2023 Piedmontese Spring NAPA 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 Official Publication of NAPA Published 4 times a year, Your Piedmontese Voice 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 for Your Piedmontese Voice to Vicki Johnson at the address left.

On The Cover

The “belles of the ball” at the 2023 National Show were the Grand & Reserve Champion Fullblood Females. On the left, the Reserve Champ, youngest calf in the show from Havlik Cattle Company; on the right, the oldest FB female at the show, from Soukup Livestock, was the Grand Champion. See the full report in this issue.

2023 NAPA Annual Meeting Report

The 2023 NAPA Board Executive was announced at the AGM, following the internal election of officers on Jan 16th:

Marlin Will - President

Paul Harold - Vice President

Ken Silva - Treasurer

Austin Soukup - Secretary with Hiram Lambert, Tom Sperling and Jared Bauereiss as Directors.

The 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

Vicki Johnson

In the fall of 2023 the NAPA Board election will involve three positions currently held by Marlin Will, Ken Silva and Austin Soukup - all of whom are eligible to stand for re-election. Be watching for the Nominations Form in the summer magazine.

NAPA annual animal registration numbers were again very strong in 2022. At the end of December 2022, we had registered 2639 animals with some 400 applications in process, for a total of over 3000 applications in the year.

There are now over 15,000 head registered in the NAPA Herdbooks and combined with the old Canadian Association Herdbook there are over 24,000 animal registry records.

We estimate there are approximately 10,000 head of living seed stock animals on the entire continent. With a global population of only some 300,000 the breed is rare in the world – but it is really starting to grow here in North America.

Online registration is now available through the portal at CLRC and new, paperless digital certificates could be available later in 2023.

The NAPA financial picture is very stable, with 2022 closing out with an income increase of $80,000. over the previous year.

Funding is in place for some larger projects such as completion of the Structure and Disposition EPDs and further genomic research. l

2023 Piedmontese National Show,

AGM and Embryo Sale Breed Promotion!

Seven days in January 2023 at Denver, Colorado saw a flurry of Piedmontese promotional events in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show (NWSS).

From Jan. 12 to 15th, NAPA presented the breed at the Herd Sire Display with a mature Piedmontese bull and a bred heifer to attract producers interested in carcass performance. Cooperative weather and decent crowds made for successful promotion. On Jan. 13th, the Piedmontese show-strings moved in to NWSS from Oregon, California, Idaho and from numerous breeders across South Dakota.

The Annual General Meeting and Certified Piedmontese Beef Banquet on Jan. 16th was a fine event, featuring Grassfed Piedmontese Beef cooked to perfection. Everyone was fully impressed by the beef and, in fact, a number of guests basically refused to believe it was a Grassfed product – so phone calls were made and confirmation received that Yes, it was Certified Piedmontese Grassfed. Hearty thanks to our Banquet and Show sponsor: Certified Piedmontese Beef!

After the Banquet, the annual Embryo Auction Sale saw 11 sale lots of 3 frozen embryos/lot (33 embryos total) sell for an average price of $1245.45 per embryo, going to breeders in Kansas, Nebraska, California and South Dakota. There were some very interesting matings available from consignors from Ohio, Wisconsin, West Virginia and South Dakota. The new record-high-selling embryos, at $2000./embryo, were lot 1 consigned by Austin Soukup featuring the mating of Dakota 18Z to sire LVC Glacier. cont.page 7

Above: the Piedmontese Herd Sire display; Below: some of our exhibitors experiencing the “old west” at the huge NWSS trade fair; and one of the Piedmontese outdoor display pens in the Yards for the days preceding the show.

2023 Piedmontese National Show, AGM and Embryo Sale

Breed Promotion!

Jan. 17, 2023 was National Show Day at NWSS – with accomplished judge Cheramie Viator of Texas responsible for appraising the Piedmontese in the two shows for Fullblood and Naturalean. A lifelong beef producer, Judge Viator was raised on a family farm in Louisiana, has worked in genetic and marketing management for some of the nation’s largest ranches including Camp Cooley and Silver Spur. She now hangs her hat near Houston, TX, and balances her day job with Westway Feeds while managing her family’s cowherd and putting on youth cattle clinics in her free time.

The 2023 Fullblood National Show had, as is usual, a larger entry than the Naturalean Show but across both divisions the quality of the Piedmontese on display was exceptional. The Fullblood heifer calf class was an impressive group and undoubtedly difficult to place! With new ‘first time’ exhibitors – the Fixsens who travelled all the way from Oregon – and numerous seasoned show people, the presentation of all the animals was very professional and a credit to the breed.

