Georgia Cattleman February 2023

GEORGIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION

100 Cattlemen’s Drive | P.O. Box 27990 Macon, GA 31221 Phone: 478-474-6560

gca@gabeef.org | www.gabeef.org

GCA & GEORGIA BEEF BOARD STAFF

Executive Vice President/Editor: Dale Sandlin, dale@gabeef.org

GBB Program and Compliance Coordinator: Tricia Combes, tricia@gabeef.org

GBB Director of Public Relations: Taylor Evans, taylor.evans@gabeef.org

Membership and Facilities Coordinator: Sherri Morrow, sherri@gabeef.org

Membership Engagement Coordinator: Taylor Pearce, taylor.pearce@gabeef.org

Organizational Coordinator/Assistant Editor: Shelby Kirton, shelby@gabeef.org

Publication Consultant Oak + Willow Creatives

Publication Editor Keith Balser

GCA Mission Statement

The mission of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association is to unite cattle producers to advance Georgia’s cattle industry.

© GEORGIA CATTLEMAN The Georgia Cattleman magazine and the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association reserve the exclusive right to accept or reject advertising or editorial material submitted for publication. The editorial content contained in this magazine does not necessarily represent the views of the Georgia Cattleman magazine or the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association. Additionally, the Georgia Cattleman and Georgia Cattlemen’s Association staff and board members are not responsible for advertising errors made in camera-ready ads, nor are they responsible for submitted camera-ready ads that may contain non-approved copyrighted text, songs, poems or images. The advertiser or agency will be responsible for obtaining the appropriate permission from the copyright holder and will pay any copyright fee required for publication in the Georgia Cattleman.

GEORGIA CATTLEMAN (USPS 974-320, ISSN 0744-4451) is published monthly by the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association, 100 Cattlemen’s Drive, P.O. Box 27990, Macon, Georgia 31221.

per year.

Volume 51 | Number 2 | February 2023

22

By

58

Dr.

By Dr. Pedro Fontes, Assistant Professor and

Specialist, University of Georgia

Bull at Tifton Bull Test.

Dynamic Opportunities

Out

705-429 (19859186)

n ½ interest sells in Ogeechee Home Town K230 (20507828), the #1 $C female in the breed with a +441. +12 CED / +96 CW / +158 YW / +2.01 Marb / +1.41 REA.

n 100% interest sells in OAF Leegan Blackbird 222 (20510796), a Home Town daughter with a balance of traits from double digit CED to elite end product merits and a +388 $C.

n Williams F Blackbird 705-429 Pregnancy

—This Fireball daughter with a top 1 percentile ranking for every highly heritable quality trait, while earning a top 10% $M and +431 $C, will move any Angus operation forward. A can’t miss donor!

The percentile ranking of our 2023 offering of 31 fall donor heifers, representative of our freshest, most powerful genetics:

Well, here we are, in the middle of winter; and as of this writing, we have already had a tough stretch of cold weather around the last part of December. It was hard for a lot of our producers, but that’s what we do: We make it through the tough times when we have to – and I applaud each of you for doing just that. We have to stick to it and help each other where we can. I really appreciate the people involved in this industry because not only are each of you good people; you also know how to get through tough times. I have heard several stories myself of people helping others when they needed it. I thank you for what you do!

Looking down the road, GCA envisions making more leadership training available to all members – but especially for YCC members and others who may move up the ladder to leadership positions in GCA. Personally, I feel that this will be beneficial for all involved – for GCA and for the individuals who are willing to go through this training. So, look for more information concerning this in a future issue of the Georgia Cattleman.

Don’t forget to attend the GCA Convention and Trade Show in Columbus on March 8-10! This event will include fun times as well as conducting a lot of important GCA business. I hope that you will be able to attend, as this should be an outstanding event. I hope to see you there! The Events Committee has been working hard to make this a fun, educational and enjoyable convention. They have used a variety of different approaches and have been thinking “out of the box” to make this a meaningful and memorable event. When it’s over, I think that you will agree – and I hope that you will take the opportunity to thank the staff and committee members for their work. Don’t be bashful; they will appreciate the encouragement of your positive comments. Of course, if you have any suggestions to make it even better, please don’t hesitate to let them know.

Until next time, Rodney

Rodney Hilley

According to the Boy Scouts of America, you should always “Be Prepared.” On March 31, 1909, the keel of one of history’s greatest – and arguably most infamous – ships was laid. Its owner created one of the most opulent ocean liners and the largest of its day: the Titanic. Meant to be the flagship of a new class of “super-ships,” it had an ominous shortcoming that its maiden voyage would tragically reveal. The ship’s owner, the White Star Line – even with all the advanced planning to be expected from such a renowned operator – had made a profoundly miscalculated decision: For the 2,224 passengers and crew on board, the Titanic’s 20 lifeboats would accommodate only 1,178 people. It is estimated that some 1,500 perished in the sinking of the RMS Titanic on the bitterly cold night of April 15, 1912.

When originally designed, the Titanic was to have 64 lifeboats. That number was subsequently cut to only 20 lifeboats; White Star Line officials believed that 64 lifeboats would clutter the deck and obscure the First-Class passengers’ views. Compounding this miscalculation, a planned April 14 lifeboat drill was cancelled; even worse, many of the lifeboats launched during the sinking left half-empty.

At the time of the Titanic’s maiden voyage, there were no mandatory rules for lifeboat drills; moreover, the British Board of Trade’s regulations were outdated, requiring only 16 lifeboats (based on the gross tonnage of earlier, much smaller passenger liners). After the Titanic disaster, extensive updates were made to regulations. One of the first prompted the delayed launch of Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic, to accommodate the needed addition of sufficient lifeboats for that vessel’s upcoming maiden voyage.

As cattle producers, we should be prepared for the inevitable, but life doesn’t always work that way. As we saw in December, brutal cold covered our state – and, with it, winter grazing that was planted was severely impacted. While most of us were having to feed cattle already, this weather caused us to feed even more; and while we hope that this winter grazing will rebound, it certainly took a step back.

Being Prepared

By Dale Sandlin

GCA is prepared for the next legislative session as the General Assembly begins their work. This year, we’re focusing on four main items of concern for our industry: securing more funding for UGA’s Animal and Dairy Science Department; working to help get more funding for the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Meat Inspection Service for recruitment and retention of meat inspectors; supporting the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association’s (GVMA’s) efforts to shift veterinarian certification to the Georgia Department of Agriculture; and expanding truck weights to put our state on par with other surrounding states.

While we’ve worked for most of the year on these items, the unexpected will always become a factor. With all of the new faces in the General Assembly this year, we’ll have a lot of work to do to build rapport with these new legislators. Special appointments and special elections will also impact our efforts. We’ll continue to work through these unique efforts, but we should be prepared for the unexpected. One of these unexpected changes is the Governor’s appointment of Sen. Dean Burke as the Chief Medical Officer for the Medical Assistance Plans within the Department of Community Health. With this appointment, Sen. Burke has resigned his Senate seat, which allowed Rep. Sam Watson to resign his representative position to run for this Senate seat. We have been working with Rep. Watson to secure the additional funding for UGA’s Animal and Dairy Science Department; so we hope that he is able to secure this Senate seat, as he is a strong advocate for agriculture and our industry. We’ll be working with the new budget leadership on this issue.

Take a lesson from the White Star Line: When you aren’t prepared, poor performance or even dire consequences are sure to result. Or just follow Kirby Smart’s example in the National Championship game against TCU. He and his staff did a thorough job in preparing his team for the game, and that led to a decisive rout of TCU while bringing another title to UGA.

Consider what you can do to prepare for success on your operation – and what you can do to help GCA keep our industry prepared for success into the future.

WE WEIGH, LOAD, AND WRITE YOU THE CHECK ON THE SPOT!

CONVENIENT DROP-OFF STATIONS NEAR YOU!

LET

stations are covered under our LMA insurance policy**

2023 Feeder Calf Sales Dates February

WEDNESDAY SALES

59,861 head sold

3,443 goats and sheep sold VIDEO SALES

28,527 cattle sold

FEEDER CALF SALES

18,371 Total sales

110,202 head

LEADERSHIP

Leadership Team

Your GCA leadership team is here to serve you. Contact us with your ideas about our association or to visit about the cattle industry.

Rodney Hilley President

8881 Hwy 109 West Molena, GA 30258 678-372-9111

powdercreek@yahoo.com

Executive committee Members

David Echols, Hull 706-540-6517 • dpe962@gmail.com

Phil Moshell, Morris 229-881-5823 • pmoshell@yahoo.com

Keith Hubbard, Valdosta 314-518-5454 • keithwh1@msn.com

CattleWomen’s President Terri Parker, Jefferson 770-714-5977 • coachtdawg@gmail.com

Joe Garner President Elect

196 Post Place Blairsville, GA 30512 706-897-2211

jgarner@sefcoop.com

James Vaughn Vice President

PO Box 736 Forsyth, GA 31029 478-994-3830

jamesavaughn@att.net

Carroll T. Cannon Treasurer

P. O. Box 500 Ty Ty, GA 31795-0500 229-881-0721

cannonmarketingcompany@gmail.com

Dale Sandlin

Executive Vice President

100 Cattlemen’s Drive PO Box 27990 Macon, GA 31221 478-474-6560

dale@gabeef.org

Tammy Cheely

Immediate Past President

950 Big Woods Road Mitchell, GA 30820 706-466-0154

tcheely@uga.edu

Zeb Duvall, Buckhead 706-347-0590 • zebulonduvall@gmail.com

Cleve Jackson, Cave Spring 706-238-2464 • Cjack5216@gmail.com

Hailey Partain, Thomaston 706-647-8989 • hpartain@uga.edu

YCC Chairman Zach Floyd, Madison 229-309-4714 zacharycattle@gmail.com

Foundation Chairman Steve Blackburn, Waynesboro 706-871-9568 • sebcofarms@gmail.com

