2023 Summer PIEDMONTESE CATTLE magazine

NAPA Directors

Marlin Will - President 81398 Rd 441 Broken Bow, NE 68822

Cell: 605-939-9574

marlin-will@piedmontese.com

Paul Harold - Vice President 1910 Uler Road

Newton, WV 25266

Ph: 304-549-8636 h-hfarm@hotmail.com

Hiram Lambert 15081 10 Road Smith Center, KS 66967 Ph: 308-293-5444 tendergenetics@gmail.com

Jared Bauereiss Box 111

Inglis, Manitoba, Canada R0J0X0

Cell: 204-821-5034 jaredbauereiss@hotmail.com

Austin Soukup 38394 295th Street Lake Andes, SD 57356 Cell: 605-491-1736 Austin_L_S@hotmail.com

Ken Silva 24455 Shel Max Road Oak Run, California 96069 Cell: 530-351-2084 2tkranchinc@gmail.com

Tom Sperling 44386 SD Hwy 42 Canistota, SD 57012 Ph: 605-999-3279 sperling@svtv.com

Vicki Johnson, Exec. Director PO Box 283, Asquith, SK. Canada S0K 0J0 Ph: 306-329-8600 NAPA.piedmontese@gmail.com

YOUR PIEDMONTESE VOICE

Publisher/Editor - Vicki Johnson

The

assumes no responsibility for the truth or accuracy of ads; but attempts to accurately publish all editorial and ads. We reserve the right to refuse or edit any ad copy or photos. It is recommended to submit editorial and advertising copy well prior to deadlines to ensure accurate dispensing of information. Editorial material is understood to be the opinion of the writer only, and is not necessarily that of NAPA. Letters to the Editor, manuscripts and photos are welcomed and, if printed, may be edited for content. Submit all material

Piedmontese Upcoming Events

NATIONALS:

Start planning NOW to bring out your best Piedmontese to the 2024 National Show in Denver, CO during the National Western Stock Show!

The online entry deadline is NOVEMBER 20, 2023.

Jan. 12, 2024 - Piedmontese arrive

Jan. 16, 2024 - Piedmontese Shows (11 am Fullblood Show followed by Naturalean Show)

Cattle can leave after the show and by Jan. 17, 2024 at 10 am cattle must be gone. Visit www.nationalwestern.com

There are also 3 Open Piedmontese Show events held in 2023 this summer & fall, as follows:

Kentucky State Fair - August 27 - Piedmontese Show - enter online at: https://kystatefair.org

Nebraska State Fair - August 31 - Piedmontese Show - enter online at: https://www.statefair.org/ag-competitions/livestock-exhibitors/

North Carolina State Fair - October 12 - Piedmontese Showenter online at:https://www.ncstatefair.org

BE WATCHING for updates on the 2024 BULL SALE

Plans are in the making for a Piedmontese Bull Sale in the spring of 2024, but details are not yet finalized.

NOMINATIONS to the NAPA Board of Directors

Three NAPA Directors terms will be expiring at the end of 2023, for Marlin Will of Nebraska, Ken Silva of California and Austin Soukup of South Dakota. All three Directors are eligible and have agreed to stand their names for re-election for the next term which will start Jan 1, 2024 through Dec. 31, 2026.

At this time, we call for any further nominations from the NAPA membership.

Any active member in good standing may make nominations, with one such member as the nominator, and another such member signing as the “second” to the nomination. Nominations must be received by Sept. 1, 2023. The Association shall then confirm the acceptance of the nomination with said nominee in writing.

If more than three nominees are available, NAPA will circulate Vote Ballots via mail to all active members by Sept. 15, 2023.

Photocopy the following form, complete and mail to NAPA, or scan and send via email.

NAPA Director Nomination Form

I, (print name) ____________________________________ hereby nominate (print name):

as a candidate for election to the NAPA Board of Directors. Nominator please print your name above and sign below:

____________________________ Date: ______________

Seconded by: (print name) __________________________

Seconder’s signature:

Performance Testing on the GrowSafe system at Toro Ranch, Broken Bow, NE will be available this fall, but it is recommended to bring only the very ‘top of the line’ bull prospects, as space is limited and guarantee of purchase at the close of testing is no longer implied.