One of the show highlights was when judge Viator stopped to explain all of the descriptive terms she was using to comment on each class. With the overall Grand Champion Fullblood Female selection made, judge Viator then gave a mini-judging-clinic to the crowd by using that cow to point out slope of shoulder, angles and foot shape that affect range of motion and general performance. It was also interesting to note that, by the end of the show, judge Viator had used full siblings as her Grand Champion Fullblood Bull and Female, and their paternal half-sister as Champion Naturalean Female.

Most of the 2023 National Champions and Reserves are pictured on the following two pages, but there were some exhibitors that needed to leave immediately after the show (to beat an incoming storm) so they did not stop for the glamor shot of their top placing animals. (Some of the exhibitors who left later ended up stranded in a snow storm for days enroute home.) For complete show results please visit the website page: https://www.piedmontese.org/sale-shows/ piedmontese-shows

Thanks to the many people who worked behind the scenes to present the show, including Peter DenOusdten as show steward and his wife Emma in charge of presenting ribbons and banners; and Paul Harold whose velvet voice announced the show; and Marlin Will who “manned-the-booth” during the days of Herd Sire breed promotion display as well as Lone Creek Cattle Company for sponsoring the handsome engraved pistols and rifles for the Champion awards.

Congratulations to all of the exhibitors on the finest group of Piedmontese in recent memory! Top to bottom, the 2023 National Piedmontese Show was a testament to breed improvement. l

Above: some of the Calf classes with the animals ranging between 9 and 11 months of age on show date:

-the Naturalean heifer-calf class parades before judge Viator in the show ring;

-part of the Fullblood bull-calf class (some others are outside the shot);

Below:

-the Reserve Grand Champion Naturalean Female, in the ring, LVC Kayla 2506K from Lakeview;

-Judge Viator with Austin Soukup and the overall Grand Champion Fullblood Female, Dakota Karry 168G - doing the very informative ‘mini-judging-clinic’.

The Next Step - Tying Genetic Value to Feeder Cattle Pricing Instead of Pricing on Hide Color

March 3, 2023 by

Jill Dunkel – Feedlot magazine

The quality of beef on dinner tables everywhere has been on a steady increase for decades. A focus to breed better genetics coupled with improved health practices, focused nutrition and robust marketing programs have rewarded superior carcasses. Quality grades are resetting the record books regularly as high quality beef continues to be rewarded through various grids and programs.

As much as one-third of every close out and grid outcome are related to cattle genetics. The other two-third comes from feed, health, weather and other factors, says Tom Brink, CEO of the Red Angus Association of America. Yet few fed cattle buyers have access to genetic information when purchasing cattle. They rely on other data to determine the value of cattle – one major factor being hide color.

The proven influence of marbling in the Angus breed, along with the uber-successful marketing program Certified Angus Beef has driven the industry to favor black hided animals whether they have any Angus genetics or not. This has compelled breeds that originally were not black-hided toward a large black-hided influence. In fact, more than 70% of all fed cattle are now black.

Could this trend to go all black dilute what drove the industry to prefer black-hided cattle in the first place?

Does a black colored calf increase the likelihood of superior genetics to produce quality beef?

For the industry to continue improving its cattle and quality, are there other factors that should be included as an important price-determining factor?

To answer some of these questions, Brink surveyed cattle feeders across the country to get their take on hide color, genetics and other price influencers in feeder cattle.

cont.page 12

Tying Genetic Value to Feeder Cattle Pricing Instead of Pricing on Hide Color

The survey was reviewed and analyzed by three renowned ag economists: Dr. Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University, Dr. Elliott Dennis of University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Dr. Ted Schroeder of Kansas State University.

Not surprisingly, 95% of cattle feeders felt hide color significantly affects prices paid for U.S. feeder cattle. Three-fourths agreed that an emphasis on black-hided cattle has historically helped advance the industry in a positive direction related to overall quality and value.

However, only one quarter (25%) of the cattle feeders surveyed felt black-hided cattle were superior to non-black cattle when other factors like condition and health background were the same. And a whopping 88% felt the use of genetic or genomic information on groups of feeder cattle would be preferable to hide color as an important factor to determine price.

Genetic Value

The seedstock side of the industry recognized the value of marketing genetics long ago. Bulls and females are largely marketed based on the genetic potential of their offspring. But there’s a disconnect when it comes to feeder cattle because they often lack that information.