Regional Vice Presidents

Region 1: Evan Dover 706-483-9741 edover_9180@hotmail.com

Region 2: Paula Myers 706-745-5760 myersgogators@gmail.com

Region 3: Scot t Andrews 706-988-2508 gsp148@yahoo.com

Region 4: David Huddleston 404-535-1110 david.huddleston@dhuddfarm.com

Region 5: Linda Crumley 770-725-7804 whalinda23@hotmail.com

Region 6: DJ Sheppard 706-453-6879 djsheppard@gmail.com

Region 7: Brian McDaniel 678-850-6640 bmcdaniel@udiga.com

Region 8: Danny Bentley 706-975-0288 bentfarm@yahoo.com

Region 9: Jeffrey Cramer 478-232-1606 jlcramerjr@yahoo.com

Region 10: Mat t Berry 229-815-0625 dixie.lix.ind@gmail.com

Region 11: Travis Young 478-456-0419 tjyoung09@gmail.com

Region 12: Horace Weathersby 706-551-8384 horaceweathersby30442@yahoo.com

Region 13: Sammy Perkins 229-220-7612 sperkinscattle@gmail.com

Region 14: Jason Deloach 229-251-8336 jdeloachcattle@gmail.com

Region 15: Stephen Crews 912-218-4016 crewsfarm4@gmail.com

Past Presidents Local Chapter Presidents

1960’s

Ben T. Smith, Atlanta

Henry Green, Sr., St. Simons

Dr. Jack Tuttle, Barnesville

J.W. Trunnell, Cochran

1970’s

K.J. Hodges, Blakely

Edward B. Pope, Washington

George Berner, Warm Springs

Dr. O.E. Sell, Milner

Joe Gayle, Perry

Sam Hay, Covington

1980’s

Lee Campbell, Carrollton

Charles Baker, Calhoun

Webb Bullard, Camilla

Bobby Rowan, Enigma

Harvey Lemmon, Woodbury

Don Griffith, Buchanan

Gene Chambers, Douglas

Dr. Mike Peed, Forsyth

Sam Payne, Calhoun

Bobby Miller, Lula

1990’s

Newt Muse, Carrollton

Howard Jones, Newnan

Mark Armentrout, Roswell

Ralph Bridges, Lexington

Lane Holton, Camilla

Dr. Jim Goodman, Temple

Dr. Frank Thomas, Alamo

Joe Duckworth, Milledgeville

Betts Berry, Chickamauga

Dr. Curly Cook, Crawford

2000’s

Chuck Sword, Williamson

Robert Fountain, Jr., Adrian

Louie Perry, Moultrie

Tim Dean, Lafayette

John Callaway, Hogansville

Bill Hopkins, Thomson

Dr. Jim Strickland, Glennville

Evans Hooks, Swainsboro

Mike McCravy, Bowdon

Bill Nutt, Cedartown

2010’s

Bill Bryan, Summerville

Steve Blackburn, Waynesboro

Chuck Joiner, Carrollton

David Gazda, Athens

Melvin Porter, Jefferson

Randy Fordham, Royston

Kyle Gillooly, Wadley

Lee Brown, Comer

Kristy Arnold, Screven

Brent Galloway, Lyons

2020’s

Kurt Childers, Barney

Tammy Cheely, Mitchell

Region 1

Floyd

Floyd/Chattooga

Steve Johnston | 706-346-1805

Murray Evan Dover | 706-483-9741

Northwest Georgia

Catoosa/Whitfield

Justin Wills | 706-264-8253

Red Carpet Gordon/Bartow

Gregg Free | 706-331-4193

Tri State

Dade/Walker

Jeremy Dyer | 423-605-2431

Region 2

Appalachian

Cherokee/Gilmer/Pickens

John Clark Pettit | 706-273-8457

Blue Ridge Mountain

Fannin/Towns/Union - GA

Cherokee/Clay/Graham - NC

Brad Hutson | 828-361-7359

Lumpkin

Lumpkin/Dawson

Anthony Grindle | 706-300-6605

North Georgia

Forsyth

Billy Martin | 404-376-6414

Region 3

Banks

Sammy Reece | 706-677-3955

Elbert

Ryan Rosenburg | 706-498-5332

Franklin

Scott Andrews | 706-491-0630

Hall

Steve Brinson Jr. | 770-869-1377

Hart

Jeff Brown | 706-371-0204

Jackson

Beau Brissy | 706-693-2567

Madison

Dylan Chandler | 706-335-3425

Northeast Georgia

Habersham/Rabun/White

Lane Westfall | 404-542-3129

Stephens

Mark Aderholdt | 706-491-7220

Region 4

Carroll

Neil Hendrix | 770-519-4129

Coweta

Ron Chamberlain | 770-309-3715

Haralson

Brian Walker | 404-535-2104

Heard

Caleb Pike | 706-302-6281

Polk

Paul Beck | 706-506-2434

Tri County

Cobb/Douglas/Paulding

Nora Goodman | 770-562-3531

Region 5

Barrow

Sharon Cassidy | 417-425-9830

Clarke-Oconee

Cindy Pritchard | 706-206-5094

Henry

Allen Garland | 678-977-1357

Morgan

Michael Ivy, Jr. | 706-202-5046

Piedmont

Butts/Jasper/Newton

Scott Craig | 770-351-7986

UGA

Moira Taber | 208-490-7653

Walton

Jared Carithers | 770-362-7537

Region 6

Greene Area

Jon Dyar | 706-453-7586

Lincoln

Dalton Tankersley | 706-504-1905

Little River

Columbia/Glascock/McDuffie/ Warren

Alan Axon | 706-564-1297

Oglethorpe

Johnathan Wells | 770-880-6678

Wilkes

John Bounds | 706-401-9000

Region 7

Harris

Harris/Muscogee

Jarred Hubbard | 706-326-0400

Meriwether

Darrell McCoy | 706-977-9269

Troup

Ken Cadenhead | 706-884-8252

Region 8

Baldwin-Jones-Putnam

Bob Neligan | 706-318-0068

Central Georgia

Crawford/Dooly/Houston/Pulaski

Brent Hartley | 478-919-8710

Mid Georgia

Lamar/Monroe/Pike/Spalding/

Talbot/Upson

Bo Huddleston | 770-608-8117

Taylor

Wayne McInvale | 770-468-6971

Region 9

Burke

Stephen Barnhart | 706-799-7223

Jefferson Joe Miller | 478-494-4033

Johnson Area

Bray Hutcheson, Jr. | 478-521-2401

Washington

Jeffery Cramer, Jr. | 478-232-1606

Region 10

Pachitla

Calhoun/Dougherty/Lee/ Randolph/Terrell

Matt Bruner | 229-449-0616

Sowega

Marian/Schley/Stewart/ Sumter/Webster

Matt Berry | 229-942-8456

Region 11

Ben Hill/Irwin

Ronny Branch | 229-457-0407

Heartland

Bleckley/Dodge/Pulaski

Tony M. Rogers | 478-934-2430

Laurens

Travis Young | 478-456-0419

Macon

Matt Perfect | 478-973-7164

Ocmulgee

Crisp/Wilcox

Bubba Hollingsworth | 229-406-0513

Three Rivers

Jeff Davis/Telfair/Wheeler

Theresa Molle | 229-315-1466

Turner Randy Hardy | 229-567-9255

Region 12

Jenkins

Horace Weathersby, III | 706-551-8384

Ogeechee

Bryan/Bulloch/Candler/ Chatham/Effingham/Emanuel/ Jenkins/Screven

Romaine Cartee | 912-531-0580

Tattnall

Jason Cope | 912-237-8463

Region 13

Decatur

Stuart Griffin | 229-400-0097

Grady

Michael Pope | 229-377-0914

Miller

Trent Clenney | 229-758-2844

Mitchell Baker/Mitchell

Tim Barnes | 229-392-8299

Seminole

Bruce Barber | 229-524-8633

Region 14 ABAC

Brennan Hart | 407-697-2679

Colquitt

Harry Thompson | 229-891-4351

South Georgia Atkinson/Bacon/Coffee

Walt Pridgen | 912-381-3559

South GA Black Cattlemen’s

J.R. Grovner | 912-506-6463

Thomas Charles R. Conklin | 229-228-6548

Tift

Andy Dunn | 229-848-3535

Wiregrass Berrien/Brooks/Cook/Lowndes

Mark Stalvey | 229-300-3596

Worth

David Carter | 229-776-9400

Region 15

Piney Woods

Appling/Bacon/Toombs

David Eason | 912-221-8926

Satilla Pierce/Ware

Alvin Walker, Jr. | 912-449-5352

Southeast Georgia Brantley/Camden/Charlton/ Glynn Stephen Crews | 912-218-4016

Wayne Robin Thornton | 912-579-2181

Optimism

By Colin Woodall, NCBA CEO

One of the best parts of my job is the opportunity to participate in meetings and conventions put on by our state partners. NCBA is most effective when we have our ear to the ground listening to members, volunteer leaders and Checkoff investors. As I participate in these meetings, I have been amazed at the amount of optimism expressed by the attendees. Simply getting back to having meetings with preCOVID attendance numbers, or higher, speaks volumes about this optimism. I believe that there is plenty to support continued optimism as we start the new year.

The plague of drought remains over many portions of the United States, and its effect on the size of our domestic herd harkens back to our experience in the last big drought. Wait! Was I not just talking about optimism? Well, meteorologists are getting bolder in their forecasts that we will see a shift from a La Niña weather pattern to an El Niño one around the middle of the year. I realize that it will not come soon enough for some of you; but to know that hope, and rain, is on the horizon helps with our optimism. We are already seeing snowpacks in many of the western mountain ranges that are at, or above, their normal percentages.

Many of the challenges that we face are accompanied by a silver lining. Drought-induced herd liquidation means that the supply of cattle is dramatically different from a few years ago. Demand for beef, however, remains high. The consumer is with us and wants to eat beef, as illustrated by our experience in restaurants and retail grocery stores this past year. Beef prices went up, but the consumers kept buying. They kept buying because the high quality of our beef delivered an eating experience that they wanted to enjoy time and again. Much of that demand is thanks to the work of the Beef Checkoff. Back in October, we utilized our role as a contractor to the Checkoff by working with Uber Eats and Sonic on a six-day cheeseburger promotion. Our work increased cheeseburger sales by 218 percent! When it comes to pure eating pleasure, we know that we are the protein of choice – and our Checkofffunded work keeps moving beef.

That demand is key because it is resulting in higher prices being paid for cattle. Economists and market

analysts are telling us that the outlook is good for cattle prices in 2023. We need it – but the prices that we are paying for fuel and production supplies are taking the shine off these increased cattle prices. Once again, here is a place for optimism, as there are signals that inflation could start to wane this year. That will help us get more out of improved cattle prices while giving consumers even more money in their pockets for beef.

There is also reason to be optimistic in Washington, D.C. A Congress that has split control is one that we can take advantage of. We expect that a Republican House of Representatives and a Democrat Senate results in a logjam on Capitol Hill. A logjam means that only legislation with support from both parties has a chance to get through. That protects us against bad legislative ideas. NCBA has friends in both parties; so, we will press forward with our policy priorities, especially in the upcoming Farm Bill. Programs such as funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine bank and USDA risk management tools have bi-partisan support. While it might be a big lift to get the Farm Bill done before it expires in September, our priorities will see a lot of support.

Optimism for the year will be on full display in just a few short weeks as we gather for the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans. It is not too late to register. In fact, unlike the price of everything else these days, the registration cost to attend convention did not go up. It has been the same price for five years. This is the premier event for cattle producers – where we get the chance to have some fun, learn a little, set the policy for the association, and enjoy the cattle industry’s largest indoor trade show.

Each new year brings a time for optimism and fresh starts. The outlook for 2023 will only help bolster our optimism. We are fortunate to be a part of such a great and noble profession. To care for our families, our cattle and the natural resources that we steward is something that we all take pride in. What we do matters. Thank you for your fortitude, persistence and commitment to producing the best-tasting beef in the world.

Total

Total price of $65 includes book, sales tax, postage, shipping and handling.

To order your copy: visit www.georgiacattlemen.org, complete and mail in this form with your payment or call 478-474-6560

To order your copy: visit www.georgiacattlemen.org, complete and mail in this form with your payment or call 478-474-6560

Herds and Heritage: The History of Georgia’s Cattle Industry is possibly the most noteworthy project undertaken by this organization and its members to document the history of cattle in our great state. Noted historical writer Jackie Kennedy has spent the past two years extensively researching the project while conducting over 140 interviews with breeders, academics and industry leaders to accurately record the many notable contributions that Georgia cattle and its people have made within the cattle industry on a state, regional and national level. The result is an extraordinary, one-of-a kind book that traces the arrival of the first cattle to enter the state to the present-day, modern beef and dairy industries of the 21st century. It’s a book about the pioneers who centuries ago brought into existence a livelihood and way of life that defines us and our heritage today. It’s a book about cattle and cattle people, chronicled in 304 pages and captured forever by over 300 photos and images. We are confident this history book will be one that you and your family will cherish for generations to come.

Herds and Heritage: The History of Georgia’s Cattle Industry is possibly the most noteworthy project undertaken by this organization and its members to document the history of cattle in our great state. Noted historical writer Jackie Kennedy has spent the past two years extensively researching the project while conducting over 140 interviews with breeders, academics and industry leaders to accurately record the many notable contributions that Georgia cattle and its people have made within the cattle industry on a state, regional and national level. The result is an extraordinary, one-of-a kind book that traces the arrival of the first cattle to enter the state to the present-day, modern beef and dairy industries of the 21st century. It’s a book about the pioneers who centuries ago brought into existence a livelihood and way of life that defines us and our heritage today. It’s a book about cattle and cattle people, chronicled in 304 pages and captured forever by over 300 photos and images. We are confident this history book will be one that you and your family will cherish for generations to come.

Make your check payable and mail to: Georgia Cattlemen’s Foundation |

Make your check payable and mail to: Georgia Cattlemen’s Foundation | P.O. Box 27990 | Macon, GA 31221

price of $65 includes book, sales tax, postage, shipping and handling.

P.O. Box 27990 | Macon, GA 31221

GCA ATTENDS INAUGURATION FOR GOV. KEMP AND CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS

GCA’s EVP, along with nearly 5,000 others, was on hand to witness the swearing-in ceremony for Gov. Kemp and other Constitutional Officers. The ceremony kicks off the next four years of the administration.

RUTLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL CUTS RIBBON ON NEW ANIMAL AG PROJECT BARN

School officials, community members and GCA’s EVP were on hand to cut the ribbon to the Rutland Middle School’s new animal ag project barn. With this new facility, students will be able to have different animal projects rather than their dairy heifer program alone. If you are interested in helping them expand into beef cattle production, please let GCA EVP Dale Sandlin know.

AG INDUSTRY HOSTS APPRECIATION DINNER FOR FORMER AG COMMISSIONER GARY BLACK

Members from across Georgia’s agriculture commodity groups gathered to host an Appreciation Dinner for outgoing Ag Commissioner Gary Black. Along with a satisfying meal, attendees enjoyed stories from his distinguished career, plus fellowship with friends and family. We wish Commissioner Black great success in his next chapter.

GCA STAFF ATTENDS SOWEGA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION MEETING

GCA and GBB staff were eager to join the Sowega Cattlemen’s Association at their meeting in January. Hosted at the Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center in Sumter County, staff members were able to deliver association and Checkoff updates and partake in a time of fellowship with members in attendance.

GCA SHARES MARKET AND TRADE CONCERNS WITH SEN. OSSOFF AND AMBASSADOR TAI

GCA’s EVP met with Sen. Jon Ossoff and Ambassador Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative, along with other commodity groups, to discuss trade concerns. We had the opportunity to thank the Ambassador for her work on addressing safeguard tariff issues with Japan, as well as asking for greater market access for beef exports. Also discussed was the need for further processing capacity within Georgia; in addition, we discussed Farm Bill concerns that would benefit Georgia.

CLARKE-OCONEE CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION FINAL 2022 MEMBERSHIP MEETING

The Clarke-Oconee Cattlemen’s Association held its final 2022 membership meeting on Dec. 12, with a focus on raising funds for the COCA scholarship program. With support from the sponsors, silent auction donors and members, over $3,000 was raised. Diane and Mark Thomas and their team provided a steak meal, and members of the chapter provided homemade desserts.

Georgia Beef Bites

By Taylor Evans, GBB Director of Public Relations

I have said it before, and I will continue to say it: Breakfast food has my heart – and since it is Heart Health Month, I decided to share a new favorite with you all. It’s spicy, it’s cheesy, and it is absolutely packed with protein to start your mornings off right. Breakfast casseroles are super-easy to make, and they keep well; so, you can grab a bite on your way out the door. I hope that you all have a fabulous Valentine’s Day, and I look forward to seeing many of you at convention!

SPICY BEEF CHORIZO BREAKFAST STRATA

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 recipe Mexican-Style Beef Sausage

• 1 pound Ground Beef (93% lean or leaner)

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1-1/2 teaspoons chile powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper

• 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach

• 6 large eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups skim milk

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 8 cups day-old French bread cubes (1-inch)

• 1-1/2 cups reduced-fat or regular shredded Monterey Jack cheese

COOKING:

Toppings (optional):

• Salsa, chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, dairy sour cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare Mexican-Style Beef Sausage. Stir in bell pepper and spinach; set aside.

Mexican-Style Beef Sausage: Combine 1 pound Ground Beef (93% lean or leaner), 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, 1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1-1/2 teaspoons chile powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder in large mixing bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add sausage mixture; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 1/2-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.

• Cook’s Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.

2. Meanwhile, beat eggs, milk, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl until blended. Stir in bread and 1 cup cheese. Stir in sausage mixture.

3. Spray 3-quart shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour sausage mixture into prepared dish. Top evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with aluminum foil; bake in 350°F oven 40 minutes. Remove foil; continue baking 10 to 15 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with toppings, if desired.

• Cook’s Tip: Sausage and egg mixture can be prepared ahead of time. Pour into prepared pan and top with cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 6 hours or as long as overnight. Increase baking time to 50 minutes before removing the aluminum foil.

A crossbreeding program for commercial beef producers

To learn more or to enroll, please contact Chessie Mitchell, RAAA tag program coordinator, at tags@redangus.org

RAISING HEALTHY CALVES

By Dr. Lee Jones, DVM, M.S., Department of Population Health, Food Animal Health and Management, Tifton Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory, Associate Professor, University of Georgia

The goal of many cow/calf producers is to profitably produce resistant, resilient calves that have strong disease resistance and that can handle the transitions from nursing, preconditioning, backgrounding or stockering to the feedlot or some finishing phase. That may seem far away while we are calving; but as the saying goes, “we need to begin with the end in mind.”

When we approach our production system focusing only on the next event, such as calving season or breeding, we can miss the interrelated connections from one event to another. Our farms and ranches have production cycles, and cycles do just that: They go in cycles, with each activity or event leading into the next one. Activities in one event of the cycle affect the next either positively or negatively, possibly impacting subsequent cycle(s), resulting in a ripple effect. This goes on year after year. “Systems thinking” looks at the whole, big picture.

This approach is especially applicable to part-time cattle producers. We need cattle

that are nearly trouble-free. Many part-time producers would rather count calves than calve cows. Therefore, paying careful attention to the herd health and production system on the farm is critical for successful calf production. Considerations for raising healthy calves focus on three general areas: natural calf health and immunity; calving and colostrum intake; and environment.

We work in events and think about the system. Our strategy guides the process.

Raising healthy calves begins before calving. Pre-calving nutrition prepares the cow to give birth to a healthy, vigorous calf. Pre-calving (also called prenatal for humans) nutrition provides the calf with essential nutrients to thrive after birth. Maternal nutrition and health affects fetal development during gestation, called fetal programming. Fetal programming has long-term impacts on the life, health and production of the calf after birth. Maternal nutrition also affects colostrum quality. Calves that do not get sufficient

colostrum within 8-12 hours of birth are at a much higher risk of disease and death than calves that nurse colostrum soon after birth. We need to watch body condition of our cow herd and nutrition prior to calving to make sure that cows calve in good condition. That is important for calf health and quality colostrum.

Cow body condition also affects calving ease. Cows in thin or over condition can have more difficulty giving birth than cows in moderate body condition. Ideally, cows should calve in body condition score of 5 or 6 (BCS 5 or 6 on a scale of 1-9; 1 is emaciated and 9 is obese). Restricting nutrition prior to calving can produce a lighter calf at birth; however, studies show that these cows actually have more difficulty calving and the calves have more health problems and weigh less at weaning compared to calves from cows that had adequate nutrition during pregnancy.

Calves born quickly are more vigorous and nurse faster than calves that experience difficult or delayed birth. Colostrum contains nutrients and components essential to the health of the calf. One component is immunoglobulin G (IgG). IgG is absorbed by the calf and is essential to the calf’s immunity. IgG can be absorbed only in the first 24 hours after birth and is most efficiently absorbed in the first 12 hours. Calves that ingest colostrum 12 or more hours after birth absorb less colostrum than calves that nurse within a few hours of birth. For many cows, the birthing process takes less than 30 minutes, while heifers may take a couple of hours. Check cows and heifers that are in labor for more than two hours to see what is causing the delay. The calf may be too big to pass through the birth canal or may not be in the correct birth position. It is a good practice to provide colostrum to calves that require assistance because these calves often aren’t vigorous enough to nurse without assistance the first day after birth.

We need to address the calving environment and make sure that it’s not too crowded, which accelerates build-up of calving-area contamination

and mud. We need to provide some protection from the elements – especially cold, wet weather, or severe weather and predators. Environmental stress and contamination of calving area contribute to the incidence of calf scours and reduce the calf’s ability to fight off infections. Being born in a contaminated environment increases the amount of virus and bacteria that the calves have to fight and increases the likelihood that the bugs will win. Many farmers have few problems the first few weeks of calving but start seeing later-born calves develop scours. This is because the earlierborn calves did not encounter the same level of pathogens from the environment – but they also reproduced more pathogens and contaminated the environment for later-born calves. One strategy to improve calf health is to move dry cows onto fresh calving pasture.

We need to make sure that all cattle have access to the clean water tanks and adequate feed bunk space. Even though we provide access to clean water, cows may sometimes drink from pools in the pasture or paddock or eat hay off the muddy ground. Cows may develop diarrhea from drinking fouled water or muddy hay. Calves may consume manure or mud when they nurse if the udder is dirty or muddy.

We need to make sure that our staff knows how to identify when to help a heifer or cow during calving, and how to identify and care for calves that are critical, so that every calf has a chance to thrive. We need to have the veterinarian’s number handy – so that when we need to call, we can get in touch with them. All of this helps lead to a successful calving season.

By recognizing and solving problems, we have better outcomes and healthier calves. By seeing the patterns in our operations, we prevent or reduce those problems beforehand. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” There’s no doubt that cure is good – but prevention is better. Getting calves off to a good start is the first step to raising healthy calves.

CHECK US OUT ONLINE!

You can sign-up or renew your membership online at any time on our website. Log onto your profile at georgiacattlemen.org to renew today!

Association Reports

President: Terri Parker 2561 Hwy 82 S Jefferson, GA 30549 770-714-5977

coachtdawg@gmail.com

UPDATE

By Terri Parker, Georgia CattleWomen’s Association President

Hello, friends of the cattle industry. The year is off to a fast start. The ladies of GCWA have really been busy preparing programs for ladies in their respective areas and preparing for livestock shows. There are so many opportunities for you as an individual to get involved and serve the beef industry.

The West Georgia Chapter spent January and is spending February presenting numerous educational programs for the women in the area. In January, Dee Perry, the Executive Director of GALT (Georgia Agricultural Land Trust) discussed the issue of disappearing farmland in Georgia to the chapter. The chapter also presented the opportunity to attend a 12-week virtual program for women-owned farms in rural areas to interact with other entrepreneurs. Building our peer network, consulting with others virtually about resources, goals and many other topics were on the course agenda.

Mid-Georgia CattleWomen’s chapter filled the first month of the new year preparing for the West Central Georgia Steer and Heifer Show at the Chestnut Oak Arena. The show is a wonderful way to support and encourage the youth as they exhibit their steer and heifer projects. MGCWA collaborated with the Upson/Lamar Extension to host “I HEART BEEF” last month at the Upson Extension office.

The Georgia CattleWomen’s Association has been diligently preparing for the upcoming year. This year, GCWA will have board and officer elections at the Convention in Columbus. If you have not made plans to attend the 61st Annual Convention, I encourage you to do so. The Iron Sharpens Iron Convention will be held at the historic Iron Works center March 8-10, 2023. The Planning Committee has prepared a host of events, and it will be a great time to gather with others from across the state. More information will be available on the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association website on how to register, along with a list of events.

Many of our other chapters are prepping the youth and headed to the barns in Perry this month to showcase their livestock at the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show. It always brings a smile to my face when I see the vehicles with trailers attached headed toward Perry. It signifies that another generation of young people have been inspired to continue the industry. This is where we need to place our focus as we see our rural lands turn into subdivisions. How can we continue to cultivate and grow the next generation’s interest?

It is through each of us sharing our enthusiasm for cattle and the beef industry that we will garner a new generation’s interest. I share with you that a few months back, I received a surprise phone call from Mr. Kenneth Bridges. He had read my article in the Georgia Cattleman magazine (December 2022 GCWA Update, page 26) and reached out to share some stories with me about his journey. Mr. Bridges is a local Georgia author, having written a book entitled, “Life of a Man Named Kenneth.” His book and his stories are very insightful for educators and agricultural enthusiasts alike. He shared so many stories of encouragement with me about women in the industry and his never-give-up attitude. His love of agriculture led him on his journey of life and showered on him many opportunities. As with Mr. Bridges, our passion needs to become contagious. Thank you, Mr. Bridges, for sharing your love and fire for agriculture with me. If you have not read his book, I encourage you to give it a glance.

Through educational programs, organizations such as the local Cattlemen’s and CattleWomen’s chapters, the state associations, the American National CattleWomen and our individual passions – we ignite the same passions that reside inside us into our youth. Don’t forget to join your local chapter, state or national organization. Your membership counts at each level, and we appreciate each membership. Follow the GCWA at georgiacattlewomen.org, on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Encourage others to join or sponsor a membership. If you are looking for a local chapter to meet up with, give me call.

