FBP Jan/Feb 2012

FRONTLINE

A NEWS SOURCE FOR COMMERCIAL BEEF PRODUCERS

JANUARY / February 2012

VOLUME 4

ISSUE 1

beef producer

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 1

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FRONTLINE Beef Producer 1

FRONTLINE Beef Producer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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9 10 11

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Out Front: Tight Feeder Calf Supplies

by Dr. Joseph Massey

Genetics: Tools to Improve your Calving Ease

by Mark Enns

Industry Outlook: Cattlemen Score Victory on Dust Vote Source: National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, NCBA USDA Implements Provisions from 2008 Farm Bill to Protect Producers Source: USDA Office of Communications DC State of Play

by Colin Woodall Will We Run Out of Corn?

by Derell S. Peel

Building the Business: Know the Cull Cow Grades Before You Sell

by Glenn Selk Marketing Update:

by Ben Spitzer Faces of the Industry: The Jasik’s Story

by Brittni Drennan Management: Beef Quality Assurance Stretching Available Hay Resources this Winter Fall Management - Deworming Strategis

by Kevin S. Gould

15 STATE DIRECTORY 19 SERVICES 21 ADVERTISER INDEX 21 CALENDER OF EVENTS About the Cover: L to R: Larry, Kate, Barin and Dustin of Jasik Hay Farms are first-generation commercial cattle producers from Pleasanton, Texas. They breed their commercial cows to Brangus bulls and market commercial replacement females. Read about their motivational success story on page 11, and visit their website at www.jasikhayfarms.com.

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IBBA Comunications Coordinator

Brittni Drennan

Marketing Programs Director

Ben Spitzer

Administration/Circulation

Frances Miller

Contributing Editors

Dr. Joseph Massey Mark Enns Colin Woodall Derell S. Peel Glenn Selk Kevin S. Gould Advertising

IBBA 210-696-8231 Copy Editor

Lindsey Matli Proofreader

Jim Bulger Operations

Rosanne Sralla Patti Teeler Layout/Art Director

Crystal Clear Designs Crystal Rasmussen

FRONTLINE Beef Producer is a product of:

Brangus Publications, Inc. 5750 Epsilon San Antonio, Texas 78249 Phone: 210.696.8231 Fax: 210.696.8718 Brangus Publications, Inc. Directors: R.L. Robbs, Chairman Dr. Joseph Massey, President Steve Densmore, Secretary/Treasurer Fred McCreary, Director Angelo Zottarelli, Director Information appearing in this issue may be reprinted only with written permission of Brangus Publications, Inc.

LPC Livestock Publications Council - Member

by Dr. Joseph Massey

OUT FRONT

Tight Feeder Calf Supplies An Opportunity For Brangus

I

n my life I have never seen a better opportunity for the commercial cattleman to produce feeder calves as I see going into 2012 and 2013. CattleFax has been reporting that supply is tight and the markets are paying all time high prices for these calves. So the question is, have you looked at your genetics and have you planed accordingly?

The markets driving the direction of our breeding programs tell us that pounds of beef are “king” and quality is a must.

While it may seem easy to know what kind of genetics to select you must not lose sight of your environment and the inputs available to your operation.

The Brangus Association has made a commitment to a multi-breed EPD which truly compares performance across breeds. The EPDs clearly demonstrate that the Brangus breed can be both a growth breed and a beef quality breed.

The more data that become available, the more we know that Brangus cannot only compete in the southern regions of this country but in the mid-west as well. The Brangus breed through its effort to produce multi-breed EPDs has also been focusing on producing a calving ease EPD for our breed. The process has seemed to take longer than we would hope, but what is becoming clear is that the Brangus breed as a whole has such an ease for calving that it has been difficult to arrive at a meaningful calving ease EPD. The Brangus breed may seem to be a better package of genetics than we are willing to acknowledge, but don’t be surprised as the data continue to come in.

Get to know your Brangus source of genetics - our members know more about their genetics than anyone else and if you ask the right questions you can find

the bulls that will work for you. Don’t be afraid to call the breeders. They will be happy to talk to you about what is going on in the Brangus breed and in their own breeding programs.

You can find our Brangus Breeders on the IBBA website, GoBrangus.com, by clicking on search and defining the states or zip code that you are interested in. I look forward to visiting with you all at

our Brangus functions. Don’t hesitate to call the Brangus Association if you need any help finding your genetic source, and make the most of this opportunity to produce outstanding feeder calves.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Massey has served as Executive Vice President of the IBBA since 2004. In 2007, he started Genetic Performance Solutions, LLC, a breed registry services and performance analysis company serving the cattle and breed association industry— an IBBA owned company. GPS manages online registry programs for breed associations and the data base management of performance data like multi-breed EPDs.

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GENETICS

by R. Mark Enns

Department of Animal Sciences Colorado State University

by R. Mark Enns

Department of Animal Sciences Colorado State University

Tools to Improve Calving Ease: Which Should You Use?

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or cow-calf producers, one of the biggest frustrations during calving season occurs when they go out to check the heifers or cows and find one having a problem delivering its calf. Immediately, there is concern for the wellbeing of the cow and for its calf. We ask ourselves, “Is the calf dead already, or can I save it?” After all, we are hoping that calf is going to contribute to our “payday” later when we market the calves.

No matter whether we save the calf or not, there is still going to be consequences in the cow. Will she clean, and will she breed back given that a dystocia usually leads to a longer postpartum interval? To maximize the number of calves weaned, we have to keep calf survival high and calving problems low. Dystocias do no good for calf survival nor for cow rebreeding. So we combat dystocia by trying to choose bulls with the correct genetics that will keep the incidence of dystocia low.

The three main pieces of information breeders typically use to make sure they are buying a bull that will not result in calving difficulty next calving season are actual birth weight, birth weight expected progeny differ-

ence (EPD), and sometimes calving ease EPD (when it is available—more on that later).

However the value of these in a selection decision are not all equal. In fact some are much more accurate reflections of genetic merit than others. Remember, accuracy is one of the biggest factors determining how fast calving ease can be improved in our herd or how well we can maintain calving problems at acceptable levels. There is considerable risk associated with making a wrong selection decision when it comes to calving ease and we want to be as accurate as possible in our selections. If the bull we chose ends up being worse than anticipated, we will likely get more dystocias, more open cows, and more death loss than we wanted.

