The Beefmaster Pay Weight - Spring 2019

the

BEEFMASTER Pay Weight

a publication dedicated to serving commercial cattlemen and produced by Beefmaster Breeders United SPRING 2019

Vol. 5, No. 1

Section 1

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Spring Considerations for Commercial Herds

By Andy D. Herring, Texas A&M University This past winter has been a challenge for many cattle producers due to a dry spring and summer last year, and then an excess of autumn rainfall, leading to shortages of pasture forage and hay.

The good news about the autumn and winter moisture is that our forage production in the spring should be in good for many operations.

As we transition into warmer weather, there are changes in pasture conditions, parasite life cycles, and cattle production stages. Below are some factors that cow-calf producers should consider as they transition into the spring season, but that are important year-round.

Body condition and nutrition For most cow-calf operations, especially those that sell calves at or near weaning time, cow fertility is the driver of annual income

because it determines how many calves will be sold.

The ability of beef females to produce a calf annually for many years is also critical for profitability because the investment cost of each cow is spread over her lifetime.

The most important factor influencing beef cow reproduction is body condition score (BCS) at breeding. The target BCS of 5 at breeding may be achieved by having cows in BCS of 6 at calving. If cows need to gain BCS before calving, supplemental feeding will help achieve this. Mature cow weight is relative to BCS of 5. Cows need to gain about 8% of this BCS 5 weight to go from BCS 5 to BCS 6; if cows need to go from BCS 4 to BCS 5, this will require them gaining about 7.3% of their BCS 5 weight (See Figure 1).

they are limited in their nutritional management and feed budgeting abilities.

Something that also surprises many producers

If producers really don’t know what their cows weigh,

is just how much higher the nutritional requirements are for cows after they calve, and how much the level of milk production affects required nutrition (See Figure 2).

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Short Words, Long Vision

By Dusty Pendergrass, Beefmaster Breeders United Requested in-home February 11 - 15, 2019

Well 2018 is in the books.

Many of us are relieved to be done with such a rough year. January 2018 to March 2018 was especially tough for backgrounding operations with little wheat and less rain. Then May came along, leaving many people searching for what hay they could find. The fall was slightly better, but most were still behind. Fortunately for the entire world though, hope springs eternal from the farmer’s heart. Faith, rain and a willingness to

do what is necessary; add the individual and you have the cornerstones of a strong industry.

Faith, it keeps us going knowing that better times are just around the corner.

Every day something comes into our toolbox that we can utilize to our advantage.

When Durham cattle were introduced to the U.S., and bred to Longhorn cows, heterosis kicked in. This practice of crossbreeding to produce better cattle is still

used today, but with more science to back it. It amazes me to see those practices used more effectively today, with faith and confidence pushing us forward. In a 2017 study at the USDA Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb., Beefmaster sired calves were found to be the most efficient group on the test.

(More information at www. beefmasters.org/blog/2017/ beefmaster-excels-inusda-feed-efficiency-test). continued on page 18

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The Beefmaster Pay Weight

Letter From The Editor

By Collin Osbourn The start of 2019 has welcomed an upswing in cattle markets and improved moisture. We continue to hear from commercial cattle operations that are incorporating Beefmasters into their breeding programs for the added heterosis, efficiency and great maternal qualities found in Beefmasters. This issue of The Beefmaster Pay Weight has many quality sources of those high performing Beefmaster genetics. Adding Beefmaster genetics to your breeding program will be the fastest way to improve profits and reduce costs for any

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ranching business.

In this issue of The Beefmaster Pay Weight you will find several informative articles that will update you on what has been going on in the Beefmaster breed and the beef industry as a whole.

Informative articles for planned crossbreeding and how to maximize heterosis along with some basic cattle management practices will help you to plan for a profitable spring.

Artificial Insemination (AI) is without a doubt the fastest way to make strides in genetic advancements, the article “Basic Management for a Successful Breeding Season” (page 25) will help walk you through the basics of how to synchronize your herd for AI and shorten

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calving seasons. Making these breeding decisions is always fun and exciting, but can cause some anxiety with the costs associated with purchasing new genetics or selecting AI sires, and this is where EPDs help. The article “Fighting Fake News about EPDs” (page 9) will help to dispel some common misunderstandings, as well as how to best use EPDs and how genomics are now improving the accuracy of EPDs. The beef industry is always changing and evolving as new advancements are implemented. We have long known that Beefmaster cattle were bred to be functional and efficient and the returns from these breeding pieces are proving just that. Beefmaster cattle are

continuing to outpace other breeds in terms of longevity and total efficiency. The opportunity that Beefmaster genetics give will allow beef operations to produce more pounds of high-quality product with less input and pocket bigger returns!

If you have any questions or comments please contact me at cosbourn@beefmasters.org or 210-732-3132. Enjoy!

Collin Osbourn

Executive Vice President Beefmaster Breeders United Editor, 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 Editor: Collin Osbourn Managing Editor: Jeralyn Novak Contributing Writers: Amy Ballard, Lance Bauer, Bridget Beran, Dr. Andy D. Herring, Myriah Johnson, Jeralyn Novak, Dusty Pendergrass, Collin Osbourn Advertising Coordinators: Carey Brown, Lance Bauer, Dusty Pendergrass, Jeralyn Novak Graphic Designer: Jeralyn Novak

Beefmaster Breeders United Staff Members Collin Osbourn: Executive Vice President Lance Bauer: Director of Breed Improvement & Western Field Representative Brandi Feller: Member Service Data Entry Donna Henderson: Office Manager Jeralyn Novak: Communications Coordinator Dusty Pendergrass: Eastern Field Representative Bonnie Ramirez: Director of Youth Programs, International and Membership 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. © 2019 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.

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milk production (or semen quality) due to permanent The first 90 days after calving fat deposits in the udder (or is when a cow has her highest scrotum). It is recommended nutritional requirements, and that developing heifers and this is even more so in firstbulls not be fed to BCS above calf heifers.

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Although under-nutrition All cows during the is a big challenge for many last trimester of gestation cows and first-calf heifers, should be receiving adequate we also want to avoid overnutrition (not deficient, or nutrition, especially in not excessive), and they developing and pregnant should be gaining weight heifers. Grazing of coolof 1 pound per day due to season annuals such as the growing fetus. Nutrition wheat, rye and oats provides and health of the cow high forage quantity and during the 60 days before quality. However, if pregnant calving dictates the quality heifers consume forages that of her colostrum, the first are excessive in protein the milk produced after giving last 90 days of gestation, birth. Colostrum is high in this can lead to larger birth energy and protein to get weight calves and dystocia. If the newborn calf nourished, heifers are over-conditioned, however, colostrum is the they may have increased only way that calves receive dystocia even if calf birth passive immunity from their weight is not increased. mothers. Calves must nurse Young heifers (and bulls) that within 6 hours of birth to are over-conditioned before receive passive immunity puberty may have reduced

benefits because the small intestine will only absorb large molecule structures like antibodies during this time. Anything that might reduce calf vigor immediately after birth such as dystocia or cold stress can jeopardize colostrum intake Health, vaccinations, and parasites Typical reproductive health concerns for breeding age females include calf hood vaccination for brucellosis, and annual booster vaccinations for bacterial diseases of leptospirosis and vibriosis (campylobacteriosis) and viral diseases of IBR and BVD. These are infectious diseases that can prevent pregnancy and/or cause abortion. There are also two reproductive diseases caused by protozoa (trichomoniasis and neosporosis) that should be on everyone’s radar.

