The Carolina Cattle Connection - Volume 34, Issue No. 5 (MAY 2020)

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Vol. 34, Issue No. 5

Spotlight on

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Performance Extra Calf is a very palatable blended feed designed for the producer who wants more texture in their feed product. Cattle start on Extra Calf quicker than with a straight pellet.

This product consists of Whole Cottonseed, Soybean Meal, and the 16% Performane Extra Pellets.

Cattle Cubes reduce your feed shrink. They provide beneficial supplementation of protein and energy when feed bunks are not available and can be fed on the ground.

Performance Feeder Blend is a pelleted combination of corn, dry corn gluten, soy hulls, calcium carbonate, and wheat midds with a trace mineral vitamin pack. Performance Feeder Blend is designed as a maintenance ration for all stages of cattle production.

With lush spring grass, remember to use our Hi Mag Hi Selenium Mineral to help prevent grass tetany.

With lush spring grass, remember to use our Hi Mag Hi Selenium Mineral to help prevent grass tetany.

Performance Extra Calf is a very palatable blended feed designed for the producer who wants more texture in their feed product. Cattle start on Extra Calf quicker than with a straight pellet. This product consists of Cottonseed Hulls, Cracked Corn, Soybean Meal, and the 16% Performane Extra Pellets.

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ONNECTION ‘Disease Triangle’ Indicated COVID-19 Peak Isn’t the End, by Kay Ledbetter .......................... page 82 A Message from the CEO — Times of Crisis, by Colin Woodall …….….….….….….….….….…....... page 78 Alltech News ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…....... page 63 Amazing Grazing — Your Most Important Grazing Management Decision, by Matt Poore ….. page 18 American Angus Association News …….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…...... page 28 American Gelbvieh Association News …….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….................. page 80 American Hereford Association News .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…... page 47 American Simmental Association ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….... page 64 Animal Agriculture Alliance News ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…... page 68 Ashley’s Beef Corner — Adaptability, by Ashley W. Herring ….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 16 Beef Checkoff News ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 44 Beef Cuts and Recommended Cooking Methods …..….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 77 Beef Improvement Federation News ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 75 Beefmaster Breeders United News …..….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….... page 33 BioZyme Incorporated News .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…...... page 58 Boehringer Ingelheim News .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….... page 50 Brookside Agra News .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…... page 75 Carolina Cooking — Popcorn Steak Bites .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 52 Carolina Video and Load Lot Monthly Summary ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….... page 19 Cattlemen’s Beef Board Update, by Jared Brackett .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 76 COVID-19 — Four Lessons to Teach Our Young People, by Jessica Judge .….….….….….….….... page 22 COVID-19 — Lessons in Biosecurity for Cattle Producers, by Julie Herman, DVM MS .….…... page 30 Director’s Report — Unprecedented, by Bryan K. Blinson ….….….….….….….….….….….….…....... page 3 E.B.’s View from the Cow Pasture — Social Distancing and Other Remedies, by E.B. Harris ….. page 49 Estrotect News .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 21 Federation of State Beef Councils Update .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…. page 26 International Brangus Breeders Association News .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 54 International Genetic Solutions News .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…........ page 41 May is Beef Month Proclamation .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 2 N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Awards 2019-2020 Scholarships .….….….….….….….….….….…... page 34 N.C. Weekly Livestock Report ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…......... page 63 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Myth of the Month .….….….….….….….….….….….….... page 78 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association News ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…....….. page 79 National Institute for Animal Agriculture News … .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…... page 53 New NCCA Members for 2020 ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…......... page 66 North American Limousin Foundation News ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…..... page 57 North Carolina Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…....... page 69 On the Edge of Common Sense — The Lone Pine, by Baxter Black …..….….….….….….….…....... page 22 On the Horizon — One Noble Summer of Grazing Without Boundaries, by Charlotte Talbot ….. page 19 S.C. Beef Council News, by Roy Copelan ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…... page 21 S.C. Charolais News, by Georgeanne Webb .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…...... page 41 South Carolina Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…........ page 33 The Simmental Trail, by Jennie Rucker ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….. page 65 Working With Cattle is Just One Side of New Clemson Farms Director, by Tom Hallman ...... page 24 You Decide!, by Dr. Mike Walden …….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…... page 48 Zoetis News ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…........ page 40

BRAHMAN About the Eastern Brahman Breeders Association, page 6 American Brahman Breeders Association History, page 5 American Brahman Breeders Association News, page 5 Brahman History — Crossbreeding’s Common Denominator, page 4 Briles Farm Brahmans, page 6 Can Do Attitude Breeds Success at Morrison Farm,

by Janet Jones Benson, page 13 Carolinas Brahman Breeders Association — Humble Beginnings, page 12 Standard of Excellence, page 14 The American Brahman — Breeding the Best, page 9 The Brahman F1 — A Solution for Southern Cattlemen,

by Dr. David Riley, page 10

North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association President JEREMY LEE 5153 Battle Run Drive • Catawba, NC 28609 Vice Presidents KARL GILLESPIE 860 Corbin Road • Franklin, NC 28734 BURON LANIER 2877 Piney Woods Road • Burgaw, NC 28425 SCOTT WEST 489 Panacea Springs Road • Littleton, NC 27850 Immediate Past President MIKE COX P.O. 1317 • Elon, NC 27244 NCBA Policy Division Director - FRED SMITH, JR. NCBA Federation Division Director RALPH BLALOCK, JR. Beef Board Director - ROBERT CRABB Secretary/Treasurer - EVERETT JOHNSON Directors At Large MATT POORE • NEIL BOWMAN • TODD SEE

The Carolina Cattle Connection Vol. 34, No. 5 MAY 2020 Sales and Publication Office 2228 N. Main Street Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Phone: 919-552-9111 or 919-552-9112 Fax: 919-552-9216 Email: mail@nccattle.com Website: www.nccattle.com

The Carolina Cattle Connection

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by BN Printing in Benson, N.C.

Manager, N.C.

STAFF

BRYAN BLINSON

Manager, S.C. TRAVIS MITCHELL

Editor and Advertising Director CASEY L. HINNANT

Executive Director BRYAN K. BLINSON Assistant Editor and Proofreader 2228 N. Main Street • Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

KIM BURDGE

N.C. Cattlemen’s Beef Council Director of Consumer Information ASHLEY W. HERRING

N.C. Circulation

KIM BURDGE

Administrative Assistant - KIM BURDGE

S.C. Circulation

To Be Announced

South Carolina Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director TRAVIS MITCHELL Phone: 864-803-1126 Email: twmitch@clemson.edu S.C. Beef Council ROY COPELAN Phone: 803-917-1119 Email: scbeef@scda.sc.gov Website: www.sccattle.org Executive Committee President - Thomas Legare 1st Vice President - Roscoe Kyle Secretary - Carol Hendrix Treasurer - Eric Seymour Past President - Cecil Eaddy

William Brigman, Latta • Joe Oswald, IV, Allendale Roscoe Kyle, Inman • Terry Kirkland, Batesburg Eddie Evans, Easley • Cecil Eaddy, Manning Thomas Legare, Johns Island • Richard Sox, Lexington Carol Hendrix, Westminister • Clay Alexander, Starr Timmy Benton, Walterboro • Michael Bailey, Lancaster Dale Wilson, Abbeville • Thomas Jones, Marion Lee Haddon, Gaffney • Jack Ferguson, York Drake Yon, Ridge Spring • Gene Crim, St. Matthews

Material in The Carolina Cattle Connection is not to be reproduced in total or in part without the written permission of the Editor. All submissions becom property of The Carolina Cattle Connection, but we make every effort to return items such as photographs and artwork as requested.

The Carolina Cattle Connection, the official publication of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association and the S.C. Cattlemen’s Association is published monthly by the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association.

A complementary subscription is included with membership to each state’s association. Nonmember subscriptions are $25 per year.

All address changes for NCCA members to: The Carolina Cattle Connection 2228 N. Main Street Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526.

All address changes for SCCA members to: The Carolina Cattle Connection P.O. Box 11280 Columbia, SC 29211-1280

Our

breed Spotlight special sections are excellent forums to r e ac h p r o d u c e r s a n d cattle industry insiders in the Carolinas and throughout the S outheast . A dvertisers also receive a special discount for placing their message in the Spotlight.

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

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ROY COOPER GOVERNOR BEEF MONTH 2020

BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA A PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, according to the 2019 North Carolina Agricultural Statistics Book published by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, there are currently over 800,000 cattle in North Carolina that provide a variety of food, leather, and other products to the citizens of this State; and WHEREAS, according to the 2019 North Carolina Agricultural Statistics Book published by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, North Carolina farmers raise cattle in all 100 counties; and WHEREAS, because of cooperation between beef producers and the North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and allied industry, thousands of farms are flourishing across the State; and WHEREAS, according to the 2019 North Carolina Agricultural Statistics Book published by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, beef and beef products are naturally nutrient rich, providing Americans with a high quality source of protein, zinc, iron, and B vitamins, leading nine out of ten households to serve beef at least once every two weeks; and WHEREAS, according to the 2019 North Carolina Agricultural Statistics Book published by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, cattle farms generate more than $247 million in cash receipts each year making the beef industry yet another part of the total diversification of agriculture in this state; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Roy Cooper, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim May 2020, as “BEEF MONTH” in North Carolina and commend this observance to all our citizens.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this thirtieth day of April in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Director’s Report

By BRYAN K. BLINSON Executive Director, NCCA

Unprecedented Words and phrases like “not in my lifetime,” “once in a generation,” “never before,” and yes, “unprecedented” come to mind as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been in the midst of one of the most challenging and interesting times that most of us can remember. I certainly hope by the time you have the opportunity to read this column, our lives have taken on a more familiar tone.

Things and events we have taken for granted have changed dramatically.

Sales we all looked forward to attending have been postponed or been fully conducted online. Educational events we participate in across the state had to be put off or conducted by webinar.

County youth shows were cancelled to the disappointment of many hardworking young people. We have learned the phrase “social distancing.”

Many people have suffered physical, emotional, and economic pain during the last few months. In the Carolinas, we have faced many obstacles and challenges over time, even recently.

Hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and fires have devastated many of our fellow Carolinians, especially our agricultural family. The difference with these previous disasters was that we could offer hay, seed, a helping hand, or even just a hug.

With this challenge, however, the ability to help often seems difficult to identify.

In agriculture, we have faced drastic economic challenges from the pandemic.

While it seems to have been difficult to stock all of the grocery stores in a timely manner, the other half of our food industry has virtually closed their doors with the exception of the drive-thru window. While there are limited supplies of many items on grocery store shelves, it is not for lack of animals to harvest or raw materials. In many cases, it is because of sickness in the plants that process the animals or in the distribution chain. We certainly have to hope that times like these make consumers value farmers and the entire food and agricultural system much more than they have for the last generation.

At the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association and the N.C. Cattlemen’s Beef Council, we are doing all we can to help work with our fellow associations across the country, as well as other organizations in North Carolina, to seek out anything possible to help with the process of getting past this pandemic. We have worked with elected officials to help with stimulus funding, with university officials to continue ongoing and needed research, and with others where we could try to make a difference. Early on, we added recipe ideas and how-to videos for those who now cook most of the family meals at home. We tried to focus on some of the cuts many families have an idea of how to use, such as roasts and other cuts that could help the family with their economic situation. We have also had the opportunity to provide educational

opportunities to many schools who are now doing their classes online.

Those of you who know me well, know that I always try to look for the silver lining in things and, with this deal, it seems that you have to dig pretty deep.

I do think, however, there will be many more people who will not only learn to prepare but also enjoy a wider variety of our beef products. I expect that many will realize just how affordable and delicious it is to add more beef to their diet as the restrictions lift. There seems to be an enhanced desire by many families to buy beef from a farmer in their area. This may help going forward as a tool for many of our farmers to market some of their cattle effectively that may not fit into their normal marketing plan. I also hope that through this challenge, the entire food industry, particularly the beef sector, will find ways to distribute the food dollar more equitably to make sure our farms remain viable.

2020 Spotlight Issues Schedule Most of the breed associations in North Carolina and South Carolina have stepped forward and renewed their contracts for Spotlight sections in The Carolina Cattle Connection for 2020. If your breed is not featured as a Spotlight section and you would like to inquire on any open months please feel free to contact me. Below is the tentative schedule for the upcoming year.

2020 Reserved Spotlight Issues

You shouldn’t have to have a gun held to your head to take advantage of the expert A.I., superior genetics, the best in purebreds and outstanding farm supplies featured in the Classifieds in this issue!

My prayers go to a higher power and my heart goes out for all of the families that have been affected by this disease.

I am sorry for the families that have had loved ones stricken by the disease.

I am beyond thankful to the medical professionals who have cared for them. I am in awe of the many people who have kept the supply of food and essential items flowing as well as possible, given the challenges they faced. And finally, I am thankful for the farm families who have not only continued to provide food for our nation but, in my mind, have provided an example of what can be accomplished when a family works together to provide for others. I have faith that there are brighter days ahead, and as they dawn, my hope is that the time families have spent together around the family table eating, laughing, loving, and praying will strengthen not only those families but our nation as a whole.

JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

CHAROLAIS FORAGES ANGUS PEST MANAGEMENT BRAHMAN HEREFORD *************** SIMMENTAL SANTA GERTRUDIS *************** *************** RED ANGUS

Contact The Carolina Cattle Connection 2228 N. Main Street Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 Phone - 919-552-9111 for the contact person for each Spotlight Issue The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

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e Special

Spotlight on

BRAHMAN

Section f

Brahman History — Crossbreeding’s Common Denominator As the first beef breed developed in the United States, the American Brahman has played an important role, not only in crossbreeding programs throughout the United States and beyond, but it has become a common thread among other American breeds developed in the last century. American Brahman influence in the beef industry is felt world wide, and their genetics are sought by cattlemen in every continent. Their development is a success story unparalled. Today’s cattlemen breed Brahmans for all the right reasons.

Originating from a nucleus of approximately 266 bulls and 22 females of several Bos indicus (cattle of India) types imported into the United States between 1854 and 1926. Today, the Brahman breed has achieved acceptance for their environmental adaptivity, longevity, mothering ability, and efficient beef production. Bos indicus cattle have been serving man for thousands of years.

Throughout their evolution, they have endured famine, insect pests, diseases, and extreme temperature fluctuations.

Thus, through natural selection, these cattle came to have the ability to survive and thrive where other types have failed. In their expansion, these cattle have improved beef production in every country in which they have been introduced, as they are mated to existing native cattle. While some 30 defined breeds or types of Bos indicus cattle have been identified in India, only a few of these breeds were selected to develop the American Brahman.

The first importation of Indian cattle of any notoriety came in 1854, when sugar and cotton farmer Richard Barrow of St. Francisville, La., was presented

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with two bulls by the government of Great Britian for his services in teaching cotton and sugar cane production to British officials establishing these crops in the deltas of India. Their offspring, known as Barrow grade cattle, would achieve recognition, and their fame would soon spread around the globe.

Later importations would see cattle brought from Brazil, where large numbers of these Indian cattle could be found.

The American Brahman Breeders Association was organized in 1924.

J.W. Sartwelle of Houston was the first recording secretary of the Association, and it was he who proposed the word “Brahman” and so it was adopted as the name of the new beef breed. With strict selection, guided by the standard of excellence developed by founding breeders, the American Brahman has been recognized for its exceptional hardiness and physical stamina, its ability to profitably produce on marginal lands, to live twice as long as normally expected, and with unequaled performance in weight per day of age.

As consumers shift to lean meat and lower calorie diets, Brahmans are perfectly positioned to fill the demand for a beef product which efficiently converts feed into high quality beef while producing a carcass free of excess fat.

Hybrid Vigor The American Brahman excels in adding hybrid vigor to their offspring when crossed with other breeds, resulting in more money in your pocket as a beef producer. Hybrid vigor (or heterosis) is an animal breeding or genetics term that is achieved by crossing two different strains, varieties, breeds, or species. In the cattle world, maximum hybrid vigor is obtained

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

by crossing totally unrelated animals, achieving the “best of both worlds.”

Because of this added hybrid vigor, the use of Brahman bulls with European or English breed cows is one of the most popular crossbreeding practices in the United States, with the resulting Brahman F-1 calf in high demand by cattlemen for replacement females or feeders in the feedlot.

Years of crossbreeding research has consistently shown that ranchers get higher levels of heterosis when you cross a Brahman with a British or Continental breed, compared to just breeding British or Continental breeds to each other.

Because of this, Brahman cattle are often referred to as crossbreeding’s common denominator. The Brahman F-1 cross is consistently superior to other crosses in weight per day of age and carcass efficiency. The Brahman F-1 is also very popular because these cattle display many important characteristics of their Brahman parent, such as drought resistance, heat tolerance, disease and parasite resistance, and increased longevity.

Queens of Cow Country F-1 Brahman females are maternal machines. They have increased milk production, higher fertility, and wean faster growing calves with fewer inputs.

Plus, she will have a longer productive life, raising more calves over her lifetime than other breeds. In the feedlot, Brahman hybrid steers remain healthier and make the most rapid, efficient gains while producing heavier, higher yielding carcasses that are free of excess fat, which today’s packer and health conscious consumer demand.

Environmental Adaptibility Brahmans have dark skin

pigmentation, which filters the intense rays of the sun as well as keeps the breed free of cancer eye. Other environmental adaptations which make the Brahman

breed so well suited to so many areas of the country include the ability to utilize lower quality feed, to travel longer distances for feed and water, and to resist insects and external parasites while withstanding vast climactic differences. They also have the ability to reproduce on a regular basis in a stressful environment. Brahman cattle show no effect from extremely high temperatures.

A factor which contributes to the Brahman’s unique ability to withstand temperature extremes is a short, thick, glossy hair coat which reflects much of the sun’s rays, allowing them to graze in midday sun without suffering. In severe winters, Brahmans grow a protective covering of long, coarse hair beneath which a dense, downy, fur like undercoat can be found. An abundance of loose skin, characteristic of the breed, also aids in its ability to withstand warm weather by increasing the body surface area exposed to cooling. In cold weather, the skin is contracted, increasing the thickness of the hide and density of the hair, which aids in retaining body heat. A special feature of the Brahman breed is their ability over other breeds to sweat freely, which contributes greatly to their heat tolerance.

Gain Efficiency and Carcass Quality Brahman hybrid calves and those out of Brahman F-1 cows are noted for their fast gains, and it’s a fact that these calves consistently produce more weight per day of age than most other breed contemporaries. Brahman cross calves

e Special are more desirable to feed in many parts of the country during hot, humid months when the feed efficiency of European and British calves and crosses decreases. The ability of these Brahman cross cattle to finish during warm seasons is a definite economic factor in their favor.

While efficiency is an important quality of the Brahman and its crosses, the carcasses are known for their high cutability, which results in a high yielding carcass with limited fat. In a recent study conducted by Texas A&M, Angus and Hereford cows were bred to Brahman bulls. The resulting steers were handled as calf feds going directly into the feedlot at weaning. The steers were fed for 180 days and slaughtered at 13-14 months. The first calf crops produced 89 steers, with no death loss experienced postweaning. Of those fed, 58 percent of the steers graded Choice, with the rest in the window of

Spotlight on

BRAHMAN

acceptability.

Tenderness readings using the Warner-Bratzler shear force test were taken at 0, 7, and 14 days. With this data, a rating of ten pounds or less is considered satisfactory for supermarket sales, while a rating of 8.7 pounds or less is desirable for steaks utilized in quality restaurants. Of the 89 samples, 84 were below the ten pound level at 14 days with the best rating being 5.7 pounds.

Milk Production Add more beef to your milk program with the American Brahman! The American Brahman is known the world over for their crossbreeding excellence; however, many dairy producers in the southern United States and South and Central America also utilize the American Brahman in crossbreeding with dairy breeds. These dual purpose animals are the future of the cattle industry in the

American Brahman Breeders Association History The American Brahman Breeders Association is the world registry for Brahman cattle, the #1 beef breed for efficiency, hybrid vigor, and environmental adaptability.

The ABBA was founded in 1924 as the official breed registry of American Brahman cattle in the United States. Its original mission was to maintain parentage and ownership records of American Brahman cattle; however, through the years, it has grown to provide an array of member services, educational opportunities, and programs. Internationally recognized as a leading beef cattle association, ABBA offers a wide array of programs to assist the profitability of its members.

The ABBA is a membership organization governed by an elected board of directors. Members of the board as well as other volunteers are assigned to committees that meet regularly to propose ideas of ways to better serve the members through programs, services, or activities. The ABBA staff and leaders are always looking for ways to improve the breed and the organization and welcome input from the membership.

The ABBA is based in Houston, Texas. Registrations, transfers, and F-1 certificates are processed in Kansas City, Missouri. For more information about the Brahman breed or the many opportunities offered by ABBA, please contact our office or visit our website at www.brahman.org.

Section f

tropics. Using American Brahmans in the tropics will result in adaptability, fertility, disease resistance, and longevity.

American Brahman genetics give you heavier weaning weights, more quality beef, and more salvage value at production termination. They also add additional

butter fat content and protein, as well as increased production and net income.

Recent crossbreeding reports from South America have shown the American Brahman to be an ideal cross with a variety of dairy breeds including Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss, and more.

BRAHMAN NEWS 2020 All American Show Update As many of us are well aware, the COVID-19 pandemic is one that is at the forefront of the news and our livelihoods.

With cancellations or postponements of a multitude of events across the nation, we know that many of you are wondering where we stand on the 2020 All American Show that is scheduled to be in Hattiesburg, Miss., on June 28–July 4.

We have been in constant contact with local and state officials in different states to discuss their thoughts on where our nation will be in the coming months in terms of mass social gatherings and events such as the All American. Our team understands that a lot of information about the future is still unknown, and we are living day by day. That being said, please know that our first and primary concern is the health and safety of our exhibitors and their families. We will continue to monitor the situation and inform you of any changes.

At this time, the ABBA executive and youth committees have decided to postpone the 2020 All American to July 22-25, and move the location to Texarkana, Ark., in hopes that the COVID-19 situation has subsided by then and mass gatherings are allowed by state and federal officials.

We understand the magnitude of a decision like postponing or canceling the All American and do not take it lightly.

Please know that all decisions made are based on regulations put forth by the CDC and government officials, and your safety is our main priority. Our team has been hard at work in determining different ways to carry out the All American in a way that is both financially feasible and safe for participants if the COVID-19 issue persists.

Please note the entry deadline for the

2020 All American has been moved back to June 1, and as reported in March, the ownership date is May 15.

The 2021 All American Show will be held June 28-July 3, 2021, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

If the need arises, you will be notified of any changes regarding the All American by the American Brahman Breeders Association and the American Junior Brahman Association via email blasts and social media platforms.

We have received many questions in regard to packet distribution. That being said, the full All American packet will be distributed within the next couple of weeks.

However, we will be distributing scholarship applications for graduating seniors in the coming days, so be on the lookout for those in your email and social media.

If you have any questions regarding the All American or Senior Scholarship applications, please reach out to our director of communications and youth activities, Morgan Thomas, at mthomas@brahman.org.

As always, we encourage you to stay safe and practice social distancing. Use this time to clean up the barn, sharpen your showmanship skills, or work on your public speaking speech. We look forward to seeing everyone soon, God Bless!

About the American Brahman Breeders Association. The American Brahman Breeders Association is the world registry for Brahman cattle, the #1 beef breed for efficiency, hybrid vigor, and environmental adaptability. ABBA provides an array of member services, educational opportunities, and a wide array of programs to assist the profitability of its members.

For more information about the American Brahman breed or the many opportunities offered by the ABBA, visit www.brahman.org.

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

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e Special

Spotlight on

BRAHMAN

Section f

Briles Farm Brahmans Briles Farm is located in central North Carolina and was formally established on January 1, 1993, when Kenneth Briles and Cyana Handy got married. When they first met two years prior, Cyana had a farm and young son, and Kenneth was living on his grandfather’s old homeplace farm about a mile away as the crow flies.

Kenneth jokes that Cyana had a farm, a pickup truck, was good looking, knew how to cook, work livestock, and was single. “It was a no brainer.”

Cyana admits that she was as hardheaded as they come back then, but that Kenneth had stunning blue eyes, a great smile, was kind to animals, and proved that he possessed the most important characteristic she was looking for; a strong work ethic. Today, Briles Farm Brahmans is a testament to 30 years of dedicated hard work.

Cyana explains that their cattle operation started out as a commercial cattle operation, where they developed a beautiful herd of brood cows over the years through selecting and keeping their best mama cows and always breeding to a nice registered black Angus bull. Kenneth said, “We built two poultry breeder/layer houses about 23 years ago, and that has

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allowed us to spread chicken litter on our pastures, helping to improve our forages over the years. Through testing the litter and also soil testing our pastures, we figured out how to get the most out of our litter. Now, years later, we still have some of the nicest pastures around. I was always told that if you wanted to raise great cattle, you needed to know how to raise great forages.”

According to Cyana, “I always loved the way Brahman cattle looked and told my husband that one day I wanted one.

I think I just like things that are different and there was something about that big hump and long ears. We purchased our first registered American Brahman bull seven years ago from the Elm Tree Farm in Liberty, North Carolina. He was a yearling red speckled necked bull we named General Ambrose. We fell in love with him, and within a year, we had sold out our commercial herd and were buying registered Brahman heifers.

The first year we could only afford three heifers and a bred cow with the money we had from selling our commercial cows.

Every year since, we have invested in a few more registered heifers, and now we have our herd (approximately 30 head) about where we want it, calving out about a dozen registered calves and a few F1 crosses a year.” Kenneth explains, “Raising registered Brahmans is more enjoyable to me than raising commercial cattle. I didn’t relish taking calves to the sale barn and feeling like I was always at the mercy of the current market trends.

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Now we sell off the farm and meet great folks and have made some amazing friendships. The trending cattle prices don’t affect seed stock as wildly as they do the commercial market, and we have been able to raise fewer head of cattle focusing on quality over quantity and still come out ahead. I attribute much of our success to my wife’s ability at marketing.

She loves to meet folks and explain why she believes the American Brahman cattle are the best breed of cattle around.”

better heat tolerance, feed conversion, disease resistance, and maternal instincts than other more popular breeds of cattle, adding that their friendly temperaments when treated kindly are just a big bonus.

Briles Farm Brahmans always welcomes visitors by appointment to their farm located in Randolph County, North Carolina. Just be ready to hear all about why they love Brahman cattle.

“We understand that at the end of the day, it is because of steaks and hamburgers that we are able to raise American Brahman cattle profitably.” The Briles’s are passionate about the qualities that make Brahman cattle great for their operation, explaining that Brahmans have

About the Eastern Brahman Breeders Association • Chartered on January 1, 2019

• Marketing and promoting Brahman cattle while providing education and networking opportunities for all Brahman and Brahman influenced breeders who desire success raising and selling Brahman cattle.

• Hosting an annual ABBA Open Brahman Show, Brahman Sale, and organizing farm field days as opportunities for education and networking.

• Using the internet to stay connected to members through social media, email, and our association website, www.EasternBrahman.com, which is both educational and a useful tool for networking with Brahman breeders listed in our online directory.

• Annual membership ism $25/year and includes a full page listing in our online Brahman Breeders Directory, as well as giving members a voice in decision making issues related to our organization of shows and events. Easy online membership form at www.EasternBrahman.com.

• Representing ABBA Area #12 Breeders: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

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The American Brahman — Breeding the Best In the Southern United States, the cattle are still king, but so is the heat.

Though it varies from coast to coast, the majority of the region spends almost a third of the year facing temperatures over 90ºF and almost half the year with temperatures over 85ºF — a climate uncomfortable to humans, but potentially deadly to livestock. Originating from several Indian breeds of cattle that thrived in regions where insects, disease, dry, harsh terrain, and the extreme temperatures were the norm, the Brahman is a true masterpiece of genetic design — a breed as easy to raise as they are to recognize.

A product of the Guzerat, the Gir, the Nellore, and the Krishna Valley breeds, the American Brahman was born of necessity for hearty beef and milk producing cattle that would not struggle amid the often cattle unfriendly climate.

Similar in appearance to the Zebu (or Bos indicus) native to India, Brahmans feature a variety of colors (light gray, red, and black), but a well defined hump between the shoulder blades, longer ears, and heavy dewlap under the neck are the truly distinctive traits.

For Brahman, every aspect of their physique contributes to their productivity and resilience. To protect themselves from the sun’s rays and excessive heat, Brahmans have dark pigmentation encircling the eyes that helps prevent cancer eye, loose skin with thick, glossy hair that provides a thermal barrier,

and an increased size, number, and productivity of sweat glands that allow them to sweat freely.

Normally, where heat reigns, forage suffers. In addition, Brahmans better utilize low quality browse and require less water intake (resulting in reduced urination and nitrogen loss). Their digestive efficiency allows for superior muscle and tissue development even on low feed intake, as well as the ability to recycle nutrients through the bloodstream and saliva. Their cattle tick resistance stems from a sleek coat unfavorable for tick attachment, an immune response that prevents tick development and chemicals in the sweat that act as a repellant.

Brahmans can also travel extensively and produce the maximum quality of beef and milk from minimal resources. “ W h a t ’s e x c e p t i o n a l a b o u t Brahman’s is their low maintenance and adaptability,” said Cyana Briles, president of the Eastern Brahman Breeders Association. “These animals will survive in places where raising cattle was thought impossible, and the rate of their influence has expanded faster than any other breed in the world. Part of the priority of the EBBA is to educate breeders about these wonderfully diverse animals and the numerous benefits they bring to the ranching lifestyle.”

Alone, Brahman cattle offer a wealth of positive aspects, but when crossbred with European Bos taurus, the result is maximum hybrid vigor (heterosis). This

term refers to crossbred offspring who possess superior traits to their parents — a result most effective when breeds with differing traits are introduced.

For example, Bos taurus are known for their excellent muscle patterning and beef production but are highly susceptible to heat and disease. Bos indicus function well in rough climates, but are known for their hardiness and efficient beef production. American Brahmans marry the best of both parents, and when partnered with varying breeds, naturally produce high quality first cross (F1) offspring. Second to none in attaining this level of heterosis, this innovative crossbreeding results in offspring with superior weight, carcass efficiency, and reproductive performance.

F1 females possess an unprecedented maternal instinct. Born to nurture, the females have a lifespan that surpasses that of any European breed, an extended breeding window, often 50 percent longer than many other breeds, a fierce protective nature toward calves from predators, and the ability to produce high quality milk in vast quantities.

“In essence, an F1 female is unmatched. She has a higher bred-in environmental adaptivity, increased milk production, higher fertility, and heat and the disease resistance of her Brahman parent. These aren’t your regular cattle.

They’re strong, resilient, and are highly regarded by commercial cattlemen as a maternal machine with no peers,” said

Briles. “And their offspring are a direct reflection of that quality.”

In addition, F1 steers have their own distinct set of attributes, including rapid growth, efficient gaining, and excellent beef quality. They produce high cutability carcasses with less excessive fat but still retain the exceptional standard of quality, flavor, and tenderness in demand worldwide.

Today, American Brahman genetics roam around the world in over 74 countries. From Mexico, Central and South America to Africa, Eastern Asia, and Australia, the American Brahman has excelled in every country it has been introduced and will continue to make a huge imprint in the world production of beef and increased milk production. When considering a breed known for exceptional production, maximum efficiency, and unparalleled versatility, Brahman is the choice for all the right reasons.

Not only is the American Brahman a great breed of cattle, but is backed by a great organization.

Founded in 2018, the Eastern Brahman Breeders Association is a promotional group of the American Brahman Breeders Association headquartered in Houston, Texas. The EBBA offers a number of membership, breed improvement, promotion, marketing, and educational programs. A few of the most exciting programs they offer are their annual consignment sale that will be held online this year (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) May 20-21, the Eastern Brahman Extravaganza Show that will be held at the N.C. Mountain State Fair, and the 4-H Heifer Lease Program.

“The EBBA is a really good organization that provides a wide range of services to its members,” said Travis McCutchen. “I chose Brahmans because they adapt so well to our environment, and there is a strong market for commercial breeders. I just like to breed the best!”

For more information on the American Brahman and the Eastern Brahman Breeders Association, please contact EBBA President Cyana Briles at 336-410-2126 (she really enjoys talking to folks about Brahman cattle) or by email info@EasternBrahman.com. Visit www.easternbrahman.com for more details.

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The Brahman F1 — A Solution for Southern Cattlemen

By DR. DAVID RILEY Texas A&M University Across the United States, the makeup of commercial cow herds varies to fit various environments. In the South, increased heat and humidity require cattle that are able to perform in these conditions. The ability of Brahman cattle to withstand these conditions allowed the breed to become a staple of commercial cattle production in the Deep South. In particular, the use of Brahman in crossbreeding, primarily with British breeds, to produce extremely popular F1 offspring is perhaps the most common source of influence on the commercial cow herd of the Southeast. While the F1s are most noted for their superior reproduction and maternal ability, there are other redeeming qualities of F1s to consider. The ability of these cattle to grow and perform to weaning outshines crossbred calves solely of British and Continental breed origin.

In the feedlot, F1 Brahman calves are able to successfully grow and convert feed to pounds of product in the proper environment. However, the importance of the F1 female as an elite brood cow in the South can’t be overlooked.

When a vast majority of the commercial cow base is British and Continental influenced, using Brahman bulls presents the opportunity for added offspring performance due to heterosis.

Heterosis, or hybrid vigor, is the added performance of crossbred individuals

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over the averages of their straightbred parents. The greater differences between the two breeds result in greater effects from heterosis. It has been documented and widely known for over 50 years that crossing Brahman, a Bos indicus breed, with a British or Continental breed (Bos taurus), results in much more heterosis than crossbred cows of any other breeds.

Added Growth and Performance Heterosis affects performance traits, such as weights and growth rates. Brahman F1 calves exhibit as much as a five percent increase in weaning weight over the average of purebred parents due to heterosis. If the average weaning weight for two parent breeds was 500 lbs, an F1 Brahman cross calf would be expected to weigh 525 lbs at weaning. In today’s market, that’s approximately a $65 increase in calf value due to the added performance of heterosis.

In the right environment, Brahman influenced feeder cattle can perform as well as their Bos taurus counterparts in gain. F1 Brahman steers often out gain straightbred calves of the parent breeds in feedlots in warmer climates or seasons.

Feeders in the southern Great Plains realize the ability of these cattle to grow while handling the harsh temperatures.

Half blood Brahmans have the ability to produce carcasses that meet industry standards.

The perception that Brahman and

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Brahman influenced cattle do not produce high quality retail product is a bit of a misconception. In a Texas A&M study in the 1990s, Brahman sired steers out of Angus and Hereford cows were placed into a feedlot at weaning and fed for 180 days. At approximately 14 months, the steers were harvested. Almost 60 percent of the carcasses graded USDA Choice, comparing favorably to industry wide averages for percentage of Choice cattle.

Over 90 percent of carcasses tested with acceptable ratings for tenderness using the Warner-Bratzler Shear Force test.

Traits such as carcass weight, dressing percentage, and yield grade are another area that Brahman cross feeder cattle excel in. Heavier carcasses with a high dressing percentage and less backfat are common. Brahman steers with average carcass weights over 800 lbs, with dressing percentages approaching 65 percent (accepted industry standard is 62 percent) were part of a recent American Brahman Breeders Association (ABBA) Carcass Evaluation.

The F1 Female - The biggest impact of Brahman cattle on commercial cattle production is through the influence of the F1 female as a brood cow in the South.

Half blood Brahman cows are highly regarded for their ability to thrive in hot, humid environments like the Brahman.

The influence of heterosis on traits that are not easily improved with selection programs is what distinguishes the F1 female as a superior performer.

Traits such as pregnancy rate, calving rate, and weaning rate are always greater in F1 females than in straightbred or Bos taurus cross females. Studies

conducted in Florida in the early 2000s have shown the superior performance of Brahman-Angus females over both parent breeds. Pregnancy and calving rates in both Angus and Brahman sired F1 females (93 percent) were 11 to 16 percent greater than the purebred Angus (82 percent) or Brahman (77 percent).

Weaning rates were also 15 percent higher than the weighted average of the parent breeds. The increased pregnancy, calving, and weaning rates of F1 Brahman females result in more calves for producers to market and a greater impact on an operation’s bottom line. In addition, F1 Brahman influenced cattle have increased longevity compared to purebred counterparts. A 1988 research project in Texas showed that Brahman sired F1 cows out of Angus and Hereford dams had an average lifespan of almost 14 years, compared to a ten year average lifespan of the parent breeds. Another study from Nevada reported that F1 females with Brahman inheritance had more calves over their lifetime than Bos taurus F1s and purebred Bos taurus, as well as a greater portion of the females stayed in production longer.

e Special The most common breeds to cross with Brahman for producing F1 females are Angus and Hereford. Breeding Brahman cattle to Herefords results in the very popular “tiger stripe” cow. To allow commercial producers to buy F1 females with confidence, the ABBA established the F1 Certification Program (www.brahman.org/f1/f1-certification).

The program includes Golden Certified F1, in which both parents are registered with respective associations, and Certified F1, where the sire must be registered with its respective breed registry and dams are purebred commercial females that have been inspected for their purity by an association representative. Since the program’s inception, over 95,000 females have been enrolled in both ABBA Golden Certified and Certified.

While the program enables buyers to have an outlet for verified replacement females, producers marketing the

Spotlight on

BRAHMAN

Golden Certified and Certified F1 females receive a premium price. At the Houston Commercial Female Sale, Golden Certified and Certified F1 females average as much as $200 more than other females in the sale over a 17 year period. The offspring of these females are eligible for the F1 Plus Program, creating additional marketing avenues for these cattle.

