Limousin365 Fall Sale Edition, October 2023

PROOF OF PROGRESSProduction Sale

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2023 • 1 P.M. • AT THE RANCH • SAND SPRINGS, OK

Featuring Our Most Proven & Progressive Genetics

SELLING 69 LOTS

44 LIM-FLEX & 25 RED ANGUS

47 Spring Bred Females

13 Fall Bred Females

7 Bulls

1/25/22 • Polled • Dbl Black • 75% Lim-Flex

SSTO Guns N Roses 9408G x LLJB Absolute Style 3056A

CE: 9 BW: 1.2 WW: 65 YW: 89

MK: 26 CM: 5 SC: 1.00 DC: 9 YG: -0.21

CW: 20 RE: 0.51 MB: 0.02 $MI: 52

AI’d 4-7-23 to Musgrave Headway

2 Open Heifers

Join us sale day for a meal, refreshments and a good time. Sale cattle will go through the auction ring in a live sale format. If you can’t attend, bid online at www.cci.live

All inquiries and catalog requests welcome.

PBRS Fantasy Crush 42K

10/7/22 • Homo Polled • Dbl Black • 45% Lim-Flex

Colburn Primo 5153 x HSF Your Fantasy

CE: 9 BW: 2.4 WW: 63 YW: 89

MK: 21 CM: 2 SC: 0.60 DC: 9 YG: -0.04

CW: 18 RE: 0.30 MB: 0.17 $MI: 56 Sells open

Sale Management:

Randall O. Ratliff

Randy@rrmktg.com • 615-330-2735

Paul Sisemore, Owner Manager: Elgin Elmore, 918-346-2438

11720 Overlook Dr. • Sand Springs, OK 74063 elginpbars@yahoo.com • www.pbarsranch.com

Auctioneer: Sonny Booth, 918-533-5587

PBRS KLS Knockout 12K

3/17/22 • Dbl Polled • Dbl Black • 45% Lim-Flex

SCC SCH 24 Karat 838 x HSF Your Fantasy

CE: 6 BW: 4.3 WW: 62 YW: 88

MK: 25 CM: 2 DC: 13 YG: -0.17

CW: 44 RE: 0.78 MB: -0.11 $MI: 46

AI’d 5-11-23 to B-Bar Black Ice 26K

PBRS Karney Girl 43K

10/9/22 • Homo Polled • Dbl Black • 45% Lim-Flex

TGM Compton 1738 x HSF Your Fantasy

CE: 6 BW: 2.0 WW: 56 YW: 86

MK: 25 CM: 2 SC: 0.59 DC: 8 YG: -0.13

CW: 34 RE: 0.52 MB: 0.19 $MI: 55 Sells open

Consultant:

Kiley McKinna • 402-350-3447

Wiley Fanta • 320-287-0751

PBRS Stylish Rose

The Little Ranch with the BIG Genetics

Cows that EARN their place in the herd each & every year! Fault Free, Age-advantaged bulls specifically bred for the commercial rancher! Performance Plus Superior Carcass Merit. Genetics that excel on the range and on the rail.

If Timing Is Everything...

Hiram and Darenda • 806/375-2346

Bret, Hayley, McKinley & Boone • 806/375-2345

Box 110, Allison, Texas 79003 begertranch@gmail.com • www.begertlimousinranch.com

It is time to reap the rewards of today’s record high cattle prices. It has never been more important to maximize the output and minimize input in your cattle operation. The bulls and females available at Begert Limousin have a proven track record of nearly 50 years of performing in a real world environment. From conception to carcass, our cattle are bred to perform efficiently which adds to profitability up and down the chain of production.

If you are looking to take advantage of this historic market and cash in your old bulls and females and add fresh, proven genetics to your herd, give us a call.

there has never been a better time to maximize profits.

Fall Priorities Fall Priorities

TMCK Santana 828J

Black • Homo Polled • Purebred

CD: 11(45) BW: 1.8(65) WW: 84(3) YW: 123(10) MA: 24(30) CM: 5(70) SC: 0.4(70)

DOC: 14(45) CW: 29(40) RE: 0.79(95) YG: -0.33(10) MB: 0.49(1) $MTI: 75.9

TMCK Santana brings a whole new look to the Purebred table as this outstanding young son of COLE Genesis gives you combinations of maternal power and marbling dominance along with depth of body and muscle stoutness. If you want to get into the next line of production cattle, think about Santana on Envision, Crown Royal and Heartland pedigrees.

OLIM Keystone 23K

Black • Homo Polled • 75% Lim-Flex

CD: 13(20) BW: 0.3(35) WW: 75(35) YW: 112(50) MA: 26(10) CM: 9(10) SC: 0.85(60)

DOC: 12(65) CW: 32(60) RE: 1(15) YG: -0.34(50) MB: 0.11(70) $MTI: 59.5

OLIM Keystone blew people away in Denver and now this great 75% son of Cable is on the market. Look over the outstanding phenotype and study the impressive performance, then note his impeccable EPDs and think about the ways a bull like this can help your calf crop. He is soft, soggy and loaded with growth. If you need any of those in your program, Keystone is the ticket.

Wulfs Kactus 4841K

Red • Homo Polled • Purebred

CD: 8(80) BW: 1.8(65) WW: 94(1) YW: 143(1) MA: 31(3) CM: 5(70) SC: 0.75(30)

DOC: 15(25) CW: 44(4) RE: 0.92(85) YG: -0.4(1) MB: 0.13(4) $MTI: 66.4

Wulfs Kactus was one of the top sellers at Wulf Cattle in 2023 and this tremendous performance son of Horton has the guts and performance breeders desire. This thick-made Purebred is negative for birth and top 1% for Marbling, combining performance, thickness and modern day maternal. Kactus should be a slam dunk for Envision, Cable and Crown Royal daughters. Think ahead, consider the options.

COLE Homerun 51H ET

Homo Black • Homo Polled • 81% Limousin

CD: 11(35) BW: 1.9(60) WW: 88(4) YW: 134(10) MA: 23(40) CM: 6(45) SC: 1.6(3)

DOC: 13(45) CW: 55(4) RE: 1.19(20) YG: -0.26(10) MB: 0.27(15) $MTI: 68.7

COLE Homerun is a former top seller from Coleman Limousin and this HOMO Polled and HOMO Black son of Envision has calves on the ground that make him the bull to breed to. Thick-made, sound and growthy—it looks like Homerun clears the bases on all counts. If you are looking for an Envision son that breeds performance, come to the plate, Homerun is your man.

MARK & DEIDRE SMITH

ph/fax: 515-965-1458

• cell: 515-229-5227

• GRGenetics@aol.com

• 2511 NE 99th Place

• Ankeny, IA 50021

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

by Kiley McKinna

Welcome to the Limousin365 Fall Sale Edition! As you page through this issue, you will find many of the breed’s upcoming fall sales promoted, a showcase of the most relevant and progressive programs, in addition to multiple feature stories and industry news. As I sit and reflect on the beginning months of this fall sale season, I can’t help but be grateful – grateful for Limousin breeders, the marketing tools available, today’s beef cattle marketplace and the growth of registered females – all things which contribute to the success of your operation. With a couple of successful fall sales in our rearview mirror, I want to emphasize the importance of recognizing three industry factors. Utilizing them will not only allow your upcoming sale season to be successful but will positively impact your program as a whole.

1. Take Advantage of Marketing Tools

Marketing for many is strictly thought of as “selling”, but to the smart livestock producer, marketing is part of promoting their brand and its value. By taking advantage of marketing tools such as the web, Facebook, Instagram, cell phone videos, ect., breeders have the ability to put their program in front of many prospective buyers. Each tool has value and when used in context allow you to highlight your initiatives and drive consumers to your cattle.

2. Marketplace Excitement

While I’m not a palm reader, nor do I have a crystal ball, my predictions are often based on a good old fashioned boots-onthe-ground intuition. That said, my recent industry interactions have revealed more than just a trickle of optimism. When listening and learning from producers truly integrated into the commercial cattle business, there is a real feel for a positive market to continue. Prices for cull cows, feeders and fats are lofty with an outlook for the market to stay high throughout the rest of 2023 and long into 2024. The time to take advantage of the market is now!

3. The Value of a Registered Female

With a high commercial cattle market, the value of verified genetics is soaring. The registered cattle business has always been

and probably always will be a place where inventive and creative cattlemen thrive. Pick up any sale catalog or view any online sale and you will see a wide variety of genetics being offered. Some place extra emphasis on calving-ease, some on growth, while others are outliers based on maternal or carcass characteristics. Regardless, the bottom line is, there are buyers for just about each type of beef animal we produce. The added value of a registered female ensures buyers the genetics they are investing in have been proven and verified. While on the subject of registered animals, I encourage you to look into the progressive suite of tools and technology available to you. Should you have any questions, our partners at NALF are a great resource.

The fall sale season is cranking up, and it is shaping up to be a good one. As time allows, I encourage you to attend as many sales and industry events as possible. The people you meet and the relationships you forge will pay dividends in the long run. The current sale season already has shown extreme promise. Breeders are offering some of the most sought-after genetics in the Limousin breed. The featured females in this fall’s upcoming sales will not disappoint. The Limousin breed continues to improve, and breeders continue to evolve with today’s demands for show ring presence and production females.

Time is a precious commodity, and while it may be moving at the speed of light, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stop and smell the roses. Take time to appreciate all we have accomplished as a breed. There is plenty of work left to be done, however, more often than not, a reflection on the past leads to a clearer vision of the path for the future. Be sure to utilize marketing tools, the current lofty market and the value of your registered cattle to ensure your program generates as much income as possible. We are all in it together – stay Limousin proud .

As Easy As 1, 2, 3

32 Open Heifers 29 Bred Females

6 Genetic Lots

CELL Lace 3083L

CELL Laverne 3110L

3/1/23

CELL Lady 3165L

5/4/23 • Homo Black • Dbl Polled • 50%LF BNWZ Dignity 8017 x Riverstone Charmed

2/16/22

Dbl Black • Dbl Polled • 50% LF DEBV MSHP Harry Potter 002H x CELL 9202G Sells Bred to COLE Genesis 86G. Due 2/1/24.

9 • OCTOBER 2023

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

by Bruce Lawrence

As I write this, most of us are in full swing of fall calving and making plans for weaning our spring calf crop. We are also enjoying all time high market prices on our commercial cattle.

I would like to suggest each of us look really hard at our seedstock cowherd and take advantage of these higher prices. Look at replacing your older herd bulls. If you have a cow you are not in love with, now is a good time to replace her as well. I would also suggest genomically enhancing your replacement heifers to help decide which ones you want to retain.