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Trichomoniasis is mainly prevented by bringing new bulls into the herd that are virgin bulls, and bulls that have been tested free of the organism. Neosporosis possibility can be reduced by preventing contact of cattle (and their feed sources) with dog/coyote feces as this organism can be carried by these animals.

If a reproductive disease is present in a herd, and the bulls and cows are never separated, this makes it much harder to reduce disease incidence.

Control of parasites works best when we understand the timing of the pests’ life cycles, and can apply “strategic” control that is most cost effective. Winter lice is common in many areas, and patchy hair loss during the winter any early spring many times is evidence of continued on page 5

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Improvement Federation (BIF) international letter year designation. This is a standardized sequence and each letter corresponds to a year. For instance cattle born in 2019 have the “G” year code designation; other “G” birth years include 1997 and 2041, so animals with the same year code are not alive at the same time.

lice, so cattle many need to be treated. Internal parasites such as stomach worms, lung worms, and liver flukes may be concerns during the spring as larvae from these parasites are found on forages grazed by cattle. External parasites such as horn flies, face flies, etc., also begin their activity in the warmer spring months. Exact timing of these parasite threats (and others), and how much of a threat they are vary by region. Exposure of cattle to these parasites can also be altered through pasture management and rotational grazing.

Calves should be first vaccinated for clostridial diseases when they are 2-3 months old, and then again near weaning age. Calves are also recommended to be vaccinated against bovine respiratory disease (BRD) viral diseases (IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV) near weaning age. It is recommended to not vaccinate animals for any disease when they are undergoing stress, so vaccinating calves at the same time they are being weaned, or as soon as they arrive after a long truck haul, etc., should

be avoided if possible. For all vaccination and strategic parasite control options in your area, it is recommended that you visit with your local veterinarian for specific product use and timing.

Animal ID and performance tracking All cow-calf producers should know the individual animal performance of cattle in their herds if they are interested in increasing herd production efficiency and profitability. If 85% of the cows exposed to bulls have calves, do you want to know who did not calve (and possibly why they did not calve)? If a cow did not calve or wean a calf this year, would you like to know her previous year’s performance, her age, or what dam (or sire) she is from? Without tracking animals in the herd through individual identification, these answers will be nearly impossible to determine.

People can spend a lot of money on animal identification and data tracking software, but they don’t have to. Keeping track of the year of birth of each animal as part of its herd number is a good starting point. In herds under 100

head, the year of birth and the sequence of its birth could make up its ID number. For instance, the first calf born in 2019 might have the number of 901 or 1901, the second calf born/ found could be 902 or 1902, etc. By looking at the animal’s number you automatically know when it was born for the year, and relative timing in the calving season. If want to keep cows older than 10 years of age in our herd, you would want to use the two digit number for the year (19) because 901 could refer

to the first calf born in 2019, or in 2009. This difference can usually be easily seen when looking at the animals live, but, not in a spreadsheet or written record. Herds with over 100 head may want to consider the Beef

Animal ID needs to be matched with animal performance. Most cattle traits that affect production follow a bell curve distribution (See Figure 3).

Animal performance also needs to be matched with other types of information.

Consider two heifer calves that were weaned on the same day. One weighs 490 lb, and the other weighs 560 lb. continued on page 7

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continued from page 5 Does this information tell you which heifer has the most potential for growth?

The answer is no. There could be differences in their health status, their age at weaning, the ages of their dams, or differences in their nutrition that influence the weight. If we keep track of these types of information, we can help determine why animals are different in their performance values.

Another important aspect of individual animal ID is tracking of genetics.

We know there are genetic differences in all traits that affect production. Matching calves to their cows and to their sires helps us determine genetic differences. Some producers may want to put ear tags in calves with the dam’s ID until weaning, whenever the calf ’s permanent ID is established.

However, if calves are not tagged near birth, they can have numbered ear tags put in the calves at the first calf working, and then which calves are nursing which cows can be recorded later.

The use of genomics now allows sire identification

(and dam if desired) based on DNA. This involves hair, ear hole punch or blood from each calf and each potential sire to be sent to a company for parentage confirmation. This allows sire determination from multisire breeding groups. The cost varies, but should be close to $20 per calf. Many herds will have calf weaning weights that range by 100 to 150 lb or more; this sire determination cost of $20 per calf is equivalent to calves differing in weight by 13 lb at a $150/cwt calf price.

Another aspect that is gained from determining sire identification is that you learn how many calves each bull is siring (or not) each breeding season. If four bulls were used together in a breeding pasture, and 100 calves were born, most people assume that each bull sired about 25 calves.

However, it may be possible that one bull sired up to 50 or more of these calves (and one bull may have only sired a handful). This type of information helps discover which bulls are producing the most calves, not just which calves are better or worse; if you raise your own

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replacement heifers, this also tells you which bulls are making more genetic contribution to herd.

highlights pasture utilization and its relationship to herd management and overall performance.

When using any type of animal ID, there needs to be some type of “redundancy” on the animal in case the main ID method is lost. For example, if a cow loses her ear tag, but we also have her number tattooed in her ear, we have not lost her ID. A brand plus an ear tag with the same numbers, or a standard plastic ear tag plus an EID tag, etc., provide redundancy on the animals and prevent ID from being lost.

Dr. Herring teaches beef cattle production courses and conducts research in the Animal Science Department of Texas A&M University. He is also the author of the textbook Beef Cattle Production Systems, published by CABI.

Pasture use and management Another major factor that impacts overall productivity and profitability is pasture management. Many cattle managers are more familiar with evaluation of animal performance and management than they are with pasture evaluation and grazing management. In many instances, the number of pastures is a major limiting factor for overall herd management and efficiency.

In the fall issue, we will continue our discussion with a second article that

Dr. Andy Herring

John K. Riggs ’41 Beef Cattle Professor Department of Animal Science Texas A&M University

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Fighting Fake News about EPDs

By Bridget Beran

As the cattle industry continues to expand on the amount of data available, the information swirling around expected progeny differences (EPDs) expands as well. More and more cattle producers are confused by EPDs or have been given false information about the way that EPDs are developed. To combat the fake news surrounding EPDs, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), in partnership with the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) and several universities, hosted a “Fake News: EPDs Don’t Work” webinar.

Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, Cooperative Extension Specialist at the University of CaliforniaDavis, and Dr. Matt Spangler, Extension Beef Genetics Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, lent their expertise to explain the nuances of EPD development and how they can be used by cattle producers.

“In an EPD, it’s considered the animal’s pedigree, the animal’s performance … and possibly progeny if it’s an older animal that has progeny performance,” says Van Eenennaam.

While the majority of viewers knew otherwise, 35% of viewers didn’t think an animal’s pedigree was used to create that animal’s EPDs. This gap in information can lead people to believe that EPDs aren’t as accurate on younger animals.

However, selection based on EPDs is 5 to 9 times more accurate than selecting based on index performance or ratios.

“EPDs are the best estimate we have of how a

bull or cow’s future progeny will perform, on average compared to another bull or cow or the breed average for a given trait,” says Van Eenennaam. “Many producers mistakenly place emphasis on raw measurements or adjusted phenotypes rather than the EPD.” So how should producers use EPDs? The first step is understanding what each EPD and the number differences means. For calving ease direct, a +4 means that animal is likely to

produce 4% more unassisted births. However, a +4 birth weight means 4 more lbs on a calf.

“While birth weight is an indicator of calving ease, it really doesn’t tell the whole story,” says Van Eenennaam.

“Calving ease is really the economically relevant trait.”

