While sitting in a tractor seat this fall, I had some insight that I think will resonate with the people reading this magazine.
start my 50+-year-old David Brown 1200. I still use Dad’s
I turned all the switches and did
on me in that moment how lucky I was to be born the son of a farmer. I only wish I had the foresight while I was home to not only realize it, but to appreciate the gift they had given me. Although the rewards we reap for this chosen path in agriculture are not always returned in
It
gains, the benefits are still worth the risk…at least to me!
What does that have to do with the bulls and dates listed on this page? The heritage I was given instilled the love and the drive for what I do today. I have a full-time career as a veterinarian and have been blessed with a successful ET business that allows me to work with people of agriculture every day. However, I still have an itch to scratch, and that is production of superior seedstock. The biggest obstacle for me in that drive is a personality that has zero tolerance for failure in the breeding program. I can’t tolerate bad feet, bad udders, bad attitudes, failure to breed when I want them to, amongst many other criteria. I can see it if it’s there, and I can’t turn a blind eye. Because of that demand, the product we put before you continues to improve. We never let up on the pursuit of perfection, even though the goal of perfection is unattainable! We also never waver on these expectations.
Thank you to our family, friends, customers, and the entire Gelbvieh industry for making what we do possible. We wish you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving! If you have any questions about our sale dates, or “Genetic Opportunities” as we like to call them, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
JRI
Homozygous
BW:
Top
JRI
Homozygous
BW:
Top
1,146
JRI
JRI
Dave
Top
by Dillon Fogarty and Dirac Twidwell, University of Nebraska
View from the Board by Klint Sickler
From the Corner Office by Megan Slater by Tom Strahm
Junior Connection by Drew Stock
Registry Tips N’ Tricks by Jake W. Renner, M.S. by Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University
“GELBVIEH WORLD” (ISSN 1084-5100), is published monthly except for February, June and September for $40 per year. American Gelbvieh Association, 1001 S. 70th St. Ste. 215, Lincoln, Nebraska 68510-7901. Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln, Nebraska and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER send address changes to: Gelbvieh World, 1001 S. 70th St., Suite 215, Lincoln, Nebraska 68510-7901.
Angus, ½ Gelbvieh. Like his sire, E906 sires slick haired, sound structured, heavy
with
25% CED, 30%
FPI.
Angus, ½ Gelbvieh. Charge
his
his calf crop and is seeing heavy service at Knoll Crest. He is designed to excel at every stage of production. We especially like his daughters as they have come into production. He ranks Top 10% WW, 20% PG 30, 35% STAY.
Angus, 1/2 Gelbvieh. Owned with Warner Beef Genetics. D922 was the ultra-complete highlight of his calf crop, posting an 83 BWR, 113 WWR, 113 YWR, 106 IMF and 113 RE. His stellar EPD profile includes Top 10% BW, 10% CED, 15% REA, 10% MB, 20% FPI. Carrying on the maternal legacy of his sire Bennett Y504, D922 has a bright future.
Next month we’ll be headed to Louisville, Kentucky, for the 52nd Annual American Gelbvieh Association National Convention. Here, AGA leaders, membership, and industry partners will gather for two and half days for association business, educational opportunities, and networking. As we look forward to this great event, I’m reminded of something we often forget, we may be in the cattle industry, but ultimately, we are in the people business.
Yes, our business is to buy, sell, and breed cattle, however none of that can happen without human interaction. The association and the Gelbvieh and Balancer® breed would not be where it is today without people coming together to make decisions and working with one another. Convention is one of those
times when people with a passion for the Gelbvieh breed come together. Futureforming conversations are not only had in meetings where these items are formally discussed, but a lot of these conversations are also being had in the hallways and during the social events.
During the 2021 convention in Oklahoma City, the AGA’s 2022-2027 longrange strategic plan was introduced. This convention gave members the opportunity to get an in-depth look at the association’s priorities and goals for the next five years and provide input on accomplishing those goals. We have seen similar circumstances at previous conventions as well. At the convention, members get the opportunity to discuss important issues, have their voice heard, and impact the future of the association.
Each time, it is inspiring to see members with different views come together and have discussion for the betterment of the breed.
As we approach the second year of the strategic plan, I believe that we have the right people in place to continue moving Gelbvieh and the AGA forward. The AGA board of directors is committed to keeping Gelbvieh cattle relevant in a modern beef industry and focused on the
needs of the commercial producer. The AGA staff is energetic, motivated and ready to carry out initiatives to keep Gelbvieh at the forefront of a changing industry. Not only does it take good quality cattle that possess traits necessary for profit on commercial operations to keep Gelbvieh going, but it also takes the people of the AGA offering programs and services to help those producers take their operations to the next level.
However, it doesn’t only take leadership and staff to keep moving the needle for our breed, it takes the entire membership. Whether you register 500 cows or five, it takes all AGA members to make an impact. Convention not only provides the opportunity to learn about the happenings at AGA, but also learn more about the beef industry and is an opportunity to learn from each other. One of the most valuable parts of the convention is the networking opportunities and fellowship that occurs.
We look forward to seeing everyone at this year’s convention, December 7-9, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. If you’ve never been to an AGA convention, I would encourage you to consider attending. F
Greetings from a dry western North Dakota! It’s almost funny how quickly our situation can change for the better, or the worse, when it comes to the weather. If you have been following this column over the past year, you’ve heard me talk about everything from severe drought, to record setting snow fall, timely rains, and now back to drought. Plenty of folks joke that if you don’t like the weather in North Dakota, just wait 15 minutes – we’re just hoping the next change isn’t to cold and snow already!
One of the biggest challenges that we’ve been facing this summer is managing the grass that is so important to our operation. Our average stocking rate here is around 10 acres per animal unit. While those April blizzards made life a little hectic for a week or two, it did wonders for our grass growth. By mid-June we had grass tall enough you could drive right past a calf that was laying down. Many ranchers in this part of the country also harvested record hay crops that
were much needed to replenish heavily depleted stocks from 2021.
And then we got to July and the rain stopped. The cows were in heaven with tall green grass, until the grass started to dry down. Dry grass is great for packing on pounds, but it’s not appealing to cattle. By September we were starting to notice our cows going backwards, and our mineral consumption was skyrocketing faster than the inflation rate. A quick forage test confirmed our suspicions – all of this nice tall dry grass was severely lacking in nutrients. We brought our herd nutrionist into the loop and made some changes to our mineral and tub program and it seems to have gotten everyone back on track.
With winter right around the corner, having those cows in a correct body condition score is extremely important on our operation. Between snow and temperatures that can average below freezing for months on end, those girls need to be in the proper shape to not
only survive, but to grow that next calf crop for us. By utilizing quality forage, supplemented with a strong mineral and tub program, we’re able to get them to a point where they can excel in those conditions.
Most mineral companies will have a nutrionist on staff that will be more than happy to work with you to devise a program based on the forages that you have available. With all of the money we spend on genetics, DNA testing, registration, and those other expenses that are always popping up – spending $20 to take a forage sample and make sure everyone has a balanced diet is one of the best and easiest management decisions to incorporate into your operation. Best of luck – winter is right around the cornerF
by Drew Stock, AGJA Director
Every seedstock producer knows that the key to success is to have a high-quality cow that can out produce themselves; the best of the best cows can be hard to find. Cattle can be found throughout the country and producers may have a different opinion on what that cow may look like, but they all have their kind of cattle in mind. Most breeders have found that cow or raised her and wanted to get as many offspring as they possibly could. When embryo transfer became affordable and readily available in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s it became easier to grow that higher quality seedstock herd. After a producer finds their highest quality cows that they want to flush, a donor care program and flushing schedule should be the first thing that is done in order to optimize the highest quality cattle.
Donor care can play a large role in the quality and numbers of transferable embryos that a cow can produce. The first thing that needs to be pushed is a balanced diet for a cow’s situation. If your cow was not in the donor pen, where would she be and what would she be doing? Would she be on a high-quality feed rich in protein and fats, or would she be on grass getting minimal inputs? What does their exercise regimen look like? With your donor no longer out on big grass pastures her energy requirements will be lower since she does not have to move as far to get her necessities. If her diet gets changed to a more nutrient dense diet with minimal exercise it is easier to become overweight, which can cause reproductive issues. Trans Ova cautions producers to stay away from either extreme of body condition. Overconditioning, especially of the donors that will be carried open for an extended period, is detrimental to the overall success of ET.