Brahman’s Influence - In the Southern United States, utilizing Brahman genetics in commercial crossbreeding systems provides heat tolerance, durability, and maximum heterosis throughout the entire production cycle. The added growth of calves preweaning gives cattlemen additional pounds on the scale at market, and these calves can gain and produce quality carcasses through the feedlot and harvest.

In the regions of the country where hot, humid summers are an annual fixture,

Section f

no cow works better in these conditions than the F1 Brahman crossbred. These females can handle the tough conditions while successfully breeding, calving, and weaning a healthy calf. The added longevity of the F1 Brahman female gives cattlemen a cow that stays in the herd longer, raising more calves over

her lifetime. Overall, the influence of Brahman on commercial cattle production in the South is extremely important.

Brahman influenced cattle, especially F1s, carry many productive advantages that help them thrive in the warmer climate of the region.

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Carolinas Brahman Breeders Association — Humble Beginnings In 1980, a group of Carolina Brahman Breeder Association members got together in Lugoff, S.C., to hold the first CBBA sale day. Forty years later, this sale is still going strong.

Like most organizations, the CBBA started from humble beginnings.

The CBBA began in Concord, N.C., in the front yard of Lewis Patterson’s house when several ranchers gathered to start an organization to bring quality Brahman cattle to the Carolinas. After meeting a few more times, the group decided to create a sale day to bring in new bloodlines and help ranchers create the best herd possible.

In the beginning, the sale involved people from the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and a few from Tennessee. Now that group has grown, and on sale day, you will find breeders from all over the USA attending the sale.

The founding members put sweat, blood, and tears into making sure the sale happened, no matter what, and this attitude of persistence can still be found in the CBBA directors and officers of today.

North Carolina CBBA Director Myra Morrison, of Morrison Farms out of Rockwell, N.C., is one of the first members who gathered in Patterson’s yard that day. She was at the first sale

Jason McMullen, Myra Neal Morrison, Kylie McMullen, and Philip Gilstrap.

and has only missed one over the last 40 years. She has been able to see the sale grow without losing the purpose of providing good quality cattle.

“I think we have done exceptionally well, bringing in cattle that are good cattle to this sale. We don’t worry so much about pedigree as we do about quality.”

Morrison said, “What we need is good quality cattle that will keep our herds around here working.”

The sale grew so much over the years, that over the past 14 years, the sale has been held at the T. Ed Garrison Cattle Complex in Pendleton, S.C., to better fit the size. Clemson University offers a fantastic modern facility that allows the sale to flow smoothly.

“The staff at the barn accommodates us any way possible,” Vice President of CBBA and great grandson of Patterson, John Cline said. “We appreciate everything they do and look forward to working with them every year.”

As the sale has grown, some new additions to the weekend have been created. One event that everyone looks forward to is the Friday Night Fun Auction, created during the 25 th anniversary of the sale. This auction helps

raise money for the two scholarships the CBBA offers to college of agriculture students attending Clemson and North Carolina State University. The secretary/ treasurer of CBBA and granddaughter of Patterson, Ann Shaughnessy, has helped with the auction since its start and looks forward to it every year.

“We have had great luck with the auction,” Shaughnessy said. “People enjoy the items that are brought, and it gives everyone a focal point to come together to enjoy each other’s company.”

An event happening for the first time at the 40th CBBA Sale is the CBBA All Star Spectacular Show, which is a show inviting all juniors from across the United States as a kickoff for the All American show. The All Star Spectacular will start the Thursday before the sale with the

junior bull, showmanship, and F-1 show and continue on Friday with the junior female show. This event will allow for more youth to get involved with the sale and create a larger awareness for CBBA. This sale means more than just looking for new bloodlines to add to their herd for a lot of the ranchers and breeders attending the event. It is a place where they can come together to continue the betterment of the Brahman breed through fellowship.

President of CBBA and auctioneer of the sale, Philip Gilstrap, started attending the sale at just a few months old and has seen firsthand, not only the improvement of the cattle that are brought to the sale, but also how the sale brings people together.

“A group of consignors bring the very best they have to offer from their ranch and are excited to come spend the weekend in a family atmosphere with old friends while meeting new friends,” Gilstrap said.

This year the CBBA event will start June 11, with the All Star Spectacular and end with the sale on June 13. To learn more about how to get involved with the sale or how to enter the junior shows, you can contact Philip Gilstrap at 864-506-0463.

From the 2015 sale - Philip Gilstrap, Harvey Mitchell, and the late Joe Butt.

Reprinted from the March 2020 issue of The Brahman Journal

Regular copy deadline is MAY 5 for the JUNE issue Spotlight material is due

MAY 1 for the JUNE issue PAGE 12

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Can Do Attitude Breeds Success at Morrison Farm

By JANEN JONES BENSON When Myra Neal Morrison arrived at Morrison Farm, her mother thought it was for a two week visit. That was 38 years ago.

“She didn’t want me to do it,” Morrison recalls, adding that some people didn’t think she could do it. When she was a teenager, the uncle who managed the farm for her father died; Morrison asked to run it. By 1965 she was doing just that.

Today, she runs a purebred herd of 45 Brahman and 200 Simmental, along with 100 F-1 (Simmental/Brahman cross) steers raised for freezer beef, on 1,050 acres on the Rowan and Cabarrus county lines.

Myra Neal Morrison delivers feed via tractor at her Rockwell, N.C., cattle farm.

“Unlike a lot of (farmers), I row crop, run purebred cattle, and feed out my cattle using my own grain,“ Morrison said. “I’m just different; I’ve got it all.”

“I feed corn silage five months of the year, starting in January,” she said.

“The silo holds 650 tons.” She hires 150 acres of corn planted each year, using her John Deere eight row planter. She brings in help for spraying, fertilizing, cutting, and combining, although she maintains her own equipment.

“This saves on costs and gets it cut in two or three days,” she added.

The farm also produces barley, hay, and soybeans.

The herd is fed daily at a feedlot, where they circle by in groups of 50 before returning to 30 acre pastures.

They have free choice access to high

magnesium minerals and synthetic protein on the feedlot.

Thanks to record breaking rainfall in North Carolina this year, hay is so abundant that Morrison is now putting bales out on the pasture. But, several previous years of drought led her to revise her water resources.

“Until the summer of 2002 I was using a creek and just had one well,” she said. “Then I got worried and added another well.” Both wells use electric pumps and most herds have automatic waterers available at all times.

Morrison’s certified and accredited herd is tested for brucellosis and TB annually. Vaccinations and worming are done at the same time.

“Nobody quite understands why I don’t need to do it (worming) twice, but I don’t,” Morrison said.

“A lot is the condition of the cattle and small pastures, and when I worm at test time in June, it cleans all the pastures out.”

She uses Ivomec and Eprinex from Merck.

Morrison breeds year round, using her three bulls, which she prefers, as well as artificial insemination. Maintaining her own tank, she purchases serum from ABS, Select Sires, and at sales. “(With these sources) you don’t often get anything you don’t want,” she said.

“I breed these cows to the best bulls in the A.I. books. For the Brahman, I try to get the best semen I can afford. Generally, I buy at sales where I know the people and can get them to sign the certificate.”

“With the Simmental cattle, the traits are all there. They’ve got good disposition, good feet, good backs; it’s all there,” Morrison said. “(With) the newer Simmentals, the solid reds and solid blacks, the disposition kind of (got) knocked out. I prefer the red and whites. I look for good growth, not excellent birth weight. But my half bloods can be 120 to 130 pounds at birth. The Simmentals run 80 to 100 pounds and the Brahman 70 to 85, and here I get these 130 pound calves due to cross breeding.

“A disadvantage of the halfbloods is their disposition,” Morrison said.

“They will eat you for breakfast,” she said, adding that they’re not wanted at

stockyards.

But she solved that problem, finding that she can feed them out in 15 months and sell them herself.

“They grow out better than purebreds, dress out better than purebreds, and take a third less feed than purebreds.

Weather doesn’t matter; they’re tough cattle. I dress 62-64 percent on average.”

Calling the freezer beef market “just crazy,” she sells to anyone and prices on hock hanging weights.

Morrison feeds out on her own farm and sells bulls at 1,100 to 1,200 pounds to get full price. Simmentals are sold around 18 months of age.

“I don’t sell Brahmans to anyone until they’re two years old,” she said, explaining that they grow until the age of five and that females shouldn’t go in heat until they’re two.

Bulls not sold for herds go to stockyards, where they’re primarily used for red meat and hamburger.

Morrison began computer based recordkeeping in 1987. Today, she uses

Microsoft Excel and Access databases she developed herself to track complete herd records, including vaccinations, breeding, and tag numbers.

She is on the board of the N.C. Simmental Association and is one of the few Easterners on the American Brahman Breeders Association Board.

“It’s rare for Easterners to run, since the meetings are out west,” she said.

“My attitude is why I made it (in the cattle business),” Morrison said.

“So much depends on weather, luck, a hundred things. To realize you’ve done what you set out to do for 38 years and don’t regret it, that’s as happy a thing as you can have, I guess.”

For more information, contact the N.C. Simmental Association at 336-4681679 or www.ncsimmental.com. The American Brahman Breeders Association may be reached at 713-349-0854 or www. brahman.org.

Reprinted with permission from The Farm Chronicles, December 8, 2003

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q MAY 2020

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Standard of Excellence I. General Appearance (22 points) a) Size and Weight (10 points) – Well developed according to age. Bulls 1,600-2,200 lbs at maturity in good flesh. Cows 1,000-1,400 lbs. Body frame should have ample depth, width, and length regardless of condition. b) Form (8 points) – Massive, long, broad, moderate depth, balanced, straight back with a slightly rounding rump. Any appreciable dropping off from hips to region of crops or hump is undesirable.

Bottom line straight except for sheath in bull and navel in cow. c) Quality (4 points) – Hide soft and pliable, of medium thickness, hair of medium texture, soft. Bone ample in substance, clean cut strong. Muscling long, well defined.

II. Body Form or Conformation (55 points for male/56 points for female) a) Shoulders and Chest (8 points) – Moderately oblique, smooth, broad on top, and covered by hump. Brisket not prominent. Chest wide and deep, good width on floor. b) Body (17 points) 1. Back and Ribs (9 points) - Ribs well sprung from backbone, arched, with ample length to give moderate depth to body. Symmetrically joined to loin and crops. Excessive depression behind shoulders objectionable. Short middle and excessive depth of rib not desirable.

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Back and loin uniformly wide and gently sloping to the sides when viewed from rear. Well covered with thick natural muscling. A sharp angle of back between and extending above hooks objectionable.

2. Loin (8 points) - Broad, thick, level and firm, blending smoothly into back and rump. c) Hindquarters (16 points) 1. Rump (8 points) – Long, wide at pins, and slightly rounding toward tail head. Smoothly joined to loin (Steep slope serious discrimination). Tailhead smooth.

2. Hooks (1 point for females only) – Slightly below level of back, medium in width, well laid in.

3. Round (8 points) – Broad, thick, full, and deep, extending well down to hock. d) Feet and Legs (7 points) – Moderate length, straight, and squarely placed. Bone with ample substance, strong, and clean, tapering into well formed, dense joints. Hind legs perpendicular when viewed from rear but slightly inclined forward below hocks; muscular above hocks. Strong moderately sloping pasterns. Toes uniform, ample in size and straight heel deep. Walk straight, strong and active. e) Muscling (7 points) – Animal should show indications of superior muscling: front legs set wide, shoulder thick, forearm and stifle well muscled.

Rounding over top. Rounds thick and full

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

with widest point halfway between rump and hock when viewed from rear. Animal should stand square, walk with hind legs set well apart while traveling true. Good length from hook to hock and from pin to stifle. Bone relatively heavy.

III. Breed and Sex Characteristics (17 points for male/16 points for female) a) Color – Grey or red of varying shades predominate. Brindle, gruella and true white (albino) are disqualifications.

Muzzle, hoofs and switch black. Horns dark. b) Head (4 points) – Sex should be expressed by the head. Bulls masculine and females feminine. Face moderate in length, muzzle full, nostrils wide and open, lips dark. Eyes mild and full with good width between them. Horns set wide at base, thick and medium in length.

Horns of cows should be thinner than those of bulls. c) Neck and Throat (2 points) – Neck moderately short, muscular in bull; neat in cow, blending smoothly into shoulders. Throat clean on sides, but with moderate development of dewlap. d) Hump (2 points) – Bulls should possess hump of ample size, located directly on top of shoulders, moderate in thickness, somewhat resembling a bean in shape, and extending backwards.

Females should show hump of moderate development, more oval in shape, and located on top of shoulders.

e) Sheath and Navel (3 points for male/2 points for female) – Sheath should be a medium size and closely attached, not pendulous. Excessive development of sheath or navel objectionable. f) Tail (3 points) – Set above pins and neatly attached to body on a level with top line or slightly below.

Moderately long. g) Sex Character (4 points) – Bulls should possess pronounced masculinity.

The scrotum should contain two testicles, well developed, of equal size. Abnormal testicles serious discrimination. Females should show characteristics of refinement and femininty. Udder should be ample in capacity, extending well forward in line with belly and well up behind; not fleshy.

Teats moderate in size and squarely placed under each quarter. h) Environment Adaptation Traits (2 points) – Hide densely covered with hair of medium texture, oily to the touch and capable of movement along sides. Well developed dewlap with soft, pliable skin arranged in folds extending from lower jaw to chest floor. Moderate development of loose skin under belly.

IV. Temperment (6 points) Alert but docile.

TOTAL POINTS - 100

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A lot of parents have transitioned from eating out and drive-thrus because of after school activities. Now, it’s crucial to be able to cook at home with ingredients on hand. Grocery runs that were three to four times a week are now condensed to once a week, and curbside pick up where possible. This means meal planning is a necessity. Thinking this way can be quite a transition, in addition to all the other changes taking place. We are providing information and how-to knowledge to help.

Ashley’s Beef Corner

T

Adaptability

(virtually) through our Team Beef group and compete in the distance of their choosing. Participants share their photos, times, and distances with #teambeef and #fueledbybeef and tagging Beef It’s What’s for Dinner on social media. We share these photos to promote beef’s role in a healthy diet and fitness routine.

By ASHLEY W. HERRING Director of Consumer Information N.C. Cattlemen’s Beef Council Promoting beef these days looks slightly different, but we have zeroed in on specific needs of families in order to best meet them.

In March, many states, including ours, issued stay at home orders. Families became responsible for the education of their children while maintaining workloads and the upkeep of their homes.

With the situation being three out of four people working from home, the N.C. Cattlemen’s Beef Council is focusing efforts on how to prepare meals that are simple,

comforting, and easy to prepare. Children are at home, and parents are homeschooling in addition to working, so families want meals that are familiar and tasty.

We are sharing simple, short videos on our social media accounts that illustrate how to prepare these “back to basics” meals that nourish as well as comfort us in these unpredictable times. Emphasizing food safety by using thermometers and food safety guidelines are good reminders of how to feel confident while cooking beef.

Wilkes Livestock Exchange

NCBA’s consumer research showed an uptick for searches using ground beef and classic recipes like meatloaf. We are showing video clips of recipes for these on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.

Next will be information on storage and proper handling as most consumers have purchased greater quantities than normal and will need guidelines about freezing beef.

We’re also sharing activity books, online learning resources like Masters of Beef Advocacy, and BQA for teachers and parents who are looking for avenues to keep the learning going. There is a tremendous need for ways to keep children busy while parents cook, clean, or get in a bit of work.

106 Armory Road • PO Box 2146 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 Phone: 336-838-3442 • Fax: 336-838-3591 Weekly Sales - Wednesdays - 1:30 p.m.

Take-up Tuesday Evenings

Catching and Hauling Services Available

Shelmer Blackburn, Jr.

919-270-1522 • shelmerblackburn@hotmail.com

Seth Church

336-927-5370 • sethchurch@charter.net PAGE 16

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

I think this break from traditional school and its curriculum has provided an awesome opportunity to get in agriculture education. I see several lessons on the farm, taking place each day. Virtual farm tours are available to those who don’t reside in a farming community. Food has become quite important, and folks are more cognizant of where it comes from.

We are also participating with the Masters of Beef Advocacy virtual race with a North Carolina group. This run/ride/walk was designed after the cancellation of many race events. It provides a way for athletes to run together

While gyms are closed and families are not traveling, they are exercising outdoors more than ever. We are encouraging exercise and promoting beef simultaneously. The event goes through May 3, but we will continue sharing posts throughout the year.

For our nutrition contacts, we have shared webinars that are accredited by the American Society for Nutrition that are aimed at dietetic graduate students and interns. They will receive CEUs after completing these online sessions.

There has been positive feedback for providing these resources and we look forward to being a trusted source of information for all things beef on the state level.

We will likely keep many of the changes recently experienced for a bit of time. Amidst the chaos, food is a constant and we know that beef has been the go-to protein. We will work hard to make sure that stays the same.

I think everyone is ready to enjoy a steak at their favorite restaurant as soon as we are able.

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 17

By DR. MATT POORE N.C. State University

Your Most Important Grazing Management Decision Many things impact the performance of your grazing system. Pasture is a very diverse ecosystem, and finding the sweet spot where the soil, plants, and animals come together in the optimal way is the quest of the adaptive grazing manager. I have known a wide variety of successful graziers, and they come at the challenge from many different perspectives and management approaches. One thing they all have in common is that they understand the delicate balance between feed supply and feed demand, they know how to use animal impact to improve the soil, and they make good decisions on their feet as they adapt to an ever changing situation.

I was recently on a program at the American Plant Food Agronomic Productivity Forum on Forage Management in San Antonio, Texas.

It was fun to be on the program with so many of my heroes, including Don Ball, Gary Lacefield, Dennis Hancock, Monty Rouquette, and Joe Bouton! The speaker before me was Hugh Aljoe, Director of Producer Relations with the Noble Research Institute. Hugh talked about how managed grazing impacts the success of beef cattle grazing operations.

He told us that the three most critical grazing management issues he deals with are stocking rate, stocking rate, and stocking rate. His point was that probably

the most important factor in the success of our farms and ranches is how many animals we choose to place on our pasture resource. It is one of the few things that we are completely in control of.

Hugh got me thinking about the critical importance of this concept, so I thought I would explore it a little more.

I’ll start by defining three important terms. First, “carrying capacity” is the number of animal units (A = 1,000 lbs of animal weight) the farm or ranch can sustain over the years without degrading the resource base. It is that balance between animal demand and forage production that we all seek.

“Stocking rate” is the number of animal units we decide to keep on the pastures. So, if you have 40 cows weight 1,250 lbs, and 100 acres of pasture, you are stocked at 1 AU per 2 acres or .5 AU (500 lbs) per acre.

Finally, “stocking density” is the number of animals or weight within the paddock where cattle are at the given moment. So, if the 40 cows (50,000 lbs) rotate among 10 pastures of 10 acres each, the stocking density is 5,000 lbs/acre.

Now, back to your most important decision and some of the complicating factors. One assumption we sometimes make is that the goal of all our systems is not to have to feed hay at all. This is a great goal and one that many farmers

The ideal stocking rate will help extend the grazing season. Here, first calf heifers graze ryegrass.

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

have, including me. However, there are situations where there is too much snow, ice, and mud in the winter to effectively graze, and there are also situations where harvested feed is available at a very low cost for purchase from outside the farm.

In these situations, a planned winter feeding system will often be part of the management plan.

One popular program recently for beef producers in the Southeast has been “300 Days Grazing,” which sets a 65 day winter feeding season as a goal.

Whatever your situation, you need to understand that if the hay or other feed is coming from outside your fenced land, then it is not included in your stocking rate. As more and more feed is imported into a farm, the higher the chance of overgrazing and the need to have concentrated feeding sites.

At my personal farm, we have a plan to feed for 45 days in the fall and buy most of our hay. We really like unrolling it so that we get the fertilizer nutrient benefit from that imported forage. We do have variation in our carrying capacity each year due to differences in growth, largely due to rainfall. So, in a good year, we will have more grazing than we need to get through the winter, and in a dry year, we will need to feed hay longer than 45 days.

Another complicating factor is that stocking rate is an instantaneous measure, and it can and will vary over the year.

On a cow/calf farm, as the calves gain weight, they eat more forage, and their body weight needs to be accounted for in the stocking rate. When the calves are sold, the stocking rate drops abruptly, and that is an important consideration for farms stockpiling grass for winter grazing. In a stocker system, you can use this as a strategy to deal with seasonal

forage production by stocking heavily at the beginning of the grazing season and selling part of the cattle when forage production is expected to decline.

While these seem to be fairly simple concepts, it has been difficult for me to convince many farmers that reducing their stocking rate to minimize the length of the hay feeding season is the best way to improve their system. It is critical to understand that as stocking rate approaches your carrying capacity, the cost of carrying an additional cow will dramatically jump. Essentially you have to buy all the feed for every cow you have over your carrying capacity. Our typical 1,200 lb cow needs about six tons of medium quality forage to get through a year, and in our area, the cost of buying that forage would be at least $600.

Finally, stocking slightly below the carrying capacity and doing a base level of rotational grazing management is good for the soil and for our industry as a whole. When we avoid overgrazing, soil health will improve, and that will help us improve the infiltration of rainfall and to build soil carbon. Both of those are important “ecosystem services” that can be credited to good grazing managers.

Healthy pastures and rangeland are good for everybody, and it is one of the best stories we have to tell the general public.

So, as you start your grazing season this year, consider the concepts of carrying capacity, stocking rate, and stocking density. Developing the “eye of the master” for the complex ecosystem starts with a clear understanding of these underlying principles.

A version of this article appeared in the April 2020 edition of Progressive Forage and is reprinted here with permission.

On the Horizon

By CHARLOTTE TALBOT N.C. State University

One Noble Summer of Grazing Without Boundaries My name is Charlotte Talbott, and I am a senior at N.C. State University majoring in animal science. I will be beginning my master’s degree at N.C. State in the fall of 2020 under the advisement of Dr. Matt Poore and Dr. Deidre Harmon, focusing on tall fescue pasture renovations to novel endophyte fescue. I grew up in Lee County as the daughter of an architect and a residential contractor. Despite not growing up on a farm, I was quite involved with horses and animal agriculture. I knew from an early age that I wanted to study agriculture, and since the beginning of my college career, I have been involved with Amazing Grazing and many other forage based experiences. One opportunity that helped shape my education was my time as a Lloyd Noble Scholar in Agriculture at the Nobel Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma.

I heard about the Noble Institute from a small flyer on campus advertising their summer internship, focusing on beef cattle. Noble is a non-profit agricultural research institute in southern Oklahoma that provides consulting to local farmers and ranchers. As a Lloyd Noble Scholar, I was assigned a mentor and an independent research project to complete over the summer. My interests have always revolved around forage management and crop-animal

interactions, so naturally, I hoped I would be working with cows and grass in some way. When my mentor, Ryon Walker, Ph.D., informed me I would be leading a virtual fencing project, I was unsure of what I was about to dive into. I worked with a company based out of Australia that was looking to reduce fence and labor costs associated with physical fencing. Virtual fencing would allow cattle to be restricted in certain areas of pasture through GPS collars equipped with auditory and tactile stimulation, such as vibration. This technology introduces a whole new (labor free) approach to ranch management and rotational grazing.

Sorting out treatment and control groups.

My research on this project was to validate the use of virtual fencing on smaller pastures more common to rotational grazing systems. In addition, I tested the producer friendliness of the program and suggested enhancements to optimize efficiency for ranchers. During

the first week of the project, I helped install collars on 84 yearling calves that began their training with the virtual fence. After being split into a treatment and control group, the calves were introduced to a rotational grazing system where I observed their responses to stimulation. Much like an underground fence for dogs, cattle would approach the “imaginary” fence line and hear a noise that they would learn to relate with a boundary. When it was time to move cattle to the next rotational area, a back fence would activate, and cattle would be enticed to move to better grass.

While this technology is cutting edge and still not widely utilized on smaller

Carolina Video and Load Lot Monthly Summary (Weeks ending APRIL 9, 2020)

Carolina Video and Load Lot Monthly Summary of all markets ending Thursday, APRIL 9, 2020. All cattle in this report are located in North Carolina and South Carolina. Prices FOB the farm or local scale and many weighed with a 0-2 percent shrink and sold with a 5-15¢ per pound slide on the heavy side only. Some all natural lots.

Cattle Receipts: 3,149 Last Month: 1,354

Feeders made up 100 percent of the offering. The feeder supply included 51 percent steers and 49 percent heifers. Nearly 58 percent of the run weighed over 600 pounds. Head totals are based on load lot estimate of 49,500 pounds.

FEEDER STEERS (Medium and Large 1-2) Avg. Wt. Price Range Avg. Price 390 $177.00 $177.00 530 $154.50 $154.50 925 $107.00 $107.00

Head 76 93 53

Wt. Range 390-390 530-530 925-925

Head 70 336 83 26 89 72 66 43 68 129 124 178 23 58 26

Wt. Range 350-350 440-440 590-590 560-560 550-550 685-685 740-740 730-730 725-725 760-760 790-790 825-830 805-805 850-850 920-920

Head 56 106 64 56

Wt. Range 350-350 465-465 765-765 875-875

FEEDER HEIFERS (Medium and Large 1-2) Avg. Wt. Price Range Avg. Price 350 $162.00 $162.00 465 $147.50 $147.50 765 $98.75 $98.75 875 $95.25 $95.25

Head 76 264 59 221 148 271 25 40 61 30 59

Wt. Range 325-325 375-375 585-585 650-675 650-675 700-735 730-730 780-780 800-800 820-820 830-830

FEEDER HEIFERS (Medium 1-2) Avg. Wt. Price Range Avg. Price 325 $169.50 $169.50 375 $163.00 $163.00 585 $118.75 $118.75 666 $114.50 - $117.00 $116.16 662 $124.00 $124.00 723 $107.75 - $112.00 $110.12 730 $104.25 $104.25 780 $106.75 $106.75 800 $104.75 $104.75 820 $90.00 $90.00 830 $110.25 $110.25

q

Cattle grazing with GPS collars.

operations, it is an important step towards precision agriculture technology for the cattle industry.

In addition to my project, I also had the opportunity to assist in consulting ranchers on their cattle operations, learn about lab based tall fescue toxic endophyte research, and explore many different facets of agricultural production. I would recommend this internship to any undergraduate or master’s student looking to gain more experience in beef cattle production.

Photo credit - www.noble.org/blog/ one-noble-summer/utilizing-cutting-edgetechnology-to-manage-grazing-cattlewithout-fencing-boundaries/

FEEDER STEERS (Medium 1-2) Avg. Wt. Price Range 350 $184.50 440 $168.75 590 $146.00 560 $130.75 550 $158.50 685 $137.00 740 $121.00 730 $114.25 725 $131.00 760 $125.00 790 $130.00 827 $106.00 - $117.75 805 $116.75 850 $121.00 920 $97.00

Avg. Price $184.50 $168.75 $146.00 $130.75 $158.50 $137.00 $121.00 $114.25 $131.00 $125.00 $130.00 $113.84 $116.75 $121.00 $97.00

Delivery Split Loads

Delivery Split Loads Split Loads Value Added Split Loads Value Added Value Added Split Loads Value Added Split Loads Delivery Split Loads

Delivery Split Loads Split Loads Value Added Split Loads Split Loads Split Loads Value Added

Source: N.C. Department of Agriculture - USDA Market News Service, Raleigh, N.C. 919-707-3121 • www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/co_ls185.txt

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 19

Beef Promotion and Research Program

PRIVATE TREATY SALES CHECKOFF INVESTMENT FORM Information is required by (7 CRF 1260.201). Failure to report can result in a fine.

Information is held confidential (7 CRF 1260.203).

Today’s Date: ________________ Seller’s Name: ____________________________

Buyer’s Name: ____________________________

Address: _________________________________

Address: _________________________________

City: ________________ State: ____ Zip: ______

City: ________________ State: ____ Zip: ______

Seller’s Signature: _________________________

Buyer’s Signature: _________________________

Both the seller & the buyer are responsible for making sure that the $1.50 per head assessment is collected and remitted to the Beef Promotion & Research Board.

Total Number of Cattle Sold: ___________________ x $1.50 Per Head = $ _______________________ Date of Sale: __________________

Person remitting assessment form:

Seller

o

Buyer

o

* State of Origin of Cattle: ______________________

* If the cattle purchased came from another state within the last 30 days, indicate from which state the cattle were purchased.

Send Report and Remittance to:

SOUTH CAROLINA BEEF COUNCIL P.O. Box 11280 Columbia, SC 29211 According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0581-0093. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 1.8 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disbility, sexual orientation, marital or family status, political beliefs, parental status, or protected genetic information. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Preparing replacement heifers for the long run. Knowing when heifers have started cycling is key to future reproductive success.

The ability to get replacement heifers bred and calved out early are important indicators for how long heifers will stay in a cow herd. And, heifers need to be fully developed heading into their first breeding season to ensure they’ll have longevity and pay for themselves.

“When you think about all the costs of developing a replacement heifer, it’s critical they remain in the herd as long as possible,” says George Perry, beef reproductive management specialist for South Dakota State University Extension. “Data suggests it takes approximately five calves to pay for a replacement heifer’s development costs.”

So, how can you keep heifers in the herd and maximize profit? It starts by knowing when a heifer is ready to breed for the first time.

Hit breeding weight benchmarks The long stated gold standard is for heifers to reach 65 percent of mature weight by the time of breeding. But more recent research has revealed heifers can reach puberty at just 55 percent of mature weight.

According to Perry, the risk of using the 55 percent benchmark outweighs the reward.

“If the goal is to get more heifers bred early, stay conservative and use the 60-65 percent of mature weight as your benchmark,” says Perry. “Higher weights give you insurance heifers have had time

NEWS

to develop and are more sexually mature.”

An emphasis on nutrition is rightfully put during the critical phase between weaning and breeding when heifers are adding size to reach the 65 percent mature weight threshold.

It is also vital to ensure heifers receive adequate nutrition following breeding.

Know when heifers are cycling When heifers have reached their weight goal, there are a number of options to determine if heifers have gone through puberty and can breed.

Reproductive tract scoring is a common method used to verify if heifers are pubertal by palpating the reproductive tract and ovaries for the size of follicles and to determine if a corpus luteum is present.

A trained technician or veterinarian can perform this procedure, but it can be cost prohibitive with charges ranging from $3-5 per heifer. If you’re in a region with a high demand for veterinary services, scheduling may also be a challenge.

Another way to identify pubertal heifers is to spend time watching them daily. However, watching your animals takes time, and you can’t watch them 24/7, resulting in some getting missed.

According to Perry, the best option is using a breeding indicator.

“The most time efficient way to identify if a heifer is cycling is to use an adhesive breeding indicator patch,” says Perry. “You put the breeding indicator on the animal 30 days

prior to the breeding season and wait until you see activated indicators, which indicate a heifer is in heat and being mounted.”

Breeding indicators help visually show when heifers have started becoming pubertal by expressing estrus. The indicators are applied between the hip and tailhead. As mounting activity occurs, the patch surface ink rubs off to expose a bright indicator color. You can monitor estrus activity as you have time and get a quick visual representation of when heifers are ready for breeding.

“If heifers have been properly developed to approximately 65 percent of mature body weight, then 80 percent or more of the heifers should have activated breeding indicators during those 30 days.

This will indicate the heifers are sexually mature and ready to breed,” says Perry.

Once you know that heifers are pubertal, you can either set them up with a synchronization protocol for artificial insemination or expose them to a bull.

Those heifers that aren’t showing signs of cycling can then be sold as their odds of becoming pregnant are lower.

Breed a cycle ahead - One tactic to consider is breeding your heifers one estrous cycle (or approximately 21 days) ahead of when you breed mature cows.

At the point heifers are calving for the first time, they are still growing and

adding more frame to reach their mature weight. Plus, they’re lactating, which puts additional energy demands on them.

These factors make first calf heifers notoriously hard to get cycling again.

Achieving a second pregnancy can be a make or break situation.

“By breeding replacement heifers a cycle ahead of the mature herd, you allow them more recovery time after calving,” says Perry. “Extra recovery time allows heifers to prepare for the subsequent breeding season, and gives them better odds of achieving a second pregnancy and staying in the herd.”

“Overall, the goal of any heifer development program from weaning to breeding is to get animals to reach maturity, cycle, and maintain a pregnancy.

In reaching this goal, we can recover the cost of development by greatly increasing the likelihood heifers will stay in the herd long term,” says Perry.

For more information on breeding indicators, visit www.ESTROTECT.com.

About Estrotect. The Estrotect Breeding Indicator is the industry standard for optimizing cattle breeding efficiency and economics. With millions and millions of units sold around the world, Estrotect is the only breeding management tool tested in a multitude of university studies by industry researchers.

S.C. Beef Council News

By ROY COPELAN, S.C. Beef Council

The recent COVID-19 health issue has caused a lot of problems and changes for all of us. I trust as individuals, we have been pulled closer together, and these times have given each of us opportunities for reflection and care.

The SCBC office continues to be open and operate as best we can. All beef promotional activities have been cancelled, at least until the first of May. I have scheduled our annual “Cinco de Mayo Day” beef promotion with our Hispanic consumers on May 5. Then, the fast pace of the 100 days of “Summer Grilling” activities at retail, foodservice operators, and consumer events will roll out. Stay tuned.

The S.C. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association held their Annual Meeting by way of a virtual format this year. Things were a lot different, but the speakers and subject matters were outstanding. Participation was low, but that was understood. The Association will rebound next year with a great Annual Meeting scheduled for April 2, 2021.

The next scheduled meeting of the S.C. Beef Council Board of Directors will be on August 20 in Columbia.

Everyone stay safe and healthy.

My wife and I chalk driveway art during Until next month… these times.

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r o f D E L U D E H C S RE !

0 2 0 2 , 2 Y A M

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 21

COVID-19 — Four Lessons to Teach Our Young People

By JESSICA JUDGE BioZyme Inc. We all felt the pain that followed the devastating events of March 11, 2020.

First, it was Houston, then Austin, then the Oklahoma Youth Expo, and then many other shows around the country were cancelled. In a matter of a few weeks’ time, show staff members were forced to make the impossible command to shut down all livestock shows, leaving thousands of young people and families with broken hearts and livestock that never got a chance to show. This unfortunate series of unexpected events crushed the spirits and shook the lives of so many in our industry – and that pain is still very fresh.

This happenstance is unfortunate, heartbreaking, gut wrenching, and disappointing for not only our youth but the families, the feeders, the mentors, the villages, and others in the industry whose shows haven’t been cancelled but have had to watch so much heartache unfold.

And it casts a dark shadow on the fate of upcoming summer shows for many. But even during these uncertain times, we cannot be afraid to move forward, and we

must realize there is always something to be learned from every experience we encounter, good or bad. There are positives in every situation if we choose to find them. This is a circumstance our industry can still CHOOSE to use for the greater good of our future and here’s why: 1. You can cancel shows, but you can’t cancel experiences - It is a true test to the human spirit when you work so hard for something for so long, and an outcome never comes to fruition – or in this case, the opportunity to even try for an outcome. However, there is a common saying, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey” that is applicable to our lives at this given moment. Yes, shows were cancelled – but you can’t diminish the values our youth acquired along the journey. You can’t strip them of their work ethic, sense of responsibility, competitive edge, and determination to succeed. You can’t take away the hours in the barn that were spent preparing with families, most likely arguing and fighting, but also working together and growing in love. You can’t take away

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D E N O P T S O P

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D B T e t a D New

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

the friendships kindled with others who share our love for this industry. You can’t take away the mentors and the people who have impacted young lives the most as they prepared their projects. And you can’t take away the passion we ALL have in our hearts for agriculture and the livestock industry. This is something we hold near and dear to our hearts. It is a passion that will only grow brighter amid

defeat. Whether our youth step foot in the ring or not, we stay grounded in our belief that this is the best arena to raise kids, and the principles behind why we do what we do won’t change.

2. Disappointments teach us to RISE - Disappointment is one of the most challenging emotions to work through. In this case, many of our young people have invested financially in their

Baxter Black

On the edge of

common sense The Lone Pine

“So, how’d yer dad git that big dent on the door?” I asked Dave. Truth is, it was quite an accomplishment for one single dent to stand out from all the other wear and tear, deterioration, and assorted damage that covered his 1983 Ford Ranger diesel pickup truck like elephant tracks on a styrofoam cooler.

“It’s a long story,” sighed Dave.

Dave went with his mom and dad to gather the last of the cows off their forest permit above Feather Falls in the Sierra Madres of southern California. Dad drove the old stock truck with racks made outta airport landing and pulled a portable Powder River loading chute with panels.

Dave followed in the Ranger. It took’em a while, but they finally loaded 16 head of cows and calves. Then Dad spotted one ol’ cow that had held back. She’d calved recently, but the calf was nowhere in sight. They had spotted lion track in the vicinity. They searched till Mom, the family tracker, found the little calf under a bush.

They could feel the storm comin’ and were relieved to get the last cow squeezed onto the load. They packed the loading chute and started down the mountain.

Dave followed in the Ranger with the new calf in the cab beside him. Bear, the faithful cow dog, rode in the back. Next thing he knew, Dad waved him to a stop.

There was a cow down in the stock truck.

Dave pulled ahead, stopped on the steep mountain road, and went back to help.

After several minutes of struggling with the down cow, Dave climbed up to say they’d need to let some of the other cows out to give her some room. It was then he noticed the Ranger, complete with dog and calf, had disappeared! Dad was hot to catch his favorite truck when Dave pointed out that wherever it was goin’, it was already there. The down cow could use some help right away.

