April 2015

36BRED ANGUSHEI FERS

Cream of the Crop ROGERS BAR HR CHAROLAIS FEMALE SALE

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Big, Stto Bi ou utt, F Faall ll Sp plliittss!!

Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

At the Ranch • Collins, Mississippi Feemini F mini mi ninee & Lo otttss of of Milk illk! k!

Selling 62 Lots

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Sale Manager Greg Hubert P.O. Box 100 Oakley, KS 67748 785-672-3195 (ofďŹ ce) 785-672-7449 (cellular)

Rogers R ogerrs Bar H HR R Do D o oro rro oth theeaann an nn n Ro ogger geerrs Man Ma naagi ging ng Partn arrtn neerr: r: Do Dou ugg Ro oggger errs ers

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The official publication of the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association 680 Monroe St., Suite A Jackson, Mississippi 39202 (601) 354-8951 (601) 354-8957 (601) 355-7128 (fax) April 2015

VOLUME 62,

No. 4

30 35 42 48 54 62

Just Charlie: 2015 MCA Hall Of Fame Dixie National Winners Advice for Building A Cow Herd E.G “Gene” Morrison The Secret Is In The Sauce Contigency Plans in Beef Cattle Operations

10 12 16 18 20 24 26 28

MCA Report by Andy Berry President’s Report by Dr. Harold Newcomb Agronomy Notes by Dr. Rocky Lemus Vet Notes by Dr. Carla Huston NCBA Washington Report Rings from the CattleWomen by Nancy Strickland Stocker Cents by Dr. Brandi Bourg Karisch Run Like The Dickens by Chase Dickens

14 44 66 70 71 72

New Members Mississippi Beef Council Allied Industry Members Choice Stockman Members Buyers Guide Advertisers’ Index

4 Cattle Business April 2015

Andy Berry, Editor LeAnne Peters, Managing Editor

April 2015

On the cover.... This month we spotlight the youth of our state.

Cattle Business in Mississippi (ISSN #08972737) is published monthly except bimonthly in June-July and November-December by the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association. Periodical postage paid at Jackson, Mississippi and additional address.

Postmaster: Send address changes to: Cattle Business In Mississippi, 680 Monroe St., Suite A, Jackson, MS 39202, Tel. (601) 354-8951.

Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association 2015 Officers

Dr. Harold Newcomb President

Paul Whitlock First Vice President

Tony Thames Second Vice President

Andy Berry Executive Vice President

200 Watts Street Batesville, MS 38606 (662) 609-6364

91 CR 197 Iuka, MS 38852 (662) 423-3279

187 Carmel New Hope Rd Jayess, MS 39641 (601)587-7230

680 Monroe St., Suite A Jackson, MS 39202 (601) 354-8951

Area Vice Presidents Area 1

Area 6

Ken Henry Hewlett

Jeff Davis

58 CR 332 Taylor, MS 38763 (662) 234-0006

8176 Russell-Topton Rd Meridian, MS 39305 (601) 679-9931

Area 2

Area 7

David Beane

Shaunna Melancon

3856 Peppertown Road Fulton, MS 38843 (662) 862-9053

P.O. Box 836 Woodville, MS 39669 (601) 888-3224

Area 3

Area 8

Dr. Nancy Jackson

Greg Crosby

2800 Crow Crossing Rd Eupora, MS 39744 (662) 418-7927

443 Hwy 590 E Seminary, MS 39479 (601) 722-4804

Area 4

Area 9

Elton Dean

Roger Jefcoat

7200 Hwy 46 Cedar Bluff, MS 39741 (662) 295-3326

246 Shady Grove Moss Rd Laurel, MS 39443 (601)428-7848

Area 5

Area 10

Richard Peden

Mike Mitchell

2035 Shiloh Rd Pelehatchie, MS 39145 (601)854-8393

199 Mt. Carmel Rd Carriere, MS 39426 (601) 798-0522

PAST PRESIDENTS C.S. Whittington, Greenwood* Walter Swoope, Columbus* A.B. Freeman* J. Rupert Baird, Amory* Fred W. Klyce, Jr., Sardis* Dorris L. Ballew, Natchez* C.D. Maddox, Kosciusko* Frank T. Brumfield, Inverness* Donald Bartlett, Como* Luther W. Wade, Greenwood* Harris Swayze, Benton* Ethan A. Porter, Pattison* Ernest Minor, Paulette* J.Q. DeMoville, Okolona* Les Fletcher, Indianola Fred Taylor, Oxford* J.D. Rankin, Canton* Bowmar Virden, Jackson* Fred A. Moore, Morton* Mickey Black, Greenwood Jerry Lyon, Ellisville Bruce Brumfield, Inverness John Hewes, Woodville* Pete Armstrong, Tupelo* Ted Kendall III, Bolton Malcolm Commer, Jr., Jonestown* Jack Ross, Madison* Avery H. McKinley, Natchez* John Howarth, Jr., Cleveland* Sam Fletcher, Sumrall*

Bill Harris, Benton James P. Wood, Waynesboro* Danny Ross Ingram, Water Valley* Bob Anderson, Okolona* Bob Warren, Hazlehurst Gerald Sumrall, Monticello Sledge Taylor, Como Clifford Dance, Winona* Joe McGuffee, Mendenhall Otis Nicholson, Philadelphia* Sammy Blossom, Columbus Peter Pattridge, Batesville Dudley Bozeman, Flora* Wilbur Parsons, Crystal Springs* Charles Hull, Vaiden Ted Kendall IV, Bolton Dr. Jim Anderson, Brandon Larry Jefcoat, Soso Phil Slay, Crystal Springs George Alley, Vaiden Gale Martin, Brandon Joe Magee, Mendenhall David Houston, Oxford Ronnie Herrington, Laurel Lee Herren, Utica Pete Harper, Yazoo City Steve Elgin, Holly Springs Jacob Megehee, Macon Price Wallace, Mendenhall *Deceased

April 2015 Cattle Business 5

Events: July 5-11, 2015 - AJSA National Classic - College Station, Texas

Mississippi Simmental/Simbrah Association Mark Smith, President - (601) 310-6695 Shani Hay, Vice President - (601) 934-1069 Beth Tartt, Sec. - (601) 737-8718 Debbie Smith, MJSSA Advisor - (601) 310-6685 6 Cattle Business April 2015

Your Chance to Win!!

Support MCA Activities with your $5.00 contribution

Donated by: Southern Ag Credit Exhibited by Emree & Baleigh Siord, Hinds 4H

Return your ticket stubs and contribution today for a chance to win this steer.

The drawing will be held April 10, 2015.

This steer will be custom processed for your convenience.

We thank Southern Ag Credit for their generous donation to the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association.

Without their support and the help of producers like you, many of the key programs of MCA and MJCA would not exist.

For additional tickets, contact

MCA at (601) 354-8951 or joinmca@telepak.net

www.mscattlemen.org

April 2015 Cattle Business 7

Get All Three with Great Starts® Cattle Feeding Program You’ve got a can-do attitude – and your calves should too.

The Great Starts® Cattle Feeding program offers flexible options to suit your unique needs. Built upon years of Purina Animal Nutrition research, the Great Starts® program combination of flexibility, consistent added value, and knowledgeable producer support delivers to your bottom line.

AGRI FARM & RANCH Shannon, MS • (662) 566-2121

FAZZIOS FARM & HOME CENTER Gulfport, MS • (228) 832-2122

MAGEE CO-OP Magee, MS • (601) 849-3381

THE FEED SACK Vancleave, MS • (228) 826-5715

AMITE COUNTY COOPERATIVE Liberty, MS • (601) 657-8011

FLORA FEED Flora, MS • (601) 879-8999

MONROE CO. CO-OP Aberdeen, MS • (662) 369-8175

TIPPAH COUNTY CO-OP Ripley, MS • (662) 837-8451

BROWN’S FARM & GARDEN Columbus, MS • (662) 329-2281

GEORGE COUNTY CO-OP Lucedale, MS • (601) 947-8145

NESHOBA COUNTY CO-OP Philadelphia, MS • (601) 656-3501

TOWN & COUNTRY FEED STORE Columbia, MS • (601) 736-6212

C C WILLIAMS AND SONS Wilmer, AL • (251) 649-1393

HUB CITY WEST Hattiesburg, MS • (601)268-9400

OKTIBBEHA CO. CO-OP Starkville, MS • (662) 323-1742

CIRCLE T FARMS SUPPLY Franklinton, LA • (985) 839-5408

J AND B FEEDS Lucedale, MS • (601) 947-3066

PAUL E. BOUNDS Picayune, MS • (601) 798-3753

CLAY COUNTY CO-OP West Point, MS • (662) 494-4676

JIMMY SANDERS, INC. Batesville, MS • (662) 563-7379

PIKE COUNTY CO-OP McComb, MS • (601) 684-1651

Contact your local Purina Animal Nutrition dealer to learn more, or visit CATTLENUTRITION.COM for more information.

8 Cattle Business April 2015

REEDER FARM SUPPLY Pontotoc, MS • (662) 489-2211

TRI COUNTY FARM SERVICE Como, MS • (662) 526-9100 WALTHALL COUNTY CO-OP Tylertown, MS • (601) 876-3428 WILKINSON CO. CO-OP Woodville, MS • (601) 888-3542

STANFORD FARM & FEED Carrolton, MS • (662) 237-6158 TATE CO. CO-OP Senatobia, MS • (662) 562-7811 ©2014 Purina An

LAUDERDALE CO. FARM SUPPLY CO-LIN FEED & SEED Meridian, MS Brookhaven, MS • (601) 833-8612 (601) 483-3363 DIXIELAND HOME, FARM & MADISON COUNTY CO-OP GARDEN CENTER Canton, MS Kiln, MS • (228) 255-4790 (601) 859-1271 DON’S FARM STORE Collins, MS • (601) 765-8264

TRI COUNTY CO-OP Aliceville, AL • (205) 373-6369

EPRINEX® (eprinomectin)

What doesn’t kill parasites makes them stronger.

So choose EPRINEX. EPRINEX kills more species and stages than any other brand.1 Period.

Did you know moxidectin is believed to be a driver of resistance in some species?2 EPRINEX contains eprinomectin. What’s the difference? More parasite species and stages.1 More weight gain.3 More profitability. Get the most out of your dewormer. Choose eprinomectin. Choose EPRINEX.

Get the facts at EPRINEXKillsIt.com

1 2 3

Based on FOI summaries and label claims.

Rendell D, et al. Anthelmintic resistance in cattle nematodes on thirty-six Victorian properties. Proceedings XXVIII World Buiatrics Congress. 2014;231-244. )LJRL[[ 1 ,ɉJHJ` VM WV\Y VU KL^VYTLYZ KPɈLYPUN PU HJ[P]L PUNYLKPLU[ HUK JHYYPLY VU ^LPNO[ NHPU HUK MLJHS LNN JV\U[ PU Z[VJRLY ILLM JH[[SL *VSSLNL VM (NYPJ\S[\YL *HS 7VS` :[H[L <UP]LYZP[`

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: No meat or milk withdrawal is required when used according to label. Do not use in calves intended for veal or unapproved animal species as severe adverse reaction, including fatalities in dogs, may result. ®EPRINEX and the Cattle Head Logo are registered trademarks of Merial. ©2015 Merial, Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. RUMIEEP1502 (01/15)

April 2015 Cattle Business 9

Looking Toward The Future by: Andy Berry, Executive Vice President, MCA

680 Monroe St., Suite A Jackson, Mississippi 39202 (601) 354-8951/8957 www.mscattlemen.org Andy Berry Executive Vice President mscattle@telepak.net fax: (601) 355 -7128 Carol Ryan Administrative Assistant mscacr@telepak.net fax: (601) 487-2711 Cassie St.Amant Director of Member Services joinmca@telepak.net fax: (601) 487-2722 LeAnne Peters Director of Communications cbmag@att.net fax: (601) 487-2713 Nancy Strickland missbc@telepak.net fax: (601) 487-2712 The Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association and Cattle Business in Mississippi assumes all information submitted for publishing, whether editorial or advertisements, is correct and will not be held responsible for any information submitted incorrectly.

Cattle Business in Mississippi reserves the right to refuse any and all material submitted for publication.

Advertising rates available upon request.

Advertising deadline: First of month preceding publication date, i.e. January 1 for February issue.

Dues: $40 per year National Advertising Representatives Livestock Advertising Network 176 Pasadena Drive • Lexington, KY 40503 859-278-0899

BEEF B F

10 Cattle Business April 2015

Hello everyone! If you had not heard before now, I have been selected to replace Mr. Sammy Blossom as the executive vice president of your Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association. I consider it a great honor to have been selected to work for you, and I thank the hiring committee and you for placing your trust in me to lead our organization.

As I began my new role, I am fortunate that Mr. Sammy has agreed to be here for a few weeks to help ensure a smooth transition. I had heard before that most people don’t know how much time and energy he and our staff puts into our association and, let me tell you, that is true. We have a very competent and diligent staff that I look forward to serving with in the future. I would also like to personally thank Mr. Sammy for his help in getting me oriented in this position.

So, let me tell you a little about myself. I am blessed with a wonderful wife named Jennifer and two sons, who seem to be on a baseball field every day this time of year. We have

recently built and moved into a house on her family’s farm. We also maintain a commercial herd of our own on my family’s land just south of us in Jefferson Davis County.

I was raised in Newhebron, Miss. where I grew up showing and breeding Polled Hereford cattle, both locally and on a national level. After graduating from Mississippi State University, I returned to the farm and started a small construction business.

I was fortunate to have been a charter member and one of the first officers of MJCA. The training and exposure I received from being involved with MJCA helped develop and lead me to the position I am in today.

As I start to make the rounds this year, I look forward to meeting and hearing from you. If I miss you, please feel free to stop by the office or call. I will close by asking for your patience, cooperation, and mostly prayers as I transition into this new role.

At Dixie Grass Company we have been in business for over 30 years so you get the best service with the absolute most experience in the sprigging industry. We have all varieties of grass available from DIXIE, Tifton 44, Alicia, Coastal, Tifton 85, and more…

Ask about our custom No-Till Sprigging

Dixie Grass Company www.dixiegrassandhay.com Shane McDonald Phone: 601-201-0929

SEDGEWOOD PLANTATION ANNUAL REGISTERED ANGUS BULL SALE

Saturday, April 25 • 10:00 AM Located at Sedgewood Plantation 2607 Virlilia Road • Canton, MS We will have approximately 35 thick, muscular bulls in our annual onsite bull sale. They are in good athletic condition after running all ZLQWHU LQ D DFUH FRWWRQ ¿HOG 7KH\ DOVR KDYH PRUH PXVFOH DQG OHVV fat since they were grown out on a lower energy ration. The bulls will average 18 months old and will weigh between 1400 and 1600 pounds.

www.SedgewoodAngus.com 601-761-0001 • 601-879-9927 wph@sedgewood.com

ABOUT SEDGEWOOD The Sedgewood Registered Angus program is EXLOW RQ DUWL¿FLDO LQVHPLQDWLRQ 1R FOHDQ XS bulls are used. Heat detection is done electronically by radio transmitters and monitored by computer using the HeatWatch System. The AI sires we use are carefully selected based on growth, milk, carcass traits, scrotal circumference, and docility.

BULL LISTINGS The bulls will be listed on our website at

www.SedgewoodAngus.com Call or email for a bull list, for directions to the farm, or if you would like to preview the bulls prior to the sale.

EMAIL CONTACT LIST Please email us so we can add your email address to our contact file. This will allow us to notify you of any updates prior to the sale.

April 2015 Cattle Business 11

2015 County Presidents Kenny Carlton.............……….Adams Jimmy McNair………………….Alcorn Jacog Poole............……………Amite Bobby Bell..............................Attala Mitchell Ormon....................Benton John Allen Leachman…………Calhoun Jamie Darnell, Jr.…........…Chickasaw Dr. Eddie Lipscomb…………Claiborne Dudley Williams…………………Clarke Tracy Lofton.……....….…………Clay Mike Whitfield....Carroll-Leflore-Mont.

Alton Walters…......……………Copiah Greg Crosby.........…………Covington Marvin Ladner…………Forrest-Lamar Jeanette Hunt……….…………Franklin Greta Thornton...….…George-Jackson Patton Byrd......………………Greene Kyle Wilson....…...…...………Grenada Marcus Ladner....…Hancock/Harrison Danny Martin...........……………Hinds Kenneth Weeks....….…………Holmes David Beane.......…..………Itawamba Jim Sims……………..……………Jasper Curt Bass, Jr....…..…………Jeff Davis Mike Murry…..……..……………Jones Andrew Dabbs..…….....………Kemper Keith Brown...........…………Lafayette Jeff Davis......…...……….…Lauderdale Wally Givens..…..….…..……Lawrence Brian Burns….….……..........……Leake Pete Fava…....…….…………………Lee Mike Smith………..….…………Lincoln Craig Canull...........….………Lowndes D.R. Bozeman................……Madison Billy Raybourn......…..…………Marion Mike Haimsohn….……………Marshall Matthew Herndon………..……Monroe Jay Jayroe.....................……Neshoba Jim White……..………….……Newton Lester Estes......................…Noxubee John Byrd.........………….…Oktibbeha Jeff Magee............…Panola/Quitman Greg Ladner..…......………Pearl River Lee Henderson..……………..……Perry Mike Tynes............…..……………Pike Hershell Ferguson, Jr...…..…Pontotoc Richard Peden ...…......………Rankin Michael Smith……………………..Scott Ned Walker............…………Simpson Joe Hancock......…………………Smith Carl Baxter..........………………Stone Terry Mabus..................Tallahatchie Sammy Ashe…....….....…Tate/Desoto Ronnie Hall….....………………Tippah Charles Burns.…..…………Tishomingo Breland Randle….………………Union Doug McLaughlin...……………Walthall John Coccaro……….…..………Warren Robert Coxwell…….……………Wayne Dr. Nancy Jackson……………Webster John Patrick..........…………Wilkinson Rusty Suttle................………Winston Terry Jones.......................Yalobusha Pete Harper………………………Yazoo

Greetings from North Mississippi by: Dr. Harold Newcomb President, MCA

Well, hopefully the grip of winter is finally giving way to spring, one my favorite times of the year. The cows are grazing the green, growing rye-grass, and the spring calves are running around under the watchful eye of the babysitter cow.

Spring also brings back memories with my girls when we would go look at newborns and talk about possible show prospects from the spring calves.

My children grew up showing livestock in 4-H and MJCA. The friends and relationships we made with the livestock projects will last a lifetime for me and my family. We started out with Sheep when the girls were small and went to cattle when they got a little older. I loved this activity because it was something we all did as a family.

