February Profit Picture

In this issue: Genetic Selection for Profit Reaching for a Financial Gain on the Next Calf Crop

February 2017 | www.GELBVIEH.org

Maintaining Relevance in the Industry

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Contents NEWS

FEATURES The Weight Trait Project: Collaboration Towards Improved Genomic Selection

6

By Matt Spangler, Ph.D., Beef Genetics Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Over the Fence with Don MacLennan

10

A long history with Gelbvieh gives this Colorado cattleman perspective into the industry and where Gelbvieh and Balancer fit. By Rebecca Mettler Prepare for Success

Higgins Named Gelbvieh Association Commercial Producer of the Year 20 Spring 2017 Gelbvieh and Balancer EPDs Released 36 Breeders Win Big During Inaugural Gelbvieh Carcass Contest

72

18

By Megan Slater and William McIntosh Genetic Selection for Profit

22

Coverage of the 2nd Annual Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup

By Rebecca Mettler Working with the Cattle Cycle

24

Coverage of the 2nd Annual Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup

By Rebecca Mettler If Profit is in Grasp, Why not Capture It?

30

Coverage of the 2nd Annual Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup

By Rebecca Mettler Meet AGA’s New President

48

Scott Starr brings to the AGA presidency a dedication to and an understanding of the commercial beef industry.

By Angela Vesco

REQUEST YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION The Profit Picture is the commercially-focused publication published in September and February by the American Gelbvieh Association, focused on issues important to the commercial cow-calf producer.

Sign up to receive your free subscription to The Profit Picture by subscribing online or completing this form and mailing to American Gelbvieh Association, attn: Profit Picture, 350 Interlocken Blvd., Suite 200, Broomfield, CO 80021.

Comments and feedback welcome to lynnv@gelbvieh.org or 303-465-2333.

Also, visit www.GELBVIEH.org to subscribe to our new The Profit Picture Enewsletter, to receive montly news updates.

Name_________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________ City, State, Zip: _________________________________

Cover photo taken by Angela Vesco

2 | February 2017

Subscribe online at www.gelbvieh.org/communication/ subscriptionssignup.html

Contents IN EVERY ISSUE

EDITORIAL

Contact Us

4

Places to Be

92

Relevance in the Beef Industry

By Scott Starr, AGA President

12

More than a Tagline

By Myron Edelman, AGA Executive Director

16

Ad Index 94

Premium Versus Discount

By William McIntosh

26

BREEDERS CORNER SECTIONS

Look for these Tools when Selecting Herd Sires

By Kari White

46

Southeast Breeders

Telling our Story

By Aubree Beenken

60

63

Upper Midwest Breeders

68-69

Northeast Breeders

69

Western Breeders

75

Southern Breeders

79

Service Center

85

Midwest Breeders

350 Interlocken Blvd., Suite 200 Broomfield, CO 80021 Main phone: 303-465-2333 Fax: 303-465-2339 www.GELBVIEH.org info@gelbvieh.org Facebook: American Gelbvieh Association

ASSOCIATION STAFF

Myron Edelman Executive Director myrone@gelbvieh.org (ex. 480) Angela Vesco Director of Breed Growth angelav@gelbvieh.org (ex. 484) Mary Bea Martin Member Services Specialist Junior Activities Coordinator marybea@gelbvieh.org (ex. 481) Kari White Genetic Programs Coordinator kario@gelbvieh.org (ex. 483)

Kim Rounds Data Services Specialist kim@gelbvieh.org (ex. 482)

4 | February 2017

Lynn Valentine Gelbvieh Media Productions Coordinator/Graphic Design lynnv@gelbvieh.org (ex. 486) Rebecca Mettler Editorial Content Coordinator rebeccam@gelbvieh.org 940-255-5471 Megan Slater Public Relations Coordinator megans@gelbvieh.org (ex. 485) William McIntosh Marketing Coordinator williamm@gelbvieh.org 502-867-3132

90-91

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Scott Starr, President (2016) Stapleton, NE • 308-530-3900 cedartopranch@gpcom.net

Andy LeDoux, V. President (2015) Agenda, KS • 785-732-6564 ledouxranch@hotmail.com

Duane Strider, Secretary (2015) Asheboro, NC • 910-428-4568 ccrosscattle@yahoo.com Walter Teeter, Treasurer (2017) Mt. Ulla, NC • 704-236-7980 waltert@republicrefrigeration.com

DIRECTORS John Carrel (2017) Columbus, MT • 406-322-5991 lauriecarrel@live.com

Dustin Rippe (2015) Belleville, KS • 316-323-4874 dustin.rippe@yahoo.com

Leland Clark (2017) Barnard, KS • 785-792-6244 prcc@twinvalley.net

Lowell Rogers (2015) Seminary, MS • 601-270-4152 lrdrsmiley@gmail.com

Dennis Gustin (2016) Mandan, ND • 701-663-7266 gustindd@wildblue.net

Klint Sickler (2017) Gladstone, ND • 701-483-5250 klintsickler@hotmail.com

Doug Hughes (2017) Max Meadows, VA • 276-620-4271 lwhf@wiredog.com

Randy Sienknecht (2016) Gladbrook, IA • 319-290-3763 rmsink1209@msn.com

Andrea Murray (2016) Kingfisher, OK • 405-368-9601 murrayfarm@pldi.net Neal Pearson (2015) Lake City, SD • 605-470-0448 njpearson@venturecomm.net

Jeff Swanson (2016) Oxford, NE • 308-290-3763 swansoncattleco@yahoo.com

Davidson Gelbvieh & Lonesome Dove Ranch

BULL SALE

28th

saturday, march 4, 2017 at the ranch, ponteix, saskatchewan

Selling... 100+

PUREBRED GELBVIEH BULLS

RED OR BLACK - CALVING EASE OR PERFORMANCE make this your one-stop-shopping event! Featuring new bloodlines and reputable genetics you’ve come to know.

Catalog and videos will be available online at www.davidsongelbvieh.com &

www.lonesomedoveranch.ca Sale will be broadcast online at DLMS.ca

Vernon & Eileen Davidson Box 681, Ponteix, SK S0N 1Z0 Ph 306.625.3755 Cell 306.625.7863 • Cell 306.625.7864 davidsongelbvieh@sasktel.net www.davidsongelbvieh.com

Ross & Tara Davidson & family Box 147, Ponteix, SK S0N 1Z0 Ph 305.625.3513 R 306.625.7045 • T 306.625.7345 lonesomedoveranch@sasktel.net www.lonesomedoveranch.ca

Feature

The Weight Trait Project: Collaboration Towards Improved Genomic Selection

By Matt Spangler, Beef Genetics Specialist University of Nebraska-Lincoln

I

n 2009, the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium (NBCEC), the University of NebraskaLincoln (UNL), and the US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) worked together to initiate the “Weight Trait Project” (WTP) as a means of illustrating genomic selection in the beef industry. The seven largest beef breed associations in the U.S. were contacted to gauge their willingness to participate and to nominate breeders within their respective associations located in the Northern Plains region to participate. In total, 24 seedstock producers representing Angus, Hereford, Red Angus, Charolais, Gelbvieh, Limousin, and Simmental have participated in the project. The initial focus of the project centered on weaning weight and postweaning gain and thus the name “Weight Trait Project.” Since then the suite of traits and genomic tools have expanded greatly.

In the initial years of the project, producers were asked to collect hair samples on bull calves to be used to determine the efficacy of a reduced panel (384 SNP) for weight traits. The idea was to test the ability of a limited number of markers to predict the genetic merit of animals across breeds. Simply put, this did not work.

We learned that a reduced panel was not sufficient to predict across breeds. As part of the WTP, we bring our producer collaborators together annually to meet at USMARC and needless to say our first set of research results made for an awkward meeting! However, our producers are either forgiving or found “negative results” equally informative because they gave us another chance.

In the subsequent year, we investigated using the 50K chip to predict both within a breed and across breeds.

Although it is common knowledge now, we found that we could do a good job of predicting the genetic merit of animals within a breed if we trained (developed the

6 | February 2017

Matt Spangler speaking at the AGA National Convention genomic predictions) within the same breed. However, if we tried to predict the genetic merit of animals in a different breed, it did not work well. The classic example is training in Angus and trying to predict in Red Angus—it does not work. This knowledge made it clear that for breed associations to capitalize on genomic selection, they had to first make an investment in developing their own training population. In addition, we determined that a mixture of breeds contained in training resulted in prediction accuracies that were relatively robust across the breeds that were contained in training, meaning that for a Balancer program having a training data set comprised of purebred Gelbvieh, Angus, and Balancers could lead to reliable genomic predictions.

Cowman’s KIND

FEBRUARY 25, 2017 12:30

• PM (CST) Post Rock Cattle Company Sale Facility • Barnard, Kansas

BULL & FEMALE SALE

492C

Elite Purebred herdsire candidates include this Homozygous Black, Homozygous Polled son of Post Rock Astronaut out of the “carcass cow” CCRO Miss C Cross 7309T who has a total of 16 ET sons selling. Elite genetics to move any program forward.

477C

CED 12 BW 3.2 WW 81 YW 103 MK 34 TM 58 CEM 11 YG -0.42 CW 34 REA 0.50 MB 0.18 EPI 104.78 FPI 79.29 CED

17

309C8

Homozygous Black, Homozygous Polled 50% Balancer® Momma Maker son who’s EPDs and actual data predict calving ease with performance and marbling. He was our high ultrasound ratioing bull ever with an almost unheard of 175 ratio on IMF.

326C8

CED

18

BW

-1.2

WW

66

YW

111

MK

18

TM

46

CEM

12

YG

-0.30

CW

34

REA

0.21

MB

0.78

FPI 92.14

BW

-0.9 90

YW

154

WW

95

MK

31

YW

147

CED

14

BW

1.6

TM

62

MK

29

CEM

11

TM

64

YG

-0.44

CEM

10

CW

60

YG

-0.32

REA

0.90

CW

59

MB

0.93

REA

0.73

MB

0.44

FPI

0.01

FPI 112.25 CED

15

BW

-1.4

WW

65

YW

96

MK

28

TM

60

CEM

12

YG

-0.19

CW

26

REA

0.20

MB

0.50

Top Producing Mytty In Focus daughter who has been an exceptional producer in our program with 92 BW, 102 WW ratios on five calves. Her son selling by Power Play 14B, our new Balancer® herdsire is outstanding and offers proof of her producing abilities.

She deserves donor consideration.

FPI 81.56

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH...

If you don’t admit there is a problem, you will never find the solution.

SALE MANAGEMENT BY: Mitchell Marketing Service

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Including all six year old cows.

WW

Six ET flush brothers that are Homozygous Black and Homozygous Polled 50% Balancers® sired by 10X out of the “carcass cow” CCRO Miss C Cross 7309T sell, including this STUD. There are stand out lead herd sires in this group that are among the best we’ve ever raised.

7Y8

120 BULLS SELL • 75 FEMALES SELL

Chris Mitchell 334-695-1371 Randy Sienknecht 319-290-3763

2262 C Avenue, Gladbrook, IA 50635

A new and large sire group in the Balancer® division are the Basin Payweight 1682 sons. Simply put they are the best Angus sired Balancers® we’ve ever had and include this herd sire deluxe who’s dam comes from the Wilma tribe.

260X8

Homozygous Black, Homozygous Polled Balancer® daughter of Bennett Quality Focused out of a Dam of Merit Middle Creek Star X 223M2 dam. She has a 107 nursing ratio on her calves and sells AI bred to Young Gun, who was recently named Reserve National Champion in Denver this year.

Sale broadcast live online at www.liveauctions.tv

CED 14 BW -0.4 WW 74 YW 116 MK 39 TM 76 CEM 12 YG -0.09 CW 38 REA 0.51 MB 0.51 EPI 127.92 FPI 88.49

LiveAuctions TV

POST ROCK CATTLE COMPANY 3041 E. Hwy. 284, Barnard, KS 67418 Bill Clark: 785.792.6244 Leland Clark: 785.792.6208 Fax: 785.792.6250 • Email: prcc@twinvalley.net “Where calving ease, performance and eye-appeal come together.”

Feature

After breeds made this investment, the question was, “How do we include this into National Cattle Evaluation”? The American Angus Association began including genomic predictions into EPD calculations to producer Genomic-Enhanced EPDs in 2009 by considering the results of a genomic test as a correlated trait using methods developed by Steve Kachman at the UNL. As part of the WTP, the popular “blending” method of including genomic information into EPDs was developed; a method still used by the majority of beef breed associations including Gelbvieh. Other methods related to genomic selection have also been developed and are being tested including the use of haplotype effects (continuous sets of adjacent markers) instead of the effects of single markers. The methods used to improve National Cattle Evaluation through genomics will continue to evolve, and the WTP will continue to be a leader in the realm of developing and evaluating these methods.

The WTP may have originated by focusing on traits that are routinely recorded, but it has morphed to include a focus on traits that are hard and expensive to measure. The WTP currently serves as the “demonstration project” for the USDA-funded project centered on a National Program for the Genetic Evaluation for Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle. Through this grant, WTP producers provided semen on herd bulls that were used to breed cows either at USMARC or the Rex Ranch. Corresponding calves had individual feed intake, growth, and carcass data recorded. This data has been used to develop and test new methods of genomic selection and to evaluate genomic predictors for feed intake and growth.

Outside of the development and delivery of methods to include genomic information into National Cattle Evaluation, the WTP has also generated a considerable amount of data that has been shared with the industry. Over 1,500 animals owned by our producer collaborators have been genotyped with the 50K and another 100 (herd bulls) have been genotyped with the 770K. Through the feed efficiency project mentioned above, over 700 sire-identified calves had individual feed intake, growth and carcass data collected. All of these resources (genotypes and phenotypes) have been given to the respective breed associations. We have also performed whole-genome sequence on an additional

8 | February 2017

120 bulls as well and are currently genotyping close to 4,000 animals with the new GGPF250 test. The GGPF250 includes DNA variants identified through sequencing that could help us in our pursuit to better share information across breeds as we continue to improve genomic selection. Our ability to continue research simply would not be possible without our industry partners who share data (breed associations and producers) and continue to collect DNA samples from replacement animals (WTP producers). We have a DNA sample repository of well over 30,000 samples!

The most rewarding part of the WTP is getting the group of producers, breed association personnel, and scientists together annually at the USMARC. This annual meeting has proven to be a miniature Beef Improvement Federation meeting as it is a venue where research results are discussed, and together we chart the direction of future studies. The day before we have the meeting with WTP participants we have an “open” meeting with invited speakers to discuss the current state of genetic and genomic tools in the beef industry. I encourage anyone with interest in beef cattle genetics to attend.

Genomic selection has become a reality. Withinbreed genomic predictions based on medium density (e.g., 50K) genotypes have proven to add accuracy, particularly to young bulls, for several traits. The U.S. Beef Industry has adopted this technology relatively quickly and should be proud of having done so. The Weight Trait Project is an example of how the industry and research scientists can partner together to improve National Cattle Evaluation and increase the rate of technology adoption. There is more work to do as we continue to improve the use of genomic technology and I look forward to continued industry collaborations and many more years of the WTP. FF

Fast Facts

Who we are: The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) is a beef cattle breed association dedicated to recording, promoting, and improving Gelbvieh-influenced cattle. The AGA was started in 1971 and now consists of approximately 1,000 members with a registry database that contains over 1 million animals including approximately 40,000 currently active Gelbvieh, Balancer®, and Gelbvieh-influenced cows.

The Strengths of Gelbvieh: The Gelbvieh breed is well known throughout the industry for their maternal strengths and superior growth. With these attributes, Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle fit well into a crossbreeding system and provide genetics that work for the commercial cattle business.

What is a Balancer®?

Balancer cattle are registered hybrid seedstock that have documented pedigrees and expected progeny differences (EPDs). The American Gelbvieh Association was the first

beef cattle breed to recognize and include a hybrid animal as registered stock.

Balancer animals are 25 to 75 percent Gelbvieh with the balance of Angus or Red Angus. Balancer cattle combine the Gelbvieh growth, muscle, leanness, fertility, longevity and low yield grading ability with the carcass qualities of Angus.

Balancer cattle offer a simple and powerful way to maintain hybrid vigor and a profitable blend of British and Continental genetics without a complicated crossbreeding system. These cattle fit well into all aspects of the beef industry including commercial cow/calf operations and on the rail.

Welcome to the New Readers of the Profit Picture If this is your first time receiving the Profit Picture, welcome. It’s our goal here at the AGA to provide our membership, their customers and those interested in Gelbvieh and Balancer genetics with informative, thought-provoking material that they can take back to their operations.

Lone oak CattLe

Please join us Saturday March 18th, 2017 for our Fifth Annual Bull Sale.

Bring your family and meet ours.

Cattle available for viewing after 9:00 AM.

Featuring Sons Of These Great Sires

SAV Resource SAV International SAV Angus Valley Diamond In The Rough DCSF Captain DCSF Silver 233U EHE Trailblazer A24 EHE 241X

BAG Sandman 071X BAG 127A (Cornerstone)

CCRO Turbo 2238 TJB Gunner 307Z NLC Upgrade WS Beef King!

(5600 X Hot Fudge)

Come early for Beef and Beans. Auction begins at 1:30.

Moderate, Fertile, Performance Cattle! High Quality Balancer, Gelbvieh, and Hybrid Cattle

Special Feature

30+ productive young females Including 2 ET Gunslinger Daughters 17 Bred Heifers

LONE OAK C AT T L E

Eric & Heather Ehresman 20963 30th St. Mechanicsville, IA 52306 hornsandthorns@netins.net 319-480-1564

The Profit Picture | 9

Over the Fence

with Don MacLennan

By Rebecca Mettler

D

on MacLennan, of Byers, Colorado, has been involved in the Gelbvieh breed in one capacity or another since 1977. His Gelbvieh heritage began when his family started raising Gelbvieh cattle at their Valhalla Ranch until the family dispersed the herd in 2003. The MacLennan family also owns a hunting preserve and lodge and a club lamb business.

Today, MacLennan keeps himself involved in the registered Gelbvieh business through sales he attends as a purchaser for numerous commercial ranches in Colorado and Texas. He selects and buys 75 to 150 Balancer®, SimAngus and Angus bulls for his clients annually.

What’s your take on the Gelbvieh and Balancer female?

The Gelbvieh female is still a rock star; she still does a great job. I think that the commercial producer, if they would just try them, they would be pleasantly surprised at what a Gelbvieh or Balancer bull would do on crossbred cows or straightbred Angus, Red Angus

or Hereford cows. They would be very happy with the results, not only by merchandising those steer calves, but keeping the heifers as replacement females.

The Gelbvieh-influenced females work in the real world. I send the bulls I buy for people to the Texas Panhandle, it’s rough country with lots of mesquite.

They need to be able to sire females that are moderate framed with longevity, calving ease and soundness built into them. A lot of the producers I work with require a moderate cow size ranging from the low to middle 5 frame score.

Gelbvieh-influenced females are fantastic females that are breeding back and possess good fertility. With just the right amount of moderation and performance in a Balancer female, along with fertility and the correct volume of milk, producers could see an added 50 to 100 pounds of weaning weight.

Where does crossbreeding fit into some of the operations that you work with?

Some of the ranches that I’ve been buying bulls for

27th Annual Production Sale

March 1, 2017 • 1 p.m. | Agra, KS

(at the ranch)

★ 100 Bulls Sell ★ Sire # Sons Selling Basin Payweight 1682 17 Connealy Black Granite 21 VAR Discovery 11 WMR Infinity 141 8 Future Force 4 Tour of Duty 9 Patriot 9 Connealy Iceman 10 Connealy Comrade 4

10 | February 2017

ht 1682 Basin Payweig 17 sons selling!

Request a sale book by e-mail, text, phone or mail Also bulls by: Connealy True Grit • Outright • Generation 2100 • KG Solution Registered Angus herd est. 1972

Connealy Black Granite 21 sons selling!

www.FergusonAngus.com Lynn & Lori Ferguson 878 E. Santa Fe Rd. Agra, KS 67621 Cell: 785-476-5345

VAR Discovery 11 sons selling!

Brice & Vicki Korobka Cell: 785-533-1530 svferg@ruraltel.net www.FergusonAngus.com

are on a crossbreeding program where they use Balancer bulls on SimAngus cows or SimAngus bulls on Balancer females. I try to buy them as sound as I can and if you will go look at the females in production; you will find 1,100-pound cows weaning 650-pound calves, which I think is fantastic. The steer calf or heifer calf will not only work in the feedyard but the heifers are proving to be profitable females when you blend Gelbvieh and Angus or Red Angus genetics.

Heterosis through crossbreeding is the cheapest thing you can get; it’s almost free. It’s hard to beet a half-blood cow, however you breed her or whatever you breed her to; she’s going to add a little more power to the calf crop.

What has your history with the Gelbvieh and Balancer breed taught you?

Over the Fence

decision you have to make. If you are in a little rougher area that requires a more moderate female, find those breeders that have the same ideals and get into contact with them and follow what they suggest.

Personally, I think a half-blood is the target you want to be. If you get lower than 3/8 you are diluting it too far and not getting the advantage that Gelbvieh gives you. There’s a lot of breeders tuned into what I’m talking about that have some really good Balancer females with a consistent and uniform look throughout the herd.

Back in the day we had big cows, now they’ve come out to where I really like. I like to see 1,200 to 1,250-pound cows if they can handle that weight in their given environment. FF

In 1980-1981 our family took 20 of the Gelbvieh bulls that didn’t get sold that year for various reasons and bred them to 400 Angus cows. We sent 100 of those steers, which averaged 5/8 to 3/8 Gelbvieh to the feedyard and in the end, the pen ranked number one in efficiency for the feedyard and graded 83 percent Choice with no Yield Grade 4’s. That of course fired us up because it was such an impressive statistic for that time. We got the attention of a lot of commercial cattlemen with that data.

Where do today’s Gelbvieh and Balancerinfluenced feeder cattle fit in the feedyard and packer segments?

Gelbvieh-influenced cattle have come a very long way throughout the years. It’s not uncommon for Balancer cattle to average 80 to 90 percent Choice while still being lean enough and with enough muscle to yield well. The feedyard sector is starting to understand this and Balancer-influenced cattle are becoming more well received in the feedyards.

What’s your advise for commercial producers interested in incorporating Gelbvieh or Balancer into their operations?

I think you need to research your area and how big of a cow your environment can handle. That’s one

The Profit Picture | 11

Editorial from the Board

Relevance in the Beef Industry

By Scott Starr, AGA President

T

his thought process came to my mind one day when I was traveling between our ranches and came upon a cattle drive down a 35-mile gravel road. I was in my pickup and came upon the cattle headed in the same direction as I was. The cattle were strung out for several miles and only had a couple of miles left on the trail, so the owner Bob Warren and I visited about the cattle business for some time. He was driving several hundred head, and it would be much easier on the cattle if I laid back and waited. We discussed cattle types, the market, weather, life, and politics. Bob is quite the philosopher, and I am told he is quite entertaining at commissioner meetings. As we approached the gate

MURRAY FARMS Your gelbvieh and balancer cattle

for this generation and the next

Offering Gelbvieh & Balancer, red & black bulls and females for sale by Private Treaty.

Welcoming visitors Anytime!

Matt & Andrea Murray 20055 N 2730 Rd • Kingfisher, OK 73750 murrayfarm@pldi.net (405)368-9601 - cell (405)729-4216 - home

12 | February 2017

where he was headed Bob says to me “Scott, we seem to agree on everything and some would assume that one of us is unnecessary.” With that I said something about how much I liked some of his relatives and he told me that we were not going to agree on that, so inevitably we both must be needed. That had me laughing and thinking over my three-hour drive to Chadron about how we are all needed at different levels of the beef industry.

There are many levels to which relevance is measured or considered in the beef industry. To some, it is their value of pertinence at the local county, state or national level. To others, it could be their purpose in a feedlot, as a marketer or by providing their customers valued genetics. Whereas a geneticist’s relevance hinges on calculating and weighting values to create useful numerical values for cattlemen to use on a daily basis.

The beef industry is so vast and complex there is a huge need for significance at every level and deciding where YOU best serve the beef industry is of utmost conviction for all of us involved.

I like to view the beef industry as a holistic entity providing the best source of a nutritious NECESSITY to our endpoint customers. The retailer is, of course, the source to all customers and their source is the packer.

These two sources are very integrated and somewhat difficult for the individual producer to actively get involved. However, some groups have found a level of commitment and I applaud their efforts.

The packer’s source is the feedlot industry. The feedlot industry is one that a lot of us can relate to on a personal basis if we have ever fed cattle. This industry is one that drives a lot of decisions made at the commercial cow-calf level. With that in mind, we as a breed, better be making sure we are very relevant at this level. To me personally, if you are not necessary, do you really want to keep playing? So the Gelbvieh and Balancer® breed must be essential in the feedlot industry! Through

Editorial from the Board

feedlots are now actively seeking Balancer-influenced cattle. Much of this can be attributed to our breeders breeding cattle that are built with a solid foundation.

The determination to keep breeding good cattle and not chasing the latest fad has developed our dependable product. We still have a long road to complete understanding of our cattle and thus the increased need to put the accelerator down. This accelerator is our push as a breed association working for the greater good of all Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle. Our greatest focus needs to be the acceptability in the feedlot industry as they will tell their source, commercial producers, we need more of that product.

Breeding Gelbvieh genetics since 1971 AGA Member #1 Offering bulls for sale year round!

