The Beefmaster Pay Weight - Fall 2022

the

BEEFMASTER Pay Weight

a publication dedicated to serving commercial cattlemen and produced by Beefmaster Breeders United FALL 2022

Vol. 8, No. 2

Section 1

www.beefmasters.org

U.S. Feeder Cattle Exports Significantly Influenced by Demand for Proven Genetics by Beef Improvement Federation Tony Clayton explains the opportunities for feeder cattle exports driven by genetic demands.

“The power of the pedigree is what drives the interest in U.S. demand,” said Tony Clayton, Clayton AgriMarketing Inc. President.

Clayton gave his presentation titled “U.S. Genetic Exports: Where Are They Going and How Are They Doing?” during the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Symposium June 3 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Clayton explained the impact of exporting U.S. feeder cattle to open new marketing opportunities that increase profitability and particular obstacles producers face when exporting feeder cattle.

Drivers of U.S. cattle export demand The export market is driven by population growth, urbanization and expanding

economies. The main driver is population growth and people drive the demand for agricultural products. The current demand is protein, meat and milk. This increased demand has opened the market for the genetics produced in the United States. U.S. genetics are a value-added product thus, international producers want to adopt U.S. genetic systems. He explained the years U.S. producers and breed associations have spent performance testing and developing expected progeny differences (EPDs) and genomics, has producers around the world looking to the U.S. as a leader in production of all species.

Pedigrees of U.S. produced cattle have immense power to continuously strengthen the demand and export market.

“I explain to a lot of our clients that buying genetics with high genomics and EPDs is like buying a car. If you want the sunroof, it costs money.

Beefmaster cross steers at Riverbend Feedyard

If you want the aluminum wheels, they cost money. We have a lot of misinformation out there and we work with clients to educate them on our genetic systems,” Clayton said.

Know your cattle, have a marketing plan Developing a market to export your cattle requires intense promotion, a large supply of cattle, available financing, following government regulations, understanding logistics and being able to manage risks.

You must know your limitations. What can you supply, deliver, finance, and guarantee? Know your products, customers and suppliers. Producers must implement animal identification systems and an animal welfare program to increase prices of their cattle.

“When I go to a new country, I would plan for it to take three years before I make a sale. This business requires patience,” Clayton discussed.

continued on page 4

Beefmaster Cattle Hardiness Excels in Freeze and Drought by Haley Guerrero, Beefmaster Breeders United Nothing is more adaptable than a Beefmaster. This statement held true during the past two years filled with extreme temperatures, high and low.

Weather in the South, Midwest and much of the United States has been in rare form over the past two years.

From freezing temperatures and snow to extreme heat and drought. During the snow event that was unexpected by many farmers and ranchers, including my family, it was a struggle and hard work

to keep cows watered and fed in conditions that were not normal in Texas. After the snow, the spring looked promising with rain, good grass, and lots of pollen, however it did not take very long to turn from green lush grass to barren pastures when temperatures started to sore and stay above the century mark for days. The upper-level high staying on top of almost the entire state of Texas and many other states has caused a lot of farmers and ranchers to make some drastic decisions

without knowing what kind of weather we may face during the winter months.

With no rain until August 2022, many farmers and ranchers had to decrease their herds because they were unable to compete with such conditions. Most have not been able to produce a substantial amount of hay to feed this summer, much less to prepare for the upcoming winter months. USDA has set up Drought Assistance programs

continued on page 5

2

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

Letter From The Editor

by Dr. Joe W. Mask As I compose my first letter from the editor, I would like for everyone to know what an honor it is to be serving the membership of Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) as the new Executive Vice President. I first would like to thank Collin Osbourn for his outstanding leadership and mentorship as I take the reins of the BBU.

I start to travel and make many of the events. My hope and commitment to BBU is to make Beefmaster a common name when commercial producers start to look for their next herd sire, and with the many bull sales coming up we can make this happen.

In this issue of The Beefmaster Pay Weight you will find many useful articles that will help each of you in your day-to-day operations.

Due to my background, I thought it was important to include an article about artificial insemination. I It is great to be going into encourage everyone to read the fall season, not only for the article titled "Three keys for reduced temperatures but successful beef cattle artificial also all the upcoming sales insemination". With fall work and events. I look forward to meeting many of you this fall as just around the corner this

article will be very useful to Beefmaster breeders and all beef cattle producers.

As a former educator, I believe that internships are a valuable education tool. We have been fortunate to have multiple BBU interns serve our great membership. I encourage you to read the article written by our most recent summer intern about their BBU internship experience. Our junior Beefmaster breeders are important and giving opportunities to young people to grow not only academically, but also professionally should be on the forefront at BBU. I have just highlighted two articles that fit into my background, however there

www.beefmasters.org are many other articles listed below that I hope you take the time to read in this issue of The Beefmaster Pay Weight.

I am looking forward to my new journey with BBU and working with our membership.

If you ever have any questions, please feel free to reach out at jwmask@beefmasters.org.

Dr. Joe W. Mask

Executive Vice President Editor, The Beefmaster Pay Weight

Articles In This Issue...

Page 1 - U.S. Feeder Cattle Exports Significantly Influenced by Demand for Proven Genetics by Beef Improvement Federation Page 1 - Beefmaster Cattle Hardiness Excels in Freeze and Drought by Haley Guerrero, Beefmaster Breeders United Page 7 - Three keys for successful beef cattle artificial insemination by Clint Sexson, All West Beef/Select Sires Page 9 - Purposeful Performance: Cattle Records Matter by Lance Bauer, Beefmaster Breeders United Page 15 - More Than a Handshake: Negotiating and Drafting an Effective Hunting Lease for Your Farm or Ranch by Cari B. Rincker, Esq. Page 19 - Pounds Pay in the Feedyard by Brittni Bates Page 23 - BBU Internship Provides Valuable Experience by Haley Guerrero, Beefmaster Breeders United Page 25 - University of Arkansas at Monticello cattle breeding program enters new phase by Lon Tegels, University of Arkansas at Monticello Page 28 - Beefmaster Association Moves to College Station, Texas by Jeralyn Novak, Beefmaster Breeders United Page 31 - Dedicated to Quality: Breeder of the Year continues legacy of raising top-end genetics by Chel Terrell, Gulf Coast Publishing Page 35 - What is the Role of Cattle in Regenerative Agriculture? by Caitlin Hebbert, Noble Research Institute Page 38 - 2022 - 2023 Beefmaster Sale & Event Calendar Page 39 - Advertisers' Index

the BEEFMASTER Pay Weight

Beefmaster Breeders United

The Beefmaster Pay Weight is a publication produced by Beefmaster Breeders United and dedicated to serving commercial cattlemen.

The Beefmaster Pay Weight Team Editors: Dr. Joe W. Mask & Collin Osbourn Managing Editor: Jeralyn Novak Advertising Coordinators: Carey Brown, Jeralyn Novak Graphic Designer: Jeralyn Novak Beefmaster Breeders United Staff Members Dr. Joe W. Mask: Executive Vice President Collin Osbourn: Executive Vice President Lance Bauer: Director of Breed Improvement Melissa Becker: DNA Coordinator Brandi Feller: Registration and Transfer Coordinator Jon Garza: Director of International Programs Donna Henderson: Office Manager Kylie McIntosh: Membership Coordinator Jeralyn Novak: Communications Coordinator

For advertisement sales: Contact Jeralyn Novak 210-732-3132 or Carey Brown with Livestock Advertising Network at 859-278-0899 Contact BBU: 118 W. Bandera Road, Boerne, TX 78006 - (210) 732-3132 - info@beefmasters.org Beefmaster Breeders United reserves the right to refuse advertising in any publications. © 2022 Beefmaster Breeders United. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or part, without prior written consent of Beefmaster Breeders United.

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

3

4

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

continued from page 1 U.S. feeder cattle exports The export of U.S. feeder cattle is influenced by the demand from Asia and the Mid-East for protein. China continues to import cattle from the southern hemisphere taking a large supply of the world market to Indonesia, Egypt and Israel. However, there are many obstacles for feeder cattle exports. The U.S. must have a large supply of cattle to be exported and remain competitive, there is a lack of livestock export facilities on both coasts for large shipments, and specific geographical health requirements can prevent certain regions from exporting feeder cattle.

“Another obstacle is customers in the Mideast only want to feed bulls, they will not feed a steer. It will be interesting to see if they put these ethic specifications aside in the future to buy steer calves from the U.S. and not bulls from South America,” Clayton added.

To watch Clayton’s full presentation, visit https:// youtu.be/qRKhURAyfoM. For more information about this year’s Symposium and the Beef Improvement Federation, including additional presentations and award winners, visit BIFSymposium.com.

Tony Clayton President

Clayton Agri-Marketing Inc.

beefmasters.org

5

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

continued from page 1

herds resilient for the future.

