What to Know About Weak Calf Syndrome

IBBA Commercial Producer of the Year: Bar G Ranch

Source: IBBA - Cody Gariss and Emily Lochner

“Years ago, I remember a Brangus staffer talking about the need to gear our product towards the ‘professional cattleman,’” says Cody Gariss of GENEPLUS Brangus. “Engineers get a professional stamp, attorneys receive a professional license, and athletes get a professionallysized contract. But a true cowman does not thrive on professional accolades, rather the ability to make a fair living for an honest day’s work. They understand how to use the assets that God has entrusted to them, turning grass and grain into red meat that helps to feed the world. They’re the kind who supports their family, the kind who work with blood, sweat, and tears; a true cowman knows the hard work ethic it takes to last in the ranching business. Brent and Sandra Gundy are true cattlemen.”

The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) 2020 Commercial Producer of the Year was awarded to Bar G Ranch, Brent and Sandra Gundy of Walker, Missouri at the IBBA Annual Convention in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The IBBA Commercial Producer of the Year award was established to annually recognize a commercial producer who effectively utilizes Brangus genetics to make their operation more profitable and successful.

“Our awards journey took us long and far into operations across the Unites States,” mentions Shiloh Hall, IBBA Awards Committee chairman. “The awards committee was comprised of seasoned breeders and fellow committee chairmen, to offer a fair and unbiased assessment of the applications. We learned so much about the history of many operations and the commitment to the bettering of the Brangus breed. Our 2020 award winners, the Gundys, could not be more deserving.”

Whether a breeder of commercial or purebred seedstock, the end product should never be far of mind for any who raise livestock. At the end of the day – the beef industry exists on the principle of providing safe, nutritious, and delicious beef.

“Consumers gladly pay a premium for beef over competing protein sources because of taste. This concept is not lost on association work. Providing genetics for the commercial cattle industry and its consumers is the IBBA’s core purpose, after all,” says Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D., IBBA executive vice president. As for the Gundys, a life of ranch work was always the plan.

“For me, I grew up on a farm, and I’ve always known that I wanted to be involved in raising livestock my whole life,” says Brent Gundy. “When Sandra and I got married in 1985, we began our own farming operation. In the early years, we ran a lot of stockers, during that time we tried to save as many heifers as we could for replacements. And over time, we’ve transitioned away from running stockers and now we solely run mama cows.”

Today, the Gundys run approximately 700 cows on several thousand acres in Missouri, around 90 miles due south of Kansas City. Their primary income revolves around the sale of source-verified, backgrounded steers to the Joplin Regional Stockyards. They also have begun to find a niche in selling developed replacement heifers and first-calf pairs by private treaty on the farm.

“We have really tried to build up our reputation with our feeder cattle,” prides Gundy. “We want buyers to know that the cattle we bring to the sale barn are healthy, honest, and will perform well in their feedyard. We wean our calves in November and unless it’s a tough year, we traditionally will not sell them until well after the first of the year. We will run our feeder calves on pasture and background them until they’re about 750lbs. We follow the Zoetis vaccination protocol and make sure that every single calf we put on the trailer to Joplin is healthy and clean.”

In recent years, the Joplin market has implemented a new EID program with verified feeder calf sales, an opportunity the Gundys did not miss taking advantage of.

“We’ve been affiliated with the crew at Joplin since the mid-1990s. It’s all about reputation when you sell cattle. Even though we don’t retain ownership of our feeders, we want the buyers to be pleased with their purchases. That way, when we bring a load to town, buyers come and find us, wanting to know what we brought so they can try to bid on them.”

Because of their investment into high quality Brangus and Ultrablack® sires, consequentially, the resulting replacement heifer progeny have brought value to the Gundys. For over 20 years, the Gundys have purchased sires from GENETRUST, now GENEPLUS, programs and have been able to raise the kind of quality cattle that attract other producers.

“We’ve sold some replacement females through the commercial female sale at Chimney Rock before,” comments Gundy. “But for the most part, we prefer to sell them on-farm. We keep our replacements and develop them – people really seem to like our cattle. Sometimes we will calve our first-calf heifers out and sell them as pairs where we know we can control the health of the cow and calf. Just last week I took a 13-year-old bull to the sale barn, so I can honestly tell my customers the longevity of the Brangus influence is there.”

“The Gundys have long known the value of the Brangus female on their Missouri fescue operation,” states Gariss. After using a combination of Angus and Horned Hereford cattle, sourced from leading Midwestern operations, the Gundys began to find success in the Brangus female, driving them to the breed in the early 2000s. They found over time, the Brangus influence introduced more fleshing ability into the herd and came with less hair and eye problems, equating to cows being bred back quicker and turning more pounds to sell on payday.

“I really can’t explain it,” says Gundy. “I’ve just always liked the Brangus breed. From my childhood on, there’s no other explanation. As we began our herd, the biggest thing I noticed was the hair quality on the Brangus influenced females. I found that on fescue country, the Angus cow was just retaining her hair so much worse, which is why I started to make the switch in the first place. We tried Hereford cattle as an experiment. But, in the summer when it’s 100 degrees outside, you’ll see the British cattle in the pond, while the eared cattle are out grazing on pasture. To me, that equates to pounds, or more simply put, dollars in my pocket.”

For many producers raising cattle in the fescue belt, breed-back time is critical. Fescue as a forage naturally increases the body temperature of an animal, making summer breeding for spring calf crops a challenge. The Bar G crew found an extra shot of Bos indicus allowed the Brangus female to withstand those challenges, not missing a beat in the game of reproductive fertility or soundness. It wasn’t long until they began wanting more from the 3/8 x 5/8 secret.

