The Beefmaster Pay Weight – Spring 2023

BEEFMASTER Pay Weight

Planned Crossbreeding Systems

by Lance W. Bauer, PhD., Beefmaster Breeders United

Beef producers are always looking for a way to increase the profitability of their operations. To do this they use selection criteria that will help them increase weaning weights, yearling weight, rib eye area, marbling, stayability, and pregnancy rates. Many times, producers look at EPDs and recorded weights and records to do this, and those are very valuable numbers in the selection process, but one thing that may get overlooked sometimes is the value of crossbreeding. Crossbreeding helps to optimize these traits and can be a simple tool when used in a thought-out crossbreeding system.

Advantages of Crossbreeding

Crossbreeding provides two advantages to using straight bred animals, first there is heterosis or hybrid vigor and the second advantage is breed complementarity (in a properly designed system). Breed complementarity is taking advantage of the strengths of the different breeds used in the system. In a welldesigned crossbreeding system, the producer can maximize the effect of both of these advantages.

Heterosis or heterosis is the ability of the cross bred offspring to outperform the

average of the two parent breeds. There are two types of heterosis to take advantage of, direct and maternal heterosis. Direct heterosis refers to the heterosis of the animal itself, and maternal heterosis refers to the heterosis of the dam of the animal. The amount of heterosis can be estimated by the percent of heterozygous gene pairs, where one gene comes from one breed and another from the other breed. With this in mind, an F1 animal has the maximum amount of direct heterosis and a F1 dam has the maximum amount of maternal heterosis. Direct heterosis will affect and improve most traits in a calf. Heterosis has the most effect on lowly heritable traits but will also be observed on weight traits which are moderately heritable and carcass traits which are highly heritable. With these moderately heritable traits, the level of heterosis to be expected is moderate, from 5-10% and with the highly heritable traits the level of heterosis to be expected is around 0-10%.

Maternal heterosis is extremely important because many of the maternal traits are lowly heritable traits. Reproduction, maternal ability, longevity and other traits that deal with overall

cow productivity are lowly heritable traits and heterosis has the greatest affect on lowly heritable traits. The expected levels of heterosis for these lowly heritable traits typically ranges from 10-30%.

To calculate the level of heterosis the equation is: Level of Heterosis=((Average of crossbred animalaverage of parent breeds)/ average of parent breeds) X100. For example, if level of heterosis is being calculated for weaning weight in a Beefmaster X Angus cross and the average weaning weight on the particular Beefmasters used is 675 and the average for the particular Angus used is 650, and the average weaning weight of the calves is 700 pounds the level of heterosis can be calculated to be 5.7%. Level of Heterosis=((700-662.5)/662.5) X100=5.7%.

Taking full advantage of heterosis is done when a system is in place the utilizes a crossbred female to produce crossbred calves. There are different crossbreeding systems that are very successful at utilizing and maximizing both types of heterosis. Direct heterosis is important because it directly impacts the weight and carcass traits of the calf and increased weight and better carcass traits lead to increased profits for the producer. Maternal heterosis is extremely important in the overall productivity of the cow, impacting things such as fertility and longevity, both of which lead to more calves that are raised by a cow in her lifetime. The more calves a cow can raise in her lifetime makes her more valuable to the producer. Another way to help effectively utilize heterosis

is to use cattle that are Bos indicus influenced, Bos indicus X Bos taurus cross cattle tend to exhibit a higher level of heterosis than Bos taurus X Bos taurus cross cattle.

The other big advantage of crossbreeding is the ability to take advantage of breed complementarity. Different breeds of cattle have different strengths that they are known for and a well-planned crossbreeding system can take advantage of the strengths of two or more breeds. For example, if a producer is looking to use a terminal cross, it would be a good idea to utilize a breed known to be a good mother for the dam and a sire that is known for growth and carcass. A good cross in this case could be a Beefmaster dam and a Charolais sire, taking advantage of the maternal ability of the Beefmaster and the growth and carcass from the Charolais. When looking at breed complementarity it is also important to use breeds that work in the production environment.

Types of Crossbreeding Systems

When determining what type of system to use, a producer needs to look at their herd size, time, management requirements and the target market. Some crossbreeding systems produce replacement females to go directly back into the herd and others require the producer to purchase replacement females. These are all factors that need to be analyzed before selecting the preferred crossbreeding system. Composite Breeds

Composite breeds are crossbred animals that are

continued on page 4

Articles In This Issue...