Of the three pieces of information available on bulls Bulls, Females, Semen and Embryos for determining their prop e ns it y to produce offspring with calving problems, by far the most accurate are the EPD. EPD account not Bill Morrison only for the Joe Paul & Rosie Lack 411 CR 10 P.O. Box 274 individual’s Clovis, NM 88101 Hatch, NM 87937 birth weight (575) 482-3254 P (575) 267-1016 but also for (575) 760-7263 Cell F (575) 267-1234 bvmorrison@yucca.net environmental facwww.lackmorrisonbrangus.com tors such as

Lack-Morrison Brangus

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climatic conditions, feed resources, and other environmental influences associated with contemporaries. Additionally EPD account for the age of the dam and use information on all available relatives when calculated. They simply account for more information and give a better prediction of genetic differences than do any other measure such as actual birth weight.

At our own sale and at other sales, I often hear customers say that they only use actual birth weight when they choose bulls and focus on calving difficulty. However, this is the least accurate method for choosing bulls.

First, actual birth weight does not account for differences in the age of the dam of the bull and this might have a very large influence on actual birth weight. Using Beef Improvement Federation Guidelines, failure to account for these differences may contribute up to an eight-pound difference in birth weight alone (if you were considering a bull whose mother was a two-year-old and another bull whose mother was an eight-year-old cow). Additionally actual birth weight does not account for maternal genetic effects on calf birth weight as EPD do. The biological explanation of this phenomenon is that there are genetic differences between cows that influence how quickly that calf grows in the uterus much like there are maternal effects on weaning weight. Failure to account for this effect of the dam, will bias your selection decisions and may lead to an inaccurate decision. Contemporary group differences, ages of the dams, and maternal effects must be accounted for when you make selection decisions with a focus on calving ease/difficulty. The EPD are the only tools that account for these differences.

This year as you attend various sales to pick your replacement bulls, you will be faced with several different pieces of information on each bull. If calving ease is a concern, focus on the EPD and not actual birth weight—it is a more accurate predictor of the birth weight genetic merit of that individual. As a note on the future, the IBBA has an excellent tool in the birth weight EPD and is working to improve that as well with the development of a calving ease EPD, but that tool will be the subject of a future column.

OUTLOOK

Source: National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, NCBA

INDUSTRY

OUTLOOK

Cattlemen Score Victory on Dust Vote

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he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received a clear signal yesterday, Dec. 8, 2011, from the U.S. House of Representatives that placing burdensome and scientifically unfounded regulations on U.S. farmers and ranchers is unacceptable. In a bipartisan showing, the House voted 268-150 in favor of Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s (R-S.D) Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011(H.R. 1633). National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Bill Donald calls today’s vote a win for regulatory certainty for cattlemen and women.

“Unfortunately, taking EPA’s word that farm dust will not be further regulated provides absolutely no relief to those cattle producers already faced with dust regulations. We saw legislation as the only option to give all ranchers across the country any sort of peace of mind,” said Donald, who is a rancher from Melville, Mont.

“Cattlemen and women worried about being fined for moving cattle, tilling a field or even driving down a dirt road should rest assured knowing that will not be allowed to happen on our watch. The bill provides much-needed certainty for cattlemen.”

Donald said the fact EPA was even considering regulating dust at levels that would push much of the country into non-compliance was reason enough to move forward with H.R. 1633. NCBA Deputy Environmental Counsel Ashley Lyon said the legislation recognizes that dust from agricultural activities has never been shown to have an adverse health impact at ambient levels. H.R. 1633 first gives states and localities the authority in regulating dust by preventing the federal standard from applying where states or localities already have dust measures in place. In places where there is no state or local control, the bill also would exempt farm dust from the Clean Air Act unless the EPA administrator can prove it is a

a problem; we simply find a bigger hammer. Rallying together and working directly with members of Congress allowed us to swing a bigger hammer and score a victory for the entire industry today but our efforts cannot stop now,” said Donald.

“The Senate will be a challenge. However, we are confident if agriculture continues to work together, we can expect this legislation to end up on the president’s desk.”

The legislation now moves to the Senate, where it was introduced by Senators Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and has support from 26 bipartisan senators.

significant health problem and that applying the standard is worth the costs.

Donald said it is because of commonsense policymakers like Congresswoman Noem and the original cosponsors Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), Larry Kissell (DN.C.) and Robert Hurt (R-Va.). He said agriculture rallied behind this bipartisan legislaTaking super F-1 Tigerstripe cows, breeding them to tion. Specifically, meat wagon Brangus bulls; producing replacement feNCBA orchestratmales that will work for any rancher. These heifers are ed a letter signed all ranch-raised and are culled first as yearlings and then by 194 agriculagain as two-year-olds. Our heifers are many time class tural organizaand division winners at Ft. Worth, San Antonio, and tions that was sent Houston Commercial Female Shows & Sales. to every member Jim McCord: Owner Josh Kinslow: Manager of the U.S. House 979-279-5649 979-589-1149 of Representa979-229-1205 979-574-7914 tives. Donald said NCBA wanted to Look for our females at: be clear that this 2012 Ft. WOrth Southwestern Exposition Invitational legislation was Commercial Female Show and Sale supported across 2012 San antOniO Commercial Female Sale the board by all of 2012 hOuStOn Livestock Show All Breeds Commercial agriculture.

Female Sale “What we have 2012 BeauMOnt SETICA All Breed Commercial Female found is when we and Bull Sale need a solution to

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 5

INDUSTRY

OUTLOOK

Source: USDA Office of Communications

OUTLOOK

Source: USDA Office of Communications

USDA Implements Provisions from 2008 Farm Bill to Protect Producers

A

griculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced USDA has published the Final Rule implementing the 2008 Farm Bill provisions to better protect livestock producers and poultry growers under the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA).

“As I travel throughout the countryside, I often hear from farmers and ranchers about their concerns with the marketplace becoming more concentrated,” Secretary Vilsack said. “While concentration certainly comes with some efficiencies, Congress recognized in the 2008 Farm Bill that additional protections for

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producers are warranted. Today’s rule will implement these targeted protections and help provide more fairness and transparency in the marketplace.”

