FBP 2012 March/April by International Brangus Breeders Association

A NEWS SOURCE FOR COMMERCIAL BEEF PRODUCERS

MARCH/ APRIL 2012

VOLUME 4

ISSUE 2

FRONTLINE beef producer

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 1

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MARCH / APRIL 2012

3 OUT FRONT:

After a Record Drought, It’s Time to Think About Buying Cattle Again by Dr. Joseph Massey

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK:

Experts Project Tighter Cattle Supplies, Record Exports in 2012 Source: National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, NCBA Mixed Signals Cloud Beef ’s Future Source: USDA Office of Communications

FEATURE:

BIF Annual Convention to Focus on Bos indicus Genetics BIF Convention Schedule

9 MARKETING UPDATE:

Making OptimaxX Work for You by Ben Spitzer

10 FACES OF THE INDUSTRY

: Photo Contest Winner Announced Townsend Named Outstanding Cattle Woman

18 21 23 23

MANAGEMENT:

Driving Change: The 2011 National Beef Quality Audit by Travis Hoffman You Cannot Starve a Profit into a Cow by Robert Wells BeefTalk by Kris Ringwall Pre-harvest Interventions by Megan Pellegrini

STATE DIRECTORY SERVICES ADVERTISER INDEX CALENDER OF EVENTS

FRONTLINE Beef Producer IBBA Comunications Coordinator

Brittni Drennan

Marketing Programs Director

Ben Spitzer

Administration/Circulation

Frances Miller

Contributing Editors

Dr. Joseph Massey Travis Hoffman Robert Wells Kris Ringwall Megan Pellegrini Advertising

IBBA 210-696-8231 Copy Editor

Lindsey Matli Operations

Rosanne Sralla Patti Teeler Layout/Art Director

Crystal Clear Designs Crystal Rasmussen

FRONTLINE Beef Producer is a product of:

Brangus Publications, Inc. 5750 Epsilon San Antonio, Texas 78249 Phone: 210.696.8231 Fax: 210.696.8718 Brangus Publications, Inc. Directors: R.L. Robbs, Chairman Dr. Joseph Massey, President Steve Densmore, Secretary/Treasurer Fred McCreary, Director Angelo Zottarelli, Director Information appearing in this issue may be reprinted only with written permission of Brangus Publications, Inc.

ON THE COVER: “Childhood Memories” was the winning photo of the photo contest hosted online by the IBBA. Find out who submitted the winning photo and why this Cajun loves Brangus cattle on page 10. 2 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

LPC Livestock Publications Council Member

by Dr. Joseph MASSEY

OUT FRONT

After A Record Drought It’s Time To Think About Buying Cattle Again

n the last 30 days with extreme warm weather blanketing most of the Southern half of the U.S. after a record drought in Texas and Oklahoma, the search for replacement cattle has started. The demand for replacement heifers, cows and bulls will reach a fever pitch as spring grasses start to grow. CattleFax has estimated that more than a million head of cattle were killed or taken out of Texas alone, and it will likely take at least three years to replace them if they get replaced. Texas has been receiving a little rain in 2012, and the buzz for cattle has started, however, cattlemen who think WKH\ ZLOO EH DEOH WR ZDLW PXFK ORQJHU EHIRUH WKH\ VWDUW WR ÀQG and purchase cattle are probably going to be surprised to ÀQG WKH OLPLWHG VXSSO\ DQG KLJK YDOXH RI WKHVH FDWWOH There will be a tendency for some to want to buy the cheapest cattle they can find, and I would caution you that you get what you pay for. I want to build a case that you should look for quality cattle and cattle that fit your operation. I have had an opportunity to attend a few sales recently, and I have been shocked at both the value and quality of the cattle. I have seen many young animals that probably should not go into production but are, which gives me great concern since not only do they need to be in the condition to cycle, but they will represent 50% of the genetics of the resulting calves. If you are replacing your herd or a substantial part of your herd, remember you are starting over, and the length of time it will take you to get back to the level of production that you have been accustomed to will depend on the quality of cattle you can find and afford. You are making an investment for the future, not for just one year.

As we look to the foreseeable future the demand for beef both domestically and internationally will be greater than the supply, and we need to think long

“You are making an investment for the future, not for just one year.” term. It is important to establish your goals and objectives before you just go out and purchase cattle. You should not compromise when it comes to the breed that works best in your environment and what you are expecting for performance. Not all cattle are produced equally and you should know as much as you can about the genetic makeup and expected performance prior to making a purchase. I know that EPDs are something that many cattlemen do not want to think about, but going forward, the ability to predict performance will only become more impor-

tant and demanded. The cattle industry is now moving from EPDs to geneticallyenhanced EPDs, which allow for more accurate EPDs, and EPDs that estimate traits that are not seen until later in life. Knowing the replacement cattle you buy today will have a very real impact on your ability to make money going forward only serves to emphasize that you need to have a plan. Know where to find the cattle that will work for you, know who you are buying cattle from, and be prepared to make an investment in your future. Remember, you get what you pay for. Also, now is a good time to know that the cattle you will be buying are genetically indentified. The Brangus Association has invested a large portion of its assets to develop a web site that can provide you good, accurate information on the genetic makeup of our cattle and where to find them. Go to GoBrangus.com and search the Brangus web site to locate cattle and breeders. If you need any help do not hesitate to call the office, and we will be happy to assist you. Remember, you are making an investment for the future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Massey has served as Executive Vice President of the IBBA since 2004. In 2007, he started Genetic Performance Solutions, LLC, a breed registry services and performance analysis company serving the cattle and breed association industry— an IBBA owned company. GPS manages online registry programs for breed associations and the data base management of performance data like multi-breed EPDs. FRONTLINE Beef Producer 3

INDUSTRY

OUTLOOK

by R. Mark Enns

Department of Animal Sciences Colorado State University

Source: National Cattlemen’s Beef Assocation, NCBA

NCBA: Experts Project Tighter Cattle Supplies, Record Exports in 2012 CattleFax Analysts Offer Outlook Seminar at 2012 Convention

s cattle supplies remain tight and global demand inWHQVLÀHV SURÀWDELOLW\ IRU FDWWOH UDQFKHUV ZLOO FRQWLQXH in the year ahead, CattleFax analysts told cattlemen during remarks delivered at the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Nashville, Tenn.

“The economic signals are in place for restocking to begin this year,” said CattleFax Chief Executive Officer Randy Blach. “All we need now is a little encouragement from Mother Nature.” Art Douglas, of Creighton University, set the expectation that, although there have been three months of near-normal rainfall in parts of Texas, drought will continue to play a role in determining if

and when the cowherd expands. Douglas expects much of Texas to return to dry conditions by late-spring or early summer. He also predicts drought will spread into southern California, the Northern Plains and coastal areas of the southeast United States. “By March a trough of low pressure should become established in the inland West and this will lower temperatures

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though precipitation will remain light at 75-90 percent of normal along the coast,” said Douglas. “These dry spring conditions will extend from the Pacific Northwest into the northern Plains. Dry spring weather is expected to persist in the Southeast where precipitation should run 80 percent of normal in coastal areas. Florida should show some improvement in moisture conditions by late spring.” Despite shifting drought conditions, Blach told the audience he expects cattle inventory numbers will decline slightly in 2012 and reach a low point in 2013, before increasing in 2014 and beyond. Although herd growth may remain elusive, an increase in average carcass weights will partially offset the decline in inventory numbers, he said. The decline in cattle numbers means prices can be expected to move higher in 2012. Tight supplies of cattle and beef will be compounded by continued growth in the export markets, with expanded access into Japan and continued increases in the volume and value of beef being sold into export channels, according to Blach. “We anticipate additional good news from Japan, perhaps during the first half of the year,” said Blach of the effort to expand trade to include beef derived from cattle up to 30 months of age. He said Japan won’t be the only export market to see significant growth during 2012. In fact, U.S. beef exports, which set records in 2011, will likely set new highs in 2012 as a result of strong overall global demand and continued weakness in the U.S. dollar.

INDUSTRY

OUTLOOK

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) www.ers.usda.gov

Mixed Signals Cloud Beefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future

he January 2012 Cattle inventory report indicated one percent more beef replacement heifers and beef replacement heifers expected to calve in 2012 than in 2011, or about 37,300 more heifers expected to calve in 2012.