Brink believes utilizing the genetic value of feeder cattle could bring a complete circle to the various segments in the beef business. The rate of progress for terminal and maternal characteristics would be tied to genetic progress that largely does not exist today. “It would develop strong economic signals all the way through the beef supply chain.”

Retained ownership programs have touted the information pipeline to grow better beef for years. But there’s a disconnect when it comes to a large portion of feeder cattle that are weaned and sold.

Brink uses health information on a set of calves as a prime example.

“Health history on a set of feeder calves is much more widely known today,” he says. “It influences price discovery. Those cattle will bring more because the buyer has confidence in those cattle. Those whose health background are unknown or spotty will usually bring less.”

He anticipates the same thing happening with genetic information. “As buyers and cattle feeders start to understand the power of genetic information and how genetics plays a role in performance and carcass traits, they will gradually start to pay more attention to it,” Brink says. “They will start to use it as a tool in pricing and buying feeder cattle.”

cont.page 13

Tying Genetic Value to Feeder Cattle Pricing Instead of Pricing on Hide Color

Moving Forward

Brink believes the next step in improving cattle quality will be to value cattle on genetics over color. “The value of our breeds is in their genetics. When you see people marketing registered bulls, they emphasize their genetics. That’s transferable to a calf crop. Hide color is superficial.”

“We have improved this industry quite a bit and made big progress on fed cattle when we started selling on grids. There was a pricing signal corelated to value in the industry,” Brink says. “Now we have the tools that work if you genomically test your cattle, or have progressive selection using EPDs, it will translate into real performance differences through the chain.”

He believes it will create values in ways we never could do before.

There are a number of tools that can quantify genetic merit through commercial DNA tests and herd EPD history, like AngusLink, Top Dollar Angus and others. These groups are quantifying genetics and producing information that can accompany a set of feeder cattle that enters the market to be sold. Research backs commercial genomic tests, proving that EPDs and genomic field tools work effectively, Brink says.

“Twenty years ago we wouldn’t have said that. Even 10 years ago we would not have said so with great confidence.”

He believes this will translate into real performance differences that follow feeder cattle through the chain, creating value for high quality cattle in ways that have not been accomplished before.

“I’ve been involved in the industry for 35 years, and we’ve never been in a place where we can control outcomes to create more value and more profit like we are today.”

Tying genetic value to feeder cattle pricing could be a wakeup call for some producers. Across the industry, there are a lot of high value genetic cattle, and some that could use improvement.

“Every breed has a bell curve, and it may not be so great for the bottom end,” Brink says. “But that’s what will make the industry better. We communicate that low-end genetics equals low value cattle and help improve those genetics.”

Commodity cattle will always be around, but Brink says they would be priced as such. He notes that often when markets break away from commodity, it’s the high end value that moves first.

cont. page 14

Tying Genetic Value to Feeder Cattle Pricing Instead of Pricing on Hide Color

As the industry moves into a tighter production phase of the cattle cycle, Brink says this opens the door for incentivizing genetics with the packer. The possibility of a pact with the packer rewarding genetics would bring the highest value carcasses into their plants.

“They know we are going into tighter numbers. Days on feed get shorter and they’re concerned about pounds and quality. Quality is where our demand is,” he says.

Genetic Merit Pricing

Admittedly, change is hard. He says it takes time to change things in the beef industry due to segmentation. That’s why he’s in the process of putting together a Genetic Merit Pricing task force. The purpose of the task force is to identify ways to bring about significant change in how feeder cattle are priced. Brink says based on his research, it is what cattle feeders want.

The task force will include all segments of the industry, starting with commercial cow-calf producers, backgrounders, auction markets, packers, retailers, food service and cattle feeders. “We have barely harnessed the value of genetics at all levels. It would be exciting to see this industry get serious about genetics at all levels to create more valuable cattle for everyone That’s what we’re trying to facilitate.” l

A Review of the Most Recent National Beef Quality Audit

To expand on the questions from the pervious article: [More than 70% of all fed cattle are now black. For the industry to continue improving its cattle and quality, are there other factors that should be included as an important price-determining factor?] a quick review of the last National Beef Quality Audit may be helpful.

Since 1991, the beef checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) has delivered a set of guideposts and measurements for helping cattle producers and others determine quality conformance of the U.S. beef supply. These guideposts and measurements are based on the following: Only that which is measured can be effectively managed.