The provisions being finalized by the Department today were required by the 2008 Farm Bill and have been modified from the June 22, 2010, proposed rule.

These sect i o n s include criteria the Secretary may c ons i d e r when determining whether a live poultry dealer has provided reasonable notice to poultry growers of any suspension of the delivery of birds, when de-

termining whether a requirement of additional capital investments over the life of a poultry growing arrangement or swine production contract constitutes a violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act and when determining if a packer, swine contractor, or live poultry dealer has provided a reasonable period of time for a grower to remedy a breach of contract that could lead to termination of a production contract.

The rule also includes a section requiring contracts that require the use of arbitration to include language on the signature page that allows the producer or grower to decline arbitration and provides criteria the Secretary may consider when determining if the arbitration process provided in a contract provides a meaningful opportunity for growers and producers to participate fully in the arbitration process.

The Department also planned to seek additional public comment on several other revised provisions from the June 22, 2010, proposed rule including changes to the tournament system of payment for poultry growers, requirements to collect and post sample contracts and to address the issue of need for producers to show harm to competition prior to asserting a violation of the Packer and Stockyards Act. However, the FY2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill passed by Congress included language prohibiting the Department from moving forward on these important provisions. Despite this setback, USDA and the Obama Administration remain committed to promoting a fair and transparent marketplace.

by Colin WOODALL, Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

INDUSTRY

OUTLOOK

DC State of Play

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have heard about an old Chinese curse that says “may you live in interesting times.” We are definitely living in interesting times, and it is only going to get more so as the 2012 election season gets in high gear. Much is at stake as the country prepares to elect a President, House, and Senate, especially for those of us in the cattle business. Over the years, we have seen more and more government involvement in our business, and most of it has had a detrimental impact.

As you watch the political races unfold over the next year, keep these issues in mind as you evaluate candidates and cast your ballot.

Any conversation about the impact of Washington on cattle producers has to start with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As producers, we believe in clean air, water, and land, not only because it is the basis for our livelihood and productivity, but because it is just the right thing to do. There are no better stewards of our natural resources than cattle producers, but yet we continue to be singled out in EPA rules and regulations.

One of the EPA issues that we have been fighting is the regulation of farm dust. EPA calls it coarse particulate matter, but it really is just dust that is kicked up on unpaved roads, through tillage and harvesting operations, or just about any action associated with modern agriculture.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson claims that regulation of farm dust is just a myth, but the words on paper told a different story.

Through grassroots pressure and help from our friends in Congress, we were successful in getting a commitment from Administrator Jackson to not regulate farm dust for the next five years. However, we must continue the fight to pass legislation that will give us permanent protection from an overzealous EPA, regardless of who is in the White House.

The fight to keep big government out of your business continues with the ongoing effort against the proposed GIPSA rule on livestock marketing. This is the rule that would completely change the way we market cattle and could hinder or eliminate many of the alternative marketing arrangements that make the investment in genetics pay off. By allowing the simple term “fairness” to be the basis for a lawsuit under the Packers and Stockyards Act,

we could see a feeding frenzy of trial lawyers wanting to sue just because somebody thought a price their neighbor got paid for cattle was unfair, regardless of the justification. This would basically allow lawyers and the government to set the standard price for cattle. This is truly one of the best examples of government getting in the way of producers by telling them how to market their cattle.

Fortunately, again with the help of producer involvement, we were able to convince USDA to break up this rule and postpone action on the issues that would impact cattle marketing. Congress also voted on an appropriations package that denies funding for USDA to continue work this year on the areas of the rule that impact the cattle industry.

While this is a short-term victory, we are still working on a permanent fix to prevent future government intrusion into the cattle markets.

As cattle producers, we don’t get checks from USDA, nor do we want them. As a result, access to new markets is one of the keys to growing our industry. Today, trade is worth about $200 per marketed head. That is money in your pocket. We know we produce superior beef in the United States, and we want to put it on plates around the world. Now, many say that we should just worry about feeding ourselves here at home. While that notion can get people thinking, we shouldn’t forget that it’s more than feeding ourselves, it’s about maximizing the value of the carcass. Why wouldn’t we want to ship tongue to Asian markets where they will pay almost $15 per pound, while our customers here in the United States only want to pay ten cents?

Congressional passage of the free trade

agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama back in October was only the beginning. We now need to focus on gaining more access to Japan where we are only sending beef from cattle 20 months of age or less. Just moving that to 30 months is worth over $1 billion to the U.S. cattle industry. We also need to reopen China where the ever-growing middle class in that country is demanding higher quality proteins. They need to be eating U.S. beef.

It was Ben Franklin who wrote that the only things certain in life were death and taxes.

With our government, you get taxed when you die. The death tax is one of the biggest barriers to passing down cattle operations from generation to generation. Even though we were successful in getting a two year fix to the death tax, we only have a year left before the exemption rate goes back to $1 million and all assets over that get taxed at 55 percent. Today, it doesn’t take an operation of very big size to have over a million dollars in assets. Over the next year we must get a permanent fix to the death tax in order to give cattle families across this country the certainty to plan for the future.

This brings us back to what we can expect in 2012. Election years, especially Presidential election years, are notorious for a lot of talk on the issues, but not much action. I expect that to be the same this year, but as you can see, we have a lot of issues that need attention. In addition to the issues above, we also need action on immigration reform, transportation infrastructure investment, the farm bill, and many others. In order to make that happen, it is critical that you get involved in the political process and make sure you take the time to contact your Representative and two Senators.

Also take the time to meet and listen to the candidates running for office. Let them know that the cattle industry is alive and well, and that we will be holding members of Congress accountable for their actions and votes.

The partnership between the International Brangus Breeders Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association puts you in a position to stay informed and be involved.

Visit our website www.beefusa.org to keep up with the latest on all the issues we are working in Washington, DC. With less than two percent of the U.S. population involved in agriculture, it is important we continue to work together to keep this industry strong.

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 7

INDUSTRY

OUTLOOK

by Derrell S. PEEL Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist

Will We Run Out of Corn?

T

he answer to that question is no…as long as markets are free to adjust prices. One of the most remarkable characteristics of a market economy is how rare it is to run out of most anything. It is easy to take for granted that anyone can walk into most any store, any time and find what they are looking for. It is really quite amazing! The secret is, of course, that market prices adjust to make sure that we don’t run out. Markets will almost never tell you that you can’t have something but prices may rise so that you will decide you really don’t want it after all.