2023

PRESIDENT, Bruce Lawrence ...................................... Anton, TX 806-790-2535 • bll1@speednet.com

VICE PRESIDENT, Wade Beckman .....................................Roberts, ID 208-313-0235 • beckmanlivestock@gmail.com

SECRETARY, Ronn Cunningham .................................. Rose, OK 918-629-9382 • colronn@yahoo.com

TREASURER, Randy Corns ...................................... Altoona, KS 620-750-0924 • randycorns11@gmail.com

AT-LARGE, Jerry Wulf ........................................... Hancock, MN 320-491-1390 • jerry.wulf@wulfcattle.com

EX-OFFICIO, Dan Hunt ........................................................ Oxford, NE 308-991-3373 • huntlimo@huntlimousin.com

DIRECTORS

Rob Brawner, Wood Lake, NE, 402-376-4465, bulliscreek@gpcom.net

Joey Freund, Elizabeth, CO, 303-475-6062, jfreund@myedl.com

Troy Gulotta, Independence, LA, 985-662-1561, liveoakcattle@gmail.com

Mark Haden, Rogersville, MO, 417-838-6109, buckridgecattle@gmail.com

Austin Hager, Karlsruhe, ND, 701-626-2345, hagercc@srt.com

George Hubbard, Welch, OK, 918-541-5482, georgehubbard@gmail.com

Bart Mitchell, Wauzeka, WI, 608-553-8070, springcreeksbart@gmail.com

Kevin Ochsner, Kersey, CO, 970-396-5525, kevinkochsner@gmail.com

Lance Sennett, Waynetown, IN, 765-366-4894, lasennett@att.net

Jay Wilder, Snook, TX, 979-268-5491, jwwilder1993@gmail.com

I am happy to report NALF had a successful year both in registrations and financially as well! This would not be possible in a year of widespread drought and increasing expenses without the support of you as Limousin breeders and the dedication of our staff at NALF.

I would like for everyone to make plans to attend both Cattlemen’s Congress and the National Western Stock Show to enjoy the comradery of Limousin breeders across the country.

Also, in an effort to encourage increased attendance to the NALF Annual Meeting, the NALF Board voted to move the annual meeting to the grounds at Cattlemen’s Congress at mid-morning on Monday, January 1. We hope this will allow more of our membership to attend the business meeting of your association.

While in Oklahoma City, I would also encourage each of you to attend and support both the annual Genetics On Ice Benefit Auction and the National Limousin Sale.

On a final note, the calves that are a result of our research project from both the Hamlett and Schott Ranches will be weaned and shipped to South Dakota State University in early November. They will then go on feed with expected harvest date in late summer 2024.

If you would like to make a tax-free donation to the NALF Research Foundation or have any questions, feel free to contact Mark Anderson at mark@nalf.org.

NALF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

by Mark Anderson Executive Director North American Limousin Foundation

In the continual effort to provide a high quality and data driven herdbook at NALF, the board continues to push for new trait development along with improved EPD accuracy in the information on the genetic evaluation that is run through IGS for membership. New EPDs will be released later this fall that will be added to the Limousin trait deck that directly relate to continually improving feed efficiency and identifying traits that are a major costs to cattle production in both the cow/calf and feedlot sectors of the industry. With the help of our consultant, Dr. Robert Weaber and the IGS team, NALF will be incorporating five new EPDs. Once those are published, we will follow with two new indexes for Limousin that include a terminal and maternal index to be published later this year and will be provided weekly on DigitalBeef in your genetic evaluation.

Once the Dry Matter intake EPD is completed and fully released by IGS, NALF will include EPDs on Average Daily Gain (ADG), Feed Conversion (FCR) and a Cost of Gain EPD as it directly relates to identifying high performing cattle in the feeding industry in addition to cattle that would also excel in sustainability via the ability to track and mate for high performing cattle that excel in feed conversion.

With continued high feed costs throughout the nation, the ability to supply seedstock to the commercial cattle industry that help reduce production costs with cattle that are the most efficient feed converters will continue to be in demand.

As usual, cattle will still need to be sufficient for growth, fertility, maternal and carcass traits moving forward to be economically viable for the cow/calf sector, feedyard and packing business. This is also the reason the NALF board is intent on providing an updated terminal index which will be more reflective of today’s changing fed cattle market along with a new maternal index for the Limousin breed. The existing Mainstream Terminal Index will continue to be published. The new maternal index will be published after IGS completes its EPD on mature cow weight later this year. Both indexes will be structured and built through the IGENDEC program owned by the Beef Improvement Federation.

Accuracies are also improving on our EPDs on two fronts. Genomics and updated marker effects continue to improve the

continued on page 14

SUBSCRIPTION FORM

SUBSCRIBE BY PHONE 405.260.3775

SUBSCRIBE BY MAIL L365 Magazine

NOVEMBER 22, 2023 • 7 P.M. International Room

Regina,

SELLING 20 PREMIER LIMOUSIN LOTS

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21

11:00 a.m. First Lady Futurity & Classic President’s Classic Bull Calf Jackpot

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22

2:00 p.m. The “Chosen One” Limousin Jackpot

6:30 p.m. Social Hour

7:00 p.m. Solid Gold National Limousin Sale

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23

10:00 a.m. Limousin Show

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24

9:00 a.m. Canadian Junior Beef Extreme

4:00 p.m. Agribition Beef Supreme Drive

INTERNET BIDDING AVAILABLE THROUGH:

continued from page 12

predictive capability of our EPDs on all fronts. Secondly, and unique to the Limousin breed, is the vast improvement of data capture on phenotypes in the Limousin herdbook, namely on carcass traits with the inclusion of thousands of cattle that have actual carcass data provided through Wulf Cattle the past 2.5 years on the BeefBuilder® cattle. The herdbook currently has 150,000 carcass phenotypes for REA, CW, YG, BF, primarily provided by Wulf Cattle, that flow through all the related pedigrees in the NALF herdbook. This has dramatically improved accuracies on Limousin carcass trait EPDs in the past few years.

This makes NALF a leader in the industry for the capture of carcass phenotypes and it should continue to grow exponentially into the future thanks to the effort and contribution of Wulf Cattle and other members that are supplying harvest data. If you don’t have access to obtaining actual carcass data on your cattle, it is also extremely valuable to be ultrasounding your cattle to obtain carcass data for REA, BF, Marbling and YG. This scan data collection is also extremely valuable to increasing your accuracies on carcass traits for your herd. It is truly fitting that the Limousin breed, also known as the carcass breed, is now a leader in data capture for carcass traits.

Accuracies on the Gestation Lenth EPD were also vastly improved this past summer via the same process that was utilized in the carcass trait phenotype collection. With the help of Dr. Enns and Colorado State University, with assistance from Dr. Weaber, thousands of actual gestation length phenotypes were incorporated into our genetic evaluation. Accuracies of related phenotypes increased as much as 0.20.3 after these were incorporated into the run during the month of July.

We are still engaged in our NALRF research project with our commercial ranch cooperators in Montana. The cattle will be given pre-weaning and weaning shots this fall and will be shipped to South Dakota State University in early November to gather feed performance and carcass data. We are looking forward to working with the crew at SDSU and will keep you abreast of results as they are generated.

SALES TEAM:

MC Marketing Management

Kiley McKinna • 402-350-3447

Wiley Fanta • 320-287-0751

LIVESTOCK REP:

Canadian Limousin Assoc. Pres.

Ashton Hewson • 306-390-7987

R&R Marketing Co.

Randy Ratliff • 615-330-2735

AUCTIONEER:

Ryan Dorran • 403-507-2735

Given the fact that the USDA July Cattle Inventory Report still shows no sign of heifer retention, low feeder cattle supplies will translate to continued strong prices for all classes of cattle the next few years. Until sustained moisture conditions improve throughout much of the country, expansion will be delayed in the commercial cattle sector. We will see continued declines in beef production in the next two years and it will be even more pronounced when heifer retention starts, and the cow slaughter declines out of the weekly federally inspected slaughter levels. This will lead to continued high cattle prices and also will require more tonnage from cattle that have the genetics to be more feed efficient and create additional pounds of product to keep up with demand in spite of this inflationary time frame.

Utilizing all the tools available in the war chest for building genetically superior cattle has probably never been more important. Your board at NALF is intent on providing you the tools to utilize and mate the superior kind of cattle that will be required to feed not only this nation but fulfill the increasing demand for exported American Beef!

•

Saskatchewan

Held in conjunction with the Canadian Western Agribition

sells as Lot 9

COLE MISS ENVISION 270K ET LIM-FLEX(68) • 2/16/2022

HOMO

sells as Lot 12

COLE MISS HOMERUN 2124K

OCTOBER

53717 Gallagher Road Charlo, MT 59824

www.colemanlimousinranch.com

Larry & Anita Coleman • (406) 644-2300

Trent & Melissa Coleman • (406) 644-2707

SALE MANAGEMENT: Kiley McKinna, (402) 350-3447 • Wiley Fanta, (320) 287-0751 mcmarketingsales@aol.com • mcmarketingmanagement.com

CONSULTANT: Randy Ratliff, (615) 330-2735 • Randy@rrmktg.com

MEMBER AND INDUSTRY NEWS BRIEFS

North American Limousin Foundation Board Actions of the 2023 August Board of Directors Meeting

Rate Increase

Due to continued inflation and the cost of doing business the previous three years, the North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) Board of Directors have approved a modest increase in registration fees that became effective September 1, 2023. Registrations increased $3 per head and LIMS enrollments increased $1 per head for the upcoming 2023-2024 fiscal year. All other fees will remain the same.

Annual increases in inflation rates averaging nearly 6% over the previous three years has increased costs for NALF. Utilities, travel, postage, rent, among other items, have impacted the cost of doing business. The NALF board desires to maintain the level of services provided by the association.

Registrations look to end the 2022-2023 fiscal year slightly higher than the previous year but increases in actual normal business costs have offset registration totals the previous three years. The NALF board desires to keep the finances of the association on sound footing while providing a full array of services to its membership in the upcoming years.

New EPDs Release

During the summer of 2022, the NALF board voted to move forward with the build and production of five new EPDs and two new indexes which are anticipated to be released over the next three months. Look for the additional EPDs of Dry Matter Intake, Feed Conversion, Average Daily Gain, Cost of Gain and Mature Cow weight to be released this fall. NALF will soon provide details of these new EPDs to membership prior to their release.

Soon after the release of these five EPDs, the board also approved the release of two new indexes that will be more reflective of today’s current cattle marketing conditions. The production of a new terminal index and maternal index will be released through the IGENDEC software owned by the Beef Improvement Federation. The production of NALF’s mainstream terminal index will continue into the future as well.

North American Limousin Research Foundation

contemporary breed groups of Limousin, Lim-Flex and Angus sires when bred to commercial Angus cows.

Annual Meeting

The board also approved to move the NALF annual business meeting from the Embassy Suites in Oklahoma City to the grounds of Cattlemen’s Congress for members and exhibitors to attend the annual meeting more easily. Details of the annual meeting, Ken Holloway Genetics On Ice Annual Benefit Auction, National Limousin Sale, as well as the hill and pen show at the National Western Stock Show will be made available this fall via Limousin Latest and NALF’s social media outlets.

Need Registration Certificates?

Do you need registration certificates for an upcoming show, a show validation, or any other purpose? NALF staff is happy to send the registration certificates to you. Please submit your request to the NALF office at least two weeks prior to the event to make sure they reach you on time. Requests may be made to Stephanie at Steph@NALF.org.

Rush Orders on Registrations and Transfers

When mailing in rush registrations and transfers, please print RUSH on the outside of the envelope and when emailing please put RUSH in the subject line. Since the busy time of year is upon us in the NALF office, this will help make sure your work gets processed immediately. The $25 rush fee for each certificate, noted on the selfbilling worksheet, is in effect as of now. There are no rush orders available on lab work and ET calves.