Vice-President: Hailey Partain PO Box 86 Thomaston, GA 30286 706-975-6826

hpartain@uga.edu

Secretary: Jennifer Scott 392 Long Farm Road Jefferson, GA 30549 678-283-0936

jscott@braselton.net

Treasurer: Tracie Wheeless 1840 Fort Lamar Road Commerce, GA 30530 706-614-7436

4wvalleyfarm@gmail.com

Parlimentarian: Cynthia Douglas 1950 Delray Road Thomaston, GA 30286 770-550-1070

douglasfarm@windstream.net

Past President: Theresa Molle 190 Long Bridge Road Helena, GA 31037 229-315-1466

tmolle@windstream.net

www.gabeef.org/gcwa

cattlewomen@gabeef.org

AMERICAN NATIONAL CATTLEWOMEN PO Box 3881, Centennial, CO 80112 303-694-0313, fax: 303-694-2390

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Bagwell Insurance Group, Gainesville Bull Hill Ranch, Gray Court, SC Cain Equipment, Clermont Franklin CountyLivestock, Carnesville

Ag-Pro, Newnan

Ag-Georgia Farm Credit, Perry

AgSouth Farm Credit, Anderson, SC

Ace Hardware, Blue Ridge

Athens Stockyard, Athens, TN

Baker Cattle Service, Quitman

Bartow County Farm Bureau, Cartersville

Big Daddy's Cattle Farm, Tyrone

Bill Hembree Insurance, Winston

Braswell Cattle Company, Athens

Chapman Fence Company, Jefferson

Dr. Sam Adams DVM, Americus

Edward Jones, Douglasville

Flint River Mills, Bainbridge

AgAmerica Lending, Lakeland, FL

AgSouthFarm Credit, ACA, Madison

Athens-Clarke Co. Extension Office, Bogart

Bank of Camilla, Camilla

Banks County Farm Bureau, Homer

Bubba’s Tire, Dublin

Butcher Block Meats. Eastman

Burke Truck and Tractor, Waynesboro

Carhan Farm, Atlanta

Carquest of Blairsville, Blairsville

Carroll E.M.C., Carrollton

Carson Bros. Tractor Co., Americus

Cat Creek Cattle, Valdosta

Central GA Farms LLC, Eatonton

Chauncey Farm Supply, Chauncey

Circle G Ranch, Adel

Colony Bank Rochelle

County Financial, Blairsville

C R Benson Farm LLC, Dry Branch

CTAGRIN Land Mgmt & Cattle Co., LLC, Camilla

Jackson EMC, Hull King Ford, Murphy, NC Manor Timber Company, Manor Northeast Georgia Livestock, Athens

Foodland Grocery, Blairsville

Gerald A. Bowie, Auctioneer, West Point Griffins Warehouse, Douglas Honey Ridge Agricenter, Springfield Jackson Farm, Grantville Langdale Farms, LLC, Valdosta Lasseter Equipment Group, Moultrie McRea Farms, The Rock

Middle Georgia Fleet SVC, Zebulon

Miller Auto Parts & Hardware, Americus

Mountain Valley Motors, Blue Ridge

Oglethorpe Feed & Farm Supply, Crawford

Pasture Management Systems, Mount Pleasant, North Carolina

Dublin Physical Medicine & Rehab Assoc.,Dublin

Elbert Co. Farm Bureau, Elberton

Elder Farm, Jefferson

Entrekin Equipment Greenhouses, Bremen

Equal R Cattle Services, Hahira

Farm and Garden Inc., Cornelia

Farmers Seed & Feed Service, Americus

Flint River Mills, Perry

Forsyth County Farm Bureau, Cumming

Franklin County Farm Bureau, Carnesville

Greene County Extension Office, Greensboro

Greg’s Meat Processing, Comer

Griffins Warehouse, McRae

Gulf Coast Cattleman, San Antonio, TX

H & H Equipment Sales Inc., Alma

Habersham Co. Farm Bureau, Clarkesville

Hancock County Farm Bureau, Sparta

Haralson County Farm Bureau, Buchanan

Harris County Farm Bureau, Hamilton

David Hilliard, CPA, McRae

Henry County Farm Bureau, McDonough

Southern Agri-Gro, Macon SunSouth, Columbus Weeks Auction Group, Moultrie

Paulding County Farm Bureau, Dallas

Peters Cattle Company, Milledgeville

Read Brothers Irrigation, Americus

Resaca Sun Feeds LLC, Resaca

Sunbelt Ag Expo, Moultrie

Tim Stout Group, Fayetteville

Upson County Farm Bureau, Thomaston

WW Livestock Systems, Albany

Wealth Plan Financial, Blairsville

West End Milling, Quitman

White County Farmers Exchange, Cleveland White Co. Farm Bureau, Cleveland

Zinpro Performance Minerals, Sparta, TN

Holland Fertilizer Company, Cedartown

Ivey’s Outdoor and Farm, Albany

J&B Tractor Company, Waynesboro

Jacky Jones Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram, Hayesville, NC

James Short Tractors & Equipment of Alto

Kevin S Martin Farms, Ellaville

Lasseter Equipment Group, Moultrie

Lumber City Supplements, Lumber City

Madison Co. Chamber of Commerce, Danielsville

Madison County Farm Bureau, Danielsville

Manor Cattle Company, Manor

Nelson’s Feed & Hardware, Blairsville

Oconee State Bank, Watkinsville

Oconee Well Driller, Watkinsville

Philema Animal Hospital, Leesburg

Pickens Farm Bureau, Jasper

Piggly Wiggly, McRae

Public Service Communications Inc., Reynolds

R.W. Griffin Industries, Nashville

Seminole Livestock Exchange,

Donalsonville

Silveus Insurance, Dumas, TX

SunMountain Cattle Animal Health Supply, Citra, FL

SunSouth, Carrollton

Southern Livestock, Swainsboro

Tanner's Towing, Blairsville

TNT Supercenter, Thomasville, GA

Triple Creek Cattle, LLC, Americus

Union County Farm Bureau, Blairsville

United Community Bank, Carrollton

United Community Bank, Cleveland

Wallace Farm & Pet Supply, Bowdon Junction

Wards Service Center, Inc., Dexter

Waters Agricultural Labs, Inc., Camilla

Whitfield County Farm Bureau, Dalton

Wilcox Co. Farm Bureau, Rochelle Windy Hill Farm, Madison

Woody Folsom Automotive, Baxley

Youngblood Farm, Sparta

Each month, the GCA Associate Members section recognizes GCA’s allied-industry and business members. To become an associate member call 478-474-6560. GCA members are encouraged to use the services of these industry-supporting professionals.

NEW MEMBERS

Welcome This Month’s New Members!

Mark Alexander, Blairsville

Evan Alexander, Elberton

Addie Armour, Washington

Brian Bradford, Hartwell

Annalyssa Brown, Ellijay

Rusty Bryan, Adel

Wayne Chandler, Danielsville

Bryan Ciccaglione, Covington

Justin Cotton, Lexington

Marisa Craig, McDonough

Todd Dobson, Jasper

Jillian Dyer, Blairsville

Jay Ewing, Greenville

Richie Franco, Rockledge

Marcus Green, Waleska

Michael Greene, Waleska

Joel Greene, Brinson

Philip Greer, Tignall

Morgan Grizzle, Perry

Winton Harris, Screven

Larry Harrod, Sr., Plains

Eric Hogan, Clarkesville

Brandon Hudson, Auburn

Ronald Justice, Bronwood

Michael Kennedy, Lyons

Jeremy & Stacey Ketcham, Rydal

Barrett Mccarty, Tignall

Jacob Mccollum, Monroe

Chris Murphy, Bristol

Kendall Payne, Watkinsville

Nathan Powell, Metter

Clayton Roberts, Woodbury

Lewis & Harriet Sanders, Stephens

Wayne Sheffield, Jasper

Ginger Smith, Jesup

Chad Smith, Social Circle

Kris Stancil, Jasper

Josh Tatum, Jasper

Ellie Taylor, Nashville

Alexis Terry, Cave Spring

Josh Tippens, Jasper

Gracie Treadaway, summerville

Tony Troutman, Rochelle

Madisyn Volek, Calhoun

Brian Ward, Milledgeville

John Ward, Gray

Aaron Warren, Bowman

Robert Wilkie, Alpharetta

Rhett Wilkie, Alpharetta

Brock Wilkie, Alpharetta

MEMBERSHIP FORM

Thanks for joining GCA. Please complete the form below and return with your payment. Payment of your membership dues entitles you to full membership beneifts, including a 12-month subscription to the Georgia Cattleman magazine.*

Dues $140.00

Georgia Junior Cattlemen’s Association (21 & Under) $15.00

GCA Young Cattlemen’s Council (YCC) ..........................................................$50.00

Georgia CattleWomen’s Association (GCWA) $35.00

Associate Membership - Tenderloin $1,000.00

Associate Membership - T-Bone.................................................................... $750.00

Associate Membership - Rib-Eye $500.00

Associate Membership - Sirloin $250.00

Additional Local Dues

GCA Political Action Committee Contribution (Optional) .............

Total Enclosed ...........................................................................

Name on Card: CVV:

A portion of your GCA dues are a for subscription to the Georgia Cattleman, and is only available as part of the GCA membership. * GCWA members do not receive the Georgia Cattleman, but are entitled to all other membership benefits. Payment of the GCA membership dues are tax-deductible for most members as an ordinary business expense. Complying with the new tax law, GCA estimates that 25% of the dues payment is not deductible as a business expense because of GCA’s direct lobbying activities. Charitable contributions or gifts to GCA are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to GCA PAC are not deductible as either a charitable contribution or business expense. Please consult your tax attorney or tax advisor for further details.

Georgia Cattlemen’s Association 100 Cattlemen’s Drive • PO Box 27990 Macon, GA 31221 • (478) 474–6560 • gca@gabeef.org

Your Membership Matters!

Are My Winter Annuals Going to Regrow?

The prolonged cold weather during the Christmas holiday has a lot of producers asking, “Are my winter annuals going to regrow?”

Unfortunately, there isn’t a clear answer that we can offer to this question. Many cool-season forages can handle subfreezing temperatures for short periods; the degree of damage depends on air temperature, soil temperature, topography, winter precipitation, stand health, stand age, and stage of growth. Potential for recovery will depend on how much growth and what stage the plant was at before the cold snap. More advanced growth stages will be less susceptible to winter kill, compared to tender young growth. Unfortunately, many producers planted late last fall because of late-season drought, so the plants may not be at the same stage of growth as in a “normal” year. Cold tolerance will even depend on temperature and variety in many cases. Oats are generally less winter-hardy than other small grains and can suffer substantial yield loss when temperatures dip below 20°F. Ryegrass is likely intermediate to oats and other small grains in terms of winter hardiness, but there is a wide range within varieties.

So, What Happens to the Plant During a Cold Snap?

When forages experience subfreezing temperatures, the plant cells can break or rupture, which contributes to the darker-color leaves you may be finding. Grasses can be more tolerant to this than legumes; this would be why many winter annual weeds (usually broadleaf) seem to be more affected than the grasses growing around them. Cell death can occur when ice forms within the plant cells. This is why so many Extension agents are receiving pictures of brown grass this week!

The impact of freezing weather on forage quality is mixed and highly variable. The damaged forage may have a lower quality than what you were anticipating. Watch your cows closely for loss of condition and supplement their diet as needed to accommodate this difference.

So, What Should You Do?

The best way to combat cold damage is prevention. Plants need good leaf area during the fall to synthesize carbohydrates and accumulate organic reserves before winter. High K:N ratios in soil will help ensure winter hardiness as well.

Once temperatures warm back up, growth of the forages will be slow. Optimum temperatures for winter annual forages are typically between 60-80°F. The forages will grow much more slowly outside of the temperature range, so you may not be seeing regrowth yet if the temperatures have remained below this range. Be careful grazing the vulnerable plant material. Graze carefully and give the plants time to rest.

Prussic acid shouldn’t be a concern unless you have old sorghums (including johnsongrass) hanging around the farm. If this is the case, delay grazing for at least 14 days to allow the compounds to dissipate.

Potential Cold Damage to Tall Fescue (from UK Master Grazer Website)

Damaging frosts significantly reduce forage quality in most forage species. Tall fescue is unique because it has a waxy layer, which lessens the damage caused by colder temperatures, and forage quality remains high in comparison to other species. The quality loss from leaf deterioration is lower compared to other cool-season forages. Another unique attribute of tall fescue is that after experiencing a freeze, sugar content increases.

