The Fence Post: Breeder's Connection 2019

31st annual bull sale

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Martin ranch

Monday ♦ february 4th ♦ 2019

Offering 100 Angus Bulls Ogallala Livestock • Ogallala Nebraska 1:00 MT

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

40’ Round Pen $ 1,370 + Freight 50’ Round Pen $ 1,670 + Freight 60’ Round Pen $ 2,040 + Freight

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

ALTENBURG Saturday, March 16th, 2019

Centennial Livestock Auction • Fort Collins, Colorado

Selling 120 Bulls with Nuts, Butts, and Guts!

60 Black & Red Simmentals 60 Super Baldy SimAngus™

Includes 25 Fall 18 Month Old Bulls

Bulls are PAP Tested

40 Super Baldy Open Heifers

... Because Crossbreeding Works!!

ASR Longevity Y184 – selling 12 sons

Altenburg Super Baldy Ranch, LLC For More Information & Sale Booklet, Contact...

Willie and Sharon Altenburg 970.481.2570 • Fort Collins, Colorado willie@rmi.net • www.altenburgsuperbaldy.com BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

HIGH ALTITUDE FEMALE SALE

400+ Simmental and SimAngus™ Bred Females

HIGH ALTITUDE BULL SALE March 23, 2019 ||

250 Simmental and SimAngus™ Bulls, Including a large group of NLC COW BOSS 160C Sons Other sires include: GW MOUNTAIN DUE 373C, TNT THR UNITY D420, HOOK’S BLACK HAWK 50B, LRS TEN X EXCELLANCE, HOOKS BEACON 56B

True High Altitude Cattle Environmental adaptation is everything when you produce beef at altitude. Losses from PAP are literally the number one production issue for our primary customers and more are discovering the value of this adaptation each year. We started testing in 1999 and have more than 16,000 PAP scores in our selection tool box. Count on reliable scores that really mean something.

PAP tested at our lowest elevation of 7,680 feet - We want to be YOUR SOURCE for TRUE HIGH ALTITUDE CATTLE. Shane & Beth Temple

T-HEART RANCH and L-CROSS RANCH Marty Ropp 406-581-7835 Corey Wilkins 256-590-2487 Clint Berry 417-844-1009 www.alliedgeneticresources.com

719-850-3082 • 719-850-3083 shane@t-heartranch.com

Josh Staudt 970-227-0729

www.t-heartranch.com Follow us on FaceBook BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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Table of Contents

Up to Their Armpits in Success

12

By Amy G. Hadachek

Altenburg Capitalizes on Altitude

Raising Ranch Horses

56

By Hannah Johlman

92

Cow Burps & Climate Change

Finding the Balance

By Amanda Radka

By Rachel Gabel

Koch Cowhorses

Oleo Acres Farrier & Blacksmith Supply

64

22

By Rachel Gabel

72

Measa Kummer

32

By Savanna Simmons

By Jody Hall

44

By Teresa Clark

100 104

By Teresa Clark

Mohair Man Committed to Quality

Beyond EPDs

By Marty Metzger

By Deanna Nelson-Licking

82

Schuppe Strong

Beef Industry Scholars Program

114

By Megan Silveira SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1 (877) 347-9100

Publisher: SABRINA “BREE” POPPE Cell (605) 639-0356 | Office (877) 347-9104 spoppe@tsln-fre.com

SAMANTHA FOX Reporter (970) 392-4410 | sfox@thefencepost.com

GAY DAWN ROGERS Acct. Mgr. | Nebraska (970) 301-2190 | grogers@thefencepost.com

DENNIS GINKENS GM of Sales & Marketing & Field man (406) 670-9839 Cell | dginkens@tsln-fre.com

LIZ BANMAN Engagement Editor lbanman@thefencepost.com

CHRISTINE MCGEE Acct. Mgr. | SE & SW Colo.

(970) 301-2191 | cmcgee@thefencepost.com

RONA JOHNSON The Fence Post Editor (970) 392-4466 Office | (701) 630-5053 Cell rjohnson@thefencepost.com

TAMI ARNOLD Designer

MARY ROBERTS Acct. Mgr. | Greeley/Ft. Collins (970) 301-2192 | mroberts@thefencepost.com

MARIA TIBBETTS Digital & Sections Editor (605) 484-4488 | Mtibbetts@tsln-fre.com

DIANNA PALMER Special Projects Coordinator & Account Manager (605) 423-6045 (cell) | (877) 347-9112 (office) dpalmer@tsln-fre.com

Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.

KIT WEST Acct. Mgr. | Wyoming (307) 331-0357 | kwest@thefencepost.com

ERRORS: The Fence Post shall be responsible for errors or omission in connection with an advertisement only to the extent of the space covered by the error. Opinions stated in letters or signed columns do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Fence Post.

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Featured Cover Photographer

David Stoecklein launched his photography career by taking lifestyle shots of skiing, fishing, hiking, and biking, landing assignments for companies such as Coca-Cola, Ski Magazine, L.L. Bean, Reebok, Timberland and Scientific Angler. It was not long, however, before he turned his lens to his neighbors on the great ranches of the West.

Stoecklein’s fascination with the ranching heritage of the American West led him to befriend, and subsequently photograph, the men and women still breathing life into the mythical figure of the cowboy. David’s passion for preserving the traditions and beliefs of the country’s honest, hard-working cowboys and cowgirls gradually earned him their respect.

With that respect came an open invitation to share in their lives, and the great responsibility to honor their trust.

Stoecklein contributed and worked closely with

publications, such as Western Horseman, Farm and Ranch Magazine, Cowboys and Indians, Working Ranch magazine, Orvis, Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photographer, Big Sky Journaland many more. Dave’s original photographs reside in many personal collections as well as museums and galleries around the world.

One of the accomplished master photographers in Canon’s “Explorers of Light” education and inspiration program, Stoecklein has been recognized by the editors of True West magazine as the “Best Living Photographer of the West” for the past four years. The distinguished award is given each year as part of the magazine’s “Best of the West” issue.

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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Jennifer Reyes-Burr

5104 Hwy 34 • Wheatland, WY 82201 307-322-1530 • 307-331-1530 (cell) mrangusranch@gmail.com

KMR Angus • Keith Russell

21419 WCR 13 • Johnstown, CO 80534 970-587-2534 • 970-371-7819 (cell) kmrangus@gmail.com

MR Angus • Juan Reyes

98 Olson Rd • Wheatland, WY 82201 307-322-4848 • 307-331-1568 (cell)

WWW.MRANGUSRANCH.COM

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

HETEROSIS HEADQUARTERS Bull and Female Sale NEBRASKA’S LARGEST AGE-ADVANTAGED SIMANGUS, SIMMENTAL & ANGUS BULL SALE! CLRS DIVIDEND 405D

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Up to their armpits in success

Colorado training center focuses on innovation in bovine reproduction

By Amy G. Hadachek

F

or beef cows, feeding the and dairy calves himself, cattle then shipping (Right to left) Kevin McSweeney DVM, MS with Bovine Reproduction Specialists, breeders seeking them back to the , Canuto DeLaCruz and Aaron Wallace preg-check and scan ovaries on a client’s greater herd owners. Embryo dairy farm.

Courtesy photo. growth, a transfer specialist relatively new Kevin of heifers, embryo transfer model is being performed at and bull calves hardly bringing much money, we’re a Greeley, Colorado farm and bovine training really taking it on the short; selling them,” said center. With the dairy industry changing McSweeney. considerably, the International Bovine Training “On the beef side, the majority of the time that a Solutions Center in Greeley is working to fill a gap cow is pregnant – you’re paying to feed her, whereas in the demand and supply of people willing to do a dairy cow is making milk the majority of the time livestock pregnancy work, while assisting breeders she’s pregnant. Also, a lot of breeders don’t have to gain more calves out of embryos. many recipients to use for their embryos,” said So, as a type of ‘surrogate parent,’ a forwardMcSweeney. “So, with the year-round availability thinking veterinarian specializing in embryo has of ‘recips’ and the cheaper cost, we’ve been been accepting beef embryos, placing them in dairy transferring a lot of beef embryos into dairy cows,

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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and I’m raising these embryo calves on my operation here in Greeley through an accelerated feeding program which gives superior weight gains.”

In the beef industry, contracting with cow-calf producers for recipient cows has been around for awhile.

Cow-calf producers have new calves on the ground from winter to spring, and some in the fall. However, with dairy cows, there are recipients 52 weeks a year. And because dairy cows are already making milk and generating revenue during their pregnancy, using them as a recipient can be much cheaper. “To get year-round beef recipients, producers who have embryos are often seeking more cows’ uteruses; a place for their embryos. So, this is a service for the breeder to maximize their genetic potential, and to get better growth rates from their calves,” McSweeney explained.

RECIPIENTS AVAILABLE • We have cows available as recipients every week of the year.

• We are able to accommodate large numbers of embryos.

• Weanling costs under $1000.

• Fresh and frozen embryos (IVF and In-Vivo) accepted.

Dr. Kevin McSweeney DVM MS (25+ years of experience)

WWW.BOVINETRAINING.COM

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970-290-1955

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Aaron Wallace and Canuto DeLaCruz preg-check cows and look at ovaries.

Courtesy photo.

McSweeney says produces send embryos, either frozen or fresh-shipped in an incubator, directly to the Greeley facility. “With the well-run dairies I’ve contracted near here, I transfer the embryos into the dairy cows there at a cheaper price for them.

They calve it out, then I weigh it as a day old and bring it back to my small dairy and beef farm here.

This is real novel and gaining, as the dairy industry is changing so fast.”

Then, using his accelerated growth program, McSweeney feeds these calves with three quarts of whole milk/three times a day, using dairy milk straight from his cows. “Most of my weights on bulls are 400-550 pounds at four months of age, and we have space to keep them here during weaning.”

After backgrounding for about 120-days, the calves are loaded up and transported back to their owners, said McSweeney, who has been conducting this process for two years. “This is an option I created two years ago, and it’s working well and growing.” McSweeney contracts out, raises and weans an embryo transfer calf for less than $1,000, whereas for other cow calf operations to transfer an embryo and raise to a weaning typically costs about $1,500 and more.

The second part of McSweeney’s focus is the

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Michelle Ruijne, a student at the International Bovine Training Solutions Center, practices ovum pick-up (OPU) with the ultrasound, which is used to make IVF embryos.

Courtesy photo.

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

International Bovine Training Center, which offers a oneyear Ultrasound Tech program.

Students get exposure with embryo transfer and training, and ultrasound training to scan the ovary to see which embryo should get the transfer. “The interns/technicians usually learn pregnancy diagnosis within a few months. For more advanced skill sets to scan ovaries and fetal sexing can take up to six months.” McSweeney asks for a one-year commitment which also enables students to return value to the program. “We provide certification of skill sets so when they leave, they have testing documentation that they’ve exceeded the requirements.”

While a few ultrasound companies offer three-day training classes, McSweeney says there are no other similar extended training programs.

Ultrasound technology has grown in importance, as earlier and more accurate pregnancy diagnosis is a big advantage for ultrasound over palpation.

“Especially in times of drought, being able to identify our open cows as soon as possible and sell them can be a big financial saver for a ranch. Identifying the sex prior to calving (without using sexed semen) is relatively easy with ultrasound – yet impossible with palpation,” said McSweeney.