Regardless, we all need to pray for consistent rain to maintain our beautiful pastures from potential wildfires.

Lastly, Beefmaster cattle are more relevant today than ever.

Research shows the breed ranks above nearly all others for feed efficiency, one of the most important production traits.

So if your cow herd has lost its ability to adapt to changing times or challenging environmental conditions, turn out registered Beefmaster bulls.

for some counties, however the shear prices that producers are being forced to charge due to labor, fuel and fertilizer increases are astronomical.

According to USDA Meteorologist Brady Rippey, Texas is the leading state once again with an 80% rate of poor to very poor pasture conditions. In addition to hay, farmers and ranchers are faced with water shortages. If their property does not have ponds or access to water cattle cannot survive. During the freeze our family came up with creative ways of hauling water to cattle for the two weeks worth of snow, however the drought has gone on for months and instead of all the work it takes to keep them watered many have decided just to sell.

One beef cattle breed that was made to withstand harsh winters and sweltering summers like these are the Beefmasters. Developed to thrive in rugged environments,

the breed is an American original: tough, productive, efficient. Their genetic makeup is composed of both Bos indicus and Bos taurus breeds. With half Bos indicus, a quarter Hereford, and a quarter milking Shorthorn, this gives the breed the ability to handle extremely hot conditions and harsh winters.

Since farmers and ranchers have had to make the decision of culling their herd because of this year’s drought, cattle auction barns saw massive numbers during the summer of

2022, that they would normally have in the fall of the year.

Due to the drought, I don’t foresee ranchers rebuilding their herds back to its original performance very quickly, but holding off at least a year to be able to build back hay supplies and herd numbers to make up what they were forced to sell.

Beefmaster producers may have an opportunity to build their herds back faster than other breeds since their genetics provide offspring that are proficient in severe weather conditions, making

Haley Guerrero Intern Beefmaster Breeders United

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

7

Three keys for successful beef cattle artificial insemination

by Clint Sexson, All West Beef/Select Sires

Focus on factors like body condition score and estrus intensity for breeding season success.

Breeding productivity with artificial insemination (AI) has come a long way on U.S. cattle ranches. Advancements in technology and research show improvements in breeding results and confidence in AI across the country. Use of AI rose 4% in the U.S. from 2007 to 2017, with 11.6% of beef operations implementing AI during 2017, according to the USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System’s (NAHMS) Beef survey reports from those years.

“Using AI in your herd requires a long-term approach,” says Clint Sexson, large herd specialist for All West Beef/ Select Sires. “The rewards may

not be instantaneous, but a view toward the future can lead to gains in your overall herd management program.”

In the western U.S. where Sexson breeds thousands of beef cattle each year, AI has more momentum than the national average; 13.6% of western operations use the breeding tactic. Sexson says successful AI takes a willingness to accept advice and adjust management strategies that work for your herd.

Here are three keys to help set your AI breeding program up for success.

Prepare year-round for more pregnancies It takes a year-round focus to get cows and heifers ready for AI. But, it doesn’t require anything out of the ordinary.

Just good management principles.

Start by having cattle in good body condition score (BCS).

“As old as the concept of body condition scoring is, a lot of producers underestimate by a full body condition score,” says Sexson.

“It’s super costly when a cow’s body condition score is too low because she won’t breed back in a timely manner.”

Ideally, cows and heifers should be in an average BCS 4.5 to 6 yearround. Following calving they may dip below

continued on page 8

Clint Sexson (front left), large herd specialist for All West Beef/Select Sires, prepares to breed a cow after observing high estrus intensity from an activated breeding indicator patch.

8

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

continued from page 7 that mark, so plan to provide supplemental nutrition to set them up for breeding success.

Good health also allows females to perform well reproductively. If you can coordinate vaccinations and deworming ahead of breeding, you will provide extra immune support so the body can focus on reproduction.

The reproductive tract plays an integral role. For virgin heifers, taking pelvic scores and rectally palpating the reproductive tract ahead of breeding can save time and money – allowing you to avoid spending resources on females that aren’t ready or won’t breed.

Sexson recommends against AI for cows that have a tough time calving because their reproductive tracts might be damaged. Make sure to take note of any cows needing assistance during the calving season.

Handling cattle using lowstress techniques matters, too.

“At the chute when breeding cattle, a technician can see and feel an obvious difference between cattle that have been mishandled and those that are handled carefully,” says Sexson.

“Stressed or mishandled

females won’t be easy to breed, and this can negatively affect breeding rates.”

the surface ink rubbed off the patches.

“If I wait another 12 to 18 hours, which would be 72 to Breed using visual estrus 78 hours after applying the detection patches, estrus expression rises The traditional method of to 75% to 85% of the herd,” estrus detection is to watch says Sexson. “That high level of cattle mount one another and estrus intensity across the herd look for hair being rubbed drives up conception.” on the backside. But there are High estrus intensity existing tools to make this occurs when at least 50% of easier. Tools such as breeding the surface ink is rubbed off indicator patches help visibly breeding indicator patches. show estrus activity so you can Cattle can be bred with more save time by not watching cattle success when estrus intensity all day. is high. High estrus intensity A breeding indicator patch also leads to less embryonic helps identify when cattle are losses after breeding. Should expressing high estrus intensity patches have less than 50% of indicated by more mounting surface ink rubbed off, consider activity. As mounting activity using cheaper straws of semen occurs, the patch surface ink because the likelihood of rubs off to expose a bright pregnancy is reduced. indicator color.

“Using a breeding indicator Sexson routinely uses patch in any breeding protocol breeding indicator patches is an insurance policy to let me when AI breeding, and his know if anything might have preferred protocol is splitgone wrong during the process time AI. He applies breeding and to better time breeding indicator patches after pulling across the herd,” says Sexson.

CIDRs (controlled intravaginal drug release) and then observes Set realistic expectations, see the results 60 hours later. economic returns At this point, Sexson likes Getting 100% of the herd to to see 55% to 65% of cattle settle and breed to first service expressing high estrus intensity AI is a lofty goal. However, by observing at least half of it isn’t necessarily realistic.

www.beefmasters.org Having half the herd or more breed to AI is more in line with industry standards and is beneficial to overall herd profitability.

“If you have 100 cows, and you want 50% of them calving the first 10 days of the calving season, your bulls are not going to accomplish that,” says Sexson. “It’s not that the bulls can’t breed the cows. The cows just aren’t going to be set up in such a fashion that you’re going to get 50% of the calves in 10 days.”

Sexson says it’s possible to get 60% or 70% of the herd bred in the first 30 days with natural service if your management is good. With AI, you can get 70% of the herd successfully bred on the first service. This puts you in position for most of your herd to calve in the first 10 days. Front loading the calving season with AI helps raise weaning weights because the average age of calves rises. You can also reap the benefits of uniform calf crops at marketing to help benefit your bottom line.

For more information on breeding indicator patches, visit ESTROTECT.com.

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

9

Purposeful Performance: Cattle Records Matter

by Lance Bauer, Beefmaster Breeders United What is one thing all successful businesses have in common? It isn’t the products they sell, you won’t find a steak at Best Buy, and you won’t find an iPad at your local butcher shop. It’s record keeping. Most all successful businesses keep records relevant to the product or service they provide.

For tracking improvement, there must be records. Forward-moving progress or backward-moving progress should be measurable. The only way to improve and keep ahead of the game is to take measurements and record them. The old saying goes, “You can’t improve what you don’t measure.” The cattle business is no different from any other business, and records should be kept on anything that can help a producer make more money.

After all, this is a business.

Records are very useful in

many decisions to keep or cull animals and progress an operation.

Birth Weight The first record that many producers focus on is birth weight. Birth weight is essential to most because heavier birth weights are correlated with dystocia or calving difficulties, and no one wants to deal with calving difficulties. Dystocia is a problem with large economic costs such as lost calves and possible damage to reproductive tracts causing infertility in cows.

In addition, calves born to cows with dystocia are more likely to die before weaning than calves born with no issues since the primary goal of most producers in the United States is to produce a live weaned calf.

A calf that dies before weaning is lost production.

Calving Ease While birth weight is important to consider because of its correlation with dystocia, producers can also record calving ease scores. These records can help with culling decisions by trying to eliminate cows that have calving difficulty or bulls that consistently produce large calves that require birthing assistance.