This makes tall fescue ideal for stockpiling and winter grazing use.

Short answer: Only time will tell if the forages are going to regrow this season. It’s a waiting game – and we need to be patient while our pastures try to recover!

A Feed Bag and God’s Word Monthly Devotional

By Chaplain Skeeter Spaulding

Some years back, I lived in a small trailer on a horse farm. To pay my modest rent, the owner asked me to feed and water the horses daily. And that meant regardless of the weather: rain, snow, sleet – or just plain blazing-hot. But I actually loved it! Especially since I got to keep my own mount there on the farm to ride. There were creeks to cross and cows to go trail – just out of pure fun on 300 acres. It was a gift from God.

My first stop on the feeding schedule was the big pasture in front of the barn. When I’d start hollering for them to head my way, the lead mare was always out front leading the charge. She was a bay Arabian named Jasmine, with an attitude when it came to being first in line for grub. Horses are very smart. They almost always line up at the same feed bucket on the fence line day after day. I always knew which one came after the Arabian mare. The peeking held together day after day.

One morning, a big gray draft horse gelding named Romeo got a bit too nosy over Jasmine’s bucket. She pinned her ears back, but he was just too slow taking the hint for her liking. The mare wheeled around like a ballet dancer and left her muddy hoofprint on his hip like some hairy tattoo. It landed with such a thud that I swore I heard an echo. He didn’t appear hurt at all, but he still made his way down to the end of the line and waited there for me to feed him. Romeo was sure no ladies’ man that day. It was fascinating to watch it all unfold in a mere moment’s time.

There was a message here for Sunday morning church. I got to thinking just how important feed is to these animals. The type of grains we used was specifically designed to give optimal benefit to both the inside and the outside of a horse. Besides, they apparently found it delicious.

It’s just the same when it comes to God’s Word. It is specifically designed to give us that optimal emotional and spiritual nutrition that we need for daily life. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tell us: “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and

teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (NLT).

This is the beauty of the Word. It gives life to our very nature, the one that God created. Since He made us, who knows better than He what is required for our benefit?

A lot of science goes into the feed that we trust for our horses and cattle. We spend our time and resources to raise healthy livestock for the benefit of ourselves, our family, and the world abroad. And when we invest our time into reading and studying the Bible, we discover what pertains to all life and holiness from a Holy God. He is behind all science.

John 1:1-5 declares to us that Jesus created the world. Genesis 1-2 declares that God made mankind. Don’t take my word for it. I invite you to look these passages up and lay eyes on them for yourself.

Do you get the feeling that He’s got all this covered?

We can trust Him and His Word to lead us in paths of righteousness, because He is trustworthy. So, my challenge to you is to spend time reading Psalm 139. Then read it again.

LOT

If you’re in the market for a bull to put some look and structural integrity into your cow base this is the one for you. Perfect feet and leg structure matched with a tremendous top line and hip will transfer into feeders that mash the scales and females that are timeless. Generations of performance and predictability bred into this one. All the homework has been done.

Clay Sellers: 229.873. 4595

LOT 26

Just the way we like em, proven on the top side with all the look and maternal performance you could ever ask for on the bottom. Study the leg and foot structure on this bull. This one’s mother never misses, so bid with confidence on this guy knowing you’ll want to keep all the daughters.

Zachary

Wayne Weaver: 912-425-4455

Farm Jeremy McClure

1068 Leatherford Rd. Cleveland, GA 30528 706-878-0975

Lazy L Farm is proud to take part in this year’s Tifton UGA Bull Test. We carefully chose seven bulls from the heart of our registered black angus seed stock herd as current participants for the program and auction. Maternal genetics from Deer Valley, Rolling B and Yon were mated to Full Force, Growth Fund, Hometown, Inertia, Kansas and Patriarch to produce some of our finest bulls to date. Please join us in Tifton on March 1, 2023 for the 65th annual sale.

1198 Brown Road, Griffin, GA 30224 678-234-3621

To view most recent data, visit the UGA Bull Test webpage: https://beef.caes.uga.edu/programs/live-animal-programs/ georgia-bull-evaluation-centers. html

Then, click the specific “Day Report” file to view.

HILL ANGUS FARM

Presenting Bulls That Can Improve Growth and Weaning Weights in Your Herd

Selling these bulls on March 1, 2023

The intern will assist with promotional marketing of the beef industry through the Georgia Beef Board and Georgia Cattlemen’s Association.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Social Media Account Management

• Assist with GBB Beef Promotions

• Assist in Planning & Execution of GCA events

APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 24, 2023

Applications are available on the GCA Website

Hill Angus Farm Dr. Gary M. Hill, Hendersonville, NC 28792 229-848-3695

2023—Celebrating 66 years raising Angus cattle in Georgia and North Carolina

Two High Performing Deer Valley Growth Fund Sired Bulls Mothers of these bulls have produced 7 bulls completing Tifton Bull Tests

Keeping a Competitive Edge: The Time-Tested Tifton Bull Test Program

By Shelby Kirton

Sixty-five years. This is the number of years that the University of Georgia Tifton Bull Test has been establishing itself as a vital program making a profound impact on the cattle industry and Georgia producers themselves. Every decade brings new changes, challenges, opportunities and triumphs for the program.

From the kickoff of the UGA Tifton Bull Testing Station in 1958, Bryon L. Southwell and W.C. McCormick both saw this as the stepping-stone to their ultimate goal in creating this program: allowing purebred producers from across the state to raise high-quality bulls all under one “roof.”

As more producers wanted to submit bulls to the program, stalling at the UGA Tifton Campus feeding facility became limited. In the 1980s, the committee initiated a rule allowing each consigner to submit only two bulls. The program was a hot topic, bringing in nearly 200 bulls and 100 consigners. About 20 years later, the Tifton Bull Test and sale relocated to a new site near Irwinville, Ga., where the testing facility remans today.

Over the course of the 84-day evaluation (this evaluation period was set in 2021), several bulls from

each breed are all produced under the same management and diets. Throughout the prescribed time, the bulls are evaluated, and data is collected – including data age, pedigrees, weights, gain performance, frame scores, final weights, and Expected Progeny Differences (EPD). All data recorded is then presented in the Sale Catalog for potential buyers to see.

Rodney Hilley began consigning in the UGA Tifton Bull Test with a dual purpose in mind: to evaluate how his herd was performing in comparison with other breeders across the state, and for a way to market the genetics that he was producing on his own operation. Several years after joining, Hilley not only had the top-indexing bull over all breeds, but also had the top-indexing bull with a record 5.54 Average Daily Gain and 4.10 Weight per Day of Age. Over the last 30 years, no bull has outperformed Hilley’s bull, which still holds the Highest Indexing Overall to this day.

Dr. Gary M. Hill, the owner of Hill Angus Farms and past chair of the UGA and Georgia Cattlemen’s Association Bull Test Committee, has been a part of the program since the late 1980s. Throughout his years of contribution, Dr. Hill has been able to experience the ins

Some say that the fastest genetic progress lies in sire selection.

and outs of the program. “I was a member of the UGAGCA Bull Test Committee for several years, serving as chairman for about five years,” he explains. “This gave me insight into the costs and program goals, as well as contending with problems that occurred with the tests.”

During the initial phase of the program, the bull breeds involved have fluctuated. At the start, Herefords were the stars of the show; then Angus bulls moved into the limelight. Black-hided bulls have become prominent in the industry, bringing a variety of breeds to the program. These breeds have included: Simmental; SimAngus; Gelbveigh; Balancers; Limousin; and, most recently, Black Herefords.

“So, the casual observer may need a scorecard to tell the bull they are looking at,” Dr. Hill notes.

Since the 1990s, Bob Neligan of Stonegate Farm has been consigning bulls from his registered Polled Hereford operation into the UGA Tifton Bull Test program. He has high standards. This involves being rigorously selective each year on whether to place a bull in the program –to ensure putting his best genetics forward for other producers. “There were years when I felt my bull calf crop didn’t meet the measure. Genetics in all breeds have vastly improved, and as consignors we’re committed to only consigning our best,” Neligan emphasizes.

Cattle producers in Georgia, on average, have only 20 cows in their herd. The creation of this program has enabled cattlemen with small operations to select high-performing, affordable genetics to put back in their herd. After he has won several top honors and produced high-performing bulls, Rodney Hilley’s reasoning for participating in the program has evolved. “My main purpose is producing and testing bulls that will produce the right kind of calves for the producers that use them,” he says.

Dr. Hill makes a key point about the performance test’s success: It is so competitive in regard to quality that during the 2019 Bull Test, his own bull missed winning Top Indexing Angus Bull by the razor-thin margin of 0.01 index point. Talk about a close set of high-performing bulls. After multiple years of submitting bulls to the program, 2022 was Dr. Hill’s year to capture the prize of not only Top-Indexing Angus Bull, but also the lofty honor of High Indexing Overall out of all the breeds. “Tifton Bull Sale – part of the American Dream where anyone can compete,” Dr. Hill affirms, with a can-do confidence that should inspire any producer with a small operation himself.

The genetics of cattle have changed, improving the industry as a whole and evolving the management practices of the program over the decades to keep it successful and beneficial for all producers – whatever the size of their operation.

We can safely assume that the University of Georgia Tifton Bull Test program will keep this dynamic process going.

Bob Neligan sums up this ongoing purpose, consistent with the program’s founding vision: “You have to recognize and appreciate that over half a century ago, the University of Georgia had the beef cattle industry in Georgia as a top priority. They created the Tifton Bull Test as a facilitator, data collector, and liaison in bringing the best registered bulls in the state to the commercial cattlemen in our state. It’s been a great success since the start.”

Over the course of the nearly seven decades that the UGA Tifton Bull Test has been in existence, the original goal has stayed the same: identifying superior bulls based off their performance at competitive prices for Georgia cattlemen.

And the program should get top honors for that.

2023 - 2024

Leadership

Changes in the GCA Bylaws charge the GCA Nominating Subcommittee to select the 20232024 Leadership & Committee Members. Their reccommendation was approved by the Governance Committee, the Executive Committee and will be submitted to the Board of Directors for consideration at our Convention in Columbus. We appreciate their willingness to serve.

Candidates Leadership & Committee

Officer Team Executive Committee Regional Represenatives

Two Presidential Appointees

To be named at Convention by President-Elect Joe Garner

The Executive Committee is composed of the officer team, directors and presidential appointees.

James Vaughn President Elect

Stephen Crews Region 13-15

Carroll T. Cannon Treasurer

DJ Bradshaw Region 1-3

Rodney Hilley Imm. Past President

Joe Garner President

Phil Moshell Region 10-12

Danny Bentley Vice President

Johnathan Wells Region 4-6

Darrell McCoy Region 7-9

Region 1: Evan Dover

Region 2: Paula Myers

Region 3: Scott Andrews

Region 4: David Huddleston

Region 5: Scott Carey

Region 6: Joe Newton

Region 7: Brian McDaniel

Region 8: Will Gowdowns

Region Vice Presidents

Region 9: Jeffrey Cramer

Region 10: Matt Berry

Region 11: Travis Young

Region 12: Horace Weathersby

Region 13: Sammy Perkins

Region 14: Harry Thompson

Region 15: Stephen Crews

Committee Members

Junior Activities

This year, GJCA is proud to offer members three convention contests to participate in that will allows them to meet new friends, learn more about the industry, and earn prizes in a fun, competitive setting. These contests will take place the morning of Wednesday, March 8, 2023. All contest and award winners will be recognized at the Awards Luncheon at 12:00 PM on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Contest Rules & Entry Forms Available On The GCA Web Site.

Age Divisions: Juniors: 12 years old and younger • Intermediates: 13 years old – 17 years old • Seniors: 18 years old – 21 years old

Photo CONTEST

This contest allow GJCA, 4H, and FFA members to bring their experiences and creativity to life by enhancing their photography, presentation, and competitive skills. All entries will be displayed and judged at Convention and photos must relate to farming, cattle, or conservation.

public speaking CONTEST

This contest provides an opportunity for young people involved in the Georgia cattle industry to develop public speaking skills and participate in a competitive activity focused on ag issues. Participants are challenged to research a topic of their choice, analyze the information to develop a solid understanding of the issue, identify the factors of importance, effectively deliver their message to a panel of judges, and receive and respond to encouraging feedback on their performance.