“If you are synchronizing for artificial insemination or setting cows up for super-ovulation and flushing/IVF, then using an

ultrasound to scan the ovaries can help improve synchrony and conception rates, or result

“We provide certification of skill sets so when they leave, they have testing documentation that they’ve exceeded the requirements.” in a better response to superovulation, thereby making more embryos.” He said ultrasound is also better at identifying twins,

dead fetuses, and problem cows.

Students trained at the International Bovine Center have gone on to veterinary school, or obtained a Masters or PhD. Most have gone on to work in the dairy industry.

Current intern/technician Elizabeth “Catie” Cates Duncan is excited to take the skill set she learned from McSweeney’s program to veterinary school.

Duncan will graduate with her Masters of Biological Sciences student at the University of Northern Colorado in December, and expects to receive news of potential invite for interview for admission to Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

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“Dr. McSweeney has been teaching me all aspects of bovine behavior, management and reproduction,” said Duncan. “I assist with OPU, uterine flushing, embryo preservation and storage, and synchronizing heat cycles for reproductive purposes. I’ve been learning the ins-and-outs of rectal palpation (vital for learning ultrasound techniques) to identify the bovine reproductive

tract, and assess the anatomy for pregnancies, cyclicity, and general health,” said Duncan.

“Dr. McSweeney came highly recommended from several professors and veterinarians.”

Former intern Luke Harding, DVM, also heard about McSweeney’s specialized work from a professor while attending Pennsylvania State University.

Harding trained with McSweeney

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

during a summer, then went back for additional training over two more summers.

“I went there again after graduating from Penn State; just before starting veterinary school (at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in Auburn Alabama) when he was developing the school.

I was performing exclusive contract reproductive services for Dr. McSweeney’s veterinary clientele,” said Harding who is now a veterinarian in Tulare, Calif.; which is considered a dairy mecca. “I’m so grateful for all the medicine skills I learned from Dr. McSweeney as a veterinarian, but also his business savvy and entrepreneurial skills have been so motivating. He’s developed protocols that dairies can use, so cows can get pregnant in a timely and efficient manner. What I’ve learned from Dr. McSweeney, has been pivotal to my success.”

When considering becoming an ultrasound tech, McSweeney emphasizes this is physical work and conducted mostly outside, so being able to handle all weather is critical.

“It’s so new,” said McSweeney, “But, all these skills enable the employer to have more confidence in using the services of these grads. I’ve been at this a long time and have a pretty good vision of the future and what will have an impact. This will grow and be a good player going forward.” d

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

son TheRock — s u g n A Selling sons from the following AI sires and more:

KCF Bennett TheRock A473 Bruin Breaking News 2201 Basin Bonus 4345 Baldridge Bronc  Schiefelbein Allied 514  Connealy Armory

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Altenburg capitalizes on altitude with Simmental and SimAngus cattle

By Rachel Gabel

Altenburg grazes cattle in Wyoming during the summer, bringing them home right before they calve and then later utilizing single owned-bull pastures in the summer.

Courtesy Willie Altenburg

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

W

illie Altenburg started his Super Baldy Ranch near Wellington, Colo., in the 1990s and has firmly established himself among those who value his Simmental and SimAngus cattle for their aptitude at altitude, and Angus breeders hoping to add performance.

In an operation that runs 250 Simmental mother cows and markets 150 bulls annually, Altenburg turned to embryo transfer technology early on and utilizes it to optimize the genetics at play. He sells both red and black cattle and said he doesn’t discriminate, he just likes the good ones.

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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With three embryo herds Wyoming border so our in Colorado, Wyoming, cattle aren’t run much and Kansas, Altenburg is differently than our able to utilize about 150 commercial breeders embryos each year. He got so when I’m talking his start in using embryos phenotype. I’m not picking when he received a call them out of the show ring,” from Australia. He sends he said. “Our cows run on 50 and 25 embryos to two grass 11 months per year in different customers to single-bull pastures.”

Sharon and Willie Altenburg live between Wellington, Australia, retaining some The first time Colorado Colo., and the Wyoming line on the operation they flushes and some natural State University’s Dr. Tim began from scratch.

Courtesy Willie Altenburg calves on females sold, but Holt visited the ranch, he maintained stateside. told Altenburg he ought Over the course of 15 years, that portion of the to be PAP testing bulls, which determines their operation nearly pays for the embryo transfer likelihood of developing brisket disease, which is program and allows him to expand cow herd potentially fatal for calves. Bulls with better PAP numbers. scores tend to perform better at high elevations, and When it comes to selecting bulls, Altenburg to throw calves that don’t get brisket disease. chooses high EPD value, high phenotype, good “I told him, ‘these Simmies will PAP’ and he said, structured, big gutted bulls. ‘you’ve got to PAP them and tell them,” he said. “He “We run on the grazing association on the was right. The Sim and SimAngus PAP really well,

45 Bulls Sell!

These bulls were High sellers from our 2018 sale!

They represent the quality of Purebred and Balancer bulls that will be available in 2019!!

Annual Production Sale

Stop by or call anytime!

Thursday, February 28, 2019 — 1:00 pm

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Livestock Exchange LLC 24

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Brush, CO

970-520-1224

Good cow families with longevity are important to Altenburg and he’s been able to make strides through his embryo transfer program.

Courtesy Willie Altenburg

they PAP better than Angus.”

He said his Simmental bulls will PAP ten points better than Angus cattle, on average, and his SimAngus will PAP within two points of the purebred Simmentals. While the exact reasoning behind this escapes both Altenburg and Holt, they said the benefits can’t be denied.

“We’ve sold a lot more bulls into the high country and that’s really helped a lot of customers who have Angus-based herds,” he said. “That’s where our bulls go is the Angus-based herds, it doesn’t matter where they are whether it’s east into the plains or into Wyoming.”

About 30 percent of Altenburg’s bulls go to Wyoming and another 30 percent into the high country, which he attributes to the PAP testing.

PAP testing done right is a priority for him.

With his chute at 5,419 feet, he said many of his customers retest bulls after six weeks to ensure the test result can be replicated at higher altitude.

“A 36 here will do a 38 at Walden (8,100 feet) and a 36 here will do a 39 at Toponas (8,300 feet),”

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

he said. “It’s very repeatable is what Tim Holt would say. I feel really good about what we do here.

There’s something about the Simmental.”

Though selling bulls is a tough business with formidable competition, Altenburg said competing with Angus breeders is not his goal in the least. He said he tells people there are several Angus breeders in the region that raise exceptional Angus cattle and to purchase Angus genetics from one of them.

“You need to get your good Angus genetics from good Angus breeders but when you’re ready to crossbreed, here’s a good breed to cross with,” he said. “If you want a little Sim genetics, use SimAngus, and if you want some more power, some more muscle, some more performance, and want to raise half breeds, here’s Simmentals. I raise both.”

Altenburg is frank and said he’s not everything to everyone. However, to operations like Randy Rusk’s near Westcliffe, Colo., Altenburg’s genetics have allowed him to thrive at 9,000 feet. Prior to widely used PAP testing, Rusk said he could lose 40 individuals per 1,000 head.

Altenburg chooses Simmental genetics for the performance and muscle they can add to Angus-based herds.

Courtesy Willie Altenburg

“You can’t afford to have problems,” he said.

“We run a lot of outside cattle also and in the old days, we couldn’t find much for low PAP cattle for summer pasture cattle. We had to develop a whole new program for how we handle brisket cattle.”

High altitude disease, or brisket disease, he said, is an accumulative disease that happens over a period of time that worsens the longer cattle are kept at high altitude. With Altenburg’s Simmental genetics,

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

27

Altenburg hosts a feeder calf sale each October to help his bull customers market their calves. The live sale boasts about 400-500 calves and allows customers to combine their calves with like calves to market in larger groups.

Courtesy Willie Altenburg

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Rusk and his son calve 700 cows and he said they may have one symptomatic individual.

“We’ve done a good job with the Simmentals,” he said.

“We’ve made them real workable for the American cattleman from lower elevations to my elevation with the help of Willie (Altenburg) and Shane (Temple) trying to find low PAP bulls that will work at elevation.

They’ve done a good job, the cattle work well for us.”

Altenburg was named the Colorado Seedstock Operation of To that end, Altenburg the Year at the 2018 Beef Improvement Federation continues to serve his bull conference.

customers through his annual feeder calf sale each October. The sale allows producers who have used his bulls to market their calves as a part of larger, similar groups. It has grown to about 500 head and allows him to see his genetics in action.

One customer, he said, brought in calves right off Angus cows weighing 700 pounds, showcasing his bulls’ ability to add muscle and performance. d

Courtesy Willie Altenburg

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Measa Kummer

Promoting barrel racing and barrel horses

By Jody Hall

“

It was the social media and pinnacle for me help coordinate the Measa Kummer on DR Laughing Irish, out of Irish Pay, during the personally and inaugural Pink Buckle futurity race at the Pink Buckle. professionally, a in October 2018. The Courtesy Olie’s Images highlight in my life,” Pink Buckle Barrel says Measa Kummer of her involvement with the Race is an Open 4D and Futurity. It is designed to Pink Buckle barrel race. increase the number and quality of barrel racing Kummer, with her husband and two daughters, performance horses by promoting the Pink Buckle manage a 10,000-acre ranch in Grover Colorado. stallions and their offspring.

Recently Kummer was asked to manage the Kummer had in the past set up a website called

Left: Measa, Gracyn and Elle Kummer with Measa’s winnings from the Pink Buckle—$17,000, a saddle and a buckle.

Courtesy Measa Kummer

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

33

2012 Across-Breed EPD Table, GPE Rep. 22, MARC, USDA * Major Continental Breeds — Simmental, Gelbvieh, Limousin, Charolais

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“Crossbred steers with a 50:50 ratio of Continental European to British breed inheritance are likely to produce a more optimum balance between carcass quality grade and yield grade than crossbred or straightbred steers that represent either 100% British breed, or 100% Continental European breeding.”

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BREEDER’S 2019 The Fence Post email usCONNECTION at colosimmental@gmail.com or follow us on facebook

Sweetruns.

Her new com. On this direction was to site barrel racers the Pink Buckle. could watch runs The Pink in slow motion Buckle is and analyze modeled after the techniques and Breeders Halter mistakes by Futurity, which riders and horses. began in 2011.

Her idea was to From 2011 to have viewers pay 2016 the futurity Measa Kummer on her horse, A Smooth Bunny, out of A Smooth Guy, during a subscription grew from 83 the Open 4D race at the Pink Buckle in October 2018. to the website entries and a Courtesy Olie’s Images where they could $266,000 payout get valuable to 711 entries feedback and tips for their runs. and a payout of more than $1.2 million. Perhaps “It was one of those things … you learn a bunch, more significantly, the number of foals born to you meet a lot of new people. I was educating the nominated Breeders Hater Futurity stallions myself. I tried something, and it gave me a lot of increased ten-fold, allowing for a 20 percent experience to go in a different direction,” says increase in stud fees. The goal of the Pink Buckle Kummer of sweetruns.com, which is no longer is to have a similar impact on the barrel horse active. industry.