Page 1 - Planned Crossbreeding Systems by Lance Bauer, PhD., Beefmaster Breeders United

Page 4 - Beefmaster Breeders United & Event Calendar

Page 8 - Meet the Beefmaster Breeders United Staff by Addison Coburn, Beefmaster Breeders United

Page 12 - Cattlemens News Heterosis by Troy Rowman, Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist (Beef Genetics)

Page 16 - Is Sustainability on your Menu? by Greg Henderson, Drovers

Page 18 - 2022 Beefmaster Sale Calendar

Page 19 - Advertisers' Index

the BEEFMASTER Pay Weight

Beefmaster Breeders United

The Beefmaster Pay Weight is a publication produced by Beefmaster Breeders United and dedicated to serving commercial cattlemen.

The Beefmaster Pay Weight Team

Editor: Dr. Joe Mask

Managing Editor: Addison Coburn

Advertising Coordinators: Dr. Lance Bauer, Dr. Joe Mask, Addison Coburn

Graphic Designer: Addison Coburn

Beefmaster Breeders United Staff Members

Dr. Joe Mask: Executive Vice President

Dr. Lance Bauer: Director of Breed Improvement

Collin Osbourn: DNA Coordinator

Jon Garza: Director of International Programs

Donna Henderson: Office Manager

Kylie McIntosh: Membership Coordinator and B. E. E. F. Liaison

Laurel Kelley: Youth Program Coordinator

Brinley Allison: Student Worker

Addison Coburn: Communications Coordinator and Membership Services

For advertisement sales: Contact Addison Coburn 210-732-3132

Contact BBU: P.O. Box 3790, Bryan, TX 77805 - (210) 732-3132 - info@beefmasters.org

Beefmaster Breeders United reserves the right to refuse advertising in any publications. © 2023 Beefmaster Breeders United. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or part, without prior written consent of Beefmaster Breeders United.

continued from page 1

managed like purebreds. Once the composite is established and managed like a breed it is very easy to use. Composite breeds can retain large amounts of heterosis depending on the final composition of the breed. In the case of many 2-breed composites that are widely used in the United States 47% of the heterosis is retained, while Beefmasters are a 3-breed composite and retain 63% heterosis. In many cases composite breeds have been developed by crossing Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle to take advantage of the adaptation to hot and humid climates of the Bos indicus breeds. One of the largest challenges to starting a new composite is that a large cow herd is needed, and very intense management of the crossing needs to be practiced. After the composite is made it is a system that is just like managing straight bred cattle.

Terminal Crosses

Terminal cross systems utilize one breed of bull and cows of another breed or cross bred cows. All of the resulting calves are sold to be fed out for beef. This is a system that can work for any size producer and is very simple to manage in terms of breeding decisions. The advantages of the terminal system are that the producer has the ability to have maximum heterosis in the calves, and if the producer uses a crossbred female, they can have maximum heterosis in the dams as well, and the

producer can take advantage of breed complementarity. The largest disadvantage to a terminal cross system is that the producer must purchase replacement females to go back into production, since all the calves are sold.

Rotational Cross

Rotational cross breeding systems are very methodical systems that require a decent amount of planning and a large herd of cows in order to successfully accomplish. The simplest of the rotational cross is the 2-breed rotation which is a essentially a series of alternating back crosses. In a 2-breed rotation the proportions of the breeds stabilize to 2/3 of one breed and 1/3 of the other breed. For a 2-breed rotation there needs to be at least 2 breeding groups, since one set of females will be 2/3 Breed A and 1/3 Breed B, and the other set of females will be 2/3 Breed B and 1/3 Breed A. In the first set of females a bull of Breed B would be used and in the second set a bull of Breed A would be used. Resulting females would then move into breeding groups and be with bulls that are the opposite breed of their sire. With this system 67% of heterosis is retained both direct and maternal. A 3-breed rotation is also another option that requires at least 3 breeding pastures and even more extensive planning and management but allows for animals to retain 86% heterosis.

Rotaterminal Crosses

Rotaterminal cross

breeding systems are a combination of a terminal cross system and a rotational cross system. They are complex and require a large amount of management to use correctly. They do take advantage of the maternal heterosis generated in the rotational cross system and maximize the heterosis in the calves. In this type of system heifers and younger cows are kept in the rotational cross breeding system and mature cows are moved into a terminal system. By using older cows in the terminal part of the system there is less likelihood of the

its effect on weight gain in calves as well as the maternal heterosis which plays a big role in cow productivity. The second benefit is breed complementarity which is when the strengths of 2 or more breeds are used in a crossbreeding system. Beefmaster cattle fit very well into many crossbreeding systems since they are a composite breed and already retain some heterosis. Using Beefmasters in a planned crossbreeding system is a great way to increase weaning weights and increase

cows experiencing calving difficulty. This system is one that seems to be very ideal on paper and if the right number of cows and breeding groups is available is very ideal, however it is the most complex of the breeding systems that have been mentioned.