Agricultural markets rely especially heavily on this process. Unlike, a manufactured product market where inventory control plays a bigger role in maintaining market equilibrium, agricultural markets typically rely much more on prices to balance supply and demand. Since much agricultural production, especially crops, are limited to an annual production cycle and total production is subject to the vagaries of weather on yields, demand must be adjusted to fit available supplies. Thus it is, for example, that a freeze in citrus regions quickly provokes higher prices for orange juice, not because we are immediately out but to ration demand and make sure we don’t run out of orange juice.

That leads to the real question implied by the title: What corn price will be needed to make sure we produce enough corn to meet our needs? This is an entirely different question. In the last five years, the use of corn for industrial production has averaged 5.6 billion bushels, up 2.8 billion bushels, or double the previous five-year average industrial use. In response, total corn production the last five years has averaged 12.6 billion bushels, up 20 percent over the 10.5 billion bushel average of the previous five years. Other uses are impacted as well. Interestingly, corn exports have averaged slightly higher, up about one percent the last five years compared 8 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

corn to soybean rotations to continuous corn or 2:1 corn to soybean rotations also reduces yield potential. In the absence of cheap inputs and with more use of suboptimal production resources and systems, corn yield improvement is likely to be tempered in the coming years. We will to the previous five years. Global demand meet our needs for corn but it will likely for corn is not easily bid out of the market. take permanently higher prices to make However, corn used directly for feed has sure we don’t run out.

Most of the time, market price adjustdecreased 12.5 percent, an average drop ments are rather subtle and result in many of 731 million bushels each of the last five small changes in decisions by businesses years compared to the previous five years. that maintain market equilibrium. This is Of course, the availability of by-product much like the hundreds of small adjustfeeds has offset part of the quantity of ments one makes constantly to steer an corn used for feed but it is the primary automobile down the highway.

Occasioncorn market where values are determined. ally the adjustments are more dramatic So we have been able to meet our and cause significant and abrupt impacts needs for corn the last five years but only in markets.

In the case of corn, the reality at prices that are double to triple historiof permanently higher corn prices is recal levels. The pressure on agricultural resulting in a series of short and long run sources that results from increased corn adjustments in most other crop and liveproduction (including a 17 percent increase planted acres from 2006 to 2011) stock markets. The beef industry, which limits the ability to increase corn supply has more ability than other livestock into meet growing demand without higher dustries to adjust corn prices. Higher market prices are production sysneeded to expand production as well as tems in the face of to limit corn demand among alternative higher corn prices, uses. It is possible that increasing yields now faces the need will provide enough additional corn pro- to make those adduction to relieve some of the price pres- justments. This is sure but much of the yield trend of the last a process that will thirty years has been with hybrid and oth- take many years to er technology that responded well to near fully complete and ideal production conditions and relied on will shape how cheap fuel and fertilizer. Expanded corn and where cattle acreage is pulling in more land in areas production takes where soil and climate are more marginal place in the counfor corn production. Changing from 1:1 try.

BUILDING THE

BUSINESS

Know the Cull Cow Grades Before You Sell

by Glenn SELK, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist

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any Southwest United States cow herds have been culled as much as possible. Some culling of beef cows occurs in most herds every year. If feed resources are available, a few producers may wish to market the culls after the first of the year for tax purposes.

The Beef Audits have generally shown that cull cows, bulls, and cull dairy cows make up about 20% of the beef available for consumption in the United States.

About half of this group, or 10% of the beef supply, comes from cull beef cows. In a drought-plagued year, the percentage of some herds that are being culled goes even higher than the survey estimates of 20% of each cow herd. Whether we are culling because of drought or to improve the productivity of the herd, it is important to understand the values placed on cull cows intended for slaughter.

The USDA market news service reports on four classes of cull cows. The four classes are divided primarily on fatness.

The highest conditioned cull cows are reported as “Breakers”. They usually are quite fleshy and generally have excellent dressing percentages. Body condition score 7 and above are required to be “Breakers”.

The next class is a more moderate conditioned group of cows called “Boners” or “Boning Utility”. These cows usually would fall in the body condition score grades of 5 to 7. Many well-nourished commercial beef cows would be graded “Boners”.

The last two groups of cows as reported by the market news service are the “Leans” and “Lites”. These cows are very thin (Body condition scores 1 - 4). They are in general expected to be lower in dressing percentage than the fleshier cows and are more easily bruised while being transported than are cows in better body condition. “Lites” are

thin cows that are very small and would have very low hot carcass weights.

Leans and Lites are nearly always lower in price per pound than are the Boners and the Breakers. “Lites” often bring the lowest price per pound because the amount of saleable product is small, even though the overhead costs of slaughtering and processing are about the same as larger, fleshier cows.

Producers that sell cull cows should pay close attention to the market news reports about the price differentials of the cows in these classes. Cull cows that can be fed enough to gain body condition to improve from the Lean class to Boner class can gain weight and gain in value per pound at the same time. Seldom, if ever, does this situation exist elsewhere in the beef business.

Last week, in Oklahoma City, the difference in “Leans” versus “Boners” was about 7 dollars per hundredweight in favor of the Boner cows. Therefore, market your cull cows while still in good enough condition to fall in the Boner grade. If cows are being culled while very thin, consider short term dry lot feeding or putting them on wheat pasture to take them up in weight and up in grade. This usually can be done in about 50 to 70 days with excellent feed efficiency.

Rarely does it pay to feed enough to move the cow to “Breaker” class. There is very little if any price advantage of Breakers over Boners and cows lose feed efficiency if fed to that degree of fatness.

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 9

MARKETING

by Ben SPITZER IBBA Marketing Programs Director

“C

ultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens.

They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bands.” –Thomas Jefferson in a letter to John Jay (Aug. 23, 1785) One of the greatest joys I get in my job with IBBA is to actually get out on the ranches that use Brangus bulls. It is both heartwarming and sometimes mindboggling to see the progress and success of men and women involved in one of the noblest professions possible, feeding their fellow man. As I travel across the country, I am struck by how different the environments are, yet how remarkably similar those involved in agriculture carry themselves through life. As a general rule, farmers and ranchers are warm, welcoming people who have a great passion for what they do. Sure, some are only able to have cattle as a supplement to their income. But, I would say if given the option, a vast majority would choose to be working daily in God’s creation.

