Cattleman’s Chronicle Flying H Genetics
Spring Newsletter
2016
Vol.18
They’re Like. . .
The Mashek family of Richards, MO has been crossbreeding and feeding out their own cattle since 1978. “Some people think you have to have straight Angus cattle to make money selling Choice, CAB or Prime Quality Grade Cattle. We made over $1000 per head on our calves last year with an average $98.48 carcass premium per head with crossbreds.” “92% graded Choice, 35.5%
were CAB carcasses and 1.8% graded Prime. They gained 4.0 pounds per day with a dry matter conversion of 5.09 per pound of gain for 173 days on feed. 96% were yield grade 3 or less and closed out at 15 months of age. An average carcass weight of 886 pounds gave us a yield of 64.7%. They were like Angus on steroids–more muscle and less fat–and sired by Flying H Genetics bulls.” Continued on page 2
Steve Mashek has been building a cowherd that is fertile, fits his environment and produces superior feedlot and carcass results since 1978.
Continued from page 1
Steve Mashek, is in charge of the cattle in their family operation, which includes father Emil and brother David who handles the farming. Steve doesn’t brag about his cattle but when asked, he has the facts to back up why he crossbreeds and feeds out his own calves. It starts by “sticking with the basics “and ends with profits. Emil started the cowherd in 1960 and had used straight Angus and some Charolais over the years. In 1978 Steve joined the operation and expanded the cowherd to its present 180 head. He focused on crossbreeding, basically half Angus and half Continental “because the calves grow better and the cows and bulls last longer and are more efficient. Cross breeding really pays.”
“I thought about raising my own bulls so they would be adapted to our fescue grass but when I learned that Flying H Genetics has their Grown On Grass® bull development program, where their bulls are grown on fescue grass to identify the ones that can handle and flesh on fescue, I just buy adapted bulls and save all the hassle.”
“We don’t creep feed, don’t want to, because I want to see what each cow is doing on—her—own so I can cull the poor producers.” “We have kept and developed our own heifers for years and have built a very consistent, productive cowherd that is very fertile and produces calves that feed and grade very well also.” In 2015, Steve “calved 180 head (168 in 50 days) and lost zero calves at birth and only three between birth and weaning and none after that.” He also develops his replacement heifers on wheat pasture and grass hay with no supplement and had 90% conception on a 43 day breeding season. “It helps to have good weather but we also manage our calving pastures to control mud and our replacement heifers to make sure they are adapted to our environment.” “I watch my cows close but rarely have to assist anything and a “trick” that Steve credits for some of his low death losses are giving a shot of LA300 to all his calves at birth. He believes this has helped improve the survival rate of his calves. “ “I thought about raising my own bulls so they would be adapted to our fescue grass but when I learned that Flying H Genetics has their Grown On Grass ® bull development program, where their bulls are grown on fescue grass to identify the ones that can handle and flesh on fescue, I just buy adapted bulls and save all the hassle. The first time I went to Flying H to look and buy bulls, I really liked how they were conditioned and that there were no poor ones offered for sale. I have been a Flying H Genetics customer ever since.” At the age of 83, father Emil has decided it is time to retire from the cattle business. He knows that the cowherd is in good hands as Steve has proven he knows how to select and breed cattle that fit their environment, produce premium, delicious beef and very good profits!
ANGUS ON STEROIDS… better than their parents. That is what breeders have been doing for centuries.
NO IMPLANTS OR HORMONES!!! NO DRUGS OR CHEMICALS!!! ALL NATURAL!!!
But why limit our matings to only one genetic pool? Researchers and cattlemen have proven that we can make change faster and get an extra boost--like using steroids--if we utilize heterosis and combine breeds that complement each other.
We know that Angus, Black and Red, are great breeds and represent the majority of the beef cattle in the USA. They are adaptable, excel in many traits and are found in most every environment.
Currently most customers tell us they need to add muscle and fertility to their Angus cows. I can do that better and faster by adding a touch of Simmental or Gelbvieh, giving you both more muscle and higher fertility. And they still look and grade like Angus. How much of the complimenting breed we use is up to the customer but we can produce better cattle and benefit from the “steroid called heterosis” as a bonus! ANGUS ON STEROIDS equals ANGUS + HETEROSIS!!!
But, they’re not perfect--no breed is. That’s why we keep trying to make them better every day and every year. Flying H Genetics uses every tool available to identify and produce the best cattle possible. That’s why we take cattle that are very good, not perfect, and utilize complementary matings to produce calves that are
For more information or to request a bull catalog go to our web site www.flyinghgenetics.com
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Will DNA Help Me Pick
“ The Right Bull ”? Yes, But!