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

35

In 2018, the first year of the Pink Buckle, 40 stallions were nominated. Each stallion owner paid $25,000 to have their stallion included in the event, guaranteeing the $1 million pay out. All horses nominated to race in the Pink Buckle must have been sired by one of those 40 stallions. This year allowed horses of any age to be nominated, but in the future, only horses that have been nominated yearly, or that are nominated each year starting at birth, will be eligible to run.

The guaranteed payouts for the Oct 2018 race were: • $550,000 in the Futurity • $400,000 in the open 4D • $50,000 in the Amateur Futurity • $20,000 in the Youth The high money winner for the Oct 2018 race was Vauna Walker and her horse French Goodbye, sired

by The Goodbye Lane. Vauna won over $98,281, which included a trailer and three saddles.

The Stallions Kummer herself is very interested in the breeding side of the barrel racing industry.

“The barrel horse industry is getting very specialized. We raise a couple of foals each year with the goal to campaign them at the barrel racing futurities,” she says.

Kummer says that specialization includes an early maturity, since futurity horses run at four to five years old. Their goal is to help stallion owners promote stallions that can help reach that goal, and to help breeders find stallions that fit their goals.

“The blood lines are pretty important for your

36

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

end product,” says Kummer. “There are several bloodlines that are proven to be naturally good at running barrels, but there is also a lot of horsemanship and training that goes into the whole process and there are no guarantees.”

Kummer ran both her mares at the Pink Buckle; DR Laughing Irish, out of Irish Pay in the Futurity and A Smooth Bunny, out of A Smooth Guy in the open 4D. For her investment she took home $17,000, a buckle and a saddle. She says that she thinks a lot of her horses and considers them part

Measa Kummer and her horse, A Smooth Bunny Courtesy Measa Kummer

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

of the family. There is a definite level of trust as she has no qualms about putting her children on either one of them.

Kummer has a background in rodeo competition and went to college on a rodeo scholarship where she competed in goat tying and breakaway roping. She wanted to run barrels but never had a competitive horse for that event. In 2013, after a lot of research and planning, she and her husband bought a 4-year-old mare that was running at futurities and sired by A Streak of Fling. She had some amateur futurity success on that mare and her ambitions grew from there.

“I’ve learned in my life that I want a horse that is good-minded. I look for programs where they raise, train and compete on their horses and use them for a variety of activities like ranch work or roping. I need a horse that I can do multiple things on,” says Kummer.

The Lazy E The Lazy E, located in Guthrie, Oklahoma, was the home of the debut Pink Buckle in October. It is known for its Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing breeding program. Its rolling green hills and extensive pastures with modern arenas and barns

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made it the perfect venue to start this shindig off right.

“The Lazy E rolled out the red carpet for us,” says Kummer. “The kids got to go fishing, we camped out, there were different arenas to ride in. There was a meal for everyone one night and everyone got to visit with the stallion owners at their individual booths. The vibe was really friendly and laid back.”

The Future for Kummer and the Pink Buckle: “We had an overwhelmingly positive response.

All the stallion owners said great things,” Kummer said. “The stallion owners are booking for mares earlier than they had hoped for this time of year and participants are sending in their nominations so that they can run their horses at the Pink Buckle race in future years. It has also increased the demand for prospects sired by PinkLot Buckle 1 stallions.

1 - Lee’s Cash 5302 It’s doing what it’s supposed toLotdo.”

Barstow Cash x Lee’s Dixie Erica 3030 They also did their best to takeBW care ofWW the YW 1.4 54 99 MILK $B PAP Score competing horses and riders, and make sure 22 $114.57 52 everyone had a positive experience. “The

participants were super happy. We raked the ground after every three runs instead of every five, like most races. No one was upset with their draw positions and contestants were very happy with the payout.

Everyone involved in the Pink Buckle felt proud to have it all come together this first year and are excited for the upcoming years.”

Kummer couldn’t have put in the long hours it took to coordinate this incredible event without the help of her family. Her daughters Gracyn, who is 12 and Elle, who is 11, worked hard to help out all summer and throughout the event, being “gofers,” doing chores and helping wherever needed. Coy, Measa’s husband, holds the fort down back in Grover so she and the girls can travel to the barrel races.

The Pink Buckle was a risk to undertake, but Kummer has made it a priority and is looking forward to next year, with a payout that has already been raised to $1.5 million. d

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Schuppe Strong Six generations help build Colorado’s ag industry

By Megan Silveira

Courtesy Kammy Schuppe

44

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

W

hen the first generation of the Schuppe family first migrated to Colorado from Russia in 1914, they had only the shirts on their backs. They had no idea the agriculture operation they founded would later become such a well-known and respected name in the area.

The Schuppe operation has grown immensely over the years, now encompassing many sectors of the agriculture industry, including cattle, hay, excavation and even a feed and seed business.

With that list of businesses, it is no surprise a small army of Schuppes spanning six generations built this multi-tiered operation. Gordon and Earline run a herd of roughly 250 cow-calf pairs; their son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Kammy, handle the hay operations; and their grandson and his wife, Dalton and Meagan, spend their time managing the excavation business. In their spare time, Kammy and Meagan also run Elite Ag, the family’s feed and seed business.

Gordon and Earline are the third generation of Schuppe’s to call Iliff home. With years of experience under their belts, neither Gordon or Earline are strangers to the beef industry.

Gordon grew up showing cattle through 4-H and FFA but started his own herd after graduating high school. He has been in the beef industry for the past 40 years, 27 of which featured his own bull sale.

While Gordon says it’s now time to slow down and will no longer be having bull sales, he certainly has not lost his passion for the Lim-Flex breed. These registered cattle are Limousin-Angus hybrids and find success in both commercial and seedstock operations.

Lim-Flex cattle can be anywhere between 25-75 percent Limousin or Angus, and Gordon believes they combine the best traits of each breed.

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

45

Left to right Raylan Schuppe, Dalton Schuppe, Meagan Schuppe, Dakota Schuppe, Mike and Kammy Schuppe and Diem Schuppe at AG Days for Colorado State University.

Courtesy Kammy Schuppe

“The black hide was pretty important and the Limousin cattle needed a little marbling added to them,” Gordon says.

Earline says despite not coming from an agriculture background, she has developed her own love for the cattle. She plays a vital role during calving season and manages all the bookwork of

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“There’s a reason six generations have stayed here.”

any other way.

Growing up around a father with a love for cattle, Mike says he practically fell into hay business. Mike was raised showing cattle but found his own passion for agriculture after purchasing land in his mid-20s. He jokingly credits his success with the hay company to his father’s hungry cattle.

While helping manage the upkeep of property, Gordon and Earline’s grandson Dalton says he found himself behind the controls of a track hoe. The community around the Schuppe farm noticed Dalton’s new acquisition, and he says the phone started ringing non-stop.

For the past five years, Dalton’s duties with SNS Excavating have ranged from hauling gravel to tearing up trees.

“Our boys love to have lots of jobs,” Meagan

says about the vast array of businesses under the family name. While the men stay busy with their own tasks, Meagan and Kammy have spent the past year running Elite Ag, the family’s feed and seed business.

While the Schuppes had been dabbling in agriculture equipment and products since day one, Kammy says the business is “a nice umbrella to put everything under.”

Both women admit that, while Elite Ag was not a part of the original plan, it has become an integral part of the family business. The business has become just another way for future members of the Schuppe clan to continue to find their place in Iliff.

“There’s a reason six generations have stayed here,” Mike says, looking back at the family’s time in the community.

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August 10th - 11th 2019 Thank You To Our Sponsors

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

the reasons he has fallen in love with the agriculture industry.

He is grateful for the unique opportunity not only to have grown up in the family business, but to help ensure his children and grandchildren are raised with the same morals and life lessons.

Kammy says the family bond they have is indescribable. She feels blessed to have watched generation after generation share the same love for the industry.

Dalton believes working together with the rest of his family has strengthened their overall operation, but there are some challenges to working so closely with relatives. He says there are always days where little disagreements pop up.

“But it’s only an issue if you make it an issue,” he says. With good communication and a desire to constantly be improving, Dalton says his family is always able to work through their arguments and grow as a unit.

While carrying on the family tradition is a large reason so many generations of the Schuppe family tree have decided to call Illif home, Dalton says more than just obligation keeps him a part of the family operation.

Dalton strives to continue the family legacy, waking up every day and taking as much pride in his work as his great-grandfather did.

“If he was still driving around, I’d want him to look at what I’m doing, just shake his head yes and keep driving,” Dalton says.

Looking down on the operation Gordon, Earline, Mike, Kammy, Dalton and Meagan have grown, there’s no doubt he would do exactly that. d

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17TH Annual High Country Bull & Horse Sale

SATURDAY APRIL 27 • HERRING SALE BARN

Selling 85 High Altitude Bulls

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Raising Ranch Horses Hancock line brings strength to Freeman’s horses

By Hannah Johlman

F

ew people speak highly of their in-laws, and in some crowds, you might be hard pressed to find someone who speaks well about Hancockbred horses, but Russell Freeman does not fall into either category. The Colorado businessman, rancher and breeder of Longhorn cattle and Quarter Horses has been raising Hancock horses since 1994 when he bought his first stud horse and bunch of mares from his former father-in-law.

“I got my love of horses from my family, but he really started me in raising them,” Freeman says.

Today, Freeman still runs some mares out of

the original mares from his father-in-law and credits those solid genetics for giving Freeman such a strong start in the horse business.

The Colorado native grew up with horses and cows, raising dry land wheat in eastern Colorado. At one time, Freeman’s grandfather was the biggest landowner in the county but after his land was divided between his six children, there wasn’t much left for Freeman, aside from one pasture and an extremely treasured brand that had been registered by Freeman’s great-grandmother in 1899. Both Freeman’s father and grandfather had

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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raised horses and Freeman knew that he wanted to put together his own horse program as well. After college, Freeman started over and the ranches near

Yoder and Kim, Colorado are all those he has put together.

“I like keeping records and keeping track of things, managing data and playing with genetics,” Freeman says.

Between the Quarter Horse program and his registered cattle, he gets plenty of opportunities to do it all, even switching his registered cow herd over to Longhorns because they presented more of an opportunity in that aspect. Today, Freeman owns the third-longest horned bull in the world at almost 92 inches.

In a sense, Hancock horses are also a challenge.

They have a pretty big following but Freeman says that it seems either people love them or hate them,

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

UES

although he has seen his colts sway opinions about the line.

“We do things a little bit different,” he says of his breeding program. “There are people who are real Hancock enthusiasts that have Hancock mares and stud horses and really tie that bloodline together.” He wasn’t a big fan of the resulting horses. To remedy that, Freeman began crossing his big Hancock stud horses on cow-bred mares.

Now, the colts he produces have not only athletic ability and color, but the size, bone and structure to go all day, a perfect combination for solid yet cowy ranch horses.

“People have this idea about Hancocks, but if they

come ride these colts and spend time with them, you forget the reputation that these horses have,” he says. “If you do a good job raising them, keeping

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them quiet, keeping their feet moving and their legs good, the mix makes some really goodminded horses. I know Hancocks have the reputation for bucking, we just don’t find that in our colts.”

Even his stud horses are his go-to saddle horses and the easiest to catch and get along with.

For a few years now, Freeman has been artificially inseminating a select handful of mares to race horses like Dash Ta Fame and Wagons West in an attempt to put some speed back in his broodmare band.