When I travel, especially when I fly, I am often going from one extreme to the other.

When I get to my destination, I get to see some of the greatest landscape, best cattle and greatest people in the world. But, I am on an airplane with people who have little, if any, knowledge about the efforts or the people who work to provide them with the healthy, abun-

10 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

dant food that we enjoy in this country. (Believe me, I make sure to let them know that I am one of your biggest fans and they should be too!) One of the hardest things to articulate is when someone asks, “What exactly do you do?” My best answer so far is, “I work to create opportunities for our members’ customers to be more profitable.”

This month, I want to take a minute to remind you about the opportunities available to you, our members’ bull buying customers and users of Brangus genetics. The IBBA has several programs available that will expose your operations to more profit. Some programs we offer have been going for several years, others we are just trying to get off the ground. Still others have yet to develop fully, but rest assured, we are constantly looking for and inventing new opportunities for our commercial bull customers.

OptimaxX

The IBBA provides a USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) for Age, Source and Genetics that helps you capture a genuine premium from buyers.

If you use IBBA registered bulls, we want to help you get the most value possible from your calves. The only cost to our Brangus bull customers is the OptimaxX tag.

There are no enrollment or data management fees. OptimaxX is a tool that is designed to return real

dividends to the commercial producer in today’s market where age and source verification really does earn you premiums. We can put you in contact with cattle buyers specifically looking for OptimaxX tagged calves. If you are currently using IBBA registered bulls in your operation, contact your Brangus seedstock supplier or the IBBA Brangus Marketing Programs for more information.

Brangus Gold Commercial Females

The Brangus and Brangus Crossbred Commercial Female have long been valued for their maternal excellence, fertility and longevity by profit minded beef producers. Reams of research and real world results from across the United States prove Brangus influenced commercial cows produce more pounds of high quality beef than any other. The Brangus Gold Commercial Female programs is designed to identify true Brangus influenced replacement females. We are additionally working on ways to create specific sale opportunities for producers of Brangus Gold Commercial Females.

Brangus Feeder Blast

The IBBA has developed relationships with feedyards and order buyers who are actively seeking Brangus influenced cattle. Brangus Feeder Blast is FREE, and works for load lots of calves or yearlings. Whether you are selling through a sale barn, video auction or private treaty, Feeder Blast gives you an audience with potential buyers. This is a new and developing program where we would like to have more participation from commercial producers.

Brangus association staff is here to help you. We take great satisfaction in helping, as Jefferson called you, “most valuable citizens.”

Our function is to help our members’ customers - YOU - to be more profitable. The sole reason for Brangus Marketing Programs is to add value to your cattle and make you more successful. If we can ever be of assistance, please contact us at 210/696-8231 or email me directly, ben@int-brangus.org.

by Brittni Drennan IBBA Communications Coordinator

FACES OF THE

INDUSTRY

The Jasik’s Story

T

here are a few producers in our demanding, competitive industry who inspire all of us to work harder, be more optimistic, and strive daily to achieve our goals while building integrity instead of just a product. These hardworking cattlemen were building fence with their fathers before they were old enough to go to school and driving tractors well before they had their license. They are those kind of producers whom you hold a high respect for. Meet the Jasik family.

Dustin grew up in the little quiet town of Pleasanton, Texas, where he learned all about the cattle business from his dad, Larry. Dustin worked alongside his dad and followed his every step. Everything Dustin knows about feeding cows, herd management, buying bulls and even fixing fence, he learned from his dad.

“My dad is my biggest influence. He raised me and he’s my best friend,” Dustin said. “We help and learn from each other. I guess that’s how we make it as partners.”

Larry and Dustin partnered to establish “Jasik Hay Farms”. They now run close to 500 Brangus cows for commercial production and have 1,300 acres for coastal hay production, but it was not a short road getting to that point. Dustin started his own business from scratch at age 14 when his dad helped him buy his first set of cows. Just three years later, he leased some land and bought 50 Brangus cows.

Dustin, who solely through perseverance and hard work, built a successful business without having anything handed to him.

“If you’re starting from scratch, you have to start out small and grow from there,” Dustin said. “We started from nothing 18 years ago, and being a first generation farm sets us apart.”

Dustin’s biggest critic, he said, is his wife, Kate. The young couple met at a dance after Kate moved from Comfort to Pleasanton when she was 18. Kate was unfamiliar with the agriculture industry growing up, and had limited knowledge about the cattle business. Much like Dustin learned from his father, Kate learned from her husband and took new challenges head on.

“I didn’t know anything about cattle before I met Dustin,” Kate said. “He taught me everything I know. Now we just like to drive around and look at cattle on the farm together.”

Kate contributes significantly to the success of the business. While the guys are sorting cows, she examines the quality and helps with culling. With a smile on her face the size of Texas, Kate doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. She drives the tractor and helps harvest hay in the summer. She also does the marketing work for the family business designing and placing advertisements, managing the website, publicizing the farm on Facebook, and is working on starting a blog. She said she uses social media to publicize the family’s achievements and create awareness and publicity for their business. After advertising their big win in San Antonio, Kate said she saw an increase in traffic to their Facebook page and website.

During her little spare time, Kate enjoys photography and takes professional quality portraits of families, children and landscapes.

Between feeding cows and helping her husband, Kate does not miss a beat even with a little one on her hip. The couple had a boy, Barin, in May 2011 and are proud to raise him on a farm learning the cattle business just like Dustin did.

“We live here on the farm and working together allows us to spend more time together,” Dustin said. “We get a lot of joy being able to raise our son on the farm and look forward to teaching him a lot.”

The Jasik family has faced difficult challenges just like other producers have recently.

Dustin attributes their continued success to being self sufficient with their hay production and the quality of their Brangus cattle.

“We drive on quality in our replacement females. That’s what we raise and what we market,” Dustin said. “We’re not necessarily trying to grow in numbers. We focus on quality and strive to keep satisfied customers, raising what

they want and need, and that’s heifers that will breed easily, milk well and handle well.”

Dustin mentioned several reasons why he breeds his commercial cows to Brangus bulls.

