Vca may 14 electronic pdf

The Virginia VOLUME 36 NUMBER 5

THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 1

Cattleman

CIRCULATION 8,000

MAY 2014

2014 Cattle Industry Award Winners - March 27, 2014

What’s Inside

The Virginia Cattleman P. O. Box 9 Daleville, VA 24083-0009

Non-Profit Organization U. S. Postage PAID Daleville VA 24083 Permit No. 8

“Cow Size” - How Big Is Too Big? ............................................................Page 3 VA Cattlemen’s Assoc. Producer And Service Awards....................... Page 4 & 5 VA Cattle Industry Convention Highlights ..................................... Page 16 & 17 In The Spotlight - Huckleberry Beef ........................................................Page 22 Official Publication of the Virginia Cattleman’s Association • PLEASE NOTIFY SENDER IF ADDRESS LABEL IS INCORRECT

PAGE 2–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

Opportunities Jason Carter Executive Secretary There have been many speeches made, articles and books written and academic discussions had regarding the topic of leadership.

Leadership takes on many forms and can be embodied within an individual or an organization.

Sometimes it is developed and other times it happens quite spontaneously. Personally I have mostly viewed being able to lead as closely bound to being able to facilitate. Now facilitation is certainly a broad topic in its own right for sure, but I am referring to facilitation, in this instance as indicative of leadership, when an environment is created where people can acknowledge differing goals, and still pursue those goals, to develop avenues for collective success. I heard a discussion presented by Forrest Roberts, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, where he outlined four critical success factors. I saw a lot of analogies for Virginia Cattlemen’s Association in the factors he discussed related to

recent changes made within our own organization.

The first critical factor of success is being able to lead through the current environment by rebuilding trust to enable unity and growth. Depending on the context, trust is a strong word that should not be used lightly.

There are many reasons that there exist numerous cattle producer associations across the country.

Some are geographically obvious and others are philosophically founded. The bottom line is every cattle producer association in this country very likely agrees on 95% of all the issues facing them.

It’s the 5% of the time that limits our growth. Should we expect to agree on more? Probably not.

Differences of opinions and interests also provide perspective which is another powerful tool for growth. Leadership means finding the uncommon interests among producers and utilizing them as opportunities to strengthen everyone. Financial advisors call that diversifying a portfolio.

VCA diversified our portfolio by becoming an organization that

could be the best at supporting value added marketing as well as serving the interests of the greater beef business.

The second critical factor of success is establishing an efficient organizational structure and decision making process. This is always a challenge for any business, be it the family farm, or a vocational association of cattle producers. In fact, when our attorney reviewed our current bylaws, his comments to me were, that the proposal was sound but, it was going to be job keeping the decision making process straight.

VCA has differing specific goals within the Association with differing specific avenues to achieve them. We now have a structure that can manage marketing and policy separately but also collectively in the best interest of all producers. The Feeder Council remains unchanged and concerned with marketing policy and ensuring that VCA provides value added marketing options that will suit anyone. The Policy and Industry Advocacy Board will establish VCA position on important legislative issues as well as identify ways for VCA to support the beef business through charity or partnerships. Each of these governing bodies are appointed

democratically. Decision making in a group isn’t always easy but our structure does provide for focus on issues important to each group of decision makers which improves ownership and investment in the process.

The third critical factor of success is rigorously confronting essential questions related to strategy, capital and talent. I referred to the differing Council and Board that represent differing interests with a common goal of growth for the Association. Developing new ideas is as important as decision making. Ideas are seeds of prosperity. Good leadership also sees the value in borrowing from the success of others by applying or developing tried and true strategies. It is ludicrous to think that one relatively small group of people can come up with new ideas consistently. It takes careful observation of our world to develop knowledge and wisdom that will lead to great ideas. There is no shame in borrowing ideas that work. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. The people closest to us, our friends and advisors, should be people we admire. The same should be true for a business. Recognizing and utilizing good ideas demonstrates leadership by commitment to growth.

Change is the only constant and change requires us to seek new ideas. New ideas and the subsequent failure and successes will again demonstrate commitment to growth and that attracts talent to the Association. Our structure can now develop talent of varying interests, leading to strategies for bettering our business and resulting in the capital to maintain that growth.

The final critical factor for success discussed by Mr. Roberts is executing the plan with discipline.

This is where my job and the job of the Council and Board get tough.

It’s as hard to maintain discipline as humility sometimes. Leadership requires bringing passion and perspective to the table. That means occasionally we have to set aside our personal interests, strive to compromise when necessary and do things in a step wise manner to find the squeaky wheels before the whole engine locks up.

There have been and will continue to be days where I want to drive tacks with an eight pound hammer. Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard’s Almanac that “little strokes fell great oaks”.

With time, wisdom and purpose, VCA will maintain the discipline necessary for steadfast service to the Virginia beef business.

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THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 3

Beef Cows, How Big Is Too Big? Dr. Bryan McMurry, Cargill Animal Nutrition The genetic revolution in the beef cattle industry has brought us tremendous increases in productivity. The bulk of these improvements have been realized through improved rates of gain. The U.S. cattle industry enjoys one of the shortest cycle times, the time from when a calf is born until it is harvested, than any of the other top ten beef producing nations. We are now producing more pounds of beef with fewer cows and in the grand scheme that is more efficient. However these increases have come at a cost to our cow/calf production systems.

Over the course of thirty years we have increased the mature size of our cows over 300 pounds.

Today the average cow in the U.S. weighs 1350 pounds. The more important issue is not so much with the average itself but with the distribution around that average, more specifically the heavier cows.

If the mature weight of our cows is a normal distribution around the average then by definition one half of our cows have a mature weight over 1350 pounds. And that is where the problem lies in terms of production efficiency.

The real and most immediate concern are those cows that are heavier than one standard deviation above the mean or those cows that weigh in excess of 1500 pounds. The data suggests that this is approximately 16% of the producing beef cows in the U.S. That means that over 5 million cows in the U.S. have a mature weight of over 1500 pounds. These larger cows are costing our cow/ calf production systems up to $250 million dollars annually.

How has the increase in mature weight impacted production efficiency for cow/calf producers?

First it has impacted our production costs. Heavier cows have higher nutrient requirements that must be satisfied for them to remain productive. It has been estimated that for each 100-pound increase in mature weight a cow requires an additional $15 - $20 in supplementation costs. In addition, that same 100-pound increase in mature body weight increased annual dry matter intake by ap-

proximately 550 pounds. If we had to purchase that dry matter in the form of hay at today’s prices that is an additional $25 per 100pound increase in mature body weight.

Even though the heavier cow is often capable of producing a large calf, it is often not larger than herd average and rarely large enough to offset the higher production costs associated with the cow’s heavier mature weight. Even in the more efficient herds on average the cows at the heavier end of the spectrum seldom out produce the average sized cow in a particular environment.

Data suggests that as cows become larger they became less productive. The data in Table 1 from North Dakota State University indicates that as cows mature weight increases calf weaning weight decreases. At least for the year in question, which was a particularly dry year, not only did the heavier cows not produce heavier calves they actually produced lighter calves. This is not surprising, larger cows require more dry matter than smaller cows and during drought the problem is insufficient dry matter. When dry matter intake is restricted, larger cows, because of their higher maintenance requirement, lose more weight than smaller cows.

Even in herds managed for a smaller mature cow size we see efficiency advantages for the smaller cows. The data in Table 2 from a very productive North Carolina cow/calf operation shows that at some point we reach a point of diminishing returns for calf weaning weight and increasing cow weight.

This is a very productive herd selected and managed to keep the average mature size around 1200 pounds. The average weight of the cows and weaning weight of the calves are 1210 pounds and 609 pounds, respectively. Even in a moderate sized cowherd the heavier cows do not appear any more productive than the averaged sized cow in this environment.

Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between cow mature weight and calf weaning weight for the North Carolina herd. At least within the range of these data there is no correlation between cow mature weight and calf weaning

ronment.

The question cow/calf producers should be asking themselves, what is the point of diminishing returns for cow mature weight in their production environment?

The answer is in plain sight and

weight. It appears that somewhere near 1300 pounds is the point of diminishing returns for cow mature weight in this envi-

all you need is a decent set of scales to see it. After that you will have all the information you need to work on one of the more important fundamental factors that impact cow/calf production efficiency.

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PAGE 4–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

The Virginia Cattlemen’s Association Affiliated with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc.

P.O. Box 9 Daleville, Va 24083-0009 540/992-1009 www.vacattlemen.org

The Virginia Cattleman 540/992-1011 540/992-4632 - FAX published monthly by the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association

Jason Carter ....................... Stuarts Draft Executive Secretary Butch Foster.................................. Bristol Field Manager Troy Lawson ..........................Churchville Field Manager

FEEDER COUNCIL

Glenn Wheeler ............................... Atkins Region 1 Chuck Miller ................................Crockett Region 2 Joe Meek ....................................... Dublin Region 3 Forrest Ashby .............................Staunton Region 4 Rick Matthews.........................Browntown Region 5 Steve Hopkins ...............................Louisa Region 6 Tom Nixon .................................. Rapidan Region 6 Lin Jones .............................New Canton Region 7 Brett Stratton ........................ Appomattox County Cattlemen

POLICY & INDUSTRY ADVOCACY BOARD Gene Copenhaver ...............Meadowview District 1 Joey Davenport ...................Glade Spring District 1 Bill McDonald .........................Blacksburg District 2 Steve Furrow.......................Rocky Mount District 2 Bill Tucker .................................. Amherst District 3 Jon Repair ................................ Glasgow District 3 Jared Burner .................................. Luray District 4 Allen Heishman ......................... Edinburg District 4 John Goodwin ............................. Orange District 5 James Kean ..................................Louisa District 5 Jay Calhoun .............................. Callands District 6 Mike Henry ........................... Chesterfield District 6 Editor...................................... Jason Carter jcarter@vacattlemen.org Publication Coordinator...Jacquelynn Davis jdavis@vacattlemen.org Issued the first week of each month. Copy deadline the 15th of the previous month.

The Virginia Cattleman is sent to members of the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association. Annual dues are $50/year or participation in the Association’s Feeder Cattle marketing Program. Complimentary copies are sent to various supporters of the Virginia Cattle Industry.