“I’ve learned you can’t have mares big enough,” he says. “Its easier to make smaller horses than bigger horses. I’ve got Lil Spoon mares, Cowtown Cats, several Blue Duck mares, he is a Gallo Del Cielo own son, and I put Hancock back on them. The horses I got from my father-in-law go back to Jet Threat and Miller San.” Freeman says everyone who has had a Miller San colt has liked them even though the Quarter Horse isn’t very well remembered. As a race horse he was very versatile, running AAA times and winning points in both halter and cow work classes.

“It’s hard to make a good horse though,” Freeman says. “You would think if you bred 42 mares you would get 42 colts, but you don’t.

Things happen. Raising good horses is not an easy task, there’s a lot of things that can go wrong.”

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Freeman runs his mares on the ranch near Yoder, Colorado where foals are born. When colts are weaned, he sends them to his other ranch near Kim, Colorado where the terrain is rockier, steeper and has live water.

“We run all the colts from weanlings to two-yearolds in the canyon at Kim so they have to learn where their feet are at, they’re climbing hills and crossing rocks and crossing water and I think it makes a better horse,” Freeman says. “It helps make their feet hard and when they grow up on water, you take that horse when he’s older and ride him across water, he should remember that he’s seen it before and it won’t freak him out.”

One year, Freeman bought a bay roan mare that he was very excited about. She was level-headed and “the thinkingest mare” he had ever seen. He crossed her with Leo Hancock Hazz, his stud at the time, and she threw a perfect roan colt. After he had spent two years in the rock canyons in

Kim, Freeman took him back to the Yoder ranch and turned him out for a month. He was solid and straight-legged with perfect conformation. When Freeman went to get him in to start working with him, the colt’s hind foot was turned over about 45 degrees. The vet said he hit a growth spurt and the tendon grew wrong.

“You do everything right and then something happens,” Freeman says. “It’s just the luck of the draw. It’s disheartening.”

But in the long run, Freeman says it’s worth being in the business and he is looking forward to seeing the first colts this spring from a new grulla roan stud that he recently bought from a dispersal sale out of Louisiana.

“I think I’ve got the best studs in the pasture that I’ve ever had and I’m really excited about the colts that I will have out of them, but it all takes time,” he says. “I like the challenge of it, I like the ‘fix it up and see what you make’ aspect.” d

annual bull & female sale At the home place, 14711 CR 15, Fort Morgan, CO 80701

the female offering is diversified and stacked for our 20th year!

10 head of commercial Angus bred heifers synchronized and A.I.’ed to Mytty in Focus for March calving.

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featuring angus and simangus genetics Offering a stout and functional set of age advantaged two yr old bulls, along with balanced trait yearling bulls. Bulls especially bred with the commercial sector in mind for function, profitability, and environment.

10 head of registered Angus and SimAngus A.I. sired individual replacement heifers. Quality runs deep in this feature and special offering. This set represents diversity and potential as to how they can impact your individual programs, whether you’re a junior wanting to add a foundation female to build into a herd base or a registered breeder wanting to add a female as a breeding tool to build seedstock around.

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

8TH ANNUAL BULL SALE March 20, 2019 11:00 AM TH 8 A NNUAL BULL SALE Sterling Livestock Commission Sterling, CO March 20, 2019 11:00 AM

Sterling Livestock Commission Sterling, CO

50+ Fall Bulls - Performance plus Calving Ease 50+ Fall Bulls - Performance plus Calving Ease Bob & Jan Wagner (970) 420-2336 Bob & Jan Wagner bob@wagnerranch.com (970) 420-2336 bob@wagnerranch.com wagnercharolais.com wagnercharolais.com

Wagner Four Aces Son of Wagner Shalako, who is Wagner Four Aces number one bull in the Charolais breed calvingShalako, ease EPD and Son offor Wagner who is number bull in the Charolais numberone 5 for birth weight EPD. breed forFour calving Several Acesease sonsEPD willand be number 5 in forthe birth weight EPD. sale!

Several Four Aces sons will be BREEDER’S CONNECTION in the sale! 2019 The Fence Post

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Cow Burps & Climate Change: A Bunch Of Hot Air?

By Amanda Radke

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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C

limate change is a big topic of discussion in the media today, and as consumers place a greater emphasis on reducing their carbon footprints, they are often being pressured to go meatless.

In fact, according to a recent study conducted by OnePoll, plant-based diets are increasing in popularity with more than half (52 percent) Sara Place of Americans currently trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diets.

What’s more, the study showed that 18 percent of Americans have tried a vegetarian diet and 5 percent have gone vegan. Fox News reported on the study, which revealed that a whopping 42 percent of Americans would be willing to cut meat out of their diet and another 46 percent would consider cutting dairy.

Perceived health benefits aside, the increased societal pressure to ditch animal fats and proteins may stem from an inaccurate, and now debunked, 2006 U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 2006 report titled, “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” which erroneously claimed livestock production accounts for 18 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

A recent beef sustainability assessment conducted by researchers Ashley Broocks, Emily Andreini, Megan Rolf and Sara Place, at Oklahoma State University, found that beef contributed just 1.9 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions, while landfills accounted for 2.2 percent; transportation 25.3 percent; electricity 29.7 percent; and other sources of human consumable goods, 40.9 percent, per EPA’s annual inventory for GHG emissions.

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Thank you for your continued support throughout the year!

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

www.wagonwheel-ranch.com Kenny & Jody Rogers 970/630-0600 Jerrod & Hollie Massey 970/630-7518 Mary Rogers Yuma, CO jody@wagonwheel-ranch.com

Courtsey of The Beef Checkoff.

According to the assessment, “today’s use of higher-quality feeds, less heat stress, improved animal genetics, improved reproductive performance and faster growth rates in U.S. beef production have decreased GHG emissions per pound of beef by 9-16 percent when compared to 1970s beef production.”

Yet, the push for Meatless Mondays and vegetarian diets persists.

“Many people continue to think avoiding meat as infrequently as once a week will make a significant difference to the climate,” said Frank Mitloehner, professor of animal science and air quality Extension specialist at the University of California, Davis, in a recent academic review. “But according to one recent study, even if Americans eliminated all animal protein from their diets, they would reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by only 2.6 percent. According to our research at the University of California, Davis, if the practice of Meatless Monday were to be adopted by all Americans, we’d see a reduction of only 0.5 percent.”

If the hype surrounding livestock is just hot air, does the beef industry need to worry about a real problem with GHG emissions or are producers just fighting misguided public perceptions?

When evaluating what it takes to get a steak from pasture to plate (often called a cradle-to-grave analysis), recent data shows cow belches are the number-one contributor of GHG emissions. So what if the industry could reduce the frequency and volume of cow burps? How big of a difference would that make?

“If methane emissions can be consistently reduced, it can improve the efficiency of the industry,” said Sara Place, senior director of sustainable beef production research for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), who explained that methane is a loss of the energy value in feed. “The industry does have a strong track record of reducing emissions through the advancements that beef producers have made in productivity through better animal genetics, animal nutrition, and health and husbandry practices.

Continuing that strategy of adopting the latest science will keep producers on the path of being a solution to climate change.”

Place cited several ongoing research projects in the U.S. that are examining the impacts of cattle grazing on carbon sequestration.

“In certain landscapes, especially those that may have been degraded with poor management in the

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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past, carbon sequestration “Even if Americans eliminated of cow burps are being is a promising way to lower all animal protein from their looked at, including the GHG emissions from beef development of feed diets, they would reduce U.S. additives from sources such production by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions by as seaweed. emissions,” said Place.

“However, we need a lot “There are novel feeds only 2.6 percent.” more research in this area and feed additives being Frank Mitloehner, professor of animal to be confident in the investigated to mitigate science and air quality Extension specialist methane emissions, such as extent of this opportunity. at the University of California, Davis.

Carbon sequestration is seaweed, but importantly, generally recognized to there are also well-known reach a point of equilibrium strategies that are already within soils over the long-term, so high rates seen widely adopted,” said Place. “For example, feeding in some research are unlikely to continue forever. more concentrate feeds, such as corn grain, is But, carbon storage in current soils is also critical. well-established to consistently lower methane Cattle producers are less than 1 percent of the U.S. emissions from cattle. Consequently, the grainpopulation, but they are one of the key managers based finishing system within the U.S. means lower for the 40 percent of the U.S. land area that is methane emissions from the U.S. cattle herd. This grasslands. Anything producers can do to improve translates into approximately 2.5 lbs. of grain dry the management of those landscapes, or continue matter per lb. of beef carcass weight produced good management, has a huge impact.” when considering the animal’s entire life cycle feed Other tangible solutions for reducing the volume intake.”

COLORADO DRAFT HORSE & EQUIPMENT AUCTION April 5th & 6th, 2019

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All Horses & Mules must be pre-consigned. A $20 consignment fee per head - paid in advance. A negative Coggins Test & current Health Paper must accompany each animal.

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Hay, Mixers, Spreaders, Tillage, Farm Equipment PROUD SPONSORS of 4-H & FFA CONTACT: Chris @ 303-618-1727 • Eddie @ 970-673-3256

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Courtsey of The Beef Checkoff.

Place says much of the research into new feed market premium for cattle fed these products that additives and novel feeds to mitigate methane is could justify their use; however, such marketing in its early days. A company called Mootral has opportunities do not exist in the U.S. currently. developed a mixture of garlic and citrus extracts Any solution in this space will have to be practical, to reduce enteric methane emissions. Place says not affect 32’ Tandem Dual,the end-product quality nor animal a second company called DSM has a product6’ Wide Glide performance, Ramps, be cost-effective, be scalable, and not (3-nitrooxypropanol, 3-NOP) that is a molecule indirectly Chain Box w/lid, 20k increase GVW emissions in another part of the which inhibits one of the enzymes responsible for beef supply chain.” the production of methane.

Ultimately, beef producers can play a role in “Both products have research that estimates 30 mitigating climate change by continuing to do what percent reductions in methane emissions,” she said. they do best. Sequestering carbon by maintaining “However, if there are no clear animal performance grasslands for cattle grazing rather than tilling for improvements for these products, it will likely be crops or developing land into housing is a good hard for them to justify their cost to the producer place to start. d (currently unknown). Alternatively, if there 970-332-5006 was a

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A BRAND YOU CAN TRUST.

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OWNERS: BUD GAMEL AND JIM, TAYLOR AND TORI HETT | JIM: (303) 435-1271 RANCH MGR: BRIAN FOX (970) 313-7224 | FARM MGR: MIKE HANSEN (970) 768-2992 SHOW CATTLE: JUSTIN TRUPP

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

Koch Cowhorses make dreams come true

one ride at a time

By Savanna Simmons

The Koch family.

Courtesy Jeannie Sei.

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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M

Oliver Koch has a prime view of his dad, four-time AQHA Working Cow Horse World Champion Matt Koch.

Courtesy Brianna Koch.

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att Koch has a host of achievements under his belt buckles, including co-owning and training an accomplished cow-horse stallion, co-owning a facility with a heated indoor arena, two houses, and a 28-stall barn, winning four AQHA world championships and multiple other accolades, and being dad to a one-year-old son who has already ridden more two- and three-yearold colts than most adults.

That’s a testament to his try, rather than his age.