Van Eenennaam says that Milk is another often misunderstood EPD. What a +6 Milk EPD translates to is that on average, daughters should produce calves that are 6 lbs heavier at weaning. An extensive breakdown of each EPD can

be found at Ebeef.org, the site in cooperation with the webinar.

After a producer understands how their EPDs work, the next step is understanding how the accuracy of an animal fits in. A very low accuracy bull could have enough shift within some EPDs to change their score completely.

Accuracy is improved based on the amount of data collected within the animal’s pedigree and the progeny of the animal. continued on page 10

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if a producer has already collected birth and weaning Regardless of if phenotypic weights. data has been collected, an EPD can still be produced.

Accuracy can make a According to Spangler, the big difference in which pedigree and now with the animal actually stands as the addition of genetic markers, superior choice at the end of the sharing of information the day. To find your areas between related animals can to improve, Van Eenennaam help produce increasingly says to consider percentile accurate EPDs. However, as rank tables. the relationship decreases “[Percentile rank tables] between animals, so does the can give you some sort of amount of information that is a feel for where an animal shared between them. you’re looking at lies relative “These relationships to the breed averages and allow phenotypes that may depending upon what you’re be collected on one animal selecting for and what your to help inform the genetic current battery of bulls are, it value or the EPD on another may be that you want to put animal,” Spangler explains. a lot of selection emphasis on improving a particular EPD,” Another method of says Van Eenennaam. sharing information to improve accuracy of EPDs The best method to is in traits that have a strong ensure accuracy, however, is correlation to another. For still to have a large amount instance, yearling weight of records on progeny. can be easily predicted Pedigree relationships are

a strong indicator of base EPDs, with a calf having a .25 relationship with its grandparent.

“Genomics are refining our understanding of the relationships between animals,” Spangler says.

Yet while two flush mates may start with identical EPDs, when genotyping comes into play, the differences between animals begin to show. Much like two children may look different because they took after a different parent or grandparent, EPDs may shift depending on which parts of the pedigree an animal takes after.

Because of this, EPDs aren’t guaranteed to go up after a 50K genotype test. But that doesn’t mean producers shouldn’t do it.

What producers gain from a 50K genotype test is a vast

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increase in accuracy over standard EPDs. Without a high accuracy, some traits EPDs will appear much better or much worse than they actually are.

The beef industry uses an accuracy established by the BIF. The last step to understanding how to use EPDs, according to Spangler, is knowing the difference between accuracy and precision. While a bull with high accuracy will determine how closely related the EPD and the true progeny difference (TPD) are to each other, without precision, a producer can’t guarantee uniform offspring. Mating, by its very nature, gives rise to variation. While variation isn’t always a bad thing, if uniformity is the goal of the producer, precision is necessary. continued on page 14

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Planned Crossbreeding Systems

By Lance Bauer, Beefmaster Breeders United Beef producers are always looking for a way to increase the profitability of their operations. To do this they use selection criteria that will help them increase weaning weights, yearling weight, rib eye area, marbling, stayability, and pregnancy rates. Many times, producers look at EPDs and recorded weights and records to do this, and those are very valuable numbers in the selection process, but one thing that may get overlooked sometimes is the value of crossbreeding.

Crossbreeding helps to optimize these traits and can be a simple tool when used in a thought-out crossbreeding system.

Advantages of Crossbreeding Crossbreeding provides two advantages to using straight bred animals, first there is heterosis or hybrid vigor and the second advantage is breed complementarity (in a properly designed system).

Breed complementarity is taking advantage of the strengths of the different breeds used in the system.

In a well-designed crossbreeding system, the producer can maximize the effect of both of these advantages.

Heterosis is the ability of the cross bred offspring to outperform the average of the two parent breeds. There are two types of heterosis to take advantage of, direct

and maternal heterosis.

Direct heterosis refers to the heterosis of the animal itself and maternal heterosis refers to the heterosis of the dam of the animal. The amount of heterosis can be estimated by the percent of heterozygous gene pairs, where one gene comes from one breed and another from the other breed. With this in mind, an F1 animal has the maximum amount of direct heterosis and a F1 dam has the maximum amount of maternal heterosis.

highly heritable. With these moderately heritable traits, the level of heterosis to be expected is moderate, from 5-10% and with the highly heritable traits the level of heterosis to be expected is around 0-10%.

Maternal heterosis is extremely important because many of the maternal traits are lowly heritable traits.

Reproduction, maternal ability, longevity and other traits that deal with overall cow productivity are lowly heritable traits and heterosis Direct heterosis will affect has the greatest affect on and improve most traits in a lowly heritable traits. The calf. Heterosis has the most expected levels of heterosis effect on lowly heritable traits for these lowly heritable traits but will also be observed typically ranges from 10on weight traits which are 30%. moderately heritable and continued on page 15 carcass traits which are

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continued from page 10 “The best way to increase uniformity is to select those bulls to be very similar in terms of the EPDs for the traits you’re interested in,” Spangler says.

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Above all else, Spangler reminds producers that EPDs are just one tool in the toolbox. For further information, producers can visit Ebeef.org.

Bridget Beran

Freelance Writer

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MIDWEST BEEFMASTER BULL SALE April 27, 2019 at the Shining R Ranch in Lamar, Missouri

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calves. There are different crossbreeding systems To calculate the level that are very successful at of heterosis the equation utilizing and maximizing is: Level of Heterosis = both types of heterosis. ((Average of crossbred Direct heterosis is important animal-average of parent because it directly impacts breeds)/average of parent the weight and carcass traits breeds) x 100. For example, of the calf, increased weight if level of heterosis is being and better carcass traits lead calculated for weaning to increased profits for the weight in a Beefmaster X producer. Maternal heterosis Angus cross and the average is extremely important in the weaning weight on the overall productivity of the particular Beefmasters used cow, impacting things such as is 675 lbs., and the average fertility and longevity, both for the particular Angus used of which lead to more calves is 650 lbs., and the average that are raised by a cow in weaning weight of the her lifetime. The more calves calves is 700 lbs., the level of a cow can raise in her lifetime heterosis can be calculated to makes her more valuable to be 5.7%. Level of Heterosis = the producer. Another way ((700-662.5)/662.5) x 100 = to help effectively utilize 5.7%. heterosis is to use cattle that Taking full advantage are Bos indicus influenced. of heterosis is done when Bos indicus X Bos taurus a system is in place that cross cattle tend to exhibit a utilizes a crossbred female higher level of heterosis than to produce crossbred Bos taurus X Bos taurus cross

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cattle.

environment.

The other big advantage of crossbreeding is the ability to take advantage of breed complementarity.

Different breeds of cattle have different strengths that they are known for and a well-planned crossbreeding system can take advantage of the strengths of two or more breeds. For example, if a producer is looking to use a terminal cross, it would be a good idea to utilize a breed known to be a good mother for the dam and a sire that is known for growth and carcass. A good cross in this case could be a Beefmaster dam and a Charolais sire, taking advantage of the maternal ability of the Beefmaster and the growth and carcass from the Charolais. When looking at breed complementarity it is also important to use breeds that work in the production

Types of Crossbreeding Systems

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When determining what type of system to use, a producer needs to look at their herd size, time, management requirements and the target market. Some crossbreeding systems produce replacement females to go directly back into the herd and others require the producer to purchase replacement females. These are all factors that need to be analyzed before selecting the preferred crossbreeding system.

Composite Breeds Composite breeds are crossbred animals that are managed like purebreds.

Once the composite is established and managed like a breed it is very easy to use. continued on page 16

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Terminal Crosses

Composite breeds can retain large amounts of heterosis depending on the final composition of the breed.

