd says. “So, we’ll start slow. As we see things working, we’ll continue to grow.” Todd bought a no-till drill this spring. He had to travel to Iowa to find one and plans to make it available for neighbors to rent. “We’re excited about switching and doing things differently,” he says. “This investment was a big investment. This put me in the forefront of ‘We’re going to do this.’” NRCS district conservationist Ed Musielewicz says farmers like the Andresens are the key to making practices such as cover crops and notill widely accepted. “Finding that one person [who] is willing to take some sort of a jump in doing it really helps locally in getting practices implemented across the landscape,” Musielewicz says. Across the farm as a whole, the Andresens’ biggest challenge has been excessive spring moisture, which delays planting. “That’s why tillage has been such a big part of our operation, because it dries out our soil and helps us get out there in the spring,” Todd says. “My goal is to have cover crops growing to help dry the soil out in the spring and get in there in a timely fashion.” The farm’s big-picture goals involve growing soil health, eliminating erosion and controlling water. “If we really look back at rotational cropping systems and livestock systems that were here 60 years ago when every mile had a farm on it, that’s what they were naturally doing is growing cover crops and grazing. I want to get back a little bit more to having healthier soil,” Todd says. “We could maybe have better water infiltration systems that would help these soils and try to grow soils, instead of taking away from them all the time.”

Delayed Corn Harvest Produces New Mindset

When a terribly wet harvest season made it impossible for Todd and Michelle Andresen to finish combining 200 acres of their 600-acre corn crop in 2019, it forced another fundamental shift in thinking. “We always get our corn combined in the fall, and we always get our ground worked,” Todd said in late March. “At whatever cost.” That meant harvest continued, no matter the labor cost, fuel cost or drying cost. “We just didn’t get it done this year,” he said. “That’s very stressful. You feel like almost a failure.” This season, he finished combining in late March. “It went wonderful,” Todd said. The corn was drier, which saved drying costs. The test weight was better. This spring, the Andresens were considering no-till planting into the corn stalks. “That’s a huge lesson,” he said. “We can do this different. We’ll have to deal with stalks, but we’ve already saved so much money.” Even if the yield dropped from 40 to 35 bushels per acre, he estimated they would come out ahead because of savings in propane, time in the tractor and wear-and-tear on equipment. Fall harvest remains a goal. But the Andresens’ outlook has changed. “That’s a major lesson. It doesn’t have to be at all costs,” Todd said.”

58

• OCTOBER 2020


Join The Crowd

Become part of the Limousin365 online community.

NORTHERN TERRITORY WIll Bollum 507.244.0833 will@Limousin365.com

OFFICE—405.260.3775 • OCTOBER 2020

SOUTHERN TERRITORY DeRon Heldermon 405.850.5102 DeRon@Limousin365.com

59


U

nder the hood of a pickup lies an assembly of metal, its details often forgotten – until the motor breaks down. All that’s left is a vehicle that can no longer do its job. Mineral nutrition in cattle is kind of like that. Hidden beneath the hide, minerals act behind the scenes to maintain general function. When cattle can’t access all the minerals they need reproduction rates drop, tissue growth diminishes and illness sets in. That’s why mineral supplementation underpins any cattle operation.

Breaking It Down

“Every biological process in cattle involves minerals,” Stephanie Hansen said at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association “Minerals 101” webinar in July. Everything. Of course that includes health, feed efficiency and reproduction.

60

Less obvious? “Things like marbling, ribeye area development and muscle fiber type,” the Iowa State University feedlot nutritionist explained. Topping off the minerals helps all functions, but quality beef starts with the cow. “The dam’s nutrition program can have huge effects on carcass quality or heifer reproduction in the future,” said Jeff Heldt, beef technical services manager at Micronutrients, in a later interview. “The healthier the cow when bred, the higher chance her calf will realize its potential.” That only gets more important in the following months. “In the last third of gestation, that fetal liver is accumulating trace minerals that meet its basic mineral needs for the first three to six months of age,” Hansen said. “Beef-cow milk is low in trace minerals, so newborns have to pull from nutrients stored in their liver.”

• OCTOBER 2020


For the weaned calves on wheat or those placed in finishing yards, mineral nutrition helps ensure they never have a bad day. Weaning, shipping and changes in environment are critical times, Hansen said. Calves in transit lose less and rebound faster if they’ve had adequate trace minerals.

Avoiding Roadblocks

Sounds easy enough, but how can you tell if it’s all on track? “Measuring success or failure in mineral nutrition is often very challenging,” Heldt said. “Add protein to the ration and you’ll see an increase of gain, but you feed a hundred milligrams a day of copper, and there’s no obvious response or physical observation.” Planned programs can help. Knowing the amounts of mineral types in feedstuffs, requirements for cattle and absorption rates ensures cost effectiveness, Hansen said. All forages contain minerals, but content varies much by species, maturity, soils and climate. “If you’re thinking about developing your own supplementation program—a great way to be cost effective—testing your own forages can be really important,” she said. To get the full picture, test water sources for antagonists like sulfur or iron that disrupt mineral absorption in the rumen. “Half of the mineral in forage is actually available to the animal,” Hansen said, noting digestibility, maturity and antagonists. “Find a baseline,” Heldt suggested. Knowing average mineral content in forages and any antagonists present opens the gate to cost-effective supplementation.

Staying On Course

It can be hard to invest in something without obvious or immediate results. The need for minerals is plain enough, but figuring out what and how much to supplement seasonally? Not so much, Heldt said. It’s an added cost that takes time to distribute and monitor. That’s why convenience comes first in creating a plan to follow. “You can design a pretty in-depth, extensive mineral program and easily overcomplicate it,” he said, advising to keep it easy and simple “to make sure it gets done.” Worrying about the cost-benefit ratio can get in the way, too. You’re more likely to stick to a program if you know the importance of minerals at every level, even basic grazing, where they can improve fiber digestion. “Forage – pasture grass, hay, wheat – is the core feed base for any ranch, and the mineral source can positively affect fiber digestion, setting cattle up for future success,” Heldt said. Mineral supplementation requires a time and monetary commitment, but it’s worth it to keep what’s under the hide running smoothly.

Power & Progress Power and progress have been central to our vision since the inception of our program. We relentlessly focus on gathering and propagating the most elite genetics this breed has to offer. Study these powerful genetics and determine how they best fit into your program.

1/18/18 HP • HB • 51% LF CJSL Creed 5042C x MAGS Bacall CE: 14 BW: 0.8 WW: 73 YW: 116 MK: 19 CM: 8 SC: 0.50 DC: 11 YG: -0.19 RE: 0.80 MB: 0.50 $MI: 72 MAGS Fairy Dust, the top-selling lot at the 2020 Magness Mile High Elite Sale, quickly found her way into our donor program. Not only is she tremendously well balanced and powerful in her phenotype, she ranks in the top 20% or better for CE, WW, YW, CM, MB, and $MI.

Watch for select genetic opportunities at the Night On The Town Sale in Arlington, TX.