However, in the case of heifers expected to calve, the one percent higher number is from a previous-year base that was already low. In the January 2011 report, seven percent fewer heifers were expected to calve than were expected to calve in 2010, or about 245,000 fewer heifers, leading to 2011â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest number of heifers entering the herd since 2005. Thus, for the two years 2011 and 2012, beef heifers expected to calve were down by a net decline of over 200,000. In addition, beef cow numbers declined by half-a- million from January 1, 2010, to January 2011, and by another 966,700 head from January 2011 to January 2012. A year-overyear decline of 967,000 beef cows (offset by a one-percent increase in dairy cows) is not likely to be offset by 37,300 more calving replacement heifers, especially following large declines the previous year. Thus, the question remains: do the heifer inventory changes indicated in the January 2012 Cattle Inventory report mean that an expansion in the beef (or total) cow herd is underway? A number of factors affect motivation for an expansion in beef cow numbers. These include prospects for future steer and heifer calf prices, feeder cattle prices, fed cattle prices, cutout values, and retail beef prices, as well as prospects for costs or profit margins at every level, the state of the beef trade, and the occurrence of drought. Despite a very positive outlook from the cow-calf producersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perspective, it is not clear that larger cattle inventories are in fact economically sustainable from an overall industry profit perspective. On the positive side, supplies of feeder cattle outside feedlotsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which include imported feeder cattle from Mexico and Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; declined by 3.9 percent from January 1, 2011, to January 1, 2012, the steepest

decline since the discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Canada resulted in reduced U.S. imports of Canadian feeder cattle during 2003-2004. Demand for feeder calves has pushed recent feeder cattle prices to record highs. At the same time, January 1, 2012, cattle on feed inventories are among the largest for the last decade. Cattle feeders placed more cattle in the first three quarters of 2011 than in the same quarters in 2010, and placed only slightly fewer cattle in fourth-quarter 2011 than in fourth-quarter 2010. This occurred for two reasonsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; initially, placements were motivated by anticipated reduced supplies

of fed cattle in the hope of higher fed cattle prices in the future, and later, placements were made in response to the decreasing forage supplies due to the worsening drought. Retail beef prices are at record levels, but these prices are not sufficient to provide the long-term margins and profits the wholesale and cattle feeding sectors must have in order to sustain an expansion. There are signs that consumers are beginning to resist the escalating retail prices. It is not clear how much higher beef retail prices can go with pork and poultry so much less expensive. Both cattle feeders and packers have absorbed negative margins for most of 2011 and thus far into 2012. As La NiĂąa continues to exert weather patterns similar to those that existed into 2012, placements of feeder cattle in feedlots could continue to be motivated by lack of for-

(continued on page 6)

#"" ! "$! FRONTLINE Beef Producer 5

INDUSTRY

OUTLOOK

6RXUFH 86'$ 2IÀFH of Communications

(continued from page 5)

hold on to heifers for breeding herd replacements vs. letting them go as feeder cattle for placement in feedlots. Heifers are currently selling at prices less than $10 per cwt below steer prices for similar weights. These price differentials at current price levels will provide significant incentive to producers to sell heifers as feeder cattle rather than retaining them as breeding herd replacements. Heifers sold as feeder cattle reduce the impact of declining supplies of feeder cattle outside feedlots, but prolong the time before calf crops can catch up to the demand for heavier feeder cattle. Cattle feeders have endured negative margins since April 2011, the last month to show a positive margin (High Plains Cattle Feeding Simulator, http://www.ers.usda.gov/ publications/ldp/LDPTables.htm). Despite expectations of somewhat higher fed cattle prices in 2012 over 2011, until corn and/or feeder cattle prices decline, cattle feeding margins—anticipated at or below breakeven levels of $125-$130 per cwt—are not likely to encourage cattle feeding, even by feedlot owners seeking to reduce overhead costs. The scenario is exacerbated further by a still-unimpressive economic recovery and a general trend of producing more beef from fewer cows, despite For a short time only, below-trend average dressed weights get Brinks semen during 2010 and for just $5 per straw! 2011. With La Niña remaining in place, These straws of semen the potential for another dry year purchased from Camp Cooley are the could also adversely final sources for complete Brinks genetics. affect expansion plans, particularly in Southern-tier States. Negative feedLast chance to get Brinks semen ing margins have been the result of from the original blood lines escalating feed costs, up by as much as a third or more over For inquieries, contact the past year, and Daniel Wendland feeder-cattle costs 361-850-0776 that have increased dwendland@gtek.biz by over 20 percent.

age outside feedlots. Further, given the short supplies of feeder cattle outside feedlots, feedlot owners— who have to cover fixed costs of feedlots, unlike cattle feeders for whom overhead is a variable cost—are likely to continue to encourage placements of any cattle in order to lower their costs, which may lead to greater placements of more-readily available lighter weight and younger cattle. Cattle feeders, on the other hand, will likely be motivated to place relatively high proportions of lighter and younger feeder cattle in anticipation of positive profit margins in future months. Within bounds, pulling cattle forward could continue at the margin into 2014 or 2015, or until feeder cattle supplies once again reach levels that will allow lighter weight cattle a chance to first grow on pasture before being placed in feedlots. This will be modulated by increases or decreases in feed costs, weather, and other factors over the same period. Expansionary activity will also depend on cow-calf producers’ inventory management strategies, to the extent they will be willing to

Time is running out!

OUTLOOK

6 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

On a per cwt basis, the current upward trend in monthly average feed and feeder cattle costs began in January 2010 and by the end of January 2012 had increased by 72 percent. At the same time, monthly average Texas/ Oklahoma/New Mexico fed cattle prices rose by 44 percent. Some analysts have alluded to excess capacity in feedlots and packinghouses as a major cause of the negative margins. The negative margins for cattle feeding and feedyard closures in New Mexico and the Southern Plains, for example, and the apparent reduction in cattle feeding in lots of less than 1,000 head tend to support the notion of excess capacity. However, the expansion of larger feedlots contradicts that notion. The notion of excess meat packing capacity is similarly characterized by conflicting information about packinghouse closures and openings/reopenings, the recent announcement of the reopening of the refurbished beef packing plant in Tama, Iowa being an example,. At the same time, there is further evidence of excess capacity in observations of $100 per carcass losses, reduced kills, and reduced hours of operation. At the same time, small, custom-slaughter facilities appear to be struggling to keep up with more local cattle slaughter and processing of “natural” beef and organic beef. At least some, if not most, of this beef is sold at farmers’ markets, a rapidly growing segment of the beef industry. Despite the economic challenges consumers have faced during the past couple of years, this growth has continued. Data characterizing this growth in natural/organic beef sales are hard to find. However, citing scanner data summarized by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AMRC) relates that the retail share of natural and organic all-fresh-beef sales has increased from 1.1 percent in 2003 to 4.2 percent in the first quarter of 2011, although the AMRC cautions that part of the increase in the share of retail sales is due to price increases over the same period. However, ERS data indicate that the 31-percent increase in all fresh retail prices for the same period, from $3.31 per pound for all of 2003 to $4.35 for first-quarter 2011, accounts for only a small portion of the nearly fourfold increase in growth of retail sales of natural and organic beef.

FEATURE BIF Annual Convetion to Focus on Bos indicus Genetics

he 44th Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Research Symposium and annual meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Houston on April 18-20, 2012. This year’s meeting is hosted by Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension Animal Science and the American Brahman Breeders Association (ABBA). The symposium’s focus is the impact of Bos indicus genetics in the U.S.

On the evening of Wednesday, April 18, the symposium will hold an opening night reception, as well as have presentations on the influence of Bos indicus genetics in the global beef industry. The symposium will host a variety of events on Thursday, April 19 and Friday, April 20, including presentations on current

beef issues, committee sessions to discuss current research, an educational event hosted by the American Breeds Coalition, and the Seedstock and Commercial Producer Award nominees will be announced. Registration for the event is $185, but will increase to $285 after March 25. Rooms can be reserved at a rate of $119 per night.

BRANGUSG OLD International Brangus Breeders Association

Those who choose to remain in Houston over the weekend have the choice of three optional bus tours to South Central and Gulf Coast ranches for an additional cost of $50. Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension Animal Science and the American Brahman Breeders Association are proud to co-host the 2012 Beef Improvement Federation Research Symposium and annual meeting. To register for the 2012 BIF meeting, go to agriliferegister.tamu.edu and enter Beef Improvement. For hotel information and to book a room call 1‐800‐627‐6461. For more information on the BIF, contact Joe C. Paschal at 361‐265‐9203, j‐paschal@tamu.edu, or Chris Shivers 713‐349‐0854, chivers@brahman.org.