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The commercial sector is where most breeders want more demand, and thus we spend a lot of time displaying facts and programs to entice them to use our product. One such program is the Smart Select Service, a program to help commercial producers identify profitable and conversely non-profitable cattle.

Our greatest improvement in our commercial cowherd carcass data came when we gathered individual data on 1200+ heifers over three years ago. We took this information and eliminated the bottom 20 percent.

Tom Osborne, the legendary coach for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, often told us, “We are only

DOBSON RANCH

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I

like to view the beef industry as a holistic entity providing the best source of a nutritious NECESSITY to our endpoint customers. The retailer is, of course, the source to all customers and their source is the packer.

as good as our weakest position.” So, if we were not as talented as the rest of the team, we must play above ourselves to not let our teammates down. Conversely, the rest of the team may need to compensate. It is a team, and if we all play together under a common philosophy, we will get our desired outcome. This can very much apply to cattle breed associations. We all want to be relevant! See the big picture of our industry and map out a plan to get there. There are many different hypotheses on how to get there, and quite possibly many of them may work. However, once the map is set we need to figure out where we as individuals fit in and become relevant to our pursuit to the common goal. Become aggressively active in our abilities. Once everyone is performing at the maximum potential, we will be a well-oiled team that no one wants to schedule. “Hustle until your haters ask if you are hiring!” FF

DO

our recently proposed strategic plan, we have started to prove our imperative need to the feedlot industry.

Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle have disproved the myth of marbling and affirmed the undeniable fact that these cattle can positively impact the bottom line. The data we have confirms that Gelbvieh and Balancerinfluenced feeder cattle are more consistent at every level the feedlots’ demands. Many of the largest

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The Profit Picture | 13

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Grant Thayer, Owner

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Brad Ridinger, Manager

G E L B V I E H

Office: 719-764-2327 • Cell: 303-810-0582 Brad@JumpingCowGelbvieh.com

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Editorial from the Corner Office More than a Tagline

“M

eeting Modern Industry Demands” is found on American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) literature, advertisements, was the title of the 2016 National AGA Convention as well as the title of the newly initiated AGA strategic plan. AGA looks at meeting modern industry demands, not just as a tagline but rather the purpose of the Association and the objective of Gelbvieh and Balancer® cattle.

The newly announced “Meeting Modern Industry Demands” long-range strategic plan has a focus on success and profitability of AGA members, commercial cow-calf ranches, and feedyards.

The value of cattle in a modern industry is driven by information that verifies the merit of any one particular animal or lot loads of animals. Examples of information that is essential for building reputable value are herd health records, enrollment in value-added programs, historical performance, and the predictability of performance and genetic data.

The chart below illustrates the importance of management practices and their likelihood of adding profit to the calf crop (DeVuyst and Williams, et al., 2013). This is just one way producers can add value to their calf crop.

The AGA is currently accommodating and will further satisfy in the future, those necessities to maximize the justifiable value of cattle in the marketplace. How? Smart Select Service (SSS) has been available to cattlemen across the country for more than a year. SSS assists producers in managing their cowherd. Health records, pasture management, breeding records and the management of genetic information is all performed in Smart Select Service provided by the AGA for only $1 per head annually.

Ranchers, large and small, benefit from enrolling their cattle in SSS by putting the power of information to work for them.

Producers may choose which aspects of their respective cowherds and bull batteries they would like to manage. Of course, the more information recorded into the service, the more tools each user will have at their disposal, especially when it comes to genetic information.

Feeder Finder is another service already in place specifically for the benefit of commercial cow-calf operations and feedyards. Feeder Finder is a free service that has more than 200 feedyard buyers as recipients of electronic alerts when load lots of Gelbvieh and Balancer feeder cattle are offered in the marketplace. Commercial cow-calf operations need only to contact the AGA to have their cattle advertised to buyers on a Feeder Finder listing.

Smart Select Service and Feeder Finder are just two examples of how fast valuable information can be recorded, managed and employed to enhance the value of cattle to be presented to the appropriate buyers to capitalize on the value of your cattle.

The newly established AGA strategic plan, entitled Meeting Modern Industry Demands” is heavily focused on building value and ultimately demand for Gelbvieh and Balancer-influenced cattle. More efforts will be made toward assisting commercial cow-calf operations and feedyards in the processing of valuable information, identifying cattle strengths and how to maximize the value of those strengths within the beef supply chain. The AGA focuses on strategic marketing programs for Gelbvieh and Balancer-sired feeder cattle, aimed

16 | February 2017

Editorial from the Corner Office

at channeling those cattle in markets most fitting the strengths of either Gelbvieh or Balancer cattle, therefore maximizing the value of those cattle, not just in feeder cattle markets but at each stage of the supply chain. Gelbvieh-influenced cattle have long been known for maternal attributes. AGA will be working to mainstream those females capable of prolific consistency under the modern rigors set by a demanding industry on today’s mother cows.

Now more than ever, the basis for authentic value in cattle begins with the information established through accurate recording of pedigrees, data, and scientific genetic evaluations that accompany registered seedstock. The genetic merit of feeder cattle and commercial replacement females is determined by, and traceable through each registration included in the registered bull battery purchased by cow-calf producers in this modern era.

Time and again, it has been proven that building a reputation for value and capitalizing on that reputation culminates from a well-managed cowherd capable of delivering on reputation. The AGA recognizes that our purpose as an association has metamorphosed beyond the traditional responsibilities of a cattle breed association to now

include assistance to and provide foundational information to cow-calf producers, feeders, beef packers and ultimately benefit consumers.

The AGA Board of Directors and staff invites you to employ us for your cattle management and informational needs. Visit www.gelbvieh.org or call the AGA to learn more about the programs and services in our effort to meet modern industry demands.

Sincerely,

Myron G. Edelman Executive Director American Gelbvieh Association Williams, B.R., K.C. Raper, E.A. DeVuyst, D. Doye, D. Peel, D. Lalman, and C. Richards. (2013). Demographic Factors Affecting the Adoption of Value-Added Practices by Oklahoma Cow-Calf Producers. Journal of Extension, 5: 6FEA7.

Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2013december/a7.php.

8TH Annual Southwest Iowa Gelbvieh & Balancer Bull & Female Sale

March 17, 2017 • Creston Livestock Auction, Creston, IA Michael Bauer MJBC Gelbvieh Audubon, IA 712-563-2704 Mjbauer4320@hotmail.com Gary Martens Martens Gelbvieh Walnut, IA 712-764-5007 martensgl@yahoo.com

Call Tom Fry at Creston Livestock Auction (641-344-5082) at least 2 days before sale to qualify bid numbers.

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For online bidding: www.cattleusa.com and click on www.crestonlivestock.com

The Profit Picture | 17

Feature

Prepare for Success

By Megan Slater and William McIntosh

T

he cattle market is ever changing and as we have seen in recent years, change can happen very quickly making some years in the cattle business more challenging than others. However, it was once said that the difference between success and failure is often preparation, and that statement can be applied to the cattle industry. It can be argued that today’s farmers and cattle ranchers are faced with more challenges than ever before. Nevertheless, there are more resources today to overcome these many challenges.

One of the most important resources available to cattle producers is information. Through the past several years great advancements have been made in technology used within the cattle industry to provide producers with more

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18 | February 2017

and more information about the cattle they produce and/ or looking to purchase. Some of this technology includes DNA testing, which gives us more reliable information through genomic-enhanced expected progeny differences (GE-EPDs).

GE-EPDs allow cattle producers to make more informed decisions based on the most accurate data available. Several seedstock producers today offer GEEPDs on their cattle to help provide their customers with the information they need to make informed breeding decisions. Traditionally, EPDs on young animals with very little accuracy have the possibility to change a great deal over time. This possible change can add risk when producers use young animals in their breeding herds, because the true merit of the genetics that those animals will pass to their offspring is basically unknown.

GE-EPDs help to reduce the amount of error between the difference in an animal’s true genetic merit and its predicted genetic merit (in other words, an EPD).

Confidence in an animal’s EPDs earlier in life means that producers can more reliably predict the performance outcomes of using younger, unproven animals in their breeding herd.

In addition to using DNA testing to obtain GEEPDs at the seedstock level, there are also DNA tests available for commercial producers to use on their own herds. For example, the American Gelbvieh Association offers the Maternal Edge Female Profile. This profile is a low-density panel to be used by producers as a sorting tool for Gelbvieh-influenced commercial females. The panel has a heavy emphasis on maternal characteristics but includes end-product traits as well. Traits that are measured include calving ease, maternal calving ease, weaning weight, yield grade, marbling and carcass weight.

These traits are measured for the female against the entire Gelbvieh population with molecular breeding values (MBVs) and results are received in a 1 to 10 score for each trait.

Utilizing DNA testing at a commercial level can

Another tool that is available to cattle producers that allows them to obtain more information about their cattle is AGA’s Smart Select Service. Smart Select Service is a data management system which provides ranchers, with any breed of commercial cattle, selection tools to make breeding and management decisions based off their herd records to determine which heifers are going to make the ranch’s top producing cows. Smart Select Service helps the commercial producer stay ahead of the curve by providing better knowledge of each cow’s production level. Each cow’s strengths and weaknesses are identified, allowing management decisions to be made that raise the average production level of the herd.

Selecting females with maternal efficiency will continue to be a large profit driver in the future. The cattle that produce more with less input will be the ones that will be the most profitable. We will continue to see land prices increase due to pressure from row crop production and urban development. Across the country we see cattle producers that would increase the size of their operations if they could find the pasture to buy or rent, at a reasonable price. Cows that maintain a moderate mature size thus requiring less feed coupled with the ability to wean a big calf will always be profitable. Using tools such

as the Maternal Edge Female Profile and Smart Select Service helps producers select the females that will work best and be the most profitable for their operation.

It has been said the only thing constant in the cattle business is change and therefore embracing technology available is important for preparing for all changes in the market. Additionally, in all markets, the basic fundamentals of raising cattle cannot be forgotten. This technology helps producers perform the basic fundamentals with the most accurate information available.

It is nearly impossible to produce the highest quality calves if you start out with poor genetics. The bull purchase decisions you make today will affect your breeding program for years to come. Just as in the analogy, apple trees bear apples and mediocre bulls will more than likely sire mediocre calves. Using GE-EPDs, as explained earlier, help producers to select high quality genetics that will produce high quality calves.

The key to not only surviving but succeeding in a down market is do the fundamentals better than your competition. In a good market the fundamentals are often over looked. Way too many cattle producers get lazy when cattle prices are high. If you owned cattle in the last couple of years you have made money no matter what you did. Too many commercial cattlemen were less likely to wean and vaccinate feeder cattle even though the added management will add value. In a down market it becomes extremely important to do the basics right and to utilize at resources available. FF

THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN THE BEEF INDUSTRY • Calving Ease • Performance • Carcass Merit • Dispostion • Efficiency • Tenderness • Fertility • Maternal Power

Gelbvieh

help provide reliable information when making culling and breeding decisions. These decisions that are made are arguably even more important when times are more difficult because every decision that is made impacts the future of that operation.

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The Profit Picture | 19

News

Higgins Named Gelbvieh Association Commercial Producer of the Year Higgins bought his first Gelbvieh and Balancer bulls in 2004. “I went with Gelbvieh and Balancer bulls for the added muscle and growth along with improved disposition,” Higgins said. “Before I started buying Gelbvieh and Balancer bulls I would buy groups of cows, and they would usually have a bull with them, or I would buy just a decent bull to run on our cows and keep him a year or so and sell him.

Since I have been buying high-quality Gelbvieh and Balancer bulls I have increased our weaning weights 75 to 100 pounds.”

In 2011 Barry organized a group of commercial cattle producers in southwestern Kentucky that had been using Gelbvieh and Balancer bulls and started a special Gelbvieh and Balancer feeder calf sale in July. “The sale has been good for the group. We usually sell between 600 to 800 head of feeder calves consigned by eight different consigners.”

B

arry Higgins of Russellville, Kentucky, was honored as the American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) Commercial Producer of the Year during the awards banquet held at the 46th Annual American Gelbvieh Association National Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Higgins was joined by his wife, Kim; son, Cody, and daughter Kameron at the banquet. Myron Edelman, AGA executive director, presented Higgins with the award.

S

The AGA Commercial Producer of the Year Award honors individuals who use Gelbvieh and Balancer® genetics in progressive commercial cattle operations and are proactive in their promotion of the Gelbvieh and Balancer breed.

Higgins has worked hard to promote Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle for the past 10 years. He and his family own and operate H and H Farms, a 500 head cow-calf operation, and the Russellville Livestock Market located in Russellville, Kentucky.

20 | February 2017

The group works hard to create consistency from herd to herd. It starts with genetics. Higgins notes that genetics will continue to play a huge role in profitability.

ince I have been buying high-quality Gelbvieh and Balancer bulls I have increased our weaning weights 75 to 100 pounds.

“In the past few years almost all a calf had to do to be profitable is live. It’s hard for cow-calf producers not to do well selling $3.00 calves and feeders selling fats in the $1.60 range,” said Higgins. “If cattle didn’t perform very well they still made money. If the cattle didn’t grade, they still made money. Just about the only way to lose was to lose a calf. In a lower market it takes feeder calves that have the genetic potential to perform efficiently in the feedyard, rail a carcass around 900 pounds and still grade USDA Choice, Yield Grade 1 and 2.” FF

Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup

Genetic Selection for Profit

By Rebecca Mettler

G

enetic selections made today will impact a cow-calf operation for many years to come.

Advancements within the genetic realm of the beef industry have made it possible to make more informed decisions than ever before; it’s just a matter of becoming equipped with the knowledge to make those informed decisions. The key for commercial cow-calf producers is to focus genetic selection for increased profit possibilities in their operation.

Matt Spangler, Ph.D., associate professor of animal science and extension beef genetics specialist with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln spoke during the American Gelbvieh Association’s (AGA) 2nd Annual Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup. Spangler informed attendees of the genetic selection tools available to the commercial beef industry during the educational symposium held at the 46th Annual AGA National Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Multiple-Trait Selection There are three ways to select for multiple traits at the same time. Tandem selection involves selecting genetics to improve on one trait and once improved, move to another trait.

“The problem is, that when I switch to a different trait, I can erode all of the progress that I made in the first trait because they are genetically correlated.”

The second way for multiple-trait selection is using independent culling levels where certain criteria must be met for individual traits before a sire is considered.

However, if the bull barely misses a threshold for one trait but excels its contemporaries in other traits, he would be considered the better choice. Yet, the producer didn’t consider him because one criteria wasn’t met.

“One way to make selection easier is an economic index,” Spangler said. “ Selection index methodology was developed in 1943. That’s a long time ago, and it took

22 | February 2017

a long time to implement this. We took a half of a century.

That’s not an acceptable technology adoption rate.”

Spangler explained that an index is nothing Matt Spangler, Ph.D. more than a collection of EPDs relevant to a particular breeding objective multiplied by the relative economic weight.

“It’s selecting multiple traits at one time focused on profit, all in one number,” Spangler said.

At the cow-calf level, producers must be informed to determine which economic index is the best fit for their operation. Indexes often fall into two categories: terminal and maternal. The AGA currently has four indexes for producers to incorporate into their selection decisions. $Cow™ index represents the genetic value of a female if retained as a replacement. The FPI™ helps producers select sires who’s progeny should excel in the feedyard and perform well from a quality grade and yield standpoint and efficiency profit index (EPI) which was developed to aid producers in selecting for more feed efficient cattle that still have acceptable amounts of gain. Those three indexes are economically weighted, while total maternal (TM) combines growth and milk information to predict the weaning weight of calves from a sire’s daughters.

Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup

“If I retain heifers or are in the business of generating replacement females for commercial producers, I should focus on $Cow™ instead of an index such as FPI™. The choice of index depends on how you market your calves.”

Spangler provided a scenario to illustrate how producers can determine the value of a sire relative to a given index value. Bull A has a $Cow value of $80 versus Bull B with a value of $56. Both bulls are used for four years and sire 30 calves per year totaling 120 offspring in their lifetime. Multiplying the number of exposures to their value difference in their indexes calculates to an almost $3,000 profit increase for Bull A compared to Bull B. “This is useful to determine how much more money a bull buyer can pay for Bull A compared to Bull B and this should at least be able to give producers a handle on which bull is best for their situation.”

as the confidence in an EPD, not to be confused with precision, which would mean that every calf out of a particular sire is exactly the same.

“As a seedstock producer, I don’t think you want precision. I think you want variability. If every calf born is exactly the same, how do you make progress?

You need variation.”

Traditionally, EPD accuracy was gained solely on the animal’s performance and that of their offspring.

“If we want a highly proven bull for a trait like heifer pregnancy, with an accuracy of .99, he’s going to need 3,800 daughters with heifer pregnancy records to accomplish that. But, I’m guessing if that happens he’s probably already dead.”

Genomic testing is a way to increase EPD accuracy before the bull ever has a calf, or before he ever sees a cow, said Spangler. For example, if a DNA test can explain 10 percent of genetic differences in animals you will see slight increases in EPD accuracy. However, Taking a look into Genomic-Enhanced EPDs many of the genomic tests can explain 40 percent of the genetic trait differences Before diving into in animals, which Genomic-Enhanced provides greater jumps EPDs (GE-EPDs), it’s f I retain heifers or are in the business in accuracy, especially important to understand of generating replacement females in younger animals. the makeup of EPDs and Even bulls with EPD how genomic testing for commercial producers, I should focus accuracy of 0.4 can still can be used to improve on $Cow™ instead of an index such as see modest gains in the accuracy of EPDs. accuracy.

FPI™. The choice of index depends on The initial EPD is half of the breeding value “We can make how you market your calves.” of the sire and half the faster progress using breeding value of the genomics because of dam, also reffered to as increased accuracy and the pedigree index. Also in the mix is the Mendelian decreasing the generational interval, which is the crux sampling effect. It is the “black box” of what transferred of the beef industry.” from parent to offspring. It is also responsible for Commercial producers who buy yearling bulls with the uncertainty in the prediction of what an animal’s GE-EPDs can buy with added confidence and know genetic merit is. they are making informed genetic selections, which “That’s generally why we need to wait for offspring, also equates to mitigating risk in their operation. have a phenotype recorded, and even have progeny In the end, it’s important for cattle producers to themselves before we get a sense of what the animal’s utilize advancements in genetic selection as a way to value really is,” Spangler said. increase profitability in their operations. Economic Genomics can be used to increase the accuracy indexes and GE-EPDs are two ways to more easily of EPDs, especially in young and unproven nonnavigate the information age of the beef industry. FF parent animals. The accuracy of an EPD is defined

“I

The Profit Picture | 23

Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup

Working the Cattle Cycle

By Rebecca Mettler

M

Marcus Brix

arcus Brix, CattleFax risk management team member, spoke at the American Gelbvieh Association’s (AGA) 2nd Annual Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup, which was held during the 46th Annual AGA National Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska.

CattleFax is a not-for-profit entity whose sole purpose is to serve the beef industry by providing their members with beef industry research, data-driven analysis, and market information.

Market Characteristics “Markets are composed of individuals, each with their own assumptions and expectations, which can sometimes have more of an influence than even the fundamental data suggests,” Brix said.

The cattle cycle is an identifiable pattern of price and supply. Commodity industries share the trait of cycles, but they vary in cycle lengths. For example, the grain cycle is one that fits roughly into a year.

“The cattle cycle fits into a decade-long window, give or take,” Brix said. “Cattle production is unique in the biological lags where other industries can have some faster cycles.”

24 | February 2017

Markets are cyclical and what goes up must eventually go down, Brix said. The rally that took off in mid-2013 took 550 days to reach the cycle high.

Roughly 550 days from the peak was during June/July 2016, which showed the market back to essentially the same levels as 550 days before the peak.

“The market did what we thought it would do, just at a faster rate than anyone was expecting.”

Producing a commodity is a breakeven game; at the point of the tightest supply in the market, producers always rush in to capture the highest prices. And everyone knows what is the cure for high prices, Brix said.

Opportunity Still Exists for Expansion Obvious questions of whether the current cattle prices can bolster a continued herd expansion have floated around the industry. However, according to CattleFax, there are still market incentives to deliver on the market forecast of future expansion. In a recent CattleFax survey, 34 percent of cow-calf producers that responded that their potential for expansion hinged on available forage. Another key factor was profit potential.

“Roughly 37 percent of our respondents said that the most important factor in their expansion plans had a profit,” Brix said. “Producers account for it, Mother Nature will allow for it, however, profit is not homogenous amongst the industry.”

Brix pointed out that the high cost, low return producer is facing a greater risk as profit margins shrink year over year. Producers with an efficient cowherd packed with maternal traits such as longevity have a better chance to return a profit.

“Cow-calf producers are still making a profit per calf, so if an operator can expand the life of an older cow, they are going to benefit in this current market.”

CattleFax expects an increase of feeder cattle and calf numbers of about 3.5 percent after a 5 percent

increase in 2016.

Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup

“Industry expansion does not rely on profit in the feedlot. We can only expand as much as our feeder cattle and calf supply will allow,” Brix said. “The cowcalf level is where expansion will take root and these producers will reinvest to build their business.”

Challenges Ahead

due to an influx of cheap meat into the global export market. China also cracked down on U.S. beef entering the country through Hong Kong.

Beef exports were expected to be up 7 percent by the year-end of 2016. Future exports of U.S. beef products depend on the strength of the U.S. dollar, demand for the U.S. beef industry’s high-quality, grain-fed beef, and the possibility for a shakeup in trade deals.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is one trade Get ready for a lot of beef in the market in the agreement that is hanging in the balance and faced upcoming years. On a percent and tonnage difference, criticism during the election from President Trump. It beef production has been the largest growth in terms would drastically reduce the of total meat in 2016 when tariff rate that U.S. beef faces compared to the other when exported to Japan, protein sources, according Cow-calf producers are still especially when compared to Brix. to other competing beef making a profit per calf, so if an “This post-expansion products, and thus would be period forecasting into 2018 operator can expand the life of an a win for the beef industry. shows us the largest total older cow, they are going to benefit Market access to China growth in meat supplies is becoming more of a in this current market.” since 1995. We will have a lot possibility. China has of product coming out.” recently allowed U.S. pork If the U.S. continues to into the marketplace under add per capita beef supply strict regulations and has made comments regarding without an increase in demand, either domestically or U.S. beef exports. internationally, then we would have to see prices go “For now we have the prospect of U.S. beef going lower to clear the excess beef. into China. Traceability is huge in the Asian foreign Overall demand is predicted to be a little lower in market, and U.S. producers expect to have an incentive 2017 but still in the range of what considered long-term to age and source. That is the interesting one that we average as long as retail prices drop to some degree. are going to keep our eyes on.”

Beef at the retail level is still historically strong, With all of the uncertainty and extreme fluctuation which despite the strong break to cattle prices, retailers in the cattle market, it makes risk protection in each haven’t felt the same pain. While fed cattle prices have sector of the industry relevant. For cow-calf producers, dropped 43 percent and feeder cattle prices are down that means taking proactive steps to receive the most more than that, retail prices have remained historically for their calves and possibly look into hedging on the high, dropping only 9 percent over the same time, futures market or enrolling in livestock risk protection according to Brix. insurance.

“

“The risk looking into 2017 if we see retail prices continue to decline and the industry is fighting to regain the leverage position. If we don’t regain the leverage it will spell out lower prices per calf.”

Beef exports in 2016 were lower mainly due to the strong U.S. dollar, which made it harder for some countries to buy our beef. A drought-based herd reduction in Australia also impacted the export market

“If you are going to use the futures market to hedge your feeder cattle, stay true to the role of a hedger. Pay attention to your breakevens and anything you have to the profit-loss position, apply it right back.” FF

The Profit Picture | 25

Staff Editorial

Premium Versus Discount

By William McIntosh

I

don’t know of any producer who would prefer a discount over a premium. But in reality, far too many cow-calf producers choose to receive a discount for their product. It’s all a matter of perspective. Do you consider the top-selling cattle to receive a premium or, do you see the lower priced cattle being sold at a discount?

Your expectations guide your answer to the previous questions. If you expect your cattle to bring top dollar, your philosophy is that of a progressive operator intent on doing everything possible to make your cattle sell well. On the flipside, if you see the cattle that top the market as receiving a premium then your expectations are lower. Many times, this group of producers hopes for the market average and are all too often disappointed

and have worked hard to build a solid cowherd. They are also confident that their calves will rail a profitable carcass because of their genetic selection practices.

The second school of thought follows the premise that one 600 pound calf is just another 600-pound calf.

This type of producer may not see the value in weaning a calf and may say things like, “It’s not worth doing, I don’t think it makes much of a difference.” Or, they buy the cheapest bull they can find and wonder why neighbor Joe’s cattle always top the sale instead of theirs.

It’s sad, but there are way too many producers that live by the second school of thought.

In the past 10 years, we have seen the cattle business transition from a business of premiums to a business of discounts. In 2012, I attended a field day in Tennessee where Dwight Loveday, Ph.D., associate professor of meat science at the University of Tennessee, talked about carcass quality and grid-based marketing. Loveday said, n today’s market crossbred calves sell at a “This week Select carcasses are discounted $10/ cwt.” I think most of us knew that there was premium not only due to heterosis but also a $10 spread that week between Choice and because they are more likely to combine Select but that was the first time I had heard the feedyard performance and carcass quality. difference described as a discount. Before that day, I had always heard the difference expressed as a premium of $10/cwt over the market. The reason for the change in perception is at that time over half of the cattle being processed graded Choice. When the average is Choice, Select with the price they receive for their feeder calves. became the minority and therefore seen as a discount.