In the case of many twobreed composites that are widely used in the United States 47% of the heterosis is retained, while Beefmasters are a three-breed composite and retains 63% heterosis.

In many cases composite breeds have been developed by crossing Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle to take advantage of the adaptation to hot and humid climates of the Bos indicus breeds.

One of the largest challenges to starting a new composite is that a large cow herd is needed and very intense management of the crossing needs to be practiced. After the composite is made, it is a system that is just like managing straight bred cattle.

Terminal cross systems utilize one breed of bull and cows of another breed or cross bred cows. All of the resulting calves are sold to be fed out for beef. This is a system that can work for any size producer and is very simple to manage in terms of breeding decisions. The advantages of the terminal system are that the producer has the ability to have maximum heterosis in the calves and if the producer uses a crossbred female they can have maximum heterosis in the dams as well, and then the producer can take advantage of breed complementarity. The largest disadvantage to a terminal cross system is that the producer must purchase replacement females to go back into production, since all the calves are sold.

Rotational Cross Rotational cross breeding systems are very methodical systems that require a decent amount of planning and a large herd of cows in order to successfully accomplish. The simplest of the rotational cross is the two-breed rotation, which is essentially a series of alternating back crosses.

In a two-breed rotation the proportions of the breeds stabilize to two-thirds of one breed and one-third of the other breed. For a two-breed rotation there needs to be at least two breeding groups,

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since one set of females will be two-thirds “Breed A” and one-third “Breed B”, and the other set of females will be two-thirds “Breed B” and one-third “Breed A”. On the first set of females a “Breed B” bull would be used and on the second set of females a “Breed A” bull would be used.

Resulting females would then move into breeding groups and be with bulls that are the opposite breed of their sire. With this system 67% of heterosis is retained both direct and maternal. A threebreed rotation is also another option that requires at least continued on page 22

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continued from page 1 This direct heterosis greatly impacted the ability for these animals to gain pay weight with a reduced amount of feed. At the same time our Beefmaster females are alone in the ability to boast a staggering 63% retained heterosis for the cow-calf producers, based on the three-breed composite used to develop the Beefmaster breed.

Rain is a fickle thing.

Too much, too little or just right. Sure, we can supplement with irrigation, but our management practices should push us to an always better outcome.

The use of improved forages, creating more tonnage per acre in areas with greater precipitation, help us stock more units seasonally or year-round. Reintroduction

or continued use or natives keep us in more natural growth cycles that take advantage of moisture in drier range conditions. No matter the situation, we fit our environmental needs with the cattle we produce; whether it be in southern Florida or in the high desert.

commercial operation has found that their Beefmaster sired females can and will travel an additional six miles to water, accessing more distant grazing areas.

Even without these harsh conditions, imagine what possibilities the genetics could open in your own herd!

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improvement, no matter how small. Many herds stick with what is familiar and because of this we can find ourselves sliding further from what we hope to achieve. When mating cattle back to the same breed over several generations, you lose the hybrid vigor that is necessary to feed this growing world Just as our feeder cattle we live in. Many producers are highly efficient, the Doing what is necessary is both large and small are cow base is a major strong one thing this great industry seeing decreased production suite for the breed. Cattle can truly boast about itself. because of this. I challenge that aren’t pampered, but Urban sprawl and a rapidly every operation to track produce at high levels in growing global population their production and truly harsh conditions are very is pushing agriculture to do see where they stand. Many common in our breed of more with less. A challenge have already done this and cattle. May of 2018 gave the that we meet head on with have enacted changes that south-central Florida region purpose, determination and have met and exceeded their about 20 inches of rain, even pride. With fewer producers, expectations. One of the more impressive was how less land and more regulation longest lasting changes you many operations I was able to we are growing more food can make with the greatest visit that seldom if ever had per producer than ever impact is on the genetics foot issues within their herd. before. side. By crossbreeding our At the same time in the high In any production plan Beefmaster bulls on British desert of Oregon, a major there is always room for continued on page 19

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needs, many have found themselves looking for based females, many of our Beefmaster E6 females. Since producers are finding an many of these are out of increased weaning weight of British females, they tend to 75 to 125 pounds. On a single be cleaner hided cattle while generation, it’s an economical maintaining the amazing advantage that cannot be udder structure and quality matched. commonly found in the The Noble Research Beefmaster breed.

Institute is an influential The individual cattle institution that advises the producer is the most over best management practices looked of these cornerstones. for their cooperator herds in Being just one of the many the Integrity Beef Alliance cattle producers in America program. One of these seems small, but think about practices is to not produce the impact you have. With a replacement females as national average of around the overall cost of heifer 25 head, each cattle rancher development is greater than produces enough beef to the cost of buying their supply a whopping 278 replacement females. Others Americans every year. How have observed this to be amazing you are? And better true and have been actively yet, you are not alone. Even searching for those females as individuals, we will always that maintain a high level of stand together. efficiency. When producers start looking to fulfill their In 2018 alone, I was able

to see and learn so much about this great industry.

From Arizona to southern Florida, even Minnesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and everywhere in between. We all have our own challenges to face, but one that we are collectively meeting is efficiency. Whether it be steers on feed or mature cows working with effectiveness past 10 years of age.

The Beefmaster breed is growing and taking a major role in the modern beef industry without losing sight of age old values. Our association is staying faithful to our members and our customers whom rely on better genetics to carry them through the rough times to come and truly excel in the years of plenty. Rain will always fall and cease in due time, but our commercial

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customers can rest easy knowing they will have high conception rates and low maintenance costs when utilizing Beefmaster genetics.

When the time comes, we will always be there to make doing the right things easier.

The U.S., beef industry is the last vestige of true American capitalism. We stand as individuals without buy-outs or subsidies; however, when called upon we will always stand together to push the industry forward.

Across the country it seems that producers can’t find enough of our bulls, so yet again we are meeting challenges head on. The National Beefmaster E6 Sale held annually in Columbus, Texas is a longstanding sale that has been a showcase for our commercial producers, continued on page 21

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continued from page 19 breeding some of the best beef cattle in the country.

Starting in 2019 there will be more of those highly efficient females highlighted through replacement female sales throughout our great nation.

Throughout the year, it can be a true challenge to find these Beefmaster E6 females that are actually for sale with such a high demand. In the coming years you can expect to have one of these sales in a region near you, be it in Oklahoma, Arkansas or in the southeastern United States.

If you haven’t taken the short time to meet with some of our breeders or staff, please don’t hesitate.

We are always willing, able and happy to discuss how we can make it easier to do the right things in meeting and exceeding your needs. There is no better time to be in this great industry and no better time to advance your herd with Beefmaster genetics!

it’s called

adaptability.

Beefmaster Calves, Central Florida

Nothing is more adaptable than a Beefmaster.

Beefmaster Heifers Excel in Efficiency Beefmaster Angus Weaning weight

557

500

Residual Feed Intake

-0.41

+0.47

Beefmaster-sired heifers outpaced Angus-sired heifers, posting a superior weaning weight and RFI score of -0.41 on a GrowSafe System.

Developed in the 1930s to thrive in rugged environments, the breed is an American original: Tough, productive, efficient.

But the Beefmaster is also more relevant today than ever. Research shows the breed ranks above 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.

Beefmaster: Built for Adaptability.