Elements of the recent audit included:

Face to Face Interviews with feeders, packers, retailers, foodservice operators, and allied industry/government employees;

In Plant Research collecting data on 25,000+ carcasses; with research conducted at 17 different U.S. beef processing facilities.

cont.page 15

A Review of the Most Recent National Beef Quality Audit

From the face-to-face interviews, these top six challenges were identified, ranked in order of importance:

Food Safety

Eating Satisfaction

Lean Fat and Bone

Weight and Size

How and Where Cattle were Raised

Visual Characteristics.

While not a single packer listed eating satisfaction as a “must-have,” 55 percent said they would be willing to pay an average premium of 10 percent if it could be guaranteed. [Think about which breed could do that.]

The eating satisfaction quality factor, which was primarily defined as “customer satisfaction” by all sectors, was ranked second by all marketing sectors except packers, who ranked lean, fat, and bone second.

While not a single packer listed eating satisfaction as a “must-have,” 55 percent said they would be willing to pay an average premium of 10 percent if it could be guaranteed. Tenderness and flavor continue to be the two specific beef quality factors that drive customer satisfaction.

A featured comment in the NBQA Executive summary is as follows, from a Seedstock Operator and Feedyard Operator:

“As we wait for genomics and other techniques that will help us progress, let’s not overlook the simple tried-andtrue strategies like cross breeding. Complimentary cross breeding and heterosis by itself can go a long way toward improving production efficiency and our product, while lowering our costs.”

cont. page 16

the tattoo year letter for 2023 is L

25 years of industry average carcass performance traits, as reported by the National Beef Quality Audits (NBQA). Yield grade estimates the amount of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the high-value parts of the carcass. Rated from 1-5, YG1 denotes the highest yielding carcass and YG5 the lowest. Quality Grade is based on degree of marbling and degree of maturity. Marbling score (intramuscular fat) is the intermingling or dispersion of fat within the lean. Degree of marbling is the primary determination of quality grade. HCW is Hot Carcass Weight, and LM area is Ribeye size.

A Review of the Most Recent National Beef Quality Audit

Inadequate tenderness of beef has been cited in several of the last National Beef Quality Audits as one of the top quality challenges facing the beef industry. Although tenderness is not used in Quality Grade or Yield Grade calculations, it plays an essential role in consumer satisfaction. Currently there is no easy way to assess tenderness in making beef purchasing decisions, so restaurants often base their purchasing decisions upon Quality Grade instead.

Yet, Retail YIELD is the driver of profitability for the packing industry.

The most recent NBQA reports the following summary:

“Notable Conclusions:

While the industry is improving the quality of beef being produced, quality is being accompanied by an increase in size and fatness. The mean USDA Yield Grade (YG) in 2016 was 3.1, increasing slightly compared to the mean yield grade of 2.9 in 2011 (Table 8). More significantly, however, the frequencies of YG 3, 4 and 5 in 2016 increased compared to 2011. The largest percentage of carcasses (29.9 percent) were Choice YG 3 (Table 10).”

Why should this interest Piedmontese breeders?

Answer: Terminal-cross BULL MARKETING OPPORTUNITY. Crossed on the ‘fatter’ British breeds, Piedmontese sires can produce 80+% in Quality Grade Prime and Choice with 80+% of them in the high Yield Grade 1&2 category. That is the magic top-dollar slot. [Data below from a Fullblood Piedmontese sire used on HerefordXAngus cows] In an industry constantly seeking improved eating quality and increased yield without excess fat, there has not been much change over the last

in those graded PRIME

six Audits covering 25 years – because they are stuck in a gene pool that cannot push through to the next level. In 25 years, an average increase of 1 square inch in Ribeye size that is due to heavier carcass weights as Yield Grades remain rather static averaging between 2.9 and 3.2 and Quality hangs at high Select/low Choice.

Piedmontese terminal sires would move the dial dramatically in one cross breeding season! l

Total % graded CHOICE in all YGs

Total % YG 1&2 in those graded CHOICE

Total % YG 3&4 in those graded CHOICE

Total % graded SELECT in all YGs

*

YG5 in the group)

Callan Bauereiss – Award Winning Speech

Good afternoon judges, fellow 4-Hers, and guests.

Let me tell you about Toro Ranch, near Broken Bow, Nebraska where we sell our Piedmontese bulls.

Lone Creek Cattle Company has all the bulls here we got to see all the different pastures of bulls –there were 1800 on site and another 1800 leased out. The bulls do 3 breeding rounds and then come back to Toro Ranch for a rest before being leased out again.