With his wife Brianna as his partner, Matt has recently branched out on his own, leaving Wagonhound Land and Livestock in Douglas, Wyoming, to first lease, then own, their own facilities in Colorado. The young family has settled in Elizabeth, Colorado, as Koch Cowhorses, and have set to work customizing and finished their facilities to their taste, all while riding 28 or so horses each day.

“We didn’t want to be old horse trainers and not have anything to our names, so we thought we might as well take the jump at a young age and grow into it. It’s been an adventure,” Brianna said of their new digs. “One of the reasons we could get this place was because it needed work; that has been challenging and refreshing all at the same time.

It’s hard to find a horse facility that can please a cowboy’s heart.

It’s our own slice of heaven on 200 acres.”

Matt and Brianna Koch’s new facility in Elizabeth, Colorado, boasts a 28-stall barn and heated indoor arena on 200 acres.

Courtesy Brianna Koch.

The Kochs moved to the new place in June, at the risk of losing clients that didn’t want to make the move as well. Luckily, that hasn’t been an issue; in fact, the opposite is true.

“For me, the prospect of having my horse closer and the ability to show in Colorado and South Dakota was a tremendous plus for us,” said Jecca Ostrander of Box O Quarter Horses of Bingham, Nebraska. “It’s an added benefit of being able to see Opus and have my kids and grandkids see him.”

When Ostrander mentions Opus, she is referring to Opus Cat Olena, a stallion she purchased from Wagonhound Land and Livestock as a coming two-yearold at the end of 2015, a purchase Matt helped facilitate. After only 60 days together, Matt and Opus are the newly-crowned AQHA Lucas Oil World Championship Junior Working Cow Horse champions as of Nov. 16.

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

The Koch family.

Courtesy Jeannie Sei.

“We’ve known Matt since he was at Haythorne’s; we have followed his career,” Ostrander said. “For my husband, it was an immediate first choice who he wanted.”

As for showing Opus at world championships after just two months with him, they all had the idea that they would go since he had qualified, but really, they weren’t expecting all that much, despite the immense talent within the pair.

“Neither one of us had any inkling he would come through with such a strong reining pattern,” Ostrander said. “Matt has made so much progress with him. Matt himself has so much confidence and knows what horses need to maximize their effort going down the fence.”

All the work Matt and Opus put into fence work in their short time together paid off with a score of 226.5 in the fence work and 216.5 in the reining.

“I wasn’t really expecting this when we left the barn. What are the odds of a guy going down there four times and winning it four times? There’s no way I can win this again,” Matt said. “I didn’t show him real hard, kind

Matt Koch goes down the fence on Box O Quarter Horses’ Opus Cat Olena owned by Jecca Ostrander to win the AQHA Junior Working Cow Horse.

Courtesy Primo Morales.

of conservative. On the cow he was just dead on and let me handle him and put him where he needed to be, then he did his job.”

Matt’s first foray into AQHA World Championships yielded the same title as this year’s, junior working cow horse, only it was captured on his own stallion SDP Blue Blood in 2012. In 2015, the same pair seized the senior working cow horse title. In 2017, consWatch fo ig ro Matt took home the senior 2018nments aur Cattl Nebr t the golden globe once more, this eme aska n Cl time aboard BFR Igniting Sparks.

EPD Profile (* indicates top 30% or’sbetter) assic CED BW WW YW MK TM CEM REA MARB $MTI SDP Blue Blood, known as 16* -.5* 66* 102* 22 55* 9* 1.16* 0.00* 55* Reno, is standing at SDP Blue Blood partners’ Darren Miller We’ve often said, we don’t breed show cattle, we show breeding cattle.

We were pleased to have OLIM Enchanted 721E, sired by our senior and Rhoda Rein’s facilities for the herd sire, Wulfs Zeke X232Z (pictured above), selected as the Grand time being. He hasn’t been shown Champion Limousin Female at the 2018 Nebraska State Fair. We’re even for the simple fact that he has more excited for her future as a brood cow given her performance profile won all he needs to in order to - charting 9 EPD’s in the top 30% of the breed! e Champion Bull If you’re in the market for practical, performance-oriented Limousin prove his worthiness. and Lim-Flex bulls and Limousin Bullfemales that offer both form AND function, give “I just have other stuff to2017 showChampion us a call!

Most we’re humbled by theto red and heimportantly, doesn’t deserve to have confidence repeat customers have shown in our ommitted to docattle it more,” said.

“He has and our Matt breeding program. ce-oriented onored to Kevin & Julie Ochsner proved that he has to prove.” ises in the If you’reall in the market for practical, ion Limousin performance-oriented Limousin or Lim-Flex Kersey, CO The duo also won the inaugural n Bull at the bulls and females backed by 40 years of 970-396-5525 (c) predictability, please give us a call! Level NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity tenderleanbeef@hughes.net 1 Limited Championship in rsey, CO | 970.396.5525 (c) Open | tenderleanbeef@hughes.net

FORM AND FUNCTION

ommitment Continues

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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Matt and Brianna Koch’s new facility in Elizabeth, Colorado, boasts a 28-stall barn and heated indoor arena on 200 acres.

Courtesy Brianna Koch.

Please call or email for a catalog Ranch (970) 284-5075 Chuck (970) 371-0095 Scott (970) 371-8559 X6Ranch@gmail.com

Visit www.X6Ranch.com or our Facebook page for videos.

Annual Bull Sale - March 30th, 2019 at Producers Livestock Greeley, CO Sale at 12:30, Complimentary Lunch at 11

45 Bulls: A large selection of true SAV Pedigree 4834 calving-ease bulls with growth Sires: and an outstandting set of cow-power bulls.

McConnell Altitude P.A.P. 38 SAV Pedigree 20 heifers: Open & ready to be bred. A nice Musgrave Mediator group of Altitude daugthers in this offering.

McConnell Avalanche H.A. Cowboy Up A few select Pairs.

McConnell Rito P.A.P. 37 X6 Elation 619 Offering a 2 year breeding season guarantee *details in the sale book.

Our ranch elevation is too low for an accurate P.A.P. test but we have been sending bulls to the high country with great success. We will work with you on that. Same guarantee on the P.A.P. WE STAND BEHIND OUR BULLS!

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

At the age of 1, Oliver Koch has already ridden more two- and three-year-old colts than most adults.

Courtesy Brianna Koch.

2011, where Reno was purchased the year prior.

Two three-year-olds by Reno are in Matt’s training program and have proven to be versatile, promising young mounts that just barely missed qualifying for the AQHA World Championships themselves.

“They’ve all been real big strong colts with lots of cow. They’re fun to go use outside and have a lot of try and not much bottom,” Matt said. “They’ll go do

what you ask them to do.”

While the working cow horse championship was Koch Cowhorses’ biggest title of the year, it isn’t their first. Matt won two reined cow horse futurities, the first at this summer’s Mid American on Smart Ladies Sparkle owned by Thad and Kristen York and the second at Colorado State Fair with Roan Olena Oak owned by Mark and Connie Buckley. The latter pair also won the preliminary

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79

fence work at the Snaffle Bit Futurity, making the finals and again winning the fence work to end up sixth.

Raising their son Oliver in a place where they feel they have freedom to make their own decisions and reap the benefits of their work may possibly be the Kochs’ biggest accomplishment of late.

“I love where we ended up. It’s a great place to raise a family; we have a really wonderful house just far enough from the barn, but I can be down there whenever I want to,” Brianna said. “I’m just really enjoying the freedom of it all.”

Growing up in Alaska, Brianna has continually yearned for the feeling of wilderness while still being relatively close to a city, and that itch has finally been scratched with their new location. It’s just where she wants her son to grow up, living the lifestyle the Kochs love the most.

“Oliver can’t go a day without being in the barn.

We don’t get to spend all day down there, but he likes to breathe in the smell of horses poop and pet his favorite ponies,” Brianna said. “He’s only ridden one aged horse at this point, my bridle horse. I love that Matt can put a stamp on these younger horses that I can trust to hand up Oliver on 95 percent of the horses he rides down there. It’s going to be a wonderful way for him to grow up.”

“It’s been fun with Oliver. He was just here at the barn,” Matt said. “He rides along while I’m cooling stuff off or turning back a little. It’s been quite the couple years. Having a baby, buying a place. We’ve been extremely lucky and blessed.” d

“It’s been quite the couple years. Having a baby, buying a place.

We’ve been extremely lucky and blessed.”

Annual Production Sale Calvo Red Knight 86A His last sons sell

March 25, 2019

1:00 p.m. (MST) Sterling Livestock Commission Sterling, Colorado Selling 70 Red Angus Yearling Bulls 20 Registered Red Angus Yearling Heifers PLUS several lots of high quality commercial Red Angus Yearling Heifers

AX Lana 205

Our bulls and heifers are backed by a maternally oriented cow herd that is run like area commercial cattle. The sale cattle will be in “working” condition, not over fat. The dams are udder scored, the calves are culled for performance, birth weight, disposition and structure. Check out our website and Facebook page for more photos and sale information.

Sale videos and broadcast available on DVAuction.com.

Brian and Jamie Jo Axtell

Red SSS Knock Out 661D His first set of sons will sell!

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

PO Box 21 - Anton, CO 80801 H 970-383-2332 C 970-554-1132 www.axtellcattlecompany.com

Booth’s Cherry Creek Angus 47TH ANNUAL ‘PROGRESS THROUGH PERFORMANCE’ BULL SALE

Sale Date: Thursday, February 14, 2019 At the Ranch in Veteran, WY • 1 p.m.

Selling 160 Fall and Yearling Angus Bulls

Your Premier Source for Value Added Angus Bulls!

Bulls like this are produced by momma cows like these!

Cherry Crk Full Power D227 M sold as Lot 27 for $5,000 to Rod Nelson, Lusk, in our 2018 bull sale

Cherry Crk Thunderella 956 is the dam of Cherry Crk Full Power D227 M

Cherry Crk Absolute D164 M sold as Lot 31 for $3,500 to Dan Hageman, Hartville, in our 2018 bull sale

Cherry Crk Scarlet 1129 M is the dam of Cherry Crk Absolute D164 M

Why buy just a bull when you can buy a Value Added Cherry Creek Angus Bull?

Cherry Creek Angus Bulls are:

Performance Tested • PAP Tested at 8,000’ • Genomically Tested Fertility Tested • Culled for Disposition and Structure • Developed on Roughage

boothscherrycreekranch.com boothangus@scottsbluff.net

Shawn 307-534-5865 • Lindsy 307-532-1830 • Kacey 307-532-1532 BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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Mohair Man committed to quality for his customers

By Marty Metzger

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A

lthough his real name is Rick McBride, he prefers to identify with his lifelong avocation: crafting and selling mohair merchandise.

McBride, born in McKinney, Texas in 1955, grew up there. At age 16, he signed up for a half-day school/work program. From among several participating businesses, he chose Action Company, a tack manufacturer. It wasn’t so much a “why” decision as a “why not?” one.

Beginning with lariats, he worked in the shipping/receiving/gift line. Next he was making cinches. Straight out of high school, 18-year-old McBride moved all around Texas, finally locating in Van Alstyne. He’d already

mastered making lariats; now it was time to learn all the ropes. He spent the next 25 years in the tiny Texas town, where he co-founded Mustang Manufacturing in October 1982.

There he implemented skills acquired in the mid-1970s working with companies including Action, Potts Longhorn and Billy Cook Saddlery. McBride wanted to provide riders with a natural, superior product.