Flushing schedules are another important factor to keep your donors in shape while keeping their reproductive system and hormone balance in check. Producers who have two calving windows can take their donor cows from a fall calving flush herd back to a spring and then breed her for the spring window and vice versa. This allows for a larger influence of your best cows while keeping each cow producing a natural calf more consistently. Ranchers with a spring calving window can calve a cow then flush her for a year and rebreed her the following spring. A drawback to having a year break is cows who are easier fleshing can get overweight and have a more difficult time keeping the weight in check. There is still some give and take between the two options. A study done by the University of Wisconsin on lactating vs dry dairy cows concluded that non lactating females had a high rate of producing fertile eggs and had fewer unfertile eggs. They ran research both in the summer and winter and concluded that both lactating and dry cows produced more unfertile eggs in the summer presumably due to heat stress.
Every cattleman has their idea of the perfect cow. She might be his most fertile or the one that raises the biggest calf in the fall at weaning time. No matter why she is the favorite, that cow sticks out from the rest for one reason or another, but she fits his program and the goal that he is trying to attain for his program. Throughout my years of talking to breeders about their cattle, each has had a different kind of “that” cow, but she fits their program. The overlapping trait is that she is at least some percent Gelbvieh.
Seedstock producers are not only trying to move their own herd into the future, but also their customers herds that direction as well. One of the best
possible ways to attain this is by using reproductive processes such as artificial insemination, or embryo transfer to add to the overall quality of their cattle. If a producer chooses the route of embryo transfer they should be choosing the cows that offer the traits that they are breeding for and the goals that they wish to attain.
Even if that cattleman is a commercial breeder “that” cow sticks out because she is doing the right things for his program. He may have a goal of producing large calves on minimal inputs with low handling. If a seedstock breeder went and looked at that cow, she might have a big udder, break behind the shoulders and has a large frame score, but she does a great job and the commercial breeder would not trade her for the world.F
Contact the AGA office at 303-465-2333 to request AGA promotional materials for an upcoming sale or industry event, or ads and/or articles for sale catalogs. Also, please check out the Media Resources page on Gelbvieh.org to download AGA’s most recent advertisements and logos to utilize in spreading the Gelbvieh and Balancer® message.
The Upcoming Events page on Gelbvieh.org is the perfect place for members to list their upcoming sales for free! The Upcoming Events page is a heavily visited page on AGA’s website and provides commercial producers and fellow AGA members a great resource to stay abreast of AGA events and sales. Add your event by filling out an Upcoming Events form on Gelbvieh.org or email Malerie Markley at malerie@ gelbvieh.org. Events on the AGA calendar will also appear on the Events of Interest pages in the Gelbvieh World and The Profit Picture publications.
The American Gelbvieh Foundation (AGF) is currently accepting entries for the upcoming Steer Challenge and Scale and Rail Contest. Steers should be delivered December 1216, 2022, to Kinsley Feeders, located near Kinsley, Kansas. For more information, please visit the AGF Projects page on Gelbvieh.org, or contact Tom Strahm at 785-547-7999 or email tom@gelbvieh.org.
The AGF continues to help advance the Gelbvieh breed through its support of research and development. For this reason, the AGF continues its Steer Challenge and Scale & Rail Contest. These two projects together will provide the information and funds necessary to generate data sets to advance Gelbvieh carcass merit.
The Gelbvieh and Balancer® National Sale will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, January 2, 2023, at the Super Barn Sale Arena during the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Those who are looking to consign animals to the national sale should contact National Sale Manager Matt Sims, (405) 641-6081 or Tom Strahm at (785) 547-7999 for more
information. Consignment entry deadline is November 20, 2022.
A registration number is required to show at any AGA sanctioned show. Please be sure to register animals ahead of time to avoid entry issues.
Below are two items that need to be completed before a calf’s registration can be granted:
• Complete DNA testing on AI sires, donor dams, and herd sires. DNA results take up to 4-6 weeks to be completed, so plan accordingly.
• Make sure the dam of the show offspring has a herd assessment. Herd assessments should be completed between January 1 and March 15 to avoid late fees.
DNA testing season is upon us. The influx of samples sent to the lab happens around this time every year, so it’s best for all of us to prepare. Please be sure to allow sufficient time between DNA sample submission and the time in which results are needed. Currently, DNA results are expected to take four to six weeks from the time when samples are received at the lab.
Neogen, the DNA laboratory used by AGA, strongly encourages members to mail samples via a service that provides a tracking number. With the USPS being inundated and experiencing staffing shortages across the country, it will be in everyone’s best interests to utilize USPS priority flat rate boxes or envelopes, UPS, or FedEx. The cost of secured postage is expensive but the cost of a lost package or one that is delayed by 2-3 weeks is less than ideal.
Also, keep in mind that genomic-enhanced EPDs (GE-EPDs), the highlighted EPDS on the Animal Detail Screen within the AGA Online Registry Service, can take up to two weeks after DNA test results are completed to generate. Timing of GE-EPDs is dependent on when the DNA test is completed in relation to when data will be pulled for the next weekly evaluation.
Please contact the AGA office at 303-465-2333 for any questions regarding DNA testing.
Malerie Strahm, AGA multimedia coordinator, married Dylan Markley on Octoctber 2, 2022. Malerie has since moved from her home in Sabetha, Kansas. and now resides in with her husband in Bluffton, Ind. where she continues to serve the AGA membership. We wish them both the best as they start their lives together!
The AGA would like to recognize these new members to the AGA and AGJA. Welcome to the Gelbvieh Association!
P4 Gelbvieh, Bennington, Okla. Graham Farm, Cullman, Ala.
Isaac & Meagan Blankenship, Brockwell, Ark. Stanoch Gelbvieh, St Joseph, Minn.
Eliza Grace Foster, Hammond, La.
Nebraska rangelands lost over 419,000 tons of plant biomass production in 2019 due to woody plant encroachment1. This was determined using new monitoring technology that tracks production losses as a result of increasing tree cover since 1990. Encroachment by species like eastern redcedar can reduce forage
production by up to 75% in heavily invaded locations and is among the greatest threat to Great Plains grasslands.
That’s why rangeland scientists from across the Great Plains came together to develop a new guide for managing woody encroachment2. Unlike past approaches that tend to react to the problem after production losses have occurred, new approaches are built around a framework for reducing the underlying risks that make grasslands vulnerable to tree encroachment.
Management frameworks for risk help identify threats and structure management plans for reducing risk. In grasslands, two factors drive risk: sensitivity and exposure (see Fig 1.)
Sensitivity reflects how fast a grassland experiences encroachment. Factors like climate, prescribed fire, and grazing influence a site’s sensitivity. All grasslands with mature trees are sensitive to
encroachment to some degree, including more arid grasslands where trees are rare. Historically, sensitivity was minimized in the Great Plains due to frequent fires that limited trees.
Exposure is driven by seed dispersal from mature trees. Woody encroachment cannot occur when grasslands are not exposed to seed sources. The Great Plains was historically known for its treeless horizons and had little exposure to seed dispersal.
Adaptive capacity is the potential to adapt to risks. Cost-share programs for managing eastern redcedar are an example of how adaptive capacity can be used to reduce risk. Together, risk and adaptive capacity determine a site’s vulnerability to encroachment.
The goal of management under the new approach is to prevent new sources of risk and reduce those that already exist. Sounds simple, but this is a big difference from past approaches that typically do not lower risk. For example, tree removal treatments that leave behind seed bearing trees do not reduce risk and result in sites that require perpetual management.
Approaches that are most likely to succeed long-term are those that target
both exposure and sensitivity. Top tips for developing a winning strategy include the following:
1. Maximize distance from seed sources to minimize exposure. This can be accomplished using a variety of management tools (e.g., cutting trees, prescribed fire, etc.) depending on the size and density of seed bearing trees. New science indicates that managing exposure is the single most important factor for reducing risk of encroachment.
2. Use follow up management after seed bearing trees are eliminated. Seed and seedlings left behind from tree removal treatments set the stage for reinvasion. The goal of management here is to prevent the next generation of seed
bearing trees and extend the lifespan of the initial treatment (see Fig 2).
3. Keep grasslands intact and prevent future risks. The goal here is to prevent the expansion of seed bearing trees into treeless grasslands. This is accomplished with management that targets the seed and seedling stages of encroachment (e.g., prescribed fire) and creates a recruitment trap. A single seed bearing tree with seed dispersal occurring out to 200 yards contaminates 26 acres with seed.
Land managers surveyed in Nebraska estimate that new approaches reduce the cost of managing eastern redcedar by $25-500 per acre. This is because new approaches focus on sustaining the best grassland resources, which helps structure
proactive management strategies that are more cost effective. F
Sources:
1. Morford, S. and others (2022) Herbaceous production lost to tree encroachment in United States rangelands. Journal of Applied Ecology, (Accepted).
2. Twidwell, D. and others (2021) Reducing woody encroachment in grasslands: a guide for understanding risk and vulnerability. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, E-1054.
by Jake W. Renner,M.S.
With DNA testing season in full swing, below are some frequently asked questions and reminders to help set members up for success this season.