Cedar trees are not allowed on Lone Creek property, they are not native to Nebraska and they kill the grass bulls need to eat.

At the bull test station, the bulls are monitored through chip readers that scan a special ear tag at the feed troughs and water troughs. They measure feed, water and the bull to figure out how much it is eating, drinking and growing. This test is important for developing and improving our breed.

I had fun and I can’t wait for my next trip to Nebraska!

Thank you

Callan Bauereiss

Callan Bauereiss is 7 years old in 2023, a Cloverbud Level 4-H member in the Foxwarren-Solsgirth 4H Beef Club from Manitoba, Canada (son of Piedmontese breeders, Jared and Stacy Bauereiss) He is currently competing in 4-H Public Speaking with his speech about Toro Ranch.

So far, Callan has won first place in the Zones competition, scoring 85% on his presentation. There are five different 4-H Clubs across the Zones which covers an area of roughly 60 miles by 40 miles.

On March 24th, Callan goes to compete at the 4-H Divisional level and we do certainly wish him the best of luck!

Photo: Callan was awarded a 4-H cooler bag at the Zone competition, and he wrote on it with a clear message of who it does (and doesn’t) belong to! l

BIF 2023 - Precision Breeding

Make plans now to attend the 2023 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Research Symposium and Convention that will be hosted July 3-6 in Calgary, Canada.

The BIF Symposium features two and one-half days of educational programming with focused on this year’s theme “Precision Breeding.” Monday, July 3, kicks off with the Young Producer Symposium and Monday evening the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) will host its biennial symposium at 7 p.m.

Tuesday’s general session will feature presentations by Dr. Peter Amer, AbacusBio Limited managing director; Dr. Eileen Wall, Scotland’s Rural College head of research & professor of integrative livestock genetic; Dr. Filippo Miglior, Lactanet Canada scientist and innovation executive; and Dr. Brian Kinghorn, University of New England, Australia.

Wednesday’s general session speakers will include Dr. John Crowley, AbacusBio Limited; Dr. Juan Pedro, Iowa State University Stieble Lush Chair for Animal Breeding & Genetics; and a representative from OneCup AI.

Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday late morning technical breakout sessions will focus on a range of beef-production and genetic-improvement topics. A highlight of this year’s symposium will be the Technology showcase at Olds College on Tuesday afternoon.

Thursday, July 6 (optional) tour:includes a personal tour through Rimrock Feeders, one of Canada’s most cutting edge feedlots that applies technologies such as biodigesters and roller compacted concrete to improve production efficiency and animal health and welfare.

Travelling through the heart of Alberta’s ranch lands, we will also visit Hamilton Farms, a seedstock operation that is eager to show case its application of genomic technology, High Immune Response testing, and genetic improvement through an integrated value chain and data sharing system. Further west, the University of Calgary, WA Ranch, is a working commercial operation that allows for in field research on calving interventions, human – animal interactions, the effects of wildlife (wild boars for example) on cattle, bull behaviour, and calf preconditioning.

The tour will include lunch against a backdrop of our majestic Rocky Mountain range.

For registration and more symposium details, including hotel information, visit BIFSymposium.com.

Scrotal frostbite may have a lasting impact

by Heather Smith Thomas – Nov. 2021 – The Western Producer

Any injury to the testicles that damages stored sperm may put a bull out of action until it heals and produces new sperm. Scrotal frostbite in bulls is a risk to fertility and to ranch profitability.

Cold weather and wind chill can damage bulls’ testicles and deteriorate semen but it is hard to gauge without a test.

Dr. Colin Palmer, associate director at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence at the University of Saskatchewan, says scrotal frostbite commonly occurs in bulls after a severe winter, particularly when they don’t have adequate bedding or shelter from wind. Even then, they may have to graze or eat hay in the open, exposed to wind.

“If bulls are out at pasture and you are feeding hay, try to find a sheltered area to feed them, such as rolling a bale down into a coulee rather than spreading it out on a windswept open space,” he says.

The scrotum has little protection compared with the rest of the bull’s body. It’s basically bare skin with a fine hair covering. If bulls lie on frozen ground or snow, it’s like putting the testes on ice. Bedding can serve as insulation when bulls are lying down.

“Another thing I tell producers is to pay attention to bull social dynamics,” says Palmer.

“Maybe they put a bunch of bulls in a large pasture for winter. Social dominance is usually determined by age and size. The older bulls are generally dominant and may keep the younger ones away from the feed, bedding or shelter.