They set up the portable chute, unloaded four cows, righted the down cow, and Dave took off to find the Ranger.

He met Bear comin’ back up the road at a full gallop, tail between his legs. Around the first bend, Dave could see the tip of the pickup over the side of a canyon. It had leaped off the edge and slid sideways into a lone pine. The next stop would have been 200 feet at the bottom. The calf was standin’ in the seat lookin’ out the back window.

Well, everybody survived, although the dog won’t git back in the pickup, and Dave continues to insist he left it in gear.

And Dad...Dad still takes the hammer to the side panel now and then in an attempt to make the pine tree impression blend in with the other dents.

It’s useless, though, like tryin’ to make a mastodon blend in with a flotilla of Mallard ducks.

projects and devoted so many hours in preparation to compete on a large stage, especially seniors in their last year.

However, in reflection of unexpected events such as this one, we must set aside the disappointment for just a moment and understand how truly unique this situation is to this generation. Our kids have already learned to set their standards high, commit to the hard work it requires to compete, and how to win or lose with grace and integrity. But now they face the biggest test of all, learning to accept disappointment and endure it with patience and with factors that are out of their control. This is a lesson that our world fails to prepare young people for more times than not, and ultimately, we set them up with unrealistic expectations for what is to come. The cancellation of major shows is a barrier unprecedented to our industry and one that very few kids will experience in their lifetime.

And, as sad as it may be, we can choose to utilize this as a tool to teach our kids that life doesn’t guarantee anything - a livestock show, getting into the school you want, getting that job you desired, or getting another day here on earth. Life will be hard, you will be challenged, and you won’t always come out on top – but how you handle those valleys and heartbreaking moments will say more about you as a person in the end. The way we react as an industry while “our sport” is being challenged will tell of the character we possess. The way our industry has shone through this lapse of darkness has proven that. I hope we can use these experiences to teach our kids that rejection, failure, unfair circumstances, and bitter disappointments can make us all stronger, better people.

For it is in times of true upset that true colors come out, and we see what people and our industry is truly made of.

3. Our legacy lives on OUTSIDE of the ring - Being told you are unable to exhibit at the eleventh hour is never easy. For seniors – you are missing out on your last chance to set foot in the ring, a place that played a huge role in your development. For others, you might have a once in a lifetime animal that never got a chance for consideration to compete.

No matter what the circumstance may be, we have to realize that our success in the bigger picture is NOT defined by what we do in the show ring. In time, winners will be forgotten, and accolades will fade, but our character and the way we influence others will shine through until the end of time. So, maybe you don’t get to show anymore - use it as a chance to mentor a new showman who does have the chance to grow and succeed. You say you won’t feel the rush of the showring anymore - try feeling the rush of playing a part in

watching someone else’s success. We have to know that a missed opportunity in the ring today is a temporary pain; it is not something that will impact our future success. The way we choose to impact others, serve those around us, and give back to our industry will ultimately define our legacy, and that reaches far beyond our time in the ring.

4. Families become more resilient in challenge - Of all the lessons learned, the challenges we are faced with today prove that we CAN and WILL rise up amidst adversity. We are a true livestock FAMILY. We are a unique community who will come together, adapt, and overcome roadblocks together. We are descendants of generations of agriculturists and livestock producers who would be proud to know we are coming together to protect the tradition of showing livestock, proving we can stand up for the agriculture industry on the largest platforms as we continue to be tested. The generous acts that have been put into motion because of this outbreak, such as putting on shows in a matter of days, supporting kids who can’t sell their projects, creating scholarships and much more, are setting an example for our youth and will carry on far after this outbreak. We are getting back to the basics, back to the roots of what this is all about – the youth. Our young people are witnessing industry leaders, organizations, ag teachers, parents, and volunteers commit their time to selflessly provide opportunities for those youth to rise up. Through this example, we cultivate generations of young people

who know how to be gritty and tough when faced with obstacles. We are showing our young people how to be generous and willing to step up and get involved when it matters most. We are showing our kids how to stand up for what they believe in and stand up for the future of our industry. The efforts brought about by this outbreak prove that as our livelihoods continue to be challenged, we have the basic tools to make a united stand together and fight back.

This timeout from livestock shows is hard on all of us, but maybe it is a chance to pump the breaks, take a deep breath and remember the real reason behind why we do what we do. While it is unfortunate to witness opportunities to show and sell livestock be taken from our young people – those are not the real reasons we are invested in this industry. We are in this for the lessons raising livestock teaches our youth. We are in this for the relationships and the networking that come with showing and raising livestock. We are in this because it is a passion that gets us out of bed every morning. At the end of the day, the banner and the paycheck aren’t the true payoffs for our kids. It is the lessons, skills, and values they take with them that truly pay off. And while we all face the uncertainty of summer shows and question whether or not we should invest in new animals that may never be shown, we must remember that whether or not they make it to the show ring, this investment is more than just investing in an animal. This is an investment in our youth and their development. That is what this should be all about. We must face

the unknown with hope, knowing we are investing in the bigger picture.

So now we have a choice. We can choose to dwell and let rough waves shake us, or we take the challenge head on and focus on how it can make us better. The hearts of our livestock youth and families are still breaking, and the future is unknown, but we will recover and bind together to elevate UNITED and STRONG.

Have you forgotten something?

Make sure your cattlemen friends are members of your state association!

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The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 23

Working With Cattle is Just One Side of New Clemson Farms Director

By TOM HALLMAN Clemson University You don’t have to be an agricultural scientist to understand it: The beef will only be as good as the food it eats.

Matt Hersom, though, is an agricultural scientist: From Oklahoma to Florida, he’s been a student, professor, researcher, and Extension specialist trained in both cattle and their pastures and feed.

So Hersom is a natural fit as Clemson University’s new director of campus farms, which encompass research, teaching, and Extension Service programs in virtually every facet of agriculture.

With a doctorate in animal nutrition from Oklahoma State University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science and nutrition from Iowa State University, Hersom most recently served as an associate professor and Extension beef cattle specialist for the University of Florida, which he joined in 2003.

His career is a litany of tackling thorny issues in beef cattle performance, like designing nutritional and supplemental programs to optimize animals’ weight gain and determining

ways to increase their ability to utilize the nutrients from the grass they forage.

“Dr. Hersom’s skill set fits hand-inglove with the needs of our farms and the many different clients we serve,” said Paula Agudelo, associate dean of research and Experiment Station director. “The challenges our industry faces are problems he has faced before with a strong record of success. We’re glad to have him join a team of research, teaching, and Extension professionals that meet that challenge every day.”

“Clemson was a natural draw for me.

It already feels very much like home,” Hersom said. “The facilities, the research, and the educational programs here are very broad based and well tailored to the needs of agriculture in this part of the country. I’m especially looking forward to becoming more involved in the agronomic and fruit research programs, which are extremely active and important to our farmers.”

Hersom succeeds John Andrae, who becomes assistant director of the Clemson Experiment Station as a whole,

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overseeing projects at the university’s Research and Education Centers statewide.

The campus research farms are located on and around Clemson’s main campus in Pickens, Anderson, and Oconee counties. Each supports the three fold mission of teaching, research, and Extension in Clemson’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences: • Simpson Research Farm, with about 2,300 acres, is the largest single facility in the group, housing both agronomic and livestock research, Extension, and teaching activities, including the Clemson Bull Test facility.

• LaMaster Dairy Center, adjacent to the main campus, is home to research, teaching, and Extension projects and provides genetics and dairy products for breeders and consumers worldwide. At 677 acres, the dairy maintains a herd of more than 200 cows from four breeds: Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss, and Guernsey.

• Musser Fruit Research Center, a 240 acre fruit tree research farm located just across Lake Hartwell from the university, houses the lion’s share of Clemson’s peach research.

• Calhoun Fields Laboratory, also known as “Clemson Bottoms,” focuses on vegetable, field crop, and pest management research.

• Clemson Student Organic Farm is a 14 acre research farm on campus that involves students in all aspects of farm management, production, and marketing.

• Starkey Swine Center, about five miles from the main campus, is a “farrow to finish operation where swine are bred and raised from birth to market weight.

• Morgan Poultry Center houses a variety of poultry breeds and consists of 11 experimental houses, a feed mill, a hatchery, and a workshop just over a mile from Clemson’s campus.

• A Crop and Equipment Services unit provides services to the different farm units, including hay, silage, and crop production; pasture management, vehicle and equipment maintenance, facility maintenance and upgrade, engineering services, grading construction and land management, utility installation, grounds care, carpentry and machine shop services, as well as diesel fuel and gasoline storage.

Image Credits - Clemson Public Service and Agriculture

Matt Hersom, Clemson’s new director of campus farms, brings broad experience in agricultural research and Extension programs.

BE A WINNER!

Join your local cattlemen’s association AND your state or regional breed association.

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

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Federation of State Beef Councils Update State Beef Councils Win Major Legal Victory. The Beef Checkoff program and 15 grassroots led state beef councils won a major court victory recently when the United States District Court of Montana ruled in favor of USDA and the Montana Beef Council in the matter of R-CALF vs. Sonny Perdue and USDA. NCBA praised the court’s decision, which ends a legal battle that has spanned more than three years and interrupted beef promotion functions in Montana.

The case had threatened local input and promotion efforts at the state level across the country.

“The foundation of the Beef Checkoff has always been state beef councils that collect checkoff funds and determine how those investments are used for research, marketing, and promotion efforts in individual states. Those efforts are directed by the same cattlemen and cattlewomen who pay the checkoff, so this victory goes a long way toward ensuring they continue to direct those investments,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall.

Woodall emphasized that NCBA will continue to stand with state beef councils whose work is crucial to maintaining beef demand throughout the nation.

The court ruling can be accessed at www.ncba.org/CMDocs/BeefUSA/

Publications/R-CALF_v._USDA_-_ Order_Adopting_Report_and_ Recommendation.pdf.

U.S. Programs Managed on Behalf of Beef Checkoff Continue to Maintain Beef Demand. As a Beef Checkoff Contractor, NCBA Pivots to Address New Reality. Promotion programs being managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association as a contractor to the Beef Checkoff have shifted and grown in response to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. These efforts reflect a consumer population that is concerned for their day to day health and the availability of delicious, safe, and wholesome food products, like beef.

“It was only two months ago that Beef Checkoff committees got together in San Antonio at the Cattle Industry Convention to work collectively to develop plans to improve beef demand,” says Buck Wehrbein, a feedlot manager from Nebraska and chairman of the Federation of State Beef Councils. “In a few short weeks, our entire world and the way we engage with each other and our communities have changed, and our response through the Beef Checkoff has had to change with it.”

Wehrbein notes that many events and conferences the Beef Checkoff

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JUNE ISSUE

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By MAY 1!

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

had a role in have been cancelled, and some research projects have paused. In addition, the current issues called for the program to shift messages to meet the needs of consumers immediately. “Our market research and market intelligence staff members are keeping a close eye on what is going on in retail and foodservice channels, as well as how consumers are responding and what they need from us,” Wehrbein says.

Wehrbein says the supply chain is leveling out, and beef is becoming more available in retail meat cases. According to IRI, a market research company, meat has been the leading sales driver for the perimeter of the retail store, up more than 90 percent for the week ending March 22, year over year. While those numbers have moderated somewhat, they are still considerably higher than they were for the same period in 2019. Those figures can seem frustrating to producers who feel they have not received a fair share, Wehrbein says, but they do help demonstrate the checkoff is doing its job, which is to strengthen beef demand.

With three out of four consumers under stay at home orders, they are cooking more meals for more people, more often. NCBA staff, along with staffs of state beef councils across the country, are leveraging their extensive library of content, including advertisements, recipes, cooking videos, and educational materials about beef nutrition to help consumers while they are home during the pandemic.

Tips on beef preparation and recipes are being provided to consumers through Beef Checkoff funded content on the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner website, including recipe collections, cooking lessons, and beef safety information.

Meanwhile, both national and state programs have shifted advertising dollars to deliver this content to consumers and provide it on social media platforms, too.

In addition, the checkoff is reminding consumers that Chuck Knows Beef, the digital assistant based on artificial intelligence, is available to help them with their beef questions.

Recipes and resources are also being provided to food influencers, supply chain partners, and the news media to support their efforts to educate consumers about food preparation and healthy eating. NCBA, in its checkoff role, is also keeping in close contact with supply chain partners to provide support as they adjust to the current consumer and business environments.

Wehrbein encourages interested producers to follow Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and

Twitter, to see how Beef Checkoff dollars are helping consumers feel confident in choosing and preparing beef and is assuring those consumers that the beef industry is committed to providing safe, healthy, wholesome beef to the food supply.

Beef in the “Substitute” Seat - To reach those consumers, a new campaign was released April 1 to highlight the versatility of beef. NCBA, as a checkoff contractor, partnered with three nationally recognized chefs who found creative ways to substitute beef for more commonly used proteins in one of their favorite dishes. The resulting recipes include: • Peking Chuck - In this nod to Peking Duck, Top Chef finalist Joe Sasto replaces the duck with a Chuck Roast for a unique Asian inspired beef meal.

• Korean Fried Beef (KFB) - Who needs fried chicken when you can enjoy fried beef at home? Acclaimed NYC chef Esther Choi shows how to make this classic dish with a beefy Korean twist.

• Cowlamari - For this tasty treat, beloved Chicago chef and Food Network regular Lamar Moore replaces the surf with turf and turns Calamari into Cowlamari.

This fully integrated campaign includes paid advertising, social media, media relations, influencer engagement, and retail outreach. Through advertising alone, it’s projected the initial campaign flight will secure 31 million impressions.

A special webpage that includes the chef

videos and recipes provides an overview of the campaign, and the recipes, which use a play on words, complement the Beef Checkoff’s “Nicely Done Beef” campaign.

Results show the campaign is already paying dividends. The recipes were shared with major news outlets and resulted in the Associated Press picking up the story. The chefs, who have thousands of followers, are also pushing the recipes out on their own social media platforms. Since the new videos launched, there have been more than 1.2 million video views and nearly 1.5 million social engagements with the content. The team also activated Masters of Beef Advocacy graduates, asking them to share their own “beef substitute” recipes. Cooking with the Cowboy making a Steak Pot Pie and Girl Carnivore serving up Beef Parmesan were two results.

Extensive engagement with national consumer media reporters was also conducted by NCBA as a Beef Checkoff contractor. As part of the outreach, the team distributed four press releases, which were also utilized by state beef councils in extension with local and state media outlets. NCBA has also been pitching media to secure the inclusion of beef in “cooking at home” stories.

Finally, Wehrbein points to a summer grilling promotion planned to begin Memorial Day and run through Labor Day that will celebrate beef as the center of grilling activities. The “United We

Steak” campaign will feature each state in the country and highlight the favorite steak of that state. The campaign is being developed in close partnership with state beef councils to develop the state features, including individual webpages highlighting that state’s unique components. It’s hoped the timing of the campaign will leverage consumers coming together after the extended “stay at home” orders.

“Federation board members, who represent their state beef council on the board, can take pride in the work they’ve done to make these national programs possible. But they can also be proud of the work of their own state organizations,” says Wehrbein. “There are innovative efforts to reach consumers and influencers being conducted on many fronts, including through online platforms.”

At the national level, those online platforms include the Beef Quality Assurance website, where producers can become certified online or the Masters of Beef Advocacy that allows industry supporters to take their voices to a broader audience.

About the Federation of State Beef Councils. The Federation of State Beef Councils is a division of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), which is a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. The program is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

WE ARE HIRING!

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 27

North Carolina Angus Association ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS Backed by the world’s largest and most reliable genetic evaluation program.

Registered Angus genetics deliver better calving ease, more growth, and superior marbling.

Contact one of these N.C. Angus breeders today for your next genetic selection: 4K FARMS/TARHEEL ANGUS Richard D. Kirkman, DVM Siler City 919-742-5500 email: info@tarheelangus.com

MESSICK ANGUS Kathleen Messick Madison 336-937-1956 email: messickangus@yahoo.com

BACK CREEK Joe & Robin Hampton Mt. Ulla 704-880-2488 (Joe); 704-880-3572 (Robin) email: robinbackcreek@att.net

PANTHER CREEK FARMS John C. Smith, Jr. Pink Hill 252-526-1929 email: JohnSmith3982@embarqmail.com

BB ORGANIC FARM NC, LLC R. & E. Miller Wake Forest 919-570-2816 email: bborganicfarmnc@gmail.com

PROPST FARMS James L. Propst Zach Moffitt - Manager Concord 336-736-6340 email: zmoffitt19@gmail.com

BILTMORE ESTATE Kyle Mayberry - Manager Asheville 828-768-1956 email: livestock@biltmore.com www.biltmorelivestock.com BRIDGES BEEF CATTLE Eddie, Cindy, John & Crystal Bridges Shelby 704-692-2978 email: bridgesbeefcattle@gmail.com BRITT FAMILY FARMS James Britt Calypso 919-738-6331 jrb4070@hotmail.com C-CROSS CATTLE COMPANY Duane Strider Asheboro 336-964-6277 email: ccrosscattle@yahoo.com www.ccrosscattle.com FOUR S FARMS Kim & Connie and Jason & Robin Starnes Luther Lyerly - Manager Salisbury 704-640-5875 email: kim-4sfarms@carolina.rr.com GENTRY HOMEPLACE ANGUS Howard & Donna Gentry King 336-413-6698 whgentry@windstream.net H&H FARMS Buddy & Jennifer Hamrick - Owners Bly Hamrick - Manager Boiling Springs 704-472-1912 email: jennham@bellsouth.net HILL ANGUS FARM Dr. Gary M. Hill Hendersonville 229-848-3695 email: gmhill@uga.edu JACK KNOB FARMS Karl, Janet, & Logan Gillespie Franklin 828-371-2220 email: karl@jackknobfarms.com www.jackknobfarms.com

SMITH CREEK ANGUS FARM Marty & Lynne Rooker Norlina 252-213-1553 email: mrooker@mrookerlaw.com SPRINGFIELD ANGUS Phil Goodson Rick Kern - Manager Louisburg 919-880-9062 (Phil); 919-272-6124 (Rick) email: jpgoodson@bellsouth.net www.springfieldangus.com TRIPLE LLL ANGUS Greg Little Monroe 704-219-1294 email: greg.little@ATImetals.com UWHARRIE RIDGE FARMS Mark Wilburn Asheboro 336-953-0521 email: uwharrieridgefarms@gmail.com VANDEMARK ANGUS Keaton & Janie Vandemark Spring Hope 252-885-0210 email: keaton@vandemarkfarms.com WINDY HILL FARMS, LLC Michael A. Moss Will Moss - Manager Ramseur 336-549-0070 email: michaelmoss@rtmc.net WOOD ANGUS FARM, LLC Russell Wood Willow Spring 919-275-4397 email: rwood4400@gmail.com www.woodangus.com

Sharon Rogers

N.C. Angus Association Executive Secretary

336-583-9630 Email: ncaa.sec@gmail.com Website: www.ncangus.org

LANE ANGUS Roger Lane Bundy Lane - Manager Gates 252-398-7711 email: ritalane@embarqmail.com

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

ANGUS NEWS Angus Election Underway.

Delegate nominations due June 12.

The American Angus Association is making preparations for the 2020 Annual Convention of Delegates, hosted in conjunction with the Angus Convention on November 7-9 in Kansas City, Missouri.

In accordance with the Association bylaws, forms have been mailed to every eligible voting active life and regular Association member who qualified as an eligible voting member to nominate delegates to the annual meeting.

The nomination period lasts through June 12, and each eligible voting member is allowed to nominate one eligible voting member who resides in the same state or district, including himself or herself.

For more information, visit www.angus. org/Pub/Newsroom/Releases/030520delegatevotingeligibility.aspx.

The candidate should be highly involved in the Angus business, willing to attend the meeting, and able to represent Angus breeders.

The American Angus Association offers an online nomination option for the convenience of the membership. By using a unique number provided to each eligible voting member, the nomination can be made online. Nominations submitted online must be completed no later than 5:30 p.m. on June 12.

If the traditional printed form is used to nominate, the signed nomination form must be received in the Association office no later than 5:30 p.m. on June 12.

Due to restrictions in place by the City of St. Joseph as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Association is operating with a limited in building staff.

While nominations may be submitted online or mail, it is requested that those with the capability to submit nominations online do so.

Following the close of the nomination period, every qualified nominee will be included on a state/district ballot. Ballots will be mailed to the eligible voting members in July to vote for the final slate of state/district delegates.

The Annual Convention of Delegates will take place on November 9, during the Angus Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Online registration for the convention will begin July 1, and further information will be available at www. angusconvention.com.

National Junior Angus Show continues as scheduled. With the many event cancellations and postponements created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand there are questions about future Angus sponsored events, specifically the National Junior Angus Show, to be held in Harrisburg, Penn., on July 5-11, 2020. At this point in time, we have every intention of continuing with the show as currently scheduled.

Obviously, this entire situation continues to evolve, and we are monitoring and planning as best we can. While changing locations and/or dates are all considerations, we feel it is far too early to make a decision of that significance.

The health and safety of our juniors and their families is our unwavering top priority. We will maintain that priority throughout the decision making process and look forward to hosting world class shows and leadership development opportunities this summer.

Check Out These Frequently Asked Questions. Our office remains open; however, due to restrictions in place by the City of St. Joseph, we are operating with limited in building staff. Please use digital forms of data submission and email your questions to hostmaster@angus.org.

Why doesn’t my animal have EPDs? There are a variety of reasons why an animal couldn’t have EPDs. Most commonly, the animal’s parents have interim EPD values, or performance measurements haven’t been submitted for that animal. If you have submitted DNA on the animal, it is likely the results just haven’t processed yet. Once the test is processed and ran through our National Cattle Evaluation, your EPDs will be available.

What do these numbers (EPDs) mean on the registration certificate?

Expected Progeny Differences are an estimate of how future progeny are expected to perform in several traits.

EPDs are expressed in units of measure for the trait, either plus or minus, and are only comparable within the same breed.

Interim EPDs may appear on young animals when their performance has yet to be incorporated into the American Angus Association National Cattle Evaluation (NCE) procedures. This EPD will be preceded by an “I,” and may or may not include the animal’s own

performance record for a particular trait, depending on its availability, appropriate contemporary grouping, or data edits needed for NCE. How do I register calves, ET calves, and twins? Cattle can be registered both online and on paper.

To register an animal online, go to your AAA Login account. From there, go to the Submit Data tab and select Registration. You can submit registrations in bulk through EZ Registrations or spreadsheet entry, or one by one using the Registration Entry Form.

To register an animal on paper, contact our office at 816-383-5100 to request a paper registration form. Fill out the information required and mail the information and registration fee back to the Association.

How do I get a printed registration paper? The animal must be stored electronically to receive a printed paper.

If the animal already has a printed paper, you may request a duplicate.

If stored electronically, go to your AAA Login account. From there, go to the My Herd tab. Underneath the My Herd tab, go to Registration Certificates and then to Request Printed Registration Paper.

Enter the search criteria, then once you have your animal, choose Submit Selected.

What is required to register an animal? To register an animal, you are required to submit name, sex, birth date, tattoo, sire, and dam, and indicate if the animal was a twin, conceived via natural service, artificial insemination or embryo transfer, and how you would like the paper stored. Optional information you can submit includes birth weight and calving ease score.

How do I order an A.I. certificate?

A.I. certificates are required for any animal that was serviced via A.I. that you do not own. In most instances, A.I. certificates can be ordered from the bull stud in which you purchased the semen from. After calling to request the certificate, the stud will then send the certificate to the Association.

How do I enter birth/weaning/ yearling weights? To submit AHIR data online, go to your AAA Login account.

From there, go to the Submit Data tab and select AHIR/Performance. Select the data type you are trying to submit, enter the search criteria to find your animal, then submit the required information.

Who is my regional manager, and how do I contact them? Regional managers are full time staff members of the American Angus Association.

They work with cattle breeders in their designated regions to promote Angus cattle, improve management practices, and assist breeders who want to get

started in the Angus business.

Regional managers also work with breeders to make sure their advertising needs are being met through the Angus Journal and Angus Beef Bulletin.

Regional managers can often be found working Angus sales and shows or representing the Association at livestock conventions. Anyone needing assistance is encouraged to contact the regional managers. For a full list of regional managers, go to www.angus.org and “Contact Us.” How do I order DNA testing? To order DNA testing online, go to your AAA Login account. From there, go to the DNA tab and select Order Tests. Go to Create a New Testing Order and select the items you need to order/submit. Note: an order should be submitted before sending samples to the Association for testing.

How do I collect a DNA sample?

What sample type is best for testing?

A DNA sample can be collected with either hair, blood, or tissue. All types are acceptable for testing with Angus Genetics Inc. A hair sample is required for twins.

When collecting a hair sample, it is best to pull the sample from the tail switch, ensuring the root ball is included.

Place the sample on a hair card with proper labels.

When collecting a blood sample, pull the sample from your desired location and place the blood sample on the DNA card. The DNA card should be thoroughly saturated, and the circle completely filled in.

To collect a tissue sample, load your applicator with a blank insert. Slide the unit over the ear and collect your punch.

Place all punches in their correlated slot in the sample box.

Once your samples are complete, place them in an envelope or box and mail them to AGI with your emailed confirmation.

For an in-depth guide to DNA sampling, visit www.angus.org/AGI/ SubmittingSamples.aspx.

What types of samples do we accept? A DNA sample can be collected with either hair, blood, or tissue. Blood and tissue are preferred, but all types are acceptable for testing with Angus Genetics Inc. A hair sample is required for twins.

Is the American Angus Association still allowing mail-in registrations and transfers? While we are encouraging as much as possible to be sent in electronically, mail-in registrations and transfers are still accepted. Per our policy, and to ensure multiple registration papers don’t exist on the same animal, transfers, registrations, and certificates that need

corrections need to continue to be mailed in. Bill payment and renewing dues can take place online with a credit card.

What should I do with forms requiring a signature? Any document requiring a signature needs to be physically signed; however, a new registration with a transfer can be printed, filled out and signed, and then you can either take a photo or scan it, and email it in. If you don’t have an email or internet, the form can also continue to be mailed in. Transfers of animals with printed registration certificates still require the printed paper to be returned to the Association in the mail with your signature. To ensure against fraudulent submissions, the Association keeps signatures on file to compare each time we receive a document.

If the staff isn’t in the office, how is mail getting processed? The Association continues to have very limited staff in the office to process mail daily. Because of the current situation, we can’t assure one day turnaround, but we are remaining as current as possible.

Why is so much changing at the Association right now? The Association is working to minimize the spread of COVID-19 through CDC recommendations as a safety precaution to our employees and to our members.

However, we aren’t sacrificing our service to our members, and we continue to be available to support you in this trying time.

If you have the internet, we encourage you to do as much as you can electronically, but we understand many of our members don’t have access to the internet, which is why we continue to accept mail-in forms. If you have the internet and want to give it a try, our members services team can help walk you through the process if you need help.

There’s no time like the present to give it a try!

We appreciate you and everything you do to help keep our nation fed, especially during such an uncertain time.

Angus Means Business. The American Angus Association ® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving 25,000 members across the United States, Canada, and several other countries. It’s home to an extensive breed registry that grows by nearly 300,000 animals each year. The Association also provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers, and others who rely on Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.

For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association, visit www.angus.org.

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COVID-19 — Lessons in Biosecurity for Cattle Producers

By JULIE HERMAN, DVM MS Every day cattle producers are taking steps to protect their families, animals, and operations from various risks. These risks could include inclement weather, poor nutrition, predators, viruses and microbes, contaminated water, among many others.

For instance, one of this season’s focuses is on protecting those newborn calves as they come into this world. The cattle production system in the United States does an amazing job of upholding high standards of animal care and handling, as outlined in the checkoff funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program. As much as farmers and ranchers focus on the health of their animals, current world health concerns are forcing them to apply these high standards of care to their families and communities more than ever before.

What the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response around the world has taught us includes many basic biosecurity principles that will decrease the risk of transmission to other people. Social distancing, for instance, means deliberately increasing the physical space between people to avoid spreading illness. Therefore, social gatherings and large crowds are discouraged.

Quarantining involves staying at home, using standard hygiene and hand washing practices, and not having visitors. With everyone working towards a common goal, which is to slow the rate of COVID-19 transmission, so hospitals are able to accommodate those patients who need it, we uphold the same biosecurity standards that farmers and ranchers provide for their animals. Because there are no effective treatments for COVID-19, these environmental and social interventions, along with hygiene practices, will be more effective than medications. Sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves before our animals, but current recommendations are forcing farmers and ranchers to take care of themselves, too.

Currently, there is no evidence that this specific strain of coronavirus will affect cattle. However, biological risk management is still essential for the people working on farms and ranches and for preventing the spread of illness between these operations. These techniques can also be applied to your cattle herd. As discussed in BQA, the goal of biosecurity is to protect animals from disease by minimizing the movement of biological

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organisms such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, etc., within or onto an operation.

Prevention of common diseases is occurring every day. This may involve quarantining new additions to the herd in a separate pen for 21-30 days before introduction to the herd. Or it could be washing buckets, bottles, trailers, or other equipment between individual animals or groups of animals.

Vaccination is a common way to aid in prevention of diseases such as Bovine Respiratory Disease in your cattle herd, but applying biosecurity principles remains important because not all diseases have vaccines available. Identification of risk factors for diseases such as Johne’s Disease or Salmonella would also be a part of this practice. In the end, developing and maintaining a biosecurity plan that is specific to your operation is essential to keeping your herd and our food supply safe. For more guidelines on improving biosecurity at your operation, it is a good idea to refer to the BQA Manual.

As we watch how COVID-19 is affecting our everyday lives, interactions, and economy, it is pertinent for farmers and ranchers to be prepared for such a disease that would be just as (or more) devastating to our livestock industry. Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is the most contagious viral disease that affects cloven hooved animals (i.e., cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, wildlife).

This disease causes blisters in the mouth and on the feet of these animals. This disease does NOT affect public health or food safety, so meat and milk are safe to eat and drink. However, the effects on our economy, trade, and way of life would be tremendous if this disease were to enter the United States or North America.

BQA is partnering with the USDA funded Secure Beef Supply (SBS) Plan to provide resources to cattle producers on how to properly prepare in case of an FMD outbreak. The SBS Plan and supporting training materials can be found at www. securebeef.org and provides valuable information on developing an enhanced biosecurity plan for your operation. On this site, producers can learn more about FMD, what it looks like in affected animals, and find tools and design concepts to adapt to their facilities and their businesses.

Similar to the current COVID-19 outbreak, normal activities will be disrupted during an FMD outbreak. At the beginning of an FMD outbreak, limited animal movement would be implemented to allow for Regulatory Officials to identify where the infected animals are and

plan for the safe movement of animals.

Identifying FMD in animals as early in the disease process as possible would be critical to minimizing the effect the disease has on the livestock industry and economy.

Cattle and livestock producers can prepare now by: • Having a national Premises Identification Number (PIN) issued by the office of your State Animal Health Official • Writing an operation specific enhanced biosecurity plan that can be implemented during an outbreak • Example plans and templates for feedlots and cattle on pasture are available at www.securebeef.org/beefproducers/biosecurity/ • Developing contingency plans for periods of restricted movement • For example, financial risk management will be critical if you are unable to move your animals or product during an FMD outbreak • Keeping movement records of animals, people, equipment, and other items on and off your operation • Preparing to monitor for FMD and being able to record observations With these goals, realize that biosecurity is always a work in progress as your business may change from year to year. However, you can prioritize action from the SBS checklists on what your operation has already done or can do quickly versus what could be developed over the next year. Record keeping is extremely important now and especially during a disease outbreak.

Biosecurity is one thing that the producer has the most control over.

Resources in your community, such as your veterinarian, extension agent, or BQA state coordinator, could work with you to write a biosecurity plan and continue to implement it. They could also be instrumental in employee education on these biosecurity guidelines to focus on every day.

The most difficult concept about biosecurity is both preparing for a disease that is common, such as BRD, or a disease we hope never comes, such as FMD. These concepts are instrumental in keeping both humans and animals healthy and can be continually improved upon.

For more information and downloadable preparation documents, please visit the Beef Quality Assurance website at www.bqa.org or the Secure Beef Supply Plan website at www.securebeef.org. Together we can take a stepwise approach to protect your animals and your business now and in the future.

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

NEWS Barber Joins Beefmaster Breeders United Staff. Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) is proud to announce that Rylee Barber will serve as their new Youth and Membership Programs Coordinator. Her duties include managing the Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA) program and working with the BBU membership daily.

“I am passionate about the livestock industry, and I am excited to be joining the Beefmaster family,” said Barber.

Barber is originally from the Texas Panhandle, where she grew up in the small town of Channing, Tex., and was raised on a purebred Hereford seedstock operation. Rylee’s family has lived in Channing and raised Herefords there since 1904. Barber grew up through the National Junior Hereford Association and currently serves as the vice chairman on the junior board.

Barber graduated from Texas A&M University with her bachelor’s in agricultural communications and journalism in December 2019. While attending school, Barber was involved in several clubs and served as the comanager of the Saddle and Sirloin Futurity Show. She also completed internships with the American MaineAnjou Association, Superior Livestock Productions, and several major shows in Texas.

“Rylee has a solid cattle background, and she knows what it takes to be a leader,” says BBU Executive Vice President Collin Osbourn. “Her knowledge of the cattle industry will be valuable to JBBA and BBU. She will bring great energy to the youth program.

She will also serve as a great role model for our junior members and will be dedicated to our Beefmaster breeders in every capacity. We are excited to have

Rylee as part of the Beefmaster family.”

Barber can be contacted at 210-7323132 or by email at rbarber@beefmasters. org.

For more information or to contact the BBU staff members call the office at 210732-3132 or visit www.beefmasters.org.

Noble Research Institute Moves to Demonstrate Heterosis in Their Cow Herds. Heterosis is an often overlooked production and financial advantage that many commercial cattle producers are not utilizing. Maternal heterosis can be measured in several ways: stayability of the cow, cow lifetime productivity, increase in calving and weaning rates, increase in calf weighing weight, and a subsequent increase of weaning weight per exposed cow. Developing and maintaining a deliberate maternal heterosis program is easy to talk about but difficult in practice to accomplish.

Furthermore, small- to mid-sized producers find it difficult to manage the logistics of managing several distinct breeds on their operation to develop a crossbreeding program.

The Noble Research Institute determined they would utilize Beefmaster and Hereford genetics to take advantage of cross breeding and maternal heterosis in their predominately commercial Angus based cow herd, which is comprised of approximately 550 mother cows.

The decision to utilize Beefmaster genetics in the research herd was made in part based on the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) feed efficiency data that ranked the Beefmaster breed second for average daily gain (ADG) and dry matter intake (DMI) in both steers and heifers. Hereford was selected as the Bos taurus cross component as the industry already recognizes the value of a baldy cow.

Our advertisers are “Champions” too. For expert A.I., superior genetics, the best in purebreds and outstanding farm supplies, check the Classifieds in this issue!

By incorporating both Beefmaster and Herefords, we intend to demonstrate the value of heterosis by utilizing Bos taurus, and Bos indicus influenced genetics, said Robert Wells, Ph.D., Noble Research Institute livestock consultant.”

Starting in spring 2020, Noble Research Institute will start utilizing Beefmaster A.I. bulls to create half blood heifers that will potentially go back into a terminal focused cow herd.

“Noble consultants regularly teach maternal heterosis to producers based on science and experience,” Wells said. “By incorporating additional complementary maternal breeds into our research cow herds, we are now able to practice what we preach in the realm of maternal heterosis and the benefits thereof.”

Beefmaster Breeders United will work with Dr. Wells to select the

Beefmaster genetics that will meet the parameters that have been set forth, based on EPDs and phenotype.

“Assisting Noble with this project is a great honor for the Beefmaster breed, and we are pleased that such a well respected research institute recognizes the Beefmaster breed for their strong maternal traits,” said BBU Executive Vice President Collin Osbourn.

About Beefmaster Breeders United. Beefmaster Breeders United www.beefmasters.org, located in Boerne, Texas, is a not-for-profit breed registration organization that provides programs and services for its members.

Beefmaster, Beefmaster Advancer, and E6 cattle are selected on the “Six Essentials” of disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, milk production, and hardiness.

S.C. Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices for the Month of MARCH 2020 Cattle Receipts: 8,735

•

Previous Month: 9,951

Feeder supply - 35% steers • 40% heifers • 25% bulls SLAUGHTER CLASSES

Avg. Wt. Price

Cows - % Lean

Breaker 1,464 $64.47

Boner 1,209 $66.26

Lean 950 $59.69

Bulls - Yield Grade 1-2

1,632

$90.27

FEEDER CLASSES

FEEDER STEERS (Medium and Large 1-2) Wt. Range Avg. Wt. CWT Avg. Price 400-450 425 $155.56 $661.13 450-500 475 $143.52 $681.72 500-550 526 $142.33 $748.66 550-600 576 $136.36 $785.43 600-650 617 $130.07 $802.53 650-700 675 $118.16 $797.58

FEEDER BULLS (Medium and Large 1-2) Wt. Range Avg. Wt. CWT Avg. Price 400-450 423 $148.13 $626.59 450-500 469 $140.64 $659.60 500-550 522 $133.82 $698.54 550-600 570 $129.53 $738.32 600-650 616 $120.04 $739.45 650-700 667 $117.67 $784.86

FEEDER HEIFERS (Medium and Large 1-2) Wt. Range Avg. Wt. CWT Avg. Price 400-450 422 $126.07 $532.02 450-500 470 $124.56 $585.43 500-550 515 $120.43 $620.21 550-600 570 $118.24 $673.97 600-650 618 $112.20 $693.40 650-700 667 $95.63 $637.85

Source: N.C. Dept. of Agriculture - USDA Market News Service, Raleigh, N.C. - 919-707-3156

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

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NEWS

N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Awards 2019-2020 Scholarships The N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation has awarded 14 college scholarships and three graduate travel awards to students with backgrounds and interests related to cattle. These students aspire to pursue careers in agriculture or allied fields, particularly related to cattle. Scholarships were awarded to students attending college at Mitchell Community College, North Carolina A&T University, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina - Greensboro, Oklahoma State University, University of Mount Olive, and Wayne Community College.