Weaning Weight Weaning weights are a very valuable record for the majority of producers around the United States. Most calves in the United States are sold at conventional auction barns by the pound, and those that aren’t marketed in a conventional auction barn are also sold by the pound.

continued on page 11

10

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

www.beefmasters.org

continued from page 9

vigor has the largest impact on lowly heritable traits. So makTherefore, it makes sense to pay ing use of crossbred Beefmaster close attention to records of females is very viable deciweight when pounds are what sion for replacement females. a producer gets paid for. KeepHeifers that fail to get rebred ing cows and bulls that consisor cows that continuously fall tently produce heavier calves back or come up open, are aniand culling those animals that mals that are losing the producconsistently produce lighter er money and should be culled. weaning calves is an excellent Other Production Traits way to increase the profit from There are other production an operation. traits that can be taken into Selecting for weaning weight account and measured that also in both cows and bulls can be play a role in the success of an done by utilizing EPDs, which operation. Those traits can be consider the animal’s own used in culling decisions as performance, pedigree, and well. One extremely important the performance of the anitrait is udder and teat strucmal’s offspring. Another way to tures. Bad udders and teats are increase weaning weight is to one of the largest reasons for utilize heterosis or hybrid vigor. culling cows in the beef inHeterosis in the cow and the dustry. Keeping yearly records calf can both lead to increased allows producers to easily make weaning weights because of these decisions. Another trait maternal and direct hybrid that is hard to measure is revigor. Beefmaster bulls are a productive efficiency of a bull. good way to make crossbred However, with modern genomcommercial females retain in ic technology calves can be sire operation and have steer calves verified in multi-sired situathat will wean heavy. tions. This type of record allows Reproductive Records producers to keep and cull One of the first reproductive bulls based on how many cows traits to keep record on is pregthey got bred and also lead nancy. Fertility is a trait that to the discovery of a bull that is lowly heritable and hybrid may not be producing quality

semen. If a producer has a bull to every 25 cows and has 100 cows; then one bull breeds 40, another breeds 30, another 15, and the last one breeds 5. It is of value to know which bulls performed the best. There are other records that can be kept to help producers improve their operations.

Financial Records The final type of records that all businesses keep are financial records. These records can help the producer know when a cow has broken even and will start producing a profit, which cows and bulls make them the most money, and which cows and bulls cost them the most money.

These financial records are all tied to production of the cows and bulls. Keeping these records may seem like common sense, but they are important for the growth of a business.

Banks do not do deals on a handshake anymore and need to see these records in order for a producer to take out a loan and expand their cattle operation. Financial records are what makes a business a business and not a hobby.

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

11

It is extremely important to keep records in the cattle industry because to be successful, a producer must treat his cattle as a business and try to make a profit. Therefore, performance records need to be kept as these records drive the profit/loss of the business. Animals with consistently low performance are like products that do not sell.

Any business knows that it is best to eliminate products that do not sell and focus on those that do. It is the same in cattle.

Using records to cull low-performing animals and replace them with higher-performing ones just makes sense.

The cattle business is just like any other business - it is important to keep records and make decisions based on those records to grow a business.

Lance Bauer Director of Breed Improvement Beefmaster Breeders United

14

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

15

More Than a Handshake: Negotiating and Drafting an Effective Hunting Lease for Your Farm or Ranch

by Cari B. Rincker, Esq.

A hunting lease is a mutually-beneficial arrangement between a landowner with land to spare and a hunter looking for exclusive and guaranteed access to hunting land. However, a simple handshake and an exchange of cash between parties is not always enough to ensure smooth sailing in a hunting lease agreement.

There are numerous variables, and endless opportunities for disagreement, when two or

more parties share land in this way. To avoid disputes—or to at least resolve them efficiently— it is best for the parties to set out in writing the boundaries and inner-workings of their lease arrangement. This article discusses the terms you should address and include in your hunting lease agreement.

Put it in Writing First and foremost, your hunting lease agreement should be in writing. For one

obvious reason, what one party promises orally is not easily provable, whereas a written lease documents every detail of the agreement made. The parties, as well as any future arbiter, can easily look back to a written agreement to determine what, exactly, was agreedupon. One lesser-known consideration is that most states have a “Statute of Frauds,” which is a rule requiring that contracts lasting longer than a year—as many hunting leases

do—must be in writing in order to be enforceable.

The Basics Every contract must contain certain details in order for it to be enforceable. For a hunting lease, this includes the names and addresses of the parties involved, a description of the land subject to lease, the duration of the lease, and the amount of rent to be paid.

continued on page 16

16

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

continued from page 15 A hunting lease agreement should always identify both the landowner, known in legal terms as the “lessor,” and the hunter, known as the “lessee.” The land subject to the lease should be described in as much detail as possible, including both common and legal descriptions of the land.

One way to avoid confusion is to attach a map of the leased

area as an addendum to the lease. This map can depict the roads and points of entry that the lessee is permitted to use, as well as areas where the lessee may clean animal carcasses or dispose of refuse.

A hunting lease should clearly define the durational term of the lease, whether it be monthly, annual, or otherwise.

It should also specify whether the agreement automatically

Heritage Cattle Company

renews at the end of each lease term, or whether the parties must proactively agree to renew the lease in advance. The lease should detail how much cash rent is due, at what interval, and by what form of payment.

The landowner may consider asking for a security deposit up front, which may be used to cover any expenses in repairing damages caused during the lease.

ATF

E6 Commercial Beefmaster Females Beefmaster Bulls for the Commercial Cattleman Chris Kauffman 501-279-8505 ckauffman@stephensgroup.com

ATF

www.beefmasters.org

Additional Considerations The most effective way to avoid disputes is to make the hunting lease agreement as detailed as possible with respect to which activities are or are not permissible for each party. In addition to the basics, you may consider including the following in your lease:

continued on page 17

Arrow T Farm Beefmasters Greg & Mandy Thomas Elkmont, Alabama 256-431-1872 thomasgreg@bellsouth.net

ATF

ATF

www.beefmasters.org

continued from page 16 • The species of animals that may be hunted; • The number of each species that may be hunted; • The types of weapons that the lessee may use; • Whether the lessee may bring guests, and the number of guests permitted; • Whether the lessee may construct improvements (e.g., hunting blinds, tree stands); • Whether the lessee may use hunting dogs; • Whether the lessee may use any facilities on the leased land (e.g., sheds, bunks); • What kind of vehicles the lessee may bring, and where those vehicles may be driven; • Whether the lessee can transfer the lease to another party without permission; • Potential damages owed if either party violates the terms of the agreement; • What happens if there is a natural disaster that makes the land unsuitable for hunting; • What happens if the landowner wants to sell the land; and • When and how either party can end the lease agreement.

Preparing for Disputes While the primary goal of a hunting lease agreement it to avoid any disputes between the parties, a secondary goal is to road map what should happen in the event that a dispute nevertheless arises. To that end, a hunting lease should include the parties’ wishes regarding the means to resolve any potential disputes. This includes whether the parties plan to use alternative dispute resolution (e.g., mediation or arbitration), which court will have jurisdiction over any legal proceedings, which state’s laws will apply when interpreting the agreement, and whether parties will be allowed to recover any reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in a dispute.

Tips for the Landowner

should specify if and when you are allowed to enter the leased If you are the landowner, area, for what purposes, and there are a few things you with what kind of notice to the should keep in mind before lessee. Furthermore, if you have signing a hunting lease already leased out your land to agreement. First, make sure another party for another use that the lease agreement (e.g., agricultural, mining, or preserves your right to use the drilling), or if you have plans land in any way that you intend to do so in the future, the lease to during the course of the lease should specify this as well. term. For example, the lease

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

17

As the landowner, you should also consider how to (1) prevent injury or damage caused by the lessee’s activities on your land, and (2) protect yourself from liability in the event that any such injury or damage occurs. One way to minimalize injury or damage is to include provisions in your

continued on page 18

18

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

continued from page 17

damage, and it can provide that the lessee will indemnify—i.e., lease agreement ensuring that pay back—the landowner for the lessee is properly licensed to any costs resulting from injury use firearms and to hunt, that or damage caused by lessee’s the lessee follows appropriate activities on the land. firearm safety, that the lessee Keep in mind that a hunting does not engage in hazardous lessee may be spending more activities such as drinking time on your land than you while hunting, and that the do. To that end, it may be in lessee follows all applicable your interest for the lease to state and federal laws. The hunting lease agreement should include certain responsibilities for the lessee in the supervision contain a provision informing of your land. For example, a the lessee that he or she hunting lease agreement can assumes the risks of hunting contain provisions holding and is responsible for any Tips for the Hunter harm resulting therefrom. The the lessee responsible for agreement can also require that reporting or preventing certain If you plan to lease someone the lessee purchase insurance to hazards, such as wildfires or the else’s land, it is important that cover the costs of any injury or presence of trespassers. you inspect the area in advance

of signing an agreement to make sure that the leased area meets your expectations and is suitable for your hunting needs.

Read the lease closely and make note of the ways in which the lessor may continue to use the land during the course of the hunting lease. Finally, use caution in bringing guests with you to hunt on the leased land, as you may be liable for any damage or injury that your guests cause.

Final Thoughts Whether you are a landowner planning to lease your property for hunting purposes, or a hunter hoping to lease land, it is important to understand that lease agreements are binding contracts with significant consequences. Given the variables at stake, hunting leases should be carefully tailored for the unique needs of each party involved. It is advisable for either party to hire an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction to help craft or review a suitable hunting lease agreement. At a minimum, consider reviewing this article with your counter party to ensure that your hunting lease agreement will address all salient subjects and avoid future costly disputes.