JUNIOR CATTLEMEN’S BEEF QUIZ BOWL

The GJCA Junior Beef Quiz Bowl Competition provides contestants the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of factors impacting beef cattle producers including nutrition, management, current events, and industry trends. This event is suitable for urban as well as rural youth to become more knowledgeable about the beef industry. The Beef Quiz Bowl contest aims to assist youth in our industry by hosting a contest that encourages them to think clearly, communicate effectively, and perform productively with their teammates in a competitive environment.

Registration Open Now! Hotel Rooms Going Fast

Thanks To Our Sponsors

As of 1-13-23

GCA Office Relocation

Over the past few years, the GCA office has experienced consistent concerns regarding the need for improvement as well as external concerns for staff safety. Since the building’s construction in 1988, the Macon office has been a great home for our organization; and over the years, we’ve made changes to accommodate the needs of the organization, including: shifting the board room and meeting room to create a larger board room, storage closet and three office spaces, as well as combining two office spaces with the kitchen area to create a larger kitchen and storage area.

We’ve had significant water intrusion and have installed a channel to remove the water after large rain occurrences. Additionally, our office is showing its age, and the organization would need to spend significant capital to make the necessary improvements.

The concerns, however, have become more serious in nature in recent months. These concerns include:

• A homeless encampment in the woods behind our building.

• Suspected drug deals and random people parked on Cattlemen’s Drive at all hours of the day.

• Multiple catalytic converters cut off of the trucks while sitting in our parking lot.

• A criminal on the run with two open warrants from kidnapping walking between the interstate and our office as staff arrived for work, which prompted the Georgia State Patrol to scramble their helicopter to find the criminal in the woods.

• A halfway house going into the building at the corner of Cavalier and Cattlemen’s Drive

• The D-13 Street Gang tagged our building with graffiti; and discussions with law enforcement personnel revealed that once they claim that you are in their territory, they won’t go away – and their initiation process reportedly is to “kill a gringo”

While GCA has worked to correct and avoid some of these issues in the past – the building has been repainted, trucks fixed, and processes changed to prevent staff from going to the office in the dark after arriving home – concerns for staff safety remain. The GCA EC in 2021 created a “Building Committee,” which is chaired by Tammy Cheely and includes members from each of our groups within GCA and GBB, including: Robert Fountain - Georgia Beef Board; David Gazda - GCA Foundation; Tracie Wheeless - Georgia CattleWomen’s Association; George Ligon - GCA Young Cattlemen’s Council; and Rodney Hilley - GCA. Over the past year, this group has been working to review all available options and examine the existing issues surrounding our office, and has made the recommendation to the GCA EC that the organization list the property for sale pursuant to other available opportunities. The GCA EC considered their recommendation and has voted to list the property for sale as a first step in the relocation process.

GCA has submitted a letter of interest on a property that would allow the organization the ability to build for the future in a safer area, provide some identity for the organization, and be located near a like-minded organization. While we continue the process of determining next steps, the GCA Board of Directors will be considering the EC’s recommendation to list our property for sale during the 2023 GCA Convention in Columbus, Ga.

Animal Agriculture In Defense of

By Dr. Francis L. Fluharty, Professor and Head, Department of

When I read online media stories that blame animal agriculture for being a large part of the environmental problems that we have, it troubles me that people are so far removed from agriculture and food production that they don’t realize how connected to nature farmers are. I’m thankful for animal agriculture – from the producers who raise the livestock, to the grain farmers who grow grains and other crops whose byproducts we feed to livestock and companion animals, to the companies that produce and distribute byproducts, to the feed companies who formulate products so that animals receive the proper nutrition, to the companies and people involved in delivering high-quality animal-based products to consumers around the world. I have often considered speaking up in defense of animal agriculture – because globally, protein-energy malnutrition is the largest cause of human deaths; and in 2020, the World Health Organization estimated that more than 149 million children under the age of five were too short for their age, and another 45 million were too thin for their height. In fact, 45 percent of deaths of children under five years of age are attributed to undernutrition (https:// www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition).

The agricultural system in the United States is the most efficient, sustainable food production system in

the world, and it is looked up to by developing, and developed, countries around the globe. It was not, however, something that just happened! In 1862, Justin Smith Morrill’s Land-Grant Act was passed to provide affordable, accessible higher education for the children of the working class. Then, in 1887, the Hatch Act was passed to provide public funding for science-based research directed to the needs of farmers in order to provide a plentiful food supply to the burgeoning urban population. This was followed in 1890 with the Second Land-Grant Act, whose purpose was to provide a means for providing affordable, accessible higher education for African-Americans in the then-segregated Southern states. The increase in knowledge gained from research required the dissemination of information, and this was assured in 1914 with the passage of the Smith-Lever Act, which established the Cooperative Extension Service to disseminate the information learned in agricultural research. In the last 108 years, the Cooperative Extension Service – a branch of Land Grant University colleges of Agriculture, which now include Food and Environmental Sciences – has trained scientists and millions of farmers, young people involved in 4-H, nutritionists, and consumers in everything from vegetable and fruit production to animal production to poultry production, horticulture, plant pathology, crop

Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia

and soil sciences, agricultural economics, consumer sciences, rural sociology, and agricultural education. In many states, there are county-level Extension agents in agriculture, youth development, and consumer sciences. This network of people providing training on things such as pesticide application, responsible herbicide use, animal welfare, animal production, natural resource management, and food safety is unparalleled in other parts of the world.

As companies are switching to more food items made without animal products, I can’t help but think that with fewer Americans involved in food production at the farm level, we are increasing our social challenges in explaining how nature impacts our food supply and our global climate. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with being a vegetarian. In fact, of the 7.8 billion people on earth, approximately 22 percent are vegetarians (https://dealsonhealth.net/vegetarianstatistics/); this means that we have approximately 1.7 billion vegetarians around the world. In countries such as India, approximately 40 percent of the population are vegetarians. Unfortunately, many parts of the planet are too dry, rocky or hilly, or the soil is too poor, for crop production. Depending on the definition of “grasslands,” approximately 20 percent to 40 percent of the earth’s land is in grasslands; when grazed by ruminant animals (cattle, sheep or goats), grasslands not only provide high-quality protein for human consumption, but also sequester carbon in the grass. In fact, carbon sequestered by grasses goes primarily into the soil, instead of going into the leaves or wood of trees, and is more stable when stored in the soil, as forest fires release the carbon stored in leaves and wood back into the atmosphere (https://climatechange.ucdavis.edu/ climate/news/grasslands-more-reliable-carbon-sink-thantrees). With a growing world population, providing highquality animal-derived protein to prevent malnutrition – while simultaneously sequestering carbon – should be viewed as a positive, instead of a detriment, to ensuring a sustainable human future.

In the United States, farming and ranching families constitute less than 2 percent of the population; and due to our practices, which are based on science, each farmer feeds 166 people worldwide – more than any country (https://www.fb.org/newsroom/fast-facts). In 2021, even with widespread inflation, U.S. consumers spent only 10.3 percent of their disposable personal income on food, with 5.2 percent being spent on food prepared away from home and 5.1 percent being prepared at home. In contrast, in 1960, 17 percent

of Americans’ disposable income was spent on food (https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-andfood-statistics-charting-the-essentials/food-pricesand-spending/?topicId=2b168260-a717-4708-a264cb354e815c67). Increased food production efficiency accounts for this improvement. The low percentage of disposable income spent on food in the U.S. stands in stark contrast with other countries, many of which spend more than 40 percent of their household income on food, including: Nigeria (58.9 percent), Kenya (52.2 percent), Cameroon (45.5 percent), Kazakhstan (42.8 percent), Philippines (41.9 percent), and Pakistan (41.9 percent). As a result, Americans enjoy a higher standard of living, because we have money left for things other than food and housing. We have a lot to be thankful for – much of it due to these unsung benefits of our agricultural productivity.

Activists often criticize animal production as competing directly with humans for food crops; however, most people do not realize that over 40 percent of the feeds that we use for livestock production are byproducts of other industries. For instance, 45 percent of our U.S. corn crop now goes to ethanol production (https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/ corn-and-other-feedgrains/feedgrains-sector-at-aglance/#:~:text=Much%20of%20this%20growth%20 in,percent%20of%20total%20corn%20) so that our vehicles can be driven with less nitrous oxide production. Ethanol production leaves 32 million tons of dried distiller’s grains as a waste product, but these are high in fiber and protein. The beef industry uses 13.9 million tons, while dairy production utilizes 7.9 million tons, broiler chickens use 2.8 million tons, egg-laying hens consume 1.6 million tons, and pigs eat more than 4.5 million tons. Soy oil is also produced by soybean processing, which produces another byproduct: highprotein feed, soybean meal and soyhulls, which are a great source of fiber (cellulose), which can be digested only by ruminant animals. Each year, beef and dairy cattle consume almost 3.8 million tons of soyhulls; and cattle eat more than 3.4 million tons of soybean meal, whereas chicken production consumes 20 million tons, and pigs use more than 7 million tons. Cotton production produces a byproduct (cottonseed), of which more than 3.2 million tons are fed to beef and dairy cattle. High-fructose corn syrup production leaves behind byproducts as corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal, which are both high-protein and high-fiber byproduct feeds, of which more than 5 million tons are fed. Many other byproducts come from many industries, such as potato peels, with the beef industry using more

than 437,000 tons (https://www.afia.org/feedfacts/ feed-industry-stats/animal-food-consumption/). The impression that all feeds used in modern animal production practices are grown solely for animals, and take food away from humans, is simply incorrect. If vegetable crop production were more profitable and feasible from the standpoint of production requirements, climate and soil in a geographic area, herbicide and pesticide usage, equipment requirements, and labor availability, then farmers would switch their production to those crops. In fact, more than 900 feedstuffs are used in both food-animal and companion-animal (dog and cat) diets, many of which are byproducts of other industries; and the use of these feeds by animals makes our entire food and energy systems more efficient, reduces the waste stream reaching landfills, and improves sustainability. This should be seen as a positive impact on society.

The U.S. EPA estimates that 27 percent of greenhouse gases (GHG) come from transportation, 25 percent from electric power, 24 percent from industrial production, 13 percent from residential and commercial sources, and 11 percent from all of agriculture (including field crops, vegetable, and fruit production) (https://www. epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions). However, beef and dairy cattle, and all other ruminants, account for just 3.9 percent of all greenhouse gases produced in the United States, and Dr. Frank Mitloehner from U.C. Davis found that beef cattle accounted for just 2 percent of direct emissions (https://www.ucdavis. edu/food/news/making-cattle-more-sustainable). In 2020, the U.S. EPA reported that 7 percent of greenhouse gas production was nitrous oxide and 11 percent was methane. However, even though we don’t hear this on the news, methane comes from sources other than agriculture – including the production and transport of coal, natural gas and oil, and by the decay of organic waste in municipal solid-waste landfills (source: https:// www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases). Another underreported fact is that nitrous oxide is 265 times more potent than carbon dioxide, CO2 (the

baseline value of one), whereas methane is only 28 times more potent than CO2. However, the really scary thing is that fluorinated gases – which are manufactured gases used in refrigerants and air conditioners, aerosols, such as hair care products, and some foam products – account for 3 percent of greenhouse gases, but are 23,500 times more potent than CO2 (source: https:// scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/how-climate-works/somegreenhouse-gases-are-stronger-others).

An increasing human population and the products that we use daily, along with the vehicles that we drive, are causing global warming. The math is irrefutable, even though the “news” only reports facts that don’t make us uncomfortable about our personal role in climate change; so, it is much easier to blame farmers for the food that they produce for all of us. However, when put on a percentage basis of CO2, considering potency, methane accounts for only a little over 0.4 percent of greenhouse gas production. There are no easy answers, as a rapidly increasing human population places more stress on the natural resources, including available land, for food production. However, all food production requires inputs that most people don’t understand. Sufficient crop production to meet the demands of the growing world population takes nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilization, along with herbicides and pesticides. The fact is that humans are responsible for greenhouse gas production; methane and carbon dioxide production by ruminants pales in comparison to the nitrous oxide and fluorocarbons that arise from human populations in industrialized societies. Blaming cattle – and the use of feed byproducts from industries that produce energy, clothing, and human foods such as oils and sweeteners – is not only incorrect, but dangerous; it focuses unwarranted attention on efficient and sustainable agricultural and food systems that are making good use of byproducts of other industries – attention that should rather be focused on dealing with societal problems that are, unfortunately, complex and for which we all bear responsibility.