The Piedmontese Breed Improvement Committee is comprised of Directors and NAPA members, as follows:

Marlin Will

Ken Silva

Austin Soukup

Tom Sperling

Hiram Lambert

Peter DenOudsten

Jerry Hofer

____________________________ Date: ______________

Name/Address of Candidate:

Phone: _______________ Email _____________________

Mail the above Nomination Form to ensure it is received by Sept 1, 2023 to:

NAPA

44386 SD Hwy 42

Canistota, SD 57012 or Email scanned PDF form to NAPA.piedmontese@gmail.com

There were a variety of cattle in competition at the 2023 Foxwarren-Solsgirth 4H Beef Club Fat Stock Show June 10th at Galloway’s Farm. Two of them were Piedmontese. The following report is from Stacy Oliver-Bauereiss.

There were 5 Peewees showing calves – 1 Holstein calf (steer), two red Simmentals (heifers), one black Simmental (bull) and 1 Piedmontese (heifer)

There were 4 Cloverbuds showing calves – 1 Fleckvieh Simmental (heifer), 1 black Simmental (bull), 1 Speckled Park (heifer) and 1 Piedmontese (bull)

Junior Class there was three kids showing animals – (1 black Simmental ) and heifers (1 red Simmental) and (1 belted Galloway x red Simmental)

Intermediate class had 4 kids showing steers and heifers Steers – 1 Red angus and 3 Simmental Heifers – 1 Charolais, 1 Char x Red Angus, 1 Simmental.

Above is Slater with “Lady” on the left, and Callan with “Little John” on the right - just relaxing with their calves.

Total number of animals:

Calves – 8

Heifers – 5

Steers – 5

There were 18 animals total at the show, with Slater Bauereiss (5 years old) in the PeeWee division and Callan Bauereiss (7 years old) in the Cloverbud division, both with Piedmontese calves. cont. p. 7

Everyone learned a few things - even the Judge –at this 4-H Show in Manitoba, Canada on June 10, 2023.

Piedmontese at the 4-H Show in Manitoba

Final Placings

Peewee wasn’t formally judged –there was quite an age range (black Simmental was 1 week old, both the red Simmental calves were about 2 weeks old) - Slater’s calf was born May 2, 2023. The Holstein calf was born April 4th and similar size. The Judge was impressed that 5 year old Slater was talking with his calf and that Lady followed Slater’s commands well. Slater heard the judge talking about one of the other boy’s calf being a Holstein. When the judge walked over and asked the name and DOB and then just looked, Slater smiled and looked sideways at the judge (Neil Carson, Norther Light Simmentals from Rossburn, MB) and asked “do you know what breed Lady is?” Neil said “No, but it sure has lots of muscles.” Slater said “Lady is a Piedmontese and they have more muscles and less fat so they are healthier animals because they aren’t fat.” Smiling the whole time he was explaining it and giving lady belly scratches. The next time we were in the ring Judge Neil Carson told Slater “I know this is a Piedmontese calf.” Slater said, “It’s good I told you that so you know for judging.” (out of the mouth of babes – it’s a good thing it was the Peewee category).

Judge Carson also asked Callan what breed Little John was. Callan replied “Little John is a 2 copy Piedmontese bull calf, that’s why he has so many muscles because his dam and his sire are both 2 copy Piedmontese animals” He asked the sire and dam along with the name and birthdate. Callan was able to recite the info. Callan said the judge looked a little confused when he told him his calf was a Piedmontese and that it was 2 copy. He did say overall Callan got Little John to hold his head up good and handled his calf well. Callan placed 2nd in Cloverbud showmanship plus second Overall in Cloverbud class.

In the Grooming competition – Fleckvieh heifer got 1st, black Simmental got 2nd, Speckled Park was 3rd and Callan was 4th (we told him to expect this as Pieds don’t have the haircoat the other breeds do so doesn’t need to be fluffed for the show). Judging – Cloverbuds got to judge the Junior class animals – Callan got 3rd in overall judging for reasoning and scoring ability.

The last category of the day was the team grooming. All the kids from each age group were divided into 2 teams. Slater was on the Buckskin heifer grooming team and Callan was on the Fleckvieh heifer grooming team. Slater’s team won for best presentation in the shortest time with good teamwork and communication skills.

The last event was the steer auction. The 5 steers ranged between $3.50 to $5.00 per pound. At the last meeting the kids voted on 1.5% of the proceeds of the steer sale to two local kids battling cancer to help cover travel and lodging expenses in Winnipeg.