Cari B. Rincker

Rincker Law, PLLC

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

19

Pounds Pay in the Feedyard

by Brittni Bates

Commercial breeders have many options today to market their cattle, and retaining ownership through the feed yard is one of those options.

Performance and carcass data producers have received from the feed yard at Irsik and Doll in Garden City, Kansas, prove Beefmaster cattle are more than just a maternal breed.

Beefmaster and Beefmastercross cattle can perform in the feed yard, grade on the rail, and return a profit for producers who market their cattle on the grid. James Skelton, a Beefmaster seedstock producer in Springdale, Arkansas, started retaining ownership of his calves through the feed yard in 2010, and he has experienced firsthand how well his cattle perform and can earn him a profit.

“This data tells me that Beefmaster and Beefmastercross cattle can do just as well in the feed yard as any other breed, and I have quickly learned how carcass data

impacts my bull selection to produce the kind of quality calves that will grade and yield on the rail,” Skelton said.

Over the last seven years Skelton has marketed 453 through Irsik and Doll, and his average dry matter conversion rate is an excellent 5.29 with his best calves converting as low as 4.7. The more efficiently calves convert feed to pounds, the faster they gain, and the less money the producer incurs getting those calves to kill weight. Lower dry matter conversion rates means fewer days on feed and lower cost to gain which yields higher profitability.

At Vaughn Family Farms in Mount Vernon, Missouri, owner Davin Vaughn considers their successful low feed conversion as the primary factor to their profitability. His added emphasis on efficiency as a criteria for breeding selection has proven beneficial when retaining ownership of feeder cattle.

“With the last group of cattle we marketed on the grid, we were able to profit $410.57 per head solely based on, what I feel after looking at the data, was low dry matter conversions and a zero percent death loss,” Vaughn said.

Cattle feeder Mark Sebranek said dry matter conversions are really important and can have an impact on cost to gain, especially with the increased corn prices and volatility of grain prices.

“So, it costs the producer less because it doesn’t take as

much feed to make these cattle gain,” Sebranek said. “I’ve been impressed with the quick advancements the producers have been making with these Beefmaster calves.”

After his average price per head increased by almost $200 from the first set of calves to the second, Skelton said he quickly learned he was leaving $200 to $300 per head on the table by marketing his weaned calves at the sale barn. Likewise, Jerry Glor from Halfway, Missouri,

continued on page 20

20

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

continued from page 19 said he prefers retaining ownership through the feed yard due to the premiums he receives for his straight bred Beefmaster calves, and selling on the grid provides him a way to market his steers.

“It’s not unusual for Beefmasters to grade Choice or better, and I really enjoy seeing those kinds of premiums for my calves at the feedyard,” Glor said.

Despite the industry misconception that Beefmasters do not grade well, these producers have experienced a high percentage of their Beefmaster calves grading Choice or better. A majority of Skelton’s cattle

grade choice, and Vaughn said 76 percent of his last group graded choice or above and15 percent qualified for Certified Angus Beef (CAB), which accounted for a $62 per head premium. Of those that qualified for CAB, one head was 3/4 Beefmaster and 1/4 Angus while the rest were straight bred Beefmaster.

“The industry’s perception is Beefmaster cattle typically do not excel in quality grades; however, you’re just leaving money on the table by not breeding for cattle that can have higher marbling scores without sacrificing yield.

Because we use marbling as a selection tool, we are able to capture those kinds of added

premiums,” Vaughn said.

Beefmaster and Beefmastercross cattle do combine efficiency, quality grade, and they add on pounds which Sebranek emphasized is the biggest profit driver in the feed yard.

“We have seen the improvement in performance, dry matter conversions and quality grades in these cattle,” Sebranek said, “but at the end of the day, pounds are what pay.”

As much as the results from the feed yard tell a producer where he can improve, data can also show what producers are doing correctly. Hot carcass weight is what gives Beefmasters the competitive

www.beefmasters.org

advantage. A highly heritable trait, dressing percentage is what packers are paying for, and Beefmasters certainly deliver.

“The biggest advantage I see with Beefmaster cattle is in dressing percentage,” Sebranek said. “In some cases, when the Choice and Select spread is lower, we actually see the Beefmaster cattle bring more than Angus, Hereford and other breeds just because of dressing percentage. These Beefmaster cattle hang up a nice large carcasses with large ribeyes.”

Sebranek compared a 700-pound Prime Angus carcass and a 900-pound Select

continued on page 21

SHORTER DAYS BRING WEAKER FORAGE

When forage fails, Ragland is there to meet the nutritional needs of your herds. Our high-quality supplements help fill the nutritional gaps that faltering fall forage leaves, ensuring that your beef and dairy cattle, horses, sheep, poultry, and wild game remain healthy through the cold months.

SPECIAL LIX AND CASH COW POURED SUPPLEMENTS

• Durable tubs in 125- or 200-pound sizes • Convenient, economical way to deliver nutrients • Maximize nutritional benefits of existing forage

37% MONEY-MAKER RANGE BLOCKS

• Tough enough for bunk or ground feeding • Good for all types of ruminants • Gives cattle necessary protein, vitamins and minerals

DID YOU KNOW?

DEER AND

GAME BLOCKS

• Ensure wildlife health through harsh winters • Protein and minerals needed to thrive in all seasons

All of Ragland’s extruded protein blocks are easily recognized by the hole in the middle. Years of testing and customer feedback have shown Ragland extruded blocks to be more digestible, palatable and durable than other feed blocks.

4% ALL STOCK BLOCK AND BAG

• Palatable block for convenient mineral feeding to mixed herds • Provides supplemental phosphorus, vitamins, trace minerals and more to cattle, horses, sheep, goats and deer • Additional salt not required • Contains no added copper

888-549-8014 raglandmills.com

Thanks to our specially engineered Raingard TM formula, Ragland minerals are known for superior moisture resistance—minimal clumping, sustained palatability, and less waste.

www.beefmasters.org

continued from page 20 Beefmaster carcass. Because pounds pay, Sebranek said, the Beefmaster carcass is likely to bring a higher premium. With the advancements in DNA testing and genetic markers, there is an unparalleled opportunity for producers to more easily improve quality grades than ever before.

In terms of profitability, Vaughn said their margins were slightly larger in their straight bred Beefmaster cattle as compared to the Anguscrossed calves primarily based on dressing percentage and yield. Of their last group killed, the average dressing percentage was 65.1 percent, average yield grade was 3, and hot carcass weight averaged 895 pounds.

Beefmaster and Beefmastercross cattle can also attribute success in the feed yard to their hardy traits and natural ability to fight diseases. In the seven years Skelton has fed out his calves in the feed yard, his death loss remains 0.22 percent while Vaughn’s death loss is 0 percent. Pounds pay, and

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

21

the reason we do feed out some cattle is because I know these Beefmaster cattle can be profitable in the feed yard, and it helps us make better breeding decisions for our customers.

The more data we utilize and pass on to our customers, the more informed decisions they can make.”

feeders don’t make payouts on dead calves.

That includes feed, medicine, yardage, processing expense and insurance. The health bill is an added input cost. So, the healthier the calves, the lower the expenses, the more profit in your pocket.

“In my opinion, death loss is one of the greatest keys.

These Beefmaster cattle go into the feed yard with an increased natural immunity as compared to English and Continental breeds, and that’s just because of their natural disease resistance in addition to a stringent vaccination regimen

we implement here at home,” Vaughn said.

All of these producers have fed cattle during different seasons throughout the year, so they experienced some of the harshest West Kansas winter as well as the harsh summer, proving Beefmaster cattle perform well in a gauntlet of climates from South Texas to the Kansas plains.

“I can’t control the markets, but I focus on what I can control like genetic selection and animal wellness,” Vaughn said. “We are not in the cattle feeding business. We are in the seedstock business, but

Brittni Bates Freelance Writer

beefmasters.org

22

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

23

BBU Internship Provides Valuable Experience

by Haley Guerrero, Beefmaster Breeders United Growing up in the Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA) for 14 years, I have had the privilege of meeting people that forever influenced me to be the person I am today and who have become family. During my years of being a junior showman, once summertime came I knew that I was inching closer to seeing my show friends at the JBBA national show. That has always been my biggest take away from our national show because even though we were miles apart from each other, that one time of year we always picked up where we left off.

After many years of being in the show ring and the countless miles driven around the state, I finally had to lay my show stick to rest. It was a very bittersweet moment because I was starting a new chapter of going to college, but knowing I wasn’t going to be able to feel that rush of entering a show ring again left an empty part of me.