(210) 696-8231 www.GOBRANGUS.com

Brangus Gold means you get what you’re looking for... The Brangus crossbred Commercial Female has long been sought RXW IRU KHU PDWHUQDO H[FHOOHQFH E\ SURÀW PLQGHG EHHI SURGXFHUV

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he 2012 BIF Meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Houston, Texas on April 18 – 21, 2012. The event is sponsored by Texas AgriLife Extension and hosted by the American Brahman Breeders Association.

SCHEDULE: April 18 - Wednesday 1:00 pm ....................... BIF Board of Directors Meeting (San Jacinto 1 Ballroom) 3:00–6:30 pm .............. Registration (Lobby) 6:00 pm ....................... Sponsor Exhibit Area Opens (San Jacinto 3 Room) 6:30 pm ....................... Welcome Reception (Rio Grande Room) 7:00 pm ....................... Impact of Bos indicus Genetics on the Global Beef Industry – Dr. Bill Turner, Retired, Texas A&M University (Grand Ballroom 1) April 19 - Thursday 7:00 – 8:00 am ............ Continental Breakfast (Grand Ballroom 1) 7:00 am ....................... Registration (Continues in front of Grand Ballroom) 8:00 am – 12:15 pm .. General Session: Fitting the Environment (Grand Ballroom) 8:00 am ........................ Welcome to Texas – Dr. Russell Cross, Professor & Interim Department Head, Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University 8:15 am ........................ Historical Overview of Animal Breeding and Genetics Research in the South – Dr. Jim Sanders, Professor, Animal Science Department, Texas A&M University 8:45 am ........................ Trends in Cow Size – Effects on Efficiency & Complimentarity – Dr. Stephen Hammack, Professor and Beef Cattle Specialist-Emeritus, Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University 9:30 am ........................ Fitting the Environment: Breeding cattle in one, raising them in another – Dr. David Riley, Professor, Animal Science Department, Texas A&M University 10:00 am...................... Break (San Jacinto Ballrooms) 10:30 am...................... Economically Relevant Traits for Commercial Cow-Calf Production: Longevity – Dr. Jim Sanders, Professor Animal Science Department, Texas A&M University Selection Tools for Temperament – Dr. Ron Randel, Professor, Animal Science Department, Texas A&M University Reproduction - Dr. Milt Thomas, Professor, Animal Science Department, Colorado State University Carcass merit – Dr. Don Franke, Retired, Animal Science Department, Louisiana State University 12:15 pm ..................... Awards Lunch (Grand Ballroom East) 2:30 –5:30 pm Committee Meetings (San Jacinto 1 and 5, and Trinity) Advancements in Cowherd Efficiency & Advancements in Selection – Dr. Mark Enns, Colorado State University and Dr. Bob Weaber, Kansas State University Advancements in Emerging Technologies – Jack Ward, American Hereford Association 6:00 pm ....................... Load buses to go to Ft. Bend County Fairgrounds for evening 7:00 pm ....................... Stress Free Cattle Handling Demonstration – Dr. Ron Gill, Professor & Extension Livestock Specialist, Animal Science Department, Texas A&M University 7:45 pm ....................... Steak Dinner sponsored by the American Breeds Coalition 9:30 pm ....................... Return to hotel (some buses may leave earlier) 8 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

April 20 - Friday 7:00 – 8:00 am ............ Continental Breakfast (Grand Ballroom 1) 8:00 am – Noon ........ General Session (Grand Ballroom-Main) 8:00 am ........................ National Beef Quality Audit “What does it mean to you?” - Dr. Dan Hale, Professor and Extension Meat Specialist, Animal Science Department, Texas A&M University Cow/ Calf – Tom Woodward, General Manager, Broseco Ranch Feeder – Dan Dorn, Supply Development Coordinator, Decatur County Feedyard Beef processor Retailer 9:30 am ........................ Break (San Jacinto Ballrooms) 10:00 am...................... New Advancements in Genetics: Epigenetics and Fetal Programming – Dr. David Threadgill, Department Head, Department of Genetics, North Carolina State University 10:45 am...................... Role of Gestational Environment on Progeny Performance – Dr. Rick Funston, Associate Professor, University of Nebraska 11:30 am...................... BIF Election Noon Awards Lunch (Grand Ballroom East) 2:30 pm ....................... Committee Meetings (San Jacinto 1 and 5, and Trinity) Advancements in Producer Applications – Dr. Jane Parish, Mississippi State University Live Animal, Carcass and Endpoint – Dr. Robert Williams, American International Charolais Association Advancements in Genetic Prediction – Dr. Mark Thallman, USDA-MARC 6:00 pm ...................... BIF Board of Directors Meeting (San Jacinto 1 Ballroom) April 21 - Saturday Tour participants have their choice of two tours: Tour 1: Gulf Coast Ranches 8:00 am........... Leave hotel 9:00 am........... Arrive at J.D. Hudgins, Inc.- Hungerford, TX 11:30 pm ........ Lunch 1:00 pm .......... Arrive at V8 Ranch- Boling, TX 3:45 pm .......... Arrive at Wendt Ranch-Bay City, TX 7:00 pm .......... Arrive hotel Tour 2: South Texas Ranches 7:30 am........... Leave hotel 8:30 am........... Arrive at Vineyard Cattle Co. – Boling, TX 12:00 Pm ....... Arrive at Graham Land & Cattle Feedyard – Gonzales, TX Lunch & Tour 2:30 pm .......... Arrive at Nolan Ryan Ranch 7:00 pm .......... Arrive hotel To register for the 2012 BIF meeting, go to agriliferegister.tamu.edu and enter Beef Improvement. Hotel: Crowne Plaza | 8686 Kirby Dr. Houston, TX | 77054 713.748.3221 or 1.800.627.6461 Rate: $119/ Night – Includes Single & Double Rooms Beef Improvement Federation block | Deadline: April 1, 2012

by Ben SPITZER IBBA Marketing Programs Director

MARKETING

Making OptimaxX Work for You

n the last several weeks, we have received numerous calls and emails from Brangus bull buyers wanting more information on our OptimaxX feeder calf certification program. OptimaxX is a USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) that verifies Age, Source and Genetics. It is designed to really do three things: 1) Â Verify Group Age. All calves within a

management group are assigned the age of the oldest calf in that group. This allows for inclusion in export programs that limit age of cattle.

2) Â Verify Source to ranch of origin. This simply means that all calves were born and managed at the same operation.

3) Â Verify Genetics. This is an additional

claim to most Age/Source programs. This simply means that enrolled calves have at least one parent from IBBA bloodlines. This currently is tracked through registration transfers to the buyer. In addition to knowing the genetic makeup and performance data on your purchase, the registration paper gives offspring access to OptimaxX and Brangus Gold commercial marketing programs. Be sure to ask your genetic supplier to properly transfer your purchase! â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have a small herd of cows and take my calves to the sale barn to market them. How much more can I expect to get for enrolling my calves in OptimaxX?â&#x20AC;? We run into this question quite a bit. If you just wean calves and sell in the commodity market, most buyers will not place any extra value on any source and age program. However, if you are doing some extra management (i.e. Age/Source Verification, vaccinations, backgrounding, etc.) you may be leaving some dollars on the table selling cattle in a purely commodity situation. The hardest thing for small producers to overcome when it comes to marketing is the fact that our business deals in load lots of cattle. Since most buyers want to

deal in load lots, it is hard to move smaller groups of calves other than a traditional auction market. One option around that would be to find other producers around you that have similarities in management that you could work with to pool calves into load lots to sell direct or retain ownership. Another option is to find a valueadded sale at a market (or work with your current market to develop one) where buyers are looking for age/source verified calves and can make loads themselves. Historically, over the last several years the value of Age/Source premiums has ranged from $20 to as much as $60 per head premium. That is a lot of extra dollars considering a little extra paperwork and planning. Unless you are working with a progressive auction market, the efforts you make to document your added work will go unrewarded. There are markets that hold special sales featuring value added calves that make it possible for buyers looking for those calves can put together groups of calves. Use your livestock market as more than just an ATM where you drop off calves and receive a check. Most market operators are more than willing to help you earn more dollars for your calves. We would love the opportunity to help you as well. We would like to work with select market operators to develop added value sales. Let us know if we can be of assistance to you or your market. If you are already able to sell load lots of calves and you are using Brangus bulls, take a look at using OptimaxX for your Age and Source verification needs. It is one of the most affordable, with no enrollment fees or extra charges; simply the cost