HP • HB • 81% CE: 11 BW: 1.8 WW: 75 YW: 122 MK: 19 CM: 6 SC: 2.1 DC: 20 YG: -0.45 RE: 1.01 MB: -0.02 $MI: 56 AHCC Earning Power 900E shows you can have big numbered, high percentage Limousin that incorporate advanced marbling, strong growth and outstanding phenotype. If you are looking for a bull that will work on your purebred cows that need carcass, or add Limousin power to lower percentage Lim-Flex cows, Earning Power is the ticket. Owned with Magness Land & Cattle and Hager Cattle Co. Semen $40 through Grassroots Genetics, 515.965.1458

BUFF BEEF RANCH MIKE SMITH & MICHELLE McENTIRE 76412 Palmer Junction Rd., Elgin, OR 97827 (801) 949-4408 or (541) 805-1007 • sales@buffbeef.com

www.buffbeef.com • OCTOBER 2020

61


Weigh, Test And Sample

Before You Buy Three hay-buying tips. by Linda Geist University of Missouri Extension

W

eigh, test and sample hay before buying or selling, says University of Missouri (MU) Extension Livestock Specialist Eldon Cole.

Beef producers rely on good-quality hay to boost profits.

“Unfortunately, our hay production is not always the greatest quality,” Cole says. “The category we excel in is ‘other grass hay’— specifically, cool-season grass or mostly fescue. Missouri growers often harvest hay past its peak. As far as high-quality hay, such as alfalfa, we end up around 20th place most of the time.” On top of that, Missouri ranked second in the nation in 2019 carryover stock which may have been stored poorly. Cattle producers in most states face uncertainty in buying hay because there are no uniform standards. Cole says his search for fescue hay prices in various farm magazines turned up empty. “The closest I found was fair-quality mixed-grass hay at $40 to $50 per large round, or $20 to $40 per 4-by-5 round bale. Those reports were from the Missouri Weekly Hay Report.” There is a grading system for alfalfa that helps buyers make better decisions. A recent report from Kansas showed that buyers were paying $1 per relative feed value (RFV) point in alfalfa hay. For example, buyers paid $142 per ton for alfalfa with an RFV score of 142.

When buying hay, Cole says you should check three things:

1. Weigh a few bales on a scale. Not all big round bales weigh 1,000 pounds (lb.). Most weigh less than that, so you could be paying more per bale than you should. Bale size and density matter. 2. Core-sample 10-15 bales. Send samples to a lab for analysis of moisture, fiber, energy and protein. The test will show the RFQ (relative forage quality) and help with ration balancing. Knowing these numbers will help you arrive at a fair price. Cost is about $25. 3. Look for hay that has been stored properly. Buy hay that has been stored in a barn as a first choice and hay that has been wrapped as a second. Whatever you choose, store hay you buy in a covered location. Locate your feeding area in a well-drained open area with easy access for feeding to reduce waste. “The greatest expense cattle producers face each year is forage cost, whether it’s pasture, hay or haylage,” Cole says. “Use a sharp pencil to evaluate whether to raise your own hay or to buy it.”

Inventory hay pastures and stockpiles now.

MU Extension Beef Nutritionist Eric Bailey says now is a good time to inventory pastures and hay stockpiles to determine how much hay you need for winter feeding. Keep enough bales on hand to create a balanced ration to your herd’s nutritional needs.

SUBSCRIPTION FORM U.S. ___ $30 (1 year)

PAYMENT (in U.S. funds)

___ $40 (2 year) ___ $52 (3 year)

___ Check

INTERNATIONAL

___ Visa

___ $40 (1 year, Canada) ___ $50 (1 year, Surface Mail) ___ $100 (1 year, Air Mail)

___ MC ___ DISC

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE www.limousin365.com SUBSCRIBE BY PHONE 405.260.3775 SUBSCRIBE BY MAIL L365 Magazine 2005 Ruhl Drive, Guthrie, OK 73044

62

BILLING INFORMATION

RECIPIENT INFORMATION ___ Mail to Billing Address

_____________________________________________________________________ NAME

_____________________________________________________________________ NAME

_____________________________________________________________________ BILLING ADDRESS

_____________________________________________________________________ MAILING ADDRESS

_____________________________________________________________________ CITY STATE/REGION ZIP/POSTAL CODE

_____________________________________________________________________ CITY STATE/REGION ZIP/POSTAL CODE

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CARD NUMBER EXPIRATION CVV CODE _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SIGNATURE PHONE NUMBER

• OCTOBER 2020


Consider the size of the cow, her lactation status and forage quality to calculate your per-cow daily hay needs. “Allow yourself flexibility,” Bailey says. “If you plan on feeding for 90 days, plan for 120 days.”

Cheap feed may not be cheap in long run.

Not all bales are created equal, Bailey says. Weights and nutritive values vary. The lower the nutritive quality, the more supplementation will be needed and this adds to winter feed costs. “Overestimating bale density is a common mistake,” he says. “Assume your bale weight is 10% less than indicated.”

He uses guidelines offered by Kansas State Extension Agronomist Keith Martin. Most round bales will contain 9-12 lb. of dry matter (DM) per cubic foot (cu. ft.). Loose, spongy bales will likely have a density of 9 lb. DM per cu. ft. or less. Bales that deform slightly when pressed or spiked will likely have 10 lb. DM or less. Rigid bales that deform when pressed hard will likely have 11 lb. DM per cu. ft. Bales that only deform under the tractor’s weight will likely have 12 lb. DM per cu. ft. Feed costs account for 60% of a beef cow enterprise. Knowing the quantity and quality of hay you buy or grow directly affects the bottom line, says Bailey.

Family Focused

_____________________________

We are proud to be building our family and our strong Limousin herd simultaneously. We have been fortunate enough to acquire genetics from the nation’s most elite operations. With the constant goal of raising winning show heifers and herd sire prospects, we are proud of the results we are getting. Elite show heifer prospects available private treaty by AHCC Barn Burner, MAGS Aviator and CELL 20/20.

________________________________________________________________________________________ PJ, Meghan, Harper & Henley Torgerson 41146 221st St. - Artesian, SD 57314 - (605) 350-7488 - pjtfarms@gmail.com Kaylee White, Woonsocket, SD • OCTOBER 2020

We welcome your interest in our program. Call or visit today.

63


NCBA LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP

T

Ranchers Praise Decision To Help Alleviate Wildfires

he National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC), released the following statement in response to the U.S. District Court for Western Virginia denying a preliminary injunction that would have blocked Trump Administration’s revisions to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) from becoming effective law. “These improvements create a better, faster NEPA process, that will help protect America’s natural resources. In a time where millions of acres have already burned due to delayed or canceled treatments bogged down as a result of inefficient NEPA processes, there is no time left to waste. That fact was recognized by federal courts, who ruled that these NEPA revisions will move forward. Ranchers will now be able to move faster in making range improvements that can prevent and reduce the impacts of wildfires,” said NCBA Executive Director of Natural Resources and PLC Executive Director, Kaitlynn Glover. “Let me be clear to anyone looking to bring any further lawsuits to delay this critical NEPA rulemaking; NCBA and PLC will continue to fight for ranchers whose grazing practices mitigate wildfire and ensure the health and safety of thousands of communities across the West.”