Fast forward to the present time, I stumbled upon the opportunity of applying for the Beefmaster Breeders United internship. Around the time of finding out about this opportunity I was a full-time student and was in the midst of

planning out my senior year at Sam Houston University. I was creating my resume, planning my future senior classes, and thinking of ways that I could get more work experience.

After saying many prayers, I was granted the opportunity to work in the BBU office. I was nervous to be three and half hours away from home and had no idea what to expect when moving up to Boerne, but I came to love the busy little town of Boerne.

During my time in the office I was able to learn what a business office environment looked like, how the junior national show was administrated, how to proceed with transfers and registrations of cattle, and the process of memberships.

With being a junior member for so long, I never knew the process and the amount of hours it took to put on the national show. The 2022 national show looked very different for me, instead of being on the end of a lead rope, I was scurrying around preparing all of the events for the junior members for the week. It was truly an eye opening experience for me and I found myself reflecting back on all of the years that I

BBU Intern Haley Guerrero took a break from working the 2022 JBBA National Show and Convention to enter the show ring once again and compete in the Adult Showmanship competition.

attended this show. I realized how grateful I was to be able to have people work all year long for our biggest junior event. It is not an overnight process and definitely not a one man show.

It takes a village to run a great organization like JBBA. Being able to work beside the employees at BBU was such a privilege. I appreciate the guidance, the time, and the experience that they provided me with to prepare for jobs in my near future. This experience as a whole has been such a great stepping stone for me as I approach my senior year at Sam Houston State University. The people I have

met, the relationships I have made along the way and the knowledge I was able to gain is something I am forever grateful for. Thank you again to all of the employees at BBU, Rylee Barber, and everyone along the way. This great organization could not function without your hard work and dedication.

Haley Guerrero Intern Beefmaster Breeders United

24

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

BEEFMASTER Pay Weight The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

the

25

a publication dedicated to serving commercial cattlemen and produced by Beefmaster Breeders United FALL 2022

Vol. 8, No. 2

Section 2

www.beefmasters.org

University of Arkansas at Monticello cattle breeding program enters new phase by Lon Tegels, University of Arkansas at Monticello The cattle herd at the University of Arkansas at Monticello is getting an upgrade, receiving more than two dozen hand-picked Beefmaster cows and calves donated by James and Mary Ann Skelton of Springdale.

“I didn’t want UAM to have any scrubs,” the 77-year-old James Skelton. “I’m selling down, so I donated the better end of my cows.”

At one time, Skelton and his brother managed more than 300 head of Beefmaster cattle.

“My brother got out of the business, and now it’s just my two sons,” Skelton said. “We have about 60 cows. They, too,

are now wanting out of the cattle business. So, it’s a good time.”

UAM has had cattle on its campus for a long time, beginning as a research and demonstration herd managed by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Southeast Research and Extension Center. When the Center closed, the herd was transferred to UAM. “With the switch of ownership, so did the focus of the cattle operation. We were suddenly tasked with the need for our cattle to produce calves for revenue so that the farm could financially stand on its own,”

Beefmaster cow and calf donated to UAM from Skelton Farms

said Rocky Lindsey, veterinarian and associate professor animal science.

Genetic upgrades UAM farm manager Greg Montgomery said the donated

cattle, which arrived in May, have excellent traits that help elevate the quality of the UAM herd.

continued on page 26

26

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

Beating the competition UAM doesn’t often enter competitions with its livestock.

However, this past year Montgomery and a student tested the waters at the Arkansas State Fair. The result was a measuring stick.

“The results couldn’t have been better,” Montgomery said.

“We were at the state fair in 2021. We had a heifer and a bull. Our bull won Arkansas Champion and Grand Champion Beefmaster Bull.

“We walked out of there with a lot of purple ribbons.

For me, it was the first time I’d ever done that,” he said. “Even as a kid, I had never won the UAM farm manager Greg Montgomery evaluating the Beefmaster cattle state fair. It was cool to do that Beefmasters Breeders United for the university and a cool continued from page 25 they produced recognizable helps track all the cows’ data. thing for me.”

“We are getting some proven genetics?” he said.

“They have the bloodline; UAM student Rayvin Callagenetics,” said Montgomery.

“The third box is EPDs or they get a number, the animal’s way showed the cattle and “she “There are three boxes we expected progeny differences. birth weight is recorded, wean- did a wonderful job. Kudos to are trying to check. The first All three things can get very ing weight and yearling weight. her for the work she has done. is visual assessment; we want complex, but it’s pretty simple By the time you’re done, you We hope to have more student them to look pretty as you go once you know the process. If have a huge database to help interaction in the future in down the road. The next two we are checking all three boxes, improve the quality of your showing our cattle.” boxes included pedigree: what we are upgrading our cattle,” herd,” he said. continued on page 27 ancestry do they have, and have Montgomery said.

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

27

continued from page 26 “The goals for the herd with University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture were teaching and research. Generating revenue through cattle sales was not the focus,” said Lindsey. “We’re still going to use them as a teaching herd and perform quality research, but the focus has changed since UAM took ownership of the cattle. We now want to help the UAM farm grow and support itself.”

“We can brand our UAM university name and become well-known. We are starting to become known as a quality Beefmaster breeder. This gives added value to our cattle,” said Lindsey.

“Everything we do out here on this cow farm, there will be a student involved,” said Montgomery. “Ultimately everything we do to improve the college’s herd; the student is involved 100% hands-on. As the herd gains more notoriety, the university also builds its name and reputation. Meaning more opportunities for the student.”

Top Five Skelton became familiar with the UAM breeding program about five years ago. Bill Pendergrass, who was serving as the executive vice president of Beefmasters Breeders United at that time, told Skelton that UAM needed a bull to breed their cows. Skelton called Montgomery and told them that the school he could use one of his top bulls for a few months. The bull was a top five

ranked Beefmaster. The bull and cows did their job producing top calves. However, closure of the Southeast Research and Extension Center meant Montgomery had to start over.

The current “donation we received was very beneficial, no strings attached,” Lindsey said.

“Some of the cattle we were initially going to sell, the donation agreement allowed us to do that, but instead, the quality of the animals we received was

incredibly good. Those cows and calves will now be incorporated into our existing breeding program.”

Lon Tegels

Communications Director

University of Arkansas at Monticello

28

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

Beefmaster Association Moves to College Station, Texas

by Jeralyn Novak, Beefmaster Breeders United Starting January 2023, the Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) office will have a new home in College Station, Texas.

Here's the scoop on why the office is making to 188 mile move northeast to Brazos County.

BBU, along with other American breeds, was approached by Texas A&M University (TAMU) in the spring of 2021 and also during the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) meetings in early summer 2021. TAMU had a vision to move all of the American beef cattle breed association offices to College Station, Texas to help promote Bos indicus influenced breeds, knowing that their maternal traits are important to the beef industry. BBU President Larry Meacham presented the idea to the BBU Board of Directors not long after that BIF discussion. With TAMU being one of Beefmaster's biggest allies and having one of the most prestigious agricultural programs in the United States, the BBU Board of Directors decided in February 2022 that

BBU should make this happen.

Clearly, there are many steps that must be taken to turn this opportunity into a reality.

With Board approval, BBU put the current office in Boerne, Texas up for sale in June 2022 and since then the office has sold with a lease-back contract agreement through the end of 2022. This gives BBU ample time to plan for the move. The plan is to lease space in College Station, Texas for the short term, and to build on the TAMU campus in the long term.

TAMU's vision is to be an American breeds campus.

TAMU is a leading agricultural university and having this relationship with academia will give the Beefmaster breed another opportunity to market Beefmaster cattle to a vast variety of people.

TAMU has offered BBU a long-term lease (35 to 40 years) on property they own that is adjacent to the Beef Center. The vision is to build an office with a conference and educational facility, along with a cattle barn to showcase our cattle

during structured events, such as Beef Cattle Short Course and beef industry conferences that take place throughout the year. The conference facility could be used for BBU and Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association meetings.

TAMU wants to make this transition and move as seamless as possible. They have offered to help assist in acquiring office space or conference space during this transition. They think the move will also help them in growing their agriculture department in the future.

Realizing that change is always hard, but looking at the upside, it brings more potential to Beefmaster Breeders United than most of us can see.

"I truly feel that Beefmaster cows have the best maternal traits of any cow that’s out there. But if you don’t make yourself relevant, you end up losing all of that," says Meacham.

With TAMU support, it is the long-term vision of the Beefmaster breed to become the premiere American breed and the number one source for proven high-quality beef cattle genetics. continued on page 29

www.beefmasters.org

continued from page 28

remainder of 2022. Collin will work closely with Dr. Mask during this time to ensure a successful changeover of leadership.

"We’re visiting with other staff members about continuing with BBU, whether in the College Station office or remotely," says Meacham.

During the transition time, Meacham envisions having two offices, one in Boerne and one in College Station until we complete the move at the end of 2022. Dr. Mask will spend several days a week in Boerne to help make the transition as seamless as possible.

