2023 Oklahoma Youth Expo
Grand Champion Female
Congratulations to Hailey Drake with this daughter of our elite herd sire Days Of Thunder!
P Bar S is the brand you can count on to get results. Whether it’s in the show ring or in production, our cattle are bred to get the job done.
If you are in the market for show heifers, bred females or herd sire prospects, look to the brand that gets results.
Your call or visit is always welcome.
2022 Tulsa State Fair Grand Champion Female Tayhlor Elmore found success with a female tracing back to the legendary PBRS Coco family!
2021 Tulsa State Fair
Grand Champion Female
This female, out of one of our leading donors, was led to success by Tenley Elmore!
Paul Sisemore, Owner Manager: Elgin Elmore, 918-346-2438 11720 Overlook Dr. Sand Springs, OK 74063 elginpbars@yahoo.com • www.pbarsranch.com
The Little Ranch with the BIG Genetics
Welcome to the Limousin365 annual Herd Sire Edition. As you page through this issue you’ll find relevant herd sires, progressive programs, and the breed’s finest spring sales, along with feature stories and industry news. It’s official, the first half of the 2023 bull sale season is in our rear view mirror and now is the time to charge into the spring breeding season with optimism.
I’d like to encourage you to study your hole card and take the “time” to make sage breeding decisions that meet at the intersection of BOTH marketplace acceptance and your ultimate program goals.
As I write this column, the word “time” continues to come to mind. So, I’d like to take the “time” to acknowledge a man that always made “time” for not only myself (which I will forever be grateful for, both professionally and personally) but, taken the “time” to assist scores of Limousin breeders. Mark A. Smith is the gentlemen I’m referring to. It’s fitting I’m writing this in the Herd Sire Edition because this is the “time” of the year Mark impacts many through his consulting efforts and genetic insights. If you haven’t heard yet, it’s my pleasure to present the news.
The North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) is proud to announce the induction of Mark Smith into the NALF Hall Of Fame at a ceremony in Rapid City, South Dakota, this summer during the National Junior Limousin Show and Congress, July 11, 2023.
Bruce Lawrence, NALF President, said, “We are extremely grateful to have had the expertise and service from a man that has devoted 42 years of his life to the Limousin breed and its members and is very deserving of being inducted into the NALF Hall Of Fame. He continues to be involved with the breed through various facets and still operates Grassroots Genetics and Consulting along with Grassroots Insurance.”
In 1981, Mark was offered a job with the International Limousin Journal which proved to be the beginning of a 42-year odyssey with the Limousin breed.
He was an integral part of the premier Limousin marketing firm American Cattle Services from 1982-1987; a NALF staff member from 1987-1990; from 1990-2000, he was a managing partner of the semen sales company Limi-Gene; and in 2000, he served as NALF President. He hung his own shingle up in 2001 with the formation of Grassroots Genetics & Consulting. From there, he added insurance sales, photography and videography services to his resume.
It’s impossible to know how many miles he has traveled, how many sales he has worked, how many hands he has shaken or how many pounds of sale day brisket he has eaten, but if such records were kept, he’d be near the top of the leaderboard.
When it comes to buying cattle on order or suggesting which AI sires to employ, Smith developed a reputation as one of the most trusted eyes in the business. The number of cattle he has purchased for others through the years has been lost to time, but suffice to say he gained the trust of seedstock operations from coast to coast and on both sides of the border.
In terms of his work at ringside, again the number of Limousin animals he helped sell will likely never be counted, so let’s just say he always handled himself in a professional manner while representing breeders across the country.
Given his longevity in the Limousin business, Mark has watched sons and daughters take over for their parents and in some instances, he is now tutoring third and fourth generations.
In 2022, Mark changed his business plan. The desire to spend more time with the only one who ever wanted to have a full-time seat riding shotgun, (his lovely bride De), he decided to take down his “bid spotter” shingle and retire his Hampton Inn Diamond Status to devote more time to Grassroots Genetics & Consulting and Semen Business and to Grassroots Insurance.
Mark assures us, he plans to stay involved in the Limousin breed, helping with matings, soliciting the best bulls and making sure breeders have an avenue to purchase frozen genetics from a long-time reputable dealer.
Contributions in Mark’s name, along with letters of appreciation and support to be included in the book presented to Mark and his family, can be sent to the NALF office. Checks should be made out to NALF Hall of Fame (HOF) and mailed to NALF at 6205 S. Main St., Suite D-280, Aurora, CO 80016.
In closing, congratulations Mark—the breed, myself included—owe you a debt of gratitude that can’t be repaid.
I sincerely hope you enjoy our Herd Sire Edition, it’s of benefit to your program and a promotional piece the Limousin breed can be proud of. A tip of the hat to all of the advertisers, readership and to those that continue to support and offer feedback as it relates to your magazine, Limousin365.
God Bless and I look forward to seeing you down the sale trail this spring. We are all in it together and Limousin proud.
Red • Homo Polled • Purebred
CD: 8(65) BW: 2.7(70) WW: 92(1) YW: 138(2) MA: 30(10) CM: 4(75) SC: 1.2(10)
DOC: 17(10) CW: 49(2) RE: 1.17(35) YG: -0.51(2) MB: 0.1(4) $MTI: 65.6
Wulfs Horton is definitely in the running for the next great Credential’s son. Out of an Excellsior female, he has performance, maternal, marbling and MTI. If you like purebred thickness and breed character with modern day EPD balance, Horton has it all on the table. Think about the next generation, Horton can get you there.
Black • Homo Polled • Purebred
CD: 8(65) BW: 1.9(55) WW: 84(4) YW: 136(2) MA: 26(20) CM: 4(75) SC: 1.27(10)
DOC: 21(1) CW: 53(2) RE: 1.41(10) YG: -0.44(2) MB: -0.16(40) $MTI: 53.4
L7 Humdinger is just that, a HUMDINGER. Purebred, stout, stacked with performance, Homo Polled and loaded with bone, butt and muscle. Humdinger is carrying a red gene which gives you the opportunity to add the Envision influence to your red program. Look over the numbers and his picture, and think of all the possibilities. Humdinger is one of a kind.
Homo Black • Homo Polled • 56% Lim-Flex
CD: 11(50) BW: 2.1(80) WW: 83(15) YW: 136(10) MA: 19(65) CM: 6(50) SC: 1.6(10) DOC: 16(15) CW: 57(5) RE: 0.68(50) YG: -0.04(10) MB: 0.33(25) $MTI: 67.7
MAGS Hard Core is now on the market and this tremendous son of Hemi is the performance sire to tie to.
Out of a great Y-Axis daughter, he has the EPD profile to work anywhere, plus the look and structure to make him a breed leader. The Hemi cattle are showing great growth and performance, here is the chance to add one that combines it all.
Livestock Mortality Insurance can help you manage the risk that comes with owning quality livestock. We are proud to be agents for Liberty Mutual Livestock Insurance. If you make a purchase that needs coverage, or if you would like to talk about the various ways to manage your risk, give us a call.
www.grassrootsgenetics.com
Watch our website for the latest updates on the best bulls in the breed. Give us a call anytime, we would be interested in talking to you about your customers and how your program can work harder for them.
Black • Homo Polled • 82% Limousin
CD: 16(10) BW: -1.5(20) WW: 70(25) YW: 100(35) MA: 23(30) CM: 8(20) SC: 0.8(45)
DOC: 14(20) CW: 44(15) RE: 1.09(20) YG: -0.29(35) MB: 0.22(35) $MTI: 61.5
Jack Black brings all the tools to the table as this young son of the calving-ease sire Gallager has the small birthweight and BW EPD that should make him a new calving-ease, Homo Polled, high-percentage option. He packs a different pedigree package and performance after weaning. If you are looking for soundness, structure and predictable performance, Jack Black is your man.
MARK & DEIDRE SMITH
ph/fax: 515-965-1458
• cell: 515-229-5227
• GRGenetics@aol.com
Jay: 979.268.5491
MAY 20, 2023 • 1PM
Milam County Livestock Auction • Cameron, Texas
Pairs • Bred Females • Breeding Age Bulls • Genetic Packages
We are excited to bring you this dynamic offering of seedstock from the top of our herd. This sale will represent many years of breeding the best genetics we could amass. Make plans to be with us for this special event.
SALE MANAGEMENT:
KILEY McKINNA • 402.350.3447
WILEY FANTA • 320.287.0751 mcmarketingsales@aol.com www.mcmarketingmanagement.com
Watch our website for more details on the sale. Contact us for a sale catalog or more
Jay, Molly, Jayce & Spencer Wilder Snook, Texas
• jwwilder1993@gmail.com
• www.wilderfamilylimousin.com
SALE CONSULTANTS:
RANDY RATLIFF • 615.330.2735
BILL HELTON • 256.962.0256
AUCTIONEER: CHISUM PETERSON 605.730.4214
First off, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow board members for allowing me to serve a second term as NALF Board President. Your NALF board currently has an exciting year planned. Our Spring Board meeting will be April 25. If you have something you would like your NALF Board to consider, please contact one of your board members.
As I write this letter for the April Edition, everyone is certain to be looking for Spring. Some of us for spring rains and some for warmer weather, either of these are certain to bring green grass. With green grass and the calf prices where they currently are, it should mean a bright future on the horizon for Limousin seedstock producers.
NALF is working hard to prepare your association to help move our breed to the forefront of the seedstock industry. Mark and Tammy Anderson helped calve cows at the Brad Hamlet Ranch near Cascade, Montana, and Alison Jones and her husband, Brandon, were at the Wade Schott Ranch in Stockett, Montana. These cows were synced and bred early last summer for the current NALF Research Project that we have told you about in previous articles. We really appreciate our staff for being so dedicated to this research project.
The first bull sale reports across the country are really positive, especially considering the harsh winter they had across the North Central United States. I encourage each of you to take the opportunity to attend an upcoming Limousin sale or event and visit with fellow Limousin breeders across the country.
I would also like to take this time to thank the membership that participated in the Ken Holloway Genetics On Ice Benefit Auction to help fund NALJA for the upcoming year. It was a night to remember, raising a record setting over $106,000. A special thanks
to MC Marketing, R&R Marketing, Grassroots Genetics, along with Auctioneers Sonny Booth, Ronn Cunningham and Chisum Peterson, and NALJA Junior Advisors Mallory Blunier and Taylor Dorsey. This capable group was assisted by our complete NALF Staff.
As I close, I would encourage each of you to strongly consider genomic testing your replacement heifers.
Also, as in the past, if you would like to make a tax free donation to the NALF Research Foundation, feel free to reach out to a staff member or one of your NALF Board members.
HEADQUARTER HOTELS: HOLIDAY INN, RAPID CITY DOWNTOWN
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
ENTRY DEADLINE: May 1, 2023
SHOW LOCATION: THE MONUMENT
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
2023 NALF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
These two sires are powering our program into the future. They excel in the essential traits within the cattle industry and represent what we are striving to produce. Include these sires in your Spring breeding plans and watch for their progeny in our program.
Homo Polled / Black • Purebred
COLE Genesis 86G x TMCK Glitz 720G
CE: 11 BW: 1.7 WW: 84 YW: 122 MK: 24 CM: 5 SC: 0.40 DC: 14 YG: -0.35 CW: 31 RE: 0.89 MB: 0.50 $MI: 76
Owned with Tubmill Creek Farms.
Semen available at Grassroots Genetics, 515/229-5227
Homo Polled / Red • Purebred
RPY Paynes Cracker 17E x B Bar Foxtrot 32E
CE: 8 BW: 1.5 WW: 65 YW: 100 MK: 28 CM: 2 SC: 1.05
DC: 20 YG: -0.43 CW: 30 RE: 0.91 MB: -0.07 $MI: 51
Co-Owned with Glenndening J Bar J. Contact owners for semen.
65% Lim-Flex • Double Polled • Double Black • 9/18/21
CELL Envision 7023E x Sennett 010X
CE: 12 BW: 0.9 WW: 91 YW: 150 MK: 26 CM: 7 SC: 1.80
DC: 10 YG: -0.17 CW: 57 RE: 0.95 MB: 0.09 $MI: 63
48% Lim-Flex • Homo Polled • Homo Black • 10/31/21
CELL Granite 9245G x CELL 7445E
CE: 13 BW: 2.9 WW: 92 YW: 138 MK: 12 CM: 6 SC: 1.05
DC: 13 YG: 0.01 CW: 34 RE: 0.48 MB: 0.00 $MI: 58
All Inquiries Welcome—Call Today!
JAMES D. HERR
17329 S. Nebo Dr. - Versailles, MO 65084 ph: 573/378-0500 - fax: 573/378-5137 - jherr@gvsdis.com
www.mistymorninglimousin.com
for Bigger Gains”
Iam going to apologize for this rather short article in advance. Tammy and I are currently in our second week of calving on the Hamlett Ranch in Montana as part of our NALRF research project. We have not had a lot of time for anything else but tending to calves
in the harsh Montana winter that won’t seem to go away. Alison Jones, and her husband, Brandon, are just starting to calve out the other group of calves at the Schott Ranch in Stockett. I appreciate the work the staff is doing to help us out, not only here in Montana, but the crew back at the office who are keeping things running for NALF.
I’m encouraged at the first ranch. We bred 229 cows last Spring and currently have 110 babies on the ground halfway through the calving period and a lot of pregnant cows out there looking very close. We will know our conception rates soon and actually have an actual number by the time you read this. One thing that is very apparent so far is the fact that we have some really nice calves on the ground out of our Limousin and Lim-Flex® sires. It looks like they will make really good feeder cattle that should produce high-quality carcasses after they finish feeding at South Dakota State University (SDSU) by 2024.
The Limousin sired calves are out of CJSL Data Bank 124D, COLE Genesis 86G and Wulfs Endurance K069E. The Lim-Flex® sired calves are out of AHCC Easy Rider 5594E, MAGS Faultless 154E and MAGS Cable 517C. Our ranchers thus far have been really impressed with the calving-ease and are surprised how stout the Limousin and Lim-Flex sired calves have been out of their commercial Angus cows. To be frank, they are big backed and big butted. They will be competing against calves by three Angus sires of similar EPD values—Musgrave 316 Colossal 137, Woodhill Complete A130-C2 and the popular Angus sire, SAV Rainfall 6046.