“If they have lots of room, the young bull can avoid the older bulls and stay out of their way, but he may not have a place to bed or get out of the wind if those spaces are limited.”

Some bulls get frostbite even with good care and bedding. Palmer says these bulls usually have large, pendulous scrotums that hang down lower and are more exposed to the wind. In cold weather, a bull normally pulls its testicles closer to the body for warmth, but older bulls with pendulous scrotums may be unable to do that.

“Frostbite and freezing of the tissue results in inflammation, which produces heat and swelling, which interferes with the cooling and warming mechanism of the testicles. If the inflammation and its subsequent repair is severe enough, the testicles are no longer able to move freely in the scrotum,” says Palmer.

The bull then can’t raise or lower the testicles to maintain the proper temperature for sperm production. cont.page 25

Scrotal frostbite may have a lasting impact

“In early phases after frostbite, semen quality is adversely affected due to the inflammation. But we can check those bulls later, as they heal.

As long as the testicles are freely moveable, we can follow up on that bull and see if he passes a breeding soundness exam, with viable sperm. I have seen some alarming cases of frostbite that looked bad, but the testicles were freely moveable, and it didn’t seem to adversely affect semen quality, and both testicles were still of similar size.

There should be no more than 10 percent difference in a pair of testicles. I have been amazed that some of these bulls recover,” he says.

It takes about 60 days to create viable sperm. Any injury to the testicles that damages stored sperm may put a bull out of business until the injury heals and new sperm are produced.

If frostbite damage occurs, it will be at least two months before the bull will have viable sperm and may be longer depending on severity.

Scrotal frostbite can be mild, shown on the left, or severe. [George Perry photos]

Frostbite can be visually evident, with scabs on the back and bottom of the scrotum, and should prompt a producer to have bulls checked before next breeding season.

“If you have your bull tested and the vet discovers severe scrotal frostbite and only 30 percent of his sperm are normal, and you need him next week, that bull is not likely going to work for this breeding season,” says Palmer.

“It takes two months to form sperm cells, plus another 11 days in the epididymis where they continue to mature.”

If the damage occurs in January or February and the bull isn’t needed until June or July, the bull may be fully recovered.

cont. page 27

Scrotal frostbite may have a lasting impact

Palmer says frostbite can be severe enough to cause testicular degeneration.

“When the testicles shrink in size, they stop producing sperm. The tissues with all the little ducts shrink up and the testicles shrink. If it’s permanent degeneration, much of that testicular tissue is replaced with scar tissue.”

In that case, the bull’s ability to produce normal sperm will not recover.

Frostbite can be visually evident, with scabs on the back and bottom of the scrotum, and should prompt a producer to have bulls checked before next breeding season.

“With frostbite, the testicles may not be freely moveable, and/or the bull may have a temporary insult to spermatogenesis or something more serious that could take him out of action permanently,” Palmer says.

However, scrotal frostbite can be deceiving.

“A bull might have a very large scab that’s superficial. It looks bad but isn’t affecting him much. Or, he might have deeper damage that’s not as obvious.

“Maybe there was trauma associated with it; maybe while he couldn’t pull his testicles up, those low-hanging testicles suffered additional injury. A relatively minor scab might be accompanied by deeper damage.” l

Testicular degeneration: The scrotum and its muscular attachments has the ability to expand and contract, and in so doing raise and lower the testicles depending on the ambient temperature and body temperature of the bull. The scrotal temperature is normally lower than body temperature and must be maintained at that for normal sperm production.

Anything that alters this greatly will affect normal sperm production and could over the long-term lead to testicular degeneration.

It is important to note when even a temporary increase in scrotal temperature (say 1 C for 10 days) will affect sperm production for four to five months. Recovery will take a long time, which is a luxury you, as a producer, do not often have.

Any condition, which causes increased temperature in the scrotal area, must be guarded against. Severe clinical disease, swelling in the area as a result of trauma such as when a bull’s scrotum is stepped on or bunted or testicular torsion may result in degeneration over time.

Extremely fat bulls have too much insulation in their scrotum which raises the internal temperature. Frostbite will initially cause damage due to freezing but as healing occurs inflammation can occur and cause the temperature to rise in these tissues.

...& even MORE testicle News...

Granelli, more rarely called “grains”, is the name given to the testicles when they are considered as food. They are part of the gastronomic category of offal. The testicles of various species of farmed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats and even poultry are used as food .