Producers who follow the first school of thought The key factors that determine the value of your strive to raise the best product they can with the cattle are management and genetics. Management resources they have available. They understand the includes weaning and vaccination programs, castration importance of weaning and vaccination programs, and dehorning, and value-added programs your feeder which bolsters the feedyard’s confidence in the health of cattle may qualify. We have seen large fluctuations in the cattle they buy. Progressive cattle producers know the cattle business in the last five or six years, but the that the genetics of their cattle deserve a premium fundamentals are still the same. Buying weaned cattle because they have been selecting the best quality bulls with a vaccination history is a way for feeders to limit

I

26 | February 2017

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Staff Editorial

their risk. Health and death loss are still the biggest profit drivers in the feeding segment. It would stand to reason that feeder cattle that have not been weaned and vaccinated would sell for less and should be considered discounted as opposed thinking that higher priced, weaned cattle sell at a premium.

likely to combine feedyard performance and carcass quality. Many feeders will tell you that they prefer to feed a 50 percent British and 50 percent Continental to hit their targets. By using strict genetic selection and using all available data, producers can make great genetic improvements in their programs.

Gelbvieh and Balancer® are in an excellent possession Another management factor that affects value is today. Gelbvieh genetics offer heavier muscled carcass condition. Body condition and fill of the cattle on sale and extra performance in the feedyard. According to day significantly influence the value of your feeder the USDA Meat Animal Research Center, Gelbvieh cattle. Too many producers try to beat the system by ranks number one for percent retail product. Balancer putting extra fill on their calves the night before they cattle allow producers the option of maintaining sell. Any sale barn manager or order buyer can pick their desired British/Continental percentages. We those cattle out in a second. Let’s say you are selling consistently see feedyard closeouts on Balancer-sired 550-pound steers that are extremely full. A buyer will loads of fed cattle grading estimate those cattle 90 percent Choice with probably actually weigh a very low percent Yield 510 to 520 pounds, which Grade 4. The American is about eight percent Gelbvieh Association less than the inflated he key factors that determine the and its membership are sale weight. So he will working very hard to discount them at least 8 value of your cattle are management provide its customers percent. The seller will and genetics. with genetics that demand look at the check and will be profitable in compare it with the local every segment of the beef sale report and complain industry. because they brought 10 percent less than the In this turbulent average of the other 550 pound calves that sold that market, we all need to do all we can to add as much week. value to our calves as we can to maximize profitability.

T

All the management in the world will not overcome poor genetics. There is an old saying you can’t make chicken soup out of chicken feathers. In the same token, you can’t make a good load of feeder cattle out of bad calves. Genetics play a huge role in profitability in every segment of the production chain. Cattle that consistently sell for a premium are Number 1 large to medium frame calves. As we have seen a reduction in U.S. cow inventory and with the packers increasing the maximum hot carcass weight to 1,050 pounds the market is demanding bigger cattle. Around 25 years ago the goal was a steer that would finish at around 1,250 pounds, but today feeders want cattle that will gain efficiently and finish around 1,500 pounds and grade Choice with a Yield Grade 1 or 2.

In today’s market crossbred calves sell at a premium not only due to heterosis but also because they are more

28 | February 2017

At the end of the day, the quality of cattle you produce and sell along with the management you add to your product will determine whether you will sell your calves for a premium or discount. FF

. . e t a l P o t e r From Pastu 80% 80% 65%

Quality Grade CHOICE

Yield Grade 1’s and 2’s

Qualified for CAB®

At Cranview Gelbvieh, we believe in “Balanced Genetics”. We define this concept in our breeding program as a balanced combination of traits. These traits include attractive phenotypes, proven pedigrees, growth and performance, and the ability to grade on the rail. Check out the data above on our most recent load of finished cattle. Furthermore, we take our selection criteria one step further than most. We performance test our bulls and replacement females and incorporate the latest DNA technology. The goal of our program is to produce females and bulls that will fulfill the needs of the commercial cattleman, the demands of the beef industry and the satisfaction of the consumer. The six donor females below represent the maternal power of our program and 29 of their progeny will be featured in our Annual Progress and Performance Sale.

BVLK Legacy Z202

BSF Princess W2

A Buddy Boy female with a soft look & added performance. Donor dam of the 2-Time NWSS Res. Champion Angus Bull.

DCH Zula Z133 Performance and carcass traits in a soft package.

TJB Vanessa 016W ET A maternal and carcass powerhouse with a beautiful udder.

CRAN Buttercup Z251 ET Eye-appealing female with outstanding YG and REA EPDs.

CRAN Tiaramasu Y157 A carcass curve-bender with growth and phenotype.

Join us on March 25, 2017, for the Cranview Gelbvieh Annual Progress and Performance Sale.

More than 50+ Gelbvieh and BalancerTM bulls and 20 Show and Replacement females will sell.

We look forward to seeing you on sale day in Rugby, ND! RobeRt and bill aRnold • esmond, nd PH: 701.720.8823 or 701.624.2051 • rlagelbvieH@aol.com

www.cRanviewgelbvieh.com

Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup

If Profit is Within Grasp, Why Not Capture It?

By Rebecca Mettler

I

ncluded in the lineup of top-notch cattle industry professionals who spoke at the American Gelbvieh Association’s 2nd Annual Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup was Gant Mourer, beef value enhancement specialist with Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.

Mourer’s career entails working with commercial cow-calf producers and stocker operators throughout Oklahoma. The project he leads is the Oklahoma Quality Beef Network (OQBN), which focuses on adding value to calves by increasing producers’ access to value-added marketing opportunities and improving the quality of cattle produced in Oklahoma through education and communication.

Efficiency and profit often go hand-in-hand. But, before producers begin making management decisions intended to increase profits by increasing efficiency they should put pencil to paper and calculate the current profit on their operation. Mourer’s go-to is this equation to calculate profit:

V

alue of Gain + Salvage Value (20%) – Cost of Gain (Production)= Profitability (+-)

“In extension, we have said for the last 20 to 30 years that you have to cut costs, cut costs. But that’s not necessarily the answer we are looking for. What we are really looking for is increase your efficiency,” Mourer said.

According to Mourer, there are two easy ways to create efficiency. Producers need to manage to increase production and market to increase value.

Increases in efficiency can be made through changes to cowherd and calf crop management. Day-to-day goals include higher pregnancy rates and a tight calving

30 | February 2017

season if the herd is not excelling in those areas.

The benefits of a tight calving season are widespread.

Let’s say a producer has 100 head.

Roughly 50 of those calves will end up as steer calves.

Gant Mourer The other 50 will be heifers with only 25 remaining after replacement selection. Spread the calving season out too long, and the producer would be lucky to get 25 steer calves uniform enough in size and weight to be pulled together in the same lot, and as a rule of thumb, larger lots are worth more.

The added value of larger lot size doesn’t completely deteriorate if a producer doesn’t have a full potload of calves. Even producers selling 10 head can increase the value of their calves by 5 to 6 percent if they go through the lot as a group instead of individually.

Other keys to success at the cow-calf level include providing cattle with a proper supplementation program to meet their needs as well as managing pastures in a way that will increase forage quality and pasture utilization.

As far as genetics go, Mourer likes to compare herd improvements to sighting in a rifle. That’s exactly what

Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup

producers do each year; they hone in on the target with each sire that they introduce.

“When you started your herd it was light sighting in a rifle for the first time. You bought that set of cows, and the calf crop was the bullet,” Mourer said. “We had a marketing plan, and we just want to get the bullet on the paper.”

Next year the cycle continues, and new genetics get introduced into the herd. Hopefully, the “bullet” (insert calves) is a little bit closer to the bull’s-eye, also known as the marketing plan.

But, before a producer can worry about a marketing plan for their calves, they must have live calves to sell.

That’s why reproductive efficiency is one of the most important factors in a commercial cowherd. Once reproductive efficiency is met, producers must focus on quality, as it is directly related to profitability.

“My definition (of quality) is a bovine that meets or exceeds expectations in a given system or environment,” Mourer said. “You must establish market goals. It goes back to the rifle. What is the bull’s-eye, or what is the marketing goal? That’s what you’re hunting.”

Whether it be selling bred replacement females or retaining ownership through the feedyard, producers must have a marketing goal that provides them with the best opportunity for profit. The majority of cow-calf producers sell calves at a livestock market shortly after weaning when every other cattle producer is selling their spring-born calves as well. As everyone, knows, this leads to a slump in calf prices in the fall when the market overloads with spring calves.

“Right now I can run the calves on wheat pasture and costing about $ .35 per pound of gain, value of gain is quite a bit higher so I’m looking at markets and opportunities,” Mourer said.

October when calf prices are the lowest.

Besides market research, there are many other ways producers can add value to their calves. Implanting calves not used for breeding or enrolled in a natural or organic program is a proven technology that has the potential to increase the value of a calf by $20 to $30 with a value of gain calculated at $1.30. The cost of an implant is cheap compared to the value of increased weight gain.

“Superior Livestock Auction data shows that in the mid-1990s, 65 percent of the cattle sold through Superior were implanted. Now that number is less than 30 percent,” Mourer said. “Why is that? It’s customer perception, but only 5 to 6 percent of our product is sold as natural or organic.”

Value-added programs work just as their name suggests and fall into one of four categories: age and source verification, genetic verification, production verification or management verification.

“It doesn’t matter if you are a small producer or a big producer. If you want to get into these programs you can, but how you take full advantage of the programs does sometimes require you to hang on to calves longer.”

Preconditioning calves goes along with and is a requirement of value-added programs. Mourer is in charge of the OQBN VAC-45 sales, which provide opportunities for beef producers to take advantage of preconditioning and the associated program premiums.

In 2016 the premiums for OQBN qualifying calves averaged $12 to $15/cwt above local market.

“I think of preconditioning programs as giving me options as a commercial producer. I’ve set up my calf crop to be able to succeed if I retain ownership, or if I decide to sell, I’ve primed the pump for someone else to succeed with my cattle,” Mourer said. FF

He suggested that cattle producers utilize www. beefbasis.com, a website created by Kansas State University and Custom Ag Solutions, Inc., to help producers make informed marketing decisions. From there, producers can decide if it’s profitable to feed the calves through the fall/winter, forward market the calves in a summer video auction with deferred delivery, or retain ownership in the feedyard. Multiple options are available if producers are willing to look outside of the box of marketing in September and

The Profit Picture | 31

News

Points of Leverage for Cattle Operations

By Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Educator

G

ive me a lever long enough … and single-handed I can move the world. -- Archimedes

High points of leverage in a cattle production system are places where strategic inputs of time and resources potentially have impacts that are beneficial and significantly greater than the cost. The challenge in managing systems is that the areas of highest leverage may not be the most obvious.

Examples of some common points of leverage in a cattle operation include:

•

•

•

Meeting protein requirements of cattle eating low quality forage through supplementation Design and execution of a strategic herd health management plan Construction of water resources and fence for

South Dakota & Minnesota Breeders ADKINS GELBVIEH Gelbvieh & Balancer Performance Genetics

Bulls and Heifers for sale by private treaty

implementation of a grazing system • Evaluating equipment and labor costs per unit of production • Monitoring moisture conditions and the timely

execution of a drought plan Obviously, this list of points of leverage is limited and could be expanded to include many additional items.

Where are the points of leverage for your operation?

Where are places where strategic investments of time and resources have the greatest potential to impact profitability and the resiliency of production systems in your operation?

What management strategies or plans could you implement to position yourself to take advantage of those points of leverage?

Cattle production is a challenging business where we work with dynamic, complex, biological systems where impacts of choices or management decisions made are often distant in time and space from the initial inputs. In addition, the information needed to assess causeeffect relationships may be limited or difficult to evaluate. There is also times when circumstances beyond our control will often thwart efforts or impact points of leverage in a production system.

(605) 354-2428 Cell gerald@adkinsgelvbieh.com www.adkinsgelbvieh.com

Gerald & Sarah Adkins

41606 195th St., Carpenter, SD 57322

SwenSon Gelbvieh Dean Swenson

17513 Hwy 10 Little Falls, MN 56345 swen@centurylink.net (h) 320.632.5848 • (c) 320.630-5536 Keith, Janice, Dustin & Britney

605-852-2131 kvolek@venturecomm.net www.volekranch.com

32 | February 2017

Polled • Purebred Red • Black

High points of leverage can be challenging to identify, but the process of thinking through where leverage points are is well worth the time and effort. These are places where a change in management or an input can have significant benefit to the system as a whole.

This s a good time to reflect on the past year and plan for the year ahead.

Consider taking time this year to identify points of leverage in your operation and write down strategies to position yourself to take advantage of these in the New Year. The value to your operation could be significant! FF

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Staff Editorial

Look for These Tools when Selecting Herd Sires

By Kari White

W

ith fall sale season behind us and spring sale season coming up quickly, it’s important for commercial bull buyers to think about how best to use EPDs to select animals in a sale catalog. With such instability in the cattle market, using all the information possible is more important than ever to reduce risk in buying animals for your bull battery. There are several ways seedstock breeders provide this information in their sale catalog.

Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) While raw performance data such as actual birth weight is often provided in sale catalogs, EPDs are a much more accurate measure of performance for breeding animals.

Raw performance data, including data used in ratios, can only accurately be used to compare animals in the same contemporary group, which are used to compare animals that were managed similarly to account for the environment. The contemporary group includes animals born in the same herd, of the same gender, and born in the same season. Unlike raw performance data, EPDs can be used to compare animals across different years the same herd, and even across animals in various years in different herds. EPDs also include not only the animal’s own performance but that of all closely linked relatives, including parents and siblings. The additional information used to compute EPDs makes them a great genetic selection tool to help minimize risk.

Accuracy Accuracy is another valuable tool that bull buyers can use to help reduce risk in selecting animals for their bull battery.

Accuracy is often published below its corresponding EPD and is defined as the strength of the relationship between an EPD and a sire’s true genetic value. In other words, accuracy is an indicator of the reliability of an EPD. Accuracy numbers range from 0 to 1, with a greater value indicating a greater accuracy. Accuracy is improved by the number of records reported for an animal, including the animal’s own performance, progeny, and genomic information. For

34 | February 2017

example, a three-year-old bull with 90 calves would have EPDs of greater accuracy than a yearling bull.

Percent Rank Percentile ranks compare an animal’s EPDs to similar animals, such as all Gelbvieh or Balancer Non-parents for yearling bulls. These rankings can be incredibly useful for a potential buyer to see how a sale animal ranks against other animals they might be considering. Rankings range from 1-100, with 1 being more desirable. For example, if an animal ranks in the top 1% of animals for calving ease direct, that means only 1% of animals are better than that animal for calving ease. By comparison, if an animal ranks in the 50th percentile for calving ease, that means 50% of animals are more favorable than that animal for calving ease. Publishing these numbers for each animal below their EPD and accuracy can be extremely beneficial to buyers in assessing animals.

Genomic-Enhanced EPDs Seedstock producers utilize genomic testing to add reliability to selection tools for their customers. The addition of genomic data to an EPD calculation is comparable to adding another source of information, like progeny or pedigree records. Specifically on young animals with very little information, genomic data has the potential to greatly increase the accuracy of an EPD prediction.

Confidence in an animal’s EPDs earlier in life means that buyers can more reliably predict the performance outcomes of using unproven animals in their breeding herd.

Increasing accuracy on animals used for breeding stock is a great way to speed the rate of genetic progress in any herd.

Looking for even more information during bull sale season? The AGA also provides listings of genetic trends, percentile ranks, and trait leader lists on the AGA Online Registry. If you have questions about these documents, feel free to contact the AGA office at 303.465.2333 or info@ gelbvieh.org. FF

Top genetics to lead you into the future...

HTFB Mr. Duramax D624 Purebred • Homo Polled 2017 NWSS Purebred Futurity Bull He Sells!

Proven Herd Sires

BABR Branded Man 3400A Balancer 63% • Homo Polled

HTFG Mr. Denver D634 ET

Balancer 63% • Homo Polled & Homo Black 2017 NWSS Balancer Futurity Bull Runner-up He Sells!

BABR Influencial 4241B ET Balancer 75% • Homo Polled

HTFG Mr. Granite A605

Balancer 75% • Homo Polled & Homo Black

These three bulls are sires of many bulls in our March 2017 Production Sale.

Selling 50+ Gelbvieh & Balancer, yearling – 18 month old bulls Many are Homo Black and Homo Polled

Hilltop Farms Bull & Female Sale March 4, 2017 • 12:00 Noon

Joplin Regional Stockyards • Carthage, MO Sale will be broadcasted visit www.DVAuction.com & register today.

For general Questions contact our office 402-316-5460 or support@dvauction.com. You may view bulls on DV Auction website.

Committed to raising quality seedstock Elmer, Brenda, Brad & Benny McWilliams Asbury, MO

417 842-3225 (Home) • 417-529-0081 (Elmers Cell) 417-529-7556 (Brads Cell) • 417-529-6436 (Bennys Cell)

News

Spring 2017 Gelbvieh and Balancer® EPDs Released

E

xpected Progeny Differences (EPD) breed averages and percentiles are available for active Gelbvieh sires, active Gelbvieh dams, Gelbvieh non-parent calves, active Balancer sires, active Balancer dams, and Balancer non-parent calves. Below are the current EPD averages for each category along with definitions of each EPD and index value:

Maternal Traits Calving ease direct (CED): Percent of unassisted births of a bull’s calves when he is used on heifers. A higher number is favorable, meaning better calving ease. This EPD can be vital to a rancher looking to decrease the amount of calves pulled in his herd.

Milk (Milk): The genetic ability of a sire’s daughters to produce milk expressed in pounds of weaning weight.

Calving ease maternal (CEM): Represented as percent of unassisted births in a sire’s first-calving daughters. A higher number represents more favorable calving ease. This EPD is important to a rancher’s bottom line because it predicts which animals produce daughters with a genetic pre-disposition to calve unassisted as heifers.

Heifer pregnancy (HP): Predicts the probability that a bull’s daughters will become pregnant as firstcalf heifers in a regular breeding season, expressed as a percent. A higher value of this EPD is favorable, meaning that a higher percentage of a sire’s daughters get pregnant as first calf heifers compared to other sires in his contemporary group.

30-month pregnancy (Pg30): Predicts the probability that a bull’s daughters will become pregnant and calve at three years of age, given that they calved as first-calf heifers. This EPD is expressed as a percent, again, with a higher number being more favorable meaning a higher percentage of a sire’s daughters will calve at three years of age, given they calved as first-calf heifers.

Stayability (ST): Predicts the genetic difference, in terms of percent probability, that a bull’s daughters will stay productive within a herd to at least six year of age. The stayability EPD is one of the best measures currently available to compare a bull’s ability to produce females with reproductive longevity.

36 | February 2017

The American Rancher

Watch to see how the right genetics can make your operation profitable!

Premiers on Monday, February 20th at 9 p.m. EST Watch it again on Sunday, February 26th at 1 p.m. EST RFD-TV (Dish Network 231 and DirecTV 345)

News

Growth Traits

Birth weight (BW): Predicts the difference, in pounds, for birth weight of the calf.

Weaning weight (WW): Predicts the difference, in pounds, for weaning weight (adjusted to age of dam and a standard 205 days of age). This is an indicator of growth from birth to weaning.

Yearling weight (YW): Predicts the expected difference, in pounds, for yearling weight (adjusted to a standard 365 days of age). This is an indicator of growth from birth to yearling.

Carcass traits Yield grade (YG): Differences in yield grade score, which is a predictor of percent retail product. Smaller values suggest that progeny will have a better lean to fat ratio.

Carcass weight (CW): Differences in pounds of hot

carcass weight, adjusted to an industry standard age endpoint.

Ribeye area (REA): Differences in ribeye area in inches between the 12th and 13th rib. Greater ribeye areas are preferable.

Marbling (MB): Predicts the differences in the degree of marbling within the ribeye as expressed in marbling score units. Greater marbling numbers are preferable and are an indicator of higher carcass quality grades.

Fat (FT): Differences for fat thickness, in inches, for a carcass over the 12th rib, smaller numbers of fat thickness are preferable as excess fat can be detrimental to yield grade.

Efficiency traits Dry matter intake (DMI): Represents the average daily dry matter intake per day consumed in pounds.

A negative, or lesser value, is more favorable. For example, Bull A has a DMI EPD of .15 and Bull B has a DMI EPD of -.20, so the progeny of Bull B consume, on average, .35 pound less dry matter per day than progeny from Bull A.

Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma & Texas Breeders

Indexes

“Superior Gelbvieh and Balancer Cattle”

Chris & Jordan Hampton Charles & Sue Hampton 839 Davistown Rd. • Celina, TN 38551

931-243-3213 H • 931-510-3213 C hampton@twlakes.net Registered Bulls & Replacement Females

Purebred and Balancer®genetics focusing on...

growth, efficiency, beef quality, and maternal KG Gelbvieh characteristics.

Guy & Kristen Lambert Quality breeding 219 County Rd 4800 stock available.

Oklahoma’s Largest Gelbvieh Breeder Chris Markes 580-554-2307 Chris@MarkesFamilyFarms.com Excellent bulls available.

We sell 80 bulls a year all over the country.

Come see why!

Transportation available.

Martin Cattle Company David & Rita Martin 256 Boyce Road Judsonia, AR 72081 H: 501.728.4950 C: 501.278.7614 www.martincattleco.com

Warren, TX 77664

409-547-0635 • 409-781-1404 • 409-673-6228

email: kggelbvieh@yahoo.com

38 | February 2017

Private Treaty Sales Available Year Round

Total maternal (TM): An index that combines growth and milk information as a prediction of the weaning weight performance of calves from a sire’s daughters. As an index, this value is not reported with an accompanying accuracy. A greater TM value means a mother that returns comparatively higher weaning weights on her calves. TM Index = MK EPD + ½ WW EPD. $Cow™: Represents the genetic value in dollars of profit of an animal when retained as a replacement female relative to other animals in the herd. A higher number represents more profitable genetics for maternal

News

productivity. $Cow will serve producers in selecting bulls that will sire daughters with stayability and reproductive efficiency as well as other traits that lead to profitability in a production system, such as milk, calving ease, moderate mature weight and the ability of calves to gain. A female’s genetics also influence the performance of her calves in the feedlot and at slaughter, so traits such as feed efficiency and carcass value are also included in $Cow. Efficiency profit index (EPI): An economic selection index developed to aid producers in selecting for more feed efficient cattle that still have acceptable amounts of gain. The EPI provides slight negative pressure on intake, while keeping gain at a constant value. By selecting on this index, producers will be able to find those animals that gain the same amount as their contemporaries while eating less.

FPI™: An economic selection index designed to aid producers in selecting sires whose progeny will perform in the feedlot and are sold on a grade and yield standpoint. Well ranking sires for FPI have higher marbling and carcass weight than their contemporaries. As a terminal index, little emphasis is put on maternal traits such as stayability and calving ease. FF

Iowa Breeders

Rafter Neola, Iowa

Gelbvieh-Angus-Balancer Black & Polled Private Treaty Sales Breed-leading Performance from Quality Genetics

Kevin Gunderson: 402-510-8103

Al Schulz: 402-676-5292

Kenyon Cattle LLC & Little Sioux Gelbvieh/ Red Angus • Bulls for sale at Seedstock Plus Sales • Females for sale Private Treaty Jack Welle 2645 180th Ave. Milford, Iowa 51351 Home: 712-338-2143 • Cell: 712-251-4641

E-mail: jwelle@evertek.net

R

Gelbvieh

Reiste Family • Adel, IA Since 1982 Purebred & Balancer Cattle

Annual Southwest Iowa Gelbvieh & Balancer Sale March • Creston Livestock • Creston, IA

515.490.3561 (C) • 515.993.4381 (H) creiste.rafterr@yahoo.com

Martens Gelbvieh

Gary Martens 2126 500th St • Walnut, IA 51577

712.764.5007 (H) • 712.249.5744 (C) martensgl@yahoo.com

Annual Bull and Female sale in March with the Southwest Iowa Gelbvieh Group

The Profit Picture | 39

News

Commercial Cowherd Data Management Available

By Angela Vesco

S

mart Select Service (SSS) has been accessible for a year and a half and is gaining popularity amongst commercial cattlemen and women. Currently, this American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) program has 27 participants with just over 1,800 head of cattle enrolled.

Smart Select Service is a program that gives commercial producers the insight into their cowherd that they may have not of otherwise had. Users of Smart Select Service can track the data of their cowherd to assist them in making selection decisions with the goal of retaining the best females possible. At just $1

Pound-Makin’ GENETICS

annual fee per head with no breed restrictions, it’s a cost-effective way to better understand and track the performance of individual animals and on a herd basis.

The objective of Smart Select Service is to help commercial herds become more efficient and successful.

Efficiency is becoming more important and crucial to the success of any cattle operation. Inefficiencies are identified by taking measurements and then utilizing the data, and Smart Select Service identifies that. Managing data can sound intimidating at times, but that is where the AGA comes in to help. The program does the data management, and the AGA staff is there to discuss the data and understand it.

MARCH 4, 2017 Bull Sale A Powerful Set of Gelbvieh and Balancer® Bulls

Red or Black • All Polled • PAP Tested Bulls available to view at 10:30 a.m.

Lunch @ Noon • Sale at 1 p.m.

Put Pounds on the Truck!

And Quality Carcass on The Rail

Sale catalog online at: www.segagelbvieh.com 40 | February 2017

Steve & Gail Fiolkoski 16509 WCR 86 Pierce, CO 80650 Gail’s Cell: 970/590-4862 Steve’s Cell: 970/381-0600

Email: gafiolk@aol.com www.segagelbvieh.com

Value-added programs and genetic technology are management tools that tend to get overlooked by producers because of the added labor and cost.