Crossbreeding is a great tool that is available to cattle producers and provides great benefits when it is used as a planned system. The first benefit is heterosis and

productivity of cows, ultimately leading to more profit for the producer.

Lance Bauer Director of Breed Improvement Beefmaster Breeders United

2023 Beefmaster Event Calendar

March 02, 2023 - BBU Board of Directors meeting-Houston, Texas NRG Center 2nd Floor-Room 201-4:00 PM CST

March 04, 2023 -Scan Day at Champion Genetics, Canton, Tx: Please call: (972) 979-8556 to register

March 18, 2023 -East Texas and Louisiana Carcass Ultrasound Scan Day, Nacogdoches, TX

April 15, 2023 -Arkansas BBA Field Day, Quitman, AR

April 19, 2023-Live Oak BBA Carcass Ultrasound Scan Day @ Landair, Beeville, TX

April 22, 2023-Educational Field Day @ University of Arkansas - Monticello, Monticello, AR

May 06, 2023-Lone Star BBA Carcass Ultrasound Scan Day @ Champion Genetics, Canton, TX

May 10, 2023-BBU Summer Board of Directors and Committee Meetings-Stella Hotel Bryan, Texas

May 13, 2023-Bulldogs & Beefmasters Field Day @ Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS

CattleFax Forecasts Positive Profitability Trends in 2022

by Industry Press Release, Drovers

The popular CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of the 2022 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Houston, shared expert market and weather analysis. Cattle price and profitability trends for producers are pointed in the right direction, even as challenges and uncertainty persist with continued disruptions from the pandemic. While issues around labor and packing capacity have lingered, both are expected to improve in the year ahead. These expansions in capacity combined with strong global and domestic consumer beef demand suggests increased profitability across segments, signaling a market that is healthier and more stable in the year ahead, according to CattleFax.

Kevin Good, vice president of industry relations and analysis at CattleFax, reported that U.S. beef cow inventories have fallen more than 700,000 head from last year and are off nearly 1.6 million from cycle highs. This year, the beef cowherd will near 30.1 million head.

“Drought, market volatility and processing capacity challenges affected 30 to 40 percent of the cowherd over the last year. Without an improvement in weather and profitability, at least 250,000 more head will be liquidated in 2022,” Good said.

The feeder cattle and calf supply will be 675,000 head smaller than last year, totaling 25.5 million head. Fed cattle slaughter will decline 400,000 head lower compared to last year, at 25.7 million head.

Commercial beef production

will contract over the next several years starting with a 2 percent decline in 2022.

Good forecasted the average 2022 fed steer price at $140/cwt, up $18/cwt from 2021, with a range of $130 to $155/cwt throughout the year. All cattle classes are expected to trade higher, and prices are expected to improve. The 800lb steer price is expected to average $172/cwt with a range of $158 to $184/cwt, and the 550-lb steer price is expected to average $205/cwt, with a range of $180 to $230/cwt Finally, Good forecasted utility cows at an average of $75/cwt with a range of $65 to $85/cwt, and bred cows at an average of $1,850/head with a range of $1,700 to $2,000 for load lots of quality, running-age cows.

Consumer demand for beef at home and around the globe remained strong in 2021,

a trend that will continue in 2022, especially as tight global protein supplies are expected to fuel U.S. export growth. This will also drive beef prices from end-users to consumers to continue higher in the coming years.

While U.S. median household income increased in 2021, historically high inflation is affecting low-to-middle income Americans the most. Inflation is also driving beef prices to a higher trading range. The USDA All-Fresh Beef Retail Price should average near $7.15/lb this year, ultimately resulting in more margin in the system.

According to Good, wholesale demand will likely slow in the coming year, but cutout value should hold steady near $280/cwt on average for

continued on page 6

2022.

Global protein demand has continued to rise, and U.S. beef exports are expected to grow by 5 percent this year to 3.7 billion pounds. The increases were led by large, yearover-year gains into China, and Japan and South Korea remaining strong trade partners for protein. “The tightening of global protein supplies will support stronger U.S. red meat exports in 2022,” Good said.

