BRED FOR CHAROLAIS HELPING COMMERCIAL PRODUCERS KEEP AN EYE ON THE PRIZE

by Managing Editor Stevie Ipsen

For commercial cattle producers, who generally make the majority of their income once or twice a year when calves are sold, one theory always rings true: The more calves weigh, the bigger the paycheck. No matter the breed or the method of marketing, when you are paid by the pound, every pound makes a difference. For years, cattlemen and women raising beef animals have known that Charolais genetics will add pounds to calves, but today it seems there are more reasons than ever to consider implementing Charolais genetics into a beef herd, extra pounds are just icing on the cake.

All beef breeds have fought stereotypes over the years, whether justified or not. But through the implementation of strict culling criteria and the evolution of genetic evaluation tools, beef breeds are being tailored to create superior calves that meet the demands of niche markets and the needs of feeders, packers and consumers.

Fred Jorgensen of Jorgensen Ranch in Orland, knows all too well that Charolais cattle tend to come with an unfair set of stereotypes. The two main stereo types Charolais cattle face is the belief that they have poor dispositions and that their calving weights are too large for Charolais bulls to be used on cows of other breeds.

“No matter what breed you are raising, ranchers have the responsibility of raising cattle dispositions that are best suited for their needs,” said Jorgensen, who in addition to running a purebred Charolais operation also retired from a career as a representative for All West/Select Sires, making him as objective as any cattle owner. “For us, Charolais cattle are never difficult to work with because we don’t tolerate bad behavior and we breed for good dispositions.”

Jorgensen says he is familiar with a similar stereotype that existed Angus cattle when Angus cattle really arrived on the scene in the 1960s and became a direct rival of the then king of beef, the Hereford breed.

“Many people felt Angus cattle were terrible to work with – and some of them were. But it was quickly realized that if you don’t keep the feisty ones around, your overall herd demeanor is much more manageable and enjoyable to be around,” Jorgensen said.

Jorgensen said most of his bulls go to large commercial ranchers and he routinely gets feedback about their quiet demeanor, which further cements the widely-accepted truth that the way animals are raised has a lot to do with disposition. When considering stereotypes, Jorensen says it is important to remember that there is as much variation within breeds as there is in between breeds

As far as size goes, Jorgensen admits that Charolais bulls tend to produce bigger calves. Commercial cattlemen seek calves with more pounds at weaning but that doesn’t mean the calves have to be enormous at birth, he explains.

“Charolais bulls aren’t typically meant to be used on first-calf heifers,” he explained. “Their purpose is as a terminal cross on cows and most mature cows can handle a 100-pound calf with no problems.”

Current trends show that Charolais x Angus calves fetch impressive premiums in the sale ring and on the video. Jorgensen said selecting moderate birth weight bulls to cross on Angus cows, or vice versa, using Angus or Red Angus bulls on Charolais calves can reap great returns.

Feedyard operators have taken notice on what “smoky” or “buckskin” calves have to offer. Though not black-hided like many buyers prefer, the hybrid vigor that comes from Charolais and Angus/Red Angus genetics has proven to perform.

Research conducted by Kansas State University and Superior Livestock shows Charolais-sired steers sold through Superior Livestock video sales generated the highest dollar amount per hundredweight at weaning when compared to other major beef breeds. The research covered a seven-year period (2010-2016) of sales and included over three million head of feeder calves weighing about 580 pounds. This premium, when combined with added pounds at weaning due to heterosis, quickly sets the stage for added profitability.

While black-hided cattle have long been seen as desirable in feedyards and packing plants across the country, research from South Dakota State University (SDSU) gives producers of Charolais cattle and Charolais-influenced cattle reason to be excited.

There has never been much dispute about the value of heterosis, which occurs when two breeds are crossed. Generally, the best qualities of each animal are expressed in the offspring, resulting in an animal that is better than either of it’s parents.

Producers have come to realize that while Angus beef, as an example, may have superior marbling compared to continental breeds, Angus cattle are also generally lighter muscled and cutability often suffers when they are fed to greater slaughter weights. Crossing Angus cattle with a larger continental breed like Charolais can result in high-performing cattle without sacrificing carcass quality.

SDSU’s Zach Smith, Ph.D., and Warren Rusche, Ph.D., oversee the operations of two university facilities – a real-world feedlot and a ruminant nutrition center – and are responsible for ensuring accuracy of many research components.