I appreciate all the effort, commitment and help from the NALF Board on this much needed research project. It will be interesting to measure the impacts from heterosis for commercial cattlemen by using quality Limousin and Lim-Flex® sires on commercial Angus cows. We will find out the benefits of using Limousin and LimFlex® genetics and possibly the traits we might need to continue to work on in the future. Having the research conducted at SDSU will provide a good third party assessment of the feeding performance and carcass traits when comparing the three different contemporary groups of feeder cattle. We are really excited to see the end results!
We are also looking forward the National Junior Limousin Show and Congress in Rapid City, South Dakota, this July where we plan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of NALJA! The NALF staff appreciates the work and effort put in by the whole crew from South Dakota headed up by the Peterson family and the efforts Kiley McKinna has put forth getting ready for this event. We will also be inducting a very deserving Mark Smith into the Limousin Hall of Fame in Rapid City as well! We hope to see you there!
Members will only be required to genomically enhance A.I. sires and donor dams with the 100K panel versus the 150K test. This will be equally effective from a marker standpoint, and will also be a cost savings to membership, with the 100K genomic panel priced at $57/ hd. with free parentage, versus the 150K at $85/hd. as in years past. This results in a $29/per hd. savings to membership. To receive an A.I. sire permit, all sires will be required to have the 100K genomic test with parent verification and be free of any defects versus the 150K testing. Contact Alison at Alison@NALF.org or Tammy at Tammy@ NALF.org or call 303-220-1693 with any questions.
As of September 1, 2022, members are required to pay the merchant fee associated with using a credit card for online payment, which is approximately 3.54%. This is standard business practice for credit card bill payments for most businesses. Members can still pay by check if they wish to avoid the credit card usage fee.
Members that utilize “performance only” for performance data on their cattle will be able to continue to do so, but those cattle stopped receiving EPDs beginning September 1, 2022. The NALF board voted unanimously to publish EPDs on registered cattle only. Members utilizing the “performance only” category to record performance data will not receive EPDs on those cattle and must register their cattle to receive EPD information.
Members should be aware that yearling weights taken at the time of carcass ultrasound data collection are not automatically loaded into DigitalBeef. If a breeder wants the ultrasound weights to be used for yearling data, notify Stephanie at Steph@NALF.org.
Ultrasound barnsheets may be generated and printed from the Member Site on the NALF-DigitalBeef platform. There are instructions for printing barnsheets on the Member Site Help page at NALF.org.
NALF staff is available and ready to assist members and commercial producers during regular office hours. Contact information including phone numbers, extensions and email addresses for all staff are listed on NALF.org.
At times, staff may be away from their office and unable to answer phone calls. Callers are asked to leave a message with your name, phone number and nature of the call, so that staff may best return the call.
Information and ads promoting Limousin, Lim-Flex and NALF services, as well as educational information on EPDs and GE-EPDs, are available for use in sale catalogs. The NALF ads promote the message of “Limousin Today - Profit Tomorrow” and are one or two pages, developed to be used individually or together, depending on your needs.
PDF versions are available for download. Visit the Catalog Inserts or NALF Ads pages and scroll down to the bottom for a gallery of .jpg versions. For different versions of these inserts or ads, contact Mallory Blunier, NALF Director of Public Relations and Media, at 303-2201693, ext. 61, or email LimousinMedia@gmail.com.
As we move into the 2023 MOE show year, review the 2023 MOE rules for Level I and Level II shows found on the MOE page at NALF. org. For Level II shows, the petition form must be completed and submitted to the NALF office by May 1 to qualify for MOE points.
*Note: For a Level II Show to count toward MOE Points the following must be done:
1. The Level II show must follow the division breaks listed in the Level II MOE Rules.
2. Full results must be sent to Mallory (Mallory@nalf.org) or Taylor (Taylor@nalf.org). Exhibitors or show officials can send in results. Full results must include: all class placings, all division placings, and all overall placings. If we do not receive full results with all the information needed, that show will not count toward points.
3. Results must be submitted by December 1, 2023, no late submissions will be accepted.
If you are still having trouble navigating the member site on the NALF-DigitalBeef registry platform, we have tutorials to help you. The tutorials explain your login, LIMS enrollment instructions, ordering DNA supplies on the member site and much more! They are available on the Member Site Help page at NALF.org.
2023 Eastern Regional Junior Limousin Show & Southeast Summer Classic: June 2-4, 2023; Appalachian Fair, Gray, TN
NALJA will no longer be sponsoring a Heartland Regional show. The Heartland Association will be hosting the Heartland Showdown the first weekend of June in 2023. The Heartland Association will oversee all entries, check-in and running the show. More details will follow. Contact Dean or Bev Summerbell (763-232-9302) or Ann Vorthmann (402-981-1093) with questions.
continued on page 16
BID LIVE SALE MANAGEMENT 24018 St. Hwy. 5 • Chattanooga, OK 73528
580/597-3006
acs@americancattleservices.com
www.americancattleservices.com
AUCTIONEERS
Bruce Brooks & Ronn Cunningham
CONSULTANT
MC Marketing Management
Kiley McKinna, 402/350-3447
Catalog Available Mid-April Videos Available Mid-April
www.coyotehillsok.com
GUEST CONSIGNORS
Diamond Hill Cattle Co. Barton Limousin
Bruce Lawrence 806/790-2535
Anton, TX www.lawrencefamilylimousin.com
Certified Bangs Free Herd No. 826
Saturday, May 6, 2023
• Noon CST • At The Ranch • Chattanooga, Oklahoma
Featuring the dispersion of all Coyote Hills partnership females.
Limousin & Lim-Flex
Many Homozygous Black and/or Homozygous Polled
50 FALL-CALVING PAIRS - With big fall calves to be split sale day. Many show heifer prospects (TLA Shoot-Out Eligible).
25 SPRING-CALVING FEMALES - With calves at side
15 FALL-CALVING BRED HEIFERS - All Lim-Flex
15 BREEDING-AGE LIM-FLEX BULLS - All Black, All Polled
LH Belle 015B
Her Mother and Flushmate Sister Sells
Sue Ann, Shari & Shana Holloway • Ross Turner • 580/597-2419
Clendon Bailey, Manager • 580/704-6739
23998 St. Hwy 5 • Chattanooga, OK 73528
chr@coyotehillsok.com • www.coyotehillsok.com
Reserve Champion Pen of Lim-Flex Bulls, 2023 National Western
Grand Champion Pen of Lim-Flex Bulls, 2023 Cattlemen’s Congress
THESE HERDS PRODUCED THESE CHAMPIONS
continued from page 14
The Summit IGS Youth Leadership Conference is an opportunity where juniors ages 14 – 21 have the ability to not only develop leadership skills that can be used in their future, but also a place where they are able to gain new friendships, experience a new college campus and expand their knowledge on the current issues of the agricultural industry. The weekend event is held in the summer at a different major university each year to give youth a feel for a college setting and to experience what that college offers. Participation is not limited to Limousin juniors; anyone interested in the agricultural industry is encouraged to attend!
NALJA is partnering with the Gelbvieh, Simmental, Shorthorn and Chianina Associations to bring a joint leadership conference that will take place every other year (odd years).
Registration is now open, and we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. To register, and for more information, visit NALF.org - Juniors – Summit Youth Conference. Contact Mallory Blunier, Mallory@nalf.org, or Taylor Dorsey, Taylor@nalf.org, with any questions.
The Summit – IGS Leadership Conference
Phoenix, Arizona
July 20-23, 2023
March 1 – April 15: Registration is $300
April 16 – May 31: Registration is $375
Registration includes hotel, meals, all activities and a Summit t-shirt!
If so, your show animal must be registered and show in your ownership. If you purchased an unregistered animal, please note that we cannot issue pending registration numbers or certificates. Embryo calves have to be parent-verified and the lab work can take up to 4 weeks, delaying the registration process. Please contact our office at 303-220-1693 if you have questions.
Show Vests are required at American Royal, NAILE, FWSS and NWSS to show in the MOE Show. To order, find the application under Shows at NALF.org or contact Steph@nalf.org.
When mailing in rush registrations and transfers, print RUSH on the outside of the envelope and when emailing put RUSH in the subject line. This will help ensure your work gets processed immediately. The $25 rush fee for each certificate, noted on the self-billing worksheet, will be billed. Payment must be received for certificates to print. There are no rush orders available on lab work and ET calves.
Members are encouraged to log in to their member site on the NALF-DigitalBeef Platform to review the contact information listed. It is a good practice from time-to-time to look this information over to make sure it is correct and complete. The tabs to review are: Addresses, continued on page 18
50% LF • HP/HB
S: TASF Crown Royal 960C
D: Pleasant Valley Elsa 1439
BW: 2.8 WW: 73 YW: 113
MK: 20 RE: 0.56
MB: 0.22 $MI: 61
Owned with Thomas & Son Farms. Semen available through Grassroots Genetics [515.965.1458].
71% LF • HP/HB
S: ELCX Kings Landing 599 D
D: ELCX Elevate 684E
BW: -0.3 WW: 53 YW: 78
MK: 19 RE: 0.17
MB: 0.14 $MI: 52
Owned with the High Time Syndicate. Contact owners for his service and progeny.
PB • HP/Blk
S: HUNT Credentials 37C
D: COLE Miss Xrated 354A
BW: -1.0 WW: 80 YW: 114
MK: 35 RE: 0.64
MB: 0.62 $MI: 78
Owned with Coleman Limousin Ranch and Symens Brothers. Semen available through Grassroots Genetics [515.965.1458].
continued from page 16
Phones, Contacts and Associated herds. Use the edit or delete buttons under the options header on the right hand of the screen to change or remove information. To add your website address, click on [edit] in the tan General Profile Information bar in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
Also, check out the Prefs tab. Under this tab you may edit your member preferences, such as allowing non-members to see your profile when using the Ranch Search tool, an option to store registration certificates electronically, plus more.
The NALF office will be closed Friday, April 7 for Good Friday and Monday, May 29 for Memorial Day. Regular office hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MST Monday through Friday will resume Monday, April 10 and Tuesday, May 30.
Did you know that NALF Media offers photography and design services? Our professionals put a personal touch into every design and strive to get to know you and your operation so that we can offer you the best services.
Below is the price list for design projects and photography via NALF: Catalog Design - $65/page
Print & Digital Ad Design - $85/ad
Photography Sessions - $40/head (we also do ranch photography sessions, prices vary)
We also offer video and video design services; prices vary, so contact us if you want more information.
Contact Mallory Blunier, Director of Media & Activities, LimousinMedia@gmail.com or 303-220-1693 Ext. 61, for more information. We look forward to working with you!
During the National Junior Limousin Show & Congress, July 7-14, there will be limited staff in the NALF office. When calling the office to contact a staff member during those days, leave your name and phone number and staff will get back to you as soon as possible.
To be eligible to show in the 2023 NEOGEN Ultimate show at the 2023 NJLSC, DNA must be submitted by April 20 to the NALF office. The NALF office asks that any DNA for this show be marked “For National Junior Show”.
Entries the National Junior Limousin Show, Eastern Regionals and Southeast Summer Classic will go live April 3, 2023. NO PAPER ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED THIS YEAR. Entry deadline is May 1.
As we travel the highways and by-ways of the Limousin family and breed we often cuss and discuss the cattle business, sports, politics, great cheeseburgers and most of the time, the promotion and marketing of Limousin cattle.
Through “Riding Shotgun” we invite you to join us in the right-hand seat, so that we can let you in on what we find to be our marketing pet peeves, shortcuts and some of the favorite habits of top-flight professional producers. Grab a cup of coffee and take the ‘shotgun seat’—we are pleased to have you riding along.
As spring starts breaking around the country and many areas recover from a tough winter, we see light at the end of the tunnel. In the agricultural business it’s easy to just hit the repeat button and do what we have done in the past—plant the crop, breed the cows and work on the hay crop for the next winter feed pile.
I think, as seedstock producers, you need to think out of the box a little and use the longer days to do some self-reflection, plan for the future and look down the road. Did your current calf crop perform like you expected? Are they the kind of calves your clients desire and demand? Is your cowherd raising the kind of calves that work in your environment and in your management situation? Do you have herd bulls that are siring not only cattle that will sell, but will also maintain and/or improve the cowherd down the road for the next generation?
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NORTH REGION
Sarah Johnson 614/266-2646
sarah@limousin365.com
SOUTH REGION
DeRon Heldermon 405/850-5102
deron@limousin365.com
Are you visiting with your customers and analyzing your sale results with a critical eye? Did they buy bulls with performance, convenience traits, or just cow fresheners? Did you lose a steady customer? Did you attract someone new to your program? Did your advertising work in the marketplace or do you feel like you wasted your promotion time and effort?
Are you watching the beef industry and the trends of the business? Does your program have the flexibility and overall integrity to shift with the times? Are you hiding behind the “same ole thing” or are you addressing the beef business and the moves that it makes?
Times moves on. Take the time this spring to study your past, your present and your future. Don’t fall into the trap of repeating the mistakes of the past simply because you didn’t want to self-analyze. There is a great future in the animal agriculture business; demand is up, prices are trending upward and the days are longer and warmer.
Embrace your lucky fortune, be a better breeder and enjoy the day. See ya down the road.
CONTACT
P BAR S RANCH SALE HEADQUARTERS | SAND SPRINGS, OKLAHOMA
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2023
2:00 - 4:00 P.M. Social Hour and hors d'oeuvres
5:00 P.M. The Summit Sale starts
SELLING 75 OF THE FINEST REPRESENTING THE MOST REPUTABLE BREEDERS ACROSS THE U.S. AND CANADA!