1949 — my Dad kept track of birth dates and sire and dam—pedigree and age were the basic requirements for registration and selection.
1968 — we borrowed a scale from the local FFA
and as an FFA project we took our first weaning weights on our registered bulls and heifers. Over the years we added additional weights and measurements giving us additional information for selection and culling of our seed stock.
1990 — we published our first sale catalog with EPD’s to more accurately identify the animal’s genetics.
2000 was the first year we utilized DNA genetic
Junior purebred Gelbvieh herdsire Flying H Traction 45B
analysis to identify coat color (homozygous black) and for parent verification.
2016—16 Years Later:
d) Breed specific genetic analysis is more accurate which also improves crossbreeding decisions. e) Indexes are more accurate and reliable selection tools with the help of genomics. f) Adding genomic analysis to EPD’s make them more accurate than individual measurements like birth and weaning weights and ultrasound for REA or MB. g) Increased accuracy of genetic analysis improves beef genetics all the way from conception to consumption making the industry more competitive through improved production efficiency and product quality.
DNA GENOMIC ANALYSIS IS AFFECTING EVERYONE IN THE BEEF BUSINESS. 1) Genetically Enhanced EPD’s more accurately predict
an animal’s true genetics increasing the power of genetic selec tion for seed stock. 2) Genetic Evaluation of commercial replacement heifers is available to help identify heifers with the best genetics for calving ease, growth, fertility and carcass. 3) Feeder cattle can be analyzed to more accurately determine the best end point for profitability. 4) DNA genetic analysis is changing the way we identify and select better beef cattle in all areas of beef production and consumption.
GENOMIC INFORMATION AND PREDICTIONS WILL HELP YOU PICK THE RIGHT BULL
But ...
DOES GENOMIC INFORMATION AFFECT ME – the bull buyer, grazer, heifer developer, back grounder, feeder, cow/calf producer and beef consumer?
Yes,
it must be tempered with the realization that some things MUST BE OBSERVED AND ANALYSED by cattlemen and cannot be measured with a blood sample. For example:
here are some examples:
a) Genetic defects can be identified and eliminated without destroying whole populations of good cattle. b) More informed culling decisions can be made for a multitude of traits. c) Better mating decisions can be made because of more accurate genetic analysis.
Q: What type of animal fits my environment and management best? A: Letting Mother Nature help with this is logical. Why create an
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artificial environment? Why not buy and produce cattle that fit what you have? Cattle are very adaptable and can live in deserts, mountains, plains and tropics. What are the right genetics for your
Continued on page 4
DNA ... The Right Bull
Continued from page 3
environment? Do you need hair or slick? Black or Red or? Do you need more milk or not? Is your optimum weaning weight 350 pounds or 600 pounds? Are two 900 pound cows more profitable than an 1800 pound cow on your place? Do I buy bulls selected and developed in my environment with genetics that fit my environment?
advantage over pork and poultry and fish and we must not lose that advantage. Do I need to add carcass quality to my cattle?
Q: Should I raise black hided cattle in a hot and humid environment? A: Many factors come into play when analyzing and adapting cattle
to your environment. Hide color and genetics both play a role. A black animal on fescue grass in Florida is at a disadvantage to a red hided Brahma cross because of the heat and humidity. But you won’t find any Brahmas in North Dakota. Breeds and their individual genetics offer genetic differences that can be utilized when finding what cattle work best in your environment. Some beef producers are asking, “what beef genetics work best in hoop building confinement?” Am I considering my environment when selecting bulls?
Q: Should I cross breed? A: Only if you want the benefits of increased efficiency, more genetic selection and the time proven benefits of making better cows and better beef. But, cross breeding is a mating plan that needs planning. Select the breeds and genetics from each breed to compliment what you, your cattle and your land do best. The world’s largest beef breed data base (International Genetic Solutions) includes several breeds and does multibreed calculations to more accurately compare and identify superior beef genetics. Cross breeding now has the same genetic tools available as pure breeding. You can now buy hybrid and composite bulls with the same genetic predictions as purebred bulls with the added benefit of utilizing more than one breed to make superior genetic packages. Is cross breeding right for me and am I using it correctly?
Q: Is the animal structurally sound with good feet and legs? A: No matter what environment, bone structure, leg set and sound
feet are critical if you expect beef cattle to perform, especially in cows 10+ years of age. Genetic defects play a role in structural soundness and need to be identified and eliminated. Do I make sure the bulls I buy are structurally sound and free moving and not fed fat?