A Member of:

LPC LIVESTOCK PUBLICATIONS COUNCIL

Knight Cattle Wins Producer Of The Year Award It is with great pleasure that the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association presented Mike and Patti Knight of Knight Cattle with the 2014 Producer of the Year Award on Thursday March 27, 2014.

Knight Cattle Corporation by name and size might sound like a corporate farming operation, but it is clearly a family run business with the husband, wife, and kids taking an active role in all decisions and duties on and off the farm. Knight Cattle in based in Orange, Virginia and it consists of over 1,000 spring and fall calving cow calf pairs. Land they farm is spread over two counties.

They also typically run a few hundred stockers. In addition to farming, Mike also shoes horses.

Patti and two employees work on the farm and their youngest son John Michael also plays a large role in running the farming operation.

Anyone that knows the Knight family, know they put many hours working on the farm. They have a reputation of selling quality calves in the local state graded sales, VCA telo-auction and special Central Virginia Cattlemen Association (CVCA) special telo-auction sales. They also have a reputation of selling breeding cattle and horses. They have used AI breeding, precondition calves before marketing, and market cattle in trailer load lots. They have an excellent reputation on managing rented land and use best management conservation practices. In addition to the cattle operation they also typically raise several hundred acres of row crops as part of a pasture and hay field rotation program.

They are highly respected for the farming operation they run by other farmers in the area.

What sets the Knights apart from many other excellent farming operations is their involvement with agriculture and youth groups off the farm. In addition to being full time farmer, Patti Knight is also a full time volunteer. She has been the organizational leader of the Orange County 4-H livestock club which has almost 100 kids for twenty years. She is also active on the Orange County Fair Board, State Virginia Extension Leadership

Council, Glenwood Livestock show committee, Virginia Club Calf Producers Association, active in her local church, and has served as President for the local farmers cooperative for several years. Mike has served on the local farm bureau board and volunteers assisting 4-H, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the local fair association with whatever they need help with or whatever Patti volunteers him to do. The Knights also work behind the scenes financially supporting many local events many times without anyone knowing they were contributing.

Patti also has the reputation of getting her friends to financially contribute to events to support youth. Mike has the reputation that if you need to get something done no matter what it is he will do it or provide the leadership to get it done.

Mike and Patti open their farm up for many agriculture, Extension, and youth events. They host the fourth grade farm tour and local judging and cattle working practices are held on their farm.

VCE educational field days have been held on their farms. They typically supply equipment needed for the local agriculture fair and the Christmas parade.

They are known not to say no, but make whatever is needed happen.

Their kids grew up learning the same quality work ethic and sense of commitment to help others. The two oldest children have both gone to college and

Michael and Patti Knight have moved back to the farm. Ben is farming full time as a partner in a large local grain and cattle farm.

He is married and he and his wife Elsa are expecting a baby shortly.

Erin has a successful career at North Anna Power Station and is married with two kids. John Michael is a senior in high school and takes an active role on the farm.

He typically is back grounding a couple trailer loads of cattle at a time that he typically markets on the telo – auction. He has his

CANCELLED

own herd where he produces and sells club calves. John Michael shows cattle throughout Virginia and nationally. He is active on the 4-H livestock judging team, past officer in his club, and was on a state winning cattle working team. He is also always willing to help other kids be successful with their animal projects. Furthermore he is known for his skill in clipping and fitting show cattle. John Michael plans to attend Virginia Tech this fall.

THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 5

Debbie Booth Wins Industry Service Award It was with great pleasure that the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association presented the Martin Strate Industry Service Award to Debbie Booth at the annual VCA meeting on Thursday March 27, 2014 in Harrisonburg, VA. Debbie has served the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association and the former Mid Atlantic Marketing Association faithfully for over 20 years as the operator and coordinator of the tele-auction and board cattle sales. Beginning in the late 1970s, Virginia Cattlemen’s Association started selling cattle in graded special sales in the barn across the state by providing a telephone connection for buyers remotely across the region. Reggie Reynolds often worked the sales on the phone and conveyed the description of the cattle and the subsequent bidding to make the deals. Over the years this system evolved into an entity known as the Mid Atlantic Marketing Association. Debbie went to work for MAMA based from Pulaski Livestock Sales in Dublin, VA. This conference call system rapidly grew in popularity as it was adopted by more sales both in and outside of Virginia. The most successful use of this service has been the regular VCA Tel-O-Auction sales.

Debbie has worked many late nights and long hours on the phone monitoring the sales and providing valuable verification of the bids and bidders. She has become acquainted with many of the buyers personalities and tendencies which makes the experience of buying the cattle over the phone nearly as seamless, for many, as being in the barn in person. She also politely and firmly reminds folks about the value of the mute button more than anyone in America.

Debbie Booth has been and still is a valuable partner of the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association and the sales that we sponsor.

Selling cattle is very much a relationship business and working with good people is a cornerstone of that endeavor.

Debbie Booth is among the best.

VCA is honored to present her

Discussing The Waters Of The United States Regulation Jason Carter, Executive Secretary

Debbie Booth this award and making her the first woman to win the Industry Service Award as well.

In the early 1970s the Environmental Protection Agency was created to assist in regulating the preservation of our water quality in the United States. They are empowered by the Clean Water Act (CWA) to oversee the navigable waterways of the US and are assisted by the Army Corps of Engineers whose job it is to maintain vigilance of passage for all waters of the US necessary for commerce and security. The authority of the EPA has always been restricted to navigable waters and this has been reaffirmed

by Congress on two separate occasions. Recently, and on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling that allowed for a broad interpretation of navigable waters and where there is a “significant nexus” of potential threat to water quality, the EPA drafted the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) guidance to vastly increase

its regulatory authority of nearly any body of water in the country.

In early April, I had the occasion to sit in on a breakfast meeting and hear EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy lay out the case of the EPA for WOTUS and their agriculture friendly approach to producers.

Ms. McCarthy began by acknowledging that many folks in the agricultural community have a mistrusting relationship with the EPA either by firsthand experience with the regulatory process or through poor understanding of the goals of the EPA and its actions. She also acknowledged that many of her people at the EPA are not as knowledgeable as they could be regarding agricultural production and therefore are not well equipped to communicate with producers in many instances.

However, like farmers and ranchers in this country, she says that the EPA wants the same things and that includes clean land,

water and air which are all critical for a healthy environment.

Ms. McCarthy is convinced that the EPA, with this common mission of producers, can “help the agricultural community grow food and fiber better”. To that end she has been traveling to agriculturally dominant areas of the country to talk to producers and industry leaders about their needs from the EPA. According to Ms. McCarthy the Waters of the United States guidance was drafted to clarify once and for all the definition of the waters covered by the Clean Water Act. That uncertainty has been in place for nearly 40 years since enacted by Congress and EPA wants to clear things up once and for all. In the course of several hundred pages of non-peer reviewed science, WOTUS has attempted to do just that. EPA claims this step is necessary to remove the state to state ambiguity of what are regulated waters by Continued on Page 10

PAGE 6–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 7

Fewer Cattle On Feed Will Keep Cattle Profitable, Beef Pricey Feedlot placements up, cattle on feed down, cattle prices hold firm Friday’s USDA Cattle on Feed Report showed feedlots placed 15% more cattle in February than last year. That’s a ways above the average trade guess of up 10%. Traders will likely construe the report as bearish on summer month futures Monday.

Still, the on-feed inventory was not far out of line from average trade guesses.

Don’t let the February 15% uptick in placements make you think the summer/fall beef supply will rise. The 1% lower March 1 cattle on feed inventory marks the nineteenth straight month the inventory was lower than the same month a year earlier.

Summer cattle futures are near record high. They advanced further after cattle that will come back to the summer market were placed. Those forces should keep feedlots profitable.

Recent feedlot closeouts, said to be well north of $200 a head, give feedlot operators a stash of cash to buy feeder cattle.

Feedlot operators are perpetual optimists. Both factors entice feedlots to want to place more cattle.

Feeder cattle available are record low. January 1 feeder cattle supplies outside of feedlots were down 2.3% from a year ago. The January 1 inventory was 2.2% lower than the previous record low set in 2012.

Feeder cattle availability, and prices, could get really interesting this summer. Higher than year-earlier placements in January and February further deplete already record-tight feeder cattle supplies, leaving even fewer feeder cattle available to place later.

Next suppose favorable spring

weather lures cow-calf producers to up heifer retention and expand cow herds. Also factor surplus feed lot bunk space into the equation. Feeder cattle prices could spike. They may also be volatile. That all has feedlot managers grappling with how much they can pay for feeders, given expected fed cattle prices down the road that may or may not be as high as current deferred futures prices suggest.

Retreating feed costs, relative to the 2012 short-crop spike, have predictably triggered a surge in feeder cattle prices. Every signal in the cattle market suggests feeder cattle will remain good property for cow-calf producers for the foreseeable future.

Then there’s the weather wild card. Crop threats could drive feeding costs higher, which would threaten margins on pricy feeders bought now. Favor-

able weather could drive feeder cattle prices even higher if better grazing conditions lure cow-calf producers to keep more heifers to expand herds. That seems likely.

Another wild card is exact magnitude of earlier baby losses due to porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. Expectations, or fears, that supplies of market-ready hogs will diminish in the weeks ahead have lifted hog futures

prices 16.2% this month. That premium could shrink if actual hog slaughter runs do not drop.

Lower priced pork could stiffen competition for beef. PEDV impact could go either way.

Feedlot managers will need to skillfully use price risk management tools to capture a margin with the sizable unknowns that could push costs and revenue fairly dramatically either direction.

PAGE 8–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

Beef Buzz May is Beef Month in Virginia

Council will be doing a little extra to reach consumers with a positive

Anne Jones, Director of Industry Communications

beef message. The following is an example of a press release that will be circulated.

If the beef burger isn’t the number one all-American food, it’s certainly in the top five.

Need proof the burger is All

American? Try the fact that hamburgers and cheeseburgers represent 71 percent of the beef served in U.S. commercial restaurants. Or that Americans eat about 14 billion burgers a year – they account for about 60 percent of all sandwiches

sold – and that if you put all of those burgers in a line, they would circle the earth more than 32 times.