The scholarships are funded by earnings on donations to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation, which has been significantly supported by cattle producers in the state. The Foundation was established in 1982 with a significant donation from NCSU graduate, E. Carroll Joyner. Since that time, numerous others have contributed to the Foundation.

The NCCF is also supported by proceeds from sales of North Carolina Cattle Reflections, a history of cattle in North Carolina. The book may be purchased by contacting Kim Burdge at the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association at 919552-9111 or kim@nccattle.com.

The following personal stories were provided by the 2019-20 scholarship and travel award winners: Kayla Alston There is nothing more important to mankind’s very survival than having the ability to feed and clothe itself, in addition to conserving the environment in a sustainable manner for future generations. At the very core of addressing these issues is the science of agriculture, particularly animal agriculture. According to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, animal agriculture accounted for 67.7 percent of cash receipts in 2017. Animal agriculture contributes significantly to North Carolina’s $87 billion industry. With this in mind, I have a keen interest and professional goal in becoming a large animal veterinarian focusing upon the intersection of animal and human health, known today as The One Health Initiative. A large number

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of diseases that impact humans begin within the animal environment, known as zoonotic disease, so it is important that we have veterinary professionals that understand this situation and can research and propose solutions to it.

As a person who as dealt with diabetes since I was ten years old, I firmly understand the need to address solutions to chronic disease through medical research. It was animal insulin that was first administered to humans to control diabetes, particularly as derived from cattle and pigs.

It is my goal to work within veterinary medicine, by saving both animal and human lives, and thus creating a safer food supply. I have been involved with agriculture in several ways throughout my life. I currently serve as the president of the National FFA Chapter in the agricultural education program at Rockingham County Senior High School, where I have also served as the past vice president and secretary. During this time, I have participated in the prepared public speaking career development event and other activities as well. Other agricultural related activities that I have completed include summer research and enrichment programs such as The VET STEP I & II Programs at Tuskegee University, and the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) and Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders (IFAL) Program, both at N.C. A&T University, all focusing on agricultural science and agricultural leadership development. Within the

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

respective programs, I have conducted research on Goat Genomic DNA, Lyme Disease, and Avian Flu, which have all contributed to my interest in veterinary medicine.

As for my future plans, I have been admitted for the fall 2019 semester at N.C. A&T State University, where I will be pursuing a bachelor of science degree in animal science. It is my family background and history that have greatly contributed to my choice to pursue animal science and agriculture as career choices. I will be a fourth generation agricultural major and, more specifically, a fourth generation agricultural major at an 1890 Historically Black Land Grant University. My great grandfather completed a bachelor of science degree in dairy science at Delaware State University in 1940. Additionally, my grandfather completed a bachelor of science degree in agricultural education in 1967 at N.C. A&T State University, and taught secondary agricultural education for 30 years in the Nash-Rocky Mount School System. My father completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education at N.C. A&T State University in 1996 and 1998, respectively. He additionally earned a Ph.D. in agricultural education from Iowa State University in 2000, and currently serves as Professor and Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at N.C. A&T State University. As one can see, my family has been connected to agriculture for a long time.

For my legacy that I would leave behind in the world, it would focus upon my service to humanity and role model as an African American woman in science/ veterinary science. Receiving the NCCF Scholarship will provide me with the financial means to secure my education and pursue my goals of becoming a veterinary health professional, thus impacting both animal and human health. Dr. George Washington Carver was quoted as stating, “When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.” It is my hope that I will do common things in an uncommon way and leave a legacy upon the world in animal agriculture.

Mason Blinson I am honored to have been selected as a recipient of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship for the 20192020 academic year. I appreciate the opportunity given to me by the scholarship committee and the NCCF Board of Directors.

I am currently a junior at Oklahoma

State University, obtaining a double degree as a bachelor of science in plant and soil sciences and animal science.

Animal science is an extremely important and common major, especially at agriculturally oriented schools. Animal Science can be the route taken by veterinarians, geneticists, pharmaceutical representatives, and many more prestigious jobs. These jobs are extremely prominent in the way the agriculture industry is run. However, none of it would be possible without plant and soil science. Without plant and soil science, animal science would seemingly cease to exist. Grass is the most important dietary need for ruminant animals, and even non-ruminant animals benefit from good pasture management and crop production.

Agriculture is a growing industry in terms of demand, yet the supply of land is diminishing. This makes agronomists even more vital because they have to utilize the land provided in order to make optimal returns in product.

I feel very fortunate to have worked as a field and lab research student in the OSU Plant and Soil Science Department.

I worked with graduate students from all over the world to analyze plant and soil projects which contribute to research.

This research will help me in the future with my master’s program. I also competed on the national champion meat judging team at OSU and utilized my animal science background to evaluate, grade, and write reasons on beef, pork and lamb carcasses, and cuts. These multidisciplinary studies and activities have helped me to expand my knowledge of the industry and obtain opportunities of a lifetime. I am currently a member of the Oklahoma Agriculture Leadership Encounter. This allows me to travel to every region of Oklahoma, the State Capital, Washington, D.C., and abroad to expand my knowledge of agriculture.

I am honored to be able to apply for, much less receive the scholarship offered

by the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation. I appreciate the confidence the scholarship committee has in me, and I will continue to maintain a high level of scholarship in my degree program. The NCCF scholarship helps ease the cost of tuition for my family and me, and for that, I am very grateful. Additionally, it allows me to attend a school where I can continue to be active in every aspect of the agricultural industry, including plant and soil science, animal science, and meat science. Through this industry, I have learned great qualities of leadership, communication, and hard work. I strive to continue growing as I proudly represent the NCCF as a scholarship recipient.

Tanner Carrick From a very young age, I have always had an interest in agriculture. My great grandfather started our family farm over 70 years ago, and I have had the privilege of being able to grow up and work side by side on the farm with my father, grandfather, and great grandfather.

Our farm has grown to nearly 2,000 acres, and we currently produce cotton, corn, soybeans, and wheat in addition to managing a beef cattle operation.

I have learned many skills through the years, from operating farm equipment to managing our beef cattle herd to equipment repair and farm maintenance.

During high school, I had opportunities to take various agricultural courses and to become involved in FFA at the regional, state, and national levels.

Through the FFA, I participated in many individual and team competitions and completed several Supervised Agricultural Experiences, all of which provided additional learning opportunities in agriculture. I attended the USDA Ag Discovery program at N.C. State in 2016 and the North Carolina Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders at N.C. State in 2017. From these experiences, I have determined that my career goal is to be directly involved in the operation of our family farm, becoming the fourth generation of farmers on our farm.

In order to accomplish this goal, I am currently majoring in plant and soil science, with a concentration in crop production. I realize that success in agriculture today requires more than just “hands on” experience and knowledge of agricultural methods. Through this course of study, I hope to acquire knowledge and skills that can be applied to our farming practices to help us become more efficient and productive. I realize that gaining a better understanding of plant and soil science is integral to the advancement of food and fiber production to provide for a growing population. By studying soil science, I can have a better understanding of soil conservation and nutrient management, which will impact crop and forage production, water use management, and conservation of natural resources. I want to gain knowledge in seed technology, entomology, weed management, and sustainable cropping practices. I hope to identify and work towards solving challenges to soil conservation and crop production that would lead to increased production of high quality food, fiber, and energy while improving and conserving soil resources. I have full confidence that this program of study will provide me with a quality educational experience and a solid foundation for my career in the agricultural industry.

I am very grateful and honored to be chosen as a recipient of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship for 2019-2020. The financial assistance from this scholarship will assist in paying for my educational expenses and allow me to pursue my career goals in the agriculture industry. Thank you for your generosity and support in my endeavors.

Abigail Fulton I would like to thank the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for choosing me as one of the 2019-2020 NCCF scholarship recipients. I am majoring in human development and family studies, with a concentration in the Birth through Kindergarten Teaching Licensure at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The Human Development and Family Studies program at UNC-G will allow me to earn a teaching certificate for the North Carolina Pre-K and Kindergarten instruction. In addition to my studies, I am currently serving as an intern at the Early Childhood Center in Greensboro. Upon graduation, I plan to pursue a teaching position in the Davidson County Schools System. This career path will allow me to give back to my home community and stay close to my family’s farming operation located in Lexington, North Carolina. Today, my

family continues to operate a 50+ head cow/calf operation consisting of both a registered and commercial cow herd, along with six poultry breeder houses with whom we serve as a contract grower for Allen Harim Farms, LLC. Through my college years, I have continued to work on my family’s farm during the week while also taking classes, allowing me to stay involved in the day to day responsibilities. My involvement in the cattle industry revolves around helping to produce quality feeder calves for the local market and replacement heifers for our herd. I assist in the weaning, feeding, and health care needs of the cattle in addition to other chores on the farm associated with the poultry operation. My responsibilities include maintaining daily egg production records, checking water consumption, and monthly pest control applications in addition to collecting, grading, and racking hatching eggs for shipment.

My continuous involvement in the livestock and poultry industry, coupled with my membership in the North Davidson FFA Chapter over the past six years, allowed me to earn the American FFA Degree and to be recognized at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind., October 2018. Receiving this award could not have been possible without the many hours spent as part of my Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE), which revolved around producing and showing animal agriculture related projects such as beef heifers, feeder calves, market turkeys, and breeding does. The lessons I learned, the skills I gained, and the leadership training I received through agriculture has served as the foundation for my career choice.

My interest in the livestock industry started at an early age, which is why I feel that today, more than ever, it is imperative that we provide community members with a connection to where their food comes from. In order to maintain my connection to the school system and my agriculture interests, I continue to

assist with local youth livestock activities such as the Davidson County Fair’s agricultural education animal exhibit and the special livestock showmanship goat show. In the future, I plan to continue to stay involved as an advocate for animal agriculture through events that involve and educate young people in my hometown. Having grown up showing livestock and participating in various youth livestock organizations, I am thankful to have had the opportunity to be an integral part of the animal industry. As a result, I feel that I can play a valuable role in the education of my future students to help raise awareness of the importance of agriculture and illustrate how agriculture impacts their daily lives.

The financial support that the NCCF Scholarship provides college students, like myself, has allowed me to concentrate on my studies and focus on my career goals. With the rising cost of a college degree, I am deeply grateful to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for their continued support and commitment to the young people of North Carolina.

Taylor Glover It is an honor to be a scholarship recipient for the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for the 2019-2020 school year, and I am thankful to have this opportunity.

I am currently a sophomore at Wayne Community College, working towards associate degrees of applied animal science technology and swine management. I plan to transfer to N.C. State University, majoring in agriscience with concentrations in animal science and feed mill management. Ever since I was nine years old, I have exhibited livestock at local, state, and national shows. I like the training and grooming part of it, but I love the challenge of the nutrition and feeding part of it the best. It takes a lot of research to make sure I feed my livestock the top quality feed, supplements, and forage for proper nutrition to survive and perform.

I raise Angus cattle and show pigs that I exhibit, and I also tend a small amount of Coastal Bermuda hay. I use the hay to feed my cattle, leaving a little to sell to family friends with cattle and horses. I keep up with current issues in the livestock industry by being involved in and holding a variety of leadership positions. I am very active in the N.C. Junior Angus Association. I am currently the treasurer and serve on several committees. I am also a member of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association, National Junior Swine Association, and National

Continued on the next page

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 35

NCCF Scholarships continued from the previous page Junior Angus Association. I have attended leadership conferences, such as Leaders Engaged in Angus Development and Raising the Bar. These organizations have helped broaden my knowledge of the cattle industry and shape me into the person I am today. I am very involved in 4-H and FFA. This past year I received my American FFA Degree at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.

This is the highest degree one can obtain, and only one percent of FFA members receive this honor.

I am honored to receive the 20192020 N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship. I appreciate this wonderful opportunity given to me by the scholarship committee. This will help ease the financial burden that comes along with obtaining a college education.

The support from organizations, such as this one, help students like me further their passion in the agricultural industry by helping pursue higher education. I am excited about what my future holds for me and am grateful to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for the support in helping make my dreams a reality.

Rachel Gray My name is Rachel Gray, and I am from Stony Point, North Carolina.

I am currently a freshman studying agribusiness at the University of Mount Olive. I live and work on my family’s dairy farm in western Iredell County.

My family milks 950 Holstein cows and farms 1,100 acres of corn, soybeans, and small grain forages. I have grown up working with, caring for, and learning about cattle, and I enjoy every aspect of these animals.

Given this lifestyle, I have discovered my passion for agriculture and an interest in crops and cattle. Working alongside my father, grandfather, and uncle for many years, I have realized this industry has so much to offer. From watching calves

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being born and raising them into healthy cows to watching seeds grow into the best crop you’ve ever grown. The cattle industry provides so much for our world, and I would like to be able to provide for the consumers and teach them more about this awesome industry.

My future plans consist of obtaining my bachelor’s degree in agribusiness from the University of Mount Olive and returning to work on my family’s dairy. The N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship means so much to me.

Organizations such as this one make it possible for students like me to cut down the high expenses that college forces upon us. I greatly appreciate the scholarship from N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation, and I am glad they are willing to support future agriculturalists. Thank you!

Lilia Jenkins I am a fourth generation farmer from Iredell County, where I was raised on a dairy farm. I have been around cattle my whole life, as it was my family’s livelihood. Growing up, I also showed dairy cows with 4-H. My father decided to expand my family’s operation and built chicken houses. Now, our focus remains on chicken houses, beef cattle, sheep, and small grains as we no longer dairy farm.

I also have rabbits and alpacas myself.

Throughout the years, we have grown

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

small grains and raised beef cattle. My mother was also raised on a farm and is now a principal of a high school in my hometown. Both my parents instilled in me not just a passion for agriculture but also a passion for teaching and learning.

I am currently a junior at N.C. State University, obtaining a degree in poultry science and am triple minoring in feed milling, agricultural business, and animal science. After graduation, I plan to travel overseas and experience as much as I can in the youth that I have.

While doing that, I would like to seek out opportunities and jobs in other countries to learn more about agriculture in those places, wherever that may be. I plan to settle back down at home and work on my family’s farm alongside my brother, who is also a graduate of N.C. State and currently an agriculture teacher.

The NCCF Scholarship allows me the opportunity to achieve these goals that I have. What they put into me and my education will inevitably be returned to the agricultural industry. I have no doubt about this at all. Agriculture is my life and will always be a huge part of it, and hopefully, I can pass this passion that I have to a fifth generation farmer.

The support that the NCCF has given me has not gone unappreciated. To know that such an amazing organization stands by me and wants to support me and my education means the world and that they trust me to hold values and moral standards true. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Anna Kate Jackson My name is Anna Kate Jackson, and I am a sophomore studying at N.C. State University. I am currently majoring in agricultural education with a concentration in animal science and a minor in horticultural science. I have been interested in agriculture from a young age, as I raised broiler and meat chickens. I was introduced to cattle when I entered middle school, and my dad began raising feeder calves. All of the processes of a cow being raised has interested me from a young age. A big part of my agricultural background has come from my involvement in FFA. I was a member of the Chase FFA Chapter for four years in high school and was able to serve in multiple leadership roles. FFA taught me the importance of agriculture, helped me develop my leadership skills, and provided me opportunities to connect with other individuals in agriculture.

Through the FFA, I was also given the opportunity to show a dairy steer my senior year of high school and attend the

Perry and Doris Teeter Beef Leadership Institute my sophomore and junior year.

My major in college reflects a lot of the things that have impacted my life the most. I am passionate about agriculture, and because of that, I have decided to pursue a career as an agricultural educator. There are so many things that the public should be aware of, and I believe that many of the critical issues are circling the cattle industry. As a teacher, I am hoping to use my platform to educate students about these critical issues so they can be informed consumers. I am very appreciative to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for helping me achieve my education as a scholarship recipient for the 2019-2020 school year.

Lance Johnson My name is Lance Johnson, and I am from Statesville, North Carolina.

I finished my first semester of college at Mitchell Community College in December and will begin studying agricultural science at N.C. State University in January. During my life, I have been very active in the agricultural industry as I have lived on my family’s dairy farm. On our farm, we milk around 170 Holsteins and grow most of our forages. I continue to stay close to the

farm as I care for the cattle and land. I also showed Holstein heifers at local shows and at the N.C. State Fair.

During high school, I was a very active member and leader of my FFA Chapter. I competed in many CDE events over the years, including dairy judging, poultry judging, livestock judging, and cattle working. I was also an officer for three of the four years while being the president my senior year. I placed second in the state for the Dairy Production proficiency award. My dairy judging team also placed 1st in the state in March and 12 th at nationals in October in Indianapolis. As an individual, I placed in the gold division. I represented North Carolina 4-H at the 2018 National Dairy Conference in Madison, Wis., at the World Dairy Expo.

My plans after I finish my education is to work in production agriculture. I hope to be able to work with cattle, as I enjoy spending my time working with cattle and the land. I enjoy watching the growth in agriculture as it takes patience and time to produce a product.

I would like to thank the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for supporting me and the future of the agricultural industry. I am very honored to receive this scholarship and will use this to improve my knowledge in the agriculture industry. This is one step closer for me as I continue to thrive in this great industry.

Casey Lemons My interests have always been based on agriculture. As a child, I grew up on a horse farm where I did daily chores and spent all my time around animals. As I grew, I developed a love of rodeo. I still compete in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, team roping, and breakaway roping at rodeos throughout North Carolina. During my childhood, my father, Steven Lemons, was the livestock extension agent for Stanly County. Therefore, I spent many evenings at the sale barn in Norwood and developed a love for cattle. I traveled with my father to many farms and helped with anything from ear tagging to vaccinating to keeping records. In high school, my father changed occupations to a sales representative for CPC Commodities, which helped me learn a lot about nutrition for many industries in agriculture, including my favorite: beef cattle. During my senior year in high school, I became a beef cattle herd manager for Thurman Burleson and Sons Farm in Richfield, North Carolina.

Each day, I would check the herd for new calves or calving difficulties, report data about the cow or calf, and maintain good records. I assisted in ear tagging,

vaccinating, castrating, and caring for the calves. Other than working with the calves, I fed, provided minerals for, and checked the cows, heifers, and clean up bull daily. I also aided in breeding the cows during the spring through artificial insemination, where I got to practice palpating cows. Also, in high school, I joined FFA and took many agriculture classes. This sparked my love for agriculture in many different aspects, from agricultural mechanics to animal science. My interest was intensified by these classes, as well as my participation in an endless amount of CDEs and leading my FFA as President of the North Stanly FFA Chapter. This has only sparked my love for cattle and agriculture as I plan to incorporate both industries into my plans for the future.

After graduating from N.C. State University, I plan to do my best to educate the public about the necessity of the cattle and agricultural industry. I have accepted a position teaching agriculture in the Stanly County School System. I will be beginning a new agriculture program and FFA at South Stanly High School. Since my amazing experience in agriculture classes and FFA in high school, I have dreamed of becoming an Agricultural Educator and leading my own FFA Chapter as an advisor. I am dedicated to teaching the next generations about agriculture and the practices involved.

I also strive to make a difference in the lives of my students, just as my advisor did for me. While being an agriculture teacher, I plan to operate a beef cattle and equine facility. I will operate a medium sized cow/calf operation consisting of mostly black Angus beef cattle. I also plan to receive certification in equine massage therapy that will be used at my equine facility, where I will raise, train, and show horses as well as perform rehabilitation on horses from all over the Southeast.

This scholarship is very important

to me, and I could not be more grateful to be a recipient. Although growing up in a middle class family has displayed financial challenges, it has instilled in me many virtues – including a grateful, responsible, and optimistic character – and helped me realize the value of a dedicated work ethic and college education. I am very thankful for this scholarship, which will help make the college education possible. I completed my junior year with a 4.167 cumulative GPA, which places me in the top ten percent in the CALS junior class and first in the agricultural education program. I quickly learned that success takes initiative, which I applied to my academics to ensure that I do the best of my ability. I place much pride and importance in my academic achievement and my extracurricular involvement with Sigma Alpha Professional Sorority, Agricultural Education and Extension Club, and Raleigh Wesley Foundation. To me, this scholarship lightens my financial burden and gives me the opportunity to focus on two important aspects of college. One aspect is getting involved in organizations that benefit me and those around me. The other aspect is the most important: learning. This scholarship will help my education by allowing me to continue to be active in my extracurricular activities and spend more time learning.

Jordan L. Cox-O’Neill My passion for the beef cattle industry started when I began showing heifers at the age of seven. Throughout my teenage years, I became very involved in 4-H, FFA, and the National Junior Angus Association, attending national, regional, and state shows, as well as many leadership conferences and meetings.

My most enjoyable moments from then, and even now today, are attending beef related conferences, field days, and sales.

I enjoy getting to connect with others that have the same interest in beef cattle as I do. The connections I have made through the cattle industry will stick with me for a lifetime, no matter where I decide to go in the world. These experiences, along with helping my Dad maintain our hog, cattle, and hay operation, instilled in me honesty, a strong work ethic, time management skills, and, most importantly, a passion for animal agriculture, particularly beef cattle.

This passion and interest in animal agriculture served me well throughout my journey in higher education. Including my undergraduate education in animal science at Kansas State University and my next step at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln where I assisted with

and led multiple applied research projects focused on integrated crop-livestock systems. Although I never thought I would return back to North Carolina, I have been blessed with the opportunity to pursue my Ph.D. at N.C. State University under Dr. Carrie Pickworth, with a strong focus on my two passions of teaching and beef cattle nutrition and management.

Not only has this opportunity allowed me to further my education and prepare me for my future career revolved around the beef industry, but it has also allowed me to return closer to my homeplace.

This path has allowed me to seize the chance to develop my lifelong dream of being directly involved in beef cattle production.

My three main passions in life are the beef cattle industry, teaching, and family.

I appreciate that agriculture can allow me to harmoniously incorporate these three passions together for enjoyment, productivity, and overall betterment of agriculture and our environment. I plan to combine my interest in the livestock industry and teaching to eventually teach and advise undergraduates at an accredited university in intro to animal science, animal nutrition, and beef cattle management. I want to properly inform students taking animal science courses about what is actually involved in animal agriculture rather than the distorted and manipulated stories they are exposed to in media and biased marketing. I want to inspire students to also take an active role in the industry that they feel called to be a part of. However, I do not want my involvement in academia to completely be excluded from the actual beef industry itself and its changing trends and evolved knowledge. I plan to prevent this by individually working with cattle producers on their management and nutrition programs during the summers and in my downtime from school. Additionally, my husband and I plan to continue to develop O’Neill

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NCCF Scholarships continued from the previous page Cattle Company LLC into a beef cow/ calf and stocker program to stay directly involved in the industry and, hopefully, raise another generation of ranchers in the future.

The NCCF scholarship made my trip to Austin, Tex., in July for the Annual American Society of Animal Scientist meeting possible. The scholarship supported me in the cost of the airfare and grounds transportation, sleeping accommodations, and meeting fees. This trip was my first opportunity to present some of my novel research data on either cereal rye monoculture or cereal rye and turnip forage mixture, and the feeder steer growth performance associated with grazing the forage treatments previously mentioned. The presentation I gave was well received by those in attendance, and I look forward to presenting more of the information I collect out of this complex and diverse integrated crop-livestock project. Without the scholarship support, it would be more difficult and definitely more discouraging to travel to these professional meetings and present the research I had worked so hard to develop and summarize.

Kendra Phipps Hello, cattlemen and women! I may be a familiar face to some, but my name is Kendra Phipps, and I am honored to be a recipient of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Graduate Travel Award. I consider myself blessed to have been raised on a backgrounding operation in Alleghany County, North Carolina, and although that has greatly shaped my life, it is not the sole reason I chose to pursue a career in agriculture. I decided to pursue a career in agriculture when I realized just how much people don’t know about their food, and I haven’t looked back since. I am currently a master’s student in animal science, focusing on beef cattle nutrition at N.C. State University working

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under Dr. Deidre Harmon. I am involved in several projects, including a fescue variety trial, a crabgrass variety trial, a craft brewing byproduct feeding trial, and several extension programs with Amazing Grazing, North Carolina’s pasture based livestock education program.

I began my work at N.C. State in January 2019 after graduating from Virginia Tech with a major in dairy science and a minor in animal and poultry sciences. During my time there, I was very fortunate to be a member of the livestock judging team, dairy club, Alpha Zeta, and the beef leadership council at Virginia Tech. I was also a convention intern at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s National Convention in Phoenix, Ariz., where I was fortunate enough to have met Mr. Baxter Black himself! Despite that being a highlight of the trip, I formed national connections in the cattle industry that I have maintained.

I would recommend this internship to all college students interested in cattle.

I’m not entirely sure where my future will take me, but I do know this: it won’t be very far from Alleghany County. My family’s farming heritage runs deep in the land there and Grayson County, Virginia, and the thought of that heritage ending with my father makes my stomach turn. I hope to pursue a career that will allow me to work with cattle producers on a daily basis and combine my farm experience with my formal education and training to better the cattle industry.

Once again, I would like to thank the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for choosing me as a recipient of this award.

Their kindness will allow me to present my research concerning creating a new craft brewing byproduct feed at the Southern Section of the American Society of Animal Science meeting in January 2020. Thank you to the NCCF and the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association for your continued support!

After graduating from high school, I attended Wayne Community College and earned an associate of applied science in applied animal science technology.

Then I transferred to N.C. State University and obtained a bachelor of science in agricultural science, minoring in animal science and agricultural business management. Currently, I am pursuing a master of science in agricultural and extension education at N.C. State University and working with the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission Agricultural Leadership Development Program (NCTTFC ALDP). While completing my studies, I have had the opportunity to engage with many producers and agribusiness professionals involved in production, the N.C. Cooperative Extension, and various other agribusiness operations throughout North Carolina. My main project is to assist the program’s leaders to determine if the NCTTFC ALDP is meeting the needs of North Carolina’s farmers and agriculturalists by preparing them with the skills needed to effectively assume leadership roles on a personal, professional, and community level. In the future, I hope to enter the agricultural sector pursuing a career in the field of education, extension, or industry.

Daniel Radford My name is Daniel Radford, and I am from the small community of Nahunta in Wayne County, North Carolina. Growing up in this small community, I was surrounded by agriculture. At a young age, I was able to begin raising my own livestock, and this is where I developed my passion for agriculture. As I grew older, I had the opportunity to engage and work in production agriculture through some of my family’s agribusiness operations. Before transferring to N.C State University, I spent many hours working at a small feed mill assisting with hay and row crop operation.

The support of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation will allow me to attend The American Association for Agricultural Education Conference in Oklahoma City, Okla., as well as the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The opportunity to present research and travel to these conferences would not be possible without the support from the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation. Having the means to travel to these conferences will allow me to gain valuable knowledge about issues and trends facing agriculturalists while also networking with various agricultural professionals.

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Thank you again to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for your support and for providing these valuable opportunities for students.

Kelli Roberts Agriculture has always been a major part of my life. By living on a row crop farm, I have gained so much, such as the ability to run and operate equipment, and the value of hard work. But my interest in cattle came much differently. It was my Uncle Colon who introduced me to cattle.

One day, he invited my cousin and me to go with him to his farm to A.I. some of his heifers. Not knowing what we were getting ourselves into, we went along.

When we got there, the vet explained everything she was going to do, and for me, that was just amazing! She then asked me if I would like to stick my arm in the cow’s butt. I said yes! This was by far the coolest thing I had ever experienced.

After that day, my uncle called us every time the vet came to his farm. Cows are interesting creatures, but they are so amazing. That is how I started growing my interest in cattle.

Even though my plan is to major in crop and soil sciences, I will always have an interest in cattle. I will be furthering my knowledge at N.C. State University.

Agriculture has played a major role in my life, and agriculture is what I plan on doing in the future.

This scholarship is too great for a person like me, but I am so thankful that the NCCF chose me to be one of their applicants. This scholarship has already had an impact on my life just by being chosen. Thank you again NCCF! Maranda Schill As a 4-H member, I fell in love with agriculture at a young age. My interest was ignited by livestock, crops, and the farming industry. I began learning about equine, and I began competing at horse shows at age eleven. Little did I know

that this was just the beginning of a life long passion. As I studied the specifics of horses, such as equine nutrition, anatomy, and care, I developed a sudden urge to expand my knowledge on other livestock, such as bovine. I began volunteering at local livestock events, including the annual livestock show in my home county, McDowell. This allowed me to observe various cattle (dairy and beef), sheep, goats, and swine. I was also able to interact with mentors in my community who are active in the cattle industry.

In eighth grade, I chose to attend high school rather than early college due to the return of the dormant agricultural program at McDowell High School. I joined FFA immediately! As expected, the agriculture classroom became my second home. I participated in courses such as Agriscience Applications, Honors Animal Science I & II, Honors Horticulture I & II, and Advanced Agricultural Studies.

I decided to broaden my vocabulary when it comes to livestock terminology.

I also participated in state evaluation competitions, such as dairy, livestock, and horse judging. Learning how to present oral reasons allowed me to be more confident in my public speaking abilities and social skills.

I served as McDowell High FFA Chapter President my senior year of high school, and I was able to volunteer at more agricultural events, as well as spread youth agriculture awareness to others in my community. I was encouraged to participate in events I wouldn’t have tried before, such as extemporaneous public speaking. I was able to enhance my leadership skills and create friendships that will last a lifetime.

As I continue my studies at N.C. State University, I have had the opportunity to participate in various agricultural clubs and leadership opportunities on campus. I have gained experience through volunteering with N.C. State’s Agricultural Business Management Club, and I am currently serving as a University Housing Resident

Advisor for the 2019-2020 academic year. By seeking a degree in agribusiness management at N.C. State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as a CALS honors student, I can further my knowledge in becoming an entrepreneur while supporting agriculture.

Cooperation is essential for the establishment of agricultural businesses, and with my diligence and hard work ethic, I look forward to success in an agricultural career.

I am indebted to NCCF for providing me with the opportunity and financial support needed to strengthen my agricultural knowledge. Therefore, it is time for me to be an agriculture advocate role model. I plan to continue agriculture awareness functions by keeping others involved and showing them that agriculture is much more than just farming. It is essential for our well being.

Meredith Simpson Throughout my life, I have always been very interested in animals and animal production. When I entered high school, I began to take animal science classes and joined FFA to enhance my passion for agriculture. Through FFA, I was able to compete in livestock judging and poultry judging competitions. As well as judging the animals, I was also able to show beef heifers at local fairs throughout North Carolina and the N.C. State Fair.

My time in animal science classes and FFA is what has given me the inspiration to pursue a career in agriculture.

In the fall of 2019, I will be attending N.C. State University to major in poultry science. At the end of my first year, I plan to include animal science as a double major. I believe that by receiving degrees in both poultry and animal science, I will have an adequate well rounded experience with all aspects of livestock. After gaining my experience with livestock, I would like to apply to graduate school. In graduate school, I would like to receive my master’s degree in animal nutrition.

With this degree, I would like to work for

different farms throughout North Carolina and the United States and create diet plans for the animals to follow. This will ensure that consumers are granted with top quality producing animals.

I am so thankful to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for awarding me with a scholarship. With this scholarship, I will be better able to focus on my academics than about financial burdens. I will do my best to be an advocate for the future of agriculture.

Cara Smith I have grown up on my family’s fifth generation cattle farm, where my passion for agriculture began at a young age. Over the years, my role on our farm has grown to include the record keeping of our registered and commercial cattle, daily chores, and maintenance of equipment. My love for agriculture was strengthened in 2011 when my brother and I began showing cattle. Since then, we have shown Commercial, Angus, and Simmental cattle at a state, regional, and national level.

I am currently an active member of the N.C. Junior Angus Association, N.C. Junior Simmental Association, National Junior Angus Association, and American Junior Simmental Association. The N.C. Junior Angus Association has given me many opportunities and leadership positions since joining in 2012. I have had the chance to serve as President, Treasurer, Secretary, Reporter, Central Director, Queen, and Princess. The N.C. Junior Simmental Association continues to grow, and I am excited to be a part of this organization. I have met so many amazing people and been encouraged by being with like minded youth. In addition, being a member of these influential organizations has taught me the value of setting goals and working hard to achieve them. In July of this year, I was able to reach one of my goals, being elected to serve as one of the Eastern Region Trustees for the American Junior

Simmental Association. I am so fortunate to have personally benefited from being involved in these junior associations, and I look forward to giving back and show younger juniors the possibilities are endless when you step out of your comfort zone and believe in yourself.

I am currently a junior at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, studying nutrition with a concentration in health and wellness.

I plan to graduate in the spring of 2021 with my bachelor’s in nutrition.

I am enthusiastic to use my passion for agriculture to be an advocate for the industry within the nutrition field.

Following your heart and pursuing a degree in something you are passionate about is what makes the future of the agriculture industry stronger and allows for numerous possibilities in the industry.

I am so honored to have been selected as one of the recipients for the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship.

I will continue to work hard to meet the requirements for this scholarship and to maintain a high level of excellence in my degree program. The financial assistance provided from this scholarship will enable me to focus on my studies.

As college expenses continue to increase, this scholarship is a huge blessing, and I am grateful for the opportunity that the scholarship committee and the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Board of Directors has given me.

Mikenzly Specht From a very young age, I always knew that I wanted to work with animals.

It wasn’t until I started high school that I realized I had a passion for agriculture and livestock animals. In high school, I took animal science classes and eventually signed up for the livestock showing team, where I discovered my love for working with cattle in the field of agriculture.

My high school agriculture teacher, Sherilee Deal, and her husband and father-in-law, Eric and Oscho Deal, gave me many opportunities to learn more about the beef cattle industry and how to care and manage a cattle operation at their family farm, Circle D Farms. Here, I was able to practice hands on work, such as preparing and giving vaccinations, treating common issues such as foot rot and pink eye, how to synchronize estrus cycles using CID-Rs, and observing artificial insemination for the first time.

Working hands on with cattle made me learn how to be aware and safe around the animal at all times. I was also given the opportunity at Propst Farms to give vaccines, draw blood, and learn another

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NCCF Scholarships continued from the previous page technique for castration. These amazing opportunities have allowed me to gain experiences and become knowledgeable in many techniques and skills that I will use forever.

Since graduating high school, I now attend N.C. State University, where I am majoring in animal science with a concentration in veterinary bioscience.

This past year, I started working with dairy cattle to show at the Animal Science Club Day, where I won first place and

advanced to the interspecies round to win the grand champion title. I also received my certification in the technique of artificial insemination in cattle by Select Sires this past May of 2019 with the help of my advisor Dr. Poole. I may want to attend vet school after graduation, or I may want to go to graduate school for bovine research, but I have found that I am extremely interested in cattle reproduction anatomy and physiology. I plan to get involved with undergraduate research involving cattle and will be a teacher’s assistant for an animal science lab this semester.

The NCCF Shelmer D. and Ruby Blackburn Endowment Scholarship is very important to me as it allows me to further my education at N.C. State University and inspires me to do my part in supporting the cattle industry and give back to those who have helped me along the way. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent the NCCF as the recipient of the NCCF 2019 Shelmer D. and Ruby Blackburn Endowment Scholarship.

Virginia Herd Health Management Services, PC In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) & Embryo Transfer (ET) * On-farm aspiration of oocytes via Ultrasound Guided Ovum Pick-Up (OPU). * Embyos come back in 8 days for placement or direct thaw freezing on-farm. * Can do on donors aged 8 months and older, up to 120-150 days pregnant.

Doesn’t interfere with pregnancy. * Pregnant cows work really well, so the cow doesn’t get out of her production group. * Can do a donor every 2 weeks.

Oocytes fertilized at BoviteqUSA in Madison, Wisconsin. www.boviteq.com

For more information, contact:

PAT COMYN, DVM

P.O. Box 555 Madison, Va. 22727 540-829-3625 (cell) • 540-948-5238 (office/fax) pcomyn@verizon.net

Visit us online at www.vhhms.com.

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

NEWS

Zoetis Empowers Producers to Support COVID-19 Relief Efforts. Cattle producers sharing images from calving season will raise money for food banks.

With the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on so many Americans, Zoetis is recognizing the resilience of cattle producers and initiating a special fundraising initiative to support those in need.

Zoetis is asking cow/calf producers to submit inspiring pictures or videos at www.CalvingSeason.com to celebrate the commitment of cattle producers. In turn, every submission will raise money to meet the challenges posed by this global crisis.

All calving photos or videos are welcome, whether it’s late night shots from the barn, kids helping with the new animals, cows with their calves, or producers simply caring for their calves by bottle feeding or wrapping them in blankets.

For every photo or video submitted at www.CalvingSeason.com through May 29, Zoetis will donate $1 to the COVID-19 Response Fund with Feeding America ®. The Response Fund was established to help food banks across the country as they support communities impacted by the pandemic. The fund will enable foodbanks to secure the resources they need to serve the most vulnerable members of the community during this difficult time.

Zoetis encourages cow/calf producers to show their pride and inspire others.