The day wrapped up with a water balloon fight (the clovers and juniors gave the intermediates and juniors a battle challenge), potluck and beef on a bun supper and visiting with friends and neighbours.

We had lots of people ask about the breed and had questions – a couple people asked when the kids are older if they would be showing a 2 copy or 1 copy steer. I said likely a 1 copy steer and a 2 copy heifer. Many people were interested in how the 1 copy animal would look at the steer auction.

Our youngest boy, Patton, didn’t end up showing a calf this year – he and one of the other boys there found some snacks and a mud puddle – he decided next year he would like to show a calf.

We do live in Simmental Country – so it was worthwhile to expose new people to Piedmontese.

Callan and Slater both send a big THANK YOU to NAPA for the $100. Gift cards they were awarded for completing their 4-H project with their Piedmontese calves l

Above: 7 yr old Callan Bauereiss looking ‘cool’ in competition with “Little John”.

Below: 5 yr old Slater Bauereiss with “Lady” on the right, in their PeeWee class.

MORE Piedmontese Kids!

Attention all Piedmontese magazine advertisers! You have “followers”!! The next generation of Pied-breeders!

Meet 2 year old Kylan Miller (far left) and his 4 year old brother Tristan together with the first 2023 Pied calf born in May at their farm in Shreve, Ohio.

Their mom and dad (Juanita & Caleb Miller) tell us that the boys study over every inch of the NAPA magazine and know the all the herdsires by name: Thanos, Black River, Donzel, Rocky and so on.

Check the front cover of this issue to see what they were reading!

Congratulations to Dr. Tim Smith!

This spring the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) inducted Dr. Timothy Smith into its Science Hall of Fame for scientific achievements in developing and leveraging genomic tools to improve livestock health and productivity.

Timothy Smith, a research chemist with the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center’s Genetics and Animal Breeding Research unit in Clay Center, Nebraska, was among the first to shape the direction and evolution of ARS’s animal genomics program. As a member of the “Gene Mapping Group,” Smith and his colleagues’ publication of the first genetic maps of cattle, pigs and sheep won a USDA Secretary’s award for excellence in 1994.

Smith’s work has had direct impact on the livestock industry through development of genetic markers and DNA tests

associated with production traits in cattle, pigs and sheep as well as genetic mutations that influence the physical expression of those traits in the animals.

For example, Smith’s patent on markers associated with beef tenderness represent some of the first genetic markers that were put into commercial use (in 2003) and are still used on tens of thousands of beef cattle each year to select for the tenderness trait in beef cattle.

He also led studies of a myostatin gene in Belgium Blue and Piedmontese cattle that determined two distinct gene mutations were responsible for the breeds’ increased muscle mass trait, known as “double muscling.” The paper describing this work has been cited over 1,600 times since being published in the journal Genome Research in 1997—including 78 citations in 2022 alone.

Smith’s contributions to ARS’s genomic programs include initiating the transition from microsatellite marker-based maps to single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers.

This switch enabled genome-wide associations studies and better use of markers for trait selection than was possible with genome mapping.

cont. page 11

Congratulations to Dr. Tim Smith!

Together with National Institutes of Health collaborators, Smith co-developed a method called “trio-binning” that improved the efficiency and accuracy of genome assemblies for livestock and humans by first sequencing forms of parental DNA that offspring inherit called haplotypes, which reside on a single chromosome.

He was the driving force behind our Piedmontese X Gaur trio-binning and the subsequent Piedmontese X Bison triobinning projects that continue to instruct us on our breed.

XMore recently, Smith co-developed a method for automating the assembly of microbial genomes in livestock that’s used worldwide to assist with investigations of foodborne illness and disease, as well as all allows for differentiating between closely related strains or species. His expertise in microbial and animal genomics has prompted speaker invitations from around the world and industry recognition for his achievements in promoting not only livestock health and productivity, but also food safety and environmental sustainability.

NAPA extends our hearty congratulations on this well deserved recognition, Dr. Smith! l

Scientists Use

Gene-Editing Technology to Produce First Calf Resistant to Major Viral Disease.

CLAY CENTER, Nebraska, May 9, 2023 - Scientists have collaborated to produce the first gene-edited calf with resistance to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a virus that costs the U.S. cattle sector billions of dollars annually.