As the Virginia beef industry celebrates May Beef Month, it can look at the hamburger from Continued on Page 25

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THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 9

A Dirt Road Diary - Kate And Lois Steve Lucas In 1871, my great-great grandfather on my mother’s father’s side homesteaded 366 acres on the Bear River in the southwestern corner of Wyoming. He was an Oxford educated engineer, and superintendent of the Almy coal mines. He and his wife Mary raised 10 children in a five room house on the ranch. The eighth child was a girl named Katherine Emma, whom they called Kate.

Kate spurned town life. Her mother had a millinery shop in the town of Evanston eleven miles south of the homestead, but The Shoshone Indians who traveled along the river and the solitude of nature held more allure for her daughter. Kate endured two years of formal schooling, then made her life on the ranch until a coal miner/ cowboy named Al Sellers proposed marriage. The family was not pleased, but the marriage took place anyway. Eight children were born to Al and Kate as they traveled from ranch to coal camp from Wyoming to Canada, finally settling in Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Kate was widowed in the winter of 1923 when Al died in a blizzard trying to find work.

She stayed in Rock Springs raising her children in a matriarchal extended family. One of her sons purchased land on the Green River not far from Rock Springs. Kate’s wish to live on the land again was granted and she set about living ranch life as she had growing up. At the age of 66, she re-married and brought her new husband to the farm. Archie, the new man in her life launched a coal mining expedition in the Grey’s River Country of Idaho and Wyoming, and Kate followed to cook for the crew. The venture didn’t last long. World War II broke out, Archie disappeared, and Kate returned home. She lived on the Green River Farm for a time, but failing health forced her back to Rock Springs. She moved into an apartment with one of her daughters, enjoying the life of a grandmother to 17 grandchildren. Although she died in 1959, her legacy lives on.

One of her granddaughters, her oldest son’s oldest daughter, Lois, is my mother. She remembers Kate and the Green River farm. Like her great grandmother, she married an engineer. Like Kate she traveled, following my father from Rock Springs to places with names like Ten Sleep, Canyon, Denver,

Annandale and Cloudcroft. My father passed away a dozen years ago. Mom lives alone in New Mexico in a small town situated between the desert and

the mountains. She’s always busy, spending her days walking her dog Smiley, attending exercise class, taking care of elderly neighbors and flood irrigating

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the yard. Her biggest complaint is the dust and sand that blow in from the desert. Those Sellers girls are tough. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom

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U.S. Waters Continued from Page 5 authority of the CWA. EPA collaborated with the United States Department of Agriculture to ensure that WOTUS was farmer friendly and provides numerous exemptions that will not interfere with “normal farming practices”.

WOTUS includes a list of 56 normal farming practices to provide further clarity to what is exempt from regulation and stipulates that list is not inclusive or limited to what is described specifically.

Each of the 56 exemptions are tied to current USDA Natural Resource and Conservation Service conservation programs and normal farming practices is not defined or speculated upon any further than the 56 exemptions defined.

The EPA claims all waters included their definition of regulatory reach are founded in science

and research and that WOTUS does not expand the authority granted by the CWA, it only clarifies it. WOTUS does not regulate groundwater or ditches and previously unpermitted activities will remain that way for farmers. Recognizing the communication gap between EPA and the farming community, the EPA has hired regional agricultural liaisons across the country to serve as sounding boards for producers to aid in interpretation of WOTUS and the CWA, provide the EPA with in house farming expertise, as well as share information with each other to best serve the country as a whole. In Ms. McCarthy’s words, these liaisons will “apply the real world to the science EPA is already good at”. These EPA experts will be served by an advi-

sory board regionally composed of agricultural community leaders. However the qualifications of both these experts as well as their advisory boards was not revealed to us.

According to the Administrator, WOTUS is about answering what is jurisdictional under the CWA as opposed to simply mitigating threats to water quality.

WOTUS has been criticized as costly by the Government Accountability Offi ce. McCarthy was quick to point out that the cost of WOTUS provided by EPA is related to implementation of the CWA and not permitting and compliance. Those are separate budgets and in some cases related to other agencies. The EPA wants to work with individual producers and farmers over state and national Associations.

McCarthy acknowledges there is great value in vocational and commodity groups but fears

they will impede the lines of communication for individuals seeking the assistance of EPA for their farms at home. Finally Ms. McCarthy admits there will be differing regional interpretation of WOTUS by the employees of EPA. The regional liaisons are in place to minimize this but the fact will remain that interpretation is primarily up to the local EPA jurisdiction.

So there we are. A simple guidance to finalize once and for all the intent of the Clean Water Act. A simple guidance of several hundred pages to clarify what is open to interpretation depending on where you are in the country.

A simple guidance to mitigate risk posed to water quality by farming that will extend regulatory authority to essentially every body of water in the United States other than a swimming pool and a garden gold fish pond.

A simple guidance that doesn’t

interfere with normal farming practices. A simple guidance that doesn’t cover ditches but fails to define what a ditch is or how far it has to be from perennial surface water to potentially be regulated.

A simple guidance that has not been scientifically validated to support its claims of authority and cost millions to implement, yet excludes the cost of compliance. This is the new farmer friendly Environmental Protection Agency that is anxious to make farmers, the best environmental stewards on the ground now, even better by not extending regulation or oversight. We are all going to get clearly better because we now have hundreds of pages of guidance to “clarify” what Congress intended when they passed the Clean Water Act four decades ago. Adds another layer of meaning to the phrase “we’re from the government and here to help” doesn’t it?

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VIRGINIA SIMMENTAL ASSOCIATION Kathy Penley, Secretary 4311 East Blue Grass Trail Bland, VA 24315 276-688-6188 540-922-3592 penleyfarm@cattle-today.com

PAGE 12–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

BCIA Outstanding Seedstock Producer - Shelton Angus Farm The 2014 Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association (BCIA) recognizes Shelton Angus Farm and W. H. “Buddy� Shelton from Gretna, Virginia as the 2014 Outstanding Seedstock Producer.

The Shelton Farms are located in Pittsylvania County which is historically one of the largest tobacco producing regions in the southeast. The registered herd was

established in 1963 by Walter H. and Ruby Shelton. Management of the cattle became the responsibility of W.H. “Buddy� Shelton Jr. in 1988 after he returned to home postgraduation from Virginia Tech.

One hundred twenty brood cows are maintained on an all fescue grazing system. The herd is exclusively fall calving, which is typical in south-central Virginia.

The herd has been on a 100% A.I. breeding program since 1988. Bulls are developed collaborative with other seedstock breeders in the region, and historically marketed through the Virginia BCIA program, until five years ago when Shelton Angus initiated their own annual fall bull sale.

Genetic improvement in the herd centers on functionality and adaptability to the region’s fescue environment, along with economically relevant traits to their feeder cattle-producing customers. Embryo transfer and genomics are key technologies which have assisted in the advancement of the herd. Additionally, Shelton Angus focuses on customer service by providing group backgrounding and marketing opportunities to their clients, as well as facilitating retained ownership and collection of carcass data which benefits both their customers’ and their own breeding programs. B u d d y

Shelton has been an active leader in agriculture, including serving as President of the Virginia Angus Association, President of the Pittsylvania County Cattleman’s Association, along with being engaged

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Virginia BCIA congratulates Shelton Angus Farm and Buddy Shelton for their dedication to genetic improvement.

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2014 Virginia BCIA Bull And Heifer Sale Joi Saville, Extension Associate and Scott Greiner, Ph.D. Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, VA Tech The 35th Annual Southwest Virginia Performance Tested Bull Sale sponsored by the Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association was held Saturday, March 22, 2014 at Wytheville. The 138 bulls offered commanded a record average price of $3859 per head.

Breed averages were as follows: 85 Angus averaged $3551, 15 purebred Simmental averaged $3387, 19 Simmental Hybrids $4279, 4 Charolais $4413, 5 Gelbvieh Balancers $4190, 2 purebred Gelbvieh $15000, and 8 Polled Hereford at $3763. The BCIAinfluenced Virginia Premium Assured plus Bred Heifer Sale held in conjunction with the bull sale sold 26 heifers for an average price of $2221 per head.

The top selling Angus bull went to Mike A. Johnson of Siloam, North Carolina for $7000. Angus Lot 39 is a September 2012 son of GAR Prophet and was bred by Lucas Farms, Joe and Timmy Lucas of Blacksburg, Virginia. This bull was the high-sale order indexing Senior bull, as he had a test YW of 1284, ratio 118, test ADG of 4.38, ratio of 130, along with +74 WW EPD, +144 YW EPD, +31 Milk EPD, +0.92 MB EPD, and a +106 $B. The second-high selling Angus bull was Lot 40, and was also consigned by Lucas Farms and sold to Bobby and Martha Jackson of Draper, VA for $6250.

This bull is another high growth son of GAR Prophet and had YW EPD +118, MB EPD +1.40, $W +56, in addition to ADG ratio of 118,

test YW ratio of 106. Lucas Farms was recognized with the 2014 SW Virginia Bull Test Breeder Group for their consignment of Senior Angus bulls. Another Lucas Senior bull, Lot 36, was another high-growth son out of KCF Bennett Upward W538, with WW EPD +62 and ADG ratio of 108. This bull commanded $4500 from Shelby Lineberry of Galax, VA. Lot 37, another KCF Bennett Upward W538 son, sold to Clark Reece of Hillsville, VA for $4300 and posted a test ADG ratio of 106 with a +62 WW EPD and +109 YW EPD. The high-sale indexing Junior Angus bull, Lot 75, was bred by Grassy Valley Farm, Lee Duckworth of Afton, Tennessee. This junior Angus bull is a January 2013 son of AAR Tex X 7008 SA and posted an ADG of 4.20, ratio 130, test yearling weight of 1281, ratio 118, along with a $B of +110, YW EPD of +128, MB EPD of +0.93, %IMF ratio of 110 and RE ratio of 106, and sold to Andrew Echols of Gap Mills, WV for $5000.