of the tag. OptimaxX calves have access to any Age and Source program and will qualify your calves for those premiums. Additionally, be sure to let us know about load lots of feeder calves you have available so we may assist you through Brangus Feeder Blast. This free service sends descriptions and information on calves from Brangus bull customers to our list of feedlots and buyers looking for Brangus influenced calves. Regardless of whether they are Age/Source verified, selling on video or for sale private treaty, Brangus Feeder Blast works to expose your product to a greater audience. If you have any questions, feel free to contact IBBA for more information. 210696-8231 or ben@int-brangus.org.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ben Spitzer grew up in the cattle business with his family involvement going back several gen erations and has included both commercial cattle DQG UHJLVWHUHG FDWWOH RI VHYHUDO EUHHGV +LV IDP ily has been in the Brangus seedstock business VLQFH Spitzer served as Communications/Member Services Director for the Red Angus Association RI $PHULFD 5$$$ LQ 'HQWRQ 7; 3ULRU WR MRLQ ing the staff at IBBA, he managed a registered %UDQJXV RSHUDWLRQ LQ *HRUJLD Ben was a founding member of the National Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beef Association (NCBA) Young 3URGXFHUV &RXQFLO <3& DQG VHUYHG DV WKH <3& GHOHJDWH WR WKH 1&%$ 0HPEHUVKLS &RPPLWWHH +H VHUYHG DV &KDLU RI <3& LQ DQG QRZ VHUYHV LQ DQ DGYLVRU\ UROH WR <3& DV ,PPHGLDWH 3DVW &KDLU $V 0DUNHWLQJ 3URJUDPV 'LUHFWRU KH RYHUVHHV ,%%$ÂˇV &RPPHUFLDO 0DUNHWLQJ 3URJUDPV DV ZHOO as advertising and promotion of the Brangus EUHHG FRONTLINE Beef Producer 9

FACES OF THE

INDUSTRY Photo Contest Winner Announced

llison Deshotel is the winner of the photo contest hosted online by the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA). Participants’ photo submissions were uploaded to the association’s Facebook Fan Page, and the winner was selected by the photo receiving the most ´OLNHVµ ZLWKLQ D VSHFLÀHG WLPH IUDPH

Allison, 20-year-old daughter of Randy and Karen Deshotel, currently attends McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Marketing/Public Relations. She has two older sisters, Sarah and Camille, who are both attending graduate school and seeking doctorate degrees in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. Allison grew up on a cattle, crawfish and rice farm in Ville Platte, La., which many people know as Three Sisters Cattle Company. Her family has been showing Brangus cattle for 18 years. They have competed, won and lost on all levels from the parish level to the national level and have traveled as far west as Phoenix, Ariz., to Tampa, Fla., to exhibit Brangus cattle. Allison’s grandfather showed cattle as a child, and her father worked on a dairy throughout high school. Wanting to pass down the tradition and respected lifestyle of raising cattle, Sarah got her first show heifer at seven years old. Sarah won Champion Peewee Showman

her second year showing, and since then, the Deshotel sisters have made a statement in the show ring. Allison learned determination and confidence at an early age when she entered

Allison Deshotel

the show ring by herself for the very first time. She also learned about cattle and the benefits of the Brangus breed. “Brangus cattle are the best fit for our part of the country. They are naturally adapted to the often wet conditions that we have in southern Louisiana as well as able to withstand our terrible mosquitoes and deer flies, and they’re still one of the most maternal of all the cattle breeds,” Allison said. “For a Cajun in Cajun country, the only choice of cattle is Brangus!” Allison attributes the breed and the International Junior Brangus Breeders Association (IJBBA) for molding her into the lady she has become and for having a major impact on her life. She said growing up on a farm taught her many life lessons including responsibility and appreciation. “Raising and showing cattle is not just about how good your calf is or how much money it will bring,” Allison said. “It’s about learning life lessons, overcoming obstacles that you may be faced with one day, meeting new people, seeing new places, and figuring out who you are and why you want to achieve the goals you set.”

Townsend Named 2XWVWDQGLQJ &DWWOH:RPDQ

atti Townsend was recognized as the 2011 Outstanding CattleWoman of the Year by the American National CattleWomen (ANCW) at the Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tenn., February 1-4, 2012. Patti and her husband, Gayland, first bought cattle in 1966 when their three sons expressed interest in showing heifers, and they have since been breeding registered Brangus cattle. From a ranch in New Mexico, they moved to Milburn, Okla., in 2004 where their youngest son now manages the ranch. In her 34 years of service to the ANCW, 10 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

Patti has served in several leadership positions on the state and national levels and was elected President in 2003. She has also served the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) in several capacities. Patti served as President of the International Brangus Auxiliary and was a member on the IBBA Board of Directors for two terms.

View the video online on the GoBrangus Beef Tips blog at www.gobrangus.wordpress.com. Learn more about how this couple got their start in the Brangus breeding business and how Patti Townsend is being rewarded for her dedication and service to the industry.

by Travis W. HOFFMAN Colorado Beef Quality Assurance Coordinator

MANAGEMENT

Driving Change: The 2011 National Beef Quality Audit

everal years ago at a producer meeting highlighting the importance of Beef Quality Assurance (BQA), I posed the question to the audience â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you a cattle producer or are you a beef producer?â&#x20AC;?

Now, you can imagine the answers, but how do you describe your role in the greatest occupation in the world: feeding people? One distraught cowboy turns to his wife, then turns to his neighbor, and tips up his soiled hat and shouts out â&#x20AC;&#x153;By God, I am a cattle producer.â&#x20AC;? And undoubtedly he is a cattle producer as his days are filled with a wide array of duties and tasks of caring for his cows, being a steward of the land and raising calves that will move through our supply chain to produce wholesome, high quality, nutritious beef that feeds our consumers. On the other hand, I am an avid advocate that we are all â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beef Producersâ&#x20AC;? as everyone plays a role and responsibility in the beef community to ensure the highest standards and a savory eating experience for the consumers that demand American beef. Absolutely, vested individuals in our industry specialize in their respective areas such as raising calves, feeding cattle to finish, processing those cattle into beef, and merchandising and marketing beef. Oftentimes, it is easy to forget how many people work in the profession that I most passionately love â&#x20AC;&#x201C; raising beef. The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA), most recently conducted by Colorado State University, Oklahoma State University and Texas A&M University with support from the Beef Checkoff, has historically identified quality challenges and opportunities as we aim to continue to hit a moving target of continuous improvement and build beef demand both domestically and internationally. Recently, at the 2012 National Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beef Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s convention during a Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College session preliminary results were released from the 2011 National Beef Quality Audit. Just a brief history, in 1972, violative chemical residues occurred in 4% of beef samples; so, Beef Safety Task Force started industry-wide changes in production practices and producer education. In 1982, the

NCBA formalized Beef Quality Assurance as the national beef industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voluntary Quality Control program. The initial focus was on prudent use of animal health products and residue avoidance. By 1990, violative chemical residues were essentially zero and have remained so since. Additionally, injection-site lesions in valuable primal cuts have decreased by about 20 percentage points since 1989. In the first 27 years of BQA, landmark improvements have been achieved resulting in fewer violative chemical residues, fewer injectionsite lesions, and fewer live animal and carcass defects. I would like to delve deeper into the preliminary results of the 2011 NBQA Phase 1: Face-to-Face Interviews to evaluate where different sectors place their priorities regarding beef quality. First off, the different subsets of people that were surveyed included 1).