Mike Murphy, CattleFax vice president of research and risk management services, expects summer weather patterns – and their effect on corn and soybean yields – to be the focus of market participants.

With the expectation of

normal weather next spring, CattleFax is forecasting planted corn acres at 91.8 million, with a trendline yield expectation of 180 bu/acre for the 2022 planting season. Soybean acres are expected to remain near steady at 87.2 million acres for the 2022-2023 market year.

“Exceptional demand from China is leading U.S. corn exports to new records and expanded interest could easily push exports higher in 2022,” Murphy said.

Murphy noted that weather is likely to continue influencing hay prices with much of the Central Plains and the West battling some level of dryness or drought. “December 1 on-farm hay stocks were

down 6 percent nationally from the previous year, at 79 million tons. Expect current year hay prices to average near $186/ton, $10 higher than 2021 prices due to tighter supplies and stronger demand,” he said. According to Meteorologist Matt Makens, La Niña remains firmly in control of the ocean-atmosphere system, and that is unlikely to change this spring; however, it remains possible that there will be some changes throughout summer. For the U.S., barring any change to the La Niña outlook or sudden warming in the Gulf of Alaska, dryness continues across the Southwest and South with warms temperatures, too.

The Northern Plains and Corn

Belt are expected to have wetness farther east this spring and drier conditions for this summer, with temperatures closer to normal versus 2021.

CattleFax CEO Randy Blach concluded the session with an overall positive outlook, expecting margins to improve as cattle supply tightens and producers gain leverage back from packers and retailers, beef demand to remain solid with expected export growth, and utilization and packing capacity to improve over the next few years.

Reprinted with permission from Drovers

Meet the Beefmaster Breeders United Staff!

Dr. Joe Mask joined Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) as the new Executive Vice President on September 6, 2022. Most recently, Mask served as Executive Vice President for the American Brahman Breeders Association. Prior to his role with the Brahman association, he served as an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Youth Veterinary Science with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases. In this role, Mask was instrumental in implementing the Veterinary Science Certificate Program in all 50 states and four countries. Before this, he served as an Agriculture Science Teacher or County Extension Agent for 16 years.

Mask received his Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science from Texas A&M University, Master of Science in Agriculture Education from Tarleton State University, and Doctorate in Extension Education from Texas A&M University under the guidance of Dr. Chris Boleman. Mask has judged cattle for the past 24 years at local, county, state, national, and international shows. Mask lives in Franklin, Texas with his wife Julie and daughter Jennifer, where they raise Brahman, Simbrah, and Simmental cattle. His greatest joy is watching his daughter, Jennifer show and advocate for the beef cattle industry.

Mask is the Executive Vice President for Beefmaster Breeders United. In this role, he leads one of the global beef industry’s purebred beef associations, represents progressive and committed Beefmaster breeders on a worldwide level, manages a professional team, represents the association at worldwide beef events, and guides the organization as demand for Beefmaster cattle genetics continue to rise. It is his goal to make Beefmaster a common name when talking about the beef industry.

Dr. Lance Bauer was born and raised in the Texas Hill Country, in Ingram, Texas. He grew up with commercial cattle and registered sheep. He also worked in his family’s feed store business.

He attended Texas A&M University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, and furthered his education to completing a Ph.D. in Animal Breeding at Texas A&M, with an emphasis on beef cattle. Bauer and his wife Kaley, reside in College Station, Texas.

Bauer works daily on answering questions about data collection and performance, and how it is used in the Beefmaster breed, as well as in the industry. He also works on education about the breed and where the breed is moving. Bauer works closely with the Breed Improvement Committee, to help the committee make informed decisions that will be beneficial to the breed. He looks into where the breed can focus on research and education to increase the impact on the industry. Bauer is in charge of inputting scan data as it arrives from the lab, and sending out scan results when they arrive.

this day she is still a diehard Alabama Crimson Tide fan! Henderson aspired from a young age to be an elementary education major, but got married before she attained that goal. Not long after she and her husband were married, her husband joined the Air Force. Her first daughter was born in San Antonio, and her second daughter was born in England.

Henderson has also lived in Las Vegas, Nevada and Biloxi, Mississippi during her husband’s career. She ended up back in San Antonio, close to her parents when her husband retired.

She has held all kinds of jobs, all the way from wrapping meat at a deer processing plant, being a childcare provider, a Church Secretary, a teleservice representative with Sears, and an order entry representative at QVC.