Order Your Show Vest Today

If you have not ordered your Limousin soft shell show vest, do so today. The show vests are a black soft shell with the Limousin logo on the chest. You may order using the form found under the Shows tab at NALF.org or by contacting Stephanie at Steph@NALF.org.

Vests must be worn in the show ring at ALL Level I MOE shows (American Royal, NAILE, Cattlemen’s Congress and the Fort Worth Stock Show).

MOE Points Totals

Updated point totals are located on the MOE show standings page at NALF.org. For any questions, contact Mallory Blunier, director of media & activities, at Mallory@NALF.org.

The North American Limousin Research Foundation (NALRF) research project is also moving forward. Calves at our Montana ranch cooperators are scheduled to ship to South Dakota State University this fall. Feed performance data and carcass data will be collected and analyzed in an effort to measure the effects of heterosis among continued on page 18

continued from page 16

Level II MOE show results MUST be submitted by December 1, 2023, to be counted.

NALF Office Closed

The North American Limousin Foundation office will be closed select days over the upcoming holiday season. Please take note the office will be closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24 for Thanksgiving and Monday, December 25 and Tuesday,

2024 Cattlemen’s Congress & Annual Limousin Convention

December 28 - January 3, 2024 • Oklahoma City, OK

Entry deadline: November 20, 2023

Ownership deadline: December 1, 2023

Late entry deadline: December 5, 2023

Junior Limousin Show: Tuesday, January 2 at 8:00 a.m.

Judge: Shane Bedwell, Holt, MO

Limousin & Lim-Flex Pen Show: Tuesday, January 2 at 1:00 p.m.

Judge: Kevin Hafner, OK

National Limousin Show: Wednesday, January 3 at 8:00 a.m.

Judge: Tyler Bush, Britton, SD

Headquarters Hotel:

Embassy Suites by Hilton Will Rogers World Airport

1815 S Meridian Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73108

Main: 405-682-6000, Fax: 405-682-9252

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, December 28

Noon Cattle Arrive

Friday, December 29

All Day Cattle Arrive

Saturday, December 30

6:00 p.m. Cattle in Place

Sunday, December 31

9:00 a.m. Check-In

Monday, January 1

10:00 a.m. Annual Meeting @ Cattlemen’s Bar

6:00 p.m. Genetics On Ice/NALF Award Recognition and National Limousin Sale @ Embassy Suites

Tuesday, January 2

8:00 a.m. Junior Limousin and Lim-Flex Shows

1:00 p.m. Limousin and Lim-Flex Pen Show

Wednesday, January 3

8:00 a.m. National Limousin MOE Show

CornerPost Heifer Drawing

More information and deadlines will be made available in the coming weeks on the NALF website, Limousin Latest and social media outlets.

December 26 for Christmas. The office will be open for regular hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MST Monday, November 27, and Wednesday, December 27.

DNA and Registration

The DNA turnaround is four weeks. Contact Tammy, Tammy@ NALF.org, or Alison, Alison@NALF.org, with any DNA questions. Mailed in registrations and transfers is a two-week turnaround, contact Stephanie at Steph@NALF.org with any questions.

International Year Codes

2024 - M • 2023 - L • 2022 - K • 2021 - J

Join us in Orlando for the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show

Registration is now open for the 2024 Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trade Show. The annual convention will be held in Orlando, Florida, January 31-February 2, 2024. Convention participants will hear from industry leaders and gather insight on industry trends.

Candidates Set for the NALF Board of Directors Election

The NALF nominating committee has slated the candidates for the 2024 Board of Directors’ election. The election will be held during the NALF annual membership meeting on Monday, January 1, in conjunction with Cattlemen’s Congress. The following individuals have been slated by the nominating committee:

Dr. Matt Spangler, Nebraska (first term)

Trent Coleman, Montana (first term)

Brian Duplaga, Ohio (first term)

All candidates nominated will have their biographies published on the NALF Social Media platforms, Limousin Latest and NALF.org.

In addition to three new slates, the board also approved two candidates to re-up for their second three-year term—Rob Brawner, Nebraska, and Joey Freund, Colorado.

Nominations Sought for NALF Awards

Each year NALF honors a Commercial Producer of the Year, a Commercial Marketing Booster of the Year and a Limousin Promoter of the Year. These awards are presented at Cattlemen’s Congress. NALF is currently seeking nominations for this year’s awards. Nominations are due by December 1. Nomination forms may be found under the Member Center of the Management tab at NALF.org or may be requested from the NALF office at 303-220-1693 or Limousin@ NALF.org.

CornerPost Heifer Drawing

The NALJA Board of Directors is excited about this year’s CornerPost raffle heifer! The juniors are selling raffle

continued on page 20

continued from page 18

tickets on a bred heifer. This high-quality heifer, insurance for one year, transportation to owner and one ET flush are all to be awarded to raffle winner. Contact a junior board member to purchase your ticket.

Tickets cost $250 each or 5 for $1,000 to be sold by the NALJA Board. The heifer will not be auctioned.

This year’s heifer is Wulfs Kitten 2515K, donated by Wulf Cattle. LFF2521954 • FI 2515K • 3/21/22 • 50% Lim-Flex

Wulfs Gronk K509G x Wulfs Galaxy 9006G

EPDs: CE: 10 BW: 2.7 WW: 97 YW: 158 MK: 24 CM: 6

DC: 18 YG: -0.08 REA: 0.89 MB: 0.34 $MTI: 73

Bred to Wulfs Genius 5293G • Due February 2024

2024 National Western Stock Show

January 6-11, 2024 · Denver, CO

Entry deadline: November 20, 2023

Ownership deadline: December 1, 2023

Late entry deadline: December 20, 2023

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Saturday, January 6

8:00 a.m. Yard Cattle Arrive

Sunday, January 7

Noon Hill Cattle Arrive

5:00 p.m. Yard Cattle In Place

8:00 p.m. Hill Cattle In Place

Monday, January 8

9 a.m. Yard Cattle Check-In

1 p.m. Hill Cattle Check-In

Tuesday, January 9

10:00 a.m. Limousin & Lim-Flex Pen Show

After Show Yard Cattle Released

Wednesday, January 10

10:00 a.m. Junior Limousin Show

Level II MOE Limousin Show

After Show Hill Cattle Released

Thursday, January 11

10:00 a.m. All Cattle Out

More information and deadlines will be made available in the coming weeks on the NALF website, Limousin Latest and social media outlets.

Docility & Calving Ease

Feed

“Docility and calving ease are the two number-one things for a commercial rancher. And the docility of the Lim-Flex is really great. But calving ease is top of the line. She has to be able to produce a calf without a lot of problems.”

- Shane Whiting, Commercial Cow/Calf Producer

“Using a Continental breed such as Limousin or Lim-Flex on a British-based cow herd gives you the best of both worlds –the maximum combination of a balance between gain, feed efficiency and carcass quality.” - Dr. Kee Jim, CEO of Feedlot Health

Management Services

“Genomic testing, breeder focus and the heritability of carcass traits have enabled all of us as seedstock producers to make rapid genetic gain in carcass quality. In fact, the marbling EPD value in our breed reflects an improvement of 0.25 to 0.35 for both Limousin and Lim-Flex, making them very comparable to other Continental breeds.”

- Dan Hunt, Commercial Cow/Calf Producer

The Three C’s Cattle. Catalyst. Change.

by Randy Ratliff

“Cattle are the catalyst for what truly matters most.”

As I sit back and reflect on my 33-year career in the Limousin cattle business, I can’t help but realize how the cattle became the means to a sense of purpose and what truly mattered the most. If it had not been for cattle shows, cattle auctions and the advertising side of the business, I would not be the man I am today. Every aspect of the marketing world in this business gave me a platform from which I could build my career, but most importantly it taught me how to maneuver through life.

Our breeders of Limousin cattle are comprised of an eclectic group of people—they derive ideas, have their own style and tastes from a broad and diverse range of sources. Anyone—no matter their title, seniority, or tenure, can inspire and instigate change.

What is the greatest catalyst for change? Courage. Someone who serves as a catalyst for change will find the courage to step into the unknown and use their voice in generative, action-oriented ways that bring together others to turn their ideas and possibilities into reality.

At a very early age, it was my father who gave my brother and I the opportunity to attend auction school making us the fourth generation of our family to become auctioneers. I was 12 years old at the time. Our parents served as people who would not only motivate and inspire us, but as those who helped us move in the right direction. I see the same scenario happening again and again with parents guiding their kids in the “right” direction—all under the umbrella of the cattle business. There is no more inspiring sight to see, nor one that holds so true to the heart, day in and day out.

Temple Grandin

“When I was younger, I was looking for this magic meaning of life. It’s very simple now. Making the lives of others better, doing something of lasting value. The meaning of life, it’s that simple.”

Peterson’s L7 Bar Limousin

Three generations focused on Limousin longevity.

by Sarah Anne Johnson

Peterson’s L7 Bar Limousin raises registered Limousin and LimFlex seedstock south of Pukwana, South Dakota. The Peterson family works diligently to offer Limousin genetics for the true commercial cattleman. Cattle that are sound, with doability and offer pounds of muscle and performance. They’ve been in the Limousin breed for over 50 years and hold true to the reason they first decided to improve their mostly Hereford-influenced herd with Limousin genetics: cattle that work for you, not the other way around.

Rod and Wendy Peterson started with predominantly Hereford cows and needed a way to improve carcass traits in their herd. Rod and his dad, Harold, went to a John Deere Day together and saw a video advertisement promoting Limousin cattle. Rod and Harold

keyed in on the high cutability and dressing percentage the Limousin breed had to offer and left there that day knowing exactly what they wanted to do. That first year in 1970 they were only able to get their hands on approximately six to eight units of Limousin semen. “It’s crazy to me how hard it was to get semen then. Building a program up like that took a lot of time,” Cade said. Rod and Wendy’s son, Cade, his wife Erica, and their two children, Memphis and Rory, are the force behind the program today.

When asked ‘Why Limousin?, the Peterson family’s response is this—“Pounds. Muscle. Growth. Performance. That’s the first thing we’d say. There’s no doubt Limousin cattle are the king of carcass traits. But we can’t say it enough—Limousin cattle got a bad reputation in

“We pride ourselves on our customer service and listening to our customers.”

the ’70s and ’80s, even in the early to mid ’90s. We are not raising those early cattle. In fact, breeders have worked hard, and we’d argue harder, than most any other breed to improve. You shock cattlemen from another breed when you tell them a Limousin cow hits peak production at five years old and she’ll still be around at 10-12 years of age. Pay attention to the great maternal traits this breed has worked hard on the last 20 years. Udder quality, milking ability and functionality all play a role. We aren’t just making performance driven bulls with the ruggedness and muscularity our customers demand. Sure it’s our calling card, but the maternal improvements in this breed and the current cow power that stands out in pastures is worth talking about,” Cade explained.

“Now, more than ever, feed conversion and efficiency matters. In a world paying attention to how efficient agriculture can be, we feel strongly Limousin cattle continue to have an answer for that in the beef industry. Our work continues to build off the work Rod and Wendy Peterson started in the ’70s. Efficiency and growth, coupled with cattle that are focused on being built to enhance the commercial cattleman’s operation. You do not build bulls made for that without also continually improving your cow base. Our breed does that quietly—other breeds follow a cow family much closer and talk about it openly. We’d like to change that. The maternal foundation, even in our breed driven by muscle and power, matters,” Cade remarked.