1. Log into your AGA Online Registry Services account
2. Find and select “Herd Mgmt” on the left-hand side of the screen and then select “DNA” from the drop-down menu.
3. Once the DNA screen appears, click “DNA Order Request”.
4. When asked “How many animals do you need genotyped?” enter the number of samples you intend on submitting and click “Continue”.
5. Be aware, DNA Order Request that were not completed will appear under “Unsubmitted Requests.
• If a previous request was not completed for any reason, and a new sample is needing to be submitted for a separate animal/ animals, the previous request will need to either be completed or deleted. Submitting incomplete requests is not an option.
• Utilize the dropdown menu provided under the “Reason” column.
• The dropdown will have options for AI sire, donor dam, herd sire and more. When one of these reason
codes is chosen the tests needed to meet those requirements will automatically be selected.
• For single test requests (coat color, horned/ polled, parentage, etc.) select “Member Request” if that is not already the default.
• Type in the full barcode found on the back of the hair or blood card. TSU barcodes can be found on the vile themselves or beside each vile in the box they arrive in.
• All Allflex TSU vials have zeros (0) in the barcode not the letter “O”. Be sure to type your barcodes with a “0” and not the letter “O” in the beginning sequence of NE0.
• Registration number should be complete including capital letters. There should be no spaces between the letters and numbers.
Incorrect: 1234567, AMGV 1234567, amgv1234567
Correct: AMGV1234567
The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) offers multiple options for its members in the way of DNA testing. A complete list of DNA testing options, including pricing per test, can be found on the DNA Testing webpage at Gelbvieh.org under the Genetic Technology tab. Below are the DNA testing requirements for AI sires, donor
dams, and walking sires. We’ve also included requirements for bull futurity entries and national sale consignments.
After the DNA tests are ordered through the AGA Online Registry Service, samples and completed DNA testing form should be sent directly to Neogen Laboratories. The address for the lab can be found in the upper right-hand corner of the DNA testing form. To avoid samples getting lost or damaged during shipment, members are highly encouraged to send samples in a padded envelope or box. This is especially important for TSU samples as they can easily break through a standard #10 envelope and end up getting lost in the mailing process.
DNA testing turnaround time is four to six weeks once the samples and completed DNA testing form have arrived at the lab. According to Neogen, the timeline below is a rough estimate of how long each step in the process can take.
*All estimations are in days, excluding holidays and weekends.
Once DNA testing results for parentage or trait tests have been uploaded to the AGA Online Registry Service, members will receive an email letting them know the results are ready for viewing. Once genomic data has ran through the genetic evaluation, EPDs for the tested animals
will be highlighted yellow indicating they are now genomic-enhanced. The GEEPDs can take up to two weeks to appear on the animals AGA Online Registry detail screen.
For questions about submitting DNA, or testing options please contact Meg Vanderbur, AGA data services coordinator at the AGA office at 303-4652333 or email meganv@gelbvieh.org. F
The annual Kansas Gelbvieh Association (KGA) tour and field day was held Saturday, August 13, 2022. The event saw 65 Gelbvieh and Balancer® enthusiasts participate in a fun-filled day of tours, good food and educational talks.
Kicking-off at noon, members and tour attendees convened at Overmiller Gelbvieh and Red Angus, Smith Center, Kansas, for a tour followed by lunch. Following, Derek Martin, Kinsley Feeders, shared information regarding the American Gelbvieh Foundation Scale and Rail Contest and Steer Challenge and Neil Bouray, Mankato Livestock, discussed his role in the livestock industry.
“Neil talked about his transition from working for his grandpa to becoming the part-owner and auctioneer as well as the ins-and-outs of competing in the Livestock Marketing Association’s World Livestock Auctioneer Championships and King of the Ring, put on by Winter Livestock, Dodge City,
Kansas,” shared Brent Overmiller, Overmiller Gelbvieh and Red Angus.
Following the presentations, the annual KGA meeting was held and new board members were elected. Participants then traveled west of Smith Center to Sasse Farms and then headed to Post Rock Cattle, Barnard, Kasnasm where the day concluded with dinner and a message from Megan Slater, AGA executive director.
“Everyone enjoyed the day and a lot of great discussion was had around the breed,” Overmiller said. “It was also fun to have the snow cone trailer at Sasse Farms and round out the day with some Call Hall ice cream!”
BY TOM STRAHM
This past summer I was visiting with a rancher from the western United States who I had just met. We were getting acquainted, and as he was telling me about his operation, he began to recall how he had purchased some Gelbvieh cows years ago on a herd dispersal sale.
M.T. Anderson, who owns High Desert Cattle Company, Canyon City, Oregon told me, “Those Gelbvieh females were some of the best cows we’ve ever owned!”
He went on to further explain about some of the more specific maternal virtues of the Gelbvieh breed including fertility, longevity, adaptability and survivability. He runs cows in a high desert environment with limited forage and resources. Those Gelbvieh cows raised good calves for more many years running out in the sage brush.
M.T. further explained, “We bred those cows to bulls of other breeds, but we always tried to keep the heifer calves back for some of our replacement females. They have made great females as well.” Over the years, the amount of Gelbvieh in successive generations has decreased.
He concluded, “My wife and I have been talking for several years now about how we should go buy a couple more Gelbvieh bulls to run, and raise some commercial replacement females out of. We finally got that accomplished and bought a couple of Gelbvieh bulls earlier this year!”
This is a very similar and familiar conversation that I’ve had with many cow-calf producers over the last few years from all over the United States. These producers recognize the advantages provided by a greater level of heterosis and the benefits obtained by females resulting from mating British beef breed females to Gelbvieh bulls.
These advantages include feed efficiency and lower maintenance energy requirements. These crossbred females have the ability to maintain body weight and better body condition while consuming less feed. There’s also
a definite advantage in fertility with a higher percentage of these females breeding in a shorter breeding season. Finally, there’s longevity and stayability with these females breeding back every year, and remaining productive in the herd for more years than their straight bred counterparts.
A major part of our national advertising campaign for the last year has included “Maternal Superiority”, and Gelbvieh as “the Continental breed of choice.”
Moderate mature cow size is another advantage provided by Gelbviehinfluenced cows that contributes to increased efficiencies and greater profit potential on an operation.
Research from scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) was published on “Breed and heterotic effects for mature weight in beef cattle” in the August 2021 Journal of Animal Science, Volume 99, Issue 8.
This research was conducted using over 5,000 crossbred cows from the USMARC’s Germplasm Evaluation Program, and provides a comprehensive comparison for various traits of the most economically important breeds in the United States. 108,957 weight records were collected from weaning up to six years of age. There were 16 different breeds evaluated in the study and the results were expressed as deviations from Angus. Gelbvieh (at -145.4 lbs compared to Angus) showed the most moderate mature weight when comparing the seven major beef breeds in the United States, and were the third most moderate in size of all 16 breeds compared.
According to this study, the average weight of cows at slaughter increased from 1,047 pounds in 1975 to 1,369 pounds in 2005. Average cow weights increased by about 322 pounds in those 30 years. It really makes me wonder, “how much larger
average mature weights might be in the 2020’s?”
Gelbvieh were previously noted for moderate mature size according to the USMARC Progress Report #22 released in 2004.
This summer I visited another ranch manager who is in the Central Plains. He told me the British breed cows off his ranch had been weighing 1,350-1,500 pounds when they sold cull cows. He has been buying Balancer® bulls for several years with the goal of reducing the mature size and weight of home raised cows on the ranch. He wants to reduce the maintenance costs and resources required by the cows but not sacrifice performance in the calves.
He was pleased to report that the Balancer sired calves they are weaning now are doing very well with average weaning weights on steers of 601 pounds and the heifer calves average 597 pounds!
“MODERATE MATURE COW SIZE IS ANOTHER ADVANTAGE PROVIDED BY GELBVIEH INFLUENCED COWS THAT CONTRIBUTES TO INCREASED EFFICIENCIES AND GREATER PROFIT POTENTIAL ON AN OPERATION.”
As AGA prepares for it’s 52nd annual national convention in Louisville, Kentucky, this December, there’s nothing that deserves more recognition than the Gelbvieh and Balancer® female. The foundation of the association, Gelbvieh and Balancer cows are known for the maternal excellence that long-standing herds rely on.
This year, as in the decades past, AGA recognizes the top performing Gelbvieh and Balancer females and the AGA members who breed and own them, through the Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction program.
The Dam of Merit honor recognizes cows that meet strict selection criteria including early puberty and conception, regular calving intervals and above average weaning weights
on at least three calves. Of the 32,109 cows currently assessed in 2021, only 5.95% qualify for this elite group.
The Dam of Distinction award recognizes cows that meet the same high standards, in addition to exhibiting superior, longterm productivity with at least eight calves. Just over 1% of all of the active Gelbvieh and Balancer cows qualify for this elite group.