Granelli appear as an ingredient in various regional recipes. For example, they represent an important component of two classic dishes of the Piedmontese-region cuisine , the mixed fry (Frito Misto) and the Finanziera, in which they are used together with various other offal.

(Fritto misto alla piemontese, also called fricia, is a whole meal of fried food from starter to dessert. It combines a wide range of sweet and savoury fried ingredients including amaretti biscuits, bull testicles and chocolate semolina.)

The “grains”, given their softness, delicate taste and high digestibility, were once considered a very suitable food for the elderly and children, though apparently they are high in cholesterol.

In the Serbian village of Lunjevica (municipality of Gornji Milanovac ) an event called the “World Testicle Cooking Championship” is organized every year . The winner, chosen from around twenty competitors, is whoever prepares the best goulash from the testicles of various animals including donkeys, horses, cattle and sheep.

Source: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granelli

Granelli (veal) for sale in a market in Spain.

Beef Industry Target 70:70

Piedmontese: Yield Grade and Quality Grade Together

Re-printed from 2009 Your Piedmontese Voice article

by Vicki Johnson

There is a revolution in the beef industry as producers strive to achieve the goals recommended by the Beef Quality Audits. The improved profitability available in cattle that will achieve Choice Quality Grades while also yielding in the YG1-2 range is dramatic.

Recent Beef Quality Audits tell us that some 57% of cattle achieve Quality Grades of low-Choice or higher and 52% of cattle achieve Yield Grades 1 – 2, while 22% are “outs” (obese, standard, dark cutter, heavy or light). [Expressed as 57:52:22] Industry leaders suggest that we can achieve a goal of 70:70:0 Targeting 70:70 will increase beef value while reducing production costs, given that average cattle will gain 10 pounds of ‘waste fat’ for every pound of ‘taste fat’ gained in the finishing phase.

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

Note: the most recent targets (2016) set by the National Beef Quality Audit are hoping to achieve 75% Prime & Choice & 55% in the Yield Grade 1&2 categories.

Some breed Associations, like the American Simmental Assoc. (ASA), are promoting that target goal as attainable by the use of structured genetic programs combining leaner, high yielding continental cattle with “fatter” British-breeds. ASA literature (circa 2007) uses research data from the USDA MARC GermPlasm Evaluation Report # 22 to support their breed’s ability to produce higher yielding carcasses that will grade Choice.

The following Chart A (on page 30) presents data from the USDA MARC GermPlasm Report # 22 in comparison with kill statistics from the ‘all-natural’ branded beef program – Montana Ranch Brand Inc (MRB).

Two important points to note are 1) that the USDA MARC research steers in this data set were implanted twice with Synovex S (200 mg progesterone and 20 mg estradiol benzoate) while the MRB steers and heifers were raised and fed in a certified hormone and antibiotic-free program;

and 2) the USDA MARC Continental crosses are also basically 50% British-breed, as they are out of the MARC Angus, Hereford and MARCIII composite cows. cont. page 30

Beef Industry Target 70:70 - Piedmontese: Yield Grade and Quality Grade Together

The MRB data includes all the Piedmontese-cross cattle slaughtered through their program over a period of several years, even the lowest performance animals, for a total of 20,229 head. Approximately 22% of these were Continental crosses and some 78% were British-breed crosses with the ultra-lean Piedmontese breed. In order to properly compare Piedmontese X British crosses, a single load of 43 head from MRB, representing only that genetic combination, are segregated in Chart A below. cont. page 32

Beef Industry Target 70:70

Piedmontese: Yield Grade and Quality Grade Together

Piedmontese have long been noted as an extremely high yielding, lean breed – due to a 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.

In Chart A we see a spread of 26.7% between the USDA MARC Continental cattle and the USDA MARC British cattle for over-all Choice grade achieved [57.3% compared to 84%] and we see a spread of 21.9% between USDA MARC British breeds compared to Piedmontese blended crosses [62.1% compared to 84%] Given that 22% of the Piedmontese crosses in that group were lean Pied X lean Continental, seeing the improvement in Quality Grade of 62.1% versus 57.3% achieved by USDA MARC Continental X predominantly-British crosses is strong evidence of the marbling capabilities of the Piedmontese.

Industry leaders recognize that crossing high yielding leaner breeds with traditionally fatter British breeds can help to achieve the target of 70:70 yield and grade combination. Chart A gives the over-all percentage by breed group that attain Yield Grades 1 and 2, and over-all percentages of Quality Grade Choice and Prime, and Standard and Select in all Yield Grades.