The girls had a good bit of success

Nunley Trucking Co. Inc. Iuka, MS

Haulers of Limestone, Gravel, & RipRap For over 60 years

Breeders of Hereford Cattle & Proud member of MCA.

Office: (662) 424-0080 Herman Nunley Cell: (662) 279-5136

Darrell Nunley Cell: (662) 808-4677 12 Cattle Business April 2015

showing cattle; however, the real success was the role the 4-H livestock program played in developing life skills that are still relative in their lives today although neither is employed in agriculture-related fields.

My family also benefited from the scholarship program sponsored by the Cattlemen’s Foundation, the Wax Company, and MCA. Both Anna and Jennifer received scholarships during their undergraduate years at Mississippi State. This program has given more scholarships to more students than any other state association.

I believe this speaks volumes of the importance our members place on helping families and our junior members in acquiring a college education.

I had the pleasure of handing out several of these scholarships in February and to see the pride in the mommas, daddies, and grandparents faces makes it all the more worthwhile.

It’s truly a humbling experience. These scholarships not only help lessen the financial burden of college, but help build self-esteem in our junior members in addition to helping ensure that our heritage as cattle producers and farm families of Mississippi will continue for another generation.

On a different note, the search committee has been hard at work finding a new Executive Vice President for our association. We are proud to announce that Andy Berry has been selected to take the helm at MCA. Until Next Time: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hand.”

The Irish Blessing

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Sale Managed by: American Livestock Brokers Jarvene Shackelford, MS LI #218 Office: (662) 837-4904 Cell: (662) 837-1776 Email: alb@albauction.com View

Sale Book: albauction.com April 2015 Cattle Business 13

New Members Feb 23 - March 23 Gary Anderson Byhalia Mims Berry New Hebron Sam Bounds Decatur John Cavin Woodville Gary Chism New Albany Eddie Coltharp Myrtle Michael Crechale Raymond Slyvester Ford Porterville Benjamin Garner Corinth William Givens Natchez Edward Grant New Albany Emile Guedon Natchez Rosie Harris Louisville Murry Haslip Olive Branch Mott Headley, III Vicksburg Josheph Higdon Como Dwayne Hopkins Ripley Mark Hunt Ripley Daron Jordan Buckatunna Justin Kirkland Collins J.G. Kufel Quitman Steve Lucky Mize Phillip & Janie Malley Kiln Jeff Martin Raleigh Mike McCord Blue Springs Ricky Novarese Holly Springs Chester Pittman Waynesboro Steve Pittman Waynesboro Mark Robertson Falkner Clyde Robertson Falkner George Rowland New Albany Troy Shaw Walnut Tom Smith Land & Homes Ridgeland Ralph Smith Laurel Shelby Steede Lucedale Gerald & Lisa Thompson Bruce Scott White Guntown Gene & Faye Williams Natchez Gina Wills Etta Matthew Wolcott Michigan City Monty Yates West Point

STEVE PURVIS Broker

601-415-7739

steve@ledgerpurvis.com

Specializing in agriculture, commercial, hunting/ recreational & timber investment property 3115B Halls Ferry Rd * Vicksburg, MS

14 Cattle Business April 2015

ON THE EDGE OF COMMON SENSE

by Baxter Black, DVM

Hello, My Name is Mud January 1980 is a month I’ll never forget. It all started out about January the 7th. The previous spring I had a big hand in selecting the bulls we were gonna use on Albert and Louie’s heifers. Albert had 400 head and we decided to artificially inseminate (A.I.) them one cycle, then use clean-up bulls. After much discussion with the local A.I. man, I chose a Brangus bull; an easy calver, the book said. For Louie’s 125 heifers I bought him six brown swiss bulls.

That fateful morning I called Albert on the phone: “Mornin’, Albert! How’s it going?” “(silence)” “Albert? Are you there?”

“Ten calved so far....Three live calves...had to pull all ten...”

“Oh.” “Maybe you better come out to the ranch.”

“Sure, sure, I’ll be right out.”

“Uh, maybe you better bring a bedroll.”

I called Louie before I left for Albert’s: “Louie, how’s the calving going?”

“What are you doing for the next six weeks?”

“What do you mean?”

“Four have calved. We pulled ‘em all. One’s still alive. Oh, by the way, three of the heifers are down. On second thought, the way the boys are cussin’ you, you better wait a day or two...’till they’ve cooled off. You’d stand a better chance of leavin’ in one piece!”

I spent the next weeks in a daze.

Drivin’ the hundred or so miles back and forth between Louie and Albert.

Sleepin’ in the straw every chance I got, eatin’ when they took pity on me and calvin’ heifers. They made

me tie a white flag on my antenna and wear one of those convention name tags that said, “Hello, my name is MUD” I got run over, stepped on, kicked, mashed, mauled, horned, hammered and cussed and the heifers did a lot of damage, too! I learned how to do a Cesarean section in my sleep, sutured my surgical glove to a uterus twice and lost twenty-five pounds!

The boys stayed by me every step of the way but they never once put their arm around me and said, “Don’t worry, Doc, it could have happened to anybody.”

I hit bottom the day I went out and looked at two downer heifers I’d been feeding and watering for three weeks. One of ‘em, number 258, I’d been getting up every day and she’d try a little. I thought she had a chance. The other one hadn’t gotten up for ten days in spite of all my magic medicine and physical therapy.

She was failing fast. Both were thin horned Herefords. I examined them that morning and decided to euthanize the worst one. I was just puttin’ my rifle back in the pickup when Albert walked up and said, “Why’d ya shoot that one?”

Yup, you guessed it......I shot the wrong cow!

They didn’t ask me to help select sires for this year. The last I heard they were looking for 500 A.I. ampules from a small Suffolk buck!

2 Days â&#x20AC;˘ 2 Champions!!

2015 Dixie National Jr. Roundup Grand Champion Bull

2014 & 2015 Dixie National Open Hereford Show Grand Champion Bull

s & W Herefords 122 County Road 358 Burnsville, MS 38833

Jimmy Windham (662) 587-2633

Don & Tammy Sims (662) 284-9410 (662) 462-5885 Ross & Amber Parker

Colton & Brittany Sims (662) 415-5885

Bulls & Females For Sale â&#x20AC;˘ Visitors Welcome April Apr A Ap prilil 201 pr 2 20 2015 01 0 15 C Cattle att aat ttttllee Bu Bus B Business us usin in ine neess ss 1 15 5

Soil health: The Reality Behind It In Grassland Ecosystems by: Dr. Rocky Lemus, Extension Forage Specialist “Soil health” is a relatively new term in soils management. If you consider the three-way intersection of soil chemistry/fertility, soil biology, and soil physics, you are looking at soil health. Because of the diversity of soils (Mississippi has over 200 different ones) the intersection will be different for each, and will vary due to management. A soil is not considered “sick”: it has some issue that management may or may not alleviate. You are probably most familiar with the soil fertility measurements including pH, nutrients, organic matter, and lime requirement.

Recommendations are offered with soil test results for any issues that may be identified. It is also important to consider the physical properties of soils which include texture, bulk density, penetration resistance, structure development, porosity, and aggregate stability.

Compaction due to field traffic is the physical issue most seen in Mississippi soils.

Because of the increase in world population and food demand, we should understand that to produce the food we need today and in the future, there is a need to balance those complex systems instead of seeing agriculture as harmful. Food production on less acreage today cannot be possible without inputs that will increase yields such as improved varieties, efficient nutrient management practices, and improve harvest systems.

Sustainability is based on balancing the equation of good production and not eliminating the positive aspects of 16 Cattle Business April 2015

it. Let’s face the reality that there will be necessary changes in land-use and management to keep with the demand of global food supply.

Soil is the fundamental unit for production agriculture, but at the same time a complex system that will require different considerations.

Soil heath is not a one size fits all because of diverse soils, and some will need more management than others. Realize that soils do not change quickly, for example building organic matter (Fig. 1) in a soil in pasture without tillage. When discussing soil health, approach it from a quality soil management perspective. A grazing

ecosystem where proper grazing allow nutrient cycling, plants can provide carbon transformations (root exudates and root decomposition), stocking rates can help maintain soil structure by decreasing compaction, and proper use of pesticides can help keep the desirable species competitive. When these parameters are incorporated, it facilitates the interaction of soil organisms and plant productivity towards having better agricultural goods and services.

Soils have four major components with a variable percent of distribution: (1) water, (2) minerals, (3) organic matter and (4) air. The distribution of these components influences structure along with other factors (Table 1). Soil texture is the amount of sand, clay and silt, and for a given soil it is a fixed property with respect to practical time scales. Keep in mind that the proportion of soil particle sizes leads to types of soil such as fine, medium and coarse textured soils with distinctive soil physical and chemical properties that impact soil properties. For example, sandy soils tend to be lower in organic matter, lower pH, and higher capability of leaching potassium, lower cation-exchange capacity (CEC) and large pores that impede water retention. Clay soils tend to have higher organic matter, higher CEC, and larger quantity of small pores that increases water retention. The properties of silty soils tend to fall between the clay and sandy soils (Table 1).

We have seen decreased grassland productivity due to soil degradation, this could be related to mismanagement or adverse weather conditions.

To regain the capacity and function of the soil, producers will have to management wisely with appropriate inputs which may include fertilizers, various pesticides to combat diseases, weeds and insects, and sometimes provide water to help desirable plant species get established. Keep in mind that some fungi and bacteria can act as pesticides as well. The concept of soil health is developed across a balance of nutrients and organic matter that could optimize forage production and microbial activity. It is important to note that organic matter accumulation is a very slow process (Fig. 1). Proper fertilizer use can increase forage biomass production and therefore, increase biological activity by increasing root mass production and

root exudates as well increase biomass decomposition. When soils are depleted from those two components, there is a need to supply and replenish them in the soil and make the system more sustainable. For example, at a pH of 5.5 or lower, aluminum (Al) can become toxic to plants and reduce root mass, and also can reduce uptake of other nutrients such as phosphorous and potassium. Also, beneficial organisms such as earthworms cannot survive long-term in that environment. This is the case with most pastures across the southern USA. This means, a soil health program must have regular soil testing as a fundamental component to determine any lime and fertilizer

by-step process be followed to reduce inputs needed and improve soil health, making the system more self-sustainable. To manage the below ground environment, we also need to focus on the above ground production. The more biomass is removed from above ground, the smaller the root system in a plant will be and carbon sequestration will be limited. The reason for that is because plants with less leaf area above ground will need to allocate more carbohydrates to growth and recovery instead of storing those in the root and help the root system grow.

One of the prescribed recommendations is to have a diverse number of forage species; it will be very hard

needs for optimum levels for biomass production and strong root systems for putting carbon into the soil and thereby increase soil organic matter.

On occasion above ground residual biomass (commonly known as thatch) can also affect plants and nutrient availability by reducing microbial activity and organic matter decomposition. In cases where above ground residual biomass is very dense, the use of fire could be a good source to increase soil temperature and help release nutrients. This is a practice that is recommended to use every 3-4 years in forage systems if too much biomass has accumulated. Organic carbon is the source of food for soil organisms, but we need to be careful what carbon form is available. Organic matter containing high levels of lignin (a complex polymer) is not easily decomposed.

This means that choosing plant species with lower lignin levels will impact decomposition rates.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that soil health will magically appear if you only apply the general recommendations. A step-

to meet all the nutrient requirements of those species and to promote longterm persistence due to interspecies competition. Although some species might be well adapted to one type of soil, others might not. Another issue when you look at a number of species is the cost of those mixes. They can have a large economic impact in the cost of establishment that is not being accounted for in the soil health model.

My approach in this issue will be to have a system that maintains ground cover year long and sustain grazing.

One way to improve soil quality will be to have mixed species of grasses and legumes that compatible with each other and adapted the soil and climatic conditions. Legumes can improve the quality of grasses since they can fix their own nitrogen. The use of pinpoint grazing systems that can close the gap and maintain a more uniform forage production and grazing sustainability thought the year should be the goal. Plants that are productive can sequester carbon [capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere],

have strong root systems and provide a diverse environment for soil microbes. The key is not so much how many species are incorporates in the system, it is how much rest those pastures are receiving to allow recovery.

By implementing this practice, plants can have a faster canopy closure to reduce weed invasion and competition.

At the same time, it might maintain soil temperature to a level that could encourage biological activity.

Integrating grazing management as part of soil quality should be done under the concept of rotational grazing. This means allocating adequate number of livestock to the correct amount of land to allow uniform grazing and provide rest periods.

Grazing to a 3- to 4-inch stubble height will leave sufficient leaf area to allow plants to recover faster.

Although the concept of mob grazing is seen as theme to soil health, keep in mind that large concentration of animals in a small area can increase soil compaction. At the same time, trampling 50% of the biomass can be a competition for the regrowth of the desirable species and causing aggressive species, especially weeds, to become advantageous. Keep in mind that trampling 50% of the biomass requires long time for decomposition based on soil temperature and microbial activity.

The amount of organic matter that is Continued to page 23

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Investing in Diagnostic Testing by: Carla L. Huston, DVM, PhD, ACVPM Beef Extension and Outreach Coordinator, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University Viral Diarrhea Control Program for The favorable cattle prices have a good way to strengthen the relationproducers wishing to test their herds continued into the new year, and ship you have with your veterinarian for infected animals. many of us are making investments and also improve overall herd health.

Johne’s disease – Johne’s disease back into our herds. In addition to What diseases are commonly tested for? is caused by Mycobacterium avium those management practices that are Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) – Bovine subspp. Paratuberculosis (MAP), a necessary to the health of our cattle, viral diarrhea is a costly disease caused hardy organism that is spread through you may also be considering some by the BVD virus (BVDV).

BVD the feces of positive animals. optional or value-added manInfection is chronic, which means agement strategies that can be implemented now without as Some questions to discuss with your veterinar- that it can take years for infected animals to show clinical signs much impact on your bottom ian before testing for disease: of the disease. According to line. Just as vaccinations can • What are the goals of your operation? be seen as investments in the • Have you had these particular disease problems in the past? the USDA, approximately 8% of beef herds in the United States health of the herd, utilizing • What will you do with the results of testing? are infected with Johne’s Disease. diagnostic testing strategies • What tests are available for a particular disease, and how There is no treatment or cure for now can result in beneficial accurate are they?

Johne’s disease, and infected anieffects on overall herd health • What are costs of disease prevention, versus costs of mals will suffer from poor proin the future. disease treatment? duction and eventually die. The This month we will take a • What other herd health practices are performed? economic effects in an infected look at some common patho- • What is your overall biosecurity plan? herd can be significant due to gens and diseases that cattle poor production and early cullproducers can test for, and ing. Testing is recommended for those explain how testing programs can be can be a significant cause of reprowho suspect JD in their herd and wish used on your operation. Voluntary ductive failures, diarrhea, respiratory to make management decisions based herd health programs often require disease weak calves, and much more. on the status of their cattle. Wholewhole or partial herd testing for speInfection with BVDV often causes herd testing can also be beneficial for cific diseases or pathogens through immunosuppression, a reduction in those seedstock producers who wish to blood, fecal, or tissue sampling. the animal’s immunity, resulting in market negative animals. A screening Discussing diagnostic testing strategies other disease problems and production test is performed using a blood sample for disease prevention and control is losses. Infected animals can be either on animals older than two years of transiently infected or persistently age. Confirmation of a positive blood infected (PI). While vaccines are availsample requires a fecal sample. The able to protect against BVDV, a PI Now Available Mississippi Voluntary Johne’s Disease animal will remain infected for life and Program consists of both a test-negaserve as a source of infection to other Liquid Nitrogen • A.I. Supplies tive “Status Program” for producers animals. A recent video auction site wishing to certify the status of their has reported that “BVD-PI Free” calves South Mississippi herd for marketing purposes, and a brought an average of $14 more per Robert Speights “Management Plan” for herds with head. Seedstock producers may wish infected animals. to market negative BVD animals or Columbia, MS Brucellosis (Bang’s) and Tuberculosis certify their operation as a participant (TB) Brucellosis (Brucella aborin herd testing, while stocker operators (601) 736-9589 tus) and Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium may be more interested in identifying bovis) are two diseases which have North Mississippi and removing persistently infected fallen under federal-state cooperative BVD calves. Testing usually involves Sam Byrd eradication programs for many years. taking an “ear notch,” or skin samAs in most other states, Mississippi ple from calves and adults.

Testing Brooksville, MS is currently “free” of brucellosis and can also be performed on blood.

(662) 738-5237 tuberculosis. Small outbreaks of TB Mississippi also has a Voluntary Bovine

ABS Global Genetics

18 Cattle Business April 2015

have occurred recently in Texas, and brucellosis has been detected periodically in beef cattle in Montana.

Female cattle under 12 months of age can be vaccinated against brucellosis, but there is no vaccine against TB. Historically, producers have maintained negative TB and brucellosis herd status to facilitate sales and exhibitions, especially those involving interstate movement.

In addition, some states still maintain individual animal testing requirements prior to entry. Brucellosis testing requires a blood sample, while TB testing is a skin test which requires a follow-up examination 72 hours after initial testing.

Bovine leukosis - Bovine leukosis (aka lymphosarcoma, malignant lymphoma, and bovine leukemia) is a blood borne disease in cattle caused by the bovine leukosis virus (BLV). BLV infection is common in cattle in the United States, and more prevalent in the south. It has been estimated that approximately 40% of beef herds are positive for BLV, and 10.3% of cows within these herds were infected. The economic

impacts to cattle producers can be significant and include reduced performance, treatment and diagnostic testing costs, death losses, and costs of replacements. In addition, affected animals may be condemned at slaughter. There is no treatment for BLV, but fortunately, only a small number of infected cattle actually develop clinical disease. Purebred or seedstock producers may face additional economic losses if their cattle are found to be BLV positive. Many countries will not accept animals or animal products testing positive for the disease, and breeding companies may reject positive heifers, bulls or semen. Herd testing for BLV can help to determine the prevalence in your herd, to identify which animals are infected, and to monitor progress in your control program. Testing requires a blood sample. Due to the high prevalence of the disease, however, a test and removal strategy may not be practical on every operation.

What are some considerations for testing?

First and foremost, before imple-

menting any disease testing program, the goals of the operation need to be clearly understood. Are there plans to increase herd size, or change management? What will you gain by testing your herd? Do you want a marketing advantage? Are you looking to ensure a premium on your marketed calves, or just ensure that there are no infected calves prior to shipping?

Knowledge of your herdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current disease status can be very helpful when planning your herd health program.