He said the primary reason he likes Brangus is the breed’s ability to perform in the harsh South Texas climate. Brangus cows breed back more easily, are more docile, handle better and have very little udder problems from what Dustin has experienced. Additionally, he said they always seem to top the market without fluctuating.

“There’s a market for Brangus bull calves or female calves. Brangus adapt well to different climates, they’re hardy, good quality and good breeders with good mothering-ability,” Dustin said.

Dustin said he responds to their customers’ needs and continually focuses on improving quality. To ensure this high quality, Dustin and Larry enroll their females in the Brangus Gold program, a service provided by the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) that verifies Brangus genetics in commercial females.

“Having been using Brangus Gold for a year, [it] validates quality. The tags reassure our customers who are buying our replacement females that we’re breeding to registered Brangus bulls,” Dustin said.

The Jasiks take pride in the business they have built. They consider their biggest reward winning the San Antonio All-Breed Sale Overall Grand Champion in 2011. This was only the second time in the last 19 years that the Brangus breed received the title. They have also had several Breed Champion Brangus Bred Heifers and Pairs over the last eight years.

The Jasiks have an inspiring story to tellone of tough challenges and many triumphs.

Families like the Jasiks motivate us to work harder and live better.

“You can’t just give up the first dry spell you hit,” Dustin said. “You can’t give up because it will pay off in the end.”

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 11

MANAGEMENT Stretching Available Hay Resources this Winter

D

Advances in hay feeder and bunk designs save cattle ranchers on wasted feed, costs and time

rought conditions in regions throughout North America have placed a great deal of pressure on cattle ranchers and dairy farmers, particularly in regards to the cost and availability of hay this winter. In many areas they are faced with a pressing choice: either stretch existing supplies of hay or supplement with additional hay purchased on the open market at inflated prices due to the shortages.

Fortunately, new and improved hay feeder and bunk designs are going a long way toward maximizing on-hand stocks of hay so they can last through the winter.

This includes the recent availability of square hay bale feeders (previous options were limited to smaller round bales) designed to conserve up to 33 percent of existing hay resources, new heavy steel feed bunks that are an economical alternative to plastic and concrete and even new shipping techniques designed to drive down freight costs, which are passed on to the farmer.

the Northwest. Large square bales are also popular for feeding dairy cattle in places such as Wisconsin, California and southern Missouri.

“Until recently, there have been no hay conserver feeders available on the market that accommodated the large square bales,” says Bob Studebaker, president of GoBob Pipe and Steel, the supplier that first introduced “Hay Conserver” feeders about six years ago and

has subsequently shipped over 9,000 feeders across the United States. “The square feeders are based on the same principles, so a farmer can save roughly a third of his existing hay resources as well as the time, trouble and cost of locating and transporting additional hay.”

According to Studebaker, hay feeder suppliers such as GoBob are increasingly searching for ways to reduce the overall cost through creative solutions to reduce freight costs. One option is to have feeders shipped partially assembled and unpainted in kits, rather than fully assembled. Strategically located fabricators throughout the country would then handle the final assembly and painting. Customers and dealers can even elect to finish the assembly and painting themselves at a further discount.

“Shipping is a substantial cost that affects the overall cost of the product,” explains (continued on next page)

Saving on feed spillage

Using conventional hay feeding rings, cattle ranchers can lose thousands of dollars per year in avoidable feed loss.

With traditional feeding rings, cattle stand outside the feeder, tear the hay out, and let the excess fall from their mouths. When cattle bite off too much, which they are inclined to do, the hay falls to the ground and gets trampled and otherwise damaged – and will not be eaten.

“Conserver” hay feeders, on the other hand, force cattle to place their heads through metal bars to get at the hay. Any feed the cows drop falls right back into the feeder where it can be eaten later.

The success of the hay conserving bale feeder has led to the recent development and release of new options that accommodate the large square bales popular throughout

12 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

New large square ball “conserver” hay feeders force cattle to place their heads through metal bars to get at the hay so it doesn’t fall on the ground and get wasted. This can save a farmer roughly a third of his existing hay resources.

(continued from previous page)

Studebaker. “Instead of shipping 25 completed feeders on a semi, we can ship about four times that many in kit form. This significantly reduces shipping costs, so that they can be passed on to the customer.”

Feed bunks

The other option for feeding cattle is feed bunks. Like the hay feeder, there are important considerations that go into the selection of bunk, its construction and how to avoid unnecessary feed waste.

A typical feed bunk from a feed store or farm supply center is 8-10 feet long, has a light tubular frame and a plastic trough. Plastic bunks are relatively inexpensive at $110$150.

Unfortunately, because they weigh about 50 lbs, cattle can push plastic bunks around the yard. If livestock inadvertently step into the trough they can punch a hole right through the plastic. The cost of replacing damaged bunks over time eliminates much of the savings from the initial purchase price.

The alternative to plastic is concrete.

However, concrete bunks require substantial, regular maintenance. Because concrete is

MANAGEMENT porous, it must be sealed on a periodic basis.

If not, concrete will spall or chip. Concrete bunks have the additional disadvantage of being so heavy and cumbersome that it is very difficult to move them when necessary.

“Concrete bunks usually weigh a couple of tons and require a tractor to move them,” Studebaker explains. “Plus, if you move them in the winter they can crack, which will allow moisture to get in and freeze. If the bunk ruptures, then it requires repair or replacement.”

A highly efficient and practical alternative to plastic and concrete pasture bunks is the “half pipe” metal feeding bunk. Constructed of a 20-foot metal pipe split in half, these feed bunks are plated to seal the ends, with metal legs welded underneath to provide highly durable legs. The product is also available by the foot for constructing long, fence line bunk systems.

These metal bunks feature a trough that is 5/16-3/8 in. thick, making them virtually indestructible. At a little over 1000 pounds, they are too heavy for cattle to move, but easy enough for the farmer. Although heavy steel

bunks cost about 30 percent more than plastic, cattlemen never have to replace them.

In addition to standard metal bunks, there are high-volume “super bunk” models that are designed for those that feed cattle ground hay, silage or other high volume forage.

Constructed of steel plate, instead of a half-pipe, the trough is 34 in. wide and 12 in. deep. To ensure that feed and supplements will not get trapped into square edges or corners and wasted, the sides of the trough are sloped inward toward the bottom. The highvolume bunk also features skids and a tow bar, making it easily transported around the pasture.