“Horses built this country,” he noted. “Using proper equipment, like that made of mohair, ensures a good life for your buddy, your friend-your horse.”

In 1985, too many synthetics (containing PVCs and neoprenes) had infiltrated the tack market, according to McBride. Equipment

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83

made of these cheaper materials was affordable but often inferior and environmentally questionable.

McBride found that mohair, while more expensive, resulted in a far superior product. He prefers its feel and purity.

“In my 46 years in this industry I’ve never seen mohair gall or sore a horse,” he says.

But what about other animal fiber? Alpaca, for example, is softer than mohair but it stretches more.

Wool is a shorter fiber, but weaker.

So, McBride concentrated on mohair.

He began at the source: the goat end of the business.

Twenty-plus years ago, he helped a Mexican company develop machinery and locate raw materials. At the time, there were only two U.S. companies manufacturing mohair cinch cord. McBride said he tried unsuccessfully to buy one of them but they

refused, forcing him to look elsewhere. He worried if one of those two companies eventually sold out to one of his competitors he’d be out of business. So, he chose to head south to Guadalajara, invest, and get to work.

Not only did he set up the mohair manufacturing machinery down in Mexico, but he’s an expert on many others. These include leather-sewing machines; twisting machines for rope and cord products; hydraulic presses for cutting dies and embossing plates; straight and round knife cutters; leather skivers, splitters and edges; saddle tree-making machines; and he has a working familiarity with the bit and spur making process.

McBride said most mohair originates in South Africa, which is shipped to the U.S. (or Mexico) for processing. Slivers, which are

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Gail’s Cell: 970/590-4862 Gail’s Cell: 970/590-4862 Steve’s Cell: 970/381-0600 Steve’s Cell: 970/381-0600 Email: gafiolk@aol.com Email: gafiolk@aol.com Find us on Facebook at segagelbvieh.

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

inch-and-a-half strings, are then produced for use in mohair work.

It’s difficult to picture fiber that short ultimately becoming cinches and breast collars. How much does it take? McBride tallied up that approximately 1000 pounds of mohair is required to turn out 1,500 cinches. When he owned Mustang (he sold it 13 years ago), the company manufactured 2,500 cinches every week, using nearly a ton of goat hair.

A lot of travel has monopolized McBride’s life recently as he demonstrated at one trade show after another. He estimated he’s put on 40,000 miles a year for the past four years. Among his many stops have been Equine Affaire, Quarter Horse Congress, High School Rodeo Finals and Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

McBride took a little time away from trade show road-running to build 18 houses for family and friends (and did a bit of flipping as well). Some wouldn’t call such high-energy activity a rest, but he remarked that he has “always liked building stuff.”

Although he enjoyed displaying his handmade

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Proud to offer a full line of Featherlite Living Quarter Trailers At your next riding event, let your horses spend the night comfortably under the stars while you sleep in luxury. Featherlite’s horse trailers with living quarters offer top-of-the-line furniture and décor, as well as almost any other amenity you could ask for. We offer several sizes of horse trailers with living quarters, ranging from the “weekender” packages to the luxurious horse trailer.

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talents across the country, he’s decided it’s time to spend a little more time at home fashioning product. Plus, there are those nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild to dote on.

McBride’s current wholesale company is USA Direct Equine, retailing under the name Horse Tack Warehouse, both of which include a complete line of tack and other equine equipment.

Beginning in 2019, he hopes to concentrate mainly on his mohair line.

McBride mostly creates oneof-a-kind items. He’s never had a complaint over the past four years of this custom work. If a customer wants something changed, he’ll start completely over if necessary.

It’s said that time is money. His investment costs by clock hands, therefore, can be high. A custom girth generally takes McBride three to four hours, which is pretty fast for the industry, because of his experience.

Generic patterns are repetitious, hence cheaper. If a ranch brand

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

or initials are added, the price is a bit higher.

“Mohair Man” has an eye for design and is an adroit braider. He creates cinches and girths for Western, English, minis, drafts, and pack animals.

The quality he’s known for and committed to includes a stainless steel roller buckle set, and a

completely custom option for the equipment.

Customers can select from a wide color palette— dark brown to hot pink to turquoise to red to deep purple, and most every hue between. McBride personally dyes all natural-colored Angora fiber to custom-make his colors.

rd

43

Annual Bull Sale

Saturday, March 9th, 2019 - 1:00 pm

Delta Sales Yard Delta, CO - 970.874.4612 Bid Online @ LMA Auctions

For Catalog: www.westerncoloradoangus.org Jason Wrich (970) 234-4125 Mike Ripp (970) 874-5127 Like us on Facebook BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

89

BRIDL

The fering averages

ALL TERRAIN +15.8 CALVING EASE EPD BRIDLE BIT SIMMENTALS

s

BULL SALE

March +102.1 YEARLING WEIGHT EPD

BRIDLE BIT imment18 als +0.37 MARBLING EPD

ERROL COOK & SONS PO Box 507, Walsh, CO 81090 Chad Cook 719-529-0564 cell bridlebitsimm@gmail.com

s

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+77.4 $ TERMINAL INDEX The fering averages... +15.8 CALVING EASE EPD

Marty Ropp 406-5 +148.8 $ ALL PURPOSE INDEX Corey Wilkins 256-5 Broadcasting Real-Time Auctions +77.4 $ TERMINAL INDEX www.al iedgeneticreso

BRIDLE BIT immentals

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

BRIDLE BIT ECLIPSE E744

AFFORDABLE, ROUGH TERRAIN READY BULLS BACKED BY YEARS OF PERFORMANCE TESTING, ULTRASOUND, GENOMICS AND GROWSAFE DATA.

Marty Ropp 406-581-7835 Corey Wilkins 256-590-2487 www.alliedgeneticresources.com

YANGUS R R PA 21st AnnuAl Bull sAle Monday, March 11, 2019 @ 1PM at the Ranch 9 miles N of Sterling, CO Sale will be online at DVAuction.com

Over the decades and into the present, McBride’s handiwork has made it onto prominent store shelves and into trainers’ arenas. Just a few of his better-known customers are saddle manufacturers Larry Coats and Billy Cook, Lynn McKinzie, Tucker Saddlery, Martha Josey and Weaver Leather Company. d

Selling 50 Stout, Balanced Trait Yearling Angus Bulls Bred for calving ease, maternal, carcass merit and disposition.

ANGUS SIRES INCLUDE:

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Beef Industry Scholars program enhances students’ understanding of beef business

By Teresa Clark

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

The senior class of students minoring in the Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars program at UNL is pictured at the 2018 NCBA conference with their instructor Dr. Brad Lubben.

Courtesy photo.

U

niversity of Nebraska students who want to learn more about the beef industry can obtain a minor degree in the Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars program. According to Matt Spangler, who coordinates the program, the Beef Industry Scholars Program started in 2007, and graduated its first class of students in 2010. “It was initiated as a certificate program, but has migrated into a minor,” he says.

The idea of the program is to give any student at UNL with an interest in beef cattle, particularly

those in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, an opportunity to engage in it. “There are students from a beef production background enrolled in the program, but also plenty of students who don’t have that background. Maybe their grandparents were involved in production agriculture, but their parents weren’t. There is a variety of students with different interests and backgrounds, but they share a general interest in beef cattle production,” he says.

The program is less focused on beef production

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

93

and management, and more on the issues surrounding the industry, encouraging students to think about a lot of things they don’t necessarily associate with the beef industry.

“The emphasis is on emerging issues and really forcing students to debate the pros and cons of various emerging issues. The emphasis is on the outside or external forces that shape the industry,” Spangler said.

During the course curriculum, students learn about different regulations and regulatory agencies.

One class focuses on national policy and teaches

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BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

the importance of taking part in organizations that help develop policy. “All of that, coupled with peer to peer and student to industry networking, makes this program very unique,” Spangler said.

The program helps students who may enter a career of narrow scope, see how the profession is integral and ties into the industry complex. “I think that is extremely important,” Spangler said. “This program may help the students understand how large and diverse the beef industry is, while giving them a different set of lenses to look through as they pursue a career, that on the surface, may be a

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bit external to production agriculture.”

In addition to issues, the minor focuses on communication and crisis management, and communicating to diverse audiences. To earn the minor, students are required to take an internship, and some productionoriented classes like cow/calf management, feedlot management, fresh meats, and animal welfare, which are core animal science classes.

“At the university, I think we do a tremendous job teaching fundamental science-based classes that are really required to have an understanding of beef cattle production,” Spangler states. “But, what makes this unique is supplementing those courses with things to enhance soft skills, like written and verbal communication and networking opportunities, that will hopefully help

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the student’s understanding of what the beef industry entails. It is more complex than simply raising beef cattle.”

After completing the minor, students have secured employment in a variety of fields. Some have gone home to family production operations, or they work in roles in cow/calf or feedlot management.

Other students have become high school ag teachers, gone on to vet school, become legislative aides or journalists, gone into sales with pharmaceutical companies, or become ag lenders. “Their occupations are really diverse. These students came together with a common interest in the beef industry, and hopefully they learned how diverse that is by securing employment in a number of career fields,” Spangler says.

Students can declare that minor at any point before they graduate. “We

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encourage them to start thinking about it very early in their college career. The spring semester of their freshman year is when one class each semester starts that is designated to be taken as part of this minor program. Identifying this as an interest early in their academic career is certainly beneficial,” Spangler said.

Students don’t have to have an agriculture-related major to pursue this minor.

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The cost of earning the degree is associated with the cost of the credit hours required for the minor.

“We have several activities like study tours, and a trip to the NCBA trade show and convention every year as part of a class focused on national policy,” he says. Student travel for those activities is covered by the program through donations and small grants that enable them to offset those costs to students. d

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Finding the balance Plateau Gelbvieh strives for moderation in cattle

By Rachel Gabel

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one are the days of extreme Gelbvieh cattle, a trend toward moderation that Jim Roelle, Plateau Gelbvieh, Peetz, Colo., hopes is here to stay. Roelle runs 125 mother cows, both registered and commercial, as well as Balancer and purebred bulls. The operation also includes wheat, corn, and millet for hay. Roelle was born and raised in the Peetz area and now his son, David, has joined the operation as well.

Performance on feed and the quality of the females brought Roelle to the breed when he

started the operation in 1978 and purchased his first Gelbvieh Association membership a few years later.

“I probably only had 35 or 40 cows at the time and just grew the operation as the years went on,” he said.

He began marketing bulls through private treaty, later joining what used to be the Gold Rush Bull Sale. Once the other three breeders retired, Roelle said he remained in Brush where he markets 40 bulls each year at Livestock Exchange in Brush, Colo., on the last Thursday in February. Most of his customers are in the northeast portion of the state,

Plateau’s 2018 Balancer futurity bull who competed at the 2018 National Western Stock Show and then sold in the ranch’s 2018 bull sale.

Courtesy Kevin Drager.

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seeking out Plateau Gelbvieh bulls for their performance, calving ease, and soundness, though last year’s sale saw buyers in at least five states.

The majority of Roelle’s bulls are purchased by commercial operations running Angus-cross females.