To celebrate the accomplishments of our members, we’ve gathered the top 10 states ranked by the combined total of Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction awards, as well as the top 20 owners, top 20 breeders and a detailed list, sorted by state, of those members who own Dams of Merit and/or Dams of Distinction honorees. F
RECOGNIZING THE YEAR’S TOP MATERNAL INFLUENCES: ANNUAL DAM OF MERIT AND DAM OF DISTINCTION HONORS
KANSAS 450 NEBRASKA 282
MISSOURI 274
SOUTH DAKOTA 240
NORTH DAKOTA 229
IOWA 126 COLORADO 118 ARIZONA 100 MONTANA 77
KENTUCKY 61
NAME CITY/STATE DOM DOD TOTAL
LAZY TV RANCH SELBY, SD 112 26 138
BAR T BAR RANCH INC WINSLOW, AZ 89 11 100
JUDD RANCH INC POMONA, KS 74 17 91
DIAMOND D GELBVIEH MANDAN, ND 54 18 72
RIPPE GELBVIEH HUBBELL, NE 57 10 67
FLYING H GENETICS ARAPAHOE, NE 61 3 64
SANDY KNOLL FARM SAINT JOHN, KS 44 5 49
MLM GELBVIEH SUPERIOR, NE 26 10 36
B/F CATTLE COMPANY BUTLER, MO 27 7 34
MULROY FARMS LLC MAYETTA, KS 31 3 34
PRAIRIE HILLS GELBVIEH GLADSTONE, ND 29 2 31 C.H. MORRIS & SONS, LLC. APPOMATTOX, VA 20 9 29
LONE OAK GELBVIEH MECHANICSVILLE, IA 24 4 28
CLELAND CATTLE COMPANY ARMA, KS 23 4 27
LEDGERWOOD GELBVIEH CLARKSTON, WA 19 7 26
BOW K RANCH OLATHE, CO 18 7 25
HOLLE GELBVIEH OBERLIN, KS 19 4 23
STUECKEN BROTHERS FREEBURG, MO 22 1 23
NORWOOD GELBVIEH FARM CARTHAGE, MO 22 1 23
WEHRI GELBVIEH HEBRON, ND 17 5 22
LAZY TV RANCH SELBY, SD 99 4 103 BAR T BAR RANCH INC WINSLOW, AZ 88 10 98 JUDD RANCH INC POMONA, KS 79 18 97 DIAMOND D GELBVIEH MANDAN, ND 64 21 85
FLYING H GENETICS ARAPAHOE, NE 63 4 67 RIPPE GELBVIEH HUBBELL, NE 54 10 64 SANDY KNOLL FARM SAINT JOHN, KS 53 5 58 MLM GELBVIEH SUPERIOR, NE 26 10 36 MULROY FARMS LLC MAYETTA, KS 33 3 36 B/F CATTLE COMPANY BUTLER, MO 26 6 32 C.H. MORRIS & SONS, LLC. APPOMATTOX, VA 21 9 30 PRAIRIE HILLS GELBVIEH GLADSTONE, ND 28 1 29 LEDGERWOOD GELBVIEH CLARKSTON, WA 19 8 27 STUECKEN BROTHERS FREEBURG, MO 26 1 27
BOW K RANCH OLATHE, CO 18 7 25 HOLLE GELBVIEH OBERLIN, KS 21 3 24 CLELAND CATTLE COMPANY ARMA, KS 21 2 23
LONE OAK GELBVIEH MECHANICSVILLE, IA 20 2 22 KICKING HORSE RANCH OILMONT, MT 15 6 21 POST ROCK CATTLE CO BARNARD, KS 16 5 21
BAR T BAR RANCH INC WINSLOW 89 11 100 ARKANSAS
HODGES RANCH OMAHA 13 6 19 JCH RANCH ALPENA 5 2 7 E5 GELBVIEH LOCKESBURG 4 0 4 COLORADO
BOW K RANCH OLATHE 18 7 25 WILKINSON GELBVIEH RANCH MODEL 16 3 19
SEGA GELBVIEH PIERCE 9 5 14
FARIS GELBVIEH PUEBLO 10 1 11
PLATEAU GELBVIEH PEETZ 6 3 9
GRAND VALLEY GELBVIEH/BALANCER PARACHUTE 7 0 7
MCCARTY CATTLE COMPANY RIFLE 4 1 5
DIAMOND F RANCH OLATHE 5 0 5
BRANDON MCENDAFFER STERLING 4 0 4
PRO-HART SEEDSTOCK PUEBLO 3 0 3
LAKEVIEW FARMS, LLC FORT COLLINS 1 1 2
SHAWCROFT SIMMENTAL AND GELBVIEH LA JARA 1 1 2
COVINGTON GELBVIEH MONTROSE 2 0 2
JUSTIN COVINGTON MONTROSE 2 0 2
GREENHILL GELBVIEH OLATHE 2 0 2
JOHN R & DEBBIE HAWKS OLATHE 0 1 1
REDLAND GELBVIEH/SEGA GELBVIEH PIERCE 0 1 1
BLACK GOLD GENETICS PRITCHETT 1 0 1
TLA GELBVIEH TRINIDAD 1 0 1
GALLATIN GELBVIEH EATON 1 0 1
TNT RANCH MONTE VISTA 1 0 1
ROCK SOLID GELBVIEH BLACKFOOT 8 0 8
CODY & DAVI NOYES DOWNEY 7 0 7
BURGESS CATTLE MENAN 1 1 2
POTTER'S EMMETT VALLEY RANCH EMMETT 1 0 1
J & K GELBVIEH FARM INC AVA 3 1 4
DYKSTRA FAMILY CATTLE MORRISON 1 0 1
SYDNEY B BIGGER MEDIA 1 0 1 INDIANA
EMILY GRIFFITHS KENDALLVILLE 5 2 7
DJ WEIMER KNIGHTSTOWN 5 0 5
MIDWEST BEEF CATTLE CONSULTANTS WEST LAFAYETTE 2 0 2
RIEDIE CATTLE FARMS NEW CASTLE 2 0 2
M5 AG SERVICE CARTHAGE 1 0 1
POEHLEIN FAMILY FARMS SHELBURN 1 0 1
LONE OAK GELBVIEH
MECHANICSVILLE 24 4 28 CROOKED CREEK CATTLE CO WAUKON 13 3 16
HOLSTE'S TRIPLE H FARMS CLARINDA 15 0 15 CIB'S GELBVIEH CLUTIER 11 1 12
CHARLES & KAY STRUTHERS COLO 11 0 11 CKJ GELBVIEH COLO 6 1 7 ABCS GELBVIEH WINTHROP 3 3 6
LINDA REISTE-SHUMATE BLOOMFIELD 4 2 6 DREW STOCK WAUKON 5 0 5
MARTENS GELBVIEH WALNUT 2 2 4 MINNEHAN FAMILY FARMS CHURDAN 2 1 3
HOBBS GELBVIEH LUCAS 3 0 3 MJBC GELBVIEH AUDUBON 3 0 3 WHITE CATTLE COMPANY WOODBURN 3 0 3 KENYON CATTLE LLC MILFORD 1 0 1 ROLLING HILLS GELBVIEH BLOOMFIELD 1 0 1 HERINK GELBVIEH CLUTIER 1 0 1 SCOTT CATTLE CO. LC GILMAN 1 0 1
JUDD RANCH INC POMONA 74 17 91 SANDY KNOLL FARM SAINT JOHN 44 5 49 MULROY FARMS LLC MAYETTA 31 3 34 CLELAND CATTLE COMPANY ARMA 23 4 27 HOLLE GELBVIEH OBERLIN 19 4 23 RAILE CATTLE COMPANY SAINT FRANCIS 18 4 22 GRUND GELBVIEH RANCH WALLACE 20 1 21 BAR ARROW CATTLE CO PHILLIPSBURG 10 4 14 GILLY'S GELBVIEH JEWELL 7 4 11 PRAIRIE BREEZE RANCH LLC LOUISBURG 10 1 11 ALBERS GELBVIEH NASHVILLE 2 7 9 CIRCLE S RANCH CANTON 7 2 9 OVERMILLER GELBVIEH AND RED ANGUS SMITH CENTER 8 1 9 JIM & TERRI DEGEER ERIE 8 1 9 HORIZEN FARMS CHENEY 9 0 9 DAVIDSON BROTHERS GELBVIEH MC CUNE 6 1 7
POST ROCK CATTLE CO BARNARD 7 0 7
STUCKY BEEF GENETICS SALINA 1 5 6
COYOTE RIDGE RANCH OBERLIN 5 1 6
DRY CREEK FARM OSBORNE 6 0 6
BLACK COW FARM BIRD CITY 4 1 5
GOLDEN IMAGE CATTLE OFFERLE 5 0 5
BUFF TUFF CATTLE CO JETMORE 4 0 4
RACHELLE ANDERSON JAMESTOWN 4 0 4
CIRCLE E RANCH OSWEGO 1 2 3
DAWSON CREEK GELBVIEH EASTON 2 1 3
LILY GRACE JUDD POMONA 2 1 3
MENG FARMS CATTLE COMPANY TROY 3 0 3
STACI DEGEER WICHITA 3 0 3
CHISUM GRUND WALLACE 3 0 3
CRIPPLED W CATTLE CO CLAYTON 1 1 2