The recent study published in PNAS Nexus results from a collaboration between the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), the University of Kentucky, and industry partners, Acceligen and Recombinetics, Inc.

BVDV is one of the most significant viruses affecting the health and well-being of cattle worldwide, and researchers have been studying it since the 1940s when it was first recognized. This virus does not affect humans but is highly contagious among cattle and can cause severe respiratory and intestinal diseases.

BVDV can be disastrous to pregnant cows because it can infect developing calves, causing spontaneous abortions and low birth rates. Some infected calves survive to birth and remain infected for life, shedding massive amounts of virus to other cattle. Despite more than 50 years of vaccine availability, controlling BVDV disease remains a problem since vaccines are not always effective in stopping transmission.

However, over the past 20 years, the scientific community discovered the main cellular receptor (CD46) and the area where the virus binds to that receptor, causing infection in cows. Scientists modified the virus binding site in this recent study to block infection.

Aspen Workman, lead author and researcher at ARS’ U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) in Clay Center, Nebraska, said, “Our objective was to use geneediting technology to slightly alter CD46 so it wouldn’t bind the virus yet would retain all its normal bovine functions.”

The scientists first tested this idea in cell culture. After seeing promising outcomes in the laboratory, Acceligen edited cattle skin cells to develop embryos carrying the altered gene. These embryos were transplanted into surrogate cows to test whether this approach might also reduce virus infection in live animals. cont.page 13

Scientists Use Gene-Editing Technology to Produce

First Calf Resistant to Major Viral Disease.

It worked, and the first CD46 gene-edited calf, named Ginger, was born healthy on July 19, 2021. The calf was observed for several months and then later challenged with the virus to determine if she could become infected. She was housed for a week with a BVDV-infected dairy calf that was born shedding virus. Ginger’s cells displayed significantly reduced susceptibility to BVDV, which resulted in no observable adverse health effects.

The scientists will continue to closely observe Ginger’s health and ability to produce and raise her own calves.

This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the possibility of reducing the burden of BVDV-associated diseases in cattle by gene editing. The edited calf also represents another potential opportunity to lessen the need for antibiotics in agriculture since BVDV infection also puts calves at risk for secondary bacterial diseases. This promising trait is still in the research phase and no associated beef is entering the U.S. food supply at this time. l

For media inquiries contact: Maribel Alonso Maribel.Alonso@usda.gov

The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America.

Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

Website: https://www.ars.usda.gov/

the tattoo year letter for 2023 is L

Alden Hills Organic Farms enters the Piedmontese world

Alden Hills Organic Farms is located at Walworth, WI which is right on the Wisconsin-Illinois border, about 1.5 hrs from Chicago. Very diverse with their farm offerings, they have about 500 acres in production of certified organic beef, hogs, chickens, turkeys and eggs – with everything pasture raised!

They focus mainly on direct-to-consumer [via their website AldenHillsOrganicFarms.com] and offer home delivery to Chicago and shipping throughout the Midwest. They also work with a few grocery stores and restaurants as well.

Ethan Heelein is the farm’s Livestock Manager and oversees everything with 4 legs (including the nascent Piedmontese enterprise). Ethan tells us “We’re a very small crew but we get alot done! Levi and Emily Powers have managed the farm since 2014 and have been the driving force in the growth and development of Alden Hills. There is no job they haven’t done and no acre that they don’t know by heart. We also have a Marketing Manager (Alida) on staff who handles orders and marketing for the farm and we usually have 1 or 2 interns and farmhands during the production season.”

Levi Powers explains the path they followed that led them to the Piedmontese. “Our family has always been very entrepreneurial and involved in the health food industry for a couple generations… Starting a farm was a natural progression in creating good, healthy food for folks! When the farm started we were doing a cow/calf operation with Belted Galloways and we did that for about 10 years. As the farm grew though, we weren’t as happy with what the breed offered us and we began to look around at changing things up. Last fall, my wife Emily and I had a chance to go to the Piedmont region of Italy for a farming/food festival…”

cont. page 15

Above: some of the Piedmontese 2-copy calves born at Alden Hills this spring, out in the lush pasture.

Alden Hills Organic Farms - Piedmontese

“I had been interested in the Piedmontese breed and took the opportunity to visit some farms in the regions that were raising the breed. That trip whetted the appetite and we doubled down on researching the breed when we got back. Ethan took the interest from there and really put together the plan to switch breeds… we knew that we had some very specific requirements for a new cattle breed and the Piedmontese fit the bill on nearly all of them. We put together a taste test with 3 or 4 different breeds and Piedmontese was the unanimous winner! From there Ethan tracked down a herd near us (Keith Schnese in Wild Rose, WI) and the rest is history.”