However, when markets are lower, and selection decisions are even more important, management tools can help separate the quality from the quantity and garner premiums.

There is always more than meets the eye when it comes to evaluating livestock. Rancher Scott Hamilton of Hitchcock, South Dakota believes that it is crucial to understand the data that you collect. “A program like SSS is needed in the beef industry because it’s a program that makes it easier to understand your data and to let the AGA manage the data for you.”

Hamilton plans on using SSS to take the next step in managing

News

his cattle. “I need to track the cows that are producing the most efficient, high dollar calves for me. Ultimately, when times are tough, and the herd needs to be culled because of drought or other conditions, I need to have the data to back up the management decisions.”

Making the cowman kind...

It’s the tradition

Smart Select Service recently merged with the AGA registry.

Previously, the Smart Select program was separate but built in the same format. The merge was made to make it more convenient for the users. Current users will not see any differences once they log into their account, they will just go to www.gelbvieh.digitalbeef.com to login. Smart Select Service still has the same genetic tools, FPI™ and Stayability Score, and herd reports available for the user.

Flip to page 80 to take a look inside the Smart Select Service database. For more information on how you can participate in Smart Select Service please visit www. gelbvieh.org or call the office at 303.465.2333. FF

30th Annual Production Sale February 25, 2017 • 1:00 PM CST • At the Ranch Top quality herd sires in this offering

DJS 40D

DJS 29D

AMAN18641613

AMGV1358644

SELLING: 65 Balancer Bulls 40 Angus Bulls 10 SimAngus Bulls DJS 86D AMGV1357828

Many sons of the Balancer Sire TAU Focus In 22Z Sell!

Also many sons of the Angus Sires SAV Resource 1441 and Schiefelbein Effective 61 sell!

Videos will be available mid-February Jeff Swanson

Ranch visitors always welcome!

308/337-2235 • 308/991-0727 (C) 10908 724 Rd. • Oxford, NE 68967 swansoncattleco@yahoo.com www.swansoncattleco.com

The Profit Picture | 41

[Using data to increase your profits]

RIPPE GELBVIEH

“Information is the oil of the 21st century, and analytics is the combustion engine.”

- Peter Sondergaard

“What gets measured, gets managed.”

- Peter Drucker

Go where the DATA is: For Females: • Track Udder Scores • Measure Cow Size • Measure Cow Efficiency through percentage body weight weaned

For Carcass: • Feed out our Steers every year and receive individual carcass data • Ultrasound Bulls • Ultrasound Females

Avg. Dam Weight of bulls in the sale is 1257 Avg. Dam Efficiency of bulls in the sale is 58% 45% of the bulls in the pen are heifer bulls

Feeder Profit Index is an economic selection index designed to aid producers in selecting sires whose progeny will perform in the Feedlot and are sold on a grade and yield.

This is an index where it ranks sires whose progeny should do the best in the feedlot.

Join Us!

The average of our Balancers is in the top 8% of the Breed. The average of our Purebred bulls is the top 4% of the breed.

For Bulls: • Disposition Scores • Homozygous Polled and Black tested • Higher Accuracy EPDs through genomic EPD testing

AVERAGE PERCENTILE RANK OF SALE BULLS EPDS Black Balancers TOP 12% of Calving Ease TOP 15% of Weaning Weight TOP 17% of Yearling Weight [ TOP 6% of Feeder Profit Index Red Balancers TOP 8% of Calving Ease TOP 14% of Weaning Weight TOP 22% of Yearling Weight [ TOP 12% of Feeder Profit Index Black Purebreds TOP 12% of Calving Ease TOP 10% of Weaning Weight TOP 9% of Yearling Weight [ TOP 4% of Feeder Profit Index

Guest Speaker, Troy Applehans March 10, 2017 • 7:00 pm • Belleville Country Club Troy is the CattleFax market analyst responsible for feeder cattle and cow/calf regions of the Southern Plains region as well as Southeastern states of the U.S.

Complimentary Lunch at 12:00

95 Bulls, 68 Black Balancers, 9 Black Purebreds, 18 Red Balancers, 10 Fall Bred Heifers, 100 Commercial and Registered Females Here is what we stand for: • Customer service after the bull is sold

[

[

Belleville, KS • Belleville 81 • Livestock Sale Barn Auctioneer: Kyle Elwood, Salina, KS

• Balanced EPD profile • The Essentials: Sound, Big Bodied, Moderate Framed and Muscular • Reliable and honest data • Proper Bull development

Nevada 1170Y

• Crossbreeding • Get the benefit of heterosis and hybrid vigor here!

Video of the bulls, data, and catalog will be posted at www.rippegelbvieh.com RIPPE GELBVIEH Hubbell, Nebraska Dustin: 402-200-0555 316-323-4874 Duane: 402-200-0096 (Cell) www.rippegelbvieh.com

Sons Sell

Raising Bulls for Commercial Cattlemen that fit today and tomorrow.

RIPPE GELBVIEH

Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 1:00

[Using data to increase your profits]

RIPPE GELBVIEH BULL SALE

News

BeefTalk: New Year’s Resolution: Earn $300 More Per Cow Producers should take advantage of opportunities to increase product value and decrease expenses.

By Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist NDSU Extension Service

E

very new year brings with it a New Year’s resolution, and this year, mine would be to earn an extra $300 per cow.

Think about it. Why not make it happen? I would anticipate trying would be better than simply griping.

A new year started and the analysis of the last year needs to get serious by producers asking the tough questions.

Perhaps then, the resolution can gain in strength.

The joy of sharing trends with producers is rewarding, but the documentation of the change that may have resulted from sharing educational information sometimes remains a frustration. Did change happen?

Were producers better off?

Over 35 Years of Performance Testing

Producer continuing education is based on the broad assumption that the information offered provides a way to better oneself or the beef production enterprise.

Frustration may not be the right word. The real challenge is knowing where one is at in terms of the various indicators of success and then seeking more input on those indicators that need improvement.

Traditionally, income would be seen as a positive influence and expenses a negative influence within beef herds. So if a producer does not track income and expenses, where does one start? But that being said, teachers never quit. For beef producers, opportunity exists on both sides of the profit equation, thus the education.

Performance cattle for the real World dedicated to Gelbvieh for over 40 Years

A nnual Production Sale – March 16, 2017 Western Livestock Auction • Great Falls, MT Offering 40 Bulls and 20 Heifers Red and Black • Purebred and Balancer

For your next herdsire or female purchase, look to Kicking Horse Ranch Kicking Horse Ranch

1285 Nine Mile Road

Olimont, Montana 59466

Jim & Kathy Bjorkman 406-937-4815

www.kickinghorseranch.com krankin@northerntel.net

George & Jeanette Rankin 406-937-3728

44 | February 2017

Product value may be increased and product expenses decreased. That seems to be a rather straightforward goal, especially as the cow-calf business finds itself in a bit of a quandary. Costs are going up, production is stagnant and prices have fallen. If we care, then we need a realistic goal to realign the beef operation.

The goal per cow might be increasing product sales by $150 and lowering expenses by $150. Any producer can participate; however, struggling producers must participate. Why? The cow business must compete with other food businesses, the poultry, swine and other protein industries in particular.

Success is fleeting if a producer only plans on working with the commodity markets with no desire to change marketing opportunities, and only plans on managing the base cow herd as a repeating annual exercise of the same.

For discussion, assume the new goal is accepted.

The cow-calf enterprise remains land-based, so the actual net return over direct and overhead expenses per cow should be divided by the number of acres of land

News

(pastureland, grassland, hay land and cropland) used to support the cow. The acres will vary and the return per acre will be significantly lower than the net return per cow, regardless of geographic location.

But the story is profit per unit of production.

Typically, in southwestern North Dakota, producers need 16.5 acres to support a cow: early spring coolseason pasture at one acre per cow for one month; summer pasture at 2.5 acres per cow per month for five months; and three acres to produce winter forage for the remaining six months.

There is a difference between cows and animal units, but let’s keep this discussion on a cow basis, still realizing that acres, cows and stocking rate need to be evaluated properly to be applied to the appropriate grazing systems.

So if the cow averages an annual net return over direct and overhead expenses of $100, the cow is returning $6.06 per acre of land, which is pretty sparse.

By increasing sales by $150 and decreasing expenses by $150, the returns per acre quadruple to $24.24 per acre and options open up. Possible? Records provided

MLM GELBVIEH

OPEN HOUSE PRIVATE TREATY KICK-OFF SALE Monday, March 6, 2017 • At the Ranch

Selling: 38 Bulls • Gelbvieh & Balancer® • Red & Black • 100% Polled

Ultrasound Tested • DNA Tested and have GE EPDs • Fertility Tested • Negative BVD-PI Test • Satisfaction Guaranteed Viewing at 11:00, Lunch at 12:00, Final Bids at 1:00

Sires Represented: Gelbvieh Sires – Post Rock F1 27A2, JRI Super Duty and Hart 35W34 Balancer Sires – Watchman, Marshall, Unanimous, Gravity and O-Reilly 317A Angus Sires – Basin Excitement, Connealy Counselor and Connealy Right Answer Red Angus Sire – Brown Premier All bulls are guaranteed Offering free feed and care until April 1

Purebred Gelbvieh Bulls like this sell!

MLM GELBVIEH Marlin Meyer

Post Rock F1 27A2 He has several sons selling!

Red Balancer Bulls like this sell!

824 Road 3000 • Superior, NE 68978 402.879.4976 mlm68978@yahoo.com

Videos available mid-February www.gelbviehbulls.com

Directions: The Open House will be held at the ranch at Superior, NE. From the 14/136 junction north of Superior, go 6 miles west on 136, then 1-1/4 miles north.

The Profit Picture | 45

News

by the North Dakota Farm Management education program (www.ndfarmmanagement.com) are available on the FINBIN site (www.finbin.umn.edu/) from the Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota. They show the answer is “yes” and the goal is achievable.

The spread between producers in the top 40 percent in net return per cow and the lower 40 percent in net return per cow gives us a value of the dollars that some producers are leaving on the table at the end of the day.

In 2013, the difference between the upper and lower 40 percent of producers was $235; in 2014, the difference between the upper and lower 40 percent of producers was $404; in 2015, the difference between the upper and lower 40 percent of producers was $323.

the upper and lower 40 percent of producers in net return per cow over direct and overhead expenses was $321.

For simplicity, $300 per cow is floating around to catch, at least for those producers who are lagging in net returns. For the others, do it anyway. Let’s get pen and paper out, check some data, get out of the old mindset and figure out how to “earn” $300.

May you find all your ear tags. FF

Is the difference due to increased income or decreased expenses? At the end of the day, the source of the increased net return per production unit is not as important as the fact that net return increased. The average difference during the last three years between

Bull Barn Genetics

For all your AI needs:

• Gelbvieh

• Salers

• Angus

• Shorthorn

• Red Angus

• Dairy

• Simmental

• Charolais

• Club Calf

• Hereford

• • • • • •

Sheaths Gloves Cito Thaw Units Tanks A.I. Kits Arm Service

Eldon & Kathy Starr

210 Starr Dr • Stapleton, NE 69163 bullbarn@bullbarn.com • 800-535-6173 www.bullbarn.com

46 | February 2017

Markes Family Farms

Oklahoma’s Largest Gelbvieh Breeder

Selling Exceptional Bulls & Heifers Transportation Available

THEY ALL WANT YOUR BEST!

Now more than ever – Every segment of the beef industry demands the best out of your calf-crop.

Whether it be Maternal-Performance or Carcass Traits, our program enables you to take advantage of more profits and create more value.

22nd Grund Beef Genetics Bull Sale February 22, 2017 1:00 CT Oakley, KS

80 head of Balancer, Gelbvieh, Angus and Red Angus Bulls GRU 129D

Sire: Alumni 75% Gelbvieh Homo Black Top 20% for WW, YW, REA

GRU 334D CED BW WW YW MK TM CEM HP PG30 ST YG CW REA MB $Cow FPI EPI

12 3.2 89 114 43 88 14 2.23 0.46 1 -0.58 40 0.96 0.07 41.96 83.01 115.97

CED BW WW YW MK TM CEM HP PG30 ST YG CW REA MB $Cow FPI EPI

12 1.5 91 131 34 80 11 3.07 0.99 2 -0.52 49 0.96 0.49 52.96 96.54 133.27

GRU 901D

Sire: GRU Breakout 511B 50% Balancer Top 10% for WW, YW, REA, FPI

GRU 08D

Sire: Vigilante 75% Gelbvieh Homo Black - Homo Polled Top 10% for CED, WW, YW

CED BW WW YW MK TM CEM HP PG30 ST YG CW REA MB $Cow FPI EPI

16 1.1 99 139 36 86 15 4.09 1.87 2 -0.39 52 0.64 0.20 50.01 95.02 141.40

GRU 311D

Like us on Facebook at Grund Beef Genetics This sale will be available online at:

Sire: Astroid 50% Balancer Homo Black - Homo Polled Top 15% for CED, WW, YW, REA, MB

CED BW WW YW MK TM CEM HP PG30 ST YG CW REA MB $Cow FPI EPI

15 -1.4 94 150 38 85 13 4.21 0.27 4 -0.42 56 0.88 0.65 59.92 107.60 152.59

CED BW WW YW MK TM CEM HP PG30 ST YG CW REA MB $Cow FPI EPI

18 -2.7 84 120 47 89 8 1.35 1.71 3 -0.51 36 0.97 0.45 52.78 99.27 122.08

GRU 710D

Sire: GRU Breakout 511B 50% Balancer Top 25% for CED, BW, YW, REA, MB, FPI

CED 14 BW -2.1 WW 73 YW 117 MK 28 TM 64 CEM 10 HP 3.35 PG30 1.22 ST 5 YG -0.45 CW 36 REA 0.85 MB 0.67 $Cow FPI 95.03 EPI

Sire: GRU Breakout 511B 50% Balancer Top 15% for CED, BW, WW, YW, REA

We Sell Bulls That Add Value

G

rund Beef enetics

www.grundbeefgenetics.com Jerry Grund 785/821-1022 Layal & Donna Grund785/852-4370 Lyle Hammer 785/728-7400 Darrell & Becky Vandike785/728-7310

Feature

Meet AGA’s New President

by Angela Vesco

“R

anching was all I ever wanted to do since I was little. I wanted to breed leading genetics and cattle that fit our environment. I wanted to make bulls that will make guys [in my area] money,” said Scott Starr, American Gelbvieh Association’s (AGA) newly elected president.

Scott is a lifetime cattleman who has a strong passion for the beef industry. Scott’s cattle roots run deep in the Sandhills of Nebraska where he was born and raised. He is currently the fourth generation of his family to ranch in the Sandhills. Today, Scott and his wife, Raberta, along with their nine children live at Cedar Top Ranch, near Stapleton. Scott’s parents, Eldon and Kathy reside on the ranch and run Bull Barn Genetics, a semen company.

Scott graduated from The University of NebraskaLincoln (UNL) in 1992. During is time at UNL Scott was successful in both the classroom and on the field. He was a member of the football team and livestock judging team.

Scott was a very ambitious young Gelbvieh producer, as he was a founding member of the American Gelbvieh Junior Association along with other fellow young Gelbvieh breeders. Scott and his team took initiative and formed the organization after they saw the need for a leadership group for Gelbvieh youth.

When Scott was asked what advice he would pass along to the AGJA members today, he said, “They really need to study the industry and see where the future is going.

Listen to the older one’s stories of what they did. They set precedence and you need to maintain that and learn from it.”

The advice that Scott tells his nine children, “You need to learn how to be leaders and managers. If you want to be in a ranching, you will get hired if you show your value in leading and managing. You will be able to stay involved in the beef industry.”

Gelbvieh Leadership Scott has been elected to the AGA Board of Directors more than once. He is currently in his second term

48 | February 2017

Eldon and Scott Starr of his six years of service. Prior to being president, Scott served the AGA as vice president. He has also been a part of numerous committees including breed improvement, breed promotion, and national sale. His focus when leading a committee has always been to keep in mind what’s significant to the AGA members, but more importantly to ensure that the committee’s decisions stay relevant to the commercial producer. It’s the commercial producer who is servicing the feedlot industry and both of those entities are key drivers in the role of seedstock suppliers and breed associations.

“President Starr’s leadership as chairman of the AGA Board of Directors will be beneficial as the AGA becomes more prominent in the beef industry through programs and services that add value to cattle at each stage in the supply chain. Scott’s involvement and experience in multiple facets of the industry will be invaluable to the future of the AGA,” said Myron G. Edelman, AGA’s executive director.

Scott’s involvement in AGA leadership stems from his strong belief that being active is extremely important.

Scott recalls to his time on sports teams and judging teams. His coaches taught him to lead by example, among other things.

“To me, a leader has a vision for the future. They know where should we be going and why are we going there.”

Scott’s vision for the AGA is to become more relevant throughout the commercial beef industry. “I want to show the consistency of Gelbvieh-influenced calves and change the perception of the commercial industry.”

Scott isn’t afraid to make the tough choices. He says that he has made decisions in the AGA boardroom which have negatively impacted his own operation financially, but he knew the decision was ultimately important for the future of the association.

When asked about how Scott learns from his mistakes, he says that he does his best to avoid them in the first place. “If you have done your homework, you are going to eliminate most of your mistakes, but there are still going to be some. You just have to think through it logically to find the right answer, work through it, and learn from it.”

Scott surrounds himself with other leaders in the beef industry to gain knowledge and seek advice. Even if he doesn’t always agree with how his fellow leaders do things, he still understands why and learns from it. Scott says he gathers as many facts and opinions before he makes his final judgment on an issue.

“Family has shaped me. Dad [Eldon] has been one of the hardest working people in my life. He will put in long days and if you don’t work at his pace, he will let you know. My grandfather was the same way,” Scott said.

“The dedication to the AGA is substantiated through multiple generations of membership at Cedar Top Ranch. That combination of experience and commitment will strengthen the AGA’s competitive position in supplying exceptional genetic choices to the beef industry,” according to Edelman.

Feature

time. The ranch continued to grow and in 1938, the current place that the Starr family operates out of was purchased. In the beginning Cedar Top Ranch, like most of the beef industry at the time, raised Hereford cattle. Then in the 1960s the Starrs began to introduce new breeds to the herd and eventually found Gelbvieh.

Eldon, Scott’s father, learned to AI when he was in school and in 1965, Cedar Top Ranch AIed the entire cowherd, both registered and commercial cows, a practice still kept today. In 1974, Cedar Top Ranch had their first Gelbvieh females ready to breed. When it came time to preg-check, the Gelbvieh heifers were bred but the other breeds’ pregnancy rates didn’t equal.

Thus, Gelbvieh crossed with Angus became the future of Cedar Top Ranch.

In addition to their cow calf program, Cedar Top Ranch is also known for their yearlings. In addition to his own, Scott will purchase calves from his bull customers and put into the yearling program. The calves are maintained on grass and then sold the following summer.

Each year the calves gain exceptionally well and sell at the top-end of the summer video sale. Scott also works hard for his customers. If he can’t buy the customers’ calves, he will work to find someone who can. FF

The History of Cedar Top Ranch Scott’s great-grandfather originally came to Nebraska because of the opportunities provided by the Kinkaid Act. Moses P. Kindaid, a Nebraska congressman, piloted The Kinkaid Act of 1904. At the time, the Homestead Act allowed for homesteaders to obtain 160 acres to make a living. Knowing the environment of the Sandhills, Kincaid thought that the farmers and ranchers needed more land to be successful. The Kinkaid Act gave farmers and ranchers in 37 counties in the Sandhills region 640 acres. Scott’s great-grandfather saw the value in this opportunity and thus, the dawn of Cedar Top Ranch.

The ranch grew during the Great Depression when land became available. Scott’s grandfather was fortunate to be able to keep his land and obtain more during that

Starr Family

The Profit Picture | 49

Judd Ranch 39 Gelbvieh, Balancer th

®

at the ranch, Pomona, Kansas • Saturday, March 4,

P P P

Judd Ranch has been honored as the #1 Dam of Merit Cowherd in the Gelbvieh Breed for 18 of the past 19 years, 1998–2016!

P P P

82 lb. average birth weight: 878 lb. actual weaning weight average on the sale bulls. Maternal cow power behind every sale bull.

100% of the Gelbvieh & Balancer sale bulls feature Judd Ranch honored Dam of Merit Genetics.

Average Daily Gain of fall yearling bulls: 4.81 lbs/day! 162 purebred Gelbvieh, 137 Balancer & 18 purebred Red Angus bulls sell

Top 10% Calving Ease EPD Strength average on the 162 purebred Gelbvieh bulls & top 15% average on the 137 Balancer bulls.

17 of the 18 top selling bulls in last year’s sale sold to commercial producers.

Judd Ranch Gelbvieh Herdsires & AI Sires

Next Step

Top Producer

Pop A Top

Cowboy Cut

Redemption

Final Answer

Consensus

Marshall

Effective

Payweight

& Red Angus Bull Sale at 12:00 noon • 1 hour southwest of Kansas City

315 Plus

Gelbvieh, Balancer® & Red Angus Bulls Sell

“The Complete Package” Calving Ease • Growth • Carcass • Fertility

• 200+ 17-19 month old Bulls • 115+ 12-14 month old Bulls P 96% Sired by Breed Leading AI Sires P 196 Black Polled Bulls P 270 Homozygous Polled Bulls P All Judd Ranch major herdsires are

enrolled in Carcass Testing Programs

P Quality Acceptance Guarantee on all Sight Unseen purchases

P

Free Trucking in U.S. on purchases of $20,000 +

P Trucking is very affordable because Judd Ranch bulls annually sell into 20+ states

Visit our website • www.juddranch.com Judd Ranch Inc. Dave & Cindy Judd Nick, Ginger, Brent & Ashley

Judd Ranch Gelbvieh Maternal Strength

423 Hwy. K-68 • Pomona, KS 66076 785/ 566-8371 or 785/566-3770

Judd Ranch Red Angus Maternal Strength

Sale Consultant— CATTLEMEN’S CONNECTION

CALL TOLL-FREE: 1-800-743-0026 For Your JRI “Complete Package” Sale Catalog

Editorial

Strategic Herd Reduction to Extend Limited Feed Resources Dr. Justin Rhinehart, Assistant Professor, UT Beef Cattle Extension Specialist

D

uring severe and prolonged drought, beef cattle producers have three basic choices for adjusting: purchase additional hay and/or feed, reduce cattle numbers or a combination of both. Locating additional feed can include buying hay, buying commercial feed, buying commodity feed, grazing crop residue, leasing more pasture or paying for custom grazing in locations with more forage. This article will focus on strategically reducing the number of cattle consuming limited hay and feed resources. Visit UTBeef.com or contact your local UT Extension Agent to find more information on stretching hay supplies and other drought coping strategies.

First, it is important to be decisive, confident and proactive when adapting to drought situations. Waiting to see if it will rain and pushing the decisions down the road usually results in more economic loss and a more stressful and difficult situation. The two most helpful approaches for being confident that early herd reduction is not a mistake are to accumulate the best science-based information that is available and to look at the situation as an opportunity to improve the core genetics of the herd. Even though the need to reduce herd numbers (especially in the face of a down market) is stressful, viewing it as an opportunity to weed out poor performers can provide confidence in future profitability and sustainability when environmental and market conditions improve.

Approach strategic culling to extend feed resources with your objectives in mind and make a list of priorities that each cow in the herd needs to meet for the herd to reach those objectives. For commercial production, efficiently producing pounds of saleable product (pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed) is the most likely production objective. After setting the objectives and priorities, systematically evaluate each animal in the herd to liquidate the least valuable animals first. Then, if there is still too much pressure on the available feed resources, marketing more valuable animals might be necessary. But, that can still be done strategically to retain the very best core genetics.

52 | February 2017

Consider the following criteria for strategically reducing herd size when forage, hay and feed are limited due to persistent drought. This can be thought of as an employee evaluation to determine the most productive workers in the group.

Sell open cows: A cow that will not calve in the next calving season is consuming profit every day. Pregnancy checking and marketing open cows is the most logical step for reducing pressure on limited feed resources. There are a few ways to accomplish pregnancy diagnosis. These include palpation, ultrasound and blood test. Decide on the best method for your situation and do it as quickly as that method allows.

This will also present the opportunity to move from year-round calving to a defined calving season. Or, if you already have a calving season, it can be an opportunity to make that season even tighter. Taking this opportunity now can lead to more efficiency and profitability in future years.

Sell marketable calves: For year-round calving herds, consider marketing calves that are old enough to wean.

Removing older calves will free up the forage or feed they are consuming as well as the additional feed their dams are consuming to support late lactation. The revenue generated by selling older calves and open cows can be used to purchase additional hay or supplemental feed.

Herds with a defined calving season will have more flexibility to market the entire calf crop depending on when the reduction needs to occur. For the current drought situation, most spring born calves will have already been sold and the focus will be on culling less productive cows.

However, hay and feed management for fall calving herds with relatively young claves heading into this winter will be more challenging.

Sell poor producers: This is another area of opportunity in the face of an otherwise stressful situation. If feed resources are still short after open cows have been removed from the herd, begin marketing cows that are bred but calve late or are marginal producers. Having records to

identify cows that consistently wean a light or unthrifty calf is a great place to start. Also, cows with a history of producing calves that do not fit uniformly into the calf crop (ex. frame size, color, horned) could be marketed. Then, consider selling thin cows that will require more nutrients to increase body condition during the dry period to calve in ideal condition (at a body condition score of 5 to 6).