JERRY GRUND WALLACE 2 0 2
GRABLE CATTLE COMPANY TROY 2 0 2
SARA ROGERS GELBVIEH CATTLE OVERLAND PARK 2 0 2
PROTHE CATTLE COMPANY PAOLA 2 0 2
T ARROW GELBVIEH PHILLIPSBURG 2 0 2
PRESTON DUNN SAINT JOHN 2 0 2
IAN DUNN SAINT JOHN 2 0 2
ROAD RUNNER RANCH CIMARRON 0 1 1
GILLET RANCH PEABODY 0 1 1
HAMMER GELBVIEH WALLACE 1 0 1
RED MAPLE GELBVIEH JAMESTOWN 1 0 1
TRIPLE K GELBVIEH BASEHOR 1 0 1
JOHN R. SHEARER CANTON 1 0 1
GRACE HAMMER SHARON SPRINGS 1 0 1
SANDERS FARM WELLSVILLE 1 0 1
LINCOLN DEAN MARTIN BUCKLIN 1 0 1
4 W FARMS TROY 1 0 1
DTC FARMS HUTCHINSON 1 0 1
KAID SASSE ATHOL 1 0 1
WAYNE BOLLINGER VALLEY CENTER 1 0 1
STEVE STONE LOUISBURG 1 0 1
NAME CITY DOD DOM TOTAL
REID OVERMILLER SMITH CENTER 1 0 1
LUCKY CROSS RANCH ATWOOD 1 0 1 LILY, LEVI & LACEY JUDD POMONA 1 0 1 HAMMERTIME GENETICS SHARON SPRINGS 1 0 1
HASTY ROCKY HILL FARMS LANCASTER 12 2 14 C&D FARMS BRODHEAD 9 0 9
FULL CIRCLE FARM EWING 6 1 7 MIKE MOORE GENTLE G FARM ANNVILLE 3 2 5
PADON FARMS SALEM 5 0 5 ARTHUR SLAUGHTER FREDONIA 4 0 4 MCINTOSH BROTHERS GEORGETOWN 3 0 3 JOEY R STEVENSON LEITCHFIELD 2 0 2 DAVID SLAUGHTER FREDONIA 0 1 1
WESLEY PAGE TOMPKINSVILLE 0 1 1 RONALD & RANDY GELBVIEH FARM EUBANK 1 0 1
HASTY SUNNY RIDGE FARM LANCASTER 1 0 1 ASHWOOD SPRINGS GENETICS CYNTHIANA 1 0 1
LIVELY LADS FARM MUNFORDVILLE 1 0 1 MURLEY FARMS ETOILE 1 0 1 TILFORD GELBVIEH FARM WEST PADUCAH 1 0 1 HEBRON CHRISTIAN RANCH OLATON 1 0 1 BAR SS CATTLE COMPANY RUSSELLVILLE 1 0 1 R & D OWEN FARMS PRINCETON 1 0 1 CENTER POINT FARM MUNFORDVILLE 1 0 1 MAINE
P ANDRE LEMAISTRE MERRILL 2 0 2 MINNESOTA
LOST RIVER LIVESTOCK CLEARBROOK 14 4 18 FIVE PINE CATTLE CO WORTHINGTON 5 0 5 IVERS FAMILY AUSTIN 2 1 3 JERALD A TAUTGES BRAINERD 3 0 3 SCHAFER FARMS INC GOODHUE 2 0 2 COLTON IVERS AUSTIN 2 0 2 GOLDEN ROD GELBVIEH, LLC PELICAN RAPIDS 0 1 1 ROGER SABIN HIBBING 1 0 1 DEAN G SWENSON LITTLE FALLS 1 0 1 SAUERS VALLEY VIEW FARMS WINONA 1 0 1
B/F CATTLE COMPANY BUTLER 27 7 34
STUECKEN BROTHERS FREEBURG 22 1 23
NORWOOD GELBVIEH FARM CARTHAGE 22 1 23
GINGER J ERTEL GREENTOP 16 1 17
BURBANK CATTLE COMPANY BROOKFIELD 12 1 13
NARROW GATE CATTLE OSAGE BEACH 12 1 13
GATSON GELBVIEH VANDALIA 11 0 11
JOHN A BUSCH & SONS WASHINGTON 5 5 10
RED BUD RANCH SPRINGFIELD 9 1 10
RONALD ROGERS MENDON 6 3 9
STEFFENSEN J5 CATTLE COMPANY GAINESVILLE 5 3 8
BROKEN B RANCH IBERIA 8 0 8
PAUL GELBVIEH WASHBURN 6 1 7
DIAMOND J-D GELBVIEH BARNETT 6 1 7 JUSTAMERE RANCH URBANA 6 0 6
YELLOW DOG GELBVIEH LOHMAN 5 0 5
NEESE FARMS RUTLEDGE 3 1 4
ROGERS GELBVIEH CATTLE FARM SPARTA 3 1 4
RICHARD LINCOLN LINNEUS 4 0 4
RED RIDGE GELBVIEH TRENTON 4 0 4
RUSTY ROSE RANCH PIEDMONT 4 0 4
GARY & JANICE MITCHELL WILLARD 1 2 3
MATTHEW BURBANK BROOKFIELD 2 1 3
TOMY & CATHY BLAKE EDGAR SPRINGS 3 0 3
HILLTOP FARMS ASBURY 3 0 3
BRYCE FAMILY FARMS LLC COLUMBIA 3 0 3
WITT CATTLE COMPANY EL DORADO SPRINGS 3 0 3
JENNIFER LEE NOWACK OWENSVILLE 1 1 2
JARED/CAISIE/ GILBERT/DEBRA NOWACK OWENSVILLE 2 0 2
TED PROBERT MANSFIELD 2 0 2
ARP CATTLE COMPANY BROOKFIELD 2 0 2
CROSSFIRE RANCH WARSAW 2 0 2
CABLE RIDGE FARMS CROSS TIMBERS 2 0 2
VILES FARMS BOLIVAR 2 0 2
WHITE OAK FARMS AURORA 0 1 1
SHOUSE GELBVIEH DADEVILLE 0 1 1
RILEY'S 4-R GELBVIEH ROLLA 1 0 1 DALE LLOYD RILEY JR SAINT JAMES 1 0 1
JGP GELBVIEH LATHROP 1 0 1 NOWACK CATTLE COMPANY OWENSVILLE 1 0 1 AUSTIN D RASH MENDON 1 0 1 VICTORIA BROOKE NOWACK BLAND 1 0 1 WOLF CREEK CATTLE COMPANY FARMINGTON 1 0 1 DALE (TREY) RILEY III SAINT JAMES 1 0 1 ROCKIN'-U-RANCH RICHMOND 1 0 1 LUKE RASH MACON 1 0 1 SUNSET RIDGE FARM PATTON 1 0 1 REINERT FAMILY FARM BILLINGS 1 0 1 CAMERON N NOWACK BLAND 1 0 1 DA-MOON GELBVIEHS BILLINGS 1 0 1 ERICKSON CATTLE COMPANY MARSHALL 1 0 1 KOLTON PHILLIPS COLE CAMP 1 0 1
KICKING HORSE RANCH OILMONT 18 3 21 KICKING HORSE RANCH OILMONT 10 5 15 DANELL DIAMOND SIX RANCH LEWISTOWN 10 4 14 BAR JR GELBVIEH RAYNESFORD 12 2 14
SR GRAVELEY GELBVIEH AVON 3 2 5 JOHNSONS BITTEROOT GELBVIEH FLORENCE 3 0 3
REDLAND GELBVIEH HYSHAM 2 0 2 JLM RANCH INC. WESTBY 2 0 2 GEROVAC GELBVIEH LEWISTOWN 1 0 1
RIPPE GELBVIEH HUBBELL 57 10 67 FLYING H GENETICS ARAPAHOE 61 3 64 MLM GELBVIEH SUPERIOR 26 10 36
TAUBENHEIM GELBVIEH AMHERST 19 0 19 THE 88 RANCH ORCHARD 15 2 17
STANDING MILLIRON RANCH BRADY 8 4 12
CK CATTLE CO SCRIBNER 7 3 10 SQUEAKIN BY LK FARMS SHUBERT 7 3 10
TRIPLE D CATTLE GUIDE ROCK 6 1 7
DIAMOND LAZY J RANCH LLC NENZEL 4 2 6
GS RIDGE TOP RANCH OMAHA 3 1 4
CEDAR TOP RANCH NORTH NORTH PLATTE 2 1 3
JEFF SWANSON OXFORD 3 0 3
SCHAWANG CATTLE CO DAVID CITY 3 0 3
COLE CATTLE CURTIS 2 0 2
KLEINSCHMIDT GELBVIEH GRAFTON 0 1 1
BAUER GELBVIEH FAIRBURY 1 0 1
PETERSON GELBVIEH RANCH HAIGLER 1 0 1
BOEHLER GELBVIEHS ORLEANS 1 0 1
WARNER BEEF GENETICS ARAPAHOE 1 0 1
ROD & TWILA BROWN PAXTON 1 0 1
TRANSPACIFIC GENETICS ARAPAHOE 1 0 1
EASTMAN FARMS GRESHAM 1 0 1
DANYELLE M KUKER SHUBERT 1 0 1
EASTON BOSE ORLEANS 1 0 1
RICHARD J OR JEAN M WILLIAMS OROVADA 2 0 2 NORTH CAROLINA
FENCE ROW FARMS GELBVIEHS MARSHVILLE 4 1 5
NC STATE CARROLL JOYNER BE RALEIGH 4 0 4
GARNER FARMS ROBBINS 1 2 3
GREEN HILLS GELBVIEH MOUNT ULLA 2 0 2 GARRETT M. TEETER MOUNT ULLA 1 0 1
KEN W CHAMBERS STONEVILLE 1 0 1 NORTH DAKOTA
DIAMOND D GELBVIEH MANDAN 54 18 72