Just as important, you need to consider what you will do with the test results. This may be one of the most important questions when deciding whether or not to actually test your cattle. Are you willing to cull animals testing positive for disease? If you are looking to maintain and market a negative herd in any of these diseases, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to practice good biosecurity, which includes isolation/culling of any positives and taking precautions not to introduce new infections. If you have no intention of using your Continued to page 25

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April 2015 Cattle Business 19

NCBA Updates and Issues Compiled from National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Publications House Renews Efforts to Repeal the Death Tax The House Committee on Ways and

Means, Subcommittee held a hearing on the Burden of the Estate Tax on Family Businesses and Farms. National

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20 Cattle Business April 2015

Cattlemen’s Beef Association member and seventh-generation cattleman from Fort Davis, Texas, Bobby McKnight testified before the subcommittee on how the death tax affects cattle producers.

“Many farm and ranch families are asset-rich and cash-poor, with most of the value of their estate attributed to the value of the land they use to raise cattle and grow food and fiber for consumers around the world,” said McKnight. “Strong export demand has been one of the driving forces in the increase in value of crop and pasture land in almost every state, not to mention the pressure from commercial development. Combined together, the increase in the value of farmland has many farm and ranch families concerned that they may trigger the estate tax simply through increasing land values.”

McKnight was able to share his family’s personal story of facing the death tax, and the consequences to their livelihood and operation in southwest Texas.

“When times have been lean, I have had to make sacrifices to keep my business above water, but sometimes you run out of places to cut,” said McKnight. “That is what happened to my family during hard times brought on by the estate tax. I had to let go of seasoned employees that had families of their own and were forced to work elsewhere. The skilled labor that I needed to run my operation was lost.”

NCBA calls for the immediate repeal of the death tax.

Did you know?

You can now pay your membership dues online at: www.mscattlemen.org

Extended-Release Injectable Parasiticide 5% Sterile Solution NADA 141-327, Approved by FDA for subcutaneous injection For the Treatment and Control of Internal and External Parasites of Cattle on Pasture with Persistent Effectiveness CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

INDICATIONS FOR USE LONGRANGE, when administered at the recommended dose volume of 1 mL per 110 lb (50 kg) body weight, is effective in the treatment and control of 20 species and stages of internal and external parasites of cattle: Gastrointestinal Roundworms Lungworms Dictyocaulus viviparus Bunostomum phlebotomum – Adults and L4 – Adults Cooperia oncophora – Adults and L 4

Cooperia punctata – Adults and L4 Cooperia surnabada – Adults and L4 Haemonchus placei – Adults Oesophagostomum radiatum – Adults Ostertagia lyrata – Adults Ostertagia ostertagi – Adults, L4, and inhibited L4 Trichostrongylus axei – Adults and L4 Trichostrongylus colubriformis – Adults Parasites Gastrointestinal Roundworms Bunostomum phlebotomum Cooperia oncophora Cooperia punctata Haemonchus placei Oesophagostomum radiatum Ostertagia lyrata Ostertagia ostertagi Trichostrongylus axei Lungworms Dictyocaulus viviparus

Grubs Hypoderma bovis

Mites Sarcoptes scabiei var. bovis

Durations of Persistent Effectiveness 150 days 100 days 100 days 120 days 120 days 120 days 120 days 100 days 150 days

SEASON-LONG PARASITE CONTROL • 15,000 HEAD • 9 STATES

+28 POUNDS AVERAGE Looks like our secret is out.

LLONGRANGE averaged 0.28 lbs./day more Average Daily Gain (ADG)1 Av 2.5 lbs.

Difference ADG 0.24*

2 lbs.

1.5 lbs.

1.93

Difference ADG 0.40 2.33 1.93

Difference ADG 0.30* 1.84

1.69

2.07

2.14 1.79

1 lb. .5 lb.

0 lb.

DECTOMAX/ivermectin Pour-on

Conventional Dewormers

Combinations

All Study

*Statistically significant

LONGRANGE

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin) should be given only by subcutaneous injection in front of the shoulder at the recommended dosage level of 1 mg eprinomectin per kg body weight (1 mL per 110 lb body weight).

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Withdrawal Periods and Residue Warnings Animals intended for human consumption must not be slaughtered within 48 days of the last treatment.

This drug product is not approved for use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, including dry dairy cows. Use in these cattle may cause drug residues in milk and/or in calves born to these cows.

A withdrawal period has not been established for pre-ruminating calves.

Do not use in calves to be processed for veal.

Animal Safety Warnings and Precautions The product is likely to cause tissue damage at the site of injection, including possible granulomas and necrosis. These reactions have disappeared without treatment. Local tissue reaction may result in trim loss of edible tissue at slaughter.

Observe cattle for injection site reactions. If injection site reactions are suspected, consult your veterinarian. This product is not for intravenous or intramuscular use. Protect product from light. LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin) has been developed specifically for use in cattle only. This product should not be used in other animal species.

When to Treat Cattle with Grubs LONGRANGE effectively controls all stages of cattle grubs. However, proper timing of treatment is important. For the most effective results, cattle should be treated as soon as possible after the end of the heel fly (warble fly) season.

Environmental Hazards Not for use in cattle managed in feedlots or under intensive rotational grazing because the environmental impact has not been evaluated for these scenarios.

Other Warnings: Underdosing and/or subtherapeutic concentrations of extendedrelease anthelmintic products may encourage the development of parasite resistance. It is recommended that parasite resistance be monitored following the use of any anthelmintic with the use of a fecal egg count reduction test program.

TARGET ANIMAL SAFETY Clinical studies have demonstrated the wide margin of safety of LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin). Overdosing at 3 to 5 times the recommended dose resulted in a statistically significant reduction in average weight gain when compared to the group tested at label dose. Treatment-related lesions observed in most cattle administered the product included swelling, hyperemia, or necrosis in the subcutaneous tissue of the skin. The administration of LONGRANGE at 3 times the recommended therapeutic dose had no adverse reproductive effects on beef cows at all stages of breeding or pregnancy or on their calves.

Not for use in bulls, as reproductive safety testing has not been conducted in males intended for breeding or actively breeding. Not for use in calves less than 3 months of age because safety testing has not been conducted in calves less than 3 months of age.

STORAGE Store at 77° F (25° C) with excursions between 59° and 86° F (15° and 30° C).

Protect from light.

Made in Canada.

Manufactured for Merial Limited, Duluth, GA, USA. ®LONGRANGE and the Cattle Head Logo are registered trademarks of Merial. ©2013 Merial. All rights reserved.

1050-2889-02, Rev. 05/2012

Comparing more than 15,000 head in nine states, stockers treated once for parasites with LONGRANGE gained an average of 28 lbs. more over DECTOMAX® (doramectin), CYDECTIN® (moxidectin), SAFE-GUARD® (fenbendazole) and ivermectin-treated cattle – even when used in combination over 103 days.1 And at today’s market prices, that adds up to an extra $56 per head. Not bad for around a $5 investment.

If you want results like this, talk to your veterinarian about LONGRANGE or visit theLONGRANGElook.com.

Watch for a chance to win a

JOHN DEERE® GATOR™ Scan to watch video and enter, or go to theLONGRANGElook.com/sto20.

IMPO IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Do not treat within 48 days of slaughter. Not for use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age ag or older, including dry dairy cows, or in veal calves. Postinjection site damage (e.g., granulomas, necrosis) can occur. These inject reactions have disappeared without treatment. react

®JOHN DEERE is a registered trademark, and ™GATOR is a trademark, of Deere & Company. Deere & Company neither sponsors nor endorses this promotion. ®LONGRANGE and the Cattle Head Logo are registered trademarks of Merial.

All other marks are the property of their respective owners. ©2015 Merial Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. RUMIELR1455-B (01/15)

Difference ADG 0.28*

Thanks to LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin), parasite control will never be the same.

Available in 500 mL, 250 mL and 50 mL bottles.

Av Administer subcutaneously at 1 mL/110 lbs.

1

Data on file at Merial.

2

Dependent upon parasite species, as referenced in FOI summary and LONGRANGE product label.

3

LONGRANGE product label.

April 2015 Cattle Business 21

President's Report by: Sara Terrell, Mississippi Junior Cattlemen’s President

As president of the Mississippi Junior Cattleman’s Association, I am thrilled to be able to represent our junior cattleman across the state.

I am the 19- year-old daughter of Lucy Acy and Bruce Terrell. I was born and raised in Brookhaven, and I am a freshman at Hinds Community College majoring in Animal and Dairy Sciences. I plan on continuing my education at Mississippi State University in the fall of 2016. While at Hinds, I have been actively involved in the Ag. Club/Collegiate FFA where I serve as secretary. I have just recently been chosen as a Beef Ambassador for Mississippi, and I will go to Denver in September to compete for one of the five National Beef Ambassador positions.

Six years ago my passion for the livestock industry began when my Uncle Gordon gave me the opportunity to show a few of his Brahman calves at the local livestock shows. My cousins were actively involved in MJCA where they served as South District directors and secretary; through their involvement, it led me to also becoming a member, director, and now president.

I cannot explain how much I have learned about the cattle industry through MJCA.

22 Cattle Business April 2015

Twice I have been able to attend our Making Tracks camp during the summer which is held at Mississippi State University for three days.

Some of the activities we participated in at Making Tracks include: visiting South Farm, MSU Dairy, local farms, and the MAFES store. Some other highlights have been touring the vet school, attending AI and forage workshops, beef cook-offs, as well as bowling. This year Making Tracks will be held on June 22-24.

The month of February was quite hectic with all of the events that have been going on. MJCA hosted its membership meeting as well as a dance for all the kids that were showing during Round-up weekend.

During Dixie National Open Show, MCA held its convention in Jackson along with the Taste of Beef, MCA President’s Banquet, and the MCA/ Wax Scholarship Luncheon. During the luncheon many MJCA members received scholarships and we also honored Tucker Wagner, past MJCA president with a plaque.

MJCA directors helped during the convention and had items in both the silent and live auction to raise money for our activities. I encourage you to attend the convention next year it is a great educational event.

In the month of March I got the opportunity to visit Smith County to help organize a county junior cattlemen’s association. We had a great time meeting and playing games while the adults held their meeting. If your county has a junior group or would like to start a junior association please let us know, myself or one of the other directors would love to come and visit.

I am so excited about the year ahead of us and cannot wait to see everyone at Making Tracks and the state fair.

If anyone is interested in hearing more about MJCA and how your youth can become more involved please feel free to contact the MCA office. I would thoroughly enjoy speaking about our amazing association and the many opportunities it offers for Mississippi’s young cattlemen.

Save the Date!

Making Tracks June 22-24 • Starkville, MS Must be entering the 9th grade and be a MJCA member to attend.

Continued from page 17 expected from this type of system can take many years to build.

Recently, we see a lot of emphasis on soil biological activity, which means organisms present in the soil. Again for those organisms to colonize the soil and to live in the environment, we need to look at pH, soil structure, aggregate stability, moisture, temperature, nutrient supply and carbon transformations. Most of the microbes in agricultural soil are heterotrophic aerobes (organisms that do not produce their own food) and only a few have the nitrogenase enzyme system to fix nitrogen (N). Therefore, most microbes cannot provide the N they need and none can provide their own phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulfur (S). Fertile soils are the foundation for good crop production. Having a good ground cover with strong root system will develop habitats for soil microbe’s diversity.

The relationships between soil community structure and function are very complex. Soil formation and

reorganization is a process that takes a long time to happen. Soil quality (AKA “soil health”) should be measurable physical, chemical and biological attributes that relate to soil capacity to sustain grassland production as affected by specific management practices. There is a need to focus on current nutrient levels, soil biodiversity and ecological functions that may co-exist in such complex system and generate scientific data to support this concept more than just relying

on philosophical principles. At the present, there is a limited allocation of measurable soil functions that can explicitly assess soil health. Assessment of soil health across agricultural systems, soil types and climatic zones is

very complex and hard to comprehend due to the number of factors involved (Fig. 2). This means that no single indicator can provide a clear picture of soil health.

The NRCS website indicates that “soil health can increase productivity and profitability immediately.” Soil health is a slow process because it takes time to equilibrate pH, balance nutrient levels and most of all, building adequate levels of soil organic matter could take years depending on the soil type, texture, soil temperature, microbial activity, soil moisture, and forage species being used.

It important to be realistic and cautious about immediate changes in soil health.

It should be considered as a future benefit more than an instant impact. So, how can you develop a healthy pasture for future benefits?

Concentrate on balancing the concept of rotational grazing with adequate resting periods (depending on the type of forage species), grazing to a 3 to 4 inches stubble height, increasing water infiltration, monitoring nutrient levels and fertilizing when needed, and allowing proper grazing to recycle nutrients more uniformly.

April 2015 Cattle Business 23

Greetings from the CattleWomen by: Nancy Strickland, President, Mississippi CattleWomen’s Association Hello. Another month has passed and Spring has finally decided to arrive.

Our CattleWomen have already been busy helping with projects promoting beef. One of our biggest events is the legislative cookout that was held last month at First Baptist Church. I would like to give a special thank you to the CattleWomen who made desserts and also came and helped serve lunch to our legislature.

We have quite a few things going on this month. On April 2, we will be in Bude working on school programs. On April 4, we will be at the Ag Museum for a fun Easter egg hunt. On April 7, we will be in Crystal Springs for Environmental Day. In addition to this, some of us will be traveling to Florida on April 23-26 for Region II. I find that it’s always a good place to visit and learn about the new things that other states are doing and bring that knowledge back home.

Many times the media subject has been unfavorable toward beef and its

24 Cattle Business April 2015

relationship to health issues. Why is it we don’t constantly hear how bad ice cream is for you, but every time we open a magazine or turn on the television or radio, we hear about the “evils” of beef?

In addition to producing beef we must always be educators of our product. When we go to make meat choices we sometimes forget that beef gives us all the nutrients needed for a healthy lifestyle.

Beef has the same calories, and in some cases, fewer calories than other meats but also increases muscle mass and metabolism. Ladies, we need to remember beef is a good source of COQ10 which helps remove and prevent those wrinkles.

You know there’s always something new to learn about beef. It can be prepared in so many delicious ways.

We need everyone to discover the power of protein in the land of lean beef.

As CattleWomen, our most important job is letting people know how good our product is, and we can do this by you and I paying our state membership dues. If you haven’t paid your dues of $20, please do so today. Ask a friend to join!

We need your help promoting our product.

Have a great month!

BEEF SAUSAGE & EGG MUFFIN CUPS INGREDIENTS: 1 recipe Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage (recipe below) 1 can (4-1/2 ounces) chopped green chiles, undrained 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese 5 large eggs 1/4 cup milk 1 to 2 teaspoons regular or chipotle hot pepper sauce Salt and pepper INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 12-cup standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage. Stir chiles and cheese into beef mixture. Evenly divide mixture into prepared pan.

Whisk eggs, milk and hot sauce, as desired, in medium bowl. Evenly divide egg mixture over beef mixture in muffin cups.

Bake in 375°F oven 17 to 20 minutes or until egg mixture is set and just beginning to brown. Let stand 2 minutes. Loosen edges; remove from muffin pan. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with Toppings, as desired.

Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage: Combine 1 pound ground beef, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add beef mixture; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.

Drain fat, if needed.Total Recipe Time: 45 to 50 minutes Makes 4 servings

Continued from page 19 test results to make management decisions, then it may be hard to justify the expense of testing.

One of the most obvious considerations when deciding whether or not to test is the cost of a disease outbreak versus cost of preventing or reducing disease through diagnostic testing strategies. With the previous examples, diagnostic testing can cost up to $9.00 per test per animal.

This doesn’t include the time, labor, shipping costs, and other expenses involved. For most infectious diseases of cattle such as BVD or Johne’s, the cost of disease prevention is much lower than the cost of disease control or a disease outbreak. Abortion storms or shipping fever outbreaks can devastate your calf crop, taking years to recover.

Another consideration is the accuracy of the test. No test is 100 percent perfect, and anytime we test animals we risk false positive or false negative test results.

Under most circum-

stances, an apparently healthy animal with a positive test will have to be retested for confirmation. Likewise, just because an animal may test negative for a disease or pathogen doesn’t guarantee that they are free from infection.

Your veterinarian can help you determine which diagnostic tests are most appropriate for your operation.

Obviously, other herd health management factors, including vaccination and biosecurity plans, must be considered when deciding whether or not to test for a particular disease. What is the overall risk to a particular disease on your operation? Do you maintain a closed herd, or do animals move between operations or livestock shows?

What other herd health measures are in place that may be just as valuable, or even more valuable, than wholeherd testing? Biosecurity practices will help reduce new disease introduction to your operation as well as reduce transmission of pathogens between animals already in your herd. Always isolate and test new additions, and

make sure all animals are current on their vaccinations. Maintaining animal identification and accurate health records are essential. Research has shown that cattle buyers are willing to pay more for animals backed by information documenting their health status, such as BVD. Deciding whether or not to test your cattle for these serious diseases is not an easy task. I can’t answer that question for you, but hopefully I have provided you with some issues to discuss with your herd veterinarian. Disease testing strategies can add value to your herd, or they can be a waste of time of money. This year you will likely invest a lot of time and money into your herd health program. Protect your investments and consult with your veterinarian as you are planning your herd work. Investing in improving your herd health program now may bring you even better returns in the future.

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www.wfherefords.com April 2015 Cattle Business 25

Nutritional Management of Replacement Heifers

by Dr. Brandi Bourg Karisch, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Mississippi State University The replacement heifer is the foundation of a productive cowherd, and it is important to give her the best chance at having a long and productive life in the herd. Early development and her early reproductive performance are among the best indicators of how she will perform later in life. The ultimate goal for that heifer is to wean a calf every 365 days that weighs approximately ½ of her body weight, and that heifer is expected to wean her first calf, while still growing herself, and rebreed in time to join the rest of the herd for her second calf.

This can be a daunting task, and it is very important that we provide that heifer with proper nutrition to meet these goals.

When determining the nutritional

26 Cattle Business April 2015

needs for a heifer development program, it is best to divide the program into 4 stages. The first stage consists of a growth period from weaning to breeding (approximately 240 days), stage 2 consists of the breeding season (approximately 60 days), the third stage consists of the gestation period (from breeding to calving), and the fourth stage consists of the time from calving to rebreeding. It is generally recommended to breed heifers to calve 30 days before the rest of the cowherd to allow extra time to rebreed for the second calf, and the development plan should be determined accordingly.

In discussing an example for nutritional needs for developing replacement heifers, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll refer to this standard scenario. A heifer with an expected

mature weight of 1,100 lbs, needs to reach 67% of her mature weight at breeding, and 80% of her mature weight at calving. Therefore our target weights are 737 lbs at breeding time, and 935 lbs at calving. If heifers are weaned at 6 months of age at 450 lbs, she then has 240 days to reach her breeding weight, and would need to gain 1.2 lbs per day.