Use the hashtag #CalvingSeason to post photos on all social media channels and share the success that comes with hard work and the importance of supporting those in need.

Zoetis Acquires Performance Livestock Analytics to Expand Its Digital and Data Analytics Offering to Livestock Producers. Addition of innovative digital solutions and data analytics expertise help accelerate progress in precision livestock farming.

Zoetis recently announced the acquisition of Performance Livestock Analytics to enhance its animal health solutions across the continuum of care for beef producers.

The addition of Performance Livestock Analytics, a technology company that simplifies data and analytics for the livestock industry, will help Zoetis to accelerate progress in precision livestock farming and improve the sustainability of producers’ operations. Financial terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.

Performance Livestock Analytics was the first company to offer cloud based

data management to beef producers.

Today, its innovative Performance Beef solution combines cloud based technology with automated on-farm data collection to provide powerful analytics that help feedlot managers make better decisions across financials, nutrition, and animal health. Simplifying feeding to financials, Performance Beef makes it easy to change rations; create accurate invoices and closeout reports; and analyze trends in feed efficiencies, costs, and performance. New animal health inputs can automatically be captured at the chute, providing insights into individual animal performance and health protocol compliance. Cattle Krush is a complementary tool to Performance Beef, using real time market data to give producers instant breakeven, market analytics, and profit alerts to help in buying and selling cattle.

“The addition of Performance Livestock Analytics is an important part of our strategy to bring precision livestock farming to our customers to help improve the health of their animals and the sustainability of their operations,” said Mike McFarland, DVM, DABVP, Executive Vice President and Group President of Accelerated Growth Businesses for Zoetis. “The team at Performance Livestock Analytics has successfully applied Silicon Valley technology learnings to the needs of livestock producers, and we are thrilled to have them join us at Zoetis to continue leading the way in digital and data analytics for livestock.”

“Our digital platform changes how livestock producers manage their business. Real time, accurate data allows producers to make better management decisions to help boost efficiency and profitability,” in said Dane Kuper, cofounder and CEO, Performance Livestock Analytics. “Both our culture and vision align well with Zoetis. Now, as part of Zoetis, we will be better positioned to provide practical technology solutions to improve livestock health and sustainability for our customers.”

Precision livestock farming can help improve producers’ decision making, right down to the level of each individual animal, to maximize health and well being, performance, and efficiency across livestock operations. Digital platforms and technology can help integrate information that a producer has available from multiple sources and turn

that information into useful insights that inform health and management decisions.

On-farm data also may be meaningful if shared throughout the supply chain in response to consumers’ growing interest in how food producing animals are raised.

About Zoetis. Zoetis is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 65 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures, and commercializes medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products, which are complemented by biodevices, genetic tests, and precision livestock farming. Zoetis serves veterinarians, livestock producers, and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals with sales of its products in more than 100 countries.

In 2019, the company generated annual revenue of $6.3 billion, with approximately 10,600 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com.

About Performance Livestock Analytics. Performance Livestock Analytics was founded to provide a digital platform for the livestock industry.

Using practical insights from livestock producers, technical expertise of data engineers, and their own livestock and Silicon Valley experience, the company’s founders created the beef industry’s first cloud based platform. Performance Livestock Analytics aims to provide innovative solutions to connect the livestock industry and empower data driven decisions through every step of the supply chain. For more information, visit www.performancelivestockanalytics.com.

S.C. Charolais News

By GEORGEANNE WEBB S.C. Charolais Association

I hope everyone is ok and nobody has the plague. The only problem I have is not corona but pollen. I have a bad case of Pollen-100.

As most of you know, our sale in Knoxville had to be rescheduled. It will be held in Knoxville on June 6, so save your catalogs. At least I won’t have any complaints about not getting the catalog in time. I already knew that I couldn’t go as our governor had issued an order that if you spent the night in another state, you would have to self quarantine for 14 days. The penalty if you got caught not self quarantining was 30 days in jail. I told Dennis that I love my cows but not enough to go to jail for them. Now I am safe and can travel to Tennessee in June.

I have spent a lot of time on the phone with the S.C. Department of Agriculture. With the rules in place, a lot of cattlemen are really confused. If they don’t issue a statement, I am not too proud to call Sonny and complain to him.

Agriculture is like truck drivers. You can cross the state lines for agriculture to take cattle to market, buy cattle from a breeder, and no, the National Guard is not going to stop you. Go ahead and market your cattle, plant your fields, order feed, get the fertilizer truck in, and get hay from out of state if you need it. Agriculture has to continue and ranks right up there with doctors and nurses in importance. I told the people at the S.C. Department of Agriculture that if you think people are mean now, hungry people will be meaner and more out of control than anything you have ever seen. We have to keep

supplying food, a definite necessity to sustain life. You’re not going to jail while trying to work your farms and cattle.

I am writing this in April, so you know things are bad everywhere, but I hope when you read this, most of this mess will be over with. Check on your friends, especially the older friends, to see if they need any groceries, supplies, or medication but are afraid to get out.

One thing about it, the farmers are not like the city folk. We are not bored and completely safe with no one close by.

If Not Now, Then When? In 2020, can you leave anything to chance when marketing your calves? The current climate breeds concern, fear, and uncertainty. But it also provides greater time and appreciation for our faith, our families, and our farms. Those are of much greater importance and will ultimately be the positives that move us forward to take advantage of new approaches and innovative ideas that make us and our businesses stronger!

As a recent post stated - “Look fear in the face and press on!” We must and we will. We have cows to tend to and calves to sell. And for many of us, we will use the major summer calf sales to garner premiums associated with high knowledge feeder calves. And that single sale will be responsible for a major chunk of our annual revenue. In today’s marketplace, can you leave anything to chance? This is your family’s paycheck for a year’s worth of work. It is time to pull out all the stops! It is time to explore the IGS Feeder Profit Calculator™ (FPC).

The FPC is a powerful tool that highlights quality management and responsible breeding and crossbreeding decisions to feedlot buyers in a manner they admire - dollars and cents! You share knowledge with buyers that they need and desire. Facts. Not hype. Not opinion. Not useless slogans. But facts.

Those that indicate long term health and fitness, feedlot efficiency, and carcass

NEWS

merit. In return, you position yourself to potentially bring home a few more dollars as you provide your customer with what he/she needs — some truth in the midst of lots of empty promises. Allow price differentiation to do what it does - pay more for calves with higher potential.

Zero. There is zero cost for you to use the FPC. No charge. Never has been.

Never will be. This is a no-cost service that allows serious, focused producers to do what they always do. To make thoughtful decisions and give themselves a leg up on the competition. This is more important now than ever.

Lots of folks want to “advise” you. Many want to tell you how things should or shouldn’t be. Some even want to suggest that you sell yourself short by avoiding using the best tools available.

One simple question. In 2020, can you leave anything to chance? If not, then visit the IGS homepage to learn more about how you can market with knowledge. Learn more at www.

InternationalGeneticSolutions.com.

About International Genetic Solutions. IGS is an unprecedented collaboration between progressive organizations across the U.S., Canada, and Australia that are committed to enhancing beef industry profitability. The collaboration encompasses education, technological advancement, and genetic evaluation.

Through collaboration, IGS has become the largest beef cattle evaluation in the world.

Sale

r o f D E L U D E H C S RE !

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Beef Checkoff News Beef Checkoff helps make the most of groceries with simple and satisfying beef recipes. While families are spending more time at home, the Beef Checkoff is here to help by sharing beef recipes using common freezer and pantry staples. Some of these options include: • Beef and Egg Breakfast Mugs – Four basic ingredients and a mug are all that is needed for this recipe.

• Beef Quesadillas – This complete meal can be table ready with just five ingredients and 30 minutes.

• Beef Jerky Trail Mix – A convenient and customizable snack with as few as four ingredients.

• Classic Beef Meatloaf – This simple meal calls for fewer than ten pantry staples and 1.5 pounds of ground beef.

• Chocolate Beefy Brownies – An easy brownie recipe that can be made with items commonly kept on hand.

“Beef It’s What’s For Dinner is here

to help with meal solutions by providing recipes that use common staples many families already have in their pantries and freezers,” said Alisa Harrison, senior vice president of Global Marketing and Research at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. “These recipes are easy to make with the step by step directions on www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.”

In addition to these simple recipes, check out www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner. com for a full collection of cooking lessons. With detailed instructions and tips for a dozen different cooking methods, from grilling to pressure cooking, these cooking lessons are a great resource for all levels of home chefs.

Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.

Shares Tips For Beef Safety At Home.

With more time at home, consumers can confidently reach for beef as a reliable staple to nourish themselves and their families. Beef is not only an excellent

D E L L E C N A C e l a S

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source of protein; it also provides bodies with the strength to thrive throughout all stages of life.

To ensure consumers are armed with the knowledge to have the best eating experience with beef, the Beef Checkoff is here to provide some quick tips on how to safely handle and prepare beef when cooking at home.

Storing Beef: • Refrigerate or freeze beef as soon as possible after purchase.

• Ground beef can safely be stored in the refrigerator for one to two days before cooking or freezing. Once in the freezer, ground beef can be stored for three to four months before quality is impacted.

• Steaks and roasts can safely be stored in the refrigerator for three to five days before cooking or freezing. Once in the freezer, steaks and roasts can be stored for four to 12 months before quality is impacted.

• If you plan on freezing, repackage your beef into the right size portion for upcoming meals.

• For longer storage, remove beef from original packaging and place into freezer bags or similar airtight packaging to remove as much air as possible.

Defrosting: • Defrost beef in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.

• Account for 12-24 hours to defrost ground beef and steaks.

• Use a plate or tray to catch any juices.

Handling: • Wash hands well in hot, soapy water before and after handling raw meat and other fresh foods.

• Keep raw meat and juices away from other foods.

• Wash all utensils, cutting surfaces, and counters after contact with raw meat.

Preparing: • Always use a meat thermometer.

• Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F • Steaks and roasts should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. • Don’t forget to refrigerate leftovers within two hours after cooking.

“Beef is a nutrient rich protein that can be a great freezer staple for a variety of dishes and meals,” said Alisa Harrison. “With a few simple tips when it comes to storing, handling, and cooking beef at home, families can feel confident that their beef meals will be delicious and flawlessly prepared.”

When you’re ready to get cooking, make sure to visit www.

BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com for more information on safe handling, hundreds of recipes, and even online cooking lessons.

With step by step instructions and tips for

a dozen different cooking methods, from grilling to pressure cooking, the cooking lessons are a great resource for all levels of home chefs.

Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. releases new videos to address common misconceptions about the beef industry.

In the latest effort to address myths about beef production and nutrition, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner., managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, has released a new video series, ‘Real Facts About Real Beef.’ The videos highlight real farmers and ranchers and other beef experts candidly addressing some of the most common misconceptions and questions about cattle and beef.

According to market research, 52 percent of people agree that they trust the people who raise cattle1; however, only 27 percent of people say they are knowledgeable about how cattle are raised2. In a time when consumers are more removed from food production than ever, these videos deliver facts directly from the source - beef farmers and ranchers, as well as credentialed experts in the fields of sustainability, human nutrition, and more.

The videos in this series include: • Real Facts About Real Beef: Red Meat and Health – Cattle rancher and life coach, Kiah Twisselman, takes on the myth that “red meat is bad for your health” in this video. She highlights that, while there are many mixed messages on the internet about certain foods being bad or good for your health, it is ultimately important that people are eating a well balanced diet with nutrient dense foods like lean beef.

• Real Facts About Real Beef: Cattle Production and Climate Change – In this video, Carlyn Petersen, an animal biology doctoral student, is tasked with addressing the myth that “methane from cattle is the leading cause of climate change.” She tackles this myth head on with the real fact that cattle only contribute about two percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and that the leading contributor of greenhouse gas is actually the burning of fossil fuels.

• Real Facts About Real Beef: Grazing Cattle vs. Crops – Mike Williams, a cattle rancher and owner of Diamond W Cattle Company, addresses the myth that “instead of letting cattle graze all over, we could be using that land to grow crops for humans.” As a rancher in the western U.S., Williams knows best and shares how cattle largely graze on land that isn’t suitable for growing crops, and that this land actually thrives when grazed properly.

• Real Facts About Real Beef: Cattle Production and the Environment

- For this video, Dr. Frank Mitloehner, a leading expert on cattle and sustainability, debunks the myth that “cattle production and farming is harmful to the environment, creating soil erosion, water pollution, and poor air quality.” Dr. Mitloehner explains that, as an animal science researcher, he has found the exact opposite to be true, and that, in fact, a properly run ranch or farm will sequester carbon and promote biodiversity. “‘Real Facts About Real Beef’ is one more way Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. is working to help ensure consumers are informed when it comes to how beef is produced and the nutrients it delivers,” said Buck Wehrbein, federation division chair at NCBA. “These videos are a powerful way we’re able to share fact and science based information about beef production and nutrition with these important audiences.”

The ‘Real Facts About Real Beef’ videos will be promoted on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, to help address misinformation about beef production and its role in a healthy, sustainable diet. In addition to addressing the myths head on, the videos direct consumers to www.

B e e f I t s W h a t s F o r D i n n e r. c o m f o r additional information.

This video series is just the latest from Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. in an effort to debunk myths about the beef industry. In mid-January, new ads, complete with the brand’s unique personality and swagger, were rolled out addressing the topics of health, sustainability, and meat substitutes.

The initial six week digital media flight generated more than 35 million consumer touch points, reaching more than 11.6 million consumers multiple times.

In addition to these myth busting efforts, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. is giving consumers a behind the scenes look at beef production with 360° virtual ranch tours. The videos take consumers on an educational journey to farms and ranches across the United States to learn how beef farmers and ranchers raise cattle to produce high quality beef.

“As a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, we are committed to ensuring consumers, media, chefs, dietitians, foodservice, retail partners, and other stakeholders have the facts and information they need when it comes to the beef industry,” said Alisa Harrison.

For more facts about real beef, visit www.BeefItWhatsForDinner.com.

References 1 Consumer Beef Tracker (2019)

Consumer Beef Tracker (OctoberDecember 2019) Beef Checkoff provides easy beef recipes for children and parents cooking at home. As Americans are spending more time at home, parents may be looking for meal inspiration to keep the whole family happy. The Beef Checkoff is here with recipes that everyone in the family can enjoy and even make together. Some of these family favorites include: • Personal Beef Pizzas – These individual pizzas call for only four base ingredients and can be customized by each family member based on available ingredients.

• Chuckwagon Beef & Pasta Skillet – With some common pantry staples and kid friendly shaped pasta, if you have it, this recipe is quick, easy, and sure to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.

• Cheeseburger Mac – Three simple ingredients and 30 minutes are all that is needed for this filling family dish.

• Peanut Butter, Chocolate Hazelnut, and Chocolate Chip Beef Jerky Cookies – This sweet recipe uses primarily pantry ingredients and is simple enough to get the kids involved.

“A great resource for kid friendly options that can be made with kitchen 2

staples many families may already have on hand can be found on www.

BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com,” said Alisa Harrison. “These family favorites can help simplify dinner (or lunch or snack) time with easy prep and flavors that satisfy the whole family.”

In addition to these kid friendly recipes, check out www.

BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com for easy recipes that call for five ingredients or less and affordable meals under $15 as well as a full collection of cooking lessons and even virtual farm and ranch tours. From detailed instructions and tips for a dozen different cooking methods to interactive videos of life on the farm and ranch, there’s something for everyone.

About the Beef Checkoff. The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50¢ per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

Contact these RAAC members to learn more about Red Angus genetics and how they can fit into your herd.

HARDROCK BEEF CATTLE Ronnie & Donna Holman 4613 Hickory Nut Ridge Road • Granite Falls, NC 828-302-8659 ronnie@hardrockbeefcattle.com JK RED ANGUS Jeff Banfield & Madison Adams 331 Tee Jay Farm Road • Aberdeen, NC 910-281-3821 jkredangus@gmail.com LANGDON RED ANGUS & SIMMENTAL John & Eileen Langdon 7728 Raleigh Road • Benson, NC 919-796-5010 johnlangdon5@gmail.com ROGERS CATTLE COMPANY Johnny & Sharon Rogers 945 Woodsdale Road • Roxboro, NC 336-504-7268 rccbeef@gmail.com PRESNELL RED ANGUS Jonathan & Jacob Presnell 368 Whitaker Road • Shelby, NC 704-473-2627 (Jonathan) • 704-616-8775 (Jacob) BULL HILL RANCH Jim & Alvina Meeks • Raymond Prescott, Manager 1986 Trinity Church Road • Gray Court, SC 864-682-3900 • 864-682-2828 bullhill2@mindspring.com

Jerry Simpson, President - 704-302-2940 • simpson_jerry@msn.com

COUNTRY BOY FARMS David Miller 316 Key Road • Edgefield, SC 706-840-3709

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

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Questions, contact Will Thompson • 704-616-8553

North Carolina Hereford Association Board of Directors OFFICERS

George Ward President (2017-2020) 3404 Shady Grove Road Providence, NC 27315 434-251-3637

Wes Carpenter Vice President (2019-2022) 2939 Old Salisbury Road Winston-Salem, NC 27127 336-970-1655

Myron McCoy Secretary/Treasurer (2018-2021) 11350 Old Hwy. 70 West Cove City, NC 28523 252-637-4995

Pam Bissett (2018-2021) 9196 Grassy Creek Road Bullock, NC 27507 919-482-1176

Reggie Lookabill (2019-2022) 1994 Arnold Road Lexington, NC 27295 336-240-2142

Wayne Mitchem (2018-2021) 400 David’s Chapel Church Road Vale, NC 28168 704-472-4369

Kevin Robinson (2019-2022) P.O. Box 1057 Mocksville, NC 27078 336-399-9884

Brent Creech (2018-2021) 13037 NC Hwy. 39 Zebulon, NC 27597 919-801-7561

Mike Mericka (2017-2020) 5963 Summit Avenue Browns Summit, NC 27214 336-337-5480

Kim Prestwood (2019-2022) 390 Pleasant Hill Road Lenoir, NC 28645 828-320-7317

Will Thompson (2017-2020) P.O. Box 123 Polksville, NC 27136 704-616-8553

Jim Davis (2017-2020) 243 Horseshoe Neck Road Lexington, NC 27295 336-247-1554 PAGE 46

N.C. Hereford Association Website - www.nchereford.org Email - nchereford@yahoo.com

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Bryson Westbrook (2018-2021) 405 W. Marion Street Shelby, NC 28150 908-230-4878

DNA Request Updates. As families and businesses across the country continue to adjust to remote work, the American Hereford Association (AHA) has a few updates regarding how this transition is affecting requests for DNA. 1. Neogen®/GeneSeek® is adapting like all businesses through this critical time and is continuing to provide DNA service. However, due to the current circumstances, it is important to plan ahead if you have any animals that need DNA work completed. Please allow for extra processing time to assist the lab in providing its best service. Remember, all steers planning to show in the Junior National Hereford Expo need DNA on file. Likewise, any bull born after January 1, 2011, needs to have DNA on file to register progeny.

2. MyHerd users can request DNA sample submission forms electronically, and the forms will be emailed once the

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transactions are paid. Please note this is the fastest method to receive your DNA sample submission form.

3. AHA members who have not set up a MyHerd account can still make DNA requests by contacting AHA customer service. Please note these DNA requests will only be mailed out twice a week while the Customer Service team is working remotely.

Thank you for your patience during this adjustment. Please contact AHA customer service at 816-842-3757 or aha@ hereford.org with additional questions.

Nominations Due June 1. Hall of Fame and Merit nominations, as well as Golden and Century Breeder nominations are due June 1. Deserving recipients of the 2020 induction will be honored at the AHA Annual Meeting and Conference on October 23.

Contact Anne Stuart at astuart@ hereford.org or 816-842-3757 for more information about Hall of Fame and

Merit nominations and Shane Bedwell at sbedwell@hereford.org or 816-842-3757 for more information about Golden and Century Breeder nominations.

Junior National Hereford Expo Online Registration Open. Register now for 2020 Banners in the Bluegrass.

Please Read Carefully - Only paid (current) members of the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) and American Hereford Association (AHA) who are at least 7 years old and not yet 22 years old as of January 1, may enter cattle in the show. The annual membership fee is $15 and is due prior to entry.

Only one exhibitor per online entry application. In the case of joint ownership between siblings, the exhibitor on the entry will be required to show the animal.

Persons making entries in the show shall agree to abide by all the rules and regulations of the AHA, and will not hold the American Hereford Ass 2ociation or affiliated parties responsible for loss or injury to any animals or articles.

Please indicate proper show classification information.

Please type all entry information -DOUBLE CHECK all info.

There will be NO substitutions of any

animals entered for the JNHE. • Early Bird Deadline: May 15 • FINAL Deadline: June 1 - NO Late entries accepted All entries are final. There will be no refunds for cattle entries, showmanship, meal tickets or show shirts.

For questions or corrections, contact the American Hereford Association at 816-842-3757 or email Amy Cowan at acowan@hereford.org or Bailey Clanton at bclanton@hereford.org.

To view our privacy policy, visit w w w. h e r e f o r d j u n i o r n a t i o n a l . c o m / popupprivacy.php.

About the American Hereford Association. The American Hereford Association, with headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., is one of the largest U.S. beef breed associations. The not-for-profit organization, along with its subsidiaries - Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) LLC, Hereford Publications Inc. (HPI), and American Beef Records Association (ABRA) - provides programs and services for its members and their customers, while promoting the Hereford breed and supporting education, youth, and research. For more information about the Association, visit www.Hereford.org.

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Norris Fowler • 864-219-0182 Rogers Fowler • 864-426-3281 www.fowkenfarm.com

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 47

You Decide!

By DR. MIKE WALDEN

Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics N.C. State University You Decide: How Will the Economy Change After the Virus Crisis? Most crises have lasting effects.

World War II spawned the United Nations but also the Cold War. The Vietnam War caused many to question our major institutions and also created a revaluation of U.S. military tactics and objectives. One of the lasting impacts of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 has been a renewed interest in frugality by the millennial generation.

The current turmoil induced by the coronavirus, which I will shorten and call the “virus crisis,” will also affect our society. Here I examine four impacts that could occur in our future.

“Tele” in Everything - One of the most notable features of the virus crisis has been the strong recommendation – in some cases, mandate – for people not to interact. It’s been dubbed “social distancing.” Of course, the reason behind social distancing is to reduce the chances of a person infected with the virus passing it to others.

With schools, restaurants, gyms, and other businesses closed, communicating and exchanging via the internet has sometimes been used as a substitute.

Elementary and secondary schools as well as colleges and universities have used the internet to “tele-teach.”

Tele-medicine, in which patients can receive diagnoses and advice via internet conversations with medical professionals, has been encouraged during the virus crisis. There are huge savings in both money and time potentially associated with this type of interaction. With more people being introduced to tele-medicine, I expect its use to expand even after the virus crisis ends.

Similarly, working from home using the internet has been a method used by many companies to cope with the virus crisis. Tele-working is not new, and it has been growing well before the onset of the virus crisis. Companies can save money on buildings, and workers can save time by not commuting by tele-working.

Although tele-working is certainly not suitable for all jobs, I would expect that with more companies and workers experiencing tele-working during the virus crisis, the technique could become much more popular in the coming years.

Shifting Supply Chains - Most businesses buy inputs from other businesses in order to make the products or provide the services they sell. These business to business linkages are called “supply chains.”

With the increase in globalization during the 21 st century, more supply chains have ties to foreign countries, with

China being the most prominent. When China was first hit by the coronavirus, many of its manufacturing industries shut down, thereby interrupting supplies sent to the U.S. and other countries. So even before the coronavirus came to our country, many of our companies had been adversely impacted.

I predict the virus crisis will cause many domestic firms to rethink their supply chains. The coronavirus has exposed a potential cost of globalization.

While firms may not necessarily completely cut themselves off from foreign suppliers, many will be motivated to re-establish U.S. supply chains as a complementary or back up to foreign chains. The upside is a revival of domestic supply chains will create more jobs and more earnings in the United States.

China’s Image Takes a Hit - And speaking of China, I think China’s image and economy will suffer some long term losses in the coming years. It’s widely thought the coronavirus began in China.

Some also say China was not forthcoming to the world with early information about the onset of the virus. If they had been, perhaps other countries could have taken more actions to contain its impact.

I don’t have enough knowledge to gauge how accurate these claims are. But if enough businesses and consumers think they are accurate, China will be hurt. I talked about supply chains in the previous section. I expect more consumers in the future will refrain from buying any product made in China. Domestic sellers could go out of their way to advertise that their products do not originate from China.

A Boost to Lower Density Living Both the nation as well as North Carolina

“If you have cattle, pastureland, or raise hay like I do, you need to call Donna Byrum. In 10 minutes on the hood of my pickup, she signed by up for a program that I had no idea about.

The next time she came by the farm, she brought me a check! ~ E.B. Harris

DONNA BYRUM

First Choice Insurance 252-792-1189 • fcipllc@gmail.com

For all your crop insurance needs!

PAGE 48

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

are urban areas for living. Increasingly we are choosing to reside in cities and metropolitan areas. That’s where the jobs are, and many people also like the urban lifestyle of easily accessible shops, restaurants, and entertainment options.

But we’ve learned during the virus crisis that dense living and close contact with others can come with a cost. Viruses spread more easily when people are packed together. This is why - during the crisis - we’ve been told to limit contact with others, and why venues and events with large gatherings have been closed or postponed until after the virus crisis passes.

Small towns and rural areas are, by definition, less dense, and so there is less potential for human contact on a large scale basis. Hence, one impact of the virus crisis might be a reconsideration of small town and rural living. People may think that, while the current virus will pass, others may come in the future.

And with tele-teaching, tele-medicine, and tele-working likely increasing in use, rural isolation will be lessened.

In my opinion, the best of all worlds is the development of a vaccine that protects us against all potential future viruses. Then, we can all go back to the world that existed before the virus crisis.

But if that’s not possible, then maybe the world I’ve outlined here is in our future.

You decide – and also – please be safe.

You Decide: What ‘Letter’ Will the Economic Recovery Follow? There is now little question among economists – and, I expect, most people also – that the economy is in a coronavirus induced recession. The definition of a recession is actually rather simple. A recession means the economy takes steps backward rather than steps forward. In other words, the economy contracts, or shrinks, rather than grows and expands. Signs of a recession are increased unemployment, reduced household incomes, and lower sales and revenues for businesses.

The fact we’re now in a recession shouldn’t be surprising. Mandating that a significant portion of the economy shuts down and that people restrict their travel in order to curtail the spread of the virus, was sure to send the economy into a nosedive. Our economy runs on human interactions and trade. When, for health reasons, those can’t occur, our economy doesn’t work.

We’re all hoping these actions will contain and ultimately eliminate the virus soon. People are anxious to get their lives back to normal.

But in terms of the economy, what will ‘normal’ be after the virus crisis?

Will the economy simply pick up where it left off? Will jobs, incomes, sales, and

stock values come back as quickly as they went away? Or will we be in for a long period of modest improvements, with years passing before we fully recover?

Economists see four possible paths that any post recessionary period can take. Interestingly, they are described in the form of alternative letters of the alphabet.

An ‘L’ shaped recovery is what we don’t want. Here the economy improves very, very slowly – if at all - once the recession ends. It may take several years or even decades for lost jobs, incomes, and sales to be recovered. Because the recovery is so slow, people and businesses feel as if they’re in a never

ending economic hole. Japan experienced an L shaped recovery in the 1990s.

We also don’t want a ‘W’ shaped recovery. In this situation, there is a recession followed by a recovery, but then a second recession hits followed by a second recovery. In other words, the economy goes through a double dip recession with a recovery at the end of each dip. An example is the two recessions in the early 1980s. Today, some experts worry that after being contained sometime this summer, the coronavirus could re-emerge in the fall and cause a second round of shutdowns and a second recession.

A ‘V’ shaped recovery is what we

E.B.'s View from the Cow Pasture

By E.B. HARRIS

Social Distancing and Other Remedies There is a lot going on all over the world, and just like a lot of the other people, there is more information out there than I can absorb about the coronavirus. These are some things I have heard about how to be safe.

• Social distancing – stay 6’ apart from people and be in groups of nine or less; • Plenty of hand sanitizer or washing hands with hot water for 20+ seconds; • Gargle with hot salt water several times a day; • Mix some all natural unfiltered vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and cinnamon in your drink.

I even read an article that the dewormer we use on cattle may be the treatment.

I heard a Hispanic man say they were using cattle vaccines in Mexico.

Some of these you can take with a grain of salt or just scratch your head.

The one that I am going to look at very strongly is one my Granddaddy used.

During the 40s and 50s, there was the hog cholera disease in hogs. It was pretty devastating to the hog industry.

They vaccinated for it up until the early 60s because I remember seeing them do it at the Lancaster Stockyards in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. There was a vet who kept a large rubber bag hooked to his side, and two men would catch pigs and

bring them to him. He would give them a shot and put a metal tag in their ear.

Granddaddy’s neighbors all around had the hog cholera, but he never did.

Granddaddy said the reason he never had it in his hogs was that he kept a smelly old billy goat there all the time in the same hog pasture, and that kept the hog cholera out. Whether it did or not, I can’t say, but I guess if it works, don’t knock it.

If some of you are concerned about what is going on, you may want to consider a smelly billy goat to put around your house. Maybe he will ward anything that’s coming your way. I know for a fact he will keep the bushes trimmed back.

I am not a doctor in any way, so try any of these remedies at your own risk.

By the time you read this article, I hope all of this will be over, and things will be getting back to normal.

want. This kind of economic rebound is quick and strong. Jobs, incomes, and sales return to their pre-recession levels within months rather than years. The recessions of the early 1990s and 2000s had V shaped recoveries. Those who see the virus being quickly beaten and the economy returning to normal by the fall are expecting a V kind of economic boost.

The last possibility is a ‘U’ type of recovery. Like the V recovery, the economy does get out of the recession, but it isn’t immediate. Instead, a U shaped recovery can take months or possibly several years. The recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2009 was of a U shape.

While most hope for a V shaped recovery, many economists think a U shape is more likely for several reasons.

First, while the just passed multitrillion dollar federal stimulus package is designed to save businesses and keep them intact until after the virus crisis passes, unfortunately, I don’t think this well intentioned effort will be totally successful. There will be some business bankruptcies and closures, meaning unemployment will stay elevated for some time.

There will also be some restructuring in the economy after it gets back on its feet. Many businesses will have innovated and changed their way of operating during the virus crisis. For example, home delivery may continue to replace some in-person dining and shopping even after the virus is gone.

These changes will create some

winners but also some losers. Many workers may experience extended unemployment until they reconsider how their skills can be used in the post virus economy.

There will be changes from – what I call – the re-adjustment factor. Just as with the Great Recession, the virus crisis will have lasting effects on our views and behaviors for decades. Some form of ‘social distancing’ will continue, resulting in reductions for large gatherings at sports and entertainment venues. People may purposefully shy away from any gathering of - say - more than 50 people.

Last, we may be in for a period of extended societal fear: fear of whether the virus lingers, fear of the possibility it or a new virus will return, and fear and anxiety over all the changes the virus has caused in our lives.

One economic consequence of fear is often a reluctance to take risks or commit to large purchases. Hence, one casualty of the virus could be home buying and big ticket items like vehicles and furniture.

The conclusion is we may be living with the impacts of the coronavirus for many years. Once the virus is eliminated, the first question is which letter of the alphabet the economic recovery will follow. You decide!

About the author. Mike Walden is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and Extension Economist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at N.C. State University who teaches and writes on personal finance, economic outlook, and public policy.

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PAGE 49

Intranasal and Injectable Respiratory Vaccines: There’s a Time and Place for Both of Them. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is still a major cause of sickness and death in young beef and dairy calves. While vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to prevent losses associated with BRD, it’s often assumed that intranasal vaccines are the best approach in younger calves.

However, recent research shows that previous perceptions about injectable respiratory vaccines may not be accurate and that both types of vaccines have a place in BRD prevention.

Building calf immunity - When a calf is born, its immune system isn’t fully developed. Since it has no antibodies in the blood to fight off pathogens or disease causing viruses and bacteria, the calf relies on antibodies it receives from the dam via colostrum in the hours after birth.

These maternal antibodies bind to specific pathogens and destroy them, but they’re generally short lived, gradually waning over the first few months of the

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calf’s life.

Vaccines are needed to stimulate the calf’s immune system to start producing its own antibodies against specific disease causing agents. IgA antibodies, thought to be stimulated by intranasal vaccines, are the predominant antibodies in the mucosa, or the lining of organs such as the upper respiratory tract (nasal passages).

IgG antibodies, on the other hand, are the predominant antibodies circulating in the blood and are generally believed to be produced in response to injectable vaccines. IgG antibodies help build long term immunity. Both IgA and IgG antibodies are needed to fight off disease causing agents.

The role of respiratory vaccines - To help stimulate calf immunity, vaccines expose the animal to antigens, or weakened versions of the pathogens, priming the immune system to create antibodies and other immune cells that will recognize the real pathogens, should they invade.

The trouble is, it’s difficult to predict

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The benefit of using Black Herefords is to obtain Hereford heterosis without the financial disadvantage of Hereford discounts.

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“The Carolinas First Black Hereford Herd” PAGE 50

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

when, exactly, maternal antibodies will diminish from one calf to the next.

Maternal antibodies have the potential to recognize vaccine antigens as foreign and neutralize them, which is why vaccines are often not recommended until the calf is a few months old. However, it’s now clear that some, but not all vaccines, are able to override maternal antibodies and stimulate a robust and lasting immunity at an earlier age.

Intranasal vaccines and mucosal immunity - Many beef and dairy producers have turned to intranasal vaccines to boost newborn calf immunity.

These vaccines mimic a natural infection by introducing antigens into the tissue lining the nasal cavities, or mucosa, where respiratory viruses and bacteria typically enter. The idea is to help the body fend off respiratory pathogens in the nasal passages and trachea before they can enter the lungs and really cause damage.

“Intranasal vaccines are generally easy for a newborn calf’s immune system to process,” explained Mike Nichols, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim. “These vaccines are able to override maternal antibody interference to create fast, local, mucosal immunity in very young calves.”

In addition to stimulating the production of local IgA antibodies against specific respiratory viruses, intranasal vaccines also spark the production of interferon or proteins that signal the immune system to increase anti-viral defenses in a calf’s body.

At the same time, it’s important to generate cell mediated immunity or the production of immune cells that destroy pathogens that have invaded other cells.

“Although some intranasal vaccines may elicit a cell mediated immune response, it’s typically not as robust or long lasting as what occurs with injectable vaccines,” reported Dr. Nichols.

“If you start with an intranasal vaccine in newborn calves, at about 1-2 months of age, it’s important to stimulate the kind of strong, long term systemic immunity that’s only possible with injectable vaccines,”1 he continued.

Injectable respiratory vaccines also protect calves against important pathogens not covered by intranasal vaccines, such as bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) Type 1b, the most prevalent BVDV strain in the United States today.2,3 Injectable vaccines can override maternal antibodies - Even at one to two months of age, most calves still have maternal antibodies in their systems. In the past, it was believed there was no point in giving injectable respiratory vaccines before about four months of age because they would be inactivated by maternal antibodies. But a recent study

proves that’s not the case.

In the study, calves with maternal derived immunity for bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) were administered an injectable modified live virus respiratory vaccine for BRSV or a placebo at 30 days of age.1 The calves were then exposed to BRSV about 90 days later. Compared to calves that received a placebo, those administered the vaccine had fewer clinical signs and lung lesions, as well as less viral shedding.

These findings prove that an injectable respiratory vaccine, when given to calves at 30 days of age, can overcome maternal antibodies to stimulate protective immunity against BRSV. “That’s not to say all injectable vaccines can do this,” Dr. Nichols said.

“This particular product utilizes a unique adjuvant that protects vaccine antigens from maternal antibodies, thus enhancing the immune response, even in calves still maintaining high levels of maternal antibodies acquired from colostrum.”

Injectable vaccines stimulate mucosal and systemic immunity - It was previously assumed that intranasal vaccines generated mucosal immunity with IgA antibodies and interferons, while injectable vaccines were responsible for systemic immunity with IgG antibodies.

Again, it’s not that cut and dried.

The BRSV study found that calves administered the injectable vaccine developed an IgA mucosal immunity to BRSV, as measured by antibodies in nasal secretions. Vaccinated calves also had significantly higher interferon levels than their unvaccinated counterparts. In addition, they developed a systemic, cell mediated immunity.

“We now know we don’t have to give intranasal vaccines in order to stimulate the production of IgA antibodies and interferons in the mucosa,” clarified Dr. Nichols.

Injectable vaccines stimulate a rapid immune response, too - Until recently, it was believed that intranasal vaccines stimulated faster immunity than injectable vaccines. But a recent study shows that injectable vaccines can produce rapid immunity, too.

In a study of calves not previously vaccinated against bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1), the causative agent behind infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, a single dose of a modified live injectable vaccine containing that antigen produced adequate immunity within three to four days, about the same amount of time required for intranasal vaccines.4 A place for both types of vaccines “Intranasal vaccines are most beneficial for newborn beef or dairy calves that are likely to be exposed to respiratory

pathogens early,” Dr. Nichols suggested.

“Examples would be dairy calves that may benefit from vaccination the day of birth or beef operations that are involved in intensive embryo transfer or artificial insemination work resulting in greater disease challenge in the first month or so following birth.”

Following up with an injectable vaccine at 30-60 days of age (preweaning for dairy calves and turnout for beef calves) could then provide broader, more long lasting immunity.