Demand remained strong in the Angus bulls as Lot 45 commanded $5500 from Matthew Anderson of Chilhowie, VA. This December 2012 Sitz Upward son, consigned

by Mullins Angus Farm in Clintwood, VA, posted a test YW ratio of 110 and ADG ratio of 135, as well as EPDs of +115 YW, +12 CEM, +32 Milk, +95 $B. Demand was very strong for the Gelbvieh and Gelbvieh Balancer bulls, which included a sale favorite- Lot 601 consigned

by Little Windy Hill Farms of Max Meadows, VA. This December 2012 purebred Gelbvieh

Top BCIA performers were recognized on March 2, 2014 at Umbarger Farm. homozygous black, homozygous polled son of Black Impact 3960N brought $25,000 and sold to CCross Cattle Company and Old South Farms of Asheboro, North Carolina. He posted EPDs of +1.1 CE, +0.0 BW, +34 Milk, and a ratio of 119 for %IMF. The high selling Polled Hereford bull was bred by Fields Edge Herefords, Terry and Roger Slusher of Floyd, VA and commanded $7600 from Sally Run of Wytheville, VA. This September 2012 son of MSU TCF Revolution 4R posted test ratios of 104 and 113 for YW and ADG, respectively, as well as EPDs of +4.1 CE, +103 YW, %IMF ratio of 113, RE ratio of 107 as well as a BMI of +$23 and CHB of +$32. Lot 203 from Fields Edge Herefords commanded $3700 from Tommy Shrader of Rosedale, VA. This CRR About Time 743 son posted strong carcass traits with a +0.28 MB EPD, %IMF ratio of 120, BMI value of +$21 and CHB value of +$28.

The strong Charolais sale was led by Lot 304, consigned by Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.

This March-born son of M6 Fresh Air 8165 commanded $5750 from Curtiss Nipp of Overbrook, OK. He posted EPDs of +6.4 CE, +89 YW, and +0.48 RE, in addition to ratios of 117 WW, 112 test YW, 110 MB, and 111 RE. Virginia Tech’s consignment of Junior Charolais bulls held strong with Lot 303 selling to Perry Severt of Jefferson, NC for $5000. This calving ease son of LT Bluegrass 4017 posted EPDs of +9 CED, -2.1 BW, +6.8 CEM and +0.18 MB, as well as a carcass ratio of 126 for IMF. The senior high-indexing SimAngus bull was consigned by Hounshell Farms, Buster and Jason Hounshell of Wytheville, Virginia. Lot 437 was sold to Dusty Long of Galax, Virginia for $6000. This high performing bull had a test YW of 1202, ratio 111 and a test ADG of 4.78, ratio of 127, in addition to EPD’s of +124 YW, +1.03 RE and a ratio of 115 for RE. Also selling from $6000 was Virginia Tech’s Lot 451 which went to Jason Semones of Hillsville, VA. This homozygous

black, homozygous polled son of AAR Ten X 7008 ranked in the top 1% for his TI index of +97, as well as posting a YW EPD of +124, MB EPD of +1.33, and ratio of 107 for test ADG. J & M Windy Acres, Mike Connatser and family, of Maryville, TN was recognized with the Junior Breeder Group Award for their consignment of spring-born Simmental Hybrid bulls. Their Lot 444 sold for $5200 to Gary Bare of West Jefferson, NC. The junior high-indexing purebred Simmental was consigned by Trio Farms, Jerry Burner of Luray, VA. Lot 423 was a homozygous black son of Ellingson Dominator W905 and sold to Jack Byrd of Amelia, VA for $5100. This February-born bull displayed a test YW of 1277, ratio 110, ADG ratio of 115, as well as carcass ratios of 112 and 115 for %IMF and RE, respectively.

The BCIA-Influenced Bred Heifer Sale consisted of 26 fall-calving commercial bred heifers. All heifContinued on Page 15

PAGE 14–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

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THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 15

May Herd Management Advisor Scott P. Greiner & Mark A. McCann Extension Beef Specialists, Virginia Tech Although the first official day of summer is a month away, May signals the beginning of warm days. In most of the region it also represents the best time to harvest high-quality grass hay.

Weather during this period often interferes with the best of harvest plans. Remember a couple of facts as you dodge showers: 1) rain does less damage (nutrient and dry matter loss) to fresh cut forage as compared to forage almost ready to bale, 2) hay quality is always changing and does not improve with time.

Spring Calving Herds (January-March) General • Calving season winding down. Continue to observe late calving cows frequently.

• Calving records should be complete and up to date.

Nutrition and Forages • Continue to offer a high magnesium mineral to prevent grass tetany. Monitor intake to insure cows are consuming the recommended amount. No other source of salt or minerals should be available.

• This is the time to put into place a rotational grazing management system which will provide a rest period for pastures.

During rapid growth move more

BCIA Bull Sale Continued from Page 13 ers were designated as Virginia Premium Assured Plus females.

Demand was strong and prices steady, as the heifers averaged $2221 per head. Virginia Tech of Blacksburg, VA consigned Lot 5 to top the sale at $2600 selling to William Gillespie of Tazewell, VA. This pair of heifers is due to calve in October/November and was bred to VIP Foreman 1Y37. Lot 1 also from Virginia Tech sold for $2300 and went to Roger Cockerham of Lowgap, NC. These August 2012 heifers

were daughters of Sinclair Net Present Value and are due to calve in September. Hillwinds Farm of Dublin, VA consigned both Lots 2 and 6, which commanded $2400.

All bulls and heifers were consigned by members of the Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association. Bulls were developed at Hillwinds Farm at Dublin, VA owned and operated by Tim Sutphin. The sale was managed

by Virginia BCIA and the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association, and the auctioneer was Mike Jones.

quickly to the next paddock and leave some residue.

• Make plans to store your high quality hay in the dry.

• Collect and submit forage samples for nutrient analysis.

Herd Health • Consult with your veterinarian concerning pre-breeding vaccination schedule for cow herd, yearling heifers, and bulls. Plan early to allow 30-day vaccination window prior to breeding season.

• Plan parasite and fly control program for herd, and begin planning vaccination and preconditioning protocol to be used for calf crop.

Reproduction • Finalize plans and protocols for breeding season. Establish calendar with dates and timing of synchronization program to be used during breeding season.

Have supplies and semen on

hand.

• Breed heifers 2-4 weeks ahead of mature cows to allow longer post-partum interval prior to second breeding season.

• Schedule and conduct breeding soundness exams on herd sires, including annual vaccinations.

• Manage bulls properly during the breeding season. Observe frequently to confirm breeding activity and soundness, and monitor cows for repeat estrus.

Avoid commingling mature and young bulls, as older bulls will be dominant. As rule of thumb, yearling bulls should be exposed

to number of cows equal to their age in months (ie. 18 month old bull with ~18 cows).

Fall Calving Herds (September-November) General • Schedule and conduct pregnancy diagnosis with veterinarian following breeding season.

Plan a marketing strategy for open cows. Cull cow prices typically peak mid-spring through mid-summer, and prices generally stronger for cows in good body condition vs. thin cows (evaluate forage availability and potential feed and management Continued on Page 27

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PAGE 16–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

2014 Virginia Cattle Convention The 2014 Virginia Cattle Industry Convention and Commonwealth Classic youth beef shows were held at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds in Harrisonburg, VA, March 27 – 30, 2014.

Despite the cold, rain, snow, and sleet experienced at one point or another throughout the weekend, the events were successful and enjoyed by all. A special thank you goes to the Commonwealth Classic exclusive event sponsor, Zoetis.

The State Youth Cattle Working Contest started off the weekend of youth events beginning on Friday, March 28th. Earlier this spring, four regional contests were held in various locations across the state to determine the Top 9 teams that would be represented at the 2014 State Youth Cattle Working Contest. A total of 51 teams competed at the regional levels. Waynesboro Nursery hosted the first regional contest on March 13th and sent Rockingham County 4-H/FFA Team B (Caley Ellington, James Ritchie, Tristan Showalter) and Fort Defiance FFA Team B (Autumn Garber, Casey Glover, Anna Foley) on to the State level. From the Southern Piedmont Regional contest that was held on March 14 th at the Southern Piedmont AREC, Randolph Henry FFA (Ryan Hamlett, Dottie Long, Scott Pugh) moved on to the state level.

In 2014, the New River Valley Regional Contest and the Southwest Virginia Regional Contest were held together at G & G Livestock in Fort Chiswell on March 15th.

The New River Valley waVna Cattts able to send four teams: Grayson 4-H Team A (Mitchell Farmer, Kassie Compton, and Lucas Mitchell), Grayson 4-H Team B (Tre’ Parks, Jordan Roten, Ethan Reedy), Rural Retreat (Ashtyn Matney, Hunter Addison, Michael Addison) and Grayson 4-H Team C (Caleb Brannock, Garrett Shumate, and McGuire Osborne) on to the State Contest. In the Madison area, the regional contest was held at Tucker Livestock on March 19th. The two teams representing the Madison area were Orange County C (Hunter Koontz, Autumn Rogers, Sierra Coleman) and Orange County A (Blake Hopkins,

Robert Nixon, Zach Swoope).

The State Youth Cattle Working Contest, as well as the regional contests, begins with teams completing a cattle processing map.

This processing map is judged and returned to the team with any corrections prior to the team working the cattle. The teams then work a total of three head of cattle and are judged on the preparation and administration of a growth implant, a 7-way clostridial vaccination, a respiratory complex, ear tags, dewormer, and any other products that are deemed appropriate. In addition, the teams are also judged on the safety and handling of the cattle, as well as the time it takes to work all three head. For the 2014 State Youth Cattle Working Contest, first place was awarded to Rural Retreat High School, which consisted of Ashtyn Matney, Hunter Addison, and Michael Addison.

Orange County A, Blake Hopkins, Robert Nixon, and Zach Swoope

took home second place honors.

Third place honors were awarded to Randolph Henry High School.

Congratulations to all those teams that made it to the state level. A special thank you goes to Merck Animal Health, Southern States Cooperative, Inc. Virginia Farm Bureau, and Zoetis, along with our regional contest product sponsors, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merial and Zoetis.

The new Youth Meat Quality Assurance (YMQA) Program hosted youth training in conjunction with the Commonwealth Classic, One hundred eight 4-H and FFA youth participated in this statewide training. The youth learned proper animal management, husbandry, and handling techniques while at the training. By attending the classroom portion of the training, youth were certified in the Youth Pork Quality Assurance Plus program; youth who participated in both the classroom

and a chuteside training were Beef Quality Assurance certified. Both YPQA Plus and BQA certifications are recognized as national certifications through the Virginia Department of Education and are both part of the YMQA certification program that is administered through Virginia Cooperative Extension. All youth participating in these trainings will be fully eligible to compete at the State Fair of Virginia held in October.