During the growth phase of heifer development, that heifer requires 1.3 lb of crude protein per day, and 15.6 Mcal of energy per day (based on NRC requirements). If in our example heifers are weaned in the fall (spring calving herd), the forage available would typically be mature or processed winter forage. We sent our hay to be tested, and discovered

it was 8% crude protein and had 0.9 Mcal of energy. If she eats 2.2% of her body weight on average of forage, she would eat 11.1 lbs of that hay per day, and it would provide her with 0.88 lbs of protein, and 10.0 Mcal of energy. If we compare that back to her requirements, we can see that the forage alone did not provide enough energy or protein to meet her needs to grow at 1.2 lbs per day, so we would need to provide her with a supplement to reach our targets.

The same calculations can be performed at each stage of development for these heifers. It is important to remember not to forget one of the most important of these phases, the time from calving to breeding. It is often a neglected time in that first calf heifer’s development, but it is important to remember, not only is that young cow in her peak lactation and preparing to breed back for a second calf, but she is also still growing.

At this point, that cow has not yet reached her mature size.

Another good practice for the entire herd is the separation of females into

management groups. It is important to remember that the nutritional needs of a female will vary greatly depending on her stage of production, and phase of life. If supplemental feed is provided to the entire herd as one large group, some cows or heifers may be underfed, while some will be overfed, which leads to a not very efficient use of feed resources. If the herd is able to be maintained in separate groups when supplemental feed is provided, it is easier to more closely meet the needs of each group.

A point to remember that cannot be emphasized enough is the importance of knowing the nutritional value of the forage available for the heifers.

In the example above, supplement needs were determined based on the deficit left from the forage. If the forage was high quality, and provided more nutrients, supplementation of replacement heifers may not be necessary. However, the only way to know if a forage provides enough of a nutrient to meet a developing heifer’s needs is through testing, as forage quality varies greatly.

Lastly, remember that the development phase for replacement heifers can lay the foundation for a productive cowherd, with females who will stay in the herd for a long period of time, and remain productive throughout their lifetime. Therefore, it is important to do your homework and determine what those heifers require during each phase of development, and closely match your forage resources to meet those needs.

For more information about beef cattle production, contact an office of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, and visit http:// msucares.com/livestock/beef/heifer. html to learn more about the Miss Premium Heifer Development Program.

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Cow Talk

by Chase Dickens One peaceful morning the cattle grazed lazily in the back field of the Dickens Farm. Two cows stood slightly apart from the rest of the herd. Their names were Beatrice and Bertha and, while the rest of the herd was busy doing bovine-related activities, they seemed perfectly content watching the sunrise and simply enjoying each other’s company. The crunching of gravel under tires drew their attention towards the barn, and they both watched as a short redbearded man climbed out of his truck and began loading feed into the bed.

Beatrice turned to her companion and said, “Moo.” This seems like pretty standard behavior for a cow since, according

to our leading expert on Animal Linguistics, Ole McDonald, the cows say Moo. However what folks don’t realize is that thousands of years ago, back when cavemen were still doodling on cave walls, ancestral cows had already established a complex language of their own. Despite it being so far back that “taking your date clubbing” had an entirely different meaning, our ancestral cows were on to something.

Their language was, and still is, called Cow Talk--which is basically the standard form of bovine coMOOnication (Sorry, the pun couldn’t be avoided).

In Cow Talk what Beatrice actually sid was, “Looks like Chase’s gunna try to catch us again.”

“Bless his heart.” Bertha mooed in

reply.

With an air of disinterest only cattle and cats can muster, the pair watched Chase pull his truck into the catch pen and begin pouring feed into a trough.

One by one, the herd hurried into the pen to gorge themselves until only the two cows remained in the field.

“You going in?” Bertha asked.

Beatrice chewed her cud for a moment. “Naw,” she answered, “I’m gunna hang back and see what the doofus has planned today.”

The doofus’s plan was simple. After putting out feed, he would pull the truck into the barn then hide and wait.

Once all the cows were in the pen, he would jump the fence, sprint to the gate, and close it before the herd

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could escape. Chase was confident the plan would work, but then again he was a doofus.

Once the truck was out of sight, Beatrice and Bertha moseyed over to the gate and stopped just short of the pen, staring expectantly at the barn. Sure enough after a few minutes Chase’s red-bearded face peeped through a hole in the wall.

“Look at him he’s like a wee little leprechaun watching over a pot of gold,” Beatrice giggled.

“What a doofus,” Bertha said. “Hey Mr. Lucky Charms, we can see you!”

Of course being completely unversed in Cow Talk all Chase heard was a slightly louder Moo, which, for all he knew, could’ve meant, I wonder where that stunningly handsome fellow went.

He and the two cows stared at each other for several minutes. Eventually, Beatrice grew bored with this and said to her friend, “Let’s have a little fun with him. Follow my lead.”

The pair walked casually towards the trough, sneaking the occasional

peek at Mr. Lucky Charms. Once the two cows were a few dozen yards into the pen, Chase moved slowly from his hiding place.

“Wait for it.” Beatrice whispered as Chase crept quietly to the fence, keeping his eye on the cows.

“Wait for it.”

Chase swung one leg over the fence.

“Now!” Beatrice and Bertha spun and made a break for the gate. Seeing his quarry escaping, Chase scrambled to get over the fence. In his rush his foot caught the top pole and he hit the ground faster than a toeless ballerina with a bad case of vertigo. The two cows were halfway to the field when he found his footing and began sprinting for the gate. The race was going to be a close one. Chase’s stubby legs pumped with all his might. Beatrice and Bertha’s long ears flapped like wings with every step.

Beating the cows by mere seconds, Chase tried to push the gate closed but only managed to swing it a few feet

before Bertha’s shoulder slammed into it. The gate flew back towards Chase and struck him hard in both shins.

The rest of the herd, startled by the commotion, stampeded from the catch pen and joined the two giggling cows in the field. Chase laid on the ground whimpering.

Beatrice and Bertha watched Chase give up and limp back to the barn. In a few minutes his truck was headed down the driveway. Only then did the two cows reenter the pen for their hassle free breakfast. In between bites of feed Bertha said, “Poor Chase, he really is a bad farmer.”

“Not a very good runner either,” Beatrice said. “And probably a lousy writer too.”

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Vaiden cattleman Charlie Hull was recently inducted into the Cattlemen’s Hall of Fame on February 14, 2015. At 77-years-old, Hull has been an advocate and friend of the cattle industry his entire life.

Having served six years as our state’s representative on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, in addition to serving as a past president of the Mississippi Beef Council and Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association, Hull’s induction is, at the very least, well-deserved. However, because of Hull’s humble attitude, you’d hardly know of his many accomplishments and endeavors in the agriculture industry.

The son of a cattle and diary farmer, Hull doesn’t remember a time in his life when he wasn’t around cattle or immersed in the industry. And, according to him, that’s just the way he liked it. When he wasn’t helping his father on the farm, Hull was involved in the local 4H club.

After first buying a few heads of cattle in high school, Hull has owned cattle ever since and now maintains an operation of 350 registered Angus and Gelbveih cattle with his wife, Sandra, and son-in-law where they sale Balancer bulls. Although they started with 37 young bulls this past year, they are now down to only three.

“I reckon we just sold them pretty fast.” Hull said. “Most we sell through private trading to repeat customers in Mississippi and Alabama who buy from us year after year.”

In addition to managing his own cattle operation, Hull had a successful career in the agriculture industry where he retired as head of the state Agriculture Stabilization & Conservation Service (ASCS). Now a lifelong member of the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association, Hull has seen many changes occur over the years. Just recently, I was able to chat a bit with Mr. Hull about some of the changes he’s seen occur, some of his favorite memories, and even some things he’d like to see the association do in the future to continue improving.

On his favorite thing about being involved with the MCA and MBC, Hull said: “I’d have to say that the people have always been my favorite part about the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association and Mississippi Beef Council. All cattle people have a different outlook on life.

We have no choice but to be optimistic. Many of the people I’ve met during my time involved with MCA and MBC are my friends.

Although some are no longer here, it’s been such a blessing meeting the folks I’ve met and having those relationships.”

On one piece of advice he’d like to tell young members, Hull said: “Our association is one of the best in the nation. I’d say to participate in all the meetings and training sessions that are offered because you’ll always learn something. You’re never to old to learn something.”

On the main contribution, among many, the Cattlemen’s Association has done and continues to do for members, Hull said: “The Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association has been very good to the cattle business. They’ve helped eradicate diseases, improve the cowherd, and educate the cattlemen on the ways the industry is changing. I’ve seen some great presentations on changing health problems and how to communicate at sales. They’ve just done a remarkable job on even the small things. I’ve been so proud to be a part of it. I’m proud to be a member.”

On how the industry has changed over the years, Hull said: “The industry has grown tremendously in some ways because the cattlemen is now more technical and precise than he’s ever been before.

My dad’s operation was different than On the things that make him proud the average operation now because it’s of the association, Hull said: much more technical. There are fewer “There’s a lot of things that make and fewer small cattle operations now me proud. This association is top and it’s mainly larger operations. I’d notch. I think the scholarship program like to see that become more even. is really something good. It’s good for I’ve seen the numbers of membership the kids and will have impacts that are go up and then go down and then noticeable in generations to come. I go back up again. We’re really doing like to see how the Beef Barn has gotbetter with getting the kids involved, ten bigger and more successful each and I think that’ll help the association year. I like the people because cattle down the road.” people are the cream of the crop.”

On something he’d like to see the As we concluded our interview, association do in the future, Hull said: Hull concluded by saying, “I’m real “I’d like to see membership numbers honored y’all want to do a section on continue to rise. What I’d like people me. That is real nice. Every cattleman to know and make a point in getting and woman in this state is special. As across is that you don’t have to be a for me, I’m just Charlie.” cattleman to be a member of the association. Somehow in the future, it would be good to branch out and get more businesses involved that have a stake in the industry. Numbers Highly productive and palatable forage and hay for all classes of grazing livestock help to control things, that’s just the way it is.”

Cheyenne II is an exclusive, certified variety of bermudagrass developed in On the conjunction with Texas A&M University. It is a single variety and not a Beef Checkoff bermudagrass blend, so it will not revert or change over time. Cheyenne II Program, is well adapted across the bermudagrass growing region as a long-lasting perennial. It produces leafy, high yielding horse quality hay and is excellent Hull said: for grazing livestock. Cheyenne II offers an economical and easy alternative to “I love the sprigging because it is established from seed. Plant with your own equipment Beef Checkoff and on your own time. Can be used to plant large or small acreage or to Program. I thicken existing thin hybrid bermudagrass stands. can’t imagine A New and Improved Variety that is a cattleman University Tested and Farmer Proven that, if he Forage Bermudagrass Yield Trials really looked Overton, TX - Starkville, MS - Tifton, GA Variety Yield (lbs DM/A)* closely, Cheyenne II 9736 didn’t.

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April 2015 Cattle Business 31

Mississippi

Jr.

Each year MJCA recognizes a outstanding young cattle producer who has shown real world knowledge of the cattle industry through management, record keeping, and work ethic.

The size of the operation is not important, as award decisions are based on knowledge of their operation.

Each applicant must answer several

questions based on their operation and submit a pictorial digest. The applications are judged by a panel of judges who work in the cattle industry. The Star Junior Jr. Division winner received a leather award plaque and a $100 Scholarship at the MCA Convention in February.

Karlea Grace Dixon of Sontag was chosen as the 2015 Star Junior Jr. Division winner. Karlea is a 8th grader at Rod Paige Middle School.

She and her family own Callie Cattle Company. Karlea started with two Brangus heifers, and now she owns ten cows, three heifers and four bulls that are registered.

She began showing cattle at eight, with a commercial heifer. Over the past few years she has shown Brangus, commercial heifers and market steers.

32 Cattle Business April 2015

Star

✰

Junior

Cattleman Karlea is the fourth generation of her family to work their 400 acre farm. The farm was purchased in the 1940’s by her great grandfather. Her family has been involved since the early 1900’s in the cattle business and she is happy that she can carry on that tradition.

“There is nothing I love more than being around cattle and raising quality stock or breeding and showing,” says Karlea.

She credits her uncle, Jason Lea, as her mentor in the cattle business and credits him with her love of the cattle business.

“He has been a great role model and has shared his invaluable ranching knowledge with me,” states Karlea.

Another person that she credits with helping her is longtime Brangus breeder, Gerald Sumrall. She has purchased cattle from him to improve her herd. Her goal is to grow her registered herd of Brangus cattle. She is using all of her show heifers to help her achieve this goal.

Active in the show ring Karlea has shown both on a state and national level by attending the National Junior Brangus show where she had Bred and Owned Reserve Champion Brangus Bull in 2014. At that show she also placed in the top six in showmanship for her age group.

Karlea and her uncle oversee their commercial

herd of Angus crossed cows.

Her chores include feeding, rotating the cattle grazing, tagging calves as they are born, and helping with the herd health program.

Selling her show steers has been one of her major sources of income from her herd, but now she has started selling bulls to local cattlemen.

Karlea states that her biggest expenses are new show calves, feed, show ring supplies and new cowboy boots.

Her future goals are to become a cattle broker in Mississippi. She would like to have a successful livestock marking company so that she can visit ranches and look at cattle across the state. She feels that by meeting with producers on their operations she can learn more about them and help them market their cattle better.

✰

Mississippi

Sr.

Just like the Junior Division, the Mississippi Star Junior Cattleman Sr. Division award was designed to focus entirely on the cattle operation held by an MJCA member. The Star Junior Sr. Division winner received a leather award plaque and a $500 Scholarship at the MCA Convention in February.

Corrine Jackson of Eupora was

selected as the 2015 Star Junior Cattlemen Senior Division winner.

She is a junior at Mississippi State University majoring in Accounting.

Corrine has been involved with cattle for her entire life. Her mother, Dr. Nancy Jackson is a large animal veterinarian who owns her own practice.

For many years Corrine has assisted in her mothers practice by helping vaccinate cattle, assist with surgeries and pulling calves.

When Corrine was eleven her family purchased land so that they could start their own cattle operation.

Although they started with 20 heavy bred heifers, the family now runs over 100 head of cattle.

Corrine began showing cattle later than most young people opting to

Star

✰

Junior

Cattleman participate in rodeo through most of her childhood and teenage years. She did have some success in the ring by having the Reserve Grand Champion Commercial English Heifer at the 2014 State Fair. She also placed 5th in showmanship at the 2013 State Fair.

Corrine participated for two years in the 4-H Heifer Development Project were she learned how to select, develop, and keep good records on three heifers for the year long project.

“I believe that good quality cattle, along with good nutrition are the key to success in the cattle business,” states Corrine.

In 2014 Corrine purchased four bred heifers, two cow/calf pairs, and three bred cows from her parents. Of the nine animals she purchased six of them had been her show heifers in 4-H. “I made my selection based upon their physical appearance, conformation, and calving records on the older cows.

All of the cows were bred to her family’s registered Angus bulls. But because calf weights were important to her she purchased a registered Brangus bull that is in the breeds top percent for weaning weight and yearling weight.

This year Corrine sold her first registered bull calf at the Mississippi Beef Agribition sale. Her Ultrablack bull will be the first one sold with her

✰

Crown Rockin’ C freeze brand, which she designed and registered with the State of Mississippi. She will also will be selling her calves in the fall to help generate income for her operation.

As an accounting major Corrine keeps a close eye on her expenses.

Purchasing cattle, feed, hay and minerals are her biggest expenses. In exchange for labor her family allows her to graze her cattle with their herd and allows her to reduce her costs on equipment, fertilizer, fencing, and other expenses.

After graduation Corrine would like to buy her own land and continue her cattle operation along with raising Quarter Horses.

April 2015 Cattle Business 33

Bull Management Prior To Breeding Season

gradually. Producers need to try to keep the total diet of these young bulls at, or near, 12% crude protein. by: Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Extension Therefore the forage needs to be excellent quality. Allow the change of Before the breeding season begins, centrate portion is 60 to 70 percent diets to take place gradually, instead of a few simple management procedures of their previous intake. The amount allowing a rapid condition and weight involving the bulls can increase the of grain can be reduced at the rate of loss during the first of the breeding likelihood of a high pregnancy perabout 10 percent per week until the season, which could be reflected in a centage among the cows. desired level is achieved. At the same reduced calf crop next year.

Any rancher that purchases a time, substitutions should be made Other bull management strategies young, highly fitted or conditioned in the form of quality forages--such include the following: bull should plan to gradually reduce as high quality grass hay or alfalfa In multi-sire pastures, make certain the fleshiness of the bull before the hay. Ideally, this letdown should be that the bulls that will be pastured breeding season. To let these bulls completed prior to the time bulls together have been in a common down, it is a good practice to start are turned out. Dramatic nutritional trap or pasture prior to the breeding them on a ration that is not too dischanges can have an adverse effect on season.

Bulls WILL establish a social similar to the one to which they have semen production, so it is important hierarchy.

It is better to get this done been accustomed, but that the conthat these ration modifications be done before the breeding season begins rather than wait until they are first placed TEXAS TOUGH + BRAND BERMUDAGRASS with the cows.

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Put young bulls with young bulls and 903-597-6637 800-888-1371 mature bulls with www.easttexasseedcompany.com seeds@easttexasseedcompany.com mature bulls. Mixing the ages is will result SEEDED BERMUDAGRASS STUDY in the mature bull ANNUAL DRY MATTER FORAGE YIELDS dominating the 2011, 2012, & 2013 younger bull comMISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY pletely, and in some STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI Number one yielding seeded Total instances causing a bermudagrass in production trials Variety Harvest Date Yield serious injury.

If at TAMU Agrilife Extension & LB / LB / LB / 3 Research Center, Overton, TX the plan is to rotate ACRE ACRE ACRE YEAR and Mississippi State University. bulls during the 2011 2012 2013 AVG RANK Lower planting rate (10# per acre) breeding season, then Texas Tough + 4,646 11,488 7,618 7,917 1 due to being pure seed and not use the mature bulls coated.

Sungrazer + 3,516 11,281 6,599 7,132 2 first, and follow with Buckaroo 3,979 10,881 6,428 7,096 3 Economically priced to avoid the the yearling bulls in high cost and risk of sprigging Cowboy 3,426 10,054 7,301 6,927 4 the last third of the hybrid-bermudagrass pastures Ranchero Frio 3,051 10,374 7,013 6,713 5 and beefing up existing breeding season. In bermudagrass pastures.

Numex Sahara 3,201 10,293 6,772 6,755 6 this way, the young Amarillo King 3,586 9,873 6,561 6,673 7 15% higher yield (four year bulls will have fewer average) than Coastal Laredo 3,410 9,975 6,654 6,680 8 cows to settle, and Bermudagrass.