Whether bunk or hay feeder, cattle ranchers and dairy farmers would do well to examine the latest options that can help them stretch existing feed resources and eliminate shortfalls that will force them to purchase additional hay at today’s inflated prices.

For more information call 1-866-532-9123 or visit www.gobobpipe.com

Source: Kevin S. Gould, Michigan State University Extension

Fall Management: Deworming Strategies

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he term strategic deworming is often used to describe deworming timing for your climate and parasite challenge. Research from late 1990’s calculated the economic impact of fall and spring deworming from 16 to 49 pounds (average 31 pounds). The extra weight gain is great, but we also need to look at product and labor cost.

Conservatively we can assume dewormer cost is $2.50 for the 1,300 pounds cow (fall and spring application) and $.50 for the calf (late June only). That puts total dewormer cost at $5.50. Chute charge at $1/head adds another $3. This brings the seasonal deworming program cost to $8.50/head. If calves average 31 pounds in additional weaning weight next fall and we use a conservative $1.25/pound for

weaned calf value, my math says we add $38.75 in calf value (no price-slide calculated). Subtract the cost of deworming and the net return is $30.25/hd. Multiply this by the average cow herd (30 head) and you put $907.50 in your pocket for an estimated three to four hours of work.

Deworming is one of the higher returnon-investment tasks each beef operation needs to accomplish.

Remember to fall deworm after cows are removed from pasture. Always consider broad-spectrum products that control both internal and external parasites.

Spring cow deworming should be done five to six weeks after pasture turn-out.

Calves should also be dewormed about the same time, near the end of June in Michigan. Remember to take advantage of other management tasks while cattle are handled like tagging, implanting calves, fall vaccinations, etc. Always follow all label directions and consult with your veterinarian or extension staff for more information.

For additional cattle management resources, visit the MSU Beef Team website.

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 13

MANAGEMENT Beef Quality Assurance: Is it for you?

A

cow is a cow, is a cow, right? Wrong. Ask a farmer, rancher, and a feedlot manger that question and you’ll get completely different answers. Ask a Brangus breeder and a Hereford breeder and you’ll get two completely different answers. And I bet, if you asked a 20 year old agriculture student in Texas and a 60 year old producer in Montana that question the answers would be so diverse you’d be left questioning what a cow really is.

I would be willing to bet though if you asked the question, “What best management practices do you use to insure your cattle are safe, wholesome and healthy� that you would get fairly similar answers across the board.

The majority of cattle producers in the country, regardless of the sector they are in or what breed they choose, raise and handle cattle with the highest regard for safe and humane animal husbandry.

With those two questions in mind, I’ll ask a third one, “What is Beef Quality Assurance?�

A staggering number of cattle producers have either never heard of the program or can not tell you about the Beef Checkoff funded pro-

gram. What started in the late 1970s as a program addressing issues with chemical residues and injection site lesions has since grown into a simple but powerful set of guidelines to raise consumer confidence in beef through offering proper management techniques and a commitment to quality.

Today, with nearly every state having an active Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program it is easy for members of every sector of the industry from pasture to plate to participate and become BQA certified. Consumers are demanding a more transparent supply chain when purchasing products. They want to know that their products are receiving the

The livestock industry’s network for total advertising and marketing.

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best care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. BQA makes it possible to prove this to a consumer.

Producers will argue that each sector in the industry is different, every area of the country is different, and every breed is different.

True. The best part though, is that the BQA program provides guidelines that can be applied to every sector, every area of every state, and every breed of cattle. Both on a state level and national level there are resources to help farmers, ranchers, feeders, transporters, packers and even retailers with whatever questions they may have. While some resources are general to all areas of beef production there are numerous resources available through the national program that are targeted at different sectors of the industry.

The key to remember that while every sector, every state and every breed are different what shouldn’t change is the commitment to providing a superior quality of life to the animals that are being raised for consumers. Beef Quality Assurance is a promise. It’s a promise to yourself that you will always do the right thing. It’s a promise to other members of the production chain that you have done your role in upholding the highest standards. And it’s a promise to consumers that you are delivering the most wholesome and healthy product on the market.

So whether you are a cow-calf producer in Mississippi to feedlot manager in Colorado, are transporting cattle across the nation or are raising a few steers for 4-H or FFA, it is important to remember that every cow, calf, or bull should be raised and handled using BQA guidelines. Everyone that owns cattle can be BQA certified, and everyone should. So become BQA certified and start delivering on the best promise someone in the cattle industry can provide.

For more information on Beef Quality Assurance visit http://www.bqa.org, like National Beef Quality Assurance on Facebook, and follow @NationalBQA on Twitter. Lauren Dever can be reached with any questions regarding Beef Quality Assurance at 303-8503459 or ldever@beef.org.

ALABAMA

ARIZONA

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

FLORIDA To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

3416 Oak Creek Circle Montgomery, AL 36116

ARKANSAS To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

13465 Brooklyn Rd. Evergreen, AL 36401

Sean Parker, President

GEORGIA To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 15

MISSISSIPPI To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

1644 Swan Creek Rd. Hamptonville, NC 27020

Owners Robert Yates Pete Peterson

MISSOURI

OKLAHOMA

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

NEW MEXICO

TEXAS

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

Lack-Morrison Brangus

Bulls, Females, Semen and Embryos

www.theoaksfarm.com

Cobus Coetzee, Farm Manager - 678-378-0598 Cell Dex King-Williams, Asst. Farm Manager - 678-378-4697 Cell

Bill Morrison 411 CR 10 Clovis, NM 88101 (575) 482-3254 (575) 760-7263 Cell bvmorrison@yucca.net

Joe Paul & Rosie Lack P.O. Box 274 Hatch, NM 87937 P (575) 267-1016 F (575) 267-1234

www.lackmorrisonbrangus.com

KANSAS

NORTH CAROLINA

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

16 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

Barn: 336/526-6087 Cell: 336/466-0115 dep1111@yahoo.com

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

ggclem69@aol.com

Chase Penny, General Manager, 972-754-6275

www.ironfarmcattle.com

(210) 218-4804

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 17

Brangus Fit Both Environments...