“As the Gundys began to turn their bull battery over exclusively to Brangus and Ultrablack bulls, their satisfaction with the breed never wavered,” recalls Gariss. “In fact, satisfaction increased as they learned the value that EPDs brought to the herd, particularly on the steer side.”

The Gundys take bull selection seriously. Rivaling many registered producers in their herd sire selection, they understand the value their bull battery provides to their cowherd and the type and kind of bull that they need to succeed in their environment, both physically and financially.

“A bull is 50% of your calf crop and your income,” states Gundy. “And truly, if you retain heifers like we do, your bull influence starts to be 75% of your herd very quickly. I can look across my cowherd and honestly say that there’s not a single cow we own that we didn’t raise. So, for us, selecting a bull is the primary driver of the future of our herd.”

The Gundys were seeing such success in the use of EPDs on their sire selection, they decided to double down, selecting bulls that ranked in the top 35% of the breed in as many traits as possible. They aimed to select for traits that would allow calves to come easy, grow fast, and hang a high-valued carcass on the rail, without sacrificing reproductive efficiency in their keeper heifers.

“I look for a bull that is well-rounded,” comments Gundy. “I look for a bull that will produce a good cow and throw calves that are heavy at yearling so when we sell our steers, we get a maximum return. I want the buyer of my calves to have a good experience, so I want a bull with high carcass EPDs. I want a bull that can sire calves that feedyard buyers are actively looking for. For the most part, I just try to stay on the topside of average across the board when it comes to EPDs. I put a lot of work into keeping the spectrum balanced. I’m keeping my heifers and keeping confidence in my steer buyers.”

And, promising carcass results the Gundys proved. Over the years, the Gundys have retained ownership on hundreds of cattle through to the feedyard, seeing great success in the carcass quality of their Brangus-influenced fat steers. Data from several pens of cattle sourced from the Bar G operation showed cattle grading 95-100% Choice grade, or better. In fact, the they won the 2018 IBBA Carcass Merit Challenge award for their high valued, parent-verified progeny.

“The real testament to the success of the Bar G operation is the sustainability it has provided their family,” remarks Gariss. “The Gundys have been able to raise their family and expand their ranch solely in the cattle business. Not a dollar comes in or goes out that doesn’t touch a cow, and in today’s day and time that’s just very rare. Cow sense, business expertise, and hard work turned these rancher’s dreams into reality.”

February Red Meat Exports Below Last Year, but 2021 Outlook Remains Strong

Source: USMEF

February exports of U.S. beef and pork remained below the rapid pace established in early 2020, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). However, exports were consistent with USMEF’s February projections and the federation still expects 2021 beef exports to increase substantially year-over-year, while pork exports are projected to narrowly surpass the 2020 record.

Beef exports totaled 103,493 metric tons (mt) in February, down 8% from a year ago, valued at $669.5 million (down 2%). This was due mainly to a decline in variety meat exports, as beef muscle cuts were steady with last year in value at $597.9 million on a volume of 82,530 mt (down 3%). Through February, beef exports were 5% below last year’s pace at 208,540 mt, valued at $1.32 billion (down 2%). Beef muscle cut exports were down 1% to 163,928 mt and steady in value at $1.18 billion. Beef exports to South Korea are off to a very strong start in 2021 and demand for U.S. beef continues to grow in China, capitalizing on access gains achieved in the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement.

February pork exports were down 12% from a year ago at 239,240 mt, valued at $629.4 million (down 13%). For muscle cuts only, exports fell by the same percentages to 203,526 mt valued at $548 million. Through February, pork exports were 11% below last year’s pace at 487,896 mt, valued at $1.27 billion (down 13%). Pork muscle cut exports were also down 11% to 411,760 mt, valued at $1.1 billion (down 14%). February pork exports set new records in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica and were very strong to the Philippines and Colombia. As anticipated, pork exports to China/Hong Kong trended lower than the enormous volumes shipped in 2020 but the region continues to be the largest destination for U.S. pork. Fueled by larger variety meat shipments to Mexico, Canada and Hong Kong, February exports of U.S. lamb increased 142% from a year ago to 1,152 mt, with value up 19% to $1.6 million. Through February, lamb exports were up 52% from a year ago to 2,179 mt but value fell 19% to $2.8 million.

“While February exports were in line with expectations, the results don’t fully reflect global demand for U.S. red meat,” said Dan Halstrom, USMEF president and CEO. “Logistical challenges, including congestion at some U.S. ports, are still a significant headwind and tight labor supplies at the plant level continue to impact export volumes for certain products - including some variety meat items and labor-intensive muscle cuts.”

Halstrom notes that the flow of exports through U.S. ports is showing some gradual improvement as COVIDimpacted crews move closer to full strength, but remains a serious concern for the U.S. agricultural sector.

“USMEF greatly appreciates the members of Congress and ag industry representatives who have worked to bring more attention to this situation, and the efforts of maritime regulators to address shipping practices,” he said.

Export demand has remained solid despite logistical challenges and other pandemic-related obstacles. Continued international demand, along with robust domestic business, contributed to stronger cutout values in the first quarter, which were up an average of 27% year-over-year for pork (nearly $90/cwt) and 4% for Choice beef ($224/cwt).

A detailed summary of the January-February export results, including market-specific highlights, is available from the USMEF website.

For questions, please contact Joe Schuele or call 303547-0030.

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