Highlander 2,379 10,880 6,159 6,473 9 will be 1 - 2 months Mohawk 3,163 9,739 6,321 6,408 10 Planted in twenty states older when they start surpassing 500,000 acres since Cheyenne II 3,612 9,334 5,941 6,295 11 breeding.

1994.

Rancher 2,830 9,740 6,085 6,218 12 Check the feet and Hay show winner with quality at have hoof trimming 22.5% digestible crude protein.

Planting Date: 6/4/11 (Replanted 7/13/11) completed at least 10 lbs (P.L.S.) Planting Rate, LSD (0.05) Commercially available varieties only included in these results.

Virtually disease free, drought 30 days prior to the tolerant and easy to establish. start of the breedStands stay productive year after year. ing season to avoid I first planted Texas Tough + Bermudagrass in the Spring of 2009 for grazing and baling. My Texas Tough + has been lame or sore-footed free of disease with no loss of stands. My yields have remained consistent with no loss in production even through bulls at the imporour drought of the last four years. It establishes fast with excellent forage quality and much finer stems than Coastal Bermudagrass. It has increased my grazing time from 90 days on native grasses to 150 days on my Texas Tough tant beginning of the stands. I plan on planting more in 2015.

Denny Chaney- Bertram, TX breeding season.

34 Cattle Business April 2015

2015 DIXIE NATIONAL SALE OF JUNIOR CHAMPIONS

Grand Champion & Champion Heavyweight European Cross Steer Anna Cascio - Forrest 4H

Reserve Grand Champion & Res. Ch. Heavyweight European Steer Exhibited by Collin Culpepper Forrest 4H

Champion English Steer Exhibited by Baleigh/Emree Sifford Hinds 4H

Reserve Champion English Steer Exhibited by Shelby Young Covington 4H

Ch. Lightweight European Steer Exhibited by Drew/Russ Wagner Newton 4H/FFA

Res. Ch. Lightweight European Steer Exhibited by Kody/Kash Miller Smith 4H

Reserve Champion Brahman Steer Exhibited by Colton/Kade Lott Forrest 4H

Reserve Champion Brahman Steer Exhibited by Casey/Sean Middleton Smith 4H

MS Bred Grand Champion Steer Exhibited by Collin Culpepper Forrest 4H

MS Bred Reserve Champion Steer Exhibited by Baileigh/Emree Sifford Hinds 4H April 2015 Cattle Business 35

DIXIE NATIONAL JUNIOR ROUND-UP

Champion Angus Bull Jacob Carpenter Tippah 4H

Reserve Champion Angus Bull Gabrielle Simpson Mantachie FFA

Champion Angus Female John McGregor Davis Union 4H

Reserve Champion Angus Female Dalton Cooper Union 4-H

Champion Beefmaster Bull Austin Roebuck Attala 4H

Reserve Champion Beefmaster Bull Chloe Tomlinson Lamar 4H

Champion Beefmaster Female Ty Reeves/Mary-Kathryn Simmons Leake 4H

Reserve Champion Brahman Bull Janie Carol Parish Jones 4H 36 Cattle Business April 2015

Res. Champion Beefmaster Female Anna Byrd Greene 4-H

Champion Brahman Female Janie Carol Parish Jones 4H

Champion Brahman Bull Collin Culpepper Forrest 4H

Reserve Champion Brahman Female Ashley Ivy Jones 4H

DIXIE NATIONAL JUNIOR ROUND-UP

Champion Brangus Bull Anna Beth/Sy Sullivan Simpson 4H

Reserve Champion Brangus Bull Leâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Marcus Logan Madison 4H

Champion Brangus Female Karlea Grace Dixon Lawrence 4H/FFA

Reserve Champion Brangus Female Rustin Anderson Jones 4H

Champion Charolais Bull Austin Smith Covington 4H

Reserve Champion Charolais Bull Kaden Sanford Covington 4H

Champion Charolais Female Houston Snyder Tallahatchie 4H

Reserve Champion Charolais Female Joshua Bell Hinds 4H

Champion Chianina Bull Seth Walters Jasper 4H

Reserve Champion Chianina Bull Katie Riley Clarke 4H

Champion Chianina Female Kylie Roberts Smith 4H

Reserve Champion Chianina Female Kody Miller Smith 4H April 2015 Cattle Business 37

DIXIE NATIONAL JUNIOR ROUND-UP

Champion Gelbvieh Bull Jacey Laine Johnson Panola 4H

Reserve Champion Gelbvieh Bull Jacey Laine Johnson Panola 4H

Champion Gelbvieh Femaie Hunter/Elizabeth Ellis Tallatatchie 4H

Photo Not Available

Reserve Champion Gelbvieh Femaie Macey/Anna/Joseph Nelson Pike 4H

Champion Hereford Bull Marlee Turner Alcorn 4H

Reserve Champion Hereford Bull Walker McGuffee Simpson 4H

Champion Hereford Female Walker McGuffee Simpson 4H

Reserve Champion Hereford Female Walker McGuffee Simpson 4H

Champion Red Angus Bull Ashley Claire Smith Panola 4H

Reserve Champion Red Angus Bull John McGregor Davis Union 4H

Champion Red Angus Female Baylee Green Scott 4H

Reserve Champion Red Angus Female John McGregor Davis Union 4H

38 Cattle Business April 2015

DIXIE NATIONAL JUNIOR ROUND-UP The Mississippi Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association and Cattle Business In Mississippi congratulate all the Dixie National competitors.

Remember, the Dixie National may be over but these youth deserve our support throughout the year!

Champion Santa Gertrudis Bull J.D. Chism Pontotoc 4H

Res. Champion Santa Gertrudis Bull Colton Mayfield Hinds 4H

Champion Santa Gertrudis Female Colton Mayfield Hinds 4H

Res. Champion Santa Gertrudis Female Jenna/Wyatt Fullington Hinds 4H

Champioin Shorthorn Bull Jenna/Wyatt Fullington Hinds 4H

Reserve Champioin Shorthorn Bull Adison McCurdy Quitman 4H

Champioin Shorthorn Female Anna Cascio Covington 4H

Reserve Champioin Shorthorn Female Triston Roberts Smith 4H

Champion Simbrah Bull Lamar/Marie Clanton Franklin 4H

Reserve Champion Simbrah Bull Taylor/Tatum Madden Covington 4H

April 2015 Cattle Business 39

DIXIE NATIONAL JUNIOR ROUND-UP

Champion Simbrah Female Taylor/Tatum Madden Covington 4H

Reserve Champion Simbrah Female Marie Clanton Franklin 4-H

Champion Simmental Bull Chance Robinson Panola 4H

Reserve Champion Simmental Bull Lane/Ty Goley Independence FFA/Tate 4H

Champion Simmental Female Tyler Diffey Holms 4H

Reserve Champion Simmental Female Anna Christine Smith George 4H

Champion Percentage Simmental Bull Aaron Fountain Green 4H

Reserve Champion Percentage Simmental Bull Layden McLaurin Covington 4H

Champion Percentage Simmental Female Lexi Gibson Newton 4H/FFA

Reserve Champion Percentage Simmental Female Joseph Windham Covington 4H

Champion All Other Breeds Bull Kylie Roberts Smith 4H

Res. Champion All Other Breeds Bull Jordan Thornton Pearl River 4H

40 Cattle Business April 2015

DIXIE NATIONAL JUNIOR ROUND-UP

Ch. All Other Breeds Female Lexi Gibson Newton 4H/FFA

Res. Ch. All Other Breeds Female Ayden Wolken Simpson 4H

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April 2015 Cattle Business 41

Advice for Building a Cattle Herd: Look Before You Leap Into the Cattle Business by: Dr. Wm. P. Howard Sedgewood Plantation has been running commercial Angus cattle since 1930 and Registered Angus cattle since 1994. We often get calls from people

that have been recently bitten by the “cattle bug” and want to start their own herd. Typically, they are long on enthusiasm and short on experience.

My advice to them is to remove their “rose-colored glasses” and plan ahead before rushing into the cattle business.

Building a cattle herd can give you a lot of satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, but can also quickly turn into a disaster if there is not a well thought out plan.

Typically, new cattlemen want to buy bred or open heifers to start their herd and are less interested in bred females over 4 years old. Obviously, young heifers must be more “sexy” than older “used” cows! It never ceases to amaze me when I go to a female sale and see an open heifer sell for just as much as her dam that has already been bred back.

What would be my advice for new cowboys who have never had the pleasure of pulling a dead calf in the middle of the night in January’s freezing rain? I usually try to explain that

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42 Cattle Business April 2015

there are three things you must have if you have any hope of making money in the cattle business. These things are: (1) You have to get a live calf on the ground.

(2) You want it born in the near future. The sooner the calf comes, the sooner you will have something to sell in order to begin recouping your investment.

(3) You must get the mama bred back to calve on time next year so she can continue to make the loan payments.

Cattlemen new to the business have a lot to learn. Although you can learn from reading and consulting experts, the harsh reality is that most seasoned cattlemen have earned a PhD from the Cowboy School of Hard Knocks.

Another harsh reality is that you will continue learning from this school as long as you stay in the cattle business!

The perfect recipe for a train wreck is to combine an inexperienced cattleman with a herd of inexperienced, young, bred heifers. The situation is even worse when the farm is located a significant distance from the owner’s residence.

If you start with virgin heifers it will be almost two years before you will have any income from that heifer.

You must first get them bred. Some may need to be culled due to fertility problems. Once you get the remainder bred, it will still be almost a year before they calve. Then, unless you are extremely lucky and have Divine intervention, you will most likely have to pull some calves.

If you start with bred heifers you will obviously have a calf much sooner, but you will still face a higher risk of calving difficulties. Inexperienced first-calf heifers then must undergo “on the job training” with their new baby. Most do fine, but some do not bond with their calves immediately or deliver the crucial colostrum on time. Even if she does everything right, a first-calf heifer’s colostrum doesn’t have the quality or quantity of antibodies found in a mature cow’s colostrum. As a result, calves out of first-calf heifers will typically have more respiratory infections, diarrhea, and fatality. This, of course,

provides more on the job training for the new cowboy on his way to becoming seasoned.

The other hurdle to be faced with heifers is getting them to breed back on time. Compared to a mature cow, it is more difficult to get a first-calf heifer to maintain body condition and breed back in order to deliver your paycheck on time again next year.

With proper nutrition and management, it can be done. However, that requires knowledge that often only comes after the new cowboy has paid his dues to the Cowboy School of Hard Knocks.

I encourage new cattlemen to build their herd on seasoned bred females that are 4 to 7-years-old. An older, experienced mama is much more likely to deliver a healthy baby without drama, clean it up, and nurse it immediately after birth. She will wean a heavier calf, breed back on time, and will be much more forgiving if the new cowboy makes a few mistakes. A cow’s most productive years are between 4 and 8 years of age. If you take care of your cattle, a good cow will be productive until she is 12 years old. At Sedgewood, many of our commercial cows are 14 to 16-years-old before they need to be retired. Ideally, you would buy breeding stock from a farm where you can review their calving record, verify their vaccinations, and have them checked for Anaplasma, BVD, and Bovine Leukemia Virus.

By starting with mature, experienced mama cows, a new cattleman will minimize the headaches that are a normal part of raising beef cattle and wean a higher percentage of calves. The icing on the cake is the larger paycheck that comes from selling a greater number of healthier, heavier calves at weaning.

While this discussion has made the case for not building a new herd with young heifers, once you get established you will want to keep your best heifers for replacement females. Hopefully by then the new cowboy will have enough experience to be successful in this next phase of the cattle business.

At Sedgewood Plantation, we breed and calve out thirty to forty commercial and Registered Angus heifers

each year. By trial and error we have developed a successful program where all our heifers are bred to calve at 24 months of age, wean a calf almost as heavy as the older mamas, and breed back on time for the next year.

The next installment of my “Advice for Building a Cattle Herd” series will discuss how we accomplish this.

For more information go to www.

SedgewoodAngus.com.

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY BEEF UNIT FIELD DAY WHEN

May 2nd, 2015 9am - 12pm WHERE

Save the Date!

Making Tracks June 22-24 Starkville, MS Must be entering the 9th grade and be a MJCA member to attend.

For more infromation visit www.mscattlemen.org

Beef Unit 60 Beef Unit Rd. Mississippi State, MS

FEATURING • Research program highlights • Breeding program updates • Management program highlights

MAKE PLANS TO SPEND THE DAY ON CAMPUS! BLOCK AND BRIDLE AND JUDGING TEAM ALUMNI MEETING Immediately following Lunch at the Beef Unit

BASEBALL

Stick around for baseball at 3 pm vs. LSU for Beef Day at the Ball Park!

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April 2015 Cattle Business 43

BEEF UNIVERSITY

SUMMER INTERN

AG IN THE CLASSROOM

DIETETIC CONVENTION

Culinary classes at Hinds Community College learned more about beef nutrition and recipes during a session conducted by Mississippi Beef Council (MBC) staff. Following the presentation students participated in a cooking demonstration.

Jessica Keyes served as the 2014 MBC intern. A student at Mississippi State University, Jessica spent the summer helping promote beef at events ranging from retail groceries to sporting events.

Mississippi’s beef producers are represented at several conventions of health professionals each year. These include the Dietetics Association, School Nurses Association, Association of Family & Consumer Sciences and Nurses’ Foundation.

Mississippi CattleWomen’s Association prepared teacher packets for 150 K-12 teachers attending the Farm Bureau-sponsored Agriculture in the Classroom programs. The program was presented in three cities introducing beef industry’s educational teaching aids to educators from across the state.

FARMTASTIC AGVENTURES

Staff and volunteers participated in the educational program, AgVentures, at the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum for youngsters at many sites across the state. Field days are opportunities to discuss nutrition and good health.

Seven hundred third graders attended FarmTastic at the Mississippi Trade Mart during the Dixie National Livestock Show. Beef was among the state commodities highlighted in the event.

BEEF DAY AT MSU

Fans attending the Mississippi State baseball game were treated to steak samples prepared by students and faculty of the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. The day was part of promotion activities highlighting summer grilling.

BEEF COUNCIL

44 Cattle Business April 2015

Eighteen members, representing a cross section of beef interests, comprise the governing body of the Mississippi Beef Council.

FEEDING THE TEAMS

Beef producers participated in team dinners at both Mississippi State University and Ole Miss, as players began practice for the football season.

Beef advertising is used in their school sports publications.

STOCKYARD VISITS

Jessica Keyes visited many of the state’s livestock auction markets to inform checkoff payers about their investment in the industry. The majority of state checkoff dollars are collected at these sale barns.

RETAIL WORKSHOPS

LOCAL BLOOD DRIVES

BEST STEAK CONTEST

promotion of the events.

The unique partnership with beef producers was widely publicized and media outlets were generous with free coverage of the drive. Connecting beef and good health in the consumers’ mind was an added benefit of the effort.

Beef council staff conducted two workshops for meat market managers and butchers in a large retail distributorship. Ideas for merchandising value cuts and holiday roasts were presented.

For the second year, Two Rivers Restaurant of Canton was declared home of “Mississippi’s Best Steak” in the statewide contest aimed at highlighting restaurants that do a great job featuring beef.

There were 1,200 votes cast for 112 restaurants across the state with recognition plaques awarded to the top 10 finishers.

STATE FAIR

The Celebrity Grilling Contest pits the news crews from two Jackson television stations and morning anchors from popular radio channels in a challenge for bragging rights for a year. Everyone has a great time and beef is the winner with the free publicity generated from the annual event.

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Staff and volunteers are actively involved in educational programs for youngsters at many sites across the state. Field days are opportunities to discuss nutrition and good health.

FALL GARDEN FEST

The annual open house was held in Crystal Springs at the Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Experiment Station where more than 5,000 attended the first week’s activities that included tours of the gardens and exhibits that include the beef display. Over 6,000 recipes were received by attendees. The recipes included quick and easy meal preparation using many of the new beef convenience products. During week two, 1,300 students and teachers attended the event and the Mississippi CattleWomen’s Association hosted an educational stop.

MBC partnered with 12 county cattlemen’s associations and local hospitals to host blood drives across the state. Cattlemen prepared beef burgers for donors and assisted in the

MISSISSIPPI BEEF COUNCIL FINANCIAL STATEMENT Combined Statements of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balance October 1, 2013 - September 30, 2014 REVENUES Beef Checkoff Revenues 628,788.00 Other Revenue (Interest/Misc./Late Chgs./Rd. Signs) 968.00 Total Revenues 629,756.00 EXPENDITURES National Programs Cattlemen’s Beef Board NCBA Refunds to States Meat Export Federation

300,182.00 20,000.00 28,423.00 6,000.00

STATE PROGRAMS Promotion Consumer Information Industry Information Producer Communication Research Administration Depreciation Miscellaneous Special Events Compliance

110,265.00 48,954.00 17,787.00 26,845.00 17,528.00 47,969.00 251.00 32.00 3,451.00 16,149.00

TOTAL EXPENDITURES

643,836.00

Annual Audit by - Lyle, Walker & Co., Ltd.

MISSISSIPPI BEEF COUNCIL 680 Monroe Street Jackson, MS 39202 www.msbeef.org (601) 353-4520

April 2015 Cattle Business 45

DEAR FELLOW BEEF PRODUCERS, There’s only one measurement that really matters when it comes to your Beef Checkoff Program: Do you get more out of it than the $1-per-head you put in?

Recent independent research shows you do, with a return of $11.20 for every $1 invested in the national program. Although not part of the national study, the programs conducted at the state level can only add to the overall effectiveness of our efforts. Obviously, the efforts we’re making as cattle producers are worth it.

Even more exciting, though, is how it was accomplished. Direction of state and national checkoff programs are in the hands of producers themselves, not just purchased “off the shelf.” While the return on investment is significant, the success comes about because of producers and importers participation in checkoff-directing boards and committees.

When you combine the return on investment with the process, it’s a very impressive result. With increasing sophistication of the process and even more producer input, I hope to see even better returns in the future. Let’s keep up the good work.

Yours truly,

Cevin Jones Chairman, Federation of State Beef Councils

NUMBERS DO THE TALKING

Nowhere do the numbers speak more clearly than in the new Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner digital campaign. Beginning in the spring of 2014, the campaign differed significantly from mass media, reaching people who aren’t immediately seeking beef information using an “under-the-radar” approach. It’s a one-on-one communication through a consumer’s computer, and aims to direct consumers to the BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com website, which contains recipes, tips, nutrition, safety and other information consumers want and need. Digital elements that drive consumers to the site include: • Banner Ads on sites like AllRecipes.com and MensFitness. com, which inspire consumers to think about tonight’s dinner with beef photos, recipes and information; • Search Advertising on engines such as Bing and Google for people proactively searching for information on food; • A Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner Facebook page, with almost 900,000 fans who receive recipe posts with photos on a regular basis; • Collaboration with other established recipe and nutritionrelated websites, such as Martha Stewart.com; • Videos that run before online television shows; and • Other “cutting edge” elements in digital marketing that allow the industry to target millennial consumers.