The 2014 State Cattle Fitting Contest began Saturday morning, March 29th. This inaugural contest was open to exhibitors at the Commonwealth Classic and encourages youth to gain the ability to work with a team to enhance the showing performance of a groomed animal. The 2014 Contest saw four teams compete.

The Intermediate Division (ages 13 – 15) was won by the Junior Angus Association, which consisted of Jake McCall, Will Clark,

Caleb Boden, Chet Boden, and their coach Ruth Boden. The Junior Hereford Association took home second place honors with team members: Olivia Williams, Brent Hostetter, Ashley Hostetter, Kelsey Trainor, and coach, Herk Williams. Orange County 4-H won the Senior Division (ages 16 – 19) of the cattle fitting contest. Their team members included John Michael Knight, Cody Boden, Zach McCall, Blake Hopkins and coach Patti Knight. Second place went to Clarke County 4-H, with team members Mark Alexander, Catie Hope, Hunter Wimmer, Helena St. Clair and coach, Mark Alexander.

The Youth Cattle Fitting Contest would like to thank its sponsors: Country Folks, Pearson Livestock Equipment, and Virginia Club Calf Producers.

Another new contest, the 2014 State Cattle Sales Contest was also held Saturday morning of the Commonwealth Classic. The

THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 17

2014 Virginia Cattle Convention

objective of this contest is to gain a working understanding of performance and pedigree information.

The five competing teams were to take pedigree information, marketing materials, and an animal to a panel of judges and attempt to sell the judges that animal, based on a pre-chosen scenario. Top Intermediate division honors went to the Smyth County Livestock Club and their team members, Alex Wheeler, Zach Jones, and John Morgan Pratt, coached by Andy Overbay.

Rockbridge County 4-H took home second place honors and consisted of Jenna Hamilton, Brent Hostetter, and Ashley Hostetter, with coach Patty Hamilton. The Senior Division was won by 4-C Cattle Company of Augusta County.

Coached by Sarah McCall, this team consisted of Cody Boden, Jake McCall, Caleb Boden, and Zach McCall. Rockbridge County 4-H, Lindsey Fenster, Brandon Hamilton, Sarah Harris, and Davis Fenster, along with coach, Patty Hamilton took home second place

honors. Broadway FFA took home third place with their team members Kaylyn Beach, James Ritchie, and Taylor Burgess, coached by Callie Randolph. A special thank you goes to the Youth Cattle Sales Contest sponsors Cattleman’s Supply and CFC Farm and Home Center.

The Commonwealth Classic hosted 160 exhibitors, 46 commercial heifers, 84 prospect steers, and 108 breed entries, making for a grand total of 238 head shown throughout the weekend. The youth beef shows started off with the Showmanship division. Top honors went to Jack Redifer in Senior Showmanship, Blake Hopkins in Intermediate Showmanship, Zachary McCall in Junior Showmanship, and Holly Moore in Novice Showmanship. Reserve champion showman was awarded to: John Michael Knight in Senior Showmanship, Jake Snyder in Intermediate Showmanship, Taylor Wright in Junior Showmanship, and Samantha Moore in Novice

Showmanship.

Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning featured the youth registered breed shows. The youth Hereford show began the evening shows in Ring B. The Herefords had a strong showing with 27 head from 16 exhibitors. The Overall Grand Champion Hereford Heifer was awarded to Olivia Williams from Fairfield. Liana Durrer, of Ruckersville, received the Overall Reserve Grand Champion Hereford Heifer. Other honors included: Grand Champion Hereford Steer – Garret Cummins; Reserve Champion Hereford Steer – Walker Bowman; Grand and Reserve Champion Hereford Bull – Olivia Williams; Grand Champion Bred & Owned Hereford – Warren Elliott; and Reserve Champion Bred & Owned Hereford – Olivia Williams. The Hereford Show was followed by the youth Red Angus show. The Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Red Angus Heifer were awarded to Jolene Davis of Montpelier. The

Red Angus division had 3 exhibitors and 6 head.

In Ring A, the Youth Shorthorn Show featured 6 exhibitors showing 7 head. The Grand Champion Shorthorn Heifer was awarded to Taylor Burgess from Linville, with Reserve honors going to Zeb Gough of Rapidan. The Grand Champion Shorthorn Steer was awarded to Matthew Ferrari of Purcellville; Reserve Champion Shorthorn Steer honors went to Tiffany Heishman of Strasburg. The youth Simmental Show followed with 7 exhibitors showing 13 head. Overall Grand and Reserve Champion Purebred Simmental Heifer honors were awarded to Savannah Cline of Wytheville. In the Percentage Division, Overall Grand and Reserve Champion Heifer were awarded to Alex Wheeler of Atkins. The All Other Breeds division saw breeds such as Limousin, MaineTainers, Lim-Flex, and Chianina compete for top honors. Lexi Henderson of Berryville won the AOB Grand Champion

Heifer. Samantha Moore of Raphine received the AOB Reserve Champion Heifer.

Sunday morning, March 30th began with the Youth Commercial Heifer show and was followed by the Youth Prospect Steer Show.

Jenna Kibler, of Edinburg, won the Grand Champion Commercial Heifer and Bethany Gochenour, of Lebanon Church, was the exhibitor of the Reserve Champion Commercial Heifer. Grand Champion Prospect Steer honors went to Kyle Lutz, of New Market, while Tyler Custer, from Fulks Run, won Reserve Champion Prospect Steer.

The Youth Angus Show saw a very strong showing of 51 head of Angus cattle from 30 youth exhibitors. The Overall Grand Champion Angus Heifer was exhibited by John Michael Knight of Montpelier Station. The Overall Reserve Champion Angus Heifer was awarded to Bryce Bowman of Barboursville. Other Angus honors included: Grand Champion Bred & Owned Angus Heifer – Elizabeth Cole; Reserve Champion Bred & Owned Angus Heifer – Mark Alexander, of Berryville; Grand Champion Owned Heifer – John Michael Knight; Reserve Grand Champion Owned Heifer – Bryce Bowman; Grand Champion Angus Steer—Weston Snyder; Reserve Champion Angus Steer —Kelsey Lawson; Grand Champion Bred & Owned Angus Bull Calf—Connor Orrock; Reserve Champion Bred & Owned Angus Bull Calf—Elizabeth Cole; Grand Champion Bred & Owned Angus Bull—Morgan Alexander; and Reserve Champion Bred & Owned Angus Bull—Connor Orrock.

The Overall Supreme Champion Heifer drive rounded out a great weekend of events. This Supreme Drive saw the overall champions from all the youth heifer shows. John Michael Knight, from Montpelier Station, VA exhibited the Overall Supreme Champion Heifer. The Reserve Supreme Champion Heifer was exhibited by Bryce Bowman, of Barboursville, VA. Both the Supreme and Reserve Supreme Champion heifers were from the Youth Angus Division.

PAGE 18–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

John Michael Knight, from Montpelier Station, VA exhibited the 2014 Commonwealth Classic Overall Supreme Champion Heifer.

Blake Hopkins from Louisa, VA was honored as the 2014 Intermediate Showmanship Champion.

The 2014 Commonwealth Classic Senior Champion Showman was presented to Jack Redifer of Blacksburg, VA.

Champion Junior Showmanship honors went to Zachary McCall of Greenville, VA.

Holly Moore of Gretna was the Novice Division Champion Showman at the 2014 Commonwealth Classic.

THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 19

Southwest VA Angus Sale The Southwest Virginia Angus Association “Double Header Sale” was held on April 19, 2014 at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Abingdon. The females were in good demand they grossed, $170,425 to average $2,621 on 65 l ots.

The six fall calving pairs grossed $23,125 for an average of $3,854.

The top selling fall pair was consigned by Harr Farm& Cattle Co. of Bluff City, Tn. She is a three-year old daughter of HAR Predestined G491 bred to Werner War Party 2417 and she sold to Alan Earhart of Bluff City, Tn. for $2,100. Her 9-16-13 twin heifer calves by Connealy Consensus 7229 sold to D&J Meade Farm of Gate City, Va. for $1,450 for each one. Total for the lot was $5,000.

The 26 spring calving pairs grossed $72,750 for an average of $2,798 The co-top selling spring pair was a consignment of Justafew Angus of Max Meadows, Va. She is a four- year old daughter of HARB Pendleton 765 J H with a 11-16-13 heifer by H A Program 5652 and she sold bred back to Hoover Dam. This pair sold to Rudy Garland of Unicoi, Tn. for $3,200. The other co- top selling spring pair was a consignment of Powell Farm of Limestone, Tn. She is an eightyear old daughter of Leachman Right Time with a 1-18-14 heifer

calf by S A V Priority 7283 and she sold bred back to Connealy Capitalist 028 This pair sold for $3,200 to Abeggelen Livestock of Garneill, Montana.

The 14 bred heifers grossed $34,200 for an average of $2,442.

The top selling bred heifer was a consignment of Doubleheart Farm of Elizabethton,Tn. She is a PA4D Bando Supreme J2D daughter bred to DH57 Jipsey Earl 004 and she sold for $2,750 going to Keith Greene of Boone,N.C. Two heifers brought $2,700 both heifers were a consignment of Lucas Farm, Blacksburg,Va. The two heifers are daughters of K C F Bennett Upward W538 - 28A was bred to Connealy Capitalist 028 for a fall calf and 28B was bred to S A V Final Answer 0035for a fall calf. Both heifers sold to Double G Farm/Floyd Greer of Mendota, Va. The 16 open heifers grossed $34,750 for an average of $2,172.

The three top selling open heifers all brought $3,700. The three heifers were a consignment of Powell Farms of Limestone, Tn.All three heifers sold to Abegglen Livestock of Garneill,Mt. one is a daughter of WMR Timeless 458 and the other two are daughters of Werner War Party 2417.

This was the sixteenth annual Southwest Virginia Angus AssoContinued on Page 26

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Little Windy Hill 7th Annual Sale 23 Bulls $5,023 11 Fall Cow-Calf Pairs $2,995 1 Spring Bred Cow $2,400 8 Fall Open Heifers $1,632 APPOXIMATELY 125 PROGRESSIVE cattlemen attended the 7th Annual You-Pick-Um Bull and Female Sale hosted by Little Windy Hill Farms. The sale was held on November 16, 2013 at the

farm in Max Meadows, VA. High selling Balancer bull was Lot 12, LWHF Full Impact 587Z. He is a homozygous black, homozygous pooled HYEK Black Impact son, out of a SAV Net Worth dam. Jenny Strosser of Valley View Farms, Blacksburg, VA and Gale Rippey Farms at Galax, VA., teamed up to purchase this

herd sire prospect for $10,000.