Q: How much milk production can my land and feed resources sustain?
Q: Disposition is influenced by genetics but needs personal observation too?
A: The amount of rainfall and ideal milk level are correlated. The
more rain and forages per acre increases the potential for more pounds of beef per acre and per animal. Too much milk production for your environment will affect breed back reducing conception rates. When buying bulls, is breed average milk too much or too little or just right for me?
A: Disposition is second only to calving ease on the list of most im-
Q: How much growth is too much?
A: Muscling as measured by the size of the Rib Eye Muscle (REA)
portant traits. Wild and unruly cattle should be considered a safety issue and eliminated ASAP. Are the bulls I buy gentle and easy to handle and guaranteed for disposition?
Q: Do I need top 1% REA genetics? is a good indicator of the amount or percent of a carcass that is beef verses bone and fat. We are in the beef business but this trait, like all traits, when carried to an extreme becomes negative. Double muscling is considered by some to be a genetic defect. You can get too much of a good thing resulting in lower quality, lower fertility and increased calving difficulty etc.
A: Very few environments can sustain top 1% growth rates. Big-
ger is good to a point but extremes seldom produce the most profit. What’s your most profitable weaning weight and cow size? What’s the frame size of your bulls? Are they real pounds or fat pounds?
Q: Does every animal need to grade Choice? A: Dollar premiums are paid for Choice, CAB and Prime Carcass
Q: Which index should I use, does it fit my operation?
Quality. So if Prime is the best then we should make all Prime Beef right? NO! It’s about Supply and demand. Too much of any one— whether it is hamburger or highly marbled steak—will reduce the price once the supply over powers demand. Yes, we need to produce superior US beef that is in demand worldwide at a premium price, but not all beef will be premium. Cull cows will not grade Prime. But all beef needs to be managed to produce the best beef possible from each animal. Beef has a unique flavor that gives us an
Flying H Genetics Grown On Grass/Fescue Adapted Bulls
A: Our industry is recognizing that single trait selection results in
more problems than solutions. Thus indexes, the combining of selection for multiple traits into one index number allows for ranking and identifying individual animals that are balanced and superior for several important traits. Make sure you understand what each index is designed to achieve. Is it a calving ease and maternal index, or a gain Continued on page 5
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< fescue By Tyler Harris Article reproduced courtesy of Farm Progress
Developed on Fescue/Fescue Adapted
animals weaned light calves, we sold. With some level of selection pressure, we have eliminated the most sensitive animals because they’ve eliminated themselves,” Kallenbach says. “Where we’ve brought in stock from other areas, particularly bulls that weren’t tested on fescue, we’ve also introduced susceptible genes into the herd. It’s been one step forward two steps back in fescue for the last several years.” For years, Helms had been selecting bulls and heifers adapted to the Nebraska environment by grazing corn stalks and ruling out thinner cattle and those with rougher coats. “Rather than feeding all heifers on a higher plane of nutrition so they gain more, our goal is to identify the heifers that breed early and are fertile so they can go out and breed and rebreed. I can put them out on cornstalks and they’ll do just fine,” he says. “We have a lot less open two year olds because we’ve identified cattle that struggle in that environment and eliminated them.” The same thing applies to Missouri. To adapt bulls and heifers to the fescue environment they were being marketed in, Helms established a production and marketing center in Lowry City in 2008, where he sells about 300 bulls a year and sells females on a private treaty basis. At that time, he created the ‘Grown on Grass’ and ‘Roughage N’ Ready’ programs to help customers identify bulls and heifers raised on and adapted to their environment. By raising them on fescue year-round, providing supplement only as needed, bulls and heifers that aren’t suited to the environment can usually be identified within two to three months. “We eliminate 10% to 15% of the bulls that just can’t handle that environment,” Helms says. “We can
Many have heard or experienced the horror stories of cattle grazing fescue – rough hair coats in the heat of summer, lameness, loss of hooves and tail switches, and decreased conception rates. It’s a story Dick Helms, owner and operator of Flying H Genetics of Arapahoe, Nebraska, heard often when selling bulls in the fescue belt. “We talked to people as we were delivering bulls, I was shocked at how many breeders told me they bought yearling bulls and some would die the first year,” Helms says. “If you take a bull that’s fat and black coming out of the feedlot and put him on fescue, it’s asking him to do an unbelievable task, and some of them just can’t do that.” Many prevent these problems by calving in the fall to avoid breeding during peak endophyte toxicity, diluting toxic endophyte with red clover, supplementation, and recently, renovating pasture with novel endophyte or endophyte-free fescue. As University of Missouri professor and state extension forage specialist Rob Kallenbach notes, “We’ve known for a long time that some animals handle fescue better than others.” In the last few years, the University of Missouri has researched the possibility of identifying genetic markers in cattle associated with tolerance to fescue toxicity. However, Kallenbach adds, “It’s been really difficult over time to be able to say a certain bull or heifer has what we need in our herds to be tolerant to ergovaline.”