AUCTIONEER Ryan Dorran
MARKETING Randall O. Ratliff, 615.330.2735
TEAM
Randy@RRMktg.com www.RRMktg.com
Kiley McKinna, 402.350.3447
mcmarketingsales@aol.com
Wiley Fanta, 320.287.0751
wiley@mcmarketingmanagement.com
One of those moments I can’t get out of my head was when the Chiefs and Bengals football teams were playing for the AFC championship. Patrick Mahomes was running the ball and an opposing team member aggressively pushed him out of bounds, which gave extra yardage for the Chiefs to get closer and then kick a field goal. That one push, under extreme pressure, became the catalyst that enabled the Chiefs to inevitably win the game. The picture shown here was the Bengals player on the bench realizing what he had just done with his one and only teammate there to comfort him when everyone else was gone. Wow, what a moment that was to watch and experience, I can only imagine what his feelings were at that time knowing the “push” was something that changed the outcome of the game.
When I think about the scenarios for the cattle business we are submerged in—whether you are at a competitive cattle show or the lead point person at an important sale—one can certainly relate to that experience. No matter if you come out a winner or not, we’ve all been the person who needed support, and every day we are presented with ways to show up and be that person for someone else. I am certainly living proof that the result of a team effort is far better than doing something alone. The synergy with each other and what is created out of that is what keeps our spirits and the business going. I appreciate the truth in these words:
“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. That’s the meaning of life, it’s that simple.”
~ Temple GrandinIt’s easy to be the person there to lend support when everything is going well. But the life-changing moments happen when someone shows up and they didn’t have to, just when you need it most – friends who become like family. No matter if thousands are watching on the
football field or one person needs a hand behind the scenes, we can all do something of lasting value.
One of the most amazing things I see in the Limousin business is that when people are down and need a helping hand, this wonderful
breed of cattle is always there to help. That is true leadership and friendship. I, like so many others, take a lot of pride in knowing that the Limousin breed of people is a family and we will never, ever forget who was there.
#NeverForgetWhoWasThere
Many thanks to the bidders and buyers who made our 2023 Pride Of The Prairie a resounding success.
We wish you the best of luck with your purchases and look forward to serving your genetic needs in the future.
PB • Homo Polled • Black • 2/14/21
CELL Envision 7023E x WZRK Miss Tffenuff 4009B
CE: 11 BW: 0.2 WW: 81 YW: 121 MK: 20 CM: 7 SC: 1.50
DC: 15 YG: -0.54 CW: 38 RE: 1.29 MB: -0.09 $MI: 55
Act. BW: 95 • Adj. WW: 703 • Adj. YW: 1,276
Adj. SC: 38.2 • Adj. REA: 16.82 • Adj. IMF: 2.10
Owned with Wieczorek Limousin.
Semen Available! $40/unit.
Contact owners or Grassroots Genetics (515/965.1458).
43102 192 St. • Willow Lake, SD 57278
Drew: 605.881.2419 • Jake: 605.520.2913
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Juggernaut combines a notable pedigree, balanced EPD profile and an eye-catching phentoype. His sire, CELL Envision 7023E, is the deceased sire who’s legacy still lives on producing progeny with huge data and standout phenotypes appreciated by the best cattlemen. This son is no different. Juggernaut has numbers worth studying — ranking in the top 1% for SC, top 5% for GEST, top 10% for WW and YW, top 15% for CW and top 20% for ST and RE. Though his number profile sets him apart from other breed top contenders, his phenotype is one you have to admire as well. He is heavy structured, big bodied, level topped and moves free off both ends of his skeleton. You won’t regret breeding to this breed changer — purchase semen today!
John, Dede, Sara and Sage Sullivan are no strangers to the Limousin breed, but after a storied beginning with Limousin cattle, the Sullivan family has made quite the splash returning to their roots. The Sullivan family resides in Dunlap, Iowa, where they own and operate Sullivan Supply, Inc. and Sullivan Farms.
It all began in the 1980s when John exhibited Limousin steers at several major shows across the country that he acquired from Barney Bain in South Dakota. “People didn’t know how great the Limousin steers would feed back then,” John said.
After showing Limousin steers for a couple years, John began working part time for Bush Boys Limousin and Fred Wood in Iowa. John spent his time getting show cattle ready and assisting with donor cow pictures. This was the gateway into his time spent
working for Rosanky Cattle Co. of Rosanky, Texas, with their Fullblood Limousin cattle.
At age of 19, John and Dede moved to Texas to work for Rosanky with an $800 car and roughly $800 in their savings account. John and Dede reminisce and laugh about that trip to Texas because on their way, the transmission went out of their car and it cost $650 to repair the transmission. When they arrived in Rosanky, Texas, they had $150 to their names.
Two years later, Dede graduated college and she and John moved to Genoa, Nevada, to work for Little Mondeaux Limousin managing their show cattle. “At the time, their program was the epitome of purebred cattle of all breeds in the country. We loved the weather and that area, but we wanted to get back home,” John said.
After their time at Little Mondeaux, John and Dede moved back home to Iowa. In the spring of 1989, at the age of 23, John and Dede began Sullivan Supply out of a 20’ x 20’ garage. “We just wanted to be involved in purebred cattle and the livestock industry in some way and work for ourselves in our home town,” John said.
“We had no business doing what we were doing, but we did it anyway,” Dede said. “We quickly outgrew the garage and moved onto Main Street in Dunlap to an old three story grocery store we rented. We had very archaic offices in the back with no heat because we couldn’t afford to fix the heat. We went across the street to the appliance store and purchased large refrigerator boxes and made offices out of boxes so we could heat small areas. We threw blue tarps over the boxes, clipped on lights and ran extension cords to have a small heater inside each “office”. It was crazy to do that and we were always fighting the lack of capital that we didn’t have, inventory was always a problem,” Dede remembers.
The greatest obstacle for John and Dede at the time was the lack of capital and the fact they couldn’t afford to hire help for the company. However, overcoming obstacles and perseverance are what kept Sullivan Supply going in the beginning. “You could tell right away
with those very first products we created—Prime Time, Tail Adhesive and Kleen Sheen—that things were going to take off,” John said. “We had a trailer we purchased for $6,900 that was customized for show products, but we didn’t have a truck, so we borrowed my brother Joe’s 30-year-old pickup truck and that’s how we would go to shows,” John said.
After a few years with the supply business, John couldn’t stay away from showing cattle. While running Sullivan Supply, John acquired three Limousin cattle in 1991. One of those females was the legendary EAFM Cookie that John purchased from Vorthmann Limousin in Treynor, Iowa. “The Vorthmanns were great people to learn from and such a cool family. I remember the Vorthmann family and Shane Lindsey were the ones that shared Limousin knowledge with me,” John remarked.
In 1992, EAFM Cookie was Champion Limousin Female at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado. “She went on to be such a phenomenal cow and produced three Denver champion females
continued on page 30
continued from page 29
in a row out of seven heifer calves. She was that gift for me—that was our foundation,” John said.
One of the most successful and prominent cow families to ever exist in the Limousin business is that of EAFM Cookie. She herself was a national champion along with SLVL Angel Cookie 140D, SLVL Cinnamon Cookie 6003F and SLVL Sugar Cookie 52C. The Cookie family and the rich heritage behind them is one of the most prolific and prominent to date in the purebred segment of the Limousin business.
In that same year, John and Dede purchased their home farm in Dunlap, Iowa, from their town veterinarian. At its peak, Sullivan Limousin had close to 200 Limousin females. They won the carload show at the National Western Stock Show in Denver multiple times, and won several major shows and Junior Nationals. “At that time we had a phenomenal young crew of people that have since gone on to be incredible in this industry—John Elder, Dave Allan, and his brother, Mark. Three incredible individuals and we had a lot of energy,” John said.
“About 10 years ago, we wanted to diversify along with having Shorthorns so that when families came to the farm they had multiple breed options. At that time, you could see that junior kids were beginning to show more breeds, rather than just focusing on one, so that’s when we decided to introduce multiple breeds into our program,” John said.
John and Dede’s oldest daughter, Sara, is no stranger to the show cattle industry. She began showing bucket calves at their county fair at the age of eight. “The very first time she was in the ring she liked it, you could tell,” John remembers.
The first time Sara won Louisville was in 2001 when she was 12-years-old with SULL Blue Baby, who won both the junior and open Shorthorn Plus shows. “She’s had a pretty darn remarkable show career,
but she started slow—we had fun with those bucket calves for several years before she had her first major show win,” John explained.
When asked about their return to the Limousin breed after having major success with several other breeds, John knew right away that Limousin cattle were still something special. “I thought the quality of the Limousin breed was starting to get pretty good. To me it’s still probably too much of a secret of how good the Limousin and Lim-Flex cattle are. So we began looking for a few and the first year we showed a Limousin female again was in 2021,” John said.
Sara exhibited the Grand Champion Limousin Female and Supreme Champion Junior Heifer, Ratliff Howboutit 008H ET, at the 2021 North American International Livestock Exposition. Ratliff Howboutit 008H ET was also Supreme Champion Female at the Iowa Beef Expo and Grand Champion Limousin Female in the junior show.
“Sara really enjoys Limousin junior nationals, she thinks the junior board and the people are extra friendly. It’s kinda fun now because people I’ve worked with over the years have children and grandchildren showing, so it’s really a neat time,” John said.
“What drove us back to the breed was the quality of the breed,” John said. “I am surprised more exhibitors from other breeds have not gravitated to showing Limousin and Lim-Flex heifers. They need to be paying more attention to these cattle. They’re cattle that just keep getting better with age, they’re so functional, eye appealing and they’re good at the basics. They’re a breed that improves and some breeds don’t. They’re just good solid cattle,” John said.
“We believe in these cattle and Limousin have an awesome product. More people should be utilizing this breed,” John said. “If they could start a third division at some shows, it might attract more people given the popularity of hybrid cattle. An opportunity to exhibit a composite
Limousin could get the attention of other breeders to utilize their breeds and there would be an explosion with that third option. This composite Limousin division would not interfere with the Lim-Flex or Limousin divisions. It would greatly grow and showcase the breed,” John commented.
When asked about the future of the Limousin breed, John believes the breed is in an excellent position. “Both segments of the breed are outstanding, the cattle are so flexible in a commercial market and the carcass merits are real. They have pretty phenomenal carcasses with reasonable birth weights and that’s a difficult combination in some scenarios. The junior program is incredible and they do a really good job with involvement in the breed. Any time you’ve got juniors involved it’s special,” John said.
We would like to thank each and every individual who helped make our 43rd Annual Bull Sale a resounding success. We appreciate the loyalty of our many repeat customers and would like to welcome several new buyers into our camp. We look forward to watching the positive impact our genetics will make on the industry when in the capable hands of our friends and customers.
“At the end of the day, the Limousin Association is going to grow because they have got these exhibitors that end up staying in agriculture and have 20 cows that are registered Limousin,” John said.
Today, Sullivan Farms calves approximately 300 head per year concentrating on high-quality individuals of a few select breeds. “We will grow our Limousin program and will sell our best progeny in the years to come,” John said. “We’re looking to grow with our top Limousin donor females and we’re really excited about that.”
Their top donors include Ratliff Howboutit 008H ET, DL Hush Money 502H, MKLN 1105J, CELL Fascination 8231F and WLR Eden 80E (owned by Davis Limousin Ranch).
continued on page 32
Purebred • Homo Polled • Homo Black
S: CELL Envision 7023E
D: WZRK Miss Atomic 5022C
CE: 8 BW: 0.5 WW: 90 YW: 136 MK: 24
CM: 5 SC: 1.40 DC: 17 YG: -0.35 CW: 62
RE: 1.32 MB: 0.07 $MI: 63
Act. BW: 96 • Adj. WW: 767 • Adj. YW: 1,444
Adj. SC: 37.7 • Adj. REA: 16.16 • Adj. IMF: 2.215
Owned with Fillmore Ranches.
Semen available through Grassroots Genetics (515.965.1458).
Purebred • Homo Polled • Homo Black
S: CELL History Buff 0245H
D: WZRK Black Widow 4038B
CE: 8 BW: 2.4 WW: 81 YW: 128 MK: 22
CM: 2 SC: 1.05 DC: 18 YG: -0.42 CW: 52 RE: 1.29 MB: 0.14 $MI: 63
Act. BW: 89 • Adj. WW: 711 • Adj. YW: 1,356
Adj. SC: 39.5 • Adj. REA: 15.70 • Adj. IMF: 2.650
Owned with Bullis Creek Ranch. Contact owners for semen availability.
Purebred • Homo Polled • Red
S: Wulfs Gallagher 7056G
D: WZRK 0033H
CE: 15 BW: -1.9 WW: 71 YW: 102 MK: 30
CM: 8 SC: 0.93 DC: 15 YG: -0.30 CW: 46
RE: 0.81 MB: 0.22 $MI: 62
Act. BW: 75 • Adj. WW: 725 • Adj. YW: 1,233
Adj. SC: 38.2 • Adj. REA: 12.96 • Adj. IMF: 2.830
Owned with Duplaga Limousin.
Semen available through Grassroots Genetics (515.965.1458).
“We had no business doing what we were doing, but we did it anyway.”
continued from page 31
Sullivan Farms wouldn’t be where they are today without the influence of four individuals—John Elder, Josh Elder, Nate Tice and Jess Recknor. “Those four have been instrumental. You’ve got to have good people. We’re very fortunate,” John said. “I don’t believe we could find any better crew than what we have, they’ve been so solid.”
“They’re our family,” Dede remarked.
The Sullivans are passionate about giving back to the industry that built them. John and Dede are visionaries who bring to life some of the livestock show industry’s top programs for junior exhibitors and beyond.
The scholarship program began in 2009 and has awarded more than $300,000 since its inception.
“We knew we wanted to do something to give back and we had some great help along the way to get the program started,” Dede said. “The first year we had so many applications from kids all over the country. We have close to 1,500 applicants across 48 states and Canada.”
In 2010, Stock Show University was founded as a complimentary youth education program with more than $350,000 contributed annually. The program travels to more than 300 shows each year educating the livestock industry’s youth with top individuals that have a rich history in the industry.
