AROUND THE INDUSTRY by Kiley McKinna
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elcome to the July Breeder Directory Edition. Within these pages, many of the breed’s most progressive and forward thinking operations are featured, along with an industry-wide crosssection of articles on a variety of topics. One such topic is the North American Limousin Research Foundation (NALRF). There are several articles and references to this important project later on in this issue. So as not to steal their thunder, I will simply hit a few high spots here. Much of the documented research on Limousin cattle is outdated and doesn’t represent the kind of cattle breeders are currently producing. The North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) board recognizes the improvement made by breeders and as such, set out to find avenues to update breed research while documenting the advantages the Limousin breed offers the rest of the industry. As you might expect, the ultimate goal is to attract more demand for Limousin genetics via the data collected and verified by an independent third party. What’s more, the data provided through this research will be used to guide breed improvement efforts and influence breed marketing and communications. The NALF board and members believe Limousin and Lim-Flex genetics can provide valuable economic traits to the commercial cattle industry and ultimately increase demand for Limousin genetics industry-wide. This new research is designed to document and verify what our EPDs and current harvest data have already told us. Once verified, we can convey these messages to the feedyard and commercial cow/calf sectors of the beef industry. The initial research, in concert with South Dakota State University, will focus on analyzing the supposed benefits Limousin and Lim-Flex genetics can provide in a crossbreeding program. Among other things, this research is expected to capture feed performance and harvest data on three different contemporary groups. After much discussion and planning, 449 cows were AI’d the first two weeks of June in the Great Falls, Montana, area. The resulting calves will be followed from birth to harvest, gathering data every step of the way. Stay tuned for updates as this project continues to move forward. My column in the April 2022 issue talked about the importance of “Vision”. Little did I know, that not long after that column was
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published, the breed and the industry would lose one of the most visionary men in the business, Ken Holloway. Much has been made, and rightfully so, about Ken’s contribution not only to the Limousin business, but the beef cattle industry as a whole. His ability to “dream” up an idea and then do whatever it took to make that dream a reality, is a gift few of us have. Given Ken’s myriad of talents, he could have been successful in virtually any breed or in many other walks of life. We, as a breed, are fortunate to have been able to reap the benefits of many of his endeavors. For that, we owe the Ol’ Coyote a debt of gratitude as well as a promise to build upon what he and many others who came before us started. On a personal note, the sage advice Ken imparted on me throughout my professional career was not only immensely appreciated, but looking back, helped get me to where I am today. I had to replace a tie or two he cut off in jest, but that is a small price to pay for the wisdom he imparted and the lessons I learned. In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to commend all of the juniors for their hard work and dedication as it relates to our Regional Junior Shows as well as the National Junior Limousin Show. For decades, Junior Nationals has been the breed’s premier summer event and we all know these things don’t just happen organically. From the junior members, to their parents, siblings and other members of their support team, to NALF, to the junior and senior boards, to the members of the Texas Limousin Association, it truly is a team effort and an event the entire breed can be proud of. You don’t have to show to realize the many positives an event like this brings to the table. Many successful professionals today attribute much of their success to the hours they spent in the barn at home and the lessons learned traveling to shows and exhibiting their cattle. Much has changed since the breed’s first Junior National in 1976 in Des Moines, Iowa—the type and quality of the cattle being foremost. But it is also reassuring to look back through 46 years of results and recognize many of the same names and faces. Of course, now many of them are parents or grandparents. I commend each and every one of you for keeping this breed’s tradition not only alive, but thriving.
• JULY 2022