Livestock and Sportsmen Groups Enter Historic Conservation Partnership

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding

64

(MOU) with Ducks Unlimited (DU) and Safari Club International (SCI) to outline the groups’ shared commitment to conservation of natural resources through sustainable multiple use. The MOU outlines these groups’ efforts to cultivate healthier ecosystems, wildlife populations and economies through active management. Hunting, fishing and livestock grazing are all key components of successful, comprehensive management plans for our nation’s public lands and resources. The MOU highlights decades of successful voluntary conservation programs and formalizes a partnership to allow these groups to coordinate multi-sector projects in the future. Cattle and beef producers, hunters and conservationists often engage in conservation partnerships that maintain open space, honor the cultural and historical value of landscapes, and empower local communities and rural economies. Signatories of the MOU are proud of the meaningful conservation achieved and reaffirmed their commitment to voluntary conservation. “One thing cattle producers and the sportsmen communities have in common is a shared commitment to being good stewards of the land. Combining efforts under this memorandum, will boost conservation efforts and management of wildlife habitat,” said NCBA President Marty Smith. “We want to thank everyone who has made this partnership possible.” “This MOU is a great step in putting the hard work from longstanding partnerships on paper,” said PLC President Bob Skinner. “Ranchers are true conservationists, and I am proud to partner with groups whose members also work to protect open spaces and manage our country’s natural resources for a better future.” “As sportsmen and cattle producers both know, land that is used, is land that is loved,” said SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin. “We are committed to prioritizing partnerships that help deliver results for conservation and cementing that with the signing of this MOU. SCI and its members look forward to working together in the future to ensure sportsmen, cattle producers and the American public can enjoy these lands for generations to come.” “DU members and ranching families alike know protecting wildlife habitat and working lands go hand in hand,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam. “The signing of this agreement solidifies the

• OCTOBER 2020


strong bond between sportsmen and ranchers. America’s farmers and ranchers both feed the world and host a wide range of wildlife on their working lands, and have done so for generations. Together, we are ensuring our natural resources and our food security are provided for.”

NCBA Commends Transportation Dept. & FMCSA For Extension of HOS Exemption

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (DOTFMCSA) announcement of a 30 day extension to the Hours of Service (HOS) exemption for livestock and feed haulers: “Livestock haulers are crucial to keeping beef moving through the supply chain and on to grocery store shelves. We thank DOT and FMCSA for extending this exemption and giving crucial relief to critical infrastructure,” said NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs, Allison Rivera. “While this is a win for the cattle industry, more still needs to be done. NCBA will continue to work with Congress and the Trump Administration, to find a permanent fix for Hour of Service regulations.

“I know firsthand how important it is for dietary guidance to be practical, flexible, and clear,” Twisselman said in a public online hearing. “Two years ago, I began my journey to better health. I’ve lost more than 125 pounds through small life changes, regular exercise and a healthy diet. I’ve also built a successful weight loss and life coaching business to empower others to do the same.” Twisselman urged federal officials to build on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s (DGAC’s) recommendation to include lean meat in a healthy diet by clearly identifying beef as a lean meat option and highlighting ways to achieve that recommendation by naming specific lean meat cuts like sirloin or 95% lean ground beef. She also called on officials to highlight beef as a common, readily available source for essential nutrients like iron, zinc and B-vitamins. “Lean beef is a versatile, affordable, nutrient-dense, and delicious protein source for a healthy and balanced diet. From my herd to yours, thank you for guiding Americans toward healthier diets with beef,” Twisselman concluded. Over the past two years, NCBA has worked closely with the DGAC, USDA, and HHS to keep new dietary guidelines focused on sound science and nutrition, and as a result, the final draft guidelines recognize beef ’s role in a healthy diet, including the essential role of beef ’s nutrients at every life stage. NCBA has provided extensive written and oral commentary through both the Center for Public Policy and the Beef Checkoff. NCBA, on behalf of the Beef Checkoff, submitted 21 sets of unique comments, providing over 100 research studies that comprehensively review the scientific evidence supporting the critical role beef plays in a healthy diet.

Rancher Loses 125 Pounds, Thanks In Part to Healthy, Nutritious, Lean Beef Sixth-generation California rancher Kiah Twisselman told officials with the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) about her first-hand experience with the benefits of beef in her diet and urged them to do more to encourage beef as part of a healthy diet as they finalize new federal dietary guidelines. Twisselman testified on behalf of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the nation’s oldest and largest national organization representing America’s cattle producers.

Female Sale

October 31, 2020

Saturday @ 1pm • New Bonneville County Fair Grounds 1542 E 73rd South, Idaho Falls, ID and at

All Registered Females will have genomic enhanced EPDs Pictures & videos will be on our websites 10 days prior to the sale.

Selling:

Registered Open Heifer Calves • Registered Bred Heifers Registered Bred Cows • Registered Lim-Flex Females

Other Featured Sires Include:

Sale brought to you by snake river valley genetics

Sitz Tucker, Sitz Resilient, Sitz Steller, Musgrave Exclusive, Musgrave Crackerjack, Connealy King Air, Connealy Legendary, AHCC Earning Power, LVLS Bank Account, CJSL Dauntless, TNGC Empire

Chet & Phyllis Adams 208.313.5844 cheetadams53@gmail.com

• OCTOBER 2020

Arnold & Teresa Callison 208.681.8441 rimrockangus@live.com

Wade & Vicki Beckman 208.313.0235 beckmanlivestock@gmail.com

65


Factors Affecting Bull Fertility by Ryon Walker, Ph.D. Livestock Consultant

S

ignificant emphasis has been placed on the importance of fertility in the female, whether in the cow or a developing heifer. When we address fertility in one female, we are affecting one offspring. When we address fertility in one male, we could be affecting up to approximately 35 offspring in a single year. Is this oversight on bull fertility because bulls are overlooked until it is time to turn them out for the breeding season? We know that reproductive failures can occur in any cow-calf operation and can be costly. Let’s take the bull out of that negative equation and take a look at the top 6 factors I believe affect bull fertility.

2. Physical Characteristics

You can identify subfertile bulls with the help of a breeding soundness exam (BSE). A BSE consists of a scrotal circumference measurement (indicator of puberty and serving capacity), physical evaluation (indicator of mating ability) and a semen exam (assessment of motility and morphology). A BSE should be conducted at 30 to 60 days prior to the first day of the breeding season to allow time for a re-test of a bull that was questionable in passing (classification deferred) or a replacement if he does not pass a BSE (unsatisfactory breeder). A study conducted at

1. Disease

A good herd health program is invaluable, especially for the bulls. A health program in bulls reduces or eliminates the risk of transmitting diseases that can cause reproductive failure in females at different stages of pregnancy. Conditions such as Leptospirosis, Vibriosis, Trichomoniasis, Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD), IBRInfectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (Red Nose) and internal parasites can all contribute directly or indirectly to reproductive failure in the female. Diseases such as Lepto and Vibrio (bacterial diseases) and Trich (protozoal disease) cause abortion within the first three months (Lepto and Trich) or during mid-gestation (Vibrio) after infection and is transmitted directly between animals. These diseases can be vaccinated and managed for.

66

• OCTOBER 2020


Kansas State University reported that pregnancy rates were reduced more than 6% in cows serviced by bulls without a BSE conducted compared to bulls that passed a BSE prior to the breeding season. It is reported that 1 out of 5 bulls are subfertile across a random population, therefore a BSE conducted by your veterinarian is a cheap investment.

3. Nutrition

Nutrition can play a big role in the health of a bull prior to the breeding season. In young developing bulls, proper development is critical to ensure the bull is ready for the breeding season and producing high quality sperm. Under-development of bulls can delay puberty and potentially impair semen quality. Over-development of bulls with a high energy ration can create problems, such as excessive fat in the scrotum (increased heat stress), decrease semen production and quality, and risk of digestive issues and lameness. Bulls (young or mature) should go into the breeding season in a body condition score of 6 ± 0.5 (no skeletal structure or ribs visible with signs of some fat cover). Bulls should go into the breeding season wearing their Sunday best and come out wearing working clothes and should be evaluated at the end of each breeding season for soundness and body condition.