The Pulse is an online daily news source complimentary to the industry that began in 2014.
“The original idea behind it was that we wanted to be a place the seedstock industry gets on every day that’s similar to reading the newspaper,” John said. “It’s incredible how many people are on it. There are days where there are 150,000 people on it and it averages close to 40,000 people each day.”
There have been many influential individuals supporting John and Dede. Early on, Ed Hughes and Gene Lively were mentors for John.
“Randy Ratliff is a lifelong friend and has been there since the very beginning. We’ve had a great relationship over the years and he loves the Limousin breed. He inspired us and he introduced us to a lot of individuals in the breed and we’re still great friends to this day,” John said.
When asked about the key to success, John immediately points to Dede. “The most important thing is you have to have a good spouse and partner above all else,” John said. “Perseverance and vision is also what it takes. You have to be creative with products and provide good old-fashioned customer service. On the cattle side of things, you have to be able to see how they’re going to develop and you have to be honest with your livestock to be a good cattle breeder. Be your harshest critic,” John explained.
“Somehow we made it work,” Dede said. “We never worked in the same part of the business, we always had our own departments. I don’t know anyone else smarter than John in business, he’s got a brain for it and he can see the big picture. He’s great with employees,” Dede remarked.
“At the end of the day I love the cattle and Dede loves the people and the industry,” John said. “We wouldn’t be half the size we are today without Dede’s involvement in the business and that’s the truth,” John said.
John Sullivan’s famous motto of “progressive, aggressive and family oriented,” has morphed Sullivan Supply and Sullivan Farms into the top-notch programs they are today.
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.
The North American Limousin Foundation President makes appointments to several committees each year. These committees exist to ensure certain aspects of the association run properly. They give a voice to the membership by bringing their needs and concerns to the board. The following is a description of the 10 committees and a list of their members.
This committee networks with the NALF membership to identify the most qualified candidates for directors to serve on the NALF board and provide leadership for the organization. The committee’s recommendations for directors shall be published in the Limousin Latest E-Newsletter. Nominations from outside the nominating committee must be made to the NALF office no later than October 1. Chairman: Dan Hunt; Members as described in By-Laws.
Increases demand and commercial market share through advertising, promotion and execution of programs directed to demonstrate and enhance the commercial value of Limousin genetics. They also provide input as to educational efforts directed toward commercial producers and content directed toward NALF members on subjects related to serving the needs of commercial producers. This is the primary committee liaison with alliance entities. They are also responsible for budgets pertaining to advertising, commercial marketing and promotion, and commercial programs.
Chairman: Kevin Ochsner; Staff: Mark Anderson, Mallory Blunier, Taylor Dorsey; Board Members: Wade Beckman, Ronn Cunningham, Dan Hunt, Joe Moore, Randy Corns, Rob Brawner, Jay Wilder; Members: Trent Coleman, Mat Lewis, Heidi Anderson, Joey Freund, Chisum Peterson, Bob Mitchell, Warren Symens, Andy Stirn.
Oversees development and execution of NALF’s annual operating budget consistent with long-term board approved financial objectives. Monitor income and expenses on a monthly basis and coordinate with other committees as to executing their plan of work in accordance to approved budget guidelines. Recommend mid-year adjustments to the budget as might be deemed necessary to achieve targeted yearend financial performance objectives. Provide oversight for execution of the board approved investment policy and track performance of investments. Review year-end financial performance, including report from auditor.
Chairman: Randy Corns; Staff: Mark Anderson; Board Members: Bruce Lawrence, Dan Hunt, Wade Beckman, Ronn Cunningham, Jerry Wulf.
Increase membership, registrations, transfers, and involvement of members in activities of the NALF and their respective state Limousin associations. This committee provides input as to educational efforts directed toward NALF members for more effective production and marketing of Limousin genetics. They are also responsible for budgets pertaining to member marketing activities and for projecting revenue for member registration and transfer activity.
Chairman: Ronn Cunningham; Staff: Mark Anderson, Alison Jones, Stephanie Kramer-Beddo, Mallory Blunier and Tammy Anderson; Board Members: Joe Moore, Austin Hager, Jay Wilder, Lance Sennett, Troy Gulotta, Bart Mitchell; Members: Ty Heavin, Austin Gottschalk, Bret Begert, Jonny Parkinson, Nicholas Edwards, Shana Holloway, Jake Edelman.
Serve as the committee liaison between the NALF board of directors and the board of directors for the North American Limousin Junior Association (NALJA). Monitor fundraising, expenditures and financial management of NALJA as well as executions of NALJA sponsored activities. Review NALJA action relative to rules and regulations, selection of judges, sites for NALJA events and recognition of NALJA members.
Chairman: Randy Corns; Staff: Mark Anderson, Mallory Blunier, Tammy Anderson, Taylor Dorsey; Board Members: Bart Mitchell, Jay Wilder, Troy Gulotta, George Hubbard; Members: Bret Begert, Amber Parkinson, Skyler Davis, Ty & Susie Heavin, Kayleesue Laber, Shana Holloway, Jordon Ruppert, Shelby Hubbard.
Guides the development of NALF’s performance related functions including EPDs, ultrasound data collection, NALF sponsored research, DNA and animal typing-services for parentage and other traits, genetic defects and genomic-enhanced EPDs.
Chairman: Jerry Wulf; Staff: Mark Anderson, Tammy Anderson, Alison Jones; Consultant: Bob Weaber; Board Members: Dan Hunt, continued on page 36
For more than 35 years, we have relied on superior herd bulls to propel our program forward. Our black, polled Limousin and Lim-Flex cattle have been built to work in the real world for both commercial and registered cattlemen.
CE: 11
BW: 0.5
WW: 95
YW: 147
MK: 23
CM: 7
SC: 1.60
DC: 16
YG: -0.36
CW: 53
RE: 1.29
MB: -0.01
$MI: 62
Purebred • Homo Polled • Homo Black
CELL Envision 7023E x COLE Miss Tuff Enuff 512C
CE: 13
BW: -0.7
WW: 79
YW: 125
MK: 19
CM: 8
SC: 0.60
DC: 18
YG: -0.36
CW: 45
RE: 1.09
MB: -0.02
$MI: 56
COLE ENVISION
Purebred • Homo Polled • Homo Black
continued from page 34
Lance Sennett, Troy Gulotta, Bart Mitchell, Austin Hager, Joey Freund, Rob Brawner, Mark Haden, Jay Wilder; Members: Trent Coleman, Casey Fanta, Curt Wieczorek, Mat Lewis, Gary Gates, Tosha Shores, John Ferrat, Joel Franseen.
Assist staff in updating materials in the member’s manual, including rules, regulations and by-laws. Guides operation and further development of NALF’s data processing functions to facilitate industry-leading service to members, while enhancing office efficiency in the delivery of such services.
Chairman: Joey Freund: Staff: Mark Anderson; Board Members: Bart Mitchell, Rob Brawner; Members Warren Symens, Mark Smith, Jack Glendenning, Bret Begert, Curt Wieczorek, Gary Fuchs, Joe Moore.
Increase participation, merchandising value, and satisfaction members receive through exhibiting cattle in NALF’s MOE events. Responsibilities of this committee include development and execution of the MOE budget including work with official sponsors, selection of judges for Level I shows, maintain an approved judges list, review and recommend to the board any changes in MOE policies, rules and requirements, select MOE awards, and generally resolve MOE issues as needed.
Chairman: Randy Corns; Staff: Mark Anderson, Mallory Blunier, Tammy Anderson, Taylor Dorsey; Board Members: Randy Corns, Jay Wilder, Ronn Cunningham, Troy Gulotta, Lance Sennett, George Hubbard; Members: Thad Fosdick, Clay Schilling, Chris Thomas, Ty Heavin, Heather Henderson, Shelby Skinner, Nicholas Edwards, Amber Parkinson.
Looks at and develops new programs. They also evaluate the market and beef industry for opportunities for Limousin cattle and oversees research projects for the NALF.
Chairman: Troy Gulotta; Staff: Mark Anderson, Alison Jones, Tammy Anderson; Board Members: Jerry Wulf, Austin Hager, Wade Beckman, Dan Hunt, Joey Freund, Ronn Cunningham, Bart Mitchell; Members: Mat Lewis, Kiley McKinna, Curt Wieczorek, Tosha Shores, Warren Symens, Remy Carmichael, Tadd Thomas, Gary Gates, Bob Weaber.
Judy Bugher
405/306-1315
Edna Manning
405/306-1316
9700 Slaughterville Rd. • Lexington, OK 73051
Ranch Office: 405/527-7648
• email: hayhooklimousin@gmail.com
Manages any new and current positions, along with the executive director, at NALF and helps make hiring decisions.
Chairman: Bruce Lawrence; Members: Randy Corns, Dan Hunt, Wade Beckman, Ronn Cunningham, Jerry Wulf.
Scherr, WV Kim Getz 304/257-3841
Keystone was the lead bull of our Grand Champion Lim-Flex Pen at the 2023 National Western Stock Show and went on to be named the Grand Champion Lim-Flex Bull in the Open Show on the hill. This homozygous polled, 75% Lim-Flex bull combines an attractive phenotype with EPD rankings in the top 35% for CE, BW, WW, MK, TM, CM, YG and RE.
We thank the Getz family of Rolling Acres Limousin for their purchase of half interest and full possession of Keystone.
For semen on this exciting young herd sire, contact Grassroots Genetics, 515/965-1458.
What’s the big deal with these composite bulls, anyway? And why should I use them in my cow herd?
Those are two very valid questions, says Dr. Bob Weaber, a geneticist and head of Kansas State University’s Eastern Kansas Research and Extension Centers. For the answers, he says to look at the female side of the equation.
Why? Because that is where composite bulls help commercial cowcalf producers realize the benefits of heterosis without the headaches of a more complex crossbreeding program. “Heterosis is just the little extra boost in performance we get above the average of the straightbred parents’ expected performance,” he says. “It’s the little icing on the cake, if you will.”
That icing may be more than just a little. “We get our biggest boost in performance due to heterosis in lowly heritable traits like cow longevity and fertility,” he says. And given today’s cost in developing replacement heifers, cow longevity is more important now than ever before.
Indeed, cow longevity and fertility are two of the most important economic traits in a commercial cow herd. Without question. That is because you can’t sell a calf that is never born. And the longer a cow stays in the herd, the more her calves return economic value to the rancher.
Typical crossbreeding programs, however, can be complicated and difficult to implement, especially if you want to realize genetic improvement by retaining heifers. That is why Weaber thinks incorporating composite genetics like Lim-Flex into a breeding program is a good fit. Lim-Flex composites can have 25%-75% Limousin genetics with the remainder being Registered Angus or Registered Red Angus.
“It’s very easy to implement and they (the bulls) come with the crossbreeding system already built in,” he says. “The commercial producer doesn’t have to do anything extra in terms of breeding pastures or identifying replacement heifers by breed of their sire. It’s as simple as straight breeding.”
Composite bulls also allow cattlemen to benefit from breed complementarity when the breeds selected possess complementary traits like Limousin and Angus do. Coupled with heterosis, it adds even more to a commercial herd’s economic potential. “So, producers can expect a 13 to 15 percent improvement in weaning weight per cow exposed using a Lim-Flex breeding program, for example,” he says.
That is what commercial cow-calf producers across the country have found. Shane Whiting and his two sons run around 1,000 commercial cows in northeast Utah near Roosevelt—all Lim-Flex, bulls and cows alike. His operation is testimony to how Limousin genetics have changed and improved over the years.
“Docility and calving-ease are the two number-one things for a commercial rancher,” he says. “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.”
Beyond that, he appreciates the longevity and fertility of his cows. “We run all our cows until they turn 12 years of age,” he says, adding that they have a 60-day breeding and calving season. “And our conception rate with Lim-Flex cattle has run 95-96 percent consecutively for up to 20 years now.”
That is notable because he doesn’t coddle his cattle. “We’re grass farmers,” he says, and that is what his cattle get by on.
He also appreciates that his cows have a moderate frame size, yet they milk well. “We have better longevity and we have a better bag,” he says. “These hold up.”
Then there’s payday. Whiting has carcass data on thousands of head beginning in 2014. That year, his calves came down the rail grading
continued on page 40
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94 percent Choice and Prime. “Now we’re at 97 percent and they (the feedyard) think we have peaked out.”
Looking at data from the Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska, helps explain why Whiting’s Lim-Flex cows perform well on a diet largely of grass and grass hay. According to the research, Limousin-sired heifers had lower feed intake (3.25 lbs./head/day) than Angus, Weaber says. The Limousin heifers also had lower body weight gain, about 0.3 lb./head/day.
“There was no statistical difference in feed efficiency yet lower intake. That is likely tied to the expected lower mature weights on these females,” Weaber says. Citing other research, Weaber points out that Limousin females had the lowest mature cow weight among 10 breeds, with weights corrected for breed effect and contrasted to Angus.
Will Hargett owns a small sale barn in Ayden, North Carolina, in the eastern part of the state. “We handle quite a few cattle that are in less than load lots,” he says, with calves coming from cow herds ranging from 20 to around 100 head.
A number of years ago, he marketed some Lim-Flex calves. “We sold them to a gentleman in the western part of North Carolina who
backgrounded and finished them,” Hargett says. “About a year later, he called me back and said, ‘We’ve been in the business for three generations and that last set of calves we bought out of your barn really showed us something.’”
Hargett is always on the lookout for ways to help his customers improve. He did a little research and decided he would help place some Lim-Flex bulls with area cow-calf producers.
“We’ve had a great experience with Lim-Flex bulls in recent years with what I would consider to be fairly average commercial cows, and just get outstanding calves coming off these cows,” he says. “And we’ve had a lot of good response from the people buying these calves.”
Several of his customers retain their heifers. Bred back to Lim-Flex bulls, “They’re not throwing anything with bad temperament issues. They’re easy to handle, they’re good milkers, they’re good mothers and are producing fantastic calves.”