In just the first four months of the marketing campaign significant results were generated. More than 1.7 million consumers were reached through the campaign’s website, and the “no-recipe recipe” videos were viewed more than 5 million times on YouTube and other video online channels.

Furthermore, associated social media sites hosted more than 1 46 Cattle Business April 2015

million engagements, such as likes, comments, shares, re-tweets and click-thrus to checkoff resources, such as recipes. Because it’s available 24/7, the digital/social media tool is providing continual contact with consumers who are looking for meal solutions.

Unlike other kinds of outreach, almost all of that contact is positive in nature. Research shows that 97 percent of consumers have positive opinions about beef after visiting the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner website.

RETAILERS GET IN THE ACT

A new “Go Tasty, Go Lean” toolkit for supermarket retailers was developed to help on-staff dietitians make their stores a health and wellness destination for consumers – and to help sell more beef in the process. Part of a multi-phase research project conducted through the Beef Checkoff Program, the toolkit helped show that beef can provide a significant sales lift for retailers.

In fact, 84 to 94 percent of shoppers expressed purchase intent in the lean beef items they sampled during the test portion of the research, and significant increases in specific beef cut sales during the test were also generated.

The toolkit communicates beef ’s nutrient benefits at the same time as it generates these bottomline benefits. The toolkit, developed in partnership with registered dietitians, demonstrates that promoting beef ’s positive attributes – nutrition, taste and ease of preparation – not only results in higher sales, but enables supermarket dietitians to be able to talk knowledgeably and confidently about beef.

CATTLEMEN’S BEEF BOARD FISCAL YEAR 2014 EXPENDITURES Administration

$1,609,050

USDA Oversight*

$289,631

Program Development

$238,943

Program Evaluation

$175,274

Producer Communications

$1,478,324

Foreign Marketing

$7,355,729

Industry Information

$1,817,768

Consumer Information

$8,366,182

Research

$7,927,598

Promotion

$9,438,367

Total expenses

$38,696,866

Audited numbers

NUTRITION RESEARCH HAS VALUE

More research now shows that a heart-healthy diet that includes lean beef can reduce risk factors for heart disease. A study funded by the beef checkoff and the national Institutes of Health-supported Penn State General Clinical Research Center and published in the June 19, 2014 issue of Journal of Human Hypertension found that a dietary pattern rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy that includes lean beef – even daily – can reduce risk factors for heart disease, including elevated cholesterol and blood pressure.

According to lead researcher Penny M. Kris-Etherton, “this research adds to the significant evidence, including work previously done in our lab, supporting lean beef ’s role in a heart-healthy diet.” Researchers suggested the evidence supports the idea that it’s the total protein intake – not the type of protein – that is instrumental in reducing blood pressure.

A NEW PRODUCT WITH OLD ROOTS

It looks, acts and smells like bacon – but it’s beef. Schmacon™ is one of the latest checkoff-funded development projects that provides beef producers with extra alternatives for beef cuts.

The smoked and cured glazed beef slices received the prestigious 2014 Food and Beverage Innovations (FABI) Award by the National Restaurant Association at their restaurant, hotel and motel show.

Schmacon has less fat and sodium than bacon, and as a precooked product ready for crisping in an oven cooks in a fraction of the time. In winning the FABI award, it was heralded as a product with “bold imagination” and “great potential to help operators capitalize on consumer trends and drive operator success.” The product not only fits into healthy lifestyle trends, it also meets dietary needs of those religious or ethnic groups prohibited from eating pork products.

* This total also includes CBB’s costs associated with Freedom of Information Act requests and legal fees associated with lawsuits.

BEEF EXPORT VALUE ON RECORD PACE

Checkoff-funded efforts in the international arena are focused on some of the world’s most promising markets for U.S. beef, and exports to those markets are growing rapidly. For instance, strong performances in key Asian markets are putting U.S. beef export value on a record pace in calendar year 2014. Through July, exports totaled $3.89 billion, up 13 percent from a year ago. Export volume was up 4 percent to 687,752 metric tons.

In 2013, Japan reclaimed its position as the No. 1 international destination for U.S. beef when an increase in the age limit for eligible cattle fueled a large increase in exports. U.S. exports to Japan have been mostly steady this year, while Japan’s imports from other major suppliers such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada have declined.

Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan have also been strong growth markets for U.S. beef in 2014. In June, Hong Kong granted full access for U.S. beef for the first time since the December 2003 BSE case.

These results translate into remarkable returns for U.S. cattle producers. Export value per head of fed slaughter was nearly $300 in June and July, and averaged $273 for the first seven months of this calendar year. Per-head export value is up 13 percent from a year ago and has more than doubled in the past five years.

Whether promoting beef internationally or providing marketing support for the product in the United States, the Beef Checkoff Program has been committed to programs that build beef demand since 1986. The recent research showing a return of $11.20 for every dollar invested is a strong validation of that work.

April 2015 Cattle Business 47

E. G. “Gene” Morrison: A Pioneer of Mississippi’s Cattle Industry Editor’s note: Gene Morrison, along with the other researchers who worked alongside him at the Brown Loam Experiment Station, showed an

entire generation of cattlemen ways they could improve the profitability of their operations.

When Morrison came to Brown Loam, average weaning weights in the state were less than 400 pound and most calves were sold off the cow and shipped west.

48 Cattle Business April 2015

His studies of seasonal calving programs, growth implants, and other operational practices helped cattlemen better manage their cattle. Most notable was the 40-year study of winter grazing systems on the station.

Through annual reports and field days, Morrison demonstrated to cattlemen the practices that could add dollars to their bottom line. During his long career at the station, he showed countless producers how to add 300 pounds to their calves after weaning.

In recognition of his service to agriculture and his fellow man, Mississippi State University honored Morrison by naming the research farm the E. G. (Gene) Morrison Brown Loam Experiment Station.

The following article, compiled by his son, David, outlines some of the work done by Morrison A History of Research Conducted at Brown Loam Experiment Station

by E.G. (Gene) Morrison Gene Morrison served as Superintendent of the Brown Loam Experiment Station near Raymond, MS, from 1956 to 1990. Because of his years of service and research contributions, Mississippi State University recently named the Station

in his honor. During his 34 years as a research scientist at Brown Loam, Mr. Morrison conducted numerous research projects for the benefit of Mississippi beef cattle producers. This article is an attempt to overview his career research contributions.

The first research project conducted at the station compared dates of calving. This project began in the fall of 1947 (the year the station was established) when Mr. Ray Means, the first Superintendent, purchased 75 Hereford heifer calves. These were subsequently divided into 3 groups: one bred to calve in the fall, one bred to calve in the spring, and one managed for year-round calving. The project was continued by Mr. John Gill, Superintendent from 1950 to 1956, and was completed by Mr. Morrison, who published the results in 1961. Results indicated that all 3 systems can be used satisfactorily with weaning weights of calves averaging 427 lbs (spring-calving), 460 lbs (yearround calving), and 473 lbs (fall-calving), although calf marketing options are limited with year-round calving.

Research initiated by Mr. Morrison upon his arrival at Brown Loam included: 1) effect of stilbestrol implants on gains of steers grazing winter pasture, and 2) methods of finishing yearling and 2-yearold steers. As you can see, growth implants and steer finishing studies were just as important nearly 60 years ago as today. Mr. Morrison said he well remembers purchasing the 2-year-old steers for the second project from Gaddis Farms in Bolton, MS. From 1950 to 1960, cow numbers at Brown Loam increased substantially to over 700 head. Additionally, there was a sheep flock totaling about 500 head. Mr. Morrison remembers conducting a study comparing black-face and white-face ewes with the black face ewes being superior in lamb production.

During the 1960s, Mr. Morrison investigated three

forage management systems for fallcalving cows. The most important finding of this study was the significant benefit of using white clover in conjunction with tall fescue. Cows on this system weaned heavier calves

and Limousin bulls to produce exotic-cross calves. Angus-Hereford cross calves served as controls.

Results showed no effect of sire breed on calf weaning weight (avg. = 466 lbs), but calves from Angus cows weighed 48

at a lower production cost. Another important project, started in 1965, sought to determine the differences in lifetime production of Hereford cows calving first at either 2 or 3 years of age. This 10-year study utilized 80 spring-calving cows with an average mature weight of about 960 lbs. Only small differences were found in lifetime average calf weaning weight (379 vs 388 lbs) or weaning percentages (82 vs 80%) for heifers calving first at 2 vs 3, respectively. This was among the first projects in the US to show that lifetime production is maximized by 2-year-old first calving.

One of the most significant changes in the US beef cattle industry was the importation of the so-called exotic breeds from Europe and the emphasis on crossbreeding that began in the late-1960s and early 70s. Numerous crossbreeding research projects were conducted statewide, and Mr. Morrison was assigned the responsibility of evaluating Simmental and Limousin sires bred to Angus and Hereford cows.

This required the purchase of a herd of Angus cows, which came out of Missouri. Each fall from 1971-1974, Angus and Hereford cows were bred by artificial insemination to Simmental

lbs more at weaning than calves from Hereford cows.

This crossbreeding project led to

many other research opportunities.

The male crossbred calves were evaluated for post-weaning growth, feedlot efficiency, and carcass quality. The crossbred females were evaluated for maternal ability when bred to unrelated breeds of bulls.

This latter research could be superimposed over other projects such as forage systems research. An example of this was a project begun in 1981, which evaluated five pasture systems for spring-calving cows. These systems were based on either Coastal bermudagrass or bahiagrass perennial pastures overseeded with ryegrass, clover, or tall fescue either alone or in combination and utilized different nitrogen (N) fertilizer levels. These type research projects helped producers understand the effect of forage system on cow carrying capacity, cow/calf performance, winter feed needs, and year-round production costs.

Gene Morrison conducted research on all aspects of beef cattle production Continued to page 50

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Continued from page 49 during his career. Space does not permit discussion of research on growth implants, dewormers, protein and energy supplements for grazing cattle, feedlot finishing, grazing management, and others. However, one research area that deserves significant attention, because it brought Mr. Morrison and Brown Loam much notoriety, is winter grazing. Brown Loam had probably the most comprehensive program on this topic anywhere in the Southeastern US. The premise for winter grazing is taking light-weight fall-weaned calves (350-500 lbs) to heavier weights by grazing cool-season forages so that

by Spring, they weigh 650-800 lbs, the ideal weight for feeder cattle. In the early years, the base program at Brown Loam was to plant 90 lbs of wheat and 20 lbs of ryegrass seed per acre, fertilize with about 120 lbs of actual N fertilizer per acre (applied in split application), and graze 1.5 steers per acre from November to May. Over the years, many other systems were compared to this base system.

These included using different N fer-

tilizer levels, different stocking rates, and adding clover to the seed mix.

As new ryegrass varieties with greater cold tolerance were developed, it was found that wheat could be removed from the forage mix.

Each year, the cattle performance, cost of production, and return per steer and per acre for the various winter grazing systems were reported, as well as a 10-year average. Just before Mr. Morrison retired in 1992, a 40-year average performance was published. This showed: 1) the lowest purchase price for calves occurred in 1954 at $15.90 cwt. and the highest purchase price occurred in 1988 at $99.30 cwt.; 2) the steer gain per acre ranged from a low of 312 lbs in 1962-63 to a high of 722 lbs in 1987-88 and averaged 500 lbs for all 40 years, 3) in only 6 of the 40 years was the net return per acre negative, and 4) net return averaged $72.80 per acre. This research showed the opportunity Mississippi cattle producers had, and continue to have, for realizing increased profitability from their beef enterprise.

Larry DeMuth ABS Global

11445 Dry Grove Rd. Raymond, MS 39154

Cell:(601) 946-4574 • • • • •

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50 Cattle Business April 2015

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BIF To Meet June 9-12 In Biloxi The 2015 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Meeting and Research Symposium will be June 9-12 at the Beau Rivage Hotel and Conference Center in Biloxi, Mississippi. The theme for this year’s program is “Rebuilding a Cowherd.”

Co-hosted by the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Beef Cattle Improvement Association, the event will start at noon June 9 with registration and at 1 p.m. a Young Producers Symposium. A welcome reception begins at 5 p.m. followed by the National Association of Animal Breeders Symposium at 7 p.m.

The meeting will allow the research community and industry to meet and discuss issues surrounding the genetic improvement of beef cattle and for attendees to learn about technologies and management practices that can aid in the profitability of their operations.

On June 10, the meeting will start at 8 a.m. with a welcome and general session. Presentations and technical breakout sessions will follow through

June 11. Attendees are invited to participate in a spouses tour on June 10 and a producer tour on June 12.

Some of the topics to be covered include setting the stage for cowherd rebuilding, what sustainability means and why it matters, what sustainability data say about the beef industry, how current market incentives affect genetic selection, profitability: looking to an operation’s future, balancing novel and proven applications for female selection, cow lifetime productivity, and an adaptability panel discussion.

A link to online registration for the conference is now available at http:// beefimprovement.org/library/registration-info. Early registration is offered at a discounted rate and ends April 15.

Early registration cost to attend the full conference is $250. Day-only, student and media discount rates also are available. A room block is available at the conference hotel; go online to http://beefimprovement.org/library/ general-information for room block

instructions. The meeting is approved for 14 CEUs for American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) members in attendance.

The Beef Improvement Federation was formed more than 45 years ago to standardize beef cattle performance programs and evaluation methodology and to create greater awareness, acceptance and usage of these concepts for the genetic improvement of beef cattle. It represents more than 40 state and national beef cattle associations. For more information about this year’s event, contact Brandi Karisch, Assistant Extension/Research Professor with Mississippi State University at 662325-7465 or bkarisch@ads.msstate.edu

Long-Term Care Insurance Protection for Mississippi’s Cattlemen’s Association Members In addition to securing personal and financial independence, an important part of your retirement plan is having long-term care insurance. LTC gives you additional options for maintaining your quality of life. Like life insurance, it helps your loved ones remain free from fiancial burden, should you need expensive care late in life. Please call us to discuss if long-term care insurance is right for you. We offer knowledge and experience to help secure your retirement assets and income, maintain your standard of living, and protect your legacy.

Robert Ellis, Agent

Pam Creswell, Agent

662.455.9900 North/Central MS

601.992.4444 South/Central MS

601.992.4444 • www.nowellagency.com April 2015 Cattle Business 51

Mississippi BCIA 2015 Spring Bull Sale Results The Mississippi Beef Cattle Improvement Association wrapped up its Spring Bull Sale on March 6, 2015 in conjunction with the Hinds Community College Bull Test Sale.

of Macon, Mississippi. Other breeders marketing cattle in the MBCIA sale included FWH Farms, Gaines Farms, Good Cattle Company, Ingram Livestock, Thames Angus Farms, and

The MBCIA Spring Sale featured 9 performance-backed bulls from breeders across the state. Thank you to all of the consignors and buyers for supporting the Spring 2015 Mississippi BCIA Bull Sale.

The top-selling lot was GCC Mr. Gunman 301, a Charolais bull that sold for $6,000. GCC Mr. Gunman 301 was consigned by Good Cattle Company

Yankee Cutoff Angus Ranch. Sale receipts on 9 bulls totaled $31,650 for a sale average price of $3,517.

The objective of the Mississippi BCIA Bull Sale program is to encourage production and identification of genetically superior bulls by purebred breeders and to encourage the purchase and use of these bulls by commercial producers. Bulls offered through this

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sale have passed a breeding soundness exam, met minimum growth and scrotal circumference requirements, and are backed with extensive performance information. Heifers offered in these sales have met the requirements for the Miss Premium Heifer Program.

The MBCIA Fall Bull and Heifer Sale is currently held on the second Thursday in November, while the Spring Bull Sale is held in conjunction with the Hinds Community College Bull Test sale on the first Thursday in March.

Mississippi BCIA looks forward to another successful bull and heifer sale in Raymond, Mississippi in November 2015. Breeders interested in nominating bulls or heifers to the Fall BCIA Bull and Heifer Sale should complete and submit nomination forms to the MBCIA office by September 15, 2015. Bull and heifer sale rules, nomination forms, and other information on Mississippi BCIA are available on the BCIA website at: msucares.com/ livestock/beef/mbcia or by contacting an office of the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

TO COMMERCIAL CATTLEMEN. Take Advantage of:

) Timed A.I.

Evans Angus Farm Performance Tested Bulls

) Superior Genetics

Carcass Data Available 75% of our calves make CAB 100% calves grade Choice

) Uniform Calf Crop

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At Genex you have access to the industry’s most sought after genetics combined with outstanding service.

Contact Terry Loftis, 601-408-6872 to A.I. your commercial cattle and for information about commercial cattle field days in your area.

Call and come visit and see what we are doing!

Rusty Miller, manager 47771 Hwy 430, Vaiden, MS

(662) 237-6091 (662) 392-0181 Practical Cattle For Profit ©2012 CRI

52 Cattle Business April 2015

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MISSISSIPPI HEREFORD BREEDERS Bill Darnell, president Box 520 • Caledonia, MS 39740 (662) 356-6860

• H ORNED & P OLLED •

Greg Dimberg, vice-president 309 North Sabine • Charleston, MS 38921 (662) 647-8742

Gary & Doug Mitchell

Top Quality Horned Herefords from America’s Leading Bloodlines EPD’s Certified Herd Located off I-59 Carriere, MS

(601) 798-5715

1042 Hwy 2 Corinth, MS 38834 garydmitchell@bellsouth.net

Caldwell Hereford Ranch

Office: (662) 287-2501 Cell: (662) 284-5638 CH Broadband 5411 2006 Midwest & Southeast Show Bull of the Year MFC 38N Powerstroke 4T ET 2009 Dixie National Supreme Champion Bull

Herefordshire In Copiah P.O. Box 753 • Hazlehurst, MS 39083

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Don & Tammy Sims (662) 284-9410 Colton Sims (662) 415-5885 Jimmy Windham (662) 587-2633

Jim O’Mara

Herefords

Visit us before you buy.

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Visitors always welcome!

3600 Ludlow Road • Lena, MS 39094 • Good Hope Community

(601) 654-3584 email: omaraj@phelps.com Jimmie Harrell, manager, 601-320-5590 April 2015 Cattle Business 53

The Secret Is In The Sauce by: Erin Williams “That’s the beauty of a small town.

You know everyone,” Donna said.