10

1

Give each cow an evaluation for indications that they will not last for several more years. Check the eyes for early stages of cancer eye and sell them before they are no longer marketable. Mouthing each cow to estimate age and their ability to graze effectively can help you decide if they will maintain productivity for several more years. Evaluate the feet and leg structure to make sure they will remain sound. Check the udder for blind quarters or teats that a newborn calf will not be able to nurse. Taking an opportunity to cull cows with poor disposition will improve both safety and overall herd performance.

Consider early weaning: Fall calving herds with limited hay or pasture resources should consider weaning calves earlier than normal to reduce the nutritional needs of the cow herd. Calves can be weaned as early as two months old but that is generally not practical for management or marketing. In this case, calves can be weaned at three to four months (as opposed to the normal 6-7 months) and still accomplish a reduction in nutritional needs for the mature cows while maintaining body condition to successfully calve and rebreed for the next production cycle.

Retaining the early weaned claves requires more intensive management

Editorial

and additional cash costs for feeding them. Early weaned calves will require a substantial amount of purchased feed to support growth. On the other hand, marketing

26 th

lls u B

An

nua

l

110 YEARLING BULLS SELL!

Gelbvieh & Gelbvieh/Angus Balancer® FEB. 24, 2017 • MONTROSE, CO • 12:00 NOON Jim’s Auction Barn • Lunch will be served Bulls can be seen on video mid-February with online bidding through DVAuction.com Online bidding the day of the sale with sight unseen purchases guaranteed.

Delivery can be arranged.

Tested for Fertility, P.A.P., Trich, PI-BVD

Selected for Calving Ease, Growth, Carcass, Disposition, Soundness Bulls sired by popular A.I. Sires • Many Homozygous Black • Many Homozygous Polled Producing bulls that work at high elevations, rough conditions, calve easy, produce heavy weaning weights & produce females that are efficient, breed back, and wean a high percentage of their body weight.

BLACK & RED BALANCER® BULLS

For online bidding sale day

Call us so we can help pick the bulls that will work the best for you.

BLACK & RED GELBVIEH BULLS

www.gelbviehbulls.net or call Mark at 970.209.1956 • Dave at 970.323.6833

The Profit Picture | 53

March 18, 2017 • 1:00 PM At the Ranch • Lake City, SD

SELLING 45 BULLS

Elite Carcass Genetic Opportunity Sale

2016 bulls had an average ribeye of 15.46 with an average IMF score of 4.01.

These averages rank in the Top 1% of the breed.

PCCI Mr. Roy 6131D AMGV1367684 • BA63

Sire: HTFG Mr. Roy A664 Dam: PCCI Ms Apache 9034W 2017 NWSS Balancer Champion Spring Bull Calf Top 1% of Breed in WW, YG, REA EPDs

HE SELLS! CED 13

BW 2.9

WW 99

YW 136

MK 35

TM 65

CEM 6

HP 5.95

PG30 0.71

ST 6

YG -0.60

CW 53

REA 1.36

MB 0.33

$Cow 71.54

FPI 95.99

EPI 138.35

LWHF Super Sport 475Y AMGV1204074 • Purebered

Sire: DCSF Post Rock Granite 200P2 Dam: LWHF Nicole Breed leading sire of performance, muscle and carcass.

Co-Owned with Little Windy Hill Farms.

MANY SONS SELL! CED 9

BW 1.3

WW 96

YW 121

MK 31

TM 79

CEM 7

HP 6.06

PG30 2.12

ST 11

YG -0.3

CW 41

REA 0.22

MB -0.29

$Cow 91.85

FPI 76.82

DNA Testing since 2005 All sale bulls are DNA Tested & Parent Varified Catalog, videos, final weights and ultrasound data available at www.pearsoncattleco.com

43523 111th STREET, LAKE CITY, SD 57247-9714

Neal Pearson:

605-448-5653 or 605-470-0448 njpearson@venturecomm.net

Kermit Pearson:

605-448-5596 or 605-380-6030

Chuck Ringkob:

605-470-0010

EPI 123.09

early weaned calves reduces the overall pounds of calf weaned per cow and total revenue. Early weaning should be closely evaluated and the benefits weighed against the disadvantages. It is usually not a viable option for small and midsized commercial herds until feed resources are extremely limited and other herd reduction methods have been employed.

Market replacement quality cows: If feed resources will still be in short supply after going through the steps outlined above, some of the higher-quality cows might need to be liquidated. In that case, consider marketing them in areas that are not experiencing the same drought situation where they can be more valuable as replacements. Custom grazing arrangements (for cash or calf crop sharing) might be an option if the value of these cows warrants it and cattle producers with available forage or feed resources can be located.

Another opportunity that drought provides is to reconsider your overall approach to stocking density and grazing management. If drought situations are going to be more frequent and persistent, being more flexible by reducing the number of cow/calf pairs and adding a stocker component to the farm enterprise can be a good long-term strategy. In other words, use your calf crop as the “flex point” rather than selling and restocking cows each time a drought occurs. In that case, fewer cows are maintained but calves are retained longer after weaning when grass (growing or stockpiled) is available.

But, when drought limits forage availability, calves are sold soon after or at weaning to relieve stocking pressure without selling as many cows. FF

Editorial

Source: University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

REGISTERED GELBVIEH CATTLE

Our foundation is designed and built on 33 years of A.I. breeding.

REDS • BLACKS • PUREBRED • BALANCER 26th Annual

“Pot of Gold”

Gelbvieh, Angus & Balancer Bull Sale ®

February 24, 2017 Montrose, Colorado

MR. BOW K 304A Many sons selling in sale.

Your source for P.A.P. tested, calving ease and low birth weight EPD bulls!

• Herdsire Prospects • Genomic Enhanced EPDs • Many Homozygous Black • Most Homozygous Polled • Diluter Free and/or Homozygous Polled Reds • Review the Data Online

At Bow K Ranch we emphasize moderate size, quality udders, and built-in calving ease.

WWW.BOWKRANCH.COM David & Dawn Bowman • Andrew & Sarah Bowman 55784 Holly Rd. • Olathe, CO 81425 • (970) 323-6833 •

Sale day purchase bulls by phone or bid online at www.dvauction.com Videos of the bulls will be online by mid-February.

The Profit Picture | 55

Editorial

Putting the Preg Check Results to Work

By Taylor Grussing, SDSU Extension Cow-Calf Field Specialist

P

regnancy check day is one of the most important days on the ranch as it is the day when we find out what cows are pregnant and how many calves we can expect come calving season. So now that the veterinarian has left the yard and the open cows are sorted off, what’s next? Before throwing the preg check list on the dashboard never to be looked at again, try to reflect on the results. Take some time to sort through them to uncover valuable information such as breeding season management and what to expect for the upcoming calving season.

barn be ready by the time the first calf hits the ground, but you can also determine when the majority of the calves will be born, and adjust labor and feed resources accordingly. For example, Figure 1 shows the pregnancy distribution from a cowherd where 66% of cows became bred during the 1st 21 days of the breeding season. The strength of the cowherd in Figure 1 is that over 80% of calves will be born during a 40-day period resulting in a larger, more uniform calf crop to take to market.

Figure 1. Pregnancy distribution shows when and how many cows were bred during the breeding season.

Analyzing Your Results First start by finding the following information: • Number of cows at the start of breeding season • Start and end dates of breeding season • Cow death loss, culls, non-breeders

• Utilizing pregnancy check results and the above information to determine the following: Pregnancy Rate (%)

(# of cows diagnosed pregnant / # of cows exposed to breeding) x 100 Pregnancy checking can determine the overall fertility of the cowherd. If pregnancy rate is lower than desired, areas such as type of breeding program and bull-to-cow ratio should be analyzed to pinpoint where adjustments are needed. Also, evaluate pregnancy rates by sorting cows into age groups to see if a certain age group is falling out of the herd, such as 2 year olds or old cows.

Culling Rate (%) (# of cows died, open or sold / # of cows exposed to breeding) x 100

(number of cows that became pregnant during days 1 – 21 of the breeding season, days 22 – 42, days 43 – 63, days 64 – 84, and 85 or more days after the start of the breeding season)

If a greater than normal cull rate is observed, records can help identify what may have gone wrong. Start by assessing the body condition and health records as poor nutrition or sickness could be reasons for more open cows. Keeping track of culling rate will help determine the number of replacement heifers needed to maintain herd size.

Analyzing pregnancy distribution can be used as a guide to prepare for the calving season. Not only can the

In addition, if bulls become injured early in the season, more cows will likely be bred during the 2nd or

Pregnancy Distribution

56 | February 2017

3rd cycle. Reproductive diseases such trichomoniasis (trich) can also be spread if an exposed bull is carrying the disease or if a neighboring bull with trich jumps the fence and joins the herd for a period of time. While cows can clear the infection, bulls remain positive for life and throughout the breeding season and cause loss of pregnancies. Figure 2 shows what the pregnancy distribution may look like if a bull injury went unnoticed or if a herd was exposed to trich during the breeding season.

Editorial

Figure 2. Pregnancy distribution of a cowherd with bull injury early in the season and a trich infection resulting in more open cows at the end of the season.

Benchmarks Records such as pregnancy and cull rates are critical in that they give insight into management areas that affect reproductive and economic success of the herd. Keeping consistent records from year to year will allow benchmarks to be created unique to each herd, which can then be used for comparisons and performance analysis. If cowherd records are sparse, industry averages or benchmarks such as CHAPS can be utilized for initial comparison until more years of records are collected. FF

Selling sons of these Great Herdsires!

40 Spring born Purebred and Balancer Bulls Majority Homozygous Black

CGCC Pure Gold 309A Black • Homo Polled

Selling several calving ease sons.

CE: 23 BW: -6.2 WW: 56 YW: 97 MK: 36 TM: 64 CEM: 12 REA: 0.31 MB: 0..42

BEA Teddy 941W Homo Black • Homo Polled

Selling 6 high performance herdsire prospects.

CE: 13 BW: 2.5 WW: 98 YW: 150 MK: 17 CEM: 11 REA: -0.14 MB: 0.3

Selling sons of Ten X, BEA Teddy, ACGC Genesis, Chico Loco and featuring the 1st sons of RID R Maverick 1472B (CCRO Exclusive 1230Y) the $15,000 high selling bull from Ridinger Cattle Company.

Ceroll Gelbvieh

26th Annual Silent Auction and Bid-Off Bull Sale Sunday, February 26, 2017 - 2:00 p.m. at the Ranch Volume discounts • 1st Breeding Season Guaranteed Sight Unseen Purchases • Ultrasound Carcass

CERG Incognito 677D Homo Black • Homo Polled

ACGC Black Genesis 403B Homo Black • Homo Polled

CE: 13 BW: -0.5 WW: 72 YW: 122 MK: 30 TM: 66 CEM: 8 REA: 0.66 MB: 0.74

CE: 21 BW: -4.6 WW: 75 YW: 136 MK: 33 TM: 70 CEM: 12 REA: 0.70 MB: 0.70

Sire: Ten X Dam: SLJM Miss Gov Z63 (Dam of Merit)

Selling 6 great sons of our 2015 High Selling Bull

Aaron & Jenna Ceroll 605.268.0402

Arthur & Adele Ceroll 605.652.4619 Arlyn Ceroll 605.237.4393

Contact us at cergelv@tnics.com or Facebook at Ceroll Gelbvieh

The Profit Picture | 57

Triple K Gelbvieh is selling by

private treaty it’s fall 2015 born bulls.

For a listing of bulls please visit www.triplekgelbvieh.com Please call for more information

Al & Mary Knapp Family Basehor, KS 66007 Al: 913-219-6613 Mary: 816-835-4976 www.triplekgelbvieh.com

Saturday, March 25, 2017 • 1:00 PM ET Chenault Ag Center • Mt. Sterling, KY

Selling 40

Gelbvieh & Balancer Bulls 32 Sixteen To Eighteen Month Old Bulls 8 Thirteen Month Old Bulls Several Lazy TV Sam sons like this one sell!

Most of the bulls are homozygous polled Red, black & homozygous black bulls Complete Performance Information and EPDs are provided on all bulls All Have Passed a Breeding Soundness Exam

Selling 50

Gelbvieh & Balancer Females Several Maverick sons like this one sell!

Several Watchman sons like this one sell!

Donor Prospects Spring Cow/Calf Pairs Fall 3-in-1 Pairs Bred Heifers Show Heifer Prospects

Sale managed by

Slaughter Sale Management

Powerful bred heifers will be offered For catalog or information contact:

David Slaughter

Outstanding cow/calf pairs

162 Hastings Lane Fredonia, KY 42411 Phone: (270) 556-4259 E-mail: hmslghtr@aol.com

Junior Editorial

Telling Our Story

By Aubree Beenken

L

ast month I started another semester at Iowa State University where I am double majoring in animal science and agriculture and society. During my time at Iowa State, I have been fortunate to be involved in many different groups and organizations. Some of my activities include taking part in Iowa State Freshmen Council, the University Honors Program, Vermeer International Leadership Program, and serving as an ambassador for the College of Agriculture. Through all of my experiences I have met a multitude of people, each with their unique background and experiences.

I grew up in a small town, like many of you, where everyone knows the same friendly culture and holds the same values and morals. I went to college with the mindset of meeting new people but expected them to still share many cultural similarities with me. I had not been prepared to be met with so much cultural diversity at the main agriculture university for the state of Iowa.

I was not set back by all the diversity surrounding me; rather I saw it as an opportunity to be an advocate and share my story with others. College was my first true experience working with people who did not believe in or support the industry that was the livelihood of my family and many others in my home community.

Through the organizations I participate in at Iowa State, I work alongside students from all across the United States and the world. Each student has their own background and experiences that have influenced their perspective on many aspects of life. Working with people who share different values than you can be quite difficult, but the most important part to remember is to always be respectful. Often when having discussions with other students the topics of GMOs, CAFOs, organic vs. non-organic, and animal welfare were brought up. All of these issues are very in-depth and have many scientific studies to back them up. However, the scientific data meant little to my classmates because they do not fully understand the

60 | February 2017

situation; rather, their opinion is based on emotion. For many of my classmates, grass-fed animals seemed better than grain-fed because it seemed more natural to them, my classmates never considered the greater long-term environmental impact and land resources required for grass-fed. Being able to explain the situation in a way that people outside of agriculture can understand is going to be critical to the future success of the agriculture industry.

As a beef producer, it is my responsibility to share with others what actually occurs on my family’s beef operation and general aspects of production agriculture.

This includes taking the time to explain why male animals are castrated, why antibiotics are used for livestock, and what the label hormone-free means.

Many times these discussions tested my patience, but every time I reaffirmed that as livestock producers we CARE and we are CAPABLE of producing high-quality, wholesome food while providing the highest quality of animal welfare.

The ability to share your story with someone you may run into at a grocery store, sit next to on a plane, or meet at the doctor’s office is essential for promoting a positive aspect of agriculture. In today’s world people are constantly exposed to articles through social media platforms that tear down the animal industry and farming. Whether you are a seedstock producer, commercial cow-calf producer, feedlot manager, or grain farmer you all have a critical role in making sure there is a positive future for agriculture to hand down to the next generation of agriculturalists. Agriculture is continually changing from new advancements in technologies and new regulations, but there is no industry more rewarding than the agriculture industry. FF

Thorstenson’s Lazy TV Ranch 36th Annual Production Sale

Saturday March 4, 2017 105 Black Balancer/Gelbvieh Bulls 45 Red Balancer Bulls • 50 Black Angus Bulls Sells March 4

BREED-LEADING-GENETICS – Many calving ease and carcass genetics in the top 5% of the Breed!

All Bulls UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED through first breeding season Complete performance including FEED-EFFICIENCY Data

Lazy TV Dozer D121

VOLUME Discount

AMGV1357778 • BA38 • Sire: Connealy Big Money CED 14 25%

BW -0.6 35%

WW 103 1%

YW 154 1%

TM 88 1%

REA 1.37 1%

MB 0.69 5%

FREE delivery

Some of our recent top-selling Herd Sire Prospects

Bulls like these sell March 4

Lazy TV Distinguished C136

Lazy TV Yogi B049

Sold to Post Rock Cattle Co. in 2016

Sold to Rippe Gelbvieh in 2015

CED 19 2%

BW -1.3 25%

WW 99 1%

YW 151 1%

TM 90 1%

REA 0.77 10%

MB 0.85 2%

CED 21 2%

BW -0.6 40%

WW 90 10%

YW 129 15%

TM 75 10%

REA MB 0.58 0.55 30% 15%

Lazy TV Over Drive C160 Sold to Ray Shephard in 2016 CED 15 15%

BW 0.8 655

WW 100 1%

YW 143 2%

TM 84 1%

REA MB 0.65 0.24 20% 55%

Thorstenson Gelbvieh & Angus

Call or email for a 2017 sale catalog Like us on Facebook at Lazy TV Ranch

12980 Cedar Rd., Selby, SD 57472

Vaughn & Wendy

Brian & DeDee

605/649-6262

605/649-9927

Fax: 605/649-7361 • E-mail: vwthor@sbtc.net

www.BalancerBulls.com

Feeding the World is our #1 Priority

27th Annual Production Sale

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at Bar Arrow Cattle Company, North of Phillipsburg, Kansas

featuring Performance, Maternal, Carcass & Docility 2017 NWSS Reserve Champion Balancer Pen of 5

Selling 80 Gelbvieh & Balancer® Bulls 20 Gelbvieh & Balancer® Fancy Open heifers

BAG 62C Sire: Sandhills

Sold to R&J Farms, NE

BAG 91C Sire: Sandhills

Sold to Whiting Ranch, KS

BAG 27C Sire: Sam

Sold to Thorstenson Gelbvieh, SD

We emphasize performance and carcass without sacrificing functional maternal based females.

For sale book or video, call or email Stuart or go online to www.bararrowcattlecompnay.com

Stuart Jarvis 26 E. Limestone Rd. • Phillipsburg, KS 67661 e-mail: bararrow@ruraltel.net • 785/543-5177

Breeders Corner

Southeast States KENTUCKY

www.knollcrestfarm.com knollcrest@hughes.net

TENNESSEE NORTH CAROLINA

Office (434) 376-3567 James D. Bennett Paul S. Bennett Jim G. Bennett Brian R. Bennett Dalton G. Bennett

W

Farms Doug & Sue Hughes

Dr. Daryl Wilson Tyler Wilson (276) 676-2242

Joe & Gwen Wilson (276) 628-4163 Registered (276) 614-0117 (C)

L

“Superior Gelbvieh and Balancer Cattle”

Chris & Jordan Hampton • Charles & Sue Hampton 839 Davistown Rd. Celina, TN 38551 931-243-3213 H 931-510-3213 C hampton@twlakes.net

Fax (434) 376-7008 434/376-7299 434/941-8245 434/664-7935 434/664-8309 434/664-7946

H

F

QUALITY GELBVIEH CATTLE

LITTLE WINDY HILL 6916 Peppers Ferry Road Max Meadows, VA 24360 H 276/637-3916 C 276/620-4271

Registered Bulls & Replacement Females

M & W Farms

Maryville, Tennessee Quality Black Bulls & Heifers for sale Lynn Waters 3525 Tuckaleechee Pike Maryville, TN 37803

Producing Black, Polled Genetics for Today & Tomorrow.

Walter & Lee Teeter 1380 French Belk Rd. • Mt. Ulla, NC 28125 (704) 664-5784

Mick Ainsworth

1613 Derby Road P.O. Box 154 Jackson Springs, NC 27281 910-652-2233 Cell: 910-638-1142 Mick’s email: longleaf@etinternet.net Grass Grown • Carcass Quality & Performance

R T G

865.660.9227

Gelbvieh Cattle

17462 Fenton Dr., Abingdon, VA 24210 • TrebleWRanch@aol.com

lynnmwfarms@gmail.com

ROCKY TOP GELBVIEH Gelbvieh & Balancer Cattle Sandy and Terry Gupton

4846 Potato Farm Rd • Crossville, TN 38571 865-250-1418 • rockytopgel@yahoo.com rockytopgelbviehfarm.com

2157 Black Lick • Rural Retreat, VA 24368 Home: 276.228.6347 Registered No. 48890 Cell: 401.714.6812

Judith A. Sweeten

VIRGINIA REGISTERED POLLED GELBVIEH C.H. Morris & Sons, LLC

Roger Morris • C.W. Moss 928 Morris Road Appomattox, VA 24522 434.574.6592 Roger Morris C.W. Moss 434.315.4294 434.391.4458

Promote for Success!

Upcoming Advertising Deadlines: April Gelbvieh World Early copy deadline: February 24 Regular rates deadline: March 3

Call 303-465-2333 today!

The Profit Picture | 63

Editorial

What to Expect if You Retain Ownership into a Feedyard Ken Olson, Ph.D., Professor & SDSU Extension Beef Specialist

M

any cow-calf producers have always sold their calves at weaning. It’s fairly common to hear about retaining ownership and the opportunity it provides to add value to your cattle when market conditions are right. In fact, there have been several articles in the ag press lately suggesting that this might be a good call to retain ownership at least through the backgrounding phase because low feed costs suggest the opportunity to feed cattle at economical costs of gain.

A concern many producers may have is that they have never retained ownership past weaning and don’t know what to expect. Following is a description of some of the things that would be typical. Probably the first concern is finding a feedyard that will custom feed your calves. There are a lot of options and it would be best to have conversations with several feedyard owners to get a sense of what they offer. To find those yards, get recommendations from friends and neighbors that have retained calves, your feed dealer, your veterinarian, someone in Extension, or search for “feedyards” on the Internet.

Target Delivery Date & Preconditioning One of the first things to discuss with feedyard management would be to set a target delivery date. This needs to work for both parties in terms of your plans for weaning, them having pen space, and availability of trucks to transport the cattle.

Preconditioning programs that include pre-weaning vaccinations and/or weaning the calves before delivery to the feedyard will be expected and it will be to your advantage to provide both. Both of these practices are proven to decrease illness and improve performance in amounts that exceed the cost and effort.

Financial Considerations If you retain ownership, there will be financial implications for you. Because you will continue to own your cattle, there will be cash flow implications. You will continue to have costs,

64 | February 2017

but your income will be delayed until they are sold. Once you determine what to expect for costs (see below), you will need to develop a budget and probably need to work with your banker to extend you line of credit if needed.

Because you continue to own the cattle, you also take responsibility for market risk. There are a variety of tools to manage risk such as LRP (Livestock Risk Protection), futures contracts, and options. Many feedyards provide assistance with choosing and contracting risk protection. This is a topic to discuss with feedyard managers when you are choosing the yard that you will feed your cattle in to be sure that you are comfortable with the level of support they will provide on this topic. You will also assume the risk of death loss. An important question to ask potential feedyard managers is what their rate of death loss is.

Feedlot Costs You will be responsible for the cost of feeding the cattle.

Typically, the feedlot will bill you on a monthly basis for feed, yardage, and health care costs. Here is how each of these costs will work: Feed: For feed, the feedyard will typically record the amount of feed offered to each pen on each day of the month.

They will record the amount of feed delivered to your cattle on a daily basis and bill you based on their purchase cost for that feed. They will then add up the feed charge for each day in the month and that will be the total feed bill that you, as the cattle owner, will receive. For example, lets say you have a pen of 70 steers received 2540 lb. of feed (as-fed basis) on the first day of the month. The ration was about 58% cracked corn, 33% corn silage, and 9% supplement (protein, minerals, vitamins, feed additives, etc.). Pricing for the day would be as follows: Ingredient

Lb. fed

$/ton

$/feed delivered

Corn

1473

$107

$78.81

Corn silage

838

$45

$18.86

Supplement

229

$245

$28.05

Total

2540

$125.72

Editorial

The feedyard will work through the same exercise for every day of the month, add the amounts for each day, and in the end, the sum of all days will be the feed bill for the month.

Yardage: For yardage, they will charge a daily rate for each animal.

This covers the cost of keeping the feedlot operating, e.g. labor, utilities, water, depreciation on equipment, etc.

Yardage has increased in recent years, like all things. It may range from the high 30-cent range to the mid 40-cent range per head. The monthly yardage bill will simply be the number of cattle multiplied by the number of days in the month multiplied by the fee.

Healthcare: For healthcare, the feedyard will record all medical procedures that are done and charge for them. This will include preventive treatments applied to all cattle in the pen such as vaccinations, as well as treatment of specific animals for sickness (such as respiratory disease).

Costs of implants are often included in the health care bill.

Implants: Unless your cattle will be enrolled in a program such as all-natural that prohibits the use of implants, the feedyard will implant them. Again, this is a practice that will pay for itself and provide extra value.

Generally, they will implant after the cattle have settled in and are eating well and re-implant when needed based on the label for the chosen implant.