To that end, he says the Lim-Flex genetics are busting some age-old myths. “I was very impressed with the myth-busting left over from the late ‘90s and early 2000s where, in this part of the country, Limousin had a reputation of being a little too framey, not very good milkers and not very good temperament in some cases,” he says.
“And it just couldn’t be any different today. They’re thick, they have great carcass quality and the females are heavy milkers. And they’re
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.”
easy to handle. It’s just a totally different animal. So, it’s been quite a surprise over the years.”
“We’ve been tested pretty hard as far as weather the last handful of years,” says Shane Anderson. “Mostly drought and feeding a lot of poor-quality roughages. And they seem to be holding up.”
Anderson, a cow-calf producer from Towner, North Dakota, says that over the years he’s used Lim-Flex genetics, he sees more consistency in the conformation and disposition of the cattle. “I’ve had a lot of confidence in the Lim-Flex females as far as calving-ease and the vigor of the calves when they get up and get going. They’re really a herd that doesn’t require a lot of attention in the spring. And that is a big seller for me.”
He’ll come back with Lim-Flex bulls on his replacement heifers. “I’m getting some thickness in the calves, some muscle. So, on the
steer side, these percentage Lim-Flex cattle are producing some thickmade feeder calves,” he says. “I’m happy with the selection I’m finding in the Lim-Flex breed as far as bulls that hit my maternal needs as well as ones that hit the benchmark as far as the feeder calves and the performance I expect from them.”
What’s more, he’s impressed with the longevity of Lim-Flex females. Because of ongoing drought, he culled pretty deep, but says there are still some females in his herd that are producing at 12-13 years old, “bringing in a decent calf and they’re still running out with the middle-age cows. They’re condition holds up well and they’re still bringing a calf in.”
When the time does come to rotate the old cows out of the herd, their condition and ability to yield adds value at the sale barn, he says. “I still want some salvage value and you know what? Even at 12, 13 years of age, they sell just as they would if they were five, six, seven years old. They look good.”
Demand for locally raised beef is still on the upswing. Global supply chain issues, high input costs and concern about inflation are all taking a toll on our livestock producers’ return on investments. Meanwhile, direct-marketing beef continues to rise, allowing the “farm to table” strategy to become more profitable per head.
During the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, there were shortages and increases in price value. The meat prices increased to 21.7% by the end of May 2020 because of the contraction in meat supply. The highest price jump was observed in ground beef in May 2020 compared to previous months.
Hence, this eventuality caused more producers to capitalize on the need for farm-raised beef at a “normal” price compared to the grocery store.
Before you offer your product to consumers, it is critical to make sure you are producing the best quality product. Creating a high-quality beef product starts with the proper management practices. Proper feeding and nutrition are critical when marketing meat products. It is important that you are happy with the meat you are offering before you start selling freezer beef to consumers.
Seeking a USDA-inspected processing facility can assure customers you are using a reputable amenity. When livestock is processed in the facility being inspected, the sale of the product may follow the county health department guidelines.
Before putting your product out on the market, contact your processor to be sure they can accommodate your needs, and fulfill
the demand of meat products. If your meat product is being sold in a public market, it is necessary to have a retail license.
However, if you are selling it to private consumers, there is no retail license required. Before selling market beef to customers, it is essential to take the correct steps and precautions.
When consumers buy freezer beef directly from a producer, often many believe they will have a better experience than going to the grocery store to buy meat. As a producer, there are several expectations to meet the customer base. Having great communication with your customers will allow people to want your product.
Many customers are used to purchasing retail meat. Ensure the buyer comprehends the volume of beef they will be receiving to determine the amount of freezer space needed. Many do not know of the amount of meat they will be receiving. Explaining the process and providing them with information about the processor, processing costs and the different cuts of meat from a freezer beef purchase can go a long way.
Providing customers with information about your management approach will allow them to feel more connected to what they are purchasing. As a producer, it is always essential to feed your livestock to the best of your ability — clean water, adequate management and feeding practices. This will ensure reputable yields and most likely repeat customers in the future.
From the beginning, performance has been the main focus of our breeding program. This means our cows must perform their duties and our bulls have to produce the highest growth cattle in the breed. All cattle in our herd must be sound and docile.
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In the Limousin Business Since 1969
Being a seedstock producer often requires making a big investment in new genetics—a new herd bull or top-notch donor cow can run into the tens of thousands easily. And because your investment is a living, breathing animal that will be walking around on four legs out in the elements, that money is at risk every day. That’s why taking an hour or so to learn the ins and outs of how to best protect your investment by visiting with an insurance agent is time well spent.
Mark Smith of Grassroots Genetics has more than two decades experience helping producers minimize their risk. He explains livestock mortality insurance is a risk management tool like any other kind of insurance—house, medical, etc.
“It’s kind of a sleep tight policy in case your investment is bigger than you’re comfortable with,” Smith says. “If you walk out one morning and that animal you have so much money in has cratered … you’re not going to sleep well for a long time if it wasn’t protected with mortality insurance.”
In addition to protecting your loss against a breeding animal’s death, another common reason producers seek out a policy is to buy time. In other words, you might buy a year-long mortality policy in order to give you time to get that pricey herd bull’s semen collected, or the donor cow flushed or a first calf crop on the ground. After that, your risk in the investment in those genetics goes down considerably. What about those guarantees from the purebred operation you buy bulls from—shouldn’t that be enough? Not necessarily.
“I know a lot of breeders give a first-year guarantee or first breeding season guarantee sometimes, and those are all great with the ones that offer it,” Smith says. “The thing about that, it usually comes with credit back to the same operation that you purchased from. Some of them will bring you another bull, but what if you really wanted a specific animal? The insurance gives you your money immediately and then you can buy when and wherever you want instead of having to wait and use credit at the sale next year. Those are some good reasons why you need to be paying a little bit of attention to whether mortality insurance is for you or not.”
Another common example of seedstock producers utilizing mortality insurance is when they send bulls off to a bull test. The same logic would apply for sending replacement heifers to be developed off ranch. In this scenario, the producer might insure the whole group for $3,000 a head, as an example, so that if one (or more) of them dies while they are under someone else’s care, they can get compensated.
A key distinction to be aware of is there are two different types of mortality insurance—full mortality and specified perils. Full mortality covers the animal whether it dies from natural causes, like bloat or cancer, in addition to dying from an accident or weather event, such as lightning, blizzard, drowning, etc. Specified perils policies do not cover natural causes, only the accidental/weather causes. Exactly what events are covered in a policy can vary somewhat, so be sure to read the fine print.
Shari Holloway with Ag Defense Risk Management also works with producers on both kinds of mortality policies, though her company also sells a completely different category of livestock insurance called livestock risk protection that only deals with price risks. Holloway says the specified peril policies, or pasture policies if you will, are typically used to cover an entire cow herd—but only up to a specified limit.
“Usually, it’s not for a higher-priced type of cow herd,” she explains. “We can do a valuation up to about $5,000 per animal but it only runs about 1% of the value of the herd for those specified perils, like lightning. There is a deductible you have to establish per incident, but they’re pretty affordable policies for people that are just looking for catastrophic type insurance.”
Even with full mortality policies there are limits in terms of the length of the policy. The longest term available tends to be for only one year, but after that it can be renewed and at a lower rate potentially. So, if a $10,000 bull is insured for the full $10,000 in year one and goes on to be collected or sire a calf crop, his owner may decide to
continued on page 46
What You Need to Know About Livestock Mortality Insurance.
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renew the policy for a second year but for maybe $7,000 as there is less risk to his or her investment in the second year.
At the other end of the spectrum, producers might have reason to only need one month or a few months to insure an animal. Buyers should be aware, the longer the term is, the higher the premium is as well. Even so, matching the needs of a particular situation to what a company offers will take a little number crunching to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.
“We can offer a transit rate, which is just to cover the time it takes to transport an animal home from an auction,” Holloway adds. “The minimum is $250, though, so you’re almost better off in some cases to go ahead and just buy the full-year term for full mortality.”
Like buying car insurance, the premium you pay to get livestock mortality insurance depends greatly on the value of the item being insured. If the animal was bought at an auction, it’s really easy to establish their value—it’s what is on the bill of sale. However, if you’re raised a really good bull that needs to be insured, how do you put a dollar figure on him?
“You’re going to have to explain to the underwriters why you believe his value is X amount of dollars,” Smith says. “What we’ll need is an evaluation letter, meaning you’ll need to get somebody else to evaluate what this animal is worth and put it in writing. Or lots of times, what I get is a show record or a progeny record. The value can also be
established by the amount of semen or embryos sold. There is a very small chance of the underwriter saying, ‘Nope, we’re not going do that.’
“They might write back and say, for example, they won’t go for $100,000 but will do $45,000,” he adds. “The other part of that is the insurance company understands the buyer is paying for that amount of coverage—let’s say in the case of a year-long policy, the buyer is looking at a 6% premium. So, if the animal’s valued at $40,000, they’re paying $2,400 and if it’s valued at $100,000 he’s paying $6,000 for the coverage. It’s not in the buyer’s best interest to overvalue the animal.”
Other than a difference in evaluating an animal’s worth, folks with a history of claiming losses for mortality insurance can get turned down for a policy. In fact, Smith says the application will ask about your loss history and if you have the animal insured with any other company. You can’t double-dip. And if you do—whether by oversight or by fraud—and try to make a claim, it’s very likely a claims adjuster will sniff out the double payment.
Holloway says a common misconception among producers is they don’t realize the animal has to be dead (or sometimes stolen, depending on the policy), in order for the loss to be covered.
“If a bull gets crippled or breaks a leg but the vet says the bull is not hurt badly enough to put down or he can heal, that would not be covered,” she explains. “Also, a lot of times people want to buy infertility insurance. But unless there’s something out there I am not aware of, there really isn’t anything in the market worth having for infertility these days—it’s just too high.”
continued on page 48
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Once you know which type of mortality insurance works for your needs, the process is fairly easy though it does require some paperwork and some photos. If you’re at an auction and want to insure that cow before you load her up in the trailer, that can be done with just a cell phone.
“The buyer can call their agent, who will ask them to keep copies of the bill of sale, the check and the pedigree or lot number from the catalog, “Smith explains. “With cell phones, it works so nice because you just shoot pictures of all that. So, for example, send me the pictures and I fill out an application. We put the animals’ particulars, his birthdate and registration, and your particulars, address, date, email, and then we send you the application by DocuSign. You read it all through, make sure we’re all talking about the same critter, sign it and send it back to me. If the agent has what’s called binding authority it can happen instantaneously.”
Of course, you also have to pay for it. Hopefully, you have established a relationship with an insurance agent before it gets to this point; but if not, a sale manager can usually help you find one. Either way, there are a few key questions to ask before signing any paperwork:
• Is the policy for full mortality or specified peril?
• If it is specified peril, what exactly are the events covered?
• Are there any limits to the coverage?
• What is the term of the policy?
• What is rate of the premium?
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• If you’ve borrowed money to buy the animal, does the bank require you to list it as an additional payee on the policy?
• Who is the company actually writing the policy (not just the agent selling it to you)?
If disaster strikes, say the donor cow was struck by lightning, Smith says to grab your cell phone again because you will have to prove the animal died.
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“The producer is supposed to call claims, but usually they call me,” he adds. “I tell them to go shoot a picture right now of the animal and try and get a shot of the head, ear tag, tattoo, brand, anything you can get to show the identity. Take tons of pictures with your phone. Then call your veterinarian to come out and post it. A lot of times, it’s something obvious and that’s what the vet will call it—“death by lightning” or something like that.
“But if it looks iffy as to what caused the death, the claims department may ask them to cut that one open and find out if it had cancer or some other disease,” Smith says. “If it’s on a full mortality policy, they’re going to pay either way but they keep a database of why animals die.”
From the producer’s perspective, as long as the cause of death is covered, it doesn’t really matter—he or she will be able to sleep knowing there will be a check in the mail soon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sharla Ishmael is a veteran agricultural writer from Benbrook, Texas.
by Hannah Smith, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
When it comes to genetics, it’s not 50%-50%. More genetics can come into play.
Expected progeny differences (EPDs) are a widely utilized tool in making genetic decisions centered around breeding objectives. With the progression of DNA technology, the industry has been able to incorporate genomics into the numbers that are used to calculate EPDs. Prior to inclusion of genomic information, we relied on pedigree-based relationships that operate on the averages. This assumes a 50% contribution from the dam and 50% contribution from the sire to the breeding value of the offspring. However, an animal’s actual genetic merit or it’s EPD value for a given trait can be greater or less than that of its parents, depending upon how the numerous random combinations of genetic material contributed by the sire and dam come together and are expressed in the offspring.
The lacking component of historical genetic assumptions is accuracy. As a bull sires more offspring and those records were reported, the EPDs would change to reflect offspring performance and accuracy would increase. By including genomic information in
EPD calculations, it increases the accuracy of younger sires. For EPDs with large amounts of records such as birthweight, genomics can be the equivalent of already having 25 offspring records submitted on that animal prior to ever breeding a cow.
Sampling methods to collect tissues for identifying the genetic makeup of the animal can include blood samples, hair samples, or tissue samples such as ear punches. Through the collection of DNA samples from a calf and its parents, we can make better estimations as to how an animal will relate to each parent, or even grandparent, on a genotype level. This understanding gives more accuracy to knowing a young animals EPDs which gives greater precision to predict the impact on performance of future offspring.
Genomic-enhanced EPDs are the best estimate of an animal’s genetic value as a parent, combining all available sources of information. This permits higher accuracies for EPDs on younger animals. With the inclusion of genomics, we can better understand how an offspring relates to its parents from trait to trait, which creates an opening for increased certainty that mating selections will progress towards breeding objectives more rapidly and as intended.
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When it comes to Washington D.C., the crystal ball is always cloudy. In separating the signals (a few) from the noise (a lot), Jim Wiesemeyer, Pro Farmer policy analyst, is keeping his eyes on some key topics in the year ahead.
