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Some background about the LRL bulls and our selection process

If you study the data at the bottom of the page, you can see our average bull can provide strength in several different stastical categories. And there are also bulls within the group that excel in specific areas such as calving ease or growth. However, we don’t rely solely on EPDs to make our selections; we try to use them as a tool in a broad approach to produce the best bulls we possibly can.

Our selection process starts with our breeding strategy and how we determine to mate our cows with sound and functional bulls that compliment them on a phenotype basis as well as on an EPD basis. Then, once calves start hitting the ground, we can evaluate the actual bull calf. At birth, we start with an evaluation of their dams based on udder quality, feet, and disposition. We strive to eliminate as many problems as possible starting with our mama cows and anything we see as a problem is sent to our commercial herd where they can raise embryo transfer calves or feeders. Any bull calf born out of a cow we see as a problem is put on the cut list. Also, birth weight and calving ease is recorded and any bull calf with a large birth weight or a difficult birth is put on the cut list. Next, we closely watch these bulls over the summer as they develop so disposition and overall conformation can be evaluated. We are striving to produce bulls with sound and attractive conformation, depth of body, width, stoutness, and overall power. When we wean, underperforming calves, calves with poor dispositions and calves that don’t meet the eye test are cut, as are anything that has previously been put on the cut list. About a month after weaning, we again evaluate the bulls based on disposition, performance and confirmation and then make another cut. The final cut comes when our veterinarian performs breeding soundness exams prior to the sale and any bull that shows significant issues that will likely prevent him from settling cows during the breeding season is culled.

So in conclusion, the bulls that make it to sale day represent the top 45% of all the bull calves born here in a given year and have jumped through many hoops to do so. Not to say we have eliminated all problems from our herd or this group of bulls, but we have done everything we can to provide you with a sound, functional, quiet and healthy set of bulls ready to breed your cows and produce easy calving and growthy offspring. If you have any questions about our management or selection process, please don’t hesitate to contact either David or Dan.

LRL Bull’s Average EPD Percentile Rank

There are two ways to rank bulls you intend to buy, within a herd and between herds. Within our herd, the ratios we print allow you to rank bulls on their own performance. Take weaning weight for example, a bull with a ratio of 105 means his own weaning weight was greater than the average in our herd.

However, compared with EPD’s, the ratio doesn’t do a great job predicting how his calves will perform. This is where EPD’s come into play. Using the weaning weight example (WW), a bull with a WW EPD of 75 should produce calves that wean off 7 lb. heavier than the average bull within the breed, because the average WW EPD in the Gelbvieh breed is 68. As a result, when studying the EPD’s in this catalog, the fact many of our bulls rank above, or well above, breed average means they will produce more pounds and make you more money on your calf crop.

LRL Gelbvieh/Balancer Average EPD Percentile Rank

To summarize the data, we will compare it to last year’s percentile rankings. Comparing to last year’s crop of bulls, the bulls this year maintained calving ease levels while improving growth and all carcass traits. We’ve also made an effort over the last number of years to moderate some of our more extreme milk EPD’s to help to increase the longevity of our cowherd and the cowherds of our customers. These bulls represent that effort well and are all slightly closer to breed average than the previous group in regards to milk production while still remaining in the top 30-40% of their respective breeds. We feel this group is our best yet in terms of type and kind as well as EPD strength and we’re extremely excited about their potential.

LRL Simmental/SimAngus Average EPD Percentile Rank

LRSF Voyageur K182 Sells as lot 1

K182

JOB Danell Pay Pal 12H Sire of lots 1-16

Thanks again for giving us the opportunity to present our cattle to you and as always, we very much appreciate your support and interest in our program. Every year, we try to bestow the lot 1 title to a bull we feel best represents our program and an individual that does the most things right. And with Voyageur K182, we feel he pretty easily finds his way to lot 1 and there just aren’t enough superlatives to describe him with. He’s a bull we want everyone to see and is likely the most physically impressive and complete bull we’ve ever raised. We’ve had some bulls in the past that really dazzled when it came to certain aspects but K182 blends so many positive things together that he really sets himself apart. From his presence in the pen with the amount of muscle, depth of body and athleticism he possesses, to his incredibly easy going disposition, to his perfect feet and leg structure, to his off the charts genomic data (top 3% WW, top 4% YW and all of his carcass traits ranking in the top 30% led by top 10% MARB and top 3% FPI), he really puts it all together. His dam is also one of our very best young cows and she entered our donor pen this past spring as we could see from an early age how special K182 was and how potent the cow is. F71 also produced with her first calf, a top selling bull in 2021 who’s doing great things for Luke Boyum in southern MN. You’ll travel many miles to find a bull of this caliber and we can’t wait to share him with you. We look forward to seeing everyone on February 19.