4. Bull-To-Cow Ratio

Improper bull-to-cow ratio in a breeding pasture can result in lower pregnancy rates or too much bull power during the breeding season. Multiple factors can affect the success of proper bull-to cowratios, such as terrain, time of year, the desire of a bull to mate (libido), mating ability, semen quality, condition of the bull going into the breeding season and bull age. Because of these factors, a range is generally used based on each producer’s breeding program. I am comfortable with ranges from 1 bull to 10 cows up to 1 bull to 40 cows. Mature bulls (4 years of age and older) can service 30 to 40 cows comfortably as long as all of the other factors are favorable. However, younger bulls have a lower serving capacity, thus cannot service the same number of cows. A good rule of thumb to use on younger bulls is 1 bull to his age in months. For example, a 17-month-old bull should only be expected to service at most 17 cows during his first breeding season. There is a misconception that cows synchronized for natural service will need a lower bull-tocow ratio because of the increased number of cows in heat during a shorter window at the beginning of the breeding season, compared

to unsynchronized cows. Based on research in 2008, the bull-to-cow ratio can be the same as unsynchronized cows up to 30 cows.

5. Inattention To Bull Behavior

Not paying attention to bull behavior during the breeding season can sometimes result in a fertility train wreck, especially in single sire pastures. Problems with the bull during the breeding season are oftentimes not detected until after the breeding season or pregnancy diagnosis at weaning, and by then it’s too late. Observations leading to diagnosis of problems affecting fertility include lameness or illness. These problems negatively impact a bull’s mating ability cause physical or internal damage to the testes, which could negatively impact semen quality and serving capacity (the ability to service several cows in a short period of time) and affect how aggressive bulls are at servicing cows (libido). Libido is a measureable trait that is positively correlated to pregnancy rate and can be observed when multiple cows are in heat at the same time. We should spend more time monitoring and observing our bulls for physical and behavioral issues throughout the breeding season and make sure he is getting the job done.

6. Heat Stress

Exposure of bulls to increased ambient temperatures with insufficient heat loss (or evaporative cooling) can potentially reduce fertility due to heat stress. Testicular temperature of bulls must consistently be 2 to 6 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than the body temperature, and relative humidity can affect a bull’s ability to effectively dissipate heat through the skin when exposed to increased ambient temperatures. If heat stress has occurred eight weeks prior to the time bulls are exposed with cows, semen quality and motility can be reduced. Other factors such as breed type, access to shade and water, and improper handling can affect the ability of a bull to not dissipate heat effectively. Eight weeks are needed for normal semen production to return after exposure to heat stress.

Final Thoughts

In summary, management can have the biggest impact on reducing bull fertility issues. Keep in mind that it takes 60 days for a bull to produce sperm, so decisions should be made in advance to avoid potential negative effects on bull fertility.

Source: Noble Research Institute

• OCTOBER 2020

67


Timing -

A Large Component of Life Cycle Well-Being by Bruce Derksen

T

he exact health status of a specific animal anywhere in the world’s beef industry, while being a time sensitive and reasonably precise measurement, is never the result of a singular

EXCLUSIVE POSITIONS—annually Association, Youth, Commercial, Events, Online-Contact for Pricing

Checkpoints Along the Life Cycle

PREMIER PROMOTION POSITIONS—annually Featured Ads, Catalogs, Breeder Directory-Contact for Pricing FEATURED AD LISTING—$750 per 30 day-cycle SALE CATALOG LISTING—30 day-cycle $250 if accompanied by Featured Ad or Premier Spot • $1,000—Stand Alone BREEDER DIRECTORY LISTING—$450 annually Business Card Ads BULL PEN SIRE DIRECTORY—$835 Four Month Placement eBlast SERVICES—$195 per blast eBlast PREFERRED POSITIONS—Contact for Pricing ONLINE SALE HOSTING—Contact for Pricing

4-Time Contract Print Ad Discount - 5% Annual Contract Digital/Print Discount - 15% NORTH REGION Will Bollum 507/244-0833 will@limousin365.com

68

SOUTH REGION DeRon Heldermon 405/850-5102 deron@limousin365.com

event. Management forces, regulatory requirements and distinct health protocols combine to create each animal’s level of well-being. Dr. Misty Edmondson, Associate State Veterinarian for the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industry says, “An animal’s health is definitely ongoing. For an individual, you could say it begins at birth, but it actually goes back even before that. Research has shown the well-being of the calf is always tied to the health and nutrition of the dam. It begins with the passing on of immunity from mother to offspring in colostrum and continues from there.”

Edmondson believes whether the calf is destined for the feedlot, selected to become a replacement heifer, or chosen as a purebred breeding bull there are significant checkpoints along the way to determine its health and productivity. Some fundamentals as she sees them• The dam needs to be specifically vaccinated and a member of a well vaccinated group of dams to all produce healthy calves. • The calves must get a good start in life from the colostrum, nutrition and immunization of the dam. • There should be preweaning vaccinations, at minimum, for the major respiratory pathogens along with a clostridial vaccine. • Calves should be castrated and dehorned as early as possible when necessary, as research has shown the earlier these procedures are completed, the better the calves will perform due to less pain and stress. • The process should be repeated by vaccinating replacement females, cows and bulls.

• OCTOBER 2020


Be Wary of Environmental and Location Challenges

Edmondson says location can also play a big part in health challenges. For instance, Alabama and Florida will face different issues and pathogens more specific to their areas than those prevalent in the northwestern states. There could be large or subtle differences in parasite infestations or reproductive challenges. Management processes to deal with specific problems will differ, but she believes respiratory issues needing vaccinations will be quite common. “The big problems are still the big problems no matter where you are. BVD is BVD. Trichomoniasis is trichomoniasis.” She says the bulk of health strategies can be individualized for each ranch and farm with the assistance of a localized, trusted veterinarian but the big keys remain the same. “What may work for me on my ranch might not work for you on yours, be it a commercial operation or as a seedstock breeder. Neither are immune from difficulties,” she said. “The biggest thing we can do to protect cattle from disease is give them a good start with vaccinations and deworming programs, then make sure we reduce stresses with early castration, dehorning if necessary and low stress handling and weaning practices. Those are the types of things to set calves up for success in the long run.”