The highest selling purebred Gelbvieh bull was Lot 5, LWHF Pure Pride 564Z. This homozygous black, homozygous polled bull is sired by HYEK Black Impact and is out of a Granite 200P2 dam. Rippe Gelbvieh, Hubbell, Neb., purchased this lot

Continued on Page 27

PAGE 20–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

VIRGINIA CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION Our next Virginia Charolais Association sponsored sale will be November 8, 2014. This will be our 14th annual herd improvement sale at VA Tech. This will be the only sale we host in 2014 due to the Expo date change. The new Expo date caused us to lose our sale manager as it was the same date as the sale in Eastern Tennessee.

2013-2014 VCA Officers Bill Thompson – President 1295 Park Avenue Clifton Forge, VA 24422 540-968-1987 Kaitlin Smith – Vice President 454 Old Farm Road Lexington, VA 24450 540-463-6778 Deidre Harmon – Secretary 1445 Pipers Gap Road Galax, VA 24333 276-233-8852

We have worked on new rules for our future sales. Some changes include our mostly female sales. (No more than one bull for 10 females has changed).

Now a consigner may consign one breeding age bull per each female lot. Because we missed a spring sale, and with changes in our rules, we hope to have a big sale this fall. It is not too early to begin lining up consignments for our early November sale.

Walt Winkler – Treasurer 124 Kindig Road Waynesboro, VA 22980 540-943-6144 Rob Farmer – Past President 8030 Greenwich Road Catlett, VA 20119 540-270-3886 Chad Joines – Southwest Director Junior Advisor Virginia Tech Dept of Animal & Poultry Science Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-557-7263

All members of the Virginia Charolais Association are entitled to join all the sales we sponsor.

We would like to invite anyone interested in becoming a member of our association to call one of the officers listed above.

River Croft Charolais Breeding Polled-Registered Performance Charolais Cell 540-968-1987 Fax 540-962-7508

William and Agnes Anderson P.O. Box 304 Altavista, VA 24517 (434) 369-5366 “Keeping the commercial producers in mind”

Charolais bulls for the most discriminating buyer 124 Kindig Road Waynesboro, VA 22980 Walt Winkler (540) 943-6144

Cross Mountain Cattle Co.

Robert Farmer 8030 Greenwich Rd. Catlett, VA 201195 540-270-3886 Gerry Scott 540-379-1975

CREWS FARMS Registered Charolais 784 Payneton Rd Chatham, VA Billy Crews, Barry Crews Billy C. Crews, Brent Crews (434) 656-2361 (434) 656-3771

THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 21

Flowing Spring Gelbvieh 6235 Lee Hwy. Atkins, VA 24311 CHARLES E. ATKINS, OWNER

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SOUTHFORK FARMS GELBVIEH & BALANCER CATTLE Nathan and Sue Ellen Haver 969 Little River Rd. Goshen, Va. 24439

Gelbvieh x British cow with a Balancer® sired calf.

LITTLE WINDY HILL Farms Doug & Sue Hughes 6916 Peppers Ferry Road Max Meadows, VA 24360

H 276/637-3916 O 276/637-4271

Triple D Registered Gelbvieh Red and Black Polled Bulls 13052 Ivor Rd., Sedley, VA 23878 Willie Diggs 770/591-3454 Alan Diggs 757/653-0174 Milton Diggs (Home) 757/859-6118 Milton Diggs (Cell) 757/328-8459 Email: tridlaser@yahoo.com www.wd-trid.com

Treble W Ranch Registered Gelbvieh Cattle 17462 Fenton Drive Abingdon, Va. 24210 Dr. Daryl Wilson/Tyler Wilson (276) 676-2242 Joe & Gwen Wilson (276) 628-4163

540-997-5376 540-997-5358 (Fax) 866-580-5335 (toll free) email- nate@southforkfarms.com

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Balancer® is a Gelbvieh x Angus or Red Angus registered hybrid.

James D. Bennett (434) 376-3567

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17659 Red House Road Red House, Virginia 23963

Office (434) 376-3567 Fax (434) 376-7008 Jim G. Bennett (434) 376-5760

To find a Gelbvieh or Balancer® breeder near you contact a member of the Gelbvieh Breeders of Virginia

Brian R. Bennett (434) 376-5309

LAST CALL GTomELBVIEH Lavelle, DVM 2984 Peppers Ferry Rd. Wytheville, Va. 24382 (O) 276-223-4488 (H) 276-223-0104

Gelbvieh Breeders of Virginia, Inc. 2157 Black Lick Road Rural Retreat, VA 24368

President: Nathan Haver - 540-997-5376 Vice President: Tom Lavelle - 276-223-4488 Secretary: Joe Wilson - 276-628-4163 Treasurer:Judith Sweeten - 276-228-6347

Handfula Gelbviehs Black, Polled, Purebred & Balancer Gelbvieh Cattle Stephen, Vivian, Megan & Caitlin Fanning 7287 East Blue Grass Trail Bland, VA 24315 (276) 722-2034 (276) 620-0054

REGISTERED POLLED GELBVIEH

C.H. Morris & Sons 928 Morris Road Appomattox, VA 24522 Roger L. Morris (434) 574-6592 (434) 315-4294

PAGE 22–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

In The Spotlight

Huckleberry Beef

Jacquelynn Davis Huckleberry Beef began as a Grade A Dairy farm that Noah F. Sowers (Mark and Curtis Sowers father) started in 1958 in Floyd, VA. Being a family owned operation, it was named Huckleberry Beef and became a partnering enterprise in the mid 1970’s and continued to grow. With farming being part of the family for over 100 years the Sowers family have built a well-known family operation, recognized as one of Virginia’s Century Farms, included in the spotlight segment of the 2013 Select Sire Beef Directory and also named the 2009 Virginia Dairymen of the year. Even though the family farm has raised other livestock and crops over the years, their ongoing focus is on their cattle both beef and dairy.

Huckleberry Beef is currently run by the Sowers Family, Mark and Curtis which have worked on the farm since they were little.

Along with their wives and children. Curtis and his wife Loyce and their three kids Chase Lowe, Ciera Boyd, and Shasta Sowers, which all help out on the farm part-time. Curtis and Loyce also have two grandchildren Anna Beth and Henry Boyd. Loyce also works for a local family medi-

their dog Max and several cats too numerous to name. Mark works on the farm and Teresa works at Virginia Tech as an accountant.

The Huckleberry beef operation consist of 650 acres owned property and about 650 acres of rented property with about half of the total acreage used for cattle and forage production. The rest is in timber. Crops grown on the farm include 225 acres in corn,

150 acres in alfalfa, and about 350 acres is used for hay and pasture land. “Mark said, the only thing we purchase is small hay bales, straw, grain, and supplements.

The rest comes straight from their farm!”

The cattle buying began in the mid 1970’s through purchasing black and black baldy cattle to complement the dairy operation.

Continued on Page 23

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Buy or lease a Roseda Black Angus bull and become a become a partner in an innovative branded beef partner in an innovative branded beef program. Roseda program. Roseda Farm will purchase your Roseda Farm will purchase your Roseda sired calves at comsired calves competitive a premium petitive pricesat plus a premiumprices basedplus on your level of based on your ofkeeping. management andatrecord management andlevel record Bulls start $1200 keeping.

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Dean Bryant Roseda Farm 410-472-2697 www.roseda.com roseda@roseda.com Noah F. Sowers (Mark and Curtis Sowers father). This photo was taken around 1942. cal doctor as a medical records keeper. Mark and Teresa don’t have any children but they do have their four legged children,

THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN–MAY 2014–PAGE 23

Huckleberry Continued from Page 22 In 1981, the legal partnership was formed and the Huckleberry Beef business began to grow.

With the help of family, friends, and neighbors each year more cattle were added to their dairy herd. In 1980s’ the purchase of beef breeding cattle began. The herd started through purchasing a few cows and heifers from some area herds. During this time they bought their bulls from Beef Cattle Improvement Association sales and other breeders in the state including Echo Ridge and Wehrmann Angus. Utilizing these genetics and retaining heifers allowed the beef cow herd to grow.

Simmental and Angus cross cows were eventually replaced primarily with Angus influence. The Sowers also transitioned from breeding cows through natural service to artificially inseminating their cattle and in the mid 1990’s they began breeding all first service heifers artificially to more quickly improve the genetic foundation of their herd. The Sowers now partner with their neighbor and friend, Terry Slusher, to buy cleanup bulls. “Mark Said, Terry mainly has a fall beef cattle herd, where we have mainly a spring herd. That way we double our buying power to get the better bulls.”

Randall M. Nester started as the Huckleberry Beef herdsman in 2001 with a goal to continue to grow their beef cattle program and seek new marketing opportunities. In 2002, Randall worked with Norm Vincel, beef coordinator for Select Sire Power, to selectively mate the cows based on pedigree and frame size. “These two events have really helped our herd become more uniform and competitive in the beef cattle industry today”, said Mark.

Each year they retain prospect replacement heifer calves and evaluate them in a rigid selection protocol that includes pelvic measurement, reproductive tract scoring, and weight. These aid to determine, physiologically speaking, the heifers will likely have minimal calving difficulties, high fertility, and vigor. The heifers are then artificially bred to calving ease sires to assure an easy first calf for the young heifers and reduce dystocia. All the

cattle are pregnancy checked in the fall to validate the correct sire and calving date information. The first calf heifers are then pastured, fed and calved in a separate pasture from the older cows to assure extra attention to the growth and health of both new cow and calf.

“Mark said, our farm has worked closely with Food Animal Vet-

erinarians from VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine for over 30 years. Working with the faculty, staff, and students at the vet school is very rewarding. It has really kept us on the cutting edge of health issues for our herd.”