Dusty Pendergrass

Eastern Field Representative Beefmaster Breeders United

210.732.3132 • beefmasters.org

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continued from page 16

use correctly. They do take advantage of the maternal three breeding pastures and heterosis generated in the even more extensive planning rotational cross system and and management, but allows maximize the heterosis in the for animals to retain 86% calves. In this type of system heterosis. heifers and younger cows

Rotaterminal Crosses Rotaterminal cross breeding systems are a combination of a terminal cross system and a rotational cross system. They are complex and require a large amount of management to

are kept in the rotational cross breeding system and mature cows are moved into a terminal system. By using older cows in the terminal part of the system there is less likelihood of the cows experiencing calving

difficulty. This system is one that seems to be very ideal on paper and if the right number of cows and breeding groups is available is very ideal in reality, however it is the most complex of the breeding systems that have been mentioned.

heterosis. Using Beefmasters in a planned crossbreeding system is a great way to increase weaning weights and increase productivity of cows, ultimately leading to more profit for the producer.

Crossbreeding is a great tool that is available to cattle producers and provides great benefits when it is used as a planned system. The Lance Bauer first benefit is heterosis and Director of Breed Improvement its effect on weight gain in calves, as well as the maternal & Western Field Representative Beefmaster Breeders United heterosis, which plays a big role in cow productivity.

The second benefit is breed complementarity, which is when the strengths of two or more breeds are used in a crossbreeding system. Beefmaster cattle fit very well into many crossbreeding systems since they are a composite breed and already retain some

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BEEFMASTER Pay Weight The Beefmaster Pay Weight

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the

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a publication dedicated to serving commercial cattlemen and produced by Beefmaster Breeders United SPRING 2019

Vol. 5, No. 1

Section 2

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Basic Management for a Successful Breeding Season

By Amy Ballard, Legacy Genetics Resources We’ve all been involved in conversation where a fellow breeder brags about how great his breeding season was. He goes into detail about how high his conception rates are and how good his cattle always look. We walk away with mixed emotionsenvious of his success but excited to make changes in our own programs. There are several key ingredients to a successful breeding program, but to sum it all up, you have to have good management.

Management is not about one person, or one idea, it is a collection of practices which end with success. When utilizing embryo transfer and artificial insemination, good management is crucial to that accomplishment.

An operation with good management has accurate records, a sound nutrition program, healthy and stressfree cattle, fertility in their herd, and a breeding plan.

The first step to success is record keeping. Good records can be as simple as making sure all your cattle are properly identified or as innovative as accessing data on a specific cow with your smart phone. When using embryo transfer (ET), it is crucial to keep accurate and detailed records. Knowing how often a recipient has been synchronized, how many times she has been transferred to, and how many calves-both ET and natural-she has raised are all important facts your technician wants to know.

With accurate record keeping, the answers are at your fingertips. Recording calving dates, birth, weaning and yearling weights and are imperative for breed associations and your program. Breed associations thrive on good record keeping. Maintaining up to date EPDs and having the

ability to analyze the data is key to building the breed.

Your program benefits from this data by being able to increase the genetic performance in your herd.

There are several software programs and record keeping tools available and each has their benefits. Research your options and find the best for your needs.

immediately following breeding can adversely affect the reproduction system. Your nutritionist and breeding technician can advise you on how and when to make nutritional changes.

It is important to remember that when nutrition needs are not being properly met in cattle, reproduction is the first body function to shut down. This means if In order for your cattle a cow cannot take care of to perform their best, their herself, she will go into nutrition needs have to be anestrus and stop cycling. met. We ask a lot of our Discussing your goals with cows. We want them to raise someone who is familiar a healthy calf, breed back, with your area, forage types, and maintain a pregnancy and environment will help all while maintaining ample meet those specific needs. body condition. On average, A nutritionist will make a body condition score of a plan that includes a diet 5-7 is optimal at time of and mineral regimen that breeding and maintained at is catered to your cattle and calving. Extremely skinny your breeding program. and overly obese cattle often Managing proper nutrition fall into the ‘problem breeder’ will lead to a successful category and are typically season. culled. An abrupt or drastic continued on page 26 change in diet prior to and

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continued from page 25 Another key ingredient in the recipe for success is a healthy and stress-free herd. A veterinarian can create a strategy to maintain a healthy herd, including vaccination and deworming protocols. Managing herd health without disrupting your reproductive plan is critical. Having the professional expertise during a crisis will help eliminate unwanted stress and damage.

Keeping your herd stress free is also important. Often, synchronization programs for AI or ET require cattle

to be caught several times in a short period of time.

Creating stress free pen and corral designs should be specific to your needs, but the end result is the samereducing stress. Proper restraint is imperative. AI and ET technicians prefer working in a squeeze chute or breeding box. This is both for the safety of the cow and themselves. Adequate shelter from the elements is a must.

Embryos and semen can be volatile when exposed to very high or very low temperatures, direct sunlight or extreme conditions. The correct equipment and a safe

environment will help reduce stress on the animals-which can lead to better conception rates. Having a herd health routine, a relationship with your veterinarian and ideal cattle working facilities will reduce the stress levels on both you and the herd, keeping everyone healthy and happy.

If you want an overall successful breeding program, you have to have fertile animals. Whether the discussion is about a potential donor cow, a herd of recipients, or a natural service sire, the animal has

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to be fertile in order to get production. The fertility in a recipient cow is just as-if not more-important than your donor or AI females.

Why would you invest your time and money in a donor cow only to transfer your opportunity in a sub-fertile recipient? When the question ‘what makes the best recipient cow’ is asked, the answer is always the same- a healthy, fertile cow that will raise a good calf. The same philosophy can be said for donors, AI cows and momma cows standing in your front pasture. continued on page 27

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what works best for your program and capitalizing on the opportunities will make your program better than the rest.

Fertility can be measured in several different ways, but the end product is always an animal that produces every year, or reproductive efficiency.

Embryo transfer and artificial insemination allows us to improve the genetics in a herd in a short amount of time, but it has to be planned. Change does not happen overnight, and it won’t be successful if you are not prepared. To be a good manager and increase the probability of good results, you have to have a plan and implement it. Your plan can be for the breeding season, the year or even five years. It can be as simple as making sure the semen is available when your cow is in heat, or as intricate as planning your genetic selections for a production sale. Remember, what works for your neighbor, may not work for you. Plan ahead and make arrangements with your veterinarian, nutritionist and ET/ AI practitioner in advance. Your time is important, just like theirs.

Proper management is the key to a successful breeding program.

It does not matter how good your animal is, how much money their progeny has produced or how pretty they are standing in your pasture. If you are not prepared nor using all the resources available, you are leaving potential on the table. Knowing

Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success”. When utilizing embryo transfer and artificial insemination the key to success is proper management. You have to keep accurate and detailed records, have proper nutrition available at all times, maintain a healthy and stress-free herd, focus

on fertility and exercise a workable plan. Rely on veterinarians, nutritionists, software programmers and field experts to help. With all these tools, you will be the breeder bragging about your breeding success.

Amy Ballard

Owner & Embryo Lab Technician

Beefmaster Sired Calves

Contact a Beefmaster Member Breeder Near You! Visit our website for an updated list of breeders in every area we serve.

Arizona: Major Beefmasters California: John Evangelo Beefmasters, Seven G’s Beefmasters, Sired Calf Beefmaster Walking M Cattle Company, Cherry Glen Beefmasters, Big M Beefmasters Colorado: Bruce and Dawn Parker Beefmasters Idaho: Five J Beefmasters, Virgil Tucker Beefmasters Nevada: Silver State Beefmasters Inc. Utah: Evans Beefmasters

DEVELOPED ON THE “SIX ESSENTIALS”...