Nutrition and Body Conditioning are Never an Instant Recipe

She warns producers not to forget or discount nutrition for all their animals in every stage of life. “A lot of people think, ‘I’ve vaccinated my animals-that’s the magic bullet.’ But for animals to respond to this vaccination, they need a strong immune system, and the majority of that is related to nutrition. The healthier those animals are, nutrition and body condition wise, the better the immune system will be. This will help the response to the vaccine.” Edmondson says body condition is not an instant recipe and needs to remain a focus for cows, heifers and bulls. She adds these adults often get overlooked, especially 3-year-old females that just raised their first calf. “People need to pay more attention to these animals in the adult herd. They’re harder to breed back because after calving, they’re lactating, growing and nursing a calf, but still growing themselves. It’s really important to make sure they are on a solid plane of nutrition for continued success.” Regarding bulls, she says conditioning is extremely important for yearlings and adults alike. “Young bulls heading for the sale ring or a customer’s pasture tend to be a little over-conditioned at times, but I say that with reservation. One of the best things producers can do is get a body condition score (BCS) card and follow it. Bulls get worn down and lose some condition during the breeding season. They will need extra nutrition, so having a defined calving season is important. Let them gain weight before moving them into the herd for the next breeding season.” continued on page 70

Official Publication of the North American Limousin Foundation 2005 Ruhl Drive • Guthrie, OK 73044 405/260-3775 • Fax: 405/260-3766 www.Limousin365.com • email: info@limousin365.com

BREEDER ADVERTISING RATES FULL PAGE....................................................................................$1,150 2/3 PAGE..........................................................................................$950 1/2 PAGE..........................................................................................$775 1/4 PAGE..........................................................................................$500 All advertisements are 4-color process

ISSUE

MATERIALS PUBLISHED

January - Spring Sale Edition

Dec. 1

Dec. 23

April - Herd Bull Edition

Mar. 1

Mar. 25

July - Breeder Directory Edition

June 1

June 25

October - Fall Sale Edition

Sept. 1

Sept. 25

Advertising materials to Kyle Haley 405/260-3775 • kbhaley2@gmail.com CLOSING DATES Refer to listing above. ADVERTISING SKETCHES Requests for advertising layouts must be in the L365 office 10 days before copy deadline. TERMS All accounts are due and payable as billed. Interest charges of 1-1/2% per month (18% APR) will be assessed to 30-day unpaid accounts. Customers with overdue accounts will be put on a prepay basis for subsequent ­advertising ­business. CONTRACT DISCOUNT L365 contracts for 4-time print and annual digital/print combinations are available at substantial discounts. Contact the L365 field representative in your area or call the L365 office at 405/260-3775. DIFFICULT ADS Ads requiring substantial extra production work will be assessed extra charges at standard shop rates. If you prefer no extra charges, request us to simplify the ad at our discretion if necessary. COPY CHANGES Alterations in advertising copy, if requested after closing date, will be made only if time permits. REPRINTS Advertising reprints are available. Requests for reprints must be made at the time the order for the ad is placed.

All other questions, contact the L365 office.

• OCTOBER 2020

69


continued from page 69

Breeding Soundness Exams and Vaccinations

While Edmondson stresses vaccinations and parasitic control measures for young and old bulls alike, breeding soundness exams (BSEs) should also be non-negotiable. “A BSE done in a timely manner to receive results before turnout is money well spent. It’s an insurance policy to be sure bulls will not only be able to breed but settle the cows. They are the one piece of the puzzle affecting every one of the calves for the next season. Fertility, good health, eyes, feet—things necessary to breed cows successfully.” For breeding females, she urges producers to read the vaccine labels and handle each one properly, as they all differ. She says both modified live and killed vaccines will work in varied situations but encourages working with a knowledgeable and trusted local veterinarian who understands diseases common to their geographic location and management systems. The timing of pregnancy checking and defenses against area reproductive disease challenges should also be assessed.

Timing of DNA Testing and Bloodwork

The specifics of the health cycle also reach from the practical to the regulatory, especially for seedstock producers. More than ever before, genomics and DNA testing protocols demand attention. New advances in technology touch on measurements of hybrid vigor and heterosis in commercial crossbreeding operations, but the staples remain for seedstock breeders. Parentage and heritable trait testing are an essential part of doing business and their timeline plays a large role.

Limousin breed association websites and documentation provide step by step instructions and requirements for all registered and nonregistered animals including timelines needed for necessary results. Genomically-enhanced data and EPDs provide more precision based on a combination of pedigree, phenotype and DNA—essentially the equivalent of having 8- 20 progeny or a first calf crop for bulls. Thus obtaining, handling and submitting tissue, blood or semen samples properly, at the optimum time, is vital. Likewise, timing is critical for preparation of videos, photos and promotional materials for sale days and catalogs. Publication and design staff teams urge producers to work well in advance—60 days prior at minimum, to ensure high quality accuracy and professional, precise information. Again, association advertising direction and media kits spell out requirements to ensure probability of profitable results for sellers and buyers alike. Calculated timing for health, management and regulatory processes are vital for the status of each animal, wherever they happen to be in their life cycle. “A cycle is a perfect way to describe the big picture,” said Edmondson. “I would say it’s a continual process and it never really stops. But the beauty of the cattle industry is that we can make it work.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bruce Derksen has worked in Western Canada’s ranching and feedlot industry for more than 30 years. In his spare time, he writes about present day agriculture related topics, hoping to give today’s producers as much up to date information about the future of the industry as possible.

FIND YOUR FORTUNE COLE FORTUNE 12F

Homozygous Polled • Black 81% Limousin S: COLE Cadillac 05C D: COLE Miss Austin 3157A CE: 20 BW: -1.9 WW: 70 YW: 113 MK: 19 TM: 54 SC: 0.30 DC: 11 YG: -0.45 RE: 0.98 MB: -0.09 $MI: 52 SEMEN $40 Contact Grassroots Genetics 866-305-9600 We are now seeing the good fortune of owning and utilizing a bull of this caliber. He has a unique pedigree along with curve bending numbers that are a bonus to his impressive phenotype.

Gary & Susan Fuchs • Stephen, Nathan & Emily P.O. Box 81 • Cameron, TX 76520 • 254/482-0611 • gary.fuchs@idealpoultry.com Stephen Fuchs, manager • 254/482-0052 fuchslimousin@gmail.com • www.fuchslimousin.com

70

• OCTOBER 2020

Put one of the breed’s leading AI sires to work in your herd! We invite you to come see his progeny.


COLE GENESIS 86 G

15

0.0

74

110

27

1.1

18

15%

30%

10%

10%

10%

5%

3%

.87

.10

59

1%

1%

CALL MC MARKETING 402.350.3447 TO GET ON THE LIST TODAY, SEMEN IS COLLECTED AND IN HAND. NOTE, IF PAYMENT IS RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE A NIGHT ON THE TOWN SALE 12.5.20 YOUR PACKAGE CAN BE RELEASED EARLIER.

ACT. BW: 76 ADJ. WW: 792 (115) ADJ. YW: 1,394 (110) ACT. SC: 40 UMF: 4.1 (136) GET IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE BREED’S MOST PROMISING PUREBRED LIMOUSIN SIRES! ALREADY THIS SPRING HE ANCHORED THE 2020 NATIONAL WESTERN CHAMPION PEN OF LIMOUSIN BULLS WHERE HE WAS ADMIRED BY MANY AND SPAWNED THE EXCITEMENT THAT DROVE HIM TO BE THE HIGH SELLING SIRE OF THE 2020 SPRING BULL SALE SEASON WHERE HE COMMANDED A STAGGERING $80,000 VALUATION. HE IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE NEXT EXCITING GENERATION OF MULTI-TRAIT LEADING PUREBRED GENETICS. FROM EVERY ANGLE, COLE GENESIS IS A DYNAMIC HERD SIRE. EVE FROM HIS TRAIT LEADING EPD SET ACROSS THE BOARD, TO HIS GROUND POUNDING PERFORMANCE, TO HIS IMPECCABLE PHENOTYPE, GENESIS COVERS ALL OF THE BASES. WHAT’S MORE, HE IS BACKED BY ONE OF THE GREATEST FEMALES IN THE BUSINESS. HER THREE BULL CALVES HAVE AVERAGED AND IMPRESSIVE $23,666 AT PUBLIC AUCTION.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS

• OCTOBER 2020

71


by Dr. Tonya Amen Geneticist for North American Limousin Foundation

I

n the life of any National Cattle Evaluation, periodic updates are needed to make the best use of all available information and technology. The evaluation, which generates the EPDs published by NALF are no exception. Over the last couple of years, a massive research undertaking has been going on to modernize the evaluation of growth traits (Birth Weight, Weaning Weight, Yearling Weight and Milk). Below, is a brief description of each update followed by the impact of these collective changes on NALF EPDs. The changes made include: 1. Setting the genetic correlation between weaning weight maternal (milk) and weaning weight direct to 0 (compared to - 0.3). There has been debate in the scientific literature about the degree and direction of genetic correlations between direct and maternal weaning weight. Previously, the IGS evaluation used a moderate negative correlation. This meant that young, unproven animals with high growth potential often saw negative impact on their milk EPD when their own growth data was submitted or when a genomic test was done. The correlation in the new model set to zero. This should impact animals with low accuracies the most. 2. Different variances for different sexes (heterogeneous variance). Bull calves typically have higher growth potential than heifers, which means the variation in their weights is also greater. The new model accounts for this difference.

3. New DNA Marker subset. Since BOLT-powered EPDs were released, more animals have been genotyped, and more performance records have been submitted. As a result, new, more informative markers were able to be deciphered. The new EPDs employ this new, larger marker set. 4. Accounting for different birth weight collection methods. Upon closer analysis of birth weight data, it became apparent that different reporting and collection methods were being used. These methods ranged from reporting in 2 lb. or 5 lb. increments, to data that was obviously from hoof tapes instead of scales, to clearly fabricated data. New methods allow for the identification and proper accounting for these various collection methods. 5. Not including genomic effects for Weaning Weight Maternal (Milk). Formerly, the genetic evaluation included genomic marker effects for both WW and Milk. However, in the new evaluation, the ability for the genomic part of the EPD calculations for Milk to be performed caused problems with the overall efficiency of the weekly evaluation. Therefore, the decision was made to remove the genomic component for Milk. Even with the removal of this information, work done to judge the efficacy of EPDs, shows that the resulting EPDs from the updated model are an improvement over the previous evaluation. In the table below, you’ll find a comparison of the genetic trend graph for the current growth suite of EPD vs the genetic trend for the new Work Order 1 suite of growth EPDs that was recently released.

Genetic Trend W01 VS 063020 Production Run

72

• OCTOBER 2020


• OCTOBER 2020

73


JUNIOR SCENE

H

ello all! If you are anything like me, getting back into a schedule with school starting has been refreshing. Hopefully, the beginning of everyone’s school year is going well. I know for me at Iowa State, things are looking different than in the past because of COVID-19. I have a schedule that is mixed with in person classes, hybrid classes and all online classes at the moment. Beyond school, I am excited to be traveling around sorting through livestock with the judging team as we prepare for the National Barrow Show, along with the rest of our fall schedule. Tentatively, we have a full slate of contests for the fall, so I am maintaining a positive mindset and looking forward to the rest of the semester. Unfortunately, as we all know, things nowadays never

2020-2021 NALJA BOARD PRESIDENT, Clayton Schowe ...........................................Cassville, MO schowscattle@gmail.com • 636-377-3100 VICE-PRESIDENT, Tristan Gulotta .............................Independence, LA gulattatristan@gmail.com • 985-351-7643 SECRETARY, Shelby Hubbard ...............................................Miami, OK shelbyhubbard5276@gmail.com • 918-541-5276 TREASURER, Zane Gavette ................................................ Everson, WA zgcattle15@gmail.com • 360-389-7105 EX-OFFICIO, Lindsey Gulotta ....................................Independence, LA gulatta.lindsey@gmail.com • 985-351-7674 DIRECTORS Colton Barton ....................................................................... Jarrell, TX coltonbarton@hotmail.com • 512-966-2617 Brady Edge ...................................................................West Branch, IA edgebred@gmail.com • 319-540-2830 Wiley Fanta ..................................................................... Starbuck, MN rbg.14@icloud.com • 320-287-0751 Riley Smith .........................................................................Macomb, IL riley.smith103z@gmail.com • 309-333-7772

seem to be set in stone, but being able to adapt and overcome adversity is very important in today’s crazy world and I think it is something we, as a breed, have to continue to do also. Reflecting on the summer, I would like to thank the Gulotta family, my fellow junior board members (both current and past), Katie Campbell, and of course, all the juniors and breeders for making our 2020 Junior National, “The Party of the Century,” a spectacular event. The perseverance shown by the breed certainly paid off. Not only did we have to be resilient to all the COVID guidelines, but I think we all deserve an award for surviving the heat and humidity of lovely West Monroe, Louisiana. Being a Missouri native, I thought I knew what humidity was, and those of you who have attended the Junior Nationals in Springfield, know it can be warm, but West Monroe took humidity to a whole new level. All jokes aside, I am certainly thankful to be a part of a breed that was able to stand strong and maneuver all tasks to be able to host our Junior Nationals where it was initially planned to be and moreover to have the show run as normal as we could make it. Moving forward, things may look slightly different for the breed as we welcome Mallory Blunier into her new dual role as Director of Media and Activities. After conversing with her, I know she’s just as eager as myself and the rest of the board to continue moving things in the right direction. I can assure you that I’m extremely passionate about not only the Limousin breed but agriculture in general and even more thankful to be able to serve as the 2020-2021 NALJA President. Our annual fall board meeting is coming up in the middle of September and we will line out things for this next year to make it the best one to date. Aside from that, be on the lookout for some new and exciting fundraising opportunities that have been put together by many integral members of our association. As we continue, just remember to stay resilient, be willing to accept change and make the most of it, and most importantly keep a positive mindset. Again, I look forward to this next year and know that there are many awesome things we have in store for the future. Let’s continue making NALJA and the Limousin breed great! Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. -John Wooden

Faith Spriggs......................................................................... Afton, OK spriggsconcrete@att.net • 918-801-3606

74

• OCTOBER 2020

Clayton Schowe, NALJA President


Scholarships Awarded At The 2020 National Junior Limousin Show & Congress Leonard & Vi Wulf Scholarship

The primary objective of the Leonard and Vi Wulf NALJA Scholarship is to financially support the educational pursuits of young Limousin enthusiasts that possess upstanding character, perseverance, work ethic, ingenuity and demonstrated scholastic achievement consistent with the values endeared by the Wulf family. The Leonard and Vi Wulf NALJA Scholarship is to be awarded with income generated from the honorary fund established at the time of Leonard’s induction into the NALF Hall of Fame and further supported by the generosity of the Leonard and Vi and the Wulf family. One $500 scholarship was awarded for the 2020-2021 academic year. The recipient of this year’s scholarship was McKinley Begert, Texas.

Official Publication of the North American Limousin Foundation 2005 Ruhl Drive • Guthrie, OK 73044 405/260-3775 • Fax: 405/260-3766 www.Limousin365.com • email: info@limousin365.com Publisher: L365 PUBLISHER EMERITUS—Dan Wedman PUBLISHER EMERITUS—Dale F. Runnion EDITOR—Kyle Haley ADVERTISING MANAGER—Tia Rozell CIRCULATION—Jeri Duerr ART DIRECTOR—Ricki Rookstool

Award of Excellence Scholarship

Up to three, $750 scholarships are awarded to support Limousin enthusiasts that have proven excellence in Limousin activities as well as leadership skills demonstrated in NALJA, 4-H, FFA and other endeavors. They are selected based on their hands-on experience shown by a detailed report of management practices used within the applicant’s own herd as well as their ability to set and achieve worthy goals. Congratulations to Lindsey Gulotta, Louisiana, and Ashley Wiles, Maryland, for being the 2020 Award of Excellence recipients.