As we gathered around the table lightheartedly chatting over how much creamer is necessary for a good cup of coffee, Louise Windham, Teresa Windham, and Donna Dunn couldn’t have more accurately represented the benefits of living in a small town.

The hearty laughs constantly being exchanged, the smell of bacon filling the air, and the “swish” sound of the door opening as new customers

54 Cattle Business April 2015

flocked in on a lazy Saturday morning made Zip’s Restaurant feel like home.

First glance at the front page of the menu and you’ll see the words “Zip’s Restaurant: Home of the Zip Burger” front and center. Despite being a food staple in Magee for many decades, the Zip Burger recently received statewide recognition after being named the 2015 Best Burger in the State by the Mississippi Beef Council.

The story behind this magnificent burger started all the way back in

1963 when Zip and Louise Windham bought a diner from Louise’s brother in downtown Magee and decided to call it Windham’s Restaurant. Serving classic American dishes with a local flare, Windham’s Restaurant immediately grew in popularity and hasn’t stopped since.

A teacher by trade, Louise would come help Zip at the restaurant every afternoon after she would get off of work. Now, over 50 years later, Louise can still be found daily helping out at the restaurant. However, she’s quick to shine the light back on Zip. “It was all Zip,” Louise said. “He was very extroverted and never met a stranger.

It didn’t take long until he became friends with just about everyone who entered.”

Although initially called Windham’s Restaurant, the Windham’s and their kids, David Windham and Donna Dunn, noticed a trend early on. “We would always hear people say ‘let’s go to Zip’s’,” Donna said, “They’d say it like that because they’d want to go see my dad. Because of that, we later changed the name to Zip’s Restaurant and it just fits.”

In 1978, after a fire that originated in the restaurant’s loft destroyed the building, the Windham’s began immediately making plans to reopen. With Donna getting married in the next couple weeks and David finishing college, life quickly got hectic for the Windhams. But, only a month later, Zip’s Restaurant opened the doors of its current location off of Hwy 49 South.

“The first thing that the new location was used for when we reopened was my rehearsal dinner.” Donna said.

“That was real special to me. For every stage of our life, this restaurant has served as a central gathering place.”

Louise decided that they needed to add an item to the menu to kickstart the new location. From that, the Zip Burger was born and would be comprised of a generous portion of beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and their special Zip Sauce. Since that day, the Zip Burger has been the number one seller at Zip’s Restaurant and now even comes in a smaller portion called the

Little Zip, as well as a larger portion with a double patty called the Double Zip. “Actually the Little Zip is plenty, but we do have a few people who order the Double Zip.” Teresa said.

“That’s a real hunk of meat though.

They’re served with fresh ground beef daily and each of them are handmade by our amazing cooks.”

In 1989, Zip and Louise sold the restaurant to their son David, who was also nicknamed Zip, to enjoy a few years of retirement. When David and his wife Teresa took over, they didn’t change anything. After all, as Teresa says, “If it aint broke, don’t fix it.”

In 1993, Zip Sr. went away to be with Jesus. Then in 2013, after a heartbreaking battle with cancer, Zip. Jr. went to be with Jesus and his father.

“It was terrible. I’ll never not get emotional thinking about it.” Teresa said. “He was the love of my life.

There were more people at his funeral than I’ve ever seen before.”

Teresa, Louise and Donna banded together and Zip’s Restaurant contin-

ues to live on. “We want to carry on the memory of my dad and brother through this restaurant.” Donna said.

“You wouldn’t believe how many people have told us they’re glad we have kept it open. We’re determined to keep it going.”

When word got out that the Zip Burger had been nominated in the search for the state’s best burger, the community rallied around the family and, in one 24-hour period, the Zip Burger received thousands of votes.

After the list was narrowed to 10 restaurants, a panel of judges secretly visited each restaurant and tried the nominated burgers resulting in the Zip Burger being awarded the title of Best Burger in the State.

“We were ecstatic when we found out. We couldn’t believe it.” Donna, Teresa and Louise said. “We laughed, squealed, cried, and hugged each other all day. It was emotional because Zip and David weren’t here to see the success of their hard work, but we’d all like to believe they can still see it anyways.”

Although any foodie would agree that one bite of the Zip Burger is enough to speak for itself, it’s the legacy behind the restaurant, the love of a family, and the rallying together of a community that is the secret in the Zip sauce.

Congratulations Zip’s Restaurant!

We simply couldn’t be more excited for y’all!

Bozeman Farms Angus Limousin & Simmental Angus, and Cattle Simmental Cattle Purebred and Commercial

Flora, MS www.bozemanfarms.com 601-594-9429 601-879-8547

April 2015 Cattle Business 55

ANGUS BREEDERS â&#x20AC;˘ Raising Performance Cattle For Profit-Minded Cattlemen

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Smith Farms Registered Black Angus Bulls & Heifers Lane & Karla Smith 243 Haden Road Purvis, MS 39475

Lane cell (601.606.7859) Alt # to call (601.606.7864)

TIMBERLAND CATTLE

Angus Bulls & Females For Sale Also a few top show prospects Robert, Robbie, Mike, Matthew, and Karen Woods

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56 Cattle Business April 2015

To advertise call (601) 354-8951.

5405 Campbell Rd. Benton, MS 39039

Angus

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Ladner Cattle Company Black Angus & Red Angus Cattle

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ANGUS BREEDERS • Lakeview Farms “A Family Tradition of Angus Cattle Since 1958” Presented with the Historic Angus Herd Award by the American Angus Association

BULLS FOR SALE! Brian Garner 310 Hwy 42 • New Hebron, MS 39140

(601) 694-2641

ANGUS BREEDERS

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SEDGEWOOD PLANTATION Bill and Nancy Howard 2607 Virlilia Road Canton, MS 39046

(601) 879-9927

www.SedgewoodAngus.com • Registered Bulls Sale • Saturday, April 25th 100% AI Program bred for Docility, Growth, Carcass and Fertility

lakeview@ftcweb.net

Thames Angus Farms Now for sale at farm:

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2661 Hwy 370, Baldwyn, MS 38824

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Service Age Angus Bulls & Females For Sale Performance Records Since 1968 For more information: Roland Preuss (601) 878-5896 or Doug Preuss (601)878-6756

Reg Angus Bulls & Females Angus/Source Commercial Heifers Nothing Fancy But the Cattle Tony, Sherry, Luke & Jake Thames Home (601)587-7230 • Cell (601)756-1357

thamesfarm@yahoo.com www.thamesfarm.net 187 Carmel New Hope Rd. • Jayess, MS 39641

Lawrence Co. • 10 miles SW of Monticello

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www.msangus.com April 2015 Cattle Business 57

Artificial Insemination Increases Profits by: Robert Wells, Noble Foundation Calf prices have steadily increased for several years. Since spring 2014, replacement female prices have remained at record levels as well. It is only reasonable that bull prices would follow the trend.

This has led many producers to explore options to owning enough bulls to cover their cows in a defined breeding season. Estrus synchronization and timed artificial insemination (AI) are an economically viable alternative to owning a bull if the producer has multiple bulls. There are many benefits to synchronization and AI, including a tighter calving season,

increased weaning weights from older calves and better genetics.

The tighter calving season is a result of estrus synchronization and timed AI, followed by natural breeding for the remainder of a 90-day season.

Some scenarios are explored in the tables. Each of these assumes a 50-cow herd with a 94 percent conception rate; calving In March and weaning in October. Compared to natural service for 90 days (Table 1), the synchronization/timed AI program (Table 2) can significantly improve subsequent calving distribution. It is not uncommon to see a 65 percent or higher conception rate in the first 30 days of the calving season when using timed AI followed by natural Extra heavy duty fencing in 16’ & 20’ bull exposure.

Lengths, 1 1/2”, 1 3/4”, & 2” OD Pipe More calves Available born early in the calving Makes 5’ or 6’ Fence season will be older and weigh more at weaning.

The value of the pounds of beef produced in each breeding system was estimated using the forecasting tool at www. beefbasis.com for mid-October.

Additionally, Conforms to the most producers will be able contour of the ground. Great for property to buy better entrances, fencing, catch pens, and alleys. growth genetCan be connected to steel or wood posts. ics from an AI bull stud than SAVE ON COST AND TIME!! they could afford to purCall Kerry at: chase with the live animal for natural service.

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58 Cattle Business April 2015

Therefore, the AI-conceived calves are likely to have better average daily gain (ADG) values than those conceived through natural bull service. During fall 2014, bulls with high growth genetics (weaning and yearling EPDs in the top 20 percent) have been selling in the $7,000 to $9,000 range. In a multiple bull battery, timed AI can reduce herd bull requirements by 50 percent, thus saving the purchase cost of a replacement bull.

The gross revenue increase for timed AI followed by natural breeding is $8,210. The cost of the estrus synchronization and timed AI program was $50 per head, for a total of $2,500.

This includes the cost of synchronization, semen and an AI technician. No cost was assigned for labor to process the cows three additional times through the chute since these costs are highly variable. Thus, the net increased value of the calf crop due to the estrus synchronization and timed AI program is $5,710. Now add in the savings of not purchasing an additional bull, amortized over a five-year life span ($7,000 to $2,000 salvage value/five years=$1,000) and the annual maintenance cost of the bull ($400). This equates to an annual total increase in revenue to the ranch of $7,110 for a 50-cow herd.

Before you buy your next bull, consider if an artificial insemination program is right for your operation.

It does require three additional trips through a chute, but the potential increase in revenue is significant.

Get Involved In YOUR Industry!!

Contact your represenatives about issues that are important to the cattle business. To find your senator’s and representative’s phone numbers you can call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)2243121 and ask for your senators’

and/or representative’s office.

Graham Land and Cattle Co. Custom Feedlot & Growing Programs * 30,000 Head Feedyard * 14,000+ Feeder Calf Growing Program * Personal Customer Service *Licensed Feeder for Nolan Ryan Tender Aged Beef.

Mississippi Beefmaster Breeders Sand Hill

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Contact one of these breeders for your next Beefmaster

Come by and see how cattle from Sand Hill Cattle Company can work for you!

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Ronald & Gwen Byrd (601) 989-2127 Darryl, Adam & Gail Byrd (228) 872-3365 e-mail: cowladygb@tds.net

Heavier Cattle, Higher Dairy Cow Slaughter Mask Commercial Beef Declines The combination of heavier dressed weights of cows due to more dairy cows in the slaughter mix and heavier weights for cattle on feed should push beef production in the first half of 2015 to close to first-half 2014 levels, according to USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report.

Heavier placement weights this past fall and winter might imply more beef production during the first half of 2015, but the decline of second-half cow slaughter and moderating carcass weights are expected to result in lower second-half beef production, the report concluded.

Further signs of cow-herd rebuilding USDA data showed fewer heifers slaughtered in January compared to a year ago and USDA analysts suggest the reduction of heifer slaughter in the steer and heifer mix is likely a result of producers retaining some extra heifers for breeding purposes.

However, commercial beef cow slaughter was down by 24 percent, leaving total January commercial cow slaughter down by 11 percent year over year, indicating efforts to rebuild the beef-cow herd.

Meanwhile, January commercial dairy cow slaughter was up 2 percent year over year with weekly data indicating a continuing pattern of relatively high dairy cow slaughter, with average dressed weights for all cows reaching a weekly record high of 663 lbs per carcass.

Beef prices and packer margins The undertone in the wholesale beef market remains soft but should not be confused with poor demand, according to USDA. From a historical perspective, total meat consumption tends to languish during the winter quarter but is followed by a period of increased consumption as the spring grilling season approaches.

At least in the short term, packers continue to operate in the red as buyers at the wholesale level remain reluctant to significantly increase beef purchases.

While wholesale beef cutout values did rally noticeably in late February as a result of reduced steer and heifer slaughter, prices have not been high enough for packers to experience a sustained period of positive margins, even though certain components of

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the cutout â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as 90 percent lean beef â&#x20AC;&#x201D; remain at historical record levels.

Retail beef prices rose to record highs in January, with January 2015 Choice retail beef at $6.33/lb. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; up almost a dollar from this time last year â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and all fresh retail beef at $6.00/lb, up over a dollar from January 2014.

In comparison with competing markets, the spread between beef and pork and beef and chicken remains wide, and this could leave beef at a disadvantage in seasonal consumer purchasing patterns and the mix of retail features on a weekly basis.

The popularity of ground beef remains intact despite ground beef prices above 2014 levels. Lean processing beef prices subsided in February but remained well above the five-year average.

Imports of lean processing beef from Australia and New Zealand remain robust and are alleviating some of the upward momentum in the spot lean-processing meat markets. Nonetheless, beef prices are not expected to undergo the large decline anticipated in the pork and poultry markets this year, according to USDA. Source: Meatingplace.com

April 2015 Cattle Business 59

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Office (662) 283-1652 Cell (662) 310-0117 • Auction every Tues. at noon• Buy, Sell, & Haul Cattle Everyday owner/operator - Ray Welch 60 Cattle Business April 2015

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Herbert Trigg Rd Seminary, MS

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LUCEDALE LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS STOCKYARDS “A Commitment of Integrity”

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P.O. Box 223, Rocky Creek Rd. Lucedale, MS 39452 Mississippi Regional Livestock Market serving West Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana. Owned and operated by farmers and ranchers.

Livestock Producers Assoc. Stockyard Highway 98 East Tylertown, Miss.

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Livingston Stockyard Livingston, AL 35470

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Tadlock Stockyards family owned and operated since 1924. A family who knows and cares for over 90 years.

April 2015 Cattle Business 61

Contingency Plans in Beef Cattle Operations by: Jane Parish, Research/Extension Professor, Extension Center Prairie Research Unit Many beef cattle producers spend time doing what you are doing now: reading educational articles to try to get ideas to improve production and marketing practices. They do this to gain knowledge to better manage cattle businesses. Experiment station and extension resources provide this information to share realistic expectations about both new and no-so-new processes and products.

Cattle producers are tasked with deciding what information is relevant to a specific production operation and how it might be applied. In other words, there is no one-size-fits-all and tells-all guide to producing beef cattle.

Cattle business managers must take the best information they can acquire

62 Cattle Business April 2015

and make decisions with their specific operation goals, resources, and constraints in mind. A good manager is always gathering and using information, thinking ahead, and refining the plan. Ironically, excessive plan redefining occurs when contingency planning is missing; when you don’t plan ahead to change as needed, you may find that you still need to change the plan.

Beyond Plan A In the field, sometimes what is described in a research-based recommendation does not work out exactly according to expectations. Unforeseen or abnormal animal health situations, weather events, and market movements make it challenging to put even the best of plans into practice. Plan A can quickly give way to Plan B followed

by Plan C and so on… It is this dynamic element of cattle production that separates the great managers from the good managers and the lucky from the unlucky. It is also what makes cattle production both a science and an art.

When the electricity to the farm goes out for an extended period of time, is the farm ready to handle it? When unexpected death loss takes place, what is the plan to work through problems and get back on track? When the market is very volatile, how flexible

is the marketing plan to match cattle specifications to capture the greatest returns over costs? When a major land lease is abruptly end, is the operation positioned to adjust quickly? When a key person in the operation is suddenly no longer able to participate in it, what is the plan? The list of uncertainties could go on…

Planning efforts should address more than just the most likely scenario.

There are often lots of other possible scenarios besides the most likely one.

If the only plan does not take these other possibilities into account, then the manager has to scramble to throw together a new plan on the fly as conditions change. Having very rigid plans may lead to consistent scrambling to adapt when things do not fit “The Plan”.

Instead, planning efforts should consider contingencies, i.e., the “what-ifs” that could occur and even wreak havoc on the original plan. Contingency plans are the Plan B’s, C’s, etc. that take hold in instances when certain things happen to make Plan A a non-starter. The snow, ice, and generally nasty cattle production weather in late February and early March 2015 in Mississippi was an example of a circumstance during which cattle operations would have benefitted from a contingency plan ready to go to address that type

Rocking T Braunvieh Where you Expect Premium Outcross Genetics

Bulls For Sale At All Times Private Treaty Gene Thompson Braunvieh P.O. Box 339 • McNeil, MS

Douglas Dale, manager

(601)798-1313 fax (601) 799-3072 Located 2.6 miles West off I-59 at McNeil Exit 15

Mississippi Milk Muscle Growth

Gelbvieh Breeders

U.S. Meat Animal Research Center Breed Comparison Data Ranks Gelbvieh: •1st – Pounds of Calf Weaned per Cow Exposed • 2nd – Milk Production

•1st – Weaning Growth • 2nd – Yearling Growth • 2nd – % Retail Product

Okatoma River Ranch Lowell, Karen, Lincoln & Lillian Rogers

601-270-4152 lrdrsmiley@gmail.com Gelbvieh & Balancers® Southern BalancerTM Home of the Gelbvieh Cooler® Quality cattle adapted to the south with the cool disposition of situation. The common thought of not needing a winter-weather action plan on a cattle operation in the Deep South left many unprepared operations “out in the cold” when winter hit with a fury.

Skilled Managers get Ahead of Decisions through Planning The nature of planning is that it happens in advance. How far in advance, 5 years, 5 months, or 5 minutes, for example, is where the manager comes into play. There are circumstances that become reality that even the most astute managers and wide-scope contingency plans do not see coming.

Again, this is where forward-thinking managers shine. They adapt quickly to unforeseen circumstances but still make decisions with the future implications of these decisions meshing well with an overarching plan or direction for the operation.

Just as skilled football coaches effectively run a 2-minute offense when the game is on the line, skilled cattle business managers can effectively address both short- and long-term aspects of the operation when the pressure is on

Gelbvieh Bulls, Balancer Bulls and Angus/Gelbvieh Cross Heifers (bred and open) for all your commercial needs!

Charles Hull (662) 464-0156 Truck: (662) 229-8566 Fax: (662) 464-0156

Milk Muscle Growth

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(601) 354-8951

31276 Hwy 35 Vaiden, MS 39176

to make a series of abrupt decisions.

They do this by 1) knowing ahead of a plan-changing event what the operation should striving to be like in the future and 2) being willing to take new courses of action when and where they fit, and 3) being decisive without being hasty. They are contingency planners.

They know that constantly shifting short-term plans can throw an operation off course if not also done in the context of longer-term plans.

You Don’t Have to Stress Another compelling reason to develop appropriate contingency plans for a cattle business is that stressful and/or fast-paced situations arise that require quick thinking that results in good decisions. Cattle handling and health management are examples of potentially demanding and time-sensitive management areas in which contingency plans may be very helpful.

When an animal health emergency arises, having a set process to rapidly evaluate the situation can be important in avoiding rash judgments. By deciding ahead how to respond if an animal health emergency occurs and

readily recalling that decision when the heat of the moment is happening can add an element of calm collected thought to a stressful moment.