Job Danell Pay Pal 12h

PB 84.4% Gelbvieh Bull Homozygous Black Homozygous Polled

JOB DANELL JOEY 7A

JOB DANELL TD CUPCAKE 34A

AAR TEN X 7008 SA JOB DANELL SALLY 23Y

KCF BENNETT U271

DLW MS MATRON 802U MLLC M/L ENCORE JCGR BAR GT SAMMY JO 258H

Since we purchased JOB Danell Pay Pal 12H in the spring of 2021 for $33,000 with J & K Gelbvieh Farm, we’ve been less than patiently waiting to showcase his genetic strength. From his outcross pedigree to his physical power to his genetic excellence, he has added a ton of quality to our herd and the buzz around this bull has been really exciting. We’ve had many top breeders from around North America reach out to us inquiring about semen sales but to this point, non has been offered.

These first 16 bulls in the catalog are all Pay Pal sons and represent most likely the best sire group we have ever assembled. No Pay Pal semen has been offered for sale before now, so these bulls mark the first time Pay Pal genetics have been offered in volume and the first opportunity to add his potent genetic potential to your herd. From top to bottom, they offer rugged performance, carcass quality, eye appeal and the structural integrity that is demanded by both seedstock and commercial producers. When talking about performance, as a group of 16 bulls, they ratioed 106 for average daily gain and 105 for weaning weight. They flat perform and its very evident when you study them in the pen. And with Pay Pal’s outcross pedigree, these bulls offer a fresh choice for discerning breeders to add tremendous quality to their herds.

On a less than ideal note, Pay Pal was injured during his first breeding season and despite our best efforts, we ultimately had to put him down because he wasn’t physically able to naturally service cows. We do have a limited amount of frozen semen put up on Pay Pal but it won’t last forever. So if you’re looking to add some of the Gelbvieh breed’s freshest and most interesting genetics to your herd, get in on the ground floor with these 16 bulls.

Itasca K192 is one of those unique bulls who comes along every so often with tremendous potential. Take a look at his EPDs; his combination of CED, WW, YW, REA, MARB and FPI is unmatched in the Gelbvieh breed. And even when you factor in Balancers, there is only 1 other active animal in the entire database that can match K192’s combination of those traits. And beyond those traits, he ranks in the top 1 or 2% 4 other traits. His power in the pen is also just as impressive as he’s likely the leader in amount of muscle while remaining athletic and sound.

LRSF Itasca K192 Sells as lot 2

LRSF ITASCA K192

PB 92.2% Gelbvieh Bull Homozygous Black Homozygous Polled

BD: 3/9/2022 LRSF K192 AMGV1538606

BW:92 WW: 874 Calving Ease: 2 ADG: 4.17

JOB DANELL PAYGRADE 68E

JOB DANELL PAY PAL 12H

JOB DANELL JOSEPHINE 33C

CCRO CAROLINA LEVERAGE 3214A

LRSF LRL ARIANNA E127 ET DDGR DDGR ARIANNA 77B

BBDM BOLTON PAY DAY 45C

JOB DANELL SAL 9C

DLW NEW FRONTIER 33A ET

JOB DANELL JOJO 13Y ET

VRT LAZY TV SAM U451

CCRO BELLE OF THE BALL 1309Y

DCSF POST ROCK CAPTAIN 153Z2

DDGR MANDY 32S

LRSF ROOSEVELT K107

PB 82.8% Gelbvieh Bull Homozygous Black Homozygous Polled

LRSF K107 AMGV1538618 3

BD: 2/27/2022

BW:86 WW: 722

JOB DANELL PAYGRADE 68E

JOB DANELL PAY PAL 12H

JOB DANELL JOSEPHINE 33C

JKGF NEW HORIZON C51 ET

LRSF DONNA G122

EPD/EPD Rank

LRSF LRL DONNA D10

Calving Ease: 3 ADG: 3.66

BBDM BOLTON PAY DAY 45C

JOB DANELL SAL 9C

DLW NEW FRONTIER 33A ET

JOB DANELL JOJO 13Y ET

CCRO CAROLINA EXCLUSIVE 1230Y

KCF MISS FORTUNE U490

VRT LAZY TV SAM U451

LRSF DONNA B15

Roosevelt K107 is another powerful Pay Pal son who’s a touch more moderate in his frame size but still possesses the same power and depth of body that Pay Pal stamps his progeny with. And as a homo black, homo polled purebred Gelbvieh bull with outstanding EPDs, he represents a very unique and attractive package. Take a look at his top 35% CED, top 10% WW, top 3% YW, top 10% CW, top 20% MARB and top 5% FPI. Calving ease, growth and carcass, a combination that will surely be of value to any cattleman. His dam is also a top young cow for us with her first calf selling last year for $6500 to Geoff Visser of Ada, MN.

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