One is coming but it might not be in 2023, says Wiesemeyer (This will be the 11th farm bill he’s analyzed out of 19 total.). Analysts expect the Senate to finish a bill by the August recess, but they are not so sure about the House, which will be controlled by Republicans. Talks with incoming House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thomson, R-Pa., show his passion for getting a bill through. Early in 2023, Thompson will check in with his panel members on their thoughts for a new farm bill.
During President Joe Biden’s first two years in office, trade policy has not been a key focus, Wiesemeyer says. That could change with these issues: Mexico: The country’s president has delayed his goal to ban imports of GMO corn, specifically food (white) corn, until 2025. Of the around 18 million tons of U.S. corn Mexico imports, nearly 20% is white corn. Mexico is going to study the impacts of GMO corn for the next two years, ahead of their possible ban, but trade policy experts signal this issue will
eventually be worked out. If not, it will be challenged via the U.S.Mexico- Canada trade agreement.
New trade agreements: The Biden administration has a different approach to trade policy, de-emphasizing traditional trade agreements. But some of his congressional Democrats are sounding a lot like Republicans who favor traditional trade accords. Look for a push to get one with the United Kingdom, which would likely boost U.S. livestock feed exports as U.K. producers want competitively-priced feed.
China: U.S. agriculture clearly has a lot of eggs in China’s trade basket. Experts say we can and should expand markets elsewhere because within the next five years China will “deal” with Taiwan. If so, U.S.-China trade ties would again be contentious. Also, Brazil recently sold China corn, and that is expected to accelerate. That means a shift in corn trade around the world.
Leaders and centrists from both parties want to prove a split Congress does not mean total deadlock, Wiesemeyer says. One area is immigration reform. Republicans insist on border security measures first, then they will give somewhat on other immigration issues favored by Democrats. We will likely know within the first six months of 2023 if there is a chance of compromise.
Talks with private crop insurance companies signal a new option could be coming: The IMP or Individual Margin Protection. However, if it is approved, it would be a 2024 crop year product with a September 30, 2023, sales closing.
There has been a ton of excitement over the North American Limousin Research Foundation and the first research project that is underway. Phase one of the NALRF Research project is now complete. 453 head of commercial Angus cows were bred on two separate ranches in Montana in early June via the 7&7 synchronization process. The commercial cows were artificially inseminated to three different contemporary groups of nine sires consisting of Purebred Limousin, LimFlex® and Angus bulls of similar EPD equivalency. NALF Executive Director, Mark Anderson, and DNA Processing & Accounting Assistant, Tammy Anderson, were both very hands-on helping at the ranches and making sure this project was moving in the proper direction. Mark took the time to sit down with Limousin
Media and answer some questions about the research project and gave a behind the scenes look at phase one.
1. What inspired this research project?
Mark: The board saw a need for Limousin to have third party research conducted approximately three years ago. NALF has never, in its 50-year history, had a dedicated research project to document the breed’s progress. The NALF board feels it is high time NALF conducts this independent third party research in order to document not only where the breed is currently at, but also potentially show the advantages of utilizing Limousin genetics in the commercial cattle business. This research should also reflect any potential areas where we may have room for improvement.
2. How much preparation work went into this research project before it began?
Mark: Approximately three years’ worth of background work went into the preparation of this research project. They had around 10 visions committee calls and dedicated discussions at the last nine NALF board meetings over the past three years. It took roughly a year and a half to locate ranches and find cooperators that were in the same geographic location with commercial Angus cows suitable for the project.
3. What was the day-to-day life like working on the ranch during phase one of the project?
Mark: Tammy and myself spent several weeks in Montana assisting with the research project. Each day primarily consisted of getting cattle gathered and facilities set up so we could process and synchronize the cows for not only CIDR insertion but also shots. Over the month-long
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period of spreading out the calving dates on the two ranches, the sync shots were coordinated to fall on different dates because the ranch’s calving dates are a week apart. A good portion of the month was not only helping our ranch cooperators gather cattle and get their facilities ready, but also coordinating a correct calendar to administer the shots for the sync program. When you combine the shots with AI the cows were run through the chute 4 times. We also spent quite a bit of time heat detecting and sorting those cows that were responding on their heats, so they were bred correctly on their AI timing for each breeding schedule.
4. What have the people been like to work with on the Ranches?
Mark: They are very cooperative and very good operators to work with. We took quite a bit of their time because of the 7&7 sync process. We were going through the chute an extra time or two and both ranches were very cooperative and helpful trying to coordinate their cows to set up for the program and helping us round up additional help from time-to-time.
5. What has been your favorite part of the research project this far?
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Mark: The ability and opportunity to conduct actual research and verify where we are from a genetic improvement standpoint as we look to gain market share in the commercial bull business, particularly crossing with English-based cows. We have always talked about the value of using Limousin cross on Angus cows, now is our chance to prove the real advantages. Another of the most enjoyable parts has been working with the NALF staff, the NALF board, and Dr. Weaber; all of whom are involved in the same mission and goal. Every board and staff member at NALF is all in on this project and has contributed to its launch in some form of hands-on participation and/or financial backing.
6. What does the next phase of the research project look like?
When discussing the next phase, Mark explained that it involved assisting with calving and the DNA identification of the progeny. They are helping the ranchers through the calving period and matching up the pairs to see what the conception rates were. Mark was also happy to have Alison, NALF Director of DNA Processing & Accounting Operations, join them in Montana for calving season to utilize her skills for the next phase of the project.
Mark: We will parent verify all the progeny, not only back to the nine AI sires used, but also to the clean-up bulls that were hauled to both ranches during phase one. Our goal is to have an acceptable enough conception rate to allow us to have enough calves to ship to SDSU in the fall of 2023 to go on feed and on test. NALF is looking forward to working with SDSU in the fall of 2023 as the cattle are shipped to their facilities to document feed performance and carcass data.
7. What do you hope to gain from this research project and how do you think this project will benefit Limousin Breeders?
Mark: We hope this project helps the breed gauge where we are at genetically while identifying the value of the cross and the heterosis gained with Limousin on English-based cows. If we are successful and enough heterosis is captured, we can show the genetic benefits on feed performance, carcass quality and yield grade. We will determine just how beneficial the cross is and identify the areas where we potentially need to improve.
Give us a call for semen on any of these outstanding young sires. They have the tools to put your program on the front side of genetic improvement.
WZRK Kryptonite 5022K
PB • Homo Pld • Homo Blk • 1/20/22 • CELL Envision 7023E x WZRK Miss Atomic 5022C
CE: 8 BW: 0.5 WW: 90 YW: 136 MK: 24 CM: 5 SC: 1.40
DC: 17 YG: -0.35 CW: 62 RE: 1.32 MB: 0.07 $MI: 63
Owned with Wieczorek Limousin.
Brent Fillmore
719-947-4132 (H)
• 719-569-1312 (C)
Brent@FillmoreRanch.com
Larry Fillmore
719-947-3464 (H)
• 719-248-0536 (C)
1738 Boone Rd., Boone, CO 81025
by Krissa Welshans
Tyson Foods introduced a new, first-of-its-kind beef brand at the Annual Meat Conference held in Dallas, Texas, the first of March. Brazen Beef is designed to actually deliver on end-consumer sustainability demands and bring disruption to the protein category.
Tyson said a ton of effort went into determining the 10% greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. The company worked with researchers, technical experts and supply partners to identify and compare performance against an established GHG benchmark.
Cattle used for Brazen Beef products are enrolled in Tyson Foods’ Climate-Smart Beef Program for emission reduction from pasture to production. These criteria were set with input from third-party
sustainability groups. Further, there is an Animal Welfare CARE Program requirement to qualify for the program.
“Emissions are estimated for each animal harvested and evaluated for qualification into the program,” the brand website says. “Animals that don’t meet the base qualification of emission reduction are sorted out of the Brazen brand program and into a different program.”
From raising the crops for the feed to how the product is packaged, greenhouse gas emissions are traced through the entire process of creating a finished beef product. Suppliers must also undergo audits, which include verification of enrollment, data collection, and adoption of climate-friendly agricultural practices.
April 29, 2023
Lebanon, MO
MIDL Genisus 159G
Homo Black • Homo Polled • 56% Lim-Flex
A sleep easy bull with growth, milk, docility and carcass traits. His first 25 calves averaged 68 lbs. and he ranks in the top 15% of the breed or better for nine traits. bw: -0.3, ww: 98, yw: 162, mk: 29 Semen available via Grassroots Genetics, 515.965.1458.
Jewels 109J
MIDL Miss Genesis 127J
This 65% Genisus daughter sells due 9/10/23 to TNGC Empire 736E.
KLS SULL Charmer is the $52,000 valued herd sire prospect that sold in the 2020 Night on the Town III Sale where full possession and half semen interest was purchased by Ridgeland Cattle Co. This bull is wicked good. He is gigantic boned, impeccable in his structure and build, flawless fronted and insanely powerful in his design. He is a son of TASF Crown Royal and out of the famed Riverstone Charmed 50C female. TASF Crown Royal is the DHVO Deuce x TASF Whiskey Lullaby 357W son that has taken over the breed with his powerful influence. Riverstone Charmed 50C needs no introduction as she will go down in history as one of the greatest show females of all time. KLS SULL Charmer is a PUREBRED Limousin bull that has all the potential in the world to be at the top of the Limousin breed and far beyond! You’ll want to be a part of this phenomenal offering –this is the opportunity of a lifetime. The blend of two of the
Thank
The NALJA Board appreciates the generosity of Pinegar Limousin for donating AUTO Legacy 689H.
Joe Moore, Staunton, VA, won the 2023 CornerPost heifer drawing. All of the proceeds from the drawing benefit the CornerPost fund, which facilitates additional activities and scholarships for members of the North American Limousin Junior Association. A huge thank you to all who purchased tickets and for making it a successful fundraiser, with the total tickets sold generating more than $31,500.
4H Limousin
Alison Jones
ATAK Limousin
Barton Cattle
Beckman Livestock & Farming
Becky Craig Cattle Co.
Begert Limousin Ranch
Blanton’s Limousin Farms
Boyce-Dill Cattle
Brandon Synhorst
Brehm Farms
Broken Y Cattle
Brooks Cattle Co.
Buff Beef Ranch
Callahan Brothers
Chachere Farms
Charles McKinney
Chris Herman
Chris Wojciechowski
Churchman Limousin
Counsil Family Limousin
Country Inn Limousin
Cox Cattle Farms
Coyote Hills Ranch
Cross Creek Farm
Cunningham C Bar Ranch
Cunningham Cattle Co.
Dave Book
DEBV
Dexter Small
DJ Limousin
Edwards Land & Cattle Co.
Eliza Truel
Flock Limousin
Fuchs Limousin
Haley Livestock
Hubbard Cattle Co.
Jennifer Friend
Jim Anderson Cattle Co.
JR Cattle Co.
KAR Livestock Ventures
Keeton Limousin
Landry Kleman
Lawrence Family Limousin
Lenape Limousin
Linhart Limousin
Ludens Family Limousin
Magness Land & Cattle
Mallory Blunier
Mark & Tammy Anderson
MC Marketing Management
Minerich Land & Cattle
Minor Limousin
MLP Farms
O’Connor Farms Limousin
P Bar S Ranch
Parkinson Cattle Co.
60 • APRIL 2023
Peterson Land & Auction Co.
Randy & Kim Siders
Rawlings Limousin
Red Rock Limousin
Riley & KayleeSue Laber
Roger Sanders
Ronald & Valerie Dent
Route 66 Cattle Co.
S & S Cattle Co.
Sennett Cattle Co.
Shelby Skinner Cattle
Smith Cattle Co.
Sonny & Mary Booth
Spring Creeks Cattle Co.
Super C Limousin
T&J Cattle Co.
Terry Kiser
Thomas & Son Farms
Thomas Farms
Tubmill Creek Farms
Twin Willow Farms
Tyler Green
Waddle Limousin Ranch
Walking Spear Land & Cattle
Walnut Ridge Limousin
Wies Limousin Ranch
Wilder Family Limousin
Alarge part of the excellence achieved at the National Junior Limousin Show and Congress stems from support of involved Limousin breeders.
This year, the National Junior Show & Congress will be held in Rapid City, SD, and promises to surpass even the high points of past experiences. We look forward to the “Limi’s Rally to Rushmore” which wouldn’t be possible without the support from you!
A special thanks to all who donated and purchased items, helping raise a record-breaking total of $100,155 from live and silent auctions!
3D Crane Hunts
3W Embroidery and Design
605 Sires + Donors
Adam Ausin
Amanda Radke
Anderson Farms
ATAK Limousin
BCV Farms
Beach Family Farms
Beus Cattle Co.
C.J. Brown
Chain Land and Cattle
Coleman Limousin Ranch
Coyote Hills Ranch
Cross Creek Farms
Custom Genetic Solutions
Davis Ranches
Dru Alberti
Breeding cattle that meet the demands of the entire production chain has been our focus since day one. Raising cattle that excel in many facets is a huge challenge, but we believe that is the best way to stay efficient and competitive as an industry. If you are looking for genetics that excel from pasture to plate, we encourage you to contact us for the genetics we have available.
Edleman Ranch
Edwards Land & Cattle Co.
Edwards Limousin
Enright Farms
Fawley Farms
Fillmore Ranch
Frederick, Sommers & Western Sign Co.
Freed Livestock
Fuchs Limousin
Garrison Limousin
Glendenning J Bar J
Graven Land & Cattle
Hall Cattle Co.
Hager Cattle Co.
Handmade by CNO
continued on page 64
HB • HP • 33% LF
Sire: Amen The Rock Dam: Lewis Feodora F208
CE: 19 BW: -3.5 WW: 76 YW: 131 MK: 23 CM: 12 SC: 0.62 DC: 18 YG: 0.06 CW: 45 RE: 0.63 MB: 0.56 $MI: 73
Lewis Harbinger H12H has proven to do everything we hoped. His first calf crop has had tremendous acceptance from commercial producers. He has proven to be a sire with bred-in carcass and maternal traits who transmits calving-ease and exceptional performance. Now that he has proven to be the real deal, plan to use him in your breeding plans this Spring. Contact owners or Grassroots Genetics for volume commercial pricing. Bulls & Females For Sale Private Treaty Year Round.