Take Home Points 1) Plan for the original plan to be fine-tuned or redirected in the field.

This is cattle production. Unexpected things are bound to happen. Use some common sense though. Getting all the way to Plan Z is probably excessive and should red flag planning problems.

2) Learn from the monkey wrenches that get thrown into the plan. A repeat performance by the same monkey wrench is a lesson in itself.

3) Keep the overall direction of the operation in focus. Know what you want the operation to be in the future and how you want it to get there.

Make sure the contingency plans do not detract from the operation’s main focus.

April 2015 Cattle Business 63

Mississippi Charolais Breeders CGC

Crosby Farms Cheryle & Greg Crosby 443 Hwy 590 Seminary, MS 39479

(601) 466-7377

crosbyfarms.ms@gmail.com

WC Passport 3127 PET

Crosby Farms on Facebook Member of JDJ Maximo A18P Syndicate

“Registered Full French Charolais Cattle”

Addkison Charolais Farm

Promote Your

• Bulls & Heifers For Sale •

Operation.

Polled and Dehorned

Larry & Jan Addkison P.O. Box 727 Louisville, MS 39339 (662) 773-6824

How To Stop Flies From Harassing Your Herd With the frigid frostiness of winter seemingly in the rear view, we—and your cattle—can now rejoice that spring has finally arrived. No more drastic temperature changes from relatively warm to teeth chattering cold — we hope.

Warmer weather also brings back those pesky flies that seems their sole mission in life is to torment our beloved herd. Before temperatures begin to rise, it’s important to have a fly control plan in place.

Unfortunately there is no way to completely rid the herd of flesh-eating flies, but there are a number of preventative measures you can take in the never-ending battle of fly control.

Waste Management Remove the grounds for which flies breed, and you will start to notice a significant decrease in the number of flying foes circling your herd. Your first line of defense is creating a fly management program. “Buildup of organic matter is the biggest breeding grounds for flies,” said Southern States PAS certified ruminant nutritionist, Mike Peacock. With the average 1,250 lb. beef cow generating 75 lbs. of manure a day, this leaves many areas for flies to reproduce.

On average, the fly life cycle lasts anywhere from 10 to 21 days. In 64 Cattle Business April 2015

order to break the fly cycle, you need to remove fly-breeding materials on a regular basis. Manure, wet grain, spilled silage, moist hay — focus on these areas first. “You can eliminate a large portion of flies by simply cleaning the hay rings where cattle were fed all winter,” said Peacock. Start by removing manure from livestock pens as frequently as possible. Take the manure and spread it thinly on fields or other large outdoor areas to facilitate drying. Flies cannot develop in dry environments, therefore they cannot develop in dry manure. Drag your fields to more evenly distribute manure. The key is to dry out the manure.

Pay special attention to areas where your herd congregates, such as water troughs, shady areas and gates. These areas should be cleaned weekly at a minimum to diminish fly breeding and control parasites. Remember, it’s easier and more cost-effective to prevent fly breeding than to try and control adult flies already born. The quicker you can remove their habitat and breeding grounds, the better off you’ll be.

Ear Tags Insecticide ear tags are one of the best devices for deterring flies.

Harmlessly hung in the animal’s ears,

Charolais Give us a call today!

(601) 354-8951 these tags are packed with various chemical compounds that can protect your herd from horn flies and biting lice. This is a proactive approach that can ultimately save you money—and grief! The chemicals contained in tags can vary, so check with your local Southern States to see which ear tags are right for your herd. Make sure you put tags in each ear and also put them on your calves. Only putting the tags in one ear will be ineffective.

Fly Predators Not all flies are bad. Fly predators, nature’s own self-inflicted enemy, can be your ally in the fight against pest flies. These are tiny, non-stinging, non -biting wasps that feed on fly larvae and interrupt the breeding cycle of flies, destroying the next generation of flies before they hatch into diseasecarrying adults.

Fly Predators work by both laying eggs in the fly pupa (or cocoon) and feeding on fly larvae while it’s in the manure on your farm. The wasps “bug” the bugs but never disturb the cattle, pasture plants, or humans for that matter.

Although a natural method of controlling flies, fly predators aren’t typically found in large enough amounts to control the entire fly population on your farm. However, many companies sell fly predators and can ship them straight to your farm. Once they

Mississippi Limousin Breeders Herrington Brothers Limousin You could be here!!

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Ronnie & Nan Herrington Ty, Wyatt, & Wes Herrington 18 Longview Dr. • Ellisville, MS 39437

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arrive, all you have to do is sprinkle the predators on manure piles at dusk and watch them go to work.

As a rule of thumb you should replenish your fly predator supply once a month from April to September. It’s important to use them during the entire fly season; otherwise the fly life cycle will only be broken for a few weeks.

Dustbags and Backrubbers Dustbags are a low maintenance, highly effective method of combating troublesome flies. After application, the dust will control horn flies and lice on beef and dairy cattle. The bags of dust are hung across gates or doorways and are easily refillable. The most effective place to hang your bag is a place where the cattle pass by on their way to their water tank. This is known as a “forced-use” situation. You’ll want to hang it low enough so it’s effective on small calves as well as adult animals.

If hung and maintained properly, the bags will last for several seasons.

Cattle tend to rub up against objects when they are being pestered by bugs.

The backrubber is a rubber surface that is soaked with a pesticide that will deter flies. Your herd will rub up against it and wah-lah — insecticide applied. Try Prozap Backrubber to

help reduce flies, mosquitoes, ticks or lice.

Walk-through fly traps Another environmentally-friendly way to get rid of flies is with a walkthrough fly trap. As horn flies spend the majority of time during the summer on the backs and sides of cattle, this trap helps reduce their numbers.

As cattle walk through the device, the flies are brushed off of them.

Insect Growth Regulator Feed-through fly prevention supplements and minerals can help rid your facility of horn flies and other manure-lying pests. Insect growth regulators are added to manure, interrupting the life cycle of flies and eliminating the spreading of breeding. They are typically only effective against premature house and stable flies, but can significantly reduce the fly population harassing your herd.

Our winged adversaries can ultimately have a dramatic impact on your bottom life profit. Fly irritation results in reduced feed conversion efficiency and poor general health.

The stress of dealing with flies on a daily basis can result in lower birth rates and weaning rates in your herd.

“No one method alone will eliminate the problem,” Peacock explained. “You

Rafter 4 L Limousin Greg Ladner 23190 Whitfield Rd. Picayune, MS 39466

Home (601) 799-1781 Cell (601) 590- 0569 email: rafter4llimousin@bellsouth.net

Register, Lim-Flex, or Commercial

Limousin The Opportunity Breed have to take an integrated approach and start early.” Speak to your local Southern States representative about taking a proactive approach to controlling flies around your farm.

Southern States Cooperative has grown to become one of the nation’s largest farm supply companies. With over 1,200 retail outlets spread across 23 states, they provide a wide range of farm and home supplies, including livestock feed, fertilizer, seed, animal health supplies and petroleum products. Farmer-owned since 1923, the Virginia-based cooperative has more than 200,000 farmer-members. For more information, visit www.southernstates.com.

FOR SALE

1-2 year old bulls Ken O. Turner • Mantee, Miss.

(662) 456-3972 email: TRNRFARM@gmail.com April 2015 Cattle Business 65

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ALLIED INDUSTRY MEMBERS The Nowell Agency, Inc. Greg Bost (662) 844-1944 Merial Makers of Ivomec Mark Searles • (256) 298-0058

Merck Animal Health Danny Jones • (601) 942-7380

Zoetis Robert Pegues • (601) 896-2300

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE I-55 NORTH • Jackson, MS 601-977-9040

DuPont Crop Protection Ronnie Thompson

Positive Feeds Mike Inglish • (662) 560-3822

Novartis Animal Health Lewis Mashburn • (601) 622-7052 66 Cattle Business April 2015

Apex Valves • AgriLabs Harold Geddie • (601)498-4569

Mississippi

Simmental & Simbrah Association

Dillon Simmental Farm Simmental—Bred for Performance,

Market by Choice •Show Calves For Sale •Replacement Heifers and Bulls David and Jeane Dillon 111 Woodland Hills • Lexington, MS

Day (662) 834-2722 Nite (662) 834-2928

JRW, LLC

51 Union Church Road Seminary MS 39479

Flying

Farm s

Simmental & Angus Cattle SHOW

PROSPECTS, BULLS, HEIFERS FOR SALE

Frank & Erma Brown 293 Corinth Church Rd. • Petal, MS

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Richard Woolwine - Owner Brad Woods - 601-441-0539 Johnny Ingram - 601-408-4186

Breeding age bulls available at the farm

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Promote Your Simmental Operation Give us a call today!

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Tim Ishee Family (601) 425-2708 Laurel www.isheesimmentals.com

Deep South Bull Group

Thank you to all the buyers at the 2015 sale!

TIMBERLAND CATTLE Sim-Angus

Dillon Simmentals

www.timberlandcattle.com (205) 695-6314 (Bill) (205) 712-0359 (Thomas)

Lexington, MS (662) 834-2722

15281 County Road 49 P. O. Box 1260

Deep South Bull Group members:

Holland Simmentals Magee, MS (601) 849-2954

Vernon, AL 35592 Bull Sale 3rd Sat. in November Female Sale 1st. Sat. in May April 2015 Cattle Business 67

We want YOU.....

To Join Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association!

Benefits to becoming a member: • Representation in Washington • Cattle Business Magazine • Representation in Jackson • Access to information on legislative updates • $1,000 cattle theft reward • $3,000 AD&D Policy • Access to educational seminars • Scholarships for children and grandchildren of MCA members

working for the future of the cattle industry Name:___________________________________ Farm Name: ____________________ Address:_________________________________________________________________ City:__________________________ Zip:____________ Co._______________________ Telephone:____________________________ Email:_____________________________ MCA Membership Dues Fair Share + .10¢ per head MJCA Membership Dues MCWA Membership Dues NCBA Membership Dues (Less than 50 head)

$40.00 = ________________ = ________________ $15.00 = ________________ $20.00 = ________________ $100.00 =_______________

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Mail payment to MCA • 680 Monroe St., Suite A • Jackson, MS 39202 68 Cattle Business April 2015

Mississippi

Brangus

Breeders

For more information on becoming a member of the Mississippi Brangus breeders please call: (601) 852-6904

Mississippi Brangus Breeders Association

Join Today!

Send your name, address and phone number along with $25 annual dues to: 209 Bellewether Pass, Ridgeland, MS 39157

CALYX STAR RANCH Registered and Commercial Brangus Cattle Bred for Meat and Maternal Characteristics

Robert and Margie Field 3857 Field Rd. Shuqualak, Mississippi 39361

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(601) 434 - 3045 treycuevas3@yahoo.com www.T3Brangus.com April 2015 Cattle Business 69

2015 MCA Choice Stockman Members Premium membership in MCA provides a way for individuals and businesses to step up to a higher level of support for MCA and the beef industry. It is their way of contributing to the success of MCA’s efforts.

Trustmark National Bank Jackson, MS

Shep’s Cleaners, Inc. Starkville, MS

MS Ag Company Yazoo City, MS

Farmer’s Depot Mendenhall, MS

S & J Simmentals Summit, MS

William Well Tire & Auto Repair Starkville, MS

Mitchell Automotive West Point, MS

Helena Chemical Co. Yazoo City, MS

Newton County Farm Supply Newton, MS

Copiah County Co-op Hazlehurst, MS

Agridyne Springfield, IL

Oktibbeha Co. Co-op Starkville, MS

Stockman’s Supply, LLC Starkville, MS

Boot Country Hattiesburg, MS

Bank of Jones County Laurel, MS

MS Beef Agribition Verona, MS

Guaranty Bank Belzoni, MS

Palmer Insurance Agency Benny Palmer Mendenhall, MS

Citizens Bank Columbia, MS

Covington Co. Bank Collins, MS

Bank Plus Yazoo City, MS

Tallahatchie Co. Bank Charleston, MS

B-5 Farms Houston, MS

Clarke Co. Co-op Quitman, MS

Agri-AFC, LLC. Chad Smith Hattiesburg, MS

Holmes County Bank & Trust Lexington, MS

R&M Tractor & Supply Magee, MS

Pike Co. Co-op McComb, MS

Rutland Livestock Mize, MS

Commercial Construction Co. Laurel, MS

Walthall Co. Co-Op Tylertown, MS

Dillon Simmental Farm Lexington, MS

Witherspoon, LP George Smith Jackson, MS

Southern Farms Nursery Max Mullins D’Lo, MS

Rankin Co. Co-op Brandon, MS

McAlpin Insurance Tom McAlpin, Jr Magee, MS

Wilkinson Farmers Coop Woodville, MS

Lowndes Farm Supply Columbus, MS

Jason Wesley State Farm Insurance Hattiesburg, MS

B & B Cattle Co. Bailey, MS

The Deerbrook Co., J.W. Chancellor Charleston, MS

Bank of Kilmichael Kilmichael, MS

Holmes Co. Farm Bureau Lexington, MS

Jimmy Sanders Seed Company Yazoo City, MS

Bank Plus of Holmes County Lexington, MS

BankFirst Financial Services Columbus, MS

Jeff Davis Farmers Co-op Prentiss,MS

Kin Growers Rolling Fork, MS

Trustmark National Bank Magee, MS

Lauderdale Co. Farm Supply Meridian, MS

Ware Milling, Inc Houston, MS

Rankin Co. Farm Bureau Brandon, MS

Jimmy Sanders Seed Company Canton, MS

Large Animal Vet Services Eupora, MS

Peoples Bank & Trust North Carrollton, MS

Estrotect, Inc. Boyd Dingus Lakeville, MN

Sawmill Animal Hospital Laurel, MS

Peoples Bank Mendenhall, MS

Monroe County Co-op Aberdeen, MS

Madison Co. Co-op Canton, MS

Hi Grade Gin & Farm Supply Winona, MS Vaiden Farm Supply Vaiden, MS

Simpson Co. Farm Bureau Mendenhall, MS

Southern Seed & Feed Macon, MS

Bunge Ergon Vicksburg, MS

Sedgewood Plantation Canton, MS

Amite Co. Co-op Liberty, MS

70 Cattle Business April 2015

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(662) 418-9149 â&#x20AC;˘ (662) 418-3332 April 2015 Cattle Business 71

ABS Global Genetics ABS Larry DeMuth Adamdale Farms Addkison Charolais Farm American Livestock Brokers B&B Cattle Co. Bozeman Farms Broadlawn Farm Brock Farms Caldwell Hereford Ranch Cain Cattle Company Calyx Star Ranch CattleMax Circle W Trailers Continuous Fencing Crimson Classic Crosby Farms Deep South Bull Group Dillon Simmental Farm Dixie Grass East Texas Seed Evans Angus Farm Florida Brahman Association Flying B Farms Genex GLB Farms Graham Land and Cattle Herrington Brothers Limousin Hull Farms Integrity Livestock Auction Ishee Simmentals Jerry Gay, Livestock Insurance JRW, LLC Kuhn Kuhn Knight Lakeview Angus L.D. O’Mire Leaning Cedar Herefords

18 50 63 67 71 50 55 53 69 45 48, 56, 69 69 24 71 58 26 64 67 67 10 34 52 71 67 52 69 59 65 63 61, 72 67 71 67 27 49 57 71 54

Ledger Purvis Real Estate Lincoln County Livestock Comm.

Little Creek Farms Livestock Markets Livestock Producers Assn. Stockyard Livingston Stockyard Lucedale Livestock Producers Stockyard McDaniel Farm Merial Mississippi Ag Mississippi Agribition Mississippi Angus Association Mississippi Angus Breeders Mississippi Beef Council 44, 45, Mississippi Beefmaster Breeders Mississippi Brangus Breeders Mississippi Brangus Association Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association Mississippi Cattlemen’s Foundation Mississippi Charolais Breeders Mississippi Gelbvieh Breeders Mississippi Hereford Breeders Mississippi Land Bank Mississippi Limousin Breeders Mississippi Serum Mississippi Simmental/Simbrah Association Mississippi Simmental/Simbrah Breeders Mitchell Farms Mongram Farms Nowell Agency Inc. Nunley Trucking Okatoma River Ranch Parker Livestock Pennington Seed PH White Punkin Ridge Polled Herefords Purina R&S Dozer Service

14 61 22 60, 61 61 61 61 56 9, 21 66 7 13, 57 48,49 46, 47 59 69 69 68 71 64 63 53 55 57 50 6 67 53 57 51 43 63 60 31 48 28 8 42

April 10: Beef Cattle Boot Camp, Prairie, May 2: Mississippi State University Beef Unit Field Day, Starkville, MS MS April 17: Beef Cattle Boot Camp, Poplarville, MS

May 2: Block & Bridle/Judging Team Alumni Meeting, Starkville, MS

April 25: Sedgewood Plantation Angus Bull Sale, Canton, MS

May 9: Rogers Bar HR “Cream of the Crop” Charolais Female Sale, Collins, MS

May 16: Wolfolk Farms SALE-AApril 25: Crimson Classic Sale Santa Gertrudis Bulls and Females, Cullman, AL BRATION Hereford Female Sale, Jackson, TN May 2: Timberland Cattle Angus & SimAngus Female Sale, Veron, AL May 16: MS/LA Beef and Forage Field Day, Tylertown, MS May 2: Mississippi Angus Association Sale, Raymond, MS May 16: MS Gelbvieh Field Day, Morton, MS

72 Cattle Business April 2015

Rafter 4L Rocking T Braunvieh Rogers Bar HR Rolling B Farms S & W Herefords Sand Hill Cattle Company Sedgewood Plantation Smith Farms Smith-Vaniz Realty Southeast Mississippi Livestock A.A.L. Southern Land Company, TN LLC. SouthernShine Pastures Angus Superior Sales T3 Brangus Tadlock Stockyards Tanner Farms Thames Angus Farm Timberland Cattle Tom Smith Land & Homes Tomnolen Cattle Feeders Turner Farms Ultralyx Vermeer Winona Stockyard Wolfolk Farms Woods Angus ZGC

65 62 3 53 15, 53 59 11, 57 56 62 60 71 17 60 69 61 9, 57 29, 57 2, 56, 67 23 28 65, 71 19 20 60 25 56 41

May 23: Barnes Herefords & White Hawk Ranch “Inaugural Production Sale,“ Cedartown, GA June 9-12: Beef Improvement Federation Annual Meeting & Convention, Biloxi, MS June 22-24: Wax Youth Beef Leadership Camp “Making Tracks,” Starkville, MS October 24: Tanner Farms Southern Tradition Angus & SimAngus Female Sale, Shuqualak, MS