The beef is strictly grass-fed, requiring daily rotation of the herd to different grazing fields. Right now Alden Hills are finishing Angus stockers until the Piedmontese herd is fully up and producing finished beef in 2025.

The mission at Alden Hills is to raise and distribute the cleanest, healthiest and best tasting meats.

Ethan describes their farm-to-fork philosophy, “We feel that it starts with what we do above ground. We run a multi species rotational that moves animals daily. Broilers, Layers, Turkeys, Hogs and Cattle work together recreating the natural grazing systems you see in nature. Whether it’s the great American plains or the African savanna evolution has created multi-species boom and bust cycles that drive ecological health & fertility.

A lot of what we do as a Direct market farm is telling the story of agriculture to the public. For us that starts with the type and quality of animals that we raise. To be completely honest we are still in the infant stage of seeing how well Piedmontese fit into our operation. We are starting out small with 20 cows to really understand the breed. At first look we liked the beef - it was unlike anything we had ever tried or tried since. As I move them daily I am continually impressed by how efficient they are as grazers. They will eat certain grasses in the marshy areas that our angus won’t touch.” cont. p. 16

Alden Hills Organic Farms - Piedmontese

Alden Hills is well on their way, having calved out the first crop of Piedmontese this spring and now learning the grazing habits of the herd this summer.

The goal now is to grow their Piedmontese beef program, while facing the same hurdles that most farmers do. As Ethan says, “The main challenge is the consumer idea that low cost food from Industrial Ag is the only option.”

Levi is optimistic about the future. “This is the best possible time to be in farming. There is so much opportunity right now!

We’re all about the end product. We want great tasting and healthy food at the end of the day. We do know that healthy meat has to come from healthy animals.

We are most proud of the way we include the community that we serve with what it is that we do. We open our doors once a month to a farm tour to see first hand how animals are raised. In its second year we have a kids class where kids are able to meet our staff, see daily operations and meet the many animals that call Alden home. We also host a couple special events each year!”

When asked if he would have any advise to offer to others just starting out, Ethan said “To those creating direct market food ecosystems in their communities, don’t be afraid to start the discussion of what you’re passionate about with the consumer. I feel like we all have this idea that if we engage with someone we don’t know it has to be this grand well thought out presentation. At Alden Hills I have learned it is just as simple as saying “Do you need help with anything?” to a customer in our on-property store. It opens the door to create a producer-consumer relationship that customers don’t forget! l

Certified Piedmontese provides America with the rare Italian-heritage Piedmontese beef with a farm-to-fork approach that ensures traceability, environmental sustainability, humane animal handling, and responsible resource management at every step.

Midwest raised & produced Grass Fed, Grass Finished Project Non-GMO

No Antibiotics or Hormones

ITALIAN-HERITAGE BREED

PROMO CODE

Profiting from Piedmontese-cross on ‘the Grid’

On August 10, 2022, 373 head of 1-copy Piedmontese cross cattle from a single producer were harvested at the Tyson plant at Dakota City, Nebraska.

These cattle were born in Montana, all from the Paul Descheemaeker program running Naturalean Piedmontese 2-copy bulls on their predominantly British-cross cow herd.

Descheemaeker calves in March through April and then sells his weanlings to Lone Creek Cattle Company.

This group shipped to Menno, South Dakota on September 15, 2021 for backgrounding, and then on to Phelps County Feeders at Holdrege, Nebraska at the end of December for traditional feedlot finishing.

The goal for this single-producer group of steers and heifers was to market them on “the Grid” and gather information on carcass performance.

There were 225 steers and 148 heifers in total from Paul and his son Nathan’s herds. 200 head were an average age of 16 months + 20 days of age at slaughter, and 173 head were 15 months + 25 days of age at slaughter.

Their average live weight at slaughter was 1316 pounds, and average dressing percent was 64.77% which was 1% greater than the plant average for that week. (That Tyson plant capacity is some 40,000 beef per week.)

The Pied-crosses hot carcass weight averaged 852 pounds.

Carcass Dressing Yield percent is calculated by the actual numbers, using live weight, less 3% shrink, and hot carcass weight.