She began as the file and mailroom Clerk at Beefmaster Breeders Universal in 1994 and has continued working with the Association for almost twentynine years. She always says it is the breeders she serves that have made her stay. In twentynine years, she has seen the graduation and marriage of both of her children, the birth of two precious grandchildren, and the illness and eventual loss of both of her parents and both in-laws. Henderson states that Beefmaster breeders are a passionate bunch and some of the best people you will ever meet. Who knew that when she walked into the BBU Office at 6800 Park Ten Blvd on May 23, 1994, without an interview appointment, that she would still be walking through their Office doors in 2023 in Bryan, Texas now as the Office Manager!

When members call in with specific questions, Henderson researches those topics and relays the information. She assists with keeping track of other staff’s schedules and vacation time. She sets up emails for committee chairs and handles board of director correspondence. “I basically do a little bit of everything,” Henderson said. “Another thing I try to do is to just keep up with the morale around the office.. I truly enjoy the people I work with; it is like working with extended family.”

Donna Henderson was born in Mobile, Alabama, and moved to San Antonio, Texas where her father’s civil service job transferred him before she entered second grade. Her roots run deep, and to

Henderson is the office manager at BBU. Henderson’s job encompasses a wide array of responsibilities from keeping the office supplies stocked, to assisting the EVP with handling payments. She does data entry, issues passwords, takes calls, and resolves registration issues over the phone.

Kylie McIntosh is originally from Boerne, Texas. She grew up raising and showing swine and Brahman cattle. She currently owns and operates LK Brahmans with her younger sister.

Prior to working at Beefmaster Breeders United, McIntosh was the intern for the Brahman Foundation, where she served as their Scholarship Coordinator. She has enjoyed her time with BBU as the Membership Coordinator, and recently took on another position as the B.E.E.F Liaison for the association. She is currently a new resident to College Station, Texas, and is eager for her future with BBU!

McIntosh is the Beefmaster Breeders United Membership Coordinator, and the Beefmaster Educational Endowment Foundation (B.E.E.F.). In these roles, she serves as a liaison between the organization and its members, as well as managing the current membership database, and helping execute successful strategies to recruit and orient new members. Since she took on the role with B.E.E.F,

Dr. Lance Bauer Director of Breed Improvement

Donna Henderson Office Manager

Dr. Joe Mask Excutive Vice President

she works closely with the foundation president to execute administrative and finance tasks for the foundation.

in Beefmaster genetics on the international and domestic fronts.

me a call. I am glad to help in any way

Laurel Kelley is originally from Yoakum, Texas, where she grew up raising and showing steers. Kelley began judging collegiately at Blinn College, and transferred to Texas A&M University, where she competed on a nationally recognized team. While at Texas A&M, Kelley obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science.

Jon Garza is originally from Laredo, Texas. He attended US Army Chemical School in Fort McClellan, Alabama, and graduated from Texas A&M Kingsville with a Bachelor of Science in Range and Wildlife Management. Shortly after graduating, he started working for the TDA as a field investigator and inspector in Corpus Christi, and then served as TDA Coordinator for the Grain Warehouse Program in Austin, Texas.

Garza served a total of 25 years and seven months with the TDA, and served six years in the military. Jon comes to us from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), where he most recently acted as Director for International Programs and Livestock Export Pens. His duties consisted of directing, developing and implementing and being the primary information source for the agency relative to all international programs and livestock export.

Garza’s volunteer work consists of serving on the United States Livestock Genetics Export Board of Directors, and he is an officer in Post 1805 of the Catholic War Veterans of Austin, Texas. Garza and his wife, Denise, have three grown children, and eight grandchildren. His family has used Beefmaster bulls on their South Texas cattle ranch for over 30 years. They still own and operate two ranches, which date back to 1808 through the Spanish land grant.

Garza is the Director of International Programs. His duties include coordinating the international programs, as well as helping grow more interest

Collin Osbourn grew up in the agriculture industry, and was born and raised in central Texas. He is married to his wife, Ashley, and they have a daughter, Della, who is in the third grade. Osbourn graduated from Texas A&M University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science.

He began working with Jordan Cattle Auction after college, where he worked with marketing replacement females and marketing feeder cattle. In 2007, Osbourn started working for the Beefmaster Association as a field representative and has continued to work for the association in many different roles over the years. Today, Osbourn handles all of the DNA work, along with field services, and he continues to travel to events throughout the year. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Collin and he will be glad to help answer your questions!