“Mark said, we could not have gotten a better Veterinarian to work with than Dr. Dee Whittier

DVM back when the vet school first opened. He has truly been a great friend and mentor throughout the years.” Along with Dr. Dee Whittier, Dr. John Currins DVM has really helped compliment Dr. Whittier at the college. Both individuals push their students and Huckleberry Beef to do the very best they can do for their animals

and selves. Currently Huckleberry Beef operates with around 200 brood beef cows. The cattle are split into two different calving seasons about 160 head are bred to calve in the spring and about 40 head around bred to calve in the fall. The Huckleberry herd Continued on Page 24

Beef Promotion Update

A Monthly report on your Checkoff Dollars at work from the Virginia Beef Industry Council

May 2014

Beef! It’s What’s For Dinner!®

www.vabeef.org

Virginia cattle producers are inviting beef lovers throughout the state to join us in celebrating Beef Month in May. The month goes beyond just recognizing a tasty, nutritious product. It’s about celebrating a way of life and a commitment to community, family and nature. Beef producers are the true stewards of the land, caring for our animals in a responsible way and making sure our operations are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. Furthermore, we take pride in the quality of beef throughout the production chain. After all, the beef we supply to stores everywhere is the same beef we feed our families.

And families, by the way, are the core of the beef industry. About 95 percent of farms and ranches are owned by individuals, families or partnerships and only 4 percent fall into the “corporate” category. Many cattle operations have been in the same family for many generations. Clearly, this is about a way of life as much as it is a business. We don’t cut corners because nature and great beef just can’t be rushed.

So have a succulent steak or juicy burger to join us in honoring May Beef Month!

Virginia Beef Council • P.O. Box 9 • Daleville, VA 24083 • 540.992.1992

PAGE 24–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

Huckleberry

HUCKLEBERRY BEEF

Continued from Page 23 remains predominantly Angus based, but also utilizes Simmental and Hereford crossbreeding to maximize heterosis. Since the Sowers and Huckleberry Staff are around their cattle so much when they are breeding and feeding them, most of the cows are very tame and disposition is not an issue. Low excitability also helps lessen stress of the cattle when rounding up, moving, working, or selling.

Recently Huckleberry Beef decided to start having an annual production sale. Mark said, “One of the reasons we started having an annual cow sale was because we wanted to take full advantage of the AI breeding program that they had implemented. Sure we had a good set of cows but we knew that the heifers from these breeding’s would be far superior to what we had. After all, the bulls we were using were some of the best in the USA if not the world.”

He continued saying, “When we started selling the extra cows we had, everyone said, I wish I would have got to pick out of your sale cows first.” So the next year they offered them for sale at auction.

Each year their herd gets better and better and in turn the cows they offer get better and better.

“Everyone knows that you can make more genetic improvements with purchasing a good bull, but they are only half of the equation.

If you don’t have good females then you can only improve so much.” “Most of the time if you want to expand or replace females in your herd you only have open and bred heifers to choose from.

Sure they are young and bred, but do you know what their mothering abilities are? Our sale cows take that risk out of the equation, because all of them have had at least one calf before selling and now know the routine”, said Mark. Huckleberry Beef currently holds a bred cow sale each year the first Saturday in December.

“We don’t have a fancy sale barn or ring yet, but maybe someday.

Holding the sale in December would make a sale barn better for everyone, because we have had several sale days that it has snowed or been real cold, but the cattle still seem to sale well anyways”, said Mark. Right now they

Production Cow Sale 1st Saturday each December

Commercial bull sales Each spring

Out of AI sires & dams All home bred & raised

have a temporary pens built near and old store building we own and hold the sale outside. They try to pen like animals together and then sale them 1 or 2 at a time.

They offer a wide variety of cows from 3 to 9 years old. The cows are bred to either AI bull that will calve in February or March or to a bull bred cow that will calve later in the spring.

On the dairy side of Huckleberry Beef, they maintain roughly 660 head. They have 235 milking cows in the lactation. 200 are registered Holsteins, 16 are Brown Swiss and 17 are Cross Breeds.

They also have 282 dairy heifers the breeds on those 232 Holsteins, 21 Brown Swiss and 29 Cross Breeds. They keep between 100 to 150 Holsteins steers for marketing and selling in Wytheville at the state graded Holstein Feeder Sales in the spring and fall. Mark says, “We try to market them when they reach a weight range of 500 – 900 pounds depending on how many we have and what the feed availability is at the time of the sale.” Huckleberry Beef’s dairy has a Rolling Herd Average of 20,363 lbs milk, 810 lbs fat, 617 lbs protein and 230,000 SCC. They just completed their new 142’ X 240’ Pack barn with hope of increasing those figures in the future, with the help of added comfort and bunk space for milking cows.

Huckleberry Beef is truly a team effort between Curtis and Mark. Curtis does the scheduling and the day to day operations of the farm and Mark handles the record keeping and cropping decisions. They both share in all the day to day jobs on the farm.

“Mark says, we both have our strengths and weaknesses but together we make a great team.”

It is both challenging and rewarding to work with family. “Mark said, when we were younger

we use to fight over who got the farm, whomever won got the farm. Now that we are older the loser gets it. But now that the beef and dairy price are up the winner may get it again.” Huckleberry Beef is a very successful family owned operation on both beef and dairy cattle side, with a lot of great genetic breeding. Their young stock program makes a difference, with quality stock you can count on!

Our young stock program makes the difference.

For further information call: Curtis Sowers @ 540-230-6957 Randall Nester @ 540-392-1826 Mark Sowers @ 540-230-0177 1145 WILLS RIDGE RD, FLOYD, VA 24091

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THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMANâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;MAY 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;PAGE 25

Beef Buzz Continued from Page 8 many perspectives. Virginia cattle producers know the importance of providing beef in forms that fit both consumer lifestyles and pocketbooks, and make good use of beef available.

Ground Beef comes from whole muscle cuts that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it into steaks and roasts. However, it still must pass all kinds of government and industry hurdles before it gets to your table. In fact, much of the Ground Beef sold comes from trimmings from steaks and roasts.

Ground Beef that goes into hamburgers is a wholesome, versatile product that comes in different levels of lean. While it sometimes can come in a ratio that is 3-1 lean to fat, many Ground Beef varieties today are up to 93 percent lean. If buying it in the grocery store, look for the lean to fat ratio on the package. If buying it from a restaurant, you can ask your server what lean-

ness they serve.

Ground Beef found in hamburgers also delivers 10 essential nutrients, all in one tasty package. These nutrients â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are important to good health.

Though most people enjoy hamburgers, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a highly individualized dish. With multiple condiments and myriad toppings, the ways to enjoy them are endless. Furthermore, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s truly a democratic sandwich, in that no one begrudges anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choices for preparing theirs.

Widely popular, easy to fix, wholesome and satisfying, burgers have earned a place in the hearts of Americans. The Virginia Beef Industry Council, representing beef producers across the state, believes a burger at home or at your favorite restaurant is a highly appropriate way to celebrate May Beef Month.

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PAGE 26–MAY 2014–THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

Ride Along Steve Furrow, President VCA On Wednesday, April 9th, I had the opportunity join my fellow cattlemen at the annual NCBA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. This was my third campaign to D.C. in the last five years and I find myself believing our efforts are worth the time and expense.

They are worth it because we take for granted that everyone understands where food comes from and the struggles we have in our businesses. As I meet new faces in the offices of our governing body, I realize that few have any idea of what our livelihood is all about and that is the reason to keep going and telling our story.

I caught the train at 6 am in Lynchburg to head up to the capital to meet Jason Carter and Burton Eller for the day of meetings with our legislators.

Jason was waiting for me when I walked into the station where we walked downstairs to meet Burton for some coffee. If you

SWVA Sale Continued from Page 19 ciation Spring Performance Test Bull Sale. Fifty-three yearling Angus Bulls went through the sale ring for a gross of $192,200 and an average of $3,626. The top-selling bull was a GAR New Design 5050 son He was consigned by Matney Angus of Pounding Mill, Va. and sold for $5,100 to Charlie Holbrook of Bluefield, Va. We had 70 buyers from the 180 people who registered for a bidder’s number. Cattle sold into Montana, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. The sale gross was $362,625 on 118 lots for an average of $3,073. Volume female buyers were Chip Ridge Farms of Abingdon,Va., and Abegglen Livestock of Garneill, Montana Volume bull buyers were Jessee Farm LLC of Lebanon, Va. who bought three bulls and Mason Johnson of Greenville, W.Va. who also bought three bulls.

have never been to Union Station, it is worth the stop. There is a lot of history coupled with modern day vendors and restaurants. Johnny Rocket’s served as our command center where we forged our plan for the day.

Appointments had been set, but we needed to collectively decide which issues were in play at each office.

I am not an expert on the issues nor am I an expert on political maneuvering, but I can provide insight on how certain Issues are or could affect my family business and way of life. Below are some highlights of the items we discussed.

Waters of the US- The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corp of Engineers would like to have jurisdiction over all types of water. The debate centers on the definition of a body of water. Water is a necessity in our farming/ranching businesses and additional regulation and oversight without good cause creates an unnecessary burden.

Brazilian beef- The USDA has proposed to amend regulations that would allow the importation of frozen or chilled beef into the US from 14 states in Brazil.

I know we are a “hamburger nation”, but we do not need to

risk the introduction of foot and mouth disease into our country.

We need verified assurance that Brazil is taking care of business with the necessary steps to ensure its product is safe.

COOL- The World Trade Organization (WTO) has previously ruled that Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) violates our trade agreements with Canada and Mexico. We amended our stance and WTO hearings are ongoing to determine if we are in compliance.

If we are not, then we should expect some regulatory tariffs from two of our largest trading partners and thus reducing the demand for our beef.

Trade and Trans Pacific Partnership- Cattlefax estimates that exports have added an additional $307 of value per head in 2013. Most of that value comes from items that most Americans have no interest in eating. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a multi-lateral trade agreement currently being negotiated by the United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, Canada and Mexico. We need to support free and full trade with these nations to drive the value of our exports even higher.

A highlight from each of the offices visited was: Representative Hurt better understands the impact of COOL on Virginia through our export

of feeder cattle to Canada. Representative Whitman better understands the difference between federal and state packing house regulations. Representative Cantor better understands the value of agriculture to Virginia. Representative Griffith better understands the marketing of feeder cattle in Virginia. Representative Goodlatte better understands the challenge we have with the EPA. All have a better understanding of who Virginia Cattlemen are.