The other big factors affecting value of a carcass are decided by Quality and Yield Grades, which are camerascored (rather than human-scored) at this Tyson plant.

Quality grades are assigned to beef carcasses based on relationships between marbling and the age of an animal. Marbling is the fat dispersed within the muscle. Prime meat comes from young animals with at least slightly abundant marbling. Choice meat comes from young animals with moderate, modest or small marbling. Select comes from young animals with slight marbling. cont. page 22

Above is part of the Descheemaeker ranch in Montana, pictured during a Piedmontese Field Days held there.

Profiting from Piedmontese-cross on ‘the Grid’

There are eight grades of beef:

Prime Choice Select Standard Commercial Utility Cutter and Canner.

Mainly three are used for marketing: Prime, Choice and Select.

The Carcass Quality Grade is essentially an “estimate of palatability” based primarily on fat marbling and maturity and, to a lesser extent, on color, texture and firmness of lean.

Yield Grade or Cutability – indicates the proportionate amount of saleable retail cuts obtained from a carcass. There are 5 categories of Yield Grade, from the best high-yielding #1 to the lowest rating at #5. Yield Grades 1 or 2 will generate premiums, Yield Grade 3 is revenue neutral, and Yield Grades 4 or 5 are discounted.

cont. page 23

Profiting from Piedmontese-cross on ‘the Grid’

Carcass Dressing Yield can generate premium dollars, but Quality Grade and Yield Grade together can add even more profit.

(Remember, Dressing Yield was 64.77% on this group, and Yield Grade is the amount of saleable meat on the carcass.)

Chart One below gives the overall Yield Grade and Quality Grades garnered by the 373 Piedmontese-cross animals.

Chart One:

303 animals (81%) fall into the premium-generating Yield Grade 1 and 2 categories, and 260 animals (69.7%) fall into the premium-generating Prime and Choice Quality Grades. cont. page 25

Profiting from Piedmontese-cross on ‘the Grid’

Looking closer at only the Choice Grade animals, Chart Two below gives the Yield Grades garnered by just those 259 head grading Choice as compared to the overall industry Yield grades within the Choice Quality grade from the last National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA).

Chart Two:

Note: 78% YG 1&2 Choice Grade from Piedmontese cross, compared to 27.67% YG 1&2 Choice as an industry average.

This incredible improvement to Yield Grade is all due to the Piedmontese breedspecific inactive myostatin gene. These crossbreds carried 1-copy or allele of the gene, which ANYONE can produce in one crossbreeding season simply by using a good 2-copy (homozygous) Piedmontese sire on non-Piedmontese cows. cont. page 26

Above: a powerful visual of the impact of the Piedmontese inactive myostatin gene on carcass yield. These carcasses were all harvested at the USDA Meat Animal Reserach Center (US-MARC) as part of their breed research. The 1-copy crossbred carries 1 allele & the 2-copy carries 2 alleles of the breed-specific myostatin gene compared to an animal without the gene.anelli

Profiting from Piedmontese-cross on ‘the Grid’

Calculating the actual bonuses paid on ‘the Grid’ requires adding together all of the premium points, like Dressing Yield, YG 1 and 2 and QG Prime and Choice, and then deducting any discount points, like over or under-weight carcasses, YG 4 and 5, QG Select and lower. Thanks to Hiram Lambert for reviewing this data and calculating the premiums that these high yielding Pied-cross calves would have received based on the pricing at the time they were sold.

With all discounts applied:

Carcass Dress Yield added $8.52 per animal; Yield Grade values added $14.31 per animal; Quality Grade values added $20.01 per animal. 6 head were discounted for over / under wt carcasses (5 above wt and 1 below) costing $3.28/animal.

Overall, these 373 animals would have racked up $39.56 per head premium over the high bid from the plant that week.

Our compliments to Paul Descheemaeker on a fine set of animals. These 373 were his total calf crop that year – none were sorted off!

They finished quickly on feed (230 days on feed through a particularly tough winter in that region) and they really performed on the rail. It is easy to see that there can be real profit in raising and feeding out your 1-copy Piedmontese cross to market them on ‘the Grid’, especially using a British-based cow herd to add some fat-genetics (Quality Grade) to the incredible muscle-genetics (Yield Grade) of the 2-copy Piedmontese herd sire. l

Above: Billy Swain with some of the Certified Piedmontese Beef marketing team standing in the Descheemaeker cow herd in supernatural Montana.