Osbourn handles the DNA for BBU. He handles everything from genotyping, to all testing requests. He works with members to resolve parentage issues, and makes sure that BBU gets all the requested testing completed.

He also works with members on upgrading and consulting from management practices to animal selections.

“Our goal is to help all of our members in any way that we can to help improve their Beefmaster herds.” says Osbourn. He travels to many sales and events during spring fall. “You can probably find me at a Beefmaster sale on a Friday or Saturday. If there is anything that you have questions on, please do not hesitate to give

Addison Coburn is originally from Sterling City, Texas. She grew up exhibiting steers and a few barrows. She attended Blinn College in Brenham, Texas to compete on the Blinn livestock judging team.

She transferred to Texas A&M after attending Blinn College, and graduated in August of 22’ with a Bachelors of Science in Agriculture Communications and Journalism. Prior to working for BBU, Coburn worked in a student worker position for Path to the Plate with AgriLife Extension.

Coburn started working for Beefmaster Breeders United in January 2023. She is the Communications Coordinator, and also helps with Membership Services. Her job duties at Beefmaster Breeders United, mainly consist of handling all of the communication related requests. This can range from creating and sending out E-Blasts, Facebook and Instagram posts for BBU members, to creating the BBU Pay Weight and more. She also handles some of the transfers that come though the BBU office, as well as answering the phones and trying to help out wherever she can! She has enjoyed her time so far at BBU and looks forward to the future!

She is currently continuing her education at Texas A&M University, pursuing a master’s degree in Agriculture Leadership, Education, and Communications. Kelley began her career at Beefmaster Breeders United as the Youth Programs Coordinator in October of 2022, and has enjoyed getting to know the outstanding young people in the Beefmaster industry.

Kelley is the Youth Programs Coordinator. She spends most of her time organizing the JBBA Junior National Show and Convention that takes place in July every year. Additionally, she works very closely with the JBBA Board of Directors, by serving as an advisor, and coordinating fundraisers, meetings, and events throughout the year. Kelley does much more, including keeping the JBBA social media up to date, as well as traveling to all the junior major stock shows to support Beefmaster exhibitors. She is very excited to be serving as the Co-Chair of the 2023 Convention Committee. Daily in the office, she will answer phones and assist with other tasks as needed.

Brinley Allison is currently a freshman Animal Science major at Texas A&M University. iShe grew up in Lorena, Texas, a small town

continued on page 10

that I can!”

Jon Garza Director of International Programs

Collin Osbourn DNA Coordinator

Addison Coburn Communications Coordinator Memebership Services

Laurel Kelley Youth Program Coordinator

Kylie McIntosh Membership Coordinator

B.E.E.F. Liaison

right outside of Waco, Texas. Growing up, Allison was very involved in her community, playing multiple sports, taking part in local organizations, PALs, and Texas 4-H.

Most importantly, Allison had the opportunity to show and raise livestock, mostly Beefmaster heifers. At Texas A&M, she is involved in several on campus organizations, including

Saddle and Sirloin, Student Government Association, and Freshman Leaders in Progress. Allison plans on obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and then plans on to attend medical school in hopes to one day become a general practitioner. Allison is a student worker at Beefmaster Breeders United. Her main job responsibilities consist of working on transfers, opening

mail, and helping around the office wherever she can!

Brinley Allison Student Worker

beefmasters.org

Cattlemens News Heterosis

by Troy Rowan, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist (Beef Genetics)

As producers, we should always be striving to make the most profitable decisions for our herd. While I’m not an economist, I have a pretty good handle on the two pieces that make up profitability: Revenue and costs. When it comes to genetic selection, I think we have historically done a great job of selecting for traits that increase our revenue like having a live calf and weaning weight. However, when it comes to the “cost” traits, especially those that deal with cow efficiency, selection can be less straightforward. Long-lived cows are the cornerstone of a profitable commercial cowherd. Making these efficient, fertile, sound, and productive females is paramount for a commercial herd to be profitable.

