February 2009 | www.theprofitpicture.com
In this Issue: Features Kentucky Producer Sold on Gelbvieh Mothering Ability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Keys to Managing Your Bulls this Winter . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Finding the Balance in Selecting for Calving Ease . . . 44 Missouri Producer Gets the Extra Pounds with Gelbvieh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 North Dakota Producer Finds Right Mix . . . . . . . . . . . 64
News Gelbvieh Profit Partners Realizing the Value . . . . . . . . 12 Transition Time Key for Purchased Young Bulls . . . . 16 Manure Value at Historic Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Media Push Gives Beef a Holiday Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Matching Milk Production and Cow Size to Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Opportunities Abound for Gelbvieh Juniors . . . . . . . . 24 Roberts Named New NCBA Chief Executive . . . . . . . . 25 Industry Faces Emboldened Animal Rights Lobby . . . . 32 The Gelbvieh EPD Encyclopedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Why Balancers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 U.S. Beef Exports Defy Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Evaluate Management Strategies for Cost Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Kansas Earns Bid for National Bio and Agro-Defense Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 New eTattoo Eartag Offers Advanced Technology . . . 60 SmartCross Cattle Prove Their Worth . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Columbia MO Permit No. 353
The ‘Best’ Bull is the One That’s Best for You
Successful bull selection begins with a hard look at your cow herd By Mark Parker When your neighbor brags that he’s got the best bull in the whole wide world, don’t you believe him? That critter just plain does not exist. What is out there just waiting for you, however, is a bull that fits your needs and resources—a bull that has the potential to make a tremendous genetic impact on your beef production enterprise. “There’s no one best bull for everybody,” says University of Nebraska animal scientist Twig Marston. “A good bull is one that fits your forage system and your marketing system. He’s a bull that genetically addresses the needs of your cow herd and is physically able to get the job done.” Beef producers have a wide range of selection tools, from EPDs and genetic markers to ultrasound and performance data. What’s important, Marston suggests, is a balanced approach that keeps the endgame in sight. The most obvious distinction is whether a bull is to be a replacement heifer producer or a terminal sire. Beyond that, however, producers have to weigh factors such as whether they’re selling weaned calves, stockers or retaining ownership through the feed yard phase. The art of bull selection comes down to balancing what your customers want with what your production system can profitably deliver. The degree to which you can utilize selection tools depends on your current situation. Matching cattle type to forage resources and addressing variability in the herd are good places to start, the former Kansas State University beef specialist advises, but a true fine-tuning of herd
Twig Marston genetics requires a more intensive approach. It begins with a solid understanding of the strengths and the weaknesses of the cow herd and, for that, the veteran animal scientist would like to see producers rely on more than gut instinct. “If you really want to know where you’re at and what direction you need to move in, you need to keep good records,” says Marston. “Data from your own operation gives you benchmarks. You can say, ‘I’m good here but I need a little help here.’ Without that information, you’re just guessing. With it, you can analyze the information that’s available on a bull and make an informed decision on whether his strengths match up with your goals.” Operations that retain ownership and sell on a meat-based grid, for instance, can make dramatic progress in carcass traits using EPDs Continued on page 4