Gelbvieh/Balancer® Show 1:00 PM ET, Friday, March 3, 2017

Gelbvieh/Balancer® Sale

11:30 AM ET, Saturday, March 4, 2017

Junior Heifer & Steer Show

8:00 AM ET, Sunday, March 5, 2017

Selling 30 Lots:

Bulls • Bred Heifers • Open Heifers • Embryo Packages

2016 Beef Expo Champions

Grand Champion Gelbvieh Bull 3G Big Valley 4108B Consignor: 3G Ranch Buyer: Mangum Farms

Reserve Grand Champion Gelbvieh Bull Double Down B73 Consignor: Green Hills Gelbvieh Buyer: Adam Helm

Grand Champion Gelbvieh Female Ms S & S Reflex 156C Consignor: D & W Farms Buyer: Sofia Sargeant

Reserve Grand Champion Gelbvieh Female Bar None Ms. Astro 466B

Grand Champion Balancer Bull 3G Cash Only 562C Consignor: 3G Ranch Buyer: Circle K Farms

Reserve Grand Champion Balancer Bull Stallone 13B5 Consignor: Green Hills Gelbvieh Buyer: Adam Helm

Consignor: Gelbvieh Bar None Ranch

Buyer: Padon Farms

Sale Managed by: Slaughter Sale Management David Slaughter 162 Hasting Lane Fredonia, KY 42411 270-556-4259

Cattle Marketing The feedyard will typically market the cattle to the packing plant(s) for you. They have relationships with cattle buyers from the plants and will represent your cattle to them.

They will typically choose a plant based primarily on who offers the

Grand Champion Balancer Female Ms Watchman 1C Consignor: Kendall Kilbourne Buyer: Coles Bend Cattle Company

Reserve Grand Champion Balancer Female Bee Licks Ms Wonder Woman Consignor: Robert Reynolds Buyer: Allen Phillips

Sale co-sponsored by: The Kentucky Gelbvieh Association and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture

The Profit Picture | 65

Editorial

best price when each pen is ready to go. They may either sell live or on a grid, depending on the market and depending on how they expect your cattle will perform.

Here is an example of each: If you sell live and one of your steers weighs 1250 lb. and the live cash price of the day is $1.08 per lb., you will receive $1350.00 for that steer. If you sell on a grid, you will be paid based on carcass weight with the price based on a grid of premiums and discounts. High USDA Quality Grades (i.e. Prime) and lean USDA Yield Grades (i.e. 1 and 2) will garner premium prices, while carcasses that receive poorer Quality and Yield Grades will receive discounts.

Additional grid premiums and discounts may apply, such as premiums for fitting value-added branding programs such as CAB or discounts for dark cutters and carcasses that are too big or small. Cattle that are expected to draw mostly premiums and few discounts will work best on a grid, but cattle that won’t receive the premiums will likely earn more by being sold live.

Alliances & Process Verification Programs Another consideration would be opportunities to enroll the calves in alliances or process verification programs that add value. For example, Age and Source Verification used to be a common way to add $20 to $30 value to cattle that could be verified as young enough to sell to Japan when they required that meat imported from the U.S. was from cattle that were 20 months old or less. Japan has removed that age restriction, so age and source verification currently provides little additional value. Other programs based on breed, all-natural programs, etc. may be available and fit your production practices.

The Bottom Line Retaining ownership involves some processes that a cow-calf producer may not be familiar with before they start, but gaining familiarity can allow the opportunity to add value to cattle. FF Courtesy of igrow.org.

VOLEK RANCH VLK D649 Harper ET 2017 NWSS Reserve Division

VLK C503 YOUNG GUN - BA 63 2017 NWSS Res Champ Balancer Bull

VLK C500 IVY

BVLK 120Y Carley Dam of Harper 2013 NWSS PB Champion

Semen Packages Available thru 3/1/17 Thanks to Post Rock Cattle Co for their support in our program

BA 25

Big footed, structurally sound, performance driven heifer with lots of style. Top 1% for WW, YW, CW, REA, & FPI, Top 4% CEM, Top 10% YG & EPI, Top 15 % CED, Top 25% MB

Flush Opportunity Available

VLK D609 Ellie 2017 NWSS Reserve Division

NWSS Purebred Div. Champ Congrats to Overmiller’s on this Carley X Bootlegger Bull

66 | February 2017

Keith, Janice, & Dustin Volek 605-871-3603 or 605-870-3010 www.volekranch.com Email: kvolek@venturecomm.net 19920 339th Ave., Highmore, SD 57345

BVLK A304 Carley Rae A Carley daughter & Dam of Ellie

VLK A301 Highmore BA 63 Sire of Harper & Ellie Semen is Available.

“Selling Bulls and Heifers by Private Treaty”

HOME OF BREED-LEADING GELBVIEH GENETICS GENETICS THAT WILL WORK IN YOUR PASTURE AS WELL AS IN OURS We are excited to offer the first calves by the DDGR Nobleman sire, high-seller at our 2015 production sale. They possess the added dimension of their sire with the style and performance we like to see.

He sired 14 calves here this year with an average birthweight of 85.3 pounds and an average weaning weight of 747 pounds without creep feed. His sons will be a feature at our 2017 production sale. The rest of the offering will be the deepest bodied, most uniform and heavily culled set we have ever offered.

DDGR NOBLEMAN 79B

Co-owned with Martin Gelbvieh Sire: KKC Nobility 123Y • Dam’s Sire: SINK Full Throttle 27T BW: 96 WW: 831

SIRES REPRESENTED: GELBVIEH:

DDGR American Sniper 44B DDGR All In 1A Post Rock Astronaut 157A CCRO Leverage 3214A BNC At Ease A357 KKC Nobility 123Y Post Rock Ten Plus ET

ANGUS:

SAV Resource 1441A Connealy In Focus 4925 Connealy Right Answer 746

RED ANGUS:

HXC Conquest 4405P Beckton Epic R397 K

Gustins Diamond D Gelbvieh was ranked 3rd in the nation this year for number of Dams of Merit and Dams of Distinction, elite females honored for their production and longevity.

DDGR JACKPOT 95D

Sire: DDGR Nobleman 79B • Dam’s Sire: HYEK Black Impact 3960N BW: 95 WW: 809

Be on the seats at the ranch on February 16, 2017 to choose your breed-leading genetics from 80 black and red Gelbvieh and Balancer bulls and 25 select bred females Dennis, Sherry & Jessica Gustin

Sarah & Richie Heinrich

Steve & Katie Stensgard

Al & Peggy Gustin

(701) 663-7266 • Dennis: (701) 400-3483 • Sarah: (701) 400-3563 • Richie (701) 320-6484 • gustindd@wildblue.net • www.gustinsdiamondd.com

Breeders Corner IOWA

Upper Midwest States

MINNESOTA

6700 County Rd. 19 S. Minot, ND 58701

Brandywine Farm

Tom Scarponcini

(701) 624-2051 (H) (701) 720-8823 (C)

Rob Arnold

Email: RLAGelbvieh@aol.com

Registered Gelbvieh & Balancers®

30474 Brandywine Road Rushford, MN 55971

507-864-2063

GS

Ridge Top Ranch

Gelbvieh-Angus-Balancer

Scott & Sonia Mattison Brianna, Nicole, Josh & Kallie 15995 Harvest Ave Lamberton, MN 56152 507-430-0505 • email: ssmattison@redred.com

Neola, Iowa

Black & Polled Private Treaty Sales

Breed-leading Performance from Quality Genetics

Kevin: 402-510-8103 Al: 402-676-5292

Ricky Linquist th Street inquist 1135 190 inquist

Fonda, IA 50540

arms (712) 288-5349 arms Gelbvieh & Red Angus

Email: rickylin@ncn.net www.linquistfarms.com

Gelbvieh

SFI Schafer Farms, Inc.

Balancer®

37740 240th Ave., Goodhue, MN 55027 Brian Schafer Lowell Schafer 1-888-226-9210 651-923-4587 brian@schaferfarm.com www.schaferfarm.com

hornsandthorns@netins.net

(319) 489-2275 (319) 480-1564

17513 Hwy 10 Little Falls, MN 56345 swen@centurylink.net (h) 320.632.5848 • (c) 320.630-5536

Polled • Purebred • Red • Black

Martens Gelbvieh

Gary Martens 2126 500th St • Walnut, IA 51577 712.764.5007 (H) • 712.249.5744 (C) martensgl@yahoo.com

Bulls and Heifers for sale Private Treaty

Doug & Carol Hille

3320 51st Street, Mandan, ND 58554 701-445-7383 or 701-220-2083 Email: chimneybutteranch@westriv.com Website: chimneybutteranch.com Annual Production Sale 1st Friday in March

68 | February 2017

Dennis & Sherry Gustin Mandan, ND • 701/663-7266 email: gustindd@gmail.com Family www.gustinsdiamondd.com Al and Peggy Gustin

SOUTH DAKOTA ADKINS GELBVIEH

Gelbvieh & Balancer Performance Genetics Bulls and Heifers for sale by private treaty (605) 354-2428 Cell gerald@adkinsgelbvieh.com Gerald & Sarah Adkins www.adkinsgelbvieh.com 41606 195th St., Carpenter, SD 57322

Registered Gelbvieh & Balancer Cattle Bulls • Heifers • Embryos • Semen

Jim & Barb Beastrom Brandy Ludemann, Brittney Spencer

Ph: 605-224-5789 • 605-280-7589 (Cell) jimbeastrom@mncomm.com • www.beastromranch.com

Triple H Farms 712-303-0263 • 712-303-1947

u

Beastrom Gelbvieh Ranch Chimney Butte RanCh

Roy & Nancy Holste 3113 260th Street Clarinda, IA 51632

u

NORTH DAKOTA

Annual Bull and Female sale in March with the Southwest Iowa Gelbvieh Group

HH H

Visit www.golden-buckle-gelbvieh.com

Private Treaty Bull Sale — Last Sat. in February Annually

Dean Swenson

C AT T L E

Eric Ehresman 20963 30th St. Mechanicsville, IA 52306

4956 41st St. SE, Medina, ND 58467 701-486-3494 • gbgelb@daktel.com

Purebred Gelbvieh and Balancer® Cattle

SwenSon Gelbvieh

LONE OAK

Dwight and Christina Dockter Bailey, Cheyenne, Cierra and Dalton

Mattison Family Farm

Julie Maude 605.381.2803 (C) Lori Maude 303.809.3789 (C) cj_llivestock@yahoo.com Hermosa, SD Quality Gelbvieh & Balancer® Genetics from a Trusted Source

Breeders Corner

Upper Midwest States

INDIANA

Keith, Janice, Dustin & Britney 605-852-2131

34261 200th Street, Steven A. Munger 605/380-0092 (cell) • Nate Munger Cowherd Manager

kvolek@venturecomm.net

Highmore, SD 57345 605/229-2802 (office) 605/229-2835 (fax) 605/943-5690 (office) 605/380-2582 (cell)

Carl, Rebecca & Emily Griffiths

1577 N 600 E • Kendallville, IN 46755

260/897-2160 • ggge3g@embarqmail.com

Your call or visit is Always Welcome

WISCONSIN

www.eaglepassranch.com

Ellison Gelbvieh & Angus Ranch Gelbvieh & Angus & Balancers

Private Treaty Sales • Bulls (Yearling & 2-yr.-old) & Heifers

Mitchel & Edna Ellison

Jeff & Susie Ellison

9020 ND Hwy 49 Lemmon, SD 57638

9015 ND Hwy 49 Lemmon, SD 57638

701.376.3238

701.376.3526

Proven Genetics with Balanced Traits!

3 G Ranch

Gelbvieh Cattle For Sale

R S S L

Russell Family Livestock

Ron, Alicia & Family

Brooklyn, WI 608.455.1448 rrussell@ansci.wisc.edu facebook.com/RussellLivestock

Fullblood Polled Gelbvieh Polled Hereford

Merle E. Lewis 812/863-7701

James L. Lewis 812/508-0014

RR1 BOX 1360 • SPRINGVILLE, IN 47462

Focused on Form & Function

OHIO

Northeast States ILLINOIS “Realizing the Value”

Skyler Martin

1200 S. Blackhawk Rd. Oregon, IL 61061-9762 815•541•4828

MEMBER

Chester Yoder

• Polled Purebreds • Red • Black

Double D Farm 9937 Warren Rd. Winslow, IL 61089 (815) 367-4116

Thorstenson Gelbvieh

Selby, South Dakota Annual Bull Sale 1st Saturday in March

Brian & Dee Dee 605-649-9927

Vaughn & Wendy 605-649-6262

www.Balancerbulls.com

We sell Breeding Stock Bulls & Females 12353 Cty Rd 330 Big Prairie, OH 44611 chesyoder@yahoo.com 330-567-9232 • 330-231-0339 (cell)

Skyler Martin

1200 S. Blackhawk Rd. Oregon, IL 61061 (815) 732-7583

J & K GELBVIEH FARM, INC. Jerry & Karen Wilson 335 Gelbvieh Land, Ava, IL 62907 618-521-8620 • jkgf88@frontier.com

REGISTERED GELBVIEH AND BALANCER®

The Profit Picture | 69

Staff Editorial

How is the New AGA Strategic Plan Tailored to Fit You, the Commercial Producer?

By Angela Vesco

B

eef cattle breed associations were set up initially to be a service for seedstock breeders. The association is supported and led by its membership. The association provides EPDs, genetic technology, DNA testing, and overall breed promotion to the beef industry on behalf of its membership. But now, the association wants to help the commercial cattle producer prosper; they understand the importance of a cohesive link between the genetics supplier and their commercial customers. That was made very clear this past December when the American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) membership adopted the “Meeting Modern Industry Demands” long-range strategic plan.

The goals to provide service to commercial producers include:

• Add Value to Gelbvieh and Balancer feeder calves through the SmartCross feeder cattle program.

• Accentuate the maternal value of Gelbvieh-influenced females with the Smart Cross female program • Share the Gelbvieh message to operations that represent 10 million cows across the United States • The benefits of Smart Select Service are provided to all of the commercial beef industry sectors.

• Service all informational and program needs of cow/calf producers.

The AGA recognizes that no business is successful unless their customers are successful. Marketing avenues are very valuable to commercial producers so creating value-added

Colorado, Kansas, Montana & Nebraska Breeders Delbert & Marilyn Raile & Sons

Jim Roelle 38148 CR 49 #7 Peetz, CO 80747 (H): 970-334-2221 • (C): 970-520-1224 jr.plateau@hotmail.com www.plateaugelbvieh.com

755 Road U St. Francis, KS

Featuring Black, Polled Gelbvieh & Balancer® genetics with balanced trait selection.

Next Bull Sale February 23, 2017.

Livestock Exchange,LLC., Brush, CO.

ulls

B 110

26 th

An

Delbert cell Cody cell

785-332-2756 785-332-4347 785-332-2219 785-332-6089

“Gelbvieh since 1973”

FEB. 24, 2017 • MONTROSE, CO • 12:00 NOON

www.gelbviehbulls.net or call Mark at 970.209.1956 • Dave at 970.323.6833

70 | February 2017

824 Road 3000 Superior, NE 68978 402-879-4976 mlm68978@yahoo.com www.gelbviehbulls.com

R

l

Gelbvieh & Gelbvieh/Angus Balancer®

Marlin Meyer

railegelbvieh.com email: dmraile@railegelbvieh.com

nua

110 YEARLING BULLS SELL!

MLM Gelbvieh

Kathleen Rankin 406-937-4815 1285 Nine Mile Rd. • Oilmont, MT 59466 krankin@northerntel.net www.kickinghorseranch.com Performance cattle for the real world.

Our Annual Production Sale, March 16, 2017

Rippe Gelbvieh

Duane & Brenda, Dustin & Karla Rippe 6775 Road D • Hubbell, NE 68375 (H) 402-324-4176 Duane (C): 402-200-0096 Dustin (C): 316-323-4874 dustin.rippe@yahoo.com www.rippegelbvieh.com

“To produce superior Gelbvieh and Balancer® seedstock based on economically important traits, which provide more profitability for our customers, and ensure the consumer a very satisfactory eating experience.”

Staff Editorial

program for feeder calves and females would obviously be a great option. The value-added programs will not only provide the marketing aspect but it would also put the quality of the cattle on display. These programs will highlight the genetic quality of the animals so that the buyers see another degree of value in these particular animals that are enrolled in the programs.

One of the best and favorite avenues the AGA uses to reach commercial producers is through this publication, The Profit Picture. It is a goal of the AGA to reach cattle producers that collectively represent 10 million head of cattle. The Profit Picture focuses on delivering the most up-to-date Gelbvieh and Balancer® and beef industry news to the commercial producer.

Smart Select Service is a program that the AGA is very excited about.

We are seeing that data on cattle is becoming more valuable every day. Smart Select Service can help a commercial producer get to know their cows in the sense that the Smart Select Service program tracks data that can be very useful when making the breeding selections every year.

The AGA has continued to make it a priority for our registered breeders to transfer registrations of bulls to commercial producers once they have purchased the bulls. This information is the basis for the AGA to build genetic tools and provide that information to the commercial sectors of the industry. By completing the transfer of certificate in the AGA registry, the association can stay in contact with that customer.

The AGA is proud and excited to move forward with the new longrange strategic plan and to have the commercial producer be one of the main focuses of the association’s efforts.

The AGA is determined to meet the modern beef industry’s demands and we feel that we are off to a great start. FF

Raile Gelbvieh/Balancer® Bull Sale Burlington Livestock Exchange, Burlington, CO March 9, 2017 • 12:30 PM MST

Selling 50 Yearling Bulls & 5 Select Open Heifers Bulls are DNA tested for coat color and some for Homo Polled, PI negative, Semen Tested and Ultrasounded

AI Sires: BABR 114Y ET (SAV Brilliance) BGGR Gravity 803A

RAIL Dedwood M 601D

Balancer Sires:

GGGE 3G Yarborogh 186Y (Warlock) DMRS Ya Man 138Y (Net Worth) RAIL King James 3127A TAU Western Hauler

RAIL Delilah 658D

Delbert & Marilyn Call for a catalog Delbert 785-332-2756 Raile & Sons 755 Road U cell 785-332-4347 St. Francis, KS Matt cell 785-332-8399 railegelbvieh.com • email: dmraile@gmail.com The Profit Picture | 71

Gelbvieh

News

Breeders Win Big during Inaugural Gelbvieh Carcass Contest

THE BEST KEPT SECRET INinaugural American esults of the THE BEEF Gelbvieh Foundation (AGF) INDUSTRY Steer Challenge and Scale and Rail

R

Sire-Identified Carcass Contest were • Calving during Ease the 46th Annual announced • Performance American Gelbvieh Association • Carcass Merit awards banquet National Convention • Dispostion on Friday, December 3. Breeders from • Efficiency Kansas, Nebraska, and Illinois took • Tenderness home top honors with prize payouts • Fertility totaling $7,900.

• Maternal Power to help advance The AGF continues

the Gelbvieh breed through its support of research and development. For this reason, the AGF launched its first ever Steer Challenge and Scale and Rail Sire-Identified Carcass Testing Contest. These two projects together provide the information and funds necessary to generate datasets to advance Gelbvieh and Balancer® RAISED carcass merit.ON

MAMA’S MILK The AGF Steer Challenge was aAND competition amongst individual GOD’S GRASS

Gelbvieh and Balancer-influenced steers in which the criteria focused on average daily gain in the feedyard, PRIVATE SALE carcass value andTREATY overall top value & FEMALES animal,BULLS which combined average daily gain and carcass value. The Steer Challenge gives an opportunity for participants to donate a steer to the AGF. All proceeds from the donation go toward research and development within the Gelbvieh breed. The AGF 1496 Goose Creek Rd. Sire-Identified Carcass Testing Contest Raynesford, MT 59469 awarded steers, which were in a group Ranch Phone: 406.738.4220 of three or more animals from the BarJRGelbvieh@3rivers.net same contemporary group, on these www.BarJRGelbvieh.com

72 | February 2017

THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN THE BEEF INDUSTRY BREED LEADING BULLS IN 6 EPD TRAITS • 85% of our bulls in top 5% for WW • 77% of our bulls in top 10% for YW

same qualities and also awarded a topperforming pen. In its first year, nine ranches participated with a total of 35 animals on feed at Roode Feedyard in Fairbury, Nebraska. All steers were harvested and values were calculated in July 2016.

LeDoux Ranch, Agenda, Kansas, placed high in both the AGF Steer Challenge and Balancer division of the Scale and Rail Contest and took home a total of $3,800 in prize payouts. LeDoux’s winning steer in the AGF Steer Challenge took home top carcass value and top value animal; this steer was sired

by SGRI Jacked Up Z704. The same steer also took home top accolades in the Balancer division of the Scale and Rail Contest including second highest average daily gain at 4.27 pounds per day, top carcass value at $1,116 with a 1,060 pound hot carcass weight and a 15.3 square inch ribeye. This steer also took home top value Balancer animal with a value of $1,120, USDA Yield Grade 3.8 and a quality grade of USDA Choice-.

Flying H Genetics, Arapahoe, Nebraska, owned the Balancer steer with the highest average daily gain, gaining 4.56 pounds per day. This steer was sired by FHG Flying H Professor 22W. Warner Beef Genetics, Arapahoe, Nebraska, owned the steer which took second place for top carcass in the Balancer division with a carcass value of $1,114, hot carcass weight of 1,055

• 85% of our bulls in top 10% for TM • 92% of our bulls in top 10% for HP • 77% of our bulls in top 10% for CW • 100% of our bulls in top 10% for FPI

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO VIEW MORE DATA ON OUR BULLS WWW.BARJRGELBVIEH.COM

PRIVATE TREATY SALE BULLS & FEMALES

1496 Goose Creek Rd. Raynesford, MT 59469 Ranch Phone: 406.738.4220 BarJRGelbvieh@3rivers.net www.BarJRGelbvieh.com

News

pounds, and a 12.5 square inch ribeye.

This same steer also placed second for top value animal with a total value of $1,117, USDA Yield Grade 3.8 and quality grade of USDA Choice-. This steer was sired by DCSF Post Rock Highly Focused 308Y8. Warner Beef Genetics also owned the champion pen of Balancer steers with an average top value of $1,374, average USDA Yield Grade of 3.5, and average quality grade of USDA Choice-. They took home $1,400 in prize payouts for their steers’ performance in the contests.

In the Gelbvieh division, Blackhawk Cattle Company, Oregon, Illinois, was a notable winner owning the top carcass and top value steer as well as champion pen and taking home $1,600 in prize payouts.

Blackhawk Cattle Company’s top carcass steer had a carcass value of $1,057, a hot carcass weight of 994 pounds, and a ribeye area of 13.5 square inches. This steer also had a USDA Yield Grade 3.1, and quality grade of USDA Choice-. This steer’s total value was the highest in the Gelbvieh division at $1,061 and was sired by VRT Lazy TV Sam U451.

Blackhawk Cattle Company also owned the champion pen of Gelbvieh steers with the average value of the pen being $1,355, average USDA Yield Grade 3.0 and average quality grade of USDA Choice-.

CKS Gelbvieh, Collins, Iowa, owned the Gelbvieh steer that placed first for average daily gain, gaining 3.99 pounds per day.

This steer was sired by TAU Mr Gunnison 230U 110Z. To view full results, including all steers close-out data, please visit the projects page under the Foundation section of www.gelbvieh.org. FF

add Jackpot to your Breeding program Jackpot has proven calving ease on heifers BD: 02/23/09 - Purebred AMGV 1111524 Homozygous Black - Polled BW: 86 - Adj WW: 796 Adj YW: 1,375 Mature Frame: 5.0 - Scrotal: 43 Sire: Carolina Fortune 2564J ET Dam: Adkins Miss Dixie

Semen available $25/unit through Owners, Cattlemen’s Connection and Bull Barn Genetics

CED 10

BW 0.0

WW 75

YW 113

MK 44 3%

TM 82 5%

CEM HP PG30 -4 10.03 4.82 4% 1%

ST 17 2%

DMI YG 0.26 -0.57 10%

CW 36

REA 0.75 10%

MB $Cow FPI EPI 0.38 141.42 87.01 115.58 1% 1% 2%

ADKINS GELBVIEH PRODUCTION SALE Online at

March 7, 2017 – March 9, 2017 closing 7:30 p.m. CST Offering 22 Black, Polled Gelbvieh & Balancer Bulls and 10 Black Open Heifers

A.I. Sires Represented: Jackpot, Absolute, Guardian, Watchman & Wide Track

ADKINS GELBVIEH

Gelbvieh & Balancer Performance Genetics

Gerald & Sarah Adkins

41606 195th St., Carpenter, SD 57322 605-354-2428 (cell) gerald@adkinsgelbvieh.com • www.adkinsgelbvieh.com

The Profit Picture | 73

News

MEETING MODERN INDUSTRY DEMANDS. MAKING THE GRADE

“Balancer® cattle that we have had the opportunity to feed have stayed healthy throughout the feeding period, they’ve gone on feed fast, they’ve performed very well and they’ve hung up on the rail as good as any that we’ve fed.

In 2015 we had 100% Choice or better, 5% went Prime, and 53% went to branded beef programs with upper two-thirds choice criteria. We would be happy to take cattle like that all year long.”

- Jesse Landin McClymont Feedyard, Holdrege, NE

ADDING THE POUNDS DELIVERING THE VALUE “Gelbvieh-influenced cattle provide added carcass weight and at the end of the day we’re still paid on pounds. They also add ribeye, more gaining ability and feed efficiency, all things that are highly valuable.”

-Bill Tucker Tucker Family Farms, Amherst, VA

“I really like the Balancer® for their rate of gain and their muscling. I do buy some linebred Angus and when I compare them to my Balancers there is a definite difference in rate of gain and muscling. I watch my marbling very closely and I see no effect of lower quality grade. With so much linebreeding going on, we lose that heterosis which is that extra little kick that we don’t have to do anything, it’s just there!”

-Scott Hamilton Hamilton Farms, Hitchcock, SD

#1 3.47lbs 100% Choice or better Gelbvieh are

Average daily gain in the feedyard.