Cattle feeders; 2). Packers; 3). Food Service/ Further Processors/Distributors; 4). Retailers; and 5). Government and Allied Industries. It is important to note that representatives from across the country were interviewed to gather the most comprehensive results to this data. The objective was to identify how customers of feeder calves, fed cattle, beef carcasses, subprimals and variety meats define seven quality attributes and quantify quality related details/practices that are important to each customer sector within each attribute. Survey respondents were asked to define seven quality attributes and rank their importance to their purchasing of cattle or beef. The seven evaluated criteria were: 1). How and Where the Cattle were Raised (Production History/Practices); 2). Lean, Fat and

(continued on next page)

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MANAGEMENT (continued from previous page)

Bone (Composition); 3). Weight and Size; 4). Cattle Genetics; 5). Visual Characteristics; 6). Food Safety; and 7). Eating Satisfaction. The most interesting point is that these criterion mean different things to different people and respondents were asked to provide their input on what quality relative to the attribute meant to them and their respective entity in the beef supply chain. In regard to the Production History/Practices attribute, cattle feeders most commonly stated that it meant that calves received a vaccination program; packers described it meant to maintain health and management records, while the food service and retailer sectors believed that how and where the cattle were raised is defined as origin of product. Further adding to the importance of production practices is the fact that on evaluating willingness to pay estimates both feeders and packers noted that this attribute ranked numerically the highest as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;non-negotiable requirement.â&#x20AC;? In this study, that means that in order for the feeder or packer to purchase live cattle they MUST meet a certain production history or practices in order for their entity to purchase them. This can potentially best be described by the necessity of certain production attributes to meet the wide array of branded beef programs and capture added value on the cattle. Lean, Fat and Bone criteria is as expectedly so, a little more cut and dry. Responding feeders, packers, food service, and government and allied industries representatives came to a consensus that composition is best defined as lean to fat ratio. Feeders and packers that buy cattle showed a preference for cattle of preferred composition as 54% of respondents were willing to pay a premium for the lean, fat and bone criteria. The retailers described composition as primarily not too fat, and secondly as lean to fat ratio. Weight and Size is more variable from sector to sector. The feedlot sector was most prone to describe appropriate live purchase weight or frame score. Packing facilities realized the necessity of weight and size to be carcass weights and appropriate ribeye size. Food service and retailers defined appropriate ribeye size and carcass weights as quality attributes, but retailers also stressed the importance of uniformity of cuts. The National Beef Quality Audit recorded an increase in predominantly black hided cattle from 45.1% in 2000 to 56.3% in 2005 12 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

to 61.1% in 2011 of the cattle harvested at the packing facilities. This paradigm shift of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cowherd coat color was also evident in the Cattle Genetics quality attribute. In fact, cattle feeders, packers, food service, and retailers all identified predominantly black hide as the most accurate description relevant to cattle genetics. The Visual Characteristics most closely correlated to quality was most definitely aligned with the product that each sector of our industry was producing. Feeders highlighted uniformity and consistency, while packers stressed structural soundness and conformation. Notably, end product merchandisers see visual characteristics describing beef slightly differently as food service defines quality as appropriate product color and retailers emphasized the amount of marbling. Food Safety continues to be a moving target as we strive to emphasize producing safe and wholesome beef. Beef packers highlighted the necessity of beef with no detectable E. coli O157:H7, and food service representatives reiterated the importance of beef tested for pathogens as well as absence of E. coli O157:H7. The survey respondents in the food service/distribution/further processing sector of our industry had an aggregated sales of $217 Billion of beef. They also according to the willingness to pay data would be willing to give a 13.58% premium, the highest for all criteria, for beef having the food safety attribute. Moreover, beef retailers that total an annual $253.6 Billion in beef sales highlighted food safety as 52% of people surveyed stated they would pay a premium for beef with preferred food safety attributes. Lastly, survey responses aligned with Eating Satisfaction showed intriguing results. Feeders, packers, and government and allied industries defined eating satisfaction first by tender, followed closely by good beef flavor. A slight contrast showed that the food service and retail sectors of our industry ranked good beef flavor as the leading attribute to beef quality, followed by tenderness. The cumulative responses from survey respondents that sell beef to consumers answered that eating satisfaction and weight and size were the beef quality attributes that they would most likely be willing to pay a premium. We all live and work in a dynamic and ever-changing industry of beef cattle production. It is evident that Beef Quality has differing meanings and value throughout the supply chain. Preliminary results of the 2011

NBQA lists feedlot operatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest quality challenges as 1). How and Where the Cattle were Raised; 2). Weight and Size; and 3). Cattle Genetics. Survey respondents in the packing sector represented over 90% of the industry and they listed their concerns as 1). Food Safety; 2). Eating Satisfaction; and 3). Lean, Fat and Bone. Lastly, the responses from the purveyors, retailers and restaurateurs described their greatest quality challenges as 1). Food Safety; 2). Eating Satisfaction; and 3). How & Where the Cattle were Raised. In summary, I believe the 2011 NBQA face-to-face interviews reiterate the foundational aspects of Beef Quality Assurance and more importantly of beef safety and quality as drivers of our industry. We must always use production management decisions that ensure safe, wholesome beef is what reaches consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dinner table. Furthermore, there are beef consumers each day that make purchasing decisions and trust their hard earned dollar will reward them with a satisfactory eating experience. Problematically, 4 out of the 5 sectors of the industry surveyed identified a top 3 weakness of the beef industry as â&#x20AC;&#x153;too fragmented.â&#x20AC;? As Dr. Gary C. Smith stated to the Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College audience in Nashville, Tennessee â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beef Quality Assurance is every producerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibility; it is every sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibility.â&#x20AC;? Whether you are one of the 750,000 cattlemen and women that are the foundation of the cow-calf business or a butcher at the local supermarket, we all have the responsibility (and the opportunity) to take pride in our livelihood and collaboratively work together in feeding the Safest and Highest Quality Beef to America and the world. Lastly, in response to the aforementioned cowboy â&#x20AC;&#x153;By God, I am a BEEF Producer.â&#x20AC;?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 7UDYLV : +RIIPDQ 0 6 &RORUDGR %HHI 4XDOLW\ $VVXUDQFH &RRUGL QDWRU (PDLO 7UDYLV +RIIPDQ#FRORVWDWH HGX; 3KRQH %(() 7UDYLV LV D th generation agriculturalist, raised on a farm and UDQFK LQ 6RXWK 'DNRWD +H KDV FRPSOHWHG D %DFK elorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree from South Dakota State University in Animal Sciences and Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Meat 6FLHQFH DW &RORUDGR 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\ +H LV FXU rently employed by Colorado State University and WKH &RORUDGR %HHI &RXQFLO DV WKH &RORUDGR %4$ Coordinator, where he leads a collaborative effort through interaction with Coloradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beef produc ers in order to continually meet the lofty goals of VWULYLQJ WR HIĂ&#x20AC;FLHQWO\ SURGXFH D VDIH KLJK TXDOLW\ EHHI SURGXFW IRU $PHULFDQ DQG JOREDO FRQVXPHUV

Source: The Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation by Robert WELLS

MANAGEMENT

<RX &DQQRW 6WDUYH D 3URÀW LQWR D &RZ

ost cattle producers in Oklahoma and Texas had a GLIÀFXOW 7KH GURXJKW SUHYHQWHG DQ DGHTXDWH amount of hay from being harvested or purchased for a reasonable price. Thus, most producers are trying to survive winter 2012 by stretching forage and feed resources. This can be accomplished with careful thought and consultation with a nutritionist to ensure that each cow’s nutrient requirements are still being met for the stage of production it is in. If corners are cut to save money now, it can have long lasting repercussions. The first consideration when pasture quality and quantity are low during winter is that a spring calving cow’s requirements are increasing through late gestation and continue to increase after calving and early lactation. Table 1 demonstrates this trend and shows that a cow reaches its highest nutrient requirements two months after calving. This table also lists the quality of the total diet the cow must consume in order to meet her requirements, including maintenance and development of the fetus. If the cow is able to consume an ad libitum forage diet in the last month of pregnancy, she would need to eat hay or pasture that was at least 56.2 percent total digestible nutrients (or energy) and 8.8 percent crude protein. Following drought, most ranchers do not have the luxury of enough pasture or hay to allow the cows to consume all that they want. This is when you should use the total pounds of each nutrient that the cow must have to meet her nutritional requirements. Many times, we can meet her nutrient requirements with more nutrient-dense feeds such as alfalfa hay and by-product feeds without meeting the cow’s dry matter intake requirements. The cow may still be hungry because of lack of rumen fill, but she will not suffer from malnourishment. The consequences of not meeting the cow’s nutrient requirements prior to calv-

ing can have lasting effects on the cow and the ranching operation. A cow that is receiving inadequate nutrients and is losing weight will enter starvation mode, which may shut down the reproductive cycle. This can last well into spring after grasses

have started to grow again because the cow must regain enough body condition to trigger the initiation of the reproductive cycle. This can lead to the cow being bred late in the season or not at all. Table 2 demonstrates the importance of body condition on the rebreeding rate of mature cows. A cow in a body condition score of 4 or less has a dramatically reduced rebreeding rate. Additionally, a cow that is in poor body condition at calving has a higher chance of dystocia, or calving problems. Feeding the cow herd during drought is a costly venture, but not feeding them will cost you more in the long run through stillborn calves and dead or open cows next year. You cannot starve profit into a cow.