Châtel Farms is now purchasing Angus sired, high carcass merit feeder cattle that have never received antibiotics or added hormones. Our desire is to build long term relationships with innovative cattlemen looking to join us in transforming the cattle industry in the Southeast.

For more information, please contact:

Châtel Farms Program: Elizabeth Caskey 706-513-4951

elizabeth.caskey@fplfood.com

FPL Cow Program: Eric Gahart 262-909-3494

eric.gahart@fplfood.com

The Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Grown is identifying Georgia food producers for the Local Food Procurement Assistance program and other food buying initiatives. The Department will contact producers identified through this process to source products for government funded and non-profit buying programs. If you are interested in selling your food products as part of this program, please complete the short survey below. For any additional questions, please contact Georgia Grown at 404-656-3680. https://gdaforms.wufoo.com/forms/georgia-grown-

FREE STANDING PANELS

BOW GATES

Americus, GA (229) 924-2474

Quitman, GA (229) 924-2474

Unadilla, GA (478) 627-9730

10FT FEED TROUGHS 12FT PORTABLE LOADING CHUTES 20FT STATIONARY LOADING CHUTES ACME HEAD CATCH

MINERAL FEEDER

PATRIOT GRAVITY FEED TENDER WITH AUGER SINGLE BALE HAY FEEDER

SEGUE MIXERS: 275 - 1,873 CUBIC FT CAPACITY

PATRIOT CREEP FEEDERS

10/12FT RADIUS CROWDING TUBS

5, 6, & 7 BAR HEAVY DUTY GATES FROM 2-20FT

16X8FT CATTLE GUARD

20FT 6 BAR CONTINUOUS FENCE DOUBLE HAY FEEDER

24 FT FLEX-TINE HARROW

Recent Developments in Estrus Synchronization Protocols

By Pedro Fontes, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Georgia

The 2023 sire directories from cattle genetics companies are now available to cattle producers. In addition to including a wide variety of new sires, these directories also include updated estrus synchronization protocol sheets that contain both old and new protocols that have been validated and are endorsed by the Beef Reproduction Task Force (beefrepro.org). This article will provide an overview of the 7&7 Synch protocol, which was recently added to the list of protocols for use with conventional (not sexed) semen, and summarizes the research that evaluated this protocol in controlled settings.

What is Different About the 7&7 Synch?

The newly added protocol, the 7&7 Synch, can be utilized for both heifers and cows and is an adaptation of the industry-standard 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR protocol. The only difference is that the 7&7 Synch requires an additional presynchronization step a week earlier (Figure 1).

What is the Physiological Basis of the 7&7 Synch?

One of the main limitations of short-term estrus synchronization protocols is the decreased proportion of females that respond to the first GnRH injection when they are at random stages of the estrous cycle. The goal of the GnRH injection at the beginning of an estrus synchronization protocol is to induce ovulation in as many cows as possible in order to induce synchronized follicular development across the cow herd. Research indicates that only approximately 60 percent of cows and 40 percent of heifers respond to the initial GnRH injection. To overcome this limitation, a presynchronization strategy can be utilized. Presynchronization is the administration of specific hormones prior to the initiation of an estrus synchronization protocol, to increase the proportion of females that are at an ideal stage of their cycle when the first GnRH is administered. This results in a greater response to the initial GnRH injection, leading to improvements in subsequent follicular development and fertility. This is not a novel concept in cattle reproduction. In fact, the dairy industry has been utilizing protocols that include presynchronization steps for several years. Nevertheless, the adoption of presynchronization strategies has been slower in the beef industry, largely due to the extra handling that is required, which is inconvenient in more extensive beef operations.

Figure 1. 7&7 Synch compared to 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR protocol

Treatment Schedule of the 7&7 Synch

Cows or heifers receive a prostaglandin F2α injection on the first day of the protocol (Day 0), and at the same time, a CIDR device is inserted. Seven days later (Day 7), a GnRH injection is administered and the CIDR device remains in place. On Day 14, the CIDR is removed and a second prostaglandin F2α injection is administered. Heifers are artificially inseminated 54 hours after CIDR removal and cows are artificially inseminated 66 hours after CIDR removal. Therefore, the 7&7 Synch requires four trips to the chute.

Are There Improvements in Fertility to FixedTime Artificial Insemination in Controlled Research Studies?

Replacement Heifers

Initial research has shown greater estrus expression in replacement heifers exposed to the 7&7 Synch protocol when compared with heifers exposed to the 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR. Moreover, heifers exposed to the 7&7 Synch had approximately 10 percent greater conception rates compared with heifers exposed to the 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR (Figure 2; Oosthuizen et al., 2020; Mercadante et al., 2022). No controlled comparisons have been made between the 7&7 Synch and the 5-day CO-Synch + CIDR or the 14-day CIDR-PG protocol for fixedtime artificial insemination in heifers.

Postpartum Cows

Research has also evaluated the 7&7 Synch in postpartum cows. All studies have consistently reported an increase in estrus expression in cows exposed to the 7&7 Synch when compared with the 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR. Nevertheless, out of the two large-scale experiments conducted

comparing these protocols, one study reported a greater conception rate in the 7&7 Synch (Anderson et al., 2022), whereas the other study reported no differences between the two protocols (Pancini et al., 2022). A third study compared the 7&7 Synch with the PG 6-day CIDR protocol (a protocol that also makes use of presynchronization) when using fixed-time artificial insemination and reported no differences in conception rates between the two protocols (Ketchum et al., 2022). Collectively, no studies reported a decrease in pregnancy rates when the 7&7 Synch was utilized.

Can This Protocol be Utilized for Embryo Transfer Recipients?

A study comparing the 7&7 Synch with the 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR in embryo recipients showed an increase in estrus expression; however, no differences in conception rates were observed (Bonacker et al., 2020). To my knowledge, no large-scale studies have compared the 7&7 Synch and the 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR solely in fixed-time embryo transfer programs (without estrus detection). Hence, the 7&7 Synch can be utilized in embryo transfer programs to increase the proportion of recipients expressing estrus. This increase in estrus expression might result in greater number of pregnancies, depending on the criteria for embryo recipient selection. However, research indicates that conception rates are similar within the females that received an embryo (Bonacker et

P. L. P. Fontes, S. Johnson, M. P. Owen, K. M. Harvey, A. F. Summer, G. A. Perry. 2022. Evaluation of Two Beef Cow Fixed-time AI Protocols That Utilize Pre-synchronization. J. Anim. Sci 100:139-140.

V. R. G. Mercadante, G. C. Lamb, N. Oosthuizen, N. W. Dias, S. Pancini, H. Haines, J. Currin, S. Clark, J. L. Stewart, G. J. Pent, M. P. Holton, D. D. Davis, S. R. Hernandez, R. L. Stewart, P. L. P. Fontes. 2021. Estrus Response and Pregnancy Rates of Beef Replacement Heifers Enrolled in Two Fixed-time Artificial Insemination Protocols, with or Without Pre-synchronization. J. Anim. Sci. 99:125–126.

N. Oosthuizen, P. L. P. Fontes, K. Porter, G. C. Lamb. 2020. Presynchronization with prostaglandin F2α and prolonged exposure to exogenous progesterone impacts estrus expression and fertility in beef heifers. Theriogenology. 146: 88-93.

S. Pancini, N. W. Dias, J. Currin, S. Clark, J. L. Stewart, V. R. G. Mercadante. 2022. Estrus Response and Pregnancy Rates of Beef Cows Enrolled in two Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination Protocols, with or without pre-Synchronization. J. Anim. Sci. 100:255-256.

Figure 1: Diagram of the industry-standard 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR Protocol and the 7&7 Synch. PG = Prostaglandin F2α. GnRH = Gonadotropin releasing hormone. CIDR = Controlled internal drug release insert. AI = Artificial insemination

Figure 2: Conception rates of replacement heifers (n = 1,552) using different estrus synchronization protocols (Mercadante et al., 2021).

al., 2020).

7&7 Synch had approximately 10 percent greater conception rates compared with heifers exposed to the 7-day COSynch + CIDR

C.M. Andersen, R.C. Bonacker, E.G. Smith, C.M. Spinka, S.E. Poock, J.M. Thomas. 2021. Evaluation of the 7 & 7 Synch and 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR treatment regimens for control of the estrous cycle among beef cows prior to fixed-time artificial insemination with conventional or sex-sorted semen. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 235:106892.

J. N. Ketchum, L. K. Quail, K. M. Epperson, C. Guy, J. J. Rich, S. M. Zoca, A. Kline, T. Andrews, J. Walker,

UPDATE

By Justin Hand

My New Year started with a bang. We had two cows go down, both hay suppliers ran short, my truck started making noises, and the weather (primarily lack of rain and then subzero temperatures) has yet to cooperate with getting any grazing planted. Now, this disaster is not an ideal way to begin a new year; and because of it, I spent the first three days of 2023 fighting-mad. I scruffed, grumbled, and was somewhat irritable – until I reflected on what the man in the pulpit said on New Year’s Day.

Sara, Della and I attend church regularly; but after an extended Christmas and New Year, our Sunday school class was canceled because we were all still scattered around with family. Honestly, we were thinking about skipping church entirely that day until Della wanted to go to her Papa’s church; we figured that it was a sign to drag ourselves out of the house and go.

For the past few years, my father has pastored Trinity Methodist Church, and in the message given on New Year’s Day, he used flying on an airplane as an analogy for the year that lay ahead. Right now, he explained, we are just boarding the plane about to take a trip, and we are entirely focused on the destination and all of the things that lie ahead of us; not for one second are we concerned or thinking about the pilot. Pilots fly planes every day; it’s their job to get people from one place to the next, and we just trust that they will get us to where we are going. He spoke for several minutes about the main Pilot in our lives, and the service was soon over. There is no added fluff or long, drawn-out stories; Randy is all about business, so his point is quickly reached.

The very next day is when things began to fall apart. I got the call about the down cows; next, the hay man told me he was out, and the catastrophes started to pile on after that. After a few days of storming around mad trying to fix this giant pile of messes, I got to thinking about what daddy had said a few days before. I soon realized that I have 362 days left in 2023, and my being mad wasn’t helping me make sound decisions or helping solve any of these problems. I asked God to help me, and I finally calmed down. Dr. Angie helped us get the cows up. We found some hay to get us by for a couple of more weeks. The truck still makes noises, and we found some old tires that we could convert to feed bunks to feed in place of the lost grazing. We all struggle to various degrees. We all know that this industry takes lots of hard work and sacrifice. All that we can do is keep trying – and trust that our Pilot will get us where we’re going.

Call me if I can help you in any way.