FERTILITY • MILKING ABILITY • HARDINESS WEIGHT • CONFORMATION • DISPOSITION

YOUR SOURCE FOR INFORMATION ON BEEFMASTER GENETICS IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES

WWW.WSBBA.ORG

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Conservation and Cattle: Ranching with Wildlife

By Jeralyn Novak, Beefmaster Breeders United Any great cattle operation literally starts from the ground up; as in the soil and natural resources. The long term viability of any ranching operation begins with the soil, the water, and the vegetation. Thus, making the cattle rancher a conservationist first and a rancher second. This ranching philosophy has proven to be successful for San Pedro Ranch of Carrizo Springs, Texas – the 2018 Beefmaster Breeders United Environmental Award winner.

create a balance between the cattle and wildlife. Both cattle and wildlife are important enterprises for the ranch; therefore, understanding how to balance both, was very important to the ranch.

Current ranch owners Joseph Fitzsimons and his sister, Pamela Fitzsimons Howard, continue to practice balancing wildlife conservation, natural resource conservation and cattle ranching. From a conservation standpoint the single most important factor was preserving the ranch for future generations.

The ranch is 23,032 acres Therefore, in December located in Dimmit and 2009 the ranch was placed Maverick counties along under a Conservation the Rio Grande River. The Easement through the Texas southwest corner of the Agricultural Land Trust. ranch lies within two miles of Long term goals of the ranch the Texas-Mexico border. The are to continue restoration ranch was purchased in 1932 efforts across the ranch, work as part of an old Spanish to mitigate and restore exotic land grant. Beginning in grass monocultures back to the 90s, the ranch started to native plant communities, understand the importance and balance management of managing the system as efforts to benefit both cattle a whole, and the need to

and wildlife.

The San Pedro Beefmaster herd serves as a land management tool as well as a source for high quality, palatable beef. They are the “conversion masters” of the ranch. The cattle are the catalysts for transforming plant material into an edible, nutritious protein source.

In order to balance the cattle and wildlife, over the years the ranch has focused on grazing management, pasture management, land improvement, water

conservation and wildlife management. Let’s dive a little deeper into each of these aspects to get a better understanding of how San Pedro Ranch are successful conservationists.

Grazing Management None of us want to harm the land we manage; however,

too often, we manage without understanding the consequences of our decisions. It’s commonly believed that stocking continued on page 30

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continued from page 29 rate can cure all grazing problems, and while it is important, there are other considerations that are more important.

In the late 90s, a rotational grazing system was implemented on the San Pedro property to include 24 pastures, varying in size from 70 - 2,800 acres. Prior to rotational grazing the ranch practiced a continuous grazing program, however change was needed to meet the conservation goals implemented. The idea was to create a rotational system that concentrated grazing for

a short period of time, while also allowing for rest over an extended period of time. By doing so, the property has been able to stockpile forage during times of drought and increase plant diversity.

Today the ranch consists of 26 pastures and has implemented a planned grazing system, rather than a rotational grazing system.

Cattle are moved throughout the ranch approximately 50 times a year. Cattle moving is determined by range conditions, growth stage of plants, and rainfall across ranch. The ranch does not move cattle based on a date, but rather by the

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physiological requirements of the cow and the current growth stage of the plants.

This allows the ranch to use the cattle as a tool to manage certain plant species and increase plant diversity.

The property currently has a registered herd of 300 Beefmaster females and is working towards a holistic, mob grazing system using water locations as a source to help concentrate grazing in larger pastures. The long For example, the ranch term goal of the ranch is is currently working with to sustain a herd of 350Texas Parks and Wildlife 400 purebred, registered Department and another Beefmasters through cooperator to mitigate good grazing and pasture Lehmann lovegrass, an exotic management. grass species that has an aggressive, spreading habit By moving to a planned and displaces native grasses. grazing system, the property The grazing window on this has been able to sustain one plant is very short, therefore of the best Beefmaster cattle cattle are moved throughout herds in Texas while also the ranch to graze Lehmann maintaining plant diversity lovegrass when it is palatable. and biomass. From January - August 2018, the property received 2.65” of rain.

However, using sustainable grazing practices, the property did not have to use supplemental feed or destock their cattle herd.

Pasture Management In order to be a successful beef producer, one must manage two key factors very well — the land and the cattle. As the summer grazing season draws closer, it’s a good time to think about the ways we can improve our pastures, and subsequently increase our calves’ gains, as well.

In regards to pasture management at San Pedro Ranch, the ranch has used prescribed burning as a tool within its management tool box to help maintain the natural open savannahs on the property and increase grazing acres. Prescribed burning has also been used, along with cattle grazing, to create more plant diversity in monotypic stands of exotic grasses such as Buffelgrass and Lehmann lovegrass by mimicking the natural patch burn grazing dynamics. continued on page 31

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Photos to left: Example of increased diversity in exotic grass monoculture using livestock as a tool to increase plant diversity. Yellow arrows indicate plant diversity.

In October 2014, the ranch started a long term Lehmann lovegrass project.

The goal of the project was to gain an understanding of how Lehmann lovegrass reacts to various treatments and how to mitigate the spread of Lehmann lovegrass in the future. This project is currently ongoing and has consisted of eight different treatments over the past four years.

In regards to brush control, the property has used herbicides to selectively kill mesquite and prickly pear, while saving various mixed brush species for wildlife and cattle and increasing herbaceous cover.

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In May 2017 and July 2018, the ranch treated 600 and 550 acres, respectively, of mesquite and prickly pear using an aerial application.

The ranch also has a very unique soil series, Antosa-Bobillo, which supports a very unique plant community for southwest Texas. This soil series is a deep, fine sand that supports Seacoast Bluestem and Pan American balsamscale grasses, both of which are rare in southwest Texas. The ranch has used geographic information system (GIS) technology to map out this soil series to help designate these areas across the ranch as “no-disturbance zones� to help preserve this plant community. The ranch has numerous photo points and line transects to help monitor grazing in this plant community. continued on page 32

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Photos above: Example of same photo point and vegetation change; 5 years apart with similar rainfall pattern.

While pasture and grazing management are important to cattle, it also benefits the local wildlife.

San Pedro Ranch focuses on maintaining and improving the land to preserve natural wildlife habitats.

surface activities would have a negative impact on the habitat. Furthermore, the property created “Oil Field Corridors” to help localize surface activities, and minimize wide spread surface disturbance.

Land Improvement Since 2009, the property has been working with various oil and gas companies to create a habitat minded approach to help mitigate the surface impacts of the Eagle Ford Shale.

In doing so, the property created a “No Drill” map using GIS technology outlining all the sensitive areas of the ranch where

Photo above: Example of “no-drill” map generated for the oil and gas companies to help preserve sensitive habitats across the property.

In February 2013, the property begin a restoration program focused on small, heavily degraded areas across the ranch. Using native round bales, native grass seed, and cattle, the ranch has been able to reclaim these areas back to native plant communities. continued on page 33

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In September of 2015, the ranch started a large scale restoration project involving a 15 acre caliche pit. The ranch worked with Ducks Unlimited on design to help convert the caliche pit into an ephemeral wetland. The wetland now has four units in which the water levels can be controlled and managed throughout the year. The wetland supports numerous species of wetland plants, and serves as a wintering ground for numerous waterfowl species.

The ranch currently has two large riparian corridors, San Ambrosia and San Pedro Creeks. These corridors were fenced in the early 2000s to enhance grazing management of these unique plant communities. The San Pedro Creek is one of the last remaining natural

Photos above: Before and after progression of native round bale and cattle treatment on small degraded rangelands.

Water Conservation San Pedro Ranch has worked to enhance water quality and make better use of rainfall by improving and reclaiming degraded areas and watersheds across the ranch.