Donna Etherton Limi Boosters National Scholarship

Sponsored by the Limi Boosters, selection for the Donna Etherton scholarships is based on scholastic excellence, demonstrated leadership, citizenship, financial need and participation in 4-H, FFA and Limousin junior activities. The 2020 Donna Etherton Limi Boosters National Scholarship recipients were McKinley Begert, Texas; Cassidy Jones, Texas; and Brooke Heavin, Missouri.

FIELD STAFF: NORTH REGION—Will Bollum 507/244-0833 • will@limousin365.com SOUTH REGION—DeRon Heldermon 405/850-5102 • deron@limousin365.com

Dick O’Brien Memorial Junior Herdsman Award

Each year state junior advisors nominate National Junior Limousin Show & Congress exhibitors for the Dick O’Brien Award to recognize a superior job of caring for animals, interacting with others, meeting the public, and demonstrating maturity. First presented in 1996, the award honors the memory of Limousin enthusiast Dick O’Brien. This award is based upon the leadership that has been exhibited through their Limousin and other various activities. This year’s recipient went above and beyond her duties. From planning the 2020 National Junior Limousin Show & Congress during all the COVID-19 restrictions to leading her fellow board members and juniors, no one is more deserving of this award. Congratulations to Lindsey Gulotta, Louisiana, for all her hard work and dedication to the North American Limousin Junior Association this past year. For more information on the North American Limousin Junior Association, contact Mallory Blunier at 303-220-1693, ext. 61, or visit www.NALF.org.

U.S. ___ $30 (1 year) ___ $40 (2 year) ___ $52 (3 year)

INTERNATIONAL ___ $40 (1 year, Canada) ___ $50 (1 year, Surface Mail) ___ $100 (1 year, Air Mail)

All payments to be paid in U.S. Dollars

Member

LIVESTOCK PUBLICATIONS COUNCIL L365 reserves the right to refuse any advertising or copy at its sole discretion. L365 assumes no part in guaranteeing the integrity or character of any advertiser. L365 accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any photographs except those of the staff. L365 cannot be held responsible for the content of submitted advertising. Freelance Manuscripts & Photographs: L365 publishes news and educational material about Limousin cattle, of use to and about their owners. Contributors are invited to submit material of this nature. Preference will be given to material that is accompanied by photographs or appropriate illustrations. Manuscripts accepted for publication are subject to editing and revision to meet requirements for publication. Send manuscripts to: Editor, L365, 2005 Ruhl Drive, Guthrie, OK 73044.

• OCTOBER 2020

75


SALES & EVENTS SEPTEMBER 2020 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

S 4 11 18 25

OCTOBER 2020 M T W T F 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30

S 3 10 17 24 31

NOVEMBER 2020 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

DECEMBER 2020 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

76

SEPTEMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26

Vorthmann Focused on Family Values Private Treaty Sale, Treynor, IA

OCTOBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

03

Pinegar Legacy Continues Production Sale, Springfield, MO

03

The Foundation Sale VI, Bowling Green, KY

06

Wilder Family Aggie Traditions Sale of 2020, L365Auctions.com

08

Davis Limousin Ranch Fall Online Sale, L365Auctions.com

08

Hawkins-CJO Ranch Inaugural Online Female Sale, L365Auctions.com

10

Heart of Missouri Limousin Sale, Lebanon, MO

13

Lawrence Family Limousin Online Sale, SC Online Sales

20

Magness Land & Cattle Female Sale, L365Auctions.com

20

KLS Farms Genetic Opportunity II Online Sale, L365Auctions.com

22

Tubmill Creek Farms The Essentials Online Female Sale, L365Auctions.com

25

P Bar S Annual Proof of Progress Sale, Sand Springs, OK

27

Mill Road Online Sale, L365Auctions.com

31

Beckman Livestock and Farming Inaugural Female Sale, Roberts, ID

31

Thomas & Sons Halloween Hunnies Online Show Heifer Sale, SC Online Sales

NOVEMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

01

Linhart Limousin Fall Harvest Production Sale, Leon, IA

04

Jones Bros. Farms Fall Bred Female Sale, L365Auctions.com

05

Red Revival Online Sale V, L365Auctions.com

09

Davis Limousin Ranch Online Sale II, L365Auctions.com

10

Edwards Limousin Annual Online Sale, L365Auctions.com

12

Magness Land & Cattle Female Sale II, L365Auctions.com

24

ATAK Limousin Fall Online Sale, L365Auctions.com

DECEMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

05

Oklahoma Select Bull & Female Sale, Atoka, OK

05

A Night On The Town Limousin Sale, Fort Worth, TX

15

B-Bar Cattle Annual Bull and Female Sale, Lucky Lake, SK Canada

17

Glendenning’s J Bar J Holiday Classic Online Sale, L365Auctions.com

29

Tubmill Creek Farms Steel Foundations Online Bull Sale, L365Auctions.com

• OCTOBER 2020


IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE Wrangler 2020 NFR Experience

12.05.2020

Selling 50 of the Very Best the Breed has to Offer!!

SCHEDULE

11:30 a.m. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres & refreshments 1:00 p.m. A NIGHT ON THE TOWN SALE Starts 6:45 p.m. National Finals Rodeo starts

MARKETING TEAM

(20 minutes from the sale)

KILEY McKINNA

402.350.3447 MCMarketingSales@aol.com

SALE LOCATION & ACCOMODATIONS

Springhill Suites Fort Worth Historic Stockyards ........ 682.255.5100 2315 North Main Street, Fort Worth, TX 76164 ** Cowboy Christmas will be located near the sale site

RANDALL O. RATLIFF 615.330.2735 Randy@RRMktg.com

GRASSROOTS GENETICS

515.229.5227 | GRGenetics@aol.com

• OCTOBER 2020

AUCTIONEER, C.K. Sonny Booth

77


24018 STATE HWY. 5 CHATTANOOGA, OK 73528 (580) 597-3006 (office) KEN HOLLOWAY (580) 597-2419 (home) (580) 581-7652 (cell)

C.K. Sonny Booth Auctioneer

PO Box 1172 Miami, OK 74355

(918) 533 5587

acs@americancattleservices.com

WWW.AMERICANCATTLESERVICES.COM

Ronn

Chisum Peterson

SEEDSTOCK SALES … OUR SPECIALTY

office 605.234.4214 mobile 605.730.4214

Auctioneer

310 sorensen drive » po box 498 chamberlain, sd 57325 chisum@petersonlandauction.com petersonlandauction.com

PO Box 146 • Rose, OK 74364 918/629-9382

Cody Lowderman Auctioneer

13400 N 1150th Rd. Macomb, IL 61455 (309) 313-2171

Insure with

AMERICAN LIVE STOCK A DIVISION OF MARKEL SERVICE, INC. STUART WILSON

Livestock Underwriting Manager 500 North Randall Rd. • P.O. Box 1779 • Batavia, IL 60510 Office: (630) 232-2100 Cell: (217) 454-9355 Fax: (847) 572-6362 stuart.wilson@markel.com www.markelinsurance.com/animalmortality