Adapting to the fescue environment
Many Missouri farmers have done it through natural selection. “Sometimes when an animal had fescue foot, we sold. Sometimes when
Continued on page 7
DNA ... The Right Bull
Continued from page 4
and carcass index? Indexes have helped the dairy and pork industries make great strides and they will help the beef industry make good genetic progress too. But you need to know what each index is intended to do and make sure it fits what you need done. Buying bulls using the correct index or a combination of indexes may be best.
defects--and we are on the verge of selecting for genetics that help prevent diseases. WOW, That’s Progress! But all of this progress must be tempered with the reality that everything must start with sound, functional beef animals that can produce and reproduce while making a living turning sunshine, rain and grass into delicious beef.
Q: What happens if it didn’t work like I planned?
Once I have identified the type of bull genetics I need for my cows and my environment then I need to find the right bulls from the right seed stock operation that are developed and ready to work in my environment.
A: That’s the challenge! Genomics helps us identify genetics more accurately but we need to identify what the right genetics for my operation are. That takes observation
and trial and error. No matter how hard we try, there is always room for improvement and there will always be more traits to select for. For example, in 1949 my Dad selected for pedigree and visual appraisal only. In 1968 we started production testing and added selecting for heavier weaning weights. Now we are selecting for traits with the help of genomic data--we use indexes to make improvement in several traits at the same time—we identify and eliminate genetic
Flying H Genetics uses the team approach to make sure you get the right bulls for your operation. We offer ROUGHAGE ‘N READY and GROWN ON GRASS developed bulls in different genetic packages and promote the use of crossbreeding because we know that no one breed or bull is right for everyone. Call us today for a free consult on matching genetics to your environment—308.962.6500.
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F ly i ng
H
G e n e t i cs
Left, back row: Casie, Cody. Front: Kylan and Hayden Helms
Common sense isn’t as
Left to right: Kayla holding Abby, Kyle, Bonnie, Dick, Lilly, Bryan and Dawn Helms
When you think you’re in charge—
common
think again.
as it used to be.
Chris Kohle
From left: Kayla with Abby, Kyle and Lilly.
STOP – and smell the rain, feel the warm sun and gentle breeze, listen to the grass grow, taste the fresh air and see the beauty around you.
Aaron Ishmael and Dallas Wicklund
Shay
Abby and Lilly Helms
You have to have mud before you can have grass. 6
Left to right: Kylan and Hayden
“Instead of feeding the cattle in a feedlot to meet certain goals, we’re making the cattle adapt to the environment and letting the environment help identify the cattle, whether it’s the eating habits or genetics that don’t fit the environment so we can eliminate them. . . Not everybody’s good at basketball. The only way to find out is to go out and play.”
Grown On (Fescue) Grass ... Continued from page 5
identify heifers that don’t put on flesh as easily, are higher maintenance, or maybe have poor eating habits. Whether on fescue or stalks, cattle need to be able to sustain themselves on the feed resources available with minimal supplementation. Some do it well and others don’t.”
Another layer of selection pressure
The idea, Helms says, is to develop bulls and heifers that gain in their environment without a lot of supplementation, by use of natural selection. “If you have a cow herd that is grown and raised on fescue, and they aren’t supplemented heavily so they actually have to graze and tolerate fescue, those cattle will have a higher probability of calves that will handle it also,” he says. “That selection pressure over time should develop a herd that is tolerant to endophyte, but it has to be done without a lot of supplementation.” Kallenbach notes these animals that are tolerant will handle fescue better, but are not resistant. “If we take animals that have tolerance and those with susceptibility and put them in the same herd, and have them out on fescue, those that are tolerant will do a little better than those that are susceptible, wean calves that are 25 to 50 pounds heavier, produce stocker calves that gain two to three pounds more per day on fescue,” Kallenbach says. “But if we put them both on non-endophyte and novel endophyte fescue, they’ll both perform the same.” The best tool available to identify these cattle is to see how they perform in the environment, Helms says. “Instead of feeding the cattle in a feedlot to meet certain goals, we’re making the cattle adapt to the envi-
ronment and letting the environment help identify the cattle, whether it’s the eating habits or genetics that don’t fit the environment so we can eliminate them,” Helms says. “Not everybody’s good at basketball. The only way to find out is to go out and play.”