...The Market and Your Operation From Florida swamps to the high country of Oregon...

Arizona deserts to the fescue valleys of Virginia...

The Brangus crossbred mother cow produces quality end-product that meets industry demand while fitting your environment better than any other.

Contact IBBA Today for Marketing Options Brangus Gold Commercial Females To place your ad in the State Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

OptimaxX Age/ Source PVP Feeder Cattle

International Brangus Breeders Association

(210) 696-8231 www.GOBRANGUS.com

Visit us at:

www.GoBrangus.com 18 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

SERVICES Lakin Oakley Auctioneer 7081 Highway 82 West DeKalb, Texas 75559 903/667-3251 Home 903/277-9610 Mobile

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For the best carcass ultrasound technicians …

The National CUP Lab & Technology Center P.O. Box 627 • 413 Kellogg Ave. Ames, IA 50010

(515) 232-9442 • cuplab@cuplab.com

CATTLE CONNECTIONS

Services connected to your needs.

Herd Record Keeping Photography Advertisement Production Catalog Production Tyler & Jessica Dean (405)867-1421 * (405)207-6921 twd13@hotmail.com

To place your ad in the Services Directory, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

Visit us at:

www.GoBrangus.com 210/696-8231

Brangus Gold. . .

We are identifying the best commercial females in the business!

a Genetic verification of at least 50% IBBA genetics. a Source verification to ranch of origin.

Brangus Gold females work for you. . . a proven Longevity! a proven Adaptability! a proven Mothering Ability! a proven Efficiency! a proven Productivity!

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 19

International Brangus Breeders Association FRONTLINE Beef Producer Print Advertising Rates

Effective Jan. 1, 2012

Commercial Ad Rates

IBBA Member Ad Rates

Ad Size

1 time

4 times*

1 time

4 times*

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$1650

$1250

$1100

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1/2 Page Island

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*Receive additional discounts when you place four consecutive ads

Editorial Calendar Issue

Deadline

January/February Mails Jan. 1 March/April Mails March 1

December 10 February 10

September/October Mails Sep. 1

August 10

November/December Mails Nov. 1

October 10

Please follow all format and submission requirements carefully to ensure appropriate print quality. Contact us to inquire about inserts, business reply cards and other specialty ads.

Contact: Brangus Publications 5750 Epsilon San Antonio, TX 78249 Advertising Sales: IBBA Office Phone: 210-696-8231 Email: advertising@int-brangus.org

FRONTLINE Beef Producer Who you reach when you advertise: • 2,000 IBBA Members • 5,500 Bull Buyers • More than 12,500 Commercial Producers

About the Frontline This is the publication Brangus seedstock producers should utilize to create a “brand” and a reputation in the minds of commercial cow/calf producers interested in breeding to Brangus.

This publication is a true source of news and discussion of relevant and timely topics for U.S. commercial beef producer audiences. The Frontline is published four times a year with a circulation of 20,000; additional copies are distributed at trade shows and producer events. The IBBA introduced this publication as a way for seedstock producers to advertise their program to the commercial sector and get the breeder in front of the customer.

5750 EPSILON | SAN ANTONIO, TX 78249 | 210-696-8213 | www.GoBrangus.org

20 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

ADVERTISERSINDEX ADVERTISER

PAGE

ADVERTISER

PAGE

Advanced Solutions Network

14

Lack-Morrison Brangus

4

Farris Ranching Co.

10

Purina

Inside Front

Herd Perfect

3

Quail Creek

1

GENETRUST

Back Cover

Spitzer Ranch

9

JM Cattle Co.

5

Triple JR

6

CALENDAROFEVENTS January - 2012

24

Miller Brangus Sale - Waynesboro, TN

14

TBBA South Texas Sale - Beeville, TX

27

21

Ft. Worth Jr. Brangus Heifer Show - Fort Worth, TX

GENETRUST @ Suhn Cattle Co. Bull Sale - Eureka, KS

26

West Coast Brangus Breeders Annual Meeting Red Bluff, CA

April - 2012 14

TBBA Central Texas Sale - West, TX

26

Red Bluff Bull Sale - Red Bluff, CA

18-24

Beef Improvement Federation Symposium & Convention - Houston, TX

27

GENETRUST @ Cavender Ranches Registered Female Sale - Jacksonville, TX

28

GENETRUST @ Cavender Ranches Commercial Female Sale - Jacksonville, TX

February - 2012 1-4

NCBA Annual Convention and Trade Show Nashville, TN

11

Best in the West Brangus Bull & Commercial Replacement Sale - Marana, AZ

12

San Antonio Open Brangus Show - San Antonio, TX

16

San Antonio Jr Brangus Show - San Antonio, TX

17

May - 2012 6-11

World Brangus Congress - Rockhampton, Australia

TBBA Miss America Sale - Salado, TX

19

Mound Creek and Friends Female Sale - Leona, TX

19

San Angelo Jr. Brangus Heifer Show - San Angelo, TX

July - 2012 15-20

National Junior Brangus Show - West Monroe - LA

25

Spitzer Ranch Commercial Brangus Female Sale Fair Play, SC

21

Brangus Futurity, West Monore - LA

25

Spitzer Ranch Professional Cattlemen’s Brangus Bull Sale - Fair Play, SC

2

Feb 29March 4

IBBA Convention - Houston, TX

GENETRUST @ Chimney Rock Pen Show & Registered Brangus Female Sale - Concord, AR

3

GENETRUST @ Chimney Rock Registered Brangus Bull & Commercial Female Sale - Concord, AR

3

Indian Nations Fall Sale

10

The Stockman’s Kind Bull Sale, Blackwater Cattle Co. - Lake Park, GA

March - 2012 Feb 29March 4

IBBA Convention - Houston, TX

2

The Collection Sale - Houston, TX

4

4th Annual Global Roundup - Rosenberg, TX

10

Indian Nations Spring Brangus Sale, Ada, Oklahoma

10

Quail Creek Ranch “Cut Above Sale” - Cullman, AL

17

The Stockman’s Kind Bull Sale, Mound Creek Ranch - Leona, TX

November - 2012

December - 2012 1

GENETRUST @ Cavender Ranches Registered Brangus Bull & Commercial Female Sale Jacksonville, TX

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 21

22 FRONTLINE Beef Producer