“Limousin cattle are positioned to shine with their carcass qualities, cutability, waste advantages and general feed efficiencies. We see a bright future for the breed as it continues to show commercial operators heavily influenced by British breeds what Limousin cattle can do for them. The show ring has seen Limousin cattle pick up in popularity in the last few years. But show ring fads can be fickle. We will remain focused on quality, functional cattle that can make bulls and heifers in a real world setting. If they happen to be show cattle, even better. But we learned long ago never to dive head first into show ring trends,” Cade said.

The absolute number one person to influence the Peterson family’s operation was Harold Rinehart. “Harold was a rancher that lived up by Highmore and had access to a lot of semen. Mom (Wendy Peterson) had connections to him through 4-H and rodeo and Harold was able to get enough semen in 1971 to AI all of their cows in the herd. It was all because of Harold, his connections and his ability to furnish them with all the AI semen,” Cade reflected.

Another individual who was pivotal in the Peterson’s L7 Bar Limousin program is Dale Runnion. “In 1976, mom and dad (Rod and Wendy Peterson) had Reserve Champion Pen at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. Dale Runnion told Dad that he knew he could sell

continued on page 28

For

more than 50 years, the Peterson family of Pukwana, SD, has worked to offer Limousin genetics that work for you, not the other way around. They focus on cattle that are sound with doability without sacrificing muscle and performance.

continued from page 27

him thousands of dollars worth of advertising because of how good their day was, but he said ‘I would rather sell you advertising for 20 years so let’s figure out what will make it comfortable for you and go from there.’ Dad took that statement to heart and it’s one of my dad’s favorite stories as far as the breed goes. Dale made it comfortable and it evidently worked because we’re still at it today,” Cade said.

“Mark Smith is such a good friend of our family and has had quite an influence in our program throughout the years. He traveled countless miles and saw so many things within the breed. Being a family-run outfit, it’s hard to get away and Mark went to all the sales and shows and always kept us informed. He’s always got his ear to the ground and it’s been so helpful having him all those years doing

The Virginian bull was a big performance bull that sired a lot of the bulls in the Reserve Champion Pens of Three at the National Western in the late ’80s and early ’90s. He left an awful good set of daughters at the ranch as well.

what he did,” Cade explained. “Those are for sure staple individuals for the breed.”

“We pride ourselves on our customer service and listening to our customers. We go off of what their needs are and we don’t try to do what isn’t going to fit our program. We’ve been around since 1970 and we’ve never really worried about making the biggest splash in the pond.” Cade explained.

“Two things have always impressed me with all generations at Peterson’s L7 Bar Limousin. One is their curiosity. They are never afraid to ask questions and when the options come back, they aren’t afraid to discuss. Some they accept, some they reject, and some they modify, but the curiosity is always there. Second, they believe in what

continued on page 30

The number one person to influence the Peterson family’s operation was Harold Rinehart (far right). Harold was able to get enough semen in 1971 to AI all of the Peterson cows. Pictured are Wendy and Rod Peterson and Marilyn and Harold Rinehart.

Another influential sire has been L7 Red Pepper 3001N. He is out of the program’s most dominant cow family, Cassie 719V and L7 Chili Pepper 080K—both past show heifers. His bull calves were big, stout, easy-doing individuals and the females were fantastic—big ribbed, functional and good uddered.

Peterson’s L7 Bar Limousin is a true family-run operation. They held their 45th Annual Bull Sale in April of 2023. They feature 50-60 bulls and a handful of fancy open heifers each year.

When considering the actual performance of your top line, our bulls have what it takes to get you there. If you are striving for progeny with industry leading traits and overall practicality, you will find what you are looking for in Mount Vernon, South Dakota. Our decades of data collection prove the possibilities are endless. Take advantage of our performance oriented philosophy by incorporating these sires into your program.

Wulfs

“We learned long ago never to dive head first into show ring trends,” Cade said. “We stay focused on quality, functional cattle that can make bulls and heifers in a real world setting. If they happen to be show cattle, even better.”

continued from page 28

they’re doing and they believe it’s a great way of life. Part of that is you have to enjoy it and have fun, their desire to enjoy what they’re doing makes them special,” Mark Smith remarked.

Peterson’s L7 Bar Limousin held their 45th Annual Bull Sale in April this year. They feature 50-60 bulls and a handful of fancy open heifers each year. “It’s a good old-fashioned sale offering here at the ranch, nothing too fancy or over the top,” Cade explained.

In Cade’s eyes there are three individual cattle that put their program on the map. “The ones that come to mind is the Virginian bull that we bought and at the time his yearling weight was off the charts. He

was a big performance bull and he sired a lot of the bulls that were in the Reserve Champion Pens of Three at the National Western in the late ’80s and early ’90s. He left an awful good set of daughters at our place as well.”

“Another bull was Thunder. He was way ahead of his time and he’d be really nice to have right now. His females were awesome—they were moderate made and big bellied and they made tremendous females. That’s what got the female side of our program rolling. At that time, we were offering 20 open heifers in the sale and a lot of those females were daughters of his. People just loved them and still today we’ve got repeat customers because of that.”

“More recently, a bull that we raised, L7 Red Pepper 3001N. He is out of the most dominant cow family that we have, his granddam was Cassie 719V and his dam is L7 Chili Pepper 080K—both past show heifers. His bull calves were phenomenal, big, stout, easy-doing individuals and the females were fantastic—big ribbed, real functional and good uddered cows.”

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NORTH REGION

Sarah Johnson 614/266-2646

sarah@limousin365.com

SOUTH REGION

DeRon Heldermon 405/850-5102

deron@limousin365.com

“The true measure of success and standing out doesn’t come from how you set yourself up or how you position yourself. Worrying about climbing a ladder to win or to have the best bull sale only leads to disappointment. More and more in this industry we see customer focus declining. And it’s a trend we need to avoid. If you want to set yourself apart and truly get noticed—focus on your customer. Care about them. Talk to them. Listen to what they have going on. If you build your relationships with customers and colleagues, you will be able to build your brand,” Cade said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sarah Anne Johnson raises registered Limousin & Lim-Flex cattle with her family and Coulton West in Ohio. She is a sixth-generation beef cattle producer, works as a District Sales Manager for Syngenta and is the Northern Region Sales Representative for Limousin365. She has also exhibited Limousin cattle on the state and national levels since the age of four and she served as a NALJA Board Member during her junior show career. Connect with her at 614-266-2646 or sarah@limousin365.com.

KEN HOLLOWAY

GENETICS ON ICE BENEFIT AUCTION

January 1, 2024 • 6 P.M. CST

IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NATIONAL LIMOUSIN SALE

Deadline for Donations is December 1, 2023

MALLORY BLUNIER 309-361-3007 mallory@nalf.org

KILEY MCKINNA 402-350-3447 WILEY FANTA 320-287-0751 mcmarketingsales@aol.com www.mcmarketingmanagement.com

RANDY RATLIFF 615-330-2735 randy@rrmktg.com www.rrmktg.com

MARK SMITH 515-229-5227 grgenetics@aol.com www.grassrootsgenetics.com

Meet the NALF Director Candidates

The North American Limousin Foundation nominating committee has selected the following candidates for the 2024 Board of Directors’ election.

Joey Freund Elizabeth, CO

2nd Term

Joey Freund is a lifelong supporter of the Limousin breed. Joey grew up on his family’s ranch, Running Creek Ranch, located 40 miles southeast of Denver on the high plains of Colorado, where he resides today. He works with his family managing 1,000 registered Limousin cows, as well as looks after their private treaty sales of two-year old bulls. Additionally, Joey manages the marketing of their feeder and fed cattle.

Horsepower is a passion of his. Saddle horses are used in all the cattle work on Running Creek Ranch and Belgian draft horses are used to feed cattle and also in pulling horse competitions, with his favorite being at the National Western Stock Show. His other involvements include the family construction business and the banking industry.

The Freund family has been very involved and committed to the Limousin breed for 45 years. Joey’s father, Joe Sr., was a director of the NALF Board of Directors 25 years ago and Joey previously served on the NALF Board from 2014-2019.

Rob Brawner Wood Lake, NE

2nd Term

Bullis Creek Ranch is a 5th generation ranching operation that was founded in 1917 when Herbert “Doc” Brawner relocated from the family farm in Delevan, Illinois, to south of Livingston, Montana. The family ranched there for 80 years when in 1997 the ranch was sold and another purchased in the sandhills of Nebraska in Cherry County, the nation’s largest cow county. The present-day ranch is operated by Rob and his wife, Brenda, and children Neil, Audrey and grandson, Junior. Chuck and Beth and kids, Nathan and Kiera, live in Springfield, Missouri.

The ranch consists of 5,000 acres of Sandhills grassland. There is no farming and the ranch is mainly a grass and range cattle outfit. The cowherd consists of 400 head of Registered Limousin, Lim-Flex and Red Angus females. The ranch has raised Limousin for more than 50

years and Red Angus for 28 years. An annual bull sale is held each spring when 80 head of age-advantaged, range-raised, coming twoyear-old bulls are offered along with 40 Purebred and commercial bred heifers. Animals not making the sale are sold as yearling feeders or retained and fed to be sold as finished cattle. Close outs have shown 94% Choice and Prime, yielding 63.5% and an average gain of 4.39 pounds. The ranch has also been selling beef direct to the consumer.

The family also operates Killdeer Nook guest cabin which is a vacation rental that offers multiple recreational opportunities for guests. The cabin is usually rented around 200 nights per year.

Rob is a past president and board member of the Montana Limousin Association, Nebraska Limousin Association and Nebraska Red Angus Association. Rob is a member of the Nebraska Cattlemen and R-Calf USA. Rob served two terms on the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic Board of Directors. Rob served two terms on the Sandhills Cattle Association Board of Directors plus served as Secretary/Treasurer and President of the 450-member producer organization. Rob has also served on various 4-H and Extension boards.

Trent Coleman Charlo, MT 1st Term

Trent Coleman is from Charlo, Montana. He owns and operates Coleman Limousin Ranch. Coleman Limousin Ranch is one of the founding members of the North American Limousin Foundation. Trent’s parents, Larry and Anita Coleman, started breeding Limousin cattle in 1970. In April 2023, Coleman’s held their 45th Annual Bull Sale. They also hold a bi-annual female sale in the fall featuring donors, bred heifers and embryos. Coleman Limousin Ranch currently runs 350 cows with an extensive AI and embryo transfer program.

Trent has traveled through the country for many years delivering sale bulls and doing herd visits. Getting to know his customers and what they need is an important part of their program. Trent has enjoyed the challenge of continuing to make Limousin and Lim-Flex cattle better.

continued on page 36

continued from page 34

Trent has served three terms on the Flathead Irrigation District board. He also served on the Montana State University planning board for the construction of the Animal Bioscience Center.

Trent and his wife, Melissa, have three children, Darcy, Avery and Darren. All three kids enjoy showing cattle, ranch work and sports.