CALVING EASE GUARANTEED For over 30 years, Flying H Genetics has guaranteed calving ease on every bull we sell. with our Calving Ease Guarantee! And we need to remember that the cow has more influence on the birth weight of her calf than the bull does. She has the same influence from her genetics for birth weight but she had the added “maternal” influence that the bull does not. Some cows influence may over power the bull’s genetics—some cows have big calves no matter what bull is used.
It’s quite simple, no one buys dead calves. So, you don’t want to buy a bull that causes calving difficulty and we don’t want to sell you one. Flying H Genetics utilizes every tool available to identify and eliminate hard calving bulls and guarantees every bull we sell to not cause above normal calving difficulty due to genetics. Things like breech births and abnormal presentations create calving problems but are not caused by genetics. Flying H Genetics also identifies and guarantees some bulls for use on virgin heifers. Bulls not identified as 3, 4 or 5 star Heifer Bulls or Show Me Select are not guaranteed for use on heifers. Even though there are 15 things that affect calving difficulty, birth weight or calf size is the most common cause. Today, the best
2) The environmental influence on birth weight is even greater than the combined genetic influence of both the bull and the cow. Birth weight is estimated to be 44% heritable (genetic) which means 56% is influenced by other or environmental effects. Influences such as age of dam, sex of calf, temperature the last 30 dates of gestation, nutrition and % protein in the diet, condition of the cow, etc. There are many things that affect the birth weight of each individual calf. The only constant is their sire and that is why the genetics for calving ease of the sire is so important. But, his genetics are not the only influence so one big calf is probably not the fault of the bull. Several big calves’ means there is a problem and it could be the bull. That’s where Flying H Genetics steps up and helps our customers determine the cause of the calving problem. If it is the bull, he is eliminated and replaced with one of equal quality and value that does not cause calving problems.
way to select for acceptable calving ease is to utilize the Calving Ease EPD. This EPD is better to use than either the Birth
Weight EPD or the Actual Birth Weight because it utilizes actual calving data in calculating its ratio. At Flying H Genetics we also incorporate visual appraisal and environmental influences in our analysis.
Remember, there are two components to calf birth weights—genetic and environmental. 1) When we talk about the genetic influence on calving ease and specifically birth weights we know we cannot be 100% accurate in our selections. But, with all the data and research and tools available, our accuracy is above 99%. So, for the less than 1%, we cover them
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If you want guaranteed calving ease on every bull you buy, Flying H Genetics is your partner for profits.
They’re Like...
CCR Cowboy Cut 5048Z (SM) Other Simmental sires: Mr. Beef Maker102Y TNT Tanker U263 W/C United 956Y
Complementing the best Angus and Red Angus with Superior Simmental and Gelbvieh genetics produces... ✔ MORE MUSCLE and more pounds while qualifying for Angus quality programs...
✔ IMPROVED FERTILITY and increased longevity equals better cows...
✔ BETTER FEED EFFICIENCY in the
pasture and the feedlot saves money...
Lazy TV Watchman W021 (GV/BA) Other Gelbvieh/Balancer sires: AND Flying H Professor 22W BGGR Gravity 803A Butlers Red Oak 908W They’re
ADD MORE PROFITS!!!
✔
Like ANGUS ON STEROIDS– ANGUS + Heterosis!!
Request your catalog today. Roughage N’ Ready Bull SaleTM featuring our Money Makin’ MamasTM
Connealy Consensus (AN) Other Angus sires: KCF Absolute Duff New Edition 6108 Schiefelbein Effective 61
March 5, 2016 — Arapahoe, Nebraska Grown On Grass® Bull Sale featuring Fescue Adapted Bulls
March 19, 2016 — Butler, Missouri The Tradition Continues... Schuler Rebel 0029X (AR) Other Red Angus sires: Schuler Rogue A669 FHG Lacy Legacy 6097
BULLS
250 SELL!
FLYING H GENETICS
Call, Text, email or click on our web site for more information Check out our sale prospects on the web!
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SimAngus TM | Balancer ® | AnguS | Simmental | Gelbvieh | Fusion
Aaron Ishmael, MO 417.309.0062 Kyle & Kayla Helms, NE 308.962.6940 Cody & Casie Helms, MO, NE 303.842.9071 Dick and Bonnie Helms 308.962.6500
www.flyinghgenetics.com