78

KEEP INFORMED

24/7 LIMOUSIN365.COM • OCTOBER 2020


ADVERTISERS INDEX 4H Limousin................................................................................ 48

Leonard Limousin......................................................................... 15

A Night On The Town Sale........................................................... 77

Linhart Limousin.......................................................................... 17

American Cattle Services............................................................... 78

Little’s Limousin............................................................................ 73

American Live Stock...................................................................... 78

Live Oak Cattle Co....................................................................... 19

ATAK Limousin............................................................................ 23

Lowderman, Cody........................................................................ 78

B Bar Cattle.............................................................................. OBC

Magness Land & Cattle................................................................... 5

Beckman Livestock & Farming..................................................... 65

MC Marketing Management......................................................... 31

Begert Limousin.............................................................................. 3

Minor Limousin ........................................................................... 30

Booth, C.K. Sonny........................................................................ 78

Misty Morning Limousin.............................................................. 29

Buff Beef Ranch............................................................................ 61

NALF...................................................................................... 32, 45

BCV Farms................................................................................... 55

NALJA.......................................................................................... 49

Coleman Limousin Ranch............................................................. 71

Oklahoma Select Sale.................................................................... 53

Craig’s Oklahoma Pride................................................................. 24

P Bar S Ranch............................................................................. IFC

Cunningham, Ronn...................................................................... 78

Peterson, Chisum.......................................................................... 78

Davis Limousin............................................................................. 13

Pinegar Limousin............................................................................ 7

Dorran, Ryan................................................................................ 78

R&R Marketing............................................................................ 37

Edwards Land & Cattle Co.........................................................IBC

Red Revival V Online Sale ........................................................... 42

Fuchs Limousin............................................................................. 70

Red Rock Limousin Ranch............................................................ 46

Glendenning J Bar J........................................................................ 9

Running Creek Ranch Co............................................................... 8

Goss Limousin.............................................................................. 41

Schrock Cattle............................................................................... 36

Grassroots Genetics & Consulting................................................ 47

Seven Oaks Land & Cattle............................................................ 28

Graven Land & Cattle................................................................... 43

Super C......................................................................................... 25

Hayhook Limousin....................................................................... 20

Symens Brothers............................................................................ 35

Heart of Missouri Sale................................................................... 33

Thomas and Son Farms................................................................. 39

Heartland Limousin Association................................................... 57

Torgerson Farms............................................................................ 63

Hunt Limousin Ranch.................................................................... 2

Tubmill Creek Farms............................................................... 22, 71

KLS Farms.................................................................................... 16

Wieczorek Limousin..................................................................... 21

Limousin365................................................................................. 59

Wilder Family Limousin............................................................... 11

Lawrence Family Limousin........................................................ OBC

Wulf Cattle .................................................................................... 1

• OCTOBER 2020

79


Service Sells

Progeny & Influence, Last CAN Semen Sells

Progeny & Service Sell

TREF Freewheeling 051F

Ivy’s Bubba Watson 24B

RPY Paynes Cracker 17E

B Bar Urban Girl 55E ET

B Bar Foxtrot 21B

B Bar Urban Girl 105C ET

Son Sells

Son Sells, Genetic Influence Sells

Sons & Daughter sell

B Bar Foxtrot 32E

B Bar/HWK Foxtrot 25F ET

B Bar Shania 100C

Son Sells

Son Sells, Brother Sells

Daughter Sells

Sale Consultant

Delaney and Deanna Boon 306.858.7609 ddboon@icloud.com

80

Eric, Terra, & Rozlyn Boon 306.280.8795 bbarcattleco@gmail.com

Box 181 :: Lucky Lake, SK :: S0L 1Z0 www.bbarcattle.com www.facebook.com/bbarlimousinc.om

• OCTOBER 2020

Sale managed by


Congratulations to Sydney Sanders for showing the All-American Futurity Division V champion. The heifer is ELCX For The Win 323F, a daughter of ELCX Kings Landing from SSTO Aim High 323A. This double homozygous 65% Lim-Flex is one that we were proud to have raised and are so pleased with the job that Sydney has done with her.

Congratulations to Jake Ozburn, Unionville, TN for winning the 4th best heifer at the recent Wilson County Fair. He won with ELCX Gemma 326G, a 59% Lim-Flex, double polled, homozygous black daughter of ELCX Caesar 331C from ELCX Barely Legal 362B. We appreciate their purchase of an ELCX heifer and wish them luck in the future with this heifer.

ELCX Gracious is a superb daughter of ELCX Kings Landing. She is a 65.5% Lim-Flex female and full sib to lot 3, ELCX 950G. Her dam is the elite producer of ours, AUTO Poem 273Y. She was a top selling female at $30,000 and was purchased by the Linhart Family Limousin program in Leon, IA.

Congratulations to Kinnick Paulsen for winning the reserve grand champion female of the 2020 All American Futurity. She was the top selling female of the breed for 2019 and couldnt be more happy with the way she is being presented. She is ELCX Gone Shoppin 923G, a daughter of EXAR Classen from the past national champion female ELCX Twilight. She was recently named the 2020 Iowa State Fair reserve supreme champion heifer as well. Congratulations to Kinnick Paulsen of Iowa.

SALES & MARKETING ... Randall O. Ratliff, 615.330.2735 Randy@RRMktg.com www.RRMktg.com

Dexter and Nicholas Edwards

Dexter, 910.385.6192 | Nicholas, cell: 910.290.1424 NicholasELC@hotmail.com | 314 Willard Edwards Road, Beulaville, NC 28518


LAWRENCE FAMILY WEST TEXAS SHOWCASE ONLINE SALE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 hosted by SC Online Sales

AD 9019G LFL GINGERBRE

matary on her Congratulations to McKinlee Pal at the ale fem third overall Limousin s October 13. sell er sist 2020 National Junior show. A full

F LFL FABRINA 8043ing the

on hav Congratulations to Colton Barton 2020 National the at pair lf /ca cow Reserve Limousin er sells October 13. Junior Show. A three-quarter sist

SALE MANAGEMENT: MC Marketing Management - 402-350-3447 CONSULTANTS: American Cattle Services - 580-581-7652 Grassrotts Consulting - 515-229-5227

We have several major sale events coming up which will offer cattle from the heart of our herd. If you’re in the market for a big time show heifer, herd bull or some young productive cows, mark your calendar for these events. The bulls and females we are offering represent our most proven and progressive genetics, backed by breed leading performance stats. Contact us or American Cattle Services at 580-597-3006 for a sale catalog or more details. Bruce, Paula & Lee Roy Lawrence • Jonny, Amber, Tucker & Colt Parkinson P.O. Box 299 • Anton, TX 79313 806/997-5381 • 806/790-2535 (Bruce, m) • Amber: 806/773-6043 • Lee Roy: 806/778-0548 email: bll1@speednet.com • www.lawrencefamilylimousin.com

OKLAHOMA SELECT BULL & FEMALE SALE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 Atoka, OK

SELLING 15 BULLS & 15 SPRING BRED COWS

9077G LFL GUARDIAN d 6084D sells. Dividen

LFL This double homozygous son of

40G LFL GILBERTO 90uty 37D sells.

This double homozygous son of

COLE Dep


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Limousin 365 October 2020 Fall Sale Edition by Precision Marketing - Issuu