The Black Hills Stock Show and the National Western Stock Show are both stops for Roelle and his family as they exhibit heifers and bulls. His show cattle partner, Kevin Drager, helps him select and exhibit cattle at the two shows and has become an integral part of the marketing side of the operation. A handful of females are sold during the National Western’s show and sale. One of his heifers sold in the National Gelbvieh Sale to Green Hills Gelbvieh in North Carolina, and returned to Denver to be selected as the 2014 National Champion Balancer Female.

In 2012, Plateau won the NWSS Gelbvieh Futurity Bull Champion. The award is even more special to Roelle and Drager as the champion is selected by other breeders, rather than one judge. This nod to the quality of the ranch’s cattle reinforced the value of attending national shows, both for the exposure their cattle receive and the highquality genetics they are able to view from other areas of the country.

With Gelbvieh and Balancer genetics, Roelle said he has valuable options for commercial

cattlemen, especially as moderation has become Utilizing embryo transfer has allowed Roelle and the industry trend. Roelle said he’s seen Gelbvieh Drager to pull genetics from the best bulls around cattle go from “tall and lanky to a beefier-type to the the country to deliver that advantage to their bull middle of the road, where it ought to customers, Drager said. They are be.” currently awaiting calves to arrive Roelle uses AI extensively as well from a flush they purchased at the as embryo transfer, an innovation he 2018 National Western Stock Show has used for about 20 years. He uses Champion Balancer female. Genetics Balancer bulls unless he’s breeding like these, Drager said, can benefit all Plateau sold this heifer in the for Balancers in which case, he uses of the ranch’s bull customers.

National Gelbvieh Sale in 2013 Angus bulls. He said he appreciates Roelle retains heifers and grows and she went on to return to NWSS and be selected as the Final Answer females for their them alongside the bulls until he sorts 2014 National Champion Balperformance. the heifers into keepers and those he ancer Female.

“Nowadays, my top producing cows Courtesy Kevin Drager. will sell at Sterling Livestock at the are embryo ones,” he said. “You don’t December sale. Calves are grown to hit on embryos every time but most of the time, 800 pounds and sold on Sterling Livestock’s Stock they’re the top end.”

Show Special Sale. They also sell open and bred Roelle enlists Dr. Tom Rea, DVM, of Berthoud, females in the Sega and Friends Female Sale in Colo., to implant fresh embryos right on the farm.

Pierce, Colo., in December. d “If you’ve got the right combination, it’s well worth it,” he said.

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Farriers seek out the professionals at

Oleo Acres Farrier and Blacksmith Supply

By Teresa Clark

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Over 2,000 square feet of their space is dedicated to sport horseshoes (hunters, jumpers, eventers, dressage, and more).

Courtesy photo.

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ern Olinger grew up around horses, and was known as quite a horseman. The founder of the Colorado family-owned business, Oleo Acres Farrier and Blacksmith Supply, was a world-renowned horseshoer. He shod horses at racetracks and traveled the country with the horse racing circuit in the 1960s.

When Olinger founded the Hillcraft School for Shoeing back in the 1960s, it was one of five horse-shoeing schools in the nation, and the first in Colorado.

Located originally in Golden, Olinger relocated the business to his own property in Littleton, near Deer Creek Canyon. “He was actually one of two judges of the first annual American Farriers Association contest that was held in Lakewood, Colorado,” said his great-grandson, Rob Michel, who currently owns and manages the store with his parents.

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Olinger didn’t seek out any formal training shoeing horses, but grew up with it. He shared his gift for shoeing with students who would travel from all across the nation to take his classes. It wasn’t easy. “Out of a class of 12, only six may have graduated,” Michel says. “Back then, the selection of horseshoes wasn’t there. There were only a few manufacturers that made horseshoes. Most had to be built by hand. The school was comprised of a coal forge. We still have the original shoeboard in the Littleton store. The students had to make the different types of shoes on the board to graduate from the school,” he says.

Michel is the fourth generation to own and manage the business. The biggest changes that have taken place in the business over the years were closing the Hillcraft School of Shoeing in the 1980s, and becoming a full-line farrier supply store. Michel’s grandfather, who had retired as president of Hoover Canada, wasn’t a farrier, so he made the decision to operate the business-side of the company, choosing to keep the farrier supply

store. “In 1998, my dad was offered an opportunity to buy into the business, and start a second location in Berthoud, Colo. My grandfather phased out of the business in 2001, and my parents took over managing two locations,” he says.

Since Michel came into the business, they added a third location in 2006 in Elbert County. “We have spent a lot of time re-merchandising all three stores, making them more retail-friendly, enhancing our

web presence and increasing our overall selection,” Michel says. “Over the years, the availability and supply of horseshoes has gone from a few suppliers with a few different horseshoes to what we have today, which comprises more than 10,000 different types of horseshoes for all different disciplines. We also carry more selection of nails, rasps, and other tools. Overall, the market and supply has grown ten-fold over the last 30 years.

What is available CUSTOM today is just mind-boggling, compared to what was CUSTOM POST FRAME available the 1990s.” BUILDINGSBEHLEN STE CUSTOM POSTinFRAME The other change that has taken place is the POST FRAME STEEL FRAME BUILDINGS B company has re-branded and added a new logo to 80 Factory Road • Ea BUILDINGS BUILDINGS (970) 454-2400 become Oleo Acres Farrier and Blacksmith Supply.

80 Factory Road • Eaton, Colorado 80615 (p) email: (970) 454-2400 (p) • (970) 454-2407 (f) clarke “We decided add Colorado to our business 80 Factory Road • to Eaton, 80615 by catering to email: clarkent@slbbi.com (970) 454-2400 (p) • (970) 454-2407 (f) hobby blacksmiths and bladesmiths,” he says. email: clarkent@slbbi.com Along with progress and expansion come a few challenges. Michel says the business is a perfect example of a seasonal bell curve. “Most horse owners choose to not have their horses shod during the winter, so once they pull those shoes off, and don’t replace them with anything, our sales decline.

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Rob Oleo, fourth-generation owner of OleoQUALITY Acres Farrier • Supply recently introduced a new logo, and added “blacksmith”80 Factory Road • Eaton, Colorado 80615 to the name.

(970) 454-2400 • (970)Road 454-2407 (f) Colorado 80615 80(p) Factory • Eaton, email: clarkent@slbbi.com Courtesy photo.

970.454.2400 (p) • 970.454.2407 (f ) • email: clarkent@slbbl.com Clark Enterprises Construction Services: • Project Design & Management • Building Maintenance & Repair • Your complete contactor—we provide everything you want or need including plans, permits, site work, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, concrete and our own erection crews.

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109

About 20 feet of different race plates serve the horse racing industry.

Courtesy photo.

Basically, when the clock went backwards with the time change, our business went backwards.

The same holds true in the spring. When the clocks move forward, people start riding again and our business picks up,” he says.

Michel says 80 percent of their business is walk-in traffic from guys who want to look, touch and feel the products they are buying. Their customers are farriers and horse owners.

“We service all of Colorado, but we have walk-in traffic from Cheyenne to Colorado Springs.

There is nothing like us in the Dakotas, Nebraska or Wyoming, so we do a lot of shipping into those states. Most of our shipping is to farriers. We walk through products with them because they are seeking out our expertise.

All our employees know our product lines, what we stock, and how it is used. We also have in-house farriers that can answer the more difficult questions, like how therapeutic shoes should be applied. Our main focus is to make the farrier more productive and profitable, and keep them happy.”

Since the business suffers

from natural seasonal change impacts, Michel says they hold professional workshops for farriers during the slower periods. Future plans call for building a bigger retail store and education center, where they can further the education of farriers and blacksmiths by holding year-around clinics.

The goal is to build a 10,000 square-foot retail store and a 5,000 square-foot shop with

fully functional gas and coal forges, animal stations, power hammers and presses. They plan to bring in professionals from all over the world to do state of the art horseshoe demonstrations and blacksmith and bladesmith demonstrations. “Our ultimate goal is to build a facility that is a destination people can come to for education,” Michel says. d

D LAZY M LIVESTOCK

BULL CALVES and YEARLING PRIVATE TREATY SALE

Angus, Gelbvieh Balancers & Red Angus

Dave McGraw & Family 1608 E. County Road 72 Wellington, CO 80549 (970) 889-1960 mcgraw.dlml@gmail.com

Welcome to our group of elite bull calves and select long yearlings. These bulls in appearance, EPD’s, weights, marbling and ribeye are true breed leaders. We look forward to your appraisal and as always for the past thirty plus years, the bulls are guaranteed and pasture grown, not feedlot fattened. They are born, raised and grown on our ranch.

Best of luck to your program and you are always welcome for a visit. – Dave 110

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Beyond EPDs Many factors determine birthweight

By Deanna Nelson-Licking

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New pair at sunrise.

Courtesy Deanna Nelson-Licking.

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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New pair.

Courtesy Deanna Nelson-Licking.

W

e have all been there, two in the morning pulling a huge calf out of a cow that really shouldn’t have had this problem. The bull had a low birth weight EPD so what went wrong?

According to “Understanding Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs)” by Scott P. Greiner, Extension Animal Scientist, Virginia Tech, “EPDs (Expected Progeny Differences) provide estimates of the genetic values of an animal as a parent. Specifically,

differences in EPDs between two individuals of the same breed predict differences in performance between their future offspring when each is mated to animals of the same average genetic merit…

EPD’s values may only be directly compared between animals of the same breed, (since they are based on breed averages and so vary.) EPDs are reported by most major beef breed associations and are calculated using complex statistical equations and models. This information includes

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Cow giving birth.

Courtesy Deanna Nelson-Licking.

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performance data on the animal itself, information from its ancestors, collateral relatives, and progeny… Due to genetic trend, the average EPD in each breed changes on a frequent basis. So it is important to utilize the most current breed averages as a basis of comparison.”

Genetic heritability of birth weight only counts for about 45 percent of calving ease, with the remaining 55 percent due to various factors included under “environmental conditions.” The bull plays a smaller part than the cow, with the general rule being the calf will weigh at birth about seven to eight percent of its mother’s body weight. So largerframe cows will on average give birth to a bigger calf than more moderate frame cows will.

“Genetics are the single biggest influence in calf birth weights,” said Rolland Kramer, D.V.M. of Stockman’s Veterinary Clinic in North Platte, Nebraska.

“Gestation lengths also affect the calf size in the last few days of the gestation; a calf will gain between a pound and a pound and half a day, so just a couple of days will add five pounds to the calf. There are gestation length variations between cattle breeds and also within breeds. Gestation length is a maternal trait, cows that tend to calve early will pass that trait onto their daughters.”

He also mentioned Fetal Programing Studies showing the impact maternal nutrition has long-term on the calf, both

for replacement heifers and even how the feeder carcass will yield. A cow’s body condition score especially in early gestation makes a huge difference on the calf. “Also ranchers should be aware that most EPDs travel over time. A 0 birth weight EPD today is not the same as a 0 birth weight EPD in the early 1990s,” Kramer said. “Most of the studies conducted have Confounding

Factors, there has been evidence that weather impacts the calf weight but there are also feed variations year by year. Studies are not concrete evidence but do have information to consider.”