But there are some cases in which calves simply may not need intranasal respiratory vaccination at birth. “For most beef operations, calves are out on the range,” said Dr. Nichols. “If they’ve had good passive antibody transfer from their dams, they may actually be fine until 30 to 60 days of age, when an injectable vaccine could stimulate both the mucosal immune system for local protection, as well as the systemic immune system for robust, long lasting respiratory disease protection.”

Every herd is different, so remember to consult a veterinarian to develop the most effective protocols for your operation.

References 1 Kolb E.A., Buterbaugh R.E., Rinehart C.L., et al. Protection against bovine respiratory syncytial virus in

calves vaccinated with adjuvanted modified live virus vaccine administered in the face of maternal antibody. Vaccine 2020;38(2):298–308.

2 Ridpath J.F., Lovell G., Neill J.D., et al. Change in predominance of bovine viral diarrhea virus subtypes among samples submitted to a diagnostic laboratory over a 20-year span. J Vet Diagn Invest 2011;23(2):185-193.

3 Data on file, Boehringer Ingelheim, and www.BVDVTracker.com. Data collected November 1, 2018, through November 1, 2019.

4 Fairbanks K.F., Campbell J., Chase C.C.L. Rapid onset of protection against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis with a modified live virus multivalent vaccine.

Vet Ther 2004;5(1):17–25.

To S u c c e e d a t Ta r g e t e d Metaphylaxis, It Takes a Plan.

Consumers have made it clear: They want fewer antibiotics used in food animals.

As a result, producers and veterinarians are re-evaluating their approach to metaphylaxis, the administration of antibiotics on arrival to calves at high risk of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

Recently, the concept of targeted metaphylaxis, or using metrics to narrow the use of antibiotics from entire groups of cattle to individual high risk calves, is

gaining popularity. Limiting antibiotic use has the potential to reduce producer costs and promote antimicrobial stewardship.

But how can producers ensure their targeted metaphylaxis program is a success? “You need a consistent plan for how to select animals, a method to evaluate your results, and the involvement of your veterinarian throughout the process,” explained Joe Gillespie, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim.

A plan to identify individual high risk calves - Traditionally, metaphylaxis has been the go-to approach to reduce sickness and death in calves that are at a high risk of contracting BRD due to factors such as unknown health histories, commingling, transportation, and other stress producing events.

With a group of high risk calves, it’s common to take a conservative approach to ensure that all animals are protected from sickness whenever possible. Still, it’s important to understand that some calves treated metaphylactically may not have succumbed to BRD. “That’s why producers and veterinarians need to work together to gain a better understanding of which calves need metaphylaxis, to ensure that treatments are utilized most effectively and prudently,” stated Dr. Gillespie.

Preconditioning or buying preconditioned calves will reduce the pool of high risk cattle. “Data show that previously vaccinated cattle are at lower risk for developing BRD,1 which reduces the need for antibiotic therapy,” added Dr. Gillespie.

The first step in any targeted metaphylaxis program is to work with a veterinarian to develop a plan that objectively evaluates incoming cattle.

“The plan should outline the exact criteria needed to select cattle for treatment,” said Dr. Gillespie. Typical selection criteria for metaphylaxis may include age and weight of cattle, length of transportation, weather conditions, environmental and nutritional factors as well as cattle origin.

Some operations may evaluate cattle using the DART assessment, which looks at four areas: depression, appetite, respiratory rate, and temperature. “The criteria should be easy to implement on your operation and used consistently from one day to the next,” suggested Dr. Gillespie.

The growing importance of chute side diagnostics - While clinical signs are commonly used to single out higher risk calves, producers and veterinarians are

Continued on the next page

The Carolina Cattle Connection

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Boehringer Ingelheim News continued from the previous page searching for other chute side diagnostics.

“For calves, there’s already a lot of stress associated with processing,” Dr. Gillespie cautioned. “That’s why any additional chute side diagnostics need to be quick — handling that animal for an extra few minutes could add stress.”

Researchers are exploring technologies that might catch subtle signs of illness before workers can, including ear tag accelerometers, pedometers that monitor animal movement, or feeding systems that follow feed intake.

Other chute side diagnostics currently being considered include electronic stethoscopes, blood tests, and even a “smell test” that can identify compounds in nasal secretions.

“Long term, I see more and more movement to chute side diagnostics to help make targeted metaphylactic decisions,” predicted Dr. Gillespie.

Choose the right antibiotic Veterinarians can recommend an antibiotic for metaphylaxis that works best for a producer’s class of cattle.

Typically, several factors should be evaluated, such as efficacy studies, spectrum of activity, speed of action, and post-metaphylactic interval (PMI), or the

length of time the antibiotic is at effective levels in the bloodstream before another dose is required.

Because a number of different bacteria can be involved with BRD, it’s important to choose a broad spectrum antibiotic that reaches the lungs quickly.

In some instances, producers may use antibiotics with unknown sensitivity (or those not proven effective against certain bacteria) for metaphylaxis, and save the more effective drug for treatment because it’s typically more expensive. “But using a less effective class of antibiotics, in the beginning, can result in issues throughout the feeding period,” Dr. Gillespie warned.

“That could cost a lot more in the long run than the money that was initially saved.”

Measure success and determine return on investment - Finally, every targeted metaphylaxis plan should also include a way to evaluate the success of the program. “Larger producers will often analyze morbidity data (or the number of re-treatments needed), total death losses, and the case fatality rate,” said Dr. Gillespie. The case fatality rate is the total dead among treated animals divided by the total number of head treated, multiplied by 100.

“Operations that feed cattle to finish may also examine average daily gain and feed efficiency data,” he added.

This data can help determine the return on investment for targeted metaphylaxis, but it has other uses, too. “It’s important for producers and veterinarians to take what they learn from this data and apply it to the next group of incoming cattle,” stressed Dr. Gillespie. “Incremental improvements can ultimately help boost the success of targeted metaphylaxis.”

Reference 1 Fact Sheet #8.023: Bovine respiratory disease: preconditioning calves. Colorado State University Extension. 2016. Available at www. extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/

livestk/08023.pdf. Accessed February 5, 2020.

Synchronization Contributes to Higher Pregnancy Rates and Heavier Calves at Weaning. Increase pounds of calf weaned per exposed female in your beef herd. The most significant measurement of success in beef herds is pounds of calf weaned per exposed female,” said Richard Linhart, DVM, DACT, Boehringer Ingelheim. “Pounds weaned per exposed female takes all efficiencies within a cow/calf herd into consideration, including reproductive efficiencies, calf death loss, genetics, and nutrition.”

For example, a 700 pound average weaning weight may appear impressive, but if it’s associated with a 70 percent

Carolina Cooking Popcorn Steak Bites Total Preparation and Cooking Time - 45 minutes 1 pound beef cubed steaks, cut ½ inch thick 6 cups ridged potato chips (any flavor) ⅓ cup all purpose flour 1 teaspoon pepper 2 large eggs, slightly beaten Dipping Sauces: Ranch or Thousand Island dressing, mustard, ketchup, or barbecue sauce Cut beef steaks into 1x1 inch pieces; set aside.

Place chips in the bowl of a food processor. Cover; pulse on and off to form fine crumbs.

Cook’s Tip: To crush chips with rolling pin, place chips in a large, food safe, resealable plastic bag. Close the bag securely, leaving a one inch opening.

Finely crush chips in the bag with a rolling pin.

Combine the pepper and flour in a shallow bowl. Place the crushed chips and eggs into two additional shallow bowls.

Dip the steak pieces in flour, then into the egg, then into crushed chips, turning to coat all sides and pressing chips onto steak pieces.

Spray the rack of the broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place the beef bites on the rack in the broiler pan so the surface of the beef is six inches from the

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

heat. Broil 8-10 minutes or until 160°F. Serve immediately with dipping sauces, as desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Popcorn Steak Bites

calf crop, the pounds weaned per exposed female is only 490 pounds. In contrast, a producer who generates a 90 percent calf crop that only averages 600 pounds will actually produce more total pounds of calf available for sale at the time of weaning (540 pounds weaned per exposed female).1 So, how can producers work to increase the pounds weaned per exposed female in their herd? Whether you use natural service or artificial insemination on your operation, Dr. Linhart describes three ways in which a simple estrous synchronization program can help improve this important number: 1. Synchronization boosts pregnancy rates and encourages early calving. “It can take the profit of three to five calves to pay for maintaining a cow that’s not pregnant,” explained Dr. Linhart.

Implementing a synchronization program can mitigate the risk of culling open cows, as it boosts both estrus detection and pregnancy rates.2 It can also help increase the likelihood that cows continue to calve early and breed back on time down the road.

An early calving date is especially important for first calf heifers, as it influences cow longevity and productivity. “If a heifer calves late, it”s very difficult for her to advance that timing for the next calving season,” said Dr. Linhart. “Late calvers don’t have as much time for their reproductive tracts to recover and are less likely to be pregnant at pregnancy check, putting them at an increased risk of being culled.”

2. Earlier calving in the breeding season results in heavier calves at weaning time. Calving early enables producers to wean older, heavier animals.

“The number one thing that determines weaning weight is not breed or genetics,” emphasized Dr. Linhart. “It’s when that calf is born.” In fact, it’s estimated that a calf conceived the first day of breeding season will be worth $108 more than one conceived the last. 2 Calves born earlier in the calving season also tend to be healthier, as they’re less likely to be exposed to infectious agents that may accumulate later in the calving season.

3. Narrowing the calving window can create a more uniform calf crop.

Cattle bring the most money when they all look the same at the time they’re sold. For buyers, that means they can streamline how they feed and manage cattle without having to sort out the big ones from the little ones. Narrowing the calving window with synchronization means calves are more likely to be of similar ages and weights at the time of sale, and, therefore, be of higher value to buyers.

Dr. Linhart reminds producers that synchronization protocols do not have to be overly complicated. A simple synchronization program can consist of administering prostaglandin to females five days after the initial bull turnout.

With one trip through the chute and a very minimal investment, producers can get the bulk of their calves born within the first 20 days of calving season.

Synchronization not only contributes to a more uniform calf crop with heavier weaning weights but can also help consolidate labor and time needed to get cattle bred.

It’s also important to note that while synchronization can contribute to higher pregnancy rates and heavier calves at time of sale, there are several other herd management practices that lay the foundation for reproductive success, including proper nutrition, effective vaccination, and parasite control programs, and consistent breeding soundness exams. To increase pounds of calves weaned per exposed females in your herd, Dr. Linhart recommends consulting a local veterinarian and nutritionist.

References 1 R e i l i n g B . A . S t a n d a rd i z e d calculation and interpretation of basic cow herd performance measures.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, “NebGuide.” 2011. Available at www.extensionpublications.unl. edu/assets/html/g2094/build/g2094. htm#target6. Accessed February 25, 2020.

2 DeJarnette M. Estrus synchronization.

A reproductive management tool. Select Sires Bulletin.

About Boehringer Ingelheim.

Improving the health and quality of life of patients is the goal of the research driven pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The focus in doing so is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company, therefore, concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients’ lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention.

Boehringer Ingelheim is the second largest animal health business in the world. We are committed to creating animal well being through our large portfolio of advanced, preventive healthcare products and services. With net sales of $4.4 billion and around 10,000 employees worldwide, we are present in more than 150 markets. For more information, visit www.boehringeringelheim.com/animal-health/overview.

NEWS Future of Global Protein Webinar Series. The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) will be hosting a webinar series focused on the Future of Global Protein. The webinar series will be hosted weekly until May 28, except May 7. Each webinar will begin at 3:00 p.m.

By engaging in this webinar series, participants will gain an understanding of where the protein conversation is headed, how global population shifts affect protein requirements, what changes are occurring in protein production, and will leave with the tools to more effectively engage in protein conversations with influencers and fellow food and agriculture leaders.

Webinar attendees will be able to hear from and engage with experts who understand how people perceive protein and its production. The speakers for this webinar series are: • Sasha Gennet, The Nature Conservancy

• Raja Ramachandran, RIPE.IO • Don Close, Rabo AgriFinance To register and learn more about the speakers, visit www.animalagriculture. org/2020-V. If you are unable to tune in live, webinars also will be recorded for later viewing.

About NIAA. The National Institute for Animal Agriculture was established to derive solutions on the most current issues in animal agriculture. Its members include farmers and ranchers, veterinarians, scientists, government, and allied industry representatives. NIAA is dedicated to programs that work toward the eradication of diseases that pose a risk to the health of animals, wildlife, and humans. It also promotes a safe and wholesome food supply and best practices for animal health and well being as well as environmental stewardship.

More information is available at www. animalagriculture.org.

Sale

D E N O P T S O P

!

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International Brangus Breeders Association News 2020 World Brangus Congress POSTPONED. A message from the Argentine Brangus Association: The Brangus World Congress Argentina 2020 is postponed one year due to the Coronavirus crisis. With the relevant consultations having been carried out, and the recommendations of health authorities and prestigious infectologists evaluated, the Executive Committee of the Argentine Brangus Association has decided to suspend the activities of the 2020 World Congress.

It is our commitment, at such a critical time, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and thus, collaborate with the containment of this virus. Likewise, it is communicated that those people who

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have confirmed their participation will be contacted by the official agency to resolve in each case what the situation requires.

It is a situation of force majeure that requires the maximum responsibility of the organizers. That is why we make this difficult decision prioritizing the common good. “We hope that the exhibitors, breeders, and all the Brangus team that has been working for a long time will understand the complex situation,” said Martin Goldstein, president of the Organizing Committee of the Brangus World Congress.

Brangus Attends U.S. Livestock Genetics Export Meetings. In late February, Macee Prause, Director of Genomics for the IBBA, attended the U.S.

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Livestock Genetics Export Conference (USLGE) in Tennessee, hosted by the Tennessee Department of Ag. “The USLGE allows the IBBA to expand into the international markets along with providing learning opportunities for Brangus affiliate organizations,” Prause says. “In 2019, USLGE subsidized reverse trade missions for IBBA with eight individuals from Australia to attend the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and funded two IBBA international committee members to attend the Bolivia field day, hosted by the Bolivia Brangus Association. The largest event, held in 2019 was the Federation of International Brangus Associations (FIBRA) meeting in late December, which allowed multiple countries to gather together and discuss the organization. If you would like to participate in activities such as these and help grow the Brangus breed globally, please apply to be a member of the IBBA International Committee.”

Summit Conference cancelled. It is with great sadness we announce our 2020 Brangus Summit has been cancelled due to uncertainties with COVID-19. At this

time, there are no plans to reschedule for a later time in the year. Any member who had already registered will be refunded their registration fee. All hotel reservations at the Grand Hyatt will be cancelled by the IBBA. We’d like to encourage all members to get involved with the activities of the association via participation on a committee. Now more than ever, we need members to get involved and help push our beloved organization forward. If you have interest in a committee, contact ledwards@ gobrangus.com as soon as possible.

About the International Brangus Breeders Association. The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA), headquartered in San Antonio, Tex., strives to provide the commercial cattle industry, domestically and internationally, with the best genetics possible. Founded in 1949 as the American Brangus Breeders, the organization has since evolved into the IBBA. The IBBA’s purpose is to enable its members to produce quality beef for the commercial cattle industry and its consumers. For more information about IBBA, visit www. gobrangus.com.

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

A Note from Neogene. We wanted to take a moment and provide an update to our beef family as we are all currently navigating unprecedented territory. At Neogen, we are adapting daily or as needed as this situation continues to evolve, and we’re sure you are doing the same.

During this critical time, we would like to emphasize our commitment to you as a customer and offer assurance that we will continue striving to avoid any interruptions in services to the best of our ability.

Additional actions we have taken at our global facilities to best ensure the safety of our employees during this time are as follows: • Anyone who is not handling samples or considered essential to lab operations is working remotely until further notice.

• The distance between work stations has been extended within the facility for essential lab personnel.

• There is no overlap between lab shifts during this time, and the entire lab is sanitized and cleaned in between shifts.

For more information, visit www. nalf.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ Neogen-Genomics-Open.pdf.

A.I. Sire and Donor Dam Information Reminder. All A.I. Sires and donor dams born in 2015 or later are required to have a GGP-HD genomic profile on file in addition to parent verification for sires and sire verification for donor dams. Animals born before 2015 do not require the genomic profile but do require either parent or sire verification through SNP DNA typing. They must also be tested for any genetic condition (AM, NH, Proto, etc.) that they are a potential carrier for. A.I. sire permits are recommended on any new A.I. sire and can be added by contacting either alison@nalf. org or tammy@nalf.org at the NALF office.

Proof of Superior Feed Efficiency Utilizing Limousin and Lim-Flex Genetics. Limousin places 11 bulls in GrowSafe Systems® 2020 list of the Top 150 Proven bull list for Residual Feed Intake (RFI). WULFS XCELLSIOR also achieved number 1 ranking for RFI on the Top 150 Proven Bull List. NALF also listed seven bulls in the top 35 RFI ranking, and all 11 head were in the top 100! Additionally, many of the NALF bulls that are included in the top 150 list have the most progeny listed for increased accuracy of the data provided.

Congratulations to Wulf Cattle and the Limousin breeders for providing superior

genetics that add real dollars to the commercial cattle business’s bottom line!

With bull sale season approaching, it’s time to take a second look at Limousin and Lim-Flex genetics in your commercial cow herd. Contact NALF at 303-220-1693 or go to www.NALF.org to locate a breeder near you! *NEW UPDATE - NJLSC 2020 & Regional Shows. Plans for the Heartland Regional Show, Eastern Regional Show, Western Regional Show, and National Junior Limousin Show are continuing as planned. However, in light of COVID-19, we wanted to send an update. We are moving forward with planning our regional shows and junior nationals at this point in time. If conditions force us to change or cancel events, we will communicate that if the situation dictates as such.

Due to COVID-19, all events at MTSU have been cancelled through July 31, so the Eastern Regional Junior Limousin Show and Southeast Summer classic will be held at the Tennessee Tech Hyder-Burks Pavilion in Cookeville, Tenn., June 12-14, 2020. Please check the NALF website for current information.

For further information, contact Brian Wyatt at 423-240-5533.

We are continuing to plan for our summer family reunion in West Monroe, La., June 27-July 3. Check out the NALF website under the juniors tab for current information. The NALJA board is working hard on obtaining show sponsorships, so if you’re interested, contact Troy Gulotta,

Katie Campbell, or a NALJA board member. The summer show rules are posted under the NALJA News.

NJLSC Deadlines: • May 1 - Early Entry Deadline, Entry Fee $80 • May 15 - Late Entry Deadline, Entry Fee $125 • May 15 - Ownership Deadline All regional show deadlines will remain the same. You may enter into any regional show until check in of that specific show.

Those sales held after May 1 will be charged the $80 entry fee. If you purchase an animal in any sale between May 1 and May 15 and wish to enter it into NJLSC 2020, please fill out a paper entry form and mail it to the NALF office. With your entry form, please include a copy of your lot in the sale catalog. Animals sold in these sales must be entered by May 15.

We will accommodate for those animals sold in the Great American Pie Annual Sale. If you purchase an animal in this sale and wish to enter it into NJLSC 2020, please fill out a paper entry form and mail it to the NALF office. With your entry form, please include a copy of your lot in the sale catalog. The entry deadline for Great American Pie Sale animals is June 5. Entry fees will be $80.

If you have a sale date change, notify Katie Campbell at katie@nalf.org to be considered for the June 5 deadline.

Registration and entry forms can be faxed into the NALF office at 303220-1884. They can also be emailed to limousin@nalf.org. If you email the entry form and do not receive a “received” confirmation back, please contact the NALF office so we can ensure no entries get lost in spam.

The National Junior Limousin Show

& Congress will follow the guidelines set forth by the federal government, the state of Louisiana, and the city of West Monroe to combat the severity of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions and regulations continue to be fluid. Please enter with confidence and be assured that if NJLSC 2020 is cancelled due to COVID-19 that any and all entry fees will be reimbursed.

NALF staff and the regional show hosts are working together to follow all guidelines set by the federal government and the states of Iowa, Tennessee, and Oregon. If a regional show is to be cancelled due to COVID-19, all entry fees will be reimbursed.

About the North American Limousin Foundation. The North American Limousin Foundation, headquartered in Englewood, Colo., provides programs and services, including the documentation of more than 25,000 head of cattle annually, for approximately 4,000 members and their commercial customers. The Limousin breed and Lim-Flex® hybrid offer industry leading growth and efficiency, while being an ideal complement to British breeds.

For more information about NALF, please visit www.nalf.org.

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Making the Transition from Spring to Summer with your Show Livestock.

Throughout the country, hints of spring are everywhere. And while many spring shows have been cancelled or postponed through March and April, your show livestock projects are likely still a priority as you prepare for the potential of summer shows. Use this extra time of social distancing to work with your animals and practice your showmanship skills.

Since the jackpot season ended a little earlier this year for cattle, and uncertainty still looms for pigs, sheep, and goats of when they will get to start their jackpots, it is good to let your animals continue to grow and rest without pushing them too hard, especially with a late summer endpoint in mind.

“Depending on the timeline you’ve got, I’m always a big believer that livestock just need time to be livestock, especially with cattle and going through the winter jackpot season and the transition of putting them back in the barn later in spring,” said Blaine Rodgers,

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NEWS

Show Livestock Business Development for BioZyme Inc. “I think there’s a period of time they just need to be out and not be worked on every day. I always equate it to a kid needing a spring break when it comes time in school because they’ve been grinding a while, and they need some downtime to refocus and get ready to go again.”

Because many people push their livestock so hard for the early shows, Rodgers suggests they give them a time to cool down, from nutrition, exercise, and daily care standpoints. He points out this does look different for every species and for each exhibitor, depending on their final show, but it is best to bring an animal down from “12 o’clock” prior to its final show so it can peak at just the right time.

There is a fine line; however, when it comes to skin, hide, and hair care as you don’t want an animal to digress too much.

“Animals need a period to cool off nutritionally; make adjustments by lowering a combination of protein and energy levels as well as the overall feeding rate. This helps with their

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

structure and helps to freshen them up. It allows a period to ramp up and peak again at the endpoint you are looking for. Think about skin, hide, hair, so you are not losing ground. And with each species, this is going to look a little different,” he said.

For cattle, Rodgers suggests turning them out for 3-4 weeks and letting them get some exercise and fresh air during the nicer weather before they spend the next few months in a cooler every day. He said pen design can optimize their exercise and advises a long run with a water source at one end and feed and hay on the other end, which encourages movement.

This gives them a chance to move freely during the day.

Anyone who shows breeding heifers that they want to turn into spring calving cows will want to prepare those yearling heifers for breeding to keep them on track to calve the following spring. Make sure they are in proper body condition and getting the nutrients they need from a high quality vitamin and mineral program.

Because you don’t want to lose all the progress you’ve made with your cattle’s hair and skin, Rodgers recommends still providing some regular care during this break time. If your calves get lousy, mangy or just dry skin, they might rub, and recovery time for new hair growth gets exponentially longer, so use a pour on insecticide and be sure to get them in a few times a week to comb them or blow them out, to help them shed.

Rodgers said the transition break is a good time to make sure you have a parasite control program in place and that all animals are current on vaccinations.

He also suggests making sure all your show animals are getting the proper vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy and thrive during their last growth period before their final show and the goals you’ve been working toward.

While making a transition might seem like a challenge, there is one constant to keep your animals growing and performing, and that is maintaining their digestive health with a supplement like Sure Champ. Every. Day. Sure Champ is a line of daily top dress supplements designed to drive appetite and improve the digestive health of your animal. Sure Champ Cattle is fully fortified with vitamins and minerals and contains both Amaferm and MOS. MOS traps the bad bacteria, limiting their ability to do harm. Amaferm is a precision based prebiotic designed to enhance digestibility by amplifying nutrient supply for maximum performance. It is research proven to increase water and feed intake, and research shows that Amaferm decreases body temperature in

heat stressed animals.

And, when the spring temperatures begin to ramp up, you can switch all animals to Sure Champ Extreme with Climate Control, which also helps enhance the digestive health and promotes intake, but also includes ingredients designed to help support animals during extreme temperatures and support hoof and coat care. Extreme also contains garlic, a natural insect repellent.

“All livestock need a period of time in their life when they don’t look “12 o’clock” prior to when they peak and look their absolute best. However, with Sure Champ in their diets every day, their digestive health and performance will be at its peak, every day you feed it. And that should be every day they are in the barn,” Rodgers said.

As the seasons change, make sure your feeding program does too. With extra time at home this spring, it is a great time to work with your animals since you’re not taking them to as many shows. Making sure your animal is in good nutritional shape happens every day with a high quality supplement like Sure Champ.

How to Care for your Animals’ Feet.

Good stockmen (and women) know that to properly evaluate any animal, you need to start at the ground up. The fundamentals of livestock eval acknowledge if an animal – regardless of specie – isn’t sound on its feet and legs it is going to have further structural issues and, therefore, not be competitive in the show ring or have longevity within the herd.

Sound feet and legs are quite literally the foundation that all animals need to stand and move on. And, although the basis of good structure begins with genetics, once you have taken an animal out of its natural environment and put it into a show barn, keeping those feet healthy and sound becomes a management and nutrition challenge for the feeder and exhibitor.

Because most animals were born natural grazers, they were initially bred to roam freely, and that daily walking keeps their hooves worn down to a healthy length. However, now that humans have decided to show animals, and in doing so, give these animals the best care possible, the animals and their hooves need a little extra attention.

Bedding and Stalling Surfaces Depending on the specie that you are dealing with, you are most likely taking your animal out of its natural environment during the bulk of the day. For all species, if you pen them on dirt, you will want to keep a close eye on their hooves.

Foot length grows longer on soft ground like dirt than it does where animals can naturally wear their hooves down on a

harder surface. The lambs and goats may need their hooves trimmed more regularly because the dirt is soft, so their hooves won’t wear down. If you keep your pig on dirt, the dirt will absorb moisture like water and urine that might soak into the hooves causing them to get soft, so keep an eye on your pigs’ feet to make sure they are firm and healthy, as wet, soft ground causes feet to become soft, thus more sensitive on rougher surfaces.

If you are penning your animals on concrete, be sure to use good bedding like white pine shavings that absorb the moisture and are easy to “pick” and dispose of.

When tying in your cattle during the day, decide which bedding is best for you – shavings, mulch, sand, or straw. If you are using shavings or mulch, be sure there are no large pieces of wood that can be stuck between your calves’ toes and cause injury.

Exercising - When it is time to exercise your animals, make sure you have an area that is free of rocks and other debris that could cause harm to your animal. A rock could get caught between toes or in a crack that you might not have seen on your animal’s foot. Especially when you are just starting to drive your pigs, make sure the area you are in is free

of anything they might step into or get caught up in.

Hoof Trimming and Maintenance - Blaine Rodgers said that no matter the species, hoof trimming will need to be assessed on a case by case basis to determine corrective needs vs. maintenance needs. More than likely, smaller species like lambs and goats will need their hooves trimmed on a regular basis during show season, whereas a calf may need it one time or several, depending on its hoof shape, size, and integrity. Most pigs won’t need their feet trimmed; however, they will need to be monitored for cracking feet.

Corrective trimming will need to be done more frequently. A person can trim the hooves every 30-60 days to change the shape and the way the foot grows without having to be overly aggressive and create soreness. Maintenance trimming on a good footed animal may only need to be done once or twice in a lifespan to just keep them the right length.

It is better to leave the feet slightly longer than trimming them too small, according to Rodgers.

“The most important thing, especially when it comes to cattle, is to make sure you have someone educated in

feet trimming with good equipment to do it for you. You can really help an animal, or you can hurt one by doing it the wrong way,” Rodgers said.

Oftentimes, people will tend to over trim feet, getting the hoof too small. This challenge can impact them negatively from a structural standpoint by creating a smaller surface for them and breaking down the strength of their foundation.

Rodgers recommends trimming feet far enough out from a show to make sure they aren’t sore on show day.

Seasons and moisture also influence the condition of your animal’s hooves.

Oftentimes, they will get soft during the wetter times of the year or during winter when there is snow. They will harden during the hotter, dry days of summer. Finding hardening agents and conditioners labeled for meat animals is important, Rodgers said.

Nutrition - Perhaps the most important thing an exhibitor can do to care for their animal’s hooves is to provide them with a diet rich in recommended nutrients for foot growth and health. Animal hooves are primarily composed of special protein called keratin. Calcium is needed to activate the enzyme needed to make keratin

and to make the crosslinks between keratin fibers. Zinc is also essential for hoof growth and health, as it is the essential mineral in the formation of keratin. Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7 or Vitamin H (for hair and hoof), is responsible for the synthesis of keratin.

Sure Champ understands the importance of zinc and biotin in healthy hoof growth. That is why we have included both zinc and biotin in Sure Champ Extreme with Climate Control.

“When we formulated the Sure Champ products, our first thought was keeping the gut healthy and keeping the show animals on feed and water. But we know that keeping show animals structurally sound and on healthy foot is just as important to their success in the show ring. That’s why we’ve included zinc and biotin in Sure Champ Extreme,” Rodgers said.

Sure Champ Extreme is a supplement that contains Amaferm, a precision based prebiotic that impacts intake, feed digestibility and nutrient absorption for optimum digestive, health and performance. It also includes plant extracts to help maintain body

Continued on the next page

The Carolina Cattle Connection

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BioZyme News continued from the previous page temperature during extreme temperatures, and of course, zinc and biotin that not only aid in hoof health, but also skin and hair health.

Feeding Sure Champ Extreme every day is one sure way to keep your animals healthy, on feed and water, and looking their best from the ground up. EVERY. DAY. To find out more about Sure Champ and how to prep to win with the Amaferm advantage, visit www.surechamp.com.

A Cattlemen’s Guide to Grass Tetany. Spring has arrived, and soon cattle producers will be thinking about turning their cattle out on nice green pastures. Spring grazing is always an exciting time, but before you turn out those pairs to green grass, consider a hidden concern of grazing.

Grass tetany can be a challenge for producers during spring and early summer grazing when there is an excess of potassium in their forage. Fortunately, with proper management and care, grass

Any news from your county? Be sure to share your meetings, sales, field days, etc., with your fellow cattlemen through the Connection!

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tetany can be prevented, according to Kevin Glaubius, Director of Nutrition at BioZyme Inc. Understanding Grass Tetany and its Symptoms - Grass tetany is also called grass staggers because when cattle become susceptible, they start to stagger around and will go down on their side.

One of the first symptoms is general lack of coordination.

“Most producers think of tetany as a magnesium deficiency because feed companies use magnesium to prevent occurrence, but really it is excessive intake of potassium. Potassium and magnesium compete for the same absorption pathway,” Glaubius said.

“Think of the absorption pathway like a funnel where three potassium marbles are trying to get through the funnel the same time as one magnesium marble. Since the percentage of potassium marbles is greater, that nutrient is more likely to go down the funnel and get absorbed before the magnesium does.”

Tetany typically occurs in older animals rather than younger animals because of an inability to mobilize the magnesium from the bones. Mature cows will show signs long before a young calf.

Most of the time, tetany will happen when cattle are on lush forages. While transitioning from winter to spring, nutrients, including potassium, are being pumped up from the ground through the roots to support plant growth. When there are a few weeks of warm weather, those nutrients get pumped up to the plant that is above ground, actively growing.

But if a cold snap or cool weather sets in, growth pauses, but those nutrients continue to accumulate in the plant. With those warm weather/cold weather cycles, the potassium levels can potentially become twice the amount they normally are, leading to tetany challenges when you turn your cows out this spring.

Since tetany is a nutritional issue, it isn’t isolated to just the spring and summer when we turn cattle out to grass.

It can also happen while feeding hay. In that case, we have what might be referred to as “winter tetany” or “wheat pasture poisoning,” when cattle are fed harvested winter feeds that are high in potassium. In that case, you should have your forages tested.

Most of the country doesn’t have problems with tetany in the fall. However, it can be an issue, especially if producers fall fertilize. Tetany is a global issue and impacts all ruminants who have an improper potassium to magnesium ratio.

Preventing and Treating Tetany There is no perfect mineral for preventing

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

grass tetany; however, feeding a highmag mineral during the high risk periods, such as spring and fall when the growing season can easily be disrupted, will prevent the vast majority of issues. The first mineral that Glaubius recommends for cattle producers with high potassium forages is VitaFerm Concept•Aid Mag/S. Start increasing magnesium levels about two weeks before turning out to pasture so you can gauge how much the cow might eat when she is turned out on grass. Remove all other sources of salt, so that forces the cows to get salt from the mineral if the bitterness of higher magnesium restricts intake to less than the recommended amounts. Or, you might have to force feed the magnesium in a grain mixture if the cows won’t eat the free choice mineral.

When a high magnesium mineral doesn’t work, a second possible option for prevention is dilution.

“Why is it sometimes that highmag mineral fails? With any free choice mineral, especially with an ingredient like magnesium that is bitter, you might not be able to get a cow to eat enough mineral to fix the ratio. If the potassium is in excessive levels, lock them away from lush forages and offer them a bale of grass hay in a lot. Restrict their forage consumption to four to six hours per day in order to dilute intake of high potassium forage,” Glaubius said.

Remember to check your cattle regularly when they are first turned out to new, green grass. Grass tetany is treatable if it is detected early. Call your veterinarian at the first signs of any tetany. The vet will typically provide an intravenous solution of calcium, magnesium, and glucose to get the cow back on her feet. Timing is critical, though, as cows will likely die if not treated within 4-8 hours after onset.

The Cost of Prevention - Although grass tetany doesn’t happen in every part of the country or every year, if you are a cow/calf producer who has ever dealt with tetany or excess potassium, it is a good investment to plan ahead with a high-mag mineral program. In fact, two producers in the same county could have forages with different results in any given year.

“Potassium in large amounts is deadly, so tetany does have a big impact.

That is why magnesium for someone who has lost an animal in the past becomes like an insurance policy,” Glaubius said.

The VitaFerm Concept•Aid Mag/S compared to VitaFerm Concept•Aid 5/S is about two cents more per day to feed.

And, a producer will typically only feed increased amounts of magnesium for 60 days, so for $1.20 per cow annually – less than a large iced tea at McDonald’s – you can provide your cows with the added nutrition they need to help prevent grass tetany.

“If you save one cow from grass tetany every four years, it is a break even to feed it to a herd of 100 cows every year. Considering it costs roughly $1,200$1,500 to replace a cow, and her calf could bring anywhere from $700-$800 at weaning, that’s a pretty good investment in her health,” Glaubius said.

As with all health challenges, the key to preventing tetany is to provide the proper amounts of all nutrients. If you can keep your magnesium to potassium ratio in check, your cows should enjoy grazing green grass and keep healthy.

BioZyme offers several supplements in its VitaFerm product line that are enhanced with magnesium to help prevent the onset of tetany, including VitaFerm Concept•Aid Mag/S and VitaFerm Cow/Calf Mag Mineral.

Tips for Reproductive Tract Repair and Breeding Success. A brood cow is the heart of the herd. She lays down calves each year to ultimately propagate her outstanding genetics or help feed the world. And even though her role is considered important by all those around her, being a cow is not always a glamorous job.

Once a heifer is bred, endures gestation, and delivers her first calf, she has experienced perhaps the most stressful time in her life since weaning.

Now, she is lactating, raising her calf, still growing all while healing her reproductive tract. And, typically within 60 days of delivering that calf, she’s expected to be ready for rebreeding, which is why taking care of her reproductive health is of the utmost importance.

“The most important trait in beef production is reproduction. If cows are not breeding back and giving you a calf every year, you’re not going to be profitable. The reproductive tract is the epicenter of reproductive efficiency,” said Kevin Glaubius, Director of Nutrition, for BioZyme® Inc. The reproductive tract endures a lot of stress during the last days of gestation and calving. There are some factors you should consider to be sure your cows stay in good reproductive shape.

1. Mating Decisions - When selecting bulls to breed your females to, consider the size and age of the females. Are you breeding first calf

heifers or even rebreeding cows for their second calf? Remember, they are still growing and maturing themselves, and most two to three-year-old cows have a smaller reproductive tract and pelvis than mature cows. When making mating decisions, choose lower birthweight bulls with a more desirable calving ease.

Therefore, the younger cows should have smaller calves that won’t rip or tear the reproductive tract as much as a larger calf or one you have to assist. Most mature cows can lay down and have a larger calf unassisted.

Calves with higher birth weights will increase the chances of dystocia, taking her longer to bounce back.

2. Don’t Rush - Try to let your cows have their calves on their own and don’t rush into pulling a calf, for the sake of pulling a calf. Maybe you’ve just conducted your 11:00 p.m. check and notice there’s a cow in the early stages of labor. She’s an older cow that’s never had challenges calving before; however, it is late, and you’re tired. Don’t put her in and pull her calf, as that can cause unnecessary tears and rips, taking longer to heal. Let the cow take her time and go back to check on her in an hour or so.

3. Supply Adequate Nutrition - The one thing producers can offer their cows to maintain optimal reproductive health of the cows is providing good nutrition all year long.

“There are many external factors that are out of our control that can influence reproduction,” Glaubius said. “Weather is a big one. Genetics is another. Almost anything can influence reproduction, but nutrition is the one thing we can control, so why not set her up for the best chance possible with a good plane of nutrition?

You can do a lot from a year round nutrition standpoint.”

The first thing a producer should do is make sure the cows are in proper body condition; typically, a BCS of 5-6 prior to calving is ideal. Make sure your cows are not too fleshy. Cows that are overly conditioned can increase your incidences of dystocia, resulting in harder pulls, which makes cleaning up and recovery harder on the cow. On the extreme side, make sure your cows aren’t undernourished either.