There are precious few “can’t lose” propositions in the world, especially when it comes to our bottom line in the cattle business. Crossbreeding is one of those actions that a commercial herd simply can’t afford to skip. The advantage that crossbred animals experience from heterosis, or

hybrid vigor, affects all of the traits that we know drive profitability: from weaned calf pounds to cow fertility and longevity. If we’re not taking advantage of crossbreeding and heterosis, we’re leaving dollars on the table! The benefits of crossbreeding are twofold. First, it allows us to take advantage of breed complementarity. This means that we can match the strengths of different breeds, stacking favorable traits to get the best of both worlds in our crosses. This might mean crossing a strong maternal Angus/ Hereford female with a leangrowth Charolais or Limousin sire. It could also mean using a Bos indicus-influenced breed on a British-based commercial

cowherd to add some tolerance to heat and/or fescue stress in certain regions of the country. The other major benefit of crossbreeding is heterosis or hybrid vigor. When we breed two animals of the same breed, we’d expect that the offspring’s performance would lie around the average of the two parents. We call this the “midparent” value. Heterosis is the overperformance of crossbred offspring when compared to the average performance of

the two parent lines. When we crossbreed animals, we see boosts in performance across traits. The amount of heterosis that a crossbred animal experiences depends on two things: How different the parental breeds are, and how heritable a particular trait is. The more distantly related two breeds are, the more heterosis we would expect to see from their crossbred offspring.

continued on page 13

For example, we wouldn’t expect to see a huge amount of heterosis when we cross a Red Angus and a Black Angus. These two breeds split only about 70 years ago, providing them only a short amount of time to collect genetic differences. However, crossing an Angus and a Brahman, two entirely different sub-species of cattle, would generate a huge amount of heterosis (Bos indicus and Bos taurus populations split about 250,000 years ago). It’s important to keep this in mind when we are selecting bulls for our crossbreeding program.

For example, if our cowherd is Angus-based, a SimAngus bull

will generate less heterosis than a purebred Simmental bull on the same cows.

The amount of heterosis is also dependent on how much genetics controls a trait. The heritability of a trait (i.e., how much of the trait is controlled by genetics versus environment) has an opposing relationship with heterosis. Traits where genetics play a smaller role experience larger effects from heterosis. This is especially important when it comes to cow-focused traits like fertility, longevity, and health. These traits all tend to be lowly heritable (0.1-0.2), but they can experience boosts upwards of 20-30% due to

heterosis. The advantage in fertility, longevity, and health that crossbred females provide is something that commercial cow-calf operations can’t afford not to take advantage of. Crossbreeding could mean an extra 20% of crossbred heifers getting pregnant or an extra calf throughout a crossbred cow’s lifetime. Crossbred females are the cornerstones of a profitable commercial cowherd. They are productive longer, stay healthier, and breed back quicker.

While heterosis plays a more prominent role in lowly heritable traits, it also affects other traits. For the moderately

heritable traits that we rely on to generate revenue, like weaning weight, the crossbred advantage can be around 5-10%. This is free money that we’re leaving on the table when we aren’t crossbreeding!

I’m all for easy solutions to complex problems, and when it comes to breeding cattle, there is not a more universally advantageous solution to increasing the profitability and productivity of a commercial cowherd than crossbreeding.

Is Sustainability on Your Menu?

by Greg Henderson, Drovers

Your industry, and most other industries, have entered a new era.

This new era is driven by sustainability, a concept that has washed through corporate boardrooms like a tsunami.

In 2021, for instance, companies that appointed a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) tripled compared to the previous year, according to a PwC survey. That’s a result of pressure from stakeholders, employees and consumers who say they are more likely to pay more for brands that are sustainable.

A Capgemini survey, for instance, found that 79% of global consumers are changing their purchase

preferences based on sustainability, and 66% choose to purchase products based on environmental friendliness.

Such preferences for sustainability were confirmed by a new study on climate impact labels on fast food. According to results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), traffic-light labels on fast food menus encourage people to pick climate-friendly foods when ordering.

Based on randomized clinical trials involving more than 5,000 U.S. adults asked to pick from a menu ordering beef, chicken, fish, plantbased substitutes and salads, more participants ordered a

“sustainable” food item than compared to control groups.

Participants viewed menus with one of three labels: a quick response code label on all items (control group); green low, climate impact label on chicken, fish, or vegetarian items (positive framing); or red high, climate impact label on red meat items (negative framing).

Among participants choosing from menus with red, high-climate impact labels, 23% more ordered a “sustainable” item. Those participants selecting from menus with green, low-climate impact labels were 10% more likely to choose a more “sustainable” option.

Certainly, we can argue whether any of the choices on those menus are more sustainable than beef. Scientists at AgNext, Colorado State’s sustainability and animal agfocused research collaborative note, “Ruminants are upcyclers that can utilize marginal land and can convert humaninedible plant proteins, human food leftovers, and byproducts into high-quality protein, rich in micronutrients.”