We hope to minimize disruption with the rest of the staff by either facilitating their move to College Station, Texas if they so choose, or implementing workfrom-home policies where appropriate. We are truly thankful for their dedicated service to BBU and hope to make this as seamless as possible for all.

There are a lot of moving parts and potential issues, but we’ll work through them and do what’s best for the association. None of us like a lot of change, but our breed is in a position to grow at a greater stride than how we’ve been because of how well our cattle are received in the industry. Meacham believes this move to College Station will help us continue to be relevant as a breed and ultimately prosper.

Change is always difficult, but to continue to be relevant as a breed, the BBU Board of Directors felt that our outstanding breed of cattle must look to the future and welcome changes that will ultimately help us grow.

"How do you keep from becoming complacent?

You’ve got to always keep your finger at the forefront.

We have to remember that we are seedstock producers breeding cattle for commercial cattlemen. Acceptance of our genetics by the commercial cattlemen is essential and I believe Texas A&M is one of our biggest allies in catapulting us forward," expressed Meacham.

With our magnificent maternal traits, Meacham believes that the Beefmaster breed will have a strong foothold in the market into the future and having this connection with academia will help our breed become and stay a vital portion of the beef cattle industry.

Obviously, there are other components that also come into play when you make such a move. The biggest component of which is staff. As you all know, we have a great set of individuals who have done an incredible job managing our association.

"The biggest concern for our board has been regarding staff because they’ve been so loyal to us. We made sure they know they have a job with us through the end of 2022," said Meacham.

Beefmaster Breeders United's new Executive Vice President Dr. Joe Mask officially started his role on September 6, 2022. He has a tremendous skill set and should make the new path forward seamless for the Beefmaster family. He recently transitioned from his Executive Vice President position for the American Brahman Breeders Association. Dr. Mask lives in the College Station area and has been involved with Bos indicus influenced cattle for most of his life. He has worked in the world of academia and Texas AgriLife for many years and will bring a lot of valuable insight to our association.

Jeralyn Novak We sincerely thank Collin Communications Coordinator Osbourn for his many years Beefmaster Breeders United of dedicated service to BBU. Collin will transition out of his role as EVP throughout the

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

29

30

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

31

Dedicated to Quality: Breeder of the Year continues legacy of raising top-end genetics

by Chel Terrell, Gulf Coast Publishing Bill and Dusty Carr's legacy in the Beefmaster breed spans over 50 years, with a program synonymous with quality and renown throughout the breed for producing genetics highly sought after by both seedstock and commercial producers alike.

Since joining Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) in the mid-1970s, the Carrs have tirelessly pursued excellence in their breeding program, and in recognition of their achievements and lasting impact to the breed, the duo was awarded the 2021 BBU Breeder of the Year Award at the annual convention last fall.

Building a heritage in the cattle business that continues to excel at the highest level takes a strong foundation built on foresight and a continued commitment to improving both the livestock and land on which they're raised. Bill Carr began his pursuit in the early 1950s as part of a family commercial cow-calf operation in the brush country of Webb County, Texas. He transitioned into a successful purebred Santa Gertrudis operation taking advantage of that breed association's emphasis on bull

gain tests and data collection and continued a two-pronged effort to transform and maintain productive rangeland and pastures while raising efficient and profitable cattle.

"I credit much of our success to having worked out a unique and cost-effective process of converting the mixed brush and prickly pearinfested rangelands of Webb County into relatively clean grass pastures and to a strong emphasis on performance in our cattle operation," Carr said.

As his operation expanded in the early 1970s, Carr began searching for cattle to run on additional acreage he had acquired. At that time, South Texas was in the midst of an extreme drought, forcing prominent South Texas Beefmaster breeder Gerald Hollis to part with some of his premier animals. This opened the door to the breed for Carr, enabling him to purchase 122 Beefmaster and Beefmastercross bred cows and pairs from Hollis and breed the cows to Beefmaster bulls and obtain registration papers on all of them.

"I really liked the progeny that came out of these

Beefmaster cows and knew I wanted to transition fully into the Beefmaster business," he said. Shortly thereafter, Carr joined BBU and began phasing out of raising purebred Santa Gertrudis.

When Carr wanted to sell his Santa Gertrudis stock and couldn't receive what he thought they were worth, he enrolled nearly all 700 head in BBU's Upgrading Program.

"I bought several good Beefmaster bulls from wellrespected breeders at that time to help our program and upgrade those base cows to purebred status," he said.

As Carr grew his Beefmaster herd, he expanded his 4C Hilltop Ranch operations to include properties in Wilson and Kendall counties, now encompassing roughly 14,500 acres. continued on page 32

32

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

continued from page 31

measuring devices, an early sonogram machine and Son Kirk Carr manages other items and he would the Wilson County take it to members' ranches division, a few miles west of and utilize the equipment on Floresville. Mike Redding their cattle," he said. heads up operations at the "Raising cattle ought to be 4C division near the quaint a for-profit business. I try to Hill Country community of focus on both performance Sisterdale and Luis Ayala is and visual appraisal, and his head man at the Webb I think in today's day and County division. time all the breeds are A Philosophy for Longevity beginning to give more Performance data emphasis to carcass merit, and visual appraisal are in particular. I think to have paramount to Carr's sustainability in our breed, breeding philosophy we need to go the direction and continued success. of industry demand and Following this viewpoint continue to improve carcass has benefited the operation quality." as he's promoted progeny Good Planning Pays out of his foundation With recent droughts, bulls Classic Cotton and the Carrs generally run, Cornerstone and younger including recips, between herd sires.

600 to 800 breeding age "I have always been females, synchronizing every performance­ minded, breeding age female on each and I had emphasized of the three divisions at least performance when I owned once per year. "We handle the Santa Gertrudis cattle. them in a way to get the best Their association had a and most production out of 140-day gain test at that her," Carr said. time, and I had more Santa Beefmaster females made Gertrudis bulls that had donors are synched under a gained over 5 lbs., a day in certain protocol, with some these tests than anybody of their embryos transferred other than the King Ranch," fresh and others frozen. In he said. "Having done vitro fertilization has been what I did in the Santa used sparingly on older Gertrudis breed, I had that donors to help extend their frame of mind and those productive life, he notes. incentives when I got into All kept breeding age the Beefmaster breed. I've (yearling) females that always participated in BBU's are not made donors or Classification Program recipients are synchronized and Weights and Measures and artificially inseminated Program (he's also a Merit (Al) on standing heat, then Breeder) and felt it was separated into various beneficial to a breeder to groups and exposed to one have a knowledgeable, bull, Carr said. Weaned, independent person come spring-born replacements look at your cattle and cut develop on oats and out anything that you might Bermudagrass at the Wilson not have cut yourself."

County division and are As a member of a weighed while at various progressive­ minded stages, then classified, Webb County cattlemen's sonogrammed and have association, Carr, in the pelvic measurements taken.

1950s and 1960s, reaped the "We have a veterinarian benefits of the association's determine pregnancy by resources and equipment to doing a sonogram on all of collect performance data on our AI'd and natural service his herd. "Our Webb County exposed females so we can Extension agent maintained determine with certainty possession of a variety of whether the females we sell equipment, which included continued on page 33 portable scales, pelvic

www.beefmasters.org

www.beefmasters.org

continued from page 32

in late October and early November, and most females as bred are pregnant to the Al are bred in the spring. "Calves bull or to the clean­up bull. I in our operation wean at higher try to identify and breed cattle weaning weights if we do nearly as early as I can, then those all our breeding in the spring. that breed at a yearling age and We'll do embryo transfer calve at two years of age, we can in April, May and June," breed back to have second calf he said. To meet potential as a three year old. buyer demand for fall calvers, "Each raised and kept Carr also breeds a few cattle bull and kept heifer have a through synchronization and sonogram carcass evaluation AI in January and February. done by a certified technician "There's a certain demand for at yearling age. Such scan data fall calvers because they fit a is processed through a CUPbuyer's program better. I try to certified lab and the results have some of them to sell in my are utilized in our selection October sale," he said. criteria," Carr said.

In addition to the purebred The majority of calves are herd, the Carrs also maintain born in the spring and weaned

300 to 400 recipient females at the Webb County (mainly Fl Brafords) and Kendall County (mainly Black Baldies) divisions. "The last few years we've been using recips that we produce out of Fl Brafords and Black Angus at the Webb County ranch and the Black Baldies are cleaned up with Beefmaster bulls after receiving embryos or if they fail to qualify for embryos," he said. ''The resulting natural service calves are from each ranch, ¾ Bos taurus and ¼ Bos indicus, which makes a very desirable feeder calf after it's grown to an appropriate feedlot weight on our winter pastures."