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 13

MANAGEMENT BeefTalk:

Source: North Dakota State University Extension Service by Kris RINGWALL, Beef Specialist

Nothing New, Just a Reminder That Breeding Systems Work

eedstock producers have improved their genetics through selection to leave the impression that increased production attained through selection outweighs any advantages attained through heterosis or the crossing of unrelated breeds. Once the industry decided the walls would not cave in when Hereford bulls were mated to Angus cows or vice versa, the world of beef cattle systems was created. In the beginning, life was simple because all a producer needed to do was take an established herd of purebred or straight-bred cows and put a different breed of bull with the cows. Given that, the world of crossbreeding started to emerge. As a point of significance, for many producers, such crossings were considered improper in those days, and one perhaps could even use the word sacrilegious. For younger producers, those concepts seem foreign because beef cattle genetics is a much broader pool of genes sourced from many distinct breeds of cattle. So why bring up the past? It is a reminder of what followed those initial crossings because each breed had been meticulously tracked and the parentage documentation exhaustive. Some extraordinary results even were becoming visible to the naked eye. These so-called crossbred calves excelled in growth. They were very vigorous from birth through death. They withstood the stresses of the environment better and were all around better calves, so producers loved it. A term called heterosis (hybrid vigor) was put forth. It is a term that technically refers to the measurable and nonmeasurable advantage in the calf that was greater 14 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

than the average of what one would expect based on the average measureable performance of each parent breed. If a producer ever received a gift from Mother Nature, this was it. This was the beginning of crossbreeding in commercial cattle production. Commercial production systems soon were developed to explore and document the advantages of crossbreeding, and more refined breeding systems were established. The classic black baldy was produced and named. The Hereford- and Anguscrossed calves excelled. When the females were kept as replacements, these crossbred cows had improved fertility and successful pregnancies. This was good. However, as with so many people, being good is never good enough. If the traditional English-bred cattle would response to crossbreeding, why not search the world and bring in more breeds? Producers did just that. They brought in new breeds that were distinctly different from the traditional breeds. Again, the classic black baldy cows were bred to imported Charolais cattle. Calf growth mushroomed after that. These “terminal” calves excelled in red meat production and feedlot performance. These classic crossbreeding programs were well documented and the advantages were real. The premise of a good crossbreeding program was to keep the production unit (cow) smaller and refine the costs to make the cow practical. The terminal sire advan-

tage is that all the pluses achieved through heterosis would be maintained, plus the cow would have the unique traits associated with the selected breed. This was good. The beef cattle breeding systems were expanded to handle even more breeds. Programs either maximized production through terminal sires or more sophisticated rotational breeding programs that allowed for the inclusion of new breeds on the maternal side as well. This meant that the world of beef production was not limited to black baldy cows. The issue is not the validation of the benefits of crossbreeding in today’s cattle, but rather the dismissal of crossbreeding systems. The reason is improvement in individual breeds. Seedstock producers have improved their genetics through selection to leave the impression that increased production attained through selection outweighs any advantages attained through heterosis or the crossing of unrelated breeds. So what is the point? In the genetic world, remember that measurable and nonmeasurable advantages are evident as diverse genetics are crossed. That is simply a fact. More importantly, the concept of crossbreeding systems was placed on the back shelf. As a result, the tool chest shrunk. As producers explore new ways to address beef systems in the current world, a large tool chest is needed. As producers look to downsize cows, those early black baldy concepts are real. A small cow is not efficient if she only has the capacity to wean a small calf. Real efficiency comes when the small cow produces a calf that exceeds her own capacity to grow. This means terminal sires. In addition, it means crossbreeding systems are needed. It is nothing new, just a reminder.

by Megan PELLEGRINI, The National Provisioner

MANAGEMENT

Pre-harvest Interventions

f a meat processor were to spend $16 million a year on vac- because of the drug application requirecines for its cattle to prevent bacterial contamination but a ments.” recall still takes place due to contamination further down VACCINATING AGAINST the line, is the earlier pre-harvest investment worth it?

That is the dilemma meat and poultry processors have been grappling with since the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) instituted tougher standards in 2005 (which are due to be further enhanced shortly). However, the industry theory is that the more hurdles deadly bacteria have to jump, the more likely it is that they will be eliminated before reaching a consumer’s plate, which is why meat and poultry processors alike have renewed their focus on innovative pre-harvest intervention technology in recent years — to the tune of $550 million each year from the beef industry alone, reports the National Beef Cattlemen’s Association. “I believe in the multiple-hurdle process,” says H. Russell Cross, Ph.D., professor and interim head, Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University. “For HACCP [Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points] to be most effective, several interventions should be in place from the pre- and post-harvest sectors.” Control approaches in the pre-harvest area have focused on two areas: changing management strategies such as feed, equipment and water, and intervention strategies such as vaccines or phages, viruses that attack bacteria. With feed additives, processors are already using direct-fed microbials (DFM), which can be composed of yeast, bacterial cultures or other nonpathogenic microorganisms, to compete with target pathogens like E. coli O157. After being fed to the animals, DFM

TROUBLE

produce compounds as byproducts of their growth (such as organic acids like lactic acid or volatile fatty acids) that create an unfavorable environment for pathogens, says Mandy Carr Johnson, Ph.D., executive director of beef safety research, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). “Additionally, sodium chlorate can be added to feed for its antimicrobial effects,” says Johnson. “Research has shown this process reduces the populations of the pathogens in the GI [gastrointestinal] tract and on the hide of cattle. This product is currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration.” Johnson explains that the intracellular bacterial enzyme nitrate reductase is found in bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella to help them respire, or “breathe,” in an environment without oxygen, such as the GI tract of cattle. “However, this enzyme does not distinguish nitrate, which it uses for the respiration process, from chlorate, which when broken down by the enzyme into chlorite is toxic to the cell,” she notes. Sodium chlorite supplements have a lot of potential because they are not expensive, show positive lab data results and can address any of the E. coli and Salmonella pathogens, according to Keith Belk, professor of animal science at Colorado State University. “We’re very excited about this one,” he says. “The issue with many pre-harvest intervention technologies, however, is the approval process. It’s a very slow process

Different approaches have been evaluated for pre-harvest vaccines that target pathogens. One approach is to focus on interrupting a pathogen’s ability to acquire nutrients from the environment. “Siderophores are proteins excreted by bacteria to obtain iron from the environment, which for some pathogens is the intestinal tract of cattle,” says Johnson. “The SRP [siderophore receptor and porin] vaccine targets this protein and disrupts iron transport into the bacterial cell which results in cell death. Research has shown the use of this type of vaccine can reduce fecal concentrations and prevalence of E. coli O157 significantly.” This product is conditionally licensed in the U.S. and large field trials have been conducted and continue to be conducted to provide additional information for its license. Additionally, vaccines have been produced that target proteins secreted by pathogens like E. coli O157 from attaching to the inside of the GI tract of cattle. “The vaccine disrupts the proteins, preventing the attachment,” says Johnson. “Research has shown this type of vaccine to also be effective at reducing shedding of these pathogens by treated cattle.” This product is licensed in Canada and is pending conditional license in the U. S. Belk notes that the big problem with vaccines is cost and whether they produce a great enough response to justify that cost. A relatively new technology, bacteriophages (or phages), is gaining interest with the beef industry. Popular with scientists from the old Soviet Union, typical phages have hollow heads (where the (continued on page 16)

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 15

MANAGEMENT PRE-HARVEST INTERVENTIONS... (continued from page 15)

phage DNA or RNA is stored) and tunnel tails, the tips of which have the ability to bind to specific molecules on the surface of their target bacteria. The viral DNA is then injected through the tail into the host cell, where it directs the production of progeny phages often over a hundred in half an hour. These young phages burst from the host cell (killing it) and infect more bacteria. They would be used to kill any pathogens on the animal hide before it enters the harvest facility. “The consensus among microbiologists is that phages do not have any known adverse effects on humans, animals or the environment and tend to gravitate toward wherever bacteria live,” says Cross. That said, other feedback on phages has been more iffy, says Belk. “It’s a developing and evolving area, but it’s not quite there yet,” he says. “For example, think of any cold virus or the swine flu: genetic mutations change so quickly that a year from now the same phage will be different. That’s why researchers are working with a cocktail of phages to attack E. coli.” Vaccine and phage technology exists, says Cross, but the question remains whether it can be effectively implemented. “Some vaccines have shown 40 percent to 50 percent reduction in Salmonella levels in feces,” he explains. “Many in the industry suggest that more open and commercial testing is necessary to improve consistency and reduce costs.”