PRAIRIE HILLS GELBVIEH GLADSTONE 29 2 31
WEHRI GELBVIEH HEBRON 17 5 22
MOE GELBVIEH WALCOTT 11 6 17
ZIMMERMAN RANCH DAWSON 17 0 17
CRANVIEW GELBVIEH MINOT 13 2 15
WOHL FARMS BALDWIN 11 0 11
CONRAD LARSON NOONAN 6 3 9
GOLDEN BUCKLE GELBVIEH MEDINA 3 5 8
CHIMNEY BUTTE RANCH MANDAN 6 1 7
JENSEN RANCH POWERS LAKE 7 0 7
ALLAN OR PEGGY GUSTIN MANDAN 5 0 5
BOHRER GELBVIEH RANCH STANTON 1 1 2
KRAFT GELBVIEH TURTLE LAKE 2 0 2 DAVID BEDKER EDGELEY 1 0 1
NOAH ARNOLD ESMOND 1 0 1 CORY AND/OR TARA BERGER STANTON 1 0 1 EDWARD SCHERR HAZELTON 1 0 1 NEVADA
RICHARD J OR JEAN M WILLIAMS OROVADA 2 0 2 OHIO
LAWMAN FARMS CONTINENTAL 5 0 5 SOUTHERN ROOTS RANCH ARCHBOLD 3 0 3 WILDWOOD ACRES MINERVA 2 0 2 DAVE LINK BELLEFONTAINE 1 0 1 OKLAHOMA
INDIAN CREEK RANCHES RINGWOOD 4 1 5 GALLAWAY GELBVIEH MULHALL 3 1 4 TOLSMA LAND & CATTLE NOWATA 0 3 3 ROCKIN M PORUM 2 1 3 BARKING DOG CATTLE CO. BOKOSHE 3 0 3 REED RANCH VINITA 2 0 2 LOWCATELLI RANCH CHEYENNE 0 1 1 BILL NEW GELBVIEH ARNETT 1 0 1 RUPP RANCH PERRY 1 0 1 M&K CATTLE ALVA 1 0 1 PORSHA BINNING CHEROKEE 1 0 1 OREGON
LOUIE'S CATTLE SERVICE BURNS 19 0 19 DELANO FARMS LLC OREGON CITY 3 3 6 BROOKE HOPFER DAYS CREEK 0 1 1 H4 RANCH DAYS CREEK 1 0 1
SONLIGHT RANCH LA GRANDE 1 0 1 CABRAL LIVESTOCK GRASS VALLEY 1 0 1 SOUTH DAKOTA
LAZY TV RANCH SELBY 112 26 138 FEIST GELBVIEH LUDLOW 8 8 16 HOJER GELBVIEH LAKE PRESTON 11 5 16 NORTH FORK GELBVIEH WILMOT 14 1 15
CEROLL GELBVIEH SISSETON 7 2 9
DEAN DUXBURY WESSINGTON 7 2 9
DUANE HOJER OLDHAM 5 0 5
CHRISTENSEN GELBVIEH FLANDREAU 3 1 4
CEROLL GELBVIEH SISSETON 3 1 4
GOLDUX GELBVIEH WESSINGTON 4 0 4
JANA THORSTENSON SELBY 4 0 4
CJ & L LIVESTOCK HERMOSA 2 1 3 DUANE & RHONDA THULL OLDHAM 2 1 3
CEROLL RANCH SISSETON 1 1 2
JAYDEN CARRIER HERMOSA 2 0 2
ALEXIS L CEROLL SISSETON 0 1 1 WES & BRITTNEY SPENCER PIERRE 1 0 1
BAR TV GELBVIEH HERMOSA 1 0 1
JORDAN THULL LAKE PRESTON 1 0 1 DAVID A HOLTHUS WOONSOCKET 1 0 1
MYA HEINJE WILMOT 1 0 1
DUCK RIVER GELBVIEH DUCK RIVER 8 5 13 HAMPTON CATTLE COMPANY CELINA 4 2 6
DO LITTLE FARMS QUEBECK 2 0 2
CLINCH MOUNTAIN GELBVIEH FARM LUTTRELL 7 2 9
VALLEY VIEW FARM COOKEVILLE 2 0 2
ROCKY TOP GELBVIEH CROSSVILLE 0 1 1 EASTONS NEW HOPE FARM HILHAM 0 1 1 BUTLER CREEK FARMS MILTON 1 0 1 TRIPLE J FARMS SPARTA 1 0 1
RIVERSIDE FARMS CLARKRANGE 1 0 1 CANEY CREEK FARMS ROCKWOOD 1 0 1 CAVE CREEK CATTLE CHARLOTTE 1 0 1
KYLE LANE ANDERSONVILLE 1 0 1
MONTGOMERY GELBVIEH AMARILLO 8 1 9
K LAZY S FARMS SULPHUR SPRINGS 4 0 4
FREMONT GELBVIEH RANCH FREEMONT 7 0 7 PACE RANCHES TORREY 2 3 5
NAME CITY DOD DOM TOTAL
YJ MOUNTAIN RANCH GELBVIEHS REDMOND 1 0 1 VIRGINIA
C.H. MORRIS & SONS, LLC. APPOMATTOX 20 9 29
KNOLL CREST FARMS RED HOUSE 9 2 11
KG FARMS WIRTZ 2 0 2
DAVID M WOODYARD DUBLIN 0 1 1
CASTLE ROCK FARM DUBLIN 1 0 1
COVE CREEK CATTLE WYTHEVILLE 1 0 1
LEDGERWOOD GELBVIEH CLARKSTON 19 7 26 WEST VIRGINIA
HILL TOP HAVEN FARM DUCK 2 1 3 WYOMING
MTR CATTLE CO BUFFALO 1 0 1
During the normal production cycle a cow should be in her best body condition at the time of calving. After calving, the nutritional stress of lactation will cause most cows to lose weight and body condition up to the point of weaning. Bottomline: it is easier to feed cows for optimum Body Condition Scores (BSC) when they are dry. The (BCS) system is intended to provide a consistent way to quantify relative fatness of cows to serve as a management tool for producers. If cows are to maintain a calving interval of one year, they must bred back within 80 – 85 days after calving. In cows of all ages, it is
well established that BCS at calving time determines the rebreeding performance of beef cows in the subsequent breeding season. The system, used to assess a cow’s body energy reserves, ranges from 1 to 9. A score of 1 indicates cows that are thin and emaciated, cows of BCS 9 are fat and obese. Pictures and definitions of the BCS system can be found in Chapter 20 of the 8th edition of the OSU Beef Cattle Manual.
There is a strong relationship between weight and BCS. For each unit change in BCS, cows should gain or lose approximately 7% of their BCS 5 weight.
For example, a cow that weighs 1,300 lbs. at a BCS 5 should reach a BCS of 6 at 1,391 or drop to a BCS 4 at 1,209 lbs. Cows maintaining body weight, therefore having ample energy reserves before parturition, exhibit estrus sooner than cows losing weight. Body weight change during pregnancy is confounded with fetus and placenta growth. Therefore, the estimation of body fat by use of BCS is more useful in quantifying the energy reserves of beef cows. The process of fetal development, delivering a calf, milk production and repair of the reproductive tract are all physiological stresses. These stresses require the availability
and utilization of large quantities of energy to enable cows to rebreed in the required 85 days. Cold and/or wet weather often faced by spring calving cows adds additional environmental stress resulting in energy intake that is below body maintenance needs. The cow compensates by mobilizing stored energy or adipose tissue which is why adequate BCS at calving is so critical to reproductive performance.