Unfortunately, the message about beef sustainability is often missing or misunderstood. at must change. Cattle producers already have a great sustainability story, but it is now critical we communicate that story effectively.

Reprinted with permission from Drovers

beefmasters.org

2023 Beefmaster Sale Calendar

February 18, 2023 - Beefmaster Border Classic V Sale, Edcouch, TX

February 25, 2023-Advantage Plus Bull Sale

March 03, 2023-STBBA Houston Futurity Sale, Houston, TX

March 03, 2023-Houston Magic XXIII, Houston , TX

March 09, 2023 - March 11, 2023-3R Cattle Co. Spring Select Online Sale-Premiere Livestock Auction

March 09, 2023-Rocking SMH Genetic Opportunities Sale-Premier Livestock Auctions

March 15, 2023 - March 16, 2023-Lyssys All Access Frozen Genetics Sale

March 18, 2023-Beef on Forage Bull and Female Sale, McAlester, OK

March 22, 2023 - March 23, 2023-BEEF Online Semen Auction

April 01, 2023-Louisiana BBA Spring Sale, Kinder, LA

April 05, 2023 - April 06, 2023-CJ,Cf,BF,NG Commitment to Excellence Frozen Genetic Sale

April 08, 2023-OHOA Spring Sale, Springfield, MO

April 15, 2023-East Texas and Louisiana BMG Sale, Crockett, TX

April 20, 2023-Diamonds of the Flint Hills Spring Female Sale, Paxico, KS

April 21, 2023-Flint Hills Classic Spring Bull Sale, Paxico, KS

April 22, 2023-The Midwest Beefmaster Sale, Exeter, MO

April 22, 2023-Springtime in Texas Sale, Brenham, TX

April 22, 2023-National E6 Sale, Brenham, TX

May 13, 2023-Central States Mid America Futurity and Sale, Locust Grove, OK

May 20, 2023-Swinging B & Friends Production Sale, Salado, TX

May 27, 2023-The Southern Alliance Beefmaster Marketing Group, Cullman, Alabama

May 28, 2023-Red River Beefmaster Sale

June 03, 2023-STBBA Extravaganza Sale, Carr Facility-Floresville, Texas

June 10, 2023-Wallen Prairie Ranch Power and Performance Production Sale, Lockwood, MO

June 17, 2023-Lone Star BBA Female Sale, Sulphur Springs, TX

June 17, 2023-Lone Star BBA JBBA Heifer Show, Sulphur Springs, TX

June 24, 2023-Southern Tradition xxiii, Savannah, TN

July 08, 2023-Beefmaster Network Magnolia Classic Sale and Show, Raymond, MS

July 15, 2023-Hiatt Diamond H 7th Production Sale, Mt. Ulla, NC

July 15, 2023 - July 20, 2023-JBBA National Show and Convention, Belton, TX

August 05, 2023-J & T Farms 9th Annual Production Sale, Lexington, TN

August 19, 2023-Emmons Ranch Production Sale, Brazos County Expo, Bryan, TX

August 26, 2023-SEBBA Convention, Sale and Miss Beefmaster America Futurity, Lexington, TN

September 02, 2023-Anderson Beefmaster Production Sale, Salado, TX

September 09, 2023-Arkansas BBA Razorback Classic Sale, Damascus, AR

September 09, 2023-2023 Fall Advantage Sale-Giddings, Texas

September 15, 2023-Beef on Forage Bull Sale, Arcadia, FL

September 16, 2023-Channarock Farm and Mason Cattle Co Sale, Auburn, KY

September 29, 2023-Diamonds of the Flint Hills Fall Female Sale, Paxico, KS

September 30, 2023-Flint Hills Classic Fall Bull Sale, Paxico, KS

sale catalogs posted online a few weeks before sale date at www.beefmasters.org/purebred/calendar

October 04, 2023 - October 05, 2023-Lyssy’s All Access Frozen Genetics Sale-DV Auction

October 07, 2023-Isa Beefmasters 62nd Performance Test and Sale, San Angelo, TX

October 14, 2023-Carr & Others Fall Sale, Floresville, TX

October 21, 2023-Beef on Forage Bull and Female Sale, Brenham, TX

November 03, 2023-Premium Power Bull Sale, Wauchula, FL

November 03, 2023-Beef on Forage Maternal Compass Commercial Replacement Female Sale, McAlester, OK

November 08, 2023 - November 09, 2023-CJ,Cf,BF,NG Commitment to Excellence Frozen Genetic Sale