KEEPING A CLEAN COAT

According to Cross, most people in the industry agree that 90 percent or more of its pathogen problems actually come from the surface of the hide and what is transferred to the carcass. However, processors are not taking advantage of chemical dehairing and carcass irradiation as two good opportunities for interventions. Put simply, chemical dehairing removes everything from the surface of the 16 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

hide so almost no bacteria can survive. The process has been simplified and improved since it was first introduced, he says, and the cost is more reasonable as well. Carcass irradiation has so far been denied by FSIS due to concerns over uneven applications — and thus uneven dosages — but new technology exists that provides a uniform application of e-beams (and dosage), he says. “I think the industry should push for another look,” Cross says. “Each of these systems provides multiple-log pathogen reductions early in the slaughter process and greatly enhances the efficacy of the acid applications and hot water pasteurizations when applied later in the HACCP process.”

VALIDATING CARCASS WASHES

The last two years have seen an increase in processors attempting to validate their carcass-washing systems, largely due to upcoming FSIS validation guidelines, says Beck. Also, many ready meat processors are being proactive with effective interventions. “I’ve seen a lot of adjustments at every plant to improve their system before the FSIS guidelines are issued; for example, in areas such as chemicals, temperatures, pressure, concentrations and flow rates,” he says. He adds that carcass cabinets are being re-designed and engineered for hide-on cleaning, and their chemicals are being re-evaluated. “Improvements have been made in the area of more effective hot-water pasteurization cabinets,” says John Ruby, Ph.D., head, technical services, JBS USA Beef Division. “In addition, newer antimicrobial technologies such as bromine-based wash applications have shown to also be effective.” Remote video auditing (RVA) has also proven a very effective tool in improving the dressing procedure and therefore pre-

venting cross-contamination from hide to carcass during removal of the hide, says Ruby. “Improvements are still needed so the intervention technology can be effective at reducing the target organism,” he says. “It needs to have an application system that is simple to use, safe, and easy to monitor; and there needs to be an efficient way to validate the interventions’ effectiveness.” Trimming and steam-vacuuming are still effective interventions for visible contamination, as are rinses and steam pasteurization on contamination that is not visible, says Johnson. “The key changes over time have been not only identifying new compounds or technologies to implement in place of other technologies, but also modifications to combinations of current technologies to make them more effective,” she says. “A good example is an organic acid may have been used alone years ago, but now it is used in combination with other interventions but at a different concentration or temperature than originally used.” So far, Cross says, Cargill has shown the most interest in carcass washes, followed by JBS and Tyson, although published research provides mixed results for hide-on washes or interventions. “Cargill may be the only packer using full hide-wash systems,” he says. “We hear of less than 2 log reductions with sodium hydroxide, but that has not been confirmed. Bottom line, the uses of hide washes are showing a less than 2 log reduction at a likely cost of $3 a head.”

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

As the industry awaits the FSIS’ new proposed pre-harvest guidelines, many companies are well-suited to handle them in stride. “The big companies are already ahead of the government,” says Belk. “To their (continued on page 17)

MANAGEMENT PRE-HARVEST INTERVENTIONS... (continued from page 16)

credit, they have spent millions evaluating their pre-harvest tools — which is not to say they are fully implemented yet.” However, he still voices the concern, “I’d contend that the meat industry is ahead of us with pre-harvest intervention tactics, but E. coli is at the root of that focus,” says Alling Yancy, Ph.D., vice president, food safety and production programs for the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association. Instead, the poultry industry has mainly focused its food-safety efforts on post-harvest production at the processing plant, he says, because it is the last step before the product reaches consumers and can be more tightly controlled and sterilized, compared to hatcheries and broiler houses, which handle live animals. “It’s not possible to eliminate Salmonella or Campylobacter, but it’s a noble and reasonable goal to consider how we can minimize them as much as possible before the bird carcasses enter the plant,” he says. To that end, the International Poultry Expo (IPE) hosted a Pre-Harvest Food Safety Conference (developed by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, the National Chicken Council, the North American Meat Processors Association, Auburn University and the University of Georgia) in January to educate processors on the latest technologies and procedures. “Our members tell us that their customers are asking more questions about food-safety procedures prior to the processing plant, and FSIS and the FDA are looking into pre-harvest interventions more as well,” notes Yancy. Vaccines — whether off the shelf or autonomous — for hens are the only consistent pre-harvest method employed by most processors, but their technology is constantly being tweaked to yield greater results, he says. Another tactic is competitive exclusion, in which day-old birds are fed a nat-

urally occurring, non-pathogenic bacteria substance to prevent harmful bacteria from colonizing or adhering to the chick’s undeveloped gastrointestinal tract. The farm then also benefits by having fewer Salmonella-infected birds. Phages, or viruses used to kill bacteria, are a new innovative technique but are not yet in high demand due to their potential complications, says Yancy. “The FDA does not fast-track new technologies, and the often tedious application process can retard innovation,” he says. “There is some frustration in the industry that more technologies are not available.” Due to long approval process for new pre-harvest technology, the FSIS

is giving recommendations without providing the tools to make them possible. “One of the greatest limitations today is the lack of approved options for the industry to test in large settings,” agrees Kristina Butts, executive director of legislative affairs, NCBA. “There are multiple interventions that show remarkable pre-harvest opportunity on the research side, but these products have a challenge in navigating the approval process. Cattle producers need a variety of tools to utilize in the pre-harvest area.” Reprinted with permission from The National Provisioner, a BNP Media publication, Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. www.provisioneronline.com/

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WILL BE

BRANGUS SIRED.

Nothing is more usable in today’s market than a BRANGUS sired calf. Beef producers across the country are using Brangus to capture added heterosis, longevity, environmental adaptability and efÀFLHQF\ LQKHUHQW LQ WKHVH JHQHWLFV :KDW·V more, they get added pounds at weaning. Commercial BRANGUS females are

widely known for their ability to adapt to any HQYLURQPHQW DQG EULQJ D SURÀW PDNLQJ FDOI WR the weaning pen. The BRANGUS sired steer is very much in demand by stockers and feeders for less disease, faster gains and fewer days on feed with added yield grade and total accessibility to premium product lines like CAB.

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(210) 696-8231 www.GOBRANGUS.com FRONTLINE Beef Producer 17

ALABAMA

FLORIDA

To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

ARKANSAS To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

13465 Brooklyn Rd. Evergreen, AL 36401

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GEORGIA To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

ARIZONA To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

18 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

1644 Swan Creek Rd. Hamptonville, NC 27020

Owners Robert Yates Pete Peterson

Barn: 336/526-6087 Cell: 336/466-0115 dep1111@yahoo.com

MISSOURI

OKLAHOMA

To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

NEW MEXICO

TEXAS

To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

Lack-Morrison Brangus

XXX UIFPBLTGBSN DPN

Cobus Coetzee, Farm Manager - 678-378-0598 Cell Dex King-Williams, Asst. Farm Manager - 678-378-4697 Cell

Bulls, Â Females, Â Semen Â and Â Embryos Bill Â Morrison Joe Â Paul Â & Â Rosie Â Lack 411 Â CR Â 10 P.O. Â Box Â 274 Clovis, Â NM Â 88101 Hatch, Â NM Â 87937 (575) Â 482-Ââ&#x20AC;?3254 P Â (575) Â 267-Ââ&#x20AC;?1016 (575) Â 760-Ââ&#x20AC;?7263 Â Cell F Â (575) Â 267-Ââ&#x20AC;?1234 bvmorrison@yucca.net www.lackmorrisonbrangus.com

KANSAS

NORTH CAROLINA

To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

MISSISSIPPI To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 19

www.ironfarmcattle.com

(210) 218-4804

To place your ad in the STATE DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

ggclem69@aol.com 20 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

Chase Penny, General Manager, 972-足754-足6275

SERVICES Lakin Â Oakley Auctioneer 7081 Â Highway Â 82 Â West DeKalb, Â Texas Â 75559 903/667-3251 Â Home 903/277-9610 Â Mobile

For the best carcass ultrasound technicians â&#x20AC;Ś The National CUP Lab & Technology Center P.O. Box 627 â&#x20AC;˘ 413 Kellogg Ave. Ames, IA 50010

(515) 232-9442 â&#x20AC;˘ cuplab@cuplab.com

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To place your ad in the SERVICES DIRECTORY, please call the IBBA office at 210.696.8231

Visit us at:

www.GoBrangus.com 210/696-8231

Brangus Gold. . .