Brian Duplaga

Grafton, OH

1st Term

Brian Duplaga is from Grafton, Ohio. He owns and operaters Duplaga Limousin Farms, a first generation farm. He operates a 150 head purebred Limousin cow-calf and freezer beef operation along with row crop farming. Over the last 22 years, the operation has continued to grow to be successful for the next generation. Brian and his wife, Kathy, have two grown children, Jessica (Bryan) and Amanda (Zach) and one grandchild, Jamie. Both of their daughters have shown Limousin cattle from their elementary years to now as adults.

Duplaga Limousin Farms started out with the purchase of a cowcalf pair to be shown as county fair projects for his daughters. A couple head of cattle has turned into a full-time operation and lifetime passion to produce high-quality cattle.

He currently breeds more than 100 females mainly using his herd bulls with the use of some artificial insemination and embryo transplant. Genetics are critical to his operation to ensure quality breeding stock and superior marbling for their freezer beef customers. He takes pride in selling excellent breeding stock to farms that want to continue to build their Limousin herd or to families that are just getting started in the cattle industry as Brian once did.

Brian looks forward to continuing to grow his operation and future opportunities within the cattle industry.

Matt Spangler

Lincoln, NE

1st Term

Matt Spangler grew up on a diversified crop and livestock farm in Kansas. He received degrees from Kansas State University (BS; 2001), Iowa State University (MS; 2003), and the University of Georgia (PhD; 2006) and is currently a Professor of Animal Genetics and Extension Beef Genetics Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research work focuses on quantitative genetics and genomics in livestock. As part of this effort, he works closely with livestock industries, in particular beef and swine, to implement improved genetic selection tools and methods.

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FACTORS AFFECTING SLAUGHTER COW VALUES

by Derrell Peel Livestock Marketing Specialist Oklahoma State University

As of mid-September, cull cow prices at Oklahoma auctions are an average of 33.1 percent higher year over year across all grades and dressing percentages. Higher slaughter cow prices are the result of strong lean beef markets and the related growth in breeding demand for cows.

Beef cow slaughter increased annually from 2015–2022 and, after rising sharply the past two years to the highest level since 1996, is declining year over year in 2023. Beef cow slaughter is falling more sharply in the second half of this year and may end the year down in the range of 15-17 percent from year earlier levels. The declining supply of lean beef is driving higher processing beef prices. The current price of 90 percent lean beef is 17.3 percent higher year over year.

With fall culling decisions approaching, producers should be aware of factors affecting cull cow value and consider opportunities to increase cull value. The price of average dressing Boner cows in midSeptember is $108.38/cwt. which means the prices would be expected to vary from a high of $120.74/cwt. for high dressing Breaker cows to a low of $91.80/cwt. for low dressing Lean cows.

Slaughter cow grade is a function of age, weight and condition of cows. The Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS) uses the following guidelines to grade slaughter cows:

Breaker: Slaughter cows expected to yield carcasses in the range of 75-80% lean. Typically, a cow with more than .35 inch of backfat at the 12th rib.

Boner: Slaughter cows expected to yield carcasses in the range of 80-85% lean. Typically, a cow with between .15-.35 inches of backfat at the 12th rib.

Lean: Slaughter cows expected to yield carcasses in the range of 85+% lean. Typically, a cow with less than .15 inch of backfat at the 12th rib.

As a rough guide, cows will be about 100 pounds heavier for increases in each grade from Lean to Boner to Breaker. Each grade increase is roughly equivalent to an increase of one body condition score. Additionally, the live weight of cows will change by roughly 25-30 pounds above and below the weight of average dressing cows for high and low dressing cows. Producers can often impact the value of cull cows by managing the weight and condition of cows before marketing.

Cull cows have the most pronounced seasonal price pattern of any class of cattle ranging from highs in June and July to lows in November and December. Cull cows that are thin (Lean, low dressing) in the fall and are retained and fed until spring may sell as Boner cows at average dressing by March with an increase in value of $400-$600/head due to added weight, grade and condition. Of course, the feasibility of holding cull cows depends on time and management considerations and the availability of surplus feed.

Going forward, many culled cows will likely be screened for the possibility of producing another calf and selling later for slaughter value. Leaving cull cows with a bull while adding weight after weaning may produce another increment of added value if she can be sold as a bred cow next spring at seasonally high bred cow prices

Producers should be aware of factors affecting cull cow value and consider opportunities to increase cull value.

Lenape Cattle Co.

A Little Trust and a Whole Lot of Faith

by Megan Silveira

Home after a typical shift at work in 2012, Ray Moyer didn’t think much when he asked his wife, “What did you do today?”

If Barb’s laugh didn’t tip him off, her smile sure did.

“You know, I think I bought a farm.”

The couple grew up near Telford, Pennsylvannia, both comfortable with the rolling hills and trees. While they liked the quiet of rural life having grown up around agriculture, neither had a lick of experience with raising beef cattle.

Just down the road from their house in 2014 sat Lenape Limousin, a small cattle farm owned by Harris and Marge Mosher. Barb knew the couple through their groundskeeper.

As the Moshers got on in age and Mr. Mosher had a few health problems, Barb offered to buy the some of their property—the “lower farm.”

“I think he thought I was half crazy,” she recalls on a laugh. “And I think it was one of those God moments, because I’m not bold that way.”

The Lord continued to work in mysterious ways for Barb and Ray. Despite having been told it would be at least three years before they could buy, Mrs. Mosher offered Barb the land immediately when six

weeks after that initial conversation the Moyers discovered they would be losing their home to eminent domain.

So that dinner conversation about purchasing a farm turned into moving plans and moving plans became blueprints for a home. During that period, Barb said her bond with Mrs. Mosher continued to grow. She would help with errands or sit with Mr. Mosher while his wife was out and about.

“She just looked at me one day when we were chatting and said, ‘I want you to take over Lenape,’” Barb explains. “I knew nothing. Seriously nothing.”

Inexperience didn’t stop Barb from immediately agreeing, however. A few weeks into breaking ground for their new home, the community lost Mr. Mosher, and with him, Barb and Ray lost their friend and intended cattle mentor.

Mr. Mosher had been raising livestock in the area for years, building up his reputation and the farm name with strong genetics. Though he had dispersed five years prior to the farm being passed to the Moyers, he still kept a few head around.

continued on page 42

Stay Connected

A new way of staying connected is now at your fingertips. Say goodbye to remembering to check sale dates, times and updates. Instead, be notified when a sale opens or nears closing, bidding is extended, videos and catalogs are posted and more. Staying updated on all things Limousin related is now in the palm of your hand. Sign up for text alerts today or contact us to see how your marketing efforts can benefit from text alerts.

Text “Limousin365” to 866-312-5067 to sign up for text alerts.

continued from page 40

New Year’s

JANUARY 27, 2024

SELLING 45 EXCLUSIVE LOTS

• Elite Show Heifers

• Bred Heifers

• Bred Cows

• Bulls

• Genetic Opportunities

SALE MANAGEMENT: MC MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Kiley McKinna, 402-350-3447 • Wiley Fanta, 320-287-0751 mcmarketingsales@aol.com • www.mcmarketingmanagement.com

CONSULTANT: Bill Helton, 256-962-0256

Andy & Tammy Schmalshof

• Karen, Griffin & Drake Reese

Adam, Jonelle, Peyton, Carrina & Dixon Schmalshof 436 140th St.

Andy, cell: 309/333-0029

• Avon, IL 61415

• Adam, cell: 309/333-3044

• adam.atak@gmail.com

The 37-year marriage between Barb and Ray gave them their children, Mason and Molly, who now both have families of their own. Mason’s wife, Kelly, and Molly’s husband, Dustin, are key people at the farm. Ranging from ages eight-years to seven-months-old, grandchildren Maddie, Joanna, Cassidy, Oliver, Lucy and Rissa all find their own ways to enjoy life on the farm, too, some drawing closer to the livestock and others to the land.

In 2016, Mrs. Mosher transferred nine females and one bull—all fullblood Limousin—into Barb’s name.

“And off I went,” Barb said. “It’s been an adventure.”

The path might not have been clearly marked in the beginning, but Barb and Ray’s story at the farm, now called Lenape Cattle Co., has become one of success.

In the early days of September 2023, the couple welcomed their 114th animal to the world. Standing to look out the back of their home today, Barb said she can see all 106 acres they own, including a pond and barn. The only other structure on the horizon is the tip of a roof, a house that belongs to their son and his family.

“It’s just somewhat special,” she admits, still enjoying the view.

Growth during the past seven years is clearly the result of hard work and eager minds, but Barb said she and Ray credit a lot that they have to some fantastic opportunities. It’s Barb’s tenacity and Ray’s dedication that put the farm on track for success since day one.

The two own another company with a birthdate far back from their ranching career. When they decided to take over the farm, Ray called a business meeting.

“If you want to do this, it’s great,” he said. “But you need to do this not as a hobby, but to be great at it.”

Barb’s answer?

“Is there any other way?”

continued on page 44

Whether Fullblood, Purebred, Lim-Flex or Red Angus, Lenape cattle are sound from the ground up, calve easy and keep a cool head year-round all while looking just as strong on paper.

continued from page 42

An Icy Welcome

Barb and Ray knew the learning curve to owning cattle would be steep, but things seemed to snowball their first winter in the business.

March in their area can be beautiful or miserable, and that inaugural year was anything but pretty. Calving season was just underway, and babies were hitting the ground that Barb had inherited when she was transferred bred females.

A cold snap brought ice, and one heifer pushed a calf out in the pasture, as the Moyer’s hadn’t had time to build proper facilities yet. The newborn seemed to be alright, and Barb left the pair to check on others with a similar due date.

The next morning, Barb found the little one stranded on a patch of ice, just lying in the cold.

“What do you do with a hypothermic calf?” she asked, at the time not knowing there was even such a thing as tubing an animal.

Thankfully, this calf took a bottle, and Barb was able to slowly get it warmed up. With one crisis averted, she headed back out to check the rest of a herd. More trials awaited her, including a calf drowned in a frozen creek and a five-month-old heifer so stuck in a creep feeder she suffered nerve damage.

“It was so hard at the time,” she said, remembering how she would watch the clock, dreading the countdown to feeding time.

It was her feed guy who gave her the courage to continue. He called and asked for the good, the bad and the question of the day. When he heard all her troubles, Barb said he just laughed.

continued on page 46

We hope you make plans to attend this sale and consider our featured lots selling. These individuals represent the kind of quality we raise as well as the bulls and females we have available at the farm.

$POUNDS PAY$ MUSCLE MATTERS

With today’s record high cattle prices, it is more important than ever to have high performance cattle that put pounds on the ground. Nothing weighs more than muscle and nothing adds muscle like pure Fullbloods. These bulls have two copies of the F94L DNA gene found almost exclusively in the Limousin breed. This gene allows higher feed conversion to heavier weights at weaning and slaughter, healthier lean beef, increased tenderness and faster growth rates.

Give us a call today about the choice selection of herd sire prospects and replacement females we have available. Bulls will be easy calving and gentle. Virgin bulls ready to breed. Be sure to visit our updated website.

Sire of current young bulls.

continued from page 44

His pep talk told her the situations were not her fault, and the problem with working alongside Mother Nature was that things like this happened to everyone—just not usually on the same day.