In May of 2012, the ranch initiated phase one of a large scale riparian restoration project to restore over 22,000 feet of degraded creek channel in a 700 acre watershed. The property worked with Bill Zeedyk, whom owns Zeedyk Ecological Consulting, to build various rock and earthen structures designed to trap sediment, build soil, and establish vegetation.

Phase two of this project was initiated in March 2015 and phase three in May 2016.

In total, over 40 structures were built to help restore the damaged creek channel.

Photos above: Before and after progression of a reclaimed degraded riparian area. Part of Phase I restoration project involving damaged/degraded stream channels.

springs in southwest Texas.

In November 2013, the property began a long term monitoring program focused on spring output, and how the rain and drought conditions impacted the output of the spring. San Pedro Ranch has installed

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over 2,500 feet of ecofriendly nature trails along San Pedro Creek, so that family and guests can enjoy the uniqueness of this habitat. The property also worked with ecologist David Mahler to identify and mark unique plant species along these trails.

Wildlife Management The primary land management goal of the ranch is to manage the ranch in a holistic manner that takes into account all wildlife and plant species. In other words, all wildlife and plant species are treated as equal, and one species is not favored over another. Since the late 90s, the quality of the deer herd has continued to improve with enhanced management techniques.

Since 2006 the ranch has conducted an annual aerial deer census in coordination with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Starting in 2012, the property started working with TPWD biologists to conduct an annual stem count index to help monitor the relationship between deer densities and habitat health on the property. Currently, the property is under an aggressive culling program to ensure the deer population is kept within the carrying capacity of the habitat.

In southwest Texas the focus is not only on the deer population but also other species such as turkeys, quail and even butterflies. The ranch has built four artificial turkey roosts to help increase roosting habitat for Rio Grande Turkeys. Over the course of the past decade, the ranch has worked to incorporate over 20 wildlife water stations throughout the ranch. The ranch partnered with Cesear Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute from 20142016 to study the impact continued on page 34

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give back to their community through countless programs. of the Eagle Ford Shale The ranch has been involved exploration and disturbance with the Texas Parks and on bobwhite quail habitat, Wildlife Youth Hunting and is currently working with Program since 2005, and the USDA and other agencies Wounded Warrior hunts to promote the recovery of since 2010. They have the Monarch Butterfly and also held various riparian create “stop over� habitat workshops in coordination during their migration. with Zeedyk Ecological Beyond the Ranch Consulting of Sandia Park, New Mexico. The ranch The Fitzsimons and provides annual scholarships Howard families not only to Carrizo Springs High understand the importance School students who of balancing cattle and are pursuing a career in wildlife, but they focus on agricultural, range, or wildlife the future generation. They related fields. The ranch

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currently supports Texas Wildlife Association, South Texas Buckskin Brigades and other various wildlife/range organizations.

The Big Picture Cattle can be compatible with wildlife. However, native rangeland is the required plant community for wildlife.

For native plant communities to remain healthy and provide habitat for wildlife and forage for cattle, they need to be managed with some form of disturbance such as fire or grazing and water sources need to be preserved. Understanding and knowing the frequency, timing and intensity of these disturbances is critical for success. San Pedro Ranch understands and knows conservation. The ranch is blessed with rich natural resources and they have a superb legacy of stewardship.

The San Pedro Ranch owners and workers were brought up to respect those values and want to pass that appreciation along to their children. The future at San Pedro Ranch remains bright as the ranch continues to convert sun, soil, water, plant, and livestock resources into a valuable food source.

Jeralyn Novak

Communications Coordinator Beefmaster Breeders United

beefmasters.org

BEEFMAsTEr CAPS For SALE! We have several styles of caps for sale. $20 per cap plus shipping. Call Jeralyn at 210-732-3132 to order with a credit card over the phone.

Or email jnovak@beefmasters.org

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Antimicrobial Stewardship for Cow-Calf Producers

By Myriah Johnson, Ph.D., Noble Research Institute What is antimicrobial stewardship? Is it different from antibiotic stewardship, or judicious use of antibiotics? All of these words seem to be popping up frequently in the media, but what do they actually mean to us as cow-calf producers?

About Antimicrobials

Antimicrobial Stewardship Being good stewards of, or judiciously using, antimicrobials is one way to ensure the drugs currently being used remain effective.

•

More broadly, most define antimicrobial stewardship with elements including:

organism can potentially contribute to resistant salmonella or E. coli, which has a much greater threat to human health.

Looking for Science-Based Solutions In June 2018, I was fortunate to attend a meeting at Hy-Plains Feedyard in Montezuma, Kansas, on science-based solutions to reduce antibiotic resistance in food animal production.

60 percent of the roughly 1,400 species of organisms are zoonotic, or are able to spread between animals and humans. So, what we do as cattle producers impacts not only our animals but our fellow human beings.

Apply Waste to the Soil

Tim LaPara, Ph.D., An antimicrobial is University of Minnesota • Appropriate use. something that destroys BioTechnology Institute or inhibits the growth associate professor, shared • Improving patient of microorganisms but that fecal material is often outcomes. causes little or no damage rich with antibiotic-resistant Dawn Sievert, Ph.D., • Reducing or slowing to the host. The term organisms and even fecal with the Centers for Disease the spread of “antimicrobial” is broad and matter from healthy humans Control and Prevention, antimicrobial-resistant encompasses microbes such and animals is a concern. shared that in the U.S., 2 organisms (because as bacteria, parasites, viruses LaPara said we need to million people get infected some level of resistance and fungi. hunt and kill the places with antibiotic-resistant will occur). where antibiotic resistance Antibiotics are a subset bacteria each year and 23,000 exists, and an easy target is • Decreasing of antimicrobials used to die. Antibiotic resistance is animal waste and municipal environmental address bacterial infections. expected to grow and eclipse wastewater. As producers, contamination A major concern is that most cancer as a cause of death. It one of the best things we and exposure to microorganisms have the was also noted that human can do is apply animal waste antimicrobial waste in and companion animal ability to adapt, making the to the soil rather than let the environment. antimicrobial designed to kill misuse is part of the problem, it accumulate or run off. them ineffective. Once these Decreasing environmental and they are working on that Resistance declines over time infectious organisms become contamination and exposure as well. when the waste is applied to resistant to treatments, is important because soil. So, consider cleaning Ingrid Trevino-Garrison, they can cause many issues, resistance genes can pass your weaning lots and D.V.M., state public health including increased length from one infectious organism veterinarian for the Kansas rotating pastures. or severity of sickness and to another. For instance, Department of Health and potentially death. continued on page 37 a resistant respiratory Environment, related that

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continued from page 35 Use All Tools Available to Prevent Sickness We learned from Mike Apley, D.V.M., Ph.D., Kansas State University production medicine professor, that any new antibiotic is probably a remix of an old antibiotic.

The last new group was added in 1978, and it is unlikely that any new group of antibiotic (if approved) would become available for food animals. To me, this says we have to be good stewards of what we have, and we need to use all the tools possible in preventing sickness in our animals.

Management Practices Matter Randall Spare, D.V.M., noted that only 1.5 percent of antibiotic use in beef production is in the cow-calf sector. Based on that, it’s easy to shrug off antimicrobial resistance and say, “We’re not the issue.” But we learned from these specialists that animal waste is an issue, even

from healthy animals. So, if 60 percent of organisms are zoonotic and antibiotic resistance is expected to eclipse cancer, it is an issue and begins with us as cowcalf producers.