“If your cow is too skinny, she will crash trying to have that calf. She must have adequate energy to meet her nutrient requirements and those of that growing calf,” Glaubius said.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your cows” reproductive health throughout the year is to make sure they are on a high quality mineral program like the Vitaferm Concept•Aid line of vitamin and mineral supplements for beef

cattle formulated to promote effective, easy breeding when fed 60 days precalving through 60 days post breeding.

High concentrations of vitamin E and organic trace minerals, combined with the Amaferm advantage, supports quick repair of the reproductive tract and more energy for reproductive success.

“Calving is a huge trauma to the reproductive tract, so the high fortification of the trace minerals and vitamin E for cell integrity and muscle repair all have a huge impact on the cow’s reproductive health,” Glaubius said. “Additionally, Amaferm has a successful history of helping producers initiate and maintain pregnancies through its unique mode of action.”

Amaferm is a precision based prebiotic designed to enhance digestibility by amplifying the nutrient supply within for maximum performance.

It is research proven to increase the energy available to the animal resulting in more milk production as well as to the ability to initiate and maintain pregnancy and fertility. In addition to Amaferm, and vitamin E, Concept•Aid contains organic copper, zinc, and manganese to ensure maximum bioavailability of nutrients to the animal. These minerals have a huge impact on the reproductive tract and hormone production. A final key ingredient is iodine, which aids in thyroid hormone synthesis, which also impacts reproduction.

When you expect the most from your cows, it’s imperative to provide them with the best care possible. A high quality mineral program coupled with best management practices, will ensure reproductive performance that delivers.

To learn more about the Concept•Aid mineral line and the Amaferm advantage, visit www.vitaferm.com.

About BioZyme ® Inc. BioZyme Inc., founded in 1951, develops and manufactures natural, proprietary products focused on animal nutrition, health, and microbiology. With a continued commitment to research, BioZyme offers a complete line of feed additives and high density, highly available vitamin, mineral, trace mineral, and protein supplements for a variety of animals, including cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, goats, horses, and dogs.

BioZyme brands include Amaferm®, AOBiotics®, VitaFerm®, Vita Charge®, Sure Champ ®, Vitalize ®, and DuraFerm ®.

Headquartered in St. Joseph, Missouri, BioZyme reaches a global market of customers throughout the U.S., Canada, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. For more information about BioZyme, visit www.biozymeinc. com.

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Alltech releases free, on demand series with global industry experts about the impact of COVID-19 on agriculture. As part of Alltech’s effort to provide valuable resources to colleagues, customers, and the global agricultural community confronting COVID-19, the company has created a special discussion series, Forging the Future of the Farm & Food Chain. Available online, this free, on demand series features experts from around the world as they share their insights into how the global pandemic is affecting the agriculture industry’s present and future.

“Crises illuminate character, and COVID has highlighted the heroic work undertaken by the global agriculture community to ensure a secure food supply in the midst of such uncertainty,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president, and CEO of Alltech. “We created this series as an expression of our support for this community. In addition to offering valuable information and insights in the context of this COVID challenge, we hope to deliver inspiration — we have an opportunity at this moment to, together, shape the future of the farm and food chain.”

The series consists of presentations from Lyons and three panel discussions with experts.

Forging the Future of the Farm & Food Chain, a special COVID-19 discussion series includes: • Cultivating Optimism & Opportunity: Leadership in Times of Crisis - In times of crisis, leadership becomes even more consequential. How can leaders bring certainty in a time of uncertainty?

How can they help their teams think

N.C. Weekly Auctions Report

Feeder Cattle - Medium and Large 1-2 (Week ending APRIL 10, 2020) Kind Avg. Wt. $/lb Steers 300-400 $124.00 - 161.00

400-500 $126.00 - 155.00

500-600 $120.00 - 147.00

600-700 $105.00 - 135.00

700-800 $100.00 - 110.00

800-900 $94.00 Heifers

300-400 400-500 500-600 600-700 700-800 800-900

$110.00 - 143.00 $101.00 - 138.00 $100.00 - 120.00 $ 80.00 - 111.00 $ 71.00 - 101.00 $ 80.00 - 81.00

Slaughter Cows: (over 850 lbs) Breakers (70-80% lean) $44.00 - 62.00 Boners (80-85% lean) $44.00 - 64.00 High Dressing (70-85% lean) $55.00 - 76.00 Source: N.C. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services - USDA Market News, Raleigh, N.C. • 919-707-3156

NEWS

proactively in order to discover opportunity and drive innovation?

Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, explores how a leader can shape a culture of resilience that empowers a team, even during times of turmoil.

• From the Frontlines of Food Production - The COVID-19 crisis has brought renewed attention to not only the critical importance of food production but also to the people on the frontlines who work tirelessly to ensure we have food on the table. This panel discussion takes a first hand look at the experiences of those working within the food/feed sector in the midst of COVID-19.

The panelists are global Alltech team members Matt Kwok of China, operations manager, Sayed Aman of India, managing director; Andrea Capitani of Italy, business manager; and Alex Galipienso of Spain, general manager. The panel is moderated by Michelle Michael, Alltech media producer.

• The Post-COVID Consumer: A Remaking of the Market? Consumer trends are constantly evolving, but postCOVID, will the market see another seismic shift? This panel discussion features an investigation into the lasting impact COVID-19 could have on consumers and the global economy.

Moderating the panel is Damien McLoughlin, professor of marketing at University College Dublin, with panelists David McWilliams, economist, and professor at Trinity College Dublin; Jessica Adelman, CEO at ESG Results and former executive at Kroger; and Jack Bobo, futurist and CEO at Futurity.

• Keep Calm & Carry On: The Essential Business of Agriculture - In this panel discussion, experts investigate how the current crisis is reshaping the agriculture sector. What permanent changes could COVID-19 create in how we source, produce, and deliver food to market? Will there be a new appetite for automation and supply chain provenance?

Mary Shelman, former director of Harvard Business School’s Agribusiness Program, moderates panelists John Young Simpson, president of Bluegrass Partners in Singapore; Ryan Quarles, Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture; Mike Osborne, former president and CEO of Nutra Blend; and Kayla Price, technical manager of Alltech Canada.

• Planet of Plenty in a Post-COVID World - In the midst of this COVID crisis, the global agriculture community has carried on its essential work — rising

with the sun no matter the circumstance.

We have provided the security of certainty at a time of great uncertainty and, in doing so, have reshaped the perception of our industry and perhaps even the way we view ourselves.

Dr. Mark Lyons, president, and CEO of Alltech, shares his thoughts on how we can create a world of abundance post-COVID. How will we harness this renewed trust?

Will the experiences of this time usher in a new approach to the ways in which we produce food, structure our supply chains, and connect with consumers?

To access the Forging the Future of the Farm & Food Chain series on demand, visit www.alltech.com/futurefarm. As Alltech has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, an online COVID-19 resource portal has been created for customers and industry partners.

This COVID-19 special series reflects the insightful, thought provoking content that will be available as part of the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience beginning on May 18. The virtual program will include live streamed keynote presentations and on demand video content from some of the world’s leading industry experts as they address the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture today.

About Alltech. Founded in 1980

by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture. Our products improve the health and performance of plants and animals, resulting in better nutrition for consumers and a decreased environmental impact.

We are a global leader in the animal health industry, producing additives, premix, self fed supplements, and feed.

Celebrating 40 years in 2020, we carry forward a legacy of innovation and a unique culture that views challenges through an entrepreneurial lens.

Our more than 5,000 talented team members worldwide share our vision for a Planet of Plenty™. We believe agriculture has the greatest potential to shape the future of our planet, but it will take all of us working together, led by science, technology, and a shared will to make a difference.

Alltech is a private, family owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to our customers’ needs and maintain focus on advanced innovation.

Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Ken., Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For more information, visit www.alltech.com.

USDA Abattoir and Processor

BEEF • PORK • LAMB • GOAT • OSTRICH Aged - Cut - Packaged to Your Specifications

347 Thomas Street • North Wilkesboro, NC Call or Email for an Appointment:

336-667-1346 • abprimecuts@gmail.com The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

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Simmental News Safeguard Your Ranch with the Right Bulls. Making the best breeding decisions in a high stakes business.

While many aspects of life have gotten complicated in recent weeks, time - and food production - march on. Cow/calf producers are making breeding decisions this spring while navigating the realities of distraught cattle markets.

To avoid costly mistakes, they need the best information possible. Producers like Missouri’s Chuck Miller rely on data from the American Simmental Association.

“The Association gives us so many tools in terms of evaluative abilities,” Miller says. “In doing that, we can utilize those efficiencies to make better cattle, and then also to transfer that to our customers and, really, to up their bottom line as much as possible.”

As registered seedstock producers, Chuck and his wife, Christi, raise

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SimAngus™ in the picturesque Ozark hills near Olean. Christi says bull purchases made now have lasting effects on their herd - and those of their customers - for years to come.

Data provides confidence and security for now and later.

“You can’t do things overnight.

We’ve got to make decisions that look down the road. Simmental helps us be progressive but also helps us to make those decisions that are sound,” Christi says. “We’re not fly-by-the-night, by-theseat-of-our-pants decision makers. We can make a decision that is looking a year or two calf seasons down the road.”

The Millers are equally as committed to their commercial customers’ bottom lines as they are to their own. By utilizing tools like Herdbook, they ensure the animals they keep in the herd are more productive and, ultimately, more profitable.

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

“We utilize Herdbook in terms of our data management and data collection.

We believe in building a strong database so that we make our data that goes out to our customers more meaningful,” Chuck adds. “In the SimAngus business, we can take advantage of heterosis and pass that advantage on to our customers.”

In northwestern Minnesota, Paul Rydeen tells a similar story. He says Simmental has been a game changer, allowing him to pair growth with maternal traits.

“We believe that the maternal traits that Simmental offers are probably as much value as any, and the gain that they have,” Rydeen says. “My customers sell at local sale barns by the pound, so they had to produce pounds of beef. That’s where I could show them that even starting with these half blood bulls, that’s attainable.”

Year-after-year he’s seen repeat customers return to buy bulls that are profitable. And, every year, they show up more educated than the last.

“Every year, when we sell bulls and females, we pull DNA off them, and we catalog that and give that to our customers,” he says.

Once calves are ready to sell, Rydeen and Miller point commercial cattlemen to the IGS Feeder Profit Calculator™, a tool

by International Genetic Solutions that helps to place a more accurate value on their calves and ensure they have the best opportunity when they go to market.

“The Feeder Profit Calculator allows us to put some tangible value on the animals themselves,” Miller says. “We have a general idea, typically most cattlemen do, as to the value of the animals. But this actually gives some specific information that we can use to market our animals.”

Ranchers wanting to learn more can visit www.simmental.org or contact the Association at 406-587-4531.

About the American Simmental Association. Founded in 1968, the American Simmental Association is headquartered in Bozeman, Montana. ASA is committed to leveraging technology, education, and collaboration to accelerate genetic profitability for the beef industry.

In keeping with its commitment, ASA, along with its partners, formed International Genetic Solutions - the world’s largest genetic evaluation of beef cattle. Learn more at www.simmental.org.

THE SIMMENTAL TRAIL

By JENNIE RUCKER Executive Secretary N.C. Simmental Association ASA Cancels Regionals. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 concerns of health and safety for all youth, parents, and staff, the American Simmental Association made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 AJSA Regionals. This year the Eastern Regional was going to be very close in Cookeville, Tenn., and I know that many North Carolina juniors are very disappointed to be unable to attend. The AJSA National Classic is still on schedule, and that will be held in Lincoln, Neb., on July 5-11. Let’s all hope that things are back to normal by that time. However, the ASA is monitoring the situation daily, and any changes will be announced.

Jim Graham Junior Simmental Scholarship. It’s time to be thinking about applying for the Jim Graham Junior Simmental Scholarship. This is a $500 scholarship that goes to the most deserving student that is planning to major in agriculture or an agricultural related field.

We have a committee that looks over the

to let it bring out the best in us. Let’s share with our neighbors in need, check on the elderly (from a safe social distance!) and do all that we can to keep this pandemic from causing the harmful casualties that are occurring in New York and so many places. It has been hard on me not to visit my mother in her assisted living facility.

scholarships and decides which applicant will receive the scholarship funds.

Qualifications are based on academic merit, financial need, leadership, and character. Preference is given, but is not required, to those students that have been involved in the Simmental breed. We would like for the recipient to be available to be presented with the award at our annual meeting in September. This year the Annual Meeting will be held on September 4. These applications can be found on our website at www.ncsimmental.com or by emailing the NCSA office at ncsa@ yadtel.net or calling at 336-468-1679. The applications are not due until July 15, but that date is coming up very soon!

Stay Safe and Stand Strong! These are very strange and upsetting times for all of us. Thankfully, farmers are finally being recognized for the important work that we do. These are times that can bring out the worst in us, but let’s try very hard

She turned 96 with nobody from the family able to share that day with her! But on the bright side, our family is safe and healthy so far; we have a freezer full of beef and a beautiful pasture to walk. So I am sharing the motto from the American Simmental Association: Stand Strong and adding my own: Stay Safe!

Be a winner!

Join your local cattlemen’s association AND your state cattlemen’s association!

SIMMENTAL . . . Because They Work!

Take it from this N.C.S.A. Breeder: Ralph Blalock, Jr. of Shade Tree Simmentals in Wilson, N.C. “Simmental do a great job of providing what the market demands.”

Ralph Blalock, Jr. Shade Tree Simmentals

~ Ralph Blalock, Jr. Shade Tree Simmentals

Contact these progressive SIMMENTAL breeders!

Cub Creek Farms Doug Peterson Wilkesboro, NC 336-667-4306

Ridgewood Simmentals Rusty & Cara Henson Boone, NC 828-265-3450

Fred Smith Company Ranch Fred Smith Clayton, NC 919-422-4092

Triple M Farms Tony Matthis Clinton, NC 910-592-7472 or 910-592-6702

Rucker Family Farm Phil & Jennie Rucker Hamptonville, NC 336-468-1675

Nicholson Livestock Clay & John Nicholson East Bend, NC 336-699-4780

Cedar Creek Ranch Bill & Marie Pyle Franklinton, NC 919-494-1145

Circle M Cattle/Massey Farms Johnny & Jonathan Massey Burlington, NC 336-260-2565

Waco Cattle Company Marvin Hutchison Waco, NC 704-435-4607

Shade Tree Simmentals Ralph Blalock, Jr. Wilson, NC 252-289-6007

TX Enterprises Charlie & Amy Thomas Winston-Salem, NC 336-575-5461

JBB Simmentals Jeff Broadaway Monroe, NC 704-221-0997

• EAST BEND • HAMPTONVILLE • WINSTON-SALEM • FRANKLINTON BURLINGTON • WILSON • CLAYTON • • BENSON • WACO • MONROE • CLINTON

• BOONE WILKESBORO •

Langdon Red Angus & Simmental John & Eileen Langdon Benson, NC 919-796-5010

N. C. Simmental Association • Jennie Rucker, Executive Secretary 1341 US Hwy 21 • Hamptonville, NC 27020 • 336-468-1679

√ Check out our webpage: www.ncsimmental.com • email: NCSA@yadtel.net

The Carolina Cattle Connection

American Simmental Association 1 Genetics Way Bozeman, MT 59715 406-587-4531 406-587-9301 FAX

q MAY 2020

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New NCCA Members for 2020

In 2007, members of the Membership Committee passed a resolution to recognize all NEW members of the NCCA in The Carolina Cattle Connection at the NCCA Annual Conference in Hickory. A new member is defined as someone who has never been a member or someone who has rejoined after a brief break in membership. The new members are identified in this new members section by name and county of residence.

Below is a list of NCCA’s new members for the last month:

Ashe County Daniel Calhoun – Fraser Ridge Cattle Farm

Franklin County Ricky Johnson – TBH Farm

Perquimans County Katelyn Collins

Burke County Johnathan Chapman Mark Covington – DSFA Farms John Fisher – Fisher Farms Robert M. Sisk – Sisk Family Farm Madalyn Smith Sam Stephens – Stephens Livestock

Granville County Hailee Bissett

Pitt County Carl Johnson – Cryptic Diamond Eagle Farm & Ranch

Out-of-State Jason R. Irby – JCI Cattle – Virginia Stephen McDonald – S McDonald Trucking L/S Hauler – South Carolina

Davidson County Josiah Scarlett

Alamance County Logan Dean Tanner Wilson – Wilson Farm Anson County Lynlee Martin

Caldwell County John Demboski

Davie County John M. Sterchi Duplin County Jerry Futrell Edgecombe County Caden Robinette Jolyna Sundbom

Harnett County Stephen Broadwell – Ranch Solutions Haywood County Abigail Wood – Wood Family Farms Iredell County Dwight Clontz Dr. James M. Rhyne Johnston County Daisy Brown Schyler Crocker Amanda Strickland Riley Wood Andy Worley – Worley Cattle Company

Randolph County James Powell – Jackson Creek Farms Cecil M. Williams – Williams Cattle Ranch Robeson County Kenneth Campbell – Camfam Farms Rockingham County David Stewart – Stewart Farms Rowan County Josie Correll Rutherford County Clint Harrill – Hilltop Farms

Lincoln County Elizabeth Baxter – Circle B Farms

Sampson County Shane Kendall

McDowell County Molly Anderson

Surry County Kylee Seats – Clabber Mountain Farm

Montgomery County Jacquelyn Price – Vonfield Farm LLC

Wayne County Jacob Hinson Graham Price – Price Cattle Farm

Pasquotank County Emily Weidrick Pender County Sierra Dolengo Joseph Adam Lanier – Big Branch Farms

Wilkes County Trent Barker – Moonshine Valley Angus Frankie Carter – Carter Farms Wilson County Mallory Lancaster

I got a great buy in the Classifieds in The Carolina Cattle Connection!

Check out the expert A.I, superior genetics, fine purebreds and terrific farm supplies offered!

PAGE 66

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 67

NEWS

Animal Agriculture Alliance promotes Casey Kinler to director of membership and marketing. Kinler to assume new role May 1. The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced recently that Casey Kinler has been promoted to director of membership and marketing and will assume this new role on May 1. In her new position, Kinler will lead membership recruitment, member retention, and industry engagement strategy and execution for the Alliance, which is a nonprofit with the mission of bridging the communication gap between farm and fork.

Kinler first came to the Alliance in February 2015 as a communications intern and joined the team full time in May of that year. In her previous role as communications manager, she connected influencers with factual information about modern food production through traditional and social media. Kinler led projects and initiatives such as College Aggies Online, the Alliance’s scholarship competition aimed at teaching students to be confident communicators on their campus, and the organization’s social media engagement strategy. Under her leadership, the CAO program has grown to include students representing 95 colleges and 35 states, earning more than seven million impressions on social media in last year’s competition alone.

Kinler has also grown the Alliance’s social media audience by 233 percent.

Kinler also manages the Alliance website and member Resource Center, including overseeing a complete revamp in fall 2019 that has made the website both more visually appealing and easier for members to navigate. She has also been deeply involved in the Alliance’s issues management work including producing the annual Sustainability Impact Report, which was recognized with a National Agri-Marketing Association Region V Best of NAMA Award in the public relations campaign element for consumers category and was named Best of Show in the chapter for the consumer division.

“Casey has been an incredible asset to the Alliance team over the past five years,” said Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president, and CEO. “She has brought so much creativity and passion to every project she’s touched. I know she is going to take our membership and marketing efforts to new heights, and having her in this role will allow the Alliance to continue to effectively serve our current members and grow as an organization.”

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Kinler holds a B.S. in agricultural communication from Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., and an M.A. in strategic communication from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

2020 Animal Ag Alliance Stakeholders Summit set for May 7-8 goes virtual. Registration now open for Virtual Summit. The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced recently that its 2020 Stakeholders Summit is going virtual in response to ongoing public health concerns around hosting large events.

The Virtual Summit, still being held May 7-8, will include the same exciting speaker lineup that was planned for the in-person event, with sessions covering sustainability, animal welfare, influencer engagement, preparing for animal rights activist campaigns, and other hot topics.

“The Alliance team has been closely monitoring the effect of COVID-19 on travel and events and considering what impact this could have on the 2020 Summit,” said Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president, and CEO. “Our number one priority is to ensure the health and safety of our members and attendees. With that in mind, we have decided to move the 2020 Summit to a virtual only event. This will allow the Alliance to share the excellent content we hoped to cover at Summit while respecting new regulations and public health guidelines for holding events. We are excited for the opportunity to deliver the high quality, thought provoking speakers, and sessions that our Summit is known for in a new virtual format!”

The Alliance’s annual Summit brings together thought leaders in the agriculture and food industries to discuss hot button issues and out of the box ideas to connect everyone along the food chain, engage influencers, and protect the future of animal agriculture. Attendees will leave the 2020 Virtual Summit, themed Primed & Prepared, with the tools they need to take action and be part of any and all conversations that could impact the future of animal agriculture and their business.

“The Summit, now in its 19th year, is an integral part of the Alliance’s work to bridge the communication gap between farm and fork,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Alliance vice president of communications. “The event is our opportunity to bring together every link along the food chain to learn about the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow and how we can all be primed and prepared to shape the future

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Trends in activism and farm security on the agenda for Virtual Summit. Experts to provide security advice for farms, plants, restaurants, retailers, and other ag businesses.

Understanding and preparing for activist activity are important components of securing the future of animal agriculture.

Virtual Summit attendees will hear the latest trends in how activist organizations are targeting farms, plants, events, and restaurant/retail/foodservice brands from Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president and CEO, in a keynote address. Kay Johnson Smith joined the Alliance as the executive director in 1994 and was named president and CEO in 2011. Smith is a leading advisor to the agriculture and food industry on farm animal welfare issues, serves as a national spokesperson, and has provided hundreds

of animal agriculture. We’re embracing the challenge of translating the value of Summit into a virtual platform and appreciate the support of our speakers, attendees, sponsors, and members as we navigate the shift.”

Registration is now open at www.

Summit.AnimalAgAlliance.org for Virtual Summit attendees who were not already registered for the in-person Summit. Virtual Summit registration will give attendees exclusive access to 13 hours of live, dynamic content spread out among a series of pre-conference webinars, and the two day virtual event. Recordings from each session will also be available to confirm virtual attendees only through the end of 2020. The Alliance team is working to ensure attendees enjoy digital networking opportunities that are more valuable than ever in today’s challenging environment.

N.C. Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices for the Month of MARCH 2020 Cattle Receipts: 17,798

•

Previous Month: 14,619

Feeder supply - 34% steers • 42% heifers • 24% bulls SLAUGHTER CLASSES

Avg. Wt. Price

Cows - % Lean

Breaker 1,438 $65.27

Boner 1,188 $64.51

Lean 988 $54.96

Bulls - Yield Grade 1-2

1,595

$87.51

FEEDER CLASSES

FEEDER STEERS (Medium and Large 1-2) Wt. Range Avg. Wt. CWT Avg. Price 400-450 424 $145.97 $618.91 450-500 473 $146.22 $691.62 500-550 531 $142.36 $755.93 550-600 572 $137.05 $783.93 600-650 621 $130.35 $809.47 650-700 670 $126.47 $847.35

FEEDER BULLS (Medium and Large 1-2) Wt. Range Avg. Wt. CWT Avg. Price 400-450 421 $153.31 $645.44 450-500 472 $142.60 $673.07 500-550 522 $134.17 $700.37 550-600 571 $129.56 $739.79 600-650 619 $119.52 $739.83 650-700 669 $114.40 $765.34

FEEDER HEIFERS (Medium and Large 1-2) Wt. Range Avg. Wt. CWT Avg. Price 400-450 422 $128.13 $540.71 450-500 470 $124.14 $583.46 500-550 523 $116.31 $608.30 550-600 561 $118.86 $666.80 600-650 623 $103.75 $646.36 650-700 660 $107.43 $709.04

Source: N.C. Dept. of Agriculture - USDA Market News Service, Raleigh, N.C. - 919-707-3156

of presentations and media interviews on animal rights activism, farm security, and animal welfare throughout her career.

Following Smith’s presentation, attendees will hear from four seasoned farm security experts on how to protect their businesses. Each panelist will offer advice from their unique perspectives as legal, law enforcement, and security experts. How to respond to current and emerging activist tactics including protests, trespassing on farms, and “undercover” activists will be covered in the conversation. Panelists include: • Jim Naugle, assistant sheriff with the Sonoma County (Calif.) Sheriff’s Office - Naugle has worked in law enforcement for more than two decades.

In his current position, Naugle oversees the Law Enforcement Division of the Sheriff’s Office. Naugle has played an integral role in managing several large scale protests on Sonoma County farms held by animal rights activist organizations in recent years.

• Jim Rovers, senior vice president of operations for AFIMAC - Rovers is a security expert who has worked throughout the U.S. and Canada for more than 25 years. His specialties include intelligence and protection surrounding animal rights activists, protests and demonstrations, threat risk assessments, investigations, protection, secure transportation, and cargo theft.

• John Sancenito, president of Information Network Associates (INA), an international investigative and corporate consulting firm - Sancenito’s professional experience includes more than 12 years as a sworn law enforcement officer and 18 years as a private investigator and security consultant. He is an internationally recognized speaker on topics including domestic terrorism, animal rights extremism, insider threat prevention, and workplace violence.

• Brianna Schroeder, attorney with Janzen Agricultural Law - Schroeder focuses her legal practice working for farmers and agribusinesses. Schroeder has litigated complex environmental and agricultural matters, including insurance coverage, regulatory compliance, tort claims, zoning appeals, and employment claims. She is licensed in Indiana and Illinois and has represented a wide variety of clients from start up companies and livestock farmers to large agricultural businesses, trade groups, and municipalities.

“It’s an unfortunate reality that all businesses and organizations involved in food production need to prepare for activist threats,” said Hannah ThompsonWeeman, Alliance vice president of communications. “The Alliance’s 30 plus year history in monitoring these issues

makes us uniquely well positioned to bring together the right lineup of experts to give our Virtual Summit attendees the knowledge and tools they need to implement necessary security measures.”

Virtual Summit speakers to cover keeping science in the animal welfare conversation. Animal welfare is a topic of critical interest throughout the food chain.

In response to questions from curious consumers and pressure campaigns from activist groups, many restaurant, retail, and foodservice brands are considering what role they play in the animal welfare dialog and adopting related policies for their supply chains. In a pre-conference webinar available only to registered Virtual Summit attendees, expert panelists will discuss ways that the animal agriculture industry can help food companies ensure the science of animal welfare isn’t lost in navigating conversations where emotions play a larger and larger role. Panel participants include: • Tim Kurt, DVM, Ph.D., scientific program director at the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research • Candace Croney, Ph.D., director, Center for Animal Welfare Science, Purdue University • Karen Christensen, Ph.D., senior director, animal welfare, Tyson Foods Dr. Croney will also speak during the Virtual Summit itself, giving a keynote address titled, “Can You Hear Me Now? How Agriculture Can Communicate on Animal Welfare.” She will offer attendees insights into the latest developments in animal welfare and how to effectively engage in meaningful conversations with consumers and influencers.

“Animal welfare has been at the core of the Alliance’s work since we were formed back in 1987,” said Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president, and CEO. “No Summit would be complete without a discussion of the latest trends in animal welfare and how everyone in the food chain can collaborate to address this important topic. We’re excited to offer this lineup of true experts in the area that attendees can tune in to hear from during the Virtual Summit without even leaving their homes or offices.”

Virtual Summit speakers to discuss “Building a Culture of Care.” Advice will be offered on ensuring that animal care is a core value in your company culture. It’s important for farms, plants, and other businesses to ensure that animal care is a core value and component of their company’s culture. This is key when it comes to hiring, training, and managing employees, as we count on them to care for our livestock and immediately stop and report any instances of inappropriate handling. In this pre-conference webinar

sponsored by Elanco Animal Health, expert panelists with diverse backgrounds will discuss how farms and companies can build a culture of care throughout their business. Panelists include: • Michelle Calvo-Lorenzo, Ph.D., chief animal welfare officer, Elanco Animal Health (panel moderator) - In her role, Dr. Calvo-Lorenzo leads discussions and develops strategies related to animal welfare, with a focus on the areas of research, communication, guidance, and innovative services to the livestock industry, practicing veterinarians, the public, and Elanco’s customers and employees.

• Robert Hagevoort, Ph.D., extension dairy specialist and associate professor, New Mexico State University - Dr. Hagevoort works individually with dairies and collectively with producer associations on implementing and evaluating comprehensive workforce training programs in dairy safety, animal handling, parlor performance, calf care, feeder performance, and hospital and maternity care.

• Max Irsik, manager, animal agriculture, KCoe Isom - Having operated his family’s farm and cattle operations, Irsik brings first hand knowledge of the daily issues which farm and ranch operations face. In his role, he uses his specialization in livestock as well as row crop operations to help clients successfully optimize, expand, and transition their agribusinesses.

• Josh Linde, pig farmer and general manager, Heartland Region, The Maschhoffs - Linde has a passion for raising pigs that goes back to when he was growing up on the family farm.

Linde joined The Maschhoffs in 2009 and, in 2017, was promoted to general manager of the Heartland Region, which finishes approximately 1.6 million market hogs annually.

“Instilling a culture of care at every level of your business is absolutely critical,” said Kay Johnson Smith.

“Ensuring high standards of animal care is non-negotiable, and employees that are entrusted to handle livestock and poultry need to share that belief. The insights shared by this panel will be extremely valuable to all leaders in animal agriculture, from farm owners to meat, poultry, and dairy company executives.”

Be sure to check the Virtual Summit website for the most up to date Virtual Summit information and the full agenda. You can also follow the hashtags #AAA20 and #PrimedAndPrepared for periodic updates about the event. For general questions about the Summit, please contact summit@ animalagalliance.org or call 703-562-5160.

Thank you to our 2020 Summit sponsors: Watt Global Media, Farm Journal, Meatingplace, National Pork

Producers Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Smithfield, National Pork Board, American Feed Industry Association, United Soybean Board, The National Provisioner, Elanco, Country Folks, Dairy MAX, Farm Credit, National Biodiesel Board, United Egg Producers, Cobb Vantress, Inc., Protect the Harvest, Progressive Dairyman, Agri Beef, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Veal Association, Empirical, Kemin, National Chicken Council, Trans Ova Genetics, Vivayic, Live Oak Bank, Mountaire Farms, North Carolina Farm Bureau, Brakke Consulting, Food Industry Environmental Network, and Eggland’s Best.

The Alliance also thanks the following members for their continued support of Summit and other Alliance programs: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Zoetis, Alltech, Inc., Cattle Empire, LLC, Charleston|Orwig, Diamond V, Genus PLC - PIC/ABS, Hy-Line North America LLC, Iowa Soybean Association, Merck Animal Health, National Turkey Federation, Nutrien, Aviagen Group, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cargill, Dairy Farmers of America, Hendrix Genetics, Provimi North America, Inc., and Seaboard Foods.

About the Animal Agriculture Alliance. The Animal Agriculture Alliance is an industry united, nonprofit organization that helps bridge the communication gap between farm and fork. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation.

Y’all have stumbled on the best place to advertise expert A.I., superior genetics, the best in purebreds and outstanding farm supplies.

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The Carolina Cattle Connection

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TRADE SHOW EXHIBITORS

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TRADE SHOW EXHIBITORS

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

TRADE SHOW EXHIBITORS

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

NEWS

Natural Biosecurity Solutions AgFlu, ABSORB PLUS from Brookside Agra Can Help Reduce Threat of Deadly Viruses to Animals, Humans.

AgFlu contains patented antiviral composition research proven to suppress deadly coronavirus. COVID-19 has taken center stage in the news with the recent pandemic, deaths, and quarantine of millions of people throughout the world. Experts say the disease, which is potentially fatal in humans, may have emerged from a variety of animal hosts and contaminated animal environments.

The highly contagious family of coronaviruses is mainly transmitted by large respiratory droplets and direct or indirect contact with infected secretions from humans and animals such as blood, feces, and urine.

According to experts, an effective way to reduce the spread of deadly viruses where poultry and livestock frequent is through increased hygiene and the use of natural biosecurity solutions, like ABSORB PLUS and AgFlu distributed

by Brookside Agra in partnership with a European manufacturer.

“It’s during times like these that poultry and livestock producers should monitor their biosecurity strategies and make necessary updates immediately,” said Tim Nelson, Vice President of Animal Health & Nutrition Sales at Brookside Agra. “AgFlu and ABSORB PLUS from Brookside Agra are tools that producers can easily use to improve the environments that their animals and workers frequent, plus AgFlu can help reduce the spread of the deadly coronavirus.”

AgFlu - AgFlu offers unique, highly effecti2ve protection against the spread of contagious animal diseases, like coronavirus, which can be acquired from contaminated poultry hatcheries, livestock buildings,

feed and farm equipment, slaughterhouses, processing plants, and others.

AgFlu is proven by independent laboratory results (approval pending for use to suppress coronavirus in the United States) to kill more than 99.999 percent of bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, spores, and viruses. AgFlu also contains a patented antiviral composition giving it superior performance against influenza type viruses (swine, avian, and human), SARS, coronavirus, and the common cold.

AgFlu leaves no environmental residues and is non-corrosive and nontoxic. It is suitable in all disinfecting systems (including aerial, spraying, foaming, and fogging) and is safe to use in the presence of humans and farm animals. Rinsing is not required with AgFlu, giving it a strong residual activity of up to 72 hours after administration.

AgFlu’s multi-component formulation means it is not susceptible to deterioration in activity due to pathogen mutation, and it is highly effective in breaking down biofilm encountered on surfaces.

ABSORB PLUS - All natural drying agent ABSORB PLUS helps to dry out wet areas and improve air quality for animals and the people who work with them. Wet environments can harbor and propagate already existing disease vectors.

ABSORB PLUS absorbs ammonia and moisture to promote healthy environments and can be easily sprayed or blown on any surface, including the animals. ABSORB PLUS contains all natural, antibiotic free ingredients that won’t harm humans, animals, or the environment. All of ABSORB PLUS’s separate components are on the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and FDA approved lists.

ABSORB PLUS should be applied weekly to refresh the thin coating,

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suppress moisture, and eliminate odors.

ABSORB PLUS is ideal for: • Swine and poultry housing • Calf units • Dairy loafing houses • Livestock trucks and trailers • Whole grain storage bins • Livestock exhibition areas • Animal bedding • Dog kennels • Horse stables For more information about AgFlu and ABSORB PLUS, contact your Brookside Agra sales representative or Contact Us through our online form at

www.brookside-agra.com.

About Brookside Agra. Brookside Agra is a global fifth generation, family owned business based in O’Fallon, Ill., that manufactures and distributes a variety of research proven, all natural products for specialty feeds; animal health and production; agriculture and the environment; and commercial, industrial and household use. For more information about Brookside Agra and its all natural products, visit www.brooksideagra.com or contact Chad Vaninger, General Manager, at 618-628-8300 Ext. 23 or chadv@brookside-agra.com.

Beef Improvement Federation

NEWS

BIF Online Symposium Program Announced. This year’s BIF Research Symposium and Convention moves to a virtual event scheduled for the week of June 8.

It was announced on April 2 the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) board of directors, along with the Florida 2020 BIF Research Symposium and Convention committee, made the decision to transition this year’s conference to an online format due to COVID-19.

BIF leadership is in the process of planning an updated symposium online.

“Our BIF program committee working with the Florida group has honed the original schedule to work in the new online format,” says Joe Mushrush, BIF vice president and program chairman.

“Our goal is to provide learning opportunities that will help producers continue to improve their bottom line focused on beef improvement. As our President Tommy Clark said last week, ‘Our mission as an organization is intact during this challenging time, and we will continue to provide educational programming focused on how the beef industry can enhance value through genetic improvement.’”

The virtual event will be hosted online the week of June 8, starting at 1:00 p.m. each day. The conference will be hosted on the Zoom webinar platform.

By mid-May, participants will be able to register for the event, find a detailed schedule, and Zoom tutorials on the BIF website at www. BeefImprovement.org.

The 2020 BIF award winners, including Seedstock and Commercial Producers of the Year, Pioneer, and Continuing Service Award winners, will be recognized during the online symposium.

The BIF Board sends well wishes to our beef industry family during this global pandemic. While final details surrounding this transition are still taking shape, we are committed to providing an easily accessible, robust online conference experience that eliminates the health concerns that come with travel and face to face meetings at this time. We also wish to thank the Florida committee for their help planning this year’s event and look forward to having the symposium in Florida in future years.

For details regarding the online conference as they develop, visit www. beefimprovement.org. Prior to and during this year’s symposium, be sure to follow the event on social media channels using the hashtag #BIF2020.

Individuals who had already registered for the in-person event will be refunded their registration in the next couple of weeks. For those who booked flights, please contact your airline to check their refund policy for cancellations due to COVID-19.

About Beef Improvement Federation. BIF is an organization dedicated to coordinating all segments of the beef industry — from researchers and producers to retailers — in an effort to improve the efficiency, profitability, and sustainability of beef production.

The organization was initiated almost 70 years ago to encourage the use of objective measurements to evaluate beef cattle. Continuing the tradition, BIF is now the clearinghouse for developing standardized programs and methodologies for the recording of performance data for all traits, from birth weights to carcass traits. Its three leaf clover logo symbolizes the link between industry, extension, and research.

The Carolina Cattle Connection

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Cattlemen’s Beef Board

UPDATE

By JARED BRACKETT, Chairman The Beef Checkoff’s Support for Beef Demand Continues. As I watch television news reports from my ranch and listen to radio broadcasts in my truck while checking on cattle, I see the impact that COVID-19 is having on our economy, including the stock market and cattle markets. And, as a beef producer, I know firsthand how frustrating this situation is for cattlemen and women across the country.