These sires need no introduction as they have proven themselves on the national level, both as show winners or breeding bulls. Make these sires a part of your Spring breeding plans.
RS. CALF CHAMPION BULL, 2021 CATTLEMEN’S CONGRESS
4/4/20 • Purebred • Homo Polled • Double Black • ROMN Floyd Mudhenkey 101F x Schilling’s Yoki
CE: 10 BW: -0.4 WW: 58 YW: 90 MK: 17 CM: 5 SC: 0.30 DC: 12 YG: -0.51 CW: 19 RE: 1.09 MB: -0.25 $MI: 43 Here is the exciting, purebred bull the breed has been waiting for. Halas impressed the crowd at the Cattlemen’s Congress with his stunning look, total performance and sound structure. We thank Massey Limousin and Portwood Family Limousin for buying into this promising sire.
GRAND CHAMPION BULL, 2020 AMERICAN ROYAL • RS. CHAMPION BULL, 2021 CATTLEMEN’S CONGRESS
4/3/19 • 50% Lim-Flex • Polled • Homo Black • Schillings R&L Classified x Schillings Beautician
CE: 10 BW: -0.1 WW: 56 YW: 71 MK: 17 CM: 6 SC: 0.90 DC: 10 YG: -0.12 CW: 9 RE: 0.49 MB: 0.07 $MI: 50 Game Over enjoyed much success in the show ring as his attractive profile, total mass and flexible, sound structure earned him praise from some the nation’s top cattlemen. We own this champion in partnership with Davis Limousin and we both are excited about his progeny.
4/10/17 • AAA 18849201 • Schillings R&L Classified x Grubbs Miss Newsbreak 111
CE: 16 BW: 0.7 WW: 71 YW: 113 MK: 12 CM: 6 SC: -0.40 DC: 9 YG: 0.03 CW: 45 RE: 0.63 MB: 0.11 $MI: 56 This Angus sire needs no introduction. He has done a great job for all who have used him. Confidential continues to sire show ring winners and sale toppers.
1/20/19 • AAA 19535724 • Musgrave 316 Stunner x Hinrichsen Elga Erica 3137
CE: -2 BW: 3.2 WW: 75 YW: 131 MK: 24 CM: 1 SC: 0.53 DC: 12 CW: 65 RE: 0.77 MB: 1.29 $B: 194 $C: 286 Schilling Stunner 9354 was one of the top sale features at the 2020 National Angus Bull Sale at the NWSS, selling to Encore Cattle & Genetics. This outstanding son of Musgrave 316 Stunner is a standout phenotypically with amazing extension, depth of body and raw power. He not only stands out on the hoof, but on paper as well, posting an impressive 75 WW, 131 YW, 1.21 MARB and a nearly 200 $B.
HALAS AND GAME OVER - SEMEN AVAILABLE THROUGH GRASSROOTS GENETICS. CONFIDENTIAL AND STUNNER 9354 - SEMEN AVAILABLE THROUGH CATTLEVISIONS.
6885 Rd. 32 • Edson, KS 67733
schillingcattlellc@gmail.com
Ron & Marsha Schilling - 785-694-3589
Cash, Amanda, Kaelyn and Chasyn -785-694-3586
Clay, Kaycie, Cogan and Kambrie - 785-694-4589
continued from page 62
Heartland Limousin Association
Hunt Limousin
Hyannis Syndicate
J6 Farms
Jean Kimbrel
Jerry Wulf Family
Johnny and Tammy Palmer
Jones Brothers Limousin
KLS Farms
Lawrence Family Limousin
Legacy Livestock Imaging
Lenape Limousin
Limousin365
Linhart Limousin
Logan Hills Cattle Co.
London Landscapes
Magness Land & Cattle
Massey Limousin
MC Marketing Management
Moore Family
NALJA
Needle & Print
Outpost Western Store
Parkinson Cattle Co.
Peterson Auction
Peterson’s L7 Bar Limousin
Pinnacle View Limousin
Rafter DP Farm & Ranch
Bar 47 Ranch
Beckman Livestock
Broken Y Cattle Co.
Buck Ridge Cattle Co.
Davis Limousin Ranch
Dean & Bev Summerbell
DJ Limousin
Edleman Ranch
Edwards Land & Cattle Co.
Excel Ranches
Full Circle Farms
Grassroots Genetics
Hendrickson Limousin
Herman Farms
Hubbard Cattle
J6 Farms
Jerome Rosenquist
KAR Livestock Ventures
Karley Sinclair
Keeton Limousin
Raider Red Meats
Red Rock Limousin
Ridgeland Cattle Co.
Rockin W
Route 66 Cattle Co.
Royal Beef Genetics
Running Creek Ranch
Sandy McNatt
Shana Holloway
Shelby Skinner Cattle
Showstring
Stierwalt Cattle and Clinics
Sullivan Farms
Super C Limousin
Symens Brothers
Taylor Dorsey
The Howling Coyote
Thomas & Son Farms
TJ Kervin Farms
Torgerson Farms
Trans Ova Genetics
Tubmill Creek Farms
Vet Shack
Wieczorek Limousin
Windy Gables Limousin
Wisconsin Limousin Association
Wulf Cattle
Kyle Christiansen
Lawrence Family Limousin
Live Oak Limousin
Magness Land & Cattle
MC Marketing Management
Minor Limousin
P Bar S Limousin
Precision Marketing
Ridgeland Cattle Co.
Running Creek Ranch
Sennett Cattle Co.
Shelby Skinner Cattle
South Fork Limousin
Spring Creeks Cattle Co.
Torgerson Farms
Walnut Ridge
Whitby Farms
Wilder Family Limousin
Wulf Cattle
Jay & Lori Straight, 712-592-135057
RUNL Justified 364 J
Purebred • Homo Polled • Homo Black • 4/7/21
RUNL Rialto 135R x RUNL Evening Glow 205 E
Semen Available Through Grassroots Genetics and Heritage Genetics (605.237.2127).
HUNT Credentials 37C
Purebred • Homo Polled • Red • 2/21/15
HUNT Testament 40T x JKTW Whiskey River 985 W
CE: 14 BW: -0.2 WW: 73 YW: 112 MK: 42 CM: 9 SC: 1.30
DC: 17 YG: -0.26 CW: 40 RE: 0.52 MB: 0.24 $MI: 63
RODZ Kingston 199K
82% Limousin • Homo Polled • Homo Black • 2/21/22
JBV Yellowstone 901G x RODZ Farrah F199
CE: 10 BW: 0.9 WW: 75 YW: 120 MK: 24 CM: 6 SC: 1.52
DC: 17 YG: -0.39 CW: 30 RE: 1.11 MB: -0.03 $MI: 55
Calving season is in full swing (and in some cases wrapping up), and it’s an exciting time of year as we welcome new babies to the ranch.
The kids squeal in excitement with every new arrival, and they love helping to make ear tags, collect weights, and be part of every step of the process.
Amidst all of the feed bills, tax preparation, and tedious to-dos on my desk, I didn’t share the same excitement as the kids.
Motherhood has ushered in a new role for me, much different to life before children. Now instead of being a part of the every day chores, I’m taking care of little ones inside. It’s a blessing, but there is still that feeling that you’re missing out on what’s happening outside.
As the kids have gotten older, it’s been easier to bring them along with us as we do cattle work, but things have shifted all the same. It happens to a lot of women in agriculture, and I can relate with them in this season of life that I’m in with four children under the age of eight.
And on the days where I think about how I used to be able to “cowgirl up” anytime of the day, enjoying the freedom and fresh air that only a cattle operation can offer, I sometimes wonder, “Am I still the same person I once was?”
continued on page 68
Official Publication of the North American Limousin Foundation
2005 Ruhl Drive • Guthrie, OK 73044
405/260-3775 • Fax: 405/260-3766
www.Limousin365.com
Publisher: L365
PUBLISHER EMERITUS—Dan Wedman
PUBLISHER EMERITUS—Dale F. Runnion
EDITOR—Kyle Haley
ADVERTISING MANAGER—Lindsey Meyer
CIRCULATION—Jeri Duerr
ART DIRECTOR—Ricki Rookstool
continued from page 66
The answer is surely not. Change requires growth. Parenting requires sacrifice. Running a successful agricultural enterprise calls for as much desk work as it does feeding and tending to the stock.
Yet, we can all get lost in the mundane tasks of life, and we can lose that sense of romanticism and wonder that we carry for this lifestyle we get to enjoy.
Then, when I read the news from USDA that the United States is at the lowest beef cattle inventory numbers since 1962, I wonder if there will be any cowgirls and cowboys left in the future?
Certainly there are challenges — rising input costs; interest rates going up; land prices going sky high; regulatory burdens; a push for plant-based and lab-created meats; negative media headlines blaming climate change on the cows; animal rights activists doing their best to lobby producers out of existence; and the list goes on.
If we let it, it can be mighty easy to get down on the cattle business with all of the challenges facing us; however, it’s in these hard times where the greatest opportunities present themselves.
Per the USDA, beef cattle declined 3.6% to 28.9 million. With much of the country receiving moisture this winter, I’m hopeful that there will be a reprieve from the devastating drought. Green grass, sunshine, and available feed is going to shift things a lot in the cattle business, and I think we’ll soon see a rally in prices and a desire for cattlemen to restock their depleted cow herds.
With that hope in mind, I was awake for the midnight calf-watch duties one evening, and on our barn camera, a first-calf heifer was in active labor. I watched for awhile, and figured I would go pen her up to give her some space to do her thing. Laying down fresh straw, I moved her in the pen and stood back to watch and see how things would progress.
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NORTH REGION—Sarah Johnson
614/266-2646 • Sarah@L365.com
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405/850-5102 • deron@limousin365.com
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And as I witnessed the birth take place, I grinned from ear-to-ear. I felt just like the kids seeing this baby born. The joy that felt lost for me in this business was found once again, and it was in the stillness of the barn that I realized how important my role really is on our operation. Raising the next generation is no small task, and what an honor it is to get to nurture our children on a ranch where they can learn lessons of resilience, determination, grit, kindness, respect and the value of hard work.
Our roles may change through different seasons of life, but there is purpose in every inch of it. Find your joy today, my friends, even if you’ve got a mountain of bills to pay, a sink full of dishes to wash and barns to clean. There’s happiness and meaning to be found, and it’s yours for the taking.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amanda Radke raises Limousin cattle with her family at NOLZ Limousin in Mitchell, SD. She is also a blogger for BEEF Magazine and the author of ranch-themed children’s books, “Levi’s Lost Calf” and “Can-Do Cowkids.” Connect with her at www.amandaradke.com.
Even when mother nature allows, expanding the U.S. beef cow herd will likely be a tedious process.
For one thing, drought forced more heifers into feedlots than during the last widespread, lingering drought about a decade ago. So, folks are basically starting from scratch.
“One key difference is that in 1989 the largest drop occurred in animals under 500 pounds — down 1.5 million head of the drop in total cattle inventory,” LMIC analysts explain in the early-February Livestock Monitor. “This year, over 1 million cows were lost, predominantly in the beef breeding herd.”
When this year began, the nation’s beef cow inventory of 28.92 million head was 1.06 million fewer (-3.6%) year over year. It was the smallest since 1962, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).
Beef replacement heifers of 5.16 million head were 317,800 head fewer, down 5.8%.
“Low retention and a much smaller ‘other’ heifer number represent the significant undercutting that has happened to the beef cattle herd,” LMIC analysts explain.
Plus, high input costs mean margins are thinner than they were during the run of historically high cattle values fondly recalled from 2014-15.
Among challenges to herd expansion from the production side, Lance Zimmerman, senior analyst of animal protein at Rabobank’s RaboResearch cites increasing competition for protein consumers and feed resources, record-high feed and forage prices and rising interest rates.
On the other side of the equation, packers and processors face cost pressure as cattle supplies decline.
“Processors will face a situation that has been relatively foreign to them over the last seven years,” Zimmerman explains, in a new report, examining ultimate beef cow herd expansion. “All classes of cattle supplies will shrink, and the financial viability of packing plants, valueadded processors and distributors will be stressed as each participant fights to maintain capacity utilization. Declining cattle and beef production should not lead to additional facility closures. However, battles for market share will intensify and the recent additions in the sector will face additional margin compression, while construction and fundraising for new facilities will face more scrutiny and skepticism.
Zimmerman notes the annual cow culling rate last year was a record-high 13.4%.
“Recent herd contraction and eventual transition to heifer retention mean it is plausible that U.S. cattle slaughter will decline between 1.0 and 1.5 million head per year for the next four to five years before increasing again,” Zimmerman says.
Never mind that the current drought has yet to end.
“Last year, 25% of the cow herd, on average, was in exceptional or extreme drought conditions. 50% were in drought conditions and 65% were in dry or drought conditions,” explained Kevin Good, CattleFax vice president of industry relations, during the recent CattleFax Outlook Seminar in New Orleans.
The first week of February, 42.6% of the nation was experiencing drought, compared to 55.2% a year earlier. Throw in abnormally dry conditions and 61.6% of the nation was affected, versus 72.2% a year earlier.
continued on page 73
take
continued from page 70
At the time, approximately 55% of the U.S. cattle inventory was in drought areas.
Hay piles have mostly been whittled down to memories in many parts of the country.
Using a shorter rope, low hay stocks could prompt more beef cow liquidation this winter, says Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, in late-January market comments.
He points out Dec. 1 hay stocks for the nation were 16.4% less than the previous 10-year average at 71.9 million tons. It was the least on record going back to 1973.
“Each of the top 10 states for hay stocks was down compared to the 10-year average and collectively were down 20.8% from the 2012-
2021 average Dec. 1 stocks level,” Peel says. “The largest hay stocks on Dec. 1 were in Texas — 25.8% below the 10-year average for the state. Other top 10 states were down from the 10-year average ranging from Tennessee (down 10.9%) to Oklahoma (down 32.7%).”