Barb and her cattle survived that first winter and have been thriving ever since. Her career as steward is marked with countless individuals like her feed guy who have helped share both encouragement and wisdom.

“Sometimes I think without these pretty red cows, we wouldn’t have met that person,” she explains. And in this industry, “The relationships that you build are the best. Bar none.”

Her biggest helping hand has undoubtedly been Ray. Besides serving as each other’s cheerleader, the two make a powerful farming duo. Ray earns the title of “land manager,” keeping up with fencing, equipment and rotational grazing plans. Barb sticks to the cattle, making management and breeding decisions.

Barb’s gone the extra mile to grow her herd, in both size and genetic quality. Just a few months into running the farm, she attended artificial insemination school with Select Sires. It was a decision founded in the desire to improve what she had.

That focus on securing elite genetics has never wavered.

“My Fullblood herd is stock full of great genetics from the old foundation genetics to newer names,” she explains.

Those fullbloods expanded to purebreds and Lim-Flex, both red and black. Barb’s even added a couple red Angus females to the herd

recently. No matter their pedigree, she said people can expect her animals to be sound from the ground up, calve easy and keep a cool head year-round all while looking just as strong on paper.

To sum it up, Lenape cattle are consistent.

It took a while to identify and build a new customer base, but it’s that consistency Barb said her customers look for today. They come for production and longevity, two things she can confidently offer with every animal that leaves the farm.

She’s sold as far north as Maine all the way down to Texas; Lenape cattle have even made their way west to Southern California. In the past, private treaty sales were the only option, but the waitlist to purchase her animals prompted Barb to embark on a new adventure.

This November, she and Ray will offer young bulls, heifers, bred cows and a couple pairs at their first auction. Barb’s philosophy when she started building the herd was to offer genetics all buyers would want to have, so it’s hard for her to feel anything other than excitement as the big day approaches.

Between photos and planning, it’s been another learning curve for the family, but Barb said it’s almost a cake walk when she thinks back on that first winter. There’s the usual concern about who or how many might show up on sale day, though she said the process keeps her humble.

“We don’t know what to expect because it’s the first one,” she explains, “but I think it’s exciting to be forwarding the breed any way we can.”

continued on page 48

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continued from page 46

The same mentality is responsible for another venture: Lenape Semen Sales. Though the business hasn’t launched quite yet, Barb said it’s an exciting opportunity to help make the breed she’s so passionate about more readily available to other producers.

Warmer Days

Champion titles, success with technologies like embryo transfer and impressive matings are all happy moments Barb can recite with ease, but the biggest accomplishment of her farming career easily rises to the top of the list. She said there’s nothing better than watching the youngest generation learn to call the livestock industry home.

The 37-year marriage she’s had with Ray gave them their children, Mason and Molly, who now both have families of their own. Mason’s wife, Kelly, and Molly’s husband, Dustin, are each key people in the family and at the farm. Ranging from ages eight-years to sevenmonths-old, grandchildren Maddie, Joanna, Cassidy, Oliver, Lucy and Rissa all find their own ways to enjoy life on the farm, too, some drawing closer to the livestock and others to the land.

Their oldest just joined 4-H and several have already brought up the show ring to their grandparents— commentary that brings a smile to both Barb and Ray’s faces.

“That’s important that they can be involved in agriculture in some way,” Barb said. “It’s such a wholesome life for them to be living.”

Truthfully, it’s a wholesome life for anyone to live. Barb takes every opportunity to say thank you for the courage she found to take a chance on this lifestyle that’s come to mean so much.

“That day that I volunteered to buy the farm, the Lord said you’re just going to have to trust me through this,” she said.

That kind of trust, alongside a heaping amount of faith and a good helping of courage, is what’s helped keep Barb and Ray going, even when the situation seemed bleak.

“Sometimes this seems to take on a life of its own, and you feel like you’re just along for the ride,” she said. “But it’s incredibly fulfilling, even when it’s brutally hard.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Megan Silveira is a freelance writer originally from Denair, California. She is currently based in Saint Joseph, Missouri. She completed her graduate studies in agricultural communications from Oklahoma State University.

SELLING 40 ELITE LOTS

4:00 p.m. Social Hour

5:00 p.m. National Limousin Sale

SALE LOCATION:

Embassy Suites by Hilton

Will Rogers World Airport 1815 S Meridian Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73108 405-682-6000

AUCTIONEERS:

C.K. “Sonny” Booth (918) 533-5587

Ronn Cunningham (918) 629-9382

Chisum Peterson (605) 730-4214

SALE MANAGER: (303) 220-1693 • limousin@nalf.org

BID ONLINE:

The National Limousin Sale is being held in conjunction with the Genetics On Ice Benefit Auction and the National Limousin Banquet. To consign to Genetics On Ice, contact any sale team member.

K-State Cattle Experts Share Options For Pregnant And Open Cows

Pregnancy checking in first 60 to 90 days of gestation allows culling decisions to be made sooner rather than later.

When making an important decision, many people prefer to gather as much information as they can to make the most informed choice possible.

For cow-calf producers, knowing the pregnancy status of the cows is important information to have as they decide which animals they are going to keep and which ones they are going to sell, according to the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute. This was the topic for a recent discussion on the Cattle Chat podcast.

“As forage availability becomes more limited, pregnancy checking in the first 60 to 90 days of gestation allows producers to make the culling decision sooner rather than later, and that helps keep the feed costs down,” said AJ Tarpoff, K-State Research and Extension beef cattle veterinarian.

Along with knowing if they are pregnant or open, K-State veterinarian Bob Larson also stresses the importance of knowing when the cows conceived.

“I want as many cows as possible to get pregnant in the first 21 days of the breeding season because they will raise the biggest calves to sell at weaning,” Larson said. He also shared that the cows that calve early are more likely to resume their heat cycles on time for the next breeding season.

Another benefit of bringing the cows off the pasture for pregnancy checking is that producers can also evaluate the body condition of the cows, said K-State beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster.

“Body condition scoring the cows at weaning allows producers to make decisions about how to manage the cows nutritionally ahead of the calving season,” Lancaster said. “At the start of the calving season, mature cows should be at a body condition score between five and six and first calf heifers should be at a body condition score of six.”

If the cows are thin at weaning, there is still time for them to add weight ahead of calving, Lancaster explained. “It is a lot cheaper and easier to put weight on the thin cows going through the fall than in the winter when bad weather can make it a challenge for them to overcome the additional maintenance requirements.”

Husker Team To ID Genetic Tools To Boost Cattle Growth Efficiency

Study aims to determine how variation in mitochondrial genomes affect overall efficiency.

Husker scientists have begun a federally funded study to deepen the understanding of links between genetics and cattle growth efficiency. The project has significant potential to expand the range of genetic tools used by breeders.

The study will focus on cattle’s mitochondria, cell components whose biochemical activity produces most of the body’s energy for cell function.

Breeders use a variety of genetic data for their operations, but information from the mitochondrial genome of an animal is largely ignored. In this project, a five-person team of University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty and graduate students will aim to determine how variation in cattle’s mitochondrial genomes affects overall efficiency in animal growth.

As a result, said Jessica Petersen, associate professor of animal science, “Information on mitochondrial genotype will serve as a new tool for the selection of the most energy-efficient cows.” Those cows, in turn, “will produce calves with the same desirable mitochondrial genotype.”

An increase in feed efficiency of just 1% would save the U.S. cattle sector more than $11 million a year, the researchers wrote in their grant application.

The other members of the research team are Dustin Yates, associate professor of animal science; Kristi Montooth, Susan J. Rosowski, professorsπ of biological sciences; and graduate students Mackenzie Batt and Lauren Seier.

“This project benefits the feedlot sector, where efficiency of growth is of critical importance, as well as cow-calf operations, where feed represents the greatest expense for each cow,” the team wrote in describing the project to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is providing a three-year, $650,000 research grant.

Breeding has focused primarily on selecting the best bulls and their genetic characteristics, but this project points to the benefits of also understanding key genomic information from cows. Mitochondrial

continued on page 54

“This project benefits the feedlot sector, where efficiency of growth is of critical importance, as well as cow-calf operations, where feed represents the greatest expense for each cow.”

LOT 16

Joe & Carolyn Cooper, 902.893.0744 | cooperboys@bellaliant.net

Robert Cooper, 902.890.0663 | William Cooper, 902.324.2005

Taylor Stewart, 902.956.4894 | Consultant, Mike Geddes, 519.502.8864

WITH GUEST CONSIGNORS

LOBSTER POINT PROPERTIES

Jay Hiltz, 902.277.1102

SALE MANAGEMENT ...

Chris Poley | 306.220.5006

Shane Michelson | 403.363.9973

Ben Wright | 519.374.3335

FRASER FARMS

Adam Fraser, 902.396.1937

BRANDING & MARKETING ...

Randall O. Ratliff 615.330.2735 Randy@RRMktg.com www.RRMktg.com

LOT 20

Kiley McKinna, 402.350.3447 mcmarketingsales@aol.com

Wiley Fanta, 320.287.0751

wiley@mcmarketingmanagement.com

LOT 12

Balamore Edna 327L Black / Homo Polled Purebred Limousin Balamore Hickory 060H daughter

LOT 18 East Coast Blossom 359L Homo Polled/ Homo Black Purebred Limousin Flemington Readytoroll R20 daughter

Balamore Khaleesi 237K Red / Homo Polled

Purebred Limousin

After Hours Gambler daughter

Balamore Glee 305L Red / Polled Purebred Limousin Balamore Halifax 019H daughter

Edleman OF THE Production Sale

continued from page 52

DNA is inherited exclusively from the mother, so cows “are the ones passing on this mitochondria that’s so important for energy production,” Petersen said. “I think we’re missing an opportunity to select for better animals.”

The project will fill that missing information gap, opening additional opportunities for improved breeding.

An animal’s mitochondrial genomic data can be collected alongside genetic data gathered through commercial genotyping of cattle. “We’re hoping to show that this information can be collected and used without much additional expense” to bolster genomic evaluations for breeding selection, Petersen said.

For the three-year project, the researchers plan to analyze the genomic data using skeletal muscle samples from about 1,500 steers from the university’s West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte and the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead.

An advantage of using the university’s cattle, Petersen said, “is that they all have a genetic sample that’s taken when they’re born or when they’re received. So, we’re already doing some genetic analyses of these animals. When they go through a feedlot, many have individual intake measures showing exactly how much they eat. We can then track how much weight they gained to get measures of efficiency.”

The project will benefit by drawing lessons from relevant genomic study elsewhere in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources—in this case, genomic analyses, or assays, Montooth has done of fruit flies.

“We are taking what Dr. Montooth has learned from those assays, and we’re applying it to beef cattle,” Petersen said. “That is a little bit of a challenge. When they do a fruit fly assay, they grind up the whole fruit fly, and they can study it.” In this cattle-focused study, by contrast, “We’re studying with a little piece of muscle, and we’re actually finding we have to dilute our sample down quite a bit, because mitochondrion in muscle of cattle are very active.”

The USDA-funded mitochondrial study has a logical and promising follow-up, Petersen said. “The next step is figuring out how the mitochondrial genome interacts with proteins with the nuclear genome” also located inside cattle cells. Once those findings are complete, “That gives us a whole other tool to select for animals that have those better symbiotic genomes.”