Board Members

Chair Zach Floyd 229-309-4714

Zacharycattle@gmail.com

Chair Elect Justin Hand 229-392-0231 jhand@uga.edu

Vice Chair Sarah Dyer 352-250-9571 Sarahdyer@uga.edu

Secretary/Treasurer George Ligon 803-389-9851 georgeligon@georgeligon.com

Region 2 Rep. Marrissa Blackwell 678-672-9946 Marrissa@uga.edu

Region 3 Rep. Greyson Fernandez 706-604-6165 greyson@ivycreekcattlecompany.com

Region 4 Rep. Cody Copelan 706-473-4757 Codycopelan@gmail.com

Region 5 Rep. Coleman Harrison 229-403-8011 charrison@gmail.com

ABAC Rep: Brennan Hart UGA Rep: Moira Taber

1/4 MILE OF

PASTURE MANAGEMENT FENCING

SUPPLIES AWARDED EACH QUARTER TO THE TOP GCA MEMBERSHIP RECRUITER

Regular Memberships Only

Each Quarterly Prize Includes:

4 Rolls of Pasture Management Fixed Knot 9-49-6-330ft

60 5-6 in x 7ft Pasture Management CCA .40 Treated Wood Posts

14 6-7 in x 8ft Pasture Management CCA .40 Treated Wood Posts

1 Pasture Management 12ft Tube Gate - Available in Galvanized, Red, or Black

9 10 ft H-Brace Brace Pipes

3 10 lb Buckets of Pasture Mangement Double Barbed Class 3 Staples

10 Speed Brace Kits

1 Speed Brace Kit Tensioning Tools

2 52 inch Stetcher Bars

2 Stretcher Bar Pullers

1 Knipex Wire Cutters

1 100ct Jars of Long 2-3 Crimp Sleeves

1 Crimping Tool

1 Roll of 4,000 ft 12.5 ga High Tensile Electric Fence Wire: Class 3 Galvanized, 170 K psi

1 Bag of 25 Speedrite HD End Strainer Insulators

3 Bags of 25 Pasture Management Wood Post Pinlock Insulators

75 10 inch Steel Offset Insulator

1 Patriot PMX600 Energizer: 6 Joule Output

1 Pasture Management 66ft Underground Cable

1 Jar of 25 Joint Clamps

YOUR FACE COULD BE HERE

2nd Quarter '22 Winner Howard Johnson

4th Quarter '22 Winner

3rd Quarter '22 Winner Linda Luttrell

1st Quarter '23 Winner

GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY: Danny Bentley

GEORGIA CATTLEMAN

BACK COVER TELE-AUCTION

February 22, 2023 | 10 AM

The Georgia Cattleman Magazine will be holding at tele-auction for the back cover placements for each issue beginning in May 2023 through April 2024. In order to bid on this opportunity, you will need to pre-register by emailing shelby@gabeef.org to receive a bidder number and the call-in information. To bid during the auction you will bid by calling out your bidder number. The tele-auction will be held on Wednesday, February 22nd at 10:00 AM. we hope that you can join us for the tele-auction!

Emily Menno

I was first introduced to GCA through the Georgia Junior Cattlemen’s Association during my time enrolled at ABAC. As a Florida native, it granted me a new network of opportunities, all while being involved in an industry that I am most passionate about. GCA provides exceptional marketing and educational resources as well as working tirelessly to protect cattlemen across the great state of Georgia. Becoming a member opens the door not only to a plethora of professional contacts, but to likeminded individuals that resemble family. Since officially moving to Georgia, I am thrilled to get my boots on the ground and continue being involved with this amazing association.

Join 5,000+ fellow cattle producers and allied industry partners who are dedicated to progressive animal husbandry practices, increased market opportunities and a united political voice.

• Legislative Representation, Market Development, Producer Education, Community Involvement

• A monthly subscription to the Georgia Cattleman Magazine

• Exclusive discounts & benefits from the companies below:

$20 off minimum on Emergent Coverage AIR EVAC LIFE TEAM membership with additional discounts available

10% Discount To GCA Members on their monthly CattleMax subscription.

10% Off any in-store purchase with membership coupon. Restrictions apply.

$250 off any equipment purchase of $5,000 or more.

When you purchase 9 bags of feed, you receive 1 BAG FREE!

$500 OFF any new or used vehicle

IF YOU HAVE SIMMENTALS TO SELL, THIS IS YOUR SPACE! CONTACT GCA TODAY OR EMAIL MAGAZINE@GABEEF.ORG.

IF YOU HAVE SIMMENTALS TO SELL, THIS IS YOUR SPACE! CONTACT GCA TODAY OR EMAIL MAGAZINE@GABEEF.ORG.

IF YOU HAVE SIMMENTALS TO SELL, THIS IS YOUR SPACE! CONTACT GCA TODAY OR EMAIL MAGAZINE@ GABEEF.ORG.

Reader Services Georgia Livestock Review

GEORGIA LIVESTOCK MARKET NEWS

January 12, 2023

COMPARED TO ONE WEEK EARLIER: COMPARED TO LAST WEEK: SLAUGHTER COWS AND BULLS SOLD STEADY TO 1.00 HIGHER. FEEDER CLASSES STEADY TO 4.00 HIGHER. REPLACEMENT COWS STEADY TO 2.00 HIGHER.

SUPPLY INCLUDED: 79% FEEDER CATTLE (25% STEERS, 44% HEIFERS, 31% BULLS); 15% SLAUGHTER CATTLE (89% COWS, 11% BULLS); 6% REPLACEMENT CATTLE (60% BRED COWS, 40% COW-CALF PAIRS). FEEDER CATTLE SUPPLY OVER 600 LBS WAS 18%.

SLAUGHTER CLASSES:

This publication is made available through the cooperative efforts of the USDA and Georgia Department of Agriculture Livestock Market News branch. Check our internet address at http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lswgeorgia.pdf. For current market information call 1-229-226-1641.

Georgia Livestock Markets

Monday Wednesday

Carroll County Livestock Carrollton, GA 770-834-6608

Duvall Livestock, Inc. Greensboro, GA 706-453-7368

J.D Higdon 706-817-6829

Jim Malcom 706-342-5655

Eastanollee Livestock Market Eastanolle, GA 706-779-5944

South Central Livestock Fitzgerald, GA 229-423-4400

Sumter County Stockyard Americus, GA 229-380-4901

Tuesday

Southern Livestock Oak Park, GA 912-578-3263

Franklin County Livestock Carnesville, GA 706-384-2975

Lanier Farmers Livestock Gainesville, GA 770-844-9223

Moseley Brothers Cattle, LLC Blakely, GA 229-308-3452

Pulaski County Stockyard Hawkinsville, GA 478-892-9071

Thomasville Livestock Market Thomasville, GA 229-228-6960

Upson County Livestock Thomaston, GA 30286 864-704-2487

Bill Bryan Cattle, LLC Summerville, GA 423-605-0561

Thursday

Calhoun Stockyard Calhoun, GA 706-629-1900

Turner County Stockyards Ashburn, GA 229-567-3371

Northeast Georiga Livestock Athens, GA 706-549-4790

Seminole Stockyard Donalsonville, GA 229-524-2305

Jackson Regional Stockyard Jackson, GA 770-775-7314

Moultrie Livestock Moultrie, GA 229-985-1019

Wilkes County Stockyard Washington, GA 706-678-2632

Your Beef Checkoff - $1 Federal & $1 State Remittance/Head Beef Promotion and Research Program PRIVATE TREATY SALES CHECKOFF FORM

Both the seller and the buyer have the responsibility to have the $1 per head assessment collected and remitted to the qualified state beef council. This form is designated for use in private treaty sales.

PO BOX 116797 ATLANTA, GA 30368-6797 478-474-1815 | www.gabeef.org

Person remitting assessment  Seller  Buyer

Signature

origin of cattle__________

Federal State 

Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Beef Assessment

Remittance Form | Private Treaty

Sales

Under the Georgia Marketing Order for Beef, producers of bovine animals in this State have the responsibility to have the $1.00 per head assessment collected and remitted to the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Beef. This form is designated for use in private treaty sales.

Date _______________________________

Seller’s Name _______________________ Buyer’s Name _________________________

Address ____________________________ Address _____________________________

City/State/Zip ________________________ City/State/Zip _________________________

Total Number of Cattle Sold_____________ x $1.00/Head=$ ________________________

Date of Sale __________________ State of origin of cattle__________

Person remitting assessment  Seller  Buyer

Signature ___________________

Please remit this form and assessment payment made payable to:

February PRODUCTION POINTS

General

• Pull soil samples on bermuda and bahia pastures and hay fields to plan spring fertilization and liming.

• Check with your county agent about pasture weed control. This is the best time to spray for musk thistle control.

• Check mineral feeders and continue to feed high-magnesium mineral supplement to cows on winter grazing or tall fescue.

• Fertilize tall fescue pasture and overseeded grazing. Apply 60 lbs N per acre in addition to soil test recommendations.

• Do not graze winter annuals closer than 4”. Overgrazing can reduce total winter production.

Spring Calving

(January, February, March)

• Check cows frequently during calving season.

• Tag calves at birth. Record birth dates, tag numbers and cow ID.

• Castrate, dehorn and implant calves at birth.

• Make sure bulls are in good condition for breeding heifers next month. Trim feet, conduct breeding soundness exams, and provide additional feed if needed.

• A cow’s nutrient needs increase by at least 50% after calving. If possible, separate dry cows, first-calf heifers and cow-calf pairs to feed more efficiently.

Fall Calving

(October, November, December)

• Vaccinate calves over 3 months old with clostridial vaccines (black-leg). Check with your local veterinarian about other problems in your area.

• Castrate and dehorn any calves missed at birth.

• Implant calves. Steers that were implanted at birth can be reimplanted. (Synovex-C and Ralgro are approved for use in replacement heifers. Follow label instructions.)

• Check on the condition of bulls during breeding season. Provide supplemental feed as needed.

• Remove bulls from heifers after a 45-60 day breeding season.

Forage Facts

A few warm days in early Spring can trigger thoughts of winter weed control, but before you bring out the “big guns,” consider this: You may not need to spray at all. Most of the winter annual weeds we usually encounter are nutritious and palatable. Henbit, Chickweed, Carolina geranium, Dandelion, Shepard’s purse, and Virginia pepperweed among others, with grazing pressure, can become part of the daily intake. Cattle like them in the vegetative state, so timing is critical. If these are your only weed issues, keep your sprayer in the barn and politely suggest to your pasture puppies that they expand their palate. (This will require stocking density.) Certain weeds you might find are not palatable with pressure, so first consider spot-spraying from your atv or with your backpack sprayer. If the problem is severe enough to warrant broadcast application, don’t wait. As soon as weeds begin actively growing and are still small, target them with the least-harmful appropriate solution. This will save dollars and do minimal damage to your legumes. If you delay and have to use a big gun, plan a funeral for your nitrogen fixing friends.

Consider the time, expense, and equipment requirements you will save if you can convince your cattle to do the weed control for you. A little effort will go a long way. After achieving this milestone, then ask if you have a weed issue. If so, select spot-spraying option first, early spraying with “milder” chemical products next, and broadcast spraying with one of the “big-guns” as a last resort. Your clover, your cattle, and your pocketbook will all thank you.

Beef industry calendar of events

Feb.1-Feb. 28, 2023

Southwest Georgia Master Cattleman Program

Albany, GA

Feburary 1-3, 2023

Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show

New Orleans, LA

Feb. 4, 2023

Clemson Extension Bull Test Program Sale

Pendleton, SC

February 9, 2023

30th Edition UGA Focus on Genetically Enhanced EPDs Sale

Athens, GA

February 11, 2023

Black Crest Farm Production Sale

Sumter, SC

February 17, 2023

Turner County Stockyards

Ashburn, GA

February 18, 2023

Yon Family Farms

Spring Sale

Ridge Spring, SC

February 22-25, 2023

Georgia Junior National Livestock Show

Perry, GA

February 25, 2023

Hunt’s H+ Brangus Bull & Female Sale

Calhoun, GA

February 25, 2023

Saluda County Cattlemen’s Assn. Replacement Heifer Sale

Saluda, SC

February 25, 2023

Meadows Creek 8th Annual Black & White Bull and Female Sale

Brundidge, AL

March 1, 2023

Georgia Bull Test Sale - Tifton Irwinville/Chula, GA

March 8-10, 2023

Cattlemen’s Convention

Columbus, GA

April 1, 2023

Circle G RanchesFemale Sale

Adel, GA

April 8, 2023

Southern Synergy Angus Female Sale

Wadley, GA

April 8, 2023

Knoll Crest Spring Bull and Female Sale

Red House, VA

April 18, 2023

Georgia HERD Program Sale - Tifton

Irwinville/Chula, GA

April 23, 2023

Rocking W Angus Sale

Jefferson, GA

April 30, 2023

NEW SALE DATE

Barnett Angus Ranches/ Georgia Angus Female Sale

Washington, GA

May 23, 2023

White Hawk Ranch Beefmaker

Female Sale

Buchanan, GA

May 31, 2023

Georgia HERD Program SaleCalhoun

Calhoun, GA

December 1, 2023

Knoll Crest Total Performance Bull Sale

Red House, VA

PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

Thank you to all of our customers and friends for your support in 2022. We have decided to take this year off from our annual production sale. Cattle are available by private treaty and breeding age bulls are for sale year-round. Mark your calendars next year for March 16, 2024 as we celebrate our 35th Partners In Progress Sale.