Recent research reports from SDSU explains that in 2019, a cattle buyer for SDSU cattle buyer was tasked with purchasing cattle for university research. He found an impressive set of Charolais-influenced cattle. Uniformity in size, age, and finish are important in a research setting, and the buyer said that set of Charolais calves met those requirements.

The cattle used in SDSU research also needed to be adaptable to the harsh climate of eastern South Dakota and since these Charolais-influenced cattle were born and raised in the area there was little concern about their ability to adapt to the environment.

After the first experience feeding these particular calves, the SDSU research team decided to purchase calves from the same ranch for subsequent projects, none of which focused on cattle breed. After the projects were concluded, the cattle were harvested and that is when researchers said highlights specifically tied to breed emerged.

Steer calves purchased in the fall of 2021 were finished to 1,475 pounds and harvested in July. July was particularly hot and yet the Charolais-influenced calves’ feed intake was not affected.

With more than 50 percent of the calves grading upper two-thirds Choice or Prime and only 17 percent at a Yield Grade 4 or 5. Only 12 percent of the cattle did not grade Choice or better. Furthermore, the heifers from this ranch graded even better than the steers.

The Charolais-sired calves were fed in Brookings, S.D., with black-hided calves meeting the same research criterion were fed simultaneously at the Southeast Research Farm. The cattle were fed through the summer, and their feed intake suffered during heat stress events. Because of the differences in how cattle responded to heat stress, the SDSU researchers are considering a limitation on the number of black-hided cattle on feed during the summer months.

Rusche says with the current year’s group of Charolais-influenced calves already on feed for research in Brookings, work is underway to ensure the next round of cattle brought into Brookings will be sourced from the same Charolais producer. The South Dakota rancher’s herd handling techniques coupled with the herd’s uniformity in size, age, and genetics, plus overall herd health at receiving made these Charolaisinfluence cattle ideal for research.

“Combining Charolais and Angus genetics to keep quality without having excess fat while maintaining feed efficiency has proven very effective. Small differences in feed conversion adds up in a hurry with the rising cost of feed,” Rusche said in his research writing.

In discussing the research performance of Charolais-influenced cattle with Jorgensen, he says his warm climate in Northern California is one where cattle can fall off of feed quickly. Furthermore, he feeds bulls in Yerington, Nev., throughout the summer, where temperatures can also test the appetite of growing feedlot calves

Jorgensen says a huge benefit of Charolais calves is their ability to grow and adapt in any environment.

“We have success with them here where it gets really hot but some of the most successful Charolais operations around are in the far north where they see winter conditions for months on end,” he said. “I’ve sold bulls into the most rugged parts of Nevada where the elevation makes winters really cold and summers are still very warm and our Charolais bulls hold up tremendously well.”

Jorgensen concluded, “We see evidence time and time again that shows when Charolais genetics are managed using the best available science, purebred calves and commercial Charolais-influenced calves often stack up against or surpass the performance of other breeds.”

For Range Management With Outstanding Young Professional Award

Modoc County Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor Laura Snell was recognized as the Outstanding Young Professional Award at the Society for Range Management’s 76th Annual Meeting in Boise, Idaho, in February. The Award is presented by the Society to an individual member or couple who have demonstrated extraordinary potential and promise as range management professionals. This award is presented as an encouragement for outstanding performance by young men and women entering the profession of range management.

As the Modoc Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension in Alturas, one of the first issues Snell faced in her career was wild horses on public and private land. The population was 20 times over the appropriate management level in the county, but with collaboration and perseverance, it has been reduced from 4,000 to 2,000 and summer grazing has returned on public land. Snell developed the Colt Challenge after the 2019 wild horse gather to pair 4-H and FFA youth with wild horses for ground gentling and a chance to take home $3,000 in prizes. So far, this program has reached over 150 youth. She is part of the extension effort across the west collaborating to solve natural resource issues and strives to be the interface between private and public land managers.

Snell has mentored 11 seasonal interns in range management from 20182022 and developed a career building program to give early career employees opportunities to work with a diverse group of state and federal agency professionals and participate in a variety of research and extension projects. She became a member of the Nebraska Section SRM in 2009 as a student and after moving to California, she joined the Cal-Pac, Nevada, and PacificNorthwest Sections. She was voted in as a director of the Cal-Pac Section and served from 2020-2022.

For the tremendous contributions to the science and management of rangeland ecosystems she has made, it is with great honor the Society of Range Management recognized Laura Snell with the Outstanding Young Professional Award.