We are identifying the BEST commercial females in the business!

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Brangus Gold females work for you. . . D proven /RQJHYLW\ D proven $GDSWDELOLW\ D proven 0RWKHULQJ $ELOLW\ D proven (IILFLHQF\ D proven 3URGXFWLYLW\ FRONTLINE Beef Producer 21

International Brangus Breeders Association FRONTLINE Beef Producer Print Advertising Rates

Effective Jan. 1, 2012

Commercial Ad Rates

IBBA Member Ad Rates

Ad Size

1 time

4 times*

1 time

4 times*

Full Page

$1650

$1250

$1100

$1000

2/3 Page

$1250

$950

$850

$750

1/2 Page Island

$975

$725

$645

$535

1/2 Page

$900

$675

$600

$500

1/3 Page

$637.50

$475

$425

$375

1/4 Page

$450

$350

$300

$250

*Receive additional discounts when you place four consecutive ads

Editorial Calendar Issue

Deadline

January/February Mails Jan. 1 March/April Mails March 1

December 10 February 10

September/October Mails Sep. 1

August 10

November/December Mails Nov. 1

October 10

Please follow all format and submission requirements carefully to ensure appropriate print quality. Contact us to inquire about inserts, business reply cards and other specialty ads. Contact: Brangus Publications 5750 Epsilon San Antonio, TX 78249 Advertising Sales: IBBA 2I¿FH Phone: 210-696-8231 Email: advertising@int-brangus.org

FRONTLINE Beef Producer Who you reach when you advertise: 2,000 IBBA Members 5,500 Bull Buyers More than 12,500 Commercial Producers

About the Frontline This is the publication Brangus seedstock producers should utilize to create a “brand” and a reputation in the minds of commercial cow/calf producers interested in breeding to Brangus. This publication is a true source of news and discussion of relevant and timely topics for U.S. commercial beef producer audiences. The Frontline is published four times a year with a circulation of 20,000; additional copies are distributed at trade shows and producer events. The IBBA introduced this publication as a way for seedstock producers to advertise their program to the commercial sector and get the breeder in front of the customer.

5750 EPSILON | SAN ANTONIO, TX 78249 | 210-696-8213 | www.GoBrangus.org

22 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

ADVERTISERSINDEX 5K Cowbelle

Advanced Solutions Network

American Marketing Services

Blackwater Cattle Co.

Inside Front Cover & 19

Farris Ranching Company

Garry Clem Brangus

Genesis Ranch

Cross F Cattle

Greuel Family Brangus

Daniel Wendland

Dillard Land & Cattle Ltd.

Carter Brangus

Doak Lambert

Cattle Connections

CattleMax

Doguet’s Diamond D Ranch

Cavender Ranches

Don Thomas & Sons

Burke Brangus Farm Caldwell Farms

Centralized Ultrasound Processing

Char-No Farm

Chimney Rock Cattle Co.

Circle X Land & Cattle Co.

Cox Excalibur

Double Creek Brangus Ranch

Lack-Morrison Brangus

Salacoa Valley

Lakin Oakley

Lingg Brangus

Southeast Brangus Breeders

Livestock Photos by Nancy

Star G Ranches

The Oaks Farms

Hardee Farms

McCreary Farms

Third Day Ranch

Hayman’s 711 Ranch

MO Brangus

Triangle K Farms

Herd Perfect

Perry Ranch

Hughes Cattle Service

Purina

Back cover & 18

IBBA

7 & 17

Quail Creek Brangus

Indian Hills Ranch

20 20

Red Bird Meadows Ranch

Iron Farm Cattle Co. JLS International

Draggin’ M Ranch

Johnston Farms

Elgin Breeding Service

L&W Cattle

Triple JR Cattle Co

Truitt Brangus

Vineyard Cattle Co., Inc.

Robbs Brangus

Wendland Farms

Robert Yates Ranch LLC

Wynne Ranch

Rocking Bell Ranch

Zottarelli Ranches

CALENDAROFEVENTS March - 2012

Feb 29March 4

IBBA Convention - Houston, TX

“The Divas in Red” Premier Red Brangus Heifer Sale College Station, TX

27-28

IRBBA Annual Meeting

The Collection Sale - Houston, TX

May - 2012

International Brangus & Red Brangus Bull Show Houston, TX

JLS International Production Sale - Devine, TX

JLS Winning Tradition IX Sale - Devine, TX

International Brangus & Red Brangus Female Show Houston, TX

6-11

World Brangus Congress - Rockhampton, Australia

Genetic Edge Sale Houston, TX

Mound Creek and Friends Female Sale - Leona, TX

4th Annual Global Roundup - Rosenberg, TX

TBBA/ICA Spring Sale, Beaumont, TX

Indian Nations Spring Brangus Sale, Ada, Oklahoma

Quail Creek Ranch “Cut Above Sale” - Cullman, AL

The Stockman’s Kind Bull Sale, Mound Creek Ranch - Leona, TX

GENETRUST @ Chimney Rock Pen Show & Registered Brangus Female Sale - Concord, AR

Miller Brangus Sale - Waynesboro, TN

GENETRUST @ Chimney Rock Registered Brangus Bull & Commercial Female Sale - Concord, AR

WTBBA Springtime Sale - Abilene, TX

Indian Nations Fall Sale

GENETRUST @ Suhn Cattle Co. Bull Sale - Eureka, KS

The Stockman’s Kind Bull Sale, Blackwater Cattle Co. - Lake Park, GA

RRR Ranch Annual Production Female Sale - TBA

RRR Ranch Annual Production Bull Sale - TBA

April - 2012 14

TBBA Central Texas Sale - West, TX

18-24

Beef Improvement Federation Symposium & Convention - Houston, TX

GENETRUST @ Cavender Ranches Registered Female Sale - Jacksonville, TX

GENETRUST @ Cavender Ranches Commercial Female Sale - Jacksonville, TX

College Station, TX

July - 2012 15-20

National Junior Brangus Show - West Monroe - LA

Brangus Futurity, West Monore - LA

November - 2012

December - 2012 1

GENETRUST @ Cavender Ranches Registered Brangus Bull & Commercial Female Sale Jacksonville, TX

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 23

Three Aces BRINKS BS

607L11 30T

Brangus rded %IMF Highest reco BA registry Sire in the IB 3.2 (244 ratio); 1 10.31% IMF s. at lb 6 Backfat; 114 REA; 0.42” 355 day old

and a bunch of ladies

Red Brangus Show Sire of the Year 2007, 2008 and 2009

TK HIGHWA Y Rocky Street’s 901S son 2009 Houston Sr. Bull Champ ion

SUREWAY’S ROCKY STREET 227N US SIRE D BRANG ample #2 IMF EP ith ss quality w High carca bone muscle and

Registered Females and Bulls for Sale Novillas y toros registrados para venta

your cattle genetics! Change your bulls to produce choice Black or Red Brangus.

These registered Red Brangus females are sired by Triangle K Red Brangus bulls. Registered bulls, semen, registered females and commercial females sired by Triangle K bulls for sale at the ranch in Chappell Hill, Texas. CSS Semen for sale on Brinks BS 607L11 30T43, Rocky Street, and Highway.

TRIANGLE K FARMs Dennis Kmiec 9551 Terrace Rd. Chappell Hill, TX 77426 ϳϭϯͲϲϵϱͲϲϰϱϳ ͻ ϳϭϯͲϴϮϵͲϬϮϳϬ͕ ĐĞůů ͻ ϳϭϯͲϲϵϭͲϱϮϰϭ͕ ĨĂǆ ĞŵĂŝů͗ ĚĞŶŶŝƐΛƐƚĞǀĞƐŝŶƐƚĂůůĂƟŽŶ͘ĐŽŵ ͻ ǁǁǁ͘ƚƌŝĂŶŐůĞŬĨĂƌŵƐ͘ĐŽŵ 24 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

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