Some studies have shown that long, cold winters will result in bigger calves. This is due to the fact that the cow’s body keeps more of the blood flow to her core during cold times, increasing

Cardinal Charolais

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Winter Livestock La Junta, Colorado

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At the Ranch Hillrose, Colorado

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31213 County Road MM La Junta, Colorado 81050 With Cardinal Charolais sired calves at side Chris: (719) 468-8100 cardinalcharolais . com BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

119

the nutrients being carried to the calf. The converse applies for summer- and fall-calving herds as the calves will be smaller due to the blood flow being kept near the extremities to keep the cow cooler.

But there are many factors to consider that affect calf birth weight and calving difficulty, including cow age, her weight, body condition, nutrition, cow pelvic size, genetics, gestation length and calf sex.

In BCH-2130, a product of the Large new calf.

UNL Extension Courtesy Deanna Nelson-Licking.

THE MOST COMPLETE BREEDING HERD:

Beef Cattle Resource Committee, Gene Deutscher, extension beef specialist with the University of Nebraska said the estimated economic loss to calving difficulty nationwide is $750 million.

Calving difficulty increases calf death loss, cow mortality, labor and veterinary costs. It delays the return of estrus to cows and reduces conception rates. It also results in lower calf weaning weights and market values from breeding

TAUBENHEIM GELBVIEH PRODUCTION SALE February 4, 2019

1 P.M. CST at the Ranch : 23685 Sartoria Rd. Amherst NE

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15 Open Females - 45 Bred Females

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100 BULLS - ALL • SCORED FOR CALVING EASE & CARCASS TRAITS

60 HEIFERS - ULTRA STYLISH, FEMININE, EYE APPEALING

BUY WITH CONFIDENCE! 14 Sires your needs with top Carcass, rugged Sons, standout Females, thickness, Milk, uniformity, & super Dispositions.

• Videos online prior to sale • Bid from the seats, online, and on DISH and DIRECT TV via Superior • Check us out on Facebook John and Mary Ridder Family • Callaway, Nebraska mailbag@ridderranch.com • Land: 308.836.4430 Cell: 402.450.0431 120

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

TAU Mr Cash 7F ET

TAU Mr Infinity 34F ET

Balancer 38%-Homo Polled-Homo Black

Balancer 50%-Homo Black - Homo Polled

Sire: Barstow Cash

Sire: TAU Infinity 47C

Call us for a Sale Catalog!

Dale Taubenheim - (308) 826-4771 - dtaubenheim@aol.com Mike Taubenheim - (308) 233-4704 Justin Taubenheim - (308)293-0692 - jnjtaubenheim@gmail.com Tanner Taubenheim - (308) 224-7196

www.taubenheimgelbvieh.com

Courtesy Maria Tibbetts.

why not breed your mares to King Bijou or Two ID Boonerang?

HIS Fee IS a reaL BargaIn Shipped semen is available Introductory Showcased

$400

Two ID Boonerang Our up and coming ranch sire, Two ID Boonerang, a 2007 red roan stallion.

He’s cowboy colored, and performance made. Performance bred, ranch made – Peptoboonsmal, Doc ‘s Jack Sprat, Watch Joe Jack, Two ID Bartender. On his way to making a big time rope and ranch horse. Great minded and an impressive athlete. 88% foundation bred, EVA negative and vaccinated.

HIS Fee IS a reaL BargaIn Shipped semen is available at reasonable charges

$500

KIng BIjou 15 h. 1996 golden buckskin stallion. 83% foundation bred, athletic ability, conformation, cowyness, & amazing color. He is loaded with natural talent, a gentle disposition, a phenominal mind, & an eye for a cow - which along with his good looks, he consistently passes on to his prodigy. Seasoned ranch horse & a proven big time rope horse on both ends, Sired by Bijou Tony Fols, 4 time World Contender in Roping & Skips Fols was the 1987 calf roping champion. Predominant color producer, EVA negative & vaccinated. Realistic fees, performance bred.

www.starlightfarms.net

Come visit us to see our nice prospects for sale, an extended pedigree and/or for more information.

Starlight Farms

455 SCR 137, Bennett, CO

303.644.4456 • natrlropenride@aol.com

BREEDER’S CONNECTION 2019 The Fence Post

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young heifers to easy calving bulls to reduce calving difficulty. Studies have shown that calf losses of 4 percent within 24 hours for unassisted births jump to 16 percent for calves requiring birth assistance.

As producers select bulls for more growth, larger calves at birth and more calving difficulties can be expected.

Large-framed cows tend to have a wider pelvic area but also have a proportionately heaver calf at birth which offsets any advantage of less calving difficulty. Selecting a cow on size alone seems ineffective. Heifers with small pelvic areas have an 85 percent difficulty rate compared to heifers with large pelvic areas. Deutscher recommends obtaining pelvic measurements before breeding; a 600 pound heifer should have a pelvis that measures at least 11 centimeters wide and 12 centimeters high to deliver a 63 pound calf. Heifers with smaller measurements should be considered for culling. Pelvic size has been found to be a heritable trait and may be higher than the 45 percent heritability for calf birth weight.

However, selecting only for pelvic size could result

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in an increased mature cow size, but the pelvic size of prospective bulls should be another factor one considers when selecting.

The UNL bulletin cites reports from Montana studies that showed as birth weight increases, the percent of assistance required increases with bull calves being typically heaver and having a higher assistance rate. This is also linked to the fact that on average bull calves tend to have a slightly longer gestation period than heifers.

Purebred producers have detailed cow records, from BCS and gestation length, to birth weight which is something commercial producers could implement in their own records. Some producers use a calf weight tape that takes a measurement around the newborn hoof, while others use a digital scale attached to their vehicle.

The more information producers can collect and keep regarding birthweight and calving ease, the better decisions they can make for productivity and profitability. d

Courtesy Shutterstock.

KRAYE ANGUS

28TH ANNUAL PRODUCTION SALE

April 6, 2019

At the Kraye Sale Facility, Mullen, Nebraska

Selling 110 Performance Bred Registered Yearling Angus Bulls Also selling 20 - 2017 Fall Bulls Featuring sons of SAV Topsoil, Renown, Bank Note, Unlimited, Kraye Valor, and more.

All Performance Data Available Also selling 20 Purebred Commercial Yearling Heifers

Family Owned.....

Nebraska Grown

Kraye Angus

35791 Antelope Valley Rd Mullen, NE 69152 John 308-546-2524 Cell 308-546-7309 David 308-546-7015 jkraye@neb-sandhills.net www.krayeangus.com

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A sincere thanks fromThe all of us here

ADVERTISER INDEX 7 Triangle 7 Cattle Co 85 Ackerman Distributing 3 Alpine Homes, Inc. 117 Altenburg Simmentals 5 Apex Cattle 11 Arrow One Angus 111 Atwater Angus 28 Axtell Cattle Company 80 Barstow-Rock Creek Angus 37 Bartos Angus 126 Beaman X6 Ranch 78 Berger’s Herdmasters 62 Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo 127 Blind Badger Ranch 71 Booth Cherry Creek Ranch 81 Bovine Reproduction Spec 14 Brandon Dodge On Broadway 107 Bridle Bit Simmental Ranch 90 Buffalo Brand Seed 79 & 95 Cardinal Charolais 119 Carhart Customs LLC 95 Clark Enterprises Construction 109 Coleman Herefords 38 Colorado Farm Bureau 16 Colorado Farm Show 122 Colorado Senior Pro Charity Rodeo Assn 52 Colorado Simmental Association 34 Cornerstone Ranch Inc. 15 D Lazy M Livestock 110 Dethlefs & Sons Angus 58 Diamond Peak Cattle Co Inside Front Cover Emprie Incorporated 108 Farmco Incorporated 74 Figure 4 Cattle Co 41 Freeman Ranch 35 Gingerich Structures 85 Harley D. Troyer Auctioneers 39 & 68 Herring Angus Ranch 55 High Plains New Holland 18 Hutchison Western 42 Integrity Welding Services 36 Invisable Fence Of Northern Colorado 83 JLC Partners, LLC 17 Koberstein Farms Angus LLC Inside Back Cover Kraye Angus 123 Kuhn Knight Parts Of Greeley 68 Larson Metal, Inc 25 Lechleiter Ranch Back Cover Lee’s Cattle 40 Legacy Tractor 54

Lewis Cattle Oilers Lewis Limousin Lienemann Management Productions, LLC Lindner Ranches Loya/Wardell Angus Lucky 7 Angus Martin Angus Ranch Maxair Trailer / Mgs, Inc Mcnamee Brothers Auction Morton Buildings/Ft Morgan Mountain Vet Supply National Western Stock Show Nebraska Land Brokers Northern Feed & Bean Co Ochsner Limousin Parry Angus Pennington, Cevey Pinnacle Trailer Sales Plateau Gelbvieh Poppe Cattle Company Reyes & Russell Ridder Hereford Ranch Running Creek Limousin Safety Zone Schroeder’s All American Homes Scott Murdock Trailer Sales Sega Gelbvieh Starlight Farms Stockyards Lumber Stoecklein Photography Suzan Pelloni Taubenheim Gelbvieh T-Heart Ranch The Fence Post Tlay Dairy Video Sales Tri Corners Trailer Sales & Service LLC Tru-Bilt Trailers Ventana Realty Group, LLC Vision Angus Wagner Charolais Wagon Wheel Ranch Walter Farms Inc Weaver Ranch Weld County Garage Western Colo. Angus Assoc.

Whiteside’s/Brighton Wild, Wild West Yearous Cattle Co Z Building Systems

53 21 20 51 128 112 & 113 1 86 60 48 46 27 103 97 77 91 76 46 24 2 10 120 99 26 102 59 84 121 30 70 47 120 7 31, 50, 124 19 69 116 29 4 63 66 6 75 43 89 118 96 61 51

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REGISTERED BULLS & FEMALES FOR SALE BY PRIVATE TREATY

50 LONG-YEARLING ANGUS BULLS (AVAILABLE AFTER FEB. 24, 2019) COME SEE ANYTIME! SIRED BY:

*Connealy Black Granite *Bruin Breaking News 2001 *Baldridge Breakthrough A091 *Connealy Irish 0204 *KCF Bennett Fortress *PA Safeguard 021

*SAV Ten Speed 3022 *SF Speedway A187 *Sitz Wisdom 481T *L/W Hoover Dam 49-1 E120 *L/W Full Throttle 66-2 F156 *L/W SydGen Trust 28-1 F133

We don’t sell over-fat bulls.

We do sell ready-to-work bulls with big nuts, thick butts and genetics for: • Calving Ease • High Carcass Merit • Sound Feet and Legs • Excellent Udders • Quiet Disposition • Top Gains

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LECHLEITER SIMMENTALS SELLING:

SATURDAY

Selling 90 High Altitude Bulls 30 Pure Bred Bulls 60 SimAngus Bulls SDS Graduate 006X

BULL SALE March 23, 2019 • 1:00pm Western Slope Cattlemen’s Livestock Association Loma, Colorado

Proven live calves Proven Growth High Altitude PAP Tested Disposition

Paint Rock Mountain Man

Also selling sons of SDS Graduate, J Bar J Nightride, LRS Top Ten, Hook’s Yellowstone and Paint Rock Mountain Man the leading low PAP Angus Bull.

UPGRADE YOUR CATTLE

It has been a rough year for cattle producers in our part of the country due to extreme drought.

Please pray for rain and snow.

Kim Lechleiter

970.209.8008 Cell- Evenings 970.249.5938 • lechleitersimmentals@hotmail.com Females Offered Private Treaty