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

33

Carr has marketed calves directly to feedlots and retained ownership of Beefmaster steers through the feedlot stage to obtain performance and individual carcass data. He's also participated in multiple feeding programs over the years that provided valuable information for his operation such as the Texas Ranch to Rail and Nolan Ryan Tender Aged Beef programs as well as several university programs and BBU and satellite­sponsored programs.

"Our cattle, and I think the Beefmaster breed as a whole are very efficient in the feedlot

continued on page 34

34

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

continued from page 33

genetics using all the resources available in the livestock as they gain rapidly, convert world, including the best feed efficiently and provide donors and herd sires. They've acceptable carcasses," he said. produced more Pacesetters The ranch continues to and Typesetters than anyone produce and use many EPD I know," said sale manager, trait leaders for the breed Anthony Mihalski. including Benchmark a bull Involvement Benefits All raised out of trait leader BBU and satellite Cornerstone and a Classic participation remains Cotton daughter. Other high important to the Carrs and they indexing and high EPD ranking have been active and dedicated bulls and females have been members since joining the raised or used over the years association. Bill has served - such as Classic Cotton and on the Board of Directors Miss Dusty - many earning twice and held the offices Pacesetter and Typesetter of president, vice president, status. "Consideration is secretary and ex-officio and given to all of the objective has been a prominent member evaluations of economic traits, on BBU committees, including not just phenotype, in our serving as a longtime chairman selections," Carr said. of the By-Laws Committee.

High demand for Carr's Promoting the breed at state Beefmaster genetics remains and national levels has also consistent from new and repeat held significant importance, buyers. They have hosted leading Carr to participate with an annual production sale the Texas and Southwestern and educational seminar for Cattle Raisers Association and many years with several other the National Cattlemen's Beef breeders at a beautiful sale Association (formerly the facility at the Wilson County National Cattlemen's ranch, consign animals through Association). Dusty has various BBU satellite sales sell given countless hours of via private treaty and have time and energy on the hosted numerous field days at Convention Committee and their ranches. with the Beefmaster Breeders "Bill and Dusty produce Cattlewomen organization. the best in quality seedstock

Their time, energy and financial generosity have been graciously shared with youth involved in the Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA) and the Beefmaster Educational Endowment Foundation (B.E.E.F.). A couple of years ago, Roger Fuller, who at the time received monies for B.E.E.F., advised Carr that he was the first donor to have fully paid a six-figure pledge to B.E.E.F. Each year at their fall production sale, the proceeds from the sale of special works of art by renown artists are given to benefit B.E.E.F., research efforts and JBBA scholarships awarded by the Beefmaster Breeders Cattlewomen.

Achieving the pinnacle of awards as a breeder is an incredible achievement.

Earning the honor for a second time is extremely rare. The Carrs were awarded the BBU Breeder of the Year accomplishment in 1993 as well and have also received numerous other honors for their well-respected program, including the 1999 BBU Environmental Award, 2008 BBU Performance Award, 2010 Live Oak Legend Award,

www.beefmasters.org

2010 Hall of Fame Award and the 1996 JBBA Helping Hand Award.

"Over the past several decades, there have been several individuals who have truly made a difference in the Beefmaster breed. I would argue that none have been more important to the association or to the breed of cattle than Bill and Dusty Carr," Mihalski said. ''They have been very deserving of all as they have given so much of themselves."

The Carrs are not looking to slow down anytime soon. They continue traveling to all three ranch divisions on a weekly basis to keep a close eye on the operations.

"I have been raising cattle and acquiring and improving land solely to raise cattle for 70 years. I will be continuing to do so as long as I can pull my boots on each day," Carr said.

Chel Terrell Managing Editor Gulf Coast Publishing

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

35

What is the Role of Cattle in Regenerative Agriculture?

by Caitlin Hebbert, Noble Research Institute

Consider them an input — the tool that allows you to harvest grass.

challenges, opportunities and priorities.

With all of their differences, one similarity stands out, ranch to ranch: their goals. They As a consultant, I get to meet almost always boil down to these two: lots of producers and their - They want to be profitable. families. Learning about their - They want to leave the land properties and businesses is better than they found it. one of my favorite parts of the Almost everyone who makes job. a living off of the land has an Despite how many producers I’ve met and visited, inherent respect and reverence for it, as well as for the I have yet to find two that are ecosystems that provide for the the same. Each has different wildlife, the livestock and the backgrounds, lifestyles, people who steward the land. strengths, budgets, biases — That respect and reverence you name it. And each comes has existed for centuries — for with a unique cocktail of

as long as the land has been providing. There is a belief, however, that a producer can’t achieve both goals — profitability, and benefiting/ improving the land — at the same time. Regenerative agriculture not only challenges that maxim, but when implemented strategically, disproves it.

According to revered conservationist Aldo Leopold, there are five factors that existed decades ago and continue to sustain healthy grazing lands now: the axe, the cow, the plow, the gun and the match. Let’s focus on the cow.

Supplements, fertilizer and herbicides became the land’s Band-Aid In nature, before the involvement of man, ruminants such as bison coexisted with and complemented our grasslands as they roamed in huge mobs. Native grass species thrived under short-duration, high-intensity grazing, and reaped the benefits of nutrient cycling as residual forage was trodden into the ground along with nutrient-rich manure. Lengthy rest times allowed the plants to recover as the bison made their way

continued on page 36

36

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

Instead, it’s a management through millions of acres of style that seeks to work grasslands, always moving synergistically and leverage a relationship with Mother on to seek the fresh, nutrient-dense growth that Nature, rather than to work came to life after a grassfire around and in spite of her. and to maintain a rich and Roaming livestock benefit grasslands species-diverse diet.

One way to begin This mutually beneficial to look at livestock relationship was healthy production from a and sustainable for both regenerative viewpoint, is parties: the animal and to consider your cattle as the land. Neither suffered for the benefit of the other inputs. Many of us don the title “cattle producer” with back then. So why should great pride, and rightfully either have to now? so. But I urge you to As time progressed, consider yourself a “grass cattle became more producer with cattle.” domesticated, and From this perspective, management became more cattle are a tool — an input. intense. Infrastructure You grow grass, and you such as cities and roads use cattle to harvest the impinged on grazing grass. As they harvest, lands, and more and more they trample biomass fences were built that now into thatch to help cover segregate livestock from suburbs and traffic, protect and protect the soil. The nutrients not utilized by cropland, and ostensibly make cattle easier to gather the digestive system are deposited back onto the and manage. However, as more and more constraints same land to help feed the soil biology, and in turn, were put on cattle and grow more grass. inhibited their natural Seek to use Mother tendency to roam, other necessary accommodations Nature’s principles from the days of the bison. Shortfell by the wayside. duration, higher-intensity As fences went up and cattle traveled less, pasture grazing and appropriate rest periods allow the rest time and grazing deep perennial roots of a intensity also decreased. species-diverse landscape Grass monocultures to feed the soil microbiome became the norm, teeming with life, and eradicating the species for plants to more easily diversity that fed both recover and grow more the cattle and the soil. forage for the next grazing The natural systems that evolved together crumbled. period.

And, as man typically does, The regenerative cow “Can cattle be we began to patch things up with our own solutions. regenerative?” My answer is yes, they can. And that’s Where forage quality suffered, we supplemented. not just my answer; the regenerative community Where soil quality was has been chanting for years lacking, we fertilized. now, “it’s not the cow, it’s Where grass became the how.” overtaken with weeds and Are livestock critical to brush, we sprayed.

Supplemental feedstuffs, healthy grasslands? Yes. Can cattle be detrimental synthetic fertilizers and to grasslands? Also, yes. herbicides are all tools — So how do we manage and can be effective ones at for a mutually beneficial that. But they cost money relationship between our and have unintended consequences. Regenerative livestock, our land and our pocketbook? agriculture is not meant We are all after the to eradicate inputs

continued from page 35

efficient cow. The problem is that almost all of us would define efficient differently – it’s a relative term. And unfortunately, you can’t pick exactly what you want in a perfectly efficient, designed-just-for-you cow and go find her. Most of the time, you have to develop her through strategic selection, culling and management.

Let’s revisit those two popular goals from the beginning: being 1) profitable and 2) beneficial to the land.

Both are managementdriven, but your cow can help you. In fact, if you’re having to work against her, she probably doesn’t fit into your definition of efficient.

I can’t tell you that you should have a cow that can take care of herself, maintain condition, calve every 365 days, wean a strong healthy calf, and get bred within the first 30 days of breeding season without also telling you that you must set her up for that success.

Nutrient requirements have to be met through grazing management, a strategically planned production cycle and sometimes supplementation.

Genetics matter, and bull selection plays a big part in that healthy calf, but so do maternal genetics. Health protocols are critical, and parasite loads can dramatically challenge cow condition. Don’t think less management or fewer inputs: think intentional management and optimized inputs.

When building a regenerative herd, consider the following: Select an animal that suits your environment.