Those improved genomes, she said, will work together to make the animal even better.

The research is supported by the intramural research program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

Herd Sire Prospects, Elite Females, Genetic Opportunities

HIS INFLUENCE SELLS.

Thank you to the donors and buyers for supporting Limousin youth in the Credit For Kids Auction. The funds raised will ensure the 2024 National Junior Limousin Show & Congress is a premier event for all Limousin enthusiasts. ATAK

Breed associations, including the North American Limousin Foundation, are collaborating—through an entity called International Genetic Solutions—building the world’s largest, multibreed genetic database and serving the commercial cattle business in a more powerful way than they could by working alone.

by Sharla Ishmael

The word leverage has multiple meanings, depending on what you’re trying to do. It could be a crowbar used to dig a rock out of a posthole, for example. In the case of International Genetic Solutions, leverage means utilizing the combined power and effectiveness of 20-plus partner organizations, now in multiple countries, to create a database of 25 million animal records while also incorporating the latest genomic technology—analyzed by some of the brightest minds in the field.

By leveraging their combined resources and records, not only are the seedstock producers in these partner breeds getting more accurate and timely genetic information, more importantly, their commercial customers can now use genome-enhanced EPDs to directly compare animals of different breeds and even composites. There are also largescale commercial producers using the power of IGS tools for EPDs on their crossbred herds to make decisions such as whether to keep a heifer calf as a breeding animal before she is even weaned.

IGS can even provide commercial producers a service called the IGS Feeder Profit Calculator that acts as a third-party evaluation on the terminal merit of their calves for free. Just input data on the management and genetics for those calves and get back a certificate that puts a dollars-and-cents value on them. The information can be used to help decide how and when to market them and can be shared with buyers—if you want that.

What makes all these cool tools possible is the shared data. Not long ago, the idea of breed associations working together, much less sharing information to calculate EPDs, was a stretch. As competitors for the

commercial bull buyer’s dollar, it is no secret breed associations have traditionally operated as silos, not really caring much what the other breeds were doing to be frank. Over the last 10 or 15 years, some breeds warmed to the idea that by working together they could do a better job of providing seedstock genetics to the commercial industry and, at the same time, be a better steward of their own limited resources as well.

How It Happened

Way back in 1995, the American Simmental Association worked with Cornell University to develop a multibreed national cattle evaluation (NCE). At the time, ASA was breeding cattle up to purebred levels and needed more than a single-breed model to account for the inherent heterosis in, for example, a halfblood heifer. Typically, at that time a university would develop the NCE models and perform the computations for individual breed associations for a fee. In this case, ASA shared development costs—and therefore, ownership.

Skip ahead to 2010, when ASA and the Red Angus Association of America agreed to run a joint, multibreed NCE. Prior to this, there had been attempts over the years to get groups of breeds together on genetic evaluation, but nothing had come to fruition until the agreement between Simmental and Red Angus. The two associations were already collaborating, because they both had a solid focus on the commercial industry, according to Chip Kemp, director of commercial and industry operations with ASA and also IGS.

“It was really an effort to do what breed associations are supposed to do, and that is to serve the commercial business,” Kemp says. “If you’re

going to do that, we needed EPDs—ideally indexes, when possible— that are directly comparable across different breed types which allow commercial producers to step back and decide where responsible crossbreeding and heterosis fit into their program. And then if they are going to do that, what breeds give them the most convenient ability to piece together what works for that specific operation?

“At the start of the modern iteration of IGS, we had about 12 or 13 breeds that were working together in one fashion or another,” he adds. “Since that time, we have doubled that number of collaborating associations and we have added Neogen, the largest DNA firm in the world, as an IGS partner.”

Kemp says this successful collaboration is founded on the premise that no one breed has all the answers and that responsible crossbreeding is the key to long-term success in the beef industry. Well, that and the fact that so many associations are actually working together.

“Clearly, on sale day, these breeds are competitors; that’s just the nature of the business,” he admits. “But the rest of the time we are a team (through IGS). To other breeds that haven’t joined IGS yet, I would encourage them to take a hard look at it. I think they’ll find, as everybody has, there are some commercial customers who will bump into them who were not predisposed to be their customer. But once the customer starts looking at these multibreed, comparable tools, all of a sudden they see something and think wow—look at the longevity built into that Lim-Flex bull, as an example.”

Today, IGS oversees the largest genetic evaluation on the planet—one that runs 25 million head each week—and it includes members from North America, Central America, Australia, New Zealand and a few spots in Europe and South America. While each member association promotes their involvement in IGS and working together on overall genetic improvement, the different breeds are also still promoting their own strengths and doing other things their own way. In other words, these breeds are definitely not trying to be the same.

The difference is they are getting better genetic information, faster, and deferring a lot of the costs they might otherwise have spent on genetic evaluation as an individual association by instead collaborating as an IGS partner. In fact, behind the scenes there are folks from each association involved in the process on a regular basis, as well as experts from the academic side and USDA, so IGS partners also leverage a hefty chunk of intellectual capital.

What Does It Mean For Limousin Breeders?

All of that sounds wonderful, but what difference does it really make for the average Limousin breeder? Let’s take a step back and look a bit deeper into the higher accuracy claims for EPDs. Because NALF is an IGS partner, your EPDs are calculated using the most advanced methods of incorporating genomic information into those EPDs. As technology advances, IGS has the resources to incorporate cutting-edge science.

For example, around 2016 IGS adopted a new software for genetic evaluation called Biometric Open Language Tools (BOLT). It was an innovation broadly seen as game-changing for the beef industry

because the software made it possible to directly incorporate genomic data into the calculation of an EPD. Before BOLT, that DNA information had to be blended into the EPD through a complicated, post-evaluation process. And, because that approach was indirect, the accuracy was approximate rather than actual.

BOLT enables IGS to run a single-step genetic evaluation so genotypes, pedigree and phenotypes are all incorporated into the EPD. Furthermore, it can include information from both genotyped and non-genotyped animals, which reduces bias since typically only superior animals are genotyped. Not to get too far into the weeds, but that is possible because single-step evaluation utilizes pedigree relationships based on genetic markers.

In a discussion about the future of beef cattle genetic evaluation initially broadcast on RFD-TV, Dr. Bob Weaber of Kansas State University, explained, “I think one of the real strengths of the IGS evaluation is implementation of the BOLT software that uses a genetic evaluation model that, as you say, leverages the data maybe more completely than some other breeds do. And the way they do that is really twofold. It’s one, doing a better job modeling the relationships between individual animals and their grandparents.

“So, you remember, if we think about a traditional paper pedigree, we assume that all the animals are related one-quarter or 25% to each of their grandparents. But we know through the genetic assortment that happens across generations that’s not always true. In fact, it ranges from zero to half. And so being able to construct a relationship structure in the data that more precisely aligned with the inheritance of genetic material allows us to do a better job calculating EPDs.

“The other part that the BOLT model that IGS uses is a markereffects model,” he said. “So, we not only do a better job modeling the pedigree, but we also go through the data and find specific markers in the data that are aligned with individual traits that have large effects or larger effects on those traits. So somewhere around 1,500 to 2,500 markers per trait off the 50K panel are used in the prediction of the genetic merit of individuals for those various traits. And we use the genomic data in that sort of twofold approach, doing a better job modeling pedigree, and then modeling direct effect of those markers on individual traits.”

Combine that approach with the staggering volume of data in the IGS database from all the different breeds and you can see why the accuracy of prediction for your GE-EPDs from NALF is on a whole different level than before. Not only does the actual accuracy help the seedstock breeder improve their own herd, it’s also one of the most valuable tools that breeder has to service their commercial customers.

It’s not necessary to explain all the statistics and science behind it to your commercial customer, either. They can use these multibreed EPDs just like they always have used EPDs to select bulls—but with more confidence that the bulls can do what you and their data says they can do.

continued on page 58

“At the end of the day, if your customers are either not sophisticated with data or they openly tell you they don’t even care about EPDs, that’s okay,” says Kemp. “But you know what? The EPDs and indexes mean more to the seedstock producer than anybody else because what that customer is saying to you is, ‘I’m not responsible for the decision. When I come to your sale and I tell you I want to buy a moderate, mature size bull with high marbling, then you better deliver. And if not, it’s your fault alone.’

“The bull breeder in this scenario, his job is to use every tool in his toolbox to ensure that bull is what he says he is, whether or not that guy cares what his numbers are—it’s a risk-management tool for the breeder,” he adds. “A buyer wants to keep the relationship if they’ve been buying from you. That means this is an experience they want to keep going forward with and they will keep buying from you until you give them a reason not to and then they’ll likely never buy from you again.”

Benefits To Lim-Flex Cattle

Part of the beauty of the IGS model for Lim-Flex breeders is that you (and your customers) can use these EPDs to directly compare an Angus bull to a Limousin bull to a Lim-Flex bull. So, if you’re breeding hybrid or composites for the benefits of heterosis and complementarity, now you can also do a better job of maintaining uniformity.

“Let’s say I have a Lim-Flex herd that are essentially 50% Limousin and 50% Angus,” Kemp explains. “That really works for me. But if I keep going back and forth, one time with a high percentage Limousin bull and next time Angus and so on then I’m constantly vacillating to where these daughters I am keeping back are not the same. For a few years, they’re high percentage Limousin and others are high percentage Angus. I’m forcing variability into my cowherd.

“Not to mention, when a producer markets calves, one of the big ways to gain leverage is to have large lots of uniform calves,” he adds. “With the IGS model, you can effectively compare your different options on the bulls now and get manageable heterosis so you can treat a composite bull just like a straightbred bull to get the consistency in your calves and your heifers. I’m not maximizing heterosis, but I’m getting complementarity and uniformity. All those things blend together and become something that is good for NALF, it’s good for IGS, but most importantly it’s good for that family who’s got to scrape and claw to stay on their piece of dirt and do it in a smarter way.”

And that is, perhaps, the ultimate goal—helping ranchers stay on the ranch by minimizing their risk, at least on the genetics side.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sharla Ishmael is a veteran agricultural writer from Benbrook, Texas.

North American Limousin Junior Association

The purpose of NALJA is to develop knowledgeable, motivated beef industry leaders, while promoting the Limousin breed through fellowship, leadership and education.

The initial cost of a junior membership is $50. This fee activates the Junior membership for the current year and the following calendar year. After this time, Junior members pay a $50/year activity fee to qualify for active member rates and to show at NALF and NALJA sponsored events.

Friendships Teamwork Leadership

Gut Health In Cattle

by Nathan G. Briggs Former Beef Extension Educator Pennsylvania State University

What is gut health?

Gut health refers to how well nutrients from feed are absorbed and how well pathogens are contained within the digestive tract. Every portion of the digestive tract needs to have a secured barrier to keep microbes inside the tract. A strong barrier can be referred to as good gut health. When the barrier is weak, microbes or pathogens can exit the digestive tract and enter into the body/blood stream, which can cause numerous diseases.

RIDE INTO THE FUTURE

How is the digestive tract barrier weakened?

Animal stress negatively affects the gut barrier, allowing pathogens to invade. Some periods of stress in cattle’s lives are weaning, transportation, feed restriction, acidosis and excess heat. This period of stress compromises gut health and can result in some other diseases, including laminitis, liver abscesses, acute interstitial pneumonia and inflammation. If your animals have ever experienced these diseases, then your animals may have experienced compromised gut health. Maintaining proper gut health can help prevent these diseases and their resulting economic losses.