Flexibility in Days-On-Feed with Piedmontese-cross

Piedmontese have long been noted as an extremely high yielding, lean breed – due to the unique gene for in-active Myostatin - as supported by years of USDA MARC research. The Piedmontese also have a strong tendency to marble without producing excess waste fat.

Determining the ideal marketing time for finished cattle is not always a straightforward process. Market conditions (both slaughter and feeder cattle prices), feed costs, pen conditions, and cattle performance all influence endpoint decisions.

Grid marketing adds a further wrinkle, as extended days on feed results in greater carcass weight and potentially improved Quality grades, but at the risk of discounts for heavy weight carcasses and - for non-Piedmontese influenced cattle - of discounts for Yield grades due to excess fat.

As seen in the data from the 373 head of Pied-crosses sold on ‘the Grid’ reported in this issue, the cattle spent 230 days on feed and were just at the 16 month old age.

If the market happened to be ‘down’ at the time, those Pied-crosses could have been held longer on feed and definitely could have improved Quality grades realized, but at little-to-no risk of adding more discount Yield grades due to excess fat! (The Pieds just keep growing muscle, as opposed to excess fat.) A small penalty for heavy weight carcasses is more than off-set by added premiums for Quality plus Yield grades.

Flexibility in days on feed can allow you to catch markets highs. l

Taste Fat With LESS Waste Fat

Intramuscular fat or marbling is considered ‘taste fat’ while the back fat (subcutaneous fat) seam and internal fat is considered ‘waste’.

The average (non-Piedmontese) bovine will gain 10 pounds of ‘waste fat’ for every pound of ‘taste fat’ gained in the finishing phase.

Increase beef value with Marbling + Muscle

Piedmontese terminal sires on British breed cows will Yield + Grade

WHAT is the breed cross in these three 1-copy animals?

20 months old, 1 steer & 2 heifers, feedlot finished and ready for harvesting: all of them carry 1-copy or allele of the Piedmontese-specific myostatin gene.

All 3 animals are 50% HOLSTEIN & are sired by 2-copy Piedmontese

Piedmontese Semen For Sale

These Piedmontese AI Sires have semen available for sale. Please contact owners directly to place orders.

The EPDs of FEBRUARY 2023 with RANK WITHIN THE BREED & accuracy for each trait is expressed for each sire.

DEFINITIONS: BW - Birth Weight - expressed in pounds - a lower value is better; CE - Calving Ease - a higher number indicates improved calving ease; WG - Weaning Gain - expressed in pounds, a higher number indicates increased average 205-day weights in offspring; YG - Yearling Gain - expressed in pounds, a higher number indicates better growth in offspring to 365-days of age; H.Ht. - Hip Height - a higher number indicates taller, larger framed offspring; REA: Rib Eye Area - a higher number indicates improved rib eye size in offspring; FG - Feed To Gain - a lower number indicates improved feed efficiency in offspring; FI - Feed Intake - a lower number indicates offspring consume less feed; SC - Scrotal Circumference - a higher number indicates increased scrotal size in offspring; BW 1C - Birth Weight of 1-copy offspring from non-Piedmontese females, a lower value is better; CE 1C - Calving Ease of 1-copy offspring from non-Piedmontese females, a higher value is better.

Piedmontese Semen For Sale

Super-stylish with volume, great feet & legs, projected good calving & heavy weaning wts. A lead-off bull at the 2019 Bull Sale.

Piedmontese Semen For Sale

info: Priced Commercial: his 1-copy crossbred calves should be only 0.7 lbs heavier at birth than the av. Pied bull & they GROW!

pictured at 12 months old, Sidney’s calves are extremely vigorous, born easy & grow quick - with great style, conformation & docility

June 22, 2023

Nebraska

It’s the end of the AIbreeding season and out to the sandhills pastures with the walking bulls at Ryan Cone’s Flying U Ranch.

This ranch produces several thousands of great Piedmontese-sired calves from their Red and Black Angus cow herd each year, for the Certified Piedmontese Beef program.

Every calf sired by a registered Piedmontese bull will carry 1-copy of the Piedmontese-specific inactive myostatin gene, with its powerful positive effect on carcass performance and beef tenderness.

Beef-Quality-Consistency in 1 crossbreeding season.