Reported by McClymont Feedyard, an Innovative Livestock Services Feedyard

for percent retail product (U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, progress report #22)

74 | February 2017

Many feedyards have reported Balancer-sired cattle that grade

Breeders Corner

Western States ARIZONA The Prosser Family

MONTANA

NEVADA

Quality livestock that Work for you Quarter Horses Want to Please Strong Bone Intelligent Athletic

Gelbvieh Carcass Quality Calving Ease Tenderness Docility

1496 Goose Creek Rd. • Raynesford, MT 59469 Ranch Phone: 406.738.4220 • BarJRGelbvieh@3rivers.net BarJRGelbvieh.com

928/289-2619 • 928/380-5149 cell

Dick & Jean Williams P.O. Box 156 Orovada, NV 89425 775•272•3442

“Pounds Make Profit in Your Pocket” Bulls & Heifers Private Treaty

Quality Cattle Black Gelbvieh and Balancer

Winslow, AZ

www.bartbar.com • info@bartbar.com

Barry & Dena Bolton

RFI Tested Balancer®, Gelbvieh & Angus Bulls Sell Annually in April at the Ranch

406.538.5280 H 406.366.0162 C 515 Knapp Lane PO Box 826 Hilger, MT 59451 doublebranchmt@gmail.com

WASHINGTON LEDGERWOOD GELBVIEH Gelbvieh • Red Angus • Balancer® Pete & Samee Charriere

FL

2633 Hwy 12 East • Clarkston, WA 99403

509-566-8805 • LedgerwoodGelbvieh@gmail.com “Seedstock that work for the commercial cattleman

COLORADO

WYOMING

Dave & Dawn Bowman 55784 Holly Rd. • Olathe, CO 81425

9/9

Nine Bar Nine Gelbvieh

(970) 323-6833 www.bowkranch.com

Wesley Brown

3794 Rd. 215 • Cheyenne, WY 82009 307-351-6453 • ninebar9@hotmail.com Purebred Bulls, Heifers & Select Embryos Performance BRED in, Not FED in!

Jim Roelle 38330 CR 49 Peetz, CO 80747

(H): 970-334-2221 • (C): 970-520-1224 jr.plateau@hotmail.com www.plateaugelbvieh.com

Ken and Dale Flikkema 2 Mint Trail Bozeman, MT 59718

(406) 586-6207 (Office) (406) 580-6207 (Cell)

email: mcfarmsmt@gmail.com Black • Purebred & Balancer Cattle

Get ready for upcoming sales!

Advertise in Gelbvieh World or the Profit Picture The Profit Picture | 75

Editorial

Feed Value Calculator Written collaboratively by Adele Harty, Heather Gessner, Taylor Grussing, SDSU Extension

F

eed costs exceed 50% of the annual beef cattle production costs and with the current market situation, the pressure to determine the most cost-effective feedstuffs

has become even more important.

SDSU Extension Feed Value Calculator

Date:

10/5/16

Enter the current price of corn ($/bu as fed) Enter the current price of 44% CP soybean meal ($/ton as fed)

Ingredient

Freight charge ($/loaded mile)

Current price ($/ton)

Tons per load

Miles from plant to home

Adjusted price ($/ton)

SDSU Extension has developed a feed value calculator to compare protein and energy supplement options.

The spreadsheet allows producers to select supplemental feeds and compare them to baseline feeds. The benchmark for energy supplements in this spreadsheet is corn, whereas for protein supplements is soybean meal (44% Crude Protein; CP). $

3.00

$

325.00

Nutrient composition* DM (%)

CP (%)

Energy Supplements

TDN (%)

NEm (mcal/lb)

NEg (mcal/lb)

Corn

$

107.14

$

4.25

26

100

$

123.49

87

8.8

88

0.98

0.67

Dry Beet Pulp

$

650.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

666.35

91

9.1

67

0.69

0.42

Lightweight Wheat

$

103.33

$

4.25

26

100

$

119.68

89

13.8

87

0.97

0.66

Soybean Hulls

$

110.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

126.35

90

12.4

63

0.63

0.37

Wheat Midds

$

120.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

136.35

89

18.6

73

0.78

0.50

Soybean Meal (44%)

$

325.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

341.35

92

46.5

81

0.89

0.60

Dry Corn Gluten Feed

$

-

$

4.25

26

100

$

-

89

22.6

80

0.87

0.59

Condensed Distillers Solubles (Syrup)

$

38.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

54.35

31

18.9

98

1.12

0.78

Wet Distiller's Grains (WDG)

$

50.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

66.35

31

30.6

98

1.12

0.78

Modified Distiller's Grains (MDG)

$

61.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

77.35

48

29.1

93

1.05

0.73

Dry Distiller's Grains (DDG)

$

120.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

136.35

90

30.8

89

0.99

0.68

Cottonseed Cake (30%)

$

128.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

144.35

0

0.0

0

0.00

0.00

Soybean Meal (48%)

$

329.30

$

4.25

26

100

$

345.65

89

52.9

80

0.87

0.58

Whole Soybeans

$

270.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

286.35

93

40.0

91

1.02

0.71

Alfalfa Hay

$

160.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

176.35

87

19.8

55

0.52

0.26

Lick Tubs (20%)

$

115.00

$

4.25

26

100

$

131.35

0

0.0

0

0.00

0.00

Other

$

-

$

4.25

26

100

$

-

0

0.0

0

0.00

0.00

Other

$

-

$

4.25

26

100

$

-

0

0.0

0

0.00

0.00

Other

$

-

$

4.25

26

100

$

-

0

0.0

0

0.00

0.00

Other

$

-

$

4.25

26

100

$

-

0

0.0

0

0.00

0.00

Other

$

-

$

4.25

26

100

$

-

0

0.0

0

0.00

0.00

Other

$

-

$

4.25

26

100

$

-

0

0.0

0

0.00

0.00

Protein Supplements

*Producers should input their feed values from a recent feed analysis.

The preceding is presented for informational purposes only. SDSU does not endorse the services, methods or products described herein, and makes no representations or warranties of and kind regarding them.

Using the Calculator To generate the most accurate results producers should have feeds analyzed and include in the spreadsheet the actual laboratory results. With byproduct feeds analysis can vary significantly from batch to batch. These differences may alter the ration, which affects cattle performance and ration cost.

The spreadsheet compares feeds costs per ton based on their nutrient

We are offering Some Great Gelbvieh & Balancer Seedstock Bulls also Bred and Open Females!!!

Seedstock Bulls Sire’s are T.V. Sam, RWG Traction 7412, YPA Royal Traction 3B and A Red Roscoe Son out of an Astro Dam.

A Traction Daughter bred to T.V. Sam for March calving, plus more bred Females Al’ed to T.V. Sam, Decade, Power Built then turned out to YPA Royal Traction 3B.

Contact: Chester Yoder chesteryoder@yahoo.com 330-231-0339 or 330-567-9232 www.yodersprairieacres.com

76 | February 2017

Open Heifers are Sire’s are T.V. Sam, RWG Traction 7412 and YPA Royal Traction 3B.

concentration. It then calculates how much to pay for each feed when compared to corn or soybean meal. For an accurate comparison delivery and storage costs for each feed in dollars per ton should be included in the calculation.

Editorial

costs of storage, hauling or equipment changes may deem traditional rations as the ‘best’ for the operation. Producers need to make the decision to change, or not, the feeds used in their rations based on careful analysis. FF Courtesy of igrow.org

Questions to Consider Questions that need to be addressed: Do you currently have the equipment to handle this product?

Are there any special considerations with storage? With condensed distiller’s solubles for example, is a buried tank or a heated room available to store this product?

How far will the product have to be hauled and how much will this add to the costs? The higher the moisture in the product, the more water is being transported which may decrease the economic value of some high moisture feeds. For high moisture feeds (>70% moisture) to be priced competitively, the farm needs to be located within an approximate 50-mile radius of the plant. No matter what feeds are used, always evaluate freight costs.

Dry distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) for example could be available at your local elevator for $175/ton whereas wet distillers grains (WDG) sells for $44/ton at the ethanol plant that is 100 miles away. Using the $175 and $44 values in the spreadsheet, WDG appears to be more cost effective. However, if the WDG is 100 miles away, the freight charge could change the economics. If the freight is $4.25/loaded mile on a 26-ton load of WDG, freight will add approximately $16.35 per ton. This makes the cost of WDG $682 per ton of protein versus $632 per ton of protein for the DDGS.

The Bottom Line This spreadsheet, which can be found at http:// igrow.org/livestock/beef/ under the cattle feeding tab is a starting point for determining the leastcost feedstuff, but producers need to consider the storage and delivery costs and currently owned equipment. While an alternative feed may fulfill your least-cost ration needs, the additional

Bull Sale

Saturday, February 18, 2017 || 1:00 PM (CST) Napoleon Livestock Auction || Napoleon, North Dakota

REGISTER AND BID LIVE ONLINE AT WWW.CATTLEUSA.COM View videos and sale book at www.golden-buckle-gelbvieh.com and www.mms.bz

156D Purebred Gelbvieh Bull Double Black Double Polled Sire: RWG Intense 2501 Dam: DCHD Golden Buckle Gelv 156B Top 4% for Weaning, top 10% for Calving Ease and Yearling.

209D

Purebred Gelbvieh Bull Double Black Double Polled Sire: BDOC Bailey’s Guy 205X Dam: Golden Buckle Gelv 209Z Performance Bull that ranks in top 5% for weaning and top 10% for yearling.

042D Purebred Gelbvieh Bull Red Double Polled Sire: BDOC Bailey’s Guy 205X Dam: Golden Buckle Gelv 042W Weaning ratio 114, ranks in top 5% for weaning and top 10% for yearling.

Selling 60 Gelbvieh Lots 45 Purebred Bulls and 15 Purebred Heifers Dwight and Christina Dockter • Bailey, Cheyenne, Cierra and Dalton 4956 41st St. SE, Medina, ND 58467 701-486-3494 • gbgelb@daktel.com www.golden-buckle-gelbvieh.com SALE MANAGEMENT BY: Mitchell Marketing Service Chris Mitchell 334-695-1371 • Randy Sienknecht 319-290-3763 www.mms.bz

The Profit Picture | 77

GET TO KNOW YOUR COWS WITH SMART SELECT SERVICE $1 per head annually Available for any breed of cattle Access to knowledgeable staff

Provides genetic tools and herd reports to make sound breeding and management decisions Compares animals to the international multi-breed genetic evaluation, making the tools more accurate

We do the data management for you.

AMERICAN GELBVIEH ASSOCIATION | 303-465-2333 | WWW.GELBVIEH.ORG

Breeders Corner

Southern States

ALABAMA

Send his credentials with him...

Transfer the registration on the bulls you sell and give your customers the tools to become more profitable.

• Provides access to value added marketing services for customer’s calves

Kittle Gelbvieh Farms Q u a l i t y B l a ck & R e d G e l b v i e h C a t t l e

Dustin Kittle

Patrick Koehn

73243 Carter Rd., Goltry, OK 580-541-2633 koehncattlecompany@gmail.com

Gelbvieh Genetics at Work

816 Co. Rd. 36 Geraldine, AL 35974 Cell (256) 996-5822 www.kittlefarms.com

EXCEPTIONAL BULLS & HEIFERS

• Commercial customers receive a free 1-year subscription to Gelbvieh World and the Profit Picture • Allows customers to track pedigree information to manage inbreeding and maximize heterosis

Koehn Cattle Co.

ARKANSAS

H ODGES R ANCH

Neal

(870) 426-4469 or (870) 704-9450

15702 Hodges Rd., Omaha, AR 72662 Hodgesranch@live.com

TRUCKING AVAILABLE

Poverty Hill Farms Rocky Bates

Purcell, OK • 405-990-9198 Registered Gelbvieh and Angus

Quality Gelbvieh & Balancer Genetics Available Private Treaty Sales

TEXAS www.bcvgelbvieh.com

OKLAHOMA

Brent & Eve Vavra Yantis, TX • 903/383-2260

LeGRAND

350 Interlocken Blvd., Ste. 200 Broomfield, CO 80021 303-465-2333 www.gelbvieh.org

Ed & Alberta LeGrand

809 S. Redlands Rd. • Stillwater, OK 74074

405-747-6950 • alane@c21global.com

Homo. Black, Homo. Polled • Breeding Stock Available

Jim & Pat Dromgoole 4403 Winding River Dr. • Richmond, TX 77469 Home

(281) 341-5686 • Ranch (979) 561-8144

www.dromgoolesheaven.com Show Cattle Managers: James & Shannon Worrell • (325) 258-4656

The Profit Picture | 79

Editorial

$mart Select Service: Genetic Tools for Ranchers

By Kim Rounds

Enrolling Animals: Once a member of Smart Select, producers can log in and being enrolling and managing their herd. The first step would be enrolling cattle into the database.

The only information needed to record an animal is a form of individual ID (Tag or Tattoo number) and an estimated birthdate. To record an animal once logged in, got to “Herd Mgmt” in the left hand column, then “Recording”, and “Commercial”.

S

mart Select Service is an online tool for producers with any breed of cattle and any size herd. For $1 per head per year, producers can keep track of calving records, performance data, vaccinations, breeding, pasture movements, and have genomic data generated on their herd. The American Gelbvieh Association’s (AGA) goal with Smart Select Service was to provide a tool for the commercial producer. This month, Smart Select will be featured and how to get started enrolling cattle and managing data.

Becoming a Member: To become a member of Smart Select, you can request an application from the office or go online to www.gelbvieh.org and find Smart Select Service under “Genetic Technology”. Not only does this page have a link to the membership application, but producers can also find more detailed information on what’s needed to enroll a cowherd and the capabilities of Smart Select.

At the bottom of the screen under “Enrollment”, there is a link to an electronic copy of the Membership Application. This can be completed and sent back through email, mail, or fax to the AGA office.

80 | February 2017

To fill out the enrollment form, enter the individual ID in the “PHN/ Tattoo” line, be sure to select the correct sex for the animal, then enter the birthdate or estimated birthdate. It is optional to enter the breed percentage make up of each animal, however if animals are sired by or out of registered animals, that data can be recorded in the system as well to enhance data and breed percentages. Before selecting “Create” at the bottom of the enrollment form, be sure that “Smart Select?” is checked. Once the animal is created, an individual identification number will be generated and assigned to that animal for tracking and recording purposes. This number will act as a hyperlink throughout the online registry to view that individual animal’s information and data.

Editorial

There is also an option to perform a mass animal upload by including all of this information in a spreadsheet and sending it to the office, however this will be used mainly for large

The Profit Picture | 81

Editorial

numbers of animals. Please contact the AGA office with questions if this is something in which you are interested.

Reports:

The ability to track the performance of a cowherd is the ultimate goal of an online data platform, such as Smart Select. Producers can utilize this information and pull it from Smart Select at any time. Some of the reports offered include calving history, dam production summaries, performance summaries, and custom report builds. Custom reports allow producers to pull information on their herd based on any number of parameters including age, sex, performance, and pedigree. Dam production summaries give a report for each dam, giving the average performance of her calves sorted by bulls and heifers and an overall report of her calves’ average ratios, compared to their contemporaries. Performance summaries list the performance of each animal in a herd, providing actual and adjusted data as well as ratios of birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, ultrasound data, frame scores, and scrotal measurements.

(Below is an example of a custom report builder)

82 | February 2017

Recording Calves:

The Smart Select Service operates on a very similar basis to the Online Registry of the American Gelbvieh Association. One of the biggest similarities is that calves are recorded to cows based on “Assessments”. As assessment is essentially a sign of intent to record a calf for a certain cow during a calendar year. To access the assessment page, go to “Herd Mgmt” in the left hand column, then “Inventory”.

The inventory will list all breeding age females sorted by calendar year. To designate which cows will have calves in 2017, go to “Assessment Age” at the top right of the screen. Within this list, breeders can “Assess” their $mart Select cows by clicking the “$mart” logo to the far right of each female. Once those cows have been selected, they will appear in a tab at the top left titled “Assessed – 2017”.

With a commercial herd, one of the easiest ways to tackle this side of data entry is to assess all cows one day at the beginning of the calendar year. As calves are born, or once calving season is over, record all of the calves born that calendar year. From there, it is clear which cows were open or lost calves close after birth. This data can be used as for easy culling and selection criteria.

Editorial

Recording Data:

There is a huge amount of data that can be recorded and utilized within the Smart Select database. One of the easiest places to access a wealth of this data is within “Herd Mgmt” then “Pasture Groups”. Within this screen, animals can have pasture movements recorded, exposure data recorded, vaccinations listed, synchronization tracked, palpation data logged, and be sorted by age group to different locations.

To track pasture data, new pastures can be created based on location and type.

Animals can then be moved on certain dates and in large groups to have exposure data recorded and different management practices recorded. Exposure data is automatically recorded on cows when their dates in a pasture overlap with the dates a bull is in the same pasture.

Vaccination records on animals can record the product, serial number, dosage, method of application, location, and the withdrawal period. All of this information is readily available for personal records, medical purposes, and management purposes by animal or by pasture.

Gelbvieh 44TH Annual

Gold

Tuesday, February 14, 2017 • 2:00 PM (CST) • Des Moines, Iowa Sponsored by the Gelbvieh Breeders of Iowa || Held in conjunction with the Iowa Beef Expo

40 LOTS SELL

PUREBRED GELBVIEH & BALANCER®

FLUSH OPPORTUNITY SELLS.

ATTENTION JUNIORS:

Junior futurity eligible heifers sell. Futurity class held at the 2017 Iowa State Fair.

Palpation information can also be recoded in groups and each animal can receive Open or Safe in Calf.

Only small portions of the capabilities of Smart Select were touched on in this article.

Smart Select is one of the most economically feasible online management systems on the market for the commercial cattleperson with a wealth of data options and a functional, flexible online platform. For more information on Smart Select or how to get started, contact Angela Vesco angelav@ gelbvieh.org or the American Gelbvieh Association office at (303) 465 2333. FF

Flush Opportunity 10 Herd Sire Prospects 10 Bred Heifers 20 Open Heifers

ANNUAL MEETING & SOCIAL Monday, February 13, 2017 6:00 PM at the sale headquarters

SHE SELLS.

GELBVIEH CATTLE PARADE

Tuesday, February 14, 2017 • 10:00 AM

SALE HEADQUARTERS

Adventureland Inn, 515-265-7321

REGISTER & BID LIVE ONLINE at www.LiveAuctions.tv

SHE SELLS.

SALE MANAGEMENT BY: Mitchell Marketing Service

www.mms.bz

Chris Mitchell 334-695-1371 Randy Sienknecht 319-290-3763 2262 C Avenue • Gladbrook, IA 50635

The Profit Picture | 83

37th Annual Bull Sale • Monday, February 27, 2017

1:00 p.m. CST (Lunch at 11) • At the Ranch • 20453 Cendak Rd, Pierre, SD

Selling 80 Black and Red, Gelbvieh and Balancer® BullS

BABR 6301D • Blk - Homo Pld BABR Stewart 6350D • Homo Blk - Homo Pld

BA75 • Sired by BABR Dominance 4208D

BA25 • Sired by BABR 3401A (Barstow Cash)

BEA 642D • Red - Homo Pld PB88 • Sired by BVLK A314

BABR 6306D • Homo Blk - Homo Pld BA25 • Sired by BABR Secret Brand 2100Z

Wes & Brittney Spencer 605-280-0204

BABR 6304D • Blk - Homo Pld PB88 • Sired by BABR Influential 4241B ET

Our 2017 sale offering excels in structure, function and pounds. Both the sons and daughters of our herd sires offer real world fleshing ability backed by generations of productive females that take the “guess work” out of each calf crop. The sale will be broadcast live DVAuction.com. Catalog and videos of all lots will also be available on www.BeastromRanch.com or www.

DVAuction.com. Please join us February 27th. Visitors are always welcome.

BABR 6303D • Blk - Pld BA50 • Sired by BABR Influential 4241B ET

Jim & Barb Beastrom 605-224-5789

BEA 601D • REd - Pld BA63 • Sired by BVLK A314

BABR 6309D • Homo Blk - Homo Pld BA75 • Sired by BABR Secret Brand 2100Z

Shad & Brandy Ludemann 605-280-3915

Breeders Corner

Service Center All your A.I. needs!!

Bull Barn Genetics 35 Years in business

• Gelbvieh • Angus • Red Angus • Simmental • Club Calf • Salers • Shorthorn • Dairy • Charolais • Hereford

• Sheaths • Gloves • Cito Thaw Units • Tanks • A.I. Kits • Arm Service

Eldon & Kathy Starr

210 Starr Dr • Stapleton, NE 69163 bullbarn@bullbarn.com 800-535-6173 www.bullbarn.com

Cattlemen’s Connection

Specializing in

• Gelbvieh Semen Sales • Consulting • Order Buying (all purchases guaranteed) Roger & Peg Gatz (785) 742-3163 Call Toll-Free:1-800-743-0026

Visit our Web Site: www.cattlemensconnection.com

Are you a livestock photographer, an auctioneer, aspire to be a sale manager or graphic designer?

Put your ad in Service Center and promote your services!

Ronn Cunningham AUCTIONEER

Place your ad today!

P.O. Box 146 • Rose, OK 74364

303-465-2333

918-629-9382 cellular

Subscription and Advertising Information SUBSCRIPTION RATES: A one-year subscription to Gelbvieh World may be purchased for $35.

Members of the AGA pay $35 of their membership dues to receive a subscription to Gelbvieh World.

Gelbvieh World mails on or around the 25th of the month prior to publication date.

Canada and Mexico - $60 U.S. for one-year. Other foreign - $85 U.S. for one-year.

Gelbvieh World Advertising Rates

CLOSING DATE: Ad materials and editorial deadline is the 25th of the month two months prior to publication date. (December issue deadline is October 25th). Ads for sale dates prior to the 15th of the month of publication are discouraged.

Full Page 1/2 Page 1/4 Page

For Feb./Sept. (Commercial Editions) and June/ July (Herd Reference Edition) please call for deadline information.

STANDARD ISSUES: Full Page $683 1/2 Page $446 1/3 Page $341 Column inch

2/3 Page 1/2 Page Isand 1/4 Page $30

$551 $473 $263

Feb./Sept. Commercial Profit Picture $743 $495 $303

Color: Four Color One Additional color

JR Page 1/3 Page Column inch $300 additional $150 additional

$578 $385 $30

ADVERTISING CONTENT: The Graphic Designer and/or the Director of Administration reserve the right to reject any or all advertising on any reasonable basis. Gelbvieh World and/or American Gelbvieh Association assumes no responsibility for the advertising content as submitted. Advertisers assume all responsibility for the accuracy and truthfulness of submitted advertising containing pedigrees or statements regarding performance. Advertisers shall indemnify and hold harmless Gelbvieh World and American Gelbvieh Association for any claims concerning advertising content as submitted.

Call today: 303/465-2333

The Profit Picture | 85

Editorial

How to Use Exclusion Cages to Better Manage Cattle Stocking Rates

By Rob Cook Pasture and Range Consultant, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

D

eveloping a proper stocking rate is among the most important practices a manager can accomplish. No fertilization plan, brush management plan, rotational grazing plan or herd genetic selection can overcome overgrazing from a continually high stocking rate.

While short-term financial gains might be seen from overstocking pastures, long-term financial and ecological sustainability is not feasible while overgrazing.

Stocking rates are developed by balancing livestock numbers with the forage available for the animals to consume. There are several ways this is accomplished. A range and pasture consultant will use production estimates from clip sampling forages, the soil’s production potential, species composition, plant health and vigor, and grazeable acres in each pasture to determine the amount of forage available in addition to animal demand to estimate an initial stocking rate. This estimated stocking rate is based on the current health of the grazing land and a normal year of rainfall. It attempts to balance animal demand with the forecasted forage production for the upcoming growing season.

As you can imagine, this forecast is very dependent on the weather and thus very dynamic. The stocking rate will also need to be dynamic. Adjustments will need to be made to match the actual forage production.

Implementing a monitoring plan gives grazing mangers the information they need to make timely decisions on stocking rates. Timely decision-making is a trait shared by the most successful grazing managers.

Grazing exclusion cages are just one component of an effective monitoring plan. A monitoring plan gives timely information to manage a grazing plan and also helps the grazing manager learn how vegetation, grazing animals and rainfall interact with one another, and what changes those interactions will cause across the landscape. Mangers must monitor and document changes to ensure management is not causing damage to soil and

86 | February 2017

plant communities and to evaluate whether or not past actions are producing desired results. Managers who are dedicated to improving the quality of their pastures will ultimately see results in profitability, with economic and environmental changes that benefit the sustainability of their business.

Grazing exclusion cages: a tool for monitoring forage production Grazing exclusion cages are one of the most effective tools for observing grazing utilization within a monitoring plan. The cages exclude grazing animals from a small representative area so that grazed vegetation outside the cage can be compared to ungrazed vegetation inside.

Why use cages Cages give timely and intuitive information on grazing use that can be used to adjust stocking rates or make changes to a rotational grazing plan. Overutilization is an indication that a pasture could be overstocked. For more in-depth monitoring, forage production can be measured inside the cage and compared to production outside.

How to construct cages The cages can be constructed by bending welded wire cattle panels at 90 degree angles and combining two panels to form a square. A T-post can be driven at all four corners and attached to the panels to anchor them in place. For a simpler cage, one panel could also be bent around on itself and a T-post used as an anchor where the two ends meet with another post on the opposite side of the ring. This will result in a teardrop shape.

Cage size Cages should be large enough that forage production

measurements can be collected at multiple times during the growing season and then again after frost. A 2-meterby-2-meter cage will give enough room to sample at least four times during the year.