Certainly, none of us could’ve anticipated the circumstances we’re currently facing on top of other issues that have impacted the entire beef industry over the past few years.

While I’m a beef producer first and foremost, I’m also the 2020 chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB). Our 99 member board – consisting primarily of domestic beef, veal, and dairy producers – oversees the collection and spending of Beef Checkoff dollars. Our goal is to promote beef and increase demand, and in these uncertain times, I want to assure you that the

Beef Checkoff and its contractors continue to work toward that very important goal.

We know that we must quickly reassess our 2020 plans in all checkoff program areas – promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information, and producer communications. Our contractors are pivoting as we speak, changing their strategies and tactics to better address the current and future effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past few days, we contacted them to ask for updates in light of the rapidly evolving world situation. As anticipated, our contractors and subcontractors are responding accordingly to ensure beef demand remains stronger than ever.

Most are emphasizing strategies and tactics intended to encourage beef consumption at home rather than in restaurants as more areas mandate social distancing and quarantining. They’re

providing influencers, supply chain partners, and the media with recipes, videos, and other educational materials to support these efforts. Contractors and subcontractors are turning more to social media, digital marketing, updated website content, newsletters, emails, and other online tools to continue delivering positive messages about beef to their intended audiences. Many are transitioning scheduled in-person conferences and expos to virtual events or rescheduling them for later this year. More detailed information on specific contractors, programs, events, and initiatives is available from our new “COVID-19 Response” page at www.

DrivingDemandForBeef.com.

The COVID-19 situation is extremely fluid, and none of us can know what next month, next week or even tomorrow may bring. That’s why Beef Checkoff contractors will continue adjusting their plans over the next few weeks and months.

As chairman of the CBB, I will work with our team to continue providing regular updates at www.DrivingDemandforBeef. com. Knowledge is power, and it’s our job to make sure you are aware of how your checkoff dollars are being spent to help the beef industry adapt to this changing world.

We are all in this together, and we will rise to meet this new challenge.

Please know that the Beef Checkoff and its contractors will be working diligently on your behalf to keep driving beef demand so that you can focus on what you do best: producing high quality beef for consumers worldwide. My thoughts are with all of you, and my hope is that someday soon, we’ll be able to look back and see how our combined efforts made a positive difference during this difficult time.

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

CHUCK

SHANK

CHUCK

BRISKET

RIB

PLATE

RIB

LOIN

SIRLOIN

ROUND SHANK

FLANK

LOIN

SIRLOIN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

ROUND

INGEDIENT CUTS

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

LEAN

BRISKET LEAN

LEAN

PLATE & FLANK LEAN

LEAN

KEY TO RECOMMENDED COOKING METHODS GRILL or BROIL PAN BROIL/ SKILLET

BRAISE/ POT ROAST

LEAN

These cuts meet the government guidelines for lean, based on cooked servings, visible fat trimmed

ROAST

STIR-FRY

INDIRECT GRILLING

SKILLET TO OVEN

* MARINATE BEFORE COOKING FOR BEST RESULTS

A cut of cooked fresh meat is considered ‘lean’ when it contains less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, andless tahn 95 mg of cholesterol per 100 grams(3½ oz) and per RACC (Reference Amount Customarily Consumed), which is 85 grams (3 oz.)

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

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A Message from the CEO

By COLIN WOODALL

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Times of Crisis There are countless unknowns about the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic that is upending lives around the globe.

We don’t know where we go from here or how the virus will eventually reshape our lives and our industry. But we do know the virus and the disruptions that have rippled across every corner of the world have already taken a massive economic toll on our industry, and people need help.

We’re working right now to provide that relief, and we’re optimistic that NCBA is going to be successful in working with

PAGE 78

members of Congress to ensure USDA has funds available to assist producers who have suffered economic losses.

At press time, we’re still working on the details, but the NCBA team in Washington, D.C., at the direction of the volunteer cattlemen and women who lead the association, are helping to secure relief for those who have been hurt by falling prices. Nearly every industry in America has been hit by the impacts of coronavirus, and most, including cattle producers, need immediate relief. NCBA

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

will continue to work with members of Congress and the Trump Administration until the crisis has passed.

In times of crisis, it’s easy to turn on one another and demand solutions that seem simple and straightforward.

In reality, during a crisis, there are few easy answers, and solutions that seemed simple can have lasting negative effects. The entire beef supply chain must work together to get through this crisis. Pitting one sector against another or leveraging the crisis for gain are examples of unacceptable behavior, and they should not be tolerated by anyone in this business. Yes, we have honest disagreements and fundamental differences of opinion, but now is not the time to fight them out. We must set aside old debates and protect the entire industry if we’re going to get through the next several weeks or months.

As beef producers, we know that tough times don’t last, but tough people will. We will persevere, and we will emerge from this crisis stronger than before. We’ll also use the lessons learned from coronavirus to prepare for the next

supply chain shocks that we’ll face.

Regardless of what issue we may face, the lessons we learn today can be used to shape our response and to make the beef business better in the future. That’s one of the many things we’re working on for our members and this great business. We’ll continue to be here as we work through it together.

Thank you for your hard work and your commitment to this nation in this time of crisis. We share those same values, and we’re focused on protecting your future each and every day.

NOTICE

Letters to the editor are welcome and we appreciate your input.

HOWEVER, letters that are not signed will not be considered for publication.

NCBA News

NCBA Applauds USDA Appointment Of Dr. Kathy Simmons To Consultation Board. NCBA’s Chief Veterinarian Dr. Kathy Simmons recently released the following statement on her appointment by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program’s (NADPRP) consultation board: “I am honored to be selected to represent cattle producers on this important consultation board that will help to ensure continued animal health and food safety in the United States,” said Dr. Simmons. “It is important that in times of crisis that we do not stop working to develop future animal disease preparedness and response efforts. To that end, I want to thank USDA for administering this program and working to protect the future of American ranching.”

USDA APHIS established a consultation board to assist the agency with the implementation of the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program. This new program was created by the 2018 Farm Bill to fund projects that will help prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the United States and reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions.

The consultation board will recommend annual funding priorities, provide input to improve program policies and processes, nominate experts to review and rank funding proposals and make recommendations for the program’s annual spending plan. Once the board agrees on the 2020 funding priorities, APHIS will announce details about how eligible entities can apply for funding.

NCBA Applauds Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Urging COVID-19 Relief for Cattle Producers. NCBA applauded a congressional letter that was sent recently to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue, urging swift relief for American cattle producers who have been adversely impacted by the ongoing Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The letter was signed by a bipartisan group of over 145 lawmakers from both chambers of Congress.

“America’s cattle producers have been hit hard by the unforeseen financial

challenges brought on by this pandemic.

We thank each and every lawmaker that showed their continued support to rural families by signing onto this critical letter,” said NCBA President Marty Smith, a family cow/calf operator from Wacahoota, Florida. “We remain hopeful that USDA can quickly deliver this relief to the cattle producers that so desperately need it.”

The letter was led by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) in the Senate, and Representatives Henry Cuellar (D-Calif.) and Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) in the House of Representatives. Other notable signers include Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Senate Agriculture Appropriations Chairman John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Senate Agriculture Appropriations Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), House Agriculture Ranking Member Mike Conaway (R-Tex.), House Agriculture Appropriations Chairman Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), and House Agriculture Appropriations Ranking Member Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.).

The recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act included provisions that replenished USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation’s borrowing authority back to the statutory cap of $30 billion, as well as made $9.5 billion in new appropriations available for use by USDA to assist livestock and specialty crop producers impacted by COVID-19. The letter echoes NCBA’s position that USDA must implement these new authorities as quickly and equitably as possible.

You can read the full letter at www. ncba.org/CMDocs/BeefUSA/Media/ Bicameral_bipartisan_livestock_ asssitance_letter_4.1.20.pdf, and stay up to date with the latest on NCBA’s response to COVID-19 at www.ncba.org/ coronavirus.aspx.

NCBA Commends Secretary Perdue For Swift Action In Expanding Investigation Into Cattle Markets.

NCBA President Marty Smith released the following statement on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue’s announcement of expanding the agency’s investigation into cattle markets: “I would like to thank President

Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for their quick response to NCBA’s request to expand the agency’s investigation into cattle markets. Secretary Perdue’s decision to examine market reactions surrounding the Holcomb fire and the spread of COVID-19 in the United States will help restore the confidence of cattle producers in the market. We also look forward to the agency’s recommendations about improvements the industry can make to its markets, improvements that will ensure we have the fair and functioning markets that are so vital to cattle producers.”

This follows a letter to President Donald Trump requesting the government to act quickly to investigate the striking disparity between boxed beef prices and cattle prices in the futures and cash markets during the current COVID-19 crisis and following the packing plant fire in Holcomb, Kan., last August.

In his letter, Smith requests President Trump to direct USDA to expand the ongoing investigation into market activity after the Holcomb fire to include current market volatility, “in the hope of identifying whether inappropriate influence occurred in the markets, and to provide our industry with recommendations on how we can update cattle markets to ensure they are equipped to function within today’s market realities.”

The letter also requests the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to study the influence of speculators on live and feeder cattle futures contracts to determine whether these contracts remain a useful risk management tool for cattle producers.

“Fair and functioning cattle markets are vital to the sustainability of our industry,” Smith wrote. He also pointed out the importance of keeping the beef supply chain moving during this time of volatility and instability.

“The market woes for cattle producers will only grow if packing plants shut down or slow down for an extended period,” Smith stated. “As cattle producers, we are the beginning of the beef supply chain, and we need continued vigilance and oversight of all cattle market participants – for the benefit of America’s cattle producers and all Americans.”

To read the full letter to President Trump, visit www.ncba.org/CMDocs/ BeefUSA/Publications/NCBA_letter_to_ Pres_Trump.pdf.

NCBA Responds to News of Beef Packing Plant Closure Due to COVID-19. NCBA CEO Colin Woodall released the following statement

regarding the recent announcement that JBS will shutter its Greeley, Colo., beef processing plant in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“NCBA is concerned about the closure of the JBS owned beef packing plant in Greeley, Colorado. The company reports the plant is closing for a two week period after several employees fell ill. Beef producers mourn the loss of the two employees who died as a result of the virus, and we empathize with plant workers who are being affected by the outbreak. We also support President Trump’s ongoing effort to keep America’s food supply chain operational.

“The closure of packing plants during this crisis will have an impact on cattle and beef prices. Plant closures or slow downs have significant regional and national implications that will ripple through the marketplace at a time when cattle producers are already suffering from market uncertainty and economic hardship. Every member of the beef supply chain relies on processing plants operating daily to keep product moving.

America’s cattlemen and cattlewomen are hopeful that any beef processing plants which have been slowed or closed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak return to full operation as quickly as possible.

“Currently, there is no shortage of beef, and consumers can continue to be confident about the safety and wholesomeness of the products they are purchasing during this crisis. There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging.

However, it is always important to follow good hygiene practices when handling or preparing foods.”

More information about USDA’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak and how it is keeping the food supply chain intact is available on USDA’s website at www.usda.gov/coronavirus. Information about food safety and proper handling practices for food products is available on the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/ foodsafety/index.html.

Livestock Groups Send Letter Advocating for Needs of Rural Healthcare Providers Amid COVID-19 Pandemic. NCBA, the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), and the Public Lands Council (PLC) called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently to request rural healthcare providers have resources and funding to properly respond to the COVID-19 virus.

“Rural healthcare providers have

Continued on the next page

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 79

NCBA News continued from the previous page unique needs, unlike densely populated areas. We are calling on Secretary Alex Azar and Secretary Sonny Perdue to ensure rural healthcare providers have needed resources, particularly where the number of providers is limited across a vast geographic area, and technology to allow for expanded tele-health services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”

- NCBA CEO Colin Woodall “This is not business as usual for the sheep and cattle industry. Poor market conditions bring unprecedented levels of stress to farmers and ranchers.

COVID-19 has exacerbated this burden through isolation and uncertainty for these industries. We must ensure farmers and ranchers do not navigate this alone by providing ample access to mental health assistance.”

- ASI Executive Director Peter Orwick “Much of rural America operates with limited numbers of healthcare providers. If doctors, nurses, or administrators serving rural areas become exposed to COVID-19, it could result in loss of access to care for large regions. It is essential these hospitals have resources to protect their employees and the rural communities at the frontlines of this crisis.”

- PLC Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover Coronavirus Related Cattle Industry Losses Estimated at $13.6 Billion. A study recently released estimates cattle industry losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic will reach $13.6 billion. The study was commissioned by NCBA and conducted by a team of industry leading agricultural economists led by Derrell Peel, Breedlove Professor of Agribusiness and Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist at Oklahoma State University, to assist USDA in determining how best to allocate CARES Act relief funds to cattle producers.

The study shows cow/calf producers will see the largest impact, with COVID-19 related losses totaling an estimated $3.7 billion, or $111.91 per head for each mature breeding animal in the United States. Without offsetting relief payments, those losses could increase by $135.24 per mature breeding animal for an additional impact totaling $4.45 billion in the coming years.

Stocker/backgrounder segment losses were estimated at $159.98 per head, for a total economic impact of $2.5 billion in 2020, while feeding sector losses were estimated at $3.0 billion or $205.96 per head.

PAGE 80

“This study confirms that cattle producers have suffered massive economic damage as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and those losses will continue to mount for years to come, driving many producers to the brink of collapse and beyond if relief funds aren’t made available soon,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “This study also clearly illustrates the fact that while the relief funds provided by Congress were a good first step, there remains a massive need for more funding to be allocated as soon as members of Congress reconvene.”

Woodall pointed out that relief funds that were meant to provide aid directly to cattle producers were divided among multiple commodities, many of which already have government programs in place to support production. However, cattle producers have always maintained their independence from government programs, and most operate today without the safety net others enjoy.

“It’s only because of the extraordinary circumstances we face today that cattle producers need relief.

While we appreciate the many members of Congress who supported the cattle industry and ensured cattle producers were eligible for relief funds, we need these same members to do more to make certain every cattle producer who needs relief can access funding. That’s why we’re calling for additional funds to be made available specifically for cattlemen and women,” said Woodall.

STUDY SUMMARY - The study conducted by Oklahoma State University estimated total beef cattle industry damages of $13.6 billion as of early April 2020. Damage estimates include: • Revenue losses of $3.7 billion in 2020 to the cow/calf sector, equivalent to $111.91/head for each mature breeding animal in the United States. If these damages are not offset, additional long term damages of $4.45 billion or another $135.24 per mature breeding animal will impact the cow/calf sector in coming years.

• Revenue losses of $2.5 billion to the U.S. stocker/backgrounding sector in 2020, equivalent to $159.98/head.

• Revenue losses of $3.0 billion to the U.S. cattle feeding sector in 2020, equivalent to $205.96/head.

• The current situation is very fluid and uncertain. Additional damages are likely.

The economic damage assessment was conducted by Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University; Dustin Aherin, Rabobank; Randy Blach, CattleFax; Kenneth Burdine, University

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

of Kentucky; Don Close, Rabobank; Amy Hagerman, Oklahoma State University; Josh Maples, Mississippi State University; James Robb, Livestock Marketing Information Center; and Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University.

To view the executive summary, visit www.ncba.org/CMDocs/BeefUSA/ Publications/OSU_NCBA_Beef_ COVID_Impacts_Exec.pdf.

To view the full economic assessment, visit www.ncba.org/CMDocs/ BeefUSA/Publications/OSU_NCBA_ Beef_COVID_Impacts_Full.pdf.

NCBA Applauds USDA Relief Plan. NCBA President Marty Smith issued the following statement regarding the recent announcement related to USDA’s plan for distribution of CARES Act funding.

“We appreciate Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s announcement that the agency will soon distribute funding to the cattlemen and cattlewomen who desperately need help during this national emergency. We applaud USDA’s work to quickly craft a plan to distribute the funds to those who need it most, and we look

forward to learning more about that plan very soon. America’s cattle producers are facing unprecedented crises after two market disruptions in less than a year, and this funding will provide the certainty needed to move forward with their work.

“Earlier this week, a study commissioned by NCBA, estimated that cow/calf producers stand to lose $8.1 billion as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, while the stocker/backgrounder sector losses will reach $2.5 billion and feedlot losses will total $3.0 billion as a result of the virus that is ravaging the American economy. Total industry losses are expected to reach $13.6 billion. While the relief funds that have been allocated to USDA by Congress represent a start to stabilizing the industry, there is much more work to be done to protect the cattle producers who are an essential component of the agriculture industry and the anchor for rural America.”

NCBA Delivers “Paycheck Protection Program Increase Act” for Cattle Producers and Small Business.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President, Government Affairs,

GELBVIEH NEWS Standage Joins American Gelbvieh Association Staff. The American Gelbvieh Association would like to welcome Barb Standage, who began her role as office operations coordinator on March 23, 2020.

Standage is a native Nebraskan, residing close to her family’s farm near Eagle. The farm is a combined row crops and cow/calf operation with the original homestead remaining in the family. Barb and her husband, Doug, manage the commercial cow/calf operation as well as brome, prairie, and alfalfa hay crops.

Barb’s brother focuses on the row crops (corn, soybeans, and wheat).

“I’m absolutely delighted to join the AGA and the people within the organization. I’ve long looked for the perfect position in animal agriculture and am excited to use all my skills along with learning more about the Gelbvieh breed, and the services the AGA offers its members,” said Standage.

With a career starting in the hospitality field, Standage focused mainly on accounting and then expanded into human resources, earning her Professional in Human Resources

(PHR) designation. In her role as office operations coordinator, Standage will organize and process accounts payable and accounts receivable, assist members and AGA stakeholders on the AGA online registry, including data input and DNA test ordering, and assist the executive director in administrative tasks.

“Barb brings a wealth of experience in office administration, and she will be a complementary fit to the skilled staff already in place at the AGA,” says Megan Slater, AGA executive director. “We are excited to have her join the team as we move forward serving Gelbvieh and Balancer® stakeholders in today’s modern beef industry.”

Barb is working out of the AGA office and can be reached by phone at 303-465-2333 or barb@gelbvieh.org.

About the American Gelbvieh Association. The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members, and approximately 40,000 Gelbvieh, Balancer, and Gelbvieh influenced cows assessed annually in a performance oriented total herd reporting system.

Ethan Lane recently issued the following statement in response to U.S. Senate passage of additional legislation, the Paycheck Protection Program Increase Act of 2020, to provide relief in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: “We applaud the Senate for advancing this critical replenishment of funding to programs like Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and we are pleased to see the reaffirmation of Congress’s intent that cattle producers be granted access to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program administered by the Small Business Administration. “ We u rg e t h e H o u s e o f Representatives to move swiftly to approve this package and deliver these funds to producers across the country who are continuing to keep grocery store shelves full during this economic disaster.”

Background - The U.S. Senate recently approved so-called “CARES 2.0” $484 billion emergency relief legislation by unanimous consent.

The measure would provide an additional $321 billion in funding for

PPP. Of this amount, $60 billion is set aside for small lenders and communitybased financial institutions who serve the needs of unbanked/underserved small businesses, specifically: • $30 billion for loans made by Insured Depository Institutions and Credit Unions that have assets between $10 billion and $50 billion; and • $30 billion for loans made by Community Financial Institutions, Small Insured Depository Institutions, and Credit Unions with assets less than $10 billion.

An additional $250 billion is provided for SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program – allowing for approximately $300 billion in new loans for small businesses – and $10 billion in funding for SBA’s Emergency Economic Injury Grant program.

Authorizing language was included to allow agricultural enterprises as defined by section 18(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 647(b)) with not more than 500 employees to receive EIDL grants and loans.

NCBA Sends Letter To Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue Urging

Against CFAP Payment Limitations On Cattle Producers. NCBA recently sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging against payment limitations for cattle producers under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane issued the following statement: “The economic damage to cattle producers across the country continues to mount due to the COVID-19 crisis. While we are extremely grateful to Congress, USDA, and the Trump Administration for their work to keep the beef supply chain moving and deliver aid to our producers, we are concerned that the distribution of CARES Act funds to cattle producers could miss the mark.

“The low payment cap of $125,000 per commodity will prevent many operations, large and small, from receiving enough assistance to soften this blow. The proposed anticipated loss payment formula for cattle will also leave many producers, including a large percentage of the cow/calf sector, out in the cold. We do not believe this was USDA’s intent but recognize we are in

uncharted territory for the cattle industry with this type of assistance. As such, we feel it is critical to continue providing feedback from our producers across the country to USDA. “We are hopeful that USDA will move quickly to outline additional plans for the $14.4 billion also allocated to damage assistance under the CARES Act and provide assurance that producers across all segments receive equitable assistance from these critical funds.”

To read NCBA’s letter to Secretary Perdue, visit www.ncba.org/CMDocs/ BeefUSA/NCBA_Payment_Cap_Letter_ to_USDA_4.23.20_-_FINAL.pdf About the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. NCBA has represented America’s cattle producers since 1898, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy. As the largest association of cattle producers, NCBA works to create new markets and increase demand for beef. Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. To join, contact NCBA at 866-BEEF-USA or membership@beef.org.

The Carolina Cattle Connection

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PAGE 81

‘Disease Triangle’ Indicates COVID-19 Peak Isn’t the End

By KAY LEDBETTER Plants are no strangers to diseases and devastating outbreaks. Humans can learn a valuable lesson from them when it comes to the current COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Texas A&M professor.

While the urge is to return to our workplace and business once diagnosed COVID-19 cases peak, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research virologist and plant pathologist says one must only turn to the plant world to see how that would be a mistake.

“When we reach the peak, we are at best only halfway towards coming down from this mountain of disease,” said Karen-Beth Scholthof, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Texas A&M University.

Scholthof concurs with Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, that social distancing should continue until there are essentially no new cases, no deaths.

Her reasoning is based on a long standing concept from plant pathology, which she says describes the spread of any disease, explains why environmental measures matter, and sheds light on the similarities between plant and human diseases.

“All biology is connected. Now is the time to learn from other areas of science and the environment,” said Patrick J. Stover, vice chancellor of Texas A&M AgriLife, dean of the College of

Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of AgriLife Research. “We may need to take extra time now, which we know will be difficult in the short term, but life saving for many in the long term.

“The novel coronavirus is certainly revealing our vulnerabilities, from the food supply system to our social environments to the quality of life. We must learn from this experience, including prioritizing the development of cutting edge technologies to protect from and prevent against COVID-19 and its far reaching effects on our lives before we restart the vicious cycle once again, especially the most vulnerable.”

The disease triangle - Disease outbreaks depend on the “disease triangle,” Scholthof said. This concept arose more than 60 years ago when George McNew, a plant pathologist at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, diagrammed the fact that an epidemic arises from the interaction of three factors – a susceptible host, a virulent pathogen and a hospitable environment.

Scholthof said a simple form of McNew’s disease triangle is helpful to explain the key role of environment in the success of pathogens such as SARSCoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Genetically identical plants are a “monoculture” and are especially vulnerable to emerging pathogens and disease. Today, plant pathologists break these cycles of disease by modifying or

controlling either the host, the pathogen, or the environment.

“We may breed crops that are resistant to the disease, plant them in a different way or at different times, or use chemical treatments to protect the plants from harmful fungi, viruses, bacteria, and insects,” Scholthof explained. “By changing the host with resistance genes, stopping the pathogen with chemicals, or altering the environment by planting earlier or later, for example, we can control an outbreak of a new disease or seasonal recurrence of a known pathogen.”

In the case of COVID-19, people are the susceptible hosts and SARS-COV-2, the virulent pathogen. The constant and close contact between people is the hospitable environment needed to keep this pandemic going strong. The novel coronavirus, having jumped from an animal host, has become extraordinarily successful at infecting humans.

“We do not have population-wide immunity to this virus,” Scholthof said.

“Again, from Dr. Fauci, we ‘don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.’

Until drugs or vaccines are shown to control the virus and the disease, we can only do our part to disrupt an environment that is favorable to the novel coronavirus.”

Taking a page out of plant pathology history - She used the Great Irish Potato Famine, a humanitarian crisis, to shed light on the close link between pathogens, the environment, and society — including how an epidemic drives policy while unmasking social and economic injustice.

“These are issues that strike close to home since COVID-19 has become our daily reality,” Scholthof said.

The Irish potato famine was precipitated by late blight disease of potato, which still occurs today. First hand reports from Ireland described how the blight sprung up overnight with fields of lush green plants suddenly destroyed, resulting in the near total collapse of the potato crop.

Although disease outbreaks were also occurring in Europe and North America,

the dependence of the Irish poor on the potato for most of their food calories was devastating. This plant disease outbreak led to the emigration of a million people from Ireland and another million deaths — a loss of 25 percent of the country’s population.

“It was a single pathogen that provided a horrifying lesson for the need to scientifically manage, reduce and control disease,” Scholthof said. “COVID-19 will recur if we do not continue to perturb the virus’s favored environment until either a vaccine to strengthen the host or medications to destroy the virus are created.”

Controlling the outbreak - There may be a single peak of infection, waves of infection, or seasonal recurrence of COVID-19 in our communities, Scholthof said. Similarly, potato late blight disease that caused such destruction is ongoing today, but in a controlled environment.

“Ongoing COVID-19 infections would suggest that we have not been sufficiently vigilant with perturbing the virus’s favored environment,” she said.

“Today, and for at least the near future, disrupting a favorable environment for the virus is the main element of controlling the spread of the disease, and the disruption must continue until either proven vaccines or medications are created.”

Social distancing and good hygienic practices remain the best community options available to break the disease triangle, Scholthof said. Simple efforts such as handwashing disrupt the virus’s membrane envelope, preventing it from initiating an infection.

“With time, we, the host, may acquire ‘herd immunity’ as a form of protection from the virus,” she said. “Or the amazing ongoing scientific work may identify safe and effective treatments or a vaccine.

“But we must remain vigilant in continuing with the recommended practices that create an unfavorable environment for the virus until that time occurs,” Scholthof said. “We must not become complacent.”

Regular copy deadline is MAY 5 for the JUNE issue This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2—also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19. isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. Credit: NIAID-RML ( NIAID-RML ).

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The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

Spotlight material is due MAY 1 for the JUNE issue

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A DVERTISERS

31st Annual Virginia Angus Association Genetic Investment Sale — SALE POSTPONED ................ 22 4K Farms/Tarheel Angus ........................................................ 83 45th Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sal e ..... 52 49th Annual Carolina Angus Futurity — SALE RESCHEDULED ..................................................... 29 AGCO — Massey Ferguson ...................................................... 42 Alltech — CPC ....................................................................….. 62 Alltech — Fescue Toxicity ....................................................... 43 American National Insurance — The Josey Agency .............. 83 Appalachian Classic Sale — SALE RESCHEDULED ................. 41 Apple Brandy Prime Cuts ....................................................... 63 Back Creek Angus ................................................................... 83 Beefmaster Breeders United .................................................. 32 Benton’s Hay Farm ................................................................. 57 BioZyme Incorporated — VitaFerm Concept•Aid .................. 59 Black Crest Farm ..................................................................... 83 Black Grove Angus .................................................................. 83 Briles Farm Brahmans/Elm Tree Farm — CATTLE FOR SALE ............................................................. 7 Britt Angus Farm Production Sale — SALE POSTPONED ....... 30 Brubaker Family Angus ........................................................... 83 C-Cross Cattle Company .......................................................... 83 Cargill Animal Nutrition .......................................................... 51 Carolinas Animal Health ......................................................... 83 Carolinas Brahman Breeders 40th Annual Sale ...................... 11 Chatel Farms ............................................................................ 27 Circle F Farms Brahman Production Sale ................................. 8 Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange Select Bull & Replacement Female Sale — SALE POSTPONED .......................................................... 53 Conquest Insurance Agency, Inc. ............................................ 83 Double J Farms ......................................................................... 83 E.B. Harris Auctioneers, Inc. ................................................... 83 Eastern Brahman Breeders Association Online Elite Brahman Sale ................................................... 7 EBS Farms 12th Annual Select Bull & Female Sale ................. 58 Edisto Pines Spring Production Sale — SALE RESCHEDULED ...................................................... 24 First Choice Insurance — Donna Byrum ................................ 48 Fowken Farm — CATTLE FOR SALE ......................................... 47 FPL Food, LLC ........................................................................... 26 Fred Smith Company Ranch .................................................... 83 H.J. White Farms ...................................................................... 83 Howard Brothers Farms .......................................................... 83

Hunt’s H+ Brangus ….….….….….….….….….….….….….…..... 83 Hutton & Sons Herefords ….….….….….….….….….….…......... 83 Knight-N-Gail Farm — CATTLE FOR SALE ….….….….….…...... 50 Kuhn North America ….….….….….….….….….….….….….…... 64 N.C. Angus Association Directory ….….….….….….….….…..... 28 N.C. Cattlemen’s Association Annual Conference Trade Show Exhibitors …….….….….….….….….….....… 70-74 N.C. Cattlemen’s Association Membership Application …..... 66 N.C. Hereford Association …….….….….….….….….….….…..... 46 N.C. Simmental Association Directory …….….….….….….…... 65 National Beef Checkoff/ North Carolina Cattle Industry Assessment ….….….…..... 17 Nationwide® AgriBusiness Insurance — The Wills Company …….….….….….….….….….….…...... 83 P.H. White Company …….….….….….….….….….….….….…...... 81 Pearson Livestock Equipment …….….….….….….….….…....... 13 Premier Select Sires …….….….….….….….….….….….….…...... 25 Ragan & Massey — UF-Riata …….….….….….….….….….......... 54 Red Angus Association of the Carolinas Directory ….…........ 45 Rusty Thomson & Family Cattle Fencing and Equipment ….. 67 S.C. Hereford Association & Red Angus Association of the Carolinas 1st Joint Sale — SALE CANCELLED …….….….... 44 Smith Farm Trailer Sales ….….….….….….….….….….….….….. 83 South Carolina Private Treaty Sale Checkoff Investment Form ….….….….….….….….….….….. 20 Southeast AgriSeeds ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….... 61 Southeast Livestock Exchange — Upcoming Sale Schedule …........................................... 55 Southern Synergy 13th Annual Angus Female Production Sale — SALE RESCHEDULED ..................................................... 23 Spring 2020 Prime Priced Products ….................................... 56 Springfield Angus Annual Production Sale ............................ 31 ST Genetics — Bill Kirkman …................................................. 83 The Carolina Cattle Connection 2020 Spotlight Schedule ....... 3 The Carolina Cattle Connection Advertising Rates and Sizes …........................................... 15 Virginia Herd Health Management Services — Pat Comyn, DVM …......................................................... 40 West End Precast — Feed Bunks ….......................................... 49 West End Precast — Feed Bunks & Troughs …........................ 76 Whitehall Beefmasters ............................................................ 83 Whitestone 27th Annual Pasture Performance Tested Angus Bull & Female Sale ................ 21 Wilkes Livestock Exchange ..................................................... 16 Yon Family Farms Spring ........................................................ 83

The Carolina Cattle Connection

q MAY 2020

PAGE 83

VENTS ANGUS Apr. 17 NEW DATE TBD! — 31st Annual Virginia Angus Association Genetic Investment Sale Apr. 18 NEW DATE TBD! — Britt Angus Farm Annual Production Sale May 2 (NEW DATE) — Whitestone Farm 27th Annual Pasture Performance Tested Bull & Female Sale, Aldie, Va. May 9 (NEW DATE) — Southern Synergy 13th Annual Angus Female Production Sale, Midville, Ga. May 23 (NEW DATE) — 49th Annual Carolina Angus Futurity, Clemson, S.C.

Aug. 1 (NEW DATE) — Edisto Pines Annual Production Sale, Leesville, S.C. Aug. 21 (NEW DATE) — Springfield Angus Annual Production Sale, Louisburg, N.C. Oct. 17 — Fred Smith Company Ranch Extra Effort Sale, Clayton, N.C. Dec. 4 — Knoll Crest Farm Total Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va. Dec. 5 — 45th Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C. 2021 Jan. 2 — 12th Annual EBS Farms Select Sale, Norwood, N.C.

IGHTER A man goes into a bar with his dog.

He goes up to the bar and asks for a drink.

The bartender says “You can’t bring that dog in here!” The guy, without missing a beat, says “This is my seeing eye dog.”

“Oh man,” the bartender says, “I’m sorry, here, the first one’s on me.” The man takes his drink and goes to a table near the door.

Another guy walks into the bar with a Chihuahua. The first guys sees him, stops him and says “You can’t bring that dog in here unless you tell him it’s a seeing eye dog.”

The second man graciously thanks the first man and continues to the bar. He asks for a drink. The bartender says “Hey, you can’t bring that dog in here!”

The second man replies “This is my seeing eye dog.” The bartender says, “No, I don’t think so. They do not have Chihuahuas as seeing eye dogs.”

The man pauses for a half second and replies “What?! They gave me a Chihuahua?!” * * * Jack strode into ‘John’s Stable’ looking to buy a horse.

“Listen here” said John, “I’ve got just the horse your looking for. The only thing is, he was trained by an interesting fellow.

He doesn’t go and stop the usual way. The way to get him to stop is to scream ‘hey hey.’ The way to get him to go is to scream ‘Thank God.’” Jack nodded his head and said, “Fine with me. Can I take him for a test run?”

Jack was having the time of his life.

“This horse sure can run,” he thought to himself.

Jack was speeding down the dirt road when he suddenly saw a cliff up ahead.

“Stop!” screamed Jack, but the horse kept on going. No matter how much he tried he could not remember the words to get it to stop.

“Yoyo,” screamed Jack, but the horse

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just kept on speeding ahead.

It was five feet from the cliff when Jack suddenly remembered.

“Hey hey!” Jack screamed.

The horse skidded to a halt just one inch from the cliff.

Jack could not believe his good fortune.

He looked up to the sky, raised his hands in the air, breathed a deep sigh of relief and said with deep conviction, “Thank God.” * * * There was a long line at 7:45 a.m. at the grocery store that opened at 8:00 a.m. for seniors only.

A young man came from the parking lot and tried to cut in at the front of the line, but an old lady beat him back into the parking lot with her cane.

He returned and tried to cut in again but an old man punched him in the gut, then kicked him to the ground and rolled him away.

As he approached the line for the third time he said, “If you don’t let me unlock the door you’ll never get in there.” * * * A Frenchman, an Italian, and a Jew, were condemned to be executed. Their captors told them they had the right to have a final meal before the execution.

They asked the Frenchman what he wanted.

“Give me some good French wine and French bread,” he requested. So they gave it to him, he ate it, and then they executed him.

Next it was the Italian’s turn.

“Give me a big plate of pasta,” said the Italian. So they brought it to him, he ate it, and then they executed him.

Now it was the Jew’s turn.

“I want a big bowl of strawberries, ” said the Jew. “Strawberries! They aren’t even in season!”

“So, I’ll wait…”

The Carolina Cattle Connection q MAY 2020

BRAHMAN May 20-21 (NEW DATE) — Eastern Brahman Breeders Association Elite Sale *ONLINE* Jun. 13 — Carolina Brahman Breeders Association 40th Annual Sale Pendleton, S.C. Jun. 27 — Circle F Farms Brahman Production Sale, Baxley, Ga. CHAROLAIS Jun. 6 (NEW DATE) — Appalachian Classic Charolais Sale, Knoxville, Tenn.

Dec. 4 — Knoll Crest Farm Total Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va. GELBVIEH Dec. 4 — Knoll Crest Farm Total Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va. Dec. 5 — 45th Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C. HEREFORD May 2 — 1st Joint Sale of S.C. Hereford Association & Red Angus Association of the Carolinas, Clemson, S.C. (SALE CANCELLED) May 8 — N.C. Hereford Association Annual Meeting, Statesville, N.C. May 9 — 52nd Annual N.C. Hereford Classic Sale, Statesville, N.C. Dec. 4 — Knoll Crest Farm Total Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va. RED ANGUS May 2 — 1st Joint Sale of S.C. Hereford Association & Red Angus Association of the Carolinas, Clemson, S.C. (SALE CANCELLED) santa gertrudis May 9 — Santa Gertrudis Breeders of the Carolinas 47th Annual Sale, Chester, S.C. SIMMENTAL Oct. 17 — Fred Smith Company Ranch Extra Effort Sale, Clayton, N.C. Dec. 5 — 45th Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C. 2021 Jan. 2 — 12th Annual EBS Farms Select Sale, Norwood, N.C.

OTHER EVENTS Apr. 25 NEW DATE TBD! — Cleveland Agriculture & Livestock Exchange Select Bull & Replacement Heifer Sale, Shelby, N.C. May 5 — Southeast Livestock Exchange Video Auction May 6 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction May 14 — Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C. Jun. 2 — Southeast Livestock Exchange Video Auction Jun. 3 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction Jun. 4 — Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C. Jul. 7 — Southeast Livestock Exchange Video Auction Jul. 8 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction Jul. 9 — Weaned Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C. Aug. 4 — Southeast Livestock Exchange Video Auction Aug. 5 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction Aug. 6 — Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C. Aug. 8-9 — N.C. Junior Beef Round-Up, Fletcher, N.C. Sep. 1 — Southeast Livestock Exchange Video Auction Sep. 2 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction Sep. 3 — Weaned Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C. Sep. 10 — Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C. Oct. 6 — Southeast Livestock Exchange Video Auction Oct. 7 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction Nov. 3 — Southeast Livestock Exchange Video Auction Nov. 4 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction Dec. 1 — Southeast Livestock Exchange Video Auction Dec. 2 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction Dec. 5 — 45th Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C. 2021 Jan. 2 — 12th Annual EBS Farms Select Sale, Norwood, N.C.