During the same seminar, Mike Murphy, CattleFax vice president of research and risk management services, explained U.S. hay production last year was the least since 1959. However, he also pointed out there are 5 million fewer beef cows today than in 2000, so depleted stocks will be able to recover sooner.
“Hay prices will likely continue to be high in the first part of 2023, but we expect weather patterns to improve pasture conditions as early as this spring which should help stabilize and soften hay prices throughout 2023,” Murphy said.
Weather models do paint a more positive outlook for hard-hit parts of cow country later this year.
continued on page 74
these bulls are the using kind. Study their many positive attributes. We are confident you will be as impressed with their credentials as we are.
50% Lim-Flex • Homo Polled • Homo Black
TASF Crown Royal 960C x Pleasant Valley Elsa 1439
BW: 2.6 WW: 82 YW: 122 MA: 20
RE: 0.71 MB: 0.25 $MI: 65
Owned with Linhart Limousin. Watch for progeny out of the top-selling bull in 2022.
46% Lim-Flex • Homo Polled • Homo Black
PBRS Bunk House 48B x MAGS Dominant Deva
BW: 1.9 WW: 76 YW: 121 MA: 14 RE: 0.29 MB: 0.20 $MI: 60
Owned with the Guard House Syndicate. Semen available through Grassroots Genetics [515.965.1458].
75% Lim-Flex • Homo Polled • Homo Black
TMCK American Made 353D x TMCK Bordeaux 095B
BW: 0.8 WW: 76 YW: 111 MA: 12 RE: 0.84 MB: 0.28 $MI: 65 Contact owners for semen.
PJ, Meghan, Harper, Henley & Hunter Torgerson - 41146 221st St. - Artesian, SD 57314 - (605) 350-7488 - pjtfarms@gmail.com Contact us for progeny and/or semen out of these three outstanding herd sires, as well as other front line genetics we have available privately.Simply put,
Matt Makens, meteorologist for CattleFax said the latest forecast for La Niña had only a 14% probability this spring and less of a chance by the summer. He explained a neutral phase will take control of the pattern as La Niña weakens and may last several months before giving El Niño a chance to grow this summer and into the fall.
In the meantime, prices and profitability will favor cattle producers this year, according to CattleFax analysts.
Good forecast the average 2023 fed steer price at $158/cwt., up $13 from 2022, with a range of $150 to $172/cwt. CattleFax projects feeder steers (800 lbs.) to average $195/cwt. with a range of $175 to $215/cwt. Steer calves (550 lbs.) are forecast to average $225/cwt., with a range of $200 to $245/cwt.
“Drought affected nearly half of the beef cow herd over the last year, exacerbating the liquidation in 2022,” Good says. “Drought improvement and higher cattle prices should drastically slow beef cow culling through 2023.”
Good forecast utility cows at an average of $100/cwt. with a range of $75 to $115/cwt. CattleFax projects bred cow prices at an average of $2,100 per head for load lots of quality, running age cows; a range of $1,900 to $2,300.
Likewise, in the January Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) increased projected feeder steer prices (750-800 lbs., Oklahoma City) for the first two quarters of
this year, based on more November feedlot placements than expected, and tighter anticipated supplies available for placement early in 2023.
ERS increased the projected first-quarter price by $5 to $182/cwt. and the second-quarter price by $2 to $192. Projected prices are $214 in the third quarter and $224 in the fourth quarter for an annual average of $203.
On the other side of the scale, ERS increased the expected annual five-area direct fed steer price for this year to $159/cwt., in the February World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE). Prices were forecast to be $158 in the first quarter, $159 in the second quarter, $157 in the third quarter and $162 in the fourth quarter.
Prices were raised on expected strength in first-half demand for fed cattle in the face of tightening feedlot numbers.
ERS increased projected beef production for this year by 50 million pounds to 26.49 billion pounds. That would be 1.8 billion pounds less (-6.3%) than last year’s projected total.
“Slaughter is raised for the first quarter but is partly offset by lower carcass weights as cow slaughter is larger than previously forecast,” ERS analysts explain. “For the second quarter, steer and heifer slaughter is lowered as fourth-quarter 2022 placements were lower than expected, implying fewer animals available for marketing in the second quarter. Lower fed cattle slaughter, coupled with lower average carcass weights, more than offsets higher expected cow slaughter.”
As for corn prices, the WASDE pegs the season-average received by producers at $6.70/bu.
However, Murphy sees price and basis relief on the horizon. Although CattleFax projects planted corn acres this year similar to
2022, Murphy says trend-line yields and increased harvested area suggest new-crop corn prices in the range of $5.00-$5.50.
Last year, per capita beef supplies were the largest in 12 years. Yet, Good points out retail beef prices were record high on average. “Beef demand remains historically strong,” he says.
More than two-thirds of consumers reportedly eat beef on a weekly basis, or more, according to the recent Today’s Beef Consumer report from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff.
“During the pandemic consumers were forced to cook at home and many have continued to do so as it has become a popular way to make a dollar stretch and combat inflation,” according to the report. It found 76% of meals are now cooked at home and 94% of consumers who are cooking more at home say they will continue to do so.
“In 2022 fresh ground beef accounted for 50% of volume of beef sales, likely due to the lower price point as well as a renewed consumer interest in comfort foods and nostalgic recipes, like meatloaf,” according to the report.
Report analysts explain inflation is top of mind with 78% of consumers noticing an increase in the price of food whether at retail or foodservice. However, beef has experienced far lower levels of inflation when compared to other proteins in the “food at home” category.
As for food service, beef sales in both dollars and volume rebounded to surpass the pre-pandemic level of 2019.
International demand for U.S. beef remains stellar, too. U.S. beef exports set annual records for both volume and value in 2022, according to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
continued on page 76
Purebred • Homo Polled • Homo Black
CELL Envision 7023E x CELL Miss Responder 6078D
CE: 5 BW: 3.5 WW: 94 YW: 153 MK: 19
CM: 2 SC: 1.80 DC: 14 YG: -0.40 CW: 58
RE: 1.40 MB: 0.19 $MI: 69
Act. BW: 88 • Adj. WW: 713 • Adj. YW: 1,306
Adj. SC: 38.9 Adj. RE: 16.78 • Adj. IMF: 2.795
Owned with Linhart Limousin. Semen available through Grassroots Genetics (515.965.1458).
75% Lim-Flex • Homo Polled • Red
Wulfs Xcellsior X252X x Wulfs Edwinna 7056E
CE: 18 BW: -4.2 WW: 60 YW: 89 MK: 28
CM: 9 SC: 1.00 DC: 16 YG: -0.25 CW: 32
RE: 0.88 MB: 0.28 $MI: 60
Act. BW: 74 • Adj. WW: 710 • Adj. YW: 1,218
Adj. SC: 34.9 Adj. RE: 13.70 • Adj. IMF: 3.040
Owned with Wulf Cattle.
Semen available through Grassroots Genetics (515.965.1458).
Our herd sires continue to prove themselves within the industry. If you are looking for easy birth and great growth, then we have what you are looking for. Don’t hesitate to call - all inquiries are welcomed!
81% Limousin • Homo Polled • Homo Black
CELL Envision 7023E x CELL Miss Xrated 354A
CE: 10 BW: 2.7 WW: 88 YW: 138 MK: 24
CM: 6 SC: 1.30 DC: 16 YG: -0.35 CW: 48
RE: 1.23 MB: 0.28 $MI: 70
Act. BW: 96 • Adj. WW: 782 • Adj. YW: 1,377
Adj. SC: 37.6 Adj. RE: 18.16 • Adj. IMF: 3.180
Owned with Coleman Limousin Ranch. Semen available through Grassroots Genetics (515.965.1458).
64% Lim-Flex • Homo Polled • Black
COLE Genesis 86G x TMCK Grizzly Rose 700G
CE: 12 BW: 2.2 WW: 89 YW: 136 MK: 28
CM: 8 SC: 1.20 DC: 19 YG: -0.15 CW: 52
RE: 0.75 MB: 0.60 $MI: 80
Act. BW: 88 • Adj. WW: 779 • Adj. YW: 1,409
Adj. SC: 37.7 Adj. RE: 16.30 • Adj. IMF: 5.075
Owned with Linhart Limousin. Contact owners for semen availability.
CURT & LEANNE WIECZOREK
605-227-4601 • clwzrk@santel.net
39768 267th St. • Mount Vernon, SD 57363
WIECZOREKLIMOUSIN.COM
continued from page 75
“2022 was a ground-breaking year for U.S. beef’s international presence, with global demand stronger than I’ve seen in all my years in the industry,” says Dan Halstrom, USMEF president and CEO. “Late in the year, exports certainly felt the impact of persistent headwinds in our large Asian markets, including depressed trading partner currencies and COVID-related challenges in China, but the long list of countries in which records were set showcases the industry’s focus on diversifying export markets. While the year ahead will be challenging due to supply constraints, the exchange rate situation has improved and we still see room for growth in the foodservice sector as more regions continue their gradual rebound from COVID.”
U.S. beef exports reached 1.47 million metric tons in 2022, up 2% from the previous high in 2021. Export value climbed to a record $11.68 billion, up 10% from 2021 and nearly 40% above the previous five-year average. The U.S. exported a record share of its record-large beef production in 2022, and at higher prices.
Beef export value equated to a record $447.58 per head of fed slaughter in 2022, up 10% from the previous high achieved in 2021.
“With drought forced placement and culling, beef production was record large in 2022 at 28.3 billion pounds. Expect production to drop
over the next several years – declining 4% to 5% in 2023 to 27 billion pounds,” Good said. “The decline in production in 2023 will lead to a 2.2-pound decline in net beef supply to 57 pounds per person.”
Despite the headwinds, Zimmerman believes U.S. cattle numbers can recover during the next cattle cycle and challenge the recent beef cow inventory highs near 32 million head.
“But the supply chain should proceed with caution as it looks to the future,” Zimmerman says. “It is going to take time and cooperation to turn recent trends.”
Zimmerman says a culling rate of near 10% is required to stabilize herd size. He expects the culling rate this year to be close to 12%.
“That means the best-case scenario is some level of stabilization arriving in 2024, and the timeline from the previous herd expansion suggests it will take until 2025 or later for meaningful rebuilding,” according to Zimmerman .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Wes Ishmael has been involved with livestock publications since 1983. Wes grew up in Colorado and has always been in and around the livestock business. He now lives in Benbrook, Texas.
The Heartland Limousin Association welcomes all Limousin enthusiasts. HLA is passionate about the growth of the breed and connecting seedstock producers with commercial cattlemen.
Hey y’all!
I hope all is well in your part of the country! We haven’t had very many cold spells in Oklahoma, and for an Oklahoma girl who loves sunshine, I am not complaining. With sunshine coming, Junior Nationals and the summer season is quickly approaching. I may be a little biased, but the Junior Board has been working their tails off to incorporate numerous new activities for our junior members. One opportunity we will offer this summer is a leadership conference for the upcoming leaders of our breed.
In March of 2022, four NALJA board members attended YBIC, a conference that joins all junior boards from respective breeds. At this
conference, other board members and I joined other junior boards to grow as leaders and develop friendships. I gained friendships with other college-aged students and made connections with other association advisors. One evening, I spoke with some other breed advisors trying to figure out how the Limousin junior association could collaborate and attend a leadership conference they host every other summer for junior members.
Here we are a few months later, introducing The Summit IGS Youth Leadership Conference to you. The Summit will take place July 20-23 in Phoenix, Arizona, with other breed associations such as Gelbvieh, Shorthorn, Simmental and Chianina. This conference will allow junior members, ages 14-21, to grow as leaders and connect with other cattle enthusiasts. Contact any junior board member if you are curious or have questions about this conference or visit NALF.org – Juniors – Summit Youth Conference for more information.
Last winter, when I was deciding whether to attend YBIC, I thought this was an opportunity for personal growth and, ultimately, a fun weekend outside of Stillwater. If it were not for me attending, I would not have gained leadership skills and friendships that will last a lifetime. Juniors, I challenge you to attend The Summit this upcoming July. Whether you are still in high school or in college, this conference will positively impact you. I could write 100 reasons on why every junior should attend. Networking with other cattle enthusiasts is the only way the agricultural industry will remain the best.
Stay tuned for one of the best Limousin summers yet… “When an opportunity presents itself, don’t afraid to go after it.”
It has never been easier to obtain genetics straight from the heart of our storied herd. Contact us today about the opportunties available from the BRAND YOU TRUST and the RESULTS YOU EXPECT.
April 1
At The Ranch — Platteville, CO
Lot 1
MAGS King Of The Hill 524K LFM2518979
Lot 4
HB/HP • 50% Lim-Flex
MAGS Cable x CJSL 4357B
BW: 0.2 WW: 73 YW: 109 MA: 22
RE: 0.11 MB: 0.74 $MI: 78 Semen available through Grassroots Genetics (515/965.1458).
HB/HP • 50% LF
MAGS Federal Reserve x MAGS Eadie
BW: 1.6 WW: 82 YW: 123 MA: 19
RE: 0.43 MB: 0.36 $MI: 68 Contact owners for semen.
MAGS Federal Reserve ET Owned with Hager Cattle Co.
Ratliff Google 911G
HB/DP • 50% LF
Silveiras Style 9303 x Riverstone Charmed
Owned with Edge Livestock. Contact us for genetic opportunties out of Google and these breed leading sires—FWLY LHC Capital, ELCX Kings Landing, FWLY Can Do.
J6 Farms.
Platteville, Colorado
GARY MAGNESS, OWNER Office, 970-785-6170
John Pence, 970-396-3584
Austin Gottschalk, 970-396-0115
MAGS Johnny Walker Red 912J LFM2508912 MAGS Jameson 1125J Owned with
2023
Owned
We are excited to have acquired half ownership of this young sire and believe he will do great things in our industry. Don’t kill any more time searching for the ideal herd sire to use on your females this spring. Ratliff Killin Time has the tools to fit your needs.
Limited
eligible. Call for more information.