However, Chart B (page 33) provides the percentages of cattle from each breed group that achieve BOTH Yield Grade 1-2 together with Quality Grade Choice or higher. cont.page 33

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

Beef Industry Target 70:70

Piedmontese: Yield Grade and Quality Grade Together

When analyzing data, we must be aware that reports which state that 70% of a group achieve YG1-2 and 70% achieve QG Choice, it does not mean that these are the same animals achieving both – and the industry goal is that animals should achieve both together. Only a fraction of the animals will combine both yield and quality grades. Chart B gives the percentage and numbers, as follows: 57 out of 288 animals in the British-crosses (19.791%) achieved both.

78 out of 361 animals in the Continental-crosses (21.606%) achieved both.

9557 out of 20229 animals in the Piedmontese multi-breed crosses (47.244%) achieved both.

32 out of 43 animals in the Piedmontese X British crosses (74.42%) achieved both.

The industry goal of 70:70 is definitely achievable today by utilizing the genetics to maximize yield together with the ability to grade. Such optimal carcasses will be well rewarded in the commodity market or may realize additional premiums through branded programs such as Montana Ranch Brand Inc., (now Certified Piedmontese) who have paid a premium over market for every Piedmontese-cross animal processed since the launch of the program. l

In Chart B: The ability to achieve the sought-after combination of Yield Grade together with Quality Grade, in the same animal, is seen by adding the total number of animals (from Chart A) that fall into YG 1&2 with QG Prime and Choice. The breed cross (from this data set) that consistently achieves the high-$$ target of top QG together with YG 1&2 is the 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

March 2019 - South Dakota

- reported by

WILX10 Weather

Most people in the northern half of the country know about shoveling snow.

Sometimes you have to dig out your car, and sometimes you have to have to dig out....your cattle.

The bull is in snow up to its horns because of a blizzard, and it looks like a difficult task to get him out.

In fact, a family in southwest South Dakota spent four hours digging their bulls out of the snow yesterday. Today they went back out to try and find the rest of their cattle.

Congratulations to the very first Fullblood

Piedmontese born as a native Hawaiian!

Pictured at minutes-old, this fullblood heifer calf born March 8, 2023 was bred by Owens Farms of Washington and is owned by Harold and Renee Deniz of HD Ranch on the Big Island. The Deniz’ imported the pregnant dam in 2022 to launch Piedmontese in the beautiful state of Hawaii. Off to a great start!

And Now?

The winter of 2022-2023 has been extremely challenging across many parts of the country, as well. Some calling it the worst winter in 20 years! Everyone will welcome the spring!

Before you pray - BELIEVE

Before you speak - LISTEN

Before you spend - EARN

Before you react - THINK

Before you quit - TRY

And pictured below at a few days old, the prima-donna (first lady) of Hawaii is strong and healthy.

Cheese from the mountain pastures. A variegated production, fruit of transhumance and passion, a production method passed down from father to son. There are many types: Nostrale d’Alpe made from raw cow milk (soft and sweet paste that becomes more savoury when it ripens). Toma di Elva, made from raw, partially skimmed cow milk (its taste, with mountain herb fragrances, and the appearance of its rind changes according to how ripe it is, from one to twelve months). Toma of Celle, made from whole cow milk (it is best to eat it fresh, due to the delicacy of its paste, that is white and compact with small holes in it; it is also good when it ripens for a week).

- Source: https://www.visitcuneese.it/en/dettaglio-esperienza/-/d/ flavours-of-valle-maira

Maira Valley is a valley in south-west of Piedmont in the Province of Cuneo, Italy.

A specialty of the region is this interesting cheese: Frumage L’Ottavio.

Two perfect complements – beer and cheese –come together in this delectable frumage (cheese in Piedmontese dialect) from the Valle Maira area of Piemonte.

First, beer and malt are mixed into the curd of a raw cow’s milk cheese coagulated with thistle flower and aged 60 days. The cheese is then hand washed with malt and a locally made brown ale 3 to 5 times as it continues to age. Soft and unctuous, Ottavio has mild aromas of beer and flavors of malt, coffee and chocolate.

The rind, which is rubbed with a renowned craft beer (Baladin), is completely edible. Frumage L’Ottavio is made using traditional techniques and from local milk. The rennet (which coagulates the cheese) comes from a local thistle, Cynara cardunculs. Sicilian salt is added. l