It’s hard to work around characteristics in cattle that don’t suit the

continued on page 37

www.beefmasters.org

www.beefmasters.org

continued from page 36

every year, but not nearly as much as they would like to environment. You can’t force a have the bragging rights of cow to browse in heavy brush, keeping the biggest chunk but a goat will do so naturally. of that weaned-calf check.

You can’t force a heat-stressed Sometimes less is more, animal to graze instead of hide so again, be mindful of in the shade, but more heatunintended consequences. A tolerant cattle might get more 1,500-pound cow will usually grazing hours in. wean a bigger calf than a Matching animal to 1,200-pound cow, but the environment is going to be heavier cow also eats more different for everyone. Consider forage, generally has higher your terrain, your climate, your maintenance requirements and forage base and other factors costs more money to maintain unique to your operation. You throughout the year. The math want a cow that works for you, generally doesn’t work out in not a cow that you have to your favor. Moderation is your work around. If you’re moving friend in terms of most genetic cattle more often than you used traits, frame score and inputs to, docility is probably more needed for maintenance. important to you than it used Compare to your herd average. to be. Make a list of traits that Look for the cow that is are important to you and that raising a good calf every year complement your operation. and looks better than her When sourcing cattle, look for cohorts. Similarly, watch out operations and producers with for those that are in poorer similar characteristics and goals condition compared to the herd to yours. average or who raise a puny Everything in moderation. calf. How well a cow is able to Lots of people would like maintain herself can give you to have the bragging rights of an idea of their efficiency on weaning the heaviest calves

forage. Select for those that outperform the herd average and build your genetic base around them.

Regenerative agriculture isn’t a new concept; it’s simply reverting to what the land was originally designed to do. It seems progressive, but at its roots, it thrives on concepts that have existed in nature since livestock and grass first met.

The two were designed to work together, not against each other. Man’s well-intentioned intervention is what broke the happy symbiosis of livestock and the land. Making a profit in regenerative agriculture is a matter of balancing economics with the ecosystem, not choosing one over the other. Similarly, regenerative grazing is a matter of balancing livestock productivity with productivity of the grass and the soil — not prioritizing the cow over the grass, nor sacrificing cow condition for the sake of the grass. It’s a precarious balance that can be achieved, over time,

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

37

with careful and strategic management.

Cattle in regenerative agriculture are not any particular size or breed; they are not certified grass-fed or organic, unless you choose that route. A cow isn’t regenerative because she’s never set foot on fertilized soil. She’s regenerative when she is used as a tool to improve the land she grazes, rather than just seen as the sole product and priority.

When managed regeneratively, cattle are not detrimental to the environment. They are one of the key natural inputs to restoring a healthy and balanced system to our land, a system that truly regenerates for generations to come.

Caitlin Hebbert Livestock Consultant Noble Research Institute

38

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

www.beefmasters.org

2022 - 2023 Beefmaster Sale Calendar Sep 16, 2022 - Beef on Forage Bull Sale, Arcadia, FL Sep 17, 2022 - Beefmaster Network Sale, Raymond, MS Sep 23, 2022 - Flint Hills Classic Female Sale, Paxico, KS Sep 24, 2022 - 5th Annual Flint Hills Classic Bull Sale, Paxico, KS Sep 24, 2022 - Live Oak BBA Perfect Pair Fall Sale, Three Rivers, TX Oct 01, 2022 - Lyssy's Heart of the Herd Production Sale, Luling Foundation, Luling, TX Oct 01, 2022 - Isa Beefmasters 61st Performance Test and Sale, San Angelo, TX Oct 08, 2022 - Carr & Others Fall Sale, Floresville, TX Oct 15, 2022 - Beef on Forage Bull and Female Sale, Brenham, TX Oct 29, 2022 - Red River Performance Group Bull Sale, Paris, TX Nov 04, 2022 - Premium Power Bull Sale, Wauchula, FL Nov 04, 2022 - Beef on Forage Maternal Compass Commercial Replacement Female Sale, McAlester, OK Nov 05, 2022 - Southern Plains Performance Beefmaster Sale, Valliant, OK Nov 12, 2022 - SFA Purple Premium Sale at the SFA Beef Pavilion, Nacogdoches, TX Nov 19, 2022 - Collier Farms Performance Bull Sale, Brenham, TX Dec 03, 2022 - Lone Star BBA Fall Sale, Sulphur Springs, TX Feb 18, 2023 - Beefmaster Border Classic V Sale, Edcouch, TX Feb 25, 2023 - TBA Bull Sale Mar 18, 2023 - Beef on Forage Bull and Female Sale, McAlester, OK Mar 25, 2023 - Emmons Ranch Annual Bull Sale, Groesbeck, TX Apr 01, 2023 - Louisiana BBA Spring Sale, Kinder, LA Jun 03, 2023 - The Cowboy Heritage Beefmaster Sale, Location TBA Jun 10, 2023 - Wallen Prairie Ranch Power and Performance Production Sale, Lockwood, MO Jun 17, 2023 - Lone Star BBA Female Sale, Sulphur Springs, TX Jun 24, 2023 - Southern Tradition xxiii, Savannah, TN Jul 23, 2023 - Hiatt Diamond H 7th Production Sale, Mt. Ulla, NC Aug 19, 2023 - Emmons Ranch Production Sale, Brazos County Expo, Bryan, TX Sep 02, 2023 - Anderson Beefmaster Production Sale, Amarillo, TX Sep 15, 2023 - Beef on Forage Bull Sale, Arcadia, FL Oct 07, 2023 - Isa Beefmasters 62nd Performance Test and Sale, San Angelo, TX Oct 14, 2023 - Carr & Others Fall Sale, Floresville, TX Oct 21, 2023 - Beef on Forage Bull and Female Sale, Brenham, TX Nov 03, 2023 - Premium Power Bull Sale, Wauchula, FL Nov 03, 2023 - Beef on Forage Maternal Compass Commercial Replacement Female Sale, McAlester, OK

Beefmaster Events Calendar

Oct 07, 2022 - Carr & Others Educational Program, Floresville, TX Oct 08, 2022 - Lone Star BBA Ultrasound Scan Day, Canton, TX Oct 21 - 22, 2022 - BBU Annual Convention, Oklahoma City, OK Nov 12, 2022 - Louisiana BBA Fall Field Day @ McNeese State, Lake Charles, LA Dec 02, 2022 - Lone Star BBA Membership Education Day & Lunch, Sulphur Springs, TX May 06, 2023 - Lone Star BBA Carcass Ultrasound Scan Day @ Champion Genetics, Canton, TX

sale catalogs posted online a few weeks before sale date at www.beefmasters.org/sales-events

www.beefmasters.org

The Beefmaster Pay Weight

39

Advertisers’ Index Breeder Advertisers

Alabama Arrow T Beefmasters............................................16 D&D Beefmasters.................................................21 Arkansas Lairmore Beefmasters...........................................16 Heritage Cattle Company.....................................16 Hood Beefmasters.................................................15 California Walking M Cattle Co.............................................28 Florida Beef on Forage.........................................................3 Idaho Johnson Beefmasters...............................................7 Kansas NextGen Cattle Co.................................Back Cover Whiskey River........................................................21 Kentucky Channarock............................................................8 Ella Mae Farms......................................................20 Missouri Berachiah Beefmasters.........................................27 Cedar Springs Beefmasters....................................9 Ozark & Heart of America Fall Sale...................32 St. Clair Beefmasters.............................................18 Wallen Prairie Ranch............................................15 Mississippi 4G Farm..................................................................35 North Carolina Adam Taylor Farms...............................................35

Oklahoma Dance Creek Beefmasters.....................................27 Hargis Ranch...........................................................4 Hood Beefmasters.................................................15 Maternal Compass Replacement Female Sale....24 Simon Creek Beefmasters.......................................5 Southern Plains Performance Beefmaster Sale...37 Tennessee J2 Beefmasters.......................................................23 Jones Beefmasters.................................................31 Texas 3B Beefmasters......................................................33 Arrowhead Ranch Siddons Beefmasters.............20 Beef on Forage.........................................................3 Blau Beefmasters...................................................36 Buckner Polled Beefmasters................................16 Buena Suerte Ranch..............................................34 Cate Ranch Beefmasters.......................................27 Collier Farms.................................................12 & 13 Colvin Beefmasters...............................................26 Emmons Ranch.....................................................11 G4 Ranch................................................................16 Golden Meadows Ranch......................................14 Isa Cattle Co. Beefmasters....................................25 Lone Star BBA.......................................................29 Long LF Beefmasters.............................................33 Red River Beefmaster Bull Sale...............................6 Rocking RB Cattle Co...........................................17 Swinging B Beefmasters.......................................22 Wittenburg Beefmasters.......................................21

Industry Advertisers

Beefmaster Breeders United................................30 Elgin Breeding Service..........................................10 National Cattlemen's Beef Association...............19 Ragland Mills.........................................................20