Editorial

Source: Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

Where to place cages Cages should be placed on key sites that are representative of the entire pasture. Make sure they are not in high-use areas or so far away from water that use is limited.

What to observe Visually monitor the cages periodically to determine grazing utilization. In native rangeland pastures, no more than 50 percent of the leaf area of plants available for grazing should be consumed, stomped down, urinated on or otherwise utilized.

How to gain information Compare the monthly or seasonal forage production to forecasted production to make timely decisions to balance forage production and animal demand. The ungrazed/ unsampled forage inside the cage after frost is the total production for the growing season. Compare total yearly production to the expected production and to production from previous years, relative to rainfall amounts, to help determine if grazing land health is increasing, decreasing or stable.

How to reuse for next year Cages should be moved to a new area within the key site every winter. Previous season growth should be removed inside the cage to ensure it is not included in sampling the upcoming growing season’s production. FF

Genetics that Add Tenderness and Growth to Your Cowherd!

Offering Consistency, Predictability and Stayability For over 20 years, Rogers Valley Farm Gelbvieh has been breeding and selecting for predictable, easy fleshing, trouble-free genetics from birth to the dinner table.

Let us show you how our genetics can improve the performance of your herd.

For information on our bull and young female offerings or to purchase semen from our tenderness sires, give me a call at 660-375-7266.

Ronnie Rogers

Upcoming Sale for Rogers Valley Farm’s Genetics

www.RogersVFG.com

March 11, 2017 Midwest Beef Alliance Bull Sale

Purebred Gelbvieh & Balancer® Bulls & Females Sale held at Mid-Missouri Livestock Center Marshall Junction, MO • Just South of I-70 on Highway 65

Ronnie Rogers, Owner (660) 375-7266

Mendon, Missouri Email rogers_valley_farm_feedlot@hotmail.com • www.RogersVFG.com

The Profit Picture | 87

Genetic POWER Gelbvieh and Balancer® Bull Sale J Bar M Gelbvieh

•

JKGF C95

J & K Gelbvieh Farms

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 • 1:00 PM CST

SPRINGFIELD LIVESTOCK MARKETING CENTER, SPRINGFIELD, MO

JEMG C942

HOMO BLACK, HOMO POLLED Purebred Gelbvieh Bull DLW New Frontier 33A x KCF Miss Fortune U490

JEMG C953

JEMG C941

BLACK, HOMO POLLED 50% Balancer® Bull SAV Resource x DCSF Post Rock Wilma 261P1

JKGF C097

RED, HOMO POLLED Purebred 88% Gelbvieh Bull KLBF King of the Hill 16H x JEMG Lee Ann 650U

HOMO BLACK, HOMO POLLED 50% Balancer® Bull MCFG Asteroid 039A x JKFG Ms Kara Z97ET

BLACK, HOMO POLLED 50% Balancer® Bull SAV Resource x DCSF Post Rock Wilma 261P1

•

JKGF C205

• HOMO BLACK, HOMO POLLED Purebred Gelbvieh Bull CCRO Leverage 3214A x KCF Miss Fortune U490

•

Calving Ease, Performance and Carcass bulls targeted for both the Purebred and Commercial Cattleman 100% of bulls selling are sired by leading AI sires All bulls sell with a First Breeding Season Guarantee

Selling 100 Gelbvieh and Balancer® Bulls FALL 16-18 MONTH OLD BLACK AND RED BULLS • SPRING YEARLING BLACK AND RED BULLS

Many bulls selling are homozygous black and/or homozygous polled.

J BAR M GELBVIEH

Jon E. & Edna Miller 28760 Norway Rd, Stark City, MO 64866 417-632-4925 home • 417-437-5250 cell Please no Sunday calls!

J & K GELBVIEH FARMS, INC. Jerry & Karen Wilson 335 Gelbvieh Lane, Ava, IL 62907 618-521-8620

LiveAuctions TV

www.mms.bz SALE MANAGEMENT BY: Mitchell Marketing Service Chris Mitchell 334-695-1371 Randy Sienknecht 319-290-3763 2262 C Avenue • Gladbrook, IA 50635

Breeders Corner

Midwest States

KANSAS

Bar Arrow Cattle Company

LIZ OSWALD 620.662.0862 (h) ANDY OSWALD 620.662.5489 (o) 620.664.4692 (c)

HUTCHINSON, KS

KEN SCHMUCKER Herdsman 620.960.1189 (c) oswald.j@sbcglobal.net

B/F Cattle Company

Specializing in Forage Raised

Balancer® Bulls on K-31

Culling practices on cows/bulls second to NONE! For information, contact:

Stuar t Jar vis

Route 1, Box 407 • Butler, MO 64730

660 • 492 • 2808

26 E. Limestone Rd. • Phillipsburg, KS 67661

e-mail: bararrow@ruraltel.net • 785/543-5177

The #1 Marbling and #1 Feeder Profit Index bull in the Gelbvieh/Balancer breed.

S

Gel

bvie

h

“Where workin’ cattle and eye appeal come full circle”

Timothy Mulroy • 785-640-6401 Mayetta, KS • tim@blackgoldinc.biz

620.628.4621 620.654.6507 (John Cell) • 620.654.6731 (Johnny Cell)

Annual Production Sale 1st Saturday in April

Harriman Santa Fe (Bob)

Montrose, MO • 660-492-2504

John & Carla Shearer 2815 Navajo Rd. • Canton, KS 67428 circle_s@hometelco.net

A new standard of value & efficiency, also the top 1% CED, and top 1% YW. His 4 yr old dam has a perfect udder & 3rd calf by 1st service AI. Call for semen on BHSF Profet B006, AMGV1316506.“Top of the Breed” Bull Sale, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016 • Windsor Livestock Auction Balancer • SimAngus • 18 mo. forage developed Over 100 Balancer and SimAngus bulls on test for March 25, 2017 Bull Sale Call for Private Treaty bull and heifer mates.

POST ROCK CATTLE COMPANY 3041 E. Hwy. 284, Barnard, KS 67418 Bill Clark: 785.792.6244 Leland Clark: 785.792.6208 Fax: 785.792.6250 Email: prcc@twinvalley.net

bharriman39@ hotmail.com 53 years of progressive, reputable, commitment to superior beef cattle breeding.

diamond v gelbvieh Randy odle

1210 G Rd. Stockton, ks 67669 785.737.3319 diamondv@live.com Building Gelbvieh Genetics since 1989

• Purebred A.I. Seedstock Bulls and Heifers Available.

Al, Mary & Nick Knapp Cell: (913) 219-6613 18291 158th Street H: (913) 724-4105 Bonner Springs, KS 66012 FAX: (913) 724-4107 e-mail: knappa@swbell.net

Committed to raising quality seedstock Registered Gelbvieh and Balancer® Cattle

Elmer, Brenda, Brad & Benny McWilliams Asbury, MO 64832 • 417-642-5871 • 417-529-0081(cell)

MISSOURI Judd Ranch Inc.

Dave & Cindy Judd Nick, Ginger Judd & Family Brent & Ashley Judd 423 Hwy. K-68 • Pomona, KS 66076 785/ 566-8371

90 | February 2017

Scott Bachman • (660) 247-1112

scott_bachman@yahoo.com www.bachmancattlefarms.com

17520 Hwy. JJ Chillicothe, MO 64601

Breeders Corner

Midwest States NOWACK

NEBRASKA

Cattle Company Owensville, MO

Mark & Patty Goes

Registered Gelbvieh & Balancer Cattle

Jared, Caisie, Brooke & Cameron

39414 SW 75th Rd. Odell, NE 68415 (402) 766-3627

Gilbert & Debra

573.280.4633 573.646.3477 Bulls marketed through Seedstock Plus Go to seedstockplus.com for sale dates, catalogs & videos

GELBVIEHV BALANCERV ANGUS

Private Treaty Bull & Heifer Sales • Orchard, NE Val Livingston • www.88ranch.com • 402-655-2288

ROCKING GV GELBVIEH Polled Fullblood Gelbvieh Cattle Dr. & Mrs. Glenn Wehner 22533 Spencer Lane Kirksville, MO 63501 660-665-7502

Jeff Swanson • 308/337-2235 10908 724 Road • Oxford, NE 68967 Annual Sale—Last Saturday in February

GELBVIEH

RogeRs Valley FaRm gelbVieh

BALANCER

J. J. Boehler

70948 L Rd. , Orleans, NE 68966 308-473-7342 • 308-999-0207

Breed for Tomorrow’s Cattle Today!

A Breed Leader in Tenderness & Marbling–

Cedar Top Ranch

www.rogersvfg.com P.O. Box 51 Mendon, MO 64660 (660) 272-3805 (O) (660-375-7266 (C)

Scott & Raberta Starr 212 Starr Drive • Stapleton, NE 69163 (H): 308-587-2293 • (C): 308-530-3900 cedartopranch@gpcom.net Eldon Starr: 1-800-535-6173 or Rich Johnson: 402-368-2209

Ronald RogeRs

email: rogers_valley_farm_feedlot@hotmail.com

FLYING

Gelbvieh SprinG Flood ranch balancer® Jim & Sherri Michaletz 1397 Spring Flood Rd Goodman, MO 64843 417-364-5297 (O) 479-366-1234 (C) Email: jmichal@netins.net www.springfloodranch.blogspot.com

H

GENETICS

Nebraska & Missouri

Kyle Helms - NE

Cody Helms - NE/MO

308/962-6940 kyle@flyinghgenetics.com

303/842-9071 cody@flyinghgenetics.com

Aaron Ishmael - MO

Visit us on the web & Facebook! www.flyinghgenetics.com

417/309-0062 aaron@flyinghgenetics.com

Scott Wolf Travis Wolf 308.537.3588 308.529.3733 Gothenburg, NE • wolfgelbvieh@gmail.com www.facebook/wolfgelbvieh.com

Stay Connected!

Consistent Genetics Adding Pounds & Profit

Myron & Valerie Bahm 4375 White Oak Rd Fordland, MO 65652

417-753-3578(h) • 417-576-0687(c)

email: whiteoakfarms@live.com

Registered Gelbvieh & Balancer®

If you’re not here, how does your customer find you?

Bulls For The BeeF Business Gelbvieh F Balancer F Red Angus F Angus F Angus Hybrids Randy & Leslie Lemke 1757 Road 2500, (H) 402-756-7090 Lawrence, NE 68957 (C) 402-469-2284 rllemke@gtmc.net www.lemkecattle.com

Keep up to date with shows, sales and other events by visiting www.GELBVIEH.org

Be sure to Like us on Facebook And look for new videos on our YouTube channel The Profit Picture | 91

Places to Be

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Feb. 25

Feb. 25

Feb. 26

Feb. 27

Lost River Livestock 7th Annual Bull and Female Sale, Clearbrook, MN Taubenheim Gelbvieh 27th Annual Production Sale, Amherst, NE Lemke Cattle Bull & Female Sale, Lawrence, NE LeDoux Ranch Annual Production Sale, Agenda, KS Prairie Hills Gelbvieh Annual Production Sale, Gladstone, ND Dixie National Gelbvieh & Balancer Sale, Jackson, MS Iowa Beef Expo Gelbvieh Gold Sale, Des Moines, IA Gustin’s Diamond D Gelbvieh Annual Production Sale, Mandan, ND Overmiller Gelbvieh and Red Angus Production Sale, Smith Center, KS Golden Buckle Gelbvieh Bull Sale, Napoleon, ND Cedar Top Ranch Bull Sale, Burwell, NE 22nd Grund Beef Genetics Bull Sale, Oakley, KS Plateau Gelbvieh Bull Sale, Brush, CO 26th Annual “Pot of Gold” Gelbvieh, Angus, and Balancer Bull Sale, Montrose, CO Swanson Cattle Company 30th Annual Production Sale, Oxford, NE Oklahoma Gelbvieh Association Sooner Select Sale, McAlester, OK Seedstock Plus North Missouri Bull Sale, Kingsville, MO Post Rock Cattle Company Cowman’s Kind Bull & Female Sale, Barnard, KS Ceroll Gelbvieh 26th Annual Silent Auction & BidOff Bull Sale, Sisseton, SD Beastrom Ranch 37th Annual Bull Sale, Pierre, SD

March 2017 Mar. 1 Ferguson Angus 27th Annual Production Sale,

Agra, KS Mar. 3-4 Kentucky Beef Expo Show and Sale,

Louisville, KY Mar. 4 Thorstenson Lazy TV Ranch 36th Annual Bull

Sale, Selby, SD Mar. 4 Judd Ranch 39th Gelbvieh, Balancer and Red

Angus Bull Sale, Pomona, KS Mar. 4 Davidson Gelbvieh & Lonesome Dove Ranch 28th

Annual Bull Sale, Ponteix, Saskatchewan, Canada Mar. 4 Hilltop Farms Bull & Female Sale, Carthage, MO

92 | February 2017

Mar. 4 Flying H Genetics Roughage N Ready Bull &

Female Sale, Arapahoe, NE Mar. 4 Seedstock Plus Arkansas Bull Sale, Hope, AR Mar. 4 SEGA Gelbvieh Bull Sale, Pierce, CO Mar. 6 MLM Gelbvieh Open House & Private Treaty

Kick-off Sale, Superior, NE Mar. 6 Hojer Ranch 25th Annual Gelbvieh & Balancer

Production Sale, Huron, SD Mar. 7 Warner Beef Genetics Genetic Investment

Production Sale, Arapahoe, NE Mar. 7-9 Adkins Gelbvieh Online Production Sale, GelbviehAuction.com Mar. 11 Genetic Power Gelbvieh and Balancer Bull Sale

Springfield, MO Mar. 11 Rippe Gelbvieh Bull Sale, Believille, KS Mar. 11 Rogers Valley Farm Genetics sell at Midwest Beef

Alliance Bull Sale, Marshall Junction, MO Mar. 12 Raile Gelbvieh/Balancer Bull Sale, Burlington, CO Mar. 14 Bar Arrow Cattle Company 27th Annual

Production Sale, Phillipsburg, KS Mar. 15 Eagle Pass Ranch Spring Bull Sale, Highmore, SD Mar. 16 Kicking Horse Ranch Annual Production Sale,

Great Falls, MT Mar. 17 Southwest Iowa Gelbvieh & Balancer Bull &

Female Sale, Creston, IA Mar. 18 Lone Oak Cattle 5th Annual Bull Sale,

Mechanicsville, Iowa Mar. 18 Midwest Beef Cattle Consultants, Brooks Farms,

Inc., Ertel Cattle and Unsicker Farms 14th Annual

Open House and Bull Sale, Carthage, Indiana Mar. 18 Pearson Cattle Company Annual Bull Sale,

Lake City, SD Mar. 18 22nd Annual Central Montana Gelbvieh and

Angus Genetics Bull Sale, Lewistown, MT Mar. 18 Flying H Genetics Roughage N’ Ready/Fescue

Adapted Spring Bull Sale, Butler, MO Mar. 25 Harriman Santa Fe Top of the Breed Bull Sale,

Windsor, MO Mar. 25 Seedstock Plus South Missouri Bull Sale,

Carthage, MO Mar. 25 Cranview Gelbvieh Production Sale, Rugby, ND Mar. 25 Bluegrass Gelbvieh Invitational, Mt. Sterling, KY

April 2017 April 8 Middle Tennessee Gelbvieh Angus Invitational,

Centerville, TN April 8 Bar T Bar Ranches Annual Bull Sale, Winslow, AZ April 22 Seedstock Plus Influence Bull and Female Sale,

Kingsville, MO

450 Angus, Gelbvieh & Balancer Bulls will sell in Seedstock Plus Sales this spring!

North Missouri Bull Sale

February 25, 2017* 12 noon Kingsville Livestock, Kingsville, MO Selling 200 - 18 month old bulls!

Arkansas Bull Sale - in conjunction with the 4 State Classic Female Sale March 4, 2017 * 3 pm * Hope Livestock Auction, Hope, AR 50 2 year old & 18 month old bulls! * bulls sell after females

South Missouri Bull Sale

March 25, 2017* 12 noon Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage, MO Selling 200 - 18 month old & yearling bulls!

To view on-line catalogs and videos: www.seedstockplus.com email: john@seedstockplus.com

Catalogs Mailed on Request! Call Today!

877-486-1160

• Guaranteed Sight-Unseen Purchases!

Let us help you find the bull to fit your program and needs!

• Free Trucking on every bull! No fine print!

• The best disposition & soundness sort!

• Extensive Data & Genomic EPDs! • All Bulls are Coat Color and Polled tested!

• All Bulls Are Semen & Trich Tested!

• Over 200 RFI tested bulls sell in these sales!

• Videos of sale bulls on website the week before the sale! www.seedstockplus.com.

Ad Index

3 G Ranch............................................69 ABCS Gelbvieh...................................68 Adkins Gelbvieh.................... 32, 68, 73 AGA.............................................. 74, 78 American Rancher.............................37 B/F Cattle Company...........................90 Bachman Farms..................................90 Bar Arrow Cattle Company....... 62, 90 Bar IV Livestock.................................63 Bar JR Gelbvieh...................... 19, 72, 75 Bar T Bar Ranch, Inc................... 21, 75 Beastrom Gelbvieh Ranch.......... 68, 84 Bid on the Block.................................27 Blackhawk Cattle Company..............69 Bluegrass Invitational.........................59 Boehler Gelbvieh................................91 Bolton Cattle Ranch...........................75 Bow K Ranch............................... 55, 75 Brandywine Farm...............................68 Bull Barn Genetics....................... 46, 85 BV Ranch.............................................79 Canadian GV Assn.............................85 Cattlemen’s Connection................ 1, 85 C-Cross Cattle Company..................63 Cedar Top Ranch.......................IFC, 91 Ceroll Gelbvieh...................................57 Chimney Butte Ranch....................... 68 C.H. Morris & Sons, LLC..................63 Circle S Ranch.....................................90 CJ&L Livestock...................................68 Cranview Gelbvieh...................... 29, 68 Cunningham, Ronn...........................85 Danell Diamond Six Ranch...............75 Davidson Gelbvieh...............................5 DDM Gelbvieh....................................69 Diamond L Farms..............................79 Diamond V Gelbvieh.........................90 Dobson Ranch....................................13 Dromgoole’s Heaven..........................79 Eagle Pass Ranch................................69 Ellison Gelbvieh & Angus Ranch.....69 Ferguson Angus Ranch......................10 Flying H Genetics.......................91, BC Genetic Power Sale.............................88 Golden Buckle Gelbvieh............. 68, 77 Golden Rule Sale................................25 Green Hills Gelbvieh..........................63 Grund Beef Genetics..........................47

94 | February 2017

GS Ridge Top Ranch................... 39, 68 Gustin’s Diamond D Gelbvieh.............. ................................................. 39, 67, 68 Hampton Cattle Company......... 38, 63 Harriman Santa Fe...................... 81, 90 Hart Farm Gelbvieh...........................90 Hartland Farm....................................90 Hilltop Farms............................... 35, 90 Hodges Ranch.....................................79 Hojer Gelbvieh Ranch........... 32, 69, 89 Iowa Beef Expo...................................83 J&K Farm...................................... 88, 69 J Bar M Gelbvieh......................... 88, 90 Judd Ranch, Inc..................... 50, 51, 90 Jumping Cow Gelbvieh............... 14, 15 Kentucky Beef Expo...........................65 Kenyon Cattle LLC.............................39 KG Gelbvieh........................................38 Kicking Horse Ranch............ 44, 70, 75 Kittle Gelbvieh Farms........................79 Knoll Crest Farm................................63 Koehn Cattle Co.................................79 Land of Oz/ John C Oswald..............90 Lambert, Doak....................................85 Ledgerwood Gelbvieh........................75 LeDoux Ranch............................. 90, 95 Lemke Cattle.......................................91 Leonhardt Cattle Company...............69 Linquist Farms....................................68 Little Windy Hill Farms.....................63 Lone Oak Cattle............................. 9, 68 Lonesome Dove Ranch........................5 Longleaf Station..................................63 Lost River Livestock...........................50 M&P Gelbvieh....................................91 M&W Farms.......................................63 Maple Hill Farm..................................69 Markes Family Farms............ 38, 47, 79 Martens Gelbvieh...............................68 Martin Cattle Company.............. 38, 79 Mattison Family Farm.......................68 Middle Creek Farms..........................75 Miller Gelbvieh...................................79 Mitchell Marketing Service................... ................................................. 83, 85, 88 MLM Gelbvieh........................ 45, 70,91 Mulroy Farms......................................90 Murray Farms.....................................12

Nine Bar Nine Gelbvieh.....................75 Nowack Cattle Company...................91 Overmiller Gelbvieh..........................96 Pearson Cattle Company...................54 Plateau Gelbvieh.................... 18, 70, 75 Pope Farms Gelbvieh.........................51 Post Rock Cattle Company.......... 7, 90 Pot of Gold Sale........................... 53, 70 Prairie Hills Gelbvieh...........................3 Poverty Hill Farms.............................79 Rafter R Gelbvieh...............................39 Raile Gelbvieh.............................. 70, 71 Register Farms....................................63 Ridinger Cattle Co....................... 14, 15 Rippe Gelbvieh....................... 42, 43, 70 Rocking GV Gelbvieh........................91 Rocky Top Gelbvieh...........................63 Rogers Valley Farm Gelbvieh..... 87, 91 Russell Family Livestock....................69 SafetyZone...........................................33 Sawtooth Gelbvieh Cattle & Hay......75 Schafer Farms, Inc..............................68 Seedstock Plus Genetics....................85 Seedstock Plus.............................. 85, 93 SEGA Gelbvieh...................................40 Southwest Iowa Bull Sale...................17 Spring Flood Ranch...........................91 Swanson Cattle Company.......... 41, 91 Swenson Gelbvieh....................... 32, 68 Taubenheim Gelbvieh........................91 The 88 Ranch.......................................91 Thorstenson Gelbvieh................. 61, 69 Treble W Ranch..................................63 Triple H Farms....................................68 Triple K Gelbvieh......................... 58, 90 Volek Ranch........................... 32, 66, 69 Warner Beef Genetics ....................IBC White Oak Farms...............................91 Wildwood Acres.................................69 Wilkinson Gelbvieh...........................75 Wolf Gelbvieh.....................................91 Wyatt Farms........................................79 Wyndemere Farm LLC......................63 Yoder’s Prairie Acres................... 69, 76

GeneticINVESTMENT WARNER BEEF GENETICS

Bull Sale

Tuesday, March 7, 2076 • 1:00 PM ( CST ) • At the Ranch, Arapahoe, NE 5010C

50% Balancer® Bull Homo Black Homo Polled DCSF Post Rock Astronaut 157A x Ms Mickey 9312

7120D

Purebred Gelbvieh Bull Homo Black Homo Polled CTR Highlight 066K x DLW Ms Wardon 2510Z

580C

63% Balancer® Bull Homo Polled DLW Edison 6718X x Lee Ann

552C

Angus Bull Baldridge Waylon x Ms Mickey 9312

102C

50% Balancer® Bull Homozygous Black KCF Bennett X514 x Maplecrest Rita K0131

063D

50% Balancer® Bull GAR Prophet x DLW Ms Tyra 2520Z ET

Sale broadcast live online at www.liveauctions.tv

LiveAuctions TV

GELBVIEH & BALANCER® BULLS

Selling 125 lots ANGUS BULLS

Warner Beef Genetics exhibits 2017 RESERVE NATIONAL CHAMPION PEN OF THREE Balancer® Bulls. All three sell March 7.

SALE MANAGEMENT BY: Mitchell Marketing Service

www.mms.bz

Chris Mitchell 334-695-1371 Randy Sienknecht 319-290-3763 2262 C Avenue • Gladbrook, IA 50635

WARNER BEEF GENETICS www.warnerbeef.com Dan and Kate Warner 42198 Road 721, Arapahoe, NE 68922 Dan Warner: 308.962.6511 Monte Warner: 308.962.6136 Darren Warner: 308.824.2950

WE’RE IN IT TOGETHER...

2017 NWSS GELBVIEH FUTURITY RUNNER-UP

Flying H Mr 139Y/45B 128D Reg AMGV# 1347406

Flying H Mr Effective 6D Reg. AMGV# 1347203

Flying H Mr Last Call 75D Reg: AMGV# 1347300

Flying H Mr Tract 45B 143D Reg: AMGV# 1347420

These bulls sell March 4, at the ranch, Arapahoe, NE! IN TODAY’S VOLATILE MARKET, QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. WE HAVE BEEN PRODUCING QUALITY GUARANTEED, CONSISTENT, AND PROVEN BULLS FOR MORE THAN 65 YEARS TO MAXIMIZE THE SUCCESS OF EACH OF OUR CUSTOMERS. SELLING 85 Black Balancer/

The Tradition Continues...

SimAngus/Angus 25 Red Balancer/ SimAngus/Red Angus + Guaranteed Heifer Bulls

For more information, or to request a sale catalog, scan the code or go to our website, call or text us.

Arapahoe, NE March 4

www.FLYINGHGENETICS.com Find us on Facebook

Helping Build Family Successes Since 1949!

FLYING H GENETICS Kyle & Kayla Helms, NE 308.962.6940 Cody & Casie Helms, MO, NE 303.842.9071 Aaron Ishmael, MO 417.309.0062 Dick and Bonnie Helms 308.962.6500

BALANCER ® | GELBVIEH | SIMANGUS TM | SIMMENTAL | ANGUS | RED ANGUS | FUSION TM | HEREFORD