Producers should manage their calving season, genetic potential for growth
and milk levels, grazing system, supplementation program and herd health to achieve an average BCS of 5 to 6 (target 5.5) in the mature cow herd at calving time. The goal for first calf heifers is a BCS of 6. Typically the greatest reproductive challenge in beef cattle is the breed back of two-year old females raising their first calf, lactating for the first time and still growing themselves, accordingly the higher BCS of 6 is recommended. This fall, as you wean, assess the BCS of cows and manage your feeding and supplementation program accordingly.
It will pay dividends in the reproductive performance of your cow herd next spring.F
Beef Cattle Manual. Eight Edition. E-913. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension. Chapter 20.
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. AFS-3283. Body Condition Scoring of Cows.
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM AGA and AGF Board of Directors Meeting
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Opening General Session
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Breed Improvement Committee Meeting
3:00 PM - 3:15 PM Break
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM Breed Promotion Committee Meeting
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Member Education Committee Meeting
5:15 PM - 6:00 PM National Sale Committee Meeting Finance Committee Meeting
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Kick-Off Reception
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM Tour and provided Lunch 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM Bull Pen Session
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM National Show Committee Meeting Rules & Bylaws Committee Meeting
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM American Gelbvieh Foundation Session 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Breakout Sessions
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch, provided
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM Annual Meeting 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Happy Hour 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Awards Banquet
The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) is looking forward to the 52nd Annual AGA National Convention taking place December 7-9, 2022, in Louisville. AGA members and other Gelbvieh and Balancer® stakeholders will gather for meetings, networking and celebration. The AGA is excited to once again have Neogen as the title sponsor for the event.
Registration for the 52nd Annual AGA National Convention is still open. Registration is $180/adult and $125/junior (ages 8-21). Pricing is per person and includes all three days of convention with access to each event. Registration is available online or by calling the AGA office at 303-465-2333. On-site registration will also be available at the convention.
Please pick up name badges and registrations packets upon arrival at convention at the registration desk. Name badges will be required to enter any convention event. If you plan to only attend the AGA Annual Meeting, which begins at 1:30 p.m. CST on Friday, December 9, please be sure to check in at the registration desk to receive a name badge with a delegate designation in order to be considered an eligible voter at the meeting.
Wednesday, December 7 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Thursday, December 8 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Friday, December 9 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
A block of rooms is available at the headquarters hotel, Hyatt Regency Louisville, at the rate of $135.00/night plus tax. Reservations can be made online using the link available on the AGA Convention page on Gelbvieh.org. Rooms should be reserved by November 14, 2022, to receive group pricing.
The hotel is located at 320 West Jefferson Street Louisville.
Self-parking at the hotel is available at the rate of $2.00/hour or $20 for overnight parking in the Commonwealth Parking Garage attached to the hotel.
For guests flying into Louisville, Uber or Lyft are both convenient transportation options and a great way to get from the airport to the convention-site hotel. Make sure to download the Uber or Lyft app to your smartphone to travel around the city.
The 52nd Annual AGA National Convention is an event AGA members and Gelbvieh and Balancer® stakeholders should make plans to attend. The convention will be held in Louisville, Kentucky, December 7-9, 2022.
The lineup of sessions at this year’s convention has something for everyone. The event is filled with important association business, information from some of the industry’s top professionals, and plenty of opportunities for networking, celebrating, and catching up with old friends.
The convention will officially kick-off at the opening general session taking place at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 7. This session will get convention attendees ready for the for the two and a half days that lie ahead with presentations from AGA leadership.
After an afternoon of committee meetings, it will be time for an evening to unwind at the kick-off reception. Be ready to enjoy a cold beverage, mingle with fellow members, and share what’s happening on your operation with fellow AGA members.
This year’s Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup will be held in the afternoon on Thursday, December 8 and features industry leading speakers who will discuss management practices at the farm and ranch level to increase value throughout the supply chain.
Step out on the town at this year’s Bull Pen Session. The event will take place the evening of December 8, after the Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup educational symposium. Come experience the heart of downtown Louisville while networking with other convention attendees and the industry-leading speakers of the Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup.
Members are encouraged to attend and exercise their right to vote as an AGA member at the AGA Annual Meeting taking place at the 52nd Annual AGA National Convention. The Annual Membership Meeting will be held on Friday, December 9 at 1:30 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Louisville.
During the meeting, the election of five members to the AGA board of directors will take place, along with other important association business. Read candidates’ bios in the October issue of Gelbvieh World or on the National Convention page on Gelbvieh.org. Members must in good standing with the association to cast a vote.
To cap off Friday’s scheduled events and to close convention, AGA and AGF will be hosting an evening awards banquet complete with a steak dinner to celebrate the achievements of our membership and customers. Awards will be presented to the newest AGA Hall of Fame inductee, Breeder of the Year, and Commercial Producer of the Year.
The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) committees play an essential part in the development and implementation of the AGA programs, services and grassroots values of the AGA.
Committee meetings will be held during the AGA National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. All AGA and American Gelbvieh Junior Association (AGJA) members are invited to attend all committee meetings. These meetings will consist of presentations from staff and committee chairs as well as discussion of current topics.
Committee meeting agendas will be available on the convention page on Gelbvieh.org, as well as provided in the convention registration packets, which will be available for pick-up at convention.
Wednesday, December 7 at 2:00 p.m.
Chair: Dustin Aherin Co-Chair: Brian Dunn Staff Liaison: Megan Slater
BREED PROMOTION
Wednesday, December 7 at 3:15 p.m.
Chair: Sarah Heinrich Co-Chair: Mark Covington Staff Liaisons: Tom Strahm, Malerie Markley
MEMBER EDUCATION
Wednesday, December 7 at 4:00 p.m.
Chair: Gary Felger Co-Chair: Cory Voss Staff Liaison: Jake Renner
NATIONAL SALE
Wednesday, December 7 at 5:15 p.m.
Chair: Dan Warner Co-Chair: Tom Vehige Staff Liaison: Tom Strahm
This year’s AGA Convention is being held in Louisville, KY, and we would like to formally invite you to join us in Bourbon City! While you aren’t spending time with your Gelbvieh friends and family, we hope you will take the time to explore Louisville and partake in the over 120 attractions the city has to offer.
Pay a visit to the Kentucky Derby Museum during the industry tour and immerse yourself in the history of the Thoroughbred horse industry in Kentucky. Spend some time at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and learn about the production of the bat that is used by most major league baseball teams. Or hop aboard The Belle of Louisville, the oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat still in existence, for a trip up the Ohio River and a unique view of the city.
Wednesday, December 7 at 5:15 p.m.
Chair: Derek Martin Co-Chair John Carrel Staff Liaison: Megan Slater
NATIONAL SHOW
Friday, December 10 at 8:00 a.m. Chair: Callahan Grund Co-Chair: Gregg Hartman Staff Liaison: Jake Renner
RULES AND BYLAWS
Friday, December 10 at 8:00 a.m.
Chair: Leland Clark Co-Chair: Jeff Loveless Staff Liaisons: Megan Slater, Meg Vanderbur
The Speed Art Museum and the KMAC are perfect for visual art lovers, and Ali’s Footsteps of Greatness remembers Louisville native, Muhammad Ali, with a self-guided tour. If you’re ready to get into the holiday spirit, head to the Mega Caverns for Lights under Louisville or Iroquois Park for the Winter Woods Spectacular.
And don’t forget the bourbon! The Urban Bourbon Experience is comprised of over ten distilleries that are open to the public for tours and tastings, while the Urban Bourbon Trail boasts over thirty-five bars and restaurants with over sixty bourbons and bourbon-inspired “culinary delights” to satisfy your taste buds.
There truly is something for everyone in Louisville, and we can’t wait to see you there in just few weeks for the 52nd Annual AGA National Convention!
The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) will again recognize a dedicated member that has been an influential figure in the Gelbvieh breed. The 2023 AGA Hall of Fame inductees are John and Laurie Burbank of St. Catharine, Missouri. The Burbanks will be presented with the award at the awards banquet during the 52nd Annual AGA National Convention, which will take place December 9, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency Louisville, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Members of AGA since the early 1980’s, the Burbanks have been ardent supporters of the Gelbvieh and Balancer® breed.
John served on the board of directors during pivotal changes in the association, including the introduction of SmartCross crossbreeding and the adoption of electronic registration. Additionally, John served as president of the AGA in 1999 and provided industry insight and focus to the board as the breed chartered new waters in developing a trademarked hybrid.