Before I headed back to the train station, I finished the day off with a quick snack in the Rayburn Building Cafeteria enjoying some delicious beef provided by Outback Steakhouse. Between

the boots, hats and beef, I feel confident everyone in D.C. knew the BEEF people were in town. I encourage you to join in next year when the BEEF will again come to town. The 2015 NCBA Legislative Conference is scheduled for March 24-26.

If my ramblings above appear to be scattered and random statements, remember these next two.

The Virginia Cattlemen’s objectives are to promote the profit potential of Virginia’s cattle industry, provide a voice to the legislature on state and local issues and provide educational opportunities for the public. If we, VCA staff and Board members, can be of service please let us know.

SMITH REASOR, AUCTIONEER REASOR SIMMENTALS

276-620-3123 skrlkr@embarqmail.com “I will be assisting with the following Auctions” 5/10 - 5C Farm Equipment Consignment Auction Dublin 5/17 - Dunkley Farm Equipment Consignment Auction Rural Retreat “Call for information to buy or sell”

THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMANâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;MAY 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;PAGE 27

Herd Advisor Continued from Page 15 costs to increase BCS of cull cows if warranted). â&#x20AC;˘ Evaluate potential options for marketing of calf crop.

Match weaning date and calf management with operational goals. Calculate break-evens on various marketing options and consider risk management strategies. â&#x20AC;˘ Reimplant commercial calves.

Nutrition and Forages â&#x20AC;˘ As calves are weaned move cows to poorer quality pas-

tures. â&#x20AC;˘ Use palatable feeds during the weaning period to bunk train calves and minimize weight loss. â&#x20AC;˘ Reserve high quality hay and a pasture area for calves postweaning.

Herd Health â&#x20AC;˘ Consult with veterinarian on vaccination protocol for calf crop.

Design vaccination and weaning

program around marketing goals and objectives. â&#x20AC;˘ Plan parasite and fly control program for cows and calves.

Genetics â&#x20AC;˘ Collect weaning weights on calf crop at optimum time (AHIR age range 120-280 days), along with cow weights, hip heights and body condition scores (cow mature size data taken within 45 days of calf weaning measure).

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Positive contributions toward temperament, fertility and cowherd retention makesfor for Black a strong case to utilize USDA Line1 Bulls Cow Herds P.O. Box 103 Andy McIntire Heterosis in the many Black cowherds of Virginia.

Berryville, VA 22611 (540) 955-0066performance and Complete data Polled Hereford Bulls with completecarcass performance and carcass data for sale. Call for current date and video.

R. J. Lester, Axton, VA Main Anjou â&#x20AC;˘ Show Calves â&#x20AC;˘ Breeding Cattle R JTop LESTER â&#x20AC;˘ BLUE RIDGE HEREFORDS â&#x20AC;˘ AXTON, VIRGINIA 434-334-1376 - â&#x20AC;˘day â&#x20AC;˘ 276-650-8445 - night Sires Distributor Renaissance Livestock Minerals

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Res.: (540) 544-7748 Off.: (540) 864-6900 Cell: (540) 589-5258 www.charltonassociates.net

McDonald Farms

Continued from Page 19

ROANOKE-HOLLINS STOCKYARD

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Windy Hill for $9,000.

Lot 6, LWHF Direct Impact 568Z was the second high selling purebred Gelbvieh bull. Another homozygous black, homozygous polled son of HYEK Black Impact, he sold for $8,500 to Kittle Gelbvieh in Geraldine, Ala. Lot 2, LWHF Ez-Go 553Z was the second high selling Balancer bull. Sired by Vin-Mar Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly Factor and out of a HYEK Black Impact dam, he sold to Sheets Farm in Glade Springs, VA., for $6,000.

In the female offering, the top selling pair was Lot 38. A Granite 200P2 daughter with a super stout Future Investment heifer calf at side sold to Pruett Gelbvieh, Wytheville, VA., for $3,000.

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PAGE 28â&#x20AC;&#x201C;MAY 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

President C.S. Fitzgerald, P.O. Box 209 -Fishersville, VA 1IPOF t 'BY Raphine Email: vaangus@vaangus.org P.O. Box www.vaangus.org 209 Fishersville, VA Website: www.vaangus.org

PLEASE MAKE A NOTE......

Virginia Angus Association Events for May

The Arehartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2853 Shutterlee Mill Rd. Staunton, VA 24401

Virginia Angus Breeders Show and Field Day July 25-27, 2014 Olde Dominion Ag Complex, Chatham, VA We will be selling raffle tickets to help raise funds for the VA Angus Junior and Open Breeders Show and Field Day. Tickets are one for $20 or six for $100.

Grand Prize: Riverode Chute with palpation cage and Formost Headgate OR $2,000 cash 2nd prize: TruTest scales with Ezi-Weigh 5 monitor and Aluminum Platform OR $1,500 cash 3rd prize: Formost Headgate choice of Model 30 or Model A25 OR $500 cash 4th prize: MVE Millennium XC 20 semen tank OR $400 cash 5th prize: $200 cash 6th prize: $100 cash Drawing to be held at the Breeders Show on Saturday, July 26. You do not have to be present to win. Winner is responsible for making arrangements for pick up or shipping. Please see a VA Junior Angus member, VA Angus board member or Breeders Show committee member to purchase tickets or call the VA Angus Association at 540-337-3001.

ANNUAL BULL SALE THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER www.edgewoodangus.com Mailing Address: 400 Angus Ln. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Williamsburg, VA 23188 Farm Address: 28225 King William Rd. - West Point, VA 23181 Pete: (757) 880-7274 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pete@hendersoninc.com Peter: (757) 298-6300 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; peter@hendersoninc.com

THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMANâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;MAY 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;PAGE 29

BCIA Outstanding Commercial Producer Award - James Kean The 2014 Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association recognizes James Kean from Louisa, Virginia as the 2014 Outstanding Commercial Producer. With his commitment to produce high-quality calves through improvement of genetics and management, Kean exhibits one of the key missions of BCIA. James Kean runs a 300 head fall-calving cow/calf beef operation in Louisa, Virginia.

James has a reputation for having high quality beef cattle with his calves always bringing a premium in the local state graded sales or Central Virginia Cattlemen Association (CVCA) special tele-auction sales. James has always paid special attention to maintaining high quality genetics in his herd through the use of AI with his heifers, as well as using top quality bulls many times from the BCIA Test Station sales on the cows. The cow herd consists primarily of Angus and black baldy cows.

James also raises small grain and corn row crops on his operations, which is used primary for feed resources in his cattle operation.

James is a leader for the local farming community serving on several boards of directors.

James has been an active member of the Louisa Farm Bureau Board of Directors for over 25

years serving as President for several years. He has been a director on the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District for the past eleven years.

James served on the Orange Madison Coop Board of Directors for 20 years. He has been a member of the CVCA since it started in the late 1980â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and served on the board of directors since January of 2011. James is also a 4-H volunteer and has

Dr. Scott Greiner Ph.D. presents BCIA Commercial Producer Award to James Kean.

helped with the Louisa Agriculture Fair for the past 15 years.

James is married to Dr. Kate Hussman who recently retired from being a large animal veterinarian in Louisa County. James has two sons Brian and John.

Virginia BCIA congratulates James Kean for his commitment to improve genetics and management within his herd by focusing on key selection criteria and marketability of his calves.

Virginia Cattle Company Radiant, VA 540/672-1760

Graded Feeder Cattle Sale Every Tuesday10:30 a.m.

Tel-O-Auction Hook-up Available Board Cattle and Private Treaty Sales Also Available Gary Vance 540/622-4889

ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. A reliable business TEVXRIV MW HMJ½GYPX XS GSQI F] %X XLI %QIVMGER %RKYW %WWSGMEXMSRŽ E XIEQ SJ WOMPPIH 6IKMSREP 1EREKIVW GER KYMHI ]SYV STIVEXMSR XS[EVH WYGGIWW 'SRXEGX 'LVMW .IJJGSEX XS PSGEXI %RKYW KIRIXMGW WIPIGX QEVOIXMRK options tailored XS ]SYV RIIHW ERH XS EGGIWW %WWSGMEXMSR TVSKVEQW ERH WIVZMGIW 4YX XLI business breed to [SVO JSV ]SY

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If you are looking to start a herd add a few more to your herd or reSlace a few This will Ee the sale you don t want to miss!

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PAGE 30â&#x20AC;&#x201C;MAY 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;THE VIRGINIA CATTLEMAN

BCIA Superior Service Award Presented To Lawson Roberts The 2014 Virginia BCIA Superior Service Award is presented to Lawson Roberts from Amelia, Virginia. Through his industry involvement, leadership, and education, Lawson has been dedicated to promoting the principles of BCIA by fostering genetic improvement and quality enhancement of beef cattle in Virginia.

J. Lawson Roberts, former Livestock Marketing Specialist with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), has graded livestock across Central Virginia and the Commonwealth. He has contributed significantly to the enhancement of the quality and consistency of the cattle in the region through his efforts. He willingly shares his expertise with adults and youth, conveying his knowledge of the Livestock Grading system. He has participated in numerous educational programs, field days, and workshops to enhance the understanding of producers on the importance of genetics and management, and their relationship to cattle quality and value.

He assists VCE programs by educating producers on the application of the grading system and includes examples of the relationship between feeder cattle grade and end product

involved in youth education, including the State Fair of Virginia, and numerous local shows. He grades livestock at local events and willingly visits with the youth to explain grading and marketing to them. He volunteers to educate 4-H Stockmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Livestock Judging teams in his home county.

Lawson recently accepted the position as Manager at the

Southside Livestock Market, and will continue to be an important component of the industry in the region and state. Additionally, Lawson farms with his father in Amelia on their cow-calf operation.

Virginia BCIA extends its appreciation to Lawson Roberts for his dedication and leadership toward the enhancement of Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beef cattle industry.

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Lawson Roberts receives BCIA Superior Service Award. attributes at harvest.

Lawson has contributed significantly to the growth and success of the Virginia Quality Assured feeder calf program. He assists groups including Amelia Area Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LLC, Buckingham Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association, Central Virginia Cattle Producers, Southern Virginia Beef Alliance, and others. He also works closely with the Virginia Premium Assured Heifer Program.

This is in addition to grading weekly sales in Lynchburg and Blackstone and at other markets as needed. Lawson is highly respected for his knowledge and expertise, and played an important role on the team that has established a strong reputation for the region as a source for quality cattle. Lawson Lawson has been integrally

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