Spare went on to say that management practices determine the use of antibiotics later in production. Everything we do as cow-calf producers is critical and matters. We naturally reduce the use of antibiotics with defined management practices, including: •

Proper vaccination (timing and product).

•

Biosecurity.

•

Nutritional management, specifically during gestation and postweaning.

•

Colostrum management.

•

Cow body condition score immediately

before and after calving.

All of these should be considered as part of good health management and antimicrobial stewardship.

Collaboration Needed to Understand Issues As cattle producers, everything we do is influential in the life of each of our animals. That’s why it is critical to have a management plan in place and to follow best management practices. It’s our responsibility to do all we can to reduce our animals’ need for antibiotics on our ranches and beyond.

However, even when best management practices are applied, animals still get sick, begging the question, “Why?” As producers we need to understand what we can tweak and how we can continue to improve our management.

Addressing this issue will require collaboration among cow-calf producers,

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stocker producers, feedlots and the rest of the beef cattle industry. We will have to follow animals through the entirety of their lives in a commercial setting to begin to understand these issues better. Here at Noble, we are keen on being involved in these conversations and hope you are too.

Yes, there are things that other sectors can do better, and they are working on it — but we must do our part, too. So, the next time you use an antibiotic, think about if it is the proper dose, the best antibiotic to use, or if it’s just what you have on hand.

Antimicrobial stewardship matters to us all, and it’s our responsibility to tackle it.

Myriah Johnson

Economics Program Leader and Agricultural Economics Consultant Noble Research Institute

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2019 Beefmaster Sale Calendar March 01, 2019 - Houston Futurity and Classic Sale at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Houston, TX March 01, 2019 - Houston Magic XVIIII, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Houston, TX March 16, 2019 - Live Oak BBA Spring Sale, Three Rivers, TX March 16, 2019 - Texoma Beefmaster Bull & Female Sale, McAlester, OK March 23, 2019 - Emmons Ranch 3rd Annual Bull Sale, Groesbeck, TX March 28 - 30, 2019 - Southeastern BBA Sale & Beefmaster Bull Championship, Tunica, MS April 06, 2019 - Rose Capital Classic Sale - Louisiana State Fair Grounds, Shreveport, LA April 13, 2019 - Collier Farms Advantage Sale, Giddings, TX April 13, 2019 - Ozark and Heart of America Spring Sale, Springfield, MO April 20, 2019 - East Texas/Louisiana BMG Sale, Crockett, TX April 27, 2019 - Midwest Beefmaster Bull Sale, Lamar, MO April 28, 2019 - National E6 Commercial Female Sale, Columbus, TX May 04, 2019 - Southern Alliance BMG Sale, Cullman, AL May 11, 2019 - Central States BBA Sale, Locust Grove, OK May 18, 2019 - Swinging B Ranch Beefmaster Production Sale @ Tenroc Ranch, Salado, TX June 01, 2019 - Emmons Ranch Production Sale, Fairfield, TX June 08, 2019 - Chastain Farms Dispersal Sale, Fayetteville, AR June 15, 2019 - Lone Star BBA Summer Sale, Sulphur Springs, TX June 22, 2019 - Clark Jones & Cottage Farms Southern Tradition XVIIII Production Sale, Savannah, TN August 22 - 24, 2019 - Southeastern BBA Sale & Miss Beefmaster America September 06, 2019 - Dale Lasater Ranch 70th Annual Cow Sale, Matheson, CO September 07, 2019 - Dale Lasater Ranch 70th Annual Bull Sale, Matheson, CO September 14, 2019 - The Cowboy Heritage Sale at Heritage Place in Oklahoma City, OK September 14, 2019 - Arkansas BBA Fall Classic Graded Sale, Damascus, AR September 21, 2019 - J & T Farms & San Gabriel Beefmasters Production Sale, Rockdale, TX September 28, 2019 - Flint Hills Classic, Paxico, KS October 05, 2019 - Isa Beefmasters 58th Performance Test and Sale, San Angelo, TX October 12, 2019 - OHOA Fall Roundup Sale, Locust Grove, OK October 19, 2019 - Beef on Forage Beefmaster Bull Sale, Brenham, TX October 19, 2019 - Carr & Others Fall Sale, Floresville, TX November 01, 2019 - Beefmaster E6 Commercial Female Sale, McAlester, OK November 09, 2019 - Purple Premium Sale, Nacogdoches, TX November 23, 2019 - Collier Farms Beefmasters Performance Bull Sale, Brenham, TX December 7, 2019 - Lone Star BBA Fall Sale, Sulphur Springs, TX *sale catalogs posted online a few weeks before sale date at www.beefmasters.org/purebred/calendar.php*

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Advertisers’ Index Breeder Advertisers Alabama Arrow T Beefmasters...............................................................................23 D&D Beefmasters.....................................................................................23 New Cut Farms Beefmaster......................................................................23 Arizona Western States Beefmaster Breeders.......................................................27 Arkansas Double L Beefmaster................................................................................10 Hood Beefmasters......................................................................................5 Rose Creek Cattle......................................................................................26 Skelton Farms..............................................................................................8 California Cherry Glen Beefmasters.........................................................................25 Evangelo Beefmasters...............................................................................23 Western States Beefmaster Breeders.......................................................27 Colorado Western States Beefmaster Breeders.......................................................27 Idaho Western States Beefmaster Breeders.......................................................27 Kansas Flint Hills Classic Sale ..............................................................Back Cover Kentucky Channarock Farm.....................................................................................29 Ella Mae Farms..........................................................................................19 Louisiana Casey Crooked Bar C Farm.....................................................................22 I-O-C Beefmasters & McKenzie Beefmasters........................................37 Louisiana BBA Rose Capital Classic Sale................................................16 Missouri Berachiah Beefmasters.............................................................................21 Cedar Springs Beefmasters........................................................................4 Headings Beefmasters..............................................................................21 Midwest Beefmaster Bull Sale.................................................................14 Mountain View Ranch..............................................................................19 Ozark & Heart of America BMG Spring Sale........................................17 Wannabe Beefmaster Farm......................................................................30 Wallen Prairie Ranch..................................................................................7

Mississippi Brock Clay Farms........................................................................................2 Cain Cattle Co...........................................................................................24 Nevada Western States Beefmaster Breeders.......................................................27 Oklahoma Dance Creek Beefmasters.........................................................................21 Hargis Ranch.............................................................................................34 Hood Beefmasters.......................................................................................5 Kreger Ranch.............................................................................................32 Oklahoma Beefmasters............................................................................26 Texoma Beefmaster Sale.............................................................................3 Texas Arrowhead Ranch.....................................................................................23 Blau Beefmasters.......................................................................................27 B M W Beefmasters.................................................................................18 Buckner Polled Beefmasters....................................................................23 Buena Suerte Ranch..................................................................................21 Collier Farms....................................................................................12 & 13 Colvin Beefmasters...................................................................................11 East Texas/Louisiana Beefmaster Marketing Group Sale...................35 Emmons Ranch...........................................................................................9 Flying B Ranches......................................................................................31 Isa Cattle Co. Beefmasters.......................................................................15 Lone Star Beefmaster Breeders Association...........................................23 Miller Rocking M & Ensor Beefmasters.................................................14 Psencik Beefmasters.................................................................................23 Swinging B Ranch.......................................................................................6 Utah Western States Beefmaster Breeders.......................................................27

Industry Advertisers Bush Hog....................................................................................................36 Elgin Breeding Service.............................................................................28 Beefmaster Breeders United....................................................................21 John Deere.................................................................................................20 NextGen Trading......................................................................................19 Ragland Mills.............................................................................................36

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