As one of the first in the breed to promote polled Gelbvieh bulls, the Burbanks continue to focus on providing both improved genetics and service to their customers.
Thinking bigger than their own personal operation, the Burbanks saw a need with seedstock producers in different areas to cooperate to sell bulls and females. This
led John and Laurie to establish Seedstock Plus, a marketing cooperative that boasts 33-members throughout 8 states. Today, the program is driven to provide more value to commercial cow-calf producers through Seedstock Plus members’ premium genetics.
“John and Laurie have a passion for the continued improvement of the Gelbvieh and Balancer breed,” shares Lori Maude. “They support the future of the breed and believe in giving young Gelbvieh breeders the opportunity to experience the beef industry on a larger stage. They have dedicated years to building a program and helping other producers be successful.”
Congratulations to this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, John and Laurie Burbank.
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Nov. 1 Mid-American Elite Gelbvieh & Balancer Sale, Grand Island, Neb.
Nov. 5 B/F Cattle Co. Maternal Integrity Balancer Bull Sale, Butler, Mo.
Nov. 5 TJB Gelbvieh Annual Maternal Magic Bull Sale, Chickamauga, Ga.
Nov. 5 Seedstock Plus Red Reward ‘Fall Edition’ Bull & Female Sale, Osceola, Mo.
Nov. 17-19 Kicking Horse Ranch “Sharing the Heritage” Female Sale, Oilmont, Mont.
Nov. 18 Warner Beef Genetics, “Genetic Opportunities” Female Sale, Arapahoe, Neb.
Nov. 19 Butler Creek Power In The Blood Show Heifer Embryo and Semen Sale, AngusLive.com
Nov. 26 Boys from the South Bull Sale, Lebanon, Tenn.
Nov. 29 Warner Beef Genetics “Commercial Edition” Female Sale, Arapahoe, Neb.
Dec. 1-3 Prairie Hills Gelbvieh “Princesses of the Prairie” Online Female Sale
Dec. 2 Knoll Crest Farm Total Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va.
Dec. 7-9 AGA Annual National Convention, Louisville, Ky.
Dec. 17 Rippe Gelbvieh Complete Red Gelbvieh and Balancer
Female Dispersal, Hubbell, Neb.
Dec. 17 CJ&L Livestock 9th Annual Bull Sale, Hermosa, S.D.
Feb. 11 Prairie Hills Gelbvieh Annual Bull Sale, Gladstone, N.D.
Feb. 11 Genetic Power Gelbvieh and Balancer Bull Sale, Springfield, Mo.
Feb. 16 Gustin’s Diamond D Gelbvieh Annual Production Sale, Medina, N.D.
Feb. 23 Plateau Gelbvieh Annual Bull Sale, Brush, Colo.
Feb. 24 32nd Annual “Pot of Gold” Gelbvieh and Balancer Bull Sale, Montrose, Colo.
Feb. 25 Post Rock Cattle Company “Cowman’s Kind” Bull & Female Sale, Barnard, Kan.
March 3 34th Annual Davidson Gelbvieh & Lonesome Dove Ranch Bull Sale, Ponteix, SK
March 4 Judd Ranch 45th Gelbvieh, Balancer, and Red Angus Bull Sale, Pomona, Kan.
March 4 Kentucky Beef Expo Gelbvieh/Balancer Sale
March 4 Lazy TV Ranch 42nd Production Sale, at the Ranch, Selby, S.D.
March 4 Hilltop Farms Annual Gelbvieh/Balancer Bull & Female Sale, Asbury, Mo.
March 6 Hojer Ranch 31st Annual Gelbvieh & Balancer
Production Sale, Lake Preston, S.D.
March 7 Swanson Cattle Company Annual Bull Sale, Oxford, Neb.
March 8 Warner Beef Genetics “Genetic Investment” Bull Sale, Arapahoe, Neb.
March 16 Kicking Horse Ranch Annual Production Sale, Olimont, Mont.
March 11 Midwest Beef Cattle Consultants 20th Annual Open House and Spring Bull & Female Sale, Carthage, Ind.
March 25 Bluegrass Gelbvieh Alliance Sale
April 1 Circle S Ranch ‘Going to Grass’ Sale, Canton, Kan.
April 8 Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring Bull & Female Sale, Red House, Va.
Dec. 1 Knoll Crest Farm’s Total Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va.
Visit the online version of Upcoming Events at Gelbvieh.org for additional dates of upcoming sales and more information on each event.
If you have a sale or event information for this listing, please email the information to laura@ gelbvieh.org. This includes tours, expos, field days and other Gelbvieh events. F
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29
Barns Open 12 p.m. Must be in place Friday, Dec. 30 by 12 p.m.
Gelbvieh and Balancer Junior Show 10 a.m. Gelbvieh and Balancer Bull Futurity 2 p.m.
Gelbvieh and Balancer Pen Show 10 a.m. Gelbvieh and Balancer National Sale 6 p.m.
National Gelbvieh and Balancer Show Bulls 8 a.m. Females 1 p.m.
Information, including entry information and premium book, will be available soon. Cattlemen’s Congress entries close on November 18. Junior breeding heifers must be in the name and possession of a junior exhibitor by December 1. Late entry and substitution deadline is December 1. Visit the Cattlemen’s Congress website to stay updated on the latest information.
The American Gelbvieh Association board of directors has made the decision to hold the 2023 Gelbvieh and Balancer® National Show and 2022 Gelbvieh and
place
31 –
14,
National Sale at the Cattlemen's Congress
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Judd Ranch 1 3 G Ranch 42
AGF Steer Challenge ................................. 31
AGJA Donation Heifer 19
B/F Cattle Co. 43
Bar Arrow Cattle Company 43
Bar JR Gelbvieh.......................................... 44
Bar T Bar Ranches 42
Bow K Ranch 42
Bull Barn Genetics 5, 46
Butler Creek Farms ............................ 14, 17 C.H. Morris & Sons, LLC. 45
Canadian Gelbvieh Association 46
Cattlemen’s Congress 47 Cattlemen’s Connection............................ 46
Cave Creek Cattle ...................................... 45
C-Cross Cattle Company 44
Cedar Top Ranch BC, 44
Chimney Butte Ranch ............................... 44
Circle S Ranch ............................................ 43
CJ&L Livestock 45
Clinch Mountain Gelbvieh 45
Cranview Gelbvieh .................................... 45 Dan McCarty, Auctioneer ........................ 46 Danell Diamond Six Ranch 44
Diamond L Farms 45 Doak Lambert, Auctioneer 46 Flying H Genetics ............................... 43, 44
Gale Rippey Farms 46
Gelbvieh & Balancer National Sale 22 Gelbvieh Auction ...................................... 30 Green Hills Gelbvieh 14, 44 Gustin’s Diamond D Gelbvieh 45
Hampton Cattle Company 45 Hart Farm Gelbvieh .................................. 42 Hilltop Farms 43 Hodges Ranch 42
Hojer Ranch 45
Ivers Cattle Company................................ 43 J & K Gelbvieh Farm, Inc. ........................ 42
Kicking Horse Ranch 6, 44 Knoll Crest Farms 4, 45 Koehn Cattle Co. ....................................... 45 Lazy TV Ranch .......................................... 45 Lemke Cattle 44
Little Windy Hill Farms 45 Lone Oak Cattle ......................................... 42 M&P Gelbvieh ........................................... 44 Martens Gelbvieh 42
Martin Cattle Company 42 McMahan Cove Gelbvieh ......................... 42 Mitchell Marketing Services .................... 46 MLM Gelbvieh 44
Mulroy Farms, LLC 42 Nine Bar Nine Gelbvieh 46 Nowack Cattle Company .......................... 43
Plateau Gelbvieh 42
Plus One Cattle Co. 42
Post Rock Cattle Company ...................... 43 Prairie Breeze Ranch 43
Prairie Hills Gelbvieh 8, 45 ProHart Seedstock 42
Red Ridge Gelbvieh ................................... 43 Rippe Gelbvieh 18
Rogers Valley Farm Gelbvieh 43 Rumfelt Gelbvieh 43
S.J. Cattle Co............................................... 45 Sawtooth Gelbvieh Cattle & Hay ............. 44 Squeakin’ By-LK Farms 44 Swenson Gelbvieh 43 T Bar S Cattle Co. ...................................... 43 Taubenheim Gelbvieh ............................... 44 The 88 Ranch 44 Thull Gelbvieh Farm 45 TJB Gelbvieh .......................................... IFC Triple K Gelbvieh....................................... 43 Volek Ranch 45
Warner Beef Genetics IBC White Oak Farms ...................................... 44 Wilkinson Gelbvieh .................................. 42 Witt Cattle 44
Wolf Gelbvieh 44