Is gut health only related to the rumen?

Many know that maintaining rumen health is a key for production success. The rumen, or the fermentation vat, is used for feed digestion and provides energy to maintain the animal and production. However, there is more to cattle digestive tracts than just the rumen. The entire digestive tract from start to end needs to be in tip-top shape to prevent pathogens in feed from escaping the digestive tract. The small and large intestine has drawn the attention of some researchers to further the understanding of how stress affects gut health in these regions of the digestive tract. The intestinal tract has just one cell layer protecting the body from the intestinal contents, compared to the multiple layers of protection in the rumen. Therefore, the intestinal tract relies heavily on the immune system to protect it from invading

When making breeding decisions, we have a clear understanding our choices should improve not only our program but also the programs of fellow seedstock producers and commercial cattlemen alike. As our program looks into the future, we understand the importance of riding with purpose each and every day.

pathogens, which uses energy the animal would otherwise use for production and performance.

Digestive tract diseases, which can include, salmonella, cryptosporidium (crypto), and E. coli, can negatively affect the barrier to the digestive tract. Once damage occurs, a pathway for other bacteria, toxins, and pathogens is opened, causing the animal to be susceptible to diseases. For example, an animal that is under a crypto challenge potentially increases the number of pathogens that can pass through the digestive tract barrier, which opens the door to other diseases that can manifest in other parts of body. Proper prevention of digestive tract diseases, in combination with proper feeding strategies can improve animal health beyond the gut.

How do you prevent the gut barrier from being weakened?

Mitigation strategies include minimizing periods of stress. Ensure that proper handling procedures are used when handling cattle. Beef quality assurance (BQA) goes over methods to properly handle animals to minimize stress. If you have not been BQA certified, contact your local extension office about the next available training. In addition, do not let animals go for extended periods with no feed. A short-term feed restriction can have negative effects on gut health, and thus allow pathogens to escape and cause disease. Acidosis occurs when cattle are fed high-grain or rapidly fermented diets, which cause a pH drop in the digestive tract. The drop in pH can cause the gut barrier to weaken, so proper feed transitioning will help maintain gut health. A good rule of thumb is to keep animals comfortable. Quick changes or extreme heat/cold could alter the gut health status, causing disease and economic losses.

How is gut health related to respiratory disease?

The diseases discussed can be related to the respiratory tract. Researchers have shown that the body communicates through lymphatic tissue. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system, and it helps stop invading pathogens from causing disease. Fluid within the lymphatic system can be used as a pathway for pathogens to move from one location in the body to another. If a pathogen is not stopped in the lymphatic system, these pathogens can reside in other locations in the body. More specifically, lymphatic tissue in the gut can communicate to lymphatic tissue in the lungs through the lymphatic pathway. Therefore, pathogens from the gut can reach the lungs via the lymphatic system and cause respiratory disease.

Conclusion

Gut health is a key component to a successful operation. Stress can weaken the gut barrier. If pathogens pass through the gut barrier, these pathogens can become opportunistic and cause numerous diseases at the cost of the operation. By maintaining ideal gut health, animals should experience fewer immune challenges, which allows more animals to grow efficiently.

Key abilities of a quality cattle mineral program

Your cattle mineral program should deliver results like healthy cattle and above average breeding rates. A quality cattle mineral program optimizes health, reproductive performance and stands up in windy and wet weather. Getting cows bred in a timely manner and raising healthy calves are always top priorities in a cow/calf operation and quality cattle mineral is the cornerstone in supporting these goals. The perfect cattle mineral program should have the trifecta of bioavailability, palatability and weatherability.

1. Bioavailability

A cattle mineral should have bioavailable ingredients. The more bioavailable the ingredients are, the better they’ll be absorbed by the animal and the more benefit you’ll see from those ingredients. Proper cattle nutrition is essential for biological functions, for instance repairing a cow’s reproductive tract for rebreeding or producing high-quality colostrum.

2. Palatability

It’s all about target intake levels. If you put a mineral out and cows won’t eat it, you could compromise cattle health and well-being. At the same time, if the mineral tastes like candy, cows will over consume it.

Overconsumption can be synonymous with overspending, which can ultimately put the brakes on a cattle mineral program even though some amount of mineral is needed.

When cows consume mineral at target intake levels, cattle health and reproduction are optimized.

3. Weatherability

Cattle mineral can be at the mercy of Mother Nature. Wind can blow mineral out of a feeder. Rain and water also affect mineral because wet mineral can brick up and harden, causing cows not to eat it.

Although 10 to 15 percent mineral loss doesn’t sound like much, that’s 5 to 7.5 pounds in a single bag that didn’t make it to the herd. Wasted cattle mineral makes a less expensive mineral bag costlier than you might think, especially in terms of cow herd performance.

Perfecting the Cattle Mineral Trifecta

Mineral serves as the foundation of a cattle nutrition program, and the right mineral offered year-round helps ensure cattle are getting what they need when they need it.

11.04.2023 TELFORD, PA

FARMS

Kevin Smith, 318.245.4607 9296 Hwy 4, Chatham, LA 71226 Jkcattle@gmail.com

Sale Marketing & Branding ...

Randall O. Ratliff 615.330.2735

Randy@RRMktg.com

Kiley McKinna, 402.350.3447 mcmarketingsales@aol.com

Wiley Fanta, 320.287.0751 wiley@mcmarketingmanagement.com

Six Mile Taurus x JKC Berry Advance 36W Proven Red Angus Donor

GPFF Blaque Rulon x BOHI Red Robin 282R Proven 75% Lim-Flex

by Alison Jones NALF Director of DNA Processing & Accounting Operations

When my alarm dinged for my reminder to get my October L365 article written, I had to prepare to make peace with summer officially being over. Kids are back in school, and I’m sure many of you are wrapping up weaning calves and going full steam ahead into harvest. Similar to many of you, it seems like I am always trying to make use of every minute of summer. This summer was no different. I got to see many of you in Rapid City for the National Junior Show, then shortly after headed to Lincoln, Nebraksa, to meet with representatives and executives of all different breed associations at the Neogen headquarters, followed by our summer NALF Board of Directors meeting in Bozeman, Montana.

While in Bozeman, we had the opportunity to meet at the office of the American Simmental Association and International Genetic Solutions (IGS), where Dr. Wade Shafer and Dr. Jackie Atkins spoke to our Board of Directors. We all hear about and utilize the weekly EPD runs, but what really is IGS, and why do we use it?

To fully understand where we are, let’s take a step back. Ten years ago, Limousin-specific EPDs were generated two times per year. The office would be slammed with data entry the two weeks prior to the EPD deadline trying to get a year’s worth of data entered into the registry in order to utilize that data for EPD generation. Fast forward to now, IGS is the largest multi-breed genetic evaluation tool in the world, with over 20 breeds and millions of cattle records. EPDs are updated weekly, and as more data comes in, research continues. This is made possible because so many different breeds share sire groups, allowing huge amounts of crossbred data to be compared alongside purebreds.

Whether you are breeding purebreds, Lim-Flex, or are involved in other crossbreeding programs, the genetic evaluation is there to help you. With IGS, you can compare a Limousin, to a Simmental, to a Gelbvieh without having to make any additional adjustments

continued on page 68

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continued from page 66

for breed components. Not only can the seedstock industry benefit, but this flows down to the commercial producer. Dr. Bob Weaber of Kansas State University states, “It gives us a better opportunity to evaluate genetic differences of different breed compositions, and having a genetic evaluation that’s designed from the beginning with that in mind really adds power to not only the EPD calculation, but benefits the commercial industry.”

With a multi-breed evaluation of this magnitude, you will always hear the same word: collaboration. All breeds working together to better the beef industry. As seedstock producers, it is your responsibility, not only to the Limousin breed, but to the beef industry as a whole, to collect honest, unbiased data. When you as a producer report accurate data, not only does that benefit your own herd, but it ripples out into the breed, and eventually the entire beef industry. Dr. Weaber elaborates, “The structure of IGS really lends itself to leverage collective data – shared info, genomics, phenotypes, as new participants come in, they immediately get to leverage those genetic relationships. They also have the opportunity to build out genetic programs to help bolster that improvement.”

As producers, first and foremost, we are serving our customers and our cow herd. But if we look at the big picture, we are serving our breed and the beef industry. As of July, the U.S. beef cow inventory is the lowest it has ever been. Yet, as we progress toward the future, beef demand continues to increase, setting heavy efficiency demands on producers. The beef industry is stronger together, and if we can continue to collaborate with each other and utilize innovative technologies available to us, we can move not only our own operations forward, but agriculture as a whole.

FIELD STAFF:

NORTH REGION—Sarah Johnson

614/266-2646 • sarah@limousin365.com

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405/850-5102 • deron@limousin365.com

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As we prepare to move into the colder months, now is a great time to collect DNA on calves to test for genomically enhanced EPDs. Keep the data coming, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the association with questions

JUNIOR SCENE

by Nikki Keeton NALJA Vice President

Glass Half Full

Do you tend to look at the glass half empty or half full? My English teachers have always warned me against starting essays with questions, however I think this simple inquiry carries a lot of weight. How we view our circumstances, whether it be through a positive or a negative lens, directly impacts all areas of our lives: our thoughts, actions, friendships, and so forth. In today’s world, we tend to look at the glass as “half empty” and fixate on the negative. How different would our lives look if we zoned in on the positives instead?

I am guilty of looking at the glass half empty at times. For example, I am currently a member of the meat judging team at Texas Tech University. At the beginning of my judging career, I tended to obsess over the “negative” parts of judging: freezing cold coolers, 4 a.m. practices, etc. This, in turn, pulled my focus away from the bigger picture of what I was doing and affected not only my judging ability but my attitude on a daily basis. Over time, I realized that, despite the

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hardships of being on any team, I am blessed to be a part of something so much bigger than myself, and I get to do it alongside some of my best friends. This change in perspective has improved my quality of life exponentially.

Being positive is a conscious, everyday choice. The average person is estimated to make around 35,000 decisions in ONE day. Each morning when we wake up, we have the opportunity to make what I would argue is the most important decision of them all: “Am I going to look at the glass half empty or the glass half full today?”

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” Philippians 2:14-16

Bull & Heifer Pregnancies

SALES & EVENTS

OCTOBER

Where Bulls Are The Big PicTure.

Over the past five decades, we have made it a priority to produce bulls that exceed industry standards. Our genetics stand the test of time and are built for all facets of the industry. Whether you are a purebred breeder or commerical cattleman, Leonard bulls can take your program to new heights. Our unwavering commitment to the industry’s progression has kept us and our customers in business since 1969, evidenced by the fact that 80% of our customers are repeat buyers. Give Leonard Limousin a call. We have bulls available that were designed with the big picture in mind.

FOR SALE PRIVATE TREATY:

25 FALL CALVING COWS

50 SPRING CALVING COWS

All registered. Available this winter.

For more information on what we have available, call today.

If you are looking for a high-quality new herd sire make plans to attend this sale. Our bulls will be sons of the breed’s leading sires out of some of our top cows. Complete performance and GE EPD information will be available.